Yu-Gi-Oh!
Waiting for a New Day
By Lucky_Ladybug
Notes: The characters are not mine and the story is! New timeline calls for new tinkering with stuff, and I've been wanting to test out this alternate possibility of how bikers met again after season 4, for several reasons. This Alister is slightly different from the Alister of my old 2004-2005 timeline, yet I think I still write his core personality basically the same. And I just love having him and Valon clash, as canon indicated they don't get along. Makes for a lot of interesting scenarios.
Valon really wasn't sure why he stopped at the old theatre that night, or why he decided to surreptitiously open the door and peek inside at the production. It was just something to do, he told himself. It had nothing to do with the sign outside announcing that someone called Amelda Mackenzie was performing. After all, who did he know called that? He had known someone named Mackenzie, whose first name started with A, but that was all in the past. The time of Doom was over. Now they were all free to live their own lives, which was just what he had been doing. He had always been a free spirit, just like Mai. He couldn't stay tied down to one place. He didn't want to. And he didn't need anyone, especially not some aloof Scottish jerk who didn't like him anyway.
Still, as he focused on the scene on the stage, his eyes widened in his shock and surprise. "Nah . . . it can't be," he whispered. The bizarre character onstage was flamboyant and unforgettable, almost like that Siegfried von Schroider who had dueled in Seto Kaiba's Grand Prix tournament. He danced from the center of the stage to the left edge, a rose in hand, and suddenly threw it into the audience. He was a prissy, arrogant, self-centered ruler, or so Valon gathered as the scene went on. There was really nothing about him that obviously pointed to his identity being something other than what the marquee said. His voice, his hair, his clothes . . . none of that was familiar. And yet there was something about him, maybe in the gray eyes, maybe the way he moved, maybe even in his gestures, that seemed familiar.
He was certainly a hit with the audience. They laughed and howled and clapped. He brought down the house. But as he took a sweeping bow while the curtain fell, he caught sight of the spiky-haired Australian still peering through the old doors. He straightened, stunned, and his eyes filled with recognition.
And Valon knew.
"Alister!" he yelled, bursting through the doors. In all the clapping and guffawing and whistling, no one seemed to hear.
Except a security guard. "Hey! What are you doing in here?!" The muscleman grabbed Valon's arm and wrenched it in the air. "I don't remember seeing you get a ticket."
Valon struggled to pull free. "You'd just better watch it, chum, or you'll be in for a world of hurt!"
"He's twice your size and almost as big as Raph. Don't be a fool, Valon."
Valon jerked, looking to the actor. He had jumped off the stage and come over, frowning at the scene. And Valon boiled over. "Well, that's a fine how do you do!" he spat. "I haven't seen you since we got back to our bodies. I didn't even know if you were alright! Not that I cared or anything," he quickly added. "But I can see you didn't care."
Something he couldn't identify passed through the gray eyes. Ignoring his comments, the tall man turned to the guard. "He's not a problem. Let him go."
The guard frowned, but flung Valon's arm away from him. "He'd better not be a problem."
"You're in no position to be giving orders," the actor retorted. With that he walked around to the left side of the auditorium while speaking to Valon. "The show's over. Come with me while I get out of this."
Valon followed, still steamed. But he didn't speak again until they had both stepped into what passed for a dressing room and the door was shut. "Alright," he demanded. "What is all this?! And what's with this 'Amelda' nonsense?!"
"It's my middle name." The long wig came off, revealing the familiar deep red flip. Valon had commented once that the only other person he knew of with hair that color was Naomi Judd. Alister hadn't laughed. But then again, Valon had never heard him laugh . . . until tonight. And that hadn't even been genuine, or in his natural voice.
"So you're using a different name, middle or not, and hiding?" Valon folded his arms. "Afraid that someone from your past might come calling and find you one of these days?"
"A lot of people use different names to perform. It doesn't mean they're hiding from anything." Alister started stripping out of his costume.
Valon looked away. "Well, it looks like you're doing alright for yourself," he said to the wall.
"It's just a temporary job. It's a traveling company and I agreed to join up with them until I found a reason to get out."
"Oh yeah? What reason?" Valon heard the jangle of belt buckles and figured Alister was out of that crazy costume by now. But he still didn't turn back.
"Would you care?" Alister sounded edgy now himself.
"Probably not," Valon snapped.
"I didn't think so.
