Present Day

Me, Rain, Jessie, Amanda and Wayne were all snickering, while I was sitting in Jessie's car in the driver's seat. Getting ready to press the horn on the steering wheel. All of us, were holding devious grins on our faces. Rain lowered her head to where I was at and she whispered, "Oh ancestors, this is going to be funny." Then she gave me a narrowed look, "And I'm real glad, you guys left me out of your joke."

I looked at her, as my hand's close to the steering wheel, whispering back, "Of course. You're my best friend, it was my idea not to put you in the joke."

Rain smiled at me, "Why thank you, Brandon."

It's now morning time in the woods, our morning when all of us go back to the dragon city. But of course, since we're all leaving this morning, Jessie woke me up and came up with this idea to play a joke on all the dragons here. Including playing a big fat joke on Frankie. I giggled at the idea and we quietly woke up Amanda and Wayne. Then I had pity for Rain and I woke her up too. Just because, she's my friend. Besides, I want to see her face, when she sees her brother wake up screaming his head off by the horn.

See, the joke was one of us get in Jessie's car and press the car horn and that'll scare everyone from their sleep. Now, all of us are giggling like gremlins.

Amanda poked her head past Rain, whispered loudly toward me, "C'mon, Brandon. Press it."

I was waving my hand toward her and nodded. Then I looked at Sebastian, Cody, Neal and Frankie through the passenger window, seeing that they're still asleep. I grinned at them. Here we go! And without further ado, I slammed my hand right on the middle of the wheel and the car horn was blaring real loudly over the woods.

The dragons who were sleeping, all jerked their heads up and Cody screamed like a girl. Frankie was gazing back and forth, trying to see what's going on with his eyes widened in surprise. Neal and Sebastian, just looked confused. Me, Amanda, Rain, Wayne and Jessie, all started laughing at them. Rain was howling in total laughter as she looked at her friends played by the joke, "GOTCHA!" Then she fell onto her stomach, gripping her side with her paw. This was killing her.

Jessie came up to the hood of her car and pointed at them from a distance, "You should've seen the look on your faces!" Now she was holding her ribs.

Neal glared at us and hissed, "Guys, that wasn't funny! We were having a peaceful slumber!"

Cody hissed at us too, when he got up fast on all fours, "You scared me to death!"

Rain pointed at him with her wing tip, "Yeah, you screamed like a female!"

Wayne was turning red from laughter, "Oh god, brother! You were screaming like a girl!"

Cody cheeks were turning red and he curled his tail around himself, "Hey! Not funny!"

Frankie got up on all fours and looked straight at Rain, "What's the big idea, sister?"

Rain answered when she regained her composure, "The BIG IDEA, brother. Is that, me and my little human friends here, wanted to play a joke on all you males." She pointed a claw at him, "Including YOU, brother."

Frankie snorted at her, "You were a part of this scheme? Why weren't you sleeping like we were?" He gestured to the other dragons in the group, "It's obvious, that there are no HUMANS in the joke."

I hollered at him, when I got out of the car, slamming the car door afterward, "Lets just say, I spared your sis from the joke." I looked up at her and smiled, "I don't think she deserved it."

Now Neal and Sebastian got up off the ground and Sebastian chuckled softly pointing a paw to his chest, "You certainly got us good. You gave mwah, a heart attack!"

I waved him off, when me, Wayne and the girls got around the car and trotted up to them, "Sorry about that. We just couldn't help it."

Frankie was glaring down right at Jessie, "I'm going to get back at you."

Neal shot up his head, saying this to Amanda, "Me too! I'm going to get back at you."

Cody narrowed his eyes at us, "I'm certainly not going to let this down, you made me scream like a female, like after a drake freakin claims her with his seed!" My eyes went wide and so did Wayne, Jessie and Amanda's. Then we laughed hard at his remark.

Frankie then pointed at his sister, "And I'll find a way to get back at you, too. You bitch."

Rain rolled her eyes and giggled, "Lets put at it this way. I know we were even yesterday, about you spanking me, I'd spank you back, kind of thing." She held up her head and smugly grinned, "Well I think really scaring you today, was worth it! Now we're, REALLY even!"

Frankie let out a sigh, "You just made us UNEVEN, sis."

Wayne said to Rain, when he just snickered, "He's got a point there, Rain. You just made yourselves, uneven."

Rain waved him off with a paw, "I don't care, anymore. THIS was worth it."

Frankie declared with a spread of his wings and his head held up proudly, "I shall have my revenge!"

Then Neal and Cody declared too, "OURS TOO!"

Amanda placed her hands to her hips, "And what are you doing to do? Spank our asses, for this?"

Neal put on a devious grin and shook his head real slowly, "Ohhh, no. Actually, we'll be doing something that's more devious than that."

Frankie walked up to the drakes, to stand beside them and deviously grinned too, "I'm with them. I want to join in on this little prank, as well."

Jessie giggled, "I can't wait to see, what you boys be cooking up."

Frankie shot up his head, "I bet, you spoiled brat."

Jessie shook her fist at him, "Can it, blackie!"

Frankie's face went wide, giving her a mock expression, his jaw has opened a bit, "Blackie? Is THAT, the best you can come up with?"

Amanda was laughing at that, "Want her to call you, a big black scaly pervert?"

Frankie hissed down at her, then he shyly looked away, "....No."

Amanda spread out her arms, "Then blackie it is!" Frankie whined and the girls just laughed.

Cody whispered his threat to us, "Revenge...REVENGE."

Wayne was giggling at the threat, "Whatever, brother from another mother."

I said to Sebastian as he walked up to us, "I'm glad you're not joining in on this little threat they're making, old man."

Sebastian sat down on his haunches, "I'm too old for practical jokes now, anyways."

Neal looked up at the blue morning sky and sighed, "Oh well, we were about to get up anyways."

Cody snapped angrily, "ALMOST, all of us."

Rain teasingly said, "Aw, quit being a hatchling. It was just a joke."

Cody held his head high, as he walked away from us, grumbling to us, "Revenge, I'll be having revenge." All of us, except Cody were laughing at that.

Frankie softened his look and let out a yawn, "Well, now our rude awakening's over with. Are you guys ready to go home, now?"

Jessie raised a finger, "As a matter of fact, we already are. Before we did our joke, I already packed up my bag and ready to go."

Frankie came up to her and lowered his head to her level, "Why am I not surprised, by you?" She playfully smacked his face and giggled. After that, me and the rest of humans, went for our bags and grabbed them. Then we went to each dragon that we'll ride on. I came up to Rain.

Rain nodded down at me, "Well, I'm a bit homesick now." She began to lower her body to the grass, awaiting me to get on her back, "Come on, Brando. Time to ride."

I nodded and turned to her body, "Don't have to tell me, twice." I got closer to her and grabbed her wing joint and hurled myself over her. Rain raised her body and I saw Neal, Frankie and Cody lowering their bodies to the ground, just like Rain did. Then Jessie mounted on Frankie, Wayne mounted on Cody and lastly Amanda mounted on Neal. Then all three dragons raised their bodies off the ground, ready to fly with their humans on their backs.

Sebastian looked at each human, including me, on a dragon's back. Then he rolled his eyes at us, "What am I, the odd dragon out? I don't have a human, riding on MY back!"

I pointed at him from afar on Rain's back, "Oh don't worry, maybe someday when you meet mom, you can let her ride your back."

Sebastian beamed at my idea and shot up his head proudly, "DEAL!"

Rain chuckled, "Better go easy on her for her first flight, old one!"

Sebastian waved her off and then got off his haunches, spreading out his wings, "Oh don't worry, I'm always easy on beginners!"

I pointed a threatening finger at him, "And don't get any funny ideas, when she's riding on your back, you dirty old drake."

Sebastian rolled his eyes, "Alright, alright, ancestors, I got it."

Cody came up beside Rain, with Wayne on his back. Wayne hollered to everyone, "Alright guys, lets go home."

We all hollered in unison, "Right!" And with that, the dragons started flapping their wings, their wind blowing the grass and the leaves away. I wrapped my arms around Rain and I saw Wayne, Jessie and Amanda doing the same thing. Very soon, we were flying about twenty feet above the ground. Then we were high over the trees, all of us hovering over them with each loud flap.

Sebastian flew forward first, then Neal when Amanda shrieked happily. Frankie and Cody flew next after them, while Jessie and Wayne were screaming in amusement. Then lastly, came Rain's turn and I was raising my hand in the air, while the wind was blowing hard against my face, screaming loudly to the skies, "WOOO!!!"

And all of us were off, heading on our way back to the dragon city.

*****

The morning sun is still up over the tree filled woods, the birds were chirping, as they were all awake by the sunlight. A white tailed deer, took a few steps in a big round clearing in the middle of the trees, lowering it's head to the grass to eat some of it. Little did it know, that it was being watched by a hunter. A human hunter, that's not far from where it's at.

A middle aged male human is sitting on a tree stand at the edge of the clearing, covered in camouflage clothing and hidden away, so no deer would see him. He was carrying a bow and arrow in both hands. He was smiling right at it, "Hello, Bambi. Going to get myself a buck." He giggled to himself and he raised the bow and drew back the arrow slowly, his eyes concentrated right on the thing he's hunting. His sight and aim drawn straight at the deer. He has been out in the woods camping for the past two days and he finally found a buck. There was no way, he would lose his chance of killing, a good lucking buck. He held his breath, to calm his nerves. He's very determined to get it and mount it's head on his wall back at home.

Before he could fire the arrow, the deer flicked it's ears and shot it's head straight up off the ground, like it heard something. The human hunter, thought he'd heard something too. Like something was flapping up in the sky. Something VERY big. His eyes held confusion and he asked himself when he looked up at the sky, "What the hell was that?"

Then suddenly, something big and tall, with wings on it's back and scales all over it's body with a big long tail, landed right on top of the deer from up in the sky. The big creature's paws, crushing the deer's body in a heap. Its bones cracking by the sudden impact from the unsuspecting big creature. The human hunter let out a shocked gasp and lowered his weapon. His eyes went wide at the sight of the big scaly creature. He muttered softly in shock, "Oh...My....God...."

From what he can tell, it's a dragon. A dragon killed a deer that he was hunting. Apparently to him, he knows he wasn't the only one who was hunting this morning. And he also can't believe his eyes. He thinks he's dreaming. But the human knows that it's real, that the dragon's completely real. And he's looking right at one.

