Title: Tribe 3: Wonderwall
Chunk 11: Sections 51 thru 55
Fandom: The Tribe
Author: PinkTribeChick
Summary: I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me . . . Life goes on for the Mall Rats after the Chosen take over the city.
Extended Summary: Essentially, this is an Alternate Universe story for Series 3 and beyond of the Tribe. I won't say anything more than that, because I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who have never read this before
Rating: Teen
Pairing: Too many to name! But Bray-Amber, Lex-Zandra, Ryan-Salene, and Jack-Ellie, for starters. There will also be some Tribe-character with original character pairings.
Author's Notes: Again many thanks as always go to Brett The Mole, as he was the one who talked me into sharing this story with others when I first started writing it, and he was the one who kept bugging me to complete it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you, Brett! And major thanks to Ariannya, Whit, and all the others who at various times read and proofed sections for me and gave me their invaluable feedback.
Where are all my reviewers this time around? Not a single person reviewed the last section I posted! Please give me your thoughts this time around!
Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!
Disclaimer: All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Troy Wisneski belongs to the author Paula Boock, from her Tribe novel "Power and Chaos." Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The lyrics used in this chunk are from "I Wanna Be With You" by Mandy Moore.
Tribe 3: Wonderwall
Sections 51 thru 55
"Alright, everyone, settle down!" Amber shouted over the noise in the café. They continued to talk, ignoring her. She put her fingers between her teeth and whistled loudly. Everyone stopped talking and stared at her. "Thank you! Now, I'm sure you're all wondering why I woke you up from much needed sleep, but there are several things we need to discuss. First of all, Tai-San is back, but very sick with the virus. We've given her the antidote, but the reality is, that in being around her, we've all been exposed to it and are at risk. So, everyone has to take the antidote as a precaution. That includes Ellie and Salene, and excludes the babies. Second, we have three new people in the Mall right now, and we need to vote on whether or not they can stay." Dal passed out vials of the antidote, and everybody took it, as they discussed the vote.
"But we can't vote without Tai-San here," Patsy said. "You've always said everyone should be here when we vote on stuff."
"It can't be helped, Patsy, and besides, I'm not even sure if Tai-San is going to want to stay here once she's well again. And with that in mind, her vote really wouldn't make a whole lot of difference," Amber said. "Now, everyone, you all know Sasha, and we love him to death, and he's practically a member of this tribe anyway, but it's not official. He came to me a couple of days ago, telling me that he wanted to join us and stay here permanently. His staying is going to be greatly dependent on whether or not Tai-San stays, but I think, if he decides to stay, we should at least have an answer ready for him. And, as you know, we found Sienna and Charlie last night. They don't have a tribe, and would also like to stay with us and become part of the tribe."
"Do we actually have enough food for those three and the two unborn children on the way?" Dal asked.
"I counted the food store yesterday, and we have more than enough for us and several more people," Trudy said quietly. "It's just a matter of space, finding a place for them to sleep and all."
"Well, Sasha is already rooming with KC and Dal. Charlie can have my room, since I'm already rooming with Bray anyway, and if Zandra doesn't mind, Sienna can take her old room," Amber replied.
"It's fine with me. I room with Lex now, anyway," Zandra said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Alright, then. Let's vote on it. All in favor of Sasha, Charlie, and Sienna staying here with us and becoming tribe members, raise your hand," Amber said. Everyone except the babies raised their hands. "Okay, it's unanimous. They can stay. Charlie, Sienna, you can come in now." She ushered them into the café. "Guys, this is Charlie, and his sister Sienna. I want you to be nice to them, and treat them like you would any other member of this Tribe. For the first couple of weeks, until they get the hang of things around here, they're going to need all our help, learning names, learning how we do things around here, and what our rules are. Okay?" Patsy and Cloe stood up, as everyone shuffled out of the café.
"Sienna, would you like to come with us? We need to get you some new clothes," Patsy said. Sienna nodded and walked over to them. Dal and KC walked over to Charlie, as the three girls walked out of the café.
"Hey, I'm KC, and this is Dal," KC said to him. Charlie nodded shyly. "Let's go get you set up in your new room and find you some clothes." KC put his arm around Dal.
"I have to pick up the vials and hide them again. I'll be in there in a few minutes, okay?" Dal said. KC and Charlie nodded and left the room. Dal walked from table to table, picking up the empty vials.
"Dal?" a quiet voice said. He spun around to see Tzara standing in the doorway.
"Hey, Tzara. What's up?" he asked, turning back to the tables again.
"Tai-San's going to be alright, isn't she?" she asked.
"She had the antidote, so she should be. Why?" he responded.
"No reason. She just seems really nice, and it would be a shame for her to die. I hate it when people die. It makes me sad, whether I knew them or not," she answered. Dal walked over to her, setting the tray down on a table.
