Prt. 3

The young female again gave a small yawn like she was unimpressed with 10's statement, which only infuriated the pale male more. But, before anything could be done about it there came the sound on heavy quick foot steps down the stairway as Marcus entered the room with Lizzie close behind him. Both looked in shock at 10 on the floor and 13 on the windowsill, kneeling and moving.

Marcus blinked in shock well Lizzie moved forward to pick 10 up in her soft hands and looked him over to make sure he was okay, the yelling they had heard from him had been a scary thing to awaken to so early in the morning. "Are you alright 10?" she asked in concern, "We heard you yelling and than saw you on the floor, did you fall down in your sleep?"

The pale male huffed in annoyance as he pointed to the teal eyed female accusingly. "I didn't fall," he stressed, "She kicked me! Said it was because I was yelling like a madman and it was a normal reaction."

It was than that Marcus came out of his shock as he moved forward to kneel down in front of 13, making the female crawl back as she tried to stay away from these giants before her. "Actually she is right son," he replied to 10's statement, "Surly you remember what it was like to wake up for the first time and see or hear something that scared you. If memory recalls properly, you ran away when the cuckoo clock chimed for the first time and tried to hide behind my ankle."

10 facepalmed at the memory and the fact that his parent had just said that in front of 13! "Dad…." he whined out like it was some giant embarrassing secret, "She didn't need to hear that." A small green hue was upon 10's face now as he blushed in embarrassment, very thankful that 13's focus was on his father right now well he looked at the female in curiosity.

Marcus and Lizzie chuckled lightly at 10's flustered display, perhaps the pairing process made already begun to work on the male. Lizzie gentle patted 10 on the back well her husband moved his hand forward to grab 13 from the windowsill, her begin very close to pressing straight into the glass on the window as she tried to moved further away from the figure before her. When his hand came closer to her frame, 13 sprung up from kneeling position to rack her claws deeply into the skin of Marcus's hand.

The male human cried out in alarm as he quickly retracted his hand, no of the others had ever done that before; even with all of them having claws as well. He was quickly pulled out of his thoughts when he noticed 13 sprint off of the window sill to jump and land perfectly on her feet once she hit the ground, right before she arose again to ran for the open door.

"Lizzie! Quickly get the door!" He called out as he stood from his position, fearing that if the small female ran out they may lose her in the large house and not be able to find her again.

Lizzie moved without question as she slammed the door closed before 13 could leave through it, the female skidding to a halt when she saw her exist was blocked. But before anyone could do anything 13 began to run frantically around the room to try and get away from the giants that seemed to be after her.

"13 child, please calm down!" Marcus tried as he corralled the female away from anything that could damage her if not carful. Lizzie moved forward herself with one hand still holding onto 10 well the other focused 13 away from the sharp objects nearby. "We aren't going to hurt you darling, please calm down before you hurt yourself." She pleaded to her new daughter.

But 13 only growled in animalistic way as she tried to claw them everytime their hands came close to her before she had enough and run to hide under the couch. Her small frame disappeared with a loud declare of; "Leave me alone!" Marcus and Lizzie sighed thinking they were going to have to get a pair of leather gloves and than try to get at the small frightened female. Because that's what this was, just a scared little girl trying to attack anything she saw as a threat.

Marcus sighed as he tapped his head in thought, looking to his wife and son with a perplexed look on his face. "I just we'll have to get the gloves so I can get at her, she's a feisty one and I want to make sure everything is okay with her. I never expected her to wake up last night and I'd like to see if there is anything wrong with her inner mechanics."

Lizzie and 10 nodded in understandment but 10 was thinking more deeply than his parental figures. He looked to the couch where 13 had run under and wondered if letting his father get her was the best idea, she was scared and working herself up into a nervous wreck. If his father grabbed her out of the blue than she may even work what bit of soul she had inside of her right out again! It was than that 10 suddenly remembered the last thing he had said to 13 before he had gone to sleep before she had awakened.

"I promise…." He whispered quietly to himself in Lizzie's hand. "I promise that I'll keep you safe…." 10 suddenly knew what he had to do and patted at Lizzie's hand to get her attention. When the red haired female looked down to him question, 10 simply pointed down to the ground before speaking.

"Let me try and coax her out, she may not scare so badly if I tell her what going on and why you're trying to grab her." The pale male looked to his father now with the same pleading eyes as yesterday, "Please let me try. It can't hurt anything to try and besides…she's still wearing my scarf."

