So, according to some reviews, my story is rather boring and the author's notes are annoying. First of all, this isn't an action/adventure story. It deals a lot with the characters' emotions and thoughts. However, that doesn't mean its all going to be like that. Of course I'll have excitement in here! I don't want you guys to fall asleep! lol Second, the only reason I use author's notes in the middle of the paragraphs is so that you won't get confused. Fine, if they're really that annoying, I'll take them out and have you figure out what I'm thinking. For example, when I decided to start calling Professor Smith James instead. You might have been like, "Wait… since when is he being called James?" Just stupid stuff like that. OK, this is pointless. I'll shut up now.

By the way, I've been revising my chapters and the author's notes are COMPLETELY gone! Yay!

Disclaimer: I do not own Jimmy Neutron. If I did, there would be a fourth season!

Chapter 10- A Dead End?

James knocked on Cindy's door and waited patiently, but nervously, for her to answer. Thinking back, he realized that no one thought it was weird for him to be in that residence hall. Then again, it was probably because he was only 18 and blended in well, even despite the fact that he was wearing a suit. Maybe he was just an overly-dressed student? Sure, why not?

After waiting only 5 seconds or so without an answer, James began to mentally freak out. "She's not answering! OK, maybe she knows its me! Or maybe she's just not there or some–"

"Sorry, I was watching the tele–" Cindy hadn't even seen the person she was talking to until she fully opened the door. "Professor Smith! What are you doing here?" She was surprised and shocked to see her professor, the one she had been trying so hard to stay away from, at her dorm room! "What in the freaking hell is HE doing HERE?" Cindy subconsciously closed the door slightly so she'd be prepared to slam it shut at anytime.

"Miss Vortex, before you slam the door in my face, let me just say a few things." At this, Cindy relaxed slightly. "Man… you don't even know what I had to go through to get information on where you lived!" he laughed to himself a bit as he said this. Of course, Cindy was a little confused. "I almost had to give up a perfectly good muffin for you!" It had been intended as a joke, but Cindy wasn't amused in the least bit. "Well… anyway, I wanted to let you know that I'm fully aware that you've been ignoring me." Cindy's eyes grew wide at this.

"W-what are you talking about?" she said, trying to act like she had no idea what he was talking about.

"Come on, Miss Vortex. It's really rather obvious." He really had no idea how much time she would give him, so he decided to get on with it. "Nevertheless, now that I can finally talk to you again–" Cindy somehow got the hint that this might be about the last thing they talking about before she started ignoring him: her "friend" that doesn't remember her.

"Would…" Cindy took a breath, "would you like to come in and sit down, Professor Smith?" Libby was at the library that morning so it wouldn't be a problem.

James was rather taken back by her sudden hospitality, but accepted it nonetheless. "That'd be nice. Thank you, Miss Vortex." She opened the door for him and led him over to the small living room area. He sat on the couch and she sat on one of the armchairs facing him.

"Listen, Miss Vortex, I–"

"Please," she interrupted, "call me Cindy."

"Alright… Cindy. Well, I'm sure you remember the day you told me about your friend who doesn't seem to remember you, right?" Cindy just nodded. "Well, I have reason to believe you were talking about me." She knew that was coming. Somehow, she felt both relieved and afraid at the same time.

"However…" She tensed as he said this. "I still believe that I stand by what I said to you on the first day of class… You have to be confusing me with someone else."

"Well, of course you would say that!" Cindy's voice rose a little. "You don't remember me!" By now, she was standing up. James just looked up at her and sighed. He knew she would say that. But he had prepared for it. He stood up and headed for the front door as Cindy just stared at him, amazed that he had just walked away.

"When is your next class?" he simply asked.

Cindy stared at him. She had no idea what he was doing. "Not until one o'clock but–"

"Then, please, come with me. I have something to show you." Cindy was utterly confused by now, but she decided to do as he asked. She figured it must be something important. So she followed him out of her dorm room and eventually outside. Where they were going, however, she had no clue.

James and Cindy walked quietly side by side as he led her through the campus. "I guess we aren't going to the astronomy room or his office…" Cindy thought as they passed the Department of Science main building. They also passed the cluster of administrative buildings, the student union, the campus library, and one of the many cafeterias. "Where the heck is he taking me?"

Finally, they stopped at the edge of the campus, next to the road, in front of a sign that read "Bus Stop". "Um… Professor Smith… where exactly are we going? Because right now it's about 11:40 and I have class soon…"

"You'll see" was all he said as a large city bus pulled up. He climbed up the bus stairs and deposited change into the little box at the front of the bus. "This is for both of us," he said to the bus driver and pointed back to Cindy who was standing on the bus stairs. The bus driver simply nodded back. James proceeded down the aisle and sat down in an empty seat. Cindy followed him, but stood in the aisle.

