WHAT'S THE BEST CHOICE?

Chapter 3

What Love can do

"It was a starry night. The breeze was mild and was whispering between the palm trees. The waves were moving softly, as if they were dancing with the sea music.

Stitch was staring at this silently night as he drove the buggy. Next to him, was a person with large, black hair, floating gracefully each time the breeze caressed it. Her beautiful eyes were similar in beauty to sea when gleam the stars in its deep water, and they had the color of a cup filled with coffee. Her cheeks flushing slightly and a calm smile rest in her face as she saw the moon just above them.

Stitch couldn't help to get lost for a while in that beautiful eyes looking at him, as he couldn't help to get absent-mind in her blushed cheeks nor her calming smile. Her eyes told him everything: they told him how much love she felt for him. He felt his heart accelerating the beaten inside him. He never had felt something like this before.

Then he looked back at the dusty road so he couldn't lost all his mind in that sample of beauty and love joined in that beautiful couple of eyes. Then he felt how she leaned her head in his shoulder. His heart hopped inside him and he felt a wonderful sensation flowing from his shoulder, as if a fire were burning from that spot her head had touched. He smiled slightly as he wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her near to him, as she cradled herself into his chest. He remembered how nearly he had been to have lost her in Hamsterviel's spaceship, a couple of hours ago. That thought made him to tighten the grip he had in her waist.

They heard the calmly sounds that came from the waves dancing at the white sand of the beach. He lowered the velocity which he was driving with.

He could feel his heart knocking against his chest when he felt her head lifting from his shoulder, and then he felt his heart was just going to melt down with the sweetness of those eyes looking at his black ones.

He didn't know what he was doing; he just knew that he fell into a trance. He clearly heard something that demanded him to take a grip of her chin. He did, and then he began to draw her face close to his. She seemed to be into a trance too, and she closed slowly her eyes when she felt his hand drawing her close to his face. Their hearts were hopping inside them with such strength that he wondered if it just was going to jump out of him. He closed his eyes as he felt her warmth breath in his face. He leaned slightly his head so he could be more comfortable in that position. When his lips were a few inches away from hers, the buggy jerked hardly, causing them to withdraw one from each other.

-W-what was that? –she asked nervously.

-Don't know –Stitch answered.

For Stitch, it was just like if he would've woken up from a large dream because the trance he was in. He jumped off the buggy to see what was going on. When he saw what had happened, he opened his mouth in awe: there was some kind of animal that had been run over by the car. Stitch wasn't sure if it was an animal, so he just activated his infrared pupils to see better than he could do with his normal sight. What he saw wasn't exactly an animal, it was an experiment. Stitch wanted to assure if she was right, so he approached to her, slowly and carefully, remembering that she was one of Jumba's experiment and that he didn't know how dangerous she could be. When he was about to shake her to see if she was alive, suddenly, as a lightning, the experiment got up and shot a kind of flash from her hands, but Stitch was faster than her moves and moved away just in time before the flash could have reached him. While the experiment was looking for Stitch with her sight, Stitch saw how the flash reached the black-haired person that was at the buggy. He saw how she froze, just like if someone would've turned her into a rock. Stitch was frightened for a while, but after a second he recovered himself and jumped off from the palm-tree he was hidden in, falling on top of the blue experiment and catching her.

Some minutes after, the experiment was growling inside the glass capsule she was kept in. Stitch growled back at her and then looked at Lilo. Great, now how is he going to unfreeze her? While he was looking at her, he felt a little, cold drop running down his nose. He lifted his eyes just to see a huge cloud above all of them. He moaned; well, now he had to hurry home because now the rain was falling down the ground hardly.

The little outing they had took that night seemed perfect to hunt some lost experiment, so while they were outing, Jumba, Pleackley and the rest had arrived home. Stitch was eager to arrive home so Jumba could say him how to unfreeze Lilo, but he got even more eager when the rain fell hardly in their heads as if Lilo were giving him a shower with cold water.

-I know you don't like water Stitch, but you can't help the weather gets rainy –he heard someone talking at him.

When he whirled his head, he saw Lilo smiling at him as she squeezed out some water from her hair. Stitch grinned.

-So, do you think we need to ask Jumba about her? –she said when dried completely her hair.

