A/N: Hey everyone! This story, just like in the summary, it's about Tia's feelings after Rocket left for Netherball. There's a slight D'Jok/Tia, because I just love this pairing, it's the best crack pair from GF and in Season 2, after Rocket's leaving, I kept my fingers crossed to something between them, but there was nothing, unfortunately. :( I wanted to break stereotypical opinions about bossy and selfish D'Jok and present him more emphatic and nicer. Yes, he's my favourite character. :) If there's any mistakes, just let me know, I could do something bad, I'm only a human, in addition not English-speaking. ;) Any reviews are very welcomed. Enjoy!
"I'm leaving the team."
A dead silence falls in the gym. The rest of the team exchange quick glances. They are confused and very surprised. Even Aarch doesn't know what to say.
"What are you mean saying 'I'm leaving'?" D'Jok is the first who shakes off. His voice is full of annoy.
"That what you heard," replies Rocket quietly, like in resignation. "I can't play in Snow Kids anymore."
"And why?" D'Jok is indignant.
"Because I'm suspended," says Rocket, lowering his head.
"They kicked you out...?" asks, still in shock, Aarch.
"Who cares." D'Jok rolls his eyes. "Who cares they suspended you, kicked you out or whatever? I'm sure we can do something to keep you in team. It's only a mistake."
"Maybe," Rocket says, shrugging, "but it doesn't change anything. I've decided." He takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry that..."
"Rocket, don't do this," Tia cuts him off quietly. She looks at him, her eyes is filled with tears and her chin trembles. "Don't leave me."
"I'm sorry." Rocket comes up and hugs her. Tia's cheeks is streamed with tears. "You'll be better without me. Just live like I've never existed. Forget about me."
He steps aside from Tia, looks at whole team, like he still has some doubts and then he walks out of the gym.
A long moment passes and suddenly Tia runs toward exit of the gym. D'Jok grabs her arm, but she breaks free and runs out. She scampers through the hallway, looking in all directions and thinking only about finding, clunging Rocket, dissuading from his plans, after all he can't leave the team, he can't leave her...
"Rocket! Rocket!" she cries, looking at the lateral hallways. He must be somewhere around.
She runs in the front of hotel and looks for him in the crowd, but she doesn't see Rocket. Still being in training dress, she runs to the park, where it happened. For sure he went there, for sure he's there now...
"Rocket!" she yells, standing on the middle of small square. People passing by looks at her like at an idiot. In the normal situation she would care, but not now. Rocket couldn't go so far.
Something flickers through the trees. Tia goes in this direction without any doubts. It must be here, yes, it's Rocket for sure. She breaks through the trees, following the mysterious gleam. Hope leaves her slowly. It isn't Rocket, he would stop after she called him...
Tia stops. She feels something falls on her, she falls over, she abuts at hands already, she falls to knees. It is a tree? And maybe a longing? She feels physical pain in the heart region. She feels like under water. She lays down on the wet, intensely fragrant earth. She closes her eyes and wants to die. Right now.
She doesn't know how much time passed before they find her. She thinks it took few hours, because now her whole body is numb and sore. She only notices that someone picks her up and a little while later she lays in bed in Dame Simbai's office, wrapped in a quilt and a blanket. Mei sits next to her and hold her hand.
"Have you already woken up?" Mei whispers, clenching fingers on Tia's wrist. "How are you?"
Tia can't answer, only looks at Mei. She's so lovely... Tia wants to give something back to her, but she has no strenght to move even a little finger.
"Is Rocket... is he back?", Tia asks hoarse voice.
Mei looks away. Tia starts to understand the frightening truth.
"I want to be alone," she whispers.
Mei is amazed a little by this request, but she doesn't say anything, just gets up and leaves Simbai's office. Tia waits until the door closes she starts to cry. She curls and hides her head under the blanket. She hopes no one will find her.
D'Jok becomes a new captain. He treats his role seriously and does his best to being consider as a worthy Rocket's successor. He guards everyone to train hard, but also doesn't put pressure on them. He's forgiving and it seems like it he may be even a better captain than Rocket, who still gives no sign of life, although he is missing for a week.
