The smell of coffee and breakfast woke Falco out of his sleep. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. He was still at Sarah's place – still in the past. He had hoped it was all a dream. He pulled himself up from the bed and stretched. Another day had passed and he still had no complete formula. Worse, Sarah's death could be looming around the corner.
As he strolled towards the kitchen Sarah rushed past him with a piece of toast clenched in her teeth and a coffee thermos in her hand. She gave him a smile on her way. Removing the toast from her mouth she waved back at him. "Hey Sam, I'm just about to chat with your pal again. I'm going to be heading to the lab in a minute to test out some of our theories. We might actually have this solved!"
"Wow, that's great!" said Falco. He gave a partial smile but couldn't bring himself to be happy. "Listen, I don't want to distract you..."
Sarah paused for a moment outside of her office. "Well then, could you do me a favor? I told Wolf I'd give him a hand with some maintenance work we were going to get done this week. Since I'm helping you instead, would you mind giving him a hand? I'm sure it won't change history too much."
Falco wasn't sure if he was up for spending more time with Wolf than necessary to but he agreed. Part of him was genuinely curious about the younger Wolf. Given the events that could transpire he had no issue spending some time with him.
Falco felt his stomach knot suddenly. The thought of Sarah being killed in an accident and the thought of a promising young cadet losing his only family were both weighing heavily on him. Getting home seemed so trivial to him now.
"Grab whatever you want from the kitchen," said Sarah while putting on some shoes and grabbing her bag. "I shouldn't be gone too long."
Falco nodded as Sarah headed out. He walked to the kitchen and noticed Wolf sitting quietly at the table studying a tablet while eating breakfast. It seemed so mundane given the course that Wolf's life would take.
"Hey kid." said Falco, waving his hand. He made his way to the coffee pot and poured himself a mug of coffee.
"Hey Sam." replied Wolf. Falco noticed that Wolf's cut from the night before had been tended to and he seemed to be in much better spirits.
"So, I hear you had some work you needed help with today?" asked Falco as he rummaged for something to eat.
"Just a few things I wanted to get done for Mom," said Wolf. The kid was intensely focused on the notes on his tablet. Falco was surprised to see Wolf so studious. "It would save her some money if I did them instead of having her call someone."
"Awfully nice of you." said Falco as he grabbed some cereal from the cupboard.
"I worry about her sometimes, Sam," said Wolf finally looking up from the tablet. "She's alone."
"She seems to be doing fine." replied Falco.
"Yeah, but all she does is work day and night," said Wolf, "it would be nice if she got out and met someone."
"She'll find someone when she's ready," said Falco as he took the seat across from Wolf, "you're mother's really nice. I'm sure there's someone out there for her. Besides, people don't always need somebody else to live a happy life."
"Are you seeing anyone?" asked Wolf timidly. A sly grin started to cross his face.
Falco sighed and fussed with his cereal. "I'm not staying long."
"Long distance relationships can work." said Wolf.
Falco was getting a bit exasperated but thought the idea had some merit. In any other time or place, Falco might have considered it. She was pretty, smart and had a sense of humor.
Falco decided to turn the conversation around for a bit.
"You seeing anyone, Mr. Cadet?" asked Falco. "That Ruby girl, maybe?"
Wolf suddenly squirmed a bit. "No, no one yet."
"I would have figured a brash young Cadet like you would have had a girl he fancied by now." said Falco.
Wolf didn't reply. Falco took it as a hint to drop the subject.
"So what are you reading?" asked Falco between bites of cereal.
"Just notes. Studying. I want to be an officer eventually." said Wolf.
"I'm impressed." said Falco. "You seem to be taking this very seriously." He was genuinely surprised at how determined the kid seemed to be.
"Yes, I am." said Wolf plainly.
Falco thought it over and realized he had given Wolf too little credit. The Wolf in the future - despite his flaws - was always a skilled opponent. It seemed he had been Fox's equal for a reason. Falco ate his breakfast while watching Wolf study. The kid finished his own meal, cleaned his dishes and wandered off to get changed. He came back out dressed in some old, rugged work clothes.