"Don't worry. She's not going to die. Not any time soon, at least," Dal said. "How are your wrists feeling, by the way?" He took her hands in his.
"Better. They're starting to itch a little, though," she replied.
"That just means they're healing properly. That's good," he said, nodding. "Listen . . . I wasn't trying to bait you the other day. I've just learned through experience that it's better to be frank, rather than hiding things."
"But you already knew, so I wasn't hiding anything. You just wanted to hear me say it," she said.
"Well, saying it is confirming it. And I still want to know," he whispered, putting his arms around her waist. She looked at him pleadingly. "Come on, I want to hear you say it. Please?" He gave her the puppy dog eyes that he did so well.
"Oh, alright," she muttered. "I like you."
"What? I didn't quite hear that!" Dal said, putting a hand to his ear.
"I like you!" she shouted. Dal started laughing, as she turned red.
"That's much better," he said, pulling her to him. Then he gently kissed her on the lips.
Ryan came inside from the sewers, after checking outside for intruders, part of night guard duty. He rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them up. It was unusually cold outside tonight. He thought for a moment, then decided that he should probably tell Amber, so they could get extra blankets and such out. He stomped up the stairs, still rubbing his hands together. He knocked on the doorframe to Amber and Bray's room.
"Yes?" Amber called from inside. "Come in, Ryan." Ryan shyly stepped into the room. Amber lay in bed, reading, while Bray was fast asleep beside her.
"Hey," Ryan said, not looking up.
"What's up, Ryan?" Amber asked.
"Well, I just came in from outside, and it's really getting cold out there. I thought you might want to know. Just, so, you can get everyone extra blankets and that sort of thing," Ryan replied.
"It is getting a little chilly in here," Amber admitted. "It's so odd, the weather outside. It rarely gets cold in these parts. But I agree, we do need to get extra blankets and such for everyone, and maybe see if we can get the heater in this place to work. Go get Lex, Dal, and Jack, and I'll be down in a few minutes." She slid out of bed as Ryan walked out of the room. She walked over to the dresser nearby and pulled out a thick, blue wool sweater and a pair of black trousers. She quickly dressed and pulled her boots on, then ran downstairs to the boiler room.
"Hey, Sasha," Lex said, coming into the room with a couple of blankets. Sasha looked up from the game boy, smiling a little.
"Hey, Lex. Is there something I can do for you?" Sasha responded.
"Nah. I'm just bringing you and Tai-San a little extra warmth. It's getting really cold outside," Lex said, holding the blankets up. He walked over to Tai-San and unfolded one of the blankets, laying it over her. Then he handed the other one to Sasha. He turned to walk out of the room, then stopped and turned back to Sasha again.
"Anything else?" Sasha asked, not looking up from the game boy.
"Yeah. I was just wondering . . . how is she doing? Has she shown any signs that the antidote is working?" Lex answered. Sasha put down the game boy and stood up, walking over to her.
"Her fever broke a little while ago, so she's past the worst of it. I think, in a couple more days, she'll be okay," Sasha said, smoothing her hair back.
"Good," Lex said, nodding and smiling. "I'm going to go now. I've got to get blankets to everyone else, then go check on Lexi." He turned and walked out of the room. Sasha sat down beside Tai-San on the bed again. He wrapped the blanket around her snugly. She started to stir again.
"Mmm . . . . mmm-mmm . . . ," she groaned. She reached up and scratched her face, slowly opening her eyes. Sasha grinned. "Where am I?" She looked around her, her expression turning to a frown when she saw Sasha.
"We found you in the forest. You had fallen into a well, and you had the virus. We got you out, brought you back, then gave you the antidote," Sasha answered.
"And I came back willingly?" Tai-San asked bitterly. "Or did you knock me out and drag me back?"
"Heaven's no!" Sasha said, laughing. "The only way we could get you to come back and take the antidote was to promise you that if you wanted to, you could leave again once you got better."
"Oh . . . ," Tai-San said, rubbing her head. "Everything's kind of been a fog to me the last few days."
"I wouldn't doubt it," Sasha said.
"But don't think I'm not still mad at you. I am. In fact, I'm furious with you," she said. "So, if you wouldn't mind, please get out of my room. I'm okay now, and I don't want to see you." Sasha's heart sank with her words. Obviously she didn't remember what she had said to him earlier in her delirium. He stood up.
"Alright. If that's the way you want it . . . I'll go get Dal. He'll want to check you out and make sure everything's okay. And Lex will want to talk to you. He's been waiting for you to wake up so he could apologize for you," Sasha said.
"And you?" she asked.
"I've already apologized a thousand times to you. Obviously, you're never going to forgive me, so I'm going to stop trying. It's a waste of energy," he said in a monotone voice. He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, forlornly. Tai-San sighed, leaning her head back against the headboard of her bed. She wanted to forgive him, but her heart wouldn't let her. She just couldn't do it. She couldn't . . .
