See? I told you I'd update soon! Well, here you go...Chapter 8.

Disclaimer: Oh, nevermind, you know already...

Chapter eight

"Lex, wake up. It's time," Wes whispered a few hours later. I groaned quietly, but allowed him to pick me up. I slumped in his arms, still tired and sore from last night. Lily was already up, but other than her, the hospital was empty.

"Doc already went with Sharon and Maggie," Lily said when she saw me looking around.

Wes carried me to the rec room, where tribunal was being held, and Lily walked beside us.

"You know, Lex," Wes said, "Jamie was really upset when he heard you got hurt. He was so scared you were gonna die. He told me he would never forgive himself if you died and he never got a chance to apologize."

"Yeah, Lex," Lily added. "I thought he was going to kill Kyle when he found out what happened. He stayed by your side for as long as he could, but he left when you started to wake up. He didn't want you to get mad at him, so he thought it would better if he apologized a little later, once you recovered."

I felt my cheeks burning red as they spoke. Jamie had been worried? He was going to apologize? It wasn't even his fault, and even if it was, the Jamie I knew was stubborn, it would take him longer than a couple of months to apologize. And yet here he was, doing everything he could for me, and then leaving because he didn't want to make me mad. I felt the guilt creeping up on me, and then I was consumed with it. Why had I been so stupid? I was just like Kyle, with my horrible temper.

Lily interrupted my thoughts. "Don't get all mad at yourself, Lex. There's nothing you can do to change the past. But you should talk to him."

"Why would he want to see me, after all I've done to him?" I felt disgusted with myself.

"I have no idea, Lex. Maybe because you're his best friend?" Wes said sarcastically.

I opened my mouth to argue, but I stopped, because we had arrived.

Most of the others were there, and ones who were missing showed up a few minutes after us. Wes set me down carefully next to Wanda before sitting down in between me and Lily. Wanda didn't look like she'd had a very good sleep either, from the circles under her eyes.

I saw Jamie standing next to Jared, who seemed to be making sure Kyle didn't get into any trouble. Kyle was sitting in a bright spot of light with his arms wrapped around his legs. He looked up when we came in and he looked like he was going to jump up and hug me, but Jared stopped him with a cold glare.

Jamie's eyes lit up when he saw me, and I felt a jolt of happiness flow through me. I smiled at him, and he grinned back. He tried to walk towards me, but Jeb grabbed his wrist and whispered something to him. Later, Jamie mouthed. I nodded, and turned my attention to Aaron, who had just entered the room.

Aaron quickly announced that neither Lucina nor either of her children were coming.

"She doesn't want them here – she said to go on without her," he said. There was a tense silence for a moment before Jeb broke it.

"Okay, then," Jeb said loudly. "Here's how it's gonna work. Straight-up majority vote. As usual, I'll make my own decision if I have a problem with the majority, 'cause this – "

"Is my house," a few of us said in unison. I heard someone laugh, but they stopped abruptly.

"Who's speaking against Kyle?" Jeb asked.

I saw Ian start to stand, and Wanda started to pull him down again. Ian ignored her and stood.

"This is simple enough," he began. "My brother was warned. He was not in any doubt about Jeb's ruling on this. Wanda is one of our community – the same rules and protections apply to her as to any of us. Jeb told Kyle point-blank that if he couldn't live with her here, he should move on. Kyle decided to stay. He knew then and he knows now the penalty for murder in this place."

"It's still alive," Kyle grunted.

"Which is why I'm not asking for your death," Ian snapped. "But you can't live here anymore. Not if you're a murderer at heart." He paused for a moment. "And, if that's not enough for some of you, just look at Lex. She almost died, because of what her brother did to her while she was trying to defend Wanda. Even if you don't care about Wanda, you have to admit that Lex is like a little sister to all of us. She's part of our family, and she should not have been hurt like this, especially not by her own brother." He glared at Kyle for a few more seconds, and then sat down.

"But he could get caught, and we'd have no idea," Brandt argued, standing. "He'll lead them back here, and we'd have no warning."

There were whispers at that, and Kyle glared at Brandt.

