Jake spun his back on Rose, only thinking after that she could have used it against him. But, he had seen the mask, he'd seen the spear, and he'd seen the Huntsmark and he still didn't believe that Rose could do any of that. He looked to the sky, aware of the body of the Dark Dragon. He was thinking of the Dragon Council and how any of them could be about to descend – and he knew that there was no way that he could keep Rose safe in that kind of situation. He was about to tell her to run when he saw a sliver of blue tail dipping below the clouds. He didn't know what Gramps would do, not for sure, but they were safer in the hands of Gramps than anyone in the Council.

"It's okay," Jake said, "he's on our side."

"He's a dragon!" Rose snapped. "None of them are ever going to be on my side."

Jake looked over his shoulder, meeting her eyes. "I am. I still am. No matter what."

Rose didn't look confident at his words and she gripped her spear tighter. Jake could see in the way that her legs tensed that she was getting ready to run.

Gramps touched down, swinging his large head to look at the Dark Dragon and then focusing on Jake. "You – Huntsclan member! Behind you!"

Gramps' voice grew hysterical and he looked about to lunge. Jake positioned himself in front of Rose and Gramps froze, looking at him in surprise.

"She's the one that killed him," Jake said, "she protected me from him. I've been with her all summer because she's been on the run from the Clan. Don't hurt her – she just wants to go on her way."

"Are you confident of that?"

"Yes."

Jake stood taller, trying to be the dragon that he'd felt like he was before he'd run away this summer. He leant into the feeling that Rose had shown him this summer, how to be himself in his entirety.

"Then, I suggest you run. The Huntsmaster is not long behind me. Be warned," Gramps leant around Jake to look Rose in the eye, "I won't be lenient if we ever meet again."

"I'd expect nothing less," she said.

Rose compressed her spear and turned away. She didn't so much glance back at Jake as she walked toward their car. No. Her car. Now that Gramps was here, Jake knew that he wouldn't be allowed to run with her. He knew that he was going to have to go back to New York. His endless summer had ground to a halt and his grandfather appearing now was the sign that he knew he'd been waiting for that it was time to turn around and face what he had left behind.

"Gramps," Jake said, "I have to say goodbye."

"You'll be returning with me?"

Gramps sounded old. No longer the commanding patriarch that Jake had grown up with, Gramps sounded tired and worn. The fact that it was a question verged on breaking Jake's heart. He knew what he had left Gramps to face when he had run from his duties but to see the toll that it had taken on him made Jake weak with guilt. He couldn't run again.

"I will. But I need to say goodbye."

Jake took off after Rose. She slowed as he approached. They walked in silence to the car as Jake fished for something to say. He wanted to talk about how ironic it was that it was her car that he had gotten into. He wanted to joke with her about how unobservant they both were, sleeping with their arch enemies and never having a clue. His stupid jokes could usually make Rose smile but Jake had a feeling that this time would have been an exception.

She paused by the open trunk. "You should get your bags."

"Rose, I … I wish this wasn't a choice that I had to make." Jake placed his hand against her forearm, running his thumb along the dragon birth mark and the scars that crossed it.

"But you understand why I can never return to New York." Rose didn't look at him, just staring into the depths of the car trunk. "They'd be all over me in a second and I would be taken back to them. I'm their property. And if Master is on his way, I have to go now because he'll take me."

"Rose –"

She looked up at him then, her blue eyes filled with tears. "You have to let me go. You have a life and responsibilities at home and people who miss you. You know that's where you belong."

Jake knew that she was right but he wanted to protest. He, or at least a piece of him, would always belong with her on the open road, the wind in their hair, the radio station he'd managed to find shaking their car.

"It doesn't mean that I wouldn't keep going with you if I could. It doesn't mean that this summer didn't mean a lot to me. I was running away and you saved me."

Rose smiled ruefully. "The Huntsgirl saving the American Dragon? It goes against our natures."

"But it happened."

The morning breeze whipped around them, the clouds growing dark overhead. There would be no breakfast on the road. He wasn't going to get to Seattle with her or see the Nirvana museum.

"I should get going. I've seen the Chinese Dragon in battle before and he's never seemed patient."

"He's my grandfather," Jake said, "and you're right about that but Rose …"

She let him trail off and dwell in his silence for a few moments before her chin jutted out in a stubborn way. "But Rose what?"

There were so many things that he wanted to say to her and he hadn't thought about time running out, especially not like this.

"Sit with me in the car for a second."

Rose slid into the driver's seat and Jake sat in the passenger's, thinking about how he was never going to do this again. This seat that he was sure had taken the shape of his butt.

"I don't want you to stop listening to music," Jake said. "Go to the Nirvana exhibit for me. I wish we had more time to talk about the Huntsgirl and the American Dragon but I don't think we're going to have time for that."

"If the Master is coming, I have to go," Rose said. "And this is goodbye."

The last thing that Jake wanted was for that to be true. He popped open the glove compartment, yanking out a takeout menu from somewhere near Dallas and a pen, scribbling down his address and cellphone number.

