Here's the next chapter…fic…whatever.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Fox, Yugioh, or Star Wars, but I do own a few characters and the story "Scars of Life."

Encounter

Chapter 12

Without You

It's been only a few hours since they took another break from fast paced training. Serenity's skills have dramatically improved over the time they were training.

"I've never really seen someone learn things that fast," Lisa commented.

"Well, you earned your black belt within a year, didn't you?" Serenity asked.

"Sorta, but that's because training under Jedi trained black belts is a bit more fast paced than the average."

Lisa began to get up for a glass of water, but before she could enter the kitchen, the kitchen door to the garage opened. Lisa went in to see Fox and Falco coming back from their patrol duty. From what she could see off of their uniforms, it probably was hot outside.

"Heh, you're a little early," Lisa commented.

"Our patrol is only voluntary, but we still take it good or bad weather," Fox explained.

"Besides, we had to pick someone up," Falco added.

Serenity came into the kitchen, seeing that someone else besides the three were in there. That someone appeared to have been depressed lately. Serenity could only stand there, staring at her brother as Joey did the same.

"Serenity…Joey…I need you two to talk privately," Fox explained. "You two need to end this problem now before it progresses even further. I'll do what I can to help."

With that, Fox motioned Falco and Lisa to go upstairs to mind their own business, leaving Fox, Joey, and Serenity downstairs. Fox led the two to the couch to give them a seat. As they sat down, the two couldn't bare to look at each other after realizing their mistakes. Fox was sitting on a wooden chair from the kitchen, facing the two. He would like to help them, but they have to forgive each other.

"I understand that you two don't want to make more problems for each other, but you two are family. You two need each other to live a better life," Fox reasoned. "Lauren and I needed each other through those hard times when we were still young."

Neither Joey nor Serenity was saying anything. Serenity sat on the couch slightly facing away from Joey with her head down. Joey sat there with his head down, but was glancing over to Serenity every once in a while for a short second.

"Serenity…I…talked to your mother sometime last night," Fox said.

With that comment, she looked up in confusion at why Fox called her mother.

"Before you ask, the reason why I did that was because I needed to know what she thought of you," Fox explained. "The only thing I got was that you were a bright child with a peaceful spirit."

"Fox…I don't really have a peaceful spirit without Joey," Serenity said.

Joey decided to speak up and said, "I guess I feel the same as well with Serenity."

"That's my point," Fox said. "You two need each other to live a better life. Without each other, you two don't seem to be as content."

"I…guess that's true," Joey said.

Joey decided to glance over to Serenity, who had her head down with eyes full of tears. Joey put a hand on Serenity's shoulder, trying to comfort her. Serenity felt Joey's hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up to him. As they were making eye contact, they couldn't pull their sight away from each other.

"Good, a first sign is good," Fox thought.

Serenity was beginning to tear up more, feeling the pain of the truth. She needed Joey to be there and Joey needed her. They both wanted to say something, but the problem is that they couldn't say it.

"Hey, if you two need to say something, then just say it," Fox said.

They both were still staring at each other as if they haven't seen each other for years. They both had to say it, but couldn't say anything. Joey couldn't sit there with the pain of not being able to reason with Serenity and vise versa.

Joey had to say something and said, "Serenity…I…I'm sorry."

"Joey…you don't have to," Serenity responded.

"I wouldn't have acted the way I did if I wasn't as over-protective as I am."

"Joey, I'm not as strong as I thought I was, and because of it, I almost lost my life for it!"

"That is true, but you both have strong wills," Fox interrupted.

They both looked over to Fox, who had his bottom jaw resting on folded hands. They both knew that Fox somehow could help in some way.

"Having your own strength in spirit is one thing, but having each other makes a powerful bond between you two," Fox explained. "You two need each other to survive, much like how Lauren and I had to depend on each other for support."

Joey and Serenity sat there staring at Fox without an answer. Fox's explanation was as if he experienced the same thing and is able to tell about it.

"Look, I felt the same thing, but in a different situation," Fox said. "When I discovered that Lauren and my best friend, Bill, were dating, I wanted to know what they were really up to. After knowing that it's only young love, I felt guilty about it. I had to confess about it…as well as something about myself."

Joey and Serenity wanted to know more about what he was saying, giving the fact that they never knew of this. Fox then continued what he was saying.

"The reason why I had to mention this is because without Lauren, I would've been down a darker path," Fox explained. "She was the only thing that kept me together and away from that borderline between peace and insanity, but…"

"But what?" Serenity asked.

"…nothing…I was just thinking about something, that's all."

Joey can understand how Fox's younger sister kept Fox out of trouble by having to be by his side. Joey knows how that feels whenever Serenity is there for him.

"Fox, I guess we're, in a way, the same," Joey commented.

Serenity looked over to Joey and said, "Joey, without you, I don't feel happy; even though friends are there, there's nothing that can replace you."

"Same goes for you, sis," Joey responded.

"So, I hope you two would like to just forgive and forget, right?" Fox asked.

"Yeah, but I guess I can lay off the over-protective duty," Joey said.

"And I guess I can be more cautious next time," Serenity added.

"Good, but you both have to promise me that you will cherish what you both have, and that's each other," Fox explained.

Serenity's eyes began to fill with tears of joy while Joey was sitting there smiling at the fact that Serenity will still be his loving sister. Fox got up and began to walk off into the kitchen. Joey and Serenity got up as well, seeing what he was doing. He pulled the keys off of the key rack, ready to take Joey and Serenity back.

"You two should get back to your apartment," Fox suggested.

They both began to follow Fox out to the truck as they both were able to understand each other.

At the top of the stairs, Falco was sitting at the edge, leaning against the wall as he was listening in to the conversation. He knew what they were talking about as Falco had a final thought before going back down to work again.

"Joey and Serenity may be happy, but they don't know what Fox has really been through."