-Chapter 14-

Olivia had decided to ride her bike around while the 'adults' talked. She didn't want to hear about their battle plans. She loved her friends, especially her 'second big brother' but a lot of what they spoke about went right over the seven year old's head.

She wasn't as naive as they thought, she was but she knew when to let them be alone.

'Sides I get to ride alone now…Olivia thought as she got on, shoving off pedaling as hard as she could. She was wobbly though and fell right to the ground with a small yelp.

"Ow!"

Unbeknownst to her, someone was watching and winced, wishing he could pick his daughter up. Brody knew what she was trying to do, trying to ride her bike without the training wheels. He watched Olivia pick herself up, dusting herself off, ignoring the scrape on her face she got as a reward.

The little girl growled a little and set her bike back up. "I'm gonna do this… Even if it takes me all week.." She said aloud, believing she was alone. Olivia got back up and tried again, going in a shaky circle before eventually hitting the ground again.

This time she did cry a little when she banged her knee on a rock. Brody sighed to himself. Poor thing...Come on Olive you can do it…He silently urged as she calmed down and kept trying.

That's how a majority of the afternoon went, Olivia trying and getting better her father silently cheering on.

It was when Olivia was taking a break, holding the locket she was given that it happened.

Someone approached the little girl. "Hey kid…"

She looked up and gulped a bit. "Uh… Hi?"

"You got something I want."

Brody watched the exchange, concerned. I recognize them...They better stay away from her…

When Olivia protested the man slapped her hard as she let out a scream. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Give me the necklace!"

"NO!"

Before he could strike again Brody came charging out from where he was, engine roaring, propeller spinning. "STAY AWAY FROM HER!" He snarled. Another hiding in the bushes jumped out starting to back up.

"He has control!?" They whispered to their comrade. The one who had slapped Olivia nodded keeping quiet.

Brody growled keeping himself between them and his daughter.

Olivia was shaking like a leaf, but she recognized the voice. She knew that voice anywhere.

"Get out… NOW!' He yelled charging.

They took off running. Brody waited until he couldn't hear them anymore to stop gunning the engine. He snorted a bit. "Good riddance."

"Daddy?" He froze when he heard that. If he had a heart still it would've skipped a beat. Brody slowly turned to find Olivia staring at him in wonder and curiosity.

Brody sighed as he felt shame creep up. This wasn't how he wanted her to find out. This wasn't how he wanted her to see him.

"...Olive…" He murmured looking away. This was humiliating.

He was surprised when he felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around his wing. "Daddy!" Olivia repeated tears running down her face. She had missed her father fiercely.

Brody felt tears sting his own eyes. "Olive… Oh my baby girl…"

She climbed up onto the wing and cuddled into his side like she had done many a time before when Dusty was still a plane. "Daddy… I missed you…"

"I missed you too sweetie…" Brody nuzzled a little being as gentle as he could. I wish I had arms again… I want to hug her but I can't… And giving her a kiss on the head is out of the question...I could bite her head off…He shuddered at the thought.

Olivia was quiet for a moment just savoring the fact she had her father back. But now there was another question.

What happened to him?

Brody himself hoped she wouldn't ask, but he didn't hold out on it. Olivia was a naturally curious little girl. "Daddy? ...How come you're like how Dusty used to be?" She asked, seeing him cringe a bit at the mention of the air racer's name.

"Because…" He sighed closing his eyes. "...Because your daddy did something very, very bad little one… I did something very cruel…"

She gulped a bit but put her arms around her father as best as she could. "Did you mean to do it?" She asked softly.

Brody opened his eyes, a look of remorse in them. Did he mean to do it? At one point, he just wanted a better job, a chance to understand it all better. A chance to change the world for his kids. "... I just...Thought what I was doing was right. But I was wrong Olive… I was very wrong.."

She frowned and kissed his engine's hood, feeling awful for him. Oh Daddy…. "Did you want to do bad things?"

"No… Never… I just… I got blinded.."

"Then don't be really upset… I think you got punished enough." She murmured. Brody sighed giving his daughter a light nuzzle.

"Oh Olive…"

"You should come home…"

"I can't… Andy… He hates me… Sarah…" He sighed thinking of his wife, tears pricking his eyes. "... I… I can't face her looking like this..." Brody closed his eyes.

