A Love Estranged

Lilo and Stitch finally made their way back to their home, Stitch still leaning against Lilo for support. He was still weakened from the events that had just taken place not long before. Stitch finally stood on his own feet, deciding he was able enough.

"Are you gonna be ok Stitch?" Lilo questioned her blue friend once more as she kept her hand on his shoulder.

"Ih." Stitch replied as he took a few steps toward the house. He then turned around, looking at Lilo, sorrow evident in his eyes.

"Why Leroy leave Stitch Lilo? Why?" He asked, almost rhetorically as he held back more tears.

"I... I don't know Stitch, we'll need to talk to Jumba if we want to find out any answers on this experiment that he left with, Jumba will know what we should do." Lilo stated, thinking clearly and grasping the situation as she had done numerous times before.

Stitch, with his ears drooped back and his eyes looking downward, didn't say anything in response, he merely nodded in acknowledgement, before slowly making his way to the steps of his and Lilo's home.

She watched as her beleaguered and heart broken friend made his way up the stairs and into the house, 'probably to be alone' she figured. Lilo then looked toward Jumba's ship, he was most likely inside, tinkering with some new invention. Lilo stood and watched as Stitch (on all fours) slowly walked through the small dog door and into the house, disappearing inside. She then turned her attention to the large red space ship hidden (though ever so poorly) in the trees and growth of the Hawaiian forest.

"Jumba MUST know what to do" Lilo said to herself as she began to walk towards the ship, maintaining a fast pace. She walked up to the ships door, pressing a few buttons on the control panel and opening the sliding door with a 'woosh' sound.

"Hello? Jumba?" Lilo spoke out.

"little Girl!" Jumba greeted as he turned around in his seat. "Look what Jumba has built; new fangled device designed to induce fusion in food re-heating oven! much more powerful then exciting water molecules with microwaves. Ha ha!" He stated excitedly to the baffled girl.

"Uhhh, Jumba? I need to talk to you... It's about Stitch and Leroy, and this other experiment." She said looking up at him.

"Jumba is not interested in 626's love triangle" He replied to her, turning his chair around, picking up a pice of scrap metal.

"No, it's not that simple. There was a new experiment, one we haven't seen before..."

Jumba's shoulders jumped and he turned rapidly in his seat once more, looking at Lilo. "What did she look like?"

"How do you know it's a she?" Lilo asked plainly

"Uhh, I didn't, I was... uhh, just guessing."

"Jumba..."

The large alien sighed "Ok, it must be experiment 628."

"I thought you said Leroy was 628?"

Jumba shook his head. "He's not, he is technically 629, the real 628 I made after 627. She must have snared him in her spell."

Lilo stood there for a moment before speaking "What does she do?"

Jumba sighed once more. "628 is designed to cause lust and then manipulate controlled experiment. She has a special scent that is inhaled, and makes it's way to bloodstream through the lungs. From there to the brain, causing the agent to disrupt brain chemistry and allows her victim to receive her own brainwaves, inducing what seems to her victims as telepathic communication. She is also capable of using "certain" bodily secretions in the same way, only much, MUCH more potent. Even strong willed experiments cannot resist."

"... English please Jumba" Lilo asked, utterly confused at most of what Jumba said.

"She has mind control once she seduces male experiments to... ehh, "do" things with her." He replied somewhat nervously this time.

"Oh, ok. you could have told me she controls them with sex, I woulda understood." Lilo said plainly.

Jumba raised an eye "yes ehh, well, was not being sure. In any case, if you and 626 are to be confronting her, be sure to be using extreme caution, because 629 is likely to be under her spell."

"Stitch may have a hard time even understanding that." Lilo said as she looked away. "He's very upset right now."

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Stitch sat in his bed, his fists clenched and his eyes watery from tears. "Stitch do something wrong... But, what?" He spoke to himself, baffled, confused and upset over Leroy's disappearance with that mysterious experiment. 'Who was that anyway?' Stitch thought to himself as he lifted his head up, his mind finally drifting back to the female Leroy left with. "She took him, she shot me, and she threatened Lilo." These three thoughts rung in his head, and soon he was growling to himself. At first it was a low soft growl, but as the events replayed in his mind over and over, his growling grew along with his anger.

