Clipped Wings

Sometimes Things Leave Us, Sometimes it Hurts, Sometimes it's For The Better

Victoria is dead.

Those three words echo throughout my head and I can't focus on anything else. I hug her limp body to my chest, sobs sending my body into violent shaking fits.

I don't notice as Jonah slaps Vanessa.

I don't notice as Tommy tackles her to the ground.

I don't notice as the police arrive and arrest Jonah for kidnapping and Vanessa for murder.

I don't notice as Tommy explains as much as he can to the cops.

But suddenly, my arms are removed by someone else's from around the girl's body.

"No," I whisper.

"Adam, she's gone," the voice belongs to Ian McDougal.

"No," I say again, looking up at the figure in front of me, the one taking the body away. I think that it is McDougal, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure of anything, now that I think of it. Kinda like a dream. You think something is happening, but you're not sure. It's all fuzzy and clear at the same time, it makes sense but it doesn't. I come to the conclusion that I am, in fact, dreaming. Surely Victoria is alive. She's sleeping on my couch like she does every night. Soon, I'll wake up on my own bed, drenched in cold sweat and shaking, but other than that, I'll be fine. Because Victoria will be alive. And Tommy will be there. We'll be happy, searching for a cure to the curse Char gave us. Maybe I don't even have wings. Maybe I'm in a coma, from passing out after the interview. If Victoria never existed, then she never could have died, and that's good enough for me.

I feel an arm guide me up, and I follow where I'm lead to. Tommy takes over and leads me to his car, seating me in the passenger seat. Then he sits in the driver's seat and starts to drive. I don't say anything. I can't. I'm only asleep, after all. When I wake up, Victoria won't be dead. And I'm cool with that.

We reach my house and I'm led to my bedroom. "Adam..." Tommy begins, but then shakes his head, leaving me. I walk over to my bed, kicking of my shoes, and crawl under the covers. Sleep comes pretty easy because it still feels like nothing is real. I'll wake up and Victoria will be right downstairs, laughing with Tommy or watching the news.

***

I'm awake now. I think. I sit up in my bed and look at the clock next to me. 7:34am. I stand up and head downstairs. There's no one on the couch, but I see Victoria's belongings scattered on the coffee table. I sigh as I sit down on the couch.

"I can't hide from the truth anymore," I say out loud. Saying it out loud makes it real, sets it in stone. "Victoria, my friend, is dead."
Then, I sit in silence.

The clock reads 8:02 when Tommy enters the room, an impossibly thick book held in his arms. Bags rest under his eyes, he looks like he hasn't gotten any sleep in days.

"Well, Adam, I figured it out." He looks at me through tired brown eyes.

"What do you mean?" I sit up a little bit, realizing I had been slouching.

"You're wings. I stayed up all night searching, and I've finally found the spell to make you human again." His eyes light up, as if missing sleep was worth it.

"Wait, really?"

He nods, excited, then opens the book up, taking a seat next to me. I look at where his finger is pointed, but I can't read whatever language it is. "It's a spell book," Tommy explains.

"Ah," I reply, squirming in excitement. "Are you sure it'll work?"

He nods, "yep, you ready?"

"Yes!" I bite my lip and look over at him, and he smiles before giving me a one-armed side-hug.

Then, he starts to say some words in some language that I don't recognize, and the next thing I know I'm asleep.

***

I wake up with a groan, and I open my eyes to Tommy looming over me.

"Adam!" He kinda shouts, kinda screams in my face.

"Yeah?" I'm confused for a moment then it hits me. Not literally, of course, but I realize what he's getting at. I sit up, but my body feels impossibly heavy. What a good moment to shout/scream in his face too, "Tommy!" Geez, we sound like ten-year-old girls. I twist around to look at my back, but the wings that had been there for so long were finally gone. I was free.

I stand up, wobbling just a little bit. I'm no longer 70 pounds, but my normal weight. "This is incredible!"

He chuckles a little bit, "there is a side affect, though."

I sigh, "you had to ruin the moment, didn't you?"

"Eh," Tommy shrugs, then starts to take off my shirt.

"Woah!" I push his hands away, "Tommy what are you doing?"

"Not what you think I am," he scoffs, "you dirty man." Then he laughs again as he takes of the rest of my shirt. He leads me to a mirror and has me turn around so I can see my back in the mirror.

And I can say this isn't what I expected.

Where my wings were, there are now tattoo-like marks on my skin, along with the ugly scars from Logan's whip. Beautiful, elegant black wings adorn my back, starting at my shoulder blades, going up towards and over my shoulders a little, then folding down to my hipbones. I wouldn't have considered angel wing tattoos before, but I will be honest, they are beautiful, and I'm speechless for a moment.

"Wow," I finally say.

"I know," Tommy agrees. "Look at you, Adam, you're finally beautiful."

"Shut up, Tommy," I shove his shoulder lightly. "I am the definition of beauty. I don't wear all this makeup for nothing."

Suddenly, I take a deep breath and wrap my arms around the shorter man, "thank you, Tommy. So much."

"Of course, man," he hugs me back, "you're my best friend."

**A/N: Well, this is it, guys. The last chapter. There will still be an epilogue to wrap things up, of course, so worry not! I can honestly say that I'm very pleased with how this ended.
Btw, 1k+?! I never expected this story to get 100, and I am so grateful to have all of you read it! Thank you so much! pls comment, vote, etc. on what you think, and I'll try to publish the epilogue soon!**