"Daddy." There was a small knock on his metal as they opened. Olivia was looking at him with a rare serious look.

"You love mommy right?" She asked.

"I do… I love her very much."

"And you love Andy right?"

"Yes… I love all of you very much.."

"Then they won't be mad or upset… I think they'll be more worried… Mommy really needs you… and Andy needs you too… He almost hurt himself.."

Brody went quiet mulling over this. "... Can you bring her here honey?"

Olivia grinned nodding. "Yep! Be back soon!" She hopped down and grabbed her bike.

She rode out faster than she had been riding before.

Sarah….

Sarah Hayes sighed as her daughter guided her through the brush. She was tired. She had to pull apart another fight Andy somehow got into and for once in a week it wasn't with Ripslinger.

It was with a boy Andy had been friends with since he was little. The reason? He had been called a Machine and the fight broke out.

"Honey, what is it you wanted me to-" She stopped short as Olivia came to a stop.

She could see him, a light blue and white Cropduster with eerie green eyes.

Brody came a little closer.

Olivia pulled her mother's hand bringing her over. "Mommy… It's him.."

Sarah covered her mouth trying to stifle a small gasp.

"... Hello Sarah…" Brody said softly.

She felt tears well up in her eyes. "Brody…" Her voice cracked, she could hardly believe it. Her husband was here before her.

I've missed him so much it hurts…

And this is what's become of him?She thought looking him over.

Brody swallowed hard. "Sarah… I'm sorry.."

"No.. I… I…" She threw her arms around him, tears freely falling. "Oh Brody…" She sobbed. "I'm… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry!" She cried.

Brody looked at her, wishing he could hold her close. Tears welled up in his eyes as he tried to bite back his own sob that threatened to come out. "Sarah… Oh please don't cry…" He said softly to her, giving her a gentle nuzzle.

Sarah cried harder kissing his hood. "Brody… It's really you.."

"Yes… I'm here… It's okay… Please don't cry Sarah.."

After a short time she began to calm down, her husband whispering reassurances the entire time. When she was calm again she didn't move however keeping where she was, laying her head on the warm metal.

"I love you…" She murmured. "I love you so much…I never stopped…"

"I love you too Sarah… My beloved wife.." He whispered, closing his eyes savoring the moment. Feeling her warmth.

"Still so warm…"

"Careful.. .Some parts are hot as irons…" He cautioned her.

She nodded opening her eyes. "What happened to you…?"

Olivia had come back over to her parents wiping her eyes off quickly. She climbed up onto one of her father's wings cuddling into his side. Sarah smiled a little at her daughter.

"Well… It's a long story…"

"We both got time."

"Alright… It started when..." And so Brody began to tell his story. Of how he had been approached by HEAMIC, of the machine… It all added up to what the Machines turned humans had said.

"But I never told them about the gifts the machines still carry with them. Their strengths, the ability to become faster than a cheetah in the case of race cars, for planes, it's their flight…"

"And fork lifts like Dottie?" Olivia asked softly.

"They need longer to adjust to their bodies, but they can be as strong as a human if not stronger and their vast intelligence is still there… As well as the skills they learned… Be it medical or mechanical." He explained. "They can be as skilled as our doctors if not more so. Their minds have virtually no limitations."

"But it made her sick… She was so ill..." Sarah murmured.

"It was a side effect of shock… I couldn't do it anymore Sarah … I... I couldn't take it anymore!" Brody cringed as the memories echoed back, of the countless screams, of the weakened bodies hitting the floor, of the looks of fear and shock. "I… I had no excuse. I deserve this form.."

"Hey…" Sarah leaned up looking into his eyes. "You screwed up… But you had good intentions… And I'm sorry you got hurt… But this just means we have to try harder to find them and beat them." She said seriously.

"You're right… You're completely right …"

"Now… Are you coming home?"

He looked away. "... If you'll have me ...I'm not sure how useful I'd be."

"Andy still needs his dad around… And Olivia still needs her dad ...And …" She got a little choked up again. "I need you."

He hated seeing his wife hurting like that. "Alright… You win .." He smiled.

"I'm coming home."