Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of the drugs mentioned in this fanfic.

A/N: I think you can guess what's going on here. This is gonna be a seriously emo story, so if you're looking for funny, get out now. While you still can. Read and review please! =3

With Effects Akin to Narcotics

Chapter Two

"Mo... Mom? Dad?"

My mother sat on the floor, her back bent backwards, leaning on the couch. Her head lolled back, her mouth hanging open, her eyes open wide, as if she was surprised when she acquired the bleeding hole in the middle of her chest.

My father sat in his favorite armchair, his feet resting comfortably on the ottoman. His head rested on the back of the chair, his eyes closed, his expression pained and angry. One arm lay on the armrest, while the other was sprawled down his body. In his hand he held a shiny black handgun, which was most likely the source of the hole stretching between both sides of his head.

I couldn't move. I felt sick, but I couldn't gag. My eyes felt dry, even though my throat closed up like I was gonna cry. I couldn't even scream. I just stood in the doorway, staring at my mother, then my father, then the gun.

The scene registered in my mind slowly, and I walked forward, my feet testing every step. My father held a gun. My mother had been murdered with a gun. My father had been shot in the head with a gun.

My father had shot my mother, then shot himself.

Why couldn't they have just gotten a stupid divorce?

My knees gave and I stumbled, grabbing onto the end of the couch to keep me standing. Think clearly, Kairi. Your parents are dead. What should you do?

Your parents are dead. The words rang in my ears, over and over and over, until I felt wet tears streaking down my face. Your parents are dead. Your parents are dead. Your parents are dead.

I made my way into the kitchen and grabbed the phone. I mechanically dialed the first number that came to mind: 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" a woman asked me through the phone, picking up on the first ring.

"My..." I cleared my throat and felt more tears run down my face. "My parents are dead."

The was an almost unnoticeable silence. "Okay, ma'am, I know it's hard, but please try and tell me what happened. Are you at your home?"

"Yes." I could hardly recognize my own voice. It sounded so hollow, almost like I was dead, too.

"Good, I'm tracing your call right now. We'll send police and an ambulence to your address immediately. Now can you please tell me what happened?"

I swallowed and blinked slowly. "I just came home about five minutes ago and found them dead in the family room. I think..." I sniffled. "I think my dad killled my mom. And then he killed himself."

"Okay, thank you, ma'am. What is your name?"

"Kairi."

"Thank you, Kairi. I'm Tifa. If you have any other emergencies, ask for me, okay?"

"I will, thank you." I heard a knock on the door. "I think the cops are here."

"Well, then go talk to them. I'm sure they'll want to hear the story." Her voice softened little from the business tone she was speaking in. "Everything's gonna be fine, Kairi, okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah," I said emptily, then hung up the phone. I walked to the door and opened it, wordlessly inviting the police inside.

The paramedics rushed in immediately. They were two young women, one with long black hair, the other with shoulder-length light brown hair. The one with black hair had a nametag calling her Garnet, and the other had one that said Yuna. They made their way to the family room and started examining my parents immediately.

Two men followed them, dressed in dark blue and black armor. One with spiky black hair and the other with spiky blond hair, both with glowing greenish-blue eyes.

Black Hair stepped forward. "I'm Zack," he introduced, "and this is Cloud." He motioned to his partner. "What's your name?"

I had a feeling that I'd be hearing that question a lot in the near future. "Kairi," I said again, and led them into the family room.

"Can you tell us everything that happened?" Cloud asked, trying to mold his emotionless face to look compassionate. It wasn't working.

I retold the story to the two of them, and the paramedics listened as well. After I finished, everything happened quickly. Zack wrote some things down in a notebook and mentioned something about a report. Cloud wrote down the house number and my cell number in case they needed to reach me. Yuna and Garnet pulled my parents out of the house on gurneys and sped away, sirens blaring, even though I bet they were sure that they were dead. Zack gave me his number and Cloud gave me his as well, assuring me that if anything were to come up, I could call them personally and they'd be there.

And then I was alone.

More alone than I had ever been before.

Before I knew what I was doing, I laid down on the carpet right where I stood and curled up on myself, letting the tears fall freely.

-----{with effects akin to narcotics}-----

After what seemed like hours, but when I check the clock it had only been twenty minutes, I got up and wiped my eyes, robotically reapplying my makeup in the mirror. I needed to go somewhere. I didn't want to be in the same house my parents were killed in, especially by myself.

