A/N: So sorry it took me so long to update! I actually do have a really good reason this time, though! I gave up the Internet for Lent (which is 40 days long). Therefore, I could not update. But I did write while I was away!

So here is your long due chapter!

Nothing much to really say about this chapter except enjoy!


"I'm glad you like it!" said Lorenzo pleased.

I smiled and nodded vigorously. We started walking towards our new home, when I noticed Lorenzo wasn't following us.

"Aren't you coming with us?" I asked confused.

He shook his head. "I wouldn't want to suffer the consequences if I were late to dinner. Maggie doesn't take to tardiness very well."

I laughed and said, "Well, thank you anyways! You and Maggie are welcome to visit anytime. We don't have many friends here, and we would love your company."

Lorenzo snorted happily and said, "I'll hold you to that!" Then he turned and started waddling away. I turned to my friends, who were looking at me expectantly. I nodded at them slightly, and they turned back around.

Slowly, my friends and I approached our new home. I threw open the iron gates that were meant as doors.

Taking in the scenery around us, we all started walking in different directions. My insides started stirring. Of course, it wasn't the island. It didn't have the rustling of all our friends hiding behind every corner, or the booming sound you could hear from the waterfall at all points of the island. There wasn't soft island dirt beneath our feet or the cool breeze that always whipped my hair from the ocean.

But it was close. I almost admitted to myself it was better than the island. Of course, I stopped myself before thinking such a thought. The island would always be my home. How could I turn my back on it for this-this... pretend island?

There was one reason sticking out immensely in my mind: this was the best of both worlds. I could sleep in a tree, feel almost at home, and make my friends happy. At the same time, I could search for my family and Antonio was merely a short walk away.

I shook my head, trying to contradict myself. Sure, I could sleep in a tree, but it wouldn't be our tree, my home back on the island. And if my home was back on the island, then I certainly couldn't ever feel truly at home here. My friends happiness would fade over time, anyone could predict that. This setting would only increase their homesickness after awhile, as well as mine. Plus, I wasn't even sure I had a family here. How could I force my family for my entire life (that I remember) search for a different family for me? Like they weren't good enough, or something.

I sighed. And then there was Antonio. Why did I even include him in the reasons? Was he truly that important to me? I felt my breath catch and stomach knot when I realized the answer.

"Now this is more like it!"

Azul snapped me out of my thoughts as he strutted forward. All I could manage was a slight nod from the recent realization.

"A place for a royal bird," Azul continued. This time I managed to roll my eyes and grin slightly.

I stopped walking and just took in my surroundings. The more I looked around, the happy I became, I realized. I felt a genuine smile come upon my face. All those problems could come in the future, but for now, we were happy. And that's what mattered.

Tika broke away from me. She walked in awe of the huge tree in front of us, bigger than our home tree. I knew immediately it would be our home. If Tika didn't pick it, Azul would. Because the prince would need the grandest tree, of course. I smirked to myself.

Looking to my right, I noticed some beautiful flowers blooming. I immediately recognized them as Island Roses. They bloomed all over the island and were my favorite flowers. Something fluttered inside of me to know they were growing them here. This place was beginning to feel more and more like a home away from home.

Upon further inspection though, I noticed one of the flowers seemed a bit withered. I frowned and took a step closer. I immediately could tell the flower was extremely dehydrated. "Poor thing," I murmured.

I spent a lot of time with these flowers on the island. The flowers bloomed the most around the monkeys' trees. I would care for them so much, the monkeys started calling me Rose. Laughing, I would always respond that it sounded like there were two of me, but they were very insistent on their nickname. I soon gave up trying to convince them otherwise. Besides, the name was sort of comforting in a way.

My heart lurched. I realized I missed being called Rose. I missed the monkeys' endless banters about nothing. I missed caring for the roses.

Snapping myself out of it, I realized I could still do the last thing I missed. Focusing on the task at hand, I estimated the damage. The flower would need a good amount of water, about a cup-full. In my days of caring for the roses, I learned they take water in quicker and better through the flower.

Looking to my side, I found there was a small pond of water. There were no animals or plants living in it. It seemed to just be there. For no reason. I shook my head. I didn't know if I would ever understand this culture. But I wasn't going to complain because it was actually quite useful in this situation.

I scooped up a cup-full of water and gently deposited it onto the flower. Immediately, the flower seemed to perk up. I smiled and nodded approvingly. It always was satisfying to improve something that I could control.

Then I sighed in defeat. A flower was easy, I realized. Just add water. My life, however wasn't so simple.

"Ro?"

I was startled by the sudden appearance of Sagi. I tried to fake happiness, but Sagi saw through it. I had no doubts he saw my sullen face earlier too. Great. All I needed was for him to tell Tika I was unhappy, and this whole thing would fall apart. But Sagi wouldn't do that, would he?

"It will work out," he said sincerely.

"How do you know?" I asked desperately, letting my walls down for a moment.

He paused for a moment, then continued softly. "We won't leave until you find your family," he promised. He offered me a small smile. "You deserve that much." And with that, he turned and hopped away.

Startled, I followed him. I hadn't told anyone, not truly, that I was here to find my family. I kept it to myself in fear that one of my friends would find out, namely Tika. I knew I was going to have to tell them sometime, but I had kind of hoped I could wait awhile. So how had Sagi known?

When I caught up to him, I stopped. He turned around and looked at me expectantly. A quick glance around showed me Tika was on the other side of the greenhouse, presumably talking about the giant tree with Azul.

