A/n: Thanks for the reviews everybody. I am overwhelmed by the positive response so far!

LlamaQueen666: He died a while ago. Thank you for your condolences, much obliged! It has been quite rough. I am glad you are enjoying the story and hope you will like what is to come.

Anonymous: Thank you very much! I am super pleased to hear that!

MadDogTBNR: Reviews like this are the reason for my motivation to continue, so don't worry. I plan to finish this story and I am super happy you are enjoying it! I hope you will enjoy the rest too. I am a fan of the anime so I remember that part. Thanks again. (My birthday too, btw!)

Things will progress over the next few chapters. I know some of you are wondering about Lilo and Stitch, so the next few chaps will clarify that for certain. Enjoy and as always, feedback is much appreciated.

I woke up the next morning in Jumba's bed. Sunlight was peeking through the blinds.

Jumba was asleep beside me and I could hear Pleakley below us in his bed. Lilo wasn't there, but I could still smell her scent, telling me she'd only just got up shortly before.

My heart pounded for a moment as I remembered about Kuakini, but then also remembered what he had told me about not going in if I wasn't up to it. I felt okay now, but I wouldn't have been up to going. I was thankful that I didn't have any more nightmares.

I crawled over my father (he grunted) and climbed down to go and find Lilo. The house was quiet. When I realised she wasn't in the house I started to worry. I put my nose to the floor to find her scent. It went outside.

Trailing her scent I realised she'd gone up to the ship. Hesitantly, I followed, wondering what she was doing.

After going inside (the door was open) I ended up finding her in the repair bay, staring at the cruiser. It was still covered by the tarp.

"Lilo?" I asked quietly and she jumped. She was still in her pyjamas.

She looked delighted to see me. "Stitch!" Jumping up, she encased me in a big hug. I licked her across the cheek and sat down with her.

"What you doing, Lilo?" I asked her after a few moments of silence and her staring at the ship underneath the tarp again.

She gave a small sigh.

"I... I just came here to think."

I tilted my head. She smiled at me.

"Well... it's just. I really like seeing your ship here. I can't wait for it to be restored. It... kind of means a lot to me."

I raised an eyebrow slightly at that. "It does? Why?"

"Well, it's your ship Stitch. The one you crashed here in. It means a lot to me because this same ship is the reason you're a part of my life and why we met in the first place."

I stared at her before putting a paw to her shoulder. "Ih, Lilo right. Can take off tarp, if Lilo like?"

She nodded. "Yes please. I can't do it myself, it's too heavy."

I stood up and walked over to the tarp, easily pulling it off and casting it aside. Lilo stood up and looked at the ship thoughtfully. She put her hand on the metal.

"Will Jumba be able to fully restore it?" she asked me, banging on the metal with her fist and the sound echoed around the bay.

"Maybe not all, but he try," I told her. "Isa rusted."

Lilo continued to inspect it. "How far did you fly this thing?"

"Thousands miles. I used hyper-drive to escape. Ship damaged. Stitch had no choice but to crash. Just happen to crash on earth."

She nodded. "Why was it damaged?"

"Police shoot at me. One idiot crash into me. Kill himself in process."

She looked alarmed at that. "What, like actually flew into you? How?"

"All in cruisers too. Flock of them," I explained. "Chase me. I stole this one, red one. Is my favourite colour!"

She sat down cross-legged and I sat down opposite her.

"Stitch break in, kanji-ji jibay ziz-ziz. Tawani bay moomba. Fly out and they chase me, but when I engage hyper-drive, flee, so I escape easy. Stitch jes todaga."

Lilo nodded.

"Stitch thought he die in space. But then radar pick up earth. Got lucky. Then unlucky. Realised covered in water. Bleh."

She giggled.

"But all okay, crash on tiny island. Here," I smiled.

Lilo beamed. "That's the best part of all!"

I nodded. She gazed at me.

"Oh Stitch... I cannot wait to go flying around in the cruiser with you."

"Me neither, Lilo," I told her.

She stared at me for a long moment. I wondered what was on her mind.

"So... what exactly happened up there? I know you were put on trial."

I looked away. Now that I remembered everything, it was much harder for me to tell her.

"Well... Stitch very bad, ih?" I said to her. "Go around shooting aliens, destroying things. I do... really bad things. By that I mean... really bad things, Lilo."

She stared at me. "What do you mean?"

I sighed. "Things that... well. Horrible. Very bad. They haunt me. Will forever."

Lilo looked scared. I held her hands in my paws. "Trial was to sentence me, to desert asteroid. Basically death sentence. Banished from Kweltikwan. Turo. Forever and ever. I escape, Jumba chase me. Promise him, freedom in exchange for turning me back in. He no do it. He no want to."

I sighed. "Instead, they make us banished here. Turn out, happy ending, ih?"

She nodded slowly. "But... what do you mean by really bad things Stitch?" she asked slowly.