The dragon stepped off the now already dead deer and looked down at it. Licking it's chops in hunger. It nudged the deer's body with a claw, moving it a bit. The male human hunter meanwhile, was still surprised and scared at the same time, but all that melted away as he had a devious idea formed in his brain. He thought, why not kill something that no person ever thought possible? To kill a dragon and become famous for it.

And he's going to do it now, while the dragon's distracted by it's own food. He's thinking forget about deer hunting, he's going dragon hunting! He raised the bow and drew back the arrow again, aiming right at the dragon's head. The pointed end of the arrow would be enough to kill it. He's sure of that.

The dragon placed it's front paws on the deer's body, bared it's teeth and dug his jaws into it's body. Tearing out some of it's flesh from it's carcass, in a bloody mess. It rose it's head off the buck's body and started chewing on the big chunk of deer flesh, before swallowing it. The mighty creature's snout and face was covered in blood. The big creature licked itself with it's long pink tongue. The dragon rustled it's wings on it's back.

The hunter still had his sights on killing it and his heart was now pounding. Both his arms were shaking in adrenaline, as he held onto both bow and arrow. Knowing he's about to do it. He's about to kill the big scaled creature. The dragon was getting ready to lower it's head to eat some more of the deer. While the thing was distracted and his chance to take the thing out came, his hand let go of the arrow and it fired in high velocity. Flying right at the dragon.

But unfortunately, the human thought he had a good shot, but the arrow only hit and stuck straight up off the grass REAL close to the dragon and it jumped up in surprise. Hissing in surprise and spread out it's mighty wings. It backed away only two steps, looking right at the thing that almost killed it. It appeared to have a shocked expression. Then the dragon bared it's teeth and growled. Knowing that something's hunting it. The dragon raised it's head off the ground and looked around to look for the hunter.

The human hunter slapped his forehead and whispered in failure, "Shit." The dragon was strolling away from the deer's carcass, it's eyes trailing along the tree line. It's face narrowed. Then it started to stick it's nose in the air and was sniffing it. The male human was reaching over his back to grab another arrow to kill it with. He did and he was about to place it against the bow, when the bow in his other hand accidentally slipped out of his hand. It fell off the tree stand, landing hard on the ground below him. He gasped and looked right at the dragon, seeing that it flicked it's ears and heard the bow falling to the ground. The big scaly creature was making it's way slowly to where the bow landed, to investigate.

The middle aged human held his breath and tried not to move, as the dragon's head was close to the tree stand, it didn't see the tree stand that he's on, it's eyes weren't locked on the human, but at the bow on the grass and dirt. The mighty creature lowered it's head to the ground, to take a close look at the human hunter's weapon. It sniffed the weapon, it's nostrils inhaling to try to find the scent. The man was as stiff as a doorknob, trying to hold back his fear, trying to not breathe, trying to not have a heart attack. His pulse quickened and his face was dripping cold sweat.

Then abruptly, the dragon rose it's head real fast off the weapon and actually looked at the human close to it's head. The dragon spoke to him, "Found you."

The human gasped as the dragon spoke words, can't really believe it can talk. Then the dragon rammed it's horns real hard, into the metal tree stand and the violent shaking by the force of it's horns knocked the human right off his perch. Falling down to the ground, screaming his head off in fear. He landed on his feet really hard and he cried out, as pain shot up throughout his right leg. He broke it, upon landing. He crashed on the grass onto his back and he gripped his leg with both hands, trying to stifle the pain, but it was intense.

The dragon slowly turned it's body to the man on the grass, it held a evil smile across it's snout. The human saw it's expression and sucked in a sharp breath, as he knows HE'S the one who's hunted now. He can see the dragon, has it's sights right on it's prey. And he's the prey. The middle aged man was about to crawl away, but the dragon was too fast for him. The dragon got right onto the human, by pressing one paw on top of him, stopping the now weaponless human from moving. The human screamed in terror, as he's held down by the scaly monster before him. He was trying to struggle beneath the dragon's foot, but it wouldn't budge.

The dragon looked down at him and said in a very smug voice, "Human...You just ruined my morning snack."

The man looked right up at the creature with scales. In shock that a thing, can actually talk. He exclaimed, "You can...Talk!"

The dragon chuckled above him, "Dragons can talk, after all." Then it motioned it's snout down at him, "Just like you. And guess what?" It pointed down at him with it's other paw, "You're MY prey now."

The human hunter gasped again and he shook his head profusely, begging for his life, "No, no! Don't do it! I...I didn't mean to-"

The dragon shot up it's head, "Ha! You were trying to hunt me down! Trying to be a human with big balls and take down a mighty dragon." It placed it's other front paw to it's chest, "Like myself, and your hunt ended in failure." Then the dragon lowered it's head to the human and he held his hands to his face, trying to not look at the thing. The dragon said, as it's hot breath is now on the poor defenseless human, "You thought I was some kind of monster, right? That you wanted to kill me, because I'm a monster, right?"

The human removed his hands off his face and the dragon went on with another different question, "Oh but wait, since you now know I can talk, you don't think I AM a monster now, right?"

The middle aged hunter stared up at the thing for several moments, the dragon waiting for his answer. Until finally, he shook his head and said with a small, very nervous smile, "No, no, you're not a monster."

The dragon cocked it's head a bit, "Do you think, I'm a beast? A beast with no heart and emotions?"

He shook his head again, answering it's question, "No! You haven't killed me, so you're not a monster, nor a beast." He giggled in apprehension, "I mean, I don't know you, but I think you're not a mean ol monster." Then his nervous smile went away and said, "Look er....Dragon. I'm not a mean old man, I'm actually very kind and I never meant anyone's harm."

The dragon raised it's head above him and waved it's other paw, while the paw that's on the human is still pressed firmly on him, "Oh, I can see that. We're both hunters and we both like to hunt."

The human nodded and he pleaded with a hopeful expression, "So uh...Can you let me go now? Am I forgiven? Look, I think you're nice to me right now. And-"

The dragon tossed back it's head and laughed, "Wow, you trust a stranger so quickly? You're pathetic!" The dragon narrowed it's eyes down at the trapped human, "You tried to kill me and you think I'd take it lightly? Bullshit on that!"

The man's smile went away and he begged, "No please! I'm sorry about this!"

"And you were going to mount my head on your wall at home, is that right? Ha! You probably lied to me, that you think I'm a nice dragon, is that right? You're lying to me, just to get out of THIS!"

"No! I wasn't, I-"

The dragon pressed it's paw harder on the human and he screamed. The dragon snarled with a fiery gaze, "You can lie all you want, but it won't work! Humans like you, have hunted for dragons, for years! So I think, dragons like me, should always hunt back, against your kind." It grew a smile across it's face, "I think it's a fair deal, right? You hunt my kind, I hunt yours. We're all hunters, after all."

The middle aged hunter shook his head, "Please, I mean you no harm. I'll do anything you want!"

The dragon's face went wide and then it grew back it's devious smile, "Anything?"

He nodded, "Yes, anything! I won't try to hurt you! Please, get off of me and tell me what you want me to do!!" He was shaking underneath the dragon's paw now, shaking in total fear.

The mighty scaled dragon looked up at the tree stand and hummed in thought, "Hmmm, how about....Die?" Then the dragon pressed harder on the human, even more harder than before. The human crying out in pain, as the pressure from being crushed by a dragon's paw is getting to him.

The human screamed, "Wait-" He cried out in more pain, "-You're not a monster, you're probably innocent and-"

"You're wrong, you fool." It chuckled evilly, "I am a monster and I am a beast with no heart and emotions. I'm the very thing, that humans thought of in nightmares. A monster, hunting them in their dreams."

He pleaded, "PLEASE!!!"

The dragon shook it's head down at him, "You never should've meddled in my hunt and you NEVER should've ventured in the woods. Because you might, meet someone like me and you're paying the price."

"NOOOO!"

The evil dragon went on, while he was screaming, "When someone like you finds me out, I have to kill you. I won't be exposed by you. After all, my master would want me to do it, because he doesn't want ANYONE to know about me and I'm doing it." Then the dragon pressed more harder down on the poor human, "Now DIE, human!" It thrashed it's tail behind it and growled.

The human screamed his head off, as the pain throughout his body was so intense. He could feel his bones being crushed, including his ribcage being snapped by the pressure. His guts being squished inside his whole old body. Then blood started gurgling out of the man's mouth and he was choking on it. He was close to being dead.

Then the dragon raised it's paw off the dying human and slammed it real hard onto him. Effectively, killing the human with one big slam. The human lied lifelessly under the paw and the dragon began to smile once more, "You thought of me as a monster and guess what?" It giggled, "You met one."

The dragon rose it's paw off the dead human. His body totally smashed by the dragon, it lay in a crumpled heap. Guts were practically spilled out on both sides of his body, by the force of the evil dragon's slam. Blood coated on the green grass near him.  It remarked after the innocent human died, "And now, you were just killed by one." It looked at the pads underneath it's paw and it shook the blood off of it, scrunching it's nose after it smelled it's own paw, "Shit, I got blood on my paw. Not in the mood for THAT." It narrowed it's gaze on the crushed dead middle aged human, "This is YOUR fault, you stupid, meddling human."

The lone dragon tossed back it's head and lowered it's paw on the ground, trying to wipe away the blood on the grass. While it was scraping the blood off of it, it flicked it's ears when it heard flapping up above in the sky. It looked up and saw Neal, Rain, Frankie, Cody and Sebastian flying overhead the trees with their human friends on their backs. No one didn't see the lone dragon, as they flew over it. Never even looked down. Apparently they've already woken up in the morning. It knows they're heading on their way back to the dragon city. It took a deep breath and let it out.

After it woke up this morning and after saying goodbye to it's master, it wanted to go hunt and eat first, before it could go back to what it was doing. To find a way, to fulfill it's deadly mission. The mysterious lone dragon put on a narrowed look. Which it knows, it won't fail this time. It won't fail it's master, again.

It's stomach growled and it realized that it didn't have it's fill. Since the meddling human hunter interrupted it's morning snack, it didn't finish eating the deer. It looked back down at the dead human and snidely remarked at the body, "I'll let the wildlife, eat your carcass." Then the lone dragon smiled as it went back to the deer carcass, to eat the rest of it. Leaving behind the crushed human's body, behind it.

