"Oh Minion, can you believe how far we have come?" Megamind was in such a good mood he was actually spinning round in giddy circles around the lair, his arms stretched out to his sides and his head flung back.
"No, sir! The course our lives have taken is a constant surprise to me." Minion smiled, suppressing a chuckle. He was about to say more when he noticed Roxanne making her way into the main chamber. He really did chuckle to himself when he noticed her very surprised double-take of the room that was normally so dark and gloomy.
"What in the -" Roxanne muttered, gaining the attention of the giggling blue alien still revelling in the excitement coursing through his veins.
"Roxanne!" He nearly yelled, a look of pure joy clear on his face, "Isn't it wonderful! Minion and the Brainbots did it last night!"
He made a sweeping gesture at the room around them which was full of brightly coloured balloons and decorations. The sheer amount of colour was overwhelming to say the least. A tiny smile tugged at her lips as she took it all in. A banner hanging over the super computer caught her attention and making her heart sunk into the pit of her stomach.
"Happy Anniversary?" She asked with confusion. Her breath hitched in her throat but thankfully neither of her two companions seemed to notice, she turned her head away from them, using the decorations as an excuse to be able to scrub her eyes with the back of her hand without being noticed.
"Oh yes! This is the anniversary of Sir's first attempt to take over the city!" Minion said helpfully, with a proud smile.
"Oh. I - em… I remember that. I - I was in college that day." Roxanne said, trying desperately to gain control over her voice. Megamind turned to her, a look of concern on his face. He nearly took a step back when he noticed her appearance. She was wearing a pair of black jeans and a long black coat but it wasn't her clothing that worried him so much, it was the distant, haunted look in her eyes. Her face was pale and her eyes seemed puffy, as if she had been crying but didn't want anyone to know.
"Roxanne, what's wrong?" He asked quietly as he brought a hand up to cup her cheek gently. She shied away from his touch making some sort of excuse that he didn't even register properly and turned and left the lair. The sound of her motorbike revving up was the only noise in the room as Megamind stood there, watching the door she had disappeared through as though it would give him some form of answers.
"Minion, what did I do?" He asked in a small voice, only just realising that his hand was still help up in the air in the same positions it had been when she backed away from his touch. He curled his fingers into his hand and placed the trembling limb by his side.
"I…I don't know sir, I don't think you did anything Sir." Minion said, just as confused as his boss.
"What did she say Minion? I couldn't quite catch it."
"She said she just needed some time alone, Sir." Minion said, his voice clearly upset by the strange situation. Megamind nodded, feeling oddly numb. He took a deep breath in an attempt to snap himself out of this stupor.
"Minion, have the Brainbots take down these decorations. I do not feel like celebrating today." With that he twirled on his heel and made his way back into their living quarters. He had to find out what was wrong with his lovely Roxanne. Whatever it was that had upset her so badly was going to wish it had never even cast a shadow over Roxanne Ritchi.
Searching their bedroom had provided no clues as to what had upset Roxanne so deeply. Everything was the same today as it had been the day before. With a concerned sigh he abandoned the search and decided that he may have better luck elsewhere. Before he had made it to the Invisible car, the need to know where she was, turning back towards the super computer he called out to Minion to start scanning the city for her.
Minion typed in the command code to have the Brainbots search for her, it was not long until one of them reported having found her presence.
"Sir…" Minion began, but Megamind was already running for the car and was gone before Minion could even voice his protest.
He stood behind her, watching her silently, her trembling for was kneeling on the short cut grass in front of a grey headstone. One hand gripped the top of the stone for dear life and he head was bowed, gut wrenching sobs wracking her body. Megamind hesitated for a moment, one hand reaching out to her, before he knelt down behind her and placed his hand on the back of her shoulders.
Her body tensed instantly. He often forgot that she could not sense him coming as he could with her. He knew the moment she entered a room, even if he was asleep yet he somehow had the never ending ability to scare the life out of her by sneaking up behind her, even if he wasn't intending to sneak.
"I've told you about that before." She said, her voice hitching in her throat. He could hear her taking a shuddering deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. Megamind stayed still, one hand pressing in what he hoped was a comforting gesture against her back. He had no words to say, nothing that he thought could help her, so he remained quiet.
After a few moments she had managed to compose herself and stood up, clinging onto the top of the headstone for support. Stepping to the side she turned to allow Megamind to see what was written on the bleak grey stone.
'Here lies Annie and Peter Ritchie. Died 25th January 1991 chasing the story of the century.'
"Roxanne… I" Megamind, never normally at a loss for words, "I'm so sorry."
