Are You My Aunt?

"I knew your father had died but I never knew of what nature...most thought the Simian Flu killed him..." the man said queitly.

She chuckled grimly.

"Of course that would be karma, to be killed by the same virus you created..." She said with her hands clenched trying not to choke up.

"Did you ever find the person who killed him?....Was it even a person?" he asked curiously.

"Trust me it was a person...I saw it myself..." she said softly with her eyes closed, tears now falling down her face.

"Are you telling me you witnessed it?"

"I witnessed the whole God damn thing..." she said hoarsly.

"Did you ever see the murderer again?" he asked getting interested.

She gritted her teeth.

"Yes..."

"What did you and your brother do when-

"Can we change the subject please!" she snapped at him.

The man quite taken back by her outburst, since she hadn't once raised her voice through the interview. He quickly regained his professional composure.

"Alright...Did you and your brother ever have disagreements before?"

"Believe it or not we were close as kids but after being separated for 10 years....going through what we went trough..."

She leaned back in the chair and sighed.

"We got older...things changed..." She said as she ran her hand through her hair.

He continued to listen.

"Even though there were times I wanted to punch him...he was my brother...I loved him...and he loved me as well but because I was so stupid it took me awhile to believe that he still did" She started to tear up at the last part.

"All siblings fight...it's pretty normal" the man said trying to reassure her.

"Yea but the figting would get so bad that I couldn't be around him for more than 10 minutes..."

"But you kept ending up going to see him....why?"

She brought her hands together and gripped them.

"Blue Eyes...his son...would often come to see me and his wife Corneila, Blue Eyes mother would often invite me to come to their home....there was also certain circumstances where I had no choice but to stay with them for a awhile...more then once...he was hard to avoid."

"So why didn't you refuse the invitations or turn Blue Eyes away."

She chuckled.

"Corneila was a stubborn female, it was hard to deny her...and Blue was as stubborn as both his parents combined so he would have kept coming back now matter what I did....Caesar was my brother so they considered me family..."She said softly.

She then closed her eyes tightly trying her best not to continue crying, remembering events from a year ago.

"Where you close to them?"

"Very...very close."

----------

Muir Park, 3 years ago

Iris wasn't asspecting this at all, she didn't know what to make of the this. Bruce was still growling so Iris hushed him.

" I remember you, from yesterday...your his son arn't you?" She asked with her arms crossed.

He nodded.

He seemed a little nervous, like conflicting emotions about being here or not.

"Your father doesn't know your here does?"she asked him plainly.

He avoided eye contact with her and shook his head slowly confirming to her.

Iris took a big sigh and ran her hand through hair.

"Get inside you shouldn't be out in the rain" she said as she gestured him to come into her home she also told Bruce to go back inside as well.

He he didn't move for the first couple of seconds but then hesitantly walked to up to her patio and into her house. When they got into the house she told him to sit down in one of the chairs at the table and she sat on the opposite side of it.

They sat in silence, he kept his face lowered but occasionally looked up to look at her.

"Ok you obviously have questions so just ask me" she told him.

"Are....You....really....my.....father's....sister?....Are....you....really....my....aunt?" he asked her but struggled to say the words do to that he was not use to talking.

"Technically yes....but I don't think he considers me that anymore" she told him plainly.

"How....come....-

"I understand sign language so you can just sign, I don't want you do something your not comfortable doing yet"She cut him off gently.

He became a little relieved at this.

"How come he has never mention you?" he sighed.

"I don't know you would have to ask him..."She said as leaned her head against her hand.

"What's you name?" she asked him.

"Blue Eyes"

"I'm Iris..." She said softly as she reached her hand across the table to offer it to him, he looked it and then back at her before slowly reaching out to grab her hand gently.

A small smile fell on her face.

"Since your going to be here for while you might as well eat something" She said as she got up from the table walked over to a cupboard on the other side of the room.

She pulled out a plate with jerky and a slice bread on it and walked back over to place it infornt of him. He looked it and then back at her unsure.

"What is it?"

"It's dried meat and bread."

He picked up some of it and started to inspect it.

"Just eat it, it won't kill you" she said sternly.

He slowly took a bite of the dry meat and started chewing.

"See not so bad is it"

He scoffed at her.

Bruce who then noticed food went over to the table but his ears went flat when he saw Blue Eyes. Blue Eyes turned his head to look at the dog and glared at him, Bruce started to feel threaten and growled at him Blue Eyes began to do the same in return.

"Ok none of that! "She said as she grabbed Bruce by the scruff of his neck and made him sit while standing between them. She then shot Blue Eyes a look that basically told him to knock it off, which he did quickly.

"I swear you and your father with dogs" she said underneath her breath.

She then gestured for his hand, causing him to look at her in confusion.

"Give me your hand"

He reluctantly gave her his hand.

"Make your hand into a fist, lean you head to side and make your face expressionless" she told him.

He looked even more confused by her command but did as he was told, she then gently pulled his clenched fist in front of Bruce. Bruce brought his nose up to Blue Eyes hand causing him to flinch his hand away a little bit.

"Let him smell you" she said softly, trying to resure him that it will be alright.

He took a breath and brought his hand back to his nose. Bruce sniffed him for a little bit then brought up his head to look at him curiously.

"Give him some of the dried meat now" she told him.

He took the meat off the plate and slowly gave it to Bruce which he gladly took. After he finished the offered meat he looked back at Blue Eyes.

Bruce wagged his tail and started to lick Blue Eyes hand. The blue eyed ape stared at the Shepard in confusion and awe.

"Don't judge things before you get to know them" she told him softly.

He looked at her, not sure how to respond.

---------

After the rain cleared Iris walked with Blue Eyes back home, they were almost there.

"I'm not a helpless child, You didn't have to come with me" he sighed as they walked.

"I know, but I just want to make sure you get back ok."

"I still can't believe you've know where the village is"

"How do think I've been living under on your guys radar for the last 5 years."

Blue Eyes felt a little insulted and sad at this comment.

Before they knew it they had reached the entrance. A group of gorillas and apes had soon came out and most started screeching and growling at the sight of Iris.

Caesar came out also looking angry but also relieved to see his son but surprised to see Iris. The Apes were all signing like crazy.

"Why human here?!"

"She kidnapped Blue Eyes!"

"She didn't kidnap- Blue Eyes tried to sign to them but they were distracted by their arguing.

"We must kill her! She Dangerous!"

"She just a female!"

Iris held her head getting annoyed.

"This female can understand what you all are saying!" she yelled.

This shut them up quickly but it only lasted about couple seconds because they then started screeching again, Caesar raised his hand silencing them all while keeping his gaze on her and his son.

Iris gestured for Blue Eyes to go to his father, He slowly walked over to him avoiding his gaze.

"We will talk later" he signed to him sternly.

Blue walked past him and into the village with Caesar closely watching him.

"Don't be too hard on him"her voice cut him out of his thoughts

He turned back to look at her, she stood lazily with her arms crossed.

"He's a lot like you were...when you were that age"

With that she turned around and headed off. Some of the apes made movement to follow her.

"Leave her!" Caesar yelled at them and they reluctantly listened.

He then heading back into the village, concerned Rocket and Maurice then came up to their obviously worried and stressed out friend.

"They definitely might try do something now that they know she knows where the village is ...what do you want to do?" Maurice signed to him.

Caesar went deep into thought.

"Do you want me to follow her?"Rocket asked.

He shook his head.

"Let me Maurice do it, I'm going to need your help later" he signed as he look up to see his wife hug his eldest son infornt of their home,both his friends followed his gaze.

"What are you going to do?" Maurice asked

"I'm going to have a talk with my son" he replied.