Wake Up Call

by Ryuko DragonHalf

It's been a week since Tighten's defeat. Megamind and Roxanne are getting along just fine, thank you. But will a single late-night visit change things?

HOWDY! (Sorry guys, not a Little Planet update... eheh!)

Ohmigaaaaw, this fic took me forever. XD It's been a while since I've attempted a one-shot of this magnitude! I tried to keep it concise, but it might sprawl a bit - blame the plotbunny, it wouldn't let me alone until I got certain details written into the fluffy plot. NOT MY FAULT I SWEAR!

Now, obligatory warning - SPOILERS GALORE for the movie! Those who know me personally are NOT allowed to read this until they've seen the movie, because they know I'll come after them! 8D Seriously, go see this movie if you haven't, you WON'T be sorry. (Unless you're attacked by plotbunnies like me... then maybe.. again, not my fault! :3)

And disclaimers! Megamind is the property of Dreamworks Inc., who've been very impressive recently! Keep it up guys, no more of this Shrek 3 nonsense, yeah? We good? COOL. Let's bring on the fluff! (skips off)

OoOoOoO

WAKE UP CALL
by Ryuko DragonHalf

OoOoOoO

Normally, the insistent barking of his brain bots was swiftly appeased by tossing a random tool he didn't need at that particular moment. Their chatter would fade to the other end of the Lair, allowing him a few more minutes of work before they would either return, or (if Daddy had run out of patience) find some other chore to perform. It seemed like an odd programming choice for a fleet of robotic drones, but Megamind stood by his ingenuity. His brain bots were attentive, loyal, and could coordinate a laser-light show complete with fog in under four minutes - ergo, the perfect assistant!

Except for today, it seemed. Megamind had been poring over blueprints for a while; he was so wrapped up in his work, he'd thrown three wrenches, four pencils, and a broken keyboard at a persistent brain bot before realizing it hadn't left at all. He finally glanced up with a frown, opened his mouth to berate the disobedient machine, then caught himself.

This brain bot was different. Engraved at the base of one front left tooth was a tiny letter R.

The former super-villain shot to his feet. "What happened? Where is she? I need a full report- ugh, where are those car keys?" He scurried around the paper-laden room, moving from desk to drawer as fast as his slippers could carry him. The marked bot did everything it could to keep up. It kept moving in front of him to growl about something, but was quickly pushed away before it could get a word in edgewise.

Finally, Megamind snatched the keys from behind a stack of newspapers. He gave them a quick victory toss, ran to grab his De-Gun, then whirled on the lagging brain bot as he marched to the garage. "Well don't just float there, tell me what's going on! Download every detail into the main drive - wait, wake Minion first, I'll need him if we're going to save-"

"Megamind!"

A shriek of surprise escaped his throat before he could stop it. He was ready to draw his weapon on the intruder, who stood not five feet away from him, when he recognized her a half-second later.

"Roxanne?" He sighed with relief. It was definitely her - her hair was a little messy, and she was holding her robe closed with tight fists, the sash dragging across the floor, but he was too happy to make any mention of it. Megamind smiled at her as he approached. "Thank goodness you're okay! When that brain bot showed up I thought... wait, why is it here?" He blinked, pocketing the car keys. "And why are you here? N-not that you're not welcome! I just, er... wasn't expecting the pleasure of your company..?" His bright blue face pulled into an embarrassed grimace, realizing which pyjamas he'd chosen to wear that night. Great.

The brunette standing before him made no snarky comments at his attire. In fact, it was a few seconds before she even reacted. Roxanne's eyes weren't as bright as Megamind remembered. She looked him up and down, took in his full appearance, then locked her gaze with his for a stupefied moment. Suddenly she gasped and shook her head. "Oh! Oh, right, I... I'm sorry about showing up here, right now... um, I just had Bowser bring me over..."

"Bowser?" Megamind questioned. He cast a suspicious glance around the room "Who's 'Bowser'?"

An amused sigh escaped Roxanne; her grin touched the corners of her eyes. "That's the brain bot you left with me," she explained.

"Wha- you named it?"

"Yeah. Bowser!" she called. The lingering droid instantly soared to her side. All Megamind could do was stare in wonder as she petted his toothy creation, and said creation was practically purring at her attentions. She cooed at Bowser quietly, "Thanks for bringing me over, boy. I think there are some nuts and bolts around here, why don't you go get some?"

