"Because I love him! Not that you understand!" Luxord took a step back. This time, he was lost for words. Mr Slater smiled at me, and I returned it, regardless of the circumstances.

"Demyx… loving him is a mistake, and telling me I don't understand is a grievous error." Luxord surprised me. I looked again from he to Mr Slater, mouth gaping wide open. Mr Slater's face was again of fury, and I simply couldn't look at him. I had to look away. And that is why I still don't know what he did. The nobody army started shuddering when I turned round, sensing he was slightly calmer, and increasingly violently. Most of them were falling to the floor, and dissolving into white light.

In Luxord's surprise (mine, too), Mr Slater jumped up, and grabbed my hand.

"We have to go: I'll explain later."

I didn't resist, and allowed him to pull me into a dark portal, even though I didn't know where he proposed to go.

We emerged in a circular room, all white. It had few features: a huge wardrobe, a large double bed, and a desk. There were two doors. There were no windows.

Mr Slater was talking, but I wasn't really listening. I was busy trying to make sense of what I'd just learned from his and Luxord's conversations.

"This room is built deep below the third district of Traverse Town, and only those with hearts can enter with a portal, and there's no other way in." That meant we were protected.

"Mr Slater… Luxord said some stuff back there…" I murmured.

"Don't worry, Demyx, I'll explain." He interrupted. "Before he became a nobody, and before I became who I am, we are, Luxord and I took a shine to one another, here in Traverse Town. However, Luxord picked a fight with some heartless, and took his chances. He became a nobody, but I found his heart. I'd been chasing him till only a week or two before I'd met you with it, when I realised he'd joined the Organization. Searching for new hearts. Why 'new' hearts, when their old ones were perfectly intact? But when I found him, he refused to take the heart I'd chased him around the world with! I took the heart in, and became what I am. That's why I don't know how you became like me, because I doubt your experience was the same as mine."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, sitting on the bed, not looking at him. He sat next to me, and tried to kiss me, but I moved my head away.

"Because I didn't want you to think I was using you only to get at Luxord."

"And are you?"

"Of course not!" I didn't say anything. "Look, Demyx: I should have been more honest with you. But… I liked you too much to say anything that might have spoiled it." He tried to kiss me again, and this time I allowed his dry lips to touch my cheeks briefly. "Demyx… please… Don't you understand?" I turned round and stared at his face, my eyes not giving anything away. "If you let this happen, Luxord will have achieved his goal! He doesn't care about you: he can't, he's a nobody. He feels only jealousy of our hearts, and how he lost them, and they came together! If you don't them be together, he'll win! Don't let him win, Demyx."

"Mr Slater…?" I asked, slowly.

"Demyx?"

"Will you always be there?"

"Yes." I thought for a minute or two.

"I'm going to leave the Organization. They were manipulating me. Xemnas knows I have a heart, and building Kingdom Hearts has no benefit for me. I have no friends that I can trust. You're all I have. I want to stay here, with you, sir. Because I love you." He kissed me, and I let him take my lips this time.

"We cannot be safe together. Not while the Organization still lives. Xemnas and Luxord both despise being one-upped, and they most certainly have been. They will do all they can to kill me, and you if you don't join them." He warned me, but I didn't care.

"I won't join them. They've abused me long enough. If we have a problem, we'll run together, or fight together."

"Thank you." He said. "You know we can't live in peace until we have been forgotten?"

"Yes. Only Luxord, Vexen and The Superi… I mean, Xemnas, know of my heart, so they're the only ones we need to dispose of."

"Sound reasoning, but I am once again exhausted. My extra heart defeated the nobodies earlier, but it had left me with no energy. I shall get you some clothes that won't instantly identify you to the Organization, and then I will retire." As he headed to the wardrobe, I stripped down to my boxers and climbed into the bed, to await his return.