A/N: Hey, there everyone! Still working on my book and it is just about finished but, for now, here is a one-shot. And, whoo, boy, is it a whopper! I'll admit I got a little carried away and it ended up slightly longer than I intended it. But I couldn't figure out where to put chapter breaks as that would involve some unnecessary parts to the story so I decided to keep it a one-shot. Just a super long one-shot. I'll put it this way: this is the longest one-shot I have ever done and closest I've done to anything of this length for a one-shot in a while. I hope you guys like it.
It is a sequel to the "Beneath Your Beautiful" one-shot I did a little bit ago. A couple of people alluded to a possible follow-up to that one and I toyed around with it for a while until this became the end result. And, actually, I am pretty proud of it. I enjoyed writing this one because it's a bit outside my territory from what I am used to writing. It made it more challenging and, because of that, more fun and rewarding.
Also, I based some elements of the story off of the song "Stay" by Rihanna feat. Mikkey Ekko but only a few. Not really a songfic but it can have some of those elements.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy! And remember... REVIEWS!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to Batman Beyond or Stay. Those rights belong to the owners. This is just a fan made work.
Three months of dating would usually produce couples who were too busy making out to still argue about ridiculous things that only best friends argue over. But since Terry and Max started off as best friends, it made the transition easier. And the arguments just as ridiculous as ever.
"You are out of your mind!" Terry shouted as Max followed after him as they walked outside, leaving the school.
"No, you're just stubborn!" she argued.
"We've talked about this before!"
"And you still make the stupid argument against my correct argument!"
He looked back at her while keeping his stride, "I just can't believe you like that dumb movie!"
"It's good!"
"No! It's not!"
She ran in front of him, bringing them both to a stop, "Just 'cause you don't get it, doesn't make it a bad movie!"
"Does to me!"
"I'm gonna make you watch it again."
He let out a sarcastic chuckle. "No, you're not."
"Yes, I am."
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am."
Terry's phone rang. He looked at it and saw it was Bruce.
Max smirked. "Saved by the Bat."
"I have to go. Talk to you later."
"Okay."
He gave her a quick kiss and left to go answer his boss's call. Max just smiled as she saw her boyfriend brake off into a run not long after answering his phone. It, usually, meant that there was a repeat offender on the loose. The guys that he had to fight more than once always made him run faster. He told her it was because he couldn't believe that he had to face whoever it was again. He was hoping they were starting to get tired of losing. Apparently not.
"Wow, must be nice to actually see him before he disappears."
Confused at the remark, Max turned around to see Blade standing behind her, holding her books in her arms.
"You got a problem?" the computer genius asked.
The white haired girl shrugged, "Only with backstabbers."
Max raised her eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"I called you a backstabber. Did I stutter?"
Max turned serious. "You want a piece of me?"
"Oh, sure. Add assault to your list of lack of morals."
"What are you even talking about?"
"Your little relationship with Terry."
"What about it?"
Blade shrugged. "How does it feel to be the little loser girl who stabbed Dana in the back?"
Max's eyes went wide. Then, she got angry, almost gritting her teeth. "Why you little…"
"Oh? Getting mad? The guilty usually do."
Max stopped. "What are you talking about?"
"Terry and Dana broke up, what? Ten minutes before you hooked up with him. Oh, sorry. Twenty. Girls like you usually have a grace period."
"You don't know a slaggin' thing about me, Blade!"
"Really? Did you ever clear it with Dana that you were all over her ex? Or did you use that massive brain of yours to make everyone around you do what you wanted and take over?"
The pink haired teen opened her mouth but, much to her surprise, she couldn't respond.
"You just sauntered right on in, didn't you? Couldn't help yourself, huh, twip?"
Max closed her mouth and stared daggers at her, shaking a little. "Shut up, Blade."
"Is that the best you can do? Not even gonna try to defend yourself." She started to circle the pink haired teen, "How much longer can you pretend you didn't stab Dana in the back? Or for that, matter, Terry?"
She looked at her, curiously.
"I mean… your so-called 'best friend' just breaks up with his longtime girlfriend and what advice did you offer for him getting her back?"
Max stared at her, completely baffled. She looked down at the ground. As much she couldn't believe, Blade could be right.
"Face it, Max: you just walked right on in and took advantage of Terry and turned your back on Dana. Some friend you turned out to be."
Max looked up at her.
"Why don't you do everyone a favor and just be the smart girl and not the… loose girl? It's not a look that fits you." The messaged sent and the damage was done. Blade walked away. A triumphant smile forming on her lips.
The pink haired teen stared into nothing as she left as one cold, chilling thought came through her head: Blade was right.
Max sat on her couch. The words that Blade said to her played over and over again in her head. She couldn't believe that they were but they were there, torturing her. Berating her.
