"F" as in Falcon

Chapter 7

Ok, I’ve finally updated… I’m SO sorry for the long wait, but unfortunately I have had other things to do… I’ll make it up to you with a lemon in the next chap…

THANK YOU!! To all my reviewers!!! I love you, you know that?

Warnings and disclaimers are in chap 1. It’s still beta-read by Birdie-chan. THANK YOU!!!! Ok, I’ll ramble less and get on with the story =)


------------------------------------

Ray's pov


"Kai, it's ok. You don't have to tell me."

"Yes I do. I have to talk to some one. And as I said, the Demos don't talk about it... Ray, that tape was of Voltaire, my "grandfather", raping Tala. Apparently he has done that every time he has been in Russia since he took me to Japan..."

"Oh god! I'm so sorry Kai..."

"The worst thing is... Is that Tala thinks I'll leave him because of it. He hardly speaks to me any more."

"He's scared, and he probably feels ashamed."

"Why should he be ashamed?"

"Remember the restaurant in Hong Kong I worked in?"

"Yes?"

"One of the waitresses there got raped, and the one thing she kept saying was that she was ashamed of herself. Ashamed that she couldn't protect herself and that she was now "tainted". Don't you think Tala is feeling the same? And I bet it doesn't help that it was your grandfather. He probably thinks you will blame him."

"I would never do that!"

"I know that. But when you're scared you don't think straight. And from
what I've understood, they haven't exactly experienced that much love and respect in their lives."

"You're right about that."

"You just have to find a way to show him that you love him, that you won't leave. I can't tell you how to do that because I don't know Tala. But you do."

"Yeah..."

"Just think about it. So where are you living now?"

"Tala's still in the hospital, but the rest of us have moved into a four room apartment in Moscow. I could have used your help a couple of times..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, cooking and such things weren't exactly on the schedule in the Abbey. It took two hours for Spencer to figure out how the laundry machine worked. I never thought there would be so many difficulties once they'd get out..."

"I guess... I guess it's like they have been living in a cult or something. You know, completely sealed off from the world. How are they doing with it? I have a feeling that none of them are very keen on accepting help."

"You're right. They rather take a whole day to complete something than ask for some help. They even have a hard time with me helping them."

"Maybe that's a good thing. If they are so keen to be independent they'll probably adjust quicker. How's it going with Bryan’s agoraphobia?"

"He told you about that? You really must have made an impression on him to make him trust you that much... Well, to tell the truth, it isn't going too well. He hardly wants to leave the apartment during the days. Once the sun has set he can come out with us... It's unnerving to see some one as strong as he is this scared..."

"But he doesn't want any help with that either, right?"

"Right."

"I can try to help him, even though it's just letters. Maybe it's even better that way. He doesn't have to face me, so maybe it's easier to accept help from me."

"I hope you're right."

"Is there anything else I could do to help?"

"Come and visit some time?"

"I'd love to."

"By the way, the Falcon decided to use the Phoenix as a dove to deliver a letter to the Kitten." Kai smirked.

"You're NOT allowed to call me Kitten."

"Sorry, but it's hard not to when you live with some one who keeps saying it in his sleep."

"He does that?"

"You like it?" He smirked again.

"Yeah... I do... You know you could have just written a letter, you didn't have to come here."

"I know. But I missed you and I needed some one to talk to about Tala... And I thought you deserved to hear this face to face. You've helped us a lot."

"Thanks."

We just sat there for a while, before Kai shook his head and smiled at me.

"You puzzle me Ray."

"I do?"

"Yes. We hurt you and your friends, we tried to steal one of your most precious possessions, and he almost killed you. And you start to care about us... you start to fall for him. You must have the purest heart in the world, you know."

"I don't. But I follow my heart. You're good people, all of you. Life just hasn't been fair to you. People aren't fair to you, but I'm not like them..."

I looked down at the envelope he had given me, at the neat "F".

"Mariah thinks I have a girlfriend in Russia."

"So she has finally given up?"

"Yeah, she has actually been pretty good about it. No screaming or things like that."

"I'm impressed."

"So am I. Lee on the other hand thinks that we should be together, as you heard."

"Hn."

"Why does he write with a quill?"

"A bit of vanity I guess. It's a falcon quill. Actually, it's one of Falborg's quills."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope, Bryan and Falborg's connection is the strongest one I've ever seen between bit beast and master. Bryan simply loves everything in falcons."

"Then I know what to get for his birthday."

"Then we need to find out when it is."

"When what is?"

"His birthday. It's sometime in December, I know that... But they didn't really celebrate birthdays in the Abbey. At the last day of the month
they declared who was a year older, that's it."

"And you? Have you been celebrating your birthday?"

"Somewhat since I went to school in Japan for a while..."

"Well, we'll just have to change that!"

He laughed and so did I. There was a great sadness in the things he told me, but if he chose to see it from the bright side, then so would I. He stayed a couple of days, keeping away from the rest of the village, the Tigers in particular. He gained some confidence in that he would be able to convince Tala about his love during his visit. Even though I got a feeling that he doubted that Tala loved him…

He was going to leave in an hour and we sat on my bed, talking, when he suddenly swore.

"What?"

"I almost forgot. Lee was sort of right. Mr. D. has announced that there won't be a world tour this year, they need to clean up the mess that Biovolt created, but the Blade Breakers will get together anyway."

"For real?" I felt like jumping up and down from happiness.

"Yes. There will be a get-together for all the teams in Hong Kong in two months and after that we will go back to Japan. If you still want to be on the team, that is."

"Are you kidding me? Of course I want to. Wait, does that mean that you will come, too?"

"Yes."

"But, why?"

"It feels right."

"Ok... Will they come to the gathering too?"

"No. I doubt that Tala will be strong enough to travel. And even if he would be, they still have too much on their schedule. With the trials starting and all."

"Don't you have to be there for that?"

"Tala won’t let me. He says that it was bad enough that I saw that tape once... And I don't really have anything to testify about... Not compared to them."

As I watched Kai leave later that day I couldn’t help but make a prayer that all of the Demolition Boys would be ok. Including the fifth member that we were allowed to borrow…

R&R?