A/N: This is an alternate ending to Despair, in which Ansem saves Xehanort as he's falling into the Rising Falls. waves Angst Mallet in warning

A/N 2: I realized while writing this that I had inadvertently dropped Even in the role of Xehanort's mother figure. Weird.

A/N 3: Merry X-mas, Lita! XD

OOOOOO

Ansem couldn't sleep.

He tossed and turned in his bed, unable to get comfortable, unable to relax. He restlessly rolled over onto his right side, but sleep still wouldn't come. His bed was comfortable, his body was tired, but his mind refused to settle down. It was just like that one night...

… the night he had found Xehanort and Braig in bed together.

Ansem growled angrily and flopped over onto his left side. Lately, thinking of Xehanort only seemed to fill him with rage, and that was the last thing he needed while trying to sleep. Hmm, maybe he should just throw the boy out; the lords knew that he had caused so much trouble lately, surely a punishment was merited?

But where would Xehanort go? Who could he turn to? No one in Radiant Garden had recognized him, so it was safe to say that once out of the castle, he would be homeless, and without a family. Ansem had adopted Xehanort once it had become clear that he had no one else, though the boy's actions of late had made him wonder if he had made a mistake in that regard.

Ansem growled again and tried to banish any thoughts of Xehanort. He needed to sleep. There was a new business opening in town in the morning, and he was expected there for the ribbon cutting early on. He didn't have time to be worrying about the whore his apprentice/son had turned into. Xehanort's troubles were no one's fault but his own.

But... it takes two to have sex, and Braig had said nothing about being forced. Come to think of it, Braig had sounded as though he had enjoyed every second of it, and he was more than old enough to know what he was getting into. Xehanort on the other hand...

"...is a whore." Ansem said angrily to the dark, silent room. "Xehanort deserves everything he gets from this."

Yet, he couldn't deny that he'd felt a flicker of alarm earlier as Xehanort had just lain on his floor, half naked, still, and silent as Ansem had upbraided him for his behavior. He'd made no protest, made no attempt to change Ansem's mind. He had just lain there on the floor and taken the reprimand without so much as a whimper. And seeing as how Xehanort had always been quick to cry when upset or frightened before, his silence had spoken volumes about his mental state.

Volumes that Ansem had blatantly ignored.

"Fine," he snarled as he threw his blankets back and stood up "I'll go check on him." He tossed his robe over his pajamas, slipped his slippers on his feet and strode angrily out of the room.

It was a quick walk to the apprentice apartments, and as he neared the hall he saw a ghostly figure walk slowly out of it, turn the corner, and walk away in the opposite direction. The dimmed corridor lights allowed him to easily see who it was.

It was Xehanort, and Ansem noted for the first time his tangled hair, his rumpled clothes, and how his lab coat seemed to hang off of him like a sack, even though it had been tailored to fit him perfectly. He plodded slowly away, as if he had to force himself to keep moving forward, and Ansem decided to follow, curious as to where he was going. As he did so, he absently noted the blood on the back of Xehanort's lab coat, and he wondered where it had come from.

Xehanort walked silently out of the castle and into the town, and the entire way, Ansem quietly followed a few dozen steps behind. He couldn't begin to fathom where the boy was going, but he noticed that the further they moved on, the slower Xehanort moved, and the harder it seemed to be for him to keep going. At one point, he stumbled and fell, and Ansem realized that the soft, quiet cry that escaped him was the first sound he had heard from him in several days. For someone that had always been full of questions asked and answers sought, the silence was yet another alarming sign that something was seriously wrong.

Xehanort struggled to his feet, barely able to stand it seemed, and Ansem decided enough was enough and went to get him, but an angry voice interrupted him.

"Get out of here, you whore! We don't want your kind around here!"

A rock came sailing from a nearby house, and it struck Xehanort between his shoulders, which knocked him back down to the cobblestone street. A quick look to the left showed the house's resident, standing on the porch and preparing to throw a second, larger rock, and Ansem was torn for a second. Should he go to Xehanort, get him to his feet, and lead him back to the castle, or should he prevent the second rock from being thrown? If it struck Xehanort in the wrong spot, with him being so frail, it could do serious damage. If he went to him, he may not get to him in time for the resident to see him.

Decision made, he marched up to the angry man on the porch as Xehanort managed to regain his feet and began to shuffle away. "What are you doing?" he hissed furiously at the man, who turned as white as a sheet when he saw who was standing in front of him.

The man hastily dropped the rock. "I was just driving that whore off, Your Lordship." he said respectfully "No one wants him around after what he did to Braig."

"And what makes you think that I would permit this abuse of my son?" Ansem ignored the voice in the back of his mind that informed him that he was just as guilty as everyone else.

The man stared at him wordlessly for a moment. "Because, my lord, everyone knows what he did, and everyone knows that you were angry at him, so we assumed -"
"That it was alright to hurl rocks at him and insult him?"

"But, my lord -!"

Ansem slashed his hand downward. "Enough! Leave Xehanort alone! No one it to harass or harm him; do I make myself clear?"

"Y... y.. yes, my lord."

"Now go inside."

The man practically ran inside his house, and Ansem turned back around to see that Xehanort had disappeared. He ran back out into the street and looked around for a flash of white hair or a flap of a lab coat disappearing around a corner, but he saw nothing.

"Xehanort!" he called "Xehanort, answer me!" There was no answer, though he noted a few other people coming out of their houses to investigate the voices they had heard. "Xehanort!" Worry overtook his curiosity as his walk turned into a run. Xehanort was in obviously poor physical condition, and he needed urgent care, but it Ansem didn't find him soon, there was no way to know what would happen to him. "Xehanort!"

He ran down the darkened street, and at some point, he became aware of the sound of falling water. A look around soon spotted the hatch that down to the Rising Falls. The Falls were closed off from the public, and the square had been built over them, but someone had left that hatch open. A terrible idea occurred to him then, and he hastily ran through the hatch and down the steps.

Ahead of him, just barely visible in the dim light, was Xehanort, standing on the ledge that overlooked the falls with his back to Ansem. His hair and clothes were blowing slightly in the breeze from the moving water, and suddenly Ansem knew with a horrified certainty what he was planning to do. He yelled out his name again, but the sound was lost in the roar of the water. He began to run forward as he saw Xehanort take a deep breath as if he was preparing himself for what he was about to do. The short distance between them seemed to stretch out for miles as Xehanort leaned forward. Ansem tried to force his legs to move faster, but it was as though he was wading through syrup. In horrible slow motion, he saw Xehanort falling forward, and with one last desperate leap, he reached out to catch him, certain that he was too late...

… and felt his fingers close around Xehanort's bony wrist.

Ansem felt himself being dragged forward and down by Xehanort's weight, and for one terrifying moment, he thought for certain that they were both going to go over, but then came the feeling of his body landing on the ledge. The impact knocked the breath from him, but he managed to keep his hold on Xehanort, and he looked over to see Xehanort dangling from his hand over the yawning chasm. Xehanort was looking up at him with a lost look on his face, and only then did Ansem see how his cheeks were sunk in and how his eyes were ringed with shadows. Xehanort said something then, but the roaring water carried the words away before they could reach Ansem's ears.

"Give me your other hand, Xehanort." Ansem said, but if Xehanort heard him, he made no move to comply. He simply hung from Ansem's grip, looking up at him with that lost expression. Tightening his grip, Ansem began to scoot away from the edge, to try and pull Xehanort up, but though he had lost a significant amount of weight, he was still very heavy, too heavy for Ansem to pull him up with the grip that he had.

Worse, he could feel that grip slipping.

"Xehanort, please, give me you other hand!" He couldn't lose Xehanort, despite everything he still loved the boy, and he wasn't going to just let him die this way. "Xehanort, please!"

Xehanort just stared up at him as he slipped ever closer to the water below, and Ansem felt tears burn in his eyes when he realized just how desperately Xehanort wanted to die. "I'm not going to let go. I'm not going to lose you this way. Give me your hand!" Xehanort shook his head ever so slightly as Ansem's grip slipped another notch, and he could just picture Xehanort falling into the water below, and he wondered; would he struggle against the current that pulled him towards the vortex? Would he fight it? Or would he passively allow himself to be dragged into it? Would he scream as he was torn apart? Ansem didn't want to to think of watching helplessly as his adopted son died, but as his grip slipped still further, it appeared as though that that was exactly what was going to happen. "Please, give me your other hand! Please, Xehanort, I love you!"

He saw Xehanort's chin tremble, and then suddenly there was a second hand holding onto him, and Ansem sobbed with relief as he began inching away from the edge. Xehanort was still very heavy, but somehow he pulled him up to the ledge where he was able to grab him under the arms and drag him the rest of the way up.

Ansem collapsed to the ground a few feet from the edge with Xehanort on his lap, and he wrapped his arms tightly around him and rocked him for a moment, weak with relief that Xehanort was alive and safe with him and away from the water. Xehanort curled up into a tight ball and hid his face against Ansem's shoulder, and Ansem kissed him on the top of his head and stroked his damp, tangled hair and cried with the realization that Xehanort was not going to die in the falls, that he had him in his arms, and that he was safe.

After a moment, Xehanort looked up at him. "You should have let me go, Master Ansem." he said in a tiny voice that could barely be heard. "You should have let me go."

He held Xehanort tighter. "Nothing could have made me do that, Xehanort. Nothing it the world could have made me let you fall."

Xehanort said nothing and hid his face again, and the two sat quietly for a few minutes before the sounds of voices fell on their ears. Xehanort whimpered softly, and Ansem rocked him as several people, led by Braig, Aeleus, and Dilan, came down the steps to join them. Aeleus and Dilan, Ansem was quick to notice, look concerned, while many of the others looked puzzled. Braig, on the other hand, merely looked... annoyed?

Ansem frowned at Braig offered to take Xehanort, and that frown only deepened when Xehanort whimpered at his touch. "Thank you Braig, but no, I think it's best if Aeleus carries him." Rage flashed into being for a second on Braig's face, and Xehanort whimpered again as Aeleus gently scooped him up into his arms. Ansem gestured for Dilan to go up the stairs first and instructed the others to group around Aeleus and Xehanort, to try and shield him from prying eyes as much as possible. Everyone nodded in understanding, even Braig, though he looked positively murderous about something. Ansem frowned again; something was definitely not right about Braig, and he resolved to find out as soon as Xehanort was taken care of.

The group, with Aeleus and Xehanort in the center, went up the stairs and began to walk back towards the castle, and the entire way, Ansem was acutely aware of the nasty looks that Braig sent Xehanort's way every now and then. Something was definitely wrong.

OOOOOO

A few hours later, Ansem, tired and worn down, sat down beside the desk in the infirmary and listened as Sonora, the head of the castle's medical staff, explained about Xehanort's health.

"Heir Xehanort is in very poor condition." she said quietly "He has lost nearly a quarter of his body weight, he is exhausted, and he shows signs that he had been physically abused. Judging by the marks, welts, and bruising that I found, he has been punched, kicked, slapped and whipped with something multiple times over the course of the past few weeks. It may have gone on longer, but since any injuries from those old wounds would have healed and faded, it's impossible to tell. His back is littered with bruising and swelling, as though he has been violently shoved down onto it multiple times, and I imagine that just moving around was painful for him. He is suffering from osteomalacia – a thinning of the bones and weakening of the muscles - due to vitamin D deficiency, and he also has scurvy from a lack of vitamin C. He is also suffering from general malnutrition, but thankfully, all three are mild and can be easily corrected with supplements and diet. I have him on a feeding tube for now, but we will have to carefully feed him back up as it appears that he hasn't eaten in days, possibly weeks. His left shoulder was dislocated, I'm assuming from the sudden arresting of his fall when you caught him. I popped it back into place, and I expect it to be sore for a while while the stretched muscles and tendons heal." She closed the folder that she had been reading out of and looked at Ansem seriously. "Lord Ansem, I also discovered severe rectal and anal tearing and scarring. These are not old injuries; many of them are fairly recent, with some appearing as though they are mere hours old. I said this to you before when Heir Xehanort was in here last, and I will say it again. The violence needed to produce such injuries would have been extremely painful, which makes me highly doubt that he was fully willing in what was done to him."

"But he said -" Ansem began, but the doctor held up her hand to stop him.

"I know what he told you two months ago, and I still insist that either he was conditioned to say that, or Braig propositioned him knowing that Xehanort was not fully aware of what was being asked of him."

"Xehanort knows about sex, Sonora." Ansem said, angry at the accusation at Braig "He is hardly innocent."

"He is also very childlike; on that we can all agree on. If you approach a child that's had The Talk, and ask them 'Would you like to have sex? It will be fun.' and they agree, does that make them willing?"

Ansem looked over at Xehanort, who was lying still and silent on one of the beds. The soft yellow glow on the bedside table allowed him to see the restraints around his wrists that bound him to the bed and prevented him from harming himself. At some point during the walk to the castle, he had fallen asleep in Aeleus' arms, and exhaustion, coupled with a mild sedative, had kept him asleep so they could treat him.

He heard the doctor stand up and turned back to face her. "Think about what I said, Lord Ansem. These last few weeks were enough to drive Xehanort to attempt suicide. He needs your love and support, not your anger and condemnation. Will you be staying with him tonight?" Ansem nodded silently. "You can take the bed next to him. Call for me if he wakes or if he's distressed." She walked away then, to her private quarters aside the infirmary, and Ansem stood up with a heavy sigh and walked over to Xehanort's bed.

He pulled up a chair and sat down beside him and just watched him for a moment. He was tucked under three blankets, wearing hospital pajamas and socks, and the doctor had tied a scarf around the top of his head to prevent it from getting cold. During his bath earlier, his hair had been so badly tangled that it had been easier to cut it off, but the knots had nearly reached his scalp, so the cutting left him nearly bald in places. What little hair he had left was dry, coarse, and easily breakable, another sign of the malnutrition that he was suffering from.

With a heavy sign, Ansem leaned over and softly kissed Xehanort on the forehead before he moved over to the bed beside him and laid down. Only now, once he knew that Xehanort was safe beside him, did sleep overtake him.

OOOOOO

In the morning, Sonora woke Xehanort up to check on him. Questions about how he was feeling and if he was in any pain were met with with mumbled replies, and he refused to meet her eyes. Ansem watched from a nearby chair with a frown, and at one point he snapped at Xehanort to look at someone when speaking to them. Xehanort flinched at his tone, and Sonora glared at him.

"Out," she told him firmly "I'll not have you upsetting him any further. Get out of my infirmary, and don't come back until your attitude improves."

"This is my castle," Ansem snapped at her "And I will not be ordered around in here like a servant."

"The infirmary is my domain, and Xehanort is in my care, and you and the others have done enough harm with your attitude. Now get out, or I will have you escorted out."

Ansem snarled in anger, abruptly stood up from the chair, and strode out. He ignored the sounds of Xehanort crying softly as he went. Once out in the corridor, he encountered Even, who was evidently going to visit Xehanort. He thought about saying something, something along the lines of "Good luck,", and for one brief, cruel moment, he considered saying that Xehanort was forbidden to have visitors, but that urge died quickly, even as he wondered why the thought had crossed his mind. He shivered and hastened towards his quarters. He had some thinking to do.

OOOOOO

Ansem stayed in his rooms until dinner time, deep in thought. He found it disturbing that he had been so quick to turn on Xehanort weeks ago, and of course everyone else had followed his lead. Why? Why had been so cold to Xehanort? Yes, yes, he believed – still believed – that Xehanort had been whoring himself out to Braig, but somehow his anger had just... grown. Grown until no longer showed the care and concern that he once had. Grown until he ignored all the signs that Xehanort's health was failing as his mental state deteriorated. Grown until it had pushed Xehanort to the brink of suicide.

He held his face in his hands and shook his head. How could he have been so cruel? Even earlier, snapping at the boy when he was still so fragile. What had he been thinking? Yes, he had reason to be angry at him, but Xehanort had tried to kill himself. The doctor was right; he needed love and support, not anger and condemnation.

Right now, his son was lying tied down to an infirmary bed after a near successful suicide attempt. He should be in there with him, comforting him, soothing him, but instead he was holed up here, trying to cool the anger that stubbornly continued to burn. He shook his head again as his stomach growled to remind him that he hadn't eaten since dinner the previous night. He would go join the others for dinner, and then, once his head had cleared a bit, he would go check on Xehanort.

OOOOOO

Dinner was a somber affair, with Xehanort's attempted suicide casting a pallor over the room and those in it, except for Braig, who scarfed down his food like all was right in the world. During the meal, Ansem kept finding his eyes drawn to the empty spot on his right, where Xehanort's chair used to be. He couldn't really remember when Xehanort had stopped joining them at the table, and guilt settled about his heart when he remembered his callous dismissal of this early warning sign. Off and on, he saw Even, Dilan, and Aeleus looking at the spot as well. The dining room, normally filled with the babble of conversation was silent save for the clinking of silverware on plates, and after an immeasurable amount of time, Aeleus broke the silence.

"How did your visit with Xehanort go, Even?"

Even, seated at the opposite end of the table from Ansem, sighed, put his fork down, and rested his head in his hands. Ansem just barely managed to stop himself from reprimanding him about elbows on the table.

"It was like... speaking to the wall." Even said in a low voice as he stared down at the table "He wouldn't look at me or talk to me, like he didn't see me at all. The only response I received is when I untied him so I could sit him up, and he kept turning away from me and wouldn't let me touch him. Even when the doctor told him that if he wasn't going to be with someone, he had to be restrained, he wouldn't let me. He just laid there and allowed her to tie him down again."

"We've hurt him badly." Dilan said softly "We've no right to expect him to let us close after what we did."

"I don't know how we can fix this." Aeleus added "Or even if it can be fixed. We all played a part in driving him to try and take his own life. Once someone is pushed that far, they may not be able to come back."

"Or not want to." Even finished "He may never trust any of us again."

"I don't know what the hell you're all worried about." Braig's boisterous tone was so loud that it made everyone jump "He's just a little whore; he'll live, so don't worry about it. Hell, maybe I'll visit him later."

Even slammed his fist down to the table as he stood up from his chair and glared at Braig with his green eyes blazing. "You are to stay away from him, Braig!" he snapped "This entire mess started with you, and I do not want to catch you near him!"

"Oh c'mon, Even!" Braig protested "I didn't do anything! Xehanort said yes!"

"You should have never touched him, regardless of what he said! You will stay away from him, or I will personally throw you into the dungeon!"

Braig turned to Ansem. "Are you going to let this stand, Master Ansem!"

Ansem gestured for Even to sit down. "Quiet down, Even." He turned to Braig. "Unfortunately Braig, Even is correct that this all started with you." He held up his hand when Braig went to protest. "I'm not saying that you are guilty of anything, but for the time being, it would be best if you stayed away from Xehanort. Later, once he's stronger, we can revisit the issue."

Braig settled back down into his chair, grumbling. "Little slut tries to off himself, and suddenly you're all falling over yourselves for him."

"Enough, Braig!" Even barked, and Braig subsided. The rest of the meal passed in silence, with Braig quietly fuming the entire time.

OOOOOO

After dinner, Ansem walked quietly into the infirmary. Only two lights were on; the lamp at the desk, and the smaller lamp aside Xehanort's bed. As he walked towards him, that lamp allowed him to see that the simple white cloth ties had been replaced with padded leather cuffs that were connected to the bed frame via thin metal chains. There was just enough slack in the chains to allow Xehanort to sit up, but nothing more.

Xehanort was awake, and he turned his head to look at Ansem as he approached. The warm yellow glow from the lamp reflected off the thin tubing that was taped to the side of his face before it disappeared into the left side of his nose.

"Hello, Xehanort." Ansem said quietly as he sat down in the chair aside the bed "How are you feeling?" Xehanort blinked at him, and then he turned away without saying anything. "Aren't you going to answer me?" Xehanort remained silent, and Ansem felt a surge of anger rise within him. He takes the time out the visit him, and the boy refuses to even acknowledge him! "Fine then," he growled as he stood up "It's obvious you'd rather be alone." He turned and began to walk away, but he hadn't gone far when a voice fell on his ears.

"Please, don't." The plaintive plea stopped him in his tracks, and he turned around to see Xehanort sitting up in bed, looking at him. "Please don't leave me alone."

Ansem felt his anger cool and die at that plea, and he quickly returned to Xehanort's side and sat down beside him. The chains clinked quietly together as Xehanort reached out to him, seeking permission, asking for comfort. Ansem unbuckled the cuffs, gathered his child to him and held him close, and Xehanort laid his head down on his shoulder and began to cry.

"Please don't leave me." he begged through his tears "I don't want to be alone again. I can't take it anymore; it hurts too much."

Ansem closed his eyes; why had he been so cruel? "Shhh, shhh, of course not. No, I'll stay right here with you. I won't leave you alone anymore."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never meant to cause so much trouble. Please don't be angry at me anymore! I'm sorry!"

