All right, here it is: the finale.Thanks everyone, especially FeatherWind and The Real Violet Parr for reviewing just about every chapter. (I didn't really mean that they were betraying Prop. Just that they felt that way because for the best friend and the maybe-girlfriend to start something after someone has died is - from their POV - not exactly the most loyal thing to do. Sorry if that confused you.) Hope I didn't take up too much of your time. -bows-

8

Rooftop Confessions

"And this time, he's taken his things with him."

Hornet and Scipio only needed one look in the other's eyes to confirm what they already knew.

"The train station," they said together.

Hornet bolted for the door first, pulling on a coat.

"Hurry!" she called into the living room, but Scip and Victor were right behind her. Ida was already dressed, keys in her hands. Hornet pushed past her, stepping out into the cold.

Beyond the city, it was already getting light. The first shadow of gold crept over the rooftops, but Hornet didn't stop to admire the beauty of it.

Scip was right behind her as she leapt into Ida's boat, quickly unraveling the ropes that held it in place. Victor and Ida climbed into the boat just as Scip started the engine. The water sprayed around them as Scip sped along the canals, the rest of them hanging onto the hand rails for dear life. Hornet didn't think she'd ever travelled that fast, but still the minutes seemed to stretch for an eternity as she waited.

Bo... What was he thinking? Why? It was the "why" that would not stop circling in her head. Why would he leave?

She was brought back to reality abruptly as the boat jerked to a halt.

Scip had stopped at the open piazza across from the train station, which was absolutely forbidden. Still, he did not pause for a second as he climbed past the slightly green Victor, grabbing Hornet's hand.

"Find security!" he called back to them, "Tell them to look for him. We'll check the platforms!"

Hornet could barely keep up as Scip sprinted past early tourists and new arrivals marvelling at the buildings at the square. A boy offered a newspaper to them but they didn't even glance at them. Not stopping as they ran through the entrance hall, they slowed down first when they reached the platforms.

The hall was gigantic. Noise, messages over the speakers, tourists, businessmen, luggage, shops, trains, it all spun in Hornet's head. Twenty-six plattforms. Little boys everywhere.

Scip gasped for air, propping himself up with his hands on his knees.

"We should, should split, up," he managed to get out between deep breaths.

"Yeah," Hornet agreed. Her side stung painfully.

"You start from that end, I'll take this one."

He nodded and jogged away. Hornet walked along the platforms, all the while keeping an eye out for small children. As she reached the last plattform she broke into a run again, glancing into every nook and cranny she found. Bo was everywhere and nowhere at once; she saw his head every time he turned, saw his golden hair disappear behind trash cans, into trains, down stairways, but every time she ran faster, her heart quickening, it was someone else or no one at all.

She was breathless, disappointed and close to tears when she finally met with Scip on one of the middle platforms.

"Anything?" he asked, his face hopeless.

"Nothing."

They were outside now, where the roof of the hall ended yet the platforms continued for a little while. Scip's cheeks had red blotches on them and he wiped the sweat off his forehead, staring into the brightening sky. The main building was enormous. Like everything in Venice, it was covered in statues and gargoyles. At each side of the main hall, a smaller stone construction with an almost even roof gave the building a geometric impression. The old stones were adorned with ledges on the entire front.

Scip groaned as it hit him.

"What?" Hornet asked in alarm, but Scip was already running.

"Find Victor and Ida, tell them to call fire department. Don't follow me!"

He circled the building, glancing behind him to make sure Hornet wasn't there. Staring up into the sky above the ornamented wall, he groaned.

"Oh Bo, what were you thinking?"

Licking his dry lips, he let his coat drop to the ground and began his ascent.

Halfway up the wall, Scip was sincerely starting to doubt this was a good idea. The climbing was fairly easy, but not easy enough to make him comfortable a good twenty feet above the ground. He hissed through cleched teeth as his foot slipped off a wet stone.

"Bo, you'd better be up there," he whispered, pulling himself further towards the ledge.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he managed to wrap his arms around a gargoyle and finally got his feet on the firm surface of the roof. Sure enough, as his legs had stopped shaking, he spotted Bo cowering behind a statue, sitting on his backpack.

"What on earth were you thinking?" he asked quietly, heading over to him.

"Hey buddy."

He sat down next to Bo, mainly because he didn't trust his legs to carry him any further.

"What are you doing?"

Bo pressed the stuffed animal Mosca had given him ages ago to his chest. At least he still had his shoes on.

