Author's Note: You guys make me so happy with your reviews and favorites! Thanks a million times over to my reviewers: RelieveTheGreat who always seems to be one of the first to review for each new chapter. You rock! HopelessDreamer56 who reviewed for the first time. Welcome to my story and thanks for taking the time to let me know that you liked it! The Crows Eye who helped motivate me to get this chapter out as quickly as I could! And lastly but most certainly not least, MewMew whose long reviews and awesome praise always make my day! I smile every time I read your reviews! I'm glad that you like my writing style and that I'm doing a good job with the characters. I apologize for the long author's note. On with the story!

Chapter 4: Why Is Everything So Confusing?

(Axel's POV)

I ended up in the hospital waiting room for most of the day. I'm not quite sure why I was so worried about this kid. Sure he was super cute and I wanted to know more about what drove him to this point but it was more than that. There was this deep terrible ache at the thought of what would have happen if I hadn't been there to stop the boy from jumping. For some reason the thought of living in a world with out Roxas hurt more than I could comprehend. I felt an unexpected connection to him.

I paced back and forth anxiously. Roxas's mother was sleeping in her chair. It had been over twelve hours since I'd found the blond boy on the bridge but I hadn't been able to sleep. I was missing my second day of school but I didn't really care. Some things were more important. I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate even if I did go.

I'd first met the f woman that I knew at once must be Roxas's mother after being in the hospital waiting room for two hours. She had the same blond hair and cutesy facial structure. There was something slightly off about her though. Her mouth smiled at me but her eyes were ice cold.

"You're the boy that saved my son aren't you? That's what they told me. They said you found him on the bridge trying to join his brother." She choked up a bit, her lips trembling. "Loosing Sora was bad enough. I can't imagine what I would've done if Roxas had left me as well. I'm forever in your debt."

I looked at her in surprise. "You don't owe me anything Ms. Black. I just did what anyone would have done."

Something dark flickered across her expression. "Regardless I thank you... what's your name?"

"Axel," I replied.

She nodded with a tight smile and plopped into the plastic chair next to me.

"They're going to start asking questions. We're going to have to come up with a story that doesn't make it look like Roxas had harmed himself or was trying to commit suicide."

I glanced at her with confusion.

"They'd commit him to a mental institution. Roxas needs help but I know that that's not the kind of place he needs to be right now. In fact I'm sure it would only make things worse," the blonde woman explained.

I slowly nodded in understanding. I suppose I could understand that.

We'd devised a reasonable alibi for Roxas and I'd watched the woman deliver her fake story with so much conviction that I almost believed it myself. It was kind of terrifying how well she lied. Now she looked peaceful and innocent as she slept.

It was nearly noon when they finally let me in to see Roxas. They said he'd probably be waking up soon. His mother was still asleep so I went to visit him alone.

When I reached the room number I'd been given I paused in the doorway. The cute blond was awake and appeared to be in a frantic freak out. His fingers tore at the bandages on his arms and his big blue eyes were wide with pain and desperation. Each breath grew faster until I feared he was hyperventilating.

"Sora!"

That single word broke my heart.

It was the first time I'd heard Roxas's voice. He sounded utterly lost. His lonely cry was full of pain and grief. From that single name I was able to get a glimpse of just how deeply Roxas needed his brother.

He stopped struggling suddenly and I realized that he was looking at me now. I remembered the way he'd looked at me when I'd saved him. Those beautiful baby blues had been burning with hatred. I expected him to look at me the same way now, to drive daggers into my heart with his gaze. I was wrong. He didn't glare. He just looked at me with no particular expression on his face.

"Hey," I said quietly as I stepped into the room.

He didn't reply but his eyes stayed on me. I moved towards the bed and as I took a seat he looked away, staring blankly at the ceiling. The nurse gave a sigh of relief at his sudden stillness and went to work re-wrapping his bandages.

"I'm sorry that you're hurting so much," I whispered.

He didn't seem to hear me. His expression was empty now. It reminded me of the first time I'd met him. His body had become an empty shell as he hid himself in a small corner of his mind.