Bowser gave two eager barks and buzzed away. Both hero and reporter chuckled after it. "Well! Good to see you two are getting along famously," Megamind smirked. "However, I'm still wondering why you're visiting at..." He glanced at his holo-watch. "2:57am? You're usually asleep by now!"

Roxanne dropped her gaze to the floor. Her arms curled around herself as she offered a little shrug and nothing more. Megamind's gut gave an uncomfortable twist. Everything about Roxanne was off. She should be sound asleep at her place right now, safe and peaceful. She should be visiting him after work, going over events of the day, complimenting Minion on his baking, and "kindly" offering sarcastic advice about Megamind's latest plans and inventions. There should be witty banter between the two of them, borderline flirty, but not terribly intimate. It had only been a week since Tighten, after all - while they definitely still had a connection, Roxanne made no move to continue precisely where they'd left off at the restaurant, and Megamind refused to jeopardize what they had. It was as close to "getting the girl" as he'd ever gotten without a disguise, and for that much, he was honestly grateful. Maybe even hopeful for the future.

Despite this tenuous limbo they currently found themselves in, he couldn't resist reaching out to the smartest person he knew. He carefully tilted her chin up and searched her face. Even in the dim light of the Lair, he could see the dark circles of exhaustion that ringed her eyes. Roxanne was staring at him again, that same stunned, almost helpless look from before. It unnerved him to see her without her personal brand of graceful confidence. What made his breath catch, however, was the remnants of dark tracks running down her cheeks.

"Roxanne..." He traced her cheek with a gentle thumb, worry and affection made apparent in every movement, from his eyes to his careful hands. "What happened to you?"

She was still, content to let him rub her shoulder, losing herself in the moment... until she snapped awake once again. "Um, ah, nothing! Nothing, I'm fine, now... really," Roxanne insisted through a faint smile. To further reassure her hero, she rested her palms beneath his popped collar. "Don't worry, no one's coming after me or anything. I just... wanted to see you. That's all."

That's all? That's ALL? Immediately, Megamind was torn between concern for his lady love, and giddy delight that she wanted to see him - at this time of night! He fought to keep a serious expression on his face, but the moment passed as soon as it came. "Y-you really... really? You just wanted to see me?" he asked with a face-splitting grin.

A more lively giggle erupted from Roxanne's growing smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting a brainstorm or anything. What're you working on now?"

Seeing the light returning to her face, Megamind found it easier to relax. "And just what makes you think I'm working on some brilliant design, Miss Know-It-All?"

"First: you didn't answer your phone, Mister Hero," she replied coolly, moving out of his gentle embrace and shuffling towards his R&D table in the next room. "Second: what else do you do at all hours? And third: look at the mess in here!"

"You were calling- Roxanne, what exactly is going on? This isn't very like you," he observed as he jogged to her side. "Again, not that it's a matter of in-con-vain-i-ents, I really don't mind hearing from you at all! But the only guests I'm expecting at this hour are patrolling brain bots and vigilante superheroes coming to rescue you, and since I'm not exactly in the kidnapping business anym-"

Suddenly, Roxanne pressed a finger to his lips. He froze instantly. "Listen," she sighed, a bit more tuckered out after his rambling. "I know I'm being a little... weird. But I can't explain it until I've had a good night's rest, and that's.. difficult right now. Could we.. I mean, if it's okay with you, could we just talk about your next great plan for the city? Something to pass the time?"

Megamind considered her odd request. Not that it was a hard choice, of course he was okay with chatting about his magnificent strajeties (Minion pointed out that "plots and schemes" didn't suitably describe heroic acts) for Metrocity, and chatting with Roxanne no less! He only puzzled over her possible reasons for this whole situation, wondering what she wasn't telling him. How much help could he be when he didn't understand?

Well, she was asking this much of him. Rarely did the indomitable Roxanne Ritchi ask for his help with anything.

His eyes softened, and without thinking, he puckered his lips against her finger before she could pull it away. Roxanne regarded him in surprise, then bashfully swept her unkempt bangs to one side. He abruptly gave an awkward laugh. "Uhh, right. Yes! Certainly! Ahem. Very well, Miss Ritchi!"

With a dramatic wave of his arm and flap of his bedtime cape, Megamind swept around his nocturnal guest, snatched the back of his formerly-evil executive chair, and spun it twice before offering his hand. "A grand tour of my infinite genius deserves the best seat in the house!"

