Jessica's Point of View
"What happened to her?" Axel asked, waking me from my sleep.
"She has a bad habit of sleeping anywhere she pleases," Saix sighed.
"Hey, Jess, you wanna go get ice cream?" Axel offered.
My eyes fluttered open. "You came back to get me?" I asked gleefully.
"Of course I did. Come on. Roxas and Xion are probably waiting," Axel urged.
Sitting up, I noticed Saix hadn't moved from his spot. "What are you still doing here? I thought you had things to do," I pointed out.
"I did, but someone was sleeping on me," Saix huffed.
"You could have moved me," I said.
"Just go get your ice cream," Saix grumbled, seemingly annoyed.
Axel and I left for Twilight Town. "Axel, do you think there's anyone left who loves me?" I wondered as we were in line for ice cream.
Axel looked away, pretending he didn't hear me. "Sunset sure is pretty today. I bet it'll be a great view on the Clock Tower."
"That's a no, then," I mumbled.
"Jess, it's not that we don't- well, we want to, but you know how it is. We love you as much as Nobodys can, but it's not real. That's just how it is."
I tried to hold in my tears, but hearing it from Axel stung. I didn't even know why I asked since I knew the answer. I couldn't push back the tears anymore. In an instant, I became a sobbing mess.
"Jess, stop. Come on, not here," Axel tried.
"Are you alright, Miss?" An elderly lady in front of us asked.
"Is this guy bothering you?" A teenage boy wearing a hat with short blond hair and blue eyes with a scar running over the middle of his face asked.
"I'm her brother. She just had a rough day. Sis, come on. Get it together," Axel warned.
I tried to stop the sobbing but couldn't, so I just ran.
"Jess, wait!" Axel called after me.
"Stay away from her!" The teenage boy from before demanded.
I didn't turn back. I let my feet take me to the abandoned mansion. I fell on the floor and sobbed. "There's no one left who loves me. No one. Everyone who loves me is gone," I uttered as I curled up on the floor and held my legs to my chest.
I jumped as I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up. The man I met when Xion was missing with the red bandages on his head stood over me.
"I didn't mean to startle you, miss. I saw that you were upset and acted upon instinct. I am sorry."
I wiped away my face with my sleeve and forced myself to stop producing more liquid. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone else was here."
"May I ask why you are crying here at the abandoned mansion?" The man requested.
"I can't talk about it. I'm sorry to bother you," I sniffled. I began to head out.
"Sometimes all it takes to end your troubles is a good listener. Perhaps that may be all you need," The man tried.
I stopped. He seemed like a nice enough man, and there was something familiar and comforting about him. "If- if you don't mind," I said.
"Not at all. My name is DiZ. What is your name?" The man introduced.
"I'm Jessica," I replied.
"Well, Jessica, what is on your mind?" DiZ wondered.
"I'm trapped—a prisoner in my own home. Even now, they'll find me if I don't go back. They... don't have a lot of emotions, so it's hard sometimes knowing that no one will ever love me so long as I'm stuck in the ca- my home," I explained.
"You are welcome to hide here, Jessica. I can hide you. You won't have to worry about being under their control any longer," DiZ offered.
Something about the way he said that was unsettling. "N-no, thank you. They always find me, and I wouldn't want to cause you any trouble. But you were right. Talking about it did make me feel a bit better. Um- I should go." I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.
"Jessica, wait!" The man exclaimed. He grabbed my arm. I didn't know what he wanted me for, but I didn't trust him anymore. I yanked my arm away and ran to the Clock Tower.
Axel and Roxas were on the Clock Tower when I got there. "I figured you would show up. You know, you just put me in a-" Axel couldn't even finish his sentence. I threw my arms around him, trying to catch my breath. "Wait, what's wrong?"
"I want to go home." The man, DiZ, had startled me more than I cared to admit. I thought he was a good person, but he was so insistent with me, which is never a good sign. If I couldn't tell a good person from a bad person, maybe being with the Organization where they aren't good or bad, they just are, wasn't such a bad place after all.
