Axel: Awww...poor Marly.

Me: Pfft, that was nothing! Wait till' you hear the rest!

Zexion: Wait a minute! Now, Marluxia, Axel, and I are the only ones who haven't been bitten?

Me: Yeah...

Axel: I wonder who'll be next?

Rose: (pops up out of nowhere) BOO!

Zexion, Axel, and Me: AHHHH!!!! (runs away)

Rose: (laughs) I never get tired of that! I guess I get to say the disclaimer: Xed doesn't own Kingdom Hearts or Disney. But I have heard a rumor that she owns Axel...? Is it true?

Violet: No, she just wishes she did.

Rose: Who are you?

Violet: ... (disapears)

Rose: o0 Ok then...

Axel ran through the halls of the Castle. He was searching for Roxas.

"Roxas!" He called. "ROXAS!!!" Axel ran faster. He knew that, with all of the yelling he was doing, he was sure to attract one of the Vampire Nobodies. But he didn't care. Roxas, his BEST friend, the one who made him feel like he had a heart, was in danger—he had to help him before he had to hurt him. He didn't want that… Axel then passed Marluxia's room. He looked in to see Marluxia sitting by his window. He was alone. Zexion must still be looking for him…Axel thought. He walked in.

"Marluxia?" he said quietly. Marluxia glanced at him a second before turning back to stare out of the window. Axel walked up behind him.

"Why are you here?" Marluxia asked, before Axel had a chance to say anything.

"I want to talk to you." Axel said.

"Talk." Marluxia demanded. Axel took a breath.

"Look, I know she's your sister, but you can't let that stop you from protecting others." He said. Marluxia glared at him.

"I can't protect anyone."

"Yes you can!" Axel said. He sat down next to Marluxia. "Marluxia, what's happened? You seem so…different. The Marluxia I know would've done something by now. If this was any other Vampire Nobody, then you would've—"

"But she isn't any other Vampire Nobody!!" Marluxia yelled, standing up. "This is my sister!"

"But we're your friends!"

"So?" Marluxia snapped. Axel looked down at the ground, then outside of the window. Marluxia could see hurt in his eyes. Marluxia sighed.

"I didn't mean it like that." He sat down again. Axel looked at him. "Some thing happened…and…now I'm not even sure I could protect myself."

"You could talk about it…I'm listening." Axel said. Marluxia couldn't help but chuckle at how much Axel sounded like a therapist. But he nodded. Marluxia took a pained breath.

FLASHBACK

Rose still stood there, scared stiff. The Heartless raised its orb. Miluara got to his feet. He promised he'd be there to protect her—and he would.

"ROSE!" He yelled running towards her as fast as he could.

The Heartless raised the orb higher…

He ran faster…

Her eyes…frozen white…

He ran faster…

Orb released…

He ran faster…

Coming closer…

He pushed her…

Orb hit…

Terrible, pained scream…

Lying…there…

Beast laughed…satisfied…

"Miluara!!" Rose screamed as she found the strength in her sick body to rise to her feet and run towards her brother, who was now lying where she had been standing. She fell to her knees next to him. His eyes were closed—his face expressionless. She shook him gently.

"Miluara!" She said. He opened his eyes slowly and looked up at her. Rose…was okay…he tried to smile, but couldn't. He felt himself…slipping away. Rose didn't cry for her brother—it would only make him sad. Miluara smiled on the inside. Brave…he thought. He didn't know what was happening. He expected to feel as if he was dying. But he didn't feel that way—he only felt as if part of him was leaving—he felt lighter. He could feel himself fading into darkness. He couldn't feel…not the ground, not the wind, not her love. The Heartless beast came closer. Taking only his heart didn't satisfy it—it wanted hers too. Rose stood in front of her brother.

"This time…I'll protect you." She whispered. Miluara tried to sit up. He couldn't let her do this—he'd protect her—but he couldn't move. The beast prepared another orb. Rose stood there fearlessly. Something inside of her was cold—she could feel it. Her breathing halted for a second, but then continued. She knew—the sickness was taking her…

"No!" She shouted. "Not yet…I need to help Miluara!" Her breath became shorter. She almost stumbled back. Miluara could see—she was now dying. He wanted to get up—to hold her in his arms as she died. He wanted to hold her hand, kiss her cheek—tell her that he loved her too. But he could do none of that—he couldn't feel anything. The beast shot the orb at her—it struck her directly, knocking her over. The Heartless laughed—it disappeared. She lay where she was—she could feel herself fading—fading and dying. She summoned enough strength to stand up, and stumble over to her brother. She collapsed by his side. She lay down next to him. She stared up at the sky, which seemed to grow darker. She looked at him—his eyes were closed. She smiled weakly.

"I'm here, Miluara…" she said, taking his hand in hers. Her breath weakened.

