Author's note: I'm so sorry guys. With everything going on, I totally thought today was Friday. I got my days all twisted around. anyways, I hope you enjoy. I had this written a while ago, so I'm super embarrassed I'm just now getting it up. Don't worry, I have the episodes all written out for at least another month I think, it's just me not being lazy or forgetting what the days are and actually getting them up, so I will definitely try to get the next one up on an actual Friday for once, so look forward to that and for now, enjoy this gem!

Anna woke up with a start. Her stitches were completely healed, and Wildwing had declared she was off house arrest, but she didn't really care. She had gone out to the comic shop with Nosedive once, but hadn't bought anything.

She rolled over in bed, looking at her door. Should she get up and go see what was going on with the guys, or should she just lay here in bed all day again?

There was a knock on her door and she sighed out. It was probably Wildwing.

"Sweetheart? You awake?" came the voice through the speaker on the wall. She reached into the bedside drawer, pulling out a remote. She pointed it at the door and the door flew open. Duke walked in, meeting her gaze.

"Hey, sweetheart. How're you doing?" he asked, coming to sit on the end of the bed.

"Alright." She muttered.

"That's good."

She liked talking to Duke. He knew what she was going through so he knew better than to push for a "better" answer.

"Hey sweetheart, we're playing a game today. You haven't got much practice in, but, you know, we could use your support." He tried.

"Duke, I don't know if I want to just sit on the sidelines." She muttered

"Well, how about tomorrow we get you back on the ice and practicing with us." He tried.

She turned back to meet his gaze and he gave her a smile. She returned it.

"I'll think about it." She finally said, and it was enough for Duke.

"Ok, are you hungry?" he switched the subject.

"Not really." She muttered, but her stomach growled at that moment, making Duke think otherwise. He smiled and shook his head.

"I'll go get you a plate of breakfast." He offered, standing up. She smiled after him.

"Hey Duke?"

He stopped and turned back.

"Thanks." She muttered. He smiled at her before walking out the door. She settled back into her pillows.

It had probably been about a month since her last run in with Dragaunus, when her stitches had been torn open. Since that day, Wildwing had taken on the role of leader admirably and they had engaged Dragaunus once or twice in this past month. Anna wasn't entirely sure how many times, and didn't really care. Everyone was still alive and at the time, she had still been healing and Wildwing hadn't let her go anyways.

She got up, heading for the bathroom that thankfully was in her room. She sat on the side of the tub, turning the faucets on. Once the water was at her preferred temperature, she stripped down and stepped in, turning on the shower head. She welcomed the warm water that fell over her. She realized she hadn't showered in a couple of days, or at least she thought it'd been a couple of days. It was so hard to keep track of time anymore.

As the water ran over her feathers, she found herself replaying that day in her head. If she hadn't have been injured, maybe she could have saved her brother. Maybe she could have got to the worm before it stole him from her. Tears brimmed her eyes again as she felt herself slide down the wall. She pulled her knees up to her chest and let herself cry as the water fell over her.

Duke walked into the room, having let himself in knowing Anna was expecting him. Her bed was empty and he almost let himself panic before he heard the shower going in the bathroom. He sighed out, setting the plate of food on the bedside table and taking a seat on the bed. At least she was getting up and doing something other than staying in bed.

The shower turned off and he turned his head to the bathroom door. A few minutes passed before the door opened and Anna walked out with a towel wrapped around her. She had a smaller towel and was drying her mane as she walked. She glanced up and saw Duke sitting there. Her eyes went wide and she squeaked.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I let myself in." he defended. She glanced over to the table and saw the plate of food sitting there.

"Thanks, Duke." She said, tossing the smaller towel into the hamper. She sat down on the bed next to Duke and took the plate. Biscuits and gravy. She took a bite and looked back at Duke, realizing he was staring at her.

"Sorry, I didn't intend on showering so long. I was planning on being dressed before you came back." She explained.

"It's fine." He said, and she gave him a sideways look. He cleared his throat.

"I mean, you know, um… how's breakfast?" he asked, feeling his cheeks get hot. She smiled, letting a laugh escape. It was the first time she'd laughed in a while, and it felt good.

