"She's back?" Ellie repeated, as she & Malcolm got ready for bed,

"Yep just wandered in like it wasn't a big deal, although she had a pretty nasty looking slash on her leg" he informed her making himself comfy or at least trying to

"Well where she been for the past three weeks?" Malcolm shot his wife a knowing look

"Or why didn't she at least send word that she was ok" Malcolm suddenly jumped out of bed running into his office coming back with the scrap of paper before handing it to Ellie.

"S A F E" she read out aloud looking at Malcolm puzzled waiting for a better answer. Malcolm rolled his eyes

"Don't you get it?" he asked holding up the note waiting for Ellie to put it together sighing that she didn't

"I found this on top of my notes about the dame we fixed with Caesar & the other apes about two weeks ago, she or at least he must have sent someone to let us know Angel was ok"

Ellie thought about it for a while….

"Well why would he not just come to us & tell us?" she asked "I guess we'll find out tomorrow Dreyfus wants a full debrief from Angel, come on its late we need to get to sleep" with that they soon found themselves fast asleep.

Morning light poured into the room bathing the two in a warm glow Blue Eyes rose making sure not to wake Angel who was still asleep, while still keeping out of sight Blue Eyes checked what was happening out the window he felt somehow different, taller stronger perhaps he couldn't quite place what it was but he liked the feeling hearing Angel was now awake he made his way back over to her greeting her he placed his forehead to hers smiling Angel cupped his face in her hands

"Morning" she said with a warm smile Blue Eyes just smiled before shifting his eyes around he was not feeling entirely safe in the human world he was all too aware of how some of them could be.

"You must be hungry if you want I can fetch you something to eat although I think it's best if people don't know you're here" Blue Eyes nodded in agreement with that Angel got herself out of bed before heading into the bathroom, then disappearing for what seemed like a long while eventually she returned with enough food & water to feed Blue Eyes for weeks thanking her Blue Eyes started to eat smiling to himself at how the tables had now turned & it was her fetching him food & water.

"So…. I should probably go people are gonna know what happened to me now I'm back" Blue Eyes stopped eating & looked her blankly with his head to one side

"Don't worry I won't be long just do me a favor stay out of sight they place has enough people shooting at nothing without us giving them a moving target" She said rising her eye brows at the ape Blue Eyes give her a nod & went back to eating.

Angel made her way to the main meeting hall looking around she saw Carver was there talking with Dreyfus rolling her eyes she made her way over to them.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Carver said almost yelling at his little sister "We've been looking everywhere for you god I thought you were dead!"

"Sorry to disappoint you" Angel said sarcastically before taking a sit next to Ellie who gently squeezed her hand. Carver just glared at her waiting for her to speak

"I got lost in the woods" she said " & then I got on the bad side of a mountain lion & had to find a place to go so I could fix up my leg" she said pointing to her leg

"Did you see any of the apes?" Dreyfus asked her looking her in the eye Angel glanced over at Malcolm before she answered

"No" she lied "It was just me. Dreyfus studied her face before asking his next question

"What have you been eating the past few weeks then?" Angel looked at him & her brother standing in front of her with his arms crossed

"I can take care of myself ya know I just made do with some fish I was able to catch, look I'm sorry I caused so much trouble I never meant too I just guess I lost track of how long I'd been gone"

Dreyfus put a hand on her shoulder & gave her a small nod

"Well you're here now safe & sound that's all that matters" he said "You better get back to helping Ellie with the rest of the rounds that need to be done" with that he waved the two off followed by Malcolm.

"That's it? Your just gonna let her walk out without anything more" Carver asked

"What do you want me to do I can't make her tell me something she doesn't want to tell us. Look just keep an eye on her if she does anything then let me know until then that's all I can do" Carver stomped off after his sister muttering to himself Dreyfus watching him go.

*Meanwhile back at Angel's room*

Blue Eyes was not accustomed to being cooped up pacing back & fourth on hearing footsteps Blue Eyes found the only place he could hide was in Angels closet letting out a sigh when he saw it was Angel he came out

"Blue?... Oh there you are" she greeted him with a smile "It's not safe for us to be here together my brothers already on the war path do you think you can make it out of the city without being seen I'll come meet you by the hollow later" Blue Eyes thought for a moment on the one hand he'd be more than happy to again have his freedom & to be outside but on the other he didn't want to leave Angel looking at her after a while he spoke

"Angel safe?"

