What I Really Need (Remake)

Chapter 33

It had been a week after the wedding. It was late in the day, nearly sunset. The sun hung lazily, bathing everything in an golden glow. Grizz huffed and sighed as he lifted and pushed the last bag in the back of the truck he and Sunny had rented. 

He walked back home awhile away to see Panda and Ice Bear one more time before he left. 

He imagined that it would be a happy moment. Sunny going to find his dream with him and Asia. But, instead there was a heavy sadness that was present between everyone. Everyone was leaving something behind. 

Asia and Sunny were leaving their home behind. Grizz was gonna leave with Sunny to find that place together to be happy. The place where they belonged. 

Panda and Ice Bear, the newlyweds, would have to say goodbye to their beloved older brother for an unknown period of time. Grizz met his brothers in their cave. The cave now belonged to them. It was a painful moment when Grizz realized just how much he was leaving behind. 

"Guys, I'm....I'm really doing it. I'm really gonna go out and find my place", Grizz said sadly, he forced a smile.

I need to be strong, Grizz thought. My bros need to see that everything will be fine.

"Grizz, we know this is something you have to do. And we want you to be happy. But, I'll - - we're gonna miss you", Panda broke down and held onto Grizz, feeling silly for letting tears leak into the grizzly's fur. 

Ice Bear couldn't help himself and clung to Grizz as well, silently crying. 

Panda felt like he was losing the bear he could always depend on, who he always turned to. 

Ice Bear felt like he was losing the bear he looked up to, the bear cared for everyone but himself. 

Grizz looked at his two younger brothers. He could feel tears of his own welling up, clouding his vision. But in the end he couldn't stop himself from crying either. Crying for the brothers he would leave behind and the memories they wouldn't make with him and the life apart from his.

He hugged the both of them tight, just like when they were cubs, all alone with nothing but each other. 

"I want you two to be happy, and love each other more than anything else", Grizz said smiling through tears. "I want you both to know that I promise to come back some day. And when I comeback, I want to hear everything that happened while I was gone."

"We will", Panda whispered sadly. 

"Ice Bear promises to take care of Panda", Ice Bear smiled, holding Panda's paw. 

"There. Be good bears while I'm gone", Grizz smiled, letting go of his brothers and stepping back. 

"I have to go. Sunny and our future are waiting for us. I love you both. I'm sorry, but...", Grizz couldn't say anything more, he just turned around and ran towards the truck, tears streaming down his face. 

Ice Bear held onto Panda as they watched Grizz run back to Sunny. They knew Grizz would come back, but their hearts ached at watching Grizz leave like that. 

But all of the bears: Grizz, Panda, Ice Bear, Sunny and Asia all knew this was something that had to be done. The paths in their lives were now diverging in different directions. 

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Grizz sat in the truck as it drove down the road. He watched the sunset and wondered if his brothers were doing the same. He smiled at the thought. Grizz closed his eyes to gather his thoughts. In a moment he saw some sort of image. Of two bear-shapes holding paws, running together and what he thought was a third smaller bear along with them. 

Grizz opened his eyes and took it as a sign that his brothers were going to be just fine. He wondered if his brothers were thinking about him as well. His mind jumped from memory to memory. Of his life with Panda and Ice Bear and how happy they all made one another. Grizz stared out at the passing land outside and felt peace, hope and happiness well up inside him, happiness for his brothers and happiness for himself....