Princess.

It was a long, quiet walk to Ansem's office. Both Roxas and the head psychiatrist were swimming in their own thoughts and memories of the odd turn of events that just occurred. The younger blond couldn't wipe the image of the small girl with her blood-soaked arm out of his head; it hurt so much just thinking about it, and it wasn't because of the fact that the self-inflicted abrasions on her arm looked painful - it was because of the plain fact that this girl was hurting herself. He didn't understand why he felt so compelled to help her, or why he was so determined to find a way to bring her out of the hellhole she had fallen into, but he knew that this girl needed his help and he was going to be there when she needed him.

When they finally reached the office Ansem circled his desk and reached underneath; he pulled out a simple canvas messenger bag and placed it on top of the polished wooden surface. The fabric of the bag was mottled with dark brown spots - dried blood. "She has all her schoolwork in here," He explained, "And this." He pulled out a thin sketchbook with a worn orange cover. "It's quite interesting to look at."

Roxas took the sketchbook from the man's hands and flipped it open. His eyes widened at the hand-drawn landscape of Twilight Town; it was so detailed and intricate that the picture somehow looked more real than the actual thing. He flipped through a few more pages and marveled at the other drawings. Some were of inanimate objects like fruit or a bunch of random items bunched together, and some were landscapes of different areas of the town. At the bottom-right corner of every picture Naminé had signed her full name in neat cursive writing: Naminé Mitsuyo.

"I omitted her last name in her patient profile because I thought it would be easier for you to find or recognize her," Ansem admitted, "Just before you signed up as a volunteer I found out that she used to be a student at your school. She would be in your grade, Roxas."

The boy's eyes widened. "Really? I don't remember seeing her at all, though."

The older man's brow creased with thought. "Hm, that's odd. Maybe you had drastically different schedules."

"Probably." His eyes ran over the sketchbook again. "I never knew she used to be such an amazing artist - does having a mental illness hamper your talents?"

"Sometimes, yes," Ansem replied gravely, "When the mind is almost totally distracted from reality it's hard to do many things. I'm pretty sure you understand what I'm saying."

"Yeah, I do." Roxas flipped to the last page, and he squinted at the drawing. "Huh, who's this?" He turned the sketchbook around to show the doctor: it was a portrait of a girl who looked very much like Naminé, except her hair was straighter and a deep, wine red. There was a name written at the bottom. "Kairi Mitsuyo?"

"She's Naminé's twin sister," Ansem explained, "She also went to your school."

"You know, I actually might've heard of her," Roxas' eyebrows knitted together as he wracked his brain, "It sounds familiar...and when I look at this picture I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."

"I've tried contacting their parents but no one's ever home," Ansem frowned, "The police have visited the house many times but no one answers the door. I'm beginning to think that they've abandoned the place, or maybe they moved away without telling anyone."

"But if they moved why is Naminé still here, and do you know what happened to Kairi?"

The older man shook his head. "I can only assume that she is with their parents. As for Naminé, I cannot answer. Only she knows what happened the night the police found her - even if it seems like she can't remember it's probably locked in the catacombs of her memory. Whatever happened must have been traumatizing; there's no other explanation for a girl like her to be wandering the streets mute, barefoot and covered in dirt."

Roxas thought back to the bloody mural on the wall. "That picture she painted...there were two girls and a man and a woman. Do you think the two girls in the picture could've been her and Kairi? And the people in the back...they could've been their parents!"

"It makes sense," Ansem agreed, "One girl's hair was coloured in red, which is safe to assume that one of the girls in that picture was indeed her sister. It only makes further sense to assume that the second girl, the one without colour in her hair, is Naminé herself. As for the adults, it can also be possible that they were their parents. She drew a house in the background, yes?" Roxas nodded. "That might've been a depiction of their home."

"Maybe the picture is trying to tell us what happened," Roxas theorized, "Maybe she's trying to tell us, or she's starting to remember."

"It can be possible - you can try talking about it, but be sure to be subtle in case she feels uncomfortable. These things take time." Ansem stood up and gestured towards the door. "I think it's about time you head back - her dress is probably clean." When Roxas gave him an odd look he chuckled. "She doesn't like wearing anything else, remember?"

"Oh, right." He followed the blond man out of the door and down the confusing hallways, up the elevator and through more hallways until they reached Naminé's room. When they stepped inside the blond noticed that someone had already wiped the blood off the walls.

Ansem placed a hand on his shoulder. "You'll need to keep an even closer eye on her now, Roxas, which means you might have to stay overnight. I hope that does not become much of a burden for you."

