Please note! Okay so please understand. I am not a doctor. Nor will I ever be a doctor. I tried my best to make all of this seem believable, but like I said, I'm not a doctor. So If I made a mistake about anything please don't get mad/upset/any other emotion. Just chalk it up to Artistic License or something, kay? Oh and this note applies for the rest of the story as well, just 'cause I don't want to repeat myself xD

Chapter 14

The short car ride to the hospital was a quiet one. Cloud was silent, staring straight ahead his face emotionless. The only thing that betrayed how he felt was the way he gripped the steering wheel in both hands. As if afraid that if he loosened his grip for even one second the car would run off the road. Aerith sat beside him, staring out the window as tears rolled down her face. In the backseat of the cruiser Axel sat with his arms around Sora as the brunette sobbed into his shoulder. He gently rubbed the boys back soothingly as he stared blankly at the metal bars in front of him. He would have much rather been holding Roxas, he knew that. But Sora was in need of a shoulder to cry on, and Axel happened to have a free one.

For three hours the four of them sat in the waiting room, waiting for some word on Roxas' condition. After every half hour Cloud would ask the nurses at the reception desk only to be told that the doctor would be out shortly. Over the course of that time none of them had spoken more than a few curt words to each other. Cloud held Aeriths' hand like a lifeline as she rested her head on his shoulder. Sora sat beside Axel, his feet flat on his chair and his forehead resting flat on his knees. Axel just stared at his hands, which were clasped together in his lap.

Sometime in the first hour Cloud had called his parents, telling them of the accident. Both promised to be up as soon as they could, although it was a five hour drive to Twilight Town from the island, not including the half hour ferry ride to the mainland.

When Cloud had told Sora about their coming the brunette had sighed roughly, and buried his face in his arms.

But finally after close to three and a half hours a nurse summoned them.

"Mr. Strife, the Doctor would like to speak with you now."

Cloud glanced quickly at the others, who just gazed back. "Be right back…" he muttered before following the nurse.

"Can I ask you guys something…" Axel asked after a few minutes of waiting for Cloud. Sora raised his head and nodded, looking at Axel with miserable eyes. Beside him Aerith nodded as well

"Those scars…" Axel looked down at the floor. "Those scars on Roxas's wrist… what're they from…?"

The two of them were silent, when Axel looked up he saw them both staring at the floor, looking as if they were about to cry once more.

"Ummm…" Sora said finally. "I don't think we should be the ones to tell you… I think we should let Roxas explain… he knows it better than either of us…"

"Oh… okay…"

Ten minutes later Cloud came back, looking as dazed as he had before.

"Okay, here's the deal," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Apparently the bastards stabbed him once in the abdomen and three times in the back. Along with the cut down his arm. The doctors we able to perform emergency surgery to repair the damage from the stab wounds and to stitch up his arm. He's lost a lot of blood but luckily no major arteries were severed. Although it was a close call on his wrist. And to top it all off his already broken hand is now broken in two more places." He said automatically, his voice monotone and emotionless.

"The doctor says he'll recover though. As long as the wounds don't get infected he'll be fine."

The three of them sighed in unison, Axel felt as if a weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders.

"So when can we see him?" Sora asked.

"He's sleeping now but we can visit him if you'd like, only two at a time though."

"Why don't you and Sora go first," Aerith suggested. "Axel and I can go after you two."

"Thanks, we won't take too long," Cloud said before leading Sora down the hall. As the two of them disappeared from view Axel leaned forward, his forehead resting on his palms.

"Thank god…" he said, almost inaudibly before letting out another sigh. Aerith looked down at him, smiling slightly to herself. Softly she patted him on the shoulder, when the red head looked up she gave him a gentle smile.

"Roxas is lucky to have you…"

Axel blushed slightly, giving her a small nod.

"I- I don't know what Cloud would have done if Roxas hadn't made it." She said sadly. "Cloud loves the two of them more than anything. He'd do anything for them… I would two, they've become like brothers to me too…" She drifted off as she lost herself in thought. A moment later she seemed to catch herself.

"Anyway… I just wanted to say thank you, Axel. If you hadn't found him when you did he probably wouldn't have made it…" She wore a pained look as she watched Axel. "Please… promise me you'll take care of him… he's had a hard life, he deserves someone like you…"

Axel felt like he was going to cry again as he gazed at Aeriths pained face, seeing in her eyes just how much she cared for Roxas. He nodded silently, unable to make himself speak.

"Good…"

A few minutes later Cloud and Sora returned, looking depressed.

"You guy's can go up now," Cloud told them. "He's upstairs, room 208. He was still sleeping when we left, but at least you can see him. Sora and I are going to head up to the cafeteria so take your time."

"Axel, how 'bout I meet you up there? I just want to talk to Cloud for a minute." Aerith said, Axel nodded and made his way to the elevators. When he looked over his shoulder he saw Cloud holding Aerith to him tightly. Axel felt a pang of envy as he watched the two of them, wishing he could be holding Roxas like that now.

With a sigh he tore his eyes from the two of them, pushing his hands into his pockets and walking onto the small elevator; which, thankfully, was empty save for himself.

Once upstairs Axel made his way past rows of glass windows, which, when not covered with blinds, provided views of the patients inside. Axel slowed to a stop outside of the room labeled 208. Through the glass he could see Roxas lying unmoving, save for the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed through an oxygen mask.

Axel took a ragged breath, trying to calm himself, before walking into the room.

Roxas looked smaller than usual under the clean white sheets of the hospital bed. His bright blond hair was matted and limp, falling in disarray against the pillow he was laying on.

