The Gloom

Roxas slowly felt himself coming back to consciousness, he was lying in bed though he wasn't sure whose bed was. It wasn't his, he knew that for sure, and he found breathing to be quite painful. Every time he inhaled, it was a huge strain on his lungs. He forced his heavy eyelids to open, and was blinded by the plain white walls. Certainly not his room, he'd never allow his walls to be so plain. Then for the first time he noticed the beeping sound.

Beep…beep…beep…

The beeping of a heart monitor, he was in the hospital. But why? He looked around straining his brain in search for answers. A tickle in his throat caused a coughing fit, this is when he truly felt how scratchy, raw, and burned his throat was. And going by how bad it hurt to breathe it probably wasn't just his throat, it must have been deep in his lungs. It suddenly all came back to him. The concert, coming back home to his worried mother… the fire…

He looked up as the room door opened, and his mom came in. "Oh God Roxas, thank goodness your alright," she ran over and hugged him gently then looked at him with a soft glare. "Are you trying to scare the living daylights out of me? How many more things are you going to do before I have a heart attack?"

The blonde lowered his head in shame. He never meant to worry his mom so much, he never meant for anything of this to happen. "I'm sorry mom, I really am," he choked while tears leaked from his eyes.

At that moment a doctor looking more like he should work in a funeral parlor, "Hello ma'am, I'm doctor Vexen," he replied very monotone like.

"Hello," Kairi replied straitening out and extending a hand that the doctor didn't take.

"Your son should be fine, he does have mild smoke inhalation. I'm writing you a prescription for some antibiotics that you can pick up from your pharmacy," he wrote something down on a piece of paper and handed to her. "You can take him home anytime."

The doctor turned and left the room just as two other men came in. "Ma'am need to have a word with you," one of them told his mom.

"Oh course," Kairi replied, "You go ahead and get dressed Roxas, I'll be back." She kissed him on the forehead and left the room with them.

Just as Kairi left a nurse came in and took the I.V. out of his arm. After a few minutes Roxas was dressed in his street clothes and getting ready to leave the room. He felt so much better now that he was without that I.V. and hospital gown. He walked out of the room glancing around to where Kairi was, when two police officer's approached him, "Roxas?" one of them asked.

"Um… yeah," what did he do?

"You're going to have to come with us son."

"NO! NO!" Before Roxas could reply his attention turned toward the other end of the hallway, where his mom was screaming and trying desperately to run toward him but was being held back by the first two guys that came into the room. "NO! You can't do this! You can't take my son from me!" she screeched.

By the time Roxas realized what was happening, one of the police officer's grabbed his arm and started pulling him in the other direction. He reacted immediately, "NO! MOM! MOM!" he cried while struggling to get away. But the officer that held him was strong and with two of them, neither had trouble dragging him out of the hospital. "Let go of me! MOM! MOM!"

"NO! ROXAS! NO-"

That was the last he heard from her as they exited out of the hospital. Roxas struggled wildly as he was led to a police car. One of the officers's opened the back seat door while the other put pressure on his blonde spicks in order to force him into the car. Then the door was slammed shut. The boy pounded on the window since there were no latches on the inside there was no way he could get out. The officer's got into the front and driver's seat, and he kicked the metal divider that was between them. "If you dare to take me to the asshole I call a father then I'll kill him. I swear to God you make me live with him, and I will kill him."

Sora walked up to Kairi's apartment, he was starting to wonder if he should just check into a hotel for a few nights, all of long drives were wasting gas. He immediately knew something was wrong, when he approached the apartment door and heard loud sobs coming from inside. "Kairi," he called knocking on the door.

When he got no answer, he decided to let himself in since it was unlocked. Kairi was sitting at the table with her head buried into her folded arms sobbing hysterically. At the corner of his vision he saw the burnt remains of Roxas's room. Something horrible must have happened. "Kairi what's wrong, what happened?" he asked rushing over to her shaking figure and placing an arm around her.

"Oh Sora!" Kairi looked at him with a flushed tear stained face as a result of what must have been hours of sobbing harshly. "He did it! That bastard did it!"

The woman threw herself into Sora's arms and cried onto his shoulder. The man ran a hand over her back, "Its ok Kairi calm down," he cooed.

"NO! NO! It's no ok!"

"Tell me what happened. Who did what?"

"Riku took Roxas!"

To say the least Sora was shocked, though in the back of his mind he wondered why. It did seem like something his old friend would do, but for some reason he never thought he's actually do it, "Well did you call the police, he won't be able to get away with kidnapping?"

"No… that's the worst part… he did it legally!"