"Starting early?" asked Falco.
"Yeah. Take your time though." replied Wolf.
Falco drank the last of his coffee and put the empty cup in the sink. "Might as well get started."
The two set to work. Falco helped Wolf clean the gutters, trim some hedges and fix the fence. They climbed to the roof of the house to check on some lose shingles. It wasn't long after that Falco felt the need to take a break. Wolf continued working and mowed the lawn as Falco caught his breath.
Falco marveled at the kid's endless energy. He was impressed by Wolf's hard work and found himself again having second thoughts about the Wolf he had known. He knew that the kid would grow up without parents. He knew that he would get kicked out of the academy. It would be a rough life. Maybe it wasn't so far fetched to think that the kid in front of him – the dedicated son and aspiring cadet – could just hit a string of bad luck and be forced to turn to piracy to get by. Perhaps the pirate from the future was a pirate not by choice but by lack of any other options.
Falco felt both sadness and guilt at the thought. He really had been too critical of Wolf. He had nothing but bad memories of his encounters with pirates but he never stopped to think why someone would turn to piracy. If Wolf really felt he had lost everything and had to flee Corneria piracy may have been all he could do to survive.
He watched Wolf finish the last of the yard work and then helped him put everything away. Once the lawnmower was stored in the shed he stopped and looked at the young cadet. The kid showed no sign of fatigue.
Wolf had noticed Falco staring. "What?"
"Your Mom said some very flattering things about you." said Falco.
"Mom's do that." replied Wolf looking slightly embarrassed. He locked the shed headed towards the house.
"Yeah, but I think I believe her," said Falco, "you seem to be a good kid with your head on straight."
"I'm not a kid. But thanks?" said Wolf. "Glad I meet your approval?" He turned and gave Falco a sheepish grin.
Wolf's ears perked up as a taxi stopped at the house and his mother exited the vehicle. The day had passed quickly. She gave a wave to the two of them.
"How did you make out?" asked Falco.
"We're closer to a solution, but there's still something we're not taking into consideration." noted Sarah. "There's some unmapped anomalies that are affecting the calculations. Your friend is going to to try to figure out what they are – he's reading through some of the books he has that weren't on the Lylat Data Network."
Falco nodded. Wolf seemed a bit lost by the conversation but didn't seem too interested in it either.
"I didn't get a chance to start supper yet." Wolf said turning back to the house. "Let me get freshened up and get it started!"
He wandered into the house, leaving Sarah and Falco alone.
"He seems eager to cook." noted Falco.
And eager to leave us alone together, he thought.
"Yeah," replied Sarah, "you'd never know it looking at him but he loves cooking. I thought maybe if he didn't get into the Academy that he might one day become a chef."
Sarah beamed with pride as she stood on the path leading to the house. She seemed to be in no hurry to head inside.
"He's pretty talented." said Falco.
"Sam… Falco… what if you can't get home?" Sarah asked somewhat nervously. She brushed a bit of hair out from her eyes and looked away sheepishly.
Falco looked at her.
"I mean, would it be so bad if you got stuck here?" she continued.
Falco had never considered the possibility that they might not be able to go home. No one had ever tried to jump through time - not on purpose. It was possible that they would never succeed. He started to wonder if they should even bother trying.
"It's a shame this wasn't the future." continued Sarah as she tried to regain composure. "I would have liked to have gotten to know you better."
Falco smiled. "Yeah, it would have been nice."
"If we can get you home, would you visit me? Even if I don't remember you?"
Falco nodded.
#
Later that evening Falco found himself having a great deal of difficulty getting to sleep. He tried to get comfortable in the guest bedroom but all he could think about was Sarah. He had grown rather fond of her. He thought about the prospect of her death. There was nothing he could do to stop it – or at least nothing he should do. He wondered if it was even a certainty at this point now that he had stayed with her. He gave some thought to what might happen if he intervened – if he saved her. He could prevent Wolf from becoming a pirate. He could save her life and she could go on to do wonderful things for Corneria. He could see her again in the future.
