Chapter 16: Return

(Angels P.O.V.)

The day had gone by swiftly as I took care of everything that was required of being an angelic being in the servitude of the deity known as God. I had accomplished thousands of tasks that had needed doing, and as I popped up next to Azure, it appeared we were in a hospital. I sighed, which startled the excited female bird beside me, and I continued to look over Wolf. He had indeed had quite a day, and a harsher one than I had expected; least to say however, I wasn't surprised. I felt a tugging sensation on my hand, and when I looked down towards Azure, she was smiling brightly, and glowing brightly as well; suggesting her aura was quite fluent and strong at the moment. Her eyes kept flashing towards Wolf as she said, "I can feel it… I can really feel his… goodness… is that what it really feels like when someone is a good person?"

I chuckled as I looked back towards the slumbering child, who had a nice patch on his shoulder that had a red tint underneath it, and I answered back, "Yes it is… it truly is a wonderful thing to feel, and have…" I took a moment to take a deep breath in, even though I didn't technically need to breath, and then I looked back at Azure and said, "I suggest we surprise him, and you be resurrected inside your home before he is even gone from that bed…"

When I finished my suggestion, Azure turned back to him quickly, and I said, "I guess I can see my chicks before I see him… when can we go?"

Instead of responding to her right away, I marched over to Wolf's side languidly and reached down and patted him on the shoulder slowly. His expression was so peaceful, it reminded me of what I looked like after I had perished, and rose from my body and met the angel of the time. With one final pat, I looked towards Azure and said, "We can go right now…"

(Wolf's P.O.V.)

Gunshots were going off all around me as I ducked behind a rock while hot dust blew around me, but just as I did, the scene changed and I was standing in a meadow of green grass and brightly colored flowers. A stream of water fell from the sky and as it hit the ground, it started to expand, and I just noticed how dry my throat truly was. I tried to move towards the falling stream of liquid, except my limbs and muscles wouldn't respond to my orders, so I was stuck standing there with a dry throat. As the puddle grew bigger and bigger, it started to resemble an oval lake, while trees grew from the ground all around the area I was in. soon I was standing in a clearing that looked exactly like mine, except this area seemed to radiate happiness as well as contentedness.

The water stopped falling from the sky just as the lake reached the front of my shoes, and I once again ordered my legs to move, and this time they did. I took a step back before kneeling before the water, and cupping my hands; I scooped up some water and brought it to my mouth. I put my hands back down just as the cool water smoothly slid down my throat, chilling me all the way to my stomach. I closed my eyes as I shivered, and when I reopened them, I was standing up, but in a bird form.

Someone whistled and called my name while I was looking at the feathers along my chest. I snapped my head to the side as the familiar voice finally rang in my head, and I felt my body slacken as I saw who it was, even though I was in a dream. The sunlight seemed to fold around the blue sleek feathers while everything else froze up from the arrival of this mystical being. My eyes wandered up slightly as the dark blue wings came down, and I saw how they gleamed as if they were in a full moons shower. I raised my gaze even higher and saw the sparkling green eyes, with a red tinted gold flower above them. I smiled when the beauty landed before me, and when she brought a wing up to my shoulder, I felt like my heart gave a lurch forward. "I'm glad to see you finally freshened up handsome…"

"Azure… weren't you… dead?" I felt myself asking, even though I didn't want to remember that fact. She seemed to smile wider as she brought her other wing up and pulled me closer to her, and when our chests were rubbing up with each other, she laid her head on my shoulder.

I felt her tighten her wings around me, and I could feel my heart threatening to burst from my chest at any second. She sighed happily as she said, "You know Wolf… I was once told nobody ever truly dies…"

I looked down at her just as she lifted her head up and returned my gaze. Her smile dwindled slightly as she said, "I love you Wolf, thank you for everything you have ever done for me…"

My heart started to hammer away at my rib cage as she leaned up towards me, her eyes closing; and I as instinctively leaned towards her to as I closed my eyes. A faint beeping was permeating my hearing, but I was too caught up in the moment to care. I felt Azure's warm breath blow across my feathers just as the tip of her beak slid along mine. I didn't know if it was even more possible, but my heart rate kicked up a few more notches, and then I felt my loves beak just start to initiate the kiss I was waiting for.

