I woke up a bit later to a splitting headache. My ship was still motionless and there was dirt and green all around me and on my ship. I looked over to the arwing to find Falco still unconscious. I unbuckled myself and managed to get on my feet. I stumbled out of my ship and went toward Falco. His ship was buried halfway into the dirt so it was an easy task to get to him. I climbed up and pried the cockpit back to get to him then tried to shake him awake. It was hard to work through my headache.

"Wake up, Falco," I said as I shook him. "Come on, you idiot. Don't leave me alone. Wake up."

He finally began to shift and opened his eyes. As soon as he moved he grabbed his arm and groaned in pain. He looked up at me.

"Thank goodness you're okay," I breathed.

"What about you?" he asked as he lifted himself out of the cockpit. He used his good hand to cup my cheek then look me over. "Are you hurt?"

"Just a slight headache," I lied. "Your arm…."

"I'll be fine."

He hopped out of the cockpit and onto the ground. I followed his lead and watched as he flinched every time his arm moved. I stopped him and looked him in the eye.

"You're going to let me nurse you whether you like it or not," I told him in a hard tone. "We don't have time to drag around. We need to lick our wounds then figure out what the hell happened. Something about this whole thing isn't right…"

He gave in and let me look at his arm. Luckily it didn't seem like it was broken but, a fracture of some sort might have been present. I went into my ship to grab the first-aid box and made him a sling. When I was done, I sat back. My head was pounding in pain. It was hard to focus. Falco noticed.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Stay here, I have to check on my ship."

I wasted no time and spared no expense at checking every nook and cranny of my carrier. The outside was pretty banged up from the landing. What surprised me most was when I went to check the electricals and fuel lines, everything that could've helped us had been conveniently tampered with and cut. Damn it…

Falco came to check on me. "Everything alright?"

I let out a heavy sigh. "I have good news, bad news and more bad news."

The look on his face told me that he didn't like the sound of that.

"The bad news is, it looks like my ship has been sabotaged. That's a good indication that your arwing was too. Luckily, I have what I need here to at least patch it up enough to get us back to Gilford Station."

Falco looked impressed. "You weren't going to be helpless long, were you?"

I grinned. "Hardly. I know my way around my own ship."

"So what's the other bad news?"

"Fixing it myself will take me days, at least. With one arm out of commission, you're in no condition to help me. I can try to rig the com to at least squeeze out an SOS in Morse code but… That's about all we can hope for."

He gave me a nod. "Our lives are in your hands."

"It's a scary thought, isn't it?" I teased.

I went to the cockpit and did what I could to get the SOS out. On my way back to him, Falco headed me off.

"We've got company," he reported.

I ran out to see our newcomer and found a wolfen going to land. I cursed. I went to the cockpit and grabbed my only blaster then went back to Falco. I handed him the blaster. He took it then looked at me with questioning eyes.

"I'm going to be bait," I told him before he could ask. "If it's Wolf he'll be looking for me."

Falco immediately understood. "I've got your back."

I gave him a nod then he went to hide close-by. Within moments, there was a rustle of leaves. As expected, Wolf came stomping through the brush. He stopped as soon as he saw me.

"Imagine my surprise when I saw it was you and I wasn't the one who shot you down," Wolf grinned. He looked to the crashed arwing. "And yet, even you aren't talented enough to pilot two ships at once."

Falco snuck up behind Wolf and pointed the blaster at the back of Wolf's head.

"Maybe that's because she's not alone," Falco said.

Wolf chuckled as he raised his hands up in surrender and slowly turned to Falco.

"Even more shocking to find that the bird is here instead of Fox, your brother."

"How did you find out about that?" I couldn't believe this… Wolf of all people… It worried me how he could use this against me…

He turned his head to the side so his eye fell on me. He gave me a toothy grin. "I have my ways." He turned back to Falco. "I don't understand why you're still pointing that thing at me. As you can see, I'm unarmed. I didn't come here to cause trouble like I usually do. I came to innocently help this time. Considering your lack of aid…" He turned his attention to me. "By the way, how in the world did you manage to not get hurt on your way down, Kell?"

That question made Falco falter for a second. My headache certainly wasn't gone. In fact, my vision was starting to fade in and out. I wasn't about to let it get to me. I had a ship to get back into the air.

I shook it off to answer him. "That has nothing to do with anything right now. Why are you here?"

"I told you, I came to help. Your SOS doesn't reach far and it's weak but, it was receivable. You're more than welcome to use my ship to contact Star Fox."

I couldn't get past his generosity. Since when was Wolf O'Donnell this giving? I exchanged glances with Falco. I gave him a nod and he dropped the blaster to his side. Wolf also dropped his hands.

"Unfortunately, we do need his help," I told Falco. "I think it will better if Fox heard from you."

"I'm not leaving y-"

I raised my hand and interrupted him. "I'm already grounded, he's not a danger to me unless I'm flying." When he didn't leave, I reiterated. "I'll be fine. Go."

Falco hesitated for a moment, looked to Wolf then went on his way toward the wolfen. Wolf finally turned to me.

"Do you mind telling me what you're hiding?" he asked as he walked to me.

My weakness and my fading vision finally became too much and I went falling forward. Wolf moved quickly to catch me before I hit the ground.

"It would seem that you didn't come out of this unscathed." He turned me in his arms and held me. "You look like hell, Kell."

