Hidden Truth.

Stitch ran up the walk to Clip's house. Even from the distance he had ran, he didn't feel any fatigue. He ran up and knocked on the door, and waited impatiently. He kept checking around the yard, everything all of a sudden seemed to hide some sort of danger.

Stitch knocked on the door harder, being careful not to break the door down. The door opened and Clip stood there, yawning. She saw it was Stitch, "Stitch? What are you doing here?"

Stitch walked past Clip into the house, "Clip, I'm sorry, you have to come with me."

Clip looked at him, her eyes dangerous slits, "Well, make yourself at home! Why should I go anywhere?"

Stitch turned to her, and paused. It was hard to say the truth, why she should go with him. He didn't want to tell her, "Clip, it's just complicated..."

Clip looked at him, and crossed her arms, "Stitch! I'm not leaving this house until you tell me what exactly is going on!"

Stitch looked at her, he glanced at the clock, it was almost one in the morning. He thought, 'I have to hurry...' He looked back at her, "Clip, I think you should sit down."

Clip looked at him, and for the first time it seemed to dawn on her. She looked around the room, looking for her husband. She looked at Stitch, "Where's Sparky? Did he already go to bed? He said he wasn't feeling well...but Sparky would've woke me..." she looked up, realization dawned on her, "Is this about Sparky?"

Stitch nodded, "Clip, I think you should sit down..."

Clip's hands went to her mouth, she whimpered, "Is he alright? Did something happen to him?"

Stitch checked the clock, "Please Clip, sit..."

Clip sat down on the sofa, and Stitch walked slowly to her, and he told her of what he had witnessed that night. Clip seemed to waver, she seemed unsteady. Stitch finished, and he looked at her. Clip's eyes brimmed with tears, she looked at Stitch, "He's...gone?"

Stitch shook his head, "I don't know Clip, I don't know where Sparky is now. But whatever that...thing...was, told me that Sparky was alive. I'm not sure whether he is or not, but right now, I think your in danger. We need to get you out of here."

Clip sat perfectly still for a moment, then she seemed to crack. She broke down, and put her head in her hands and wept. Stitch turned away, he couldn't watch, he wished that he wasn't the one who had to tell her this, he wished this had never happened.

Clip still cried, Stitch scooted closer to her and hugged her close, "There there Clip, I'm sure he's safe. And I promise you, with all the strength I have, I'll save Sparky."

They sat there for a moment, Stitch cradled her in his arms. Clip cried hard, afraid of what had befallen her dear husband. Stitch was quiet, he felt horrid, he kept thinking of the experiment he had seen on the street, 'He looks so much like me...'

Stitch took Clip and looked her in the eyes, "I'm going to call a cab. You wait here while I pack you some things."

Clip looked at Stitch, her eyes red from crying, "Wh-where are we going?"

Stitch thought, and said, "You need to be somewhere with lots of people, I think Lilo's house will be fine..."

Clip nodded, and Stitch released his grip on her. She slumped on the couch and cried a little more. Stitch went to the phone, he dialed Lilo's number.

The phone rang, and a small timid voice picked up, "Hello?"

Stitch knew the voice to be Serenity, "Serenity, can you get Lilo for me?"

"What's wrong Stitch? You sound funny?"

"Please Serenity, I need to talk to Lilo...there's been an accident of sorts..."

There was silence on the other end of the line, and finally Serenity said, "I'll get her."

Stitch waited a moment, and he heard a sleepy voice on the other end of the line, "Hello?"

"Lilo? Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I need to ask you something."

Stitch heard a yawn from the receiver, followed by, "Okay, what?"

"I was wondering if it would be alright for Clip to spend a few nights at your place, would that be a problem?"

"Well, no...I suppose not. But why?"

"Something's happened to Sparky, I can't talk right now...it's kinda urgent."

Lilo was silent for a moment, then Stitch heard, "Okay...will everything be alright?"

Stitch sighed, "I hope so, we'll be there in a little while."

"Okay, see ya soon."

"Bye."

Stitch hung up the receiver. He then called Angel to tell her not to worry and explained why he was late. Finally, Stitch called for a cab. After that, Stitch left to the master bedroom, found a suitcase, and loaded the suitcase full. He brought the suitcase into the living room, and he found Clip staring outside the window. He looked outside, and looked to Clip, "What is it?"

Clip looked at him, "I just thought I saw a pair of red eyes staring at me...from outside the window..."

Stitch shot a glance at the window, he saw the cab pull up outside. He walked to Clip and took her hand, "Come on, we'd better go..."

