Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Winged Warrior ❯ Letters From War ( Chapter 9 )

The injurious summer seemed to end without much pain; River was back on his feet and back to being a crazy man as usual. His recovery lasted far beyond the hospital but he didn’t seem to pay attention to that, he wanted to go back to training, his sister refused to let him. His time was spent with Alex for the rest of the summer; he often referred to himself teasingly as her shadow since he had no other obligations except to spend time with her. He knew he was becoming quite the nuisance and tried to find other things to do. He actually drew her again, wearing his over shirt that was far too big for her. He forced her to believe it was her this time, making her pose, forcing her to stay there until he was done, instead of letting him go off and draw from memory. She framed it and placed it on her mantel. She claimed that she would always keep it. School began and late August went painfully slow. The only joyful thing about the ordeal was that it would be there last year in high school.

“What do you want to do when you get out of high school?” River inquired after rolling onto his back on Alex’s floor staring at her lying on her bed reading a book. “Be cliché and be a soldier or, well what?” His eyes were bright and curious, as was his crooked smile, she seemed, at least her perception of his look, to be the most interesting thing in the entire world.

“I haven’t really thought about it. I think I may be a doctor, god knows you’ll need it.” She teased him lightly. He just stuck out his bottom lip to that in a scolded pout. She waved him over and he got up and moved over to the side of the bed, sitting on the floor while she ran her fingers through his hair. “I know that, when I’m a tad older, not quite just out of high school.” Alex smiled a bit kissing his cheek, “I want to be a mother. “

“Is that a proposal?” River joked lightly as she moved the hair from his face now that it had grown out to almost its original length before he cut it for the summer. “Hmmm,” He reached up and ran his finger along her jaw, “I think you’d make a fine mother for Musha child.” He winked. She reached around and flicked his nose for that comment. “Aw, come on, you know it’s true.” He smiled to her as he kissed her cheek this time.

“You still got ten or eleven months.”
“I’m never going to change my mind.” He replied with a smile. He looked over to their backpacks. “You think we should do that before we start making out or something?” He frowned and glared at it. Alex nodded almost annoyed by it. “All right,” he got up and picked both bags up with one arm. He then returned to his spot. “Science or Math?”“Math will go faster.” Alex sighed reaching her hand out for it. River nodded in agreement as he handed her the book and the assignment. “I’m getting senioritis” Alex groaned, “Do we have to do this? We’re going to be out soon.”

“Yes we have to do this… why not put on some music to make the time go by?” River suggested as he got out his math book. Alex nodded slowly, and then her face brightened up as she got up. “Suddenly I’m very frightened, what in the world are you doing?”

“I found this CD in a bin in a closet with all sort of stuff from these guys. I mean all sorts of stuff! Water bottles, t-shirts, letters from their official fan club, hoodie, baseball cap; you name it, it’s probably in here.” Alex brought out the CD. “It’s in amazing condition.” She said bringing out her CD player and put it across from them. She placed the CD carefully inside the machine and then shut the lid and looked through the songs on the back. “You wouldn’t believe these, like, eleven year olds voices.” Alex said looking through the songs. “It’s strangely addictive.”

“Oh god, a boy band.” He took the CD case. “You can’t be serious.” He looked at her with an eyebrow perched upward in a ‘get real’ fashion. She just sat down by him and put her arms around his shoulders.

“Just listen.” Alex shoved him slightly. He rolled his eyes but agreed. “I think it was originally a 98 degrees song, but they decided to do their own rendition. They have some pretty good original songs too.”

River listened intently to the song for almost a minute but one of the voices was bothering him, then he flipped the CD over. There it was, staring him straight at his face. Some of the faces were blurry in his subconscious but two were very prominent. The boy with the short brown hair, the crooked grin and the glass and the fiery headed boy with a sweet but not so innocent smile, he stared long and hard and then nodded as the face lined up with his mind. “Alex, can you tell me who that is?” He pointed at the boy with the brown locks with a smirk.

Alex took it and tilted her head at it. “I don’t know I just found this in my closet, I didn’t read anything.” Alex looked to him. What in the world was he talking about? River reached into his deep pockets and pulled out two cases, one for contacts and one for glasses. She blinked a bit watching him take out the contacts and put the glasses on his face just like the boy… then he smiled. “Holy-crap!” She exclaimed throwing the case at him. “I should have known that sounded like you!”

“It’s a shock for me too.” He let out a good hearted laugh. “Boy Band? Alex, I think I may be into men.” He teased a bit. She immediately slugged his arm then shook her hand out. “I kiss it, make it better.” He spoke in his fake Latin accent before overplaying a kiss to her hand. She only giggled at his jester like behavior. “Alas, I mu-.” Alex lifted her shirt not even half an inch. “On second thought, the female form is entrancing.” He gave a mischievous one sided smirk. He followed this up by pretending to be tightening a dog collar on his neck then handing her the imaginary leash. She let out a good hard spout of laughter at the leash. Her laugher was contagious; at least to him. Before he was fully conscious of it, he was chuckling along. Before too long, she gave the leash a small tug and he lurched forward in response, devoted to his little joke.

Self control was a main lesson of the summer. After River’s body recovered passed the point of pain, it was rather hard to keep their hands off one another. They came close many times, but each time, one of them realized what they were doing, and then stopped before it got out of hand. The other was usually either okay with it, which was mostly Alex’s case, or would go sulk for a little bit, which was usually expected of River. The wild passion of make-out sessions weren’t sparked with every kiss; they found their own sanctity eventually. Temptation was being slowly tackled. Thus when their lips connected after the tug of the leash, there was no need to try to get to the point where one of them wanted to rip the others clothes off.

Instead it was innocent, sweet even and short lived compared to others, they were still chuckling a bit while kissing which made it a slightly awkward experience. They stopped kissing to finish their laugh and then got in another soft kiss. “I forgot how soft your lips were for a moment there.” River smiled slightly as her face flashed absolutely red and she just smiled while her shoulder rose up. He just chuckled smiling his crooked grin.

“Disgusting.” Alan was in the doorway. “Positively and absolutely disgusting…” He sighed as he shoved Sam’s camera behind his back with the Oceana grin gracing his lips for a moment. That’s when Alex caught on, and realized that he was doing spy work for Sam.

“ugh! You little cretin!” She growled getting up and chasing him around the entire house. River just sat in her room and laughed until he stopped making noise and his face was turning red. Suddenly, an Alan popped out of the closet.

“Shhhh.” He said softly holding up the camera before he tiptoed out of the room and down the steps. River heard Alex yell gotca and the chaos that followed. He started to go out to see the ruckus unfurl more only to find Gwen holding both their ears and growling out. River started to retreat to Alex’s room in fear of Gwen, especially since he didn’t do anything.

“Musha”

He’d been spotted.

“Coming.” He spoke defeated before fumbling down the stairs with his eyes on the floor. “I didn’t do anything.” River put his hand up as her eyebrow rose at his guilty position. “I probably should have done something about the siblings, but eh, I wouldn’t hurt Alex and ganging up on Alan is cruel…” Alex glared at him. He mouthed I love you. She only glared more at him and he lowered his head a tad bit. His reply were big begging eyes. She mouthed something that resemble vacuum to him. He covered his mouth with fake hurt.

