This would be the long-awaited sequel to Last Night. I'm still not totally sure I love how this song fits in, but it's the closest I've come to finding something that works.
Oh, and thanks for all of your suggestions! They're all great songs, so don't be surprised if I end up using one (or more) of them! :)
I have another song in the works, so I should post another shortly after this one, or vice versa, depending on how my muse chooses to operate.
#3#
Title:
Rating: T.
Couple: Max/Terry
Song and Band: "Dirty Little Secret" by Pillar
Disclaimer: I don't own the song/band, and I most definitely don't own Batman Beyond.
4
"And that is why we believe this merger we've made with your company will be so essential to the working man. Synthodrones are the new wave in A.I. technology, and we are ecstatic to have this chance to work with the Wayne-Powers Company."
Max was barely paying attention to the nerdy, if somewhat cute, presenter. He was representing one of Gotham's biggest up-and-coming synthodrone company, and Wayne-Powers had just signed off on a deal with them. Even though Max was Wayne-Powers' Head of Technology Resources, she was in a completely other world.
Staring down at the blank pieces of paper like they held the key to life and kept fidgeting, mostly with her hands. Specifically, she kept nervously rubbing her left ring finger.
Why can't we try and understand
All these images are out of hand?
And intimate by every man
That thinks he's on his own
After several hours of serious talking, Max and Terry decided it was best to pretend as though the whole, drunken marriage has never actually happened. They were going to go on with their lives until their lawyers had the marriage successfully annulled and sealed.
Max just wanted everything to go back to normal, but if the past two weeks had been any indication, that wasn't going to happen any time soon.
Standing up abruptly, Max straightened her grey business skirt and checked that her white blouse was firmly tucked in to the waistband of the skirt. Trying to gather her thoughts
and recall what this meeting had been about, she said, "And Wayne-Powers is happy to welcome you."
She shook hands with all of the businessmen, and as soon as the ceiling-high, heavy oak doors were firmly shut behind them, Max went back to twisting her fingers around her left ring finger. As she did, still staring out at the door, her personal secretary and close friend burst through the door, grinning like a maniac.
"Holy shit," she said in an exaggerated half-whisper. "Did you hear?!"
Max stopped twisting her fingers long enough to peer down curiously at the 5'2 peroxide blonde bombshell. She was definitely one of Wayne-Powers'… quirkier secretaries, but Gina was 100-percent original.
At the moment, Gina's baby-blue eyes were widened comically as she said, "Terry got married!"
And all this time
We've been heading nowhere really fast
Never knowing without the past
That make us feel alone
If Max had been drinking something, she probably would have spit it all out, right out of a bad TV show. Instead, she managed to control her composure, only straightening up her posture and narrowing her eyes slightly. "And just where did you hear that piece of gossip, Gina?" she asked, clearing her throat when her voice broke on the word where.
"Well, there have been a few whispers 'round the water cooler 'bout Mr. McGinnis meeting a hottie at the bar and hooking up with her," Gina said, biting her lip in concentration. "But I have the real scoop. See, my best receptionist friend has a sister who's a receptionist at a high-profile law firm and just so happens to be sleeping with one of Gotham's most famous lawyers- ya' know who I'm talking about- the same one Mr. McGinnis has on permanent retainer. So, he lets it slip after sex one night- 'cuz ya' know men- they always drop the walls and get chatty after sex- and he mentions that Terry accidentally tied the knot, and wants it all to go away. Fast."
Max mustered up a rather convincing smile and shook her head. "Oh, Gina," she said, turning around to her stack of papers and the folders containing copies of the contract and specs of the latest synthodrones Wayne-Powers would be receiving. "I really doubt that Terry would ever have done something as irrational as getting married in Vegas."
"Well, duh," Gina said, walking over to the table and helping her collect the manila folders and stack them together into a neat pile. "He wouldn't get married in Vegas. Atlantic City is much closer to Gotham than Las Vegas."
