Happy New Year! New chapter!

Chapter Thirteen

It was almost six o'clock before the Archer twins dropped Alley in front of the garage and took off to make it to their scheduled dinner in time. Chris was fretting about being late; Chex, of course, couldn't have cared less. They drove away, still arguing, as Alley waved goodbye, her purchases at her feet.

She picked up numerous shopping bags and slung them over her arms, then hefted the heavy box bearing the disassembled pieces of her new desk, awkwardly dragging it into the garage and wishing she'd taken Chris up on his offer of helping to lug it up to the apartment. But since purchasing the desk at the last minute was the reason they were running late to begin with, she'd insisted he leave to meet his father as planned.

She noticed that Stoker's bike was gone again, but Throttle and Modo were engaged in a card game. Throttle looked up, chuckling as she staggered past the folding card table. "Need a hand there, Alley-girl?" he asked.

"That would not be unappreciated. Thanks," she replied with a weak grin, handing off the box to him. "You can just leave it in the living room against the wall or something. I'll put it together later." She started up the stairs for the apartment, shifting the bags in her arms as she went.

"I thought you were shopping for a phone. Did you buy the whole store out?" he teased.

Alley laughed. "Oh, sure. I couldn't decide which one I wanted so I figured I might as well just take … them … " Her words trailed off and she stopped dead in her tracks just outside the living room, bags sliding from her suddenly-limp arms. Throttle nearly ran into her as he came through the door, hastily sidestepping to avoid bowling her over. His protest died in his throat when he caught sight of what she was gawking at.

Charley and Vinnie were in the kitchen. They'd come up earlier to make dinner, but that sure didn't look like what they were doing. Charley leaned against the counter, arms crossed, and Vinnie stood just in front of her. It seemed innocent enough, but the white mouse stood just a little too close, eyes lidded as he spoke quietly, clearly flirting.

The eavesdroppers waited for her to push him away with a laugh and a retort, like she usually did when he got too cheeky. Instead, she offered a slow smile and raised her hand to gently tickle the fur under his chin, and that was enough to make his ears turn pink. His tail snaked around her legs, tugging her closer as her arm slid around his shoulders. He lowered his head to softly nuzzle at her ear, one hand settling on her hip as her eyes began to flutter closed.

And Alley just couldn't hold it in anymore. "What the hell?" she yelped, and the pair jumped apart like a bomb had gone off between them, expressions torn between startled and mortified. Unfortunately, Vinnie's tail was still wrapped around Charley's legs; she was yanked forward and straight into him, losing her balance and sending them both crashing to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

Before Alley could open her mouth again, a pair of black-gloved hands clapped around her head and what felt like a boa constrictor coiled tightly around her waist, lifting her clean off the floor. "Sorry about the interruption, folks," Throttle's voice purred in her ear. "We'll just be … er … in the garage. Just minding our own business! Carry on!" And he forcefully carted a fuming Alley back down the stairs, leaving the pair to untangle themselves.

"Uh … did I miss somethin'?" Modo took in the odd scene with raised eyebrow.

"You sure did," Throttle chuckled. He turned Alley around, tail still tightly wound about her waist. "If I let you go, do you promise not to go chargin' back up there?" he asked sternly.

She replied with narrowed eyes … and a sharp kick to the knee that made him yelp. "Put … me … down," she muffled around his hand.

"Better do as she says, Throttle. Before she bites ya next," Modo warned with a grin.

Alley jerked her head free from Throttle's hands. "I wouldn't do that," she said sweetly. "I'd hate to have to pick fur out of my teeth, after all."

Throttle cocked an eyebrow, pulled off his glove and held a hand in front of her face, palm forward. The skin was tan and calloused … and completely bald. She'd never studied their hands so closely before, and had never noticed how the fur shortened over the backs and disappeared entirely over the palms and insides of their fingers. Throttle's hand was very much like a human's, but a little more elongated, with thicker pads on palms and fingers, and knuckles a little more pronounced. His nails were trimmed but seemed thicker than normal; she wondered if they'd grow into natural claws if he didn't cut them, and whether he'd be offended if she asked.

