Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC Margo and the alterations in the storyline her presence in this universe provides the readers in enjoyment.
Caesar's Pearl 2 Chapter 23
Margo woke up by loud chirps and twittering of birds nearby and the cool morning air.
Margo slowly raised her head from where it had lay on her arms, eyes red and puffy from an overnight crying spell.
Ranger was still sleeping beside her, soft snores being expelled from his nose. Margo strokes the fur on his head causing him to inhale deeply and roll onto his back.
Suddenly Ranger eyes snapped open and jumped to his feet, keen ears catching something coming towards them in the distance.
"What is it, Ranger," whispered Margo.
Ranger tiptoed to the edge of the roof getting a closer look.
Behind the dense foliage from the trees above Margo can see what's gotten her companion so riled.
A jeep is coming their way one she instantly recognizes.
It's one of the cars Malcolm's team had taken into the Redwoods. Margo and Ranger lay flat pressing into the roof so as not to be seen. Margo assumes they'll drive right passed them. Contrary to her presumptions the vehicle slows to a stop in front of the house.
Before the car had even come to a full halt the door on the drivers side opens and out stepped Malcolm.
Having a strong feeling of what his intentions are, outrage blazing in her heart, Margo hissed "Oh hell no!"
If Malcolm things he can just step foot in this house asking for whatever favors he might desire from her after all that awful betrayal in the paradise Caesar had built with his own hands then he has another thing coming.
Moving around in the shadows the majority of her life Margo can move pretty fast. Which is how Margo got to the front door before Malcolm, Alex, and Ellie even finished getting out of the car. The family of three was all crowded around the jeeps rear when the front door banged open, alarming them greatly.
Margo appears to have even more of a menacing and repellent presence with a bloodthirsty dog positioned in a hunting crouch at her side.
"Margo," said Malcolm, eyes huge.
Stepping over to the edge of the front porch into the light, Margo said "How dare you come here. You have a lot of nerve after what you and yours tried to pull."
Moving to stand beside her husband, Ellie said "Margo, it wasn't us."
Eyes dark, cold, and unmoving, Margo demands "Give me one good reason why I should believe you."
As one all three of them moved aside to unveil to Margo what they'd been transporting in the jeep.
Or better yet, who?
There lying flat in the trunk of the jeep is Caesar very much alive, but with a bullet wound in his chest.
The weapon Margo held in her hands to ward Malcolm off in life of them even trying to get into her house slipped from limp fingers onto the woodwork as she stares dumbstruck.
Caesar smiles weakly at his little sister waving a tired and fatigued hand at her.
"Caesar," she gasped.
Margo holds the door wide open so Malcolm and Ellie can carry the exhausted ape leader inside the dwelling. They were being very careful not to jostle him.
"Go move the table," said Margo, pointing at it.
Alex slides the table away till it's underneath the window. Ranger was whining profusely. Walking around Malcolm and Ellie's feet in quick circles.
"Ranger, enough," berates Margo, not wanting him to trip them up and injure Caesar more.
"Okay. Put him right here," said Margo, motioning for Ellie and Malcolm to place Caesar on the couch in a place where he can be comfortable.
Caesar paid no attention to the people surrounding him. His eyes are wide as he takes in every detail he can of the house he'd left behind. The house where he shared so many dear memories with her.
As soon as Caesar became situated Margo is immediately at his side, kneeling down at his head. Caesars gaze locks onto her.
Biting her lip, tears swelling up in her eyes yet not falling, Margo stammered "I-I thought you were dead."
"Not…yet," breathed Caesar, raspy.
Margo releases a choked laugh.
Caesar caresses Margo's cheek with the back of his knuckles.
All the while Caesar and Margo were distracted with each other Alex's attention was drawn to the hearth over the fireplace.
Swiping a picture frame, holding it where Malcolm and Ellie can both see it, Alex said "Dad, look. Look."
The picture is Will and Caesar sitting at the kitchen table laughing together when he was a baby.
A look of understanding dawning on Malcolm's face, he said "You used to live here?"
Caesar nods in clarification gazing around the room in nostalgia.
Eyes hard, Margo said "I'd advise you to put that back."
Alex didn't think twice.
