Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters – they belong to Square and Disney.

Stare Into The Abyss – Chapter Eleven

"Riku…" Sora's face was filled with alarm as he spoke his friend's name. He glared at the hooded man. "You have to take me back!"

"Sora, you can't just…" Before Axel could finish, the boy dropped to his knees, gasping, as though short of breath. He reached a hand up, pressing it against his chest.

"Interesting." Number Two mused as he observed. "It appears the connection between them both runs even deeper than we had imagined."

"What's happening to him?" Axel asked.

"Perhaps a better question would be, what's happening to the other one?"

Axel watched Sora curiously. This was because of their connection? Did it work both ways? What would happen if one of them died? He didn't particularly care what did happen to the other, but if it meant screwing things up by effecting Sora, he wouldn't be too pleased.

Sora whimpered softly. "Kaze… He's in trouble, isn't he?" He climbed to his feet weakly. "Where is he?"

"He was with Riku." Number Two responded.

"Where?" Sora pressed impatiently.

"They were heading for Castle Oblivion."

"Why there?"

"They were looking for you. I told them they would find you there."

"Well, that was a lie." Axel commented.

"It wasn't a lie. They will find him there."

"You're going to take me there?" Sora questioned.

"Yes, you should be aware however, that he had something in mind for your other half too, it's possible he may already be there."

"Ansem…" Sora shook his head firmly. "I want to go back. I have to find them both."

"You'll stop him?"

Sora's expression darkened slightly as he regarded him carefully, considering his reply. "I'll seal your Keyhole for you. I was intending on doing that anyway, but I don't know what I'm going to do about him just yet…"

"What about your friend?"

"I'll think of something."

"And your other half?"

"Kaze! He has a name. Stop calling him my other half!" Sora yelled, his eyes filling with a sudden anger. "He's a person just like I am!"

"Is he now?"

Axel remained quiet as he listened and watched. He found himself doubting what Number Two was saying. Could he trust him? Or was he playing the same game as the Superior? Was he only interested in his own goals?

Aren't you?

And then there was the small matter of Riku. Wouldn't it be a whole lot easier to kill him before he could become a problem? But there was no chance of Sora going along with that…

So, you'll just have to keep that to yourself. For now.

Number Two stepped aside, revealing a doorway shimmering with a reflective surface, that Axel recognized, behind him. It was the same he'd saw back at the Organization's Residence before they'd arrived here.

Sora approached it. Stopping briefly, he faced the hooded man before giving a short nod. Turning, he stepped towards the object, passing right through it.

Now what are you going to do?

Did he have anything to gain from going with him? Riku, Sora's "NEO", they meant nothing to him. But he still needed Sora. He couldn't just let him go ahead and get himself killed after all this, could he?

Axel moved to follow him, but Number Two held a hand up signalling him to stop. The doorway disappeared from behind him.

"You're not going to let me leave?" Axel demanded.

"Not yet." He moved his head to look at him, shaking loose some of his hood as he did, revealing part of his face from amongst the shadows. "What will you do Axel?"

"What is it you're planning on having me doing?"

The visible corner of his mouth curled into a faint smile. He started to walk away, further down the street. Axel fell into step alongside him. "It's not for me to decide. I would however, like to see you assist the boy. If he fails, you fail. Besides, don't you still need something from him?"

Axel said nothing, instead paying attention to the city around them. He couldn't get rid of that unsettling feeling here. What had he called it? A forgotten world? More like a ghost town… The stillness, the emptiness was almost disturbing. He was never too fond of Twilight Town, of the one he knew, but he found himself wanting to get back there. At least just to check it's still, normal… Not like this.

His thoughts wandered back to the NEO beside him. Number Two was impossible for him to read. What was it he was really after? There was something he wasn't sharing.

"You know who I was…" Axel started.

"You'd still be incomplete, but I could tell you. Wouldn't that at least put your mind at rest?"

After everything, he could get his answers? He could find out who he was right now? He hesitated. "…No. I'll do this on my own. I want to see it for myself."

"So, you'll assist him?"

"I suppose I'm going to have to stick with him if I want to find out what I want. Any clues on how he's meant to help me get my memories back?"

"No. Even I don't know how the boy can help you, only that he can." He stopped, another of the doorways appearing in front of him. "You'll be seeing this world again soon. There's something, important, you still need to learn from it."

"I hope not. I don't like a world where I can't use my weapons." Axel cocked his head towards Number Two. "Want to tell me why that wouldn't work here?"

"We're an in-between existence, Axel. A balance of dark and light. Now that this world is one of nothing but darkness, we truly are Non-Existent Ones here."

Axel stared at him, frowning. "…I don't think I understand."

"You will."

