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Chapter Four: A Glider

"Spirits paint our lives

But strokes of luck are so few

And should they occur

They are marred with misfortune

A smug to cover them up"

"Ain't that the truth" thought Skoochy, as he placed the old book back on the shelf. Suddenly he stiffened when he heard the telltale rustle of curtain being pulled away from the door to the library; it was time for him to scram. He looked back to the book and thought for a split second about taking it; then he remembered his promise to Takeo and decides against it. He was going straight from now on. Still it wasn't like he was stealing it to get a few yuans, it would just be to escape for a bit. When he was reading he didn't have to think about anything else, not even the odd turn his life had just taken and his lack of luck with it.

And much as he hate to admit it, welcome or unwelcome visitor, he loved this library. It gave him a sense of home. Well, unless he was being chased out of it; like he was now…

He had moved towards the window to go back out the way he came in, but his thoughts had him lagging and his pursuer, the old woman who owned the library, was close enough to look him in the eyes. And she did…

"Stop!" She said sternly. Skoochy didn't need to hear another word. Without a second thought he flung his other leg over the edge of the window and prepared to jump to the ground.

"Wait! Don't leave…" it was the odd word choice that made him snap his head back around to face the woman.

"You're the boy who comes here to read; aren't you…" she stated calmly.

Skoochy didn't say a word. The woman may have looked too old and frail to trick him in to confessing to breaking in, but you could never be too careful.

"Yes, you're the boy who sneaks in here when you think the library is unattended. You take books, "steal them", but you always put them back…"

His eyes dart to the corner of the room trying not to meet hers. He desperately wants to leave but some part of him, some part of him that may be nuts, is curious as to why she hasn't already called the cops and turned him in.

"I hear you looking for a job…" his head bolts up to look her in the eyes immediately, on his face is a mixture of confusing as to how she knew that and curiosity as to why she asking...

"I hear a lot more than people think?" she replied to the unasked question "Especially about the street kids… although you're getting on in years to be considered a kid." He nodded he knew this; he'd heard it mentioned often enough. "I guess that's why you getting a job…" she continued "Although most kids would have joined one of the gangs by now, and they'd be raising though the ranks..." …Straight on their way to an untimely death. He mentally completed her train of thought. She looked over him appraisingly "But not you?"

"No, not me ma'am" he responded verbally for the first time, deciding he ought to be polite to the old bird who was offering him a job (or at least sounded like she was).

"So you want a job?" she asked again bluntly. He nodded, though needed was probably a better word for it.

"Yes, ma'am…"

"I need someone to run the library… I'm getting older and I have other thing to take care of now…" she trailed off like she was avoiding a subject "I have money to hire someone to help out." She clarified "How's Tuesday through Saturdays. I knows it's odd days but that's when I need the help."

"That's great…" he replied, barely believing his luck. "but why me…?" this was definitely not the way he envisioned getting a job.

"Well for one, you obviously want to be here and for another if I hire you the number of break in in the library will finally go down to zero." There was something in the way she said the last reason he knew she might have said something different if she'd was being honest, but he decided not to press the subject further.

"So you'll take the job…?" she asked

"Yes, Ms…"

"Mrs. Yamauchi," she said glancing hastily at the clock that reads 6:38, turning to him apologetically. "Could you perhaps start now?" she asked "I know it's late, but it'd just be until 9 o'clock when the library closes…" he nodded again.

Later he'd realized that the Mrs. Yamauchi he working for, is the same one whose son was mentioned in the paper less than a week ago. He remembered reading that he'd been attacked during some sort of gang fight, and has yet to regain consciousness. It explained why she needed the help, and soon after that when he finds a picture of her son, he see the resemblance and realizes why she hired him. Maybe it's luck on his part. His first bit of luck in a while, but it doesn't last long.

"Jinni why on earth do we have to visit this wet blanket of a place?" asked a guy not minding the blunt tone his voice had taken.

"Because I forgot to return my book this week…" at the sound of her voice Skoochy nearly fell off the chair he was leaning on. What was she doing here? He could vaguely remember her saying she went to a library every week, but how was he supposed to know it was this one. He knew he probably should have guessed, considering this library was only used by the most prominent people in Republic City and she certainly counted as that. He glanced around the library wondering if he should call attention to himself or just pretend he hadn't seen her.

"So? Do you really need another, kitten, you already spend most of you time absorbed in those lame-brained stories about stuff that happened a hundred years ago…" Jinora looked at him carefully; she seemed to be waiting for something, like he was going to say more or do something… when he didn't; she sighed tiredly.

"It'll only be a minute Sachio, please…" this wasn't the Jinora he knew. The Jinora he knew didn't let people get away with calling books lame-brained, and she most certainly didn't let people control her like this greaseball was. He looked at her seriously.

"One minute then." A wave of panic crossed her face as she looked around the library hurriedly. In Some part of his mind Skoochy realized the fella was actually serious.

Jinora's face seemed caught between asking for help and using the seconds to look for a book. Finally, with sigh of defeat, she picked up a random book and walked over to the desk; straight into him.

