Muahahah! I'm getting better at this updating thing!

Enjoy~

Days past and things were alright. Not in any way how I wanted them to be but let's face it, when did things ever go my way?

Vincent was being distant at best, and at worst he was probably secretly planning on leaving as soon as he got the chance. I wanted to be able to fix this but even if I had the time I wouldn't know how to. I'd messed up and threw around words that neither of us needed or wanted.

Variedy had called after dinner that first night and had demanded he be updated on the situation now that Cloud was involved. Once I explained he begrudgingly admitted maybe getting information out of him was a better plan then us tucking tail and running.

Mom was having a blast though, and that at least was going right. Even if the three of us were actually trying to kill each other secretly we all still pulled it together for her.

"Alright Vincent, I get it." I snarled as I stormed out of our room, being sure to let the door slam behind me. I groaned in frustration and roughly ran my fingers through my hair. I started down the hall when a door opened, I turned expected Vincent but found my brother, his hands raised in an 'i'm unarmed' gesture. I closed my mouth and swallowed the insult I had been planning to throw.

"I'm just going out to smoke." He said holding up a pack of cigarettes. "Join me?"

"Sure." I said as I turned and continued down the hall way toward the front of the hotel. I heard his footsteps follow me but we said nothing till we were outside, standing by the car he and Mom had come in. He offered a cigarette and when I pulled one from the pack, his lighter as well. I lit up with the ease of practice and exahled in a long breath.

"So trouble in paradise?" He asked as he followed my lead and lit up as well. I took another long drag before answering.

"I don't think I've ever seen paradise brother. But I guess trouble is trouble regardless of scenery." I said as I leaned against the car to stare at the hotel.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked and I gave him a raised eyebrow.

"Don't you have enough problems of your own?" I asked.

"Unlike you Roxas, I know how to let things go. Leon was right to leave me, I'm not going to dwell on it. It won't do any good." He said as he let out a breath of smoke. I snorted.

"Who would have thought that the for-hire hit man is the better adjusted." I said with a smirk.

"Don't act like your better then me little brother. I can see the bulge on your lower back thats your browning and I'm sure that slight lump at your right ankle is just a sock right? And not another gun?" he said with a bit of anger. I laughed then, as I lifted my pant leg to show the smaller gun that was strapped there. Silence fell over us then as we both puffed at our cancer sticks.

"I put words to something he said to me and he didn't like my translation." I said after a while.

"Don't be cryptic Roxas." I shot him a glare.

"He told me he thought about shooting me that day you came to our door. At one point I stepped between him and you. He considered taking the shot and getting rid of the both of us. To save everyone a lot of trouble." I said as I took the last drag of the cigarette and ground it under my shoe.

"He would have saved someone the trouble in the long run." He said with a smirk as he offered me another which I waved away.

"Probably. But he said he couldn't do it." I said, my eyes going to the hotel once again. "Said just the thought of killing me made him feel sick." I felt Cloud go very still beside me.

"He told you that he loved you?" he asked and he sounded shocked. I looked over at him and couldn't help the burst of bitter laughter.

"Is it so hard to believe? After everything we've been through? All the shit we've pulled each other out of?" I asked him and he just shook his head.

"Not that he's in love with you per-say but that he can love anyone at all, I guess." He said as he ground out his cigarette now as well. "So what did you do?" He asked after he lit up again.

"Unlike you, I couldn't think around what he was trying to tell me. So I called Vareidy." I said to which my brother chocked on his cigarette smoke as he laughed. I gave an irritated huff but let him catch his breath as he chocked beside me.

"You called Variedy?" he asked, wheezing and his voice rough. "And how the hell did that go over?"

"Well he wasn't there, Phystie answered and walked me through it." I said with a little indignation lacing my voice. "I went back and had every intention of doing what any sane person would do..."

"Leave it alone?" Cloud asked, "Which I can only assume you didn't seeing as how you're both still mad."

"Why the hell would leaving it alone be the answer?! Any sane person who gets told that they're loved returns the sentiment." I snarled. Clouds face went slack.

"You didn't Roxas." he said with a tired sigh.

"Of course I did! I went back and told him I loved him!" I hissed.

"Roxas, stop, just stop. Don't get mad, let me explain this to you." he said with a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged him off.

"Fine, talk." I snarled.

"Words are important, you know that. Even if the meaning is the same, sometimes you call someone stupid and sometimes you call them an idiot, all depending on the situation and the context. A person who spent their whole life killing tells you they find that they don't have it in them to kill you, you take it for what that's worth but you don't put words to it that don't belong. It may have been a subtle declaration of love but it wasn't an 'I love you'. And throwing those words at him did nothing but scare the crap out of him." I opened my mouth to argue but he cut me off.

