Hey you guys.

Thanks for the reviews!

So next chapter is uhm... kinda mushy and super sweet and romantic and stuff.
But I wanted to picture how important Harley was, and still is, for Vinnie.
Just so you know, almost the whole chapter is built up in loose fragments of flashbacks from Vinnie's POV.

Anyway, I'll just let you guys read it.
Enjoy! ^^

Chapter 11

Once upon a time…

Vinnie cursed under his breath while looking at the wound on his leg.
That fucking fish had him good, alright.
The laser had burned through his pants and fur, oh, and his flesh.
His nose wrinkled when he saw the bloody, black mess that was left behind.
"You okay, Vinnie?", Modo asked as he joined him.
"You should see the other guy", the white furred mouse grumbled, cranky like an old man. "But yeah, I'm fine. It's just a little battle tattoo."
"It looks a little bit worse than that, bro...", Throttle said hesitantly as he lowered his glasses and studied the wound. "Maybe you should let someone look at it."
"Ugh man, come on. I'm fine."
And Vinnie wrapped one of his old bandanas around his leg, clenching his teeth in pain because he wasn't that okay as he claimed to be.
Modo and Throttle shared a look, but then they shrugged.
It wasn't their problem that Vinnie declined medical help because his ego couldn't bear it.
"Well rookies, we won this round. And you know what that means...", Stoker interfered, a smile as big as the Chesire Cat.
"Party, party, party!", they all yelled in unison.

That night, the Freedom Fighters gathered in their secret hideout, a cave dug out in stone under the Holy Chapel, to celebrate their victory against the Plutarkians.
The guys were sitting in together with some other buddies of them, talking loud with each other.
"Ah man, come on! Everybody knows that Earth ain't flat!", Vinnie called out, waving wildly with his drink. "That's the weirdest thing I ever heard."
"Yeah? You ever been there, wise guy?", a black furred mouse named James retorted.
"Well, no, but this is general knowledge, dude."
"Since when do you have general knowledge?"
"Hey! I'm not just pretty, ya know. I know things", Vinnie called out outraged while jumping on his feet.
"Really? How so? The mirror whispers these kinda facts in your ear while you're adoring yourself?", James teased, but before he could blink, Vinnie jumped on him and they fell on the floor.
"Here we go again...", Modo sighed while shaking his head, looking at the two fighting mice.
"Well, took him at least five minutes. That's gotta be a new record", Throttle chuckled.
Modo laughed and the two friends toasted.
"Cheers to that."

James and Vinnie were rolling through the cave, fighting like two alphas who were trying to claim territory.
As they did almost every time they were in the same room.
Simply because James loved to provoke and the young mouse always took the bait.
Vinnie finally managed to get on top of James and howled triumphantly.
"Vinnie the invincible, the baddest mamma jammer from this side of the asteroid belt, the Velocity Atrocity takes another victory!"
"VINCENT!"

Uh oh...

