Axel drifted in nothingness for quite some time. It was strange seeing and feeling nothing but darkness. He thought the myths said you see a strange bright light and feel at peace.

So far no light. No peace either. Just nothingness. Or was it darkness, because at lease that was something. It was like having your eyes closed, but in the dark, no light behind the lids. Was he supposed to be here alone? Axel felt an annoying tug on his chest, like something was pulling him forward. Whatever was happening, Axel couldn't stop it, his limbs wouldn't work here, if he had any, he really couldn't tell in this black. Maybe Demyx had gone on without him. He wouldn't blame him.

The tugging got stronger. It wasn't exactly like being pulled forward and walking. No, it was more like being dragged off the bottom of the ocean by a fishing hook attached to his chest. He could tell there was a lot of force behind it, it felt strong, but like being dragged through water it didn't seem to get any faster.

Suddenly Axel broke through the surface of the water, or at least it felt like it. He took a deep breath in. It was cold, crisp like the night air. It was still dark but now it was more like eyes closed, but not in total pitch black anymore. Maybe if he could open them…

Axel groaned and strained to open his eyes. Nothing happened, that is to say they didn't open, but Axel could feel they were there. Voices swirled around his head, somewhere just outside it.

'There, he moved. Didn't you see it that time?'

'You're telling fibs.'

'Bet you he's out for at least ten more minutes!'

Axel slowly began to mentally feel his way around his body, it turned out he did have one, or at least… now he did. He twitched his fingertips and stretched out his feet. Good, he could move a little. He slowly began to open his eyes with a little less effort now. Everything was blurry. There were three shapes moving in and out of his sight. Familiar shapes. Familiar voices.

'See, right there! He did it again!'

'Right, you owe me 10 munny.'

'Oh, like I have that kind of munny anymore!'

'Break it up, give him some air.'

The shapes moved back and a new one entered Axel's vision. His sight slowly cleared and Axel recognised Saix over him. With a moan, Axel moved his head slowly to look at the other, once shapes, sitting around him. From what he could tell he was laying on his back, on a floor. Sat closest to him was Saix, then in a small group about a meter away sat Luxord, Xigbar and Xaldin. Xigbar saw Axel looking over weakly with a glazed look in his eyes like he was in a dream. Xigbar smiled and gave a small wave. Axel's lip twitched up in the corner, like a half smile. That was good enough for the marksman, who turned his attention back to Xaldin and Luxord exchanging munny over their bet.

Axel turned his head slowly back to Saix. Saix looked solemn but with a look of deep relief on his face.

'Axel, glad to have you back among us.'

Axel groaned again and tried to speak, he was still too weak to sit up.

'I'm dead.'

His voice was loud enough but it sounded kind of like a croak. He didn't realise how rough he sounded. Did he look as rough? Saix let a small smirk creep across his face.

'Actually Axel, quite the contrary. You're very much alive.'

Axel's eyes widened. How could this be so? He died, he was sure he did. Fire, fading, gone. That was death wasn't it. Saix was here, and he was supposed to be dead too, or at least by now he was.

'…how?…'

Saix sighed.

'It's a long story, perhaps I'd best explain.'

Axel nodded slowly and forced himself into a half sitting, half slouched position, straining to keep himself upright. Saix waited until he was ready to continue.

'You see, right from the beginning Xemnas had this all planned out, every move. I couldn't believe it myself. After you left something happened in the castle and the Kingdom Hearts was damaged. Xemnas had foreseen that this might happen and it worked to his advantage. You see when the Kingdom Hearts is damaged it rains hearts.'

Axel leaned forward slightly. This was all very intriguing and he didn't plan on missing a word.

'When it rained hearts, the ones freed chose to find their owners. Yours is back too Axel. You can't use you fire anymore can you? It seems our elements replaced our hearts, but not our emotions. We had it all wrong. Now that our elements are gone, there's room left for our hearts to return, which they have.'