"Why do people always say that?" She suddenly laughed, her emotions getting the better of her, "People always say 'sorry' like it was their fault. It won't bring them back."
"I know." He slid his arm around her, slowly pulling her into his chest. He resisted the urge to smile in relief as she buried her face into the crook of his neck, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"It isn't something I like to talk about. I know they wouldn't want me to be grieving like this." She gestured towards the headstone of her parents sadly.
"The story of the century?" He asked quietly, reading the comment engraved on the stone in sweeping letters.
"They were both journalists. That's where I got the bug I suppose." She said with a slight chuckle in her voice, Megamind stroked his hand gently through her hair, "She was a reporter and he was her camera man, it was how they met, they said it was love at first sight. They … died … chasing a story, something big was happening and they were in their van racing to get to where everything was happening and suddenly some idiot in a Hummer ran a red light."
Megamind closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh, that explained why she was always so jumpy when he did that while driving the invisible car. He made a mental note to make a less conspicuous car that they could drive and still not be noticed in.
"What was the story?" Megamind asked, he frowned slightly as he felt her tense in his arms for a moment. The moment passed quickly and she tightened her grip on him pushing herself closer to his body.
"I don't know, I never wanted to find out." Roxanne whispered into his neck, she even manages a slight chuckle at the shiver she felt go down his spine when her lips moved against the skin of his neck.
"Huh." He said suddenly, causing her to open her eyes, a single snowflake drifted down to land on his arm which was still wrapped protectively around her shoulders.
"Snow?" She asked dumbly as she lifted her head away from him, both of them looked up towards the sky as hundreds of tiny white flakes began to drift to earth around them, "But, it never snows here." She found herself smiling despite herself.
"Maybe this is just for you, love." Megamind whispered into her hair with a smile, "It seems not even the sky likes to see you cry."
She turned to him with a sad smile on her face and looked deeply into his eyes. Those eyes that she had been fascinated with from the first moment she saw them, and the ones she had fallen in love with even when they were worn by another man. She reached up one hand to stroke his cheek, smiling when he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.
"What did I ever do to deserve you?" She asked in wonder, giggling slightly at the look of surprise on his face.
"You deserve me? It is I who do not deserve you dearest." He wondered every day, every moment when she was in his arms, what force had allowed them to be together, Do you want to stay a bit longer, love, or should we get out of the cold?"
The snow seemed to have remembered that the climate of Metro City was too mild and had begun to turn into a bitterly cold slushy rain. The magic of the moment lost, Roxanne pulled away from his chest and wrapped her arm around his, heading back to the small car park. She didn't even have to think about how she would get her bike back to the lair, a small number of Brainbots were already on hand to air lift it back as she sat in the passenger seat of he car.
"Sir! Miss Ritchi!" Minions squared as the car arrived back at the lair, "You're back!"
"Yes Minion, is there a reason we shouldn't be?" Megamind frowned in confusion at his friends odd outburst, he was about to continue when Roxanne's voice cut him off.
"Oh you didn't have to take down the decorations. After all the Anniversary of your first attack on the city must be a big thing for you to celebrate.
"But Miss Ritchie, we wouldn't want to upset you further! We will never mention it again!" Minions was panicking about something, it had been a long time since Megamind had last seen the fish this flustered.
"Minion, what is wrong with you?" Megamind demanded, causing the fish to jump, after spluttering for a few moments and looking from Roxanne to Megamind with teary eyes, he decided that running would be better so he turned and fled from the room leaving Megamind and Roxanne to stare on in shock.
"I wonder got him so worked up." Megamind sighed as he rubbed his forehead with his hand, trying to ward off an upcoming headache.
"I'm going to go and get changed and freshen up a bit, I suggest you try to stop Minion from giving himself an ulcer, he worries so much over the smallest things." Roxanne said as she placed a kiss on his cheek, grinning to herself as she watched a blush flourish right to the tips of his ears. Giving him a smile she turned and made her was back to their bedroom to pick out some more comfortable clothing.
Megamind sighed dreamily, touching his cheek gently as if trying to work out if that had actually happened. The affect she had on him never ceased to amaze him and he hoped it would never stop. With more than a little regret he turned away from the direction she had gone and followed the path of destruction Minion had left in his wake. He nearly chuckled to himself when he noticed Minion's metal feet poking out from underneath the bunched up red curtain.
"Minion." Megamind said as she stood tapping his foot, waiting for his friend to pluck up the courage to come on out.
"y-yes Sir?" Minion stammered, not moving from his place behind the curtain.
"Minion, I insist you come on out of there right now!"
