I don't love you/But I always will/I always will
Brick banged on the door angrily. He was whacking it so hard it was lurching against the lock.
A short, fiery haired woman answered the door, looking aghast as she peeked through, not undoing the safety latch.
He watched the relief sweep over her expression as she sighed and undid the catch. "Brick, you scared the bejesus out of me!" she opened the door to face him. "I thought it was…" She trailed off when she looked at his maddened expression.
"You're leaving?" He demanded, pushing past her and letting himself in before she could shut the door on him.
"Come in, then." She said slightly sarcastically, closing the door.
Brick was looking at her with wide, irate eyes. "Well?" He beseeched.
Blossom pulled a hand through her hair, catching her fingers in a few strands that were caught up in a heavy plait down her back. "Yes, yes I am."
"Why?" Brick inquired flatly. Blossom rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. She hated it when he got like this. She remembered it well from their days as a couple. He hated change, and anything happening or going a way he didn't like or didn't know about. He became unreasonable and inconsolable. Much like a child.
"It's a work thing. I was asked to do it, I said yes. And that's it, really." Blossom said simply, raising and lowering her shoulders. "It's only 3 months, I'll be back 8th May."
"And what about Jeremy?"
Blossom flinched at the mention of his name, pulling a weathered face.
"Brick-"
"No Blossom you listen. Are you just going to run away? Just let him do that, get away with it, and flee? Because it's not going to help! It's not going to help you, and it's not going to stop Jeremy from doing it again! If he gets away with this, he will definitely strike again. I mean he got away with it with a POWERPUFF for crying out loud?! A woman who could kick his ass with her little finger! And you don't want justice! You just want to run away, like a-"
"Like a what, Brick? Like a coward? Don't you dare call me a coward! You have no idea! Absolutely no idea, how I feel! And the only person who can deal with this, and make these decisions is me. Don't make me regret calling you that night."
Brick's face dropped at her outburst, but he was still peeved she was leaving.
"Look, I just think you're making a mistake. Skipping town, not pressing charges-"
"I'm not skipping town!" Blossom cried shrilly. "It's a work thing Brick! A research project I've been asked to do, and I said yes. I don't see how it's a big deal."
"Just like what he did wasn't a big deal, hmm?"
There was a cutting silence, in which they both stared at each other, waiting for the next to say something in their little game of cat and mouse.
"Brick, it's only 3 months… You'll see me when I get back... I just, feel like I need to get away from Townsville for a while…" Her voice was softer, she knew his anger stemmed from concern.
Brick dropped the sneer and sighed. "I'll," He didn't know whether to say it, so he said it quickly. "I'll-miss-you. That's all. I can't keep an eye out if you're in Paston."
"I'll be fine, don't worry. I'll never go near another drink again. Anyway, I was packing…" Blossom said, heading back to her bedroom and wondering if he was planning to stay.
Brick stretched begrudgingly and sat down on her sofa, noting how messy her place was; it was obvious she'd been packing.
When he looked down at the coffee table he noticed a letter, with a mug of cocoa set atop of it. He couldn't help but notice the Townsville Police emblem on the top corner of the paper. Picking the glass up quietly, he slid the sheet of paper off the table and into his hands.
Brick skimmed the words, his mind going crazy with rage as words like 'dropped charges', and 'based upon your request, the prosecutor has settled' flashed before his eyes.
From reading the letter, Brick could make out that Blossom had requested them to drop the charges. They hadn't said yes, but they hadn't said no either. The prosecutor wanted to go on without her and try Jeremy, using her evidence and statement. On the coffee table next to it was a reply penned by Blossom, requesting that she have nothing to do with any more of the case.
He stalked into Blossom's room, brandishing the papers. "What are these?"
Blossom sighed. "Brick will you just please-"
"You know what! Fuck this. I'll just take this into my own hands like I wanted to in the first place." Brick declared, throwing the papers onto the floor.
Blossom was watching him one minute, but then the next she wasn't there anymore. She wasn't in her room anymore. She was in a room she had only been in once. It was dark, a young man's bedroom, photo's and posters of dancers, and dance groups posing together on the walls.
She was hot, and sick, and dizzy, and she couldn't move. She could feel a weight on top of her, hot breath on her neck. She tried to move her head, but nothing was happening. A head of brown hair was attached to the weight on top of her. She realized the weight was someone on top of her. They were breathing heavy and fast, their lips brushing and biting at her neck. She tried to push him away, to grab at his head and shove it.
