The hammer came down on its head with tremendous force. It made the thing follow momentum and go to the left to make it land on its back before the man got on top of it. He quickly got to his knees and straddled the dead being's torso, bringing the tool to hit it in the face again. He repeated this action three more times.

On the last blow to its face, the thing had ceased its sounds and the head decided to hang onto the weapon. This made Axel frown and yank on the hammer a couple times. While the tool was being taken out of the thing's face, there was a suction sound and the redhead could hear the small blonde let out his noise of disgust.

When it was free, the man dropped the hammer on the floor before letting out a sigh and standing up. He watched as the other young man backed away from the pool of blood that was inching towards his feet then up at his face. He also took note of the frown that was on the other's face. "Hey ya, Roxas," he said carefully.

Looking up at the green eyed man, the blonde seemed uncertain about what had just happened. "…Did you kill it?" he asked in a hesitant tone.

"I…I think something else did," the criminal answered. "Y'know, before I got here…"

Dark blue eyes appeared to widen as Roxas bit his lower lip. "He must've been the one screaming I heard a few days ago…"

Axel allowed his own frown to develop on his face. "You've been all by yourself through this?" he questioned.

"Yes," the young man said sadly and looked down at their feet. "I would really like for Cloud and Sephiroth to come home now…"

The older man licked his lips. "I…think that'll be a while, y'know…?"

Roxas' shoulders seemed to drop when the words hit his ears. "Right… I just…don't wanna be alone anymore…"

"Hey," the redhead began gently, resting his hand on the teen's shoulder, "I'll stay with ya until we find your brother and…"

"…his boyfriend…?"

"Right and I'll be there for ya," Axel assured him. "You're not gonna be alone anymore."

After he gave the older male a nod, the teen looked up at the redhead. He didn't know who this person was, but he didn't care. He seemed to be genuinely concerned about his wellbeing and all that jazz… Perhaps he was having some good luck at the time being. "Now what're we gonna do?" he asked.

Green eyes locked with dark blue ones as Axel thought of what to do. They could choose to either wait until dusk or they could go find help right now. Which was the better plan though?

If they were to wait for sunset, they wouldn't be seen as easily. They could get by anybody or anything they wanted! Of course, they then would have to pass the time for nighttime to come around as well as find shelter. It wasn't like he knew what those things could do at night either, and that was something he probably didn't want to find out just yet…

On the other hand, if the both of them were to leave the house now, they might find someone to help them. Lady Luck would need to hang over them for that scenario to happen, and, if it were not to happen that way, something would happen to at least one of them. Was that risk really worth it?

I feel like my pick is a bad choice, he thought after he had decided on which plan they were going to go through.

"Axel…?"

"We gotta get outta here before nightfall," he instructed. "We need to find some help."

Roxas nodded his head in agreement. "Good idea," he praised. "It's not all that safe at night…"

Taking a few steps forward as the blonde turned around, the criminal squeezed his shoulder gently while they stood in the sliding glass door frame. "Stay close by," he whispered.

"Okay…"

Following the smaller man out of the house, the redhead made his way to the railing of the deck. He looked around while the teen had turned around and shut the sliding door behind them. When he turned his head to look at him, the other male gave him a look that he wasn't sure of what it meant and he watched as the other started to walk ahead of him before starting on the way himself.

Using the railing as support, Axel limped as fast as he was able to the stairs and down them. He wasted no time when he touched the cement, hobbling along behind Roxas who was heading to an iron gate. Both of them then crouched down, even though there was nothing to shield them, when they saw two people with their backs to them, attempting to push cars around.

A young woman with long, blonde hair that was pulled back into a braid grunted and groaned along with her silver haired male companion as they pushed against a red Volvo. With a huff, the female quit her pushing and pulled on her black and white, plaid button up shirt before she placed her hands on her hips while the man crossed his arms. For the life of them, they couldn't seem to get the machine moving. "Jeez…" she trailed off with a pout.

"Can't head home to Grandpa Xehanort at this rate," the muscled male said with a shake of his head.

Sighing, the lady said, "This completely stinks!"

"He's gonna be pissed," the man muttered. "It's hot dish night tonight…"

Roxas and Axel stayed in their positions near the fence and watched the other two people begin pushing the Volvo again until they were sure they were safe. When the young man didn't move, the redhead stepped forward and was about to open the gate on his own when something in his head told him to look back at the blonde. After he did so, he noticed the other staring down at their feet before he kneeled down. "What's up…?" he asked quietly.

"I-I dunno if I should go," Roxas murmured.

Axel raised a short, red eyebrow. "What're you saying?"

