A/N:Okay, so yes, I know I haven't updated in ages. I have completely revamped this chapter and am re-uploading because I finally got over my writer's block. If you have already read this chapter, you might want to re-read because the ending is different than what I'd originally planned on and hopefully you'll find that it's better. I've spent hours editing. :-) Enjoy!
As always, I own nothing other than my OC, Becca, and my copies of Fantastic Four 1 & 2. Sad, but true.
Chapter 13: Attack
I won't suffer, be broken
Get tired, or wasted
Surrender to nothing
I'll give up what I
Started
And stop this
From end to beginning
A new day is coming
And I am finally free
-30 Seconds to Mars- Attack
Becca jerked awake. "Wha-" she said, her voice lower than normal and when her eyes flickered open she saw his face in front of hers. For a moment, she was still that girl. That girl that didn't know anything about betrayal or heartache. Then, everything shifted and she was back in reality. Her pulse quickened as she stared into his eyes and then she felt herself flush.
He held a finger to her lips to shush her. "You were sleeping," he said.
She sat up to stretch so that he backed away.
"Sorry," he smiled. "You fell asleep working. How close are we getting?"
"Closer," she said. "I want to go over some things before we go through with this."
"Fine," he crossed his arms over his chest, taking a deep breath. What now? he wondered.
"Well," she sighed, "first of all, you've gotta promise you're going to go by my plan."
" I've already said that, what, fifty times?" he rolled his eyes as she studied him, his pent up energy, and felt the tug of a smile.
"Yes," she paused, "but I need to make sure. If we slip up, we're going to be in big trouble."
"And if you don't stop nagging, you are going to be in big trouble," he said, mimicking her.
"Johnny, I'm serious," she said, shoving hair out of her face, which had been rounder several years ago, had interesting angles now that she was a few years older.
"I know," he gave her a half-smile. "You just make it so easy. I'll play by your rules. You're the doc, right?"
She nodded and looked down at her hands, on which she'd once worn the ring he'd bought her in Orlando on that warm night at Citywalk. Now, although she'd never admit it, she wore it on a thin silver chain under her shirt. Not as a remnant of him, at least she wouldn't admit that to herself, but as more of a good luck charm. She always felt lucky when she wore it.
"You know," he said, standing and moving so that he towered over her.
"What?"
"Sooner or later, you're going to have to trust me. "
She stared into his eyes, which met her own and held. She took a deep breath, not believing the words that were about to spew from her own lips. "I do."
He blinked, and then, as if she'd made a wonderful joke, his face split into a grin. "You do?"
She paused a beat, and then nodded slowly, "well, I don't really have a choice right now, do I?"
"Why is that?"
"Well, why would you want to sabotage yourself? Makes no sense."
"You never know. Maybe Victor and I are in cahoots together. I might just be here to make sure you keep working. You know how I just want to get my cut of this fairy tale treasure."
She snorted, "please. Von Doom's slicker and smarter than you. That's always burned you up. And people who do that to you, you have to try to get one up on. You always have. You haven't changed much." She eyed him up and down as his grin had been replaced by a sneer. He was still standing over her, and at her last comment, his face had dropped.
"Slicker and smarter, huh?"
She smirked, "yup. Drives you crazy doesn't it? You're usually the one who's getting all the attention. You're the one the girls fawn all over. I'll bet it's hard to outshine a billionaire genius like that."
Johnny arched an eyebrow and then, pulled her to her feet. "Who says I want to?"
She let loud a very unceremonious snort in his face, "oh come on, Johnny, you know you do. The guy walks in and even though I'd rather cut out my own heart than look at him twice, that part of me always does a double take. He's dangerous. Something in the female psyche has always been attracted to that, though God knows it would be in our best interest if we avoided that kind of man like the plague. It always ends badly, but it's one hell of a ride."
His grip tightened so that she narrowed her eyes at him, "I'm dangerous."
"No, you're hot-tempered, cranky, and a general pain in the ass."
She felt his hands, very warm, on her shoulders and started to shirk away from his grip. "Johnny, let go."
His eyes burned into hers. "Becca, you're going to admit it sooner or later. You still like that part of me." His hands were even hotter now and she could almost smell something burning. He released her when she started to shove away.
"What part?" she asked, rubbing a hand over her shoulders, "The part of you that's a pain in the ass, or the part of you that's a hot shot? The one that always has to be the center of attention?"
He rolled his eyes. "Damn it, Becca," he pulled her to him again, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest.
"No."
"But-"
"No."
"Why?"
"Why?" she pulled away completely, and started to move back to her seat. The conversation had quickly turned serious. Why? Because she couldn't take that again. The first time had almost killed her. She couldn't survive it again. "Because I don't want you any more."
He shrugged. "Fine, then. One time offer."
"You cocky son of a bitch," she yelled, louder than was necessary. "Why the hell would I come back to you?"
