A/N: I do not own The Jungle Book or Tarzan. Both are owned by Disney.

Mowgli is around 10.

Tarzan is around 9.

I changed their ages because sense Tarzan will be coming to Mowgli's jungle then Mowgli will be the one to teach Tarzan a lot about his new home. So, they will grow to have a more brotherly relationship where Mowgli will act more like a big brother to Tarzan.

Chapter 2

Where am I? Was the first thought that crossed Tarzan's mind as he began to wake up. His head is still a little fuzzy, however it's clear enough to know that whatever he's lying on isn't his mom. This feels more rough and rugged, a stark difference than the softness and warmness of his mother that feels like you can sink into her.

Speaking of which, where is his mom? Why isn't she here with him? What exactly is he laying on? Whatever it is it's moving, so he's on top of someone. He opens one eye and can see his mother. She's sleeping but she's also leaning against something that's obviously not a tree.

He realizes that what his mom is sleeping against is what he's laying on top of. When he looked over his eyes jumped wide open in shock.

Kerchak! His mind screamed as he instinctively jumped off the gorilla. He couldn't believe it. He was sleeping on top of Kerchak! How did that happen?! More importantly, why was he on top of Kerchak? The gorilla barley looks in his direction except when whenever Tarzan causes trouble, and then it's only a stern glare.

Even when Tarzan wasn't the only one causing trouble, honestly, it's mostly Terk that drags Tarzan into doing whatever she wants and ends up getting in trouble along with her. However, Terk gets an annoyed glance and a huff from Kerchak, but Tarzan can still see some form of affection in the Gorilla's eyes. But with him it's only a glare, one that's clearly hostile with anger.

Tarzan knows that the only reason why Kerchak doesn't do more than just glare at him is because of his mom. He knows that at one point they were together, but that was before she found him. Yes, he knows that he's different. How could he not notice? Everyone else is so much bigger than him, they can climb trees faster than him, they're much stronger than him. Heck he even looks different from everyone else.

The other gorillas all share the same coloring, but he's the only one that is pale. Pale, skinny and weak. That's what he is. But his mother constantly tells him that he's no different from them and that he is one of them. "Tell that to Kerchak, mom." He would rebuttal back to her.

Wait…Kerchak. The memories were coming back. He remembers when his mom found him pounding in the pond, getting mud all over himself. Once again, he had gotten in some trouble, but it was his fault this time. Terk tried to stop him from jumping off the cliff, but he just wanted to prove to the others that he's not weak. That he can be like them. To be accepted in the only family he knows. Just to be accepted, that's all he wanted, and it turned into a complete mess.

When he saw his reflection in that pond, it just reminded him of how different he was. How wrong he was and that no matter what he does he will NEVER be one of them. He honestly doesn't believe he's a gorilla, and if he's not a gorilla then what is he? When his mom heard that as he was pounding in the water, she told him everything. Her, Kerchak, their son, how she found him and how Kerchak took it which led to them fighting to the point that they live apart from each other.

Tarzan may be young, but even he can understand why Kerchak got mad over that. His son just got killed and all of a sudden, his mate comes with a strange unknown baby and then say that she will raise that baby as her son.

Tarzan can understand why Kerchak would lose his cool over that, even to the point where he cut himself off from his mate. It still hurts, but Tarzan understands. He just hopes that one day he can prove to Kerchak that he's not trying to replace his son. He's his own person. Taran looked around to see that the others were asleep as well and that they were right next to the exact river that he jumped into earlier today.

He walked over to the edge. The water was calm and reflecting the big glowing light in the sky along with the other glowing tiny dots. He always wondered what they were and why they only came out at night.

"How the heck am I supposed to know? It's a big light in the sky!" Tarzan smirked thinking of Terk's answer to him when he asked her. It's funny that she always acks like she knows everything when they're around her friends, but when it's just them she's as clueless as he is.

As he sat next to the water more memories of today came to him. After his mom talked to him, she left him alone for a while. He remembers just sitting there until he saw a butterfly, for some reason it kept flying around his face, so he tried to swat it away only for him to completely miss it. And so a game of catch the butterfly was on, he chased the butterfly until he felt something warm. It was getting warmer and warmer and then he saw it.

Red raging heat. Fire, it was fire! He knew because Trek told him of story that Kerchak shared with all of the younger gorillas of when he was young and encountered it. He said it was an angry red whisp that it so hot no one can touch it and it destroys everything in its path.

Re remembers running as fast as he could, but the fire was just as fast. He remembers finally reaching the other gorillas and shouting as loud as he could that the fire was coming. At first no one believed him until he dragged Trek and pointed it out to them. In that moment everything went crazy. He was dodging gorillas left and right to reach his mom.