"Leaving."

"Why?" Scipio asked, completely exasperated. "Bo, why?"

"So you could be happy."

"WHAT?"

Bo ducked behind his stuffed animal at his tone. Scip bit his lip.

"What?" he repeated, more softly this time.

"Bo, why do you think we would be happier without you?"

"Because I always ruin everything."

The words made Scip shiver, but before he could ask about them, a gasp caused them to turn around.

Hornet swung her leg onto the roof, her face dark and angry.

"What on earth where you thinking?" she snapped.

"I don't think it's a good idea to yell at him..." Scip tried to conciliate her, but that only seemed to make it worse.

"I'm not talking to Bo, I'm taking to you, you jerk" she growled. "Are you crazy, trying to pull off a little hero stunt like this? You are such an idiot!"

She looked ready to hit him, but instead cowered down next to Bo and pulled him to her chest.

"And you," she scolded, her voice softening, "what're you doing up here anyway?"

"I wanted to let you be happy," Bo said once more.

"But how can we be happy without you, Bo?" she asked, hiding her shock, "You're a part of our family, remember?"

"But I always break my families."

Hornet looked into Scip's eyes, swallowing hard.

"You're going to have to explain that to us, I'm afraid."

Bo sniffed, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

"I ruin everything. Prop could have been happy with Mom if I hadn't come. He could have lived with Grandpa. He could have stayed with you if the Hartlieb's hadn't been after me. He could have been happy with Ida and you guys, but then he got killed. And now you won't be happy unless I leave."

Hornet hugged him tighter as she shook her head vigorously.

"No, Bo, no, we won't be happy if you leave. And all that wasn't your fault."

Scip nodded, putting his arms around the two smaller figures.

But Bo shook his head.

"Yes, it was. She told me."

"Who?"

"Ester."

Scip blinked at him.

"She did what?"

"She told me. She said so. She told me."

Scip shook his head as if to shake off the things he was hearing.

"Wait, wait. What?"

"She told me." Bo was sobbing now. "When Prop was... was... She said so. Now look what you've done, you stupid child. It was my, my fault."

Scip and Hornet stared at each other.

Taking both of Bo's hands with his own, Scip looked firmly into the boy's eyes.

"Now, Bo, listen to me. Listen to me very closely, because this is important. Okay?"

Bo nodded, his teary eyes wide.

"You did not kill your brother. I don't care what that dried-up bat says, what happened was not your fault. None of it. Are we clear on this?"

Bo nodded just as Hornet's phone started to ring.

"Yeah?" she answered. "Yeah. Yeah, we're coming."

With that she hung up, smiling at the two boys.

"So, are we ready? Bo?"

They both nodded.

"Okay. They're waiting for us."

Carefully getting to his feet, Scip hoisted Bo onto his waist and ruffled through his hair.

"Now, just promise me something. The next time something is bothering you, you come straight to me or Hornet. No more running, okay?"

Bo nodded. Hornet gathered his backpack and his toy into her arms and took Scip's free hand as they walked to the ledge.

Staring down at Victor, Ida, the firemen and the crowd that had gathered far below them, Hornet grinned and squeezed Scip's hand.

"I think we'll be okay now."

Hornet was still smiling when they finally made it home. Bo had long since fallen asleep in Victor's arms, and both of them were now lying on the sofa, Victor snoring faintly. Ida had huddled up next to them and was asleep as well. Seeing all of them so peaceful made Hornet happy, but it also reminded her that she hadn't slept in twenty-four hours.

She looked at Scip at her side and sighed. She loved him, she really did. Every obstacle in their path had more or less disappeared. And yet... Seeing Scip care about Bo reminded her of Prosper again. What if she really did only see Prop in Scip? It wasn't fair to him.

She sighed again. How could she be sure? It was awful.

Scip grinned at her, squeezing her hand that he hadn't let go off since they had climbed down from the roof.

"Come on," he whispered, gently pulling her towards the door. She followed him into the kitchen, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Is this our happy end?" he whispered.

Hornet pouted.

"Well, I wasn't really thinking this would be the end already."

Scip grinned, slapping her butt lightly.

"Whatever happened to serious Hornet..." he whispered, not knowing why she suddenly wrapped her arms around him so tightly.

Burying her grin in his sweatshirt, it was all Hornet could do not to start squealing. That was something Prop would never have done.

And Hornet didn't mind.

Fin