-
Of Rain, Destiny and Love
Chapter Nine: White World
By xCharleex
-
Jaden Yuki is dead, but Destiny has other plans... Amongst the living once more, can Jaden set things right with his childhood friend Jesse? Or will High School stand in the way of love when even death could not? [JxJ] [Violence, Death, Supernatural Themes, Sex]
I updated. There's no excuse I can give for the huge gap…but you could say its because I'm an awfully distractible person…you should all hate me =( But please don't…or do…but if you do…hurl abuse in the form of a review…because they make me feel warm and update-able no matter what they say. I have responded to you my loyal and beautiful and wonderful [etc.] readers below, as usual. And I have to say…things are hotting up…literally…because nothing is what it seems anymore. I'm sure a few of you were a little weird'ed out by…everything, but believe me…it's only gonna get worse =) BY THE WAY: there's a party on in Heaven, and you're all invited. Love this chapter please =D Haha.
Review Responses:
IluvJadenAndJesse — =) =) Thank'yees. And yeaah those Jesse-rabbits are kinda weird...little bit freaky actually. Haha. And yeah...I was in two minds as to whether to write the dream(s). I almost didn't…but it was too fun, cause I never get to write Jess and Jay getting together…they're always so busy doing their shit and being popular and talking to angels and stuff. Haha… yeaah I'm keeping this one under wraps. Transfers =) =D It's gonna make me cry if I talk about it…so I won't. Hahaha, but no seriously—the necklace is HUGELY important. As for Jaden and the water-bed...well…yeah...I figured if it was possible, he'd make it happen. Probably even if it wasn't too.
Scarpaw — Don't worry, I won't charge for it. I'd like to see it too! Haha. Maybe. Maybe… that's all I'll say =P. You've inspired me though bwhaha. And I don't even know how to pronounce Haou, so it may not have rhymed at all =0 I'll take your word for it, but it was unintentional…unless it makes me a creative genius…in which case it was on purpose ;). You lost me at frying pans =D
Emerald_Twin_Blade — Awwwwww. Now I feel BAD!!!! =( I'm sorry…unless it was tears of joy? Ahhh…I still feel bad. Which means this chapter I'm about to write will be depressing =( hahaha. No but really…this'll be sad. =P And LOLOL the "however long it takes". Haha. I'm not that unreliable. loL. Least I AM updating… =P
Kitcat — I like cookies. I accept. And you're welcome for the update, I have written yet another one—cause I love my readers that much. Hahah. You definitely asked some important questions…so I totally can't answer any of them…you'll just have to read forever =) Gosh I give away too many hints in these review responses, don't I? =P
Tsukaro and Sarutobi — THANKS!!! =D Haha. Whaddaya say to a compliment that good, except: Thankyou. I feel compelled to write even better and more frequently now. =) =) =) Thanks. =D
Jackie — =0 Your update request has been fulfilled…AND the issues will continue forever. It's all part of the master plan to make this story continue FOREVER. Just kidding…there's an ending. Better be a good one too…not more of that dream crap from last chapter. Hahahaa….I'm like critiquing myself in your review response. Sorry! Apparently my delete key is broken—maybe I just want to showcase how random and disparate my thought process is? Ah well. Here you are. What a review response this is… Thanks for reviewing =)
moshi95 AKA sherley C. — Your begs (prayers?) have been answered in the form of this update…and also: sorry…I guess it was a little agonising to end there. Haha. My bad! Enjoy though =)
Asukeru — Thankeees. Hope you enjoy number nine.
Emma Blue Eyes — Glad you're enjoying it…but we'll see how "cute" it is soon. Bwhaha. No just kidding. And don't worry, I FINALLY updated…hope you like it =)
***
-
'Jesse!'
Jaden jumped off the bed towards Jesse's limp body, grabbing his shoulders.
What the hell was going on!?
'JESSE!?' the brunette shouted in the other boy's ear. If this was a joke…
Jaden tightened his grip around Jesse's shoulders and shook him roughly, heart racing, mind blank. Panic gripped him tightly, constricting his airways as he garbled Jesse's name over and over, shouting becoming louder and more hysterical every moment.
The brunette pulled his friend closer; into his arms. Wild confusion assailed from all sides, and the fear of losing Jesse again shattered any chance of resilience. Tears streamed loosely from his eyes, pouring onto the limp head of the bluenette and Jaden put his head against Jesse's and screamed his name again.
