Breaking the Disease
Epic Six
Written by Cartman's Girl and Invader Poe

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Chapter Two

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They came to the house, and he took a deep breath, knocking on the door again softly. There was a pause, before Beka opened the door. Her eye cams flashed slightly, when she saw the two both with their children.

"They've arrived?" she asked quietly, just to make sure and she wasn't malfunctioning.

"Yes Beka, this is Ragde..." Enid entered the base, Zib following her as she pulled some of the blanket down to show her son off. Ragde blinked at the robot, tilting his head to the side. "And Zib's got Ivy." Zib carefully removed the blanket, which by now Ivy had become possessive of, and finally gave up, letting her have it. Zib looked around the kitchen,

"Where's Cten, Beka?"

"Ma'am is just drying Vist off after his bath." Beka replied, pointing upstairs. "They're in his room."

"Maybe we should wait for her, then.."

"Yeah." Enid said, then glanced into the kitchen seeing the papers still there. "What's that?" she asked, glancing at Zib.

"Um.." He flinched slightly, setting Ivy down on the linoleum and gathering up the papers, "Just something I printed out to give to her earlier." She picked up a sheet, skimming it over.

"U-huh...?" Enid asked, even Ragde looking up at the paper, even if he couldn't really read at this age he looked interested. Zib blanced and tried to snatch the paper out of her hands, not that it'd be too hard for her to hold it out of his reach. Ivy had wandered over to Beka, and seemed to be studying her. Beka stared back at Ivy blankly,

"Uh, greetings." she said. Enid, now reading with a furrowed brow held it up out of Zib's reach, still reading it.

"Yadda yadda..." Ivy now seemed to be studying the red bop on the end of Beka's antennae, much like a cat watches a mouse (That poor bop..) Zib winced,

"Come on, Enid, I need those in order!" Enid blinked a few times, then stared down at him, the paper still held above her head.

"What do you mean disease is heriditary?" Beka, if she could, sweatdropped as her antennae drooped slightly, the red bop drooping with it. Zib glanced around quickly for an explaination,

"It's just, uh, I mean, it's.." Ivy started to grin like a Chesire cat, leaning back and somehow learning to pounce before she even walked, she launched herself at Beka and caused a loud clatter. Enid glanced over at Ivy and Beka, Beka now on her back and Ivy sat on her torso, pulling on the red bop. Beka, used to having her bop glomped by Gir by now, just let her do what she wanted. Then she turned her attention back to Zib, lowering the paper and handing it to him.

"So, by your research I have the disease, as well as Vist?"

"It's not definate," he said quickly, stuffing the paper in with the others, "Just… a possibility. You don't really.. display that many symptoms, and those you might've picked up from watching Poe…"

"And you… came here and told my Mom not only her mate has the disease but her children possibly have it? No wonder she was upset…" she glanced away, setting Ragde down onto the table before sitting down herself.

"Isn't a little bit of knowledge better than ignorance about what you're up against?" He stuffed the papers in his pocket - that'd always been his philosophy, being a person of science and all. "I came here to try and give her hope.. I mean, at least the disease isn't fatal.." He glanced, then muttered under his breath, "As far as I've found out.."

"You don't understand my Mom, Zib. She is happy to be left believing what she wants, and rarely cares for the clean hard facts. If she was like that, I wouldn't be here today." Enid closed her eyes, Ragde wiggled his way to her hand and put his tiny hands onto hers. She looked at him, and he made a little hopeful face at her. Zib's antennae drooped somewhat.

"I figured it was a personal issue for both Cten and I. I don't want you to end up like Poe." He looked over at her over the rim of his glasses. Ivy seemed content to bop the, er, bop back and forth, like a cat toy, giggling in a way that was painfully cute. Beka sighed, then she sensed Cten was coming down to the house with Vist. Enid smiled slightly, then up at Zib.

"I... I don't want to end up like him either." she said quietly.

"With any luck, maybe I can use my knowledge of science for something actually productive and prevent it from happening, and maybe I'll even find a way to save him, too." His own antennae picked up the sounds of the stairs being decended, and he turned to face them. Enid sat up, hearing her Mom approaching and soon she appeared at the door way, Vist walking besides her. She stopped in mid-step, seeing Beka being toyed with by Ivy and Ragde sat on the table, who was now staring at her. Cten looked from Ivy to Ragde, then Zib and Enid.

"Hi Mom.." Enid smiled slightly. Zib tried to put on a grin as well, "They, um, hatched after I got home.. We figured you might want to see them in person."

