Disclaimer: I have to add a disclaimer into this chapter because I use some song lyrics that don't belong to me. They belong to katethegreat19 on youtube. If you want to actually listen to song hear you go: .com/watch?v=qmbgCBZ86z4&feature=channel_page if the link doesn't work, you can try copying and pasting it, and if that doesn't work and you really feel the need to listen to the song just let me know.

While I'm at it… I do not own anything Kingdom Hearts other then the games and a keyblade necklace that broke and now I can't find, but it's probably just hiding from me (things tend to do that).

A/N: I know, I thought that I was going to up date sooner and I'm sorry, but I have this huge like 15 page English paper due tomorrow. The good new is, it's due tomorrow so it won't be messing with me anymore, the bad news, finals are coming up in a few weeks. So this is probably what you're going to get until school is over.

This chapter goes out to all of those people who are still reading this. I appreciate you more then you think, trust me. Read on!

xXx

"I'm sorry. Was I intruding on something?" The man, with long silver hair looked around as if expecting to see someone else heading towards them. Everyone, with the exception of Olette, Roxas, and Axel, relaxed and started to put away their weapons. "I heard that you were in the port and simply thought that I would drop by, but..."

The man that stood in front of them was not Xemnas, but the appearance between the two men made Olette shiver slightly. The man standing before them was a tall slender man with long silver hair. His hair however was much longer then Xemnas', it went past his waist and his eyes. His eyes were the darkest gray, nearly black. He wore a long black cloak with metal shoulder pads, the front of the cloak was opened enough so that you could see a good portion of his chest and his hands were covered by black gloves.

"Sephiroth!" Zexion said surprised. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Although you seemed to be expecting someone. Who?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"That is nothing of your concern." Zexion stated without hesitation. "You are welcome to stay for a while if you would like. I have some drinks in my quarters." Zexion started to lead the man towards his office, by which time most of the rest of the crew had lost interest in what was happening. A few of them were dragging boxes and creates together to form make-shift tables and chairs, as Lux started up a game of poker no doubt.

"I hope your crew doesn't mind if some of my crew stops by for a while." the new-comer spoke, "I believe they were going into town as well, they might find it interesting to hear that fellow pirates were in the port and want to stop by to visit."

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind at all..." Zexion's voice faded as he closed the door behind them.

Olette, Roxas, and Axel stood dumb-founded in the center of the ship for a few moments. Finally Olette shook her head and looked over to Demyx and asked, "Who was that?"

"That was Sephiroth. He's a fellow pirate, you could say I guess." Demyx said, stepping towards them, "We tend to share information and trade together a lot. At least we used to, so we know his crew almost as well as we know our own." After a pause, he went on to say, "He's nothing to fear, at least not when you're with us."

Olette let go of the breath that she didn't know she had been holding and Roxas sighed lightly. Axel however was still staring at the door that Sephiroth and Zexion had just walked through, "He was one good looking captain!" Axel suddenly said, turning away from the door to look at them. The comment however got him a good hard punch in the upper arm from Roxas. "Ow! What was that for?!" Axel yelped.

"For being a totally moron," Roxas replied.

"What?" Axel looked confused for a second, but which point Demyx had already turned away was jogging towards the stern of the ship with Olette calling after him as she followed not far behind. "Oh, I probably shouldn't have said that, huh?" Axel asked biting his lower lip.

"Yeah, that was real smart of you." Roxas replied glaring at his mate, "Do you have any idea how hard Demyx has been trying to get your attention the last few weeks?" Axel only bit down on his lip harder until he could feel the blood flow into his mouth. Of course he knew that Demyx had been trying to impress him a little bit, it was hard not to notice, but Axel hadn't really given it a second thought, it just seemed a little like his character. Dem was the giddy, happy-get-lucky, musician that Axel just expected he wanted to show off a little bit. He deserved to show off, he was pretty damn talented.

"You don't get it Axel, do you?" Roxas continued, "To Demyx, you are more then just someone to fuck, or he probably would have done it by now. He really likes you and what do you do in return!? You go and get drunk, flirt with a bunch of women, act like a total jackass, and then complement one of the people that reminds him of one of the few people that he probably never wants to see again!" Roxas' voice had been steadily growing louder as he continued to talk, but it didn't matter much. No one was listening, by that point most of the other were either playing poker or watching said game.

"I know!" Axel nearly shouted, his body shook as he took a deep breath before continuing in a low tone, "I've been an idiot, I get that. But that doesn't mean that you have to hassle me about it. I really like Dem, more then you probably think, but that's just the thing. I've never really liked someone like this before. I don't know how to act, around him. Around others when they talk about him?" Axel suddenly moved to lean his head against the large mast of the ship. He closed his eyes for a moment before turning back to Roxas and softly saying, "I don't know what to do!"

