Author's note: I'm so so soo sorry! Life's been really busy and I haven't updated in a while. Yeah... I'm really sorry. I'll keep trying. By the way- this is almost over! I know, right? Whoa... yeah, a sequel is being planned, don't worry.

Anyways- reviews

Sweet Jolly *** Ranchers: I'm going to take that as a statement of how mean I am to Gogo. XD Thank you!

Izi Wilson: Yes. Yes it is.

Rain of the Forest (even though this was for an earlier chapter): Mhm. Yes. Yes I did. Read the other crossover (which is written by my best friend). They do the same thing.
XD Don't worry- I was obsessed over this movie from the beginning too!

Tadashi's POV

My head was spinning. At first I couldn't remember why- or where I was.

Hiro!

My head snapped up, and I hit it against the top of a cage.

A cage.

That helped snap my memory back into place. The cliff, the cave, the erasers, Honey, the white one…

Honey. She'd been shot. I didn't even know if she was okay or not.

But they hadn't taken her. There was… still hope then.

I swore under my breath. Some leader I was! I had lost my temper, and ended up getting trapped. I couldn't help Hiro if I was here in a cage.

I shook my head, reminding myself of my priorities. I needed to find Hiro.

I didn't have to look that far. Hiro was asleep in one of the cages next to me. Or at least it looked like he was asleep…

"Hiro!" I whispered.

His head snapped up, instantly swiveling in my direction. His eyes widened, and about three different emotions flashed across his face. He settled on denial.

"Dashi… no… how…" he made a soft whimpering noise.

"I'm okay Hiro," I promised. I reached for him through the sides of the cage, and he reached back. Only inches apart, I couldn't stretch any further, and neither could he. He started to cry, and finally pulled his arm back, shaking slightly.

"Where's Gogo?" I asked him.

"I don't… I don't know. The erasers took her, and she hasn't come back."

My eyes widened slightly. "How long ago."

"Hours. Dashi… I don't think… don't think she's coming back."

It was like somebody had ripped one of my wings out. All the breath went out of me in one sharp gasp. I could feel tears coming to my eyes, but I forced them away, for Hiro's sake.

I'd always worried about losing a flock member. Just another thing to dominate the constant nightmares. But I'd thought we were safe- I thought I didn't have to worry about them anymore.

And now Hiro was sure Gogo was never coming back.

My mind scrambled for alternatives. But my mind kept going back to the night they'd given her her scar- and nearly killed her. The second time, I doubted they'd be any less vicious.

My mind flashed to Honey. I still didn't know where the bullet had hit her. I closed my eyes momentarily, but forced them back open as two images played simultaneously in my mind- Honey falling lifeless from the sky, and the younger version of Gogo, staring at the ceiling, wishing she could die, wondering if it would be better that way.

I wanted to say something comforting to Hiro, but I just couldn't. What was there to say anyways? I didn't know. I couldn't tell him she'd be okay- for all I knew she was already… already gone.

I gritted my teeth, trying to pull myself together. Hiro. Stay strong for Hiro. But I couldn't. I just… couldn't. I couldn't stand the thought of one- possibly two- of my flock members dead.

No, Tadashi get yourself together they have to be alive. You'd… you'd know if they were dead. Wouldn't you? Something would change. You'd feel an emptiness.

But even my own thoughts couldn't reassure me this time.

Gogo's POV

Everything was dark. All of me was burning- was I on fire? Was this what dying felt like? I had expected it to be more… painful. But then again- what would I know about death. I've been close, but never there.

"Is it working?"

"I don't know. No response yet."

"What…" I muttered, but regretted it instantly. Pain flared through me, and I fell silent.

"Good, she's listening."

No other option…

"We have one question for you, and it's important that you answer honestly, understand?"

Why is it so important…

I must have nodded slightly, because they asked the question.

"If you were given the chance to be normal, would you take it?"

Normal…?

I'll admit, I hesitated. Normal… normal meant no erasers. No pain. No more experiments. None of this. Normal meant safe.

But normal also meant none of my friends, no Honey, no Hiro, no Tadashi, no Wasabi or Fred. And… I'd miss them.

But safety…

Six years ago, I almost abandoned them. For escape.

But we weren't friends then.

Would things be different now?

In the end, did it really matter? My friends mattered more to me than safety. We'd been through so much… why would I get rid of that now?

But instead of the intended answer, my voice acted against my mind.

"Yes…"

"Good."

My next sensation was of pure pain. I could hear voices- but they were drowned out by a high pitched howl. Which- I began to realize- was me. But I couldn't help it- what could they possibly be doing that hurt so much?!

Finally, it was over. Whatever had happened, something was wrong. Something was terribly horribly wrong.

Not that it mattered. There was too much pain. I'd figure it out when I woke up. For now… I just… need sleep…

Tadashi's POV

I'd been sort of sleeping- slipping in and out of a dozing state- when I was woken up by footsteps. Instantly I jerked upright, tensing as if I was waiting for a fight.

Of course, my heart nearly leapt out of my throat when I saw that one of them was carrying Gogo. For a moment I felt an irrational pang of worry- then realized that they wouldn't bother bringing her back to the cages if she was dead.

They left her in a cage next to mine and walked out of the room talking quietly.

"Gogo!" I whispered. "Gogo, wake up!"

Her eyes snapped open, and she turned to look at me. "What are you doing here?!" she demanded.

"That doesn't matter right now, what did they do to you?!"

A hand went to her back, and her eyes widened with utter horror. Then- completely unexpected- she dropped her head into her hands and began to sob.

"What?! What happened?" I insisted. "Gogo, what did they do?!"

"They're… they're gone…" Gogo said quietly, through her sobs.

"What are-" I started. Then I began to realize- and the conclusion was bad. The way she was acting, the hand she placed on her back…

"Your wings?" I said quietly.

She nodded. "They're gone."

Right on cue, there was yelling from outside our lab. Both of us fell silent, listening.

"You ruined it!" one of the voices yelled. "Who gave you permission to conduct that experiment?!

"If you don't like it, you can get rid of it!" another voice snapped.

"No, it's too important. We're not losing everything we've worked for just because you chose to take the experiment the wrong way! We'll just have to fix what you did wrong."

Another argument broke out, more quietly this time. I looked over at Gogo. Her eyes were glazed, but there was a quiet look of determination to her as well. Then she noticed me looking at her, and the look faded from her eyes. "I can't fly…" she muttered numbly. "They took away my greatest advantage. If they don't fix it, I'd be better off dead."

"Gogo, you went through so much pain to get those wings- do you want to go through that again?!" I protested.

"They were part of me," she insisted. "I can't be me without them."

"Gogo, we can work around it. You can't make yourself go through all of that again," I insisted.

She shook her head, and I sighed. Because no matter what, I wasn't going to change her mind.