"You know, I'm not naked here. And even if I was, we're both males. Or are you just using this as an excuse because you don't want to face me for some other reason?"
Valon spun around. "I've been looking at you all night! Only it wasn't you like I've ever seen you before. I never knew you could do anything like that."
Alister was standing before him, his hands on his hips, wearing one of his usual midriff-bearing tank tops and dark pants with two red belts. "That wasn't really me. That was just a character."
"Yeah, I know. And I wonder what your adoring audience would think if they knew the real you was just an uptight, lowdown jerk with a completely cracked wardrobe?!"
Alister slammed his hand on the vanity stand. "What is your problem, Valon?!" he snapped. "We haven't seen each other since Doom folded, as you yourself pointed out right in front of the entire theatre. Anyone who heard you probably thinks you're crazy for talking about 'returning to our bodies.' Now you're acting like I've delivered some kind of personal insult to you by being part of this acting company!"
"Well, you know you could drop a bloke a line now and then!" Valon spat. "Or instead of taking a job, you could . . . I don't know . . . not be so downright eager to move on all alone!"
"I woke up in a hospital run by KaibaCorp and I immediately called out to the beachhouse!" Alister screamed. "You're the one who left, Valon. Raphael went there looking for you and you were already gone. You just couldn't wait to go on the road, probably to look for that Mai person, and forget all about Doom and Dartz and us!"
"And why not?! It's not like we were really a family or something!" Valon shot back. "Oh, Raph liked us both, sure, but we both know you've always hated me! You make that clear every time you open your mouth! It was the same tonight."
Alister clenched his teeth. "You think you have all the answers, don't you. Well, fine. You've always hated me, so why don't we cut the garbage and stop lying to ourselves. I don't even know why you came in here when you realized it was me."
"I didn't even realize until you spotted me!" Valon countered. "You were nothing like yourself! But now I remember why I was glad when you were out of my hair."
Alister fell back. "What?"
Valon saw by the strange look in Alister's eyes that he was hurt, but he ignored the warning in his heart. Alister didn't get hurt. He was hard and cold, the complete opposite of the flamboyant nutcase he had been portraying onstage.
"Yeah, that's right," Valon barreled on. "No more creepy stares or critical comments! No more telling me this or that is something I shouldn't be doing! I always live my own life, see? I play by my own rules. And I was glad when Kaiba took you out!" It wasn't true, but Valon was on a roll by now and his tongue kept moving.
He was expecting an explosion, but it didn't come. Alister turned away, refusing to face him now. "Then I don't see why you're still hanging around here." His voice was very clipped and cold.
Valon was chilled. "I don't either." He hauled the door open and stepped out. "Have fun with your life."
He pulled the door shut, but for some reason he lingered. What am I even saying? he thought in chagrin. I wasn't glad when Alister's soul was taken at all. Well, I kind of liked the peace and quiet at first . . . but then I started to kind of miss him. And I've been wandering, trying to find Mai, it's true, but . . .
He jumped a mile when it sounded like the garbage can in the dressing room had just been kicked over. For a moment there was silence. Then there came the sound of shattering glass.
Valon hauled the door open in the next instant. "What the heck are you doing?!" he burst out.
Alister was sitting slumped forward at the vanity table, his fingers dug tightly in his hair. The mirror was in pieces on the table and the floor, but he either didn't notice or care.
"I'm making a mess," he hissed. "I'm good at that. But it doesn't affect you, Valon, so why don't you go back to your precious motorcycle and your search for that woman?"
"Alister . . ." Valon swallowed hard. "I . . . I didn't mean what I said. . . . Really. . . ."
"I always knew you hated me." Alister got up, crunching some of the pieces of glass under his boots. "I told Raphael it was pointless to look for you. If you'd wanted to stay, you would have. You didn't want anything to do with either of us. I thought you might care about Raphael, at least. But you were afraid he'd say he wanted to get me so we could all be together, weren't you?"
"Eh?" Valon stared at him. "What are you talking about?!"
"You wanted to stay away from me so badly that you avoided Raph, too."
"That's crazy!" Valon burst out. "I've been looking for Mai, sure, but I also thought I might run into Raph . . . or you. . . ."
"Sure." Alister looked away.
"It's the truth," Valon insisted. "When I woke up at the beachhouse, I didn't know where either of you were. I knew Raph might come back there, but I didn't think you would. And I honestly never thought you'd call. I didn't think you'd care that much. I figured you were glad to get away. But . . . I guess you never will believe me now," he realized.
