Thomas stared blindly out the window. In truth he didn't see any of the view that his father's status had gotten them. There apartment was beautiful and it's view of the skyline exquisite but material things were not what Thomas wanted. He'd found love for the first time in his life eight years ago. Katrina was perfect. She had red hair that glowed and a beautiful smile. Generally intermixing splices was not encouraged there was more chance of a child turning out Filthy but it hadn't matter to Thomas. Katrina was the woman he loved and the laws me damned.

His parents hadn't been thrilled when he'd told them he was going out with a fox splice but they'd met her and both agreed that she was charming if a little stubborn. Then disaster struck. Katrina had gotten pregnant. That wasn't the disaster. No that cemented there relationship, Thomas and Katrina couldn't have been happier. It was when the child had been born that things started to fall apart. The little girl when she was born had bright yellow birds eyes. It was obvious that she had taken after his splice, the problem was that it was visible. She had yellow eagles eyes, and red hair like her mothers but it was pattered with black making it look like feathers. Her wings weren't as compact as his. She wouldn't be able to hid them as easily and cramming them into a shirt would be painful.

The doctors had spoken, the girl was filthy and could not be accepted into the city. She would be executed at sun up after her parents had a chance to say good bye. Katrina had screamed that there wasn't anything wrong with her little girl, that just because she looked a little different didn't make her worse. The officials had looked at her with suspicious eyes and Thomas had had to shut her up quickly to stop her from going to the gallows with her daughter.

That night Thomas had paid off several different people from the gates men to the officials that monitored the security feeds. It had cost a great deal but it allowed him the holes in security he needed to sneak his fiancée and daughter out of the city. Everyday since he'd wished that he'd stayed with them but he'd told Katrina that as happy as he would have been with her no matter where they were he needed to return to the city to make sure that everyone thought she and there child were dead. His parent thought he stared aimlessly into space because the love of his life had killed herself and her child rather than let the government take them but the truth was that the knowledge that he could be with them even now still haunted him. She would be turning seven this coming week. Every year on her birthday he lit a candle for her and prayed that she remain safe.

With a suddenly feeling that he needed to be doing something Thomas flipped a switch next to the window. His entire family were avian splices and as such they had windows that opened enough for an entire person to fit through. It was easier to fly that way. He dove out the window and the ground started to hurtle towards him. For a few seconds he considered not opening his wings and just letting himself get squashed but he knew that was not what his love and daughter would have wanted for him.

His wings stretched out through tailor made slits in his jacket and the wind caught him. He never felt so free or at home as when he soared through the air. He wondered if his daughter enjoyed flying. They hadn't even gotten a chance to name her. This was the only time when he came close to forgetting his troubles but it didn't last. He needed to land soon. His family was considering a new apartment on the other side of the city and he thought he should check it out.

Who was he fooling? That was just a pretence to avoid going home for a couple of hours. He landed in a back alley and started to walk. He knew the general direction of where he was going but nothing specific about directions had come into his mind. After about twenty minutes of walking he found himself at the last place on earth he wanted to be. Katrina's parents house. He'd considered talking to them millions of times over the years but he'd never been able to pick up the courage to knock on the door. Should he knock? Would they hate him? Would they welcome him? Would they call him the death of there daughter? Could he lie to them and tell them she was dead? He just didn't know. Everything had been so clear for his life before he'd met the fox faced girl. Then everything had been turned upside down but he wouldn't have traded it for anything.