AEAY II – Chapter Ten

Tawaya set the building alight and after helping her little human outside, they stood for a while and silently watched it begin to burn.

It was surprising, even to the Yautja, that the building burned so easily and so quickly. Looking to her side she watched as Jake's eyes lit with excitement; the flames had begun to lick and roar out of the floor windows and the doorway of the building.

Clutched in Jake's hand were the keys that the doctor had given him.

He adjusted his grip and they jingled enough to draw Tawaya's attention for a moment.

They shared a glance before a loud noise made them look back at the building; the flames had begun to mount and climb through the building towards the second floor and the roof.

Glass cracked and shattered loudly from the increasing heat.

Boards and sections of wall crashed as they fell succumbing to the growing fire burning and now engulfing everything that was inside.

The petrol had done its job of getting the fire going and now the building was feeding the flames everything they needed.

Jake looked on, watching the building with amazement.

'I was literally just in there…' he thought nervously.

He involuntarily laughed, 'I… I was going to die in there…'

Then his mouth began to smile.

'I was going… I was going to be murdered in there after being tortured…'

He nodded, though reality and his fearful imaginings were blending into uncertainty he continued to reassure himself; 'I know it… I just know that's what was going to happen…'

'But…'

He looked to his side.

Tawaya was standing beside him, the orange flames were reflecting in the visor of her expressionless mask, and the warm flickering irregular lighting exaggerated her wounds.

Her body looked painful.

Bandages were wrapped around her, small coverings were adhered to her glistening skin, and dried blood was caked on her forearms.

'She was a fucking mess…' Jake thought. But a pleasant memory came to him and dispelled the second hand pain he was feeling, he thought about the second time that he'd seen her and he smiled even more.

"You came…" he remarked out loud.

At the sound of his voice she turned and looked down at him.

"You came for me…" he repeated.

She nodded wordlessly, and her chest began moving just a bit faster.

From what he could see sweat was beading down her collar and towards her chest. Despite the fact she was made more intimidating in the night, despite her injured and dirty appearance, Jake felt… well.

He didn't really know what he felt.

But it was like a compulsion more than anything else he could identify it as.

He cleared his throat and did his best to clearly say her name, "Tawaya"

His voice had dropped in volume and he darted his eyes away from her mask nervously.

She took a step forwards and then tilted her own head away, like she had suddenly thought better of what she was about to do.

Jake noticed this movement and immediately looked back into the visor of her masked face.

His apprehension of her intimidating form, her injuries, everything, seemed to melt away, and he was instead looking at something- no… someone that he cared about.

As strange as it all was, he cared about her and he enjoyed every second they were spending together.

The young man decided to act; dropping the car keys he spread his arms out widely.

He closed the short distance between them and he wrapped his arms around her again.

She bent to catch the hug and she promptly wrapped her arms around him as she stood back up, easily lifting him off the ground as she intensely pressed him tightly against her.

He pressed his lips against the skin of her neck and began kissing her over and over.

"I missed you Little Jake…" She whispered.

Her voice was rough, like she didn't like speaking at the moment. Inside she was caught between feeling embarrassment at her words and the uncertainty over whether or not she had ruined the moment by talking.

Her tusks twitched in her mask and she pressed her eyes shut as she focused on the feeling of his breath against her skin, his weight in her arms, his hair against her, and his hands on her back.

…

Though she was so happy that he was alright, Tawaya couldn't help but wonder: 'How is he so well recovered?'

Like she affirmed, she was happy that he was alive, she was actually ecstatic, though she couldn't allow herself to really show it. Despite this she couldn't help but look at him with some level of genuine puzzlement.

'How is it he's…' Her eyes widened as she thought; 'When I got him to drink chemical cocktail!'

She rubbed her hands up and down his back.

'That… that is the only thing I could possibly think of!'

Her mind began racing as she began to recollect the moment.

It felt like so much longer ago, but it was only two days.

Though it was perverse she was glad she'd drugged him…

'If I hadn't… then…'

She tightened her grip.

"Ehhgh. T-Tawaya…" he groaned.

'I… won't let him go far from me again…'

She nodded and her shoulders shook as she kept her emotions down.

She pressed one hand below his shoulder blade while touching his hair and the back of his neck with the other.

'I… I'll never let you go Little Jake.'

Her mind raced as she tried to repeat what she had just mentally stated.

'What?' a voice within her shook, 'what are you saying!'

