Okay, I have really got to stop writing my chapters so late that I don't even remember the and I forget everything I wanted to put in them. Gah! I'm annoyed with myself. So I'll have to cram in a bunch of stuff so you guys will get what's SUPPOSED to be happening Anyways, I was listening to my favorite song when I wrote this(Mad World by Gary Jules) so you might want to try and listen to that before/during/after this chapter. I re-read my last chapter and realized I put in more than I wanted so I ruined the plot a bit.*slaps self* Anyways for this chapter I like to torture my characters, MUWHAHAHAH! Plus I like to bash technology. You'll see.

….

"Alpha Team come in. HQ to Alpha team. Situation report." Tap's voice came in their earpieces just as they found the report to be a dud. She seemed rushed or panicked.

"This is Duke, reading. What situation report? What happened?" Duke responded as the rest of the team tuned into the conversation. There was a moment of silence before static came in.

"Did you not hear that? For God's sake, Rebel just crashed her jet!" Everybody froze as their brains seemed to stop processing for a minute. Snake Eyes took two slow steps back towards the exit before turning and running. As he ran he listened to Tap inform the team on what technology failed to tell them over his earpiece.

"She tried to radio you guys, but radioed us instead. We tried to tell her to abort but the signal went haywire. All we could do was watch the S.O.S line for her to show up. She finally showed up on the tracking line along with the two Cobra jets. She collided her jet with them, assumingly after she ran out of ammo. She might have survived, I mean she could have…." There was a pause as everybody waited patiently. "I just don't want to have to tell everybody else that Alisha….just go look damn it….." The line went dead as everybody stood around in silence for their fallen.

"I just. I mean. I can't, even." Ripcord rubbed his head; it was only an hour or so ago she was saying how much she hated that jet. And she just died in it. Scarlett couldn't help but lean on Ripcord as she thought of all the times Rebel tried to get Scarlett to challenge her to a shoot off. Scarlett would accept it one out of ten times, but Rebel kept her smile on matter what. A.J's presence became like a painting; useless and underestimated but the second the artists died it was worth millions.

"Standing here isn't helping her if she is still out there." Duke said as he turned with the others behind him.

…..

Snake Eyes had already found the now smoldering wreckage of the three air crafts. Rebel's was the most demolished; charred steel, rubber melted, glass exploded everywhere as the nose was smashed inwards; the wings non-existent. Stomping down a few surviving flames he check for any sign of her seat ejecting, but by now it was unrecognizable if she had.

He sat down in the sand holding he head. Only hours ago he was contently watch her do her near impossible exercise before she seemed lost in thought. Only hours ago he found himself hoping he was in those thoughts before finding it stupid of him. One day ago he offered to teach her how to beat Nightshade with in their swords duels, and felt rejected her when she told him Nightshade was the one teaching her. He wished that two days ago he would have taken up her offer when she asked him if he wanted to fight her on one of her video games. So many wishes that wouldn't come true now; they couldn't.

Snake Eyes reached into his pocket and pulled out the pendant she gave him off her necklace. It was the red dragon wing and on the back was written two sayings: 'The man who angers you, controls you.' And 'A true solider fights not because he hates what is in front of him; but because he loves what is behind him.' Snake Eyes had complemented it one day and she took it off and gave it to him without a second action. She had also given him a golden chain to put it on so he could wear it if he wanted to.

He never wore it around his neck, but he kept it in his pocket. He hid it as he hid everything else. By a psychologists' standards it was a trait developed from losing his sensei assumingly to one close to both people; he was afraid of losing what he had so he kept his material possessions and relations small. And what he did have, he kept close and safe.

But, he had failed to keep A.J close and safe. He never showed it or told, but she was his—and many other people's—place of content. Around A.J he felt as though he didn't have a reputation to keep, he didn't have to be perfect solider; he was just that kid he was before with nothing to lose.

"Snake? Snake Eyes!" Duke's calling broke his thoughts. He wrapped the gold chain around his hand before standing up and walking in the direction of Duke's voice. Scarlett was searching the sand farther to the East as Ripcord searched the opposite direction, Duke stood facing the ground as Snake Eyes came beside him.

He looked down at what Duke was frowning at; the flight seat lay in a small crater, the two top straps were cut. The seat had a small area of blood around and on it but it didn't tell them that this is how she died. Maybe she cut herself out of the seat after she landed? But the parachute wasn't pulled; It was intact.

"Sabotage. Someone sabotaged it." Duke shook his head while biting his lower lip. Why would anyone do that to Rebel as an individual? Had they known she was taking that jet? Was it for Ripcord and she took his place? When had they done this? Was there a mole in G.I JOE? He head swirled with questions as Snake Eyes felt his anger rise.

Self-sacrifice for the team was one thing, but her escape and survival had been taken from her! Rebel didn't die, she was murdered! Had she even flown her jet into them? Did they smash her? What exactly happened here!

"Hey guys, I found her necklace." Ripcord panted slightly as he came behind them with Scarlett following, she had been silent this entire time with Breaker. Ripcord held out her necklace which now just held the silver eagle wing and metallic blue jet wing. Scarlett held out her hands which had Rebel's helmet with her broken goggles and dog tags inside.

"I-I found her suit o-over there." She softly said trying to keep the tears back as she pointed over her shoulder. Everybody thought that same things as random articles of her clothing came up; nano-mites. If she had been shot with some new fleshing eating weapon, this is what is would look like.

"She's gone. She's actually gone." Breaker finally spoke.

….

The team had been picked up and brought back to the Pit, where a small crowd awaited them; Lady T, Tap, Nightshade and Storm Shadow were in the front as they all held hopeful faces. Duke looked away as his stomach twisted into knots at the thought of telling Lady T her 'sister from another mister' flew her last flight. Oh why did this have to feel so familiar?

As the hatch lowered, Snake Eyes gently picked up Rebel's helmet filled with her other small belongings and stepped out behind Duke. Tap closed her eyes and hide her face behind Lady T as they came closer to them. Lady T's lower lip started to tremble as Snake Eyes carefully set A.J's helmet in her hands. No words were needed to be passed; they knew what happened, telling them would seem like salt an open wound.

Nightshade kept her face its usual stone though her eyes were full of hurt. Part of her wanted to take Snake Eyes by the neck and demand if he even tried looking for her. Her helmet wasn't good enough, she could still be out there! Had they given up that soon? She clenched her fists without realizing it and glared daggers deep into Duke and Snake as they walked pass.

A hand on her shoulder made her snap out of her silent rage as she turned her head to Storm Shadow. He gave her an indifferent face as she snatched her shoulder forward out of his grasp. Nightshade turned to Lady T who was now sitting on the ground with Rebel's helmet in her arms as Tap held her shoulders looking like she was planning a bloody revenge. Nightshade sat down next to them and hesitantly put a hand on Lady T's shoulder.

Lady T looked her with tears making streams down her cheeks. Nightshade nodded her head and helped her stand.

"Their tears are filling up their glasses. No expression, no expression. Hide my head I want to drowned my sorrow. No tomorrow, no tomorrow." She sang quietly as they walked.

"What song is that?" Nightshade asked trying to keep Lady T's mind distracted.

She smiled slightly as one more tear came down. "It's her song….Oh sweet, sweet Alisha Jasminer. Why'd you do it?"

…..

Emo chapter is emo. I just wrote myself into a depression. You would get it to, but I deleted like half of what I originally had. Next chapter: IS A.J EVEN ALIVE? (because I might have trick ya :] )