Ok, heres the second part to the story: its pretty much the same as the first, just Jake's POV. Already, thanks to the reviews, I've changed pretty much everything in the story from what I first thought I'd write, and from being a project that I'd started because I had nothing else to do, it's now started to take over my life! Quite sad really, but.. hey. I'll live.

so here it is, the second chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Oh, yeah, disclaimer stuff: none of these characters are mine they're all K.A.A.'s, except Jodie Price, whose name I actually nicked from my other story I'm writing.

Jake lay back onto his bed, desperately trying to enjoy his night off from being the 'Almighty Leader' of the Animorphs. He had started to get fed up with whole war. He envied other guys.. they could go out, play computer games and worry about girls, just like any normal guy would. Jake? He was different. He had life-or-death decisions to make. It seemed as if he only ever left the house to go to school, attend meetings in the barn or go out on missions. The only thing in common between him and the average teenage guy was that he still had girl worries. Thoughts running round his mind 24/7 about various elaborate plots to try and capture Cassie's heart. From wooing her old-style with flowers and restaurant dates; to just trying to be friendly and cool and letting her take control, if she wanted to, Jake had ran through every idea he could think of. He'd never actually carried any of them out: although being leader of the Animorphs he was supposed to be confident and fearless, when it came to Cassie he was a wimp.

Jake sighed as he sat up, and kicked his computer on. After five minutes of playing on Tomb Raider, he gave up and switched the computer off. He was sick and tired of the endless killing, this endless war which was ruining his life. He decided to pay a visit to Cassie: he wanted to see her, and he knew she'd be willing to listen and understand. Besides, he wanted to ask her to the School Prom.

He wandered into the barn, and was greeted by Cassie's mum.

'Er, hi. Is Cassie around?' he asked. Already his heart was beating rapidly and he hadn't even seen her.

'Yeah, I'll just get her for you,' her mum smiled. He smiled back, and watched as she went into the house.

Cassie came out to the barn, and looked around for him. He had morphed falcon to try and confuse her. But he was confused when Cassie said she'd been expecting Rachel.

'Probably just a cover up,' she said.

'How are things?' he asked, feeling awkward.

'Fine. You?' she replied. He looked at her, really looked at her, deep into her eyes. Jake realised just how beautiful she was, just how much he really did love her, even if it was unrequited.

'I've been thinking a lot recently,'

'About?'

'This whole war. The fighting. The killing. Day after day, night after night.. all I can think about is how much this is affecting us, and is it really worth it?' He collapsed on a bale of hay. 'I keep having nightmares, that one of us gets killed, that one of us gets hurt… and it's my fault. The great fearless leader makes one decision too many. I'm scared, Cass. I'm scared that one day, I'll get it wrong, that one day I'll make the wrong decision, and that that day will be the day that we lose this war. It's insane… four kids, a hawk and an andalite have to save the entire planet. I've thought.. seriously thought about telling people about it, in the hope that somebody will believe us, so that we can let the FBI take over, and leave us to get back to some sort of normality,' he said, feeling relieved as of a great weight had been taken off of his shoulders.

'I just want it to be over. I just want some sort of normality, just for once. What did we do to deserve this?'

Cassie said nothing for a while, just sat down next to him on the bale of hay and put her arm round him.

'We can be normal. Next week… the dance at school.. a special mission. For all of us. Just to wind down, chill out a little. We've had a lot of missions recently.. I think we all deserve a break. Find yourself a girl, and we'll have the time of our lives. Ax can come, Tobias… We can even let Marco come along… if he promises to behave,' she smiled. He smiled too.

'Yeah. I guess. Alright then, a special mission. On Cassie's request,' he said, his heart crying out for him to ask her to the prom. But he chickened out.

'Thanks Cass,' he said, about to return home.

'Jake..' he turned round to face her. 'Don't call me Cass,' she smiled at him, even wider than before. He stopped dead, mouth open, just looking at her, admiring her beauty. He was off in another world. He would ask her to the prom. Not tonight, but some other time. And they would have the time of their lives.

'Jake?' he was bought back down to earth with a bump. 'Weren't you on the way out?'

'Oh yeah,' he said, feeling himself going crimson. Now Cassie would think him an idiot and probably refuse him if he did ask. He walked out of the barn and back home, contemplating what he could do.

'Hey Jake!' he heard a voice from behind him as he was sorting out his books for the next lesson. It was the next day, at School, and he turned round to be faced with Jodie Price. Blond hair, blue eyes, tall, slim… to most guys she would be the picture of perfection.

'What's up?' he asked, cursing at her under his breath. He had just been working up the courage to ask Cassie out, but she had interrupted him.

'Nothing, I just wondered if you'd got a date for the prom Not much time left you know!' she smiled at him, but he was lost in his own world.

'No. I haven't.' he mumbled.

'Neither have I!' she squealed. 'We can go together! How about it?'

He looked up to see Cassie fumbling around with her locker. His heart started beating faster, as it always did whenever she was near.

'Erm, yeah, whatever,' he said, not realising what he'd committed himself to. He was lost in his own world as Jodie bounced off away from him. Cassie looked up at him, and he quickly turned away. It had just dawned on him what he'd said to Jodie. He had to find a way to undo the damage he'd caused.

Please RR if you liked, if you didn't or have any random general comment to make.

Thankyou!!!!!