Hey everyone!

Here's another chapter for all of you guys to read. Sorry I didn't post sooner, but with the holidays coming up and all, I've been a bit busy! The same will probably be the case for the next week or so. *makes a sad face* Finals will be taking up most of my time which is why I wanted to finish this and post it up for all of you to see. No worries though, I'll be back after Finals week with a new chapter for all of you to read over Christmas! You can be sure of that!

Now about this chapter, it gave me a bit of trouble while I was working on it. So much trouble that I ended up rewriting a scene or two while I was working on it! Hopefully I won't be hit by the evil writer's block wall anytime soon so that I can whip up a new chapter! Well anywho, read on and enjoy everyone….and have a happy holidays!

Lots of holiday love,

-NightRaven13

DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything associated KH1 or KH2, so stop asking!

The dishes crashed against the soapy water, officially completing the twelfth repeat of the same cycle.

Roxas was officially dead tired. Dish duty, as well as busboy duty, completely sucked as much as he was concerned. The dishes were heavy and filthy, and the soapy water reeked of something Roxas couldn't quite put his finger on. It took all the strength he had left in him not to vomit into the pungent smelling water before him.

Axel had been little help. For every order he placed at the front, six piles of dishes usually followed for that table. Roxas was usually stuck hauling away whatever eating disaster the customers usually left behind.

One thing became very certain for Roxas during his first shift on board, the wealthy patrons of the Lounge could be very messy eaters as well as horrible tippers.

He sighed, a whole nights work and he had only gathered fifteen dollars in tips. The rest had gone to waiters and waitresses who were quicker at the grab than he was. All in all, it had been a very hard and unproductive night. Roxas was just glad that his shift was officially coming to a close.

"You! Blond boy! Your shift's over! You can go back to your room already…see you here at 6 pm again tomorrow!"

Roxas turned, nodding in response and letting what dishes were left to clatter into the sink. He'd let the next poor sap in charge of the next shift pick up where he was leaving off. He pulled off the apron he had been wearing and left it next to the sink.

"Ok…see you tomorrow then."

The pink haired chef merely waved back, showing little acknowledgement to Roxas' jester. He merely shrugged in response, leaving the chef everyone called Marley alone to finish his business.

He walked out of the kitchen, quickly walking by Larxene before she managed a chance to notice him. He ended up crashing into a speeding Axel instead.

"Hey you! Where are you going?"

Roxas waved his hands down, trying desperately to get Axel to lower his voice. While Larxene had merely been vicious early on in the evening, she had become downright murderous to Roxas as the night progressed. She obviously did not like him very much, and was not embarrassed to show it.

"Axel! Keep your damn voice down! Larxene will hear you!"

Axel smiled, "What? You afraid of the blond at the bar? Give me a break Roxas! Her bark is worse than her bite!"

Laughter followed right behind Roxas, making his blood run cold.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that flame boy…"

Larxene walked by just then, leather jacket slung behind her shoulder and an evil smile gracing her cold face.

Roxas blinked, lost for words.

Larxene merely laughed in response.

"See you two tomorrow…"

Axel laughed, "See…told you she ain't so bad."

Roxas frowned, "Yeah…right…she's a puppy all right."

Axel merely laughed and pulled Roxas along, leading him towards the main office to clock out.

"Tell you what, my shift doesn't end for another two minutes so why don't you wait out on deck and I'll catch up with you right now?"

Roxas nodded, punching the keys on the computer before grabbing his sweater and heading out.

"Alright…see you outside. Try not to take too long though!"

Axel smiled and nodded, walking away with a tray of dishes and disappearing into the kitchen.

The air was cold, but at least it was refreshing.

He walked out on deck, pulling his black hooded sweater over his head as he did so. The breeze picked up slightly, sending a refreshing chill down his back. The fog had begun to slightly roll in, masking the darkness ahead with a silver blanket and heightening the brightness of the ship at sea.

It was all quite relaxing to Roxas, and it beat being in Twilight Town any day.

"Heh…so much for having a lame summer!"

He stepped near the railing, letting his arms drop over the edge of the cold metal bars. The ocean below churned slightly as the ship moved forward, sending little waves farther out to sea and into parts unknown. For some odd reason, it made Roxas step away a little.

"I…wouldn't do that…if I were you."

Roxas jumped, pushing away from the railing and turning around.

Not a soul was there.

He blinked, lost for words. He could have sworn he had heard someone there just a few minutes before.

"What the hell?"

Quiet crying could be heard in the distance, not too far from where he was now. He turned back towards the railing, only to find a girl standing not too far away down the length of the deck. Her face was hidden behind the mass of light blond hair she had, while her pale skin matched oddly with the long white dress she was wearing. She was obviously a first class passenger, but Roxas couldn't recall ever seeing her up at dinner.

"Uh miss…are you ok?"

