Disclaimer: Not mine, blah, blah.

Rating: PG

Author's Note: Enjoy. This is the last chapter in this story, but not anymore. I will be adding more to it later. My other story, Maru, will also be a continuation of this one, but only years into the future. So if you want to see where I'm going with this one, read Maru.

Not Everything's Forever

"You wanted to see me?" Zack asked standing in Lydecker's office. He had just come from talking with Max and was upset.

"Yes," replied Lydecker. He picked up a stack of papers and handed them to Zack. "Those are all the formal written complaints about your team. They range from disrupting other groups to ignoring instructors to messing up experiments."

"And?" Zack wasn't sure why he was being told this. He knew it would happen, though he thought it'd take more than a few days for written complaints.

"They are your team, talk to them."

"And tell them what? To behave? The only way to get them to listen is to gain their trust and respect. If you yell at them all the time they'll ignore just to piss you off. And if you let them get a way with everything they'll do what they want because they know they won't be punished."

"They listen you." Lydecker stated what he thought was obvious.

"They only listen when it's in their best interest. When they need my help, but won't admit it. If you can get the pushiest ones to listen, the rest will generally follow. Now, is that everything?"

"Yes, you're dismissed." After Zack left, Lydecker thought about what Zack had said. It made sense. He decided to relay what Zack said to the instructors. Hopefully at least one instructor could get them to listen.

*******

"Girls, we should probably go back so the others don't worry," said Jondy. Jondy, Tinga and Syl had been hiding on the roof for the last few hours, ever since Jondy realized she was in heat.

"Are you sure?" Tinga asked. She and Syl exchanged looks. Neither thought it was a good idea, but Jondy had a point. No one else knew where they were, or what was going on.

Jondy didn't look as confident as she sounded when she responded, "Sure, I can handle it. All I got to do is keep my eyes on the floor. Won't be that hard."

Tinga and Syl acted as Jondy's escort to the class where the other X-5's were. They didn't really see anyone on the way there, so Jondy didn't have the chance to see how much control she had over her hormones.

The three didn't know what to expect when they walked into the room, but where surprised with what they saw. Syd was arguing with their instructor. Krit had his head on the desk. His eyes were closed. No one was sure if he was sleeping or just relaxing. Zane was sitting on a desk watching everything else going on. Occasionally he would add a comment into the argument. Zack was nowhere in site.

Zane was the first one to see the three in the doorway. "Hey, 'bout time you girls decided to show."

Syd and the instructor stopped arguing to see whom Zane was talking to. Syd looked amused about something and the instructor looked like he was trying his best to remain calm. Krit was… well Krit was drooling with an occasional snore.

"Hey," Sly said. "Glade to see we haven't missed much."

"Please, take a seat. My name's O'Neil. I'm your instructor for most of your classes you decide to attend." O'Neil was slowly regaining his generally calm composure. Syd was amused at how he had reacted to whatever they had been arguing about.

Tinga thought it'd be best if she tried to explain, "We would've been here sooner, but we were…umm, occupied with other things."

"Of course that's perfectly fine." O'Neil decided he might like Tinga. As sketchy as her explanation was, it was still an explanation.

******

After talking with Lydecker, Zack decided to go see how his sibs were doing. Zack arrived just as Tinga and Syl were pushing Jondy into her seat. He saw the look Jondy was giving O'Neil and realized she was in heat.

O'Neil didn't comment on Zack's arrival. He knew Zack was with Max and that Lydecker wanted to see him. The other X-5's didn't say much with Zack around. They could tell he was upset about something and they didn't want to get him mad. It was one thing to have an instructor yelling at you, but it's totally different having your brother yell, especially if there're other people around.

The next two hours were spent teaching the X-5's infiltration techniques. They were good at infiltration from stealing, and escape and evasion from running for ten years. Everyone thought it'd be best to work on skills they're already good at. Teaching them new things might get complicated.

Everyone was happy once lunch was announced. Manticore food might be worse than hospital food, but they still needed to eat.

Jondy and Syd were the first to walk into the mess hall. Syd was holding the door open as Jondy walked in. Jondy was walking backwards as she was talking to her sibs. She didn't know about the young lieutenant walking up behind her until she turned around.

"Oh, sorry," Jondy whispered as she bumped into him. She started sizing him up.

Before any could grab Jondy (and they did try), she knocked the lieutenant to the floor. She was quickly suffocating them with her kisses as she tried to undress him. Jondy didn't get too far due to Zack knocking her unconscious.

"Hmm, I'm glade I'm not in her position," Syl whispered to Syd and Tinga. The mess hall was mostly full and everyone had turned their attention to them.

Zane helped the dazed lieutenant to his feet. Zack picked up the still unconscious Jondy and left.

"Let's go with Zack." Tinga decided it'd be better to eat later with less people starting at them. All the others agreed with Tinga. They went back to the barracks and talked about everything.

"So, Max isn't doing well?" Krit summed up after Zack explained what had happened earlier that day.

Tinga came up with an idea after several minutes of silence. "What Max needs is some type of company with her. Someone she can talk to and feel comfortable with." Tinga stopped there hoping one of her sibs realized her plan.

