Wow, I haven't updated this since November! I really ought to try to get some more free time devoted to this. Especially because I really do love it! Forgive me for the ending, I was rushing it so it's not written as well as it should be. :\

Chapter 24

Lark pushed his way through the tall weeds in the backyard and glanced around; the old houses were all lined up in front of him. The dusty ground was bare, disregarding the weeds and rocks in the dust... just the same as it was sixteen years ago. Looking around this place brought back a lot of memories...

It was a bad time to start having flashbacks though, so he stepped forward and quickly made his way towards the house. He looked through the screen door into the empty kitchen. Quietly pulling it open, he stepped inside and stared around at the floor, trying to remember which panel the black box was beneath. He headed over to the corner tapping quietly on the wood flooring with his foot trying to find a spot that seemed loose. As he neared the far corner of the room he finally heard a difference in the sound. He knelt down and found the loose board and pried it up with his fingers.

He reached underneath the flooring and felt around, finally knocking his hand against the black box he had seen Cree's mother use all those years ago. He pulled it up and placed it on the floor in front of him; it was smaller than he remembered it, but then again he had only seen it once. He lifted the lid but was shocked to find it was completely empty!

He threw the box aside and began desperately to feel around below the flooring, praying it had just fallen out of the box and was still there. After a moment of his he pulled up his hand and swore angrily. So was that it? He would just have to go back and tell them Cree was going to die and there was nothing to be done?

Lark placed the board back in place and stood up. He would at least ask around before he gave up. Perhaps one of the neighbors would know something. He was about to head back outside but when he turned he found himself face to face with a squirrel in green uniform holding a small vial full of clear liquid in front of him.

"Looking for something?"

Celsia glanced around as she made her way down the hospital hallway, unsure of where to go. Earlier Discordia had kicked her out of Cree's room so now she was roaming the halls waiting for news of some sort. Hopefully the good kind.

Suddenly she paused as she passed by the women's restroom. She turned to the door and listened as the muffled sound of sobbing met her ears. She got closer so she could hear what was going on.

In the bathroom Apache sat on the sinks holding her face in her hands and trying to contain her sobs. Next to her stood a lavender fox in a blue nurse's scrub trying to comfort her.

"Please don't cry, Apache." she said patting her knee, "I know it may seem really bad right now, but the general is going to come back very soon... and everything will be okay again."

Apache lowered her hands and stared at her friend, "I know..." she sniffed, "But... but he's in so much pain right now and- and it's all m-my fault!" she cried putting her face into her friend's shoulder, "Oh Yuma, I feel t-terrible! And there's n-nothing I can do to help."

Yuma pulled her head up and smiled weakly at her, "No, it's not your fault!" she assured, "There was no way you could have known that any of this would happen. And you did the right thing trying to help Cree get into Dey Ruien."

Apache turned away, wiping the tears off her face. "Don't worry so much though." Yuma continued putting her hand on Apache's shoulder, "I know Cree doesn't blame you so don't be so hard on yourself."

"How do you know that?" Apache asked quietly, "He wanted to tell me something earlier and he seemed really frustrated... how do you know that's not what it was about?"

Yuma let out a small laugh, "Do you really think that?" she asked, "He would never say something so cruel! Especially to you! I mean, haven't you noticed the way he looks at you?"

Apache looked back with wide eyes, "W-what do you mean?"

Yuma just continued to smile and sat on the sinks next to Apache, "Maybe that's something you should figure out for yourself." she said, "But you need to stop being so shy and afraid all the time. Show your feelings a bit; what have you got to lose?"

"A lot actually."

Both foxes looked over to the door just in time to see it swing shut behind Celsia, who stood there with her arms folded across her chest. Apache drew back a bit in surprise but Yuma was angry, "Hey! Were you listening in on all that?!" She demanded, "That's so rude! Our discussion has nothing to do with you, so-"

"Shutup!" Celsia shouted. Yuma quickly shut her mouth and merely glared at Celsia with contempt. Celsia turned her attention back to Apache, "Any conversation about my Cree has everything to do with me."

Apache pulled her surprised stare away from Celsia and looked down at her feet dangling below her, "You don't own him." she mumbled quietly.

Apache felt a sudden jolt and found her face just a few inches from Celsia's, "Oh really? What makes you think that?" Apache looked down to see Celsia's hand grasped around her necklace, "Is it because of this stupid thing?!" In one swift motion Celsia ripped the necklace off Apache's neck, snapping the chain.

"NO! GIVE IT BACK!" Apache shouted, making a desperate swipe at Celsia's hand but she quickly moved it out of her reach.

"This doesn't mean anything." she said tossing it towards the sink. Apache gasped in fear and dove towards where she had thrown it, barely managing to pin it to the ceramic side of the sink before it went down the drain.