"If it is the truth, why did you immediately tear into me tonight like I'd done something wrong?" Alister asked.
". . . Because I was upset finding that it looked like you'd moved on," Valon said. "Only I don't know why that bothered me. . . . I never really figured I'd see you again. . . . And then you acted like I couldn't take care of myself with that guard. . . ."
"I've seen what he does to people. The last person he beat up was in traction for three weeks. I didn't want him to do that to you, and I knew if you gave him any encouragement, he'd start in." Alister gripped his arms. "But you've always thought the worst of me from the day we met."
"Alister . . ." The hurt in the aloof man's voice was obvious now. Valon could never deny it. This situation was too strange, too uncomfortable. He had never thought Alister could feel pain, especially so acutely . . . and especially where it came to him.
"I've always felt like you thought the worst of me," Valon said. "Always acting like I don't know what I'm doing, or that I'm being annoying, or . . ."
"You don't always know what you're doing," Alister muttered. "You do so many dangerous stunts, it's a wonder you're not dead yet. And yeah, actually, you can be annoying. But don't tell me you haven't thought the same thing about me."
"You're just about the most aggravating bloke I know," Valon said. "I've never understood you. But . . . I've never hated you. And Alister, I swear I wasn't glad when you lost your soul. I don't know why I said that. . . ."
"I've never hated you either." Alister finally turned and looked at him. "I just never liked your prying. Or how it always felt like you thought I was doing something wrong just by breathing. We never could have a civil conversation for more than two minutes."
"Wait a minute," Valon suddenly said. "You said something about telling Raph it was pointless to look for me? Raph wanted to look for me?" That wasn't a surprise, really. Valon knew Raphael cared about them both.
"He did," Alister said. "But just because I thought it was pointless . . . doesn't mean I didn't want to find you too."
"Huh?" Now Valon was definitely staring again.
"Valon . . ." Alister hesitated before continuing. "I've only been with this acting troupe because I was trying to find you. I thought maybe one of these times, we'd play a city where you happened to be, or at least, where you'd been, and I could find some kind of a clue to where you went next."
Valon just kept staring at him. "What?" He stepped back, disbelief and guilt washing over him in waves. "Then . . . why the heck didn't you tell me?!"
"You weren't in any mood to listen. You admitted as much. And honestly, right then I wasn't in much of a mood to say it." Alister turned away. "So I've found you. I'll contact Raph and let him know I was right all along. You don't want to be with us . . . or at least, not with me. I was a fool to look for you."
Valon was reeling. He couldn't think what to say or do. But now it was dawning on him that he had made a serious, possibly even irreparable mistake. His impulsiveness and fighting spirit had got him into trouble yet again, and now he had hurt someone he hadn't even thought could be hurt.
". . . You say you don't even know why it bothered you to think I'd moved on. You had to have a reason for such an extreme reaction."
"Because . . ." Valon swallowed hard. Now that the anger was draining away, he was starting to put together the pieces. He found what he had been denying to himself. "Because I was worried about you. I didn't know if you were alright. Okay, so you were back in your body, but then what? Where would you go? What would you do?"
"Worried? About me?" Alister snorted.
"Yeah, Alister-Amelda-or-whatever-your-name-is!" Valon walked up to him and poked him in the chest. "I was worried about you! I know we're not chums or nothin', but I wanted to know you were alright! I mean, we were allies for a long time. Before you and Raph, there was nobody I'd been with that long in years. And then I found you and it looked like you were getting along fine without me and Raph and you didn't even care about us, and I just got ticked off."
"What happened to always looking out for yourself?" Alister countered.
"Well . . ." Valon glowered. "Do you always have to question everything I say?!"
"After the way you've acted in the past, forgive me if I find this hard to believe." Alister stood with his hands on his hips again.
"I don't know how to say it any plainer!" Valon exclaimed. "I was worried about you and I wanted to find you, same as you did with me!" He took a deep breath. "And I still find that hard to believe after the past!"
"We've never understood each other," Alister said. He hesitated. "And I guess we're both at fault for what happened here tonight. I'm sorry."
Valon stared at him. That was something else he couldn't remember Alister ever saying before. Then again, he certainly hadn't either.
"Yeah. Me too," he said. "And honestly, if you and Raph want us all to stay together . . . that's fine by me." He tried to smile. "But after all the rows Raph's had to break up between us, I can hardly believe he wants to go in for more punishment."
