It had been three hours since her family had walked in on their special moment; after she had made sure her Uncle Mandarin fell asleep she went to her room and bawled. She held it back so she could cry in peace and grief for Chris; she spoke to her uncle and he confirmed that he was dead
After she was alone for only five minutes there was a knock on her door; she quickly wiped her tears away and replied, 'Come in…"
Her door opened to reveal her Uncle Mandarin; he had used limped all the way to her room just to see how she was doing.
"What are you doing up? You're supposed to be resting!" she said giving him a scolded look.
Mandarin looked and saw that she had been crying, "I came to see how you were holding up…." he said looking at her sympathetically
"Fine…" she lied
He raised an eyebrow, "I can tell when someone is lying, young one…"
She started to cry again as her uncle limped to her and sat down as she confessed, "He's gone…I can't ever hold him again…or kiss him…or...or…" she just broke down
Mandarin felt guilty, "I'm sorry young Adie, if I had come to my senses earlier you wouldn't be in this pain right now…I wish I could help you more"
Adie looked up, 'No…you couldn't have known…" she paused, thinking, "actually there is something you can do for me…."
"Anything," he said trying to make up for what his former master did
"I want to go to earth and work out a few things with Chris's old things….and his…burial." she almost started to cry but continued, "I need a chaperone, but I don't want any of the others to take me and as strange as it sounds….I want you to take me…."
Mandarin smiled, 'If it makes you feel better….yes I will take you…but aren't you going to tell your family?"
She looked embarrassed, 'No…..I'll leave them a note telling me where I've gone, but if I tell them that I want to take you…they'll immediately refuse…so will you please take me uncle mandarin please?"
"Alright…how are we to get there?"
"I have a transporter that we can use…but we must hurry before they notice your gone…"
"As you wish, young one…"
Adie smiled and gave him a hug; "thank you…" she immediately got up and got the transporter entering a few codes, "are you ready?"
"Of course…" he replied with a small smirk
She pushed the last button as her uncle and she were transported to Chris's house. When she saw it she immediately started to cry; her uncle comforted her with a small hand on her leg. She felt grateful, "Thank you, but I need to go upstairs and b…b…box his stuff and call his social worker to see what the arrangements are…." she blurted out.
"Alright….I shall be down here waiting for you to get back…"
"Ok…" at that she left him standing there until he left, to sit in a chair and meditate…..
---------
Antauri and the others had been down in the training room fighting off some steam; when they came back to check on Mandarin, to see if he had either tried something or stayed in his place, but when they checked they saw he was missing
"What the hell! Where is he!" Sprx asked out of shock
"I am not sure…he may be in Adie's room…" Antauri suggested as they walked off, entering shortly thereafter
They saw that even Adie was gone
"Ok…I'm not liking this Antauri…" Nova said worryingly
Otto noticed the piece of paper on her bed, "hey look! A note!" Otto said as Antauri walked over to pick it up and he red it aloud
Guys
I'm sorry but I had to go back to earth to settle a few things, but don't worry I took Uncle Mandarin with me and I assure you I'm safe. I will understand if you are now upset with me but understand what I'm doing I need not only do it for myself…I'm doing it for him…even though he may be gone….he still deserves my undying love in his death as he gave me in my life. I'm sorry but I must end my message here…..I have much to do…I promise to be back as soon as I can.
LOVE,
Adie
As Antauri finished reading the team stood in silence at the sad tone of her message
Nova decided to break the silence, "We have to go…even if she doesn't want us to…."
"It sounds like she doesn't want us there….." Otto blurted out
"It would seem so…" Gibson said still looking at the piece of paper
"Nova is right….we are going..." Antauri said
"Yeah…I still don't trust him!" Sprx blurted out angrily
Antauri looked at Sprx, "That is not the reason why we are going…..I trust Mandarin with her at any given point and time…he had proven himself to that…whether we trust him are not it not the issue….but Adie trusts him and that is proof enough for me." he paused taking a deep breath, "we are going because she needs her family..."
They all nodded in agreement; Adie was too sad to shove herself away from her family again, it only caused problems…
They were all anxious to leave so Otto left and went to pick up the other transporter that he had created when he couldn't find his first one; and he came back, they all stood there as he said, "here we go…" he said as he pushed the last button; they saw only darkness but then saw a tall house that they hadn't seen before; they peeked in the window to see Mandarin sitting in a big cushy chair mediating; they weren't shy about going in as they walked around to the door and entered without a single knock