"HEY! WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?!" Yuma shouted jumping to her feet, "What makes you think you can push others around like that?" Yuma went to push Celsia down but as her palm made contact with her shoulder she found she couldn't move Celsia an inch!

Celsia brushed Yuma's hand away but, though her motion appeared light, Yuma found her arm pushed so roughly that she fell to her knees. She grasped at her wrist where she had been hit by Celsia and glared up at her.

"My problem is with you two talking about taking Cree away from me." Celsia replied harshly, "Because he is mine and he loves me, so don't you go encouraging her to do anything to screw that up for me!"

Then they heard the door slam shut as Apache ran from the bathroom in tears. Celsia smiled victoriously after her.

"What are you smiling about?" She looked back down at Yuma, "If you really believed that Cree loved you, then why would you get so upset?" Celsia's smile disappeared as she said this, "I think you've noticed how he looks at her too. You know he really loves Apache!"

"SHUTUP!" Celsia screamed, "CREE DOES LOVE ME AND I'LL PROVE IT!"

Quickly rolling under the wall, Tails and Shadow pushed their way through the high grass and sprinted across the dusty yard into the house. "Lark!" Tails shouted as he threw open the screen door.

"MILES RUN!"

Suddenly Tails felt himself being pulled back into the yard incredibly fast just as a rain of gunshots fell on the spot where he had just stood. He looked back to see Shadow's hand on his shoulder, "I told you there was an ambush in there; don't just go running in without any way to protect yourself." he said with a glare.

"But what should we do?!" Tails cried.

Shadow glared back into the empty doorway, "Stay here; I'll take care of it."

Lark tried to push past the two guards to see if Tails was alright but one of them shoved him backwards into the wall. He started to reach for his gun- "I wouldn't do that if I were you." one soldier chimed waving the vial in front of him, "This might accidentally slip and then where would that leave your pal Cree, huh?"

Lark reluctantly pulled his hand away from his gun holster. So long as the vial was still intact there was still hope, but if he were to break it then that would be it. "Doran, go check take care of that fox outside real quick." he said to his comrade while slipping the vial into his pocket.

Lark's eyes followed apprehensively as he headed towards the door with his gun raised but just as he came within sight of the yard outside he was suddenly thrown backwards into the wall where he collapsed. The other was quick to react; he whirled around and drew his gun but, of course, he wasn't quite fast enough.

Before he could raise his arm Shadow had a hold of his wrist, "Too slow!" he said calmly as he hurled the soldier into his comrade.

"YOU IDIOT!" Lark screamed lunging after the soldier. He fell to his knees next to his unconscious form and reached into his pocket. He pulled away holding the vial gingerly between his fingers, obviously relieved it hadn't broken, then he turned back to face Shadow, "If this thing had broken my whole mission would have been a complete failure!" he snapped.

Shadow folded his arms across his chest, "Thank you, Shadow, for saving my life." he mumbled sarcastically as he looked away. Suddenly Lark cried out in pain and fell forward. Shadow looked back to see the soldier holding a knife into Lark's side.

"Turning your back on the enemy?" Lark turned his head around to face the squirrel and found he had a wide smirk plastered across his face, "Has it really been that long since you've been in a fight, General?"

Lark quickly pulled away from the soldier and, before Shadow could do anything about it, whipped out his gun and fired two shots into the soldier's head. He fell back against his comrade leaking blood onto the floor. Behind Lark, standing in the open doorway, Tails stared on in horror. Shadow looked over at his frightened expression with a bit of concern. Tails was mature for his age, true but he was still a kid. That couldn't have been a pleasant thing to witness.

His gaze was drawn back to Lark as he cried out in pain while he ripped the dagger from his side. He swore under his breath and tried to stand. Shadow stepped forward to help and Lark dropped the gun in his hand and took Shadow's who pulled him to his feet. He looked like he might fall again for a moment but then he managed to stand on his own and, grasping the vial in one hand, pulled away from Shadow and staggered forward clutching his wound with his other hand.

"You don't really think you'll get out of the city like that, do you?" Shadow mumbled as he watched Lark struggle to stay upright.

Lark glared back at him, "I... have to... I have to get this back to Akillian before-" however he didn't make it very far, he fell to his knees again and let out a low groan of pain.

Tails tore his eyes from the soldiers against the wall and rushed to Lark's side, "You won't make it halfway across the yard like that!" Tails said grabbing his arm and helping him lie down, "What you have to do is get that taken care of before you bleed to death."

Lark tried to sit up again, "But-"

"Oh shut up and let us help you!" Shadow said stepping forward, "If you die then that antidote will never get back to Akillian."

"He's right, Lark." Tails said gently pushing Lark down again, "Please just let us bandage you up and rest awhile, it won't take long. Cree can wait another ten minutes."

Lark closed his eyes tightly and groaned, "Five minutes."