"They'll never get me alive."

"Then it's a death sentence after all," Geoffrey muttered. At the same time, Andy said, "You can't guarantee that."

"One at a time," Jeb said.

"I've survived on the outside before," Kyle said angrily.

"It's a risk," Violetta said quietly.

"What did Kyle do wrong? Nothing," another voice said. I couldn't recognize this one, it was too low.

Jeb stepped forward. "My rules."

"She's not one of us," someone said.

"But Lexi is," I heard Heidi say.

Ian started to get to his feet.

"Hey!" Jared yelled. "Wanda's not on trial here! Does someone have a concrete complaint against her – against Wanda herself? Then ask for another tribunal. But we all know she hasn't harmed anyone here. In fact, she saved his life. He stabbed his finger in Kyle's direction. Kyle flinched, as if Jared had hit him. "Just seconds after he tried to throw her into the river, and knocked his own sister unconscious, she risked her life to keep him from the same painful death. She had to know that if she let him fall she would be safer here. She saved him anyway. Would any of you have done the same – rescue your enemy? He tried to kill her, and yet will she even speak against him?"

Everyone turned to look at Wanda.

"Will you speak against him, Wanda?" Jared asked.

She looked stunned for some reason, and it took her a moment to find her voice.

"This is all a misunderstanding," Wanda whispered. "We both fell when the floor caved in. Nothing else happened." Ian chuckled.

"You see. She even tries to lie in his defence," Jared said, smiling slightly.

"Tries being the operative word," Ian said.

"Who says it's lying? Who can prove that?" Maggie asked, stepping beside Kyle. "Who can prove that it's not the truth that sounds so false on its lips?"

"Mag – " Jeb started.

"Shut up, Jebediah – I'm speaking. There is no reason for us to be here. No human as attacked. The insidious trespasser offers no complaint. This is a waste of all our time."

"I second that," Sharon said. I saw Doc give her a pained look.

"What about Lex?" Jamie said suddenly. "Are you saying she's not human?"

"She tried to defend it, it was her own fault. Obviously, Kyle didn't mean to hurt her," Maggie said.

"Do you second that, too Sharon?" Jamie asked, glaring at her.

Sharon hesitated.

"Why don't we ask Lexi?" Jared suggested. "What really happened, Lex?"

I looked at Wanda. "Is this what you want?" I whispered.

"Yes, please. He's your brother. He deserves to stay," she said quietly.

I sighed. "Alright." Then I raised my voice. "Help me get up, will you, Wes?"

He obediently helped me to my feet. I cleared my throat. "Wanda is telling the truth. The floor fell out from underneath us, and Kyle got knocked out. He…fell on me and that's how I got so hurt. Wanda had to try and pull him off me, and he slipped and almost fell into the crack. She got hurt while she was trying to hold him, and she fell earlier, when the floor cracked for the first time. That's all that happened. Kyle didn't do a thing." I sat down again, with Wes' help.

Kyle stared at me in shock, but I ignored him. Jared raised his eyebrows at me.

"That's what happened?" He asked doubtfully.

"Yes, that's what happened," I said. "At least according to Wanda," I muttered.

Trudy stood up. "Listen, we all know she's lying for Wanda, and I have no idea why she's lying. But the point is, we can't house a murderer – and just wait around for him to be successful!"

I shuddered. I had thought of Kyle as many things, an idiot, a jerk, even a…well you can see where I'm going with this. But never murderer. He was anything but that. And no matter what he had done, I couldn't see him as one, even now. I thought back to when I had found Herbert, and how nice Kyle had been. How could he be the same person he was then as he was now? They were so different. Kyle used to be gentle and kind, but the invasion had changed him, hardened him.

Meanwhile, Maggie was hissing something at Trudy. I only heard the last few words. They were "when something human is killed." I tried to get to my feet, but I fell from the pain that surged through me. I let out a small cry, and everyone turned to me, their eyes wide. I saw pain in Kyle's eyes, and I wondered if perhaps he hadn't completely changed. He still cared about his little sister, even if he had almost killed her.

"I thought the definition embraced some compassion, some little bit of mercy," Jeb was saying when I remembered that I should be listening.