After evening training Tia doesn't go to her room, but on the roof of the hotel. She likes going here, especially when the nights are warm, like today. She sits on the machine which looks like a cuboid. Tia doesn't know how it works, but it's quite comfortable.
She stares up at the stars. She has a childish feeling that if she desires strong enough, Rocket will come back. He'll smile at her, blink and then say warmly:
"You shouldn't sit here alone."
Tia shudders. But it isn't Rocket, only D'Jok. He looks at her with something in his eyes, something she's never seen... With pity.
"How are you?" he asks softly, sitting down next to her.
"Fine," Tia replies quietly. She doesn't want to confide in D'Jok, he's not trustworthy enough. But he's her friend, though. She used to treat him like a bighead, but becoming a captain changed something in him. And maybe he really pities her?
"You're lying," states D'Jok.
"You're right." Tia sighs deeply. "I miss Rocket," says she quietly. And this is enough. She doesn't feel ready to confide in someone, especially to D'Jok.
The boy looks at her. There's a warm in his eyes.
"You see," he says, "when you love someone, let him go. If he loves you, he'll come back."
"And if he doesn't come back?"
"It means he has never loved you."
Tia looks at him in disbelief. She's about to say something, but bites her tongue. She stares at the stars again and when she decides to answer D'Jok, she notices that he has already disappeared.
Rocket still gives no sign of life over few next days. Tia used to hope that he would come back, but now she's got no hope. It totally gets her down. She doesn't want to train with the rest of the team, she just wants to lie down all day and cry. She feels like someone has ripped her heart. Snow Kids handle her with kid gloves, even D'Jok and Mei try not to act their feeling out, when Tia is around. Mei wants to talk to her, comfort her somehow, but Tia just keeps quiet.
Rocket's leaving becomes a fact and Ahito is ill, so Aarch looks for new players for to Snow Kids. Tia tries to be nice to new players, but she can't. While she can accept Yuki, she hates Mark so much that he takes Rocket's place. His joining to the team is the final seal of expelling Rocket. No one mentions Rocket's name, like everyone has forgotten about him. Rocket is a hero, he saved her life! Snow Kids are pathetic ignorants. Obviously Tia doesn't say it out loud, all these thoughts come to her mind when she's looking blankly at the ceiling, remembering and crying.
She just wants to see him, she even doesn't have to talk to him, doesn't have to touch him, just look at him from far away, make sure he's fine, he's alive and allright. She has no idea where he may be, she talks to his parents many times, but they also looks for him. She decides that she'll find him by herself. She must...
During one of these sleepless nights a great idea comes to her head.
"So?" Tia asks hopefully, looking at her parents expectantly. "Have you checked?"
"Yes," says father. "And it looks like, Tia," he hesitate for a moment, "that Rocket didn't leave Genesis. Flights' archives don't indicate he flew to another planet."
"Really?" Tia opens her eyes more wide. "But... are you sure?"
"If he hasn't left Genesis by plane, he couldn't do it in a different way," mother says. "We're pretty sure he's still here. But honey, I think looking for Rocket isn't a good idea..."
"I don't want to look for him," Tia lies quickly. "I just want to make sure he's okay. Thank you for checking, see you later."
She ends video call before parents say something. At the same time Mei comes into the room, carrying two large bags. She smiles broadly and she's obviously lost in daydreaming, but when she sees Tia's worried face, she gets serious.
"What happened?" Mei asks, throwing bags on her bed. From one of them comes out blue shirt. Yeah, Mei was shopping again, Tia thinks.
"Nothing, nothing at all," she lies. "Where's Yuki?"
"With Ahito and Thran."
"Ah..." she mutters, because nothing wiser comes to her head. "Were you shopping?" She points to the bag.
"Yes, I bought some stuff," Mei says, unpacking new clothes and cosmetics.
"'Some'?" Tia raises here eyebrows.
Mei gets embarrassed. She's really excited because tonight she's having a date with D'Jok and she wants to share it with Tia, but her friend is so sad, so Mei doesn't want to depress her even more. She doesn't say anything, just smiles and starts to think about her the biggest problem - what should she wear on a date?
Tia can't fall asleep this night.