Another lump formed in my throat. "I thought you said the bad things already. Hurting those police soldiers that tried to hurt you. Was it because you killed them?"

"Ih..."

"But you said they attacked you first right? Then, that's not so bad you attacked back... you were just defending yourself?"

I sighed. "Lilo. There is more. Lot more. Very very dark past of Stitch. But, cannot tell you, okeytaka?"

She looked shocked. "You... you have a dark past?"

I nodded slowly. "Please... pleechi-ba... Lilo, is so so bad, is something cannot be ever telling you, or o'hana. Too scared. Stitch scared, Jumba scared. We both very bad in past. Is why we both banished. But, good now, ih? I'm good! Stitch g-good! Stitch naga kaphong!"

I quivered. She noticed and ran forth and clutched me tightly against her. "Yes, you are good and you most certainly are NOT a monster. Don't make me slap you again."

I sighed against her. "Stitch good."

"I know..."

She held me like that for a little while until I calmed down enough to pull away from her. She put her hands against my cheeks and made me face her.

"Stitch, I know you. You opened up to me and I've seen the real you. Whatever you did that was so bad in the past, is exactly that. Past. Okay?"

I stared at her.

She let go of my face and slowly drew her hands down to my paws, cupping them. She pressed our hands together.

"I know you're waiting for an answer, Stitch."

My ears perked at that. She looked away from me. Was she finally going to tell me?

"Yes. I like you. But..."

I felt my heart skip a beat. "N-neesa?" I asked quietly.

"It's just... I'm scared. I don't know if that's okay."

I stared at her. "Gaba...?"

She sighed again. "To like you. I like you as my best friend and as my family. But you also make me so happy too. Every time I see you I feel... just... I don't know how to describe it. Whole?"

I smiled at her. I understood.

"Without you I feel so lonely. When you weren't part of my life, I was very lonely. I felt like there was no reason for me to be here. My parents were gone, Mertle hated me and I had no friends. Nobody wanted to be near me. Not even Nani understood me, so I ended up pushing her away most of the time. I told her to leave me alone to die a few times, but she thought I wasn't being serious when I said that – but I was. I really felt that bad. But when you came along... everything changed. I was lonely, but you made me feel alive again. I had somebody to care for now, somebody that looked up to me. A reason."

I looked at my lap.

"You needed me to be there for you, to teach you not to be bad. I knew deep inside you were good, and I knew you were lonely too, just like me, because I heard you cry that night, Stitch."

I shuddered slightly. I recalled that night – it was the night I had discovered the Ugly Duckling after rampaging through Lilo's old bedroom. I had wondered if there was anything more to me than just destroying things because everything had been closed off underneath the encryption. I had literally no memories. Nothing. Not even memories of being captured after I had destroyed Turo. Everything had just gone, like dust blowing away in the wind. It was only afterwards, long afterwards, my memories slightly started coming back. Everything except for us being captured and what had really happened on Turo. Most things still were a blur.

After destroying the mockery San Francisco I'd made in her room (I'd seen it during my descent to earth and recreated it because I found it interesting) I knew I had something more to me, but it just wasn't there. I had struggled to remember something. Anything! But nothing had come to me. It had left me frustrated and sad.

There was no city there for me to destroy. Landing on earth had somewhat reset my memory in a way. I figured it was the impact of the crash but now I realised it must have been Jumba's encryption that made me forget. That's why things had been hard to piece together and I'd struggled to remember myself after seeing that book. It had made me wonder if I had a family too, because I felt like I just existed because I existed. That was it.

Lilo had changed all of that. In one night. After that, I began idolising her because she had amazed me.

"Ih..." I said softly. Lilo continued.

"I felt like a I finally had a responsibility because if I wasn't there to help you, you'd have nobody. I saw the way people treated you. But I still liked you, even when you pushed me away and ignored me. Or pushed me over."

I felt sad hearing that. I had pushed her away a lot during that time. I had hated everybody and everything. I just wanted to destroy everything I touched because I didn't care. Nani had hated me and been wary of me. David was too.

"I also saw how you changed, Stitch. You came to save me. You actually came back for me. I thought I'd never see my home again. But you made that possible. You understood me."

Lilo smiled at me. "And, you still do."

We gazed at each other.

"I know I understand you, Stitch. I know you are my family and I deeply care about you. Even more than myself. But... I also understand that... what I feel about you, others might... not agree to it. You make my heart happy, but my head tells me that Nani might not like it. Because you are an alien. That's why I married you. To reassure myself that I need you Stitch and nothing will take you from me. But at the same time, I don't know how to feel about if it's okay to, you know... like you."

I completely understood where she was coming from, as I was in the same boat. I was the same with Jumba. I had no idea how he'd react to me liking a human.

"Well, we don't have to tell," I told Lilo.

She stared at me. I nodded. "Lilo, I like you too. Very much. I know we different. It bothers me, but is nothing I can do about it. Always had hoped, you accept me."

I swallowed. "Do you?"