Behind them, Ansem heard a door open and shut, followed by light footsteps. He waved the doctor off; this was the most open Xehanort had been in weeks, and he didn't want to interrupt the moment, fearing that he would clam up again. "Hush, Xehanort, hush. Don't apologize. Everything will be all right. I'm here with you now, and I won't leave you again. I promise."

"Do you still want me?"

"Yes, of course I still want you. I still love you, and you're still my son. Nothing could make me throw you away, and I'm sorrier than words can express that I ever made you think otherwise." He shoved the angry thoughts of doing just that to the back of his mind and tried to ignore that he had ever had them.

Xehanort cried as Ansem held him and murmured soothingly to him until he was just too exhausted to keep going, and he quieted and fell asleep in Ansem's arms. Ansem cradled him and watched him sleep; how had he nearly thrown this away?

It was strange, unprecedented, but still perfectly legal, to adopt an adult in Radiant Garden, provided both parties agreed to it. Ansem had never found a wife or fathered a child; his work had always come first, and in light of his advancing age, it appeared as if neither were ever going to happen. There were his apprentices of course, and the heavens knew that he loved them all like they were his own, but they had their own reasons for not wanting such a formal relationship with him. Even and Dilan had learned the hard way that parental figures couldn't be trusted, and while they loved and trusted him, both kept a wall between themselves and him, which prevented him from getting as close as a parent would. Aeleus knew and loved his own parents fiercely, even though they had been gone for seven years already, and would not allow anyone else to step into their shoes. Braig's parents had loved their son, but with so many children to care for – Braig was the youngest of seven – there weren't enough hours in the day to show it, so Braig never really developed any desire to have a close family. Ienzo's parents had been gone for four years, and his memories of them were slowly fading, but it was Even that he had latched onto as his parental substitute, while looking to Ansem as a grandfatherly figure.

There had been concerned whispers around town; who would take over the rulership of the world once Lord Ansem passed on? Many assumed that one of his apprentices would take the role, Even, or perhaps Dilan, but Ansem knew better. Even did not have the temperament for such a task. He was a brilliant scientist, devoted to his work, and he loved Ienzo with a single mindedness that put many parents to shame.

And therein was the problem. Even cared only for his work, Ienzo, and his other friends. He was more than capable of running the world, but he would have hated every minute of it.

As for Dilan, while he was very bright and very good at his work, Ansem knew that he was not capable of juggling the many tasks that running the world required. It was tiring and stressful, and Dilan would not have been able to cope.

Braig of course was too carefree, and dare he say it, immature. Braig had joined the guard as soon as he had been eligible at sixteen, and he did his job well, but he would never take on such a responsibility.

Aeleus was steady, strong, a rock in a churning sea, ready and able to do what was needed, whenever it was needed, but he also lacked the mindset needed to be a ruler. He would make a wonderful guard commander some day; perhaps he would also fill an advisory role, but he, like Even, would hate every moment he was forced to be in charge of the entire world.

Ienzo was only ten, but Ansem could plainly see that the boy's thirst for knowledge and drive to learn were very much like his own at that age. Still, he was too young to see what he would be like once he was grown. A person changed greatly during the course of childhood after all.

It had begun to appear as though he was going to have to appoint someone to be his heir and successor, something that he had been loathe to do. He wanted someone to ensure that his apprentices were taken care of; he didn't want them to be tossed out of their home the instant the funeral services were completed. He wanted someone that would rule the world with fairness, yet be firm and unyielding when need be. He needed someone that wasn't afraid to make the hard decisions, yet could be loved by the people and could love them in return. The five of his apprentices working together could achieve all of that, but like siblings the world over, they squabbled and bickered, had fights and disagreements, and they sometimes had moments where they would get so angry with each other that they would refuse to speak to each other for a day or two. They always made up, but such things could be devastating to a world that needed solutions quickly.

No, he loved them all, flaws and everything, but they could not rule Radiant Garden in his absence. Someone else would have to be found.

And then someone was found, literally. Xehanort was found by Braig, lying injured and barely conscious in the square over the Rising Falls. As Xehanort recovered, it became increasingly clear that he had no family to take him home, and no home to return to anyway. No one in Radiant Garden recognized him or claimed him as their own, and he couldn't remember anything save his name. As he healed, his desperate desire to have a family that wanted him became so intense that it pained him, and Ansem often had to go to him in the night to soothe him back to sleep after being awakened by his cries.

The other five, especially Even and Braig, welcomed Xehanort into their group, and soon Ansem found his number of apprentices increased to six. Xehanort soon proved to have quick mind and a keen analytical sense, and when he went out into town, his charisma and natural charm soon had the people flocking to him in droves. Their attention made him feel welcomed and at home, and he returned their affection with warmth and affection of his own.

Yet, the ghosts of his missing past still haunted him, and when his forgotten nightmares woke him, or when the sight of a loving, happy family reminded him that he had none of his own, it was Ansem that he would turn to, looking for love, assurance, and comfort. He allowed Ansem to get close, allowed him to step into the parental role that the others refused him. It was then, four months after Xehanort's rescue, that Ansem realized what he must do.

Gentle questions asked to Xehanort had resulted in an eager response, so it was the simple matter to have the appropriate papers drawn up. The others had been happy for them, and the world cheered with the news that there was finally an heir to take the reins when Ansem had to let them go. Everyone had celebrated, and he, Ansem Hart, aged 54 years, could hardly believe that he finally had a child to call his own. Never mind that said child was already grown and estimated to be 19 or 20 years of age, he finally knew what it felt like to feel the love of a child, to be that close to someone.

Now as he cradled that battered, broken, and so very sick child in his arms, he wondered why he had been so quick to throw him aside like yesterday's trash. Xehanort was everything he could have wanted in a son, yet he had so callously dismissed his pain, his fear, and his depression. Not once had he tried to talk to Xehanort, to let him explain himself. No, he had simply tossed the boy aside and allowed him to be hurt.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to Xehanort's forehead in a gentle kiss. "I love you, Xehanort." he said softly "I love you so much. I swear that I will never leave you again, and I promise that I'll be there to protect you from the people that want to hurt you." Xehanort whimpered softly and nestled closer, and Ansem smiled faintly and rocked him. "Rest now, child. I'll be here when you wake up."

Xehanort sighed and went still as he relaxed into Ansem's embrace, and it was then that Sonora finally approached. The two of them tried to lie Xehanort down, but the boy had a firm grip on Ansem's shirt and even in sleep, he wouldn't let go.

Seeing no other option, Ansem laid down and laid Xehanort down beside him. Xehanort immediately snuggled close before he settled back down.

"Are you sure that this won't frighten him?" Ansem asked as Sonora pulled the blankets over the two of them.

She gave him a gentle, knowing smile. "I am certain." she said gently "Right now he needs you more than anything, so I doubt that any harm can come of you holding him while he sleeps." She smiled again as she stood up. "If he wakes, you know where to find me, and if you have to leave his side for more than a moment, you'll have to restrain him. I know that you don't like it, but right now, it's something that has to be done until we're certain that he's no longer suicidal. Goodnight, my lord."

With that, she turned and walked away, and Xehanort inched even closer and tucked his head under Ansem's chin. Ansem smiled and went to run his hand down Xehanort's hair, only to be reminded that there was no hair, only the soft material of the scarf that covered his mostly bald head.

"Goodnight, Xehanort." he said softly as he closed his own eyes "I love you."

OOOOOO

It was the feeling of movement beside him that woke Ansem later, and he cracked his eyes open to see Xehanort sitting up in the predawn light, preparing to stand.

"And where do you think you're going, young man?" he asked as he sat up himself and pushed the blankets away.

Even in the dim light, he could see the blush that spread across Xehanort's face. "I have to go to the bathroom." he said quietly.

"Alright," Ansem said as he stood up, walked over to Xehanort's side of the bed, and carefully pulled him to his feet. "I'll take you."

Xehanort blushed again. "You don't have to go with me." he said in a small voice.

"Yes, I do. I'm not going to leave you alone in the state you're in, and if the way that you're shaking is anything to go by, I doubt that you could make it there without assistance anyway."

It was true, he could feel Xehanort's entire body shaking in his arms, and he was certain that, if he were to let go, Xehanort's legs would have buckled, sending him falling to the stone floor. Xehanort lowered his gaze to the floor and said nothing more during the walk, though he protested Ansem being in the room with him while he did his business.

Ansem just smiled and helped him stand in front of the toilet, and once that was taken care of, Xehanort was so tired that he could barely stand. Ansem simply scooped him up into his arms and carried him back to bed, and he couldn't help his smile when Xehanort nestled against him.

"It could be worse," Ansem said as he laid Xehanort down "You could be in diapers again like you were when you were first brought here."

Xehanort's eyes, which were halfway closed as he went back to sleep, flew open in horror. "No! Not that again! I'll accept the help as long as I don't have to wear those again!"

Ansem laughed quietly, glad to have gotten some kind of response other than mumbles and meek replies. "No Xehanort, I won't do that to you. You don't need them anyway. I just want to help you, can you understand that?" He laid down beside him, and Xehanort gave him a feeble smile as he snuggled close. "I love you, and I want to take care of you when you can't take care of yourself. Will you let me?"

Xehanort, with his face hidden in Ansem's shirt, didn't respond for a long moment, and then, finally, he gave a slow nod. Ansem smiled and pulled the blankets over them before he wrapped his arms around the boy. "Go back to sleep, Xehanort." he said gently "I love you."

"Love you too, Master Ansem." Xehanort mumbled sleepily, and then Ansem felt him relax into sleep as his breathing slowed and deepened.

Ansem smiled again, but that smile turned into a frown when something occurred to him. Xehanort was his child and heir, yet the boy still referred to him as "Master Ansem" same as the other apprentices. He also was still staying in the apprentice apartments instead of in his own suite of rooms in the wing of the castle that was occupied by the royal family. Ansem's frown deepened; as soon as the adoption had taken place, Xehanort should have moved out of his apprentice apartment, and he should have been given permission to use whatever parental title for his new father that he felt like using, yet Ansem could not recall even thinking about those things. He would have to rectify those things as soon as possible. The second thing – his living quarters – could be taken care of once he was well enough to be on his own and could be trusted not to hurt himself. The first issue could be rectified as soon as he woke up later in the morning.

Decisions made for the moment, Ansem settled down next to his sleeping son for the rest of the night. He needed to be well rested if he was to give Xehanort the care and attention he deserved.

OOOOOO

In the morning when Ansem woke, Xehanort was still sleeping. Feeling a need to visit the bathroom himself, he carefully got out of bed and walked to the desk to call for a servant to fetch his shower kit and a change of clothes. Once those had been delivered, he returned to Xehanort's side, and carefully, so not to wake him, positioned him on his back and buckled the cuffs around his wrists. Xehanort's eyes fluttered open then, and Ansem smiled gently at him.

"Just go back to sleep, Xehanort. I'm going to take a shower, and then I'll be back." Xehanort nodded sleepily and closed his eyes, and Ansem kissed him on the forehead before he went into the bathroom aside the infirmary and started the water running in the shower.

While he was standing in the hot spray, he thought he heard a door open and close. Figuring it was Sonora coming in to check on Xehanort, he dismissed it as unimportant and continued with what he was doing. After he was clean, he dried himself, dressed, and turned his attention to combing his hair and beard. It was then, as he noted that he needed a trim, that a small cry fell on his ears. A second later, there was a slap, followed by a second, slightly louder cry.

Ansem quickly walked to the bathroom door and opened it, and the sound of bed springs squeaking fell on his ears, accompanied by grunts and the sound of Xehanort crying softly.

"Please stop, Braig." Xehanort sobbed "I don't want this anymore. Leave me alone."

Ansem felt his heart drop – What?- and he moved out of the doorway and over to the desk.

"Shut your mouth," Braig growled "We had an agreement, and I'll be damned if you're going to renege on it. I don't care what the others say."

"It hurts, Braig! Stop! Please, it hurts!" Xehanort wailed as Ansem rounded the desk.

Whereupon he stopped dead in his tracks when he realized what he was seeing.

Xehanort was still on the bed, but he was pressed up against the headboard, with the chains that connected the cuffs to the bed frame pulled taut, like he had tried to scoot away. The blankets were on the floor, his legs were pushed as far apart as they could go, and pillows had been placed under him to prop him up. Braig was kneeling on the bed between Xehanort's legs, holding him by the thighs, with his pants down to his knees, pounding into Xehanort's torn and bleeding anus without a care for the pain he was causing or the damage he was doing. Xehanort writhed and thrashed on the bed as much as his restraints would allow as he cried and begged Braig to stop.

Xehanort had asked Braig to stop.

Braig had refused.

Xehanort had said that it hurt.

Braig had ignored him.

Xehanort was tied down and helpless to get away or defend himself.

Braig knew that.

This was not Xehanort whoring himself out.

This was not Xehanort taking advantage of Braig.

This was Braig taking advantage of Xehanort.

This was Braig hurting Xehanort.

This was Braig raping Xehanort.

Like it had two months ago after Xehanort's confession, Ansem felt his anger surge upward within him, only this time it wasn't Xehanort that it was directed at. His vision seemed to narrow into a tunnel that saw only Braig ahead of him as he strode forward and snatched Braig off of the bed by the collar of his jacket. He was dimly aware of Xehanort's wail at the sudden, painful withdraw, as well as the sound of the door to Sonora's quarters rattling as she tried to get out, but his attention was focused on Braig, on his face, sweaty and flushed with arousal, arousal that was quickly fading as he realized that he had been caught in the act again.

"What do you think you are doing, Braig?" Ansem snapped, and Braig looked at him in confusion for a second, before he grinned.

"What does it look like?" he said cheekily "Me and Xehanort were having a little fun."

"'Having fun' is now how I would word using someone that is restrained and can't fight back."

"Oh, c'mon, don't tell me that you believe his lies too!"

"I heard everything, Braig." Ansem growled, and Braig's face lost that cheeky grin as the blood drained from it. "I heard him tell you to stop. I heard him tell you that it hurt. I also heard him tell you that you didn't care! That, Braig, is rape, and I will not have a rapist under my roof, harming my son!"

Braig gave him an ugly look. "Oh sure, now that the little whore's tried to off himself, you're all concerned again! You didn't give a shit all the other times! You didn't care then, so why do you care now!"

Ansem snarled in rage and raised his fist, intending to smash it into Braig's arrogant smirk, but a hand suddenly grabbed him by the wrist and stopped him.

"Master Ansem, stop." came Aeleus' steady baritone from his right "Let me and Dilan deal with Braig. Xehanort needs you now."

The adrenaline abruptly drained away then, and Ansem became aware of multiple people inside the infirmary, all of them shouting and talking, but strangely enough, he couldn't hear Xehanort, so he let go of Braig. "Get him out of my sight." Dilan and Aeleus dragged Braig, still yelling and protesting, out of the infirmary as Ansem turned to Xehanort. Even was also in the room, and he had released the restraints, wrapped Xehanort in a blanket, and was holding him close and talking soothingly to him. Sonora was nearby, but Xehanort refused to let her look at him, and he tried to squirm away every time she reached for the blanket.

Ansem walked up and gently scooped Xehanort out of Even's arms and into his own. He couldn't carry him for long, but he had to get him away from everyone to calm him down.

And give him a long overdue apology.

"Even," he ordered "Take care of this mess."

Even bowed his head. "Yes, my lord."

"Xehanort and I will be in my rooms. No one is to disturb us." Without waiting for an answer, Ansem turned on his heel and walked out, with Xehanort clinging to him.

During the walk through the corridors towards the royal wing, they encountered many of the servants. Most of them darted out of their way quickly, but a few openly stared at Xehanort, and as they passed, Ansem heard them whispering to each other.

"The slut's in trouble now."

"Now what has he done?"

"Daddy's taking him off for a paddling." This one was followed by laughter, and it caused Xehanort to give Ansem a fearful look.

"No, Xehanort." he said as he carried him through the thankfully open door into his own private rooms "I'm not going to punish you. You did nothing wrong."

By then his arms were shaking from the exertion of carrying Xehanort so far, and he gratefully laid him down in his own massive bed and breathed a sigh of relief. Xehanort whimpered as he settled into the soft mattress and blankets, and he closed his eyes with tears tracking down his face. Ansem gently unwrapped the blanket. "Let me look at you."

Xehanort nodded but kept his eyes closed, and he was silent as Ansem looked him over. He was relieved to see that the bleeding had stopped, but he could clearly see two, small, fresh tears. Guilt wound itself around his heart again, but he tried to ignore it as he walked into his private bath to fetch a damp washcloth.

He tried to be as gentle as possible, but Xehanort still whined and squirmed a bit in discomfort as he was cleaned up, but he made no other protest. Once that was taken care of, Ansem tossed the bloodied cloth aside, not caring at all about the possibility of getting blood on the carpet, wrapped Xehanort back up in the blanket, and laid down next to him and pulled him close.

Xehanort hid his face, and Ansem could feel the boy shaking in his arms.

"Don't hold it back, Xehanort." he said gently "Let it out."

There was a hitching breath, followed by a sob, then another, and then Ansem felt tears wetting his shirt. Soon, Xehanort was crying in his arms, and all Ansem could do was hold him, rub his back, and murmur soothing words to him. He touched his nose to the scarf that covered Xehanort's head and felt his own eyes burn with tears, because he could no longer deny it to himself.

Xehanort had been the victim all along. His anger and refusal to support his son had caused the boy more pain, pain that could have been avoided easily by asking for a simple explanation before passing judgment. He could have ordered Braig to stay away from Xehanort, he could have given Xehanort a chance to explain, he could have done so many things, but he hadn't, and Xehanort had paid dearly for his hubris.

"I'm sorry." he whispered over Xehanort's sobs "I'm sorry that I blamed you. I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you or give you a chance to explain. I'm sorry that I allowed people to say such hateful things about you. Most of all, I'm sorry that I ever made you feel so unwanted and unloved that you decided that death was preferable to life.

"It terrifies me to think of how close I came to losing you, and I never want to feel that way again. I never want you to feel unloved again either. I don't care what I have to do, but I will make it all up to you somehow. I promise. I just hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me for all the hurt that I've caused you."

Xehanort shifted, and he relaxed his grip a little so the boy could scoot back and look up at him. Xehanort's face was red and wet with tears, and there was a hand print shaped bruise that was beginning to bloom on his left cheek. His nose was running and dripping around the feeding tube, so Ansem pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped his nose with it. Xehanort gave him a feeble smile, and then he nodded before he nestled close again.

Ansem let out a relieved sob and held Xehanort tight. "I love you," he whispered "I'll never push you away again."

Xehanort slowly quieted, but it wasn't until his stomach growled loudly for attention they Ansem let go of him. He laughed quietly as he sat up and called for a servant to get breakfast sent up. In short order a tray was delivered, with a full breakfast for Ansem, and a small plate with small portions of bland foods for Xehanort. There was also a large plastic syringe filled with a bright pink liquid, which was accompanied by a small card. The card was from the doctor and read:

I want Xehanort to eat at least a fourth of what is on his plate. If he cannot do that,
then connect the syringe to his feeding tube and give him all of it. He must be sitting up for
this. Compress the plunger gently and slowly, and afterwards, fill it halfway with water, and
flush the tube out. I am assuming that he is not seriously hurt since you haven't brought
him back here, but I will need to see him later anyway. Send for me as soon as he's up to it.

Ansem set the card aside to see Xehanort looking at his plate with faint revulsion. "Do you think you can eat some of this?" he asked, to which Xehanort swallowed heavily and shook his head. "Are you sure? Do you want to try?" Xehanort shook his head and swallowed again like he was trying not to be sick. "Alright then, let's sit you up."

Ansem piled several of the bed pillows up against the headboard and placed another one down for Xehanort to sit on. He then carefully picked Xehanort up and sat him down on them. He winced, but didn't cry or show any other signs of pain or discomfort, so Ansem picked up the syringe and pulled the cap off of the tip. He'd given Xehanort tube feedings before, after he'd been found and was too weak to eat normally, so he remembered easily what to do. Xehanort sat back passively against the pillows and didn't make a sound as he was fed and the tube was flushed out.

"Do you want to lie down?" Ansem asked him after that was done, to which Xehanort nodded tiredly. He carefully helped him lie down and tucked him under the heavy comforter. "I'm going into the other room to eat now. I'll leave the door open so you can see me -" And so I can watch you. he thought but didn't say. "- so just call me if you need me."

Xehanort's eyes were already closed, and he nodded once more before he went still. Ansem quietly stepped out into his sitting room, and he sat down in such a place that he could see Xehanort through the open door. He ate quickly, not wanting to leave Xehanort alone long, even if they were just a few feet apart. Not that it mattered, Xehanort was sound asleep, and Ansem wondered how long it had been since he'd had a full night's rest. After he finished his meal, he summoned a servant to collect the dishes and pass a message to Sonora to come at her convenience.