I smiled weakly. "Good to know…" I looked up at him. "I'm sorry. This is embarrassing… But I'm exhausted. My head hurts."

"I figured… Get some rest then. I'll take care of everything."

Something about that promise told me that he would keep to his word. I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

I awoke lying in a bed in a white room and to quiet. I looked around to see Craig sitting in the corner reading a book silently. The sound of me shifting around made him look up.

"You're awake," he said as he moved a chair to my side. "I'm so glad that you're alright. I was worried sick."

I sat up and let out a chuckle. "I'm back on Corneria. The hospital…"

He nodded. "Falco used Wolf's ship to contact Fox. Fox contacted me after that. When we showed up to get your ship, you were already being carried out by ambulance and Wolf was being arrested-"

"Arrested?! For what?!"

Craig seemed surprised by my shock. "He's a wanted criminal, Skye. They were doing the planets a favor."

"No! He was helping us! Besides, you were a criminal once. I don't see them arresting you for helping people with your company."

He laughed. "Oh Skye, I still am a criminal most days."

I smiled. "And Falco? How is he?"

"His arm is still in a sling but he seems fine. The doctor said he has a terrible sprain, luckily it's not broken. I had never seen him so worried over anyone."

"Give me a break… He's more worried about his standing with Fox."

"You give him too little credit, Skye. Believe it or not, he's quite taken by you. It would seem that Wolf is too."

"Now you're just being… crazy. Wolf? Of all people? Liking me? That's a mess waiting to happen."

Craig laughed again. "You would be right. That's quite the triangle you have working around you."

Just as he finished his sentence, his wife walked through the door. Melissa saw me up and awake then came running over to hug me.

"Thank goodness you're alright! We were so worried!" She pulled away to look at me. "Who would be so vile as to tamper with your ship? I hope we can catch them. You could've died!"

"As you can see, I'm fine," I assured her. "Safe and sound at home." I looked to Craig. "What did the doctor say about my head injury?"

"Slight concussion," Craig answered. "Easily beaten by our ace pilot." He pointed that last comment toward me.

I smiled at him then looked away. Melissa cleared her throat.

"I'll go let Fox know that you're awake." She took her leave quickly.

I was kind of taken aback by her swift departure. I looked to Craig for an answer.

"It's nothing to worry about. We'll get through it like we always have."

Before I could get a better explanation from him, Hara burst through the door along with Slippy. Fox took his time coming in after them. Craig moved aside so that my friends and brother could come to me.

"Take a few days to get your strength up," Craig told me. "We'll look into the sabotage and try to find out who was behind it. I'll see you soon."

I gave him a nod and he left me. Hara came to sit with me. She hugged me tightly.

"I'm so glad you're okay. You had us worried. What happened?"

"I will tell you everything later, I promise. Girl talk and everything."

Fox stepped forward with his arms crossed. "Welcome back, little sister."

I gave them all a smile then looked toward the door. Leaning against the doorframe with his arm still in a sling was Falco. He was okay… A wave of relief washed over me.

"I'm sorry everyone but, I want to speak to Falco. Alone."

Nobody argued with me. They all took their leave and let Falco in to see me. He turned the chair beside my bed backwards and straddled it. I gave him a small smile.

"I'm glad that your arm isn't in too bad shape."

He smirked. "And I'm glad you finally woke up from your headache."

I chuckled at his gentle quip then let out a sigh. "What happened after I passed out? Tell me everything."

He rubbed his eyes in exasperation. "Where do I even start? I was able to contact Fox using the wolfen's communications only to return to our ships with you unconscious. Wolf said you had passed out and complained of a headache before you went out. He surprisingly seemed really worried. He didn't leave your side."

That shocked me. Wolf? Caring for me? It was unlike the Wolf I knew.

"In any case," Falco continued. "Our rescue team, Fox, Craig, and some of the military, came within a few hours. You were brought here while they arrested Wolf. He didn't put up a fight, which, is kind concerning. It worries me that we don't know what he's planning."

I agreed with him. Still, Wolf was only helping us and they arrested him anyway. I owed him. I owed him big. I also owed Falco.

"Thank you, Falco. I'm sorry I passed out on you."

"Make sure it doesn't happen again. You had everyone worried."

"Including you?" I teased.

He turned away at my question. I already knew his answer and sobered.

"Really? For a minute there I didn't think you liked me."

"I like you just fine, Skye. Really. I just… I don't know…" He got up from the chair and put his good hand in his pocket. "I'm just glad you're okay." He moved toward the door.

"Wait, Falco," I called. "I never answered your question back on Fichina."

He slowly turned to me.

"I've never had a problem trusting people. I have a problem with being held down, not being able to do what I want. Without my freedom… You might as well put me out of my misery. I don't want to depend on anyone for anything. It's not who I am."

He stared at me for a moment, maybe trying to wrap his mind around what I told him. He simply gave me a nod then closed the door behind him. I got out of bed to get dressed and get ready to leave. As soon as I was done, Hara walked in and paused when she saw me dressed.

"What do you think you're doing?" she questioned. "You should be in bed resting." She crossed her arms when I looked up at her. "I know that look in your eyes. You're planning something."

I smirked mischievously. "I'm breaking someone out of jail. I have a debt to repay."

She thought it over for a second then smiled. "Count me in. When are we going?"

"As soon as I can think of a decent plan. We're busting Wolf out."