She drew in a breath. She was about to answer me but I growled slightly when I heard the ship door opening.

"I do, Stitch..." Lilo responded quickly and my ears shot up.

"To... tochamba?"

She nodded. "I can wait..."

I was about to ask her what she meant by that when Nani stepped inside. Lilo stood up. I just looked away.

"Lilo! Baby, you're safe!"

"What? Of course I'm safe," Lilo responded, sounding confused. Nani hugged her.

"I couldn't find you in the house."

"That's because I'm here."

Nani went quiet at that. I could feel her looking at me. I felt uncomfortable around her at that moment.

"Come back inside. David's back too."

Lilo just stared at her, looking annoyed. Nani didn't look at me as she left. I felt like she hated me and because of that I didn't know how to feel.

Lilo instantly sensed this and hugged me again. "It's okay. We'll figure something out."

"Naanee hate me?"

Lilo looked at me sadly, but then we both looked up in alarm when we heard yelling. My ears perked again.

"I thought I told you not to be going near him!"

"I had to see my sister!"

Jumba made a noise akin to a sneer. The ship door opened again and he came into us. He darted forth and picked me up.

"626?"

I just sighed.

He took Lilo's hand and carried me as he brought us out of the ship and back to the house. Nani and David were in the living room with Pleakley. Jumba put me down beside him and crossed his arms.
Nani looked away from us. David held her hand and gestured for her to sit beside him. Both of them looked troubled.

"So then?" Jumba asked.

"David was let go this morning," she said.

Jumba's expression mellowed slightly. He looked at me and I looked back at him. "Oh... well, am being sorry to hear."

"We knew it was coming," she sighed. "David has been trying for another job for a while, but there hasn't been any luck."

Jumba was quiet. Lilo and Pleakley looked troubled.

I felt bad for them. I knew now it was all down to Nani. I wanted to say something, but after what she had said about me yesterday I felt scared to say anything.

"We might not be able to afford the wedding at this rate."

"What? No!" Lilo cried out at hearing that.

"Am sure something will work out?" Jumba also said, sounding unsure of himself.

Nani shook her head. "I... I just don't know what to do."

I frowned. I wondered if Mr Kuakini would be able to pay me today as he had said. He'd told me that he would pay at the end of the week and I needed to give the money to her as soon as possible.

I turned and ran out of the doggy door, ignoring Jumba's cries behind me.

Mr Kuakini was serving a few customers when I went inside. He saw me.

"Stitch!"

The customers stared at me as they left. He took me into his office and shut the door.

"How are you feeling? Everything okay?"

I nodded. "Feeling bit better. Good sleep. Still scared."

"Understandable. Up to helping me tonight?"

"Ih..." I told him. "I... I need to know, when get pay?"

He stared at me. "Why is that?"

"David lost job. Nani, not talking to me. If Stitch give money, maybe she not hate me?"

"Oh Stitch, she doesn't hate you. Don't think like that."

I sighed. "Ignore me when come home. Talk to Lilo. Naga meega..."

Mr Kuakini bent to my level. "Maybe she just didn't know what to say. She is aware she hurt you, yes?"

I nodded.

Mr Kuakini sat down at his desk and pulled up something on his computer. A moment or so later he pulled out a small book and started writing in it. He handed it to me once done and I stared at it.

"It's called a cheque, Stitch. That's your pay," he addressed my confusion. "Give that to Nani, she'll know what it is."

I stared. "Oh, naga na quala?"

"This is your money Stitch. You bring that to the bank and they cash it in."

"Oh."

"Off you go then. I'll see you later, yes?"

"Okeytaka! Dougabba!" I smiled at him. He pat me on the shoulder before I left to go back home.

As I approached my home, I saw Lilo sitting on the porch step. She stood up when she saw me.

"Stitch?"

I showed her the cheque. She took it from me and looked at me in confusion.

"Where did you get this?"

"Work. If... if Stitch, give to Nani, maybe she not so mad at me?"

Lilo looked saddened to hear that from me. She hugged me tightly.

"Listen..." she said softly. I perked up my ears. I could hear Jumba and Nani yelling at each other. Both of them blaming each other for my sudden disappearance.

I sighed. "No more fighting." I said firmly, heading up the stairs and back inside. Everybody went quiet when they saw me.

"626..." Jumba said quietly. I ignored him and walked over to Nani. I avoided eye contact with her but thrust out my paw to her, showing her the cheque. She hesitantly took it from me and she gasped.

"Oh my gosh! This is..." she trailed off seeing the amount. "Where did you get this?"

"Work."

"W-what? What do you mean?" she asked. She sounded breathless.

I was about to speak but Lilo spoke over me. "Stitch has been helping Mr Kuakini by working in his shop. He's been raising money to try and help you out. I think that's his first pay."

Nani's eyes went wide at that. I saw her begin to cry and she dropped to the floor.

"You did this for me?"

I looked up at her slightly.

Jumba was staring at her. "Looks as though you are not really knowing 626 at all larger girl."

