This is it guys. The end, the last chapter, the final installment of Sanctuary.

Actually, I'm going to write an epilogue, so don't worry.

I'd like to thank everyone who sticked with me throught this rather difficult story. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to hear from you all in my future endeavours.

Disclaimer: I, sadly, don't own KH. I know it sucks. But it's true.

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Chapter 8

One week later, Roxas' worst fears came true.

He looked over at his fiery-haired boyfriend. They where in Axel's car, driving down a road with tall trees on either side. They were on their way to Cloud's cabin, which he had bought a year before, out in the woods. Cloud had taken Xion and Sora out already, and Kairi would be coming with Lea, Renee and Demyx that evening. Naminé was staying with her friend instead of coming.

"I can't believe you actually want to come." Roxas said, laughing. Axel shrugged.

"I think it'll be fun. I can take you out in the woods and rape you where no one can hear us." he said, his face dead serious. Roxas looked at him, half grinning.

"Yay." he replied, and Axel burst out laughing. The rest of the trip went by fast. It was 5:00, and Renee and the others would be here in an hour. Axel pulled his car into the driveway. Turning it off, he and Roxas got out. Roxas stopped when he saw the front door smashed open and Cloud's truck doors still open. Everything was still in the truck.

"Axel." Roxas whispered. Axel nodded.

"Stay here. I'll go check it out." He said. Roxas shook his head.

"No way. I'm coming too." He said, running up to Axel. They slowly approached the house. Axel took one step inside, and immediately stepped back, forcing Roxas outside.

"Stay here." He demanded, and he got his phone. Roxas watched him take a few steps away, and he started talking.

"Mom. Yeah. I know, but listen. Something's wrong. No, Roxas and I are okay, but…mom…LISTEN!" he shouted, and Roxas turned to the now half closed door.

"Mom. It's him! He's here!" he said, and Roxas' heart stopped. He walked towards the door, ignoring Axel's shout.

Roxas took one step inside and felt sick. He was in the front porch, and on the wall next to the door that lead to the main room was red. Smeared red letters.

'RUN'

Roxas shook his head. He was suddenly aware of Axel behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Roxas…" he said. Roxas didn't listen. He went in, looking for the source of the red.

"Cloud! Where are you!" he screamed. Axel immediately clamped his hand over the younger boy's mouth.

"Quiet. Don't yell. Come on, we'll look together." He said, taking Roxas by the hand. Roxas nodded, and they started walking slowly through the cabin. It was actually huge, almost as big as Axel's house. They were currently in the living room. There were other small red stains on the floor and Roxas almost burst into tears. Suddenly there was a shuffling behind them, and they turned, Axel standing defensively in front of Roxas. The closet burst open, and someone leaped out, a small knife-like sword in one hand.

"CLOUD!" Roxas cried.

"Roxas? Damn, why are you still here. Didn't you see the message?" he said. Roxas' eyes widened.

"The red?" he asked. Cloud nodded. "Was it…blood?" he asked. Cloud shook his head.

"Paint. When we got here the door was broken down. Whoever did it had a huge hunting knife and cut away until he could kick it in. I knew it was dangerous, so I left the message and started searching." He explained.

"With a sword? When did you get a sword?" Axel asked. Cloud smiled.

"Around the same time I bought the camp." He replied. Roxas smiled.

"And you know how to use it right?" he asked. Cloud looked from Roxas to the sword, then back to Roxas.

"No." he replied. Roxas and Axel stared.

"What about Xion?" Roxas asked. Cloud frowned.

"I told her to hide. She's in the basement." He said. There was a huge bang upstairs.

"Damn. We have to get out of here. Xion!" he called, and the door at the foot of the stairs opened. Xion walked out, smiling.

"Roxas! Thank god you're okay! I was afraid-" A door upstairs blew its hinges. Cloud yelled.

Everything happened in slow motion.

Xion stopped moving.

A man came down the stair at an alarming pace.

Axel was yelling at her. Cloud too.

Then cold steel came through her chest.

She didn't scream. She didn't cry. She just looked down as John Wakefield's giant hunting knife slid backwards into her chest and out her back again. Then she fell. Cloud screamed in rage, hurling himself at Wakefield, swinging his sword with terrifying force.

Wakefield's eyes widened. His hunting knife clattered to the floor.

His hand still wrapped loosely around it.