*****

I walked through the woods, wanting to take a drink since my throat feels parched. And just up ahead, I see the lake straight ahead. I sighed in relief. I REALLY needed a freakin drink!

I made it to the edge of the water and looked right at my own reflection. I see myself, as a handsome, black scaled drake. With the same eyes that I've had, when I was a human. Now I became a dragon. I lowered my neck to the cool refreshing water and started to lap at it with my big long tongue. Taking in large gulps.

I raised my head above the surface, the water dripping off my jaw. I let out a whoosh of air, my throat started to feel better. I heard a voice near me, before I could do anything, "Brandon?" My ears perked up and I turned my head to see my mom standing close to me. She was taking very slow steps toward me, a look of disbelief washed upon her face.

I smiled at her, even when I was a dragon, she recognized her own son. Her son, who's not a human anymore. I turned my whole body towards her and lowered my head to her now. My eyes peering into hers. Mom was starting to smile at me, as she really recognized me, "So that's what happened to you. That's why, you didn't come back home."

I shook my face at her, "I didn't forget about you, mom. I've always remembered you."

Mom didn't take her eyes off of me and she cradled my chin in her hands, "Brandon....You...You look so beautiful." She giggled, "You look magnificent."

My heart was soaring when she said that. She recognized me so easily, as a dragon and she's not afraid of me, as one. She said I looked magnificent. I moved toward her face and nuzzled her nose with mine, "Thank you, mom."

She lovingly said, when she gave my nose a kiss, "Your dad, would find you strong and magnificent, just like I would." Then she wrapped my head in her arms and said to me with a small sob, "I really missed you and I...I thought, I wasn't going to see you again."

I slowly reached out with a paw and wrapped it around her back, caressing it up and down in smooth strokes, "I missed you too, mother. And I'm here now."

Mom said to me in her embrace, "I love you, Brandon."

I nuzzled her a bit, while she still held me, "I love you too, mom."

Another voice broke the moment, "Brandon." Mom twitched by the sound of the voice and she let me go, to turn to it. I did too and saw that it was Rain who was strolling out of the woods, towards us. Her eyes locked onto mom. Mom let out another gasp, as she saw another dragon, who has the same colored scales as I do.

I raised my head and smiled brightly at the black dragoness, "Sorry, it took me so long, good looking."

Rain giggled and shook her head as she sat down on her haunches near us, "Oh, it's alright. I was on my way to get a drink too." She looked down at mom and said, "And you must be, Diana."

Mom was staring in awe at her and nodded. I motioned my paw toward Rain, "Mom, this is Rain. My girlfriend."

Mom beamed at the word and asked almost in disbelief, "You have a girlfriend?"

I chuckled and nodded, "Yep."

Mom looked right at Rain again and complimented her, "I can see why. You look so beautiful, Rain."

Rain smiled sheeply at her words, "Thank you, so much." Then she turned to me and I walked right next to her and sat down on my haunches. I dipped my head toward Rain's neck and nipped at it. She gasped and giggled at that. While mom was looking at both at us, with acceptance and love. She doesn't care what I am, to her. Dragon or human, I'm her son. And she doesn't care if my girlfriend's a dragon too. She accepts that, as well.

Rain leaned her head into my shoulder and said to me, "I love you, Brandon."

I leaned into her and gave the side of her head a lick with my tongue, "I love you too, Rain."

Rain began to shift around on her haunches to totally face her body in front to me. I did the same and was now peering into those beautiful, caring eyes, that she always gave me. I did like her eyes, so much. And without any word to say, she leaned her snout towards mine and pressed into it, kissing me. She snaked her tongue through my teeth and is now in my mouth. Mom was watching the whole thing, but she didn't appear to care at all at the sight and I didn't also. I returned the kiss and tilted my head, locking our maws now and we both began to moan in our mouths. I was wrapping my big, leathery wings around my mate lovingly. Holding her in my embrace.

We stopped kissing and I was slowly reaching up to Rain's chin with a claw and held her with it. She didn't take her eyes off of me and neither did I. She said it again, her voice almost a complete echo now. Like she was far away from me, even though she's right there, "I love you."

I popped my eyelids open and saw that it was just a dream. I'm not in the woods anymore and I'm not a drake. I'm back in the dragon city. About a couple of hours after me and my friends got back here, this morning. I'm back in the motel, sleeping on the furs. I was seeing the sun outside the balcony window. Seeing the blue sky and clouds. I got up slowly and tiredly onto my knees and I heard soft calm breathing near me. I shifted around on my knees, to see Rain still sleeping on the furs. Sleeping peacefully. I smiled at her peaceful form.

Not very long after me and everyone else got back to the city, me and Rain were actually tired and we needed a nap. I felt refreshed now, feeling that I must've slept for a long time. I just looked at her. The dream that I had, still fresh on my mind. I chuckled softly to myself. Not loud enough, to wake my best friend up.

I was dreaming that I was a black scaled dragon, just like Rain. I guess, that's where I got the inspiration for it. I didn't look too bad, as a drake. I looked...Handsome as one, if you ask me. I wonder, how I became one in the first place? Dreams are weird after all.

I was a dragon and mom was in it. She wasn't afraid of me at all. She still saw me as Brandon and she was glad to see me again. Oh mom....

And also in the dream, was Rain. And I was....Kissing her. But this is different, than the last dream I've had with her in it. I didn't kiss her as a human, like the other one, but I was kissing her as a dragon this time.

I held an apprehensive, ashamed face and sighed. I know why, I was kissing her as a dragon, in that dream. It's because I love her. And another reason why that dream came to me is...I wanted to be a dragon like her, so I wouldn't feel odd and weird about kissing her as a human. That I would be the same species, as her. That I wouldn't feel judged at all, by my mom. I don't think, she would've happy, if she saw me kissing Rain as a human. She'd be shocked, at that. Maybe feel disgusted and never speak to me again.

My heart was pumping, as I was still looking at Rain. I held a hand to my heart. I still love her.

I tried to get rid of those feelings toward Rain and I still love her. I still love Rain, the black dragoness. Rain, the beautiful rainbow. Rain, my black scaled angel.

I've been trying to let those feelings go, but they're still there. I shook my head to myself, as I saw Rain moaning in her sleep a bit. Apparently dreaming about something, but I'm beginning to think, she's dreaming about Tommy. I really can't do this.

Rain still loves Tommy, not me. And I'm not Tommy. I can never be Tommy. I can't put her into this, let alone put myself into this too. It just won't work out.

But why are my feelings still there? Why won't they go away?

It's because Rain's very nice and humble, it's hard to not love her Maybe not hard to love her, in that way. It's no wonder, I kept having that warm fuzzy feeling when I was thinking about her. Not thinking about Jessie, at all.

I let out another quiet breath, as I was getting on my feet softly. A part of me is thinking, maybe I should've just asked Jessie out, maybe even went further that night when we shared our first kiss.

But it's too late to turn back to that now. I told her, we should just remain friends and plus...I don't love her that way. I thought I did for such a long time, but I didn't. Now I just feel stupid. More or less, an idiot. I'm putting myself in this conflict and now my conflicted feelings are just getting at me, AGAIN.

I know I love her that way, but I think it would've been more easier, if I was that drake in that dream. Or perhaps, if Rain's a human, like me. And what'll be more easier, is that she didn't love Tommy anymore. That she would agree to move onto someone else.

But none of those things will happen. It won't. And I need to either quit that or...Or...

Brandon, don't even think about leaving her alone! You promised her, you wouldn't leave her alone! Let alone, forget her! You should be ashamed of yourself, for thinking about abandoning her! Don't do that! Don't do that to Rain! You care for her!

I nodded to myself. That's right. I do care for her and I can't just leave her alone. I just need to take it easy and try not to beat myself up over this so much. Just don't feel awkward around her and it'll pass, someday.

Which, I hope it will. I mean, she's still Rain to me.

Rain was grinning with her eyes closed. And I was smirking at her smiled expression. I wonder what she's doing in her dream? Kissing Tommy? Playing with him? Listening to him sing to her, just like she listens to me? Or maybe it's not Tommy she's dreaming about and it's actually her parents in it. I can picture her, as a hatchling, playing with her mother, just like the night Rain told me her mother has played with her, before she died. I can see they're both REALLY alike. Rain and her, are both nice and playful and they look alike.

Then I saw Rain's lips curl as she spoke a name softly, "Brandon." She grumbled in her throat and said it again, "Br-....Brandon."

My face went wide. She's dreaming about...Me? That's the first time, she did that.

I wonder what I'm doing in that dream of hers? Am I singing to her, in her sleep? Am I playing with her? I can probably take that, as a yes.

I put a wrist to my mouth, stifling a giggle. I'm imagining that I'm singing either, 'I Can't Hold Back' or 'The Search is Over' to my friend in her beautiful harmonic dream. I can actually see it. I looked at the opening of our room, thinking that since I'm done napping, I'm going to just leave and let her enjoy her nap. I'm kinda hungry, since my stomach growled.

Before I could take a step off the furs, Rain let out a yawn, her tongue curling and she opened her eyes. She moved her big head to me and saw that I was standing near her. She grinned, "Hi. Can't sleep, anymore?"

I smiled back at her and shook my head, "Nah. I was done with the nap." I asked with a tilt of my head and a step toward her, "Did I wake you?"

Rain got up groggily on all fours and moaned a bit with another yawn, "Ah, no. I was just having a pleasant dream, actually. And...I don't know, I felt like I just had to get up."

"Oh."

She nodded down a me, "Oh, indeed." She began to stretch herself across the furs, her claws tapping on the stone floor and her hind end sticking high in the air. Her tail curling as far as it could. I was just watching her do all that. Looking at her slender body, as she stretched. I brushed at my brain to push those thoughts away. Brandon, she's a dragon. Quit staring at her, like that. She stopped stretching and looked down at me, caught me staring at her and gave me a slight cock of her head, "What?"

I just pretended that it was nothing after getting caught, so I giggled and shook my head, since one question was bubbling in me now, "Nothing, I was just about to ask, what was your dream about?"

Rain hummed to herself when she stuck her chin up to the ceiling, "Well....I was introducing you to Tommy, actually."