Roxanne was positively beaming.

OoOoOoO

"... take a few modifications to turn the death ray into an effective power supply! I mean sure, solar energy is what they're going for, but this will collect more than enough to provide power during the winter months, all around the world! There won't be any limits to the possibilities! The only problem, really, is this 'warming up' subroutine... there's no overriding it. Which means the whole thing has to be reprogrammed or it'll jam every time it powers up. You know, I honestly don't understand what value Minion sees in that! Is this what all the popular programmers are doing nowadays, or does my formidable intellect utterly eclipse their own? Which do you think?"

Megamind turned away from his revised blueprints to continue debating with Roxanne. Instead, he found his audience curled up in his chair, fast asleep.

Whatever annoyance might have sparked at Roxanne's audacity to sleep through his brilliance was swiftly backhanded and snuffed out by how adorable she was. Besides, she'd been very attentive for the last hour or so; if she wasn't highlighting a more practical use for a modified weapon ("Why not a literacy beam?"), she was only too pleased to take him down a peg or two. ("You could test it on yourself, see if it helps at all!" "Oh hardy har, Miss Ritchi, you're too drow-ell." "Don't you mean droll?" "Well if you know what I mean, it hardly matters how I say it, now, doesn't it!")

All in all, it made his evening much more fun, and by the sound of her laughter, she'd had a good time too. Megamind still wondered what had brought her here in the first place... but she said she would explain it eventually. That was all he needed to know right now. And for goodness' sake, she was here.

Roxanne stirred and wrapped her arms around for warmth. Struck with inspiration, Megamind darted quietly to the next room. He grabbed one of the new cloaks that Minion had been tailoring for him from a fresh rack. Tiptoeing back to Roxanne's side, he draped the white cape over her, tucking it behind her shoulders. She shifted once more, this time settling into the new material; she gave a peaceful hum.

The moment struck him more powerfully than he could have imagined. Just as he thought there was no possible way for him to fall any harder for this woman, she went and did something like this. Out of the blue, being recognized as the city's new defender meant nothing if he couldn't be Roxanne's protector. No, he corrected, more than that. He wanted to make her smile too. The way she'd smiled at "Bernard"... no one else could have that.. could they?

His oversized mind was lost in a warm, whirling haze of emotion. Emboldened by her blissfully unconscious state, he lightly brushed her bangs to the side, tucking some behind her ear. "And here I thought I was the one taking you hostage, my dear," he mused quietly, ignoring the catch in his voice. Must be tired at last.

Placing a tender kiss on her forehead, he clicked off the lights and turned in for the rest of the night.

OoOoOoO

When Roxanne awoke, she was understandably bewildered. How long had she been asleep for? Why was she still in the Lair? There was plenty of daylight coming through the recently installed windows. It was her day off, right? Where did this cape come from? Where did Megamind go? And to her horror, she couldn't remember every detail of their conversation from the night before - did she say anything? Do anything? "Ugh, what a mess I am," she grumbled as she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Ah, Miss Ritchi! Good morning!"

She jumped at how close the voice was, but was relieved to find Minion standing by with a tray laden with coffee, pancakes, and a daisy across the plate. The sight brightened her considerably. "Good morning Minion," she greeted him. "Is that all for me?"

"Of course! Fresh from the kitchen!"

"Aw, you really didn't have to go to all this trouble," she smiled gratefully.

The space fish flapped his fins with a nonchalant grin, and the ape suit shrugged in kind. "No trouble at all, Miss, your appreciation is worth it! Besides, the Boss asked me to make sure you were well taken care of while he's out." He laid the tray on a clear workbench, where a smaller chair waited for the reporter, and he started pouring her drink. "How do you like your coffee?"

Roxanne made her way to the chair, still holding the cape. "Uh, two cream, two sugar please. You mean he left already?" A pang of guilt ghosted through her chest. "I hope he wasn't up all night."

"Oh no, he got his regular three-and-a-half hours of sleep. He was particularly refreshed this morning - I assume your surprise vis-"

"Three-and-a-half?" the reporter gaped as she sat. "How can anyone function like that? Especially someone as hyper as he is!"