Never one to disobey an order unless it was an especially stupid one, Minion sheepishly made his way out of his hiding place.
"Sir?"
"Good. Now tell me what has gotten you so worked up Minion." Megamind was getting impatient. His headache had come on full force and all he wanted to do was sit down with Roxanne safe in his arms.
"Well, I … Sir, I know what is wrong with Miss Ritchie." Minion confessed, trying not to meet his boss's eye.
"Yes, Minion, I know, today is the anniversary of her parent's death." Megamind stated sadly. Minion cringed inside his dome, telling Megamind in no uncertain terms that there was more to the fish's current state than just this news.
"And, she's not mad at us Sir?" Minions asked carefully.
"Mad? Why would she be mad? Because of the decorations?" Megamind asked in confusion, why would Minion thing she would be mad at them.
"Sir, look." Minion whispered as he pointed back towards the computer. Megamind frowned as he made his way past Minion to see what all the fuss was about. He was about to tell Minion that he was simply being a worry-fish but the words instantly stuck in his throat as he read the headline of an archived newspaper the computer was displaying.
'Couple Die In Menacing Fog Attack'
Megamind's mouth hung open in shock as he read through the article which recounted the story of how the networks star reporter and her loyal cameraman were killed by a car accident. A Hummer had run a red light through an unnaturally thick smog. The driver had been panicking and running for his life. Running from someone who was unleashing a terrifying surprise attack on the city. Running from someone calling himself Megamind.
His hand covered his mouth in shock and he sat down heavily into his chair which Minion had thankfully pulled up behind him. It was his fault. He had killed Roxanne's parents. It was his fault she was so sad. He felt like the world had suddenly gone dark, he wanted the floor to swallow him up. How could he face her after this, knowing that he was responsible for the death of her parents. What was he going to say to her, how could he hold her knowing he had their blood on his hands?
"Oh Minion." He sighed into his hands, "What are we going to do?"
"I - I don't know Sir."
After a while Megamind realised that Roxanne hadn't come down yet, she should have been down by now. A terrifying thought flashed into Megamind's head and he instantly sprang from his seat and ran towards their living quarters.
"No no nonononononono." He muttered to himself over and over again as he rushed through the maze of corridors. Bursting in through the door to their bedroom he was confronted by an eerie silence. She wasn't in the room and from the looks of it she hadn't returned. Thinking hard, he tried to guess where she could have gone. Moving further into the room he noticed the strange light from outside the window, it seemed brighter than it should have been. A light bulb went on in his head and he hurried out of the room, running to the end of the corridor and up a spiral staircase that lead to the flat roof. He took a deep breath before slowly opening to door, the sight out on the roof terrace caused his heart to skip a beat.
The roof was covered in a layer of pure white snow and out in the middle of it, still wearing her long coat, stood Roxanne. Her arms were outstretched and her face was tilted up into the falling snow, a serene smile on her face. As he shut the door behind him she turned and smiled at him, beckoning for him to come close to her.
After hesitating for a moment he took a tentative step forwards, then another and another, his body seemed to be moving of it's own accord. When he finally stood in front of her she wrapped her arms around him and gazed lovingly into his eyes. What she saw there made her pause, she saw fear, almost outright terror.
"Megamind? What's the matter?"
"Roxanne," He began, his voice hitching in his throat, "I - I'm so sorry." His throat closed up, cutting off the rest of his apology, to his shame a single tear escaped from his eye and slid down his cheek. Roxanne stared at the tear in shock, why was he so upset? She had never seen him like this before and it scared her.
"Mega-"
"If I had know, Roxanne, I would never have -" his voice hitched in his throat, "I never meant to hurt you, I never meant to hurt anyone. I'm so sorry!"
"Hey, what's all this about? You've never hurt me, I no you never wanted to, ok some minor rope burns maybe but that was because I was the one struggling."
"That's not what I mean, I-" he couldn't get the words out so he closed his eyes tightly and held onto her as if his life depended on, into her hair he whispered in a tiny voice, "I don't want to loose you."
"You will never loose me, please," She tried desperately to get him to look at her, "look at me, tell me what's wrong."
"Roxanne," His voice was raw in his throat, "It was my fault. I'm so so sorry" he rested his forehead against hers as he waited for her to push him away. It was inevitable.
"What was your fault? You're not making any sense."
"Your parents," He found he couldn't even look her in the eye anymore, the guilt was eating him up inside, "It was my fault they crashed."
