(A/N: A quick recap: Yue and Altair just got back from their scouting mission and told everyone about the hideout and Katie. Yue tells everyone she knew Katie, and that they were once friends.)

6: Immediately following this announcement, Yue curled up in the fetal position and started shaking, her eyes wide.

"Yue!" Everyone exclaimed in unison, then they all moved around Yue, trying to talk to her and touch her, and ask what was wrong.

Altair picked Yue up and set her in her small tent. He returned to the others, and said, "I have never seen her this bad before."

He continued, "I'll try and talk to her and see what's wrong other than once being friends with a current Discordant Harmony leader."

Everyone nodded agreement, and Altair ducked inside the tent again. He walked in to see Yue curled up holding something. He sat down beside her and put an arm around her, like he was hugging her from the side.

"So it's true that Katie was once your friend?" Altair questioned.

Yue said sadly, "Yes."

"How did you know her?"

Yue choked back a sob, then began, "She was the one who recruited me for the Red Shadows first. She was so nice, and helped me get to where I was. We became close friends, and spent lots of time together. We practiced together, and went on missions together. You never saw me and her apart. Then, one day, I-I… I heard she died. I cried and cried. I guess she was probably just going back to help with Discordant Harmony. I haven't seen her again since just now."

Altair squeezed her shoulder. "Yue, I'm so sorry."

Yue shrugged. "She lied. I've lied. I should move on."

"I think it's all going to be okay in the end. Maybe you should think of this as revenge."

Yue gave a dry laugh. "Revenge. On my old friend. Why not?"

Altair, naturally, shrugged. "Just a thought."

Then, he noticed what Yue was holding. It was a teddy bear, small, soft and gray-furred. It had a worn, older look about it. Almost like it should be an antique.

Altair had given it Yue years ago.

And she still had it.

"I didn't know you still had that!" Altair said cheerfully, tapping the bear.

"Oh? Yes, I do."

"What's its name?"

"Um… Apples!"

"Ooh! Apples! Nice name!" Altair exclaimed grinning.

"Well," he added, "I hope things work out. I'm sorry about everything, but I'll leave you alone now. Just come out when you're ready, okay? Okay. See you, then."

Altair exited, and Yue heard his footsteps fade away.

She curled up with the teddy bear and sighed- a sound of relief- and murmured, "That was close, Altair." She hugged the bear and repeated, "That was close."

The next day…

Yue woke to her friends gathered in a circle. Altair was explaining how the inn was arranged. Yue joined their circle, squeezing between Evanna and Rae.

Altair was finishing saying, "- so I think a night attack will be our best option, a distraction to get us in, as in, someone goes to that guy on the porch and starts talking to him, then someone else creeps up on him and takes him out. One of you sneaky Rangers is going to do that. Tali, you will? Great. Now, after we get in, I'm guessing we take the hallway to the left, which is the hallway we saw Hashim go to. Yue and I were guessing he was going to tell Katie about us, as he's the second in command. Also, I'm voting Rae for the distraction. The guard hasn't seen her, and she'd be better off in a close quarters fight if Tali doesn't take the guy out fast enough."

Tali made an indignant snort, and Altair plowed ahead, "I don't think Tali will mess it up, but it's better to be prepared for it."

"And then what? After we find Katie?" Peter asked, leaning forward with his eyebrows raised.

Altair gave his familiar shrug and stated, "I have no idea. We didn't see the hallway, so we're guessing where Katie's room is too. After we get in the place, its guesswork, fighting, luck, and whatever's on hand."

Evanna shook her head and said, "Alright. Let's get ready now. Since it's a night attack we still have time to prepare."

Night fell. In the desert, there are no lights, no buildings, no trees or vegetation. In the daytime, this is useful; you can see an enemy from miles away. But at night, it means no fire, unless you want to be discovered. Then again, it also means you're more likely to be killed be desert beasts. Like, lions for example. Who would definitely enjoy eating your horse, at least.

Rae was prepared, in desert attire. Her hair in a braid, clothes ripped where one might rip clothes, basically, she looked like Yue had the day before.

Tali was ready to silently eliminate the guard, and everyone else was dressed in dark green cloaks, weapons ready, reviewing tactics for silent movement.

At midnight, Rae began her walk to the porch. The man who had seen Yue and Altair before saw Rae, and sat up, waiting. Rae positioned herself so that the man had to turn around, not facing the desert. Altair had noticed the man's chair was backed up to the porch railings. Tonight, he would realize too late that this was a bad idea.

Rae began speaking softly, her cover story was simply that she was a traveler wondering if she could sleep here until morning. Ironically, the only service they don't fulfill.

The man chuckled, but he was cut off. His eyes bugged and then he went limp. Tali was standing behind him. She had simply stuck her knife through the railing and into the man's body. Then Tali vaulted over the railing, landing quietly on the boards.

"To think Altair thought I wouldn't make it in time." Tali muttered, rolling her eyes.

Rae smiled, and then Altair himself and the Rangers appeared.

"We saw him go down. You two okay?" Altair whispered.

Tali nodded. "We're fine. Let's go."

They crept inside and spread around, checking to make sure no one was in the first room. It was clear, naturally. So then they moved down to the left hallway.

Evanna, Tali, Eric, and Peter were in charge of checking the rooms for Katie.

