if anyone's even reading this…

song credit: "Heart" – Britney Spears

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 6: Jacob

~next day~

I wake up, still with Poe in my arms. "Poe, wake up." I kiss her gently, and she stirs. "Poe, we have to go. We have to."

She opens her eyes, slowly, and I can see the sadness in them. "Jake, I don't want to leave," she laments.

"I don't either, but we have to. You have to go show the world what you're made of, and I have to go save the world."

Prima smiles softly, but it soon fades. "Why? Why now?"

"Because I have my full powers now. So does Charity." Then I get a telepathic message from Charity. "Jake, we have to go. There's not much time left."

"Poe, let's go," I say, starting to get up.

"No, Jake, don't leave me." The tears are now streaming freely down her face.

"I'm sorry, Prima. I'm so sorry." I hold her and listen to her cry, but she doesn't see the tears that trickle down my own face.

~*~
(later)

After we get dressed and head back to my house, Charity and Miguel are waiting there. "Jake, did you get my message?"

I nod. "Yeah. But Angel, I don't want to go, not yet."

Charity looks sadly at all of us. "We don't have a choice, Jake. We have to. The good people of the world need us."

"Okay... I guess." We stand there, in silence, Miguel holding Angel, me holding Poe, until the phone rings. Charity goes to get it. "Hello? Oh... okay... I'll tell her, Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Thanks." She hangs up and says, "Poe, your flight leaves in four hours. You better go get ready."

Poe looks at me. "Yeah, I guess so..."

Heart, I know I've been hard on you
I'm sorry for the things I've put you through
Before you start to break on me,
or ask for sympathy,
I need to make you see...

Oh heart, I'm not sure it's been long enough
to say that what I feel is really love
There's just one way to learn,
sometimes we'll get hurt
and right now, it's our turn...

~*~
(at the airport)

"Bye, Prima," Luis says to Poe. "Take care of yourself.  Be careful. And good luck!"

"We love you," Theresa adds.

"Don't forget to write, mija," their mother pitches in.

"I will," she replies. She hugs Mustard. "Girl, you better dance your heart out for me! Remember to come visit us!" Jessica tells her.

Poe smiles. "Of course." Then she turns to Charity and me. "Guys, please be careful," she tells us. She hugs Charity, and then faces me. "Jacob, I'll never forget you." The tears that I know she's trying to swallow are starting to fall.

"Neither will I, Paloma. Here, I have something for you." I produce a small music box. She smiles, and then opens it. Inside there's a tiny dancing ballerina. "Oh, it's beautiful. And the melody... it seems familiar, somehow..."

Give it time
Help me through
Heart, we can do this together
You're my strength
You're my soul
I need you now more than ever

Heart, all the hurt will soon be gone,
if you, if you'll just keep on being strong
You will always be my friend
so keep on hanging in
and we'll find love again

"I'm glad you like it," I tell her.

"Flight 175 to New York, now boarding," the announcement sounds over the P.A.

"That's you," Miguel says. Poe looks up at me and gives me one last kiss. "I love you, Jacob."

"I love you, too, Paloma. Never forget that."

"I won't." After she hugs each and every one of us one last time, she heads for the door, but not without a look back at us. We're all waving, bittersweetly, as she walks on to her plane.  I'm trying to stay strong, but I find myself shaking.

"It's okay, Jake. She'll be okay," Charity says, trying to comfort me. "We have to be strong."

I nod. "Okay." We watch Poe's plane take off, and then, sadly, depart for home.

Heart, I know I've been hard on you
I'm sorry for the things I've put you through
Please, don't you break on me
I need to make you see
it wasn't meant to be
'Cause you will always be my friend
so keep on hanging in
and we'll find love again