A/N: I own nothing so let's continue.
A Love This Strong
Chapter 2
"Sooooo, I'm stuck working with you, huh?" Babs asked Barry, "I always thought you Perfectos didn't care about your careers, always figured you'd be beggars hangin' out behind fast-food restaurants."
"Yes, it's nice to see you again too, Babs," Barry replied with a cocky smirk, "almost didn't recognize you with you hitting on me."
"Why you piece of sh-"
"Alright that's enough you two," interrupted Darrel, "whatever differences you have will have to be set aside or you'll lose this internship, I can't have that kind of trouble here. Now, today, I want you both to get acquainted with the studio and take notes on how everything and everyone works. Once you do, I'll have you both try out some of the equipment maybe later next week. If you need me I'll be in my office."
"Thanks, Darrel," Babs said politely, "Yeah, thanks," Barry followed. As soon as he was gone and out of sight, Babs turned to face Barry, "I don't know why you're even here but I'm just letting you know now that I'm well aware of your school's tricks so don't think I'll let my guard down whenever you're around. Read my lips, Barry, I've got my eye on you." Babs walked away to wander and study the studio, "oh I've read those lips alright," Barry said to himself as he watched the pink rabbit's cottontail walk further from him, "and just like you, Babs, I've got my eye on you too."
Babs pretty much spent her entire time roaming the studio and goofing around with the equipment whenever she thought no one was watching, "I just can't help myself," she would say. Her basic knowledge from 'Tiny Toons' helped her and boosted her confidence that this internship was going to be as easy as pie, "and speaking of pie," she said to herself, "I'm hungry, I wonder if they have any carrot pie?"
Babs and Barry were ready to head out, their internship was over for the day along with the studio employees' shifts. Everything was wrapped up and everyone pretty much ran out and into their cars and drove away. Once the exhaust fumes cleared up, Babs was the only one standing by the studio, well not just Babs.
"Need a lift?" Barry asked, "I'm fine," Babs replied, "I have a ride coming for me."
"Who's pickin' you up?"
"Well if you must know, it's Buster."
"Who's Buster?"
"My boyfriend."
"Well Babs," Barry shifted his focus on his nails, "if he's your boyfriend then why is he so late to pick up his girlfriend?"
Before Babs could even respond, her phone rang, "Buster? Where are you?"
"Sorry Babsy, I'm coming but I'll be a little late, I shouldn't take that long." Babs heard objects cluttering around.
"C'mon Buster, hurry up!"
"WAS THAT-?!"
"'ll be there in a few, Babs. Bye." He hung up. Babs looked at her phone, upset that she heard her voice, again no less. What were they doing together? She tried to ignore it but it kept getting more and more difficult. "He's running late," she told Barry softly."
"Babs, I insist, let me give you a lift home, it's the least I can do."
"I told you, I'm fine. I'll just wait it out a little more." As if things couldn't get any worse, thunder struck and rain started coming down hard. Babs took a step back under a ledge to avoid getting wet while Barry ran to his car, he drove towards her, "Babs I can't leave you here like this, c'mon!" The pink bunny really wanted to get out of the rain but felt that something wasn't right, she didn't trust him. "That's very nice of you but I'll manage, I'm not the type of girl who's always in need of a rescue."
"Alright fine, guess I'll see you tomorrow." Barry drove off, but not before looking back at her.
"Next time," he said under his breath.
For the duration of the week it was always the same for Babs, getting annoyed by Binky always hanging out with Buster, Buster always in very weird situations with Binky while paying very little to almost no attention to Babs whatsoever, and Barry's mysteriously nice deeds towards her, Babs was getting really freaked out. She even insisted to Buster that she'll take a bus to the studio and back because she started noticing how late he kept arriving. Whenever she was with him, she always noticed the hint of lavender on his shirt, the same fragrance Binky would have on. This kept raising more suspicions but Babs fought hard not to hurt Binky for them.
After school, Babs received a call from Darrel telling her that he also called Barry to tell them that their internship was off for the day so they can relax for the weekend. Because of the free time, Babs went to find the one toon that could help her out in this situation, Shirley McLoon. "Hey, Babs, like, how's the internship going?"
"Remember the guys you, me and Fifi met at the Perfecto Prep dance? The one I tried hooking up with is interning there too."
"Like, mondo ick! Babs, I remember those guys, and if you like, ask me, I think we're better off with the guys we're with now."
Just then, Plucky walked up to Shirley, "Hey Shirl, you're not gonna' believe thi'sh! I only have two detentions'sh today! That'sh better than the five I had last week with Hammy." He then ran off in a victorious fashion.
"Well," Shirley turned back to Babs and said sarcastically, "most of us are. But aside from him, how's everything else?"
"It's perfect," Babs told her, "I couldn't ask for more hands-on experiences, I'm already working with Whack-More employees and the cameras. You should meet 'em, the stories they have! Did you know that they had Roger Rabbit appear with Jessica and had all of them do everything she told them to? She didn't even walk around, they just carried her around in some kind of 'royal bed thingy,' while Roger kept slipping and falling on everything."
"Wow Babs, like, you seem to be having a lot of fun, or some junk."
"Yeah…I just wish that Buster stayed to experience it with me just once."
"Like, is there something wrong between you guys?"
Babs turned away, not wanting to show her the shame she had from bringing up her relationship, after realizing her tone in voice she started to regret saying anything. "Babs," the Loon spoke up but Babs still had her head facing away. Shirley grabbed her friend and spun her around only to come face-to-face with Babs' watery eyes. "Like, Babs," Shirley asked, "like, what is going on? Is there something that's bothering you, or some junk?" The pink rabbit girl embraced the Loon, Shirley could feel her tears landing on her shirt. Babs wasn't crying but she was still hurting, her heart has never ached this much. "It's Binky," she finally told her friend, "I think Buster's cheating on me with her."
