Title: Just Because

Rating: T

Genre: Romance, drama, slight angst

Characters: Bree, Sebastian, the other Dooley-Davenports, and the bionic students

Pairing(s): Sebree (Sebastian/Bree)

Summary: '"Why are you helping me?" he asked, confused. She didn't owe him something or anything like that—so why was she being so nice to him? She shrugged, smiling slightly. "Just because."' / One time Bree helped Sebastian, and one time he helped her in return. (And then later, when it all fell apart.)

Warnings: None

Notes: I was really in the mood for Sebree, so I came up with this! (Susz and Stardust16 both had a little bit of a beta role for this, I guess, so shoutout to them!)

The story takes place before Sebastian's rebellion (except for the last bit, that's during the rebellion), and the first scene is from before Chase and Sebastian became friends. Not much else to say, so enjoy, everyone!

"That's it!" Chase yelled, glaring at Sebastian. "You just earned yourself another detention!"

"Why?" Sebastian demanded, standing. "I didn't do anything!"

"Remember, the truce is off, buddy," Chase replied with a smirk, leaning forward and whispering the next part so none of the other students in the class could hear. "You called out in class and have a crush on my sister? Be glad that I don't give you twenty detentions instead!"

"But I—ugh!" He practically murdered the mentor with his eyes before stomping out of the room. Sure, that could get him in even more trouble, but at that point, he didn't care.

Stupid Chase… stupid Academy! Yeah… maybe it had been a mistake to mention that Bree was cute, despite how nonchalant he knew he'd sounded when he said it.

He was so lost in thought he didn't even see the girl walking down the hall, papers in her hand, until he bumped into her. He stumbled back, immediately reaching out a hand to help her up even though he still couldn't see who it was. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"

It was only then that he realized that she was wearing a mentor's uniform, meaning that it was Bree herself.

The bionic girl just shook her head, laughed, and gathered up her papers before accepting his hand, pulling herself up. "It's fine." Peering at him for a moment, she asked, "Are you okay? Why aren't you in class?"

"I'm fine. I just… wait, why aren't you in class? Don't you have to teach?"

Bree shook her head again. "I have a free period, so I figured I might as well get these papers to Chase, he said he wanted to give a written test." She rolled her eyes. "I don't know if he wants to get picked on by his own students for being a nerd, but if he does, then it's working. But," here she raised an eyebrow slightly at him, "you never answered my question. Why aren't you in class?"

He groaned. "Your brother. Chase. He gave me detention, so I left."

"Detention?" she repeated, tilting her head. "What for?"

Sebastian decided to omit the 'having-a-crush-on-her' thing and chose to just say, "I apparently called out in class."

Bree sighed. "This is getting out of hand."

"What?"

"My brother. He's abusing his power as mentor, I have to stop this!" she replied. She gave him a hard glance. "And he really doesn't seem to like you, for some reason."

Sebastian shrugged—that's when he realized he was still holding on to Bree's hand. "Oh—uh, sorry." He released her hand, letting his own arm drop to his side.

Bree's cheeks seemed slightly red, but maybe he was just imagining it—it was just wishful thinking, right? She could never actually like him. "It's okay. I'm going to talk to Chase now. Here—" she rummaged around in her pocket before pulling out a slip of paper and scribbling something down on it. "This'll get you out of detention. Show it to Mr. Davenport and you'll be fine."

He took the slip of paper, but frowned. "Why are you helping me?" he asked, confused. She didn't owe him something or anything like that—so why was she being so nice to him? Maybe, just maybe…

She shrugged, smiling slightly. "Just because."

With that, she transformed into a blur and disappeared down the hallway.

About a week after that, Bree stepped into an empty classroom where Chase had put the project he told her to guard while he went to grab Mr. Davenport. She had nothing better to do, so sure, why not play personal guard for her brothers' projects?

She sat next to it for a while, not doing anything—well, okay, she was texting Caitlin and not really paying attention to the device. But she didn't notice the red light that began blinking on the side of the device.