"I met your mom," I said casually, wondering if this would bring out a reaction.

He didn't so much as blink. The nurse left the room. I stared at Roxas intently. "Roxas? Did you hear me?" I raised my voice a bit.

To my intense relief he finally turned his head a fraction and a little bit of life flickered in his eyes. I had a sudden surge of desire to see what Roxas would look like if he smiled. I wanted to see those sad, empty doll like eyes of his shine with joy. I wondered if that would ever happen. I decided to make it my new goal in life. Make Roxas Black smile.

"I met your mom. She seemed really worried." I told him gently. "She didn't want you to end up in a mental hospital so we came up with a story together that wouldn't make it look like you were attempting suicide..." I frowned and stopped talking when I noticed that his face was actually showing emotion. He looked absolutely horrified. I was confused. Why was Roxas so upset about me talking to his mom? "What?"

He just continued to look at me in clear distress. I rubbed the back of my head trying to figure out exactly what part of what I'd said had upset him. I opened my mouth to say something more when Roxas's mom cried out her sons name and moved past me to his bedside. He flinched back into his pillow at the sound of her voice like it caused him actual physical pain just to hear it. I was growing increasingly confused. Was Roxas scared of his mom?

"I was so worried sweetheart. What were you thinking?" She hovered over him, chewing at her bottom lip with distress over the situation.

Roxas quickly shut his eyes as if he couldn't stand the sight of her. It seemed to be that it really was his mom that was upsetting him so much.

"They said I could take you home now. You just need to be careful not to rip your stitches open..." The woman was still babbling away as if unaware that her son was doing his best not to listen to her. "Axel would you be a dear and help me get him to the car?"

I looked up at the sound of my name and forced a smile to mask my worry and building perplexity. "Of course Ms. Black."

I stood up and gently leaned towards Roxas. He seemed jittery and I didn't want to frighten him in any way. I cautiously pushed a hand behind his back and nudged him into a more upright position. His eyes opened in a startling flash of electric blue and rested on me. His face had resumed its emptiness but I saw a spark of something akin to fear flit across his expression. I gave him a smile, hoping to ease whatever was worrying him so much about his mom.

He looked at me the entire way to their car. I felt a strange thrill through my body knowing that those gorgeous eyes were focused on me. I liked it when Roxas looked at me. Which was kind of wrong. The poor kid had too many issues for me to burden him with my gay crush. He was mostly likely straight anyways. Most guys tended to be. I tried not to enjoy his strange and sudden attention too much.

When we reached the car I let my hands drop from his shoulders. The moment I let go of him a shiver racked his entire body. I blinked at him in surprise. I swallowed hard, telling myself that it didn't mean anything that his body had reacted that way to me.

He climbed into the car easily enough by himself but his movements had regained the stiffness of a boy who's mind wasn't all there. His eyes had gone glassy again. I frowned.

"Thank you dear." Roxas's mom flashed me a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's good to know there are kind people in the world like you." For a moment her words seemed to have a razor edge of sarcasm hidden beneath them but then her smile widened and I brushed the feeling off. I wasn't sure what to think of this strange woman with her cold smiles and talent for lies. She turned abruptly and got into the car.

I watched them drive away with concern gnawing at my heart. Something wasn't right. I wasn't sure exactly what it was. All I knew was that this entire thing had made me determined to find out what had hurt Roxas so badly and do my best to repair his sad empty soul. It had also instilled a fierce desire in me to see that beautiful blond boy smile.

For now I'd go home and sleep. I was exhausted, practically dead on my feet. But tomorrow I'd approach him. Tomorrow I'd try to find out what exactly had injured him so terribly. Tomorrow I'd attempt to unlock the horrors of Roxas Black's mangled heart.

Ending Note: Sorry if the writing skill in this chapter wasn't quite as good as the others. College and work have been killing me lately and I feared I might have rushed this a bit. I hope it turned out ok. Next chapter things start to actually get interesting!

P.S. All of the chapter titles as well as the title of the story came from one song. Name the song and I'll give you a prize!