A/N: Hey....just one more chapter after this. I know, it sucks, right? Oh well...so...I ordered two KH shirts from Cafepress and they're too large. I ordered ones that fit me adn I didn't have to return the old ones, but they are so large, I'll probably never wear them. Anyone interested? PM me if you are...

Disclaimer, Hitei Suru, negar tener: Whatever language you say it in, I don't own it.

Chapter 20

Time passed for them rather quickly. Axel managed to find a job and he paid for a third of the rent, not wanting to be a freeloader.

Zexion, along with Demyx, spent a lot of their time at Roxas' house as well, making the tiny abode quite cramped at times.

Leon had met a pretty girl by the name of Rinoa in February and they'd been dating ever since.

Sora and Riku remained very much the same, though instead of spending most of their time together, they officially spent all their time together. Riku's father had gotten even worse over the last few months, so the brothers never went home if they could help it.

Naminé got a scholarship for a drawing program offered by a country club so she was always almost gone, off creating beautiful works of art somewhere.

Strangely enough, Mizu seemed to have disappeared. The very next day, Roxas had been bursting to tell her what had happened, but she hadn't been there. He hadn't seen her again after that.

Roxas himself was content with his life. He liked his job and things had gotten easier ever since Axel had come to live with them. The two had grown infinitely closer and Roxas could swear he loved the redhead more every day. Not that he would ever say that out loud. He had also received a full ride scholarship to Hollow Bastion University, all his hard work having paid off. Axel received a couple scholarships as well, though not a full ride like Roxas. He was hoping that his father hadn't eliminated his college fund and that he might be able to convince his mother to get it to him somehow. He'd saved most of the money in the account his mother had for him, but it wasn't enough to cover four years at HBU.

It was early June, two weeks until graduation, when they received the news. Axel and Roxas were curled together in their bed-they had decided it would just be easier and more preferable to share-for a quick nap before they had to get off to their jobs, Roxas at the library and Axel at a CD store. Roxas had almost slipped into sleep when the door opened and Sora bounded in.

"Axel, there're people here to see you!" he announced. "I think they might be family of yours…"

Axel sat up, looking confused. "Family of mine?" he asked. Axel's father had forbidden any of them to see Axel, and they hadn't, for fear of being kicked out as well. Axel hadn't seen any of his family, except for glimpses of Kairi in school, for nearly six months.

"Yup," Sora answered with a nod. "A redheaded guy and woman. I didn't figure anyone outside your gene pool could manage that color hair." Axel snorted.

"Yeah, thanks. I'll be out in a second, all right?" Roxas propped his head up on his hand and watched his boyfriend silently. Axel's face was unreadable and he chewed on his lip ring, his eyes sweeping all over the place.

"What's wrong, babe?" Roxas finally asked, resting his hand on Axel's. The redhead's larger hand covered Roxas' own and he brought it to his lips, kissing it softly.

"I don't know. I'm nervous, I guess. I haven't even seen Reno in nearly six months. I wonder what they're doing here. Why they would risk my father's wrath to come see me? Something must be really wrong."

"You want me to get the kids out of your hair so you can talk to your family alone?" Roxas asked seriously. Axel shook his head quickly.

"No! Please Roxy, don't leave me alone with them." Roxas nodded quickly.

"All right, I won't. Breathe, Ax. I'm sure it'll be fine." The blonde got to his feet and ran a hand through his mussed spikes. Forcing back a yawn, he offered his hand to Axel and helped him to his feet.

"Come on, we can't leave them waiting forever." Axel nodded a bit petulantly and allowed Roxas to pull him out of the room. Reno and Axel's mother were sitting on the couch. Axel's mom was wearing a pair of jeans and a hoodie that Roxas recognized as one of Axel's. The sleeves were rolled back so that she could use her hands and the bottom almost reached her knees. She looked like a little girl playing dress-up. Her face was free of make-up and her red mane pulled up into a ponytail. She looked tired. Reno was off the couch in a flash, pulling Axel into a huge bear hug as the twins saw each other for the first time in what-Roxas thought-was far too long.

When they separated, Axel sat on the edge of the coffee table and fiddled with the sleeves of his shirt and chewing on his lip ring. The silence seemed to stretch on forever until finally Axel couldn't take it any more.

"Why are you guys here?" he asked. Roxas watched from the edge of the room, feeling strangely like he was intruding in his own house.

"Axel," his mother spoke up, sounding tired and stressed. "I came to ask you to come home."

Axel looked a mix between shocked and confused. "Mom, this is my home. Anyway, I can't just come back. I was kicked out, remember?" She shook her head quickly.

"Ax, you can come back home. As the owner of the house, I'm saying you're welcome whenever you want."