"Is this what you meant when you said girls like Jess are a double dose of complicated?" Roxas asked.
"Not now," Axel told Roxas in a low voice before hugging me back. "Why do you want to go home, Jess?"
"I-I just do. Something scared me," I whimpered.
"Something? What was it? Was it someone?" Axel wondered.
I flinched. "I thought it would be okay," I admitted shakily.
"What did you say?" Axel pressed.
"Nothing!" I exclaimed quickly.
Axel let out a sigh. "Okay. Let's get you home."
"But what about-" Roxas started.
"I have to get her home. I'll come back, okay?" Axel assured him.
Axel took me home and walked me to my room. "Do you need anything? Do you want to talk about it?"
I shuddered at the recollection of my encounter with DiZ. "No, thank you. You should go back to Roxas. I'll be fine."
"Alright. If you need anything, you know where to find me," Axel reminded me before leaving.
I began to walk, letting my feet take me wherever they felt like going, not really having a destination in mind. Before I knew it, I was in the Altar of Naught. As usual, Xemnas was there.
"I wasn't expecting you," Xemnas commented without even turning to me.
"I wasn't either," I said, my voice quivering.
"What do you need?" Xemnas asked.
"I'm scared," I admitted.
"Of me?" Xemnas questioned.
"Of bad people," I answered.
Xemnas turned to me. "What bad people? Did someone do something? Are you hurt? Was it someone in the Organization?"
I shook my head and fell apart again.
Xemnas placed his hands on my shoulders. "Who made you like this?"
"S-some guy. I don't know. He- he scared me. It didn't feel right. I never should have-" I was overcome by another fit of sobs.
"What did you do?" Xemnas inquired.
"I didn't do anything. I swear. I- I got upset, and this guy saw me crying. I thought he was a nice man, and so I told him some things, nothing about the Organization, just about me, and then he wanted me to stay with him. When I refused, he grabbed my arm... I was so scared," I sobbed.
"You're alright?" Xemnas questioned.
I nodded.
"You know you're not supposed to interact with outsiders if you can help it. You completely disregarded one of our greatest rules," Xemnas commented.
"F-forgive me. It won't hap-happen again." I stuttered.
"Of course not. Rest assured; I do not hold this against you. Those with hearts have a strong curiosity. I know firsthand how far one would go to satisfy that curiosity. It is human nature. I have taken some time to realize that many things make you human that I haven't thought of in quite some time. I hope you can see now that I have forbidden you to leave the Organization for your own safety. I know how desperately you wish to leave, but outside this castle, there are dangers beyond your wildest imaginations; things and people are more dangerous than even the Heartless. So long as you remain with us, we can shelter you from those dangers," Xemnas explained.
While I was still shaken up by the incident, I could see beyond Xemnas's excuses for keeping me with the Organization. He had shown in the past that he was less concerned about my safety and more concerned about me not relying on him anymore. Still, after what happened, I had come to see that I couldn't tell who was good and who wasn't. If I couldn't tell who I could trust, what good would my freedom to interact with whoever I wanted do me? "I understand. I no longer wish to leave."
Xemnas hugged me. "That's my girl. A wise decision, indeed."
"May I have my necklace back?" I requested.
Xemnas pulled away with a sigh. "Not yet. I'll hold onto it for a little while longer. Now, go rest up to get ready for your mission tomorrow."
"Do I have to?" I groaned.
"Do you have to what?" Xemnas questioned.
"Do I have to go on a mission tomorrow? It seems..." I trailed off. Pointless was the first word that came to mind. Next came dangerous. After that, it would have been irritating. "It's too soon. I don't want to leave this castle until I feel safe out there again."
"Of course you don't have to. You continue to have the option to leave with whomever you choose or stay here with me," Xemnas assured me.
"Thank you," I added, not wanting to seem ungrateful.
Xemnas placed his hand on my shoulder. I was so tired of his touching me without permission, but I held my tongue as I didn't want to upset him again. "My little Jessica. Growing so much every day, but forever mine." Forever his. He would never let me forget.