Chapter 68

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him. And you know he's being irrational and hasty." Fox quickly plopped down in the passenger seat of Krystal's car the next morning.

"You're not wrong, but I don't want anything else to happen between you guys. You saw how mad he was last night, how mad was he when I left?" Krystal's sight was focused on the road in front of her as she drove.

"I didn't say anything to him. I went to bed when you left, I didn't have anything to say to him." This was even more grave than Fox had originally thought. Perhaps maybe there was something she would say to her dad, but that wasn't the case. She didn't have anything to say to him, certainly nothing positive.

"Maybe…we're doing this wrong. I mean, I didn't think he'd welcome the idea with open arms or anything, but he always seemed so fair and level headed before now." Krystal shook her head at Fox's observation, she thought the same thing. All her life her dad had been one thing; fair. All of a sudden, traces of fairness were disappearing now. Her dad seemed to be irrational, not thinking through his decisions.

"We can work on it later I guess. I wonder what Falco and Slippy will say."

"One way to find out." Fox was also curious what their teammates would say, likely something that's easy for them to imagine.

"What? That's not cool, he's being totally unfair." The bird was the first to speak up.

"So…maybe this is gonna be put on hold?" Slippy was hesitant to show what he was thinking, but Krystal sensed that he was on the same page as everyone else.

"I don't know, maybe. We have a two months left to figure things out." At the mention of two months, Krystal reached over to grab Fox's hand. He was the one who reminded her about the two months, and she made sure to let him know that she remembered.

"Man, what a drag. I mean come on it ain't like we're running off to do something illegal. Seriously, we're getting you a medical license AND piloting lessons. If anything they should be grateful that we're getting you this stuff." Falco crossed his arms, having a head of steam at the situation. Falco always had a unique way of showing care for his friends and their situations.

"Dad said he doesn't wanna see Fox with me. So he won't, guess we'll have to be a little more sneaky. That shouldn't be too hard, after all we've had some practice in that." This reference made Fox and Falco laugh a little, all the while Slippy only rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry Slip, I'm sure we'll have another opportunity in the future." Falco's reassurance was easy to provide, he was actually invited to the prank.

"Oh!" Krystal's hand dove into her pocket. "I forgot about this." She pulled out the collapsed visor, showing it to Slippy. "That's right! I forgot all about that, how do you like it?" The eyes of both the vixen and frog were beaming at the sight of the visor.

"It's great! I've tried using it some, I may need some help but I used Fox's a few weeks ago when…I used Fox's a few weeks ago." Krystal's face had a nervous smile, trying not to mention the stealth prank in front of Slippy once more.

"Could you maybe write some instructions, a manual perhaps? Just so I know what all this can do? I don't wanna break or mess it up." The frog gladly nodded his head as the morning bell caught their attention.

"Looks like it's time folks, right this way Mrs. McCloud." Falco gestured towards his and Krystal's first classroom. There was no blush from either of the foxes. Falco noticed as he mumbled under his breath, upset that his attempt at embarrassing them was futile.

She turned over to Fox after grinning at the bird, "Bye."

"Bye."

Her hand slid out of his as she walked, slowly turning her smile away from him as they parted.

"You know, that used to work like a charm." Krystal's attention snapped back to her new companion. "What? What used to work like a charm?"

"That Mrs. McCloud thing, you and Fox both used to get real embarrassed when I said that. Now it looks like you two think you really are married or something." Krystal laughed at the avian's displeasure that his joke was no longer effective.

"You guys haven't talked about…have you? I mean I haven't got any problem with it or anything, just ever since you guys met up that night you've seemed uh…" The bird's thoughts trailed as he scratched the back of his head, actually trying to handle the situation delicately.

"Yes Falco? Say what you're thinking."

"It just seems like you guys have done more than pick up from where you left off. You know, you guys aren't all lovey dovey kinda googley eyed like you used to be." Now Falco could feel his face heating up a little bit, he didn't really know how to handle some emotional situation like this. Krystal laughed a little as she gave Falco a one armed hug as they walked down the hall.

