Rachel

The phone went dead. I hung up and looked at my scared looking friends.

"I'm going over to his house," Marco said, standing up and walking towards the exit.

"Wait, we might be making a big deal out of nothing," Cassie protested.

((A screeching noise, a crash and dead silence is nothing?)) Tobias argued up in the rafters.

"Maybe Prince Jake's phone has simply disconnected?" Ax asked in human morph.

I looked at him. "I doubt it," I turned to Marco. "I'm coming with you."

((I'll fly overhead,)) Tobias said. ((Come on Ax, you're coming with me.))

"Certainly Tobias," Ax said and started changing back into Andalite form.

"Cassie, are you coming?" I asked.

"Yes," she said walking out, followed by Marco. I looked back at Tobias, gave him a small smile and disappeared from his view.

"Everything looks fine," I said, as we walked up Jake's street. "Maybe we did make something out of it we shouldn't have."

"That thing didn't happen here," Marco pointed out, maybe Jake's mum doesn't know about it yet."

A red tailed hawk and a harrier were flying overhead. Tobias and Ax had caught up.

((I wouldn't speak just as yet, Marco,)) Tobias warned. ((Tom and Jake's mum are coming out of the house and his mum looks scared.))

I squinted up ahead and noticed two familiar figures coming out of Jake's house. I started to run towards them and noticed Jake's mum was crying.

"Aunty Jean," I said, running up to her. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Rachel," she looked behind me at Cassie and Marco. "Your uncle has been taken to the hospital. Jake's there too."

"Are they alright?" Marco asked.

"They wouldn't give me any information over the phone," she said, opening the door to the garage.

I looked at Tom. He looked bored and very angry. I remembered that Jake said something about him having a very important meeting today. He probably wasn't allowed to go now.

Aunty Jean pressed the button to open the car doors. "You can come if you want," she said. "I know how much you all are close with Jake."

"Thanks," Cassie said and climbed into the backseat.

Tom jumped into the front seat and I sat in the middle of Cassie and Marco at the back.

As we drove closer and closer to the hospital, I glanced up to the sky. The red tailed hawk was still there. So was the harrier.

Hospitals are sad, depressing places, especially in the intensive care unit. When we entered, all I could see were people in wheelchairs, on crutches, dragging all kinds of machines with them wherever they went. Aunty Jean stopped every nurse and doctor she came across; trying to get any information out of them, but nobody knew anything or couldn't say anything yet. Finally, after waiting what seemed like forever a stern looking doctor came up to us.

"Are you Jake's family?" he asked.

I looked out of the nearest window and saw Tobias and Ax on a nearby tree. This gave me some strength to hear what the doctor had to say and I turned back to him.

"I am his mother," Aunty Jean said quickly.

"Well then I must ask you to step away from your friends so I can talk to you in private," the doctor said softly.

"It's alright, they are all close to Jake," she said. "Just tell me. What's happened to my husband?"

"Let's just start with Jake," the doctor sighed, obviously keen to get away from my Uncle. "He is unconscious…"

"Is he alright?" I spluttered.

The doctor didn't seem annoyed, just impatient to get it over with.

"He has a few broken ribs, bruises, a broken arm and just one serious headache," the doctor said. "Other than that and a whole lot of cuts, he is fine. All he has to do is wake up."

I laughed from the inside, but I hadn't forgotten my uncle.

"What about my husband?" Aunty Jean pressed.

"I think it best if you sit down," the doctor said, softly.

I knew from his tone that this wasn't going to be good.

"Just tell me what's wrong with my husband!" Aunty Jean shouted.

Tom, or rather Tom's Yeerk, wrapped an arm around her. Playing the part. It made me sick.

"I'm sorry, but your husband died before we had a chance to arrive," the doctor whispered.

Aunty Jean let out a strangled sob and collapsed on a nearby chair. Tom sat down on a chair next to her and buried his face in his hands. Cassie went over to comfort Aunty Jean. Marco started taking up Jake's role of pacing. I felt numb. I just stood there, feeling as if my world was tearing apart.

"Does Jake know yet?" I choked on my words.

"He is unconscious," the doctor replied. "But we believe he and his father were both conscious at the same time and he witnessed his father's death. But this is just theory."

"Why do you think that happened?" Cassie asked, sounding shaken.

"Because usually when a person experiences injuries as Jake has, they would have waken by now," the doctor explained. "His mind refuses to wake, merely for the fact he doesn't want to confront what he knows awaits him in life."

The doctor looked awkward. "I am truly sorry for this. Jake is lucky to have survived, the flames had started when the truck driver pulled him out. He could have been burned alive."

"And you think this makes up for it?" Aunty Jean shouted. "My husband is dead and my youngest son is in a hospital room."

She started to attract stares, but she didn't seem to care.

"I am sorry," the doctor pleaded. "But we could do nothing for your husband. The police have his body."

Aunty Jean stood up. "You gave my husband's body to the police?"

"I had no choice," the doctor said desperately.

"Which room is my son in?" she shouted, uncontrollably.

"I am sorry but I cannot allow you to see him in such a manner," the doctor said, looking frightened.

"She asked you where my brother's room is," Tom shouted, also standing up.

I stared at him. This was the most convincing role Tom's Yeerk has played yet.

"Room 7B," the doctor said quickly, looking Tom up and down nervously. "Only two people allowed at a time."

Aunty Jean walked towards the lined up rooms. Tom gave us all a deathly look before following her.

((What's going on?)) Tobias' voice asked in my head.