Battle of the Sacred Essences

by Thunderblade

The dinosaur realm will never be the same! A strange creature has invaded the Great Valley that claims to be from the future with a disturbing past. Littlefoot is intrigued by it but he is have some bizarre dreams of his own. [Complete!]

25. Final Part: Where the Path Finally Ends

Chapter 79: Between Heaven and Hell

The piercing light slowly died away leaving not a trace of the battle. The two worlds, separated by time's barrier had disappeared. The hoards of disease-ridden creatures had vanished along with the flaming phoenix and the torched skyline. Not a shred of evidence that proved that the grueling battle had ever taken place. All that remained, hanging in the pitch black void were two lifeless bodies. One of a juvenile brontosaurus and the other of a mid-teenaged boy. Neither one moved an inch but the way they both laid in twisted positions next to each other as if they had been brutally beaten and left for dead. For these two bodies, there appeared to be no salvation. No one to care for them; no one to mourn their loss. As Littlefoot and Jason lay suspended in the darkness, a soft beam of light slowly illuminated their fallen bodies, like a spotlight shining on them. From this light, the sound of a voice rang out softly over them.

"Littlefoot…Jason…" it sang sweetly, "come on now boys…it's time to wake up…" Responding to the voice's call, both immobile figures twitched and they could feel their senses slowly returning to them.

"Eerrmmm…ummm…huh? Eh?" Littlefoot hummed drearily slowly raising his head that seemed to weigh five times its normal weight. He could feel the warm light bathing his aching body, making his skin tingle pleasantly. It was almost like someone was nuzzling him with a loving touch as deep and as real as the raw emotion itself. Next to him, laying the opposite way, Littlefoot could feel someone stirring. Jason pushed himself back to sit on his heels and groaned audibly like he was arousing from a heavy dosage of a sleeping drug. He buried his face in his hands and rubbed it violently hoping to dislodge whatever it was making him drowsy and help it to wear off.

Having had a few seconds to restore their bearings, Littlefoot and Jason turned to face each other both displaying the same lost and awestruck expression for the other to read.

"Littlefoot?" Jason whispered uncertainly to him.

"Jason?" Littlefoot replied in a similar disconcerting tone of voice, "Wha-what…what happened?"

"I have no idea," Jason answered truthfully. Neither him nor Littlefoot had any knowledge to what had just occurred but then, Littlefoot's memory jogged him almost like someone hitting him from the inside of his skull.

"Where is everyone? The humans? The giant fiery flyer? My world and yours? Where'd they all go?" he questioned examining the blank void surrounding them.

"I…I don't know. We were fighting them all but…my sword…I threw it but…it missed and…you bounced it back…" Jason said slowly and carefully, "but…everything's just…gone."

Suddenly, a female voice spoke out from the spotlight.

"You did it…" it said sounding very pleased.

"Yes…well done boys…you did very well," a second female voice spoke out as sweetly as the first. It too sounded appeased and almost proud to be saying what it was saying.

"Wha? Who's that?" Littlefoot asked hurryingly staring up at the light. It was incredibly difficult to look into the glaring beam without squinting but it was still impossible to see anything.

"Who are you? What are you talking about?" Jason shouted up to the beam of warm light shielding his eyes with a hand.

"You don't remember? Your trial? 'A test to prove that your strength and courage is more powerful than death'?" the first voice said.

"Yes, you took on the challenge and succeeded. You emerged triumphant…just as we'd hoped you both would," the second voice added merrily.

"You…you were watching?" Littlefoot asked astounded. Something was burning inside him the more he listened to the voice speaking to him. It was almost painful, almost like something was desperately trying to scream out to him.

"Why yes. Every move, every word. We watched the whole thing," the first voice said happily.

"That was a wonderful display of courage and friendship," the second voice joined in, "you worked together and overcame insurmountable odds. An incredible achievement that has allowed us to approach you both at long last." The voice suddenly turned a little uncharacteristically morbid as it continued,

"Had you failed, you both would have been lost forever; trapped in a never-ending nightmare neither truly dead nor truly alive. A fate we prayed would never befall the two of you and thankfully, a prayer that was answered wholly." Littlefoot and Jason, now standing fully upright, gazed at each other thunderstruck. Both of them could feel the same horrible surge of pressure pressing against their insides and it was gradually getting stronger and more uncomfortable.

"You…saw everything?" Jason asked cautiously and both female voices hummed in verification, "Just…who are you?"

For a while, there was no reply but all of a sudden, the spotlight started to move. From its angled, hovering position in the blackness, it began to rotate and fall from its high perch. Littlefoot and Jason followed its path down until it came to a gradual halt in front of them at about head height. The two friends shielded their eyes from the glare as best they could from the stream of golden light that shone hard and bright directly in their faces. The more they looked, the brighter the light seemed to get. It was growing; illuminating the darkness and piercing the blank void that clung around them like coagulated fog. Before they realised it, Littlefoot and Jason became lost in the intense golden light but it was strangely calming and non-threatening allowing themselves to be swallowed by it without fear or thought.

After a few brief seconds, Littlefoot and Jason found themselves stood in the centre of a picturesque open field covering in a rainbow assortment of flowers that swayed blissfully on a warm, light summery wind. The sky was crystal clear with soft, giant cotton-like clouds that sailed across it like huge fluffy ships on an inverted ocean. The sun was high and radiated glistening golden beams of warm sunlight on the dancing grassy field that brushed Littlefoot and Jason's legs with affection.

"Whoa…This is amazing!" Jason gasped dumbstruck at the radiant beauty of the luscious landscape.

"Yeah I know," Littlefoot said greatly admiring the wondrous field that stretched as far as the eye could see, "but…where are we?"

"Dunno. Doesn't look like the Great Valley," Jason replied analytically, "what troubles me even are those two voices…"

"I know what you mean," Littlefoot agreed as the sweet floral scents wafted up his nostrils, "where have they gone?"

"Gone Littlefoot? My dear, we never left," the first female voice said from out of nowhere. Her voice sounded incredibly close and was as sweet as honeydew.

"We've been with you both al along boys and there hasn't been a moment when we haven't thought about you," the second voice piped in. It too sounded within extreme proximities and too was honey-sweet in tone.

"Where are you? Why do you sound so close but we can't see you?" Littlefoot asked a little despairingly.

"Please…can't you show yourselves?" Jason pleaded searching the field for the source of the voices.

Suddenly, responding to their desperate pleas, two golden ribbons of sunlight burst through the clouds littered with falling gold stars that tumbled like glittering confetti. Littlefoot and Jason hopped backwards a little to distance themselves from the glistening strips of elaborate light as they both expanded to reveal two very distinct figures. The first was a gigantic, long-necked dinosaur that towered high above the two of them blotting out the sun with her incredible stature. The second was a human who stood next to the dinosaur. She was draped in a silky, flowing, white dress that would be worthy of a very expensive wedding gown that floated gracefully with the zephyrous breeze as did her beautiful, straight long black hair. Littlefoot and Jason felt their hearts swell to an enormous size as they instantly recognised the female figures stood in front of them.

"Littlefoot…my Littlefoot…" the dinosaur sighed as she smiled sweetly.

"Jason. It's so good to see your handsome face again…" the woman beamed at the dumbstruck teenager.

"Mother!" Littlefoot and Jason both uttered in unison. They could hardly believe their eyes as they stared at each other and then back to their mothers.

"Can…can it be true? Is this…real?" Jason stammered taking a nervous step forward.

"That…that is you…isn't it mother?" Littlefoot asked feebly ghosting Jason's step. Even without confirmation, the two boys suddenly dashed forward. Jason leapt into his mother's arms and clung to her tightly as she embraced him in a loving hug while Littlefoot nuzzled his own mother affectionately.

"I always dreamed of the day I'd see you again," Jason whispered with a cracking voice. His mother continued to cradle him in her arms.

"Oh mother. It's been so hard without you…I…" Littlefoot sighed.

"Hush now Littlefoot. You don't have to worry about a thing," his mother said brushing her cheek against his.

Having enjoyed their heartfelt, emotional moments of embrace, Littlefoot and Jason stood a little distance away for their mothers to admire them.

"Just look at you two," Littlefoot's mother said proudly, "two boys who are completely different yet exactly the same in spirit."

"It's no wonder you were destined to meet each other even though you do not exist in the same chapter of the world's history," Jason's mother cooed smiling.

"But…what is this all about? Why are we here?" Jason asked scanning the landscape once more before focusing back on his mother.

"This is a land somewhere between the existence of the living and the passageway to the next life," Jason's mother replied.

"So…almost like the gateway to heaven?" Jason suggested naively.

"It's a little more complicated than that I'm afraid."

"How'd you mean?"

What you see here is a place manifested by your heart's true desires. The one thing you wish for with every fibre of your being appears here," Jason's mother explained.

"But, this place is visible to very few. Only those whose destinies are fulfilled by undergoing the trials are allowed to be here; provided they succeed in their challenge set for them," Littlefoot's mother expanded upon but Littlefoot and Jason looked a little disturbed by what they had just heard.

"So…that means that…either we're dead or…this is not real," Littlefoot said slowly.

"As I said before, it's not quite that simple nor is it easy to explain," Jason's mother reiterated.

"So why are we here? There must be a reason why we're here," Jason said anxiously.

"You're here…because you chose to come here," Jason's mother said potently yet unthreateningly. Her smile ceased to fade from her beautifully toned face.

"We both knew that since we were taken from you both at such a young age that that was the reason for you being here," Littlefoot's mother said sweetly as she craned her huge neck down to talk to them eye to eye, "we both knew…you wanted to be reunited with the ones you lost at that tender young age. We waited for a long time and now your wish has finally been granted."

"So what now? Is this how things are going to remain? What about everything we left behind?" Jason said warily.

"What about our friends? The Great Valley? Grandma…Grandpa…" Littlefoot said feeling slightly panicky. At first, neither Jason nor Littlefoot's mother seemed to be able to answer. They simply smiled sweetly at their sons who appeared to be getting restless.

"You may regret hearing this because once you do, there will be no going back," Littlefoot's mother said finally, her smile still failed to fall from her face. Littlefoot and Jason shuffled uneasily next to each other unsure if they wanted to hear what was about to be said.

"You do not have to fear about leaving your world behind. You are both still there in physical form but not in spirit," Jason's mother announced.

"We are!" they blurted out in awestruck unison.

"Yes, your bodies are still in the Great Valley but only just. If your spirits do not return to those empty bodies, you will both be lost forever," Littlefoot's mother said seriously.

"So…that means…" Littlefoot began. Their mother's nodded.

"Yes. It is not time for you to be fully reacquainted with us. You both still have so much of your lives to live and we will not let you become lost in the dark void that this place will become should you perish in body," Jason's mother said.

"But…no wait! Mother!" Jason protested as he leapt forward to grab her hand but he gasped in shock when he found his hand grasp nothing but air.

"What?" Jason breathed examining the palm and reverse of his hand before glancing up at his mother horror-struck. Littlefoot too gaped in terror as he attempted to brush past his mother's leg but he toppled through the mighty giant.

"What's going on?" Littlefoot whined with wide panicking eyes.

"It's time to go…" his mother said to Littlefoot who was desperately trying to find a solid part of her to make contact with.

"What? Why! Why are you leaving?" Jason complained still trying to grasp his mother's hand but she just smiled pleasantly.

"You've both re-established your connection to the real world by asking for it," Jason's mother said unphased by what was happening, "you were bound to remember sooner or later and as we said before, it's not your time to pass on yet."

"That's right. You both have so much to live for. So much to see and do. You cannot cut that time short; it would be a tragic waste," Littlefoot's mother joined in.

"But…what about you? I don't want to lose you again," Littlefoot wailed feeling abandoned.

"Me neither. I couldn't imagine life without you. Not now I've seen you again," Jason whined helplessly.

"Jason…Littlefoot...We are always with you," Jason's mother said lovingly. Her smile was all the while spreading across her face.

"Children…as long as you remember us and keep us in your hearts…you'll never lose us," Littlefoot's mother beamed happily, "just look there, and you'll always find us."

Littlefoot and Jason felt powerless. They had longed to be loved and embraced by their mothers for so many painful years and now their moment was finished; much sooner than they had hoped. Suddenly, the golden beams of sunlight that announced their mothers' entrances shone down on the two figures again. Littlefoot and Jason wanted despairingly to protest but their mothers silenced them.

"We're almost out of time," Jason's mother said as her features started to become fainter and unrecognisable; enveloped in the blinding light.

"With your quests finally over, order must be brought back to your world."

"The power of the stones bestowed upon you will work for you one last time," Littlefoot's mother said as her face became lost in the beaming sunlight, "use that remaining power to right the final wrongs of your destinies."

"What? I…I don't understand!" Littlefoot yelled up at the glaring light.

"Right what wrongs? Whad'dya mean?" Jason shouted shielding his eyes with one hand.

"You will understand," both mothers chanted melodiously, by now they had been completely consumed by the gold ribbons of glistening light, "Children…Let your hearts guide you…They whisper…so listen closely…" And with that, both the woman in the flowing, blossom-white dress and the mighty brontosaurus left the flowery field without a trace.

"No wait!" Jason screamed to the sunbeams, "Please mother! Come back!"

"No! Don't go mother! Please! Don't leave me!" Littlefoot wailed helplessly but to no avail. With no reply and their throats sore from shouting as loud as they could, Littlefoot and Jason looked at each other both distressed and feeling beaten. Their heads hurt from the sudden rushed influx of indecipherable information and their hearts were racing. Time seemed to stand still momentarily as only the sound of the sweet, gentle wind whistled around their frozen statures. Before either of them could say a word, they felt the meadow shudder dangerously. Littlefoot and Jason fought to keep balance whilst the soft breeze suddenly strengthened becoming stormy, gale-like and difficult to battle against. Toppling into each other, Littlefoot and Jason gazed up at the skyline which had undergone some means of accelerated time travel as the sun remained in its high noon position but the colour of the horizon was an oddly contrasting shade of dusky orange which was swiftly turning an inky, midnight blue. The blissful, harmonious landscape seemed bland with the sky now gone but strangely, the sun still remained as a glowing white ball high up in the black void. Littlefoot and Jason stared at each other completely perplexed just as another devastating earthquake rumbled through the ground. The ball in the sky dropped from its high perch as if the tremors had dislodged it from its hanging and it shattered on the grass like a china dinner plate leaving the two boys panicking in the grass and flowers which had suddenly been robbed of their scent and rainbow of colours. As their world began disintegrating around them, Littlefoot and Jason clung to each other as they saw the field of flowers and once wavering grass begin to shatter like a wave of broken glass in front of them and it was getting closer. In the distance, a strange beeping sound was emanating from the darkness. As the tidal wave of self-destructing grassland crept closer, the beeping began getting louder and the intervals between them were getting shorter. The shattering grass was nearly upon them as Littlefoot and Jason clutched each other tighter and screamed as the beeping rang out like it was directly overheard. They slammed their eyes shut as the ground beneath them disappeared and they plummeted into the darkness. Nothing seemed to slow their descent yet nothing seemed to be passing them but they could feel their deathly freefall into a black abyss as they screamed.

"Aaaaaarrrggghhhhhh!" Jason yelled lurching up panting and soaking in a cold sweat. He was shaking uncontrollably and it was impossible to steady his trembling hands. He felt incredibly dizzy and disorientated but his blurred vision was slowly coming back into focus. Suddenly, he jumped as he heard a scream of pure fright and panic to his right. Looking over, he saw Littlefoot lying next to him on what appeared to be a raised platform of some description. The little longneck looked flushed and terrified as he whipped his head around to and fro trying to recover his bearings quicker than he could possibly muster.

"Hey! Hey Littlefoot! You okay?" Jason called to him breathlessly.

"Jason!" he replied calming down a little, "I…I think so…what jus happened?"

"I don't know but…" Jason began but he quickly realised where they were. They were in a room full of medical equipment and supplies scattered everywhere on all surfaces. The room was dimly lit by a ceiling lamp that flickered unhealthily. Jason looked over at Littlefoot and saw the side of his chest bandaged up with numerous wires and tubes sticking out of various point on the young longneck's body as he lay on his side still trying to regain his composure. He also quickly realised that he too was lying on his back suspended off the floor with something propped up against his back. Like Littlefoot, his upper body was covered with bandages and a number of wires and tubes were stuck into him.

