"Fly Away to the Clouds of Heaven"
Chapter 1: Cassie
My name is Cassie. Just normal Cassie Norwood, nothing more, nothing less. It's been years since I've been able to say something like that. Fighting a war against alien parasites doesn't give you much time to use the word 'normal.' All that has changed now though.
I could go on to tell you the story of how my friends and I were a small teenage army against an entire parasite invasion of the planet Earth. I could tell you that the only power we had was the ability to morph into any animal that we acquired through a simple touch of our hand. I could even tell you the amazing fact that we won.
I'll try my best not to.
That's because that part of my life is over now. I'm just a girl attending her Senior Year of High school, living a normal life with normal problems. Problems that include things like, if I'm going to pass my S.A.T's, or how to get an early application to the college of my choice.
And more importantly, how to explain to my parents what Jake is doing in my bedroom on a Friday night.
Which brings me to the current situation at hand.
"We're listening," My mother said with a stern face that was equally matched by my father's.
"Mister and Misses Norwood, I assure you, Cassie and I were just talking," Jake explained, while standing by my window in which he had entered a few minutes earlier.
"I see, and talking includes your tongue in my daughter's mouth, with your hands roaming all over her body. I'd like to know what the topic of that conversation was," my father replied calmly, yet with intimidation.
"We weren't even kissing," Jake shrieked, obviously embarrassed, "I was just holding her."
"Where the hell do you two think you are," my mother began calmly and slowly pacing back and forth, "this isn't that show Dawson's Lodge or Creek, or whatever it's called, where teenagers can just climb in each others windows and 'talk.' I don't care if you saved the planet or not, as long as you're under my roof you will play by my rules. And my rules are, that there is to be no morphing into birds and flying into rooms trying to get your hanky panky on."
I buried my head in my hands and closed my eyes. This was unreal. She couldn't have possibly just given a speech like that. Sure, it wasn't in our best interest for Jake and I to have a talk in my room so late at night, but still, it was no different from what we had done during the war. I suppose now, my parents found no excuse why it was needed for Jake to be in my room since we were back to being normal teenagers. Still, Jake and I would never do such a thing. Not with my parents in the house anyway, that would be disrespectful.
I looked up at Jake who was still standing by my window. He had only come here to talk to me like he does every night. That was what Jake and I did, just talk, nothing new. Just that this night my parents were awake.
He turned to me and gave that smile that has always looked out of place on his face. I returned his smile with an equally warm and gentle one. He slowly reached out as I let my hand connect to his.
"Well, just forget that we're in the room," my father finally spoke sarcastically.
"Jake, I think both of our families are going to have a get together and discuss the birds and the bees. This conversation is long overdue," my mother said.
"You can't be serious," I replied looking at my mother as if she had grown another head.
"I think someone needs to put on the pregnancy stomach," my father said seriously.
In the words of Marco, this was insane. The pregnancy stomach is this fake padding that goes around the belly that makes you feel and look pregnant. They can't be serious in making me put that thing on in front of Jake.
My mother left out of the room and returned with it in hand.
They were serious.
"Put it on Cassie," my mother said holding it out to me.
I looked at her pleadingly, but it did no good. I slipped my arms into it as my mother fastened it on me. She then spun me around in front of Jake.
"Look at this. This is the result of 'talking,'" she explained.
"Doesn't make you want to stick your tongue down her throat now does it," my father added.
Jake just looked at my parents with a horrified and confused expression upon his face. Then he looked to me for support, but I was too busy cringing from the embarrassment.
We stood there in silence for minutes that seemed to last for an eternity. The scene was utterly priceless. My father standing by the door with a stern look on his face, my mother holding the 'pregnant stomach' in place, me trying to balance myself with it on, and Jake just standing by the window like he wanted to jump out of it and run away.
Then, all of a sudden, my parents looked at one another and began to laugh.
I unfastened the costume and handed it to my mother as she chuckled and stood next my father. As they kept laughing hysterically I went and stood by Jake, as he put one arm around my shoulders to comfort me.
"You two are so cute," my father said with a huge grin.
"Yeah they are, aren't they," my mother agreed.
"We almost decided against coming in on your little 'conversation,' but we couldn't resist," my father went on.