“Knock it off.” Gwen ordered as her eyes bounced between them at a constant rate. Both lowered their heads and apologized. “Alan, give me the camera.” He replied in a whiney protest. “Camera. Now.” She busted out the mom voice and River jumped into Alex’s arms. “okay take a picture of that then give me the camera.” Alan chuckled and did so.

After the flash went off and Alan smiled chuckling and brought the camera down, Alex leaned forward and dropped him to the floor. River fell with an anticlimactic ‘umpf’. “Why ya gotta be so mean?” River spoke with a pout as he got up rubbing his bum. “Don’t you love me? Am I unlovable? Is it because I’m ugly? I am aren’t I? Don’t look at me!” He said comically. He then covered his face with his hands.

“That’s not what she was thinking when you were sucking face earlier!” Alan called and then started to run again. Alex growled out and pulled away from Gwen. She let out of a battle cry of ‘TWERP!’ and then off they were again. River uncovered his face and looked about he then looked to Gwen.

“Warden, am I free to go?” River asked with a chuckle as he heard a crash behind him. “Or would you like me to become your deputy and rope in the children?” He laughed a bit as did she until Alan slid between his legs. Alex hadn’t been paying attention, until her knee, which had been aimed for Alan’s back hit River instead and then he hit the ground in utter pain as where her knee end up.

“Oh my god! River, I’m so sorry!” Alex covered her mouth in pure shock of it all. “Are you okay?”“I think you broke it.” His voice was not only higher but cracked. He whimpered. “Delicate equipment!” he piped afterwards slightly rolling on the ground holding his injured pride. He wished he was overplaying it. “Messed up my kids.” He said into the carpet, before finally being rolled back over. Gwen handed him an ice pack. He put it against himself, getting up and stumbling over to a chair where he partially curled up.

“Should I rub it and- I didn’t just say that did I?” Alex rubbed her head. “Social grace, not my strong point.” Gwen was glaring now. “I didn’t mean it mom! I swear! We’re not like that!” She flailed her arms around desperately trying to prove to her mother that she wasn’t a pervert or sexually active. “I swear I’m a virgin.”

“Eww.” Alan stuck his tongue out disgust at this. “Keep it to yourself!” He said absolutely disgusted. “That’s so utterly sick.”

“COME HERE YOU LITTLE CRITEN!” River growled. “THAT SHOT WAS YOUR FAULT!!” River got up and went after him. Alex and Gwen looked shocked; Alan promptly screamed like a little girl and bolted away from a very angry River Musha. Alex looked to her mother apologetically and then ran after them.

“River calm down!” Alex called as she followed both of them. Alan was screaming for his mommy by the time that she joined the chase. “Riiiiivvveer” Alex whined getting in front of him. “Calm, hun, calm.” She said soothingly even though he was growling at Alan. “Or my mom will kick you out.” River only grumbled to that and gave Alan the evil eye before disengaging and being led off by Alex who wrapped her arms around one of his to keep him from jerking back and trying to kill her little brother, that was, after all, her job.

“We’ll just retreat.” River said softly, “Door open, lights on,” River assured before Gwen could open her mouth. He’d heard it from her and then it was reinforce by his parents, and then his uncle. He didn’t need to hear it again. It was getting a bit late, but he knew how to get home in the dark. There was only one reason they were leaving them alone, come midnight it would be Alex’s birthday.

“All right, you rat.” Alex teased as they entered her room and she gripped his shirt. “What did you get me?” She asked getting a kiss in. River just laughed and put his forehead against her in good humor. His crooked grin came on his handsome face as his hands rest on her hips.

“My eternal love and devotion?” He asked softly she gave him a soft hit on the chest. “Aw, but you don’t understand.” He jumped up on her window seat. “I’ll give you the stars and the moon, and a promise that I’ll never go.” He said almost dramatically and Alex just smiled at her. “We’ll travel from coast to coast with fiery passion and never once slow down for anyone.” He jumped down and went around her, crotched down as he sped around her playfully. “I’ll give you days full of dreams and nights full of affection.”

“And I don’t believe you’ll never go for a second.” Alex poked him right in the chest. “You’re River Jafar Musha, you’re a winged warrior… and you’re a part of the Tenshi clan army. If you don’t beat Engel, no one will… so you can’t spend all your time with me… you’d let the whole kingdom down.” She gave his chest a rub.

“I can do all of that and still be your lover, your true love, your soul mate your-“ She put a finger on his lips raising an eyebrow, he just kissed it with a small victorious smirk. Alex rolled her eyes at him and then got in a hug. “You’ll get your present tomorrow at noon… and yes it’ll be appropriate… as much as I’d like to wrap myself up for you.”

“Oh god, do you think about anything else?”

“I’m a man, Alex, my main thoughts are sex, you, and fighting.” River shook his head. “if I was a car guy, you may not be on the top three, but currently, you’re number one.” That bright smile never did fade even after he kissed her forehead.

“You have to be the craziest guy I know.” She shook her head. “But I suppose that why I love you.” There was another embrace and then the young man stepped away from her with his signature grin. He took her hand and left a gently kiss upon her knuckles.

“Until morning I must depart.” He spoke as though he were old fashion. “I shall return at noon.” He said starting to the window and opening in to the cool September air as he played with his necklace just watching the wind pass through the trees. “Alex…”

“Yeah?” She asked as she went and sat on her bed. She watched the boy reflecting on the night. He looked almost older in the moonlight watching the world go by, sometimes she wondered if his head was in the sky or if his feet were planted on the ground. Perhaps he was just firmly planted with his head in the clouds. He reached his hand out for hers and she stood walking over and taking it. He was having a ‘moment’ as she called them occasionally. The moment where he was just purely River, and it didn’t matter what was going on around him, he’d just pull some sort of line out that would make her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. “What do ya got?”

“The premature autumn winds.” River answered watching the trees sway to the power of a simple force of air. “I’m growing older Alex, yet time isn’t keeping up with me.” He said softly, he gripped her hand, tangling his strong fingers around hers. “We’re not normal Alex.”

“We have wings River… I know we’re not normal.” Alex put her head on his shoulder. He shook his head and chuckled at that, she just stared at him. His laugh was warm, but low and gentle for the moment. She felt a calm squeeze of her hand and then he spoke again.

“To our people, we’re normal. Everyone in this village has their own set of wings, has their own assets from powers. “River smiled slightly. “We’re super people. Our bible says that we were sent here as mortal angels, to protect humanity.” He took off the concealing necklace and smiled up at the sky as his dark blue wings shot out in all their lovely glory. “but we, we’re more than just that… Alex answer me this… how many people have you seen with blue wings?”

“Blue wings?” Alex stopped and looked at him with a curious and confused expression. “Well… just us… oh don’t tell me that you think that makes us spe” She didn’t get the words out of her mouth before looking at him. That did make them special. It made them stand out in the group of already crazed super winged mortals. “I’m listening.” She said softly, he had a point and she was disassembling it.

“Do you think it was a sign?” He asked softly. “I mean that we would be together…..” His voice rang strong like a man but with the tone of a little curious boy. He was perfection in his utter contradiction of nm That man spent a million years in an hour, just inside his own head. “I think too much don’t I?”