"It's good, Duke. Thank you." She said, taking another bite. He smiled at her before clearing his throat again.

"Well, I should probably get out of your way so you can eat and get dressed." He said, standing up.

"Duke, you don't have to go running off you know." She said. He glanced back down at her and blushed again, seeing how little the towel covered.

"Anna, it's fine. I had some training I was going to do this morning anyways." He said, glad that he had a dark plumage so she couldn't see his blush.

"Oh, ok." She said, looking down. He bent down, tilting her chin to look at him.

"But, if you want to join me after breakfast, I think that would be fine." He said, smiling. She smiled back and nodded.

"Alright. I'll meet you in the training room. I am feeling pretty rusty." She said, taking another bite. He nodded, walking towards the door.

"I'll see ya soon." He said, walking out, the door closing behind him.

"See ya soon." She muttered in the now quiet room before taking another bite. She honestly hadn't realized how hungry she had been and finished her breakfast promptly.

Anna walked into the training room, ready for action. She had her puck launcher holstered on her side and her saber rested on her shoulder. She walked in expecting to hear noise from Duke's training, but it was quiet. Too quiet.

She heard a rush of air behind her and turned, drawing her saber just in time to clash with Duke's.

"Not bad, sweetheart." He praised, pulling his blade back. She pulled hers back too and both ducks rested the sabers at their sides, circling each other.

"Where'd you learn how to use a blade anyways?" he asked. She partly smiled, lifting her blade up and clashing with him. Through the crossed blades, she smirked at him.

"What, you don't think it was a natural talent?" she asked. He smirked back at her, throwing her back. She slid against the ground against his push and he jumped up, coming at her. She rolled to the side and Duke sliced through air. He came up to meet with her blade again.

"It could be natural talent… but a natural talent that you've perfected." He said, pulling back from her. She did the same.

"I know you didn't learn it from your brother, though, because he had no clue how to spar with me. That and I seem to recall him mentioning you took a class…" He trailed off, glancing sideways at her.

"You got me." She admitted, "I was eleven years old when I signed up for my first lesson." She explained.

"Eleven?" Duke asked as she rushed him again. He blocked the attack, throwing her back. "why so young?" he asked.

"I was eleven when my father was murdered. I found out the murder was done with a blade, and I decided I'd be prepared if ever the murderer made an appearance in my life again." She explained.

"Falcone." Duke said, knowingly. They both stood across from each other, blades pointed at the floor.

"Yes, Falcone. And what a coincidence, he did make another appearance in my life again." She drew out, glancing sideways at the scar on her shoulder. Duke sighed out, sheathing his blade and placing the handle back on his shoulder. He approached her and though she didn't know what he was doing, she followed suit, sheathing her own blade.

He reached up a hand, tracing his thumb across the scar. She reached up, putting her hand over his and he met her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Anna." He said, and she knew he still blamed himself for what happened.

"I'm sorry too." She said, reaching up and placing her hand against his temple so her thumb could rub the feathers next to his eye patch. He reached up now, grabbing her hand.

"Anna, don't. We both made mistakes that night." He tried, pulling her hand down and in the same motion pulling her into a hug. "We're both alive, and that's what counts." He said, resting his chin on her head. She nodded beneath him, but tears stung her eyes.

"Sometimes I wish I wasn't." it was barely audible, but Duke pulled back to look at her. He brushed her hair out of her face and wiped the fresh tears away.

"How could you say that?" he asked. She looked away from him.

"You wouldn't understand." She trailed off.

"Anna, sweetheart, when Kale passed… there were times…" he trailed off and she gave him an interested look.

"Duke…" he looked back at her and she saw a tear brimming his eye. He looked away again, blinking and allowing the tear to run down his cheek. She reached up, wiping it away and he sighed having realized he had gotten caught crying.

"Look, sweetheart. It's in the past. I decided that my little brother and sister needed me around a bit longer, so I decided I wasn't giving in. At least not that easy." He explained. She nodded in understanding.

"Maybe you do understand." She finally muttered.

