I laid down on my stomach in the sun near April's house. The birds chirping and the wilderness seems peaceful. It's the afternoon now.

I closed my eyes and hummed in satisfaction. The sun really feels warm today. A little warmer than the other day.

My thoughts went on to April and from last night. The night when I've finally accepted her as a friend.

A smile formed across my beak. She really does remind me of Cassandra, she really does. That smile and her cheerful nature, it's pretty much the same as hers.

I never really thought that me and her would be friends in a heartbeat. Of course, I was the stubborn one and I didn't give her a chance sooner.

But now I have, and me and her have been close.

My thoughts then went to her family. She did say she has been through some tough times and it involved her family. I wonder what she meant?

Did her family die, just like Jason's? I remember that glum look on her face, before I took her flying.

It looked like the exact same look as Jason's. That's how I figured it.

I opened my eyes and let out a sigh. I hope her family didn't suffer a horrible death just like Jason's. That I could really hope for.

Maybe I could ask her sometime. After all I am her friend now. That's what friends are for.

I'll ask her about her family one day. I'm kinda curious about it.

Then...Perhaps I can tell her about how Alan and Cassandra died. It's a fair deal after all.

Of course it wouldn't be easy, I don't even want to think about it.

While I was thinking about April, I saw someone walking on the road heading to April's house in the distance.

A smile formed across my beak when I saw the face of the person.

It was Jason.

Jason waved when he saw me and I waved my paw back at him.

Jason waked until he was close to me, he said, "Hey big guy. Thought I find you here."

I shrugged, "Probably because I said I was going to be here. That's how you knew."

Jason shrugged as well, "Yeah well still, it was worth a shot. I thought you would go back to living in that cave all alone in there."

I nodded and said, "Well I was thinking about it when I left you at your new house. But then I decided to give April a chance."

Jason grinned and asked, "So how did that go?"

I nodded, "It went better than I expected." Then I had a serious look on my face, "Of course, I didn't trust her WELL at first. But in the end, I do now." I grinned at him, "She's not all bad actually."

Jason's face went wide and he exclaimed, "Well that didn't take you long at all! I thought it would take you a...Few weeks to get used to her, or something."

My face went as well and I narrowed my eyes at him, "What? No, I wouldn't wait THAT long to get use to her. In fact how I started to trust her, it was easy."

Jason frowned and asked, "How did you manage that?"

I answered, "I took her flying last night and I talked to her about my life."

Jason then patted my shoulder, "That's good, I knew you could do it. That was your first step of trusting someone else other than me."

I shrugged my wings, "It seemed worth it to me. April reminds me of your mother."

He smiled, "No kidding?"

I shook my head, "No kidding. She's a nice girl." Then I started to sniff the air, something smelled...Stinky.

I sniffed some more and then I heard Jason giggling. I frowned at him and asked, "What?"

Jason with a devious grin shook his head, "Nothing, big guy."

I still had the frown and I sniffed some more. I followed the scent and I lowered my head to Jason's level. I got my head close to his chest and my stopped sniffing and pulled away from him immediately. I blew out my nose in disgust.

God what is that smell?!

I raised my head and shook my head, trying to get the smell out of my beak, "What is that smell on you?"

Jason laughed and answered, "Fish and fish guts."

I groaned and shook my head to get the smell out of my head, "God, and you didn't take a bath? You smell horrible!"

Jason giggled and said, "Sorry about that. It's just I didn't get a chance to see you yesterday and I wanted to today. So I skipped the shower after work and came all the way here." He shrugged, "The smell doesn't bother me."

I glared at him and exclaimed, "That's because you don't smell yourself! YOU SMELL LIKE FISH!"

Jason laughed again, "Well it's because I have a job that involves me cutting up fish. I work at the docks in town."

I nodded, "Oh, so that's where you're working. Make sense now. No wonder you smell bad."

Jason gave me a mock expression, "What and miss another day of not spending time with you? No dice."

