A/N: This is the last chapter. I would like to thank Izzy-Lawliet for betaing the story, without her this would have been much worse then it is. I thought that I would reward you all with and extra long chapter. Some of you may have noticed that the prologue for the next story which is a prequel to this one has already been posted. If you have good, if you haven't that's ok too.
Legal Stuff: I own nothing.
Now, one would think after the fight they had the night before and Axel's new found determination not to lose the best thing in his life, that he would actually say something. However Axel was sitting looking down at Roxas with the dumbest expression of shock on his face. He laughed a moment later, this made Roxas look away. Axel jumped up at the movement as he realized what he was doing and grabbed hold of Roxas in a tight bear hug. "Yes. Roxas, I love you with everything that I am. I wouldn't trade my time with you for anything." He kissed Roxas on either cheek before he noticed the boy was crying. "Honey what's wrong?" He was concerned because of the way Roxas hadn't moved after he was hugged.
"Why did you laugh?" Roxas' was weak and watery. He was slowly losing his battle with tiredness that was nagging him to sleep.
Axel sighed; he didn't like the drained look he was getting from his lover. He moved to sit Roxas down, "Roxas it's an inside joke between you, me and..." He paused not sure if he should go on, "Sora. I know you don't get it right now. Tonight after your rested I want to take you to a dance. Will you go with me?"
Roxas nodded to this, still not understanding the reaction. "Your still hungry, why don't you finish mine?"
"After you put that ring on me." Axel smirked at Roxas and held out his hand. Roxas smiled taking the ring from the case and slipping it onto Axel's ring finger. Axel smiled back before giving him another hug. "Okay you put your head down and take a nap. I'll finish eating when I get back from the washroom." Axel said getting up from where he had been crouching beside Roxas. Roxas couldn't help but yawn as he nodded and moved his plate to Axel's side of the table. Axel smiled as he left the room, he looked around till he spotted Tifa. He walked up to her with a cocky grin on his face. "Roxas is sleeping. Can you tell me where his brothers are?"
"I could..." Tifa answered, "But I'm sure my brother would rather have Cloud back in one piece, I don't think Sephiroth would be to happy about an injured Cloud either."
"Okay I'm just going to talk to them. You think after last night I really want to piss Cloud off again?" Axel asked exasperatedly. "He probably already has the song list for tonight altered. Which seeing as he is fucking the DJ was probably easy to do."
"I'm sorry Leon only bottoms for Sephiroth." Tifa uttered, "But your probably right, Cloud has a very unique way of getting what he wants." She shrugged before pointing to one of the tables, "They're over there."
"Thank you." Axel smiled and walked away from her toward the direction she indicated. He smirked seeing as none of them saw him coming. He slipped into the empty seat by Cloud. "Roxas wants to know if you gonna sleep over tonight?" He asked causing the three other people at the table to jump. "Because we won't be doing anything entertaining until he is healthy again. Oh, I did say yes so fuck off and stop following us around."
"Axel! That's great!" Sora chimed, "Hey, we had no idea you were going to be here."
Axel glared at the little brunette, "I'm sure you didn't. Just like you had nothing to do with any of Roxas' plan."
"Oh come on Axel." Sora gulped backing into Riku.
"Axel lay off." Riku's tone was warning as he wrapped an arm around Sora. "All he did was hide the ring for Roxas so you couldn't find it."
"Um... Riku, that might not be everything I did." Sora said kinda nervously.
"Oh does Riku still not know about tonight?" Axel asked suddenly acting all innocent.
"Your brother isn't here Axel; so if you want to be able to walk without a limp..." Cloud's voice was quiet and dangerous.
Axel looked at Cloud and when he saw the same gleam in those brilliant blue eyes he gulped.
"No, but your brother is." Roxas had just as quietly come upon them. Roxas swayed slightly where he stood and Axel instinctively got up and held Roxas stead. "This isn't the washroom Axel."
"And you're not napping. Roxy you look like your gonna fall over." Axel retorted.
"Axel maybe we should wait. He is too tired for it tonight." Sora was really concerned as he looked at Roxas. Roxas was leaning against Axel heavily.
