H-hey everyone….. *dodges fruit* Haha…. I understand. I was gone for soooooo long, and blah blah blah….. But I have a good reason! I was in the hospital! For like a week! *Dodges more fruit* Okay, okay. That's no excuse for not updating in a long time, and. I. AM. SORRY. But, on with the story! *dodges Piano * -_- Really? A Piano?

It took thirty minutes, five lungful's of water, and two near drownings for Tulio to make it out of that river. Shaking his head like a wet dog, Tulio gasped for sweet, sweet air.

''That was good. Right Miguel? '' Tulio turned to see his blond friend, only to find him not there. At first, Tulio was surprised. Then, he remembered.

It all came back in a flash.

Him and Miguel setting up a conning booth.

Tulio conning a man with an eye patch.

Miguel wanting to go home, and himself refusing.

The eyepatch man catching on.

Them running to a river.

A river…..Miguel…..

Tulio's head snapped up. He remembered. Without a second thought, the dark haired man ran off to save his best friend.

He silently cursed himself for letting the river drag him this far. He could be anywhere as two or ten miles away from his friend. And there was no telling what Mr. Eyepatch –as Tulio decided to refer to him as- would do to his blond friend.Mr. Eyepatch seemed to be a brutal type, which reminded Tulio a lot of Cortés. Though in all honesty, he would prefer Cortés right now.

Oh, finally. The tree where he and Miguel were separated was just ahead. Which was good for Tulio because his lungs were about to give out.

Tulio skidded to an ungraceful stop just before the tree. He looked around. Behind the tree, in its branches, and even because he was so desperate, under a rock.

Nothing, nada, zilch. No sign of Miguel or Mr. Eyepatch anywhere. The only thing Tulio could see was a unhelpful piece of gold.

''Oh no-no-nooooo!'' Tulio sat down on the river bank, grasping his head in his hands. ''Oh Miguel… What am I gonna do?'' He pried at the edges of his mind, trying to come up with a plan. But instead, he only ended up with a headache, and a heavy heart. He couldn't think of a single way to save his friend.

Tulio walked home slowly. He had no Idea of what he would tell Chel about Miguel. Over the past year, the two of them had become like brother and sister, and he was sure Chel would grieve almost as must as him.

Almost.

When Tulio knock on the door he full expecting Chel to greet him with a cheerful face as always, maybe just a little mad for being gone so long. But when the door was opened he was not expecting his tearful wife to look up at him.

She stared at him in shock, like he was a ghost. When she finally spoke, it came out as a horse whisper.

''T-Tulio? Your…your alive?''

Tulio stared right back at her, his face forming one of a confused man. ''What? Chel, what do you mean?''

Chel didn't answer. Instead she walked forward to place a hand on Tulio's cheek.

At once her eyes softened. ''It really is you!'' The woman threw herself at her husband, pressing her lips to his feverishly.

At little surprised, Tulio softy kissed her back, then pulled away to look at her questionably. ''Chel? What's going on?''

Chel looked Tulio right in the eyes, a look of schoolgirl glee on her face. ''An speech was made. They said that the two famous thieves 'Tulio and Miguel' were caught and put to death. I was so upset, but then you came! They lied!''

Shouting with happiness Chel pulled Tulio inside, and stuck her head out the door.

''Tulio?'' She asked, ''Where's Miguel?''

Tulio turned to his wife and took a deep breath. He knew it would be best to tell her fast. Like ripping off a band-aid.

''Chel…'' Oh, he couldn't do this! It was too hard to tell his true love that his best friend was taken.

''Chel they…..TheytookMiguelandIdon'tknowwereheisandhemay bedead!"

She starred at him for a moment, then. ''I'm sorry. What?''

Tulio sighed again and led the girl over to her armchair. After making sure she was comfortable, and that nothing that could be used as a weapon in reach, he began to speak slowly and calmly.

''Chel….'' He place a kiss on her hand. ''They….they did get Miguel. And I could do nothing to stop them… I'm sorry…'' He hated this! He sounded like someone giving bad news to a husbandless mother! Where was his grief?

Chel was silent as she gazed into Tulio's eyes. ''Tulio… is he?''

Her question did not need to be said.

''I don't know. I know they took him, but I can't be sure if he's dead.''

TWAKC!

Tulio's head turned to the left with the slap he had received.

''How could you!? You idiot!'' Chel was standing now, her face twisted in grief and rage. ''Why didn't you look for him?''

''I-''

She didn't wait for him to answer. ''He's alive! The speech given said you were both dead!''

Tulio could only stare. Could she be right? Could Miguel be….alive?

''I-I'm sorry….''

Chel sighed and placed a hand on the man's cheek. ''I know, but now we have to go find him.''

''Whoa! Hey, that's not gonna happen. I'll look for him, but you-'' He poked her in her slightly bloated stomach- ''Are going nowhere. '' Tulio pulled Chel close and placed a kiss on her nose. ''I'll be back before tomorrow.''

Sup? I wrote this chappie in a hurry cause I really wanted to get it out. AND SIDOFHNOEIUTHGCINHWEG I HATE THIS CHAPPTER IT'S TURKEY POOP ON TOP OF A CRUD SANDWITCH! DX *five more minutes of ranting* Ehem…as I was saying, please review. Reviews are like chocolate for dog. …*blink blink*…wait…