KHKKHKHKHKHKHKHKH

Sora reappeared in Oogie's torture chamber and was instantly glomped by Kairi. The girl smothered him in worried hugs and squealed in delight when he was found unharmed.

"Sora! You're alright!" she squealed happily. Namine was not as cheerful, and Axel picked up on her mood as soon as he realized that something was once again missing from the Keybearer.

"Where's Roxas?"

"What are you talking about he's right….behind me….. OH NO!"

The boy dropped to the ground as he realized that Roxas had stayed behind and was now Malefiscent's prisoner. What was wortse was that the two were no longer in his head.

Namine nodded sadly.

"Roxas….has taken your place."

Sora leaped up and faced her, confusion and a strange feeling of dread washing over him as he thought of his Nobody in the clutches of the Dragon Lady,

"Taken my place? What do you mean?"

"I mean just what I said." The White Nobody hung her head as she revealed exactly what the youngest member of Organization 13 had just brought on himself.

"Roxas made a trade with Maleficent so you could be free of her influence for the time being, freeing you from your prison but in order to do that…..he had to become a prisoner himself."

"NO!" Axel yelled in fury and panic, "No nononononon HELL NO! This is just like the Organization all over again! He was a tool then and now he is going to be Maleficent's toy! No sir not on my watch! That mess before nearly broke his mind I'm not going to let him go through it again Got it memorized? NEVER again!"

Riku put a hand on the redhead's shoulder comfortingly,

" I don't care what the studies show. I think you Nobodies—you and Roxas, Namine too, have hearts. Just now, in your voice I heard worry and last I checked, you have to have a heart to worry, or have a brotherly bond. Don't try to deny it Axel, I've seen the family chemistry between you and Roxas. You two are closer than brothers. Just like me and Sora."

Axel smiled, rreflecting on the younger man's words and remembering the first time he had met the thirteenth member and how the 'zombie' stage in his existence- though at first it was a burden to the Flurry of Dancing flames, proved to be the start of Axel and Roxas's brotherly connection. As he had told Sora, Roxas had touched his being and aloud him to 'feel' again…as if he truly did have a heart.

"Yeah…..I guess you're right. We are brothers, in a way. Funny, but this 'heartless' being is worried about his little brother."

Namine shuddered,

"You have a good reason to worry, Axel. Sora, can you feel it? Do you know what Roxas has done for you? What your Nobody has saved you from?"

Sora squirmed uncomfortably, his eyes squinting as if trying to focus. Riku caught the boy through the bars of the cage as Sora's legs gave out on him, slamming his back hard on the cold metal as the strength left his body.

"I knew Roxas is a part of me but I've never felt him so strong before. What's happening? Why do I feel so weak and heavy?"

Don't panic Sora! It's ok everything is going to be fine!

"Roxas? What's going on what are you doing to me?"

Don't panic! I'll be ok and so will you but I have to be apart from you a little longer. Don't worry you won't fall asleep again. I have to go. Namine…..will explain the rest."

"I don't under—"

We'll meet again. You may not like the circumstances its under but we WILL meet again. This time YOU will have to save ME. When you do and this all ends, we'll go to the Clock Tower and have Ice cream together…ALL of us, ok?

"Roxas…."

Goodbye for now, Sora. Remember your promise: protect Namine. Axel too, until we reconnect. Goodbye until then…Sora

"NO! Roxas! Roxas—what have you done?" Sora slumped to the wet, slimy floor of the room that had been his prison, his own blood staining his black pants as he slumped against the cold, metallic bars of the cage and buried his face in his hands self-loathingly.

"What have I done?"

TBC