A/N: I suppose I have some splainin to do… But first, the long awaited CHAPTER NINE.

WARNING: This is not Beta'd, so any spelling mistakes are all my fault and please tell me if there are any glairing mistakes.

Disclaimer: I dub these characters and anything else that isn't mine, DISCLAIMED! /bangs a gavel/

~.:Justice:.~

The flames were extinguished; the sky had begun to turn gold in the new morning light. Matthew had begun to silently sift through the charred remains of the building, looking for any thread of hope that something, or someone, was salvaged. But Justice didn't see it, he didn't see anything. He was too numb.

Justice and Matthew had gone back to the scene of the fire once everyone had cleared out and all that was left was the slight outline where an office used to be. Justice had remained in a trance-like state, where Matt had gone straight to looking through the remains.

How can he be gone?

"-ice,'

Dammit Arthur,

"-ustice!"

You promised me you wouldn't go disappearing...

"Jus- Alfred!" Justice snapped out of his trance and stared at his brother who was suddenly close to him, his hands blackened by the soot.

"Oh, what is it?" Justice asked. Matthew held out his hands,

"I found this, it looks like it was some sort of clothing..." he trailed off, handing Justice the tattered bit of cloth. Our hero turned it about in his hands, examining it.

"Yea... this was a piece from Guardian's cape... Where did you find it?" Justice kept his voice level, his eyes examining his brother.

"Over here," Matthew said in his quiet tone, pointing towards an exceptionally large pile of debris. The two brothers hurried over to the area and began to rifle through the rubble. Justice searching in a much more harried manner than his brother, though his face remained only slightly troubled. His inkling of hope that Arthur was alive had been restored by just a fraction. But that fraction was all he needed.

"A-Alfred!" Matthew cried from where he was searching. Justice hurried over.

"What is i-" Justice stopped short, and began franticly digging through the broken bits and pieces, his hands and costume tearing when he wasn't paying enough attention to where he was digging. Matthew had joined him, glancing worriedly at his brother's cuts for only a moment.

The two finally got to the bottom of the pile to find a green cloak and two heads of varying shades of blonde underneath said cloak. Justice let out a breath, finally feeling like he could breathe again. If the slight rising and falling under the cloak meant what he thought it meant, Guardian was alive.

"Thank God," Matthew whispered as he slumped back on his knees. Justice smiled blindingly at his brother.

"Help me get them out," Justice commanded. Matthew nodded and helped lift the two limp, but breathing, bodies from the rubble.

The two of them both looked like hell. Francis' expensive suit was in tatters and both of the men's faces were streaked with soot and ash. Justice noted that, in fact, Guardian was Arthur and the cloak he wore looked almost completely unharmed.

"They're both asleep... But I have to wonder, how did they survive, and how were they not found by the police or firemen when they put out the fire?" Matthew asked, his face questioning as he draped his boss's arm over his shoulder, hoisting both of them up. Justice did the same with Guardian.

"I don't know... But I think we should call my partners to come and get us... I don't think all four of us will fit on the Justiceboard," Matthew nodded and Justice turned his earpiece on to call Kiku and Feliciano.

"Wow! I can't believe that Guardian was Arthur Kirkland! The apartment is just full of superheroes~!" Feliciano crooned as the six men drove back to the base. Kiku glanced at the bubbly man sitting shotgun.

"I think it is a little more incredible that he not only survived an explosion, but also saved Francis-san in the process. He has truly earned the title of "Guardian"-san." Kiku responded, turning his gaze back to the road.

Kiku and Feliciano had arrived at the scene faster than Justice thought was possible, but he was thankful that they had arrived so quickly. Once they got there, Feliciano whined about how he had just fixed Justice's costume and now he had gone and ripped it again, while Kiku immediately went to work examining both men for injuries beyond cuts and bruising, miraculously, neither had more than a few cuts, some awful bruising, and Francis' head wound from when he was tied up (Kiku made sure to stop the bleeding and he said that nothing was too bad, aside from a sizeable bump and the major headache the man would have once he woke up). Matthew looked relieved that his boss wasn't in any real danger of a concussion, which stumped Justice. After all, the man had kidnapped him.

As soon as the black car arrived back at the secret entrance Kiku had made for the base, the four conscious men hopped out of the cabin and lugged the still unconscious men into a separate room off from the main room with all of the computers and other forms of advanced technology. Arthur and Francis were spread out over separate couches so they could ride out the rest of their time being unconscious in some form of comfort. Once the two men were settled, Kiku and Justice went to the computers, while Matthew and Feliciano stayed with Francis and Arthur to watch and yell when they saw some kind of movement from either man.

"Did you find anything else on AXIS?" Justice questioned, his eyes scanning the multitude of boxes on the enormous screen in front of them. Kiku nodded and tapped away on the keyboard.

"Apparently, on the crime, business, and political fronts, AXIS-san is well known. I don't know why I didn't remember this earlier. Do you remember how about four or so years ago it got out that that very powerful politician was involved with some shady dealings with some underground dog fighting rings? It was all over the news." Kiku said, his fingers deftly dancing across the keyboard.

