Chapter IV

"I love you!"

Roxas bolted up straight, his chest heaving and heart thundering in his chest. He clutched his hand over his heart and tried to breath slowly to calm him self, those words ringing in his head. He'd dreamt of dark hallways, he was running, to where he didn't know and to what, or from what? He looked over at his alarm still stuck on 8:13 am. He checked his phone and saw it was actually already noon. He put his phone on the night stand and put his face in his hands, he felt cold sweat on his forehead, he could feel a headache coming on, he scrunched up his eyes, opening them when the first peak of pain shot through his head. He looked at his hands to find them covered with black gloves, he was wearing a black leather trench coat. He quickly wrenched open his drawer of the night stand and took out the bottle of pills, shaking 2 from the bottle as his heart started to speed up, he was shaking badly. The bottle dropped from his hands and pills spilled onto the floor rolling everywhere. He curled up into a ball and moaned in pain, clutching his head.

Sora had been in the kitchen area talking to Pence and Hayner when he heard the moaning coming from Roxas's room. He dropped his spoon and darted to the closed door, he pulled it open and ran to Roxas's side. Pence and Hayner stood at the door eyes wide with worry.

"Shit, Roxas talk to me, did it happen again?"

All Sora got for an answer was a pained groan from the blond, he looked over the side of the bed to see the spilt pills, he grabbed two that had fallen on the bed and shouted to the boys at the door,

"Get me a glass of water, hurry!"

Pence returned seconds later with the glass and handed it to Sora.

"Come on Roxas, I need you to take the pills, come on."

He managed with Hayners help to pry the blonde's arms from his head and forced the pills into Roxas mouth, Sora massaged his throat as he poured a little water into his cousins' mouth to help the pills go down. Roxas choked, but swallowed.

"What's wrong with him Sora?"

Sora looked over at Hayner then to Pence, he shook his head, "It's not up to me to tell you, it's up to Roxas."

The two boys shared a worried glance and left the room leaving Sora to hold Roxas as he started to fall asleep again, he looked down at his cousin.

"Why does it have to be so much harder for you Rox?"

Axel walked out of his chemistry class at 2 o'clock; he smiled as he walked down the corridors and through the courtyard to the music building to meet Demyx and Roxas. He passed by Namine who was sitting alone at a lunch table sketching; he did a double take and walked back over to her.

"Hey Namine, you not waiting for Roxas today?"

Namine looked up and smiled sadly, she shook her head, "Roxas didn't go to class today, Sora called me to say Roxas was taking the day off today."

Axel cocked his head to the side, "Is something wrong with him?"

Namine stared at Axel with a half concerned and half thoughtful look, "He had a rough night, he needs time, that's all."

Axel stiffened at what she said, he forced him self to relax, "Well why don't you come with me to get Demyx and we'll go see how he's doing, ok?"

Namine smiled and nodded, "Ok."

They walked in silence until Namine spoke, " Why are you being civil towards me now?"

Axel choked and searched for an appropriate answer, but Namine got there first.

"Is it because you found out me and Roxas were twins and in fact not dating?"

Axel looked at her and nodded dumbly, she laughed quietly, "Roxas told me, there are no secrets between twins after all."

Axel was about respond when he heard someone call to him,

"Hey Axel!"

Axel turned to see Xigbar jogging towards him.

"Hi Xigbar, you physics class over then?"

Xigbar nodded then looked at Namine then back to Axel,

"Oh, Xig this is Namine, Roxas' twin, Namine this is my friend Xigbar."

Xigbar raised a hand in greeting and said, "Yo."

Namine smiled, "Hello, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet ya too."

Axel watched the two interact, he noticed. Namine had the barest tint of pink to her cheeks. He rolled his eyes.

By the time they reached the Demyx's room he was standing outside waiting for them.

"What took you so long Ax?"

Axel sighed dramatically and said, "Well first I had to save a Kingdom from invading evil doers then picked up Namine then we scaled mountains and found Xigbar meditating and he tagged along then we got lost because the space time continuum went all screwy making up down and etc, so we had to fix that, then we finally got here."

Demyx stared at his as Xigbar and Namine chuckled in the background.

"You had me till you said Xigbar was meditating, now that's a freaking paradox." Xigbar swiftly swated the blond musician on the back of the head, Axel rolled his eyes again.

"We're off to visit Roxas, to see how he's doing," Namine told him, "He had a bad night."

The group then started in the direction of the first year dorms, Axel and Demyx taking the lead and Xigbar and Namine walking behind deep in conversation.

Demyx nudged Axel, "Dude, I'm scared."

Axel looked at him, "Why?"

"Xigbars' being nice, he's being nice to some one outside our group."

