"That was the initiation?" Yuffie asked, "sounds boring..."

"Actually, you had to be there," Falcon said, "the shadows, and the patterns they made...in a strange way...it was intoxicating." They all raised an eyebrow, and then they heard Riku and Sora coming down the stairs.

"Good morning you two," Yuffie said, "I swear, you guy can sleep through an elephant rampage." Suddenly there was the sound of the doorbell. Everyone exchanged disturbed glances; Hollow Bastion didn't get many visitors.

"I'll go see who it is," Sora said, and walked away. The sound of the door opening was heard, and so was Sora's gasp. He instantly rushed back into the kitchen and motioned for Falcon to come. By now she knew who it was and was already on her way.

"Axel!" she cried and ran toward him. He smiled, still wearing his Organization XIII cloak. Nothing about him had changed in the last year or so; he was still the same Axel, with the same spiked flame red hair and the emerald green eyes, same color as Falcon's eyes.

"You came!" Falcon shouted happily as she hugged him, throwing her arms around his neck with little difficulty. He hugged her back slightly, and looked at her.

"You haven't changed much either," he said, "still shorter than me."

"Hey, I grew and you know it!" Falcon shouted back playfully. Axel laughed and scruffled her hair, walking inside.

"It's a good thing you still have the same eyes," he said.

"Yeah, I remember how we used to joke that we were really long lost siblings just 'cause we had the same color eyes and I had red streaks in my hair," Falcon said. Suddenly, a memory flashed through her mind.

"So...your mind's made up?" Axel asked, leaning against a tower as Falcon walked by, sometime when she was 13, still wearing the cloak of Organization XIII.

"Why...why am I the keyblade wielder?" she asked.

"You can't just turn on the Organization!" Axel shouted.

"...I have to," Falcon replied, "I don't feel right here..."

Axel sighed, "all right, fine. I see how it is. If you really want to run, I'll help..." Falcon wheeled around to face him, astonishment flashing in her bright green eyes.

"Falcon...?" Axel's voice penetrated the flashback.

"Huh?" Falcon asked, jolted out of her reverie.

"What's up with you? Going all blank like that," he said, "you all right?"

Falcon shook her head to get rid of the last fading images, they seemed so real, it was like she was re-living the moment, the cold air, and the feelings were all there, had she gone back in time for a second?

"Yeah, I-I'm fine..." she said a bit shakily, "I don't know. I just a had a vision of, you know, the time when you first decided to help me escape, I don't know how it got there, and it was so real..." Axel gave her a weird look.

"Oh whatever," Falcon said, "how did you get away from the Organization? I remember that you were the one who was like, 'you can't turn on the Organization!'"

Axel laughed at Falcon's imitation of his voice, "well, let's just say...they were starting to get tired of me as it was..." I quirked my head, "uh...I decided to help you guys."

"And they just let you go?" Falcon asked incredulously.

"Not quite," Axel said, "you remember Saix?" Falcon's eyes narrowed, "yeah. He decided to would be nice to tell the entire Organization that I betrayed them. So before they could do anything, I high-tailed it out of there. I then thought to turn it into my advantage and ally with you guys, since I promised I'd come back to you anyway. I might not have a heart, but I keep my word."

"You do a good job of pretending it," I said.

"Heh, the entire Organization does," he replied, "but you...Falcon, you make me feel...like I do have one."

"Well, it's not like nobodies can't feel emotions, they just feel incomplete without a heart," I said, "you can feel emotions, right?"

He nodded, "to a certain degree."

"Well, I'm just happy you're back," Falcon said, and hugged him again.

"Do you use the keyblade I gave you?" he asked. Falcon nodded, "heh, I figured as much." Then we heard the postern gate open, and Falcon stood up.

"Shiro's back," she said, and walked out, Axel following her As soon as Shiro saw him, he instantly pounced on him and started licking his face all over.

"Good grief, get the wolf off me!" Axel shouted from underneath the huge wolf. Falcon laughed and hauled Shiro off him, and he stood up, dusting off his cloak.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who's happy to see you back," she said, "Shiro always had a liking to you and Roxas." Axel smirked and shook his head.

"Man, looks like I'm pretty popular around here," he said playfully.

"Aren't you hungry?" Falcon asked, dragging Axel into the kitchen. Axel was about to say no, but thought better of it when he saw the food.

"Actually, I'm starving," he said, munching down on the food. Much to everyone's amusement, Axel and Falcon spent the rest of the day barely five feet from each other, talking and laughing, and just catching up on the events of the last few years. Yuffie and Rinoa found this fact especially interesting.

"I think Axel's stealing her from me," Rinoa said jokingly, "I'm supposed to be her best friend."

"Hey, cut her some slack Rinoa," Squall replied, "she hasn't seen him for some time."

"Yeah, yeah," Rinoa sighed, "I know..."

"And then-!" Falcon started, deep in conversation with Axel, but then suddenly she felt as if someone just jammed a dagger into her head, and she started getting a massive headache. Screaming, she clutched her head in her hands, trying desperately to rid herself of the pain. The pounding in her mind was so great that she couldn't even hear Axel's worried voice.

"Namine..." a voice inside her mind whispered, "come back to us..."

"W-who are you!?" Falcon cried, "What do you want?"

"Do you not remember me?" the voice asked.

"Xemnas?" she breathed, "is that you?"

"Now you remember..." he replied, "I'm sure you've heard that Axel has escaped from the Organization. We need our Namine back now more than ever."

