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"Hey man."

Jason looked up from his magic cube to greet the voice in return.

"Hey."

Cody looked between him and the couch, "Do you mind if I...?"

Jason followed his eyes making the connection and patting the space next to him.

"Of course not," he smiled. Cody beamed back at him.

"What's going on with you?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about something," the younger boy confessed, earning a raised brow from the other, "About Sabrina."

Jason sat up straight at the mention of his sister's name, mouth in a firm line as he nodded for the blue-eyed boy to continue.

"It's been a few days and I have given the whole," he waved his hand in a circle, "situation some thought. I understand where she's coming from, and I would have probably done the same thing." He trailed off and sighed. The other boy shifted slightly towards him.

"To be honest, I wasn't really angry at her. I mean I was, but not for the reason everyone thought I was."

"What was the reason?"

"I just-," Cody shrugged and ran his fingers through his unruly blond hair, "I've never really had this before. Friends, a family. When we got caught that day, I realised that it's so easy for life to just take someone from you. I just thought that when everyone learned the truth, we'd drift apart."

Cody stood up, his hand now resting at the back of his neck as he continued to express what was on his mind.

"A-and we are," he stammered.

Cody began to pace.

"I can't lose this family, Jason. I need to help get it back together. If we can't stick together, then all hope is lost."

A pair of blue eyes locked with hazel ones. One searching for answers, while the other one was calculating.

"What are you going to do to stop that?", Jason finally asked.

Cody looked confused at first. He was looking for answers, but here Jason was, asking him another question.

Until it finally clicked.

Cody's eyes burned with determination as he decided, "I'm going to talk to them. Especially Sabrina."

Jason grinned, "Atta boy."

Cody grinned back, "Thanks, Jason."

He turned around and walked away to complete his new task, but abruptly swiveled on his heel.

"Wait wait wait. What am I supposed to say?!", he yelled, pulling at the sides of his head, "We haven't spoken much since she told us the truth. Am I just supposed to go up and just say 'Hi' like nothing happened?"

"I mean, yeah?"

Cody dropped his hands to his side and looked to him. "Wait really?"

"Yeah. She's been dying to talk to you guys. And from what I've heard from her stories is that you all are pretty close. She'd be super happy."

Cody shot him an appreciative smile, and he turned and ran.

xxx

Sabrina sat on a box, tool in hand as she tried to do some upgrades on Sam's bike (with his permission, of course). At this moment she was trying her absolute best with all the equipment she had at her disposal to improve the cloaking ability he had already installed.

She brushed back a stray lock of hair behind her ear with the back of her hand resulting in her smearing engine fluid on her face. She couldn't help but notice that it looked a little like the substance in the med guns, except for the fact that it was definitely liquid and had an intoxicating aroma.

A communication device was set on a table a few ways behind her. The teenager was expecting an update from Sam on the situation at the farm. He'd been sending messages frequently ever since she told him about what they'd been called back for, trying to distract her from her woes.

Everyone had still been a little distant at first, but they were now talking. He got on everyone's good sides, yet again. Well, most of them. Helio and Garth were on their own buzz, disappearing frequently to do this and that. He was kind of annoyed at that because he needed to speak to them as they were in the neutral party, and Sam needed their votes.

What Sabrina hadn't expected was the sound of a door opening as a figure slipped in and shut it. She grabbed her wrench and swung.

Cody ducked in time, reflexes kicking in. Her eyes widened.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," she apologised profusely.

"I guess I should have knocked?", he tried sheepishly.

"Definitely."

"Whatcha up to?", he asked shoving his hands in his pocket and sauntering up to her workspace.

She raised an eyebrow, unsure what to do. They'd hardly spoken to her recently, was she supposed to play along or do something stupid, like confront it and scare him away?

"Just trying to get the cloaking to work longer and maybe spread to the passengers while moving, but there's not much to work with."

Cody put a hand to his chin, the cogs in his mind working.

"I think we have some stuff that we can use to help back at the bunker. I can help you carry?", he offered.

Sabrina smiled, "Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

"Okay, let's go."

Sabrina was confused. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Is everything okay?"

He turned back to her and smiled, "It will be. I'm just getting really tired of not talking to you."

Sabrina didn't even answer him. She swooped in and scooped the younger boy up in a hug as he laughed.

xxx

Riley watched from the kitchen as Cody and Sabrina walked in, talking loudly and laughing. She was surprised to say the least, but a bit glad. She could see how the distance was eating him up, but didn't want to do anything until he had calmed down.

The truth was that she never once doubted where Sabrina's loyalties laid. But the fact that she hid her identity, still hurt. Cody understood that, and he was actively trying to mend their team dynamic, so she figured that she'd do the same.

"Gotta get the band back together," she whispered to herself, smiling as she pushed herself off the counter.

