Will had been running after his 'son' for what felt like a life time his body was sweaty his hair covered in dust from the explosions and the bombs that had been set off in order to drive the apes away, he skidded across the uneven ground he stumbled knees embedded for three seconds in the dirt, hands scrapped finger nails becoming clogged as he pushed himself up running towards the tree that he and his girlfriend had feasted under just days ago, blood-shot eyes danced around frantically wanting to find his son and take him home before the police or any other law enforcement his dried mouth opened to call.

"Caesar!"

He heard nothing. It seemed that he had forgotten how swiftly these apes could really move. It was the pressure of a body heavier than his own that caused him to turn his head and gasp as he was shoved to the ground, his head just skimming the edge of the tree causing no serious damage to occur he looked up with fear he recognised the ape as being Koba he had tried to gain a brief bond of trust with the ape, though it seemed that through his misty eyes and scarred features his sense of trust in humanity had long since left him. Koba held no weapon though after living a good eight years with Caesar he knew how powerful a chimp could be. Rising his hand in an attempt to block the blow a flash of relief came across him though as before him clasping Koba's risen hand was Caesar. The communication between the two apes went over Will's head as he watched Caesar walk towards him and stretch a hand to help him up, his legs felt like jelly under his body.

"Caesar come home with me, I'll protect you."

Caesar could hear the desperation in the man who had raised him. He found himself wanting to agree to such a demand but as he turned his head watching the other apes who had survived the horror of the bridge walking towards him, their eyes so much like his own staring towards him some pleading others confused this was a new world for them and they needed someone who had lived in it outside of the bars. Turning he looked towards Will his hand stretched placing it against the back of the sweaty skull he drew the elder mans body towards his own, his neck tensed as he stretched it so that his lips rested just under the ear lobe.

"Caesar. Is home." Will yanked himself away. At first he thought that he had been hearing things though seeing the serious look in the apes face he knew that it was all to real. "Caesars home. Your home." He whispered giving his son his blessing.

Caesar allowed Will to leave the forest without being harmed; as leader he could do anything. Turning his head he watched as the apes before him began to rise up copying his movements on standing upon two legs and not four, he nodded in their direction showing his pride he moved himself forward a hand was stretched out towards him the same movement that he would use when he was seeking permission, as he turned to drag his fingertips across the palm he was shocked to find that it was none other than Cornelia.

Her Caesar

He had watched humans interact with one another seen the way that they held hands or cuddled before they said goodbye, even kissed through the small door of the viechel that always sounded angry when it was used, yet he had never seen how his kind reacted to touches that meant more than just a simple nudge to get out-of-the-way. It wasn't something that he could ask the orangutan advice on as he wasn't a chimp and as Caesar recalled he assumed that chimps were stupid. Such a thought made Caesar smile in amusement he had certainly proved the elder orangutan wrong. Eyes scanned the trees only a few dwelled the peril of going up higher than the ground; judging by the rustling they were building nests, it warmed his heart to think that even after everything had happened they were able to act like normal apes he just didn't know how long this would last, they would need to expand their territory and the only place was the city that they had left in ruins, it would be a tricky situation but one that Caesar would see to through the end.

Getting to the house was easy. His suragont father hadn't changed the locks. Walking across the hall way dragging his knuckles keeping his body to the side so that he wouldn't put pressure on the weak spots. Jumping up he sat upon a large block that was known as a drawer his thick hide hovering just above the cold wood while his toes, curled around the edge giving him grip and enough confidence in his balance as he looked down towards his surgagont father and girlfriend. He watched the way that their bodies rose under the thick blankets from their calm sleep. Will's face buried into his girlfriends shoulder inhaling her scent Caesar couldn't remember the last time he had seen his suragont father so calm. He had come to his old home to have questions answered though as he left he found himself feeling more confussed, his risk in leaving the institute had been a waste of his time on his part though he had managed to find out something that would benift the other apes; One ape is weak. Together they're strong.

Shaking his head either because a fly had buzzed around his head or he found himself lost in his own thoughts he stretched his hand forward grabbing onto a branch that grew from the other side of the tree as he jumped from where he was perched, swinging with ease almost silently as he began to lower himself closer towards the ground he took his time not that he needed to be careful but it allowed him to dwell on the first time that he had seen chimpanzee without bars blocking his vision.