Shaming her.
What was worse was the fact that Max found them hard to be wrong. She replayed all of that went into herself and Terry becoming a couple and she really couldn't find herself innocent of any wrongdoing. In fact, in her mind, she was becoming guiltier by the second. She let herself get caught up in her feelings for Terry and offered him no advice to get his longtime girlfriend back but, instead, let herself succumb to her own emotions for him. She couldn't believe she did that to him. She was starting to hate herself. She made a terrible mistake and failed two people she cared about in the process. Given the number of people she could count on, betraying two friends was a lot. She needed to make it right. It led her to only one logical decision and it was the hardest one she would ever make. She could only pray she would be forgiven later.
She text Terry to come by, saying they needed to talk. He finished up with his hero duties earlier in the evening and decided to come via the front door. He knocked on it. "Hey, Max! It's me! The only boyfriend that breaks into running from his girlfriend for an actual good reason!"
She wanted to smile at his terrible, corny jokes but she couldn't. She walked up to the door to open it. But found she couldn't do that either.
"Max?"
She exhaled and said, just barely audible, "I'm here."
He jerked his head back a little, surprised; by her tone more than anything. "Okay… soooooo, open the door?"
She looked at the floor. "I can't…"
"Max, the lock is on the inside." He hoped a joke would lighten her mood.
"I mean… I won't."
Now, he knew something was really wrong. "Why?"
She gathered up all the willpower she had and forced out the most difficult sentence she had said in her life, "Terry… I think we should break-up."
Slowly, what she said registered in his mind. He stared at the door with his mouth ajar. He heard it and understood it. He just couldn't believe it. "What?"
"We need to break-up."
He blinked several times trying, for the life of him, why she was saying this. "What in the world are you talking about?"
She fell silent. She couldn't explain for some reason. She had the reasons on her tongue but couldn't force them out.
He knocked on her door. "Max… Max." He knocked again, "Max, come on, open up."
"No…" she said, quietly.
"Max…"
"No!"
"Max!"
"I said no, Terry!" She didn't mean to shout. She hated getting emotional because this tended to happen. She clenched her fists, trying to get ahold of herself but the floodgate was open now. Curse these emotions of hers. "They're right!"
"Who is?"
"Everyone! I stole you from Dana!"
He squinted his eyes, "Someone said you did what? Who the slag is 'everyone'?" He shook his head, "Don't be stupid! You didn't do anything like that! Open the door!"
"I said no, okay?! We got together way too soon! I didn't even tell you to go try and work things out with her! I just jumped right in when you were vulnerable, I stabbed Dana in the back, and now she probably hates, and… and…" She took a breath. "I wasn't even a good friend… what kind of girlfriend could I be? You deserve better than that."
That hit him, directly, in the heart. "Max…"
"Just leave, Terry… okay? Just go. I don't want to make into the jerk that you're not. Just go."
"But…"
"Do you remember… the night before the party?"
He stopped.
"You told me you never wanted to make me a 'plot device.' That I meant too much to you for you to ever do that to me." She paused. "But… I did. I did that to you. I turned you into a plot device in my story. Like one of those stupid romance books or movies. I was the… geek girl who stole the hot guy from the beautiful girl. The only difference? I was a rotten friend to all of you at the same time."
"Max…"
"It's over, Terry. I won't let you be the bad guy that you aren't. I won't make you anything like Nash or the losers like him. You don't deserve that and you never will."
He leaned against the door. "Max, please. Don't do this."
"Go. Please."
He couldn't believe this. He couldn't believe he was hearing this at all. He wanted to do was open that door, take her in his arms, and kiss her. But, none of that would happen. If her mind was made up, then her mind was made up. What could he do? He shook his head and exhaled. Rubbing his face with one hand while the other was on his hip, he walked away from the door but he stopped. He dropped his hand, looked back at her apartment, and called back to her, "You didn't make me do anything, Max. You didn't trick me into anything. Every single choice in my life… is one I made. All of them." He sighed. "I hope you understand that."
She listened for his footsteps, hearing the echo get lower and lower until she knew he was gone and she hated herself all over again. She wanted to stay inside and let this go but, more than anything, she wanted to run out the door, track Terry down, throw herself into his arms and beg him to take her back and never let her go.
But she didn't. She stayed in her apartment. She sunk down to the floor, force the bottom of her palm to her forehead, and let a few tears fall. She wanted to cry but couldn't do it. She just exhaled and titled her head back as more tears fell. She was really going to miss him.