The white furred mouse looked up and saw Stoker marching towards him.
"Daddy calls", James chuckled as he used this moment to punch Vinnie at the right side of his jaw, making the young mouse land on the floor next to him.
"Foul! I was distracted, no fair, man!", Vinnie protested as he climbed back on his feet, ready for another round, but Stoker stopped him by grabbing his arm.
"Enough. Why is it that every goddamn party we have, meaning; the one night we don't have to fight, you end up fighting?", the leader of the resistance asked annoyed while pushing the young and rebelling mouse back to his seat.
"He started, I...", but Stoker smacked him against the back of his head.
"That was a rhetorical question, punk. Add that one to your general knowledge. Now sit down and try to behave, for once in your goddamn life."
Vinne pulled a face as he dropped back on his seat and when Stoker was standing with his back towards him, he stuck out his tongue.
Then, he leaned back in his chair as he folded his arms.
"I swear, if he hadn't shown up, I would've won...", he grumbled to one in specific.
"No doubt about that", James chuckled while giving Vinnie a new drink as a peace offer.
The white furred mouse glared at him but then accepted the drink.
James elbowed him and they toasted.
"See this as a lesson, boy. Never let your guard down, especially not to brag", he then said.
Vinnie almost choked in his drink, but before he could react, James clapped him on the back and walked to another table, shaking his head in amusement.
"When are you gonna give up on this whole idea that you need to win a fight from James?", Throttle asked as his deep green eyes glanced at his younger bro.
Who, again, almost choked in his drink.
"Give up? GIVE UP? This mouse never gives up!"
"Maybe you should give it a try. As my old gray furred momma used to say; never back down from an opportunity to try something new", Modo added innocently.
"Besides, the guy is like a tank. He's gonna break you in half one day."
Vinnie was about to say something when his eyes caught a female mouse who entered the cave.
His mouth fell open as a jolt of electricity went through his body.
She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.
Her fur light brown, shining in the soft light.
Her body was slender but muscular.
And her eyes... When he saw her eyes, he felt his heart skip a few beats.
Blue as the ocean.
On Earth, that is, since Mars had no oceans...
...general knowledge...
Details.

Jesus.

"Mars to Vinnie. Mars to Vinnie."
Throttle's soft and husky voice broke him out of his trance.
Well, sort of.
Vinnie grabbed Throttle's arm in an iron grip, still staring at the female who was now sitting at a table close by the entrance.
"Jesus, Throttle, who is she?", he demanded.
Throttle and Modo followed his gaze.
"Oh, that's the new mechanic slash nurse. Stoker found her a few days ago", the tan furred mouse explained when he recognized the girl.
"Poor girl was wandering through the desert, all alone...", Modo added.
Then, they both looked at Vinnie and Throttle narrowed his eyes.
"You gotta stop drooling, Vin. Word on the street is that Stoker got a thing for her..."
But Vinnie couldn't turn away his gaze, even if he wanted to.
He was completely mesmerized.

Ever since that day the war took away his parents and sister, he was lost.
Wandering alone in this strange world, completely clueless about who he was.
He thought he knew.
But from the moment he was forced to walk alone, he realized he knew nothing.
The emotions, that whirled inside him like a storm, carefully locked behind a dam, because he had no idea how to handle them.
He rather felt nothing.
Searching for a way to survive in the shambles of war.
But he found it now.
He could tell that by only looking into her eyes, even if it was nothing more than a split second.
Because in that short moment, he could feel.
For the first time since a long time, he felt something again.

This whole war was crazy, beyond crazy.
Everything was shattered into a thousand pieces.
Nothing made any sense anymore.
But she did.
She was real.
And he believed, he truly believed, she was gonna save him.
She was gonna give him back a world he once knew.
But along with that realization, fear came.
He was scared.
Scared to approach her.
Scared that this feeling, this dream, was gonna shatter.
Just like everything else.

He never believed in it, before this.
Ya know, love at first sight.
It sounded like a fairytale.
A thing he also didn't believe in.
Not anymore.
Not after his mom died in his arms, the brutally mutilated body of his father lying next to them.
Not after losing everything that made sense.
So, he remained on his seat and with reluctance, he turned his gaze the other way.
A drink.
He needed a drink.

At the end of the night, Vinnie had about three too many.
Because of the war, these nights full with celebrations were rare and therefore his body wasn't used to the large quantities Duende he'd consumed.
The juice of this plant was also rare, same as victories and since Vinnie wasn't one known for having much self-control, he was now hanging listlessly in a chair, fiddling with the wound on his leg.
Thanks to the dulling effect of the Duende, the pain was gone and he was now able to touch it without jumping at the ceiling or throwing up.
Or both...
"That doesn't look good", a soft voice said close to his ear.
He looked up, a little dazed.
There she was.
Up close even more beautiful.
The girl he had seen earlier this evening.
She was standing next to him, a friendly look on her face.
Her eyes
Like an angel…