"Oh yea, I remember that. He pretty much ran the thing from what I've heard. What about him?"

"Apparently, the police and news had gotten a tip and some very pressing evidence from a faceless person with the alias, AXIS." Kiku concluded as a news article on the fiasco popped up on the screen. Justice scanned through the article, noting the Politician's professional picture that made it look like he was a perfectly refined man, and not complete scum.

"So, AXIS is a good guy?" Justice asked, confused. Kiku shook his head.

"No, the thing is, one story explained that not only had that politician known AXIS-san, but he had worked with them on several occasions in the ring. But this story never even made it into the news. Someone stopped it before it could spread." the Asian man looked up at his American friend.

"So, he had dirt on Mr. Politician, and he ruined his life in a few minutes... Was there anything else on AXIS?"

"Many very highly powered people were brought down by AXIS-san, but no one knows anything about him. Not even the people he has worked with. They all claimed in unreleased interviews that all of their dealings were done over the phone or online. And in all of the phone conversations AXIS-san had a voice modifier or his voice was indistinguishable." Justice groaned and ran a hand through his golden locks.

"Well, at least we know this AXIS guy has interacted with other people. But that doesn't explain why he wants Justice gone."

"That is the piece of the story that we still have no clues to. I'm sorry Justice-san. Everything was strictly business with AXIS-san in every conversation he had with his associates." Kiku responded, looking slightly upset that he couldn't find anything to help his friend. Justice smiled and patted Kiku on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it man. We'll figure it out,"

"I know you will Justice-san. I know you will," The two men smiled at each other.

"Ve~! Guys! The blonde one is waking up!" Feliciano poked his head in from the other room. Kiku and Justice deadpanned,

"Both of them are blonde, Feli," Justice responded.

"Oh, right! The one that isn't Arthur," he said happily as he scurried back into the room. Justice and Kiku followed to find Francis clutching his head, Matthew sitting beside him.

"Ow, my 'ead... What 'appened? Mathieu? Is that you mon ami?" He muttered, glancing up at the blonde man beside him.

"Oui. Bonjour Francis," Matthew said softly, smiling at his boss.

"Bonjourney Francis. Remember me?" Justice said, leaning on the back of his brother's chair. Francis blanched.

"O-oh! 'ello Justicebringer! W-where am I, if I am so inclined to ask?" Francis's smile was strained. Justice frowned.

"On a couch. Now, wanna tell me exactly what happened? From the beginning?" Francis looked down at his hands that were neatly folded in his lap. He let out a dry 'ha'.

"It is a long story, mon ami..."

"We have time," Justice said, standing straighter. Francis looked from Justice to Matthew, who nodded his head at his boss.

"Very well. I suppose this 'ole mess started when I was sixteen."

"We don't want to hear your life's story Frenchie," Justice rolled his eyes.

"Though it is a fabulous story, that is not the story I am telling you, américaine," Francis hissed the last part, rubbing his sore head.

"Ve~? Then why does you being sixteen have to do with the story, Mr. Francis?" Feliciano asked, ever the young and innocent young man.

"Because, that is when my father died, and I had to take over his company. It was also when I first found out about my father's dealings with AXIS... They weren't very... good dealings either, there was much shifting of money 'under the table' and many shady dealings with some associates who did not particularly... enjoy abiding by the law. I learned that you do not mess with AXIS, my father did and it cost him his life," Francis said, looking directly at Justice, his gaze never faltering. Justice swallowed under the intimidating stare of the Frenchman.

"Ungh..." Everyone turned towards the now awakening British man. "Ugh, bloody- that is the last time I am ever saving that utterly idiotic fro-" Arthur glanced up mid-rant and blanched.

"Oh bugger,"

A/N: Hello there. I would like to apologize for this chapter, its sucky-ness, and its lateness. I would also like to take this time to thank the people who wished me a Happy Birthday oh, two months ago, when I tricked you with that stupid excuse chapter. I apologize greatly for not being active for the past four months after leaving a fairly stupid cliffhanger. My fault completely. I just hope that people didn't give up on me during my HIGHLY unplanned hiatus. I really did nothing but think about this story and its readers for the past four months. I wanted to make this story better for you guys, so I actually have the ENTIRE plot planned out now, and I'm not just writing chapters with no planning.

Speaking of chapters, this one was VERY hard to write, which still is no excuse for four months of absence. It's mostly just wrap-up from last chapter and some filler, which is why it's short. I'm going to try to keep my Author's Notes shorter from now on, so, here's Alfred with our outro.

Alfred: Thank you, you horrible procrastinator. Anyway, please, leave a review, especially if you favorite the story, it lets us know what you think of her story and what could be improved! If you think the chapters are too rushed, tell us! If anyone acts too OOC and it bugs you because it hasn't been fixed in a few chapters, tell us! If you loved the chapter, tell us! If you want to stoke the author's Ego Fires, well, you can tell us… but she'll become a complete ego maniac if the fires get too high. Anyway, every fave, watch, and review is really, really appreciated and she reads every single one about seventeen times, even if she doesn't respond because of her laziness. Thank you.

… So much for a short Author's note. :I