Cloud screamed again and swung a second time. But the Ripper wouldn't be caught off guard again. He grabbed Cloud's arm and twisted. There was a horrible crunch, and Cloud dropped the sword. He screamed in pain, his wrist bent at a frightening angle. Wakefield growled and grabbed the sword…

The doubled over, clutching the stub where his arm was. He yelled and turned, stumbling outside, still clutching the sword.

Roxas screamed now, and ran to Xion. There was blood pouring from the huge gap in her chest. She was coughing up blood, still alive.

"Xion! It's gonna be okay Xion!" he said. She shook her head.

"Not this time, baby brother." She coughed. Roxas cried, tears dripping into the pool of blood around Xion.

"Hey, you're only 2 minutes older than me." He said, trying to take her mind off the pain.

"Bye bye, Roxie." She said, closing her eyes.

"No…please don't die…no…" Roxas cried. But Xion had stopped breathing. Roxas screamed. He looked over and saw Wakefield's knife laying next to Xion. He reached for it.

"Roxas…" Axel whispered, but Roxas ignored him. He stared from the knife to Xion. He put the knife down.

"I'll call an ambulance." He said. He turned, reaching for his phone. Roxas sat and cried. He had lost his parents, and now his sister, his best friend. She was the only thing that kept him going. Now what?

"Roxas, they're coming. My mom should be here soon too." Axel said. Roxas ignored him again. Instead, he stood and ran out the door.

"Roxas!" Axel called, running after the blond. Roxas ran outside and looked down. A trail of blood.

"I'll kill that son of a bitch." Roxas hissed. He followed it and found the Ripper standing in a clearing. He turned and stared at Roxas.

"What do you want, boy?" he asked.

"You killed my sister." Roxas cried. Wakefield nodded.

"She was in my way." He replied. This made Roxas' blood boil.

"You killed my parents too. Five years ago." He said. Wakefield nodded.

"I remember. The last ones I killed in Destiny Islands. Then the sheriff shot me." He replied. He sounded so calm. Roxas screamed and ran forward. When he was close, Wakefield too three steps and plunged the sword he still held into Roxas' chest, piercing his lung. He sighed.

"You didn't have to die today, boy." He said. Roxas laughed.

"You do." He growled, and Wakefield felt something plunge into his heart. He looked down and saw his own hunting knife protruding from his chest. He looked up at Roxas, who pulled the sword from his lung and threw it away.

"Damn lung is useless anyway." He said. Wakefield fell, dead before he hit the ground.

"Roxas!" He turned and saw Axel running into the clearing. Then he felt himself falling.

"I'm coming, Xion."

"ROXAS!"

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Roxas' eyes opened. He saw white.

"Am I dead?" he asked. Suddenly there was a flash of bright red.

"He's awake!" called Axel. Roxas shot up, and immediately regretted it. His chest seared, and he fell back.

"Whoa, take it easy, you just had your lungs replaced." Axel said. Roxas' eyes went wide.

"What?" he whispered, looking towards his boyfriend.

"Turns out Xion was a donor, and you were dying, which put you at the top of the list. You officially have two new healthy lungs, my friend. You won't be dying any time soon." He explained. Roxas felt like crying. He jumped up, ignoring the pain in his chest, and kissed his boyfriend.

"Hey, get a room." Cloud said, walking in. Roxas turned bright red, matching his boyfriend's hair.

"Cloud! I…I can…explain…" he stuttered. Cloud raised a hand.

"No need. I knew all along. I saw you two kissing outside his house the first time we went there." He said. Roxas stared. "Besides," Cloud continued, "you just had surgery. You should be resting." Roxas noticed his arm was wrapped tight and in a sling.

"Your arm." Roxas said. Cloud looked down at it.

"Yeah, turns out he not only shattered my wrist, but he broke the arm too. Bastard sure knew what he was doing." He said. Roxas frowned.

"Is he…?" he began. Cloud nodded.

"As a doorknob…doorbell?" Cloud said. Roxas laughed.

"Doornail." He said. Cloud smiled.

"That too." He grinned. Roxas laughed, then double over.

"Come on, Xion, you're killing me." Roxas laughed. Cloud and Axel both laughed too, a sad, mourning laugh.

Roxas looked over at Axel. He may have lost his sister, but he still had this amazing, beautiful, perfect boyfriend.

And he couldn't be happier.

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The End

Come back for the Epilogue, and remember...

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