She arrived a few minutes later, and she immediately moved to the bedroom to check on Xehanort. Ansem followed her as she woke Xehanort up by gently shaking him and calling his name. He groaned quietly as he woke, but he didn't fuss or protest as the blankets were taken away so he could be examined.

"Were you able to eat anything, Xehanort?" she asked gently as she looked at the two new fissures that Ansem had spotted earlier, and Xehanort only shook his head silently. Once the exam was done, they stood him up – which he protested against – and walked him into the bathroom to give him a bath.

"Can you take him from here, Lord Ansem?" she asked after they had filled the tub, peeled Xehanort out of his sleep clothes, and settled him into the water.

"I'm sure we'll be fine." he replied as he knelt down on the floor aside the tub.

"I assume that you don't want to return him to the infirmary after what happened this morning?"

Xehanort shivered, and Ansem shook his head. "No, he'll be fine here."

"Fine then, I'll be back later this evening to check on him again. I'll send up supplements for him later as well as some numbing cream for his back. When it comes time for lunch I want him to try and eat. We need to get him eating as soon as possible."

"Understood."

Sonora saw herself out, and Ansem turned his attention to Xehanort and smiled at him gently. "Let's get you cleaned up then, shall we?" He picked up the soap and a clean cloth from the nearby rack and got started.

Xehanort was quiet and passive while Ansem bathed him, though he winced a few times while his back was scrubbed. Ansem tried to be as gentle as possible, but the bruising was so extensive and the welts so numerous that it was impossible not to cause pain there. He then drained the water, helped Xehanort stand, dried him off, wrapped him in a towel, and carefully walked him back into the bedroom. During the bath, one of the servants had brought the cream that the doctor had mentioned as well as a clean set of pajamas and another scarf for Xehanort's head.

Xehanort sat on the edge of the bed and allowed Ansem to rub the cream into the bruises on his back, and he let out a quiet sigh when it began to work. He then allowed himself to be dressed and tucked back into bed.

"I will wake you for lunch." he said quietly "Go to sleep; I'll be nearby if you need me."

Xehanort mumbled something, curled up on his right side, and closed his eyes. Ansem gently patted the comforter around his shoulders and then walked quietly out into the sitting room to find a book to read until lunchtime.

However he'd barely sat down when there was a knock at his door. He frowned and glanced into the bedroom to see that Xehanort hadn't been disturbed by the sound, so he heaved a sigh and went to answer it. He opened the door to see Even standing on the other side.

"How is he?" his Senior Apprentice asked without preamble. Ansem stepped aside and gestured for him to come in and closed the door behind him. Even immediately walked into the bedroom, and he seemed to sag with relief when he saw Xehanort sleeping safely in the middle of the bed.

"Even?"

Even slowly turned to face him, and Ansem was alarmed to see that his normally calm and collected apprentice was shaking and wringing his hands. "Even, what is wrong?" If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought that Even was going to cry, but that was impossible – Even never cried. Being raised until the age of 12 by people that considered crying a punishable offense had that effect on a person. Yet, as they stood there, he could clearly see moisture glistening on Even's cheeks, and he walked up to Even and wrapped his arms around him. Even was much taller than him, but that didn't stop the boy from lying his head on his master's shoulder.

"You just realized how close we came to losing him, didn't you?" Ansem asked gently, and Even nodded.

"He almost died," he said between hitching breaths "and it would have been our fault. Braig is the one that hurt him, but we're the ones that allowed it to happen."

"We realized our mistake in time. He's safe now, and we'll be there to help him as he heals. Braig will be punished for what's he's done, and he will never lay hands on Xehanort again." He led Even over to the nearby table and sat him down in a chair that allowed him to see into the bedroom.

"I just... can't believe that I was so cruel to him." Even continued as he wiped his eyes "I helped care for him when he was hurt, I soothed him through pain and fever, helped him stand and walk again, held him after his therapy sessions. I was with him through every step of his recovery, and he trusted me, and I just threw that trust back into his face without a second thought. What's wrong with me!"

"The same thing that is wrong with me, I would imagine." Ansem said evenly as he sat down in the other chair. "It was the same for me, and to make it worse, I adopted Xehanort, made him officially my son and part of my family, yet at one point I actually considered throwing him out. I don't know what prompted me to go check on him that night, but I am so, so glad that I did, otherwise all we would have is what the Rising Falls left of him."

Even shivered. "It horrifies me to realize that we made him think that death was easier to bear than life."

"As it does me." Ansem paused for a second. "Did you take care of everything in the infirmary?"

Even nodded, gratefully accepting the subject change. "I did. It seems that your yelling at Braig attracted the servants' attention. That you caught them in bed together again has already spread throughout the castle. Some are saying that it appears that Xehanort was genuinely the victim in this case, but most are assuming that he was whoring himself out even while lying in a hospital bed. Those that I could catch, I told to keep their mouths shut about what they saw, but unfortunately, I could do nothing about those that went running to anyone that would listen as soon as they got a glimpse through the doors. I really think you need to address the staff as soon as possible, followed by the town. It is the only thing that has a chance of settling people down right now."

"I will do that," Ansem agreed with a nod "but first I think I need to speak to Xehanort and get the full story from him. I don't want to pass judgment without all the facts again."

"Agreed."

"Has Braig been taken care of?"

"Yes, I spoke to Dilan before coming here, and he informed me that Braig is safely locked away in the castle prison and that Aeleus is standing guard in case anyone gets any brilliant ideas about letting him out."

"You believe it is a possibility?"

"Yes, I do." Even said simply, and Ansem nodded.

"Fair enough. Now, I need to beg your patience and ask you for an enormous favor?"

Even understood. "You need me to handle things for you while you care for Xehanort."

"Yes. He's been alone too much. I won't leave him, not until he's ready to stand alone again."

"I will do that then." Even said, though one corner of his mouth briefly curled up in disgust. "But if I may, I wish... to help look after for Xehanort as well?"

Ansem smiled gently. Sometimes Even saw Xehanort as a younger brother, sometimes as a very annoying younger brother with all his questions, but there were other times where he treated Xehanort as a parent would treat a child. Ansem chalked it up to him caring for Xehanort during the latter's recovery. If Ansem was not there with him, then Even was, and Xehanort was close to the both of them as a result.

Now they just needed to see if that closeness hadn't been irreparably damaged.

"Why don't you join us here for lunch?" Ansem suggested "I'm sure that Xehanort will be glad to have us both here, and you can help me coax him into eating something."

Even smiled faintly. "I look forward to it." He stood up. "I will see you then."

Even showed himself out, and Ansem retrieved his book from the table that he had laid it on, settled himself into a chair that allowed him to watch Xehanort through the open door, and began to read, flicking his eyes up every few paragraphs to check on his sleeping child.

OOOOOO

For the next four hours, Xehanort barely moved, and at times he was so still that Ansem checked on him to ensure that he was still breathing. Even returned just after one in the afternoon, and a few minutes later, a servant appeared with lunch for the three of them. Again, Xehanort's plate consisted of bland foods, though the syringe filled with pink liquid was there too if he was unable to eat.

"I'll go get him." Even said quietly as he gave Ansem a firm look, as if daring him to refuse, but Ansem simply nodded, realizing that Even needed time to apologize. He did watch though, in case Xehanort reacted badly, as Even quietly walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. He quietly called Xehanort's name and gave him a gentle shake, and Xehanort groaned and blinked his eyes open.

Ansem tuned out their voices, not wanting to listen in on a private conversation, but he still kept an eye on them as Even spoke to Xehanort, and after a few minutes, Xehanort reached out to him. Ansem could see the relief on Even's face as he carefully sat Xehanort up and wrapped his arms around him. Ansem smiled faintly and moved over to his small dining table and took a seat. Not long after, Xehanort came out of the bedroom, leaning heavily on Even. Even walked him onto the chair on Ansem's right and eased him into it before he moved over to sit on Xehanort's right.

Xehanort swallowed heavily as he looked at his plate, and he reached out to push it away, but Ansem stopped him.

"No, Xehanort." he said firmly "You need to eat."

"I'm not hungry." Xehanort said quietly "I think I'll go lie down some more."

"Not until you've eaten something." Even told him "You don't need to skip anymore meals."

"I don't want anything."

"Regardless," Ansem said as he scooted his chair closer to Xehanort's "You have to eat."

"I can't!" Xehanort shook his head as tears appeared in his eyes "I don't want to!"

"Xehanort-" Even began, but Xehanort cut him off.

"Why do you want me to eat anyway?" he demanded "You didn't care before when I didn't eat! You took my chair away from the dining table, and then you told the servants to ignore me! So why do you care if I don't eat!" His voice rose even higher, becoming hysterical. "You knew that I wasn't eating! You knew, and you didn't care, just like you didn't care that Braig was hurting me!" He tried to bolt up from his chair, but his legs buckled, and he crumpled to the floor before anyone could catch him. He was crying as Ansem slid out of his chair to the floor beside him and gathered him into his arms.

"Why didn't you care?" Xehanort sobbed as Even knelt down beside them "Why?"
Ansem looked at Even; what could they say? What excuse could they come up with could possibly justify what they had done? Instead Ansem only held Xehanort close as he cried, and Even gave him a knowing look; they wouldn't be getting Xehanort to eat today.

Once Xehanort had quieted, Ansem carried him back into the bedroom, while Even followed with the syringe. They gave him a tube feeding, tucked him into bed, and sat with him while he fell asleep. They then moved out into the living room and looked at each other.

"The servants ignored him?" Even asked with a pointed look.

Ansem nodded grimly. "It appears that I will be having a word with them later."

"Did you not ever tell him how much power he has in the castle? He could have ordered them to provide him with meals. Does he not know that the only ones who have authority over him are you and me, and that I only have authority in regards to our work?"

"I realized last night that I neglected to tell him many things. I will have to have a long talk with him once he's feeling better."

Even nodded and then excused himself to attend to his duties, while Ansem sat silently beside Xehanort, watching the boy sleep as guilt clawed and tore at his heart.

OOOOOO

Even returned, along with Ienzo, at dinner time. Xehanort was already awake, curled up on the couch with Ansem, and he smiled faintly at Ienzo. The four of them, with Even once again helping Xehanort to walk, gathered around the small table, and Ienzo set a small plate of raspberry shortcake – Xehanort's favorite – on the table in front of him. Ansem understood what they were planning immediately, and he thought about protesting. The cake was too rich and too sweet for Xehanort to eat it so soon, but he spotted him licking his lips and realized that it just might work.

"If you want some of this shortcake, Xehanort," Even said as he sat down "then you have to eat at least a fourth of what is on your plate. Do you understand? Even if you can't eat the shortcake now for whatever reason, I'll let you have some later. Can you try doing that for me?"

Xehanort eyed the shortcake in front of him for a long moment, and then he slowly reached for his fork and started eating. The other three at the table watched him, until he realized that they were staring at him. He blushed, looked down at the table, and went to set his fork back down, but Ansem reached out and stopped him.

"Go ahead, Xehanort." he said "You're doing well." He then picked up his own fork, and nodded for the other two to do the same. Xehanort ate slowly, and there were a few times that Ansem feared that he was going to be sick, but he managed to do as Even had asked. However, instead of reaching for the shortcake, he simply put his fork down and looked down at his lap. As promised, Even pushed the shortcake over to him, but Xehanort ignored it.

"I don't want anything else." he said softly as he stared at his lap.

"Are you sure?" Ansem asked him "Don't you want to try at least a bite of the shortcake?"

Xehanort shook his head again, and then he clapped his hand over his mouth and gagged. Ansem leapt up from his chair, pulled Xehanort to his feet and began to rush him into the bathroom, but Xehanort managed to swallow his gag reflex and did not throw up.

"May I go back to bed now, Master Ansem?" he asked weakly.

"You may lay down, but the doctor is coming to check on you soon, so you have to stay awake for a little longer."

"I'm so tired."

"I know, but she'll be here soon, and then you can sleep." He walked him over to the couch and laid him down. "Just relax until she gets here, and then you may go to bed." He pulled an afghan off the back of the couch and covered Xehanort up with it. "I'm going back to the table, so just call me if you need me." Xehanort rubbed his eyes sleepily and nodded, and Ansem returned to the table. Even smiled as he sat down. "What?"

Even nodded towards Xehanort. "Look at him."

Ansem turned back around to see Xehanort curled up under the afghan, sleeping soundly, and he sighed in amused exasperation.

"He must be exhausted." Even said quietly "I wonder how long it's been since he's had a full night's rest?"

"I've no idea."

The three of them finished their meal in silence, and then Even and Ienzo departed for the night. A few minutes later, Sonora arrived, and she carefully checked Xehanort over and was pleased to hear that he had eaten. As soon as she was done, Xehanort nodded off, so Ansem carefully scooped him up and carried him into the bedroom to tuck him in. Xehanort didn't stir as the comforter was pulled up to his chin, and Ansem slipped out into the living room to see the doctor pulling something out of her bag. He frowned when he realized that it was Xehanort's restraints.

"Unless you're going to hold him while he sleeps again," she said before he could open his mouth. "Then you have to restrain him. We don't know if he's still suicidal or not, so they are a necessity for now."

Ansem shook his head. "I don't like it. I don't like tying him down like that, especially not after what happened in the infirmary earlier."

"I understand, but it's better than finding him dead by his own hand in the morning, am I correct?"

He couldn't help the shudder than ran through him then. "That is correct."

"Then he must be restrained when you are not with him."

Ansem sighed in defeat and took the restraints, and then doctor showed herself out. He walked into the bedroom and carefully turned Xehanort onto his back before he connected the thin chains to the bedposts. He then wrapped Xehanort's wrists in the cuffs before he smoothed out the comforter. Xehanort didn't stir, so Ansem kissed him lightly on the forehead and left the room to go sleep in the guest bed.

OOOOOO

A frightened wail woke him in the middle of the night, and he sat up in bed and realized immediately that Xehanort was crying. No, not crying, Xehanort was wailing and sobbing, and he could hear the chains on his restraints clinking, like they were being pulled on. Fear constricted his heart – had Braig somehow gotten out of the dungeon? - and he leapt out of bed and ran into the other room.

There he found no sign of Braig, but Xehanort was lying in bed, wailing and struggling against his restraints. Blood was seeping out from under the cuffs, and he had kicked the blankets off as he thrashed about. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut, and tears were pouring down his face.

He rushed over to him and pulled the cuffs open. Xehanort's eyes flew open at the touch, and he reached out to him. Ansem gathered his son into his arms and held him as he cried.

"What is wrong, Xehanort?" he crooned "Why are you crying?" Xehanort only shook his head and cried. "Did you have a nightmare?" Another head shake. "Did are you in pain?" Another shake of the head. "Are you frightened?" This time, Xehanort nodded, and Ansem sighed; he could guess the reason for the fear. "Were you afraid because you were restrained and worried that someone would hurt you again while you were tied down?" Xehanort nodded again. "Oh Xehanort, why didn't you call out for me?" Xehanort didn't answer, and he protested when Ansem went to let go of him. "I need to turn the light on, Xehanort. You've managed to hurt yourself, and I need to check how badly."

Xehanort whimpered, but said nothing as Ansem stood up from the bed and flipped the light on. He then returned to the bed and gently took Xehanort by the hands. The boy's wrists were rubbed raw and covered in tiny spots of blood. Xehanort turned his head away. "Let's get this taken care of, hmmm?" He stood up from the bed and went into the bathroom. He had a few basic first aid supplies in the cabinet, and he gathered some ointment, bandages, and a damp cloth before he returned to Xehanort's side. He carefully cleaned the abrasions, before smearing on the ointment that would soothe the pain and chafing and carefully wrapping his wrists in the bandages. Xehanort was silent during the procedure, and he allowed himself to be laid down and tucked in without a word, but the second Ansem reached for the cuffs again, he scooted away out of reach, dark eyes wide, and shook his head frantically.

Ansem sighed; he could understand why he didn't wish to be tied down again. "Would you like me to stay with you again tonight?" he asked, to which Xehanort nodded eagerly. "Alright then. Scoot over."

Xehanort edged over, and Ansem laid down beside him, and he smiled slightly when Xehanort nestled close to him. "We can't keep doing this, you know. There are enough rumors swirling around about you as it is."

"Don't care." Xehanort mumbled as he closed his eyes. "Not alone anymore."

"That's right. I'm here with you." Ansem pulled the comforter over them and Xehanort nodded sleepily.

"Mmhmm, love you, Master Ansem."

"I love you as well, child. Go back to sleep."

OOOOOO

In the morning, Even joined them for breakfast, and he mirrored Ansem's pleased smile when Xehanort ate half of what was on his plate. He also managed a few bites of shortcake.

"I scheduled a meeting with the servants for you." Even said as they ate "They will gather in their dining hall in the servants' wing at two o'clock."

Xehanort dropped his fork and gave Ansem an anxious look.

"It is all right, Xehanort." Ansem said soothingly as he reached out and lightly placed his hand on Xehanort's shoulder. "Even will stay in here with you while I am gone, and I'll come back as soon as I can."

"I want you to stay."

"I have to speak with the servants, Xehanort. I need to address the rumors that they're spinning about you, as well as how they treated you. They should not have ignored you." he added at Xehanort's confused look. "You are the heir of Radiant Garden, second in power to me. When they ignored you, they broke every oath they made to the royal family. I cannot let that slide."

"You didn't tell them to ignore me?"

"No, I did not. They did that on their own, and they will regret it."

Xehanort looked over at Even. "You won't leave me alone?"

"I won't." Even said firmly "I'll stay with you until Master Ansem comes back."

Xehanort looked down at his plate and nodded." Okay." he said in a tiny voice.

"I'll come back as soon as I can, Xehanort." Ansem said gently "I promise."

"May I go lie down now?"

"You may."

"I'll walk you there." Even said as he stood up and carefully took him by the shoulders. He walked him into the bedroom, and Ansem could hear him getting into bed. He could also hear Even murmuring to him as he tucked him in. Ansem finished his meal and waited for Even to reappear, which he did after a few more minutes.

"Is he asleep?"

Even nodded and sighed heavily. "He is."

"Even?"

"He's just so fragile right now, and it's our fault."

"I know."

"I wish there was more that I could do to help him."

"We are helping him, Even. I know that it doesn't seem like much, but we are."

Even nodded silently, and Ansem gave him a gentle smile. "Any more news to report?" he asked, changing the subject.

Even nodded again and took a deep, shuddering breath. "Braig's parents arrived earlier and demanded to see you."

Ansem winced; that was a conversation that he was not going to like. "What did they want?"

"It's reached the town that Braig is locked in the dungeon, and they demanded to know why. I held them off for now, stating that you would address the town later, because I wasn't sure what exactly you wanted to say about that situation. I am not looking forward to the explosion with that news is announced. Anyway, they demanded to know if he was going to get a trial or if he was just going to be left to rot without one."

"Oh, he's going to get one, though it will probably be a closed one. I don't think that Xehanort will handle a public trial well at all."

"I believe though, that a public trial is just what we need."

Ansem gave his Senior Apprentice a hard look. "Explain."

"You can address the people, and tell them what happened, but I don't think it will quell the rumors much, if at all. Braig's parents especially, will probably refuse to believe a word you say about him. I think a public trial, in which Braig confesses to everything, is the only way to get people to listen and change their minds about Xehanort."

"Xehanort's not going to like it."

"He may not have a choice. If he wants to wander freely through town again, it will have to happen. How do you expect him to rule once you are gone if everyone thinks him a whore?"

Ansem winced. "That is very true. We can worry about that later though. Xehanort needs time to start healing, and at some point, I'm going to have to get his side of the story from him."

"I recommend doing it as quick as possible. I'm certain that, even now, Braig's parents are ranting to everyone that will listen about their son's imprisonment."

"I will speak to Xehanort about it tonight then. I just hope he trusts me enough to tell me."

"I think he will. I imagine that he's been aching to tell his side for weeks now. Shall I arrange a time for you to address the people?"

"Schedule it for two days from now, in the afternoon. That should give me enough time to talk to Xehanort as well as give him time to regain a little strength."

"Do you intend to have him stand up there with you?"

"I am not sure. On one hand, seeing the state that he's in will do more to convince people than my words ever could, but on the other, I don't want to exhaust him, and the wrong word from someone in the crowd could possibly intensify his suicidal thoughts. While I am speaking, I will announce a trial date for Braig. That should hopefully calm his parents down."

"Alright." Even stood up. "I will return for lunch then?"

"Yes, see you then."

