Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or locations featured in this story, nor do I make any money out of them, if I did then my manga collection would be so much bigger then it is
Warning: future slash, some language, and a cute image of mini Axel
Summary: "I didn't take this job because every minute, every second reminds me off him. Every time I fight that cursed element that excites me, intrigues me, the element that took him away from me." Axel is a fire fighter and one of the best but there's a motive behind it that even Axel cant comprehend, and Demyx, the newbie who Axel took under his wing, is set to uncover Axel's sad past, just as quickly as it starts it become the present. Akuroku, Zemyx, R/S.
A/N: I was unhappy with the first chapter that I wrote, so I restarted the story, and I hope you'll agree that the second try turned out much better. Please, please review. And thank you to those who did review the previous first chapter: Jextia, Pink Ribbon Skye and Twilight's Daughter. Thank you again.
Started: morning of 23/03/08. Finished: night of 24/03/08

Saving a Life
Chapter 1

"When I grow up I want to be a fireman"

My earliest memory of first grade. I was sitting on the thick green carpet of the story corner, a toothy grin stretched across my face. My mess of red hair brushing against the top of my nose, I remember that it always got stuck in my eyes.

"A fireman! Whys that Axel?"

My teacher, her name was Miss Lockheart. I remember her because she always smiled at me, even when I got my times tables wrong. She was doing that then, the kind of smile that made her eyes crinkle at the edges and look like she was older than she was.

"I want to be strong and save people," I had said, pulling fluff off the carpet and rolling it between my fingers, it sounded silly saying it out loud "and … and they have cool trucks."

Miss had leaned over in her seat in front of me and reached out to ruffle my hair,

"I'm sure you will be a great fireman Axel" she said kindly. I think she saw my eyes light up with glee because she had smiled at me again before turning to the girl on my left.

"Yes Selphie, and what do you want to be when you grow up?"

I hadn't had time to cover my ears before the bouncing girl had screeched,

"A superstar! I want to be a superstar!"

I thought girls were too loud. I wished they would leave me to play in the sand-pit alone, they had always screamed when I got it in their hair.

Miss Lockheart had giggled at Selphie, asking her to please sit back down as she continued asking the same question the rest of the class, who sat cross-legged at her feet.

***

And today, as I lock the door to my apartment, I remember this memory. A memory that didn't shape what I became, that played no part in how I lived my life. I memory I had forgotten because those dreams had been left behind with the red building blocks and kind teachers. I lived a completely different life from the naïve ideals I had as a child and so, with some trepidation, I reckon that maybe it was fate.

Fate that neither Riku Ishikawa, who works at the local Kissaten to pay for rent while he studies, or even Sora Yoshida, whom I barley see anymore, had become the policemen that they had mumbled as an answer to Miss Lockheart.

Selphie Suzuki had not gone on to be the famous singer of her dreams but now worked in an office, photocopying. There were no actors, no pilots, no airhostesses, and not even any bin men in the pack of grown up school children.

But there was me, Axel Yamamoto who got my childhood dream, although, later in life, I had never intended on it. Why did I, of all people, achieve the fantasy that I had nurtured as a child? It was so ironic that I was the one to complete this destiny. Maybe Tifa Lockheart, in all her kind words, had set going an inescapable fate for her young student by promising him this responsibility.

Perhaps, but I can never be sure, because that is what I want to believe, because I am not a masochist. I did not choose the job I have to punish myself, as I know Riku suspects. I did not choose this job because everyday, every hour reminds me of him, of what happened on that day. It was just fate that brought me to a job that fights the element that intrigues me, that excites me, that took away everything that was precious to me. That took away him.

Then again, Riku was always too observant for his own good.

I stood on the front steps of the flats that housed my apartment, hands in the pockets of my skinny fit jeans, looking out down the pot-holed road. It was exactly a mile to the Kissaten and from there it was a little longer to reach the fire station. Five hundred and thirty one steps down the cracked pavement, past the blocks of flats, the planted trees and the little children on their way to school.

I looked upwards at the cloudless sky. The deep blue stared back at me, its warmth, and the endlessness of it penetrated deep into my soul. So familiar, yet so alien. I shook my head, dislodging the memories that began to form with that colour, and started down the path lined with new, dew covered dandelions.

Spring had come out, and its warmth was beginning to wash away the cold of winter.

***

The bell rang as I entered the Kissaten. The warm air rushed forward to greet me, brushing its fingers through my hair. I breathed in the sweet smell of coffee and glanced around, it was nearly empty; a small man sat in the corner with his brief case, nursing a china mug and a newspaper. I looked towards the counter and smiled at the figure bent over, concentrating on the cash register in front of him. I wandered over and stood opposite him, arms crossed across my chest, leaning a hip against the desk.

Five minutes passed and the silver haired male, tapping away at the screen, seemed oblivious to his customer. Bastard, he knew I was here.

