Roxas: Gohan, are you gonna tell me who that guy from the last chapter was?

Gohan Roxas: Nope. Don't want to spoil it.

Naminé: I have no idea what's going on.

Roxas: You're not the only one.

Gohan Roxas: WARNING: The final scene of this chapter is slightly graphic, and may disturb some readers. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Oathkeeper Restaurant

Twilight Town

1800 hours

10th July 2012

Roxas sat fidgeting at the table he'd reserved. He adjusted his sleeve for the fifth time and checked his hair for the twelfth.

The dull roar of a car's engine filled the air. Roxas glanced up and saw Naminé getting out of a grey convertible. "Thanks, Snow!" she called to the driver. "Don't you and Serah have too much fun!" She giggled as she saw her brother's girlfriend blush. Snow gave his sister a look and drove off.

Roxas was completely overwhelmed by the sight of his date. As was her custom, she wore a white dress, but this one was more stylish than her usual one. On her feet were tall heels (white, naturally), and she wore simple earrings. She had, quite literally, taken his breath away.

"Hey, Ven. Sorry I'm a bit late," Naminé apologised.

"It, uh…it's no big deal," Roxas stammered.

She tilted her head in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

"What? No, no, nothing's wrong! You just look…"

"Is it too much?" she asked, a worried frown crossing her face.

"No, you look…beautiful."

She blushed a deep red. "T-thanks." She took her seat and picked up a menu. "So what are you getting?"

Roxas looked at his own menu. "I'll probably get the carbonara, with some garlic bread on the side."

"Garlic?" she asked, consternation in her voice. "Why that?"

He shrugged. "Just a leftover from growing up. My dad loved the stuff." That was safe. His real father, Cloud, did love garlic bread, so it wasn't much of a stretch.

"Okay…" Naminé said sceptically. "I think I might get…the Bolognese."

"You sure about that? I mean, you're wearing white. Won't it stain?"

She giggled. "Thanks for your concern, but I'm not a messy eater." She looked at him with those deep blue eyes. He flushed.

**KH**

Roxas' Apartment

Twilight Town

1925 hours

10th July 2012

"So…" Roxas said as they reached his door. He turned to face her.

Just as he did, Naminé's lips crashed into his.

She pulled back, shock in her face. "Sorry! I was aiming for your cheek."

Roxas laughed sympathetically. "I'm not complaining."

She blushed again. He really liked it when she blushed.

"Uh…I have a confession to make," Naminé said then.

Roxas' eyebrow rose involuntarily. "A kiss and a confession? Man, I'm a lucky guy."

If possible, Naminé became even redder than before. "I don't have a place to stay tonight!"

"What? But what about…"

"Snow and Serah want the house to themselves tonight. Not that anything's gonna happen, I mean… Snow's a good guy, and if Serah doesn't want to…you know…he won't force her and…"

He placed one finger on her lips, cutting her off. "You can stay here tonight."

"What?"

"You can take the bed; I'll sleep on the couch."

Naminé moved to kiss his cheek, and actually succeeded this time. "Thanks, Ven."

He smiled at her. "It's the least I can do."

**KH**

Roxas' Apartment

Twilight Town

2350 hours

10th July 2012

For the first time in two years, Roxas dreamed of Xion. Of the single tear she shed before throwing him out of harm's way. The split second between her fighting for her life and her life being literally ripped from her. Even in his sleep, he screamed.

He woke up sweating, his breath heavy in his chest, a tear lying unshed in his eye.

There was a dull thud, coming from the general vicinity of the bedroom. Wryly he wondered if Naminé had fallen off the bed.

The thud was followed by heavy footsteps. Roxas started to worry. He threw the blanket onto the floor and quietly moved to the bedroom door. Silently, he opened it and peered in.

There was a man standing in front of the bed. His hair was composed of black dreadlocks, and he wore a long cloak. His shoes were heavy boots, and he inched closer and closer to Naminé's sleeping form.

