Title: When the Lights Go Out

Summary:- Power outage while Jimmy and Cindy are alone. What happens when the lights go out? One-Shot

Author's Note- Sorry to everyone who's reading Here's to Us but I had to get this up. I'm writing this based on a dream I had last night. I fixed a lot of it to make it make a little more sense (you know how dreams aren't logical the whole time).


"They did this on purpose." Cindy commented as Jimmy opened the door for her.

"Yeah I know." He responded. "Carl actualy couldn't come but Sheen and Libby ditched us on purpose."

"For once we agree on something." She said walking into his house. "So what are we doing tonight?"

"Well I have no idea. We were suppose to have more people and play games and watch movies but..."

"Movies? What kind of movies?" Cindy asked turning toward him.

"I got a bunch of horror movies." Just as he said that, lightning lit up the sky and thunder rolled around. Cindy swollowed and nodded.

"Great. I guess we can do that. By the way," She said walking into the living room. "Why didn't you cancel if no one but me could come?"

"Umm..." He blushed and tried to find an answer that was believable. "Well uhhh... My parents insisted on me still having you over."

"Right..." Cindy said not believing what he had told her. "Or maybe your parents just want us to be alone too." They both laughed but it ended with a sigh.

Libby and Sheen were suppose to come over too. They were going to play games, watch movies, and eat untill the house was empty. Libby had convinced Sheen to cancel like she did so Jimmy and Cindy could be alone. Carl was out of town so he had no knowledge of this. Libby knew Jimmy and Cindy liked each other and she was trying to give them that extra push they needed.

By the end of the first horror movie, both of them were scared out of their minds. It didn't help that it was storming outside. A few times during the movie one of them would jump and grab the other's hand. They'd both blush and apoligize each time but neither of them were really sorry.

"That was..." Jimmy started.

"A little scary." Cindy finished. Jimmy just nodded his head. Just then Hugh came into the room but neither of them noticed it.

"Hey kids!" He shouted which made both of them yell and jump.

"Don't do that!" Cindy yelled at him. "You scared the heck out of us!"

"Oh well your mom and I are off to the store."

"The store?" Cindy questioned him.

"You're leaving us alone?" Jimmy's eyes went wide and he couldn't help but smile.

"We shouldn't be gone long." Judy said walking in with her purse. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were inturupting anything." Both of them looked confused then looked down to see they were holding hands. They quickly let go and blushed hard.

"No we weren't. I mean no!" Jimmy tried to defend himself.

"Why? No I wouldn't I mean uhh." Cindy tried also but Judy just laughed.

"I can trust you right James Issac Neutron?" Judy asked her son.

"Oh come on honey. They're only 14." Hugh said rushing her out the door. "What do you think they'd do? Have-" He said just as he shut the door. Both Jimmy and Cindy shivered for a second.

"That was strange." Cindy said after a few moments.

"Yeah." He shook his head trying to get that image out of his head. Focus. Focus Neutron. He kept thinking to himself. "So what do you want to do now?"

"I don't know." Cindy said also trying to stay focused.

"You want to go up to my room?" He asked her. Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. Jimmy just realized what he had said and how that sounded then blushed. "No no no! I didn't mean that! I ment NO! Ewww! I didn't mean that. I just..."

"Sure you didn't." Cindy rolled her eyes then laughed at him. He joined in laughing. "Your such a fool Nerdtron."

"Yeah well..." In his head the only response he could come with was Only around you. If he'd have said that, he would have been killed. "I have something I want to show you in my room." He thought about how that sounded for a moment to. "On my computer..." That could mean a few things to. "A new scientific program." He finished hoping that didn't sound as lame as he thought it did.

"Okay." Cindy said getting off of the couch.

"Great let's go." He said taking her hand which made her blush a little then pulled her up the stairs. Everytime their hands touched, it sent a warm shock through their bodies up into their faces which caused them to redden. Just as they got up into his room, the power shut off.