"Anna, please. Please promise me you won't do anything, you know, to hurt yourself." He tried, "I don't care if you wallow and grieve, you have a right to. You should. But please, don't take his loss out on yourself."

She met his gaze and fell back against his chest, hugging him.

"I promise." She finally muttered, and she felt him squeeze her tighter.

Anna sat in the box watching the game. She was holding a clipboard and a dry-erase marker. When she had decided to make the game, Wildwing had made her the unofficial coach for the night. She stood up, going over to the side, practically leaning over. Over the crowd, she could barely be heard, but she started screaming at Nosedive.

"Nosedive, back off!" she screamed as Duke fought to keep the puck from the other team and Nosedive. Tanya came up behind the two ducks, slapping the puck in for a goal.

Thanks to Tanya, the game was won, but Anna was not smiling in the least as she followed the team to the locker rooms.

"What the hell was that!" she spat at Nosedive as he pulled his skates off.

"I'd like to know the same thing." Duke said, standing up next to Anna, partly dressed.

"What, because I tried to save the game?" Nosedive muttered, pulling his jersey off.

"Because you have no idea how to work in a team!" Anna growled at him.

"You know, just because your brother's gone doesn't mean you need to stand there and act like him." Nosedive stood up, stepping closer to Anna so they were beak to beak. She glared at him, feeling tears form in her eyes. She wouldn't let him get to her.

"How fucking dare you, I-"

"You what, Anna? You think you can be like him? You think that just like him, you can go off on me for the stupidest shit?" Nosedive growled.

"Nosedive!" Wildwing scolded from his spot, setting his skates down next to him on the bench.

"What!?" he turned to his brother, frustrated.

"My brother is gone, possibly dead and you're gonna stand there and, what, make me feel bad for sounding like him? For sounding like my idol?"

"Ha, if you're going to idolize him, maybe you should have gone with him!"

"Nosedive Adavan Flashblade!" Wildwing was fuming as he stood up from the bench, glaring at his brother.

Nosedive turned back, returning the glare Wildwing was shooting his direction.

Anna's eyes filled with tears. She ran off and Nosedive turned back around, watching her leave.

His expression changed from anger to worry, almost as if he just realized what he had said. "Anna, wait." He said as he went to go after her.

"I think… you've caused enough damage for one day." Duke said, holding his arm out in front of Nosedive, stopping him from following her. Nosedive sighed out before turning back around and going back to changing out of his hockey gear.

Wildwing sighed out, pulling his own jersey off. "Where the hell did that come from?" he asked, glancing back at Nosedive.

"I'm sorry, Wildwing. I'm just getting tired of this. I'm tired of us acting like Anna's behavior is normal. I mean, how long is she going to grieve?" he asked, pointing back in the direction Anna had stalked off in.

"As long as she needs to, baby brother. Remember when Grandma Ruby died? Ma locked herself away for weeks."

"It's been a month, Wing." Nosedive tried.

"Yeah, and it'll be another six months if it has to be." Wildwing threatened, and with that the conversation was over.

Tanya stood after getting dressed and went to walk out the other door to leave the pond.

"Where are you heading off to?" Wildwing asked.

"Lectric Land. I wanna do some browsing." She explained, heading out.

The rest of the team headed off to the rec room.

"Hey, Grin. How about a round of chess." Mallory tried, glancing over at the bigger duck.

"Would be an honor to beat a fellow teammate." He said, sitting down across from her. She cocked an eyebrow.

"We'll see about that." She muttered, setting up the pieces. Wildwing was curling up with a book in the meantime.

Duke wasn't having it as he watched Nosedive head over to a video game.

How could he just sit there and play video games! How could he not get what he just did! Duke let out a growl, stomping over to Nosedive. He wasn't going to confront him about chewing Anna out, Wildwing had already done that. Instead, he decided he'd finish the battle Anna had already started.

"You don't steal the puck from a member of your own team, Nosedive! It's bad manners!" he growled.

"Yeah! Same to you, double!" Nosedive shot back.

"Hey, we all know you're the resident hot dog of this team!" Duke growled.

"Yeah, and you're the resident former jewel thief!" Dive retorted.