Rose took it skeptically. "I'm never going back –"

"I know," Jake said, "but just in case. In case you change your mind or need anything or just want to talk because I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too."

"And I love you."

Rose kissed him then and Jake could feel in her every bit of the separation pain that she was feeling. It fed into his own agony but he could have stayed in the bubble of their little car together. Once the kiss ended, once he closed the door of the car, she was gone forever and there would be no going back. No matter what he wanted or what could have, should have been.

"Goodbye Jake."

"Goodbye Rose."

Jake felt like he could barely move but he knew that if the Huntsmaster was coming, he had to protect her. He knew that she wasn't the villain that had pillaged the streets of New York. He stepped back from the car and slammed the door shut. Rose turned the key and the engine came to life. Even though the sky threatened rain, she put the top down and rolled down the windows. She reached over and turned on the radio. She gave him a last wave and then was gone.

She was completely gone.

Jake stared after her until the car was well out of sight. As the last image of her disappeared, he wished that he had known the song that had come over the speakers, so that he could play it again and again.

"Jake."

Jake didn't look down, even as Fu's paw rested against his leg.

"It'll be okay in time."

Jake didn't know if he believed that. He would grow, sure, and find other things, he knew that. But would this kind of separation ever sit right with him? Would finding out her true identity and then losing her forever ever be something that he would be able to sit comfortably with? If he had known from the beginning, he might have been able to save her, protect her, keep her with him. Rose was not the kind of woman that he would get over in a hurry and she still felt so real to him that he fully believed that should he turn around, her would see her tall willowy frame next to him, instead of Fu.

"I called a cab. The Dark Dragon's body is already begin transported to the Council. Gramps has tickets booked on a flight that leaves in three hours."

Jake nodded and picked up his backpack from where it had been left on the pavement. Gramps would be taking the reins until they got home. Then, he would be expected to step back into his role and play the hero. The hero that, really, Rose had given him the strength to be again. There was life after pain.

He fished into the depths of his bag and pulled out his cellphone. He hadn't turned it on in months and it was amazing how quickly he had adjusted to not checking for texts and social media updates. He had missed it for music and he had missed it for maps. Well, in the beginning he had missed it for maps, until he had gotten caught up in the beauty of it all.

When he turned it on, the vibrations were incessant. The number of texts were so overwhelming that Jake knew it would take him a good while to sit and read all of them, though he knew that he would. He had left pain behind when he'd run and part of being a hero was facing up to the consequences of his actions. His voicemail was full. He knew that he had to text Trixie and Spud and let them know that he was on his way home. There were things that had happened that he would only want to share with his best friends but those were things he would want to tell them in person. He knew that there were a great many things that he owed people but when he was given the chance, he knew that there was one person above all that he needed to talk to.

"Jake? Is that really you!?"

"Hey, Mom," Jake said, "yeah, it's me. I'm with Gramps. I wanted you to know that I'm okay and that we're flying home soon. By plane. I'm in Washington."

"Jake, honey, how did you end up all the way over there?"

"I'll tell you when I get home, I promise. And I'll be there soon and I promise I'll stay."

"I love you and I'm so glad you're safe. Have you been safe this whole time?"

"Yes, Mom, I've been in the best hands."

Susan talked and Jake just let the sound of her voice wash over him as Fu led him to Gramps and the waiting cab.

(-.-)

The Huntsmaster muttered angrily under his breath as he skulked the shadows of a northwest town. He had lost her. He had been on her trail, had even thought that he had seen her once, and then he had lost her! He wanted to tear at himself in pure rage – no, he wanted to tear at her. The Huntsgirl was not allowed to leave him. She was his and how could he rest until she was back in his grasp? He had hunted carefully, he had hunted well. He had to find her soon. She couldn't have gotten far. Even if she had, he'd find her.

His cell phone rang and he yanked it out his pocket.

"What?"

"The American Dragon and the Chinese Dragon are back," tittered Thirty-One, clearly too nervous to be dealing with him directly. "We … We need you to come back, Sir."

"I'm on a mission."

"If they have stolen the Huntsgirl, she should be here, with them. Or … she's nowhere to find."

The Huntsmaster ground his back teeth together.

"Please, Sir, we're being hunted."

The Huntsmaster stood, torn, as the smell of the Pacific Ocean was carried to him on the breeze. He was torn, between his personal desires and his duties as a leader. It was the first time that it had ever happened to him. He was the Clan; everything he did was for them. But, in return, they had always been him and they had always done everything for him. He had never had one of them leave him and spit in his face as they went.

He swallowed hard, decision made. "I will be back in New York the moment I am able."

He would go back to his city and his people, he would do all he could, but the hunt for the Huntsgirl wasn't over. It would never be over until he had her back in his possession.

Let me know what you thought of the chapter, stay safe out there and don't forget that you can find me on tumblr: we - are - all - of - legend - now!

~TLL~