Ansem was sitting in his study, trying to work when his door burst open and a man ran in.

"M-Master A-Ansem!" he panted. "M-Master Ansem! Th-This…Th-This just came for y-you!"

The man held out a note; the note was written in familiar handwriting.

"Give me that!" he ordered, not waiting and snatching it from the messenger. He tore it open and quickly read the contents. "Oh no…" Pushing a button on the wall he told his guards to go get Even. They needed him. Immediately.

The men left the room with a snarl and slammed the door shut behind them.

Ienzo was curled up in the corner, whimpering and holding his stomach. Gabrielle scooted over to him as soon as the men were out of sight and gently laid his head on her lap, running her hand through his hair.

"Ssh, Ienzo," she whispered to him. "Ssh. It's going to be okay."

The little boy shook his head, trembling.

"N-No it's not. Th-They are going to k-kill me…"

Gabrielle shook her head.

"No they aren't. They said that the research has stopped so they should let us go soon."

He looked up at her.

"Are you really that naïve? You really think they are going to just let us go after we have seen their faces? The moment our blindfolds were removed, I knew. Now they've gotten what they want, we will both be killed soon." He felt two small tears run down his cheeks. "I just wish I could see Even one more time…"

Watching him for a moment, Gabrielle felt a strong, motherly instinct take over and she hugged him gently.

"Don't worry, Ienzo." She laid his head on her lap again, trying to calm him down. "We will get out. They will let us go because Ansem did what was asked of him. I can just tell. I will go home to my parents who must be worried by now and you will go home to Ansem and Even and all the other apprentices."

Ienzo sniffled and looked up at her.

"R-Really? Y-You think so?"

She smiled warmly and nodded.

"Mmm hmm." Trying to distract him, she asked, "So what are the other apprentices like?"

"Well first of all there's Xehanort. He lost his memory and we're trying to help him get it back. He's very quiet and to himself a lot of the time but he can also be very forthright when he demands something. Then there's Braig. He thinks that he is still a teenager and acts like it. He is responsible for all the pranks that go on in the lab. Once, he turned Even's hair pink." Ienzo giggled into his hand and Gabrielle joined him; the mental picture of the strict chemist with bright pink hair too much to resist. "Even was so mad. He was ready to kill Braig but Master Ansem dealt with him instead. When Braig came back he was very upset but listened to Even without waver. Dilan is one of the castle guards. He is dedicated to his job as a guard and as an apprentice. I honestly don't know where we would be without him. He designed all the escape routes in case anything happens and we go over emergency procedures with him once a month. And Aeleus is also a guard. He is very strong and very good at his job. He is also my best friend and sometimes I just sit outside and talk to him for hours. Or he'll join me in the library and just sit with me while I read. He's very protective. He wanted to walk me to and from school so nothing happened but Master Ansem said that that was unnecessary since Even worked at the school." Ienzo took a deep breath. "Even is like my father. I never knew my father but if I did I would hope he was like Even. While not being too overbearing, Even is very concerned with my day to day routine. He checks in on me often to make sure I am alright and we often work on experiments together. Every now and then he takes me out of the castle to get ice cream and we just walk around the town. He doesn't know it but those walks really mean a lot to me. It's one of the few times I get to spend just with him and he tells me everything." The boy sighed. "I wish he was here. He would know what to do…"

The door suddenly burst open and they jumped, looking up as several men came in.

"Grab the boy!" one shouted. "We need him!"

Following her motherly instinct again, Gabrielle stood up and spread her arms in front of Ienzo.

"No," she said sternly. "You cannot have him."

Ignoring her, one man shot her and went around her as she crumpled.

"Gabrielle!" Ienzo yelled, trying to go over to her and see where she was hurt. "Gabrielle, are you alright?!"

A man grabbed him and carried him out of the room while he struggled to get back and see if she would be okay.

A knock on Even's door made him look up.

"Enter." A few of Ansem's guards trooped in. "What now?" he demanded. "I have not left this room for days. As much as it is killing me to know Ienzo is still in harm's way, I have been obedient and stayed here."

"Master Ansem is requesting that come to his office immediately."

Even's eyes widened and he stood up quickly.

"Of course. Lead the way."

The guards left the room, Even following closely, and made their way to Ansem the Wise's study.

"He said to go in as soon as you arrived. It's urgent."

Even nodded and stepped into the room.

"You wanted to see me, Master Ansem?"

The old man nodded grimly.

"You need to see this."

He held out a note.

'THE BOY WILL DIE'

Even felt his knees give out and fainted to the floor.

AN: So I know that there are at least 7 reasons that I could throw at you guys for the super long wait but the only you really need to hear is that I couldn't think of how to continue. I realized that I hadn't updated in NINE MONTHS and that is just unacceptable so I forced myself to think of some way to continue and low and behold you got this! :D