"Hey, if you don't know the difference between a diamond puck and a tiara, I'd be happy to show you!" Duke looked like he was getting ready to mess Nosedive up.

Suddenly, the alarm from Drake 1 went off, interrupting the two ducks. Wildwing ran over, pushing some buttons.

"We've got an intruder!" he announced.

"They're heading this way!" Mallory exclaimed.

"Hey, how could anybody access our secret elevator?" Duke wondered.

"I don't know." Wildwing said as his team surrounded the door, pointing their weapons at it, "but in about 3 seconds, they're going to come through that door."

The door opened to reveal a gorgeous, tan feathered duck with a long purple mane, who wore a pink jumpsuit.

"She's a… duck…" Nosedive trailed off, practically drooling.

"That remains to be seen." Wildwing said, never letting his guard down.

"Oh, Wildwing, is that any way to treat a lady?" Duke asked, lowering Wildwing's weapon.

"She could be a robot, or a chameleon in disguise." Mallory accused as the newcomer walked forward.

"The mask will tell us what she's really made of." Wildwing said, holding his hand to stop her. He scanned her with the mask, revealing the skeleton of a duck.

"I don't believe it, she's legit." Wildwing confirmed.

"and she's ravishing." Duke added from his place.

"and she's a blond babe to boot!" Dive put in.

"I'm sorry if I alarmed you, Tanya said it was ok for me to come up." The intruder said.

"Say, what happened to Tanya anyways?" Mallory eyed the newcomer suspiciously.

"Oh, well I think she said she was going to a place called 'Lectric Land?" The newcomer explained.

Mallory raised her eyebrow at this.

"This way sweetheart." Duke said, holding out his hand to her and guiding her over to one of the couches. "Just make yourself comfortable, huh?" he said, setting her down. He went to sit down next to her but was cut short.

"Hey Duke, why don't you fly south!" Nosedive said, running and jumping in between him and the gorgeous duck, forcing Duke to land on the floor. "Just max and relax with Nosedive, girly girl." He said, draping an arm behind her, "your main mallard o' love."

"I may throw up." Mallory muttered.

"I'm Vonda McDrake" the newcomer finally introduced herself, "and honestly I am not sure how I got here." She explained while Duke took a seat next to her.

Duke gave her a bump, causing her to bump into Nosedive, sending the younger drake to the ground. Vonda didn't seem phased by the bump and kept going.

"I was on Puckworld when suddenly this whirlwind picked me up and the next thing I knew, I was here." She finished explaining as the elevator opened behind them.

"You want them to pose for your candy ads in a vat of chocolate?" Phil came walking in, making some deal on the phone, "I'll talk to them, I'll take care of it, don't worry about it." He said, as he suddenly glanced over. He hung up on whoever he'd been talking to and walked over.

"To hell with your candy… I've got something bigger than Elvis here…" he trailed off, coming to stand in front of Vonda.

"Uh, Vonda, this is Phil Palmfeather, our manager, just ignore him." Duke introduced rudely.

"She's gorgeous…. And I'm not even a duck!" Phil exclaimed, "you know how much money I could make off of her!?"

"Always thinking of others first, huh Phil?" Grin asked from his place.

"I gotta write her up a contract!" Phil exclaimed, pulling out a piece of paper from his jacket, "the fast food tyrants alone would be worth a fortune!" he said, walking away to do his business. Wildwing stepped forward, knowing he needed to get back to business.

"That whirlwind, it sounds like one of Dragaunus' dimensional gateways!" Wildwing exclaimed.

"What!" Vonda looked genuinely surprised, "Dragaunus is here?" she asked.

"We have him under computer surveillance, but uh, he's disguising his ship." He was reluctant to reveal this, almost guilty that they hadn't been able to locate Dragaunus yet.

"Computers are my specialty. Maybe I can help." Vonda offered.

"Well, allow me angel." Duke said, standing up and holding out his hand. Nosedive shoved Duke and held out his hand, "Hi!" Nosedive offered. Before Vonda could take his hand, a growl was heard from Duke as he grabbed the younger Drake and threw him on the floor. The two drakes started rolling around, wrestling back and forth.