He realized she was waiting for him to say something.
"Ah, it's nothing, sweetheart. Part of being a badass soldier", he mumbled, his voice devoid of his usual vice.
"Maybe. Is being stubborn and refusing medical treatment a part of that too?", she asked amusedly, already grabbing her bag.
"I ain't stubborn, it's just… I… Well… You see… I…", Vinnie stuttered, suddenly completely loss at words.
He felt like that sixteen-year-old teenager again, the one he was before the war took away pieces of his soul.
And after living behind a mask for so long, he felt butt naked without it.
The girl shook her head with a small smile on her face and kneeled down next to him.
"Smooth talker you are."
She grabbed some gauze pads and started to clean the wound.
Vinnie breathed in sharply, all of a sudden capable of feeling pain again.
"Autsj!"

One of the many downsides of Duende; it didn't work long.
While cleaning, she glanced up at him from under her lashes.
"Just be glad they didn't nick that pretty face of yours…"
The pain forgotten, he stared into her eyes.
By the love of Eguzkia, those eyes...
"Pretty, 'ey?", he mumbled, a faint blush on his cheeks, then he chuckled a little uncomfortable. "Right."
When he looked behind her, he saw Stoker leaning against the wall, his arms folded and an angry face.
Apparently, Throttle was right. His coach did have a thing for this girl.

Usually, that would be another reason to chase her down, if only to win the competition.
But this was different.
Stoker was his mentor and leader, a father figure and friend, all at the same time.
But this girl could be his savior.
Was he really gonna let Stoker stand in the way of that?
"Maybe you should go back to your boyfriend, he looks a little hot under the helmet", Vinnie blurted out.

Smooth. Subtle.

The girl gave him a surprised look, but then followed his gaze.
"Stoker ain't my boyfriend. This mouse got no strings attached and he knows that."
"No strings attached, huh?"
She looked up at him and Vinnie almost drowned in her eyes.
They were the deepest blue, with small green spots in it.
Clear and twinkling.
And looking back at him.

Jesus.

"Depends on who's asking…", she smiled seductively, before focusing on his wound again.
Again, the white furred mouse was speechless and he could only stare at her while she was doing her job.
When she was done, she leaned with one hand on his other leg to get upright, and before he knew it, her face was just inches away from his.
"I'm Harley…"
Her scent filled his nose and made him even more dazed.
"I uh… I'm… They call me Vinnie…"
"Very, very nice to meet ya, Vinnie…"
She spoke slowly, his name rolled smoothly over her tongue.
Vinnie swallowed and pulled his bandana, but not able to break eye contact.
"Likewise", he squeaked.
Her lips curled into a smile, it was one of the brightest smiles he had ever seen.
It made her ten times more beautiful than she already was.
That that was even possible, was a mystery alright.
But it just did.
Harley got upright and grabbed her stuff. After winking at him, she walked away.
Vinnie let out his breath as his body relaxed.
He fanned fresh air to himself.
"Phewie… Danger… falling mouse…"

…

Time passed.

Seconds became minutes.
Minutes became hours.
Hours became days.
Days became weeks.
Weeks became months.
If Vinnie needed to describe what happened these months, he would call it a dance.
Like a… mating dance.
No, that might be interpreted as vulgar.
Perhaps it was a dance of love.
Passionately, like the tango.
Pushing and pulling.
But that there was something going on between them was very clear.
And their first kiss was definitely no surprise.
But that didn't make it less special.

...

Vinnie sighed satisfied while looking at the stars, his hands folded under his head.
Harley was lying next to him, her hands on her stomach.
Their shoulders touched, but that was all.
"I love these quiet nights…", Harley said softly.
"Ugh, I dunno… I don't like quiet. Quiet is boring. But gotta admit… sometimes quiet is good. It reminds me of Mars before the war…", Vinnie answered.
There was no need to wear his mask when he was with her.
He had learned that.
He just could be himself.
Nothing more, nothing less.
And it was a breath of fresh air.
"I miss it. Mars. How it used to be."
"I miss it too. Most of the time, that is…"

Harley sat up and looked at him.
"Most of the time? What are ya saying?"
Vinnie shrugged.
"If it wasn't for the war, I never would've met you... "
The words already left his mouth before he could stop it.
But why stop it?
It was the truth, after all.