"I want to speak to the manager!" I exclaimed suddenly, slightly loudly than was necessary in an empty shop, "The service here is despicable! I have been standing here for over ten minutes and you have utterly ignored me. You, son, are a lackey and…"

The man in the corner looked up from his newspaper in interest at my high-pitched outburst; obviously he had never been here before.

"I would never allow such a …"

Riku raised a hand and gave me the middle finger, then, without looking up from the register, his hand vanished behind the counter and reappeared holding a steaming cappuccino. How he manages to keep it so hot I'll never know. He shoved it towards my outstretched fingers and then returned to what he had been doing. I grinned; mission accomplished, and sauntered over to the seats in the corner. The man raised an eyebrow in my direction before shaking his head and going back to his newspaper.

Riku slid in opposite me a few minutes later, his face set in a frown.

"What's up pretty boy?" I asked between sips of my hot drink. Riku had been mistaken for a woman before and I, ever the good friend, was entitled remind him of it when ever I could. That guy never called Riku a woman ever again. In fact I don't think he would have been able to speak over his cracked jaw even if he wanted to.

"Mansex came in with a hangover this morning, shouting something that sounded like I need to prove my loyalty to the just cause of gaining more coffee customers and so he was giving me a 'mission' to look after the shop today," Riku sighed and sipped at his coffee, "before falling over the carpet into his office."

I raised my eyebrows, smirking. Riku had one hell of a manager, he was normally either very drunk or running a dictatorship, besides his name was an anagram of mansex, so wha'ya gonna do.

"So why are you here so early, other than to vouch free coffee off me?"

"Why would I abuse your friendship like that?" I said in mock offence "Maybe I just wanted to see my best friend?"

Riku just snorted.

I sighed, defeated "Fine then, believe what you want. Anyway Zack called the whole fire fighting squad into the station to meet the newbie."

"On your day off as well, slightly pissed off are we Axel?" I shrugged; he didn't know the half of it. "Any idea who he'll get to mentor the poor guy?"

"Probably me, he did the same with the last one, Zexion Inoue, and he turned out decent enough."

Riku smiled, he knew that I was more proud of the runt than I showed. My silver haired friend had always been able to read me better than anyone else. He was able to see through the cold exterior I tended to put up around my feelings. Then again, I thought gloomily, he did know me before it happened.

Riku must have seen the shadowy path my mind was taking because he had opened his mouth to interrupt my train of thought when the door to the Kissaten opened and two girls walked in.

Shooting an apologetic look at me, Riku slid out of the booth and walked behind the counter.

"Hi I'm Riku I'll be serving you today, how can I help you?" The statement was so thickly laced with sarcasm that the girl who had walked up to order didn't even notice it but did a double take before deciding that Riku was, indeed, hot.

"I … well no erm … I mean we … would like …"

I smirked as the red head stuttered and Riku blew the bangs out of his face. Did he know he was flirting with her? Said pretty boy sweetly smiled at the blushing girl. Yep, I decided, he definitely knows it.

Then all wasn't going as well as I thought between the perfect model couple Riku and Sora Yoshida. I frowned, why hadn't Riku told me? I didn't like to play cupid for my friends but if …

"Hey there! Do you mind if me and my friend sit with you?"

I started at the interruption and glanced to the side. The second girl that had come in was staring at me with her hands on her hips, bent over slightly so that she was head height. I swear she had just popped up from nowhere.

"I'm Yuffie by the way" she held out her hand and I hesitantly shook it, "so what'd ya say?" I looked around at the dozens of empty seat booths,

"But there are loads of …"

"Great! Thanks!" she slid in next to me "Hurry up with those coffees's Kairi!" Riku and the red head, Kairi, looked over, Riku raised an eyebrow, and I shrugged in response. "So who are you?"

"Axel" I figured if I answered in the least possible words then she would work out that I wasn't interested.

"Nice name, Axel, like the car part!"

"I guess," like I hadn't heard that one before.

Thankfully Riku and Kairi arrived with coffees and a plate of cookies. I pleaded with my eyes to my best friend. The kicked puppy look – very effective I'd like to think. But Riku obviously had no heart; he just winked at me and offered the seat by the window to Kairi. Man slag.

Yuffie spoke up, "So are both of you single?" I silently cursed whoever gave the girl multitudes of confidence.

"No", "Yes"

I glared, Riku chuckled. "Of course you're single Axel"

"No I'm not," I fixed him with a stare. I didn't want to go down this path, but he knew that.

"Unless you have any significant others that I don't know about then I think you are," he smiled at Yuffie. The brunette returned the gesture, but it didn't reach her eyes. The tension that must have begun to role off me was palpable, even to her.

"Don't push it."

Riku's eyes turned on me, his face suddenly serious, "Why not Axel? What are you trying to hold on to?"

"I…he…" I didn't answer. The fact that I couldn't pulled sharply somewhere to the left of my chest.

"Stop living in the past Axel," his voice was slightly softer, pity, "You need to move on."

