Jessica's Point of View

I hadn't been able to talk with Saix the night Xemnas shoved me off the Altar of Naught, so I allowed myself to sleep in and went to speak to him after everyone else left the next day, though I was mostly tossing and turning. I found him in the Grey Area, looking over some papers. "Everyone else has left. If you were hoping to join someone, you're too late," Saix said without looking up from his work.

"Actually, I was looking for you," I explained.

Saix's eyes shot up at me. "What could you possibly need me for?"

"It probably has to do with yesterday's incident," Xigbar answered from behind me.

"What are you still doing here?" I questioned, turning to Xigbar.

Xigbar gave his signature smirk. "Seniority."

"What incident?" Saix questioned.

"Nothing. There was no incident, and even if there were, it would have nothing to do with what I wanted to discuss privately with Saix." I made sure to put emphasis on "privately."

"Really? Don't tell me you've got bigger problems than that because if you do, there's just no hope for you," Xigbar commented.

"What happened this time?" Saix asked Xigbar.

"Don't know what was said, but our little rabbit was with Lord Xemnas in the Altar of Naught when he pushed her off. Lucky for her, he was in a generous mood and saved her from plummeting to her death, but man, that must have been some fight," Xigbar commented.

"You were there?" I gasped.

"Saw the whole thing," Xigbar said.

Anger and frustration rose in me. I didn't want anyone to find out about the ordeal. I shoved Xigbar in rage. "You just don't know when to shut your mouth!" I screamed before storming back to my room. I plopped on my bed, picked up my Sailor V game, and took my frustrations out of the digital enemies. When I calmed down enough, I left my room to find Saix. Xigbar was standing against the wall outside of my room. I began to walk past him.

"Hey!" Xigbar called out. I went back to where Xigbar was standing. "Is there something you wanna say to me?"

"No," I answered before walking away again.

"How about, sorry, Xigbar, for physically assaulting you," Xigbar suggested.

I rolled my eyes. "You're a grown man. I think you can handle it."

Xigbar teleported next to me, put his arm over my shoulder, and walked with me. "Still, would be nice to hear. Have a heart."

I tried shoving Xigbar again, but he teleported to my other side.

"You know, we've really gotta do something about that temper of yours. Vexen would never have let that slide," Xigbar commented.

"What are you looking to accomplish here other than irk me?!" I snapped.

"How about making sure that someone is there to keep an eye on you in case things get ugly with Xemnas again? Xemnas didn't let you fall this time, but what about next time? I let Saix know about it so that he would be able to be an extra set of eyes," Xigbar mentioned, his usual smirk absent in its face, a stern frown in its place. Though I had been seeing Xigbar take a more serious tone with me, with his grin wiped from his face more often in the past months, it still made me nervous. My confidence was replaced with insecurity, and I folded like a deck of cards.

"Y-yeah. Okay. I'm sorry," I apologized. I expected Xigbar to revert back to his usual smirking self with a smug comeback since I said what he wanted to hear, but he didn't.

"I almost caught you last night, and I would have if Xemnas hadn't done it himself. Now, I keep thinking about what would have happened if Xemnas didn't bring you back, and I wasn't there to catch you."

"Why do you care so much about what happens to me?" I questioned.

"I've got plans, Rabbit. Big plans for after all this. I want you by my side when I make those plans a reality," Xigbar explained.

"I don't really want to be a part of any plans of yours. I have already decided to stay with Xaldin if my own plans don't get in the way," I declined.

"Oh, that wasn't a request. Remember that favor you agreed to when I said I would keep Xemnas away from your father's and Zexion's stuff? You still owe me for that," Xigbar remarked.

"Xig, just how big is this price tag?" I asked nervously.

Xigbar's smirk returned. "Hey, no need to panic. I think you might be interested in what I've got planned when it happens. Trust me, it's nothing you need to freak out about." Xigbar teleported with me to the Grey Area, where Saix was sitting. I stumbled a bit before righting myself, disoriented. "Later." He teleported away.

"Jessica," Saix greeted. He was looking right at me in a way that almost made me think he was concerned about me.

"I know. I'm messed up, and I shouldn't have done whatever I did to be pushed off the castle," I sighed, taking a seat next to Saix.

"Actually, I was going to ask if you were alright," Saix replied.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I actually wanted to talk to you earlier about something else," I brought up.

"I figured as much. If you had wanted to talk to me about the incident, you would have told someone else about it first. What is it that you wanted to discuss with me?" Saix wondered.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come out. I began to have doubts in my mind. What if he forgot about what he did for Lea? What if he wouldn't help me? What if he scolded me for being an idiot? Saix's hand was placed on my lap, tearing me from my thoughts.

"I'm here," Saix assured me. I noticed he had even set his paperwork down, giving me his full attention, and knew everything would be okay.

I took a deep breath in and exhaled before explaining my issue. "Alright, here it is. You already know I haven't had a clear mind lately. I know it's a little late, but I just started noticing how bad it's become. The other day, Axel snapped me out of it. He had me look at him, I think, and told me some stuff? Anyways, afterward, he was really careful with me, and I realized that I had been really bad off before Axel helped me to not be like that. I talked to Xaldin that night, and he told me to ask Axel, who told me that you-"

"Okay, that's enough. I think I know what this is. You want to know how Axel helped you stop your episode, yes?" Saix questioned. He was as perceptive as ever.

"Yes," I said.

"Alright. I'll tell you the technique he likely used. You were thinking on the past and the things you lost, and the more you thought about it, the deeper you went. He was trying to bring you back to the present for a moment so you could recenter yourself. That's what I did for him back when we had hearts. Now that I think about it, I should have been doing that with you all along. Since you're the only person here with emotions, I haven't needed to do that in quite some time."

"That's really it? There's no magic words, no special movement, nothing like that? It's just focusing on the here and now?" I asked, surprised.

"It sounds simple, but if you don't have someone there guiding you through it, it can be difficult and requires a good bit of self-control," Saix commented.

I leaned on Saix, and he allowed it. "You know, I never thought I would have to live a life without my dad, and I still don't know what I'll do without him, but I'm glad I have you guys to help me."

"Some of us more than others. I still have paperwork to go through. You may sit with me if you wish, but if that is all, I'll need you to remain silent," Saix stated. Though he went from helpful to cold, I still sat with him. He continued to tolerate me as I curled up next to him and got comfortable. My eyelids felt heavy from lack of sleep the night before. I was having trouble keeping them open and soon gave up trying to stay awake. Just as I was drifting off, I could hear Saix realizing that I was about to fall asleep. "Jessica, I don't have time to-" He let out an exasperated sigh. "Never mind. Sleep well, Jess."