Axel flexed his fingers and tried to summon fire. Nothing happened, but that horrid dead feeling inside him, that he got when his element left him, didn't arrive. Saix continued.

'Of course I wasn't around to see all this, I'd died too.'

Axel tried to comprehend this all. If they were dead, how in the same sense were they alive.

'How… how can we be dead… and alive?'

Saix laughed quietly.

'Right, I'm getting to that. You see your cloak.'

Axel looked down at his cloak. Yep, still there.

'Well before it was given to you, Xemnas gave it to Vexen.'

Axel's eyes widened again. Who knows what radioactive waste it could be coated in! Saix continued.

'Well Vexen's a better scientist than he makes himself look. Those coats slowly absorbed life energy while you wore them, just a fraction of what you'd use daily. It absorbed more during missions, training, anytime you fought. When you died the cloak transported you back here and fed you that absorbed life energy.'

Axel looked around again. He could see the night sky, not much else from where he sat.

'W..where's here?'

Saix smiled and patted the floor he was sitting on.

'This is the castle, we're on the roof. Xemnas kept a flattened out section of roof in the middle of the towers for this very occasion.'

Axel sat himself upright. Saix stopped him from getting up.

'You're still weak, let the cloak finish pumping your energy back into you.'

Axel glared at the floor for a few moments, taking it all in. Suddenly realisation hit him like a lightning bolt.

'Wait, so we're all here? The whole organization got sent here?'

Saix nodded, but his face lost it's emotion. Axel spoke words he never thought he'd get to say again.

'Saix, where's Demyx?'

Saix looked Axel in the eye with a frown.

'Axel, before I tell you, tell me truthfully. How often did Demyx wear his cloak? How often did he go on missions or fight?'

Axel's face creased up as he tried to remember. Hardly ever. Dem never really trained, hated missions and didn't always wear his cloak when he should.

'Well, not very often… does that mean…?'

And then it clicked. If Demyx didn't wear the cloak, how could it absorb his life force? The small amount of times he had fought in it wouldn't be enough. Axel practically lived in his cloak and he felt like shit, he looked just as bad. What would Demyx be like? Axel looked up at Saix, suddenly very worried.

'Saix… where…?'

Saix moved over slightly and pointed to the other side of the roof where a small pile of what seemed at first to be clothes. Axel pushed himself onto his feet in a hurry. Saix helped him up, cautioning him against moving to fast and helped him walk over to where Demyx apparently lay. Axel staggered forward like a drunk and fell to his knees again next to Demyx, who was covered in a thin blanket. As Axel's sight grew better against the night he saw Demyx but not the Demyx he remembered leaving. Well it was, in a way, but this Demyx looked so ill, almost dead to the world. Saix sat next to Axel and looked sadly upon the ex-waterweaver.

'He got here, like you, regained consciousness just long enough for Vexen to tell him he wasn't dead and that the cloak would help, then he passed out again and hasn't woken up since.'

Axel panted quietly from the walk over and reached out to touch Demyx's face. It was cold, colder than it should be on a night like this.

'What about his cloak?'

Saix shook his head.

'Out of energy. It pumped it all back into him, but it didn't seem to be enough. We might yet lose him.'

Axel growled with a small sob, weakly and hurriedly unzipped his cloak. Saix merely watched curiously. Axel took the blanket off Demyx and laid his cloak on top of him.

'No, I won't lose him again. I'm awake, he's not. He needs this more than me.'

Saix blinked in bewilderment at Axel's sacrifice of his own life's energy.

'I'll leave you two alone.'

Saix picked himself off the floor and walked back over to the others, occasionally having to tell them not to disturb the ex-pyromaniac. Axel leaned in to Demyx and kissed him on the lips. A breath left Demyx's lips, like a contented sigh, and Axel pulled back. The colour slowly returned to Demyx's cheeks. Axel's cloak was working just as well for his lover as its owner. Axel studied Dem's face carefully, looking deeply for signs of life. Suddenly Demyx's eyes flickered and opened slowly. Axel smiled down at him, tears pooling up in the corner of his eyes. Demyx's eyes focused unhurriedly and looked at Axel.