Suddenly I felt as if my perfect world shattered, and it felt like everything froze and started to shatter like glass. I internally yelled out in frustration, but it was quickly drowned out by a pushing sensation, and a loud annoying beeping noise. The frantic noise kept me from going back under as much as the rolling motion and I slowly started to open my eyes…

I groaned as I quickly brought my hand up to my eyes and rubbed them as the rolling sensation stopped, and I could feel a pressure moving away from my arm. I glanced over from one of my hands and saw a small girl that looked to be around seven looking up at me with worried eyes. She opened her mouth and said, "Are you okay mister? Your beepy thing started to grow really loud…"

The sound of the beeping was at a frantic rate, and I looked past her just as I saw someone stirring. My heartbeat was slowly going down, along with the constant beeping of the machine, and I sighed sadly as I remembered the dream and said, "It is okay, I was only dreaming…"

A male voice suddenly called out in a tired but stern voice, "Caroline, get back over here…" the man looked up towards me and said apologetically, "Sorry if she disturbed you… she's just curious is all…"

I waved my hand dismissively as I yawned and sat up and took off the stickers that were placed along my arm, and as soon as I did, the machine started to register as a flat-line. I quickly hit the off button and I swung my feet over the edge of the bed and stood up. I was still wearing my shorts from the previous day, but I had on a new shirt that seemed to be thicker than the previous one I had worn. I groaned quietly as my shoulder started to throb, along with my arm and palm. I looked down and saw that the entire underside of my palm was wrapped up, and the bandages continued up to my elbow.

While I was stretching, I heard the guy call his daughter over, and I heard the bed creaking. I looked behind me and saw that he had picked his girl up and she was sitting near where his legs were. I smiled as she looked over at me, and I started to walk around my bed, and I grabbed the clipboard at the end of my bed as I asked, "So, what are you in here for?"

He seemed hesitant to speak, but when he did, it was laced with a little bit of pain, "I had to get surgery… I was shot by a nail gun, and I think they said it hit my lung… what about you?"

When I registered what he said, I flinched, but said, "That must've hurt… anyways," I inwardly chuckled as I looked at the clipboard, but flinched again as my shoulder gave another painful twinge, I took in a sharp breath of air and continued, "Now where to begin…" I glanced up at his face just to take a mental picture before looking back down and reading off, "Three gunshot wounds, burned, and cut palm… and something about internal bruising…"

Before I looked back up, I raised my bandaged hand and said, "Now before you say anything, I just want to say I have been through worse, so this is nothing to worry about." I glanced up at him and saw him slack jawed as he continued to look at me. I smiled nervously as I nodded, and said, "Well… I would stay and chat, but I need to go talk with some people."

After I finished that, I started to walk towards the door, and I only stopped when I heard him sputter before asking, "Can I know the name of such a tough kid then?"

I grabbed the handle and pulled it open and said, "My name is Wolf… now, have a good day." I stepped out just as I heard him yelp in shock, "Wolf!?" I chuckled as I closed the door, and I looked over and saw a police officer standing up and walking towards me. When he reached me, he gestured with his hand for me to follow him, which I complied and did.

"We will be heading down to the prison so you can chat with the smugglers before they are executed, and then after that, you are free to go…" we just stepped into the elevator when he informed me of this, and I nearly tripped from the shock. I need to convince the chief not to kill them… I'm pretty sure that last part of my plan will work… and I at least owe it to Valis since she didn't kill me. Sure she had kinda killed my spirit over time, but I don't think she deserves the death penalty… not after what I had managed to accomplish with her group…

…

The officer kept glancing at me, and finally when we were at a red light, I looked back at him and asked, "Ok, I know you have something to say… what is it?"

He seemed to chuckle as he said, "My eyesight is rather keen… and I just wanted to say; thank you." I looked at him, and my expression must've been rather confused, because he said, "I was helping the wounded as you gave us covering fire from the trollies rails…"

Realization then dawned on me, and I smiled widely as I also chuckled, and I said, "Anytime… couldn't just let you guys get taken out with what they were shooting with…"

…

I was now inside of the interrogation room, with the three presently handcuffed smugglers standing in front of me with the chief. I sighed as I shook my head and said, "Chief… I must ask you to release these innocent people."

He glanced at me with a hard look and said harshly, "What this group has committed over the past decade is more than enough to have them convicted to death without a trail of any kind… they are far from innocent."

"And they were also under life threatening situations for most of them when they must've committed them chief…" I looked up at his now hard, but confused, face, "Yesterday, when your squad found us, whoever shot that man named Boras, killed the head smuggler."

"I don't believe it though…" he gestured to Valis and continued, "I have personally seen this one operate alone at times… how do you explain that?"

