Fifteen: Awakening

Namine still turned down my mother's dinner offer, no matter how many times I pushed and begged her to stay she would just shake her head and say that Nora is probably missing her by now. I could understand that, I knew how important Nora was to Namine like Marlene was….is to me. And unlike me, Namine's always there for her little sister.

I turned my head slightly to see Ven stepping in our bedroom stretching out his back. Ven and I share a bedroom, as well as Marlene and Denzel, Vanitas is the only child in the house who has a room of his own, but when he graduates this year I declared that I was taking his room.

It was bigger and had its own bathroom, and I wouldn't actually have to worry about sharing personal space with Ventus. Don't get me wrong. Ven and I are tight and everything but it'd be nice to have a room of my own and some space.

It's the seven of us in a four-bedroom apartment with three bathrooms (One in Vanitas's, One in Mom and Dads, and one down the hall) on the second floor, and the bar is our kitchen before and after closing, our TVs and electronics are in our room and our laundry room is part of the garage. It's not much, but to me it's home.

"Hey, Ven." I greeted folding my arms behind my head.

"Sup' brother? Namine leave?" Ven asked before plopping down on his bed that was only a few feet from mine.

"Yeah." Damn, I was really craving a cigarette right now.

"She seems like a nice girl." Ventus continued.

"She is." Damn you, Axel for getting me hooked on tobacco.

"Pretty, too."

"Beautiful." I corrected, even though my back was facing him I could feel him smiling at me.

"So you really like her, huh?"

"I love her,"

"But she hasn't moved her that long ago?"

"So?" I had a sharp edge to my voice, and I didn't know why.

We were silent for a moment before Ventus spoke up again,

"Just, don't let Xion find out….about you two I mean."

Are you for real?

I sat up in my bed to face my twin brother, he was serious and that made his remark even worse.

"I don't give a shit what Xion thinks, she doesn't own me." I snarled, my patience was running real thin now.

Ventus nodded looking guilty before laying back down on his bed, averting his eyes from me. He felt bad, and he should. I was so sick of him and Axel getting on my case about Xion.

Everyone at school knew she was an absolute drama Queen, and when we went out we were, apparently the 'Hottest-well-known-couple.' and Axel and Ventus now warn me of her emotions and shit now that I dumped her ass and went for Namine.

Big whoptie doo.

I sighed, "Look, I'm sorry for being such an ass but I really wish that everyone would stop warning me about new relationships because of Xion. I dumped her, we're over, and that is that."

Ventus rolled on his stomach and buried his face in his pillow. "I know, Man." His voice was all muffly and I couldn't fight of a smile from how ridiculous he sounded. "She's just…one freaky chick…"

I laughed with him as Denzel raced in our room, his shaggy brown hair resembled a bird's nest and he was breathing loudly like he's just ran a mile.

Ven tossed his pillow on the floor and sat up on his knees to look at our gasping little brother. I chuckled as Denzel grabbed the door frame while he wheezed for his breath back.

"What's up. Denny? Stairs to much for ya?"

Just than mom appeared in the door way behind Denzel, her crimson-brown eyes seemed to be glowing. When my mothers eyes were glowing that always was a good sign.

"Boys…I just got off the phone with your father…he and Vanitas are at the hospital right now."

"Marlene…." Was all I could say before mom was hugging me tightly in her arms and sobbing into my shoulder.

"She woke up! She woke up! My baby girl's alright!" Mom cried into my shoulder taking me by surprise. My mother was a very tough women, she's always been that way and it took a lot and I mean, a LOT…to get my mother crying.

I had that part of me as well, but here I was right now, crying like a baby and hugging my mom tightly while my two brothers just smiled and laughed at our sappy reactions.

After a few moments mom released me from her bone crushing grip and pulled me up to my feet.

"Come on," She said wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Let's go and be there for your baby sister."

Dad and Vanitas had just came out of Marlene's room once we got to the Hospital. I swallowed hard as Dad gave mom, Ven, and Denzel a stiff nod, letting them know they could go in.

He stopped me by placing a hand on my shoulder once I started in the room. I looked at my father bewildered. Did he actually think I was going to hurt her again? Did he not trust me anymore? Hm, I actually don't blame him.

I took a deep breath as I dropped my gaze from my fathers eyes. I wasn't sure what to say or what to ask, so I stayed silent and waited for him to speak or Vanitas.

"You can go in…when your mother and brothers have finished their time with her." My dad said slowly, I looked up at him. Shocked.

He still trusted me alone with her?

"W-What?" I stuttered, making sure I didn't miss hear him.

Vanitas rolled his amber-color eyes at me and snorted. "She wants to visit with you alone, idiot."

"Vanitas." Dad warned dropping his hand from my shoulder to rub his forehead.

"Van, can I have some time alone with dad?" I asked without thinking. Van studied me for a second before shrugging and heading off to the waiting room. Dad leaned up against the wall and folded his arms across his chest, his muscles were like huge bumps on his arms.