“No, you just seem to enjoy reflecting on life… I like that.” She smiled and kissed his cheek. “Now get home before they send the dogs to get your bum out of my house.” She gave him a pat on the upper leg avoiding actually hitting him on the butt. River just laughed, “Don’t even ask that question.” She pointed her finger straight at his face.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” River said, sitting on the window ledge. He tilted his head back and smiled at her. “Awex.” He sounded playful and innocent, she was tempted to give him a shove but instead she leaned against his shoulder. “Love you.” River gave her a brief kiss then shifted himself out so that he was flying. She never had quite gotten use to him doing that.

“I love you too winged boy.” She just smiled, “Now go home.” She laughed giving his beard a slightly scratch, that would make him feel awkward enough to start home. He’d told her so once, it worked he just gave her a little what in the world are you doing look and the rested his chin in her hand. “Do I need to quote Shakespeare?”

“No. We can make up our own words for departure.” River smiled his crooked grin again. “Until we meet again, there shant be a second you’re not on my mind.” With that he flew off into the night, as he did most nights, as he would for many more nights. Just as she would many night too, Alex sat on the window seat and just smiled.

Happiness was never mean to last. The sirens started to blare in the middle of the night, and the token minute men burst out into the cool night air. The oldest Musha boys were the first ones out to the front lines. There were booms piercing the air from cannons, and whistles of rocket. Machine guns tearing into the very air… on the battle field, a calm whisper had passed over the capital of the Tenshi Clan Empire. Those asleep in their beds couldn’t hear the agonized cries of the dying or smell the dirt being blown into the air by cannon balls that just bounced into the crowd or the exploding rockets taking out entire fleets.

The aviators were at a disadvantage, many being blown out of the sky others escaping the fiery demise in the battle. The Tenshi Clan had taken the high ground, but were drawn away from their home. The forest became a play ground of offense and defense. River fell back, Blaze as at his flank, he found a letter in his shirt pocket. A letter from his mother, detailing how proud she was, of him, of Blaze, it was something she must have put in a bit ago. It told them to come home safe, that they were both so brave and good… that they’d both make wonderful father’s one day. He found new strength in the words and then got up. He looked to his brother and then they both ran out into the dusty world that was war.

A perfect hell on earth, everyone always described it like that. The sound of men and creatures dying, agonized and curling up with their last breaths on the horizon, and the horrible stench of blood and dirt mixing with every passing second filled the air once pure and innocent in the large forest. The ground turned to mud at the sweat, the tears and the bodily fluids being leaked from both sides.

Bodies were colliding in the front, falling in heaps and agonized screams. Fists flew as the typical battles went on, with the artillery firing heavily upon one another and at the infantry. Screams were sent high into the air, whimpering of the injured clung after them. The heat from a cannon ball whizzed by River’s head, and plowed into a group of people behind him. Blaze sent a vast amount of flames into the cannon, sending it into oblivion with the four or five guys operating it.

It didn’t hit the middle Musha boy until now, as he watched that group’s destruction, he watched the army fall individually, as he looked over the crowd. This is what war was, it wasn’t the fists flying that it had been in the past. That was just little warm ups. This was a battle. A bloody massacre of the other side was the goal of the each side. The carnage would continue until one said was either dead or retreating… so when would this battle end?

Back on the home front, many had slept through the sirens and upon waking in the morning, found that the village had been close off from passages into battle. The reports had been too brutal for Rex to send anymore troops out, and when people complained and asked what about back-up. Rex simply said it couldn’t be done. They called him all sort of things, Said he was leaving the army out to the slaughter, until he informed them that both his oldest sons were out on the battle field risking their necks for the people of the village as it was, so they should lay off.

This new hit the Oceanas in the early morning, Alex wanted to disobey. She wanted to make sure he was okay. She didn’t realize just how solid the blockage was to get out of the village was until she went and put her hand on the shield. It was cold, like a steel bubble protecting the village with no door out. She realized that last night may have been the last time that she would ever see River Jafar Musha. He was now out there fighting for his very life. Then the train came in, a human train, carrying bodies, and the groaning injured. It was a frightening sight to see, to have a loved one that could very well be one of those bodies.

Her heart stopped for a second when she saw a certain dark haired boy laying on the stretcher. He looked like he was going to die at any second so she went to him. It was a friend from school, Michael Levy. A football and track star that had a brilliant future in science, or so he would have, his arm was blown off. His green eyes were hazed over and he couldn’t focus on anything. Perhaps this was an eye opener to watch her peer and fellow warrior in his weakened state. Mike’s arm was gone, blown to bits. His body was seared in many areas, particularly his once attractive face. His chest was making small movements, and when Alex tried to assure that he was going to be okay. His chest stopped making its efforts and his already shallow breath ceased. She tried CPR, two nurses pulled her away.

It was the first casualty she truly witnessed, and it burned immediately into her memory. Her image of war now was the once handsome Mike’s charred one-armed body. Was this the fate that would be fall most of the warriors? As she looked over the train of bodies and injured, many were missing limbs, some even had only one wing. It was a nightmare of flesh burned and bruised. This carnage, this kind of warfare, it just hadn’t been seen by her yet.

As Alex was taken home, she continued to think of the dark haired young man without a chance to live, but the face started to twist, and soon she was about to reach a full mental breakdown of worry and grief. Was River going to come back only to die like Mike? Was he somewhere wounded and bleeding to death? Was he already dead out there while she was sound asleep? Oh this question pulled at her heart strings. River Musha couldn’t be dead, no that just wasn’t possible. He was the strongest man alive! Her River couldn’t just be killed with something like that, she was convincing and unconvincing herself of this…

Happy 17th Birthday, she almost thought to herself. Watch your boyfriend die on the battle field, she would have added, but her brain wasn’t functioning like that. There was an overwhelm fear of the utter devastation that would fall upon the village. The Musha family had to be in an utter panic; not one but two sons on the field, one of which was to inherit the entire kingdom.

She prayed for him, she actually got down on her knees in her room and prayed that River wouldn’t be harmed. She prayed that the fighting would cease and that the soldiers would come home, that all would be well with the village. She didn’t care how it had to happen; it just needed to happen soon. Her prays didn’t go unanswered…

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He and Blaze had gotten separated along the way. His body was tired and haggard but he refused to leave his own brother behind in the battle ground. He broke from the large crowd of warriors as bombs blew up over head and bullets pierced through the air. He would not leave Blaze out there. He would never forgive himself if he did. He tore up the side of a hill. He could see the giant man above on the ground.

River put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Blaze!” BOOOOM! “The battle is calming get back with the others.” River yelled over the thundering sound of explosions in the far corners of the field. There was a large explosion right in front of them. It knocked the brothers back onto their backs. It left Blaze dazed, he felt his brother pick him up and carry him to safety.

He watched River return to the hill and almost like a herd of ants swarming an ounce of sugar outside the nest, the Bukes surrounded his younger brother. He heard yells and screams and he knew he couldn’t have been going down without a fight.. Then BOOM!

The front lines were blown back and dust filled the air. BOOM!

The second line under the first explosives went, more dust left a screen for the men to break through.

