First off I want to say... I am so sorry for taking so long to update! University life and requirements caught up to me :( I have been super busy these last few weeks and this weekend was my first break in a loooooooooooooooooong time. But now I'm back and I have a brand new chapter with LOTS of new spoilers for the future hehehehehehe!

Thank you so much to my fans who have been such a support to me with story :) This chapter as always is for you all and I hope you enjoy it.

and remember...PLEASE REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE OR WHAT YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN ;)

Also, I highly recommend that you listen to the song of the chapter on repeat to really get the feeling I'm going for. hehehhehehe.


Chapter 3- Be Still by The Killers

"Ladies and gentlemen we will now be boarding groups 1-4 for flight AA 1879," the intercom sounded over the crowd in the waiting area of the airport.

Jazmine was jarred out of her daydream as she stared out the window onto the Alaskan tarmac. She let out a shaky breath. This was it. There was no turning back.

This was what she wanted.

This was what she needed.

And no one would steer her from her course.

Not even Raleigh

Especially Raleigh.

Leaning down she grabbed her carry on and dark red knit sweater. She, Yancy and Raleigh had knitted it together, the week before they left for the Academy. Their mother had taught them since they were very young and over the years it had become the family evening routine in front of the tv or the fireplace. When they were younger they had got teased at school for having such a decadent and "girly" hobby and all three of them complained about how boring they found it. Secretly, though they are relished the peace it brought, the rhythm of the up and down movements and the clicking of the needles, the deep yet instinctive concentration it required allowing them to shut out the world. By the time they were all in their mid-teens each of them had a stack of knitted sweaters in their wardrobes , to remind them of those quiet intimate family moments, when everything was good. After Yancy's death Jazmine had gotten rid of most of her sweaters, in foolish anger and retaliation, but this last one, the simple scarlet one they had all knitted together in unison, she could not bring herself to get rid of like the others. This was her last tie to her brothers, her family, and now she held it like a lifeline.

"Ticket please Ma'am," the flight attendant requested. Forcing a smile on her face, Jazmine handed the tiny slip of paper to the woman, so tiny but so significant to her. With a loud rip the attendant tore off the receipt.

"Welcome aboard Ms. Becket."

Jazmine nodded politely in return and stepped forward onto the plane. There was a flurry of people and confusion as everyone tried to stuff their belongings in the upper and lower containers, despite the fact that many of them were much too big. It was after all going to be a long flight.

With a sigh Jazmine finally collapsed in her seat next to the window, fastening her seat belt. Finally, she could relax. Now, if only she could remember where she put that magazine….

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Welcome aboard American Airlines flight 1879 nonstop from Anchorage to Los Angeles. Our flight time will be 5 hours and 30 minutes. We ask that you put your seats in an upright position, store away all tray tables and have your seatbelts securely fastened as we will departing soon. Thank you."

Jazmine watched as slowly the plane taxied out of the airport and finally, after what seemed ages took off safely.

Only when the plane's wheels eventually lifted off the ground did she let out her sigh of relief.

Leaning down she began rummaging in her backpack. Now, really where was that…Ah there's the magazine. Since she now had 5 hours to kill Jazmine figured she better familiarize herself with the different requirements and regulations. Leaning back she opened the magazine and began to read in earnest.

An elderly woman sitting next to her leaned over, curious about her reading material. Upon recognizing it her eyes widened in wonder and she became excited.

"Congratulations my dear!" Your family must be extremely proud of you for getting into such a prestigious school."

Turning to her Jazmine blushed shyly.

"Thank you," she said with a small smile.

"It has definitely become one of the leading and most innovative universities in the world. You must be so excited."

"Oh yes. I am very nervous but even more excited."

The kindly woman gave her a sweet smile. Her eyes proud of a girl she had only just met.

"What area of study are you planning to pursue if you don't mind me asking?" she inquired, "I mean there are so many interesting and new fields at the International Jaeger Academy."

Looking away from her neighbor Jazmine stared out the small plane window to the endless expanse of the horizon. She paused, uncertain before she turned back to the woman, her eyes a cold steely blue full of absolute determination.

"I am going to be a Jaeger pilot."


Slowly Mako raised her hands to Raleigh's face, her deep onyx eyes reflected back into his crystal blue. Both of them lost in each other for this single moment, with only the small fireplace giving light and warmth to the darkness. Slowly she nervously breathed in and out as she tried to calm herself.

"I've never done it before." She whispers softly.

"I know," He replies just as softly, his eyes turning thoughtful, "we don't have to do this if you're not ready….."

"No….. no … I want to do this."

"Only if your sure. Gently he placed his hand on her naked shoulder ,"I…..I just want you to be comfortable "I…I don't…. want you to feel forced….."

"No I want this," she replied with determination.

She took a deep breath and slowly she raised the razor to his face.

"Ahhh." She cried exasperated, "I've never shaved a guy's face before. I have no idea what I'm doing!"

"Oh come on!" Raleigh rolled his eyes jokingly, "You shave your legs all the time."

She glared at him, knocking his hand away from her shoulder, pulling up the strap of her tank top from where it had fallen off.

"It's not the same," she said, pouting her face.

