A/N: Six reviews for one chappie? Wow. I feel special. :)

~Lisa-Ann – Hey, I need feedback! I'm looking to see if there's just ONE PERSON out there who likes that idea! (I wrote this response before Falan and Nogard reviewed ... they liked it. But still!)

~Shona,the celestial girl – I already responded to you in your story, but ... what is wrong with Toby? She's my third favorite character! Esplin and Leela? That's an idea ... *thinks on it* ... but Leela's with Marco!

~Green Eyed Girl – *steals Green Eyed Girl's straitjacket* Now I have the cooler straitjacket!

~Falan – YES! Someone who approves! *dances around, then gives Falan an "I'm special!" sticker*

~Nogard – Sweet! *hands Nogard an "I'm special!" sticker* I thought nobody would like the Esplin/Toby thing.

~Ilove-Yu-Gi-Oh – Anything that's not in the books is mine. Did you read all of this or just the first chapter/book? (Well, if you're reading this, you've obviously read further than that.) :)

Now if you can't stand Esplin/Toby sap, skip this chappie (as soon as you've read the reviewers' response thingy). It's short, and I'm terrible at sap anyway. :) I've posted Chapter 17 too.

______________________________

CHAPTER 16 - Esplin 9466

Can't, I said dully.

"Esplin, please," Toby begged. "For me. For Kalah and Brin. Come on, you can do it."

Morph what? Yeerk? Hork-Bajir?

"Anything! Just morph!"

I tried to focus. Yeerk. Hork-Bajir. Red-tailed hawk. Human. Images all swirling together. Couldn't focus.

Nahteersiff. The Andalite word for inability to morph, even when one should be able to morph.

Darkness was closing in. Yet I could still see Toby. Standing there, looking at me.

She saw that I could not morph. She was crying.

It's okay, I said. I did it. I decapitated Crayak.

This obviously did not make her feel much better. Yet she tried to joke. "You've finally put your decapitation skills to good use."

I managed a rueful laugh. Toby ... come ... stay with me ... before I go.

"Okay," she replied.

She was so beautiful. With blue-green tears streaming down her face, she was still beautiful.

Then, I said, Toby Hamee ... I love you.

"I love you too, Esplin-Nine-Four-Double-Six." Toby smiled sadly at me, then added, "You jerk."

I tried to smile back. Tried to. Don't know if I succeeded.

Then ... darkness ... then light ... could see —

_____________________________

A/N: So sue me. I can't write sap.

If you read this chappie, you asked for it!

And you've probably read the whole chappie if you're reading this.

Now I'm confusing myself.

Go read chapter 17 now.

~ Salad Shooter `Ô