Perched upon the plastic rock that formed his 'new home' Caesar rested his wrists upon his knees looking down at the other apes, everyone seemed to have calmed down since he took command though there were the few occasional squabbles that were, typical of the chimpanzee life. His eyes stopped their stern scanning when they focused on a female chimpanzee not much older than himself holding firmly on a plastic bottle, which she dipped in the pool and emptied it out on the palm of her hand she pulled her lips back exposing her teeth as she let out a laugh that sounded rough, eyes sparkling they searched for the new leader as she turned to show him what she had accomplished.

'It was simple. A child could do it.'

That would have been his reaction had he not seen the way she picked him out from all the rest, he rolled his shoulders back puffing out his chest as he called down to laughing at her actions but not to mock almost to approve. 'She's so bea...' his thoughts interrupted by a jealous male which made his shoulders sag as he turned to his friend the only orangutan of the group who watched with a distant look in his eyes.

He didn't know what humans would call what he witnessed or even felt for that matter he began to think if humans had a word for everything, crouching down on the ground watching as ghostly figures around him started to head in for the night their bodies heavy their minds shaken, he knew that not all of them had survived the battle on the bridge this was something that he couldn't allow to eat him as it would ruin him, he had seen what had happened to his father when his own father was taken by the illness once again. It was like he was sitting across the table from a different man. Narrowing his green speckled eyes he snorted as he turned himself around heading towards his place of rest knowing that a tired mind wasn't good enough for a leader.

"We need them for the lab. Testing."

The words awoke Caesar from his dream like state his head slowly rose up from upon his forearm he blinked his eyes seeing a group of humans huddled around the cell that held Cornelia he felt pain within his chest, canine teeth gritted as he breathed deeply through his mouth causing his lips to push forward exposing his gums he moved closer towards the bars being sure that he kept silent not wanting to be caught. They dragged her body from her perch her hand hung limply between her shoulders as they dumped her on a plank of wood with wheels underneath it. He glared hiding his fear with hatred as he backed up towards his bed hiding underneath it watching from a safer distance he couldn't be caught and taken if he was going to save the other apes; then he would save Cornelia.

The leaves under his feet felt natural to him. The floor wasn't smooth like the house of his father yet he found himself preferring it this way to much of his past could cause him to become side tracked, he didn't lower himself onto his knuckles finding it degrading to walk upon four limbs he wasn't a savage animal grasping upon the thick outer layer of the tree trunk he took a moment to pause, he inhaled the air around him picking up a strong familiar scent it caused him to pull away from the tree as he headed in a new direction.

The laboratory was the first place they striked. Glass shattered machines destroyed by angry fists pounding at the glowing buttons that would once mock their 'uncivilised' intelligence. He stood upon two legs eyes narrowed watching the other apes as they pressed buttons on the doors, allowing the others who had been experimented on for to long escape to feel the joy of freedom he walked along dragging his palm, across the glass before he stopped and peered inside of one room that seemed to have been forgotten.

Experiment 22615. Cornelia.

He couldn't explain the tight feeling that swelled in the base of his throat as he looked towards the female chimpanzee who had placed herself in the furthest corner, her body shaking terribly her eyes screaming something fierce calmly he pressed the button the sound of the door 'swishing' as it opened seemed, to be louder than he first thought as he walked into the cell that held her she backed up not that she had enough room to do so, her eyes that had started to show the change due to the drug became wide she opened her mouth, not to attack more in a fearful expression.

His head began to shake the muscles above his eyes drew in as his eyes began to soften, he stretched his hand towards her hairy cheek cupping it gently allowing his thumb, to graze just under her eye he stepped forward feeling her hand against his arm in an embrace of acceptance; their foreheads touched as Cornelia closed her eyes bringing herself closer towards the strong male ape seeking comfort, he gladly gave it to her his faint snorts followed by muffled coughs a language that meant he would care for her. 'She's so-' it seemed that fate was mocking his thoughts as once again he was interrupted this time it was due to the alarm going off.

