He cried for all the ducks who had died. He cried because they hadn’t needed too. He cried for the destruction of his home. He cried because, even if it was rubble, he wanted to be there. He cried because they’d never achieved what they’d set out to do. He cried because they had to fight the next day, and the next, and most likely all the days after. He cried because what he had thought was possible had turned out to be the biggest challenge of his life. And he cried because he didn’t want that challenge.

So he lay there, shaking under the covers. For hour after hour after hour.

***

"Wildwing?" the familiar voice reached out and pulled Wildwing out of his mind. Wildwing opened his eyes and gazed up, tears running off his cheeks. He could see the outline of the person in his room, and he knew who it was.

"What?" Wildwing’s voice was cracked and gravelly, and he cleared his throat painfully. "What is it?"

"I…I heard you crying. I went to sleep and you were still crying, and I woke up and you still were." Nosedive sounded younger, and scared.

"Go back to bed. It’s late."

"No."

"What? Nosedive, go back to bed. That’s not a request."

"No." the teenager said quietly, settling himself on the ground, leaning his back against the bunk. "I don’t think I could go to bed without knowing why you’re not asleep." Nosedive folded himself up, and closed his eyes. "So I’ll just wait here until you tell me."

Wildwing said nothing, but listened as his brother’s breathing grew slower. He gently placed his hand on the blond head, and the head drooped sideways.

"You wouldn’t understand." Wildwing whispered quietly.

"Try me." came the unexpected answer.

"I thought you were asleep."

"Nope. Thought you might spill it if you thought I couldn’t hear."

"So why’d you answer?"

"My neck got sore."

It was a typical answer, and Wildwing almost smiled. Almost. "You know what’s wrong Dive? I don’t think we’re ever going to get off this planet, and I don’t think we can ever beat Dragaunus."

"Why do you think that?" Nosedive asked slowly.

"Looking back, do you know how many times we had the chance to kill Dragaunus, but for some reason we didn’t? You’ll run out of fingers."

"So? There’s always tomorrow."

"Don’t you see?" Wildwing sat up, startling Nosedive. "There wont always be a tomorrow. One day we’re going to blow it, once and for all. We can’t do it. I can’t do it." Wildwing sagged back against his wall.

"We can." Nosedive insisted firmly. "One day that Gateway Generator is gonna be ours, Draggy is gonna be pushing up puck-flowers, and we’re all gonna be there to see it."

"Why do you believe that?" Wildwing wanted desperately to tap into whatever reserve of optimism Nosedive used.

"I’ve read enough comics and seen enough cartoons to know that the goodies always beat the badies. And we’re definitely the goodies. Dragaunus and Co. stink too much to be the heroes." Nosedive stood up. "I believe in you Wildwing. We’ve been through a lot, and we made it. So we always will." To Nosedive, it was as simple as that, and he couldn’t understand why Wildwing didn’t think that way. He left the room and went to bed.

Life doesn’t work that way. ‘You win some, you lose some’. It’s like hockey. Sometimes you win, and that’s great, but just because you win sometimes doesn’t mean you always will.

Oh Drake. If you really exist the way Nosedive says you do, please help me.

Wildwing visibly shook as the Mask by his bed began to glow. Suddenly there was another duck in the room. His feathers were pure black.

"Wildwing Flashblade." the duck said, another Mask on his face.

Wildwing tried to speak, but couldn’t. Drake was the son of Gilkon…his Jesus. What could he possibly say?

"You’re just going to have to trust me Wildwing." Drake said patiently. "You want to make good on this, don’t you? It’s up to you. I can help you, if you let me."

"How…how…what do I have to do?" Wildwing’s head spun dizzily.

"Give me your heart. If I’m in your heart I can use you. We could do great things, Wildwing. You can always call my Father for help, and you get eternal life. Gilkon, He loves you more than anything. I died for you. I died so you could be with us. If you’re sorry for all the wrong things you’ve done, and you ask me to take charge of your life, we could do great things. It wont always be easy, and things may not turn out the way you think they should. But Wildwing, I promise you three things. I promise my Father’s and my everlasting love, and I promise you eternal life. I promise you peace of mind."

Wildwing stared at him, eyes wide. Drake smiled gently. "You don’t have to give me an answer right now. It’s your choice."

"Has Nosedive…?"

"He’s one of mine. So is Tanya, Duke and Mallory. And Wildwing," Drake suddenly gave him a meaningful look. "So is your sister." Drake touched his forehead, and stepped back. "Maybe I’ll see you soon." He was suddenly gone, but Wildwing could feel his presence still. He reached over and found that the Mask was warm.

Wildwing shivered uncontrollably, but found that he wasn’t afraid.

"Gilkon? I…I believe in you." Wildwing remembered all that Nosedive had ever told him, and his voice grew stronger. "I believe that you sent your Son Drake DuCaine to die for my sins. I’d like you in my heart…Father."

Wildwing felt incredibly hot for a second. He knew…just knew more certainly than he’d ever known anything else that he had a Father who cared. He finally had someone to call his Dad.

And what a Dad.

Drake DuCaine *had* been the Son. The Saviour. Even with the Mask, before then Wildwing had never believed that part of the stories. Matthew and Mary had believed, and the twins had, but not him. But he did now.

The tears of before totally forgotten, Wildwing revelled in his new-found peace. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you." he murmured over and over.

He switched on his com, oblivious of the time. "Nosedive, Nosedive, come in."

"Wh…what? Saurians? The alarm isn’t going…" Wildwing could see that Nosedive was falling asleep as he spoke.

"Nosedive, I met Drake DuCaine! I got a Dad!"

"Huh? Wait a sec, still processing…OH MAN!" Nosedive suddenly broke the connection. Wildwing got out of bed, deciding that he was not to sleep at all. His door slid open with a pounding, and he found himself on the floor beneath his brother.

"Oh man man man man man man man!" Nosedive was hugging Wildwing tight around the neck. "I knew you’d come through! I *knew* it!"

Wildwing laughed. "Well, here I am. Guess I’m gonna have to apologise to you for 15 years of rubbishing you."

"Who cares! Wait til I tell the guys!"

"You knew they were…what are we?"

"We’re Drakeians. We talked about it a few times. Tanya had been one before seeing the Mask, and the others believed when they saw."

"What about Grin."

Nosedive was suddenly serious. "I don’t even know if he believes in Drake full stop. I’m praying for him."

"You’ve got a lot to teach me."

Nosedive laughed. "Now *this* is something I’m not familiar with!" He got up, and headed to the door. "Sorry Wing, but I gotta get some sleep."

"That’s OK. I have someone new to talk to now."

Nosedive grinned hugely and headed off to bed. I knew you’d come through Drake! Grin’s next, kay?