My eyes went wide at that. Okay, never expected that at all. I asked with a surprised look still upon me, "Really? I met Tommy?"

Rain chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, I get two of my favorite humans to meet in person. Tommy and you, being together as best buddies."

I was grinning at that, "That doesn't sound too bad. Of all the things you told me about him, he's not such a bad guy."

Rain held a bit of a glum look and sighed, "But even that dream, won't come true. Tommy's too old for you."

I shrugged my arms and remarked, "So what? I would be his buddy still, when he's old. Not like, he can't live up to his old tricks." I winked at her.

Rain smiled a little at that, "Probably would still have his charm, I guess. His nice, caring behavior. Just like before."

I said, "I think, I would still have all those things, when I'm very old. Maybe, I might still look sexy when I'm old too."

Rain tossed up his head and laughed, "I would hope so! I wouldn't want a boring OLD human, standing near me."

I crossed my arms and playfully glared at my big black female friend, "You be quiet. I won't be boring, when I'm old." I pointed at her, "I know that you lived for a god awful long time, so how would you feel, if I called you boring and old?"

Rain narrowed her eyes down at me, "I would counter your words, saying I'm not old and smack your ass, for calling me boring."

I rolled my eyes and replied to that, "Yes, and if you called me old and boring again, I'll tickle your wings."

Rain smiled and shook her head, "Not unless, I tuck them out of your reach. You little twerp."

I wiggled a finger at her, "Don't forget, I'm smarter than you. So I'll find a way to get your wings."

She waved me off, "I doubt, there'll ever be a way. So dream about your tactic, as long as you want." She held up her head smugly, "And I'M smarter, than YOU. So try as hard as you might, human."

I laughed and shook my head, "You're funny."

She shrugged her shoulders and lowered her head to my level, "I do have my moments, Brandon." She bumped her snout against my chest, "I do have my moments."

I touched her cheek after that and said, "Hey listen, I'm kinda hungry and I'm heading to the Braveheart. See if, Neal and Amanda opened up the place today." I lowered my hand and offered, "You want to come?"

Rain rose her head and shook her head, "No thanks. I'm still full from all the apples that we had, when we came back."

I giggled, "I ate two of them and I thought I was full." I shrugged my arms at her, "Guess not, huh?"

She let out a sigh, "Probably should've shared more of them, with you."

I waved her off, "Oh don't worry about it. I'll be fine." I pointed at her belly, "And for the record, you didn't exactly offer to share any other apples, you apple hog."

When she took a few steps ahead to the opening of the room, she swung her tail at my head on purpose. I cried out and ducked down beneath it. I shot a glare at her and scolded, "Watch it!"

Rain shot up her head and laughed. She twisted her head to look back at me, "You watch it. You called me a apple hog."

I shot a hand at her, "You are!"

My black friend shot back, "And you deserved my tail, for calling me that. I won't take that one lightly." She winked and I groaned.

I said, "And you almost took my head off, with that thing near your ass!"

Rain laughed hard at that, "Oh ancestors, you're a card!" She turned her head to the entrance of our room and trotted toward it, "C'mon." I rolled up my eyes and sighed in both amusement and irritancy. I began to jog after my friend out of the room, after her form disappeared around the corner.

When I turned around the corner in the big stone hallway, she wasn't far ahead and I slowed down to just strides. While I was following her, I was just glancing at her curves. The way she was swaying them with each step and she was going down the stone steps to the ground floor.

I shook my head, out of the trance. C'mon, really? Now you're looking at her butt! When you're trying to brush those feelings aside! Quit that, or she'll notice!

I took several stone steps after her and soon we both went through the entrance of the motel and out on the streets. A few dragons were out and about, taking their own strides. Me and Rain stood together and she looked down at me, "Well, I'm going off to do my thing, so see you around."

I asked, "Where are you running off to?"

"I'm just going to see, if your girlfriend and my brother are in the mood for my company. So I'll talk later, alright?"

I nodded, "Alright, I might go see Sebastian after eating. So if you want to find me, you know where I'll be at."

Rain smiled and nodded, "Done." She pointed down her wing tip at me, "And don't you two, get in any trouble now."

I frowned, "And why would you say that?"

"Because he's a dirty old drake and you are just one devious little bastard."

I rolled my eyes, "You better take your own advice, big girl. You have a knack for spanking someone." I exclaimed with my eyes widened, "Like ME and your brother!"

She shot up her head, "You both deserved it."

I waved her off, "Get out of here, you big black bitch." She laughed her head off and waved her paw goodbye at me. Then I grinned and waved back. Rain started to turn her whole body on me and walked away. And just like that, I looked at her haunches again. Watching them swaying once more.

My eyes went wide at that and I slapped myself in the face. Dude! You're doing it again! You're outside, with other dragons! Don't look at her hips like that! And you're a human, different than Wayne and Tommy, so get a grip! I let out a sigh to myself, as I saw her disappear from sight. This is going to be hard, as usual.

I don't want to make things awkward. I don't.

I whirled around to the direction of the restaurant on that thought. My stomach growled again.

*****

Frankie slept a bit more in his house and moments later, he moaned and rose his head off his furs real slow like. Drawing back his head and letting out a yawn in the process. Tongue curling and all. He moaned again, after having such a long nap today. He felt pooped, after flying back to the city with Jessie this morning. He looked to his left and saw to his surprise that Jessie's not sleeping by him.

He cocked his head at the empty spot, wondering where she could've went off to. Frankie didn't stare at it for too long and he started to get up on all fours. He stretched out his legs, wings and even his tail. A couple of his limbs were popping. He let out a satisfied sigh at the limbs popping. Then he went out of his room and looked for his little human friend. He went through past the entrance of his house and called out for her, "Jess?" There wasn't any answer, whatsoever.

He cocked his head, as he took several more steps in the hallway. He went around the corner, his long tail brushing against the wall just a bit and saw the stone steps to the rooftop. Jessie has went up there before, so he thinks she's up there right now. Probably waiting for him to wake up from his nap. He started taking steps to the roof, one step at a time. When he made it to the roof, after seeing the noon sun, he can see Jessie sitting crossed legged alone in the middle of his stone roof. Her back turned on him. He can also hear her singing softly to herself, "Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby."

Frankie stopped where he's at and his eyes went wide with wonder. He never heard her do that before. He didn't say anything and just stood there, listening to her some more, "Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true."

He began to form a smile, hearing that she sounded nice and soothing. Jessie went on, as he saw her looking up at the white clouds in the sky, "Someday I'll wish upon a star. And wake up where the clouds are far behind me."  She waved her hand in a slow moving motion across in front of her, "Where troubles melt like lemon drops. Away above the chimney tops. That's where you'll find me."

She took a deep breath and went on with her song, "Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow. Why then, oh, why can't I?" She stopped for a moment and just looked up at the sky and he followed her gaze. Thinking that he might see a rainbow, since he thinks that's what she's singing about.

He looked back down at her, as Jessie sang softly again, "If happy little bluebirds fly, beyond the rainbow. Why, oh, why can't I?" And she stopped soon after that and sighed happily.

Frankie just stood there, thinking she'll sing some more, but she hasn't. He thinks it's over now. So, he walked softly up behind her, until his shadow's over her little body. Jessie noticed it and jumped a bit, "Yipe." She turned to look over her shoulder and he just grinned at her. Jessie let out a calm breath and giggled, "Frankie. You just made me jump."

He sat down on his haunches and shrugged a paw, "Sorry about that."

Jessie got on her feet and whirled around to face her favorite drake. She tilted her head, with that smile on her face, "How was your nap?"

He nodded, "It was great. I saw that you left me alone in bed, so I came up here to look for you. How long have you been up here?"

Jessie chuckled, "I was only up here for maybe about....Thirty minutes. And sorry I left you, I just couldn't really sleep anymore. So I came up here for fresh air and kill the time."

Frankie lowered his head to her level, "Oh, I can really see that. In fact, I hear you have a sweet voice coming out of you."

Her face went wide, as she realized he was watching her singing from behind. She asked, with a shy smile, "How long have you been standing here?"

Frankie giggled, "Not very long. Just long enough to hear you sing something about a rainbow."

Jessie nodded when she looked down at the ground, "Yeah, I was singing 'Over the Rainbow.' A human named Judy Garland singed it and it was....Gosh, a VERY long time ago."

Frankie cocked his head with a worried look, "What's the matter? Are you ashamed of singing that?"

Jessie giggled and looked at his eyes, "Oh, I'm fine. It's just...I don't really have that great of a voice and all and when I sang it when I was a little girl back in school, a lot of other kids just laughed at me."

He said, "Other hatchlings laughed at you, for that? I don't know why it's funny at all." He gave her a comforting smile, "I actually think, that it's beautiful."

Jessie rolled up her eyes and looked up at the sky, "Well, I haven't sang that, since years ago. Such a long time, if you ask me. It just popped up and came out of me."

He praised her, "Well since it has been years since you singed it, I like it. Actually, I liked it a lot."

Jessie's face totally lit up and said, "Thank you, big guy. No one, never said that to me before."

He tilted his head again, "Not even your parents, said that?"

She let out a sigh and turned her back on him, "My parents weren't around on that day, they were busy doing their own things. Only one of their servants took me to school that day."

He had a pity look for her, "Oh..."

Jessie just giggled, when she looked up at the sky, "I'm actually already over that. It happened years ago."

Frankie got off his butt and came up beside her, looking at the sky too. Jessie said to him, without taking her gaze off the clouds, "You know Frankie." He turned to look down at her beside him, "A few times, ever since I came here, seeing how dragons are and what the dragon city's like. I feel like, I'm in The Wizard of Oz. Only there's no talking scarecrow, or a two legged lion, or any tin mans running around. And I'm not some girl from Kansas, I'm just a girl from Los Angeles, who moved to Leon, Colorado." She motioned her hands at all the stone buildings she sees from on the roof, "And only this isn't the Emerald City, or the place the little munchkins live at either. This is a city full of dragons. And to me, in a very big way, it just seems magical. And I feel like, I'm over the rainbow right now."

Frankie shot up his head, "Over the rainbow, right now? That sounds beautiful, but also weird. I kinda also think, your head's above the clouds."

Jessie laughed and nudged her elbow into his side, "Yeah, just like me and you are above the clouds in flight."

Frankie nodded in agreement, "Got that right."