The next morning, Cloe woke up in the nice, cozy mall, in her warm bed. She pulled the blankets up around her as she sat up in bed. She looked around the room. Patsy and Tzara were still fast asleep. She slid out of bed, putting her feet on the cold wood floor. She hurriedly got dressed, as it was chilly despite the fact that the heater was on. She pulled a thick sweater over her head and a pair of thick wind pants, along with her boots. She quietly walked out of the room and headed to the café. She found KC and Dal sitting in the café already, each sipping mugs of cocoa.
"Morning, guys!" she said cheerily, walking over to the stove. A pan of hot water sat on the stove, and she made herself some cocoa and grabbed a bowl of dry cereal. She sat down at the table with Dal and KC and started to eat.
"Cloe, go look out the window and tell me what you see," KC said, smiling.
"What?" Cloe asked, her mouth full of cereal. "Why do you want me to look out the window? We all know what's out there."
"Just do it. I think you might see something a little different," KC responded. Cloe sighed, putting down her spoon. She stood up and walked over the window, peering outside. Her eyes widened when she saw that everything was covered in white. It had snowed the night before!
"SNOW!!!" Cloe exclaimed. KC and Dal both started laughing. "Did you see it? Oh my gosh! It snowed!"
"We know goofy-head. That's why we told you to look," Dal said, chuckling.
"Does everyone else know?" Cloe asked, still staring out the window in awe. It wasn't just a little bit of snow. It was inches of it, piled up all over the place, blocking the streets off and shutting off the entrances to some of the buildings, and there was still more snow falling down.
"What's with all the racket?" Patsy asked, stumbling into the room in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes.
"It's snowing, Patsy!" Cloe said. Instantly, Patsy was awake, as she ran over to the window and looked out.
"Wow!" Patsy said softly. "It hasn't snowed like this since I was little!" KC got up and walked over to them, putting his arms around Cloe's waist. He rested his head on her shoulder.
"I vote we go outside in a little while and make snow angels. What do you two think?" KC asked. Cloe and Patsy both nodded, smiling.
"I'm going to go get dressed," Patsy said excitedly, running back to her room. Dal stood up, putting his mug in the sink.
"I'm going to go get Amber and tell her about this," Dal said. He walked out of the room solemnly.
"Doesn't he ever smile anymore?" Cloe asked, turning to face KC.
"Very rarely. But I'm not sure why," KC said. "Come on, Cloe. Let's go outside!"
"But what about Patsy?" Cloe asked.
"She's going to take forever to get dressed! You know that!" KC said. "She can come out when she's ready!" He took her by the hand and drug her outside. They made food prints in the snow as they walked out into the field. Suddenly, Cloe fell backwards into the snow and started waving her arms up and down and her legs in and out. KC did likewise.
"Finished!" Cloe exclaimed, rolling over. She looked at her perfect snow angel, smiling. KC stood up, walking over and sitting down beside Cloe. "Good job, KC. Yours looks awesome." He stared at her, mesmerized. She had snowflakes in her brown hair and her eyelashes. It was the prettiest he'd ever seen her look. He leaned forward.
"You look awesome," he said quietly. He kissed her gently on the lips. She responded by pushing him back in the snow, continuing to kiss him. About that time, Patsy walked outside about that time and saw them. Her heart sank as she watched them. Disgusted, she walked back into the mall.
"I guess that's the end of the Three Musketeers," she said to herself. She walked back upstairs to the empty café and sat down by herself.
A couple of days later, Amber walked into Tai-San's room, where Tai-San sat on the floor, meditating. Amber stood there for a moment, looking at her. Her complexion had improved since she'd come to the night before, and her hair was starting to lose the gray streaks, turning back to a rich black.
"Is there something you want, Amber?" Tai-San asked, her eyes still closed. Amber jumped, startled.
"How did you know I was standing here?" Amber asked, laughing. Tai-San opened her eyes and stood up.
"I heard your footsteps," Tai-San said. "Everyone's footsteps sound different from each other. That's how I know who's come into my room when I'm meditating."
"I always thought you knew because you were psychic or something," Amber said. Tai-San sat down in a nearby chair.
"Is there some reason that you're in here?" Tai-San asked, not trying to be the slightest bit friendly.
"Well, I was wondering . . . I know you're planning on leaving, but I wanted to know how soon?" Amber responded.
"Within the next couple of days probably, once the snow and ice melt," Tai-San replied.
"Well . . . would you mind staying for another couple of weeks or so? Just for the wedding? Please? I really want you here, and I want you to perform the ceremony," Amber said.
"Trudy knows how to do the ceremony, ask her. I really don't want to be here any longer than I have to," Tai-San said, standing up and lighting a nearby candle. She blew out the match, and the scent of juniper filled the room. She looked over at Amber.