The bedroom door burst open, but Jaden didn't see who came through; was only vaguely aware that someone else was in the room when they prised him away from the bluenette. The girl—Alexis, he realised in his confused state—checked Jesse's pulse and put her cheek against his lips, checking his breathing. So who was holding him? Jaden's head was throbbing, and he realised he was still shouting Jesse's name—was that him screaming, too? Alexis' lips were pressed against Jesse's so it couldn't be her. And whoever was holding—
Alexis' lips?!
Jaden almost cried out in anguish, before he realised she was saving him! Doing what he had been too fear-addled and confused to. She was breathing life back into Jesse Andersen!
With that thought, came the clarity he so desperately required. It had been only half minute since Jesse's collapse. Now his current situation: pinned and held by someone, with Alexis stooped over the boy that was his everything, was even more obscure…but welcome.
For another tense minute or so, Alexis continued her life-saving work, pumping the bluenette's chest and breathing life into the boy. Jaden's arms were numb where…someone—he still didn't know who…was gripping his arms, holding him back. But Jaden wasn't going anywhere. He didn't want to say a word—do anything to interrupt the girl who was saving his life's life—Jesse's life.
The bluenette coughed, seemed to splutter and gasped deeply, eyes opening widely while Alexis' mouth still half covered his own. For almost a minute, the bluenette wracked in coughing breaths, deep and shuddering; Alexis was whispering to him throughout.
Jaden realised he was whispering the boy's name over and over again—like a chant: Jesse…Jesse—
'I—I'm…alright…Jay…' Jesse was just a few metres away, sitting upright but breathing raggedly, as if he couldn't get a full, deep breath. He was also shaking—as if he were freezing. And still his concern was for Jaden; emeralds locked onto the small boy.
The grip on his arms released and Jaden half-fell, half-crawled towards his bluenette. The other boy continued trying to breathe, looking away, but he looked up again as the brunette approached. Their eyes met, and the fear that filled them both slowly ebbed away as warmth replaced it.
'Sorry to interru—'
'Aster!' Alexis interrupted the white-haired teen…the one who had been holding him back, Jaden realised. She shook her head definitively; it was final.
'We—we need to get him to rest,' Alexis breathed heavily—saving lives took its toll, apparently.
Between the three of them, they hauled the heavier young teen into his bed and covered him in blankets. Jesse helped as best he could, trying to stand, but strangely weak after his collapse. The bluenette caught Jaden's arm as he went to walk away, still half-dazed.
In a series of ragged, chattering-teeth-laced words, he managed to say, 'Jaden. Stay.'
It was enough to convince the brunette; and in any case, there was no arguing with Jesse's iron heard grip. Much more quietly, the bluenette half-mouthed another word, for Jaden's hearing alone: 'necklace.'
Jaden had forgotten—! The necklace had done something to Jesse! Destiny's necklace... He ripped the thing savagely from his neck and threw it aside, earning an approving nod and simultaneous cough from Jesse. He climbed into bed with the other boy, ignoring the glances Alexis and Aster shared. Jesse stopped shivering as he wrapped himself around Jaden, as though he were some kind of living hot-water-bottle. From there, with Jesse surrounding him, Jaden could hear the boy's heart beating erratically, lightly—fluttering as precariously as his breathing was ragged.
His friend was sick—and once again, it seemed to be all his fault. And it was something to do with the necklace…the silver thing seemed far more malicious now than it ever had. It made him ill to think about, but he couldn't help but do so. From the corner of the room it seemed to sparkle with a malevolent light that couldn't be reflected from the lights outside.
Smartly, Alexis and Aster excused themselves from the room. It was awkward enough to burst into someone's house to save their life—far more awkward to watch the reunion sleepover…
-
***
-
'This isn't right,' Aster repeated for the umpteenth time, pacing furiously around Jesse's lounge room.
Alexis was leaning against the kitchen counter, biting her lower lip, apparently deep in thought. She sighed deeply and looked back at the door to Jesse's room. Silence. Nothing but absolute silence.
Aster had convinced her that something was definitely up with Jaden…the online news reports about that mysterious fire, and Jaden's survival had convinced her. But surely he didn't mean any harm to Jesse—? Not after the way he'd been acting when Jesse had been unconscious. And obviously Jaden hadn't been responsible for making Jesse faint, either. After all what kind of victim would ask their attacker to stay with them afterwards? Besides—Jesse was tough...Jaden couldn't have easily knocked him unconscious. So how had it happened?