"He must feel the pros are worth more than the cons," Alister said. "And . . . I must feel the same way."
He stared at Valon as their words really sank in. This whole conversation was shocking for him as well. He had thought sure Valon hated him. That had seemed obvious from the first day they had met.
Eighteen-year-old Alister stood and stared at the reckless youth riding his motorcycle back and forth across the area. Dartz wanted all of his Orichalcos soldiers to know how to ride them, and this latest recruit was no exception. But unlike most of the recruits, this one was special, Dartz had told him and Raphael. He wanted three soldiers, three musketeers, to ride for him and lead all the others. This crazy kid was number three.
"He's way too impulsive," Alister objected.
"No arguments there," twenty-two-year-old Raphael grunted.
"This is only his second or third time riding," Alister exclaimed. "What is he thinking?!"
"He's not thinking," Raphael retorted. "But Master Dartz knows what he's doing. If he thinks this kid should join us, then there must be a lot more to him than meets the eye. Master Dartz is very careful and very selective about who he picks for our sacred organization."
Alister was barely listening. He went stiff as Valon barreled straight towards a gaping chasm. He lifted his sunglasses with a flick of his wrist, his gray eyes wide and filled with alarm. "He'll never make it! Not without more practice!"
"He said he'd been riding almost nonstop since Dartz gave him the hog," Raphael said. Still, he gripped his arms. He was concerned too. This kid was young and angry, but he had a free spirit. There was something about him that Raphael already found endearing. And anyway, Raphael was endlessly loyal. Dartz wanted this kid Valon to join the family, and that meant that Raphael had already accepted him as one of them.
"The fool," Alister spat as Valon became airborne.
Valon went flying over the chasm. The back wheel slipped, nearly going over the edge, but the boy poured on the speed and finally pulled the back wheel up to safety.
"He made it," Raphael noted.
Alister let his sunglasses fall back over his eyes. He was shaken, but he wouldn't show it if he could help it.
Now Valon spun his motorcycle around, this time gathering more momentum before soaring off the opening again and landing on the original side. Flashing the two observers a cocky grin, he jumped off and pulled off the helmet. Star-shaped spikes bounced free. "Well, now, what'd you blokes think of that display?" he crowed.
"I think you need more practice," Raphael said. "Don't try something that dangerous again until you've mastered your vehicle better. You don't want to make Master Dartz's faith in you be in vain."
"Eh. He obviously thinks I can do it or he wouldn't have let me have the chopper. Don't forget, I was the only one left standing with his soul intact on that Battle Royale prison island."
"Riding motorcycles isn't like standing in one place and dueling," Alister said. "You're reckless!"
"Well, that's because life's too short to sit around worrying about something being too reckless," Valon sneered. He walked up to Alister, his hands on his hips. "Just who the heck are you? Some skinny little know-it-all who can't even dress like a real man and only opens his mouth to criticize?"
"Hey, he was worried about you," Raphael snapped, annoyed now.
"He don't even know me," Valon retorted. "Look, Red. I know Dartz says we have to work together and all, and I'll play along. But you just better stay out of my business. You got that? Then everything'll just be peachy keen."
Alister's lip curled. "Dartz wants us to be a team," he said. "Maybe I'm not so talkative, but I know how to be a team player when I have to. I've got the feeling that skill is beyond you."
"I've always looked out for myself because no one else was going to," Valon said. "If you really think anyone else cares enough to jump in to help you, it's a wonder you've lasted this long! And you'd just better watch out; I could crush a skinny, weak bloke like you in a fight any time I choose."
Now Alister was angry. "Don't be so sure," he shot back. "I've been underestimated before. People usually regret it."
"Knock it off, both of you!" Raphael snapped. "We have to make this work for Master Dartz's sake!"
Valon snorted. "We'll just see about that." He hopped back on his motorcycle and rode off.
Alister folded his arms. "This isn't going to work."
Raphael ran a hand through his hair, honestly looking overwhelmed. "Somehow, it's got to," he said. "I think he was trying to impress us with those stunts. You not being impressed must have upset him."
"You weren't impressed either, but he didn't insult you. Obviously he hates me." Alister turned away. "And he won't listen to reason. You told him I was worried and that meant nothing to him."
"He probably has a hard time believing anyone would worry about someone they don't know," Raphael said. "Maybe if you'd backed me up and confirmed you were worried, it would have made a difference."
