Lady M,the courtship of Meg Griffin
By Meanbow
this is another Lady M fanfic(she gets around a bit,don't she?)...with romance. the usual stuff applies,so let's just get on with it...
Part 1
A Quiet Day...
At Meg's apartment. Meg was busy making alterations to her Lady M costume,and slobbering out in a tracksuit whilst listening to the Radio... she repaired another hole in her jacket, and she had help from Chase to make a form-fitting all-in-one suit to wear under the jacket, as she found herself getting cold legs,even with her Armored leggings
"There..." she went, holding the jacket out at arm's length and admiring her handiwork "good as new again"
Meg smiled, since taking up the mantle of Lady M, she had been through so much, and done as much...made new friends,and enemies alike...saved a store clerk, Rescued her school from a fire,fought for her Mum's freedom,even battled herself in another Dimension,alongside Connie D'amico of all people...but today was a quiet day, not one page, nor one crime worthy of Lady M to tackle.
She threw the reinforced jacket over the back of the sofa, and flopped down into it's soft cushions,kicking off her slippers and putting her bare-feet up on the coffee table and sighing...
The doorbell rang unexpectedly, and Meg scrambled up off the sofa and over to the intercom to see who it was
"Hello" she went into the intercom
"Hi Meg...It's me...Neil, can I come up?" Neil's voice went. Meg pressed the door buzzer, and Neil pushed the outer door and came in, then knocked on her front door.
"Hi!" she went, opening the door. Neil stood there in the doorway, slipping off his shoes and then entering
"Hi Meg...how are you?" he asked as he entered,then passed her a box of chocolates
"For me?" she went, a bit surprised at the gesture. Neil just nodded. He was in his store uniform,as he had just finished work and came straight over.
"You up to much,Meg?" Neil asked as he sat down on the sofa,next to Lady M's jacket...
Meg grabbed the jacket, and held it in her hands, below the sofa back out of his sight
"No...nothing...why?" she replied
"Well...I was wondering, if you'd care to get something to eat with me, that's all" Neil answered "I'm starved, and my Mum's working late at her job tonight...so it's either beans on toast...or get something out..."
"Yeah...I'd like that...that's the best offer I've had all day" she went "My head's pounding from all the college application forms I've had to fill in the past few days, so I'd like a few hours of stress-free time"
"Great...let's go then..." Neil went,then commented "is that why you grabbed your jacket so quick?"
Meg Blushed "this old thing? Na...getting another one" she went, then walked over to her coat rack by the door, hung that jacket up, and took a different jacket, as well as putting on her slip-ons. Neil followed her and put his shoes back on
the two young people left the apartment, and headed down to Neil's car out front...
Neil's Buick pulled up outside Pizza Shack, in the car park of the Mall. They both got out and walked in to the restaurant, and were directed to a table for two in the corner.
"I should have changed first..." Meg went, looking at her clothes
"Hey...me too" Neil commented "but who cares? I don't"
the waitress came over to them, chewing gum "What can I get ya?" she went
"just a large Hawaiian Pizza,please" Meg went
"And two endless Cola's please..." Neil added
"you got it..." the waitress replied, then walked away to give the order to the chef
the two of them sat there, looking at each other. Neil broke the silence
"You know...I really enjoy your company,Meg"
"Thanks...I enjoy yours too,Neil" Meg replied
"I was just wondering..." Neil started " if maybe we could...start seeing each other...you know,as boyfriend/girlfriend"
"well..." Meg went " I did say friends at first,didn't I?"
"You did...a few months ago" Neil went
"Was it? Time's flown" she replied "and how often have we been seen together?"
"All the time..." Neil replied "Even my boss says to me 'I wish your girlfriend would stop coming in here whilst your working...she's a distraction'"
Meg had a playful expression of shock on her face "I'm a distraction? The cheek!"
"Na...he don't mean anything by it...but it did get me thinking about us..." Neil went
"Oh yeah?" Meg went playfully,then slipped her shoe off and gently rubbed her right foot against the inside of Neil's leg
"Err...yeah..." he replied "I mean...you're smart,funny, good looking, and I'm shocked you're still single"
"Well...maybe I hadn't found the right guy yet..." she replied to his statement
Just then, the waitress comes over to them with a large tray, containing their pizza and drinks.
"here...1 large Hawaiian...and two endless cola's...enjoy" the waitress went,putting them down on the table in front of them,then turning and leaving them to eat...
Part 2
A Whole New Level
the two youngsters sat there for a while, eating pizza, drinking cola, and discussing their relationship...
