The ride back was tense, everyone was too tired and too worried to speak. Angel slumped in his seat, staring out the window, his mind racing with thoughts of Aria and what they were going to do next.

When they finally reached home and the bus doors opened, Angel was immediately greeted by the flash of cameras and a swarm of reporters. They crowded around him, bombarding him with questions about his "heroics" at the Sanctuary.

Angel's mom and grandparents stood nearby, looking proud but worried. The attention was overwhelming, and Angel barely managed to answer a few questions before his mom handed him her phone.

"It's for you," she said, her expression unreadable.

Angel took the phone, dread pooling in his stomach as he heard Professor Gover's voice on the other end.

"Angel," Gover began, his tone sickeningly sweet, "I just wanted to let you know how proud we are of you at the Sanctuary. Your bravery in helping save those creatures was remarkable."

Angel gritted his teeth. "What do you want, Gover?"

"Oh, nothing at all," Gover replied, his voice dripping with false sincerity. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. After all, we take the safety of our guests very seriously. I wouldn't want anything to happen that could… tarnish your reputation."

Angel's blood boiled at the veiled threat. "You done?"

"That's all," Gover said with a chuckle. "Just remember, Angel, we're always watching."

The call ended, and Angel stood there, seething, as the reporters continued to swarm around him. He barely registered their questions, his mind still stuck on Gover's words.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the reporters left, and Angel was alone with his mom and grandparents.

"That was intense," his mom said, looking at him with concern. "You okay, baby?"

"Yeah," Angel replied, forcing a smile. "Just tired."

His grandfather nodded knowingly. "You did good, Angel. Just don't let it go to your head."

Angel nodded, but inside, he was still reeling from the call with Gover. As he headed back to his room, the weight of everything pressed down on him even more. He collapsed onto his bed, exhausted from the day, his thoughts still tangled with worry about Aria. He had no idea where she was or if she was even safe.

The next morning, Angel awoke to the sound of faint rustling. Groggy and disoriented, he sat up in bed, blinking against the early morning light streaming through the window. As his eyes adjusted, he noticed a figure climbing in his window before moving quietly into the corner of his room. He jumped up immediately grabbing a bat and as he swung his bat collided with the metal pole in her hand as she held it up to protect herself.

"Aria?" Angel whispered, disbelief flooding his voice as he relaxed.

Aria looked at him with a frown of determination and fear. She was safe, alive, and here in his room. Relief and joy surged through Angel as he realized she had escaped on her own and somehow found her way back to him.

"You're okay," Angel said, his voice filled with happiness. "I was so worried."

She stood her ground.

He reached out, rubbing her hair a little. "It's ok, you scared me aight this is the hood you can't just climb in people's windows like that. But we good."

Aria relaxed, her expression softening into a shy one as she lowered her weapon."

Angel then put his bat down. "You're incredibly strong, you know that?"

Aria blushed slightly, her gaze dropping. "Thank you, Angel. I'm just glad I found you. You're still going to help me correct?"

Angel beamed at her, the tension of the previous day melting away as he sat down at the end of the bed. "Yeah, I mean…."

Aria nodded relieved, her eyes shining with a mix of triumph and anxiety. "There's something I need to show you. It's about…."

Angel's curiosity piqued, but before he could respond, the door to his room burst open with a loud bang, and his mother stormed in. Her face was a mask of fury, her eyes blazing as they darted between Angel and Aria.

"What is going on here?!" she demanded, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and shock. "I don't allow no fornication under the good Lord's roof!"

Angel jumped up from the bed, his mind racing. His mother's sudden intrusion had sent his thoughts scattering in every direction, and he struggled to find the right words. "Mom, wait! It's not how it look!"

" The hell it ain't!" His mother exclaimed as she proceeded to hit him with his father's belt."

" Momma! Momma! Momma, stop listen!"

His mother stopped and clearly unimpressed, crossed her arms over her chest, her lips pressed into a thin line. "You better start explaining, Angel Draiker and you better do it quick."

