A/N: Holy. Fucking. Hell. This monster took me... MONTHS to write. But... I'm proud of it. I really am. I wrote this thinking, "Oh, well, it's gonna be about the length of Origami.. not very long... Shouldn't take too long to write..." Ha ha, I was wrong. It's got just over 16,000 words and 35 pages. And I meant to post it on Zemyx day, but I'm a little late. Only by... Iono, 40 minutes? Anyway, I'll shut up now. Enjoy!!

Disclaimer: I do not own. Of course. XD

Dedication: To... oh God, everyone that's put up with me while I was writing this. Uhm... Hana, Sai, Tiff... Just... yeah. XD;

-x- DAY ONE -x-

M-O-R-N-I-N-G

It was fantastic.

Completely and utterly fantastic.

So fucking fantastic, in fact, that he couldn't understand why the hell he had agreed to this.

Of course he had loved his grandfather. That was common knowledge. After all, Emilian Hearne was the one that taught him everything he knew – how to sing, how to camp, how to cook, even how to play the sitar. But two weeks ago, the Romani man had passed away, leaving everything in his old house to one Demyx Hearne, his loving grandson.

So there Demyx stood, in front of the creaking house, in the blistering heat, wondering for the thousandth time just why the hell he had agreed to clean out the house by himself. Wiping beads of sweat from his forehead, he studied the porch carefully, re-memorizing every nook and cranny, memories of many summers spent at the house resurfacing. Around him, birds chirped and deer frolicked and the calm breeze danced through the surrounding forest, gently rustling the leaves. With a heavy sigh, the blonde teen swept a hand through his styled hair and finally moved to the back of his car.

"Might as well get this over with..." he muttered, pulling a duffel bag from the trunk of his blue Nissan Altima – 1998 model, if you must know – and slamming the door shut before looking up at the house once more. He scanned the side of the house, noticing that the trim around some of the the windows had begun to rot. His eyes landed on one window in particular – the room his grandfather had occupied since he immigrated to America from France in the early 1900's. Pursing his lips, Demyx began walking forward, slowly approaching the house, cerulean eyes lingering on the window a mere moment longer – just long enough, in fact, to see a shimmer of movement from inside the darkened room. He stopped mid-step, blinking a few times, wondering if someone was inside. But it was impossible – both his grandfather, and his grandmother, the only two to ever live in the house, were deceased. With a shudder, and a deep breath, he disregarded it as a figment of his imagination and continued to the door, fishing the key from his pocket and sticking it into the lock. Turning it until he heard the satisfying click, Demyx pushed open the door, and stepped inside.

"Fuck!" he cursed as soon as he crossed the threshold, dropping his bag in favor of hugging his arms around himself, trying to conserve what little body heat he managed to retain. It was so fucking cold inside the house. Shivering violently, teeth chattering, he stepped over the discarded duffel and made for the thermostat, aiming to turn on the heater. But as he read the numbers on the digital screen, his arms fell limply to his sides, and he could only gape at the display.

69 degrees.

"You're shitting me..." he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the numbers. But they didn't change. He continued to study the thermostat for a few moments before moving away, deciding that he was just a little apprehensive about the whole situation. After all, it had only been two weeks ago that Grandpa Emilian had been wandering about this house, going about his normal business when...

BANG!

Demyx visibly jumped, swiveling around so that he was facing the entryway to the dining room, where a long oak table sat, surrounded by several chairs. A blue tablecloth was draped diagonally across the surface, a dying fern set as the centerpiece.

"Hello...? Is anyone here?" he called, taking a hesitant step forward. When no one answered, he took a deep breath and continued forward, scanning the room before moving toward the adjacent kitchen.

BANG!!

It was louder this time; closer. Demyx inhaled shakily before shuffling closer into the kitchen.

BANG!!

He saw it. The cabinet next to the microwave was just opening and slamming shut on its own. A scream gathered in his throat, but he quickly stifled it, stepping into the kitchen. As the door opened once more, he lunged for it, catching it before it could shut again. From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw someone standing off to the side, his arms crossed. When he turned his head, though, the figure vanished, and with it, the abrupt chilliness that had filled the house.

"Damn... What was that all about?" he muttered under his breath, shutting the cabinet door gently.

RR-RRING!

"Fuck!" he cursed, starting once more at the sudden noise. Immediately, his gaze drifted to the phone, eyes narrowing in a threatening glare. "Frikkin' phone ringing right after..." With a sigh, he walked over to the phone and picked it up, pressing it to his ear after flicking the cord away.

"Yo." he greeted the other person, approaching the refrigerator, phone balanced between his shoulder and head.

"Demyx? Is everything alright over there? What time did you get in? Was the trip okay? Have any of your friends called yet? Do they even know you're there? Is the forest alright?" his mom immediately questioned upon hearing his voice. Demyx shook his head, yanking open the door to the refrigerator and looking around inside.

"Mom, calm down," he said, moving aside a jar of horseradish. "Everything's fine. I got in about five minutes ago, the trip was uneventful because Grampa's house is only ten minutes away, my friends don't know I'm here, but I'm sure you'll tell them, and of course the forest is alright."

Adalwolfa Hearne was a beautiful woman, with long, curly blonde hair and a round face. It was from her side of the family that Demyx had inherited most of his looks, blessing him with blonde hair and blue eyes, whereas his dad's side of the family had dark hair, eyes, and skin – the traditional Romani appearance. But Adalwolfa was constantly worried about her son, and, for reasons unknown to Demyx, she would become more protective than usual whenever he visited his grandfather. When he had approached her with the idea of going to Emilian's house – alone – she nearly went into cardiac arrest. But that didn't stop him from pursuing the subject, leaving Adalwolfa practically no choice in the matter; after all, it was Demyx that Emilian had given everything to, not his daughter-in-law. So, he was allowed to go, not only because the house was, in fact, right down the road, but also because he had to promise to call at least two times a day.

But today it looked as if his mother had beaten him to the punch, Demyx thought, pulling a small container of yogurt from the fridge. He opened it and sniffed at it tentatively, but threw it away when he saw green splotches of mold in the yogurt, completely ignoring his mother's ranting for the moment. He then continued to rummage through the fridge, answering whatever question his mother fired off at him.

"Did you find anything to eat?" she asked, to which Demyx merely responded with, "I'm looking right now, but everything's all icky."

"Icky?" Adalwolfa replied, sighing. "Who put that word in your vocabulary when you were little and forgot to take it out?"

"Mom, that doesn't even make sense." Demyx shut the door to the fridge and opened the adjacent freezer, pulling out a frozen Ziploc bag of... something.

"Sure it does! Think about it, Demy, it's not that hard."

"Fine, fine, it's not, I get it. I think I'm going to go grocery shopping later." He threw the bag of something onto the counter and pulled out another Ziploc bag, this one filled with golden goo.

"How long are you planning on staying there?"

"However long it takes me to get this stuff to the storage area." He inspected the golden goo carefully before opening it, breaking a chunk off, and sticking it into his mouth. Applesauce.

"I really would rather you had a friend there with you..." Adalwolfa's voice was filled with concern as she relayed her desire for the hundredth time.

"I know, I know. But everyone was busy. Axel's at work most of the week, or with Roxas, Xigbar has to get ready for that competition at the shooting range later this week, and Marluxia is just... Marluxia."

"I would rather you didn't hang out with Marluxia, Demy. That boy is a bad influence on you."

"Pfft, please, Mom. You don't see me fucking everything on two legs." Demyx replied without hesitation, first taking the bag of frozen applesauce and dropping it into a bowl, then sticking it in the microwave that hung above the counter.

"Demyx Hearne! What have I told you before about language?!" his mother snapped, and the sound of her hand slamming down on something carried through the phone line. Demyx cringed; he'd known that his mother wouldn't tolerate cursing, but it had just slipped out. He hadn't meant to say it.

"Sorry, Mom." he apologized, punching in two minutes on the microwave. Adalwolfa sighed heavily, and Demyx could hear her adjust the phone.

"I know, you didn't mean it. It's fine." she paused a moment before continuing. "I should probably go. Your father's going to be here any minute and I promised I'd go out with him today. I love you, Demy. Be safe."

"I will be. I mean, what could possibly happen?" he said, listening as the microwave beeped a couple of times before reaching up and taking out the bowl of semi-frozen applesauce, setting it on the counter.

"I just... It... Nevermind. I love you, Demy. Miss you already." her voice was gentler than before, and Demyx couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face.

"Love you too, Mom. Tell Dad I said 'Hi!' for me, 'kay?" Demyx pulled open the nearest drawer, taking out a large spoon.

"Of course, Demy. Talk to you later. Bye!"

"Bye, Mom." He shifted the phone back into his hand and walked over to the wall, putting the white phone back into its cradle.

"Demyx..."

Demyx turned and looked over his shoulder, eyes darting around the room. Sighing, he brought a hand up and scratched the back of his head.

"Must be hearing things..." he muttered, returning to the counter and eagerly attending to his bowl of applesauce.

-x- DAY ONE -x-

E-V-E-N-I-N-G

Ahhh, the blessed creation of TV, combined with his grandfather's desire to keep in touch with the rest of the world. Demyx was currently curled up in the corner of the old couch, a bowl of cereal in one hand, the remote in the other. Despite the strange events of the morning, he had gone on with his day, going through various items Emilian had possessed, trying to decide what he wanted to keep and what he didn't.

"... In other news, the heavily decomposed body of a young girl was discovered earlier today in the backyard of business tycoon and multi-millionaire, Mr. Shinra, 41. It was uncovered by family friend and fellow businessman, Luxord Wallis, 39, during a party held in celebration of Mr. Shinra's only child's, Rufus Shinra, 24, recent graduation from Heart of the Kingdom University, with a degree in..."

"Depressing subject matter, that's what." Demyx scoffed, flipping to another channel, where 'Oblivion' by 30 Seconds to Mars was playing. Throwing the remote to the side, he took a rather large bite out of his cereal, chewing noisily as he watched the video end, and an interview begin.

"Sora! Sora Kayaki! A few questions, if you would!" A reporter was trailing behind a brunette with spiked hair, demanding to know something. The boy turned and faced the camera, his bright blue eyes narrowed to slits. The camera panned down to his hand, where his fingers were interlaced with those of his companion, a silver-haired teen with piercing turquoise eyes.

