Thanks to all who supported and reveiwed my story and other works, I love and appreciate you all for it, 2 more chapters to go so we're not done yet. Forgive my lateness. Ugh me so lazy!!
"…Gantu?"
Distant voices call from the darkness seeming to beckon him back form his long journey, the soft rushing of air into lungs was stronger in his ears now as the drum beats of a powerful heart rang like song.
"..Incredible…he brain waves read normally…should be having damage for being with out oxygen for extended time…''
Eyelids squint and shift before renewed life drew them open and a mind became aware of what happened in the moments before, joyful faces dotted with tears of former sorrow shone around him now as he looked about.
"Wha….what happened?…I ..was..'' Gantu's voice was still weak and unsure what to make of things feeling as if he had just awaken from a crazy dream.
He tilted his head slowly around still tired from the ordeal when he spotted a small yellow creature off to the right hand corner of his bed, eyes as black as polished ebony still glossy from the number of tears they had shed. He cheeks were spiked and damp with darkened streaks of fur as his pudgy hand fiddled nervously and a weak smile crossed his lips, Gantu's eyes watered as he and 625 exchanged glances. The storm had long since faded into a beautiful sunset outside the ship's doors casting it's joyful golden radiance over the land, birds of many kinds seemed to sing hymns in the emerald canopies that glittered with dew. Hibiscus flowers bloomed and opened their beautifully painted faces to the heavens above as warm island breezes blew their sweet perfume through the forests until they found their way into the rooms and doorways of the dark silent space craft.
"625..'' Gantu spoke at last, his voice made softer by the great emotion behind it, 625 climbed on top of the mattress and spoke nothing more as he wrapped his short little arms around the side of Gantu's face and hugged him hard. Swallowing the great lump in his throat the gray creature rolled to one side a bit and cupped his large hand around his smaller partner's back and leaned his cheek against 625's soft warm body.
"I'm…so sorry…please forgive me…for everything...I'm sorry.'' Gantu wept as large salty tears slid down his cheeks and wet the blankets below.
625 smiled and hushed him like a parent comforting a frightened child, he was relived beyond words that Gantu was alive and safe. Everything was going to be alright he knew, for what ever compassionate deity existed up there for the children of the stars showed the ex-captain's tortured soul an ounce of mercy and gave him a second chance. Like the departing winter promising the slumbering flowers a warm happy spring to bloom again and grow, Gantu was like the mighty phoenix of ancient folklore. From the ashes of death and despair he had now risen up in a blaze of fire and renewed life to start again and no longer would he do so alone. There had been someone standing beside him even when they were apart, no longer just a sidekick nor a roommate but more like…a guardian angel. A plump little yellow angel with a taste for pastrami on rye.
"Come." said Jumba softy as he and Pleakly gathered Stitch and Lilo up as they all knew that Gantu was going to be okay and now needed some privacy to rest and recover.
"But who's going to look after Gantu till he gets better?" asked Lilo after Jumba has packed up all his things and they were soon waling down the forest path on their way back home.
"I be having good idea who.'' the doctor grinned down at the child and rubbed her head, his own precious adopted niece whom he would gladly lay down his life for and protect. "Having good idea who.''
The warmth of the afternoon soon intermingled with the cooling whispers of night fall as the sun faded beyond the horizon, a fiery sliver of gold on the sky line ended the closing day as night fell on the island. The moon shone in satin silver light as one side of it round body was shaded slightly by the shadow of the earth, white clouds now made a deep cerulean moved slowly on the winds as they were carried far out over the ocean. Far below the diamond sky a great shadowy figure sat on a rock that lay beyond a great towering water fall looking up at the stars, dressed in his pajamas, house coat and holding a half full glass of water Gantu gazed deep into space and far of into his thoughts. He got up with great effort out of bed in desperate need of some fresh air ever since the Sickness had first taken hold of him mind a week and a half ago, it felt like ages since he stargazed and almost had completely forgotten how pretty they were. His glossy orbs reflecting their cosmic light back to the sky; 625 would be in deep dreamy sleep by now and probably dreaming of being king of a land made of sandwiches, Gantu couldn't help but chuckle at that thought.
