***Yours, Forevermore Ch. 1***
"I love you."
That was it. That's all she said before fading away from me. I pressed my lips to hers, begging her to come back. There was no Ari, no Star, no Kate, not even Ratchet or Starfish. Only me, and Maya's shallow, steadily slowing breaths. I didn't realize that Ratchet was trying to get me off of her until Kate had my arms pinned behind my back.
"Chill bro, I got an idea," Ratchet said, "Just watch..." He pushed something into Maya's wounds as Kate slowly released me. I turned around to face the current threat: Ari. I picked up Ratchet's discarded tire iron and flew up to the wolf/bird/demon-from-Hell.
"Whatcha got that for?" he asked snidely.
"Why don't you come find out?" I shot back raising the tire iron above to strike at him. He took my bait and lunged. I darted to the side and brought the mangled iron on his temple.
"What?" he said falling to the ground with a sickening crunch. I saw his body land far too close to Maya.
"Fang! Get down here!" Ratchet yelled, "I'm hearin' a pulse!" I couldn't believe what I heard. I flew over, maybe a bit too fast.
"What?! Ratchet what did yo do? Never mind, I don't care. Maya! Are you okay?" I cradled her against my chest.
"Fang? Is that you?" she asked weakly.
"Stop talking and save your energy. I don't know how you survived, but you still shouldn't push it."
"I think it would be better if blood could actually reach my limbs and lungs."
"What?"
"Loosen up a bit."
"Oh, sorry."
"It's fine. And it's cute that you care."
"Hate to break up the first date, but what are we gonna do 'bout the chicks?" Ratchet asked. A fair question, Kate was trying to help Ratchet get me off Maya so he could save her, but what about Star? She must have run off.
"Star ran off," Yep right on the money. "But she took the goons off with her." So they decided to stay with me in the end. The question is, though: will I let them?