BOOM

The final explosion blasted the first five columns back into the next ten. As the smoke cleared, the Buke army was gone. The Tenshi clan pushed only to find that the army had escaped through the dense forest when the dust screen had given them the open opportunity. Blaze could only stare… then he felt something in hand. He looked down at it… it was a letter… from their mother…

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A second train came in, and the able bodied men went to work preparing the grave plots in the National Cemetery, if that’s what you would call the great military final resting place. Not a single unnamed soldier, a tad bitter sweet to know there wasn’t a family that would wonder what happened to their son, to never know that he’d died in combat, or whose daughter was courageous and ran into battle only to find her untimely demise.

The whole place was like sacred ground to the people of the Tenshi clan. The KIAs or various other honorable members of the clan were buried in plots on the property. Notably mentioned were the Hawkins, Gwen Oceana’s relatives, who all had been buried there up to the very first wars of the Tenshi Buke Conflict. It was like a giant family reunion on Memorial Day. They ironically settle on the same day as the human Memorial Day. It was easier to keep track of that way. Gwen had her plot set for her, having served her duty as the Head of Security in the Capital. Keith earned his way in because of their marriage.

However, this whole land was a mournful resident as many got to work burying those verified dead by a medical examiner who then had them quickly embalmed and brought down to the cemetery where the bodies would be laid to rest with their common war brothers, thus achieving their final peace. Alex had helped with digging graves for hours before new light shed upon her.

Her worst fear had come into the realms of reality, and it came upon the shoulders of one man and one man alone, William ‘Blaze’ Musha. His shoulders were laced with the grief of a thousand men; he had news to report to more than just her. His fiery eyes seemed dimmed and mournful which replaced the bright flames of anger and conquest that usually brightened up the lanky man’s bold features. He actually looked like he would cry as he headed to the mansion. She ran after him trying to catch him but he didn’t stop until he reached the mansion.

He held in his hand a letter, the very same letter that River had found from their mother, the letter he found in his armor. Blaze’s shaking hand unraveled the folded note and he looked to his family, all of them gathered on the porch looking at the young man with rejoicing eyes. “Sons… I’m writing to tell you that you are doing such good work. I couldn’t be more proud of the two of you. You’re both such brave young men. Your bravery overflows my heart with pride. I think all the time as I watch you grow into handsome men, that someday, you’ll have prides of your own. Oh my boys, you’ll make wonderful fathers. You’re already the heroes of many children in the village. I best not distract you from battle. Both of you, make it home… and make it safe…. Love… mom..” Blaze looked up at them. He gulped back his nerves.

“I was up on a hill, I was out there alone and the guns went off, bombs were exploding… That’s when I saw him, he came back for me… and though he was capture… a man set me free… that man was your son… he wanted me to go home. I tried to get him, I swear.” Blaze choked back. His brother was gone and he was blaming himself. Alex walked forward and put her hand on his shoulder with sympathetic eyes. He looked so defeated in his pose that she couldn’t find it in her to lash at him. It was killing her inside to know that River had been captured, and that he could very well be dead by now, but that wasn’t Blaze’s fault. It was the furthest from it, his older brother had tried to go back! He admitted that, right? He wouldn’t have admitted a thing if River was there, he wouldn’t admit it if it didn’t happen either. He was already guilt ridden, why would he lie on top of that?

She saw him cringe when he saw her. “I was going to find out eventually.” She said softly to the giant. She looked to the Musha family. Rex was cold as ice, an impenetrable fortress of a rounding man. She could have sworn she saw his hair line recede another few centimeters right there. She was almost… frightened. His lack of emotion for the capture of his own son was alarming; didn’t he care in the slightest?

Rain looked lost, absolutely lost. Her brain just seemed to cease to function properly. Alex wished she could just imagine it for a moment, what it was like to have that kind of connection. Those two were like two halves. It was almost sadder just to see the puzzle half complete. Rain looked to Alex and gave her a warm smile, it almost broke her heart. The mouthed apology even though it seemed like it should have been the other way around. Rain then looked at little Cain, she hugged the boy reassuring him that all was well. Cain knew all was not well, he knew more then they were aware that he knew. His hero was out of his reach.

Leah was distant, not moving but she was crying. There was a struggle somewhere, mental or physical that could only compromise for the outward display of tears but a solid front. It was like courage through heart break, it held an entirely different aura from Rex. In many ways, Alex respected her for keeping her head but still displaying something, it didn’t need to be a sob fest where she went on her knees and cursed to the heavens for letting them take her son. Alex almost felt like doing that herself.

It was awkward standing there with them…with him gone, she felt out of place. “I’m… just going to leave you guys alone…” Alex gave a gentle wave and then walked off. Her walk home was long and quiet, the groans of soldiers were behind doors and walls now, not on the street where she could see and hear them. The entire sound was silent almost in an unknowing homage to the now gone prince of the Tenshi clan. She began to weep before she finally found her front porch. He wasn’t dead, no, but he was captured. She sat there and continued to cry until dusk had fallen and a familiar hand landed on her shoulder. Alex looked over.

There sat Sam, the friend that seemed to have faded away in the impossible rein of war. “You haven’t gotten rid of me yet.” Sam said softly. She gently hugged her friend. She personally didn’t really know how it felt to be in-love with someone, but by the way Alex used to talk about him, she knew. Sam had sensed the distress rolling off of the blond. It was so weird to see her like that.

Alex continued to cry, even with her friend there. It was so utterly unlike her, she realized that the boy had been progressively changing her, just as he had changed. Something she once begged him not to do, or more so mentally begged him not to do. What she prayed he wouldn’t do… now it felt rather hypocritical to her. Perhaps it was just growing up.

When was growing up meant to be this painful?

After a while, Sam helped Alex inside and promptly ignored Alan while helping the emotional girl up to her room. They sat there for a few minutes in silence. They were sitting in the last place she’d been able to see him before he was caught off in the forest where she couldn’t protect him. There was an unimaginable amount of guilt that she put upon her shoulders for now reacting and running out to stand beside River in the battle. Perhaps they both would have been captured, or they could have gotten away from the group together.

Sam almost slapped her the moment she realized those thoughts were going through her head. How could anyone think that something like that would have been preventable with just their presence? River had punched a dent in a concrete wall and floor. He wasn’t exactly a cream puff. He didn’t take capture lying down. He probably struggled for his dear life, one person wasn’t going to change that, and thought that was the logic that Sam’s brain produced and she couldn’t actually say that to her friend. Alex was hurt too much to see the logic of the situation. She wanted to make excuse for why River had been captured and why it was her fault that he was gone.

“It’s not your fault.” Was all that passed through her tightly curled lips. It’s all she could manage, though she knew it paled in comparison with ‘he’s been captured’. “It’ll never be your fault.” The second phrase was more concrete strong. It was the best she could muster for her poor friend. Sam didn’t have the combative expertise or the strength to go and be a warrior like the others. She could try to go and kick ass then take some name getting River back, but it was more of a diluted fantasy in her head then anything that could possibly be reality.

It didn’t take long for this news to surge through the media like wildfire. There were massive mourning gatherings of his rather extensive fan club. The News Channels were doing special reports about the conditions of the war and how he could have possibly been captured. They were even talking about a made for TV movie once on the ‘Great Battle’ focusing on River’s ‘life’.