"He probably hadn't even made that leap yet for himself and you went and tossed it in his face." he said, his eyes fierce, trying to make me understand. I licked my lips.

"Okay, lets say you're right. How do I fix it?" I asked. "How do I take it back?" Cloud just shook his head and chuckled.

"You ought to know by now that words can't be taken back Roxas." he said. I groaned and rolled my shoulders.

"I've got to try something." I groaned.

"Well the first thing I would do is go back in there and tie him to the bed." he said and I almost chocked on my own spit.

"What?" I asked with a hint of amusement.

"He's going to bolt. Or try to, that much I am certain." he explained.

"Well if he want's to leave, I can't stop him." I remarked as we started for the building again.

"Sure you can, he's crippled, just kick his cast, or hide his crutches." It was said with such nonchalance that I couldn't help the burst of genuine laughter it pulled out of me.

"You want me to handicap the handicap?!" I asked, still laughing. He shrugged but smirked.

"Gotta do what you gotta do." he said with a grim face, only causing me to laugh harder. By the time we made it back to the room I had calmed down enough not to piss Vincent off by being too happy. I was at the door when I paused and turned back to catch Cloud just opening the door to his and Mom's room.

"Thank you Cloud." I said and he paused to look back at me.

"That's what big brothers are for." he said before he closed the door behind him. I had so many rude comebacks for that, probably a good thing he closed the door.

I turned my attention back to the door in front of me. I sighed and rolled my neck around a bit before squaring my shoulders and opening the door. Vincent was were I had left him, sitting at the small table with a laptop opened in front of him.

"Hey." I said as I shut the door. He didn't respond so I pulled off my jacket and tossed it on the bed before taking the seat across from him at the table. After several minutes of silence I finally cracked. I reached over and slammed the laptop closed. The ever present glare set on my face and I glared right back.

"When someone greets you when they walk in a room you should probably respond." I said as I set back in my chair.

"Hello Roxas. I'm sorry I didn't respond, I was hardly aware you were gone." he said as he mimicked my movement and leaned back in his chair. I gritted my teeth and was leaning toward him, my elbows on the table now.

"Listen, I understand what I said might have been out of line." I said between bared teeth. I took a deep breath. "And I'm sorry. Sorry that I said it, but I can't take it back. It stands as it is- Truth." He looked away from me but I grabbed his arm to keep him from getting up. "So deal with it. I won't bring it up again, we'll move on from this." He relaxed back into his chair and I let go of his arm.

"I might have overacted." he finally said after a lengthy pause. I bit my tongue to keep quite as he eyed me. "But I don't like having words put into my mouth." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. 'Don't take offense, don't take offense'

"I understand that and I apologize for the misunderstanding." I said, my face as cool as my voice. It was his turn to lean forward and grab my arm.

"Don't. Don't do that. I don't think I am capable of what you said, but if I'm not then this is the closest I've ever been." he said, his eyes locked with mine. "Don't diminish what I said to you because of a word. What I said still stands as well, I don't have it in me to kill you." I closed my eyes once again and took a deep breath.

"Alright." I said but a knock interrupted my next thought. Cerberus was out before I could even stand from the table.

"Who is it?" He called.

"Cloud, you don't have to open the door but turn on the news." he said through the door. I looked to Vincent who just nodded to the TV. I turned it on to find it already set to the local news channel.

"Tonight a raid on a home in St. Louis leads to a shoot out with police. The final death toll has not been released. We warn you, the following footage is gruesome." The pretty reporter disappeared to be replaced by images of a beautiful manor, the front yard littered with bodies. They were careful to obscure most of the gore but it was easy enough to see. I set on the bed, my legs just not wanting to support me any more.

"That's the manor." I said as Vincent joined me on the bed. We stared at the TV as image after image was flashed across the screen. Eventually it switched to a live shot of a reporter just out side the front gates.

"The home owner, Axel DeNarro has been takin into custody. His wife Larxene DeNarro was killed in the raid." I muted the television as Vincent picked up the phone and dialed Variedy. I moved to the door and opened to find Cloud still standing outside. I moved to the side and let him come in. He said nothing as he took the chair at the table.

"Variedy." Vincent said from the other side of the room before he started to explain what had happened.

"You guys have got to get out of here." Cloud finally said after a while. "The cops are going to be poking around and hunting down any connection to Axel."