Minion laughed at her surprise. "Don't forget, he does come from a different planet. It's normal for them, having so many ideas and projects that they spend as many hours awake as possible!" He gave Roxanne her daisy and plated her breakfast. "When they do sleep, it's... well, not quite a coma, so we'll just call it 'power-sleeping'. Oh, the cape! If I may, Miss Ritchi? I'd rather it didn't get stained, that's all."

A faint blush danced across her cheeks as she finally released her hold on Megamind's white cape. She tucked into her breakfast thoughtfully while Minion smoothed out the material and left to hang it up. When he returned, Roxanne had more questions for him. "Megamind told me that when you arrived here, you were both very young, practically babies. How is it that you know so much about his people when... when there's no one else left?"

Roxanne tried to ask as delicately as possible. Still, she felt bad for bringing the subject up in the first place. A saddened look crossed Minion's face, but was quickly covered with a watery smile. "I don't think I can go into great detail," he replied honestly, "but I was programmed with all the knowledge needed to take care of the Boss. See?" He ducked his fishy body forward and tapped the glass. Roxanne saw a small, silvery antennae poking out of Minion's back. She wondered how she'd missed it before.

"Does that mean you're..."

"A robot?" Minion supplied. She nodded, biting her lip nervously. The loyal fish looked thoughtful for a second. "Not exactly. The Boss scanned me ages ago. Apparently I'm all fish, except for a few shiny bits here and there. He figures the technology is beyond anything detectable by Earth's current capabilities... heh, then he said that it doesn't matter anyway," he added with a bashful grin.

A smile bloomed to life on Roxanne. She giggled, "He's right, you know. He's always telling me what a fantastic fish you are. Mmm, and may I add, you're a fantastic cook too!"

"Ohohoho, stop!" Minion gushed. He regarded his guest with an appreciative, toothy grin. "The next time you're here for breakfast, I can prepare something truly splendid for you!"

Her fork paused halfway to her plate. She swallowed the last bite of pancake whole as a bright flush crept over her features. "That sounds.. wonderful, Minion! I, um, hope you understand, my coming over here last night wasn't planned, but I'd love to come over in the morning next time." Roxanne was mentally kicking herself for sounding nervous. She was certain nothing happened between herself and Megamind. But her reason for dropping in was so childish, she didn't want to admit it out loud. Everything was fine now anyway! At least, it should've been...

Sensing her distress over the situation, Minion quickly replied, "Certainly, Miss Ritchi, I understand completely! You don't have to worry, you're more than welcome to visit any time." He paused. "Even if you have bad dreams."

She nearly dropped her coffee mug. Goggling at the fish-headed gorilla, Roxanne moved to protest the very idea of it. Her jaw worked for all of two seconds before she slouched in her seat. "Ooohhh... you could tell, huh?" she groaned.

Minion had the grace to look apologetic. "It was more of an assumption. Nightmares were the only thing that would snap the Boss awake when he was younger, and get him to seek comfort in other people - well, just me, really." At this, Roxanne gave another loud sigh, putting down her drink to cover her face.

"I should've just gone back to sleep!" she cried out. "It's not the first time I've ever had a nightmare! Why am I being such a baby about this?" Fully prepared to start flailing in frustration, the flustered woman stopped when a giant, mechanical hand touched her shoulder.

She met Minion's gaze; he had such a parental look about him, she realized. "There is one thing that always helped the Boss."

"What's that?"

His brow furrowed above wide brown eyes, stern but understanding. "Talking about it."

Although Roxanne frowned uncertainly and folded her arms, she didn't argue.

OoOoOoO

Megamind returned a few hours later, parking the airbike with a satisfied sigh. After reviewing the original blueprints for Metro Tower with the construction crew, and making a few suggestions for improving the structural integrity of the building, he'd set his brain bots to work clearing away the ruined pinnacle from the streets and gathering supplies for the newer model. He promised to finance and handle the repairs "out of the newfound goodness of his heart", but was pleasantly surprised when the city offered to knock off a few of his life sentences in return.

After that, he was called to a very poor attempt to rob the First Metro City Bank. The would-be thief tried to chain an ATM to his car and drive off, but his getaway vehicle was barely able to stand on its own, let alone drag an eight-hundred pound machine out of a building. One quick dehydration later, Metro City's defender had earned a round of applause from the gathering crowd. (It really wasn't that impressive... oh well, at least they were happy.)