The boy shook his head. "No, not at all - I already told you how I wanted to help out." He flushed and stared down at his shoes. "Naminé needs me, a-and...for some reason I think I need her too."

The older man chuckled. "Your devotion to this girl is admirable." He turned around and began to make his way out. "'Till our next meeting, Roxas."

The blond gave him a small wave before sitting on the edge of the bed. He gulped and ran his fingers through his hair; he could smell the cleaning solution the nurses used for the walls, and it was beginning to give him a headache. He didn't want another one, for he feared he was going to black out again and have another weird hallucination.

There was the sound of bare feet padding against the floor, and he glanced upwards to see Naminé shyly shuffling into the room with a nurse close behind her. When the small blonde noticed Roxas sitting by her bed she beamed childishly and rushed over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hopping onto his lap. He chuckled and stroked her soft, clean hair; he glanced over her shoulder and saw the nurse giving him a nasty glare before leaving the room.

"You stayed," Naminé pulled back to smile at him again; he could feel the bandages on her arm rubbing against the skin of his neck, "I didn't think you would."

Roxas chuckled again and leaned forward to touch her forehead with his. "Why not? I promised you I would, didn't I?"

She coloured a little in embarrassment, and he was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to...no, he couldn't. Ansem wouldn't approve of that. He broke away from his thoughts when Naminé yawned against his hair. "Mm," She murmured, "I'm sleepy."

He briefly lifted her into his arms and swiveled around to place her on the mattress. As he reached for the sheets to pull them over her body he felt her hand on his wrist. "What is it, Naminé?" He asked quietly as his eyes drifted over her face; her eyes were half-open and her bangs were barely concealing her bashful expression.

"Y-you're staying with me, right?" She whispered, and her grip on his wrist tightened just a little, "You promised."

It was Roxas' turn to blush. "Er, I don't know if Ansem would want me to do that-"

Her eyes were irresistibly beseeching, and he felt his heart ache for her. "I don't want you to go, Roxas," She pleaded, "Please...just this one time. I promise I won't tell."

He sighed; there was no way he could say no to her. The blond kicked off his shoes and crawled underneath the sheets beside her; he stiffened when he felt her press against his side, but he relaxed once he realized he liked the feeling and he rolled over so that she could fit her head against the curve of his neck. He smiled softly as he draped one arm over her waist, pulling her closer, and when she sighed against his skin his smile broadened.

"You make everything go away," She mumbled tiredly; he could feel her eyelashes fluttering against his neck, "When you're around everything...everything's in one piece. Everything makes sense." She sighed again and snuggled closer against him. "Why do you think it's like that, Roxas?"

He rubbed her back slowly, and he briefly paused over her heart. He could feel it pumping rhythmically against his palm. "I don't know," He whispered back, "But for some reason I feel the same way when I'm with you too."

"I've never felt this way about someone before," She admitted in a low voice, "Not even...not even my sister made me feel this way, and she was my...my only friend."

This seemed like a good opportunity to ask a few questions. "You have a sister?"

"Y-yes," The uncertainty in Naminé's voice was questionable, "Her name's Kairi, but they always called her Princess. To them she was Princess - probably because they always treated her like one. They loved her and paid attention to her, and she deserved it too. She's so smart, Roxas - she gets the best grades in school, she's on every sports team, she likes to help out in the community," She shook her head and added in an even lower voice, "She's perfect."

Images of his school flashed through his head, and he remembered looking through the glass cabinets that held all of the trophies and other sports-related achievements. He remembered seeing Kairi's name engraved into a few of the plaques; so that's where he saw her before. He glanced downwards at the small blonde in his arms and noticed she was beginning to tremble again. He rubbed circles on her back and stroked her hair; that was enough reminiscing for today. "C'mon, Naminé - you said you were tired, remember? Let's try and get some sleep, okay?"

She yawned against him once more and nodded. "Okay." She curled against his side and yawned a third time. "Goodnight, Roxas."

He chuckled and squeezed her affectionately. "Sweet dreams, Naminé."

When he woke up the next morning the first thing he realized - besides the fact that he was still in Naminé's bed - was the fact that he felt fully energized; he finally slept through the night!

Roxas rolled over and noticed that the small blonde lying beside him was still fast asleep with her back turned to him; he watched her shoulders rise and fall as she breathed and he slowly reached out towards her, slipping an arm around her middle and scooting closer. He could smell the shampoo in her hair and the soap on her skin from when she bathed the night before, and he couldn't resist burying his face into her neck. He knew he wasn't supposed to be doing this, but how couldn't he?