"What is this place?" Littlefoot said still breathing heavily. He looked at all the wires attached to him and he started to panic but Jason waved a hand at him to calm him down again.

"Wait Littlefoot! Don't worry, I think we're safe here," Jason said.

"What's going on? And what're all these weird vine things on me?" Littlefoot cringed lowering himself back down to a restful position even though he felt quite the opposite.

"This looks like a medical or operating room of some sort," Jason said analysing the place until his eyes came to rest on a piece of paper with some writing scrawled on it on a nearby surface. In the top right-hand corner, was a logo that he recognised immediately.

"Littlefoot. I think…I think we're back!" Jason said picking the document up, "We're back…in the Red Phoenix complex in the Great Valley."

"We are?" Littlefoot gasped.

"I'd say so. Looks like someone was looking after us after that incident in the Green Meadow."

"Really? But who?" Jason continued to scan the document in his hand. The writing was unrecognisable but he smiled weakly at the names signed at the bottom of the piece of paper.

"Jill and Stone…" he said finally, resting the document on the surface again, "they were treating our wounds for us. It's all written down."

"Jill and Stone were looking after us?" Littlefoot breathed amazed yet still restless, "What did they do?"

"Not sure exactly. The procedure written on the paper says they tried resuscitating us, bandaged us up and…gave us an injection of some kind?" Jason read aloud glancing at the report again.

"So…they saved us?"

"To put it simply…yes."

"But what about all this stuff?" Littlefoot whined fidgeting and fiddling with the tubes and wires.

"Don't mess with 'em Littlefoot. They're fluid drips and monitoring equipment. They're there to help you and keep an eye on your vital signs so nothing goes wrong. They're not gonna harm you." Littlefoot still felt agitated and fidgety. He followed the wires connected to him and looked up at a pillar of machines that were bleeping fairly rapidly.

"What's that thing? Why's it making that noise?"

"That? That's an electrocardiogram or ECG for short," Jason explained, "it's monitoring your heart rate and the blipping noise indicates every heartbeat. By the sounds of it, you're heart's really pounding away; think you need to calm down a bit. With a heart rate of one-thirty-eight and you're lying down is a bit concerning." Littlefoot looked up at the alien machine and watched his ECG line hop up and down madly. It was true that his heart was thundering inside him but he was amazed that Jason was able to deduce that from the screen and being nowhere near him to actually feel it kick against his chest.

"Just relax Littlefoot. I don't think we have anything to worry about here," Jason smiled. Littlefoot looked at him still feeling a little edgy but the more he read the warm, friendly smile on Jason's face, the more reassured he started to feel.

Taking a deep breath each, both Littlefoot and Jason exhaled loudly and flopped back down on their beds. They remained in silence for a few minutes, listening to the machines whirring and their ECGs blipping tunelessly.

"Hey Jason," Littlefoot then said after what seemed like an hour.

"Hmm?"

Do you think…y'know…that fight, the trial?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Did it…really happen? Or…did we just dream it?" Jason paused to think for a second but as he rested his chin on his hand, he found he couldn't think of a logical explanation.

"To be brutally honest, I don't have a clue," Jason sighed, "it sure seemed real. Everything was so…vivid."

"I know what you mean," Littlefoot agreed, "but…it's not the trial that bothers me."

"Then what is it that's bugging you?" Jason asked curiously.

"That field of flowers afterwards. Where we saw our…our mothers. Was…was any of that real?" Littlefoot continued sounding almost hurt by his own words.

"I…I just don't know," Jason replied softly pondering the thought, "did it all really happen? Or was it all a figment of our imagination? Something in our subconscious that was triggered? Some dormant part of our brains that became active? A dream perhaps?"

"But how did we manage to have exactly the same dream?" Littlefoot questioned but Jason merely shook his head.

"I honestly can't explain it. I wish I could but…it doesn't make any logical sense," Jason said finally. They both laid down, their minds torturing them as they played back the events of what happened before they finally awoke. Something in them wanted to believe it really did happen. That they fought alongside each other, battled that undead onslaught, slayed the monstrous phoenix. The part they really hoped for was their painfully brief reunion with their mothers in the gorgeous, euphoric flowery field. Whether it happened or not, they could remember every last spoken word and sincerely cherished the experience.

Suddenly, their concentration was broken by the sound of footsteps clapping on the cold, hard marble flooring echoing in the hall outside. Littlefoot and Jason snapped their eyes to the door as the footsteps stopped outside it and the door clicked and swung inwards creaking horribly.

"Ahhh so you're both awake at long last," a familiar female voice chirped sweetly.

"Jill!" Littlefoot exclaimed overjoyed to see her.

"Whoa there kiddo! Don't over-excite yourself, you're still recovering," she said resting a hand on his side gently to calm him.

"Enjoy your lay-in boys? You've both been in a comatose state for at least six hours," Jill told them. Littlefoot and Jason gawked dumbly at each other as Jill picked up a clipboard and went over to Littlefoot's monitoring equipment.

"What happened to us Jill?" Jason asked watching her scribble on the clipboard.

"The Red Phoenix got to you both. You were both infected with the supervirus and it gripped you both so quickly. We feared the worse once you lost consciousness the pair of you. Thought you weren't gonna make it at one point once the resuscitation didn't seem to work," Jill said bobbing up and down between screens and taking notes at the same time.

"But…how did you bring us back?" Jason asked bewildered, "if we were so badly infected with the virus, then how could we have survived?"

"You can thank your dino pals for that one. They found the cure," Jill smiled walking from Littlefoot's monitors to Jason's.

"The gang?" Littlefoot hummed in shock-driven curiosity.

"Yeah. They found a blue vial in your backpack Jason. Recognised it in an instant once I saw the company logo on it," Jill said beaming now looking at the two of them, "turns out you had the anti-viral formula in that little med-kit of yours. God only knows how you managed to obtain but it was miracle they found it. We probably wouldn't be having this conversation now if it wasn't for them." Littlefoot and Jason gasped and stared at each other in a dumbstruck silence. Jason had completely forgotten about the vial of anti-virus sitting in his bag but shocking of all was that they owed their lives to Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Ali. They had saved them from an untimely fate.

"Where are they now? Can we see them?" Littlefoot asked getting ready to stand.

"Hold it buster! Neither of you are in a fit state to go anywhere," Jill scorned but still smiled, "your vitals are all stable and the damage analysis and repair is almost complete. The bandages will probably be able to come off tomorrow if your recovery rate continues at the speed it is. You'll be out of here by morning." Jill scribbled down a final set of notes before placing her pen in her pocket and heading for the door.

"Hey Jill! Where's Stone?" Jason asked quickly.

"He's fine. He's sorting out the installation of the Chronos Doorway up on the Great Valley's border," she replied.

"What for?" Littlefoot asked naively.

"For our return trip of course. Back to the year 2113. Hopefully, after all the nonsense of that incident in the Red Phoenix headquarters," Jill said as he laid her free hand on the door handle and pulled the door open slightly.

"I suggest you two get some rest. You'll be up and about by morning," she said looking at them both; they had seemed to have lost their voices, "Don't worry about your folks and friends. I'll relay all this info back to them and tell them you're all right. I'm sure they'll be pleased to hear you're on the road to a full recovery. Now, rest up…pleasant dreams." With that, Jill disappeared out into the corridor shutting the door behind her.

The air seemed to thicken into a choking smog as Littlefoot and Jason lay in the dank ward in an uneasy silence. Littlefoot looked over at Jason who was playing with his fingers and staring at his discoloured bed sheets that clearly hadn't been washed for days.

"What's wrong?" he asked finding his voice at last.

"Nothing…nothing's wrong," Jason replied without looking over.

"You sure? You've gone all quiet all of a sudden," Littlefoot said, he couldn't help but notice that Jason seemed to be avoid his eyes.

"Really, it's nothing," Jason answered quickly. He could feel Littlefoot's gaze burning into the side of his neck so he quickly flashed him a weak smile.

"We should rest up. That way we can get out of here and get to see everyone again."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Littlefoot agreed settling down, trying his best to get comfortable.

"I hope Jill and Stone will be okay," he then said just as he found a comfy spot.

"W…whad'dya mean?" Jason asked pulling his sheets up high under his chin.

"Well, them going back to the human world. I hope they'll be okay. There didn't seem to be much of their home left," Littlefoot hummed thoughtfully.

"I'm sure they be fine," Jason replied minimally still not turning to look at Littlefoot lying next to him.

"I wonder what they'll do once they get back. Hopefully it will be a lot easier for them now that all those monsters and stuff are gone."

"Yeah…yeah I should think it would be."

"Oh well…goodnight Jason," Littlefoot said finally before tucking himself into a ball to sleep.

"Goodnight Littlefoot," Jason replied hardly whispering.

As he fidgeted to get comfortable, Jason's mind began racing. He began thinking about the final words their mothers had said to them before their departure. He felt his stomach plummet at the thought. Had it been real or not, he finally understood what they meant and he wasn't sure Littlefoot had grasped it. With that final gut-wrenching thought, Jason drifted off to sleep. He knew…the next couple of days…were going to be hard.

Chapter 80: Breaking the Indestructible

Early morning greeted the Great Valley bathed in a glorious shine of dawn sunlight. It seemed unseasonably warm for the time of year considering the winter period was supposed to be on its way but it wasn't able to rob the amiable autumn air of its pleasantries of transforming deciduous leaves and fiery seasonal skylines. The rising sun beamed through the tiny cracks in the Red Phoenix complex medical ward where Jason and Littlefoot remain laying on their beds with the gentle sound of working machines and monitoring equipment echoing in the shallow room. Littlefoot was still fast asleep whereas Jason had been awake since the first signs of daylight had started to seep into the world. He was just laying there, statute still, staring unfocused at the cracked, concrete ceiling deep in troubled thought. His sleep was restless and disturbed; he felt drained, like he hadn't slept a wink all night but his brain just couldn't switch off. It was impossible for him to drift off soundly with so many routes, thought-paths and possibilities charging and screaming through his head. Finally, within the last hour, he had figured it out. He'd been trying 'to'ing and 'fro'ing from the subject but it was clear now. He knew what he had to do.

"There's nothing more to it. It's the only way," he said to himself mentally, "this is the way it has to be…but God…If only it didn't have to. But…it's exactly what our mothers meant. 'Righting the final wrongs'." Jason propped himself up to a seated position and buried his face in his hands. Pulling them down over his hot, flushed face, he inhaled and exhaled stressfully.

"Man! Why is it always me who gets the short end of the stick? I've always gotta make the hard decisions and I always feel bad for it," Jason said to himself aloud, "I don't want it to end like this but…I'm gonna have to...Oh Littlefoot…I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what?" a voice called next to him. Jason jumped at the unexpected piping of the voice.

"Oh Littlefoot! It's just you," he said breathing a sigh of relief before turning to face Littlefoot. He was still lying down but his head was turned in Jason's direction.

"Yeah…well. It is only me in here so I thought you were talking to me," Littlefoot said smiling, "what was it you were saying sorry for?"

"Hmm? Wha? Oh-oh…it's nothing. I was just mumbling to myself, don't worry," Jason quickly replied with a flash of a smile. Littlefoot looked at him a little confused.

"Mumbling to yourself? You feeling all right?"

"Err…yeah! I'm fine," Jason said almost pouncing on Littlefoot's question before he'd even finished it, "think this place is starting to get to me a bit. Getting excited about getting out and seeing everyone again."

"Me too," Littlefoot agreed cheerily but as he looked at Jason's fixed smile, he couldn't help but start to feel something was wrong.

"Jason, what's wrong? You're acting like you're…I don't know…like you're hiding something."

"What! N-no! No Littlefoot! Don't be ridiculous! Why would I do something like that?" Jason said hurryingly. He was quietly hoping Littlefoot wouldn't pick up on the quivering nervousness of his voice or the bleeping of his ECG which had suddenly quickened; not to mention the lack of sustained eye contact. All the tell-tale signs that he was blatantly lying.

"You sure? Come on Jason, what is it?" Littlefoot edged on clearly not convinced, "what's wrong? Tell me! You can trust me…I'm your friend!" He offered a warm smile as Jason slowly looked at him.

"…That's precisely the problem…" Jason muttered lowly into his bandaged chest.

"What? What'd you say? I didn't hear…" Littlefoot asked leaning closer.

"Littlefoot…" Jason began, "I…"

Suddenly, the door into the room flew open making the pair of them jump.

"Rise and shine sleepyheads!" a zooming figure chanted as it shot into the dank ward.

"Wha-Jill?" Jason exclaimed blinking in surprise at her unexpected and abrupt arrival.

"Hope you two slept well, you've got quite a welcoming committee assembled for you," Jill announced taking a quick glance at Littlefoot's monitoring equipment before turning to face him directly, "all vitals stable and tissue damage index at an acceptable minimum. Looks like you're all good to go little guy; let's get these mummy wrappings off you shall we?"

"Err…sure," Littlefoot hummed slightly bemused by Jill's excitable energy.

"A welcoming committee?" Jason asked raising a perplexed eyebrow, "You mean…"

"Yep. Quite a crowd gathering for you two just on the edge of the wood outside. Everything set for a party minus the banners, loud music and party poppers," Jill said with a joking smirk. She moved from Littlefoot to Jason who had already made a start on unravelling his bandages.

"You know, everyone's been worried sick about you guys. Especially your grandparents and that little gang of yours," Jill went on sounding a little more serious as she switched off Jason's monitors and pushed them into a the dankest corner of the room.

"Really?" Littlefoot asked staring back at Jill as he ungracefully hopped to the cold floor knocking over a curtain screen with his tail in his descent.

"Oh yeah. Your grandparents were perched outside the woods ever since Stone and I brought you here. They were our transportation to our base from the field and that was some ride I can tell you that. You're friends came too. I'm sure they would've been camping out in here with you if their folks didn't call them back," Jill announced with exaggerated energy to her voice. She finished untangling the mesh of wires and nano-tech bandages from Jason's torso allowing him to tear off the final strand and throw it to one side.

"A close group of associates you boys have got you know. Friends that caring and dedicated are very hard to come by. You'll wanna hold onto friends like that." Jill gave Littlefoot a playful wink and he responded with respectful acknowledging smile thanking her for her wise words.

"Yeah…the kind of friend you don't want to lose," Jason mumbled bitterly hopping down from his bed to stand on his achy legs.

"Well now, you don't have to say it like that," Jill said frowning, "what's bitten you?"

"…Nothing…" Jason replied minimally swiftly shoving his hands into his pockets. He didn't particularly want to be confronting his friends and fostering grandparents right now but he knew there was no escaping them. He'd have to face them sooner or later and time wasn't on his side.

"So, is that it? Can we go now?" Littlefoot squeaked eagerly bouncing up and down ecstatically.

"Sure thing. That is, if you think you can make it to the exit without doing yourself another injury," Jill chortled stroking Littlefoot's cheek, "go on…they're waiting for you."

"Great! C'mon Jason; let's go!" the hyperactive young longneck exploded. He grabbed Jason's hand gently in his mouth and gave it a hard tug towards the open door.

"Whoa! Okay Littlefoot! Take it easy! I'm coming!" Jason sniggered half-heartedly. He allowed Littlefoot to drag him to the door before the bouncy brontosaurus finally let him go.

Jason watched Littlefoot sprint to the first corner but it was evident his mind was off wandering in some other voided realm. A world of torturing screams and painful visions.

"Jason, come on! What're you waiting for? Don't ya wanna see the others?" Littlefoot's voice rang out from the entrancing blank piercing it like a stabbing blade. Jason blinked and shook his head violently. What was he thinking? Now was not the time to be acting like a sulking child feeling sorry for himself. How would that look in front of everyone who had clearly been worrying constantly since they were taken in? Jason shut his eyes and took a long, deep, calming breath to smother the raging fire of emotional torment burning in his head and in his heart. On holding his breath for a few seconds and exhaling heavily, he slowly opened his eyes where he found Littlefoot yet again in direct line of sight. He was still stood poised, tail twitching, awaiting a response.

"Right," Jason said finally, "let's go meet the gang." He grinned widely which seemed to feed Littlefoot's energy levels making him smile broadly. Determined to keep composure, Jason strolled up to Littlefoot's position but as he approached the nearside of the corner, Jason broke into a run without warning.

