Goodbyes.

Stitch stared at the open suitcase. It was filled with everything he thought he'd need. Though it would be a relatively short journey to Ganymede, he was prepared none the less, his suitcase was filled mainly with first aid. Some entertainment items were packed as well, music CD's being predominate.

Stitch closed the case, snapping the case holders in place. He looked around the room, it was the room he and Lilo had shared as children. He looked to the small bunk bed that he had slept in when he was just a pup, the bookcase that held his old copy of The Ugly Duckling, and to Lilo's side of the room, where she had slept as a child.

Stitch noticed a picture frame on her dresser. He walked over and picked it up, it was a picture of the two of them, standing on the beach. Stitch felt happy looking at the picture, they looked ready to take on the world in the photo, as if nothing mattered. Stitch and Lilo, Lilo and Stitch, the debonair experiment hunters. Stitch ran his fingers across the frame, it was new. The once old and cracked frame, was now mended.

Stitch smiled, and thought about those old days, a feeling of nostalgia crept over him. To have those simple days back, to not be bothered by deranged experiments. He thought it an irony, that so long ago they had hunted experiments, now one was hunting them. He sat down the picture gently, and resolved to himself, "Once this is finished, no more. I've seen battle for too long, seen too much strife and torment. I want no more..."

Stitch heard the elevator whir behind, and he turned to see Lilo. She saw what he had been doing, and smiled. She walked over to him and picked up the picture, looking at it with those soft, doe eyes. They looked at it in silence for a moment, a feeling of understanding passing between them. So much had changed...

Lilo put the picture down, and sighed, "You know, I can still remember the exhilaration of those chases. I can still remember being scared when we faced Spooky, remember feeling sweet revenge when I used PJ to prank people. Do you remember any of those adventures Stitch?"

Stitch nodded, he smiled with the memories, "Yeah, I can still remember them, each and every one. We caught so many of them together Lilo, those were the days..."

Lilo drew closer to Stitch, "What do you think you'll find out there Stitch?"

Stitch shrugged, "I don't know, answers to everything I hope. What I really hope to find is a clue, anything to lead me to where he's keeping them. I want to know more about him too, why does he have my face? Who created him and why? So many questions..."

Lilo put her arm around him, Stitch smiled and tried to keep this image in his head. He tried to remember her perfume, her clothes, everything about her today. One thing he would never tell, one thing he mustn't let her know, was that he was scared. It was new for Stitch to feel scared, to know any fear at all, but here he was, terrified. He didn't know why, but he thought he knew. The fear of never seeing her again gripped him like ice, tore his insides like paper. If anything went wrong, if anything should happen to her...

Stitch looked out the window, thinking to himself, 'Should he come to hurt her, Hell will seem like a respite to my fury.'

"Stitch?" Lilo asked, "Something has been bothering me...will you have to return to the war?"

The motive of returning to war had indeed been bothering Stitch as well. He didn't want to go back, and he didn't see any clear way out of it. Though he was indestructible, he didn't know how long the war could drag on. He looked at Lilo, "I don't know, but should it come, will you be here for me? When I return?"

Lilo looked at him, and smiled, "Of course I will, I'd wait for you forever."

Stitch smiled and they stared out the window together. Watching the world float by, carefully resuming it's voyage through time.

Serenity sat at the end of the bed. She was waiting for them to come get her, waiting for the journey to start. She glanced at her pack, there were few items in it. The space was mainly taken up by the custom space-suit Jumba had designed for her. Serenity looked around the room, it was Komalla's. They had shared the room for only a short time, yet she considered the little earthling to be her best friend. They had been inseparable for the short time they had known each other.

Serenity smiled. She thought of all the small adventures they had shared, the good times. When the two of them had tried to cook Nani a surprise breakfast, and had nearly set the house ablaze. Nani was furious, she worked putting out the fire, all the time shouting, "Just like you aunt and Stitch!"

Serenity thought of Stitch. 'He's quite strong. Maybe he's the one?'

She shook the thought from her head, not wanting to think of such a business right now. She heard the door open, and looked to see Komalla standing there, tears in his small eyes. Serenity hopped off the bed and opened her arms for him, he ran into her outstretched arms, and they hugged.

Komalla sniffled, delicate words heard through the sobs, "Please...please don't go!"

Serenity patted and rubbed his back, she talked to him, trying to calm him down, "There there, don't you worry, I'll be right back, I promise..."

