A/N: Sooorryyyy. I can't say it enough it seems. Unfortunately I can't reply to most of your reviews anymore, but I'd like to take this moment to thank everyone who's still with me (here's hoping I'm not talking to a wall :P ). Judging by the 'just in' page, it seems to me that most people have left this site. :/ Anyways, I hope you enjoy this (somewhat forced/rushed) chapter! :)

Thanks: miano53, uklott369, ANIMEMANGALUV3R, vrisque, and Neko-VongolaPrimo. :)

~ "I wasn't completely honest the other day when I said that a close friend of mine had a dog. It was...she was more than that." ~

70) Pain

Leon knew he looked as exhausted as he felt today. He could barely pay attention to what he was doing and it was showing. He would be able to focus for a few seconds before seeming to get a brief blackout. Thankfully for him, Aqua had proposed to quit early and continue where they had left off the next day.

This was highly uncharacteristic, however, because usually the tall brunet was calm and collected. His attitude would often even piss off Xehanort. Then again, everything pissed off Xehanort these days.

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow same time?" Leon asked, while grabbing his leather jacket from the chair.

"Sure. I think I'm going to stay here for a bit, though."

Aqua then noticed that a small piece of paper fell out of Leon's leather jacket, without him noticing it. The bluenette picked it up. Upon closer inspection, it was a small photograph of a very pretty black-haired woman. It only showed her face and shoulders, but that was enough for her to see that this woman had angelic features. Since when did Leon have a girlfriend?

"Uhm...you dropped this."

Leon turned back and she could have sworn that all color drained from his face upon him seeing the photograph.

Without saying as much as a word, he took the picture from her and put it back in his pocket. With that he turned around to leave the room, but stopped at the door. Aqua waited patiently for him to say something, anything.

Just when she thought it wouldn't happen, he said, "I wasn't completely honest the other day when I said that a close friend of mine had a dog. It was…she was more than that."

He slowly stepped back inside and closed the door behind him to give them more privacy. From the looks of it, he was going to tell her something she wished she didn't know.

Leon took a deep, shaky breath and started telling her the story of how he had lost the love of his life.

"It happened during the winter, five years ago. We were walking back to campus. I had participated in one of my first orchestras. She had come too, to watch me play. But on our way back we got robbed by someone. He gave me this scar-" he made a vague gesture to the scar on his face, "-and he stabbed her near her heart because she wouldn't stop calling for help..."

Aqua could see the pain in his eyes. Knowing Leon, this was something he hadn't talked about for a long time.

"She died later that night in the hospital. I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye."

He looked down, completely forlorn now. Aqua hesitated, before putting a hand on his arm. He didn't flinch or move away, which was what she'd expected he would do.

Even though he was looking down, Aqua could tell that he was holding back his tears and that tugged at her heart. After all, Leon had always been such a strong person. She knew she would lose it too if he started crying right now.

She was glad that he trusted her enough to tell her the truth. Still, she couldn't begin to imagine how horrible it must have been for him. Aqua didn't know what she would do if she ever lost Terra...

But Terra's not your boyfriend, she helped reminding herself sternly.

A/N: Next chapter: The unbelievable thing about that was that he had initiated the kiss…

Can you guess who will star in the next chapter? :P