"I doubt it. People like that hate to get hit with the truth. They'd rather believe whatever they want to instead." Alister started to walk away. "But the truth right now is that we're never going to be able to get along."
Raphael didn't try to call Alister back. He could tell his friend was frustrated and hurt. Valon, meanwhile, was definitely frustrated, although Raphael didn't know about hurt. Indignant, maybe. And Raphael had a very bad feeling that he was going to be playing peacemaker for these two over and over again.
That had been two years ago. Valon had been a mere 14. And things had been rocky going ever since.
Alister shook himself back to the present. Valon was staring back at him. From his expression, he had also been lost in thoughts of the past. But he didn't volunteer any memories and neither did Alister.
"Raph must be a glutton for punishment," Valon said instead. "And we must be too."
Alister slowly nodded. "We must be."
". . . So . . ." Valon said, feeling awkward. "Are you gonna write Raph?"
"No," Alister replied. "I'm going to call him. And then I need to see my boss. I have to tell him I've found what I came for and I'm quitting."
"Will he just let you go?" Valon blinked.
"He always knew I signed on so I could search for someone," Alister said. "So he'd better let me go." He opened the door and headed into the hall to find the phone.
Valon trailed after him. "Tell me something," he said. "Do you like acting?"
Alister paused. "Let's say I like that I can do it," he said. "It's something to fall back on."
"Yeah. . . ." Valon leaned against the wall. "It's kind of weird . . . seeing you like that. But I guess maybe . . . it's just one more mystery about you . . . one more wall you put up to hide who you really are."
"And who's that?" Alister asked.
"Darned if I know," Valon retorted.
"Alright, tell me something," Alister said. "You say you didn't even know it was me until the end. Why did you go in? And why did you stay?"
"Well . . ." Valon scowled. "At first, it was just the name. It was silly, but I know your name's Mackenzie and your first name starts with A, and I thought maybe . . . well, I thought it wouldn't hurt to look. And I stayed because . . . even though there was nothing about your character that should have tipped me off, something did. Something I can't even put my finger on."
"Every actor puts a part of himself in every character he plays," Alister said. "But not just anyone can spot it."
"So . . . what does that mean?" Valon awkwardly wondered.
"I don't know what it means," Alister said. "Except . . . I don't think your spotting me is necessarily a bad thing." He picked up the phone. "At least, I hope not."
"Yeah," Valon mused. "I hope not too."
Raphael was both stunned and relieved to receive Alister's phone call. The last weeks had been tense and lonely, wandering around on his own and only checking in with Alister every now and then to compare progress reports. He had never lost hope that Valon would be found, but he hadn't thought Alister would be the one to find him, and under such strange circumstances. Alister was very vague about what had actually happened, but Raphael could read between the lines enough to determine that there must have been trouble.
He sighed to himself. That was to be expected, he supposed. He had wanted to think that Alister and Valon wouldn't have so much trouble getting along now, but clearly that had been a foolish and vain hope. There were a lot of things they needed to work through, and regardless, they still had completely opposite personalities. They would probably never stop having problems entirely.
"Alright," he said when Alister had told as much of the story as he was going to. "I'm coming out there to meet up with the two of you."
Alister was holding the phone so that Valon could hear too. "And when you get here, then what?" Valon wondered.
"We'll decide that when I get there," Raphael said.
"Well . . . I'm fine with us all staying together," Valon said. "I'm thinking we might want something different than the beachhouse, though. Something fresh for our new lives."
"I was thinking the same thing," Raphael said. "I'm up in Domino City, checking out houses for sale."
"Domino City?" Alister raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's such a good idea?"
"Not if we're not all agreed on it," Raphael said. "I guess I was thinking of Domino City because so many of the Pharaoh's former enemies have made good and are living here. It seems like a good place to come for redemption."
"If they don't mind us moving in, I'm alright with it," Alister said.
"Me too," Valon said. "Maybe Mai will show up back there one of these days."
Raphael heaved a sigh. "She hasn't yet," he said. "I ran into Yugi Muto and I asked him about it."
"Knowing Mai, she probably wants to feel good about herself before she shows up again," Valon said.
Alister opted not to comment. "How long will it take you to come down here?" he asked.
"Not long," Raphael said. "It's interesting that we had to all get in the same basic area to start meeting up again."
"Isn't it now," Valon mused. "I was thinking of going to Domino City, actually. I planned to drive on up tonight if it hadn't been for seeing the poster about the show."