Angel smiled "I'll be fine it's you I worry about if anyone finds you. Trust me I'll come find you later tonight but for now you have to go" Blue Eyes pulled Angel into a tight hug before touching the side of her face & giving her a nod.

Angel watched as he left before turning to find Malcolm standing in the doorway looking more than a little bemused

"Ellie's waiting for you downstairs" he said before turning Angel followed him Malcolm suddenly stopped causing Angel to bump into him turning to face her

"You know all hell will break loose if someone spots him" he said more as a matter of fact than a question "What was he even doing here?"

Angel looked around guilty "He um…. Ya know he… came to check up on me" she said looking away Malcolm raised his eye brow but continued walking

*later that night*

The sun had long since set & Blue Eyes was still waiting for Angel to join him where was she?, should he go back for her? No she said she'd be here Blue Eyes picked over the berries he had not really wanting them when he found himself wondering what his family back in the village were doing.

It was well into the night when Carver finally fell asleep Angel checked to make sure he was asleep before tiptoeing past him making her way down to the main gate jumping when she heard a voice from behind her

"Out kinda late are you?" turning to find Ellie sitting under the willow tree

"Can say the same for you" Angel said glancing past her friend Ellie followed her gaze sighing before she got up placing a blanket over Angel's shoulders

"Be back by morning, think you're brother will have a fit if he finds you gone again" she said with a smile Angel watched her friend go before she made her way to where Blue Eyes who was still waiting for her

*Three days later in the Village*

Maurice made his way to Caesar's hut along with Rocket Cornelia alongside her son & mate turned to see them

"Any sign?" Caesar asked his face hopeful but the hope soon fell as Rocket shook his head sadly

"We'll keep looking, don't worry Blue Eyes is strong he'll turn up" Maurice tried to comfort his friend but it wasn't working Blue Eyes had been so angry with his father when he left the older ape was sure that his son would have been back by now

"Where is Koba?" Caesar signed both Maurice & Rocket looked at one another

"He headed north with Ash but he's not back yet as soon as he returns I'll send him to you, but for now you must rest" but Caesar couldn't all he wanted was his son back safe his friends left him & Cornelia did her best to comfort her mate & youngest son.

*Meanwhile*

Ash was in the woods close to the bridge along with Koba when he spotted something moving in the undergrowth unsure what he'd seen he turned to Koba

"There's something moving over there" he pointed Koba looked to where Ash was pointing before he beckoned him to follow swinging through the trees to get a closer look the two apes spotted what Ash had seen, it was a human & not just any human, it was the human from the village the two apes followed making sure not to be seen while Koba signaled Ash to make his way around the other side Koba continued to follow Angel to the hollow watching as she made her way inside he frowned why would a human need to be here? Following her what he found almost made his blood run cold.

Blue Eyes sat up to greet her as she handed him some roots she'd found placing his arm around her he sat her down close & showed her the fish he had caught playfully teasing one another.

Koba shook with rage but left unseen by either Angel or Blue Eyes storming past Ash he made his way back to the village with the young blood in hot pursuit.

Night had fallen by the time the two made it back to the village placing a gentle hand on Ash's shoulder Koba sent him on a little ahead

"Where Caesar?" Koba asked as he saw Stone the gorilla guard pointing to the watering hole Ash made his way over to his mother & father glad to have something to eat Koba approached Cornelia along with Maurice & Caesar as well as their young son

"Found son" Koba stated causing all of them to stop eating giving him their full attention

"Where? Is son safe?" Caesar asked standing letting a small sigh of relief past at seeing Koba nod his head

"In a clearing not far from here by the fallen tree…." Caesar could tell there was something Koba wasn't telling him but waited for his friend to go on "Not alone….." puzzled he turned to think before looking at his mate then back at Koba

"Show me" & with that the two apes left the village.

Neither of the friends spoke until Koba stopped Caesar looked at him waiting but Koba just pointed Caesar nodded to his friend & placed his hand on his shoulder nodding Koba returned to the village & Caesar made his way to where Koba told him he'd find his son not knowing what was waiting for him he sniffed the air slowly he made his way to the fallen tree peering inside he couldn't see anything a short time after he'd made his way a little into the hollow he was a little shocked to find it led into a small cave then looking through the darkness he caught sight of Blue Eyes who was sound asleep by the light of what was left of a small fire. Koba was right he was not alone Angel was with him