"Meet ya on the edge of the woods slowpoke!" he yelled behind him with a taunting playfulness.

"Hey no fair!" Littlefoot shouted after him. He battled to find some means of traction on the cold, marble floor before he finally managed to shoot off and give chase after Jason.

The two of them tore around every bend at break-neck speed, occasionally skidding into walls having approached corners way too fast. Jason took a quick glance over his shoulder to just see Littlefoot power-slide around the corner he had just passed and rebound off the side wall but he quickly regained his rhythm and galloped after his target who was a good few seconds ahead of him. Turning the last corner and tearing down the final straight to the exit, Jason fly-kicked the half-opened door forcing it to swing outward wildly. The searing brightness of the outside world was blinding compared to the dark little ward forcing Jason to an abrupt stop. He rubbed his stinging eyes to help his vision adjust to the sudden change in light intensity as he inhaled the sweet, refreshing Great Valley air. Lowering his hands from his eyes, Jason couldn't help but stand and stare at the sunny copse surrounded by the dense mass of tightly packed trees leading into the, now seemingly ill-named, Forest of Fear. Jason smiled as he surveyed the natural beauty before him just to see a large blurring streak zip past his left side nearly knocking him over.

"Overtook ya! Looks like I'll be seeing YOU on the other side!" the blur that was Littlefoot yelled back in playful mockery through the blanket of leaves he kicked up in his strides.

"Don't bet on it JUST yet longneck! I'll get you yet!" Jason hollered back kicking off the leaf-littered ground to give chase. They charged headlong into the darkening forest towards their awaiting party.

Meanwhile, just on the border of forest, a group of dinosaurs were stood waiting anxiously. The gang were all present along with their respective parents all assembled alongside Grandpa and Grandma Longneck who had settled outside the perimeter since the very moment they had helped transport Littlefoot and Jason's unconscious bodies there. They were knelt silently amongst the other adult dinosaurs whilst the gang were gathered in a little circle of their own. Cera and Ali were pacing up and down in perfect synchronisation but walking in opposite directions whilst Spike sat mutely beside a small rock where Petrie and Ducky had taken up positions.

"I wonder what is taking them so long," Ducky hummed lowly to Petrie.

"Me no know," he shrugged, "Jill say they would be coming out this morning."

"Maybe they are not fully rested yet," Ducky suggested but Petrie simply replied with another shrug of the shoulders.

"I thought they'd be out by now! What's taking them so long?" Cera grumbled picking a stone out of the ground with her nose horn and flicking it in the air dangerously close to Petrie's face, "Jill said all she was going to do was go and get them. Why'd they take this long?"

"I hope nothing bad has happened," Ali sighed finally giving up on her monotonous pacing. She took a seat on the opposite side of the rock to Spike as all eyes suddenly locked onto her.

"What you mean Ali?" Petrie cawed sounding slightly anxious.

"Well…I mean…I hope they…didn't start feeling sick again," she explained but Cera snorted at her disapprovingly.

"No way! Jill said they were fine and they'd be out this morning. You shouldn't say things like that Ali!" she scorned furrowing her brow.

"I didn't mean it to sound nasty Cera. I'm sorry," Ali replied shyly feeling overpowered.

"It is okay Ali. I think we all just want to see them again so badly. I was starting to maybe think the same thing," Ducky said smiling at her but Cera grunted again.

"Well neither of you should've been thinking of it!" Cera snapped irritably. With that, the gang went quiet all passing looks at each other without saying a word.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a wailing ball shot out from the dark woodland and crashed into the rock where Ducky and Petrie were sat. The gang whirled around in shock to see the ball divide into two and the halves unfurl into two figures.

"Oww! What'cha do that for? Just coz I was winning!" Littlefoot whined as he slowly found his feet again.

"Sorry. I didn't see that root sticking out of the ground," Jason said dusting himself off, "besides, I was catching you up." They grinned at each other briefly before a tremendous uproar made them jump sky-high. A tidal wave of dinosaurs swarmed over them in seconds all with great beaming faces and all overjoyed to see them.

"Littlefoot! Jason!" the gang cried charging at them. They madly poked and prodded the two of them whilst mumbling crazed babbling statements that sounded something like: "Are you all right?" and "I can't believe it! You're here!" and that was before the adults descended on them.

"Whoa! Whoa! We're okay guys! Really!" Littlefoot giggled as Spike slopped his tongue all over his face blinding him.

"Ease up you guys! Sheesh! A little room to breathe please," Jason laughed almost swatting Petrie out of the air with a reactive flinch to him flapping directly in his face. The hyperactive group dispersed slightly allowing Littlefoot and Jason to stand up tall again, both with appreciative smiles. The look on their friends' faces was more than enough for a home coming welcome but the playful pounce said it so much more…bluntly. Just then, as they scanned the inner ring of the crowd, two long-necked heads protruded from the back end.

"Grandma, Grandpa," Littlefoot called amorously as the crowd parted to allow the giant longnecks to wander down the make-shift grassy gangway.

"Oh boys, it's good to see you both all well again," Grandma Longneck beamed lowering her head which automatically triggered Littlefoot to brush against her cheek. It felt like an age had past since he was last able to feel the soft touch of his grandmother's warm, loving face.

"It's good to see you too Grandma," Littlefoot sighed burying his face deeper into hers.

"We were all so worried about you. We feared the worst," Grandpa Longneck said softly looking at Jason at eye-level once he had finished hugging his nose.

"Apparently we owe our lives to you guys, so Jill says," Jason smiled twisting on the spot with a hovering arm swung open to the gang.

"Really?" Petrie cawed hopping forwards.

"It's true," a voice said from behind Ali and Cera making them leap forward clearly oblivious to her entrance.

"Jill!" Ducky exclaimed narrowly missing Spike's rear end from landing on her in his frightened hop.

"That vial of anti-virus, the blue stuff you found? It was a perfect measurement for the two of you. Any less and one of you…well…no need to be expressed really seeing you both clung to your folks there," Jill smiled folding her arms, "their discovery saved you."

"And don't forget the prehistoric ambulance service," another voice piped in emerging from the woods and standing beside Jill. It was Stone with Zephyr sitting obediently next to him, "with every second counting, they pegged it, full stretch, to get you here. Break-neck speeds with necks that long could've resulted in further problems," he chuckled.

"Wow…all that effort…just to save us?" Jason breathed lost in the imagination of the pandemonium their falling had caused. "…I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything," Grandpa Longneck beamed nudging him with his nose.

"Although I'm sure a 'thank you' wouldn't be a bad starting point," Jill smirked.

"Yeah…you're right. Thank you everyone…Grandma, Grandpa…guys…for everything," Jason said feeling an intense warmth growing inside.

"Yeah thanks Grandma, Grandpa…all of you," Littlefoot said smiling, "now we can all get back to normal. How things were before all this happened." As the crowd all hummed in gratified acceptance, Jason, on the other hand, felt the growing warmth building in his chest turn ice cold and die at Littlefoot's words. Previous haunting thoughts had flooded back in an instant filling him with more looming dread.

The herds began to move on but Jason was left standing in the same spot with nothing but his thoughts.

"Hey Jason…you who…they're leaving without you in case you hadn't noticed," Jill said laying her hands on Jason hanging shoulders.

"Huh? Oh-uh yeah…so they are," Jason mumbled with his trance now broken. He was about to head off when he felt Jill's grip tighten on him.

"Listen Jason…we need to have a little chat…" she said seriously, "it's about…"

"It's alright…I know…I've been thinking about it," Jason replied slowly, glancing back at Jill from over his shoulder. He felt Jill's right hand apply a little more pressure signaling for him to turn and face her. Following the signal, Jason turned around and found Jill looking deep into his wandering brown eyes that were proving impossible to lock on to.

"You do realise what you…" Jill began but Jason ducked and spun out of her grip.

"Yes, yes! I do! I'm not stupid! Don't you think I can figure it out for myself!" Jason snapped bitterly, "How long until you get that Doorway thing up and running?"

"Not long enough for you to be ready I'm sorry to say kid," Stone said calmly strolling up to Jason and Jill. Zephyr followed up behind.
"A formal time-scale would be nice," Jason grumbled fidgeting around.

"We're looking at about two days, maybe three. Depends on how quickly everything can be assembled," Jill told him.

"And the stones? I'm assuming you still need them to power the machine."

"Littlefoot's sapphire and your ruby pendent are in one of the labs for safe-keeping. I've got mine one me."

"Right. The stones should work one last time apparently."

"Who told you that?" Stone asked forcing Jason silent for a second.

"…It doesn't matter. All I know is that they'll work once more. All it takes is for one of us to touch the console like last time, right?

"Worked before, can't see why it wouldn't work again," Jill said blandly. She was constantly monitoring and analysing Jason's response and posture and she could almost read him like an open book. His emotions were evident and poorly masked by a hardened exterior that was delicate and paper-thin; doomed to crack at any moment given the right situation…or the wrong question.

"Jason, I'm not going to try and understand the pain you're feeling right now," she started but Jason immediately went on the defensive.

"Then don't! Do us both a favour," he barked miserably turning away from her.

"Jason…go to them. You have to tell them . You have to tell them that you can't stay here given our differences. Not just in appearance but in needs…you won't survive here as long as you would in our time." Jason didn't say a word in reply. He knew full well that his life expectancy would be greatly hindered should he try and stay…his body wouldn't be able to cope with a different species' way of life, especially a prehistoric one. It was a miracle that he had survived this long but that had included contact with human resources as well as the Great Valley's and with nothing left of the human supplies…it would only be a matter of time. A greater tragedy for him to die in a rapturous, natural paradise than to say a final farewell and prolong his life. Righting the final wrong; as his mother had said to him.

"I can't imagine how hard it is going to be for you Jason, but your friends and family have a right to know. Don't you think?" Jill continued finally able to get a look at his face again which had been aimed at the floor.

"…Yeah…yeah I know," Jason replied finding Jill's eyes.

"A wise choice. Now go on; go see them. We'll leave it to you. We won't get involved," Jill said smiling hoping Jason would offer one of his own. He replied with a silent turn and quickly hurried after the herds who were now completely out of sight. Jill slowly backed up and allowed Stone to wrap his arm over her shoulder. Holding his hanging hand she looked into his eyes for a brief second before focusing back on Jason's shrinking figure sprinting over the meadows.

"Good luck kiddo…" she whispered lowly.

Within a few minutes, Jason, breathless and tired from running through the grassy fields, found the gang assembled with their parents (and various other dinosaurs) near a great, arching rock formation that looked like a doorway into a rocky, circular, stepped enclosure resembling something like an ancient Greek, open air auditorium. He stopped short of the meeting place where the Great Valley dinosaurs where conversing with Ali's herd leader. No one had seen him yet, not even the gang who were messing around by the entrance. Jason swallowed hard and gradually made his way towards the archway.

"Oh hi Jason!" Littlefoot piped happily bounding over to him having seen him walking towards them, "we were beginning to wonder where you were. Wanna play? It's boys versus girls and we need an extra player for the boys' side."

"Sorry Littlefoot, now's not a good time. I need to talk to Grandma and Grandpa," Jason said blankly without looking at him or breaking stride. Littlefoot looked surprised by his response as he watched the young teenager march through the archway and into the ring of elders.

"Littlefoot?" Ducky voice shot from behind but he didn't move.

"Littlefoot? What's wrong? What was that about?" Ali asked reading the dumbstruck expression on Littlefoot's face.

"I…I dunno Ali," he replied airily. Something in his gut was telling him that something was wrong. Jason seemed very distracted in the way he simply brushed Littlefoot off so abruptly. Ignoring his friends' cries to come back and play, Littlefoot looked on, watching Jason make his way into the centre of the crowd.

Meanwhile, Jason had stopped at the tree-trunk thick legs of his foster grandfather who was in deep conversation with the elderly leader of Ali's herd. With a deep breath, Jason looked skywards.

"Erm…Grandpa?" he hummed tapping the mighty brontosaurus's leg. Grandpa Longneck craned his head down to look at Jason.

"Oh, hello Jason," he smiled warmly.

"Grandpa, I…I need to talk to you," Jason said trying with every ounce of effort to maintain eye contact.

"Well, I'm in the middle of talking at the moment Jason. Can it wait for a minute?"

"Umm…this is kinda important. It's…it's about the humans."

"Oh? Go on then, I'm listening." Jason started to feel nervous. He began fiddling with his fingers that had were now trembling slightly.

"A message from Jill. She said that they should have the Chronos Doorway up and running in about three days…maybe sooner."

"So they will be leaving once it is working?"

"Yes…"

"Where are they hoping to get it working?" Grandma Longneck asked having overhead the conversation.

"I think it's up by the Great Wall where they were trying it before," Jason replied a little startled that a new voice had suddenly joined in.

"Will it work do you think?" Grandpa Longneck asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it will. And once it does, they'll be returning to the year 2113. Back to the human world…but…" Jason trailed off.

"But? But what dear? What's wrong?" Grandma Longneck asked slightly concerned by Jason's fallen mien.

"When…when they go back…I-I…I'll be going back with them…" There, he had finally said it but it had taken so much energy and effort Jason almost felt breathless. Grandma and Grandpa Longneck looked at each other gravely.

"Is that…your decision dear?" Grandma Longneck asked as sweetly as she could. Jason nodded without looking up at them.

"We knew this situation would have to be faced at some point," Grandpa Longneck sighed sadly shaking his head.

"It's not like I want to go. I'd love to be able to stay here but…" Jason protested but trailed off with a defeated sigh.

"It's alright Jason. We understand. It's a difficult decision to have to make. We're not angry at you for making it. A little saddened maybe that it has to turn out this way but we're glad you came and told us," Grandma Longneck reassured him.

"Have you told Littlefoot?" Grandpa Longneck asked.

"N-no. Not yet…I'd hate to see what his reaction would be if I told him now," Jason replied shaking his head, "I was hoping we could perhaps talk about all this tonight…all of us together?"

"Yes, that's a fine idea. We'll talk about this tonight at the nest," Grandpa Longneck agreed with a smile. Somehow, Jason now felt a little relieved. At least he had told his grandparents, all he had to do now was explain to Littlefoot and the rest of the gang. He looked back up to his grandparents.

"Great but…how do we go about telling Littlefoot that I'm leaving for the human world?" he said up to them.

"You're WHAT!" a young voice erupted from behind him. Jason whirled around and froze solid.

"Littlefoot!" he gasped fretfully seeing the young longneck standing a few feet away.

"You're…you're leaving! But…but why!" Littlefoot whined. He looked incredibly shocked and horrified by what he had heard.

"No wait, Littlefoot! I-I can explain! It's not that I…" Jason babbled panic-stricken.

"I thought you wanted to stay! Stay here…with us! But you'd prefer to go back! Why! What ever happened to 'friends forever'! Are you saying you don't want to be friends anymore?" Littlefoot cried sounding extremely hurt.

"No Littlefoot, it's not like that at all, I swear! Jason exclaimed desperately.

"So that's what you were hiding from me! Back in that place! As soon as you heard that you could get the chance to go back you suddenly didn't want to be here anymore. You were thinking of a way to get away! I thought I could trust you! I thought you were my friend Jason!"

"No…Lit…I mean, yes! Yes I am still your friend Littlefoot, I promise you but it's not how you think!" Jason stammered but Littlefoot refused to accept his pleas.

"Well fine! If you'd prefer to run off and go back to that horrible place then GO! Go on! Don't let me stop you! Not that it was going to anyway!"

"Now Littlefoot, you're not being very fair to Jason," Grandpa Longneck said trying to intervene.

"Oh! And like he's being very fair to me is he!" Littlefoot retorted angrily, "Well…I don't care! If he wants to go then…GO AWAY…AND DON'T COME BACK!" With that, Littlefoot broke into a run and shot out of the enclosure.

"Littlefoot! No, wait!" Jason cried taking off after him.

"Leave me alone Jason! Just go away!" Littlefoot shouted ignorantly. He barged past the gang who had congregated into the archway, knocking them out of the way. Jason hurdled over the fallen Spike to continue the chase but Littlefoot had taken off over the hill, into the nearest set of trees and out of sight. Jason slowed to a stop completely worn out. He scanned the trees from the top of the hill but Littlefoot was nowhere to be seen. Jason cursed loudly kicking the ground to throw up a cloud of ripped grass and petals from flowers that popped like fireworks.

