Chapter 3:

"You're positive there's a portal?" Axel asked, clenching his fists. Demyx nodded in answer. Great. The one possible way for him to find Roxas, and it was in The Castle That Never Was. It would be a dangerous gamble.

"If you really want to find Roxas, I can show you where the portal is," Demyx offered. Honestly, that was the last place he ever wanted to go. "I remember exactly where it was and—"

"Don't worry about it. Just tell me where it was and I'll find it myself. There's no point in getting you involved in this." Axel supposed he owed Demyx for all he did for him. He had taken him in when he found him and didn't even complain when Axel refused to help him pay for anything. Maybe he had started to form a friendship with the blonde.

"Hell no! I'm not gonna let you go alone! You know what Roxas would do to me if he came searching for you and found out that I let you go there alone and you never came back? He'd slaughter me!" Demyx laughed nervously at the very thought. "You know, after fighting Sora, I think I'm more afraid of him and Roxas than I am Xemnas and Saix."

Axel smirked. "So, you're coming with me?"

Demyx grinned. "Well, I guess it would be fun to travel to different worlds."

* * *

"You're positive?" Riku asked, watching as Roxas hooked the Bond of Flame key chain onto a chain. "You heard Axel? The real Axel? You're sure it wasn't the illusion that Saix made up?"

"It wasn't the damned illusion," Roxas snapped, hooking the chain around his neck. "I heard Axel. And the only thing I'm absolutely positive about, is that I hear him whenever I have the Bond of Flame blade." He hooked the Oathkeeper key chain back to its original place. It felt nice to have both of his original blades again.

"And just hearing him…you seemed stronger at that last minute," Sora looked at Roxas thoughtfully. "Maybe that's part of the 'power' that Saix was talking about. Maybe you get stronger when you're near the person you care about."

"I suppose it's possible," Riku mumbled thoughtfully, hooking the chain around Roxas' neck. "Or maybe it's Axel's power. You know, calling out to Roxas from where ever he is."

"So, what are you gonna do Roxas?" Namine asked. Roxas looked away from everyone. What could he do?

"I don't know." He turned began to walk away from them, heading towards the island that they all usually went after school or on weekends. Behind him, he could hear Riku stopping Sora from following. He'd have to thank him later.

Here he was on the island, but now what? Roxas lay back on the sand and closed his eyes. He just needed a chance to relax; a chance to think with no distractions. Then again…he was asleep within minutes.

"Axel?" Roxas glanced at the red head.

"Hmm?"

"What would you do…if I left?" Roxas asked, quickly looking away when green eyes shot up to stare at him.

"I'd probably be sent by the others to get you and bring you back," Axel joked, but rubbed the back of his head nervously. What answer was the younger Nobody looking for?

"Well, yeah, but what would you do?" Axel sighed and looked out at the sunset. It was always a beautiful view from the tower.

"I'd probably still go after you. Whether the Organization ordered me to or not." Roxas seemed confused by his answer.

"Why? If Nobodies can't feel and have no heart, why would you care enough to come after me? Wouldn't if just be more work for you?" Axel hummed quietly and lay back, closing his eyes as if he were relaxed. Actually, he was kind of distressed by the boy's questions. Was he thinking about leaving?

"I suppose it would be," Axel started, thinking over his answer carefully. "But, heart or no heart, we're still friends, aren't we?" Roxas seemed thoughtful, but slowly nodded. "Well then, of course I'd look for you! Wouldn't want to lose the only friend I have." At that, Roxas smiled his first true smile.

"I'm glad."

* * SPOILERS**(1)

Something wasn't right. This was a dream of memories, but he didn't remember this happening. Damn, his head hurt.

There he stood if front of the Mansion in Twilight Town, Keyblade drawn. He was wearing the robes from the Organization, so it was before he'd lost his memory. And across from him, Axel stepped out of a portal.

"Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?" Axel muttered, a look of…sadness on his face? Frustration? Roxas only ever recalled seeing Axel upset like that when he finally realized that Roxas did forget him. Slowly, Axel began to approach him.

"Axel," Roxas was so confused. His voice sounded so unfamiliar to him. What was going on?

"Xion," Axel began. Xion? Who was that? The name…sounded familiar, but… "What are you gonna do?"

"I've decided that I have to go back to where I belong." No, this wasn't him. This was someone else. But why did he feel that, in a way, this was him?

"Well, to be honest, I always felt that was best, right from the very beginning." Axel mumbled, shaking his head slowly. "But you know, it still really bugs me. Something about this just stinks." Axel clenched his fist, refusing to meet his, no, Xion's gaze.

"It's for the good of everyone." He, no, Xion looked to the ground sadly.

"But how do you know that?" Axel growled. He seemed so frustrated. Roxas just wanted to reach out to him, but he couldn't. "Everybody thinks their right…"

"This is right."

"They're gonna destroy you!" Axel yelled, flinching when Roxas, no, Xion summoned the Keyblade, ready to fight.

"Please don't hold back, Axel. Promise." Xion mumbled. Roxas shook his head. No! He didn't want to fight Axel! He couldn't! He could feel tears burning in his eyes.

"What's your problem?" Axel was breaking. Roxas could see it. And seeing Axel break…it broke Roxas too. "You both…think you can do whatever you want. Well, I'm sick of it." Both? Did he mean…both him and Xion? "Go on, you just keep running. But I'll always be there to bring you back!" His Chakrams appeared in a flurry of flames.

