With little buddy's scratching at they're bedroom door Axel was awake. Sitting up to rub they're eyes, Ridding them self of sleep. Blinking, they're vision slightly blurred, Axel looked around.

"Llittle buddy? what is it babe?"

Yet getting another scritch scratch of the axolotls claws Axel found themselves getting up, only to jump at least a foot in the air as there came a ring of the appertments front door

( I'm lazy, to the front room )

Reaching the front door, gripping the handle with they're blue tinted finger tips. Axel sighed, preparing themselves to deal with some one.

Yet the moment Axel opened the front door they felt they're knees buckle beneath them, nearly sending them to the floor. But somehow Axel caught themselves, stumbling forwards and opening they're arms wide, hands shaking.

"Oh my ink?! Are you real?!" Gasped the vampire in displeaf. they had dreamed of this day for over two year, with all there heart they wanted this to be real, lord they needed this. they're full body shaking now.

And the response they got made them burst into painfully ugly sounding sobs.

The person chocked back a sobb, hickuping, she smiled."Yes......*sob*.axel, it's me."

Feeling arms around they're waist Axel smiled.

~°°~°~°~°°~~°°£°£°£°£°~°~°°~°~°~°~°°~°~~°°~°

Sipping the tea that Axel had given her. zoey sadly smiled. She was over joyed to be home, but, there was something bothering her. Something big, something in the back of her mind, something was......OFF-

"Zoey? Zoey are you okay?" Axel asked, concerned for they're newly returned friend.

"I- I've missed you....." She spoke. Barely able to keep her voice in check. "I've missed you for............how long was it?"

Zoey turned to her right, watching Axel on the other side of the couch. Watching they're movements, they're facecial fractures, everything. She needed answers. And in doing so she saw axels gray brows knitt and they're ears droop as they went beet red.

Wether from anger or from embersment she couldn't tell. "T-two years. A whole 2 ass years.....I'm sorry Zoey, I'm so so sorry-"

"Axel shut up, I'm here now." And with tears in her eyes Zoey opened her arms wide, lightly throwing off the blanket around her. Wrapping them around Axel, resting her head on axels shoulder.

"Axel, I love you." She spoke softly in axels pointy vampire squid ear, a single tear of ink trickling down her lightly pink cheeks.

"I- I.........like you to...." Spoke Axel, this was the first time they had ever said anything close to 'i love you' but Zoey knew, she understood. The inkling smiled, she could wait.

( 2 two minutes of hugging and crying later )

Wiping her tears Zoey hickuped. She wanted to stay in axles arms forever, she felt safe-

"Zoey I have to ask, how did you escape?" Axel asked, a single brow raised in confusion.

Yet Zoey chuckled lightly, it was quite funny actually, how she got away. "oh well, I simply annoyed them until they let me go. Infact, there's this one octoling-" she chuckled once more, remembering how she annoyed him so. Enough for him to open the door and tell her to leave.

"His name is William, and I annoyed him so much he flung my cell door open with such force I thought it would fall from it's hinges-"

Axel laughed at that as they snuggled into the sofa once more.

"-pushed a map of octoling territory into my hands, pointed down the hallway and told me-" Zoey shifted, placing her cup of tea on the coffee table, and placing a hand to her forehead in a sullt to mimic her once capture William. " 'take this map, and get the fuck out! Just get out!' "

She lowered her hand, placing it in her lap, giggling as she did so. Man, was it good to be home.

( Axels pov. )
Hearing this Axel spat out they're coffee, eyes going wide as it fully hit them.

"You what?!" They nearly screamed, looking to they're newly returned friend. Hoping, no PRAYING she wasn't telling the truth. "Zoey tell me your lying!" They asked, brows knitting together in horror.

"No why would I lie-"

"Zoey tell me you weren't followed?!"

"Wh-what?! I-"

Axel shot up, jumping to they're feet. Cup of coffee falling from their hands. Glaring at their friend. "WHERE.YOU.FOLLOWED."

"I- I don't think so-" the inkling tried to stutter, but was stopped by the shattering of glass. The purple and pink girl gasping.

With sudden terror Zoey was on her feet, scooping little buddy from the floor.

"Axel! Axel I'm so sorry-"

Yet Axel didn't hear the inkling over the noise of crunching glass and thumping milltery grade boots.

"Zoey get behind me!" Screamed the vampire.

They wanched as Zoey complied, running behind Axel as they backed up twords the the hallway, panicng. There was absolutely no way Axel could fight they're way out of this.

With in seconds the two where surrounded, octoling guns trained on the twos faces.

"Let me through, I've got this." Spoke s commanding voice.

Axel watched as the group of five in front of them parted, out came a male octoling, light blue in color. Covered in military tech ware.

"Just give us the girl wild cat, and this will all be over."

"No! Never-" yet they didn't get to finish, with a flick of the octolings wrist Axel was grabbed by the arms.

With everything Axel had they fought, they kicked and bucked, yanking and pulling. Nothing worked. "No! Don't touch her you fuckers! NO! i just got her back!"

( Zoey's pov )

With ink in her eyes the inkling shook, clutching the axolotl in her arms like she would simply disappear if let go of.

In terrifying fashion two of the octolings approached her, terribly slow.

In horror she backed away, only to cry out as she hit the living room wall. "William! William please don't do this!" The pink and purple girl pleaded. She couldn't go back to that place, she just couldn't. "I never agreed to your deal!" She cried as a solider stole little buddy from her hands, the other solider grabbing Zoey herself.

"The moment you left that cell you agreed to my deal. You've had your fun, you've seen who you wanted to see. Now it's time to come home." Spoke the light blue octoling, venom in his voice.

"I AM HOME-" only Zoey stoped when she saw it. "William no! Don't do this! William please!"

Yet the octolings face morphed as he moved forward. Walking to the girl, holding up a syringe full of light blue ink. "I'm sorry Zoey."

"NO!"

He inched closer,

"STOP DONT TOUCH HER!" Axel struggled with all they had. "YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING!!!"

She griminced as the needle tore apart her skin, pin pricking her arm. And with one last loving look she locked eyes with Axel across the room. And everything seemed to fall still as her vision blurred and she began to fall to the ground.

( Axels pov )

"NO! What did you do?!" Screamed the vampire. Struggling still, "don't touch her!" They screamed once more as William caught the inkling bridle style.

And with another flick of Williams wrist Axel was released.

In horror Axel felt thier knees wobble sending them to the floor. Ink welling in they're eyes Axel glared the best they could. "you- you can't do this!" They begged, hands balled into fists, black shinny nails digging into they're palms.

"Oh but I can," spoke the light blue octoling. "and you can't stop me."

"She NEEDS me!" The vampire pleaded. Basically on they're hands and knees.

"If this," William turned 180 holding the pink and purple girl, jestering to the abandoned looking apartment. Then to Axel, "is what she needs. It is clear to me, YOU need HER more then she needs you." And with that statement filled with venom William left, girl in his arms.

And Axel sobbed, ink flooding they're eyes as the enmy left they're home. They had lost her again, after they had just gotten her back.