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Chapter 2
"Is he going to be okay?"
I let out a small groan. My head throbbed. My eyelids felt like they were cemented shut. I recognized the voice as Dad's. Ah, now I remember. The stairs. The plunge. The yell.
"He should be fine," another voice said. Probably a doctor. Didn't sound like anybody I knew. "He's taken quite a knock to the noggin though. Better stay in bed a couple of days."
After a small struggle, I managed to get my eyes open. Yep, it was a hospital. Not much to look at it, but it did seem as if my dad went the extra mile and sprung for a private room. Dad and the doctor were talking close to the door, their backs turned away from me. I briefly wondered where Nora was, but I just figured she was in the waiting room or something.
"You might want to keep a close watch on him, though. If he shows any signs of confusion or memory lapses, make sure to notify me immediately."
Dad nodded, and turned back to my bed. Once he saw that I was awake, he rushed up to my bed. The doctor left quietly. I guess he wanted to give us some amount of privacy.
"Marco," Dad said softly. He touched my face gently and swept the hair off my face.
"Hey Dad," I replied, managing a weak grin though enormous amounts of pain. I felt a slight twinge of guilt, looking into his eyes. I scared the crap outta him doing what I did. But the guilt washed away soon. After all, he still wasn't a Yeerk.
"What happened?" Dad asked, looking at my intently, searching my face for something. What?
"I-I," I began, but I didn't know how to finish.
"Can you remember Marco? Maybe I should get the doctor." Dad's voice was borderline frantic.
"No!" I winced as another jolt of pain ran through my head. If there is one thing I really, truly hate besides saving the world, it's doctors. All that poking and prodding.....not too mention the needles.
"I remember," I told him quietly, pausing long enough to buy myself some time. "I couldn't get to sleep. I was going downstairs to get a glass of milk, when I, um, I, lost my footing on the top of the stairs."
Dad could tell there was something I wasn't telling him. He scrunched up his face and looked thoughtful. Suddenly, he leaned back, and a look of pure sadness washed over his face.
"You had another dream again, didn't you, Marco?"
"Yes. A dream," I repeated. I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but if he'd buy it, that was my story.
"It was about Mom, wasn't it?" Dad gulped, and looked as if he were on the verge of tears.
"Yeah," I said in a tiny voice. "About Mom." I felt horribly guilty. Now that Dad had found Nora, he didn't deserve to have to be reminded of why he's been grieving for the past couple years. No matter how much I still couldn't accept Nora and her stupid dog.
Dad wrapped me in a tight hug. He kissed my cheek softly, which wasn't something he'd normally do, but it made me a feel a little better, in some odd way.
"Marco....I'm sorry," Dad told me, breaking off our hug.
"For what?" I asked. "It wasn't like you got behind me and shoved me down the stairs." Yeah, I got to do that part myself.
Dad sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I haven't been spending enough time with you lately." Dad paused. "With work.....and Nora.....and um, all, we just haven't had time to just hang out."
"It's okay," I told him quietly.
"No, no, it's not," he replied, shaking his head. "You're my son, and I love you, and I want to spend more time with you. Things are going to change, Marco. I'm gonna take a little time off work, have some male bonding time, just the two of us." A hint of a smile played on his lips.
Bingo! Now I just had to play it cool, and with any luck the Animorphs and I will have come up with our "master plan," before he went back to work.
"But, Dad, what about your big project? Z-space, the cone, all those dimensions, not to mention the cash involved? Do you really want to spend all your time at home with me, instead of making us rich and buying me a jet-ski?" I forced a smile.
Dad squeezed my hand gently. "I'd give up the world for you, Marco."
I couldn't help it. I cracked up. My first real laugh in a long time. It felt good. After a few seconds, Dad joined in, his laugh sounding husky and funny to my ears. He hadn't laughed in awhile either.
"Okay, that was pretty corny," I told him, after we finally stopped laughing.