They had to get out and fast.

He had remembered the day on the bridge in clear detail even the smell of tyres burning mixed the scent of his own blood when he had grazed his elbow on the ground along with barely missing a bullet that cut through his ear luckily not producing much damage. His hand rose up to the part of his ear that he was missing allowing his finger tips to graze against flesh that still needed to heal he hissed yanking his hand away, bringing his tips to his nose he inhaled the strange smelling red liquid, he was reminded of the time when he had been wounded by a man in his back garden such a thought caused his fingers to curl as he snapped his head away disgusted at how weak he once was.

He stood on top of the car roof his body fueled with rage yet he didn't want to kill the humans that fought back against him. Rising a hairy arm he pulled the muscles within his face back exposing his canine teeth as he roared loudly causing the gorillas to pound their chests and the orangutans to bash the ground with their fists as they charged forward necks braced heads bowed, eyes narrowed bracing for impact from the plastic shields that the humans bore in front of them they rose on their hind legs ripping the protective material from the humans feeble grasp tossing it aside sometimes with the humans still attached.

Running behind them keeping an eye out for a side attack he saw her; Cornelia climbing up the thick metal ropes of the bridge behind the other apes mostly females or those to aged to fight as he was about to smile horror-struck him; seeing a helicopter heading their way he broke from the group and ran towards it giving out a terrified cry that caught the attention of his loyal companion Buck the large misjudged gorilla watched Caesar, he knew what the younger ape was charging towards and knew the dangers behind it he ran towards him pushing Caesar out-of-the-way with a loud grunt as he jumped arms tensed mouth agape as he roared loudly...

Caesar sighed. Buck along side Maurice were one of few loyal apes that he was able to have by his side if it wasn't for the gorilla the helicopter would not have only succeeded in killing Cornelia but also himself, he was the main target not the other apes yet they used the other apes to get to him being a leader meant that the apes were his responsiblity. Thumping the ground with his fist out of anger he turned himself around and climbed up a single tree that lead to a small clearing there he would find his bed for the night, already there was a chill in the air that caused him to shudder even with his hairy body he could feel the cold much like any animal.

Caesar had dealt with loss before. His grandfather. But now as he stood a top his favourite tree looking out towards the bridge he knew that going home was not an option it pained him to think he had to leave a life behind but in doing so he was gaining a new one. A gentle pressure was placed against his shoulder. At first he assumed that it was Maurice and so didn't turn his head to inspect the new comer it wasn't until the warm cheek was placed just under his ear lobe, twitching his nose he took in the scent around him and found the smallest of smiles coming across his lips. Cornelia. Turning his head he looked into her newly formed eyes and couldn't help but wonder what colour they were before, they had never been this close together not since the time in the testing lab he shuddered at such a foul memory.

He signed. 'Caesar said goodbye.' He began to blush realising that he and Maurice were the only ones who knew sign language though Cornelia seemed to understand as she nodded, bringing her body closer against his almost as if she was returning the comfort he gave her in the lab.

Climbing up the tree was easy. His feet and hands hadn't changed it was only his mind and accomplishments his foot slipped only once though he managed to get his bearings about him quickly, when a branch came into view he was tempted to swing upon it though his fingers stretched to grab ahold of it a pain that he only felt when he was sleepy coursed through him, he retracted his hand focusing on why he was climbing the tree in the first place.

Now as he stared down at the female chimpanzee at his Cornelia he stretched out a palm grazing it against the top of her skull watching intently that she wouldn't awaken, he smiled gently moving his body to rest behind hers their bodies fitting perfectly in the leave nest, that they created among a group of trees that formed together during a storm or just from to many seeds being dropped in the same place.

Remembering the way he had witnessed his 'father' hold onto the woman he loved he wound his arm around Cornelia's middle while he buried his face in the crook of her neck, the position was alien to him and possibly to other chimps but with his birth given intelligence it seemed to just fit perfectly.

"Your, beautiful."

His voice was hoarse due to its lack of use, he even had to take a break between the two simple words to make sure that he said them correctly.

She had heard him. A smile graced her lips the warmth of his body enveloped her from behind reminding her that he would always be there. Her Caesar.