Kai woke up the next morning leaning sideways against the cave mouth. When he opened his eyes, he found that Chase was leaning on his other side, his eyes closed and his white hair falling in his face. Kai felt a small smile reach his lips, and he didn't dare move. He didn't want to wake Chase up. He didn't remember how late the two had been up last night, but he didn't really care. Chase needed his rest, especially since he was sick.

"Did you two seriously fall asleep like that?" said Abby's voice behind them, and Kai twisted his head around the best he could. Abby was sitting crisscross beside her sleeping father, who was actually lying down now.

"Yeah," Kai said, feeling heat rush to his cheeks in embarrassment. "We... We were talking last night. I don't really remember when I fell asleep." He lifted one arm, carefully, to sweep a thick strand of dark hair out of his eyes.

Abby giggled a little. "My brother is weird. Just a fair warning. He doesn't really care what other people think of him, and sometimes what he says is confusing." She smiled almost sadly and watched her brother's back rise and fall evenly.

That's not what he told me last night, Kai thought. He really cares what other people think, to a point where he'll snap, apparently. He must put on a show and make people think he doesn't care, when he really does. I guess he has a problem with keeping things to himself, like I do.

Kai could almost feel Linda's eyes rest on the back of his head. He could picture her confused and worried face as she stared at him in silence. He didn't want to say anything about it, so he shook his head slightly once.

"Did he say something confusing to you?" Abby asked, her voice sounding a little absentminded. When Kai looked back around, she was staring at the dirt below her. The smile was still on her lips, but it again didn't reach her eyes.

"It was confusing at first," Kai admitted quietly, turning his head back around and staring out into the tangle of tress and vines. "But it made more sense as he went along." He didn't continue; he didn't think it was his place to tell Chase's family what the older boy was going through. That was Chase's decision.

"Oh," Abby said. "What did he say?"

Kai paused and glanced down at his slumbering friend. Chase finally looked a little better, and more relaxed than he had been the day before. "It's not for me to say. If he wants to tell you, I bet he will." He shook his head slightly. "Sorry. I just don't think I should without his permission, at least."

"That's alright," Abby said behind him kindly, and he pictured her smiling sweetly. His cheeks flushed a little, and he could have sworn he heard Linda snicker. "He'll tell us. He hardly ever keeps things from us."

Why had Chase been hiding this for so long? Did he make up lies, or just not tell them? Did he tell his family that he was fine when he really wasn't? What had he said to make his family believe that he was okay? Even with the little summary that Chase had given Kai last night, Kai knew that whatever it was that Chase was going through was horrible. If Kai were to go through something like that - he was going through lots, but it wasn't like that - he would tell his family.

A sinking feeling settled into Kai's heart. If he went through horrible things, he wouldn't have a family to look up to or tell his secrets to. He wouldn't have a mother to hug him, to cry with him, and he wouldn't have a father to lecture him and give him a good life lesson. He didn't have those anymore.

That thought made tears spring into Kai's eyes. The memory of the bullet slamming into Haley's skull swirled around and around in his head, and he forced it away with little success. When it rounded back, he took a deep breath, lifting his shoulders slowly.

Chase moaned and almost flopped over at Kai's movement. The startled dark haired boy lurched forward at the same time as Abby and tried to catch Chase, but his left arm wouldn't support the older boy's weight, and Chase crumpled to the dirt.

It was silent for a moment. Kai was cringing in guilt, and Abby was examining her brother with a confused and worried look.

"Well, good morning, dirt. How are you?" Chase mumbled, his voice cocky. He smiled and pushed himself up, catching his sister's eyes.

Kai suppressed a laugh and relaxed. "Sorry. I didn't think you'd fall over."

Chase shrugged. "Eh, you're fine. I fall all the time." He smiled at Kai, then leaned back against the cave wall again. He sighed and ran his hands through his tangled hair.

Abby did the same, her nose wrinkling. "Darn, I wish I'd grabbed a hairbrush."

Chase laughed. "I don't know if Thorn would have given you that choice."

Luke sat up and ran his hands through his black hair, letting it fall over his forehead. "Even if I brushed mine, it would look terrible still." He chuckled and sighed.

Linda was cocking one eyebrow. "You all are complaining about your hair?" She tossed her long hair over one shoulder. "Brush it as best you can with your fingers and move on." She scoffed and began to demonstrate as though she was teaching an infant how to walk.