Once Even had shown himself out, Ansem walked quietly into the bedroom. Xehanort was sleeping soundly in the middle of the bed, so Ansem tiptoed over to the dresser and opened the top left drawer. Inside was a small box, which he carefully picked up and opened. Inside was a heavy, finely made signet ring with his family crest on it. It was an heir's ring, worn by the family heir until he or she assumed rulership of the world. Upon doing so, he or she would replace the heir's ring with the more ornate lord's ring. Ansem seldom wore the lord's ring because he found it a nuisance when working in the labs.

He carefully looked the ring over with the crest with the thorn crossed heart in the center, and his and Xehanort's family name – Hart – in the center. At one time the name had been spelled "Heart" but the "e" had been dropped several generations back. The ring was made of platinum with gold accents around the crest, and the light coming through the bedroom door shone off of its highly polished surface.

Why had he never given the ring to Xehanort? Even if Xehanort chose not to wear it, he should have at least had the ring in his possession. He sighed as he returned the ring to its box and slipped it into a pocket. Another item to add to the list of things that he should have done for Xehanort after the adoption.

"I need to start being a real parent to him." he said quietly to himself. "I treated him no different from any other apprentice. That is going to change."

"Master Ansem?" came a sleepy voice from the bed, and he looked over that way to see that Xehanort had raised his head from the pillow and was looking at him. "What's wrong?"

He smiled softly at him and walked up to him. "Nothing's wrong." he assured him as he coaxed him into lying back down. "I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about?"

"You."

"Me? Am I... Are you... angry with me again?"

Ansem knelt down on the floor so he could look Xehanort in the eye. "No, no, I'm not angry. I was just thinking. There were many things that I never told you that I should have, that is all. You've done nothing wrong."

"What kind of things?"

"Go back to sleep. Finish your nap, and when you wake up, I'll explain everything."

Xehanort gave him a confused look. "Okay."

"I love you, Xehanort."

Xehanort's face lit up with a beautiful smile that warmed Ansem's heart to see. "I love you too."

"Get your rest. I'll be nearby if you need me."

Xehanort smiled again and closed his eyes, and Ansem stood and silently slipped out of the room, leaving the boy to his rest.

OOOOOO

Xehanort napped for another hour, and once he was awake, he wandered into the living room, wearing a robe over his nightgown, and curled up on the couch next to Ansem.

"Feeling any better?" Ansem asked quietly as he put his right arm around Xehanort's shoulders.

"A little." Xehanort replied with a yawn, and after a moment he asked; "What did you want to tell me?"

"Here sit up." Ansem helped Xehanort sit up on the couch, and then he pulled the ring box out of his pocket. "This is yours. I should have given it to you after I adopted you, and I've no idea why I didn't."

Xehanort looked at the box with a curious expression. "What is it?"

"This," Ansem opened the box and smiled at Xehanort's gasp when he saw the ring. "is the heir's ring. It is worn by the heir to Radiant Garden and has been in our family for hundreds of years."

"The Harts have been ruling Radiant Garden for that long?"

"Yes, we have."

"How could the name have continued for so long? Can women rule?"

"They can. As a matter of fact your great-grandmother Sola Hart once sat on the throne, and when she married, her husband took her name instead of her taking his. That is how the name survives."

"You have a ring like this. I've seen you wearing it off and on."

"Yes, that is the lord's ring, and the ruling lord or lady wears it while they hold the throne. Once they step down or pass away, the ring passes to their heir, and the heir's ring passes down to their heir if they have one." He held out the heir's ring for Xehanort to take. "It's yours, Xehanort. Take it. You don't have to wear it if you don't want to for the most part. I find mine to get in the way most of the time, which is why you seldom see me wearing it, but there will be times, say during official functions and such, where you will have to have it on."

Xehanort carefully took the ring box, and he stared at the ring for a long moment. "It's mine?"

"You are my heir, so yes."

He plucked the ring from the box and set the box aside. "Do I have to wear it on a certain finger?"

"Whichever one you prefer except for your left ring finger.'

"Why not that one?"

"Because that is the finger that wedding rings are worn on."

"Oh, Alright then." He then slipped the ring on the ring finger of his right hand and laughed when it rolled over until the crest was facing down.

"I daresay that your hands are smaller than mine." Ansem said with a chuckle. "We can get it sized once you're feeling better."

Xehanort returned the ring to it's box and set it aside. "What else did you want to tell me?" he asked.

"There are many things I should have explained to you after the adoption." Ansem said quietly as Xehanort curled close to him again. "You have a great deal of power here in the castle, Xehanort."

Xehanort jumped and looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"The only ones with any authority over you are myself and Even, and Even's authority only extends over our work in the lab. When we're not in the labs, you override him."

"Is that why Even never directly tells me to do anything outside of the lab?"

"Yes, he knows that he doesn't have any authority over you. He may ask you to do things, but -"

" - he never directly tells me."

"Precisely."

"What does that all mean though?"

Ansem sighed. "Put simply, it means that when you told the servants to bring you meals, they should have done so. When you told Braig to leave you alone, he should have done so. They should have obeyed your orders. Disobeying you is a punishable offense. Attacking you – especially with the intent to do serious physical harm - is punishable by death."

Xehanort looked at him in confusion again. "What do you mean?"

"Xehanort," Ansem sighed heavily. "How many times did you tell Braig to leave you alone? How many times did you tell him not to touch you? How many times did he ignore you?"

Xehanort looked down at his lap. "I.. I don't know." he said in a tiny voice. "I didn't bother to count."

Ansem gently tipped his head up to look him in the eye. "No matter what you told him in the beginning, the instant he touched you after you had told him not to, he was committing rape. That in of itself is a serious crime, but committing it against the heir is even worse. He will have a trial, and if he's found guilty, he will be executed for what he's done to you."

"What! How? Why? I said he could, and I'm just a whore, and -!"

"Xehanort!" Ansem barked, cutting him off in mid sentence. "You are not a whore, and don't let me catch you calling yourself by that derogatory term again!"

Xehanort began to cry, which is precisely what Ansem had been hoping to avoid. "But, even you said I was! And you said I deserved what he did to me!"

Ansem pulled Xehanort closer and held him. "I was wrong, so very wrong. I never should have passed judgment on you without giving your a chance to explain. You are my son, and I should have put you ahead of everyone else, even Braig, and I failed to do that. I failed you, Xehanort. I should have kept you safe, but I didn't. I should have prevented people from saying such hateful things about you, but I didn't, and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you if I have to."

"Why?" Xehanort asked through his tears.

"I can't answer that." Ansem felt his own eyes burn with tears. "I cannot give the answer you need, because I do not know myself why I acted the way I did. I can offer you no reason or excuse."

"Promise me that you won't hate me anymore."

"I never hated you, Xehanort."

Xehanort looked up at him. "You did!" he wailed. "You wouldn't speak to me unless it was to yell at me! You didn't want to be around me anymore! You didn't care that everyone was ignoring me! You said it was my fault and that I deserved it! Why, damn it, tell me why!"

Stunned by the sudden rant, Ansem said nothing, and Xehanort pulled himself away and turned his head. "You should have let me die." he said in a low tone. "You're only concerned now because I tried to kill myself, aren't you? If I hadn't attempted it, you still would be blaming me and pretending that I don't exist."

Ansem didn't try to refute it; he knew it was true. He reached out to Xehanort, intending to pull him back over, but the boy would have none of it. He stood up on legs that shook a little.

"I'm going back to my own rooms." he said with finality.

Ansem stood up himself. "Absolutely not." he said firmly. "You are not to be left on your own yet."

"I'm not going to kill myself, since we all know how well my last attempt worked."

"I do not care. You are to stay here until I say otherwise."

"Am I your prisoner now?"

"No," Ansem gently grasped Xehanort by the shoulders and turned him around so they were facing each other. "You are my son, and you are not well right now, so you cannot be left alone."

"Then I don't want to be your son!" Xehanort wailed as he shoved him away. "All it's gotten me is hurt!"

Xehanort dropped to the floor as his legs gave up from under him, and Ansem wiped at his own eyes as he knelt down beside him and gathered him into his arms. Xehanort tried half-heartedly to pull away, but Ansem wouldn't loosen his hold.

"It seems that lately all I've been doing to apologizing to you." he said quietly. "I can never make up for how badly I hurt you, Xehanort. All I can do is protect you and care for you while you heal and swear to never abandon you again." He touched his face to the scarf on Xehanort's head. "I love you, Xehanort."

"Do you really? Or are you just saying that to make yourself feel better?"

"I meant every word. I love you, and I'll keep saying it until you believe it." He rocked Xehanort for a few minutes. "Now how about we go back to the couch, hmmm? I'm much too old to be sitting on the floor, and the couch is more comfortable anyway."

Xehanort was quiet as Ansem stood and walked him back to the couch. He sat down and pulled Xehanort down beside him. Xehanort simply curled up next to him and said nothing, and after a few minutes, the boy fell asleep where he was. Ansem simply covered him with the afghan like he had previously and let him sleep.

OOOOOO

Even arrived a few hours later, just before one in the afternoon, and he smiled when he saw Xehanort sleeping with his head on Ansem's lap.

"How did everything go?" he whispered as he leaned down to tuck the afghan around Xehanort's shoulders.

Ansem shook his head slightly. "Not well," he began, but a knock on the door interrupted him before he could say more.

Even straightened up. "That's probably lunch. I'll get it." He walked away to answer the door, and a second later a servant pushing a cart came in. She spared a glance at Xehanort, and Ansem glared at her in response, so she hurriedly laid out their meal on the table and departed quickly.

Once she was gone, and the door was closed behind her, Ansem gently shook Xehanort by the shoulder. "Xehanort," he called softly, "Lunch is here."

Xehanort mumbled something and burrowed down further under the afghan. "Not hungry."

"You still need to eat." Even said as he pulled the afghan away.

"Go 'way, Even. I'm tired. Master Ansem said you have to do as I say."

"You're right, he does." Ansem said as he stood up from the couch and pulled Xehanort up with him. "On the other hand, you have to do what I say, and right now I want you to eat something."

"No," Xehanort moaned as he was stood up. "I'm not hungry. Go away!"

"But you were doing so well," Even said as they walked him to the table and sat him down, "You ate earlier."

"I'm not hungry! I want to sleep!"

Ansem put a small portion of food on Xehanort's plate and set it down in front of him. "Just eat what is here, then I'll let you go back to bed while I go speak with the servants."

Xehanort shoved the plate away. "I don't want it!" he snarled. "I want you to leave me alone!"

"Xehanort!" Ansem snapped along with his patience. "What is wrong with you! Cease this tantrum this instant!"

Xehanort flinched away from him and turned to Even. Even sent Ansem a nasty look as he pulled Xehanort out of his chair and into his arms. "It's all right, Xehanort. I'm here." Even looked at him. "Why don't you go in the other room and calm yourself, Master Ansem. I'll handle things in here." It wasn't a request.

Ansem sighed, "Fine," and he walked out of the room and into his private library. As he closed the door behind him, he could hear Xehanort crying softly, and his heart broke.

What have I done?

He spent nearly an hour in his library, and it was the longest hour of his life. He could hear Even murmuring soothingly to Xehanort through the closed door and the sound of footsteps walking across the carpeted floor away from the table and towards the couch. He growled angrily for a second; what was Even doing? Xehanort needed to eat, not sleep, but the sound of Xehanort crying came through the door, and his anger died where it stood.

He paced about the library floor while he listened and thought about what he had done. Yet again, he had snapped at Xehanort at the worst possible time, and there was no way the know the damage he had done to their already damaged relationship.

At least, he told himself, Even was there for Xehanort to turn to for comfort, but it wasn't right.

"It should be me out there with him." he whispered to himself. "I should be the one holding him, instead it's Even doing it because I can't hold my tongue. What is wrong with me?"

When he walked back out into the main room, he found Even seated on the couch, with Xehanort sleeping under the afghan with his head resting on Even's lap. As he walked in, Even looked up from gently running his hand over the scarf on Xehanort's head.

"It's almost time for your meeting with the servants, Master Ansem," he said without preamble "Don't be late."

"Is Xehanort... all right?"

"As well as can be expected for someone in his state that had his head bitten off because he was too tired to feel hungry."

Ansem winced as the barb struck home. "He needs to eat, Even."

"He also needs his rest. I think we need to stop being so rigid about his meal times. Encourage him to eat when he's awake, but don't force him to. Now you need to get going before you're late for the meeting. If he wakes and he's hungry, I'll make sure he eats."

"Even..."

"You're going to be late."

Ansem sighed. "Very well, Even." He looked at Xehanort for a long moment before he walked out of the room, heading towards the servants' dining hall. As he went, he kept thinking of Xehanort, crying in Even's arms instead of his own.

He reached his destination in good time, and the murmuring of nearly a hundred voices reached him through the open doors as he approached. He spent a moment gathering himself before he walked through the doors and into the hall. The servants, along with the members of the castle guard that were lined up along one wall, continued their chatter as he walked in, though some he noted looked a bit nervous.

He walked up to a podium that had been set up for him and raised his hands for silence. The crowd gradually fell silent and looked at him expectantly, and he thought of Xehanort again, sleeping in Even's comforting arms instead of his own.

"How many of you," he began. "ignored Heir Xehanort's orders?"

He swore he heard them all blink in unison in the absolute silence that followed his question, and then they began to shift around uneasily and look at each other.

"How many?" he demanded. "How many of you allowed my son, your future lord, to starve because you couldn't be bothered to bring him meals when he asked you to! Answer me! How many!" There was no answer, only an uneasy muttering from the crowd. "If I have to find out myself, things will be worse. You all know the punishment for causing harm to a member of the royal family. Speak up and be honest with me now, and I will reduce your punishment. If I have to get names from Xehanort, I will double it. Now how many?"

There was more uneasy muttering, and then one woman raised her hand, the one that had brought them lunch earlier actually. "Lord Ansem," she said hesitantly. "I ignored him."

Ansem stared down at her. "Why?"

She looked down at the floor. "Because," she said, "Because he was just a whore -" Here Ansem growled angrily but said nothing "- and Your Lordship was angry with him as well, so..." She trailed off and shrugged.

"How many times did you ignore him?"

"Several, my lord."

"So," Ansem said with deathly calm, "because my son and I were having a disagreement, you thought it perfectly acceptable to force him to go without."

"Yes, my lord." the woman whispered.

Ansem straightened up and gestured to Dilan, and walked over to the woman and dragged her over to one side of the room.

"But my lord!" she protested. "You said you would lessen the punishment if we were honest!"

"And I am," he said "Heir Xehanort nearly died because of your actions, but because you were honest with me, you will spend years in the castle dungeon instead of being executed! Be grateful!" He turned to look at Dilan. "Keep her in here for now, Dilan. I want her and the others to hear everything."

Dilan nodded his head. "Yes, my lord."

Ansem swept his eyes over the crowd again. "Anyone else? Bear in mind, that if I have to get your names from Xehanort, it will be a dungeon stay, followed by an execution, so you will speak up now or regret it for the rest of you very short life!"

Long seconds of silence followed that pronouncement, and just when Ansem felt as though he was going to have to get names from Xehanort, another spoke up.

"I also ignored him, my lord." said one of the cooks. "I also barred him from the kitchen when he came looking for something to eat."

"And your reason for doing so?"

"The same, my lord."

"Because he was a whore and I was angry with him."

"Yes, my lord."

Aeleus grabbed the man by the arms and dragged him over to stand beside the woman. "Anyone else?"

More seconds ticked by, and then hands started going up. Ansem felt his blood pressure climb as he counted them: one, two, three, four, five, six, and on it went. When the hands stopped going up, in all there were twelve more of them, including one that was only a boy of eleven, the son of one of the maids. Ansem gestured the child forward, and learned that he was only doing as his father said. He sent the boy back to his mother and made a note to question his father later. Once the thirteen people were separated from the rest of the group, he moved onto the next topic.

"Two days ago," he began, his voice shaking with anger as he spoke "Heir Xehanort was violently attacked by Apprentice Braig whilst tied down to an infirmary bed. Many of you were witness to it, yet not one of you attempted to aid him. Not one of you tried to stop the attack. Xehanort was crying in pain and begging Braig to stop, but not one of you did anything to help him! Instead you ran off, telling anyone that would listen that Xehanort was whoring himself again! I want to know who saw it!" He looked over at the crowd. "Tell me now!" No one would meet his eyes. "You know who you are. You allowed my son to be raped while he cried for help! I want to know who saw it!" No one would answer him, so he turned to the members of the castle guard, who had come running at the sound of Xehanort's cries."Who did you see leaving that infirmary?"

The guards hesitated for a moment, and then they began to point out people and separate them from the crowd. Those accused began to protest their innocence.

"Enough!" Ansem barked, and the room fell silent. "If you are innocent of what you are accused of, we will find out at your trial! If you are guilty, you will get the punishment you so richly deserve!" He looked at Dilan and his fellow guardsmen. "Get them out of here. Make sure you separate them far enough apart that they can't talk to each other through the cell doors."

He watched as twenty-three people, people that had sworn oaths to protect and serve the royal family, were marched out of the room, and he felt his anger spike to new heights. Once the accused were gone, he turned to face the remaining eighty or so servants standing in front of him.

"Let me make myself very clear here." he said in a voice that made the people closest to him shiver. "The next person I hear spreading a rumor about Heir Xehanort, irregardless of whether it's true or not will deal with me. You have caused serious harm to Xehanort with your words, and it stops now. My son is not a whore, or a slut, or any of those other derogatory terms you were calling him. This is your final warning. If he gives you an order, unless that order would cause harm to himself or others, you are to do as he says. Anyone caught ignoring him again will be immediately dismissed, and you will be lucky to find a job cleaning storm drains in town. Am I in any way not understood?"

There was a general chorus of "No, my lord." and Ansem nodded sharply in satisfaction. "You are dismissed."

Ansem turned and walked quickly out of the room, but he didn't return to his rooms. Seeing the depths of the betrayal running through his own staff had angered him more than he could say, and he didn't dare return to Xehanort in such a state. The child had had enough of his anger. He walked out into the castle gardens and tried to calm himself down. His anger slowly bled away, but in it's place rose something else.

He shook his head as tears began to track down his face. "Oh Xehanort, my boy, my baby, I'm so sorry." He wiped at his eyes and practically ran for the nearest door into the castle. He had to see Xehanort. He ran through the halls and up the stairs, not bothering with the lift stops, towards his rooms. He reached them in record time, and he was relieved when he stopped in front of the door to hear Xehanort's voice coming from the other side. He quietly eased the door open and peeked in to see Even seated on the couch, with Xehanort tucked under his arm. Xehanort's back was to the door, so he didn't know Ansem was standing there, but Even's eyes darted over to him for a second before focusing back on Xehanort. On a nearby table was an empty bowl and spoon showing that Xehanort had eaten something.

"I'm so confused, Even." Xehanort whimpered, and Ansem knew immediately from the sound of his voice that he had been crying. "I want him to not hate me anymore, but he's still so angry at me. What if he decides that I'm just a whore after all and says he doesn't want me anymore?"

"I assure you that he's not going to do that, Xehanort." Even replied gently as he wiped Xehanort's tears away with a handkerchief.

"But what if he does?"

"Then I will take care of you."

"You will?"

Even nodded. "I will, but I promise you that Master Ansem is not going to turn on you again."

"I want to believe you. I want him to love me again, but after what he did... I don't know."

"You're angry at him because of how he treated you."

"Yes," Xehanort said in a tiny voice. "He's only sorry because I nearly died. If I hadn't tried to kill myself, he still wouldn't care."

Even didn't try to deny it; he also knew that it was true. "He loves you, Xehanort, and he's so very sorry for what he did."

"He hurt me, Even!" Xehanort began to cry again. "He didn't even believe me about Braig until he caught us in the infirmary! I thought parents were supposed to love their children! Not tell them that everything is their fault!"

Ansem couldn't keep silent any longer. He ran into the room and knelt down in front of Xehanort. "Oh my boy," He carefully scooped Xehanort out of Even's arms and into his own and felt Xehanort's arms come around his neck and hold on. "It's not your fault. You did nothing wrong. I love you, I love you, I love you more than I love life itself, and I am never going to throw you away or say that I don't want you. Do you understand me, child? You are my son, my boy, even though you were not born to me. I chose you, which makes you so special. You are precious to me, and I can never express just how horrible I feel knowing that I made you think that death was better than life."

Xehanort raised his head and looked at him. "Why are you crying?"

"Because you are hurting, because I hurt you and allowed others to do the same. I failed you as a parent, and it is something that I will regret for the rest of my life."

"You really want me?" Xehanort asked through his own tears.

"I do, Xehanort, I do."

Xehanort laid his head down. "I love you too. Promise that you won't hate me anymore?"

"I promise, Xehanort, I promise. I may get angry sometimes, but I'm not angry at you, and I will try my hardest not to take it out on you. I'm sorry that I snapped at your earlier, and I swear that I'll be a real father to you from now on." He held Xehanort tighter. "I love you."