"We'll…" her breath stopped, for a moment. She closed her eyes. With her last, dying breath, she whispered:

"We'll go together…"

END OF FLASHBACK

Another tear slid down Marluxia's face. He didn't bother to turn his head to conceal it. He looked up at Axel.

"I let her die." He said. "I let my little sister die." Axel put his hand on his shoulder.

"I…I know it's…" Axel tried to find comforting words to say. But there was none. Nothing he could ever say would help Marluxia's broken heart…

00000000

Zexion was wandering the halls on the third floor of the Castle. He was searching for Marluxia. He wondered why Marluxia seemed so upset…maybe he'd tell him. He looked into a room—the main meeting room. He saw no one there. He was about to leave when he heard the swish of someone's Organization coat. He could've promised it had come from the meeting room. He walked in and looked around—no one was here.

Click.

Zexion turned around to see that the door had closed. He walked slowly over to it to open it again. Suddenly, a hand wrapped around his mouth, and another hand grabbed his wrists, holding them together. He struggled to get out of his captor's grasp, but failed. He heard laughter—strange but sweet—he recognized it.

"Hello, Zexion." Rose said. Zexion tried to yell, but it came out muffled. She laughed again. She moved closer to his ear, to his neck. He could feel her warm breath on his neck.

"Now now, Zexion. You shouldn't make too much noise…" she said. "You wouldn't want Axel to hear you, and come up here to help you, now would you?" Zexion glared at her. Rose sighed, smiling deviously. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her fangs. "I mean, sure, make all the noise you want. For as soon as he comes up here…" She snapped her fingers. Roxas appeared through his portal. He had the Vampire Nobody eyes. He walked over to the door and leaned against a wall near it. Rose moved closer to Zexion's ear.

"We'll be waiting…" she whispered. Zexion's eyes became wide. He feared for Axel's safety. They were close friends, and he didn't want Axel to get hurt. Rose let go of Zexion's mouth and wrists. He stood there quietly. Rose walked around so she was facing him.

"What do you want from me?" Zexion asked quietly. Rose smiled evilly. "Do you want me to become a Vampire Nobody?"

"No." she said. "We don't need another—you and Axel are no longer needed." She said, advancing towards him. Zexion didn't move. She tightly grabbed the collar of his coat and roughly pulled him closer to her. Their eyes met. "Zexion…" she said. As she said his name, the pale rose-colored cay eye pupils of her eyes changed to a furious fuchsia color.

"We won't go together…"

00000000

By this time, Axel had left Marluxia and went looking for Roxas again. He tried to convince Marluxia to come with him, but couldn't. Axel stopped in his tracks.

Something—a feeling perhaps?—had told Axel that something was wrong. That someone was in trouble…Zexion? Axel shook his head. Zexion would be all right. But, the nagging feeling came again. He closed his eyes. No, he thought, Zexion was in trouble. He opened his eyes and ran up another flight of stairs, in search of Zexion.

Zexion…he thought, hold on…

00000000

Rose had brought her fangs closer to his neck. If Zexion had a heart, he promised himself that this would be the part where he'd die of fright.

"Any last words?" Rose asked softly. Zexion looked at the ground.

"Leave Axel alone." He said. She laughed.

"Sorry, can't do that…" She said. "But, I can do this…" She snapped her fingers again. Roxas nodded and yelled:

"Axel! I'm up here, in the main meeting room! Help!!!"

00000000

Axel heard the yell.

"Roxas?" He called out. He then started to run towards the main meeting room.

00000000

Zexion's face was pale. Axel would come up here, and get killed. Zexion glared evilly at Rose.

"You…"he growled through clenched teeth. Rose laughed, amused. Zexion looked up.

"AXEL! DON'T COME IN!!! IT'S A TRICK!!!" he yelled. He had to get Axel to leave…

00000000

Axel heard Zexion's yell. He couldn't make out what he was saying, but he sounded like he was in trouble…

"I'M COMING ZEXION!!!" he yelled, and ran towards the room faster.

00000000

Rose laughed again.

"He's still coming!" she said. She looked at him with her fuchsia and white eyes. "It's time to let go, Zexion…" Zexion looked up. He had to try again…

"AXEL! NO! LEAVE!!! DON—"

He was cut off by a terrible, sharp, stinging pain in his neck. He resisted screaming—he had to get Axel to leave, and him screaming out in pain didn't help. Rose had bitten Zexion's neck with her razor-sharp Vampire Nobody fangs. It felt as if someone had stabbed his neck with two knives. His vision blurred. He saw black. He felt cold.

And then nothing.

Zexion: I'm...BITTEN????

Axel: AHAHAHAAHAHAHAAA!!!!

Zexion: I'm...BITTEN????

Axel: Uh, hey Zexy, you ok there?

Zexion: I'm...BITTEN????

Axel: Ok, I guess you're not...