Last chapter! I know.. sudden, huh? Lol you have no clue how many hours I spent on this chapter. It's been halfway written for a long time and coming back to it just the other day was weird. I couldn't get the two half to fit together.

Anyway...

It's snowing like a foot out here! I love it so much! Hopefully no school tomorrow, that was I can update I'm Lovin It.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and read this story. I appreciate it so much! I love you all!

Chapter 17
For When Darkness Clears, I know You're Near

Three weeks passed since the nurse told me I only had to wait a week. Demyx's condition had improved only slightly before plummeting back down, and he was fading in and out of consciousness.

Life for the other group members had attempted to return to normal. They all went back to school finally, seeing as there was nothing they could do to help Demyx anyway, and Xemnas left with them. He checked at the hospital regularly, but for the most part he tried telling us that Dem was a goner.

Diz had gathered us for a meaning, and apologized for his gang's latest activities, saying he never meant for any one to get seriously hurt. The fights and wars were called off completely, and Axel and the others could walk around safely again.

I had yet to return home, and continued living with Axel's family. I couldn't bring myself to attend school again. Though I knew it was stupid, I felt as if returning to normal life would be like giving up on my best friend, which I would never do.

But all the hauling up inside and sitting around depressed was starting to take its toll on me. I was growing skinny and pale, and Roxas often told me I looked like I just returned from the dead. Looking for something to keep me sane, I returned to my visits with Leon.

--

"Morning, Ienzo." The brunet man greeted me with a small smile, handing over a colored bag, "Goodies for Demyx when he gets better." I accepted the gift gratefully, happy that he was as optimistic towards my best friend's recovery as I was.

"Thanks." I nodded.

He shifted in his chair and relaxed back. Our sessions were 100 times different from before. All his questions no longer held a deeper, curious meaning. He talked to me for my benefit rather than his own now.

"How have you been?"

"Not good." I admitted, sighing, "Every day I feel a little worse. I know he's getting better and making a slow recovery, but I still feel like crap every day."

Leon sucked on his lip in thought, tapping his cheek with a pencil. He didn't reply with anything, and we both knew I only came to these visits for something to do. Nothing he said or asked would help me feel any better. Demyx was lying in a hospital by himself, and I could do nothing about it.

"Have you tried exercising? Nothing extreme, but maybe going on a walk every once in a while."

I thought about this. It sounded reasonable.

"Do it alone at first, but after a couple times, try bringing Axel with you." He suggested, "The company will feel good after a while."

"Leon..." I glanced up at him, "have you ever lost someone?"

He stared curiously at me, surprised. Then, he sighed and sat forward, "No, Ienzo, I haven't."

I couldn't tell if he was being truthful or not, but the look on his face let me know he wasn't planning to elaborate any time soon.

"And you won't either." He added.

--

"Do you think parents make you believe in Santa Clause just so they won't be the ones blamed when their kids don't get what they want for Christmas?" Axel plopped on to my bed, popping his feet in the air.

"Hmm..." I pulled my focus off the T.V., "not sure... I never thought about it."

He shook his unruly mane of red hair and hummed in thought, "I bet they do. Why else would we tell little kids a fat man brings them their presents?"

I laughed a bit, "Only you would think of that."

He shrugged, gazing at the T.V., "I was being serious."

We watched movies together for a few hours before the two of us fell asleep in my bed. We were woken to rough hands shaking us, and I sat up with blinking eyes.

"Wha?" I asked, letting my eyes get used to the dark. There was a tall figure in the doorway and someone short next to us.

"Wake up guys." I recognized Roxas' voice, "We need to go to the hospital."

"Why?" Axel murmured, sitting up as well.

"Demyx is up and awake... and he's asking for us." The blond explained, "We have a car waiting outside, so let's go."

The two of us scrambled out of the bed, looking around for shoes, coats, or anything else we could get our hands on. Demyx was awake!

The ride was mostly quiet, everyone still tired. Despite being exhausted, my mind was alert. I wanted to see Dem so bad.

"I had to pull some favors to get all three of you in the hospital at this hour, so please be quiet inside." Xemnas explained as we entered the building. We followed him to the correct floor, giddy.

