LAST CHAPTER!! OH NO! Chapter 10: Birds must migrate
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"This Christmas was... Interesting." Jay commented to Finn the next morning, as he joined her at the living room window.
"A lot better than I expected, though." Finn stood behind her, the girl sitting on the window seat, her eyes turned out to the morning sky.
"I would agree with you on that except for one thing." She twisted around to look past him at her brother, who was talking to Rose and Mikey.
"It'll be fine. And besides, I kinda feel bad for him." Finn was talking about Wes.
"Why?" Jay asked, shifting back to let Finn sit beside her.
"Well, we're going through the same thing but... He isn't going to see Roseate for a couple of months at best." Finn explained. "It really sucks being away from someone you love, Jay."
"Yeah, it does..." She sighed. "Why can't I just let it lie?" Jay finished with a light laugh.
"It must run in the family." Finn said with a smirk. She playfully pushed him.
"What's going on?" Yuro came from nowhere, startling the two.
"Just chillin' for a few, little dude." Finn's response was enough for the ten year old, and Jay-Jay suddenly joined him as they went to their sister.
"Chillin'?" Piper's voice came from nowhere as well, and she and Crowe sat in the seats next to the window bench.
"Yeesh, Piper. Can't you just let things lie?" Finn smirked again, teasing Jay with the last line. He got another push as a reward.
"I honestly think I'm rubbing off of you guys." Crowe gestured to Piper and Jay, the three laughing. "Well, I think Jay's just being herself there... But Piper's way too sweet."
"I'm okay with that." Aerrow put in as he leaned over Piper's chair, the two love birds smiling.
"Rose was right; you guys are WAY too cuddly..." Wes added, the rest of the individuals coming to the living room. "I'm glad I don't see you two like that." Wes directed this comment at Jay and Finn, who smiled back.
"Don't worry; I'll drag him away if you two start." Rose got a baffling look from Wes.
"Drag him away to do what?" Tex teased, Wes and Rose turning from one another. I love this...It's like teasing Crowe without the danger! He thought.
"Do what? Do what?" Her brothers echoed in a sing-song voice, only making her flush more. Jay-Jay gave Wes a little push as he laughed, the older boy giving a chuckle for spite.
"Alright, guys...Seriously." Mikey broke in, the young boys stopping their little banter. "There are so many other couples you could tease. Like Tex and Crowe." Mikey smirked at Tex, his friend giving him a glare.
Rose's brothers looked at one another, a grin of realization slowly flaring on their faces. Yuro's forest green eyes turned on the silver haired girl, Jay-Jay's navy blue eyes on Tex.
"Don't you start..." Rose scolded. Heron let out a small bark as if to agree.
Stork peeked out of the kitchen, a surgeon's mask on his face. Junko cocked an eyebrow and tried to pull it off.
"Stork? Come on, there's nothing wrong with the air-" The wallop started.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!" He cried, yanking away. "THIS LOVE VIRUS IS GETTING OUT OF HAND! THE ONLY OTHER PERSON WHO HASN'T GOTTEN IT IS MIKEY!!!"
"Hmm. He has a point there, Mikey." Crowe commented. Aerrow and Saphire exchanged a look of amusement. Stork went to the door.
"If you need me, I'll be in the Condor. Waiting to leave." The Merb closed the door, and then opened it again. "No offense, Rose." She shook her head to signify it was alright. He left.
"Well, he does have a point again. We gotta go." Piper pointed out.
"Yeah... My brother wants me back by tonight. He'll kill me if I don't get home. Even though he'd probably like more time with Starling." Saphire said while grinning.
Everyone laughed along, and got ready to go. The Thank you's and Good luck's were shared all around, but the only four who were really bothered by the split were Wes, Rose, Jay, and Finn. Jay knew she wouldn't be away from Finn for long; the Storm Hawks were seemingly running into her team almost every week. Maybe more, but she wasn't sure.
Saphire left first, to be sure that her brother wouldn't be able to kill her for being late this time. The Storm Hawks, Silver Falcons, and Rose's family stood outside, getting ready to leave but not yet. Wes turned back to the door step, his team behind him.
"Well, I guess this is good bye for now." Wes glanced at her, green and blue meeting like many times before. Chance had brought them together, and was now going to keep them apart for a while.
"Yes. I guess so." Rose simply replied, her voice showing her disappointment. She stood silent on the wide stone step, her brothers on either side of her. Then, a bit slowly, she removed the deep blue crystal on her neck. It lay in her hand, the silver chain shining in the sun. Her hand closed on the blue stone, and she grabbed out suddenly for his hand. Wes jerked back a bit, surprised by her action. Her lighter toned hand dropped the crystal and its chain in his rough palm. Her slender fingers closed his hand over it, and he now held the end of her fingers and the stone in his grasp.
