Spark saw the high beacon tower of Terra Atmosia, empty for many years because of Aerrow and his team. She turned and looked at her father, who was smiling softly. He looked a little nervous, and she didn't blame him. His emerald eyes searched the terra, soaking in every familiar detail. He saw the little pile of stones that marked Starling's grave, and sighed. The high hills in the back of the terra where Stork landed the Condor many times, the roads in which he had fought and laughed and joked...It all seemed so far away, so distant, like the faint odor of spring that rode on the winter winds.

Button's frantic screeching pulled him from his melancholy and bitter thoughts. Spark was pulling into a nose dive, aiming for a tiny piece of ledge that stuck out from the terra. Aerrow grimaced as his daughter landed roughly, the craft bouncing as the wings retracted. People looked up, and some pointed at the ex-Storm Hawk and the young girl that bore a striking resemblance.

"Is that..."

"Can't be..."

"Thought he was dead..."

"...a daughter?"

The whispers floated to Spark's ears, and she gloated. Her father was famous. Aerrow, however, was focused on one thing only. Button jumped onto Spark's shoulder and settled in for the time being, a warm purr erupting from the Sky Monkey's throat. She was obviously glad to be back on solid ground, not sharing her father's love for the sky. Not yet, at least. Aerrow marched over to a man, whispered with him a while, then walked away.

"Crystal labs are in that building," he said, pointing at a large white house with no windows, save one small, round one next to the dark door. Aerrow led the way, Spark glancing around, unused to seeing this many people in one place at a time. The terra was humongous, it was like it never ended. She felt so alive, so free, her mind sick and tired of seeing endless sky around her.

They had reached the building. Aerrow took a deep breath, but before he could knock, the door opened. A pleasant face greeted them, light blond hair framing round warm eyes and a button nose.

"May I help you?" she said, a light accent Aerrow recognized as Amazonian wafting from her lips.

"I'm looking for a Dr. Piper Goldwing," Aerrow said.

"Oh, Piper. She's out testing Firebolts in the West hills. Wanna come in and wait for her?"

"Um, I can find her myself. Thank you."

"Sorry, didn't catch your name. I'm Agatha."

"Erm, I'd rather not--"

"C'mon, it's okay. I don't bite."

"Well, this is Spark," Aerrow said, pointing at his daughter. He sighed. "And I'm Aerrow."

The girl gasped. "THE Aerrow? The one Piper's always talking about? Whew, she'll be glad to see you! Well, you run along. Pleasure meeting you."

"And you," Aerrow said, grimacing slightly. She winked and closed the door. Aerrow started down the street again. Spark rolled her eyes and followed, anxious to see Piper. Her eyes scanned the hills for any sign of life. A flash of red rose up from one of the rises.

"There!" Spark said. She started off at a run.

"Spark! Wait!" Aerrow shouted. If Piper was testing Firebolts, a sudden surprise might not be wise. Aerrow ran after his daughter, choppy red hair blowing in the breeze. Spark rounded the corner and saw a young woman in an ankle length lab coat, a crystal staff in her hands, red crystal on the tip, muttering softly to herself.

"If you add an Explosion...no..."

"Hello?" Spark said softly.

"GAH!" the lady shouted. She twirled around, knocking her box of Firebolts over the edge of the terra. "Oh, that was my last crate...never mind. And who are you?"

Aerrow came running over all of a sudden. "Spark, don't go sneaking up on people, it's not...polite..." He stopped talking. The woman had a look of absolute shock on her face. She gasped.

"Aerrow? Is that you?"

"Piper?"

"Wow...how cute," Spark muttered. Piper tossed her staff aside and ran forward. Aerrow caught her, the two laughing and crying at the same time. He lifted her off her feet, his face suddenly young again. Spark smirked, her face red with embarrassment and happiness. Button covered her eyes. Aerrow finally let his friend go, tears still dangling off of his cheeks.

"Oh, it's been WAY too long. And this must be Spark!" Piper said. "Can't believe I didn't recognize you, Aerrow talks about you a lot in his letters. You look just like him. Gosh, you're like Aerrow was twenty years ago, except..."

"A girl. Yeah, I know. And this is Button."

"Yeah, I heard about poor Radarr," Piper muttered, stroking Button fondly. The Sky Monkey purred.

"So, how ya been?" Aerrow asked. Piper smiled softly.

"Fine. Busy." Her hand twisted away, and Aerrow noticed a flash of gold on her ring finger.

"You didn't..." he said, shocked.

"Oh, this little thing?" Piper laughed, glancing at her hand absentmindedly. "Doesn't mean anything. Keeps the guys away."

"Good...I mean, great...That's smart."

"I always was the brains of the squadron, remember?"

The two old friends were silent, gazing at each other. Piper had changed. Her hair was down, hanging loosely over her shoulders. Her honey brown skin was lighter, no doubt from being in the lab all day. Her face, thinner, her fingers scarred from the many small accidents while working, her body more worn and tired. And her eyes had lost that shine. She was like Aerrow: unable to forget, living the life she THOUGHT she wanted.

Piper saw how much Aerrow had aged, how lonely and cold he looked. The letters had glossed over the fact that, even with Spark, he was still withdrawn and uncertain. Part of him unable to let go of her, of the Storm Hawks.

"Heard from the others?" Aerrow said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Just Finn, and only now and again. He and Dove are fine, their son is all grown up. By the way, there's someone you should meet..."

"Who?" Spark said, her eyes bright. The two adults smiled.

"Remember Maverick?" Piper said. Aerrow chuckled, how could he forget? The little tough guy who had helped liberate Atmosia and was training to be a Sky Knight twenty years ago.

"Well, what about him?"

"He revived the Red Eagles. He's here, somewhere. Things have been quiet, so they're on break. You should go see him. He'd like that."

"He okay?" Aerrow asked.

"Yeah, got married. Nice Amazonian girl, Agatha. I work with her."

"Yeah, we've met," Spark said, feeling left out. "Um...So you're Piper!"

"The one and only," Piper said. "Feel a little left out?"

"How did you know?" Spark said, raising a red eyebrow suspiciously.

"Oh, just a feeling. Not like your dad there. He hated the limelight." Piper threw Aerrow a wry smile. He shrugged.

"Um, where do you live?" Spark asked.

"Down the road, right next to the lab. Makes for easy commute. Bit small, but the rent is good."

"RENT? Would've thought you'd made it big by now," Aerrow said. Piper gave an empty laugh.

"Oh, I was too naive back then. Thought I was the only one out there. I tried to get into college, but there was always someone else. Field experience doesn't get you everywhere, I guess. So, I stayed at the lab. Took me ten years to get out of the apprenticeship, and another eight to make lab technician. Things just didn't work out like I expected."

Spark shifted her weight from leg to leg. Aerrow put a strong arm around her. Piper looked up and saw the blue glow around Spark's neck.

"Oh, my necklace. It looks good on you," Piper remarked. "Used to be my mother's."

"Guess it kind of left the family, didn't it?" Spark said.

"Aw, Aerrow's family, and if you're his daughter, then you're family too. Come on, Agatha makes great coffee." Piper picked up her staff and the remaining Firebolt crystal before heading back down the road. Aerrow smiled down at Spark.

"I like her. Marry her," Spark demanded. She sounded like a child again. Aerrow laughed.

"If only it were that simple," he said sadly. "If only."