He glanced at her and their eyes locked.
The night was dark, the stars were bright.
They reflected into her blue eyes.
It took his breath away.
As if he was looking at his own private little universe.
He got up slowly, without breaking eye contact.
His hand reached out, it was shaking.
His fingers brushed her cheek.
"You're so beautiful…"
She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying his touch.

Then, she opened them again and they were burning.
Burning from affection.
The light of the stars gave her fur a golden glow.
"You're like the sun…"
"And you're the moon…", she whispered, referring to his snow white fur that was almost glowing in the dark.
"Sharing the sky…"

Vinnie leaned forward, so did she.
They both stopped right before their noses touched each other.

"If you're the sun, call me moon…"
"And we brighten the sky…"
"...with the flame…"
"...of love…"
"Made of sunlight…"
"...together with moonlight…"

Their lips made contact, so did their souls.
They connected, they blended together…
...as one...

…

"Mirror mirror on the wall… Who's the sexiest mouse of them all?"
Vinnie looked into the mouse shaped mirror on his bike, but seeing the bandage around the right side of his face, his pretty face, made him furious all of a sudden.
He lashed out and knocked the mirror right off.
It shattered into a million pieces as it slammed against the wall.
His left eye was burning with tears.
The panic, that crawled into his body while being in that horrible lab, was still there.
It transformed him into a restless nervous wreck.
If he thought he'd lost himself that day he lost his parents, he couldn't have been more wrong.
Because right now, he was even more lost.
Strayed.
Alone.

"Vinnie…"

Maybe not that alone...
But even her voice couldn't calm his nerves.
Nothing could, actually.
Riding his bike as a mad man helped.
Fighting the battles even more reckless helped.
The adrenaline helped.
But only because at these moments, he simply forgot about everything.
It was nothing more but a flee.
A possibility to put reality on hold.

"I know you don't wanna talk about it, and that's okay, it really is, cutie. But please… let me take care of you. Let me check your wounds, just this one time. If they get infected, things will only get worse... "

Vinnie stared angrily at his bike.
Why didn't he just tell her?
She was the one person, the only person, where he could be who he was.
The only one who gave him the feeling he wasn't completely lost in a strange and unknown world.
He felt her hand on his arm.
Her warmth, her love.
He needed it, so badly.

"O-okay."

The word left his mouth before he could change his mind.
She gently pulled off his helmet and he looked into her beautiful blue eyes.
His own universe.
His own sun.
She gave him a soothing smile and his body relaxed a little.
But when she started to unwrap the bandage, his heart started to beat faster.
The pain in his face was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.
He was broken.
Officially broken.
Not even Harley could save him now.
He was broken beyond repair.

When she was done, she studied his face.
He did the same by her, keeping a close eye on her reaction.
But her face remained impassive.
Her eyes weren't, though.
They were suddenly fuming in anger.

"I need to see it."

Weird, but true.
He needed to know what that fish had done to him.
He needed to know what he looked like.
Harley nodded and searched in her bag for a mirror.
But when she found one, she hesitated.
"You sure?"

"Yes."

Without saying another word, she gave him the small mirror.
After taking a deep breath, he held it up.
And his heart just stopped.

Jesus.

The wounds started on his forehead.
Red and irritated bare skin stitched together in one messy, crooked line which stopped right under his eye.
He tilted his head and saw more stitches at the side of his nose.
It was the most horrible, gruesome sight he'd ever seen.
Mostly because it was his own face.
He was mutilated.
A freak.
Life was never gonna be the same again…

"What did he do to you…?", Harley whispered with tears in her eyes.
He looked at her, his insides screaming that he needed to hide in the shadows.
Screaming that he couldn't let her see this, this face, this infection…
Which poisons their love…

But instead, his eyes filled with tears as he gave her back the mirror with shaking hand.
"He broke me. That's what he did…", he whispered back.
Harley climbed on his bike in front of him and pulled him in her arms.
"To be sure you're not hurt again, I swear I'd give my life for you…", she sang softly in his left ear.
"You will be who you want to be…Sun and moon, in one orbit… Forever..."

