Disclaimer: Megamind belongs to Dreamworks-not me! But this particular story and idea are mine.
Chapter 25: It's Mega-Goodbye
A/N: I'm very fond of this movie. I mean, I've changed my language even. Spiders are no longer spiders. They are Spee-iders! Hello is now Ollo! School is shool….you get the idea!
Roxanne busied herself with fluffing Bernard's pillows. Then she smoothed the wrinkles in the bedsheets. One of the generic watercolors hanging on the wall was crooked. After she straightened that, she moved onto the two chairs by the window of the hospital room. Once the bland furniture was neatly arranged, she went back to the pillows. They were pretty puffy already, but Bernard liked them to be specifically puffy. If even one side was puffier than the other, it would throw off his position. He had to sleep with his head in the center or he'd wake up with an aching neck.
"If you fluff my pillows anymore, the stuffing will come out," he drawled.
She tsked. "Well, you don't want to wake up in pain later do you? You've already got a broken femur, ribs and a concussion. An aching neck will just make things worse."
"That's what morphine is for," he joked.
Morphine usually made people loopy. But not Bernard. His characteristic frown was a permanent fixture on his face even when he was happy. For all his idiosyncrasies about everything, Bernard was actually a good patient. He didn't complain. Whereas at home, that's all he ever did. She brushed her hand across his forehead a few times, glaring at him good-naturedly. His eyes closed under her ministrations.
"Are they back yet?" he asked, woozy eyes reopening.
"…no, there's…no word. Yet."
Megamind and Wayne hadn't returned. It was well into the next afternoon. Then again, Mayhem Man hadn't returned either. The adage 'no news is good news' kept rolling through her mind, but in this case, no news might mean something had gone wrong…and they'd never know.
"Have you had anything to eat?" Bernard narrowed his eyes shrewdly.
Roxanne was pulled from her reverie. "There's a vending machine down the hall."
"That's not food, Roxie," he pointed out, frown deepening.
"I'm not hungry."
At that exact moment in time, her traitorous stomach chose to growl. Bernard smirked at her midsection.
"I think your appetite disagrees."
"Food is the last thing on my mind right now," she insisted. She cast a worried glance through the open curtains, hoping she'd see that flying car blazing through the sky, but nothing was there except the afternoon sun.
His fingers curled through hers. "Roxanne, go eat something right now. I don't want you to pass out from starvation. Who'd fuss over me to the point of irritation if you're unconscious?"
"But—"
"Now!" he droned. "My pillows will still be here for your fluffing pleasure when you get back."
"I don't want to leave you alone," she said, still hesitant.
"I'll be okay," he insisted. "If the pillows deflate, I'll press the Code Blue thing."
She chuckled. "You're not usually this humorous."
A tiny smile lifted the corners of his thin lips as he pointed to the IV drip hanging above his head. "Morphine. It's awakened my inner comedian."
"Maybe I should pilfer some from their supply closet and take it home with us."
"Good idea. Now go away. I'm tired."
Roxanne rolled her eyes. She leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek. "I'll be back soon, Chuckles."
She glanced at him one more time and then headed down to the cafeteria. The smell of garlic assaulted her senses without mercy. The cafeteria was full of people. The hospital had turned into a makeshift shelter because so many other buildings had been destroyed. They were even giving out meals for free, which was good because her purse was in the crushed news van.
Thinking about the van sent a pang of regret through her chest. The stoic little brain bot Seven was laying in the van's passenger seat. She'd taken him with her after Mayhem Man had crushed his small metal body. There was probably nothing left of him. The little cyborg had given its life to save hers.
Janeen and Minion were there and waved her over to a table in the corner. One bite of the spaghetti and she dove into her plate like a starving orphan. Sauce was smeared all over her cheek, but who cared? She hadn't eaten in…actually, she couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten anything.
"How's your husband?" Janeen asked conversationally.
It struck Roxanne that she and Janeen were strangers. She'd forgotten about that in all the melee.
"He's doing much better, thank you," she said, throwing the woman a grateful smile. "He has a concussion and the doctor said he might walk with a permanent limp, but he'll be just fine."
"I'm so glad," she replied.
"And what about you?" she asked, pointing at Janeen's ribs with her fork.
Janeen rubbed her side, wincing. "They're not broken. Just very bruised."
Roxanne nodded. "And you Minion? Everything okay?"
"Fit as a fiddle, Ms. Ritchi!" He opened the hatch on the top of his bowl and dropped a piece of chicken in, munching away.
They made small talk, avoiding bringing up the one worry plaguing their minds. Megamind and Wayne still hadn't made it home. As one, all three of them glanced out of the nearest window. Communication was impossible. Just the thought of watching that car take off into space with Mayhem hot on their heels still left her dumbfounded. Neither had seemed all that bothered by the certain danger space travel presented or that a maniac was chasing them down. Space wasn't something she thought about ever. It was just a part of life. Stars in the sky. Solar flares that messed with her phone. That's about all she had ever noticed.