I was being blinded by the flashing lights and tv ads when I realized where my feet had taken me.

Times Square.

I couldn't understand why I'd come here, but I was already too close to turn back. Besides, where was I gonna go now? I didn't have my car, I didn't have money for a taxi, and my feet were already starting to hurt from walking so far. I'd have to get a ride from Axel, no matter how disgusting the idea was.

I followed the sound of men screaming into microphones and indistiguishable chords on electric guitars until I finally found a crowd surrounding a raised platform, on which incredibly emo men stood, headbanging to their own music. Emo whores screamed wildly and spilled beer on themselves, while the emo guys smoked and watched the whores with wide, or hooded, eyes.

It didn't take long to find Axel; his hair sort of stood out in the crowd. When I walked up next to him, I was surprised when he took no notice of me. Someone bumped into me, which made me stumble into Axel's side.

Axel stuck a foot out to the side to keep his balance, then turned and, without even looking at me, put his hand behind my neck, leaned down, and kissed me.

I was struck with the urge to gag. He smelled like Axe and smoke, and his tongue tasted like what I imagined an ashtray would. I crinkled up my nose and pushed him back. "What the hell, Axel?" I yelled, trying to be heard over the music. My anger disappeared as I realized that that was the first real emotion I'd felt since I got back to my house.

Axel's eyes widened as he finally saw that it was me. "Woops," he shrugged, stomping out a cigarrette with the heel of his boot. "I thought you weren't coming. What's with the change of mind?"

"I wasn't coming," I clarified.

Axel smirked. "Then how come you're here if you're not here?" He gestured to me with his hands, his back slumped forward so he could be at my level.

I suddenly hated how short I was. I crossed my arms and opened my mouth to explain, but felt my eyes water up again. I bit my lip and looked away, trying to blink the tears away.

Axel stood up straight and raised an eyebrow, then furrowed his brow in confusion. But he soon saw the sadness on his face, and his expression turned to concern. "Kairi?" he asked, resting a hand very lightly on my shoulder. He caught my eyes for just a moment before I looked away again and sniffled quietly. He stepped forward and moved his hand across my back to my other shoulder, pulling me close to him, and led me away from the crowd to one of the lawnchairs in the closed off part of Broadway. "Come with me," he said, even though I knew he would've forced me to if I had refused.

I sat down in one of the chairs and wiped my eyes with the corner of my hoodie. Good thing it was black.

Axel pulled up a seat next to me, close, and sat down. He put his arm around me again, and I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder. I heard a click, then opened my eyes to see him slip a little box of TicTacs into his pocket, and sighed. Thank god, at least he was aware that his breath smelled like shit.

"What happened, Kairi?" he asked, his voice soft now that we were far enough away from the concert. His breath smelled like spearmint, my favorite.

I swallowed before I spoke, and cleared my throat. "I told you I had a date with Sora, right?" I started.

He pulled back and grabbed my shoulders roughly to look into my eyes. His eyes were wide with shock and fury. "He raped you, didn't he?!"

"What?" I asked, surprised. "No! No! Ugh, let me finish!"

"Okay," he sighed, relieved. He let out a little laugh. "Sorry about that." He relaxed and let go of me, then returned his eyes to mine, his face calm and receptive. "Continue," he said, moving his hand toward me in a gesture.

I blinked slowly. "Well, he drove me home, and I went inside, and..." I sucked in a ragged breath, and felt his hand close around mine. The warmth was comforting, but it only helped slightly. I closed my eyes, then opened them, holding back the tears as best I could. "My parents are dead," I whispered, the word 'dead' dying on my lips as a tear found a path down my cheek. It landed on Axel's pants, spreading into a dark spot on the denim.

His mouth opened and he blinked. "Oh my god, Kairi," he said, his face molding into a mask of horror and shared sadness at the same time.

I stood up, then sat down in his lap and held him tight as I cried. My arms held fast around his neck and my fingers got tangled his gelled, greasy hair. I buried my face on his shoulder and let the tears fall, soaking through his black hoodie. I felt his arm around my waist, and another pressed against my back, his fingers running through my hair. He whispered soothing words into my ear and held me, being uncharacteristically caring.