only to get an evil glare from him telling her to stay back. As Shade stood up he flung the door to the cockpit open and looked at Baloo. “What do you know about a Pilot by the name of Von Biege?” Shade looked beyond angry, as he looked at Baloo.

“What?”

“VON BIEGE! WHAT DO YOU KNOW!?” As Shade yelled, at Baloo the big bear was partly shocked as he turned and looked at Shade looking like he had just gotten out of a large fight, and still ready for another ten.

“Only a few tales from pilots at Louie’s”

“TALK!” Shade looked at Baloo and then started to look around slightly, as he started to compose him self. Shade started to feel guilty for yelling at Baloo knowing that it wasn’t the pilot that had made him angry but a moment in his past that he had nearly blocked out of his mind. “I’m sorry sir… please tell me what you know of this pilot?” with that Baloo nodded then turned to keep flying.

“Von Biege, known as the reaper of the skies, works for a group of nuts calling them self’s Hauser, he’s a cold blooded killer, when he shoots some one down, if they hit the silk he swing back.”

“And finishes the job.” Shade finished, and watched as Baloo nodded.

“They say he can’t be shot down, and that his plane is made of a new kind of metal that makes it bullet proof.” Shade narrowed his eyes as he looked at Baloo.

“You don’t know much about him do you sir.”

“As I said, only what I’ve heard at Louie’s, from what I’ve heard unless your Hauser he doesn’t let you fly away.” with that Shade slammed the door and started to walk down to the end of the cargo hauled and then back. “What’s gotten into him.” Baloo asked, as Rebecca walked into the cockpit.

“I don’t know he just woke up screaming and now he’s pacing back and forth in the cargo area.” Rebecca said, as she handed Baloo and Kit sandwiches. “He must have had one heck of a nightmare for him to be bothered this much by it.” As Rebecca walked back inside the cargo area she found Shade still pacing back and forth thinking. “You want to talk about it?”

“Not really, I need to think.”

“About?” Shade stopped and looked at Rebecca, she was concerned about him and a smile crossed his face as he looked at her.

“We each have are secret ma-am, this is one of mine.” with that Shade started to pace once more only to stop when he turned from the back of the plane to find Rebecca standing in front of him holding out a sandwich. As he looked at Rebecca, she knelt down and put a gentile hand on the side of his face.

“I know you don’t want to talk about it Shade, but if you ever need anyone to talk to, I’m willing to listen.”

“Then would you mind answering me a question?” A smile crossed Rebecca’s face as she looked at Shade.

“Sure ask me anything.”

“Why do you try so hard to tame me? To bring me into your family? Why try so hard on a stranger that came from out of no where?” with that Rebecca was stunned slightly, after a few moments she stood up and looked at Shade.

“You like to get straight to the point don’t you.” As Rebecca turned back and walked up to Molly she stopped before waking the little bear cub and looked at him. “Mostly because I don’t like to see children get hurt, and something about you tells me that you’ve been hurt enough in your life.” with that Shade nodded and then took a bite of the sandwich and started to pace once more. After another hour Shade walked back into the cockpit and looked around, before turning to Baloo.

“I’m sorry sir, I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the better of me, I was raised better then that.” Baloo was rather shocked by this turn of events, since in the past Shade had never said he was sorry for the way he acted.

“So how did wild animals raise you?” Kit quipped, as he looked at Shade who just kept looking forward before he turned around and left the cockpit. As Kit smiled slightly as he looked back at the map he only looked up when Baloo took his hat off his head, only to get hit lightly with it before Baloo flopped it back on his head. “What was that for?”

“Kit I’m disappointed in you, that wasn’t very nice what you just said to Shade.” Slightly stunned Kit looked at Baloo for a few seconds before moving his hat back to normal, as Rebecca walked in. “Why don’t you go sit in the back for a little bit Kit, I have to talk with Rebecca privately.” Again Kit looked at Baloo then nodded as he got up and walked past Rebecca with a worried look on his face, getting concerned about what was going on. As Kit made it into the cargo area Rebecca shut the door behind him. As Kit looked around he found Molly on Shade’s back holding on as he did push ups getting the little bear to laugh. As Kit walked up Shade stopped and looked up at him then looked back at Molly.

