Chapter 11

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As we trekked back to the cave, I noticed that my two friends seemed to have lost a fair bit of weight. Their faces were thinner, and they looked truly worn. Both physically, and mentally.

"I thought you'd all been killed" Amanda started saying, linking her arm with mine, and I took her hand, squeezing it a little.

"We thought... well, we thought the worst" Tears once again sprung to my eyes, and I put my arms around her, hugging her as we walked. Seeing her in front of me, alive and all right... I went from relieved to tearful then relieved again. Seeing her as she was though... it made me worry.

"We almost all were" Ithiell told her "But... what happened to you two? You look like you've been through hell"

"We have" Was Robert's short response.

Amanda suddenly stopped, letting out a small sob, and I turned to her, seeing her covering her face with her hands.

"Amanda?"

She leaned over, putting her head on my shoulder, and I couldn't help but put my arms around her, hugging her close and feeling the bones underneath those tattered clothes.

"When they came, we took to the sky, thinking we could shut that big ship down. We'd just gotten Amanda's brothers out..."

"But I still don't know where my dad is!" Her eyes met mine, and so close I could see the deep bags under her eyes, and her cheek bones sticking out.

"Amanda..." I half wondered if her dad had been Yeerked, too afraid to even suggest it at such a delicate time.

"We... didn't get a chance to save my... parents" Robert half growled, and I looked at him, seeing his fists were clenched tightly.

"It's all my fault Robert" Amanda sobbed, going to him and putting her arms gingerly around him. He sighed, anger dissipating as he returned the hug.

"I keep telling you it's not. There is nothing we could have done"

"But we didn't-" Ithiell seemed to rethink what he was going to say, instead "So, they took a direct shot at the town itself? Why leave the woods?"

"We don't know" Robert muttered from over Amanda's dust-covered hair "But... everyone in that town was... killed instantly..."

"How did you guys avoid the blast? Surely being in the sky-"

"We were above the ship itself. Amanda had the idea we might be able to get into the ship that way" Robert patted her hair, and she moved back, sniffling a little. She moved to go to Ithiell, who took her in his arms eagerly, and she pulled him as close as she could.

"How did you guys... I mean, Mand, where are your brothers?"

"I... I don't know" Was her muffled response, and all I could see was a single brown eye under that wild hair as she looked over at me.

"Connor took his car out of town after I told him to go. I think they got out okay... I haven't-"

She suddenly stopped, looking over at Robert, who was leaning against a tree.

"We've been... cleaning up... the town ever since. We figured the people here deserved a proper burial. We've been going slowly... there is so many..." Now even he looked about to cry, his hand over his face as he grimaced, taking in a deep breath.

Before any of us could react, Robert suddenly pulled the gun he had been carrying out, aiming it in a random direction and firing a shot. I heard a metallic clang as something deflected the bullet, turning around to see Leo there, katana out and in a defensive position. Donnie was behind him, Bo at the ready.

"Whoa! It's us!" Leo sheathed his katana as they walked towards us, hearing Robert sigh.

"Sorry, I uh... we've been a little on edge lately"

"Good to see you too" Leo came up, patting him on the shoulder a little. He looked almost relieved to see Leo, smiling up at him.

"What's with the gun?" I asked, turning back to the conversation "I mean, Donnie said they Yeerks came and... and then left"

"We've been having... a few leftover Yeerks coming through the town and woods from time to time" Amanda had managed to turn around, looking at all of us as Ithiell held her from behind, his head on her now skinny shoulder. I couldn't believe how horrible she looked.

"We uh...we found one in your house" I admitted, scratching my head a little "I thought... I thought it was you"

"Oh... her. Well... I forgot about her" She sighed, looking tired.

"She tried to ambush Amanda as she was looking for some supplies" Robert smiled a little cruelly then, waving the gun a little "I surprised her"

"So... you've spent the last three or four months... just burying people?" Ithiell spoke up now, and to my surprise Amanda moved away from him, turning to look sadly at all of us.