"Damn you Littlefoot! You didn't even give me the chance to explain," Jason mumbled through gritted teeth. His explosion of rage quickly wilted into sadness, "you didn't even let me explain…so…I guess that's it then…" Jason turned on his heels and found the entire crowd of dinosaurs in the meeting area staring in his direction. Feeling dirty and betrayed, Jason turned away from the prying eyes and headed down the hill, towards the Red Phoenix complex in the opposite direction to where Littlefoot had disappeared. Their friendship, now clearly, dashed and in tatters.

Chapter 81: A War of Emotions

"What just happen? Why Littlefoot mad? Why Jason walk off?" Petrie squealed throwing his head from left to right so wildly it made him dizzy, "what happen?"

"Petrie! Give it a rest will ya!" Cera snapped sharply.

"It looks like they had an argument about something," Ali said as they watched Jason finally disappear into the trees.

"An argument? But what could they be arguing about that would make Littlefoot so mad?" Ducky quizzed curiously.

"It's about Jason, Ducky," Grandpa Longneck said from overhead.

"Yes. This may cause pain for you to hear also children but you are bound to hear it sooner or later," Grandma Longneck said potently. The gang gathered around, all eyes fixed on the two longnecks with mixed feelings of both fearing uncertainty as well as eager anticipation.

"Jason came to us to announce that the humans will be returning to their homeland soon," Grandma Longneck stated.

"Well that good! Jill and Stone say they want to go back," Petrie piped in. Grandma Longneck nodded solemnly.

"That is true Petrie, only…"

"Only…Jason's going with them," Ali suddenly said with a dry tone of understanding. The gang all turned to Ali looking shocked but she seemed to be staring blankly into space for a moment before she looked up at the elderly pair again.

"Isn't that right?"

"Yes…I'm afraid so," Grandma Longneck sighed.

"What!" the gang squeaked in unison.

"Jason leave the Great Valley!" Petrie cawed in horror.

"So that is why Littlefoot is so upset," Ducky hummed with Spike nodding acknowledgement.

"And I can see why!" Cera snorted, "But why would he wanna go back to that place? We saw the human world and it's a giant mess! There's nothing there but broken homes and water you can't even drink!"

"I think it is a matter beyond our comprehension Cera," Grandma Longneck said, "the humans obviously have their reasons for wishing to leave the Great Valley and return to their world."

"Perhaps the humans have a greater need than that of our kind. A lot of their customs seem very strange to us and perhaps they need things that the Great Valley cannot offer them," Grandpa Longneck added, "and as you can clearly see, Littlefoot did not want Jason to leave as I'm sure you children do not either."

"When do they plan to leave?" Ducky asked.

"Jason said in about three days, maybe sooner."

"Sooner than three days?" Ali exclaimed. The gang all looked at each other thunderstruck.

"Jason didn't want Littlefoot or any of you to find out this way but it looks as though things are much worse now," Grandma Longneck sighed sorrowfully.

"We have to find them and sort this out," Cera said turning towards the open field.

"But what can we do? If they mad at each other then there no way they gonna talk," Petrie said hovering in front of Cera's face.

"Well, we'll just have to GET them to talk. If Littlefoot ran off like that, I doubt he's heard the full story," Cera said puffing at Petrie to get him to move, "we'll split up and get them to meet up somewhere…I know, that clearing with that long rock laying in it; the one near the Thundering Falls. Got it?" Everyone nodded in verification.

"Good. Me and Petrie will go find Littlefoot while Ali, Ducky and Spike go the other way to try and find Jason."

"Right!" Petrie cawed.

"Got it!" Ali smiled.

"Sure!" Ducky chirped. Spike nodded and hummed positively.

"Great. Now don't let Jason in on that you're trying to get him to meet Littlefoot. Just get him to the meeting place any way you can. Okay…let's go!" Cera announced and the group split on her final word. Ducky, Spike and Ali headed west towards the Red Phoenix complex whilst Cera and Petrie took off in the opposite direction in search of Littlefoot. As the gang separated, Grandma and Grandpa Longneck watched, silently wishing them luck.

It didn't take Cera and Petrie long to find Littlefoot perched, head hung low over a peaceful little stream overshadowed by trees that bore numerous pocket-holes in their deciduous canopies.

"There he is!" Petrie cried swooping down to land behind Cera's neckshield.

"I can see him y'know. He's the only one there," Cera said rolling her eyes as they made their approach slowly and quietly. Cera and Petrie managed to get within a couple of feet of Littlefoot before he raised his head and looked at them.

"Oh…it's just you guys," Littlefoot said sullenly turning back to the water.

"Yeah, it's just us," Cera said softly. She knew this was a sensitive subject so it had to be treated with utmost care.

"What are you guys doing here?" Littlefoot moaned without facing them.

"We heard about what happened…with you and Jason," Cera continued trying to find Littlefoot's eyes without being too intrusive or obvious. Littlefoot didn't answer. He was still turned towards the stream like he was the only one there and he silently wished that Cera and Petrie would just leave him alone.

"You sad coz Jason have to leave?" Petrie asked resting a hand on Littlefoot's front leg looking up into his face. Petrie then heard something drop into the water. Watching the stream, he couldn't see what it was but it made ripples grow on the gentle, flowing surface.

"He doesn't HAVE to go Petrie…he WANTS to go back. He'd prefer to go back to that nasty, grey world where everything's cracked and broken rather than stay here with us," Littlefoot whined picking himself up and headed away from the stream.

"Well, it may not seem like much to us Littlefoot, but that is where Jason came from. Maybe they can do something about it," Cera said walking up behind him.

"I'd never thought I'd hear something like that come from you Cera. Besides, they could stay here with us and then they wouldn't have to do anything about it," Littlefoot snapped bitterly, "out of all of them, I would have thought that Jason would want to stay at least."

"He told you why he no wanna stay?" Petrie asked taking flight to try and land on Littlefoot's head but Littlefoot dodged him forcing the little flyer to crash land on the dusty floor.

"He didn't have to tell me anything. I heard enough from what I caught from him talking to Grandma and Grandpa," Littlefoot said sourly.

"So, you haven't heard the full story then," Cera said furrowing her brow slightly.

"If there is one then I guess not…not that I need to hear it," Littlefoot snorted flinging his head from Cera to a blank space ignorantly.

"Well, we know a bit more about this. We spoke to your grandparents about what Jason said to them," Cera said almost darkly. Littlefoot took a slight glance back at Cera finally showing some signs of interest.

"What did he say to them exactly?" he asked curiously. Now was her chance. Cera now had Littlefoot's undivided attention.

"If you really want to know, I'll tell you…" Cera said but she then swept her head from side to side as if to look out for someone, "…but not here."

"What's wrong with here? There's no one around," Littlefoot said but Cera shook her head, "okay then…where?"

"I know a place…follow me," Cera said jumping ahead to lead them away from the stream.

Cera and Petrie led Littlefoot to a shady little glade not too far from the stream where he had been sitting before. With the late autumn sun beaming down on the Great Valley, the cover from the canopies of the trees was punctured where they were shedding their brightly coloured confetti of red and gold leaves allowing jagged spotlights of glistening sunbeams to light up the otherwise dingy copse. In the centre of the leaf-littered enclosure was a great rectangular slab of rock which seemed ill-fitting in such a place. It had obviously tumbled down from the mountains that stood proud and tall just beyond trees.

"Is this is?" Littlefoot asked Cera who nodded with a slight smirk on her face. Suddenly, a set of voices came into earshot making Littlefoot stretch up to look for through the maze of trees surrounding the clearing.

"Who's that? Sounds like they're heading this way," Littlefoot said turning to leave but Cera and Petrie were stood in the way, "I thought we were going to talk?"

"We are," Cera said blandly still smirking.

"But someone's coming," Littlefoot protested.

"We know," Petrie replied in a similar tone. Littlefoot looked shocked yet greatly confused.

"What is this?" he murmured eyeing the pteranodon and triceratops suspiciously but neither answered. Just then, the growing voices suddenly exploded onto the scene from the opposite direction.

"Jason?" Littlefoot gawked seeing Spike shove him into the middle spotlight piercing through the trees.

"L-Littlefoot? What are you…" Jason stammered in awe, "I thought you guys said there was a problem and you needed me." Jason whirled around to stare at Ali, Ducky and Spike dumbfounded.

"Yes, we know. That is why we brought you here," Ducky chirped sliding down from Spike's back.

"This was a set up. You guys tricked me into coming here!" Littlefoot growled clearly unamused.

"Well, that's part of it but the reason why we brought you here was true as well," Cera said stepping deeper into the glade.

"And what, pray tell, would that reason be?" Jason asked bitterly slinging his bag to one side where it landed at the base of the large, long, oblong rock sitting on the northern end of the copse.

"To talk," Ali said joining the gathering in the brightly lit centre along with Spike, Ducky and Petrie.

"Oh, I see what this is about now," Jason said nodding. He sounded somewhat displeased, "so what then? You all gonna gang up on me and try and convince me to stay? That's a real nice way to go about it."

"Oh! Get over yourself Jason!" Cera grunted parking herself between Littlefoot and Spike. Jason gave a grumpy huff and folded his arms.

"So, when's this little chat show gonna get underway?" Jason said snobbishly. For some strange reason, Littlefoot was the only one who he could maintain eye contact with but it seemed Littlefoot wanted to focus on everything but Jason's eyes as they darted about randomly.

"How about you start by telling us what's going on with the humans; whether or not you are going to go with them," Cera snapped watching him with a stern expression.

"Fine," Jason sighed, "the basic jist is that Stone and Jill are looking to return to the year 2113 by reactivating the Chronos Doorway up on the Great Valley border; up by the Great Wall."

"How long will that take?" Littlefoot asked with a sharp tone that Jason wasn't taking kindly to.

"Two, maybe three days…it's looking like the latter at the moment. Stone says that a few things that need to be re-configured so three days look like the time limit."

"How will you get it to work?" Ducky asked with a little more sympathy to her voice.

"The Stones of Essence. I was told that they would work one last time…"

"…to right the final wrong…so that's what it meant," Littlefoot said under his breath.

"What's that mean?" Ali asked Littlefoot.

"I was told that too…" Littlefoot replied airily.

"By who?" Cera asked. Both Littlefoot and Jason locked eyes for a second or two unsure of what to say.

"It doesn't matter," Jason said finally, "all that matters is that within the next seventy-two hours, the Chronos Doorway will be open and…"

"That's when you run away! Run away and leave everything behind!" Littlefoot barked indignantly.

"Oh come on Littlefoot! What the hell is your problem! Why are you acting like this? You're behaving like…a spoilt brat!" Jason snapped angrily glaring at him almost hatefully.

"Why am I acting this way? From what I can see, you were just using us until you got the chance to go back, no questions asked! Not even a second thought of what you'd be leaving behind!" Littlefoot fired back scornfully. His brow furrowed to match Jason's threatening expression but as his words sank in, Jason launched himself into a flapping fit, slapping his forehead in angry frustration.

"What the…! How the hell did you come to that conclusion? You really think I'm that selfish and ungrateful? You don't think I appreciate everything you and everyone else here has done for me?" Jason retorted translating all his angry energy into his clenched fists that shook with his tension, "I doubt I'd be standing here now if it hadn't been for your support!" Littlefoot opened his mouth to answer back but he promptly closed it again as Jason continued,

"My time here…it's been better than I could've ever imagined. All that crap dealing with the Red Phoenix, it wasn't something I was planning on happening…but…" Jason took a pause to regulate his breathing again with a deep inhale before going on. His voice sounding much weaker now with the offensive power of his tone now dwindling.

"…For the first time in so long…I can't even put a figure to it…my time here…I finally found somewhere I could…at long last be happy. I've treasured every minute of my happy memories and my experiences here, and I won't be forgetting them in a hurry. It's…it's just such a pain that things have to work out this way."

"But why go? If you are so happy here…why leave?" Littlefoot asked despairingly. He too had softened his tone and was no longer obtrusive.

"It's a complicated feeling. As welcome as you've all made me feel…something keeps telling me…I don't belong here; I have to go back…coz it's the right thing to do…it is that simple," Jason replied turning his head away, "I'm not meant to be here. I'm not suited for this kind of living. With me staying here, I run the risk of damaging myself. I need elements from the human world just simply to survive. My world isn't as simple or easy-going as yours, even though sometimes, I really wish it was. Maybe…just maybe…then I could…"

"Your grandparents said something like that," Ali said stepping in.

"They did? I never heard that," Littlefoot said sounding surprised.

"Well they did say it. It was after you two ran off. They said that the humans may need something more than what our Valley can offer them…or something like that," Cera reported. Littlefoot fell silent again. Even his grandparents understood the situation better than he did.

"As morbid as it sounds, it is true," Jason said nodding solemnly, "without aid from the human technologies and everything I've come to accept as normal in my life, I could end up perishing from just about anything. The supplies in the ruins of the complex are pretty much finished. Power's nearly depleted and food rations are all used up; well, the rations that Jill could salvage anyway."

Littlefoot still couldn't find the words to generate an effective comeback. All his rage and anger had evaporated leaving him feeling drained, defeated and miserable. He sank down to a seat and sighed heavily. Something was eating away at him, gnawing at his insides, which was shielding him from the ability to understand despite the reasoning. It all made sense but it hardly registered as something that was justified…it just wasn't fair.

"Well…me get what you have to do Jason. Me wish it no have to be this way but…if it what you gotta do then…you gotta do it," Petrie then said glumly with a saddened expression to match.

"I do too, yep, yep, yep. But I do wish there was another way," Ducky said looking up at him.

"So do I Ducky, I really do," Jason agreed nodding regretfully. He looked up and scanned the faces of his friends reading their sunken miens until, at last, he came to Littlefoot who was staring at the ground,

"Well, for what it's worth…I had a blast with you guys. Everything we've been through together. I couldn't have imagined a greater group of friends and for that…I thank you whole-heartedly," Jason said finally. The gang, including Littlefoot, all looked up at Jason who was smiling as best he could and, they too, swallowed hard and tried their best to offer a brave smile of their own. Even Littlefoot tried but it looked painful to show. As the smiles quickly faded, the peaceful little glade suddenly became entrapped in a deathly silence which robbed them all of their voices and their ability to maintain eye contact with each other. Then, unable to bear the tension any longer, Littlefoot stood up and turned to head out of the glade.

"Wh-Littlefoot?" Jason stuttered, alarmed to see him suddenly get up and leave.

"It's okay Jason…you don't have to say anymore," Littlefoot said sulkily leaving Jason speechless as he blinked at him in surprise, "it's your decision…I can't say anything to get you to stay, I understand why you want to go…it's fine…" Littlefoot glanced at him with a horribly depressed expression that wrenched at Jason's heartstrings so hard it hurt.

"L-Littlefoot but…I don't WANT to go…I…" Jason stammered but his voice started to trail off, "I…I don't have a choice." Littlefoot didn't reply. What he had said before wasn't exactly true but it sounded like the right thing to say. He still couldn't see Jason's logic for deciding to leave but he felt he it was something he just had to say. Breaking eye contact with his departing friend, Littlefoot turned away and headed out of the copse with his head hung low.

"Littlefoot? Where are you going?" Ducky asked reaching out to him.

"Nowhere…just…just need a walk…that's all…" he replied morbidly.

"Ohh…Littlefoot…" Jason sighed as he watched him disappear behind the surrounding trees and out of sight. With a deep breath, Jason wandered over to the large rock, picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"Hey! Where are YOU going now?" Cera called as Jason turned to walk out in the opposite direction.

"That's it Cera…this discussion is over. I'm tired and I'm heading back," Jason answered taking a step towards the gap in the trees.

"But what about Littlefoot?" Ali asked signaling for him to go after him.

"No Ali…I think Littlefoot wants to be alone for a while. I think…I think he needs some time without me around…somehow, I think it's something he needs to start getting used to…" Jason said sadly. With that, Jason left the sheltered clearing, leaving the rest of the gang in a baffled silence.

