CHAPTER FOURTY-FOUR - ARRIVAL IN ROME, AARON'S DEPARTURE

Max tried several times to rouse Aaron from his brooding, and in the end gave up and put his headphones on his ears and hit play for him. soon after that, she found herself staring at Ami, who was silently sobbing in Jess's arms. Max sighed, and curled her knees to her chest and put rested her head on them. and the same thought that was in both Aaron and Ami's head passed through her own, "this is my fault."

the sullen mood of the three had permeated the entire plane, it seemed to freeze the very air all the way back to coach seating. the flight attendants had obviously forced smiles and even the cockpit was oddly quiet. in fact, the only person who was happy, was the reporter who already had an article rough draft written in his notebook.

even with the plane going at its top speed, it was still another two and a half hours before the announcement that they would soon begin the final approach and everyone was asked to take their seats and buckle up. Aaron barely registered it and wondered if it would be alright if he died becasue of some unexpected reason, they needed to make an emergency stop and plane's breaking would throw him across the cabin. countering his train of though, an attendant made him buckle up. somehow he knew that God would never let him take the easy way out, after all, he'd defied death twice now.

after an un eventful landing, Aaron found himself standing in front of a baggage carousel and watched his own luggage go past him twice without even caring. Andre grabbed it for him the next time it came around and set the two bags in front of him. "let's go Aaron."

"coach?" Aaron just stood looking at his bags

Andre was suprised, he couldn't remember a single time Aaron had called him that, "what is it?"

"why don't you all hate me?" he turned to face the rest of the team who had taken interest in the fact that he was talking now.

letting out a heavy sigh Andre put a hand on his forehead, "oh boy."

Aaron felt a sting of insult from his coach's reaction, "what? you know that everything bad that has happened since Takeshi's crash is my fault in one way or another."

"but!" Johnny answered back, "but, all of the good stuff is because of you too!" he shrank back, "... that came out wrong."

"its not your fault Aaron," Miss Satomi assured him, "its true that you have gotten caught up in some really sticky business, but its not your fault."

"yes it is!" in an out of character move, Aaron started crying in public. "i still don't know what i did to make Ami mad enough to break up with me! i've destroyed the team's morale right before the biggest event in history! I've broken Ami's heart right through this whole ordeal with Max! I- I- I..." he fell to his knees, in a voice barely above a whisper, "i caused the death of my family and killed a man myself..." he threw his head back and yelled as if asking God himself, "why has NOBODY brought up the fact that i murdered Jeff?"

"that was self-defense," Takeshi's voice was unsteady, "you were also protecting me."

"no..." he brought his face down to face Takeshi squarely, Ami hid behind Marco when she saw the same soulless look Aaron had during his catatonic state. "no it wasn't... you were there Takeshi, you know it wasn't an act of defense."

Takeshi knew it all too well, he shifted uncomfortably as he remembered Aaron recklessly charging after the incinuation of his family being attacked. not even flinching as he was shot twice, ripping the weapon from Jeff's hands and crushed his step-father's skull before shotting him twice after the fact. "Aaron... that was..." Takeshi couldn't form a cohesive sentance.

Aaron didn't wait for anything, he just dashed to the door, knocking people down as he did, not slowing for anything.

"Aaron!" everybody yelled, losing sight of him the moment he got out of the door. they tried to follow, but no matter where they looked as they scanned the area outside the terminal exit, they couldn't spot Aaron, he was gone. he was alone in a city he hardly knew anything about.