Hello Saturday! Woo! Okay so prom was last night and it was so much fun, lousy theme but so much fun. I'm thinking of next year joining prom committee and imposing the theme of 'circus' XD that would be awesome. Just got home around 7 this morning and after a power nap I'm ready to update! This chapter has actually been done for a few days now but I figured I'd wait a week from the last update just to give people a chance to read that chapter.

O.O …over 500 reviews?! Never expected something like this to happen! You guys are amazing!!!! And I am a bad person because I still haven't finished the thank you piccy for the 400 reviews T.T I am slow…Ah well, I will have it done and up at DA by Monday!

So I admit this chapter is pretty short, but it's basically all one event and it seemed right to cut it off where I did. The month is almost up though so the circie adventures will have to be ending soon I suppose. I could continue them after they leave Twilight Town, but I don't like the idea of making this a never ending story…though I've decided occasionally I'll update after the ending with a little side chapter not sure what or how or when but there are a few ideas that keep popping into my head I'd like to write but have no tie into what's going on now. Also there's the matter of the new AkuRoku I'm writing 'A Pirate's Life For Us.' It's very difficult to write two stories at once so once this one ends I'll have more time to work on the pirate story...Which you all should go read if you havent already!

Enough of my rambling! Let's find out what happened to Sora!

Chapter 24

Stay With Me

The college was obviously the first stop, and apparently Riku wasn't the only person to catch onto bad tidings. The entrance to the campus was gated off by police caution tape and there were two ambulances out front as well as several police cars around the entrance and across the campus. A small crowd had formed around the barrier as everyone tried to see inside.

"Wonder what's up."

Riku hadn't expected to hear Kairi's voice and he quickly turned back only to see her with a grin, "Didn't I tell you to go to bed?" He didn't answer and Kairi nodded, "Just wondered where you were off to at this time of the night."

"Something's wrong," was all he said and Kairi understood. "Well since I'm here, may as well lend a hand."

"Don't you have a son to go look after?" Riku reminded her.

She shook her head though, "Nope! I told you, Marluxia's on baby sitting duty tonight. I'm free."

Her maternal caring made him laugh a bit and they quickly pushed through the crowd and made it to the barrier. "Hey, what's going on?" Riku asked one of the officers standing watch over the entrance.

"Some senior punks took their senior prank too far," he said vaguely before turning his attention to the headset he was wearing, "Right…Yes sir," and with that said the officers shooed the people away as officers came out of the school with a few people restrained.

Riku and Kairi couldn't get a good look with the officers trying to fend them off, but everyone got to see their faces when the officers restraining them crossed the barrier and headed for the police cars.

"Too late circus freaks!" cackled a familiar voice and before Kairi could try and stop him, Riku left her side and grabbed the boy by his shirt collar, jerking Seifer away from the officer, "What the hell did you do with him?" The officer began to recite some drawn out judicial line, demanding his release, but Riku wasn't listening and Seifer just laughed.

"Riku let him go," Kairi said quickly, grabbing his shoulders, "You can't do anything if you get arrested too."

She had a point and Riku reluctantly let go and the officer immediately took custody of him again. Seifer laughed again but what he hadn't expected was for Riku to sock him right in the face. Seifer yelped in pain and the officer just about said something in protest but stopped when Kairi flashed him a large monetary green bill which he accepted and stuffed into his pocket before hauling Seifer back to the car.

"Feel better?" Kairi asked as Riku rubbed his fist, sore from the force he'd put behind the blow. "Not until I know he's okay," Riku said, and Kairi smiled a little. She was a bit surprised Riku cared so much but thought it was sweet.

Suddenly though there was a rise of murmurs and whispers and they looked back to see what the buzz was. More people were exiting the college, but this time there were two paramedics carrying two bodies, while a third lie on a stretcher carried by two more paramedics. Both circies recognized one of them and didn't hesitate to jump the police barrier and bolt across the campus.

"Sora!"

The limp body's head rolled over to see two familiar persons running toward him just as the paramedic carrying him put him into the back of one of the ambulances while the other carried person and the one on the stretcher were loaded into others.