"We couldn't just leave them there! And... there really hasn't been anywhere else to go..."

"Didn't you think to try and contact us?" Leo squeezed Robert's shoulder, and he sighed.

"Don't you think we tried? There was no response. We..." To my surprise, Robert tossed the gun aside, looking up at me, and I saw pure fear in his eyes.

Robert? Afraid?

They really must have gone through hell.

"We thought we were the only ones left alive. We tried to scavenge what food and supplies we could, but most of this was just to delay our own deaths, we thought we could at least bury the town, before..."

I couldn't help it. I had never seen Robert so afraid, and so... accepting of his own death. I moved over grabbing his shoulders and yanking him towards me as I put my arms around him in a rough hug. He seemed surprised at first, but then returned the hug as I felt myself shaking a little.

"Dont you... ever... talk like that again, you hear?"

"I..."

"No, no you listen to me" I moved back, my hands on his shoulders, squeezing a little as he looked at me with confusion in those steely blue eyes. Those eyes used to haunt me for a different reason... now...

"You... do not... give up. No matter what"

"Jade, I-"

"No, I don't want to hear it Robert. You're an asshole, and I hate you most days, but I never... ever want you to think like this again!"

To my surprise, he smirked, a hint of the old Robert back, moving and patting my head a little.

"All right shorty, whatever you say"

Any other day that remark would have started an argument between us.

Today... I was just glad to know he was alive.

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We all went back to the fighter, after letting Amanda and Robert get what was left of their belongings in the cave. Amanda wanted to stay and finish burying the rest of the town, but Ithiell assured her that we would come back and finish the job... after all this was over.

We needed to get them away from this, since it was probably not doing either of them any good. Robert for one thing, was a mess, and Amanda...

Well, she was mostly herself, but there was this vacant look in her eyes. Like what she'd seen...what she had to go through...

It seemed worse than any kind of torture I could imagine.

Fortunately, it seemed that having Ithiell around was helping her a little, and vice versa. I watched as Ithiell stood at the controls, one hand tapping away, while the other arm was wrapped around Amanda's waist. Amanda had her head on Ithiell's shoulder, her arm just as tightly around him, and I heard her muttering things to him, in which he responded just as quietly.

Robert, however, still wasn't really looking or sounding like himself. And I couldn't blame him. He'd lost his family... he'd probably had to be the one to bury them...

He was sitting against the side of the fighter, knees bent as he leaned his arms on them, his head in his arms. Leo was beside him, sitting quietly and just being a familiar presence.

I think Donnie saw my worry, standing up and offering me a hand to take, pulling me up and leading me into the room and shutting the door behind us quietly.

"I hope you're not-"

He shook his head, sitting down on the bed and indicating I join him, which I did reluctantly.

I looked up at him, and he smiled, a hand on my back, and I realised what he had dragged me in here for.

"Donnie I... they're so broken. I've never seen Robert this way"

He frowned, but stayed silent as I leaned my elbows on my knees, looking at the door.

"I don't know what to do. I don't think there is anything I can do to help them. I mean... Ithiell might be able to help Amanda, but Robert..."

A hand was under my chin, turning me to look up at him as he smiled sweetly.

"Just be yourself. Babying them won't do them any good, so just be you, act normally, and be there when they decide that they need you"

I hummed a little "You could be right, but... Donnie, how will I know when they need me?"

"You'll know. You are..." He sat me up, and I looked straight into my eyes "You are my wonderful, sweet, loving, caring Jade"

He then moved forward, kissing my forehead "And my Jade always finds a way"

I smiled up at him, pushing his glasses back up for him "Thank you my love. You always say the right thing"

He smiled mischievously then "Really? Because, most of the time, I'm just guessing"

I couldn't help but laugh a little, moving over and sidling up to him as he rested an arm around my waist. I put my arm around the back of his shell, just enjoying his warmth for the moment.

"Now... why is it you always consoling me? And not... the other way around?"

He shrugged against me "I honestly don't know. Maybe because I've never been through war like you"

I looked up at him, and he sighed a little.