Despite the smell he's emitting, I grinned at him, "I could never stay mad at you. Sounds like you have a good job."

He shrugged, "Might as well make a living somewhere."

Then I glared at him, "And you didn't bring me any fish to eat? That's real kind of you."

He crossed his arms and grinned, "You didn't ask."

I grumbled under my breath.

Jason's face went wide and he glared at me, "What did you say?"

I put on a smile for him and waved him off with a paw, "Nothing nephew. I didn't talk badly about you."

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah right, you're a bad liar."

I shot back, "You know me all too well to know I'm a bad liar."

Jason laughed and he reached out to touch my feathers. I leaned into his touch. He's getting a scratch on my neck. God that felt good!

I muttered while he was scratching me, "Jason, that feels good. I've been trying to get that itch for almost the whole day now!"

Jason pulled his hand away and asked, "Better?"

I nodded and looked at him, "Much better."

Then I saw April coming out of the house and came toward us. She waved at Jason, "Hi Jason."

Jason turned his head and grinned at her, "Hey April."

April came to a stop near him and asked, "So since this is the first time you're near my house, how do you like it?"

Jason looked at it and nodded, "It looks okay. That place looks old though."

April nodded and looked at the house, "Yeah, this place has been around for years. Probably since 1977."

I looked at the house as well. Doesn't look THAT old to me. Of course I can't go in there since I'm big, so how would I know? 

April looked at Jason and asked, "So how are you doing? You know since you're basically still new at Southport."

Jason nodded, "I've been good. I got myself a job at the docks. I'm working at a fish workshop."

April then sniffed the air. When she smelled Jason, she groaned and put both hands to her nose. While her mouth and face were covered, we could hear her voice muffled, "God...You smell like fish!"

I nodded, "That's what I said to him."

April narrowed her eyes at me and said with a muffled voice, "And you didn't warn me about the damn smell? It really STINKS!"

I laughed hard and I slammed my paw in laughter.

Jason waved her off, "Whatever, I'll be working there almost a week pretty soon. So you have to get used to it." Then he playfully grinned at her.

April finally took her hands off her face and said, "Well at least take a BATH before you visit me and Ben. I hate the smell of fish guts and I've lived in almost my whole life!"

I grinned at her, "Well you should have been used to it by now."

She shook her finger at me, "Don't push it, parrot head."

I squawked and exclaimed, "Parrot head? I'm not a damn parrot! I'm more bigger and sexier than a parrot! I'm a gryphon! The mightiest of all creatures!" Then I shot up my head proudly.

April deviously grinned at me and jokingly said, "Yeah, a parrot who shows off."

I glared at her, "Shut up girl."

She put both hands to her hips and glared, "DON'T CALL ME GIRL."

My eyes went wide. Maybe I better not call her girl anymore. She might pull more feathers off of me. I waved her off and had an apologetic look, "Sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Then she giggled.

I said, "I'm sorry for calling you girl." Then I frowned at her, "There happy now, woman?"

Then she pointed at me, "You damn right I'm a woman, and don't you forget it."

Jason laughed, "Well you just got your ass threatened by a woman, big bird."

I glared at him, "Don't you start, young man. You don't get off the hook that easily."

Jason waved me off, "Whatever. Well I just came here to say hello, so I'll leave you guys be." He whirled around and started to walk away.

April and I looked at him. Then April called out, "Hey Jason, are you hungry? There's food in my house, if you want any."

Jason was halfway gone and he whirled around and started to walk backwards. He hollered, "No thanks! Maybe later!" Then he waved at us and he turned around to keep on walking.

ME and April watched him leave until he was out of our sight. April looked at me and frowned, "Well he didn't stay here very long. I guess he realized he needed a bath after all."

I laughed and I shook my head, "Well that's one reason. But I think another reason is he wanted us to be alone."

She asked, "Why?"

I said, "Because he wanted me to get more used to you. To spend more time with you other than just Jason."

April smiled and said, "Lets not forget Emma. You'll be getting used to her pretty soon."

