New Beginnings and Second Chances 11

Fic Or Original: Fic

Fandom(s): Animorphs

Rating: T (as according to ffnet)

Characters In Chapter: Tobias, Rachel Berenson, Marco

Relationship(s):Tobias/Rachel/Marco



The silence in my cabin was the worst it had ever been. Much worse than when I had first been in it once it had been completed and it feeling like Rachel’s ghost was all around me. I had built my cabin without telling my remaining fellow former Animorphs. After it had been built there had been great silence born of my wishing Rachel was beside me.

But this silence was so much worse.

I was again on the perch in front of the couch where both Rachel and Marco were. Both wearing similar but different expressions of disbelief on their faces. Marco’s concern to me was far more evident than the expression on Rachel’s face. Marco controlled himself from rushing towards me by holding tightly onto Rachel’s knee, an action she didn’t like which I could tell by the expression of annoyance that quickly passed over her face.

“So you don’t know what did that to you?” Marco asked.

No, it didn’t answer back. I replied.

“You think that it wanted you to live? Couldn’t it have stopped you from morphing?” Marco asked.

“Or maybe Tobias was smarter than it was and he escaped.” Rachel replied and I truly did want to take her compliment.

But I couldn’t.

I think Marco is right. Whatever tried to get me let me go because it wanted me to fear it. Or something. I said.

“Not to take away from your thunder,” Marco said slowly. “But I was nearly stuck in mid-morph.”

Rachel and I immediately focused on the boy, my near death experience entirely forgotten for the moment.

“I had dropped my keys in the pool again so I morphed lobster.” He said, embarrassed. “When I got the keys out of the pool I started to demorph. Thing is I couldn’t. Like Tobias’ story, the feeling started as a coldness and then turned hot. Really hot. I was stuck as a half-human half-lobster freak for around an hour before I could demorph.”

Rachel put an arm around Marco and I flew and landed by his side, rubbing his hip with my beak. I had nearly fallen to my death and one of my lovers had…had nearly been trapped in a much worse position than I had been in. The torture must have hit home for him as during the war he had nearly been trapped as a half-wolf half-human thing and for awhile he couldn’t morph properly. Those memories were probably now fresh in his mind again after three years.

“So you finally were able to demorph and that was it?” Rachel asked in a voice that sounded worried.

“Yeah,” Marco replied, gently scratching the back of my neck. “I don’t know how I managed to. I’m just guessing the whatever decided it would leave killing me to another day.”

At least it didn’t kill you by leaving you in mid-morph. I said.

I didn’t know how long a half-human half-lobster creature could survive. A few hours? Days? Weeks? Maybe months at most? I didn’t let these questions come out of my head as I didn’t want to scare Marco more than he already was.

“Did you have anything happen to you, Rachel?” Marco asked and I swore he sounded suspicious of her.

“I bled a lot. Nearly to death.” Rachel said and she sounded calm about it, though she also did seem a little scared at the same time. “I was taking a shower and then all of this blood started to come out of me. I ended up slipping in it and knocking myself out. I woke up and felt cold and then heat before the bleeding stopped.”

We just sat still and looked at Rachel. I didn’t know how she could be so calm. But she had died and maybe viewed death differently now. I know that my views on being a hawk had changed a few times. Maybe the same had happened with Rachel and death.

“You’re really calm, Rachel.” Marco said and his voice was full of suspicion. “No shame or embarrassment at all. Tobias was nearly shitting himself and it was hard for me to say anything.”

Rachel stared at him coldly. It looked like she was going to morph Grizzly Bear and rip him to shreds. Marco would not stand a chance and I didn’t know if I could protect him. But luckily enough she seemed to calm down.

“Why would I be in league with whatever is trying to harm you and Tobias?” Rachel asked. “I love Tobias and I care deeply for you. Why are you just throwing these accusations around for no reason?”

“You’ve been acting suspiciously ever since you got back.” Marco said, his rage seeming to build quickly. “You kept Tobias away from me and don’t you dare say that you were thinking he would leave you. Don’t you dare excuse those actions. You haven’t been yourself. And you know why? You’re not Rachel. You’re just something wearing her skin and using her voice. You’re not her and you never will be. I don’t trust you. The only reason I’m just yelling now is because I respect Tobias. He’s the only reason I’m deciding to give you a chance.”

“How dare you!” Rachel yelled and stood up quickly.

Her quick movement caused Marco to fall onto me and I let out a short squawk.

Rachel, I yelled and she stood still but ready to fight. Marco is afraid. He doesn’t mean it. He is frightened. We all are.

Rachel and Marco just stared at each other. Marco had recovered and was looking angrily back at Rachel. But then they calmed down enough to sit down by each other. I went to go sit between the two and they each put a hand on me, gently rubbing me.

I had told Rachel that I didn’t believe Marco, but some part of me did because Rachel had been acting suspiciously. But part of me didn’t want to believe she was not my Rachel since I had finally gotten her back and I didn’t want to believe that was a lie.
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