Unfortunately, by the time he reached her so did the fire and they were both trapped in their hut. His mom was holding him tightly to her as she tried to find a way for them to escape. He remembers seeing the roof about to go down on them and somehow, he found the strength to get out of his mother's hold and move her out the way, before everything went dark.

Thanks to the big light in the sky, he could somewhat see across the river and that a lot of trees there were dead. So, is that what fire does? Destroy trees? Then what about his home? Where will they live now? Though his thoughts put an ace in his heart, he took comfort that at least everyone including Kerchak is alive. Even if the big gorilla doesn't like him, Tarzan is still glad that he's ok.

Going back to that topic, when he woke up not only was his mom sleeping next to Kerchak, but he was also even sleeping on top of him! There's no way that Kerchak would have done that…at least willingly. So what happened? Did Kerchak suddenly change his mind about Tarzan? He highly doubts that. So, what could it be?

"Tarzan." Tarzan jumped in shock. He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't sense anyone approaching him. Not only that, but this deep gruff voice is also definitely not his mom. There can be only one person who this voice belongs to.

"Kerchak." Tarzan whispered as he tuned around to face the huge imposing gorilla. Kerchak stood as watched as Tarzan curled himself in and looked up in him in fear. The boy's body was even shivering a little. The child was this scared of him. What is he to do now? What would Kala do? Hesitantly Kerchak slowly started making his way to Tarzan.

Tarzan didn't know what to do. Kerchak was coming closer to him; was he in trouble? Is this where Kerchak finally kicks him out from the rest of the family? His mind was coming to a black to where he didn't realize that Kerchak was right Infront of him. Tarzan flinched when he saw Kerchak reaching his hand out to him.

However, no pain came. In fact, the hand carefully scooped him up and held him up to Kerchak's chest. Tarzan froze, he didn't know what to do. This is the first time he remembers Kerchak even touching him, it felt different. So different from his mom, but for some reason not wrong. And wait. Did he just call him by his name earlier?

"I heard everything from Terk and Kala. What you did. You warned everyone of the fire and protected Kala." Tarzan can feel himself blush. This is the most that Kerchak has ever said to him and by the gorilla's tone it sounds like he's praising Tarzan! He couldn't believe it! Neither will Terk nor him mom for that matter. But it was what came next that changed everything.

"Thank you." Tarzan snapped his head up to Kerchak who was looking down at him as well. Tarzan could see his eyes and was more surprised to see affection in them. The same as when he would look at Terk and the other young gorillas, when they're not causing mayhem. But for some reason Tarzan could see sadness in his eyes too. However, none of that matters in this moment, because did he hear Kerchak right? Thank you? Is Kerchak actually thanking him?

"Because of you everyone is safe, and for that I cannot be more grateful. Thank you, Tarzan, for protecting our family, and I'm sorry, for not realizing that you have always been one of us." Tears were welling up n Tarzan's eyes as Kerchak spoke. This has to be another dream; it has to be! There's no way in a million years that Kerchak would say this to him. However, the feeling of him against the gorilla strong chest and Kerchak's hand supporting his back firmly but caring at the same time told Tarzan this was not dream.

"You will never be alone again. You nor Kala. We are family and family always stick together. I do not know where we will go from here, but I promise here and now that we will always be together…My son." Son. Tarzan heard that loud and clear. Kerchak called him his son. In that moment the amount of emotion swirled into Tarzan clutched onto Kerchak and wept.

He cried hard and loud, to the point where he was trying to use Kerchak to muffle himself so that the others didn't hear him. He couldn't help it though; this was all he could have ever hope to dream. Kerchak finally acknowledged him as part of the group. One of them. To be a part of the family. He tried so hard to be accepted and each time they ended in utter failures. He was beginning to lose hope that he would ever be accepted even if he is different from them.

"It's alright my son. Take as long as you need." Kerchak comforted Tarzan as the boy continued to cry. Kerchak stood holding Tarzan for a while until he noticed that the boy was tiring himself out.

"Let's go back. You must be cold and need rest. I'm sure your mother would be filled with worry to wake up and see you being gone." Tarzan only nodded his head as Kerchak carried him back to the tree where Kala was still asleep. Tarzan melted in the gorilla's hold, which at first was cold and hard, but now is a source of strength. Tarzan felt for the first time protected. As Kerchak sat back down he positioned Tarzan so that the boy was comfortable and brought the sleeping Kala closer to him as well.

"Sleep my son and know that your father is proud of you today." Proud. His father is proud of him. Tarzan smiled as he began to slumber. Feeling the strong arm around him, the rising and felling of his broad chest and the warmth that Tarzan never could thought at first was possible. But that was before, and now he can sleep peacefully because he too now has a father.

The fire may have destroyed their home, but it gave Tarzan something much more precious. Something he will cherish for the rest of his life. He almost lost his mama, but not only did ne not lose her…he gained a papa too.