And then she gave herself a mental shake, reminded of the issue at hand and pissed that she'd let herself get distracted so easily. "What the hell is going on between those two?" she barked, jerking her head toward the stairs.

"That's actually a really good question," Throttle replied with another chuckle. "Looks like Vincent and I need to have a little chat." He looked undeniably pleased.

"Wait." Modo's eye widened. "You mean to say … Vinnie and Charley Ma'am…"

"Looks like. Bit of bad timing on our part, though."

"Whoa, Mama." Modo sat back in his chair, one hand coming to rest on his forehead. "I ain't never thought I'd see the day when those two actually quit dancin' around the subject an' get straight to the point."

"Yep. Looks like some congratulations may be in order," Throttle agreed.

"Heh. Yeah. An' a whole lotta ribbin," Modo finished with a grin. "This's gonna be fun."

Throttle jumped and grunted when another sharp jab in the leg reminded him of Alley's presence. She glared at him, arms crossed, one eyebrow cocked and lips pursed with displeasure; the very picture of impatience. She probably would've been tapping her foot on the floor, just for added affect … except she was currently dangling a foot above it, still wrapped firmly in his tail.

"Oh. Whoops. Almost forgot about you."

"Ya think?"

He grinned and set her on her feet, but still held her in place. "Stay," he told her firmly.

She just glared harder. "What am I, a puppy?"

"Stop being difficult," he sighed, finally unwinding his tail from her waist. "There's no reason to get so upset."

"No reason? Your pal was macking on my cousin and … and she was macking back! Sure, what's there to be upset about?"

Utter silence greeted her words. Both mice stared at her and neither of them looked particularly happy; she had the oddest sense of having just walked herself casually into a lion's den. Blindfolded.

"You sayin' you don't approve?" Modo finally asked, voice dangerously soft.

"Are you saying you do?" she shot back.

"Those two've been dancin' around each other since they met. 'Bout time Vinnie wised up and started takin' stuff a little more seriously," Throttle grunted. "She's good for him. And I think he's finally figuring that out."

Alley chewed on her lower lip, brow furrowed as she thought about what to say and how to say it without setting either of them off. "I just think … it isn't a good idea," she hedged. "Vinnie isn't exactly the … take-him-home-to-meet-the-folks kinda guy. Didn't we just establish earlier that letting the world find out about you is a bad thing? That humans aren't ready to accept the fact that aliens walk among them?"

"Who says the world's gotta know?"

"Oh, come on!" She started to pace, getting frustrated. "What kind of … of relationship could they possibly have when they'd never be able to … go out on normal dates or meet up with friends and family at holidays? What if things actually get serious and they decide to take it further? Get married or whatever? Exactly who would be invited to the wedding? You think Charley's parents wouldn't be hurt that their only daughter actually gets herself hitched and they never even get a chance to meet the guy?"

"Okay, kid, derail that train of thought right there."

Charley stomped down the stairs, clearly having heard most of the conversation, and looking none-too-pleased as she dragged a protesting Vinnie behind her. She marched herself over to her cousin, lips drawn into a thin line. She maintained a solid hold on Vinnie's hand, who looked like he was ready to turn tail and bolt, offering a sheepish grin to his brothers when they looked at him with raised eyebrows.

Charley didn't even look at the other two, her attention focused strictly on her fidgeting cousin. "Alley, I realize that you've only known these guys a short time," she began, voice stern. "I realize that you probably hold the same natural prejudices as any other human who'd meet them, and I won't fault you for that. I imagine the thought of me being with what essentially amounts to a giant, talking animal might even sicken you a little. And I won't fault you for that, either."

Alley tried to speak, but Charley held up a hand, blocking her words. "I'm only going to tell you this once. These guys are as much family to me as anyone I've known. I would do anything to protect them, even give up my life, my career, my family. I've never thought of them as animals. Under the fur and the tails and the mousy features, they're more … more people than a lot of humans I've met, and having them fall into my life was nothing short of a miracle. And whatever this is…" She gestured between herself and Vinnie. "Whatever may or may not be starting, or evolving … it's strictly between us. What I choose to do with my life, who I choose to do it with, is nobody's business but mine. You can either accept that fact and move on, or you can pack it up and move yourself back to Florida. The choice is yours."

