FSE

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As the sunset came over the city full of dragons, I'm outside the motel talking to a dragon who owns a apple vendor. It's only a couple of blocks away from there. I smiled up at the dragon who has brown scales saying this, holding up the apple he gave me, "Thanks big guy, I appreciate it."

The brown drake grinned down at me, "Sure, my friend. No problem. I can't wait to see you sing at my favorite restaurant, tomorrow night. I already saw you there a few nights ago and you sound GREAT!"

I laughed and said, "Thank you." I gave him a wave, "Later." And with that, I turned and walked off away from the apple vendor, taking a bite from the tasty sweet red apple. I hummed at the taste of it. God, I know dragons eat meat, but they sure no how to eat something else. I let out a sigh, after swallowing it. I was looking up at the sky, as I was strolling back to the motel and back to my room.

It has been about a few hours, since I left Sebastian and Joanna alone at his house. Most of the time when I got back to the motel, I was just sitting around in there. I took a long nap too, since I've felt emotionally worn out. After the nap, I was starting to feel better...Just a little bit. In the back of my mind, I was still a bit worked up about my latest vision and also still thinking about Rain. I held an apprehensive look now and let out another breath. I really need to stop getting myself worked up about everything. I don't want Rain to worry about me, when she gets back from Frankie and Jessie.

I'll just head back to my room, take a deep breath and just enjoy all the alone time that I need, like I had already. I'm sure the quiet would help me out a bit more...I hope it does. I took a deep breath now and let it out in a whoosh of air. I bet Rain's having a better day, than I am.

I was about halfway to the motel, when I heard someone call out to me, "Hey you." I stopped where I was at, the voice sounded female. I turned to it, and saw that it's a dragoness. A yellow dragoness, who I think appeared to be middle aged, judging by her looks. She came up to me in very slow strides, her gaze fixated on me.

I smiled at her, "Oh, hello there. Having a nice evening?"

She grinned back and sat down on her haunches in front of me, "Oh, I've been doing real great, human. Talk about a nice cool evening, for having a walk." She smugly pointed at herself with a claw and held up her head, "Which by the way, I'm enjoying it."

I nodded, "Well good." I started to give her a bit of a frown and tilted my head, "So uh...Can I help you with something? I'm sure that we never met."

She had a serious look and shook her head, "No, we never met. But I do know who you are." She motioned her head toward me, "You're the new human who sang at the Braveheart, after another human name Wayne. Trust me, word just gets around in the dragon city. I think your name is Brandon." She shot up her head, "What a human name, if you ask me."

I chuckled a bit and took another bite of the apple. I was talking with my mouth full, "But I'm sure you heard that, I'm this new human who was outside the dragon city, several nights ago. Almost getting eaten by wolves." I swallowed it after that.

The yellow dragoness gave me a nod, "Oh yes, there aren't many humans here nowadays and there aren't many who'd try to escape the city. I heard you weren't the only one, another one was with you. I even heard that you and that other human, who is a female named Jessie, have been brought here by a black dragoness. Trust me when I say it. WORD gets around."

I let out a laugh, "Yeah alright, point taken. Not a lot of humans, are living here."

She lowered her head to my level giving me a smile, "But at least, you aren't the threatening type like many others outside these walls." She changed her look to sorrow, "I remember what things were like back then. Humans and dragons, together as one. Even I can feel that everyone here, felt sad and hurt by humanity's sudden change. But you." She shook her head with a smile returned on her face and a happy gleam in her eyes, "You and your friend, haven't became a threatening thing to our kind and I respect that. I'd respect any human, who respects my kind."

I smiled brightly at the dragoness, "I'm not really the person, who hurts a dragon. Don't even dream of hurting any one of you at all."

She turned her eyes away a bit off me, looking rather curious, "I'm still curious as to, why your kind changed though."

I shook my head, "I wish I gave you the answer to that, but I don't know. I'm sorry."

She moved her eyes back to me, with a bit of a smile, "I'm fine. It's just my kind always wonder. I've seen several drakes and dragonesses, always talking about humanity and what humanity was like, before they changed. Several even talked about their own human friends, that they've made. Feeling that they miss them, feeling that they want them back. I feel for each and every one of them. Cause humanity was so judgmental WAY back then, then we co existed years later, and now years ago we're now apart for a very unknown reason. We never did anything wrong, not one thing wrong. And they suddenly changed." She asked, "Just to ask you a question, Brandon. Do we all deserve to co exist? Or are we not meant to co exist, at all?"

I shook my head softly and answered with a pity look for her species, "We all do deserve to live together, as one. All of you dragons, were treated unfairly and poorly way back then. Only because humanity feared you and didn't understand you. But what humanity did sixty-six years ago, something made them change and it wasn't their fault. Something made them forget you, and it wasn't normal. Humans, don't forget things THAT easily."

She had a wide look, "Sixty-six years." She glanced at the ground, "I didn't think, it was that long at all. I didn't keep track of how many years have passed." She rose her head high above my level and fluttered her wings on her back, "Been such a very long time, since I last saw my friend."

I asked, "Who? A human?"

She smiled and nodded, "Yeah, years ago I was friends with this human. A teenage human boy, named Alex." She hummed to herself as she remembered him, "Alex was such a nice kid. Always treating me with a lot of decency. He reminds me of my hatchling." She looked down at me, "But when I found Alex on the day it happened, he screamed at me. Telling me to get away from him. Then he just ran away. It was like...He just forgot who I was. Like he didn't know me, one bit. He just forgotten about me, all of a sudden." She shook her head in sorrow and pain, "Alex and I were real close, why? Because my hatchling doesn't talk to me anymore. He has a family of his own, and I just live alone. No mate, no hatchings, nobody."

I frowned at her, "Well, why don't you have a mate? Did he die years ago, before humans co existed with your kind?"

She hissed angrily a bit to herself and shook her head, "...No." She waved a paw at me, "Lets just say...I was in my cycle, mated him, and he didn't stand by me after we did it and I never saw him again, before my egg came in the picture. Actually...I did a lot of things in the past. Things, that I really regret. I was just a dragoness, who felt lost and only wanted...Her desires met by every drake she meets. I didn't know what purpose I was after, I didn't know what it was." She took a deep breath and let it out, "But I started to see things, in a big way because my son changed me, after he hatched. Changed my very soul. He was my baby. A real momma's little boy." She shook her head, "I didn't want any pleasure anymore. I wanted to live a normal life and start a family. Have a REAL mate, to twine tails with. Not some drake, that I feel lust over. I want love now. Someone, who loves me."

She hung her head, "But even I get what I deserve, no drake wants to have anything to do with me. I feel like, I deserve it. Deserved to be walked out on. Even my son knew about my past when he became a teenager, and he didn't want anything to do with me anymore. That's why he doesn't want to talk to me, and that's why I live alone in my home. He...Hates me. That's why I loved that little human boy." She shut her eyes tight and her whole body shuddered, "Alex...."

I felt pity for the girl. I think, I know what she was before. She must've been one of those dragonesses who mates with any drake she sees, only for pleasure. But apparently, she doesn't do that anymore. She's changed. I walked up, reached out to touch her chest with my left hand and gave her a soothing smile and voice, "Don't be sad, girl. I'm sure, things will change. And...Maybe you might see this Alex again one day." She opened her eyes and looked at me, and I backed away from her, "Or maybe one day, your son will forgive you. Let go of his hate. Maybe you and him can reconnect. Because even a mother and her child, don't deserve to be apart." I shook my head and gave her my honest opinion, "I know what you did was wrong before, and it was unforgivable, but you know it's all in the past. You've changed, and that's a good thing."

The yellow dragoness began to form a grin after all that, "You know...Since it's now been sixty-six years later, I wonder what Alex is like now."

I reassured her with a hopeful tone, "You'll see him again. Things will return to normal for your kind and mine. We will co exist again, I know we will." I placed my hand to my chest, "Why I'm saying that? It's because I won't give up, until I know the truth."

She giggled down at me, "I'm surprised that you're one of the first humans, who came to this city years after everything changed. Maybe, there is hope."

I nodded, "There is." I winked at her, "And I'll help your kind out to find the truth. I won't stop searching, until I die."

Her eyes went wide at the last part and she just snickered, "Wow, really committed to help my kind."

I glanced shyly down at the ground, "Lets just say, it was all thanks to one black dragoness who makes me care about your kind. I...I care about her, too."

She cocked her head and asked, "This dragoness...Was she the one who brought you and your friend here?"

