A/N: Soooo...sorry that it took me so long to update this. I'm working on a lot of stuff right now and real world shit keeps jumping up and biting me in the ass so yeah...

I promise to have the end of TMFOBTH up really soon.

All lyrics in this Chapter belong to Katy Perry.

All characters in this Chapter belong to Square Enix.

I was awoken the next day by the feeling of someone messing with the bandages on my back. I groaned as I felt the stiffness in my body from laying in the same position all night.

"Mom?" I asked as whoever was here started to pull the bandages away.

"Yes dear?" she said. I hissed a little as the bandage stuck to some parts of the wound.

"Can I have more drugs please?" I asked, through clenched teeth. "And then possibly get out of this bed?"

"Let me get this cleaned and re-bandaged and we'll see what we can do." she said. "Oh Roxas." she whispered once the bandages had come all the way off. I sighed and shook my head.

"I know, its bad. How did I get caught up in this?" I said, not really expecting an answer.

"I don't know love but I wish you'd get out." she muttered as she started on the wound with the cream. I hissed and squirmed a little. "Cid is interested in buying the company off of you."

"That's fantastic." I said through my teeth as I tried to keep from whimpering.

"Yes he says he'll get into contact with you as soon as he can." she said as she continued on my back.

"Okay Mom." I said as I buried my face into my pillow, trying to keep from making any noise. She finished up after what felt like forever. She redressed my back and then helped me sit up. I groaned as my back protested to the movement. "Easy, don't over do it." she said as I tried to move myself to the edge of the bed.

"Could I get some pain pills now?" I asked as I let my legs hang over the edge of the bed.

"Sure love. Give me a moment." she said as she moved toward the door. "Don't try to get up just yet, let me get your brother." I sighed and rubbed my face. A few moments later Cloud appeared in my door way.

"Need some help?" he asked as he moved toward me. I frowned at him but nodded.

"Yeah, I've got to pee." I mumbled as he wrapped my arm around his shoulder and his around my waist.

"Ok, 1, 2, 3." He pulled me to my feet and I would have fallen right back down if not for his arm around my waist.

"Fuuuuuuuck!" I hissed as my back caught fire with the pain.

"Easy. Lets take this one step at a time." he said as he took on most of my weight. I took a hesitant step toward the door and groaned.

"God you never realize how much you use your back till its not there to use." I growled as we made another step forward. He chuckled a little.

"I can only imagine." he said as we made it to the door. It was a long process but eventually we got to the bathroom and I was allowed to relieve myself. After, Cloud helped me into the living room and got me situated on the couch (which was a hard task all on its own, how do you sit when your back is one big giant wound?). Mom made us lunch and then Leon arrived to relieve Cloud of his baby sitting duty's.

"I am not some child that needs babysitting." I snapped as Cloud was leaving and Leon was in the kitchen.

"Really?" came Leon's voice. "Have you managed to get to the bathroom on your own yet?" he asked and I gave him the finger, even though he couldn't see it. Cloud chuckled.

"Just relax Rox," he said "As soon as your better, we'll go back to watching you from a distance." With a wave he was gone, leaving me even more pissed.

"You've been watching me from a distance?" I asked in outrage. Leon came around the corner, chuckling.

"But of course!" he said, "Whenever Vincent wasn't..."

"Do NOT say his name!" I seethed, my teeth bared. Leon held up his hands.

"Okay, calm down killer." he said. "We would hang out around the building when he-who-must-not-be-named wasn't here." He set in a dinning room chair that Cloud had been using early. I grunted a bit and rolled my eyes.

"Axel is such an over protective ass hat." I grumbled as shifted my gaze to the TV.

"That he is kid, but you chose to hang around here when you knew it was only going to bring trouble." he said as he stretched out his legs.

"Yeah, guess that makes me a masochist...or is it sadist? Ugh I always get them confused, whatever." I said, rambling a little. Leon just chuckled and stared at the television screen were two women were currently fighting over who was the baby daddy or some crap like that. I sighed shifted my position a little when some one knocked.

"I'll get it!" My mom called from the kitchen but Leon was out of his chair and moving faster then I've ever seen him move.

"Its alright, I'll get it Mom. Go and relax in the living room." I heard Leon say from the other side of the wall.