Alister had to wonder what would have happened had Valon met Raphael instead of him. Then Raphael would have called him instead of the other way around, and Raphael probably would have explained things to Valon, thus perhaps eliminating an argument between Alister and Valon. On the other hand, maybe Valon wouldn't have believed Raphael and the argument still would have happened once Alister had shown up. Knowing their inability to get along, that seemed very likely.
"Actually, Raph, if you're so close, maybe we should just drive up there," Alister suggested.
"Sure," Raphael said. "It should take less than an hour. I'm staying at the Marriott Hotel."
"Then we'll be right on up!" Valon chirped.
Alister hung up. "Now to see my boss."
"Hey, he probably won't be too happy at you running off and leaving that mess in your dressing room," Valon realized.
"I'll clean up the broken glass before we go," Alister said. "And I'll have him take the cost of repairing the mirror out of my final paycheck."
"How will you explain how it got broke?" Valon wondered.
"If he asks, I'll say it was an accident," Alister said. "It doesn't really matter how it happened; it just matters that it happened."
"I guess you can look at it that way," Valon said slowly.
A shrug. "My boss doesn't need to know that we were having problems. Although I wouldn't be surprised if he does anyway; we were arguing much too loudly and the walls around here aren't very thick." Alister walked down the hall until he came to another door and knocked.
"Come in," came a gruff voice from inside.
Alister pushed open the door and looked to the burly man seated at his desk. "Mr. Davis, I've found what I was looking for," he greeted. "I'll be leaving the company tonight."
"I expected as much," Mr. Davis grunted as he chomped on a large cigar. He looked Valon up and down. "So you're the reason he's leaving? I hope you're worth it."
Valon scowled and folded his arms. "It looks like Alister feels I am." Now that felt strange to say. Even stranger as it really sank in and he realized it must be true.
Alister nodded. "And my mirror got broken," he said matter-of-factly. "Take the cost of replacing it out of my paycheck."
"Already done." Mr. Davis held the check out across the desk and Alister stepped in to claim it.
"Eh?" Valon blinked. "How could you already know the mirror got busted?"
"I heard it shatter," Mr. Davis said, just as matter-of-factly.
"And how would you know Alister would even decide to leave?" Valon rushed on. "If you heard all the trouble too. . . ."
Mr. Davis shook his head. "If you don't know, kid, then I wonder if you really are worth it."
"He's worth it," Alister firmly interjected. He turned to go. "Thanks for everything."
"Take care," Mr. Davis said. "I hope you'll be happy."
Alister stuck the check in his wallet as he walked back up the hall to the dressing room. Valon stood in the doorway, watching as Alister swept up the glass particles and dumped them in the righted trash can. He wasn't sure what to think or how to react. How could Alister feel so strongly that it was the right thing to go with Valon, especially after all their troubles? They didn't hate each other, which had been an incredible enough revelation all on its own, but they weren't close and their past status as allies had really been superficial. Yet they were the closest thing each other had to family, which was kind of scary when Valon really thought about it. But even scarier was the thought of going back to being alone. When he thought of going with Alister and meeting up with Raphael too, he couldn't deny that it felt right, that he was even happy about it. And since Alister was completely willing to give up this job to do it, he must feel the same.
Alister straightened, grabbing his coat off a coat tree in the corner of the room. He scooped up his motorcycle helmet as well and switched off the light as he headed for the door. "Let's go."
Valon walked alongside him as they slipped out a side door and into the night. "Alister . . . how can you be so sure about this? Especially after all the anger and distrust. . . ."
Alister hesitated. From his eyes, he was really a little unsure too. Maybe even a little . . . scared? No, Alister didn't get scared. Then again, he didn't get hurt either, and yet he had.
"We've each misjudged the other," he said at last. "But Raphael has always cared about us both and understands each of us better than we understand each other. He believes this is a good thing. And I believe in Raphael. Besides . . . if you've really been looking for us, even me . . . that's more than almost anyone else has ever done. That's invaluable. Someone who would do that . . . is someone to hold on to."
Valon finally smiled. "Yeah. . . . I guess . . . that's how I feel too. So let's go to Raph and see what comes of trying to hold on to each other."
They climbed on their motorcycles and took off, riding side by side down the street and onto the highway. Neither was sure what their future would bring, but they were willing to take a chance and hope for the best. And with what they understood about each other at last, a future together looked brighter than they had ever imagined.