Hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter and don't hate me for the suggestion in the ending ; o; . The reviews made me happy btw, some people think I'm actually humorous! You have no idea how happy that made me feel! But one person told me to cut out the humor :| like no , it's my story and unless a great majority of you guys hate some of the more humorous sides to chapters then I can do whatever I want ^ u ^b .

Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I claim to own any of the characters in this story. They are all owned by Square Enix.

Chapter 24– I'm Ventus

Ventus sat in the front seat of his mother's car. He had his head leaned against the glass window, eyes peering out at the passing view.

"Are you ready for your doctor's visit, honey?" His mom was cheerful, her ruby lips smiling.

"Yeah." Her son unenthusiastically replied. He sighed.

"C'mon," she put a hand on his arm. "Be happy. Maybe there's good news!"

"But if I get overly excited, it'd just be a big disappointment in the end right?" He looked over to his mother.

"The last time we saw Dr. Valentine he said you were doing well and improving, which is very lucky!"

"If I get any better do you think I could start going to high school?" You could almost see the glint of hope in Ven's eyes.

"Ven, you know we've talked about this before," Ven slumped down the passenger seat knowing exactly what his mom was going to say. "The high school is on a different level than your homeschooling and it'd be hard trying to fit into a new environment."

"I just want to make friends." Ven murmured, putting his head against the window again.

"What about Roxas' friends," His mother asked. "Didn't you go to the beach with them that one day?"

"Yeah, but those are his friends. I want my own."

Mrs. Strife frowned. "I'll think about it," She said as she parked her car in the hospital's parking lot. She saw Ventus' face brighten up a bit. "But don't get your hopes too high on it."

"Okay." Ven sighed, opening the car door and stepping out to the hospital he knew very well. He could tell you all the areas in the pediatrics division as well as most of the nurses there. He's been going here almost all his life. When he was younger he had mostly been admitted, but today he was only here to check up with his doctor.

The mother and son walked into the hospital, taking the elevator up to the fifth floor. Across from the elevator was a medium sized waiting room for patients taking tests. Mrs. Strife went to sign Ventus in. Ven was getting his normal routinely tests, an exercise test and a CT scan of his chest.

"How come Roxas didn't come home today," Ven asked. "He usually comes with us…"

"He's trying out for the Blitzball team with his friends today."

"Ventus Strife?" A young woman called out, catching the boy's and his mom's attention. They stood and walked over to the lady when she urged them with hand movements to follow her. Ventus was brought to a small patient room.

"Hello, Ventus," The woman sat down in a chair facing the desktop computer. "I'm sure you remember me?"

"Yes." Ventus nodded his head with a smile. She was a nurse, Mrs. Estheim. She lived in Traverse Town, about an hour and a half away from Destiny Islands, connected by a single bridge.

"You're looking better than ever," She smiled back at him, looking over to Mrs. Strife to see if she had a comment to that but all she saw was cheerful look on her face. "Let's get some information down in the computer and then we can get to your exercise and CT scanning." Ventus understandingly nodded. "Your birthday is November thirtieth," She saw Ventus nod from the corner of her eye. "And you are fifteen," Another nod. "Have you had any recent breathing problems," He shook his head. She began to record information into the computer. "No shortness of breath or anything similar," another shake. "Any coughing?"

"Sometimes."

"No colds or fevers?"

He shook his head.

"Okay," She stood up, grabbing the sphygmomanometer and velcro-ing it around Ven's upper arm. "Just need to take your blood pressure and then check your temperature." She began to pump air into the cuff. Ventus winced; he always hated this part due to it hurting his soft arm. When she was done, she let out all the air and recorded the information into the computer. She then took out the electric thermometer and moved it across Ven's forehead. She proceeded to record his temperature into the computer.

"The doctor will be here in a couple moments." She smiled before exiting the room, shutting the door behind her. After waiting in silence with his mother the doctor, Dr. Valentine, finally came in.

"Hey, Ven," He seemed very cold, yet intelligent with a willingness to help others. "It's nice to see you again. Are you ready for your exercise?"

"Yeah!"

"Follow me then." He had Ven follow him out the door and to a bigger room where his tests would begin.

Roxas wiped his forehead as he pushed his key into the front lock of his house. It was night time, he had spent the rest of his day after practice making memories and eating ice cream with Hayner and Sora. He turned the key and pushed open the door with a force so hard it was surprising the door didn't snap off its hinges.

The blonde was angry.

"I'm surprised you aren't mad at Axel for smoking" Hayner's words repeated in his head.

The blonde was furious.

"Ventus!" He yelled, pushing his brother's room door open. Roxas looked around the vacant room angrily, realizing his brother wasn't in there.