The girl continued to sob, not once bothering to turn around to face Roxas.

"Hey! Are you ok? Something bothering you? Hey!"

He stepped forward, about to grab her arm, when someone broke his attention.

"Hey Roxas! Let's get the hell back inside! Its freggin' freezing out here!"

Roxas turned, Axel was in the middle of pulling his jacket on and was clearly already freezing.

"Hold on you insensitive prick! Can't you see this chick is a little upset right now?"

Axel blinked, rubbing his hands together against the cold.

"Dude…what chick?"

Roxas frowned, ready to smack Axel across the head, when he turned and realized what Axel had been talking about.

The girl was gone.

"What the hell?"

Axel laughed, walked up to Roxas and leaned against the railing where the girl had been just seconds before.

"Dude…the sea is really starting to get to you…not only are you flipping out but you're seeing invisible chicks that aren't even there."

Roxas just blinked, still puzzled as well as lost for words. He was sure that there had been someone there, where they had gone so fast was what was troubling him.

Axel sensed this, and moved in quickly to divert Roxas from having a sudden mental freak out.

"Alright dude…all invisible chicks aside. How's about we head down to one of these clubs and get ourselves some real ladies…you know…some that actually exist."

Roxas frowned, "I don't know…"

"Oh come on! Larxene told me about this one club on the other side of the ship that gets major action at this hour!"

"Ok…now I know this isn't a good idea…since when were you such good friends with Larxene?"

Axel smiled, "I'm not…we're more like acquaintances…she's not so bad once you talk to her."

Roxas frowned, a sarcastic laugh escaping him as he did so.

"Yeah…and Rottweiler's are really sensitive puppies once you get to know them."

Now it was Axel's turn to frown.

"Dude…enough with the dog comparisons…you're making the dogs feel bad."

Roxas walked alone down the empty hallway.

The lights flickered strangely as he did so, but on he walked anyway. All of those who slept on the crew's floor were either in bed, working the later shifts, or off in one of the clubs like Axel was.

Axel kept on insisting that Roxas join him, but after threatening him severely with sudden death, Axel had jokingly agreed to let him retreat for the night. Roxas was dead tired, and partying off in one of the ship's fancy clubs was the last thing he felt like doing at that moment.

He yawned slightly as he slid his card key and opened the door to his room. He pulled his hooded sweater over his head as he walked in, and then let it fall to the floor as he crashed onto his bed.

He sighed, and let his muscles relax at the comfort surrounding him.

"This day has been way too long…"

His eyes began to drift shut slightly, sleep threatening to overcome him soon if he didn't get up and change.

"I'll get up right now…in a bit…"

He yawned again, but was cut short by the sound of desperate crying outside his door. His eyes quickly snapped open at the sound, driving him out of bed and near the door. He pressed his ear against the wooden frame, and sure enough, someone was crying on the other side.

Something told him to keep the door closed, to lock it tight and jump into bed underneath the covers until morning.

Of course, morbid curiosity got the best of him first.

He opened the door, and was surprised to find that only a few lights in the hallway were on. The rest had mysteriously flickered off, giving the hall a very eerie look.

Roxas stepped out into the hall, letting the door shut itself out of its own accord. He turned to his left, and found that the lights towards the upper floors were still functional. Once he turned to the right, however, he found that nearly all the lights were off and that the way towards the lower floors was nearly non visible.

"What is going on here? Did we have a power shortage or something?"

He walked towards one of the wall lights that decorated the hallway, and sure enough, found that the light had appeared to have blown a fuse.

"What is going on?"

A slight sobbing noise was the only response he received. He turned towards the sound, and could slightly make out the figure of a young girl turning the corner towards the darker part of the hallway.

"Hey! Wait a second!"

He jumped up, and then followed at a run, occasionally trying hard not to trip despite the sudden darkness that surrounded him in the hallway. He turned the corner and ran further down the hallway, occasionally making out the retreating figure of the girl ahead of him.

"Hold on a second!"

Roxas continued to follow, slightly catching up to her as she ran up a small flight of stairs and up into one of the upper decks of the ship. He pushed the door open and was greeted by a strong gust of wind, one that immediately sent a shiver down his spine.

"Damn, I forgot my stupid sweater back in the room!"

He continued on anyway, ignoring the violent cold that had suddenly began to attack him and followed the girl. As he began to reach her, she turned, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Her piercing blue eyes stared him down, a look of utter despair engulfing her face and permeating the atmosphere around them. Roxas was transfixed, unable to move any farther towards the pale girl.

"Go away…"

The whispered warning sent a frightening shiver down his spine. She turned and continued to run, but Roxas did not bother to follow.

"Wait!" he called out.

She turned another corner, Roxas barely reaching the spot a half second later.

But he was too late.

The girl was gone.

And there you are folks! Hope you like! Please review if you have the chance! Reviews make me ever so happy…

Love,

-NightRaven13