And now for fixed chapter two! Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Watch Out!

I stretched my wings and prepared for another loop when, suddenly, I am hit hard from the side. I dived immediately, and hid in an enormous yellow flower. My heart racing, I peeked out just to hear someone call harshly, "Hey! Watch where you're flying!"

"I'm sorry!" I shouted realizing I wasn't really in any danger. Looking up I see my "attacker" drifting down towards the flower. He was a canary like me, with a cream colored patch of feathers on his chest, and burnt brown tips on his wing tips and tail feathers. On his head rested a teal-green with wavy, ocean blue lines on it, bottle cap. It was slightly scuffed, and the edges were dulled down and a touch rusted, but that I hardly noticed because of his deep amber-brown eyes. They were playful and brimming with joy, something I had never seen in guys eyes.

He soared down and perched on a branch next to the flower with a wide smile, "I apologize for my friend's rudeness." He said in a voice like sweet, rich honey. Confused by my hiding place he cocks his head to the side, making the bottle cap fall over his one eye. By some strange instinct I reached up and pushed the hat back so I could see his eyes clearly, then I shook my head to clear it. This is exactly like what happened with Luís; a mock display to lure me in.

But this guy didn't look to terribly dangerous. In fact, just seeing him land by me made my heart pound. It was really strange and familiar all at the same time.

"It was my fault for flying with my eyes closed." I tell him not able to make my eyes meet his. There is something in me that warms to this bird; I feel like I know him, but don't.

"And what brilliant eyes they are." I hop out of the flower and stand next to him; face heated with a blush. "I'm Nico," He winks at me, "And my friend who ran into you is Pedro. We were just flying around looking for birds to take to our Carnival party Friday night. We run a club in town and welcome anyone." The canary smiles a crooked smile, "Especially anyone named…" He extends a wing to shake, but as I take it, he tightens my grip and spins me in close and dips me slightly. Where have I seen that move before?

I smile brightly at this bit of confidence, "Sonora's the name, party's my game." I say, trying to keep my heart from taking over for my head, and failing miserably as I fall into his eyes. Gently, he spins me out and we stand about three inches apart.

"Sonora's a beautiful name." Twirling the bottle cap on his flight feathers, and holding it against his chest, he locks his eyes with mine. They are warm pools of kindness and laughter, and they made me giggle. There's a spark of tender compassion in them as well; it makes my stomach tie itself in knots.

"Yo Nico! We need to keep movin'!" A robust red-capped cardinal came to land next to Nico. He too seemed familiar, in a friendly and funny kind of way.

"Pedro, my friend, meet Sonora. She is the one that you just ran into with your crazy flying." Nico steps away from me with a flourish of his wings. Slapping his hat back on his head, he flits over to Pedro and playfully shoves him. They share a look and turn back to me.

"Nice to meet you Pedro. I feel bad about running into you. I'll be more careful from now on." I extend a wing to shake. The grey bird looks back at Nico, confused. Nico nods and Pedro takes my wing gently and kisses it. Out of the corner of my eye I notice Nico stiffen ever so slightly at his friends action.

"The pleasure's mine girly. I was talking, and thinking and talking don't mix too well." Then we shake, and he asks, "So di' Nico talk you into coming to our party?"

"Of course! I can't wait!" I exclaim. Screw worries! I'm going to have fun for the first time in a while! I tell myself and smile.

"Good cause we like to party!" Pedro does a strange thing with his wings. "You think you can handle it?" He asks and wiggles his eyebrows.

"Oh I don't know," I place a wing under my chin to think. "You think you can handle it?" I perform a few quick dance steps and spin around, ending with one wing held erect in the air, and the other across my chest, in a bit of a flamenco pose.

"I like you." Pedro held out a fist and we shared a wing bump. "Nice to see you're back." I give him a confused look and notice that Nico's beak had fallen open. Quickly he snapped out of it and punched the cardinal's wing. "Ow!" Pedro rubbed the spot and Nico gave him a warning look. Then the canary smiled and turned back to me.

"Would you like me to show you where the club is now, or should we meet here and I show you Friday?" Nico asks turning his smile into a crooked grin.

"How about both; you show me now, and we can meet here then." I suggest with a shrug.

"Sounds like a plan to me. Pedro?" The yellow bird puffs out his chest, cocks his hat forward, and turns to his friend. This display causes me to giggle again. Apparently he's really funny. I thought.

"I can hold down the fort till you get there." Pedro saluted, then looked at the two of us perched close together on the branch. With a devilish smile, the cardinal squawked strangely and lifted off the branch. At the ease of tension, the branch flipped up making Nico and I lose our balance and fly into each other.

"Jeez am I clumsy today." I say quietly after regaining my feet. I tried to step back, but Nico grabbed my wings and didn't let me.

"My fault entirely." Nico gripped my wing again, twirled me around on one claw, and gently tossed me upwards. I spun around and hovered there waiting for him to take the lead. As I looked down I saw him snap his beak shut. He flew up to me and whispered sheepishly, "You are a beautiful flyer."

"Thank you." I reply with a never ending blush on my face. My heart is fluttering in a way that it never has before; as far as I can remember anyway. I just met this guy, and the old me is just bursting from its bonds like an angry animal. "I used to be really good, then there was an incident, and I stopped dancing." I turn my back to him and I hear him gasp at the scars.