I looked up and nodded at her, "Yep, that's the one."

The dragoness gave me a proud nod, "She's very lucky. Lucky to have you."

I reached up to brush my hair, "She is." The yellow dragoness looked away shyly, she looked a bit nervous now. I grew concerned and asked, "What's wrong?"

She looked back at me, she appeared to be troubled. She took a deep breath and sighed, "Brandon....There's a reason that me, a stranger, came to talk to you."

I asked, "So you did wanted me to help you with something?"

She dipped her head toward my level, until her face is right in front of mine, "Lets just say...Yes. I want you to do me a favor. A favor for a stranger, can you do that for me?" She shook her head, "I never did this before, but I'm really asking you to do something for me."

I nodded, giving her a sincere smile, "I know we never met and we're strangers, but you can tell me. You...Seem desperate."

She admitted, "I am. I'm...Trying to forgive myself of one thing from my past. You see...There was this drake that I've met before." She got her head closer to me, her nose barely touching mine, "And you know this certain drake. Because I watch him sometimes, and I've seen you talking to him lately."

"I've been talking to a few drakes. So who are you talking about?"

The yellow dragoness rose her head above my level and let it out, "The bronze drake that you hang out with. I've seen him talking to you at the park several days ago, and one other time I saw you two at the garden together." She gave me a nod, as she went on, "I saw you leave his house today and I followed you all the way to this motel. I waited out here for a long time, and when you finally came out of there, that was my chance to talk to you. I...I need your help."

My mind clicked as she mentioned the color of that drake. That's Sebastian. She has been watching over Sebastian, and she saw me talking to him. Right now, after she brought him up, and after I've figured out that she has mated drakes for pleasure before, my brain was feeling like it's putting pieces together like a puzzle. Is she the dragoness, that Sebastian was talking about? The one he met, after his mate and son died? I'm starting to think it is. That's when I asked, "How did you know him?"

She explained, "I'm not sure if he told you, but...A young dragoness came up to him at this tavern, found him drinking at The Drake's Tooth. Saying that she wanted to help him through his sorrows. He took this dragoness to his house and she...Raised her tail for him and he didn't want it. But she kept forcing him to do it, until he gave into his instincts."

I let out a small gasp. It is her! She's the dragoness, he mated. The one he met at the tavern. It...Really is her. I don't believe it.

But the proof is right in front of me. He never saw her again for years, but she has been watching him sometimes and he didn't know it. She...Wants forgiveness from him. And she wants my help to get it.

The dragoness let out a trembling sigh, with a very guilty look on her face, "Look, if you hate me for doing that to your friend, I'm sorry." She shook her head, "You know, I was different back then. What I did to him, was all my fault. I wanted his seed, and I didn't back down from him saying no. I kept seducing him. I just...Didn't control myself." She hung her head and drooped her wings, "He didn't deserve being treated that way. I didn't apologize to him, for that. I played and lied to him, because of my own desires. I still remember him, out of all the drakes that I've met. I actually felt sorry for him, because he told me about his mate and son. How he lost both of them...His story got to me, honestly. During that night when he told me, I didn't care. But...I do now. And I still remember him." She looked up at the sky, "I've been trying very hard to speak to him, just one last time. But...When I look at him, for hurting that poor old drake, who's old enough to be my father...I feel scared. And I feel powerless. That's why I just watch him, like a ghost."

I was just staring at her and I began to nod, "He has told me and he has regret doing it. He doesn't feel bothered by it, like as much as before. He still thinks about it, though."

She looked down at me and nodded, "I know, and it's all my fault." She shook her head, "I don't expect him to forgive me, I don't. But...I do want any sort of forgiveness from that drake. Its just, I...Don't think, I could talk to him." She gave me a pleading look, "I want you to tell him for me. Tell him, that I'm sorry for what I've done to him. For using him for pleasure and he never wanted it. That I've changed and I hope he forgives me for what I did. Because I still feel horrible about it." She lowered her head to my level once again and pleaded, "Please, human. Do this one thing. Tell him all that. Please, Brandon for me."

I stared at her for a long time, and then I was shaking my head, "No." I pointed at her eye, "You have to do that yourself." She drew back her head with her face wide and I went on, "I'm sorry for rejecting your offer and I know that you're scared of doing it, but you have to. If you want forgiveness, you have to tell him all that yourself. I can't do that for you, only you can." I gave her a smile, "If you're afraid that he'll scream at you when he sees you, he probably won't. He knows all that stuff is in the past, and he'll give you a chance to speak. Let you speak your feelings and let you ask him for forgiveness, he'll let you do that. You have to ask for his forgiveness, yourself. It's up to you, whether you walk up to him and do it." I gestured my hand to her, "That drake will be at the Braveheart tomorrow night, come there and you'll find him. Tell him all that, there." I nodded, "I know you can do it. You have to try. If you don't want to, that's fine. But you have to do this yourself. You're trying to forgive yourself of this, well tomorrow night's your chance. Or any other night, will be your chance. But at least come to the restaurant, ok?"

She shifted around on her paws and shyly hung her head. I took a step toward her and held her chin with one hand, looking right at her eyes, "Can you do that? Can you do this, for yourself?"

She peered back into mind for such a long time, until she took a deep breath and let it out. She finally said, "Ok."

I beamed and gave her nose a rub, "You won't regret this, I promise. Once you do that, you'll have your forgiveness. He still is a nice drake."

The yellow dragoness smiled and rose her head high above me, "I can tell. He didn't change much. He's still acting like that drake, I've met years ago."

I backed away from her, "I can imagine."

She said, "Thanks for not being angry at me, for doing that to your friend. I know what I did was wrong, but-"

I waved her off, "I wouldn't be mad at you. It's all in the past now. You have other feelings now, other than just having lust. You're not that dragoness anymore." I gave her a nod, "You've changed because of your son, and you should always thank him for that. If it wasn't for him, nothing else could've changed you."

She closed her eyes for a moment, and let out a breath, "Yeah." Then she opened them and she turned her whole body, to face another direction. She still held her gaze on me, "Thanks for letting me talk to you, Brandon. It's just...I didn't know how to do this."

I said, "I'm glad you came and talked to me, you're welcome. And I hope, I see you tomorrow night."

She said shyly, "I'll try."

I gave her a confident nod, "I may not know you all that much, but I know you can do this. You just have to don't stop believing in yourself. Trust me, you're stronger than you think."

She nodded a bit, still looking a bit unsure, "...Yeah." Then she started to pad away from me, "Bye." She looked ahead and went on her way. I stared at her, until her form disappeared from sight.

I let out a breath, and then I looked down at my apple in my hand. I didn't finish it yet. I held it up to my mouth and took another bite from it. I turned around and started to head back to the motel.

I know that I'm the kind of person who would help someone, who has a problem. But she has to do that herself. I know she asked me nicely, but she has to be the one to do it. If she wants forgiveness, she has to be the one to talk to him. I know Sebastian, won't be so hard on her. He'll let her speak to him. He's not bothered by it much, anymore. He'll give it a chance, I know he will. She doesn't appear to be that way, anymore. Having her hatchling, really changed her. I can tell in her eyes, she's not lying. She's truthful about everything. Even her guilt about Sebastian, is there. I can definitely see that.

I know dad, that you'll forgive her. It was bad before, but it's in the past. I know you can do it.

I made it back to the motel and went trough the entrance of it, having another bite of an apple while I was at it.

*****

The crickets were chirping away real loud, as the night has finally arrived at the outside of the dragon city. The lone dragon trotted back on the trail that leads to the city, already having it's afternoon meal. About awhile ago, it hunted in the forest in the mountains for food. Several wolves tried to attack it, but it fought back with brute force. They were no match for it. Not all the wolves have died, only about six of them. The dragon was filled with pride, as the rest of them whimpered and ran away. Then it went to the bodies and chowed down. It only ate about two of them, and just left the other bodies alone, since it couldn't eat anymore. After eating it found a pond, cleaned itself up getting rid of all the blood on it, and now it's now making its way back to see the big wall that surrounds the dragon city. It was just staring at it. It doesn't see any dragons, patrolling on it though. But no one wouldn't see the lone dragon anyways, the dragon was in a good spot in the shadows to see the city without being seen.

The lone dragon looked up at the stars, then looked back at the wall. Knowing full well it can go in the city now, without attracting a lot of attention. Most of the dragons are asleep and won't be flying around over the skyline. It's the perfect time for it now. It spread out it's wings and leapt to the skies. Flying real high above the ground, the silhouette of it's figure flying under the moon. It flapped again and is now over the skyline of the city. It was looking down at the stone buildings, seeing the lights in the streets. It had an concentrated look on it's face, looking for this certain place from up in the air.