It was a harsh and bitter after taste every time they used the word ‘life’, since they used it as if that life was over and all of the conversation about him was retrospective of how he lived. At first it didn’t get to Alex, at first, she was pretty strong and her body had managed to find a way to coup for the long while. Sam was around a lot, which helped immensely to keep her from going off the deep end. September turned to October, River wasn’t back. The news program still spoke of the missing prince, but sparingly, now the mentions were beginning to exhaust Alex. They’d spoken about him so much and she’d resisted the urge to cry all those times. She should have just stopped watching TV, but then she wouldn’t know when he did come back.

October slowly shifted into November, the changing leafs did not bring the man back to her. The news was starting to hit the critical issue now, River’s war status as a captured soldier of the Tenshi Kingdom Guard. How long would Rex hold that position and allow there to be hope that the son was still alive? Would the lord ever accept that his son was- this one was the first time that Alex actually began to sob at a television show- inevitably and undeniably deceased? Sam had to turn the program off before it went on into the details about what the Bukes were known to do with their prisoners. Those were not the images that needed to be put into either Alex’s head or anyone else’s for that matter. These people were just vicious sometimes. It seemed every station wanted to cover some sort of juicy political drama. They were eating up that this poor man had been captured saving his older brother.

The changing leafs shifted into gentle snow as the month changed again. The December air was heavy. The burden of knowing that there was no way that he was alive was now plaguing many minds. Blaze had gotten to the point of social isolation. He had a nervous outburst on his birthday and then ran off into the woods for seven hours before returning with red puffy eyes. Alex stuck around with Rain mostly; the girl needed some sort of guidance. She just seemed so lost those few months. Alex hoped that she would eventually find peace with the fact that- she didn’t dare even say it mentally herself.

Actually, Alex prayed for many people now a day. She prayed for a quick and painless recovery for the Musha family mourning for their golden son, who had been taken from them once before. She prayed that of all of them, that Blaze would find peace with his brother’s sacrifice that he would find that there was nothing he could have done better or even worse that would have gotten them both home safely. She also looked for her own guidance, that she would stop hurting on the inside every time anyone talked about him or any time she heard him speaking in sound clips from radio and TV interviews, that one day she would be able to take the picture of them together and happy out of her drawer and not cry at what was now lost.

Alex tried to be happy as much as she could; she channeled a lot of it through singing with the school choir that did everything from the classics to the current hits. There were a few steps involved with each song for entertainment value, but it wasn’t really considered dancing. They both had been involved in it before hand; they had always been paired up together as dance partners. She tried to be comfort with dancing with someone else. This worked for a short period of time, before the winter show had come into play.

Someone thought it would be a great time to give a number as a homage to River- they’d change the words around to fit his story, except the end that they’d work with as they went on. Alex didn’t like this idea but she and poor Rain were easily out voted by those in the crowd for the number. At that moment, Alex decided she couldn’t do that show and left without another word. She just couldn’t do it; at least, she couldn’t do it right now while the wound was still fresh. She just admired Rain’s courage and strength as she sang through the numbers with the group. She wondered just how much that probably hurt. She could contemplate losing her siblings, and honestly, she couldn’t accurately represent the relationship that River and Rain had as twins.

The final week had come before the performance and the choir was cramming in long practices and setting up when they weren’t warming up their harmony. It was an interesting process to watch when you weren’t actually doing any work with it. Alex had stayed behind simply to help out the group, and so that she was walking home with Rain. It was almost a protective complex, she blamed the twin factor while considering complaining about the overall work load. After the strenuous lifting and carrying task, Alex plopped down in a chair and relaxed while waiting for Rain. The Musha girl was off asking an important question of the director. Alex had chosen purposely to stick out of it; she wanted nothing more to do with the show. She was going to sit at home and sip hot chocolate while most of the capital was in the stadium listening to the group honor the prince.

Rain approached her finally wearing her broken smile to provide the best supportive comfort that she could. “You know you didn’t have to wait around for little ol’ me.” She said sweetly. Alex was noticing now some of the vocal patterns that were similar with the twins. There weren’t a lot, obviously Rain’s was higher and River’s was a bit edgier. God she missed him. She realized that as she tried to dissect words to find the pieces of him in them.

“I know, but I did it anyway… I’m a blond after all.” Alex joked at her own expense. Rain just gave her the tsk tsk look as she gathered up her things getting ready to go. Alex picked her jacket up, normally she tried to wear his leather jacket around, but with Rain, she thought it would be better not to remind the girl. The tiptoeing was a little hard, but she knew that Rain did it for her too… it was only a matter of time before they’d have a girlly moment and they’d both break down with one another. Alex wasn’t looking forward to that.

The snow crunched under their feet as they departed from the school together. Alex walked a little slow since her legs were longer and she would have naturally walked a bit fast. It was a good day to enjoy anyway; it was overcast, but bright enough for the white landscape to retain its glorious beauty. It wasn’t a fresh snow; it was marked with the foot prints of those who had walked out before them, on their way home from the school.

The capital was quiet on this cold day. There were very few people out, most of them were younger, especially children, enjoying a snowball fight or making their own little snow man. It was almost comforting to watch, to see that despite their worlds falling apart, there was still joy to be had. “We could have a snow ball fight.” Alex mused as they started up the hill. “There is a lot of powder on the hill…” she chuckled slightly.

“Oh, I’d normally agree, but if we start, we’re just invoking the wrath of Cain the snowball master” Rain joked. The brothers were apparently known for their massive snow wars in the yard. The joke was that if River and Cain were together, they always won; because River and Blaze hadn’t been allowed to team up together against the two smaller ones. However, Blaze would switch off with River and when the twins were paired; it seemed that they usually got the upper hand. It was blamed on twinelepathy and thus cheating. Blaze and Cain would win by default.

Alex had forgotten about the snowball tradition, and sort of felt like an ass for bringing it up. Rain let it go, but she was about to get her revenge. It wasn’t actually revenge. “Alex, you should really come to the show.” Rain said softly as they were about halfway up. “You don’t have to sing or anything, just watch and support us… We’ll need it for that number.” Rain frowned.

Alex was trapped between a rock, and the sole Musha girl who never asked her for anything and managed to do so much with everyone. Who could deny Rain? The girl was made out of sugar or something, it was a strange combination amongst the muscled headed boy whose heads were naturally high enough to be in the clouds. “you’ve trapped me Rain…” Alex said with a groan.

“I know, I feel bad…” Rain gave a apologetic smile. That made matters worse, that she was actually apologizing about trapping her with this invitation to something that would be in some concepts a little fun and maybe even a little distracting for most of the numbers. Besides, it would only be a few tears shed for that one song, she could handle the rest of the show. It was only one number, she reminded herself over and over again before she took in a deep breath.

“I’ll go.” Alex said with a smile. “it should be… sort of fun I guess.” She spoke weak words, what was she supposed to say? I’ll have the time of my life as I bawl my eyes out about my ‘maybe’ dead boyfriend? Yeah, fat chance; that was the best she was going to be able to do for Rain. Obviously by the smile she received, the girl appreciated that Alex would be coming to support her while she did probably the hardest show of her life. “I’ll see you later Rain, I’ve got to get home and start some hot water for Alan and me.”