"No more f—ing questions!" he muttered, glaring fiercely at the woman. The camera panned upward once more, stopping at the woman's head. She seemed taken aback for a moment before pursuing the matter further, focusing instead on the silver-haired boy.

"Riku Karada, how do you feel about the disappearance of fellow bandmate, and lead singer of Oathkeeper's Oblivion, Kairi Osaka?" she questioned, holding the microphone up to Riku. He only snorted and pushed the electronic out of his face.

"I think that you need to go now," he hissed vehemently, turning to leave. But the reporter wouldn't give up just yet. Demyx could only laugh at her stupidity, predicting that one of the pair was going to snap, and soon.

"Any comment on the relationship you two have?!" she yelled. The two stopped midstep. "Tabloids are saying that you two are an item, but what do you have to say about it?!"

"What do we... Would you leave us alone already?!" Sora screamed. "I'm f—ing concerned about Kairi's safety! Of course I am! She's like my sister! But worrying over it isn't going to help any! If anything, it will drive me insane! And so what if Riku and I are dating?! That's none of your f—ing business!!" Riku put a hand on the brunette's shoulder, but did not interrupt his rant. The cameraman returned to the reporter, who could only smile nervously in response, before panning back to the couple.

"Could you please leave now?" Riku asked of the woman, who only nodded a little, stunned at the brunette's violent reaction – although she really shouldn't have been. Sora had buried his head in his boyfriend's chest, fingers gripping the front of Riku's shirt. The silver-haired teen was holding Sora as tightly to him as he could, giving off a protective aura. Demyx smiled a little at the display; he had wondered when the two would get together. Putting his now-empty cereal bowl on the coffee table in front of him, he grabbed the remote and changed the channel again, this time landing on some sort of children's show. With a yawn, he threw his hands up over his head and stretched for a moment before looking out the glass door to his left. The sun was setting behind the mountains, casting an orange-ish-pink glow over the valley. Behind him, a grandfather clock began to chime.

DING!

Demyx snuggled down into the couch further, grabbing a throw pillow and stuffing it between his head and the arm.

DING!

He yawned again, staring at his cereal bowl for a moment before looking once more at the TV.

DING!

"Y-R-P's new album on sale soon!" the announcer promised, giving viewers a peace sign. Demyx only snorted in response.

DING!

"Don't these people ever get tired of showing the same crap over and over?" he muttered tiredly as the cartoon resumed; it was an episode he'd already seen ages ago.

DING!

"'F' is for friends who do stuff together, 'U' is for you and me! 'N' is for anywhere at anytime at all down here in the deep blue sea!!" With a small chuckle, Demyx mouthed the words to the song, vaguely remembering that him and Axel had once paraded down the halls of their high school, arms linked, singing it at the top of their lungs.

DING!

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment, re-opening them.

DING!

A figure stood before him. Light from the dying sun cast him in darkness, but Demyx was certain that this was the teen he had spotted earlier from the corner of his eye. The teen was frowning, his arms cross over his chest. There was a saddened expression on his face. Shadowed lips moved, mouthing something.

DING!

Demyx squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the man from his memory. He's not supposed to be there. When he re-opened his eyes, the figure was gone. Sitting up and rubbing his arms, he glanced around the room once more, as if to ensure himself it was empty. Nothing was out of place. Rubbing his eyes, he stood up and stretched again before grabbing the cereal bowl and shuffling off to the kitchen.

"I'm just imagining things..."

-x- DAY ONE -x-

N-I-G-H-T

Heavy footsteps thudded against the wood floor, pacing back and forth back and forth outside his door. A voice was talking, muttering incoherent sentences, filling the hall with his raspy whispers.

...Nngh...

Shadows flitted from wall to wall in his room, on the outside of the house, in the hallway, devouring any and all light.

...Hm...

A shriek of sheer pain echoed in the house. It was whispery, low; a male's voice.

...Mmmm...

A terrible scratching sound resounded in the halls; thin cuts appeared in the walls, slowly becoming deeper and deeper, resembling words with every scratch. From each mutilated word dripped a thick red substance. The walls were bleeding.

Demyx didn't wake up once that night.

-x- DAY TWO -x-

M-O-R-N-I-N-G

"What the fuck...?" Were the first three words out of Demyx's mouth when he stepped out of his bedroom the next morning. Lifting up his foot, he inspected the substance he had just stepped in – blood. Blue eyes widened as he tore off his now-stained white sock and threw it at the wall, watching as it slid down before eying the puddles of blood. He staggered back a few steps, gaze drifting up the wall, slowly tracing the jagged cuts that had been engraved into the wall.

Find Sanctuary

The words had been carved over and over and over into the walls of the hallway, reaching from one end to the other. And from them, a dark red substance had overflowed, landing in a puddle on the ground. A rather large puddle, at that.

"Dammit!" Demyx cursed, tearing out of his room, not caring that his pajama pants were quickly becoming soaked with the strange liquid with every desperate step. His wet feet caused him to slide down the stairs, leaving large smudges of crimson in his wake. As he dove for the living room, he turned, and came face to face with the single most horrifying man he'd ever seen in his entire life.

What would have been flawless tan skin was marred with gashes of varying intensity that seemed to span his entire upper body. His silvery hair was stained a deep russet colour, causing Demyx to gasp and bring his hands up in front of him – a meager defense, at best. But what startled the blonde the most was the utterly empty look the man's amber eyes gave him. It was as if the man was without a soul.

"Wha-Who are you?!" Demyx demanded, his voice cracking at the end of the sentence. The man's thin lips twisted into a wicked sort of smile, making Demyx's stomach do flips.

"G-Get out of my house!" the blonde screamed, his voice bordering on hysteric. The man shook his head, taking a menacing step forward. Despite the fact his mind was screaming for him to move, move, get out of there, now!, Demyx's feet refused to budge. The man took another menacing step forward. The hairs on the back of Demyx's neck stood on end as he was suddenly embraced by an arctic chill. A scarred hand reached out for the teenager, but halted abruptly when the man's gaze sharply averted to something else entirely.

In the corner of the room, another figure stood, arms braced in front of him. Demyx quickly recognized it as the shadow from the night before.

"Xehanort!" a voice echoed throughout the house. "Don't touch him!" The scarred man chuckled softly, threateningly, turning fully to face the shadow figure.

"Stay out of this, Zexion," came the harsh response. The man flickered out of sight for a moment, and Demyx breathed a sigh of relief. But it caught in his throat when he reappeared in front of the shadow figure, tanned hands grasping, squeezing the smaller's throat. The shadow clawed at the scarred hands, letting out a strangled scream that fell upon deaf ears.

And then they were gone.

Demyx squeezed his eyes shut, opening them after a moment. The two really were gone. Pursing his lips, he glanced up the stairs, cerulean eyes landing on the step he'd slipped on.

The strange substance was gone as well.

-x- DAY TWO -x-

A-F-T-E-R-N-O-O-N

"Mom, no, I'm fine. Nothing happened to me, I swear. It was just a figment of my imagination, or something. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, okay? So, don't worry." Demyx tried to reassure the hysterical Adalwolfa, but was failing in his attempt to do so.

"No! Demy, I want you to come home right this instant!" his mother commanded. Demyx sighed, stirring his bowl of applesauce – leftovers from yesterday.

"It's fine, Mom, seriously. Nothing else has happened, I swear. I'm going to start going through the stuff as soon as I finish this bowl of applesauce, alright? I'll try to be home later this week," he stated, taking a bite of applesauce.

"No, it's not fine! You could have been hurt, Demy! I'm serious, I want you to come home. We'll have someone else go through Grandpa Emilian's belongings," his mother pleaded, but Demyx wasn't budging in his decision.

"But the fact of the matter is that I wasn't hurt in the least, right? Right. So, I'm going to stay and go through Grampa's stuff, then come home Friday or Saturday; Sunday at the latest," he promised. Adalwolfa sighed heavily.

"You're not going to be persuaded otherwise, are you?" she whispered. Demyx grinned, knowing he'd won the fight.

"Nope!"

"You're as stubborn as a freaking mule, Demyx Hearne. You promise you'll be home by Sunday at the latest?"

"I swear on my puppy's life!" he declared, mock saluting to no one in particular.

"Demy, your puppy died three years ago. It drowned. In the bathtub."

"Details, details," he dismissed, waving his hand. "But I promise I'll be home by Sunday at the latest. That's, what, four days? It'll all turn out fine, you'll see."

"I certainly hope so... I love you Demy, I really do. Be careful, alright? I don't want to see my beautiful baby boy hurt."

"I love you too, Mom. I'll see you Sunday," he replied, aimlessly stirring his applesauce.

"Alright... I'm holding you to that. I'll see you then. Don't forget to take your medicine – I forgot to remind you yesterday." Demyx grunted in response, taking the bowl to the sink and running some water into it.

"Fuck... It's still in the car," he muttered to himself more than anything, but his mother caught it anyway.

"Language!!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm sorry. Now I'm gonna go so I can get my medicine, okay? I'll call you later," he sighed, wiping my hands on the kitchen towel.

"Be safe, Demy. Love you, talk to you later." And with that, she hung up. Demyx shook his head, crossing the room to return the phone to its cradle.

"Medicine, medicine, medicine. That's all she was worried about when I was home, too," he whined, grabbing his car keys from the counter before heading out the front door.

His car sat in the spot he'd parked it in the previous day. Demyx walked up to it and popped the trunk, pulling out his medicine bag, as well as his CD case before slamming the door shut once more and locking it. As he shuffled the items around so that they were more comfortable to carry, movement in his grandfather's bedroom caught his attention. Cerulean eyes gazed through the window, eyes locking with the startling violet eyes of the shadow man. Even with the distance between the car and the house, Demyx could see the man's lips move, saying something indecipherable before the figure vanished once more.

"Dammit..." he cursed, rubbing his eyes. "I really do need to take my medication..."