Roxas, to say the least, was shocked that Axel had so much emotion in him. After years of knowing this man standing before him he had never experienced so much at one time from him. Axel must have been going through overload. There was no other explanation to his actions, other then him being a complete moron before hand anyways, which was irrelevant in this situation.

Roxas starred at the red-head for a moment before he sighed, "Maybe you could start by apologizing to him." He suggested, "I can't imagine why he wouldn't forgive you."

"That's harder, said then done." Axel mumbled as he slid down to the ground, his back up against the mast. "I can barely even think straight right now."

Roxas hesitated for a second as he looked down onto the red-head in totally chaos, via his mind, before he said, "I would say things can't get much worse, but that would only be asking for it, so I won't. Just...start thinking before you do or say something that you might regret."

"Right." Axel said, fiddling idly with the rim of his shirt as he starred at the ground and started the long complicated processes of thinking of what he could do to make things even slightly better. Roxas hoped things would get better, if only for Axel.

xXx

Olette's thoughts weren't all that far off from Roxas', with the only exception being that she was trying to hold Demyx together. The two of them stood at the stern of the ship looking out past the harbor. Demyx sat on the railing of the ship his back pressed against one of the larger ropes and wouldn't give under his weight. He daggled one of his legs over the ledge while the other was bent, with his foot on the rail, so he could use his knee as an arm rest as he looked out onto the water.

"Dem-" Olette started, but she stopped, not entirely sure what to say to him. If she said the wrong thing he would easily break, leaving Olette feeling a whole lot worse then she already did. She bit her lip as she moved slowly to sit on the other side of the rope, in a similar position to Demyx. Her back pressed against his as she closed her eyes hoping thinking that maybe just letting Dem think would help him a little.

It was a few long minutes before Demyx said anything, but when he did his voice was a lot sturdier then Olette had expected it to be, "You know," he said softly, "I should have been expecting this. I mean this is the guy who was flirting with me before he even knew my name. The guy that didn't seem to care what other's thought of him, in any situation. So I should have expected this...but I didn't." Demyx hesitated, whipping a few strands of hair that the wind had blown into his eyes, away. "Maybe that's why it seems so much worse then it really, probably, is."

"I knew Axel when I was kid," Olette said, "he was never really a deep person, which is a surprise to most people. Especially others who teach martial arts, it's usually a pretty deep thing for them. But Axel, he was always different. He was always that one person that could stand out from everyone else, and not just for his hair color. I remember the first time that I met him, he had been attacked by some other boys in town and when I told him how awesome I thought his fighting was he just smiled at me smugly, messed up my hair, and walked away mumbling 'I know, I know'. It was kind of ridiculous now that I think about it, but it was Axel. I never spent a day with him without wondering why his mind worked so differently then everyone else's seemed to. When I was younger I used to tell him that he had a brain disability and that he didn't think in straight lines like people were suppose to, he had just laughed at me and told me that it was possible. But I learned differently. Axel...is different, but he's not a bad person. He just takes some getting used to and a lot of patients."

Demyx was quiet as he listened to Olette and slowly he turned his head so that he was angled more towards Olette's ear, "Do you think maybe...maybe we could be friends? Me and Axel."

Olette leaned her head back onto Demyx's shoulder and looked up into the stars that were shining brightly in the sky, "Yeah, I think you could be more then just friends." She whispered, "You just need to let Axel come to you. Don't push him, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll try." Demyx sighed as Olette pushed her self away from him and plopped down on the deck.

"Look at me." Olette demanded as she moved to stand in front of the boy. When he didn't look up she grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her, "You'll be alright. How could Axel resist your charm?" She said smiling at him as best she could, trying her best to cheer him. "He'll break before long, just you wait."

"I've never been in favor of waiting." Demyx replied the hint of a smile on his face caused Olette's smile to grow slightly as well.

"Then let's just hope it doesn't take him that long. I'm going to go join the poker game, feel free to come and join in if you want to." Olette let her hand fall away from Demyx face, who was now giving her a confused look. Why was she leaving him so suddenly?

But what Demyx didn't see was behind him. Axel had moved from his spot by the ship's mast and was heading over his way. Olette knew that she couldn't be of any more help and she slipped away from Demyx, whispering harshly to Axel as she passed him, "You better not mess this up!"

Axel didn't say anything, he didn't have to. The look he gave Olette said everything from how much he too hurt to how he knew that he had to make things right to how blamed himself for everything that had happened thus far. And Olette forgave him in that instant, even if Axel didn't know that.

xXx

Demyx heard foot steps behind him, but he ignored them. He didn't think they were important, and he was to busy thinking right now.