He clenched is fist. He thought about the conversation between Fox and Peppy on interfering with events. Would saving one life be so bad?
Falco had no idea when he had finally drifted into sleep but he woke up to a bright room and a new day. The sun shone into the spare room directly into his eyes. He squinted and reluctantly sat up. He dreaded this day. He woke up and rested his face in his hands. His stomach ached. Still, he had to face it. He had to stare down the inevitable. Worse, had Sarah and Slippy even been able to come up with a solution to the warp calculation? Would they be stuck in the past regardless of her efforts?
Falco got up and got dressed. He checked himself over in the mirror and frowned. He looked almost as bad as he felt. He headed out to the kitchen where he saw Sarah making breakfast. Wolf was already awake and dressed in track clothes. Falco had guessed from the boy's upbeat demenor that he gotten back from an early morning jog. Wolf was eating a bowl of cereal while reading his tablet again. Sarah was in the midst of making herself a coffee.
"Good morning!" said Sarah with cheer.
"Good morning!" answered Falco.
"mmph!" answered Wolf with a mouth full of cereal.
"Listen," said Sarah excitedly, "I have some great news! Peppy and I were able to find the missing piece of the equasion. There's a variable related to subspace gravitational fluctuations that was not taken into consideration. If those are measured properly and added to the formula, you can correctly calculate a forward jump in time within a 0.01% varience. A 20 year period would only carry a risk of being off by 2 months. It's still not perfect, obviously, but that's pretty remarkable!"
"Yeah, that's great news!" said Falco. He looked down at Wolf and back to Sarah giving her a careful sign to avoid what she says around her son. Sarah noticed and nodded.
"With this research complete," said Sarah, "I'm assuming you'll be heading out soon?"
Wolf looked up at Falco, "Oh, you're leaving already?" he asked, "I had hoped you might stick around a bit longer."
Wolf looked visibly disappointed. The knot in Falco's stomach tightened.
"I wish I could," said Falco with sincerity, "but I have to get back to Zoness to deliver our findings."
"Speaking of which," said Sarah, grabing a bagle from the counter, "I've sent my findings to the Institute. I'll get a hardcopy made to keep."
Sarah collected her notes and looked out the window at a yellow car parked out front.
"Oh!" exclaimed Sarah, "that would be my cab. I've got to swing by the office. Sam, can you walk me out?"
A lump welled up in Falco's throat. "S-sure."
Sarah waved out the door to the cab and slid on her shoes. Falco put on his boots and followed her out. Seeing the cab further tightened the knot in his stomach and he could feel himself breaking out in a sweat. It had to be the cab that would get into the accident.
"Listen, Falco," Sarah said quietly as they left the house. She stopped half way to the road and turned to face him. "Thanks for your help."
"I didn't do much." said Falco, "It was Slippy who helped with the research."
"Yeah, but it was still nice to have you here," said Sarah, "You really opened my eyes. If you're still here tonight would you mind having supper with us? Just one last time before you leave? I was planning to celebrate finishing the research paper."
"Y-yeah" said Falco.
Sarah waved timidly and headed for the cab. Just as she reached for the door, Falco stopped her.
"Wait!" he said.
She paused and looked at him.
"I-it's a nice day," he stammered, "how about we walk?"
Falco knew immediately that what he was doing was wrong but he couldn't help it. He couldn't just let her die if he had the power to stop it.
"Yeah, alright." she said with excitement.
Sarah excused the cab and paid the driver for his troubles. The two of them began to walk towards her office.
"So, why the walk?" Sarah asked. She was smiling and clearly didn't seem to mind the distraction.
"I don't know," lied Falco, "I just thought it would be nice to enjoy the weather. I'll be leaving soon and I thought it would be good to spend some time together so I can thank you properly for all the work you've done to help me get back to my time." The knot in Falco's stomach eased up.