The cut on his forehead had been stitched shut and the blood cleaned away. The entire right side of his face was bruised, and his eye looked like it was swollen shut. An IV was placed in the crook of his right elbow, and a new blue cast was wrapped around his arm up to the middle of his forearm.

Axel felt another wave of shock hit him as he saw scars covering what was visible of Roxas' forearm. Just like he had seen on the blonds left arm thick, white scars ran neatly from side to side, each spaced at equal intervals up.

Axel lowered himself onto a stool situated on the right side of the bed. Slowly he reached out, his hand trembling, until it rested atop Roxas's. His large hand easily covering the blonds, even with the bulky cast covering most of it.

Roxas continued to lie unmoving, oblivious to the world around him as he slept peacefully.

Axel wasn't sure how long he sat watching Roxas for but after a while Aerith joined him, sitting unobtrusively on the other side of the bed. Together they kept a silent vigil over Roxas until Cloud returned.

"Mom and dad said they'll be here in fifteen minutes," Cloud said quietly as he came into the room.

Axel kept his eyes on Roxas as Cloud spoke.

"Alright, do you want me to go wait for them?" Aerith asked.

"If you want, Sora's outside getting some fresh air. This whole thing's got him freaked out." He sighed.

"Come on, why don't you sit down and watch over him with Axel," she picked up his hand and led him over to the stool she had been sitting on. "I'll go down and wait for you're parents with Sora."

"Thanks…" Cloud said softly.

"No problem," Aerith smiled and leaned over to give Cloud a quick kiss.

The room fell quiet once more as Aerith left. Neither of them so much as acknowledging the others presence as they watched the sleeping boy.

A few minutes later Axel glanced up as he heard Aeriths voice from the hall.

"He's right in here," A moment later a small woman hurried in, her shoulder length brown hair in complete disarray. Her pretty face tear stained and dark circles framed her tired looking eyes.

"Roxas?" She froze as her eyes fell on the blond boy. "Oh Roxas," sat down on the edge of the bed as tears began to form in her eyes.

In the doorway Axel could see Aerith standing beside a tall man wearing a spotless business suit. He had the same build as Cloud, muscular and strong, and with the same stoic expression. The only difference Axel could see between the two was the deep wrinkles creasing the mans forehead and the way his bright blond hair was slicked back. Behind them Axel could see Sora slumped against the wall.

The only noise to be heard was the woman's sobs and the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Axel said nothing as his eyes fell upon Roxas once more.

"Who are you?" Axel jumped slightly in surprise and looked up to see the woman staring at his hand, which was still holding Roxas's. In the doorway the man had crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes dangerously at Axel. "Who are you?" He demanded again, his deep voice echoing slightly.

"I-I'm Axel…" He said uncertainly.

The man opened his mouth to speak again but Cloud cut him off. "Mom, Dad. This is Axel, Roxas's boyfriend."

"What!?" He demanded. "Roxas never told us he was seeing anyone! Let alone another fag!"

Behind him Axel saw Sora shake his head and cover his eyes with his hand. Aerith gasped quietly in surprise and Cloud just narrowed his eyes.

Axel didn't move as he saw the mans hands clench into fists. Unconsciously he tightened his grip on Roxas's hand.

"Roxas told you he was gay two years ago, Dad." Sora said as he pushed his way inside. Coming to a stop beside Axel.

"B-But we thought it was just a p-phase…" The woman sobbed, burying her face in her hands.

"Isn't it bad enough having one fucking faggot in this family!" The man shouted his eyes never leaving Axel. Sora silently moved to stand between Axel and his father. On the other side of the bed Cloud stood too, looking ready to intervene if necessary.

"YOU!" The man shouted, jabbing his finger at Axel. "I WANT YOU OUT! NOW! GET OUT! AND NEVER COME NEAR MY SON AGAIN!"

"Dad! Axel deserves to be in here!" Cloud said loudly as he moved in front of his father. "Axel was the one who found him today. Without him Roxas would be dead right now!"

"I DON'T FUCKING CARE! I WANT THAT FUCKING FAGGOT OUT OF HERE!"

"HE'S NOT LEAVING!" Sora and Cloud shouted together. In the doorway Axel could see Aerith standing with her hand over her mouth, her eyes darting from person to person as if unsure what to do. Behind her two nurses pushed themselves into the room, trying their best to break apart the screaming men.

Axel looked down at Roxas as he felt his hand move slightly. To his surprise he saw Roxas looking back at him. His dazed eyes half open as he looked up at the red head.

Axel… he mouthed silently, his mouth turning up in a small but pained smile.

"Roxas…" Axel said as he got shakily to his feet. Behind him Roxas's father was still shouting to get him out, Cloud and Sora continued to shout back at him but Axel ignored them. At the foot of the bed the woman looked up, her eyes growing wide as she saw Roxas.

"Oh my god Roxas!" She wailed, throwing herself to her feet, pushing Axel roughly out of the way. Axel stumbled backwards against the wall, his hand loosing its grip on Roxas's.

A second later he felt a hand grip the front of his shirt "Get the fuck out, faggot" he heard the mans deep voice by his ear before being shoved roughly out of the way. He stumbled forward, feeling as Cloud and Sora caught him before he fell.

Stunned he stared at the mans back, wishing more than anything that he could get back to Roxas. Hunching his shoulders in defeat he sighed and left the room.

A/N: *Sigh* Such a disfunctional family *shakes head* But anyway! Yay! Roxas is gonna be alright for now! =P

Next chapter should be fun. Paine's gonna be in it. It's always fun with Paine around ;D

OH! And I'm starting a new Fanfic! It's going to be Naruto this time, a NaruSasu 'cause their my favorite pairing EVER. Though AkuRoku is a very close second ^.^ It's going to be a sad story though, all the stories I write lately end sadly ='[