Disclaimer: Do not own the character, wish I did but never will. (Wow, lets see how many times I can say the same thing without repeating myself)

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Chapter 5

Back in the forest, several miles from the lake house, the large man who had kidnapped Icarus introduced himself as Daedalus. Icarus felt as if he could trust this man. After a short while Icarus flew unbridled next to his captor.

So Daedalus told him everything. About his relationship with Hauer and their mother. Everything.

"Wow. I mean wow. I didn't know any of this, why didn't anyone tell me, why didn't my mother tell me she had another child?" Icarus flew on with the occasional signal from Daedalus.

"She didn't know to make anything of it. Hauer changed after all of you were born, he used to create for the advances in science. Than some people offered him money, a lot of it. Apparently one company funds several similar institutions around the world."

"My God, more like us?" Icarus didn't know what to make of this.

"Perhaps. There...is one thing I didn't tell you Icarus. Because of my genes my mind is incredibly advanced, I can peer into thoughts. There was a time I had a chance to save one of you. I saw that his heart was consumed with his love and he wasn't thinking of himself or his wounds. That is why I decided to save him." Icarus dared to think but was scared of what would come. "You will know once we get there. Ah, you can see our destination now." All Icarus could see was a large cliff face looming in the horizon.

As it turns out, their destination was a small cave in the side of the cliff face. Daedalus gripped the wall and guided Icarus inside before entering himself. Icarus felt around a bit until he found a semi enclosed space into which he could sit and feel safe. But it was strange, with this creature he already felt safe.

"I remember you used to do the same thing when you were a baby." Daedalus smiled as he noticed where Icarus had lodged himself.

Icarus listened carefully in this new surrounding and heard a third breath. "Who else is here?" He demanded.

"A friend of yours, he cannot talk and shouldn't get up so don't ask him to. I'll show you where he is." Daedalus guided Icarus toward a warmer part of the cave. He could feel discarded feathers underfoot. As if to read his mind Daedalus said "He has been very sick."

Daedalus sat Icarus down next to a shivering body. Ic placed a hand on his face. It was terribly thinned due to lack of nutrition and was very clammy but he could still recognize the signature bold features of his lost friend.

Icarus sat with Oz's head in his lap and cried for his friend. "How did this happen? Is he...dead?"

"No, but I'm not sure if he will wake up." Daedalus seemed to understand that there was no need for him to be there at the moment so he turned to leave.

Icarus stopped him "Why can't he talk, why wont he wake up?"

"The bullet hit mostly lung and trachea; he was still alive when everyone left him. I saw that this was not the little ones time so I intervened. I managed to patch him up pretty good." Icarus felt where the bullet had passed through and felt a large spider shaped scar.

He also felt a newly applied tattoo on top of the scar. "He told me to put it back on." Daedalus explained.

It was a small heart with the letters M-A-X inscribed over it. Icarus cried for Oz, he cried for his new brother, but most of all he cried for Max. She had claimed she had moved on, but Icarus could hear in Max's strained words that she had not, far from it.

"We have to tell, have to tell Max. You don't know what this will mean to her." Icarus got excited at the prospect of hearing life in Max's voice again.

"I do know. My son informed me on the status of your friends, though I told him only to look after you. He is only ten but has the mind of an adult. His mother would have been so proud."

"Nick...Nicholas is your son? So, he's my nephew?"

"Yes, albeit not a very good one. He blames me for his half formed mutations. My lover was a human, she left when she saw what she had helped to spawn."

At this last remark Daedalus flew into the night, he supposed it was to hunt. Icarus caressed Oz's hair and felt as if everything was right.