Axel let it drop. He stepped through the doorway.

He knew straight away where he was. He'd spent far too much time there. More than he would of liked to. It was a place he'd of really liked to not come back to.

Castle Oblivion.

He'd expected to find Sora on the other side of the doorway, once he'd passed through it, but there was no sign of the boy around.

What if he wasn't sent here at all?

Shrugging off his suspicions for the moment, he decided to venture further. Having arrived on one of the lower floors, he figured he should head up first. But before he went anywhere, there was something he wanted to test. Holding his arms out, he felt his weapons in his hands as he summoned them.

"Much better."

Satisfied, he started heading through the bland, repetitive floors. He was reminded of why he didn't like it here. It was far more entertaining when he had been able to sit back and watch the others.

If only things could go as smoothly now as they did then…

He hadn't gone through many of the floors, when, as he entered the start of another, a blurred shape flew at him from a crouched position in the corner.

Whoever it was, they were much too slow. As small hands balled into fists attempting to hit him, he grabbed them by the wrists tightly, holding them away.

The girl squirmed, twisting, trying to break free. Of course, Namine… He'd almost forgotten that she'd still be lurking around here.

"Let me go!" She cried.

"Since when did you get so confident?" When he was last here, she'd being easily manipulated. She wouldn't of ever tried anything as daring as attacking him or one of the other Organization members.

Recognizing his voice she stopped moving and looked up at him. "Please… Just leave him alone!"

"It's alright Namine." Sora walked over, appearing from somewhere ahead of them. "You can let go of her now, Axel…"

Axel released his grip on her. She backed away, rubbing her wrists and staring at him.

"Don't try something like that again." He warned her. If Sora hadn't of been there, he'd have made sure she regretted that. Somehow, he didn't think Sora would approve and be very co-operative anymore if he happened to fry her though.

"I thought you might have got stuck back there." Sora said.

"Thought or hoped?" Axel asked.

Sora didn't answer, instead turning towards Namine. "So, they're here?"

She nodded. "They seemed to think you were here, but I told them it was just me. What's going on Sora?"

He shook his head, avoiding the question. "Has anyone else come here, after they did?"

"Just you…" She glanced over at Axel. "And him."

"Alright. I'm going to go and find them. Are you going to stay here?"

She smiled at him. "I'll wait." Shooting another glance at Axel, she added, "Be careful."

Axel headed past her to continue up to the next floor, Sora following him.

"Are you here to just watch, or help?" Sora wondered.

"A little of both."

"Have you figured out what it is I need to do to help you yet?"

"No. I'm still working on it."

"Maybe…" Sora tailed off. He froze, reaching a shaky hand up towards his chest. "It's happening again." He tried to quicken his pace and hurry forward, but he stumbled, falling back to his knees.

Axel walked over to stand in front of him. "Get up."

"Can't."

"Why?"

Sora gritted his teeth as he gave him an irritated look. "It hurts."

"Where?"

Sora placed his hand over his chest. "Why do you care anyway?"

"Oh, don't get the wrong idea. I don't care, but you were right, I do still need you. So," he nudged Sora with his foot. "Get up."

"You're not helping."

Axel sighed. "Are you just going to sit there? I'm not going to go ahead and help your…" Recalling Sora's anger at Number Two referring to him as "half", he made a quick note to avoid that word. "… Whatever he is. He doesn't like me. Get. Up."

For a moment, the boy didn't move, but as Axel was starting to debate on giving him a harder kick this time, Sora strarted to struggle back to his feet, his jaw clenching.

Pulling his hand away, he held it up in front of him, gazing at it with worry. "Whatever's happening to him, I don't know if he'll last much longer…"

"Then you better hurry up."

Author's Note: Apologies should this chapter not seem so good – I've had a hard time writing anything, I'm ill! CoughSniffleCough. On a side note, anyone saw the scans of the new Org member? Hehe, I'm loving the mullet. And he has a kind of Axel smirk going on! But… Is that a guitar he's holding? Org Rock Concert! Woo!

AloneInDespair: I think some serious split personality-ness would occur! XD I still have plans for Number Two – including a name eventually!

Saddened Soul: I shall just say that the Deep Dive world should prove important plot wise later on ;)

ellenh92: You should get Axel to go sit on the roof with an aerial to help your connection!

Ginger Ninja: Aw, thank you! I'm convinced the building in Deep Dive and the Clock Tower from TT are at least similar! I think… Oh wait. I best not say anymore! And I'm ticking off the days for Sunday!

sorastalker08: You're most welcome! Ooh, apparently the X thing is supposed to be important storywise for KH2 – if you check their weapons, they all have an X on them too! Intriguing stuff! Thanks for reviewing!