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I took her inher fear, her love, and taking the since I’d been scared for myself

"Yes, I turned it in," I assured her "I can tell you all about the themes of love and loss in Les Miserables, of redemption and penance I nailed it, I prohed, as if that had been the real reason for her worry "I should have looked at it"

"No, you needed to study, too It does ood to pass allof physics," she said as she grasped the shoulder straps of my harness "You sure about this? I’ve done a ton of research into Tsingy de Bemaraha, and if you so much as miss the drop zone…" She shook her head

I cupped her face in, and I’ood as Landon, but hey, we all have our strengths, right?"

"Not everyone can be perfect," Landon said, sh to hear us, apparently "Now kiss the girl good-bye and let’s blow this gin joint"

"You know that would have gone over better in Casablanca, right?" I asked over my shoulder

"Get on the plane, smart-ass," he threw back

"Okay, you go with Little John Be careful on the trip in, and I’ll meet you at the drop"

"You’re sure this is…safe?" Her eyes widened

I glanced over her shoulder, where Little John stood with Brooke at the car, far enough away that they couldn’t hear us "Yeah It’s just Penna, Landon, and ades We all packed our own chutes, and I’ has happened since Morocco Maybe…"

"Maybe al with you?" she asked with a quirked eyebrow

"Yeah, well…I wasn’t going to put it that way, but h Stay close to Little John and Brooke, okay?" They were the only ones who had been with us fro, the only ones with a vested interest in us, and the only ones outside Penna and Landon I could trust with Leah’s life

"Okay," she agreed "And you…you know, don’t die or anything"

I ranfree from both the breeze and the aircraft behind us "I won’t And you ith a red flag in case it turns you on"

She laughed, and my heart lit up like the Fourth of July God, I loved this woer Loved when she sharpened her claws on me, and when she tucked them away I loved how she pushed me, not just in sports like everyone else, and not with her own gain in enuinely wanted me to better myself as a person I loved the way I wanted to be that better person for her--to be exactly what she needed in her life

"You’reshe could hear what I meant to say She needed the words, I knew it, but I couldn’t say the them past my lips demolished every wall I’d built There wasn’t any piece of protective gear that could guard le my heart if she left

The way I knew she eventually would leave when she realized I hadn’t been honest with her But no matter