"I'd like to exchange a book." Her face dropped down glancing over the unfamiliar cover of the new book.

"Sure thing, Dollface?" her face darted to meet his in a second, their eyes met greedily taking in the luxury of such a chance encounter, and for the first time since she'd been there he saw her smile.

"What are you doing here?" she asked her smile turning in to a smirk.

"I work here…" he replied almost proud that he's able to tell her that.

"Oh?" surprise colored her voice.

"As of last the Tuesday…" he clarified "before that I used to frequent it a little less legally…" she almost laughed but she stopped herself; glancing over to her boyfriend had begun to walk towards them.

"So, Jinni who this…?" Skoochy noticed the way the guy put an arm around her shoulder possessively and puffed his chest out ever so slightly. The message was clear; Jinora was his, no matter how uncomfortable she looks on his arm.

"This is my friend Skoochy… the one I meet with some times…" she doesn't say how often, when, or where, but she doesn't need to; the comment seems to already have his some sort of nerve. "Skoochy this is… Sachio."

"Oh, so you're the street rat she talks about…?" he says an air of disgust hanging thick around his words. Skoochy can feel Sachio's eyes on him sizing him up. His eyes narrow and meet the fella's, but Skoochy isn't backing down for a second. If he could he'd tell Sachio to scram and leave Jinora alone; he would. But he knows he can't; Jinora's not his girl. Suddenly, the guy laughs disturbing the tension in the room.

"It's okay pally, cool it; and don't worry any friend of Jinni's is a friend of mine." Skoochy raised and eyebrow to the man's honest insincerity. He wanted to tell the fella that he couldn't say the same about her boyfriends but he didn't. The fleeting expression of relief on Jinora's face when her goof was laughing stopped him. He didn't need to make her situation, whatever it was, worse.

He logged the books in the library binder on the desk one retuned, one signed out.

"Have a nice night Jinora…" he said reluctantly as he handed her the book.

"Oh we will…" answered Sachio before she could get a word out, immediately leading her towards he door.

"Abyssinia…?" Skoochy called after her

Jinora manage a half nod in his direction before the guy pulled her out the door.

"Abyssinia…" she repeated in less than a whisper.

I'll be seeing you, that's what she said… but it was well over two weeks before he saw her again. She hadn't been at the park as of late and he was getting worried. He knew she was okay, for the most part because, he'd seen her in the paper recently and he hadn't heard anything to contrary on the street. But still there was nothing tangible for him, no pair of molten brown eyes he could look into and know she fine. He hated not seeing her. It then that he realized he was perfectly fine with them being just friend because at least he'd been able to see her. Still they're just friends, and now he didn't get to see her at all.

It's that thought that drove him to the local speakeasy that night, with a few yuans in his pocket for at least a drink or two so he can forget. Well… not her; he never wanted to forget her, but rather the fact he could never be with her. No matter how much luck he had in his life, it seemed like there'd always be that looming fact hanging over him to smudge it out.

He fought back a grimace as her made his way to the speakeasy. It was well hided in between an old alley and the back wall of a general store that really wasn't the back wall. During the day it posed as a store room and by night it moonlighted as the place of sin that was well know all over Republic City. The music was loud and the walls sound proof. There was just enough room for about a dozen people to dance, if they were really friendly with each other. The bar was small and consisted of a few overturned crated with a large piece of stone put over it. The man who worked behind the counter was named Arashi. He was a waterbender and despite being known as the city drunk, he'd never had a drop in his life; he preferred to make moonshine and slosh it up to other saps that were willing to waste their yuans trying to wash memories from their mind.

However fate seemed to have another idea for him; there at the bar in front of him was Jinora and Sachio sitting on a pair of mis-matched stools. Hers sat slightly higher than his so it brought her waist up to the perfect level for Sachio's arm to wrap around it. Skoochy couldn't help but feel a tinged of jealousy as Sachio began to press his lips in to the crook of her neck. He decides leaving seemed like the best of his options right now, while he was still sober and wouldn't do anything he'd regret... But the moment he turned to leave; he heard Jinora utter something that stopped him cold.

"Sachio, stop… please" the sound was breathless and weak, he had never heard her voice sound like that and something was off.

"No… Sachio stop it" her voice spoke only slightly louder than the last time, but the tone remained the same. It didn't sound like she was drunk; it sounded worse.

He turned around only to regret it when he saw Sachio's arms entwined around her body, her arms however were hanging limp at her sides and her eyes were looked unfocused but there was a haunting look of fear in them that made bile rise in his thought.

"Stop." She said again as Sachio continued his attack on her through moving to the dip in her blouse trying gingerly to loosen it. When he paused to whisper harshly in her ear Skoochy lost it.

He walked up to Sachio and clapped him on the shoulder pushing him back and shoving his shoulder roughly making him break away from her. Sachio looks up at Skoochy confusion is followed by drunken n arrogance.

"Well if it isn't Jinni's streetrat pal…" It was sickening Sachio even had the nerve to put him down right then.

"Hey, pally she told you to stop…" Skoochy gave him another shove trying to get him off her without causing a real ruckus, but the smug smile on Sachio's face didn't falter.

