AN: Okay…so another year has gone by and I'm really bad at updating I know! I'm sorry, but I will FOR SURE update a lot more often now that I have internet at home. My goal is to finish this story by the end of the year! WOOT!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, the characters, the settings, etc.

Yuffie turned to Axel with worry in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry!"

"For what?" he smiled, "there's nothing to apologize for."

"I – "

"Shh. It's okay, but I do have to go."

She nodded and held him tightly, before letting him go. He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly. She smiled at him as he turned to leave.

After he vanished into the portal she started back to Merlin's house, a bit nervous as to what she was going to have to face when she reached it.

She walked into the door and looked up, everybody was looking at her accusingly.

"Yuffie…?" Leon walked forward and gently touched her cheek. She flinched.

"Relax Yuffie, we're not going to hurt you. We just want to know what's going on." Cloud said, looking up through his hair.

Yuffie turned her head in shame.

"He's Ale's nobody."

Cloud nodded, "Yuffie, you realize he's NOT Ale right?"

"Of course I do! But he's like him in so many ways…his personality is the same, and he says he feels a little something for me even though he's not supposed to!"

Leon ran his fingers through his hair in irritation. Yuffie caught it and growled low in her throat.

"What?" he looked over at her.

"What?" she responded.

"Yuffie, we're just worried about you. You've been pining for Ale ever since the heartless got him, and now this? It's just unhealthy."

"You would be singing a different tune if it was you!" she crossed her arms and looked away irritably.

Meanwhile, over in The Castle That Never Was Axel was sitting in his room, working on the report Xemnas had asked for. Xigbar walked in and sat down on his bed.

"What are you gonna do man?"

"I'm not sure. Her friends know about us now…"

"That's going to make things difficult on her, especially if they don't approve."

"I know. Hey Xig?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think would happen if I left the Organization?"

"I think you would be hunted down and killed."

Axel smirked, "Nah. I'm too smart for Xemnas."

Xigbar chuckled.

"Do what you have to do man, just be sure you know what you're doing."

He left the room and Axel finished his report. He sent it through to Xemnas' office through a portal and then he flopped on his bed. He mulled over the option of leaving the Organization for good. That would mean he never got his heart…then again, who's to say he would get it if he stayed?

Yuffie was sitting on her bed, crying. The whole group had told her that Axel was nevertheless the enemy and it wasn't smart for her to be with him in any way, shape or form. Aerith came upstairs to talk to her.

"Yuffie?"

"Go away."

"Yuffie, sweetie, please come back down and talk to us? We'll figure something out."

"Like what? You know Cloud and Leon aren't going to let me be anywhere alone from now on."

"Please?"

Yuffie sighed and went downstairs with her.

Everybody was sitting in a circle and they all looked up at her when she came down. She sat down and looked over at everyone.

"Yuffie, you know we all love you, but we don't want you getting hurt by this nobody. Nobodies can't feel, you know that?" Cloud started.

"Why not! They still have brains don't they! They still have their souls right?"

"Yuffie…there's nothing we could tell you right now that would convince you otherwise, so for now you may continue to see him as there seems to be no long lasting harm so far, but we need to talk to him ourselves first."

Yuffie looked at the circle disbelievingly. Leon sighed.

"I know you might not believe us right now, but trust me, we don't want you to suffer anymore than you have."

Right about then, a portal appeared behind Yuffie and Axel stepped out of it. The rest of the group was instantly on guard.

"Relax, I'm not here to hurt anyone." He gently put an arm around Yuffie's waist and pulled her close to him. She looked completely relaxed in his embrace, and Aerith knew she really believed this was the right thing to do.

"What are you here for then?"

Axel sighed, "I need your help."

"For?"

"I aim to take down the Organization. Except for two that are loyal to me, and they want out too. The problem is the three of us can't take on Xemnas and Saix at the same time."

"Why do you want out?"

"Because, if I don't get out Xemnas will go after Yuffie. Xemnas doesn't have anybody's interests but his in his mind, and there's no point to staying anymore."

Leon looked around at everyone.

"Well, if it means we will be protecting Yuffie, we don't have much of a choice do we? Everybody in?"

Everybody else nodded.

"Good. I'll take you to the castle tomorrow." Axel said, kissing Yuffie on the top of her head.

AN: Yay I updated XD have fun with this slight cliffhanger!