Almost

Chapter Two

Yeager's Garage to an outsider would seem like some sort of poor excuse for shelter- grimy walls, oily floors, and a heavy scent of packed-together people who haven't showered in a week.

Tam loved it.

To be honest, it felt like home. It was home. At least, that's what everyone kept telling her.

"I don't think he's here."

"Well that's a given."

Kaz peaked in one last time and said, "Well I didn't come all this way for nothing. You got anything else to do?"

"Not really." She shrugged. "I guess maybe a movie? If you're up for it."

"Sounds great", he smirked. "If you don't mind the company, of course."

Tam rolled her eyes.

Her "place" was a simple flat on the outskirts of the colossus, but with surprising closeness to the Garage. It was still far enough out of the way that the two had to keep up with the interesting chatter, though.

"Rucklin really said that?" Kaz said, trying to hold in his chortles. "He really said that?"

"Yep." Tam said, trying to hold in chuckles herself. "Right to a commanding officer. Landed us both in maintenance for a week."

"To a commanding officer?"

"Gotta admit, kinda reminds me of your kind of courage."

"Ouch." Kaz giggled. "My self confidence."

The two laughed for a couple moments, but then Kaz gasped,"I have a heavy question to ask."

"I have a heavy answer. Let's see if they match."

"Aeos.. is really gone?"

That caught her off guard.

"From what I saw, yes." Tam blinked. "It was awful. That... was my tipping point."

She heard Kaz drew in a shaky breath. "We have to make sure they're ok. We owe them that. I'm thinking about asking Doza if we can go check up on them. Make sure they're not really..."

Tam felt her face shape into an expression of self loathing. "I guess I owe them too."

"You would've come back sooner or later."

I know. But how much later.

She was about to voice her thoughts, then stopped.

"You were going to say something." He whispered, and she felt him bump his arm into her shoulder, some secret code the two had come up with over the past week.

Suddenly she realized her face was wet and cold. How long had she been crying?

"It wouldn't have been too late. If that's what you're thinking."

"You think so." Tam sniffed softly.

"Ya I do. And if you wouldn't, I would've kidnapped you and strapped you to a chair and brainwashed you into coming home."

She snorted a laugh. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Kaz said with a smile. "And just in time, to."

Tam was surprised when she came back to find all of her things still in place- a little dusty, of course, and she did find some things had been shifted around- probably by Neeku, needing to find a spear part. Or maybe it was some desperate theft looking for a few extra credits.

"No way. You have Twilight?"

Or maybe it was Kaz, sticking his abnormally large nose into her business.

Tam wheeled around to him observing the cover of a certain movie.

"Man! You have all five!"

"Yes I do-"

"We are so watching these." He collapsed in a heap near the Holo Player and pushed the playing rod in.

"You like the Twilight series?" Tam asked as she shoveled some blankets on to her couch.

"Yes I do." He responded. "Why? Does it take from my manliness?"

"Like you had any manliness in the first place."

"Hey!" Kaz squeaked. "I have plenty of manliness I'll have you know!"

Tam snickered. "As if. You can barely lift a cargo crate."