I had finally calmed down, and sat beside Bentley, watching and listening through the binocucom footage to Sly and Carmelita's conversation. Upon Sly waking up, I nearly bolted out of the van. However to my surprise, Murray and Bentley were thinking much quicker than I had, and Murray plucked me and held me up so that I couldn't go anywhere. Bentley promised me I could go check on him when everything was over, and I had to settle as it was clear I wouldn't be able to get passed Clockwerk's security.

Then we heard Sly laughing as Carmelita had promised a 10 second headstart, but he didn't wait to get back his cane. I felt miserable. Usually the one who was backing him up was me. With Murray still too shy for the field, and Bentley feeling comfortable in front of his laptop, I was the second fieldman. Now Carmelita was covering his back as he jumped and flipped from place to place to get up to the Death Ray. She had a shock pistol, and I had a dinky stick in comparison.

I started biting my thumbnail, watching Sly dodge the sludge monsters and the robofalcons. I was so anxious I might try to go after him again. But as he moved up, I felt like he had already forgotten about me. I was basically sick earlier, I couldn't do anything to help and I wanted to kick myself for that. This was the heist we were all waiting for, and I couldn't join him.

As he grabbed his cane, he gave a small salute to Carmelita before rushing off. I almost fell over I was so shocked she actually complimented him. My face felt hot and I wasn't too sure why. As we saw Sly get into position, Bentley pressed the 'mic on' button.

"There's Carmelita's jetpack right where she said it would be. The Magnatronic support field for the Death Ray got destroyed as you were making a run for your cane. You'd better hurry, this whole thing is about to fall apart!"

"I'm on it!"

Murray started the engines, driving the van around, as Bentley estimated the best point of escape in the event that the volcano would erupt. I sat shotgun this time, regretting that I didn't think of wrapping the seat belt around myself at least twice. Maybe then I'd survive a car ride without having to feel ill.

As things were going as smoothly as it possibly could, I heard Bentley cry out from behind us. I ducked under the the dashboard to the floor of the van as we saw Clockwerk try to swoop in for us. He just barely scraped us, and he went straight ahead for Sly's location. I could've sworn I heard Murray utter a prayer beneath his breath. I think I saw my life flash before my eyes.

We listened in on their conversation through Bentley's laptop, as Sly was finally face to face with the final member of the Fiendish Five. He was the owl in the background of almost every single one Sly's ancestor's pictures. He attributed his age to his eternal hatred for the Cooper clan. He wanted to do anything to get rid of him, so he became immortal. Then before I realized it, he was going off about me, or rather my family.

"It's a shame you won't be going down with your other raccoon friend." I heard Clockwerk's robotic voice from Bentley's laptop.

"What does she have to do with this? As far as I know it's our feud, Clockwerk!" The robotic owl only snickered, as he tried fly right into Sly. He missed, turning to face him again.

"There was always a right hand man. Throughout your histories your ancestors could always be found together. However this time, I'm surprised it was the daughter in place of the son," I perked up, ripping off the seatbelt and jumping into the back of the van. I had to listen to what he knew about my father.

"Lorian's and Cooper's have been side by side since the beginning?" Sly asked.

"Yes, and I thought I'd stopped it when I sent that plane to the bottom of the ocean."

My heart stopped. Clockwerk had sent a whole plane of passengers to their dooms just because of my father. He did it to keep our families apart. So that he'd never have to fail at the hands of the damned duo ever again. Before I knew it, I was weeping into Bentley's shoulder. That's all there was to it. My father died to prevent me from ever meeting Sly. Then I imagined of all of the families of the rest of the passengers, and I cried harder. I hated crying, but I couldn't help it.

I couldn't listen to what Sly had said after, nor could I listen to Carmelita's support. I wiped my tears away, now angry at everything. Murray tried to console me, saying that if I needed to keep crying, I should, but I think I just wanted to be out there getting my own revenge.

I couldn't do anything, and eventually I just felt like I didn't want to do anything. All I could think about was my brother now. Did he know this? Surely he didn't, he left me for a normal life. My mind was thinking of a million things. Maybe Skylar was supposed to be the thief. Maybe I should've just stayed in school. What if Clockwerk's plan worked? My heart ached even more just thinking about that. It wasn't long until we heard the crash of Clockwerk's body into the volcano. I pushed the van doors opened and squinted hard to see Sly, with the last pages of the Thievius Raccoonus in hand, steady himself to land at the top of the cliff. Murray and Bentley quickly joined me, both calling out to Sly.

Murray waved at him haphazardly, before Bentley warned him against falling into the lava. Bentley was analyzing robofalcon parts, prying some apart to see their wirings. I was still looking up at him. I was still trying to process things, and it all hurt so badly, but I was in awe looking up at Sly who had just taken down the monster behind our broken childhoods. I was overwhelmed with a strong sense of admiration. It felt wrong to call it admiration, it was more than that.

I took the time to go over all the heists it took just to recover his Thievious Raccoonus, the legacy that had been passed down through his family through generations. I remembered his determination, his quick-wit, his comebacks. I remembered each moment he saved me, and each time I pushed myself a little more to make the fight easier for him. I was thinking that I could do almost anything for him.

My face felt warm again, and not just because of our proximity to the lava. I finally realized what exactly I was feeling. I don't think I ever felt it before, but rethinking that told me that it was lie. I felt it the entire time. I loved him. Since our childhood, I've loved him. I was overwhelmed with the feeling now. I knew just what it was and for some reason I just felt so free.

The victory was short lived, when Carmelita strutted up behind Sly. Murray started panicking, shaking Bentley around and pointing back up at Sly. Bentley tried to gently, but quickly coerce him back into the drivers seat. He also tried calling out to me, but I wanted to wait for Sly. The two were just staring at each other, when I remembered her promise of a 10 second headstart.

10. 9.

Sly didn't make any effort to move or run away. I kept watching, hoping he'd finally start using his head and make his way down here.

8. 7.

I started running up the cliff. I almost slipped several times on loose rocks, but I kept going regardless.

6. 5.

For a moment I thought Sly was thinking on letting Carmelita take him in. I cursed him in my head but kept running.

4.

I had a better view of the two of them now. Sly was leaning on his cane before he stood up. I stopped in my tracks.

3.

Carmelita relaxed a little bit, and she was just as confused as everyone else.

2.

Sly tipped his hat to her. They kept staring at each other. He took a couple steps towards her, his head just in front of her pistol. I was ready to run up and pull him down myself, but that was when-

1.

They kissed, and I almost missed him handcuffing her to the railing and him pulling me with him as we made our last escape.

No. 2 coming right up -Mirai Akemi