"Yes, Roxas?" He asked in that typical calm voice of his.

I sighed before leaning up against the wall behind me.

"When Marlene fell from the tree…" I started watching dad's eyes turn to stone.

"Don't." He warned me, but I ignored him, I've tried so many times to explain the story to him about Marlene's accident, even mom tried, but he refused to listen. He'd just shut us out or leave the room and say it was his fault for being such a careless father.

"When Marlene fell from the tree…" I repeated watching dad's jaw clench tightly. "It was because she wanted to climb trees, and I didn't take no for an answer, I didn't think that this would happen-"

"Roxas." Dad nearly pleaded, closing his eyes shut.

"NO! Dad, just listen! I know you don't want to hear it but you need to! So just…hear me out! please!"

Great, now I was crying again.

"Marlene's coma…was all my fault…" I continued wiping away my tears and probably smudging my eyeliner. "She fell from that tree because….because I was being the careless one…not you, dad, you are everything BUT careless. You keep the doors locked to our home twenty-four seven when the bar's closed, you check up on us every night when we're sleeping and go mental when we're not home and in bed, you always drive under twenty miles when either Denzel or Marlene are riding on the fenrir with you and have them wear helmets when they're just SITTING on the bike! You watch mom like a hawk when she's had a rough day and always lock up your swords and even the kitchen knifes when you or mom are not home!"

Dad opened his eyes and looked at me carefully.

"Dad…you're more than our father, you're like our guardian, our body guard….our protector. You risk your own life to protect and care for us, the only person in this family who doesn't see it is you…"

Dad stayed silent, but his eyes never left mine. Seconds turned to minutes, maybe hours…before I did what I haven't done in a long time.

I walked over to him and hugged him tightly. He tensed but relaxed a few moments later before slowly returning my hug. Since dad is working for Shinra with his best friend, Zack dad hasn't been good with physical-contact. From the things he's seen and experienced.

He'll even jump when Mom touches him suddenly, but it never took him long to relax within her touch, the rest of us were usually to frightened or worried to touch dad. The last time I've hugged my father when Denzel was born seven years ago. I was ten years old then.

Now, here I am at seventeen in a hospital hallway, nearly hugging the life out of my father.

He patted my back gently. "I'm glad you're more like your mother, strong and wise."

I laughed at that before letting my father go. "I don't know, I'm pretty shy at school…."

Dad's lips quirked into an almost-smile, just as Ventus, Denzel, and mom came out of the room and into the hallway. Dad's eyes met mom's almost instantly, they were full of concern and love and would break any romance-movie-directors heart. I don't think that anyone could look so in love as the way my father does when he's looking at my mother.

It was almost sort of….endearing…. and of course I'd never speak of this out loud to anyone because that would send my bad-boy reputation into a sappy-cheese-bag.

"Everything okay?" Dad asked mom who nodded, smiling warmly up at him.

"The doctors want to keep Marlene for tonight to make sure her oxygen and pulse levels are normal, they say she's very lucky, considering she has no brain damage."

Thank God.

I watched mom caress dad's untamed spikes before her eyes shifted to mine. She gave me a small nod.

"Go on, Marlene's been asking for you."

I swallowed hard and mouthed an okay, giving one last nod to my father before walking in the hospital room finding my baby sister sitting up in her hospital bed….awake…..

"Roxas!" She cried spreading out her skinny little arms for me.

I could only smile and except her hug, I knew if I spoke I'd start bawling like a sissy girl and Marlene would be pissed at me. If it was anyone in this family who was like my mother, it was Marlene, and I don't just mean by looks.

"Well, are you going to say something?" Marlene demanded when I was quiet for a while. I sniffed loudly, letting her go and sitting down in a chair by her bedside. She looked down at me smiling brightly.

She looked healthy, she was really okay.

I smiled back at her. "You're one tough cookie, Marls."

Marlene beamed. "Just like Mom, right!?"

I nodded. "Just like Mom."

"Good! It's gonna take more than just one girl in this house to keep you boys in line!"

That sent me into an uproar of laughter, I wasn't sure if it was because she was perfectly fine now or if it was because that statement was absolutely true.

"So….when can I meet her? Your Girlfriend, Namine?"

I stopped laughing and studied my sister carefully. "How did you…."

"-Denzel!" We both said together laughing.

Denzel told Marlene everything. He was the one that I felt most sorry for during Marlene's crisis. He was mad at me for a while, and didn't speak to me for at least a week. I didn't blame him of course.

"Soon." I promised her before taking her little hand in mine and holding it tight, like she were going to vanish, but she wasn't going anywhere.

Not this time.

A/N: YAY! Marlene's awake! And I KNOW Cloud's story in SOLDIER is WAY different from what I have in my story, but I changed it up. Sorry if you don't like it. Anywys, thanks for all your kindness and support! I can not thank you all enough! Stay tuned, there is more coming! :) Sorry, no shout outs...I was to lazy XD

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING but Nora! :D