"Forever…"

Slowly, the white furred mouse calmed down again, suddenly feeling that shame got added into the mix of emotions which were already there.
"I've got something for you, cutie."
Her voice brought him back to reality and he looked up.
She was holding up a round metal plate, big as her hand.
"Flex metal, for your average bike repairs and macho mouse makeovers…"
When she held it against his face, the metal became almost fluid. It felt cold and soothing at the same time when it crawled over his wounded skin.
He felt it close behind his ear and Harley gave him the mirror again.
"See? No one's broken beyond repair. Not even you, cutie."
Vinnie looked into the mirror, realizing she just had read his mind, and a smile curled his lips.
"I would be nothing without ya, sweetheart. Thanks."
And they held each other tightly, enjoying this moment together.

Love is healing.
Love is the one thing that can fix even the ones who think they can't be.
Harley was the one who was holding him together, literally and metaphorically.
Sun and moon.
Yin and yang.
Harley and Vinnie.
Diametrically opposed, but one couldn't walk without the other.

Not all those who wander are lost.

…

Nobody knew about them.
Well, maybe some of them knew that they were doing this so called dance around each other, but no one knew it was already so much more.
They kept it a secret. To spare Stoker's feelings.
To enjoy this whole new and yet familiar world with just the two of them.
But it was after they'd destroyed the tug transformer when Harley couldn't hold herself back anymore.
Because when Vinnie stopped his bike before her and pulled off his helmet, she jumped in his arms and gave him such a passionate kiss that even Vinnie's cheeks turned red.
But before he could say something, Stoker popped up next to them.
"Young love… the beginning of a new era, the foundation of the restoration of Mars."
Vinnie's mouth fell open, Harley could only look at Vinnie with a dreamy expression on her face.
"It's okay, punk. But lemme tell ya this; if you ever hurt her, one way or another, I'll tie your tail in a knot, ya hear me?", the brown furred mouse whispered in his ear and before Vinnie could react, he walked away loud laughing.
"Guess that's Stoker's way of telling us he's okay with this", Harley giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Guess so…"

It suddenly hit him like a sledgehammer.
He felt happy.
He felt actual happy.
A thing he almost forgot about how it felt.
But he now knew that he could survive everything, as long as he had this beautiful creature by his side.
"I love you", he blurted out, but then his eyes grew big.
"That was not supposed to come out, goddammit…"
But Harley laughed her husky laugh which he loved so much and pinched his cheek.
"I love you too, crazy mouse."
She kissed him again, even more heatedly.
But it wasn't just lust.
It was unconditional love.

Vinnie needed to break it off to avoid some awkward moments and playfully pushed her away.
"Gosh, sweetheart, you sure know how to turn on a mouse…"
"It's a gift."
"Some gift... "
"Hey, I never heard you complain before! All these nights together and you were all into it, mister."
Vinnie smiled while shaking his head.
"You're one of a kind, babe. And tonight… tonight, when we're alone, you can tell me all about that little gift of yours…", he added conniving.
"Can't wait…"
"Me neither…"

"Yo, Vinnie!"

James his voice broke their enchantment and the white furred mouse turned around.
"What?"
"You did good today, boy. Guess it's safe to say you're finally learning…", the black furred mouse chuckled while elbowing Vinnie.
But then, his face grew serious.
"But no kidding. You're a good Freedom Fighter."
Vinnie was speechless for a moment.
Hearing this form James meant the world to him.
I mean, he kinda looked up at the guy, alright.
But then, his trademark smile appeared on his face.
"Pfuh, come on… You expected less? I already told ya I'm the best", he bragged.
James narrowed his eyes amusedly, but then…

"Get your dirty hands off of me, you filthy rat!"

