Chapter 4
Kadaj looked around the empty bar. Amber or what he called 'kid', 'brat', 'sis', 'it' or anything in that matter was sitting on his lap and she hadn't spoken since she was taken out. She was sleeping. Her breathing was deep, sort of raspy. Her head was resting against Kadaj's chest as she slept. There was a knocking at the back door. At that time Kadaj listened as the bartender opened the door.
"Hey, Cloud, that was quick. You look stressed. Something up?"
Kadaj's eyes widened and tried to tiptoe out of the bar, with the sleeping child in his arms. Who started to wake up.
Then Kadaj heard his voice.
"Just haven't been getting good sleep. My sister is sick." Of course, he was telling a lie.
Kadaj felt the child squirm in his arms and he whispered to her. "Stop it, stop it, stop it..."
But he never expected the child to speak, more or less yell. "Cloud!"
Kadaj covered Amber's mouth and ran out of the bar onto his bike and sped off. He grabbed Amber by her shoulder and lightly shook her. "You're not gona see him yet!! After we find mother I'll let you see him ok?!"
Amber cried and buried her face in his chest. "I'm sorry please don't yell!"
Kadaj looked down at the child and shook his head, as he quickly drove out of town. Finally they reached the cave and handed Amber the bathing suit he bought for her.
"Go change into this, you try to escape I'll yell at you again." Kadaj thought it wasn't a good threat, but Amber looked scared enough already.
Kadaj saw Amber run behind one of the large rocks and he quickly changed into his swimming trunks. Soon he saw amber come out in her purple one piece bathing suit. Kadaj had to admit, she looked kind of cute. The teen picked up the girl and walked over tone of the large pools of steaming water. He said down and got in slowly, with Amber on his lap. Amber tried to get out at first but Kadaj wouldn't let her go, soon she was used to the hot water that was up to a few inches below her shoulders.
"It's Peaceful here, isn't it?" Kadaj said putting his wet hand on Amber's head.
Amber shrugged. "I guess..."
Suddenly footsteps emitted through the cave. Amber gasped and grabbed Kadaj's arm. The footsteps got louder then shadows could be seen. Amber then let out a sigh of relief. It was Yazoo and Loz in their swimming trunks and they set their clothes down with the others then got into the small pool. Yazoo picked up the little girl and whispered in her ear.
"Did he hurt you?"
Amber looked up at Yazoo and shook her head.
Yazoo nodded and poked her nose. "You like you're new bathing suit?"
Amber nodded and snuggled up to Yazoo resting her head on the man's shoulder. It was silent for a few minutes until Loz finally spoke up.
"So...What if Brother really doesn't have mother?" He asked running his hand through his short hair.
Kadaj shrugged. "Maybe we can keep her."
Yazoo cocked a brow. "And why not give her back? Where she belongs."
Kadaj and Loz looked at each other and laughed then Kadaj shrugged. Yazoo sighed and cradled Amber in his arms, she still looked very sick. Yazoo ran his damp fingers through Amber's hair over and over. Trying to use his body heat and the heat of the water to maybe sweat the illness out. He wouldn't let the other's touch her. He was acting like her father. But Yazoo figured she was happy someone was there to love her through the entire trauma. Someone close to a father figure, yet so different. Yazoo started to wash Amber's hair. Soaking each dark red strand of hair letting the water run down her back. After he was done he would use a towel to dry Amber's hair then tie it back with an elastic band that he had with him. Amber rested her head against Yazoo's pale chest to sleep. The older male put his arms around her to keep her warm as she slept. Kadaj and Loz watched it all.
"So…Why are you being so nice and loving if you want to give her back?" Loz asked as he leaned forward.
Kadaj nodded. "I want to ask the same thing, like I said. Why not just keep her? I am sure mother would be happy having a daughter."
Yazoo looked up at his brothers to answer, but he couldn't, they had a good question. One that he couldn't really answer. "I…Don't know…"
Yazoo would look down at Amber again, he would pick up the sleeping child. "Kadaj come here, you take her."
Kadaj blinked and tilted his head. "Why?"
Yazoo would place Amber in his brother's lap. "I need to check her breathing."
Yazoo would put Kadaj's arms around the child's waist so Amber could lean against him. He would then put a hand on her chest to feel it rise and fall. He could feel the congestion in Amber's lungs.
"What are you doing?" Kadaj asked as he rested his chin on Amber's head, obviously bored.
Yazoo put up his hand up to silence Kadaj. He listened to Amber's breathing; it was raspy, very raspy.
Loz would snatch Amber from Kadaj's arms and he lightly shook the child.
"Is something stuck in her throat?" He asked.
Yazoo growled and he took Amber away from his brothers. "She is very sick; she needs to go to the hospital."
The long haired brother would lightly tap Amber on the cheek. "Hey, rug rat."
Amber rubbed her eyes and she tried to push Yazoo's hand away, of course trying to fall back asleep. But Yazoo would have none of it. He would grab her hands and lightly shake her.
"No Amber, you need to get dressed. We're taking you to the doctor." He said as he put Amber down behind a rock with her clothes so she could change. While he hid behind another rock so he could change.
Amber came out from behind the rock and she had her bathing suit in her hands. Once Yazoo would come out and take his swim trunks and amber's suit and just lay them on the ground. He looked at Kadaj and Loz who said nothing as Amber literally fell limp in Yazoo's arms.
"I'll meet you back home." He said as he got on his bike and sped off. But the hospital was several miles away… And Amber was getting worse. Yazoo feared she wouldn't even make it to the hospital.