Jessie turned her whole body to him and said, "You know, Frankie." He lowered his head to her and she went on, "I still thank you for not laughing at me, because of that song. It's...Kinda childish in a way."

He waved a paw and shook his head, "Nonsense. I love it and I'm not laughing at all." He smiled brightly at her, "You do have a nice voice. And you want to know something else?"

She raised her eyebrows, "What?"

"That I wouldn't mind it, if you sing at the Braveheart with that human song. I'm curious about the human music behind it. I also would want to hear how loud your soft voice is, by that gem."

Jessie brushed her blonde hair off her shoulder and giggled shyly, "I uh....I don't know about that. I'm not really Wayne and Brandon."

He shook his head again, "You don't have to do, if you don't want to. But I wouldn't mind it, one day, if you did try it."

Jessie just stared at him for several moments and she said with a deep breath, "Well...One day, I'll consider it. But no promises, from me."

He shrugged his shoulders and flexed his wings a bit, "That's fine."

She reached out to stroke his cheek and he leaned into her touch. That it feels good to him. Jessie said to him, while his eyes are closed, "Thanks for not laughing at me, Frankie."

Frankie moved up his nose toward her chest and nuzzled her with it, "I'm not really that drake, who just laughs at someone like that. To a girl, like you."

Jessie joked, "But you'd probably laugh at your sister, right?"

He laughed and moved his head to look at her eyes, his breathing blowing some of her hair when it's that close to her, "Oh, who knows when it comes to me and her."

She laughed and raised a finger near his eye, "You better behave."

He playfully shot at her, "What are you going to do? Tattle my sister on me?"

Jessie mischievously grinned, "I'd either kick your stones, or slap your nose. That's what I'd do."

Frankie groaned and raised his head above her level, "Thanks for ruining this cute moment, we've shared."

She went up to rub his chest, "I'm just giving you one my warnings, you stubborn drake." He snorted at her and she laughed. After a second passed, he laughed too.

Jessie backed away from him and asked, "Well since the day's still going by, what do you want to do now?" She shrugged both her arms, "We're both home now, so might as well do something today."

Frankie nodded, "Yeah, better than sleeping in my own comforting furs in my own house." He hummed in thought, as he looked at the other rooftops of the city near his house, "I guess, we just walk in the city for a little while. I'm sure, we'll run into one of our friends in the streets." He looked down at her, "And I may give you a ride on my back."

She gasped in excitement, like she was a child still, "I get to ride on your back again? That's my second ride I'm having with you today!"

He tossed back his head and laughed, "Like to bark orders when riding me, huh?"

Jessie raised a brow at him, "I think, I do. I feel like I'm queen of the dragons, when I'm riding you."

Frankie began to turn on her, to head back to the stone staircase to go back downstairs, "I figured you did. C'mon." Jessie trotted after him and they went back into his house, then all the way to the front door. He opened the door for her and motioned his paw out the door, letting her out first. Jessie giggled and bowed to him, in appreciation. She jogged outside and Frankie went out with her and closed the door behind them. They bounded out into the street and he let out a sigh, "Nothing much going on, out here." He looked down at her, "Well I know what you want, you ready?"

She motioned her hand down and commanded, "Lower down for the queen, you beast."

Frankie chuckled, when she called him that, "Spoke like a true human queen. Like a real bitch." She laughed hard at that and he was lowering his body to the stone street. Jessie just giggled afterward and walked up along his body and grabbed his wing joint. Mounting herself up on his back. Frankie felt her body on his back and rose his frame off the ground. She let out a glee in total excitement, like this was her first carnival ride she had.

Frankie was just standing there and Jessie pointed straight ahead, "Alright, beast! March on!"

He looked over his shoulder and stared at her with a big mischievous grin, "You know, if you call me beast again, I'm going to throw you off my back and only carry you in my jaws."

Jessie tossed back her head, her blonde hair swung and she laughed. Then she spoke in her high regal voice, "You can't do that to me. I am your queen."

Frankie teased, "You look like a queen, who'd raise her tail for any guy to mount her."

Jessie's mouth opened agape and she glared at him, crossing her arms, "Frankie! I'm not that person!"

He shot back, "I don't know. The way you bend over, makes you look like you want a male to mount you right now."

She smacked the back of his neck and sneered, "Shut up, or I'll kick you in the eggs!"

Frankie laughed his head off and when he pulled back his head a bit for her, Jessie actually reached out far enough to grab his ear. He let out a squeal when she grabbed it, "EEE! Ow! Let go!"

Jessie still had ahold of him and asked politely in quiet tone, "Want to take it all back and treat me like a queen riding her horse?"

He hissed, "I'm not a damn horse!"

She twisted his ear and he squealed again, "Frankie!"

Frankie pretty much caved in and said with a pained smile, "I'm sorry, truce! I take it back!"

Jessie nodded and put on a big smile, "That's better." She let go of his ear and he groaned in pain. She snickered at him and he looked back at her with a glare of his own.

He continued to stare at her, while she raised her eyebrows with that smug grin still on her face. He looked straight ahead and rolled up his eyes, "I wonder, if Amanda does that to Neal, when she's riding on him."

Jessie answered, "She probably does." She pointed ahead, "Now get moving, my trusty steed."

He moaned and started to pad down on the street with her on his back. Frankie's anger went away as he looked ahead of the street. He just chuckled to himself. Seeing that Jessie really has balls, just like him. Only she's a female! He couldn't stay mad at her, no matter how many times she twisted his ear. He wouldn't stay mad at her, even if she kicked him in the eggs. He does care for her, after all.

When he still felt Jessie's weight on his back, he was thinking about his feelings toward her. And while Jessie's sitting on his back, little did he know, that she's thinking about her newfound feelings towards the drake she's riding on. That she's in love with the trusty steed, she's riding upon.

Both of them don't know that they both started to love each other and both of them are just conflicted to tell each other the truth. Especially Jessie, since she has this apprehensive look on her face. Still thinking she's gone crazy. In fact, she has been thinking about those feelings since the other night, after they both sat out at the meadow. She feels like, she wants to tell someone about this.

But who? That's what she's thinking. Who would she trust someone the most, to tell that person about this?

*****

Me and Joanna are walking alongside each other on the street, after we were done eating at the Braveheart. On our way to Sebastian's house.

About an hour has passed, since I left Rain to go eating, like I said I would. I saw Neal and Amanda there, they've opened the restaurant after coming back from our trip outside the city. Business appeared to be great, since a lot of dragons have showed up and sat at tables eating their food. Neal and Amanda chatted with me, whenever they got the chance. They told me that they have planned to hold another show here tomorrow night and they already asked Wayne, if he would do it and he agreed. They even asked me, if I would get on stage and sing again and I agreed to it as well. I'm not afraid to sing in front of a large crowd anymore. I'm pretty excited about it and there'll be two performances in there, just like the other night. Wayne sings first and then I'm next. Now that plan has come into the picture, I better think of a good song to sing, before tomorrow night comes.

I didn't talk to Neal and Amanda some more, after that. They were just pretty much busy. Don't blame them, since most of the dragons have waited for them to come back from their trip, so they could eat the good food there! But I'll be honest, I did kinda feel alone sitting at the table booth eating my meal, without anyone that I know to talk with. Makes me think, I should've asked Rain to come along with me.

But as luck would have it, Joanna actually came into her old place of business, to see how Neal and Amanda are doing. She found me sitting alone and sat down beside me. Keeping a human, like me company. Even she was surprised that Rain wasn't even with me right at that moment, but then she also said even me and her have to have a break from each other, once in awhile. She was coughing, while we chatted. Showing me that she's still sick. Poor old girl.

But Joanna despite the cough talked on, like it never happened. Despite that she's sick, she's acting like herself. I mean, I know that I never met her years ago, but I can tell that's usually her personality, before she got sick. She's really committed to not let the whole sickness get to her, so much. She's just living on, day by day, until her sickness takes her life.

So while we chatted, I told her that I was planning to see Sebastian, after I'm done eating and she offered to come along with me. I happily accepted and soon enough, me and her left the restaurant and here we are now, heading to Sebastian's. I think Sebastian would be happy that two of his friends came to his house today. I wonder, if he was tired since we got back to the dragon city this morning? I guess, we'll find out when we get there.

I looked up beside her and she didn't notice it. Now that I think about it, since she lost Sierra's uncle and Sebastian lost his mate years ago and seeing what they are personality wise, maybe I could get them together. They'd make a good couple! I mean, why not? They're both old, they've both lost a mate, right now they both live in a house alone, heck not to mention they're both jolly! They would be together in a heartbeat. That would be great for both of them. Sebastian would have his first mate in years and Joanna while she's sick, would be so happy on her last days on earth, because of that. That could be her last happy thing, that'll happen to her. That would do her heck a lot of good.

Course, I hope maybe she'll get better on her own and she'll live a lot more longer, in her life. Her life doesn't deserve to be faded away. Not yet. I like that old girl and I only met her since days ago!

Hmmm, I wonder if she'll go for it? Or better yet, I wonder if Sebastian will go for it?

If they don't want to be together that way, then oh well, at least I know that I tried to set them up together.

Heck, if they even got together in the first place, I hope Sebastian, since he's probably a dirty old drake, hope he behaves himself around Joanna. She maybe sick and old, but she might still know how to kick some scaly ass!

I snickered to myself and Joanna heard it. She giggled and asked, "What's so funny, hon?"

I waved her off and looked ahead, "Oh nothing. It's just that this idea, popped up in my brain and I was just thinking about it."

She raised a brow and smiled, "Oh really? And what idea is that, hon?"

I stopped walking and so did she, her face still on me. I looked up at her and asked, "Hey Joanna?" She cocked her head and I said, "I know that you lost your mate years ago, but have you ever thought about going out with another drake? Has that crossed your mind?"

Joanna glanced up at the blue sky and hummed in thought, "Well more than once, I did feel like I want to have another handsome drake, since my mate, lay down by me to twine tails with." She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at me, "I still wonder, if I really want to do that. I mean, I never found a drake, just like Sierra's uncle before. The other fine drakes I was with way before you were born, weren't exactly good to me. They just mate me and up and leave." She grinned at me, "Let me guess, hon. You're trying to set me and Sebastian up for a date."