"Then you should come with us." I said as I stood and pulled my coat on.

"No, I have to get Mom home. Then I gotta find Leon. I gotta know if he..." He trailed off but I understood. I placed my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. He looked up at me.

"You let me know as soon as you do." I said and he nodded. He took a breath and then stood. "I'll go get Mom to pack it up. I'm sure she'll be over here soon to speak with you." I nodded and he left, closing the door behind him. I turned to find Vincent sliding the phone back into his pocket.

"Variedy suggest that we get out of here as well. He says we can go to Oklahoma, but we're still on our own for a few more days." he said as he started to pack his shit away yet again.

"I want to go with Cloud to take my mom home." I said and I was as shocked as Vincent.

"Are you insane?" He asked me as he came around the bed to stand in front of me. "Even if the cops don't get us, Axel sure as hell will. You're delusional if you think they will be able to hold him for any length of time. I can guarantee that Axle set the entire thing up just to kill Larxene, I bet he'll use her to get out of it. The bereaved husband, the man who's pregnant wife was just killed by law enforcement. I can already see it. We need to get far away from here and quickly before he gets this all settled and comes for us." I was staring at the television screen around his arm and hadn't heard a lot of what he had just said.

"She wasn't pregnant any more." I said, my body numb. Vincent turned to see the image of a 'grief' stricken Axel holding a new born in his arms. I picked up the remote with shaky hands and turned the mute off.

"I just, I can't believe whats happened. Our daughter is two days old, she'll never know her mother..." he was cut off by what could only be his lawyer gently pulling him away from the cameras and the on slot of questions and into the building they were standing in front of.

"That's the police station." Vincent said. I just nodded, the numbness settling over me.

"He waited for her to have the baby." I said and I felt my insides turn nastily. Vincent reached over and turned the television off. "What is he going to do with the child now? Why would he wait for her to have it?" I looked to Vincent but he didn't have an answer. As the numbness started to fade I found a new emotion taking root. Fear.

Fear for the child. Fear for whoever the child's biological father is. Or was.

"We gotta move Roxas." Vincent said as he stood and hobbled over to the table again and started packing. I stood as well and mindlessly started throwing things into my duffel bag. Another knock came and this time I let Vincent stand behind it, gun drawn.

"Who is it?" I asked as I stood on the opposite side from Vincent.

"Mom, Dear. Open up." she said. I sighed and Vincent put up the gun. I pulled the door opened to find her and Cloud out in the hallway.

"I'm gonna take the luggage out to the car." Cloud said as Mom nodded and I stepped aside to let her in. She turned on me as soon as the door closed.

"Roxas this is getting ridiculous." she said with a huff but I could see her nervousness, I could see she was scared. I ignored her words and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I love you Mom and I promise this will all be over soon." I said as she hugged me back.

"I just want you to come home. I want my boys to come home." I heard the tears and it took all of my self control to not burst into tears and promise her whatever she wanted.

"I know Mom. But things are so beyond complicated right now." I said as I pulled away and wiped her tears away. "But I will come home, I will."

"I know." She said as she took a steadying breath. "Now start loading up, you can't expect poor Vincent to do it!" She said, looking outraged at me. I hid my smile and bowed my head.

"Of course not Mom." I said as I took Vincent's bags from him. I gave him a wink when he started to protest. "Mothers orders." I grabbed both of mine as well and left them to make do without me. I moved quickly and quietly through the lobby and out to the SUV. I dumped our bags into the back and made sure the doors were unlocked. I turned to head back inside but found myself face to face with a man I didn't know.

I automatically took a step back and slid my hand to my gun. I had a vague recognition of his face, black hair, blue eyes...Zach. My brain so helpfully provided. Works for Axel. I pulled the gun and pressed it to my thigh, making sure he could see it.

"Hello Zach." I said, I could see Cloud moving toward us from the left but Zach had eyes only for me.

"I'm not here to hurt you." He said, as he raised his hands. "I'm unarmed. I was told to deliver a message is all." Cloud was on the other side of my SUV, waiting but out of site.

"Alright, deliver it then." I said but didn't put the gun up.

"He said to tell you that the child's name is Kiari." he said and my heart stopped.

"Why would he..." I trailed off and then firmly closed my mouth.

"He said, and I'm quoting now." He started to reach into his pocket and I raised the gun. "Whoa chill I got a piece of paper in my pocket, I need it."

"Slowly." I hissed as he slid his hand into his pocket and pulled a slip of paper out between two fingers. He opened it up and read off it.

