A/N: There's really no excuse for me not updating in months...all there's to say is that I hope the characters are too out of character and that you guy's will forgive me? Hope everyone had a good new year, and a quick shout out to Chibimanda along with all you wonderful guys who're reviewing!

Also, I wrote this entire chapter to Funny Little Feeling by Rock 'n' Roll Soldiers. Listen to it, cool? It's a definite toe-tapper. (Did I just say toe-tapper?)

Enjoy the chap and don't forget to review!

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"The most exciting attractions are between two
opposites that never meet." -Andy Warhol

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Crash and Burn

Chapter Four: Funny Little Feeling

"A toast!" Matt grinned, holding up a shot glass filled with Jack Daniel's, "To my adorable baby cousin and her soon-to-be career in space!"

The people toasting - all legal except one - were sitting at their usual table in Mackie's, a pub and local institution. They all let out a round of cheers before draining their shots. Many of them were Matt's friends whom both Kassie and her cousin had grown up with, the only difference being that they were all of drinking age, save Kassie.

In contrast to the lopsided grins of her companions, Kassie chuckled at her cousin's enthusiasm and took a hearty swig of her drink, one-hundred percent H2O. Matt had been thrilled to hear the news of the launch that she would be a passenger of; Kassie had told him first thing when she'd gotten home from work that day.

Since Reed's space cloud wouldn't arrive for another six weeks, the crew wouldn't be leaving Earth's atmosphere for another five and half weeks. Until then, Victor had assigned mandatory training to prepare for any of the conditions or situations that might arise up in the space station.

"Come on, Kass, you can handle one shot, can't you?" Matt asked with widely innocent eyes as he held out a shot to her.

Kassie eyed the alcohol and tried to cover up her dislike for the stuff. She'd never been much of a drinker. The first time she'd even had just a few gulps of a fifth, she immediately felt the effects the doctors warn you about - dehydration and dizziness.

Since then, she'd stayed away from any alcohol; the effects it had left her with momentarily had convinced her that the stuff just didn't agree with her body's chemistry.

"You know I don't drink, Mattie," Kassie chuckled, swatting away the shot glass. She was sure she wouldn't start even once she turned twenty-one in a little under a year.

"Yeah, man," Matt's friend, Jake, cut in. He had been a theatre major at NYU along with Matt. "Let the woman enjoy her water on the rocks, will ya?" His words were only slightly slurred, but Kassie appreciated his jump to her defense, even if he was a little buzzed.

"Aw, cuz, you're such a buzz kill," Matt complained as he downed the shot in his hand.

Kassie noted that as his fourth shot; two more and she'd have to make good on the pact she and Matt had made a couple years ago: to drag his near-drunk ass out of whatever establishment he was in and make sure he made it home to his own bed safely.

"Leave the girl in peace, Mattie!" Janie called out, swatting Matt in the arm, though without much gusto. Janie had been like an older sister to Kassie growing up; teaching her about makeup, boys, partying and everything else her parents weren't comfortable talking about with their only daughter.

Kassie smiled her thanks at Janie, whom she noted hadn't even finished downing her first shot, not even when Matt had toasted her success at the Doom Corporation.

An idea hit her and, deciding for subtlety, Kassie got up from her stool at the table and walked over to the electrical jukebox. One thing her cousin could never say no to was a dance. The distraction would also serve to slow down his alcohol intake as well and work off some of the excess energy he seemed to naturally accumulate by the boatload.

Funny Little Feeling by the Rock 'n' Rolls Soldiers filled the pub, the sound waves sending vibrations through everything from the barstools to Kassie's boots.

Recognition at the song's tune donned on Matt's face and he grinned.

"Kass, you rock!" He called as he took Janie 's hand and led her on to the dance floor. The rest of their group followed and, unable to ignore the call of the Rock 'n' Roll Soldiers, Kassie got out on the floor and started stepping to the fast-pace beat as well.

Jake was spinning her out in their poor attempt of a tango when she felt herself collide head-on with a solid body that was easily twice her stature.

"Shoot," Kassie muttered. Frazzled, she looked up and began to apologize, "I'm sorry about that..." She trailed off when she realized it was Taxi Guy.

"We've got to stop meeting like this, beautiful." The words seemed to come with practiced ease. If Kassie weren't so distracted by his eyes, she would have immediately rolled her own.

As it was, she was distracted.

"Excuse me?" Kassie asked, confused.

The guy motioned to their current proximity to each other and flashed a grin that she was sure would melt many girl's hearts; at the moment, it just seemed to confuse her more. She'd seen that smile somewhere before, and that blond hair...