"If it doesn't work...I'd still like to call you my Friend,Meg" Neil went
"But...how can you go back to being friends after being 'more than' friends?" she asked
"If we are both willing to accept it, then it can happen..." Neil replied
"OK...but on certain conditions..." Meg replied
"Whatever they are...I accept them" he went,then took hold of Meg's hands in his, and clasped them together "Because it means that much to me"
Meg began to blush...this young man in front of her was totally different to all the others she had met and dated. He was kind,considerate,polite, and cared about Meg in a way she felt...safe, around him...like she could say anything and he would be there for her. She looked at his hands,holding gently onto hers,and them looked up at him.
"Neil...I accept..." she went smiling "but you may want to change your mind when you meet my family at some stage!"
Neil sat there, his smile had become broad "Thank you,Meg" he went, then lent over the table towards her and gave her a gentle kiss on her lips
"Is that all I get?" she replies, then pulls her hands out of his hands, and grabs and pulls him in towards her and kisses him
Neil was shocked at the unexpectedness of it all, but returned Meg's kiss with as much passion as she had with him. Suddenly a camera flash interrupted them,making them both break away from each other and look at where the flash came from. A guy with a camera was standing there, shaking a photo trying to make it dry. He then went "Here you are...love-birds, courtesy of Pizza Shack" as he passed the photo over to Meg and Neil,then turned around and walked back over to the counter. Meg looked at the picture...it captured them at the exact moment they kissed,both had their eyes closed behind their glasses, and both looked happy.
"Does this picture make it official?" Neil asked, as she showed it to him
"I guess it does..." Meg replied, then turned around and kissed him again...
Neil's Buick pulled up outside Meg's apartment, the two of them got out, and met up round the other side and held hands as they walked up into the building. Meg got her key out,opened the front door and went in, slipping off her shoes as she did. Neil followed her in,also removing his footwear and entering.
"so...you want to stay and watch a Movie with me?" Meg asked "I only got a few DVD's though..."
"shall we go down to my works and look through the rentals section then?" Neil replied,heading back to the door and his shoes
"Hm, yeah...OK" She went,turning back towards the door and sticking a pair of flip-flops on
a few minutes drive down the road, and the Buick pulled up in the car park of the 7/11 where Neil worked. They both got out and went into the shop. One of Neil's colleagues was working tonight,he acknowledged him as he came in with Meg and they went over to the rentals section. They started looking through the various films on offer,when Meg went "Damn...I left my purse in the car...I'll just go get it"
Neil gives her the keys, and a kiss "Don't be long hun" he adds as she takes the keys and walks out to the car.
As Meg walks out of the shop, a man in a large trench-coat walks in. he suddenly grabs the woolly hat on his head and pulls it down over his face,making it into a balaclava. He then dropped the coat on the floor, and reveals a shotgun hanging from his shoulder.
"FREEZE! THIS IS A ROBBERY! I WANT ALL THE MONEY FROM THE TILLS AND ANY CASH YOU GOT LYING AROUND...NOW!" he shouted, then fired the shotgun up at the ceiling, to show he wasn't afraid to use it.
Meg turned around at the shouting, and the sound of the shotgun, and ran for cover behind the large wheelie bin. She pulled her mobile out, hit 6 and waited. Back at her lair, the M cycle received the signal and started itself up...activating it's video camera and engaging auto-rider mode. The M cycle retracted its stand, and shot off down the passageway and out the secret entrance towards the source of Lady M's signal...
Inside, the robber was emptying the till of all its contents,as well as the contents of the safe...and also relieved the few customers and staff of their wallets and purses, when a voice shouted from the doorway...
"HEY...you got a permit for that thing?"
the crook turned to look at the door, and saw Lady M standing there
"I don't need you interfering, Lady M" he went, swinging the gun around and aiming at her. He shot off a round,but she dived to her left, making the shotgun blast miss her. While she was down, the crook made a run for the door with his bag of stolen goods. As she scrambled to get back up and try to stop him from escaping,he aimed the gun in her direction again. Neil saw this and grabbed Lady M as she was getting up and hauled her towards him as the crook shot off another round. It blew a hole in the floor where she had been seconds before...
"Thank you..." Lady M went quietly to Neil, looking at him with a small smile on her face
"N..No problem" he replied back, looking into Lady M's eyes and seeing them shine like Meg's. She then got up, and chased after the crook, but dropped something from her utility belt. Neil went and picked it up and was about to shout out to her, but noticed what they were...the key's to his car...
outside, the crook ran towards his getaway car, but lady M pulled her ball-a-rang out and threw it at him...it wrapped around his body and the balls whacked him in the stomach. He fell forwards and to the floor.
