Strangers on the Sidewalk
She was in their old home again, before it had burned to the ground, but it was up in flames. She was so very hot, and she could feel the heat against her forehead, her cheeks, her finger tips. The fire was all around her, teasing her, menacing and vicious but then slowly retreating to eat away the pictures on the walls and the pieces of furniture.
The Professor was standing in front of her, whole and uninjured.
"Professor, what are you doing here? We have to get out while we still have time!"
He looked at her softly and sadly, and she was panicking because she knew how this would end.
"Time's up, sweetheart."
She screamed and her eyelids flew open. She was in an unfamiliar room, on an unfamiliar bed and that wasn't really sitting well with her. Her legs were tangled in the threadbare blanket, and her red hair was sprawled around her on several, washed out white pillows.
"So you're awake."
She shot up in the bed, and was suddenly dizzy again. Brick was leaning forward in a wooden stool by her bedside. There were bags under his eyes and he's shirtless, wearing nothing but a faded pair of jeans. He was wearing a gold chain that she'd never seen before and he looked strange without the customary beanie.
"Easy, you haven't been able to stomach anything for the last few days."
She placed a hand on her head, the headache taking precedence over her surprise at his concern.
"Where am I?"
He didn't answer her, and when the prolonged silence dragged on she peered at him out of the corner of her eye.
Brick had his face buried in his hands, and he was unnaturally still. She had no idea what to do; she was still feeling fairly groggy and disoriented.
Tentatively, Blossom reached out a hand. She was unsure of why he was acting this way or where they were, but she'd never seen insufferable Brick look so completely and effectively worn out.
"Brick?"
"Shut up."
She didn't know why, but it felt as though he had slapped her. She blinked repeatedly, trying to think of a retort. Anger bubbled up in her chest at his bad-mannered response. How dare he?! Was it his purpose in life? It seemed all he ever did was mock her, or scold her, or force her to face her demons.
She was still floundering for a comeback when he finally spoke again.
"Don't you ever do that to me again."
He looked up to stare at her with blazing eyes. Her mouth was slightly open. He didn't say "don't you ever do that to us again" or "don't you ever do that to your sisters again". He had specifically said that she should never do that to him again, and she couldn't understand what the hell that was supposed to mean.
Brick's expression was unreadable; there was the visible rage and the hint of relief and something else she couldn't decipher. She had finally managed to make him lose his noncommittal, arrogant cool.
"You're a bitch, pink."
Blossom, who still wasn't feeling quite right, glared, "What the hell are you talking about Brick?! Don't talk to me like that!"
She couldn't help but notice how he balled his hands into fists so that his knuckles were white, and if she hadn't known him better she would have sworn that his hands were shaking.
"And you're fucking selfish."
"Brick!"
"You are, you don't know what you do to other people, your fucking self-righteous secrecy, and stupid independent streak, you just hurt everyone around you."
She was appalled and angry at his sudden outburst. He wasn't usually so violent around her. Annoying and childish yes, but never so irate; if she hadn't been so furious herself she would have been scared of his words, and his eyes.
"I don't care about you," his voice was quiet, but frighteningly fierce, "I don't have any fucking feelings for you, you know why? Cause I'm selfish too, I don't give a damn about people, except for Boomer and Butch. I come first, I always come first."
He was breathing heavily, but he wasn't finished yet. It seemed that he'd been waiting a long time to shout at her and he was going to make sure she heard every last bit of the rant he had prepared for her. Now, however, he looked embarrassed.
"And I don't know why, because I don't like you, not in the slightest. You're a total bitch, you're snobby and a goody-two shoes, and you're self-centered, and I'm not even physically attracted, but…" all the energy he had possessed in his raving criticism of her seemed to leave him and he just looked exhausted, "I can't stand to see you hurt. It doesn't just bother me, it hurts me. It kills me to see you kill yourself and I don't even fucking know why. I'm a selfish person so I'm going to go to all lengths to make myself happy, and, apparently, that's making sure you're okay."
He was finally finished and Blossom's head was reeling; she wasn't exactly sure that she fully understood the last part of his passionate tirade. Well, the first thing he had done was insult her personality. That was nothing out of the ordinary, though, perhaps, a little harsher than usual. It was that part about hurting when she was hurting that was making her head hurt worse than it had originally.
While she was still trying to figure out what had exactly happened Brick stood up, and stumbled onto the bed next to her. She was outraged.
"Brick, I am not sharing a bed with you!"
Brick groaned and rolled over to face her, one eye open, "What part of I'm not attracted to you do you not understand?"
She flushed and sputtered, and was secretly relieved to see the ghost of his old smirk.
"Go to sleep, Pink."
Her logical side was screaming for her to get out of bed now, but she was much too tired to listen to it today. Instead, she fell back against the pillow, and was scandalized when Brick threw an arm around her waist.
"Brick!" she squeaked, as he pulled her closer, "Let go!"
She didn't know if he was pretending to be asleep or not, but he didn't move. Not so carefully, she lifted his arm gingerly and threw it to his side. He grunted but otherwise made no motion to put it back.