As everything unlucky would have it, someone woke up in the middle night. Well, it wasn't Katie, but when the shocked man saw them, he screamed bloody murder.

"And there's our last chance at an easy kidnapping!" Evanna yelled, over the sound of anxious people yelling, having been rudely woken up.

Katie's soldiers started appearing in their doorways, bleary eyed, still in night clothes, and without their weapons.

"Let's try over here!" Yue called, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway.

Without hesitating, everyone plowed past all the confused soldiers into the end room.

"Who are you?" a woman's harsh voice asked.

Rae nodded and said, "Good guess Yue. Hello, sister. Evanna, if you could?"

Before Katie could say, "What is going on here?" Evanna threw her knife so that the hilt slammed into Katie's head. She promptly collapsed.

"Great," Peter said, walking over and picking Katie up. "Now what?" He added.

Altair started pacing back and forth and muttered, "Think, you're an evil genius who needs a quick getaway and you don't want anyone to find it and you're an evil genius. GAH!" He yelled the last part at the same time that he stopped by the wall and kicked it.

A ladder came down.

"How did you know that was there?" Eric asked in shock.

Altair sighed and shrugged. "If I knew, I might tell you. Now let's go!"

The eight people climbed up to the roof, with some difficulty, because of the completely unconscious Katie.

Once they were there, they weren't sure what to do. But Altair is Altair for a reason. So, he instructed the Rangers to jump down. Then, he threw Katie down to Peter and Eric.

Not surprisingly, Rae and Yue were hesitant about jumping down, rather like the Rangers had been previously.

It probably didn't help that most of Katie's soldiers had broken into her room, climbed up the ladder, and were now standing on the roof with Rae, Yue and Altair. This time, they had remembered their weapons, too.

"You two jump." Altair told Rae and Yue calmly.

Rae looked at him like he was crazy, but Yue just shrugged and said, "Don't die." Yue sheathed her swords and leapt off the roof shouting "Weeeeeee!"

Rae peered over the edge. "What is wrong with-Ah!" The scream was due to the fact that Altair had shoved her over the edge. A string of curse words floated up to Altair.

"Hm. She does not sound happy." Altair said thoughtfully, then he turned to face the angry crowd.

"If you think I'm going to try and fight you," Altair began, taking out his sword, "you are wrong."

Then, he sheathed his sword, brought his leg up and his arms up like he was about to take flight and shouted, "CAW!" Rather like a bird. And to top it off, he then leapt backward off the roof.

All in all, it was very comical.

He landed on the sand and immediately ran for the hill. When he reached the top and slid down, he found his friends waiting, horses ready, like they had planned. They had packed all their things in the daytime, so they could leave right after breaking out.

"Good work, everyone." Altair told the group. "Now let's get out of here before we're discovered."

He jumped onto his horse, and everyone else quickly followed.

When they arrived at The Waterfall Cave, Carter was there waiting for them.

"Hello." Yue said.

Carter nodded and then told Peter and Eric, "Throw her in the corner."

Peter and Eric took Katie and put her in one of the corners.

"It's been quite boring here without all of you." Carter said when the group was seated around the table.

"I'm sure." Evanna agreed nonchalantly, with her feet resting on the table.

Peter raised his eyebrows at his wife, but she did not respond except to smile at them all.

Yue was looking more depressed than usual, sitting silently with her head bowed.

"So how'd the mission go?" Carter asked, leaning forward.

Altair shrugged and responded, "Like virtually every mission since missions were created. With luck, not so much luck, surprise, clever plans, and trickery." Then Altair went on to describe the mission in length to Carter, including Yue's panic attack.

After Altair was done, Yue herself stood.

She looked like she had been broken into a million little pieces, then glued together, but with stronger glue, and better materials. Like a strange cross between someone broken, and someone ready to fight and take on the world. She looked around the table and then said, "I realized something important about my old friend Katie. She was a traitor. I've been surrounded by traitors, and enemies, and hate, for a long time. But now, I'm with you all." She paused here to indicate the Rangers, Rae, and Altair. "And I could not have asked for a better life. I don't want to be a traitor, and I don't want to hate anymore. Look at what happened to Katie! I need to change. I need to fix the things that have made me do things I now regret. I hope you all understand, and that you'll be kind enough, as you already have been, to forgive me. And to help me, because I have a feeling I might need some help. I don't want to die with more regrets than good deeds, things to be proud of. So please, help me."

There was silence for several long seconds.

Then Rae stood up and walked over to Yue. "I'd have to be a fool to think I haven't just seen something utterly life changing. Yue, I am here to help you."

Then Rae hugged Yue, and tears formed and fell onto their shoulders.

And soon everyone else was standing and echoing Rae's promise.

"We're here to help you."

And from that day forward, Yue was a better person. With wonderful friends, and an improved attitude and outlook. It took time, yes. But even a day later, Yue's eyes were brighter than they had been for a long time.

A/N: Hey, sorry about the wait. I would have updated much sooner, but my teachers and computer seem to have teamed up to stop me. *Sigh*

Anyway, this chapter was quite important, hmm! Oh, and don't worry about Yue, she's not going to become some little Mary Sue.

Well, enjoy the update and please, click the review button. It makes me happy. : ) And you like me happy. Trust me. Just ask my brother. :P