Making Things Work

Zephyr watched as Neph pulled out of the driveway, gravel crunching beneath the truck's wide tires. Only once it was a speck in the distance did Zephyr finally let his shoulders drop.

He made his way to the workshop, completely exhausted.

There were so many things rushing through his head: Neph's presence, Audra's granduncle, and bitter memories stirred up by the ordeal. However, the most important one was still up in the ceiling.

With a push of a button, the platform lowered, stopping just above the motortrike's roof.

Audra's eyes widened as she came into view, though calmed down when she noticed him.

"Crap, Zeph. You scared the daylights outta me. Could've given me a heads up, y'know?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you… You alright?"

She chuckled awkwardly and fidgeted.

"…Yeah. I think I am. Um, how did it go though? I heard some yelling and… other stuff."

He helped her scramble down, grabbing her waist to cushion her fall.

"It's complicated. I just know that we have to talk."

"…About what?"

"Your granduncle, Cassian. The one who sent Nathan to bring you back."

Silence grasped her as the statement sunk. The wind picked up and roof began to shudder.

"My granduncle? B-but why? That doesn't make any damn sense!"

Anxiety flitted across her eyes, and the urge to hug her spiked as memories ran through Zeph's own.

He pinched his temples and tried to reason things out.

"Audra, I know I asked this before, but please try to think. Tell me more about him—your granduncle—anything at all."

"I-I don't know. We've only ever seen each other when I was little and the occasional holiday visit. The last time he was in the States was a few years ago."

Zephyr's brow furrowed, brain spinning as connections weaved together.

"Are you sure there's nothing he's after? Maybe the shop property or some other inheritance?"

"Like I said, I seriously don't know. Unless my parents had a secret will or some trust in my name."

She groaned, frustration seeping off each word. "Why did this have to happen now?! Just as things were finally going okay?! Does God hate me or something?! The hell I do—?!"

Without a thought, he pulled her in and gently patted her back—he couldn't help it. Her breath escaped as her fists curled tightly on themselves.

"Z-Zeph, I'm sorry. Sorry for this whole damn mess."

"Audra, this isn't your fault."

"But it is! This is all cause of me. And I don't want you to—"

He shushed her by ruffling her hair.

"Like I said, this isn't your fault. And we're in this together, aren't we?"

Tension deflated as tears began to flow. It wet his shirt as she hugged him back beneath the howling wind.

Zeph held her tight through it all, just as a plan finished forming in his head.

Once her sobs had quieted slightly, he nudged her shoulder and braced himself.

"Audra, I think I know what I have to do."

"H-huh? Do what?" she mumbled into his chest.

"…Leave Third Chances."

Pain cracked the air.

"W-what did you say?!"

"Nathan wasn't convinced, so we're going to need to play things carefully. I'll pull some strings that'll guarantee your safety—"

Audra's pulled away violently and locked eyes with him.

"T-the hell are you talking about?!"

"This place isn't safe though; Nathan can be back at any time. And if he does, I don't think we'll be as lucky. Anyways, as I was saying, I cut off most things a while ago, but I still have an in with my old company if I—"

She pounded his chest in defiance, staggering him back.

"Stop! I don't want to hear it! We are not leaving Third Chances, Zeph! Not now. Not ever!"

"W-why not? This way you'll definitely—"

"Are you listening to yourself right now?! This place is finally back on track! I'm not letting you lose it all cause of me! So just shut it before I do it for you!"

"Look, maybe in a few months he'll give up and leave you alone, but that's beyond unlikely. In fact, a few months is going to give him time to figure something else out. My plan on the other hand—"

"I already told you: no shutting down the shop! You can't just give up after everything you've put into this place!"

"I'm not giving up, I'm just prioritizing things. You, Audra."

That last words squeezed his throat, but he persisted. This was the right thing—

"Zeph. No! Giving up is exactly what you're doing now! I didn't have anything left when I ditched Portland, but you? You have Minerva and all of your other friends on the Bygone! You have a place to belong!"

"Audra, please. Just listen to—"

"No! You listen! How can it be okay if you throw away everything you've worked for?! Does this place mean nothing to you?! What we've worked to build—the memories?! This past month has been one of the best ones in my entire damned life! You want to dumpster it just so we can maybe be safer?"

Her anger flared as wind rattled the shudders and a gust battered the shop. Zephyr took a shaky breath.

"Audra, I… sometimes you have to choose. And sometimes one choice is clearly better than the other…"

He trailed off briefly as he saw eyes of pained amber.

"What I'm trying to say, is that I've already chosen wrong before and don't want to make that mistake again. So please trust me. I'll protect you. I… won't let you be like them."

Audra protested in a flurry of headshakes as the last part slipped out.

"Zeph, I don't know what you've gone through or who 'them' is, but my answer remains hell no! I don't want you to lose this."

She gestured all around.

"This is your home now—your everything! You can't just give it up for some girl!"

"You're not just some girl, Audra. And everything? That's an exaggeration. I can just start over again."

"Start over? Really?! Fine. Then what about this instead? I'll do that myself—go somewhere else where Neph will never find me! I'll leave you alone and—"

His eyes bulged. "Are you crazy?! N-no!"

"Why not?! I can take care of myself, maybe move to someplace in Asia. I'm not incompetent. W-we can still keep in touch though. Um, I can get another phone to call you every—"

Desperation reached out, pulling Audra close again. Specters danced in Zephyr's vision as the weather surged: a faded smile and a burdened soul, the slip of a small hand from his as she faded, the cold grasp of his dearest love he couldn't save in time.

"P-please stop." His voice trembled. "D-don't say stuff like that. It's not right."

Audra tensed as he clung to her, struggling to hold back her own tremors. Both souls huddled for warmth as it seeped through their jackets.

"I just… I just don't want to lose anyone again. I wouldn't be able to live if I let you down too."

"…I'm sorry, Zeph."

"What for? I deserved it. It was my own decisions—my tunnel vision—that failed. I was the one who deluded myself, who didn't see her pain, who thought I could somehow save them both but ended up with two graves instead of one!"

The gust died to a whisper.

Zeph's expression gradually lightened, letting himself talk once stable again.

"Apologies. That was uncalled for. I just… lost myself for a moment."

"I-it's fine. I don't mind. I'm here to listen. O-only if you want, of course."

He debated her offer for a minute before sighing.

"You deserve to know, and I'll tell you. Just… not right now. I need to prepare. To brace myself. Otherwise it'll be too much."

Audra slowly nodded. "Whatever you need, old man."

"Thanks… For now though, we still have to debate what to do about the Neph situation. And considering our stances… how about a compromise?"

"I'd be willing to hear it."

"Appreciated." A pained smile flickered as he continued. "So, we'll keep running Third Chances like we originally planned. I'll still take on small jobs, but nothing too big, and we'll keep our heads down until this blows over. Sound good?"

"What about Neph though? If he comes around looking for me, won't that still put us in danger? You said he might plan something too, right?"

"We'll just have to make sure he doesn't see you. Other than that? I'll handle it somehow. I can ask for help and call in a few favors."

"…Are you sure that'll work?"

The question echoed in his mind. Would it really? Or would this just be another repeat of before? Gambling everything in the hopes that it would work out instead of just dealing with reality.

He nodded despite the doubts brewing in his gut.

"Of course it will…"

An uneasy breath.

"Making things work again is what we do at Third Chances."