Dad grinned. "Yeah, I guess it was. But, I really am going to take some time off work and stay with you."
"You don't have too," I reminded him quietly, all the while practically bursting with joy at the thought that he'd be okay, at least for now. Until then, well, I was just going to have to come up with a plan.
"Sure I have to. Heck, I'm sick of work. All that boring science crap." Dad shook his head.
"Face it, Pops, you're a science geek."
Dad smiled and ruffled my hair. "Nora's in the waiting room. Are you up for more company?" I shook my head. "That's cool." Dad paused. "Does your head hurt a lot?"
"Nope," I replied, lying through my teeth. "I could use a nurse though."
"Blonde, brunette, or redhead?" Dad asked.
"One of each, and I can die a happy camper," I joked. Dad smiled.
"Anything I can get you, buddy?"
"Nah, that's okay," I answered. "I'm fine. But, uh, Dad?"
"Yeah, Marco?"
"I'd like you to stay." God, I must've sounded corny, but when you almost lose your father to a race of mind controlling slugs, even I can get sentimental.
"Sure, buddy," Dad replied, grinning.
Dad stayed by my bed all night, and my head started to feel a little better.
*****************************************
I woke up with a great big yawn, letting out a small yelp as my head throbbed again. Note to self: DO NOT YAWN!
Dad stood over my bed, smiling at me. "Mornin,' Sunshine," he joked. "You up for breakfast."
"Nah, I'm not really hungry."
"You sure, Marco?" Dad looked a little worried. "The doctor said lack of appetite could be a bad sign."
I held up my hand. "Don't worry, Dad. I'm fine. Just not too hungry right now. Maybe later." I smiled reassuringly, hoping he'd calm down a bit.
"Okay, then. If you're sure.......you have some visitors." He didn't even have to tell me who they were. It was the rest of the Animorphs. Who else?
"Send 'em in," I requested.
"Sure." He opened the door a crack, and peeked his head out. He said a few words, and turned back to me. "Okay. I'll give you all some privacy." He paused, considering something. "That blonde girl is very pretty." He raised an eyebrow, and I blushed. "Want to tell me about her?" He asked.
"Ummmmm......no."
He smiled, and left the room, opening the door wider for the others to come through. As soon as the doors were closed, we could discuss everything. First thing Rachel did, was open the window so a certain red-tailed hawk could enter the room. Everyone was there. Jake, Cassie, Rachel, Bird-Boy, and Ax, in his human form, of course.
Rachel gave me a look of pure respect as she patted my knee. "Not bad, Shorty. You did good." Even if she was praising me for saving my father, she had to make some kind of joke about my height.
Jake, as usual looked solemn and serious. "I heard all about the phone call and everything. Your dad told me. He also told me someone stopped by the hospital to tell him that that guy, Russ, was actually okay. That he didn't die. A wrongly identified body." He paused.
"The Yeerks," Rachel hissed, pure hatred covering her normally pretty face. Actually that whole, I'm-about-to-rip-somebody-apart-limb-from-limb look kinda turned me on.
What do we do now? Tobias asked in thought speak.
"I'm not sure," Jake answered, sighing. "You got any bright ideas, Marco?"
"There are only so many flights of stairs I can throw myself down, O' Fearless Leader," I replied, giving a mock salute.
"We have to do something. We can't just let the Yeerks take Marco's dad," Cassie said, frowning.
"Perhaps it would be wise to think this through. Ooo. Think things through. Ooo." Ax smiled with pure delight at the ending of 'through.'
We were all dancing around the same thing. All of us knew our options. I wasn't sure I liked what would come next. It would take careful thinking. We'd all weigh the pros and the cons. Discuss everything through. Go over all our options, and what repercussions each one could bring about. There'd be a lot of arguing, and finally, we'd all make the choice.
Jake heaved a sigh. "So, I say we take a vote. Do we tell Marco's dad about the Animorphs, or not?"
My head suddenly felt a heck of a lot worse.
