Visiting

from cole's point of view

After Lloyd defeated his father, we all, of course, took our time splitting up. We spent our time chatting, talking about our futures. Zane and I kept quiet about where we were headed a lot. Both of us had worked it out long ago. We always said that if we survived being ninja, we'd runaway together.

No one really knew how close him and I were. Not for a long time. We'd almost been caught doing some things we shouldn't, but we'd been lucky. It had taken me a long time to come to terms with my emotions for Zane and to tell him at that, but eventually I had tackled the awful hatred for myself and my love of guys. He'd helped me through it when I needed help.

We'd come so far and now here we were, days from our planned runaway date. I was nervous. His father was the only one that knew.

The day came and we announced our leave quickly to everyone. It was sorrow filled and they had a few questions, but we didn't answer them. We just told them we'd keep in touch. My father seemed sad to see me go and not be able to visit, but I really needed this time with Zane. We both needed this. As we waved our farewells and started walked towards a bus stop with our simple two suitcases in hand, I looked at my friend beside me. the light of the day hit his fair skin perfectly and he looked amazing. I told him this and he just grabbed my hand and and we walked like that. I knew everyone saw behind us.

The world behind us found out our secret, but they couldn't ask us about it. They didn't know where we were going.

No one came after us.

I fell asleep on Zane's shoulder as we rode the bus as far west as we could till we reached the stop closest to the water. He shook me and woke me up from my happy dreaming. I blinked up at him and rubbed my eyes, groaning in annoyance at the bright sunlight. "We're here." He smiled, walking with me off the bus as I stretched and yawned. Zane grabbed our stuff from the compartment and pointed towards a small town in the distance. "There. That's where we can stay tonight." I smiled and we began walking towards it. The waves of the not so distant ocean sounded softly as background noise and the crunching of leaves from the trees around us echoed from under our feet. I smiled warmly, noticing he had my suitcase too, but not wanting to make a fuss about it right now.

We made it to the little town and found the small hotel in it. It was cozy and felt like it could be home. We got to our room and set down our stuff and I looked out the window. We were on the highest floor, the second story. Like I said, the town is small.

It was beautiful outside, the end of the brick walk way through the entire town was visible and it disappeared into the well mowed grass. The cliff the town was on ended on slightly after the brick ended. there were trees near it and you could see the ocean shimmer under the light of the afternoon sun.

There were people walking about, looking at all the fresh foods and going into the little family owned stores. They were all happy and having a good time, just like I wanted to be doing with Zane.

I spun around to speak to him, but he was right there behind me. "Jesus! You scared me... I didn't hear you come over here."

Zane laughed a little bit at this and leaned down to place a soft kiss on my lips. "Well, I apologize. Would you like to go out and look for food?"

I nodded in response, still swooning over that kiss he gave me. This guy was perfect. "I love you," I blurted out, causing himto smile now.

"I love you, too. Now let us quit being mushy and go grocery shopping. "

Walking about the town was much more fun than I thought it would be. We didn't end up buying very much. Just two small bags of food. I mainly found myself looking forward to the sunset. I kept glancing over at the cliff whenever it was in view and seeing the sun slowly getting closer to the water. The colors were already changing throughout the sky and I didn't want to wait anymore.

"Come on, Zane, we're gonna miss the sunset!" I spoke up and started tugging him towards it, grinning like an idiot. I needed to see it and I didn't know why. I just did.

"Alright, alright! Just slow down!" He laughed, stumbling after me and tripping up slightly.

I quickly came to a halt a mere 4 feet from the edge and he walked up beside me, still holding my hand from me pulling him. We both flopped down onto the plush, perfect grass and watched the pinks and blues and purples mix in the sky. It was gorgeous. The stars flooded in after the colors began to fade and I shivered as the cold outside grew more intense.

Zane's arm wrapped around me and he pulled me in close, making me smile.

"We should head back." He said softly, "You may get sick." I knew he wouldn't get sick, that he was looking out for me and only me. He always looked out for me. He cared about me more than anyone else. Zane told me this.

"Alright." I said calmly, knowing neither of us would be eating tonight. It was already late and I wasn't hungry anymore. I slowly lifted my head to look at him, only to see he was looking down at me already. Happily, we kissed for the second time that day after the sunset in the little town we ranaway to together.

"I want to come back here." I mumbled and he gave me a nod. Zane didn't lie. We would be coming back and there was no doubt about it.

Every year we came back to that place and watched the sunset. We always went shopping before, but never ate the food. After awhile, we started feeding it to the animals.

I got into my 40's and we still went, even though my dad had died days before we were supposed to. Zane's father died when I was in my 30's.

50's, 60's, and 70's went by.

Zane still looked the same and I looked old.

80's.

90's.

We'd never been called back to be ninja. That didn't bother me after awhile

I knew Jay and Nya were happy together. Kai had stopped talking with everyone after awhile, only communicating with Nya. No one knows why. Lloyd was married to someone for awhile, but they divorced and he hadn't been married since. His father and mother had passed. As had Sensei Wu.

I heard that Nya was very ill and Jay was at her bedside constantly.

I was just dying naturally.

At age 95 I told him that I wanted to see that place we ran away to before it was my time. I told him I wanted to do what we always did. I was weaker, but my healthy life made me stronger as an old man.

We got off the bus and we walked up the hill to that town we knew so well. Every store knew us and almost every person knew us, too. You wouldn't forget people like me and Zane. We were crazy. No matter if Zane was a robot or not.

We went shopping and bought fruits and anything we liked, just like every other year. We gave it all to the poor or homeless that lived about the town. They thanked us like always, gratefully accepting.

The sun was setting and we walked to that cliff and hung our feet over the edge like we had grown to do. He put an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close, resting his head on mine and smiling at the amazing sunset. It was never the same, but it seemed like every year we came here, it was always beautiful and it never rained or snowed or ruined the beauty of our special place.

Zane kissed my pale lips and nuzzled my hair, feeling my old body shaking under his arm from the cold. He picked me up and carried me in the dark back to our hotel where he set me down before we went inside.

We both waved at the people in the lobby, heading up to our room.

I felt this sad pit in my stomach and looked at the clock when we got inside our room. It was really late. I thought it had been only 8 just a few minutes ago, but it was 11 now. We had been outside for awhile.

We both got ready for sleep and that pit in my stomach kept nagging me. I didn't understand till I got into bed beside Zane and he pulled me close.

I realized this was it.

I didn't think he knew.

He probably didn't, but he would when it happened.

I looked up at him from my spot on the bed and told him that I loved him a lot. That I would always love him. That I want him to be happy.

He said, "I know," then kissed me again. "I love you, too."

I closed my eyes and got close to him, burying my head against his chest and letting everything sink in and my mind race through our amazing lives we'd spent together. I fell asleep and dreamed about him. I always did.

I died right next to him in that bed that night. I'm glad I didn't see his face when he found out. It would have broken me. He's probably sad, but I think he really knew that I was ready.

I didn't want to leave him alone in this world, but I had no choice.

He wouldn't be there forever of course. His gears and joints were getting achy and without his father to fix the more intense injuries on his body, Zane would slowly become obsolete, but I knew that while he was alive, he would spend his time in that little town, helping all the people that we'd both grown to care about.

They would take care of him for me.

Then I'd see him when he finally gave out.

There's not enough duct tape in the world to hold you together forever.

That was okay. No one wanted to be around forever.