It saw that certain place, not long after flying over the buildings and it glided down to a roof, ready to land. It flapped it's wings again and stopped falling now. It landed on all fours with a loud thud. It furled it's wings on its back and turned to the place it can watch over from right where it's at. The motel. It can see the motel from where it's at, even see the rooftop of it. The lone dragon focused it's gaze and saw that Brandon's sitting around crossed legged on the rooftop of the motel. The dragon growled at the human, wanting to get to him right now. But it can't. If he screamed, someone might hear him and then the lone dragon's in trouble and it's presence will be known by everyone. It can't take that chance.

For now, it'll just watch him. Like it has before. In the cover of the night, it's going to watch the human it's after. The mysterious dragon slowly sat down on it's haunches and watched over the human with a narrowed gaze from a distance. Not letting him, out of it's sight.

*****

I was sitting on the rooftop of the motel, looking down at the photo of me and my family in my hand. The stars were shining above me. I smiled right at mom and dad, seeing that they both looked happy together. I let out a calm sigh.

After seeing that dragoness about a couple hours ago, I was just here all this time. I didn't do anything much, but relax. Enjoying my alone time, without trying to let anything else bother me. Especially about my conflictions. My conflictions toward Rain. I held a look of apprehension on my face. Rain...

I'm just glad, I don't feel like I'm going crazy like I had earlier. I really do feel better. But I still want to talk to someone about this though. I just hope I'll see, either Wayne or Amanda, or both of them tomorrow. They would probably help me out on this.

Or...Maybe I know how to handle this, after all. And I think I know how. I looked at mom in the photo. Sebastian says that he's in love with my mom, I know it that much. He's going through the same thing, as I am. But I told him, I didn't care if he liked my mother in that way. I didn't care, at all. If he likes her and if they're together, that was fine by me. Maybe mom would be with him that way, or maybe she won't. Throughout the whole speech, I didn't care if they were too different for each other, I'd support them.

Suppose, if mom did get together with the old drake...Would she find it really okay, if I was with Rain in that way too? Would it be alright, if I did the same thing as she did? Be with a dragon? Maybe I should...

I lowered the photo and put in in my pocket. I let out a huff, looking at the stone buildings in the area. You're not mom, you're Brandon. You're two, completely different people. And besides that, what if mom doesn't even support that kind of relationship? What if she just rejected Sebastian, and wants to stay friends? If she's not supportive of that kind of thing, then she wouldn't support of my relationship with Rain. Well...Even if mom was with Sebastian in that way, just like my other human friends have done something like that, that doesn't mean I should literally follow in their shoes....Right? I mean Rain's...Still a dragon, and I still feel conflicted about thinking that way about her. Damn it, why wasn't I born as a drake? This is stupid now. Other than that problem, I know for a fact, that she loves Tommy still. She's not thinking about me in that way. My warm fuzzy feeling came back to me, and I let out another sigh. But of course that feeling's still there, telling me that I still love that dragon.

Now that I'm thinking about it, what if she's not in love with Tommy anymore? What if-

No Brandon. She doesn't think about you that way. You can think that, all you like. But she's thinking about him. She wouldn't want someone else, wouldn't want me. And you're not a dragon, for Christ sake.

But my feeling's still buzzing within me. No doubt, that it is. I kinda need help with this still, how to deal with this, and maybe Wayne and Amanda can help me. But how can they help me, when Rain doesn't want me? They can't help me with THAT. In fact, how can they help me, when I'm something that I'm not? I'll never be a dragon. They both have put aside their apprehensions, but I don't think that I can. I don't feel like I'm that kind of human. I'm not them.

I drew in a lot of air in my lungs and let it out real slow. This is stupid and pointless. I have to drop this. Nothing's going to happen and it never will. I'm a human, she's a dragon. Besides if mom doesn't support this sort of thing and if she ever finds out, I'll probably lose her. I do know that Wayne's parents knew, that he was in a relationship with Sierra and they've supported it, but my mother's not them. She's just another person, and she probably won't support it. I can't lose her because of that, I can't bear it. I can't change into something that I'm not, and I can't put Rain through that kind of awkwardness and pain. I won't put her through that, and I'm making a silent vow at this now.

I keep telling myself that I should drop this feeling, but I wonder...If I can REALLY drop it now. Maybe it won't go away. I'll love her, but I'll never be with her. I'll always have dreams about me and her in that way, but they won't come true. To her, I'll always be her best friend.

I put my hands to my face, letting out a muffled groan through them. Talk about inner torture. I'm torturing myself over this. I'm torturing myself, and it's shit. Nothing will happen. I'm not Wayne, I'm not Eric, I'm not Amanda, and I'm mostly not Tommy. I'm not any of them, and I just have to accept that. Mom wouldn't support it, and I don't want to lose her. I also don't want to lose Rain. If I caused her pain, I'll never forgive myself. Don't hurt her, Brandon. Don't do it. Cause if you do, then you'll feel dead on the inside. If you hurt her, you'll never see her again.

Rain....

Then I heard a voice right behind me, "Wow, Brandon. Sitting up here alone in the dark? I'm surprised." I twitched a bit by the familiar voice and dropped my hands to my lap. I smiled brightly at that. I know that voice from anywhere. I looked over my shoulder and saw Rain was walking up behind me. The torture that I was just having went away. Her expression and her personality, made them go away. Like they weren't there. Her smile, always did make me happy.

Now I was acting like myself and giggled, "And you're not sleeping yourself, grandma."

She stopped and playfully cocked her head, "Going to call me old, huh?" She snorted, "I'm not old like Sebastian and Joanna, you know."

I pointed at her face, "Well you have those wrinkles, so-"

She growled at me, "Not damn funny, Brandon."

I laughed at her growl and waved her off, "I'm kidding, relax."

Rain shot up her head, proud that her intimidation got me, "You better be kidding. Better not act like Wayne." She strutted her way toward me, until she was standing right beside me, looking down at me, "Besides human, you'll have those wrinkles too, one day. And I'll be calling YOU old. Just for the heck of it."

I let out a small giggle, "Well then, we'll both be old. And we'll always tease each other for that."

She sat down on her scaly butt, "No kidding, and I'll probably get tired of it."

I joked with a big toothy grin, "Probably make you regret being old, after all."

She laughed and shook her head with a wide look, "I don't ever want to be old."

I shrugged my arms, "How do you think I feel? I don't want to be old too, grandma."

She narrowed her eyes now, "Quit calling me grandma. Or I'll kick your ass." Then she gave me a devious grin, "Better yet, call me grandma again, and then I'll toss you off the roof."

Now my eyes went wide at that, then I looked at the building across the street and thumbed at her, "Boy, I must've pissed this grandma off."

She gave my back a hard pat with her paw, "Shut up." Then we both shared a laugh together. When we stopped laughing, she cocked her head down at me, "So what are you doing up here, anyway?"

I let out a breath and shrugged my shoulders, "I couldn't sleep yet, so I came up here and sat down."

She shook her head, "Neither can I, I'm not even tired yet." She gave me a cute smile and asked, "Can I join you? Or is this grandma too much for you to handle?"

I turned to look up at the black dragoness, "Oh you can join me. But, since you're a grandma and if you get pissy at me, you better take a nap. Even grandma's need a nap."

She rolled her eyes, "Gee, you're making me feel old hearing you say that." Then she joked, "I'd bet if you called your momma old, she'll kick your ass for that." She winked and giggled, "And I'll be laughing hard, while watching that."

I raised one of my hands to point at her, "Don't put her in this, I'd never put YOUR momma in this."

She put a claw to her chin and tapped it, thinking hard about that one, "Well if my mom heard you call her grandma...I don't know what she'd say." She lowered her paw to the ground and shrugged her shoulders, "She probably wouldn't deny it, I guess."

I shot up my head, "Yeah, she wouldn't deny it, like you."

She hissed, "Didn't I just tell you to shut up?" Then she gave me a mock gasp, and thumped her tail behind her, "Or perhaps you didn't hear me very well, because you're old too!That's why you don't shut up."

I narrowed my look, and playfully shot back, "I have good hearing. And, I'm not the one in denial of my age. That's you."