Harley's voice was sharp, so sharp that Vinnie immediately turned around, startled.
What he saw, made his blood boil.
Mace was holding Harley, a gun against her head.
His filthy hairless tail around her waist.
That fucking traitor...

"A little nightmare to remember me by, mice…"

Vinnie came into action without thinking and ran towards them as he reached for his gun.
But it was as if his feet were stuck in quicksand. Mace was right, this was a nightmare.
His gaze was fixed on Harley and she looked back.
The fear that was written on her face was unbearable for him to see.
She was scared.
That son of a fucking bitch had the nerve to touch his girl, to make her scared…
Time stopped ticking.
Vinnie lunged forward, a bright light, blue eyes burning in terror…

BAM.

The white furred mouse landed hard on the ground, right at the spot where Harley and Mace were standing just seconds ago.
No.
No, no, no.
This couldn't be happening.
He pushed himself up as he looked wildly around him.
But she was gone.
She was really gone.
"Harley…"
His voice sounded as from a stranger.
It was nothing more than a whisper.
"Harley!"

The panic came back.
Before he met Jester, he had no idea what panic was.
A weakness, nothing more, nothing less.
He now knew.
And Harley helped him to keep it on a distance.
But now she was gone and he…
It consumed him.

He fell on his knees as he clenched his fists.
Somehow he just knew that he'd lost her forever just now.
It was based on nothing, nothing more but a hunch.
"No…"

He was alone again.
But he wasn't ready.
He needed her.
She was keeping him together.
Without her, he fell apart.
Without her, he walked his lonely road again, in this fucked up world.
Without her, he was nothing.

The pain was unbearable and he bend over, his eyes shut tightly as a scream left his mouth.
A scream in pain.
His right fist hit the ground.
And again.
And again.

The pain in his hand was nothing.
It paled by the pain in his heart.
The connection was gone.
Brutally broken.
His soul left behind alone, as an exposed nerve.
Tears streamed down his face as he hit the floor again, and again…

…

Months passed.

Vinnie did everything within his power to find Harley.
But she was just… gone.
Vanished into thin air.
One night, he was sitting on his bike, looking at the stars.

The night they'd shared their first kiss was constantly playing over and over in his head.
He was heartbroken because of her loss.
He felt small, without having her by his side.
Her voice was stuck in his head, didn't leave him alone for a second.
Everything around him, inside of him, was a constant reminder of her.
A constant reminder of her loss.
Of the void she'd left behind.
When he saw people laugh, or dance, or kiss or having fun…
He just couldn't get it.
Not anymore.
All he felt was the pain.
And along with the pain came the insecurity of not knowing where she was.
Not knowing if she was still alive… or dead.
He wanted to beg, beg on his bare knees if he knew there was any chance that it could make a difference.
But days became weeks.
And weeks became months.
And she was still gone.

He couldn't win this fight.
She was too important.
He was too alone without her.
Too fragile.
Too vulnerable.

God, why her?
Why did he take her?
Why couldn't he let her stay?
Why, for fuck sake, why?

He could still see her smile.
Her bright smile.
He could still taste her lips on his.
Her sweet lips.
He could still feel her hand in his.
Her warm hand.

Counting the long and empty days, he tried to move on.
But living without her made him starting to lose hope.
He had no idea how to move on without her.
The pain was threatening to overwhelm him.
In the darkest moments of the hour, all he could think was that he didn't want this.
He couldn't.
He was done…

"Vincent…"

Throttle's calm voice.
A warm hand on his shoulder.

"You're not alone…"

Then why did he feel so lonely?

"You're not alone…", Throttle repeated softly.

Vinnie's panic immersed in the calmness of the tan furred mouse.
It covered his soul, this exposed nerve, with a small layer, making the pain a little less heavy.
And it was then the tan furred leader connected with the white furred rebellion.
To guide him back to the light, even if that would take a lifetime.
To be more than just a mentor with his apprentice.
To be whatever the young mouse wanted him to be.
Because they were family.
Forever.