"But... when that creature took you... I thought you really were gone this time"

"Yeah, you and me both" I muttered, both of us going silent for a moment.

"I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost my brothers, or Sensei..." He finally admitted, meeting my eyes with sad ones as he looked down at me.

"When the Shredder and Splinter were fighting in our old lair, I thought... I really thought I'd lost him. And I couldn't do anything to help at the time, because we got captured, and... " He trailed off, frowning and almost looking like he was reliving it in his mind.

"But... you guys escaped, then saved him and the city"

"Yeah, but it was close. I think the worst part was falling from so far up. I thought that really was the end" His voice became high pitched, and I couldn't help but smile a little.

"Well, I'm glad it wasn't. And now you're here"

I kissed his cheek a little, and he smiled.

"But I promise, if I ever need to talk about anything else... I'll come to you first"

"That's my Ninja Nerd" I nudged him a little. Surprisingly enough, Donnie rarely spoke about the big fight with Shredder. I knew only the basics of what had happened, but I'd never heard him actually talk about how he felt.

It felt good to know he was finally letting me in about that. At least... a little.

I just hope we kept up our little talks.

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"I got the salad!" Mikey yelled, lifting the large bowl over Serah's head as she passed under him, going to get something else from the kitchen. The kitchen itself, and our large dining room, was bustling as everyone helped set up for dinner. Suddenly he tripped, crying out as the bowl went flying in the air. In seconds Raphael caught the bowl, keeping it upright and making sure it didn't spill everywhere.

"I don't got the salad" Mikey said sheepishly, looking at his brother who only growled at him, setting the bowl beside where I was putting cutlery down.

It was strange how used to this we all were. Living together, occasionally eating together as well, and just all of us pitching in.

This time, we had two extra people.

Amanda was getting herself set up in the same room as Ithiell, and Robert had gone to shower while we all set up.

"You gotta be more careful" I heard Raph say as he passed behind me, then I half saw him move back as Rachel came back through with the bread rolls we had, seeing her move to give him a peck as she went past, hearing him hum a little, before moving back into the kitchen.

The other Animorphs had once again decided to head back to the valley, because Marco was getting a little worried about his dad, and wanted to make sure if Jake had actually gone back there, that he wasn't causing more trouble. They would come back when they knew everything was settled, and we would start planning a final assault on the pool ship above the city. I just hoped Sequae would live up to his...her... it's... end of the bargain.

Speaking of, Rtaia thought she had made some progress in trying to create a type of cure for Sequae, and assured us that it would be finished by the time we decided to start the final assault.

"All right, the first batch of meat is ready" Leo came out with a large plate, putting it down on the table and moving to head back into the kitchen. He pumped into Serah on the way, and she smiled at him as he moved around her, touching her arm as he vanished back with the others.

"Mikey!" I heard Kristiana call.

"Yes my dearest?" He called to her, a big grin on his face.

"You forgot something!"

He went to head to the kitchen, moving out of the way as Ithiell and Splinter came through, cups and drinks in their hands.

What I heard next I couldn't help but giggle at.

"I got the mas-whoa!"

Thunk!

"Mikey!"

"I don't got the mash!"

"Now I have to start again!"

"I'm sorry my love, here, I'll-"

"Don't you dare!"

"But I just want to-"

"You keep that up, I will show you why you shouldn't-"

"Okay okay!"

"Those two are a worry" Splinter said from the other side of the table, and we shared a look.

"Sensei, they worst she can do is throw something at him. And I'm sure with-"

Thunk!

"Owowowow!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you, honeypie"

"Okay, yeah, they're a worry" I smiled at him, nodding as he shook his head a little.

"Got the chicken" Donnie came out this time, holding another plate of hot food, setting it down in the middle of the table.

"Hmm, chicken" I felt my stomach rumbling, loving the way the boys cooked this chicken. It had some sort of herb on it, and they cooked it just right...