"Hey!" Roxas shouted.

The man wheeled, and his eyes flashed crimson as his gaze fixed on Roxas.

"Oh, shit." Reacting immediately, Roxas threw a punch at the man, who deflected it and lunged for his opponent's neck. Roxas landed a left hook, dazing the man. Roxas kept up the assault, becoming dimly aware of Naminé screaming in alarm. Roxas, with some effort, ignored the cries and continued to punch and kick the assailant. Eventually the dreadlocked man slammed into a wall and fell.

Acting quickly, Roxas fished into a drawer and pulled out a sharpened piece of wood, which he plunged into the man's chest.

The man screamed and burst into flames, turning into a pile of ash within seconds.

Roxas was panting from his exertions as he turned towards Naminé, who looked terrified.

"Ventus… What's going on?" she asked shakily.

Roxas did not answer her question, instead grabbing her hand. "Grab your stuff. We need to get outta here. Now."

"What?"

Again, Roxas did not reply. He grabbed a phone from the same drawer the stake had been in and dialled a number. The call was picked up on the third ring.

"Leonhart," Sora's groggy voice came from the other side of the line.

"Sora, it's me. I've been compromised."

"What?" Sora's voice was suddenly all business.

"There was a vamp in my apartment. I can't be sure, but I think Xemnas might be after me, and he knows where I am."

"Oh, shit."

"My sentiments exactly."

"I'll contact the Director. Get here now."

"One more thing. I had a…" He glanced at Naminé, who was packing, confusion still on her face. "…a friend over. The vamp tried to attack her. She knows, and I don't want her to go through the usual procedure."

"Normally I'd say something sly here, but under the circumstances, it'd probably be the wrong time." This coming from Sora? "I'll notify Eraqus about that too. Bring her with you."

"Gotcha. See you soon." He hung up and grabbed Naminé's hand. "Come on, we have to go."

"Ventus, what's going on?!" she demanded for the second time that night.

Not turning around, Roxas told her everything. "My name's not Ventus. That's just a false identity. My real name is Roxas Strife. That guy back there was a vampire. Until two years ago, my job was to kill vampires. Two years ago, I went on a mission with my wife. The mission got botched, and she died. After that, I was put into witness protection."

Naminé was staring at the back of his head as they reached his car. "If you'd told me all that about a week ago, I would've called the nearest lunatic asylum. But after seeing that," she indicated over her shoulder, "I'm believing every word."

**KH**

Throne Room

The Castle that Never Was

0000 hours

11th July 2012

Lexaeus entered the presence of his Master reluctantly that night. If there was only one downside to serving Xemnas St. Peter, it was being the bearer of bad news. And the news that Lexaeus brought was very bad indeed.

His Master's face was haggard, and the blood of his most recent victim dripped down his chin gruesomely. Even now, Lexaeus was slightly disgusted by the sight.

"What is it?" Xemnas snapped.

"Xaldin is dead, My Lord," the tall man rumbled.

Xemnas' eyes widened horribly. "What news of the hunter, then?"

Lexaeus coughed uncomfortably. "We believe that he was the one who killed Xaldin, My Lord."

Xemnas screeched insanely and darted towards his servant with blinding speed. Briefly, Lexaeus lost his eyesight as he felt a roaring pain.

When his sight returned, he saw his Master's cold face. The silver-haired vampire's hand was extended, and he held something long and pink. That's my tongue, Lexaeus realised.

Contemptuously, Xemnas threw the tongue to the other side of the room. "You are lucky that I am going to produce for you enough blood to repair yourself. The next time you fail me, you will lose more than your tongue." He bared his fangs. "Get out of my sight."

Lexaeus nodded, his own blood dripping onto his dark cloak, and vanished from the room immediately.

Gohan Roxas: I did warn you. Anyway, I'm alone at the moment, since Roxas and Naminé are on the run, so I'll say it. PLEASE REVIEW.