Well... the last chapter wasn't as popular as I hoped, but ah well... hopefully this chapter will do much better. lol. Please keep reviewing!!!!!!! R&R!

Disclaimer: Storm Hawks (c) Nerd Corps and Ace Fipke

Chapter Eight: A Sky Knight's Decision

An hour later, Finn silently walked onto the deck, watching his leader with worried blue eyes. Radarr was on his heels.

"Aerrow?" the sharpshooter asked quietly, "Come on, it's time for bed. We're arriving on Terra Atmosia tomorrow. We need to be awake and alert when we meet with the Sky Knight Council."

The redhead closed his eyes, not moving. He took a deep breath in and sighed. "Okay, Finn. Just give me a moment," he replied.

Radarr scampered up to him and crawled onto his shoulder, where he whimpered worriedly.

"I know, buddy," the Sky Knight sighed, staring up into the stars, "I miss her too. I only wish there was some way to bring her back," he whispered sadly.

10 minutes later, Aerrow had crawled into bed, Radarr curled up in a ball beside him.

Could I have done anything to prevent Piper's death? Aerrow thought miserably, If there was, it's my fault I didn't do it.

He closed his eyes and tried to rest, and soon, he fell into a disturbed sleep.

Piper, getting her throat cut open by the Dark Ace… lying in his arms, bleeding…. She, who he loved so much, lying on the ground being stabbed repeatedly in the chest by a heartless Dark Ace… Red, blood red, the crimson liquid pooling around her… Nothing he can do… Cyclonis, blasting Piper with a crystal that snaps her neck and she falls, lifeless, to the ground. The Oracle, floating in front of him. "You can still save her..." she whispers as they watch Piper die.

"NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Aerrow screamed, snapping upright in bed.

In surprise, Radarr jumped and fell off the bed, colliding with the hard metal floor.

Instantly, Finn, Junko and Stork ran into his room, flipping on the lights.

"Aerrow! What's wrong?!" Junko demanded.

"Are there mindworms?!" Stork screamed, eyes twitching crazily.

The redhead shook his head. "Sorry for waking you up guys. I had a nightmare, that's all," he reassured, forcing a smile.

"Was it about Piper?" Finn guessed.

He nodded, closing his emerald eyes. Then they shot open again as he jumped out of bed, running out of the room. "Piper!" he yelled.

The rest of the Storm Hawks followed him to Piper's room, and when the door slide open, they saw a glowing figure floating over Piper's still form.

"Who are you?!" Finn shouted.

Aerrow's eyes widened. "I-It's you…" he whispered, "I-It's the Oracle…"

"The Oracle?!" the rest of the team gasped.

The woman nodded and turned to Aerrow, her purple eyes glowing. "I heard your wish, Sky Knight" she said, "and because you have set me free in the past, I will tell you of one way to bring her back."

"Please!" Junko exclaimed.

"We'll do almost anything!" Finn added.

Their leader stood wordlessly, letting her proposition sink in. I could see those beautiful orange eyes again, he thought, and hold her warm body in my arms.

"Sky Knight Aerrow," the Oracle addressed, clenching one hand tightly, "only you may be able to bring her back." She opened her hand, and a sharp ceremonial dagger rested in it. "Only with your sacrifice, may you bring her back."

The dagger had a light blue crystal embedded at the very end of the hilt, and thick metal wires wound itself along the hilt. The knife seemed to be quite old-fashioned (considering they didn't have daggers like this in Atmos), and was nothing like the Storm Hawk's had ever seen before.

Radarr jumped onto his shoulder and began to tug him back, not wanting to lose his best friend.

"Isn't there any other way?" Finn begged.

"We're not interested in losing our leader," Stork agreed.

The woman shook her head. "I'm sorry, but only he can bring the girl back," she told them.

"Aerrow… don't do this…" Junko told him.

The Oracle placed the dagger on Piper's table. She turned back to the red-haired Sky Knight to instruct him. "The way to bring her back is that by sunset tomorrow, you must plunge that dagger into your own heart, and as you die, you will reunite briefly in spirit before you must move on. And as she comes back, your body will disappear," she explained, "Choose wisely, Sky Knight, for your decision may affect the outcome of Atmos' delicate future."

Then in a flash of brilliant purple light, she vanished without a trace.

"Aerrow, we all know how much you loved her, but she wouldn't have wanted this," Finn reasoned, "Besides, we still need you to lead us. Even if Piper comes back, she'll be an emotional wreck knowing that you sacrificed yourself for her, and the Storm Hawks would fall apart."

"And how do you think Radarr would feel about that?" Junko added, motioning to the small blue creature tugging at Aerrow's pant-leg.

Aerrow's green eyes stared into the yellow eyes of his best friend and co-pilot, seeing the truth in his eyes. Immediately, he felt his heart being torn into two. He loved Piper dearly and believed it was his fault for getting her killed, but if he died, he would be hurting the rest of his team, and they needed him now. He knew no one else had beaten the Dark Ace except for him, and he knew that unless others learned to take down the Dark Ace, they would most certainly be killed.

What should I do? He thought, Which one is more important: Piper or the Atmos?

Immediately, he knew that the answer was. He silently walked over to where the dagger was, and removed it off the table.

"No, Aerrow, don't!" Stork pleaded.

"We need you, buddy!" Junko added desperately.

"I'm sorry," the Sky Knight whispered, before lifting the dagger high into the air.

Finn yelled, "No! Aerrow! Don't do it!"

I love you, Piper, Aerrow thought, plunging the dagger into the cover of a book on Piper's desk. The book was a story about a tragedy within a squadron, and Piper had been reading it before the mission on Terra Dancia came up. It was called, "Tragedy in the Skies", and it was based off a true story. Now Aerrow knew how true the story could be.

He had completely scared the rest of the Storm Hawks with his near-suicide attempt. Now they were utterly relieved, and at the same time, very sad.

Fresh tears dripped from Aerrow's cheeks and onto the cover of the book. "I'm sorry, Piper, but the guys need me to lead them. I love you so much, and I'm sorry for not realizing that Angela was a Cyclonian earlier," he sobbed, falling onto his knees and holding onto the hilt of the knife with both hands.

Radarr hopped onto the redhead's shoulder and hugged his neck, letting the Sky Knight know that he would always be there for him.

It hurts to see him this way, Junko thought miserably.

Finn's eyes were pained. I never knew he loved her so much, he thought sadly.

Stork sniffed. "I think this depressing mood might be contagious," he choked quietly.

"We've got to do something to help him," Junko whispered to Finn.

"But what?" he retorted.

Aerrow soon stopped sobbing and stood up, bending down to kiss Piper one more time before leaving her room. No one stopped him from leaving, and immediately, they knew how hard it was for Aerrow to do what he had just done.

Aerrow, last descendent of the original Storm Hawks, Sky Knight of the new Storm Hawks squadron, had turned his back on a friend, his one true love, for the sake of Atmos and it's inhabitants.

So... what have we learned from this chapter? You tell me... But what I've learned, is that it's hard being a Sky Knight sometimes (Especially in Aerrow's current situation). Hope you liked the drama so far! Tell me how you liked it and what you want to see later on!

Please R&R! (and thanks to those reviewers who are so good at what they do!)