A New Home and a Brighter Future

The dramatic scene in the once burning woods was finally over. Dexter, his teams and his new friend finally arrived at the station. Alex finally has a new home, away from the memories that might haunt him when he finds out about his family's dreadful passing.

Dexter immediately went over to the bathroom, holding on to the blood-stained eagle. He needed to give him a bath. Those horrible, traumatizing memories have to be washed away.

He placed him gently in a basin filled with warm water, rubbing his blood-soaked feathers.

While washing the blood off, he was softly singing the tune of a song named "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden.

When you feel all alone…

And the world has turned its back on you,

Give me a moment please…

To tame your wild, wild heart.

I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you,

It's hard to find relief…

And people can be so cold

When darkness is upon your door, and you feel like you can't take anymore…

All of a sudden, Dexter, stopped singing, for he noticed Alex looking at him again, with the "I love you" look.

Had he understood what he's been saying? Maybe so. And he's going to find out tonight.

Dexter's POV

I couldn't help but smile at him. He was just so adorable. I'm probably going to be a father after all… with no wife, though. But I'm sure I can handle this on my own.

"You know what that song meant, Alex? It means that I'm willing to be your loyal friend. When you're falling, I'll be there to catch you, anytime." And I meant that too. In fact, I'm honored to be his caretaker.

Alex smiled at me, and squealed with joy. I was still a little disturbed with the red eyes. This is the first Bald Eagle I've ever seen with red eyes. However, they looked good on him. I'm already starting to wonder what he would look like when he grows up.

My train of thought was suddenly broken when Alex started romping around the basin, splashing water on my body and face. At least he didn't get freaked out by the red shade that was forming on the water. That was his mother's blood. But I'm not telling him what happened back there. It's probably for the best. Which reminds me…

"Alex. I spoke with your mother a while ago and she ju- Ohhh, c'mon, Alex. Hold still, buddy."

He was pretty lively, for a very young eagle. I had to make sure not to get any bath soap in his eyes. I gently held both of his wings with one hand, and gently rubbed my soap-caked fingers around his body and neck. He fit pretty snugly in my hand.

Well, he did hold still. So, I continued what I was trying to tell him.

"Alex, I spoke with your mother a while ago, and she just thanked me for taking you away from that dreadful fire. She ummm…. "

I forgot. I wasn't supposed to tell him. 'Crap. I forgot. I can't tell him what happened. I know that his mother died in front of him, with her blood covering him and all. But for an eagle his age, he shouldn't be able to remember what he hears, or what he sees. And I was just about to prevent that fact.

It was too late, though. Alex was already looking at me with a look of curiosity. I don't know what to do. I don't want to hurt him. He's just a baby. Looks like I'm going to have to lie.

"I don't know if you can even understand me, but she uhh… had to leave me with you."

I am the WORST liar in the world. But it seemed like Alex believed me. Did he just forget what happened back there? In the Hell covered woods? Well, that was really close though. If he's ever going to wonder about his family when he grows up, he's going to have to find out on his own. Makes me feel guilty, but it's for the best. Or maybe, I could leave something for him to solve, based on his family's dreadful passing.

And he actually understood what I just said. I'm impressed. He's learning pretty fast.

As soon as I finished giving him his bath, I took out a small towel and wiped him up, gently. And then I thought of something nice. After I wiped him, I wrapped him in the blanket, with his head sticking out of the top. He just looked so adorable.

I left him on the table, still wrapped in the towel, while I took a bath. I'd rather take a bath here than at home. So when I get there, I'm all set.

At Dexter's Residence…

I told the other guys back at the station to watch the whole place. They practically lived there. And they were all single. I was the only guy that lived somewhere else. Pretty much, I'm alone all the time. But now that Alex is with me, I finally have good company.

I opened up the door to my house, and turned on the lights. The place was just how I left it. Tidy and organized. This will be Alex's new home. Although, we might move somewhere else in a few months.