"Mega-"
"No, I need to tell you this Roxanne, I -" He struggled to find the right words, choosing to just speak from his heart, "I love you too much to hide anything from you Roxanne. Your parents were killed because the other driver was fleeing from my first attack on the City. I had created a thick menacing smog to scare the people in the City Hall, that was why the other driver ran the red light and didn't see your parents van. It is my fault Roxanne, I'm so sorry."
She looked at him carefully, a wild mix of emotions flashing through her eyes. He readied himself for her response, trying to prepare for her hatred.
"I'll understand if you… if you never want to see me again. The Brainbots will help you move your things, you can have all the time you need." He took a step back and tried to leave when her arms tightened around him, pulling her back against her. Suddenly her lips were on his in a fierce kiss, leaving him standing there in shock.
"Shut up you great idiot." She said against his lips as she pulled away slightly, a tentative smile tugged at his mouth before she kissed him again. This time he had the presence of mind to kiss her back, daring to hope that she wasn't going to leave him after all. The kiss was desperate, each one clinging onto the other for dear life. Roxanne pulled away after sucking on his lower lip for a moment.
"Roxanne…" He sighed against her neck as she pulled him into a strong hug.
"You really are a complete idiot sometimes!" She hiccupped slightly as she nuzzled into the crook of his neck, squeezing him tightly, a moment later she pulled away slightly so she could look him in the face, "I'm a reporter, remember?" she ran one finger down his nose, smiling to herself as he kissed it lightly as it passed over his lips, "Don't you think I would have investigated the accident myself?"
"But you said you didn't know."
"I know, I didn't want you to find out, I knew how devastated you would be. I should have told you, I'm sorry my love." she placed a quick kiss on his lips again, rubbing her hand gently on the back of his neck, his eyes closed briefly at the sensation, "I was angry at first, and yes, I did blame you but then I found out something that the newspapers did not report on. The other driver was drunk, completely off his face so I believe. He wouldn't have had control of he car even if you hadn't have attacked the city. He was sent to prison for causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence of alcohol."
"But if I hadn't have been attacking the city-"
"Then he may have hit another car instead! Mother and Father knew what they were doing, they knew how dangerous it was to go chasing around in those situations. It was the fault of the guy driving the other car, no one else's."
"But I was the reason they were in the area in the first place, you have every right to hate me." He closed his eyes as he turned his face away, shame clearly written on his face.
"That happened long before I ever met you, remember?" She said as she gently guided his head back around so he was looking at her, "If I hated you for it then why would I be here now? Why would I have come here to stay with you? And, if I truly felt the need to hate you, why would I be so eager to do this?" Her voice was just above a whisper as she closed the gap between hem again and poured every ounce of love she felt for him into the kiss. Their bodies seemed to meld into one as he slipped his hands under her coat, pulling her tight against him. When they pulled apart he rested his forehead against hears as they both attempted to catch their breath. They were stood so close together they were almost breathing the same air.
Roxanne looked up into his amazing green eyes lovingly and kissed him quickly on the tip of his nose.
"When will you get it through that gigantic skull of yours that I love you and nothing is going to change that!" Roxanne said with a loving smile on her face, "Certainly nothing from so long ago in the past. I love you so much, not despite of who you were back then, but because of who you are now!" She kissed him again, delighting in the small moan that escaped from his lips, "understand Spaceman?"
"Roxanne," he said breathily against her lips, sending a shiver down her spine. The snow was continuing to fall around them, the layer on the ground the thickest she had ever seen it in Metro City. Roxanne lay her head against his shoulder and watched the snowflakes rifting down towards the ground. They stood there like that, wrapped around each other, for a long time, just gazing out at the snow falling around them. Roxanne was snapped out of her daze when a solid shiver made his entire body tremble. Stepping back from him she noticed he was only wearing his leather body suit, without the cape, shoulder pads or gloves.
"Come one inside, it's freezing out here." She said as she stepped out of his grip and took one of his hands in hers. He sighed in relief as they closed the door behind them and made their way down the stairs. Once they reached the bottom of the stairs she turned to him and pulled him into another kiss, noting with regret just how cold his lips were. She got the impression he would have willingly stood out there until he froze to death if he thought she wanted him to.
"Lets go find Minion, I'm sure he will have worked himself up into a frenzy by now, and I don't know about you but I could do with a mug of hot chocolate." She smiled at the grin that spread on his face before he pulled her into another long kiss.
"I love you Roxanne." He whispered once they parted, looking her directly in the eyes.
"And I love you, more than anything else in the world. Never forget that." She said before she kissed him quickly one last time before turning to lead him back down the corridor to find Minion and to bring their odd little family back together again.