Axel awoke with a start. He could feel himself shaking, covered in a cold sweat. So it had all been a dream. A hideous nightmare.

He was in no mode to go back to sleep. Instead he tried to even out his breathing. Concentrating on every breath as it came.

As he started to calm down he glanced over at the sleeping figure next to him. A smile found its way onto his lips as he took in the familiar shape.

He rolled onto his side so he could stare into the sleeping face. He looks so peaceful, Axel thought as he got comfortable. Unlike in his dream, where the face he had memorised years ago was twisted in pain.

He shock his head, trying to clear the image from his mind.

He wanted to reach out, to trace the scars that marked his face. But that would wake him and he didn't like anyone touching them.

Instead Axel tried to clear his mind. Tried to loose himself in that face. In the blueness of his hair. But it was hard to focus. Hard not to see the flames licking at his face.

It was too much. He closed his eyes tight. He never wanted to open them again. If he could just will himself out of existence then no one would get hurt. There would be no one to start the fire. Every one would be safe. He would be safe.

He remembered when they were younger Isa always told him to be careful. If only he had listened. They wouldn't be in this mess. He wouldn't be scarred. He wouldn't be so distant. He would still be Isa.

A tear found it's way down his nose. Great! Now he was crying. He opened his eyes to check that his companion was still sleeping. The last thing he wanted to do was to cry in front of him. He'd never live it down. Axel, never cries.

Fire and water don't mix.

He wiped away the tear and climbed into his best friends arms. It was safe there. Safe from the nightmares. Safe to sleep.


Author's note: Kingdom Heart's doesn't belong to me