I sighed as I answered back, "I don't know what they have done, but whatever it is they do probably deserve death," I looked away from the chief and towards the smugglers who had crestfallen faces, "but, then again, they weren't doing it on their own will. From what I can tell, that one," I pointed at Dinkle, "is most likely the stupidest person around here; he didn't even lock my chains up correctly when they captured me. Also, Valis is now the head smuggler, but she also didn't kill me yesterday when she had the chance."

She looked up at me with a faint smile, but I turned to the Chief and finished off, "And that scrawny guy is named Philip… he nearly flinched when I first saw him pick up a gun… you can't honestly tell me that any of that isn't a good reason for their lives?"

I did my best to read the chiefs' face, but it was as still as stone as his eyes kept skipping over the smugglers, yet I could still tell he was thinking deeply about it. His eyes would occasionally look back at my own, but I couldn't discern any emotion, only thought. He closed his eyes as he brought a hand up to his temple and started to message his forehead, a signal he was getting a headache from all the thinking. I have to say something more… or he might just not listen to me entirely… I really hope this doesn't back-fire on me…

"If you let them go, I will vouch for them with my good name… even though I'm really a nobody, you do kinda owe me." I said. His eyes snapped open as he half-heartedly glowered at me, and then as he opened his mouth, I cut him off and added, "I was the gunman on the trolley tracks that covered your cops while they got the wounded out…"

After I said this… he grunted while he scowled. He was looking at the floor, yet that didn't stop his eyes from darting around. He looked up at me and said, "you're putting me in a tough spot here kid…"

"Life wouldn't be right without tough choices."

When he sighed, he took a keychain out of his pocket and handed it to me and said, "You win… but don't make me regret this decision anymore than I do already."

Taking the keys while suppressing my smile was a difficult task, but I managed without so much as a twitch, "Thank you, sir."

I turned around as he crossed his arms across his chest, and watched the smugglers with diligent eyes. I kneeled down next to Philip first, and as I undid his handcuffs, I couldn't hold my smile in anymore, but I did keep facing away from the officer behind me. I walked over to Dinkle next, and after I undid his locks, he thanked me.

Finally, I turned towards Valis as she was silently watching me with a smile of her own. When I kneeled down next to her and I started to fiddle with her handcuffs, I whispered, "Please don't make me regret this decision… I worked pretty hard to look good while around people out here, and I don't want you guys destroying that all for me."

As the handcuffs snapped off, she rubbed her wrists as she looked down at them, and whispered back, "I won't…"

After I stood back up, I backed away until I was slightly in front of the officer, and I looked at the smugglers closely, and intently before I started to speak, "You are all free people I guess… but don't forget that other people won't be exactly friendly to you if they recognize you… my reputation is on the line for you guys, and lady… don't make me regret it as much as the chief here does…"

"Or Wolf will be going to jail with you guys next time I need to arrest you…" the chief added, and I felt my face grow cold as a chill went up my back. I nodded as I turned to look at him and asked, "S-So… um… when can we get them out of here?

"Right now would be best."

…

As we walked out of the room and through the police station, I was met by suspicious or appreciated glances, while I could see the cold, and alert glairs directed at the three ex-smugglers. With the chief walking behind us, nobody made any attempt to stop us, just continued to watch us in silence.

When we passed through a bulletproof glass door, and into the lobby, I could hear murmuring starting behind us, but it was quickly cut out as the door shut, and I turned around as the chief cleared his throat. He held out his hand out for me to take, and when I did, he squeezed my hand firmly as he shook it and said, "It was a pleasure meeting the heroic Wolf in person… have a good day, and may your reputation not be shattered… now off with you all, I got reports to fill out."

I nodded as he dropped my hand, and as he strode back through the glass door, I turned around at the three dazed smugglers, and I asked, "Why did he call me the 'heroic Wolf'?"

We started to leave the building as Valis began, "When you first got Marcel and his group arrested… the news idolized you… but," she stopped as she looked down shyly and nervously, but Philip finished, "We weren't in Rio De Janeiro at the time."

I nodded as that was explained, but then it hit me like an iron hammer, so that makes me like a celebrity… but if they didn't know my name, then how did that guy at the hospital know my name?

After we had strolled away from the police station, I said, "Hey, I got to get going… I trust you guys not to cause any trouble now… try to live a normal life…"

As I turned to leave, I felt someone grab my wrist, and I turned and saw Philip looking at me with seriousness written all over his face, "Thank you Wolf for what you did…" he released my wrist as he finished, "If you hadn't, we would surely have been killed for our crimes…"

"Eh, Keep your friends close… keep your enemies closer."

