Nearly there… almost… aahhhhh! NOOOOOOOO!

Small rating, k? OKAY! YESSSSS! Oh, and by da way, if I get anything wrong, just… ignore it, I'm not perfect, all right! Naa, kidding, just pretend you know what I'm talking about. Please? I haven't played this game in a little while and… well… doesn't my name say enough!

Chapter twenty-one (phew!); The game

Present…

Jade

"Right foot green"

"Oh that is not a pretty picture"

"Deal with it"

"Marco, left foot blue"

"Oh crap"

He moved beneath me, and I suddenly found this really wasn't the best place for this sort of position.

Okay, if you hadn't realised by now, we were playing twister. Only, there were two mats, layered over each other. If you thought four or five people were crowded, try about eight. Lots of chaos there.

There was me, Marco, Jake, Ithiell, Amanda, Cassie, Rachel and Tobias. We were all… well… twisted. Rtaia, Ax and Robert had decided to stay out of it. Smart move.

Robert was spinning the little wheel thing, and Rtaia and Ax watched in amazement as we all twisted our bodies, barely managing to stay up. Marco was right underneath me, our bodies sort of pressing together since I was barely staying up. Marco was looking into my eyes, smiling like it was the funniest thing in the world. I didn't think it was very funny.

Jake was somewhere near me, and Cassie and Ithiell were tangled (and yes, Ithiell was human, so it wasn't looking good for them) Rachel wasn't having much trouble, and Tobias's foot was between Marco's and my arms. It was, all in all, a very… tangled up situation.

We were back in America, at Marco's because it was the only place with room here, and away from the buckets of rain that just happened to be falling that day. Fun, huh?

"Jake, left hand yellow"

"Uh-oh" I felt him moving, placing a hand under Rachel. She giggled.

"I am soo winning this!" she said cheerfully.

"Ha! You wish! I can do this better than you" Marco shot back.

"You're both wrong. I can beat the both of you with my hands tied behind my back!" I said confidently, smiling down at Marco. He rolled his eyes, and I gave him a peck on the lips. He shook a little, then sorted himself out.

"Your amazingly beautiful powers won't make me fall! I am Marco the mighty! I will-"

"Ian, right foot… red"

"Sorry Cassie" I heard him say, then move… then they both went tumbling!

I cracked up laughing, and soon we were all cracking up. Then I felt Jake trip and fall, taking Rachel with him! That just made us laugh harder!

"Owwww!" Cassie cried, but laughed anyway.

"Amanda, your turn. Left-" but she was gone. She'd fallen of her own accord, and was now curled into a ball, laughing her head off.

"Okay, three left" Tobias said, and Jake and the others left the doubled mat.

"Right foot… blue!" he said to me. I moved… carefully… and managed to end up in an even worse position with Marco. He laughed.

"Oh Jade, I didn't know I was so irresistible!"

"You wish" I muttered, then giggled in spite of myself.

Tobias managed to get into our tangled group, and we eventually all ended up in a pile on the floor, cracking up. Tears began to fall down my cheeks I was laughing so hard!

When we'd finished being sprawled over each other, laughing our heads off, we managed to pick ourselves up and start another game.

This time, we made sure Ax, Rtaia and Robert got into it. Rachel, Amanda, Cassie, Jake and Tobias got back in for another round. Marco and I snuggled as Ithiell called out the things on the little spinny thing. It ended up even worse than before, with Robert, Rachel, Cassie and Ax all stuck in a pile. Amanda and Jake had their own troubles. It involved the two of them crossing over each other. Tobias and Rtaia had managed to save themselves from the tanglement for now.

But it all ended the same, with all of us cracking up, unable to keep it in. After all this time, it felt good to laugh, even if it was at the dumbest things. Ax and Tobias took the time to demorph and morph again, and we made sure they weren't going to be seen. Then we all just sort of sat around in sorted piles. Robert was sprawled across the couch. The rest of us were kind of on the floor. Marco's head was in my lap as I lay back against the side of the couch.

"Okay, this feels… normal" Tobias smiled as he and Rachel cuddled. I smiled happily at them. For now… everything was ok. Everything was going to be ok. I felt it.

"I'm glad we're all still here" Ithiell said softly, stroking Amanda's hair as they hugged. I could see Cassie and Jake were still a little edgy about showing public affection. But I didn't care. As long as they were happy…

"I'm down with that" Robert muttered. He sounded like he was about to fall asleep. I didn't mind. At least…

"Well, we survived. Again" Jake sighed, squeezing Cassie's hand. Marco rolled over on my lap to look at him.

"Dude, not only did we win, but we totally kicked ass! So what are you so worried about?"

"Take a guess" Rachel said, but smiling at what he'd said anyway.

"The fact that we 'barely' made it?" Rtaia suggested, and I accidentally snorted, trying to keep a laugh in.

"Rtaia, that was a rhetorical question"

"Ah. I see now"

"As I have said, many earth sayings are very hard to understand" Ax said as he copied Tobias and Rachel. Rtaia was held close to him, and she smiled.

"I know"

I smiled at them, realising both Marco and Rtaia were right. We'd kicked ass, and barely survived while doing it.

But that was what our lives were all about, wasn't it?

I'll leave you to decide that one.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Four months later…

"Hey Jade!"

I spun around to see Jake's older brother, Tom, coming towards me. Inside, I instantly tensed. Outside…

"Hey Tom, what's up?"

"I was just wondering… you seen my brother lately?"

"Well…. no. Actually, I was going to ask you about that one. Is he sick?"

"Uh… yeah" he mumbled. Then he stared straight at me. I swear, I could've been looking at an older version of Jake just then.

"What about Rachel?"

"Look, I told you, I have no idea where they are. You on the other hand… you should know" I smiled at him, but inside I felt sick.

"Well… I thought you would've seen them around school"

I shook my head "Nup. Haven't. Sorry" I shrugged, then turned and began to walk away. Seconds later there was a hand on my arm, and I was spun around to face Tom again. What the heck'd he want!

"Andalite"

"Huh? Whoa?" I raised an eye brow "Light what? Tom, are you feeling well?"

I raised a hand to feel his forehead, wishing I could rip that slimy slug right out of his ear. But I held my anger in check, and went along with my little 'I have no idea' act.

Tom shoved his hand off me, looking furious.

"Yeerks?"

"Yucks? What are Yucks?"

"No, it's… never mind. Go back to class"

"But it's lunch"

He looked like he was about to pound me one, then forced a smile.

"Sorry, it's been a long week. I've been thinking about college and stuff…"

"Not a prob. Go take it easy. See ya round" I patted his arm, then walked off. Once out of sight I ducked into the girls bathrooms, checking no one was in there, then letting out a large sigh of relief. That was close. That was very, very close.

I leaned against the sinks, trying to slow my racing heart. Hoped Marco and the others were all right, and hoped I had the strength not to go to them in the next few weeks… eyes were everywhere…

For the first time in six years, I felt utterly, truly…

Alone.

Aaaaaaannnnnnddd I'll end it there! The loyal people (cough-midgy-cough!) know what happens from there, so… yeah! BYZ!

Big cookies and cinnamon buns for all who reviewed!

(Laughs as a slobbering Ax crashes into Midgett, knocking her over)

(Doesn't laugh when V steals all the cookies!)

Me; DAMN YOU EVIL JERK!

V: I AM ONLY AS EVIL AS THE PEOPLE I HANG AROUND! (laughs insanely, then ends up crashing into a light pole)

Me; hmm, he's got a point there… (grinning)