Sarah continued to smile and grabbed Falco's arm. "You know you probably helped me as much as I helped you. This paper could be my doorway into the galactic scientific community. It could mean big things." She paused for a moment, "Falco, does it mean big things?"
"You know I can't tell you," smiled Falco now much more relaxed. There was no way to know what the future held now. "I guess you'll have to wait and see."
"There are so many questions I want to ask you but I know you can't answer." said Sarah, "What's the future like? Do you know anything about me or my son in the future? What kinds of scientific breakthroughs are there?"
"The future?" said Falco. She has a future now, he thought. "The future is good." Falco continued, "The science will probably blow your mind, but I'm the last person to explain it to you."
Sarah grinned. "How many of you are here from the future?"
"Five of us." replied Falco.
"Are the rest of them up on the ship?" she asked.
Falco nodded. His pace slowed for a moment. Something else was now bothering him. It wasn't Sarah, it was Fox.
"Sarah, I have a friend up there who's having a hard time with all of this. His father is alive, but a few years from now he'll be killed."
He looked into her eyes and wondered what she would have thought had she known what he had done.
"Oh," said Sarah, "that's got to be hard."
"He might be able to stop it," continued Falco, "but if he does, he could change history. His father had a big impact on a lot of people. Sarah, do you think he should save his father?"
Sarah went quiet for a moment. "I don't know, Falco. It's not an easy decision. If he saves his father it could cause any number of complications. I've always thought that the timeline may be self-correcting. He may not be able to change anything even if he tried. It could make something worse happen in the far future. It's also possible that his father will just die anyway of some other cause. My research in that area has been limited but there are hints that time will correct itself. Some force out there seems to work hard to prevent multiple parallel timelines."
Falco felt himself break out into a sweat. "So, we should do nothing?"
Sarah nodded, "Sadly, yes. Even if that theory were not correct there's no way of knowing what impact such a change could have. For better or for worse, some things are best left the way they were meant to be."
Falco was far less reassured. His stomach tightened again. For the time being at least Sarah had been spared.
"When are you leaving, Falco?" asked Sarah, "Will you stay for dinner at least?"
"Yeah, I think I'd like that. After being here for a few days, an extra few hours shouldn't hurt. Slippy probably has to make adjustments to the ship anyway to get ready for the trip home."
"Hopefully it all works out well." said Sarah, "it would be nice to catch up again in the future."
Falco nodded and smiled.
The two continued to walk towards the Cornerian Science Institute. Falco's concerns seemed to melt away as the two chatted about the past two days and what the future could possibly hold.
Their conversation came to a pause as the sounds of emergency vehicles roared towards them. They watched as emergency vehicles flew past.
The accident, thought Falco.
He looked back to see Sarah wobble somewhat and lose her footing. He caught her before she fell.
"Careful." noted Falco. It took only a few moments before he realized something was wrong.
"I feel dizzy." noted Sarah as she put her hand to her temple.
Falco helped her to a bench. Her look of discomfort increased by the second. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Falco, my heart. It feels like it's going to beat through my chest."
She started to look panicked. Something was clearly wrong as she leaned forward and grabbed her chest. Her breathing became shallow. Falco frantically hit the emergency call button on his communicator and proceeded yelled out to the people passing on the street while waiting for a response.
"Someone!? Can someone help!?"
#
Everything had become a dull blur. Falco sat in the chair of the hospital waiting room feeling all but completely numb. "Sudden Arrhythmia". "Long QT Syndrome". Terms he didn't quite understand. "Undiagnosed heart condition". She was gone. He had waited for the ambulance and stayed at Sarah's side the entire time. She was gone. In the end he couldn't save her. Over and over he told himself it was simply her time and nothing he could do could have stopped the inevitable. He had barely noticed his communicator ringing. It had rung earlier a number of times already but he couldn't bring himself to answer.
He finally flicked it on with what energy he had and tried to bring himself to attention.