Krit knew what Tinga's pause meant, but not what she was hinting at. "That's an awesome idea, Tinga," Krit bluffed.

Krit was really no good at bluffing and Syd had to add her comment, "You don't even know what she's talking about, Idiot."

"Hey! Who are you calling an idiot? That's rhetorical! Anyways, I'm sure that if I did know what Tinga was talking about it'd still be a good idea."

'What's your idea, Tinga?" Zack asked.

"Like I said," Tinga started. "Max needs company. Someone to talk to, even if the someone doesn't talk back."

Syl interrupted, "You're going to give her a corpse?"

"No! Will you let me finish?" After everyone nodded Tinga continued. "Zane you miss Taffy. So, why don't we get Taffy and leave her with Max."

"Hey, I like it," Zane agreed enthusiastically. "I'm sure Max and Taffy would get alone great."

Zack liked it too. "I'll go talk to Lydecker. You guys watch Jondy. Don't let her go anywhere on her own."

Zack found Lydecker in his office [Lydecker must not have much of a life, since he's always in his office whenever someone needs him]. Zack explained Tinga's idea. Lydecker agreed that it might help Max. Shortly after, Zane was on a helicopter going to get his beloved German shepherd, Taffy.

Back at the X-5's barracks, Jondy had woken up. She was very embarrassed. Jondy really wanted to see Max, so she convinced Tinga and Syl to escort her to Max's room.

"Hey Max," Jondy whispered. Tinga and Syl agreed to wait outside for Jondy as she talked with her sister.

Max was curled up on a chair looking outside. She didn't acknowledge Jondy's entrance.

Jondy walked over to Max and looked outside the window. Neither of them said anything, they just stared outside. Jondy knew Max would talk when she wanted to. All Jondy could do at the moment was to be there for Max.

After a while Max broke the silence and whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Jondy replied. "We came back here because we love you. It was our choice. You're our little sister. My favorite sister."

Jondy turned around and sat on the bed. Max looked at Jondy and she motioned for Max to join her. Max went and sat beside her sister. Max and Jondy started to talk. They couldn't remember later what they talked about, it made no sense, they just talked. After a while they both fell asleep, curled up together like they used to when they were little.

About the same time Zane came back with Taffy. The plan was to take Taffy strait to Max, but as Zane came to Max's door he noticed something unusual.

Tinga and Syl were sitting on the floor playing cards. "What are doing?"

"Jondy's in with Max. We were told to not let Jondy on her own, so we're waiting for her," Tinga explained.

Jondy herd Zane so she opened the door. "Hey, you're back. Do you mind if I introduce Max and Taffy?" Zane didn't so Jondy took Taffy inside.

Max was awake by the time Taffy was inside. "Whose dog?"

"She's Zane's. But Zane needs someone to take care of her. We kinda thought that maybe you would like to. What do you think?"

"I…I don't know anything about how to take care of dogs," Max explained. She looked unsure about the whole idea, but at least she wasn't freaking out. Jondy took that as a good sign.

*******

"Common Lazy! Hurry up!" Jondy yelled down the hill to Max.

"I'm coming, just wait." This was the first time Max had been outside side she came back to Manticore, almost a month ago. There had just been a huge blizzard yesterday. Jondy loved the snow and had convinced Max and Zack to come outside with her. They weren't technically allowed outside without supervision, but they didn't care. Max was having so much fun, whatever punishment they got would be worth seeing her laughing and smiling again.

Max had finally caught up to Jondy when Zack jumped down out of a tree and grabbed Max around her waist and pulled her to the ground. Max shrieked and laughed. She grabbed a handful of snow and face-washed Zack. Jondy joined in and started throwing snow. It soon turned into an all out snowball fight. Taffy had also come out with them and she was chasing the snowballs around.

It was about three in the morning when the snow started falling heavily again. They decided they should get back before they were found missing. But they were too late. One of the guards was doing rounds and noticed Max was missing. He went to tell Lydecker and upon further investigation Jondy and Zack were also found absent.

Lydecker saw the three X-5's entering the building via a security camera. He went to see them. The first thing he noticed was Max's smile, and the way her whole face seemed lit up, that was until she saw Lydecker. Max put her hand on Taffy's head and slid behind Zack and Jondy. Lydecker had been furious up to that point. But instead of yelling at them he said, "Zack, meet me in my office after you change into dry clothes."

"Yes, Sir." Zack replied. The three of them went to their change room. After they changed Zack went to see Lydecker and Jondy went with Max back to her room.

Zack entered Lydecker's office prepared for being yelled at for taking his sisters outside against regs. Lydecker didn't yell, instead he told Zack he had a compromise for him.

Zack was confused, "A compromise? For what?"

"You and the others of your team will be allowed to live your own lives outside in the world," Lydecker started, and Zack could barely contain his excitement. "You will of course have to keep in contact with us."

Lydecker continued. Telling Zack of all the little details of their newfound freedom. They wouldn't have to run from Manticore anymore. They could live in one place for the rest of their lives, living normal lives. They others were so excited about this. They all agreed.

***I am planning on having the next chap up by tomorrow!!!