A/N: Hi, everybody! Okay... this... requires explanation. So, I was re-reading Kyoko Kasshu Minamino's "Words I Couldn't Say" (because her work is ALWAYS great for inspiration and you all should go read it and the rest of her work) and this little story popped into my head. Now, originally, it didn't start off as a songfic but I put my iPod on shuffle and "Open Up Your Eyes" by Daughtry was, like, the 4th song... and I remembered how much I love everything Daughtry does and it fit with this story perfectly!
This story takes place after the events of "Hooked Up" and I wrote in two days! How 'bout that?
So... as always, thanks to Kyoko Kasshu Minamino for the inspiration again.
Enjoy everyone!
DISCLAIMER: I do not, I REPEAT, I do not own the rights to Batman Beyond or Daughtry or their music. This is purely a fan made work of which I receive NO profit!
Open Up Your Eyes
It was over. It was supposed to be, anyway. Spellbinder was locked up for his VR manipulation scheme and all his victims were being treated. But this case was far from closed for the two people it affected most.
It was 3 AM as Max laid in her bed… she couldn't sleep. Even though it was over. She just laid in bed looking at the wall… torturing herself since Terry brought her home last night. She hadn't slept since then. She didn't even go to school today. She didn't want to risk facing him and breaking into tears. Even though he called after she didn't show up to class and asked if she was okay, she knew he was just being kind. He hated her. He had to. And he had every reason and right to be. She couldn't stand it. She couldn't stand herself.
What had she done?
Nearly turned Terry over? Practically handed him to Spellbinder? Even putting aside she almost let her best friend die, she almost let the hero of Gotham die. She couldn't stand herself for it. She almost let Spellbinder kill Batman! For what? The fantasy of her family being together and happy and showering her with attention? She nearly traded away the one person who was always there for her for a simulation of a caring family… how could she be so stupid?
Even though she did take Spellbinder down afterward and saved Batman, so what? What if he'd killed Terry in the time it took her to make that decision? She almost… she did turn her back on her best friend. Even for a second, that was what she did.
How could he ever forgive her?
She closed her eyes and clutched her pillow with all her might. She hated crying… but, since she just lost her best friend, she could let it go this one time…
For the first time you can open your eyes
And see the world without your sorrow
She heard a knock on her window.
She looked up.
Batman. Terry.
He motioned for her to let him in… and she was reluctant to do so at first. But she got out of bed and opened the window up. They needed to talk. Even if it was for him to tell her to get lost, he deserved to say it to her.
And no one knows the pain you left behind
And all the peace you could never find
He hopped in. "Hey," he said, speaking softly.
"Hey…" she whispered, sadly. She sat back on her bed, wrapping her arms around herself. She couldn't look at him.
He took his mask off. "You okay?"
She shook her head.
Terry laid his mask on the edge of the bed and sat next to her. "It's okay, Max. Spellbinder's VR… it messed with a lot of people. It's just the addictive part of the machine."
She couldn't hear his comforting his words. Her guilt was still screaming louder than anything; even louder now when she got the feeling he didn't hate her like he was supposed to. "I almost handed you over to him… I almost let him kill you."
He knew it. She was still blaming herself. "But you didn't!"
"But I almost did! I let a fake world almost let me let my best friend die!"
He put his arm around her shoulders. "But you didn't."
His voice was very calm… very soothing. It was the first time her guilt had quieted down since last night.
"You saved me. I owe you for that, you know."
She gave a sad smirk. "Call it even."
He just smiled.
She looked into those eyes of his… eyes that had clearly seen pain but hid it well… and she couldn't believe it. "You really don't hate me… do you…"
"No way. Can't hate you… besides, I probably would've done the same thing."
"No… you wouldn't… you're better than that… than me…" She thought about her hitting him to knock him out, letting Spellbinder attack him, and he kept coming for her. She looked at the floor and whispered, "…after all I did… and you still…"
"And I'd do it again. You're worth it, Max. Always have been." He moved his face to look at her, causing her to look up back at him. He gazed right into her eyes. "Always will be."