"You were the one who said you were curious. After all, we had a deal. You shave my beard I get to dye your hair." Raleigh said, a big grin spreading across his face causing him to look like a bubbly Santa Claus the all the white shaving cream.

Shaking her head with a sigh, Mako raised her hands once again to his face, applying more shaving cream and slowly grazed the razor along his jaw. Leaning in, she bit her lip as she concentrated on scraping off the white foam with minimal bleeding.

"Myyyyyyyy…you're in deep concentration," Raleigh joked.

"Grrr…. Stop moving…this is a lot harder than looks." Mako she cried, exasperated.

"Ok ok ok. I'll stay still." Raleigh said, attempting a serious face. Flashing the razor Mako leaned forward for a second attempt.

For the first few minutes her unsteady hands scratched the razor across his face, unsure and unlearned. However it was not long before the muscle memory, that was not hers, began to return and she found that she was able to smoothly shave just as she, no he, had for so many years.

Even so, it was not until 20 minutes, and several more scrapes and banter, later that Mako was finally able to sit back to admire her handiwork. Raleigh ran his fingers delicately along his jaw, wincing at the burns and cuts.

"I'm so sorry," Mako whimpered, "I really tried. I really thought it was easier. I even thought towards the end I was doing like how you used to."

"Actually, for a first time, I think you did a good job." Raleigh replied with a chuckle reaching for the mirror in anticipation, "You should have seen when Yancy tried to teach me for the first time I started growing hairs. I tore up my whole chin."

"I remember."

Raleigh turned to her with a soft but sad smile at the memory of his dead brother, his heart, this time, only slightly constricting in pain; thank God. It was wondrous and yet so terrible how she shared everything with him. The drift hangover was not as bad as in the past few months but it was still strong. They still shared the same thoughts, dreams and nightmares. Occasionally Raleigh still had to stop himself to truly determine which memories and experiences were his or hers.

He slowly lifted the small handheld mirror off the beside table, the mood in the cabin much sadder and deeper than before.

"Ya that was quite something. Mum was pissed and Jazmine was screaming." He whispered as he gazed back into his reflection, his eyes swimming with memory.

Looking back it was hard to believe how much he had endured over the last 6 years. How much he had changed from that excited young man eager to save the world. He HAD saved the world…in the end, they both had together, but at such great and terrible costs. He had lost his entire family with the deaths of his parents and Yancy and his estrangement from his sister, the only blood he had left. Mako had lost her family and city and the one man who had stood and believed in her to the very ends of the earth. His chest feeling heavy, Raleigh slowly put down the mirror, hanging his head.

Mako reached out to him, placing her hand on his cheek, forcing him to turn to her.

"Not all of them are gone. There is still Jazmine. There is still time to make amends, to heal hurts and wounds. But you must be the one to make those first steps," her eyes fierce with passion. "Do not lose the last bit of family you have."

There as a long and heavy silence, the only sound being the wind howling outside the cabin, up the mountains and into the night.

"I…I don't know what I should do. I..." He sighed heavily closing his eyes."I turned away from her….I abandoned her."

He hung his head in shame, "I wanted to give her time to heal. I don't want her to be burdened with me, with my pain….She has endured so so much."

"I know… and so have we." She replied with determination, "but we have helped each other and grown stronger by standing together. We fell together and together we are working to build back up. Now you must stand for her, Raleigh. Show her that she is not along like you once were."

Slowly Raleigh raised his head to look at her as he became overcome with emotion. Shifting forward he pulled her in for fierce hug, trying to show is feelings with that one motion.

"Thank you…" he whispered, "thank you for being….for being such a good…. For being simply being here"

Mako smiled against his shoulder. She could feel what he struggled to express with words. They were not friends nor were they lovers. Was there a word for what they were? Companions, partners maybe but in the end the closest thing she could come up with was co-pilots; co-pilots of their own futures and fates.

For a long time they stayed there, locked in the hug, surrounded by their emotions and thoughts, content to support and feed off each other, ignoring the world outside.

Suddenly, Raleigh's mood perked up and Mako leaned back to look at him.

"Raleigh! After all this, this evening, you still want to continue with our deal?"

"Of course, after all I thought we had a bet!"

"Huh, well you'll have to catch me first." She cried jumping up to run to the other room of the cabin even though she knew she had nowhere to truly run. She could never truly break from Raleigh.

He bounded up after her, snatching her by her waist and pulled her down in a fit of laughter, tickling her sides.

"Raleigh! Raleigh! No! I'm ticklish!"

"Exactly, I know, remember." He laughed with a winning grin and he continued to attack her with tickles. "Come on, pretty please let me dye your hair Ms. Mori?" he whined, opening his eyes like a love-sick puppy.

"Fine! Fine! FINE!" She cried as she finally relented.

"Just be careful. A lot more can go wrong with bleaching and dying hair than when shaving AND MY hair will take much long to grow back." She said shaking a finger at him, in an attempt to be serious.

"I pinky promise," Raleigh replied offering her his hand, still with that silly grin on his face.

Mako sighed, "Alright." She looked at him.

"I trust you."


Well... tell me what you all think :) Have I made up for the long wait?

As always 3 u guys!

p.s Please review :) lol

p.p.s sorry if there are any grammatical mistakes my beta has been even busier than me lol. :)