And here it is, the last chapter. Please enjoy.
The folks in the snow lodges and towns at the base of the mountain was in a frenzy. No one had expected an avalanche. Especially an avalanche this close to the town. The power and velocity of the river of snow closed off the only road out of town, hampering rescue efforts.
Everyone staying at the snow lodge was told to stay inside and keep the wood heaters going since power had been cut during this rare freak of nature.
As try as they might G revolution and Barthez Battalion could not get out of the lodge to look for their missing captains and friends. The only thing they could do was wait for them to return.
With daylight fading quickly, the emergency rescue teams had been formed, broken into two groups. One group to a search and rescue group for those at the bottom of the avalanche path while the other is heading up the mountain side, looking for survivors.
Two thirds down the avalanche path a hand suddenly shot out of the snow. Soon followed by another hand. Then with a all mighty heave, a familiar dual hair blader pulled himself half way out of the now rock hard snow.
"Urg." He groaned. "That certainly didn't tickle."
Kai dug himself out of the snow and shook his head, sending flakes of snow into the air around him. He stood up and stretched his arms over his head, cracking the muscles in his neck and back. He turned and began walking back up the mountain side, stopping a few feet later to pull his still intact snowboard out of the snow.
He placed it under his arm. "I wonder if Miguel is ok." He said to himself and gazed up the mountain side. "That avalanche pushed me the better half of a mile down the mountain."
He glanced around his surroundings. Nothing that he could see looked familiar. But that always happens after a natural disaster such as this. Around him mighty trees were reduced to splinters and rocks that began on top of the mountain had been moved down to here.
"I wonder how many people were caught in this." Kai muttered to himself.
There was very little warning. And by the speed that this white death was traveling, it probably took out a couple of souvenir shops at the base of the mountain. The sleepy snow town will be in chaos that's for sure.
"I've got to go find Miguel." Kai whispered and began trekking back up the mountain, subconscious keeping an eye out for any sign of life.
The sound of someone skiing down the mountain side reached his ears. He looked up to see a familiar blond on a snowboard. Instant relief filled them both.
"Kai!" Miguel said, surprised and relief.
"Miguel!" Kai also said, relief showing clearly on his face.
Miguel pulled to a stop next to him and as he did he immediately pulled Kai into a hug. Although slightly startled, Kai returned the hug.
Miguel suddenly pulled back, getting a better look at Kai. Although the smaller teen had a few scratches and soon to be bruises, Kai was uninjured, remarkable since he was just in a potentially fatal disaster.
"You're ok." Miguel said slightly stunned. "How did-?"
Kai shrugged. "This isn't a first time I was involved in a avalanche." He said simply.
"God, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"
Kai looked slightly bashful. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to."
Miguel said nothing but pulled Kai into another hug. Kai wondered if he should say something, but opted to stay silent and stayed in Miguel's arms, giving no sign of retaliation.
"Hey, can anyone here me!" Came a voice from a little bit further down the mountain.
"It must be the rescue crew." Kai said, stepping reluctantly out of Miguel's arms. "We're over here!"
A mere moment later a large group of rescuers dressed in red and white appeared. Kai and Miguel met them half way. After treating the minor injuries that Kai was sporting, a couple of the rescuers lead the way down. Kai and Miguel thought it would be best to tell them that they both hid behind the boulder, deciding not to tell them that Kai had in fact faced the white death head on and lived.
The reception back at the snow lodge is something that both of them had expected. Immediately both Hilary and Matilda crash tackled them as soon as they walked inside, only to have their older teammates pull them off so they could check for injuries.
After reassuring their teammates, everyone gathered into the lounge, in front of the fire, to rest their aching bones and frayed nerves. The hotel management had asked everyone to stay inside until they had received word from the rescuers that it was safe to venture back outside.
As daylight faded into night, everyone began retiring to their rooms seeing that there was no power they decided it would be best to go to bed.
Kai sat in the now completely empty lodge lounge. He gazed into the fire, throwing a log of wood into the flames to keep it going. His mind went over the recent events.
He can remember clearly that the only thing that really mattered to him on that mountain today was that Miguel was safe. Even though the chances that the avalanche could have actually kill him was slim, that thought never cross his mind. He didn't push Miguel behind that boulder because he knew he would survive the avalanche, but because he knew Miguel would be safe behind that boulder. It wasn't until the dug himself out of the snow that he realized that.