Axel was running one hand through Roxas' spikes, "It has to be tonight. I won't keep him out late." Roxas had fallen asleep in Axel's arms again. "I can't believe I didn't notice how sick he was."
Sora was up then, "He wasn't around, how were you suppose to know?"
"I just was, so this could have been avoided. He shouldn't have been working so hard." Axel stubbornly whined. Riku shook his head at this show.
Cloud growled softly, "As much as I'd love to blame this all on you, the only person that can be held responsible for Roxas' current condition is Roxas, and even that can't be totally his fault." Cloud got up and waved Tifa over. "Tifa, can you pack up whatever they haven't eaten. I'm going to take them home."
"Sure thing Cloud." Tifa smiled at him warmly. "I'll see you tonight?" She winked at him.
"Tifa, I'm not into you, so stop." Cloud hissed as he turned away from her. "Leon would be pissed if he knew you were still at me."
"What my brother doesn't know won't hurt him," Tifa whispered just loud enough for Cloud to hear.
"Tifa the only reason he hasn't done anything is because your his sister. Back off or I'll tell him you haven't given up." He had turned back toward her when she whispered, there was that dangerous look in his eyes again. It made Axel feel better to know he wasn't the only one that could get Cloud that mad. Cloud turned on his heels and marched toward the door, "Axel let's go!" He called back to the redhead, and anger was clear in his voice.
Axel lifted Roxas bridal style, "You guys come over when Tifa get's the food packed."
"Yeah go, before Cloud rewires your jeep." Riku smirked, he had experienced the angry blonde doing it to his car.
"Shit." Axel half sprinted out of there. He caught Cloud trying to get the locked door open. "Hey just a sec, and I'll get you keys." Axel shifted Roxas' position so he could dig in his pockets. After a minute or so he tossed his keys to Cloud, who caught them and then opened the doors. He got in and waited for the other two while Axel put Roxas in the back. Axel made sure Roxas was safely buckled in place before climbing up front with Cloud. "Thanks for driving."
"Whatever."
Axel looked at Cloud noticing the pulsing vain on the side of his neck. "Dude calm down. It's not your fault that your drop dead gorgeous." Axel grinned as Cloud turned to look at him. "Well you are, but Roxas is sexier." Axel winked at him.
The tension finally broke when Cloud lightly chuckled, "What I'm to serious for you?"
"Gods no, I just value my life. I'd have two blondes, two silverets, two brunettes, and my own brother after me." Axel laughed nervously, "I don't think I would be as happy with you as I am with Roxas though." He looked back at the sleeping blonde.
"You wouldn't be Reno's brother if you were any different." Cloud laughed this time, having calmed down, he started the jeep.
XxXxXxXxXxX
Cloud opened the door to the apartment for Axel. "We'll get him in bed so he can sleep properly."
"Yeah, yeah. Where do you think I'm going?" Axel retorted moving down the hallway. He shut the bedroom door behind him, laying Roxas on the bed Axel smiled. Roxas looked so happy and peaceful in his sleep. He carefully removed the blazer and shirt from Roxas to make him more comfortable. He took Roxas' belt off as well and left the room.
Cloud was sitting on the couch flicking through the channels on the TV. "Seph says that Rox has the next two weeks off. He is not to happy to hear that Roxas is so drained. You'd swear Roxas was his brother not mine."
Axel flopped down on the lazy boy. "Yeah, he does seem to care a lot about Roxy." Axel looked over at Cloud. "Cloud I'm really worried. I'm scared about how sick he is. He wasn't sleeping at all, and he was hardly eating."
Cloud was watching Axel closely, he didn't like what he was hearing. Roxas had promised he'd take care of himself, this revelation was proof that he didn't know how smart he was. "Axel, Roxas is going to pull through this." Cloud's words weren't just to comfort the redhead but himself as well.
Axel nodded looking down, "I hope your right Cloud." After that the front door opened and Sora bounced in. Riku followed him carrying a fair sized bag.
"It appears you were going to have dessert with your lunch." Riku said at the puzzled look on Axel's face.
"Oh..." Axel got up taking the bag from Riku. He disappeared into the kitchen after that.
