A/N: Ehh, I'm trying to be quicker with my chapters from now on.
Mooncry: Whoa, that would be awesome….
Pigeon:...You know you have your own FF account, right?
Oathkeepera: Heheheh, I love suspense.
Lucy-914: Actually, I almost always get reviews the day I update. ;)
Okiegirlforever: :) That's good. I like it when reviewers get excited. I just hope you're not disappointed!
RubberDuckiesWhoLikePieAndCake: Heheheh. Here ya go, I updated:)
Next to Nothing:
Chapter Twelve:
"Words, Hands, Hearts"
Honestly, I was shocked when someone answered.
I expected a number of things. I thought that maybe those notes on Avery had been planted by Xemnas, to trick me. Or maybe that Avery had died since Vexen's own death, or that he had escaped, or had been moved.
But no, Avery called back.
"Larissa, is that you?"
My mind reeled, unable to comprehend what was happening, so I ran into that dark, dark room. "Avery!" I called excitedly, searching for him in the dark. "Axel, look, Avery's in here!" I found his arm, and pulled him out into the light.
He didn't look well, at first glance. One might think there was something seriously wrong, or that he was sick, but I realized he looked exactly how I (or at least, Larissa) had. His whole figure was bleached of color, like an old photograph. But I was still not able to contain my joy. At last, we had found Avery, who we had striven for this whole time. And I hadn't had to sign myself off to Xemnas. I wondered if my elation, so strong, would spread to the Superior and alert him of my presence. But in my happiness, I didn't care. Even if I was looking at him in black and white, it was so nice to see Avery again.
"Is that—" Avery began, his eyes on Axel. In fact, they hadn't broken eye contact since I had pulled him out of that room. Next to Axel, who stood tall, mature and defiant, Avery seemed to cower and wither. "Is that me?" He asked. From the look on his face, he didn't even know why he had asked. But I knew. It was almost like looking at himself in a mirror. Sure, it didn't look much like him, but the instinct still remained. He just—knew.
As it became apparent that Axel was unable to speak, I answered. "Yeah, yeah it is."
Avery was horrified when he found out I had been moved into his English class, too.
"What are you, some kind of prodigy?!" He seemed discomforted upon finding out about my schedule change, considering he was two years ahead of me. Sure, it wasn't often that a freshman and a junior were working on the same level, but it certainly wasn't impossible…
"No. But I actually care about my grades." I pointed out, smirking slightly.
"Well, uh…" He trailed off, unable to defend himself.
Later that day, in English, I discovered why all the juniors hated that class.
Our teacher, Mr. Miller, was something of what most would call a "nut". He was deep, poetic, and philosophical. Many claimed that he was working on a PhD in Philosophy and would be out of the school in no time, but that rumor had been circulating for years, apparently.
A particularly deep book had launched him into a rant, and I sat there, in my new back row seat, my hands folded politely, and my expression one of interest, although I began to wonder exactly what all of this had to do with English. I began to panic as his eyes fell on mine.
"And what about you, Larissa? Sure, you're a freshman in a junior's class, out of place in your school, the new girl in town, trying to make a name for yourself." Oh, lord. What was this guy leading into? All heads in the class seemed to turn to look at me. I wondered how many of those people were unaware of my presence until that moment. "And those astonishing birthmarks under your eyes, as well." My thoughts drifted back to the first day of school, and I could have sworn that I heard Avery's name whispered once, under someone's breath. "But who are you? Who are you really?"
I looked at my desk, unable to answer. I felt a blush creeping up my face as all eyes lay on me. "I—well, I'm from Midlight. My family moves a lot. I play the clarinet, and I want to be a chemist after college. My best friend is Catássa Davis, and—" I paused for a moment, as I grinned and met Avery's eyes, "I've been called a prodigy."
I returned to the present smiling at the memory. I glanced at Axel, who was smiling slightly to himself, as well.
"Did you—did you see it as well?" I asked curiously.
"Of course I did, Larissa." Axel said, smiling at me in that special way he always did. "I think sometimes, you forget. You healed me in Between, remember? You gave me some of your life force, in order to bring me back to life. Sometimes, you forget, but there's a part of you that's in me now."
"Of course…" I said, smiling again. I enjoyed looking into his eyes, green and shining like brilliant emeralds, knowing that there was some of me that was in him now. That no matter what happened, I would never really be gone.
"I believe I have some unfinished business to take care of, then." He turned from me, and his eyes fell on Avery, who seemed to be watching us from somewhere distant, as if we were on a movie screen. "It's been a while since I've felt my own heartbeat." And all at once, Axel disappeared in cloud of red mist, and Avery's colors began to return as the same red mist appeared around him. His eyes, as green as ever, seemed to glow.
I felt my eyes well up. The happiness was overwhelming me, finally, what I had dreamed of since I had returned from Between, it had been attained. My wish, it had finally come true. Together, Avery and I had conquered death. Not even death could hold us back.
"Larissa!" Avery exclaimed, and pulled me into an embrace, before I realized what was going on. I was startled at first, but I closed my eyes and relaxed against him. Ah, how good it felt to be home. "Thank you. You—you brought me back. You saved me. It's kinda funny. I—I always thought I would be the one to save you, in our story, that you would be the damsel in distress, waiting for me to rescue you and sweep you off your feet." We broke apart, and when I met his eyes, he was smiling that half-smile, half-smirk I had seen so many times on his face, on Axel's. "But you always have enjoyed proving me wrong."
A/N: Aww…how sweet! Tune in next time for chapter thirteen, the conclusion to my story!