Caesar doesn't look too good. The wound is deep, the bullet having not exited through the back of his shoulder. It's still lodged in there and causing more damage by the minute.
"We need to operate. I don't have anything. There's a surgical kit back at the place, but that's-," said Ellie, surmising it to be suicide.
"I'll go," murmured Malcolm.
Shaking her head in shock, Ellie said "It's not safe."
"He's the only one that can stop this," argued Malcolm.
Malcolm left them soon afterwards.
Margo can't bear seeing Caesar in such agony. Since they don't have any medicine she would try something else.
"What are you doing," said Ellie.
Margo ignores them moving with a purpose.
Ellie and Alex exchange an exasperated look at her dismissal.
Seconds later they have their answer.
Margo sat down at the piano in the corner.
Charles old and grand piano.
Margo hasn't played in years, but to her if she pictures it correctly then it could very well have been yesterday. Music spread throughout the house. More specifically the keys belonging to a piano, one Caesar remembers.
Ellie and Alex listened to Margo play in bemusement, fingers skimming skillfully over the keys. It does pay to have a professor and composer as a grandfather.
Charles Rodman would be proud.
While playing one of Charles favorites from memory Margo leans her head backwards, eyes closed in remembrance.
Caesar smiles, tears dripping from his eyes as he listens.
Margo continues to softly conduct the Rodman families favorites on the piano to pass the time. By the time she reaches the end all of them assumed Malcolm would return with the stuff. If he didn't then there's be no way to help Caesar.
Malcolm's been gone for too long.
Too much time had passed. Ellie and Alex were beginning to get nervous. The thought of Malcolm getting caught by an enemy patrol or killed were possibilities neither wanted to contemplate. But as time wore on those kinds of scenarios became even more likely.
Margo fidgets on the couch beside Caesar. Really she hasn't moved once since Malcolm left. Too afraid that Caesar would cease breathing the very moment she left. At present Caesar was laid out on the sofa holding his hand while rubbing his arm soothingly.
The front door opened startling them all, but when Malcolm walked inside holding his backpack they relaxed rising to meet him.
Ranger got to Malcolm first, barking and circling him happily, nosing the bag he brought.
"I got it," said Malcolm, handing the backpack to Ellie. She immediately stuck her hand inside for the surgical kit. "How is he?"
Ellie opened her mouth to answer, but stopped short.
Even Ranger froze, neck fur bristling.
Exhibiting caution Blue Eyes warily walked inside holding his gun read incase this ended up to be a trap of some kind. Instead he found Caesar lying immobile on the couch weakened, but very much alive. Blue Eyes stared blankly at his father unable to comprehend what he was seeing is actually the truth.
In response Caesar smiled weakly at his son.
Blue Eyes looked back and forth from the gun in his hand to Caesar. Slowly he set the gun down against the wall and approached his father.
"Your Mother…Brother," breathed Caesar. "Safe?"
Nodding, Blue Eyes signed "For now."
Gasping Caesar collapsed onto the couch cushions in relief a single tear escaping.
It was then Blue Eyes registered the bullet wound in Caesar's shoulder the hair surrounding the hole thickened with blood old and fresh.
Furious Blue Eyes spun around snarling at the humans putting blame on them, believing they're responsible for this. Shaken by Blue Eye's act of aggression they hastily stepped backwards. Even Margo tenses yet refuses to budge.
"No," said Caesar, softly, grasping Blue Eyes wrist to prevent him from lunging at his saviors, shaking his head. "No. Not human."
Blue Eyes turned back towards Caesar in shock. If it wasn't any of the humans then who…
"Koba," said Caesar, sullenly declaring the manic bonobo as the culprit.
The truth seemed to seriously rattle them all. Koba definitely has his own issues about them, but to take it this far is a whole other level.
"Malcolm," murmured Ellie, knowing time is short.
Nodding, Malcolm said "Yeah."
"Caesar," insisted Ellie, walking around Blue Eyes to kneel at his head taking the necessary medical supplies out of the bag. This would take two people. Malcolm would be her assistant. "We need to do this now."
"Son," said Caesar, prompting Blue Eyes to lift his head, extending a hand palm up.
Blue Eyes looked to his father a tear slipping from the corner of his eye.
Caesar pointedly looks at Margo with his eyes.