Angel swallowed hard, his mind desperately trying to come up with a plausible explanation as he rubbed his sore arm. "She's... she's a nurse!" he blurted out, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he had a chance to think them through. "A stay-in nurse from the sanctuary. I... I let her in very early this morning to check on my wounds."

His mother's eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer to him, her gaze sharp and suspicious. "A nurse? From the sanctuary? At this hour?"

Angel nodded vigorously, doing his best to look convincing. "Yeah, Momma damn why you be bustin' in my room like you the police scarin' me like that."

" Boy don't test me, what were you sayin'?"

"The cuts were getting infected, and she had the special medicine that only the sanctuary has. I didn't want to wake you up, so I let her in myself."

There was a tense silence as his mother's eyes flicked to Aria, who stood silently by the window, trying her best to look professional and non-threatening. Her eyes squinted looking at the white lab coat that held the sanctuary's logo.

Aria, picking up on Angel's lead, quickly added, "Hello, ma'am. She bowed respectively and quickly.

Angel's mother studied Aria for a long moment, her gaze scrutinizing every detail from her clothes to her posture. Finally, she sighed, still clearly skeptical but willing to give them the benefit of the doubt—at least for now. "Fine," she said slowly. "But I'm keeping an eye on both of you. I don't want any more surprises in this house.

"Relieved, Angel quickly nodded. "Of course, Momma. I promise there won't be."

As his mother left the room, Aria looked at Angel with a raised eyebrow. "A nurse?"

"Like a doctor, somebody that heals you." She frowned, realizing his lie. Angel grinned sheepishly. "It was the first thing that came to mind. Don't hate, it worked, didn't it?"

At breakfast, where Aria was formally introduced to the family as the "nurse" who would be staying with them for a while, Angel's mother continued to eye her with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. The family sat around the dining table, the clatter of dishes and the hum of morning chatter filling the air.

Angel's grandfather, with a kind smile, was the first to break the ice. "So, Aria," he began, his voice gentle yet probing, "where exactly are you from?"

Aria, who had been curiously picking at her food as she had never seen this kind before, looked up and met his gaze. "I'm... from a place far away," she said, her voice soft and her accent faint but noticeable. "It's different from here, but I'm adapting."

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Angel's grandmother smiled kindly. "Well, we're glad to have you here. You're doing a good thing, takin' care of our Angel."

Aria returned the smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you," she replied, glancing at Angel, who gave her a reassuring nod.

Angel's mother, however, wasn't ready to let her guard down just yet. "How long will you be staying?" she asked, her tone casual but with an underlying edge.

Aria hesitated for a moment before responding, "As long as I'm needed."

Angel quickly jumped in, trying to steer the conversation to safer territory. "Momma, Aria's just here to help me get back on my feet. That's it, it won't be a long time."

His mother gave a curt nod but said nothing more. The rest of the meal passed in relative silence, the family members each stealing glances at Aria, trying to piece together the mystery she represented.

After breakfast, as Angel and Aria prepared to leave the house, Aria leaned in close and whispered, "We need to go. There's something important I need to show you."

Angel followed Aria out of the house, a sense of urgency propelling him forward. They moved quickly through the streets, eventually reaching a freeway on the outskirts of the city. The hum of traffic buzzed in the background as they crossed over the railings and disappeared into the dense forest beyond.

As they ventured deeper into the woods, Angel's curiosity grew. "Where are we goin'?" he asked, ducking under low-hanging branches as they made their way through the thick underbrush.

"You'll see," Aria replied cryptically, a small smile playing on her lips.

After what felt like hours of trekking through the forest, they finally arrived at a secluded clearing. Angel's breath caught in his throat as he spotted Kira, the majestic dragon, lying in the grass, her sleek body blending seamlessly with the shadows of the trees.

"Kira," Angel whispered, awe and disbelief in his voice.

