Plot:

'Science' is founded on a careful balance of disciplines stemming from the marriage of two principles; hypothesis and observation. A theory without tangible evidence can never hold merit, and there remain phenomena in the observable universe that have no explanation. In the latter category we find many topics such as dark matter, Cosmic inflation, the black hole paradox, Quantum chaos...and Girls.

Authors Note:

Well, I got such good strong reviews from the first fic. 'Stop the World', I Decided, 'hey, why the hell not' and began immediately writing the sequel. With any luck, I'm planning that this will be a more substantive piece (though I already fear it's starting to take on a kind of 'afterschool special' feel- so bear with me and I'll try and clear as much of it out as possible). At any rate I wanted to do something that focused less on the epic side of their relationship (cause lets face it, a pairing like this practically begs for such moments), and more on the intermit, baby steps building a cross culture romance might take. That's my mission statement and I'm sticking too it.

Unlike my other works, this may be a little different because the speed and complexity will be determined by reviews more than anything else. Simply put- the more reviews and requests I get for it to go forward, the more motivated I will be to do so. Hate to put the pressure on you guys like that, but my life is a bit of a mess right now and if no one is reading, I can't really see any purpose to push forward. I love hearing from all of you and your thoughts! Conceder this a bit of literary black-mail for the sake of my self-esteem. It all up to you baby!

Oh, and on that note- to the many who have written reviews on the last work, don't think you're voice goes unheard. I am so busy, I may not have time to respond, but I read and take into consideration every one of them. In fact it was a note from MD22 that sparked the first line to this entire work. So, in short, thank you all and I look forward from hearing again from you soon.

One more thing before the obligatory disclaimers comes into play. As many of you might have guessed, I love this pairing. Maybe it's because I'm a nerd, maybe it's because there's so much potential in it, but something about Cornelius/Franny fics makes me all tingly inside. I know there are already some fantastic writers out there working some fantastic stories (NurfHurder and Mrs. Wilber Robinson to name only two), but I am always amazed that there aren't more. So, for any inclined writer out there with nothing else to do I would like to issue you a challenge. I would love to see more done with this pairing. Be it fan fiction or artwork, poems or videos, I send this challenge out to the interweb…'send more Cornelius/Franny'! After all, I'm not just a provided, I'm also an addict, and I love to see what people can do.

Now, on with the legal jargon and disclaimers-

1. All characters, locations, and plot points referenced in this work are the intellectual property of, or directly inspired by the original artist and author William Joyce and Walt Disney Studios. I simply have them on loan.

2. I suffer from a diagnosed ailment once referred to as 'word blindness.' I ask you to forgive me the many spelling, grammar, and punctuation based errors that will inevitably appear within this work. I know I get frustrated when people don't grammar check there work, so I hope to bestow the same courtesy to the best of my limited ability.

3. All scientific references, abstract theorems, and complex algorithms are for the most part works of fiction. I therefore would like to extend an apology upfront to any scientifically inclined mind who might happen upon this story and find flaw with my scientific reasoning. I do read lots of science books for fun (yes, I am that kind of nerd), but that doesn't mean I understand all of what I read.

4. If you feel so inclined and have yet to do so, I highly recommend you stop by and read 'Stop the World' before you continue. Though I like to think these two works stand well on their own from one another, they are meant as companion pieces and therefore fit within my same off-brand of MTR universe.

5. Please sit back, grab your favorite MTR based plush, and enjoy-

Have you ever thought about what protects our hearts?

Just a cage of rib-bones, and other various parts.

So it's fairly simple to cut right through the mess,

And to stop the muscle that makes us confess.

And we are so fragile,

And our cracking bones make noise,

And we are just,

Breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys…

~Ingrid Michaelson "Breakable"

Breakable

Chapter 1

"Cornelius… are we dating?"

Cornelius L. Robinson paused, turkey melt half way to his mouth as he looked up from his copy of Michio Kako's 'Physics of the Imposable' to stare back at the girl across the table. Any other day his bewildered look might have been nothing short of comical, but today, Franny decided that surprised glance could only be a sign of impending doom. Swallowing hard, Franny fidgeted slightly under those sharp ice blue eyes, his one blond brow cocked up as he examined her over his large signature glasses. "Come again?"