"Riku…" he mumbled, obviously out of his senses. The paramedic sensed a connection between him and the circies so he allowed them to stay while he readied what was needed to tend to Sora. He was a mess. His costume jacket had been taken off and tied around his next while red and black paint covered his chest and parts of his face. His wrists were raw and bleeding. A visible bruise on his upper right arm was definitely caused by a needle and it was obvious by his dazed gaze and blurred mind that he'd been drugged. His hair was matted and his eyes were bloodshot, clear markings of tear stains on his cheeks, "…I'm sorry." Whether he was talking about missing the show or making him worry, Riku didn't care. He was okay now and that was all that mattered. He leaned down and put his hands on his cheeks, burying his face in his hair with a relieved smile.

"Dr. Haley, when you're done one of the offenders needs attention. His jaw seems to be shattered," interrupted one of the officers as he approached the ambulance. Riku and Kairi laughed and Sora soon realized what happened and laughed along. The doctor injected a dose of pain killer that would also help to counteract the drug already in Sora's veins then took his leave for a moment.

"How's your hand?" Sora asked with a small grin, looking up at Riku whose face was still in his hair.

Riku simply said, "Hurts like hell."

"Don't you worry about him, just think about getting better okay?" Kairi told him, sitting down on the side of the stretcher beside him. Sora nodded a little, not noticing the look Riku and Kairi exchanged. There was no telling what happened, but something about him seemed much less…Sora.

Axel looked over at his sleeping lover, contemplating something that he'd been planning for quite some time now and whether or not he was in good enough condition to go through with it like he wanted. "Roxy," he said, lifting his chin up to kiss his forehead, "Wake up Roxy," he said, carefully prying him from his sleep.

Roxas mumbled distorted protests and tried to hide his face back in Axel's chest, but he continued to kiss him until Roxas groggily woke up and as he did he asked, "Axel?" A short glance at the clock on the wall, reading the 1 o'clock hour displayed on the face. After tonight's show and after party he was very tired, "What is it?"

Axel got out of bed and tried to lead Roxas with him, "I want to show you something," he said vaguely. Roxas huffed a protest but Axel leaned back over him and kissed him, "Come on, please." Roxas gave in with a sigh and got out of bed, pulling on a shirt and holding it shut to cut the chill of the summer night. Axel took one of his hands and led him out of the room, ignoring the tired yawns of his sleepy lover. Roxas followed him for who knew how long, his feet carrying him lifelessly and he slumped against Axel when he finally stopped.

Axel smiled and hugged him as Roxas hung limply on him, "Do you know what this morning is?"

"…Thursday?" Roxas answered, absolutely clueless.

Axel laughed a little, "Stand right here," he said and Roxas stayed when he let go and walked away. Roxas realized too late that he was gone and he woke up a bit and looked around, slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. He was just about in town and he realized they'd walked quite a distance from the Big Top. Suddenly he heard something and turned around only to see Axel running towards him, "Axel?" he was confused as to why he was in such a rush, especially when he could clearly see him. He was surprised when Axel finally reached him and pulled him into a tight embrace, holding Roxas firmly against his body, "Axel what's wrong?" Roxas asked, looking up at him with minor concern. He could feel the rapid beat of Axel's heart pounding against his chest and feel it echoing against his own, something strange even for him.

"I think…I think I love you," he blurted out.

Roxas looked at him oddly for a few seconds, wondering what he was doing. Axel kept repeating what he'd said though, "I love you…Roxy I think I love you!" he tilted his chin down and buried his face in Roxas' blond hair.

That's when Roxas realized what he was doing and he smiled, "Think?"

Axel laughed into his hair, drawing back a bit and saying, "I'm not that great with rejection so I figure if I just 'think' it and you don't return it I wont be too terribly crushed."

Roxas laughed and tilted his head curiously, "What's this about? Just feel like having a bit of de-ja-vu?"

"With all the transitions of different world times, 3 minutes ago officially marked our 1 year anniversary!" Axel boasted.

Roxas was astonished and flattered, never had he expected Axel to keep track of something like that when he couldn't keep track of a pair of socks for more than 2 hours even when they were on his feet, "You're late."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, hugging him tighter though with a very happy smile. He cringed though and loosened his hold when his stomach had too much against it. Roxas kissed his hand though and patted the bandages over the shot. "I'm cured!" Axel cheered and Roxas laughed more, "You're loud."

"You thought I'd forget didn't you?" Axel asked, taunting him with a grin.

Roxas nodded, "You are you after all."

