"Well…"

Jewel paused to look at Blu. Her settled expression dropped to a frown.

"There's something I should have told you awhile back."

"What is it, Jewel? You can tell me."

Jewel slightly smiled. She then dropped her smile.

"Blu, I've been unfaithful too. I-I…"

She looked down and sighed. She then felt Blu's wing grab her wing. She looked up to see his content smile. She couldn't return it, but it gave her the confidence to speak.

"Oh, Blu, I had a trust issue with you leaving the bird sanctuary. That's why I sent Xavier to spy on you."

Blu tried his hardest not to flip out on Jewel. Out of all birds, she picked Xavier, and the reason why was because Jewel trust him. That bird would kiss her toes, doomed to her will. It was futile though. She would never love him in return. Blu knew this, but probably it wasn't the case anymore. Probably Jewel became friends with him.

"Do you like him?"

"Blu, I don't want to go through all the screaming again."

"Not like that. I mean as a friend."

"He's more of the acquaintance type."

"But you trust him more than me?"

"Blu, you know too well that Xavier will do anything I ask. That bird is crazy for me."

"But you could've talked to me."

"And same to you."

Blu sighed.

"I know. I should've told you about Flor."

He then thought about it.

"Jewel, if you already knew, why didn't you bring it up? Why did you have to tell Xavier to spy on me? I know you, Jewel. You're persistent. If you didn't trust me, why didn't you tell me?"

Jewel let out a saddened heave. She then faced the entrance of the fake tree den.

"I should've, but I didn't. It's just…my father."

"Your father?" wondered Blu with widening eyes. "What does your father have to do with this?"

She looked back at Blu.

"It was by the time I was nine when I found out."

Jewel and her mother were bathing in a river a bit out of the way. They wanted the privacy. Tonight, Jewel was going to go with her parents to the bird club, which hosted a blues-singing channel-billed toucan. Unknown to Jewel, they hoped that she would find a potential mate at the club.

Her mother was a radiant Spix's Macaw. Her light blue feathers shined as dew in the morning. She was a beautiful bird. Jewel only wished that she could as beautiful as her. Her mother picked up water with her beak and sprinkled it on her feathers.

"Wow, Mom. You look gorgeous."

Her mother faced her.

"Thank you, Meja. You do too."

Jewel shook her head.

"I don't know about that."

"But Meja, you inherited my looks. Don't look so down on your looks. You are beautiful, and you can only get more beautiful."

Jewel slightly smiled.

"Mom, thank you."

"Jewel, you do know the reason why we are going to the club?"

"Because I came of age. I'm old enough now."

Her green-eyed mother shook her head.

"You are old enough, but not because of what you're thinking. Jewel, you have grown to be a beautiful macaw, and it's time for you to find a handsome macaw."

Jewel blushed.

"But-"

"You'll do find Jewel. The club is a great place to find young blue macaws like us. It's time to find love, don't you think?"

"But…I don't know if I'm ready."

"No one ever is, Meja, but it happens, and you understand."

Jewel was not for the idea. Finding a male in a bird club was so…unpredictable. Usually, drinking influences love in the club. She had heard it been called drunk love, where it is just a fun night, and you wake up the next morning not really caring for the bird you were with. She had always dreamed of a bird, a tough blue macaw, being a knight by saving her life that would be in peril by a snake or something. Or just a macaw she bonked into, become friends, and soon, their relationship grew into something more. Finding a male in the club was far from her mind. But she wanted to make her parents happy. She sighed.

"I think I do. Okay."

Her mother smiled.

"Meja, check what time your father wants to leave. I still need to wash myself properly, but I need to know when he wants to leave so I can try and hurry if needed."

Jewel nodded with a smile. She flapped her wings and took to the sky. She soared through the jungle, thinking of what her mother had told her.

Finding a male, huh? I don't know if I'm ready, but Mom's right. I need to find a male.

She sighed.

I just don't know how. How can I attract one who isn't after my looks? I got myself all beautiful, but I probably shouldn't have. He should like me if I was a mess. …Well, other birds are going to be there, and I don't want to look my worst.

She landed on the branch that served as a walkway to the entrance of the den. She saw her father's back in the den and smiled. She walked closer, but as she did, she noticed he was moving his hips back and forth. She dropped the smile as she also noticed a bird in front of him.

"Yeah, that's it."

"I'm taking you all the way, Babe."

Jewel entered the den, shocked as she realized what was going on.

"Dad?"

The dark blue macaw with blue eyes turned around in panic to face his daughter.

"J-Jewel. W-What are yo-ou d-doing h-home this early?"

"Dad, what are you doing, and who is this?"

Jewel's father moved back from the female bird he was humping.

"Uh… Listen, Jewel. It's, uh…"

"Answer me!"

The sky blue-feathered, brown-eyed female Spix's Macaw looked at Jewel and then back at Jewel's father.

"Who is she, Paul?" the female asked.

Paul gulped.

