Hey guys, I'm so excited to be posting my first fanfic story, I hope that you like it. I would really appreciate it if you could review telling me what you think. I will always accept constructive criticism. Anyway enough from me. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own THE TRIBE, nor am I affiliated with anyone whom may work for CLOUD 9. Any recognisable characters are credited to their rightful creators, and in no way do I intend to class them as my own creation.
Fear, uncertainty and an overwhelming amount of grief filled the air as the Mallrats sailed away from the city. The city they grew up in, the city they fought for to keep the dream alive.
"Well here's to a new future" remarked Amber. The fear in her voice was certain, it was something that the other Mallrats were not use to hearing from there fearless leader. It worried them as much as it worried her.
"Hey, don't worry" whispered Jay comforting Amber "I'm sure that we'll be ok, you, me and Bray Jr." That thought, a thought of a family, the thought that Bray Jr would have a father like figure filled her heart with joy. She looked down at her baby, he was a sleep not a care in the world, no idea of what was happening or what the future held; but then again neither did she.
Meanwhile Lex was lost in his thoughts, should he tell everyone that the others were alive, should he tell everyone that he knew exactly were each of them were; this was too much for him to handle, he had never been given so much responsibility in his life. As he dwelled deeper into his thoughts his guilt increased, it wasn't right to keep it from the others. What he was doing was wrong. From the corner of this eye he saw Jay him a suspicious look, thinking wasn't really his thing, and Jay knew it.
Days past by Jay was getting restless he couldn't stay on the boat any longer. Stupid Lex, he thought to himself why can't he tell us where we're going? He didn't believe the story Lex had told them about him only knowing how to get to where they were going and not knowing anything else. Jay slowly started making his way down to breakfast one the way there he spotted Lex he was thinking again, this was way out of character for Lex. Something smelt fishy and it wasn't just the sea.
"Earth to Jay, Earth to Jay" Amber said as she waved her arms in front of his face, by now they were already at the table.
"Sorry, Amber I was just…" before Jay could finish Jack walked in with Ellie. He was scratching at his face were a beard was slowly starting to take place.
"Jay?" Jack questioned "I don't normally ask questions like this but... could I please borrow your razor? I can't seem to find mine and this is driving me nuts" he said pointing to his newly forming beard "being a kid was sooo much easier". Everyone laughed in unison; by now even Lex had walked in "so is that a yes" Jack asked, his cheeks were slowly burning up with embarrassment. Jay nodded in reply he was still laughing; it was a while since he had laughed and it felt good.
Trudy was still getting Brady ready when she heard all the laughter, it was refreshing, like music to her ears. She quickly got Brady ready and dashed up not wanting to be left out. "What happen?" she asked as she sat down.
"Jack is having a few issues with adulthood" Amber replied while trying to hold back her laugh.
"What sort of issues?" Questioned Trudy, she could see were this was going.
"Jack, lost his razor and his beard was driving him nuts, wasn't Jack?" replied Ellie, she too was still in hysterics
"Yeah, yeah laugh now but, just you wait when you grow beards and…" before he finish Lex stopped him
"Mate more than half of the people on the boat are women and all the guys that are on the boat have facial hair, except for Sammy of offcourse. Look, I'm not sure if you were ever taught this but, girls don't generally have facial hair" Lex remarked in a matter of fact tone. Jack could again feel his cheeks heating up, he decide not to say anything stupid so he slowly went down and sat next to Ellie.
That night Amber had a lot of trouble putting Bray Jr to sleep, and finally once he had fallen asleep she was not as tired as she was before so she decided to go and enjoy the night sky. As she stared into the sky she noticed that someone was beside her, her body tensed, she started going over the few self-defence moves that she knew.
"It's something, isn't it?" Amber knew that voice, she relaxed, and for once she was glad that it was Lex.
"Yeah it is, it almost lets you forget the chaos of days gone by" she whispered
"Yeah almost" Lex chuckled and then once again drifted into his thoughts. Amber knew something was wrong; the Lex she knew wouldn't willingly sit next to her. "What's the matter Lex?" she asked "Don't think I haven't realized, you've been drifting in and out of your thoughts for the past few days, it's not you?"
Lex looked up at her, "It's a bit complicated and confusing, it will take a while to explain" he sighed
"And I have the time" Amber smiled, he couldn't refuse, he just couldn't. So he started from the very beginning to the very end, she shot a few worrying looks and also a few shocked ones but other than that she listened, he could now see why the tribe wanted her as leader.
"So they're alive, Tai-San, Alice, K.C, Bray…" he could see that her thoughts were slowing starting to drift away. Lex couldn't say anything but nod. What would Amber say, he kept this from her she had the right to know that the father of her son was alive.
"That's great Lex, but why haven't you told anyone" Amber wasn't angry, just curious.
"Everyone seem to be so calm, you've got to admit this would've caused bit of chaos among everyone. That's why I took upon myself to take charge of where we were going"
"You never do fail to surprise do you Lex; just when I think I have you all figured out you come and throw this at me." She smiled she didn't mind this new compassionate and thoughtful version of Lex; she just hoped it would last. As she scanned the vast open sea that was in front of her she wondered how she would tell the others. More days passed, neither Amber nor Lex could bring themselves to tell the others about their lost friends.
Meanwhile, Slade, Ebony and Ruby had just made their thus far private row completely and utterly public.