His words hit her in the heart… in the best way possible. She felt like a huge weight was suddenly lifted. And those screams finally became quiet enough for her to think.
Out of nowhere, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. He put one arm around her waist and held her near. He suddenly felt something along his shoulder he didn't expect: tears.
"Max…" he said, concerned.
She just pulled him tighter. She couldn't speak yet. She thought about all he did for her… all he went through… for her. She'd been thinking about it since last night between hating herself. Every time she did, it sent a warm feeling through her heart. And his words just now made the warm feeling burn brighter. And, every time she thought about what he did, if hadn't been for him, who knows what would have happened to her. He saved her… he saved her.
A course of action entered her mind. One that made sense… but one she knew she would regret. But not tonight. "I'm sorry, Terry… I'm so sorry…"
"Don't worry about it…"
She pushed herself back a little, her eyes staring at the red bat symbol on his chest. "Not just for that…" She looked up at him.
"For what then?"
"For this…"
She pressed her lips to his for a long, lingering kiss. Oh, good Lord… did it ever feel good. She hated herself for it but kissing Terry not only made all the hurt of last night go away… it made all the hurt that she felt from not being in the VR go away, as well.
After the kiss, she pulled back slowly. She didn't look at him. She knew he must hate her, for sure, now. She looked at the floor, again, turning her head away from him. "I'm sorry, Terry… I just… I couldn't help it, I…"
"Max…"
He sounded so calm… Calm? She expected him to be upset, angry, even confused… but… when she looked at him… she could clearly see… he was none of the above. If she didn't know any better… from the look on his face… he expected… he wanted that to happen.
"Terry…"
He put his hand on the side of her face… and she swore she was back in the virtual reality world because, even with the suit on, his hand felt so good.
He slowly leaned in and kissed her again. This time longer…
A lot longer.
Almost in a trance, she opened her mouth to his, getting a full taste of him and he of her in return. She accidentally let out a moan of pleasure. Wow, could this boy kiss.
This confirmed it for Max: this was no VR. The VR was nowhere near this good.
Is waiting there to hold and keep you
Welcome to the first day of your life
Just open up your eyes
He stopped the kiss, separating from her. Max noticed he didn't take his face too far away from hers. And she sure wasn't complaining.
"All this…" he began, "made me realize… how much I care about you… how I really care about you…" He stopped, gathering the courage to say what he needed to say next. He then spoke just above a whisper, "…how much I love you…"
Her eyes grew wide. Did she hear that right? "T…Terry…"
"I mean it, Max."
She couldn't believe it. Her breathing came out shorter, "But… what about… what about…"
"I broke up with her today." Terry knew she was talking about Dana. "She kinda saw it coming so it wasn't so bad."
"But… but, Terry…"
"Max. When Spellbinder had you… all I cared about was you… I didn't care if I caught him, I didn't care about Danny or any of those guys at the arcade who jumped me. I just cared about you. And when Spellbinder had me under his stupid headlight… the one person going through my mind the most? Was you. Because, above everyone else… I care about you. I love you."
Tears were starting to fall from Max's eyes again. Some of her old Max-style wit came back to her mind. "Terry… if you're joking or messing with me… I swear I'll kill you."
"I joke about a lot… I would never joke about this."
She could hear it in his voice: he was serious; he meant every word. "Then…" She shuddered, "for only a little while and I can never promise it will happen again… I'm gonna be a total girl."
He smirked.
"And if you ever tell anyone, I get to hit you. Hard."
"Deal."
With that… she had nothing else to say. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him like there was no tomorrow, letting her tears flow all the while. He put his arms around her waist and held her closer.
They didn't know how tomorrow was going to be, what Bruce might think, how Dana might react, but tomorrow would worry about itself. They had tonight. They had each other. That was what mattered.
Just open up your eyes as I lay you down tonight
Safe on the other side, no more tears to cry
A/N: REVIEWS! I LOVE THOSE!