Axel dragged himself down the long corridor, yawning and stretching his arms. One of these days, he was certain he would just fall asleep during a mission if this terrible insomnia kept up. He could manage a few hours each night ever since Roxas woke up, but those hours were usually restless and plagued by nightmares. Most of the time he found himself lying awake, fighting the painful memories that swirled through his mind — images that followed him even in sleep.

It had been a few weeks since Roxas had Vexen's new replica implanted inside of him. His days since then were largely uneventful, but Axel continued to worry about his friend. Every time he looked at Roxas he was bombarded with the same troubling thoughts. The sight of his scars triggered a strange squeezing sensation in his lungs, and he often found he simply couldn't look at the boy at all. As he approached Roxas' door, he rubbed his chest absentmindedly, nursing a familiar throbbing pain he felt there.

He knocked lightly, dreading the impending encounter. He listened closely but heard no response. He knocked a second time. Again, there was no answer. Concerned, he entered, slipping into his more carefree persona before calling out for his friend.

"Roxas! You awake? Saïx said if you were feeling up to it, you could come with me on my mission, so I came to check on—"

Axel abruptly cut off his greeting when he heard the sound of retching from Roxas' bathroom. He stood still, battling with himself over whether he should leave Roxas to his personal business or go inside to make sure he was okay. He decided on the latter, quickly making for the door and knocking again.

"Roxas? It's Axel. Are you all right?"

Roxas did not answer. Axel guessed that he couldn't, considering the sounds of his retching hadn't paused. He was just beginning to consider leaving the poor kid alone when the door opened. Roxas stood in the doorway, covered in sweat, his skin pale as the walls of his room. He appeared to lose his balance as his knees weakened momentarily. Axel caught him before he fell, staring at him with a wary expression.

"Uh… I came to check on you. You don't look so good, man."

Roxas slowly shuffled out of the bathroom, wiping his mouth with a sleeve. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor. "I'm fine… what was it you said about a mission?"

Axel, surprised by the sudden change of subject, stammered slightly as he tried to explain the details of the mission. "W-well, Saïx said that if you're feeling up to it, you can come with me to Twilight Town on my mission. Just some Heartless population control. Easy stuff. I came to see if—"

"Sounds great. Let me just get dressed."

Roxas immediately headed for his closet before Axel could protest. Axel cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. "Hold on there, Roxas, don't you think maybe you ought to rest? I think you just threw up half your body weight in there…"

"I'm fine, Axel. Really. Let's go."

Though Axel wanted to argue, he could tell from the insistent tone of his friend's response that this was a conversation to drop for now. He left well enough alone and waited for Roxas to return from the closet. After a moment, the boy stumbled out, pulling up the zipper of his coat. Axel gave him a sheepish grin before reluctantly allowing his friend to lead the way down to the Grey Area.

They headed down the stairs at a brisk pace, and Axel couldn't help but notice how winded Roxas was getting, despite their moderate walking speed. Roxas slowed down as they approached the door to the common area, catching his breath before entering the room.

"Roxas. It's good to see you back on your feet."

Saïx greeted Roxas with the same blank face and ominous tone he used every morning. It never was pleasant to start the day taking orders from him, but it was particularly frustrating today.

"Good morning. Saïx, can I go with Axel on his mission today? I've got to get my strength back so you can start sending me on my own missions again."

Roxas straightened up, widening his eyes to make his face appear brighter, hoping he could fool the man into believing that he felt better than he looked. Saïx glanced up and down Roxas' body, his eyes narrowing as he examined him. "You're certain you feel up to it?"

Roxas nodded eagerly, "Never better."

Saïx paused, turning to Axel, "What do you think, Axel? Will he be burdensome to you?"

Axel scratched his head awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with either of them. "He seems fine to me. I doubt he'll slow me down."

"He looks ill. He should be in bed."

"Please, Saïx, I've been cooped up in my room for ages. I need some fresh air. Let me go with Axel; I promise I won't overdo it."

Saïx sighed softly before relenting. "Fine, as you wish. Axel, at the first sign of trouble, you bring him back."

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."

Saïx's only acknowledgement was the same cold stare and a small nod. Axel summoned a dark corridor for them to transport to Twilight Town, turning to Roxas before entering.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. Let's go."