"Aw..." Cten smiled, then took a few steps and stopped at Beka and Ivy. "Well... congratulations you two." she smiled slightly, then looked down at Ivy. "And the name of that one is..?"

"That's Ivy," he sweatdropped, just now realizing the hatchling was still abusing the poor SIR and went to retrive his daughter, "She's a lot like.. her other grandma." He glanced over at his son, "That one's Ragde.."

"He's more like the shy side of us all." Enid said, picking Ragde up. Cten smiled slightly at Ivy,

"Aw well... they're both adorable." she then glanced back at Vist, who was still stood in the doorway. "Vist honey, come on in." Vist had suddenly been rendered shy, not use to strangers at all, much less hatchlings younger than himself. He wandered into the room carefully. Zib looked at Vist, then to Ivy,

"That's your uncle, Vist.."

"I think just Vist'll be fine for now." Cten smiled slightly, Vist taking her hand quickly as he stood besides her. Ragde blinked at Vist, tilting his head to the side. Ivy gave Vist a look of something resembling,

"You're my uncle? Bah!" Zib frowned,

"Ivy, please, just be nice.." Vist glared back, not pleased at the fact a hatchling was giving him such a snotty look, but stood closely beside his Mother. Enid then picked Ragde up from the table and set him down besides Ivy. Ragde smiled up at Vist, probably happy to see someone else around his size and not being his sister.

"I think you were right Zib… I see some Zim in her." Vist looked over at Ragde, slightly confused by someone besides his Mother smiling at him, and was suspicious, figuring the two were in cahoots. He started to withdraw behind Cten's leg, and Ivy started snickering. Ragde's antennae lowered, making an "Aww..." face and looked at the floor sadly. Cten looked at Vist as he moved slowly, she patted his head.

"You okay Vist?" Vist bristled when Ivy started snickering at him, and he clung to Cten's leg and shook his head, glaring at the somewhat frightening female hatchling from behind the saftey of Cten's calf. Ivy made a 'Bring it on!' gesture, and Zib sighed, kneeling down beside Ivy and picking her up.

"Well they have enough time to get used to each other, I suppose…" Enid said, picking Ragde up, he was still staring at Vist with his slightly upset look. He then yawned slightly, snuggling against his Mom and yawned again. Zib nodded,

"Maybe they'll eventually get along… for our sakes I hope so." Vist's lip twitched, then turned and tugged on Cten's pant leg, asking in what was meant to be a quiet voice, but wasn't quite…

"When are they leaving?" Cten shook her head slightly, then smiled at Zib and Enid.

"Well... Radge looks kinda sleepy dear. Maybe he needs to rest." Enid looked down at Ragde, who was starting to fall asleep in her arms.

"Guess you're right." she replied, before picking up the blanket and wrapping him up in it again. Zib frowned slightly at Vist, then nodded to Cten,

"Ivy will eventually run herself tired.. maybe." He shook his head slightly at his daughter, who seemed content to be in his arms right now, afterall, it was higher up than the floor and felt like some kind of throne. Vist still looked uncomfortable, maybe jealous that there were other hatchlings around, now.

"Okay you two, I'll see you both later." Cten smiled slightly, leading the two out of the kitchen. "Now, you need anything just call me. All right?"

"Course, thanks Mom." Enid nodded slightly, Ragde now asleep in her arms. Zib looked somewhat concerned, afterall, he'd seen Cten earlier and she seemed far too much improved at the moment for his comfort. He didn't say anything, though, following Enid out the door. Vist relaxed when he was left alone in the kitchen with his Mom again. Cten watched them go, then sighed and sat down on the ground. She looked to Vist, and ran her hand over his head gently.

"What was wrong Vist?" she asked quietly.

"I don't like them, Mommy." He glared at the door before sitting down in her lap, pouting, his antennae folded back.

"Why is that?" she asked, resting her hands on the floor.

"I…" He blinked, then shook his head firmly, "Cuz… they didn't like me." He also seemed quite envious of them for some reason.

"Radge seemed to like you." Cten remarked, before laying flat on the ground now letting Vist sit on top of her.

"He looked like a wussy that'd like everyone." He said dismissively.

"Oh Vist." she shut her eyes tightly.

"What?" He looked down at her, then looked up and down her at how she was lying down and seemed to be falling asleep on the floor. This seemed like normal enough behaviour to his toddler-aged mind, "Gonna take a nap Mommy?"

"Maybe." she replied, opening her eyes and smiling at him. "Wanna have one with me?"

