This chapter is going to finally resolves some things with a rather touching moment. Other than let's start finishing up this story.

Crash is not mine OC's are mine.

Chapter 9 Letting Go

Crash opened his eyes to find himself floating around in what appeared to be world that was nothing but grey. Time seemed to be at a standstill and all of the pain seemed to be nothing but a stinging blur.

Crash was about to question how or why he had come here, when he noticed Coco started to fly toward him. He was convinced that he was only seeing things, but sure enough the little bandicoot was right there, just like how she appeared to him the last time he saw her.

"Coco?" He asked, still convinced he was dreaming.

She smiled at him.

"Yes, big brother... It's me..."

"What are you doing here? Am I dead?"

"No Crash, you're just unconscious. Aku Aku managed to purify the venom; you only lost consciousness from the pain and the blood loss."

"Then what are you doing here?" He asked.

Coco smiled sadly.

"I wanted to come and talk to you."

"About what?"

"About me.. I wanted to tell you that I don't want you to feel bad about my death. You wouldn't have been able to change the outcome not what would have happened."

"It just angers me that I that trusted that bastard; never realizing that he had done that to you. You had a life that had barely just begun; and then it was taken away from you." Crash growled.

Tears dripped from the little girl's eyes.

"Crash, I know that it wasn't fair about what happened to me, but you have to understand; sometimes that's the way things have to be. It wasn't because of you screwing up with Time Twister, or because you fell into a coma. It was because I wasn't meant to be apart of this world. I know that made be sad, but that's just the way it is."

Crash smiled at her.

"I just wish it would have been the other way around; it should have been me that had died, and you lived."

"But what about Cortex?"

"You were strong; you could have handled Cortex on your own. You probably would have been to defeat him without fucking up, like I did."

"Crash you know that may be not true; you were always stronger than me. Never doubt your limits Crash, you can do anything, more than I ever could."

The older bandicoot grinned at her.

"But I miss you..."

"I miss you, too."

Crash looked around the grey space before he thought of something.

"Coco, what's it like... being dead?" He asked.

Coco looked around before sighing.

"You know... I never really thought about it... It's almost like I hadn't really even died at all... It's just that time seems to stop moving when once you die. I only knew that time passed was when I saw you and how much you aged. I can't believe it's been three and a half years... I think you've done well for yourself, but it's time to move on."

"What do you mean move on?" He asked, confused.

"You have to let me rest... I don't want you to spend the rest of your life blaming yourself for what wasn't your fault. Live for the future... Live for yourself... You have put me and Jan behind you..."

That's when the bandicoot thought of the red haired beauty that he had always been so fond of.

"Coco... Has Jan been thinking about me?" He asked, hopeful. "Does she want me back in her life again?"

"Jan is living with her Grandparents and Kage in Vienna. She misses you everyday; but she wants you to be happy; and she believes that she will only cause you pain. So she decided to that it would best that she stay out of your life."

Crash smiled sadly.

"I miss you too, Janny." He whispered.

Then suddenly, the greyness seemed to be fading by what looked like the warm sunshine.

"What's going on?!" Crash cried.

"It's time to wake up now, big brother. You have a life to live, and people that are still alive that care about you."

"Elkie..."

He could feel the sunshine start to blind him.

"I'm going to miss you Coco." He said.

Coco smiled through tears.

"I'll miss you too, big brother."

Crash smiled at his little sister one last time before the sunshine completely blinded him.'

Crash opened his eyes to find himself laying in the hospital bed and Elkie sitting beside him, reading a book.

"Elkie...?" He asked in a raspy voice.

She looked up to see Crash was finally awake.

"Oh Crash! Thank goodness you're finally awake!" She cried happily.

He attempted to move but winced when he realized how sore his body was. and looked down to see his leg was wrapped in bandages and his arm in cast.

"How long was out for?" He asked.

"About a day or so..."

Crash smiled at the girl.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

Elkie smiled softly.

"I'm okay... My mom decided that she is going to work three very long days and take off four days to spend more time with me and my Grandfather at the deli. She said she was working far to much and it was time to change."

"I guess good things have come from this, after all." Crash grinned.

"I guess so..."

There was a knock on the door when Charlotte, Milo, and Linda entered the room.

"Look's like someone is back from beyond the grave." Charlotte grinned.

Crash grinned.

"Nothing can keep me down." He turned his attention towards Milo and Linda.

"Elkie... Charlotte... Can I talk to Milo and Linda please?"

"Sure..." The two girls left.

Milo and Linda looked at their friend; something deep within them knew what Crash wanted to talk about. Hell they were surprised that Crash hadn't said anything after all this time.

"I know about what happened to Coco... I know that guys also knew all along."

Milo started crying.

"Crash I'm sorry... Coco begged us not to say..."

"I'm not angry at either of you." Crash said, softly.

"Your not?" Linda asked, innocently.

"I know you had good intentions; you guys didn't want me to blame myself for something that I couldn't change. But I'm not going to grieve over the past; I'm going to keep on living the way I always have... I'm going to smile even more, for both us. I'm going to my life to the fullest for both me and Coco. It's what she would've wanted."

Milo looked sadly at him.

"Are you going to come back to the islands ever again?" He asked.

Crash sighed.

"I think it's time that I move on and start fresh, and I like it here in New York. So I'm going to stay here; I have people who need me right now; and I don't want to leave them."

Milo smiled, teary eyed.

"Would you believe me if I said I wasn't going to miss you?"

Crash laughed.

"You would never not miss me; besides we always have the transporter."

Linda looked at the ground.

"Kage wanted to come and visit but..."

"It would have been really awkward since Jan's living with her now..."

"Where did you find that out?" Milo asked.

"Maybe Sean or Holly had mentioned that somewhere a while back."

Milo looked at his watch.

"We better head home; our dad doesn't know we snuck off so..."

"Be sure to visit." Crash said.

"Would I never?" The aussie laughed.

The two were gone when Elkie and Charlotte reentered the room.

"So how it's going Charlotte? You still competing Saturday?" He asked.

The short haired female looked at the ground.

"Do you think I'll be able to? I mean after this ordeal."

"Charlotte... This competition means the world to you... You'll regret it if you back out now." Crash sighed.

"But I don't know if I feel content..."

"Just remember what I taught you, let yourself move freely."

"Do you think it will work?"

Crash grinned goofily.

"It did when tried it the first time. If I can let go and set my past free, then you can let go of all of your tension and dance the way you always dreamed of."

Charlotte sighed.

"There's no way around this is there?"

Crash grinned at her.

"My friend, your going to that competition..."

All right everyone. Next chapter is going to be a cute little epilogue. Stay tuned.