The general consensus last chapter seems to have been that a second tag to the same episode is a good idea, and I agree, so here we are!

Before we dive into it, here's a shout-out to Lady Cougar-Trombone and Doomforzombies for getting the first question right! Leo and Taylor's combined laser spheres do create an EMP, which was pretty powerful. Great job, you guys!

Another shout-out to EmeraldTulip, AlienGhostWizard14, LabGirl2001, LRW, and ShadowDragon1553 for getting, not only the first question right, but also for coming very close to the name of the bridge. The name will be included here in this chapter, and I'll tell you right now - one of you were super close to it. :)

I hope everybody enjoys this one.

Episode Tag, Pt. 2, to: Over the Edge

Chronicle #065

"Gamma"

11/30/15

10:35 PM

This is weird. It hasn't been very long since I last wrote down an entry, and now I'm writing one again. It's necessary anyways because a lot of things have happened this past week. I know. Strange, isn't it? Usually, big changes happen in a course of a year, at least that's what other people say, but this time change came in a course of a few days. I doubt it's quite sunk in yet. Maybe it would, tomorrow. Maybe I'll start getting used to it then.

Or maybe I'll start getting used to it after I finish this. After all, retelling the events that led me up to me being back here on the island, writing out here while everybody's asleep, should catalyze some sort of realization. Kind of like a wakeup call, only that this time I'm waking up to something that I stopped hoping for a long time ago.

The rescue mission at the Hurst Memorial Bridge was the starting point. It's like that moment when your alarm clock goes off but you're not quite awake yet so that really loud sound rudely comes into your dream. That's what that day was like. I did what I said I would never do again, actually succeeded our first mission as a team, and saved my family. I was even invited to the award ceremony that was only supposed to be for Adam, Bree, and Chase, and somehow, someway, I ended up being awarded, too.

But none of it really made sense to me. At least not at first. All I could think about during the rescue mission was how I ruined Taylor's life and how that should always be enough evidence to prove to myself that all it takes is one mistake on my part and again I can bring down someone else's future. Seeing my team, my friends, and the others that I know succeed made me happy, but all I wanted was to come back home and be away from them, because I knew they'd be safer without me.

Plus, I was already on the starting stages of my new life/beginning/whatever it's called. After giving it very serious thought (and after Mom told the ladies at the book club about it, to which they openly expressed their opinions on), I've decided which university I wanted to go to, and my application, the night before the rescue mission, was close to being done. Mom and I were even looking into what my living arrangement would look like once I head out to Vermont. Aunt Janice was excited about having me there with her because she said it'd be nice to have someone in her family living very close to her.

Honestly, I was kind of excited for that, too.

But then, the more I thought about where I was and what I had, the more I realized that everything wasn't as good as I thought it was. I didn't really come to that conclusion until the night after the ceremony, but Mom seemed to have – or probably had – known what I needed before I could even admit it. She told me that when she came into my room to talk to me before she went to bed. We were just talking about the medal at first. "I've got an award from the president, Mom. Can you believe it?" I had asked her with a smile.

"I know, baby. I'm so proud of you," she told me.

That medal did the trick. All I had to do was look at it long enough, and soon – "Mom…"

Mom only smiled. "I know it, too. It's time for you to go back."

"You're not mad at me?"

She shook her head.

"What about Aunt Janice?"

"I already talked to her about it. As long as you come and stay there with her for a few days next spring, she said she'd be okay."

I nodded. Then, I told her, "I'm still working on my essay. That's all I need to complete my application."

"The university offers online courses?"

"I'm applying to the one here in California instead so it's easier for when I do have to come in."

The smile on her face grew. Then, she hugged me and didn't let go.

I just smiled and hugged her back because I know that meant that she understood and was happy that I was happy.

There was a knock on the door. "I'm sorry, I know I'm interrupting something. Just want to tell you both I'm going to bed. Leo – I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Before he could leave, I asked, "Hey, uh, Big D? Do you accept late applications for the Academy?"

