A/N: Here's another chapter! This one is Ralph centric and will be setting up some further conflict we have in the story! I hope you all enjoy, and thanks so much for the kind reviews!

Ralph was still talking to himself in a hushed and worried tone by the time his trolley pulled into Fix-it-Felix Jr.

"Get a hold of yourself Ralph… The kid wasn't making any goo-goo eyes at you… that was just your imagination. Even if she was, you need to put a healthy distance between yourself and her for the moment. Get yourself under control…"

The giant hillbilly brought one of his massive hands up, and slapped himself firmly across the face as he stepped out of the Trolley. This only served in causing him to see stars for the moment, and to stand still awkwardly while he regained his senses.

"Okay, so maybe that wasn't the way to get ahold of myself. " Ralph groaned as he slumped his shoulders, and brought both of his large hands up to run through his hair. He began to walk toward his little house, passing by the niceland apartments as he did so.

So caught up in his own worry and fret he didn't notice the familiar form of the game's protagonist, Fix-it-Felix approaching him.

"Well Hi there Ralph!" came Felix's cheery voice, catching Ralph completely by surprise and causing him to leap in the air.

Ralph whirled in Felix's direction, panic and fear on his features as he stammered his response.

"What?! I wasn't doing anything with her! I swear! We were just practicing!"

Felix didn't respond immediately, but only looked confused at Ralph's outburst.

Ralph was about to continue when he realized who he was talking to and also got a good look at what his friend was wearing.

Felix was currently wearing a black tank top, and a pair of black sweat pants. His hat had been removed, and he did indeed seem for all intensive purposes as if he were trying to do his best Patrick Swayze impression.

Felix raised his eyebrow before he cleared his throat and continued. "Ralph, brother, you alright there? I just came by to give you a friendly hello and ask how your practice was going with Vanellope."

Felix's currently ridiculous looking outfit was enough to bring Ralph down from the fear, panic, and small amount of self loathing he'd been feeling moments prior. Still the mention of Vanellope's name caused his heart to flutter several times.

"Oh uh, hi Felix, the practice? Its goin good, real good you know…you uh, that's… that's a new look for you there." Ralph said, trying to act as if everything was natural and normal.

Felix grinned larger then usual while looking down at himself. The small statured hero held his arms up as if posing before he replied. "Oh, well shucks, ya like it? Me and the Missus are really gettin' in to character for our practice here Ralph! My land, I swear teamin up with Tammy has really kept the spice goin in our marriage brother… let me tell ya.."

Ralph gave a slight wince as his head was suddenly filled with mental images of Felix and Calhoun's spicy marriage. He brought his hands up gesturing toward the smaller man.

"Whoa….Too much information there Felix, not that I'm not happy for you, but uh, I'd prefer you keep the details of that spice to yourself. You get me?" Ralph asked.

Felix actually chuckled, slapping his knee while shaking his head and looking back toward Ralph.

"Oh well gosh Ralph, a healthy amount of intimacy and passion is nothin' to be embarrassed about in a relationship brother! You'll understand once you have a special lady of your own. That dynamite gal of mine really lights my fuse. Thankfully I seem to light hers too."

This time it wasn't Felix and Calhoun Ralph saw in his head. It was Vanellope. Vanellope, looking up at him, her eyes half-lidded, batting at him slowly, her body sinuously sliding up over his filled his mind.

Of course, this thought train brought on intense amounts of self loathing, and sorrow, as he realized it could never be. Ralph actually slumped forward, his arms hanging down as he gave a sad smile and nod to Felix.

"Yeah buddy, maybe one day. We'll see."

Felix noticed the sudden gloomy look overcoming his friend, and a small amount of guilt began to cross his features. Here he was going on and on about how happy he was to be married, the joys of an intimate relationship, and Ralph had nothing like that in his own life.

Felix walked closer to Ralph, putting his hand up gently on the giant's arm, patting it slowly. "Oh Ralph, I'm sorry. Here I am goin on about the rays of sunshine in my life, and you've got gloom coming into your own." Felix sighed before he continued. "You know Ralph, you've got a lot to offer a girl, but you're never gonna get anywhere if you don't put yourself out there. Maybe…" Felix trailed off, afraid to say the next words which had entered his head.

Ralph had been listening intently to everything Felix had to say, but as Felix trailed off, Ralph felt his stomach drop. He turned toward Felix, worry on his features, but needing to know what the Hero was going to say next.

"Maybe what Felix?"

Felix winced audibly, grinning nervously as he looked up toward Ralph, and spoke again. Trying to choose his words carefully but seeing no real way around things.

"Maybe….maybe you need to spend less time with Vanellope, and you know, around a few women closer to your own age…" Felix regretted the words the moment they left his lips, but they had been put out there now.

Ralph whirled upon Felix then, as he answered angrily. "Less time around Vanellope? Hey! Just what are you trying to imply here huh!? There something wrong with a guy spending time with his best friend?!"

Felix winced again, seeing Ralph's anger, as he put his hands up apologetically and tried to respond in an understanding tone. "I know Ralph, I know, and really there isn't anything wrong with it, but some folks, well, they're…. they're startin to talk about you two…"

Ralph looked alarmed as he heard that. His massive hands came down onto Felix's shoulders, giving the tiny carpenter a shake as his face was filled with dread. "What do you mean there starting to talk!? I wouldn't do anything like that to the kid! What are they saying?!"

