Ok, Axel is officially done crying now. Or, at least for a while. THANK GOD!

If you've been wondering where Demyx and the others have been, wonder no longer! They'll be making a much deserved comeback starting with Dem in this chapter. Hoorah! I missed Demyx so much! Zex and Lex didn't really have big roles but I missed them too. So I'm actually happy about it.

Enjoy! See y'all when I get back from Disneyland!

"What do you mean?" Demyx looked Axel over worriedly. He hadn't spoken to his once best friend very often in the past few years. Since Larxene and Marluxia's death, Demyx had admittedly become a recluse, and what little interaction he had with other people was with the landlord of the apartment and the rare occasion Zexion or Lexaeus would stop by, but even then they never stayed long. Now Axel, one of the dearest friends he'd ever had, was standing in the apartment he once shared with Marluxia and telling him that he was deathly ill. "Y-you're gonna die, Ax?"

"Look, I know we haven't been close in a long time but I didn't know who else to tell." Axel sighed and looked at the floor. "Back in high school I was always the one you'd come to for support, and even now it seems awkward that I'm here, but you're the only one I can go to with this. You're still my best friend Dem, and I need you."

Demyx smiled sadly. "I'm glad after all this time you still feel that way. I haven't been the best friend I should have been, not to any of you. I've just been held up in here all this time and while real life has been going on outside I've just ignored it and I'm sorry. But I'll be here for you Ax, whatever you need."

Axel smiled and wrapped his arms around the shorter man. "Thank you."

"So, how sick are you?" Demyx pulled away from the hug slowly. "Is it cancer?"

"No, it isn't cancer. Its something much worse. At least with cancer there's a chance you can be cured but the doctor said there's no cure for this." Axel sighed. "I've got something called AIDS. A year ago it was known as GRIDS. Its something gay people get that effects their immune system." He shrugged lightly. "Well, I suppose not all gay people get it. That's why they changed the name. I've read up on it, what little I could find in recent news papers at the library. It gets spread through sex and blood, and even saliva. And I guess once you get it, it just destroys your immune system. You can't fight off illnesses and eventually the illnesses kill you."

"So you just don't get sick then." Demyx forced a smile, trying to stay optimistic. "That's simple, right?"

"I'm already sick Dem. I've got Pneumonia and Tuberculosis. I'm gonna die, and it'll be soon." Axel fought the tears welling up in his eyes. Despite having already accepted his death, the thought still brought him to tears. But he wouldn't cry. He couldn't rely on anyone else to be strong for him. He had to be the strong one and he wouldn't cry no matter what. "I'm fine with it really, I just…"

"Have you told Roxas yet?" Demyx swallowed hard but the lump growing in his throat wouldn't go away. "How is he taking it? I-is he sick too?"

Axel sighed and sat down on the couch. "See, that's the complicated part. Dem, I can't bring myself to tell him. I know that I should. I should tell him right away because it isn't just my life at stake, its his too. But at the same time, I want what little time we have left together to be happy and special. I don't want him to constantly be worried about when I'm going to die. I'm trying to keep my distance so that he doesn't get sick. I clean the apartment everyday with disinfectants and stuff. I try to keep him as healthy as possible. I make sure he doesn't drink after me and I don't sleep too close to him at night. I'm trying hard."

"You need to tell him Axel. That's not right. I understand that you want him to be happy but he has a right to know. Hell, he might not even be sick like you. All these precautions could be for nothing." Demyx sat beside Axel on the couch and cupped the older man's hand in his own. "Listen man, Roxas needs you to protect him. You're really all he has as far as family goes. I'm his cousin, sure. But we're not close like we used to be. I'm not close with anybody anymore and I regret that. But you're his world Ax, and he needs to know that you were someone he could trust no matter what. How would you feel if, despite all your precautions, Roxas got sick too? How guilty would you feel?"

"If I wasn't already dead, I'd probably kill myself. That is how horrible I would feel." Axel nodded slowly. "You're right. I need to tell him. I just want him to be happy, you know? I don't want all this to happen but maybe this is what I get for helping corrupt three little Catholic kids."

"Three?" Demyx cocked an eyebrow, hoping to change the subject to something less gloomy before the tears he was fighting back found their way to his face. "I know Larxene and Roxas. Who else?"

"A little girl my brother is dating. She used to be this sweet as pie Catholic girl but somehow I've managed to help mold her into a mini Larxene." Axel chuckled. "Well, not quite Larxene. She's still a bit sweeter than that, but she's foul mouthed and snarky now. And man, does she have a temper."

Demyx snickered. "So she's perfect for your brother."

"Pretty much, yeah." Axel smiled and let out a small sigh. He leaned back on the couch and rested his hands behind his head. "Its strange. All this time can pass by between when we first met and now, and the only thing useful we can ever think to do when its just the two of us is sit around on our asses and rag on my little brother."

Demyx returned Axel's smile. "Guess some things never change."

"Guess so." Axel looked to Demyx before his eyes lit up in excitement. "Demyx! You're a genius!"

"I am?" Demyx raised an eyebrow at the redhead curiously. "Alright, I suppose I am. But what makes you say that?"

"Oh! I could kiss you!" Axel jumped up from the couch and grabbed the younger man's head in his hands. He slapped his lips against Demyx's forehead before grabbing up his jacket and starting toward the door. "Call Zexion and Lexaeus! Tell them to meet us in the spot at eight tonight! I expect you to come too, you damn recluse."

"A-alright." Demyx waved slowly at Axel as he rushed out the door. He then stood and went over to the phone to dial a number he hoped still worked. He pressed the receiver to his ear and punched in the number. It rang and rang and he was just about to give up when finally, there was an answer. "Hey, Zex? Its me… Demyx…"