"Yes?" Ventus responded from behind the other blonde.

"Why didn't you tell me about Axel?!" Roxas got up in Ven's face; it was as if you could see the steam rising from his golden locks.

"What about Axel?" Ventus took a step back, becoming wary.

"He smokes!"

"I don't know," Ventus replied. "He's your friend. Why don't you-"

Roxas pulled Ven in closer by his collar. "I know he's my friend but you were the one who was there and didn't tell me anything!"

"You never asked," Ventus retorted. "This isn't even such a big deal!"

Roxas glared his twin's eyes down like daggers and then slowly began to let go of Ven's shirt. "Sometimes I wish I didn't have a cripple for a brother." He said in a low tone.

"I'm not crippled." Ventus tensed.

"Then why couldn't you just be normal!" Roxas snapped.

"I am normal," Ven said. "You're the one who tries to hide me and keep away from everyone for God knows why!"

"To keep you safe and to keep everyone from worrying about you," Roxas tightened his fists. "You're this family's burden, and I don't want you to be anyone else's!

Ventus was going to respond, but decided not to. Instead he ran downstairs and quickly put on his shoes, running out the door. Roxas looked down at the white carpeted ground. 'Maybe that was too harsh…'

Riku lay in his bed, looking up at the ceiling thinking. Selphie had gone home long ago. "Brother," Kadaj hissed from the door. "Father would love to see you right now." A smirk slithered onto his face.

"Why?" Riku asked, rolling over.

"I don't know," Kadaj answered. "But you better get to his work room before he gets even angrier!"

Riku let out a breath, sitting up and getting off his bed. 'What could he possibly want…'

He walked out of his room, watching his elder brother go his own path. The snow-head ran down the steps and turned the corner that lead to his dad's home office. He braced himself before opening the door and walking in.

"Hi," He hesitated. "…Dad."

"Sit down, Riku," His father sighed, putting on his reading glasses and bringing up something on his computer. Riku brought a rolling chair over to the front of his father desk, plopping himself down in it. "So, when were you going to tell me you're failing your Algebra class?"

Riku looked down at his lap, avoiding eye contact.

His father knocked his fist on his desk, creating a loud noise. "Do you know how embarrassing it is to have my son's teacher email that he is failing," He yelled infuriated. "Especially when our family is full of intellectuals and your father is the owner of a prestigious science academy?!"

Riku kept quiet, knowing not to say anything when his father went off on him like this. He wasn't as small as he was back then when he would get the full blunt of it, but even though he was bigger and could fend for himself his father was still a scary force not to reckon with.

"If you don't bring that grade up, you're out of this house." He said, trying to compose himself.

"You can't do that," Riku retorted, finally giving his father some eye contact. "I'm only sixteen."

"Well, I'm sure my sister Nora would love to take you in."

"Mom wouldn't let you…"

"We'll see." Yaag smirked.

Riku got up and walked out the room, trying not to think of just how much he despised his dad. He's never treated him right ever since the accident.

"Whoaa," His brother Loz noticed the choleric look on Riku's face. "You okay?"

"I'm going for a walk." He despondently responded.

"What's wrong?"

Riku put on his shoes about to leave the house. "Dad." He said before closing the front door behind him. He would've stayed and talked it out with Loz, for Loz was the only person other than his mother who actually treated him like a human being. But this night he just couldn't take it.

He began to walk. The air was warm and somewhat unbearable without any winds, which was weird for an island considering it was surrounded by the ocean. He hated this weather, but he'd rather be out here then back in his home where his father was.

After aimlessly walking for about ten minutes, he decided to go to the park. He felt as if it were his safe haven.

'What's that noise?' He wondered as he neared the park. When he got closer he realized it was the sound of someone sobbing. He scanned the park looking to see if he spotted anyone, which he didn't. "Is anyone here?!" He called out. He heard the sobbing quiet down a bit and began to feel as if he should go someplace else until he saw a boy crawl out from behind one of the walls of the jungle gym.

Riku couldn't fully see who it was, but as he got closer the face looked more and more familiar. He was a bit shocked, never thinking of ever seeing this person cry. The boy looked at him with puffy, watery blue eyes and his cheeks rosy. "Roxas?"

"Yes," The boy responded, calming himself down. "I-I…mean no." He stuttered through what was left of his waterworks.

"No?" Riku questioned, confused. But this boy did seem different than Roxas, more fragile and sweet. The snow-head unknowingly blushed.

"H-He's my b-brother." The blonde boy wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and then batted his eyelashes.

"Then who are you?" He put his hand through the boy's blonde hair, his infatuation seemingly taking over his actions. It was soft against his fingers, like baby hair. The boy didn't take any defense to this, nor did he move away.

"I'm Ventus."