A/N In the next chapter

As you know, I don't own any of these characters, the locations, events, ideas, occurrences, or anything else that may appear in both the movie RIO and my story; that is all the property of Blue Sky. Enjoy!

11. Feel it In Your Heart

The wind that whipped angrily at my feathers quickly faded. Time itself seemed to slow and the only sensation I could comprehend was the touch of her beak against mine. Nothing else mattered, the arguments, challenges and trials that had plagued these past two days drained away with the last of my concerns. She had kissed me! I had committed and she reciprocated! I barely registered the fact that she had finally pulled her beak from mine. Nothing mattered, I was going to die, but I was going to die a happy bird. It was during this acceptance that my wings jerked back violently, wrenched open by the wind, straining to stop our descent.

The ocean spray spattered against my beak and I hesitantly opened my eyes, unsure of what was going on. Looking down I could see Jewel in my grip. Instinctively, I squeezed a bit harder hoping against hope that I wouldn't drop my special cargo. The waves were still inches below me. We were gliding; somehow I had stopped our descent. My wings ached at the strain of stopping two bodies from falling at terminal velocity. I tucked them in before quickly realizing my mistake and shooting them back out. I pumped my wings twice, gaining a few shaky inches above the surf.

It was only at this point that I realized exactly what was going on. The pieces came together and I finally understood what was going on. I was flying! I shook my head a bit, the astonishment quickly showing on my face. Still the water beneath us was quite close, my wings already hurt, how was I controlling this? Panic quickly began to set in as questions poured into my mind quickly overwhelming the accomplishment.

"Blu!" That voice, that one voice shook the questions from my worried mind. I was doing this for her, for us. "You're flying!" I could hear the joy in her voice, whether it was because I was flying or a realization that we weren't dead, it didn't matter, she was happy. The soreness of my inexperienced wings faded to a dull throb, with my mind cleared by her voice, my instincts were able to kick in and we slowly began to rise above the water. The air calmed as we rose above the ocean and I found myself reveling in what was happening.

"I'm flying! I'm really flying!" Tears of joy and relief clouded my vision. I was really flying! I was with the one I loved, I hadn't died, and I was flying!

My feathers vibrated with as the wind wove its way through them. I flapped them a few more times my confidence in them building and my excitement piquing.

"You're Right, I'm not an ostrich, I'm not an ostrich!"

I felt like an ostrich, an ostrich lost in Alaska. My feathers shook softly as I nervously shifted my weight. Even breathing was becoming difficult as I quietly panicked. This was easily turning into the most nerve wracking moment of my life. Like it or not, everything was going to change. I desperately recalled my time spent in the bookstore researching this. None of the books or articles that came to mind did more than draw my panicked state closer to critical levels. I couldn't see Jewel at the moment, but I had to convince myself that she was at least a little nervous about this as well, if only to make me feel less alone in my paranoia.

I shifted uneasily, unable to get comfortable on Linda's arm as we walked down the hallway. From the way she held herself, I could tell that she was nervous, but that wasn't killing her excitement which found its way into the slight bounce of her step. Flustered that even Linda was handling this better than I was, I continued to endure my crisis alone. My heart rate again jumped as another spike of nerves hit me. We were really about to do it.

They were just going to throw my off the rail and I was going to die.

That was it; no other solution came to me. After all we had been through; Linda was just going to throw me to my death in front of the only bird I loved.

As if on queue, a harsh white light appeared, blinding me from my surroundings. In my worry I had missed the last minutes of my life. I couldn't help but feel a bit upset at myself. I had even missed watching my life flash before my eyes. However, before I could beat myself up about it, color began to bleed into my vision and I realized that the light was merely outside shining in from an open door. I also realized that I certainly deserved an award for overreacting today.

Still, melodrama and imagination aside, I could still feel my heart beating high in my throat as my feathers compressed in nervous anticipation. I looked around taking in my surroundings. The sky looked welcoming and clear, but the Jungle floor lay menacingly beneath the platform we had just stepped onto. I turned my head just in time to see Tulio carefully set Jewel on the banister. Before I could blink, Jewel was in the air, giddily crying out, lost in the bliss and freedom that was flight.

As I watched her, Linda moved to the same banister before lowering her arm to it. Gingerly, I stepped off still eying the jungle floor. I turned to Linda for some advice, wishing briefly to be home in Minnesota. What I found instead was he hand held out in a confident fist.

My Eyes watered as I made eye contact with Linda, my Linda. My lifelong friend. Instantly memories flooded my mind.

The fire, prom this ill fated trip, every hard time we had been through.

Friday nights, the bookstore, this amazing wonderful trip, all the good times.

In everything, she had wanted what was best for me. She had always pushed me to do what was right. She had guided me, led me to be the bird I was today.

My nerves subsided and my heart rate slowed a bit. I could do this, for her.

I turned from her, having instinctively finished our greeting. I stared towards the flying form ahead of me.

Jewel

The one I loved.

Through thick and thin.

My eyes drifted towards the Jungle below me. Everything I had read the potential dangers ahead.

No!

No matter the challenge, we would stick together; we were chained-to-each-other birds.

My heart now quickened, not in fear, but anticipation.

With a deep breath I stepped off the railing.

The wind met my wings.