"Great just what we need. A power outtage." Cindy rolled her eyes. It was dark outside and the street lights had gone out too so it was pitch black in Jimmy's room. He had let go of her hand and now had no idea where she was.

"Cindy?"

"Yeah."

"Where are you?" He asked her.

"Over here."

"Okay describe where over here is please." She laughed. He put his hand out in front of him and blindly tried to find her. He grabbed something that definatly wasn't her hand. (A/N: I'll let your imagination run wild here.)

"Neutron!" She yelled at him and he quickly retracted his hand. "You idiot! Why'd you do that?"

"You think I can see?"

"Get a flash light, then start trying to find me." She told him still a little irritated but also blushing at the touch of him.

"The only flashlight that's up here is my solar powered one." He said.

"A solar powered flashlight?" She asked not believing he'd be that stupid. "You are an idiot."

"Yeah so it wan't my greatest invention." He said back at her. "My eyes are adjusting a little. I can see the outline of your face."

"Me too. Let's go get a flashlight so you don't grab anything else." She reached out and grabbed his hand so he could lead her.

"Okay, watch your step, well as much as you can." He told her. He led her back to the stairs. "Okay I stil can't see well so if I fall, I'm probably taking you with me." She laughed.

"Oh thank you." She joked around. About half way down the stairs, she moved her hand so their fingers were now laced together. They both paused a little and though no one could see it, they were blushing. Cindy bit her lip but when he squeezed her hand and started back down the stairs, she smiled not knowing he was too. They got to the kitchen and grabbed the flashlight out of a cubbort. He turned it on but it flickered then shut off.

"You're kidding?" He asked himself. "It's out of batteries and I don't have any. That was one of the things on Mom's list to get at the store." Cindy sighed but she was actualy happy. She liked being alone in the dark holding Jimmy's hand. The phone rang which made them both jump. She squeezed his hand a little harder then relaxed it. He went to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Jimmy it's Mom. We aren't going to be able to make it home until the lights come back on. The registers aren't working and the storm's getting to bad to drive in anyways. Are you and Cindy okay?"

"Yeah..." He looked down to their laced fingers. "We're fine." He smiled.

"I don't want her walking home in this. We'll take her home either tomorrow morning or later tonight when the storm lets out."

"Okay Mom." He said. "Bye."

"Bye sweetie." Then they hung up.

"So what was that about?" Cindy asked.

"Oh Mom and Dad are stuck at the store and aren't going to be home for awhile." He said. She just couldn't hold in that smile.

"Oh that's too bad." She said trying to hide her sarcasim.

"Yeah and they don't want you walking home in this storm so you're staying here tonight." Jimmy said squeezing her hand unconsciously. "You should call your parents."

"Oh my parents aren't home. My grandmother is watching over me and she's asleep by now. It'll be fine." She told him and he nodded. Just then a gust of heavy wind whistled through the air and hit the windows and doors making them shake a little, lightning lit up the sky, and to top it off thunder crashed through their ears.

"You want to stay up in my room?" He asked a little jumpy. "Away from most of the windows, doors, and the-" He was cut off.

"Okay lets go before the house shakes." She pulled him up the stairs and into his room. "Umm Jimmy."

"What?" He asked but when he looked to the window he knew what she wanted. The tree branch was scratching his window and making weird half shadows from the moon's light. "Oh." He went over and closed his blinds. "There." He said.

"Thanks." She went to sit on his bed. By now they could see fairly well. "I'm not a fan of storms." She said.

"Oh really, I couldn't tell." He sad sarcasticly. "You dented my hand with your fingers and nails when you jumped and the wind." He sat down next to her.

"Sorry." She couldn't help but laugh.

"It's okay, my hand will get it's shape back eventualy." He laughed a little but she gently hit his shoulder.

"You could have told me to let go but you didn't." She said

"Yeah well..."

"And that might have just been payback for grabbing me before." Cindy fired back at him.

"You're not going to let that go are you?"

"Nope."

"I couldn't see!" He tried to defend himself.