"You can sit next to me, you know," he laughed as he said this, "I don't bite." Cindy gave a small smile back and sat down next to him. As the bus began to drive away, Cindy could see her professor, out of the corner of her eye, staring out the window. "You know, he isn't all that bad looking. Cindy found herself thinking. "AH! Cindy! What are you doing? This is your professor you're talking about!" Over the last month or two, he had let his hair grow out a little so that now his bangs sometimes covered his eyes. His… blue… eyes, that is. So, he really wasn't bad looking at all. That still didn't make it right for her to think that about him!

The two of them sat in silence once again until James stood up, signaling that they had reached their destination. So Cindy got up and made her way off the bus as James followed her. It was then that she realized just where they were: the city library.

"You wanted to take me to the library?" Cindy asked, a little confused, after the bus had driven away.

"Yep," James replied, "the campus library doesn't have what I wanted to show you. So, I decided to take you here." He began walking toward the main entrance with Cindy hurriedly following after him.

"But… what do you need to show me at the library?" She still didn't understand why they were there.

"Well, I'll show you." She didn't get why he had to be so mysterious about it, but she decided to just trust him. They made their way up the stone steps in front of the old library and then through the front doors. Cindy had never been to that library before, though. She always just used the campus one because it was a lot closer.

"Wow… it's so big!" Indeed, the library was rather large, with hundreds of shelves filled with books of all types and genres. But James wasn't there to show her any books. He was headed for the newspaper archives.

"Now, I didn't think you would believe me if I just told you," he said back to her, but she was still gaping at the old library. She couldn't even begin to compare the library back in Retroville with this one. It was simply that amazing. "Well, here we are." He stopped at an empty newspaper archives computer and pulled up an extra chair for Cindy to sit down in. Once they were both situated, he began to type a date into the search bar: May 18, 2002.

"Hey… that's only a few days after we went to Mars…" Cindy thought, but decided to keep her mouth shut for the time being. On the computer screen, a small newspaper article popped up that read, "CAR CRASH KILLS ALMOST ENTIRE FAMILY". "A car crash?"

"Read this article," James said to her, "I think it might clear some things up." He moved his seat aside so she could read the article better.

The small article read, "Two days ago, a family of five was hit by a drunk driver on North Main Street at approximately 9 P.M. The Smiths were taken to the hospital immediately, all in critical condition. However, only one small boy, named James, survived the crash, with severe head injuries. It is unsure at this point if he will make a full recovery." She noticed there was also a picture of a small boy next to the article. The caption read "James Smith, the only survivor, before the tragic accident." She couldn't believe it. He was telling the truth. Her professor… wasn't Jimmy after all.

"Listen, Cindy, I know you must be upset that I'm not the person you were looking for…" Cindy just stared at the computer screen. "But I'd like to help you out as much as I can."

"Can I possibly print off a copy of this article?" James was a little surprised at her response.

"Yeah… of course." He had no idea why she would want a copy of the article to keep, but he decided not to ask. "I'll go up to the front desk and ask them to print off a copy." Cindy didn't reply, but continued to stare at the screen in front of her. So James got up and made his way to the front desk to ask for a copy. "I was so sure that he was Jimmy… Can this really be a dead end?" She didn't know what to think anymore. "Even the day this happened is around the same time we went to Mars. How can this be just one major coincidence?"

James came back from the front desk with a copy of the newspaper article for her. "Thanks…" she said to him.

"No problem." He looked down at his watch. "Well, Cindy, it's 12:30… we should probably head back so you can get to your class." At that, his stomach growled, causing him to laugh. "And I think I need to eat some lunch!" Cindy smiled, something she didn't think she could do at that moment, and followed him out of the library.

They arrived back at the campus only 15 minutes later, giving Cindy plenty of time to get to her Advanced Biology class at 1:00.

"Thanks for showing me that article, Professor." She smiled thankfully.

"Of course, Cindy. I want to do everything I can to help you out." He returned the smile she had given him.

"Um… professor… I was wondering…" Cindy looked down at her feet. "Do you think you would like to get coffee or something one time… and I don't know… talk some more?" She wanted to talk a little more about what happened to him seven years ago.

"I'd like that." She looked up to her professor, smiling, and he smiled back.

"Well… I should go… I'll see you tomorrow, professor!" She waved to him, and began walking towards her biology class.

"Hey, Cindy," she turned around to face him once again, "you can call me James." She smiled at him once more. "I'll see you tomorrow!" James said to her as she walked away.

Neither of them, however, was aware that they were being watched from a window in a nearby building.

Ok, I feel a lot better now. That's why I made the end of this chapter rather happy, despite the situation! Wheeeeee…

Anyway, school has started for me so I don't know how often I'll be able to update during the week, though I will definitely be able to update on the weekends. So I'll update when I can!

Once again, thanks for reading!

-brigette (aka: Kaze-no-Tenshi89)