Sora sat down at the table next to her, now utterly confused, "Ok you better tell me the whole story."

The woman sniffled loudly and wiped her eyes before starting, "Last night after you left. Roxas started a fire in his room."

"I guess that explains that," Sora pointed in the direction of the charred room, still smelling of smoke.

"Yes… somehow his bookshelf blocked the door so I couldn't get in. I called 911 but by the time they got here, and broke in Roxas lying on the bed passed out from smoke inhalation," she paused to blow her nose, then sniffled again. "Riku must have reported me, because social services got wind of me and Roxas… they thought I wasn't fit to take care of him… so they came to the hospital and said that in the best interest of the child he should be taken to live with someone that could afford to take care of him. His Father!" she broke down crying again. "A-And t-th-ey took him away!"

Sora firmly grabbed a hold of the woman's arms, "Kairi look at me," he ordered firmly and didn't continue until she was. "We're going to fight this; Riku had no right doing what he did. Especially since he never did a single thing for you while raising him."

"I can't Sora, I don't have money for a lawyer or anything!" Kairi sobbed.

"I have a good lawyer, he can win any case. Don't worry Kairi, I'm not going to let anyone take that kid away from you."

"W-What are you going to do, he's probably already on his way to Riku's."

"Just leave it to me."

Roxas was taken to the police station and locked into a room, which he had been locked in for hours. Every so often someone would peak there head in to ask if he was hungry or thirsty. And the one time they did bring him anything thing it was a dry sandwich and water. It was like he was no better then a criminal, when were they going to let him out. He spent much of the time figuring out how exactly he was going to kill that jackass that called himself his father.

He didn't care what happened to him, if they insisted on making him live with that bastard then sometime in the near future his father would be mysteriously murdered and he would disappear never to be seen again. He heard the jiggle of the door again signaling that someone was about to come in. A policewoman stuck her head in, "Son, your guardian is here. Time to go?"

It was about time, he wouldn't do it right away, he would wait a few days before actually doing the kill. He was still considering whether to be on the run of the rest of his life or just put himself out of his misery. Both didn't seem very tempting but after committing a murder on your own father, he knew he could have to choose one.

He was brought out to the main hallway and saw the last person he ever expected to see, "Sora?"

"Hi Roxas, you ready to go?" the man asked.

"I thought I was going to live with my father," Roxas was now thoroughly confused.

"Not yet, not if I have anything to say about it, but come on I'll explain on the way."

They were just about to walk out of the doors when police officer stopped him, "Sir, you do know that your not allowed to take him out of Hallow Bastion?"

"Yes I understand," Sora replied politely, "I have a room in a hotel that I'm staying at."

Roxas waited until they were both in the car before asking, "So what's going on, where's my mom?"

"Your mothers at home, after she told me what happened I called my lawyer to help us. He pulled some strings and showed social services that Riku never did a thing to help in the past so he has no right to take you. Now there's going to be a trial for your custody next week, in the meantime I have temporary custody of you until the trial. And both your mother and father have no visitation rights until the trial."

Roxas didn't know what to say, Sora at least wasn't as bad as Riku. But he'd much rather live with his mom. But at least there was still a chance that he'd be able to go back and live with her. "Don't worry Roxas; I'm on your side. My lawyer has never lost a case before, and I don't think he'll start now."

Roxas nodded silently, it was only a week until the trial. He could handle that, "We need to stop by the pharmacy and pick up your antibiotics before we go to the hotel," Sora announced turning into a grocery store that had a pharmacy. Roxas nodded without word and silently followed Sora into the store. He sat on a bench waited patiently for Sora at the pharmacy. Though when he heard the pharmacists tell them that they would have to wait a half hour for the pills to be ready he knew that they'd be here for awhile.

"I guess we can get some shopping done while were waiting," Sora suggested trying to find the good in a bad situation.

"I'll wait here," Roxas announced not wanting to get up and walk around.

Sora nodded with a sigh but still looked sympathetic, it make him sick. He always made sure not to tell anyone about his tragic life because he hated those empty sympathetic looks he would get. He sat there scowling by himself while Sora was walking around the store shopping. "I'm sorry ma'am, but your short one dollar," he suddenly started observing the woman that was buying some medicine at the pharmacy counter.

"Oh I'm sorry," the woman said and started searching through her purse hastily. After a few moments he looked back up at the cashier helplessly, "I don't have another dollar."

"Then I'm sorry, I can't sell you this," the cashier said and started talking back the medicine.

The woman placed a hand on the meds to stop him, "No, please you don't understand. My daughter is sick, she has a 105 fever I need this medicine."