"Yeah?" he said simply.
"Falco?" said Fox with a voice of concern. "Falco, are you alright?"
Falco realized he hadn't checked in with The Great Fox in some time. His friends were likely worried about him.
"No, no I'm not alright Fox." he replied, "I tried to save her. I know I shouldn't have. I tried. But she's gone now. She died in my arms, Fox."
There was a pause.
"Falco, stay where you are. I'll be there as soon as I can."
Falco nodded even though Fox would not see it. He turned off the communicator and slumped back in his seat. He looked over and saw Wolf approaching.
"Sam?" asked Wolf.
No, no, no, no, no, thought Falco. Still, he couldn't wallow in grief – he had no right to wallow in grief – when her own son had not yet heard the news.
"Sam, where's mom?" asked Wolf. He looked panic stricken.
Fox stood up and walked up to him. He put his hand on the young man's shoulders. He was tall – as tall as Falco. He looked at Falco desperate for answers. His eyes danced across Falco's face trying to read him for clues and then froze at the realization that what Falco was about to say wouldn't be good.
"I am so sorry," said Falco trying desperately to maintain composure. He could feel Wolf start to buckle and he readied himself for the worst. "your mother passed away a short while ago."
Wolf pushed him back. "What?" he asked trembling, "What do you mean?"
"The doctor's said she had an undiagnosed heart problem," said Falco, trying his best to figure out how to break the news as delicately as he could, "she collapsed on her way to work and passed away in the ambulance. There was nothing we could do. Nothing anyone could do."
Falco's voice had started to break up but he felt he had long since shed every tear he could. He didn't know what Wolf would do – where he could go or who he would have to reach out to. The boy was just barely an adult and he now he was alone.
Tears rolled down the Wolf's face. Falco opened up his arms in case he needed support or any form of comfort. Wolf leaned into him started to sob. It took every ounce of Falco's strength to retain composure.
"Can I see her?" asked Wolf, gasping between sobs.
Falco nodded. He lead him to the room where his mother's body lay resting. Wolf collapsed to his knees and cried at her bedside. Falco stayed with him though the entire experience felt like daggers in his chest. Eventually Wolf regained composure and stood up. He cleared his throat and said his farewells. He told her he would make her proud. He told her he would continue with the Academy and be the finest officer they ever had. He made her many promises that Falco knew would one day be broken. One day in the future, Wolf would be charged with treason. He would flee Corneria into the welcoming arms of pirates.
Falco wanted to tear his heart out. He felt sorrow. He felt sympathy. He felt guilt. Worse, he knew he wouldn't be able to stay to help. Wolf would only have the Cornerian Academy – the Academy that would one day turn its back on him.
"Sam," asked Wolf, "you have to leave, don't you?"
Falco nodded. "I don't want to buddy. I'd like to stay here with you for a bit longer, but I have to go soon."
Wolf nodded.
"I wish I could have done something." said Falco, tears welling up again.
Wolf nodded.
"The doctor is going to need some information from you when you're ready." Falco said.
Wolf nodded again.
"Can I have a few minutes?" asked Wolf.
"Yeah, I'll just be outside."
Falco walked out to the waiting room again. He was still unsure what to do. He wasn't family. He barely knew Wolf at all. Still, he felt terrible about the entire situation – worse than he had expected. Seeing Wolf as a young adult with a bright future and knowing what was to come of it was unbearable. He looked up for a moment and saw Fox, dressed in casual clothing, wave towards him.
"Fox?" said Falco.
"Yeah," replied Fox as approached his friend, "I'm here pal."
"Slippy was right. Sarah was right. We can't stop death."
Fox shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah."
"Wolf..." started Falco, "Fox, I've been such an asshole."
"Yeah, kinda." said Fox as he put his hand on Falco's shoulder. "You gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, I think so." said Falco looking down at Fox, "I can honestly say it was her time. There was nothing I could do. It just doesn't make it feel any better."