Axel's eyebrows shot up and he stared at his mother.

"What happened?" he asked, leaning forward slightly. "What did I miss?" She looked away for a moment, letting out a deep breath.

"Well…I don't really know how to tell you this, but…well, your father died last night, Axel. He had a heart attack."

There was a moment of complete and total silence. It was so quiet Roxas could have sworn he heard the heartbeats of everyone in the room. Axel stared at his mother as if he was having trouble comprehending what she said. Finally, though, there was a reaction. Axel leapt to his feet and let out a cheer.

"He's dead?" he exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me that first?"

She looked shocked. "Axel…you shouldn't talk that way about your father…"

He rolled his eyes. "Please mom. He's no father of mine. In fact, I'm glad the bastard's dead. Probably the best thing that's ever happened to the world."

"You should have respect…"

"No!" Axel snapped, his eyes blazing. "He was hardly human at all. I'm not going to make him seem like a good person just because he's dead. I hated him in life and I hate him now."

"Hear, hear!" Reno spoke up, pretending to toast his twin. "Mom, Ax has a point. We all hated him while he was alive. Why should we feel bad now and make him seem like he was a better person then he was? He kicked Axel out, for god's sake! He hated us just as much as we hate him." She sighed sadly and nodded.

"I know. Of course you're right. I'm just being silly. I wish that you two felt a little more remorse for him, but I know I can't ask that of you."

Axel nodded. "Damn straight."

There was silence for a long time and Roxas tried to sidle out of the room, but Axel shot him a look that clearly said he'd regret doing that. Reno and Axel's mother seemed to realize, for the first time, that Roxas was in the room. Their eyes both focused on him at the same time.

"Hey, Roxas," Reno greeted with a wave.

"Roxas!" Axel's mother exclaimed with a strange look on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Ma, he lives here. This is Roxas' house, you know," Axel explained, rolling his eyes. She stood up suddenly.

"Reno, we should be going. Axel, honey, please consider my offer. I know you've built a life for yourself here, but I'd really like it if you'd come home." Axel gave a noncommittal shrug, looking slightly suspicious.

"Yeah, all right. Why do you have to rush off so soon?"

"I just remembered something I had to get done. You know, funeral arrangements…"

Even now, Reno was staring at his mother as if she were crazy. He shrugged helplessly at Axel and twirled his finger next to his head to indicate that his mother was, in fact, a total psycho. It was clearly obvious that something bothered her about Axel living with Roxas. Exactly what it was, Roxas didn't know. They were just making their way to the front door when it opened, Leon coming in from the other side. Everyone stopped and Leon stared at them all for a second, his eyes sweeping over each of their faces. When he got to Axel's mom his jaw dropped. Stoic Leon's jaw quite literally dropped.

"Ariel? Ariel Sinclair," he breathed and then looked at Axel.

"Your mother?" he asked. Axel nodded, glancing at Roxas in confusion. Leon shook his head. "Red hair, name Sinclair…I don't know how I didn't make that connection."

"Hello, Leon," she greeted quietly. "It's nice to see you again. You were only seventeen last time we saw each other…"

"I was eighteen," Leon corrected. "I don't quite know how I feel about seeing you." She looked away and nodded.

"That is completely understandable. I caused you all so much pain, but you must understand, I never meant to hurt anyone."

Axel and Roxas shared a look. What the hell were they on about? When had they met each other? Why was Leon giving Ariel such a dirty look? What did Ariel mean about causing them pain?

"Leon…" Roxas spoke up. "What's going on? How do you know Axel's mom?"

Leon sighed and closed his eyes.

"I didn't want to tell you this, Roxas, but I guess now I have to."

"Didn't want to tell me what?" Roxas demanded, clenching his fists. He already hated that secrets had been kept from him and he didn't even know what the secret was.

"You know how our parents died," Leon said quietly. Roxas nodded. Of course he knew. He'd been right there when it had happened. "What you don't know, is why," Leon said.

"You said…that it was just because dad was drunk…" Roxas said quietly. "You said…"

"I lied, Roxas. I didn't want you to know. I didn't think you were old enough to handle it," Leon explained patiently. Roxas felt like he would be sick and Axel stepped a bit closer to him, almost as if afraid that he would be punished for Leon's words. Quite the opposite, Roxas groped blindly for his hand, never taking his eyes of Leon, waiting for his brother to explain.

"It's her fault that our parents are dead."

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A/N: DUN DUN DUN! 0_o oh yeah. I went there. You all thought it was over, but alas, it is not! We've got one more obnoxious problem to solve! Notice I've been dropping hints about the death of the parents but I never mention how they died? THIS IS WHY! Review, please.