I realize it's been soooo long, but thank you to everyone who left comments and(or) Favorited/Followed :)

I sadly do not own Kingdom Hearts, but I own any/all mistakes/typos.

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Sora put out his hand, materializing his Keyblade. He pointed it at the flowers and they glowed, a shining light engulfing them once more before they reached their new destination.

As the overwhelming brightness faded away, Lea turned to look at where he was. He gazed in surprise at the site of the beautiful town that greeted him, tall buildings glowing with the soft yellow and orange light of the setting sun.

Twilight Town?

Lea felt his fledgling heart clench painfully at being here once more. He had spent so much time in the town with Roxas, teaching him how to fight and of course...

He looked up at the clock tower visible in the distance.

Eating ice cream together after every mission.

"Let's head to the tower guys." Lea said quietly before beginning the walk over. He stopped after taking a few steps and failing to hear anything. Lea turned and noticed he was alone.

"Sora!? Riku!?" He cried out, but was greeted by complete silence. Not only were his companions missing, the entire town seemed to be abandoned.

Did we get separated somehow? Well...I guess the best thing to do is to keep looking for Roxas, we'll have to run into each other eventually right?

With a determined look, Lea set off once more, heading over to the one place that had meant so much to him and his friend. As he walked through town he looked around just in case, not really expecting to find anything anywhere else but the tower. Finally arriving, he peered up before sighing as he began the long climb.

Arriving at the very top, he looked around, but there was nothing and no one up there. Disappointed and confused, Lea sat down on the edge as he had always done in the past, and looked out at the setting sun. The red head closed his eyes, overcome with the feelings brought about by his memories of the place.

Roxas, where are you? We always met here...Why aren't you here?

AXEL!

Lea gasped before opening his eyes and jumping up. "Roxas? ROXAS!?" He shouted. Lea could have sworn he not only heard Roxas cry out to him, but felt his presence as well.

No one responded to his calls. Feeling defeated, Lea took a step back and -CRACK

Lea jumped forward at the sound and turned to look down to see what he had stepped on. With a trembling hand, Lea reached down seeing the bold declaration of "Winner" on the fractured ice cream-less stick. Picking it up, he felt himself fade away.

Lea was puzzled to see he had not appeared in any specific location. All around him there was nothing but darkness. Darkness so black and dense, he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face.

It's so hard to breath..I feel so...lost and...confused...what...am I...

Lea could feel his ears ringing, a roaring sound seeming to echo from within him. That sound... it was almost like...

The ocean...?

Lea gasped out as a flash of light shined out and he fell to his knees. Looking around he saw the old castle base of the organization. Lea ran through the corridor to the common room where their missions were always assigned. Near the edge he saw Roxas approaching Saix. Reaching them he listened in on their conversation.

"Is it true about Castle Oblivion?" Roxas questioned quietly.

"That is no concern of yours." Saix replied coldly.

Not seeming to be deterred, Roxas pushed on, "But what happened to Axel?" He looked unsure of what was occurring.

Was he really that worried about me?

Lea fiercely wanted to hold Roxas, to reassure him that he was fine. He cursed himself for not having tried to explain more on why he had been sent to the Castle, that he was to be the executioner, not among the eliminated. He had however, not felt the need to do so at the time...

"Who knows. Perhaps he is among the lost." Saix answered, indifferent to the fate of his old friend.

Lea was shocked to see Roxas gasp out, "But..."

He reached out to comfort the obviously perturbed blonde, but was unable to as everything around him disapeared.

Lea was once more in darkness. This time however, he could hear Roxas' voice. As he spoke he felt such sorrow and pain, tears burned in his eyes but refused to fall.

"Day 51...It sounds like the worst has come to pass: the whole Castle Oblivion team, wiped from existence. It's hard to come to grips with the idea that Axel is gone. I feel...choked up? I don't know what you'd call it. I've never had this kind of sensation."

This pain...is this what he felt when he thought he had lost me?

Lea hated himself, unable to bear the thought of having caused Roxas to feel this.

Everything hurt. His chest, his throat, his head. Lea couldn't tell if this pain was Roxas' or his own, but he decided it didn't matter.

Lea cursed himself for all the times he had ever brought up the fact that Roxas had no heart and was unable to feel. Had he really failed his closest friend that badly?

Enough! Please, I can't take this anymore. I need... Roxas.

Opening his eyes he saw himself back in Twilight Town. As Roxas was eliminating heartless after heartless right in front of him, it was clear that he was still in Roxas' memory. As the final heartless was taken out, and Roxas panted in exhaustion, Lea saw his Nobody walk up slowly and begin to clap.

"Way to go Roxas! Nice to see you haven't forgotten everything I taught you while I was away!"

Roxas stared at him, clearly shocked. He walked over almost in a daze.

"Axel...I thought...they said everyone was annihilated!"

Axel grinned cockily as he placed a hand on his hip "Me? Not a chance, I'm too good to be taken out!"

Roxas was not amused. "I...I was worried."

Axel sighed with a mock crestfallen look on his face. "Worried? How, we don't have hearts remember?"

Don't say that to him! You have no idea how deeply he feels...

Roxas grinned back and Lea felt warmth rush through him as he watched Roxas. Am I feeling Roxas' happiness at seeing I was alive...or is this because I saw him smile, looking so...radiant.

"...I'll go grab us some ice-cream. I'll meet you at the usual spot okay!?" Not waiting for an answer he rushed off.

Watching Roxas leave, he felt himself be enveloped by a brilliant light.

He was back on the tower alone, in his hand was the formerly shattered winner stick, now whole.