"Sh-She's my daughter."

"So this is your daughter. She's lovely."

"Dad, what's going on?"

Jewel's voice was more settled. She knew what was going on. It was a stupid question to ask, but she wanted to hear her answer.

"Jewel, you have to understand-"

"Understand what? You're cheating Mom with another bird."

"But Jewel, you have to understand. Our species is dying. As males, it is our job to ensure the safety of our future."

"That's crap, Dad! You could've made another egg with Mom, but you chose another bird."

"But Jewel, Jenny is more-"

"More what, Dad?"

He looked at Jenny and faced Jewel.

"More fit for our survival."

"No. Dad, Mom is a year younger than you. How can you say that? Don't you love her?"

"That's just it, Meja."

Paul sighed.

"Your mother and I've shared good times, but I…I love your mother."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Jewel, what I mean is that I love your mother as a friend. I'm not in love with her."

"But you're mates! Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Jewel, try not to understand it. I still do care about your mother, but I'm with Jenny. I was going to break the news tonight."

Jewel faced Jenny.

"And you're fine with this? Stealing a mated male?"

"Jewel, Paul's been the best with me. He told me he was mated and still with his wife, but he promised me that we would be together. The reason why he didn't leave your mom was because of you. Now that you know, we can live together."

Rage built inside of Jewel. She dashed towards Jenny, but her father blocked her way. She stopped and looked at his feet. She then looked up at Paul.

"So, is this the way of life? Am I going to find love and have it stab me in the back one day?"

"I'm sorry, Jewel. I made up my mind. I need to find your mother. Come, Jenny."

Jewel sighed and looked down in disappointment. Paul flew out of the den and headed towards the river. Jenny looked back at Jewel once more before following Paul.

"Jewel, one day, you'll see-"

Jewel looked up and gave Jenny a death glare. Jenny shut her beak and flew out of the den. Jewel found her legs shaking and sat down. A drop of water escaped her eyes, and soon, a river of tears poured out. If love was just a game to some, she didn't want to be part of it.

"After that, my mother and I left my father. We lived on our own, foraging for food and just trying to survive. My mother was devastated and blamed herself. I tried to comfort her the best I could, but nothing helped. Then, that day came…"

A few tears escaped her moist eyes. Blu grabbed her wings and gently pulled in her in for a hug. He patted her back gently.

"It's okay, Jewel."

"No, it's not."

Jewel parted from the hug.

"I was in the den, waiting for my mother. She said she was going to bathe. I waited for a few hours before deciding to go to check on her. I got to the river to see my mother's wet, dead body. She...She had drowned herself."

Jewel continued to cry. Blu wished that it would be okay, but Jewel was right. It wasn't. Her mother died out of depression because her father, most likely dead as well, cheated on her. Jewel calmed herself down, sniffling a bit.

"I told myself I would never love anyone and will always be free, but then I was caught and then you came."

She slightly chuckled.

"I guess everything changes. Blu, at first, I didn't want anything to do with you."

"I remember that. The deal was that I was going to go back with Linda and you were going to be free in the jungle."

"You were the first male Spix's Macaw I saw in a long time, so I didn't know how to react. All I remembered was what my father did. However, I needed your help to escape. I was going to use you, but then we got captured. I didn't hate you, Blu, but I wanted to be free. I kept a smiling face to hide my past from you. You didn't need to know about me. But then, everything fell apart. My relationship towards you grew, and I started to fall in love. When you jumped out of that plane to save me, I knew you were the one and would never cheat on me. Then came your flying lessons outside the sanctuary as I remained inside. I didn't think much of it as first, but when it became frequent, my suspensions grew. I knew I could trust you, but a voice always said he's male, like your father. Memories then came back, and I found myself believing you were cheating on me. That voice was the one that told me to spy on you. I tried to convince myself you weren't cheating, but then Xavier told me that he saw you with another bird. That's when my world fell apart, Blu."

Jewel faced the ground. Blu slowly reached out and grabbed her wing, forcing Jewel to glance up at him.

"Jewel, I'm Blu, not your father. I would never consider cheating on you. Not Flor, or any other bird, would receive the love I have for you. That's a promise."

Jewel smiled as tears still dripped down. She pulled herself closer to Blu and wrapped her wings around him.

"Thank you, Blu. It-It means a lot to me that you promise to be by my side."

"Always," breathed Blu. "I love you, Jewel."

"I love you too, Blu."

Jewel slightly pushed away from Blu, still holding him, and pressed her beak against his. The kiss was not only to show their love, but it was to show the trust they had for each other. The passionate and soft kiss lasted for a few seconds, but to Blu, it must had been a while before Jewel parted. Jewel faced Blu with a smile and rested her head on his chest. Blu looked down at Jewel.

"Jewel, would you like to meet her? That way, there's no tension."

Jewel nodded.

"That would be nice, but tomorrow. I want this moment to last."

"Of course. I also want this moment to last."