A strange flurry of emotions began to swirl inside her chest and her mind.

'He's a human… you're a Yautja!'

'He's so w-weak! A-and…'

Her mind started committing mental somersaults as it tried to keep an even keel.

'But… I… I can't bear to lose him again. I can't…'

She felt his hands on her tap slightly as she continued to press him closer.

"Tawaya…" he managed to croak out.

'I won't lose him again… and I will never hurt him, or let him be hurt-'

Interrupting her thoughts Jake spoke up as he coughed, "I c-can't breathe all too well… th-the stitches."

She immediately became aware of what she was doing; and despite her intentions her strength was killing him with kindness.

Clicking her tusks and sputtering in guilty embarrassment she quickly relaxed her grip.

'D-do I dare apologise?! I… I'm an idiot!'

She wanted to smack herself in the face for her stupidity but before her thoughts continued in overreaction his soft voice assuaged her stress.

"There…" he chuckled, "That's okay, but earlier you were kind of crushing me!"

She wordlessly nodded her head and gently held him.

He squeezed her and he spoke again, "Despite what just happened… I…"

He stopped, "heh, never mind."

They continued hugging for a few more moments before finally the embrace ended and Tawaya helped lower her human down, slowly of course.

His hands seemed to stay touching her skin for as long as possible, and everything about his body language indicated he did not want to leave her hold.

But he resigned. They had to get out of here.

He coughed and nodded as he finally left her arms.

"Okay…" he began.

Holding the shiny metal charms that the female human had given him Jake smiled, "Ever been in a car before?"

Tawaya shook her head; she'd watched humans and their vehicles before. She'd seen many different modes of transportation that the humans used but being so far from them and without much context she didn't know that they were called, 'car'.

"Which car we will be taking?" she asked quietly.

Jake continued to smile; "Well, do you…" he laughed and raised a hand to his mouth, "Do you think you'll even fit?"

He pointed to one of the human vehicles to their side.

The sedan looked normal but as Jake and Tawaya began walking towards it the human began laughing.

"I'll… I'll open the trunk for your…" he stopped as his voice climbed in pitch and broke in a flurry of giggles.

"For your head… Oh my god… You're going to have an uncomfortable ride!"

Tawaya grumbled and moved back to where they had been standing to pick up the plastic bin with the bad-blood's head and the other Yautja items.

'At least I'm not wearing an open ass dress…' she thought.

The lid of the trunk popped open after Jake pressed a button on the controller attached to the loud charm chain.

Tawaya walked to the storage compartment and lifted her box up and over the lip of the metal edge.

She looked at the non-moving lid with apprehension.

Jake had his hand on the driver's door handle and paused as he watched her continue standing motionless.

"Tawaya?" he asked, his voice had lost the laughter of earlier and was replaced instead with confusion.

She leaned around the trunk lid so he could see her and she pointed to the still open boot of the car.

"It's not closing?" she asked.

He smirked, "You… uh, you've got to you know… push it closed?" with his free hand he pantomimed the action.

"You know… just slam it."

With hesitation Tawaya lightly pushed the lid down with her right hand and went to walk to the left side, but as soon as her hand left the metal the lid immediately sprang back up.

She looked at Jake in embarrassment and tried pushing it again.

But the lid popped right back up.

'What?' she immediately thought, 'why is this contraption hindering me?!'

With both hands she pushed it down and held it for a second before going to walk again.

But as soon as her hands left the metal began to move back up.

Groaning loudly in frustration Tawaya put both her hands back on the lid and looked at Jake who was doing everything he could not to laugh at her.

"Try slamming it." he finally managed out.

Tawaya looked back at the metal lid and roared as she brought it crashing down and through the locking bottom.

The lid's edge crumpled and the metal bent around until it was lodged into the housing below.

Jake continued to hold back his laughter as he opened his door.

"T-that… works…"

As he sat into the car he continued to quietly snigger and giggle.

Walking around to the left side of the car Tawaya now viewed the vessel with both embarrassment and frustrated resentment.

Jake started the engine and moved in his seat with excitement.

Tawaya took hold of the passenger door handle and opened it.

She looked at the cockpit and immediately stopped her forward motion.

"Little Jake?" she asked.

He nodded and leaned over the middle console of the vehicle, "it's okay! Press that button on the door there, it'll move the seat back and maybe give you enough room…"

He laughed again, "Oh man… I'm so sorry… this seemed like such a better idea in my head!"