"not so tough now,are you?" Lady M went,walking over to the floored crook...just as police sirens were heard "and there's you're ride home...I'm out of here"
"Lady M...Wait!" Neil shouts,coming out of the shop and running over to her. He stops and looks at her... "I need to speak to you"
She looks at him, and goes "about?"
Neil pulls his keys out of his pocket and dangles them in front of her...Lady M blushes, and goes "I see...lets talk"
the two of them stepped aside, and went towards the alleyway on the side of the 7/11
"it is you,isn't it...Meg?" Neil asked her quietly. Lady M shuffled her feet, and then looked at him. She nodded smally
"Wow..." Neil went, taking hold of her hand "I mean...wow"
"You must promise me Neil...No-one must know" Lady M went
"I promise..." he replied, then lifted his arms and held her gently by the top of her arms. She then smiled, and they both moved slowly towards each other, then kissed.
Part 3
Shifting expectations
they held each other for a good few moments, before breaking away. Neil looked into Lady M's eyes behind her mask, and saw them shimmer. He gently touched her on the cheek,before saying "I guess I'd better move,huh...before people get suspicious..."
Lady M nodded, then went over to the M cycle,parked in the alleyway. She opened up the compartment on the bike where she had stashed her clothes, and rummaged around for her keys in the tracksuit pocket. She pulled them out, and handed them to Neil.
"Meet me back at the apartment...I got to go deal with the police first, then I'll join you later" she went, then gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and walked back out from the alleyway and over to the police officers, who had taken the robber into custody.
Neil smiled as he made his way back over to his car, but he found he couldn't take his eyes off Lady M...he opened the car door, got in...started it up, then pulled slowly out of the car park...keeping Lady M in his mirrors for as long as possible. He headed back towards Meg's apartment.
Once there, he got out, and unlocked the door to the building with the keys and went in. he opened the apartment up, slipped off his shoes and entered, made himself a cup of tea,then sat down on the sofa to wait...
a few minutes later, Neil heard a motorcycle coming,then powering down, but when he went to the window, he couldn't see one anywhere. A loud grating noise was heard from the fireplace, and a secret doorway opened up, and Meg stepped through the open passageway.
"Hi..." she went, looking at him "So I guess I got some explaining to do,huh?"
Neil walked over towards her, with a second cup of tea he had made, passed it to her and said "No...it makes sense now"
"Sense?" Meg replied, taking a sip of her tea "how so?"
"All the times you left early because you had a phone-call off your 'parents',or something had come up that you had to sort out...or stood me up once at the multiplex..." Neil replied
Meg looked down at her feet "I...I cant tell everyone I know what I do, now...can I?" she asked "That's why it's a called a secret identity"
"But you could have told me...you can trust me,Megan" Neil replied. She looked at him with a bit of annoyance written all over her face
"No-one calls me Megan...except when I've usually done something wrong..." she went
"I'm sorry...It's just...well, you trusted me with other things" Neil answered back
"But this...this could put our lives at risk Neil...if people found out that Meg Griffin was really Lady M...or that Neil Carlisle was dating her...who do you think would be targeted?"
Neil gulped "I...never thought of that" he went "But don't you think I could be of use to you? I build and rebuild things hunny...surely my skills could be useful to you?"
"Maybe...let's see" Meg went, then walked with her tea over to the fireplace and pulled the candlestick down to reopen the secret door. Neil followed her through and down the steps into her Lair. Neil stopped at the bottom step and looked around in amazement at the place
"OH...MY...GOD!" he went in shock, looking around "this place rivals the bat-cave for equipment.."
"Cartoon,Film, or comic?" Meg asked
"ALL! They aren't real...this...is incredible" Neil answered with excitement and nerves, then walked over to the two mannequin's holding Lady M's costume, and Mischievous' costume. He looked back at the M cycle, and at the other, more colorful motorcycle...the harlequin.
"I know this..." he went,gently touching it "This is Mischievous, and that's the bike, the harlequin,that she used...but she's from Detroit"
Meg nodded "she's my mentor,master and friend" she replied
"wow...you really fell in with the right crowd,didn't you?" Neil went,his voice trailing off towards the end
Meg went and sat down on the computer chair, then shook her head and went "No...let me tell you a story..." she began...
