Hey! Sorry this took me so long, school has started and you're poor authress is stressed :p I hope youlike the chappie. Speaking of chappies, I was reading over chapter 5 and realized how many spelling mistakes it contained. Sorry! Do you guys think I should redo it? It's up to you. Well, enjoy...

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own beyblade...

-Chapter 7: Missed You-

.:Flashback:.

It was cold. But then again, the inhabitants of the cell were used to that. It was a part of life, and they knew nothing else.

Tala's eyes scanned the stone walls, as if they might lend him some useful advice. He sighed heavily, his breath coming out in an ice frosted huff.

He was unusually calculative for a child his age, but then again, he hadn't grown up in the most usual of circumstances.

The cold grabbed him by his thin shoulders, hugging him closely.

"Tala, I know it would work." The blue eyes zeroed in on the bluenette in front of him. The boy was maybe a full head shorter than him, but was sturdier.

The cinnamon eyes were set with grim determination. The eyelashes that framed the orbs were frosted with ice.

Tala closed his eyes "No Kai, it's too risky." His voice was firm, yet it seemed thin against the over whelming cold.

"Tala, Black Dranzer could get us out!" the words were those of a plea but the voice was a steely hiss, and it singed the cold of the room, filling it with an angry burn.

"No. Kai, Black Dranzer's too powerful, even for you. We only have one shot at this; we can't afford to use tools we can't control." Tala looked calmly at his companion, icy pools meeting blood red.

Kai's eyes flickered over his friend's, "You don't want to get out….do you?" The voice was cold with suspicion. "You'd have me rot here forever, wouldn't you? Just so you wouldn't have to be afraid."

"Kai….?" Tala was confused; this wasn't the Kai he knew.

"That's it …isn't it?" the voice was angry, choked in hate. "You're too god damn afraid, to-!"

Tala couldn't handle this, he had been hurt like this many times before, but never had he dreamed that it would be Kai, his best friend, his brother, flicking the whip.

It was true he was afraid, but one look into Kai's eyes and he could tell that phoenix was just as scared. Kai however was afraid of never getting out while Tala was afraid of loosing him in the process.

"Kai please, too many lives hang in the balance for you to go and do something stupid-"

"No! You just shut up! I'm getting out of here tonight, and there's nothing you and your fears can do to stop me!"

What about your fears Kai, what will your fears push you in to doing?

"Kai, this is foolishness, why would I…"

"No, no more. No brother of mine would be such a coward."

And he was gone, the thin body slipping noiselessly through the prison like bars, leaving the redhead to the empty cell…and the relentless cold.

.:End Flashback:.

"Kaaaaiii! Yooouuu whooo!" came Rei's drawn out call. Kai blinked, the fading memory leaving a hazy fog in its wake.

"Honestly Kai, you have to do something with that cat! Didn't you hear Tyson screaming!" Rei said, exasperated by his captains lack of response.

The silver eyebrows knit together slowly, the beginnings of a question starting to build in his memory fogged mind. "What do you mean he's been screaming?" he said slowly, his eyes flickering over the tiger's.

Rei shook his head "Walk twenty paces that-a-ways." He said, his thumbing jabbing towards the bedrooms.

Kai shrugged, and cautiously strolled towards the room Tyson and Max shared.

"Noooo! Get it away from me!" yup, that was Tyson.

Kai pressed his ear to the door, a smile seeping past his guard. Only Tyson… came the lazy thought.

He heard something close to a choked sob and frowned. That wasn't good.

Creek… He opened the door slowly "What the hell…" his voice trailed off, laced with amusement and disbelief.

There was Tyson, lying on the ground, hugging his knees in a fetal position and on top of him… was Ushka.

The affectionate little beast pawed him playfully, curiosity shinning innocently in the large eyes.

Tyson whimpered, gingerly squeezing open his eyes, only see a very amused, smirking Kai.

"H-help?"

Kai shook his head "It really does take an idiot, doesn't it?" he said as the kitten hopped gracefully off of Tyson's still form and trotted up to his master.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Tyson screamed angrily, clambering up to his feet clumsily, jogging to catch up to the odd pair "I swear that thing growled at me!"

2 hours latter

Kai's Pov

Every ones here, with the exception of Kenny who's on vacation. Maybe that's a good thing considering the effect that Tala has on him.

I look around at my fellow team mates, Rei keeps twisting the ends of his hair into intricate braids and then lacing his fingers through them, destroying the patterns.

Max is lying down on the couch, the tremors of his sugar high induced head ache still plaguing his blond noggin.

Tyson is in his own little world, staring blankly at the oh-so interesting carpet.

Every ones nervous, with the exception of Ushka that is, the affectionate little beast is currently snuggled in my lap, completely unaware of the ever passing minutes, dragging us inevitably closer to the dreaded 4 o' clock.

It's not that I don't want to see Tala, I just…I don't know. I s'pose I'm afraid, afraid of how he'll react, afraid of how I'll react….I just don't know.

