Stars Burn Down

"I'll be back in a jiffy," were the last words Tamora heard her husband say. Like she always had, she grabbed his collar and pulled him into a searing kiss before he stumbled away.

Usually Felix was gone no longer than a few hours when he visited Dodge, the only Turbo Twin left of the two. Dodge lived in game station next to GSC. The newer station only housed a few arcade games and the only computer in the arcade. Being quieter than GCS, Dodge had taken to staying there for the solitude.

Felix was the only old friend he had left, and though Dodge said he didn't have to come see him, Felix knew the former racer enjoyed the company.

As the evening grew late, Felix never returned from his visit. Tamora blew it off as him just staying longer or missing the train that connected the two stations.

But 10 o'clock rolled around and there was no Felix.

Tamora thoroughly checked every place Felix could be, asking people if they'd seen the handyman. No was the answer every single time. Ralph and Vanellope joined in the search. Felix was nowhere to be found in their station, and the only place to look was the next station over. They went through the same process and came up empty, not even finding any trace of Dodge as well. It was as if the two characters vanished into the electrical current in the air.

Tamora continued searching for long after Felix disappeared. Kohut took over her after hours duties as she headed out hardly a minute after gameplay was over. She barely slept or ate or spent time with anyone; all her strength being poured into finding her lost husband.

Weeks passed, and still no sign of Felix. She'd searched every game, every inch of the stations, every outlet.

Tamora dragged in early one morning and plopped onto her bed. Resting elbows on her knees, she covered her face. The love of her life was gone. She couldn't find him, couldn't save his game. All the past weeks of agonizingly searching for him weighted on her shoulders, the realization she tried so desperately to avoid finally slamming into her like a tank. Tamora slowly curled up on the bed, clutching Felix's pillow to her chest and wept miserably.

Time passing didn't soothe her. She buried herself in her duty as sergeant, killing cybugs with dreadful vengeance as if the mechanical creatures were to blame for her lose. She didn't leave her game unless she had to. Vanellope made her promise to come visit her once a week in Sugar Rush, which Tamora grudgingly obliged.

Every night she'd drag her tired form to her quarters, lock the door, and fall asleep to the horrible scenarios of what could have happened to her husband. It was a vicious cycle that Tamora knew would never end.

One evening, nearly a year after Felix vanished, Tamora entered her quarters as usual, locking the door and preparing to steel herself from the nightmares that would haunt her. She turned and locked eyes on an image she had only seen in her head…until now.

Felix was standing there, hat in hands in that polite manner he always conveyed. Tamora felt her insides flip violently. She was going crazy. The pain had weighted so heavily on her that it was finally driving her mind into seeing hallucinations. A bloodcurdling scream escaped her throat as she ripped the pistol from her leg armor and trained it on the delusion in front of her.

The instant the pistol was whipped out, the image yelped, bouncing behind the couch. Tamora froze, knowing she heard the familiar boing of Felix's hop. Her body began to tremble all over, the huff of her breath the only sound in the room.

"Tamora," she heard a slightly quivering voice call from behind the couch, "Darlin', it's me."

Felix peeked over the couch, locking eyes with his wife. Tamora lowered the pistol, still trembling all over. This was no hallucination. Felix was really there, whole and alive. He stepped out giving her a full view. The brim of the hat in his grasp was tattered and the blue coloring now faded and dusty. Felix's work gloves were worn, a small hole on the thumb tip of the right hand. His jeans were stained with dirt and had a rip at both knees. A brownish-green tunic covered his work shirt - a glimmer of his trusty golden hammer shone from underneath.

A small, relieved smile spread Felix's face and love filled his voice, "Tammy."

With a thud, the pistol dropped from Tamora's hand. In two quick strides, she skidded to her knees and grabbed Felix's small shoulders, slamming her lips to his. Felix squeaked in surprise, but in barely two seconds he was returning the kiss with as much vigor as Tamora displayed.

Tamora felt Felix's bare hands cup the sides of her face, soothing like a balm to her wounded soul. She quickly freed her own hands, burying slender fingers into his hair - exhorting a moan from Felix's throat. She needed desperately to feel him; to reacquaint herself with the missing part that filled the gaping, bleeding hole in her heart.

She felt the same desperation in Felix's lips as he closed whatever space was left between them and deepened the kiss to the point they could barely breathe.

Tamora reluctantly pulled away resting her forehead against her husband's, her palm firmly but gently on the nape of Felix's neck. Felix's hands dropped from her cheeks to the skin just above her armor clad shoulders – his thumbs absently rubbing her neck.

"I love you, Tammy," he huffed out and the words poured over her, sending a wonderful shiver up her spine.

"Love you too, Fix-it," she returned tenfold. Tamora pressed her lips to his again in a soft, brief kiss. "Where the hell have you been?"

Felix swallowed hard. "It's a very long story."