“You still holding on tight little one?” the question only got Molly laughing a little more.

“More, do it some more.” Shade only smiled and started to do more push ups, as Kit sat down on the bunk looking at both Shade, and then up at the door worried about what the two adults might be talking about. As Kit let out a sigh to try and calm him self the plane banked to the right causing Shade to slide to right but quickly catch Molly before she fell off his back and hit the wall. “Thanks Shade.”

“No problem kiddo.” Shade got to his feet and started to head for the cockpit and look out and saw a massive storm outside the windows. “Everything alright?”

“Nothing I can’t handle go on back will be through this in a minute.” Rebecca turned and looked at Shade seeing the concern in his eyes and smiled slightly.

“Don’t worry sweetie Baloo can handle this.” Both Baloo and Shade got a shocked look on their faces, and as Rebecca sat back in her seat she smiled for a few minutes before she realized what she said, and quickly looked back around with a red face, but found that Shade had already shut the door. “Oh dear, I hope I didn’t make him feel uncomfortable.” Rebecca said, as she sat back in her seat and then looked at Baloo, who was snickering slightly. “And what’s so funny?”

“Oh nothing sweetie.” Rebecca slapped Baloo’s arm as he started to laugh as he navigated the Sea Duck through the storm. Kit sat in the back holding Molly while looking at Shade he was standing in the middle of the cargo area, his arms down by his side as the plane shifted right and left, he didn’t seem to move, as lighting illuminated the area through the windows Kit couldn’t help but see something inside Shade’s eyes, he had seen it in him self once before as he grew closer to his family, he saw a struggle behind Shade’s eyes that told him that Shade was trying hard to fight his own feelings.

‘I saw that look in my own eyes many times, I know what he’s doing.’ Kit thought to him self as he held Molly close to try and calm the sobbing child. ’Even when I wanted a family, I was so scared to let anyone get close because I didn’t want to get hurt, and now I see it in his eyes, he’s scared of being hurt, but all the stories on the radio I didn’t think the Ghost was scared of anything.’ As things seem to calm down Kit stood up with Molly in a bit of shock as he looked at Shade.

“The eye.” was the only words Shade said, as he looked at the two children.

“I’m going to go and check on the kids.” Rebecca said, as she stood up and headed for the cockpit door moments before the Sea Duck dropped forward causing her to slam into the control panel, followed by a loud thud on the cockpit door. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”

“Nothing honest, just a bad drop.” Baloo said, as he started to pull the nose up, back in the cargo area Kit held on to the cargo netting with one hand and only Molly with the other, while down at the cockpit door Shade had fallen only to land on his feet, looking up at the two.

“YOU TWO ALRIGHT?”

“Oh we’re just peachy.” Kit snapped back as he held onto the netting. Just then the plane was flipped and Rebecca fell towards the Cockpit door, but as she left the control panel her shirt caught on the cargo bay doors switch opening them up, while back in the cargo area the three children started to fly towards the opened doors. Shade grabbed the netting as Kit had before, and watched as Kit was able to grab his tow rope before falling out of the doors with Molly, but in horror he watched as when the rope hit the end the motor ripped from the wall and caught on the pulley, As the Cockpit door opened Rebecca looked down at the scene as Shade looked up at her.

“MOMMY!!” Molly screamed out in the storm still holding onto Kit out behind the plan.

“MOLLY, KIT!!! Rebecca yelled, as she looked them and then at Baloo still strapped into his chair. “Get the plane straight the kids are outside.”

“WHAT!?” Baloo struggled with the controls as storm tossed the plane back and forth. “HOW DID THEY GET OUTSIDE!?”

“THE CARGO DOORS ARE OPEN!” As Baloo looked at the control he reached up and flipped one to bring Kit’s tow rope in but nothing happened.

“Come on come on why aren’t you working.” Shade could see sparks flying from where the