A/N: Ok, so this chapter was…incredibly hard to write for two reasons, one being that I almost died of sadness writing Hope's letter to Zexion, and his death, and two, my mind was speeding ahead to when this story reaches the next game plot. I'm playing KH2 while writing this, so yeah….Ok, so please don't hate me for killing off our beloved Zexion! Enjoy!

Inside the Grey Area, Luxord and Xigbar were playing cards, while Demyx sat on one of the couches tuning his Sitar. Saix was, as usual, standing in the front of the room awaiting to give missions to people. It was more quiet without the majority of the members around, seeing as how most of them were at C.O.. Demyx sighed and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. He turned his attention to a wall, when his eyes widened at what he saw. A portal opened up in the wall.

"Gah! W-what's that?" Demyx exclaimed, earning the other members attention. Just as soon as they turned their attention to it, someone came flying out of the portal and all the way to the other side of the room, crashing into the wall and landing on the floor with a thud. They all moved over towards it to see what it was, and Demyx was the first one to recognize who it was. "It's Hope!"

Hope, in all her glory, laid on the floor in a heap. Xigbar bent down and turned her over, earning a few grimaces from everyone, aside from Saix, whose face remained expressionless pretty much. Hope was covered in bruises and small cuts. Her side was bloody from where Marluxia's scythe had managed to land its blow. Xigbar shook the girl gently, trying to wake her up, "Hey, Princess! Rise and shine!"

Hope groaned in pain and annoyance as soon as she recognized who the owner of the voice was. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing Demyx, Xigbar, Luxord, and Saix standing around her. She was back in the Castle That Never Was. If she was back here than that meant- "Axel, Namine, Zexion!" She sat up so fast, it made her dizzy. She groaned again and fell backwards, Demyx catching her before she could hit the floor.

"Number IX, carry her to her room and see to it that she gets the proper medical treatment. Luxord, go with him and make sure he doesn't mess up." Saix ordered. Demyx picked up Hope in his arms and carried her off, Luxord following right behind him.

Marluxia walked towards the entrance to the next room when he was stopped by the sound of someone portaling in. Without turning his back, he didn't need to know who it was. He frowned. "You have some nerve to show your treasonous face around here. Some nerve indeed…"

"Treasonous? I don't know what you could possibly be talking about!" Axel exclaimed, his bluff clear.

Marluxia turned around to face number VIII, a glare set on his face. "Why let Namine go? If it weren't for your needless meddling, we could've turned the Keyblade master to come and serve us."

"Oh, right your big plan! You use Namine to rewrite Sora's memory piece by little piece. And he turns into her total puppet." Axel smirked at the pink haired man, "Then, using Namine and Sora together, you and Larxene overthrow the Organization, am I right? I would say you're the traitor, Marluxia."

"Since when were you suspicious of us?" Marluxia asked.

"Do either of us have the heart to believe anyone?"

Marluxia smirked, "Hmph. So you only eliminated Vexen to obtain proof of our plan?"

Axel lifted a head to scratch his red spikes, "That, I didn't want to do. But, it was your order." Axel summoned his Chakrams. "Now, eliminating you will be all the more fun because Hope has a reason to hate your guts now. You hurt her, I hurt you. You know how it goes."

Marluxia smirked, "Oh."

Axel spun his Chakrams around in his hands. "Remember the order: You must eliminate the traitor! I always follow orders, Marluxia. And people who hurt Hope always have to answer to me. Larxene paid the price for disloyalty when she disappeared. You must do the same!" Axel exclaimed, lunging forward and trying to slash Marluxia, only he jumped back. Axel threw his Chakrams at him, but Marluxia deflected them with his scythe, sending them back to Axel, who caught them easily. "The Organizations betrayed, and Hope was hurt. In both those names, I will annihilate you."

"That lines not you." Marluxia stated, smirking.

Axel stood up straighter, shrugging his shoulders, "Well, had to try it once, you know?" He ran towards him, his attack missing Marluxia because he dodged out of the way in time. Axel jumped back a few feet, and blocked Marluxia's scythe as he sent it flying at him, causing Axel to grunt a bit as he was pushed back a few feet. Marluxia's smirk widened as he lifted his hand and summoned a few petals.

