AN: Hello again! Now, I would suggest you read the prequel 'The Only One', which is the beginning of Marco/Ax's relationship. This is vert short, but this will be covering books in the cannon series, starting with 44: The Unexpected, with the majority of this one centering around events... Well, that would be giving it away. If it feels like the plot is rushed, I'm sorry, but really, stroy three will make up for it, I swear! Really I had to go back and read through books 44-54, and there's not much 'space' where I can add much in.

Chapter 1
Marco

My name is Marco. Just Marco, nothing else. Maybe one day I'll tell you my full name, maybe even my address and what state I live in. For now, you'll just have to trust that my name is Marco. Such a cool name isn't it?

If you're not sitting down, maybe you should before reading the next bit. Earth is being invaded.

By aliens.

Seriously! No, I don't need to see a doctor.

I'm telling you, it's true. I wouldn't believe it either if it wasn't for another alien (different from the one's invading us) whose name was Elfangor. Prince Elfangor actually. His ships crashed landed in front of me and four of my friends, Jake, Rachel, Cassie and Tobias. He told us of the Yeerks, how they enslave people, jumping to planets across the galaxy.

The kicker? The Yeerks are nothing but slug-like creatures. Pretty defenseless when they're not in a host. They slid through your ear canal, wrap themselves around your brain taking complete control. You can't talk, you can't move, you can't eat unless the Yeerk wants you too. No thought of your own, the Yeerk can open you mind, make you remember things as clear as if it just happened.

Yeah, they suck big time.

So when Elfangor told us all of this, he also gave us a weapon: the power to morph into any animal we touch.

Might not sound much, but believe me it's enough. We have done some serious damage to the Yeerks, all without them finding about us, that we're human. See, they think we're Andalites (Oh yeah, Elfangor was one), an advanced race who created the morphing technology. They are also they only one's who have it.

Might help that the sixth kid in our group is an Andalite, coincidentally Elfangor's younger brother Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. Yeah, we just call him Ax for short.

Oh, did I mention he's my boyfriend?

Yes I'm a guy, and yes he's an alien. In my defence for two hours he can become human so it's only weird most of the time. Judge all you want, but I'm perfectly happy being with him.

I would be even happier if I wasn't fighting in a secret war against an alien force. I'd be even happier if my dad had never married my math teacher. Hell, I'd be happier if I could stop dreaming about being an ant or a bee.

And you want to know what would make me really happy at the moment? If we knew where the hell Cassie was.

Alright, let me back up a bit. You see, the government managed to find a piece of a Bug Fighter, and were planning on doing tests on it. The Yeerks don't want an open war, so they went to take back while it was enroute from the airport.

Us Animorphs went to make sure the Yeerks didn't succeed.

Thing is, in the battle we lost Cassie. We didn't know weather the Yeerks had her, or weather she had been killed and we just didn't see her. Nothing.

Jake of course, was totally freaking out. His girlfriend was MIA so I guess he had a right to be. Rachel was typical Rachel, demanding we storm the nearest Yeerk controlled facility and demand answers.

Ax, Tobias and I all agreed that there wasn't much we could do. If Cassie was dead, well...

If she was alive, she'd come home. And seeing as how it had already been a couple of days, I doubted the Yeerks had her since our doors haven't been knocked in recently. So we sit while one of the Chee takes Cassie's place so her parents don't know she's missing. We wait for her to either come home... Or enough time has passed for us to say she's gone.

I sighed deeply, leaning my head back looking up at the thatched ceiling.

((What is wrong?)) Ax asked, I turned to where he was standing, a box full of tangle wires and circuits in one hand, and a very small screwdriver in the other.

"I hope Cassie is alright." I sighed again. Ax nodded.

((I believe she will be.)) Ax said, turning back to his device, ((She is smart and brave. She will find her way home soon enough.))

"Yeah. What are you working on anyways?" I asked him, getting up and moving to gaze down at it.

((Ah, well-))

"Wait stop!" I said, holding a hand up, "Just remember, primitive human."

It's really funny to watch an Andalite roll their eyes, especially when it's only one set moving, ((Yes well, what I was going to say is that I am not telling you.))

I blinked, "What? Why not?"

((Because.)) Ax said simply, turning his stalk-eye away from me.

"Well that's just mean." He nodded, but didn't answer, "Well if you're so busy maybe I should go home, play with Euclid since my boyfriend is ignoring me." Ax nodded absently and I huffed moving away and collapsing back on the couch.

Alright so I was bored. Really bad to say when a friend is missing, but I was. I could be doing homework I suppose, but I've turned into one of those 'save it till the last minute' kind of guys. I used to be really good in school... Until I found out about the Yeerks of course.

((Marco, I am not ignoring you.)) Startled I looked over to Ax, who had all four eyes looking towards me, ((If it satisfies you, it is a present, and a surprise. Prince Jake told me your birthday is soon, and that it is traditional to give a present.))

I felt touched, and smiled over at him, "Thanks Aximili." He smiled back in that weird Andalite way.

((Ax! Ax are you home? Marco you there too?)) Tobias called out suddenly.