The airbike powered down. "Minion?" he called, his voice echoing throughout the Lair. "I'm back! Is Roxanne all right?" Having plagued the back of his mind all morning, Megamind was glad he could totally devote his thoughts to his unexpected guest.

Minion appeared in the entryway. "Welcome back, Sir! Miss Ritchi is just fine," he answered, which caused his partner-in-heroics to smile. "We were just catching the news - a fine job apprehending that criminal! You made it look easy!"

"Pff, you give me too much credit! He hardly deserves to be called a criminal," he couldn't resist crowing. "These am-ay-tears are less villainous than the brain bots! Now, where's... hmmm..." Suddenly Megamind grabbed the nearest post-it and pen he could find, scribbled something down, then handed it to Minion. "I want to look into this later, but in the meantime, where did Roxanne go?"

The fish shot him a knowing grin. "If you simply must know, Sir, she's up in the loft watching the report. Today is her day off."

"And she's still here! Fantastic!" he cheered, his vibrant green eyes shining as he dashed to the lounge. "You're the greatest!"

Minion laughed out loud at his retreating blue form. The day was certainly shaping up to be something special, he could feel it in his gills. He glanced at the note and gave a small interested noise. "'Brain bots take minor crimes'? Huh..."

OoOoOoO

The first thing Megamind noticed was that Roxanne was much more like herself. She was dressed in casual clothes for the day, her hair wasn't mussed anymore, and she was definitely wide awake. Having heard the lift, she was watching for him from her perch on the couch. Her bright blue eyes lit up when he came into view. "Hey you!" she called with a wide grin.

"Hey," he returned bashfully, opening the gate. Indeed, the loft had once been the fake observatory, but simply ripping it down seemed like such a waste. Converting it into a room devoted to relaxation was entirely Roxanne's idea, one of the few he instantly commended her for.

Roxanne rose from the couch, revealing Bowser nestled at her side, now growling at her departure. Megamind hardly cared - she was walking towards him with open arms. He all but ran to accept the embrace; he would never get tired of hugs for as long as he lived.

Unfortunately, she pulled back much too soon for his tastes. "Still not ready to give up the spikes?" she quipped as she rubbed her arms. He deflated immediately.

"If you're not ready to give up insisting that I give them up, then no," he groused. "How many times must I say it: spikes are not eeeevil! That's stereo-typifying and I won't stand for it! Honestly, name one accessory cooler than a black leather mantle covered in spikes!"

Roxanne shrugged. "That white cape I found this morning was pretty nice." She shot him a shy look from the corner of her eyes. Her smile was small, but the tiny dimple caught his attention.

Don't give out on me, not now, he mentally begged his knees. He cleared his throat. "Right! And being the nosiest reporter alive, you know everything there is to know about the latest fashion trends. I'll tell Minion that he has excellent taste! Yes, good work, that's what I'll say!" Roxanne raised a brow at his obviously staged smile. Soon his pout returned. "... no spikes at all?"

The reporter giggled at him with a roll of her eyes. "If they mean that much to you, I'm sure you'll find a way to make it work." She started back to the couch. "And no, I don't think they're eeeevil. I just wouldn't mind hugging you without having to be careful all the-"

There was a rustle of fabric behind her. Turning, she spotted the mantle and collar in a crumpled heap behind Megamind, seconds before he brushed it aside with his boot. He wore an embarrassed half-grin that made his eyes crinkle. "Darn those cheap clasps! Good thing this didn't happen in public ten minutes ago, ha ha! Such poor presentation it would have been! Whew!"

Roxanne shone with amusement and delight all at once. "Now that, I can work with."

She flew back into his arms with such force, it literally bowled him over. Luckily he was able to turn their tilt into a spin as he caught her around the waist, and the pair couldn't help laughing together. Megamind slowed to a stop, content to simply stand with her in his arms. The rapid thudding in his chest rattled him, mostly because he was sure she could feel it too, but she didn't seem to mind. Actually, she had a pretty good grip on him. And when she let out a content sigh, he was startled at the warmth brushing past his rather exposed neck.

His eyes darted around the room, wide and disbelieving. This was new. Different.

Cautiously he brought his arms a little tighter around Roxanne. He felt her hum of approval. His head swam with the sudden rush of the moment, so he gingerly leaned his cheek against her. The sensation choked all coherent speech out of him.