Axel stuck his tongue out at him and crossed his arms, "Well if you're going to be that way then I may as well take your present back."

Roxas immediately looked more attentive, "Present? What present?"

"Pick a hand," Axel instructed, holding both of his hands behind his back. Roxas picked the right hand first but when he revealed it and there was nothing he chose the left, which also revealed nothing. Axel clapped his hands together though and there was a momentary flash of flame which Axel blew out. The trail of smoke didn't trail up though, it rolled around and made a small circle before flashing into a flame and Axel took it with his left hand. He held out his hands in front of him, both shut and instructed, "Pick again."

Roxas had seen the fire go into the left hand so he picked that one. When he opened it and saw nothing though Axel opened his right hand and revealed a polished red band of gem, "La pierre de feu. Fire stone, this way you'll always have a bit of me with you," he explained when he saw the look of amaze and wonder in Roxas' eyes. He got down on one knee and held up the ring, "Might not be for a wedding but you still deserve a proposal," he said with a smile, "What say Roxy? Will you spend the rest of your life with me?"

Roxas was awed to the point of tears but he couldn't help but smile, "Ofcourse!" he said with a slight laugh and Axel took his left hand and slid the ring onto his finger. It fit perfectly and Roxas could feel a warmth coming from it, but when Axel kissed his hand he frowned a little, "…But I didn't get you anything…" he said ashamedly. He honestly hadn't the slightest idea about this night's significance before Axel reminded him so he hadn't even thought of getting a gift.

Axel smiled though and stood up, kissing his forehead before saying, "I've got you Roxy. That's the best gift I could ever ask for."

"He's fine now," the doctor said as he came out of the back of the ambulance. Riku and Kairi were sitting on the college steps nearby, Kairi asleep with her head in his lap and it was clear he'd been starting to drift off as well. He was glad to hear that but had to know, "So what happened in there?" he asked, gesturing to the doors behind him that led into the building.

The doctor shook his head before saying, "The details are sketchy for me. The police aren't too keen on sharing information, but from what I've heard the kids they dragged out in the cars with them were seniors who got drunk and decided to trick some of the freshman into coming here. From the damage to your friend it looks like it was a drugging and the bruises and marks show signs of rape."

That definitely wasn't something Riku had expected to hear, and he wished he'd broken more than just Seifer's jaw. "It's impossible to be sure and if the narcotics were as strong as I suspect the details will be just as sketchy for him," the doctor finished, "He'll be fine though. Come on, get in, I'll give you guys a lift home."

Riku was still trying to get over what he'd just been told, but he nodded to accept the offer, not really thinking as he carried Kairi into the back of the ambulance and sat her down on the seats. Sora was sleeping off the drug and while Riku wanted to wake him up and make sure he was okay, he knew he had to rest. The drive back to the train was an uneventful one and Kairi had woken up on the way and dragged herself to bed while Riku carried Sora inside and put him in bed. Sora was so out of it he didn't even stir when he changed him out of his circus costume and into more comfortable sleep attire. The doctor had gotten the paint off of him and the bruises were visible while the cuts and his wrists were bandaged up.

"…Brat," Riku mumbled before changing and getting in bed beside him. He couldn't believe all this had happened while he and the other circies played and enjoyed their evening. "I could have protected you…" he said, even though he knew Sora couldn't hear him, "…It won't happen again. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again," he promised, putting his head against Sora's and wishing he'd wake up and show him a smile, "You may not know it yet, but I'm falling in love with you…and I'm going to make sure you smile again soon."

Riku's such a sweet boyfriend…sorry, daydreaming there. Well? How'd you like it? Short yes, I know, scold me, but I liked it. I threw in a sweet moment between Axel and Roxas because there haven't been enough of those lately. Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to bed. The power nap I took when I got home wasn't enough and I probably wont be up again until tomorrow afternoon, but if I wake up to reviews I will be so happy you will hear me squee from miles away.

Next update will be….um…can't say for sure. I've got some work to catch up on in school because I was sick for a few days this week and mumsie is in a foul mood so that combination equals uncertainty. Might not be up next Saturday but I'll try really hard! Thank you guys so much for reading and bearing with my schedule. It's been a long road for the circies and you're all awesome for hanging in there through it all! I truly wish you all the best in all the world.

Your loving bohemian, Mad-TopHat-Ter