"No!" Falcon shouted, "I ran for a reason, I'm not going back!"

"Reconsider...you were our strongest Namine," Xemnas said, "a demon...and a keyblade wielder...you have great power..."

"I don't care!" Falcon replied, "I am not re-joining you!"

"You were always such a rebellious young child," he said with a sigh, "very well...I shall have to resort to other measures. I really think you should reconsider...my Namine...or the consequences shall be dire..." The voice faded with a laugh, and the headache subsided, leaving a throbbing pain in her skull. She groaned, taking her hands off of her head, and fainting, right in Axel's arms. Flustered and worried, Axel picked her up and carried her inside (they had been on the balcony), setting her down onto the bed. Hearing the screams, Squall and Rinoa had come running, and now they burst into the door.

"What's going on!?" Rinoa cried.

"I don't know...she had a headache, and she was screaming, then she just fainted," Axel replied, "it was weird...man, I was so worried..." Rinoa walked over to me and placed a hand on my forehead.

"Well, she doesn't have a fever or anything, what was the headache about?" she asked. Axel shrugged.

"Who knows? Even the dusks can't crack this one..." he said.

"That's strange..." Squall said, "nothing like this has ever happened before..."

"I kinda figured that...or you guys would know what to do right?" Axel said, "nothing like this happened when she was with us either."

"How could you, Rinoa!" Falcon screamed, her green eyes blazing as she plopped down on the bed, "You...you..."

"Hey, what'd I do!?" Rinoa shouted back.

"He...I loved him!" Falcon cried, tears starting to run down her cheeks, "he was mine. I...I need him..."

"He's not yours! Besides, I love him too. You can't just claim him as yours."

"You know what I mean! I thought you were my best friend, Rinoa!!"

"I am, and you know it. Just because we both love the same guy doesn't mean our friendship is over..."
"But...I know... but...you took him from me!"

Rinoa shook her head as she began to pace, "I don't think I took him from you, Falcon...come on."

"Rinoa..." Falcon muttered, "I really do love him. You do know that no matter what happens between you two, I'll always love him, don't you?"

"Falcon...I know...but...I think eventually you'll just have to let go..."

"Let go!? I can't let go. I just...can't..."

"Well then, get yourself a boyfriend..."

Startled, Falcon's eyes flickered open, and she realized the moon was out, and it was dark. She sat up in bed, wondering. 'That dream...what was that...? A memory...of when Rinoa and I were fighting over Squall...but why that dream? And it was so real...just like that memory before. Did I go back in time again? I thought I got over him already...' With a pang, her feelings for Squall finally broke free of their barrier, and she felt the love flooding over her again. Right at that moment, the door opened and Axel walked in, and smiled.

"You're up," he said, running over to her, "are you all right? What happened?"

Falcon shook her head, her emerald eyes betraying her confusion, "I'm not sure...first I just had a mental convo with Xemnas, and then I had another one of those really realistic flashbacks, but in my dream. What's happening to me? I've never been like this."

"Mental convo with Xemnas? As in our boss?" Axel asked. Falcon nodded, "I don't know either. I'm worried about you Falcon, you seem to be a bit delirious lately."

"Oh thanks."

"Well sorry, but I'm saying. All these realistic memories, the mental convos, and stuff, it's kinda weird...take care of yourself, you could be sick."

Falcon looked down and sighed, "I don't know..."

"Wait a sec, what did our boss say to you?" Axel asked.

"He said...he wanted me to come back to join the Organization, and if I didn't, there would be dire consequences," Falcon replied, recalling Xemnas's exact words.

"Dire consequences huh?" Axel asked, "yeah, sounds like him. Looks like we'd better be on our guard. Well, everyone else is asleep already, so if you're not hungry, I suggest you get some rest."

Falcon shook her head, "Nah, I'm not hungry, I'm tired as it is." With that, she rolled over and fell asleep in a heartbeat. Axel smiled and shook his head before standing up and walking out of the room.

Later that night, around 5 in the morning, Axel woke up. He was used to waking up this early, it was when Xemnas always had the Organization get up. Axel frowned, 'how am I supposed to get used to sleeping in late after years of waking up early?' After a couple minutes of not being able to sleep again, he got out of bed and walked around for a bit. He wandered his way aimlessly into Falcon's room, where she was still fast asleep. The pale streams of moonlight shone through the cracks in her window, illuminating the floor. Axel quietly walked over to her bedside and pulled up a chair. Without warning, he began thinking about the old days in the Organization and the times he used to spend with Falcon and Roxas, the fun they used to have together. Absentmindedly, he lifted his hand and ran his fingers through Falcon's hair. Though not entirely capable of being whole, since they had no hearts, nobodies like him could still feel emotions.

"What are you doing here?" a voice hissed behind him. Axel quickly turned around, and saw that it was Rinoa in the doorway. He relaxed and smirked.

"Just checking up on her, s'all," he replied.

Rinoa placed her hands on her hips and cocked an eyebrow, "uh huh, sure...what are you really doing here?"

"Really," Axel answered, "no kidding, I'm just checking up."

Rinoa rolled her eyes, "and you expect me to believe that?"

"Yeah," Axel replied, "what WOULD I be doing here?"

"I guess you have a point..." Rinoa sighed, and turned to walk away. Axel stood up and made his way out. Upon reaching the door, he cast one last glance over his shoulder at Falcon's still form, and walked away.