Runaway
A Crash Bandicoot Fan Fic by Kimberly C.

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Chapter 1- A Time For Change

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Opening his eyes just as the sun fade below trees, the infamous Crash Bandicoot couldn't help but smile. He sighed as the rampant winds of autumn wrapped around him, gathering a color palate of leaves from the forest floor and sending them tumbling to new destinations. Beside him, he felt the touch of the tiny fingers of a child against him as they curled through his shirt; the larger bandicoot grinned wider when he saw the sleeping form. It was almost as if he was looking in a mirror when he saw her-

His little girl. She was the apple of his eye, the love of his life. It was because of her that he felt that his world finally had a true purpose. Maybe it was the fact that she was a spontaneous soul, just as he was around her tender age of seven? It was because of such that Crash had also come to face the facts; he wasn't the young hero he had been back in his heyday.

"Riley Jade?"

How he hated the thought of shattering a moment such as this, when all was right with the cosmos and there was peace within the forest... Even though he knew of the war erupting throughout parts of N. Sanity Islands, stemming from Dr. Neo Cortex and a renegade band of mutinied minions, right now he was in Eden. So, he waited a moment longer for any sign of consciousness, only to receive nothing, "Little one, you need to wake up."

Turning slightly into her father's ribs, Riley mumbled incoherently before slipping back into slumber. With a few gentle pokes, she finally yawned loudly, "Hmm?"

Crash gestured towards the setting sun, "We've got to get going, Riley. It's almost nightfall and your mother will be worried sick."

The child lacked amusement for the facts before her as she lazily opened one eye, "But dad, can't I sleep a little longer?" She burrowed further into her father's side, "I'm comfy."

With a small chuckle, the bandicoot shook his head, and effortlessly brought Riley into his arms. She squeaked, startled by the sudden flight, but quickly settled back into Crash's chest. As he began to walk, he beamed with pride, "You're definitely like your old man, aren't you?"

With a weakening nod, the bundle in Crash's arms murmured a slurred, "Bingo." before falling to sleep once more.

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By the time the two marsupials made it back to their humble abode, night had won the battle within the skies, and the forest around them had become peacefully silent. The ambience of the Bandicoot's home shone through the small windows, illuminating the forest floor as Crash reached for the door. He entered his home in peace…

… Until he was greeted by his wife, a solemn glare on her face and a suitcase tightly bound in her hand. Crash stopped, Riley still fast asleep in his arms as he opened his mouth to speak.

However, Elizabeth was the first to break the silence, "Take Riley upstairs, please. I need to talk to you."

He quickly did as he was told, not even making his way completely down the staircase before inquiring in a dumbfounded tone, "Where are you going?

"Away," She responded, her grip on her belongings tightening. Eliza chewed her lower lip, shifting her gaze everywhere but on her husband as she continued, "Something's came up, and I'm leaving."

Crash felt the strings to his heart come undone, and he only watched as her shoulders heaved a defeated sob. "When will you be coming back?"

He knew he was chasing vain rabbit trails, for he believed he already knew the answer to his question. It was when she squeaked a small, "Never," that his heart broke like a porcelain vase in his chest. So many emotions ran through the bandicoot's head, it was almost more than what he could take. He wanted to cry, scream at it at the top of his lungs, just... Anything that would make it all go away. But, he knew that it wouldn't. A moment passed where silence overcame the room; tension hung heavy between both marsupials as Crash was the one to break the eerie quiet, "Who is he?"

This question knocked Eliza off guard, her head tilting in confusion to the question. Crash made sure that she heard him the second time, his voice rising unstably, "Who is the other man?"

"Crash," She whispered, taking a step back at first, and then she made haste at walking past her husband. "It's not what you're thinking. But I have to leave; I have to get away from here. It's for your and Riley's own good-"

"How can leaving be for 'our good'?" The first few tears fell smoothly down his muzzle, and he furrowed his brows in a vain attempt to keep them at bay. He wanted to stay calm, but his heart had been stretched out to its limit and it needed to be heard. "If you walk out that door…" Crash stopped for a moment, deeply pondering his next words. This was the love of his life, the mother of his only child. She held him in her palm, but she had put him in a serious compromise. Part of him wanted to run to her and wrap her into his arms, never to let go. The other part, he didn't understand yet. He swallowed his pride, focusing heavily on his words and not on the thud of his pulse in his ears.

"If you leave, don't ever think about coming back."

This stopped the female bandicoot in her tracks. Eliza brought her azure gaze onto Crash's rigid form, her breath frozen inside her chest at his ultimatum. She had come a long way to make the choice she was currently going through with, it still hanging heavy on her psyche. I have to do this for their safety… He will kill them if I don't leave.She choked back a sob, refusing to face Crash as she quickly turned on her heel, "I do love you, but I have to go." Walking through the door, she murmured, "For your own good," before allowing it to close behind her.

With a click, everything fell silent besides the shallow breaths Crash had forgotten he was breathing. A cold expression on his face, he didn't dare move his eyes from the place Eliza had just left. Maybe this was a sick dream- perhaps he was still in the forest asleep with Riley? After an eternity of lost gazing, he had to come to terms with the new reality.

She wasn't coming back.

He had wrapped himself so tightly around configuring the details of Eliza's encounter, he had failed to hear Riley come to the edge of the stairs. It wasn't until he heard her feint yawn that he had snapped from his thoughts and turned to her, wide eyed and scared of what awaited.

"Daddy, are you okay?" The little girl's voice was soft, the most innocent thing he had ever had grace his ears.

Oh, God…

His mind tumbling frantically over itself, Crash suddenly felt sick. Where do I even begin?...