It felt like several hours had passed as they stood together in the loft, the TV mumbling headlines behind them. Roxanne was the first to shift, inadvertently brushing their cheeks together. Excited sparks skipped between them as they looked at one another, so close, so perfect an opportunity. But the connection squeaked bashfully into the shadows, and they pulled slightly apart.

"Megamind?" came her quiet voice, which startled clarity back into his forest-green gaze. "I... I owe you an explanation. For last night."

He offered her a slightly lovesick smirk. "You owe me nothing - but I'm all ears."

xXxXx

She scrambled down streets and alleys strewn with rubble, torn gossip magazines, decimated news vans, and broken camera equipment. Everywhere she looked was lost in a firey haze. She felt her lungs burning, gasping, her voice lost. A loud rumble behind her sent her flying. She fell, splashing into a fountain she hadn't seen before.

She dared to look behind her. A hulking shadow slowly advanced, eyes glinting, eager to fire, eager to watch her fall limp and never get up again.

Before she could try to scream, there was a shout. Someone else. A flash of blue leaped between her and the shadow.

Fire, heat, noise. She turned away, shielded her face with her arms.

The world grew cool and quiet. She chanced a look up.

The shadow remained... the blue figure was gone.

He was gone.

GONE.

Her chest was tight. She couldn't breathe. Her vision blurred.

The shadow started laughing at her, eyes still burning, but satisfied with her pain. More laughter joined it, rolling around her, jeering, trying to drown her out. She was running again. She swiped at her eyes. At last her voice had returned, but she wasn't screaming.

xXxXx

"That's when I woke up," said Roxanne quietly, leaning against Megamind as they sat on the couch. She was holding his hand, letting it rest against his chest; she gave it a squeeze.

For his part, Megamind didn't enjoy the account at all. Having fallen prey to such night terrors himself, he understood the irrational fear that lingered even after waking. The fact that it had shaken Roxanne to the point of seeking him out is what bothered him the most. So much for being her protector, he scolded himself. Roxanne's well-being had been one of his top priorities for years now (though he would never admit it during his "bad boy" days). Determined to do what he could, he wrapped his free arm around her shoulders and tugged her closer.

"I... I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I should have answered my phone when you called. You would've gotten to sleep much sooner."

She shook her head, and her hair tickled his neck. "Nah... I think I needed to see you." Her gaze drifted to their clasped hands - peach fingers interlaced with blue. He felt warm, alive, real. "Make sure you were still here."

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised. She grinned lazily against the rumble when he spoke.

"Hmm... that's good." The word cozy came to her, suggesting that a little cuddling was a very good idea. She was glad they'd sent Bowser away on patrol.

"No, Roxanne, I mean..." She lifted her head as he straightened up. He covered her hand with both of his, but didn't meet her expectant gaze for a while. Patiently she waited for him to speak, resting her free hand on his arm; it seemed to calm his breathing at least.

"You must understand how I..." The super-genius struggled to grab whatever nerve he had left. He finally looked Roxanne in the eye. What she saw spoke louder than words. It was that night in the rain all over again - his heart in his eyes, completely smitten but terrified of the outcome. He must have noticed the realization dawn on her face, because he spoke in a flurry. "Yes, it's true I'm afraid.. nothing's changed, but I promise, Roxanne, you don't have to- I would never ask anything more of you! The point is that, regardless of where we stand- where I stand with you... I will always be there to protect you, if you need me."

Roxanne ducked her head with a shy smile, heat rushing to her cheeks. A warm tingle of affection spread outward from her heart. Had anyone told her this would happen three months ago, she would've gone into an indignant rage and probably attacked the gossiping mouth who dared suggest such a thing. The brunette felt very differently now.. and she realized that a certain someone deserved to know about it.

Megamind was staring intently at their hands, visibly willing them to keep steady in as non-desperate a manner as he could muster. She stifled another laugh and reached up to his cheek, coaxing him quietly to look at her. He did - more from the corner of his eyes, but it was enough. "Do you know why I was so upset last night?" asked the reporter.

He blinked. "Because of your nightmare - you just told me," was his confused reply.

"Yes, but do you know why?"

"... you were frightened, and... you wanted me to.. protect you?" he stammered with a flush.

She shook her head. "I wanted to make sure that you were still alive. I.. actually woke up crying," she confessed, "because I thought you were gone. I was afraid that I'd lost you."