He motioned for her to be quiet, but she continued on. "I trusted you completely. You can't get back that kind of trust. You lost it the second I lost you."
"How sweet," a voice said behind her, and she cringed when she recognized the baritone of Victor. "You two were lovers?"
She rolled her eyes, disgusted with the way his voice had caressed the word 'lovers'."
"No," she said, turning. "We weren't."
"Why lie to me now?" he smiled, almost kindly, if he was capable of kindness. "The entire country heard you screaming at poor Johnny here. What did he do, forget to call you back? Dump you for another girl? Tell you he loved you?"
She cringed inwardly at the memories that came to mind. "You know," she said, "I think it's none of your business."
"Why Dr. Yale," he put a hand over his heart, "you wound me."
"I wish." She put a hand to her neck where that familiar knot of tension was brewing, her fingers grazing the chain of the necklace on which hung the ring. She couldn't bring herself to meet Johnny's gaze.
"Isn't that cute?" Victor smiled and slid an arm around her shoulders as she stared at anything but the two men, both of whom studied her. "She's still carrying a torch for you Johnny."
"Get your hands off of me," she said, through gritted teeth.
"Or what?" he chuckled as his hand tightened on her shoulder.
She cringed as he ground his hand into her bone and the gasp she let loose must've been audible because the next thing she knew she'd been shoved to the floor and she could hear the sound of punches being thrown.
"Oh, for God's sake," she said, shoving herself to her feet. "You two are like a couple of baboons."
She saw Johnny land a nicely aimed punch to Victor's jaw and then knelt to pull him away, enjoying the display in spite of herself. "Come on," she said, "let him go." She was too late to stop the final punch, which knocked Victor's head back against the stone floor with a sickening crack and with satisfaction she saw his eyes roll back in his head.
"Nice one," she said, pulling him to his feet. He swiped a hand over his mouth where his lip had split from a jab Victor had gotten in, the ring he wore had done most of the damage.
"Thanks," he slung an arm over her shoulder and she cringed when he skimmed the area where Victor had hurt her. "I swear to God, I've gotten hurt more since you showed up. Why is that?"
"Maybe it's because you're such a gentleman," she said, raising an eyebrow, "or maybe it's because I drive you so crazy."
"That is true," he rubbed a hand over his jaw, "you are usually the one doing the punching."
She heard a moan from the floor and looked down. Victor was waking up. Great. She watched him as he sat up. She sensed that Johnny wanted to spring again, but positioned herself in front of him to prevent him.
"I've got to hand it to you, Johnny, you got the drop on me." He sneered at Becca as he stood up. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
Johnny snorted, "like hell," he muttered behind Becca who got Victor's attention again. "Look," she said. "I've got your information. But I want to make a deal."
"Really?" his eyes narrowed. "I'm always in the mood for a deal. What did you have in mind?"
"I'll lead you to where this book is hidden. But-" she took a deep breath, "we go alone. You have to let Johnny go."
"That's so sweet," he smiled at her. "Trying to spare the ex? Sorry, that's not part of the deal. As soon as I let him go he's going to go straight to his sister and the mad scientist."
"Fine then," she crossed her arms over her chest, "find the damn book yourself."
"You'd let me kill him?" he asked, his eyes sparkled as if embers danced within them.
"What do I care? Like you said, he's my ex. Hell hath no fury, and all that."
"Why do I get the feeling you're playing me?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.
"Maybe because you're paranoid," she offered. "Either way, I'm done dealing with him. I'll take you to the stupid book. I hope you kill yourself with it. But he's not coming."
"What do I need you for?" Victor asked, peeking over her shoulder and watched Johnny's stony face. "I could kill you both and get the book for myself. I have your notes."
"No, you couldn't. I know this legend. Even if you could decipher the directions, you wouldn't understand what they meant. So killing me would not be in your best interest. But Johnny, he doesn't know anything about this. Hell, the only reason he was with me the day you kidnapped us was because we were fighting. You miscalculated on that, didn't you?"
"Possibly. But, still, I don't think you'd let me murder him just for stubbornness."
"You'd be surprised," she countered ominously.
Johnny pulled her back and spun her around. "Just let me come with you," he said, his face close to hers. "You'd be safer," he whispered.
She yanked out of his grip viciously and turned back to Doom. "Do we have a deal?" she asked.
He watched her, and she could practically see his thoughts swirling. "No."
She smirked, "okay then." She moved to the desk and picked up the scrolls and her own notes, holding them over the fire.
He held up a hand, smiling. "You know the value of those documents."
"Oh really?" she asked. "I just want to get the hell out of here. I want to go home. And I refuse to deal with him," she jerked her chin at Johnny.
"You want to get away from him?" he asked, and before she could toss the papers in the fire, lightning had flown from his hand and knocked her across the room. She slid bonelessly to the floor, the papers fluttering down around her. "Then you'll take me to that book. And be thankful I don't kill you."