But nothing happened. Then she realized she was nude. And so was the man on top of her. She thrashed her legs about, and pounded her fists, but nothing changed. He carried on, pushing and driving on top of her, pain searing between her legs. Her body was betraying her, it wouldn't move. She screamed and wailed for it to stop, but it wouldn't, no one could hear her, especially not him.
He went rigid and let out a cry of delight, and the pain began to subside. Blossom quivered as he stroked the sweaty hair from her face, grinning down at her. Blossom sobbed, begging him to stop now.
"Blossom! Blossom it's me, I'm here!"
A voice, a voice she knew, that did not belong to the brunette who had been assaulting her. Blossom blinked, and she was back in her room. She was sat on her floor, her face drenched in tears, and two large, red worried eyes looked into her face. Brick held Blossom gently by the shoulders. He could see by her eyes that she was back.
"Brick. Brick…" She breathed, grabbing him by the neck and pulling him to her tightly. Brick had to ask her to loosen slightly; her grip was so strong.
"You were, gone." Brick said, wiping a tear from the tip of her nose.
"I, I was there, in his room. I saw him Brick, on top of me, I saw him…"
"You were thrashing about, screaming, crying, it was horrible, like, witnessing it." Brick said.
"I was witnessing it too…it was like being a ghost, watching but not being able to control my own body. It was a flashback. I've seen patients go through them at the hospital. They're…not nice. I'm sorry Brick, it just came out of no where."
"Don't apologize, this isn't your fault, none of it is. How are you going to cope for 3 months on your own?" Brick asked, holding her face delicately.
"I'll be fine, I promise. This was, worse then it seemed, trust me."
Brick was round Boomer's place again. Since his break up with Blossom, the two of them had grown close, and even more so since finding out what Butch had done.
He had an ulterior motive these days though. He could find out how Blossom was doing through Bubbles, who just happened to update Boomer when Brick was over.
He had a hidden agenda even more so today. Brick had a little job for his blonde brother to do.
Bubbles was napping on the sofa, which was the perfect situation for Brick, as he didn't want Bubbles overhearing their conversation. She would only ask questions, and he didn't need any speculation right now.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Boomer asked, placing a mug of coffee down in front of Brick as they sat at the breakfast bar.
"I need you to do something for me." Brick said conspiringly.
"What?"
"I need you to find out as much as you can about Jeremy Paxton."
Boomer's face scrunched up in confusion. "Jeremy Paxton? Where do I know that name from?"
"He works with Bubbles. I need as much info as you can muster without causing any suspicion from Bubbles, okay? Address, phone number, current location, anything." Brick said, leaning closer.
"Why? Wasn't he the one that dated Blossom?"
Brick ground his teeth. "Yes. He was, but that has nothing to do with this. Just don't ask questions, find out as much as you can."
"You can't give me a job and not tell me why!"
"Let's just say, I need to deal with him."
Boomer lets out a sigh. "I get it. Brick, seriously, that's just silly. Blossom's not even in Townsville right now. So why don't you take the next couple of months till she's back to move on, find a nice girl to settle down with? I can hook you up with a cutie or two from my work if you want?"
"Boomer, this isn't out of jealousy. I just need you to do this for me." Brick said, losing his patience.
"If it's not out of jealousy then what is it out of?" Boomer queried skeptically.
"I can't tell you right now. But I just need to contact him, you understand?"
Boomer exhaled loudly and nodded. "Fine. But what I can tell you already is that he's on holiday. I remember Bubbles yabbing on about him being abroad somewhere hot at the moment, wishing we were abroad right now too. So, you're going to have to wait till he's back in Townsville."
Brick scoffed. Of course he was out of town. He was obviously hiding. "Okay, that's fine. I can wait." Brick cracked his knuckles one by one.
Bubbles hummed a contented tune as she sat at the breakfast bar with her brunette sister, looking down longingly at her newest sonogram scan. At 21 weeks pregnant, Bubbles had the tiniest pert bump sitting on her stomach daintily.
It was mid April, and Blossom hadn't visited as she said she would. Bubbles couldn't pretend she wasn't disappointed; she was, especially as Blossom had said she wasn't allowed visitors either. But she was due back in 2 weeks, and despite feeling a little hurt that she hadn't come to see her pregnant sister, Bubbles had decided to throw her a welcome home party to be hosted at her home. Buttercup was over to help her plan.
She called it helping, but in reality Buttercup was listening to Bubbles chatter away, and raiding her cupboards.
"So do you know who to invite?" Buttercup asked, spraying crumbs across the table as she asked.
