The Hawking

Chapter 14: RIP

This chapter is told in third person.

Hedwig, Avery, and Star watched in horror as the building leaked with red and orange. The massive explosion boomed in their ears. The group huddled together as the chemicals tried to push them back.

~

As soon as the ringing stopped, the group landed on their feet. They studied the chaos that the Big Surprise had caused. There was fire, rocks, and metal everywhere.

There was no sign of Lucas or Olivia anywhere.

This was too much for Star to bear. She jumped out of Hedwig's arms and ran throughout the damage. "Olivia?!" she called out helplessly. "Big Brother! Where are you?!"

For a while, there was no responses to Star's calls. But then, after saying her name, Olivia came out of her coma. She was a great distance from her family, and she tried to call out to them.

"Star..." she said weakly. "Hedwig...Avery...I'm here..."

As she was trying to call out to them, a large black boot fell on her back. She groaned and looked up to see Sam and Alex. Alex gave Sam a look, and Sam rolled his eyes as he lifts his boot off of the robin and bends down to her ear.

"I'm not letting you get away so easily." Sam said. "Try to run, we will always find you."

Alex elbows him as Sam stands back up.

"You remember the plan?" Sam said quietly.

"Yes, I do." Alex replied. And with an embrace and a kiss, Sam took off and left.

"Here, let me help you." Alex offered Olivia his hand, and she gladly accepted it. He helped her up and stumbled her to the others. They were shocked to see that Olivia was alive.

Star was the first one to hug her. Tears ran down her face as she jumped into Olivia's arms. "Liv!" she yelled. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Hedwig and Avery were quick to chime into the embrace.

Alex stood by awkwardly, happy to see Star, healthy and free. Soon, the two made eye contact. "Alex!" Star yelled as she broke from the group hug. She squeezed Alex's neck as he hugged her back. "Oh, Star." he said. "Thank God you're safe."

"Hey, Olivia!" Star said, looking over her shoulder. "Can Alex be a part of our family?!" His eyes went wide after she said this. "Star, I really shouldn't-"

"It's okay, Alex! Everyone's going to love having you around!"

That's when Star remembered.

They didn't have everyone.

Lucas was still missing!

"Oh, no!" she said, running away from Alex. She ran to the middle of a clearing nearby and looked around. "Lucas?!" she yelled. "Can you hear me?! Please, Big Brother! I know you're out there somewhere!"

The only response she got was her echoed voice through the trees.

She started to realize that...Lucas was gone...

She lowered her head as she tried to fight back the tears she didn't want to cry. This soon became clear to Hedwig and Avery, and they knew that Lucas must not have gotten out in time. Avery went up to Star, bent down to her, and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned, throwing her arms around him, and cried into his chest.

Soon, Hedwig and Olivia came over, and they all hugged once again.

Only this time, they were mourning Lucas's passing.

They soon broke apart and sat in a circle on the ground.

"I never got to tell him how much he means to me..." Hedwig started.

"I never got to thank him for pushing me so hard..." Avery continued.

"I never got to..." Olivia couldn't even finish her sentence.

"I never got to tell him that I loved him..." Star sobbed, hugging her knees.

Alex, who was silent the whole time, felt bad for the flock that lost their leader. He looked back at the blazing building. All of a sudden, he spotted a black dot, moving. He squinted to see who it was, but he couldn't make it out.

"Uh, guys?" Alex said, turning to them. They all look up at Alex, who was pointing out in the distance. They stood to see the same black figure coming towards them, neither one knowing what, or who, it was.

It wasn't until the dot got closer that the avians could see what it was. There, stumbling towards the group, was a tall boy with rich brown wings and swoopy black hair, his clothes were torn in numerous places, and he had cuts and bruises all over his body.

It was Lucas.

Everyone was still. They didn't know what to say. Lucas smiled at them as he cleared his throat and waved at them. "Miss me?" he said.

That was enough to break everyone from their trance. Star was the first to hug Lucas. "Big Brother!" she yelled with tears in her eyes. He hugged her tightly as Hedwig and Avery came up to join the hug. They all embraced as each avian was crying tears of joy.

All except Olivia.

Olivia waited patiently for Lucas to notice her. After the long embrace, Lucas broke away to see Olivia. When he came up to her, she had her head down. Lucas cupped her face in his hand. She sobbed as he lifted her face and wiped away her tears.

"Liv, are you okay?" he asked her. She threw her arms around his neck as he stumbled backwards.

"Liv, be careful. I'm still in pain from that explosion."

She pulled back from the embrace and pressed her lips roughly on his. This took Lucas by surprise, but accepted it calmly.

After a bit, Olivia pulled back. She grinned at her lover as she sighed. "I'm so glad you're not dead..." she said to him.

Lucas chuckled. "Well, if it weren't for the Hawking, I guess I would be dead."

His statement caught everyone by surprise.

"They saved you?!" Avery asked. Lucas nodded.

"But how?!" Olivia asked.

"Another story for another time." Lucas said, clapping his hands. "Now, we have a house to go to."

Hedwig and Avery exchanged glances. Hedwig nodded, and Avery went over to Lucas.

"Uh, about the house, Luke..." Avery said softly. "It kinda exploded and went up in flames while you were gone."

Lucas's eyes widened. "What?!" Lucas yelled. "How on Earth did it...Why would you...What the hell went through your fucking mind?!"

"Lucas!" Hedwig raised his voice, taking his lover's side. "He didn't have a choice. If he hadn't had blown the house up, we would probably have been dead."

"Besides!" Avery piped up. "If it weren't for that mass explosion, I never would have realized how close I was to Hedwig..."

Hedwig grinned as he took his hand. Lucas understood what that meant.

"Well, thank you, Avery, for saving yourselves."

"Now what are we gonna do?" Alex asked, stepping towards them.

"Where do we go?" Star said.

Lucas thought long and hard.

He didn't have the slightest clue.