I gave her a big grin of my own, "I'll be honest, yeah. I mean, I can tell you both would make a great couple. I can see it, actually."

Joanna lowered her head to mine, "Really? Me and that old bronze drake? Me and him?"

I waved a hand at her, "Sure, why not? You both are kind, you both are sincere and honest." I gestured toward her face, "Even he has lost a mate too, just like you."

She held a pity look on her face and raised her head above my level. She turned her head to the direction of Sebastian's house, "I can feel that old drake's pain. I feel for him. Losing his beloved." She smiled again, as her memory appeared to be flooding in her mind, "I can remember serving him, years ago, in my restaurant. He did look so happy."

I titled my head and asked, "So would you do it? Would you try to ask him out? I think, it'd do you guys a lot of good. You probably don't know, what you're missing." I winked at her.

Joanna looked down at me and responded, "Well...I think, I will consider it." She raised a claw and added, "Only because, I haven't went out with him before and I'm willing to give it a chance. He does, seem nice after all. The only difference between us is-" She put a paw to her snout and gave out another hoarse cough, "I'm sick and he's not. And it sucks for an old dragoness like me." I looked at her in pity from her cough. Then she sighed and nodded, "But I'll still consider it."

My face lit at her answer, "Good!" Then I put a hand to my chin and frowned, "Now come to think of it, I wonder if Sebastian will go for it?"

Joanna shrugged her shoulders, rustling her wings on her back, "I don't know the answer to that, unless I try and find out." Joanna began to walk again, looking down at me with the first few steps, "Well, what are we waiting for? C'mon hon, lets go see him."

I trotted beside her again, remarked, "Right with ya, grandma."

She tossed up her head and laughed, "Now you're calling me old and grandma, just like Wayne! He calls me that, all the darn time."

I shrugged with one hand, "Well it's funny calling you that and I even call Sebastian old man."

She shook her head, "And I'm sure, we both don't mind it, one tiny bit. No denying that we're old." She snickered deviously, "It's just that it was Sierra and Rain, who deny that they're old."

I laughed and exclaimed, "They're not that old! Me and Wayne would just playfully call them old."

Joanna remarked, "Well some of us dragons lived for a long time, including them, so why not call them old?" She giggled at the thought.

I nodded at that, "Yeah, and that's also why we call them old, old lady."

She chuckled at my joke, "Oh hon, you make me so happy, just like Wayne." She looked down at me, as we continued to strode, "I really like you. Both of you are so kind and you call me old. I think, you'd make another great son, to me."

I smiled up at her in gratitude, "I appreciate that, thank you." Then I added, "And just for the record, just to warn you, Sebastian can be a dirty old drake, so watch out."

Joanna said, "Oh, I wouldn't worry about it, Brandon. I maybe a grandma, but I can be dirty too, in my own way. So he won't be the only one." She winked at me and looked ahead.

I laughed and nodded at her statement, "Whatever you say, Joanna. Whatever you say." Gee, both of them being dirty. That'll be a hoot!

We both walked for a long time in silence, until we saw Sebastian's house straight ahead. The two of us bounded up to the door and Joanna raised a paw to knock on it, twice. She lowered it back down and we waited for the old drake to answer the door. She coughed hoarsely again and I turned my head to her, giving her a pity look again, "Are you ok?"

She waved me off with her paw, "Yeah, I hate it when I cough like that."

I reached out to touch her magenta scales on the side of her body, "I honestly, hope you feel better. None of us, don't want you to go, yet."

She turned to look down at me, "I know and maybe I will. Before either I feel better, or just die from it, I'll take it like a tough dragoness. And I'll still live my own life, despite it."

I smirked at her, "You really are one tough gal."

Joanna replied with a nod, "I've been around, a lot longer than you have, hon. So I know what it takes to be tough."

I melted that smile off of me and just rubbed her scales up and down, "Yeah still, I don't like it when you're sick." I pulled back my hand off her scales, "It's not really fair."

She stretched down her neck to me and nuzzled my chest with her nose, "Not a lot of things in life are fair, Brandon. But I put up with a lot of unfairness." She raised her snout up to my cheek and gave it a lick with her tongue. She looked deeply in my eyes, in a motherly way, "I'll be fine, but it's still sweet of you when you care for me."

I smiled and replied to that, "Well how you act and all, you just remind me of my mom, Diana. She's all motherly, like you."

Joanna said with a happy glean in her eyes, "I'll bet."

I said, "Tell you what, when the three of us are in there and just chatting, I'll tell you more about my mom. You might be interested in what she likes and all."

Joanna nodded and rose her head above my level, "Sure. I'd love it."

I turned to Sebastian's front door and knocked on it myself about three times, since he haven't came to the door to answer for a long time. I lowered my hand back to my side and said, "Besides, Sebastian's interested to know a bit more about my mom, so he'll be in for a story from me." I thumbed to the old magenta dragoness, "Actually, both of you are in for a story from the likes of me. I can even tell you how my mom and dad, first met."

Joanna coughed again, as we're waiting for Sebastian still, "I love stories, so yep I'm in for a treat."

I giggled, until Sebastian answered the door real wide to see us. He beamed at me and Joanna standing at the doorway, "Well hello there! Sorry it took me so long to answer, I was slow at getting up from bed. I was a TIRED old drake!"

I shook my head and waved him off, "Oh, don't worry about it."

He turned his whole gaze on me, "So how're you doing? Coming to see this old drake, after our trip?"

I nodded, "I don't see why not. Rain's just off to do her thing and I'm here doing my thing." I thumbed to Joanna again beside me, "I found Joanna at the Braveheart and she came along to see you too."

He turned to the magenta dragoness now, with that same grin, "Ah, so you came to see this old drake too? I wouldn't mind having the former owner of the famous Braveheart enter my home." His eyes widened, "I never had anyone like that in here, before!"

She laughed and hoarsely coughed once more. After that, she said, "Yeah, I found the lone human eating in my old place of business, so I just hung out with him."

Sebastian nodded, "I see that. He's a good kiddo. Like he's my own son."

My face lit up, "Thanks, dad."

Joanna cooed at my words, "Aw, he called you dad. I think, that's sweet of him."

Sebastian looked down at me, "Well, he's the first son I ever had, since my very own left and never came back." He nodded down at me, "He's small, but he's still a son to me. Small like a hatchling."

I rolled my eyes, "But I'm not really a hatchling, old man. I'm seventeen."

Sebastian chuckled, "Still like a hatchling to me. Like he's a part of my family." He let out a breath, pleasantly, "Him and his friends, are all like a family to me. All of them, sons and daughters, to this old drake."

Joanna nodded in agreement, "I can relate to that, hon. I always treat Wayne and his friends, like they're family to this old dragoness. I love them all." She gestured her paw to me, without taking her eyes off Sebastian, "Including him."

My heart beated at that. Thanks, Joanna.

Sebastian moved back from the opening and stepped aside to let us in, "Please, come in." Me and Joanna bounded our way past Sebastian and he used his wing to shut the door behind us. Following us afterwards, to get on with this visit.

*****

I'm walking toward the memorial wall, in the middle of the city. Walking in very slow strides. Wanting to come see the small wall made of stone with so many deceased dragons names engraved on it. I felt like I wanted to see my parent's names on that wall. It has been such a long time, since I went to this monument and looked at their names.

After I left Brandon to go eating, I went to Frankie's house to see if he and Jessie are at home. But they weren't. So I went on, after that.

I decided to just see the memorial wall, it has been days since I came back home to this city. And without anyone else to talk to today, I think it's by time I went to that wall.

I walked closer to the memorial wall and my eyes trailing slowly to one name at a time on it. Searching for my mother and father's names. I sat down on my haunches and finally saw them. Written in dragon language. I let out a sigh, staring at their names. Been a real long time, since I came here.

I can remember, more than once when my brother and I would come here, we both can feel that they're standing beside each of us. My mother standing beside me and father standing beside Frankie. It's kind of a weird feeling and quite frankly, I don't know if everyone in this city feels that way about feeling their loved ones standing beside them. Such a very weird feeling to me.

I took a deep breath and let it out. I remember one time when mom and I came here, when I was hatchling. I asked her, why that wall's there and she only answered that we're honoring the dragons who've been slain. To remember them and never forget them, for years to come.

I even asked her, why did all the other dragons die, that one I'd never forget. And she answered, because dragons don't live forever, we die when we're old. And she also, dragons die by humans a lot.

And mother was killed by humans. Then the memory of her death, came to me like it has before. The day in the snow, the blood. I closed my eyes at the memory. Mother...

If only you were here with me, instead of being with the ancestors. If only you've met Tommy years ago. If only you're here right now, to meet Brandon. You would've loved both of them. And...I think you would've been a big help to me in comfort, after the night I was raped, or when humanity and Tommy changed. After Tommy tried to kill me. I would've appreciated crying into your shoulder and feel your wings around me.

I opened my eyes and looked straight at mom's name. If Tommy was still with me, and if you were alive right now, he'd see our resemblance. And Brandon right now, would see the resemblance between you and I, too. I know I told them, that I look like you. But when they both see you, they can probably joke and say that you're the older version of me. I chuckled at the thought. Me and my own imagination. But...I wish it did happen. I wish dragons actually have those little photos that humans carry around, so that way, I'd show them what you look like. Too bad, dragons don't have cameras and photos.

I heard a happy female voice behind me, "Hi Rain!" I perked up my head, thinking that to my surprise that it was mom behind me, alive and well. I whirled fast around and saw that it's my brother with Jessie riding on his back. She gave me a wave and I just giggled at her. Oh it wasn't my mother, it was Jessie.

Me and my own darn imagination. I thought it was mom. Guess not, huh?

I said to Jessie sitting on Frankie's back, "I see you're riding my brother again." I looked at Frankie and asked with a teasing smile, "So brother, has Jessie been barking orders at you? She looks pretty tough, sitting on top of you."

Frankie rolled his eyes and laugh sarcastically, "Ha, ha, freakin ha! I so thoroughly enjoy being barked at, by a little bitch sitting on my back."

I asked with a giggle, "She was barking orders at you, wasn't she?"

He shot up his head, "YES! She even twisted my ear, when I told her I wasn't her damn horse."

Jessie on his back, shot back with a growl, "That's not what happened. I twisted your ear, because you were threatening to throw me off your back and carry me in your jaws."