"Alright." She said with a huff and she came into view, taking up the chair Leon had vacated. "How are you feeling love?" She asked me once she was seated.

"I'm alright I guess. Accept this giant gaping wound on my back." I grumbled. She gave me 'The Look' and I shut up just in time to hear Leon ask 'who is it' through the door. I didn't hear the reply but Leon opened the door and must have went out because I didn't hear any voices.

"Alright. So what did Axel mean last night about you trying to take home his brother?" my mother asked and I groaned.

"Mom, I don't want to talk about it." I said, burying my face in the couch cushion.

"Well thats just too bad because your going to tell me." she said and I huffed and glared at her.

"I got really drunk and ran into Reno at a club, we were on our way back here when Axel showed up. I had no actual intention of sleeping with Reno but Axel jumped to conclusions." My mom just clucked her tongue and rolled her eyes.

"Roxas, a drunk mans intentions are never far away from his penis." she said and I gaped at her.

"Mom!" I said with my mouth hanging open. She just glared at me.

"You know, you've put yourself in a difficult situation. If I were you I wouldn't go making it more complicated then it has to be." she said in her most annoying, know it all voice. I growled into the couch cushion but said nothing back. We fell into silence for a few moments before the front door opened and Leon came back in followed by someone else. I lifted my head up off the couch just as he came around the corner.

"Axel's here." he said just as the red head appeared around the corner as well. I froze as soon as my eyes met his. His face was carefully blank as he turned to my mother and greeted her. Today he was wearing blue jeans (the first I had seen since I had been back) and a black v-neck.

"I'm fine Axel dear, I was just leaving. I need to get home and check on the house." She said as she stood and came over to me.

"You don't have to go Mom." I said as she bent and kissed my cheek.

"I'll be back in a few hours dear." she said with a smile as she patted my head.

"I'll walk you down." Leon said as he picked up my Moms bag and followed her out the door. Axel picked up the chair my mother had been in and set it in front of me, blocking my view of the television. He set, his legs crossed as well as his arms and fixed his unwavering green gaze on me.

"How does your back feel?" he asked. I rolled my eyes but pushed myself up till I was on my hands and knees, and then very, very carefully got my self sitting up right. I had to keep my back straight and keep it from touching the couch so it was uncomfortable but better then trying to have a conversation laying down on my stomach.

"It hurts, as expected but the pain pills keep it distant mostly." I said as I got myself comfortable as best I could.

"That's good." he said as he uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "I came over to apologize." I went very still, my eyes searching his face for some kind of flicker of emotion.

"Apologize?" I asked, my voice carefully blank. I didn't want to get to excited. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"Yes, in all the chaos of last night I never got to apologize for you getting taken. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to keep that from happening. I have severely punished those who were responsible for watching you but I know it isn't enough." he said and I felt a little anger rising.

"That's what your apologizing for?" I asked, my voice a low growl. He looked up at me, his eyes wary of my mood change.

"Am I not suppose to apologize?" he asked.

"Yes, you should but there are so many other things you should be apologizing for!" I hissed, glaring at him.

"Well lets start with that. We will discuss the Vincent issue later." he said as he set back in his chair again. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, no need to start an argument, just chill. I opened my eyes again and found him watching me.

"Alright, fine. I accept your apology for the kidnapping thing. Why did I get kidnapped?" I asked, watching his reaction. I saw his face shut down and I knew I wasn't going to get an answer. "Okay, who kidnapped me?" I asked instead.

"I have many enemies Roxas. It comes with the job. I can promise you it won't happen again." he said, his face still blank. I nodded my head and looked away from him, out the balcony door into the bright sunlight.

"What about the people who kidnapped me?" I asked before turning back to him. "You said you punished those who were suppose to be watching me, but what about them?" He searched my face for a moment.

"What would you like me to do about them?" he asked, his voice very, very empty. I felt my face go blank and my eyes go dead.

"Kill them." I said and then for the first time in five years I saw a piece of my Axel. His face split into his shit eating grin and he laughed. I was so shocked by the response that I leaned back into the couch and then moaned from the pain.

"Oh Roxas." he said after the laughter had subsided. "They are already dead." he said, wiping at his eyes. I gave my own little smile and he got up from the chair and set next to me on the couch. I turned my body slightly to face him and he took my face in his hands. His eyes searched my face, the smile still lingering around his mouth. "I knew you would want them dead, your brother thought it would upset you. I knew you were made of tougher shit then that." I laughed a little and then pressed my lips to his.

