Until You're Mine.
Taz was pacing her room. Their Starship had just left Bug World and they were journeying back to the base. She felt confused. What had happened on Bug World, had it really changed Up again or was it just the adrenaline of the moment that made him believe he was "still a killer"? And, most importantly, what would be left of his newly found toughness once they got back to the base? She didn't have the courage to face him. Great, she was a coward. She couldn't believe she had ran away after the end of the mission so she wouldn't see him. Who was she kidding? She would have to face him sooner or later. But she was scared. If he really was the old Up, would she find the courage to tell him how she felt about him, how she'd always felt about him? Or would they just continue being friends? Always, just friends? And, worst of all, what if he hadn't changed? Taz fell on her bed and just lay there, staring at the ceiling. Then she heard a knock, and a voice that was too familiar.
Up was standing outside Taz's door. Since the mosquitos he had felt his courage coming back, and realised it was time he told Taz what he'd known all along. But as soon as he stopped in fron of her door, his steps faltered and he found his courage was leaving him. What, he asked himself, am I going soft again? He scolded himself and shook the thought away. He couldn't be soft again, not if he wanted to tell Taz he loved her. Yes, because he did. He knew he always had loved her, but the moment that had convinced him to tell her was when he was looking at her body, when the mosquitos were killing her. There he realised he should've told her from the start, then they would've had so much time together! But he had never found the courage to tell her, and he'd nearly seen her die,
just like she'd nearly seen him die two years before, at the end of the Robot Wars. And that had also been the moment when he'd found out he still had some courage left. Finally, his hand moved by itself and knocked on the door. Nothing happened on the other side. -Taz?- He called out.
He heard noises coming from the other side.
Taz nearly fell out of her bed. Why the hell was he here? She thought. Somehow she managed to get to her feet and reach the door.
-Taz, are you in there?- She'd made a lot of noise getting out of her bed, so she didn't have any choice. She straightened her bandana and stopped in front of the door. She breathed deeply and unlocked the door. She slowly opened and found herself in front of Up. She slowly lifted her eyes and stared into the blue eyes she knew so well. They really are the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen!
She thought, but pushed the thought out of her head and cleared her throat. -Ehm...Hi Up...- She whispered in her heavily accented voice.
-Taz, there's something I need to tell you, can I come in?- Up looked embarassed. Taz nodded her assent. Up entered her room and she followed him. He sat on her bed and stared at her. She sat awkardly next to him. -Thank jou for saving me.- The words came out of Taz's mouth without her realising it. -Again.- She added. What was wrong with her? Suddenly Up started talking really fast, gazing at the floor, not meeting her eyes. -Taz, I promised! I just... I just couldn't leave you there to die! I... I know I have been a different Up lately, and probably you will hate me for that, but the injury really messed me up, I didn't feel like I could be the man I was again, I felt broken, I had suddenly become the thing I hated the most, the one that had caused my turning into a robot! I just couldn't stand it, I felt like I had lost everything I had, and then I became soft, and I almost lost you too! That broke me even more, and I didn't know how to go back to what I was before, and I didn't want to lose you, but you were angry with me, very angry, and I understood, I knew you had a right to be angry,
but I still wanted everything to go back the way it was, so I could have a chance to tell you that...- Taz interrupted him. -Up- She said, putting her finger to his lips -I'm sorry. It's all my fault.
Up stared at Taz, gazing into the brown eyes that he loved so much. -It's all my fault.- She said. Up chuckled. -How do you work out that it's your fault?- Taz didn't smile.
Taz got up and started pacing the room again. -Well, starting from de fact dat it's my fault dat jou got injured, I'm de one who didn't help jou recover! I...-
Up had gotten up and stopped Taz. He grabbed her from the shoulders and stared at her -Listen to me, Taz! It's not your fault I got injured, if it had to happen it would've happened! Even if you weren't there or stuff like that!- -Jou nearly died to save me! I couldn't bare dat! I saw jou cut in half, it was de worst thing I ever saw in my life, I couldn't...- Taz was cut off when Up took her face in his hand and his lips met hers. He felt on fire, his hands finding her waist and pulling her closer,
while he felt better than he'd ever felt in his life, just realising Taz was his, she wasn't pushing him back, she responded, and her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer still.
Taz was about to start crying in frustration (one things she would've never forgiven herself for doing in front of Up) when he took her face in his hands and kissed her.
She lost track of everything, she just realised Up's hands were on her waist and without noticing her hands found his hair and stroked it, then pulling him closer.
She felt like the world was hers, she had everything she needed, Up was hers and this was what she'd always wanted, the thing she had wanted since the day of her Quinceanera, when her eyes had first met those blue eyes. Up pulled away slightly, and she stared at him. -Taz- he murmured. -I love you...- She didn't respond, just kissed him again,
knowing that she was finally happy.