"She followed us all the way here."Aria nodded, her eyes softening as she looked at the dragon.

Angel watched in wonder as Aria approached Kira, her movements slow and deliberate. The dragon's eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light, followed her every step. Aria knelt beside Kira, her hand gently resting on the dragon's snout."How are you?" Aria asked, her voice soothing.

To Angel's astonishment, Kira responded with a series of soft growls and chirps. Aria listened intently, nodding as if she understood every word. After a moment, she turned to Angel, her expression serious.

"She says she doesn't want to return to the sanctuary. You and I both know what they do there. She wants to hatch her egg but unfortunately, it takes the touch of two, male and female to do so, but she thinks you can help her."

" What the hell? I ain't nobody's daddy and I damn sho ain't married to no dragon you gotta be, tell her she's crazy!"

"She trusts you, Angel." She said in a tone he had never heard her use before as she rubbed Kira's snout. One that sounds like pleading but with a determination to yield a yes. He had heard it all too often when his Mother did this to his Father.

" What's that supposed to mean?"

" It means, if you don't help her, I'll find someone else who will actually keep their word rather than lying to me." She moved with quickness and a face of pure defiance as she walked over to Kira's back, whipping Angel with her hair as she passed by. " And you can figure the rest out on your own when Gover comes to find you because Kira and I won't be there to help you."

He laughed sarcastically into his hand. Was she for real? "First of all yo' English is real fluent all of a sudden miss badass." He chided as he moved in slowly. " So who lied to who? Second, you ain't goin' nowhere wit' my dragon aight, she chose me, not you, if she wanted yo ass yall was there together funny she didn't pick yo ass. Ain't that funny?" She started to speak and he held up his hand." I ain't finished, lastly ain't you the lost tribal girl who asked for my help? I could turn yo ass in in a heartbeat but I'm still standin' here. You in the hood now baby girl. You won't survive out here a day alone. This is my turf, my home.So far as I see you need me, not the other way around."

She frowned as she folded her arms looking away from him with resentment in her eyes. He tilts his head.

" Oh, it's like that now?" He smiled. Her pouting was kind of cute.

"Have you completed your conversation?"

He smacked his lips as he shrugged her attitude off. "I'm gonna help aight. I'm just playin' girl have a sense of humor.'"

"Playing?"

"Like joking, just messing with you a little bit."

She sighs. " But, I am not. Our lives are in danger, Angel. Please take that seriously. It is as you say, she needs you Angel, I need you, and I need you to be serious about that."

He stared at her kind of flattered by her words in a sense. He realized no one had ever needed him before. He was a kid, with no responsibilities, nothing. He was always the one in need of love and comfort. He tried to protect his mother but he now realized she did most of the protecting.

"I'm sorry." He didn't know where the words came from but they just flew right out of his mouth.

"That means…?"

"But, I'm being serious about this. Just because I'm jokin' don't mean I'm not serious. If I was gonna abandon you I would have done that. But, I'm here trying to work something out. I am willing to put everything on the line for y'all and I barely know you. I could go back to jail for this. Get locked up in a cage forever. But I'm here. At least allow me to be funny.'"

She looked down in thought. He stared at her and smiled.

" So you were goin' where again?

Aria smiled a genuine, heartfelt smile that made Angel's chest tighten. "Thank you, Angel," she said softly. "Kira trusts you. I trust you. You're somehow different from those we have run into so far. I am also sorry."

Angel felt a warmth spread through him at her words, a sense of purpose taking root in his heart. He reached out, tentatively placing his hand on Kira's head. The dragon rumbled softly in response, her eyes closing in contentment.

"You need to experience this," she whispered, her eyes gleaming with excitement all of a sudden.

" Experience what?"

"Flying with her. There's nothing like it in the world."

" Flying with…" He held the bridge of his nose as if he had a major headache. "Girl what the fuck is you sayin' we in the ghetto! Everybody and their momma is gonna see us and call the popo."