Axel, who had his Chakrams in front of him, laughed as soon as he saw what Marluxia had done. "Is that your shield?" Axel asked, gesturing towards Namine as she stood in front of Marluxia, who kept her in place as she shook with fear. "Wont do you any good I'm afraid."

"I wonder…Are you listening, Sora? Axel says he's willing to harm Namine to get me. You wont let that happen, will you?"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy got into stances, while Axel rolled his eyes, "Oh, come now! You're Marluxia's puppet already?"

"After I finish you, he's next!" Sora exclaimed.

"Heh…Now, Sora. We've got more in common than you might think." Axel said, turning around to face the Keyblade master, "I'd really rather not fight you…But I cant dishonor the Organization, now can I?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Zexion was in the basement, devising a plan to get Riku to think that none of his friends would except him after he destroyed his home. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a piece of paper lying on the floor. Quirking an eyebrow, he walked over to it and leant down and picked it up. It was folded up, so he unfolded it, finding that someone had written on it. So…he began to read it.

You're probably wondering why I am writing you this. Well, the simple fact is that I have come to a realization: Relationships between people never last forever. People either come and go, or die. But…remember when you were younger and how I told you that when one thing falls, another grows; something new and wonderful, all the same? Well…there not. Nothing can ever be the exact same. There is always one flaw. I have come to terms that you're not really Ienzo, because if you were…you'd still have a heart.. I have also come to terms that I cannot help or save everyone from their fate or demise….I don't know why I thought I could, but fate is inevitable. You cant exactly avoid it, no matter how much you try. But, I'll always be with you, ok? Even though I may not be able to come help you out of tight spot, I still be with you. Always. I'll always be thinking of you wherever you are. I'll pray for our sorrows to end. And I'll hope that our hearts will blend. I will step forward and realize this wish. Hm, and who knows? Starting a new journey may not be so hard. Or maybe it's already begun. There are many worlds, but they all share the same sky. One sky…One destiny.

I'll be your guardian angel, ok? So…keep me in your thoughts…forever. Until later, Zexion.

Love, Hope

Hopes theme begins-

Zexion smiled at the letter, pulling out his luck charm that Hope had made him. He clutched it in his hand a while longer before placing it back into his pocket, along with the letter. Little did he know that if he had looked to the very bottom of the paper, he would've seen the arrow that gestured for him to turn it over, which had postscript written on it.

P.S- I'm sorry I cant be there to save you from your demise. Please don't hate Axel for what he's going to do.

As soon as Zexion had put both in his pocket, he went off to fight the real Riku. He lost. When he came back, he could barely stand up. He was shocked at how Riku had been able to win against the darkness. In Zexion's view, it was impossible. His thoughts were broken by a portal opening, the Riku replica stepping out, Axel standing right behind him. Zexion gasped, but suddenly calmed when he realized that the Riku in front of him was just a replica.

"The replica…of course! We can use this Riku to defeat the real one! Axel…" Zexion mumbled, staring over at the red-head.

"Wouldn't you like to be real?" Axel asked the replica, earning a nod from it. "All you need- is the kind of power that the real Riku doesn't have. If you can get that, you can be a new person, not Riku, nor anybody else. You wont be just a copy of someone. You will be unique. Your own self."

Zexion's eyes widened, "Axel! What are you saying to him?"

Axe didn't reply, only put a hand to his hip. "You know…he's as to good a place start as anybody."

"You cant do this!" The replica grabbed him and slammed him into the wall, lifting him up into the air and using the darkness to rid of him.

Axel shook his head. "So sorry, Zexion. You just found out way too much." Axel turned and walked out, not witnessing the scene of Zexion's pocket glowing, and encasing him in a bright light just as soon as he disappeared.

Hope twisted in her sleep, her face turned into a frown. Xemnas and Saix watched her as she kept moving. She had only been here for a day, and not yet had she awoken from her sleep. Her recovery looked as if it would take quite some time.

"How did she end up like this?" Xemnas asked Saix while he kept his attention on Hope.

"I believe she went up against one of the traitors that we suspected, and lost." Saix explained to his superior.

The two spoke no more as they heard Hope whimper quietly, and a single tear fell from her eye, before her face went emotionless and she began to sleep more peacefully. The quietly left the room, leaving Hope to rest.

'Goodbye…Zexion.'

A/N: T-T *SOB* I'm such a cruel author…