"back last year...I was nothing like this. I was secretly dating a young man who was in prison. My family found out and went nuts, as you'd expect. Naturally I tried to justify it,but was forced to stop seeing him. Later on, he broke out of prison and came to see me. he was recaptured...and I was arrested for harbouring a fugitive...you know about the three strikes rule,right? That was my third...I was sent to prison...I spent 6 months there in a hard place. It changed me Neil...made me into someone who, looking back at, I didn't like, but at the time I felt like it was right,because of all the shit I'd taken to that point. If it wasn't for someone reminding me of who I really was, I would still be that person now...not the one you see before you today. Plus I met someone in school who persuaded me to do something positive with all this negativity"
Neil stood there in silence,taking Meg's story in,digesting it,until he knew what to say...
"You never told me that before,Meg...I didn't know any of that" he replied
"It's a part of my past that I'm not proud of...but it did make me stronger...stronger than I was before" she answered
"Well..." Neil began "your past is what helps shape your present...and defines who you are in the future..."
Meg nodded 'how can he be so smart,and yet...mm' she thought,looking at him
Neil stood there,looking at Meg with a silly grin on his face "so...does this mean now I'm dating 2 women?"
Meg's face changed to an expression of playful shock "You cheeky git!" she went, getting up and punching him on his right arm...
Part 4
a REAL date
Neil and Meg started laughing at what just happened. The two teens smiled at each other.
Meg went "you know...I've never been happier to tell someone about my secret"
Neil smiled at her "I'm glad you told me..." he went, then walked over towards her, and held her in his arms "perhaps tonight...we should have a real date"
"MM,that would be nice" Meg replied
"then...I'll be back...in an hour" he went "I cant take you out looking like this..."
"And I'll be dammed if I'm going anywhere in tracksuit and flip-flops again..." Meg added
"See you around 9'ish?" Neil asked
"9 is fine" Meg went, then gave him a kiss "I'll be ready"
"I can't wait" Neil went, as he kissed her back, then walked away up the secret stairs
An hour later,Neil turned up at the apartment dressed in a smart shirt,chino's and smart slip-on shoes. He knocked on the door and Meg opened it. She was standing there in a purple,knee length off the shoulder dress with wide belt,and matching bag and shoes
"Wow..." was all Neil could say, looking at her and the way the dress showed off her curves "you look...amazing,Meg"
"Thanks...you look good too" she replied,then asked "any plans on where we're going?"
"Err..ladies choice...?" he replied, as he hadn't thought of where to take her
"How about...we walk down to the pier and go to that cafe bar on the end and watch the sunset?" she replied to his comment
"You big romantic,you" Neil went, then took hold of Meg gently by the arm and pulled her towards him
"Let's go..." she went, pulling the door to her apartment shut behind her, and the two of them walked off down the stairs to the street
they walked hand in hand for a few minutes along the seaside boulevard, until they reached the pier. Then they headed up the pier towards the café at the end, and found some tables outside. Neil held a chair out for Meg, she sat down, then he joined her. A waiter came over to them, took their order, and went away to make it.
"Meg" Neil went, looking at her
She smiled at him, and replied "yes?"
"I had a few ideas for you...for her" he started "like this..." he went, then pulled out a large, square faced digital watch "when it's done...it'll have a long range communicator, digi-link to the M cycle, and holographic capabilities, enabling you to change without getting changed"
"Neil...no shop talk...just be here with me..." she went
He smiled "Yes ma'am"
the waiter approached their table with a tray, carrying 2 coffee's, 2 bagels and the bill. Neil took the bill and nodded at the waiter, who put their order down on the table for them,then left.
just behind Meg, a man was leaning back on his chair, trying to get to her bag hanging off the back of the chair. He reached his hand over,touched her bag,and put his hand inside...suddenly he felt his wrist being gripped tightly
"When I let go of your hand...take it out of my bag and move away from it...got it?" Meg went with a growl in her voice. Neil looked over Meg's shoulder at the man, who was looking over his left shoulder at them with a bit of panic on his face. She let go of his wrist, and he pulled it back quickly, stood up from his chair and left in a hurry.
