Melinda wakes up in early hours of the day because she has shark DNA she doesn't really need to sleep. Melinda looks around her everyone is still sound asleep. She slowly gets up and creeps into the kitchen without waking anyone up and glances at the clock on the kitchen wall, 06.30am. Melinda then walked into the barn, played there for a little while then she quickly got bored and fell asleep among the hay.
Max moves around in a restless sleep and realises something is missing, Melinda.
"Zack where's Melinda?" Max asked waking him up
"I don't know Maxie, what time is it?" he replied sleepily
"8am. I'm going to check upstairs for her" Max searched up the stair "Melinda" she called out going into every room. She panicked and ran back down into the living room.
"Zack she's not in the house" Max told him
"Max what's up?" Syl questioned
"Melinda's missing" Max replied
"When did you last see her?" Krit asked
"During the night she was really restless" Zack answered
"Max didn't you say she has shark DNA, maybe she could sleep and went for a walk" Krit suggested
"She could have went into the barn" Syl commented
"Yeah am gonna go check" Max replied and left
"Hey we'll help you look for her" Krit said
"Thanks guys" Zack replied
"Your welcome" Syl said looking up at a concerned father.
The four transgenics walked into the barn calling out Melinda's name but she didn't answer. They entered and Krit closed the door behind him.
"Syl Krit you check this half" Zack said pointing to half of the barn floor "Me and Max will check that half" he finished.
"It's clear" Syl confirmed after checking
"Same here" Max said plainly
The X5's walked towards each other then Zack stopped and looked up to the second level of the barn.
"I think i heard something form up there" Zack said
Zack climbed up the stairs to the second floor and straight away he could hear someone breathing steadily. He followed the sound which lead to what they were looking for.
"You guys she's up here asleep" Zack said down to Max, Syl and Krit
"Can you bring her down without waking her up?" Max asked
"I'll try" Zack ansered
Zack slowly walked up to Melinda without making a sound and tried to lift her but she wakes up. She gets a fright and jumps up and does a full round kick without warning and catches Zack off guard. He falls off the edge. Krit blurs and pushes a large bail of hay to where Zack was falling to break the fall. Zack lets out a slight grunt of pain as he lands on his back.
"Zack are you okay?" Krit asks his brother who is standing next to him placing a hand on his arm.
"Yeah bro am good" He replies rubbing his back as Krit helps him up.
"MELINDA! What did you do that for?" Max shouts at her.
Melinda doesn't answer she starts to cry as she looks at an angry Max and a loving father she just hurt. Melinda jumps down from the second level and lands on her feet, then she runs to the other end of the barn and hides. Max chases after her.
Max passes where Melinda is hiding and she takes this as an opportunity to run for the door near Zack and Krit. She looks at them as she runs towards them then looks back at the closed door. She starts to push and pull at the door but it wont budge. Melinda angrily punches and kicks the door and continues to cry.
Syl walks over to a crying, screaming and scared Melinda. She pulls her away from the door trying to clam her down by saying "Were here now it's fine" Zack and Krit sit on the bail of hay and watch.
Max runs an wraps her arms around Melinda, who try's to push Max away, punches and cries "NO..NO let me go".
"Sshh it's okay, it's okay" Max tells her in a soft tone
"No let me go" Melinda whispers she cries harder then gives in and hugs Max back. Melinda cries into her shoulder.
"We'll go back into the house and let you three talk" Syl whispered to Zack before she and Krit left, Zack nodded.
Max picks Melinda up, walks over to where Zack is sitting and sits down.
"Melinda" Zack says but she does not respond. He tries to pull her off Max to cuddle her but she clings on around Maxs neck. Melinda cuddles into Max and quietly cries.
"Melinda honey please don't cry" he says rubbing her back.
"When Max woke up and she couldn't find you. She got me up to tell me and do you know what... I was afraid for the first time since i was a little boy... I was afraid i didn't know where my little girl was or if you were hurt and i was so worried something bad had happened to you and i had failed my daughter because i wasn't there to protect you... i love you." Zack said in a soft and caring tone.
Max smiled at him and Melinda turned around and wrapped her arms around her dad.
"I love you too dad. You can't protect me all the time" Melinda said to him
"No but i can try. Did i scare you? If i did i'm sorry" Zack apologised to his daughter.
"Yeah you did. I had a dream about Manticore, they were chasing me and i thought they had found me and were going to take be back" Melinda told him.
"Don't worry we will never let them take you away from us" Max comforted her.
"Sorry i punched you mum" Melinda apologies
"It's okay you were just in shock" Max replies
"Dad i'm sorry i kicked you... I didn't mean to it was just happened. Are you okay?" Melinda said to her dad
"It was your soldier instincts kicking in telling you to defend yourself. Yeah am fine us X5's don't bruise easily" he replied to Melinda.
Max stands up and holds her hand out to Melinda and says "How about we go ask auntie Syl to make us some nice hot chocolate?"
"Mmm yum" Melinda took Maxs hand and held her other hand out to Zack who accepted it. They walked happily to the house Melinda looks up at Zack. "I really am sorry" she tells him "Its okay, i forgive you" Zack replies smiling.
"Morning auntie Syl.. Morning baby bump" Melinda said as she walked into the kitchen where Syl and Krit were drinking hot chocolate.
"Good morning little one" Syl replied smiling
"Morning sunshine" Krit said to her
"Morning uncle Krit" Melinda replied smiling
"There's some hot chocolate left if you want some" Krit tells her even though he made it just for her.
"Oh yes please" Melinda said cheerfully
Syl left the two X5's in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate and sat next to Max in the living room, Zack was standing next to the window.
"How is she?" Syl asked
"She's okay just got frightened when i woke her up" Zack answers
"She was having a nightmare about Manticore" Max informs her
"The poor thing must have thought they had found her" Syl guessed
"Yep that's exactly what she said" Max comments
"What are you two doing today?" Syl asked curious
"Nothing Why? What do you have planed?" He asked
"Well Krit might need a hand with the car if you wanna help him cause i don't think he has a clue what he's doing" Syl said
"Hey i heard that i do to" Krit commented from the kitchen
"It's okay lil' bro i'll show you how to fix the car properly" Zack said laughing
"Know how there are five of us and five horses i thought we could teach Melinda how to horse ride if she wants.. and if it's okay with you two." Syl suggested
"Am sure she will love it. You know she loves you and Krit to bits and the baby" Zack says
"Aww, i'm glad we love her too" Syl replies
"Yep and you teaching her to horse ride will be training for your own little one" Zack said smiling
They all laughed and went into the kitchen, then they all went into the barn.