Was she making the right choice? She wasn't sure but a gut feeling and a small whisper in her mind kept telling her she was. Jade closed her eyes when they landed on the Hex and took a deep breath. The air here was cleaner and familiar. This was home.

Zavok helped Jade down. Her feet barely touched the grass when suddenly family surrounded her. Zazz hugged her tightly with Zomom. Zor tried to act like he was fine but as soon as she hugged him he turned away to hide his tears. Even Zeena was happy and relieved for her safe return. Finally she hugged Master Zik.

"What took so long?" He asked Zavok.

Jade answered instead. She felt like she needed to explain since it was her idea to stay. "I wanted to stay a bit longer. I was hoping to help them a little bit to find the emeralds but I wasn't of much help."

"Well, I'm just glad you're home safe."

Tails didn't stay long. "I need to get back and help Sonic," he explained before he left. "I promise I'll be back soon but until then if you hear anything you should have someone else check it out."

When he was out of sight and long gone Jade and Master Zik walked through his garden. Things were left unattended for as long as she was gone.

"Was the world below anything like you dreamed?" His cane tapped softly against the stone path.

"No. It was more beautiful in my daydream. It's too bright. There are times when you can't see the stars. I like it up here much better. The beauty here hasn't been altered like the world below. And…the only evil here is us seven." The last bit was added with a playful grin.

Zik smiled and they sat under a tree. It was the same tree she used to sit under whenever she felt strong enough to walk. Now she hardly sat under it but Zik sat under it almost every day. Jade supposed something about the memories here calmed him some.

The sun half hid behind some clouds. "I'm glad to be home again. I missed it." They sat in silence for a long while. In this silence she wondered many things like if she would see Tails any time soon. Were they close to finding all of the Chaos Emeralds? Would Espio and Vector and Charmy help them?

"Tell me everything that happened. Why did you suddenly decide to come back?"

Her mind flashed to Eggman and how willingly she went with him to find Big Brother. "It was safer for me here than it was down there. I thought if I stayed with Tails and Sonic they'd be able to protect me but then I realized their protection only went so far. But here Eggman's machines are useless to you guys." Zik continued to stare at her. He wanted more information. "That's it, Master Zik."

By the look on his face it was obvious he didn't believe her. However, he also didn't press her for information. Everyone knew Jade would come out and tell the entire story eventually and if she didn't Zavok would.

Everyone gave Jade her space when she entered the garden with Zik. After an hour of being back home it was like they never even left. Zazz chased around dark colored butterflies, Zeena attended to her nails, Zor kept to the shadows and in his own thoughts, Zomom gobbled on premade sandwiches, and Zavok trained in an open field.

Zik was the only one who came back from the garden. "Dinner will be ready soon," he announced. Everyone seemed so happy and a little relieved. How did they ever survive without Jade? Zik must have cooked for them at some time but by their relieved faces maybe he didn't.

"Zavok, come walk with me." Zik wasn't going to the garden. The garden was a place reserved only for Jade and Zik. The two walked some distance away from the others. "Tell me what really happened, Zavok. Jade won't say."

Was Jade really that afraid of telling him? Zavok started explaining everything starting from the moment everyone else came back. When he was finished Zik had a masked expression. Maybe he was angry underneath but he was trying not to show it.

When the wind blew softly Zavok could smell parsley and smoke. Slowly they made their way to the house. Everyone was scattered across the roof, almost finished with their plates. Zavok climbed up on the roof and sat in the middle. Jade walked carefully on the tiles and gave him a plate. Rice and beans and beef crowded around each other on the plate. She only made this on special occasions.

When the sun went down everyone started to trace the stars in the sky. Everything was as it should be.

Tails caught up with Sonic and Team Chaotix quicker than Sonic expected. After setting up a quick plan they all split up to find the Emeralds. This was a tougher task than Sonic expected.