He shook his head to clear it. He wasn't use to all the fuss. He had been in countless avalanches. True, none of them had wiped out a few boarders and souvenir stands. He wasn't use to the way people were fussing over him, asking him constantly if he was all right.
He shuddered. He doesn't even want to know what they would do if they ever found out that he was actually in the avalanche itself.
People were acting strange around him. Tyson and Daichi was actual quiet for a change. Max wasn't on a sugar high. Hilary had all but stop bossing everyone around. And Gramps had, for a moment, stop talking like a surfer dude.
But the two that were acting the strangest was Ray and Claude. They were both really apologetic for some strange and odd reason. They kept saying that they didn't know this was going to happen. No one did so why are they so apologetic?
Kai shook his head again. Hearing of a fatal disaster and make people do some strange things, that's for sure.
"Kai?"
Kai snapped his head around, slightly startled. He was so deep in his thoughts that he failed to hear someone walk into the room. "Oh, Miguel." He said, slightly relieved. "Couldn't sleep?"
"Not really." Miguel said and moved to sit down next to him in front of the fire.
Kai shuffled over a little, to give Miguel some room. "Something wrong? You're not in shock are you?"
"I guess so." Miguel said softly. He trained his eyes to the leaping flames of the roaring fire in front of him.
Kai gazed at him for a moment before turning his own gaze to the flames. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Miguel sighed. "9 people died today. It was nearly 10."
Kai nodded. "I know, luckily I was able to push you behind that boulder."
"I wasn't talking about me. I was talking about you."
Kai snapped his gaze from the fire to look shocked at Miguel. "Oh."
Miguel kept his eyes on the fire but Kai could see them shimmering with an emotion he can't quite put his finger on.
"Watching you get swept away by that avalanche was by far one of the most frightening things I've ever seen." Miguel whispered.
"I'm sorry." Kai whispered. "I wasn't quick enough."
"Out of everyone here, you seem to be taking your near death experience the easiest."
"Well, you see… death doesn't frighten me." Kai said, turning back to the fire. "Not really. I mean, my death. But what really frightens me is seeing those around die. I don't want to see anyone die. I'd rather go first. It's selfish, I know, but that's just the way I am, I guess."
Miguel finally turned his eyes to Kai. "So you're biggest fear on that mountain today was my well being?"
"…yeah." Kai whispered, blushing.
Miguel smiled softly at him. "Thank you. I don't want to think about what would have happened if you…"
"It's best not to dwell on what has already happened." Kai cut him off.
Miguel's eyes soften and he nods. "You know, I found out the reason why Ray and Claude were so apologetic this afternoon."
"Oh?"
Miguel shook his head, slightly amused. "They were playing matchmaker."
"I see." Kai blinked. He suddenly realized that since Claude was involved it meant that there's a possibility that Miguel actually likes him. He decides to test that theory and shuffles closer to Miguel. "We wouldn't want them to be disappointed, do we?"
Miguel looked startled, but then smiled and placed a hand on Kai's cheek, his fingers moving into the hair the rested around the delicate curl of his ear. "Of course not."
They eyes slip closed as they pressed their lips together. The hand on Kai's cheek slipped down to the curve of his neck, impeccably pulling him deeper into the kiss. The lips parted and the kiss turned passionately as their tongues played over each others, emitting moans from the both of them.
Kai suddenly shifted, moving himself into Miguel's lap, his knees on either side of Miguel. Without breaking the kiss, Kai settled into his lap as Miguel rested his hands on Kai's hips. Kai rested his own hands on Miguel shoulders, deepening the kiss even more so.
They parted briefly for air, but soon met in another kiss. One of Miguel's hands slipping up Kai's back to entangle itself in the dual colored hair, pulling Kai's head down to his. They stayed in this passionate embrace for what seemed like hours, neither one of them aware of anything that could be happening around them. All that mattered was this enchantment.
Two pairs of eyes, amethyst and gold, peered around the corner of their rooms. Claude smiled, happy to see that Miguel had got what he wanted. He glanced over to Ray who was wearing a triumphant smirk. He rolled his eyes, he'll never hear the end of it now.
Suddenly, Ray smirked a different smirk. He leaned forward and snared Claude's wrist. "I believe we have something that needs to be continued, am I right?"
Claude didn't have time to answer before he was pulled into a searing kiss and lead back into his room.
There, finished! I'm kinda proud of this one for some reason (sweatdrops) Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed it.
Read and review, please.