She tossed up her head, "You're in denial too, so be quiet." Then she giggled and changed the subject, "So, can I join you? I know that we shared a nap together here this morning, but we haven't shared some alone time like this together, yesterday and last night. We didn't have a chance to do that, since me and you were alone in my cave after we went swimming, and in the woods during that night."

I asked in a teasing tone, "You mean Sierra's cave?"

She yapped when she held up her head, "It's MY damn cave!"

I laughed and yapped back, "Didn't have your name on it."

She shook her head and placed a paw to her chest, "If she doesn't live in that darn thing, then it's my cave. So get over it."

I chuckled, "If Sierra comes back and argues about whose cave it belongs too, don't come crying to me, if there's a female dragon fight being announced."

She lowered her head to my level with a grin, "So who'd win the fight? Me, or Sierra?"

I raised a brow, "Want your friends to place bets now, huh?"

She asked once more, "Right, so who'd you bet on? Me, the black scaled angel? OR Sierra, the blue dragoness with a bad attitude?"

I let out a sigh, "That's a hard choice."

She playfully narrowed her eyes at me, "Place the bet on me, or I'll be fighting you."

I playfully threatened her, "Fight me, and I'll tickle your wings. Plus, you're my angel. So you can't fight me."

She let out a laugh and raised her head high up, "You're too friendly to fight with, anyways."

I leaned my head fondly onto her leg, "Thank you."

She asked again with a shrug of her paw, "So can I join you?"

I rolled up my eyes to look up at her, "You already have joined me, big girl."

I felt Rain move her leg and I lifted my head off of her. She was starting to lay down on her stomach beside me, "Thanks. I knew you wouldn't want to sit alone here, without me. You love my company."

I nodded, "I do, and I think this night, would feel a bit lonely without you."

She nodded in agreement, "I'd bet."

I asked, "So how was your day? Did you find your brother and Jessie?"

She answered, "I was at Frankie's house, but they weren't there. But I did see them at the memorial wall. I was with Frankie most of the time, when Jessie left us alone." Then she shrugged her shoulders and wings, "Then after that, I was just roaming around for a little while. Went to Sebastian's house, when the late afternoon came, he was there and he told me that you weren't there, that you went back to the motel. I didn't talk to him long, so I said goodbye and left." She waved a paw, "So, I came back here and it's now nighttime."

I replied, "Sounds like, you were having a fine time."

She said, "I did." She smiled and asked, "What about you? Did you have a fun time with Sebastian?"

I nodded, "Sure. And I wasn't really alone with him either. Joanna came along with me, and all of us chatted for a long time." Then I just giggled a bit, "And about Sebastian, you're not going to believe it. Or you might believe it."

She cocked her head, "What? Was he being a dirty old drake with Joanna? I can think she might kick his bronze ass, for being dirty."

I laughed and shook my head, "No, no. Nothing like that." I raised a finger and added, "For the record, Joanna can be dirty too."

Her face went wide, "Oh." She burst out laughing, "Wow, serves that old drake right, for playing dirty with a dirty old dragoness!"

I nodded, "Damn straight." Then I just laughed along with her, she was slamming her paw repeatedly, trying to control her laughter. We finally stopped laughing and sighed. Then I said this, "Actually what he said to me, that you probably will believe it or not, is about my mom."

She asked with a playful grin, "Let me guess...Is he having dirty thoughts about your mom again?"

I rolled my eyes and giggled, "Sorta like that, but no. Lets just say he....LIKES my mom."

Rain didn't appeared surprised at all, and she nodded like she figured it would happen, "I had a feeling, he was having some sort of an intimate feeling for her. The way the old drake talks about her. He never met her, but he's starting to care for her."

I shrugged my shoulders, "Yeah, because of me. After telling him everything about mom, he's starting to care for her." I motioned my hand back and forth, "In that way. I was surprised, but I don't really care if he did or not. I love my dad."

She replied, "That's good. I figured something like that would come to that sweet old drake. I know that from experience."

I raised a finger, "Yeah, but he might get together with Joanna. He said that he likes my mom, just a tiny bit."

Rain said, "Oh, only he decides who he wants. I'm sure Joanna won't make it a hard choice. She really is a very understanding old dragon." She chuckled, as she pictured those two together, "Sebastian and Joanna, getting together as mates. Can you imagine it? Joanna hasn't had a mate, since Sierra's uncle died."

I laughed, "Yeah, talk about those two being a hoot." Then I added, "But can you also imagine my mom getting together with the old drake? I mean, I kinda don't think mom would really go for THAT."

She shrugged her shoulders, "You never know. Some things are possible."

I hung my head, thinking about my feelings toward Rain again as they've just popped up out of nowhere, "Yeah..." I rubbed the back of my neck. Some things aren't really possible, and I need to accept that.

Rain saw that I was hanging my head, and she asked, "What's the matter?"

I looked up at her and waved her off, "Oh nothing."

She cocked her head, "Thinking about Jessie, again?"

I was thinking about you, Rain. But I just...Can't be with you. I can't, big girl. I nodded up at her and lied, "Yes." No use in telling her the truth.

She asked with a bit of confusion shone on her face, "Really? You're actually thinking about her that way, after you said to her that you want to remain friends?"

I didn't show any emotion, but on the inside of me I felt like I was caught. Jessie must've told her that today. I took a deep breath and let it out, answering her, "Well...The only reason why I said it, is because I just wanted some...Time to think about it." I shook my head, while I was looking down at my lap, "It's just that...Remember that night when Jessie walked away from all of us, before we went to sleep in the first night in the woods? You know, after you guys asked her about why she ran away?"

She lowered her head to my level and said, "What happened?"

I looked at my lap, "Me and Jessie were talking to each other...You know...All alone. She was telling me about her family and everything. Then at the end of all that, she...Me and her started kissing each other."

Rain was only staring at me, "Really?"

I nodded, "Uh huh." Then I turned to gaze at my friend, "But it's just...It didn't last very long though. It's because, I just backed out of it."

Now she just looked confused again, "Why?"

Think Brandon, think. Then I came up with an idea, "I just felt like, I wasn't ready to go through with it. I didn't feel ready. I think, I was still just shy about it. I know that I said to her, that I want to remain friends. But the truth is...I still like her...In that way." I nodded and went on, "I mean, I know that she wants me, but I just wanted some more time. More time to build this kind of courage and then I'll feel like I'm ready to do THAT. To start a relationship with Jessie. I thought I was ready that night, but I wasn't. I just...Need some more time."

She asked once more, with a bit of a stutter, "Is...That all?"

I nodded, "Yes." I know that I hate lying to her, that's not what I'm really thinking at all. It isn't. And all those thing that I'm telling her, are all complete lies. But who I was really thinking about, was her. And I don't want her to know the truth. I won't make it awkward and painful for her. I won't.

She rose her head above my level, glanced away and muttered, "Oh."

I frowned at her, I thought I saw that glum look on her again. The one she had more than once before. What's she thinking about? I asked, "Hey, are you feeling alright?"

Rain let out a sigh and gazed back at me, giving me a smile, "Nothing, I'm fine."

I know that she says that she's fine and she doesn't have that glum look. But I took a close look at her eyes. When I looked right at them, she didn't appear to lie to me. She appeared to be fine. I hope, there isn't something that she's hiding. I nodded at her expression, "Good."

She shrugged her shoulders and moved her tail a bit behind her along the ground, "I hope you find the courage, to finally have her as your mate. I think, you two would be great."

I chuckled a bit, "Yeah, you always thought me and Jessie would be a couple."

She remarked, "Why not? You two do look cute together."

I nodded a bit and let out a sigh, "Yep." Then me and her looked up at the stars in the dark sky. They were all twinkling up there. We were staring up at them in silence for a long time, both of us have grins on our faces.

Rain said with a cute giggle, "Those stars...They remind me of something."

I had a feeling what she was going to say, so I said this to her, "Light crystals?" She moved her head to look down at me, with a wide look. I let out a laugh and answered looking at her, "Sebastian and Joanna, told me about them. That they are the kind of crystals, that just light up in the dark and they won't when there's a light source nearby. Also, they're very rare."

Rain softened her face, "Oh, makes perfect sense now." She smirked, "I was going to tell you about them, but then again I didn't want to just tell you, I wanted to show you them too."

I waved a hand, "I had a feeling you knew about them." I shrugged both my arms now, "I can imagine what a light crystal looks like, just a bit. But I can't REALLY picture it. So you can at least, tell me about them. Besides when I see one of them for real, it'd probably be a different picture, than what I've imagined." Then I was grinning at the dragoness, "And I'd bet that your first experience with light crystals is that, Wayne and the others showed you that cave, is that right?"

