Summary: Cindy, now a workaholic, has been running from her past. Surprisingly, she gets help from the guy who drove her nuts growing up. Will Cindy be able to move forward with the past constantly puling her back? (Jimmy/ Cindy / Nick) (Sheen / Libby)

'You're long overdue for a date with the salon, Cynthia. You really need to start taking better care of yourself. The bottom of your hair is so dehydrated and damaged, the split ends have tried breaking up with itself creating even more split ends on one strand alone.' You sigh out loud as you put down your pen.

'Not enough time in the world to do the things you want.'

"No excuses. You weren't raised to be a slacker." You scold yourself for a second time, but this time you remind yourself out loud.

"Tsk tsk Cindy. Talking to yourself is a trait that crazy cat ladies have. I can see you're already starting to develop the symptoms." A man said leaning against the door frame. He averaged out to be around six feet one. He was dressed in a turquoise button down shirt, grey slacks, and a purple and white striped tie. His dark brown hair was styled to follow what was trendy. Between the two of them, he could be categorized as a mainstream hipster.

'Libby's fault.'

"That's a stereotype. Not all cat ladies are crazy."

"You're not helping your case."

"Sheen, have I told you recently that you're –"

"Handsome? Charming? The person you can't live without? Oh no, not recently, but thank you! I appreciate it greatly especially when it comes from you."

"I was going more along the lines of vexatious."

"Hm. I'm pretty sure I thanked you all those times you helped me study for my bar, but anyways no not lately. I must not be bothering you enough lately. Anyways, I'm hungry. If I'm hungry, that means you're hungry because we both know you probably been here all day and haven't eaten yet."

"You know? Some of us have real work with close deadlines that we need to get done."

Sheen looks around the empty room before responding, "I'm sure there are many people that have that. Good thing none of those people are in this room. Now let's go. A man needs his protein."

"Raincheck please. Not today."

"Cue the stomach growling. Come on woman. One hour tops. That's all I'm asking. Well that's a lie and we both know it."

"You have no one else you can grace with your presence?"

"There are many potentials, but they would all raise questions and possibly jeopardize my case next week, thus why I'm here in your office."

'You could really use lunch after all. The apple cinnamon oatmeal you had this morning could only keep you filled for so long. The paperwork due next Friday could wait. That's a whole week from now.'

You put down your pen for the umpteenth time today and agree for a break. You glimpse at the calendar specifically at today's date.

'Screw it. I can afford a whole day off. Haven't had one in months.'

"Okay Sheen you win. Let me just clear my schedule for the day."

"Must be nice to be the boss of things."

As you make your way out of your office, you let your assistant, Grace, know that you'll need any arrangements made today to be cancelled and pushed back. You crinkle your nose as you remind her to stop letting Sheen go past her. You noticed she is a bit distracted. You turn around in time, just barely, to see Sheen mouthing words to her.

He quickly puts down his hands and looks the other way. You roll your eyes as you turn back to Grace.

"I'm taking the rest of the day off. If you could cancel any appointment and move them to Monday. I would appreciate it. Other than that, you're also free to go. Thank you for all your help, Grace. Just don't forget to forward the calls to voicemail."

Sheen is flirting lightly with your assistant as you head towards the elevator.

"Sheen, I will leave without you."

The two of you are sitting at an outside table at your favorite Italian restaurant. The free bread that is serves is amazing.

'Olive Garden who? Screw carbs. Why must it taste so good?'

The menu is in front of you, but it's the last thing on your mind.

You hear muffled words being spoken. It's not so much muffled, but Sheen talking to the waitress. The only thing you notice is how she must be new, but you've already tuned out.

Sheen knows what you want to eat anyways. He probably already gave your order to her. Now he's probably trying to get suggestions from her for himself on what to eat.

'Jokes on her. He's tried everything on the menu at least once.'

You're wearing your favorite polarized circle sunglasses. You use it to people watch or just to avoid people in general because people can't see which direction you're looking when you have it on. You position yourself, so that it looks like you're enjoying the view past Sheen's head, but you're really looking at him. You have no romantic feelings for the guy, but you still admire how mature and how he has become.

'Also Libby's fault.'

The two of you have been through a lot together. He has been there for you too many times, more than he should have, and more times than you'd like to admit. He's that gay best friend but heterosexual.

The two of you have spent many hours late at night studying for your careers now or just staying up late talking.

You know you'd never ask him directly. He would only deny it, and say something to try and distract you. As much as you appreciate him being there, you've always had that little feeling deep down.

'It's that stupid bro's code.'

*Flashback starts*

We were those obnoxious annoying freshmen back then. It was the three of us walking. We were walking with no care in the world.