"There was a time, not so long ago that you wanted to raise a family with me, I have that now. I also have a need for you." He finished and looked up at me. "That's it." I held out my hand and he gave me the paper. I crammed it into my pocket.

"Get out of here. Before I decide the best response to that message is to kill the messenger." I snarled and he scampered. I watched him go, once he was gone Vincent and my mom came out of the hotel, Vincent on high alert and my mom looking scared. Cloud came around the SUV and stared at me until I looked at him.

"Don't do anything stupid Roxas." Cloud said. I sneered at him.

"Oh please, I am so over stupid right now." I said as Mom and Vincent joined us. Mom hugged me tight but said nothing else. Eventually Cloud pulled her off me. She kissed my forehead.

"Take care, my baby." She whispered and I smiled.

"I will Mom." I said as she pulled away. She turned to Vincent and pointed a threatening finger at him.

"Remember what we talked about." She said and he simply nodded. I gave him a raised eyebrow but he ignored me and went around to get into the SUV.

"Be sure to call every now and then." Cloud said. I turned my attention to him now.

"I will, as often as I can." He held out his hand and I shook it.

"Good bye little brother." he said.

"Good bye Cloud." I replied before I got into the drivers seat and started the car.

"Your mother is a formidable women." Vincent said as I maneuvered us out of the parking lot.

"Yeah. What did she say? Make you promise to take care of me?" I said with a slight sneer. He was silent for so long that I didn't think he would answer at all. I had merged onto the highway and had cruise control set before he finally answered.

"She asked me to kill Axel." He said and I almost swerved the car into the divider.

"She WHAT?" I screeched as I got control of the car again. I kept glancing over at him. "She would never ask something like that Vincent." I said, slightly calmer.

"Then you don't know your mother very well. As she explained to me, she has stood by all these years and watched as he destroyed your life, she'll be damned if she lets him take it as well." he said as he continued to stare out the window. "She made me promise to get him first." I clenched my jaw and my hands gripped the steering wheel.

"If anyone is killing Axel it will be me." I said threw my clenched teeth. "I deserve that kill."

"If the opportunity presents itself Roxas, I will take it. I will keep my promise." he said still with out looking at me.

"Since when the hell do you worry about promises?" I snarled.

"Since I was going to do it anyway." he snapped back and I was shocked into silence, his eyes glaring at me now. "I will get him before he gets you." I opened my mouth but he silenced me. "Do not argue with me." he said, his voice quiet now but still full of pint up violence. I shut my mouth but my anger stayed at a nice low boil. I let the silence go for a while before I decided I needed to say something.

"It may come down to me or him at some point." I said, a lot calmer now. "And when that happens, it will be my decision that he dies."

"We'll figure it out when we need too." he said and I figured that was as close to a compromise that we were going to get on the subject. "What did Zach what with you?" he asked.

"A message from Axel." I said as I pulled out the paper and handed it to him. He read it and then handed it back.

"Does the name mean something to you?" He asked me as I stuffed the paper back into my pocket.

"Kiari was the name I had picked when we were younger. We had been foolish and had talked about adopting when we were older and married and blah, blah..." I trailed off, my eyes on the road as I fought to clear my mind.

"Well that answer the question as to why he kept the baby." he said and I felt my heart clench.

"You think he kept it as a way of luring me back?" I asked, disgust lacing my voice. "Maybe he was already attached to the thought of a daughter, maybe he loves the kid."

"Axel doesn't do anything without a purpose. He saw the child as useful, that is the only reason why it is alive." he said, his voice neutral. I felt the frown form on my face as I tried to dismiss that.

But it rang too true to be dismissed.

"Does that mean he'll kill her if he deems her useless?" I asked, my voice shaky. My fist had a death grip on the steering wheel once again. Vincent, sensing where my thoughts were, reached for me. He pried one of my hands from the steering wheel and laced his hand with it.

"Don't do that Roxas. Don't try and take responsibility for a child that is not yours." He said, his thumb rubbing circles on the back of my hand.

"I know that. I know she's not mine, nor is she my responsibility..." I said.

"And yet, now it's 'she' and not 'it'." he sighed. I gave a soft chuckle and brought our hands to my mouth and kissed the back of his hand.

"She's his problem. Not mine." I said, and my voice was firm. Vincent relaxed next to me as he brought our hands to his lips and repeated the gesture.

"Good." he said against the back of my hand. I gave a smile but the thought was planted.

When she's no longer useful...what will happen to that baby?

What will happen when he realizes I have no intention of coming to him?

What will happen to Kiari then?

Reviews? It'd be so kind of you.