"Uh huh I'm sure." She sat up straight with that 'whatever' look on her face.

"I couldn't!" He pushed her a little.

"You trying to start something?" She asked him with a sly look on her face.

"Maybe I am." He challenged.

"Look Neutron, you may win the science fair but I will kick your butt if u challenge me." She stood up and faced him.

"No you won't. You want to know why?" He stood up face to face with her.

"Why?"

"Because you like me. You love me." He teased.

"Who are you? Libby?" She asked then pushed him so he fell back onto the bed. They both laughed a bit. Cindy went and sat back down on the bed. "I've gotten a little annoyed with how much she tries to push us at each other."

"Yeah me too." He sat up beside her, a little close too. "I mean if we don't like each other, we don't like each other. Right?" He turned to look at her.

"Right." She turned her head toward him too. They were only inches away when the thunder startled both of them. They both backed away and sighed. "I hate thunder." She mumbled. "Where's Goddard?" She asked him trying to get a conversation going.

"He's down in the lab. He can't get here because of the rain and we can't get down there without power." Jimmy explained. Cindy just nodded. They sat in silence for a little bit just listening to the rain hit the roof and the windows. "So umm..."

"I got a question for you." Cindy spoke up.

"Okay."

"Do you still like Betty Quinlan?" She asked. Jimmy's eyes widened.

"Wow that was random." He commented

"Well I've wanted to ask you for awhile but I never got the chance to." Cindy looked the other way.

"If you mean do I still have that crush on her then no." Cindy tried to hide a smile. "I like someone else. Someone who's smart and pretty and funny." Cindy still didn't turn his way.

For about an hour they talked about school, friends, homework, science, and Jimmy's inventions. They ended up sitting on the floor beside each other with their backs against the side of his bed laughing about many things. Every now and then they'd jump for the thunder or bump each other's shoulder with their own.

"I didn't know I could have so much fun talking, especialy to you Vortex." Jimmy told her. Cindy sighed.

"Neither did I. It's kind of weird how sometimes we along." He nodded.

"I think being in the dark helps. We don't really have to see all of each other. It's easier to face each other this way." She nodded in agreement.

"I guess so." Before she could stop herself, she lay her head on his shoulder. He tensed up for a second but then relaxed and smiled. He rested his head on hers which made her smile. A strike of lightning hit the street below them and it made them jump up. "Damn!" Cindy yelled. "That was a little to close for me."

"Yeah. But the odds of us getting hit are-" She covered his mouth with her hand.

"Facts don't help so don't even go there big brain." She told him. He reached up and took her hand off of his mouth and held it.

"Fine." They both smiled at each other. "I'm going to go call my parents. I'll be right back." He left his room. Cindy started looking around his room for the first time really. She never noticed the poasters on his walls or the model space ships. She opened a drawer to find pictures two pictures. One of her and one of Betty Quinlan.

Jimmy came into his room to see Cindy looking into a drawer. He came up behind her and tapped her shoulder. She turned around holding up the two pictures. His eyes went wide.

"I can explain." He said.

"I thought I told you years ago to get rid of all your pictures of this girl." Cindy raised her eyebrows at him.

"Where's the picture of April?" He asked more to himself.

"What?" She shouted. "You mean that alien girl?"

"Uhh..." He was stuck right now, no way out.

"Why do you have these pictures in that drawer and how did you get this one of me?" She asked re-examining it.

"I'd prefer not to explain because not only is it going to make me look like a fool but it's going to get me killed." He pleaded.

"Why should I let you live?" She asked putting the pictures back.

"Because you love me." He teased again hoping to get back onto a different topic.

"Now I'm going to kill you." She chased him around his room, over his bed, down the hall, back into his room, and onto his bed. He had been backing up facing her, his back to his bed when he tripped. He fell backwards onto his bed making Cindy laugh. She got onto the bed, her knees on his right and one arm on each side of him. "Aha! I win." She told him.

"Now what are you going to do?" He asked looking into her eyes. She just smiled.