Present….

Vinnie felt an upcoming headache as he was breathing heavily, completely paralyzed by the flashbacks.
He'd never really thought back to that moment, that horrible moment he lost Harley.
His mind had blocked it.
That whole period seemed to be a little blurry.
Well, he thought it was his mind.
But he now knew it was Throttle's work.
He now understood why he was always feeling so… dependent on the tan furred mouse.
They connected, that night when everything became too much to bear.
Throttle took Harley's place as a pillar.
Vinnie owned him his life, he now knew.
Because if Throttle hadn't acted, he probably would've killed himself.
To flee from his pain.
The pain from being caught between grief and hope.
The pain from trying to find Harley as much as his own way.
A way to take a place in this strange and cold world.
But Throttle had taken him by the hand.
And Vinnie would be forever grateful.
Because if he hadn't, he never would've met Kiwi.

He wanted back a world he knew.
And with her, the story of his life began again.
She was his pillar now.
No matter how painful.
But letting her go would be even more painful.
Everything was different now.
He wasn't the same guy anymore.
Losing Harley, the whole thing with Jester, the war, losing his parents, his sister (twice)…
It shaped him into the person he was nowadays.
Maybe not the easiest and outgoing person as he wanted to be, but come on.
He'd experienced too many losses.
And the thought alone of losing Kiwi…
The pain that followed was too familiar.
No.
Not again.
No more.

"Harley, I'm sorry… I really am. I did everything within my power to find you. Losing you was devastating, even beyond that. It almost crushed me. But my bro's… they helped me to move on. What choice did I have? I promised myself that my heart would belong to you forever, and to no one else. I promised myself that I would never, ever lower my walls again. But then I met Kiwi and… it just happened. My heart opened up. We connected…"
"She replaced me…"
God, the pain in her voice…
"No. No one can replace you. No one ever will."

A silence.

Harley looked at him, her blue eyes filled with sadness and despair.
She slowly walked towards him and stopped right in front of him.
"Please… Please, hold me one more time. One more kiss… before we say goodbye…"
Teardrops spilled onto her cheeks.
Vinnie raised both hands and laid them against her cheeks. With his thumbs, he gently wiped away her tears.

"Harley, my sweet Harley… . You have no idea how sorry I am. But my heart belongs to Kiwi now. I'll be forever regrettable about the way we were ripped apart. And trust me when I say that if that wouldn't have happened, things would be different now. But the sad truth is... it did happen and we have to live with the consequences of a choice not made by us… It's not fair, I know… But know this; I still love you, you still have a special place in my heart, always will have... "
"But you love Kiwi more…"
"I love Kiwi differently. I hope, I really hope, that one day you'll be able to accept that. That you are able to move on with your life. No one deserves it more than you… And as far as I'm concerned, this ain't no final goodbye. But I'll leave it up to you. Take the time you need."

He leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
Then, he let her go and left the balcony, leaving a heartbroken Harley behind.
But at least she knows now.
So did he.
He was gonna spend the rest of his, hopefully long, life with Kiwi and that's final.
And with that, he closed the book called 'Sun and moon.'
He would cherish it forever.
But only cherish it.
Nothing more.

'A song
played on a solo saxophone
a crazy sound
a lonely sound
a cry that tells us love goes on and on
played on a solo saxophone
Its telling me to hold you tight
and dance like it's the last night of the world...'

So that's their story.
I know, super mushy, but I wanted to picture Vinnie differently at this age.
More open about himself, a little bit more rebellious...
I dunno, a 'he still has so much more to learn' thingy.

Even if his heart belongs to Kiwi now, Harley will always be special to Vinnie.
But he has made his choice.
The question is what it will do to Harley.

Also used this moment to explain a little about the close bond he and Throttle have.

Anyway, hope it all makes sense to you, if you have questions or whatever, just lemme know, okay?

Thanks again for supporting me.
Till next update.

Ciao!