Felix found himself wishing he'd never gone down to greet Ralph, as this had become probably the most awkward conversation of his life. "Well I know that brother, I mean most of the people who trust you know that… but you do spend an awful lot of time in Sugar Rush and with Vanellope. Some of them are saying, maybe its not so appropriate…"

Ralph felt his heart drop into his stomach, the thing which he had been dreading made manifest. People were already concerned, and talking about a potentially inappropriate relationship with Vanellope he might be having. The fact he'd almost given in to his perverted desires earlier only made it worse.

When he spoke it was soft and sorrow filled. "I…I'd never do something like that to the kid. What am I gonna do?"

Felix actually smiled in response to Ralph this time, before he spoke, kindness in his voice.

"Well, I might just have the solution to your problem Ralph… Something Tammy and I have been talking about…"

Ralph continued to feel the familiar dread in his stomach. Others around the Arcade were talking about him and Vanellope? He would never take advantage of her. He could never allow himself to do that. He loved her, loved her truly, deeply… more then he had ever loved anyone…. He… had to spend less time with her. He had to put distance between Vanellope and himself, it was the only way to keep her safe. To keep her out of the hands of a monster like him.

Slowly Ralph nodded, his features taking on a look of sorrow as he sighed and brought his gaze back onto Felix.

"Alright Felix, what's this idea you and Tammy have been talking about?"

Felix continued smiling. Truthfully, Tammy and he had been talking about Ralph and his predicament for awhile now. In their opinion Ralph was a stand up guy, a great one, if an imperfect one at times and he deserved some measure of happiness.

"Well you see Ralph, Tammy and I know a few friends who are in the same boat as yourself. Female friends. We'd like to maybe set you up with one of them."

Ralph blinked several times in response before bringing his hand up over his eyes, groaning and replying.

"A blind date? Felix that's your solution to my problem? Set me up on a blind date?"

"Yes Ralph that is the solution! Believe it or not there are several ladies interested in you. Tammy and I know someone in particular we think you'd be great with. You just gotta give it a chance!" Felix quickly fired back.

Ralph was silent for a long moment. His brow creased in thought as he seemed to consider the proposition. Maybe Felix was right. Maybe a date would do him good. He was lonely, very lonely, and it was the only reason, the only excuse he could think of as to why he had been thinking….improper things about Vanellope. What could it really hurt?

Finally, Ralph gave a shrug of his shoulders and looked back to Felix and nodded. "Fine, alright, I'll go on the blind date. If for nothing else then to put the rumors about that other thing to rest."

Felix jumped up and slapped Ralph on the shoulder, cheering as he did so. "Whoo hoo! That's the spirit friend! Oh just wait until you meet her Ralph, its gonna be great! She's a good friend of Tammy's, and has a problem with misperception like you! You two will hit it off I just know it!"

Ralph gave a slightly nervous laugh, putting his hands up, trying to calm Felix down. "Alright, alright, I think I get the picture. So when am I going to meet this mystery woman then?" Ralph asked.

"Well, Tammy and I can set it up for say Tappers in about two night's time? That sound good for you?" Felix replied.

"Sure, Sure, sounds great. I'll uh, make sure I wear something nice for the occasion." Ralph said, though in his heart he began to feel like he was betraying Vanellope somehow. That didn't make sense. Why should Vanellope mind if he went out on a date, and for that matter why should he feel guilty? They were just friends he reminded himself, nothing more. She was, after all, just a kid.

Ralph and Felix's moment was interrupted by a voice calling out from one of the Niceland apartments above. Specifically the apartment Felix lived in. The voice was feminine but carried a hard edge to it.

"Fix-it! Stop conspiring with our competition down there, and get your cute butt back up here! We haven't perfected the lift yet!"

Felix turned in the direction of the voice for a moment, before he looked back toward Ralph with a nervous grin. "Well, my lady does call. So I'm gonna head back and let Tammy know what's going on. See you tomorrow at work Ralph!" Felix gave a slight salute as he began to walk backwards toward the apartment building.

Ralph nodded, looking up toward the direction Calhoun's voice had rung out, before looking back toward Felix again. "Alright, Alright, two night's time at Tappers. I got it!" before he turned and began to make his way back toward his home.

This was going to be fine. The earlier incident with Vanellope, that was just some fluke. Some random, misfiring of his code, or something he'd eaten earlier. That was what he told himself as he entered his small home and made his way over to his bed.

Flopping down atop it, Ralph laid back, stretching out and yawning. This blind date thing was just what the doctor ordered. He'd put in a public appearance, show everyone he wasn't some creepy guy who was doing taboo things with Vanellope, and maybe even he'd hit it off with his date. Of course, if she was a friend of Calhoun's there was no telling what she was really like.

Ralph sighed as he reached over to the nearby night stand in his tiny bedroom and picked up the picture frame which rested upon it. The photo was of him and the kid. Vanellope smiled, grinning brightly as she rested on his shoulder, her hands pressed up against her chin. He was smiling too, though his teeth weren't showing like Vanellope's were.

If this was the right thing, if going on this date was what he was suppose to do. What society said he was supposed to do, then why did he feel so guilty? Why did he feel like he was potentially hurting Vanellope?

Ralph simply gave a small groan of frustration, laid the picture flat upon his chest and closed his eyes. He'd have to believe he was doing the right thing, and tomorrow afternoon he'd have to explain to Vanellope he was going to be busy the next few days. She'd understand, and besides, maybe it'd give her time with some of her own little friends.

That would be better for her he reasoned. Wouldn't it?

Sadly the answer and questions would cause him to twist and turn all night, even as he finally fell into sleep.

A/N: Just who is Ralph's Mystery date is going to be?! A kudos if anyone guesses it correctly! Also just how is Vanellope going to react when she tries to have her serious conversation with Ralph, and he tells her he has an upcoming date! Find out in our next chapters!