Megamind stared at her. His grip slackened, his lips parted in disbelief. She doesn't mean... she can't...

She continued when he didn't immediately respond. "I know I said some harsh things to you after the restaurant - I was mad, with good reason," Roxanne insisted, and he nodded with shameful agreement. Then she brushed her fingers from his jawline to behind his ear, effectively grabbing his attention again. "To be honest, though, I didn't want to admit that I still cared about you then. I knew, deep down, that the person I'd grown so fond of was who you really are. And nothing could change how I felt. That's why I looked back. That's why I needed to see you... why I still want to see you." She drifted closer. Her bright smile relaxed. "I care about you, Megamind... a lot..."

Absolute shock caused the blue ex-villain to stall. He knew he was gaping at Roxanne, he knew he'd dropped her hand when his arms went limp, he knew he was starting to breathe erratically. It wasn't until she was cradling his face with both hands that the gears re-engaged, and he let out a sharp gasp. Green met crystal blue, much closer than before.. that excited spark was getting ready to jump. "You mean..? R-Roxanne, just so we're clear, you mean that you enjoy my company... being close, like this, even?" Tentative blue hands fluttered at her waist.

Then she was smiling at him, the same expression he saw in the park, at the museum, as they'd sat down to dinner. Roxanne closed her eyes, touching his forehead with hers. "Definitely."

No longer able to contain his elation, Megamind laughed out loud, certain the smile he wore would split his face in two delighted halves. He really did get the girl! And not just any girl either! He closed his eyes and could hear her laughing with him, and he moved to wrap his arms around her, fully prepared to leap up with her and dance around, maybe take a flight around the city - heck, gravity didn't seem to be affecting him at the moment, he probably didn't need the jetpack to do it!

Just as he pulled her closer, he felt the sparks crackle - and his eyes flew open when Roxanne pressed her lips against his.

It took Megamind a few flabbergasted seconds to respond. He relaxed, trying to contain his enthusiasm by losing himself in her gentle touch. Never had he wanted to savour a moment in time so strongly. This wasn't a triumph or victory of any sort, he faintly realized - it was something brand new, something that flew in the face of everything he understood about destiny and fate. He was so thrown by this discovery, he was literally hanging on to her, worried that he might be swept away.

They pulled apart after a short while, hearts racing with excitement. Roxanne was mildly surprised to find her arms wrapped behind the nape of his neck; she noticed he was holding her close, his fingers dancing at her shoulderblades. She decided then and there that her nightmares didn't matter a tick. Phantoms haunting her subconscious couldn't hold a candle when reality offered her so much more...

They locked soft, half-lidded gazes, reeling in the intimate atmosphere. Spontaneously, she rubbed Megamind's nose with her own and giggled at how oddly wonderful it felt to be in his arms. "Not bad," she muttered.

Something about her choice of words dragged Megamind out of his daze. "Not bad? Not bad? Ahaha, I beg your pardon, my dear," he scolded playfully, "but in case you've forgotten, I'm the leading expert when it comes to bad." He waggled his brows with a positively wicked grin.

She had the nerve to throw her head back and laugh. "Oh please! Haven't you heard? Rumor has it you're too good to be bad anymore," she remarked with a disinterested shrug.

"Hah! Clearly your sources are oon-relli-able! You ought to research this subject more thoroughly, newsie," he returned.

The gleam in her eyes danced. "You mean 'unreliable', and is that a challenge?"

"More like a dare," he shot back, ignoring her correction. He leaned closer.

"Hmm.. I'm intrigued," she relented with a coy look, and lightly traced his goatee with a fingernail.

Megamind's train of thought happily derailed itself. As a result, the most witty comeback he could sputter out was a disoriented, "Pffuh, you wish."

Roxanne smirked uncertainly, "Uhh, that... doesn't make much sense..?"

"I know," he hummed through a stupid grin, and swiftly ended the conversation with another kiss. She laughed against him and returned the gesture eagerly; this new form of banter was something they could both get used to.

OoOoOoO

Very rushed ending... I'm so sorry. XD;; I hope you enjoyed it! Feedback is always appreciated, especially since this is the first time I tried to write a "first kiss" scene - seriously needed to fill that gap in my fangirl's rabid imagination after the movie! Thank you kindly! Keep reading and writing!

EDIT: Made a few minor changes thanks to your wonderful reviews! You guys are so nice! ;A; Thank you very much!