Xehanort didn't reply, he only cried as Ansem held him, and Ansem barely noticed when Even slipped out of the room, leaving the two of them alone. As before after a while he moved them back to the couch, and Xehanort fell asleep in his arms. He draped the afghan over him and watched his precious child sleep as thoughts swirled around in his mind.

He still needed to get Xehanort's side of what happened with Braig from him, but after the way he had been treating the boy recently, he worried that Xehanort wouldn't trust him enough to tell him. And he needed both sides of the story before progressing with a trial for Braig.

Of course, he could toss Braig away and throw away the key easily due to his attack on Xehanort while the latter was in the infirmary. Ansem had heard with his own ears Xehanort's pleas for Braig to stop, as well as Braig's refusal to do so, so that was more than enough to have him executed for harming the heir. But... any trial for harm caused to Xehanort would surely cause their past encounters to be brought up. Braig could simply claim that Xehanort had a rape fetish or something similar and that he always refused when he really didn't mean it. He sighed; he needed the full story, from Xehanort and from Braig.

Xehanort only napped for about fifteen minutes, and when he sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily, Ansem gave him a moment to get his bearings and wake up, and then he asked the dreaded question.

"Can you tell me what happened exactly between you and Braig?" He asked the question in the gentlest told he could use, but Xehanort still jumped and looked at him like a rabbit in a hunter's sights for a moment. He swallowed heavily and looked down at the couch cushions, trembling. "Xehanort?"

"I don't want you to yell at me again." Xehanort whispered, and Ansem winced as guilt filled his heart. He reached out and tugged Xehanort over to him so he could wrap the boy in his arms.

"I'm not going to yell." he said gently. "I just need to know."

Xehanort laid his head down on Ansem's shoulder and was quiet for a few minutes, and then he began to speak.

"Braig... Braig sometimes acted as though he knew who I was."

"Did he?"

"Yes. He called me 'Mr. Master' sometimes, and once he asked me if I was Terra. He didn't say who Terra was though." He closed his eyes and shivered.

Ansem rocked him slightly. "What else did he say?" Dear lords, if Braig knew Xehanort but never told him, then...

"He asked me if the amnesia was a sick joke and said that he had my back. I asked him if he knew me, and he always said no, but I kept asking. I thought that he had to have known who I was since he acted so familiar with me. One day, he lost his temper and hit me. He then said that he would tell me if I paid the price."

"Did he say what the price was?"

"Not right then."

"Then what happened?"

"I nodded in agreement, and he took me down to the lower areas of the castle and into an empty room. He pushed my pants down, shoved me down onto my hands and knees, unsnapped his pants, and knelt behind me. He told me that this was the price and asked if I was prepared to pay it."

Ansem felt a sick feeling coiling in his gut. "Please, Xehanort, please tell me that you didn't say yes."

Xehanort whimpered, though Ansem wasn't sure if it was due to the trauma of the event he was relating of if he felt that Ansem was angry at him for agreeing. "I did." he whispered. "He stuffed a rag in my mouth," A sob slipped out. "grabbed me by the hips, and..." Xehanort began to cry, and Ansem closed his eyes and tightened his arms around the boy. "It hurt so much, but he wouldn't stop."

Ansem took a deep breath to steady himself. "Did you at any time tell him to stop."

"I don't think so. I think I just screamed."

Ansem winced at that. "Did you at any point try to get away?"

"Yes, right after he... entered me. He had me by the hips and wouldn't let go, and he said that it was the price and that there was no backing out now." Xehanort gave into the tears then, and Ansem held him and rocked him and tried not to imagine the scene that had just been described to him. Still though, he was somewhat relieved. Braig's refusal to let Xehanort crawl away even though the boy was screaming in pain changed everything and tilted things in favor of Xehanort.

He waited until Xehanort's sobbing had quieted. "What happened after that? Did he try to help you after he was done?"

"No, he just left me there. I think I managed to clean up and get back to my rooms, but I'm not sure. It's.. hard to think straight when you're in so much pain. It hurt to walk and sit down for a while."

"Yes, I remember that. You walked very slowly for a week or so, and you were very careful about sitting down."

"Yes," Xehanort whimpered, and Ansem felt guilt fill his heart again. He should have known then that something was wrong. He had questioned Xehanort about it, but the questions had always been brushed off. He should have hauled the boy in his office and demanded answers. He should have done something!

Xehanort continued his tale, so Ansem shoved his self incriminating thoughts aside. He would have plenty of time for them later. "A week later, he told me that I had been a master swordsman."

"That was all he said?"

"At the time."

"Tell me."

"He approached me again another week after that when I was alone in the lab. He said he wouldn't be so rough and that I might even enjoy it."

"And you agreed."

" I needed to know, Master Ansem! I had to let him do it! I was tired of not knowing who I am!"

Ansem gently tilted Xehanort's head back and wiped his tears away with a handkerchief. "Oh child, why didn't you come to me? I could have talked to Braig about your suspicions and spared you so much pain. Why didn't you trust me?"

Xehanort looked down and said nothing, and Ansem realized immediately what the problem was. Xehanort simply hadn't known any better. With no memories to draw on about how a family should work, it likely never occurred to him to bring Braig's actions to a parent's attention. What's more, he was surrounded by people whose parents were either dead – Ansem himself, Aeleus, and Ienzo – or not trusted and ignored – Even, Dilan, and Braig. Xehanort simply had no idea what to do with the information that he had been given.

"Did he tell you anything after it was done?" he asked.

"He told me that my family was gone."

"What all did he tell you?"

Xehanort laid his head back down. "He said that my homeworld was destroyed, that I had no friends, only enemies that wanted me dead -"

That would explain the severity of Xehanort's injuries upon his rescue, Ansem thought.

"- had an apprentice of my own, but that he... died."

"You had an apprentice? Did he saw for what?"

"No," Xehanort's voice was so soft that Ansem could barely hear him. "He wouldn't tell me how he died or what his name was." There was a sniffle. "He also said that I... that I... was a... murderer, that had killed my own brother in my quest to gain power from some kind of hearts."
"Hearts?"

"He wasn't clear on that."

"Did he tell you other things?"

"A few more, but then he stopped."

"Did he stop approaching you after that?"

"No, he just stopped telling me things."

"So he quit holding up his end of the agreement?"

Xehanort nodded slightly. "That's when I started trying to refuse him, but he wouldn't listen. He would just... push me down on the nearest piece of furniture and do what he wanted anyway. If I tried to push him off or get away, he punished me by making it hurt worse." Xehanort shivered. "He said I was his to use however he wanted. He didn't care where I was or what I was doing. If he found me alone, he would take me. He also told me that it wouldn't matter if I told anyone; since I had agreed to let him touch me, then I was the one in the wrong and that no one would care."

Ansem blinked his own tears away as Xehanort cried on his shoulder. He should have known. He should have known that something was wrong. He should have realized that Xehanort was being hurt. He should have done something to protect his child.

But wait, he thought, he had realized eventually that something was wrong, and he had asked Xehanort about it.

"When I asked you if everything was alright," he said quietly. "why didn't you tell me then?"

"I almost did," Xehanort sobbed. "but Braig was in the room, and he was glaring at me, and I knew that if I told you, he would hurt me much worse than he ever had before. And then later, he told the others about a woman that had slept around and then cried rape when she was found out."

Ansem felt his heart sink; he had heard about that woman, and he had a feeling where Xehanort was going with it. And he was right.

"Everyone jeered at the story, called her a whore, and said she had gotten what she deserved, and Braig looked at me with a clear warning."

"Which was?" Ansem prompted gently.

"That no one would care if I said anything."

Ansem winced. "What happened after that?"

Xehanort's voice went quiet again. "He came to me that night when I was in my rooms, and he said he had to punish me for nearly telling. That was the night you found us."

"I assume that he kept coming to you after I... " Rejected you, hurt you, said that you deserved it. "refused to listen to you in the infirmary?"

"Yes. Sometimes he would beat me too. He liked using his belt on me. He said is was just to ensure that I never told anyone."

Using violence and threats to coerce his victim into keeping silent was another mark against Braig, Ansem thought as Xehanort closed his eyes, worn out by the tale that he had just told.

"How did we not hear you? Did you cry or scream during any of this?"

Xehanort didn't open his eyes. "He either did it someplace where we were alone, or he gagged me or made me hide my face in a pillow."

Ansem squeezed his eyes shut and held Xehanort tight. He could just imagine Xehanort lying face down on his bed, his face buried in his pillow, his muffled screams sounding in the room as Braig whipped his back bloody with a belt. He realized then the source of the welts and scar tissue that Sonora had found, and he shivered.

Xehanort fell asleep in his arms a few minutes later, and Ansem stayed where he was until dinner time, holding Xehanort while he slept and trying to ignore the images of Xehanort in pain that kept flashing through his mind.

OOOOOO

After dinner, Sonora returned to check on Xehanort, and she was very happy to hear that he was eating at every meal.

"If you keep this up, Heir Xehanort," she told him. "then I will pull the feeding tube tomorrow night, but only if you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Understand?"

Xehanort nodded and gave her a wan smile. She returned it and stood up. "I'll be back tomorrow night, and I want to hear that you've eaten at every meal." She then showed herself out.

"Ready to take a bath and go to bed?" Ansem asked once she was gone, and Xehanort looked at him and nodded. "I'll go run your bath then."

He sat outside the bathroom door and let Xehanort take care of himself, though he needed some help getting out of the tub.

"Will you stay again, Master Ansem?" Xehanort asked quietly as Ansem helped him dry off and dress for the night. "I don't.. I don't want to be tied down."

"Yes, I'll stay if you makes you feel better." Ansem said with a gentle smile. Xehanort returned it and allowed himself to be walked to bed and tucked in without a word. "I'll be right back." Xehanort smiled again and closed his eyes, while Ansem slipped out of the room to get ready for bed himself and turn off the lights in the rest of his apartment. He then returned to the bedroom and laid down beside Xehanort, who curled close to him. He pulled the blankets over them and brushed Xehanort's remaining hair out of his face. "Goodnight, child. I love you."

"Mmmm, goodnight Master Ansem. Love you too."

OOOOOO

To Ansem's surprise, Xehanort slept long and deep throughout the night. With all the napping he had been doing, had had expected him to wake up early, and after the conversation that they had just had, he had also been expecting nightmares. Neither problem manifested itself however, and Xehanort was still sleeping soundly when Ansem woke at his normal time of 7 am.

Ansem had a quick breakfast, and then he once again left Xehanort under Even's care and took a trip down to the castle dungeon's to speak with Braig. Dilan showed him to Braig's cell, where Aeleus was keeping guard by the door.

Though he had done terrible things to Xehanort, (And Ansem had no reason to believe that Xehanort was lying to him.) Braig had been given nicer accommodations than most, as per his status as one of Ansem's apprentices. A quick peek through the barred window on the door showed him relaxing in a chair with a book under the room's only light with a partially eaten breakfast on a tray nearby.

"Are you sure that you wish to go in there alone?" Aeleus asked. "There is no way to know how he might react."

"I will be fine." Ansem said with conviction that he didn't really feel. "He's refused to talk about Xehanort since he was locked up here. This may be the only way to get him to talk."

"We will be right outside the door." Dilan insisted. "If he tries anything, we will come running."

Ansem couldn't help but be touched by their concern. "Thank you boys, but I doubt that you'll be needed."

"Just the same..." Aeleus added as he unlocked the door.

Ansem smiled slightly at them as he walked in, but that smile vanished once he was inside the cell with Braig.

Braig looked up from his book. "What do you want?" he asked, sounding annoyed at the interruption.

Ansem sat down on the cot. "I want to talk to you about Xehanort."

"What has the little slut been saying now?"

"I heard his side of the story last night; now I want to hear yours."

"Nothing to say." Braig said as he looked back down at his book. "Would it be possible to get something else down here? This book is getting old."

"Talk to me, Braig. I want to know. I need to know. I don't want you to receive an unfair punishment. What happened between you and Xehanort?"

Braig shrugged. "I asked if I could fuck him. He agreed, so I did."

"Did you at any point offer something in return?"

"Nope."

"Did you at any point act as if you knew who he was before the memory loss?"

"Why in the hell would I do that?"

"Did he ever ask you to stop?"

"Not once."

"Did he at any point try to get away or act as if he was in severe pain?"

Braig lowered the book. "Why the hell do you want to know? What's the little fucker saying about me?"

"What he is saying is not important. What is important is what you say. Why did you ask him for sex, Braig?"

"Because I wanted a piece of his ass. Why else?"

"It seems as though you got more than a piece. I've been reliably informed that the sex needed to cause the injuries that Xehanort suffered would had to have been very violent and very painful. Why Braig, why did you do that to him?"

"If he didn't want it, he shouldn't have agreed to it."

"You didn't answer my question."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to say why you did that to him."

"I already told you. I wanted some, and he agreed to let me have it."

"Did your agreement include beating him, slapping him, and kicking him?"

"What? I didn't do that to him. Maybe the slut found someone else after I was done with him."

"You forget, Braig, that I caught you with Xehanort in Xehanort's bed. Xehanort was tied up, and his face was so battered that he could barely open his eyes. No one else was in that room, only the two of you, so answer my question."

"The slut tried to renege on our agreement, so I taught him a lesson."

"So he tried to get you to stop." Ansem said flatly, though he could feel his temper beginning to rise. "And the day I caught you in the infirmary? Why did you not stop when Xehanort asked you to?"

"Same as before."

"So you raped him."

"It's not rape when he agreed."

Ansem swallowed the rage that boiled up from within him and abruptly stood up. He walked out of the cell, and Aeleus securely locked it behind him.

"Master Ansem?" Dilan asked hesitantly. "What did he say?"

Ansem sighed and shook his head. "Send for the Questioners." he said heavily.

"When would you like them to come and question Xehanort?"

"As soon as they are done with Braig. I want this done and over with quickly."

"It will be as you say, my lord."

"I will be with Xehanort if anyone needs me."

'Yes, my lord."

Ansem practically stalked his way back to his quarters, but once he reached the royal wing, he forced himself to calm. It wouldn't do to take his anger out of Xehanort again, especially since Braig's words had proved to him that his son had been guilty of nothing worse than bad judgment.

When he stepped through the door into his living room, he found Even reading a book while occasionally flicking his eyes up every now and then to check on Xehanort, who was still sleeping.

"Did he wake at all?" he asked as he shed his coat and scarf.

Even closed his book. "No," he replied in a quiet voice. "he slept the entire time you were gone." He looked up at Ansem. "How did it go? What did Braig say?"

"I sent for the Questioners to speak to him. He all but admitted to me that he raped Xehanort frequently. They'll question him and then come speak to Xehanort."

"I hope they don't upset him too much."

"It might be unavoidable; he cried when telling me everything. I'm sure talking about it again will cause a similar reaction."

Even sighed. "Especially when speaking to someone that he barely knows. You know that you won't be able to stay in here with him during the questioning, but he's going to want you to."

"I know. I'll explain it to him once he's up." Ansem pulled out his pocket watch. "Which will have to be sooner and not later, because I expect them before lunch, and I would like for him to eat before then - if possible." He hastily added at Even's look.

He heard Xehanort shifting in bed then and looked up through the open door to see him sitting up and rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"I'll show myself out." Even whispered as he stood up from the couch. Ansem nodded absently as he walked into the bedroom and sat down on the bed beside Xehanort.

"Good morning, Xehanort." he said softly.

Xehanort yawned. "Good morning, Master Ansem."

"Ready to get up for the day?"

Xehanort yawned again and nodded. "I'm hungry. What's for breakfast?"

Ansem tried not to shout for joy at the question. "What would you like?"

"Whatever everyone else is having is fine."

"I'll send for breakfast for you then. Why don't you get ready for the day while I do that?"

"Do I have to get dressed? None of my clothes are up here."

"Just having a robe on over your nightgown is fine. Later, I'll see about having some of your clothing brought up."

"Okay,"

Ansem leaned over and kissed Xehanort on the forehead. "I'll be right back."

Xehanort smiled slightly and pushed the blankets away as Ansem wandered back into the living room to call a servant about breakfast. When he returned, he found Xehanort standing in front of the bathroom mirror, looking at his mostly bald reflection. Without the scarf, it was possible to see the new hair that was growing out, but it was very short, and it looked as though it would be a few years before Xehanort had his full mane of hair back.

He walked up to the boy and hugged him. "It will grow back, Xehanort."

"I know," he said quietly. "It's just... did you have to cut it off?"

"It was too knotted up to save, so don't worry about it. Your breakfast will be here soon."

"You're not eating?"

"I ate earlier, before you woke up. Now come along." He slipped a robe over Xehanort's shoulders and led him out into the living room, and a few minutes later a servant appeared with Xehanort's breakfast.

Ansem waited until the boy had eaten most of what was on his plate and pushed it away before he brought up the questioning that was due to come soon. He walked him back over to the couch and sat down with him and waited until he was comfortable before he began to speak.

"Here soon, people that work in the courts are going to come and talk to you about Braig." he said gently.

Xehanort paled, and Ansem felt him stiffen beside him. "What?" he asked in a small voice. "Why?"

"They're talking to Braig now, and once they've gotten his side, they'll come talk to you to get your side."

"Can't you just tell them what I told you?"

"No, child. They need to hear it directly from you."

"But, I don't... I can't, Master Ansem."

"I know, child, I know, but you have to do this. I promise they won't be harsh with your or anything, but you have to tell them everything, even if it's embarrassing or upsetting. They need to know the entire truth before we can proceed."

"You'll be with me, right?" Ansem winced slightly. "Right? Please tell me I don't have to do it alone!"

"I'm sorry, Xehanort, but to prevent it from seeming as though I'm influencing you in any way, I cannot be in the room with you."

"No, no, I want you there!"

"I can't, child. I wish I could stay, but it could be seen as me coercing you, so I have to stay away."

"What about Even then? Can he be with me?"

"No, Xehanort, no one but the Questioners can be with you."

"But -"

"I will be back as soon as they are done. Just tell them everything that you told me, and it will be over before you know it."

Xehanort laid his head down. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, you do. They won't be harsh with you, they won't judge you, and they won't hurt you. They just need to know what happened between you and Braig."

"I don't want to."

"I understand, but you have to do this. As soon as they are done, I will come back. I won't go far, so I'll come back as soon as you've told them everything."

"Do you promise me?"

"I do. I promise that I'll come right back."

Xehanort closed his eyes and tightly grasped Ansem's shirt in both hands, but the moment was interrupted by a firm knock on the door. Xehanort sighed, let go of Ansem's shirt, and sat up.

"That's them." Ansem said quietly, to which Xehanort hung his head and said nothing. "It will be alright." He stood up and went to the door to answer it. On the other side were three Questioners, and Ansem gestured for them to follow him down the hallway a few steps.

"Xehanort is very fragile right now." he warmed them. "Do not raise your voice to him. Do not act in any way that can be taken as threatening, and above all, do not in any way insult or harass him. He's finally starting to settle down, and I don't want a repeat of the suicide attempt. Understood?"

The two men and one woman nodded. "Yes, m'lord." they said in unison, and Ansem nodded in satisfaction and led them back into his living room. Xehanort was still on the couch, and he looked up when they walked in. Ansem walked over and knelt down in front of him.

"I have to go now." he said gently. "I will be back as soon as I can."

Xehanort nodded faintly and reached out for a hug. Ansem wrapped his arms around him and realized that the boy was shaking slightly. "No one will hurt you, Xehanort." he whispered. "Just tell them everything, and it will be over before you know it."

Xehanort nodded again, so Ansem squeezed him before he let go and stood up. He then walked out of the room and shut the door behind him, while he tried to ignore the ache in his heart. He forced himself to walk down the hall while he tried to think of a distraction. He needed to go to his study and check up on things with Even, but that would require going into the castle basement, which was too far from Xehanort. He needed to stay in the royal wing for when the questioning was through. So what could he do in the meantime... ah!

He paused in front of a door that was at the opposite end of the hallway from his own and pulled his keyring out of his pocket. A quick turn of a skeleton key unlocked the door, and he stepped into a large suite that occupied one of the castle's towers. The rooms were larger, and occupied different floors, connected via a spiraling staircase. The suite was intended for a large family, and while Ansem didn't think that Xehanort had any interest in marrying and fathering children, it was close to Ansem's own rooms, which is precisely what he wanted. Later, once Xehanort was better, he could move if he wanted.

Drop cloths covered the furniture, and a heavy layer of dust covered everything else. Even the windows were obscured by a heavy layer of dust and grime. Yes, these would do perfectly for Xehanort once they were cleaned up, so he walked over to the call box to summon the servants.