-x- DAY TWO -x-

E-V-E-N-I-N-G

"Ugggh! Grampa, why did you keep so much stuff?!" the blonde complained, flopping down onto the sofa. After taking his medication, the strange occurrences came to an almost immediate halt, leaving Demyx to sort through Emilian's belongings in peace... Well, as peaceful as it could be with his music blaring at full volume. He reached around blindly for the remote, turning on the TV once he had located it and flipping to the news.

"Today's top story: The body of the young girl found in Mr. Shinra's backyard has been identified as the seventeen-year-old lead singer of Oathkeeper's Oblivion, Kairi Osaka. A forensic analysis has concluded that Ms. Osaka had been alive when she was buried, nearly two months ago. Sources say that the last time they had seen Ms. Osaka alive was backstage after a particularly good concert, talking to a hooded man," the news anchor announced, shifting his papers around on the desk. A video report began playing in memory of the girl, as Demyx suspected it had been doing all day, pictures of the young singer flashing on screen. Demyx couldn't help but think she was nothing but beautiful, and found himself momentarily mourning her untimely death.

"We don't know why anyone would do this to Kairi... She was such a sweet, cheerful, optimistic young lady with an amazing life ahead of her. To have that ripped away from her at such a young age is not only a great shame, it's a huge disappointment to all her fans," a woman said – presumably Kairi's manager. Demyx was proven correct when the video switched to the woman and her name faded onto the screen. Underneath it was her title – Manager of Oathkeeper's Oblivion. "Sora and Riku are crushed. In light of Kairi's disappearance and the recent discovery of her body, they found each other to seek solace in. They will recover in time, but I am saddened to announce that the band will be put on an indefinite hiatus from now on." With a heavy sigh, he switched the channel back to the music channel he'd been watching the day before.

"Sora Kayaki! Do you wish to comment on the uncovering of Kairi's body in Mr. Shinra's backyard?!"

"Riku! Riku, a moment please! What are your thoughts on the current situation?!"

"Karada! Riku Karada! I'm from the Twilight Town Gazette! Could you please tell me your reaction to the news of Kairi's death?!"

Reporters were swarming outside of what Demyx assumed to be Sora and Riku's apartment. The couple was standing on the front steps, Riku's turquoise eyes narrowed into a fierce glare.

"All of you, shut up!!" Sora barked, his temper flaring. "Go crawl in a ditch and die! Leave us alone!" Riku nodded, drawing the younger boy close to him as he turned to enter the house.

"Leave us the f—ck alone," the silver-haired teen whispered. A hush fell upon the reporters, save for the continuous clicking of camera shutters going off, everyone watching as the two went inside the apartment, slamming the door shut behind them. Snorting, Demyx swung his legs over the side of the couch, making his way towards the shelves next to the TV, intent on finding a decent movie to watch.

"Old... old... old... Geez, they're all old! Then how about... Eh, this'll do." he muttered to himself, taking Blazing Saddles off the shelf and sticking it in the DVD player.

"I hate this movie..."

Demyx's head snapped to attention, his eyes quickly scanning the room. Pursing his lips, he shook his head and stood up, returning to the couch. Just another figment of my imagination... Medication must be wearing off...

But it wasn't, for the voice spoke again about fifteen minutes into the movie.

"This movie is idiotic and childish, to a certain extent."

"Who's there?!" Demyx called as soon as the voice had spoken again. Silence followed. Sighing for what had to of been the hundredth time that day, he continued watching the movie.

Thirty seconds later, though, the TV became clouded with white noise and static, canceling out the movie. Demyx couldn't help but be puzzled at this because the TV was practically brand new. After trying every method he could think of to repair the device, one of which including a mango and the salsa dance, he gave up with an agitated growl, pulling the DVD from the DVD player.

"I told you I hated that movie."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Demyx growled, looking around the room again, unable to spot anything out of the ordinary. When he received no response, he put the movie back on the shelf and shut off the TV.

"I'm going to bed, now," he announced to no one in particular. "So don't worry about the stupid movie. And before that, I'm going to take my medication, and then you'll disappear because you're just a figment of my imagination."

"Medication? You never told me you were on medication."

"Oh look, you're back." Demyx laughed, shaking his head. "Why am I having a conversation with a voice in my mind?"

"Why are you on medication?"

"I am under no obligation to answer that. Good night!" Demyx jumped up from the couch and skipped to the kitchen, where he took his medicine, before heading upstairs.

What he wasn't aware of were the violet eyes that followed his every movement.

-x- DAY TWO -x-

N-I-G-H-T

Skritch skritch skritch

"Poor kid..."

Scratch scratch scratch

"Zexion!"

Ker-thunk ker-thunk ker-thunk

"Dammit! Don't touch the boy!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Why protect him, Zexion?"

Shuffle shuffle shuffle

"Because... Because he can't protect himself from you!"

Cough cough gasp

"It's useless, Zexion."

Thud

Zexion's lifeless body slumped to the floor, empty eyes staring up at Xehanort.

"I will make you relive this nightmare as long as it takes, Zexion."

"... Ungh..."

Demyx groaned and shifted around on his bed, but did not wake, remaining unaware of the activity going on right outside his door.

-x- DAY THREE -x-

M-O-R-N-I-N-G

"... You're lucky he doesn't come into this room..."

Demyx stirred and slowly opened his eyes, glancing around the room. Nothing. Sitting up, he scratched the back of his head before yawning, which, of course, led to a big stretch. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood, stretching again, ignoring the popping noise from his spine, then shuffled to the door. Grabbing the doorknob, he began to turn it before having second thoughts. What if the hallway was the same as the previous day? What if the scarred man was waiting for him? What if the shadow man was? Taking a deep breath, he pulled the door open a crack, hesitating a moment before throwing it open.

The hallway was completely empty.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he stepped out in the hallway and thudded down the stairs to begin his day.

Which he quickly found he couldn't do because his medication was missing.

"Where the hell is it?!" he screamed after twenty straight minutes of fruitless searching. Taking one last glance around the kitchen, Demyx headed to the living room, where his efforts were also in vain.

"Tell me, for what do you need medication?"

"For voices like you!" he yelled, tearing a cushion off the couch. A soft laugh echoed in the empty room as Demyx fell to his knees and peered under the couch. After a moment, he sat up and glanced around the room again.

"Instead of laughing at me, how about you tell me where my medication is?" he demanded. Another laugh could be heard, quieter this time, before somebody crept up behind Demyx and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Try the bathroom counter." the person suggested. Demyx shrugged, standing, looking over his shoulder to thank him...

Only to be greeted by an unfamiliar face.

"Wh-wh-who are you?! Get out of my house!!" he screamed, falling backward, landing on the ground with an audible THUD, before turning and crawling backwards.

"... Are you done acting like a complete imbecile?" the stranger questioned after Demyx had staggered into a standing position. The blonde teenager responded by throwing the TV remote at the stranger, only to watch as the device flew through him and smashed against the far wall. Strangely, Demyx seemed calmed by this.

"Good. You're only another hallucination..." he sighed, walking through the figure and flopping down on the couch, stretching out, closing his eyes. The stranger only raised an eyebrow before moving and sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Another hallucination? You mean that they are a normal occurrence for you?" he asked, peering down at the teen's face. Demyx mumbled something incoherently before sighing. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Demyx asked, slinging an arm over his eyes, blocking out the annoyingly bright sunlight streaming from the nearby glass doors.

"What was that you said?" the stranger clarified, glancing out said glass doors, missing the shrug that Demyx gave in response.

"I said that when I take my medication, you'll vanish. You're really just like all the other hallucinations," the blonde muttered. "But before that happens, what's your name?"

"My name? If I am merely an illusion, as you suggest, then it would not matter if I told you my name, for you would forget me minutes after taking your medication," the stranger retaliated, grey eyes returning to Demyx, who only smiled.

"But that takes the fun out of it, doesn't it?" he asked, uncovering his eyes and actually looking at the stranger. Cerulean orbs traced the thin face of the man, noticing how young he actually looked – sixteen? Seventeen? – taking in the unusual slate colour of the man's hair and the ever-so-popular "emo" style haircut, before locking his gaze with strangely familiar violet eyes. Silence reigned supreme for several moments before the stranger spoke up.

"Zexion."

"What?" Demyx jumped at the sudden vocalization.

"My name," the stranger looked to the side, looking almost... saddened. Demyx blinked a few times in confusion before smiling.

"So you're the one that helped me yesterday," he said, sitting up and turning to face Zexion.

"Y-Yes, I am..." the slate-haired teen muttered, hesitantly returning his gaze to Demyx.

"Thank you! I know that my hallucinations can get bad, but that man yesterday was the worst one yet. Makes ya wonder what's going on in the back of my mind..." Zexion looked a little surprised to hear this, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"If it bothers you so much, go take your medication," he suggested, gesturing towards the bathroom door. Demyx shook his head, looking around.

"Nah, I think I want to keep you around for awhile. It was too quiet yesterday." Sliding off the couch, he stretched for the last time before slinking off to the kitchen.

"Maybe quiet is best..." Zexion whispered. Demyx shook his head, opening his CD case and pulling out a CD.

"So, you like Sparky's Flaw?"

-x- DAY THREE -x-

A-F-T-E-R-N-O-O-N

"And your grandfather, he was purebred Romani?" Zexion questioned, now perched on the very table Demyx had noticed when he had entered the house three mere days ago, watching as the blonde nodded enthusiastically before sticking a spoonful of cereal in his mouth, waiting for him to swallow.

"Yeah. He moved here from France when he was little," Demyx responded after a moment. "His mother, Anicia, came to America when her husband was arrested on false charges and, eventually, executed. Obviously, since he was born in France and his mother always spoke French around him, he was fluent in French, as well as English, since he grew up here," Demyx explained, smiling cheerfully. Zexion seemed intrigued by his family history, and was more than willing to listen to the blonde's excited ramblings about his family.

"Are you fluent in French as well?" Zexion asked, curiously looking at Demyx, who only laughed and shook his head.

"I know enough to tide me over for the time being. As in, if I went to France, I'd probably get punched in the face because my pronunciation is horrible." Zexion chuckled softly, then smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"C'est trop mal," he said, his accent perfect. Demyx sneered, rolling his eyes getting up to go to the kitchen and dump his bowl in the sink.