"Well.. okay." He actually grinned, and slumped until he was snuggled against her chest, using her for a bed. He nuzzled his head into her neck and yawned, making a cute sound. Cten smiled, wrapping her arms around him. Any phsyical contact she got lately was from Vist, what with Poe being what he was. Her antennae drooped slightly, seemed they always did when she thought of her mate. But she tried her best again to not show how she was to her son, and shut her eyes and tried to relax as best she could. He fell asleep soon after, snoring softly.

The darkness seemed to go on forever, like every single light in existance had been shut off. Cten blinked, rubbing her eyes as they adjusted to the lack of light. She glanced around, trying to see if there was anyone else there with her.

"...hello?" she called out, her voice echoing for a while before dying away. Cten rubbed her arms, and started walking, not knowing where or how long it'd be if she got anywhere in this place.

"Cten?" A familiar voice responded from the darkness, and soon enough Poe emerged, looking like he had prior to their visit to Irk; healthy, even a bit out of shape, tamed and warmed by years of fatherhood and home life.

"Poe?" she blinked a few times, staring at him blankly for a while. "...is that really you?" It'd been ages since she had heard his voice, since the only thing recently he'd been able to do was snarl, or roar at the room he was confided in.

"In the flesh." He grinned slightly and strode up to her, lifting one of her antennae gently. He then tilted his head slightly, looking sad, then around at the darkness, "Things must be pretty bad if you're in a place like this…"

"Oh Poe..." she couldn't help but look and sound upset, throwing her arms around his middle and burrying her face against his chest. "Things are so awful! Vist doesn't get along with anyone, Enid might have a disease, you... you're still locked up I don't know how I can go on at all anymore..." she blurted it all out rather quickly, but heck having this all bottled up was sure to come out sooner or later. Even if it was in a realm of fantasy created by her mind. He held her tightly, stroking the back of her head.

"I know things seem bad now. But if there's one thing I learned as a Reject was that as long as you were alive, there was hope.. and without it, you might as well be dead."

"I've had hope... it's all I was ever sure of and even now..." she looked up at him, "I miss you so much Poe... I lay in bed by myself and sometimes I can't even sleep. I want you to get better, with all my being I want you to get well again so we can be a family again..." she closed her eyes as tears now trickled down her face. "I just wish I knew how to help you." Poe looked down at her gently, half-closing his eyes and catching the tear with his knuckle and brushing it away.

"I'm sorry I can't be there for you. I tried.. but I'd been fighting that.. thing inside my head all my life…" Hm, maybe it wasn't confined to Rejects afterall. "I lost it that night before we found our way home… I know, I failed several times over. I failed to protect you, and now, I can't even be there for you to deal with the reprocussions of that…" He sighed and shook his head, "And Vist… Vist is hard for me to look at, because he reminds me of that failure. I'm not so sure I deserve help." He folded his antennae back.

"You do deserve help, I love you, I want you back." Cten held onto him tightly, not wanting this dream to end any time soon "I don't want to be without you.. my life isn't the same without knowing I've got you there..." she managed to open her eyes, but doing so even more tears washed down. "Isn't there anything I can do at all?" He reached up and held her cheeks, stroking them with his thumbs, and locked his eyes with her's.

"Just believe in me, Cten. If this is how you remember me, if this is how you want me… treat me like this. Trust me. If you believe I'm still something besides some kind of wild monster who would hurt - whether by attack or negligence - his own family… Maybe I will too." She was about to reply, when suddenly light began to pour into the darkness, as if a white sun raising in the far distance. Cten glanced over at the light, squinting her eyes as it hurt since she'd gotten used to the darkness.

"What's happening...?" she asked.

"I think you're waking up." He squinted as well, lifting his arm and coat flap to shield them both, then looked back down at her. "Just remember, that no matter what it might seem on the outside… I'm still in there, and I still love you." He squeezed her tightly with his free arm, "Nothing, no disease is going to change that." As the light brightened, he became dimmer and fainter. Cten held onto him, as he began to fade out of sight and the light grew brighter.

"No, no please…  Poe don't leave me no… not again please…" but soon enough the light consumed everything, and her eyes opened. She was still on the ground, and she sat up slightly and looked around the room. Her antennae drooped and she shut her eyes again, rubbing then with one of her hands. She hadn't even checked if Vist was still asleep or not. He was, sleeping soundly, his antennae limp over his shoulders as he used her rising and falling chest for a pillow. He seemed to stir somewhat when she awoke, clinging tighter to her. She blinked a few more times, then stood up slowly. Then she carried Vist onto the sofa and patted his head, before leaving the room she kissed his forehead. After that, she walked from the room.

[To be continued – wow, short chapterness]