Filler chapter with some Bra-Kayla!

One hour. One hour until sunrise. Seconds ticked, minutes flew. But it didn't make the girl feel less anxious than she already was. She looked out a window, into the abandoned city, and prayed that the raven- or anyone for that matter- would come to her rescue.

But in the early morning gaze, all she could see was buildings.

Anxiety was pumping through her veins, so was worry. What if the raven and his friends hadn't acknowledged her absence? Or her father and mother could be at home, and not notice her sudden disappearance at all? She was their child; no way would they forget about her. She thought of the possible outcomes, played out the scenarios, when she came upon the scariest one of all: If the raven and his friends had decided to barge in and save her the same time her dad had found her, that would not only lead to a moment of awkwardness but a lot of explanation later as well.

She risked another glance out of the window. Her hope was slowly fading away. Hope. It was what she needed the most and wouldn't wish for it to slip out of grasp, never returning again.

"Where is he?" The man hissed, growing very impatient. He twirled on his heels, pacing around the crude room, figuring out what had taken his son so long. "He has to come. If not now, then eventually."

He had directed his last statement to no one particular, no one but him. It was supposed to reassure him, not annoy him greatly. His patience grew, his sanity sank. As another minute passed, he had enough. "If he doesn't show his face within the next minute, I swear to-"

But he didn't get to finish. Because, before anyone knew it, a black bird was flying through one of the broken windows, hurling itself at the man. The man struggled to remove the bird who had attached itself to his face. He grunted and groaned, and once finding the ability to remove the very obnoxious bird, throwing it to a wall. The bird hit his head against the wall, sifting in to his human counterpart.

"Brady!" When the girl had said it, it had came out as a relief, but when the man said it, it sounded confused yet happy in an evil kind of way.

The man smirked, a smile that made the raven cringe in pure disgust. "It's wonderful for you to join us on this...joyous occasion."

"Kidnapping and torturing someone until they break should not be considered 'joyous'." The raven stood, clenched his fists, and had nothing but fire in his eyes.

The man let out a dry laugh. He placed a hand on his son's shoulder. The raven jerked away. "Let's not fight." He said simply. "Instead, let's all forget that this girl had ever existed and move with our lives. Shall we?"

The tone the man took with him sounded very fatherly, but the raven knew better than to be fooled. His gaze shifted to meet the girl's, remorse evident in his eyes. "I can't forget about her." He dropped his head as well as his gaze to the ground. "I just can't."

"I'll make you forget." The man gripped his son's shoulder, holding him as if he might fall.

Again, the raven pulled away. "I don't want to!"

Again, the man grabbed his son. "You have to. You have no other choice but to follow-"

"I don't care about the stupid rules!" The walls shook and the man, as well as his minions and the girl, stumbled to the ground. The raven was the only person who stood on his feet, not affected. "Do you not see the form you are in now?! Is it bird? No." He hissed. "It's human."

"So what?" The man asked. "That means nothing!"

"No." He disagreed, stepping foreword. He knew that this wasn't the best way to get his point through, but he was angry and nothing could stop him. Not even when the man's minions had stupidly left the girl's side to restrain him. He was stronger, more powerful, than the both of them combined.

The raven protested and squirmed, but continued as if nothing had ever happened to him. "It means we could do this," He hurled one to the ground and used his free hand to punch the other man squarely in the face. That didn't satisfy him enough so he drew his leg back and kicked an area that should not be mentioned.

"We act like humans." He said, anger still surging through him. "We can transform into them. We practically are humans."

The man laughed. Nothing about this moment was funny which left the raven to be dumbfounded. "What are you laughing about?"

"Do you not know your own father, boy?"

"Of course I do."

"Then didn't you know that I would at least bring back-up?" The man grinned. He motioned to the windows behind him. A flock of eagles flew through the window, each turning human once hitting the ground.

The raven mimicked his father's cynical laughter. "Funny; I had the same idea in mind."

At the windows that lined the wall behind the raven, an army of all types of birds formed.

"Don't think I'm foolish, father." The raven warned, his voice low and deadly.

It happened so quickly-as quick as lightening.

One moment, the good and bad were having a stare off. The next, they were all locked in battle. The extra amount of birds were unnecessary, though no one seemed bothered by that fact. Fists flew; injuries were ensured.

The parrot had made his way to the girl sometime during the battle and freed her of her bonds. The girl glanced at her rope-burned arms. Someone was going to pay and she was to make sure of it. So, she engaged in the battle.

What she wasn't expecting, though, was to be almost shot by a laser twice, pulled into a mini tornado which knocked her off her feet (and ruined her hair) once, and thrown around the room like a rag doll every time she tried to pick a fight.

She eventually ran into the raven, knocking the both off them to the ground. Before the raven could fully understand what just happened, he saw one of the eagles hurtling himself at the girl with a battle cry. His cry was loud and ear piercing, causing the girl's hands to fly to her ears. The raven placed his foot in front of him, watching as the eagle tripped and flew out a window.

He grabbed the girl's arms, pulled her to her feet, and removed her hands from her ears. "Kayla," He looked into her eyes to find them clouded with different emotions: confusion, betrayal, and worry. He pulled her into him, soothing her hair. Without an explanation of any sort, he whispered, "Run."

"What?"

"Run." He repeated louder. "You have the chance to. Run and don't look back."

"But-" she began.

The girl no longer cared about the war that was playing around them. Her attention was focused on the raven and only the raven.

"Forget about this." He gestured to the battle. "Go. Now. You'll be safe."

"Brady." She pleaded silently.

The raven connected their lips in a kiss that they had never shared before: one that was filled with passion-all the words they had craved to say to the other was being poured into that one kiss. His hands moved to cup her face. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.

They soon parted, looking at each other with love. (? I suck at describing these moments...)

Then, another eagle charged towards the two, and the raven had easily taken him down with a wave of his hand. The girl looked as the man screamed, gripped onto his hair, before sinking to the floor, dead.

She turned back to the raven. "Brady." Tears began glistening in her eyes. "That man..." She stuttered. "You killed him."

"He was going to hurt you; of course I killed him." He pushed her in the direction of the door. "Run!"

The girl did as she was told. She to the door and didn't turn to look back. Freedom was so close- she could feel it. But that was before a body had blocked her way out.

"I don't think so."

The man. The raven's father stood in the door frame, an evil gleam in his eyes. He grabbed her arm.

"Brady!" She screamed, desperate.

A moment later, a voice was yelling back, "Mikayla!"

The raven had emerged through the crowd, frozen. His father was holding her and his hand was just inches from her throat.

He was going to kill her. The raven knew, since it was the same trick he used on the parrot. But he was nice enough to let his friend live. And he knew his father wasn't going to do the same with the girl.

Out of all the things he could have said, all the things he could have done, the raven was only able process two words, "You wouldn't."