-Ih! –answered Stitch, taking in his shoulders the little glass accessory and carrying it inside home"

-Stitch… - he heard in the distance. Then he felt someone shaking him.

-Stitch… come on, wake up friend… Stitch… -he heard, the sound grew louder.

-Stitch!!! Wake up, Stitch!!! I'm late for hula!!! –Lilo was shaking Stitch, trying to make him to wake up, but Stitch just moaned then turned his back to Lilo.

Lilo sighed heavily:

-OK, if you don't want to wake up right now then I'll be compelled to let you here suffering Pleackley's ways to make you wake up –Lilo menaced, smirking at him.

Stitch didn't think it twice; he just jumped out from his cot, still drowsy. He didn't like the Mondays at morning, but if there was something that bothered him more than Mondays at morning, it was Pleackley's out of tune voice singing old songs from his planet that sounded more like a torture method to oblige poor prisoners to reveal secrets about their war-mates.

While Lilo was getting dressed for hula with her grassy skirt and her red top, Stitch went downstairs to take his breakfast: a piece of pie or coconut cake with his hot coffee. When he felt the warmth steam on his face, he remembered his dream. He thought that the steam felt so similar to Lilo's breath on his dream that he thought for a few seconds he had again Lilo's face cupped in his hands and he was going to kiss her. Then he felt his lips scorching with the hot coffee and separated the cup from his mouth.

"Of course, I think Lilo wouldn't have scorched me like that" he thought, trying to relief his harmed lips with a glass filled with cold water.

-Bye Pleackley, bye Jumba!!! See you!!! –he heard a voice coming upstairs- Stitch, I'm ready, come on, let's go!!! –Lilo commanded.

Stitch still was moaning because the burning pain on his lips, and Lilo noticed that.

-What happened Stitch? –Lilo asked, half worried and half amused.

-Meega… got hurt –Stitch said groaning.

-OK, now what happened?

-Meega got scorch with coffee.

Lilo laughed sceptically- Do you mean…? But how did you…? It hadn't happened to you ever!!!

Stitch blushed. He remembered why he had get harm: it was because of imagination power -Well, meega… thoughtful… just that –he said, hoping Lilo wouldn't ask him more than he wanted to answer. Lilo shrugged.

-OK, I'll heal you. Where did you get hurt?

-What do you want to do?

-That's easy: I'll just kiss the spot where you did get hurt. Now tell me, where did you get hurt?

Stitch blushed more than ever- Huh, Stitch is sure Lilo won't do that.

-Why are you so sure?

-Because Stitch hurt his lips –Stitch lowered his head so she couldn't see his shame as well as his blushing.

-Well, that doesn't… did you say "your" lips? –Lilo asked nervously as she blushed.

One more time, Stitch thought she looked so pretty… now her cheeks matched with her red top. Stitch nodded, answering Lilo's question.

-W-well, I-I can't k-kiss your l-lips, but I can do something a-about t-that –Lilo assured as she approached to him.

Then he felt his heart beating hardly against his chest when he felt Lilo's breath on his face. He looked one more time at those beautiful eyes that had haunted his dreams several times… those coffee-like eyes that haunted him since she kissed his nose when he saved her from Gantu's mangled spaceship. He couldn't stand the look of her eyes and closed his eyes, just waiting.

By Lilo's side, she was really confused about what she was doing when she approached to Stitch. She resisted the urge to kiss his lips; she wanted it to be just an innocent kiss to "heal" his pain. Her mom used to do that with her when she got hurt, and she wanted to keep it just as what it was: an innocent healing kiss. She closed her lips to his nose, but Stitch was so nervous that he was trembling, so it caused Lilo to kiss him just below his nose but above his lips. It was a fast peck, but even so she felt a little bit guilty about it. She didn't even look at his face; instead she looked at the ground.

-OK, do you feel better?

Stitch opened his eyes. He was still trembling at the fact that Lilo had kissed him nearly in his lips.

-Hum, yeah, meega… much better. Thank you. –actually, he had forgotten that he had got hurt his lips with the hot coffee. He was able just to thing in nothing but the kiss Lilo gave him.

While they were rushing to the hula school with the buggy, Stitch thought about the things that had happened to him that day. He thought about the dream; it was what had happened the same night all the experiment pods had been released. It wasn't exactly a dream; it was exactly what had happened that night, it was more like a regard. He remembered he actually was going to kiss Lilo on her lips (maybe that was the reason she realized she loved him).