She chuckled, "I have been there before, I even took Tommy to that place before. He was so amazed by the sight, he thought he was dreaming of all that."

I nodded, "Maybe you should take me to that cave. I would like to see it."

She shifted her whole body around on the ground, until her chest and front paws were facing me. She replied, "I will sometime. That thought does cross my mind. I'll take you there one day." She winked at me.

I moved around on my butt, to totally face her now, "That'll be great. That place might make me think, I'm living in a dream too. Now I just can't wait to see those light crystals. Cause if I do, I'm going to take a couple of them home with me." Then I added with a joke, "I'm not a silly hatchling who breaks things, so you don't have to worry about THAT."

She laughed at that, "I would hope not. That would make you clumsy, if you broke one of them."

I replied to her words, "I hope that I'm not clumsy. Cause if I break it, I might have to buy it."

Rain frowned and cocked her head, "What?"

I shook my head with a snicker, "Forget it."

She rolled up her eyes, "You're silly." She looked back down at me and then she began to slowly lower her head to my lap, until the underside of her chin is now laying on it. I didn't resist letting her head lay on it, I didn't mind it at all. Rain rolled her eyes to look at my face, and I was just rubbing her nose up and down in slow smooth motions. We were both gazing at each other. She was enjoying all this. After several minutes of silence, she said this with a giggle, "To be honest, Brandon...Going to that cave with Wayne and his friends, years ago. It wasn't my first experience with light crystals. I was a cute little hatchling, when I found one."

I asked in wonder, "How? Where did you find one?"

She answered, "My mom showed me one, outside the city."

My face lit up, "Really?"

Rain blinked, "Yeah. Me and my whole family were outside the city far away from here, because me and Frankie wanted to get away from here for awhile. It was such a nice spring night just like this one, when I saw it. Frankie and dad went off alone, and left me and mom. So me and her decided to have a walk on a meadow, before the boys would get back. While we were there, mom saw something on the ground, and it was glowing. That's when she dug it up and showed it. It was beautiful, and that was my first experience with it. To experience that moment with my mother."

I remarked, "That's cute. So did you keep it?" I giggled, "I can imagine, that you broke it."

Rain chuckled, "Nope, Frankie broke it."

I laughed, "How did that happen?"

"Frankie and dad came back, and me and mom showed them it. Dad was amazed at the sight of it, and as for Frankie he wanted to hold it. But guess what? For being an idiot and being clumsy, he fell forward and his chest broke it."

I said, "Aw, and you guys loved it."

Rain shook her head a bit on my lap, "I thought there wouldn't be anymore of them. I didn't see any others, after that. But imagine to my shock, that there were a lot of them in that cave when Wayne and my friends showed me, years later. It was amazing. Made me wish that mom was here today, to see them."

I leaned my head to her nose and gave it a kiss, saying this to her after that, "Just because your mom's gone, doesn't mean she doesn't know about them and that cave."

Rain smiled at that, "I can believe that." She then looked right at my chest and held a sad look on her face.

I reached to stroke her cheek now, when I asked her in a soft voice, "What's wrong, big girl?"

Rain didn't take her eyes off my chest, "Tommy." She took a deep breath and let it out, "I was remembering that day, I took him to that cave. How happy he was, how he said he would never forget it. Never once forget that cave in his life." She closed her eyes and I could feel her lower lip quivering a bit in my lap. I felt her breathing starting to tremble too, "Now I'm just thinking he has forgotten about that moment, like he forgotten me."

I had a sympathy look now, while comfortingly stroking her soft warm scales, "Don't cry, Rain."

Rain opened her eyes and looked up at me, "I feel like, I still love him. Despite everything else that has happened recently, I still feel it. Like it never goes away."

I nodded, "I know."

Rain moved her head on my lap, to glance away from me, "I feel like I want some closure. Just any form of closure, or something. I feel like I still haven't moved on from that pain, and I have to."

I said to her in a soft voice, "You can't really forget someone like that. Yes, you said to me before that a big part of yourself has let him go, but you can't forget him. We both know that. Tommy will always be in your heart."

She sighed, "I guess, that's the problem with me. I can't forget him, like he forgot me. Makes me regret having a sharp memory."

I said, "Rain, you just started rebuilding your normal life since days ago. That pain inside will go away. It will."

Rain moved her head to gaze at my chest again, having a tear fall down her face, "I know, and you have been making me feel better, ever since then. I really loved your comfort, and your...Friendship." She moved her eyes to look up at mine, "But I feel like, I still want to know if he remembers me now. And...Give him something that was so special, that'll help me find the closure and help me rebuild my life."

I shook my head and leaned my head and body onto her head to hug her, "He probably doesn't remember now, Rain."

She said while I was hugging her, "But I still want to know, if he does or not. And...While I was walking around in the city, after I was done with Frankie at the memorial wall...I've been thinking about it."

"Thinking about what?" I removed my head and body off her face and asked again, "What were you thinking about?"

Rain had this look of determination now and said to me, "I'm going back to Tommy's house, and I want your help with it."

I frowned, "Really? And...What do you want from me?"

She answered, "I want you to go up to Tommy at his house, and ask him if he remembers me. Ask him, if he remembers my name. Ask him anything about dragons. I just...Want some closure, and then maybe I'll let that pain go. I know I can't forget about him, but I want it." She added, "And also give him this...Present, that he gave me on Christmas day. The fuzzy green scarf, that he gave me."

Tommy gave her a present? I didn't know that. But...I don't want to give it back to him. I shook my head at the last part, "No, it's yours. You can't get rid of it."

She said, "But I want to. I want to return that present to him. I've never forgotten that present, and now I want to return the favor. I want to give it to him, for all his kindness, for making me feel so happy and alive, before he...Changed. I wanted to give it to Tommy, but I can't and I want you do to it. I don't need it anymore. He gave me that present, and I want to return the favor." She gave me a pleading look, "Please, Brandon. Do this, for me. I can't do this on my own. You'd do anything for me, right? Do this, just this once. Please, Brandon. I need this."

I can see in her eyes, that she wants this closure so bad, and she wants me to give that present back to him so badly as well. She wants to know if he remembers her or not. She wants to give back that scarf, for everything Tommy did with her. She's real serious about it.

I continued to stare at her eyes. She's right, I'd do anything for her. I'd comfort her, sing to her, talk to her, never forget her, never leave her alone, never hurt her, never call her a monster. I would do anything for the big girl. I would. I'll do it, I'll do this for Rain. She wants to get this closure to help rebuild her life, and I'll help her get it. I don't want her to feel sad about this, she wants, NO needs it. I'll do this. I'll do this for my best friend.

I gave her a big smile and nodded, "Ok, Rain."

She beamed immediately at my answer, "Really? You will? You'll do this for me?"

I rubbed her forehead, in a comforting matter, "Yes."

Rain nuzzled her nose lovingly on my chest, "Thank you." I felt her reach to my waist with her paw, her claws gripping me softly. She buried her face into my chest, and began to cry. I could heard her let out a sob and I saw her shut her eyes tight, "Thank you so much.....Brandon."

I knew she was going to break down, I saw it a mile away. I was shushing her, like a best friend would. Stroking under her head soothingly. Doing my job at comforting the poor girl, like I had done so before. She was crying softly into my chest, I could feel her tears wetting my shirt and pants. But I didn't care about that. I would let her shed her tears, until she's better. Her big frame twitched several times by her quiet sobs. I was talking to her in a whisper, "I'm here, don't cry. I'm here."

Tommy...She still loves you.

Do you remember her, Tommy? I sorta doubt it, but I'm wondering now like she is. Do you remember her now, after all these years? Do you finally remember her, and you want to see her again? Are you waiting for her now? Are you waiting for Rain to come back?

Rain finally stopped crying and she pulled her nose and face off my chest, looking up at my eyes again. She removed her paw off of me and pulled it back to lay it near my lap. Rain said with a gleam in her eyes, "Thanks, Brandon. I...I needed that."

I shook my head a bit at her, "I don't like to see you cry, big girl."

She responded, "I wouldn't want to see you cry, either." She sniffed her nose and raised her head off my lap, only her eyes at the same level as mine, "Since I've heard from Sebastian before I left him, that you're going to sing at the Braveheart tomorrow night, I want to leave the city in the morning after that. Ok?"

I smiled, "Sure, no problem. I'll help you, I promise."

