Author's note: hello! forevermagik13 here again! Some of you may remember this scene as it appears in 'Dead Inside.' If I remember correctly, the chapter is entitled 'Thoughts of Home.' This is just Vexen's take on the scene. And he's funny.

Vexen sat on one of the couches in the Couch Room as Joseph affectionately called it. To the rest of the Replicas, it was merely the lounge. It was close to the entrance hall and was often in a state of repair because the Marluxia Replicas on Saix's side seemed to take enjoyment out of ruining said couches with their scythes.

However, it had been nearly two weeks since the last attack and the lounge had become rather peaceful.

Vexen was currently writing out his thoughts on Sora's memory. He had a thesis and everything. However, Joseph kept working his way into the margins. Joseph had a habit of doing that—even when he wasn't even there.

On one of the couches across from Vexen, sat Riku. He was currently staring at the picture that Namine had drawn for him. It had been a habit he'd picked up recently—mostly since the addition of Sora to Castle Oblivion. Vexen figured it was because now that Sora had been found, Riku had more time to think about other things—until he found something that grabbed all of his attention. Though, at the rate he was going, Namine was going to be that something.

The only other people in the room were 6, who was playing with some of Joseph's Legos; and a Marluxia Replica who was leaning back in a chair and snoring.

"I want to go home…" Riku mumbled softly.

Vexen's ears perked up. He turned to a blank page of his notebook, about to write another extensive report on the connection between his Riku and the New Namine. Granted, the report would probably turn out to be much like the other reports—all of which ended with Vexen saying that he couldn't make any further conclusions without observing the New Namine.

Riku sighed. Vexen waited for him to say something else, but he didn't.

Instead, Riku gasped in pain. He clutched his head and squeezed his eyes shut, as if trying to ward off some horrible headache.

Vexen then began scribbling possible reasons as to why Riku had a headache.

.

1. Data Corruption (heaven forbid)

2. A lack of using the Repair Program

3. Merely being too old of a replica

4. A connection with the Real Riku

5. ?

.

"What the heck?" Riku wheezed.

Vexen was unsure whether or not Riku knew he was speaking aloud.

"Are you alright?" Vexen asked, standing up.

"It's just a headache," Riku muttered.

Vexen frowned, knowing full-well that what he had just witnessed was not merely a headache. However, he didn't want to argue with Riku too much—it never ended well.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, against his better judgment.

"Yes," Riku responded, rubbing his temples. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

He moved over to where Riku was.

Riku frowned.

"Oh," he muttered. "It's you."

Riku then got the face that he always did when he had an encounter with Vexen. His nose wrinkled up, his mouth drew into a line and his eyes looked down and off to the side.

"Yes, it's me," Vexen said, trying to hide his annoyance. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No," Riku said quickly.

Vexen knew he was lying. He sat down on the couch next to Riku. Riku tried to suppress a groan. Vexen pretended that Riku didn't even start to groan.

"You're positive you're alright?" Vexen asked.

"It's just a headache," Riku repeated. Vexen could detect the tenseness in Riku's voice and frowned.

Rather than upset Riku further by pressing the issue of the headache, Vexen took notice of the picture that was still sitting in Riku's lap. Vexen had never seen this picture before. Riku probably hadn't shown it to anyone.

The picture contained both Riku and Namine. The two of them were holding hands. Vexen raised his eyebrows at this. He was positive that the Original Namine had not drawn this. Therefore, the New Namine must have. Perhaps the relationship between the two of them was stronger than he had originally surmised.

Well, maybe not stronger… but different.

Vexen reached out to grab the picture.

"Hey!" Riku said, swatting Vexen's hand away.

Vexen ignored him and proceeded to take the picture to get a closer look at it—even though it wasn't going to help him much.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Nothing," Riku replied quickly. "It's…"

He groaned and rubbed his head.

"Can I have it back?" he asked, his tone of voice clearly stating that he wasn't in the mood for this at the moment.

Vexen handed it back to him. Riku looked surprised for a moment, but hid it. Vexen thought about scolding him for thinking so little of him, but decided against it.

"Thanks," Riku mumbled.

"Still pining after Namine, are we?" Vexen asked.

"Pining!" Riku asked, his voice quickly rising in anger. "It's never been that! It's… I don't know what it is…"

He grew silent after that, resuming the rubbing of his temples.

Vexen sighed and went back to the couch opposite the room. He figured that if he tried to say anything else to Riku, he'd end up missing a limb—and he couldn't heal by use of the Repair Program.

He flipped open to an older page of his notebook—one of the first reports he had written on the connection between Riku and the New Namine.

.

What is his connection to this New Namine? This Replicated Namine, formed from his own memories? He certainly seems to care for her quite a bit. He is definitely tense to the subject anytime I, or anyone else, brings it up. I know he's threatened to murder Joseph on many occasions regarding it. (Though, I gather Joseph gets death threats from more than just Riku. I'm not sure why though, he's such a nice kid.)

Riku obviously wants to protect this New Namine. But do his feelings go further than just protection? Is such a thing even possible?

I must do more research.

Though, it would be much easier if this New Namine were here, so I could observe how the two interact.

.

Vexen looked that over, frowning in thought. He flipped back to his blank page to write more.

.

Is my Riku capable of love and affection? I did not Program him for such things, but I have learned several times over that the Heart is unpredictable. The Real Riku was definitely capable of love, regardless of whether or not he felt such an emotion during his stay in Castle Oblivion. Could the Riku Replica pick up on some of that? Or would that have been interrupted when the Original Namine rewrote his heart?

In addition to this, is this New Namine capable of love and affection? If Riku is, she certainly is—since she was made from his memories.

So it all comes down to whether or not Riku is.

I will have to wait and see.

And, as usual, this would be a lot easier to research if the New Namine were here as well.

.

After a while, Riku got up and went to his room. The Marluxia woke from his slumber and went elsewhere as well. Joseph and Sora returned from their trip to Twilight Town and Joseph screamed at 6 for having his Legos. Sora snorted and started walking to his room.

Vexen got up and stretched, figuring he hadn't pestered Alpha in a while in regards to the computer—he might as well. He kept telling Alpha he might be able to figure out the Master Override Codes, since he was a Vexen after all…

Hey, stay tuned for Joseph the Banana King!