Three of the maids arrived in response to his summons, and he set them to work cleaning the suite, while he dispatched two others down to Xehanort's apartment to pack up his personal effects. Ansem stood back out of the way and watched them work, and soon the rooms were clean and ready for use. Of course, it would be some time yet before he felt comfortable letting Xehanort out of his sight, but a servant could keep them dusted until then. The two that he had sent to fetch Xehanort's personal items arrived, and he frowned when the saw the single box that each was carrying.

"That can't be all of it." he said.

"It is, my lord." one replied. "He doesn't have much."

"Just his clothing, a few books, and his writing materials." said the other.

Ienzo has more possessions than that. Ansem thought as they carried the boxes into the room and set them down on a table. They could sort through them and put them away later, when Xehanort was feeling better.

"Lord Ansem?" Ansem turned to see one of the Questioners standing in the open doorway. "We are finished."

"How did it go? How is Xehanort?" he asked as he stepped out of the suite and set off at a brisk pace down the hallway.

"It went well," the man responded. "Heir Xehanort is quite upset, but he did what was needed. Now," the Questioner readied a writing board and a pen. "I have a few questions for you."

Ansem felt his heart drop, but he kept it off of his face. "Go ahead."

"When did you first become aware of what was going on between Heir Xehanort and Apprentice Braig?"

"I became concerned about Xehanort about four months ago when I noticed him acting strangely and..." Ansem told the Questioner of his concerns, Xehanort's reaction, of catching Xehanort and Braig in bed together, and his own reaction the following day.

"So you did not give him a chance to explain?"

Ansem sighed heavily. "To my eternal shame, no, I did not."

"Why not?"

"I honestly cannot say. I assume it was because I have known Braig since he was a child and couldn't picture him doing anything like this, not until I saw it with my own eyes."

"You realized there is a good chance that this will come out during a trial."

"I understand that, but I don't care. Whatever it takes to keep my son safe."

"So the suicide attempt made you change your mind?"

"No," Ansem flushed in embarrassment. "I still believed that Xehanort was the guilty one then. It wasn't until the next morning that I caught Braig in the act, after Xehanort had asked him to stop multiple times, that I realized that I had been wrong."

"Did at any time before the suicide attempt did you become alarmed as Heir Xehanort's behavior and physical condition?

"Not until the night he tried. I had gone to check on him because his behavior earlier and been very worrying, and I found him as he was heading in the direction of the Falls."

"Why didn't you stop him sooner?"

"At first, I was simply curious as to where he was going, but when we were in town, I lost track of him for a few minutes after someone hurled a rock at him. I stopped them from throwing a second, and by then Xehanort had already vanished down the stairs to the Rising Falls."

"So you stopped the attempt, and then summoned the guard to take Heir Xehanort back to the castle."

"No," Ansem looked at the Questioner in confusion. "I didn't call them. They just arrived a few minutes after I pulled Xehanort out of the Falls."

The man made a note. "We'll have to speak to the guards then. Who all appeared down there?"

"Dilan, Aeleus, Kasen, Harold, Sela, and... Braig." A thought occurred to Ansem them. "Do you have anymore questions for me?"

The Questioner tucked his writing board under his arms. "Not at the moment, my lord. If we have any more questions for you or Heir Xehanort, we will let you know. Good day, my lord."

The man walked away, and Ansem continued on his way back to his own rooms, his mind awhirl with thoughts. Had Braig known that Xehanort was going to attempt suicide? Had he been watching him somehow? The hallway was relatively short, but Ansem was running by the time he reached his door. He needed to see Xehanort, to make sure that he was all right, to see that there was no one in there with him. He yanked his door open and stepped in, heart hammering, to see Xehanort alone in the living room, curled up in a ball on the couch, rocking himself. He looked up when Ansem came in, and his eyes were red, swollen, and damp with tears.

"Master Ansem," he whimpered as he reached out, and Ansem covered the distance between them in an instant. He sat down on the couch and gathered Xehanort to him, and the child curled close to him and began to bawl. Ansem could feel the tears soaking into shirt as he rocked Xehanort in his arms and rubbed his back.

"Did you tell them everything?" he asked after a moment, and Xehanort sniffled and nodded. "Then you did well, and I am proud of you." Xehanort only sobbed in response. "I am here with you now, and I love you."

Xehanort only cried, and Ansem shoved thoughts of Braig to the side for the time being. Xehanort was safe in his arms, and that was enough for now.

OOOOOO

The following morning, Ansem was once again up before the dawn, and Even arrived not long after he dressed himself. Ansem then sent for Sonora, and the three of them shared a quick breakfast while they discussed plans for Ansem to speak with the townspeople later in the afternoon.

Ansem's main concern was for Xehanort. "Is he well enough to stand up there with me?"

Sonora shook her head. "I wouldn't recommend it, Lord Ansem."

"Oh? I figured that seeing him and his poor physical condition would help change some minds about him."

Sonora shook her head again. "He is not ready, my lord. First of all, I believe that he would not be able to handle the crowd and all of the judgmental eyes on him. Second, he is still very frail, physically and mentally. Standing up there with you would exhaust him quickly, and he just tried to kill himself only days ago. Do you wish to run the risk of a heckler in the crowd upsetting him and making him want to try again? Third, I am unsure as to whether it would really make the message sink in any better. I understand what you're trying to do, but I rather doubt it would do anything good and would likely only cause harm, so it's probably better for him to stay back from that."

Ansem looked at Even. He trusted the head of the castle's medical staff, but he still wanted Even's thoughts. "Even?"

His Senior Apprentice didn't hesitate. "I agree with her fully, Master Ansem. Xehanort does not need to be a part of it."

"Part of what?" came Xehanort's sleepy voice, and they all looked up as he walked into the room, wearing one of Ansem's robes over his nightgown and rubbing his eyes sleepily. He wandered up to the table and sat down between Ansem and Even and began to fill a plate without having to be prompted. Sonora smiled at the sight.

"I am going to speak to the town later." Ansem explained. "I was thinking about having you up there with me."

There was a clang! as Xehanort's fork slipped from his nerveless fingers and clattered to his plate. He shook his head vehemently. "No! I don't want to do it!"

"It is alright, Xehanort." Even said soothingly. "You are going to stay in here with me."

"I don't have to go?"

"No," Sonora assured him. "You are to stay right in here with Senior Apprentice Even." Here she leveled her gaze at Ansem. "I've already made my opinion known on this."

Ansem conceded defeat. "No, Xehanort, you don't have to go." he said. "Now finish your breakfast." Xehanort gave him a weak smile, picked up his fork, and began to eat.

Xehanort was content to stay close to Ansem as the hours ticked by, and Ansem was content to let him. After lunch Even came by with some clothing from Xehanort's new rooms down the hall (That Xehanort didn't yet know about.), though Xehanort was happy to lounge around in his sleep clothes.

"I'll just go back to sleep soon anyway." he said, and Ansem couldn't fault his logic. Sure enough, just after lunch, he curled up on the couch and dozed off. Ansem longed to stay with him, but he had a town to visit and a speech to give. Instead he only patted the afghan around Xehanort's shoulders, kissed him lightly on the cheek and turned his attention to Even.

"I will look after him, Master Ansem." Even said firmly. "You don't need to worry. I'll take care of him."

Ansem sighed. "I know that you will, Even. I just wish I didn't have to leave him at all right now. My child is sick, and here I am, leaving him in the care of others."

"You are ensuring his future; think of it that way. Now you had better get going. The people are waiting."

Ansem sighed again and nodded. He lightly touched his fingers to Xehanort's cheek and then walked out of the room. Once out in the corridor, Dilan and Aeleus fell into step on either side and just behind him. As two of his apprentices, they also acted as his escort when needed. Just days before, Braig would have walked directly in front of him, but it looked as though that would never happen again. He knew that after speaking to him, the Questioners had spoke to Sonora and that discussion had left them feeling queasy over the severity of Xehanort's injuries. They had also spoken to the guard members that had arrived at the Falls that night. Ansem didn't know what all they had learned, and he wouldn't find out until Braig's trial. He hoped that there were no unpleasant surprises that would result in Braig going free. Granted, as the absolute authority in the world of Radiant Garden, Ansem could personally see Braig imprisoned for life, but that wouldn't go over well with the people if Braig was declared innocent in court.

There would be no questioning of the servants that had ignored Xehanort. Since they were servants of the royal family and no actual crime had been committed, it was up to Ansem to handle that matter. He would take care of that in the next day or so, after speaking with the people. As to the ones that ignored him when he was in obvious danger while in the infirmary, those would require other measures.

Accompanied by Dilan and Aeleus, he walked through the castle entrance, and down the long, winding staircase towards the town center, where most of the townsfolk were gathered. He mounted the steps to the platform and stepped up to the podium, while Dilan and Aeleus stood behind him. He raised his hands for quiet and winced inwardly; this was not going to be good in any possible way. He knew that news of Braig's arrest and Xehanort's poor health and attempted suicide had reached the town, but he wasn't sure what, if any, kind of impact the news had made.

Once the murmuring crowd had fallen silent, he steeled himself, took a deep breath, and began to speak.

"I am sure that most of you are aware of the rumors swirling around about Heir Xehanort and Apprentice Braig, so I will address those rumors one at a time.

"Yes, Apprentice Braig has been arrested on multiple counts of rape and causing severe harm to a member of the royal family. The Questioners have done their work, and they have informed me that we have enough to proceed with a trial, which will take place three days from now.

"Yes, Heir Xehanort attempted to take his own life six days ago, and he is in poor mental and physical health. He is under a doctor's care, and he is slowly improving, though it will be some time before he is well enough to venture outside the castle." He raked his gaze over the crowd. "Let me make this clear. No matter what the outcome of Apprentice Braig's trial, I do not want to hear anyone referring to Heir Xehanort as a slut, whore, or any other such derogatory term. If you do not like him, then that is your business, but the cruelty shown by everyone around him was enough to drive him to attempt suicide! It will not happen again! Am I understood?" There were nods from the crowd. "Good."

"On to my next point," he continued. "Many servants admitted to ignoring Heir Xehanort's orders, and they will be dealt with appropriately. Still others are accused of ignoring his cries for help when he was in distress, instead running off to start more rumors. Again, they will be dealt with when the time comes. For those among you that have family among the castle staff, you will hear the results of that tomorrow sometime."

"What about Braig?" someone shouted out, and Ansem zeroed in on the source: one of Braig's older sisters.

"What about him?"

"What if it becomes known that the slu-, Heir Xehanort had been the guilty one? What then?"

Nothing, Ansem thought, since Xehanort has yet to actually accuse Braig of anything. "If that is the case, then Heir Xehanort will be dealt with."

"But you don't think that that's the case." someone else shouted.

"No," Ansem stated simply. "I do not."

"Why not?"

"I have my reasons, reasons that I will not disclose here. All will be explained at Apprentice Braig's trial in three days. Until then, please do your best to quiet the rumors running around and let Heir Xehanort recover in peace. Thank you."

Ansem stepped back away from the podium and turned to Dilan and Aeleus. "Let's go."

They walked back up the stairs to the castle, while Ansem thought about the short speech that he had just given. It had gone better than he thought it would have, but only time would tell if it would actually have any effect on anyone's opinion. He was glad then that he had listened to Sonora and Even; he didn't want to think of how Xehanort would have reacted to Brag's sister. He likely wouldn't have handled Ansem's reply well either.

Dilan and Aeleus left him at the door to his rooms, and he stepped through to find Xehanort still asleep on the couch, with his head on Even's lap.

"That was fast." Even commented without looking up from the book he was reading.

"It went better than expected." Ansem replied as he hung his scarf and lab coat on the rack by the door. "Did he wake?" he asked as he gestured in Xehanort's direction.

"Only long enough to crawl over to me and lay his head down. Though I suppose there are worse things then being a pillow."

"Oh Even, that means he still trusts you."

Even looked up from his book, blinked, and then smiled. "I guess you're right. If it is alright with you, I will stay here until he wakes. No sense in disturbing him."

"That is fine. We wouldn't want to take his favorite pillow away, now would we?"

"No," Xehanort mumbled sleepily. "I'm comfortable."

Even and Ansem laughed quietly. "Go back to sleep, Xehanort." Even said with a chuckle. "I'm not moving any time soon."

"Mmm, okay."

Xehanort settled back down and went quiet, and Even and Ansem shared an amused glance as he drifted off.

OOOOOO

That night, Sonora made good on her promise to pull Xehanort's feeding tube. Her duties around the castle had prevented her from doing it the previous night as she had intended, but Xehanort didn't complain.

Neither did Ansem, who took the removal of the tube as another step forward in Xehanort's recovery. The two of them had dinner, and Ansem regaled Xehanort with tales of his grandparents and great-grandparents. Xehanort was enthralled, and he begged to hear more when Ansem called a halt to the stories late in the evening.

"Just one more story?" he pleaded as he was coaxed into bed.

"Not tonight." Ansem said firmly as it occurred to him how childlike Xehanort could be at times. "It's late, and you're tired. I will tell your more tomorrow, after I've dealt with the servants."

"You will?"

Ansem couldn't help but smile at Xehanort's eagerness. "I will. Now lie down and go to sleep. I love you."

Xehanort laid down on his side and smiled when Ansem patted the blanket around his shoulders. "I love you too. Goodnight."

"Do you want me to stay again tonight?"

Xehanort shook his head slightly as he closed his eyes. "No, I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Mmhmm," He opened one eye and peered up at Ansem. "Are you going to tie me down?"

"No," Ansem said after a moment of thought. "I think I can trust you not to hurt yourself, can I?"

"I won't do anything."

"Swear to me?"

"I swear."

"Alright then, we'll leave the restraints this time."

Xehanort smiled again and closed the eye that he had opened. "Goodnight, Master Ansem."

He still needed to talk to Xehanort about that. "Goodnight, Xehanort."

OOOOOO

Xehanort slept soundly throughout the night, though the same could not be said for Ansem. While his mind believed that Xehanort was no longer a danger to himself, he found himself unable to relax, and his heart kept compelling him to go check on him. Each time, he found the boy sleeping peacefully, and he would go back to bed, but barely an hour later, he would find himself wandering back over to his bedside to check on him again.

By the time sunlight began to shine through the windows, Ansem had barely slept at all, but he forced himself to leave his comfortable bed and go take a shower. The hot spray woke him up enough to get dressed and ready for the day, and he walked out into the living room to see Xehanort was already up and in the process of ordering breakfast. He was also dressed, in a pair of black pants and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His feet were covered with socks, and as always, a scarf was tied around his head, with a few hairs poking out from under it here and there. He was still so very thin, and he was shaking slightly by the time he cut off the call box and wandered over to the couch to sit down.

"How are you feeling?" Ansem asked as he joined him there, and he smiled slightly when Xehanort inched over and nestled close.

"Just tired still."

"It will go away as you regain your strength."

"I figured as much." Xehanort laid his head against Ansem's shoulder and sighed. "I just... don't like feeling so tired all the time."

"No one does, but trust me; you'll feel better in good time."

"Time needs to hurry up then. I don't like being mostly bald either."

Ansem laughed quietly. "It will grow back." He put an arm around Xehanort's shoulders. "Now, I have something I would like to talk to you about."

He couldn't miss the fear that flickered across Xehanort's eyes. "What?"

"You are my son, yet you still call me 'Master Ansem'."

"Is that wrong of me?"

"No, no, no, no, you can call me whatever you want, but I apparently neglected to tell you that it's perfectly okay for you to call my something other than Master."

Xehanort looked at him in confusion. "Like what?"

"Like one of the many words that children use to address their father."

"Y.. you mean...?"

Ansem nodded. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"But you would like me to?"

"I would, but only if you want. I don't want to pressure you into something that you don't feel comfortable with."

Xehanort looked away. "I'll think about it."

Ansem tried to prevent the hurt from showing on his face, though he knew he wasn't completely successful. "Take all the time you need." A knock sounded at the door then, so he squeezed Xehanort lightly and stood up. "That's probably breakfast."

His guess proved to be correct, and within short order the meal was laid out on the table. Xehanort was quiet while he ate, despite Ansem's attempts to draw him into conversation, and seemed to be deep in thought. He was still thinking when Even arrived to stay with him while Ansem dealt with the servants. It was until he was preparing to leave that Xehanort said anything.

"Master Ansem?" he said hesitantly.

"Hmmmm?"

"The servants that didn't help me in the infirmary... What are you planning to do with them?"

"Since they refused to render assistance and allowed you to be hurt, that makes them an accessory to the rape. They will be dismissed from their posts and then tried in the courts. Why?"

"I think..." Xehanort swallowed heavily and seemed to be gathering his courage. "I think that they hate me enough. Can't you just leave them be?"

Ansem blinked in surprise. "I cannot let that go unpunished, Xehanort. Instead of trying to help you, they saw what was happening and ran off to blab to anyone that would listen that you were whoring yourself out. I have to discipline them."

"I don't want them to have any more reasons to hate me."

"I can suggest that they go easy on them. That is all I can do."

Xehanort looked down at his lap and nodded silently, and Ansem lightly touched his fingers his shoulder before he stepped out.

OOOOOO

Over the next few days, Ansem never left Xehanort's side. Once the servants had been taken care of, he stayed in his rooms, close to his son's side. Xehanort seemed to crave the contact, though he still kept calling his father "Master Ansem," much to Ansem's disappointment.

The night before Braig's trial, Sonora came by before bed to check on Xehanort as she had been. Once she had checked him over and said that he was still slowly improving, he went off to bed, and she pulled Ansem aside for a private word.

"They wanted Xehanort to speak to the court." she said quietly, and Ansem felt icy fear wrap around his heart.

"He is not ready for such a thing." he said firmly. "I won't allow it."

"It is not a concern, however. As his physician, I declared him medically unfit for it on the grounds that his physical and mental health are still too frail. They will have to go on the words of others. He wouldn't have handled such a thing well at all."

"I agree. Thank you for doing that."

"I do what I must. They are going to call for the two of us to speak, and likely Senior Apprentice Even as well."

"I will have to find someone to stay with him during the trial, because they will probably also call Aeleus and Dilan, since they were the first ones in the infirmary that day."

"I think it would be best if I were to hospitalize him under the watch of a few of my assistants. I still don't think it's safe for him to be left unwatched."

Ansem didn't bother to tell her that Xehanort had been sleeping alone without any restraints for the past few days. Instead he nodded in agreement to her suggestion and saw her to the door.

Xehanort was already asleep when he went in to check on him a few minutes later. He tugged the comforter up to his chin, brushed a few hairs out of his face, and lightly kissed him on the cheek. Xehanort stirred at the touch, but didn't wake, and Ansem forced himself to leave the boy's side and and seek out his own bed. The dawn came early, and he had Xehanort's future to see to.

OOOOOO

In the morning, Ansem rose from his bed, showered, dressed, and sent for breakfast. While he waited for it to arrive, he roused Xehanort.

"M'still tired. " Xehanort mumbled as he tried to pull the comforter over his head.

Ansem pulled it away. "I know, but you have to get up and get dressed. After breakfast, I'm going to take you to the infirmary."
"Why? I don't want to go back there!"

Ansem pulled Xehanort up into a sitting position. "We don't want you to be alone while everyone is at Braig's trial, so you're going to stay in the infirmary with Sonora's assistants until it's over."

"Can't I just stay here?"

"No, we still don't think it's safe for you to be left alone right now."

"But I don't -"

Ansem cut him off. "Xehanort," he said firmly "You have to do this. You won't be in any danger, and either Even or myself will come back to you as soon as we can." He softened his tone. "We're doing this to ensure your future and to make sure that Braig can never lay his hands on you again. So please Xehanort, do as you're told."

Xehanort looked away, but he nodded.

Ansem smiled faintly. "Come now, breakfast will be here soon."

Xehanort sighed in defeat and stood up. He dressed himself without any difficulty and ate his breakfast without complaint. Ansem reached over and gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and realized that he was shaking. It dawned on him then that it was the first time that Xehanort had been outside this suite of rooms since Braig had attacked him in the infirmary nine days ago.

"No one is going to bother you." he whispered as they walked to the door a few minutes later to leave. "No one is going to hurt you. You are safe."

Xehanort leaned into him for a hug. "I don't want you to go." he whispered. "I don't want to be alone."

"I am doing this for you. I'll come back to you as soon as I can, I promise."

Xehanort nodded again and stepped back. "Let's go then."

The walk to the infirmary was silent, and Sonora was waiting for them when they arrived. The two of them settled Xehanort in one of the private rooms, and Ansem then had to pry Xehanort's hands off of his coat so they could leave.

"I need to go, Xehanort." he said gently. "You'll be safe here while I'm gone."

"I don't want you to leave." Xehanort said desperately. "I don't care about Braig. Please don't go!"

Ansem sat down beside him on the bed and allowed Xehanort to nestle close. "You may not care about Braig, but I care about you, and I do not want to see him hurt you again."

"Please don't leave me."