Everybody went quiet. Nani stared at me for a long time. She drew in a breath, as if to say something, but then she stood up and walked into the kitchen, David following her. I really thought she was going to say something to me, but she didn't. Not even a thanks. I lowered my head.

Jumba looked beyond furious. He turned and left, slamming the door shut behind him. Pleakley raced out after him. Lilo put her hand on my shoulder.

I gazed at her. I hesitated slightly but closed my eyes and gave her a small kiss on the cheek before turning and heading back outside.

I knew she was just as shocked as I was from that. She'd only ever done that to me. But I wanted to tell her I was okay. I just needed time alone.

I also wanted to confirm to her I'd meant what I said before.

I felt numb again as I headed outside.

I went to the tree-house again. I sat there for a while, just staring into the distance.

I didn't want to think about Nani. It hurt too much. I was about to close my eyes when I heard a soft voice behind me. "Stitch?"

It was Lilo. We stared at each other. She didn't come up but remained where she was on the top rung of the ladder.

"Come inside..."

I stared. "Why?"

She didn't respond, but reached out her hand for me to follow. I hesitated, but she gestured again.

Sighing, I reluctantly followed. I wondered what she wanted.

Lilo gripped my paw tightly after I'd climbed down beside her. We headed back inside. She led me to the kitchen and pointed. I stared at her but she gave a nod.

I went in. Nani and David were there. On the table was a big coconut cream cake. I had to do a double take. The last time I saw one of those had to be over a year ago.

Lilo pulled out a chair for me and I climbed up.

Nani was gazing at me. "Stitch... I-I'm really sorry for yesterday. I hope this helps make up for it?" she smiled slightly, gesturing to the cake. "I bought it just for you."

"G-gaba?" I asked. I was in disbelief. I knew this cake wasn't exactly cheap.

She sighed. "I know it seemed like I was ignoring you. I just really didn't know what to say. I know how much those words hurt you and I wasn't oblivious to that fact. That's why I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if you'd want to hear me about about it, or just ignore me. You scared me those times Stitch. I know you didn't mean to though and it's hard for you. It's hard for all of us as well. But sometimes it feels like the stress isn't going to end. I was dealing with a lot yesterday. I knew David was going to be let go of his job soon and we just didn't want to say anything. I know you're stressed with the nightmares. I'm stressed to."

She smiled at me. "I'm so touched at what you've been doing, Stitch. Even after everything you still find it in your heart to help me out when I need it the most. I don't know how to repay you. You've been so good to me but I've been so awful to you. Over the wedding and over your situation."

I shook my head. "Don't have to."

"No, I do. It's the least I can do. I am sorry Stitch. I'm just so highly strung and stressed right now. I don't know if things will get better for us, but with the money you earned for me, things might start to be okay after all. At least, I hope so."

I stared at Nani. "Still... scared of me?" I asked hesitantly.

"I've never been scared of you Stitch," she responded and I remembered what Mr Kuakini had said. "Just of what has been happening."

She stood up and walked over to me. I looked up at her and she picked me up into a hug. "I don't hate you Stitch. I never will."

Had she heard me? Perhaps she did.

I nodded and smiled at her and she smiled back. "No worry. Stitch clean mess."

She looked confused but then she realised. "Thank you."

I nodded. She put me down.

"I hope Jumba isn't planning to do some evil experiment on me right now," she joked. I laughed awkwardly, as did Lilo.

Nani sighed. "I know I've really made him mad. I went into the kitchen to get the cake before, but I know it looked like I wasn't going to say anything. I just wanted to surprise you."

"Oh..." I responded to that, now understanding why she'd done it.

"Should I go talk to him?"

"Naga, meega," I told her. "He listen to me."

Nani gave a nod. She started to pull out some plates for us. Lilo went with me as I went back outside and headed up to the ship to see my father.

Jumba was sitting in the lab with Pleakley. Both of them looked up at us when we walked in.

Jumba stared at me. I stared back at him. After a moment or so I jumped at him and he caught me. Peering into his face I could see that he'd been in some sort of rage. I could smell a slight trace of adrenaline from not only him, but Pleakley too. Pleakley must have been scared.

Out the corner of my eye I saw a smashed beaker. I could hear Jumba's heart racing but starting to slow as I stared into his eyes.

"Papa extremely mad... weren't you?" I asked. "Rage?"

He nodded. "Cannot be hiding anything from you 626."

"Is okay..." I told him, hugging him. He put his hand over my back and I explained to him what had happened in our native tongue. He seemed perplexed for a moment or so but then his expression eased.

"I see."

I nodded. "Naanee sorry."

"Well, as long as you accept her apology, and you are fine by it, then I am okay too," he responded.

I nodded. "Very stressed. Hard for her." I told him and he put his hand on my head and ruffled my fur. "Want cake?"

"Okay."

Lilo grinned. "She bought a huge cake for Stitch!"