"We'll go up so high that they will not. Above the clouds, Angel please."

Angel hesitated for a moment, his mind flashing back to the dangerous encounter at the sanctuary. But the trust in Aria's eyes, combined with Kira's calm demeanor, eased his fears, or at least suppressed them as they do in all men when a girl really wants something.

"Aight," he agreed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Let's do it."With Aria guiding him, Angel climbed onto Kira's back, feeling the powerful muscles shift beneath him. He moved uncomfortably forward.

" Ooo she's spikey."

"Rub them back like this. " She rubbed the dragon's scales back before getting on behind him.

" Oh, so you wait till it poked my ass to tell me." She laughed as he lifted himself to adjust her scales. The dragon's scales were smooth and warm as he rubbed them, and Angel's heart pounded with anticipation as he secured himself back in place.

"Hold on tight," Aria instructed, wrapping her arms around his waist. Angel barely had time to brace himself before Kira took off, her wings beating powerfully as they soared into the sky.

The ground fell away beneath them, replaced by the vast expanse of sky. The sensation of flight was both exhilarating and terrifying, a rush of wind and adrenaline that left Angel breathless. He clung tightly to Kira's back, his heart racing as the dragon soared higher, her wings cutting through the air with effortless grace. He had felt this before. That very day he was arrested for grand theft auto. This was his passion. As they climbed, the world below became a blur of green and blue, the treetops and rivers blending into a patchwork of color. Angel felt the tension of the past few days melt away, replaced by a sense of freedom he hadn't experienced in years. All of a sudden he felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be. Where he belonged. Up here, away from the pressures and dangers of the world, he felt invincible. Aria leaned closer, her voice barely audible over the rush of wind. "Amazing, isn't it?"Angel nodded, unable to find the words to express the sheer awe he felt. "Hell yeah," he finally managed, his voice thick with emotion. "I ain't never felt nothin' like this."Kira let out a low, contented growl, seemingly pleased with their reaction. She angled her wings, gliding smoothly through the sky as they soared above the cloud. This was the best moment of his life. Angel found himself laughing, the sound lost to the wind as they dipped and turned, the dragon's movements precise and fluid. But their moment of peace was short-lived. As they approached a small clearing near the edge of the forest, Angel spotted something out of the corner of his eye—a figure, small and hunched over, surrounded by a group of police officers. His heart skipped a beat as he realized it was a child, no older than five or six, cornered and terrified. Angel's mind was now reliving the moment of his father's death all over again as he struggled to stay calm.

Kira, feeling his emotion, responded immediately, diving towards the ground with a speed that left Angel's stomach lurching. They landed in the thickets with a thud, and before Aria could react, Angel was off Kira's back and sprinting out toward the child.

"Hey! What's going on here?" Angel demanded, his voice carrying an authority that stopped the officers in their tracks.

One of the officers, a burly man with a thick mustache, turned to face him. "This kid was caught stealing from a nearby store. We were about to take him in."Angel's mind raced, the memories of his troubled past flooding back. He saw himself in the boy—scared, desperate, and misunderstood.

Without hesitation, Angel stepped between the officers and the child, his posture protective."You don't need to do that," Angel said firmly. "He's with me. This is my brother."

The officers exchanged confused glances. "Your brother?" the mustache officer asked, skepticism heavy in his voice.

"Yes, my brother," Angel repeated, glancing back at the boy, who looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes. "I'll take him home, and I'll pay for whatever he took. No need to involve the law."

One of the officers, a younger man with a more empathetic expression, frowned but didn't argue. "If he's your brother, then why was he out here alone?"

Angel knew he had to think fast. "He... he ran off while we were out for a walk. I didn't realize he'd gone until it was too late."

The mustached officer crossed his arms, clearly still unconvinced. "And where's the proof that he's your brother?"

Before Angel could respond, another officer stepped forward, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "Hey, aren't you the guy from the news? The one who saved that egg at the sanctuary?"