"I have to go, child. This needs to be done. I swear that, as soon as I can, I will come back. I have to stay through the entire trial, so Even will come and get you and take you back to my rooms. I will join you there as soon as things are settled. You will be safe here; no one will try to hurt you." He carefully pulled his coat out of Xehanort's grip and stood up. Xehanort looked up at him with eyes that were beginning to tear up, and Ansem leaned down and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "I love you." He then turned and walked out of the room and tried to ignore the ache in his heart as he went.

Dilan and Aeleus were waiting for him outside the infirmary, and they fell into step behind him. They walked silently out of the castle and to the town hall, where the trial would be held. Normally, Ansem would sit in the highest seat in the front of the room along with four others from the courts, and together they would act as judge and jury, but today was different. Since the accused was one of his apprentices, and the victim was his son, he would sit to the side and act as witness only.

The four remaining judges were already seated when they walked in, and Ansem nodded at them as he, Dilan, and Aeleus walked over to the box where the witnesses sat and took seats. Even was already there.

"How is Xehanort?" he asked quietly over the babble of voices as the townsfolk filed in to fill the gallery.

Ansem shook his head. "Not well. He didn't want me to leave him."

"I imagine not."

"I told him that you would likely be done here first. When you leave, I want you to take him back to my rooms and stay there with him until I get back."

"I will."

"I also want Dilan and Aeleus to join you as soon as they can. No matter the outcome in here today, I wouldn't put it past someone to try something. Either someone from Braig's family or -"

"Lord forbid, Braig himself." Even finished. "I understand."

Ansem turned to face Dilan and Aeleus. "So as soon as you're done in here, go find Xehanort, and stay with him. Don't leave his side for an instant."

"Yes, Master Ansem.", "Yes, m'lord." came two replies, and Ansem turned back to face the rest of the room just as the side doors opened, and Braig was brought in.

His former apprentice looked calm and collected, and he even grinned at the gallery, like he was a popular actor greeting his fans instead of someone about to be put on trial for harming Radiant Garden's heir. Two guards walked him to stand on a small platform in the center of the room and shackled him to the floor by his ankles. They then stepped away, and the judges called for silence.

Ansem took a deep breath; it was time.

One of the judges addressed the court. "Today, we have a difficult case ahead of us. Braig Hickman, former apprentice to Lord Ansem Hart, stands accused of rape, multiple counts, against Heir Xehanort Hart. He also is accused of physical abuse against the heir on multiple occasions." The judge looked down at Braig. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Not a damned thing." Braig said easily. "I didn't do anything other than what the slut wanted."

"Which was?"

"He wanted me to fuck him."

In the seat beside Ansem, Even growled under his breath.

"According to what you told the Questioners," said another judge. "You approached him, not the other way around."

"What's the difference?"

"A great deal. Now did you approach him, or did he approach you?"

"Fine, I'll admit it, I approached him." Braig replied easily with that carefree grin of his.

"For what reason exactly?"

"I'm sure you already know that."

"Answer the question, Braig." said the third judge sternly. "You've been accused of a serious crime. Being flippant about it will only hurt you and your case."

Braig's eye flashed, but then the quick burst of anger vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "Okay, okay, I wanted to fuck him. I just wanted a one night stand though. I didn't expect him to flop down on his back and spread his legs every time I looked at him."

Now it was Ansem's turn to growl quietly, which prompted Sonora to lay a hand on his shoulder in warning. Losing his temper here wouldn't help Xehanort any.

"So you took him multiple times despite only wanting a 'one night stand' as you put it?"

"No way in hell was I not going to take what he was offering. He was a good little fuck, meek and compliant with just enough of a struggle to spice it up."

"So he struggled. Did he ever try to get away or ask you to stop?"

"Nope."
"Did he ever cry or act as though what you were doing was hurting him?"

"He cried all the damned time, but he never gave me a clue as to why."

"According to Heir Xehanort's testimony via the Questioners, that very first time he screamed and tried to get away, but you wouldn't let him. He also said you left him, injured, crying, and bleeding, when you were done and did not attempt to render him any aid."

Braig shrugged. "I got what I came for."

Ansem closed his eyes and clenched his fists as the judges continued to speak to Braig. How could have not seen it? Braig did not care at all for the harm he had caused to Xehanort, and he firmly believed that Xehanort's initial agreement exempted him from the law. The gallery was mostly silent, though there were some murmurs off and on as people quietly discussed things that Braig had said.

"When Heir Xehanort refused you, what did you do?"

"I did what I wanted anyway. He agreed to let me fuck him after all."

"The instant he told you no, any agreement you once had with him was no longer valid."

"What was the original agreement, exactly?' one of the judges wanted to know.

"Just that I could fuck him."

"Nothing else?"

"Nope."

"Yet he told the Questioners that you acted like you knew him before the onset of his amnesia and that you promised to tell him about himself in exchange for sex."

"The little slut is lying then! I never told him that!"

"He told the Questioners that you told him that he had no family, his homeworld was destroyed, he was a master swordsman, and that he had an apprentice of his own that had died. Need I go on?"

For a split second, a black aura flared to life around Braig, but it vanished when Ansem blinked. "I never told him anything like that! I don't know what that whore has told you, but he's lying!"

"I see. Care to explain the events in the infirmary nine days ago?"

"What events?"

"You were caught by several witnesses, including Lord Ansem, having intercourse with Heir Xehanort. All of those witnesses say the same thing; that Heir Xehanort had asked you multiple times to stop, citing pain and an unwillingness to continue. You refused to do so, and it wasn't until Lord Ansem pulled you off of him that it was brought to a halt."

Braig shrugged nonchalantly, with no trace of the anger he had shown just a few seconds before. "I already told you. He agreed to let me fuck him, so I did."

"That seems to be your answer for everything."

"It is the truth. What else do you want me to say?"

"Whatever made you believe that you were exempt from the law? The moment Heir Xehanort told you no, any agreement you may have had with him before was nullified. Why did you continue to pursue him?"

"I already told you that? I wanted to fuck him."

"That doesn't explain why you seemed to think that it was acceptable to touch him after he had told you to leave him alone."

Braig shrugged without saying anything, and one of the judges sighed.

"We're getting nowhere," he said before he fixed a stern glare on Braig. "This is your last chance. Do you have anything else to say in your defense?" Braig simply shrugged again and grinned, and the judge nodded. "Very well. Let us have the next witness."

Two guards moved Braig from the docket in which he had been standing over to a small enclosure by the judges' stand. He flopped himself down in the provided chair while he was shackled to the sturdy railing that circled it and leaned back lazily.

"Lord Ansem Hart." called out one of the judges, and Ansem stood up and walked to the docket. He stood in the center of the platform and tried to stop his hands from shaking. It wouldn't do for the crowd to see just how nervous he was at the impending questioning. His refusal to support Xehanort had been the reason that things had gone so badly for the boy, so he had much to answer for.

"Lord Ansem," one of the judges began, "after reading what the Questioners learned from you and Heir Xehanort, we aren't even sure where to begin. Your behavior towards the son that you agreed to love as your own was questionable at best, abusive at worst. However, as you are not the one on trial, we will start with when you began to suspect that something was wrong with Heir Xehanort four months ago. Tell us what happened."

Ansem took a deep breath and faced the judges. "I became concerned about Xehanort when I noticed a change in his behavior. He yet normally very outgoing, attentive to his studies, eager to work, and fine with working in a large group or alone, yet I had noticed that he had become very shy, distracted, and fearful of being alone. When he missed breakfast one morning, something that he hadn't done since his recovery two years ago, I pulled him aside and asked if anything was wrong."

"What did he say?"

"He simply said that he was tired and refused to say more."

"Did you believe him?"

"No, I did not."

"So what did you do then?"

"Nothing at first. I believed that if didn't wish to tell me what was happening, then it was his business, but I was still very concerned, and that night, I went to check on him."

"What did you see?"

"I found Xehanort in his bedroom with Braig."

"Describe the scene to us."

"Xehanort was face down on the bed, with his nightgown hiked up past his waist, and his face was turned away from me. His legs were spread apart. Braig was kneeling between them, and he was dressed, but his pants were pushed down some. I realized immediately what they were doing."

"Which was?"

Ansem sighed. "Having sex."

"Then what happened?"

"I heard Braig tell Xehanort that this was the agreement that they had had and that he couldn't back out. He also said that Xehanort was just a whore and that no one would care if they found out."

"Did Heir Xehanort say anything during this?"

"No, he only screamed twice."

"What happened then?"

"I slammed the door open and went in. I ordered Braig off of Xehanort, had Dilan detain him, and then Aeleus carried Xehanort to the infirmary."

"Continue."

"Xehanort spent the night in the infirmary, and I stayed with him. In the morning, Dilan informed me that Braig has stated that Xehanort had been a wiling participant. I asked Xehanort if that was true, and he admitted that it was. I... didn't react well."

"Yes, you called your own child a whore and told him he deserved what had happened to him. Is that correct?"

Ansem hung his head. "To my shame, it is. I didn't give him a chance to explain, and I stormed out without letting him speak. I ordered Braig's release from the dungeon and left Xehanort to fend for himself. I told the others that Braig had committed no crime, and they followed my lead."

"So you abandoned your son just when he needed you the most?"

"Yes," Ansem whispered without raising his head.

"What did you do after that?"

"I carried on like normal and paid scarce attention to Xehanort when I saw him. I barely noticed when he stopped speaking to everyone and stopped joining us for meals."

"Did at any time did you become concerned? Did you ever ask him if he was all right or check on him?"

"No," Ansem hung his head, "I just ignored him. I figured that since he had gotten himself into such a mess, then he could find a way to get himself out of it. It wasn't until one of the maids told me that something appeared to be seriously wrong with him that I went to look in on him. I found him on lying on his living room floor. I'm ashamed to admit that ignored his poor physical condition and lectured him for his behavior and lack of hygiene. I told him that I wanted him bathed, dressed, and ready to work in the labs the next morning, and then I left him lying there."

"Did he say anything to you?"

"Not a word."

"What did you do then?"

"I finished my day and went to bed, but it was then that I really began to think about his behavior, and it worried me enough that I went to check on him."

"And you found him as he was walking down the castle halls."

"Yes, I followed him, curious as to where he was going. I followed him out of the castle and through town, but I lost him when someone hurled a rock at him." Behind him, Ansem thought he heard a nervous cough in the gallery, but he ignored it. "By the time I had stopped the person from throwing a second rock, Xehanort had already gone down to the Rising Falls, which is where I caught up with him."

"Whereupon he tried to kill himself."

"Yes, I caught him and pulled him out, and a few minutes later a few members of the guard appeared, and we took him back to the castle."

"So he was hospitalized over night, and you stayed with him."

"Yes,"

"What happened then?"

"I had gone to take a shower, leaving Xehanort tied down to his bed. When I came out of the shower, I found Braig with him..."

"And?"

Ansem took another deep breath. "I clearly heard Xehanort ask Braig to stop, and I heard him say that what Braig was doing was hurting him. I also heard Braig refuse, citing that they had an agreement."

"Just to be perfectly clear, what were they doing?"

"Braig was having sex with Xehanort, though I daresay that this time, Xehanort was in no way willing. It was clear that he had tried to get away, but the restraints meant to protect him from himself had prevented that. I pulled Braig off of Xehanort and demanded to know what he thought he was doing. Braig only grinned and said they were having fun -" Here he heard a snort from Braig. "- and when I pointed out that it didn't seem like that to me and that I wouldn't have a rapist under my roof, harming my son, he said that we didn't care before, so why now?"

"What happened then?"

"Aeleus had to stop me from hitting Braig, and it was then that I noticed all of the people in the room, many of them servants. Even was in the room as well, and he had Xehanort in his arms. I took Xehanort to my rooms to get him away from all the gossip and stares."

"And he has been in your care since then."

"He has."

"Where is he now?"

"He is in a safe place, under watch."

"Thank you, Lord Ansem, you may be seated."

Ansem nodded and went back to the witness gallery, and the judges called for Even. His testimony mirrored Ansem's in many places, though he admitted that he had been worried about Xehanort and had tried to talk to him a few times. Each time though, he'd been unable to find Xehanort, or Xehanort had refused to speak to him. The greatest difference was that Even had seen more of what had happened in the infirmary that morning, including the various servants that had been alerted by Xehanort's cries but had done nothing to help him. Many of them had either stood by and watched and laughed, or ran off to tell anyone that would listen that Heir Xehanort had been whoring himself out again. Even was then dismissed, and as planned, he left the hall to go back to Xehanort.

A few members of the castle guard were then called, including Dilan and Aeleus. They all spoke of seeing Xehanort's deteriorating health, with many of them attempting to get him some help, only to be foiled by Ansem's refusal to believe that there was anything wrong and by Xehanort's refusal to stay visible for more than a few seconds. It was almost as though he had rendered himself invisible, one of the guards said. Once they had spoken, Dilan and Aeleus also left to go stay with Xehanort and Even.

Finally, Sonora was called to the stand, and she carried a thick folder that was stuffed full of Xehanort's medical records. A small table was set up on the docket for her, and she laid out her papers before looking up at the judges to signal that she was ready.

"Doctor," one of the judges began, "You have been looking after Heir Xehanort's health since his arrival here, is that correct?"

She nodded once. "It is."

"Please tell us of the injuries he had sustained when he was in your infirmary four months ago."

She nodded and picked up a sheet of paper to read off of it. "Heir Xehanort was brought to my infirmary while unconscious, carried there by Apprentice Aeleus. An exam revealed severe bruising and swelling of his face, with his right eye swollen nearly shut. The right orbital bone was cracked in two places, and bruises clearly showed a pattern that matched Braig's knuckles perfectly. Heir Xehanort's wrists had suffered severe abrasions and were raw and bleeding as a result. Burn marks that were consistent were fighting against restraints were plainly visible, as well as grooves dug into his skin from the tightness of the thin rope that had been used to bind him. Rectal bleeding was also present, and I found two large anal fissures that had to be sewn shut, as well as a rectal tear that also needed stitches."

"In your professional opinion, what are those types of injuries consistent with?"

"Rape," Sonora stated succinctly, "It was clear to me immediately that Heir Xehanort had been the victim of a violent sexual assault."

"Did you find anything else of note?"

"Yes,"

"Please tell us what that was."

"I found anal and rectal callousing, scarring, and healed tears, some of which looked fairly recent."

"What did that tell you?"

"That it wasn't the first time he'd experienced anal sex, and that it was at best, uncomfortable, and at worst, extremely painful."

"How long was he hospitalized?"

"I wanted to keep him for a few days, but after Lord Ansem refused to support him, he fled the infirmary later that evening."

"Did you try to find him?"

"I tried. I even sent the guard out to look for him, but he was difficult to find, and when he was found again, he refused to come back. I had no authority to force him, so I had to hope that he would come back willingly."

"Which he never did."

"No,"

"So you did not see him again until after his suicide attempt?"

"That is correct."

"What kind of state was he in when he was brought to you?"

Sonora picked up another sheet of paper. "Heir Xehanort was exhausted, severely underweight, suffering from vitamin D and C deficiency, which caused scurvy and a weakening of his bones and muscles. He also had welts, scarring and bruising all over his back from shoulders to knees. Obviously severely depressed and suicidal, and again, multiple large fissure and tears, with some appearing as thought they were only hours old."

"Again, in your opinion, what did that tell you?"

"That Heir Xehanort had been subject to frequent physical abuse, as well as frequent, violent, sexual abuse, and that, combined with his adopted family's refusal to support him, caused him to suffer severe depression."

"How would you judge his physical and mental health now?"

"Slowly healing, but still very fragile, on both counts."

"Thank you, Doctor, you may be seated."

Sonora nodded, gathered up her papers and files, and returned to her seat, while the judges conferred with each other.

After a few moments, they faced the court. "We have come to the conclusion that we do not have all the needed information, thus we are calling Heir Xehanort to speak."

Ansem was on his feet in an instant, protesting, as was Sonora.

"I made it clear to you that Heir Xehanort was in no condition to speak in front of the court." she said firmly. "So why are you calling him?"

"There is information missing, and to make sure that we know everything that we need to know before passing judgment, he must speak and tell us his side of the story."

"Was his testimony to the Questioners not enough?" Ansem demanded. "My son has been through so much, and you wish to subject him to this?"

Someone – one of Braig's siblings, Ansem thought – jeered from the gallery, and one of the judges held up a hand. "Enough. Our decision is final. Either Heir Xehanort speaks in front of the court, or we will be forced to pass judgment with what information we have."

Ansem growled quietly but conceded defeat, and he dispatched one of the castle guard to fetch Xehanort. He then returned to his seat and tried to ignore Braig's grin and the gossip running through the gallery. Sonora sat down beside him, and he could hear her muttering to herself about the idiocy of the judges.

It was about ten minutes later that Even walked into the hall, and he turned back towards the door to coax Xehanort in. Xehanort was dressed in his normal outfit sans his lab coat, and his weight loss was plain to see as the clothing seemed to just hang off of him. He walked timidly into the room, eyes on the floor, and Dilan and Aeleus came in behind him. As they passed where Braig was seated, Braig grinned, reached out, and gave Xehanort a hard pinch. Xehanort whipped around to look at him, shrieked in fright, and darted into Even's arms.

"Restrain him further, please." one of the judges ordered, and Braig soon found his hands shackled to the railing in front of him, but it didn't seem to bother him any.

Xehanort kept his face hidden as Even walked him to the docket, and it took a minute or so of whispering in his ear before he would let go of Even's arm and allow him to walk away. Xehanort let his arms drop to the side and kept his eyes on the floor, shaking as he stood in place. Ansem had to fight the urge to get up and go to him, but doing so could potentially hurt their case. Xehanort had to do it alone.

"Heir Xehanort?" one of the judges said gently. "Do you know why you are here?"

"Even said you wanted me to speak." Xehanort said softly, and even with the enhanced acoustics of the room, his voice could barely be heard.

"Heir Xehanort," said the second judge, "we know that you are not well; it's plain from looking at you that you are ill. We will try to keep this brief so you can rest, but we need you to look at us, not the floor, and answer our questions. Can you do that for us?"

"I'll... I'll try." Xehanort replied as he slowly raised his head to look at them. He seemed to notice all the eyes on him then, and he shivered as his shaking worsened.

The third judge nodded. "You told the Questioners that Apprentice Braig seemed to know you. Can you explain why you believed that?"

Xehanort went to look down at the floor again but caught himself. "He always seemed so familiar with me." he said quietly. "He treated me like we had known each other, and he was always asking me if I remembered anything, more than everyone else did. Sometimes he called me Mr. Master and said that he had my back."

"Did you ask him about this?"

"I did. He always refused to answer me."

"But you kept asking him?"

"I had to know if he knew anything about me."

"Then what happened?"

"He got tired of me asking him, and one day, he hit me."

"He hit you?"

"He punched me in the mouth and knocked me down."

"What did he do then?"

"He walked up to me, and I thought he was going to hit me again, but he knelt down in front of me and said 'So you want to know?' I nodded, and he said that he would tell me, but asked if I was going to pay the price." Braig snorted then, which caused Xehanort to flinch and fall silent.

"You told the Questioners that when you agreed, he took you down into the lower levels of the castle, is that correct?"

"Yes,"

"We won't ask you to relive it, Heir Xehanort, but it was after that that he began to come onto you frequently, correct?"

"Yes,"

"Did you ever try and refuse him?"

"Not at first."

"But you did eventually?"

"Yes,"

"When and why?"

Xehanort swallowed. "A few months after... things started. He stopped telling me things, and I got tired of being hurt, so I told him that I didn't want him to touch me anymore."

"Did he obey you?"

"No," Xehanort's voice was barely a whisper, "He said that I was his to do with as he pleased."

"How long did this continue?"

"For months,"

"Can you give us a more precise time frame?"

"It started about six months ago."

"So he held up his end of the agreement for how long?"

"Maybe a month, I think."

"And from then on, you told him no."

"Yes,"

"But he ignored your refusals."

"Yes,"

"Did he give a reasoning for this?"

"He said that since I had agreed in the beginning, that I was his to play with. He also said that no one would care if they found out, because I was just a whore."

"So just to be clear, for the past five months, you were not a willing participant in any of this?"

"No,"

"You lying little bitch!" Braig snarled as he tried to get up from his chair. "You never once refused! All I had to do was look at your and you'd flop down on your back and spread your legs, so don't you fucking say that you didn't want it!"

"No!" Xehanort wailed as he began to cry. "I didn't!"

"Enough, Apprentice Braig!" one of the judges barked, "You had your chance to speak!"

Braig subsided, muttering to himself, and Ansem looked back at Xehanort to see him scrubbing at his eyes with his shirt sleeve, shaking harder than he had been before.

"I didn't want it." he sobbed quietly. "I just wanted to know who I am."