He turned on Johnny. "Help her up, and then try to get it through her brilliant brain that stupidity will get you both killed. We're leaving in an hour." He stormed out of the room.
Johnny knelt next to where Becca was slumped and slapped her cheeks lightly, which were flushed. "Wake up," he said, "damn it Becca."
Her eyes flickered open and she smiled up at him. "Moron," she whispered in his ear. "God, that hurt."
"You're completely nuts."
"Not nuts, just lovably quirky." She said; her voice deadpan as she let him help her up. "God, my muscles are on fire."
"Why did you have to provoke him?" he asked.
"Because, I had to make the point that it's going to be difficult if we're fighting the whole time, which, given our track record, is more than likely."
"Couldn't you have been a little more subtle?"
Becca knelt next to the fire, where the scrolls were still scattered. Her fingers twitched towards the scrolls. She jerked up when Victor stalked back into the room, a callous smile on his face.
"For God's sakes, what is it now," she lamented.
"I'm terribly sorry to disturb your privacy," he said cuttingly, "but it occurred to me that I need to know where we're going."
She held her breath for a moment, wishing her body didn't feel as if she was on fire. It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that Johnny still grasped her elbow, holding her up. "Oh, I have to tell you that now, do I? How about I wait until we're up in the air, I'd really rather hold off until I know you just won't kill me."
He started to advance on her, but she laughed infuriatingly as Johnny started to push past her, obviously hoping for a reason to take another punch at Victor. However, Victor seemed to compose himself once more after a split second, and with the familiar oily smile, he paused.
"You are the most hard-headed smart person I've ever met," Victor said, slinking towards her instead, his hand gliding over the smooth antique desk at his side.
"And you're the cockiest bastard I've ever met," she said, "with the exception of Johnny," whom she saw squirm out of the corner of her eye and suppressed a smile. Always so easy to get a rise out of him.
"Still hot for your old flame?" he asked, his voice smooth.
She snorted unceremoniously, "if you had any kind of perception at all, you'd see that even trying to use him as leverage against me is amateurish at best. Why do I care? I can't stand him. I'd bury him myself and dance on his grave if I had the chance."
There was a long pause as he stared into her clear, crystalline green eyes. "And just what," he asked, gesturing to Johnny, "did Johnny do to deserve such hatred, when the female population at large is enamored with our hero?"
"None of your business," she said. "Suffice it to say that I'm not like the "female population,' she narrowed her cat-like eyes at him.
"That's a definite understatement." His arm snaked out and pulled her to his chest before she could utter a word.
"There's something so familiar about you," he whispered in her ear so only she could hear. "Something I can't quite put my finger on." Her gaze flickered down and for an instant she saw something she would never have expected. A glint of emerald green in the firelight. She didn't betray her surprise, but instead, simply glared back up into his dark brown eyes. "Get out of my face," she growled.
Certainly, this was not the reaction he had been expecting, and so jumped when Johnny let loose a short burst of irate laughter.
"Well apparently, I'm not the only one she doesn't like around here," he said, chuckling, his eyes amused when Victor turned.
She saw his eyes flare dangerously but she didn't really care. He wouldn't kill her until he got what he wanted. But why make this easy for him? He wouldn't kill her, not yet. She had nothing to lose at this point, or at least, that's all she could let herself knew that there was something he was holding back; something she could see hiding behind his dark eyes, but couldn't quite tell what it was. She felt warmth emanating from the ring she wore near her heart, almost like a heartbeat.
"Well," Victor said, he smiled at her, "we need a bearing at least. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Just give me a country for the pilot to aim for. Where are we off to?"
Johnny crossed his arms over his chest, as if mimicking him. "Yeah, Dr. Yale," he said with a smirk, "where are we off to?"
She took a deep breath, then, exhaled loudly as if praying for absolution, "tell him to head for England."
Victor nodded. "I'll send someone to pack the papers so we can take them with us. And," he narrowed his eyes at Becca first, then turned them on Johnny, "you better not be playing me, or else I'm going to kill you both, very, very slowly." He stalked to the door and closed it sharply.
She seemed to slump against Johnny slightly as he moved closer and slipped an arm around her shoulder. "You are one crazy chick," he murmured. She chuckled quietly and then moved to the desk. Kneeling near the fire, she collected the papers where they had scattered when she'd dropped them. She focused on the desk and under another sheaf of papers produced a map of Ireland. Johnny moved behind her to peer over her shoulder. She pointed to a particular site on the map, symbolized by a star. "Well," she said, shrugging, "at least we know where to start." When Johnny's hand slid onto her hip it was more of a comforting gesture than seductive overture and she turned back to smile at him over her shoulder. "This is going to be one hell of a trip," he whispered, meeting her eyes with a smile.
"At least he bought it," she murmured, her eyes again focusing on the map, where the Irish castle noted their first destination.
A/N: So what do you think? I'm hoping this is better than what I posted originally. Tell me what you think, or just keep reading, either will make me happy. :-) Happy Memorial Day!