(This chapter will be from Jack's perspective.)

We walked back to Martha's place. Yusei looked down to the ground the entire walk back. I could see the sadness in his eyes and yet... I can still see that he's mad at Mom... I can understand that... but we can't change that she's gone now anyways... I wish I knew of a way that I could of saved her... and that I could of spared my brothers the pain and sorrow they now feel... but I knew... well before now, that she... she knew she was going to disappear... but I never told my brothers... in fear that they may have tried something stupid... and even though she is gone now and won't come back... I think it was a good decision I made to not tell them... I hate seeing my brothers like this now... but... but it would have hurt me even more to see them taken away together with Raptor because they tried to save her in some way... Was my decision really a good one though? Maybe we could have helped her... maybe we could have saved her...

~Flashback~

I woke up and stretched my tired muscles, the sky still dark outside. My brothers were asleep next to me, so I carefully climbed out of bed and decided to get myself a glass of water. Raptor wasn't in the bedroom with us so I knew she was still awake somewhere in the hideout. I opened the door quietly so I wouldn't wake up my younger brothers and walked out. I went towards the Kitchen, but then I heard two voices in there, one was Raptor's and the other, was a deeper voice that I didn't recognize. I slowly came closer and hid behind the wall that was right next to the kitchen. Listening carefully to the conversation, though I knew it was rude to eavesdrop. "I know... but I still have a bad feeling about this... sector security is already after me..." 'I know Raptor. But we need to make sure this other presence out there isn't dangerous for the boys.' My eyes widen and I covered my mouth with my hands. Sector security is after Raptor?! "I know Athena... I know... but... if something goes wrong... who protects Yusei from them?" I felt tears well up in my eyes and my body started to shake... w-why was Raptor hiding this from us?! I didn't want to listen to the conversation anymore... but I wasn't sure if I could go back to the bedroom without making a noise. "Athena... promise me something..." I froze and listened again. 'Sure. What is it.' "If something goes wrong... if I get captured... promise me to watch over Yusei... guide him to be what he is meant to be... keep him safe..." 'I... I promise...' I felt the tears start to fall, though I held back my cries, I got up and carefully made my way back to the bedroom.... but why?! Why was she hiding something like that from us! How could she! I climbed back into the bed and sobbed softly. She will be taken away from us... she will leave us... I don't ever want that to happen... I'll find a way to save her... I soon fell into the ocean of sleep...

~Flashback end~

     I bit my lip and looked back to Yusei. Maybe I should have told them... and if they find out that I knew about all of this... they will be really mad at me... they may even start hating me for it... and won't call me their brother anymore... I just... I won't tell them... they already know, so why should I tell them I knew all along... it'll just hurt them more, and make them feel like the only family they have left... is falling apart... we soon arrived back at Martha's place and it looked like no one noticed that we were gone luckily, so we snuck back into our room and sat down on our bed. Yusei looked down at his new lightsaber. "I... don't know if I can ever swing that sword... with the knowledge that it belonged to mom..." Hearing this, all I could do was hug him, I wasn't sure what to say... or even do at this point... all I could do, is try my best to protect my little brothers... and never tell them the terrible truth... Yusei buried his face in my shoulder and softly cried. I stroked his back and kept saying 'everything is okay.' And yet... we all know nothing is okay... Mom is gone... now they know she always knew she will be taken away... and there's almost no hope in finding her... I started to sing her song... the one she sang us every night... I continued to hold Yusei close, and stroke his back... I felt Crow hug my free arm... and I felt how Yusei slow relaxed and started to doze off. Crow cuddled against me, and fell asleep soon after. I pulled a blanket over us and continued to sing for them. I laid down, and I held them close... I won't ever... let our family fall apart... and I won't let the terrible truth come out... I will keep them safe... just like our mom did...

