A/N: I passed 10 reviews! Thank you so much for those you reviewed! Free chocolate chip cookies for everybody! :D Um, this chapter is slightly different… ^^; Oh and sorry for the short chapter… hehe.

Oh as a slight note, would you like to see a sequel to this story? Or would you like to see where the rest of the Blitzkrieg Boys end up? I donno! If so, drop me a line

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Summary: Tala is adopted into a loving home, starting a new life but he had to his friends behind. It's not quite often blessings come in disguises but in this case, it's more than a blessing; it's a gift.

Chapter 5: I Don't Cry

"Let's go Wolborg!" I yelled at the top of my lungs sensing my victory draw closer and closer with each passing second. "FINISH HIM!"

And just like that, Wyborg shot out of the beydish landing beside Ian's foot. Three wins in a row. With the battles now done, we all relaxed, falling back into leather couches in the rec room. The TV switched on, relaying beyblading news, if there was anything to relay about. The camera shot footage of the incomplete BBA building standing tall with steel columns embedded into the concrete; construction crew and materials littered the sight. It was nowhere close to being done. The next scene was shot at a nearby river where the temporary BBA HQ was established in a small shack. In front of the shack were small orange beydishes for children to practice with, on their journey to become the next rising stars. The boys watched the children, both girls and boys pull on their ripcords with determination, hoping to win their battles, gaining the right to boast and gloat. Long story short: they were hoping to become the next World Champion in their own right.

"It's going to be awhile before the building returns back to normal," I said aloud breaking the silence.

Nobody replied. Everybody was consumed within their own thoughts reminding one of us was next to go. Who? Surely it was between Spencer or Ian although it rose some questions: Why didn't Bryan want a home? Of all the years I've known him, I've known him to be very independent, like me but doesn't he want a loving family too? I guess he cherished his independence spreading his wings to the furthest corners of the world to do what he pleases.

I turned my attention to Ian. I only knew so much about his past. He was the last to join the Blitzkrieg Boys.

As rumor went, Ian was the runt of the litter from his father's first marriage. I don't know how much of what I heard was true but just listening to his stories disturbed me, even back when I was a selfish boy. I remember we had a small conversation once in the lunch room and Ian told me without any hint of emotion; his step-mother threw him out of the house, during a cold, treacherous night when death awaited him in the dark. Why? Ian told me she considered him a weakling. Weaklings were meant to die a lonely death along with their mothers who gave birth to them. All of this was an act of hate. I could assume Ian's step-mother despised his birth mother… Mothers, even though not tied by blood should be guardian angels. In this case, she was nothing more than a Devil in disguise.

Maybe when Ian gets a new family, he could finally meet a guardian angel he craved for all these years. No more lies, no more hurtful words, no more suffering.

"The strong shall live, the weak shall die,"

-Ian

My attention moved to Spencer; I knew fragments of his past. Spencer never had parents or even a loving home; he was brought up in an orphanage. He was teased due to his massive body structure and his lack of words. I was surprised he didn't snap at the other children but when you're a child yourself, what were you supposed to do? Find a corner and cry until all your problems disappeared? Maybe. I knew Spencer does not cry.

There were times when I caught Spencer gazing down, lost into his palms. Every time I looked, I didn't see anything but to Spencer, something was there. One time I walked into the men's washroom spotting Spencer washing his hands over and over with large quantities of soap. He even poured bleach on his hands to no avail; whatever that was on his palms remained there. It was only after I asked what was wrong he snapped out of his trance-like state. He shook his head, wiped his hands, leaving me to ponder his actions. I came to the conclusion if anybody was desperate enough to pour bleach on their hands; something terrible happened to them…

"No, I didn't do it! I didn't do it! I didn't mean to! You've got to believe me!"

-Spencer

Lastly was Bryan whose past I have no knowledge of. Not once he spoke of his past. I assumed he doesn't remember it or things were better left unsaid. Regardless of his past, I assumed it wasn't a pretty one. He didn't need to tell me he had demons lurking within the shadows.