"We'll be home soon. We'll get this all behind us."
Fox gave him a warm grin and Falco tried to force a smile. He felt better having Fox there but there was no way he would ever be able to simply put events behind him.
Out of the corner of his eye, Falco noticed an individual with red-gold fur walk into the waiting room. Falco froze.
"Fox, do not turn around." said Falco. He suddenly broke into a cold sweat.
"What, why?" asked Fox.
Falco couldn't be sure, but the similarity was uncanny. It had to be Fox's father, James McCloud. Wolf had mentioned that James had taken an interest in mentoring him. It wouldn't be unreasonable for James to show up to give the kid some support. In a way Falco was glad he was there but the timing couldn't be worse.
"Fox, why did you come here?" said Falco with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" asked Fox.
"Geez, your dad just walked in the room."
Fox glanced back carefully. It was unmistakably James. Fox released Falco's shoulder and his arm dropped to his side.
"Fox..." said Falco. He started to panic as worried about what Fox might do. He knew Fox had to be considering warning his father.
"It's okay, Falco." said Fox calmly. "I'm okay. We shouldn't change history."
The two watched as Wolf walked out from his mother's room, saw James and walked over to him. James gave Wolf a hug and gave his condolences. He told Wolf that the Academy would help him in every way they could and that he'd personally check in on him from time to time. Something about it all gave Falco comfort.
Wolf turned towards Fox and Falco and waved. The two snapped out of their daze and were suddenly very aware of what was just about to happen.
"Hey, Sam!" said Wolf, "This is James! He's the ace pilot I was telling you about."
"Ah geez" whispered Falco to Fox. The both of them had tensed up.
"Hi, Sam?" said James. He looked so similar to Fox it was almost like looking in the mirror. The two could have easily passed for brothers. James had slightly messier hair and a slimmer figure. Fox was somewhat more stocky. Still, it was hard to not realize they had to be related.
"Hi James. Wolf mentioned you." said Falco forcing a grin. He tried his best to keep James' focus away from Fox.
"I hear you were friends." said James as he shook Falco's hand.
"Yeah." said Falco, "I was working on a research project with Sarah. I've only known them for a few days but I feel terrible about this."
"We'll make sure Wolf is taken care of." said James, "We take care of our own."
Falco nodded. He wondered how things would transpire from this point on. He wondered what role James had played in Wolf's life.
"Wolf," said Falco, "I'm going to have to go – but I'll always remember the time I spent with you and your mother. Thanks for everything."
"No problem, Sam." said Wolf. He tried to forcing a smile.
Falco offered his hand and gave Wolf a solid handshake. "It was really nice to meet you" he said.
James looked over at Fox who seemed transfixed on his father.
"Wow, you look like we could be brothers!" said James extending his hand, "Hi, I'm Captain James McCloud."
"Uh, hi," replied Fox, shaking his hand, "my name's… Red Lombardi. I'm a friend of Sam's". Falco rolled his eyes at the fake name but was still pleased that Fox was cognizant enough to not use his real one.
"Nice to meet you Red," said James.
"I'm sorry," said Fox, "but Sam and I need to get going. Wolf, we're very sorry for your loss."
Wolf nodded and wiped his nose.
"Yeah, bud." said Falco, "Keep working hard. I expect you'll be a General some day."
Wolf nodded again, "Thanks, Sam!"
The two waved and left the waiting room.
"I'll be glad to get home," said Falco.
Fox nodded, "Yeah." He paused for a moment and started to tear up, "Falco, I got to see my dad."
"He was kinda awesome," said Falco.
"Yeah, yeah he was." said Fox with a grin.
#
Falco and Fox returned to the Great Fox. They made their way to the bridge in hopes that they might soon be home. As they passed the galley Falco froze. He saw Wolf – his Wolf – sitting at the table eating a bowl of soup and reading a tablet. It was an image straight from his memory earlier that day. It was the same Wolf. All of the feelings from the hospital came roaring back.