"I'm sorry ma'am but unless you give me another dollar I can't sell you this."

"I don't have any money, and I have no credit, please."

Roxas couldn't stand it anymore, it was a freaking dollar, and the store probably got trillions of dollars every day. But they couldn't spear a dollar to help out a woman with a sick child. He still had two dollars left, so he went up to the woman and gave her one of them, "Here ma'am, I think you can use this," he said.

The woman looked at him like he just gave her the keys to the city, "Oh, bless you son, thank you so much."

Roxas smiled to himself, he knew that he had done a good thing and felt good about it. Not in a smug way, but in a truly good way that he just help out someone that was in need. He looked down at the rest of the cash he had, one dollar left, wasn't much he could do with it. But he'd save it anyway, and stuck it back into his pocket.

Sora had gotten a two bed room at the local hotel, after they got his prescription Sora stopped by his and his mom's apartment to get his clothes. He had to wait in the car because according to law he wasn't allowed any contact with either of his parents until the trial. The boy hung his head in shame when he noticed that Sora was able to get all his stuff on one trip, he didn't have much.

Roxas on the queen size bed while Sora took a shower in the bathroom, sleeping tonight would be like sleeping in a palace compared to what he was used to. I sigh escaped his lips; he would probably sleep better tonight then any other night in his life, but he'd give it all up just to be back with his mom and a chance to never see that bastard of a father again. He looked around the small hotel room, and noticed on the bedside table was a bible. A scowl formed on his face, Sora was a bible thumper. Wait a second, what was he getting so upset about?

Roxas started to realize that the bible thumpers maybe weren't as bad as he thought. They were different then everyone else, they made him feel loved. Not loved like in a relationship, but loved like in a family. But that was impossible; he was a bastard one only a mother could love.

His train of thought was halted by Sora emerging from the bathroom toweling his brown spikes, "Hey Roxas, how are you doing?" he asked looking at him sympathetically.

Just that one look made Roxas's eyes narrow with anger; he hated those sympathetic looks with a passion. It made him feel like he was a poor helpless animal that had an abusive owner and that he needed rescuing. The blonde glared mildly at him and looked away. Sora just sighed in response understand how hard this must be for him, "Are you hungry at all?"

"No," Roxas replied shortly, then after a few moments he said, "That asshole, I hope he burns in hell." Both knew he was referring to Riku.

"Sora sighed, "Roxas I know that you're angry, but we both need to come to an understanding. While you're staying with me, I won't tolerate that language and will punish you if I have to."

Roxas shot a weak glare at him which died quickly, "Yes sir…"

"Roxas... Roxas slow down!" Xion called from down the hallway trying to catch up with the blonde who seemed to be avoiding her.

Once again he acted as if he didn't hear her, but she knew that he did by the way he picked up his pace. Xion knew that something was wrong, he seemed to have a great time at the concert then after the weekend is over he's avoiding her. What happened? Did she do something to make him angry? She picked up her speed and started to gain on him, "Roxas, please stop and tell me what's wrong!" she called.

Roxas then went into a run and turned into the boys bathroom, "Dang it," Xion swore as she stopped in front of the bathroom door and caught her breath. "You can't hide forever!" she called through the door and leaned against the wall. "I'll be waiting right here for you."

She waited a few minutes then the bell rang for next period, so now she had to leave. With a sigh she realized that she should probably just mind her own business, until he was ready to talk and left without a word.

Kairi was at Cators doing her job, but now really in the mood for it. All that was on her mind now was Roxas, and what he was doing right now. She was so worried about him that he was barely concentrating. Three times she had giving the wrong change, and more then once she had absentmindedly rung everything up twice. It wasn't long before she got a verbal dress down from the owner because someone complained.

"Kairi what's wrong with you?" her friend Alice asked her after the owner was finished and left the red head feeling about an inch tall.

"I don't know," Kairi replied choking back sobs.

"Kairi, you're not on break, back to work now," the owner ordered harshly. Everyone knew that the owner was a jerk, and was especially toward Kairi because he knew that Kairi would do anything to keep her job. So he knew that he could ask and do whatever he wanted to her and she wouldn't complain.

The woman composed herself then went back to her register to continue working. She rang up clothes for about a half hour when she saw a familiar face, "Sora!" she called out gratefully.

Her old friend approached her, smiling sympathetically. Kairi eagerly finished ringing up the guest then ran over and hugged him, "Roxas? How is he, is he ok?" she asked.

"He's find, stop worrying," Sora replied gently, "He's safe at school."