"Let's vote," Sharon said, interrupting Maggie. "Raise your hand if you think Kyle should be allowed to stay here, with no penalty for the…misunderstanding."

I looked at Wanda and she nodded to me as she struggled to raise her hand against Ian's will. I raised my hand. Neither Wes nor Lily did, but it didn't matter.

"Ten…fifteen…twenty…twenty-three," Jeb counted. "Okay, that's a clear majority."

Jamie walked towards us and hugged Wanda.

"Maybe your souls were right about us," he said loudly, "The majority are no better than –"

"Hush!" Wanda interrupted him.

"Okay," Jeb said from the front. "Okay, I'm inclined to go with the majority on this."

"Jeb – " Jared and Ian protested together.

"My house, my rules," Jeb said. "Never forget that. So you listen to me, Kyle. And you'd better listen, too, I think, Magnolia. Anyone who tries to hurt Wanda again will not get a tribunal, they will get a burial." He hit the butt of the gun and Wanda flinched.

"Tribunal's over," Jeb announced. "Who's up for a game?" Everyone seemed to relax.

"Jeb's just trying to get things back to normal," Jamie said in response to Wanda's questioning look. "It's been a bad couple of days. Burying Walter…"

"Go talk to him!" Trudy said.

"Now?" I asked.

"Yes, now!" Lily said. Then she and Trudy pushed me lightly towards Jamie. I stumbled and almost fell on him, but he caught me.

"Sorry," I said, blushing furiously," Jamie, can I, uh, talk to you for a second?" I suddenly felt nervous.

"Sure," he said. I leaned on him as we walked into the corridor.

"Jamie, it was my fault," I blurted, staring fixedly at the ground. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have been so stupid and I shouldn't have blamed you and – "

"Lex, it was my fault too," Jamie said. "I should've known better than to snap at you. I just…Lex, when you got hurt, I thought…Well, I thought you were going to die, and I…I couldn't stand that, Lex. Not when I was still fighting with you." I looked up and saw that his eyes were wide and sad.

"I…I missed you, Jamie. I hate to admit it," I said, laughing a little, "but I missed you a lot. I just felt…So alone, like I was missing a piece of me, or something."

"I missed you too Lex," Jamie said. Then he hugged me as tightly as he could without breaking my ribs. I leaned into him and put my arms around him. Suddenly I felt tears, but they weren't mine.

"Don't you ever leave me, Lex," he said hoarsely. I hugged him tighter, and we stayed like that for a while. Then, of course, Wes had to walk in and ruin the moment.

"Hey, uh, sorry to bother you guys, but, uh, we're starting the game, so…" His face was scarlet, and he looked uncomfortably at his shoes.

"Oh, cool," Jamie said, returning to his usual self. "Let's go, Lex."

"Hey, Lex, by the way, you don't look too bad in a dress," Jamie said casually to me as we headed back into the rec room.

"Ugh," I said. "It was Lily, Trudy, and Paige. That reminds me, I still have to kill them for that. Looks like we'll be having another tribunal soon."

Jamie chuckled. "I'll have to thank them later."

I looked at him, puzzled, but he was already setting me down next to Wanda, since I couldn't play. Then he headed over to the others, where Andy and Lily were picking teams. I laughed with Wanda as Jamie stood on his toes, trying to look taller. Lily winked at me when she picked him before half the adults were taken, and I grinned at the look on Jamie's face. He was so happy, it amazed me.

The game wasn't very close, and Andy's team won by at least three points. But it was fun to watch anyways, and it was a good way to ease the tension.

After about a half hour, Trudy and Paige went to go get some food. They came back with granola bars and water, and Jeb promptly called halftime.

"Here you go, Lex, Wanda," Jamie said, coming to join us.

"Thanks," we said in unison.

"Having fun?" Wanda asked.

"Yeah! Wish you two could play. You should see Lex, she's awesome."

"Next time," Wanda replied.

"Here you go…" Ian said as he came towards us, his hands full of granola bars.

"Beat ya," Jamie said.

"Oh," Jared said as he came to Jamie's side.