Terry walked through school, his backpack slung over his shoulder. It had been three days since the breakup and nothing was the same. Quite frankly, if it wasn't for his Batman work, he would've been a perpetual zombie. Every day after classes, he did everything he could to find Max but she was good at avoiding him when she wanted to. He eventually gave up, knowing that this was what she wanted now and he had to let her have it. But he hoped he would get to talk to her soon. He had to talk her out of all of this nonsense.
His thoughts were interrupted when Dana walked up behind him and grabbed his shoulder, "Terry?"
He looked at her. He couldn't even fake a smile. "Hey."
There was her tall tale sign something was the matter: his tone. "What's wrong? You've been… visible and Max has been disappearing. It's the world gone backwards."
"Yeah… I guess so."
"Did something happen with you two?"
He paused. "Yeah, uh… we… broke up, I guess."
She honestly looked surprise, to Terry's confusion. "What? Why?"
"Umm… I don't know…" He bit back that lie and decided to come clean. "Okay… yeah, I know. But…"
"What is it?"
He stared at her, his mouth open as he tried to figure out if he should verbalize this or not. "I don't… I mean… you… probably don't want to hear this. I mean… with the way everything…"
"Terry…" she could see his conflict, "we may be over as a couple but I'm not mad anymore. And, honestly? I'm starting to worry about you. And I've been worried about Max. Every time I see her, she's been so quiet lately. I try to go near her and she takes off. It's like she's scared of at me. Not like she hates me or like she's snubbing me but… like she's actually afraid of me. I'm worried. So… tell me what's up."
She wanted the truth and he could give her that. He spent a long time not telling it to her but he could tell her this. "Alright but, before I say this, know, for a fact, that I don't think this, at all. Okay?"
"Okay."
He took a deep breath and exhaled. Here came the truth, "Someone told Max that she stole me away from you. And they said that you were mad at her."
She paused. "Come again?"
"Dana. I don't believe any of that. Okay? I get it if you're mad at me and I will never tell you not to be. We ended… kinda bad and for that I am so sorry."
She waved it off, "Just forget about that, for now. What about Max?"
He sighed, "She started feeling all guilty about it and ended things with us. I haven't even gotten to really talk to her since."
Dana's mouth fell open as she looked around in shock. That wording could've only come from one person. And only one person would have the guts to confront Max with this situation at all.
"And… I don't know what's going on with her. She wouldn't tell me who said it, but…"
"Oh. I know who." She turned her head. "I can't believe this. I told her to shut up!"
"Who?"
Dana turned back to him. "Blade."
Terry's whole thought process stopped. "What?"
"Blade. She came up with that slag of an idea about a week into you guys dating." She closed her eyes for a second, disappointed in herself, "And, yeah, I kinda went along with it at first," she looked at him, "but I got back into my head and realized that neither you nor Max would ever do that and I told her to let it drop!"
"Blade…"
"Terry, I am so sorry! I just… I was mad, like you said! And when she brought it up and I went along with it but I told her she was wrong! I told her I was wrong for even thinking it! I mean it! I'm sorry!"
He shook his head, "It's not your fault, Dana."
She appreciated that. "Thanks." But still left the matter at hand. "But don't worry about Blade! I'll straighten her out! I promise! I told her to let this go!"
Dana kept on talking but Terry didn't hear it. He heard all he needed to hear. He didn't blame his ex-girlfriend for being angry. That was expected. In fact, he even understood her anger. Who wouldn't be angry at that situation and make accusations? But Blade? Who did she think she was? She didn't know Terry or Max and she barely knew Dana enough to throw any kind of advice in. And who was she to give anyone relationship advice? Dana was still talking but Terry didn't hear her. He had a focused look in his eyes.
Something that Dana saw because it stopped her rant, immediately. "Terry?"
He walked away from her, not to be mean to her but he had a purpose. Dana followed after him, wondering where he was going.
The hero teen walked with authority across the school, looking in every single direction for his quarry. His Batman side was slipping into his normal life right now and he didn't care at all. If it helped him get to his target faster, great. He walked into the basketball court and found Blade sitting on the bottom bleachers, giggling with her idiot friends. He made beeline for her, getting the attention of Chelsea, Nelson, and anyone else in the building as well. Dana stopped when she saw where he was going and started getting worried.
Blade looked up and saw Terry approach and got to her feet. She folded her arms and put a snarky grin. "Here to ask for a date, McGinnis? Just gonna go through all the girls at Hill High, huh? Sorry. I only date athletes."
Terry just stared at her, his jaw clenched tight.
"Maybe, you should try an actual cool girl and not some backstabbing sl…"
"SHUT THE SLAG UP!"
Wide-eyed, Blade was jumped back at Terry's outburst, as did everyone else. The white haired teen immediately lost her smugness; finally realizing that she crossed the line. Dana and Chelsea looked at each other so very surprised; they'd never heard Terry like that. Nelson was going to confront McGinnis but that roar was soul twisting.