"I'm going to let you live." She kneeled back up and let him sit up. She didn't know what came over her at that moment but she threw her arms around his neck from behind him. They both blushed but neither moved.

The lights flickered on.

She let go of him letting her eyes readjust to the room light. They smiled at each other but then looked away.

The lights went out again.

Both of them smiled even though they couldn't see a thing again.

"Where are you?" Jimmy asked her.

"Don't reach out to find me again!" She yelled at him causing both of them to laugh. "I'll find you." He had obviously moved because he was no longer right in front of her anymore. "Stop moving." She told him when she heard him trip over something. "You're a clutz Jimmy." She laughed. She kept her hand out in front of her until it found his chest.

She reached out her other hand and put it on his chest as well. She could feel his heart beat speed up a little as she felt his hands being placed over hers. He led her hands up his chest to his shoulders and around his neck. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. It turned into more of a hug that was held for a long time. Neither of them wanted to let go of the other.

They were able to see somewhat clearly now through the dark. Once they broke away they went back and sat down on the floor like they had before. Cindy sat right up against Jimmy. Their shoulders were touching as well as a few other body parts like their legs. She was leaning on him and he didn't say anything which made them both blush and smile. By now they were convinced that the blush was permenant.

Jimmy was feeling a little gutsy so he moved his arm a little and wrapped it around her wasit. He was suprised when she didn't tense up or flinch or yell at him. They just sat there silent in the dark, her leaning on him and his arm around her waist. By now it was getting really late and they were both tired. He hated to break the moment but he had to.

"Why don't we set up your bed on the pull out couch downstairs?" The storm was getting better but she wasn't going to go home now. She nodded weakly then after a few more moments, they got up and went downstairs hand in hand.

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" Cindy asked after climbing into the bed. "The storm still scares me."

"Sure I guess so." He climbed in and sat beside her taking her hand in his. It only took a few minutes to fall asleep. Unfortunatly, Jimmy fell asleep too.

When he woke up, she was gone. I like the dark better. He thought to himself. He walked into the kitchen to see his Mom and Dad.

"Sorry we didn't come home until real late Jimmy." His mother told him. "We started talking to some of the people at the store and we just didn't want to leave. It was pretty fun."

"Yeah. Did Cindy go home?" Judy nodded. "I'm suprised you didn't wake me up and make me go up to my room to sleep."

"Well I would have but it was really late and it was innocent enough." She told him.

"I'm going into my lab." He walked out the door still thinking about what had happened last night. He couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen between them now. Was it going to go back to normal now that they were back in the light? He entered the lab to see Cindy sitting in his chair by his giant screen computer. "Hey." was all he could get out.

"So those pictures in that drawer," She started. "Those were the pictures of girls you like or have liked?" She questioned. It was obvious she got the information from his computer. He blushed and looked down at his feet.

"Umm... Maybe." He said weakly.

"Well, you know what I have to do about that?" She asked approaching him. "Vox!" She yelled out. Vox immidiatly shut off anything that made any kind of light. Jimmy looked up and smiled. After their eyes adjusted to the darkness, Cindy came real close to him. "I'm not sorry I have to do this." She said then took his face in her hands.

She pulled his lips down to hers gently. The second that their lips touched, a shock was sent down their bodies all the way to their toes. The kiss grew more passionate with every second. Jimmy moved his arms around her waist and pulled her as close as he could to himself. Cindy moved her hands to his neck and into his hair then back down to neck. They both opened their mouths to allow each other access. Their tongues battled each other until they pulled apart for air and looked into each other's eyes.

"You think we can do this with the light on?" Jimmy asked her.

"I don't know. Let's try." Vox turned the lights back on and she pulled him back to her. They kissed again with just as much if not more passion than before. "I still like it better with the lights off." The lights were turned off again and continued to kiss until Cindy had to leave. "I'll see you later." She said as she left the lab.

"I might actualy have to thank Libby." Jimmy told himself then laughed.

Who knows what happened to them after that day when the lights went out...

The End