"Keep it. It will remind you of me. It was my mother's." Rose ignored Yuro's little tugs at her arm in protest.
"I couldn't take it." Wes pushed his hand closer to her, but she stopped him. Both of her hands clutched his firmly, a strong hold for such slim hands.
"Keep it." She repeated. "I need you to."
"Okay. Thank you." He finally, weakly, replied just to keep her happy. Jay saw the desire in her brothers eyes, as well as Roseate's. Finn's hand squeezed hers. She sighed, some of her blonde hair falling into her face.
"You know, you guys can kiss if you want. It's not like I'm going to stop you." Jay surprised everyone with her acceptance. Finn smiled at her, assuring her she had done something good. Wes tensed a bit, and eyed Rose. His heart was begging to kiss her, but his brain was still thinking of Jay. Then Jay looked him square in the eye, something only she could do, and nodded.
"Well then." Wes said, looking back at Rose. Her eyes were still on his sister, and he smiled. The two teams hooted in approval as he suddenly yanked her in by her waist, and kissed her deeply. She froze in his grasp, hearing her brothers' laugh and whistle. Rose then gave up to what she really wanted to do, and pulled him in closer by holding both sides of his face, her fingers slightly brushing his dirty blonde hair and tickling his ears. The two were trapped in a bittersweet moment. Rose knew he would come back some day, but until then, her heart would be lost with him. The wind kicked up, her brown hair shielding their faces from everyone else. She could no longer breathe, and pulled away. Wes gazed at her sadly, holding her to him.
"I'll be back." He whispered.
"I know. But it doesn't mean I can't miss you." Roseate uttered, feeling the crystal in his hand that was pressed to her back. "Be safe."
"Okay, okay, enough mushy crud!" Jay-Jay laughed from behind the two, Wes releasing her and putting the blue stone onto his neck, tucking it under his shirt. It rested a bit lower than it did on her.
"You'll be right here." He patted his heart. "Next to Jay, of course." The two women of his life smiled.
"Your heart's big enough for both of us, I'm sure." Rose smiled, her blue eyes lighting up from the sun and her hair catching a bit in the winter breeze. Wes imprinted her face in his memory, everything from the brown fur lined jacket that she held close to her face, to the pink tint of her cold cheeks.
"Goodbye, Roseate." Wes's hand fell from hers, and his team followed him to their ship.
"Bye, Wes." Her light voice was whisked up into the breeze and to his ears, her lover smiling. Little did he know that his face was imprinted in her mind as well. Not the last glimpse, but the first, when he first looked her in the eye on that fateful day when she and her brothers almost lost their lives.
"Wow Wes." Crowe said as soon at they reached the ship. "I didn't know you had it in you!"
"Had what? The ability to kiss someone?" He was a bit confused.
"Yes. And no..." She walked on, Wes slowly getting it.
"HEY! It takes a long time to find the perfect person!" Wes defended himself. "But not as long as it took you and Tex to finally fess up!" Mikey and Jay burst out laughing behind the now self-satisfied boy. Tex slumped his shoulders... Rose's brothers were rubbing off on his leader.
The Storm Hawks waved good-bye the Silver Falcons, the snow swirling around them. Rose shielded her eyes, the sun bursting from behind the Osprey. Heron ran out into the small tornado of snow, barking and nipping at the flying drifts. The remaining teens laughed.
"We better get going as well...Cyclonia will probably take advantage of everyone recovering from the holidays." Aerrow started as soon as the Silver Falcons disappeared from view. "Thanks again, Rose." He shook her hand.
"No problem. If you ever need some where to rest, there are a lot of places to land here!" Rose put in.
"Bye!" Piper chirped and hugged her good friend. Finn gave a look to Aerrow: They hug goodbye too?!
"Junko, make sure Stork doesn't suffocate himself with anymore masks." The brown haired girl also added as the team started off for the Condor.
"Can do!" Junko waved, Rose's brothers running off with their sky boards.
She watched the last Team head off, Heron, who was out of breath, sitting by her. Rose saw her brothers go for a joy ride on their sky boards, taking off towards the waterfall. The girl patted Heron on the head, her fingers twisting into his snow covered fur. She put her other hand to her lips, still tingling from Wes's kiss.
"What a Christmas, eh Heron?"
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Wow... the story is over! I'm kinda sad... But happy I got a story to go this long!!! One big and final thanks to Jazzy Pony and DevilsAngelSaphire! And thanks for reading!