Last chapter. I will have an epilogue that I'll post tomorrow. Everything you need to know is in ch. 1. Enjoy.

"Alright, I have a question for you."

"Yeah?"

"How the hell did you guys figure out where we were?"

Axel and I were sitting with a group of others in the waiting room. Who we were waiting for was up for debate, but the point was we were waiting.

"Well…" Axel said, scratching the back of his head, "We kind of guessed."

"Guessed?" I repeated.

"Well yeah, I mean they couldn't have taken you far since you hadn't been missing long. I think what really made us think you were somewhere at the police station was Jenova."

"Who?" I asked, confused.

"Riku's mom, Jenova. See, one of your neighbors had seen her go into your house. Vincent, Zack and Leon worked with her at the station so when the neighbor described her they knew who she was. Hiding in plain sight is the best way to hide. Guess we got there a little late though," he said, shooting me an apologetic look.

I glanced down at my bandaged hand and shook my head, "Actually it was rather good timing."

"What else are you thinking?" Axel asked knowingly.

"I just… I don't understand it. I know that Leon, Vincent, and Zack would never of let you all come, so… why?"

"Why what?"

"Did everyone come? I mean, even Seifer came and he hates me. Why risk themselves to save us?"

"They're your friends. You know the ways of the street kids; we look out for one another. You brought them here Roxas, you treated them like they belonged. You never looked at them like they were weird or like they were below you."

"Neither did you," I said, looking up at him.

"They respect you Roxas, they trust you. I donno what went down in Midgar, but I do know that you would have had to play the middleman. They wouldn't have talked to the others and we both know that. There's something about you that makes people want to help you."

I gave him a disbelieving look, "Even Seifer?"

He paused at that, "Well, maybe he was just pissed about being kicked out of his home."

I snorted at that, then frowned a little, "But-."

"Look at it like this. If it had been Peter, or Mulan, or Chip, or any of the others, Seifer included, that had been kidnapped, would you have rushed in to save them?"

"Well yeah-."

"Why?"

I paused at that, "I… because they needed help."

"Then maybe that's all that matters."

"Did you see? Did you see?" Alice asked as she came running into the hospital room that Sora, Riku, and I occupied.

"See what?" Sora asked looking up from the clipboard he was using to do his homework on.

"This!" Alice said, holding out what was probably today's newspaper.

I took it from her, setting down my own clipboard and homework, and flipped the paper open. There, on the front page, was a picture that was taken sometime during the battle at the police station.

"Read it!" Alice encouraged and I smiled a little.

"Alright, alright..." I skimmed the headlines, looking for the one that went with the picture, " 'Midgar Street Kids Help Bring Down Escaped Criminals: Scandal in the Police Force'. Oh, this should be good."

Riku shifted on his hospital bed so that he was sitting upright, "Well, keep reading it."

" 'Last week's escaped criminals were caught and brought back to prison by a group of local teens and a large group of street kids from Midgar. It is still unknown just how the street kids arrived here, but it seems we're lucky they did. One might recall that the escaped criminals had been imprisoned two years ago for multiple charges, which include, but are not limited to, murder and child abuse.

" 'Investigators on the case (Leon (Squall) Leonheart, Zack Fair, and Vincent Valentine) said they were watching over the people that the criminals had gone after two years ago while working the case. They said that they had discovered there was someone in the police station that was working with the escapees and immediately stopped relaying information to them.

" 'They discovered such when they stumbled across plans made by the first escapee (Kadaj Tsuchi) to release all the others as well. They informed the department of this as soon as they discovered it and the rest broke out a few hours following.

" '"The real questions on everybody's mind are where did these kids come from and why did they help bring down these criminals?" said the police chief in an exclusive interview, "I'm sorry to say that I don't know myself." '."

Riku snorted at that, "Of course you don't you weren't in on it."

Alice was bouncing with excitement, "Please keep reading."

"Haven't you read it already?" Sora asked, confused.

Alice shook her head, "I don't know how to read."

A sad look crossed Sora's features so I decided to continue reading, " 'Despite the mystery surrounding them, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that these kids were definitely part of the action. Eyewitnesses say that they saw the group storm the police department baring weapons of all sorts. Some thought that they were trying to set more people free and were quick to follow only to discover the very people everyone was searching for locked in a deadly battle with a bunch of under aged kids.'"

"We are not under aged," Sora cut in, "We're adults thank you very much."

"They also left out the fact that Cloud, Leon, Zack, and Vincent were there," Riku offered.

I shook my head and started reading again, " '"It was the most frightening thing I had ever seen," an eyewitness said, "Such fierce determination, those kids were fighting to kill!" Many other eyewitnesses agreed that it did look as though the kids would have killed had it come down to it, though many said that in their defense they did have people trying to kill them.

" 'This led many to question the ways children are raised in Midgar. Well-known troublemakers and newcomers to Destiny Islands (Roxas Hikari, Axel Netsui, Demyx Mizu, Zexion Genkaku, Hayner Ganko, Olette -last name unknown-, Pence Tabemono, and Namine Genijutsuka) also came from Midgar. What made people from this place so prone to fighting? Our government went to find out.'"

"Uh oh," Alice whispered and I nodded my agreement.

" 'Well-known troublemaker', huh?" Riku asked with a smirk.

"I donno what they're talking about," I said innocently and Sora took the paper from me.

" 'The state of Midgar left much to be desired. Half the city was nothing but rubble and the other side was crawling with gangs. Many people were stopped and asked about the street kids and many sneered and turned away. Called them a nuisance and hoped they would stay on their side of the city. 'Their side of the city' had no shops, food, electricity or even plumbing in most places. Some of the kids who appeared in Destiny were questioned about their home and many told us that they were living in the run down houses or, in some cases, in the sewers below the city. They admitted that they had to fight and sometimes kill the gang members in order to eat, but they all took care of one another and made sure that everyone got something to eat.

" 'Completely appalled by this discovery, officials began to question the people who had taken in the previously mentioned Midgar kids. One of them had actually been to Midgar and said that he spent a few days living with the kids and could attest to their claims.'"

"Cloud," Sora, Riku, and I said in unison.

Sora turned back to the paper and continued to read, " 'With this disturbing news out in the open a group of people was sent to search for any street kids that may not have come with the group that has already arrived. They said that they were unable to find anyone but Zack Fair (member of the police force who had also spent a few days living with the kids) laughed and told them they never would. The kids didn't trust any adults and had more hiding places then they could ever find.

" 'Our government is now going to monitor Midgar and remove any kids that they can find from it. All of them will be placed into foster homes and orphanages to be taken care of properly. The children who are already on Destiny have already secured spots in many homes as a reward for their bravery.' Oh man! Did you hear that?"

I smiled widely and looked at Alice, "You guys are going to be taken care of from here on out."

The girl's eyes widened and tears welled up in her eyes, "You mean it?"

I nodded, "Either in a home or an orphanage. Either way it's better than the Midgar streets."

Tears fell down her face and she covered it with her hands. Silent sobs shook her shoulders. None of us could do anything but smile sadly as we watched her.