Flame and Calm On a Date
By: Nora M.
Standard Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine except Lily. They are the copyright of YTV, Fox Kids, Pazsaz Entertainment Network, and Hasbro, Inc.
Author's Notes: This is a simple story about Fidget (Flame) and Rikki (Calm) going to the party in The Flame and the Calm. I guess you guys liked it so here I am again. This will not turn into a series. I promise.
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"I hate these things," Fidget grumbled to Rikki as he led her around the partygoers. "I don't fit in to this crowd. All the women have on make-up and dresses."
"You look nice, Fidge," Rikki commented noting the pale gray cardigan sweater and black classy slacks she had on.
"You don't need all that makeup and stuff. And at least you didn't bathe in perfume like the woman standing next to me did," Rikki continued nudging Fidget with his right elbow.
Fidget giggled slightly at the comment as the woman who Rikki said was bathed in perfume walked over to the other side of the room. Rikki took a deep breath of now unscented air. His face twisted as he did so and Fidget laughed lightly.
"Fidget! Rikki!" A familiar voice called from the crowd.
"Lily!" Fidget exclaimed as Lily Cooper and Brandon Caine made their way through the crowd to the pair.
"You look really nice, Fidget," Brandon complimented as he shook her hand.
"You do, too. You both look amazing," Fidget stated noting the couple look very great together as always.
"Not as good as you," Lily argued playfully with her friend.
"I'm glad you both came. If I was struck with only the new teams from the track, I would have killed someone by now."
"So, Lily have you decided on the woman on the ground position yet?" Rikki asked knowing that Lily had a new job announcing races for the Acceleration Games.
"I like it. It's new and really fun. I like being close to the action. Don't you, Fidget?" Lily commented as Fidget caught sight of someone she didn't want to see.
"Fidget?" Lily questioned after Fidget didn't answer. "Fidget?"
"Huh? What?" Fidget mumbled finally after a few moments.
"I asked if – uh oh – here comes trouble," Lily remarked as a man came toward the group.
"Well, if it isn't Team Extreme's female camera crew? Too bad you can't get your camera in focus," this stocky man spat rudely out.
"At least she points her camera the right way," Rikki defended his date as he glared at the man.
The man's broad shoulders shook with laughter as he bellowed. "She's a girl. She can't be that good."
"Look you, I'm a great camera person. I do whatever I want with a camera. So back off," Fidget measured the man's size –6'2", about 250, with broad, muscular shoulders.
"Listen, Wilson, a man should be running the camera."
"No, a smart person should be running the camera!" Lily exclaimed rather loudly and rudely. "Fidget Wilson is the greatest camera person in the business. She has more talent in half of her little toe than you do in that body of yours. Now, either apologize right now to her or you and your team will not be getting any publicity!" Lily threatened.
"Why Ms. Cooper, I didn't know you were there," the man tried to worm out of this with sweet talk.
"Don't try to sweet talk me, buddy. It won't work," Lily icily stated and stepped closer to the man. "Are you going to apologize or not?"
Without one word, the man walked off. Lily gently placed her hand on Fidget's right shoulder. "He's a jerk. Don't listen to him."
"I won't. Thanks, Lil."
"No problem. I needed to blow off some steam."
"So, Brandon," Rikki changed the subject, "how does it feel being back?"
"A little weird. But I love it," Brandon replied honestly with some apprehension.
"Well, we still have people to see." Then he dropped his voice and whispered to Rikki and Fidget. "I really hate these things sometimes. Too many people you don't know and way too much perfume."
The three laughed at the private joke. Lily simply rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's comment. She didn't like these things either but for different reasons. Brandon and Lily said their good-byes and began to socialize with the people there.
Fidget found herself lightheaded from the mixture of food, drink, cologne and perfume.
"Rikki, could we go outside for a minute?" She asked trying not to breathe in all the smells.
"Sure," he answered and took her hand. He led her through the sea of people to the French doors of the balcony. With a light push, the doors opened enough for Fidget and Rikki to slip through unnoticed. Fidget walked over to the balcony's railing and leaned against it. She stole a quick breath of the clean, crisp night air. Rikki shut the doors and walked over to his date. He took off his jacket and put it around Fidget's slim shoulders.
"How do you do this all the time?" Fidget inquired about his job.
"Do what?" Rikki responded not fully understanding the hidden meaning of the question.
"All the adult stuff. Keeping us in line. Making us do our jobs. Going to these parties," Fidget rambled confused.
"It's my job. I just do. Never really thought about it."
"Why don't you ever want to live life? I mean, you live through Alex. Why not experience something for yourself?" Fidget posed the never asked question to Rikki.
"It's a lot safer to live through Alex," Rikki countered almost ashamed, "I can't get hurt if I'm not out there."
"But don't you sometimes want to be the hero?" Fidget wondered out loud.
"I was the hero once," Rikki reminded her about the fun house scene.
Fidget gazed Rikki in the eyes. They were happy yet sad at the same time. It was like peeking at the Christmas presents and seeing you're only getting socks and underwear. But there was something else. Something that hoped for something. She searched those eyes for it. She got so lost in those eyes that she didn't realize her lips were pressed against his until he put his hands on the small of her back. Her arms found their place on Rikki's shoulders. The kiss lasted a few more seconds before Rikki broke the kiss by turning his face to the side.
No words were needed to explain why Rikki broke the kiss. He broke it because neither one of them were sure if it was right. They stepped away from each other and just remained still and silent.
"Fidget?" Rikki was unsure of what to say.
"Yeah," she replied; her voice trembled.
"Was it- I mean did I-what if…?" Rikki couldn't bring himself to ask the question.
Fidget didn't know the answer. She only knew that when two business associates tried a relationship together it hardly ever worked. There was only one exception she knew of and it dealt with Lily and Brandon. A million questions ran through her mind. What would Alex say? Would it work? Could you love Rikki that way? Did he love her that way? Could it work? Would it make it harder to work together? Would it matter to the press? Was a relationship something she wanted? What would Grinder think?
"Rikki?" It was Fidget who started the questions this time. "Do you think it could work?"
Rikki ran his hand through his blue hair nervously. In his mind, it could work. In his heart, however, he knew it could. He took a deep breath and answered honestly.
"Yeah, I think it can."
That was all Fidget needed to smile. Her lips curled into that sweet small smile everyone knew. It could work if they wanted it too. She embraced Rikki tightly taking a breathe of his cologne. It was right. They were right.
The rest of the party was spent on that balcony discussing the new teams and changes that had been made to the Acceleration Games. There was no need to discuss the budding relationship. It was clear to them that talking about it so soon would probably end it.
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Three years after the party, Rikki and Fidget tied the knot in a small ceremony in Paris. Together they lived happily ever after.
The End
© 2000.