The last statement had been to try and ease the tense as 10 gave a small laugh, just hoping his parent and Lizzie would listen again and let him try to calm the teal eyed female nervously listening from under the couch, wondering what they were up to right now.

Marcus and Lizzie looked to each other in question but again seemed to communicate beautifully through their eyes and came to an agreement in no time. Both nodded as Lizzie slowly dropped down to her knees along with Marcus, gently placing 10 to the floor in front of the couch. "Go get her son," his father spoke lightly, "Show her that it's alright and that you're a friend."

"Be polite and gentle with her," Lizzie coaxed, "She seems to take after me a bit more than I'd like and that would be the best approach in trying to befriend her." The female than gave 10 a encouraging nudge to the couch well her and Marcus stayed further back to not crowed the new ragdoll as 10 slowly moved to the couch.

His taller structure meant he sorta had to army crawl to get under the couch that 13 had easily crawled under. He had no further trouble as he crawled further to the back where he found 13 in a huddled position well she made a threaten growl from deep within her throat as 10 grew closer. The pale male rose a hand up in defense and a sign of good will to the pretty female, he wasn't here to fight.

"Hey, no, no, it's okay," he assured her when he was only a few inches away from her, "I'm not here to yell or hurt you, honestly." He lowered his hand back to the floor so he could rest his head on the other more comfortable. "I'm just trying to be a friend and let you know its okay. No one here is going to hurt you, heck we've been waiting a long time for you 13."

The teal eyed female blinked in confusion as she looked around like she was looking for someone else, making 10 confused as to what she was doing. After a little bit 13 pointed to herself with a very puzzled look on her face. "Are you talking to me?"

"Huh?" 10 asked well looking at her like she had grown a second head, "What do mean am I talking to you? How else is down here with us besides the dust bunnies?"

13 blinked in surprise before getting a very annoyed glare on her face, one that actually made 10 shrink back in fear that she was about to hit of kick him in the face. "I mean that thirteen you keep saying. I was wondering if that was me, you call me it and so did those giants out there."

10 now got a looked of clarity and understanment, how had he not realized that she hadn't been told she name so of course calling her by it would confuse her. "I'm sorry, really I am," he replied back, "Yes, your 13 and I'm 10. It's very nice to meet you under here among the dust and dark."

13 gave 10 an unamused look before he tried again, more serious this time. "Look, I know you're scared but, those giants out there are actually very nice people called humans. The one that you attacked in call Marcus, my father. The one with the red hair and green eyes is his wife called Lizzie, she's your mother.

The female now grew very quiet as she listened to 10 with interest, wondering what else he had to say. "They just want to see you and aren't going to hurt you, but Marcus just wants to make sure that your soul and parts are working and alright. And the only way to do that is if you go back out there and let him look at you."

13 fidgeted uncomfortable, she didn't like the idea of being held by something so big and loud but, 10 seemed to trust them and he was giving her the feeling deep within her that he could be trusted. "Will..will you be out there too?" she asked in a soft voice, afraid that he would say no and leave her in the hands of the humans.

10 nodded quickly as he placed one hand to 13's leg in a gentle touch, looking at her deeply. "I'll be right next to you and I would leave unless you tell me to okay?" He got a quick nod from the female before both stitchpunks began to crawl back out of the couch to go meet the humans properly this time.

But at the last second, right after 10 backed himself out into the room again and sat in a kneeling position in front on the crouched before 13, the female stopped. Her eyes were big and trembling in fear, and 10 felt a deep pin in his soul at seeing them like that. He slowly moved to cup one hand to her cheek and turn her face to look at him.

"Hey, its okay," he assured her in a softly gentle voice, "I'm right here. Nothing's going to hurt you….I promise."

13's eyes were bigger as she looked to 10 like she had heard those words somewhere before, making 10 wonder if she had started to awaken well he had held her last night. Suddenly a beautiful smile grew on 13's face that melted 10's metals right down at its simple beauty. "Promise?" she asked him as she crawled out to offer a hand for 10 to take…..waiting for him to guide her.

The pale male gulped nervously as he took 13's small delicate hand into his tough bladed ones well he rose up from his knees with 13's body following after his own, only stopping went both were fully stand on their feet and her gaze was piercing right into 10's souls in innocence and trust. Their bodies were almost pressed together as 10 looked her squarely in the face and collected his thoughts.

"I promise," he whispered out gently to her, making her smile even brighter, "And I never break my promises."