I've been saving up for an application to study Law in the University of Minneapolis Law School. I'm going to miss my buddies back at the station, though. I've been there since I was 20 years old. I'm 23 years old now. Wow. 3 years with the fire-fighting gang. It's been fun.

I stopped thinking about my future plans, as I was going to give Alex a tour around the house. I closed the door and showed Alex around.

"Alex, this is my house. You'll be staying with me from now on. What you see in front of you, is the living room. To your right, is the kitchen. The door in front of us right now leads to the backyard. Want to see it?"

He quickly nodded, as a response. Wow. He really was learning fast. He can actually understand me.

I walked towards the door, with Alex in my arms, still wrapped in that small towel, and opened it. It revealed a snow covered area, with a nice pine tree standing tall. The bushes close to the door had no leaves and flowers. It was the winter season. And they'll grow once spring time hits the state.

"It's not yet much, but it will look livelier when the state hits spring time."

Alex chirped and squealed when he saw the garden. It was enough for him. Simple was enough for my dear friend. I could learn a thing or two from him.

"I'm going to train you how to fly, alright? Don't worry. It won't be that bad. I'll be with you, everywhere we go."

We went back inside the house, went upstairs and into the bedroom.

"This is the bedroom, Alex. This is where we'll sleep during night time."

I yawned all of a sudden. It's been a pretty long day. "Well, I'm bushed from today's work. C'mon. Let's get some shut eye."

I first made sure that all the electricity was turned off. I didn't want to go through another fiery episode.

I scrambled to the bed, and lay down. Alex was on a retracted drawer that I personalized for him, so he can get comfortable as well.

I gave him my message of the night before I went to bed. "Alex, now that you're with me, you'll have a brighter future. We'll go through life together as best buddies, alright?"

Alex chirped in agreement. I smiled and kissed him on the forehead. Pretty quick on our first night as buddies, I know. But I knew that he needed motherly and fatherly care.

"Goodnight, buddy. Sweet dreams." After that, I closed the lamp light, and went to sleep.

Narrator's POV…

From then on, Alex lived with his caretaker, Dexter Eisenhower. He spent half another year in the fire-fighting force, and then retired.

He and Alex moved to Minneapolis, and he applied for the Law school, just as he planned. Apparently, his ambition was to go through the ranks of the American government, and become the President of the United States of America.

And his timing was correct too. Alex's species symbolize the United States. And Dexter can see Alex as his motivation. After all, he did promise him that they were going to be buddies forever, after that certain incident.

Once they moved to Minneapolis, Dexter immediately applied for Law school, and took the test. And he passed. Alex was very proud of him. He couldn't wait until he became a governor.

16 Years Later…

Dexter Eisenhower went through the position of being a governor of Minneapolis, then a senator. And now, he is the President of The United States of America.

Alex, on the other hand, is now a grown eagle. Throughout the years of being with Dexter, he learned how to write, read, and handle other things like eating utensils. He was also taught how to defend himself, using a gun and a knife, and knowing how to do martial arts. He can do these things with his wings as if they were hands of humans. And since he's always on the president's side, he self-learned how to decipher codes and organize intel.

To make it short, he was influenced with anthropomorphism, allowing him to do things that humans can also do.

This is Alex's new life. His future. He never imagined it to be this way. And he was very thankful for Dexter, the one who took care of him all these years.

But… He doesn't remember his family's passing. Dexter is still trying to hide it from his best friend. He's afraid that Alex is going to freak out and go insane.

Dexter still thinks it's for the best that Alex will not find out just yet. Until he can find a way for him to find out about his past on his own, he decides that he'll keep his mouth shut.

But for how long?


Author's Note: That's another chapter done. It took me all day thinking about what to put in this chapter. My head's spinning right now. But then again, there's the effort.

The song that was used in this chapter is "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden. They own the song. Not me.

Anyway, my apologies if this chapter is short, or in short of stuff to say. Please, feel free to review and constructively criticize. And if there's anything wrong with the chapter, give me the heads-up, so I can get the mistakes fixed up. Thank you.