Kairi buried her face into his jacket, trying to force back the tears that threatened to fall, "I don't know if I can handle this, if Riku wins the case I'll die."

"Kairi, what did I promise you? No ones going to take him away, I got you the best lawyer in the country."

"Kairi! Kairi! I didn't send you on a break! What the hell do you think your doing?" The owner yelled at her.

The red head looked back at him taken aback, "I'm having some personal problems right now. Give me a break already!" she yelled at him, it was the first time she had ever stood up to him.

The owner wasn't looking to happy about her reply, "Get back on that register right now, and I'll forget about what you just said," he replied in a low dangerous voice.

Kairi just glared furiously at him, she had been putting up with this crap for far too long. "Look here buster! I've been working for you as a single parent, barely making enough to survive in this world. You have been making me bust my butt for years and I've never once heard a 'thank-you' so you know what? I'm not taking it anymore!" she screamed at him then jabbed a finger at his chest, "You don't deserve me so, so I QUIT!"

With this she took off her name tag, handed it to the owner then marched out in a righteous huff. She barely even noticed the other employees and costumer's cheering as she left with Sora following close behind, "Kairi are you sure you should have done that?" Sora asked her when they were outside the store.

"I don't even care anymore, I just want Roxas."

"Being unemployed won't look very good before a jury."

Kairi halted mid step, "Your right," she choked then turned around, "I better go back and beg for my job back."

Sora stopped her before she made a step, "No Kairi don't, your life's degrading enough don't make it worse. Its done, going back will only make you look weak."

"What do I do now?" the woman finally let the tears flow freely and buried her face into Sora's chest.

Sora embraced her in a light hug, "We'll figure it out, I promise."

Roxas was walking down the hallway heading to his next class, he had been avoiding all human contact as much at possible. He felt bad about shunning Xion but she was someone he especially wanted to avoid. His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden scream then turned his head into the direction of the scream. It was another girl getting attacked again, and he rolled his eyes why didn't anyone do anything about this.

He was passing by just like everyone else when he noticed that the girl looked familiar. Sudden anger filled him as he realized that it was Xion, it was almost a foreign feeling. He had never cared before, what was the different now? The teen that was attacking Xion shoved her against the lockers hard enough to make her head fly back and bang against the medal with a loud CLANG! She cried out in pain, then as the boy secured her arms and snaked and his other arms under her shirt. She screamed out in terror, and that was when Roxas realized that the reason he cared was because he loved her. And seeing this happen to her made him see red.

As if someone else controlled his body, Roxas ran over to them and pushed the teen out of the way before he could do anything else to Xion, "Leave her alone!" he ordered firmly.

The boy stumbled backwards, while Xion crumbled to her knees in shock at being saved. "Hey what's your deal man?" he asked Roxas.

"Roxas!" Xion shouted when she realized that he saved her.

Both boys ignored her cry, "You bastard!" Roxas swore then swung his fist at the boy while it contacted with his jaw followed by a sickening Crack!

The other boy held his jaw briefly then glared at the blonde, "You're a dead man," he threatened then punched Roxas in the gut.

The blonde doubled over, as his breath was stolen from his lungs. "Hey look a fight!" some stand-by shouted and it wasn't long before there was a crowd of students cheering and hooting at them.

Roxas quickly composed himself then shoved the other teen against the lockers and landed two hard punches at his cheeks so hard that it was making his own fists hurt. "Roxas stop!" Xion pleaded helplessly but they both continued to ignore her.

The other teen regained his balance and jumped at Roxas making them both fall to the ground, his fist made contact with the blondes blue eye making pain sprout through his face. Roxas kneed him right where it hurts, not enough to cause much damage but enough to throw his opponent off enough to roll over so he was on top then landed his own punch. "Just stop it!" he was dimly aware of Xion's plea's for them to stop.

Both boys continued to fight and punch each other, each getting a verity of cuts and bruises, "What's going on here!" the hallway went silence and there fighting ceased as the principal's voice cut through the cheers.

At that particular moment the other teen was on top of Roxas so the head of the school grabbed his jacket and lifted him off the blonde. Roxas was now able to get up on his own, the principal glared at them both, "So care to explain?" he asked in a stony voice.

Roxas didn't want to explain, he didn't want to do anything. He didn't care if he was kicked out of school, he didn't care about anything anymore. So he took running, and ran out of the door and out of the school, he just didn't care anymore. "Roxas! Roxas!" no one stopped Xion when she ran after him.

I'm just letting you all know that I dont know anything about the law. So I'm guess on pretty much everything other then some shows I watch and what I see in movies. Though it is fanfiction and this world isn't our world so I can get away with it hehe