"I can't believe you Ebony you could have got her killed! What were you thinking?" he yelled as he paced up and down the front of the boat.
"I wasn't trying you to kill her, I was just…" Ebony stopped she realized I was trying to kill her baby didn't sound that much better.
"Oh please don't stop Ebony what were you trying to do if you weren't trying to kill her, ah that's right I almost forgot you were trying to kill her unborn child, my unborn child" once again Slade's sarcasm slow turned to anger.
"I…it's just…well…"Ebony for the second time in her life was speechless. As Slade stormed off in a huff Ebony thought about the last time she had become speechless. It was because of Bray she had just told him that she loved him but he thought that she was lying and just left her feeling unsecure and vulnerable. And at that moment she swore that she would never let a man in her life again as she would just push them away, but that was her weakness, men. After Bray, she did the same thing with Jay and now Slade; Ebony had now learnt her lesson.
"I know what she did was wrong and I don't blame you for being angry with her but it's just that we don't know how much longer we will have to be on this boat. And I think it's better if you wait until we find land to give Ebony a hard time" Amber couldn't believe what she was saying. She was begging for forgiveness for the person who single handily ruined her life.
"Amber come on you can't be serious, she deserves everything she that she get and you know it" Slade retorted sounding slightly annoyed at Ambers request.
"Ok let's say that she deserves what she gets, but the rest of us don't. We don't deserve to be trapped on this stupid boat with you and the ice queen continuously trying to kill each other" she yelled, Slade was now getting on her nerves how could he be so pigheaded, so ignorant, so narrow minded. Slade stood there dumbfounded, he had not seen Amber so angry before. Amber stormed off in a huff and went to the cabin where she had left Bray Jr to sleep. For some reason being with her son made her feel like all the trouble in the world had disappeared and all that mattered was the he was safe.
Like Amber, Ebony now needed some space and quite time as well. She slowly made her way to the back of the boat. "What's up with ice queen over there" May whispered as Ebony walked past her. Salene looked up at her and back to ebony as curiosity washed over May's face.
"Don't know" Salene shrugged. "Maybe it's just being trapped on this boat with nowhere to escape to... I mean it's enough to drive anyone Mad."
"mmm I think you might be right, do you think we will ever get off this sorry excuse of a boat" she whined.
"I don't know... I suppose Lex is the only one who knows" Salene shrugged.
"I'm not so sure about that I think Amber knows as well." May exclaimed "Amber knows Lex all too well to leave him in charge. Anyway I saw Lex and Amber at the back of the boat the other night talking about something, I'm pretty sure she knows." "Well if there is anyone I trust on this boat its Amber" Salene groaned as she heard the bickering of Sammy and Lottie coming closer to where they were.
The Ocean looked so calm, so peaceful; she had never in her life seen something so soothing. Ruby took a big deep breath in taking in the scent of the salt laced water. It reminded her of a time before the first virus; when her parents took her on a boat in attempt to help her get her mind off the death of her grandma. While her first memory of a boat was fused with the idea of death, it also reminded her of a time when she didn't have to be strong. It was time when she could crumble in to the caring hug of her mother and cry away everything; cry away the confusion, the sorrow, the anger. That was what she needed, that was what she longed for a caring hug telling her everything was going to be fine. "Hey, are you ok?" the deep soothing voice asked as he slowly brushed away the tears that had started rolling down her face. She looked up to meet his eyes, "Come here" he said cradling her into his arms making her feel as if all her problems had disappeared.
"Slade?" she questioned to make sure she had his full attention.
"Mmm" he responded knowing that she wanted to say something.
"Thankyou" she whispered as slowly lifted her head till their lips met and began a soft and passionate embrace.
"Ahh, young love such a beautiful thing" Ram exclaimed as he observed Slade and Ruby lip lock from afar.
"Don't you think that maybe you should let have some privacy" Amber stated as she looked up from her book that she was reading.
"Privacy on this tiny thing?" he snorted. "Where would I go? Besides I have had to go through a lot worse".
Confusion washed over Ambers face, "What do you mean" she questioned.
"Well let's just say…" Ram began "Back when we were at Liberty my Room was next to Ruby's, and well, neither Slade nor Ruby are the quietest of folk when it come to certain actives" he smiled lifting one eyebrow waiting to see Ambers reaction.
"Oh" she said holding back a laugh. "Let's just hope they don't bless us all tonight with that privilege tonight" she giggled not being able to hold in much longer.
"Thank-you" Ram said changing the tone of the discussion in a matter of seconds, and not to mention confusing Amber.
"You're welcome, but I am going to have to ask you why?" Amber questioned, whilst she examined Ram face trying to understand the subtext of his statement.
"It's just that ever since the invading of the techno's not everyone has been understanding"
"Well you can't blame them, you took away their loved ones and held the them against their will, how do you think they felt"
"I know what I did was wrong and I don't blame them at all for hating me, but it is nice to have someone to talk to who does not scrutinised every move I make and everything I say…and…well…I suppose…" Ram stuttered as he struggled to find the right words to express his gratitude.
Sensing his loss of words Amber interjected "I get it, you just want to be given a second chance, and don't worry your time will come. I mean we all seem to have forgiven Trudy for betraying us."
"I hope so" sighed Ram, as he and Amber entered a comfortable silence.
Thanks for reading. :) I shall try and put the next chapter up some time within the next two weeks depending on the feed back I get. So if you want to find out what happens next please review.