Chapter 2
"Is he going to be okay?"
I let out a small groan. My head throbbed. My eyelids felt like they were cemented shut. I recognized the voice as Dad's. Ah, now I remember. The stairs. The plunge. The yell.
"He should be fine," another voice said. Probably a doctor. Didn't sound like anybody I knew. "He's taken quite a knock to the noggin though. Better stay in bed a couple of days."
After a small struggle, I managed to get my eyes open. Yep, it was a hospital. Not much to look at it, but it did seem as if my dad went the extra mile and sprung for a private room. Dad and the doctor were talking close to the door, their backs turned away from me. I briefly wondered where Nora was, but I just figured she was in the waiting room or something.
"You might want to keep a close watch on him, though. If he shows any signs of confusion or memory lapses, make sure to notify me immediately."
Dad nodded, and turned back to my bed. Once he saw that I was awake, he rushed up to my bed. The doctor left quietly. I guess he wanted to give us some amount of privacy.
"Marco," Dad said softly. He touched my face gently and swept the hair off my face.
"Hey Dad," I replied, managing a weak grin though enormous amounts of pain. I felt a slight twinge of guilt, looking into his eyes. I scared the crap outta him doing what I did. But the guilt washed away soon. After all, he still wasn't a Yeerk.
"What happened?" Dad asked, looking at my intently, searching my face for something. What?
"I-I," I began, but I didn't know how to finish.
"Can you remember Marco? Maybe I should get the doctor." Dad's voice was borderline frantic.
"No!" I winced as another jolt of pain ran through my head. If there is one thing I really, truly hate besides saving the world, it's doctors. All that poking and prodding.....not too mention the needles.
"I remember," I told him quietly, pausing long enough to buy myself some time. "I couldn't get to sleep. I was going downstairs to get a glass of milk, when I, um, I, lost my footing on the top of the stairs."
Dad could tell there was something I wasn't telling him. He scrunched up his face and looked thoughtful. Suddenly, he leaned back, and a look of pure sadness washed over his face.
"You had another dream again, didn't you, Marco?"
"Yes. A dream," I repeated. I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but if he'd buy it, that was my story.
"It was about Mom, wasn't it?" Dad gulped, and looked as if he were on the verge of tears.
"Yeah," I said in a tiny voice. "About Mom." I felt horribly guilty. Now that Dad had found Nora, he didn't deserve to have to be reminded of why he's been grieving for the past couple years. No matter how much I still couldn't accept Nora and her stupid dog.
Dad wrapped me in a tight hug. He kissed my cheek softly, which wasn't something he'd normally do, but it made me a feel a little better, in some odd way.
"Marco....I'm sorry," Dad told me, breaking off our hug.
"For what?" I asked. "It wasn't like you got behind me and shoved me down the stairs." Yeah, I got to do that part myself.
Dad sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I haven't been spending enough time with you lately." Dad paused. "With work.....and Nora.....and um, all, we just haven't had time to just hang out."
"It's okay," I told him quietly.
"No, no, it's not," he replied, shaking his head. "You're my son, and I love you, and I want to spend more time with you. Things are going to change, Marco. I'm gonna take a little time off work, have some male bonding time, just the two of us." A hint of a smile played on his lips.
Bingo! Now I just had to play it cool, and with any luck the Animorphs and I will have come up with our "master plan," before he went back to work.
"But, Dad, what about your big project? Z-space, the cone, all those dimensions, not to mention the cash involved? Do you really want to spend all your time at home with me, instead of making us rich and buying me a jet-ski?" I forced a smile.
Dad squeezed my hand gently. "I'd give up the world for you, Marco."
I couldn't help it. I cracked up. My first real laugh in a long time. It felt good. After a few seconds, Dad joined in, his laugh sounding husky and funny to my ears. He hadn't laughed in awhile either.
"Okay, that was pretty corny," I told him, after we finally stopped laughing.
