Chapter 14

Stocking ran blindly trying to outrun the pain she felt, she just wanted to be alone for a moment. Unfortunately she ran straight into Kneesocks who was leaving her classroom followed by Scanty.

"You again?!" Kneesocks cried in outrage. She stood up and grabbed her twin scythes.

"This is the last time you break the RRUUURRUUU!" She shouted her face flushed with anger. Still dazed from her fall and her confrontation with Panty Stocking tries to continue running but Kneesocks steps in front of her. Before she has time to react Kneesocks' scythe is rushing at her.

Brief is looking at his desk not paying attention to the teacher. Once again he is thinking about what he happened the day before. The edge of is irises had turned red again but this time had hadn't used any of his gadgets. "Did I use ghosts speed to escape from Dwayne? What is happening to me?" Stockings mad yell snapped him out of his thoughts.

Excusing himself en went to look for her. He did not have to look long because as soon as he left the classroom Stocking ran past him. "She's crying! What happened?" Brief followed her and wondered briefly where Panty was. He catches up to her just in time to see Stocking all but tackle Kneesocks to the ground.

"Stop!" someone yelled and upon hearing the sound Scanty hesitated for a split second. In that split second Brief was suddenly beside her. Stocking felt him grab her hand and pull her back. The scythe hit the floor with a loud clank. The four of them glared at each other until Scanty's eyes found Briefs and she looked away. "I hate him so much. How could he refuse to marry me?" Scanty thought again remembering the deal her and his father had made. The bell rang and students began pouring out of the classrooms. Kneesocks and Scanty gave the two of them a last angry glare and walked off to their next class.

"Thanks." Stocking said after she had gathered herself.

"Yea sure." He replied distracted. She saw again the red color in his eyes before he looked away from her.

"Why don't you come over to the church?" Stocking asked. Brief looked at her surprised at the offer but smiled in delight. Stocking blushed lightly.

"I mean, you don't have anywhere to hide your gadgets now right? So you can store them there as a thank you for saving me." Stocking said fast trying to hide her blush. Briefs smiled fell a little bit at hearing that but soon smiled brightly at her again.

"Yea sure, see you there then."

Garterbelt knelt in the remnants of the building were Stocking was held and Brief nearly died. He caught movement in the corner of his eye and instantly turned springing to his feet. The person he faced was little, barely reaching above his waist, red skinned and cloaked. Garterbelt's stance relaxed a bit but was still defensive.

"Thumbscrew," Garterbelt said coldly more an acknowledgement of his presence than a greeting, "why are you here?"

"I expect for much of the same reason you are." His voice was high almost screechy but at the same time coaxing. He always reminded Garterbelt of a snake.

"Leave this alone, Thumbscrew," Garterbelt threatened, "Panty, Stocking and Brief are under my protection."

"Now, now Garter. You know I've never directly caused someone bodily harm. Making a deal with me on the other hand is entirely by choice." Garterbelt clenched his fist frustrated knowing there was nothing he could do to prevent that.

"See you around Garter" Thumbscrew said smug and menacingly before he vanished in the shadows.

Most of the gadgets Brief had built had been destroyed when the building collapsed. The few gadgets that had survived he had in his backpack. He knocked on the door to the church. "Did she just suggest me coming here to thank me? I just don't know what to think anymore." There was a faint rustling sound behind him. Chuck jumped at him snarling. Panic rose up in Brief as he saw the sharp teeth coming at him. Chucks teeth clamped down on his left arm.

Brief flailed his arm until the centrifugal force made Chuck let go. Brief punched Chuck with his right fist wanting the creature to be as far away from him as possible. Chuck flew clear over the church yelping all the way and Brief stared astonished he had punched him so hard. It was only after he couldn't see chuck anymore that he noticed he hadn't even felt pain when Chuck had bitten him. He looked at his arm and saw a faint shimmer of metal that quickly vanished from his skin. "What the hell? What is happening to me." Brief thought back and remembered his fight with Dwayne and what had happened the day before with Stocking and Kneesocks. His eyes went wide. "No! It can't be!"

"Brief?" He jumped startled. Stocking had opened the door to let him in and she looked at him questioningly, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. Chuck almost mauled me." Brief confessed embarrassed, "But it's fine he went off to do something else."

"Okay, well then don't stand there and come in."

"Garter doesn't like stuff lying around and panty would probably just break everything," Stocking said, "so for now you can put those in my room."

"Your room? Is that okay?" Brief had expected his gadgets to be stuffed in some closet.

"It's fine." She smiled at Brief.

They went to her room and Stocking told Brief to put his stuff in the corner she pointed at before she lay down on her bed. While Brief was busy taking thing out of his backpack Stocking sat behind her laptop.

Brief stood in the room unsure what to do. Wanted to spend more time with Stocking and find an opportunity to tell her how he felt.

"He S…Stocking," she looked up at him curious why he was nervous, "what… eh…" He hesitated, now was not a good time. Stocking didn't interrupt and was too busy staring at his eyes totally entranced. "How does he manage to look cute even when he's all nervous like that?" she wondered."What are you looking at?" He instead said turning to see the screen of the laptop.