"Jeez...it always happens to us" Neil commented "I hope I don't have to have this happen to you all the time"
"I'm used to it now..." she went, looking over her shoulder at the man leaving,then turning her attention back to Neil
"I'm not...is this what it's like to date you?" he asked
"It has it's moments..." she smiled as she answered that question,her gentle pink lipstick shimmered in the setting sunlight. Neil then went and moved his chair next to hers, put his arm over her shoulders and stared out at the setting sun with her...
part 5
Neil's story
"Beautiful...almost as beautiful as you..." Neil went, watching the sun dip over the horizon in a spectacular array of oranges and reds "I've never seen it dip into the Ocean before...I'm used to seeing it set over the skyline of Woonsocket...It's so different"
"That's a long way to come,just to get away from your Dad" Meg commented
"My Mum's idea...she wanted to get as far away as possible from him...we loaded up the car,and headed south until I almost ran out of gas...and this is where we ended up stopping" Neil went "I hate my Dad...he was a drunk bully, but my Mum kept saying it was just a phase he was going through as he hadn't been able to find work...for nearly 15 years. When he hadn't been drinking, he was the best Dad ever,but get drink inside him...well..."
"I'm sorry Neil..." Meg went "that must be hard,what you and your Mum did"
"She's filed for divorce through a solicitor...we'll see what happens next" Neil went
"Still...the one good thing came out of it...You" Neil added, then smiled at Meg "If we hadn't ended up here, I'd have never met you"
Meg looked over at him and smiled back "same applies to you, if you didn't drive here and take a job at the 7/11...I wont have met you that night"
they both looked at each other intently "fate" Meg went quietly, "destiny" Neil replied quietly...then they both went together "dumb luck" and laughed,before kissing again
they stayed in that moment for what seemed like an eternity, before breaking off and falling into each others arms, watching the remains of the Day turn to Night, and the stars starting to show up in the sky.
They sat like that for ½ an hour, before Meg fidgeted for her coffee, which had turned cold.
"Damn..." she went
"Never mind...I'll pay the bill, then we'll go to the funfair further on" Neil said,getting up and walking in to the shop, which was closing up for the night. He came back out,walked over to Meg and held her hand. They both headed back down the pier and towards the funfair on the boulevard
they reached the funfair,which was all lit up for the night. the various rides all blazing their trails through the darkness with their brightly colored lights and effects, and loud music playing everywhere. the two teens headed straight for the bumper-karts.
"I'll beat you..." Meg went playfully, as she sat down in one kart
"Not likely Meg" Neil replied as he got into the kart in front
a few other teens and adults got into the remaining karts, and the ride operator went and stood on his podium, and waved a flag. All the karts suddenly started moving, all jostling for position on the track. After a few laps, the flag was raised for the final lap, and Meg made a move for the lead, pushing Neil's kart out of the way and making him spin out. She crossed the line first, followed by a few others, and finally Neil, who had to get back on track after his spin-out.
Neil got off the ride looking dejected, whilst Meg was going crazy
"I beat you...I beat you" she teased,pushing him playfully. Suddenly Neil grabbed Meg by her wrists...and pulled her into him.
"Kiss for the winner..." he went, kissing her,then letting go of her wrists and putting his hands around her waist
Meg draped her now free arms around his neck and looked into his eyes,smiling
"At least you're not a sore loser..." she went "lets ride the waltzer next...I want something I can hold on to you on"
Neil smiled and nodded,then gently guided her towards the Waltzer. They were seated in a car and the security bar was pushed down to hold them in place. Meg placed her right arm around Neil's shoulders, and he placed his left arm over hers.
An hour later, and a few different rides later...Neil and Meg were walking back along the boulevard towards Meg's apartment, cotton candy in Meg's hand...and a giant Teddy bear under Neil's right arm.
"I really enjoyed tonight,Neil..." Meg went with a smile on her face "and thanks for winning me that giant bear"
"You wanted it...I wasn't going to stop till I won it for you" Neil replied
"I'll call him Neil..." Meg went, wrapping her free arm around his waist and resting her head against his shoulder. They made it back to the apartment. Meg went looking through her purse for her keys for the door, opened it and they went up into the building. She then opened the front door to her apartment and stood in the doorway with a small smile on her face as Neil gently pushed past and into the apartment, putting the teddy down on the sofa. Meg walked over to Neil and was about to kiss him again, when her M pager went off...
Meg sighed 'it's been quiet all night...and now it goes off...' she thought
"Someone wants Lady M hun..." Neil went, looking at her. Meg nodded smally
"A heroes work is never done" she replied, as she pushed the button on the pager and it displayed the information.
"Maybe another time?" Neil asked
Meg nodded "That was the best night I've had in a long time Neil...thank you"
"I'll be here for you...and her" he replied,kissing her on the forehead "I'll see you again" he went, as he headed for the door. Meg waved at him as he left and closed the door, then looked at the pager and the emergency
"Big mistake,whoever you are...you just spoilt the best night of my life...you will be sorry" she went, as she walked over towards the fireplace and pulled the candlestick...