"I don't know who you even think you are, telling anyone else about who they date or how they date them! And, I am so happy you brought up only dating athletes SINCE YOU DATED ALL OF THEM IN THIS SCHOOL AND EVERY SCHOOL IN A TWENTY MILE RADIUS!" He paused. "I would go further with that but standards won't let me." He walked closer to her, causing her to take a step back, and stared right into her eyes, "Dana being mad at me is one thing! Because she has the right to be and I don't blame her. You, on other hand, don't have a thing to do with this! Now, you listen up and listen good: Max didn't trick me into anything! Dana and I broke up! It sucked at the time and Max was there for me, like she is with everything. And, even if we got together too soon, that's none of your slaggin' business! She's my girlfriend! This is my relationship and my life! And Max's life is her life! And neither of our lives has ANYTHING to do with you!
"Now, I'm only going to say this one time, Blade: stay out of my business, stay out of Max's business until you learn how to be a better person and not some simple piece of trash that you will wake up one day and regret being." He turned and walked away but stopped, "Oh, and one more thing!" He turned around, "I hold back from hitting girls, no matter how much they may deserve it. But, I'm warning you now: if Max gets over this and decides to go after you, not even Batman will be able to protect you from her. I suggest you make peace real fast… she's not known for letting go of a grudge anytime soon."
He turned and left, leaving a plethora of stunned students in his wake. Dana's and Chelsea's mouths were both open so wide a bird threatened to make a nest. Blade's knees were knocking together as fear surged through her. But the most shocked observer of all was Max, who was on the other side of the door to the basketball court that led outside. What surprised her even more was that, despite the current situation, Terry still called her his girlfriend.
Max sat at home, trying to study for a class but she couldn't focus. She knew the material, anyway; it was her relationship with Terry that had her confused. She wanted to do the right thing by everyone by calling off their relationship but, with the way he defended her and called her his girlfriend, she didn't know what the right thing was anymore. Plus, it was very surprising: she'd never seen Terry like that. But she really suspected that he was capable of that kind of intensity without the costume, by past reputation, if anything. It was one of the main reasons that she didn't tell him it was Blade in the first place. In a way, she found it very attractive; more so for the fact that he did it for her. But even that left her conflicted. This was why she avoided relationships. If only Terry was like every other guy…
But there was the problem. He isn't.
Her cell phone rang. She looked to see Chelsea's name on the ID. She smirked and answered, "Hey, Chels."
"Hey, Max!" Chelsea said, cheerfully.
"What's up?"
"Eh, this and that. You got a minute?"
"Sure thing. What's on your mind?"
Chelsea paused. "Promise you won't get mad?"
Max narrowed her eyes. "The last time you said that to me was when we were working on a project together… and you did nothing!"
"I know, I know! And I said I was sorry."
"I make no promises, then."
"That's fair."
"Alright, so, what's up?"
Chelsea fell silent for a few seconds. "It's about you and Terry."
Max instantly became downtrodden. "Oh, Chels…"
"Max, give me a chance."
"I just tired, okay? I don't wanna hear anyone else talking about how much we messed up and rushed into things and…"
"I don't think you did."
Max stopped. "Say what?"
"I said, I don't think you made a mistake."
There was something the pink haired teen didn't expect: someone besides Terry who didn't think it was a mistake. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah, Max. I am. Look… nothing against Terry and Dana because they were great for a while… but… honestly? I think they were done a long time ago. What with Terry always disappearing or bailing on her and Dana always finding new things to do anyway… I'd say there was already writing on the wall. They were on the road to being done."
"I didn't stop it, though."
"You weren't supposed to. It wasn't your relationship. If it ended, that was on them. You can't control that."
"But I still screwed up. I wasn't a good friend."
"Yes, you were. You didn't do anything wrong."
"Standards and rules say otherwise."
"Mad you broke girl code? It happens. It's not like you were trying to."
"Doesn't make it okay."
"Doesn't mean you were trying to."
"Come on, Chels…"
"Look, I've talked to Dana. She doesn't hate you. Terry's not her favorite person, right now, but she doesn't hate him, either. I don't care what Blade told you. And, you know that's not Dana. She doesn't hold a grudge."
Max sat back, exhaling. "Yeah, I know." She sighed. "I just feel like I stabbed her in the back."
"First off, stop listening to Blade. For goodness sakes, stop listening to her."
"Easier said than done."
"Oh, please. She wouldn't know a good relationship if one slapped her in the face. Which has happened, by the way."
Max smirked. "I hear ya. Just… she had some points. Made all this… kinda rough. You know?"