Besides Bernard, it was all she could think about now. What was happening up there? Had they made it to the black hole yet? Had Megamind's plan worked? Was Mayhem gone? But most importantly, when were they coming home?
Minion patted her shoulder comfortingly. "I feel the same way, Ms. Ritchi. We all do."
She marveled at the fish's ability to read her so well. They sat in companionable silence a while longer, but eventually vacated the table so others could have a place to rest. Minion kept one arm around each woman's shoulders, doing his best to keep them calm. The ER entrance was up ahead. She told Minion and Janeen that she needed to step outside for some fresh air.
Roxanne claimed an empty park bench and closed her eyes. All that had happened was sort of surreal. Time travelling had created this dimension. A supervillain had been terrorizing the entire planet for years. Not one, but two heroes fought him against all odds. This was a sci-fi movie waiting to happen.
After a while her chin sunk lower and lower. Words and images merged flashed through her mind. Confusion and fear saturated the air. Metrocity crumbled into ruins. Mayhem hurt her friends. Seven's lifeless husk. Bernard broken and bleeding. Green…deep green eyes…
Roxanne awoke with a start, heart pounding painfully against her rib cage. Her head swiveled around looking for whatever had caused her to awaken with alarm. People were milling around the hospital grounds. Ambulances brought in new victims. Birds chirped and a squirrel skittered across the street. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, but the strange feeling lingered.
She stood, ready to return to Bernard's beside. Suddenly, a bright light flashed in the sky. She raised her hand to shield her eyes. The sun was exceptionally bright. It took several seconds before her eyes adjusted. That flash was moving! She ran down the sidewalk to find a clearer view. So many tall buildings surrounded the hospital making it difficult to follow the object, which was rapidly descending.
"It's them!" she shouted to no one. The object was that sporty gem from the eighties, gleaming like a beacon in the sun. It landed on the track field of a school that sat across the street from the hospital.
Roxanne booked it, smiling so hard her face hurt. The doors flew open and two beautiful blue heads emerged.
"MEGAMIND!"
Even from this distance, she could see his gleaming smile. The track field had a chain link fence running the perimeter, but he sprung over it with ease, landing with feline grace. He caught her up with open arms as she collided with his chest. The green eyes she'd just been dreaming of shone down on her with undeniable love and admiration. His arms were so tight she couldn't breathe and didn't care. A shiver traveled over her sensitive skin as his face settled into the crook of her neck.
"I've been so worried," she admitted, pulling back to look him over and frowned when she noticed the purplish bruise concealing a small knot on his head. "Are you all right?" Her fingers lightly traced the damaged flesh.
"Just a bump."
The question burning in her mind poured out. "Did it work?" she whispered. "Is he finally gone?"
He straightened, relinquishing his grip on her a little. "Yeah, it's over. He's gone."
Her head dropped forward onto his chest. A welcome sigh of relief spread throughout her whole body. "Is it wrong to be glad about that?"
He laughed, rubbing her back. "No, he was the bad guy. They're supposed to lose."
She cradled his face in her hands. Her heart flipped when he looked at her the way he did. She loved Bernard very much, but she cared for Megamind as well. It was impossible not to. He cleared his throat and backed away, keeping himself at a respectable distance.
"How is Bernard?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
"He's broken, bruised and snarky as ever. He'll be okay."
Megamind nodded. "Good, good."
Wayne had finally made his way across the field and found a gap in the fence. She hurried over to lend him a hand. He carried his injured arm tucked into his middle. The hand that was broken had swollen like a balloon, but he was smiling.
"Oh my gosh! Your hand looks awful and you're covered in bruises too," she observed.
"You should see the other guy," said Wayne. "Not that you could since a black hole ate him."
"I can't thank you enough," she said placing on a kiss on each of their cheeks. "Both of you. The incredible ordeal you must have gone through…"
"Eh…it was nothing," Megamind dismissed.
"Going to a black hole isn't nothing and returning in one piece isn't nothing."
"Child's play," he insisted.
"Yeah," Wayne chimed in. "It was fun…so much fun."
"Whatever you say," she said with knowing smirk. "Well, this reporter wants the exclusive once things get back to normal."
Wayne blushed from the praise. "You want to interview us?"
"Of course! You didn't just save Metro City. You saved the world!" She went around behind them and gently prodded them in the back towards the crowded ER. "But that will come later. Hospital first."
Neither Wayne's nor Megamind's injuries were life-threatening and they were permitted to leave the hospital. Wayne had gotten the worst of it. His left shoulder was in a sling and his right hand was in a cast. Megamind's burns had been treated and were terribly itchy under layers of gauze. His biological makeup was faster than humans. Lucky for him and Wayne, they'd heal quickly. It would leave behind scarring, but that didn't bother him nearly as much as losing his wedding ring. The simple band had been melted by Mayhem's lasers. His hand felt strange without the comforting gold enveloping his finger.