She let out a breath, her warm air from her mouth washed upon my face. She said, "Thanks." Then she looked away for a moment, then she looked back at me and asked, "Brandon...Can you sing to me, right now? I wouldn't care what human song it is. I...I don't want to wait tomorrow night, I'm sure you'll come up with another human song for that time. Please, I want it."

I giggled a little and nodded at her offer, "Yeah. I'll do it. I...I think I know what I'll sing." I pushed her face gently away from me with both hands, "But can you let me up? I want to stand up and sing." Rain pulled back her head and rose it above my level. I scooted away from her to stand all the way up. I stretched my legs and moaned a bit.

She giggled at that, "Gee human, you sounded like you have been sitting around all day and night."

I let out a laugh, "I kinda do." I stretched up my arms and back, letting out another moan, "Man." She tossed up her head and laughed. I cleared my throat and said to myself, "Ok." Rain was now watching me, ready to watch her favorite human sing. One song is on my mind and it's from Survivor. It's called 'How Much Love.'

I closed my eyes and whistling the song's music. I was shaking my arm up and down in rhythm. I shot my eyes open and began to sing, looking right at my dragon, "How can I tell you? To put it all in words! There is so much left to say! But the meaning slips away! How can I show you? To see it through my eyes!" I pointed at her chest, "Don't deny that part of you! That's been dying for it too!!"

I pulled my hand back and tapped my foot in rhythm, "How do I know if I give you too much? Will I scare you away? How do I know when to leave you alone? When to beg you to stay!" I shot up my arm and shot it back down, "I wanna know! Just how much love does it take, to get to you?" I spun around once and faced back to her, "I stand here ready to break! Tell me, tell me! How much love does it take?"

I began to walk up alongside her body, singing while I was at it. Rain was watching my every movement, "Moment to moment! I don't know where it stands!" I was now right behind her, and she was looking back at me over her shoulder, "Will I end up like the rest? Well it's anybody guess!" I started to walk alongside her body again, this time at the other side of it, "Can I persuade you? So softly in a touch!" Before I got past her body, I gave her shoulder a pat and then I jogged to the ledge of the rooftop and jumped on it, singing while I was standing on it, my back's turned to her, "If it's all a waste of time! Well I'm only wasting mine!!"

I whirled around on the ledge and saw her smiling in amusement at me from where she's at, "How do I know if I give you too much? Will I scare you away? How do I know when to leave you alone? When to beg you to stay! I wanna know! Just how much love does it take, to get to you?" I raised both my arms high in the air, "I stand here ready to break!" I shot them back down to my sides, "Tell me, tell me! How much love does it take?"

I stumbled off the ledge of the roof and now I was whistling the song's tune right in front of her. My cue to sing came again, while I was tapping my foot in rhythm again, "How do I know when to leave you alone? When to beg you to stay!" I shut my eyes tight, "I wanna know!"

I shot them back open, "Just how much love does it take, to get to you? I stand here ready to break! Tell me, tell me!! Just how much loves does it take?" I pointed right at Rain's face with a smile, "It's up to you!" I slowly pulled my hand back to my chest, "I stand here ready to break! Tell me, tell me!" I raised the same hand real high and sang a high note, "Oh, tell me, tell me! How much love does it take?"

I shot it back down and sang some more, "How much love does it take?" I held up my head and softly closed my eyes, "How much love?" I was whistling some more after that and then I stopped. I opened my eyes and looked right at it, as it was over now. I was breathing in long deep breaths, staring at her.

Rain was just smiling away still and she said those words that warmed my heart and spirit, "That was good. I loved it."

I grinned back at her and wiped my forehead with my wrist. I strode up to her chest and placed the palm of my hand on it. I feel her heart beating fast, when I pressed on it. I said to her, as I was looking at her face, "You're welcome, big girl."

Rain lowered her head to my level and nuzzled my chest, sighing in comfort of me, "I really love it when you sing to a dragon like me, Brandon. More than you know."

I reached to scratch the back of her ear, and she was moaning at my touch. She was leaning into my touch. I was giggling at that, "I'm glad you love my singing." We were like this for a long time, until I stopped scratching her ear and dropped my hand to my side, "So, do you feel better now?"

Rain pulled her face off my chest and looked at my eyes, giving me her honest answer, "I'll be fine. As long, as you're here with me, I'll be fine." She let out a long sigh and got up on all fours in front of me, raising her head high above my level, looking down at me when she yawned, "So, you ready to go to bed? I think this grandma's tired now."

I snickered, "Oh, so now you're calling yourself grandma? That's a first."

She narrowed her eyes at me, "I'm only doing THAT just this once." Then she held up her head with a smug grin on her snout, "Because I'm in a good mood."

I let out a laugh, "At least, you're not tossing me off the roof."

Rain rolled her eyes and began to go to head to the opening on the roof, to go back inside the motel, "C'mon, Brando. Lets go." I nodded and followed up behind her, going back to our room.

*****

The lone dragon was watching Brandon and Rain going inside the motel. It let out a sigh, knowing that they're going to sleep for the night. It needed to get out of there, before anyone sees it. The dragon got off it's haunches and onto all fours, spreading out it's wings ready to take flight. It looked up at the sky, wanting to make sure it doesn't see any dragons flying in the sky. As it saw that the skies are clear, it flapped it's wings and took to the skies. Flying away from it's spot and flying high over the city again. Flapping against the wind.

It flew hard, until it was over the wall and is now in the outskirts. It began to glide down to the ground and it landed to the hard ground with a few trots. The dragon curled back it's wings. Taking a deep breath of relief, knowing that it wasn't spotted by any other dragons that were out and about during the night. It looked back at the city's massive wall with a glare, remembering what Rain and Brandon said. Since it has good hearing, it heard them say that they're leaving the city after tomorrow night. That's when the dragon begin to form a grin, an evil grin. It now knows, it has an opening to get Brandon. That it won't fail it's master again. It began to laugh quietly to itself.

The lone dragon let out a breath and started to walk away from the city's wall. Going to find a place to lay down for the night and sleep. It padded on the dirt trail, ruffling it's wings with each step of it's paws. It walked for a long time, until it wounded up in the forest that's between the mountains. The dark, eerie forest that some parts of it are misty. The dragon's frame walked through the white mist, taking a step through it. It looked around the area, looking around through the trees. Making sure there weren't any wolves that spotted it and try to attack it for revenge for killing a few of their fellow wolves earlier. It wasn't in the mood for fighting, it was tired. The menacing dragon laughed at the thought of wolves trying to attack it for vengeance, it knows the wolves won't win.

It finally found a spot in the forest, a small round patch of grass with several big rocks surrounding it. It made its way to that spot, it's paws rustling the soft green grass. The dragon sighed and slowly laid down on it's stomach, laid it's head on the ground and started curling around. The lone dragon closed it's eyes and let out a breath. Finally having some slumber.

*****

I followed Rain through the opening back in our room, her tail swinging back and forth, her wings resettling on her back. I was just staring at her a bit, looking at her haunches. I shook my head from that thought. Goodness, Brando. Still looking at her butt, huh? You're lucky, she doesn't notice that. Now quit that. Rain padded to the pile of furs and slowly began to lay down on them, letting out a relaxed breath, saying this in delight, "A lot better than, laying around on the hard stone roof. I really love laying on furs."

I let out a laugh, as I was taking my shoes off, before getting on the furs, "You know something? I think every dragon does. All of you dragons, like to lay on too many furs."

She let out a giggle in her throat, turning her head to me, "You do too, don't deny it."

I took off my other shoe and admitted, "Yeah, I love laying on them too. Nothing wrong with that." I tossed my shoes aside and I flailed myself on them, playfully rolling around on them, relishing the comfort.

She tossed up her head and let out a laugh, "Brandon, quit hogging them! They're mostly mine!"

I looked up at her with a wide grin, while laying on my back, my arms and legs spread wide, "Don't complain, big girl. I love them too."

Rain replied, "I'm not complaining, I'm telling you NOT to hog them."

I rolled around, and laid down on my stomach, looking up at her still. I playfully shot back, "You're the one who hogs them, don't deny THAT." I dipped down my head and giggled at my own joke.

Rain rolled her eyes, "Maybe I do, so what?"

I shot at her again, "Right, so dragons love to hog."

She narrowed her gaze down at me, "Keep it up, and I'll kick you off of them." She was giving me a mischievous smile, "And you'll be moaning and whining, that you're now laying on the hard stone floor."

I got on my hands and knees, and began to crawl to her body, "I wonder how you and your brother share a bed together. Cause, I can see that both of you would fight it."

