Chapter 13: Till death do us apart

"No, no, no!" I thought panicking as I watched my best friend lying there with a smile on his face. Quickly moving towards him, I gathered him in my arms as tears rolled down my face as reality is hitting me with the force of several sledgehammers. He's dying and I could do nothing to help him.

"Wake up Roxas," I pleaded as he opened his eyes and smiled, his blue eyes filled with acceptance and warmth.

"Hey there Xion, funny how the roles reversed." He said as he looked at my face and watched as the many tears fell down on him.

"You're going to be okay Roxas, we can get Axel and…" I started only for him to stop me as he gripped my arm and stared into my eyes.

"Xion it's all right," he said as I shook my head, as he smiled sadly already knowing what I was thinking of. "It's not your fault that they came, we were expecting to make their move already."

I looked at Roxas, startled at what he said. "You knew! Why did you not take them down when you had a chance!" I screamed, the pain and anguish of that he knew they're going to attack filled me. "Why didn't you tell me?" I whispered brokenly as the sight of him only smiling sadly filled my eyes.

"Xion, you weren't' ready," he said trailing off as my eyes widened.

"No! Stay awake Roxas! Stay Awake!" I said as he smiled while his eyes flickered.

"Xion, remember what I said before you disappeared?" He asked as I nodded, remembering his question as I slipped away to oblivion.

"Roxas, who am I going to have ice cream with?" I questioned as he laughed.

"We will have ice cream with each other just not today." He said before taking his final breath and dissipated in my arms.

I sat there with my mind going blank as I watch my closest friend, die. The sound of glass breaking filled the air and yet I could care less. It was only when a gloved hand touched my shoulder that I looked up, only to find a familiar mop of crimson hair.

"Xion, you can't stop here, not yet." Said, Axel, as I looked at him startled. For the first time, something clicked as my keyblade appeared in my hand and rage flooded my face.

Realizing the danger his two chakrams appeared and blocked the swing. "Xion, wait!" He said his eyes widening as he realized that the blade was pushing him back.

"Where the hell were you when we needed you!" I yelled as I continued slashing at my second friend. "We were assaulted by waves of nobodies and shadows led by Xemnas and Xigbar!"

He gritted his teeth as he blocked another hit that could've killed him. "I was preoccupied!" He managed to get out as he blocked a particular slash that was aimed at a lower part of his body. "Hey watch it!"

"Oh, I'll watch it all right! Roxas is gone and it's all your fault!" I continued to attack Axel even though he seemed tired as if he didn't want to fight.

Seeing as how he was getting nowhere, he made his chakrams disappeared and moved to the side. This allowed him to sidestep my slash and made me lose my balance.

Quickly seizing the opportunity, he quickly got in close and encircled me in a hug as I tried to fight him off. "Let me go!" I cried out as I squirmed and wiggled in my attempts to attack him.

"Xion it's all right, just let it out," Axel said as I slumped in his arms with tears of pain being let loose.

Seeing that I wasn't going to fight him any longer, he brought me closer as my sobs grew louder. Fisting his jacket, I let out everything as he stood there silently watching with ever-growing sadness. No words were spoken, none were needed as we stood there silently both knowing that he has changed everything.

After a few moments of listening to my sobbing, he gently directed me towards the exit of the back alley. All the while watching in the case any more nobodies or shadows come. Fortunately enough, it was quiet as we went towards the cars. Quickly retrieving the sea salt ice cream cooler, we then placed it in the trunk Axel's car. Soon enough, we left the scene where all the pain was found not looking back one way or another.

Sitting on top of the hill with Xion, we both looked towards the sunset with bars of sea salt ice cream sitting between us, untouched. The weather felt nice, but the mood felt sober and depressing as the situation hit me harder than Xion. "I failed them," I thought as the friendship that we had together failed at the moment when they needed me the most.

Looking towards her, it doesn't take a genius to know what she was thinking of. Her eyes downcast and a fog that seemed to roll in her blue eyes, her shoulders slumped as if her world was crashing all around her.

"Hey Xion, what if I said that you have the ability to bring Roxas back, but it involved forgetting the events of this week?" I asked her head snapped towards with her eyes brimming in hope of the prospect.

"Explain, now." She commanded in a flat tone that gave me shivers.

So I did. I first explained to her as to the purpose of this week and that was to regain her strength and that is was both mine and Roxas's job to ensure that the process wasn't interrupted. However, I admitted that there were major problems that arise during this time. I didn't explain to her, but she could tell that the arrival of Organization XIII members today quickly pointed them as the culprits.

"So what does this have to do with me?" She asked.

"Unlike others, you will be sent to worlds that have lost their gate key pathways, as a result, it is going to be your job to reconnect as well as defeat any of the darkness's minions," I explained as she tilted her head.

"If that's the case then why did Death need me to target people? Doesn't his name imply that I will be something akin to his messenger?" She asked as I shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't know, but whatever your job it most likely follows this idea," I said.

"What will happen to you if I accept his offer?" she asked as I looked at her sadly.

"If you accept his offer then I go back to my somebody much like Roxas did with Sora," I said as I watched tears spring up from her eyes as they waged a civil war between one another. It was only for a moment, but I saw her eyes clear up as she dashed and hug me. Her face, hidden in my jacket as the sounds of sobbing grew increasingly louder.

"Xion, hey Xion," I said softly as I managed to push her away just enough so we can see eye to eye. "It's okay."

"It's not! I'm going to lose my two best friends and I'll be alone!" She said looking down on the floor and averting her eyes away from mine. "I'll be alone but this time with nobody there to be with me."

Gently grabbing her chin, her eyes reverted back to stare into mine as I gave her a smile. "Hey, you will see us again, and we will have some ice cream together. But until that day comes, we are both sorry that you will have to be alone in this until your job is done." I softly explained.

"But…" she tried to protest before I held my hand up, cutting her off from what she was about to say.

"Xion, listen to me. Whether or not you don't get to see us is irrelevant. Remember that we are always with you, even if you least expect it." After I said my piece I looked around and noted how the background started to become darker, much like the corridors of darkness we have opened up.

"It's our time to go, remember Xion, we will always be with you." Looking down on her, I smiled as a glass wWayfinderwith five different colors appeared around her neck.

She looked back up, her eyes widening as she saw how I seemed to fade into the background, much like a bad picture from a movie. Silently reaching out, she tried to hug me for one last time but a great force pushed her away. Looking back, I could see the clear signs of a pillar and I let out a sad chuckle as ice encased me, forever suspending me in sleep until it's my time to be awakened.

A/N: Sorry for some of the major delays when it came to some of these chapters. Finals are about to be finished and whew am I tired. Before I get tortured by a bunch of fans, both Axel and Roxas will be coming back much later in the story. SO stay tuned.