Franny bit her lip as she shifted again, trying to calm her nerves as she chased a small cherry tomato around her plate with her fork; a plate that was still practically untouched. Here it was; the dreaded conversation she had put off for far too long- and she felt completely in over her head.

To her credit, Franny had spent the last three days planning this conversation. She had spent hours alone in her room or in front of the bathroom mirror at school rehearsing and re-working this most critical speech, perfecting in her mind every word and every gesture down to the last blink. Now that it was planed out, now that it was perfect, now that those first few words had trickled past her lips, she has horrified to realize…she could not remember a single phrase that was intended to follow.

Not a word of it…

She began to panic. It wasn't supposed to happen, not like this! She needed to remain calm, she needed to be nonchalant, and she needed to remember to breath. (Secretly she wondered if Cornelius ever had problems like this. She highly doubted it.)

"Well, I was thinking…" she began slowly, still averting her eyes. "It's just, well, we've been meeting here, like this, at this diner, for almost two months now…" She paused for a beat, taking the moment to gesture up and out, encompassing the entire Cosmic Anderson Diner as if she needed proof of her statement. "…and seeing how it's kind of a regular thing, and we get along and…well, wouldn't that technically make this a…you know…" she lowered her voice as though to prevent the other patrons at the diner from overhearing "a date?"

Instinctively she shrunk away from the word and all its implications. Still, regardless of any second thoughts she was now having, she knew she had spoken only truth, and with any luck nothing all that incriminating. They had, in fact, been meeting at the Diner almost religiously every other day since she first dropped in on the teenage professor for an impromptu biology lesson (the event culminating in a thoroughly roasted freeze-ray and an even more impromptu dinner for two that, in her mind, had been nothing short of magical). They both had quite a bit in common, be it their collective fascination with scientific anomalies to their playful bantering arguments over the hypothetical merits of astronomy versus astrology. And of course, they both dreamed in impossibilities. That was the thing that had astonished her the most. For so much of her life Franny had been keeping the unfounded wonderings of her mind to herself, fearful of how bizarre and foolish she invariably felt when trying to express them to anyone. Cornelius was the first person in her life who not only loved to hear about her strange hypotheses and daydreams, but actively encouraged them.

Yes, she had been careful to approach her topics with care and after all, he didn't need to know exactly how much was riding on his response just now. He didn't need to know how much his opinion mattered to her or how she found herself hanging off of every word.

Timidly Fran risked a quick look up at the world renowned inventor. Cornelius, she had to admit, was rather…different from most of the guys she 'dated'. He was not well built and exotic, he wasn't dark or debonair. He did not follow the latest trends or sport the chicest cloths.

He was tall, that was for sure; tall and pail and with a few more years yet before he truly grew into his physical being as a whole. His hair was forever unruly, sticking up and out in all direction, but primarily serving to defy gravity with its vertical spikes. Sweater vests and button up shirts poked out beneath white lab coats trimmed with picket protectors and glasses forever sliding down his thin nose.

So he wasn't a 'model'…it didn't matter. He was good looking...very good looking at that; but there was more to it then that. Cornelius was simply…himself, no questions asked. From his fly away locks to his callused and cut fingers (no doubt the result of countless experiments and hours of inventing). He could be socially awkward at times, missing cues and fumbling over etiquette. He smiled a lot when she was around, and apologized just as much. His laugh could be quite intoxicating and contagious. And those eyes, those perfect crystal blue eyes. Not the poetic pools she had read about in romantic novels she borrowed from her mother. They were ice bright, always sharp and attentive; truly perfect crystalline blue.

Those same crystal blue eyes that were now blinking in a sort of bewildered, even surprised manner back at her from across the table.

She bit her lip. This was bad, she needed to backtrack. Before she could stammer out an apology however, Cornelius began chuckling, pushing his large rimmed glasses farther up his nose. "Well, if memory serves we started coming here to discuss your work on the 'singing amphibian' hypothesis." He mused, setting his sandwich down as he sat back against his own chrome rimmed booth seat. "But seeing as we've resolved and identified most of the genetic hotspots and are still content seeing each other...well, yha, I suppose this has become something like a…well, a date."