"You two are really making a spectacle of yourselves." Mallory muttered from behind them.

"Get used to it… we pretty much carry on like this till the end of the show." Nosedive explained as he wrestled with Duke.

In the meantime, Vonda had made her own way over to the computer, tapping away. A screen popped up, showing a location with red rings indicating what they were looking for.

"It's the energy patterns put off by Dragaunus' blasters!" Wildwing exclaimed.

"Hey, I got lucky on the first try!" Vonda said, beaming as she turned around.

"Well fancy that." Mallory muttered through gritted teeth.

"We better check this out." Wildwing said, pointing to the screen. "to the aerowing." He ordered.

The team moved towards the hangar. Wildwing turned back, looking at Vonda.

"I'm sorry, we can't leave you here." Wildwing said, turning back to her.

"That suits me just fine. I've got just as much of a score to settle with those fiends as you do." She partly growled, following him to the hangar.

Wildwing hesitated, considering sending Duke or someone to go get Anna. Then he thought better on it. Better to let her cool down then have her "accidentally" shoot at Dive instead of the saurians.

Anna was laying on her bed, staring at the wall.

"I don't know how Nora put up with it." She muttered to no one. She found herself thinking of Nosedive's mom. She had been like a second mom to her, and she wondered if Nora made it out of the invasion somehow, along with Torrent of course. It was crazy how much Nosedive looked like his mom while Wildwing had ended up growing into the spitting image of his dad.

She shook her head, still glaring. Why did she let Dive get to her? Why was he able to ruffle her feathers the wrong way?

She sat up in bed, rubbing her head. It never mattered what she thought about, her head always went back to what she might have been able to do differently to save her brother. It always went back to her brother. Sometimes, it even ventured to her unborn baby.

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop the tears.

"If it had been a girl, I would have named her Chloe…" she said, letting a tear run down her cheek. "And if it had been a boy, I would have named him Canard."

"Comfy sweetheart?" Duke asked as he and Nosedive sat facing Vonda in the back of the aerowing. Both ducks had their elbows on their knees, staring at the gorgeous duck.

"Yes, thank you. But I'm a little hungry," she suddenly said, rubbing her stomach, "I haven't eaten since puckworld."

"Well allow me." Duke said with a smile.

"No, no, moi." Nosedive said, pointing to himself.

Both him and Duke immediately unbuckled, running towards some shelving in the aerowing. They started pulling open drawers at the same time, bonking heads together on the third drawer. Both of them stopped, grabbing their heads.

"Whoa, whoa. Time out, time out." Nosedive said, making the "time-out" symbol with his hands. "can you believe we're actually doing this?" he asked.

"We're making fools of ourselves over a beautiful duck." Duke muttered.

"No doubt, it's cosmically corny man." Dive said.

"Completely undignified." Duke agreed.

"So… why we doing it?" Nosedive asked, shrugging. He and Duke looked back at Vonda again, who batted her eyelashes at them.

Suddenly, the two drakes were under her spell again, searching for something for the duck to eat as the aerowing landed.

The ducks exited the aerowing, walking over to a mountain in the desert.

"Okay, so where are they?" Mallory asked, shrugging.

"Right here, suckers!" They were all taken by surprise as Siege popped out of a sand pile with a blaster. He fired at them, causing them to take cover.

Nosedive looked back at Vonda, drawing his puckblaster.

"Watch me check these creeps into the boards. Ducks rock!" he shouted, aiming towards where Siege was standing. Before he could fire, he saw the Wraith throw a fireball at the mountain beside them. Nosedive saw rocks come loose.

"Ducks! Rocks!" his cheer suddenly turned into a warning for the other ducks as the rocks came crashing down towards them.

Author's note: Okay, I think I have a game plan. I wasn't going to do this, I was actually going to write it out in my own way, but I think for the most part, I'm going to try to make chapters from episodes about as long as they are between commercial breaks. Like right here it's going into a commercial break… so, there's usually two commercials between episodes, I think, so I guess you guys can look forward to the episodes being broken up into three parts. Anyways, thanks for sticking with me if you've stuck this far and I'll catch ya on the flip side!