"Okay, I'll let you have that but don't let that stop you. Maybe you and Terry getting together rubbed some people the wrong way but people get rubbed the wrong way for any reason."
"I just hate to be that reason."
Chelsea thought for a second. "There's some quote that says when we make a choice, it has consequences. Sometimes, the consequences really suck. They happen. You and Terry came with Dana getting mad. Okay, that sucks but she was mad at Terry anyway. That doesn't make you a backstabber, Max. You're one of the few people who never has been. I don't think you can be."
Max nodded. "Thanks."
"No problem." Chelsea paused. "So, I gotta ask… what are you gonna about Terry?"
Max's eyes grew wide for a second at that question. She inhaled deeply, "That's a really good question." She exhaled. "I have no idea."
"I think it's pretty clear how he feels."
"Yeah." She paused. "He… called me his 'girlfriend.'"
"I know. So?"
"I dunno. Even without the Dana part of the equation, I'm just… still at a loss. It's… still complicated."
Chelsea paused for a second. "Want my advice?"
Max smiled. "Absolutely."
"You and Terry are best friends. Even if you guys stay broken up, I get the feeling that you guys will always be friends, come rain or shine."
"I'll give you that."
"And friends talk. Best friends talk constantly. Terry made it clear how he feels. Talk to him. If you guys don't get back together, it'll suck but… at least… he'll know where he stands with you."
That made complete and total sense. She nodded. "Yeah… yeah, you're right." She knew it wouldn't be easy but it was only fair. Terry deserved that much. "Thanks, Chels."
"No problem."
"I'm really glad you're my friend."
"You've pulled me out of the fires of high school too many times for me to turn my back on you, Max. Call it a life for a life."
Max laughed. "What shows have you been watching?"
"My dad has had the ancient TV shows channel on repeat and I pick some of it up. Leave me alone."
"Hey! I am not going to judge." She paused, smiling. "Thanks again."
"No worries. Let me know how things go."
"I will. Night."
"Night."
It was around eleven and Max was eating ice cream and flipping through the television channels in her room. She wasn't tired as her mind was still processing everything and the talk with Chelsea was still fresh in her mind. She appreciated everything that the blonde girl said to her but she wasn't convinced. She wasn't sure if hers and Terry's relationship really wasn't her taking advantage of him. She really did want to be with him but did she take advantage of what he was going through?
Regardless of her confusion, she still had the problem of how to go about talking to him. She felt like she put him through too much call or text him, she figured.
The answer came to her in the form of a knock on her window. Her breath caught and she looked up to see Batman waving at her. Setting her ice cream aside, she unlocked the window and opened it.
"Hey," he greeted.
"Hey," she replied, quietly.
"We should talk."
"I guess we should."
"I would've called but…" He stopped. "Can I come in?"
She nodded, "Sure." He asked to come in. That was new. Did she really make him feel so uncomfortable that he felt he needed to permission to come see her? What had she said? What had she done? "For the record, no matter what, if you're bleeding or busted up, you don't have to ask to come in."
He smiled. "Noted." He took his mask off, "But… no such emergency."
"That's good. Proves you're being careful."
"Nah. Slow night." He smirked, "Not a criminal stirring, not even a pickpocket."
She stifled a giggle. "A Christmas joke? Seriously."
"It's never a bad time for Christmas."
They both laughed lightly. But soon the laughter stopped and the smiles faded. Max moved around awkwardly as Terry stared at her. She looked at him but had to look away. She couldn't look at him while he was giving her the look, one that said he cared about her, found her beautiful, and wanted to be with her. She hated how much she adored that look from him but, at the same time, she always wanted him to have it for her.
God, this boy made her confused. "I… heard what you said to Blade."
"Easy to hear since you were outside the door," he smiled.
"How did…" She stopped. "I can't believe that you're getting that good."
"Comes with the territory. It's schway but makes it really hard to mind your own business."
She smiled for a second then lost it. "You didn't have to say anything to her."
"The heck I didn't."
"Terry…"
"Blade doesn't know a thing about you, me, or us. She had no right to say anything in the first place."
"But she was right."
"No, she wasn't."
"Yes, she was."
He folded his arms. "Alright, this is what I wanna talk about: how was she right?"
"Like I said… I should've… pushed harder for you to go talk to Dana. I should've been a better friend."
"Going with me to a party so I won't seem like just some underage twip working for an old man doesn't count as you being a 'better friend'?"
"You know what I mean."
"No, I don't. Because better friends cover for their friends at every single turn, even when it means they have to deal with catching a few of their friend's bullets." He walked closer to her, "And ever since you found out about me and what I do, that was all you did."