Something was definitely up between Jesse and Jaden. And for some obscure reason, she felt peculiarly responsible for them both. She also felt, again peculiarly and for no real reason at all, that it all had something to do with the strange silver pendant Jaden had cast against the wall before he'd climbed into bed with Jesse.
There were serious questions to be answered. Like: who started the fire that had destroyed Jaden's house, if it hadn't been the brunette—and how had he travelled thousands of miles in a matter of days without being caught on any security cameras, according to police reports. Aster was right. Something didn't add up.
And when the boys woke up—there would be answers. She'd make sure of it.
-
***
-
'Jess—'
'Mmm Jaden?'
'I want to tell you so much. But—but I'm afraid what you'll think.'
Jesse curled himself around the brunette, bringing him as close as possible in a tight hug.
The bluenette whispered back, 'After all we've been through...Jay…?'
Jaden bit his lip to talk, but the brunette couldn't find the words to speak. His mouth opened and closed futilely. He laughed, but it was strained—a laugh holding back a torrent of other emotions that Jesse could only begin to fathom.
'Is—is it about that…necklace?' Jesse prompted quietly. Both their hearts were beating faster now—Jesse's a light, erratic pulse, Jaden's a harsh and heavy thumping. Nervousness held them in its fatal grip, but Jaden managed a nod.
He swallowed and croaked, 'Yes.'
'What about it?'
'I—I think it's dangerous.'
'I think so too,' Jesse agreed with a slight smile, but there was something else which had been bugging him all this time—and Jaden's answers had never quite satisfied.
'Where did you find it?' he breathed into the brunette's ear, barely a whisper. Jaden froze.
He paused.
'If I told you—you'd think I was insane.'
'Jay—think about everything that's happened today…I think I can handle it.'
He smirked as the brunette twisted in his arms to face him. Their eyes locked and Jaden couldn't help but smile back. It was wiped off quickly enough as he searched for the right words.
'It's not today. It was yesterday, now…past midnight…'
Jesse rolled his eyes, but wasn't distracted. 'Please? Jaden?'
He nodded, but didn't look at the bluenette. Instead he seemed to be staring upwards, at the single glowing star affixed to Jesse's bedroom ceiling.
'Back at my house—my actual house—a few days ago, on the night before you and I met in the alley, I went for a walk in the middle of the night. I'd been dreaming about……'
He paused and turned to Jesse briefly, 'well…about you. And I didn't feel like sleeping…because I knew if I did…I'd see you again. And I was afraid to see you again...it still hurt so much.'
Jaden turned back to the single star on the roof. He swallowed and continued his tale, 'So—so I went for a walk, and I ended up at that apartment block we used to visit. Remember that sunset?'
'What does this have to do—?'
Jaden wouldn't let him interrupt. Now that he'd started it was as though he couldn't control the words. He spoke distantly, still staring at the star, impartial to his own story, recited in monotone.
'I climbed to the top of the complex and saw my house—it—it was on fire. And…I think I lost my head—because the next thing I knew, the railings fell away and I…fell. I should have been dead, but I blacked out during the fall. When I woke up, I was in a different place…and this woman…she—she called herself Destiny…told me she was sending me back. I didn't know what she meant. But she told me to make things right. And then I woke up here in Heaven with the necklace and a card with a heap of cash on it.'
Silence.
'I—I think she meant with you. I mean, to make things right with you. That's what I was trying to do…'
Jesse didn't move. Jaden still wouldn't look at him. Both boys were completely still, Jaden stared at the star. The bluenette could have sworn he saw a tear run down his cheek. He spoke; 'Well?'
Then, he turned those fierce chocolate orbs on his own emeralds, and Jesse was transfixed. He saw the truth of what Jaden was saying—what it had cost him to say it. Who could believe anything so insane? And yet—what reason did he have to lie? Moreover—why did it make sense in Jesse's own mind? Why did it resonate so strongly with what his gut had been telling him all along. But that meant—
'So…those…angels. They were really angels?'
Jaden shook his head. It wasn't an answer. He wasn't sure.
'And you…you were…?'
Jaden nodded. Yes. Dead. He had died.