"Go with Margo," he coughed. "You shouldn't see this."
The operation was tiresome physically and mentally for both human and ape. By the end of it all were extremely exhausted. Malcolm, Ellie, and Alex stayed outside while it was safe in the abandoned Pacific Heights District, allowing the apes inside some much needed privacy, moving on to other sections of the house.
The lack of sufficient tools and anesthetic took their toll on Caesar. Halfway into the surgery he lost consciousness. If it weren't for his inner strength he would surely be dead.
During the span of the operation Margo kept Blue Eyes distracted by giving him a tour of his fathers old home. Basically telling stories of their shared childhood and the people who had resided here with them. His deceased human relatives. She even brought him to the attic space. Margo wasn't worried, all of the other humans were well occupied downstairs. It's here that Blue Eyes finally understood the symbol Caesar always held so close to represent the Tribe. Here in this house Caesar had learned love, caring, and compassion. Things he wanted to pass down to the others. Blue Eyes is too damn ashamed that his stubbornness is what let it get this far. That it took him so long to learn all this for himself when it should've come naturally as his son.
Now, as the hours went by, he dutifully sat vigil for Caesar to awaken. On the table were some rations Ellie had set aside for him to eat when he got hungry. In his hands Blue Eyes held an old photograph preserved in a wooden frame. Examining the picture he recognized a younger version of his father as a toddler and an unknown human. Blue eyes discovered humans had raised his father so this house must've been his home and the human in the picture was the one who'd taken care of him. This explained Caesar's for being so sympathetic and compassion towards them and their hardships.
Suddenly the awakening of his father startled Blue Eyes. Caesar woke coughing, grunting in pain a hand to his newly stitched wound. Blue Eyes set the picture frame on the table taking a seat on the arm of the couch.
Margo rose as well. Taking a position at Caesar's head. Ranger noses Caesars hand.
Caesar chuckles tickling the dogs ears and pressing foreheads to Margo.
Then, for a few moments, father and son just stared at each other neither saying a word. They spoke with their eyes. Caesar smiled gently at his eldest child. Blue Eye's expression was filled with guilt. His eyes were red and puffy from crying.
"I'm so sorry," apologized Blue Eyes. "For everything." A lot there was left unsaid, but Blue Eyes didn't know what else to say, how to put the rest of what he was feeling correctly into words.
Caesar understood better than most. The emotions in his heart were coming from the same direction.
"No," whispered Caesar, hoarse, calmly. "I am to blame."
Confused at the admission, Blue Eyes signed "But Koba betrayed you."
"I chose to trust him because he is ape," deduced Caesar, breathlessly, calm. "I always think…ape better than human. I see now…how much like them we are."
Blue Eyes actually listened to his father hearing him, something he hadn't normally been partial to. This one day apart had altered his drastically. He was very forthcoming, torn up inside.
"Where Koba now," asked Caesar.
"On the human tower," informed Blue Eyes. "Loyal apes around him."
"And those who not follow," asked Caesar, fearing the answer.
"Prisoners," signed Blue Eyes. "Maurice, Rocket…Koba killed Ash."
Caesar's heart went out for his child. Ash was Blue Eyes best friend since childhood. They did everything together.
Koba wasn't a leader the tribe deserved. Not by a long shot.
"Fear makes others follow," signed Blue Eyes. "But when they see you alive. They will turn from Koba."
"Not if I am weak," said Caesar, low and grave, thinking realistically. "Ape always seek strongest branch."
A low growl rumbling in his chest, grimacing in pain as he attempt to rise, Caesar grunts "I must do something to stop him."
Margo wasn't having any of that nonsense.
"Don't even think about," said Margo, firmly. "Caesar, you don't have the strength. You must recover further. If you return like this you'll lose for sure."
"Father," rasped Blue Eyes, his voice so rough and unused, speaking clearly for the first time. There was a fierce determination in his eyes that hadn't been present previous. "Let me help you."
Caesar stared at his son in pride cupping the back of Blue Eye's head. Finally, at long last, Blue Eyes was learning. Slowly Blue Eyes was working to become the ape Caesar always envisioned him to be.
Blue Eyes took his leave to put the plan they've concocted into action. He's been gone for two days straight. The small group is forced to lay low to avoid discovery.