For the rest of the day, the gang went their separate ways, occupying their time any way they could. Before the afternoon was even over, each of them found themselves back in the company of their parents feeling down and beaten. All apart from Littlefoot who was floating around from one area of the Great Valley to another like a ghost looking for some means of sanctuary. His mind was flooded with so many thoughts and memories of everything that had happened since his first ever encounter with Jason all that time ago. It seemed like he had known him for years but now, their time together was drawing to a close. The memories shot and flashed before his mind's eye in a blinding montage. Their first meeting in the Forest of Fear, the introductions to the gang and his grandparents, the daring rescues Jason performed and the encounter with the Red Phoenix corporation. Everything replayed in Littlefoot's head from the dreams to the fights both in the Great Valley and in the human realm. The memories were becoming unbearably painfully to reminisce as Littlefoot felt a growing pressure welling up in his chest. Unable to contain it anymore, Littlefoot let out a deafening cry, beckoning to the heavens as it rang out and echoed throughout the valley.

Soon night fell, creeping over the Great Valley covering it with an inky sky blotted by thick clouds that sailed over the lazy, hanging crescent moon. The gang had not met up again for the remainder of the day but they could all feel something tugging at them; anchored deep within. Inexplicable as it was, the sensation was strengthening. Littlefoot had not been seen for hours but he was found by his grandparents curled up in his sleeping place. Seeing him lying motionless and soundlessly in his spot, Grandpa Longneck craned his head down to find him wide awake.

"So here you are Littlefoot. Have you been here all this time?" he asked softly. Littlefoot shook his head, his chin dragging through the grass that wavered in his face.

"Where have you been all day dear?" Grandma asked motheringly bending her head down to look at him.

"Nowhere…" Littlefoot said dismissively. Grandma and Grandpa Longneck glanced at each other worryingly.

"Littlefoot…about the humans…" Grandpa Longneck started.

"It's okay Grandpa. I've spoken to Jason about it. I know what they have to do…" Littlefoot said lifting his head off the ground to reanimate the stiff muscles in his neck.

"Littlefoot dear. I know it's going to be painful, but it is a matter we cannot interfere with, Grandma Longneck assured him, "we know how much Jason means to you…we will miss him too."

"You too?" Littlefoot hummed looking up at his grandparents for the first time and they nodded in verification.

"It is sad he has to leave…but it is better this way," she continued, "it is better he survives in his own time than he fall sick in our time."

"We spoke to the other humans, Jill and Stone."

"When was this?"

"This was after Cera, Ducky and your other friends went to find you. We spoke to Jason briefly once all of you had spoken together. As Jason left, Jill and Stone came over to our discussion area. They explained the situation to us in greater detail and of the threats they would have to face if they stayed. It is in their best interest that they return…and Jason along with them. He is a human after all."

"I know Grandpa…I just wish…I wish it didn't have to be this way. It's…it's just not fair!" Littlefoot said croakily, his emotions were beginning to overpower him.

"Yes Littlefoot, we understand; it doesn't seem fair. It is unfortunate that in the next few days, Jason will have to leave us. Stone told us that the human creation that brought them here will be ready in two days," Grandpa Longneck reported. Littlefoot hopped up in horrified shock.

"Two days! But Jason said it was THREE days!"

"It appears that their work required less time than they first thought," Grandma Longneck said sullenly, "Jill said that by the time the Bright Circle starts to rise on the second day, they will be leaving through that large blue light." Littlefoot felt his heart plummet like a weighty stone. It was bad enough Jason was leaving but now there was even less time before he was due to depart. The pain took a choking grip on Littlefoot's throat as he buried his face into his front feet.

"Ohhh…ohhh now Littlefoot…" Grandma Longneck sympathised stroking him gently with her face but it didn't seem to help.

"I…I don't…want him to go Grandma. It's not fair! It's…it's just not fair!" Littlefoot sobbed from under his foot.

"Oh Littlefoot…of course it won't seem fair but have you perhaps thought that you are thinking about this the wrong way?" Grandpa Longneck then said. Littlefoot looked up at his wise, old grandfather with a tear-stained face.

"Wh-what? The wrong way? Whad'dya mean Grandpa?" he puffed slightly breathless.

"Well, rather than getting upset about Jason leaving, why not think about how happy you were together and cherish those memories," Grandpa suggested with a warm smile. Despite his tears, the idea seemed to make Littlefoot feel a little better.

"Y…yeah…I guess so…" Littlefoot sniffled. He wiped his face on his leg to brush off his tears that sparkled in the moonlight and tingled on his scaly skin.

"Also Littlefoot. Don't forget that there is still time to meet Jason tomorrow. Make the most of your remaining time together; the last thing you'll want is a repeat of what happened today. I'm sure you won't want your friendship to remain broken by something that you, Jason and your friends all know must be," Grandma Longneck added. Littlefoot looked up at his grandparents as one final tear dropped from his eye but as it rolled off his face and into the grass, he nodded.

"You're right Grandma. Even though he has to go, I'll have to make the most of what time we have left. It's like you said to me once…we all have to learn to accept what the Great Circle of Life gives to us…even if it's something we don't want to happen," Littlefoot said virtuously jumping up to standing, "I'm gonna go and find Jason tonight and…"

"I don't think that would be wise Littlefoot," Grandpa Longneck said stopping him before he had the chance to move.

"But why not Grandpa? I thought you and Grandma said…" Littlefoot protested but his grandfather shook his head.

"With all the runnings of emotions today, it would be wiser to allow the pains of the day to settle down for the night. Let the events of the new day be a fresh start set aside from what has already happened. It could cause greater upset or confusion if more is applied to today's goings-on," Grandpa Longneck advised as he coaxed Littlefoot back into his sleeping spot.

"Jason won't be joining us tonight because he felt you needed your time and space, but I also think he needed some of his own. He wanted you to sleep on it, as I'm sure so does he."

"J…Jason…said that?" Littlefoot asked settling down again.

"Yes. When we caught up with him after you children spoke. He said he'd be with the other humans, Jill and Stone."

"Okay then. Then tomorrow I'll go find Jason and we'll spend what time we have left together," Littlefoot said gallantly.

"That's good to hear from you Littlefoot. A very grown-up and mature response," Grandma Longneck smiled as she nuzzled him affectionately, "now, try and get some sleep. Dream of your fun and adventures together as friends and let your memories set your path for your meeting tomorrow so it can be a happy occasion."

"I will Grandma…thank you. You too Grandpa," Littlefoot smiled, "goodnight."

"Goodnight little one…pleasant dreams," Grandpa Longneck said sweetly as he and Grandma Longneck moved to their spot to settle down to rest.

The night wore on but Littlefoot was finding it difficult to sleep with his brain buzzing so noisily. His emotions were still running on a slight high but now, determination to make the most of the day tomorrow filled him with a small sense of excitement. On a few occasions, he took a lasting gaze at darkened silhouette of Jason's empty tree where he used to sleep next to him. There was still an uncomfortable bubbling of looming loss of something dear welling up in the pit of Littlefoot's stomach but he was trying his hardest to suppress it and for the time being, he did have the better of it. Eventually, the mad humming in his mind muted and Littlefoot slowly drifted off doing exactly as his Grandma had suggested. Dreaming of all the fun and adventurous escapades he and his friends had endured since Jason's arrival. As he dreamt, somewhere in his subconscious, he was also thinking about the final day…the day before the morning where their adventure finally ends. Although he couldn't consciously realise it, a silent tear rolled from one eye and into the soft swaying grass.

Chapter 82: Friends in Our Hearts

A new day dawned with an uncharacteristic gusty wind that rustled the trees and decorated the air with leaf-litter shrapnel that danced on the breathy breeze as they glided majestically to the floor. The sun had barely peeked over the shoulder of the mountains surrounding the Great Valley but Littlefoot was already wide awake. His sleep was restless that night, complete with strange dreams that forced him out of his slumber sometime before the first signs of daylight. On numerous occasions, Littlefoot had gotten up and wandered around for a few minutes, with sleep far from his mind. He was trying to logically piece together ideas, thoughts and things to say and do with Jason on, what was now, his final day before his scheduled departure tomorrow morning. Having gotten up and paced up and down for he seventh time in the space of half an hour, Littlefoot finally settled down in his little sleeping pit again. The ground had gone cold again and rolling back up into it made Littlefoot shiver. Sighing as the icy tremor flicked out the end of his tail, Littlefoot stared at the wavering grass. The thought of Jason leaving still stung like a burning thorn lodged deep and firm in his chest but he knew now that nothing could change what was to occur.

Time continued to drift by all without meaning. He wasn't sure how long he had been lying there as if to expect something to drop in on him but it hadn't arrived yet. Responding to the warm, tingling on his skin, Littlefoot looked up to the sun rising over the mountains which was now more than half showing over the defensive wall, brightening the dawn skyline. Littlefoot, having scorched a glowing semi-circle into his vision, looked down at his grandparents who were still asleep. He couldn't stand it any longer. He had to see Jason again and kick start the day; the remaining time was as valuable as diamond dust to him and he didn't want to waste another second of it. With one last breathy and nasally sigh, Littlefoot stood up and went off to find Jason.

Traipsing through the first row of bushes and into the nearest field, Littlefoot eyed all the herds and families all huddled together in tight, little colonies. All peaceful, all very close, all so secure and happy as they slept; all confident in the fact that they had each other by their sides. All the familiar feelings Littlefoot had felt with a certain boy he saw more as a lost sibling than a strange, alien acquaintance that the others saw him as. From one field to the next, Littlefoot trudged on, pushing through bordering shrubberies and dense thickets until at last , he found himself on the perimeter of the Forest of Fear where he froze. He had suddenly started having second thoughts. What if Jason wasn't ready? What if Jason didn't particular want to see him right now? Did he want to see him AT ALL after their snappy row yesterday? Was it too early to go see him? If he was still asleep, waking him up might not be the best way to start off the day; namely on another argument. Littlefoot looked up to the sky which had now turned a blurry turquoise with the crawling sun as it clambered steadily higher. Dropping his gaze back down to the forest, Littlefoot swallowed his tormenting negativities and stepped in.

Following the path of fallen trees sign-posting the way to the Red Phoenix complex, Littlefoot soon found the battered concrete structure sitting in its forcefully made grove bathed in the early morning sunlight. Those niggling anti-thoughts were starting to creep up on him again as he pushed open the wire gate with his bowed head. Determined not to let them gain control, Littlefoot tried his hardest to push them to the back of his mind and focus more on what he was going to say to Jason once he met up with him again. It was more difficult than he realised as they kept leaping forward every so often like two battling frequencies trying to make their way to the forefront of Littlefoot's mind. As the thoughts scrambled frantically in his head, Littlefoot approached the front door, which strangely enough was hanging wide open, bouncing on its hinges in the rushing wind that meandered its way through the skinny trees. With a dismissive shrug, Littlefoot entered the building.

The usual, cold shudder snaked its way up and through Littlefoot's body as his feet touched the icy marble flooring which was cracked and uneven in places. The complex seemed eerie as Littlefoot's clapping footsteps rang out in the claustrophobic corridors. All the laboratories were dark and abandoned, the equipment untouched and covered in dust and rocky debris. One lab that housed a number of metal containment pods identical to the one the Red Phoenix was in when she made her first appearance bore a gaping hole in the ceiling, allowing daylight from the outside to pour in. The entire room was blackened from some means of violent explosion. The walls were all carbonised and the equipment lay sprawled in random places all damaged and unusable. Littlefoot readjusted his view back to his path to continue his search for Jason.

Turning a corner, he began peering through open doorways hoping to find Jason in one of the dingy dormitories but the further he wandered down the echoing hallway, the less he saw of any means of life let alone finding Jason. Taking a right at a T-junction blindly, Littlefoot bumped into someone standing just beyond the bend.

"Oooo. Who the…?" the figure yelp whirling around, "Oh Littlefoot! It's just you."

"Oh, sorry Jill. I didn't mean to walk into you," Littlefoot apologised feeling a little embarrassed for not looking where he was going.

"It's alright kiddo. No harm done," Jill smiled fixing her beret, "So what's up? What brings you here so early? Or is that a daft question?"

Littlefoot giggled lightly. "I was looking for Jason. Do you know where he is?"

"Erm…no actually," Jill replied shrugging her shoulders, "I went to see if he was all right after last night. He was in a bit of a bad way."

"A bad way? W…How'd you mean?" Littlefoot stammered sounding concerned.

"Just really moody. I'd blame it on teenage hormones in any normal situation like this but I think he was a bit emotional about everything that's been said recently," Jill said sympathetically. Littlefoot remained silent. Clearly, Jason had felt the same tidal changes in emotional fluctuations just as he had last night. Jill started to walk down the hall and Littlefoot followed.

"Stone and I had a chat with him last night before he turned in. Or tried to at least. I doubt he slept well but I haven't seen him at all this morning."

"Where was he sleeping?" Littlefoot asked as he strolled alongside Jill. She came to a sudden stop by a half-opened doorway about two-thirds of the way down the hall.

"He was staying in here but the last I saw of him was when we were talking in the Operations Room yesterday." Jill pushed the door inwards allowing it to roll on its rusty hinges and signed for Littlefoot to look inside. Littlefoot bent his head around the door to examine the room. Barely illuminated by the weak lighting strip on the ceiling, the room was completely empty. The only piece of evidence that there had been someone in the dormitory at all was the bed. The sheets were ruffled and thrown to one corner of the bed and the pillow still had a concave dent in it where someone's head had evidently been resting.

"He's…not here?" Littlefoot hummed curiously, "Where could he be then?"

"Beats me," Jill shrugged again, "my bet is that he's out in the Great Valley somewhere. His bag's gone too. I'd imagine he's been wandering outside since the early hours of this morning."

'The way in was open when I came. I wonder where he went to…" Littlefoot hummed now in processing thought.

"Dunno. If he went to find you then I guess you both musta had the same idea in mind. You probably walked right by each other and not realised," Jill joked but Littlefoot didn't reply. He started to turn around and double back into the Valley.

"If he's out in the Valley somewhere then I better find him," Littlefoot announced.

"Sounds like a good plan. You guys only have the day so you better make the most of it," Jill advised smiling. Littlefoot nodded and quickened his pace to head for the exit.

His trot accelerated into a run as Littlefoot leapt out of the Red Phoenix complex and back into the forest. At full, bounding strides, Littlefoot tore through the darkened undergrowth and out into the bright fields where the inanimate herds of dinosaurs had awoken and were millying about, doing their own things as normal. Robbing himself of the necessary time to catch his breath, Littlefoot shot off again to search all the hotspots he could think that Jason could possibly be. After a while, having searched the Bubbling Mud, Green Meadow, numerous passes and taken a bird's eye view from Great Valley Lookout, Littlefoot exhaustively made his way to the Tall Trees where he found Cera, Petrie, Ducky, Spike, Ali and the Threehorn Twins, Dinah and Dana.

"Littlefoot! Where have you been all this time?" Cera huffed disapprovingly as Littlefoot panted heavily and finally collapsed on the ground.

"WE been looking all over for you Littlefoot. Where you go?" Petrie cawed transferring from a low tree branch to Littlefoot's back, almost losing his balance as the young longneck's torso rose and fell sharply with his rushed and laboured breathing.

"I was…looking…f-for…Jason…" he wheezed.

"I thought you might be," Ali said watching Littlefoot slowly stand up on his shaky, fatigued legs. The twins giggled as they saw Petrie topple off Littlefoot's back and somehow hover over the ground just before landing face-first on it.

"So…did you find him?" Ducky asked optimistically but Littlefoot shook his head.

"No…I went everywhere but I couldn't find him."

"But where he go?" Petrie asked perching on a rock, slightly precarious of landing on something living in case it threw him off again.

"That's just like him. The last day we have together and he decides to go missing," Cera snorted. Littlefoot frowned and was about to open his mouth to retort when Dinah suddenly started becoming excitable.

"Danee! Danee! Kew-sie na-no ee-sa?" she piped hopping up and down.

"Yay Dinee! Danee has-sie mee-la!" her brother squeaked hyperactively.

"What's with you two?" Cera said furrowing her brow at her niece and nephew.

"Auntie Cerie no-ie no ess-cha?" Dinah asked tilting her head to one side with an adorably cute expression of naivety .

