"What next?"

"Well, we can look for something higher, or we can go all the way up and really do some flying."

"All the way up?"

"I can carry you up and let you glide down from high enough that you'll be able to learn how to get lift, how to turn, and how to do everything else you need to do to really fly."

"What if I don't though? What if I do something wrong? If I'm that high, wouldn't it kill me if I fell?"

Aidan shook his head. "We won't be going just above the tress, we'd be going up above the lower clouds. From that high if you fall, there will be time enough for me to catch you. I'll fly right next to you, and if anything happens I'll be right there."

Damien hesitated a moment, then he nodded. "I want to fly, to really fly."

Aidan grinned. "You're very brave."

"I'm scared stiff! But I want to do it anyhow."

Aidan chuckled at that. "That's what bravery is, you know. It's not really being brave to do something that doesn't scare you. Is it brave to put on your shoes in the morning? Being brave is being scared stiff and doing it anyhow."

"Oh." Damien had never thought of it like that before.

"Let's go. If I'm going to carry you, we're going to have to get a high start. I can't take off from the ground with the extra weight." He looked around. "Can you get up onto the roof?"

Damien giggled. "Yes. Mom hates it when I do, but you can go out the attic window and then climb up."

"And here I thought you were afraid of high places. What are you doing on the roof if you are?"

"It's kind of scary, but not as bad when it's big like the roof is. And I like climbing things. Though I got stuck once. I was too scared to get down. Mom had to get a ladder. She was really mad."

Aidan chuckled. "Well, she said she wants you to learn how to fly, so hopefully she won't be mad at me for taking you up there. Show me how to get there."

Damien led the way through the house and up the stairs to the attic. Small dormer windows ran along both sides of the large open room. Damien went over to the nearest one and slid it open. He climbed out onto the shingled roof. Aidan was glad of his small build, he only just barely fit through the window. Damien had already scrambled up to the peak of the roof and was sitting on it. Aidan carefully climbed up after him. He looked out from his perch and nodded. It would be high enough. "Right. We'll need to take off from the end." Damien nodded. He didn't get to his feet but crawled along the roof until he was close to the edge. He stopped there, looking nervous again. Aidan carefully picked his way after him. He rested his hand on the boy's shoulder. "You'll have to stand up. I've got you, you won't fall."

Damien nodded and slowly got to his feet.. Aidan put his arms around the boy from behind. "Okay. I'm going to go as high as I can. When you're ready, I'll let you go. You're going to fall for just a second, because you'll have your wings closed when I drop you. Spread them out, and they'll naturally straighten you and you should be gliding. Once we've gotten that far, the rest will be easy!"

Damien just nodded.

"Ready?"

"Yes."