"What are you guys up to?", she asked.

Sabrina snapped her head in Riley's direction, eyes widening before she grinned.

"We're tampering with Sam's stuff," Cody supplied, hefting a box filled with parts that Riley couldn't really care to name into his arms.

"Sounds fun. Can I join?"

"Of course!", Sabrina agreed, eyes sparkling with joy and probably unshed tears.

Though the moment didn't last very long as Sabrina swept her eyes across the room, searching for something- or maybe someone.

It seemed that she didn't find what she was looking for when Riley saw a flicker of disappointment as the other girl looked at the floor, fidgeting in the box.

She looked back up with a bright smile, and she too lifted her own box.

"Ready?"

Riley couldn't help, but smile back.

xxx

Sabrina was exhausted, but she couldn't find it in her to complain. The day went by in a flash as she and her friends worked on Sam's bike, talking and laughing almost the entire time. Granted they didn't get much work done, but it felt so good to be back on speaking terms with them.

Cody had even taken her to Clank, showcasing all the quirks he had as well as the new ones added to him. Riley took it upon herself to claim the most credit while Cody yelled and bickered. All in good fun.

Perhaps her luck didn't run out.

Yet.

So yes, Sabrina was exhausted, but she couldn't go to sleep. No matter how much she tossed and turned, her mind did not want to turn off.

She sighed in exasperation and kicked the blankets off her person, momentarily forgetting her brother who was asleep on the couch to her left.

Coming to think of it, she hadn't seen Archer for the duration of that entire day. He definitely hadn't been seen walking to his bed and Sabrina had an idea of where he might be.

She trudged up the stairs to the entrance of the bunker, but her hand hovered over the button.

Would he even want to see me?

She didn't know, but one thing was certain.

She was dying to see him.

With a new burst of courage she pressed the button with a little more force than required and tip-toed to the ladder.

As she climbed up, another wave of doubt had hit her.

You've made it this far. Maybe he won't even be there.

And with that, she hauled herself onto the roof. She looked around, hoping but also dreading seeing the person she was searching for.

Her breath caught. He was there. Sitting in the place where they had both sat not too long ago, his head thrown back, looking at the sky. The stars looked brighter and there were a lot of them.

But Sabrina was mesmerized by something else.

Maybe this was a bad idea.

He shifted a little.

Yep, I'm just gonna go-

"I know you're there," he called out, voice monotone.

She froze, but ultimately let out a breath and made her way to him. Well, a few ways to the side of him. She didn't want to push it, as she was already treading on thin ice.

"How'd you know?", she asked.

He took a deep breath in and Sabrina realised that his eyes were closed the entire time.

"Could hear the overthinking from here."

She let out a nervous laugh. He didn't talk after that. Sabrina had no idea what to make of it.

"I'm-"

"If you're going to apologise, save it," he interrupted.

She closed her mouth and opened it again, looking like a fish out of water.

"What am I supposed to do then?"

He opened his eyes and looked at her in thought.

"Tell me why."

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I told you why. I told everyone why I didn't tell them anything-"

"No. I want to know why didn't you tell me," his voice was quiet, but it felt so loud.

He scowled and looked away.

"Why didn't I tell you?", she repeated softly.

He sighed. "That night, on the barn. I showed you a part of myself that I haven't shown anyone else. Not Riley, not Cody," he chuckled, "To think I started off hating you and then began to trust you more than myself. It's funny."

Sabrina's breath caught once again.

He turned to her, "Why didn't you tell me then?"

She didn't know how to respond.

"I wanted to," she whispered.

"Then why didn't you?"

"I don't know."

"Why, Sabrina?"

"I didn't want you to hate me, okay?!", she yelled, her eyes widening at her admittance.

Archer found himself wearing a very similar expression.

"Hate you? Why would I hate you?"

Her eyes began to well up, "You don't?"

"No, I don't."

She began to laugh.

"What's wrong?", he asked.

"Nothing, I just-I thought that you hated me. I guess it just feels nice to know that you don't."

And with that she burst out crying.

Archer fumbled with his words, trying to console her while trying to get up. His stuttering and stammering did absolutely nothing to help, so he gave up on words.

And just dragged her in for a hug.

Sabrina's eyes widened as she was surrounded by Archer. He held her tight, not saying a word.

For someone who hated physical contact, her surprisingly good at giving hugs.

She stopped crying immediately, her sobs calming down, turning into deep breaths.

"Ethan," He whispered into her hair.

She pulled back just enough so that she could look him in the eye.

"What?"

"That's my real name. Ethan."

She stared at him for a little while. "I like it," she approved and nestled herself back in his arms.

And that's where they stayed, on the roof of the convenience store with the stars dancing in the night sky.