"No" I shook my head, hesitant at first and then with more conviction, "No."

Riku growled, the anger from pervious arguments of the same nature rising up from somewhere. My stubbornness on the subject had always frustrated him.

"Axel it's destroying you!"

"No Riku, I won't move on!" I stood, my fists clenched hard at my sides as I spat out my next words, "Because Roxas isn'tdead."

Kairi gasped, bringing a hand in front of her mouth, which whispered, almost inaudibly, his name.

Silence reined over the Kissaten as two pairs of green eyes glared into one another, Riku was the first to look away. I remained standing, feeling that if I moved it would shatter my shaky resolve.

His eyes were sad when he glanced back at me a moment later. "I know Axel, I know."

I hadn't noticed when the man with the brief case had left.

"I need to go or I'll be late for work," I muttered. Yuffie got out of the booth so that I could leave; she smiled at me when our eyes met. I tried to smile back, although I don't think my attempt would have won me any Oscars.

As I opened the door I heard Yuffie turn to her friend,

"Kairi? Kai? Are you ok? You look … Roxas Yoshida? Wait isn't that the guy who…" The rest of her words were cut off as the door closed. I was thankful for that; I didn't need to hear it.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, I counted my steps as I walked on the pavement, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, how had it all gotten out of hand so fast? 14, 15, 16, 17 …

"Axel." I stopped, seventeen paces down the road, "I am sorry Axel, I just … I just wanted to try and help" I looked over my shoulder,

"I know Riku. I know"

He nodded, "You'll come back soon? Not tomorrow, I know, because you have your shift then, but soon? I'll tell you about what's happening with me and Sora, I'm sure you'll be able to help me work it out" he smiled "you always do."

"Of course. What are best friends for, if not to steal away free coffees?"

Riku laughed, "I'll see you soon then Axel, good luck with the newbie!"

I walked away grinning, "Like I'd need it!" I called back to him. My strained smile disappearing as I turned the corner.

I stood in front of the fire station before I went in, looking it over, committing to memory every brick, every small crack and cobweb, my hands tucked behind my head.

I loved my job. To be a fire fighter you had to want it with everything you had and although my motivation for taking up this job was undefined, I did my job because I enjoyed it. Every day was a new experience and I looked forward to each time I came to work, and I guess that not many people could say the same.

As I walked through the fire station's entrance doors, I felt more at home then I did in my apartment, screw Riku, I thought, I do this job for me, not … not for him.

Although I already knew where everyone would be I followed the sounds of voices, down the corridors lined with bright lights, to the meeting room where ten fire fighters were dotted about on the seats.

When you become a fire fighter, you become part of a family. A kind of dysfunctional family in its own right, but it still held the loyalties and the need to work as a team that bound the people in that station together.

While we were in essence a family, the crew was split into four three-man teams and each team could be clearly seen in the grouping of the seats. I was greeted by a series of nods from the other older, more experienced team members as I made my way towards the back of the room.

Zexion Inoue who was, for now, the only member of my squad, sat at the back, face blank and generally reminiscing about the world. I however, knowing Zexion better than the other fire fighters, could see how tensely he was holding himself; see the whiteness of his knuckles as he gripped the biceps of his folded arms. Zexion Inoue was nervous.

I raised an eyebrow and sat in the seat next to him. I knew that the new kid was Zexion's best friend, he having told me a few days before (sparse with the details this guy is) but it couldn't be too bad. I figured that anyone who was able to be friends with, or more likely allowed to be friends with, Zexion had to be as sensible and hard working as he was. Sure Zexion could talk a bit more but his silence suited me and the sombre mood that came over me when battling with fire. And the memories it brought.

I didn't have to wait long until my questions were answered, and I could see what Zexion had to be nervous about, when Zack Katō, our chief and superior walked into the room followed by the newbie.

The man who walked (or rather skipped) through the door didn't look like I thought he would. The black skinny jeans and the blue hoodie I had expected, since he was Zexion's best friend, but the Mohawk on his head? Or the brightness of his huge smile? The playfully character in his eyes? The way that he looked as if he would do a lot of spontaneous things that may shame his best friend who had recommended him to the station? How could someone this cheerfully vivid be best friends with someone so, so…

I looked over at Zexion, my eyebrows raised, a smile tugging at my lips. He met my gaze and shrugged at the silent question. Polar opposites those two, I shook my head smiling and turned back to the guy who now stood next to Zack at the front of the room.

"Hey" the blonde scratched the back of his head and grinned at the fire fighters staring at him "I'm Demyx Shimizu, pleased ta meet ya!"

A/N:

Kissaten - Japanese for coffee shop, because it sounds better.
The surnames I used are all common surnames in Japan (that I looked up on Wikipedia): Riku Ishikawa, Sora/Roxas Yoshida, Selphie Suzuki, Axel Yamamoto, Zexion Inoue, Demyx Shimizu.

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