It was then that he noticed something that he hadn't before as he casually dropped his head to take a sip from his glass, in a small bit of damp sand and earth there grew in a shaft of moonlight caused by his great frame over shadowing it. A tiny palm sprout was growing in the blackish brown soil, a miniscule bit of life only half the size of his smaller toes. Gantu tilted his head and shifted his massive foot after realizing how close he had come to stepping on the small plant nearly snuffing out it's very existence with one misplaced step. No words nor thoughts could explain why he continued to study the sprout, it was such a frail little thing as it long slender leaves reached up towards the sky seeming to hope to feel the warm Hawaiian sun that would come with the morn. In only a few years it would grow into one of the mighty tall palm trees that surrounded his make shift home, as odd as it sounded Gantu being to feel a kind of kinship with this baby tree…though he did not grow from a seed buried in the ground. He was conceived and grew in his mother's womb as a little baby who with the passage of time would become a powerful and iron willed creature, but even the palms in their great strength showed their age with the weathering of their bark and browning of their leaves. Yet in all that life hurled their way they still stood strong against the wind and rain, firm and rooted in their will to live.
A sudden gust of wind violently rattled the sprout almost blowing it over as it's leaves trembled helplessly in the onslaught, tenderly a two toned gray hand cupped itself around the side of the plant where the wind was blowing acting as a protective barrier.
Gantu saved and protected this lonely little bit of green whom the forest forgot as it grew on the small plot of dirt surrounded by a stream, watching over it in it's time of weakness and silent plea for help. He scooped up the tiny shoot with it's mount of dirt in his hands and held it close to his mountainous form as the strong breeze blew against his back as his eyes were opened a new. Gantu was given a second chance to live and grow from the soils of his past failures and pain into a greater and stronger being, when the wind of death threatened to blow his life away Gantu had been rescued and held close. Let known that he had a place to live and be somewhere out in the universe and that all things started from little tiny seeds, taking his glass Gantu poured the last of his water over the sprout's miniature bowers letting it know even though it could not know spoken words that it's life to mattered no matter how small.
Standing up still covering the plant from the wind Gantu carried it inside his ship and rooted quietly through the cupboards to find a container to place it in, upon finding on to his liking the gray alien took a sharp knife and cut small holes in the bottom to allow water to seep through before placing the lime green shoot with in it and setting it near a spot on a self where sunlight often shone in. Safe and protected within the walls of the ship Gantu knew the plant would be safe until it was big enough to go back outside, the weight of sleep was starting to take it's hold over him as he first ambled into the bathroom to do his business and was the mud off his hands. Upon returning to his cabin room Gantu found his yellow sandwich making counterpart just as he left him, sleeping not in his own cot but up against of the giant pillows on the captain's bed. 625 rolled over in his slumbers and shivered a little as he tried to get warm and comfortable but was not having a lot of luck as he grumbled and snorted cutely as his little feet lolled in the air. Grinning Gantu slid under the blankets and pulled the covers over him before curling his big strong arm around 625 dozy body and pulled him closer so that he could get warm, he had given Gantu a second chance without even asking a reward. In the darkness of the night when all hope was lost and the shadows were closing in, a force dispelled them and brought him back into the light. Not coming from a strong creature who's powers and abilities defied all reason, but of one who refused to give up and unselfishly found it within himself to forgive and to save.
"Thanks…you lazy little trog." Gantu said affectionately as a tender smile crossed his lips and the warmth of tears began to well up in his eyes.
Lifting his head Gantu looked around just to ensure no one was watching before looking back down at the sleeping 625 at his side, leaning in carefully the ex-captain lightly kissed the round little experiment on his forehead so gently that he did not stir from his dreams. Yawning Gantu lay his own head down against the pillows and drifted off into a deep and peaceful sleep, as from that special little place where the little green sprout grew in it's pot a silver shaft of moon glow shone down upon it through a crack in the metal above making the plant seem to glow with life as a twinkling star of water sparkle happily from a leaf.