'You really were…?'
The chocolate gaze pierced him once more. He could find no falter in those eyes. It was impossible, and yet Jesse found himself believing the smaller boy that was quickly becoming the centre of his world. Jaden Yuki... Whoever had written their paths had a cruel sense of humour indeed.
'I—believe you,' Jesse whispered, closing his eyes and resting his head against Jaden's.
'And I love you.'
The sincerity of those three words was unmistakable. And as if there was any doubt—in order to make it as clear as possible, Jaden bridged the gap between their lips in a second, and put his mouth against the bluenette's, working it with all the love he could muster. The wetness of his cheeks and in his eyes rubbed onto Jesse as the bluenette found himself not only enjoying Jaden's lips, but deepening the kiss as well. He took control, massaging the smaller brunette's mouth with a passion he'd known only in his fantasies, biting his lower lip gently to make it clear.
Jesse pulled away for a breath and in those heated seconds before they returned to kiss again, he whispered back, 'I love you too, Jaden Yuki. I always have.'
-
***
-
'Welcome back,' Alexis smiled over the frying pan at Jesse as he emerged from his room. She noted that Jaden stuck close to the bluenette, their arms around each other's waists.
Jesse smiled gratefully back at her and inclined his head. Words couldn't express the gratitude he felt for the girl who'd saved his life.
'Don't mention it,' she winked and flipped the bacon she was frying.
The three of them smiled simultaneously, and a moment of calm acceptance stole over them all. It didn't last long.
'Ok, enough gushing. Time for answers.'
Jaden and Jesse turned together to see Aster Phoenix glaring disapprovingly at the brunette; mouth set in a hard line, 'let's start with you, Jaden—like what are you doing several thousand miles from the place you were last seen…where your house burned to the ground'
The brunette started. Instead of the denials he perhaps should have uttered, he couldn't help but blurt it out, 'how'd you know?'
'It's called the news, Jaden,' Aster raised his eyebrows at the brunette in a disparaging manner. Jesse drew closer to Jaden, subtly stepping forward at the same time, to show his support.
'Well?'
Silence.
The sound of bacon sizzling in the background was the only thing that pervaded the tense silence between the four of them. Alexis seemed almost apologetic, but Aster's eyes were an icy blue.
Jesse and Jaden glanced at each other. There was nothing for it—they were just going to have to explain it all to them. And so they did. Jaden started from the beginning, Jesse filling in wherever Jaden's mind went blank or he'd missed something. Together, they recounted for Alexis and Aster, how they'd been childhood friends, then separated cruelly before haunting one another's dreams, until miraculously Jaden had fallen from a rooftop and been transported thousands of miles. They told of their encounter with the 'angels' in the park, and the mysterious necklace that had caused Jesse's injury. Halfway through, the smell of burning alerted them to the fact that the bacon was ruined. By the end of their recount, the charcoal pieces had become stone-cold.
'—and that's it.' Jaden finished lamely.
An awed silence met his statement. Aster seemed to have fallen asleep with his eyes open; he wasn't moving, nor even blinking…just staring hard at Jaden. Alexis was looking out the window at the far end of the apartment, a decidedly overwhelmed look on her face.
'Well. It's completely insane—' Aster said thoughtfully, running a hand through his white locks, 'And yet…somehow it all seems to make sense.'
'You believe us?' it was difficult for the bluenette to keep the incredulity out of his voice.
'It is crazy,' Alexis agreed, 'But there's no reason why anyone would make up something so ridiculous…and you both really believe it,' she looked at them squarely, tearing her gaze from the far end of the room, 'And I believe you.'
The tension of a few moment ago dissipated entirely, and the foursome fell into a comfortable silence.
'So…what now?' Jaden queried, sighing.
'Isn't it obvious,' Aster declared, 'that Destiny woman sent you here for a reason…and no offence, but it probably wasn't so you could just hook up with some guy. But! It might have been to save him.'
'Save me?'
'But Alexis—'
'Not like that,' Aster interrupted impatiently, 'I mean—from these angels. Didn't you say they wanted to kill you, Jesse? They only stopped because you told them to, Jaden. The necklace must give you power over them or something…'
'If that's all, then that would mean Jaden's done all he has to,' Alexis interrupted, 'And that doesn't really explain why the necklace burned Jesse.'
