CHAPTER 36

AN: Here it is, boys and girls. The big finale—although it's really quite short. Just one more chapter after this: the epilogue. I'll save the closing speech for then. Enjoy 36!

Iggy's POV

I didn't have to see to know that this was all over, and that Dory had done it. Even with all the horrors of her childhood hanging over her head, even with all the hate she held toward her father, even when just looking at the place made her want to dissipate, she somehow managed to come in and free Max, Fang, Angel and Gabriel, and bomb the lab, saving the day.

You can't help but envy a girl like that.

"Iggy!" I heard her cry just after Max took off.

"Dory!" I stumbled toward her voice over the wreckage, and we collided in an awkward embrace.

"Dude, what is up with your wing?" She said in a weak voice. I grinned.

"Ah, you know, it's just titanium. No big deal." She laughed softly.

"No big deal," she repeated skeptically. I nodded.

"Now, I hate to break the mood, but…we have to…"

"I know," Dory mumbled. "Take me up."

I scooped her into my arms, hunched over to protect her from debris, and burst through the ceiling.

"Over here," Max called, right above me. I angled myself vertically and shot up, keeping a tight hold on my girlfriend.

"Fedora," Jamison crooned, his voice thick and droopy.

"I hate you," she snapped back, suddenly strong. My heart squeezed; she was just so tough.

"I was going to spare him, though," he argued. My blood boiled. "I gave him a choice."

"Yeah, well you didn't give my mother a choice. You didn't give Lupe a choice. And, you know, all through my childhood, you didn't even give me a choice."

"Dory, you must know that sacrifices must be made—for science."

"Sacrifices? Is that what you call it these days? Is that how you justify it? Listen, Batchelder—you kill for pleasure. You killed my mom and my best friend not for science, but because you're an insane, twisted psychopath. There is no sacrifice involved in the process. You're just. Plain. Evil."

"But, I love you." Dory was quiet for a minute, and I tightened my on her, letting her know I was there for her. The only sound I could hear was my and Max's wings, flapping in accord. We were high enough up that you couldn't hear the birds, or the chaos below. It was just the four of us, quiet as you please.

"That's no excuse," she finally said. Her voice came out strangled, like one of those Brutes was sitting on her chest. I couldn't imagine how hard this must be for her. "Max, drop him."

"You sure?"

"No! Don't!" Jamison cried. "Things need to be done still! This can't—"

"I'm sure."

And like that, he was gone.

Dory twisted around so that her head was against my chest. She shivered and trembled, clinging to me so tightly I was sure I'd have bruises on my back. Jamison's inhuman screams got quieter and quieter until I could no longer hear them.

I had to be thankful, momentarily, for Dory being deaf.

"I'll go clean up," Max whispered, careful not to mention Jamison. She would probably go find the body, but I'm not sure what would come next. A funeral? Who would come?

I nodded, and Max took off.

I held Dory close to me, taking in again how tiny she was. Small, but not delicate. She was strong, tough, brave. She was everything. She was mine.

We could have stayed up there, bobbing softly in the sky, forever. In fact, we probably did. Just Dory and me, alone in the clouds, together. Day would fade to night, and eventually my wings would be too sore to hold us any longer. But for now, we could just sit in comfortable silence, in a tight embrace, until nothing else mattered anymore.

AN: Sorry that it's really short, it just seemed like the right place to end. I'm going to try to have the epilogue up by tomorrow—my birthday! I feel like it would be good timing (: