Author's Note: Well, last chapter everyone. What's that you say? You want more cliffhangers?? *ducks behind monitor as projectiles go soaring through the air* Just kidding!! I hope this doesn't disappoint, I have this terrible opinion that I suck at endings.
Eh, maybe I'll write an alternate ending to this one if ya really hate it. lol.
Matt and T.K. burst through the door of their father's office. He spun around in his chair and gaped at them in surprise.
"Wha…" he began, but was cut off by the urgent cries from his two sons.
"Dad we need to get out of here now!" Matt screamed.
"The building's gonna blow up!" T.K. cried.
"Is this some kind of a joke," their father said slightly angered.
"No!" T.K. wailed. "We have to go now!!" he pleaded and grabbed his father by the hand and began to drag him out the door.
"If you two are lying, you're going to be in very big trouble!' he hollered as they ran down the hall towards the elevators. Upon hitting the bottom floor the three made a wild dash down the long corridor that led to the front desk. T.K. stumbled over his own feet and fell flat on his face. Matt skidded to a halt and turned back around to help his little brother.
"Dad wait!" he cried.
His father wheeled back around. Suddenly, the ground shook and the three heard what sounded like a loud thunderclap. Matt realized in horror, that they were too late. He could feel the heat searing his back as the explosions got louder and closer. The last thing he remembered before blacking out, was shielding T.K. with his body as his father dove on top of both of them.
Once the smoke cleared, witnesses nearby stared in astonishment at the devastation that lay before them. The entire building had caved in, leaving a pile of burnt rubble in its wake. It was an awful sight, what was left of the complex, sagged to one side. People in the streets were screaming and crying as emergency crews arrived on the scene.
The two culprits responsible sat in their car, eagerly waiting to see if there were any survivors.
"Let's go already, why are we waiting around here for?" the shorter man said.
"We have to make sure that those kids were finished off in the blast, if not they'll squeal to the cops and our mugs will be all over the evening news." He replied irritated.
T.K.'s eyes fluttered open. He was lying on his back and his head was throbbing. The room was dusty and he coughed a few times and rubbed his eyes. He could smell something burning, but wasn't sure where or what it was. Then he remembered everything.
"DAD! MATT!?" he cried in alarm. Oh no, he thought. Please be alright, please be alright…please be alive! His hands and legs were covered in minor first-degree burns from the blast and it hurt to move, but he knew he had to find his family.
"MATT!!" he tried again, "DAD!?"
"Over here T.K.!" came the familiar voice of his father. T.K. crawled in the direction of the voice.
His father had cuts and gashes from flying debris and his hair was slightly singed. He too had suffered a few first-degree burns on his face and arms, but none of that mattered to him right now.
"Dad, are you okay?" T.K. asked, his voice full of concern.
"I'll be fine. Where's your brother?" he questioned, praying that he was alive too.
"I don't know?" T.K. stammered and tears welled up in his eyes.
He could barely see his father among the haze of dust that engulfed the room. His father pulled him close and embraced him tightly. T.K. wept into his father's shirt. He was scared, everything about this scared him. The terrorists, the explosion, the guns. These were scars that would take time to heal. The thought that he might have lost his brother was a notion that truly disturbed him. He immediately gazed up into his father's eyes for some kind of answer…or anything that would set his mind at ease.
"It's okay son," his father soothed. "We'll find him." He gently pushed T.K. back so that he stood in front of him and cupped his hands over his mouth.
"MATT!!" MAAATTTTTTTT!!!"
The two whirled around when they heard a faint coughing sound.
"Over here," Matt choked.
His eyes flew open as he took in his surroundings. He was so thankful that his father and brother were still alive. He would have been more thankful if the ringing in his ears would stop. It appeared that the explosion had succeeded in scattering them about the room. Matt remembered the blast knocking him back with such potent force. He recalled trying to scream, but no sound escaped his lips. It had all happened so fast.
The two finally made their way over to him.
"You okay Matt?" his father inquired.
"Sure, a little explosion isn't going to stop me." he said hacking as the dust filled his lungs.
"Come on," T.K. began, "Let's find our way out of here."
Matt started to push himself up when he realized that he couldn't move. Something had him pinned down.
"Sorry kid, I can't move." He grunted and tried to free himself.
Matt's father swiped at the air surrounding them, trying to clear away some of the particles floating about that obstructed his view. When the dust finally cleared away he could make out the image of a large piece of air conditioning duct lying on top of Matt's midsection.
"Hold on son, we'll get this off." He said motioning to T.K.
T.K. obliged and ran around to one end of the duct while his father grabbed the other. They both lifted at the same time, T.K.'s little arms straining under the weight.
Matt was able to roll out from underneath the duct and once he was clear they both let it drop to the ground with a loud crash.
Mr. Ishida looked at his two sons and was about to ask them how they knew about all this, but before anyone had time to say anything, the paramedics rushed in and ushered the family out to the street.
All three sat outside in the back of an ambulance and were treated for their minor burns and scrapes. Miraculously, those were their only injuries. They had recently found out that the bottom floor sustained the least amount of damage, so they were very lucky they had made it there before the explosion. T.K. was fidgeting with the bandages over his hands when he glanced up and spotted the beat up sedan parked mere feet away.
"Those are the guys!" T.K. cried. Matt turned to see what T.K. was pointing at and grabbed his father's sleeve.
"Dad, those are the terrorists, they're the ones responsible for all the bombings!"
His father looked up in shock as the taller man sitting in the driver's seat pulled a gun out and aimed it at them.
"Get down!" he cried. Pulling both kids to the ground with him. The tall man smiled evilly as he reset his sight and took aim at the three figures crouching on the ground. A small laugh escaped his lips as he began to squeeze the trigger. A loud popping noise made his partner jump as he watched the taller man wince and draw his hand back into the car. The gun clattered to the ground and before either of the men knew what was happening, a swarm of police officers had surrounded their car, guns fixed on them. The taller man looked on in disbelief as he cradled his injured hand. Matt and T.K. lifted their heads and peered up at the scene to see the two criminals being read their rights. T.K. glanced back down at their father who was still in the duck-and-cover position. He let out a relieved giggle and tugged on his father's sleeve until the older man looked up. Seeing the crisis averted, he stood up and brushed himself off.
As the police hauled the two men off, Matt's father pulled both of his sons into a tight hug. Tears streamed down his face.
"What's wrong dad?" Matt asked.
"I know!" spouted T.K. "This is the biggest story they've had and the news station is trashed."
Matt chuckled at T.K.'s remark. Though that did disappoint their dad, he was not crying because he was missing a great story. He was just grateful that his sons were now out of harm's way.
"Don't get all mushy dad." Matt said trying to lighten the mood. His father smiled and wiped his face with his sleeve. The three of them stood gazing back at the destroyed news station.
"T.K.!!" a familiar woman's voice rang through the mass of people and rescue workers.
As the crowd parted, T.K.'s mother came running up and swept her youngest son up into her arms. She repeatedly kissed him, much to his dismay.
"Thank God you're okay!" she sobbed, "Thank God you're all okay. I came as soon as I heard."
"Mom, you're making a scene." T.K. complained, shielding his face from the onslaught of kisses. She looked over to Matt's father with tears in her eyes and smiled. Matt stood with his arms folded, looking down on the ground. He was surprised when a pair of hands clutched him and drew him into an embrace. He stood with his mouth half open and his hands to his sides as his mother hugged him.
"I'm so glad you're alright." She said stroking her hand through his hair.
Matt slightly blushed and a small, almost unnoticeable smile spread across his face. All of his animosity towards his mother that had pent up over the years vanished in that one moment. He used to think that his parents separated because they did not love him, because his mother did not want to be around him, but he then realized that somehow all that was wrong. Why did it always take a life threatening situation for him to realize these things, he wondered.
Matt slowly brought his hands up to return the embrace. His mother smiled, laughed, and cried all at the same time. T.K. just rolled his eyes and tried to wipe the lipstick off his face with his sleeve as his dad patted him on the head.
Later the two boys learned that because of their selfless act, no one was killed in the bombing. The media pronounced them heroes. Matt was too tired and worn out to care what anybody thought of him, he was just glad to be back home in his bed where it was safe and his dad across the hall snoring away.
T.K. slowly closed his eyes, and smiled contentedly. He was glad that everything turned out okay. He absently scratched at the bandages on his hands, as he slowly drifted off to sleep. His mother quietly shut the door to his room, leaving it open just a crack so the hall light could shine in.
Their ordeal was finally over and they could all rest comfortably, she thought, as she proceeded down the hall to her bedroom, stopping momentarily to glance at a small picture on the wall of a woman and a man standing side by side with two very young, blonde boys standing at their feet.
The End.
Well? Well! What did you think? Please tell me! I love reviews! Gimme gimme gimme!!! *slaps self in face* You're acting pathetic again. *pouts* Sorry, I know. ^_~ Ack! I hate writing the endings, they always seem to be lacking in something, or maybe that's just me? Anyhoo, R+R. Working on my next story right now it should be up soon, I had contemplated doing more with this story, but I decided to save those ideas for my next one. BTW, gotta say my favorite part of the story is when Yama steals his dad's car! I loved writing that part! lol =P Also, think it's safe to say that my stories usually have happy endings. lol. *you mean sappy endings* Shut up! Who asked you? *looks up embarrassed* Talking to myself again, huh? *nervous grin* he he he…