Authors Notes: I love the very last part. It had me in a fit of giggles. Enjoy and don't forget to review.

Frozen Timepiece

Chapter 25

Siblings

Kate found herself sitting on the bed that Echo and she had shared since they moved in together. She was so used to sleeping with him, and honestly the bed was unusually colder even though it was warm in the room. She turned to look at Echos spot on the left side. It was the first time in a full year that she and Echo hasn't slept in the same bed.

They had secretly began to call one another husband and wife even though it was impossible. They had once been asked if they were ever intimate together. Although it was a personal question it was rather well known that they couldn't have been. Echo couldn't and Kate just wasn't interested in such things.

They would just sit up in bed sometimes and talk about little things, colors, stories, funny things they saw, just little things. Kate would even read to Echo, he would lay there on the bed with his head on his hand listening to everything she said. Sometimes stopping her so they could discuss things he didn't understand, or places within the books. Small talk. She thinks it was the quiet that got to her the most.

This is how Cole found her. Sitting on the bed with Echos favorite book hugged to her chest, and the tears slowly falling again. He quietly knocked on the door frame so not to spook her from her thoughts. She did jump, but not as high as he thought she would have. She looked up at him and quickly wiped her eyes free of any stray tears.

"Cole...sorry I didn't mean to…" She stopped when Cole held out a handkerchief to her. He shook his head and sat down on the side of the bed. Looking her in the eyes.

"Hey you don't have to explain yourself to me. You've had it pretty tough. I want you to know any one of us will be happy to lend a shoulder if you need us to." Cole smiled at her trying to be reassuring. She knew he was trying to help, but she just wanted Echo back. The Bounty was due to land near the area where they got the communication.

She took a deep breath looking up at the earth elemental.

"Did you need something Cole?" She asked standing up putting the book back on the shelf.

"Oh yeah its almost dinner time." He said and held out his hand for her. She just smiled and shook her head. Cole chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"So Samurai X brought you...find out who it is?" Cole asked. Kate nodded her head.

"Yes." She said and Cole nearly tripped over his own two legs.

"Really?! Who?"

"No…" Kate giggled and walked into the dining room.

"Guys she knows how Samurai X is!" They all swarmed her. Kate looked amazed at them.

"You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" Kate asked and sat down at the table.

"Well...no." They said and looked around.

"I wonder if Zane or Echo know." Kate thought to herself putting her head in her hands as Nya and Lloyd brought the plates of food in. Apparently it was their turn to do the cooking...luckily. If Cole cooked they'd have to give Kates body to Echo. Last time she risked giving Cole the 'benefit of the doubt.' She was in the bathroom for hours. Echo kept asking if she was alright. Making jokes that she was firing off from both ends. Or backfiring as he called it.

Kate sighed and sat back a little and looked at the food. She was still amazed that Lloyd was still about fifteen years old. She looked up at Kai as he walked in and scooted past them to get to his spot on the other side of the table. The room was rather small. He stopped just behind her and leaned down looking at her squarely and then smiles before going on. He always tried to freak her out that way. It used to work. She'd recoil away from him, now it just made her smile. She looked down at her food. Rice, chicken, and peas. She looked around at the others who seemed to be eating as quickly as they could. They had a mission to go on, so they had to eat quickly. Kate however kept looking at her food as if it were going to jump up and bite her. She looked around at the kitchen almost expecting to see Echo come out and sit next to her. She looked down at the spot and then back at her food. She jumped when she felt someone tap her nose.

"Your doing it again." She looked at Nya who put her head in her hand looking at her. "We'll get them back, we always do. Now eat, if Echo comes back and finds out you haven't been eating enough he'll partner up with Zane and stuff you full." Nya said. Kate giggled and looked around at Jay.

"And how is that a bad thing?" He asked

"Its not." Kate said starting to eat.

Echo opened his optics and looked around the room. His brother lay not to far from him. He tried to roll over, but his whole body ached and his hand wasn't feeling right. Zane put it back together the best he could. At least he felt a little better internally. He must have worked for hours on him. He still felt very weak from the turmoil he had undergone. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He still felt like someone was pressing down on his chest plate. His throat felt so dry, it normally meant that his internal unit was low on oil. If his was he was sure his brothers was even more so. They had to get out of there or they were going to lock up.

He jumped when he felt a hand on his forehead. He jumped and opened his eyes quickly. When he saw the cool blue eyes of his brother he calmed down immediately.

"Breath…" Zane said touching his neck. Echo realized that he had been gasping for air. "Your cooling unit has been acting up. I'm going to have to do some work on it. So what I want you to do is lay perfectly still, and breath alright?" Zane asked pouring water into his chest plate. It sizzled and cooled Echo. He visibly sighed with relief as it happened.

"Where's the water come from?" Echo asked. Zane pointed to a faucet in the corner. He had the bucket probably for bathroom usage luckily they didn't have to so it was clean, and the drinking cup that was once around the faucet. He had filled the bucket full and had been poring it onto Echo throughout the night.

"Alright now breath alright?" Zane said and pored more water onto him before opening his chest plate. At first Echo just closed his eyes and concentrate on breathing. Thats all he really needed to do though right?

Zane gasped looking at the twisted fan. He was able to remove it and continue fixing it, but it would have to be replaced when they got home.

A speaker above the door crackled and Sanza's voice echoed in the room.

"Looks like we've been found. That airship your always occupying is right over head. It looks like that young lady you just broke up with is on board. We'll see if this bares fruit. If this works out you'll have your lady love again Echo. But remember...she won't survive the encounter." Sanza said.

Echo gasped looking at his brother. What are we going to do brother?"

"I've alerted Pixal to where we are. If I know Pixal she'll protect Kate."

"But brother she's only an AI within your mind. What can she do to protect Kate?!" Echo was freaking out. Zane put his fingers to Echos lips to keep him quiet. This for some reason calmed him. Specially the secret smile on Zanes lips.

"I have a secret. Want to hear it?" Zane asked Echo nodded his head since his brothers finger was still over his lips. "Pixals had a body now for about a year and a half now." He said. Echo looked sad for a moment.

"Then why doesn't she want to come see me?" Oh that nearly broke Zanes heart.

"But you have. She's Samurai X." He said to Echo. Echos eyes grew wide and he smiled so big.

"Sanza's in trouble now!"