"Falco you're such a sweetheart, you just don't want anyone to know." Now Falco's face really heated up, as his expression changed to that of concern.

"Hey, now don't get like that on me. It's just an observation I made… I mean Fox wasn't super down while you were gone and all but he sure wasn't as happy as he is now. I just wanted to…watch out for him."

Krystal laughed a little more as Falco peeled her off of him, she easily sensed how he really felt about the vixen, regardless of his words and actions. "Just…come on let's go to class." He grumbled as he had an annoyed look on his face.

"Falco Lombardi wanting to go to class? Heavens help us all." The annoyed look on his face grew stronger as he plopped into his seat, mumbling under his breath.

"Fox is lucky to have a friend like you." Her divine voice snapped him out of his mumbling trance. He looked up at her with a minute smile on his face.

"…Thanks. I don't really get told things like that." It was true, Falco was a good friend to Fox. Not only because he would certainly become an ace pilot in the future, but because he was undoubtedly loyal. Regardless of how he masked it, his loyalty was a constant.

"Hey Fox." The same bird approached his friend at the end of that day, as Fox was putting things in his locker.

"Hey dude, what's up?" The bird leaned against the lockers next to his friend, hands dug into his pocket. "I just wanted to say…that you made a good choice. With Krystal, I mean. Asking her to come to the team and just…bringing her back I guess." Fox shut his locker and put his hands on his hips.

"Who are you? And what have you done with Falco?"

Falco had an annoyed grin on his face. "Very funny. I was being serious, me and her talked a little bit today and all, and man she's cool. It's been a long time since we talked about anything really and I guess I forgot how cool she is. Just, make sure you get this thing with her dad smoothed out. She'll be great for the team." Fox reached out his fist and the bird gladly returned the fist bump.

"Thanks dude, honestly I needed that. I try to put on this tough guy face for her, to try and be strong. Frankly, I just about cracked last night. I was more afraid of her dad last night than anything ever before. He was so mad, and I seriously almost broke." Falco put a brotherly arm around his friend's shoulder.

"Yeah dude, she told me about it. Just know that I've got your back."

"Thanks man, a lot." They walked toward the front of the school slowly, it had been a while since they really got to chit chat, one on one. "There's my ride." He pointed as Krystal was sitting on the steps in front of the school.

"She drove again?"

"Yeah, I'm sure her dad knows she's driving with me and all, but at least this way he doesn't have any real evidence unless he follows us or something." The bird chuckled a little as Fox's cleverness and mischief seemed to grow. "See you later dude." Falco walked off, leaving the two foxes by themselves.

Fox was happy to see her, taking her hand in his. "So when do you think you'll talk to him?" She stared straight ahead, in thought. When would she? When should she? "We don't really know anything, maybe he thinks he overreacted. Hopefully he does." She continued her thinking, acknowledging what Fox said.

"Krystal?" She turned over to him, she had her answer.

"I'm not saying anything to him." Fox's face was alarmed.

"Nothing? What do you mean?"

"I mean that he's going to come and apologize to me. Or he's going to come and tell me that he hasn't changed his mind. I'm not going to grovel, I'm becoming a young woman and can make my own decisions. Just like your dad thinking you're mature enough to captain your own mercenary squad, I need my dad to think that I'm mature enough to make my own decisions." Krystal had seated herself in the driver seat of her car when she finished speaking. Fox was leaning on the open passenger door as he took in what she told him.

He thought for a moment, tapping his foot. "Are you coming or not?" She leaned over to look at him as he stood up on the door, he could detect a smile without even looking at her.

Instead of sitting down he walked around the car to her side and reached out with his hands. "What?" She reached and grabbed his hands as he pulled her up out of her seat and wrapped her in a hug. He held onto her tightly, rocking back and forth.

