Chapter 6: The Loss of Two Friends

A/N: There's a timeskip of a few weeks to when Roxas and Xion leave the organization. So don't get confused if we go into that!

Something strange was happening. I could feel it in the air. Every time Roxas and Axel were in the same room, I could feel the tension increase and I always held my breath, waiting for them to fight but they never did. Anxiety once again crept into my stomach and squeezed like a fist whenever the two were in the same room. It felt like my parents were fighting all over again but from a different angle; instead of my parents it was two of my best male friends. At night, I'd bury my face in my pillow and sob for a while because I didn't want to lose Roxas and Xion. I learned to love them like younger siblings.

Soon, Xion was gone and the tension got worse. There were nights when Axel and I couldn't sleep so we'd sit in my room chatting about life and everything in between. I let Axel in on my darkest secrets that I kept hidden from others—the ones I only told Cheryl—and he told me his darkest secrets—ones that involved him and Saix. Turned out, when the two got into the organization they had a horrible fight which was why Saix had an X shaped scar running down the bridge of his nose. There was a lot of crying from my end when I told him my secrets but he comforted me like a real friend would.

I wasn't in love with Axel but he listened and that was what I valued in a friendship—someone who listened. Cheryl had guy friends and they were as close as me and Axel were, save for the crying. The two of us valued each other's company. I told him about my growing feelings for Xemnas and he nodded and understood me.

One fateful day, I ran into Roxas and he looked angry. I knew what this meant; he would leave the organization behind to figure out who he was. Instead of showing my hidden anxieties, I smiled at him gently and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me with those beautiful blue eyes and pouted his lower lip.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" I asked in a hushed tone.

He nodded resolutely. "I'm not a tool, Shelby," he said fiercely, "and I'm not gonna stick around while Xion's missing." There was pain in those blue eyes.

"You love her, don't you?" I whispered with a ghost of a smile on my face. "You do. You love her."

He nodded again with the determination of a young person in love. "Please, Shelby," he begged, "I have to go."

Tears welled up in my eyes and I sniffled as I drew him to my heart and hugged him tightly. The tears rolled down my cheeks as I realized I was going to lose Roxas forever. My best guy friend was going to be taken by DiZ and Riku and I would never see him again. I was a cry baby, I was woman enough to admit it, but I couldn't bear the idea of losing my friends. Why was I so helpless? So what if I could shoot a bow and arrow; it didn't help my friends when they needed it.

"I love you, Roxas," I said gently, stroking his blond spikes. "Please don't leave. I don't want to lose you too. You're not the only one who lost Xion." The tears that fell from my eyes landed on Roxas's cheeks as he stared up at me.

"I have to leave," said Roxas firmly. "Xion is out there somewhere and I have to help her." He tugged himself loose from my hug and walked away from me.

"You know," he said finally with his back turned, "I always thought of you like my sister. I love you too if nobodies can love. Good bye, Shelby. Take care of yourself." With that he summoned a portal and disappeared through.

I fell to my knees, hands over my aching chest, and began weeping until my throat hurt. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't I do anything? It hurt so much to see my friend walk away. I did say I loved Roxas but not in that way. In a short time, he grew close to my heart and became like the younger brother I never had so when he left it felt like I lost another family member. My eyes burned and my throat ached when I stood up. I was done crying; there would never be enough tears that could be shed over this.

Wiping my eyes, I ran into the gray room to talk to Axel but he was gone. My heart sank to my feet as I realized he probably left to confront Roxas one more time. I wished I could go down there to help but I knew this was Axel and Roxas needed to confront the other. The lines from the game ran through my head:

"Your mind's made up…"

"Why did the Keyblade choose me? I have to know."

"You can't turn on the organization! You get on their bad side and they'll destroy you!"

"No one will miss me!"

"That's not true. I would…"

A clap on my shoulder woke me from my thoughts and I saw Demyx standing there with a smile on his face. The smile wasn't that goofy one I was so familiar with but a gentle, kind one. My respect for Demyx grew that day.

"Hey, don't worry about Axel and Roxas, Shelb," he said gently. "I'm sure everything will be just fine."