"Mm," She murmured, rolling around and winding her arms around his neck; she nuzzled her head against his collarbone and he reveled in the sensation of her soft hair running across his skin. She breathed in deep, and for a minute he thought she was going to speak some more but then she ended up sighing and nestling closer into his embrace.

"Naminé," He whispered gently into her ear, "It's time to wake up." He glanced over his shoulder and noticed the stream of sunlight running through the barred window.

"Five more minutes." She mumbled stubbornly into his neck.

He chuckled and sat up, bringing her with him. The sheets rolled off of their torsos and she shivered, pressing her body closer against his. The contact made him blush but he quickly shook it off. "C'mon," He insisted as he swung his legs over the side of the bed; he pulled her to her feet and let her lean against him, "The nurses are going to come soon."

He laughed again when Naminé groaned in protest and pushed herself away from him; she sleepily rubbed her eyes with her knuckles and huffed in frustration. "But I was having such a nice dream."

"Oh? What were you dreaming about, Naminé?"

Her pale cheeks darkened into a deep scarlet and her big blue eyes dropped to her toes. "You." She mumbled in a low voice, but he managed to hear her anyway and he blushed too.

"Naminé," A nurse came into the room; when she eyed Roxas without his shoes on and his shirt creased and crumpled from sleep her eyes narrowed, "It's time to wash up for the day."

"Can I go into the lounge afterward?" The small blonde asked eagerly, "I want to see Axel and Demyx - I miss them."

"We'll have to see what Ansem says. Now c'mon - the water will get cold if you don't hurry." The nurse ushered Naminé out of the room, but not before turning over her shoulder to throw Roxas one last quick glare.

The boy sheepishly rubbed the back of his head as he bent over to pull his sneakers on. He reached into his pocket and his eyes widened when his fingers brushed against his phone; he forgot to call home last night!

The second he dialed his house number his mother picked up. "Roxas? Where are you?!"

"Sorry Mom - I'm at the psych ward; there was an emergency last night and they needed my help…didn't Sora or Xion tell you?"

"N-no, they didn't…" His mother's voice faltered for a moment, but it picked up soon afterward, "But at least I know now that you're okay. What was the emergency?"

"One of the patients was having an episode and I'm the only one she listens to," Roxas' fingers were threading through his messy hair, "So they called me over."

"Oh. What time are you coming home?"

"Before noon - I'm gonna stay for a bit to see if she'll be okay on her own."

"Alright, I'll see you soon then. Make sure to call the next time another emergency comes up, Roxas." His mother sounded exasperated, but it was understandable.

"I will, I will. Sorry for making you worry. I'll see you later." He rumpled his hair again as he shoved his phone back into his pocket and made his way out of Naminé's room. He managed to maneuver through the twisted hallways back to the lounge, and when he spotted Axel's familiar mane of bright red spikes a smile crept onto his face.

"Heyyyy," The pyromaniac grinned slyly and threw an arm around the younger boy's shoulders, "So I heard someone got lucky last night."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"You slept in Naminé's room!" Demyx exclaimed, and the blond boy's cheeks flared up again.

"Look, it's not what it looks like-" He held his hands up as his friends shook with laughter, "-she was having an episode and I was the only one she would listen to-"

"So fucking her is the best way to take her out of her hallucinations? Why hasn't anyone thought of that before?" Larxene glanced up from her nails and rolled her eyes, "You're smarter than I thought."

Roxas' hands clenched into fists. "We didn't do anything like that; she didn't want me to leave so I just...er, slept with her-" When he realized how awkward that sounded he flushed and waved his hands frantically in the air as the three young adults laughed louder, "-as in slept in the same bed, not...you know!"

"He's probably telling the truth," The only female in the group sighed and wiped her tears away, "I mean, if they really were fucking we probably would've heard them - she looks like a screamer, don't you think?"

"Shut up, Larxene." Roxas muttered through gritted teeth.

"Okay, okay, we know what you're trying to say- calm down," Axel shook his head, "How bad was it last night?"

Memories of the mural on the wall faded back into the boy's memory and he cringed. "Really bad," The blond explained as he sat in between the redhead and the musician, "She somehow managed to get a hold of a small paintbrush, and she was stabbing the end of it into her arm." He shook his head and pulled his fingers through his hair. "She was using her blood to paint a picture on the wall - she said she needed red paint."

Larxene let out a low whistle. "That's some creepy shit - and trust me, I know creepy."

