TITLE: "Adventures in Clubbing"

AUTHOR: Doctor Strangelove (strangelove317@hotmail.com)
RATING: PG-13
SPOILERS: Um, I don't know. No particular spoilers. Visser Three is still Visser Three.
FEEDBACK: I'd love it.
DISCLAIMER: K. A. Applegate owns the Animorphs. The song is "Blue" and was written by Angie Hart and Joss Whedon.

"Adventures in Clubbing"

Written by: Doctor Strangelove

The lights were dim in the club. I looked up on stage and saw the band starting to warm up. As they started to play I looked over and saw Tom standing there. No words were exchanged and then we were dancing.

"Night falls,"

Tom wrapped his arms around me and I relaxed some.

"I fall,"

I looked over and I saw Tobias standing off to the side of the floor. Alone. Watching

"And where were you?"

I looked closer and saw he was with Cassie. She was sitting next to him. Also watching. I think she might've been crying.

"And where were you?"

I rested my head on Tom, and he wrapped his arms tighter around me.

"Warm skin,"

I looked at him and he smiled at me.

"Wolf grin,"

My eyes continued to search the club.

"And where were you?"

And then I saw him.

"I fell into the moon,"

I could see him in the dim lights, elegantly bathing him and hiding him all at once.

"And it covered you in blue,"

Ax was standing off to the sides. Watching. Just me.

"I fell into the moon,"

His eyes were only on me.

"Can I make it right?"

I pulled myself closer into Tom's warmth.

"Can I spend the night?"

I look over and saw Rachel near Tobias and Cassie. She was comforting Cassie. Tobias was still watching.

"High tide,"

I looked over to another part of the club and saw some figures moving through the shadows. It looked like two people were watching. They looked familiar.

"Inside,"

I looked out the window. It was dark out there.

"The air is dew,"

I looked around the club some more. I didn't see Ax.

"And where were you?"

I wrapped my arms tighter around Tom. Don't fall. I had gloves on. Weird

"While I,"

I pulled away. There was blood all over the gloves.

"I died,"

I looked around in a panic.

"And where were you?"

Cassie had stopped crying. She was laying her head on the table. I think she was sleeping. Rachel was ignoring her. Tobias was watching.

"I crawled out of the world,"

I started to back away. The bloody gloves wouldn't come off. Tom was watching.

"And you said I shouldn't stay,"

I started to back away faster.

"I crawled out of the world,"

I bumped into someone. It was Ax.

"Can I make it right?"

I could feel Tom's eyes on me.

"Can I spend the night,"

The music ended.

"Alone?"

I stared at Ax. He looked at the gloves.

"Not mine."

Ax took the gloves off my hands.

Time to wake up, Oedipus.

*****

My eyes snapped open. That was one messed up dream. I looked around.

This isn't my room. The previous night's activities returned to me. Oh shit.

I quickly sat and looked around, confirming my fears. I was in Tom's room. I looked down. Tom was sleeping next to me. I was wearing the clothes I had on last night. That's very good. That means nothing happened. I hope.

I quickly got up and headed for the door, but I stopped dead in my tracks. "Marco?"

I turned around and saw that Tom was awake. Oh joy. This is really not a conversation I want to have. "Hey, Tom. What's up?"

He smiled and walked over to me, "You were pretty upset last night."

"Yeah. I remember." God, I wanted to get out of their.

"You feel any better today?" Tom looked really concerned. But he wasn't. It was that Yeerk. Doing a very convincing job. God, he looks so much like Jake.

"I gotta go." I stammered and backed towards the door.

"Right." There was a hint of sadness in his voice. That Yeerk's a good actor.

"Listen, Tom. Last night, nothing happened, right? Between us? I mean, I know it happened but, it didn't-"

He smiled, "Nothing happened. Apart from some kissing, nothing."

"Good." With that I turned and quietly snuck out of the house.

*****

I ran down the street, headed for my house. My watch said it was 7:19. I had to hurry to get home before my dad noticed I wasn't. I snuck in the door and was on my way to my room when I heard my dad open his bedroom door.

"Marco?"

"Hey, Dad."

"You're up early."

"Yeah. Couldn't sleep."

"You want some breakfast?"

"No, I'm good."

"Okay. If you want I can drive you to school."

"No, it's okay. I'll walk."

*****

Last night was a very stupid thing. Yeah, it was. That was Tom. Jake's brother. A Controller. You nearly spilled your secret. Yeah, I did. You know what you need to do. I'm going to the club tonight. What? I'm sick of this. It's time to find out what those Yeerks are up to. You'll need backup. Yeah, I will.

*****

Tobias accompanied me to the club that night. I didn't really want to take him, but Cassie insisted.

"Marco?" Tobias was looking at me strangely. "What's up with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're acting all cold and distant. It's 'cause of Ax isn't it?" I flinched and started searching the club. "You didn't find him did you? I haven't seen him either. Don't worry, you'll find him and then you two can... talk. Things'll work out okay." Idiot.

"There's Tom." I say Tom walking across the club and heading for the backroom. The scrawny kid nodded and let Tom pass.

"So, what are we doing?" Tobias followed me as I headed for the bathroom.

"Reconnaissance. We're just here to observe what the Yeerks are up to and then leave. We're not staying." I went into the bathroom and after a moment Tobias followed me.

"What morph?"

I had already stripped down to my morphing outfit and was starting to morph. "I was thinking..."

Fly. I finished once I was done.

"Gotcha." Tobias shoved our clothes in a cabinet under the sink and started to demorph. I waited while he changed to fly and then we headed for the backroom. We slipped under a crack and that's when all hell broke loose.

A siren went off and the door behind us gave off a loud clang as it locked. Oh, shit. Tobias, they'll be sending Hork-Bajir. Battle morph! I hurried my ass up and demorphed as quickly as I could. In about a minute I was a gorilla standing next to a Hork-Bajir. We were ready to go.

I was right too, there were two other doors in the room and soon they opened and five Hork-Bajir and two Taxxon ran into the room Tobias and I were in. I let out of my anger, frustration, and confusion on these Controllers. I used every bit of my gorilla strength and I beat the living hell out of them. I don't think Tobias got a hit in. My fist were swinging and I nearly hit Tobias a few times.

Then everything seemed to go in slow motion. My fist swung and the second it landed I knew that what I hit was a human. I heard a cracking of bones and I looked in time to see Tom go flying into a machine off to one side of the room. Tom! I could only stare in horror at the blood on my fist and then watch as the machine begin to crumble from the impact and soon collapsed on Tom.