Go away. He thought when he heard the footsteps stop somewhere close behind him.

"Demyx..." Demyx froze, he knew that voice, it would be hard for him not to, he was falling for the guy it belonged to. "I'm sorry. For everything. For tonight, for dragging you around with me while I was drunk, for having to let you take care for me in a way. I'm grateful that you did, but you shouldn't have had to. And I'm sorry that I'm not always the smartest person out there, but I try most of the time. I-I'm sorry that I don't know how to act around properly around you. You just confuse me sometimes. I've never..." Axel paused, taking a deep breath. Demyx took this as an opportunity to turn around and look into Axel's deep green eyes. "I've never felt like this about anyone else before and it's throwing me off."

Demyx knew that Axel was telling the truth, he knew that ever though he wanted to be mad at Axel right now, that he should be mad at Axel right now, he just couldn't. It would be like being mad at you kitten for using the litter box for the first time, it just didn't seem right.

"I understand, a little." Demyx said as he slid off the rail to stand in front of Axel, "Sometimes I wonder, if I'm doing anything right at all."

Axel looked down at him and was shocked to find, just how attracted to this blonde that he was. His heart skipped a beat, or two, when he saw the bright, glistening blue eyes hidden behind strands of blonde hair and glowing in the light of the moon. "Your eyes shine in the moonlight like a lighthouse does to a ship lost in a storm, guiding me to shore." Axel muttered as he, without really thinking it through, brought his hand up to brush a few stands of hair away from Demyx's gorgeous eyes.

Demyx chuckled lightly, "How poetic, did you plan that or was it spontaneous?"

"That was rather spontaneous." Axel admitted, "Who would have thought that I could be so romantic?"

"I don't think you're giving enough credit to the moon." Demyx said smiling lightly.

"Really?" Axel asked,

Demyx found himself cut off before he even started to answer as Axel closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against Demyx's. A shiver went up Demyx's back as his brain went into practical shock of the action. But when Axel tried to pull away, Demyx pulled him back wrapping his arms firmly around his neck.

And for once, Axel didn't say anything; he just kissed the blonde back.

Neither of them new that such a seemingly simple gesture could mean so much.

xXx

Olette moved back to the group where the crew had set up their make shift table. Nearby Roxas was leaning against the rail watching as Lux shuffled a deck of cards for their next round. Olette moved to lean against the rail next to him.

"You think things are going to be alright between them?" Roxas asked without looking up at Olette.

She took his hand gentle in her's causing him to look up at her hopefully, "Things are going to be just fine." And Roxas knew from the tone of her voice that she really believed that they were going to make it through this okay.

"What's going to be fine?" Xig asked, having "overheard", more like listened-in on, their conversation.

"None of your frickin' business, Xig." Olette snarled, she didn't want to have to deal with any more drama tonight which meant keeping as many people out of this as she could. What she didn't realize was that by being over protective on the subject she had just got a whole lot of people more interested.

"What your language miss," Xaldin laughed, "Don't want people thinkin' your riding with dirty mouthed pirates now do we?"

"But you are." Olette retort, seeing Roxas roll his eyes as he chuckled slightly to himself.

"Well, what's important," Lux said, "is what's got you so knotted up? Does it have to do with Axel and Demyx?"

"Yes," Roxas said, receiving a glare from Olette, "they've been fighting and we're trying to get them to work things out." Olette nudged Roxas, well she more like shoved him into the railing, but he probably deserved it so he didn't complain. "Let them play with it," Roxas whispered to her, "they'll never really know what happened. And even if they do it's not like they're going to freak, they have a gay captain for Pete's sake."

"Fine!" Olette mumbled harshly, giving Roxas one last glare.

"Okay," Lux piped up instantly, "who wants to place a bet?"

"What?" Olette said horrified.

"It's tradition," Xaldin said, "we place bets on what's happening and then someone goes and watches them to tell us what happens. You can be the spy if you want?"

"One hundred munny that they're just talking and they go to bed instantly after they're done." Xigbar said, placing a sack of munny on the table.

"One-fifty that they come back acting like nothing happened at all tonight." Xaldin said, laying his own munny done.

"Two hundred that they end up getting in an aggressive fight." Lux said just as a group of people walked onto the boat and a girl with short purple hair asked, "What are we betting on?"

"Demyx is having a rough time getting along with someone traveling with us and we're betting on what's going on right now between them." Lux added as he dug into his pocket for his own stash of munny.