((Yes Tobias, we are here.)) Ax called.

((Good, Cassie was found. A Chee found her, and you are never going to guess where she was.))

I nodded to Ax, ((Where?)) he asked for me.

((Australia!))

It took another day for Cassie to come home and tell us fully what happened to her. Things went back to normal, which means keeping an ear out for any Yeerk activity. For now though, they seemed to be quiet, and that was good. It gave us a little time to catch up on school.

Thing was, this war was getting worse. Maybe it was us, maybe we were all just changing far too much. But to me, it was getting harder to think of an excuse for my dad when I came home too late. I was running out of the energy to even care about school, and they had given up punishing me for late assignments and skipped hours. Writing me off as one of those hopeless cases probably.

Today though was Saturday, it also happened to be my birthday.

I remember when I was kid, my mom would wake me up early in the morning. She would make chocolate chip pancakes, with cake for dessert, cholate milk and pounds of junk food to eat for the whole day. Then presents.

For dinner we would always go wherever I wanted no matter how unhealthy or hyper it made me. My parents would let me stay up as long as I wanted, even on a school night.

I miss those days. But when mom disappeared and Dad went into that depression, all I would get from him was a 'Happy Birthday'. It had hurt, but I suppose I grew out of it eventually.

This morning though, the sun was high in the sky before I woke up. Nora greeted me with a cup of coffee and a piece of her homemade cheese cake, which is to die for by the way. Meticulously, I opened the presents they gave me (a couple of new games for the computer and Playstation), and Nora bought me a whole bunch of some pretty expansive clothes.

"Alright Marco. Go!" Nora laughed as I looked at the clock for the hundredth time, "I'm sure you have plans with your friends."

My dad laughed, "Guess he's too old to hang out with his parents."

'She's not my parent.' I thought to myself bitterly, but smiled at them.

"Totally. We're going to rob a couple of banks today, just for fun. A couple million good for you two?"

"Get out of here! Make sure you're home for dinner." My dad laughed, pushing me towards the door.

I headed down the street, ducking out of sight when I made sure there was no one around, morphing osprey and taking off towards Ax's.

Demorphing quickly, I headed inside frowning when I didn't see Ax right away..

I jumped as two, human, arms wrapped around my waist from behind and Ax placed a couple of kisses on my neck.

"I had figured you would be a little later." He mumbled in my ear as I leaned back into his embrace.

"Well, to be honest I couldn't wait to come here."

I felt him smile as I turned my head and he gave me a kiss, "Happy Birthday Marco."

"Thanks Ax." he smiled again, moving passed me towards the table.

"So... You mentioned you have a present for me?" I asked innocently, clasping my hands in front of me.
Not saying anything, he grabbed something from the table, placing it in my hands.

You know those lights that run on the batteries, where you push the top and it turns on? Well that's what this looked like.

"Uh.. Ax- What is it?" I asked sheepishly, turning it in my hands.

He smiled, "There is a small button on the front, you need to only touch it."

I found it, running my finger over it. A hologram appeared, hovering on top. It was a recent family picture my dad insisted on getting done. My dad was standing behind me, his hand resting on my shoulder, and beside me should have been Nora.

Instead it was my mom. Smiling at me.

"How-?" My throat closed up.

"Prince Jake helped me." Ax said softly, "The picture he gave me of your mother is a little older, but-" he trailed off shrugging.

I stared at the hologram, mostly at my mom. I ran my hand over the button, turning it off and setting it aside. Ax stood in front of me, looking a little apprehensive.

"Thank you Ax." I said softly, "I- this means a lot." I whispered, going over and kissing him. He relaxed, kissing me back slowly.

((Alright alright, break it up!)) Tobias grumbled, making Ax and I jump apart, blushing lightly. ((Aww, you're too cute. Happy Birthday Marco. I was going to bring you a mouse for a present... But I ate it.))

"Gee, thanks Tobias. How generous of you."

((No problem.)) He laughed, ((Jake, Ahoy!))

"Jake ahoy!?" I laughed, "Really Tobias? What have you been smoking?"

"I do not believe Tobias could smoke anything." Ax said slowly as Jake walked in.

"It's just a saying Ax." I said, shaking my head as Jake looked on confused. "So, oh fearless leader. What did you get me for my birthday? Don't tell me you ate it too?"

"What?" Jake asked, blinking before he shook his head, "Nevermind I don't want to know. And for your information, you're not getting a present from me."

I stuck out my tongue at him, pouting. Really it didn't bother me, Jake and I never really exchanged gifts for our birthdays.

"Well that's mean of him." Cassie's voice rang out, as she appeared behind Jake. "Here Marco, I'll make up for Jake." she smiled at him as she handed me a small box. Inside was a gift certificate to 'Future Shop'.

"Between you and my parents, I'm going to have enough games to last me for years."

Rachel arrived a little later, carrying a few bags full of junk food and a few movies. It was nice, hanging out with my friends, joking and playing around, acting like normal teenagers, stealing kisses from Ax whenever I could, getting cat calls from Tobias and Rachel.

Yeah, it was nice pretending to be normal sometimes.