"What happened?" He flapped his wings, and began to lead me through the streets.

"I was attacked by an owl named Luís. He nearly killed me." I shuddered, "Rafael and a few of his friends saved my life that terrible night." I explain, showing him the third scar on my throat. This one is nearly all the way covered up, but it is still visible.

"It can't be the same Luís that kidnapped all of those birds several years ago?" Nico nearly whispered.

"I wouldn't doubt it. It was near the same time I was attacked. He is a smugglers bird, and I was his last track to cover up." I shivered for the millionth time that day and Nico glided closer to me with a warm smile.

"Luckily for me, he didn't cover his tracks completely." The canary's words were so kind my heart almost melted. Everything he said was very suave, and it seemed that his bottle cap was always cocked forward over his eyes. It drove me absolutely nuts!

"You're very kind. Where have you been hiding for the past three years?" I tease tipping his hat back, so I could see his eyes better.

"Oh, just flying around, keeping samba alive." He said nonchalantly. Then his eyes got wide and he turned to me, "Do you like samba?"

"Are you kidding?" I exclaimed, "That's like asking a bird if it can fly! I LOVE samba!" With a smirk I tucked my wings in close and dipped, spun, and danced around in the air. Nico danced with me, following my steps like a practiced professional. He then dove through a small opening in a wall, and I followed closely until we landed in an open room. Lights hung from the ceiling, and instruments lined the far wall by a stage.

"You're incredible! I've never danced with a partner with such vigor, such life, such grace! Where have you been these past three years!" Nico spun me around and dipped me. I had to fight hard not to kiss him. You just met him. Clam down. I scolded myself.

"I've been hiding from something that makes me feel alive." I tell him softly. Music began to play behind us, and I didn't have to turn to know that it was Pedro playing the instruments.

"Well then, hide no more!" Nico spun me out and we danced around on the floor for I don't even know how long. Every perfect second brought me back to what I was three years ago; alive with a rhythm in my heart. I danced like I would never dance again; I had never felt so alive, so free, than when I danced with this bright yellow sunbeam.

Nico danced with all of his heart and soul, I could just tell. He incorporated the bottle cap into several moves, many of which made me laugh or clap. He was quite an impressive dancer, not to mention a great flirt. I took the cap once and placed it on my head with a playful smirk. He responded instantly and grabbed my wing, spun me in and spun it off my head and back onto his. All the while giving me a flirtatious little look.

We leaped into the air and began a new dance there. Soon Nico started to whistle, loud and clear, then sang, "Wasn't really thinking, wasn't looking, wasn't searching, for an answer…in the moonlight…When I saw your face…" It was a slower tuned song, and I knew it well.

"Saw you looking at me; saw you peeking out from under moonbeams… through the palm trees…swaying in the breeze..." I sang.

"You know this song?" Nico asked surprised.

"Of course. I sort of remember singing it with someone, but I have no idea who." I answered with another shrug.

"Don't stop singing. We'll sing it together." He started over and we sang it as a duet. "Wasn't really thinking, wasn't looking, wasn't searching for an answer. In the moonlight, when I saw your face." He winked at me and my heart began to pound.

"Saw you looking at me, saw you peeking out from under moonbeams. Through the palm trees; swaying in the breeze." After singing my part we circled each other and sang the chorus together.

"I know I'm feeling so much more, than ever before. And so, I'm giving more to you, than I thought I could do." He lands and begins to tap his hat to keep rhythm, while beaming at me dancing in the air.

"Don't know how it happened, don't know why but you don't really need a reason… when the stars shine… just to fall in love." When he sings his line he locks his eyes with mine, and I loop around to land by him for my part.

"Made to love each other, made to be together, for a lifetime. In the sunshine… flying through the sky." Then together, "I know I'm feeling so much more than ever before. And so I'm giving more to you than I thought I could do. Oh!" Pedro continues to strum and as the song draws to a close we sing the last few words.

"Now I know love is real, soaring sky high, as the angels try; letting you and I, Fly Love." We ended face to face, singing out the last words as long as our small lungs would allow us. Finally we had to end the note and gasped for breath.

"You are incredible." We breathed simultaneously; totally lost in each other's eyes.

"You guys have to sing at the party!" Pedro glided over to us, breaking the magic.

"Yea! Everyone will love you Sonora!" Nico exclaimed. They both put a wing around my shoulders in a friendly half hug.

"Whdda ya say?" Pedro asked with a grin.

"Sure thing! As long as you guys are here." I tell them, and we vaulted in the air with a few cheers.

"I tell you what, I'm starving! Who wants to get some grub?" Pedro asked, stomach rumbling loudly. Nico and I chuckled.

"We could go to my house. I have lots of food, and my hollow is big enough for us. If you see anything that you want, snag it and I whip up a little something." I tell them. I notice Nico puff out his chest a little as I take charge. No one's ever been proud of me, except for my parents.

"Lead on girly." Pedro bowed sarcastically, as did Nico while sweeping off his hat.

"Try to keep up!" I called and took off flying back through the hole.

Please! If you haven't already help a poor author in need of reviews!