"Yeah well... Ta mère est une putain!" the blonde retaliated, sticking his tongue out before walking into the living room, Zexion floating closely behind him. Demyx had never really asked why his companion floated, though. It was only an illusion, or so he continued to tell himself.

"My mother was not a whore, Demyx."

"Yeah well... How would you know? You came from my mind, after all," Demyx retorted, turning on the TV. Zexion rolled his eyes and sat down on the back of the couch. And they sat there, a comfortable silence surrounding them as they watched Riku and Sora be pummeled by reporters continuously.

"I do not understand. Why do they not leave the couple alone?" Zexion asked after several moments of silence. Demyx just shrugged.

"Because a gay couple of such high standing is quite the scandal, as you can imagine. I don't know why they continue to pester them, though. It may be wrong to them, but to Sora and Riku, they couldn't imagine it any other way."

"This scenario seems to bother you. Care to tell why?"

"You sound like my psychiatrist, Zexy!" Demyx whined, silencing when Riku turned and faced the woman reporter that had chased them around a couple days ago and promptly backhanded her.

"... That's assault!!" someone screamed from amidst the chaos that was unfolding on the TV. Riku didn't seem to be too worried about the imminent lawsuit, having grabbed Sora's arm and continued down the street.

"You're going to go to jail, Riku Karada!" someone else declared, to which Riku replied with the finger. Demyx sighed, picking up the remote changing the channel. The opening to Beautiful Soul filled the room.

"This guy, Jesse McCartney?" Demyx began, pointing to the singer. "When he talks, his voice reminds me of Roxas'."

"Who's Roxas?" Zexion questioned.

"My best friend's, Axel's, boyfriend. They act like they hate each other sometimes, but it's really just an act. You can tell how strongly they feel for each other just by looking at them," Demyx explained, earning a slight nod from Zexion.

"That explains your reaction to the whole Riku and Sora situation," the slate-haired teen muttered under his breath. The blonde agreed with a small grunt.

"... Well... that, and other things..." he trailed off, suddenly finding the ceiling much more interesting.

"That..." Zexion thought about the forgotten statement, attempting to piece it together in his head. It wasn't that hard. "That you... find no attraction to the female species?" Demyx shook his head violently, only to stop after a moment, nodding.

"Well... yes, and no..." the blonde said softly, gaze dropping to his hands in his lap.

"Then... uhm..." Zexion paused, searching for the right words. "No discrimination...?"

"Erm, yeah..." Zexion didn't notice the pale blush that had made it's way onto the blonde's face. "Well! Time to go through Grampa's stuff! Up, up, and away!" Demyx suddenly declared, jumping off the couch and dashing towards the stairs, leaving behind Zexion, whose face was twisted into a bitter smile.

-x- DAY THREE -x-

E-V-E-N-I-N-G

Eight hours ago, Demyx had woken up and met an illusion named Zexion.

Five hours ago, Demyx had confessed to Zexion that he was bisexual – the only person to know besides Axel.

Two hours ago, Demyx had taken his medication, thus banishing Zexion from all thought.

One hour ago, Demyx had collapsed on the couch, asleep almost instantly, so very tired from sorting through his grandfather's various possessions.

"Beautiful... Simply beautiful... Such a shame," a hoarse voice whispered. An icy chill spread across the room, leaving frost on the windows and glass door as well as a thin layer of ice over the various plants that littered the room. Demyx shivered in his sleep, unconsciously hugging his arms to himself, drawing his knees up to his chest.

"Xehanort," another voice rang out. The silver-haired man smirked, flexing his hand, before turning to face Zexion.

"You can't protect him here, Zexion," he said slowly, taking a step towards the teen. Zexion didn't move, crossing his arms in what seemed like defiance.

"I can try!" Zexion spat in response, narrowing his violet eyes into a glare, garnering a soft chuckle from the other man.

"You will not succeed," Xehanort decided resolutely, arms outstretched. Torn hands wrapped around Zexion's pale neck, squeezing softly at first. The teen's hands clawed and clawed at Xemnas' arms as the man applied more and more pressure, but his efforts were in vain. Coughing, he gasped for air, trying to breathe.

"Unngh... Zexion...?" Demyx called in his sleep, shifting until he was laying on his side before settling again.

And when he later sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes, no one was there.

-x- DAY THREE -x-

N-I-G-H-T

"Turn off the radio."

"No. I like this song."

"I said turn off the radio."

"I said no."

"What did I say?!"

"Nothing worthwhile."

Silence hung heavily in the air for a long moment.

"Some boy talked to me today."

"That's nice."

"He seems nice."

"Is he gay?"

"Excuse me?"

"I asked if he was like you."

"That has nothing to do with it!"

"He's the one you wer–"

"I said that has no– look out!"

The ear-shattering squeal of tires filled the air, then complete and utter quiet.

Demyx shot up in bed, sweat pouring down his face, cerulean eyes wide, wildly searching the room. His breath came in short gasps, his heart pounding against his chest.

"What... the fuck was that...?" he questioned the empty room around him.

-x- DAY FOUR -x-

M-O-R-N-I-N-G

"Good morning! Time to wake up and greet the sun! Oh, but it's gonna be hot hot hot today, with a high of 98°, so make sure you keep an eye on the elderly and pets!"

"I would if I had either to keep an eye on!" Demyx called to the TV in response as he danced around the kitchen, preparing his breakfast, the events of the previous night forgotten.

For the moment, at least.

Humming to himself, he poured milk into his bowl of cereal and proceeded to the living room, plopping down on the couch with a loud 'Oomph!' and picking up the remote, flipping through the channels until he found one that played music videos. A smile crept onto his face as a familiar song filled the room. Setting down his cereal on the coffee table (Read: practically throwing his cereal on the coffee table), he got up and began dancing around the room, singing the song at the top of his lungs, the lyrics coming to mind easily, as if he'd sung them a thousand times – which he very well might have.

"I've been spendin' way too long checkin' my tongue in the mirror, and bendin' over backwards just to try and see it clearer, but my breath fogged up the glass, and so I drew a new face and I laughed. I guess what I'd be sayin' is there ain't no better reason to rid yourself of vanity and just go with the seasons, it's what we aim to do, our name is our virtue!" he sang, arms outstretched as he circled the couch.

He never noticed the amber eyes following his each and every move.

-x- DAY FOUR -x-

A-F-T-E-R-N-O-O-N

CRASH!

"What the fu–" Demyx began to exclaim, but was abruptly cut off.

THUD!

Cerulean eyes scanned the room, desperately searching for the source of the strange sounds. In one hand, Demyx held an antique glass paperweight, a possession of his grandfather's that he was looking at. In the other hand, he held a glass of water to his lips, prepared to take a sip.

BANG!

Both the paperweight and the glass of water fell from Demyx's hand and shattered on the hardwood floor as what sounded like a gunshot resonated throughout the house.

"H-help..."

With wide eyes, the blonde shot out of the room, ignoring the pain that shot up his legs as the broken glass crunched beneath his bare feet. Bloody footprints trailed behind him as he darted into the kitchen and dove for the phone, dialing an all-too-familiar number before he even realized what he was doing. A shaky sigh escaped his lips as an aggravated voice came from the receiver.

"Reno, I swear to God, if you want mone–"

"Axel, it's me. Demyx," he breathed, wincing in pain as his back met the wall and he slowly slid to the floor.

"Dem? Why the hell are you calling me? Aren't you supposed to be cleaning..." he trailed off.

"I was – am. Axel, I need a fucking huge favor from you," Demyx asked, desperation laced in his voice. This caught Axel off-guard; a moment of silence passed between the two before he spoke again.

"... That depends..." he replied cautiously.

"I need you to come over here. Please. Weird things keep happening. I'm seeing things I shouldn't!" the blonde pleaded, drawing his aching legs up to his chest.

"Wha– Demyx, you know I can't. Have you taken your meds today?" Axel asked, his voice slightly muffled. Demyx could hear shuffling, as well as several clicks of a lighter.

"Put Roxas on the phone if you're gonna be like that!" Demyx commanded, his voice nearing hysterical. There was another long pause before Axel responded.

"I can't, Dem. He's asleep. What's wro–"

CRASH!

"Fuck!" Demyx and Axel swore simultaneously.

"Dem, what the hell is going on over there?!" Axel demanded, his voice ringing in Demyx's head.

"I don't know!" the blonde cried out, his voice followed by another loud THUD. There was more shuffling on Axel's end, as well as a loud groan of annoyance, most likely from Roxas.

"I'm on my way. Hey, Roxie, wake up!" he said, earning a broken sigh of relief from Demyx.

"Just... please... hurry..." the blonde whispered before dropping the phone, wincing as it clattered noisily to the ground. Unfolding himself, he took his weight off his feet, blood smearing as he stretched out his legs.

-x- DAY FOUR -x-

E-V-E-N-I-N-G

"Dammit, Dem, don't ever pull a stunt like that again!" a fiery redhead demanded, giving a fierce tug on the gauze he was wrapping around Demyx's foot. The blonde exhaled loudly, slumping against the arm rest of the couch.

"I'm sorry..." he muttered, hand covering his eyes. Roxas snorted from his position on the back of the couch, running a hand back through his spiked blonde hair, but opted not to comment on the situation.

"Damn straight you are. Do you have any idea how long it took to calm down your mother?" Axel questioned as he tied off the bandage. Demyx let out a loud groan at the thought.

"Ugh... I don't wanna know." he whined, his hand dropping back to his side as he opened his eyes, cerulean quickly meeting emerald.

"Two fucking hours, that's how long. Next time you decide you want me to come over, try giving me directions first," the redhead stated, leaning forward and flicking his best friend's forehead.

"What the hell was that for?!" Demyx complained, hands flying up to cover the sore spot.

"For worrying the ever-living shit outta me," Axel scoffed, pushing Demyx's feet off his lap and standing. Roxas snickered a bit, hopping off the back of the couch and moving to stand beside his boyfriend.

"What now?" he asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Axel shrugged, glancing at Demyx.

"Good question, Roxie. What do you wanna do, Dem?"

"I wanna lie here and watch Riku and Sora beat up the paparazzi some more," he sighed, swinging his legs over the side of the couch and reaching for the remote.

"Dumbass," Roxas spat, glaring at the redhead. "I meant, what are we going to do? You have work tomorrow, but it's getting dark out, and I don't think we'd make it home in time." Axel thought this over a moment, glancing out the double doors.