Max looked up at him and it was really getting hard to focus on the talk and not on his lips. She turned her face and stepped away from him, "All you and Dana went through, people probably call me that chick who ruined everything."
"Well, they're wrong. I'm the guy who let it end."
"And don't you see how I'm the bad friend? I didn't give you the 'go back to her' talk that I should have."
"You have before."
"But I didn't this time."
"Max… before the last time, how many times has Dana dumped me?"
"Are we counting during any arguments I refereed?"
"My point exactly. You were a friend then just like you are now and just like you've always been."
She didn't know why but she decided now to reveal all she had been holding back on this issue. She exhaled. "But… what if I wasn't? What if I was… waiting for it to end?"
There was a curve even he didn't see coming. "What do you mean?"
She sat on her bed and looked at him. "Can I be honest with you, Terry? I mean, like… super honest. Like… more honest with you than I have ever been?"
He leaned against her dresser, very curious as to where this was going. He nodded.
She shook her head. "I've been attracted to you… for the longest time. I don't even know when it started." She shrugged, "The fact that I've that seen you shirtless no less than 20 times probably doesn't help." She paused. "And… every dumb moment we have or anything everyone else would find stupid that you don't mind doing with me… even just being here at the apartment gets made better 'cause you're here. I mean… before we were official, you were the closest thing I had to a boyfriend in forever." She shook her head again and let a shaken exhale. "So… what if… I tricked you into this… because… really… I've wanted to be your girl? I've wanted you to be my boyfriend? What if I did this… what if I didn't tell you to get her back… because I wanted you to myself?"
He stared at her in a contemplative silence. As usual, Max thought all of this through. She didn't want their relationship to be over any more than he did but she was struggling with if they got together at the right time and, now he could see, for the right reasons. But he saw the error of her ways: she considered herself an evil, manipulative person. And Terry knew the truth and that was that she was anything but. Even if she did find him attractive for a long time, she cared too much about her friends to do anything to, intentionally, hurt them. It just wasn't her.
Terry looked at the floor. "You said… that you've been attracted to me for a long time?"
She nodded and whispered, "Yeah."
"So…" He looked up. "…why never do anything about it before? You're smarter than most of us, you could've gotten away with it."
"Well, you were with Dana and…"
"And the numerous times she broke up with me before? Why not do something then?"
"I don't know. It… it just never felt right …"
"Why not? You could've jumped in at any time. I mean… God knows I come to you when things go wrong. You've had every opportunity. What made last time so different?"
"Because it was!"
"Why?"
"It just was!"
"That's not an answer."
She groaned, "C'mon, Terry! All the break-ups you two had in the past? This one was different! I mean, it was clear you two were done and…"
"And the kiss at the party?"
"I wasn't trying to make all that happen! Just… you, the dress I was wearing and the mood…" She groaned, "I just kissed you! It just happened, okay?! I wasn't trying to get you as a boyfriend! It just felt right! It…"
She stopped when she saw him smirking.
She exhaled, calming all the way down. "I hate it when you do that."
"I only do it when necessary," he replied.
"This isn't a joke, Terry. I'm serious. I hurt Dana… and, maybe even hurt you."
He turned very serious. "I'm a big boy, Max. I know how to take care of myself. And, even though I need your help with tougher areas, I know how fix myself up if I'm hurt."
"Except when it comes to me. You could not be thinking clearly."
"Don't let Bruce hear you say that." He walked over and sat next to her. "You need to let this go."
"I can't."
"Yeah, you can. Because you're beating yourself up over nothing."
"It's not nothing if I lost two of my best friends because I was selfish."
"I'm sorry. I missed the part where I went somewhere."
She looked away. He did have a point there.
"You're not acting like yourself and you know it. You let Blade get in your head and, God knows, she shouldn't be there."
She still wouldn't face him but she knew he was right. She couldn't shake the feeling she had. Not yet.
"I want you to listen to me, Max. Okay?"
She nodded.
"There has not been one choice in my life that I have made that wasn't my decision. Now, have there been drawbacks from that? Duh. Being stupid when I was younger counts plus there is other stuff. All the lessons we get to learn head-on after they graduate," he pointed to the Bat symbol on his chest, "I learned it a lot quicker. And you know all about the consequences from both experiences. But I learned that some of those consequences ain't so bad. And, for the record, you aren't the only who has found their best friend attractive for the longest time and didn't say anything."
She looked at him, surprised.
He eyed her up and down. "You tend to wear a lot of… form fitting clothes. And not once have I complained. Just glad you never caught me staring."
"I thought it was my imagination when I did."
"Oh, how wrong you are."
She blushed and looked away.
"Didn't know you could blush."
