"...What do you think happens to us when we die Axel?"

"...I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"I'm just curious...do you think we wake up as someone else?"

"...Maybe."

"...If we do, will you look for me?"

"...I promise I will Roxas."

The touch of a gentle hand stroking his cheek caused the redhead to wake up from the world of dreams and back into reality. He slowly opened his eyes, looking for the owner of the hand.

Green eyes met deep blue ones and as he blinked the blurred figure came into focus and revealed the smiling face of Ventus. It was then that he realized he was resting his head on the blonde's lap to serve as a pillow. He jolted away and tried to hide the blush creeping onto his cheeks.

"Did you sleep well?" Ventus asked, his eyes glued on the disheveled redhead.

"U-Uh yeah I did," Axel replied, "...are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

"What the hell happened? I saw you get carried away by those EMT's."
"I collapsed from lack of sleep. No worries."

Axel let out a sigh of relief, grasping the blonde's hand gently, "You made me worried..."

The blond blushed at the skin contact and gently wrapped his fingers around the shaking hand, "I'm sorry."

"Why haven't you been sleeping?" Axel asked, green eyes looking up at the blond. His heart sank at the paler skin and dark bags under those beautiful blue eyes.

"...I keep having nightmares...so I just don't sleep."

"Oh...what happens in those nightmares?"

"...I can't really tell what's happening in them...it's just darkness and I'm trapped somewhere, but I can't get out because I'm tied up."

The redheaded teen sat up and brought Ventus into a tight and protective hug. There was no doubt in his mind now. This was definitely Roxas. He had heard once that people with amnesia could dream about their memories.

"...You're safe now," Axel whispered to him, fingers running through the soft blond hair, "Nothing's going to hurt you."

"...I know," Ventus replied

"Ventus...What would you say if I told you I knew you before we met?"

"...What do you mean?"

The green eyes cast down, his muscles tightened from the emotions building inside of him and suddenly his mouth had become dry and paralyzed. The words that he longed to say to this blond, the history that he so desperately wanted to scream at him, couldn't rise out of his throat and he found himself trapped by the emotions inside of his heart.

"...Never mind," The heart broken man said.

"...Look at me," Ventus demanded.

Slowly the redhead gazed at the blonde and for the first time in his life he wished he hadn't. The hurt and confusion cemented into those perfect eyes was stabbing at his heart and it took everything he had to not look away.

"...Please tell me what you know...I don't know what's going on with me anymore, but ever since I met you...I've had dreams about you," The blond admitted, his hands gently and slowing inching their way to the man's face, "but...we were children in the dreams."

The words that came out of the blonde's mouth made his heart sing and his eyes leak tears of joy. He wanted nothing more than to hug the blond tightly and kiss him with all of the love he had for him; the love that he had hid from him since they were children.

"...I knew you...before we met...I knew you when we were kids," The redhead gently whispered to the blond, "I moved away from where we lived and after that..."

"...What happened?" Ventus coaxed him to continue.

Axel gulped, it was almost as if he were trying to swallow his feelings so he wouldn't shake or cry, "...After that you were kidnapped...and assumed dead."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was almost four in the morning when Axel finally got home. He had spent the whole time talking to Ventus about past memories, what he use to be like and his past relationships. For someone who just found out that they lived a whole different life, Ventus seemed calm and almost excited about it.

He set his keys down on the counter and got himself a snack and drink from the fridge. It wasn't until he sat down on the couch that he noticed the blinking red light on the answering machine.

Raising an eyebrow he hit the button and listened to the man's voice projecting from the speaker, "Yo! Axel why aren't you picking up your god damn phone!? Mom is FLIPPING out! You better call her back before she gets to your apartment. Good luck, bye."

Groaning he hit the erase button and began dialing his mother's phone, but before he could hit the call button a knock echoed in the room. Putting down the phone, he headed over to the door and opened it.

"...Hi mom."

The tall, slender woman burst into the room without returning the greeting and threw her coat and purse onto the chair. Spinning on her heel she finally faced her son with a look of disgust and anger.

"...So I'm guessing you're pissed," Axel stated.

"I'm BEYOND pissed Axel Lea Erryl," the woman hissed. The man sighed and closed the door, "You haven't returned my calls in days!"

"I have better things to do than answer your phone calls," Axel spat.

"Excuse me!? I am your mother! I've been worried sick about you and you can't even call me back to let me know you're alright!?"

"No I can't mother because I know exactly how the conversation will go! I'm tired of having that same discussion over and over again!"

"We have that same discussion over and over again because you won't listen to reason!"

"Just shut up! You have never once believed me for my entire life! I'm sick and tired of it! If you don't want to believe or support me then get the hell out of my life! You do nothing but cause me stress and depression, so go!"

There was nothing but silence after his outburst and as soon as he realized what he had said to his mother, he wished he could take it all back. The opportunity to apologize flew out the window too fast and within a few seconds his mother had collected her things and ran out of the door.

"...god damnit," he mumbled to himself, falling into the chair and burying his head in his hands. The dread and regret consumed his whole being and all he wanted to do was just sleep and pretend this was all a dream, but the sweet peace of sleep never came.

oOoOoOoOoOo

For the next few days Axel desperately tried to reach his mother on the phone, but he always received the same results. Sighing, he put the phone down and glimpsed at the clock. It was almost time to go to class and the temptation to skip filled his brain. He was not in the right state of mind to focus on schoolwork and he desperately didn't want to see his lunatic professor that kept throwing stuff at him.

"I know that look, go to class Axel," Demyx said.

"You're one to talk Demyx," Axel snapped back.
"Hey! Don't be pissed at me just because YOU got in a fight with your mother."

Looking down the redhead sighed and scratched the back of his head, "Sorry."

"It's cool man. Just go to class before you get kicked out."

The man groaned and managed to separate himself from the couch. There was absolutely nothing to look forward to today. His mother was angry at him; his classes were boring and the only two friends he had were not going to be there.

"Today is going to be shit."