Hey people! So guess what? I was so excited after writing the last chap that I just didn't get out of my seat for the next 4 hours and I wrote the whole next chap! ( Note: It is now one in morning!) I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out so I hope you enjoy it as well. Thank you very much for the reviews. They'vebeen lovely and surprisingly accurate with their predictions! ANYways! Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Truth or Truth
"Sky? Where are we going?"

"Dojo C. I booked it earlier today so there shouldn't be anyone else around."

"What kind of game are we going to be playing there?"

"I told you before; I'll explain everything when we get there."

Jack groaned inwardly. Why did I let him talk me into this? Jack thought to himself as he and Sky headed for the training wing. Somehow he had allowed Sky rope him into coming play some trust game with him. How this would help him get to know Sky better was beyond him but he somehow doubted he actually had much choice in the matter. While Sky had been acting surprisingly cheerful, he had an undertone of seriousness lurking behind his smiling façade. Jack was going to play this game with him whether he wanted to or not.

"Here we are," Sky announced as dojo doors slide open. He waved Jack ahead, "After you."

"Um, thanks," Jack said suspiciously. He was almost afraid to turn his back on him but he continued anyways. He wasn't about to let Sky see him sweat. He may feel guilty about what he and Z had done but that didn't mean he was going to let Sky intimidate him.

As he began to take in his surroundings Jack noticed Sky punching something into the key pad by the door. "What are doing there Sky?"

"Just locking the door," he replied turning to Jack. "You know? To make sure there are no interruptions."

"Yeah… about that. Now that we're here, are you planning on explaining what this game is all about?"

"It's simple really," Sky said, taking off his SPD jacket. Jack decided to follow suit, taking off his own. "As I said before, it's game to help us get to know each other. The way it works is: we spar. Every time someone gets a hit, the other has to answer a question."

"What? Like truth or dare?"

"More like truth or truth."

Jack's eyes narrowed. He could see where this was going. While they had both wanted it, neither had gotten the chance to finally let their frustrations out and finally prove who the better fighter was. They had only fought full out twice before back when they were on opposite sides. Jack won the first time. Sky won the second. That meant this fight was going to be the tie breaker and the one to finally settle the score.

"I have one rule add though," Jack said.

"What?" Sky replied calmly.

"No powers. We start using our powers and we won't be getting anywhere."

"Alright, deal," Sky replied taking a fighting stance. "Ready?"

Jack took a fighting stance as well, "Bring it."

With that both Sky and Jack burst into action. Sky swept his leg out and Jack flipped back to avoid Sky's outstretched limb. The moment he landed though he was hit in the stomach with a roundhouse causing him stagger back.

Before Jack had even recovered Sky popped his question. "Truth: This game is about trust, so why the hell should I trust the guy who used to make a living off dishonesty and stealing from others?"

Jack shook his head. "Why am I not surprised that is your first question? Fine! You know why? Because Sky, from the moment I've gotten here I've been working my ass off to earn it. I've done my duty to best of my ability and despite my shaky start I think I've earned a little good faith. You know? A second chance. I know now the whole Robin Hood thing wasn't the best of ideas and I've acknowledged that. I'm past that. And everyone else has managed to as well, except for you. So I don't know. What else do you want me to do to make you trust me?"

"It's not your turn to ask a question," Sky replied coldly getting back into a tense fighting position.

Sky swung a right hook at Jack but this time he was ready to get the upper hand. While blocking his punch Jack used Sky's momentum to flip him over his shoulder, causing Sky to land roughly on the mats. Sky was stunned only for a moment before scrambling to his feet. Jack had question waiting for him though.

"My turn. Truth: You ask me why you should trust me after all I've done, but what about you? You are the most guarded person I know. You don't even trust your best friends enough to let them in, so why on earth should I trust you?"

"I don't need to give my life's story to earn someone's trust. I earn it with my actions. So what if maybe I'm not that talkative about my feelings and my home life I don't need to be because anyone who knows me knows that I always keep my promises and I am always there when it counts."

"Well if actions speak louder than words then you're just as much a liar as you claim I am," Jack said coolly.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sky spat.

"Sorry Sky, but it's not your turn to ask a question."

Sky lashed out angrily at Jack whom narrowly ducked to miss the blow. Jack attempted to take the offence by hitting Sky with a tornado kick but Sky caught his leg and tossed him to the ground.

"Alright, let's cut the bull shit," Sky said angrily. "Why did you and Z follow me on Sunday?"

"Why the hell were you lying to us all this time?" Jack shot back, his temper flaring as hotly as Sky's.

"I asked first."

"What are you? In the third grade?"

"Just answer the question!"

"Fine! You want to know? Honestly? I was sick and tired of your arrogant, domineering attitude! You were mister perfect SPD soldier boy and I figured there had to be more to you than that! No one is that shielded unless they have something to hide and I wanted to know what that was! I wanted to prove that you weren't the perfect little blue boy that you pretended to be and I wanted to rub it in your face!"

"Then why haven't you yet!" Sky shouted angrily.

"Because I'M NOT THAT MEAN!" Jack yelled back. By this point he was practically screaming in Sky's face. "I don't know what kind of person you think I am, but I can tell you I am the last person to be mocking someone for having a crappy childhood! It's not funny! It never is… no matter how much you hate the person."

"I don't want your pity Jack," Sky replied coldly.

"GOOD!" Jack spat before replying calmly, "Because having had an equally crappy one, you'll hardly be getting any from me."

"Good," Sky replied coolly before pausing. "So what was your question again?"

"Don't I have to hit you first before I can ask?" Jack asked.

Sky threw up his hands in defeat, "Screw the game! Just ask the question!"

"Fine. Why were you lying to us about where you were going every Sunday? Why not just say you were visiting your mom? You didn't have to tell us all the gritty details but you didn't have to lie."

