Chapter 1

Author's Notes: Hello everybody, welcome to my very first fanfic! I really hope that you all enjoy this story. I have never written on this website before, so please forgive me if it isn't the best. Please review, it's the only way I can improve in the future. I'd like to extend huge thanks to David Kraft for beta reading every chapter in this story. He is an amazing writer and I would have never even had the courage to write this until I read his stories. He inspired me and helped me all along the way, so thank you David. Again, I hope you all like it and I will do my best to update regulalrly! :)

Blu had no idea what to do. Of course he realized that he was going to die either way. He was either going to drown when the plane crashed or when he hit the water after jumping to be with Jewel. But what if she didn't want to be with him? The last time they were really together he was a jerk. Blu couldn't fly and he took it out on her. He didn't get a chance to apologize either. The clear skies and warm weather outside the plane were mocking him. It was a perfect day to go for a swim in Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Bay. Unfortunately it looked like that was what Blu was going to be doing any second. The plane lurched once more, and Blu realized that he couldn't wait any longer. He had to make a decision. So He did. He jumped. Blu's cheeks flapped and he screamed with fear as his body plummeted towards Jewel and the ocean below. Before his mind truly made the connection, he had come into contact with her. She looked just as beautiful as she had the very moment he first laid eyes on her. However, her eyes were now filled with confusion and fright. "Blu," she shouted, "you're crazy, what are you doing?!"

Blu tried to reply as calmly as possible, knowing full well this would be the last words he ever said to her. "I'm not gonna let you go, we're chained to each other birds remember?"

After the words had left his mouth, he saw something change in her. Her whole body seemed to relax as if a lifetime of tension had finally begun to subside. Then, she leaned in and kissed him. Blu couldn't even begin to describe the feelings he experienced at that moment. It was like for the first time, someone truly saw what he was capable of, truly enjoyed his presence. What happened next, was nothing short of a miracle. Blu spread his wings and flew. Not a moment too soon either, his talons just grazed the sea as he took off. Still holding her with his claws, Blu looked down and saw sheer disbelief upon Jewel's face. "Blu!", she gasped, "you're flying!"

Just as shocked as she was, Blu decided to make a joke out of it. "Yeah, you're right", he laughed, "I'm not an ostrich, I'm not an ostrich!"

Blu continued to soar with his most precious cargo until he came to a landing upon a small airstrip. It wasn't anything special. There was just one hangar where small twin planes were kept. The minute his talons made contact with the ground, three humans rushed toward them. The woman Blu knew as Linda. She had red hair, big glasses, and was wearing a blue macaw costume. Linda used to own Blu as a pet back in Minnesota. Only two days ago, the man who now approached Blu and Jewel came to Linda and Blu and asked them to come to Rio. He was also dressed up in a funny outfit and considering how weird he usually acted, Blu assumed he was the one who gave Linda the idea. The man, an ornithologist named Tulio, hoped to have Blu and Jewel mate to save their species. Blu and Jewel were the last spix macaws on the planet. They had been taken from Tulio's aviary by the last person walking towards them on the runway, a teenage boy named Fernando. He had given Blu and Jewel to smugglers who hoped to sell them to make a fortune. Luckily, their plans were foiled back on the plane. As the aircraft descended, the bungling men barely escaped by clinging to one another's legs from a parachute. Blu shot Fernando a look of distrust but his eyes softened when he noticed Fernando's regretful expression. "I'm really sorry guys," he said with his head hung low. "I know I put you in danger and I understand if you don't like me. I hope someday you can forgive me."

Some birds would probably think Blu was soft after what he did next, but he squawked an "I forgive you." Fernando seemed unsure what to think about Blu's response so Blu tried to smile to show Fernando that he wasn't upset with him. In the meantime, Tulio had come closer and scooped Jewel off the ground. While they attempted to escape the plane, the smugglers' pet cockatoo named Nigel had caused a metal cage to fall on Jewel's wing, breaking it. As a result, she could no longer fly. Blu stopped him by strapping a fire extinguisher to his leg and activating it. This caused Nigel to be shot right out of the plane. "It's okay", Tulio soothed, "I bet I can fix it."

For some reason unknown to Blu, Jewel was frightened of humans. Blu could clearly see the uneasiness planted upon her face, so he said reassuringly, "Don't worry, he won't hurt you."

Jewel nodded her head and seemed to relax the tiniest bit. Linda lifted Blu off the ground and hugged him tight. "Oh Blu," she said,"I thought I'd never see you again."

Linda had tears in her eyes. It always made Blu so sad when Linda was sad. He had to look away so he didn't cry. Blu squawked to hopefully make the point that he had missed her terribly as well. "We'd better start making our way back to the aviary," Tulio said, "the sooner I start helping Jewel the better."

Everyone nodded their agreement and started to walk. As they made their way along Blu peered at Jewel, still in Tulio's arms. She caught his eye and Blu wondered if she was thinking about the kiss too. Was it just a spur of the moment thing, or was there something deeper? Did she feel how he felt? Blu was just grateful that he was alive so those questions could be answered.