Once back inside, Jumba and Nani looked at each other for a moment or so. She hesitantly handed him a slice of cake on a plate.

"Sorry, Jumba. I didn't mean it."

"626 forgives you. Is all that is mattering to me. As earth saying goes, water under the bridge, yes?"

Nani nodded.

I smiled.

All of us sat together at the table to enjoy the cake. I looked around at each of them.

Jumba was finally smiling again. Pleakley looked unsure of eating such a large slice of cake. Lilo on the other hand was stuffing her face with it. David was trying to look happy, but I could see pain in his eyes. Nani was the same.

Eventually at some point, all of them looked at me.

My angel beamed. Nani smiled. David smiled. Even Pleakley smiled. But Jumba just stared at me. He did this for a while, putting down his spork and resting his head against his hand.

I knew what was bothering him. He was just as unsure as I was about what was happening to me. I could see him almost analysing me with his gaze. Every so often his eyes would flick up to my ears and then down to my chest. He was reading me like a book.

"Stitch! What happened to your hands?" a voice broke the silence. Nani was staring at my paws.

Lilo stopped eating and looked as well. Finally she noticed.

"Ob by bosh!" she cried, cake falling from her mouth. Nani looked disgusted and forced a napkin in her face but she pushed it aside. "Your claws are gone!"

Jumba laughed at that. "Not gone, he just has them retracted. Was wondering when you'd pick up on it."

They looked startled. "Why?" Lilo asked. "I never even knew you could do that."

I sighed. I looked at my paws. "Protect family," I said. "Stitch... dangerous."

Their expressions fell. Jumba looked disheartened. Everybody went quiet.

Jumba threw down his napkin and stood up, slightly shaking the room. "Right. Made promise to get to bottom of this. Is what I am going to do."

He left the kitchen, heading upstairs to his bedroom.

Nani walked around to me and put her hand on my shoulder.

"Was it because of what I said?"

"No. Stitch do this before that."

"But... are you still able to do things without them?" Nani took my paw into her hand and opened it up, running her finger along my fingers. She felt the tips of them.

"Not as well, but ih, Stitch okay."

Nani shut my paw and wrapped her hand around mine. I stared at her.

She hugged me before going back to sit down. Lilo copied her and took my other paw into her hand to look as well. "Wow... does it feel weird when you do that?"

I shook my head.

My family had always been interested in my design, Lilo especially. Whenever I extended my extra arms they would stare in shock. Or as before with Mr Kuakini, when I opened up my eyes wider than what they were it startled them for some reason. Maybe they weren't used to something as complex as me, since I knew nothing else of the sort existed anywhere on earth. I was unique.

"You're such a cool alien," Lilo said to me. I grinned. She sat back down.

Nani offered me some more cake but I shook my head. I wanted to save it. Normally I would have chuffed the whole thing down in one go, but I knew that cake was expensive.

"Is class on today Lilo?" Nani asked.

"Not today. It's on over the weekend," she seemed to frown but then she looked mortified.

"Gaba katchooga?" I asked.

"Oh no!" she wailed, slamming her hand to her mouth in horror. "I forgot to feed Pudge!"

She knocked over her cup as she quickly leapt up to make a peanut butter sandwich. Nani just sighed and picked up the cup, which was empty thankfully. She watched Lilo sadly before looking at me.

"Come on Stitch!"

I shrugged at Nani before climbing down to follow her as she ran into change into her bathers. I got her towel and goggles for her.

"Hold it Lilo!" Nani said to her. Lilo paused, looking frantic.

"It's a nice day again today. Why don't we all go to the beach?"

Lilo stared. "Wait... you mean it?"

Nani nodded. Lilo looked overjoyed. "ALRIGHT!"

"I think we could all use a break right now." Nani said, and David nodded. "You and Stitch go on

ahead. We'll meet you there."

Lilo smiled at me.

I couldn't even remember the last time we'd had a family day out together. Maybe this was just what we needed. I didn't bother packing my things as I knew Nani would do it.

Lilo pulled me outside and we raced down the driveway to head to the beach.

I sat and watched Lilo as she dived into her grotto with her sandwich for Pudge. I still worried about her when she went under. I always did. One of my biggest fears was her not resurfacing. I would give my life to try and save her if that happened, even if it meant I drowned in the process.

I hated being so dense. I just sunk like a brick in water. I'd hit the ocean floor in minutes.

I did wish to be able to swim. I knew under the sea was alike an entirely different world. It looked beautiful down there. So much coral and tropical fish. The water was so clear and blue.

Lilo surfaced a few moment or so later, smiling. "Pudge was happy today."

She pushed her hair out of her eyes and came back to the shore. I handed her the towel.

"I wish you could see down there Stitch. I think you'd like it."

I smiled at her sadly. "Me too."

I had everything I knew humans could only dream of having. Super strength, super intelligence... I was nearly indestructible, bullet-proof and fire-proof. I even had a speaker in my mouth.