With a sigh, the blonde looked at the older man and into his green eyes. "I really don't wanna stay another night in the tree house, but 'm not sure if I should go," he explained. "What if Cloud and Sephiroth come back?"

The redhead smiled a small, gentle smile. "I won't let ya be alone again," he said. "'M sure we'll find the both of them."

Keeping silent, the teen nodded and watched the other male open the gate. "Yo…!" he heard the other exclaim then rubbed his forehead while the two people before them flipped when they turned to face them.

"Holy shit…!" the silver haired male exclaimed.

"Please, don't eat us!" the blonde female begged.

With a chuckle, Axel said with his hands up in defense, "We ain't gonna get chya."

Both the man and the woman let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank goodness!" the girl exclaimed. "Thought the both of you were gonna give us the bite!"

"Either of you know what the fuck's goin' on here at all?" the criminal asked while scratching the back of his head.

Shaking her head, the only female crossed her arms. "No clue," she replied. "You've seen it as well then?" She looked back at a white, soccer mom van with another dead being next to it before turning back to the redhead.

He stared at the thing for a short moment then looked back at the blonde woman. "You can say that…"

"Anyways, I'm Naminé." She smiled a small smile.

"This's Roxas," he said while indicating to the blonde, young man. "I'm Axel."

"Ansem…" the silver haired one answered shortly.

Naminé looked around a little bit from the spot she was standing in before biting her lip and turning her attention back to the redhead and other blonde. If they didn't get moving, something was gonna happen which she wasn't exactly too thrilled about that little tidbit. "Shouldn't be out like this," she stated. "Help us with moving some cars around and we'll take you and your son outta here to my daddy's farm. I'm sure it's a lot better there."

"I'm not his pop," the redhead said in a tone that sounded as if he were offended. "I'm…"

Shit, Axel thought, should I tell them the truth or otherwise?

Three thoughts ran through his mind: he was a neighbor, just some guy, or he was his acquaintance.

If he was to say he was a neighbor, then one of them could probably question him about the neighborhood and figure out his lie.

If he was to say he was an acquaintance, they would buy the lie until something that could come up and bring his fib to the light.

If he was to say he was just some guy… Who knows what the two of them would do or think.

They'll probably think Imma pedo or something if I tell them I'm just some guy, he thought sourly.

"Hello…?" the blonde woman called. "Earth to Axel…! Where'd ya go?"

"I'm just some guy," Axel said, pushing away his negative thoughts.

Naminé gave him a surprised expression. "A random dude…?" she asked. She watched the redhead nod before looking at Roxas. "He's been all by himself through this? Wow…" She shook her head and uncrossed her arms. "Well, let's get a move on," she said. "It's a bad idea to stay in the same place for too long."

Axel turned his head to see the young man that had apparently moved to stand behind him. "You okay with this…?"

Roxas tilted his head up and eyed the address on his house before he responded. "I…guess…"

"Eep, there's more of the monsters!" the woman squeaked.

"We've gotta go now," Ansem growled and crouched down next to a dark blue Corolla, acting as if he were keeping watch.

The woman positioned herself against the red Volvo, getting ready to push. "Axel," she called quietly. "Come gimme a hand with this stupid thing!"

Doing as he was instructed, the redhead limped over to the woman and pressed his hands against the machine. Both he and Naminé pushed with all of their strength and got it to move halfway out of a black truck's way. They pushed again, but couldn't get it to move again and the panic immediately was evident in the female's dark blue eyes. Roxas noticed this and rushed over himself and pushed as well along with Axel and Naminé.

Much to everyone's relief, the three of them were able to move the car the rest of the way and, in a quick manner, the four of them got around the black truck before opening the doors.

Naminé hopped in on the driver's side and started the car while Roxas climbed in to sit in the middle seat with Axel in tow. She waited until Ansem got into the bed of the truck before she slammed her foot on the gas pedal and sped off. "For a random guy, you seem to have saved a whole buncha lives tonight," she pointed out as she drove over a curb to cut a corner.

With a saddened look, the blonde young man watched his home become farther away each second as they traveled after he had turned around in his seat. He could only hope that Cloud and Sephiroth hadn't decided to come back yet and were still in Hollow Bastion.

"Hey, watch it, Nam!" Ansem yelled. "I'm still living, ya know!"

"Sorry, just trying to get there faster!" she announced. "Hold on and don't bop out!"

I could so say something about women drivers right now, the redhead thought.

"Don't even think about saying anything about female drivers, Axel," Naminé growled.

He gaped at her. "I didn't even say a damn word!"

The woman smirked. "I gotta sixth sense that works like that," she told him.

Axel looked away from the blonde female and out the window that was to his right. "Knew women were loco," he muttered.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, nothing… I said nothing."

"That's what I thought."