Stitch carried the suitcase and walked Clip outside to the waiting cab. He looked from side to side, seeing nothing. He opened the door for Clip, and she climbed inside. He followed, normally he would have stayed to fight the creature, but now he had to get Clip to safety.

The cabby started off and they were on their way.

Once they left, the dark experiment crept out of what seemed to be thin air. He gazed after them, and looked to the sky. He smiled, "It's just too late for bloodshed, until the morrow, Stitch..."

He turned and disappeared into darkness.

The cab pulled up to the Pelekai household. Stitch got out and helped Clip out, he grabbed the bag, paid the driver for the ride, and walked hurriedly with Clip to the door. He reached the door, and rang the doorbell. Almost immediately, Lilo answered, "Oh, please come in."

Stitch led Clip inside, he saw that nearly the entire family was waiting, all except for Komalla, who slept soundly in the next room. Stitch looked to Lilo, "Hey, I'm really sorry about this..."

Lilo smiled warmly, "Oh, don't worry, but now you can tell us what this is all about."

Stitch nodded, he sat down on the couch beside Serenity, and told the entire story. How he had witnessed Sparky hunted down, the cloaked figure being an experiment, what Sparky had said to Stitch...everything poured out of him.

The others sat and took it all in, and once he was finished they all seemed saddened. Clip cried a little more, softly. Nani went to her and held her close. Lilo stared at Stitch, she seemed worried as well. They all seemed hit by the news, Stitch noticed Jumba fidgeting, and turned to face his creator, "What do you know about this? Did you have a hand in this...monstrosity?"

Jumba stared at the floor, he hesitated, then said, "No...yet...I do know of the experiment you speak of."

Stitch looked at Jumba, "If you didn't make him...who did?"

Jumba raised his head, he seemed angry, "A fool of a Daniar, a scientist by the name of Jornhald. That is all I know, though I may be able to help you find out more."

Stitch looked at him, "What do you mean?"

Jumba looked at Stitch, and said, "On Ganymede, on the northern regions, there is an old laboratory, deserted and quiet its halls are now, there, you will find your answers."

Serenity stepped forward, "I'm going too."

They all stared at Serenity. Stitch was surprised, "Serenity, no, you sta-."

Jumba intervened, "I think it would be wise to be taking little one with you, could be more use than you know."

Stitch looked at Serenity and smiled, "Alrighty then, we leave as soon as possible."

Lilo stepped forward, "Stitch..."

Stitch looked at her, "I've got to Lilo, whatever that thing is has to be stopped, we need to find out any information we can to find Sparky. And besides, he has my face, I want to know why..."

The group was quiet, then Nani spoke up, "I think we should all go to bed, it's been a long night, Stitch," Stitch looked up, "your staying here tonight."

Stitch nodded, and the room cleared, everyone going to bed.

Lilo woke in the middle of the night, she looked outside where a light illuminated the yard. She tiptoed out so as not to wake Gloria, and went downstairs.

She looked to the sofa, Stitch was not there. She went to the front porch, and found him sitting on the stairs, staring into the night. She walked up slowly, and spoke softly, "Stitch?"

He turned, and smiled seeing it was her, "Hey Lilo, shouldn't you be in bed?"

Lilo walked over and sat down softly beside him, she scooted closer, and he put his arm around her shoulders. They sat watching the night together, the sound of the crickets harmonized with the breeze. The stars twinkled in the sky above, and the soft crashing of the waves on the beach could be heard. Lilo shivered, Stitch took off his tux jacket that he was still wearing, and wrapped it around her, she smiled.

"Stitch, you'll be careful, right?"

Stitch looked at her, and smiled, "Ganymede isn't that far away, it shouldn't take more than a day to get there and back. I'm going to call 6-2-5, he'll come over and watch over you while I'm gone."

Lilo nodded, yet she was worried. The night had been so perfect, and now this...

Lilo sat with him, she felt happy, safe with him. She had known him since childhood, yet this was something so different for them, so wonderful. She didn't want this to end, she didn't want Stitch to go and never return, for Lilo was afraid of feeling the pain that Clip now had to face...

"Lilo," Stitch said, "don't worry, okay?"

Lilo smiled, "I'll stop, once you come back, only then..."

They watched the evening together, silence for awhile, and then Lilo said, "Do you think, whatever it is, is a big threat?"

Stitch was silent for a moment, then he replied, "I don't know. I wish I could say something bold and heroic, but I don't know about him..."

Lilo reached up, and drew him in closer, and she kissed him delicately. She said, "For whatever may come, tonight, don't leave me..."

They sat on the porch together, until the sun rose in the sky.