Mom chuckled. Big D only stared at first, and then he smirked. "I don't know, but I did hear the owner of the school is a very understanding guy," he said. His smirk turned into a smile as he said, "I'll see what I can do."

The next morning at breakfast, as per Mom's suggestion, I told Big D about the online classes that I wanted to take alongside my training, hoping that he'd let me switch out my normal academic classes to the online ones (should I get accepted). He didn't say much. He actually seemed distracted. All he said was that he was already working on some changes with my schedule at the Academy because it didn't seem like my past one would work anymore.

I didn't talk about the Academy again after that, because I took what he said as meaning that I'd be demoted, which would have been justified. After all, the EMP backfiring meant that I mishandled my ability and showed a lack of control for it. I haven't been very cooperative in the classes either before I left the island, so a demotion was only appropriate.

I was ready to see the red patches on my shirt go, the ones that I've just earned a few weeks back, when Big D told me last night after dinner that he already had my uniform prepared up in my room. It didn't help my nerves when he and Mom offered to go up with me to see what I thought of it. I thought they came in case I felt bad.

Then, I unzipped the garment bag lying on my bed and saw it. I stared at it for a while, and then said, "I think there's been a switch-up, Big D."

"Oh, is there?" Big D said with a smirk, meaning that he had made no mistake as I had assumed.

As Big D told me about how that change was his decision and why he decided this and how no one else knew of it, all I could do was stare more at the uniform.

Have you ever had that moment when something you really, really wanted to have but have accepted a long time ago that you won't ever have it suddenly shows up in front of you and you couldn't decide what to feel about it? That was exactly that moment. I wasn't sure how to take it. The cycle began with me being angry and not wanting it, and it rolled on and on with many other feelings and opinions, both positive and negative, until it came to a stop when I realized that that change came just at the right time. It came when most things in my world are nearly alright again, when I don't need that status as a crutch anymore because I've known long before it came where I'm supposed to be.

That's actually good, because I'd rather being a mentor be a symbol than an excuse.

Yeah. I still can't believe it. I'm a mentor now. Isn't that crazy?

Big D and I woke up very early this morning so we can come to the island while everyone was still sleeping, but before we left Mom made sure that I had everything in place. She asked me about my clothes and about my essay. She asked me if I was ready and if I needed anything. After telling her I'm all set, she gave me a hug, and she told me she'd visit soon. I told her I'll wait for that and thanked her for everything she had done for me.

I could barely think about going back to bed while we were on our way to the Academy because I was too excited. What added more to that was Big D talking about my new schedule and the new classes I was going to teach. It did get a little overwhelming at one point, and Big D saw that. As we were settling into the hydroloop, he asked me if I was okay with all of it and if it would be too much for me. I told him that yes, I was, and yes, it seemed like there were a lot of things that I'll soon have on my plate – but I don't mind. I'll try to keep up. He only smiled and assured me that he, along with Adam, Bree, and Chase, would help me sort everything out.

We were expecting no one when we arrived (not even Perry, because she usually quit her rounds an hour before her shift ends), but when the hydroloop's door opened, I saw two people who I was both surprised and not surprised to see.

On the top of his voice, Miller sang, with his arms wide open, that one sentence in the card they sent me: "Do you want to build a snowmaaaan?"

Era, after wiping away the tears of happiness streaming down her face, softly elbowed Miller with a soft laugh. "Quit, Miller. I told you not to be too extra," she said.

"How did you two know that we're coming?" Big D asked them with a grin as we stepped off the hydroloop. Turning towards me, he asked, "You told them?"

I shook my head. "No," I said, just as Era came over to hug me with Miller joining in soon after.

That was just the first group hug of the day. Once they found out that I was back, Adam, Bree, and Chase hugged me, too – well, sort of. Then, Taylor and Logan did, too; I was really glad to see them both again. And, of course, the League. They were all happy to see me, and they congratulated me for becoming a mentor. Then they started teasing me and joking around until we were all laughing so hard that our sides hurt.

It was great. I laughed like I've never laughed for days, and it just reminded me why I feel like I belong here now.