Ian and Jared exchanged a long glanced and I raised my eyebrows at Jamie, who shrugged.

"Where's all the food?" Kyle demanded.

I laughed, and Jared threw Kyle a couple bars.

"Here," Ian said, handing him half of his haul. "Now go." I was surprised by his cold tone. He didn't usually hold a grudge; that was my job, or Kyle's.

Kyle ignored him, though, and stared at Wanda.

"You heard him," Jared said.

"Can I say something first?" Kyle asked.

"I'm not sorry," Kyle told her. "I'm sorry about hurting you, Lex," He said, looking at me," but not it. I still think it was the right thing to do."

Ian shoved him and Kyle stumbled back a few paces before stepping forward again.

"Hold on, I'm not done."

"Yeah, you are," Jared said firmly.

I noticed the room had gone quiet, and everyone's eyes were on us.

"No, I'm not." Kyle said, holding up his hands. "I don't think I was wrong, but you did save my life. I don't know why, but you did. So I figure, a life for a life. I won't kill you. I'll pay the debt that way."

"You stupid jackass," Ian said.

"Who's got a crush on a worm, bro? You gonna call me stupid?"

Ian lifted his fists.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, how about this? You're both stupid. Okay? There, it's settled. Now go eat, or whatever Kyle, and leave us alone."

They turned and grinned at me.

"Whatever you say, sis," Kyle said. He started to walk away, but Wanda stopped him.

"I'll tell you why," She called. "I didn't let you fall because…because I'm not like you. I'm not saying that I'm not…like humans. Because there are others here who would do the same. There are kind and good people here. People like your brother and sister, and Jeb, and Doc…I'm saying that I'm not like you personally."

Kyle stared at her, and then laughed. "Ouch," he said. "Life for a life," He called over his shoulder as he walked away. I couldn't help but wonder if he was lying. I mean, Kyle didn't usually just…give up. He held grudges like nobody else. Once, he didn't speak to Ian for three months, just because Ian broke a LEGO tower he had built. So why he would give up now, I had no idea.

They played a few more games, and then finally Jeb called it a night. Kyle raised his hand for a high five to Ian, since they had been playing on the same team. Ian ignored him though, and stalked past him. Kyle put his hand on Ian's shoulder and spun him around. Ian knocked his hand away, and I suddenly knew what was coming next. Wanda tensed beside me, but I reassured her, saying "Don't worry, they're just fooling around."

"Good game, bro," Kyle said. "You've still got it."

"You're such an idiot, Kyle," Ian replied.

"You got the brains; I got the looks, seems fair."

"And I got both," I called. They both laughed, and started to fight playfully again.

Jamie helped me back to my room, and we talked as we went along. Jamie told me Jared had gotten some new books on the raid, and we talked eagerly about them. Jamie had already started one; it was Gone with the Wind. He didn't like it as much as some of the other books he'd read, but it was still good. He put me gently on my mattress, and then sat down on the floor next to me for a while.

We talked for a long time, and didn't notice that Jamie was running his fingers through my hair while we talked until Kyle walked in and started staring at Jamie's hand. Jamie leapt up, his face red. I was sure mine was too.

"Uh, sorry… I'd better go, Lex. I didn't realize how late it was." Then he bolted out of the room.

Kyle chuckled.

"Well, well, my little sister finally has a boyfriend. It's about time," Kyle said.

I scowled at him. "Jamie's not my boyfriend idiot. He's my friend. We're just friends."

"Sure, sure," Kyle said. "Listen, Lex," he said more seriously. "I'm really sorry, honest. I just…"

"Lost control? Blew up? Acted like an idiot?"

"Yeah, pretty much," He said, smiling.

"Whatever," I said. "It's not like you can help it. You're just naturally an idiot."

"You're lucky you're hurt, kid, or I'd be – "

"Beating me up?"

"Yup. Well, better get some sleep. Ian's staying with the pa – I mean, with Wanda.' Night."

"'Night," I replied. Then I sighed. I loved my family.

Ta-da! Thanks to everybody who's reviewed so far, and please keep doing so if you have any comments. Thanks!