Roxas eagerly led the way into the corridor, quickly disappearing into the depths. Just as Axel prepared to follow him, Saïx called out to him once more.

"Axel. How long has he looked like that?"

Axel scratched his head and played dumb. "Like what?"

Saïx stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Don't think I can't see it. He's pale and gaunt. How long has he looked like that?"

Axel shrugged without looking at him. "I don't know, man. I found him like that this morning. I guess I didn't notice."

Saïx, with skepticism in his eyes, pierced into Axel's soul with his sinister glower. Axel kept up his poker face for several seconds of silence, having long since gotten used to Saïx's haunting expression, immune to his intimidation tactics.

"Don't let him out of your sight. I expect him back here in good condition."

Having said his piece, Saïx ambled over to the window to gaze at the moon. Axel got the distinct impression that there was something the man knew, perhaps some secret information to which Axel and Roxas were purposely being kept oblivious. He detested the idea of Saïx hiding things from him, in violation of the promise they made many years ago to never leave each other in the dark about the Organization's agenda. Without a word in response, Axel shrugged off the interaction and made his way through the corridor of darkness and joined Roxas on the other side.

"I allowed Roxas to visit Twilight Town today." Saïx sat casually in his seat, addressing the few men in the room for their daily meeting with his usual bored demeanor. Vexen leaned forward, fixing his eyes on the man with a raised brow.

"So soon? Is that wise?"

"He is fully recovered and getting restless. He practically begged me to let him go."

Vexen crossed his arms and forfeit the argument. He could concede that for the moment, Roxas was in no danger by just going for a walk in Twilight Town. "I suppose a little sun and fresh air won't hurt him."

Zexion offered his opinion in a clinical tone. "It's likely being exposed to such a familiar location will trigger some memory restoration. Straightening out those tangles will make it easier for the vessel to perform its function."

Vexen spoke up again with a small caveat. "If I might make a recommendation… I don't think he should be sent anywhere alone."

Saïx lowered his eyes and contemplated Vexen's recommendation, trying to puzzle together the week's mission schedule with such a change. "We are about to send Marluxia and Larxene back to Castle Oblivion. Others may need to join them. We are going to be short-handed if we have to pair him up every day."

"It would be safer if he had near-constant supervision. If something happens to him on a mission and no one is there to bring him back…"

Saïx thought for a moment more, his expression one of deep concentration. Finally, he relented with a sigh. "Very well. I will ensure he has a chaperone for every mission."

"Vexen, can you report on the condition of the vessel?" Xemnas' deep, authoritative voice silenced the room instantly.

Zexion beat Vexen to the punch, reading off of his notepad. "My scans show that the vessel is collecting information as it was intended to do. It is functioning at full capacity."

"Did nobody notice how sick Roxas looked this morning?"

Vexen swiveled his head around to Xigbar, alarmed by the unexpected report. "Sick? Sick how?"

"He looked like a ghost! All pale and sweaty…"

Saïx diffused the tension, brushing off the observation as insignificant. "I hadn't noticed. I'm sure he's fine. Axel is ordered to bring him back at the first sign of trouble."

Zexion stroked his chin as he theorized. "The memory absorption rate can cause some dizziness. Perhaps he is just 'motion sick.'"

"Gentlemen, be at ease. The experiment is progressing according to plan, and Roxas is in good health. I see no cause for concern at this time."

All conversations halted at the booming command of the Superior. Having gained the room's attention, Xemnas steered the discussion in a different direction.

"Vexen… How will we know when the vessel has completed its task?"

Vexen appeared uncomfortable at such a question, tugging at the collar of his coat absentmindedly as he answered. "Once the hero and the host are drained of memories, we will know that the absorption is complete."

"I see… and the lost heart?"

"We likely won't be able to tell without opening it up and looking inside."

"Hmm…"

Zexion filled the pause with a report he'd been waiting to present, remembering quite well a promise he'd made to Axel. "Sir, if I might add another variable… Roxas has his own memories that belong only to him. The vessel might absorb those, or it might not. I can't tell now if the vessel is targeting Roxas' memories, but given their close proximity I would think they'd be the first to go. Since we see no sign of that in Roxas, we may not lose him after all."