I would gladly trade all of that to be able to spend a moment in the ocean with Lilo and not drown while at it.

Lilo sat while I dried her off with the towel briefly before wrapping it around her. The breeze was warm but she still shivered a little. She rested against me.

"Stitch... you..."

I looked at her, perking up my ears.

"You... kissed me before."

I pulled back slightly and stared at her.

"I mean... I do it to you all the time," she blushed. "But... you... did it to me..."

"Lilo no like? Soka..." my ears drooped. "Stitch won't do again."

She stared at me. "I liked it Stitch!" she responded to that. "I just wasn't expecting it," she smiled.

"It was... nice."

"Oh..."

She nodded.

"Lilo?" I asked her and she looked into my eyes. "What did you mean before?"

"Huh?"

"You said, you wait... wait for what?"

"For you, Stitch," she responded. When I tilted my head she continued.

"When we are older. I can... wait to be with you. If we can figure out how to be together."

I stared at her at that and sighed. I knew what she meant.

We'd never be accepted liking each other. I'd known that from the moment my heart confirmed to me that I liked her. She was a human. Human's dated other humans. I was an alien. Other humans wouldn't like that. That we were so different.

There was only two options for us. Lilo became like me... or I became like her. A human. Somehow.

I highly doubted either was possible. A weird mental image played on my mind imagining Lilo as something like me. I saw an experiment, like me, with soft caramel coloured fur and chocolate brown pupil-less eyes like mine. Except this experiment had long black hair.

I shook my head. That was just too weird to think about. No... I didn't want that. Ever. Lilo was perfect as she was. I'd rather be a human.

Lilo looked at me funny. "You okay Stitch?"

"Ih," I lowered my ears.

Maybe I would just have to resign to the fact we could never be together. It hurt my heart to think of her with another human male. She had said to me she had accepted me, but when the time really did come for her to grow up and find a companion, would she stay true to what she said? Or would her instinct as a human being drive her away from me to be with a male of her own kind?

I thought about that Keoni person from the dream again. He seemed like the perfect male. Her ideal prince charming. Then there was me. Small, blue and furry.

Complete opposites. Completely different species as well, at that!

How could Lilo choose me over him? It baffled me. That's why I believed there was no future for us, even if she had said she liked me now. I did take into account she was only nearly nine as well. She was still very young. Too young to know how she really felt about things. She wasn't mature in that aspect. It wouldn't be until she hit puberty that she would start figuring out what she wanted. I knew that was normal for teenage humans.

I'd have puberty as well, but I doubted I'd change very much. I was designed for one thing only. Planetary destruction. Not a human lifestyle.

Would I grow? Probably not. I already did that by becoming a huge monster. I had no reason to be any taller than I was considering I could grow bigger than a city anyway. It was a dumb thing to think about.

Would I have strong muscles and abs like that Keoni guy? I already had those anyway, just on a different body to a human. My bones were steel and titanium. My muscles were constructed of the strongest tissues and fibers in the galaxy. Except all of that was hidden underneath my fur.

I could shave it off? Then they would show?

No, that would be stupid. I'd look like a complete bald idiot.

That wasn't handsome like the Keoni guy but who was I kidding anyway? I wasn't handsome, I was an alien that looked like a damn dog.

The thought of that made me pound my fist against the sand.

Keoni wore clothes that suited him and made him look like the ideal prince charming for Lilo. I pictured myself in the same clothes and in the same position I'd seen him in from the dream.

I looked weird in the clothes. With shoes on. My claws stuck through the soles of the shoes. What a horrendous mental image. Why did I even bother to think that? I shuddered.

It looked like puberty was going to very much suck for me. I knew Lilo would grow into a beautiful woman. Nani was pretty. Lilo would be like Nani, and guys would like her and want to date her. Maybe that Keoni person actually did exist somewhere but he was so stereotypical regardless.

Me? I'd never be handsome or attractive for Lilo. The thought of that really bummed me out.

I didn't realise how long I'd been having a mental argument with myself. Lilo was no longer beside me - she was over greeting Nani and David who had arrived. They were in their bathers, carrying an esky and some beach chairs. David was holding an umbrella. Jumba and Pleakley followed behind them. Jumba had some equipment with him. I guessed he didn't plan on stopping his work.

I just remained as I was. I felt down.

Lilo ran over to kiss me on the nose before rubbing some sunblock into my fur for me. I didn't need it, but she knew how doing that made me feel. I liked feeling that I belonged. That I wasn't so different. This was one of her quirks that I admired about her. She was considerate and always put me first.

After she rubbed some on my nose she tossed me my swimming trunks. I pulled them on. Of course, just like the sunblock I didn't need them but they made me feel as though I fit in as well.

Lilo and I played together on the beach for a while. We played chasey before she built a sandcastle on top of me. Nani took a picture. After that I built her a sand fortress. She was beyond amazed.

"Wow!" she said as she ventured inside the small castle. "This is incredible Stitch!"

I grinned. "Fit for Princess Lilo!"