Tawaya looked mutely at the boy before complying with his suggestion.

The seat groaned as it moved backwards and when it stopped Jake nodded again.

"That's as far as it'll go… but uh. Hang on."

He reached his arm to the side of the chair and pulled a leaver. Giving the small brown handle a few pumping motions the angle of the seat's back moved and it eventually resembled something that Tawaya might have been able to sit in.

She grumbled and growled.

Jake moved from his lean and looked up at her playfully, "Come on… unless you want to walk?"

He raised his eyebrows, "though… I have no idea where I'd be going."

"Fine…" she eventually said lowly.

Crouching Tawaya began to enter into the cabin of the vessel.

'This reminds me of a racing pod it's so tight!'

She sat into the seat and it groaned under her weight. Lifting her legs she huffed and strained to fit them under the glovebox under the passenger airbag and when she stopped her loud movement she looked to her side to see the smirking face of her Little Jake.

"You… are you good?" he asked before giggling.

Pushing his shoulder with her left hand she playfully indulged him, "I am 'good'." Her voice was slightly sarcastic and Jake felt a slight jolt of excitement at the surprise.

He smiled and nodded as he put his hands onto the wheel and prepared to change gears.

"Okay, okay, close the door and we'll be off."

The seating was so awkward that if she were to try and sit comfortably her head and neck would have to bend from the shortness of the roof, so rather than 'sitting' she was actually more like lounging in order to really fit.

After pulling the door closed she turned to nod at her Jake.

"Here we go…"

Putting the car in reverse he began a two point turn to get them out of the building's small parking lot.

But outside the car, over the noise of the engine and Tawaya's grumbling and shuffling, Jake swore he could hear sirens.

Slowly passing through the entrance of the chain link fence circling the lot he pushed the button on his door to lower his window.

"Tawaya do you hear that?" he asked uneasily.

She paused her movement and listened closely before nodding in agreement.

"Okay…" he thought aloud, "it must be fire truck or something- oh shit!"

Tawaya perked up, "What is it Little Jake?"

"What if it's cops too?! Fuck, fuck… we've got to go Tawaya!"

Turning down the first right hand street available Jake began increasing his speed to get them as far away from the blazing building as possible.

"Okay! So… bring up your like… iwatch-android thing on your wrist and GPS us a route out of here."

Tawaya furrowed her brow; though she understood English it was as if he'd just spoken gibberish. As she tried to process the information she blurted out, "What?"

Jake looked to his side and checked his mirrors uneasily as he continued, "I… I have no idea where we are Tawaya… and like… I've only got a 'learners' so…"

His chest moved up and down rapidly, he cringed and let out a laugh nervously.

"Whew… oh man I feel light headed."

Concerned Tawaya rose in her seat as much as was permissible.

Wiping his sweat-slick brow and positioning his hair out of his eyes Jake nodded, "I'll be okay… but… still I don't know where I'm driving and…"

His arm shook slightly, "I'll be honest this neighbourhood isn't looking too good… ha. I'm kinda freaking out Tawaya…"

She nodded, "Quiet Little Jake… It's okay… Slow our moving."

He gave a curt nod, "Got it…"

'Just keep watching your mirrors… thankfully it's late so there's not much traffic… you're fine you're fine… you didn't just light a building on fire…'

Under his breath he mumbled some of his thoughts aloud, but he knew that he had to remain cool.

'Just stay focused on the driving… we'll be fine…'

In her mask Tawaya began analysing the surroundings and she tried to plot a rudimentary route.

"Okay Jake… Where's your family?"

At first he heard the question and nodded. But then he titled his head.

"I…" he stole a glance off the road towards Tawaya.

"I don't know…"

He shuddered and then shook his head, "no, no… stop it!" he whispered.

Tawaya watched him at first uneasily.

His body was exuding emotion, he was losing his composure and she saw his hands nervously wring themselves on the steering wheel.

He was getting red in his cheeks and his brow and arms glistened with sweat.

But…

He kept it together.

"Okay… They were last at the hospital… or… no!"

His sudden 'no' made Tawaya pause and hold her breath in surprise.

"No!" he repeated, somewhat excited. "They would have gone back to the hotel!"

He smiled in excitement at his theory, "That's got to be it!"

Tawaya furrowed her brow and clicked her tusks, "And you're sure of this Little Jake?"