"Did I not what?" Cera asked looking confused. All eyes turned to Ducky for some means of a translation.

"What is it twins?" she quizzed standing nose-to-nose with them. They mumbled something to Ducky who nodded and propped her head up high for a second as if to be searching for something.

"Well Ducky? What'd they say?" Ali asked as the little saurolophus backed away from the baby triceratops twins.

"They said that they can hear something?" she reported trying hard to listen to the air.

"Hear something?" Cera hummed perplexed, "Like what?"

"Eee-sa moozica Cerie!" Dana beamed as he danced around with Dinah.

"Yay, yay! Eee-sa Two-Legs' moozica!" she squeaked as she continued her trotting dance routine with her brother.

"Two-Leg's…moozica?" Ali asked eyeing the gang evidently completely lost. The twins were still waltzing around each other regardless.

"Two-Legs? They mean Jason! It must be Jason's music they can hear!" Littlefoot suggested suddenly becoming very excitable himself.

"Uh huh! That is exactly what they are talking about! Yep, yep, yep!" Ducky chirped. Suddenly, Jason's song could be heard echoing around them. Every note at the perfect pitch and beautiful to listen to.

"Me hear it now!" Petrie exclaimed taking flight.

"But where is it coming from?" Cera asked flicking her head around to try to locate the source. In response to her question, Spike let out a gleeful little hum.

"I think Spike knows the way. He does!" Ducky giggled as she mounted his back.

"Then come on! Let's go find him!" Littlefoot chanted as Spike led the way out of the Tall Trees with Cera and the Threehorn Twins bringing up the rear.

After a few minutes, the gang found the source of the music as they followed the melody that floated on the wind. It led them all to a sunny enclosure with a large tree stump in the centre. And there, sat on the stump was the boy they had been looking for.

"Jason!" Littlefoot called out to him from the other side of the boundary hedges.

"Ah! So there you lot are. I was beginning to think I'd never find you today," Jason said spinning around to face the gang as they pushed their way through the plants. Dinah and Dana were the first ones to reach Jason as they zipped past Spike and Littlefoot bobbing up and down madly.

"Two-Legs! Two-Legs!" they cried.

"Nice to see you too twins," Jason smiled patting them both on the head making them beam widely.

"Where were you? Here all this time?" Ali asked as they all pulled up just in front of Jason.

"Nope. I've been searching for you guys all morning…well, besides me taking a wander just before dawn. Couldn't find you so, I sent you a message," Jason smiled with one arm wrapped around his right leg which was propped up on the stump, tucked under him.

"A message?" Littlefoot asked slightly confused but he 'oooh'ed in understanding as he watched Jason wave his piccolo in front of his face.

"I knew at least one of you would've recognised the song if I played it long enough," he smiled as he hopped off the tree stump to stand facing the troop of dinosaur kids, "well, seeing as we've found each other now, how about we head off and do something a little more interesting…seeing as time is now of the essence." The gang all exploded with a triumphant cheer before they all sped off to the nearest field. Their joy, however, did not last nearly as long as they had hoped.

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"Aww man! I can't believe this," Jason whined as he stood with an oversized leaf held over his head.

"Where did all this sky-water come from? It just started falling from out of nowhere!" Ali said bewildered. All seven of them, along with Dinah and Dana, were stood grumbling under a tree as the heavens opened up, drenching the Great Valley in a torrential downpour.

"The sky just clouded over so fast! It's been ages since the sky-water's fallen this hard," Littlefoot said blinking in surprise as a raindrop managed to weave its way through the sheltering canopy overhead and drip onto his nose.

"Yeah! And now is when the sky-water decides to fall this hard. Well this just perfect!" Cera grunted as she shuffled closer to the tree's trunk. The Threehorn Twins scurried to try and squeeze under their aunt to shield themselves from the rain.

"Yeah. Perfect weather for fish," Jason mumbled sarcastically as he stared out into the open field which was being battered by the rainfall, "can't say I've seen such a sudden change in weather before."

"Me neither. Sky-water not good for flying in," Petrie said flapping his soaked wings, flinging water everywhere.

"Hey! Petrie! Stop that!" Cera snapped as she received a faceful of watery shrapnel. Petrie cowered behind Spike's leg as she glowered at him threateningly.

"Me sorry…" he quickly replied peeking out from his defensive wall.

"Come on guys. The sky-water isn't that bad," Ducky said trying to brighten everyone's dampened spirits.

"Easy for you to say; you're a swimmer. You practically live in water," Cera moaned redirecting her gaze from the quivering Petrie to Ducky.

"So what are we going to do now then?" Ali whined.

"I don't think there is a lot we can do with so much sky-water falling," Littlefoot sighed defeated as he looked up at the blackened sky. Suddenly, Littlefoot was hit in the face by a splash. Having inhaled some of the rainwater, he snapped an accusing gaze up at nearest friend as he coughed and spluttered. It just so happened that Jason was the closest one to him but he quickly flicked a finger up and pointed at Spike as if to say 'it wasn't me…he did it' accompanied by a dumb expression. Littlefoot followed his finger to Spike who had a soppy wet leaf in his mouth that he tugged off the nearest bush. He had obviously managed to shake the bush as the leaf snapped off, flinging the rain that had settled on it in Littlefoot's face.

"Told you it wasn't me," Jason grinned. Littlefoot smiled but as he felt the water droplets run off his face, he suddenly had a thought. Staring out past Jason and into the rainstorm, he began to stroll out from under the tree's sheltering canopy and out into the thunderous downpour. The others all watched him, a little bemused as to why he was just standing there getting wet.

"What's he doing?" Ali mumbled to Cera who shook her head in uncertainty.

"Littlefoot? What are you…?" Jason began when all of a sudden, Littlefoot slapped his tail in the nearest puddle soaking Jason from head to toe. Jason was dumbstruck.

"Wha-Why you little!" he exclaimed flicking his dripping sleeves as Littlefoot burst into a laughing fit, "Oh! You are SOOOO dead!" he threatened playfully as he took a running leap and planted both feet heavily into the puddle nearest Littlefoot. The idea sort of backfired as it seemed to get him more wet than Littlefoot. Both of them laughed loudly splashing about in the pouring rain.

"What the! Now HE'S doing it!" Cera gawked.

"Aww c'mon Cera! Loosen up! Act your age!" Jason insisted kicking water at her.

"Ooooo…You're gonna wish you hadn't done that!" Cera warned as she charged out into the storm with a mischievous grin on her face. In an instant, all nine of them were running amuck in the monsoon of a downpour, none of them caring, even in the slightest about how hard it was coming down.

The joy and laughter of lasted for ages. Time flew by without a wonder. The rain slowly began to die out, softening as the clouds parted. The sun burned through once more allowing a giant, arching rainbow to paint itself in the sea blue sky.

"Oh lookie!" Ducky announced pointing at the multicoloured arch.

"Oh wow! The Sky-Colours are out!" Littlefoot beamed.

"Sky-Colours. I like that," Jason sniggered standing in line to look skywards.

"Well, what do humans call them then?" Cera barked almost indignantly.

"We call them 'rainbows'."

"Wain-bows?" Dinah reiterated as best she could.

"That's right. Raaaiiiiiinnnnnbboooowww."

"Wainbow!" she piped.

"Wainbow! Wainbow! Wainbow!" Dana sung in his babyish tone dancing about. The gang laughed just as they heard their parents calling for them. It was lunchtime. The gang bid each other farewell for now and split to eat.

The excited chatter home of the morning's events brought Littlefoot and Jason to the ankles of grandparents who were feeding in a nearby field. The brilliant strength of the prehistoric, midday sun had almost dried them off completely having spent the majority of their time splashing about in the rain. After a rushed, indigestion-induced lunch break, Littlefoot and Jason sped back off into the trees to rendezvous with the others again. As if they had all been communicating with each other by telepathy, all seven of them (plus the Threehorn Twins) bumped into each other (in Jason and Cera's case, literally as they approached from opposite ways and collided, wiping each other out). From this unintentional greeting, a huge game of tag spawned as Cera kicked Jason off shouting,

"Jason's it! Everyone run!"

"What? Hey! No fair!" Jason complained as he made a sprawling dive for Cera as she shot off. Failing miserably, Jason slid on the semi-damp ground and crashed face first into the base of a tree. Cera was in hysterics along with the rest of the gang as Jason stood up and massaged his numb face. Felling rather idiotic, Jason's expression slid into a playful yet sly mien as he sprung forward shouting,

"Here comes the SHARPTOOTH ATTACK!" The gang scarpered as Jason's leap landed in the centre of the group. Time flew by, again, all without meaning and before they knew it, all nine of them had migrated to an empty meadow where they collapsed, exhausted but all with great smiles on their faces.

"That…was…madness!" Jason wheezed as he flopped down on his back with his eye closed.

"A…a great…game…: Ali agreed passing out next to him, sighing deeply.

"Yeah…that was good…" Littlefoot said dropping to the ground between Cera and Spike as they both nodded and hummed in agreement.

"Me…just no know where that…game of 'boys versus girls'…suddenly come from," Petrie cawed breathlessly.

"Who knows…" Cera said dismissively as she and her two tiny passengers dropped to the ground, "but us girls totally ruled that game."

"No way! The boys so kicked your feminine butts into next week!" Jason objected rolling onto his side.

"Nuh uh! We so kicked your tails!" Cera retorted.

"Bub Auntie Cerie? Two-Legs no-ie no-no a swooshy tail," Dinah babbled innocently.

"Whose side are you on?" Cera said frowning at her niece. The others laughed as Dinah shied away and slid back, next to her brother. Having argued about who overruled whom for at least half an hour, the gang eventually settled down and found themselves staring up at the sky which was now beginning to turn beautiful fiery shades of oranges and reds as the sun began to set. Entrapped by the magnificence of the forthcoming twilight, the gang remained silent; just gazing thoughtlessly up into the clouds. Even the hyperactive Threehorn Twins had found a quiet spot for a little nap; perched on top of one another.

"What a day huh," Cera sighed breaking the silence.

"Oh yes, yes, yes! This has been a good day," Ducky agreed. Spike nodded and hummed seconding the statement.

"It kinda seems weird being able to play like that given all the stuff that's happened recently," Ali then said.

"How'd you mean Ali?" Jason quizzed rolling from his back onto his front to look at her.

"Well…erm…just everything really. All that stuff with those magic stones, the Red Phoenix, going to the human world…things like that," Ali explained in a hurry. She almost wished she hadn't said anything.

"Yeah. I can see what you mean," Cera replied making Ali feel a little more relieved.

"It was pretty strange I'll admit and I doubt the Great Valley will ever be the same now that it's all happened," Littlefoot said.

"I wonder what will happen to those pretty, magic stones now," Ducky said airily.

"Who can say…" Jason replied throwing his hands over the back of his head to lay on them like a make-shift pillow, "hopefully with madmen like Westwood and the Red Phoenix Corporation done with, something of that magnitude won't happen again." The others all nodded in undisputed agreement.

"But hey! It brought us one hell of an adventure eh?" Jason continued smiling broadly which infectiously spread to the faces of everyone else looking at him. Just then, as they all lay there in the failing light, the gang heard their folks calling for them from what sounded like the same point. Responding to their hollers, all seven if them (complete with two dreary threehorn toddlers) set out in the direction of the beckoning voices.

It didn't take the gang long to discover the majority of the Great Valley's inhabitants were congregated in the usual meeting spot through the great, arching, rock formation entrance. Along with the regular inhabitants, the group also found Jill, Stone, Zephyr, the leader of Ali's herd and a healthy fraction of Ali's heard all stood in the naturally formed auditorium.

"Ah, there you are children," Grandpa Longneck beamed welcomingly as they strolled into the centre of the stage.

"Grandpa? What's going on?" Littlefoot asked curiously coming to a halt at his hanging nose which was at their eye-level.

"The humans are announcing their plan for their return home to the human world," Ducky's mother spoke.

"Yeah, and about time too!" Cera's father grumbled more than loud enough for Jason to hear but Jason pretended he hadn't caught wind of it.

"Basically, I think they wish to explain the situation to us dinosaurs so we do not become unsettled by any strange happenings that may occur when they actually leave," Grandma Longneck elaborated.

"Me geddit. They no wanna make anymore surprises happen for when they go," Petrie said.

"That's pretty much what she just said Petrie," Cera said indignantly, rolling her eyes.

"I think they wanted you children here to listen too," Petrie's mother said.

"To fill us in as well obviously," Jason said rather bluntly. He turned and gazed over at Jill and Stone with Zephyr. Without another word, he marched over to them with the gang following close behind; minus Dinah and Dana who had trudged sleepily over to their grandfather Threehorn to turn in for the night.

"There you are Jason. Wondering where you'd gotten to," Stone said chummily, raising his hand for a hi-five but Jason just ignored him.

"So what's this? The final call for boarding?" Jason asked sarcastically.

"I guess you could put it that way," Jill said sniggering at Stone who looked hard-done-by for being left hanging, "just wanna make sure that no more of our weird voodoo trickery with lights and sounds spook anyone else when we activate the Chronos Doorway."

"So everything's set up and in place then?" Jason asked looking unamused.

"Yep," Stone verified patting Zephyr on the head, "just gotta connect the power lines and get you to work your fancy magic and we'll be on our way."

"Great…" Jason murmured minimally.

"Well, since everyone's here, we may as well get on with it," Jill said before clearing here throat to begin.

The audience of dinosaurs stood and listened attentively as Jill and stone explained to the crowd what was due to happen tomorrow. The night sky had stealthily painted its cloudless heavens a tranquil shade of indigo encrusted with gleaming stars that glittered and shone like rare crystals. The air was warm and the whole discussion area was bathed in silvery moonlight. The gang had taken a high perch on one of the upper levels of the rimmed bowl just so they could see over the towering heads of the longnecks. The majority of the group were tuned into the announcements Jill was bellowing from the centre of the auditorium but Jason's attention seemed to be drawn everywhere else except to Jill and Stone. He was gazing around like an ignorant schoolboy refusing to concentrate and acknowledge what the teacher was explaining. Littlefoot, breaking from the announcement as Stone took over from Jill, glanced over at Jason to see him staring over the tops of heads and out into the fields and trees beyond. He clearly wasn't interested in what was being said below. He was staring blankly into space as if all that was being said was old news and didn't concern him. Sensing a hot, burning stare on the back of his neck, Jason turned to find Littlefoot looking at him, dead in the eye. The young longneck's expression dropped asking the silent question, "Are you all right?" Jason smiled in response before standing up.

"What's wrong?" Littlefoot whispered lowly so not to disturb the others.

"Bored…" Jason said stretching his legs which had fallen asleep, "I don't wanna spend my last day sitting here listening to a lecture."

"Don't you want to know about what's going to happen?" Littlefoot asked.

"Do I really need to? I've spoken to them about all this already. I don't need to hear it again," Jason replied shuffling as discreetly as he could towards the archway exit.

"Where are you going?" Littlefoot asked standing up.

"Anywhere but here," Jason said gazing into the distance, "hey! How about we meet up on that hill over there. Under the large tree." Littlefoot followed Jason's extended finger up to a lonely looking hill with a thick-based trees standing on its peak.

"Yeah sure," Littlefoot said. With a quick nudge at the others, Jason led the gang out of the auditorium and out into the fields.

Within a few minutes, all seven of them had arrived at the hill's summit. The buzzing of the conversation going on in the meeting area was now just a faint murmuring in the distance. The gang settled underneath the tree as Jason wandered out into the moonlight.

"So what's the matter then Jason?" Ali asked as if they had been called out for something of dire urgency.

"Yeah. Why'd you drag us out here?" Cera piped in.

"Ohh…no real reason," Jason said innocently, pivoting on his heels to gaze at them, "just thought we'd escape the lecturing pit, that's all. It's all stuff we've heard before so why listen to it again?"

"Me guess me understand," Petrie cawed looking a little puzzled still. Jason smiled but Littlefoot seemed to see something beyond his enlightened expression.

"Is that the only reason why you came out here?" he asked caringly but cautiously, "Come on Jason, what is it? What's really on your mind?" Jason sighed and shook his head as it hung low; his smiled ceasing to fade.