The girl had been followed by several others. Three were males with silver hair, which rather disturbed Olette. They introduced themselves as Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, brothers. Along with two others, one was a rather bulky brunette named Rai, and the other was a slimmer man named Seifer, who seemed to be making Hayner cringed without even doing anything.

"Alright," the girl, Fuu, said "200 munny that nothing significant happens." She pulled a bag of munny out of her pocket and dramatically dropped it onto the table.

Others made simple bets, most not as high as Fuu's and Lux's. But what shocked Olette the most was when Roxas whisper to her, "Lend me some munny for a minute I'll pay you back double by the end of the night."

She stared at him for a second before she reached into her pocket and handed him her remaining munny. He combined it with his own and threw it onto the table with a loud clinking noise, catching everyone's attention, "Two thousand munny that they kiss and come back smiling and holding hands."

"That's a step bet even for Lux," Hayner said, "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Positive." Roxas said without hesitation.

"You seem pretty confident." Olette said as Fuu headed for the stern of the ship to watch the event of the two men's moments together.

"I know Axel. And I've learned enough about Demyx in these past few weeks to know what to expect." Roxas said, pulling Olette towards him and wrapping his arms lightly around her waist.

"Alright," Olette grinned, glancing at the others who had started playing poker again, "how about we make a bet of our own?"

Roxas said his eye brows, "I'm listening."

"If you get it right and Axel and Demyx do come back smiling and holding hands and all that, I'll do something for you. But if you're wrong, then you do something for me."

"Something like...what?" Roxas asked.

"Anything. There are no limitations, well except murder. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to kill anyone for you, even if it is someone that I don't like."

"Alright, alright I won't have you kill anyone for me." Roxas laughed, grinning down at her as he said, "You have yourself a deal."

It was a few minutes later when Fuu came jogging back slipping quickly into Seifer's lap, who just happened to be closest to her at the time as she said, "They're coming back!"

Everyone acted as natural as possible as they glanced towards the stern of the ship waiting for the two men to get back, it was taking them a whole lot longer then it should have. Finally they came into view smiling, and hand in hand. Demyx was blushing profusely and trying to hide behind Axel and the red head gently pulled him back towards the others.

"Told you!" Roxas said, just as the two came into view, he started gathering the munny that we now his, everyone else groaning.

"What are you talking about?" Axel asked, sitting down on an empty create and pull Demyx onto one of his legs, Demyx wasn't too happy about the sitting arrangement and kicked Axel before he moved to sit next him instead.

"I just won a bet thanks to you." Roxas said, grinning. "I do believe that was the first time that you helped me with knowing you were getting something out of it two."

"What'd I do?" Axel asked confused.

"You kissed Demyx and came back holding hands with him." Fuu said, "and man was it hot watching you guys kiss." She received a few glares, including from Seifer who was still holding her on his lap, "What? I think two guys kissing is hot, sue me."

Olette rolled her eyes, not entirely sure what to think of Fuu's comment, but she didn't ponder on it to much, instead she turned to Roxas, "Alright, I own you one thing. What do want from me?"

Roxas thought for a second before answering, "A kiss."

"You can have anything and all you want is a kiss?"

"It's not as simple of an act as you seem to believe it to be. Most people don't go around kissing everyone that they see."

"Point taken." Olette said as she stepped up to Roxas. "But you know you could have gotten' this without using your one favor." She wrapped her hands around Roxas' neck pulling him down to meet her lips to his. Roxas' hands slipped around her waist, pulling her closer, as he prodded his tongue into her mouth, Olette willingly granting it entry.

They were interrupted when someone, Axel, wolf-whistled. Olette turned, still wrapped up in Roxas, to glare at Axel, "I didn't interrupt you did I? No, so mind your own business."

Someone laughed, "It's just a night filled with love isn't it? How horribly adorable." But Olette didn't hear the comment, she was already pulling Roxas back towards her to kiss him again.

Tonight was amazing, Olette thought smiling to herself.

xXx

"Hey, Dem!" Seifer called from over at the table, Fuu still sitting on his lap, though no one knew why because according to Demyx they weren't a couple, "Why don't you get that guitar of yours and play us some music."

The group of four was sitting on the steps up to the wheel talking. Demyx was leaning against Axel's legs. Olette was sitting next to Roxas her head leaning against his shoulders. They had been sitting there for about an hour, just talking. Olette was starting to fall asleep, her eyes drifting closed, but she didn't want to sleep. Afraid was what would happen when the other captain came out of Zexion office, she still had no idea what was going on in there.

"Yeah!" the other cheered in agreement.

"NO!" Demyx shouted back at them sternly.

"Aw, why not?" Olette asked lifting her head up from Roxas' shoulder.