I nodded in agreement, "True, she's your best friend."

April then changed the subject, "Well Ben, are you hungry? I could give you something to eat if you want."

I grinned at her, "What do you have?"

"I have steak." Then she winked at me.

I nodded, "Sure, I'll have that. It better be smoked steak."

She narrowed her eyes at me, "We'll see." Then she went to her house, leaving me alone.

I sighed again and looked up at the blue sky.

My friendship with April is going to be great.

Perhaps Emma can be another friend of mine in this town. That way I can have two friends who aren't Jason.

Sounds perfect to me. If I'm staying here forever, might as well make the best of it.

Then a thought came to me. Maybe tonight I'll fly around over the city, see if there's any trouble that I can handle.

Sounds like a plan to me. I hope I don't have the time to do it.

*****

Brooke sat down in her bedroom at her house. At her desk, typing on her computer.

A few key strokes and she typed 'Jonas Hemingway' on Google. She pressed the search button and so far there weren't a lot of results that were helpful.

She sighed to herself. She was thinking about what she was doing.

What am I doing? I still think this is pointless. Jonas Hemingway didn't do anything wrong in this town so far. I know the sheriff is doing his job, but I just think he's wrong about him. And he wants me to look him up on the internet, to find something, ANYTHING that might implicate him.

If Jonas didn't do it, then he didn't do it.

I sighed again. Then again my curiosity for him is killing me. Ever since he started to live here since two days ago, he hasn't talked about his life. Me, Thomas and him had breakfast a few morning already, but he hasn't spoken much.

Like he...Didn't have anything to really talk about.

Well he travelled for...God knows how long. I wonder if he has any family?

That makes me feel sorry for him. Most hitchhikers I dealt with were older than him. He looks...Younger than that.

I really wonder why he just walks alone without any ID at all. I want to know.

Brooke continued to type and then a hand went over her body, she gasped in fright and jumped in her chair.

She heard a giggle behind her and she started to smile when she recognized the voice and playfully said, "Hi honey." She turned her head to look over her shoulder and she saw that it was her husband, Thomas.

Thomas grinned at her, "Thought I play a joke on you. I haven't done that to you since we were kids."

Brooke giggled, "Well you got me good. I didn't even hear you come into our room. You were quiet."

Thomas leaned his head closer to hers. His nose touching hers, "I was always quiet. You know me better than that." Then he gave her a kiss on the lips.

Brooke nodded and grinned, "I know."

Thomas pulled his head away and put his hand on her shoulder, "So how was your day? Catch any criminals?"

Brooke shook her head, "Nope, and you should know that patrolling the streets can be boring sometimes. This town is always quiet."

Thomas shrugged, "Well better than staying in a big city. Cities are always loud."

Brooke giggled and nodded, "Point taken, honey."

Thomas looked at the computer and stared curiously at it, "What are you looking at?"

Brooke looked at the computer with him and she shrugged, "Just thought I should look up...Jonas on Google."

Thomas turned his gaze on Brooke and frowned, "Why?"

Brooke sighed, "Well...The sheriff wanted me to find something on the internet about him. Anything that would prove that he's a criminal. See if I can...Find out who he is."

Thomas took his hand off her shoulder and exclaimed, "Well he seems to be a good kid. I know you said you've arrested him and he never had ID. But I think he was just a normal hitchhiker. I don't think he did anything wrong."

Brooke looked at Thomas and nodded in agreement, "Well so do I. But the sheriff is not convinced otherwise. He's convinced Jonas is a criminal."

Thomas then looked up at the ceiling, putting some thought into it, "Well now that I think about it, he never talked about his life. He's always...Quiet. Every time he eat with us in the morning, he doesn't say anything. It's like we're talking to a ghost."

Brooke sighed, "Look, I don't know what kind of life he went through. But I want to know myself. I know I should talk to him and all, but what if he wasn't telling me the truth when I'm talking to him. He never had ID, so he could be lying about his name."

