A Hole in Reality

Bonus Chapter: Wings

A/N: Above artwork titled: Princess Boo's Magical Kingdom. Please don't use, copy, duplicate and/or publish my art without consent. *Smooch*

Dedicated to my Own Father, the grief is tucked away, but never gone. It rests in a place of eternal spring and winter, side-by-side. Cars await their mechanic and his assistant. In winter, snowmobiles await their riders. One for each of us. Someday we'll ride....

P.S.: You will always be the best Darla ;)

Lee looks up at her father with nervous eyes. She's always been one to face fear head on, but for the first time it's actually got its claws in her. The man standing in front of her is now 53 years old, and though he doesn't look any older than 40; he has salt and pepper hair at his temples. He still looks like Daddy to her. King Daddy. The sight of him calms her considerably.

"You nervous?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I am."

Levi has been up and walking for two years now, thanks to extensive physical therapy. Sometimes, he'd come home so tired it would scare Lee. Especially when he was in pain. Arthritis, which the doctors told him would be a distinct possibility set in, and once it did it made him a little bit short-tempered.

This is when she straightened up and stopped getting in school fights. Not just the disappointment on dad's face, but he gave her a new outlet: self-defense. The discipline the training gave her cooled her head in a major way. Not only that, but he was able to get back into cars again. Though the cataract made it difficult for him to drive, he still worked on vehicles a lot, and she helped him out all the time. It was fun, and most importantly, she got to spend time with her hero.

"Just remember to stay low," he says, and Lee's attention snaps back to him. "All the ballast is in the rear. Don't oversteer. You'll be fine."

"R-right." He can tell she's still nervous, and with a grimace of pain, he gets down to his knees.

"Hey, kid. Whatever happened in Princess Boo's magic kingdom? Tell me."

She smiles at the thought. This isn't something she's thought of in a long time. She's twelve now, not 5. It's obvious though he's trying to distract her mind, so thankful, she thinks on it for a second.

"Well, once the King Titan was defeated, you ordered it to surrender. The titan agreed and stood up. Your breath caught in your throat, for it was not a king at all, but a beautiful Queen Titan. You fell to your knees, overcome with emotion. 'Please, beautiful Queen,' you said, 'my Princess is without a mother. Marry me and make me the happiest king alive.' You lived happily ever after as a family."

"Marriage, huh?" He gives her a testy look that makes her laugh. She's growing up so fast. Where did his little Boo go? More mature than he's comfortable. Soon, there will be boys. Dates. The thought terrifies him.

If he could hold her at the age she is now and keep her like this forever it would be so much easier. Letting her go. Someday, he'll have no choice. He puts her helmet on her head and steps back.

The soap box car, and her helmet have the wings of freedom painted on it.

"Show them your wings, kiddo." He pushes her up to the start line.

"Hey," you say, walking up with a wave to Lee, and handing Levi a drink. "She looks ready."

"Yeah." Levi says. "A little nervous, but ready."

"She'll do fine. You're a good coach, Daddy."

"So are you Mama," he says, leaning over to give you a quick peck on the cheek.

Please marry me and make me the happiest King alive....

His stomach erupts in butterflies at the thought. Marriage is something he's never wanted. He's always thought that commitment was stupid because you just lose the people you love in the end. Now thinking of it; married or not, these people get lost to you, and you get lost to them. Maybe honoring your love in such a profound way while you're alive makes it that much more of a testimony when you're dead.