"So?"

"Dude its freaky!"

"Dem, you think putting butter on a sandwich is freaky."

"Do NOT!"

Axel laughed at his friend as they reached the dorm and held the door open for the other three.

"Now this brings back memories, first year dorms, good times." Xigbar grinned.

Namine giggled and started walking for the stair case, "Come on, he's on the third floor."

They walked up the stairs telling Namine the stories from their first year, when the reached the third floor, they walked to a door with a brass 5 on it, Namine knocked, "Roxas it's me and your friends, can we come in?"

They got no response; Namine knocked again, no answer. "Ah well." She tried the handle and found the door unlocked, she walked in with the boys following her in. The living/kitchen area was empty, "You guys sit and I'll get Roxas." They all sat as Namine walked to her brothers' door, she knocked and entered. She found Roxas asleep on his bed in nothing but a towel, his hair damp for a shower taken not long ago. She looked around his semi messy room and rolled her eyes. Shaking his shoulder she spoke, "Hey Rox, wake up." Blearily blue eyes opened, he blinked and looked at his sister.

"Nami?"

"Hey sleepy head, we came to see how you were feeling."

"We?"

"Me, Axel, Demyx and Xigbar."

"Oh."

She waited and watched with a small smile as he sat up straight all sleep gone from his eyes. "Ah right, well gimme a second to get changed," he rubbed his eyes and gave a small yawn.

"Ok." She stood up and started back to the door when Roxas stopped her.

"Pence left my clean washing over by the door when he came back to check on me, can you get it for me and he left some food in the fridge."

Namine looked at her twin for a second then nodded.

Axel looked up as Namine entered the room and walked to the door, she picked up a bag and took it to Roxas's room, the door opened to show the blond boy standing in nothing but a blue towel round his hips, he saluted to the boys on the couch, "Yo." He took the bag from his sister and closed the door with a muffled "Thanks".

Namine giggled when she saw the slight blush creep over Axels face,

"So you do like Roxas then." She smiled knowingly at the red head; Axel blinked at her and scowled as Demyx started to laugh.

Roxas entered the living room fully clothed, towelling his hair to see Namine and Xigbar laughing as Axel chased Demyx round the room. He started laughing when Demyx tripped also causing Axel to trip so they landed in a heap on the floor. Axel jumped up and straightened his top when he heard Roxas laughing, he grinned sheepishly at the blond. As Roxas' laughter died down Axel strode over to stand in front to the blond boy,

"You feeling better?" he asked.

Roxas nodded and walked round the red head to fall back on the couch, "Yeah, just didn't get enough sleep last night."

They all sat for a while talking, Demyx told Roxas the work he had missed.

"So Roxas how did you date with Olette go?" Demyx asked.

Roxas took a sip of his drink then answered, unaware of the gaze Axel had on him.

"It wasn't a date, she was asking me about whether Pence might want to go out with her."

"So you took her out for dinner?" Namine cocked an eyebrow.

"She asked if I would so I could tell her she was a good date."

Everyone stared at him, "What?"

"That is the most stupid thing I have ever heard and I know Demyx." Axel said.

"Ye- HEY, dude that's mean!"

Everyone laughed.

The door to the room opened and Riku walked in, he stopped and stared at Axel. His face hardened, he turned to Roxas,

"Roxas, Sora told me to come and check up on you."

"Oh, thanks Riku." Roxas said.

"You're looking tired, maybe you should go to bed, and your friends should leave too."

"No it's ok, I'm not that bad-"

Riku cut him off, "Sora's been worrying, if you don't rest up now you wont be ready for tomorrow."

Roxas frowned slightly, "Riku it's fine, and I'll be fine tomorrow."

Riku was about to speak when Axel cut across him, "Riku, juts leave it, if Roxas says he's fine, he's fine."

"And how would you know Axel?"

Axel smirked at the teen, "I think I know Roxas a bit better than you Ri-ku."

Riku growled and started forward and Axel stood. They faced each other, Riku angry and Axel smug. Just as Riku tensed his fist he was hit in the head by a notebook, startled he looked towards the three still seated.

Namine picked up another notebook from the table and held it threateningly in one hand; she didn't throw it but hit Axel on the head with it.

"Knock it off you two," she turned to Riku, "I'd trust Roxas's word and if he says he's fine he is," she turned to Axel, "and you don't rile up Riku, that would leave me and Roxas tending to a sulking Sora."

Riku, stared then grunted, he turned and left the room slamming the door. Demyx giggled, "That's the first time I've seen Riku give up without a fight." He laughed. Namine looked innocently at them and smiled, "It's a woman's prerogative."