Libby and Sheen have been secretly dating for a year and four months. It's no secret that the two of them knew the days and hours that they have been together too. There really is nothing secretive about them.

"OHHHHH SAYY CANNN YOU SEEEEEEEEEE ULTRALORD IS FLYINGGGG. WHATT-"

"Would you knock it off Sheen? Half the town could probably hear you."

"Sorry my queen, my excitement gets the best of me sometimes."

Libby turned to me, ready to face palm. "So anyways, girl, there's going to be a huge costume party."

But it was too late, I had already seen him. Sheen had yelled out to give Jimmy a heads up we were near.

Jimmy was near the street closing the door to a car. He was just saying goodbye to … it that doesn't deserve to called by its name.

"WHAT'S UP JIMMY?"

"Sheen, Jimmy is right there. You don't need to yell. Hi Jimmy." Libby scolded.

"Haha sup sheen. Hey gals, what are you up to today?"

When Jimmy and Sheen had made eye contact, they both made a quick head nod in silent agreement of some sort. Jimmy then turned to me and smiled.

"Vortex."

*Flashback ends*

He was staring at me with his piercing gorgeous blue eyes. Who am I kidding I couldn't take my eyes of him back then. It wasn't like Jimmy and I were dating back then. We didn't even acknowledge we had feelings for each other until junior year of high school.

"You're doing it again where you're off in la la land."

'Leave it to Sheen to break the spell.'

"Was it long enough for you to get her phone number?"

"Ha ha very funny."

"But seriously, what did you end up ordering?"

"Spaghetti and meat balls with the special house sauce." Sheen said grinning widely.

It was his favorite meal here. Out of all the possible dishes, each with a unique recipe, Sheen picks the one dish that anybody could make at home. 'Last I checked, you can get spaghetti and meatballs from a can.'

The waitress returned with a bottle of wine and poured each of us a glass. Of course her fingers grazed Sheen's as he handed his glass to her.

"Your dishes will be right out." She said smiling before walking away to assist another table.

"I ran into Nick the other day. Have you decided to call him back yet?"

Before I could respond, the waitress returned with both our plates.

"Please let me know if there's anything else I can get for you two."

We both nodded our thanks. Sheen was eyeing me, after the waitress left, still waiting for a response.

"I haven't really put much thought into it. I've just been too busy with work. He understands."

"Just cause you're a workaholic, you can't keep hiding behind the paperwork."

"I'll think about it later tonight."

"Woman, he asked if you wanted to make it official and you told him you still needed a few days to think about it. He isn't asking to move in or marry you."

"You think I don't know that? He's a great guy. A really great one. We get along like peanut butter and bananas. The conversation doesn't run on a stoplight. He does this thing with his tongue. I could go on about how great he is."

"But at the end of the day, he doesn't rank past great in your books."

"I should give him a shot. You're right. He isn't asking for a drawer or trying to put a ring on it. It's been five years. About time I stepped out of my bubble.

Sheen was trying to word his words carefully. You could tell because he hasn't touched his last meatball yet. Instead he stayed silent, cut his meatball and ate it. We ate our meals in comfortable silence after that. It wasn't an awkward silence. We were just taking the time to enjoy our food respectfully.

And just like that, the conversation picked up on a more cheerful direction. He was always good at picking up on a conversation and just changing the subject to whatever he sees fit.

We were in the car because Sheen was driving you back home. You were mostly just looking out the window, but nothing in particular caught your eye.

Locked Away by R City was playing on the radio and Sheen was singing to it ... awfully, but it was his car, unfortunately his rules.

"IF I SHOWED YOU MY FLAWS, IF I COULDN'T BE STRONG, TELL ME HONESTLY, WOULD YOU STILL LOVE ME THE SAME?"

"Could we drop by the store for some candy bars and ice cream?" You ask in a slow quiet voice but loud enough for him to hear.

"Yea no problem."

You're at the store and there's a flower stand as usual at the front. You walk up to a flower in particular. It was so blue like the ocean.

"It's beautiful just like you." You turn around to see Nick Dean standing in front of you. He kisses your cheek and smiles. "Hi babe."

You smile back. "Hi babe."

"What brings you to these parts of the town?"

"Oh you know. Sheen with his bottomless stomach decided he was craving ice cream and what not."

Nick raised his eyebrow while staring at you. "Since when did you get a name change to match Sheen."

You laugh softly putting your hands up. "Okay guilty. My name has always been Sheen, but I didn't want to steal all of his thunder."

"HEY RUDE HOW DARE YOU." Sheen says walking up with a basket full of candy bars and two cartons of ice cream, one chocolate mint ice cream and the other caramel praline.