"You don't need to know anything about what I did or what I've become,"

-Bryan

I blinked again now focusing on all three of them. Maybe this was the best thing they did for themselves but then why am I so worried? Was I worried about the team being broken up? Yes. We were always a team, we were always together. We had each other; we were our own little family. We had bonds that surpassed being friends; we had bonds that allowed us to be brothers. I sighed aloud catching their attention.

"Thinking about our departure?" Ian asked me. I nodded in response. "Don't worry about it," his eyes shifted, moving to the intricately woven rug beneath us.

"This was how we felt when we got news you were moving," Bryan said aloud, leaning comfortably in the couch with fingers intertwined behind his head. "We didn't know what to say or think."

"But we wanted you to be happy," Spencer added.

Happy? Right, all my life I didn't understand the word 'happy' until I found it recently with the Murins. They showed me so much love and happiness within a few days which I never received all my life. It was time for them to be happy. It was their time to shine. It was their time to smile.

I suddenly felt bile erupting out of my stomach but I quickly swallowed it back down. I coughed, clearing my throat, "The choice was yours to make and I couldn't be more happier," I stood up eyeing them, "All our lives we were deprived of life and its infinite possibilities. We are now able to reclaim and relearn things we were once deprived of. There are many kind souls out there who wish to help us in our journey and we take their hands to guide us into the light. Men, we are here to live life to the fullest."

Those were the last words I said to them before the clock struck midnight. I never realized how long I sat here by my window gazing out at the never-ending sea of white. I never realized wine bottles were scattered around my feet, staining the carpet in deep red. I never realized I was crying.

They're not going anywhere, I tried to convince myself they weren't going anywhere far. I huddled into a ball resting my forehead on my knees. It was strange to feel this way; was this the same way they felt when I announced my departure on that faithful day? Perhaps. "Why do I suddenly feel so alone?"

Why do I feel there was an air of uncertainty around me? They were going to be happy. They were going to have a family. They were going far, far away… I failed to notice the door opened with soft footsteps approaching me. I didn't look up but I felt warm arms wrapping around me. I heard her voice whispering calm words into my ear:

Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.

If that mockingbird don't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

If that diamond ring turns to brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass…

I could barely register what was going on but I recognized my mother's soft melodic voice. My heart returned to its normal pace, beating peacefully within my chest. My body didn't feel so cold anymore. I instinctively moved my hands wrapping them around Inessa. My face buried into her chest. I didn't want to let go. For all the times I didn't have anybody, right now I had everything—I had my mother.

"Shhhh…" she rocked me side to side as her hands pat my back, "Your friends will find loving families, Tala. It's their new beginning; a new chapter in their lives."

"I know but…"

"Think about all the wonderful things that can happen to them. They'll be able to spread their wings soaring with the winds of change."

Yes, yes they could. They could spread their wings flying to infinity. The sky had nothing on them; they could fly higher and higher until they touched every star in the sky, making every wish they had come true.

"You can always visit them. If they're miles away, you can go visit them. If they're in another country, you can go visit them."

"What if… what if they're too far away and I couldn't see them?" I spoke through muffled tones. I knew I sounded childish but I never experienced these feelings before. I felt like a hopeless toddler. Inessa hushed me again hugging me tighter.

"Even though they moved to the ends of the earth, you will go and visit them." She pushed me away from her chest holding my face, wiping away my tears with her thumbs, "We'll go visit them, alright? No matter how far they go, we will make sure you get to see them. After all, I think your friends will be very happy when they see you visit them, don't you agree?"

I nodded. I had to laugh, a little. I quickly wiped away the remaining tears, about to stand up but I just couldn't; my eyes fell heavy on me. My arms fell limp, falling down onto the carpet. I tried to resist the temptation to sleep but my body was against me. I fought and fought and…

"I don't cry…" I mumbled succumbing to sleep. "I don't… cry…"

"Hush," Inessa hugged my sleeping form. She placed a kiss on my forehead, "Even the strongest one of us must cry at times,"

Inessa hugged me tighter, leaning against the window with snow falling outside covering trees with white magic.

"I will make sure you can see your friends even though they're at the ends of the earth. I promise."