I woke up the next morning with a small headache. My brothers were cuddled against me and still sleeping. Yusei still had dry tear streaks on his face. I looked at him with a sad expression and carefully climbed out of bed, I wish I could ease the pain he felt, but I knew it didn't work that way... I felt really dizzy when I tried to stand, I sat on the edge of the bed again. Waiting for the dizziness to go away, a hand to my head. I heard one of my brothers stir a bit, and I saw the orange hair of my brother Crow rise up slowly. "Jack?", he whispered tiredly and looked at me with sleepy eyes. "Where are you going?" "Just going to get something to drink... my head hurts..." "Okay..." He falls back into the pillows, falling asleep once more. I don't think he even heard what I said. I get up since the dizziness has died down a bit, and carefully made my way towards the kitchen, leaning on the hallway walls so I don't fall if the dizziness comes back. I look though the kitchen door and I see Martha who is already up. I slowly walked into the kitchen and sat down in a chair. "Good morning Jack." Martha said with a soft, gentle voice like always. She looked at me and her smile immediately disappeared, it was obvious she noticed that I didn't feel good. "What's wrong? You don't look so good." "It's just a headache..." I say, but I notice that I start to feel light headed now, along with the dizziness. "Are you sure Jack? If you don't feel good, just tell me," She looked at me with caring eyes, her voice gently and soft, and full of concern. It reminds me of how Raptor always talked to us when we were sick or not feeling well. For a second... I saw my mom instead of Martha... looking at me with warm eyes. "I... I feel dizzy and lightheaded..." Martha nodded and went to go get the small medical kit. I hold my head in my hands, why do I suddenly feel so miserable, when I was fine yesterday? I hope my brothers don't get whatever this bug may be, since I'm not sure how well they would take this. Martha came back with some medicine. "Here. These will help with the headache. I'll get you a glass of water, and after you take these you go back to bed." I looked up at her and again... for a second the image changed to Raptor for a few seconds. "T-thank you..." I say, she smiles softly and goes to grab me that glass of water, I take two of the pills, and drank the water, before exiting the kitchen, and heading towards the bedroom

I stay next to the wall and when I got too the bedroom, Yusei and Crow are still asleep. I did as Martha said and carefully climbed back into the bed, and I snuggled between my two brothers and tried to go back to sleep. 'Don't worry... I'll protect you... you're not alone...' My eyes shot open. But no one was there. Who said that?! I held my brother's closer, not sure where the voice came from, or who it belonged too. I didn't want to take any chances of them being in danger. 'Don't be scared... I won't harm you... I will protect you.' I started to shiver slightly and kept looking around. "W-where are you?" I still keep my brother's close, I look around for the voice, it sounds familiar though, like I've heard it before. 'Don't worry Jack. I'm here because your mother wants me to be here...' My eyes widen. That can't be... it's the same voice I heard with Raptor! I talk back, but in my head, 'A-Are you that same person, who was talking with Raptor that night?' 'You heard that?' I nodded slowly. 'I-i'm sorry... you weren't supposed to hear that conversation... we thought all of you were asleep. 'I-I woke up to get a drink of water... I overheard part the conversation on accident...' I tried my best to not show that I wanted to cry. 'Oh Jack... I'm sorry...' I could hear the sadness in the voice. I guess this spirit liked mom just as much as we did... I felt tears start to fall down my cheeks, 'W-Why didn't she tell us? Why did she keep it a secret?' I asked the spirit, hoping for some answers. 'I... she wanted to protect you... she only wanted the best for you... she never planned on hurting you and did everything she could to stay with you as long as possible without getting you three captured as well.' 'I-I can see why... that's the exact reason... the exact reason I didn't tell Yusei or Crow... what I heard,"' I felt the tears fall more, then, suddenly I felt something on my shoulder... but when I looked there was nothing there. 'Just know that she loves you... and she always will. She only wants the best for you.' 'I-I know... Yusei still feels her presence sometimes, and even is able to mindlink sometimes...' I tell the spirit. 'Yusei has a strong spirit... just like your mother... not even the thickest walls or the widest distance on this planet could make their contact break fully...' I nod, I still wish that Raptor would come back though, even for a moment. I remember all the good times we had with her, since she saved Yusei from that fall... I felt how my eyes got heavier and I became more tired. 'The medicine is working. You should go to sleep now,' I nodded and laid back down next to my brothers, and I soon dozed off...

Thank you for Reading!

_-YuseiFudo-_ & Jedi_Raptor