"Yes I did. Come on, you're on the same squad as me Jack. You know who we work with. If people knew I was visiting my mom every week then one of these days some like Syd or Bridge would want to know why. Hell, they might even want to come along one of those Sundays. Or worse, they might try to come for a surprise visit. And guess who they'd find? Dear old mom passed out on the couch with a bottle of burban. They wouldn't get it Jack. Not like you or Z. They had the normal childhood with the trips to the zoo, and the that parents take you to the park for ice cream. They wouldn't get it and it would just make them uncomfortable if they knew. I mean, as much as I hate to admit it, you and I have far more in common than I'll ever have with them."

Jack stood silently for a moment. "I guess I just thought you were ashamed of it."

"I am," Sky said bluntly. "I am ashamed of her and I am ashamed of what I let my family become. I mean I may have been young but I wasn't stupid. I had a great childhood up until when my dad died when I was eight, so I knew something was wrong with her. I knew that wasn't the way things were supposed to be. She rarely even had a drink of wine with dinner before dad died. But instead of dealing with it, I ran away the first chance I got and pretended like she had never existed."

"You ran away?" Jack asked, shocked by Sky's confession.

"Metaphorically speaking. I joined the academy when I was 15 and I just never looked back. I didn't call. I didn't write. I never visited her or went home on holidays. I just cut her out and left her behind."

"Hey, I was there on Sunday too. I wouldn't blame anyone for wanting to get out of there as fast as they could."

"Well I would. And I'm sure my dad would too. It matter doesn't how bad a parent she was. She was my mother. She was family. And you don't abandon your family just because things get hard."

"Sometimes you don't have a choice. If there's one thing I learned on the streets it's that you need to be able to look after yourself before you can look after someone else. You were a kid and kids aren't supposed to look after their parents, parents are supposed to look after their kids. Besides, if you hadn't left then, you would have left when you were 18 and all that would have changed is you would have been even more bitter."

"How come you aren't?"

"What?"

"Bitter."

"About what?"

"Your childhood, your parents, life. Take your pick."

"I don't know. I am still sort of bitter about some things but a lot of that faded after I met Z. I found my family and that was all I really needed. What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I get the impression you were quite bitter before when you left. So what changed? Couldn't take the guilt?"

"Surprisingly, no. It had very little to do with guilt. When I came to academy the first person I met was Dru and he ended up being the closest thing I had to family in a long time. When he left, (before Bridge got assigned as my room mate) I started to realize how I much I missed that and how little family I had left in this world. I didn't even say good bye to her and I'm pretty sure I slammed the door on the way out."

"So that's when you decided to start your weekly ritual?"

"Pretty much, yeah. I mean, I've tried getting her to go to AA meetings and talk to social workers but she just wants to stay in funk and there's not much I can do about it. The doctors say she can't go on antidepressants until she gets her drinking under control but her depression was the whole reason she started in the first place. So…"

"So you bring her groceries every week, clean up the messes she makes…"

"And just try and help her get by. It's all I can do."

"Well at least you're there, and I'm sure your dad would be proud of you for that."

"Maybe… I hope so."

Both Jack and Sky were silent for a moment.

"So…"

"So…"

"Well this was fun," Jack chirped half heartedly.

"Loads," Sky replied flatly.

"Look, fighting is not getting us anywhere and I don't think I can take washing another window. Truce?" Jack said holding out his hand to Sky.

Surprisingly Sky took Jack's hand, only pausing for a moment before giving it a firm shake, "Truce."

Jack broke out into a grin and gave Sky a friendly pat on the back while heading for the door. "So, you hungry?"

"No."

Jack rolled his eyes, "Sky, I'm trying to extend the olive branch here. You're supposed to say, 'Yes Jack. I am hungry. Why do you ask?' and then I respond, 'Me and Z-

"Z and I."

"Whatever! 'Z and I are meeting for dinner at six. Would you like to join us?' at which point you say 'Sure Jack. I'd love to'."

Sky raised an eyebrow at Jack. "One, I already ate dinner. Two, just because we've come to this truce doesn't mean we're suddenly best friends. I still don't like you."

"Hey, you're no picnic to hang out with either." Jack replied laughingly. "But fine then, you want to play some light ball?"

Sky paused for a moment to think it over. He shrugged, "Okay."

"You know blue boy? We seriously need to work on your social skills."

"What can I say? I had a rough child hood," Sky replied smirking.

"Ha ha! You're hilarious." Jack replied sarcastically.

"I certainly like to think I am," Sky said, now full out grinning.

"I'm sure you think a lot of things but that doesn't mean you're going to do any better against me at light ball."

"Really? Because I thought beating you was the best I could do, and I don't need to think to do that."

"Okay, at what point did Sky Tate become a comedian?"

"Trust me; it's not that hard with you around."

"Excuse me?"

Sky just laughed in response, something he rarely did and Jack eventually joined in. As they neared the dorms, Sky waved a goodbye to Jack. "I'll see you later for that game, okay?"

"Alright, later."

Just as Jack was about to turn away though, Sky called out, "Hey Jack."

"Yeah,"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"I don't know. Listening I guess. I really don't know. Just… well, thanks."

"Your welcome."

"Oh and Jack, one question."

"Yeah?"

"You guys only followed me the one time right?"

"Yes,"

"And you followed me on foot, right?"

"Yeah,"

"So then, whose car were you driving when you followed me on my bike?"

The End

He he! Yeah! I finished! Go me! Gotta love a happy ending! I mostly just happy that I finished! Alittle sad though! It was fun to write. But to add more would spoil a good ending so it's best I leave it. (Good endings are hard to write!) Thanks for all the reviews and all the people following the story. I do hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it!

Thanks!