"One at a time." The nurse instructed, looking very serious. Xemnas held be back and allowed Axel inside first. I began to protest, but realized this way I would get the most time with my friend.

"Roxas, you go next." He then pushed the blond forward. Axel came out cheerfully, winking to me on his way. Roxas returned only a minute later, and then I was nudged to go inside. Hesitating for only a second, I entered the room rather slowly, peeking around the corner.

"Hey Zex." The blond was sitting upright, looking healthy but tired.

"Dem!" I approached the bed with a big smile, embracing him in my arms. He hugged back as well as he could and together we sat that way for several minutes.

"I missed you so much." Demyx whispered. I held him tighter before letting go, wiping a tear away.

"I thought I was going to lose you." I admitted, looking down. My friend chuckled, "Like you're ever getting rid of me."

"Thirty seconds." The nurse entered and announced.

I waved her away and she left with a purse of her lips.

"I get to go home by the end of the month." Demyx smiled, "I can't wait."

"Me either." I nodded eagerly, pushing our foreheads together gently, "I'll be waiting."

The rest of the month didn't go by as slowly as I had thought it would. Demyx's parents made arrangements for me to stay with them for a while, and I found myself standing in the room I had once lived in.

"Is it just like you remember?" The blond asked me. His color had all completely returned and the weight he had lost was almost regained. He could now even stand for normal, lengthy periods of time.

"Yes." I nodded, turning towards him. He flashed me a bright, healthy smile, and then laughed after, "You're staring at me like you haven't seen me in years."

"It feels that way." I sighed, sitting on my mattress. He stood at the foot of the bed, looking smug, "What would you do without me?"

"I have no clue."

We sat in a couple minutes of silence before I finally remembered something, "I almost forgot." I snapped my fingers, rushing over to the closet and digging around. I reappeared with a multicolored bag, "These are from Leon."

"Gummi bears!" The blond raced across the room and snatched the pack from hands, "You know, I was having the worse day ever until this very moment. They replaced me in the band in my absence."

"You're kidding me." My mouth dropped open.

He shrugged nonchalantly, "I don't blame them. They had gigs coming up."

"I see." I lay back across the bed, sighing. The blond did the same, curling up against my side. We sat in another silence.

"Every night in that hospital I dreamt about you. About that day in the garden." Demyx spoke after a couple minutes, "I just kept re-experiencing it over and over. It felt so real too. I called out to you several times, asking you to wake." He sighed, setting his gummi bears down, "When Leon asked you to write your name, you wrote Ienzo instead of Zexion. I cried every time."

"Why?"

He chewed on his lip, "I don't know."

I wasn't sure what to say to that but he saved me the trouble when he perked up, "We should see a movie tomorrow!"

"A movie?"

"Yeah!" He was growing more excited, "I haven't seen one in ages! Roxas and Axel can come along too."

"Sure." I smiled.

I should have been thinking about how the future would work out. After all, I lived in a town several hours away, and my parents were probably worried sick about me again. I couldn't just live in Demyx's house, and he definitely couldn't just come back with me. I would probably have to repeat my entire sophomore year as well.

"Stop thinking so much." Dem poked my nose, "You'll scar your pretty face with wrinkles."

I smiled and nestled in the older boy, "I'm sorry."

I would figure things out later.

Right now was all I cared about...

THE END

Here are the full lyrics to Prayer of the Children. If you haven't listened to it before, you should. Expecially an acapella version.

Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
Turning heavenward toward the light

Crying jesus, help me
To see the morning light-of one more day
But if i should die before i wake,
I pray my soul to take

Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own
Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day a better day

Crying jesus, help me
To feel the love again in my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm

Can you hear the voice of the children?
Softly pleading for silence in a shattered world?
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate,
Blood of the innocent on their hands

Crying jesus, help me
To feel the sun again upon my face,
For when darkness clears i know you're near,
Bringing peace again

Dali cujete sve djecje molitive?
(croatian translation: 'can you hear all the children's prayers?')
Can you hear the prayer of the children?

-Jaspen