All of them looked at me curiously except Dinkle, who was looking towards a red bird in a tree, and Valis asked, "What is that?"

I chuckled as I looked up at the bird, and I absently looked at it until I didn't seem to remember it from anywhere, and I answered, "it is an American saying… anyways," I looked back at them, "I really need to go… stay out of trouble." With that, I turned around and started to walk back towards the forest, but I was going to stop by and thank Túlio before I did though."

(Passer-bys P.O.V.)

While I was looking for food, I was at the edge of a clearing that had a large shining lake in the middle of it, but then suddenly I thought I heard the sound of churches bells, along with how a churched organ sounded like when I heard one playing, sound across the clearing. The music grew even more intense as a bright light simmered in a hollow across the lake from me, and then a crystal clear light shot out of the hollow and the music sounded like it was blaring into my ears, loud but extremely pleasant. I felt entirely at peace, but as the music suddenly cut out as the white light did as well, and it now felt strangely silent while I continued to look at the mysterious hollow… along with a deep longing for the music to return…

(Gabriel's P.O.V.)

I was napping quietly with Crystal snuggled up next to me on one side, with aunt Beck on the other side of me. I felt like an amazing sound started to play in my eardrums, and I opened my eyes, but I felt like I was looking at something in another dimension; a man was standing in a clear glass mirror, and his arms were outstretched. I couldn't make out any features as he was surrounded by a blindingly pure shining glare, but I felt eerily happy watching him raise his arms higher and higher. When I blinked my eyes, I was looking at the hollow's wall, with confusion and deep comfort holding my heart…

(Wolf's P.O.V.)

Just as I was about to continue telling Túlio about what happened yesterday, I felt everything else drown out as music started to play… and there was only one word to describe it; Holy. I felt everything zoom out as my eyes dilated, and soon I was looking at who seemed t be the Angel that let me live, and as he out-stretched his arms, he slowly started to raise them, and above them I saw a blue splotch in the air. I tried to focus my eyes and say something, but I was completely immobilized. I felt love, comfort, happiness, and contentedness flowing through my heart as his arms slowly rose up. I felt my breath catch in my throat as the splotch clarified and focused, and I thought of one person and one only… Azure…

(Azure's P.O.V.)

When I woke up, I was greeted by the comforting feeling of warm light on my back along with the welcoming feel of gritty wood beneath my stomach. I smiled as I rolled my shoulders, and felt the individual tendons actually moving rather than the mist like motion that was how being how angel felt. My smile dropped slightly as I remembered I wouldn't ever talk to angel again, except if I died… permanently however. I fluffed my feathers out as I slowly rose, and I felt like the sun's rays wrapped around my feathers sleekly. I stretched my wings out, and as I looked at them, they seemed to shimmer with brilliance and they dazzled even my green irises, which seemed to glow in the hollow. The hollow seemed to glow as I slowly walked over to the entrance, and when I glanced outside, I felt giddy as I lofted into the air, and slowly started to flap over towards my dad's home.

The chilly, but warm air seemed to tickle me, and I couldn't help but giggle loudly as I stretched my wings out farther, and I could hear my own happiness echoing around the trees and back at me, making me smile even wider. The way the air ruffled my feathers, the sun caressed my feathers, and everything looked in my eyes, I could see how anybody would miss being in this life. I flipped my head to the side and saw a smallish macaw watching me with awe from the other side of the clearing, and I smiled even brighter as my dad's hollow came within view.

I entered, and I was met with many of the family members, and the bird known as Viviana were napping, except for a few that were staring at me in awe and wonderment. I smiled when they seemed to be coming out of their daze, and the first bird to speak was Gabriel, who asked, "Is that you mom?"

Instead of answering him with words, I just held my wings out in a welcoming matter he quickly got up, and when he ran towards me, I could see Crystal had been sleeping on the other side of him. I smiled when I felt his small wings wrap around my body, and I quickly called out, "Children… let's go wait in the hollow and surprise Wolf when he gets home."

The sound of my voice must've carried a melody that jolted everyone awake, because I soon had both mom and dad looking at me with slack-beaks, and Viviana was looking at me in curiosity while Beck seemed ready to faint. I smiled sweetly before I released Gabriel, and flew out of the hollow. When I was outside, it was then that I heard everyone else start to wake up from their daze…

A.N.: Ok, I stopped here so that I would have something to put in the next chapter… I hope you all enjoyed this one, considering how long it is, and the extra detail that was put into this one. Please leave a review, I want to see what you all thought about this chapter.