I feel you. You aren't with me now, but I know you think about me and you wonder how I feel, how I manage with your leaving. You went away, because that was your choice. I can't deal with it, I still don't believe it happened. I'd love to see you. Touch you. Feel your scent. Hear you voice saying 'I love you'. Three words, eight letters. Only in your arms I feel really safe. Then I know nothing bad can happen to me.
'Like I've never existed,' you said when you left. Maybe you actually have never existed? Maybe I just imagined you? Maybe you were just a dream and I deceive myself I was happy? But why do I feel like someone has ripped my heart? Everytime I think about you, the wound you caused on me, opens again. I guess it'll never heal, because you're in my mind all the time.
Why did you left me? You're a hero, you know you're innocent. Why didn't you accept the challenge? We would deal with it together. Are you scared? But of what? I would be with you, you wouldn't have to be afraid.
Where are you right now? You couldn't get out of Genesis, so you have to be somewhere near to me. One, two, three hundred meters, a kilometer? It's not so much, just a tens of minutes march. Not so far. But I feel like you are very far away, millions light years away from me.
Opening door interrupts her thoughts. She hears some suction-smacking noises. She knows them well - it's the sound of a kiss. She quickly closes her eyes, pretending sleeping.
"Stop, you'll wake Tia," she hears Mei's whisper.
"I'm sure she has already fallen asleep," it's D'Jok's voice. They're kissing again.
"You should go," Mei says, but D'Jok don't answer, just kiss her. "Stop, you'll wake Tia!" she protests when her boyfriend doesn't stop. "We arranged that we won't, when she's around..."
"So come to me, Micro Ice's out," he says.
"No," Mei replies firmly. "I had great fun tonight. Good night." They're kissing for a long moment.
"I love you," whispers D'Jok, coming out.
"Love you too," replies Mei softly.
D'Jok comes out and his girlfriend quietly, trying not to wake her roommate, takes her cosmetics box and goes to the bathroom. After a moment Tia hears the sound of water, when Mei is taking a shower. Sure that no one hears, Tia curls on the bed up and burns into tears.
Next day, in the morning, D'Jok conducts the training, because Aarch has to go somewhere urgently. After exercises everybody go out and only Tia and D'Jok stay in the gym. Tia comes up to D'Jok who cleans up the equipment.
"Hey, D'Jok?" she approaches.
"Yes?" He turns and looks at her. Despite Tia's fears he can be mad at her because she prevented him in work, he doesn't seem angry at her at all and even more, he smiles at her kindly.
"Can we talk?" she asks. She wants to ask him something and he's the only one who can help her.
"Sure, just let me finish it," he responds.
"I'll help you." Not without effort she grabs two dumbbells. "Where have I to put them?"
"That box." He points by his chin.
After done work D'Jok puts boxes one on another and turns to Tia. "So, what's going on?"
Tia takes a deep breath and says:
"You see... it turned out that Rocket is still on Genesis."
"And you want to find him?"
"Well... yes," she answers, surprised by D'Jok's perspicacity. "But Genesis is huge and I have no idea where Rocket could be. So I thought that maybe... you know... your dad..." She looks at him. D'Jok frowns. "He knows some... different places," she adds quietly.
"I can ask him," the boy says. "But, you know, I can't guarantee you that Rocket will want to talk to you..."
"No, no, I don't want talk to him," Tia cuts him off. "I just want to check if he's allright. To look at him from distance. He may not even notice me."
But the truth was different. Tia wants to throw her arms around his neck, kiss him, hug him, be in his arms. D'Jok also seems to know it.
"So? Will you look for him?" she asks.
D'Jok nods slowly.
Finding Rocket is easier than they expect. Sonny uses his contacts and finds out that recently someone has started a business called Sphere, where take place one-on-one matches called Netherball. Some people saw Rocket there several times and it's possible that he's taking a part in these matches.
Matches are played at midnight. D'Jok decides to go on one of these matches to check if Rocket really takes a part in them. He takes Artie and Benneth with him just in case.
"Kernor, Luur, Stevens, all Galactik Football stars," says Benneth, when they're looking around the Sphere. There is a giant globe where the players play. "Look, even Sinedd is here."
D'Jok looks at direction pointed by Benneth. Indeed, Sinedd stays next to giant globe and says something to players. D'Jok can't see their faces. It seems like Sinedd leads the entire event.
They hear dins, shouts and snatches of conversation from everywhere. Suddenly, squat man runs up to them.
