A/N: – Double-checks calendar – Wow. It's been a little over a month and I'm back with another update; how wicked cool is that? On a side note, this theme is the last for the small trilogy that consists of themes 7 to 9. Anyway, enjoy!

"…": characters talking to each other

'…': characters talking to themselves

(…): extra facts about something in the story

(Takes place after Theme 8)

Theme 9: Closer

Rainbow Lookout, November 23, 2006, 5:30 PM – Briarwood, CA, USA

Vida was sitting by herself on the edge of a cliff, the latter of which overlooked Briarwood. The wind blew through her hair, and she involuntarily shivered, cursing herself for not having learned any spells that would keep her warm. 'Damn that Xander… every time I even think that we're moving closer, he does something stupid and conceited, like telling everyone what Brenan Jones said about me last year…'

Vida's eyes moved from looking at the ground to looking at the city, where she could see all of the flickering lights detailing all of the varying buildings in the town below. "It's sure beautiful out there tonight…"

She remained looking at the city for a few more minutes, before shaking her head and getting to her feet. "This is ridiculous…" she scoffed, her gray eyes darting between the view below her and the woods behind her, as if she was afraid of what was going to come barreling out of the woods or leaping up from the ground below to attack her. Actually, her being paranoid about possibly being attacked wasn't that far off the mark; she guessed it was the territory that came with being a power ranger.

"Why am I just standing here? And why is every one of my thoughts revolving around that pompous excuse for a green ranger?!" Vida muttered to herself, her eyes now focused completely on the city below her. "I swear…why was I so upset about him going on a date? It's never happened before; is it because I'm worried that if he actually finds that 'number one chick' on his list he and I won't be as close? No, that can't be it. Hell, Maddie and Nick are getting closer, and I'm not worried about her, so why am I so pissed at Xander?"

Vida stood still for a few more minutes, her eyes never moving, and shivered again when she felt the wind brush past her again. "Damn, why didn't I think to bring a heavier coat with me? It's getting chilly out here… but then again, it's so peaceful out here. I feel closer to her here…" Vida's thoughts shifted to the mother that she and Madison had never known; according to their father (whom Vida and Madison didn't trust all that much) she had left them when she and her twin were five years old, but Vida had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to the picture than her father let on.

"You know what, I'm going home; it's too cold to be out here any longer," Vida muttered and grabbing her bag from the ground, began walking towards the small footpath that would take her to a side street. From the street, she could go directly to her house, bypassing the longer route through the forest. As she walked, she snapped her fingers to change her witches' clothes back to her outfit of choice for that day – black jeans, a white tee shirt with pink stripes along the arms, and a thin denim jacket, her messenger bag slung over one shoulder. She didn't notice nor hear the sound of gravel as someone slid to a stop on the cliff, nor the dark brown eyes that frantically searched for her to apologize for their owner's callous behavior earlier that evening.

"I know she was here," Xander muttered, running a hand through his hair in utter frustration. Looking down over the city, he saw why Vida came here often. The view was breathtaking; and, he had a feeling that she felt closer to those around her when here. The question he found himself asking was if she still considered him a close friend after what he had done to her that night…