Dad grinned. "Yeah, I guess it was. But, I really am going to take some time off work and stay with you."
"You don't have too," I reminded him quietly, all the while practically bursting with joy at the thought that he'd be okay, at least for now. Until then, well, I was just going to have to come up with a plan.
"Sure I have to. Heck, I'm sick of work. All that boring science crap." Dad shook his head.
"Face it, Pops, you're a science geek."
Dad smiled and ruffled my hair. "Nora's in the waiting room. Are you up for more company?" I shook my head. "That's cool." Dad paused. "Does your head hurt a lot?"
"Nope," I replied, lying through my teeth. "I could use a nurse though."
"Blonde, brunette, or redhead?" Dad asked.
"One of each, and I can die a happy camper," I joked. Dad smiled.
"Anything I can get you, buddy?"
"Nah, that's okay," I answered. "I'm fine. But, uh, Dad?"
"Yeah, Marco?"
"I'd like you to stay." God, I must've sounded corny, but when you almost lose your father to a race of mind controlling slugs, even I can get sentimental.
"Sure, buddy," Dad replied, grinning.
Dad stayed by my bed all night, and my head started to feel a little better.
*****************************************
I woke up with a great big yawn, letting out a small yelp as my head throbbed again. Note to self: DO NOT YAWN!
Dad stood over my bed, smiling at me. "Mornin,' Sunshine," he joked. "You up for breakfast."
"Nah, I'm not really hungry."
"You sure, Marco?" Dad looked a little worried. "The doctor said lack of appetite could be a bad sign."
I held up my hand. "Don't worry, Dad. I'm fine. Just not too hungry right now. Maybe later." I smiled reassuringly, hoping he'd calm down a bit.
"Okay, then. If you're sure.......you have some visitors." He didn't even have to tell me who they were. It was the rest of the Animorphs. Who else?
"Send 'em in," I requested.
"Sure." He opened the door a crack, and peeked his head out. He said a few words, and turned back to me. "Okay. I'll give you all some privacy." He paused, considering something. "That blonde girl is very pretty." He raised an eyebrow, and I blushed. "Want to tell me about her?" He asked.
"Ummmmm......no."
He smiled, and left the room, opening the door wider for the others to come through. As soon as the doors were closed, we could discuss everything. First thing Rachel did, was open the window so a certain red-tailed hawk could enter the room. Everyone was there. Jake, Cassie, Rachel, Bird-Boy, and Ax, in his human form, of course.
Rachel gave me a look of pure respect as she patted my knee. "Not bad, Shorty. You did good." Even if she was praising me for saving my father, she had to make some kind of joke about my height.
Jake, as usual looked solemn and serious. "I heard all about the phone call and everything. Your dad told me. He also told me someone stopped by the hospital to tell him that that guy, Russ, was actually okay. That he didn't die. A wrongly identified body." He paused.
"The Yeerks," Rachel hissed, pure hatred covering her normally pretty face. Actually that whole, I'm-about-to-rip-somebody-apart-limb-from-limb look kinda turned me on.
What do we do now? Tobias asked in thought speak.
"I'm not sure," Jake answered, sighing. "You got any bright ideas, Marco?"
"There are only so many flights of stairs I can throw myself down, O' Fearless Leader," I replied, giving a mock salute.
"We have to do something. We can't just let the Yeerks take Marco's dad," Cassie said, frowning.
"Perhaps it would be wise to think this through. Ooo. Think things through. Ooo." Ax smiled with pure delight at the ending of 'through.'
We were all dancing around the same thing. All of us knew our options. I wasn't sure I liked what would come next. It would take careful thinking. We'd all weigh the pros and the cons. Discuss everything through. Go over all our options, and what repercussions each one could bring about. There'd be a lot of arguing, and finally, we'd all make the choice.
Jake heaved a sigh. "So, I say we take a vote. Do we tell Marco's dad about the Animorphs, or not?"
My head suddenly felt a heck of a lot worse.