Franny felt a warm sense of accomplishment and excitement burn through her chest and down to the tips of each finger and tow. He had said it! He had admitted it for what it was! Sure it was far from the heartfelt testimonial she fantasized about, the one where she was swept off her feet, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. Feeling slightly emboldened by this new found realization she sat forward, crossing her arms on the table as she favored him with her best casual glance. "So, what…does that make you like, my boyfriend or something?"

She had set the bait and now she held her breath, waiting to see what he would do.

Cornelius seemed to mull the thought over for a moment, bighting his lower lip as he sat back and folded his arms over his chest. Franny felt like someone had filled her chest with thousands of butterflies. She desperately hoped she looked much calmer then she felt. She had found herself hoping that a lot lately, or rather ever since she had trounced into her homeroom class a few months ago to find him sitting behind the teachers' desk.

"You know," the inventor finally managed "I think you could make an argument for that if one cared too…so sure."

Boyfriend…he had said it this time, not her. He was her boyfriend. She didn't know why but for some reason hearing him admit to it seemed to make it that much more official. "Oh, alright then" she replied casually, shrugging it off as though the conversation was as benign as one on the weather. Still, she couldn't seem to help the smile that now touched her face as she picked up her fork once more, determined to focus her attention now on her much neglected salad.

Cornelius seemed to shrug as well picking up his book once more as he popped another fry into his mouth.

He didn't focus on the book though. Fran could feel that meticulous ice blue stare on her and she had to fight back the urge to shiver. She could even feel the question on his lips a millisecond before he spoke. "So…why'd you ask?"

Fran pursed her own lips involuntarily against the question but managed to shake her head. "No reason…" she admitted, just a bit too quickly. It was, of course a lie. Worst still, it was a lie told by a bad liar. It was one of her worst faults in her opinion. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how long she rehearsed it; Franny Framagucci simply could not lie.

The famous inventor nodded slowly, though he seemed far from convinced. Great. She smiled her most pleasant, uncommitted smile before turning her attention back to her plate, waiting for him to go back to his book.

He examined her for over the top of his spectacles. Fran bit her lip as she felt her heart pound and her face flush. He was scrutinizing her, she could feel it. It was the meticulous stare of someone accustom to looking for clues in the most minute of subjects. She suddenly felt very small under those bright blue eyes.

Around here Franny was distantly aware of the Diner, of the clanking of plates and the small murmur of voices. There was a universe outside this table, but under those eyes she felt quite desolate and alone indeed.

Suddenly the urge to explain herself was overwhelming…

"Well it's nothing important really…"

As she spoke she began nervously picking at her nails. Direct and to the point, that was what she had sworn herself to. From start to finish she needed to be direct and to the point. "…But I was wondering, if we are 'dating' and all, and if you really consider yourself my boyfriend…well I was wondering… why haven't, you know… tried to kiss me yet?"

Cornelius' eyes went wide as he all but choked on his coke. "Franny!" he exclaimed, coughing slightly into the back of his hand as he stared at her in unmistakable surprise. If she didn't know any better she could have sworn he was blushing.

She could feel her own face turning pink.

"I'm just saying…: Franny pushed forward as innocently as she could. There was no turning back now; she had officially crossed the point of no return. "I mean, it's been almost two and a half months…and you said it yourself…so it got me thinking just now why you haven't tried to…you know…"

She trailed off, suddenly unable to repeat the phrase. Hearing it spoken aloud made it sound suddenly rather silly and pathetic in her own ears. She did not want to imagine how it sounded to the man across the table from her.

Now it was unmistakable, his ears were beginning to turn red against his unruly blond hair. "Fran, I…" He swallowed, clearly a bit unsettled by her question. "Don't get me wrong, I like spending time with you but…" Cornelius paused, his bright blue eyes clearly scrutinizing her closely for her reaction. Already she could feel her heart sinking as her mind raced through a myriad of possible reasons. She wasn't pretty enough, she was certainly not as worldly...it was probably because she wasn't smart enough...

"I mean…Fran, your fifteen years old." Cornelius finally managed as he gestured at her as if to make his point all the clearer.

She felt a scowl pulling at her features. That certainly wasn't the response she had been preparing herself for. "So, what does that have to do with anything?"

Cornelius was shaking his head as he leaned back in the booth once more. "Well, I'm Nineteen." He said simply, as though that alone explained the entire affair. Franny shrugged, still trying to sound casual. "So what."