Roxas leaned back and smiled, "That's why you never anger a woman." Namine rolled her eyes, smiling she sat back down next to Xigbar,

"So are you all coming to Sora's for the holiday then?"

Axel spoke up first, "Course, like I'd miss a chance to have a BBQ! Oh and seeing Roxas too yanno."

Roxas snorted, "That's nice, playing second fiddle to a barbeque."

"Ahh Roxie I didn't mean it" he leaned over and hugged the blonde who blushed a little. Roxas rolled his eyes at the red heads antics and patted him on the head.

"I'll be there and so will Zexy!" cheered Demyx.

"I know me and Luxord are coming, think Marly and Larx are too." Said Xigbar.

"Awesome, I got Hayner, Pence and Olette to come as well, of course Kairi is going to be there and Riku is inviting Seifer."

Demyx looked at Roxas with wide eyes, "Why would he invite Seifer? He's an asshole."

"They're friends, plus Seifer said yes as soon as he heard Hayner was gonna be there." Roxas smirked. Axel's eyebrows shot up,

"Don't tell me he has a thing for the kid."

Roxas nodded laughing, "Hayner hates his guts, they're always fighting, it's only because Seifer insults him when he means to be 'nice', its funny and sad at the same time."

The three elder teens stared at each other in shock. Namine giggled again "Even if Seifer was nice to him, Hayner would probably think he was making fun of him, he's so oblivious."

Demyx looked between the twins with a horrified look, Axel and Xigbar chose to laugh it off, Axel more nervously and Xigbar more raucous

The next day Roxas sat in his art class facing a blank canvas. He was deep in thought. Namine sat next her twin and watched him sit there motionless, paintbrush tapping against his leg as he faced the canvas not really seeing anything. She watched as his eyes brightened and he dipped the brush into the water then the paints, she smiled and continued with her painting happy that Roxas had made a start.

When they had packed up Namine took a look at Roxas's painting. She stood frozen as she stared at the picture wide eyed. Castle Oblivion and a heart shaped moon were present and very much identical to all the memories she had of them. She jumped when Roxas nudged her,

"What's wrong Nami?"

"Wha- eh nothing, it's very good Rox." She said gesturing at the painting.

"Yeah, I dreamt about it, I'm not sure I like it though." He looked over the painting then nudged Namine again, "Come on lets go get lunch."

"Ok then."

Axel groaned. He forced his eyes open. It was currently 2 am and his phone was ringing. He growled, who ever thought it was funny to wake him up at 2 in the freaking morning was gonna be nought but ash when he was done with them. He grabbed the red mobile from under his pillow and ignoring the caller ID answered the phone,

"What!"

"Ax-Axel, I-I'm sorry."

"Oh Rox sorry, what's wrong?"

"Co-could you let me in please?"

"Let you in. …What?"

"I-I'm outside you dorm door, c-can you let me in please."

"Oh yeah, I'll be right there."

Axel hung up and slid out of bed, when he opened the dorm door he found Roxas curled up against the wall next to the door, shivering. His eyes widened in alarm, he bent down and put his hand on Roxas's knee, the younger boy flinched then saw who it was flung his arms around Axels' neck. Said red head was surprised but quickly wound his arms around the blonds back and rubbed it soothingly.

"Hey, hey what's wrong Rox?"

"I had a- I woke up and I didn't know what to do, I just felt had to see you, I cant sleep, I keep seeing them."

"Seeing who?" Axel stood picking up the blond bridal style and walked back into the dorm room, he set Roxas down on the couch but the blond refused to let go of him.

"I don't know, people in black, they keep following me, watching me-" he was starting to sound hysterical, Axel just hugged him tighter and hushed him.

"It was just a dream."

"I'm sorry I woke you up, it's just, I d-dunno, something in my head just told me to get to you."

"Well you got here, your fine, ok." Axel rubbed Roxas's back until he felt the younger boys breathing even out as he fell asleep. What Roxas had described to him sounded like when he was first brought to the organisation, Roxas would come to Axel when he couldn't sleep or had a nightmare, he felt hope bloom in his chest, Roxas was remembering, maybe not consciously but his mind was rebooting so to speak. Roxas had loosened his hold on Axel and he laid his down and covered him with a blanket, thank god it was Friday, well Saturday now. He'd get him back to his dorm later when he had slept, Axel bent down and kissed Roxas gently on the forehead and pushed his bangs off his face. He smiled calmly at the sleeping teen, "Night Rox."

As Axel shut his door a smile crossed Roxas's face as he slept.

AN: Finally, this chapter took me ages, too much uni work. I am sorry for taking so long, and I am going to be updating more stories soon hopefully.

RxR please