She rolled her eyes, "Terry…"
"Alright, alright, no more kidding around. But, I wasn't kidding about finding attractive, either, but anyway… I have a point. Yeah, it's true: we got together after Dana and I ended. Yeah, that drew some criticism. But, for that to matter to me, I have to care what other people think."
"You never really are one to care what other people think."
"And neither are you. Which is why I'm surprised this bothers you so much."
"It's different because Dana isn't a bad person."
"No, she's not. But we didn't try to make any of this happen. Not her, not me… and definitely, not you, no matter what you tell yourself."
She shook her head, "I don't know, Terry… I really don't."
"I do. Like I said, I made all of my choices. All of them. You didn't force me into anything, do you understand? Not a thing. I chose this. And, just like I chose to be Batman, I chose to not go after Dana again, I chose to ask you to that party… and I chose to kiss you."
She shrugged, "I… kinda leaned in first."
"And I kinda let you." He smirked. "I also kinda didn't stop you. And if you remember… I kinda asked you to dance first."
She wanted to respond but, instead, looked away.
He paused. "And I would do it all again. I mean that."
That tugged at her heart strings. Excluding his explanation of his heroic duties, of course, Terry was not one to lie, not about things like this. Not things this important. But still she couldn't bring herself to say anything. She was still waging a mental war within herself between her heart and her head; while her heart was gaining ground, her head had a firm lock on her emotions and wouldn't go down without a fight.
Terry could see it. She was still so conflicted. He couldn't make her be okay with this and he would never try. He came here to talk. He accomplished that mission. "I'll go, if you want. Because I don't want to force you into anything you don't want to do or make you uncomfortable. If this is too much or not what you want, then we can let it drop."
He put his hand on hers. She looked at it surprised. Had his touch always felt that good? He was even still wearing the suit. How did just him touching her feel like that? She looked into his eyes and saw his mind was well and made up.
"But I want to be with you, Max. I really do. How me and Dana ended is how we ended and how you and I started is how we started." He stared, quietly, into her eyes for a second. "I want to be with you. As long as you want that, too."
She started to tear up. She wanted to speak but she just couldn't get it out of her mouth. She didn't know why.
But he wasn't going to force her. He would never force anything like this on her. Maybe she just needed some time. "I'm gonna go."
He got up and started to head for the window. He wanted to give her a chance. A chance to think everything over. If it took a week, a month, a year; he would give her the time she needed. Maybe, she would decide she didn't want him. He could deal with that when the time came. But, if nothing else, for all she put up with when it came to him, he'd give her a chance. But, he had to be honest with himself: the last thing in the world he wanted to do was leave. He wanted to stay with her but he meant what he said. He would be a man of his word.
"Terry…"
His thoughts were interrupted when she broke the silence. He looked down at her to, much to his surprise, find her staring at him.
Her tears were starting to fall but her voice was getting stronger. "Don't leave. Please."
He let out a sigh of relief.
"I want you to stay."
He couldn't deny how much he wanted to hear that. He exhaled again, letting a lot of tension go. "Are you sure?"
She beckoned him closer with her finger. He walked up to the edge of her bed and she pushed herself up to her knees to kiss him. It reminded them both of the first time this happened, that night at the party. It felt just like it did then: right. So entrancing was the kiss that she put her arms around his neck and his hands found themselves on her waist. They finally came to a stop and stared into each other's eyes.
"I'm sure," she answered.
He smiled. She smiled back. First time three days that they both shared a smile.
"Now, sit down, hero… Donnie Darko is on and I'm going to explain it to you. Again."
He chuckled softly. "I hate… that stupid… movie."
"It's because you don't pay attention."
"I pay attention to a lot. That movie is just…" He let out a grunt. "I don't know why you like it."
"It's good!"
"It's boring and stupid."
"It's thought provoking."
"I can never follow it."
"Which makes me wonder how you solve any crimes?"
"With a lot of help."
She giggled. "You hate this movie so much and yet you sit and watch it with me every time."
"If that was a question… you just answered it."
She smiled. "Good answer."
"Even if it is stupid."
"I swear, you can be such a baby, sometimes, McGinnis."
He smiled. "You're feeling better."
"What makes you say that?"
"You always call me 'McGinnis' when you're making fun of me." He kissed her. "And you only make funny of me… when you're happy."
She giggled. "I am happy."
He smiled. "Now… do you promise not go after Blade?"
She shook her head. "We can have that talk later. I don't care about her right now."
"What do you care about?" He couldn't help but to ask.
She put on a classic Max smirk, which made Terry even happier. "Well, getting you to watch this movie and finally understand it, for one."
He laughed.
"That… and…" She paused and stared at him, longingly, and began to close the gap between them again. "And this."