Rain replied to that, "Hey if you want to sleep by my brother, go sleep with him. I think, he'll love having TWO humans sleep by him."

Before I got close, I looked up at her with an amused grin, "Hey, if me and Jessie are together as mates, me and her would sleep by you." I pointed a finger at her, "So YOU'LL be the one with TWO humans, sleeping close to your ass."

Her face went wide, "What?" She waved a dismissive paw at me, "If you two are going to be mates, get your own room and pile of furs. That way you two won't have to mate, WHILE I'M SLEEPING."

Now my face went wide with embarrassment, and my face has turned red. I laughed real hard after hearing that and crashed down onto my side. Rain was laughing hard too. I let out a breath, after laughing for so hard, "Woman, you have a way with words."

Rain said this with her own amused smile, "I'm telling you. If you guys plan to mate, get a room. I won't hear all the moaning and Jessie saying to you." She giggled and did an impression of Jessie with her voice, saying with her head held up, "Oh, Brandon. That's it. Right there. Mate me, give me your egg!"

I was turning red again, "Rain!"

But she playfully went on when she look down at me with a teasing grin, "And YOU, be saying." Then she did an impression of me, with a deep voice, "Oh, Jessie. You're so tight. You're-" I grabbed a fur and threw it at her face and she cried out in surprise. The fur stuck to her face and snout. I laughed hard again, and she ripped it off with her paw. She shot a glare at me, and she began to burst out laughing too.

I began to say this to her, "Well since that was over with, I'll make sure that me and Jessie won't have sex, when you're here."

Rain shot up her head, "You better. I want my beauty sleep."

I shot back, "Well if you find a boyfriend one day, take your own advice. I won't hear you guys having sex either."

Rain rolled up her eyes, "Please, I'm not that eager to mate someone. Compare to you."

I threatened her, "Want me to throw another fur at your face?"

She gave me a playful growl, "Nope."

I gave her a nod, "That's what I thought, now shut up." Me and her giggled and I got on my hands and knees again to crawl some more to her body. I finally made it, got real close to her. I slumped down onto my side and she lowered her wing to me, covering me with it. I can feel the warmth coming from it. I said to her, "Thanks."

Rain curled around me and twisted her neck to lower her head to where I was at. She said to me with a happy gleam, "You're welcome, little guy." I reached up to give her nose a rub and she licked my hand. I jerked it back and giggled. Rain said this with a hopeful tone, "You know...I really hope one day, you'll have Jessie. You guys really would make great mates." She hummed in thought, "Maybe even have a family together."

My face widened a bit at that one, "Me? Have a family?"

She chuckled a bit in her throat and nodded, "Yeah, why not? Your mom, if you ever see her again, would be happy to have a grandson, or a granddaughter. That would be great."

I laughed a bit, as the image of my mother holding her grandchild popped up in my mind, "Yeah, how she would hold onto my child. She'd be a very happy grandparent." Then I gestured toward her, "Maybe my child would call you, aunty Rain. Like Henry does."

Rain was grinning big at that, "Henry and your child, they would make good playmates."

I added when that thought came, "Yeah, maybe they'd wrestle or play tag. That would be funny to watch them chase each other."

Rain let out a giggle, "I honestly think, you outa come up with a name for your hatchling. I'm curious as to what it would be."

I shrugged with one hand, "I guess, I wouldn't know until it happened. It's a hard thing, to come up with."

Rain nuzzled my forehead with her nose, in a caring matter, "I know it'll be a good name, whether it's a male or a female, I think it'll be a good name."

I reached up to rub the underside of her chin repeatedly, in slow smooth strokes, "Hey Rain?"

She was loving my touch under her head and she said, "Yeah?"

I asked, "Several days ago, when you were with me and Jessie, when we found Cody and met his whole family for the first time, including his son...You said that you sometimes wished that you had a hatchling sometimes...Is that really true?" I waved a hand at her, "What I mean is....Do you really want to start a family of your own? Did you really want hatchlings?"

She pulled her nose off my forehead and gazed right at my eyes. She was in thought by the look on her face, "More than once, I kinda have thought about it. When I'm looking at cute little Henry, I sometimes think about it. Wondering what it'd be like to have a family, just like Cody and Eleanor have Henry, or like when mom and dad had me and Frankie." She had anger flash in her eyes, "Of course, I wouldn't keep any egg, that belonged to that drake who mounted me. And I'm glad, he didn't claim me. Cause if I had his egg, I'd smash it. I don't want his spawn."

My face went wide and I exclaimed, "Wow. You really don't want that egg, do you?"

Rain answered when she shook her head, "Nope. I'd smash the damn thing and never keep it."

I let out a laugh, "Well, ok then." I let out a sigh and asked, "Well since you've thought about it, what name would you come up with? You know, for a boy or a girl? I'm sure you're good at coming up with names." I motioned my hand toward her, "How about for a boy? What name would you come up for a boy?"

Rain thought about it for a moment, until finally she said with a smile on her face, "Tommy."

I beamed at the name, "You want to name your son, after Tommy?"

She nodded, "Tommy's a good name, for my boy. It would suit him."

I asked, "What about a girl?"

She answered in her voice, that sounded almost like a whisper, "Diana."

I had to admit it, that's a good name too. That she'd name her daughter, after my mother. I like it. I said to her with that smile still, "That's a beautiful name."

Rain lowered her head toward my chest and nuzzled it with her nose. I started to caress her cheek, as Rain said this, "I sometimes wish, that I really had one, or maybe two. Just to know what it's really like. That my hatchlings would play with their uncle Frankie. And...You and Jessie would play with them too, tell them stories about humanity. What everything's like outside these walls. I would let you guys do that, so they'd learn about your kind. They would also find several things interesting." She let out a sigh, as her expression changed to wonder, "Brandon...Do you think, I'd be a good mom? Cause, I never had one in my whole entire life."

I got up on my knees and took her chin in my hands, peering deep in her eyes, "After Cody and his family left us on that day, I did say that you'd make a good mother." I nodded my head softly, not taking my eyes off of her, "I meant what I said on that day. You'd make a good mother." I kissed her nose, and gave it a tender rub, "And I think, you'll find the right boyfriend for you. I know that you had Tommy and you miss him so much. But there's someone else out there for you. Someone who wouldn't mount you, without your permission and hurt you. Someone, who wouldn't use you for pleasure. Someone, who would love you for who you are. Someone who...Never leave you." I gave her nose another kiss, "I think, there is a drake out there for you. There's always a guy out searching for love. And he's not stopping, until his search for that love is over."

Rain held a sad look on her face, only her eyes looked down at the furs, "I...I've dreamed of Tommy, as a drake. I...I sometimes wished that he was one, instead of a human. I would've had his eggs. He was the only drake, that I'd trust to be a mate." She closed her eyes and let out a breath, "I wish...I wish..." She let out another breath, that became a tremble.

I kissed her nose again, saying this when I rested my forehead onto her nose, "That pain will go away. And...I know you still love Tommy, but he would want you to live on without him. You've found that love before, but when he changed a long time ago, that love was gone and you haven't searched for that love for years. I know one day Rain, you'll start that search again. And once you start it, don't ever stop that search. Don't ever give up, on that search. Tommy, wouldn't want you to give up on that search, and...Neither would I. Because, I know what searching for that sort of thing is like. Once you start it, that search will be over someday, girl. I promise."

We were both like this, not saying anything at all after that. My feelings for the black dragoness, came back again. I know that we're both too different, Rain. And nothing would happen, between us. But if I was a drake right now, I would be with you. I would never use you for pleasure, I'd never leave you, I would be the father of our children, I wouldn't mount you until I have your permission. I would always love you, for who you are. I wish I was, Rain. I wish, I was. Because....I love you.

But...I can't be with you that way. I'll never be that drake.

Rain let out a breath, and she slowly formed a smile across her snout, "Brandon?"

I smiled back, "Yeah?"

My black scaled angel rose her snout up to my forehead and gave it a kiss. She began to rub it with her nose, saying this, "I love you." Then she gave it a lick.

My face was wide at that. That was the first time, she ever said that to me. The first time ever. She pulled back her face, looking at my eyes. I was looking back at them. The way she said it...Does she mean...?

Brandon, you love her so much, you're imagining what she meant. She was saying it, as your friend. Not as your lover. Quit imagining things like that.