Comforted we wouldn't be overheard, I turned back to Sagi in a low voice. "How did you know?" I asked. "I never told anyone that."

Sagi sighed. "The only reason you would keep your family of friends by your side is to find your real family."

I quickly looked down upon the stone floor, my face flushing. I wished I could disappear. I hadn't thought of it that way. How could I do that to my friends? I felt tears build up behind my eyes.

"Ro?" Sagi said softly. "Ro, I didn't mean to upset or accuse you of anything. I do not think what you are doing is unreasonable or incomprehensible. In fact, I support you, and I'm willing to help you in anyway."

I took in a quivering breath. "You don't think I'm replacing you?" I asked meekly.

Sagi was taken aback. "Replace us?" he asked incredulously. "We raised you, took care of you for ten years. And in those ten years, I've gotten to know you considerably well. Well enough to know your heart is true, and you would never replace us. You simply want to know of the people who can claim you, the people who haunt your dreams at night. And your deserve to, Ro. You might never get a second chance, so take this one."

My eyes were shining with tears as I gave Sagi a brilliant smile. I then gave him the biggest hug I could manage. When I heard Tika's laugh from across the room, though, I choked up again. To know Sagi was on my side was a great plus, and I was extremely grateful for it. But Tika was a whole other thing.

Sagi, seemingly following my train of thought, said quietly, "We don't have to tell them, yet. But you will have to sometime. For now, I'll keep my mouth shut, though."

I smiled gratefully at him and watched him walk away towards the others. A bigger smile crept over my face seeing all three of them there together and happy. Slowly, I made my way over to them.

"What do you think of this tree?" Tika asked excitedly.

"I think it's wonderful," I responded sincerely.

I was happy to see her so happy about something. Since we've been here, she's been slightly depressed the entire time.

For the rest of the night, we talked and laughed. I think we all fully enjoyed ourselves, and I was grateful for it. It took our minds off things and distracted us. Before we knew it, it was dark.

Tired from a long day, we all went to our separate places on the tree and curled. Then it was silent.

I laid there, wide awake, for several minutes. It wasn't long before I heard Azul's snoring. Figures he'd be the first one asleep. He was perfectly at home here, more so than I was. After a few more minutes, I heard the hushed breathing of Sagi. That left me and Tika.

I knew the reason we both couldn't get to sleep. The sounds here, they were different. At home, you could hear the night life. There was always the constant sound of water rushing. On the ship, there was the sound of the night shift and the water rushing around us.

Here, there was nothing. It was completely quiet, and it was making both of us uncomfortable.

I forced my eyes shut and tried to make myself go to sleep. Slowly, I could feel myself drifting. I tried to imagine the sounds, the way the gentle breeze would carry me through my dreams, and eventually, I thought that I could really feel it. Then I was gone.

I sat up quickly and chocked back a sob. My entire body was shaking, and I could feel the tears streaming down my face. I commanded myself to relax and take deep breaths. It was only a dream. Slowly, I managed to calm down.

When I felt calm again, my body seemed completely wiped out from the emotional break down. Quietly, I looked around. It was still dark, so I froze for a minute. I could hear Azul's snoring, Sagi's breathing, and... I sighed in relief. Tika's mumbling was there too. I didn't wake anyone up.

I wiped my face with my forearm and laid back down. Taking slow, deep breaths, I allowed myself to remember the nightmare.

It was like the one I had so many times. A voice singing that beautiful melody that has haunted me my whole life. Except, this time, it was different. I could see her, the lady who was singing. Her back was turned to me, her long blond hair floating free down her back. I begged her to turn around, but my efforts were fruitless. She couldn't hear me.

As she sang the song, she swayed back and forth. I tried to observe my surroundings, but they were faint. I could tell I was in a small wooden room, though. One much like what I stayed in on Antonio's ship.

When it came to the part in the song where it always fades away, I snapped my attention back to the lady. She was fading, along with the rest of the scene. I cried out in despair for her to stay, or at least to turn around.

Right as the scene completely disappeared, I heard the lady's voice speak to me in a soft whisper.

"You are everything to me, darling. I will always need you."

"And I will always need you." The response formed at the back of my throat. I had told her that before, but when?

Thinking about it now, I had no doubts about who this woman was. She had to be my mother, which made me even more upset. Her words kept ringing in my head. How did she cope without me? Did she move on with her life? And if she did, does that mean I wasn't everything to her?

And what triggered the new addition to the dream?

Was it the fact I was trying to find my family, or did it have to do with being in civilization? Whatever caused it to happen wasn't normal because I had been having this dream for ten years and nothing had ever changed until now.

I didn't want to go through the nightmare again, as I suspected I might if I fell back asleep. The next time I might not be so lucky to find everyone still asleep. Instead, I tried to keep my mind active to keep from slipping. I went over scenes of me reuniting with my family in my head. Every time I recreated the scene, I made it more dramatic and unrealistic. But I found I enjoyed them the most. I wondered how the actually reunion might be, if, of course, it ever happened.

Eventually, however, not even most enthusiastic pep talk could keep me from becoming drowsy. Right before I fell back to sleep, I saw the sun about to rise. I closed my eyes and thought, "This is it. My new beginning."

And then the blackness overcame me as I slipped off once more.


A/N: So how was it? :)

Please please please review! And see ya next update (which will be hopefully soon!)