He pursed his lips, "Well… not completely sure but, sure enough!"

He coughed and rubbed his mouth, "And even if I'm wrong I'm sure that I could find at least one of them there!"

"Then… then we could…."

His eyes shot wide open.

"Tawaya!" he exclaimed.

She looked out her window, out the windshield, and then at Jake, she tensed her muscles and was completely confused, "What?!" she roared.

Reading a fist she tried to see whatever it was that made him yell.

"My phone! And all my shit! That would have been taken as evidence!"

He laughed as he slowed the car down.

"They took all the evidence and you put it all into that box!"

Tawaya relaxed and leaned back into her seat. 'Gods above… this human might just be the death of me…'

"I'll be able to call them!"

Bringing the car to a stop down an unlit street Jake opened his door and pointed that Tawaya was to follow.

He quietly yelped when his bare feet touched the cold asphalt but his excitement kept him going.

Tawaya was having a bit of trouble getting herself back out the small doorway of the car but eventually, to the sound of groaning metal, she was able to push herself up from her seat.

Jake came around and laughed when he saw the ruined trunk lid, "Uh, Tawaya I'm going to need your help to open this…"

She nodded as she came closer and with ease she wiggled her fingers under the lip of the bent lid to easily pry it back out of the crumpled metal.

Jake shuddered and then chuckled at the sight of the Yautja head which had moved around in the box as they drove around the last few corners.

It's eyes stared dully right at Jake and he grabbed the edge of the box to move it closer.

"Do you mind… moving your head?"

Tawaya gruffly chuckled as she took up her trophy and placed it down loosely into the trunk beside the evidence box.

Jake nodded in thanks and began his search.

The first layer of evidence bags and items had been smeared with blood from the heads' still wet stump, but after parting these Jake eyed something familiar.

In a see through plastic bag labeled with bright orange letters reading 'Evidencia' he could see black jean material.

"Perfect."

Bring the bag out he ripped it open easily and began searching the pockets of the pants.

'Damn… emptied…'

"Okay they're not in my pants… but while I put these on why don't you open some and see if you could find my stuff?"

Tawaya looked at Jake with a raised eyebrow before relenting.

"What… what am I looking for Little Jake?"

He looked around the street tensely before throwing the gown off over his head.

"My cell phone… wallet… it should be in a bag together…"

Looking down at his chest for the first time since coming to Jake saw a long stitched and somewhat bloody wound down the length of the left side of his chest.

"W-whoa… holy fuck…" he whispered.

He wanted to look at the gnarly gash more but he was literally nude and though it was just his jeans he wanted to be wearing at least something familiar.

Hopping on one foot Jake threw a leg into his black skinny jeans and hastily pulled them up.

Though she was kind of looking for what Jake asked her to Tawaya couldn't help but look over at her human's naked body. She cringed at first when she saw the stitched wounds that he now bore but her chest puffed with gratitude that he had survived them.

She nodded as she pulled more bags out of the box, 'He might even look good with those scars after they heal…'

Zipping his fly and shaking his legs out to get comfortable in his dirt and blood stained clothes Jake smiled.

"Okay! Much better now that my ass isn't hanging out for all to see!" he laughed and then leaned back over to help Tawaya as she sifted through the evidence bags.

"This one?" she asked.

Holding a bag up they could see that there was a phone through the plastic and Jake felt a rush of excitement.

"Maybe!"

Tawaya handed him the bag and he quickly ripped it open.

"Please still have battery… please!"

Picking the iPhone up Jake pressed the lock button and shut his eyes, hoping that it would still have some amount of power left.

When he opened them again his familiar lock-screen picture was there to greet him, and the corner battery display read twenty three percent.

"Yes!" he exclaimed.

"Tawaya! We're in it! We're in it!" he excitedly chanted while touching her left arm.

Unlocking the phone he brought up his contacts and immediately pressed call on his father's number.

"Okay..." he began.

"We'll…"

He looked at Tawaya and his excited expression began to fade.

"uh… I…"

His shoulders shook and a shiver came over his bare torso.

"It's not like I can just bring you home…"

"How… how"

The dial tone rung loudly in his ear and he moved the device away from his head.

Jake pressed his thumb to the glass and ended the call.

"Tawaya."

She nodded her head in affirmation.

"What are we going to do now?"

She had to admit it wasn't a strange question.

What would they do now?

She had saved him, and now they were out.

But; where to from here?