"Wolf-" said Falco. He fidgeted nervously.
Fox paused as well. He saw the anxious expression on Falco's face.
"I think you two need to talk." said Fox simply. He then turned and continued on towards the bridge. Wolf glanced over to Falco and swallowed a mouthful of soup.
"Wolf," Falco resumed, his throat tightening, "I am so sorry."
Wolf looked at his bowl of soup and set down the tablet. He knew it was about his mother. "It's fine."
"I tried to save her." said Falco, feeling the tears well up, "but she died anyway. I couldn't stop it from happening."
Wolf said nothing. He looked down at his soup bowl and set the spoon down beside it.
"And you…" said Falco, "you were such a promising cadet with a future and..."
"Falco, I'm fine." said Wolf in a quiet tone.
"I'm sorry," said Falco, fighting to retain composure, "I'm sorry I was an asshole, and I'm sorry I judged you and I'm sorry Sarah… I'm sorry your Mom..."
"Falco, stop." said Wolf, raising his voice somewhat.
Falco couldn't piece together the worlds to properly express what he felt. Everything was fresh in his mind. He could almost smell the sterile smell of hospital. He could still see young Wolf's devastated expression.
Wolf stood up slowly and adjusted his shirt.
"Falco, my mother died 20 years ago. I've grieved. I've moved on."
"But even then, everything after," said Falco quietly, looking at the floor, "it just seems so unfair..."
"There's no such thing as fair and unfair in the grand scheme of things," said Wolf, "just life and its struggles. I did struggle, but I got stronger. I learned. I made mistakes. I made some pretty big mistakes. I eventually ended up here. I couldn't change any of it now if I wanted and right now I'm pretty content with life."
Falco walked up to Wolf and grabbed him in a solid hug. Wolf seemed unsure of what to do.
"I'm sorry I was an asshole and I promise I'll do better." said Falco.
Wolf shrugged him off. "Look, Falco, don't give me a free pass because I had it rough. I can be an asshole and I'll own up to it when I deserve it. Take me to task when you need to. I just ask that you judge me for who I am today – not who I was a few years ago and not for who I was as a teenager."
Falco nodded. "Thanks."
"Thanks for what?" asked Wolf.
"Thanks for giving me a second chance."
Wolf shrugged. "Yeah, well, I think we both needed one."
"We should see about heading home."
Wolf nodded set his tablet down on the table. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought. Falco started walking towards the bridge when he heard Wolf call out.
"Sam."
Falco looked back. Wolf had a somewhat shocked look on his face which matched Falco's own.
"Your name was Sam."
"But you weren't... you said your mom died in the car crash." Falco stammered.
"I don't know why, but I know you were there. It's all foggy." noted Wolf.
"We really should get home." added Falco. He was suddenly very worried about what impacts they might continue to have on history if they remained any longer.
Wolf nodded in agreement.
#
On the bridge, Slippy was frantically typing in numbers. Falco and Wolf walked in each looking a bit dumbfounded but quickly finding their seats.
"Do we think we can do this?" asked Fox.
Slippy nodded. "Yes, I think we should be able to get very close to the same time as we left. Not the exact moment mind you, but within a few days."
"I'll take it." answered Fox. He was visibly anxious to get underway.
"Systems are good." said Peppy.
Wolf scanned his own console. "We're near the same spot as when we left. According the positioning system, the path should be clear of any stellar bodies. Smashing into an asteroid would be a pretty crappy way to return home."
"Engines are good. Emitters are good." said Slippy.
"Well everyone, cross your fingers. Fire it up, Slippy." said Fox.
The four rods once again extended from the ship and once again arched with electricity. Slippy punched in a few more codes and then slid a lever forward. Again the ship seemed to both move and remain stationary. The ship emitted an ear-piercing whine unlike before and the air in the ship grew warm. Within moments, everything came to a stop. The ship sat motionless in space.
"Well, when are we?" asked Fox.
Slippy flipped up his console and cheered. "We're exactly 1 day and three hours from when we left!"
