Couldn't See It Coming
Jeopardy stared at the TV in shock. How could this have happened? No, she thought. He couldn't really be dead...could he?
"No," she whispered, trying to assure herself, "No, he can't be dead..."
She knew that, if he'd been there, he'd have thought she was being silly. But he wasn't there, and she didn't see how he ever would be again. She had seen her rival defeated, but she knew she couldn't be happy about it even if she tried, and she wasn't going to try.
Earlier, she'd thought that the advantage of not being in every episode was that she could sometimes watch the programme. Now, she thought this was obviously a bad thing. As she turned off the TV, she realised this wasn't an advantage. She had lost everything and hadn't even been there. She had never told anyone how she really felt. And now she would never get the chance to tell him the truth; how she really felt about him.
"Maybe it would be some comfort to his friends if I told them the truth. And maybe it would help me if someone knew." she sighed "But it doesn't matter now. He's gone."
When they lose someone, everyone has a point at which they cry. Saying aloud that they are dead is one. In this case, that was it. She didn't try to hold it back any more.
The next day, she woke up late. She hoped it had all been a dream, although she knew she could never forgive herself for dreaming a thing like that. She picked up the TV guide, and sighed as she saw that last night's episode really had happened. Through unusually blurred eyes, she spotted something else on the guide.
Another episode. On today.
"It must be a 'Best Bits Send-Off' episode." For the first time since last night's tragedy, she smiled a little. "Well, it'll remind me of him. I miss him so much, and it's not even been a whole day." She smiled a little more as another thought crossed her mind, "It's what he would have wanted."
She changed into her black dress and sat down to watch the episode. A few minutes into the episode, she saw a possibility, and gasped.
"He's alive...? No, I can't try to hope, I'll only get upset later."
But then, everything changed. It wasn't just a possibility, he was there! Alive! There was a bit more to the episode than that, which she watched, but nothing else mattered like this. As soon as the episode was over, she changed dresses again and booked a flight to London.
In HQ, Danger Mouse was recovering from being hit by the ray that made him lose his memory. He was remembering someone else, someone who he hadn't seen since the accident. He could remember a little bit about her, but he couldn't think who she was. Her face was just in his mind, so clear, he was sure he hadn't just imagined her. He remembered that he loved her.
"Penfold, can I ask you something? I'm remembering someone, and I don't know who."
"What do you remember about them, Chief? Maybe I can tell you from that."
"Well, I know what she looks like." He hesitated. "And I remember that I love her. Do you know who that is? Did I ever tell you who I fancy?"
"Oh, that must be Jeopardy!"
Jeopardy, thought Danger Mouse. Yes, that was her name. He was about to tell Penfold that he was remembering Jeopardy, when some other memories came back. He had never told anyone the truth that he loved her, and he wasn't going to now.
"Oh, I remember Jeopardy. I can't think why you'd think I fancied her, though."
Penfold gave him a look, as if to say 'really?' Danger Mouse realised he had to close the conversation before he was found out.
"Sorry, I really don't know who I was thinking about. She's just gone out of my mind now."
"I know who you were thinking about, and I know that you know too. And you're not telling me because you don't want me to know that you fancy her."
"Do you really think that?"
"I know that, Chief! Your face when I mentioned Jeopardy, you just gave yourself away!"
"Penfold, shush!"
The doorbell buzzed, and he heard the voice that he recognised so clearly.
"Hi, it's me. Do you remember me?"
He pressed the button that opened the door, and she rushed in, clearly happy to see him. He found this weird, he didn't remember that she even liked him.
"Danger Mouse, I'm so glad you're alive! I was so upset when I watched the last two episodes, I thought you were dead!"
She looked different, and not just happier. He could tell that she was still shocked, even now that she knew it was all OK. When she hugged him with relief, he thought he could see tear-stains. He was really touched that she cared so much, but he didn't know what to say. Maybe she did like him.
He finally thought of something to say, "So, what do you think we'll get up to in Series 2? I can't wait to find out!"
"I can!" laughed Jeopardy. "If it comes as close as that again!"