He shook his head and apparently by his expression, he lied, "I did no such thing!"

Jessie argued and tattled to me, with an accusing finger pointed at the back of Frankie's head, "Rain, your brother also told me that I was this type of girl, who raises her tail to let any drake mount her!"

My eyes went wide and Frankie denied it again, "Totally not true."

Jessie crossed her arms and she had anger flashing in her eyes, "You can deny to your sister and you may even deny yourself. But you won't deny it to ME."

He looked over his shoulder and smugly grinned, "Rain, probably knows I'm lying to her, anyways."

I nodded and giggled, "I do know."

Frankie gestured his wing tip at me, "See? She figured it out! She's not that stupid."

I laughed and came up to him, slapping his shoulder with my paw, "You're my brother, it's not hard to figure it out."

Frankie looked right back, almost bumping his snout against mine, "I know. And even my lying tactics, won't work on you. This sucks eggs, big time."

I giggled at that, "Yeah, and your lucky your eggs weren't kicked by the girl sitting on top of you."

Jessie declared with her hand raised, "Actually, I'm the queen of dragons to you beast!"

I laughed hard and raised a claw, "Scratch THAT, you're lucky your eggs weren't kicked by the queen sitting on top of you."

Frankie snorted at me, "Don't encourage her! You'll feed her ego!"

I pointed the same claw at his chest, "Like feeding yours? No chance at that, this QUEEN up there will bruise it, so you won't show off your pride a lot."

He was glaring at me, "I don't SHOW it off and don't make me find a toad and throw it at you."

This time I was shooting a glare at him, "Do that and I'll be the one to punch your balls, in retaliation."

Frankie groaned and shook his head, "I wish there was such a thing as gender war. The males would win the war."

I rolled up my eyes, "Great, now you're sounding like Neal. You want a gender war to start."

He shrugged his shoulders, "Why not? Jessie here has slapped my nose before, barked orders at me when she rides me, chastised me for being curious about her body, her little ass sat on my head and gave my neck a kink and this morning, she got involved with your plan to scare me and my fellow drake friends with her car horn, half to death! Also she takes your side, NOT MINE."

I replied to all that with a shrug of my wings, "We're females, females stick together."

He held up his head and declared in a booming voice, "That's it! Gender war, shall commence!"

Jessie poked her finger on the back of Frankie's neck, "You respect your majesty, beast." He looked back at her with a mischievous grin and then he sat down on his haunches. Jessie yelped as she was about to slip down his back. She threw her arms and hands around his neck, trying not to fall off of him, "Frankie! Stand up on all fours, this instant!"

Frankie laughed and did as she said, standing on all fours. He shot at her, "There, we're even now for twisting my ear."

She threatened him with a narrowed look, "Don't make me twist it, again." She held up her hand and moved all her fingers for emphasis.

Frankie lowered his body to the ground and giggled, "Well, ride's over. Hop off, your majesty."

Jessie sighed and slid off of him, dropping softly to the stone ground. She threw back her long blonde hair and went to face him, "You're very lucky, I'm not in the mood to twist it again. Or better yet, you're lucky I'm not in the mood for twisting your pride."

I tossed back my head and laughed, while Frankie sat down on his haunches and curled his tail around his legs, especially the spot between his legs protectively, "I won't let you touch it, girl."

She jabbed a finger up at his face, "That's QUEEN Jessie to you, asshole."

He shot up his head and snorted, "See what I mean, sister? Barking orders at me, again."

Jessie smiled at him, "You know I like barking orders at you. It's actually kind of fun."

He grumbled, "I don't think, it's damn fun. It's no damn fun, at all!"

Jessie laughed and slapped her knee at that, "Oh whatever, you big black dork. You love it."

Frankie sighed and chuckled, "I will get my revenge, someday."

I giggled and asked, "So, what are you guys doing here?"

Frankie looked at the memorial wall and answered, "Well, we were wondering around the city for a bit, then we decided to come to the memorial wall, after we both woke up from our nap."

Jessie looked at the wall too and took a few steps more closer to it, to get a good look, "I haven't seen this yet. That's the memorial wall?"

I looked down at her and then looked at the wall with them, "Yep, that's the memorial wall. The wall where every deceased dragon's name is engraved on it."

Jessie looked in shock and awe, at all the names engraved on the wall. She reached out and brushed the palm of her hand on each of them, "Gosh, that's a lot of dragons getting killed."

Frankie took a deep breath and let it out, "Yep, a lot of us did die, back then."

That's when Jessie had a thought and asked the both of us, puling her hand back, "So, which one's are your parents? Are they on it?"

I moved my paw with one claw extended and tapped at the names on the wall, "Right there."

Jessie saw the spot I was pointing at and saw their names. She held a sad look on her face, "I...I'm still sorry for your losses, guys." Then she motioned her hand toward the whole wall, "And I'm sorry, for all the losses your kind suffered."

Frankie lowered his head behind her and nudged her back  with his snout, "It's alright. Those times, have went passed us. They came and they've gone." She whirled around and cradled his chin in her hands, looking deeply into his eyes. I saw the way she looked at him, how she really cares about him. Just like Brandon, cares about me.

Jessie asked him, while she didn't take her gaze off of him, "Do you want to go, right now? Or do you want to stay?"

Frankie answered, "I want to stay here, for a bit. Just to...Stare at my mother and father's names."

She nodded and kissed his nose. She replied, "Alright well...I'm going to head off alone. I'll head to the Braveheart, so that's where I'll be at." She backed away from him a few steps, "You can stay here with your sister, I won't bother you to you guys."

Frankie rose his head and said, "You wouldn't be a bother to us, if you stayed. But I guess...Thank you."

Jessie turned to me and said with a small wave, "See you later, Rain." I nodded and with that, Jessie began to walk away from us and back on the street. Going on her way, alone.

I turned Frankie, his eyes locked on our family's names on the wall. I got up off my haunches, moved to sit down beside him and sat down on my butt again. Both of us, are sharing the same gaze on the wall now. Not looking at any other names on it, whatsoever. Frankie sighed and so did I. My brother said in a low voice, "Talk about a long time, since me and you sat here together."

I leaned my head onto his shoulder, "Yes, and talk about a long time, since they've been gone." He slowly wrapped his wing around me, feeling the warmth within it.

Frankie sighed again and said, "Hey Rain." I hummed in reply and he asked, "About that day....That day in the snow...Do you still think about it?"

I held a look of sorrow on my face, "I think, you know the answer to that. I still dream about it, up to this day."

He replied, "Hmpf, well....Today, I was kinda thinking about it. Thinking about what would've happened differently, if all of us flew off together and never came back. That mom would carry you in her paws and you two didn't stay behind in the woods to play. That mom wasn't attacked by humans and been murdered. That...Dad didn't leave us at all, for his own vengeance." He let out a breath and went on, "Or perhaps, if me and dad didn't leave you two alone, to begin with. Then we'd fight against those humans who attacked her. That she would be alive, if we stayed with you guys."

I reached to his neck with my snout and gave it a lick, "There are some things we can't change, brother."

Frankie nodded, "I know that. But..." He trailed off.

I asked, "What?"

"I just think....If mother was alive, try to imagine how our lives would've been different. That I wouldn't be angry at humans so much, that I would at least, take it easy on them from the very beginning. That I would've accepted them sooner, like you did. That...I would be a different drake, than I am now."

I looked at him, while my head's still laid on his shoulder and he went on, "That if mom was alive, she would...Talk to Jessie. Talk to her, in a nice soothing voice. Tell Jessie her stories and maybe sing to her in that soft lullaby, when she wants to sleep. That Jessie would love our mom, so much. That she wouldn't leave her side. Just like you." Frankie shut his eyes tight and let out a trembling breath, like he was going to break down in tears thinking about what it, "I just sometimes wish...Mom was still alive and dad too. I wish I saw them grow old, right now and never leave us. That I sometimes wish, I was a better drake than before. That I wasn't such an overprotective jerk."

I said to him in a soothing voice, "You're not a jerk. You were only doing what our dad told you to."

Frankie turned his gaze to mine, his eyes looked like they were about to water, "But I was so rude to Wayne and Amanda, years ago. Up to this day, until Jessie came. I was telling you to leave Tommy alone, but you didn't want to. And...I know that I hated him for hurting you, but I should've at least listened to you and your friends. That humanity, didn't forget about us dragon friends on purpose. That something changed them, made them forget. I...I shouldn't say that Tommy was evil, you cared for him, as your best friend. For years, you wanted him back and I didn't support it. And...I didn't listen to you. For a very long time, I never listened at all." He shuddered his whole body, his wing on my back shaking as well. He was about to cry.

Frankie leaned his head onto mine and he softly sobbed, his tears coming down slowly. I was shushing him, saying to him in a soft voice, the same tone of voice like our mother would use when we're crying. I told him that everything's alright. That thing's just happened and it has always been in the past. That you're not a jerk, you're my brother. My only family.

Frankie for about ten minutes, finally stopped crying and used the tip of his other wing to wipe off one tear off his scaled cheek, "Thanks Rain. I needed that."

I smiled at him, "I know you blame yourself for everything still and it's understandable. But me and my friends, never hated you. We never had. We wouldn't. And Jessie doesn't hate you either, she cares about you."

Frankie sniffed his nose, "I'll be truthful, if Jessie was so hurt because of my actions, if I didn't change before...I wouldn't forgive myself."

I leaned a bit more, to give my brother a nuzzle on his cheek with my own, "But you have and don't cry anymore. Jessie's not hurt, she never was."

Frankie finally began to form a smile on his snout, "Can I be truthful, Rain?" I nodded and he said, "Whenever Jessie sleeps by me, when I think about it....I feel like I'm sleeping with mom." I frowned at him and he explained, "That she just feels like mom, the way she talks to me, the way she makes me feel calm, the way she sleeps close to me. She literally feels like mom. To me, she does." He giggled to himself, "I think that's one reason, why I like Jessie so much. Because in a small way, she's like mother."

Frankie turned his gaze off of me back toward the memorial wall and sighed, "I never slept by mom at all, compared to you. I always slept by dad. But...A part of me wishes that I had."

I shook my head, "Brother, quit it."

Frankie giggled again and turned to me, "Sorry."

I shook my head again, "It's ok."