'…Axel?'

Axel tried to speak though relieved sobs.

'Dem, you're alright.'

Demyx slowly began to sit up and looked down at Axel's cloak over him. He looked shocked and weakly lifted an arm to wrap his fingers around the thick material.

'Your… cloak…'

Axel realised he must look awful. He nodded.

'You needed it more.'

Demyx painfully moved to his knees and beckoned Axel to come closer. Axel moved forwards and Demyx wrapped his arms around him, lifting a shoulder of Axel's cloak onto Axel so it covered them both. Axel felt the warmth and life in it, not realising how much he'd missed the energy left when he took it off. By now the other organisation members had seen Demyx awake and despite Saix's best efforts, were gradually migrating over to the wrapped up pair. Xigbar got there first, a big grin across his face.

'Demyx, we're so glad you're awake, you had us worried there.'

The other members soon followed. Xaldin sat down next to them and patted Axel on the back with a laugh. Lexeus simply nodded, but that was almost praise from him in anyone's books. Luxord looked down at Axel with a smile.

'It seems you were right about the munny, now with no luck on my side it seems I'll need it.'

Axel smiled as he wrapped one arm around Demyx's waist. It was a lot easier to sit, one arm around the other, with the cloak draped over their shoulders like a blanket. It was beginning to get a little chilly, meaning the cloak was running out. It didn't matter, both Axel and Demyx were alive and staying that way. Vexen stood a little way out from the others, not wanting to crowd a tiny corner of the roof, with his arms folded looking very pleased with himself.

'I'm glad to see my cloaks worked.'

Axel shot Vexen a teasing glare. Vexen sighed and dropped his arms to his side, rolling his eyes.

'I know, I know… if they hadn't, blah blah blah, incineration.'

Axel couldn't help but laugh at this and Demyx joined in. Larxene sat next to Demyx who cringed slightly out of habit. Larxene laughed and shook her head.

'Don't worry, can't shock you anymore, remember. Out of electricity.'

Demyx smiled and seemed to relax until about ten seconds later when Larxene stuck a finger about a centimetre away from Demyx's cheek and he jumped slightly into Axel. Larxene grinned and held up her finger.

'Static shock!'

Demyx shoved Larxene away good-humouredly.

'Oi!'

Axel smiled, the organization seemed to be getting over the fact that they had all died and come back. Marluxia ran over, dragging Zexion by the hand. As usual, Zexion looked none to please about this. Marluxia took advantage of the crowd being distracted by Axel and Demyx, so took the opportunity to give Zexion a full on kiss. Zexion pulled away after, pretending to look disgusted. Marluxia grinned teasingly.

'Zexy, you know now we have hearts…?'

Zexion turned away with his nose turned up.

'Nope, it's still only about the sex.'

And with that he walked away into the crowd, leaving Marluxia with his mouth wide open before he closed it, shrugged and followed his partner.

Axel looked round the crowd, everyone was there, except Roxas. Obviously when the hearts were released, Roxas would have had to return completely to Sora and be whole again. Axel spotted Xemnas, way off to the back. Xemnas cleared his throat and the rest fell quiet, moving almost automatically into a small tight circle, Axel and Demyx stayed sat on the floor. Xemnas took his place in the circle and looked once again like the leader he was before.

'Some of you may recall…'

He glanced at Axel and a few others.

'May recall that I've disbanded the organization. You all have hearts now and are no longer tied to the organization. You can go where ever you please.'

This caused an uproar, that Xemnas wasn't expecting. Every member began talking at once, a few calling out a little louder. Xaldin yelled out.

'Great, after all this time together, you're abandoning us?'

Marluxia began his whole drama queen act, his hand to his forehead.

'Where will I go? What shall I do?'

Larxene snapped at Xemnas.

'I don't know about you but I'm a known criminal in at least five other worlds!'