"Yes well, to my brother I'll always be the weakest of the family." I said as I pulled away, not quite ready to forgive.

"I also want you to know that, what I said last night is true." he said as he leaned back into the couch.

"Which part?" I asked as I stared at the coffee table.

"I haven't slept with Larxene in quite some time. I can hardly remember the last time we were even in the same room with out trying to beat the shit out of each other." I glanced over and found he was staring off, his face thoughtful. "If she is pregnant there is no way its mine." he said.

"What will you do? Surely you can't come right out and accuse her?" I asked. He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"No I can't. She'll act offended and try to play the wounded pregnant wife act." he said, his face going into a scowl. "I need to get a DNA test as soon as possible, I'll have to speak with Dr. Yanc about it." he trailed off and I let the silence drift. This was the most he had shared with me since I had been home.

"I've set up some appointments I want you to keep." Axel said after a while. I turned to look at him, my eye brows raised.

"And what appointments would those be?" I asked, feeling very skeptical about whatever this was.

"Self defense lessons with the man that trains my elite. I want you to learn how to use a gun and be able to fight hand to hand." he said and his gazed shifted to me. I kept my face blank as I thought that through very carefully but I couldn't see a trick any where in it.

"Alright." I said "As soon as my back is healed, I'll start." Axel looked a little shocked but quickly recovered.

"Swear to me that you will go to these classes and try your hardest." he said as he turned his body to face me and took my hand in his. I felt a bit confused but nodded.

"Sure Axe." I said still confused. He seemed to relax a little and he kissed my forehead before leaning his forehead against mine.

"When they called me and told me you'd been shot, I was terrified." he whispered and my heart squeezed painfully in my chest but at the same time I was tying to keep up with all the mood changes and different faces that my lover was showing me.

"I wish I knew then,

What I know now..."

"They didn't know to what extent you had been hurt because they had already sent you away with Riku and Xigbar and for the first time in a long time, I was scared." He said scared as if it were a foreign term.

"I'm sorry." I said, apologizing for what I wasn't sure but it seemed to be the only thing I could come up with.

"Wouldn't dive in,

Wouldn't bow down..."

"I don't want to ever feel fear again, especially when it comes to your safety. I want to know that even if I can't protect you that you have some kind of way of protecting yourself." he said as he pulled away from me slightly so that I was staring into green eyes again. I was feeling a little dazed and confused by all the sudden revelations and feeling sharing.

"Okay, I promise to work on it." I said and he kissed me, very gently. His hands on either side of my face, holding me still so that I wouldn't hurt myself and he pulled away again.

"I know you don't want to believe it and I know you find it hard to swallow at times but I do love you Roxas. I never stopped." he said and I felt my self cave, tears spilling down my face.

"Gravity hurts

You made it so sweet.."

"I love you too, I just don't know how to love this new you." I said as my emotions started to get the better of me. "I don't want to feel like I have to hide in my apartment all the time, I don't what to feel like I have to have a body guard with me twenty-four hours a day because someone might be waiting around the corner to take a shot at me. But most of all, I don't want to feel like I am just your thing on the side." I hid my face in my hands. "I don't want to think that your happy with that women and that your happy that she might be having your child!" I felt him shift slightly and I looked up to find him standing, facing away from me.

"I wish things had turned out different Roxas." he said after a long pause. He turned back to me and I didn't know weather to scream, cry or laugh as his faced searched mine. "But this is how it is and how it will be for a while."

"I know, but I don't have to like it." I said and he knelt in front of me, his hands cupping my face gently.

"But you will suffer in silence." he said, and I watched as the new Axel replaced the love of my life in his eyes. "And there will be no more of this other lover bull shit or I will be forced to do something drastic." he said as his thumb stroked my cheek. I pulled away from him, my back protesting.

"Til' I woke up on

On the concrete"

"I will do as I please Axel." I said as I tried to stand but found that Axel had no intention of moving. I huffed. "I'm not saying that I'm going to take a lover but I sure as hell don't need you to threaten me!"