"Stitch?" Lilo opened the door to his room. "You there?" She asked as she peeked her head in the doorway.

"Ih." Stitch replied as normal as he could, trying to hide the stew of emotions he was feeling inside.

Lilo walked into the room, gazing upon her friend with worried eyes. Stitch looked away from her, not wanting her to see him in the state he was in.

"Stitch, we have to do something. We can't let 628 get away with whatever it is she's planning. Besides, Leroy is under her influence."

Stitch growled at this, but refused to respond. There was a long pause. A moment of tense, unnerving silence that seemed to last uncomfortably long. Eventually Stitch spoke. "We... we have, to fight... Leroy?" Stitch asked his best friend, both knowing and fearing the answer.

"I think so Stitch." She replied in a soft tone. Stitch then turned his head to face Lilo, looking her in the eyes, examining those brown orbs of hers.

"Stitch naga hurt Leroy again." he replied candidly.

"But Stitch, do you want him to hurt others? The Ohana, you, me? Cause as long as she controls him, that's what's going to happen, and you know it."

Stitch clenched his teeth tight and looked away "Naga!" He shouted.

"Stitch, stop thinking with your emotions and use your head, 628 is evil and he's practically a zombie to her. We need to do something and soon! Jumba said she seduced male experiments, maybe females are her weakness? We have to think of something Stitch."

Stitch opened his eyes, looked directly at Lilo and stood up. "Stitch naga go... not now, need time to think... Please Lilo?"

Lilo's stern and serious face took on one of care and empathy. "Ok Stitch... I'm sorry, this must be so tough for you" She then embraced her friend in a firm and long hug. "Go and think, clear your head, ok?" she said to him, smiling tenderly. The blue experiment nodded and gave a sigh "Ok Lilo, takka..." He then gave her one last, short hug before walking slowly out of the room, his ears drooped in anguish.

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Angel sat on the hammock that she had come to love so much. She may not have lived with Lilo and Stitch anymore, but was always welcome over. The beautiful Hawaiian sun was beginning to set down over the horizon, the orange glow of the sky, the soothing sound of the surf and the soft breeze, all combining to create such a relaxing and paradisaical scene.

The pink experiment sighed in bliss, closing here eyes in content. Just then she heard footsteps coming up from behind her. Angel turned and saw Stitch looking up at her, a somewhat confused and angst-ridden expression on his face. He then turned his head, not wanting to face his ex right now. As he hadn't truly held a conversation with her since their breakup.

"Hello-Stitch." She greeted, in a manner that suggested slight despondency at his presence.

"Hello... Angel" Stitch replied, the sorrow evident in his tone.

"Stitch not know you here... meega leave now." He said, turning around

"Naga Stitch, meega want to talk, now." She stated to him aloud. "Why you leave me for Leroy?" She asked, nearly cringing at mentioning Leroy's name.

Stitch then sighed, he loved Leroy, and that's all he knew, and wanted to divulge. "Meega love Leroy, Angel. And Leroy love Stitch. That is it."

"No, it isn't." She spoke, now in Turian. "You just left me for him, like you didn't care for me."

Stitch looked at Angel, pain evident on his face "Meega not stop caring... Angel always be close to Stitch" He stated "Meega... just love Leroy differently. But now, he's in trouble"

"And you want meega to help you?" Angel asked Stitch bluntly.

Stitch just nodded softly "Ih." he replied to her plainly.

"Nagga. Why should meega help him? Meega not care for him, he took you away from meega and "turned" you."

This infuriated Stitch. Instantly, he jumped up from the lower step he stood on, causing Angel to stumble backwards a bit as he got right in her face, a paw raised and clenched as if ready to strike her, his growls audiable and his teeth bared. Angel was petrified at this sudden outburst. But then Stitch did the last thing she expected, he broke down, lowering his paw and falling into her arms, shedding a few tears and a whimper, clinging to her tightly before pulling himself back, looking at her with moist eyes.

"Meega so sorry Angel, meega so very sorry." He pleaded as he hugged her once more. She didn't know how to respond to this outpouring of emotion. only to return the hug and attempt to sooth him as best she could.