Their lips met again. It was a relief for them both that they could do this. It was a confirmation that the hope they, separately, held on to came about. This may have brought up a lot of new issues for both of them but those would get settled some other time. Right now, all they needed was to be with each other.
Terry and Max walked hand in hand after school the next day with Chelsea walking with them when Max caught sight of Dana. She was reading a book while sitting on a bench, underneath a tree.
Max knew they had to talk. She looked at her boyfriend and other best friend, "I'll be right back." She left them standing while she walked on to the raven haired girl. They both looked to see where she was going and, when they saw Dana, it all made sense.
Max walked up to Dana and spoke up to get her attention, "Hey."
Dana looked up and smiled. "Hey."
"You got a minute?"
"Sure. Have a seat." Dana put her book to the side.
Max sat down next to her, her nervousness becoming evident as she squirmed about in an attempt to get comfortable.
"What's wrong?"
"Umm…" Max started, "okay, it's like this… me and Terry… got back together."
She giggled, "Yeah, I noticed. But, with how you said it, it sounded like a bad thing." She realized that could be the case, surprisingly. "Is it?"
"No. I mean… yeah. I mean no! I mean… it's not for us but you might be… n-not that you're holding a grudge but, uh…" She shut herself up and exhaled. She smacked her hand to her forehead. This was getting embarrassing. She looked at Dana. "Can I start over?"
"Nope! Just say what you have to say, Max."
"Alright." She took a breath and did her best to form a better sentence. "I mean… look, for all of Blade's talk… she did say something right."
"What was that?"
"I never cleared it with you."
"What?"
"Dana… I know you might not believe it… but you're still my friend. I still think of you as a best friend. I don't want you to think I stole your guy. I didn't mean for things to turn out the way they did with me and Terry. A-and, I know you probably got hurt and…"
"Max. Stop it."
Max settled down.
Dana took a deep breath. "Yeah, it's not easy to see your ex with your friend. Makes it a little harder when they are both so clearly happy and I was mad for a while."
"I don't blame you."
"Let me finish. I got mad but then something happened they people seem to be ignoring."
"What was that?"
"I stopped being mad and realized that you and Terry would never try to hurt me."
"Not a chance."
"I get it, Max. I really do. I mean… it's high school. These things happen. No worries."
"And… we're cool?"
"Always have been, always will be. Just… don't complain to me about Terry. I'll have to smack you."
"You got it."
They both laughed. They looked up to see Blade exiting the school with her friends.
Max looked at the white haired teen then at Dana, "Excuse me."
"Max…" Dana warned.
"I know." She got up and started walking over to her. She was cut off by Terry stepping in front of her.
"It didn't occur to me until just now that you never promised not to hit her," he pointed out.
"Never said I would, either."
He opened his mouth.
"Trust me, Ter. I got this."
She walked over to Blade, who realized Max was approaching too late to do anything about it. Her fear was on the rise and she realized, even if she tried to run, Max could easily catch her. Her options were entirely based on what the computer genius decided what to do to her. And pray for mercy. Max stopped in front of Blade and stared at her, blankly.
"Wh-wha…" Blade stuttered out in fear. "What do you want?"
Terry, Dana, and Chelsea were nervous, as well, but only because, if Max decided to snap, Blade wouldn't stand a chance. And, even if they could pull Max off the white haired girl, the scrappy teen would do some damage.
To everyone's surprise, Max took a deep breath and exhaled. "I get it. You were trying to be the stuck up little princess you want everyone to believe you are. And maybe you actually are that stuck up. But you know what I think, Blade? Beneath that amazingly thick layer of superficiality actually lies someone who could possibly be a caring individual… and a woman who's jealousy could power Gotham for five straight years, no problem. But that caring part may have actually been trying to look out for Dana while that other part made you run up to me like a loser and try to ruin my relationship." She stopped. "But I'm not gonna hit you. I don't even hate you. I think I needed you to be you… so I could make sure I got rid of all my doubt about me and Terry. Because I certainly don't have any now. So, thanks… and don't ever get involved in our relationship again." She turned and walked away, seeing her boyfriend and two friends all breathe a sigh of relief.
She walked back over to Terry and smiled. "See?"
He chuckled. "Not bad." He stared at her. "You gonna be okay?"
She inhaled, "It'll take a minute." She released the breath. "But, yeah… I will be."
"Good."
She smiled. "Let's get out of here."
A/N: What did you guys think? REVIEWS! I LOVE THOSE! I JUST LOVE 'EM! Please and thank you!
BOOK UPDATE: Sorry it's taking me so long with finishing it and letting you guys know about it. Yeah, life has been throwing me some curve balls there. But, hopefully, before the Autumn season is out, if not sooner, it will be ready for purchase. Thanks for the support! See you all soon!
T2 Angel