But now that all the covers blown
You can see how much you've thrown
Out the door to wake before
You try and let this go
Max walked down the long, marble floor hallway, her stiletto heels click-clacking. Working at the Wayne-Powers Company had taught her how to maintain perfect composure, even though she felt like everything was falling apart around her.
She kept on walking, bursting through Terry's office doors without a second thought. Luckily for him, he was alone in his office, so no one was there to hear her announce, "Ter, we're screwed. It's already getting around that you accidentally got married, and it's only a matter of time until they figure out who the other person is. Was. Shit. Whatever."
Max collapsed into the nearest chair and rested her head in her hands. Terry got up from behind his desk and said, "How could they already have figured this shit out?"
"Oh, some secretary is sleeping with your- our- lawyer. And this same idiot lawyer also accidentally dropped the bomb on you tying the knot," she said, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "What are we going to do, Ter?"
You've got this dirty little secret
You're tryin' hard to keep it
Out of sight, out of mind
But you can't hide
This dirty little secret
You're tryin' hard to keep it
Out of sight, out of mind
But you can't hide
Terry squatted down in front of her, pulling her hands away from her face. Looking her in the eye, he replied, "No one's going to believe those rumors, especially if they still don't know who I'm married to. Besides, you have to remember Wayne. He was a notorious playboy, and inspired quite a few rumors. It's weird, but his crappy reputation is probably what's going to help me distract everyone long enough that we can end this neatly and quietly."
"Is that possible?" she asked, looking down. He was still holding her hands in his own. Dark mocha was cradled in translucent cream. "We got drunk and got married. And we're best friends. How will this ever end neatly?"
Terry smiled back at her, but she recognized the slightest trace of bitterness in his grin. "As you just said, I'm your best friend," he replied. "That means I'll make sure this ends neatly, no matter what."
When will you see
That the end will come eventually?
But you can't just let it be
You have to take control
It was a week later, and Max wasn't feeling any better about herself. If anything, she felt like she had been stuck in a permanent state of 'hung over,' since she and Terry had left the hotel weeks ago.
Her nose was buried in another set of files, this one authorizing some big oil tycoon client. Before she walked into the room where the meeting was to be held, she stopped to quickly jot down some notes on their most recent contract. As she did, she could hear muffled voices coming from inside the room.
"…and he keeps denying it, but I don't know how long McGinnis will be able to keep this shit up. I mean, people talk, and he won't be able to keep this lie going forever."
Max's breath caught in her throat, and she leaned up against the wall for support. She pressed her ear closer to the doorway to try and hear more of the conversation.
"Oh, I dunno, Tom. Maybe it is just a rumor. He wouldn't do something that dumb. Besides, even if he did, she's probably just another airheaded supermodel. Look at Wayne. I really doubt the apple falls that far from the tree in this case."
"That's just it! It doesn't make any sense. If he hooked up with a random supermodel, it's no big deal. Everyone would be expecting that, and after the first few days, we'd all forget about. That's why I think he didn't hook up with some random airhead. Whoever this girl is that he got married to, I think he already knows her. That's why he's trying so hard to protect, not his own ass, but hers."
"…That's just too crazy, Tom. Besides, you know Gibson will fry our asses for speaking ill of her best friend."
And grab a hold
Of the one thing that you can't let go
It doesn't matter what you know
You're stuck inside this hole
Yet again, Max found herself back in Terry's office. She had all but run the entire way there, scaring a few temps and secretaries in her haste. She pushed the heavy double-doors open, the loud bang the doors made as they collided with the walls somewhat comforting.
"I can't do this," she announced. Once more, there was no one else in Terry's office, so she was free to slam the double-doors shut and spin back on her heel to face her best friend. "Everyone knows. They all know you got hitched, even though you're denying it to everyone. I have a feeling that your insistent denying is probably just making the rumor worse."