"Hey Nick." "Sheen."

You kiss Nick on the lips before whispering in his ear, "Cancel your plans tonight, I'm coming over with dinner."

When Nick nods and says okay, you kiss him once more and say goodbye to him while picking up the blue flowers. You glance at Sheen to cue it is time to go and you walk towards the registers.

"Sheen let's go. We have places to go."

"Later man."

"See ya."

There weren't many places planned after the grocery store, but one in particular that was overdue today aside from the hair salon.

After Sheen had parked the car, you found yourself on auto pilot mode.

You picked up the flowers and just started walking.

You knew the number of steps it took to reach the destination even with your eyes closed.

It was a bittersweet sensation to be where you were.

Staring back at you was his name engraved in stone: James Isaac Neutron

You fell on your knees in front of his grave, placing the flowers gently down.

You don't speak. You're admiring the added color to his name.

'If you stare hard enough, it's almost like looking into his eyes.'

"Hi you. I know I haven't been around as much. I think it's been a year since I've last come by to talk to you. Whoever said it gets easier as time passes lied. I miss you every day and wish you could just be here right with me. Today marks the fifth year since you've been declared dead.

Because we buried an empty casket, I always just thought you'd find your way home to me. I hope you found peace at least. As for me, I've just been busy working. Sheen is trying to classify me as a cat lady because well his words not mine, I'm always talking to myself when he stops by but I'm not. I'm not a crazy cat lady. I'm really not. Don't you dare go there, Neutron. I don't even own a cat.

It has become down to just Sheen and me that's left. Libby left to pursue a musical career. I knew she could do it once she put her mind to it. I'm so proud of her and her achievements, not that I'm not with everyone else. I respect her decisions and she'll always be my best friend. I'm just peachy, but I'm happy for her.

I can't really tell you about Carl. Sheen could probably tell you better than I could.

But back to why I'm really here.

Jimmy, I love you; I'll always love you. I need to let you go though and make space for someone else. I can't give him a fair chance if you're the one that runs through my mind all hours of the day.

I have to admit I stopped coming by because I've started seeing someone. The guilt got too much I couldn't look you in the eye. You know him. His name is Nick Dean. We went to elementary school with him before he transferred out. He's a really great guy, Jimmy. But I think him and Sheen tolerate each other just enough because of me.

This is me putting on a brave face against the world one step at a time. I know you didn't leave me on purpose, but I still gotta learn to go on my own way.

I hope you forgive me wherever you are. If not, at least watch over Sheen when I can't.

Take care of yourself, Jimmy." You kiss your index finger and your middle finger and place it on the grave as you start to stand up.

You felt a hand on your shoulder. You look up to see its Sheen who places the chocolate bars next to the flowers.

"Hope you enjoy them buddy. I'll be back later to talk to you, but for now, I still got some stuff to do."

You lean your head against Sheen's shoulder. Your eyes are probably pink and puffy from all the tears you let go since you've arrived to the graveyard.

Sheen wraps an arm around you and you two slowly walk back to the car.

"You think it's too late to say sorry?"

"For what?"

"I tried to buy him his favorite flavor, but some guy just bought the whole case for himself. I almost punched him, but then I'm sure Jimmy would've just scolded me and not have accepted it. The only flavor left was the one kind Jimmy hates most."

You free yourself from his grasp and just stare at him.

You can't help but laugh at Sheen's comment. It's so like him.

They were brothers, him, Jimmy, and Carl. They were always looking out for each other.

"We're gonna be okay Vortex."

"You think so Estevez?"

"Yea I know so. Now let's go before the ice cream fully melts!"

You shake your head as you watch him rush to the car.

"You and your bottomless stomach."

For someone like you who usually has that small percent of luck where you catch the littlest of things before it goes away, today luck wasn't on your side.

Maybe if you hadn't taken time off like Sheen requested, you would've been put through the call from Grace, and heard his voice.

Maybe if you had gone home after lunch, you'd be snuggled on the couch watching the news and seeing his face.

Maybe if you decided to ditch Sheen for Nick at the grocery store, the two of you might've run into him around town.

Maybe just maybe if you had dawdled a second longer than usual, you would've come across the news that James Neutron is miraculously alive and back in Retroville.

Thank you if you made it to the bottom of the story. It means you survived the plot holes and lack of description for things. XD

It was a quick story that popped in my mind from lack of sleep while waiting to fight the airplane.

please review if you think I should continue it, if you hated it, loved it, etc. Any review is appreciated.

If not, I still think it's a good place to leave it. It leaves it open for anyone who reads it to fantasize about what could happen next.