"Saw through me huh?" Jason said admittingly as he reverted his glance back up to lock eyes with Littlefoot. Littlefoot, besides being a little confused, looked awestruck. Silently, Jason turned around to look out over the Great Valley from their vantage point. The group watched Jason taken a few steps further out from under the tree and beyond the hill's summit.

"I guess…I just…wanted to have one last look at the Great Valley…" he said lowly with his back to the gang, "just…wanted to capture this beautiful scene. Savour the moment one last time y'know…before…I have to… leave it all behind."

The gang, one by one, wandered over to stand beside Jason in a lateral line. They too cast their views over the low lying fields. The grass was a deep shade of navy as were the patchy canopies of the bordering trees which were still flaking off their leaves for the approaching winter. Silvery streaks of moonlight shimmered in a nearby lake serenaded by a nocturnal chorus of nightlife.

"I've never witnessed a landscape as magnificent as this, and I seriously doubt I'll find one more beautiful," Jason continued breathing deeply, "best of all, it was a place I could call home…even for a little while…and it has been an honour to be able to have done so. But…I guess…the best things in life are never meant to last."

"So if you like it here in the Great Valley, then why leave?" Ducky asked, touched by Jason's words of praise.

"I have to go Ducky. Believe me it's not by choice," he replied solemnly, "we humans don't belong here in the dinosaur realm. We've already made enough mess meddling with time's flow, now we have to amend our interfering. We have to restore the natural balance we have so foolishly disturbed."

"And the only way to do that is to go back?" Ali asked. Jason nodded glumly.

"Once we return to our own time, we call all get back to normal."

"But you could come back right? You could visit the Great Valley and we'll…" Petrie started but Jason shook his head again. This time without a smile.

"That won't be possible Petrie. My leaving is a one way trip. In me returning to 2113, I'd be righting the final wrong as I've been instructed to do."

"But it's not what you want though is it?" Cera huffed in protest.

Of course not! But I can't imagine what would occur if I were to remain behind. And I'd want that even less than wanting to leave…" Jason sighed feeling deflated.

"But what could possibly happen?" Littlefoot said trying to catch his eye.

"I…I don't know…but maybe…that's exactly what I'm afraid of…"

The gang fell silent. Spirits fallen in the sullen air of understanding that Jason's departure would in fact be inevitably permanent. The wind slowly began to strengthen as if to attempt of offer some comfort but it didn't prove any use.

"Look guys," Jason then said slowly, "I guess…this is my own pathetic way remembering stuff that's happened here. I wanted a lasting memory of everything…the fields, the mountains, the waterfalls, the sunrises and sunsets; all of it. But most of all, I want to remember you guys…and our experiences together…that's what I wanna remember. It pains me to think that everything can just be forgotten…just becoming another piece of meaningless history."

"Don't worry Jason…you will. Remember I mean," Ali then spoke up.

"Ali?"

"I know just how you feel. I was the same when I first came here. It made me wonder…wonder why my herd continues to migrate from place to place all the time. But, it is something that we have to do because…that's just the way it is."

"Ali…" Jason breathed astonished.

"But, even though I have to migrate, I have the best of memories of my friends here. I remember them and I will never forget those memories. If I think about them now and then, I can happy knowing that my friends are probably remembering too…and they're thinking of me." Jason was dumbstruck by Ali's words but she remained directly in front of him, smiling coyly.

"Yeah…yeah, you're right!" he finally said managing to force the words out of his hanging mouth, "If I refresh my memory of the Great Valley every now and again, there' no way I'd forget…anything…"

Ali nodded and smiled warmly as Jason dipped his head respectfully.

"Thank you Ali."

"Heh…no problem."

With that, the gang's dying spirits lifted and they all waddled into a tight ring as Jason spoke again,

"Well…I guess that's my saving grace. I suppose…the only…other thing to…"

Suddenly, voices rang out over the Valley interrupting Jason in mid-speech.

"Oh! That is Mama Spike! I think we had better go since it is very dark," Ducky announced in response to her mother's calls.

"Me better go too. Mama no like me flying around in the dark. She say me might fly into tree and hurt meself," Petrie said stretching his wings to take off.

"And have you?" Jason asked. Petrie snorted.

"Me not that bad a flyer! Me only hit six trees and one rock all today! But…most of those during the day," Petrie then smiled as he floated above Ducky riding aboard Spike as they disappeared down the opposite side of the hill.

"Think I'd better go too before Daddy shouts for…" Cera began but she cringed as a powerful bellow erupted over the area, "never mind…COMING DADDY!" With that, she shot off to find her booming father's voice.

"I guess we'll head back to the meeting place. I think my herd will be waiting for me there to regroup," Ali suggested.

"Sure Ali. Come on, let's go," Littlefoot said heading down the hill and back the way they came. Ali followed behind and Jason, with a somewhat disappointed, defeated sigh, brought up the rear.

The three of them made it back through the rocky archway and back into the meeting place.

"So there you children are. We were starting to wonder where you had gotten to. We can't seem to keep track of you nowadays," Grandpa Longneck chuckled as they approached.

"We just went up to that hill over there Grandpa; we didn't go far," Littlefoot said pointing with his head.

"Well, come now children. Time for you all to settle down for the night," Grandma Longneck told them. Littlefoot and Jason bade Ali goodnight and they were soon on their own.

"Well…I guess I better be going. You probably want to get back home," Jason said sounding slightly downed, "where's Jill and Stone? Gone back already?"

"Yes, they left a little while ago," Grandma Longneck said.

"Well, I'll catch them. I guess I…"

"Jason, one moment," Grandpa Longneck said as Jason turned to leave.

"Hmm?" Jason hummed slowly twisting on his heels to look up at the mighty dinosaur.

"Would you prefer to stay with us tonight?" Grandpa Longneck offered, "If you prefer, you could come home with us and stay the night there."

"Y…you sure?" Jason stuttered still awestruck.

"Of course. That is, unless, you'd prefer to go back with Jill and Stone? We really don't…" Grandma Longneck said but Jason shook his head violently from side to side, flapping his hand in a mad wave.

"Oh no, no! I mean, of course. I'd love to come back with you," Jason said hurryingly. He didn't notice but Littlefoot, standing at the feet of his grandparents, smiled feeling heartened by his response.

"Well come on then boys. Let's go home," Grandpa Longneck announced with a wide grin.

"Yeah…let's," Jason smiled as he darted under their legs to walk alongside Littlefoot.

Given their miserable day, the night was glorious in comparison as Littlefoot and Jason walked on under the starry, inky sky. Their grandparents had overtaken them as Littlefoot and Jason strolled home, gradually further and further behind. Neither of them had said a word since they'd departed the meeting area not had they made much eye contact. Littlefoot soon realised that Jason's gait had slowed and he was no longer walking parallel to him. He paused for a second and turned back to look for Jason. He was dragging his feet in the dampened grass, with his hands dug deep in the pockets of his dirty jeans and head hung down with his eyes aimed just beyond his feet.

"Uh? Oh, sorry Littlefoot…" Jason said having nearly walked straight into him, "…sorry…I was miles away." Littlefoot smiled, accepting his apology.

"What's wrong?" he then asked trying to connect with his low, wandering eyes.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just daydreaming." Jason's mind was clearly off wandering elsewhere. Reality having not quite fully tuned back in.

"Daydreaming? At night?" Littlefoot smirked.

"You know what I mean," Jason grinned.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Just thinking about…………getting back into that tree of mine. I hope it's not too drenched from all that rain earlier."

"It'll be like sleeping in the watering hole," Littlefoot joked. They both laughed lightly.

"Come on. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck are streaks ahead of us already. We'd better hurry it up," Jason suggested. Littlefoot nodded and they both quickened their pace to catch up.

Before long, all four of them arrived at their destination and they began to settle down. Thankfully, the sheltering canopies of the trees overhead had kept their sleeping spot relatively dry and so, Jason's petrified tree wasn't the swimming pool he had envisioned; for which he, himself, was grateful.

"Well, I guess this will be the last night I'll be spending with you," Jason said as he readied himself to clambering into the Y-shaped, open of the tree.

"I suppose so," Grandpa Longneck said dipping his head to give Jason a platform to hop up from.

"But it does not have to be a sad occasion," Grandma Longneck said with an optimistic smile, "we can be grateful that we had the chance to sleep together one last time rather than seeing it as something to be disheartened about."

"Yeah…I guess that's a better way of looking at it," Jason said looking down from his fostering grandparents, then down to Littlefoot and back up again, "Grandma…? Grandpa…? I wanna thank you…y'know…for taking me in for so long and…well…just taking care of me. I really appreciate it."

"You are very welcome dear," Grandma Longneck smiled motheringly.

"We must also thank you Jason, for the many things you have done for us," Grandpa Longneck added. Jason gawked in dumbfounded awe.

"Me Grandpa? Why? I haven't done anything."

"On the contrary. If it hadn't been for you, a number of us may not be here now. Out Littlefoot for one," Grandpa Longneck said.

"And your brave battle against your own mother. You were prepared to give your life to save our Valley. We are also very grateful for that too," Grandma Longneck chimed in. Jason was speechless. He never imagined he'd be hearing his grandparents thanking HIM on the Great Valley's behalf.

"Well…I…erm…I'm flattered but…I wasn't the only one who fought the Red Phoenix. I can't take all the credit," Jason said modestly.

"That maybe true, but you made the biggest sacrifice of out of everyone who did fight. We could not comprehend the magnitude of the situation so you and the rest of your kind took it upon yourselves to stand up for us. A noble effort, highly commendable," Grandpa Longneck continued. Jason, although greatly flattered, turned away. He didn't feel dignified to receive their praise.

"…You make me sound like some sorta hero…but I'm not. I'm the main reason why all this happened here in the first place…that's nothing heroic," he said weakly.

"Perhaps not, but you stood and faced your mistake and saved us all from a cruel fate you felt we did not deserve. Now that dear IS a display of heroism," Grandma Longneck told him. Jason looked up at his grandparents who were smiling. The friendly gesture that helped wash away what remained of his guilt.

"Well, I had Littlefoot and my friends with me every step of the way," he said now smiling also, "if I'm the hero you claim for me to be, then they are just as much of a hero as I am." Littlefoot felt his heart swell with honoured pride at Jason's words and he beamed widely as he gazed up at Jason from his settled position on the ground.

"Thanks Grandma…Grandpa. Thanks a lot," Jason smiled.

"And thank you Jason. And you too Littlefoot," Grandpa Longneck said nodding respectfully at each of them. He floated his head over them in turn where Littlefoot nuzzled his cheek and Jason hugged his huge nose.

"Goodnight Grandpa. Goodnight Grandma," they said in unison as Grandma Longneck received her nuzzle and cuddle.

"Goodnight boys…pleasant dreams," she said sweetly.

As the two elderly brontosauruses wandered to their sleeping spot, Littlefoot and Jason sighed happily and wriggled in their individual bed to get more comfortable.

"Well, best get settled then," Jason said down to the ground as he folded his hooded jumper into a square-like pillow.

"I guess so. G'night Jason…" Littlefoot said back up to the tree. He looked up to see Jason poke his head out through the cage of branches.

"G'night Littlefoot," he returned smiling to which Littlefoot answered with a smile of his own. Just as Littlefoot lowered his head to the grass to rest, he heard Jason's voice again,

"Oh…and Littlefoot?"

"Hmm?"

"…Thanks by the way." Littlefoot looked up at Jason's tree.

"Huh? Thanks? For what?"

"For everything. Caring for me, accepting me, guiding me around the Valley…but most of all…thanks for being my friend."

"Heh…you're welcome," Littlefoot smiled, "I guess I should thank you too…for being my friend too." They both chuckled on hearing each other's thanks and with one last contented sigh, they soon fell silent and fell asleep.

Having not slept terribly well, Jason was awake by the early hours of the morning. His mind was buzzing constantly but the noise didn't seem understandable. Like some alien language chattering away. It was useless trying to get to sleep again. His brain wouldn't permit it. Sitting up, he stretched up tall and groaned as his dormant muscles achingly shifted from their static, rigid positions to roll with his movements. Flopping his arms back down by his sides, Jason took a quick glance over the side of his elevated bed, down to the ground below. Littlefoot was sound asleep. His torso rising and falling, slowly and steadily with each husky breath as he dreamed his sweet dreams. He looked so peaceful, resting there completely undisturbed, it pained Jason to think that he'd be leaving such a good friend and his euphoric landscape. But he knew what had to be done.

Silently, Jason clambered down from his tree and gently stepped onto the soft grass that barely rustled beneath his feet. He looked across to his foster grandparents who were huddled up next to each other. The perfect visualisation of love and security. From his elders, he took another look down to Littlefoot who was still locked away in a blissful slumber. Jason's stomach plummeted like he'd just swallowed a heavy stone. He wanted to speak to Littlefoot one last time before setting off but seeing him at his most peaceful in such a long time, Jason just didn't have the heart to wake him. And for what? To remind him one again that he was returning to London; 2113? "What's the point," Jason thought to himself. Dipping down, Jason picked up his bag and slung it carelessly over one shoulder. His eyes stung in the cool air as he gazed at Littlefoot and the thought of everything he'd be leaving behind replayed over in his head. He hadn't even said goodbye to Littlefoot, his grandparents or any of his friends…and now, it looked as though, even if he said it now, it was doomed to fall on deaf ears.

"Goodbye Littlefoot…" Jason whispered hoarsely, "thanks for everything…take care of yourself." Littlefoot's only reply was a deep inhale and sharp exhale but he remained oblivious to what Jason had just said. Swallowing hard and feeling a large, uncomfortable lump of grievance slide down his throat, Jason turned to the open pathway in the surrounding trees and walked out of the enclosure.

Trudging through the dimly lit fields and meadows, Jason glanced around at the lush scenery which was still slightly damp from the torrential downpours of yesterday yet it made the air smell sweet. This, however, completely contrasted Jason's mood as hr dragged his feet through the moistened grass to make his way up to the Great Valley border where Jill and Stone had been restoring the Chronos Doorway.

By the time Jason reached his destination up by the Great Wall on the edge of the Valley, the first signs of daylight were beginning to show. The early morning sun was shyly creeping over the shoulders of the enclosing mountain ranges surrounding the Great Valley. Jason looked up to the top of the hill to see the cold, grey, metallic, ugly bulk that was the Chronos Doorway. It's huge, arching ring looped high above him and continued to stretch higher up to the sky as he climbed up the inclining slope. Jason snorted at the hideous machine that seemed ill-fitting in such a wondrous natural backdrop. It looked out of place but somehow, he knew how that felt recently.

Just as Jason dropped his gaze from the mighty ring, he heard the sound of footsteps coming up from behind him.

"Jason! Well I never would've expected to see you up here before us," Sergeant Stone called as he, Jill and Zephyr appeared from over the hill's slope. He was carrying an armful of bag. Jason, however, didn't respond.

"Lousy night huh?" Jill asked as if she already knew the answer to her question, but Jason nodded all the same, "thought as much. Don't worry. We'll try to make this as quick and painless as possible." Jason found Jill's eyes which were soft and understanding along with a supporting smile.

"Yeah…sure," Jason said weakly.

"Fine…" she nodded before turning to Stone, "got everything? Let's get this thing fired up." Stone nodded as he dumped his load of bags down by the Doorway's computer terminal and began working on it.

Jason remained on the same spot and was glancing down into the Great Valley as the sun's light intensity slowly strengthened, illuminating the land.

"You okay?" Jill then asked from his left hand side.

"Hmm? Oh…yeah…I'm okay…" he replied airily.

"Gonna miss it all?"

"That's a bit of a stupid question." Jason's tone was dry but he forced a grin to suppress the harshness of his sentence. He didn't mean to be snappy but he wasn't in the mood for probing questions on how he was feeling.

"Guess it was. Sorry," Jill smiled, casting her view over the Valley below, "I've enjoyed my time here. This place is something else. Definitely something special. Hope you said you goodbyes while you were down there."

"Erm…well…not exactly…" Jason slurred.

"You didn't! Why not?" Jill asked looking surprised.

"Dunno. Just…couldn't say it…something I'll probably now regret."

"It's okay. At least you got to see them all one last time before we set off."