Thomas had his eyes go wide in shock and then he asked, "You don't think his name's Jonas?"

Brooke looked at him with uncertainty, "I don't know what to believe. He could be telling the truth about his name." Then she put her hand to her forehead, "Now I'm getting paranoid just like the sheriff."

Thomas got behind her and leaned his body down to her and wrapped his arms over her body. He rested his head on her shoulder and leaned to kiss her cheek. He muttered, "You're not paranoid. You're just...Curious."

Brooke turned her gaze to Thomas and sighed, "Well thanks to my boss, I'm kinda paranoid."

Thomas grinned at her, "Look, I still don't think he's a criminal. He hasn't done wrong yet."

Brooke nodded, "Yep I know."

Thomas unwrapped his arms and pulled himself away. He asked, "So where is Jonas? Did he come home from work?"

Brooke answered, "He came back earlier, took a shower and then he just left. Guess he wasn't in the mood for sitting around. He really gets around."

Thomas said, "I figured as much." Then he added by asking, "Do you want anything?"

She turned around in her chair and shook her head, "No, I'm going to look up Jonas some more. If there's nothing on there. Then either he's good at hiding, or he never did any wrongdoing at all in his life."

Thomas shrugged, "Hard to know with those things." Then he waved at her, "I'll leave you be. I'm going to cook dinner. I'll holler when it's ready."

Brooke nodded and before he left, Brooke said, "I love you."

Thomas nodded and smiled, "I love you too." He waved and walked out of the room.

Brooke turned around in her chair to face the computer. She sighed and went back to searching.

There has to be something on here about Jonas. I want to know WHO he is and WHERE he came from.

I'm not thinking he's a criminal, I just want to know.

I hope I can find out sooner than I think. there are a lot of results. Better try to narrow them down.

*****

I sat down on the dock near the edge of town. My feet dangling over the edge. My feet barely touching the water.

The sun was about to set. Looked like a beautiful view from right here.

I smiled and sighed in contempt. Beautiful.

Simply beautiful.

Back at where I grew up from in New York, there wasn't a view like this, EVER.

Me and my family should have heard of this place and moved her a long time ago. That would've been great.

Hell if that happened, I would be a fisherman here. Not work in some grocery store.

Odd when you think about how your life would change if...Your family was still alive.

I looked up at the sky and sighed. Mom...Dad...

I'm trying to start a new life here now. Me and Ben almost left here, but we didn't.

I think you guys are happy for me now. Happy that I've found a new life to live in.

Seems to be working so far. I wonder how wonderful it gets in time.

I wonder....

A voice behind me cut through my thoughts, "Jason."

My face went wide and I looked over my shoulder. It was Emma behind me. She grinned at me.

I smiled at her, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

She shrugged, "I came to fine you." Then she added, "Well I never knew you would be here in this spot. Watching the waves, watching the sun go down. That's usually the spot I go to."

I waved a hand, "Why?"

"No reason. Well just to have some thought to myself."

I nodded, "Well, I just came and sat here, thought I have some time to myself as well."

Emma asked, "Can I join you?"

I patted a spot beside me, "Sure, go ahead."

Emma came to me, the wooden planks creaking with every step. She got close to the edge of the dock and sat down beside me. her feet dangling over the edge like mine.

Both of us looked ahead, watching the waves and the sun. Emma giggled, "I went to April's house after work today, and I saw Ben there. He seems to be making himself at home."

I nodded without looking at her, "Ben is starting to trust April now."

Emma looked at me and grinned, "He trusts me now as well. He didn't even look at me suspiciously like before. I think April's kindness did wonders on him."

I glanced at her, smiling and I looked up ahead again, "That's good. I knew he would trust you guys sooner or later."

Emma then giggled again and used her finger to poke my ribs, "And they also told me YOU smelled like fish. Is that true? I know you work at the fish workshop, but seriously, you need to take a shower when you get home."