But then he remembered Krista again. Stitch sighed. He couldn't help to think still about her, because he loved her deeply. "She's still on my mind" he thought "I think I fulfilled my promise with you, Krista. I really would love to be falling in love with Lilo completely, but I think a part of my heart still belongs to you. I still love you, even if you're dead" he thought, trying hard to don't break down in crying, but he couldn't avoid a little tear rolled down through his cheek.

Lilo noticed it too, even if Stitch tried to deny that he was crying. Her mind didn't imagine why he was crying, but her heart told her it was because Krista. "Poor Stitch. I just want to be whom he really needs, but I think she has gone… she left two years ago. I could bet he still loves her. Why, Stitch? Why? Why I can't be the perfect match for you?" Lilo thought, as a little tear rolled down her cheek.

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Meanwhile, in a far, far away galaxy (no, it's not Star Wars), in a prison asteroid, a gerbil-like prisoner was trying hard to sleep while a crowd of red creatures that resembled to Stitch were dancing with their favorite Elvis' record: "Jailhouse Rock"

The annoyed prisoner was trying to ignore the loud music that was drilling his huge rabbit-like ears. Nothing could be done to get some sleep with such din.

-Aaargh, those evil experiments are REALLY evil!!! They cannot be even a second without moving!!!!!!!!!!!!!! –he said angrily- Will you just SHUT UP!!!!!!!! –he yelled, already at the verge of his patience.

Suddenly, the music halted, but it was just a few seconds before they began their "little" party. Hamsterviel growled again, covering his ears with a huge pillow, but it was useless. He laid down in his hard, cold cot, but then, he heard a noise that came from under his cot. He growled angrily, because he knew what was going on in that moment. It had happened to him five times the same week:

-Oh, no, I won't let you scoff me again!!!! Don't you know I am the doctor Jacques Von Hamsterviel???????? Now get out of my cell!!!!!!! Hey, that's not yours, evil and silly experiment!!!!!! Bad clones!!! Put me DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! –he yelled, seeing that a gang of five Leroys were "borrowing" a huge, hidden bag with some Coke cans and a huge marshmallows bag. Two clones lifted him in the air, while another three were transporting the cans and some bags that they found hidden in a secret compartment in the gerbil-faced criminal's cell. Then they entered into the huge hole they had opened in the cell floor so they could pass to their own cell. They knew they could escape from jail, but they didn't want to because they loved to annoy the little crazed gerbil with their inopportune visits, so they wouldn't go until the "boss" order it. Besides, there were so few cells at jail for the crowds of clones that the guards had been compelled to put in each cell at least ten Leroys.

-Taka, yeenka-tee faba!!!!!! –the last one yelled at Hamsterviel, staffing.

-I'm not fat, I'm chubby!!!!!! -yelled back with anger –Leroy, could you get back my stuff PLEASE?????? – Hamsterviel demanded disgusted to someone who was taking a nap in his cot.

-Grrrr… meega nala queesta –muttered Leroy bitter and dangerously. That Leroy was the original one, the unique one who wanted revenge on Stitch. Of course, all the clones wanted at first revenge too, but they got used to live at jail with the gerbil-face and never minded about it again. Only he was being burned with the hate fire, that fire that command everybody to take the most awful and dreadful revenges, but only a few of them think well about it and regret their revenge thirst just in time. He was being burn with that kind of revenge thirst, and he didn't want to regret it until he get his revenge and make Stitch pay all with the most dreadful possible way.

Leroy went to the lower cell. All what Hamsterviel could hear was the noise of kicks, punches and some groaning full of pain. That was good for Leroy. He could quench some of his revenge thirst punching some of his clones. They weren't increased by Dupe, but they weren't as smart, skill nor dangerous as the original Leroy. He really desired to have his revenge.

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-See you Elena!!! Aloha Teresa!!! Bye Yuki!!! Good-bye Mertle!!! –Lilo shouted happily as she waved her hand at her new friends. Since the entire Leroys thing Mertle had become friend of Lilo and learned how to understand the odd things she sometimes does. Meanwhile, Stitch was waiting for Lilo in the buggy, reading an old Superman magazine he had found abandoned. When he saw Lilo, he remained speechless. He felt again that odd sensation he had each time he saw at her: he felt a huge happiness and at the same time he felt nervously, ashamed.