"Yeah…I guess so…"

Somehow, that didn't make Jason feel any better. He knew Jill only had his feelings in mind but it wasn't helping calm the flashes of emotions flowing through him. Having suggested that he'd regret not saying a proper goodbye to his friends, that nauseating sensation suddenly started bubbling and blistering in the pit of his stomach. How could he NOT have said goodbye? All it was was one pathetic word yet…it was impossible to say it. Not without someone getting hurt but it; either himself or the person he'd be saying it to. Jason began to feel guilt pile on top of the niggling feeling of regret, slowly increasing the pressure that was crushing his insides like a clamping vice.

"Energy cells charged. All power line connected. All we need now is for our man to work his magic and we're good to go," Stone announced signaling towards Jason.

"Okay," Jill acknowledged as she turned back to Jason, "c'mon kiddo…let's get this over with eh? The quicker the better right?" Jason looked over to Jill feeling deflated but he nodded with a masking confidence.

Slowly, Jason turned and walked up to the console. Hesitating for a second, Jason held the ruby of his pendent in his left hand. It felt warm in his grasp.

"Righting the final wrong…" Jason whispered to himself, trying to clear his thoughts clouded but his emotions. Taking a deep breath, Jason slowly raised his right hand to touch the console. Suddenly, as if something had called out to him, Jason froze. His hand hovering barely an inch over the computer terminal. He could almost sense something in the air like something was about to happen but he couldn't determine what. He then heard Jill gasp in surprise.

"Jason! Look!" Stone hollered to him. Nervously, Jason slowly turned around. To his great shock and astonishment, he saw a young longnecked dinosaur standing on the peak of the hill. The dawn sky glowed behind him making him look like a heavenly figure descended from the clouds. On his face was a warm, friendly smile that could have melted the coldest and iciest for hearts.

"Li…Littlefoot!" Jason gasped in amazement, his jaw hanging open. Littlefoot nodded retaining his huge smile. Jason blinked and then realised that more dinosaurs were appearing from behind him. Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Ali all came into view followed by, much to Jason's ever increasing surprise, more dinosaurs. Elders from the Great Valley had joined the gang and were assembled at the hill's summit. Jason could hardly believe his eyes at the audience gathered before him. Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, Cera's father and the Threehorn Twins, the rest of the gang's parents, a good portion of Ali's herd including her mother and its aged leader. Not only them, but a large number of other Great Valley residents had come up from their homeland to join the massive parade. Jason was dumbstruck. This was probably the largest gathering of Great Valley dinosaurs and visitors he had ever witnessed.

"Wha…Littlefoot?" Jason stammered, "Wha…what's this all about?"

"What? Did you really think we'd let you go without a proper goodbye?" Littlefoot said with a playfully, brisk tone. Jason wanted to say something but nothing came to mind. The shock of the sudden assembly had left him blank-minded. Instead, he just shut his gaping mouth and smiled.

"We came to see you off," Ali said stepping forward.

"Yep, yep, yep! We wanted to make sure we saw you again before you lefted," Ducky chirped merrily. Jason chuckled. He felt so much happier with all his friends and familiar faces he had come to recognise standing around him. Walking towards the gang that stood at the front of the formed semi-circle, he scanned as many pairs of eyes as he could; each one adding strength to his smile and making it grow wider. He was completely lost in the moment. Out of anything and everything that could have happened this morning, he certainly hadn't expected this.

Jason came to a gradual halt a few feet from Littlefoot and the gang who stood, front and centre, before him. He took a glance towards the sky to see two very distinguishable faces in the sea of crests, heads and long necks that towered above him.

"Grandma…Grandpa…" Jason sighed happily.

"We also came to wish you well on your return journey," Grandma Longneck beamed lowering her head, hovering over the formation of juveniles to speak with Jason at his eye level.

"Yes, as did all the others," Grandpa Longneck added, dipping his head also, "all the dinosaurs or wanderers, have come to offer their thanks for your help with that recent dangerous situation as well as see you off."

"…Thank you…all of you…" Jason said bowing his head in respect. He felt a little embarrassed being directly in the spotlight. The crowd chattered approvingly, accepting his gratitude but Grandma Longneck hushed them all with audible blasts of breath.

"But, as well as our goodbyes, I believe there is a closer group that you should be speaking to," she said suggestively but with a warm tone. The clue wasn't in any way cryptic. Jason adjusted his gaze down to Littlefoot and the gang and with a deep breath, he stepped forward to confront them…one at a time, for one last time.

"Goodbye Ducky. Boy am I gonna miss your caring voice and friendly face. Not to mention your impeccable pronunciation of words," Jason said reaching forwards to hug her.

"And I will miss you very, very much Jason…I will. Yep, yep, yep!" Ducky chirped, her voice sweet and merry.

"Yeah…and that little catchphrase of yours too. Yep, yep, yep!" Jason laughed. Ducky twisted and smiled coyly as Jason ducked to a crouch to speak with Spike.

"Goodbye Spike. Nice knowing you. Take good care of your sister won't you?" Spike nodded and hummed as he licked Jason's cheek. Jason giggled as he wiped the damp side of his face and patted Spike gently on the head.

"Ahhh Spike. So caring. You're a great guy to talk to. You never judge people unfairly and you always listen to whatever anyone has to say."

"That cuz he no can talk!" Petrie chimed in. Jason turned to the little flyer.

"Petrie. Where am I going to hear all those witty remarks? And who's gonna show me how to reach those impossible highs? Flying way up there."

"Me no know. Maybe you make some wings of your own and you fly up there too. Then, you can see what me can see," Petrie replied smiling.

"Yeah. I certainty hope so. Thank you Petrie." Jason returned the smile and waved Petrie goodbye. He turned from Petrie to Cera but Jason paused in slight bewilderment as he looked at her.

"Cera…? Cera, are you all right?"

"Y…yeah. I'm fine…" she mumbled sounding a little strange. Jason leaned closer to her.

"Cera? A-are…are you crying?" Jason asked.

"N-no! No, I'm not…" Cera sniffled brushing her head against her front leg, "I…I've…just got something in my eye…that's all. Why…would I be crying? It's not like you're worth that…that much effort anyway!" Jason couldn't help but chuckle slightly as Cera tried desperately to recompose herself and retain her rock-steady, Threehorn stance.

"It's okay Cera…I'll miss you too," Jason said pretending that he knew better of Cera's demeanour than to display such a radical emotion. Still, seeing one last drop fall from the side of Cera's face, which wasn't shielded by her leg, he was starting to feel his stomach flutter and his chest pull tight a little in silent response. Swallowing hard, he turned from Cera to Ali who stood beside her.

"Ali...what can I say? We haven't exactly had the easiest of times becoming friends have we?"

"I guess you could say that," Ali replied sweetly.

"Yeah…but still, I wanted to thank you for…well…accepting me for who and what I am. I know it was hard for you to trust a creature besides that of your own kind, but you made the effort anyway. For that, I'm grateful. Truly."

"It's okay Jason. You taught me a lot too. It was because you were here with us that I was able to accept you for who, and what, you are. So, I should thank you too," Ali said nobly with a brave smile. Jason nodded, touched by Ali's words. They exchanged farewells and Jason finally came to the final member of the group where they stood gazing into each other's eyes.

"Littlefoot…out of everyone here I…I think you're just about the only one I can't think of something to say to." The crowd laughed aloud as Jason scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed, "you've given me so much and helped me survive my most grueling and trying section of my entire life. You and your friends stood by me pretty much every step of the way. You didn't give up on me. As with the others, I'm indebted to you for everything you've done for me…I just don't know how I can possibly repay you for all your kindness, caring and acceptance."

"It's fine Jason," Littlefoot said slowly and clearly, "you have given me just as much in return with your friendship and teaching all of us so any new things I didn't even know about our own home. You have been a wonderful friend. So I must thank you for that."

Jason ducked his head. Littlefoot's words had hit hard, striking him with such power. The tightness in his chest was intensifying, pulling unbearably. He looked up at Littlefoot again, his smile trembling and his eyes lined with a thin stream of tears. The emotion was contagious as all the other members of the gang began showing the same signs.

"Friends forever…right?" Littlefoot then said unexpectedly. His expression happy but his eyes brimmed with joyful tears. Jason blinked for a second then replied,

"…Friends forever." With that, everyone leapt forward and locked each other in a tight, loving hug. Hands looped over necks and long necks coiled around friends. All huddled together, all running high on emotions.

After a little while, they broke away from each other and composed themselves. Wiping their faces clear of any rolling, gleaming tears. Even the onlooking audience were choked by the touching scene. A few sniffled sounding from the crowd. Stone and Jill stood side by side, watching with sympathetic smiles.

"So…I guess this is it…" Jason said wiping his nose with a sleeve and sniffing sharply. The gang hummed and nodded. Jason then turned to march back to the console of the Chronos Doorway. With one last shuddering sigh, Jason lifted his hand to place it on the silvery box when a voice called out to him.

"Jason wait!" He froze solid and whirled around to see who had shouted out to him.

"Littlefoot?" he said sounding confused. Littlefoot was standing next to Jill who had just handed to the young longneck something. Turning to face Jason, Littlefoot smiled with a blue, shimmering rock in his mouth. Jason stood, baffled as Littlefoot walked up to him.

"Jason…please. Let me…" Littlefoot said through clenched teeth. Jason's hanging jaw quickly stretched into another smile. He nodded and stepped aside.

Striding past Jason, Littlefoot stood in front of the Doorway's console. With a deep breath to clear his mind, Littlefoot hopped onto his hind legs and placed his forefeet on the terminal. He felt the sudden burst of excited energy jolt through his body. It flashed cold and then warm as it shot down every nerve and fibre of him before erupting though his feet. The console sparked and crackled into life and a gust of wind exploded from the giant ring of the machine. As the strength of the wind dwindled, a massive ball of rippling blue light grew in the centre of the archway. All onlookers gaped and stared in dumbfounded awe at the portal that warbled and wavered like a vertical pool of water as Littlefoot dropped back down onto all fours. Contented, he looked to Jason who stepped up beside him as he dropped the Guardian's Tear Sapphire to the ground.

"Thanks Littlefoot," he beamed, "you know you didn't have to do that."

"I know," Littlefoot replied, "I wanted to help you…y'know…'right the final wrong'." Jason rocked his head back and forth in accepting acknowledgement. Somehow, he felt better about Littlefoot activating the Chronos Doorway rather than him.

"Power's on but falling gradually," Stone reported as he analysed the screen on the terminal, "we don't have much time."

"It's okay. Stone and I will start sending though the supplies. Jason, you finish up here and meet us at the top of the ramp," Jill said giving Jason a wink as she grabbed the nearest bag and hauled it up to the portal. Jason nodded solemnly as he turned back to his friends. He wanted to say something but his mind was scrambled with a flurry of thoughts, memories and emotions. All he could do was gaze into their tear-stained eyes and smile.

"Have a safe journey," Littlefoot then said bravely.

"Thanks," Jason said a little croakily. Then, something came to mind.

Slowly, Jason reached for his neck, pulled his gold pendant up over his head and, on approaching Littlefoot, gently slipped it over Littlefoot's head.

"I want you to have this Littlefoot…a memento from me," Jason said letting the pendant drop and fall down Littlefoot's neck.

"Your gold vine and red stone!" Littlefoot gasped watching the triangular ruby bounce off his front.

"Yeah. To remember me by."

"But…this was your mother's wasn't it?"

"It was. She gave it to me so I'd remember her…so I wanna give it to you so you and your friends will remember me." Littlefoot was astounded.

"Thanks Jason. But if I'm going to have this from you, I want you to take my stone with you…so you can remember me."

"Sounds like a fair trade," Jason smiled as Littlefoot craned his head down to pick up his sapphire. Jason held out his hand and Littlefoot dropped it into his palm.

"Thanks," he beamed closing his fingers around it.

Power's failing," Stone shouted aloud, "we gotta get a move on kid."

"Okay!" Jason hollered back. He was about to walk away when Jason snapped his fingers and quickly turned back.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" he said looking back to the gang, "the little glade, that spot in the trees with the big rock where we met up the other day? Head there. There's something there for you guys."

"What is it?" Ali called as Jason headed up the ramp.

"You'll see…go check it out," he urged.

Now standing at the top of the ramp, inches from the portal, Jason, Jill, Stone and Zephyr glanced back at the crowd who were cheering and wishing them well. One by one, Jill, followed by Stone and Zephyr waved goodbye and past into the blue light. The gang stood at the base of the ramp as they watched Jason give one last wave.

"Goodbye my friends!" he hollered to them weakly but with a cheerful smile.

"Goodbye Jason!" they all shouted back. Their eyes seeping tears again. With that final farewell, Jason turned to the rippling blue portal and stepped forward. The light consumed him, robbing him from sight just as the console fizzled unhealthily. The light began to shrink and fade to white before completely collapsing on itself and disappearing from view.

With the last trace of the portal gone, an awkward silence felt over the remaining residents of the Great Valley. The gang were still gazing through the ring as if Jason was still standing there looking back and waving goodbye. It was hard to believe that, after everything that had occurred, it was finally all over. Only a few traces of evidence proving that the humans had ever set foot in the dinosaur realm remained. The Chronos Doorway and the ruins of the complex in the Forest of Fear.

"He's…really gone…" Littlefoot breathed silently to himself. He felt the pendant swing around his neck, knocking against him and he suddenly started to wonder. As the crowd slowly started to disperse, Littlefoot approached the console of the Chronos Doorway.

"Littlefoot?" Ducky hummed sounding slightly concerned about what Littlefoot was about to do. He didn't respond. Feeling the ruby floating over his chest, Littlefoot clumsily grabbed the stone in his teeth and hopped up to place his front feet on the terminal, expecting to feel the usual flush of energy surge through him. Littlefoot was shocked to discover…he felt nothing at all. Nothing happened. Sighing, Littlefoot released the ruby from his mouth, allowing it to drop the length of its chain and allowed gravity to pull his levitated feet back to his normal standing position. It was crystal clear as to what Littlefoot had been hoping to achieve, but the true fact stood solid and firm like a towering brick wall before him. Jason was gone for good.

"Littlefoot? You…okay?" Petrie cawed gently in his ear.

"Hmm? Oh yeah…I'm okay," he replied. By now, they were the only ones left standing before the Chronos Doorway.

"It is so sad that Jason had to leave," Ducky said mournfully. Spike hummed lowly.

"I hope he got back okay," Ali added eyeing the gigantic machine.

"He should be fine," Cera piped in trying not to sound as disheartened as she really was, "I'm sure we'll remember him. They left some things behind don't forget." Suddenly, Littlefoot's brain clicked.

"That spot…in the trees. Jason said there was something there for us to see," he announced.

"Well c'mon! Let's go see," Cera shouted. All six of them broke into a dash and headed for the glade.

At full speed, the gang got to their destination in no time and, leaping through the surrounding shrubbery, they entered the sunny little copse.

"You see anything?" Cera asked the group as they scanned the area.

"Nope…nothing," Littlefoot reported searching high and low.

"Me no see anything neither," Petrie announced sweeping the treetops.

"What are we looking for?" Ali asked.

"I dunno," Cera said starting to get irritable, "but if this is some kinda dumb joke, that human will be glad he left! Coz I'd…"

"Guys! Lookie here! Spike finded something!" ducky shrilled as loud as she could. The gang huddled around the large, oblong rock at the top end of the copse and gasped in awe. There, etched in the surface of the stone, was a picture. A picture, hand scrawled by some unknown instrument, of the entire gang stood, in a line, one after the other. At the back, furthest left, was Spike with Ducky riding atop him. Next was Cera, followed by Ali, led by Jason, Petrie just airborne over him and leading them was Littlefoot. Above them hovered a carving of the three triangles that made up the Heaven's Eternity Crystal.

"Wow! Jason…did this?" Ali gaped with wide eyes.

"I guess so," Littlefoot breathed amazed, "something else for us to remember."

"Whad'dya mean Littlefoot?" Cera asked perplexed.

"A memory…off all of us…together…" he said slowly yet meaningfully. The gang all smiled and huddled close together as they scanned the memorial dedicated to them…and their incredible friendship that stretched over the impossible boundaries of time, to triumph over the greatest of odds.

"Thank you Jason…for everything," Littlefoot whispered as he gazed at the carving, "we'll never forget you. I just hope…someday…somehow…we'll meet again." With a warm smile, the gang settled down around their memorial to reminiscence on their adventure.