Frankie had a bit of a guilty look and said to me, "Look Rain...I never told you this literally and I know I shouldn't apologize for my actions, because it's all in the past. But...I'm sorry for how I was treating Tommy. I shouldn't have judged him before. I shouldn't have made you feel smothered by me. I should've let you live your own life. Let you be with Tommy, not be with an overbearing, controlling brother." He took a deep breath and let it out, shaking his head slowly, as he apologized again, "I'm sorry, Rain. I really am sorry."

I brushed his wing off of me and shifted on my haunches to turn my whole body towards him, "I know and thank you." Then now after he said all that, I wanted to tell this truth that I wanted to tell me brother for years. That Tommy was more than just my best friend. That me and him were mates. I wanted the truth to come out and tell Frankie right now. I only rolled my eyes to shyly look down at the ground, "Frankie....There's something I wanted to tell you too. Something that I should've told you, a long time ago."

He shifted around on his haunches to face me too, cocking his head in curiosity, "What is it?"

I was apprehensive to tell me brother about it. But I finally built the guts to tell him, "Tommy wasn't just my best friend. I...We were mates." I looked right at my brother now, "I loved him. I have loved him, for a long time. Despite what Tommy did to me, I loved him still."

Frankie didn't show any expression at all, at first. Then his snout showed a small giggle, of little disbelief, "I knew it. But I didn't believe it."

My eyes went wide and I reared back my head, "Wait, you knew?"

Frankie tilted his head a bit slowly, humming in thought, "Well...I did see that look on your face, when you defend him. That odd look on your face. Showing me this...Emotion in your eyes. Showing me that you loved him." He shook his head and went on, "I didn't believe it, or understand it at first, but..." He started to smile, "But now I do. And I can understand, why you love him. The way you talked about him, how you describe him...You cared for him."

I held a bit of a guilty look on my own face. Feeling a bit of guilt, for not telling him the truth for years, "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, Frankie. I was...Just afraid you would've called Tommy a manipulator and say that he never cared about me. Or I was afraid, you'd tell him to leave me and never come back. Those thoughts, have crossed my mind."

Frankie shook his head, "I wouldn't. I would've done it, before. But...I won't now." Then he hung his head in front of me, "I...Wish that things were different back then, for you and him. You two were so close and you were sad and alone for a long time. Despite you still had me and your friends, you wanted your love back. You've waited for him."

I admitted, "I did love him still, but even I have to let him go. Tommy's old and he won't live forever. Sooner or later, he'll die from that kind of age."

Frankie nodded, "I know."

Then I started to smile and admitted another truth out of me. He deserves that truth too, "I love Brandon, brother."

Frankie chuckled and looked at my face, "I think I figured that one out, pretty much. He's...The first human, you became so close with. And you know...I thank him that he found you. I thank him for making you happy. Compared to me."

I nodded, "Brandon's a good guy and he would never hurt me. And he swore, he'd never forget me, either."

Frankie remarked, "He's pretty committed to care for your feelings. That's what I like about him."

I had a sad look on my face, "He does and I love him, for being him. For all his feelings and for all his tactics to make me happy. He may not be Tommy, but I love him for who he is." I hung my head and sighed, "But he doesn't feel that way, about me, I'm sure. He loves Jessie, more than he loves me that way."

Frankie shook his head, "You're wrong." I stared at him wide eyed and he cocked his head with one brow raised, "What? He didn't tell you yet?"

Now I was cocking my head, "Tell me what?"

Frankie admitted, "Jessie told me last night, that Brandon only wants to stay friends with her."

My eyes widened again, "What?"

He nodded, "That's what she says. She was a bit depressed about it, but she's fine now."

I had a pity look for Jessie and looked down at my paws, "Oh...Jessie."

Frankie waved me off with a paw, "Don't worry about it. Jessie's fine, really she is."

I giggled a bit in disbelief, "I can't really believe my ears. I'd thought Brandon wanted her. But...He doesn't." I shook my head at myself, "I can't believe it. I wonder, what made him change his mind?"

Frankie shrugged his shoulders, "Heck, if I know. I don't know what he's thinking most of the time." Then he reached up with his paw and scratched his neck, having a bit of a nervous look on him, "And I have a confession to make too and I only wanted to tell you this, because I just want to let it out and you're my sister. And don't tell anyone about it, ok?"

I looked at my brother, "What's that, Frankie?"

Frankie puffed out his chest and said in a low voice, "I...I'm in love with Jessie."

On the one part inside of me, I was surprised. But another part within me, actually knew he'd like her that way. I just smiled at him, "I had a feeling, that you were liking her that way."

Frankie giggled nervously, "Funny, huh? That a stubborn drake like me, would love a sweet human girl, like her."

I shook my head, "I think that a stubborn drake like you, finding love in your life, is nothing funny about it. You care for her."

Frankie sighed, "Yeah, I do care for her, but I'm afraid to tell her the truth about it. I...I don't-"

"Want to frighten her?" He nodded at that and I said to him, "I understand that fear. I don't want to frighten Brandon by my own feelings, make things awkward. And also, before me and Tommy got together, I didn't want to scare him off because of them either. But...He stayed with me and we became mates." I glanced away from him, "Course, I'm hoping that Brandon does love me that way, because I care about him so much. Because Wayne told me to just wait for him to show those signs. And then either he'll tell me, or I will."

Frankie asked, "And it's just a wild guess from me, but....Wayne was in love with Sierra, right?" I looked at him, giggled and nodded, then Frankie asked again, "And Neal and Amanda too?"

I laughed and nodded again, "Yes, brother. Before Sierra disappeared, she and Wayne were mates. And Neal and Amanda are too." I cocked my head at him, "Just to make it clear, you don't have any problems with that?"

Frankie shook my head, "Like I said, I would've before, but I don't now." He gave me a big grin, "And I'm glad you don't have a problem with me, liking Jessie."

I waved him off, "I wouldn't judge you, brother. It's your life and you choose how to live it." I tossed back my head, "Besides, Jessie's a nice girl. Despite that she has a mean streak, she's nice. I know THAT from experience."

Frankie giggled at that, "Me too. In fact, I sometimes picture her, as a beautiful dragoness. Not bad, in my opinion." I laughed and then he asked with a bit of an apprehensive expression, "So how did you do it? How did you ever tell Tommy, how you feel? I want to know, what to do."

I advised, "How you should do it, well only wait for her to show those feelings, if she does have them. Don't say anything to her, just wait. Nothing more."

He cocked his head, "How long, do I have to wait?"

"As long as it takes, remember she's a human, not a dragon. Wait for her to tell you, or show you those feelings first. But if she only shows you those feelings, then you tell her the truth. Don't tell her the truth, before then, only when that moment comes. Don't rush it, just wait for it. It'll come someday, if she loves you too."

Frankie held his breath and let it out, "Well....I guess I can wait. No need to rush it and tell her. Besides, we're together all the time, it's not like she'll leave me forever."

I winked at him, "Precisely."

Frankie smiled brightly at me, "Thank you, sister. And just for our own record." He pointed a claw at me, "You earn my blessing, when it comes to Brandon."

I smiled at him too, "And you have my blessing, when it comes to Jessie. And you're welcome." I pointed a claw at him, "Only you and Wayne, know my feelings toward Brandon, so don't tell anyone this, ok?"

He shook his head, "I won't. And I'm sure, you won't tell anyone about how I feel towards Jessie."

I waved him off, "I won't and thank you."

Frankie sighed and got off his haunches, then he started to walk past me, "I'm gonna go now. Jessie's probably waiting for me." I nodded at him and he said to me when he took another step away from me, "And for your sake, sister. I hope you and Brandon are together one day. You deserve each other." And with that, he started to walk away from me. Leaving me alone at the memorial wall.

I had a bit of a hopeful look on me. So Brandon, doesn't want Jessie anymore? And he just wants to be friends? I do feel bad for Jessie, for feeling rejected by him, but at least she's ok. Maybe she can find love with Frankie. I think now, in my opinion, they seem to be meant for each other.

I got up off my haunches and sighed. But I hope that time comes for me and Brandon. I love him, so much.

Brandon...I hope you love me back, someday. I will always stay with you, as your friend. But I do want you as my mate.

I hope that you do feel it and don't feel apprehensive about it, that you'd at least give it a chance.

With that hope, I hope you do. My Brandon.

******

Diana Long's driving behind the steering wheel in her car. On her way home in the afternoon, after her hard day at work. She had let out a nervous sigh. Thinking about her son. Knowing that the police still haven't found him yet. She's thinking that the worst has happened to him.

She turned left onto her driveway, using the garage door opener on her sun visor. The door opened automatically for her and she pulled her car into the garage to park it. She turned off her car, took her keys out of the ignition, picked up her purse and got out of there. She pressed the button on the wall nearby to close the garage door, after parking her car in there. Diana went to the side door and went outside. But before she could go to her house, she walked in fast strides to the mailbox. Expecting a bill to come in. She got in front of it and opened it, with a loud squeak.

Diana found a pile of mail in there, some of it's just junk. Before she could close the mailbox, she saw something else in there, that caught her eye. It looked like a folded up piece of paper. She frowned at it, wondering what it is. She picked it up too and now she shut the mailbox. She walked up to her house, to her front door after that. She went through it and closed it behind her. She sighed and went into the dining room, sitting down on a chair near the table. She sat aside her purse and the mail she found in her mailbox and just focused her eyes, above everything else, on the piece of paper in her hand, that was in there.

Diana held it in both hands and unfolded the paper, she realized that it's a letter to her. She began to read it, read it real slow like, her eyes trailing on each word she read. After she read the whole thing for about two minutes, she started to have tears in her eyes, realizing that her son's actually alive and he left her that letter.

She's beginning to think, he must've came back home last night, while she was working night shift and left that letter behind, telling her he's alright. And she believes it. Believes every word on that letter. She also knows that it really was written by Brandon himself, she recognized his handwriting.

Diana let the letter flop out of her hands and she pressed them to her face. Letting out tears of relief and joy, knowing full well that he's alive and she'll see him again. She missed that chance last night, but she'll have that chance again. She cried for such a long time and removed her hands off her face, her face still wet from them. She looked out the window and began to form a smile. She muttered to herself, like she was talking to Brandon right now, "I'm glad you're alive, Brandon. And I'll wait for you. I'll wait for you to come back, my baby boy."