Xemnas returned an unsettling grin to the young apprentice, nodding appreciatively. "This is excellent news. It would be a shame to lose our valued Keyblade wielder. Thank you for your update, Zexion."

Xemnas addressed the group altogether for his closing remarks before ending the meeting. "I am pleased with the progress of this experiment. Well done, Vexen, Zexion. We shall reconvene tomorrow morning. You are dismissed."

The sunset was as beautiful as any other day, shooting rays of pink and orange across the sky above them. Axel and Roxas meandered down the streets of Twilight Town, combing the place for Heartless to exterminate. It had been nearly an hour since they had last seen one, but Roxas was loathe to return to the stuffy castle and have to breathe that same stale air again. Just being out in the sun brought back some of his energy, and he wished he could stay outside for the rest of the evening.

Axel kept his pace slow and deliberate, with a watchful eye on his friend. Roxas easily kept up with him, but it was clear that as the hours drew on, the boy had grown tired. Many times Axel stopped, sensing that Roxas needed the break, even if he never said so. He insisted he was fine every time Axel asked, and after awhile Axel stopped asking. They strolled in silence for a long while before Axel decided it was probably getting late enough that Saïx would be wondering where they were.

"You want to go back? It's getting late, and I haven't seen a Heartless in like an hour."

"Do we have to? It's so nice out here."

Axel smiled at his friend, thrilled to see the color returning to his face. "All right, lets get some ice cream."

Once they'd purchased their ice cream, they made their way to their usual spot at the top of the clock tower. Roxas had missed the feeling of the breeze blowing on his face as he watched the trams run back and forth through the town. Seeing his face light up put Axel at ease, and the puncturing feeling in his chest gradually dissipated.

He gazed out at the horizon as the clouds rolled lazily by, losing himself briefly in his memories. He'd lost count of the number of times he and Roxas had come up here to eat ice cream together. Sometimes they would talk and laugh, other times they would watch the sunset in silence. No matter what they did, it was being in each other's company that kept bringing them back. Axel cherished these memories, grateful to have them and hoping to make many more.

"Hey, Axel?"

Axel was jerked out of his trance at the sound of Roxas' voice. He noticed that his ice cream had begun to melt, and glanced over to see that Roxas had barely touched his as well.

"Hmm?"

"You've been… quiet lately."

Axel scratched his head nervously, stalling for time as he finally tasted his ice cream. "Have I?"

"Yeah… ever since I woke up. You don't talk as much as you used to. Sometimes it's like you won't look at me. What's wrong?"

Well it was nice while it lasted, Axel thought to himself as the stabbing sensation returned to his sternum. Subtly trying to rub it away, he frantically racked his brain for an excuse.

"I don't know… I guess maybe I'm just worried about you or something…"

Roxas was not convinced. He stared at Axel for a long time before pressing him again.

"We Nobodies don't have the hearts to worry. Your words. Now tell me what's wrong."

Axel, having been backed into a corner, heaved a defeated sigh as he anxiously chewed his ice cream stick. His gaze had drifted over to the parts of town where he had confronted Roxas, eventually settling on the alleyway where he had finally managed to subdue him. The pain in his chest turned to erratic thumping, until finally he relented.

"Roxas… do you remember much from before you were asleep?"

"Sure, I do. I remember lots of things. There's chunks missing, but…"

"Do you remember anything about being kidnapped?" Roxas sat for a moment, staring at the darkening sky, the wheels in his head turning as he tried to summon up an image to answer Axel's question. After several seconds, he only drew blank after blank, eventually giving up.

"I guess I don't… I don't remember anything about the kidnapping."

Axel sighed again, his head in his hands, struggling to put together his explanation in a way that would make sense and spare Roxas' feelings.

"Well, Roxas… you took off. You got angry about something and you ran away. I tried to stop you, but I couldn't…"

Roxas listened patiently, unwilling to interrupt his friend even though his mind filled with questions. Axel had averted his eyes again as he continued his recollection.