Still, there was one person I didn't see, but she came this afternoon, when, after observing Adam and Bree in their training classes, I caught sight of the uniform again and had to stand in front of the mirror to just stare at it. She smiled when I turned around after noticing her. "Have I ever told you how nice I think you look in a suit?"

"Amaranth."

"Hey."

And of course, I blanked. What was I supposed to say anyways? There were two weeks of static noise between us, and the last conversation we had, she got walked away on. How do I come back from that? Taking a deep breath, I just braved it and said what I needed and wanted to tell her. "I'm sorry. What I did was wrong. I just – I didn't want to hurt anyone else. I didn't want to hurt you."

"But you did," she said. "You left, and that, to me, was the worst thing you could do."

After that, I had nothing else to say. I saw the effects of what I've done reflected on her face, and that was enough for me.

"But you're here now," she said as she walked up to me with a bigger smile. "That's all that matters."

It made me feel guiltier to see her that happy to see me. It was one of those things I didn't think I deserved, but slowly I started to understand that it's not always about me. She's happy, and I have no right to take that away from her. "I missed you. A lot," I told her honestly.

"I missed you, too," she said.

I smiled a small smile. "So, what's our story now?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Do you…want to stay broken up?"

The smile on her face vanished. "Is that what you want?"

No. Of course not. But, again, it wasn't about me. "I will want what you want," I said.

She thought about it for a moment. Then she said, "I want you to take back what you said if you don't mean it."

"Which one?"

"That you don't want me to wait for you. That you want me to find someone better. Because it wasn't fair for you to ask me those things."

I smiled. "Okay. I take it back. I want you to wait for me. I don't want you to find someone else," I said. As a joke I said with a grin, "Because let's face it – you're not going to find someone with more swag than The Dooley."

Amaranth laughed. Then, she hugged me.

Hugging her back, I realized how complete everything felt then. All was okay again. "I'm sorry," I mumbled to her.

"I know," she said as she broke away from me. She looked at my uniform then smoothed out the shoulders. "Seriously, this suit looks nice on you."

"Why, thank you."

"Hm. Look at you. A mentor."

"Yeah," I said, turning around to face the mirror and look at the uniform again.

Amaranth tilted her head. "What's up?" she asked.

"Still looks weird, doesn't it?"

She said nothing, until she laced her fingers with mine. "Everyone's forgiven you, Leo," she said. "Maybe it's time that you forgive yourself, too."

I looked at her then held her hand a little tighter because she was right.

Now it's time to rebuild.

Having written all of these down, the changes are starting to really register, but it's still a bit of a work-in-progress. Slowly, I'm beginning to realize a few things, like where I am, what I am now, and who I will be responsible for. It's different, it's scary – but in a good way. A college student (hopefully), a mission leader and a mentor. I still can't really fully understand that.

I'm sure I will, one of these days. It'll probably hit me while I'm working on a project or I'm in the middle of teaching a lesson or while Taylor, Logan, and I are running for our lives during a recon mission.

For right now, though, I think I'm just going to enjoy being lost and amazed with the opportunities I've been given.

Signed,

Leo Francis Dooley

12/01/15

2:01 AM

The Adam Chronicles

Here's a question: What are your top five favorite episodes? Why are they your favorites? You don't have to answer, but if you'd like to discuss your picks, I'm all ears!

Okay, here's a pretty long-ish note about the 'remaining chapters' comment mentioned a few chapters back. By now, I'm sure everyone's well aware that the spin-off series includes neither Adam nor Leo, so that means that once the series ends, the Chronicles will end, too. Originally, the plan had been to continue it, with less updates and which focuses on Leo, Adam, and the students, but then I realize that it's not a very sound idea. Therefore, the imminent ending for the Chronicle.

It's really sad to think about, especially since we've been at this tagging game for the past three years, but let's stay positive. We still have a few more episodes left to enjoy of the original series.

Alright. We're all caught up! We've got a new episode tomorrow night. Who else is excited? And, speaking of the episode, are any of you here college football fans by any chance? Who is/are your favorite teams?