'Well I don't know! Maybe only dead people, no offence Jaden, can touch it…?' Aster retorted, 'If you want answers, you need to find those angels. They seem to listen to you, Jaden, so you can make them tell you everything about Destiny, and this Haou dude…'
'But…how do I find them?'
'I dunno. Angel yellow pages?'
'This is stupid…'
'You know what is stupid?' a voice sounded from the front door, 'My pal Jesse's been so busy with his old chum Jaden, he forgot about all his other friends!'
With that, Atticus, Mindy, Jasmine and Chazz invited themselves into Jesse's apartment, stalking inside to make themselves at home.
'Hey sis,' he smiled at Alexis as he passed the kitchen, throwing himself into a nearby armchair. The others seated themselves on Jesse's sofa. Jesse and Jaden remained standing near the door to their bedroom, Aster by the balcony sliding door, Alexis leaning on the kitchen counter-top, grimacing slightly.
Conversely, Jasmine and Mindy positively beamed at Jesse, though they threw odd furtive glances at the other three people in the room besides their popular friends. Chazz was stoic as ever, and Atticus seemed to glow with malevolent intent. Jaden felt a sense of unease wash over him as he caught Atticus glaring at him with a knowing look.
The tense silence was broken by Jasmine, 'Jesse! I hope you haven't forgot about my party tonight. You're invited…and you can bring your little friend too, I guess.' She let the statement hang. It was quite clear she didn't think Aster or Alexis warranted invitations.
'Yes. You really must bring Jaden along, Jess,' Atticus agreed. He seemed to be in awfully high spirits. It only heightened Jaden's sense of unease. And he had a feeling that Jesse shared it as well.
'And why's that?' Jesse practically hissed, the venom in his voice all too clear.
Even Atticus noticed it through his buoyant mood, for his brow suddenly furrowed, and he back-tracked a little, 'I just mean…you can't exactly leave Jaden on his own for the night.' He smiled unconvincingly, and tried hurriedly to change the subject. 'Anyway… School starts in—13 minutes—mustn't be late…'
With that he stood and began to make for the exit, beckoning for everyone else to come with him.
'You too sissy...by the way, have you been here all night?'
Aster, who had been silent and immobile til now began to make his way towards the door, moving past Atticus, and muttering something about having to get his bags. Alexis ignored her brother and left to go with Aster. Jasmine and Mindy made faces at her back and Chazz tagged along with the other three as they left.
He turned a moment later and looked back at Jesse and Jaden, still close together, still standing where they had been since explaining their story to Aster and Alexis.
'Coming?'
They answered at the same time. 'No,' Jesse's response, Jaden's; 'sure.' The boys glanced at each other, grinning stupidly. Chazz made a gagging noise that just might have been involuntary—it was quickly silenced by a quelling glance from the bluenette.
Jaden shrugged, 'I don't really care, actually.'
As Chazz haughtily exited the apartment Jesse seemed to relax, 'Good.' He smiled and turned back to his everything, 'because...we've got a date with some angels.'
'Eh?'
-
***
-
Jaden glanced at his friend over the menu for the thousandth time that morning. They were sitting together in a café (since Alexis had ruined all Jesse's bacon) and the bluenette had a peculiar look on his face. It was expectant, but hesitant, but excited. Oh…and incredibly attractive, but that was nothing new.
The brunette felt his cheeks flush a little red as Jesse caught him looking again, but Jesse only grinned and shook his head, returning to his own menu. They seemed to be waiting for something—but Jesse had refused to really elaborate.
What had he said again?
'We're gonna go find those angels'—he said it with a little incredulity—'and try make sense of all this.'
'At a café?' Jaden recalled being sceptical.
'Well—they're obviously watching us. They found us at the movies—in the park. They'll come to us soon…so long as we're accessible. And we're definitely not accessible at school. Not to mention all those people are there.'
'Ahmmm…'
Well...so far, no angels. But had he really expected them to turn up in the first fifteen min—
'Jesse Andersen. Jaden Yuki.'
Wow.
The friendly(ish) Jim, and the surly O'Brien seated themselves at the table right next to Jesse and Jaden's. O'Brien sat on Jesse's side, Jim next to Jaden. The eye-patched man winked his good eye at the brunette and grinned good naturedly, 'glad you two have come to your senses.'
For angels these guys were pretty weird.
