Speed Racer

Chapter 4: Trouble in Paradise

Disclaimer: I don't own anything; except the storyline, baby.

Everything seemed back to normal as Trixie awoke the next morning. She smacked her lips together a bit, tasting the disgusting morning breath she always had, and heading for the bathroom for a good teeth brushing when she realized she wasn't in her own bedroom. Blinking the crusty sleep from her eyes she looked around. There were shirts scattered across the floor, jeans thrown over the chair in the corner, and a white leather racing suit hanging up, very clean, in the closet. She smiled to herself, Speed Racer's room.

And how many girls get to see the interior like this Trixie asked herself as she climbed back into the bed with Speed, who still dozed soundly. He was just as cute when he slept, Trixie decided, slowly turning to face him in the dark of his bedroom. She reached out and tried to tuck that curl behind his ear, but, as she'd guessed it would, it just sprung back, landing in the same spot it always did. That didn't bother Trixie, not at all. Everything was exactly where it should be…

"Mornin' Speed," Spritle cooed as Speed entered the kitchen, dozy, like always, but somehow more lively this morning.

"Hey Spritle, hey Mom, hey Pops, hey Sparky." He set a hand on Sparky's shoulder for just a second as he passed him on his way to his seat at the table. Chim-Chim screeched and Speed chuckled, "hey there Chim-Chim."

"You know where Trixie is, Speed?" Pops asked, with a funny look in his eye. "She's usually here by now."

Speed choked on his sip of milk, but managed to get it down. He felt his cheeks flush pink and Mom laughed from the sink. "Oh, Pops, do you have to embarrass the boy?"

Speed's bedroom door opened again and Trixie strutted out, looking just as rejuvenated as Speed, but more awake, like always. Everything still as it should be. She was still wearing Speed's extra sleep shirt, the dirty white one that reached all the way down to her knees and was nearly two sizes to big up top. She'd found some jeans of her own that had been left here on another occasion that were in a pile of clothes strewn on the carpet. Speed smiled at her, that cute, closed lip smile that Trixie loved best; his I-know-more-than-they-do smile. This made her smile in return, her slightly embarrassed smile, where she showed her first six teeth on the top and the tops of her bottom row of teeth. Chewing the rest of the pancake Speed had in his mouth fast, he said, "hey Trix."

She tilted her head to her shoulder and brought that same shoulder up a little at the same time, a short of one sided shrug. "Hey Speed, thanks for letting me use your tooth brush." She winked at him as she came around the table to sit beside him, dropping a hand on Sparky's shoulder as she passed and said good morning, offering the same words to the rest of the family. Sparky had a loved look on his face, but he said nothing except "mornin'" and kept reading the paper.

Speed looked Trixie over, wondering how in the world she looked good in anything. Even that old t-shirt that needed a good bleach. She caught him looking and met his gaze as he glanced up to see her watching him watch her and she held him there without even moving. And again they were pulled into that magnetic field and the outside world didn't exist anymore. But before anything could go any further the door bell rang.

Trixie looked around, confused, and Speed did the same. Mom dried off her hands and went to answer the door, still using her apron over her palms. "I need to speak to Speed," Trixie stiffened. Racer X. She shot Speed a scared look, but he already looked deflated. Suddenly he seemed tired and so much older. It saddened Trixie and she put a hand on his shoulder, running her thumb over his collarbone. He gave her a helpless look and stood up.

She followed him into the living room, where Racer X was already sitting in the yellow chair that was reserved for visitors. Inspector Detector was there too, in the orange chair beside him. Trixie swallowed as she stood beside Speed, who didn't sit down. "Can I help you?" he tried to keep his voice even, not friendly, but not unfriendly.

Inspector Detector sighed, "We hate to ask you again-"

"The Casa Cristo," Trixie mused, shaking her head just a little. "Speed learned his lesson, thank you."

"Ah. Yes, well-"

"Trixie's right!" Spritle jumped on the couch, his hand into a fist as he attempted a serious superhero of sorts. Chim-Chim screamed his agreement.

"We didn't ask you," Racer X growled, and Trixie shot him the nastiest look she could manage and, somehow, shut him up. He looked startled by her ferocity, but she didn't call him out. Not here.

"I'll race with you."

"Speed-"

"No, Trix, really. I did it last time, right? And I got to race in the Grand Prix…"

"And you won, Speed. Ship's sailed. You promised, Speed."

"I promised I'd be more careful."

"Oh, and the Casa Cristo will help you do that."

"Trixie you're-"

"Speed Racer, you are not driving in that race," Mom's voice held a controlled malice.

Speed and Trixie both stood down, unclenching their fists and their jaws. But Trixie crossed her arms and turned away from Speed and he grumbled and threw his hands up. "I'll drive for you, but don't let anyone screw me over." Mom threw up her hands and left, mumbling something about growing boys. Trixie rolled her eyes and Racer X glanced at her a moment, his expression a cross between confusion and appreciation. Trixie pretended not to notice.

"Thank you for your time," Inspector Detector nodded at Pops, and then to Speed, "Speed," he nodded silently at Sparky, Trixie, Spritle, and the Chim-Chim, who covered his eyes. Racer X stood up and followed him out, but Trixie ran after them right as Racer X closed the door.

She wrenched it open again, "Rex," she said. Her voice was soft, only the two men outside would hear her. She frowned, feeling the pain in her chest swell up as Racer X turned around. He got right in her face. She had the door as closed as it would go, with her head sticking out, to block everything on the outside from the inside.

"You'll keep quiet," he whispered to her, his voice a notch under threatening. "They don't need you screwing everything up." Trixie stood there for a moment, open mouthed and gaping at him. He lightly shoved her jaw up, closing her lips for her and gave her a small smile. "Just take care of my family." He turned away then and got into the car. It zoomed away the second he closed the door.

Trixie felt a hand on her hip, "Trix?" She pulled her head back into the house and shut the door, exhaling sadly as she leaned against it.

"Oh, Speed."

"Shh, Trix," he pulled her toward him again, like he had on her stoop. "We'll get through this. We always do."

"I know, Speed, I know."