Chapter 42

Axel stood panting slightly as he pushed the doorbell over and over. He was in a panic. Roxas couldn't be dying. No, it wasn't possible. He must have heard something wrong. He was over reacting. Roxas was fine and well.

Axel froze for a moment, why did he even care? Roxas had broken his heart. Crushed it into little pieces, why should he care what happened to him now?

But he didn't have time to dwell on that thought as the door swung open, a ragged, exhausted looking Sora standing on the other side.

"Yes?" He yawned softly, his eyes closing.

"Sora, where's Roxas?"

Sora froze at the sound of his voice, his eyes shooting open as he gapped up at him like he was seeing a ghost.

"A-A-Axel!"

"I need to see Roxas."

"N-no! He doesn't want to see you!" Sora squeaked, trying to close the door. Axel reached forward, easily holding the door open despite the brunette's efforts.

"Please, Sora." He pleaded, leaning over and looking the frightened, worried boy in the eye. "Please. Tell me what's going on? Why are his kidney's failing? Why is he dying?"

Sora looked up at the red head, his eyes filling with tears, his body trembling. Axel watched him fight himself for a few long moments before he finally broke down. Sora fell forward to his knees, tears pouring from his eyes, his shoulders shaking. He buried his face in his hands as he cried.

"It's leukemia, Axel. Leukemia. It's killing him. It's killing him!" He choked through the tears.

Axel felt his legs go weak again and he dropped to his knees in front of Sora.

"I don't know what to do. He won't talk to me anymore. He hasn't talked since that night. Nothing I do helps. I can't help him."

His head shot up, his face desperate.

"A-Axel. You can help him. I know it. He loves you. He still loves you. He never stopped. You can help him. You're the only on who can keep him alive…"

Axel felt tears jump to his eyes once more as Sora spoke.

"W-where is he?"

"The hospital. His usual room. Please help him Axel. You can save him. Please."

Axel nodded, climbing to his feet and running down the stairs. He had to get to Roxas.

Roxas winced, gritting his teeth against the pain. It hurt. Horribly.

He had always known dying would be painful. But he had never imagined it would be like this.

Roxas opened his eyes, reaching out slowly and painfully, his hand closing around the familiar metal frame. Carefully he lifted the picture, pressing it against his body with a sigh.

At least he knew this wouldn't last much longer.

"Roxas!" Axel called as he flung the door to the hospital room open. He opened his mouth to call again when his voice caught in his throat.

In the bed lay Roxas. Axel almost didn't believe it at first. He was so small, so thin and frail. His bones stuck out beneath his thin, pale skin. His face was gaunt, and his lips chapped. His breathing was shallow and his face screwed up in agony.

Slowly Roxas' eyes opened. His once vibrant blue eyes were dull, glazed over with pain.

Almost at once his eyes widened, first in shock then in fear.

"No," he choked out. His voice rough from months of neglect. He shook his head back and forth. "No."

"Roxas…" Axel said softly, taking a step forward.

"No! You're not supposed to be here. You're not supposed to be here. Go away!" Roxas tried to shout but his voice came out barely over a whisper.

"You're not supposed to see this. You're not supposed to know. Get out. Please just get out."

"Roxas. Why didn't you tell me?"

"You're not supposed to know," Roxas repeated, his head swinging back and forth. He squeezed his eyes shut, his hands coming to hold his head. He had to be dreaming. He was having another nightmare. Axel couldn't really be there. He wasn't supposed to find out until after it was over. He wasn't supposed to find out until he was already gone.

"Was it to protect me?" Axel asked.

"You can't be here. You're not here. This is a dream. This is all a dream!"

"Roxas! This isn't a dream!" Axel rushed forward, taking Roxas by the shoulders. At his touch Roxas froze, staring down at the blanket.

"Why didn't you tell me, Roxas? I could have helped you…" Axel whispered. He felt Roxas shaking and he could see the tears that fell from his eyes onto the blanket.

"You weren't supposed to know until I was dead."

"But why?" Axel asked desperately. "Why didn't you want me to know? Why didn't you want me to help you?

"B-b-because I didn't want to see you anymore! So just forget about me. Let me die in peace!"

"But I could have helped you."

"I don't want your help!" Roxas snapped. "Just forget about me, okay? Move on with your life and let me die alone."

"You're not going to die! And you're not going die alone!" Axel told him firmly. He blinked, just now noticing the tears that streamed from his eyes. "You're not going to die."

"Yes I am Axel. Can't you see! I'm almost there. I'm so close I can smell it myself. So just go away and let me die already!"

"No! I am not letting you give up like this! You can beat this, Roxas. I know you can!"

"No I can't! How many fucking times do I have to tell you! I'm already dead!" Roxas gasped, his hands flying to his sides as he groaned in pain.

"Roxas?! Roxas, what's wrong?"

"Shut up! Just shut up and go away! I don't love you anymore and I don't want to see your face again!"

"If you hate me so much why do you still have this…?" Axel asked softly, lifting the picture from the bed.

Roxas' eyes traveled from the picture to Axel, frantically trying to think of something to say.

"Please don't say you don't love me. If you really didn't care you wouldn't still have this."

As Roxas looked into Axel's soft green eyes he felt the last bits of his resolve crumble. He couldn't keep up the façade any longer.

"I'm so sorry, Axel," he whispered, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around Axel, ignoring the pain he felt. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for what I said. I'm sorry for hurting you… I only wanted to protect you."

Axel laughed shakily. "Idiot. You're the one who needs protecting."

"I love you, Axel…"

"I love you too. Don't worry, Roxas. I'll stay with you this time. Through any and everything…"

Fin

A/N: Yes, that's the end. I know you guys probably hate me right now for leaving it open ended. I know I hate it when authors leave stories open ended like this. But I felt like the reader should decide whether Roxas pulls through or not. So yeah... sorry if you don't like the ending. But think of it this way, now you can decide whether Roxas lives or not.

And I want to thank all of you out there who stuck with the story to the end and all the people who wrote all those wonderful reviews! It means so much to me to hear how much you guys enjoyed it. So thanks so much!