“Oh, okay.” Rain turned and hugged the tall woman. “See you later Alex, you know you’re always welcome here.” Rain smiled brightly opening the door. The warmth hit Alex abruptly and for a moment she relished in it, it pushed the feeling of home out of the big mansion that would have otherwise been just a building to her. Rain waved a bit heading in, “call when you get home.” She said almost motherly.

“okay, ‘mom’.” Alex returned in a tease waving as she started off back to her home on the outskirts. She got home and up to her room stripping free off the freezing clothes, putting on her pajamas before returning downstairs and giving Rain the reporting call. She got to put in her own mother like advice for Rain to get some sleep after that tough day. She began the water before hearing the door open and shut then the lock turn. “hello Alan.” Alex called.

“hey.” The boy came in with a bit of snow on his head and Alex almost chuckled a bit dusting it out of his hair. “Yeah, they pelted me…”

“Then what did you do?”

“Obliterated them with my one man army snowballing skills...”

“that a boy.” Alex laughed a bit getting a few mugs down and pouring in some warm water then while Alan watched, carefully putting in the mix. “Then presto, cocoa.” Alex joked noticing he was watching her work. She presented the mug to him and he took it taking a tentative sniff of the liquid on the inside. “Oh come on, how in the world could I have poisoned it in the few moments you were standing here?”

“One can never be too sure.” Alan joked with shifty eyes; He took a sip and smiled relaxing instantly. “Aw, cocoa. “ He watched her work a bit more making her own. “You can make this with milk too right?” He asked taking another sip. Alex just nodded making sure everything was turned off then leaning against the counter enjoying the aroma for a bit. She then looked to Alan, he seemed a bit troubled by something. She nudged him to ask what was going on. “Just my teacher being a jerk.” Alan frowned. “why doesn’t anyone have any hope left for him?”

Alex got his meaning and frowned. “because everyone isn’t clinging to the idea that he could survive, most people have dismissed his case as a killed in action situation.” Alex said smoothly. Alan was obviously unnerved by that, he didn’t like that she had to explain that to him in the slightest bit. “don’t worry Alan,” She smiled. “if it doesn’t hurt, it won’t get better.” She said softly taking a sip of her drink and sighing.

“do you miss him?” Alan asked in an innocent and curious tone. Half of him sounded partially tired or guilty or something, but on the other hand, he just sounded sort of sweet and inquiring about how she felt about the situation at hand. Alan was becoming more of a sensitive guy as he was getting older. Or at least he could access that side of him easily.

“Yes, I miss him a lot.” Alex replied sadly. How long can you pain for someone before your body says it’s okay to let go? Maybe it was the promise he made, the eleven months- well it was about seven months now- that he didn’t spend deciding if he wanted to marry her or not. The last year of high school that she’d half spent alone. All those factors were holding her back, she was almost sure of that. She felt her brother hug her after setting his drink down so she followed suit and hugged him back.

“I’m sorry sis.” He said simply. “For what I did that last day…” he frowned, he still remembered that he made Alex physically hurt the missing Musha. He still remembered that both of them were angry but they were forced to retreat. It was the last time they saw him. It must have been building on the boy’s shoulders for quite a while if he waited this long.

“it’s okay Alan..” she chuckled a bit. “It’s no big deal now.” She smiled at him. “So finish up your cocoa and change into something else, those clothes are freezing.” She shooed him off. Alan nodded and finished his off before taking off with the burden lifted from his shoulders. Alex had to laugh a little more. “crazy kid.” She spoke taking another drink. The situation that day was very dull now in comparison to the overall fear and worry. It would most likely help Alan sleep at night but it wouldn’t change a thing.

She realized that she didn’t have long to prepare herself emotionally for this performance that she would have to attend. What’s the worst that they could do? Play the token song that was apparently ‘their song’? She doubted that, but if they did, then she would probably tune it out, then again, she knew the words- or her subconscious did, so her mind would feed her the words to that song while she tried to tune them out. She doubted it would be their song though, how would that be homage to River, other than being the one song that they used to sing together on valentine’s day?

It was something else and it was going to be a tear jerker because that director was known for doing things like that. He loved to get emotional responses from audiences. It made him an excellent director, but it also made him unfortunately, the worst person to be picking music for a subject that would severely affect you. She almost needed Sam at the moment, to get a clear image of what she should do.

Then speak of the devil, the woman came through the doorway with a good amount of snow on her shoulders. “Trees are evil, Alex.” It was all she said regarding the matter getting off the ‘snow suit’ she’d smartly chosen to wear for her trek through the forest to come to her friend’s house. Alex just chuckled a bit at Sam, she didn’t need to know anymore then she did. “All right, so I’m sure you have some sort of news, because you’re all ‘I’ve been focused’ like right now.”

“Oh, it’s the winter choir performance…” Alex explained in inviting her to come down and relax in the living room, and offer that both of them took up. “They’re honoring River with one of their songs…” She said softly hugging a pillowing into her stomach.

“What is with you people and drama? I swear! Winged warriors are always looking for the most sensitive subject and poking it until the person cries.” Sam crossed her arms relaxing in the cushy chair. “You don’t have to go do you?”

“I told Rain I would, she had me trapped Sam, trapped, and she’s such a nice person- she apologized for trapping me. Literally, apologized.” Alex explained sighing deeply. “and she’s his twin… it’s got to be harder on her and she’s actually going through with singing the number where I backed down… can you imagine that?”

“Well, what’s the song?” Sam asked tilting her head to one side curiously. The song, with their combined powers, they could figure out at least something close to what had to be the song they were singing to honor his life.

“That’s the thing, I don’t know, so I don’t know how to prepare myself.” Alex shifted uneasily, she should have asked about the song, but she didn’t even think about it while she was walking away. “I’ve tried to figure it out with a little bit of thinking, but I don’t have that great of a spectrum.” She shrugged. “Are you going to help or just give encouraging ‘uh-huhs’?”

“Uh-huh” Sam joked with a nodded looking at her like ‘duh, I’ll help’. “Well, let’s see, we know that the director will go after something close to him, something that will spread to more than just one person so, your song is utterly free- be happy for that. So… what could he use to get more people?” Sam tapped her chin. “Probably would be something that River would have solo’d in…”

“He wouldn’t…” Alex realized suddenly what it must have been. “oh no, that’s just wrong…”

“what?”

“We have a song that has River singing the solo parts alone… but he couldn’t do that to his family…”

“But what’s the song?”

-------------------------------~~~~~~---------------- -----------~~~~~~~~~~~~-----------------------------------

After realizing what song that they were going to force her to sit through, and listen to him sing those solos, Alex immediately recruited Sam to be her back up Kleenex holder. She wouldn’t be able to do this one alone obviously. Now with a program in hand, she confirmed her fears. They were singing ‘Letters from War’ with a ‘special soloist’. She was going to cry again wasn’t she? Right in the crowd of nearly two hundred people, she was going to cry about the man that wasn’t confirmed dead. Sam would do her best to keep her comforting her to a discrete level, but even Sam had her limits.

She wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing that it was placed before intermission as the ‘show stopper’ number. Perhaps they all would come out in uniform and had a collage of pictures of those now gone, from the high school and from the village. There were endless possibilities- then she realized that it was edited by the high school choir. It registered as ‘this has just gotten worse’. She found a seat, near where the Musha family would be, by the request of Rain and by demand of the security center where Gwen was currently monitoring everything.

It was good to know that he mother was there, she had someone else to go to and cry with at intermission instead of just poor Sam. The human girl amongst warriors had no idea what she had gotten herself into just by showing up with Alex to this performance. Just as Alex was lost in her own thoughts, she heard a voice to the side of her.

“Hello girls.” The voice of Leah Musha, the loving mother who had wept openly for her missing son, came into her ear and jolted her from her dream like thoughts. Alex looked over to her and smiled with a slight wave. She elbowed Sam who did the same. “It’s good to see you both here, I didn’t think you’d be making it Alex..” Leah gave her contagious smile to them. Alex had to smile back.

“I hadn’t planned on coming really, Rain got me cornered, I had no choice.” Alex joked with a shrug. It was awkward to have a conversation with the woman who the song was going to completely tear apart inside and Alex knew it, she was sure Leah knew it too. “Hopefully the show’s good. I’m sure that I’ll tear up.” Alex made small talk sort of, this was a hard situation for anyone.

“I’m sure there will be tears shed in this arena tonight.” Leah said somewhat sadly. It must have been hard to lose a son and then have everyone remind you that he is gone and maybe even dead. It was something that Alex prayed that she would never have to go through. She watched the beautiful queen watch the stage with sad eyes. They did not fade as the lights began to dim and the director came on stage to introduce the performance of the night.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen.” No beginning humor, it was a good thing in a situation like this, “and welcome to the 25th annual Tenshi Chorus Winter Show.” He went on to talk about the performers, and the songs in between them. They weren’t all that notable, though they were all performed with perfect harmony and pitch. The director was crazy about that, absolutely crazy about how the choir sounded together. It was why they had such late practices, if it wasn’t good enough for his extremely high standards; it wasn’t good enough for the stage.

Alex’s stomach began to turn when the song approached rapidly. She could feel herself getting ready to weep even though she had prepared herself over and over again not to do so at this performance. The director walked up and he looked so distraught, that Alex actually covered her mouth to stop herself from whimpering right then. “This next number was the idea of one of my students, to honor the prince that was captured in the battle of September.” The man spoke, a screen was being lowered behind him. “We have a very special guest tonight, to sing his solo… ladies and gentlemen… I give you Mr. Musha.” With that the man walked off stage.

The movie turned on, and just as Alex had feared, there he was, in class, no music just his smile on. His voice was so familiar and immediately the tears started to roll down her face. It was so real to see him and hear him again; that it just made her hurt to know that it wasn’t real. She couldn’t even try to turn her head to look at the Musha family. It was one of the most painful minutes of her life as the man sat there and sang the first verse for the crowd. The song being about a young man who went off to war and wrote a letter home talking about the weather and his friends, and then at the end talking about thinking about his father, and fighting for his mother… but in truth, when he pointed to the crowd, he had been pointing at her in the room. The screen lifted up revealing the choir.

The chorus covered the letter that his mother had sent him. She could feel Leah crying now, which made her more upset. The next verse must have gotten to the big guy…it had been the most drastically changed of them all.

Together they sang, without the powerful voice of River Musha, “Early September, A day she'll not forget Oh her tears stained the pavement, With every word that he said, he said "I was up on a hill, I was out there alone, When the shots all rang out, And bombs were exploding, And that’s when I saw him, He came back for me, And though he was captured, A man set me free, And that man was your son, He wanted me to return to you, I tried to get him, oh I swear" It was the last of the remembrance of war” The lights suddenly cut out. Leaving the audience confused for only a second, through the speakers boomed the voice of the prince yet again.

“And she prayed he was living Kept on believing and wrote every night just to say” The last note held as the choir sang the chorus behind it. As the note started to lose its strength, the lights came back on. There he was, in all of his glory, a tux on and Rain curled into him crying a bit. He joined them, while the crowd went absolutely crazy “Make it home, make it safe.” He added a slight vibrato on the end of safe. It really didn’t matter what they were singing after that, except ‘and I’ve come home again’. People were on their feet, screaming and hollering, cheering. The golden son was back and managed to make it just in time for his own solo. Leah tore through the row, she grabbed Alex who was motionless and dragging her along for her own good.

It was so surreal to watch his mother running up and hugging him tight enough to make him cough a bit. He was laughing and explaining why he wasn’t home sooner. Alex was still just standing there and staring at him in utter disbelief. He gotten in another solid hug from both of them, smiling his crooked grin and then he looked over and his grin sort of faded a bit. He started towards her, which is when her feet reacted by running to him, throwing her arms around his check and giving him a welcome home kiss. There were thousands of flashes in the audience, but neither seemed to care. “That better really be you.” She half sobbed putting her forehead against his moving the longer hair out of the way.

“Who else has pipes like me?” He asked softly with a low chuckle, hugging her around the waist. “It’s really me, baby, it’s really me.” He had to say in between the impending and inevitable kissing that was happening. “Jeez did you miss me?” He said softly.

“Yes, you asshole.” She struck his chest while weeping into his shoulder. “I’m so happy you’re alive.” She wasn’t going to be letting go anytime soon. He seemed utterly okay with that. His family seemed okay with that, standing down and hugging each other in joy of his return. It was clear now why they’d placed the number as they had, the show had completely ceased the audience and family had gone absolutely wild after about twenty minutes of this, it all died down.

The Musha family exited understandably at intermission with Alex tagging along with them. River chose to ride with Alex, knowing his family would smother him the moment he walked through the door again. He relaxed the moment his back hit the passenger side seat. He dropped his hand down in the middle. “blah” he stuck his tongue out and played dead for a few minutes. “God, I’m tired.” He said softly giving her his sweet grin then looking forward for only a second before looking back. He noticed the shimmering streak down her face. “Alex…” he leaned over and whipped the tears off her face.

“You can’t imagine River, I know you feel strongly, but you can’t even fathom to know how it felt to think that for even a second that you could be dead. I’ve gone through this about three times now…” She bit her lower lip, leaning over on the bench seat and clinging to him for dear life. “How long have you been back?” she asked softly burying half her face in his shirt. He paused for a bit and scratched his chin. “well?”

“oh, only about two hours or so, about thirty minutes before the performance started.” He said softly playing with her hair. “your hair is longer…” he commented in a child like softness that only he could achieve after being gone for so long. He leaned in a bit and brushed his cheek against hers. “I’ve thought about you every single solitary day that I was gone- I know I’m not going to change my mind Alex, of all the things they did to me, the worst they did was keep me away from you.”

“Musha, you’re mushy.”

“ow a play on my last name.” he smiled a bit. He gripped her hand in his mighty paw curling his powerful fingers with her gentle grip. “I prefer well with words.” He smiled leaning over and kissing her. “I love you.” He whispered after the initial kiss.