"Don't drool now" I felt a soft slap, and I yelped a little, grabbing my behind as I heard Donnie giggle, disappearing back into the kitchen with the others.

"Whoa?"

Everyone in the room stopped, turning to look to the door and seeing Robert there, freshly showered, and in some clean clothes, looking around in awe.

"Well, what you doin standing there" Raphael was the first to move, surprisingly, grabbing Robert gently by the shoulders and guiding him to a seat.

"Dig in Robert, there is plenty" Splinter indicated to the food, and I noticed Robert's mouth was wide open.

"How... how did you get so much food?"

"The Yeerks in the city gotta eat too... so we just do a few big food raids from time to time" Raphael explained, folding his arms as he moved to one side of Robert.

"Come on, it's not gonna jump into your mouth" I went over to him, putting my hands on his shoulders and shaking him a little.

"And don't expect us to feed you like-" Ithiell stopped, and I felt Robert's shoulders slump, starting to shake a little.

"Robert?" I asked, moving around and seeing tears falling freely from his eyes, biting his lip a little. I had never seen him like this...

"Hey, what's wrong?" I followed my first instinct, putting my arms around him and pulling him close to me, feeling him let out a sob.

It took him a few moments, with him half crying into my shoulder a little, before he was able to speak.

"I... it's just been so long... and after everything..."

"Hey, you're here now. For the moment, just enjoy the food and the company" Ithiell patted him on the back a little, and we shared a look.

This was not Robert. Not at all.

I think this was the most contact we'd had in the whole eight years we'd known each other. Robert was always the standoffish type...

Now, he was crying into my shoulder, and telling me why he was feeling upset.

"I'll try" He moved away from me, wiping the tears away with his sleeve, taking a quick glance at all the food around him, before looking back up at me.

"Thanks Jade. I'm.. I'm really glad I got to see you again"

I half smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently "Any time. And hey, you're not alone"

I indicated to the others, who were standing around watching intently.

"You got a whole big family behind you now"

"We got your back" Raphael nodded at him, and Splinter smiled at Robert. Mikey was back in the room, and was grinning like an idiot, nodding excitedly.

"I'll go see how long Amanda will be" Ithiell patted my shoulder, before moving away and going outside.

"Thanks guys" He started to move, grabbing a steak from the first meat tray, then moving towards the salad. After that, we all started moving again, making sure that Robert could reach and got all the food he asked for.

We repeated the process with Amanda, who was also overwhelmed at all the food in front of her, as well as all the support, before the rest of us finally sat down to eat.

"Good food, good friends, lets eat!" Leo announced, and Mikey giggled a little as everyone started to dig in. Soon we were all just talking about random things, Mikey and Raph making us laugh a little, and Kristiana pulling faces at Serah across from her.

"Jade"

I looked to my left, where Amanda was sitting beside me. Her hair was still damp from the shower as she swallowed a piece of meat, looking at me with those brown eyes of hers.

"I missed you" She moved to hug me, and I returned it.

"Missed you to Mand. I am so glad you're here"

"Same"

I moved away, looking in her eyes as I took one of her hands in mine, watching as she grabbed the last piece of her bread roll, half shoving it into her mouth. She hummed, sounding almost satisfied. I half wondered what she had been eating all this time...

"Do you want to talk later?"

She shrugged, and I squeezed her hand a little "Well, when you're ready, okay?"

I turned back to my plate of food, suddenly finding a hand on my knee, looking to the other side of me, seeing Donnie wink at me.

I knew he was right. Robert had opened up to me, and I was sure, over time, Amanda would too.

It would just take a bit of time. I couldn't imagine what her and Robert had to endure...

I suddenly felt something hit my face, sliding down it a little. It took me a moment to realise it was a bit of mash potato.

I wiped it off my face, turning to look at my assailant, surprised to see Rachel smiling almost sweetly at me.

"FOOD FIGHT!" Mikey suddenly yelled, and it was on.

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Hope you enjoyed! Next chapter... we find out!

Constructive Criticism appreciated!