"Wanna bet something, sir?" he asks.
"No, thanks," replies D'Jok, surprised a little and together with Pirates pushes up to the front row. Players have started the match already. On the big screen it's possible to see what happens inside. D'Jok is shocked when she see Rocket, he almost doesn't recognize him, he has changed so much. There is a madness in Rocket's eyes. Woowamboo is his rival. Three minutes looking at the match is enough to see how much it's brutal. D'Jok looks at Artie and Benneth, they seem to have similar feelings. He nods at them and they come out of the Sphere.
"And? Did you find Rocket?" Tia wakes him at 7 a.m., although he fell asleep after 2 a.m.
"Whaaat?" he moans, covering himself by the duvet.
"I know you're tired, but I beg you, tell me! Did you find Rocket?" asks Tia.
D'Jok crawls out of the bed. He's irritated by Tia's behavior, a training is going to start at 8 a.m. and he's going to be sleepy. Couldn't she wait some time and let him sleep? He rubs the sleep from his eyes and follows Tia. He has no idea where she leads him.
"Where are we going?" he asks, looking in the mirror. He looks terrible - pale, disheveled and unshaven. Maybe he would care if he wasn't so sleepy...
Tia leads him to the common room. He sits down on the couch and looks at the girl standing over him, like she would like to question him.
"So?" she urges him. "Did you see him? Did you see Rocket?"
"Yes," he answers.
"Really?" Tia utters. "Where is he? Take me there!"
D'Jok, despite being tired and sleepy, looks at her very consciously. There is a hope in her big, willow-green eyes. He feels bad, because he has to destroy this hope.
"I think it's not a good idea," he says slowly. "Rocket has changed alot and I'm not sure if he wants to talk to you."
"Did you talk to him?" she asks, very moved.
"No," responds D'Jok, "but..."
"So you don't know if he has changed!" Tia cuts him off. "Take me there," she demands.
D'Jok sighs deeply. He has no choice, Tia was too fierce to concede.
"Okay. Be in the hotel's hall at 11 p.m, I'll wait for you."
D'Jok was in the Sphere only once, but he has memorized way to it already. While being around this place it's possible to feel some inexplicable magnetism, something demanding going in this direction. This time D'Jok doesn't take with himself any Pirates.
"Are you sure it's here?" Tia asks hesitantly while they're walking down the hallway toward the Sphere.
"This place can't be mistaken with any other," mutters D'Jok and leads her deeper into the hallway.
When Tia sees the Sphere, her jaw almost drops because of shock. This view is impressive and scary at once. She feels a strange atmosphere in this place, but she lets D'Jok lead her to the first row of the public. They're late and the game has just ended.
And suddenly she sees him, Rocket, coming out from this scary place where the match was played. He seems to be happy, because there is a wide smile on his face. Tia can't restrain and runs toward him despite of D'Jok's protests. She throws her arms around his neck and clings to him. She missed him so much, but it doesn't matter now, now they will be together, they will back to the hotel and everything will be allright.
He pushes her away firmly. Tia is surprised, she looks in Rocket's eyes, but she can't find this heat she loves no more, only cold and even anger.
"Tia? What are you doing here?" Rocket asks. But he isn't happy to see her, on the contrary, he seems to be annoyed.
"I come to take you away from here," she says, grabbing his hands. "You don't have to hide anymore, we can go back to te hotel. Come on!" She tugs him gently, but he doesn't move, only still looking at her, surprised.
"Tia, don't you understand?" he asks. "I'm not going to back to Snow Kids. You won't convince me to do it. Bye, Tia."
He walks away, leaving her alone. She looks at him, confused. That, what he has just said... Can it be true? Did he forget about everything between them? She burns into tears.
"Come on, Tia, it isn't worth it," she hears above herself warm D'Jok's voice. Gently but firmly he pulls her toward the exit. Tia goes behind him unconsciously, not paying attention to people around her. She still hears these words in her head: I'm not going to return to the Snow Kids. You won't convince me to do it. I won't return to Snow Kids... Bye, Tia.
"Farewell, Rocket," she whispers. "Don't forget about me."
She has no more strenght to fight. She loosens her body and just let D'Jok lead toward the hotel.