"Tawaya…" he said again.

Though this time she responded verbally, "What is it Little Jake"

"Well… I mean." He scoffed, "I'm fairly certain the family vacation is ruined."

Laughing he continued, "So, I mean what should we do? Where do I go?"

He rubbed his mouth and took a breath as he began to vocalise his thoughts, "Do I go back to the hospital? Do I go to the hotel? Like…"

He pointed at her, not accusatorily but enough to indicate her presence, "What about you?"

There was a noise in a dark alley across the street and Jake turned away hastily.

Tawaya lowered to a crouch, "we should be going Little Jake."

He looked back from the alley uneasily.

"B-but Tawaya…"

"I have a route Little Jake. You will be able to make any decisions later."

He furrowed his brow, "But… a route where?"

"Do you trust me Little Jake?"

The moment was tense, he felt like there was urgency upon him,

Here he was shirtless, shoeless, standing on a nameless street in an unknown town in a foreign country.

He had nearly died…

He was recently faced with very serious men in very serious situations.

He had guns put in his face…

His chest looked like it had been ripped open, and he was beginning to think that he should not have been able to be standing up or feeling as 'okay' as he was.

He stared at the strange female alien in front of him and he pondered the question genuinely.

'Do you trust this… this monstrous… murderous…'

'Jake!' His thoughts seemed to scream, 'You watched her kill people! Like… doesn't that… doesn't that bother you?'

Mentally he tried to really engage with it…

Though he was a young man, though he was only twenty, he had to admit he didn't really have the faculties to process what all had happened.

Or what was still happening…

'do you trust me?'

The words echoed in his mind and he began to hear his heartbeat.

The sound rang in his ears and his inner monologue continued with its' incessant annoying voice:

'Jake!' it cried petulantly, 'think about all of this insanity! Do you really… I mean… do you really…'

The voice began to grow fainter with each word.

And then?

His mind was clear.

He sighed.

A weight had been removed from his chest.

Tawaya's voice came through along with the memory of the time on their beach together; 'I shall make you strong Little Jake…'

'Had she?' he asked himself.

He closed his eyes for a moment and the cold damp asphalt seemed to no longer bother him.

The itchy, uncomfortable, pulling and radiating pain along his chest felt like a scratch…

The cool wind on his exposed torso didn't chill him, even though with his low weight and lack of body fat it should have.

The bloody and visceral rescue he had just gone through… None of it really bothered him.

Then he thought about his worry over the driving… he wanted to cringe in embarrassment.

The cops? He wanted to laugh at himself. 'Jesus Jake… don't be such a faggot…'

What did he really have to worry about? So what if he took a wrong turn… So what if anything?

The noise in his ears dissipated and he could once again hear the distant sirens, the steam from apartment buildings, the hum of the traffic lights the street over, the chirping of crickets and other nocturnal bugs and creatures, the dripping of nearby pipes, the running of water in the sewer below the street…

The loud, but calm, breathing of Tawaya…

In his chest, in his tight and worry ridden heart he finally felt his answer.

Jake looked up into Tawaya's mask and he nodded.

"I trust you."

He said it the same way that he had said it to his exes before.

He said it with wholehearted conviction and honesty, because in his mind, in that moment, and forever, he believed it.

'I trust you…'

She curtly nodded and indicated they were to remount and continue on their journey.

He smiled slightly and Tawaya slammed the trunk shut again.

He got back into the driver's seat and closed his door.

She groaned and noisily got into her seat.

"So… Where to?"

She began a purr and pointed straight ahead.

"We go down this for a few more… measures… then we will turn this way."

She moved her hand closer to him and he nodded; "Left?"

She repeated the word, "Left. Yes."

He began revving the engine and directing the car down the road.

"Then what?"

She began taking off her mask and Jake smiled while stirring with excitement.

Once her head was free she immediately looked at him with her bare eyes.

Her cheeks raised and the corners of her eyes crinkled as she offered a Yautja smile.

"Then we will bring you back to your family."

Jake nodded.

He had not resigned himself, but he had mentally given himself over to Tawaya's command utterly and completely.

He knew that he would do anything she asked of him.

He was not going to let her down… not now, and in his mind he vowed; 'not ever…'

This being said he felt some confusion as to the deliverance of him back to his family, and this was from his apprehension over whether or not he'd see her again.

This anxiety of his came through his thoughts and began to show on his face.