"Tai-San, I know you're mad at Sasha . . . ," Amber began.
"And Lex. He was in on it, too," Tai-San retorted.
"Yes . . . but I didn't do anything. Please don't punish me for their stupid mistake," Amber said. "I don't want Trudy to do the ceremony. I want you to do it. You're one of my best friends, and the wedding just wouldn't be right without you here. Please, do this for me, and then you can leave." Amber looked at her pleadingly.
"Alright, but I'm leaving right after the celebration party is over," Tai-San agreed. Amber smiled and walked over to her, hugging her.
"Thank you, Tai. You're the best," Amber said.
"You're not the first to tell me that," Tai-San said. "But thanks." She smiled.
"And I think you should give Sasha a second chance. He really cares about you. He didn't leave your side once the entire time you were sick. He deserves a chance to make it up to you," Amber said. Tai-San's smile faded.
"When hell freezes over, maybe I'll consider it," Tai-San said.
"Well, in case you haven't looked outside, it already has, Tai. And Sasha won't wait forever for you, I can tell you that," Amber responded.
"And I don't want him to. I don't want to give him another chance, so he needs to give up," Tai-San said. Amber sighed loudly in frustration. There was no way she was going to convince Tai-San to change her mind, and she could see that.
"Well, I'm going to go check on Michael. Bray's outside with the kids, so it's my turn to watch him," Amber said.
"I'm going to head out to the pond nearby and do a little ice skating, okay?" Tai-San said.
"Alright. Bray and the others are already out there," Amber said. Tai-San nodded. Amber left the room, and Tai-San pulled her ice skates out from underneath her bed. Throwing them on her shoulder, she grabbed her coat and gloves and headed outside.
The pond was about a mile's walk away, and when she got there, she found the others skating, or actually, attempting to. KC stood up, holding onto Cloe, then they both fell down, laughing. Bray was holding onto Patsy's hand, spinning her around the ice. Jack had set up a boom box, so there was music playing. Ebony and Troy were holding on to each others hands and spinning wildly in a circle. Sasha sat on a nearby bench, looking sad. Tai-San walked over to the bench and sat down beside him, putting her skates on, as Amber's words echoed through her head. "Well, in case you haven't looked outside, it already has, Tai. And Sasha won't wait forever for you, I can tell you that." Tai-San glanced over at him.
"Hi," Sasha said quietly, looking down at his feet.
"I'm still not speaking to you, no matter what Lex said," Tai-San replied. She laced her skates up so that they were nice and tight.
"I've said I'm sorry, and it wasn't my idea," he said. "He really cares about you. He didn't leave your side once the entire time you were sick," she heard Amber's voice say again. She shoved it out of her mind, knowing what she had to do.
"But you didn't have to go along with his idea. You've got a mind of your own. Or at least, I thought you did," Tai-San said. Her words stung with a ring of truth. She switched the CD in the boom box. She stood up and walked out onto the pond. She started to skate the outer rim of it, warming up. The song began, and Tai-San stopped in the center of the ice. She started to skate with the music, moving her hands gracefully.
"I try but I can't seem to get myself to think of anything of but you . . .Your breath, your warm gentle kiss I taste . . . I taste the truth . . . We know what I came here for . . . So I won't ask for more. Tai-San did several spins in a row, and suddenly, everyone was watching her, as she glided across the ice. Sasha stood up, in shock, watching her.
"So I'll hold you tonight like I would if you were mine to hold you forever more . . . And I'll savor each touch that I wanted so much to feel before, to feel before . . . How beautiful it is . . . just to be like this . . . I wanna be with you . . . If only for one night . . . To be the one who's in your arms, to hold you tight . . . I wanna be with you . . . There's nothing more to say . . . There's nothing else I want more than to feel this way. I wanna be with you." Tai-San did a triple axle, sending gasps rippling across the group. Sasha just smiled. She was speaking to him, and he knew it. She'd forgiven him.
"Oh, baby . . . I can't fight this feeling anymore . . . Drives me crazy when I try to . . . So call my name, and take my hand . . . Can you make my wish, baby, your command? Yeah . . ." Everyone clapped as she spun, her hands moving upward. She skated backward around the rim of the ice again, about to do another jump. She flew into a triple sow-cow, then a double toe-loop. As the song ended, she slid to a stop on her knees in the middle of the pond. Everyone clapped and cheered. She stood up and skated over to them. Tears filled her eyes as Sasha embraced her.
"Tai-San, I had no idea you could skate like that!" Ebony said, smiling. But Tai-San didn't hear her. She was too busy kissing Sasha to notice.
That's all for now, folks! Thanks again for reading, now please go and tell me what you thought of what you read! I love reviews – they keep me going! Toodles until later . . .