"How's Roxas?" Riku asked looking at Cloud.
"Worse then we thought, but sleeping." Cloud answered.
"He isn't going to wake up this time." Sora said barely above a whisper as he sat down beside his older brother. They hadn't noticed that Axel was standing in the kitchen door watching them. His hearing was sharp and he heard what Sora said.
"What do you mean? This time?" He was really worried now, it didn't matter that Cloud had said Roxas would be fine now. Sora was usually hyper all the time, the way he was acting was so very out of character.
Cloud looked up at Axel as he put his arm around Sora trying to calm him. "Roxas is slipping into a coma." He answered softly. Riku saw Axel go pale at hearing Cloud say this. He moved to the redhead's side and when Axel's knees buckled Riku held him against the wall to keep him from falling.
"Axel?" Riku didn't get an answer from the now unconscious friend. "Damn it, he passed out." Cloud untangled himself from Sora and went to help Riku. "Wouldn't think he'd be so heavy as skinny as he is." They put Axel in the lazy boy.
"I knew this would happen. I knew it." Sora whimpered as he hugged himself.
"Babe calm down." Riku sat down with Sora, "You know Roxas. He'll wake up."
"I'm gonna check on Rox." Cloud said disappearing into the bedroom. It was ten minutes later when he came back out. "He says he is just tired, but if what Axel told me is true..." He sighed looking at Axel. "We should have warned him. We should have seen this coming."
"Cloud you said it yourself, the only one to blame for this is Roxas." Riku scolded.
Axel groaned as he started to come to. He blinked looking at the three other males in the room. "What is going on with Roxas?"
"Axel, he didn't want you to know. It's not our place to tell you." Riku was by far the calmest one in the room. "Just stay calm and be there for him. He'll be okay."
Axel growled softly, he wasn't liking being kept in the dark. He muttered incoherently.
"Stop it. Roxas loves you, isn't that what matters." Riku snapped at the cranky redhead.
"Fine, don't tell me anything. Let me think the worse." Axel growled back, shaking his head he got up. "I'm going for a walk." He muttered again as he left the apartment.
"Well that could have gone better..." Sora sighed hugging closer to Riku.
XxXxXxXxX
Roxas woke up a few hours later, he was hungry or otherwise he would have stayed in bed. He sat up and stretched with a yawn. Crawling out of bed he heard the TV on in the living room and smiled. Expecting to see Axel lounging on the couch while he watched TV, Roxas didn't bother the grab a shirt. He stopped before really entering the living room where he could now see no Axel. The sight that greeted him was his brothers and their others, along with Cid and Vincent. He counted seven people and none were the one he wanted to talk to. "Where's Axel?" He asked softly causing the whole room to jump.
"We don't know. He didn't take his cell phone." Leon answered shifting uncomfortably under Cloud.
"What do you mean? Why is everyone here?" His eyes went wide as he thought about what was happening. "What did you tell him?!" He shouted at them.
Vincent was the first to react and he moved toward Roxas and grabbed hold of him. "Roxas calm down. Reno and Rude are looking for him." Vincent was looking into Roxas' eyes a softness in his own crimson ones. "They'll be home soon." Roxas relaxed almost immediately, Vincent always seemed to be able to get him to calm like that. "That's better." Vincent smiled softly as he hugged Roxas tightly, Cid chuckled softly in the background.
Cloud jumped again when his pocket started to vibrate and ring. "Ah!" Leon couldn't help the out cry when the blonde's bony hip connected uncomfortably.
"Sorry." Cloud grimaced as he got up pulling out his cell and flipping it open. "Did you find him?"
Reno's voice carried in the silent room. "Hey babe, yeah I got him. Poor thing looks like he's been through hell. Don't think he was payin' attention to where he was goin', yo!"
Leon had grabbed the phone from Cloud though and now was yelling into it. "Call him that again and you won't have a tongue!"
"Oh hey Leon. Didn't know you were there." Came Reno's shaky reply.