Roxas felt tears running down his face. The desperation, the sadness, the anger. All of it was on Axel's face, and he couldn't help but feel that it was his fault. It wasn't fair!

Then the fight was on.

Roxas slowly opened his eyes. It was already dark. Had he really slept that long? Sighing, Roxas wiped the tears from his face, the dream slowly piecing back together in his mind.

"But I'll always be there to bring you back!"

Roxas flinched. Axel's voice had sounded so harsh…but it wasn't directed at him, right? The statement had been completely true though. Even though the Organization had originally made the orders to retrieve him, Axel did so on his own initiative. Axel knew he wouldn't remember him; he knew that it might be completely hopeless. But Axel still tried to bring him back. Not to the Organization. Axel tried to bring Roxas back to him.

A small smile found its way to Roxas' face. He felt so silly. There were so many times he had told himself that Axel didn't care. Axel didn't love him. Axel didn't have a heart. Maybe it was his own lack of a heart that blinded him from the truth.

"Sorry to bother you. I was starting to worry," Roxas looked over and was met by Namine's smile. "I can leave if you want me to."

"No, its okay," he smiled back and allowed her to sit next to him. "I didn't mean to worry you. I accidentally fell asleep and just woke up."

"Was it another dream?"

"Huh?" Roxas cocked his head at the question.

"Sora told us that you've been having dreams lately, usually memories about Axel. Is that what woke you up?" she smiled sadly when Roxas nodded.

"Yeah, but the one was so strange. I wasn't me in the dream. Axel called me Xion, I think. They were fighting; arguing about something. Axel was so upset." Roxas sighed and glanced at Namine. "Do you know anything about someone named Xion?"

"I think, because of my powers as a Nobody, I'm the only one who didn't forget. Xion was close to you and Axel. She could use the Keyblade like you, but she wasn't really a Nobody like everyone was led to believe. Xion was created to be like you. Originally, she had no face, but when she started getting close to you, everything changed," Namine paused so that Roxas could allow the explanation to sink in.

"So, I knew her?" Roxas asked, more to himself than anyone else.

"Yes. Through you, Xion began to take Sora's memories away so that I couldn't piece them back together. Of course, neither of you realized what was happening. Soon, Xion's face changed to look like Kairi's. But Xion met with Riku and understood that she needed to become one with you. Originally, she wanted to take you back to Sora as well, but she couldn't defeat you." Roxas stared down at the sand, desperation lining his face.

"I really wish I could remember," he muttered. Namine shook her head slightly.

"Maybe Xion wants you to remember. Maybe she was the one who showed you that dream," Namine grabbed her sketchpad and tore a sheet out of it. She held it out to him. "Here. I made this for you."

Roxas took the picture from her and examined it carefully. It was a detailed drawing of him and Axel sitting on the Twilight Tower, eating ice cream. So that's why she was looking at him earlier.

"I drew Axel as I remembered him, so it may not be perfect." Roxas shook his head and smiled.

"No, its perfect. In fact, I've decided," he stood up, the picture still in hand, and looked out at the ocean.

"Decided what?" Namine asked, standing up with him. Roxas just gave her an excited grin and began to run back towards town. "Roxas!" she called, a hand reaching out to him, but it fell back to her side. She guessed there was no stopping him.

Roxas ran into the house, panting heavily. Sora's mother looked at him worriedly. "Dear, take a break. You're going to kill yourself."

"N-No time," he panted. "Where's Sora?"

"He's upstairs with Riku—"

"Thanks!" he called, already running up the steps. He slammed the door to Sora's room open without knocking.

"Wha…?" Sora turned to look at him curiously. Him and Riku were watching a movie, Sora laying his head in Riku's lap and holding onto one of his hands tightly. "Can't you knock?"

Roxas shook his head and took a deep breath. "I'm going to find Axel."

* * *

Demyx followed after Axel, looking around the lab curiously. "This place is creepy," he muttered. Axel rolled his eyes.

"Come on," Axel called, pushing open the door that led to the room where him and Roxas had last met. Where they had fought for the final time. "Look," he pointed at the green, glowing portal that would lead them back to The World That Never Was. "That's it. Let's go."

His resolve was crumbling. Demyx quivered slightly at the very thought of being back in that place. "Maybe there's another WAHH!" he screamed as he was pushed head first into the thing.

Axel smirked and followed after him. If a little shove was all it took to keep the blonde going, so be it.

On the other side, Demyx slowly stood up, rubbing his sore nose. "Dammit Axel!" he whined. He blinked as he felt rain suddenly hitting his face. "Ugh, does it ever stop raining here?"

"Why would it? I for one think it's a perfect setting for this world. Probably why Xemnas chose it in the first place," Axel mumbled, looking around bitterly. "Now lead me to this portal so we can get out of here. But be quiet, just in case."

Demyx nodded and went to take a step forward, but just like that they were surrounded. "I didn't do it; I swear!" Demyx held his hands up defensively when Axel scowled. Dusks were slowly creeping closer to the two.

"Forget about it. Just fight!" Axel hissed, his Chakrams already taking out two of the Nobodies.

There is the third chapter. I really like reviews too. So, thanks to those of you who reviewed last chapter, and sorry it took me so long!

(1) If you want to see a video of the scene that was in Roxas' dream, here's the site. KH13 dot com/videos/daysengcut_ 19 dot php Of course, no spaces and actual (.)