Angel stiffened, nodding slowly. "Yeah, that's me."

The officers exchanged another round of glances, this time more impressed than suspicious. "Well, if you're willing to pay for the damages and take responsibility for him, I suppose we can let this slide," the mustached officer said, reluctantly.

"Thank you," Angel replied, relief flooding his voice. He pulled out his wallet, handing over some cash to cover the boy's theft. The officers accepted the money, nodding their approval. Before they left, the younger officer smiled at Angel. "You're doing a good thing, looking out for others, especially your brother. Just make sure he stays out of trouble, alright?"

Angel nodded, placing a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. "I will. He's in good hands."

As the officers walked away, Angel crouched down to the boy's level, his expression softening. "What's your name?" he asked gently. The boy hesitated, his eyes darting around nervously. "I... I don't know," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Angel's heart clenched at the admission. "That's okay," he said, offering a comforting smile. "How about I call you AJ? Angel Junior. Would you like that?"

The boy blinked up at him, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "AJ..." he repeated slowly as if testing out the name. Then, a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, I like that."

"Alright, AJ," Angel said, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately. "Let's get you home and hope my mom doesn't kill me."A

When Angel, Aria, and AJ returned home, they were met with a mixture of surprise and curiosity from Angel's family. His mother, still wary of Aria, was even more taken aback by the sudden appearance of a young boy at her doorstep."Angel, who is this?" she asked, her tone cautious.

Angel took a deep breath, preparing himself for another round of explanations. "This is AJ. I... I decided to adopt him from the uhh…the big brother's program down at the orphanage."

His mother's eyes widened in shock. "Adopt? But, Angel, you can't just—"

"I know it's all of a sudden," Angel interrupted, his voice firm yet gentle. "But he needed a home, and I couldn't just leave him out there. He has been through enough."

His grandmother, who had been silent up until now, stepped forward, her gaze softening as she looked at AJ. "Well, we've always believed in helping those in need," she said quietly. "It's what the good Lord wants. If you're sure about this, Angel, then I'll support you."

Angel nodded, grateful for her understanding. "Thanks, Grandma."

His mother sighed, clearly struggling with the sudden changes but ultimately relenting. "Alright, if that's what you want, we'll make it work. But I'm still keeping an eye on things."

Satisfied, Angel thanked her before turning to Aria. "Mom, would it be okay if Aria stayed in Dad's old office? She'll need a place to sleep while she's here."

His mother hesitated, her gaze flicking between Angel and Aria. Finally, she nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Fine. I'll set up the room for her. But I expect you to behave, young man."

Angel chuckled, relieved that his mother was at least partially on board. "I will, Moms, no worries. Promise."

As his mother went to prepare the office, Angel guided AJ upstairs to his own room. The boy clung to his side, still nervous but starting to relax in the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the house.

"AJ," Angel said softly as they entered his room, "you gonna sleep in here with me tonight? We'll figure everything else out tomorrow I guess." AJ nodded, his small hand clutching Angel's sleeve.

"Okay..."Angel smiled down at him, his heart swelling with a protective instinct he hadn't expected. "From now on, I'm your big brother, aight? Imma look after you."

The boy's eyes shimmered with tears, but he nodded, a small, grateful smile on his lips. "Okay, big brother."

Settling in that night, after finding Aj a long clean shirt to wear to bed, AJ drifted off to sleep beside him. Angel lay awake, his mind buzzing with everything that had happened. The sanctuary, Aria, Kira, AJ—it was all so much to take in, and yet, for the first time in a long while, he felt like he was on the right path doing the right things for a good cause. As he stared at the ceiling, he thought about the promise he had made to Aria and Kira, and now, Aj. The vow to keep them safe. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was determined to see it through. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him, and Angel drifted off to sleep, his arm protectively wrapped around AJ. The boy snuggled closer, his breathing steady and peaceful. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, they were safe. And that was enough.