"Yeah I am. So just get off your ass and back here." Leon snapped the phone shut. He handed it back to Cloud before pulling the blonde back into his lap. Cloud cried out this time at the suddenness of the move. "Mine." Leon said possessively. There wasn't much that really got a rise out of the brunette unless it had to do with Cloud or Sephiroth.
"Yes, now let him breath, Leon." Sephiroth tapped Leon on the head. Sora would have laughed if not for the situation.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
Axel was walking into a park when he was tackled by Rude. "Rude don't hurt him." Reno called to his partner. "Man, he looked like shit. I'll go call Cloud." Reno was walking away from the two then.
Rude shook Axel to try and get him back to reality. "Axel don't make me slap you." Rude warned as he raised one hand.
"He is really sick." Axel murmured, letting Rude help him to his feet.
"Roxas is fine." Rude told him, but Axel shook his head.
"They said he was going into a coma." Axel sounded so hollow.
"Look Roxas is fine." Rude snapped, "He still hasn't told you about his parents. He'll be fine."
Axel looked at Rude curiously, "No he hasn't."
Rude was looking past Axel though, to the slightly pale Reno. "Leon answered."Axel looked at his brother's expression and nodded in agreement.
"You need to go home." Reno gulped out motioning to Rude's car. Axel nodded and got in the back as the other two got in the front. They were silent as they drove back.
Axel lead the way into the apartment, he stopped in the doorway seeing eight people in the living room. He was caught off guard when Roxas pulled away from Vincent and ran to him. The force of Roxas hitting him would have sat him on his bottom; however Rude and Reno stopped them from falling. "Hey Roxy." Axel greeted him once he regained his breath.
"Don't leave again." Roxas whispered into Axel's ear.
"I'm not going anywhere." Axel answered him softly.
"Good." Roxas nodded relaxing and pulling away a little. "Are we still going to that dance?" He didn't seem tired to the others, but Roxas knew he still was.
Axel looked at the others in the room, "That's not up to me, I think we're all worried about you."
Roxas glared at him, "I'm fine, really. I was just tired." Axel caught a glimpse of the others shifting around nervously. "I'll be okay to go, please."
Axel looked at Leon, "If the DJ is still willing to do it." Leon sighed but nodded. "Then we can go."
"Yay." Roxas grinned hugging Axel. He could only hope that he wasn't over doing his cover. Axel noticed the others didn't seem as on edge, he didn't like that he still didn't know why they were all here.
"Well then you should all go get ready." Axel commented to the others, "and you should finish getting dressed." He looked down at Roxas.
Roxas blushed as if he just realized he was topless in front of everyone. He pulled away from Axel and went into the bedroom without saying a word. Reno and Rude had slipped out just before that, because Reno was still worried about his continued life. Everyone else left after that, but Cid and Vincent.
"We know how your feeling." Vincent said quietly as he walked up to Axel. "As his guardians we've felt the same way. He'll open up more to you eventually."
"Vince, I'm not sure he knew that." Cid interjected.
"No, I was not aware of that." Axel murmured "I had wondered why you were here."
"Well now you know." Cid said gruffly. "And if you hurt him..."
"Cid." Vincent said warningly, "The boy knows better, he doesn't need to be scared of us as well. I'm sure Cloud has already made that clear."
"Alright, alright let's go. We'll be there tonight." Cid moved past the two of them on his way out.
"He is just worried about Roxy. Apparently your brother forgot to tell either of you that he called. He had to stand there and watch this happen." Vincent sighed, "He'll come around." Vincent nodded and he to left.
Axel went to check on Roxas after they were gone, he frowned when he found the boy sleeping again. He laid down and pulled Roxas to him. I don't know so much about you. Why are they so worried? What happened to you?" He was stroking Roxas' hair as he mussed. He laid there with Roxas for an hour before shaking his lover. "Roxas, you should get up and eat something." He said loud enough for Roxas to hear.
Roxas moaned as he woke up, "But I want sleep."
"I know Love, I know." Axel sat up pulling Roxas with him. "You have to eat, and we're leaving soon. If you still want to go."
Roxas jumped up, he wanted to know why Axel had laughed. "I'm up, I want to go." He got a T-shirt from the closet and pulled it on.