In fact, she didn't notice anything wrong from the odd device until it started shaking and smoke started pouring from it.

"What the—?" She immediately began to cough, shoving her phone in her pocket and trying to clear the smoke by waving her hands.

The door suddenly burst open, and from the corner of her eye she saw Sebastian run in. He seemed to understand the situation right away, even though she sure as heck didn't.

"Bree!" he shouted, getting her attention. "Use your super speed, create a vortex to clear it up while I fix it!"

She nodded, immediately running in circles to try to clear the smoke as Sebastian rushed forward and began fiddling with the machine.

There was a sudden loud popping noise, and then the machine stopped shaking and spewing out smoke. Bree slowed to a stop.

"Whoa," she muttered, sinking back into her chair as the air cleared.

"Yeah," Sebastian agreed. "'Whoa' is right." He gave her a funny look. "What were you doing, anyway?"

Bree sighed. "Chase wanted me to watch this invention for him while he went to get Mr. Davenport. I was sitting here and it just started shaking and smoking." She glanced back at him. "Why'd you come in here?"

"I was in the hall and I heard something weird in this room," Sebastian replied. "I didn't really want to interfere, but I heard your voice and came right in."

Bree smiled slightly, rather confused. She had definitely noticed the flirting, and okay, maybe she liked him a little… but that didn't necessarily mean he liked her back, right? "So… you came in because you heard me? You came in to help me?" When he nodded almost imperceptibly, she continued, "Why?"

He didn't respond for a minute, then suddenly lurched forward and kissed her on the cheek. "Um… maybe that made it clearer?"

Her eyebrows drew together, and her grin widened a fraction. But I'm still confused. "No, not really." So… he likes me?

He smiled fully, a wide, toothy grin that sent a wave of reassurance through her, as if she was finding out that the world was okay again. "Okay, then. I did it… just because." He laughed, and the sound practically forced Bree to laugh along with him. He looped an arm through hers and they walked from the room, leaving the broken machine behind.

Bree allowed herself to feel hopeful. Yeah. He likes me.

(And then, just a few weeks later, she discovered that he was the one pulling everything apart. He was behind her father getting injured, and he was planning to kill her and her brothers. And she couldn't help but feel used.

Did you ever actually like me? She thought. Did you ever actually mean anything you said?

She wanted to yell at him that she cared about him, why would he turn, but she doesn't. She can only stand and watch everything unfold in horror, watching the one she likes—loves? Can I say love?—destroy everything she's ever cared about.

Of course he didn't. He lied to me. He never actually cared about me.

But… she couldn't help but hope. So when there was a moment, just barely a second to breathe, she managed to catch his eye.

The dark orbs—they looked almost black—shone with hatred and pure and utter madness.

That almost broke her. The lunacy that was evident in his eyes… it was so unlike him, but the terrible expression seemed natural on his face. That terrified her.

That boy, he couldn't possibly be the same guy who she helped out of detention just a few weeks before, could it? The same boy who helped her fix a broken invention—it couldn't be him, could it?

But, in her heart, she knew he was. He was the same boy who did all that for her. And he was the one about to destroy them all.

Her hope was crushed.

In that moment, when Sebastian's eyes locked on to hers, she only just barely managed to hear the sentence that escaped from his lips: "I never loved you."

It was what she'd been afraid of, and it was all becoming her reality. It was too good to be true.

Bree thought back to all the times he'd been too kind. When he'd earned her trust, and Chase's too. Maybe even Adam and Leo. Her quest for someone she could trust, a boy who could understand her and love her for it… he'd manipulated her to the last second. It was all for his personal gain.

She only wished she'd realized that sooner.)

My first Sebree and romance story! What do you think? I'd love to see reviews!

Now, another note: this will be my last regular post for a while. School is back in session, and I have a bunch of tests coming up. So just expect to see a bit less of me. I'm still going to write, though, don't worry about that!

Anyway, thanks for reading, everyone!