Bubbles glared at her momentarily as crumbs landed on her scan picture. "Be careful Buttercup! You got crumbs all over her." She smiled, stroked the baby's head with her little finger.
"Well put it down for five seconds then!"
"I can't stop staring at her. She's beautiful. The Professor was so happy when I told him the baby was a girl; his first granddaughter." Bubbles gushed.
"Yeah, have you got any more cookies?" Buttercup asked, not even comprehending what Bubbles had said.
"Buttercup! Stop eating! Jeez I'm the pregnant one here!"
"And you're not even taking advantage of that fact! I mean, look at your tummy, its tiny, what is that?!" Buttercup said, pointing at her sisters'small bump.
"What can I say, I'm petite! And she's perfectly healthy, which is the most important thing." Bubbles crooned, patting her little bump.
"I know, but you're one of them lucky bitches you see at the doctors surgery who are just as pregnant as you, half the size and not having any of the symptoms. I hated woman like you when I was pregnant."
"It's not my fault my girls good to me!"
"Yeahh well I shoulda expected it, Jay's a little shit still, shoulda known it wouldn't have stopped outta the womb. SO. What are we doing with this party? Why don't you write a list of people to invite?" Buttercup said, sitting back down opposite Bubbles; she had found more cookies.
"Okay. Where do we start? Who does she get on with at her work? There's Tess and Tom, she goes on about them sometimes. And a couple of other doctors, Emma and Kayleigh. That Ethan guy. I can't think of any others…" Bubbles muttered, tapping her pen against the pad.
"Well, she doesn't really talk about work mates much does she? I can bring a couple of the guys from the leisure centre where I teach. So put down Hugo and Jez. The Professor and Kelly, obviously." Buttercup added.
"So including Boomer and me, you and your lot, that's fourteen guests. What about Butch and Brick?"
"Do you really think she'll want either of them there?"
"She'll want Brick." Bubbles said quietly, remembering how it had pained her sister to tell her Brick wasn't talking to her at the Christmas party. "She won't want Butch. But I'll have to invite him."
"Why?" Buttercup asked brashly. "It's a party for Blossom, and you just said she wouldn't want him there."
"He's Boomer's brother Buttercup! Can you imagine not inviting any of Mitch's family to an event?"
"I don't speak to any of Mitch's family." Buttercup said bluntly. "Cos I don't like em'!"
"Well, Boomer and I don't work like that. Come on, Butch is my brother in law. And him and Brick mean a lot to Boomer, they're all he's got."
"Fine, fine, tweedle dum and tweedle dee can come. That makes the numbers 16." Buttercup relented.
"I guess I can invite some of my work friends? They're always up for a party." Bubbles said, beginning to scrawl some names down. The front door opened and Boomer called a greeting to Bubbles and Buttercup as he arrived home from work. He then continued a conversation, and Bubbles realized he wasn't alone.
"Oh, hi Brick! We're just organizing a welcome home party for Blossom." Bubbles said, smiling at him and turning back to her paper. "Okay, so I've got down Grace, Michelle, Cindy, Brett and Max from my work. Max is newly single too, and he's so lovely! So maybe I could get him talking to Blossom." Bubbles pondered aloud.
"Yeah, because the last dancer guy you hooked her up with went so well." Buttercup said sarcastically.
Brick turned and looked at them, wondering if they knew. No, they can't have. Buttercup would have killed the guy if she found out. And Bubbles wouldn't be trying to hook Blossom up with people.
"What about Jeremy? Think it'd be awkward?" Bubbles wondered. Buttercup shrugged in an uninterested fashion.
"Jeremy?" Brick barked suddenly. "You're inviting Jeremy?"
Two blank faces stared back at him. "What of it?"
"Bubbles, don't invite him." Brick cried vehemently.
"Why not?" Bubbles asked in a small, confused voice.
"Because, because, just don't okay? Blossom won't want him there, she really, really won't."
There was a stunned silence, in which Bubbles, Boomer and Buttercup gave him perplexed looks.
"Okay, I won't…" Bubbles murmured. Boomer grabbed Brick's jacket and pulled him out of the room.
Buttercup scowled as she watched them leave. "That guy, is a fucking fruit loop. He's just jealous Bubbles, invite him if you want."
"What the hell is going on with you man? You've been acting strange ever since Blossom left. You can't just flip at Bubbles for wanting to invite an ex of Blossom's, you're not with her anymore!" Boomer hissed, sitting down with Brick in the lounge, closing the door behind him.
"I told you this isn't about jealousy! This is- this is much more then silly relationship stuff okay! You've just got to trust me-" Brick instructed, but Boomer interrupted him.
