Rhiannon: Those of you still with me on this journey... thank you for your continued support. Sorry about all the weird updating and what not. This week was the first week of class and I was settling in my roomie and all that. Well, here's what you really came for.

-)-

Chapter 26—Blooming Flowers

Sora relayed everything that had happened in his 'dream' to Tifa and Cloud he felt better. He also felt better about the fact that he did remember Riku. From every fight, ice cream trips and sleepovers… and every kiss, what few brief ones there were. He wanted to kiss his Riku like and the dream Riku had.

In turn Cloud and Tifa told him about their encounter with Sephiroth. The words he'd spoken and about Vincent Valentine. Sora looked down at his hands. Being around Tifa and Cloud was vastly different then being around Demyx and Leon. Leon wasn't a hero… he had spent his life in training to become a guide. Demyx had spent his um… existence collecting nobodies. But Cloud and Tifa were heroes in their own right, waging a fight against Hojo and his legions of experiments while Kairi, Riku and himself were safe at home playing on the Islands.

"Then once we get back Riku, Leon and Kairi… We'll go see Vincent Valentine!" He told them eagerly.

"Why would you… do that?" Cloud asked.

"Because you two are my friends. And it's obvious that this means… a lot to you." He reached for Cloud's hand and gave it a squeeze. "That's what friends do."

"All right then…When the time comes… You can accompany us to visit Vincent."

"You won't mind if Riku comes right? He'll probably never want to leave my side after this." Sora smiled at them brightly.

"Of course not." Tifa smiled at him brightly and tugged a long spike. "But first… let's go get them."

"Course!" Sora cried and turned and bounded up to the next set or doors.

-)-

Axel had, had a lot on his mind from the past few days, from his past few experiences. The feelings he'd had for Roxas scared him, if he was going to be honest. He had known, the minute that he'd seen the younger boy, that that is why he'd done as he had been bade by his father's advisor. That Roxas was why he'd killed his heartless. He had never suspected though, that at some point he'd actually get a heart. Especially since all of his plans had pretty much ended at 'keeping Roxas and Sora safe.'

"There you are." The calm voice of Roxas spoke behind him. He spun around slowly to see the younger teen walk forward awkwardly. Because that's what they were now. Awkward. Having a heart kind of sucked, when he really thought about it.

"Yeah." This was actually the first time they'd been together in the first district since they'd come back to Radiant Garden almost two weeks ago. Usually they made sure they met while the other was on patrol, too alert at what might happen to have any awkwardness between them.

"You're avoiding me." There was something glassy about Roxas' eyes, almost like tears but even if there were, Axel was sure that Roxas wasn't about to cry in front of him.

"I… yeah I am…" He admitted because he knew there was no excuse for his actions.

"I thought." The blond looked so upset and it tore at Axel. "You told me you loved me."

"I do!" Axel grabbed his arms. "I told you that I would never—"

"Don't say that." Roxas turned and walked away. "Don't say that when you suddenly don't want to ever be around me."

Axel sighed deeply, it was time to own up to a lot of things. Things that he didn't want to tell Roxas at all. He tugged his pale hand and pulled him to a nearby bench that ran the length of the church that the red head had decided to hide in.

"When I first met you… when I brought you to the Organization… I knew that it would have been love at first sight. I knew that you were the person that I was looking for." He sighed deeply. "I… I ripped my heart from my own body to save my world. I killed my heartless so that I could find you. And when I found you… none of my plans went beyond… beyond protecting you and Sora. I never expected to get a heart. I never expected that I would have to really deal with the full onslaught of my feelings." Axel closed his eyes and jumped when Roxas hand curled around his. "I never thought they'd be so… powerful."

"Powerful?" Roxas sounded painfully young in that moment and Axel felt that all too keenly.

"Yeah…" He stared down at his feet. "I guess I should just show you…"

"Show me?" Roxas asked and Axel rolled his eyes, surely the blond understood that.

He turned to the younger boy and leaned forward and slowly pressed his lips to his. Roxas jumped and Axel hoped that a fist wasn't about to come his way as he pulled the younger boy closer and gently pushed his tongue passed unresisting lips. He felt the blond sigh against his lips and moved forward kissing him hungrily. Maybe Roxas would understand now, maybe he would feel what he was feeling.

"Axel." The world was so soft he thought he hadn't heard it but he had heard the meaning under it. 'Stop.'

He pulled back quietly and saw that Roxas was staring up at him with a peculiar look on his face. Axel felt his heart break, maybe he was wrong about the way Roxas felt? Even after… but no, Roxas moved closer and laid his head against him tentatively.

"You're right… it is powerful." He whispered, his most breath damping his shirt. "But I… I don't want it to stop."

"It doesn't have to stop Roxas. There's no one here to tell us it does." He told him and then daringly kissed his mouth and couldn't resist a shudder as Roxas leaned up into him and took control of the kiss. After all, who was going to stop them?

-)-

Marluxia smiled and slowly walked up to the pods and pressed their release buttons. He smiled as Naminè looked at him from the corner of the room with troubled eyes. Marluxia smiled at her, pushing pink hair over his shoulder and smiled at her brightly.

"It's almost time." The flowering pods slowly opened and the figures laid their, against the petal-like back wall, nestled in their containers, still fast asleep.

Marluxia turned to the door and lifted his pink scythe high in the air and waited. "It wouldn't be long now." The doors slowly pushed open and they both waited.

-)-

Sora walked, almost happy-go-lucky as they passed through room after room. The nobodies were getting more and more powerful but not to the point that any of them were all that worried. He pushed open another door and a seemingly endless staircase lay before them. They'd reached the tower.

"Race ya to the top!" He cried before he spun around and ran up the steps with Cloud and Tifa following behind.

They laughed as they ran up the steps, it sound false within in their own ears, but the thought that they were almost at the end, that this could be finally over, made them overjoyed. They stopped at the large pristine white doors.

"This is it… either we get them back… or we get them back." Sora stated firmly.

"No two ways about it huh?" Tifa asked as she paused and dug inside her bag.

"What are you doing?" Cloud asked as he looked at her.

"Praying for a little luck." She pulled out a small and delicate necklace. "This is the necklace that Marlene made for me."

"Who's Marlene?" Sora asked as he stared at the clumsily made necklace.

"Our friend Barret's daughter. She's very brave. Commendable." Cloud murmured as he leaned against the wall.

Tifa bent her head down and closed her eyes. Sora took this moment to really examine the woman. She was tall and shapely, that he could admit, clad in black all the way down to her sneakers. Around one strong bicep was a red string that he'd often seen her stroke and he idly wondered if Cloud had one too. Her hair was the inkiest black he'd ever seen as it fell over her shoulders, almost as dark as a shadow heartless.

"For luck." She whispered as she opened her large brown eyes.

"For luck." Cloud agreed and gave them both an almost smile.

"Yeah, luck." Sora added his own bright grin before he turned and open the doors. "And this is for Riku, Leon and Kairi."