Now, let's see…ohhhh yes. We left off at a cliffhanger…didn't we? Hehehe I bet I killed you guys on that one, huh? Okay, let's move along then, now shall we?
"Painful Reality"
"Wh-…what are you doing here?" Sora whispered fearfully, afraid of what could possibly happen.
She took a step back and now her lower back was pressed against the bottom of the window, almost causing her to fall out.
"What do you want??" Sora asked a bit more loudly, and perhaps a bit more threateningly.
Despite the questions he was asked, Dark Ace didn't speak one word. The only thing he did was continue to stare at the one he still loved, yet betrayed and left in the darkness for so long.
He didn't know what to say, he couldn't think what to speak. There was so much explaining to do, but none of it needed to be said, nothing that needed to come out of Dark Ace's mouth…because it was all right there, staring at Sora in the face…truth. And Dark Ace was there, staring at Sora along with truth, and she got it.
Reality slapped Sora in the face.
"…Tanner?…" she whimpered. "Oh my gosh…Tanner…is…is…is that you?"
Tears began to drip their way down her face.
"What…what's going on? I'm…I'm so confused! What…I…"
"Shhhh…."
Tanner put a finger against Sora's lips, then pulled her into a gentle embrace. She was stunned, he could tell. She was barely moving. She didn't even hug back, she didn't fight back. Sora just stood there in his arms, her breathing staggering.
She didn't know how to take it. Should she be happy? Should she be sad? Mad? Angry? He was back, practically from the dead in Sora's point of view, but…not exactly back as the Tanner she knew.
Finally, she couldn't hold in it anymore. Sora broke into more tears, and began sobbing. She threw her arms around Tanner's neck and buried her face into his shoulders.
Tanner put one arm around her back, and one hand on the back of her head.
This girl…she doesn't deserve a monster like me. She's been through so much…losing everything she knew, everyone, only left with her brother…and a skimmer and staff.
And to think that I caused it…I was the one who took everything away from her…
I've never should have met her…I've never should have included her in my mistakes…
Tanner picked Sora up, then sat down on the wooden floor of the room, and leaned against the bed, gazing outside the open window. He stroked the back of her head for many hours, until the stars began to fade away, and the sun began to peek over the horizon.
He cast a glance at her, only to see the back of her head. She stopped crying, so he figured after all this time, she must have gone to sleep. He gently lifted her head, and was somewhat relieved that he was right. Her eyes were closed, but tears still streamed down her face.
Tanner stood up with Sora, and caringly lay her back on her bed. He tucked her in, like he used to when he was only nine years old, and Sora was just five.
His hand rested on the small case that was strapped around his waist, the case he always carried around. He opened it, and took out a white crystal, and a note.
"I hope this helps...somehow..." he whispered.
But he knew that nothing could erase what he did, of what pain he caused. The scars he brought about, the scar he brought onto Sora, was permanant.
He lay the items on Sora's nightstand, next to the picture of the Storm Hawks.
Tanner looked at the picture, studying its story. His eyes moved over to the bottom middle, where Sora was on her knees, smiling happily, and Tanner right next to her, with Aerrow and his shoulders.
Those were the good days…
He took one more glance at Sora, then he left. Just as he came.