"I guess we'll stay the night here. If that's alright with you, Dem," he finally decided, looking at the blonde out of the corner of his eye.

"Fine by me. But I have just one question," he said, cerulean eyes never leaving the TV, watching as Sora uncharacteristically screamed profanities at the reporters that were stalking him.

"And that is?" Roxas asked in response, gaze drifting towards the television.

"Can we order pizza for dinner?"

-x- DAY FOUR -x-

N-I-G-H-T

"... Axel... Hey, Axel, wake up." Roxas sat on his knees, gently shaking his boyfriend's shoulder, trying to bring him back to consciousness.

"Unngghh... What is it, Roxas...?" Axel moaned, rolling over so that he was facing the tiny blonde. Sea blue eyes met half-lidded emerald as the redhead looked up at Roxas.

"There's something in that corner," the blonde whispered after a moment, raising a shaky hand and pointing to the far corner. Axel lethargically lifted his head and stared blankly at the corner for a moment.

"I don't see anything," he mumbled, dropping his head back down on the pillow. Roxas shook his head back and forth sharply, yanking on a strand of Axel's red hair.

"What the hell was that for, Roxas?!" the redhead yelped, quieting when he saw the near-panicked expression his boyfriend wore.

"There's something in that corner," Roxas repeated, his hand blindly seeking out Axel's, lacing their fingers together when he finally found it.

"No there isn't," the redhead stated, settling back down into his pillow. Roxas' gaze never left the corner.

"He's saying something," the blonde whispered, more to himself than anything, but Axel caught it.

"Roxas, for the last time, there's no– Fuck! What was that?!" the redhead demanded, sitting up.

BANG!

The noise echoed throughout the house once more.

BANG!!

Roxas' eyes darted wildly around the room, counting the shadows squirming and scampering from wall to wall.

BANG!!

Axel slid out from under the covers and stood, glancing around the room. Tiptoeing around the bed, he couldn't suppress the chill that ran through his body.

BANG!!

The door flew open and darkness spilled forth into the room, sending the room and its occupants into complete and utter blackness.

-x- DAY FIVE -x-

M-O-R-N-I-N-G

Demyx released a shuttering breath as he leaned back against the cold, plastic chair. Beside him, Axel let out a frustrated growl as he got up to pace around the waiting room for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Axel... I'm so sorry..." the blonde breathed out, squeezing his eyes shut. Axel only glanced at him before pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, walking out the door. Demyx sighed, looking at the receptionist, eying the phone beside her for a long moment, before slumping forward and staring at the floor. An excruciatingly long moment of silence passed, the only sounds filling the small area being the shuffling of the receptionist's papers and the occasional ring of the phone.

"... You know it's not your fault..." Demyx jumped at the sudden vocalization, head snapping up as he looked at the redhead in surprise. Pursing his lips a moment, he gave Axel a hesitant smile.

"I feel like it is..." he muttered, watching as Axel sat down beside him once more.

"Dem, you know it's not," he all but whispered. "It's not your fault Roxas is in the hospital."

"I... I know..." the blonde mumbled, gathering the shaking redhead into his arms.

-x- DAY FIVE -x-

A-F-T-E-R-N-O-O-N

"He's has multiple lacerations on his back and arms, as well as a minor concussion, and there are seventeen stitches in his left thigh. Now tell me boys, just what causes all that to happen? A fight? A car crash?"

"... A, uhm... we don't know, actually. We found him like that..." Demyx stuttered out, avoiding the incriminating glare the doctor was giving him. Axel shook his head, leaning back against the seat. The doctor's eyes slid to the redhead, and Demyx could just almost predict his next question.

"You are the boyfriend, correct? Are you sure that you and... Roxas never got into any particularly... violent arguments?" he asked, folding his hands on the desk in front of him.

"Are you implying that I would harm Roxas? What the fuck are you on?" Axel spat in response, gaze moving to the oh-so-interesting ceiling. Demyx pursed his lips a moment before standing.

"I'm... going to go get some water... You want anything, Axe?" Axel shrugged in response, eyes closing.

"Close the door on your way out," the doctor requested, eyes never leaving Axel's nonchalant form.

"Uhm... okay..." Demyx muttered before turning and walking out the door, softly shutting it behind him. With a sigh, he ran his hand back through his hair before making his way down the hall.

"The poor kid... How long has he been out...?" he heard a nurse whisper as he approached the waiting room.

"Since before I came here. He was apparently in a horrible car accident. Killed his father instantly," her companion responded, her voice just as low as the first nurse's.

"Doctor Strife says that his grandparents want to take him off life support."

"That's horrible! He's only sixteen!"

"That's why Doctor Strife isn't going to. He said that the boy's vital signs were improving... But that girl..."

"Doctor Leonhart said it was a lost cause. They're pulling the plug within the hour..."

Demyx tuned them out as he entered the waiting room, once more engulfed in the eerie silence that seemed to fill the room.

That silence, however, was swiftly shattered into a million pieces as a girl with short black hair bound into the waiting room, wide eyes darting back and forth.

"Can't anybody hear me?! Please! Answer me!" she screamed, running up to the receptionist and waving her hands around wildly. Demyx pursed his lips and quickly averted his gaze, making a beeline for the water dispenser. The receptionist took notice of Demyx's strange behaviour.

"Sir? Are you alright?" she called from the desk. The black-haired girl's head snapped in his direction, but Demyx made it a point to ignore her pleading stare.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," he sighed, getting himself a cup of water. The woman didn't sound convinced.

"... Are you sure...?" she asked again, standing up and leaning against the counter that separated the office and the waiting room.

"Yeah, I just forgot to take my meds," he muttered, taking a sip of water. The woman seemed hesitant, stuck between asking him what medication he needed, and leaving him be. Her question was answered for her when the phone rang. Her eyes slowly slid to the phone, but after a moment, she sat down and picked up the receiver. With a sigh, Demyx grabbed another cup and began to fill it with water. The black-haired girl stomped her foot, a frustrated scream tearing from her throat.

"Why can't anybody hear me?!" she demanded, flinging her arms out and knocking a clipboard from the counter. The plastic clattered noisily to the ground, and with it, chaos. The receptionist jumped up in surprise, the phone and chair both crashed to the floor, while across the room, the cup of water Demyx had been holding soared into the air, flinging the clear liquid in every direction. Both the receptionist and Demyx stared at each other for a long moment, before Demyx took the initiative to start picking up the papers that had fluttered off the clipboard during its descent.

"What the hell was that about...?" the blonde muttered, sliding the clipboard back on the counter and smiling shakily at the receptionist.

-x- DAY FIVE -x-

E-V-E-N-I-N-G

"Axel, are you sure this is the right floor?" a blonde asked, his voice the only source of noise – besides the gentle tip tap of their footsteps – in the quiet hallway.

"... I'm pretty sure..." said companion muttered, running a pale hand back through his wild red hair.

"Ugh... Go ask someone. Like... that nurse. Yeah, go ask her," Demyx said, pointing to a nurse with long black hair. Axel sighed and nodded, walking up to her. Demyx watched him for a moment before wandering down the white hallway.

"Argghh..." he moaned, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Can't believe how this day is turning out... What was up with that hallucination this morning? ... Meh. At least I had some medication in the car... Where the hell am I?" He looked around and noticed that he was in a part of the hospital he hadn't seen before.

"Mom... Please, I'm so sorry..."

... That voice. No it couldn't be...

Demyx eyed the doorway for a moment, gathering the courage to continue.

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry... I should have listened!!"

With a deep breath he took a step forward. Then another step. Then another. And then he saw her.

"I'm sorry!"

It was the girl from earlier. Demyx was... well, surprised, to say the least. After all, it wasn't everyday that his medication failed him. He watched in stunned silence as the black-haired girl reached out for the woman in front of her, only to have her hand fall through her shoulder over and over again. The woman was short, with long black hair tied back into a sloppy bun. Tears stained her pale face, making her look older than the thirty-some years she had to be. Shaking hands slowly gathered together various books and movies and stacked them in a bright green and yellow duffel bag. After several minutes, the woman noticed Demyx standing in the doorway and turned to face him.

"H-hello..." she greeted, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Were you a friend of Yuffie's...?" Demyx pursed his lips, staring not at the woman, but at the girl behind her.

"Can... Can you see me...?" she asked in a soft voice. He nodded in response, standing in the doorway for another minute before turning and walking down the hall, opposite the way he had arrived.

He only stopped when he noticed the girl was following him.

"Can you really see me...?" the girl – Yuffie – questioned after a moment of heavy silence. Demyx hesitated before nodding once more, turning to face her. Her head was bowed, her short, black hair overshadowing her eyes, but he could see the tears dripping off her face.

"I'm... so happy..." she said, her voice shaky. Wiping furiously at her eyes, she looked up and smiled brightly at the blonde. Demyx was at a loss for words. "It's okay," the girl reassured, noticing his discomfort. "I won't hurt you... I can't. Uhm... what's your name?"

"Demyx," he replied, forcing a smile to his face.

"Ohh, what an unusual name!" Yuffie declared, her voice thick. "I'm Yuffie Kisaragi, the White Rose of... Well... I was... Nevermind. It's unimportant."

"Is... there something you want to tell me...?" Demyx asked, his voice low. The black-haired girl nodded, balling her hands into tight fists. So tight, in fact, her knuckles were turning white. A long moment of silence stretched between them as Yuffie gathered her thoughts.

"I broke my promise," she whispered, and Demyx could tell she was about to cry again. "I promised Mom and Dad that I would stay home... That I would behave..."

"What happened?"

"... Aerith called. Invited me to a party that some kid at school was throwing. I told her I would go... She came and picked me up. We went to the party... had a blast. It was amazing. But then... on the way home... Selphie was driving. Aerith was in the passenger seat, asleep. But... Selphie, I guess, had had one too many drinks... I wasn't completely sober, either, and I knew Aerith was sleeping off her high. We were, uhm, going over the bridge... You know the one that goes over the lake...? Selphie lost control of the car..." Yuffie trailed off loosening her hands before clenching them again. Demyx was silent, recalling the many news reports covering the accident.