I groaned in frustration and giggled, "Well I'll keep that in mind from now on. Besides that, I was afraid that if I take a warm shower before I went to visit Ben, I would forget about him."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Excuses. You just don't like to take showers, you dirty boy."

I playfully narrowed my eyes at her, "Dirty boy? Well maybe I like being dirty." Then we both laughed.

We both stopped laughing and sat there in silence. Emma broke the silence by sighing. She said, "Hey Jason?"

I looked at her. She seemed to look curious. I asked, "What?"

Emma looked at me and asked, "About...Your family, what happened to them?"

My eyes went wide and I just took my gaze to look ahead. I sighed. I don't even want to talk about it.

Emma put her hand on my shoulder, "Look, I can tell you don't want to talk about your family. I mean I know what their names are. Even your grandfather."

I looked at her with a frown, "How did you-"

She said, "When I visited Ben and April today, Ben told me a little bit about himself. How he existed, where he came from. Your grandpa George found him, is that right?"

I nodded and she went on, "He did say that George died and your mom and dad died too. But he didn't want to talk about it. So I just-"

This time I cut her off, "I don't want to talk about it either."

Emma had a pity look on her face, "Jason-"

But I didn't let her finish and I got up on my feet real fast on the dock. I whirled around and started to walk away from her.

She got up as well, calling out to me, "Wait!"

I didn't stop, I kept walking without looking back. She ran after me, and she got in front of me and put both her hands on my body to stop me.

I just looked down at my feet, not looking at her, "Emma...Don't do this."

Emma just shook her head and let her hands fall to her sides, "Jason, I don't want you to leave me. I really want to talk to you."

I shook my head, my gaze still at my feet, "Emma, just let me go."

She shook her head again, "No Jason."

I finally looked at her and she said, "I want to help you. I know you don't want to think about it. And neither do Ben. But you can't just handle it alone. Neither of you guys can handle it alone. You need to talk to someone. Talk to a friend." She put on a smile, "And it might as well be me."

My mind was filled with painful emotions and I started to say this, "Emma-"

She put a finger to my mouth, silencing me, "Jason please. I'm your friend and I care about you. Look you saved my life from those criminals a few nights ago and now I feel like I owe you. You saved me, I help you, that's how it would work. We always help each other."

I had a sad and painful look on my face, "Emma...Please." My throat tightened a bit.

Emma shook her head, "Look I don't even know what your life was like. You hardly ever told me anything yet. And I'm tired of it. I...I just want to know what happened to you. You really look like a kind person, and so am I."

She put a hand to her chest and pleaded, "Please Jason...Talk to me. Let me help you. You deserve it more than anyone."

I looked down at my feet again, shutting my eyes tight. Trying to not let the tears form. I don't want to tell her. It's...Very hard.

Emma pressed me with a stern voice, "Well?"

I let out a very long sigh and took a deep breath and said, "Emma...It's very hard on me." Then I looked at her and said, "But...I guess I'll try. You've met me a few days ago and I want to live here in this town. You at least deserve to know the truth about me. Because you're just so kind to me."

She smiled and I went on, "Ok..." I rubbed the back of my neck and said, "I used to live...In New York."

Her eyes went wide and I said, "Well not the city of New York, just somewhere in the state. I lived in a house in the middle of the woods, just with my mom and dad. That's how I met Ben, he lived in a cave in the woods, not far off from my house."

Emma asked, "So what happened? Why are...You and Ben alone? How did they die?"

I sighed, "Mom and dad...Died in a car accident."

Her eyes went wide and I went on, "I was in the car with them. Somehow...I survived, I was fifteen when it happened. Sitting in the back seat, got real lucky." I sighed again, "That was six years ago."

Emma had a sad look and asked, "Is that why you and Ben left?"

I shook my head, "That wasn't the only reason why."

Emma pressed me, "What?"

I said, "I was about to go to a foster home. Since my grandpa died from a brain tumor before my parents died, I didn't have any family left. But what everyone didn't know, was that there was only one family I had left, and it was Ben."