-Hi, Stitch!

-Hum, hi-ie-e –Stitch said, just as if he wouldn't say anything else.

"Wow, Lilo looks so… beautiful. I had never seen her as beautiful as today she does" Stitch thought. He could see all the same things he saw on his dream about her: her raven hair, falling down behind her back just as a bright waterfall, her slightly blushed cheeks, and over all, those charming eyes he loved to see at. He tried to don't get absent-mind, but it was just impossible avoid to see that sample of beauty next to him. She looked even more beautiful at the noon light. "I think that's all" Stitch said to himself "I've fallen totally in love with Lilo". Then he thought in Krista again. "I know I still love you, Krista, but I think that Lilo has gained a place in my heart too" he thought, but as I said before, for him it was always sad to remember Krista.

When they arrived home, Stitch went upstairs at the dome. Lilo wanted to enter too, but Stitch didn't allow her. Lilo heard a weeping, and she knew what was going on. "I can't stand this anymore. I'm going to do something about this. Stitch, I promise that I'm going to heal you from this" Lilo thought determinately as she walked towards Jumba's spaceship.

Jumba was mixing some unknown substances in his laboratory when Lilo entered.

-Hi Jumba! –she greeted. Jumba fell down from his chair with the fright.

-Oh, hello, little girl!!! What brings you to my lab? –he asked happily.

-I… I need your help for something –Lilo said.

-Well, Jumba will be happy to do anything to make happy little girl –Jumba assured with a smile on his face.

-Anything? –Lilo asked with a mocked smirk on her face. Jumba giggled.

-Well, anything, less disguise myself as a tea pot and sing –he joked. Lilo lowered her face.

-But what's going on, little girl? Why are you so sad?

-It's because…

-Yes?

-It's because I'm… -Lilo sighed- I'm in love, Jumba.

-Oh, that's a good new!!!!! When is the wedding?

-No, Jumba, please, let me tell you who I'm in love with.

-OK –Jumba said as he sat again on his chair –Is someone I know?

-Oh yes. You do. And very well. You'll see, err, Jumba… I'm in love with Stitch…

-WHAT!!!!!!!!!!! –Jumba fell down one more time from his chair.

"I know it could happen, but I can't stand to see Stitch suffering" Lilo thought as she helped Jumba to stand up.

-Well, little girl, I have to accept that since the beginning I knew it could happen, so I prepared myself for that day –he said while he walked towards a secret
compartment in the lab's wall. Then he took out a little bottle with a blue liquid inside it. –So I prepared it in case you or 626 fell in love one with each other. This liquid will change your DNA into the DNA of an experiment.

-Hey, wait a minute. How did you know I wanted to become an experiment?

-Well, you don't need to be an evil genius to know that between best friends grow a love that the most of times become true love… and some months ago I found your Diary… -then Lilo seemed to be very angry at the fact Jumba had read her Diary –Don't worry, little girl, Jumba just did read that part. I swear you.

Lilo rolled her eyes and sighed –Well, I believe you, Jumba. Then can you tell me how to become an experiment?

-Well, you just drink some of this liquid and wait a few seconds before your body recognize it and allow it pass through your body.

-OK, can we try it right now? –Lilo said impatiently.

-Of course.

Lilo took the little bottle from Jumba's hand. Before taste it, she smelled it. It didn't stink or anything. She was afraid, but then she thought about Stitch's grief.
"That's for you, Stitch." She said on her mind and then drunk some of the liquid. Quickly, she felt how the icy liquid passed through her throat. Then she felt odd. She was drowsy.

-Hum, Jumba, why am I so… drowsy?

-I don't know little girl. Perhaps it's a side effect. If you want, you can sleep in the spaceship bed. I'll wake up you later OK?

-Hu-huh. OK. I'm gonna take a nap then. Night.

-Night, little girl –he whispered softly and then returned to his lab. "That's so logical. They are friends since they're younger, so it's logical she fell in love with 626. I wonder how will be her appearance" He thought as he returned to his chair, feeling he had done some good thing not only for Lilo, but for Stitch too.