Ah… um… I just thought of this little bit while watching something… can't remember what it was now… got jazzed up pretty quickly after that.

Hope u lyk just a little… slowing down stuff…

Jade

Well, as luck would have it, it started to rain as we were trekking up through a small mountain range. We managed to find three caves, and in those caves… we found a thin blanket for each of us. Not to mention in just the right place in each cave, there was what looked like a small campfire. We soon got each fire burning, but we were all soaked to the bone. So, the girls went to one (including Rtaia), the boys another, and me and Jake shared the third one. After all, we needed to talk anyway.

It had been around two weeks since Amanda had told Jake for me (and told me of how he'd fainted) so I'd pretty much kept my mouth shut, and tried to keep my distance for as long as possible. Plus, our little testy higher beings had kept us busy since then.

Did I realise that they were most likely the reason I was pregnant? You bet I did. I knew they'd probably planned this since the day Jake and I had gone to the crummy future. Or, not really the future. Just some whacked-out version of the future.

I stripped and set my clothes near the fire to dry, wrapping myself in my blanket and sitting by the fire. Jake did the same, poking the fire with a stick he'd found every now and then. I really didn't know how to begin to talk to him. Every time I looked into those midnight eyes, I… I just didn't know.

"Jake, I'm sorry" I blurted, staring into the fire. He stopped poking it, looking up at me.

"Why should you be sorry. I'm the one who got you… this way"

"I'm sorry for even bringing this up" I looked away, outside, where the rain seemed to be pouring in bucket loads, and I knew it wouldn't stop for a long time. The others wouldn't be coming around until daybreak. No doubt they'd had the same idea to get out of their wet clothes before they froze to death… well, except maybe Ithiell and that. They didn't really need clothes…

"So what were you gonna do? Just… never tell me? Or wait until I noticed the change myself?" there was no anger in his voice, and that scared me even more than if he'd been yelling at me.

"I… I… I just… you've got enough to worry about without…"

"Jade" he was suddenly beside me, taking my hand in both of his "I'd rather you told me about this before we… before you…"

"I know" I moaned, looking up exasperatedly, then back down at him. Why did he have to make this so… so complicated!

"Jade, I'm here for you. Just… remember that, all right?"

"Uh-huh. I just wish I knew what was going on with these things. What am I, a rump roast!"

Jake laughed. I blinked, looking at him. It wasn't a fake laugh either, it was a 'ha ha, that was really funny' laugh. And no, not a hysterical 'ha-ha funny' laugh either. It was a pure, happy laugh that didn't suit Jake, but it was beautiful to hear anyway.

So I let him laugh, just smiling at him, until he finally calmed down, sitting comfortably beside me and staring into the fire, grinning that funny grin I'd gotten used to seeing from him.

"Sorry. I just needed that, I think. It's been a long time…"

"Hey, it's ok" I slipped my arm through his, leaning my head on his shoulder. After a while I felt myself slowly start to drift…

"Uh… hey Jade?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I see it?"

"See what?"

"The… your tummy. Can I uh…"

"All right, but you have to realise you won't be able to feel anything" I opened my blanket just enough for him to see, and he touched it, trailing his fingers across the small bulge just beginning to show. It kind of tickled, and I giggled a little from it.

"You know, I forgot how your skin felt like. Its always so soft… no matter what you do…" he said gently, smiling.

"It is? Gee, I didn't know-wow" Okay, we weren't in control of much anymore. Jake's hands had slipped off my tummy.

Then again, we were teenagers! How could we not?

We kissed and cuddled and touched and explored and just… let go for a while. And if those creeps decided to watch… well, I'd have to introduce them to the single-finger salute again.

-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-x-

Robert

"Marco? Either cover it, or loose it"

(He's got a point there. And I've got pretty good diving skills, even though I have to say… yuck!)

Marco quickly wrapped his blanket around him, probably having second thoughts about doing that again. Damn he was a cocky little bugger…

"If I see that thing again, I will personally chop it off" I said, making him realise I meant it.

"I don't know what you're all so grouchy about. We're all guys, aren't we?" he muttered, frowning and looking into the fire.

"No" Ithiell had to look away. He was a male, like us, but… well, you figure it out.

He was as grossed out as the rest of us. Maybe even more so. Ax was silent. Then again, he found staring into the blackness of the cave more interesting. Weird guy, but glad he was on my side…

"So? What now Ithiell? Where do we go from here?"