"How can I trust you when I have no idea what's going on?! Can't you just let me in on all this with Jeremy so I can help?"
"No, I can't. But, not because I don't want to! It's not for me to tell. But, I will tell you this. Jeremy? He's dangerous. Keep Bubbles away from him." Brick said, deadly serious.
Boomer blinked as he stared at his brother. "What?"
"Look, that's all I can say. Just trust me on this one! When have I ever steered you wrong?"
Boomer gave his redheaded brother a speculative look.
Blossom heaved her armfuls of bags out of the taxi, sneering at the driver who watched her struggle with them all. She gave him a disgruntled glare and made her way up to her apartment, thanking the lord her apartment block had an elevator. It was 8th May. Blossom had just returned from Paston for 3 months and was glad, though nervous, to be home.
For she now had the task of telling them all she was expecting. Although, her large bump spoke for itself, she was 27 weeks gone.
She was most worried about Brick and Bubbles finding out. Brick because, well he would be a father in 3 months time and he didn't know it yet, and Bubbles because, there was that small voice in the back of her mind convinced Bubbles would feel thwarted.
Finally getting inside her home, she closed the door behind her and placed her bags and suitcases down by the door. Sighing happily, she headed for her sofa and flopped, well, as much as she could with a large melon up her top. There was nothing like snuggling up on your own sofa when you'd been away from home.
Planning to unpack tomorrow and watch a film tonight, Blossom rested her hand on her tummy, feeling the baby within kick and shift towards it. But just as she'd gotten comfy, which takes longer then you'd think in your final trimester of pregnancy, the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Blossom! You're home!" Bubbles cried from the other end of the phone. "That's great! How are you?"
"Hi Bubbles, I'm fine, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Listen, can you come over to mine for a bit? I've missed you so much, and I've got a bump now! And my baby girl is kicking now, I want you to feel her!"
Blossom looked down at her visibly wiggling stomach and sighed. It was now or never I guess.
"Okay, I'll pop over for a bit." Blossom relented.
"Oh great! Okay, erm, can you make sure you wear something nice?" Bubbles asked sheepishly.
"Something nice? Is this a dig at my dress sense again?"
"No no! No, just in case we decide to go out for something to eat, or something." Bubbles explained lamely.
Blossom was suspicious of this, but agreed. She didn't have many fancy maternity outfit, but had treated herself to a semi dressy maternity blouse, thought she'd wear that.
As Blossom quickly changed in her bedroom, she thought of the last time she'd been in here with Brick. How he'd witnessed her having a flashback and completely freaked out. She'd barely heard from him while she was away. He'd text her a few times, and they'd had a few short phone calls, but that was about it. Blossom supposed she should call him soon; arrange to meet up so she could tell him he was going to be a Daddy. She had no clue as to how he would respond, or how to tell him. Remembering his words when Bubbles and Boomer announced their upcoming arrival, she wasn't sure it would be a great one.
'Can't say I honestly desire a family nowadays.'
Her stomach churned uncomfortably. She would just have to get it over with. At least she could tell her sisters before hand. They might be able to give her some advice; after all, they'd both had to tell someone they were going to be a father.
Blossom exhaled nervously as she knocked on Bubbles' front door. It was a nice neighborhood, where her sister lived, and she hoped one day to have a place like this, especially now, for her and her baby.
There was no answer, so she knocked again.
After a few seconds, Blossom heard a distant voice yell "It's open!"
So Blossom let herself in apprehensively.
It was dark, but the lights clicked on, and cries of "SURPRISE!" filled the room.
Blossom was so surprised she was shocked her waters didn't break early then and there.
The happy faces of family and friends welcoming Blossom home changed to stunned expressions, as all eyes in the room swiveled down to Blossom's large baby bump.
Everyone was there. Some of her work friends, the Professor, Kelly. Even Brick and Butch. And no one spoke, the wind had been knocked out of them all, no one expected to see that.
Blossom found Brick's wide red eyes amongst all the stares; she'd never seen him looking so shell shocked. She then found Bubbles, who looked extremely put out, sporting a small bump.
Not expecting to make this announcement to everyone at once, Blossom decides it's time to split. Not knowing exactly where to go, Blossom waddled as fast as she could into Bubbles room.
Bubbles, Buttercup, Boomer, Butch and Brick followed. Mitch looked on awkwardly at the other party goers and his father in law.
"Damn, Aunty Blossom's gotten fat huh!" Jay cried.
r&r :)