I closed my eyes, recalling the memories, "I wanted to say I don't want to leave Ben, but I couldn't say anything to anyone. Because of what Ben is, he's not a human like us. I..I didn't want him hurt."

She shrugged, "So you and Ben left New York, because you were about to be...Sent away to a foster home?"

I opened my eyes and a few tears fell down my face, "No...It was something else."

She frowned at me and I took a deep breath, trying to calm down my tightening throat. Finally I let it out and said, "Some people tried to kill me and Ben."

Emma gasped and put a hand to her chin, "What?"

I nodded, "When I got back to my house, just to pack up my stuff. Several people came to my house and...Tried to kill me. They almost succeeded, until Ben saved me."

She looked at me and I went on, "They almost killed Ben as well. But I was just a kid, I was scared to fight back at first. Finally I...I picked up one of dad's guns and...Killed several of them, before they would kill me and Ben."

She shook her head and muttered softly, "Oh my god."

I throat was back to tightening still and I said through a small sob, tears falling down my cheeks, "I...I wanted to go to the police about it. But it's just....Ben told me it was a bad idea. We killed several people that night. There weren't any witnesses, so I was probably gonna go away to prison for murder. Ben then would hide and he would be alone without me."

I shut my eyes tight as more tears fell down, "I...I couldn't take the chance. And plus, there would have been more of those...People. They really wanted to kill us. That's why me and Ben traveled from place to place, because we were afraid they would find us. But we weren't sure if there were more of them, but we couldn't take our chances."

I sighed and opened my eyes, "I didn't want to die. I didn't want Ben to die."

Emma finally opened her mouth and asked, "Who were those people? Why would they want to kill you?"

I shut my eyes tight again and sobbed loudly, "I don't know. I JUST DON'T KNOW!" Then I placed both my hands to my face and sobbed some more. My cries being muffled.

Emma had a really sad look on her face and I removed my hands off my face and went on, "I...I lost my family, my home, my LIFE. I've lost everything that I ever had. And it wasn't fair. I deserve to live a normal life just like everyone else. But for six years...I never had one."

I sobbed again, sniffing my nose and I looked at her, "Do you know what it was like to be like ME? Do you know what it was like to live alone for six years without a life? Except to fight and survive for a living. Except to only rely on Ben, the only member of your family."

I shook my head and went on, "But what if he died before I came here? Then I would have been REALLY alone."

I blinked at her, looked down at my feet and muttered, "I don't want to be alone, Emma. I...I'm scared to be alone." Then I sobbed a little bit more.

Emma just watched me sob in front of her and she walked one step toward me, she was real close to me.

I looked at her and she was with a determined voice, "You're not alone, Jason. I'm your friend."

I stared at her and she went on, "You are never alone. You will always have Ben. And there will be no one after you anymore."

I nodded in agreement, "I know...But sometimes I still dream about it. Up to this day."

She put a comforting hand on my shoulder, "Everything's going to be okay. And I would protect you now. No matter what happens. And I would protect Ben as well."

She smiled at me, "I know I'm not much, but I would try my best to help you two. I'm not afraid to try. Please Jason...I know you want my help." She gripped her hand tight on my shoulder.

I peered in her eyes and then without hesitation I wrapped my arms around her. She cried out a bit in surprise. I started to sob into her shoulder.

She returned the hug shortly after and I muttered in her shoulder, "You...You remind me of my mother. That's why I liked talking to you, ever since I've first met you."

I sobbed again and said, "I miss her, Emma. I miss dad as well. I...I want my family back. I want my LIFE back." I sobbed more loudly than before. Sniffing very loudly.

Emma whispered in my ear while I was sobbing, "You do have your life back." Then she started to caress my back with her hand.

Both of us went on our knees slowly on the docks. Emma shielding me from the world.

I never told anyone this before. Not after what happened.

You're the first person I've told this to, Emma. You are.

Thanks Emma for everything.

I knew there was a good reason why I've met you.

Thank you.