"Fear not Little Jake…"

He raised an eyebrow and looked over at the lounging Yautja.

"Oh yeah?" he asked before a nervous chuckle.

She nodded, "Yes… I know what it is you fear."

He wordlessly nodded and kept his eyes on the road as he made the left turn.

"I will always be with you."

She moved some of the adornments on her wrist and indicated his rubber band-merch bracelet.

"And you will always be with me…"

He chuckled, "I can't believe you have that still… I…" he stopped.

"I wish I had of gotten you something, ehhh, a little nicer."

She shook her head and lay down in the seat, relaxing her tired and sore body.

"It is a greater gift than I could have hoped for…"

His voice became low and he nervously asked; "Really?"

She nodded.

"Keep on this straight until I tell you…"

Quietly he agreed, "Okay."

He wasn't used to driving, as he jokingly had mentioned he'd only recently gotten his learners. And the few times that he had driven it was with his friends, and it wasn't to do anything entirely legal. But even then he was the guy giving the directions.

He didn't like the responsibility of having to ferry his drunk, high, and loud friends.

But being the navigator was a cool role; it had some responsibility, but lower risk, it was also important and helped make or break a night out.

Even though he wasn't used to the uncertainty of driving down city streets and the strange world that night seemed to turn everything into, he was…

He was okay.

There wasn't a whole lot of stress, and the apprehension he was previously feeling about the near future was, well…

It wasn't as much of an issue really.

He repeated his words from earlier and nodded with confidence; "I trust you Tawaya."

She didn't growl, but it wasn't a purr either.

It was like a guttural, 'humph' and it was positive.

Nonverbal but he knew exactly what she meant.

A few silent moments of driving passed and he smiled.

"So…" he asked.

"I don't imagine you'll want to meet my parents' right?"

Tawaya loudly roared with laughter.

She smacked his shoulder and spread her mandibles widely.

"I think that's a pleasure we can avoid Little Jake…"

Her laughter quieted and she indicated he was to turn right.

"Don't fear Little Jake… As I said"

He nodded and interrupted, "I trust you."

He smiled and took his right hand off the wheel.

Tawaya's left arm was resting along the centre console and her hand sat motionless in Jake's peripheral view.

She watched him with fascination and she allowed him to move her arm.

Jake wrapped his small fingers around her comparatively large hand and squeezed it affectionately.

She had to admit that she wasn't used to such softness.

He tightly held her hand and she closed hers in response.

'Though… such softness.' She moved her arm and looked at the small hand she was now holding.

The human's pale colour contrasted severely with her dark and spotted skin.

'I don't know how to say how I feel…'

She almost snorted, 'What a strange range of colours these humans have… they almost never seem suited to their environment…'

'But they're exotic nonetheless…' She shook her head in disbelief, 'Never thought I'd be one to become xenophilic.'

She looked away from their hands and towards her human, she grunted in affirmation, 'her human.'

"Well Tawaya," Jake announced "Despite everything…"

He looked over at her from the road.

"I'm kind of glad we came on this vacation."

She furrowed her brow.

"Vacation? What is this Little Jake?"

"Oh… uh. A trip, ideally it's supposed to be a 'fun' trip…"

She nodded.

"At first I really, and I mean really, didn't want to come on it. But…"

He squeezed her hand.

"I'm glad I did…"

She purred in response.

"As am I Little Jake…"

…

Author's afterword:

Thank you all for your support, favourites, bookmarks, kudos, alerts, subscriptions, comments, and all. It means a hell of a lot to me that my small story has taken off on such a life of its' own.

While the serious 'story' I'd like to have told about 'a boy and his alien' is pretty much finished I may be adding some scenes after this. That's a big 'maybe' though. However I am glad actually I didn't kill Jake (as I had originally wanted to… ha don't mind me).

But for me the story is kind of finished, emotionally speaking at least, and by that I mean if we were to go back to our high-school English classes for analysis, the two major characters' arcs are done; Tawaya and Jake have developed and affirmed without saying it what they both think of their relationship, and so on. There are some loose ends, but I leave their resolution to you dear reader.

Though I won't bore you with my own analysis of my own work, I do feel as if I have told want I wanted to tell.

That all being said if there remain any questions, or if anyone has a particular scenario request to see T&J react to or deal with don't hesitate to let me know.

I know I'm repeating myself here but, once again, thank you all so very much for your time and attention.

More works to come and as always;

Lots of love,

VV