"Hey, this is my girl; I'll do as I please…" Skoochy could smell booze on his breath; he needed to get Jinora away from this fella, now.

"Hey greaseball, she doesn't belong to you and she's much too good for a crumb like you." Skoochy took the collar of Sachio shirt into his fist and tugged him up from the stool. From the corner of his eye he noticed Jinora collapse onto the bar. Arashi was shooting him a warning glare, as other people started to stare.

"She said stop so I suggest you get away from her and scram." He flung Sachio back deciding he wasn't worth a fight.

"And who's planning on making me…?" spat back Sachio drunkenly. With that Skoochy sent a fist sailing into the air at his face stopping barely a hair away from his schonz. The guy filched in terror, a typical sissy. Skoochy brought his arm down, and waved Sachio off.

"Now scram." He said and for a minute the guy seemed to flow his instruction, but the second he reached the door he turned around in spite and hollered back at him.

"Well it don't matter, because she may be too good for me but she definitely too good for scum like you. So go on; be her hero… When I leave here I can get any dame I want, I don't need to waste my time with a quiff like her."

It took second for Skoochy to respond, making his way over to the guy and issuing him a sharp punch to his face. The sickening crack of his nose gave him an odd sense of satisfaction.

"Her name is Jinora and don't you ever refer to her as a quiff, greeseball..." He walked back to Jinora who was feebly holding her head and leaning on the bar. She looked like she'd tip over any second she was so far under the water. He picked up the drink she'd been nursing; he grimaced at the smell. The greeseball had slipped her a Mickey Finn, no wonder she was ready collapse. He lifted her face only to find cloudy eyes; she pulled back.

"I-i-i- need to g-g-get h-home…" she stuttered out. Her hand shook as she tried to find he glider that was propped against the bar barely an inch away from her. She tried to hop down from the stool but lost her balance falling into Skoochy. He couldn't let her airbend while she was like this; she might fall into the bay, if she made it that far... He thought about it for les than a second before he decided to sling her arm around his neck and lift her into his strong arms. Her lack of protest only proved to him how out of it she was feeling at the moment. He called Arashi over, who gave a sheepish glance.

"I didn't put anything in her drink, if that what you're wondering about?" Skoochy glared at him but he knew this conversation was for another time.

"No, I was going to ask if you could hold her glider somewhere safe until tomorrow…" Arashi looked at him, then Jinora. Skoochy knew under normal circumstances Arashi might ask Skoochy for some insurance on the glider but both of them knew he was in no position to ask for that. Arashi owned a juice joint but he didn't tolerate drugs in his place.

With a sigh Arashi nodded and went through the storeroom entrance into his shop. He returned a moment later and went back about his work pouring drinks.

As he walked out of the speakeasy, listening as the music dies behind him with the closing of the door, he heard Jinora mumble something that sounded suspiciously like, "You stole my glider…" Skoochy couldn't help but smirk.

"I'll get it back to you tomorrow, Dollface; don't worry…" the tone was gentler than he'd ever spoken to anyone with, but he didn't care Jinora wasn't just anyone.

Jinora clung to Skoochy as he walked toward the docks. She was fighting passing out, but he could tell she was moments from slipping into unconsciousness; as each flutter of her eyelids grew progressively longer than the last.

When he reached the ferry he realized he barely had enough to get one of them across, considering it was late and the ferry men hate working past ten even though the ferries ran until eleven.

In his pocket he had only left himself with enough for the cost of a few drinks, which was nothing close to a ferry toll for the both of them. And by the time he reached the dock there was only one boat that had it light on. He knocked on the window id the boat's cabin hopping the fella wasn't asleep.

"What in the world are you doing here at this time of night?" The man hollered at him obviously annoyed. Skoochy cursed his luck and looked the irked man in the eyes trying to plead his case.

"Listen, sir I've got to get her back to Air Temple Island. She's passed out and I know I only have enough for one and a half fare but can you please get us across." Skoochy had never sounded so desperate in his life but somehow he couldn't bring himself to mind the blow to his pride so long as she got home safe that night. After a minutes consideration the man mutters, "Fine." and grabs the money from Skoochy, pausing only a moment to look over the odd pair. Skoochy was holding Jinora like she the most precious thing in the world. It was obvious there was more to their story.

"So Pally, are you her goof or something?" asked the ferryman curiously. Skoochy shook his head.

"No, just a good friend…" He said looking over the girl in his arms. Takeo was right, heck even that greeseball Sachio was right… he wasn't good enough for her. He was just her friend and that's what he'd be for her; because that what she needed right now…

A/N: Hi, sooo… I'm not dead, No, but if you guessed that you'd be pretty close.

I had my final exams this week and the week before that I was studying. And I was offer two options I either terminate my account or stay off FFN willingly in order to get my grades up. So… I'm sorry, I don't like to make excuses but my apologies are usually pretty good. So if anyone is still even reading this story. I'm sorry my summer starts Tuesday and there are only two more chapters of this fict, which I want to work on without the hindrance of school…

So if anyone still reading this… Pleas, Read and Review. ;)