"After you left, you were kidnapped. There are people in the Old Mansion who wiped your memories and stuck you in a computer simulation of Twilight Town to shield you from us. But we needed you back… so the Organization sent me in after you… they ordered me just to bring you back in one piece…"

Axel began to feel nauseous as he re-lived the painful memories in his mind. He could see the confusion on his friend's face, and he felt Roxas' eyes burning into his soul even when he looked away.

"When I went to find you, you had an entirely new and different life in there. You had a new past, new friends, new memories… and you didn't remember me at all. You didn't remember any of your time with the Organization. They replaced all of your memories with artificial ones that they planted in your head."

Axel kept his gaze averted, but Roxas could see clearly how much it hurt to tell this story. He felt a pang of guilt in the pit of his stomach at the idea of having caused his friend so much pain. He still had a plethora of questions, but waited patiently for Axel to finish before asking any of them.

"I was… I was hurt. I was angry. I lost control and… I brutalized you. You still had your Keyblade but you'd forgotten how to fight…" Axel trembled as he recalled the confrontation, visibly disturbed by the memory. "It was no contest. It was hardly even a battle. It was an all out assault. I destroyed you. I'll never forget the look in your eyes…"

Axel cut off abruptly as his throat tightened. He shifted uncomfortably, hiding his face from Roxas. "I pummeled you until you stopped moving. You were lying there in a heap on the pavement, in a puddle of your own blood… and I sat there on the ground and just stared at you for a long time… you could have been dying and I just froze… I'm sorry, Roxas, I'm so sorry…"

Roxas sat in stunned silence for several minutes as Axel fought to collect himself. For a guy with no heart, he had exhibited a wealth of emotion since Roxas awakened. The lengths to which he was forced to go just to bring Roxas home clearly troubled him deeply. Roxas stayed with that thought, focusing on how much Axel must have really cared about him to have resorted to such violence, rather than demonize him for a thrashing that Roxas couldn't even remember. Although there could be no excuse for Axel's offense, all the same, Roxas forgave him. He still had questions, and quite a few feelings of his own to sort out, but for now, Axel had suffered enough. His questions could wait. Right now, Axel needed his reassurance.

He laid a hand on Axel's shoulder. The man flinched, still refusing to look his friend in the eye. Roxas spoke anyway, certain he was listening.

"Axel… I'm glad you brought me back. And I'm sorry I hurt you."

Axel whipped his head around to protest Roxas' apology, but the sight of his warm expression stopped him in his tracks. It was almost humorous how easily Roxas could settle him down just by looking at him. His smile was contagious, and he could barely stifle a nervous laugh at the sudden shift in his mood.

"Man, how do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"I don't know, you just… you make me feel better. And I don't deserve it."

Roxas blushed at the compliment. He wasn't supposed to have a heart either. All this talk of being hurt, angry, remorseful… none of it made sense. How was it the two of them could feel anything at all?

"You're my friend. You were sad and I wanted to make you happy."

Axel scoffed, shaking his head with incredulity. "Neat trick, considering we're not supposed to be able to feel sad or happy."

"Maybe we just remember what those emotions felt like. And we can fool ourselves into thinking we can really feel them."

"Well that's what Xemnas always told us…"

Roxas thought for a moment, trying to understand this odd phenomenon, almost positive that it was not unique to the two of them.

"I'm not sure I believe that. If we really couldn't feel anything, we'd be no different from Dusks."

Axel pondered his words, wrestling with whether or not he could agree with them. Roxas had a hell of a point, but it went against everything the Organization had taught them for so many years. Those teachings were so deeply ingrained that it was a struggle to allow anything to contradict them.

"But," Roxas continued his theorizing. "I think there are some of us who really don't feel anything. Xemnas, Saïx…"

This last development grabbed Axel's attention. Roxas had a keen eye and had made some excellent observations, but Axel knew Saïx too well.

"Saïx can feel… he just chooses not to."

Roxas dropped his head, silently questioning what possible motivation a person would have to suppress the one thing the Organization was supposed to be striving for. He chose not to voice these questions to Axel, who appeared to dislike talking about Saïx. Roxas instead contemplated his own feelings about Saïx's decision, eventually coming to a solemn conclusion: Pity.