She stared at me at that. "Princess?"

I realised she'd never heard that term from me before. "Uh... ih?"

"You really think so?" she smiled at me.

I gazed at her. "Yes."

I looked at the walls of the fortress and giggled, making her stare at me again. "Hm?"

"Lilo like Stitch's sandywork?"

She stared at me before bursting out laughing. "Okay, okay. Yep. Perfect, Stitch. I'll give you that one."

I grinned.

She was looking up at a picture I'd carved into the wall in there. It was an image I'd seen a while ago on the side of the Kokaua Town church in a stained glass window. I had a photographic memory so it had stayed with me since I saw it. Now Lilo stared up at it.

There was a reason why I'd built a fortress for her. I'd wanted her to see this.

"Stitch... you made an angel here?" she asked me.

I nodded. She approached me and we sat down together. The fortress was private. For now at least. I could hear other people starting to head down on to the beach. I'd blocked the entrance with a surfboard.

"Why?"

I sighed, feeling slightly nervous. "Because, isa you."

Her eyes widened slightly. "What?"

"Lilo, save me. Three times," I said quietly. "Stitch make Lilo whole... Lilo make Stitch whole too," I put my paw over her hand. "Lilo call Stitch 'little angel,' but yuuga my angel."

I couldn't even begin to describe the expression on her face at that. It was like in one moment an overwhelming combination of sadness and happiness hit her all at once and she didn't know how to take it. Her mouth dropped open slightly but her reaction had said more than enough.

"Y-you... really think so? I'm your angel?"

"Ih," I told her. "Always have been."

"Oh Stitch..." she drew me into a long, long hug. We remained like that for at least ten minutes. She just held me, never wanting to let go. I felt at peace.

That was until the surfboard shifted and I saw a kids face looking in. I growled loudly. He screamed and ran away. Lilo giggled.

"If I'm your princess then I guess that makes you my prince, right?"

I felt my face heat up and that absurdly stupid image I had before of me in the Keoni guys clothes returned. Mental image me taunted me with a stupid grin and wave. There was cake stuck in his teeth. I shuddered.

"Stitch?"

I shook my head. "Price Stitch?"

She looked at me weird. "Price?"

"Prince!" I said quickly, embarrassed. "Prince Stitch!"

She flicked my nose. "Silly..."

How embarrassing. I looked away from her.

"I like this fortress. Too bad we can't stay here."

I nodded. I had built it to just show her that picture. But she really seemed to like it.

"Stitch make yuuga as many castles as want," I quickly told her. "Beechas juda sagata! Any time Lilo like."

She smiled at me. "You don't have to do that, Stitch. This has been the best castle of all."

I smiled back. We gazed at each other and she put her hand to my cheek.

Another kid interrupted us and called to his friends to come inside, starting to pry away the surfboard. I was highly annoyed. Nobody could have this fortress. It was for Lilo only.

Lilo looked at me. She knew what was on my mind. "Go on."

I growled and completely demolished the castle. The sand angel disappeared. But I was just happy my real angel got to see it.

The kids looked shocked and started moaning and complaining. I just put my arm around Lilo and stuck my tongue out at them before we walked back over to the others.

As Lilo, David and Nani surfed, I sat beside Jumba on the sand. Pleakley was reading another magazine with two of his legs crossed on the fold up chair beside him. Jumba was wearing sunglasses, but he was working on his laptop. Occasionally he reached across for a drink.

The umbrella David had brought was propped up, covering us and keeping us cool. A lot more people were on the beach now. A few of them stared at the three of us.

I watched the sisters and David as they surfed. Nani wasn't showing just yet, but I knew soon enough she would.

While I loved the idea of surfing, I had a strong fear of it instilled into me as well. The first time I'd done it I'd almost drowned because of Jumba trying to drag me under the water to capture me, but then Nani had actually kicked me down as well. Since then I'd been too scared to go surfing again. The most I was able to do was sit on the board and watch Lilo in the water beside me. I didn't mind though. Watching her have fun made me happy enough.

Lilo fell off David's shoulders suddenly and I sat up alarmed, pulling down my own sunglasses to see better. A few moments later Nani pulled her up out of the water. It always made my heart jolt.

As experienced as they were, the ocean was still a force of nature and a dangerous one at that. The fear of Lilo drowning played on my mind whenever she went in there, even though I knew she'd basically been raised a water-baby.

Water was my biggest fear. I really hated it. While I could tolerate being around it (really, I had no choice at all in that with Kauai being a tropical island; water was not only a part of daily life but a necessity to the earth and to humans) I preferred to be as far away from it as possible. I liked baths. That was about it.

But even those had taken sometime for me to get used to. Only when Lilo had started bathing with me had I felt reassured enough to take baths, and the rest was well, history.

"Stitch!" I heard a voice call. That one voice that always made everything right in my world, no matter how I was feeling.

Lilo was waving to me. I waved back.

She laughed happily and dived underneath the waves while Nani and David continued to surf.