"Because, they always make me sing and I don't want to anymore. Besides with them I won't be able to talk tomorrow if they make me sing." Demyx pouted as Xig walked their way looking hopeful to convince the blonde to change his mind.

"Come on, Dem." he said, "It's been forever sense we've heard you."

"And I still sound the same." Demyx said frowning slightly.

"Please..." Xigbar's voice had a hint of pleading but not enough for Demyx.

"No! I told you I'm not going to sing for you guys."

"Alright," Olette piped up, "How about we make a deal? Demyx will go and get his guitar," Demyx started to protest, but Olette cut him off, "and he'll play, while I sing. I personally have never sung in front of a crowd so I don't know what will happen, but hey I've got to start somewhere."

Xigbar and Demyx exchanged looks for a second before Demyx nodded, "Alright already. I'll go and get my guitar."

Demyx stood up and Axel frowned as he shivered slightly, "Now my legs are cold," he complained. But Demyx just laughed and headed down the stairs to retrieve his guitar. When he came back up Olette stood up to head over towards the rest of the crews. "Yeah," Axel cheered quietly, "Blossom's going to sing for us."

"Don't call me Blossom." Olette snapped, glaring at Axel, "It makes me feel like a little kid."

"Blossom?" Roxas asked as Axel skipped over to Demyx as he pulled his guitar out of it's case.

"Axel used to call me that when I was a kid, before he left. Now, it just seems so kid-ish." Olette smiled slightly and shrugged. "Oh well, there's nothing I can really do if Axel has his mind set on calling me Blossom every now and then."

"Come here," Demyx called, beckoning Olette over. "What do you want to sing?"

"Umm, something I know..." Olette said biting her lip. She didn't know very many songs and most of what she did know she had learned from Demyx.

"Okay, how about 'You're Not Alone'?" Demyx suggested, plucking a few strings and tuning his guitar. "You know that one."

"Okay."

Olette said hesitantly as Demyx strummed his guitar, nearly missing her que.

Lost in darkest blue
Endless labyrinths weaving though
Will you stagger on,
with no star to light your way?
Share with me your tears
All your troubles and deepest fears
I remember when
you chased all my shadows away

The two crews actually stopped playing for a second, quieting down as Olette started to sing. Xigbar stood leaning against the table looking pleasantly surprised. The others showed similar expressions, but Olette did her best to ignore them by closing her eyes and continuing.

Won't you take my hand?
Come away with me from this land
Let me give to you
all that you have given to me
Fly horizon bound
Find the moon behind darkening clouds
Even far apart,
know our souls together will be

When the storm draws nigh
Dreams will shatter before your eyes
Know that you're not alone
When the battle starts
I will comfort your restless heart
You'll know that you are home

As much as Olette wanted this song to connect her and Roxas, she knew that it didn't. Roxas had given her everything and had given everything he had up for her, to follow her on this crazy flee for her life. Olette couldn't do anything in return for him, at least not that she had though of yet. But was going to find a way to make it up to him, somehow...

When your stars stop shining
Endless vines around you winding
Know that you're not alone
I will give my all
So your tears will no longer fall
Down, down on sorrow's stone

If there was one thing that Olette knew about her little journey, it was that she was not alone. She had Demyx and Axel and Roxas. She knew that with them, everything was going to be okay. Or at least she hoped.

Look into my eyes
All eternity you will find
In this fragile heart,
know that you will always belong
Shout into the night
Show the darkness that you will fight
Hopeless you may feel,
but inside I know you are strong

Keep me in your heart
So we'll never be far apart
Let the bonds of love
break these chains imprisoning you
Always you will find
Shadows lingering close behind
Lift your spirits now,
We shall be together soon

Olette didn't open her eyes until Demyx had strummed the last cord of the song. She was surprised to hear applauding. She blushed, biting her lower lip as she looked around the group. Roxas was smiling at her as he clapped with the others.

"Who'd have thought that you could sing like that?" Axel said, smirking at Olette.

"Shut up, Axel. You knew that I could sing."

"Not that like, I didn't." Axel said truthfully. "You have to take into account that I haven't heard you sign in what...six years?"

"Five." Olette corrected him.

"Close enough. Five years is a long time, especially when you're going from 12 to 17!" Axel was making weird hand gestures to emphasize his point.

"We get it Axel." Roxas said grabbing one of Axel's hands as he flew towards him, "Now please stop before you hurt someone."

They all laughed as Axel grumbled slightly about not having done anything wrong.

And Olette continued to sing, urged on by the crew.

(End of Chapter Ten: New Acquaintances)

xXx

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter as my beta did! And I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can. I promise. ^_^