"Like, what? Babs, I don't think Buster would do that, he loves you too much."
"Then how do you explain all the time he's been spending with her?! He doesn't even notice me anymore!"
"Like, calm down Babs, I'm sure there's an explanation or some junk."
"I can't think of any explanation as to why he's always late to pick me up from the studio, her having his phone in her house, the constant calls and text messages, and her STENCH ALL OVER HIS SHIRT! Just the other day I heard them talking on the phone about meeting up, I heard him specifically say that only for him to tell me that he's hangin' out with the guys. I keep asking myself what do they keep doing together and why don't they want me to know?! Shirley, PLEASE help me."
"Like, of course, Babs," Shirley assured her, "just let me channel Binky and Buster's aura, then I can, like, see what they're doing, or some junk." Shirley floated in the air and began meditating, "oh what a loon, what a loon I am." She linked herself to the aforementioned bunnies and witnessed what they were doing. She couldn't believe her eyes, now she knew what Buster and Binky were up to with each other. She immediately unlinked herself to their auras and landed on her feet.
"Well?" asked Babs, "what are they doing?"
"Babs…? I can't tell you."
"WHAT?! WHY NOT?!"
'I've like, got to go." Shirley started to walk away as fast as she could but her speed wasn't enough to rival a rabbit's, Babs grabbed her and spun her around.
"Shirley, what are they doing? Is he really cheating on me?"
"Babs, I'm not telling you, it's bad kharma!"
"If you don't tell me what my boyfriend and my once-temporary replacement are doing right now, I'm going straight to Fifi and I'll tell her that you know what happened to Furrball!"
"Like, Babs, you wouldn't."
"Oh? Just watch me," and with that, the female rabbit started walking away from the Loon until she called back to her, "no like, I mean, you wouldn't because then I'll tell her that you knew too. She'll believe me because I am a Loon and I like, have the powers to back myself up. If she finds out, then what? You, me and everyone else, where's that gonna' like, leave us?"
Babs was defeated, she pleaded again but to no avail, "I'm sorry, Babs," Shirley apologized, "but it's best that you, like, didn't hear this from me." Shirley walked away leaving the poor bunny to herself. "He really is having an affair with Binky," she sadly said to herself, "I guess I'm just not enough for him anymore."
At home, Babs locked herself in her room, she buried her face in her pillow trying to escape her reality and go back to when she and Buster didn't have to worry about each other this much. She remembered the only time she was ever jealous of him was during the 'Share and Share-Alike' segment on the Christmas where they officially became a couple. She still couldn't believe that Buster never brought up Binky until she arrived at Acme Loo. But then again, Babs wasn't without her own skeleton in her closet, neither she, nor Shirley or Fifi ever told their boyfriends about the Perfecto's they tried getting with. They felt so ashamed that they betrayed the guys who cared about them more than the Perfecto's ever could that they kept it a secret, no one knew except the Amazing Three and their failed-potential boyfriends.
She didn't even attempt to call Buster because she knew what he was doing, or who. Just then her phone rang, she hoped that it was Buster but as it turned out it was Babs' friend Harriet.
"Hi Babs."
"Hey Harriet."
The two talked about the usual stuff, school, family, friends, the internship came up as well. The subject of Barry came up and Babs quickly filled her in on it. Judging from the tone in her voice, it didn't take long for Harriet to figure out that Babs' mind was somewhere else. It also didn't take long for the rabbit to spill her guts to her.
"Harriet, what's wrong with me?" Babs asked her, "I used to send Buster practically to the looney bin just by wearing a simple dress, now he's the one driving me crazy with this whole Binky thing!"
"Well Babs," Harriet started, "I can't really picture Buster as the cheating type and I've never met Binky, but if you're really hurting about this then why are you still with him? If he's hurting you this much then there's no point in staying if he's not appreciating what you do for him or be happy with whatever you do for yourself."
"But…I love him, I've known him for years, we've been together for a long time, I just can't seem to break things off."
"What about Barry? I know it's too soon and we're jumping to conclusions with Buster and Binky, but have you given him any thought?"
"No, I know it's not right to judge but he's a Perfecto, you know they can't be trusted."
"True, but Babs, everyone changes at some point, you've changed since you were fourteen, maybe he's matured, he is older."
"Harriet, no, I still love Buster, and if I've learned anything from Lola it's that a real woman would stand by her man and not let any other girl get between them. I'm gonna' do what I should've done a long time ago, I'm confronting them! I'm gonna' ask Buster what he's really doing. I'm gonna' get to the bottom of this, I'll see ya' later Harriet."
"Go get him, Babs! Hope everything works out for you! Bye!"
Babs rushed out of her burrow and headed towards Buster's burrow. When she got there she heard voices, "Buster and Binky," she said to herself annoyed, "what a shock." She reached for the doorbell but the voices she heard made her cringe.
"Put it right there Binky! Oh yeah that looks great! Oh I'm definitely feelin' it!
"You think that's great, wait til' you try this."
"Binky, that looks good enough to eat! I'm gonna' enjoy this!"
"Easy there, tiger, first things first, now give it to me, I need to put the finishing touches before you devour it."
Babs felt sick, her eyes started to water, her confrontation was demolished, how could she not see it coming? "Go ahead and keep him, Binky," she said as she started to sob, "you both got what you wanted, I always knew he wanted a younger and sexier rabbit girl. I always thought it was me but now I see that I'm not worth his time anymore!"
"UGGHH! BUSTER! You got it all over my face!"
After hearing that, Babs ran off, crying her eyes out. As soon as she reached home she ran to the bathroom and threw up.