No it won't, I thought but I forced a smile and said, "Of course, Demyx. It'll be just fine." I nodded at him and walked away so I could cry without the scrutiny of the other members and wonder why God hated me so much.

I sat on my bed, weeping into my hands helplessly. I hated crying because it made me look weak and it didn't feel right in my heart. The choking lump in my throat felt like I was getting strangled. When the tears were relentless, I hated feeling my eyes burn and ache because of it. To some, it was right to cry because it eased the sorrow in one's heart but in the organization crying was wrong because we weren't supposed to cry when we didn't have hearts. But I did and I could cry if I wanted to.

Feeling totally worn out, I laid back on my bed and fell asleep with my clothes on. It felt just like it did when I lost my cousin but this time I didn't have my mom to comfort me. There was another feeling I hadn't felt since I was a young girl; I missed my mom. I wanted her to comfort me because she was the only one who understood what I went through but I guessed that was what most girls felt with their mothers when their hearts were shattered.

Instead of falling asleep normally, I cried myself to sleep—like I had done so many times prior.

I woke up early so I could ask Demyx to take me to Twilight Town without Saix or Xemnas knowing. Dressed in dark jeans and a dark blue tee-shirt, I ran down the many stairs to get to the gray room and as expected I found Demyx sitting on the couch strumming his sitar idly. He looked surprised when I approached him and I didn't blame him because I probably looked crazy right about now.

"Quick, Demyx," I said quickly, "make a corridor so I can go to Twilight Town."

"Wha—why?" he asked, looking a little frightened of my attitude.

I stepped forward, grabbed him by the lapels, and screamed, "Don't ask! Just do it!" I didn't realize I was quoting Axel from Kingdom Hearts II until I released him.

"Okay, okay," he said, summoning a dark corridor.

"Thank you!" I yelled excitedly, kissing him on the cheek before running through. "I'll be back later!" With that, I disappeared into portal that intended to go to Twilight Town.

When I arrived, I found Roxas cradling Xion's dying form and dread poked at my heart. Oh, God, I'm too late. I ran up to them, crouched down on my knees, and took Xion's other hand, squeezing tightly as if to give her life from my tight hold. I didn't want her to leave me with a bunch of men. There was no other girl I could talk to about my feelings in the organization. It wasn't fair. Why did this have to happen?

"Xion, don't fade!" I cried, holding her hand to my cheek as if it was treasure. "I don't wanna be left alone with men! You're my friend!"

Her weak blue eyes gazed at me thoroughly and her smile was small as she spoke to me. "Shelby…" she breathed hollowly, "You won't be alone. You…have someone…who treasures…you…" She broke off to breathe deeply before continuing, "H-he loves you…He told me so himself…"

Finally, she locked eyes with Roxas and breathed, "Good-bye, Roxas…see you again. I'm glad I got to meet you…oh, and Shelby and Axel too. The three of you are my best friends. Never forget…that's the truth." She tenderly placed a hand on his cheek and his eyes widened as if realizing what was happening.

"No," he cried, grabbing the hand that fell from his cheek, "Xion, who else will I have ice cream with?" Despite that corniness of that statement, I could hear the pain in Roxas's tone.

Xion looked relaxed as she finally faded into light like a crystal. There was no trace left of her except one lone pink shell that Roxas picked up and held gently. Tears ran down my eyes and whimpers escaped my throat relentlessly. Through blurred eyes, I saw a tear roll down Roxas's face as he murmured Xion's name one last time.

We sat there for a while crying until Roxas stood up, summoned a portal, and ran through it. I couldn't stop him because I was too emotionally and mentally exhausted so I stood up and walked blindly in the sunset town. Pressing a hand to my temples to prevent more tears, I went up to the clock tower and sat so I could remember the old times between me, Roxas, Xion, and Axel. Finally, I thought back to her dying words.

What did she mean by I still had someone who cherished me? Who was it? Axel, Demyx, or, God forbid, Xemnas? Right now, I didn't care. All I cared about was Xion and Roxas and I was going to lose them.

A/N: No, I didn't cry while writing this chapter but I was damn close to! I hope you guys like this chapter! I'll send every reviewer a tissue for tears! So read and review!