Everyone cheered. They were back in their own time.
"I can hardly believe we made it!" exclaimed Falco.
"But what did we change is the question." asked Peppy.
Falco and Wolf looked at each other.
"Hopefully just ourselves." said Falco.
#
Another full day had past and the crew was back on Corneria. The Great Fox was docked in orbit and undergoing final upgrades. The team was taking a much needed break. Falco decided to keep his promise and found himself at Sarah's grave. He had found some white lilies and set them on her headstone. He wondered how often Wolf had visited. He had guessed it hadn't been often - not if he had been forced to flee Corneria.
"Mind if I join you?" came a voice from behind him. Falco knew who it was without even looking and turned to find Wolf standing behind him.
"I never had the chance to visit." said Wolf with a slight stutter. He too had brought flowers. He walked up and set them down on his mothers grave then stood beside Falco.
"You remembered me from back then?" asked Falco.
"Yeah, it's weird. My memory was fuzzy, but I distinctly remember you now," said Wolf with a shrug, "maybe this is time fixing itself. Changing my memories."
"It was nice to meet you back then." said Falco with a smile.
"Same."
Falco noticed that Wolf had an uncharacteristically friendly look about him. He then began to wonder if it was the same look as always. He wondered if he had simply looked for animosity when there was never any there. He had come to view Wolf much differently. Over the course of a few days, Falco had come to feel like he had known Wolf all his life.
There was still a large gap of time he questioned.
"What happened after I left?" asked Falco.
"James drove me back to the barracks. He helped set me up with a place of my own. A couple friends of mine helped me pack up and sell Mom's house. I had a roommate at the Academy. You know him well. Pigma Dengar. I thought he was a good friend. I didn't know at the time but he used my terminal to sell army secrets to pirates. I took the blame. James came looking for me - so did the Cornerian army. James tried to talk some sense into me but I wouldn't listen. I got into a dogfight with some of 'em and didn't do too well. Barely survived. I didn't know what to do so I set out to find my father and that's when I became a pirate."
"I'm sorry." said Falco.
Wolf rolled his eyes and sighed. "Please stop apologizing. It's all in the past now and I'm really not one for sentimentality."
"And yet here you are - at a gravestone with flowers in hand." joked Falco.
Wolf scoffed at him but gave him a partial smile.
The two of them heard footsteps and turned around to find Fox walking towards them.
"I figured I'd find at least one of you here," he said, "and I guess I'm glad to find you both."
"How are you making out with all of this - with having seen your father?" asked Falco.
"It's was odd to see him. It was like looking at a memory come to life." admitted Fox. "It was kinda nice. You?"
"Sarah sent a copies of her paper to the Academy before she passed away. I ticks me off that her work was stolen and published under that professor's name." said Falco clenching his fist.
"It's probably for the best anyway." noted Wolf, "I wouldn't want to have anyone else making use of it. In fact, I've asked General Peppy to remove my mother's papers from the archives entirely. It's for the best."
Wolf seemed saddened at the prospect of seeing his mother's work simply forgotten. Fox walked over and gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek.
The three of them froze suddenly. Fox and Wolf both turned and looked at Falco whose jaw was hanging agape. Fox and Wolf both stepped back from each other and looked around timidly. Wolf broke out in a wide grin.
"Falco," said Fox with embarrassment, "I'm glad you and Wolf are getting along. There's something we've both been meaning to tell you."
"Ah, geez." said Falco. "That certainly explains a few things."
"I'm sorry I kept it from you this long." said Fox looking guilty. He couldn't bring himself to make eye contact until Falco approached and put his hand on Fox's shoulder.
"Nah, it's alright. I'm happy for you both. I'm glad Wolf's not going anywhere and I'm not leaving Star Fox anytime soon. I'd like to think Sarah and James would be proud of you both right now."
Fox nodded and looked at Wolf. "All things considered, I think we turned out okay."
Wolf nodded. "Wouldn't change a thing."