Rachel

"He hasn't been talking much," Aunty Jean explained to us as we met her in the hospital waiting room. "He answers to me but doesn't say much. He was always a quiet boy, but he's just gotten a bit more quieter."

"I can fix that," Marco said, smiling. He turned around and walked in the direction of Jake's room. I followed, Cassie trailed after us.

"Hey," I said, stopping Marco and Cassie just as we reached Jake's door. "What should we say to him?"

Marco shrugged. Cassie looked puzzled.

"Well, what did Jake do when your mum died, Marco?" I asked.

Marco shrugged again. "I really can't remember," he admitted. "It was a long time ago and I've blocked it all out."

"I suppose we just let him know we're there for him," Cassie suggested. "But not in a patronising way."

"Yeah, that'd be easy, since its Jake," I said, walking through the door first.

Jake was propped up in bed watching the few channels the hospital television offered. His arm, which was still in its cast, was lying motionless next to him. His cuts on his face made him look hard and war torn. He glanced at us when we entered, then looked back at the TV without saying a word.

"Hey, cousin," I said, sitting down on the end of his bed. "What's up?"

He looked at me and I saw a million emotions cross his eyes. Anger, hurt, sadness, despair, hate.

"Hey," he said, wiping all the expressions off his face. "Come to check on me too?"

"Tobias was only looking out for you," Cassie said, standing next to his bed. "This is a good opportunity for Tom to infest you."

"Yeah, well stuff Tom," Jake snapped, turning back to the TV.

Startled, I looked at the others. They looked as shocked as I felt. Jake was never rude and definitely would never say anything remotely rude about his family. Yeerk or no Yeerk.

"So, what are you watching?" Marco asked, looking up at the TV and breaking the awkward silence.

Jake shrugged and continued watching whatever was on.

Cassie put a hand on his shoulder. "You know, Jake, we're all here for you."

He looked up at her and all those emotions came rushing back into his eyes. "You don't have to be here."

Cassie seemed stumped by this statement. I looked at Marco hurriedly. If anyone could lighten Jake's mood it was Marco.

"Hey, man, wanted to see how our Fearless Leader's going," he said, putting on one of his loopy grins.

"Whatever," Jake mumbled, turning back to the TV again.

Cassie stared at me desperately. I stared at Marco desperately. Marco just stared.

"When do you think you'll be getting out of here?" I asked, trying to get something out of him.

He just shrugged.

"Can you talk?" I asked more rudely than I meant it to be.

He looked at me. "Only to people who I think are worthy of it."

"So we're not worth it?" I spat at him.

"Rachel, calm down," Cassie hissed at me, to Jake she said, "I know you're having a hard time at the moment, Jake, but…"

"Just get out," Jake snapped. "I've had people come in and out of here all day and the one time I think I'm actually going to be alone for a minute, you people come charging in."

"We came in here because we were worried about you," I snapped back.

"Well you shouldn't be," Jake retorted. "If Tobias hadn't been sneaking in here last night, I would have had a working arm by now. Instead I'm stuck in here."

"Hey, if you had morphed how would you have explained that to your mum? To Tom?" Marco barked. "You would have exposed us. And that's not going to happen. So if that means we have to watch you twenty-four seven, we'll do that."

Jake looked about ready to snap. "That's called invasion of privacy," he said. "When have I ever done that to you?"

"We've never given you reason to do that to us," I said, smugly.

"No?" Jake said. "How about that time you were split in half? Or that time you had to barf up a crocodile?"

"This conversation is going nowhere," Cassie interrupted.

"Is there any need to stay?" Jake said, turning back to the TV.

"Before we go, I need to ask you a serious question, Jake," Cassie said, studying him carefully, but he refused to look at her. "How did the car crash?"

There are those awkward silences when someone has said something that's not meant to be said and there are nervous silences. There are silences when there's just nothing to say to each other and there are silences, just like this one, where someone is on the verge of saying something important.

Jake didn't answer, staring at the television with incredible concentration.

"Jake?" Cassie persisted.

"I don't know," he said, not looking away from the TV.

"Alright Jake," Cassie sighed and turned and walked out of the door. Marco followed her without a goodbye and finally with a last look at Jake, I hurried after them.

Author's Note I would like to thank all my reviewers again! I know you're thinking "she's such a RETARD!" but I wouldn't be going on with my story if it weren't for you guys! So thankyou! Oh and Myitt I really don't mind at all! It was constructive criticism and I absolutely agree with you! I'm too Australian and I'll try and use cell phone and all the other American terms! Like I said before, sometimes I don't even know only Australians use these specific terms! (What a beauty? Kill me now!) But THANKYOU!