There was utter silence. All three mice gaped at her, stunned by the confession, and the absolute conviction in her roiling emotions. Alley stared at her for a long moment, face shifting through a myriad of expressions. She blinked a few times, a tell-tale glitter brightening her eyes, and her chin quivered ever-so-slightly before she jerked her head in a brief, shaky nod and turned to flee the garage.

As soon as she disappeared up the stairs, Charley's bravado vanished. She dropped Vinnie's hand and ran her own hands through her hair, breath leaving her in a rush as what she'd just said and who she'd just said it in front of hit her with the force of a brick to the head. Her face was flaming, and she couldn't bring herself to meet anyone's eyes. She wasn't empathic but even she could feel their shock reverberating in the room. "Well, uh, guess I'd better get back to work. These cars won't fix themselves," she mumbled, reaching for her tools … only to find a strong, furry arm sliding around her shoulders from behind, pulling her back against a warm chest.

"Did you really mean all that?" Vinnie asked, voice awed. "What you said just now, is it true?"

She squirmed, face growing even hotter with embarrassment. It wasn't often she let her temper get the best of her. She worked way too hard to appear tough and capable and to set such a girly-girl display of emotion loose in front of the egomaniacs was a serious blow to her pride. "C'mon, fellas. You think I'd let you clumsy lummoxes run loose in my garage and home if I didn't like you?" she joked weakly.

"Then … what about the last part?" Vinnie pressed. "This mean you're my girl now?"

She squirmed again, biting her lip and peeking up to find Modo and Throttle grinning openly at her. They looked so happy that she found herself relaxing a little, a small, shy smile twitching at her lips. "I guess … it couldn't hurt to see where things go from here," she replied.

Immediately, Vinnie's other arm joined the first and Charley yelped as she found herself lifted clean off her feet and spun around, nearly deafened by his whoop of joy. Throttle and Modo high-fived, and Vinnie plopped Charley on her feet and grinned down into her blushing face, hands resting at the juncture of her neck. His thumbs caressed her jawline and that, coupled with the open adoration in his red eyes, was enough to make her weak in the knees.

But his expression slowly changed, happiness replaced by growing doubt. "But, ya know … Sweetheart, what Alley girl said ain't wrong," he mumbled, ears drooping. "I don't got anything to offer you. Can't take you to fancy restaurants or do anything normal people do on this planet. An' it'll be awful hard to explain to your folks why you never bring the boyfriend to meet 'em. I mean, given her reaction, what d'ya think they'll have to say about it?"

"I don't really care," she replied softly, her hand sliding up to cup his cheek. "Like I told her, what we do is our business. Whatever this is, let's just take it a step at a time, yeah? No need to think too far ahead, is there? As for the rest of it, I've never been a flower and chocolates type of girl, and you know I don't have time for fancy dates. All I need from you is … is your promise that you won't turn tail and run the moment things get tough. No matter what anyone says or does, if we just stick it out together, I think … I think it'll all work out just fine."

He offered a slow smile, pressing their foreheads together. "Lady, you have made a very wise decision," he murmured. "I promise, you are not gonna regret it."

Whatever he might have said or done next was disrupted by loud whoops and catcalls from their nearly-forgotten audience. "Better'n a movie!" Modo cheered, as Throttle heaved a dramatic, love-sick sigh and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye.

"It just … gets a bro right here," he simpered, tapping a fist to his heart. "Anyone got some antacid on 'em?"

Vinnie glowered, arms tightening protectively around Charley, who bumped her forehead against his chest, rocking it back and forth as her shoulders shook with laughter. "Oh, I am so gonna regret this."

Yeeeah, so, some of you probably don't like Alley very much right now. That's okay. I'm expecting it and she's meant to have some unlikeable (and thereby realistic) traits. She's only human, after all. She's gotta learn.