Lilo was a free spirit. She did what she wanted and as she pleased, and that was when she was happiest. She never let people try to tell her how to be, or how to act.

Jumba grunted beside me. "Bah... stupid computer."

I looked up at him as he put his laptop aside and sighed. "Any luck?"

"No, 626. Nothing yet."

I looked down. Pleakley said something to him, distracting him from me for a moment or so. He took a drink.

"Uh... pa?"

"Yes boy?"

I looked up at my father. I felt another lump in my throat, but I knew I would have to ask sooner or later.

"Will..." I looked around. Pleakley went back to his magazine. "Will Stitch, grow?"

Jumba gave me a puzzled looked. He pulled down his sunglasses. "Grow?"

"Ih."

"Well, you are already being able to do so through Metamorphosis."

I shook my head. "Naga naga... gaba meega mean isa grow. Like Lilo. And Nani. Grow taller. Older."

He looked confused. "You are meaning like puberty?"

"Ih."

"Yes, you will be having complete puberty stage, 626, as you are half Kweltikwanian like me, not just full experiment. I grew up."

Wait, what?

I blinked. "I will?"

"Yes. You will be growing, but not by much. You are designed to operate best and at peak-efficiency at size you are being. Deviating away from that size too much would impact how you function. You can only either function best being very big with power from power-cell, or very small. No in-between."

I stared at him. He picked up a magazine and began to read it after shaking a bit of sand from the pages.

"You will likely grow as tall as little girl is being now, or little taller than that even. But that's about it. Same height as me when I was being pre-adolescent. Is in your genes. You will always be small though. Just how I designed you."

"Oh..." I looked down. Lilo was almost a full head taller than me now. I only reached up to her shoulders. She had a small growth spurt not long ago. Some nights I had heard her cry out in pain with her arms and legs growing. It always made me sad. I felt so helpless for her, and I knew she would have more of those pains soon as she grew even taller. It was inevitable.

I sighed. "Stitch..." I paused, when another thought struck me.

"Stitch... grow hair?"

He stared at me at that. "Hair?"

I nodded, "Ih. Like Jumba."

He shrugged. "Is plausible concept. You are having my DNA. Never thought about it. I created you with fur."

He looked off into the distance at that, something he did when he took a moment to further think about something, or if he liked the sound of an idea.

The fact that Jumba hadn't passed that off as impossible made me feel ecstatic. Maybe I'd never be as handsome as that dream Keoni guy... but I knew Lilo liked stylish hair on guys, or even long hair. A few times she'd commented about seeing males with long hair to me, saying it looked cool.

Elvis had really cool hair. Jumba had cool hair too and I often saw Lilo playing with hers. David's hair was short. Pleakley was bald – he just wore wigs. Nani's hair was fluffy. Mr Kuakini's was grey. I found all of that really interesting.

I grinned.

Ever since arriving on earth hair had been something that had fascinated me. Mostly because aliens didn't have it. That was why I'd always liked Jumba's hair. His species was unique in that aspect. Seeing humans with it too, and all the different colours it came in, had made me a little envious and in turn I had started to wonder what it was like to have hair.

Lilo's hair was beautiful and soft and always smelled like strawberries or coconut. My fur was soft but I couldn't compare it to hair. I contemplated on this.

If I had hair, not only would I feel like I fit in – Lilo would think I was cool!

As I looked out at her in the sea, I also remembered something else. The time she'd slicked the tuft of fur down across my face when she dressed me up and she'd given me that strange look and reaction I could never figure out. Up until now, that was.

My eyes went wide as I finally realised why she'd done it. I put two and two together.

She'd LIKED it.

Maybe puberty wasn't going to suck after all! I grinned. Jumba noticed how positive I seemed.

"You really like the prospect of that, 626?"

I nodded.

"Well. As said, is plausible. Am not ruling it out. Just have to wait and see what the future brings. Even I do not know how much you will change when hitting puberty."

I looked down at the sand. There was no telling what the future was going to bring. If things kept going the way there were and my Metamorphosis programming activated again – well. There would be no Kauai. No future.

I forced that awful thought to the back of my mind and focused on the idea that I might get to have hair. Lilo reacting as she did to me before with the tuft of fur over my face.

That mental image returned again, except this time the Stitch in my head had long black hair with a big tuft covering his right eye. The cake was in his teeth still but the Lilo beside him was swooning.

I couldn't complain. I didn't look as horrendous as before. And those shoes had been replaced with sandals.

I must have been grinning my face off too much because Jumba nudged me a few times. "You being okay 626? Not having hallucination again are you?" he sounded worried.

"Naga. Just thinking..." I told him.

"Must be very intriguing thought from expression on your face," he muttered as he went back to reading, but not before scuffing the top of my head.

Lilo called out to me and I looked up to see her approaching. For the first time in a while, I felt maybe things might actually start to look up.

I just hoped no nightmares or hallucinations would ruin such a good day.