Margo and Caesar took this time to reconnect more.
At the end of the second day Caesar was strong enough to move about on his own. The wound pains him, but it's bearable and on the med thanks to Ellie.
With Margo's help Caesar made his way to the attic. That's where he wants to be not downstairs.
Margo comes in and out of this room all the time, but for Caesar it's been forever. So many happy times were here. Everywhere he looks holds dozens of different memories. Caesar smiles over all of it sadly.
Despite what led to where they are now Caesar wouldn't trade any of it. The good nor the bad. Margo follows Caesar around holding his hand like they used to.
Caesar then spots the old video camera on a table. He picked it up turning it over in his hands. He starts noticing there's still some power left in the battery. Over the years Margo had tried to conserve whatever battery life was stored in order to watch the videos as much as possible, only a couple of seconds sporadically each and every time. Now there's barely any left. Perhaps there's enough juice for one last time. Aware what he wanted without speaking Margo turns it on and an image springs to life.
In this video Caesar and Will are in the kitchen when the former was a toddler. This is one of the first videos Will had ever shot before Margo was born. By the look of things it wasn't that far ahead. He was teaching tiny Caesar how to do sign language.
"Okay. Caesar, look," said Will, repeating one sign over and over. "Apple. Apple."
The younger Caesar in the video mimicked the sign.
"Good. Home," said Will, forming another. "Home."
Caesar chuckles and Margo leans into him placing her head on his shoulder.
"Yes," said Will, laughing when Caesar identified the space as his. "This is your home. Your home. Good. Good. That's good."
Caesar leans in to hug Will. As the two embrace warmly the video cut making the viewfinder go black. The battery has run out.
Margo and Caesar complete the hug Caesar and Will had been about to do in the video. Margo begins to cry again, missing her parents so much. Caesar consoles her as much as he can rubbing her back supportively and stroking a hand through hair. She wept then, heart heavy. Margo laid her head against his beating heard until she had no more tears to shed.
For a few seconds neither of them were adults anymore. They were back to being the innocent children that loved each other so dearly.
Margo and Caesar aren't alone.
Caesar notices someone near the attic door watching them as he places the camera on the bed.
It's Malcolm.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude," apologized Malcolm, rising from where he was knelt. Malcolm slowly walks deeper into the room, taking everything in. "It's been two days. Your son is not back yet?"
Margo sniffles, rubbing her eyes. Caesar whips the tears away gently.
"Who was that," broached Malcolm, delicately. "On the video."
"The man….The man was my father," said Margo, softly. "Our father."
"A good man," states Caesar. "Like you."
Malcolm seems rendered speechless, stunned by this admittance from Caesar. Immense gratitude radiates off him from this display of acceptance. One he never expected to get from either of them. This is a very proud moment for him. Lately it doesn't sound like he is, but to hear it come from Caesar's own lips and the hostility nonexistent from Margo is an enormous reward.
The sound of hoots from outside made Margo, Caesar, and Malcolm peer out the window protruding from the attic.
Blue Eyes has returned and he's not alone. An entire troop is with him. Those most loyal to Caesar along with his moral code and ideals have come to join them.
When Caesar came outside the troop surged forth. Caesar greeted all of them warmly beyond happy to see they were intact unharmed. His eyes roamed over the group greeting each and every one of them warmly.
Margo did the same to Blue Eyes. She hugged and cupped his face in her palms so relieved he made it out unscathed, safe.
Following Caesar and Margo outside trails Malcolm with Ellie and Alex.
"They need to get to the tower without being seen," said Malcolm, kissing Ellie and hugging his son farewell. "I'm going to take him through the subway."
"I love you," said Ellie, kissing him goodbye.
"What news do you bring," asked Caesar, speaking to the loyalists in front of him.
"Koba sent for the females and young. They're on their way. Mother, too," signed Blue Eyes, emphasizing the symbol for "mother" expressing the danger she was under.
Horrified he spun on his feet towards Malcolm, riddled with fear for his wife and youngest son, Caesar gasped "Must go. Now!"
Authors Note:
Almost there! Ah! ;D
Do you guys think she should go with Caesar or Malcolm?
Hope you guys all liked this one! I certainly did while writing it!