"Selphie and Aerith died instantly, didn't they?" he asked, receiving a nod from Yuffie. "You... weren't wearing your seatbelt... Slammed your head against the seat in front of you... Irreversible brain damage... They declared you braindead..."

"And pulled the plug on me this afternoon." The words hung heavy in the air. Demyx shifted around nervously, remembering what he had said about the accident.

"That's stupid. Why would anyone want to party and get high and drunk just for the sake of doing it...?"

Cringing, he stared at the ceiling for a long moment before speaking once more.

"Is there something you want me to do for you...?" he asked. Yuffie nodded, looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Please... Can you please tell my mom that I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt her..."

"I... I can do that..."

"What can you do, Dem?" Demyx jumped as Axel addressed him. Yuffie's gaze darted back and forth from Demyx to Axel.

"Eh... nothing... I, uh, have to go talk to someone," he said, glancing at Yuffie. Axel shrugged, following the blonde as he made his way back to Yuffie's old room, where the girl's mother was putting the last of the girl's belongings into the bag – a few stuffed animals and some CDs. Though, why a comatose girl would require these items, Demyx had no idea.

"Mrs. Kisaragi...?" he called from the doorway, ignoring the inquisitive stare Axel gave him. The woman looked up in surprise, blinking back her tears.

"Oh...? You're that boy... Yuffie's friend," she said, setting down an Oathkeeper's Oblivion CD.

"Yuffie wants me to tell you she's sorry," he said quickly, pursing his lips a moment before continuing. "She says she's sorry she broke her promise." Mrs. Kisaragi's eyes went wide, her jaw dropping.

"Y-young man... I don't know w-who you are, but that is... that is completely inappropriate," she stuttered out, tears spilling down her face once more.

"I'm serious!" Demyx shouted, making Axel jump. "She's so sorry... She's standing right here!!"

"Dem!" Axel chastised, putting a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"Young man, what is wrong with you?" Mrs. Kisaragi demanded, her voice cracking. Demyx shook his head, continuing.

"How can I prove it to you? How can I prove to you that she's here?!" he asked.

"Please... Just leave... before I call someone..." Mrs. Kisaragi near pleaded, taking a step away from Demyx.

"Oh beautiful nightingale, sing to me songs of old..." Yuffie whispered, looking at her mother. Demyx pursed his lips before repeating the line, earning a shocked gasp from the woman.

"Between the hours of twelve and twelve, when I can hear your blessed cries... And listen to your mournful tune..." she continued. "Oh sad nightingale, four and twenty hours have passed since you last sang to me..."

"Why are you so silent...? Please sing to me your wavering song... Allow me to listen to your melody of the ancients..." Mrs. Kisaragi choked out. Demyx nodded before continuing.

"Oh silent nightingale, your presence lingers, but you are gone... My voice drifts through the silence, telling of your mournful tales... Five and ten years have passed, yet your evanescent tune falls to my ears... I cry heavy tears... Raindrops falling in your absence..."

"... Her favorite poem..."

"She's sorry, Mrs. Kisaragi... She wanted you to know that."

"... Thank you."

-x- DAY FIVE -x-

N-I-G-H-T

"I don't get it, Axe... I really don't," Demyx sighed out, slumping down into a plush arm chair in the corner of the hospital room.

"What don't you get, exactly?" the weary redhead questioned, stretching a little before flopping down onto the hard tile, looking up at the bed in the center of the room. Roxas slept peacefully, shifting around every once in awhile before getting comfortable once more. The room itself was cast in shadows, so Roxas could sleep easier; the only light source came from the garish hallway lights streaming in from the cracked door.

"Why could I see her?" he asked his best friend, looking down as the redhead crossed his arms on Demyx's legs and laid his head on them.

"See who?" Axel asked tiredly.

"That girl. Yuffie," Demyx elaborated, leaning over the armrest and mimicking Axel's pose.

"Nnhh... Iono, Dem. Why?" Axel was falling asleep as he spoke, his words slurring the slightest bit.

"That's what I wanna know... I'll call Mom in the morning..." he mumbled, glancing down at his best friend before closing his eyes.

"That sounds like a... good..." Axel trailed off, having fallen asleep mid-sentence. Demyx was quick to follow suit.

-x- DAY SIX -x-

M-O-R-N-I-N-G

The sun rose over the mountains, casting the valley in pink and orange shadows. Demyx had woken just before the sun had shown itself, when the deep black of night was fading into a light grey. His mother had called just as the sun had peeked over the mountain, checking in not only on her son, but on the status of Roxas.

"I'm glad Roxas is okay," Adalwolfa told her son, relief apparent in her voice. Demyx didn't reply immediately, trying to think of a way to ask his mother about what he wanted.

"Mom... I have a question for you," he whispered, shifting around nervously, trying not to wake the redhead slumbering on his legs.

"Yes, Demy?"

"... I... I saw someone yesterday..." he mumbled after a moment. His mother gasped excitedly on the other end.

"You mean like a girl, Demy? Aww, that's so sweet!! I wish I could have been there to see it!!" she exclaimed, and he could hear rustling around on her end.

"Yes, Mom. A girl. Her name was Yuffie," he breathed, voice barely audible. It was a moment before his mother spoke again.

"That's a very pre–"

"She's dead, Mom," Demyx interrupted.

"... W-what are you talking about...?" she stuttered out, surprised. He paused a moment, gathering his thoughts.

"Care to explain why I could see a dead girl? Let alone talk to her?" he demanded, raising his voice. Axel stirred, moaning a bit in his sleep, but didn't wake. Adalwolfa let out a sigh, taking a moment to compose herself.

"Demyx, it was just another hallucination," she assured; her voice was low, but smooth. "Did you take your medication this morning?"

"I did, in fact. Is there maybe something you're not telling me, Mom?"

"Maybe your prescription is wearing off," she stated suddenly, changing the subject. "I'll have to call the doctor later."

"She was real, Mom!" Demyx yelled. "She was alive!!" Axel stirred, his emerald eyes opening a crack and sliding upwards towards Demyx. The blonde smiled nervously, running his free hand through his best friend's surprisingly soft red hair, coaxing him back into sleep. Axel shifted around, trying to get comfortable on the hard tile, before relaxing once more, falling back into a light slumber.

"Demy, honey, that isn't possible. You only think you were talking to a dead girl. But you you weren't, Dem, you know you weren't. We've been over this. I'll call the doctor here in a few minutes and get you a stronger medication, okay?" Adalwolfa's voice was laced with desperation as she tried to reason with her son.

"No, it's not okay!" Demyx whispered, his voice harsh. "I talked to her mother! How can you tell me she's not real?!"

"You only think you were having a conversation with her, but you weren't Dem, you just weren't! It was your imagination, and you know that."

"But she was real, Mom!" he snapped. "She really was! She wasn't a hallucination, dammit, and–"

"Demyx!" Adalwolfa shrieked, anger flaring, effectively quieting Demyx. "Language!!" There was a long moment of silence, in which the only sound was that of Axel muttering something under his breath as he slept. Demyx truly thought his mother had hung up on him until she suddenly spoke, proving him wrong.

"Was there anyone else?" she asked, voice so soft, Demyx had to strain to hear it.

"Just... Just Yuffie," he responded. He could hear Adalwolfa taking a deep breath before releasing it in a humongous sigh.

"Just Yuffie..." she said absently, speaking more to herself. Demyx waited patiently for her to speak again, slowly running his hand through Axel's hair. "What did she say? Did she want anything?"

"She... wanted me to tell her mother something. That's all," he mumbled. Adalwolfa took a shaky breath before continuing.

"Demy, your hallucinations have gotten stronger. I'll see if the doctor will speak with you later today, maybe tomorrow morni–"

"Mom!" Demyx interrupted, something inside him snapping. "Listen to me, dammit! Yuffie was alive! She was alive just this morning!!"

"That's all well and good, Demyx, but she's dead now, and there's nothing you can do about it!!" Adalwolfa yelled, her temper returning, and Demyx could hear her slam her hand down on something.

"I know that!" he snapped in response, vaguely noticing that his hand was sitting motionlessly, buried in Axel's fiery hair.

"She's dead now, Demyx. Just leave the dead to rest," she finished. Demyx was silent a moment, processing the information.

"Then... she wasn't a hallucination...?" he asked hesitantly, glancing up at Roxas. The blonde slept on, unaware of the argument. There was a long pause.

"Shit, Dem. You've backed me into a corner," Adalwolfa finally whispered, and Demyx could practically see her cringe at her curse.

"But... why would you keep something like that from me...?" Demyx asked quietly, absently tugging on Axel's hair.

"Keep what from you? The fact that every single hallucination you've ever seen has, in fact, been real? Think about it Dem. Why would I want my baby boy to be tormented?" she asked in response, her voice thick. Demyx thought she sounded like she was about to cry. "Labeled as a freak? Made into an outcast? All because he could see spirits – all because of something out of anyone's control." He bit at his bottom lip, lowering his gaze only to find his best friend staring up at him, half-lidded eyes swimming with curiosity. Demyx began running his free hand through Axel's hair once more. It was a half-hearted response, but the tired teen accepted it without complaint.

"But... why would... how..." he struggled to form a response, but none came. "I'm sorry, Mom. But... But thank you for telling me." And with that, Demyx held out the cell phone and pressed the End button a few times, snapping it shut and shoving it into his pocket when it finally turned off. With a heavy sigh, he slumped down against the armrest and closed his eyes.

Today was certainly turning out to be interesting.

-x- DAY SIX -x-

A-F-T-E-R-N-O-O-N

"So, let me get this straight... You can see, uh... ghosts?" Axel raised an eyebrow questioningly, never taking his eyes off the road. Demyx nodded slowly, fiddling with his seatbelt and pursing his lips a moment before continuing.

"I know it sounds completely and utterly insane–"

"You got that right."

"–But I think it's true," Demyx finished, turning his head and staring out the window.

"... And just why..." Axel trailed off, trying to find the right words.

"Because I know that girl was real..." the blonde muttered, slumping down in his seat. Axel snorted, but otherwise stayed quiet, focusing on the road.