“I hope you do, cause I would push you out of this car.” Alex joked moving hair from his face. “I wonder how many girls go to bed at night, hoping that one day, that they could just….” She gently cradled his head. “Be in my position, touching you…. Feeling your face- you’re a little warm…”

“Doesn’t surprise me, I probably will be coming down with something soon…” he commented off handedly. He sprawled back out in his seat. “I ran home in torn up pants and no shirt.” He yawned out, “No injuries to report of- all healed at least.” She reached over and rubbed his shoulder as she drove him home.

“How…. How did you escape?” she asked softly, rubbing his chest at the stop light. He just grumbled something out in reaction. He seemed to quite enjoy being touched, even if it was just his chest. “Blaze said they all surrounded you suddenly… and he could hear you fighting but the explosions separated you…”

“Oh, I” he yawned wide slightly leaning onto her while pulling at his mind to summon his daring escape. “A simple I don’t remember would never suffice for you….” He scratched his chin. Alex gave his chest a slight smack for his comment about not remembering. “What? I’ve had a rough afternoon.” He rubbed his chest. “I’m frail.”

“Oh I wish I had that on tape.” Alex replied with a big grin. “River Jafar Musha, frail? HA!” She chuckled a bit. “I’ll get it tomorrow if you’re too tired to talk my sweet wittle Wivie bear.” She teased. He’d brought it upon himself in her opinion.

“Never do that again.” He instructed roughly. “No matter how tired I am, I am still a man. I should be regarded as such.” She just rubbed his shoulder almost telling him to relax in her own way. “Lucky we’re the only two in this car.” He replied as they hit another red light and he reached over tickling her smirking at her squirming. “Or I would make your life ‘hell’.”

“More so then usually?” she questioned swatting his hand away after laughing until her face turned red. “you rat.” He just leaned over and kissed her cheek. He put his head down on her shoulder. She put her cheek down on the top of his head. “I love you bird brain.” She said softly.

“I love you too Featherhead.” He replied watching the road ahead of them. “Do you think they’ll notice if we take another few minutes?” he asked in a small voice. She looked to him and frowned. “That look says yes.” He frowned back holding onto her hand then straightening out.

“You never answered my question.” She played a game of ‘hand wrestling’ with him, knowing full well that he would win. “Would you like me to fabricate how you managed your escape or are you going to tell me the story?” She asked, looking to him with her warm icey blues. “Or will you lie to me about it?” She raised an eyebrow at this. River just rolled his eyes.

“I told them I had to use the toilet and knocked out the guards?” He raised an eyebrow; this was a test of gullibility. Alex gave him a disbelieving glance; she didn’t believe that for a second. “Didn’t think you’d believe that… guess I can’t fool you then blondie.” He moved his hand to rest upon her thigh, she brushed it off. He frowned and gave her the puppy dog eyes; she just moved their hands back together. “All right, all right, let’s see…” He went back into his memory banks yet again. “They spent a lot of time testing my physical limits and psychological limits. The things those guys do to their prisoners worse than Nazis.” He briefly squeezed her hand. “Eventually they got me to snap and snap hard- last night.” He frowned.

“So you turned into the hulk?” she joked looking to him as she pulled up to the manor. “I mean, you ran back shirtless and with ripped pants.” River laughed a bit to that and then shook his head. “Aw, that would have made the story interesting.” The blonde teased him a bit more. She didn’t know why she was teasing him so much tonight, it was her struggle to grasp upon normalcy. None the less, he had yet to seem too upset by any of it. In fact, he didn’t seem to mind at all. He undid his seatbelt and opened his door stepping out.

“Sort of.” He replied, “I think I went blue eyes again, I remember everything going into that rough tunnel vision, then feeling a boost of strength and stamina… then I blacked out. I woke up in the middle of the forest. The Bukes were gone and so was my shirt, so I did what was normal for me, I did a little game of make sure they can’t follow me, then bolted back here as fast as I could… well you know the rest of the story from there.” He walked around and presented his hand to her. She gladly took it and then hugged onto him. “Now I’m back home, with a beautiful woman, about to go inside and get tackled to the ground by my overbearing family.”

“Good luck, I’d offer to fend them off, but four against one, bad odds.” She leaned up and kissed him. “Sorry, Rivie-boy, this fate is for you and you alone.” She smirked a bit. “They’re totally watching us right now aren’t they?”

“Without a doubt.” He laughed smiling his crooked grin without a single problem about it. “No documentation though, of that I’m pretty sure.” He tapped his chin. “I don’t know, Rain may have a camera…. Copies can be destroy though, and she knows I’d eventually find them, you can’t fight twin telepathy.”

“Gah, it sounds like a head ache honestly.”

“you haven’t seen it at work.” He glared over at the manor and then there was a bit of scampering inside. This was followed by the door opening and Rain standing there with her arms crossed looking a bit bitter that her stealth had been compromised. “See, it’s a good thing.” River laughed, he gave her a squeeze about the waist. “Are you coming inside?” He asked with a big grin on his face.

“And distract you from your adoring family?” Alex asked. He frowned slightly at that. “I’ll get my River time in later, for now you should be in there and basking in the glory of being a returning captive in the Musha family.” She moved the hair out of his face again. “And don’t show up without a coat on like you did last winter.”

“I’m telling you, I lost it at Cory’s place, you know the guys a slop and I’d be no better if we didn’t have maids.” River shook his head. “I’ll wear a coat, though I don’t see why if I already came home shirtless… I’m bound to get sick.”

“It was warmer then, just going to get colder.” She scolded letting him go. “Be good, stay warm, get a lot of sleep and maybe I’ll bring you something special tomorrow.” She leaned up and got another kiss. He was smiling again, which made her smile naturally.

“Just show up, that’s special enough.” His sweet side was out and obvious the twinpathy was kicking in because Rain was over by the door awing at the moment of tenderness. River shot a glare over to her and she quieted down looking away and whistling. “That creepy enough for you? We have the same in trouble look.” He pointed over at Rain with his thumb.

Alex just laughed and nodded. “You’re still sweet..” She smiled at him. “Now, seriously, we’ll be standing out here for hours.” She turned him towards the door and started to push him towards it.

“Is that necessarily a bad thing? It means we’re compatible if we can talk for hours and hours about really nothing at all… well besides feelings, so I guess it’s not really nothing at all.” He slightly resisted the push playfully. Obviously he wasn’t really trying or she wouldn’t be able to budge him from his spot. They both were aware of that by now. “all right, all right! Quit shovin’!” He commented finally as they were at the bottom of the stairs. “I love you Alex… I still do and I always will I swear I will…. I know I’ve been gone for a long time… so I know you’re probably either going to want me to repeat these four months on our little deal or let me slide?” he was a little more hopeful on the end of his sentence.

“Let’s talk about it later” Alex patted his chest. “I love you River, now get inside and be with your family.” She gave him a playful shove towards the house again.

“All right, all right! Jeeeeeez,” none the less he looked happy that they were able to play around so quickly now that he was home. “I’ll see you later Alex.” He hopped up the stairs as he usually did, and despite his pounds of muscle, almost seeming absolutely weightless. He gave a wave as he reached the doorway and put his hand on the doorknob.

She waved back. “See you River.” Then she headed back to her car. She knew he was watching for her to get in and head home. She got into the seat and just kept smiling; a giant worry was now lifted from her shoulders. River Musha was home, safe and sound. Thank god.