"So what?" Cornelius repeated, looking at her incredulously. "I'm sorry Fran, and it may not seem like it now, but there is a world of difference between fifteen and nineteen."

It was her turn to shake her head, feeling rather bewildered indeed. She had expected (even feared) a hundred different answers. But not this…

"I don't understand,' she admitted, folding her arms over her chest. "It's not like you're still my teacher or anything, you're just another teenager. So where's the problem? It's just four years. You told me yourself that your dad is at least six years older than your mom. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is my parents were both in there twenties when they started seeing each other. There's a universe of difference between someone who is fifteen and someone who is nineteen."

Franny scowled, felling her temper flare slightly. She took a slow breath as an unsatisfied smirk touched her lips. "What, are you calling me immature or something?"

"No, no, that's not it at all…" the inventor added hastily, waving one hand as if for emphasis. "it's just….I don't know Fran…I don't know how to explain it any better than this…"

"Well that doesn't help, you've hardly explained anything to start with."

She was bitter and frustrated, and her tone reflected it; probably even more then she intended it to. She couldn't help it; the inventor had struck a sensitive chord. Cornelius opened his mouth, paused and then closed it again looking more uncomfortable then she had ever seen him. Good, she thought, folding her arms over her chest with an air of self satisfaction. Let him feel uneasy-

Cornelius sighed, running his fingers through his ever disheveled bangs. She watched him push the locks back from his face, only to fall back inevitably into the same place "Fran, listen to me. It has nothing to do with your maturity or you personally…it's just…god, Fran- I don't know how to explain it. I mean, why is this such a big deal?"

She was feeling her frustration beginning to seethe into anger. "Because it is, Cornelius! Because I have turned down three other offers in the past two months in hopes something might come out of this! Because I have personally invested a lot into this…these…dates and then hear you say both yes, maybe this is a relationship- and now you're just sitting there like this doesn't mean anything and here I am feeling like this was one big lead on and it hurts and I'm scared cause I've never felt like this towards anyone…"

She froze mid sentence as her brain caught up with her rant.

She had said way too much.

Suddenly the dark haired girl felt almost sick to her stomach with embarrassment as her face began to flush. She had told people off before but never had she lost her cool enough to let information like that slip.

There was a pause that, in her humiliation, Fran was sure lasted at least thirty minutes.

"I'm not leading you on Fran…" the inventor insisted quietly after a moment, his tone almost dejected. He was looking more a more bewildered and frustrated by the second. "at least, I'm not trying to…"

She could feel the tears beginning to form and angrily she bit her lip. He was being rational, he was making sense. She did not want him to 'make sense' right now. She wanted…she wanted…

"Well it certainly feels like it!" Fran spat, forcing herself to look at him again. "How many girls do you know who will date a guy for two month and have not kissed once?"

"Well maybe it's a mark of high standard and respect did you ever think of that?"

"Oh- so now you're telling me I'm not good enough for you?!"

"Fran, that is not what I said and you know it. Now you're just being irrational!"

"I'm irrational, immature and not good enough- anything else you want to accuse me off"

"Franny- stop it!"

The girl was on her feet now, pulling on her coat. In another instant so was Cornelius. He grabbed at her wrist and she quickly pulled away, refusing to meet his gaze. "Please don't do this." For an instant the irritation in his voice was gone, replaced for a spit second with a kind of plea that faltered her step.

"Fran, this is childish and you know it."

"Fine, I'm a child..." She clutched at her purse till her knuckles were white, ignoring the tears as she took a deep breath, preparing to face him. "Fine, that's just fine, but you know something Cornelius; so are you! And if you ever bother to get off your high hoarse for five seconds you would realize that!"

And with that she crossed to the Diner door, opened it and was gone into the almost dusk, leaving only the clanging of the restaurants door bell and an incredibly confused inventor in her wake.

For a moment Cornelius stood, frozen in place as though suddenly struck dumb. After a long he turned back, bewildered blue eyes searching the room as if for answers.

It was another second still before the diner resumed its usual rhythm, the eyes of the seven or so patrons, two serving girls and the cook suddenly looking everywhere else but at the tall lanky blond teen that stood with a forlorn expression in the middle of the restaurant.