Just like the week before, Terry got up from behind his desk and walked over to his best and most likely only friend as she slumped in the same leather seat. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, dropping down to one knee so they could be eye-to-eye.
"I don't know, Ter," she replied. She was being completely honest, too. She didn't want to ruin his reputation, and she didn't want to ruin hers, either. And both their reputations would be completely ruined the second she was revealed as he accidental bride. "I just don't think this'll ever end neatly. And even if it does, it sure as hell won't end fast enough."
You've got this dirty little secret
You're tryin' hard to keep it
Out of sight, out of mind
But you can't hide
This dirty little secret
You're tryin' hard to keep it
Out of sight, out of mind
But you can't hide
"Well, there is always one solution," Terry said, momentarily breaking eye contact. Shifting his weight, he slipped his hand into his right jacket pocket and pulled something out of it. "But I doubt you'll want to consider it."
Max snorted softly, letting her head drop down to stare sullenly at her knees. "Even if I don't want to, I think I have to," she replied. "I don't think I have another option."
"True," he said, smiling wryly. "But I still think you should take a couple of days to consider this option, just to be on the safe side."
Tipping her head back to look at Terry with questioning eyes, she watched as he reached over and gripped her hand tightly and comfortingly. When he let go, she realized he had pressed something into her palm. Pulling back her hand, she released her grip and stared down at the object, a small smile curving onto her face.
"I promise I'll wait three days, minimum," she said, her voice barely a half-whisper as she stood up from her seat and walked out of the room.
You've got this dirty little secret
You're tryin' hard to keep it
Out of sight, out of mind
But you can't hide
This dirty little secret
You're tryin' hard to keep it
Out of sight, out of mind
But you can't hide
"The official report is that Mr. Terry McGinnis, the current CFO and head director of the Wayne-Powers Company, eloped with his high school friend Head of Technologies, Ms. Maxine Gibson, almost a month and a half ago. They decided to reveal their marriage after several rumors began circulating that Mr. McGinnis had gotten drunk and accidentally married. Wayne-Powers' board of CEOs, most specifically Paxton Powers, have not yet released their official opinion on the matter, but-"
Max rolled her eyes and angrily punched the OFF button on the small, black remote, effectively cutting off the reporter's speech. "Like Powers has anything positive to say about you getting married to me," she said, grumbling mostly to herself as she turned to her best friend… er, husband.
It was going to take her a while to get used to thinking of him as that.
"I don't give a rat's ass about that dreg," Terry responded, grinning as he grabbed her hand and smoothly dragged her over to lean against his desk next to him. "I just want to make sure you're okay with this."
"I thought we established I was?" she asked, purposely putting a teasing lilt to the tone of her voice. Lifting up her hand, she watched as the sparkly rock glinted in the fading sun that slanted through the floor-to-ceiling windows in Terry's apartment. "Besides, like I was really going to let this puppy slip through my fingers."
Terry was silent for several seconds, studying her intently. Finally, narrowing his eyes, he asked, "Do I know you?"
You've got this dirty little secret
You're tryin' hard to keep it
Out of sight, out of mind
But you can't hide
This dirty little secret
You're tryin' hard to keep it
Out of sight, out of mind
But you can't hide
Max laughed. "You better," she replied, "We wouldn't want to disappoint the masses by getting a divorce."
"Not so soon. We should wait a few years and try again- y'know keep 'em guessing."
"You are a sick bastard, you know that, Mr. McGinnis?"
"Yes, I am aware of this, Mrs. McGinnis."
4
I will post this immediately, mostly because I don't want to see you guys burning effigies of me and posting them on YouTube. Personally, I like the ending. I can see this happening, I think. Though part of me wants to write a drabble of Mary freaking out because, "My baby didn't invite me to his own wedding?!"
She'd get over it eventually, but she's such a mom that we know she'd blow a gasket. Poor thing.
Hope you guys enjoyed Part 2!