"Love you Krystal."

"I love you too Fox."

They took their seats in the car and drove back towards home. Krystal dropped Fox off at his house, and headed home herself. She wanted to stay with him, or invite him over, but she couldn't. She knew that if she were to come home later than usual, her parents would know where she was.

"Mom! I'm home!"

She made her way to Marty's room, that's likely where she would be. As she guessed, there was her mom laying Marty down to change him. "Oh great you're home, will you take care of this?" Reluctantly, Krystal stepped forward to change the diaper.

"Yuck! What did you feed him today?"

She pinched her nose when she stepped closer. Her mom stepped out while laughing, likely to take respite from the stench.

"Okay Marty, you stink." Krystal playfully laughed as she looked at her brother. "You'd like Fox, if you ever got to meet him." She quietly whispered to herself, she had to find some way to let out her frustration.

"There you go, all better now." She pinched her nose as Marty laughed in response, causing her to grin a little in response to his idea of humor. She disposed of the diaper as she saw her mom rifling through her purse in the kitchen.

"I'm going to the store to pick a few things up that I forgot about. I'll be back soon, just take care of Marty till dad gets home." Krystal nodded in response.

"Oh, and don't…invite Fox over. That would probably not be your best idea." Krystal grinned and let out a faint laugh.

"I'm serious, I don't think you should."

"I know you're serious, I just think that it's a little funny."

"We'll talk about this when I get back." Her mom picked up her bag and headed out to her car, quietly shutting the door. Krystal dragged her backpack to her room and tossed it on her bed, then she walked back into Marty's room to make sure he was okay. Sound asleep with a smile on his face, causing her to crack a smile herself. She returned to her room and fell onto her bed, stretched out looking at the ceiling.

'We'll talk when she gets back. Yeah right, it sounds like she's right there with dad. She'll probably only tell me what he said last night.'

She pulled her phone out of her pocket as she rolled over on her side. 'Mom says we'll talk when she gets home. Oh joy, I wonder what that holds for us.'

'Don't worry about it, it's something at least. Maybe she's on our side?'

'Don't think so, she made sure to say I shouldn't invite you over while she's gone. I was thinking about it, but decided even before her warning that it wouldn't be the best idea.'

'Yeah, I agree. Let's just try and keep it together, at least with her saying you'll talk is some progress.'

'You're right, at least it's something.'

'I'm gonna go do homework now, let me know how it goes later tonight. Love you.'

'Love you too.'

She tossed her phone onto her desk and roll back onto her side. 'A nap wouldn't hurt, the past 24 hours have been a little rough.' She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

2 hours later.

Faintly she heard a door shut in the house. She looked over at the clock on her desk, 6:13.

'It's a little late for her to have come back from the store, she said it would be quick.' She stood up and moved out to her living room to see who it was.

"Hey Krystal, how was school today?"

"Hi dad, it was fine. Where's mom?"

"She went to the store, weren't you here when she left?"

"Yeah, I thought she'd be back by now."

"She told me she'd be back before 7, had a few more stops to make."

"Cool." She returned to her room, making sure to shut the door. A few minutes later she heard a knock at her door.

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure." Her dad poked his head inside the door and saw Krystal sitting on her bed again, he trotted inside and pulled out her chair from the desk by her bed.

"So I know that last night wasn't…your favorite night."

"Did you have to read my mind to know that?"

"Very funny, you know that we don't do that in this family, we respect each other's thoughts."

She let out an annoyed sigh, "Yeah I know. You won't see me with Fox any more, I'm not gonna be a problem." There was a small pause as Krystal's dad tried to get his thoughts together.

"Look I just…you know me and your mother love you. We just think that what you and Fox said last night was a little…ambitious."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry to scare you so much."

She stood up and reached her arms out for a hug, her father gladly returning the gesture.

Once he left the room she was relieved, 'It's a good thing we don't read each other's thoughts.'