"They said they'd let Rox out tomorrow night," Demyx said, in an attempt to change the subject. He could feel Axel's eyes on him for a brief moment before said redhead allowed a heavy sigh to pass between his lips.

"Yeah... Dem, who is the silver-haired man?"

"The who?" Demyx was, to say the least, a little confused.

"The silver-haired man in your grandfather's house," Axel elaborated, slowing the car as they approached a turn.

"I... What?" Demyx's blue eyes focused solely on Axel.

"The silver-haired man in your grandfather's house," he repeated, pulling over to the side of the road. Axel slumped over the steering wheel for a long moment, in which Demyx used to try and sort out his thoughts. Finally turning to face the blonde, Axel spoke in a soft voice. "Dem... what's going on?" There was a long, tense moment of silence before Demyx answered.

"I... I don't know who he is..." he whispered, bowing his head. "He just... showed up..."

"So... he's also a ghost," Axel offered. There was a short silence before Demyx slowly nodded.

"I... I think so. I mean... I just found out about... this, so..." Axel thought about this a minute, emerald eyes sliding to the roof of the car.

"He was the one that attacked Roxas," he muttered, closing his eyes. "Filled the room with... shadows? It was... terrifying. I thought... I thought I was going to lose Rox." Demyx pursed his lips, thinking, before leaning over and laying his head on Axel's shoulder.

"He's going to be okay, Axe," he muttered, eyes drifting to the emergency brake between them before closing. The redhead shifted around a bit, getting comfortable.

"... What about... the other one?" Axel asked after a couple minutes of silence. Demyx raised an eyebrow questioningly, disregarding the fact that his best friend couldn't see the gesture. "The other ghost, I mean."

"Zexion?" Demyx supplied, nearly falling into emergency brake when Axel shifted away from him, opting to stare at the blonde with wide, emerald eyes. Demyx pushed himself back into a sitting position, his confusion over Axel's actions etched into his face.

"Please, Dem, tell me that you're just joking," the redhead practically pleaded, which only served to confuse Demyx even more.

"I'm... not... His name is Zexion..." he muttered, blue eyes carefully avoiding the questioning gaze held in his best friend's emerald eyes. Without another word, the redhead started the car and pulled into the lane, speeding up the car until they were flying down the road, going at least thirty miles per hour over the posted speed limit.

"Uhm... Axel... You're, uhm..." Demyx began, but trailed off after his best friend's emerald eyes shot him a withering glare. Demyx sunk down in his seat, looking out the window to his right. The remainder of the car ride was spent in utter silence.

-x- DAY SIX -x-

E-V-E-N-I-N-G

Axel finally slowed when they neared the end of the road Emilian's house was on, pulling over to the curb as they reached it. Demyx was confused, to say the least, when Axel killed the engine and motioned for the blonde to get out of the car, directing him to a nearby tree.

"Axel... What exactly...?" Axel shushed him, and approached the tree, running a bony hand over the bark. Upon closer inspection, Demyx could see a distinct indent in the tree.

"Dem... There was an accident here awhile ago," Axel said, his voice soft. "It was all over the news... It was right after Yuffie's accident. Have you... Did you really forget?" Demyx bit his bottom lip, mentally going through his list of important events that had happened recently, opting to stare at the ground when none came to mind.

"Axel... What's going on?" he tentatively asked. Axel hesitated a moment before pulling Demyx into a tight embrace, confusing the blonde even more.

"He was here, Dem. Zexion was in the accident here," the redhead whispered. Demyx squeezed his eyes shut, hands gripping the front of Axel's shirt, denying it over and over in his head.

"No, no, that couldn't of happened..." he muttered, his legs giving out. Axel caught the blonde, easing him into a sitting position. "That didn't..."

"Demyx! Pay attention!" a soft voice suddenly echoed in his mind. "You'll never get this right if you keep getting distracted. You're the one that asked me for help."

"My next class is French III with Mr. Clopin. Yours?"

"My name's Zexion. It's nice to meet you, Demyx."

"Uhm... I guess I could eat with you... But just for today, okay?"

"Good morning, students. This is your principal speaking. With Ms. Kisaragi's, Ms. Gainsborough's, and Ms. Tilmitt's tragic accident still fresh in our minds, I regret to inform you that another member of our student body has been involved in an unfortunate accident. Please, allow a moment of silence for Mr. Zexion Ishida..."

"Dem... Are, uhm... are you okay?" Axel's voice cut through the haze Demyx's mind had become, bringing him spiraling back to reality. With a shuddering gasp, the blonde pulled away from his friend.

"How could I forget...?" he whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears. "How could I...?"

"It's alright, Dem. It's alright," Axel soothed. "Zexion's still alive. He's still alive. We can go back and see him if you want." Demyx pursed his lips a moment before shaking his head.

"No," he muttered, surprising the redhead. "I want to go to my grandfather's house."

-x- DAY SIX -x-

N-I-G-H-T

"I don't quite understand why you want to come here..." Axel stated monotonously as he pulled into Emilian's driveway.

"I want to talk to Zexion," Demyx muttered, throwing open the door and jumping out of the car before it came to a complete stop. Sprinting across the lawn and jumping the stairs on the porch, Demyx slammed into the door, hands desperately searching his pockets for the key. Shaking fingers finally brushed against cold metal, and after several attempts at unlocking the door, he finally managed to get it open. Dashing into the foyer, he ignored the frigid chill that bit at his bare arms, sparing only a glance at the thermostat.

69 degrees.

Demyx could faintly distinguish the sound of Axel's footsteps as he made his way up the porch; Axel let loose a string of expletives when he finally entered the house and felt the extreme cold that had befallen it. Cerulean eyes scanned the room, searching for any signs of movement.

"Zexion!" he called, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Zexion!!"

"Dem... Are you sure about this...?" the redhead asked from somewhere behind Demyx, but the blonde shook his head in response.

"He's here, Axe. I just... I know he is," he muttered before making his way into the living room and shouting for Zexion once more.

"You've returned," A deep, smooth, distinctly male voice announced, catching both Demyx and Axel off-guard. A shiver danced down Demyx's spine, sending a violent shudder through his body.

"Not for you," the blonde spat before calling for Zexion once more.

"It's a lost cause," the voice stated; Demyx could practically see the amused smirk on the scarred man's face. "He won't respond."

"What did you do to him!?" Demyx all but screamed, bracing his hands in front of him. A deep laugh resonated throughout the room, causing Axel to unconsciously take a step closer to Demyx.

"Take a look for yourself," the voice said. Out of the corner of his eye, Demyx could see a figure emerge from a pool of shadows. Cerulean eyes quickly locked onto the scarred figure of the man Zexion had called Xehanort; he watched as the man manipulated the squirming shadows, casting the room into complete and utter darkness.

Demyx took a shuddering breath, his heart thumping against his rib cage. He was looking, but couldn't see. Searching, but couldn't find. Blindly groping, but couldn't feel.

He couldn't suppress the sigh of relief that passed beyond his lips when the dim light of the moon once more illuminated the room, revealing the translucent figure of Zexion. He hung midair beside Xehanort, dark pools of blackness trapping his outstretched arms at the wrist. His head hung limply, his violet eyes closed; Demyx lunged for Xehanort, but was stopped short when Axel looped his thin arms around the blonde's waist and pulled him back. Demyx struggled against his best friend's hold, but the redhead wouldn't relent.

"Dem, calm down," Axel whispered, his mouth brushing against Demyx's ear, breath tickling his neck. "You're doing exactly what he wants." Demyx cringed, lunging for Xehanort a few more times before relaxing in Axel's arms, looking at the floor.

"I... I know..." he muttered, raising his head to look directly at Xehanort. The man's scarred face was twisted into a wicked smile, amber eyes swimming with a strange, burning hatred.

"Perhaps I shall kill him," the scarred man stated after a tense moment of silence. Demyx thrashed against Axel's arms again, trying to attack Xehanort.

"Don't!" he cried, arms stretching out for him, but falling short each time. "Please, you can't!"

"Can't I?" Xehanort laughed, motioning towards the shadows crawling up Zexion's unconscious body, forming a tight circle around the slate-haired teen's neck. With a gasp, he woke, choking and struggling against his restraints. Demyx could only watch helplessly as the shadows tightened around Zexion's neck, forcing a harsh cough from his throat.

"Please!" Demyx pleaded, straining against Axel's hold. "Please, don't hurt him!" Violet eyes snapped open, locking with Demyx's cerulean.

"You h-have to get out of here!!" Zexion wheezed, the desperation in his voice squeezing at Demyx's heart. The blonde shook his head, reaching out for the slate-haired teen, but falling short again and again, unable to free himself from Axel's iron grip.

"I'm sorry, Zexion! I'm so, so sorry!" he cried. A sad smile crept onto Zexion's face as he watched the blonde struggle against his friend's arms.

"It's alright, Demyx... I-I forgive you," he choked out, gasping when the shadows around his neck tightened. Demyx stopped struggling against Axel, hanging his head.

"What a tragic relationship," Xehanort commented, voice thick with sarcasm. "But for you, Zexion, it all ends tonight."

"Xeha-hanort..." Zexion coughed out, pulling against his restraints. Demyx raised his eyes, watching the slate-haired teen thrash against the shadows, but to no avail.

SKREEEE–!!

The high-pitched shriek forced both Demyx and Axel to their knees, hands clapped over their ears in a futile attempt at blocking out the painful noise. The shadows restraining Zexion got lighter as their bonds weakened. Out of the corner of his eye, Demyx spotted Xehanort in a similar position to his and Axel's.

"What the hell is that!?" Axel yelled over the noise, eyes squeezed shut in pain. Demyx shook his head, clawing at his ears. The piercing shriek cut through his senses, sending shocks of pain dancing through his muscles. Inhaling shakily, Demyx chanced a glance up at Zexion.

The restraints were becoming lighter – looser; any moment, the slate-haired teen could break free. Violet eyes abruptly locked with cerulean.

"What is that?" the blonde demanded, his voice barely audible over the noise.

"The shadows. They're trying to free themselves from his control," Zexion responded. Abruptly, Xehanort's hand shot out in front of him. Demyx could hear Axel's surprised yelp as he flew back, cringing at the sound of glass cracking. There was a low moan of pain from the redhead's general direction, then silence. Squeezing his eyes shut, Demyx pursed his lips a moment before forcing a pain-filled smile onto his face.