She lay there, staring at the ceiling and wondering. Brick was the most infuriating enigma she had ever met, and she wasn't really sure what it was that was going on inside his head. It was clear that he was always there when she needed some sort of help, but he had made it jarringly clear that he had no fondness for her whatsoever.
Yet, whenever she was hurt he lashed out with anger, saying that he hurt when she was hurt. It was a terribly curious puzzle. It didn't make much sense, and the only logical explanation that she could come up with was that he did, in fact, like her, perhaps more than that.
The thought made her blush twelve shades of red. She didn't want to believe it, she really didn't, especially since Brick didn't seem too keen on the idea either, but she couldn't ignore the facts.
He had obviously been the one to take care of her when she had been sick, and she had to grudgingly admit that he had done a lot for her. If she was being honest with herself, she'd admit that she had missed him when he went away. If anything, he made her life more interesting.
Thinking back on all their past conversations, everything he had done had been to help her. He'd either been worrying about her or making suggestions to improve her lifestyle.
How did she feel about Brick?
It was a train of thought that she'd rather not pursue. She was saved the trouble of struggling with the idea when the sound of the incessant voices of a group at the door jerked her out of her analysis. Irritated, she reluctantly swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.
Brick, who had opened an eye in response to the shifting of the old spring mattress, groaned. Blossom was wobbling in place, it had been a while since she had walked, since the fight with Q.
Brick, noticed her swaying, groaned again and made his way over to her side. He took an elbow in each hand, steadying her. Blossom flushed at his proximity.
"Let's go tell those idiots to shut up."
Blossom would have answered affirmatively if he hadn't been so close to her and he hadn't been shirtless and she hadn't been trying to figure out what it was that they were.
She was surprised by how tender he was with her, how patient he was when he was leading her to the door. Perhaps he was just tired, but she couldn't fully get over with how cautious he was whenever she stumbled or shook a bit on her feet.
They could hear the conversation as they neared the door.
"I'll kill him! I'll castrate him!"
"Buttercup, calm down"
"Don't you tell me to calm down, Boomer!"
"Listen, I know Brick and Blossom are being stupid right now, but we can't just barge in there and tell them that we know."
"I'm just so sad that she would keep something so big from us."
"I'm pretty pissed at Brick myself, you know he's been too secretive, and he's been obsessed with Blossom for the last few months, and then he goes and does something stupid like this."
"He'd better take responsibility."
Brick and Blossom had halted at the door at the sound of their names. Both seemed in mutual agreement that they'd wait to listen in on this most interesting conversation. Aside from the obvious confusion, Brick was looking livid and embarrassed and Blossom was feeling guilty.
"Do you think they're going to keep it?"
"Of course! Blossom wouldn't even dream of the alternative!"
"Well, you know, I'm going to be there for Blossom, I'm going to support her and be there for the both of them."
"I'm with Boomer, this is our nephew we're talking about."
"Or our niece."
Blossom's jaw dropped. Brick looked like he was out for blood, and it seemed the perfect moment to thrust open the door and surprise the four delusional siblings.
Blossom didn't even give them a chance to speak.
"You think I'm pregnant?!"
She was aware that she sounded like a shrieking mad woman, but she didn't particularly care at the moment.
"Blossom, it's ok," Boomer put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Even if Brick decided to be a jackass, you have my full support, Butch and I will pay for the baby as long as we get to name him…"
"She's not pregnant." Brick glowered.
"Oh, so now you're just going to pretend the poor thing doesn't exist," Buttercup roared, "You heartless bastard."
"Buttercup, I'm not pregnant!"
"You're not?" Boomer looked slightly crestfallen, "Shame, I was really looking forward to that nephew."
"What on earth," Brick hissed through clenched teeth, "gave you that absurd idea?"
Butch, who was scowling at Brick, shrugged, "Ace said he caught you two in the back of the car and the girls have been saying that Blossom's been throwing up every morning, plus the way you were watching over her when she was sick, like you'd die if anything happened to her, what would you have thought?"
Brick and Butch glared at each other, the tension in the room was nearly tangible. It occurred to Blossom that she wasn't the only older sibling in trouble for keeping secrets.
"We're brothers Brick," Butch spoke evenly and clearly, "We've lived on the streets our whole lives, you know what happens when we keep secrets."
There was an unspoken signal sent between them, electric and suddenly there was no tension and Brick looked ashamed.
"I know."
And just like that Blossom knew that Butch had forgiven his older brother.
Boomer looked as though he was still trying to figure out something, "So you two are just dating?"
"No." their response was done simultaneously.
Butch rolled his eyes, "Denial's not just a river in Egypt."
"You're so funny."
"Shut it Buttercup."
Blossom didn't understand why, but the whole scene, all of them standing with each other in the cramped hallway; she started to cry. For some reason, Brick seemed pleased as he watched her sisters surround her, putting comforting arms around her shoulders.
And when she finally let her sisters cry, she knew she was going to be okay.
She'd be okay.
A/N: Only one chapter left to go! That makes me kind of sad :(. Sorry if this wasn't a particularly interesting chapter, the next one ties up the story and that will be the end of strangers on the sidewalk!
I'd like to thank everyone for their wonderful reviews for the last chapter.
Reviews for this one would be lovely as well