Axel laughed at Roxas he was himself as he moved about getting the shirt. Axel forgot his worry about Roxas as he laughed. Going into the kitchen he got the left over lunch from the fridge. Roxas sat at the table watching Axel. He grinned as he saw the desert placed in front of him. The chocolate would be just what he needed. It wasn't just any chocolate either, it was devil's food cake layered with dark chocolate mouse and frosted with white chocolate ganash. The piece of cake was garnished with milk chocolate shavings. They ate quietly and when they were finished Axel cleaned up. He looked over at Roxas noticing he seemed much more bouncy. "You sure that you want to go?" Axel asked.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yes!" Roxas exclaimed hyperly, "We go now!"
"Okay, calm down, I'll drive." Axel shook his head, and laughed as Roxas ran out of the apartment. He locked the door as he followed the now hyper blonde. The trip to the hall was filled with laughter and joking around, like before Roxas was working. Save for the fact that Roxas was acting strangely like Sora.
"Alright Love, we're here." Axel parked the jeep but Roxas was out before he could say anything else. "Roxas!" He jumped out of the jeep and chased after the hyper blonde.
Roxas had ran inside the hall but came to a halt just inside the doors. "Axel...What is this?" He murmured as he looked at the two banners on the far wall. The bigger of the two read, 'Happy 2nd Anniversary Roxas and Axel'. The slightly smaller banner under it read 'Will you marry me?' The hall was packed with people, some already dancing, most not noticing that Axel and Roxas had finally arrived.
Axel put his hands on Roxas' shoulders, "This is why I laughed." He whispered into Roxas' ear. "Happy anniversary Roxas. You beat me to it though." Roxas turned his head to look up at Axel, he was smiling broadly. "Whether or not I had left with Reno last night, I was still going to ask you. I love you Roxas, please don't ever leave me." Axel smiled softly as he pulled his own ring box out.
"I won't." Roxas promised, now fully understanding why Axel reacted that way. Axel opened the box to show Roxas the nearly identical ring, the difference being that this one was rose gold. Roxas nodded and smiled as the ring before holding out his hand. The whole room cheered as they watched Axel slip the ring on Roxas. As they kissed Leon cued up the real first song of the night, and it was fitting.
Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Axel smirked as he remember this was the first song they had danced to.
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Roxas turned in Axel's arms so he was facing him and wrapped his own around Axel's neck.
Look into your heart - you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am - take my life
I would give it all - I would sacrifice
Axel grinned down at him starting to right where they were. Roxas returned to grin but he could feel his hyperness fading and tiredness coming.
Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Roxas sighed softly in a contented way as he rested his head against Axel's chest.
There's no love - like your love
And no other - could give more love
There's nowhere - unless you're there
All the time - all the way
Roxas closed his eyes happily and let the waves of dreamless sleep cascade over him.
Oh - you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you - ya I'd die for you
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
When the song came to the end Axel stopped moving, he took notice then of how still Roxas was leaning against him. "Rox?" He whispered into his lover's ear. He didn't get a response. He could feel Roxas' arms go slack around his neck. "Roxas!" Axel started to worry when he still got no response. He was suddenly aware that he was holding Roxas up. "ROXAS!" He shouted this time as he held Roxas close to him. Roxas didn't respond and he didn't wake up, even as Vincent ran over to them. It wasn't long as they got him out of there.
End Note:
What just happened?
Why doesn't Axel know about Roxas' past?
What is Roxas trying to hide from Axel?
Why won't anyone else tell Axel?
How did Cid and Vincent get to be Cloud, Sora and Roxas' guardians?
These questions and more answered in Starting Over?
How long is Roxas gonna be in a coma?
Is Axel going to wait for Roxas?
What will happen when Roxas wakes up?
Will Roxas remember Axel?
Will Roxas remember Roxas?
These questions and more answered in Living a Nightmare!
PS: Hi there everyone, please don't shot me yet. As I said above the prologue for Starting Over has already been posted. So most of those questions have already been answered. Please go there and read that before you decided to linch me. I've had a really bad week so this is what happens. Things are getting better so it's all good. I also have half of the first chapter of Starting Over wrote so Monday you should have that to go with it.