"You say that you don't know how to love this new me." he said as he watched my face. I glared at him and opened my mouth but he beat me to it. "Then let me give you a piece of advice, give me what I want and this will work out fine. Cross me, Roxas." He grabbed my chin and pulled me forward, my back screaming in protest, as I did too. Tears sprung to my eyes as I fought the pain and tried to focus on him. "And we are going to have a disagreement and I promise that it will not be pretty." he hissed with his lips pressed to my cheek. He released my face and I fell back into the couch, sobbing as my back hit the soft fabric. "Do you understand?" he asked as he stood. I just nodded and kept my face turned away as my sobs subsided to silent tears.

"Falling from cloud 9

Crashing from the high

I'm letting go tonight

Yeah, I'm falling from cloud 9"

"I'll be back to see you with in a few days." he said and I heard him move toward the hallway that led to the door. "Roxas" he said and I looked over to him, my face a mess of tears. He smiled gently at me. "I love you."

"I'm wide awake...

Yeah, I was in the dark

I was falling hard

With an open heart"

"Go to hell Axel." I said and watched as all the love and emotions in his eyes drained away and left an empty, silent husk of a man, a man that was capable of anything. We both just stared at each other, me wondering what he would do to me now.

"I'm wide awake

How did I read the stars so wrong?

I'm wide awake"

He took a step toward me but froze when the door to the balcony opened. My head whipped around and I moaned as my back protested to the movement. I opened my eyes to find Vincent standing in the door way.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Axel snarled at the raven haired man as he shut the balcony door and took a few steps into the room. I opened my mouth to ask the same question but had to bite my tongue as Vincent's eyes slid over to me. I was still mad at Vincent but Axel was the much greater risk at the moment, he seemed to be really unstable.

"I asked him to come." I said, quickly because Vincent clearly hadn't come up with why he was here. Or at least a reason he could give to his boss. Clearly the raven haired man had been watching the apartment from the roof and had gotten a bad vibe about what was going on. Axel turned his gaze on me and I almost wished I had kept my mouth shut.

"And why would you do that?" he asked me, his voice a poisonous sweet.

"And now its clear to me

That everything you see

Ain't always what it seems.."

"I wanted to talk too him." I let my voice quiver a little. "I wanted to ask him why he did it. Why he didn't tell me." I said. Axel seemed to accept this answer but before I could blink he turned and back handed Vincent, sending the other man back a few steps. I have to admit I let out a little squeak and covered my mouth.

"I didn't give you permission to come here." he snarled as the raven haired man stood back up straight.

"If you hurt him, you will never forgive yourself." Vincent said as he locked eyes with Axel. Axel seemed to grow for a moment, as if he was preparing himself to hit Vincent again but the raven haired man acted first. One moment he was just standing there the next he was behind Axel, pinning the red heads arms behind his back with one hand. Axel snarled and fought the grip but Vincent kept hold. "Look at him!" the raven haired man snarled into his bosses ear as he forced the red head to look at me with his free hand. "Look what you're doing!" and with his free hand he forced the red head to look at me. I'm sure my face was a mess of tears and I was currently covering my mouth with both hands and trying not to sob out loud.

For a moment I didn't think it would have any effect on Axel but then, just as quickly as he jumped to violence, he deflated and went limp in Vincent's arms.

"You've made your point, let me go." he said and Vincent released him and took a few steps back. Axel gave me one last back look before he turned and left. Silence filled the room after the front door slammed shut.

"I'm wide awake

Yeah, I was dreaming for so long..."

"Thank you." I said to the raven haired bastard with out looking at him.

"I stopped it this time Roxas but as we have learned recently. I am not always around." he said. I turned to look at him my face still a mess.

"When I'm not hurt, I can hold my own against him." I said, my voice highly confident. "I don't need you."

"What you just saw could have easily escalated into one of Axel's famous tantrums. It was one of those 'tantrums' that killed Seifer. Be careful. He isn't who he use to me, no matter how badly you want him to be."

"He won't hurt me." I said, trying for confident but the crack in my voice ruined the effect. Vincent just looked at me, his face as blank and his eyes as empty as ever.

I looked away first and then he was gone again.

"I'm wide awake

Thunder rumbling

Castles crumbling

I'm wide awake

I am trying to hold on

I'm wide awake

God knows that I tried

seeing the bright side

I'm wide awake

but I'm not blind anymore.."