"I'm not sure" he came back to the fire, with Tobias on his shoulder.

"There's got to be some life here. I mean, no offence, but I am really getting sick of seeing the ten of you"

"I can say the same about you" I snarled, shifting my weight so I was closer to the fire, hoping I kept myself covered enough.

"I guess I could agree. But first we have to find out where and when we are. That'll be our starting point" Ithiell said, covering himself with his own blanket. After all, he got cold too. Although, there was that funny thing with the heat… didn't seem to bother him as much… lucky guy…

"Well, we haven't seen any life out here, so I'm guessing it's not in the best era" I said, putting my mind to work on other things.

"Why do you say that?" Marco was staring at me now. I stared straight back at him. He looked away first.

"Think about it, no one around in the forests… it's too quiet. And war has taught me that when it's silent, that's when you worry the most"

(Has anyone seen any animals or birds?) Ax asked, coming into the group.

(I caught a small rat, but it was hardly worth the effort. Too stringy…)

(Yes, yes. But… anything else?)

(Well… not really)

(Robert?)

I thought for a minute, realising the obvious.

"Not a one"

(Ithiell? Marco?)

"Maybe something here and there, but not what it should be" Ithiell answered, looking like he was understanding where Ax was going. Those two definitely thought alike, and each time they just made me wonder if they weren't brothers or something in another life. Creepy aliens them…

"Now that you mention it? No"

Ithiell clicked his fingers, looking up at Ax, who was smiling and nodding.

"By god Robert, I think you're right. But… we just have to find where we are, and hope we're not in the middle of a battle that could change the fate of this world"

I should have made me feel good that I might be right. It didn't.

-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-

Amanda

I woke up the next morning, a little groggy.

"Hey Amanda, guess what?" Rachel said excitedly.

"What?"

"Remember when you screamed at those H.Bs for not giving us food? Well, they just gave us food"

"H… what?"

"H.Bs. Higher Beings. Just thought it would be shorter than saying the whole thing the entire time. But… come on! Sit up and you'll see for yourself"

I sat up, with Rachel's help, and saw meat and other things all in a big, but neat, basket. The meat was sliced, and the cheese and biscuits or whatever were arranged in neat rows. My mouth soon began to water.

Rachel and I waked Cassie and Rtaia, and the four of us started to eat. I was starved! I couldn't believe I felt so… so empty!

I ate, then retrieved my clothes and did some girl things, before bouncing over in the early morning to the cave Jade and Jake were in. I looked in…

And decided one look was enough. But I'd seen the basket, just like ours, near the burnt out fire. But on the side… Jake and Jade were curled up together, a blanket only half covering them, asleep. Well, I was glad they'd kissed and made up, but…

I grabbed a small rock, and threw it blindly over my shoulder. I heard it hit the floor, and then…

"Hmm? Ja-what? Hey, Amanda… oh… oh god!"

"It's all right JD. I didn't stare long enough to see anything"

"Sorry. I'll just wake Jake and we'll get dressed. Come back in a bit, k?"

"Sure" I bounced away, nibbling on what was left of a large slice of lamb, then going back a few minutes later. Jake was awake, and they were both scarfing their food, like we had done.

"Hey Amanda. Come join us if you'd like" Jake said, his arm loosely around Jade's back as he downed a slice of meat like any boy would. Jade wasn't showing any more restraint.

Gotta love her though. She was a tough little cookie. And I'd know. It took a lot to crack Jade. Or... just certain things. Her family in danger would drive her to madness. Same for me too though.

"Na, I'm cool. I think we all got the same kind of food" I shared a look with Jade, and smiled at her. No-one else but the three of us knew her secret. But soon… soon it'd be too hard to hide from the others.

And I just hoped the H.Bs would remember as her body changed, she'd need a regular amount of food to keep going.

I'd tell them that later.

"That's good to hear. Maybe… a meeting in an hour or something. Here" Jake said, winking at me. He'd been doing that ever since I'd told him about Jade. Maybe in hopes that I wouldn't tell anyone?

Ghad! He didn't know me at all!

"Not a prob. I'll just round up the troops" I saluted him, and after hearing Jade crack up laughing, I went to tell the others.

Ummm…. errr…

Tell me whatcha think, ok?