Stocking explained she was ordering a new delivery of sweets and went quiet again. She wanted to talk to Brief but she was so confused and didn't know what to say. After a while Brief stood up. "Eh, Thank you for letting me put my stuff here," he said and moved to the door. Stocking grabbed his arm stopping him.

"You're going?" she asked bewildered.

"Eh, well you looked busy so I thought I wouldn't bother you any longer."

"What?! You're not a bother! Besides I want… I mean you didn't even see Panty yet." She caught herself. "I almost told him I wanted him to stay! If I did that he would ask why, how would I explain?"

"I didn't come here for Panty, I came here for you." He said smiling at her. Stockings breath got caught in her throat. "What does he mean by that?" She couldn't allow herself hope before but now she just might. Brief continued to look and smile at her but his eyes took on an intense glow.

"Stocking, I…" KRAKOOM!

Both of them jumped at the unexpected sound of thunder. "What is it with me and thunder?!" thought Brief.

"Eh, you can't go outside in that s…storm so why don't we watch a movie?" Stocking suggested.

"Yea, sounds like fun." Brief sighed. "Every time I try to get serious with Stocking something interrupts me. This is so frustrating!"

Brief made got comfortable on the sofa as Stocking was flipping through channels looking for a good movie. She decided on a movie and laid back. Already munching on a candy bar she offered one to Brief and he looked at her with one eyebrow raised questioningly.

"What?" Stocking asked.

"A romance movie? I was expecting a horror or an action movie at the very least." She blushed.

"Yea well, I can like different things. Just don't tell Panty 'because I'd never hear the end of it."

Later Brief would not even remember what he movie was about. His attention wasn't on the movie it was more focused on Stocking. She was immersed in the movie and all her tension had left her. When the movie got exiting she gasped and when it got romantic she squealed in delight and her eyes sparkled. She was purely herself more so than when she acting in her angelic duties. Brief thought she was utterly breathtakingly beautiful.

Unconsciously Brief had moved closer to her and now their body's almost touched. He moved even closer and Stocking turned to him. Her face only a few inches from his now and Brief was remained of the night they almost kissed. He closed the last distance between them and felt her soft lips losing himself in the kiss.

Stocking caught movement in the corner of her eye and turned to look at Brief. He was unexpectedly close only a few inches from her face. She almost moved away but his eyes held her looking even more intense at her then earlier. "What…?" Before she could finish her, thought his lips where upon her. It felt as if she had been struck by lightning, electricity running through her entire body.

She tore away from the kiss as fast as if she had actually been hit by lightning. Too many emotions ran through her head and she ended up looking confused and shocked at Brief. He opened his eyes and looked at Stocking when she suddenly pulled back. She saw confusion and then hurt in his eyes.

"I…I'm sorry," He whispered and although he tried not to show it she heard the pain in his voice, "I thought…I guess I was wrong." He stood up and walked away.

The door closed and Stocking snapped out of her shocked state. "Oh no! What have I done?!" She ran to the door and threw it open planning to run after Brief. The thunder had become a full blow storm and she couldn't see Brief anywhere. Defeated she went back inside and curled up on the sofa. "Why did I do that? I wanted him to feel for me so much and now he probably hates me."

Panty came home and saw Stocking sleeping on the sofa uneaten sweets on the floor. "She's been in a bad mood lately but this hasn't happened before. What happened?" Panty became even more worried when Brief did not show up for school the next day and Stocking acted like she didn't even notice.

"Stocking, you like him so why don't you just fucking tell him already?" Stocking looked at her with a pained expression.

"Maybe." Panty could see that it was no use so she needed to talk to Brief.

"I hate it when I have to do stuff like this. I'm not good at all this touchy feely stuff dammit!" Panty had never been to Briefs house before and the size of it took her by surprise. The door was answered by an thin man with grey hair, kind eyes and a kind smile.

"Can I help you?"

"Yea…eh hi, I'm looking for Geekb…I'm looking for Brief"

"Would you perhaps be Stocking?" The man asked looking uncomfortable.

"No I'm Panty actually." The man looked disappointed and relieved at the same time.

"I see, nice to meet you. Young Master Rock is upstairs in his bedroom. Left hallway third door on your left." He motioned for her to come inside. "Why did he think I was Stocking?"

"Got it" Panty walked over to his bedroom and knocked on the door.

Name: Zapnight fever

Race: Ghost

Gender: Male

Appearance: Ghost: A TV which shows orange fuzz and an angry face.

Ability: Zap himself to another location, zap people and change them into someone else.

Death: Made up of the frustration of everyone who could not find anything on TV and spend the entire night zapping along the channels.

Occupation: -

Defeated by: Panty and Stocking

Heaven Coins: 2

A/N: another emotional chapter this time but there are still a few surprises to come.

Panty may seem to be a bit OOC but she feels things had to be done and she was the only one that could do it. also I think the new emotions she feels make her a bit more understanding. well I hope you like how things are developing.

Next chapter will be up this weekend or the day after.

Any comments or questions, Please review.