"Heir Xehanort," said one of the judges, "We're almost done here, but we need you to tell us what happened in the infirmary nine days ago. Can you do that for us?"

Xehanort hiccuped and nodded. "Master Ansem had left me to go take a shower. I went back to sleep, but I woke up when someone pulled the blanket off of me."

"Who was it?"

"It was Braig. I tried to get away from him, but I was tied to the bed, so all I could do was scoot up against he headboard. I told him to go away, to leave me alone, but he.. he just grinned at me." Xehanort looked down at the floor and fell silent.

"Heir Xehanort, you do not have to give us details, but we have to know one fact. Did he rape you?"

"Yes," Xehanort's whispered reply could barely be heard in the otherwise silent room.

"Bitch!" Ansem blinked and suddenly Braig was there beside Xehanort. How had he gotten -?

"Let go!" Xehanort wailed as Braig grabbed him by his collar, and he tried to pry Braig's hands away. Ansem vaulted over the railing that separated the witness box from the rest of the room as Braig began to drag Xehanort down from the docket towards the door. He saw Dilan and Aeleus moving quickly towards them as well.

"Let go of me, Braig!" The gallery sat in shocked silence as Braig twisted Xehanort's collar in his hand, and Xehanort choked as the constricting material began to strangle him.

"You lying little fucker!" Braig snarled as he dragged Xehanort, still struggling to get his breath, across the room. "I never fucking raped you!"

Aeleus and Dilan reached them then, and they pried Braig's hands free of Xehanort's shirt just as Ansem reached them. Xehanort fell into his arms, which sent the two of them tumbling to the floor. Xehanort gasped for air as Braig was dragged away from him, and Ansem tilted his head back to look at him.

"Xehanort?" he asked. "Are you hurt?"

Xehanort looked up at him, his eyes dazed and unfocused, and then he fainted as the gallery behind them exploded with noise. Shouts and yells echoed through the room as Ansem shook Xehanort in an attempt to wake him. "Xehanort!"

Sonora appeared beside him then, and she waved a small vial of smelling salts under Xehanort's nose. Xehanort coughed, and his eyes opened a crack. "Master Ansem?" he mumbled.

"I'm here, Xehanort."

"He does not need to be here any longer, Lord Ansem." Sonora said seriously over the loud conversations behind them. "He needs to be someplace quiet."

"Then I am taking him out of here." he said firmly as he looked up at the judges, and they all nodded in apparent understanding. "Dilan!"

Dilan approached them from where he had been standing guard by Braig, once again restrained in his chair, with Aeleus standing behind him. "My lord?"

"I need you to carry, Xehanort; we're getting him out of here."

"Yes, sir."

"Even?" Ansem looked around for Even for a moment before he found him standing nearby. "Stay here and report to me about the verdict later."

"Yes, your lordship."

Dilan carefully gathered Xehanort into his arms and quickly walked out of the hall with Ansem close behind.

It was a quick, quiet walk through town back to the castle. Many people were back in the hall, and those that had opted not to attend went about their business without saying anything. Xehanort, exhausted form his ordeal, fell asleep in Dilan's arms as they walked up the winding steps to the castle, though off and on, Ansem noted that his eyes were open a tiny bit, as if he was checking that they were still with him. By the time they rode the lifts up the Ansem's rooms, he had stopped checking and was sleeping soundly when they walked through the door into the living room. Dilan gently laid Xehanort down on the bed and went to stand guard in the hallway without having to be told.

Ansem made Xehanort comfortable: he pulled his shoes and gray vest off, untied the ascot and put it aside, and unbuttoned his collar. Xehanort curled up on his right side with a quiet sigh as the comforter was pulled over him, and Ansem sat down beside him to watch over him as he slept.

OOOOOO

It wasn't until a few hours later, that there was a soft knock at the door. Ansem looked up from Xehanort's sleeping form and stood up to go to the door, but before he could reach it, it opened as Even stepped quietly into the room and closed the door behind him.

"How did it go?" Ansem asked quietly as he walked into the living room.

Even sighed heavily. "They found him guilty." he replied, and Ansem released the breath that he hadn't even realized he'd been holding.

"However," Even continued, "they did take into count Xehanort's initial agreement, so they didn't sentence him to death. Instead they sentenced him to spend the rest of his life in the dungeon."

Ansem sighed and gave a slow nod. "How did the gallery take it?"

"Surprisingly well. After seeing Braig loose his temper, I overheard many questioning his story. His attitude that he could do whatever he wanted because of the initial agreement, despite Xehanort's later refusals, didn't help his case any. His family were a bit upset, but I'm not sure if that was due to the verdict or to his actions."

"At least," Ansem sighed again and wiped at his suddenly damp eyes. "At least Xehanort can relax now. Braig will never be able to get his hands on him again.."

Even nodded, and the two of them stood there in silence for a moment before the sound of Xehanort shifting in bed fell upon their ears.

"Master Ansem?"

Ansem turned and walked back into the bedroom to see Xehanort sitting up in bed and rubbing at his eyes.

"I'll show myself out." Even said quietly, and Ansem nodded as he walked back into the bedroom. He sat down on the bed beside Xehanort, and then he reached out and enfolded his sleepy eyed son in his arms.

"Master Ansem?"

Ansem didn't answer; he only held Xehanort tight, and he blinked away the tears that appeared in his eyes. It was done; it was over. Xehanort was safe.

Xehanort sat up and looked at him in confusion. "Why are you crying?"

Ansem smiled a faint smile. "I'm just relieved, that is all."

"Why?"

"The judges found Braig guilty."

"They did? Why?"

He still didn't believe it; he still didn't understand.

"Because he hurt you, Xehanort. As I told you before, the instant you told him no, any agreement you may have had with him was rendered null and void. That, Xehanort is rape, which is not only a horrible thing to do to someone, but it is very illegal, especially against you."

Xehanort blinked. "Oh," he said quietly.

"He's going to spend the rest of his life in the dungeons; he's never going to touch you again."

He felt Xehanort begin to shake slightly. "Really?"

"Really." Ansem smoothed Xehanort's wispy hair back from his face. "You're safe, Xehanort."

Xehanort looked at him in silence for a long moment, and then his face crumpled as tears began to run down his cheeks. He leaned into Ansem's embrace and laid his head down on his shoulder and cried. Ansem rocked him, hummed a quiet lullaby to him, and stroked his hair.

It was done.

OOOOOO

"Master Ansem?"

Ansem turned away from the hand painted vases he was looking at at the sound of Xehanort's voice. His son was standing behind him, and he gestured in the direction of where the food vendors had set up their stalls.

"I'm going to get something to drink? Do you want anything?"

Ansem smiled at him. In the year since Braig had been found guilty of abusing Radiant Garden's heir and imprisoned in the dungeons below the castle, Xehanort had slowly recovered from the months of abuse and depression. He was once again a healthy weight, and his soft, shiny white hair reached halfway down his back. His brown eyes had noticeable light to them, and his sharp wit and quick mind was once again in plain sight.

He went through his work in the labs with enthusiasm, but he also enjoyed quiet evenings with Ansem, where they discussed the ins and outs of running an entire world. He had been reluctant to go out and mingle with the people again, but Ansem, Even, and the others had finally dragged him out of the castle about a month after Braig's sentencing. Many people had stared openly at him, but thankfully, none of those gazes had been hostile, and no one had said anything to him. Apparently, Braig's behavior at his trial had made it clear to people that Xehanort had been a victim in the entire mess. Slowly over the passing weeks, the people had warmed back up to Xehanort, with some wishing him well, and others telling him that they were glad to see him healing. Without any anger of hostility to frighten him, Xehanort had slowly opened back up to everyone around him, though he still wouldn't leave the castle alone.

"Master Ansem?" Ansem shook off the memories as Xehanort spoke to him again. "Do you want anything?"

Ansem smiled again at his beautiful, healthy son: whole, unhurt, alive. "No, Xehanort, I'm fine."

"I'll be right back then." Xehanort walked away, though the crowd of dancers that filled the outer gardens for the annual spring festival. Dilan, who had been standing nearby, nodded and followed him. Ansem watched them go with a slight smile on his face.

No matter what, he knew he would never forget how close he came to losing his son. The guilt had faded slightly over the months as he slowly nursed Xehanort back to health, but he knew it would never completely go away. And truly, he hoped it wouldn't.

He turned back to the pottery vendor. No, the guilt served as a reminder to never turn on his child again, to always listen before passing judgment, to always put Xehanort ahead of everyone else. He would -

A scream cut through the noise of the crowd, followed by a gun shot, and everyone stilled as Ansem whipped around to stare in the direction the sound had come from. His heart hammered away in his chest; that had been Xehanort's voice. A second scream came from the direction that Xehanort had gone, and people began to murmur in confusion as Ansem began to move through the crowd. He started out walking, but his walk increased until he was running to where he had last seen his son. Aeleus ran right behind him, and soon they came upon a large number of people, standing in a circle.

"Let me through!" Ansem ordered, and the circle parted so he could step through. "No..."

In the center of the circle was Braig, dressed in his prison garb and grinning like all was right in the world as he held a gun to Xehanort's head. Xehanort's eyes were wide with fright, and Ansem could see him shaking in Braig's grip. Dilan was down on his hands and knees nearby, glaring at Braig while holding his hand over a bleeding wound in his side.

"Well hello, Master Ansem." Braig said with a cheery grin. "Sorry to interrupt your day, but the slut -" He tightened his arm around Xehanort's neck, which prompted a pained whimper. "- and I have some unfinished business to attend to."

Ansem stepped forward. "Let go of him, Braig."

Braig laughed like it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. "Let him go? Why would I do that?" He pressed the barrel of the gun harder against Xehanort's temple. "After all the trouble he's caused me, letting me use him to put on a show is the least he can do for me."

"Haven't you hurt him enough? When will it stop, Braig?"

Braig leveled his single yellow eye at Ansem. "When he gives me what he promised."

"He did give you what he promised." Ansem slowly stepped towards them, with Aeleus right behind him. "But you did not give him what you promised, and when he told you no, you took what you wanted anyway!"

Braig laughed again. "You think that's what this is about? Don't make me laugh! He promised me before he ended up here, and he has yet to deliver on that promise! If he doesn't hand it over, then I'll just have to take my payment some other way."

"Braig-"

Braig stepped back and dragged Xehanort with him. "Don't fucking do it, Ansem! I'll kill him, I fucking swear I will!"

"Let go of him, Braig!"

Braig laughed again, and everyone, including Ansem and Aeleus, stepped back when a smokey, black aura flared to life around Braig, and his single yellow eye began to glow. Xehanort cried out, and Braig laughed as he dragged him back into a black hole that appeared behind them.

"Xehanort!" Ansem ran forward to grab his son, but Xehanort vanished into the black hole along with Braig, and then the hole vanished as well, like it had never been there. "Xehanort!" Ansem screamed his child's name, and the crowd around erupted with noise. He looked around, and he saw Even tending to Dilan as the people talked excitedly about what they had just seen. Where was Xehanort? Where had Braig taken him?

Then he knew.

"Even," he ordered, and his Senior Apprentice looked up at him, "Get Dilan to the castle." He saw Even nod, and he turned to Aeleus. "Come with me, quickly." He then ran out of the Outer Gardens, with Aeleus right behind him. The crowed parted to let him go.

It was a short distance to the entrance to the Rising Falls, but for Ansem it seemed to take forever. The entire distance he begged Xehanort to hang on, to be alive when they reached him, and he refused to entertain the thought that the would be too late. So it was with relief when he heard Xehanort's screams over the roar of the water as they neared the hatch. He and Aeleus ran down the steps, just as Braig spoke.

"Stop screaming, you damned slut! This is nothing that you haven't had before!"

Ansem felt his heart skip a beat, but as he and Aeleus reached the bottom of the steps, he was relieved again to see Xehanort lying on the edge of the falls, pinned under Braig's weight, but still fully dressed. His pants were undone, but they were still on, and he was struggling against Braig's attempts to undress him. Aeleus ran forward to grab him, but Braig looked up, saw them, and he snarled something as the black aura appeared around him again, plainly visible even in the dim lighting.

"Get off of me!" Xehanort shouted, and Braig looked down at him just as Xehanort pulled his legs back and kicked him in the chest. Braig was knocked off of Xehanort by the blow, and he stumbled back towards the ledge as Ansem ran forward. Braig teetered on the edge for a moment, and then his foot slipped, and he seemed to fall straight down towards the water. He growled something, and then he dragged Xehanort by the ankle just before he disappeared from view.

Xehanort screamed as he was pulled toward the edge, and he clawed uselessly at the stone as he slipped over. Ansem was hit by a strong feeling of familiarity as he leapt forward once again, and he just barely was able to grab Xehanort's wrist. Once again, he found himself lying on the ledge, holding onto his son, the only thing stopping him plunging to his death in the vortex below.

"Master Ansem!" Xehanort wailed over the roar of the vortex. "Pull me up! Don't let me fall!"

Ansem felt himself sliding forward, and he looked down past Xehanort to see Braig hanging onto Xehanort's ankle. The two of them were too heavy, he would never be able to pull them both up!

"I don't want to die!"

Ansem felt someone beside him then, and then Aeleus reached down with his strong arms and grabbed Xehanort's other wrist.

"Bitch!" Braig's words could just barely be heard. "If I'm going to fucking die, then you're dying with me!"

"No! Let go of me, Braig! I don't want to die! Don't let me fall!"

"Let's get them up." Aeleus said, and Ansem nodded as the two of them began to scoot backwards away from the ledge, pulling Xehanort, and Braig, up away from the water. Xehanort's hand slipped out of Ansem's grip, and he screamed as he dangled from Aeleus' hands alone.

"Papa! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! Don't let me fall!"

Ansem reached for Xehanort's flailing hand, and he saw Braig grin and yank with his entire weight on Xehanort's leg. Xehanort screamed again as he slipped a little closer to the water.

"I don't want to die, Papa!"

"Give me your hand, Xehanort!"

"Papa, I'm slipping! Catch me!"

"Reach for me, Xehanort!"

"Papa!"

Braig laughed again, followed by another yank on Xehanort's leg.

"Paaaapaaaa!" Xehanort screamed as he slipped down another fraction, as Ansem missed grabbing his hand again. "Papa, please!"

Braig pulled on Xehanort's leg a third time, but then, with the hiss of fabric across skin, Xehanort's pants slipped down over his hips and down his legs. Ansem finally caught his hand in his own, and he saw as the boy's pants, pulled on by Braig's weight, slipped down over his boots and off of him completely. Braig screamed as his grip slipped along with the fabric, and his scream continued as he fell down, down, down into the water. There was a splash, and Ansem closed his eyes and looked away as the scream abruptly cut off.

Without Braig hanging onto him, Ansem and Aeleus were easily able to pull Xehanort back up onto the ledge, and like he had a year ago, Ansem found himself sitting on the ground away from the edge, holding his crying son in his arms. He ran his fingers through Xehanort's damp hair and pressed his lips to his forehead. "I've got you, Xehanort. You're safe. Shhh..."

Xehanort curled close to him and hid his face, and Ansem rocked him and felt his own eyes fill with relieved tears. Xehanort was alive, safe, and in his arms. "Xehanort," he said after a few minutes had passed, and Xehanort's cries had quieted into hiccups. Xehanort looked up at him. "You called me Papa." He smiled, and Xehanort faintly returned it. "You called me Papa." He held Xehanort tighter. "I'm so, so happy to hear that." He nudged Xehanort off of his lap and stood up, before pulling him to his feet as well. He was suddenly glad that the lab coats they wore were long enough to cover Xehanort's bare legs. "Come, let's go back to the castle. No doubt Even and Dilan are frantic with worry by now."

Xehanort nodded, but as they began to walk toward the steps, he paused and looked back towards the falls. He stared at it in silence for a long moment, and then he turned and walked up the steps to street level, with Ansem's arm around his shoulders.

OOOOOO

Ansem sat silently in front of the library window, book in hand, basking in the warmth of the sunlight that shone down on him. He looked up from the words on the pages to look out the library windows. Below, in the castle town, he could see the townspeople setting up for the upcoming festival to celebrate Xehanort ascending to the actual position of ruler of Radiant Garden. He had been unofficially running the world for the past year, and Ansem had decided that it was time to finally step down and let the boy have it for real.

Boy, Ansem smiled. Xehanort was 31 years old and had a wife and child of his own, yet Ansem couldn't help but sometimes see that lost, frightened teenager that he had taken in, and the lonely, abused young man that Braig had turned him into. It had taken him years to fully heal, but Xehanort was strong again, and Ansem knew that he was leaving the world in good hands.

He had to admit, though he and the others had done their best to help Xehanort after Braig's death, it was someone completely unexpected that had helped the most.

He had long known that Even had two younger siblings; a brother six years his junior, and a sister that was born when Even was eight. After he'd been taken to live at the castle, Even had cut them out of his life like he had his parents and refused to knowledge that he had relatives around. His sister, Evangeline, had been four when custody of Even was given to Ansem to get him away from emotionally and verbally abusive parents, so everyone had been surprised when she had appeared at the castle one day as a young woman, asking to see her oldest brother. Even had rebuffed her at first, but soon he had come to enjoy her visits and company, and he apparently hadn't been the only one.

Xehanort had married Evangeline when they had been 26 and 24 respectively, and a year later, their son, Ansem's first grandchild, had been born. With a devoted wife and a loving child in his life, Xehanort had blossomed in ways that Ansem had never though possible, and it did his old heart good to see his son happy and living, despite the stubborn resistance of his amnesia, and the haunting specter of the pain he had suffered at Braig's hand.

And speaking of his grandson...

"Grampa!" a small voice squealed in glee, and a second later a brown haired blur streaked across the library floor and leapt up onto Ansem's lap. His grandson, four year old Terra Hart, grinned happily at him, and the grin was reflected in the child's bright blue eyes. "Grampa, Papa asked me to see if you were sleeping, but I knew you wasn't! And I was right, see?"

"Did he now?" he asked. "Well, you were certainly up to the task, young Terra."

"Yes, he certainly was." Xehanort said as he walked into the library, and Terra squealed again and leapt down off of Ansem's lap.

"Papa! Grampa's not sleeping! See?"

Xehanort scooped his bundle of energy up into his arms. "Yes, I see, Terra." He smirked at Ansem. "At least, he isn't now."

Ansem laughed and put his book aside before standing up from the chair. "It's fine, Xehanort. It wouldn't do for me to be late for my own son's coronation, would it?" He stretched and groaned in pleasure as his old joints popped and cracked. "Is everyone ready?"

"Waiting on you." said a new voice, and Evangeline came into the room, carrying her and Xehanort's second child, their eight month old daughter Lassiera, in her arms. The green eyed, white haired infant looked around the library, and then she yawned and stuck her fist in her mouth. The library was old news to her; she had seen it multiple times already in her short life. "Even and Ienzo are waiting for us in the square, and Dilan and Aeleus are, as always, waiting to escort us there."

"Where is Tenner?" Ansem asked as they began to walk out of the library. Tenner was Dilan's six year old son.

"He is with Ienzo and Alendra." Xehanort replied.

Evangeline laughed quietly as they left the library and walked down the corridor, with Dilan walking in front of them and Aeleus walking behind. "Can you imagine it? I never would have picked Ienzo for the one to get married at only eighteen."

"And then have twin girls a year later." Aeleus commented. "Who knew he had it in him?"

"Even's over the moon that he and Alendra named him grandfather to Carlita and Gemma." Ansem said.

"Though he'll deny it if you ask him about it." Xehanort said dryly. "He thinks being a grandfather makes him an old man."

"He has no problem with being an uncle though." Dilan said as the walked out of the front doors, and the group laughed as they walked down the long winding steps to the square.

"That's Even for you." Xehanort added as they neared the square, and he set Terra down and let the child run the rest of the way over to Even, Ienzo, and Alendra. Even scooped the giggling child up, and Ansem smiled as Terra excitedly pointed them out of his uncle. Ienzo and Alendra, each holding a baby girl in their arms, smiled widely as they approached, and Ansem gave Xehanort a small push from behind. Xehanort stopped to look at him, even as the rest of their group kept going.

"Go on, Xehanort." Ansem told him gently. "This is your day. I just get to sit back and be proud of you."

Xehanort said nothing for a few seconds, and then he suddenly pulled Ansem into a hug, and Ansem smiled and returned it. He didn't think it was possible to be any more proud of his son, or to love him any more.

"Thank you, Papa." Xehanort whispered. "Thank you for everything. I love you."

"I love you too, Xehanort." Ansem let go of him and stepped back. "Now go out there and show them that you're the lord and ruler of Radiant Garden."

"Walk with me?"

"Always."

They turned back towards the square, and Ansem smiled again as Xehanort's arm slipped around his shoulders as they walked down the rest of the steps. Their family was waiting.