"Late night cabs, the office, and now on the dance floor...I'm beginning to think you're following me," the guy said.

Was he flirting with her? Shaking her head, mentally of course, Kassie took a step back from Taxi Guy - now realizing she didn't even know his real name.

"Not that I mind in the least," the guy continued, putting up his hands to - what? Stop her from bolting? "What's your name?"

Well, that's what she was going to do, anyway.

"I have to go," Kassie said by way of answer.

Shaking her head physically this time, she turned and headed back to their table to grab her jacket. Walking over to the bar, she hailed Mackie, the grizzly owner and slapped two twenties on the bar counter.

"Matt's drinks are on me," Kassie said.

"You're a doll, Kassie," Mackie grunted out, taking the twenties and putting them in the register. Kassie may not be a drinker, but her cousin loved to celebrate at least twice a week - the Rivers were regulars at the pub. "Want me to call you a cab?"

"Thanks," Kassie nodded, grateful for Mackie's hospitality in regards to his customers. He was one of the few decent bar owners in the city she knew of.

When she turned around, she was face-to-face with Taxi Guy again.

You just don't quit, Kassie thought, feeling both a mix of exasperation and flattery.

If he had caught her at a better time - like not when her cousin was borderline drunk and beginning to make a fool of himself - then she might have at least given the guy a chance to speak.

"You didn't answer my question, babe," he reminded her, flashing her another one of his, no doubt, trademark grins.

The guy may have thought he was good-looking enough to get away with things like that concerning other pursuits, but Kassie despised pet names more than she did alcohol.

"Call me 'babe' again and I can guarantee some part of you will have something to answer for," Kassie said, gently pushing past him and making her way over to Matt.

"Come on, Elvis. We're going," Kassie announced, hooking her arm around Matt's and dragging him towards the entrance. In Matt's tipsy state, it wasn't all that hard to convince him, though he did mutter something about how " Janie would lament his boisterous absence. " Whatever that meant.

All you eloquent theatre types, Kassie thought, chuckling a little to herself. Even when you're buzzed.

The last few beats of Funny Little Feeling followed Kassie and Matt as they exited the pub. True to his word, a cab was waiting to take them both home, bless Mackie.

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"What's this? The great Johnny Storm turned down by a girl?"

Johnny tried not to roll his eyes at his friend Macon's comment. His pride had been wounded enough tonight, he didn't need Macon emphasizing that point any further. He hadn't even gotten the girl's name.

Taking a swig of his beer, Johnny decided not to add to Macon's amusement with a comeback.

"Pleading the fifth, huh, man?" Macon grinned, slapping Johnny on the back.

The guy was buzzed and Johnny was seriously considering calling a cab for his friend before he did anything he would regret later.

Macon smoothed out his flushed face into one of mock seriousness as he said, "Really, man. You may be losing your touch. I mean…" he struggled for words as he took a huge gulp of beer before continuing, "D'you see the legs on that girl? They'd drive me crazy all the way to Staten an' back!"

Johnny felt an uncharacteristic twinge of anger at the lewdness of Macon's exclamation, not that he'd let Macon in on that little fact.

"I think you've had too much to drink tonight, man," Johnny said, gathering up his glass mug and Macon's. "Why don't we call you a cab and get you home?"

"Whatever..." Macon said, a little deflated at his friend's lack of response or rebound from getting turned down. "Looks like she was spoken for anyway...leavin' with that guy an' all."

Johnny tried to pacify his friend as he led him out of the bar and into a cab that Mackie had called for him. As the cab receded into the distance down the street, Johnny thought back to earlier in the bar, his third encounter with the mystery girl.

He didn't know her name and she had been on his mind a surprising amount of times in the last couple of days. All he knew about her was that she worked in the same building as Sue, she had startling red hair and sported the habit of evading his questions as if his usual charm, but then again, maybe she just had a good poker face. And he was inclined to agree with the second of the two scenarios.

"Huh," Johnny murmured to himself, his mouth quirking into an unsure smile.

He turned back around and headed into the bar; he still had his charm, his smile: tonight didn't have to be a complete loss, after all.

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A/N: I hope that was an all right chapter for you guys! How'd you like Matt in this chap? And the little insight into Johnny's mind?

I'm gonna have one or two more chapter before they prepare for the launch - after all, the movie did say that the cloud would arrive in six weeks...gotta fill that time with something! Any ideas you guys have, I'm open to 'em!

The next update should be up in one to two weeks. For now, don't forget to read and review!