"You mean, you knew we were just talking," Jake finally spoke out.
"Yup," my Mom began simply, "we hear you two talk every night, but tonight we felt like teaching you two a lesson on sneaking around."
Jake and I remained quiet as my parents gazed upon us with amused expressions upon their faces. My father then reached around my mother and gathered her in his arms.
"You two remind us of ourselves when we were young," my father said towards us, then looking at my Mom, "remember when I used to sneak in your room as a teenager?"
"Yeah," my Mom said lovingly, "some things never change."
Jake and I were still standing by the window with our arms around one another, watching as my parents did the same. I smiled to myself. I was truly lucky to have two parents. Their love for one another over came years of the trials and tribulations that come with a relationship. If they can do it, I'm sure Jake and I can last.
Suddenly my parents came out of their daze at one another.
"Well, it still is late, and I'm sure Jake needs to be heading home," my father began, giving Jake the hint that it was time for him to leave.
"Yeah I suppose so," Jake began taking the hint.
He then turned towards me and showed another one of his smiles.
"Well," he said letting it trail off.
"Well," I said in reply.
"Okay, we get the hint. You want us to give you a moment," my mother said stepping out with my father into the house hallway.
"I'm so sorry about tonight Jake," I began before Jake stopped me grabbing my hands.
"It's okay Cassie. We have tomorrow," he said, then peering out into the hallway he went on, "and if we're as lucky as your parents, we'll have the rest of our lives."
With that he moved forward as we kissed each other goodnight. It should have been a quick kiss, but for some reason it turned into many kisses with my hands going around Jake's neck, where my fingers ran through his hair and-
"Hey, I hear lips smacking," my mother interrupted, yelling from the hallway.
"So do we," I replied, knowing my parents were probably kissing in the hallway.
"We can do that, we're married," my father yelled back.
Jake and I looked at one another and both began laughing.
"I better get going," he said stepping upon the window, where he morphed and flew out.
I just watched as the bird flew through the sky and away. Then again, Jake was never truly away from me.
I felt my father's hand come upon my shoulder. I looked up at him and put my arms around his stomach.
"Looks like my baby girl has replaced me with a man that's even more important in her life," he said looking out the window where Jake had been.
"Dad, I could never replace you," I replied as he kissed me upon my forehead.
"Good, because I'm always going to be here for you," he said looking down on me.
"Promise," I said looking up at him.
"Yeah, who else is going to walk you down on your wedding day? Or beat Jake up if he ever cheats on you," he joked.
"Only you," I replied with a small giggle.
There was a small silence in the air as we both looked out into the field behind the house.
"Hey dad, sing that song you used to sing to me when I was young," I said.
"It's been so long, I don't know if I remember," he replied.
I looked at him for a moment seeing through his lie.
"Okay," he finally said, then he began:
"Fly, fly little wing.
Fly beyond imagining. The softest cloud, the
whitest dove, upon the winds of heaven's love.
Past the planets and the stars, leave this lonely
world of ours. Escape the sorrow, and the pain, and fly again.
Fly, fly precious one. Your endless journey has just begun. Take your gentle happiness.
Far too beautiful for this.
Cross over the other shore, there is peace forever more.
But hold this memory bittersweet until we meet.
Fly, fly do not fear. Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear. Your
heart is pure, your soul is free. Be on your way, don't forget me.
Above the universe you'll climb on beyond the hands of time.
The moon will rise, the sun will set, but I won't forget.
Fly, fly little wing, play where only angels sing. Fly away,
the time is right.
Go now and find the light."
As he finished I kissed him on the chin and climbed into bed. He pulled the covers over me and kissed me goodnight. It felt like I was ten-yeas-old again having a bad dream and my daddy was there to make it better.
"I love you," he whispered as he walked out of my room.
"I know you do," I replied.
That had always been my reply when he said that. It was our little inside joke. He closed the door and walked out into the hall.
"Because you have to love me for as much as I love you," I finished as I had always done.
End of Chapter 1:
Ryoko: Just stick with me all right. That's just the beginning of this story, b/c I got something working here. I'm trying to lay the ground work, so stay tuned to the next Chapter of "Fly Away to the Clouds of Heaven". :-)
"Fly Away" song by Celine Dion.