"I believe in you." he whispered, cerulean eyes sliding up to the slate-haired teen's face. Zexion looked at the blonde worriedly, nodding. Turning his attention back to Xehanort, he sneered and pulled a hand from it's restraint.

It was all Zexion needed.

Xehanort's amber eyes widened as a final, ear-piercing shriek erupted in the room before shadows shrouded the room in complete and utter darkness.

-x- DAY SEVEN -x-

M-O-R-N-I-N-G

Demyx awoke to the sound of birds chirping and locusts buzzing outside. His vision was blurred as he opened his eyes. Blinking a few times to try and clear the haze, he took a moment to see if he was hurt anywhere; his head was pounding, his ears were ringing, and his muscles screamed in pain, but he slowly sat up, cerulean eyes carefully surveying the room. The TV was cracked down the center, the fuzzy noise of static filling the room.

Funny, he didn't remember that being on last night.

Brushing it off, his eyes traveled south. Underneath the TV lay a familiar redhead, his right arm twisted grotesquely to the side. Demyx's face twisted into a grimace, but he couldn't bring himself to move.

"Axel," he whispered, his voice low, raspy. "Axe, please wake up." There was a long moment of silence before a groan came from the redhead, soon followed by the soft rustle of clothes as Axel sat up. Hissing in pain through clenched teeth, Demyx watched Axel cradle his injured arm to his chest.

"Morning, Dem," he greeted, his voice soft. A small smile found its way onto the blonde's face, relief apparent in his features.

"We need to call an ambulance," Demyx suggested, but neither moved to do so. A soft chuckle echoed in the room, Axel's gaze drifting upwards to the ceiling.

"It feels different in here," he muttered. "Cleaner. Emptier. Peaceful-er."

"Peaceful-er isn't a word, Axe," Demyx pointed out, his smile growing.

"Yeah, I know. I thought it fit, though," the redhead responded, grimacing as he adjusted his injured arm into a more comfortable position.

"You're right, though. It's like some cloud of darkness was lifted," Demyx agreed, glancing around the room once more, noticing how the sun streamed in through the glass doors, almost as if it were celebrating its victory over the darkness.

"So, how about that ambulance?" Axel asked, interrupting the blonde's thoughts. Demyx looked over at his friend before nodding and tugging his phone from his pocket, gritting his teeth in pain.

It was going to be a long day.

-x- DAY SEVEN -x-

A-F-T-E-R-N-O-O-N

"Alright, Demyx. Just take a couple of these everyday until your prescription runs out," a brown-haired doctor ordered, a kind smile pulling at her lips. Demyx nodded, taking the slip of paper she offered, glancing over it before looking back up at her.

"How's Axel?" he questioned, pursing his lips anxiously as he waited for her response.

"Is that his name? Axel?" she asked, scribbling a few things down on her clipboard.

"Yeah. Is he alright?" he asked again, earning a soft laugh from the doctor.

"He's fine. He had a broken arm, but it's been properly set and he's waiting for Doctor Valentine to approve his release so he can visit his boyfriend," she informed him, setting the aforementioned clipboard to the side before facing him once more. Demyx heaved a sigh of relief, his entire body relaxing.

"That's good. I'm glad he's okay," the blonde said, his voice calm. The doctor stood, motioning towards the door.

"Anything else you need?" she asked, opening the door from Demyx. He thanked her and exited the office, trailing behind her as she led him to the reception area.

"Uhm... Yeah, actually. Do you know anything about a Zexion Ishida?" The nurse thought about this a moment before nodding.

"Are you a friend of his?" she questioned, earning a quick nod from the blonde. With a smile, she turned to face him.

"His vital signs have improved infinitely in the past twelve hours. It's a miracle, really, but it appears as if he might wake up soon," she told him. "Would you like to go see him?"

-x- DAY SEVEN -x-

E-V-E-N-I-N-G

"So this is where you've been!" a familiar voice called, startling Demyx. He looked up to see both Axel and Roxas standing in the doorway, fingers interlaced, Roxas clinging tightly to Axel's arm. Demyx smiled and looked down at the sleeping form of Zexion.

"They said he was going to wake up soon," he explained, reaching over and brushing a stray strand of slate hair from the teen's face. "I thought I would stay here for awhile, see if he did." Axel approached the bed, pulling Roxas along with him.

"He doesn't look any different," Roxas commented softly, glancing up at Axel.

"It's been awhile since I last saw him," the redhead stated, looking at Demyx. "Think we could stay here, too?" Demyx laughed, nodding.

"Of course," he said. "You can two can have the couch." He gestured to the dark blue couch that sat under the window.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" Roxas asked, to which Demyx shook his head. "Axel, why don't we go get something? We haven't eaten, either." The redhead shrugged.

"Sure. What do you want, Dem?"

"Whatever. I don't really care," he replied, cerulean eyes drifting back to Zexion. Axel chuckled as he was dragged from the room by Roxas, giving a short, two-fingered salute before disappearing into the hallway.

"I'm sorry... you know that, don't you? I really, truly am," he whispered, reaching out and taking Zexion's hand in his own. "I doubt you'll even remember what happened at Grampa's house when you wake up. I asked Doctor Crescent earlier about your dad. Turns out he's the guy that was attacking us. Why would a father do something like that to his son? It's so twisted... Did he get those scars from the accident? Doctor Crescent wouldn't tell me what his body looked like when they brought him in, so I wouldn't know. Just... Dammit, Zexion, please, wake up soon."

-x- DAY SEVEN -x-

N-I-G-H-T

"Axel..." Roxas murmured in his sleep, catching Demyx's attention. He turned his head, raising an eyebrow at the position his friends had decided to sleep in. Axel lay flat on his back, his left arm dangling loosely off the side of the couch, pale hand brushing the white linoleum. His right arm was curled around the small of Roxas' back, who was laying directly on top of Axel, using his boyfriend's chest as a pillow. The small blonde shifted his position a bit, getting comfortable, muttering something indecipherable under his breath before settling. A quick glance out the window told Demyx that night had long since fallen. He closed his eyes for a long moment, leaning back against the arm chair, giving Zexion's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Zexion..." he breathed out, cracking his eyes open, glancing over at Zexion. The slate-haired teen looked so peaceful, so innocent, Demyx almost couldn't believe that this was the same Zexion. Uncurling his legs, he leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to Zexion's forehead. When he pulled away, he noticed a pair of half-lidded violet eyes staring up at him. Demyx's heart skipped a beat, and he had to repress the urge to shout and carry on happily. Instead, a soft smile found its way onto his face as he gently kissed Zexion's lips.

"Thank you," Zexion rasped out as the blonde pulled back. Demyx sat back on the side of the bed, lacing together their fingers, brushing more strands of hair from the teen's face with his free hand.

And then Zexion smiled, and Demyx knew that everything really was going to be okay.

-x- ONE MONTH LATER -x-

E-V-E-N-I-N-G

Ah... Ah... AH-CHOO!

"Dammit! How long has it been since you dusted in here, kid!?" A man with long, red hair, pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his neck stomped into the old house, trench coat fluttering behind him. At his heels was a tall man with tanned skin and black sunglasses with absolutely no hair to speak of.

"I haven't been back since the incident, Father." a blonde teenager piped up as he entered his grandfather's old house, pulling behind him a slate-haired teen.

"Drop the 'Father' shit. It's Reno, yo." the redhead declared, walking into the kitchen. Running a thin hand over the counter, inspecting it. Blue eyes landed on the small, white TV perched next to the refrigerator before Reno reached out and flicked on the device. The melodic voice of a female news anchor filled the room.

"Earlier today, officials apprehended Oathkeeper's Oblivion member's Sora Kayaki and Riku Karada as suspects in Kairi Osaka's murder. When asked to comment, our reporters were turned down..."

"Damn, that is some freaky shit, yo. Never thought it'd be them." Reno commented before switching off the TV once more. The redhead turned and examined the cabinets, opening and shutting each one.

"They, ah... Those were slamming shut when I came here on the first day..." the blonde stated, wrapping his arms around the waist of the smaller teen. After a moment, Reno made his way into the living room, checking the cracked TV and the dead trees before heading up the stairs. After a thorough inspection of the house, the group of four found themselves on the porch. The blonde was recounting his experiences with as much detail as he could remember, gesturing wildly at certain points, while the slate-haired teen just calmly agreed whenever his name was mentioned.

"So... Why would this ghost, Xehanort, attack you?" the redhead's companion asked, scribbling something into his notebook. The blonde turned and faced the slate-haired teen, unable to answer. He hesitated a moment, clinging to the blonde's arm.

"Xehanort... was my father. He, uh... he was... exceedingly homophobic. W-we got into a fight the night of the accident... Uhm..." the slate-haired teen trailed off, glancing up at the blonde, a faint blush staining his cheeks. "I had told him th-that I... that I liked Demyx the day before... and uh... he wasn't very happy about it..." This caught the blonde's attention, cerulean eyes meeting with grey.

"You told him you liked me...? That means that I'm..." the blonde was silenced by a harsh kiss from the other teen, bringing about a light blush on the pastors' faces. The bald man coughed, looking up at the sky.

"Well, they're not shy." he muttered, glancing over at Reno. The redhead had a stupid grin plastered on his face as he fished a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and proceeded to light one. The two teens were interrupted when the bald man cleared his throat.

"If that's all," he said when he'd gotten the full attention of the two teens. "Then we'll be going. We should be back for a follow-up in the next week or so, but all we'll really need to do is a standard blessing. It seems as if all negative energy is gone. I don't know how you two did it, but I congratulate you. Reno, let's go." And with that, the two pastors left the two teens behind, peeling out of the gravel driveway with a loud squeal of tires. The blonde returned his attention to his boyfriend, brushing a strand of slate-coloured hair from his face, hand softly tracing his jawline, before dropping to his neck.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" he whispered, earning a soft smile.

"You ask me everyday, Dem. I'll be just fine, don't worry." the slate-haired teen said in response, giving the blonde a soft kiss.

"I believe in you..." Demyx said, pulling Zexion into a tight embrace. The slate-haired teen wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist, holding him close.

"Thank you."