It was nearly dark before they finally decided to return to the castle. Saïx would likely have some choice words for them for staying out so late, but there was never any pleasing him anyway. Roxas decided to turn in for the night once they arrived, leaving Axel to sit alone with his thoughts in the Grey Area. He stared out the window for what felt like hours, waiting for the knots in his mind to untie themselves and the noise to clear. As he sank deeply into the sofa, he had just begun to feel comfortable when he was startled by the sound of footsteps accompanied by a familiar voice.

"Still not sleeping?"

Axel swiveled his head around so quickly he nearly gave himself whiplash, shocked to see Saïx standing in the doorway with his signature haunting expression. When Axel didn't answer, he approached the sofa where he sat.

"Didn't mean to startle you."

"You didn't. And I sleep just fine, thanks."

Saïx lowered himself onto the sofa beside him, gazing out the window at the moon. It was an odd sight to see him looking so relaxed. He normally perched on the hardest and most uncomfortable furniture available, so stiff that he appeared to be harboring an inappropriately placed stick no matter where he went. The image of him casually leaning into the soft cushions of the sofa was jarring, to say the least.

"The moon… It's quite lovely tonight."

"If you say so."

Now Axel began to understand. Saïx had always been drawn to the moon, often spending many hours just staring at it, a perfect contrast to Axel spending his spare time staring at the sun. It's a wonder they were ever friends, being such opposites.

"It's late. If you sleep so well, Axel, then why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"I asked you first."

Axel crossed his arms, exasperated by Saïx's prodding. "I just needed to be alone with my thoughts. That's all. It's easier to relax in here."

Saïx didn't even raise an eyebrow, but he didn't need to. Axel could tell that he didn't buy anything he said, but thankfully Saïx pried no further, returning his gaze to the moon.

"For once, I agree with you. I have always found peace in this room."

"Do you ever sleep?"

Saïx allowed for a brief pause before giving his admission, gesturing out the tall window in front of them. "Of course. But look… A full moon is coming."

Axel grew uneasy at these words. Saïx's fascination with the moon was well beyond a harmless inclination, and it had been so ever since they joined the Organization. He shuddered at the ominous reminder of the moon's cycle, shifting an extra centimeter away from his former friend.

Both men were quiet for a long while, staring at the moon, deep in thought. Saïx had practically merged with the couch, while Axel limited himself to the farthest edge of the cushion. He supposed by this point it was obvious that Saïx had been right about his insomnia. Axel could rarely hide anything from his frightening, watchful eyes.

"Do I have to sit here all night to get you to talk to me?"

Axel, taken aback by Saïx's remark, turned to face him with a confrontational look. Since when did Saïx want to shoot the breeze or share a deep conversation? After so many years, there was simply nothing for them to discuss. He could only guess that perhaps Saïx wanted something from him, but couldn't fathom exactly what.

"All right. What do you want to talk about?"

Saïx stroked his chin contemplatively, speaking with a tone of curiosity and false concern.

"I don't need to talk. I'm lending an ear. You appear to have something on your mind."

"I've got a lot of things on my mind."

"Well, you'd best address them one at a time or I'll never be able to keep up."

"What's this all about, Isa? What do you want from me?" Axel finally lost his patience with the man. Following his outburst he stood and trudged to the window, leaning his forehead on the cool glass pane.

Saïx, well aware of what was good for him, remained on the sofa, a fair distance from Axel. He had nothing more to say, but nevertheless he wished that his former friend would stay. It was true that Saïx spent many nights in this room alone. Sleep had eluded him for many years, welcoming him into its warm embrace only once or twice a month, or perhaps not at all. He had meant it when he said that he found serenity in this room. With the moon as his only company, bathing in the comfort of its radiant glow, he could at least pretend to rest.

Axel, with a heavy sigh, finally turned away from the window to face his comrade. The man hadn't moved an inch from his position, and his frigid stare left Axel with an uneasy chill.

"I'm gonna go and get some sleep. You should, too." He made his way toward the hall without looking back, until he heard his former friend call out to him once more.

"Should you change your mind… you know where I will be."

Axel winced as he fought away the sharp tug of temptation and the sting of longing for a past left behind. There was a time when he certainly could have opened up to him, when sharing one's feelings wasn't such a sin, when the acknowledgement of pain wasn't weak. But those times were long gone, and they were never coming back.

"Goodnight, Isa."