TITLE: Rise And Fall

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Phobia

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 1,097.

PAIRINGS: Suggested Pura/Blue Wing

SUMMARY: Blue Wing works up the courage to ask Pura out on a flight, but Pura has a hidden fear that might make her reject him.

Fall, baby, fall, just like the rain washes it all. If the tears will make you heal all that is real, all that is wrong. Let 'em fall, baby, fall. – Ryan Cabrera.

Blue Wing squared his shoulders and drew himself up to his full height as he stood in the dimly lit hallway. His optics were filled with determination to see this through, and he was not going to falter this time. This time, circumstances favored him and he had come prepared. As footsteps sounded down the hallway, he took in a few breaths of air to calm his systems. It was now or never.

"Pura, there you are," he said, as the young femme came into view. "I've been wai-looking for you."

"I'm here now." She smiled up at him. "What can I do for you."

"Uh… well…," Wing cleared his throat. "I was just thinking, that with Tracks injured, I don't have a partner for aerial combat at the moment. So I figured that maybe, y'know…."

"It's a good idea Wing," she said. "I like it. It'll take the strain off Tracks for a while. I'll go tell Blaster he'll be your partner till Tracks heals."

"Yeah… huh! Wait! Pura." He reached out and caught her arm. "I wasn't talking about Blaster. I meant you… be my partner… uh, flying partner."

"Oh…. Thanks for the offer Wing, but…"

"You're a better shot than him."

Pura grinned. "I wont tell Blaster you said that."

"Seriously, Pura, you cant expect Blaster to do all his communication jamming and stuff while engaged in combat. It would be doubling his workload and wouldn't be fair to him."

The femme glanced at his hand still wrapped around her upper arm. "You really want me to join you huh?"

"Yes," Wing replied a little too quickly. "I mean…" He let go of her. "It would be nice if you did."

She smiled wryly. "Did you know that I have a slight phobia of falling?"

Wing blinked. "No, I did not. Pura, I uh… I don't want to force you…."

Pura shook her head. "I understand what you're saying Wing. We have an advantage in what we do, and we shouldn't give that up. I shouldn't compromise the overall welfare of the team, its just…. I'm afraid I'll fall and…."

The blue mech gently placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the optics. "I will never, ever, let you fall, Pura."

A moment passed, during which they stood like that, looking into each others' optics as if searching for words not yet spoken. Then Pura broke contact, looking just the slightest bit sheepish.

"Well, um… guess we should go out there and uh… get some practice together huh? Uh… flying practice that is," she said. "Or at least I should."

Wing released her. "I'll help you as much as I can."

"I must be crazy," Pura said as she knelt on the flier's wings as he hovered well above the ground.

"Pura, relax. Let your equilibrium regulators do their job," Wing advised her. "Just don't look down."

"Easy for you to say, you're used to this." Her hands clutched the edges of his wings. "And I'll have to look down to shoot when we're in combat."

"Don't think about falling think about staying on my back. You can beat this Pura."

"There was a reason I was made to be a ground-crawler," Pura grumbled as she relaxed her death-grip on his wings and tried to straighten up. "Alright, now what?"

"Now I'm going to start moving," Wing said. "So just hold on and I'll get you used to this in no time."

… He made the flight as gentle as he possibly could for her, smoothing out all his banks and turns to the best of his ability, just so that she wouldn't feel like she was going to fall.

"You're good at this," she said softly.

Wing smiled to himself. "I've been flying from the time I was sparked. I've had a lot of time to work on my technique." He glided into another turn. "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm good for now." She patted a wing. "I've got a very caring companion."

"I've… uh… I've always cared for you Pura. Flying or otherwise."

"So have I, Wing… for you."

… No one else, however, knew about their little training routine, so Lightwing was completely unaware of their presence as he came flying around the corner of an old building at full speed. To avoid a mid-air collision, Blue Wing instinctively swerved sharply, and the momentum of it threw Pura off his back….

Wing dove after her, transforming in mid-air and swooping under her to catch her safely and gently in his arms. Pura put her arms around his neck and clung to him, trembling, as he held her close.

"Whoa, its alright, I've got you."

He nuzzled her gently, not caring in the least that he was stepping over yet another leader-subordinate boundary. It didn't matter. He cared for her, and wanted to comfort her. She pulled back slightly and looked at him.

"I told you I would never let you fall," he said softly as he glided back down to the ground, where Lightwing was waiting. "Are you alright?"

"I am now," she said. "Thank you."

"No problem."

Lightwing ran over to them as soon as they touched the ground. "You both alright? I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were out here."

"It's not your fault, Lightwing, don't worry about it," Blue Wing said.

"No one else knows we're out here either," Pura added.

"Oh, okay." Lightwing looked keenly at the pair for a moment. "Guess I'll head down then."

"Maybe I should go with him," Wing said, as he set her down and stepped back. "I should find Blaster."

"Wait." Pura took a step towards him. "I uh…. Maybe we could try again? Tomorrow?"

"Are you sure?"

"I've gotta try and beat this fear somehow don't I?"

Wing took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Yes, you do, and I'll help you."

"Just… no falling next time."

"No promises," Wing chuckled.

Still holding her hand in his, he led her over to the entrance of the Underground; and Pura looked down at their clasped hands and smiled.

END.