Axel looked very bothered by what Roxas told him; his head was low and his eyes were downcast. "That's not good…" He murmured sadly, "I thought she was getting better."

"She is," The blond boy reassured him, "This morning she asked the nurses if she could come into the lounge today. She wants to see you - and Demyx too."

"I miss that girl," The musician sighed, "I hope she'll be allowed to come today."

"She should," Roxas replied, "She's looking a lot better than yesterday - she's talking and even smiling."

Axel playfully nudged the blond's shoulder. "I think she likes you."

Demyx snickered. "And I think you like her back."

Roxas' face was tomato-red. "W-what? No, I don't-"

"Really, Roxas, who are you trying to kid?" Larxene cackled, "You've got the hots for the most fucked up patient in your assigned room - admit it!"

The blond boy began to fiddle with his hands. "No, I don't think of her like that - I just want to help her," His face grew redder and his eyes lowered, "And b-besides, Ansem wouldn't like it if, er, well...y'know."

Axel threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Hah, I knew it! You like her and the only thing that's holding you back is the possibility of Ansem disapproving your relationship!"

"Not like he can do much, anyway," The sadist shrugged, "I mean, the guy slept in her damn room last night!"

Roxas groaned and buried his face in his hands; his lack of an answer only confirmed his friends' suspicions, and they broke out into laughter again.

"Aw, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," Demyx clapped a hand on the boy's shoulder, "You can't help who you fall in love with, and besides, you got lucky - Naminé's a sweet girl who deserves to be cared for. She needs someone like you."

"I totally approve of you, Roxas - Dem's right, she needs a guy like you," Axel gave him the thumbs-up, "And who knows - maybe you'll really help her get better."

"Axel!" A soft voice exclaimed from the doorway; everyone turned their heads to see an ecstatic Naminé making her way towards the pyromaniac. The redhead laughed and stood up to capture the small blonde in a bear hug, and the girl giggled into his white shirt. "I've missed you-" She reached out towards Demyx and hugged his waist, "-and you too, Demyx!"

"We missed you a lot, Naminé," The musician smiled kindly as he tousled her hair; in the background Larxene was rolling her eyes, "How're you feeling?"

The blonde turned to face Roxas; her big blue eyes were bright and glistening with the rays of the sun, and he awed at how beautiful they were. There was a smile gracing her small, pink lips. "Much better, thanks to him."

The blond boy grinned and shook his head. "Ah, I can't take all the credit; you could've-oof!"

Naminé had rammed herself into him, throwing her arms around his waist and nuzzling her head against his neck. He gulped nervously, but he hugged her close and pressed his cheek against her hair. "Thank you," She murmured into his shoulder, "Because of you I'm getting better and better. I know we haven't known each other for very long but...y-you mean a lot to me, Roxas."

He could hear Axel, Larxene and Demyx snickering in the background and it only made him more anxious. "You mean a lot to me too, Naminé," He pulled away from her and smiled, "And it makes me happy to hear that you're getting better. I'm glad I'm helping you get there." He ruffled his hair and hesitantly unwound his arms from her waist. "Anyway, I have to head home - my mom's worried sick about me. I'll see you guys on Monday."

The smallest blonde's face reddened for a moment, and when she stood on her tiptoes to quickly kiss Roxas on the cheek she only grew redder. "I'll be waiting."

His body went numb, and all of a sudden the room looked brighter. Axel's hair was so red it hurt his eyes, and the green in Larxene's stare was greener than his front lawn on a clear spring day. The three young adults were giggling amongst themselves again, and even Naminé was laughing a little bit; her tinkling voice reverberated in his eardrums as he tried to make his way towards the door. He spun around, almost stumbling over his feet in the process, and gave his friends a dazed wave. "I-I'll see you later."

"Bye, Roxas." Axel, Larxene and Demyx chorused jokingly before bursting out into laughter again.

Naminé was the only one who was making any sense; she gave him one of those wonderfully small smiles of hers and waved back. "Bye."

He gave her another wave before bumbling out of the room.

--

A/N: Ah, so we're beginning to see what Kairi's role in this story is...hm, interesting.
To be honest with you I'm doing all of this in a whim, so everything is just as new to me as it is to all of you, haha. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Now for a bit of self-advertising:
Anybody have Twitter? Well if you do, you can follow me at himynameisjulz. You can find out when my stories are updated, when I upload new stories and little random tidbits of my life that I think are worthy enough of tweeting =) Okay, I'm done.

Thanks for the support! I really appreciate it!