I softened my look and kissed her nose once more, saying right back, "I love you too, big girl." She gave my forehead a lick again, and I was giggling. Rain pulled her head a bit back from me some more and she laid it down on the furs, ready to go to sleep. I was taking my shirt off, and tossed it away. Seeing it land on my shoes. I pulled her wing on me, basking in that warmth coming from it. I laid down on my back and pushed myself more closer to her very warm scaled body. I stared up at the ceiling, as I was very warm and comfortable now.

I know that I was saying I love you to Rain, as my friend. But I was also saying it to her, as my girlfriend. I don't think she knew what kind of love, I was saying to her with. She didn't appear to notice anything odd about it. Well...She thinks I like Jessie still. So there's no way, she would notice anything strange. Honestly, when I was also saying it like that, I felt a lot more better than before. Like some kind of weight came off of me. That's a start anyways, and I hope it stays that way. I don't want to feel too awkward with Rain, most of the time. I don't want to feel like I'm going crazy, again. I was just getting tired of it. I know that me and Rain, can't be lovers. But I know she'll find someone else for her, one day. She'll start that search again, when she's ready. I know you can do it, Rain. I believe in you.

I rose my chest, when I took a deep breath and lowered it back down, when I let out that breath. Me and Rain, can't be together. So...I guess, I'll resume my search for that kind love. Might take some time, but I'll get back to it. Well, when I'm thinking about it now...I'll talk to Jessie, but after what I said to her about us remaining as friends, I wonder if she'll give it another try. If she doesn't want to...Then....Oh well, I'll see what the future holds for me. Tomorrow, is just another day in life. Besides, I'm going to sing at the Braveheart tomorrow night, so don't want to feel too distracted. I need to figure out which song, I'll sing for the dragons. Alright, time to get some darn shut eye, Brando. I slowly closed my eyes, and went to sleep not long after that.

*****

I woke up with a snore, and opened my eyes to see the night sky above me. My face went wide, and I jerked up off the ground, and saw that I was sleeping outside, much to my shock. Wait...How did I get out here? I thought, I'm sleeping in the motel. Did...Someone bring me here? Did Rain bring me here? What's going on here? I saw a cave near me, and got up on my feet. Just staring at it. That cave....It's familiar.

I heard a roar coming from it, and another one. They sounded like dragons. Like they're fighting in there. Honestly, I wanted to just run away, but I'm getting a feeling that someone's in trouble and needs my help.

Then a thought crossed my mind and I let out a gasp. Rain? Is she in there? I better check it out.

And with that, I began to run through the mouth of the cave and into the tunnel. Not wasting any time, I have to make sure Rain's not in there fighting someone. She may need my help. I heard a roar again, as I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. If you're in here, I'm coming Rain. Hang on.

When I got closer to the light, I began to recognize what certain cave I was in. My fear began to build up in my chest and brain, as I entered the familiar place. It's the chamber with all those dragon depictions on the walls. I stopped dead in my tracks, looking around in fear, thinking that I'll find that dragon who'll kill me again, "No...Not again." I need to turn back, now.

But an earth shattering roar, echoed the whole chamber and I can hear fire spewing from someone's mouth. I ran to the sound of all the fighting, saw a few flames on the floor and in the distance at the big corner of the chamber, I saw two dragons fighting. One of them, is hiding in shadows, and another one is...A familiar one.

My eyes went wide at that one. Rain! She is here!

Rain backed away from the dragon she's fighting with, baring her teeth and flaring her wings. Standing her ground, and thrashing her tail. The other dragon hissed at her, and lunged at Rain. Rain cried out, as the enemy pinned her down real hard on her back. Rain screamed in pain, as upon landing on her back real hard, one of her wings broke when her back landed on it. Seeing it snap. The other dragon was dominating her. Rain tried to claw at the dragon on top of her, but it backhanded her snout real hard. Rain was crying out, as the other dragon was winning.

I screamed for her, "Rain!" I have to save her! I can't let her die! I don't care, if she's fighting another dragon, I told her I would protect her. Even if it was from another one. I tried to run at it, so I can at least distract it before it could kill Rain. But I couldn't move. No matter how hard I tried, my legs still wouldn't budge. Something's holding me back, and now I can't move. What's going on?! Move!

I cried in frustration, as I was still budging myself. I still had to do something. Rain will die, if I don't. I began to raise both hands high in the air, and started waving them, trying to get the dragon that's attacking Rain, it's attention, "Hey! Over here, hey!"

But the dragon didn't appear to hear me, it still focused intently on Rain. It grabbed Rain's head with a paw and was smashing her skull against the hard stone floor. One of her horns broke off, after several slams. Rain tried to swipe her paw at it again, but only this time the other dragon snatched her paw with it's jaws and bit down on it, until a chunk of it came off, her blood was coming out of that nasty wound. Rain shrieked in howling pain. Now after that, the other dragon has let go of her head, and was clawing roughly at her body and wings. I screamed, "NO!!!!"

The other dragon finally stopped clawing and attacking her, and she was just laying there. Too wounded to do anything. There were so many deep claw marks on her body. Blood seeping from the wounds. The dominated dragon, stood tall over her. Winning this battle. Rain saw me standing by and gave me a pleading expression, crying out weakly for me, "B-....Brandon....Help."

I was having tears in my eyes, as I was watching this horror. Dread was forming in me, "Rain!"

Rain was crying too, knowing she can't move now. There was nothing she can do about it. Then the other dragon, started baring it's teeth. I screamed at it, "Leave her alone!" I patted my chest several times, "Take me! I'm right here! Come and get me! Leave her alone, and take me!"

But it wasn't listening, and without any further hesitation on it's part, it's jaws went down to her throat and bit down hard, drawing a lot of blood. Rain was gasping for air, and her eyes went wide. Her life, being drained away. I bellowed in horror, "NO!" Rain's body twitched beneath the murdering dragon, until Rain finally didn't move anymore. She was...Gone.

My tears were streaming down my face. No...What have I done? I didn't save her! The dragon that killed her removed it's jaws off her throat, blood dripping of it's face and was standing tall over her limped body. It then let out a victorious roar. It echoed throughout the chamber. I was just staring at Rain's body. Not looking at anything else. No...

Rain...I loved you.

No...No...I can't accept it. I can't.

I cried out for her, "RAIN!!!!!"

I jerked up from my slumber and screamed really loud to the ceiling, "NO!!!!!" I was breathing deeply, sweat has dripped down my forehead. Cold sweat of fear. I looked around fast, seeing that in my relief that I'm in the motel the whole time. Sleeping close to Rain, with her wing still over me. It was still nighttime now. I was dreaming about that cave again, but...This time Rain died in it. Not me, not my mother, Rain.

I took a deep breath and let it out. Thank god. It wasn't real.

But...It felt like it was. My god, it felt like it. Just like the other dreams.

Rain...

I heard a voice near me, "Brandon?" I looked over my shoulder, and saw that my scream has woke Rain up. She had a fearful look on her face, growing fearful for me. She asked again, "Brandon, what's wrong? Why were you screaming?"

I didn't say anything. But my lip was just trembling. I felt like I wanted to cry. To cry in tears of relief, knowing that she's not dead. That my angel's still with me. Rain...

Rain motioned her snout toward me and said it again, pressing me, "Brandon?"

I brushed her wing off of me, and got up on my feet. I walked alongside her body, until I stood in front of her chest. I didn't waste any time, but threw myself into her chest, wrapping my arms around her neck tight. I buried my face in her scales, and began to cry. My tears were coming down my face. Rain's face went wide by my embrace, "Brandon?"

I cried out to her in a sob, "Rain!" I was crying some more, not wanting to let her go. Oh god...Rain...

Rain was holding me with her paw, patting my back comfortingly, "Shh, it's alright. I'm here, I'm here."

I said to her through all my sobs, "Rain...I...I thought I wasn't going to....See you again. I...I thought you were gone!!"

Rain reassured me, "I'm here, don't cry. I'm here." I was just sobbing real loud. She asked, "What happened? What are you talking about?"

I was sobbing still, not wanting to pull away from her, "I saw the...Blood...I saw a lot of it." I was sniffing my nose, "I don't ever...Want to lose you. Not...Ever...I...I don't want to lose you....Like dad. I don't want to lose you, like him!"

She said this, knowing what I'm getting at, "I won't die, Brandon. You won't lose me. I won't go anywhere." She was rubbing my back gently.

I was trembling by my own sobs, my face wet from my tears. Rain...

I'm glad you're alive.

Cause if you die, and I didn't save you...I'll never forgive myself.

Rain....