"Leroy in trouble, under 628's control. And Stitch not know what to do. But, Stitch never want to hurt him again. Meega never hurt him again."

Angel blinked a few times in amazement, Stitch never struck her as the emotional spill-his-guts-out, type. He was always tough, and usually reserved, at least to her he was. But, he was showing more emotion for Leroy, in her arms, then he had ever given to her.

"You... Love him." Angel whispered, barely audible. But Stitch heard it, he took a breath and sniffled, pulling himself together as best he could before looking her in the eyes.

"Ih." He replied to her sincerely.

"Leroy, meega buchi bu." Stitch gave one final sniffle and took a step back from Angel, sighing. "Soka. Meega so upset, so sad. Can-can Angel help Stitch?" The blue experiment questioned, remembering Lilo's suggestion.

The pink experiment was taken aback by Stitch's imploration. She wasn't expecting it, and her baffled face showed it.

"Uhh, Stitch." She began "Meega don't know."

"Please, Angel. Meega begging you." Stitch pleaded.

Angel stared into Stitch's eyes for the longest time, neither of the two blinking, nor saying a word.

"Ok Stitch." Angel began, breaking the silence "Meega help."

Stitch then shot up and hugged the pink experiment. He graciously gave her a very friendly kiss on the cheek "Thank you Angel! Takka bootifa!"

Angel giggled, she was again surprised at Stitch's sudden moodswing. Did her agreement to help him mean that much? Or maybe it was also her acceptance of him and Leroy along with it, that lifted his spirits. She then cleared her mind and spoke to the jubilant experiment "Okie-taka, we need to see Jumba, right?"

Stitch nodded "Ih! You go, Meega get Lilo." With that Stitch turned around and took off for the house, not a dead sprint, but much faster then a casual jog. As Angel headed off toward Jumba's ship.

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"Lilo!" Stitch called as he rounded the stairway leading to the front door of the house. running up the steps and jumping through the dog door. He entered into a dark house, he was curious as to why no lights were on, but didn't dwell on it. He turned his night vision on and headed for the lift. Crawling up the elevator shaft and into Lilo's room. It too was pitch black, and even more disturbing, empty.

"What?" Stitch said aloud to himself, confused at what was going on. His heart was now beating as he dropped himself down, landing on his hind-legs and looking around.

"Where is everyone?" Stitch thought to himself. Checking in Jumba and Pleakly's room, nothing. He then quickly headed to Nani's room, opening the door slowly, only to be shocked at the sight, there on the floor, was Pleakly and Nani, tied up and obviously unconscious. Stitch ran over to them, cutting to ropes and lifting them up on the bed checking them for any vital signs and any wounds. Nothing that was life threatening he figured as he began scanning the room quickly before exiting, watching his back as he slowly made his way though the house. Stitch was now fearing for Lilo, she wasn't in the room with Nani and Pleakly, nor anywhere else.

Stitch placed his paw on the door knob, turning it with intent to leave. Just as he opened the door, a massive blast of plasma came flying at him, Stitch saw it and dropped to the floor, the bolt nearly grazing his face just as it collided with the adjacent wall, blowing a huge hole into it and sending shrapnel all over.

Stitch picked himself up and growled, looking for where the shot was fired, catching a glimpse of a few rustling bushes. Apparent that the shooter was already fleeing. The Experiment growled in irritation and charged down the stairs, intent on pursuing. But he stopped in the clearing.

"Wait." he said to himself "A Trap." He uttered, knowing full well that the shot was merely meant to lure him to fighting on 628's terms. It was then Stitch remembered, Angel went in to Jumba's ship. Stitch gulped, Leroy could have captured both of them too. Things now turned from bad to dire.

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Author's Notes: Wow, I'm horrible. I haven't updated in over three months. So sorry, I got wrapped up in other things and then I just utterly forgot about this until a few days ago. o_o;

To those who are still reading; expect at least one more chapter by the end of this month, and for the story to be done sometime in the next. Hope you enjoyed this chapter regardless though. I know this wasn't the best of them, full of angst and little action, as well as no sex. Sorry for that, the latter is porbably what people really want, but I gotta do something to develope this mess of a plot, no? ^_^;