Its 3:59 and everyone's eyeing the clock.

Tic

Tock

Tic……

Knock, knock…

4:00, he's here.

"Who's going to get the door?" that was Rei's voice, everyone heard him, but no one answered.

Knock

Knock….

Well?"

Tic

Tock

Tick

Tock…

"I will." I said hesitantly brushing an indignant Ushka off my lap. "I'll go get it." I said again.

Tick

Tock

Rei nodded, and every one in the room relaxed.

I walked in a crooked line towards the ominous door, my legs refusing to obey me.

Tick

Tock

I reached slowly for the door knob, and twisted it open, my heart fluttering like a caged bird.

"Hey." My voice sounded soft and flimsy, that's not what I would have liked to have said- not what I would have like to have done.

I had wanted to hug him, to clap him firmly on the back, but I didn't.

"Hey." This was so awkward; it wasn't supposed to be that way, not between brothers.

Emotion drifted endlessly on the surface of the ever blue eyes. They looked at me, full of regret.

Had he wanted to hug me too, had he wanted to greet me as a brother should?

"So… you gonna let me in?" he asked, a teasing smile quirking his lips. All I could do was nod.

I backed away from the door and unsteadily returned to my seat, leaving Tala alone and deserted in the front of the room.

His gaze lingered on me a little longer, then continued to flicker over the faces of my teammates.

Tick

Tock

"Well…" he started uncomfortably "You guys haven't changed a bit." He had though, he had changed so much.

Tick

Tock

He looked paler, if that was possible, more stretched out, taller…He held himself differently too, his thin shoulders slumped forward, hunched if you will, as if ready to protect himself from some on coming wind.

The only thing that had really remanded the same were his eyes. Dazzlingly intense, the blue eyes could pull you in, yet, at the same time you would want to avoid contact with them, for fear you wouldn't be able to hold the ever blue gaze.

Even his eyes were different though… They were milder…. Maybe it was the friendly twinkle they harbored, or the sad, pained look that shivered across the surface.

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

He shifted the weight of his denim bag uncomfortably, making me feel even guiltier. However, I didn't make a move to welcome him, no one did.

"Mew?" Ushka pranced forward jauntily, the white tipped tail twitching. He pawed at the tall blader's pant leg, looking up at him with big eyes.

Tala smiled, a small grateful smile, he stooped down slowly, gently scooping the kitten up in wiry arms.

"T-that's Kai's cat." Came Max's shaky voice, clearly the head ache hasn't worn off.

Tala looked towards Max, then towards me, "He's a nice cat." came the slow response.

Once again, all I could do was nod; Ushka was a nice cat, and a good friend. The tension momentarily disappeared. I could hear Rei take a deep breath as he attempted to speak.

"I guess you could stay in-"

"Not my room." Tyson cut Rei off, his eyes fixed angrily on the slender Russian, I want to slap him, to hurt him, but I don't, I hold in my anger.

How could Tyson miss the pain that flickered so clearly in Tala's eyes, how could he not see it?

"Well then," Rei started again "You can sleep in our room." Rei said, his amber pools zeroing in on my own crimson ones, looking for approval.

Of course, I wanted to say, but I didn't, I simply nodded.

Tala gently set down a purring Ushka, and was about to follow Rei in to the room when I stopped him. I couldn't just let him go, not like that.

I hugged him then, clapping his back firmly, just like I had wanted to when he had first walked through the door.

I felt him hug me back, and I knew that's what he had wanted to do too.

We separated quickly, his ever blue orbs shone sincerely into mine "I missed you…little brother." He said so only I could hear.

His eyes were twinkling with a different light as followed Rei out of the room, an inquiring Ushka following closely behind.

kiotana- O.O I wouldn't eat Kai, I luff him far too much .sokkazukofan, however, will eat us both -glares at sokkazukofan- if I don't update quickly... Thou art impatient, ne? lol! Don't worry, more comin' soon

Prisca-Angel- Yea, I love writting about the d-boys' tightly knit releationships, makes me feel all snuggly inside.

CyborgRockStar- Sorry 'bout the ooc ness, I couldn't help meh self. Thank you!

storm-of-insanity- Me too! -hugs d-boys-

ChibiPheonix- Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it, sory it took me so long to update.

sokkazukofan- -sobs- Why? Why me?

Kai: -pats authress on the back- There, there...Now get writtin' ! -points gun to authress's head- I have no wish to be eaten!

Me: -gulp- Point taken!

Tala: -walks in whistling- Hey guys what's going on...O.O ...oh...I think I'll leave now...

Me: No, Tala! Don't leave me here with him -points to Kai- and that madd reviewer!

Tala: -runs away-

Me: -sobbing again- It's not fair!

Kai: -growls- Life's not fair, get over it.

Me: -sniff-

Well folks, that's all for now! Thankyou to all who reviewed, I really appreciate it. Anyways, I promise I'll be back with more soon!

c'ya!

-Wolfchile-