Kai and Chase smiled at each other, happy that things were lightening up. Kai ran his own hand through his messy hair, and thought about how his mother - if she was alive - would scold him about how tangled it was. Kai smiled a little when he realized how badly he needed to shower.

Shintaro sat up abruptly, startling everyone. After he stared off into space for a little bit, he took a deep, slightly shaky breath and crossed his legs. He closed his eyes and pressed one of his hands to his forehead. 

"Shintaro?" Luke said softly, scooting close to his friend. "What's wrong?" He put his hand on Shintaro's shoulder. 

Shintaro shook his head. "Nothing. I'm fine." He rubbed his eyes for a moment, then removed his hand. "Do we have any leftover berries?" 

Abby shook her head. "No. We ate them all last night." She looked a little guilty and sad when she said this, and Kai set a hand on her shoulder.

Shintaro stood up. "I'm going to find more food, then. I'll get water, too. Chase, rest." He sent a slightly harsh glare in Chase's direction, and his son shrugged and fell back into a lying position. 

Luke stood up as well. "I'll go with you." 

"No," Shintaro said without hesitation. "You stay here, where you're safe." He turned and started to walk away.

Luke caught his friend's shoulder with a firm grip. "If you're going, I'm going. You're not safe out there, either." His voice was like needles, and Kai couldn't help but flinch. Luke obviously didn't get like that very often, because Shintaro tensed up as well. 

Shintaro shook his head again. "No, Luke. You're not safe. The Darks are angry with you." He jerked his shoulder and Luke's hand fell away. 

Luke scowled, and Kai realized that his scowl was freaky. Luke really was creepy when he was angry. "Shintaro, you're their OPPOSITE. They will kill you on sight. I. Am. Going. With. You." He paused angrily between each word, his eyes like daggers. His hands clenched into fists. 

"No, Luke!" Shintaro said, his voice raised. "You are not going with me! I can't bear to lose anyone else! If I lose you again-" He was cut off by a sudden crack to the side of his face. 

Kai blinked in shock, and Abby yelped. Chase sat up with a confused and shocked look, while Linda's jaw dropped slightly. 

Luke's hand was held high above Shintaro's face, and Shintaro's cheek was beginning to turn red. His head was turned slightly, and his eyes were wide in shock. 

"I LIVED THIS LONG! I SURVIVED AGAINST THORN, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, SHINTARO! I THINK I'LL LIVE WHILE WE HUNT FOR FOOD!" Luke's shouts echoed around the whole cave. He kept his hand held high. He glowered at his friend for another moment or two, then his hand dropped and he shrank back. His eyes widened, like he just realized that he'd slapped Shintaro. 

Shintaro turned his head to stare at Luke. "I..." 

"I'm sorry," Luke mumbled. "I shouldn't have hit you. That was too harsh of me." He didn't meet his friend's eyes. His head was hung and his shoulders slumped. "I guess there's still a bit of Thorn left in me. I'm not used to being myself. I'm-" 

"Don't say it again," Shintaro snapped, but it somehow was gentle. "Don't. Stop apologizing to me. There's nothing to apologize about." 

"I just slapped you, Shin," Luke pointed out, sounding a bit dumbfounded. "Why would I not apologize for that?" 

"I'll be fine," Shintaro said. "I've been through worse. A slap is nothing. It honestly knocked me to my senses. You're right; you've lived this long and you can do it again. I was wrong, and I'm sorry. You can come with me." 

Luke took a shaky breath. "Yeah, because of me," he said, and Kai realized he was talking about Shintaro going through worse. 

Shintaro seemed to seethe in anger. "It wasn't because of you! It was Thorn, dummy! Get that through your thick skull!" He whacked Luke, not to hard, on his head, and the dark haired man finally met Shintaro's eyes. "Come on, let's go." He grabbed Luke's hand and pulled him out of the cave, leaving Kai, Abby, Linda, and Chase super confused.

"What was that all about?" Chase said, even though it was obvious what it was about. 

"They were angry about which one of them was in danger," Kai breathed, feeling something like a laugh bubble up inside him. He pushed it away and shook his head. "That was weird." 

"Agreed," Abby said. 

~

OMG guys! Twenty-second chapter!! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I was at a beach.

Here ya gooooo!!! 

Who is your favorite character so far? 

Have I asked that before? 

Whatever. 

Peace!!~~