Xemnas looked completely shocked at all this and overwhelmed by the sudden outrage at his freeing of them. As abruptly as it had started, it all stopped and every member burst out laughing at the terrified look on their leaders face. Axel helped Demyx to stand up as they joined in the laughter. It quietened down a little and Axel addressed Xemnas directly.

'Sorry, but it looks like you're stuck with us.'

Xemnas's face relaxed into an annoyed looking smile. Demyx chuckled.

'What did you expect, sir? We're like a family.'

Xemnas let out a laugh, and the organization relaxed. He couldn't send them away. Xemnas nodded.

'Fine, I can't make you leave.'

The organization cheered and as Xemnas began to walk away, briefly clutching the hand of Saix, he was followed by a few members demanding changes, such as Larxene demanding a lava lamp, one that didn't have to be powered by electricity and Xigbar wanting his room a different shade of purple.

Marluxia waited until most of the other members were gone or moving to other parts of the roof. He grabbed Zexion's hand again and dragged him round a crevice behind one of the towers and began kissing him like crazy. Zexion let this continue until Marluxia made it clear where he wanted this to go. Zexion stopped him.

'Uh-uh'

Marluxia pouted.

'Aw, but I thought you said it was about the sex. Plus…'

He added in a whisper, kissing Zexion's neck.

'Don't you ever want to be able to say you've done it on a roof?'

Zexion opposed Marluxia's advances a little more but had to yield when Marly pinned him to the side of the building. Having a lover as persuasive as Marluxia had its disadvantages, but he wasn't sure if this was one of them.

Back over the other side of the roof, Axel and Demyx stood, wrapped in the energy emptied cloak, just staring into each others eyes. Axel leaned in and kissed Demyx again.

'Never leave me again. I didn't know how to go on.'

Demyx's eyes began to water as he embraced Axel.

'Never, I couldn't bare it. I'll be here forever.'

Axel smiled and kissed Demyx again. A sound reached his ears and Axel cringed slightly into the kiss, broke it and looked up. It sounded like gasping and groaning. Axel could make a good guess as to who it was and what they were up to. He left a distasteful expression spread across his face and held Demyx's hand.

'Maybe we should go back inside with the others.'

Demyx looked confused for a moment.

'Why?'

Then the sound reached his ears too. One of rough pounding against a stone wall. Demyx flinched and nodded quickly.

'Maybe we better had.'

The two power walked towards the door to the castle, breaking into a run when cries of 'God, Yes Zexy!' and 'Marl…Not there! AaaAah!' reached their ears.

Axel slammed the door behind him and panted, smiling at Demyx.

'Thank goodness we got away when we did.'

Demyx smiled too, leaning into Axel's arms.

'Thank goodness…'

Axel smiled at Dem and whispered in his ear in a cheeky voice.

'Who cares, we'll get back at them later. I know a nice cupboard right next to Marluxia's room. We'd never be found.'

Demyx giggled and pecked his lover on the lips. Starting from now, forever seemed like a long way away, but that's just how they wanted it.

*

The End.

Dear reader,

Thank you for sticking through till the very end. I told you it would be worth not killing me. For random explanation, there was no food in the cupboards in the last chapter because it had all been moved to the roof. :D

I'm sure you guys can pick loads of plot holes in this fic to ruin it, but if you must I'll fill them in with crap to make it look like I'm a good author. If anyone wants to use any of this fic to draw scenes from I would be grateful (again only as an authors feedback XD) but please nobody steal idea/chapters, etc from me, it's not nice.

I may write more fics, but it is unlikely I'll place them on this account unless they're going to be as long as this one. My other account will remain a secret, a ninja if you will. I did plan on ending this fic at 17 chapters but it didn't fit.

Because I'm a nice person, in the previous paragraph I have left three clues which will be my new account. It goes adj, noun, number and part of it will be kept from this account.

Good luck finding this new account.

Best wishes and thanks.

Secret.