It was hard to say the final two words. She knew there was always a chance that something would go wrong, something go horribly awry. But she knew she had to do it, to see him, her best friend in that villain's claws was too much to bear...

Komalla looked into her eyes, his were puffed from the crying, he spoke spastically through wrenching sobs, "No-no! You can't leave me! You're the only friend I've ever had! You're my best friend! I love you Serenity!"

The words hit her. 'Love,' she thought, 'he...loves me?'

They stood in silence a moment, Serenity held the weeping Komalla, who snuggled himself closer to her, dampening her fur with his tears. She held him close, feeling her own tears welling up. She rubbed her claws through his raven black hair, and said, "You're my best friend too Komalla, and I love you too..."

There they stood in their room. A bond formed between them that none could break. Standing as rocks against the wind, never faltering through waves and wind, together, they were harder for the break...

Lilo stood outside the Silver Falcon with the rest of the family. Saying goodbyes was never easy, always wondering if it would be the final goodbye. The wind blew softly on the warm summer day, as they stood out in the small clearing of trees. Jumba was conferring with Stitch about the coordinates, the layout of the facility, any dangers the old facility may hold, their food...

Lilo smiled, Stitch had almost cried when he found out that Pleakly had personally prepared all their lunches. Lilo smiled at him, though she seemed calm on the outside, she was terrified on the inside. She was paranoid with thoughts of bad things happening to Stitch and Serenity, problems that could occur. Their ship could run out of fuel and power, leaving them helpless in the void, the old facility could topple down on them, their could be dangerous refugees in the facility, refugees from the dangerous Dark Hand...

Lilo quickly brushed the ideas from her mind. She reassured herself that nothing would go wrong. Lilo watched Serenity and Komalla. They both seemed so somber, not their normal playful selves. She saw Clip, who had come along to see Stitch off. Clip had calmed down after the first night, though she barely said a word to anyone, and kept herself shut in her room.

Gloria walked up beside Lilo, and nudged her playfully, "Hey girl...you worried?"

Lilo nodded, "Yeah, I'm pretty worried."

Gloria shook her head, "Don't be. I'm pretty sure your boy over there can handle just about anything from what I hear about him."

Lilo nodded, but she still wasn't sure, the way Stitch had acted when she asked him about the new experiment still bothered her. He seemed unsure of himself, which was odd for Stitch...

Lilo saw Stitch turn and head her way. She put on a smile, to reassure him, and to reassure herself. He walked up to her, "I'll miss you...Lilo. Even if it's just a few days journey there and back..."

Lilo's smile faded, "Just please Stitch, be careful."

Stitch nodded, "From what I hear from Jumba the facility was abandoned two years ago. It should be relatively safe, though he says some of the security systems may still be operational..."

Lilo nodded, she knew there would be some danger. She looked at Stitch, "You just be sure to come home to me 6-2-6."

Stitch grinned, "Wild trugnoks couldn't keep me away. Let alone some mad experiment."

He reached down, and they gently kissed. And he turned away and began to walk to the ships hatch. He turned, and smiling, said to Lilo, "I'll see you soon..."

Lilo brought up her hand in a half hearted wave, she didn't want to see him go, "Yeah, soon..."

Serenity joined Stitch on the hatch way, she waved to Komalla who still had tears streaming down his face. Lilo kept her eyes level with Stitch's, watching him as the hatch closed. He watched her too, and Lilo watched him, then the hatch closed, and they were cut off from each other.

Lilo tried to reassure herself, 'Just a few days journey...that's all...why am I so worried? Of course he'll come back! What can happen in only a few days?"

Lilo felt the ground tremble, and she watched as the ship levitated from the ground. It climbed to the sky, and with the sun gleaming off it's silver edges, it shot off, toward whatever may come.

Jumba walked over to her, and she asked him, "So Jumba, how fast will Stitch be going?"

Jumba scratched his head, "Well, due to the fact that light speed travel was outlawed in this galaxy, it will take him about one day to reach the moon. I suspect it will require a couple of days to explore the facility, then another day to get back...not that long you know."

Lilo stared into the sky as she thought, 'Not fast enough.'

Stitch watched the blue orb disappear behind them. He felt worried, 'That thing might attack...God I hope 6-2-5 will be okay, I hope he will guard her well, Lilo...if anything happened to you...'

Stitch looked to his traveling buddy, Serenity. He smiled, "Well, come on, I've set it to autopilot. Let's get situated."

They left the cockpit of the ship, and went to the back, and prepared for the long run.