'Uhh—yeah,' Jaden was still a little dumbstruck that they'd managed to find them this quickly. Honestly he thought Jesse's plan was a little ridiculous…but there they were. Shows what I know!
'Sorry about err—trying to kill you—' O'Brien reluctantly apologised to the bluenette he sat next to. He added, 'we saw what happened last night.'
Jaden blushed.
Jim grinned, 'he meant with the necklace, mate. And if our hunch is correct, you're lucky to be alive mate,' the angel inclined his head towards Jesse, who didn't look too impressed with this revelation.
'And what exactly is your hunch?' Jesse asked, not unkindly, 'And what's really going on here? What's this got to do with me and Jaden? Why did you want to kill me? And—'
'Hold on,' O'Brien held up a hand, 'we can answer all your questions…but not here.'
'He's right,' Jim nodded sagely, 'it's not safe. By the way—where's the necklace now?'
'It's right here—' Jaden patted his jeans pocked. He'd retrieved it shortly before leaving Jesse's apartment. He'd taken the extra precaution of wrapping it in a heavy black cloth—just in case it tried to burn him or something.
'Good.' Jim said, 'Don't take it out…but keep it with you…alright?'
Jaden nodded, glancing at his everything. Jesse, for his part, was being remarkably civil to these other-worldly beings who, less than 12 hours ago, had very much wanted him dead.
'You said it wasn't safe to talk here… So where do we need to go?'
'Heaven, of course.'
Jaden found himself thinking, not for the first time, that it was remarkably confusing to live in a city called 'Heaven'—especially when you spent any amount of time hanging around angels and other supernatural beings…
Somehow, he doubted they were still talking about Heaven the city…
-
***
-
Jesse Andersen found himself drawing ever-closer to the brunette that so dominated his world as they walked. They made an odd foursome; Jim and O'Brien flanking them on either side like some ridiculous guard of honour. They'd been mysterious enough about their destination (their earthly one anyway—just how they were going to get to Heaven was a little unclear).
They had left the central part of Heaven and moved into one of the outer sections of the city. It looked industrial in nature, and was more than a little run-down in places.
'Is it much further?' Jesse felt Jaden's body give an involuntary shudder. His arm was wrapped tightly around the other boy's waste. He squeezed the brunette reassuringly, winning a smile from Jaden.
'No.' O'Brien, stoic as ever, answered from the left.
'There,' Jim added, pointing to a particularly derelict looking compound. The 2 metre high wire-mesh fence that ran around it on all sides was riddled with holes where it looked as though someone had forced entry.
The angels steered their charges through one of the larger gaps in the fence and into the compound. In the centre stood an old industrial warehouse, riddled with rust-holes, dents and other damage. All around the exterior were broken oil drums, large pieces of complex machinery and a number of rusted steel fittings and pipes. It had an air of neglect.
Jesse relaxed his grip on Jaden, suddenly he felt uneasy. Why had it, moments ago, seemed like a good idea to follow these two strangers into a rusted warehouse in a near-abandoned industrial sector? Now, the whole concept of angels seemed ridiculous. If it hadn't been for Jaden's resoluteness—and the fact that he had seemed so genuine when talking about his encounter with Destiny, then he might have dragged Jaden away right there and then.
'See that dumpster?'
The large skip, or dumpster was an open-topped container, about 5 metres long, 3 wide and 1 and a half high. It seemed to be rusted through like almost everything else, but was otherwise empty.
'That's where we're headed.'
Jesse took them at their word. It figured that the entrance to Heaven was hidden in a dumpster…
…well actually no…that didn't make any sense at all. But then—the last week hadn't really made sense so far—no reason for it to start doing so now.
'Jump in.'
They reached the dumpster. Jaden beat him to it, jumping up and into the container before he'd even braced his hands onto the rusty rim. O'Brien and Jim entered together on either side while Jesse followed, loudly thumping as he tossed himself over. As his feet hit the rusted metal, he heard a distinct command uttered in synch by both O'Brien and Jim, and then his feet were no longer standing on metal. They were no longer standing on anything…because he was flying into the air with his 3 companions at an incalculable speed. Before he had the time to think about panicing, a white nimbus of sparks had sprung up about their feet, and a bright flash of white forced his eyes closed. His last sight was one of Jaden, looking excited…and cute…definitely cute.
When his feet hit solid ground once more, he realised with a little thrill, that he was staring at Heaven…