Roxanne graciously opened her apartment to her friends. No one had anywhere else to go except for Janeen, who had stuck to Wayne's side like glue. Wayne didn't mind. Megamind kept wishing for a pit full of alligators. He and Janeen didn't like each other that much and experienced personality clashes at least once a day. There was little they could do about it because they'd cloistered themselves inside to avoid the crowds.
One week had passed since they'd returned from space. Now that Mayhem Man was dead, the city had come alive and was bustling with activity. The metropolis had been declared a disaster area by the governor. Federal aid workers flocked to help those in need of medical care and shelter. Back home in his timeline, Megamind could freely walk the streets. Here it was a little different. Wayne had been a recluse so long that people wouldn't leave him alone. There was a group of paparazzi stationed at the front door to the complex, waiting to get the scoop. If only his gun hadn't been broken. He could have taken care of those busybodies with a little dehydration.
Lucky for them, the brain bots had survived the destruction. They kept watch on the balcony. Once or twice they had to knock someone off the side who had managed to climb up to the apartment for a close up. Since his little cyborgs were fond of biting more than one pair of pants was missing the back pockets.
Roxanne had waited a few days for them to recover before doing the interview with Wayne in the KMCP-8 Studios. Megamind had declined to be involved. It was better for Wayne to be in the spotlight alone. Two of them on national TV might have raised too many questions from the wrong people. Wayne's heroism had made it all the way to the White House, especially after Roxanne's interview spread worldwide. The instant fame had freaked out Wayne so much that he hadn't left the apartment since they moved in.
Wayne dropped the smart phone onto the floor next to him with an astonished look on his face.
Megamind laughed. "I can't believe you just hung up on the President of the United States."
Wayne bristled. "It's not my fault. I wasn't expecting him to call."
"He was probably going to give you a key to the city or the United States," Megamind said, rolling the die.
"A key to the United States?" Janeen rolled her eyes. "Are you for real? There is no such thing."
Megamind narrowed his eyes and drew a card from the Community Chest. He placed his game piece on the 'Go to Jail' space. Home sweet home. "Your female is defective. I suggest you find a new one."
"Uh, this female has a name, thank you very much," Janeen retorted, taking her turn. "Oh, and you suck at this game."
Megamind, Wayne and Janeen were playing Monopoly in Roxanne's kitchen. Or what was left of it. Mayhem Man had trashed most of the apartment and destroyed the dining table so they had no choice but to play in the middle of the floor. Minion was in the kitchen pouring over Roxanne's cookbooks. He'd been watching cooking channels nonstop and had decided to undergo his first baking attempt. Roxanne had gone to the hospital to check on Bernard and then went into work. She was so busy that she hadn't spent much time in her apartment. There was nothing else to do except watch TV or play games.
"Excuse me, Janet—"
"Janeen," she corrected automatically.
Megamind knew perfectly well what her name was, but pretending to forget was fun. That and it annoyed her—the little know-it-all. Cute, but annoying.
"I'm a genius so I suck at nothing."
"Correction. You suck at Monopoly."
"It must be a terrible way to live, being wrong all the time."
"I'm not the one stuck in jail," she pointed out.
"Pfffft!" he spluttered. "You think that means I'm losing the game? Jail is laughable just like you."
"And yet, you're still stuck behind bars while I own almost every property on the board," she said snobbishly.
Megamind leaned towards her. "I always escape from jail…always."
Wayne drummed his fingers on his knee, looking back and forth between them. He shouted to the kitchen, "Yeah, Minion, playing Monopoly was a really good idea!"
Minion shrugged. "It's the only board game Ms. Ritchi has. Now, I think it's time for cookies. The first batch is done!"
The little fish effectively diffused the power play between Janeen and himself, which was just as well. This was the third day in a row they'd been playing Monopoly. An argument had broken out between them during each game. Clearly, Janeen was a poor loser and compensated by launching insults at his superior gameplay. The jealousy of his cleverness was apparent. Poor dear.
Minion had stuck with something basic. Chocolate chip, and they were amazing. Not that he was surprised. Minion had always known his way around a kitchen. His best friend had really taken to the ape suit. The newfound freedom put a spark in his swishing tailfin.
The phone rang a second time. Wayne paled. "It's the President again. What do I do?"
"Answer it of course," Megamind stated the obvious. "Duh."
"Leave him alone," Janeen snapped. "Here," she held out her hand for the phone. "I'm your personal assistant anyway. Let me take care of it."
Wayne shoved the mobile device in her hand. All business, Janeen answered like a professional. She paced the floor, giving concise responses to whatever questions were being asked. Then she held out the phone.
"He wants to talk to you," she said crisply.
Wayne's hand shook as he took back the phone. He turned to Megamind and quietly said, "Are you sure you don't want him to know about you?"
Megamind declined. "Of course, I've talked to him before." He patted Wayne's non-injured arm. "Besides, this is officially your show now."
"Wayne!" Janeen hissed. "Don't keep the POTUS waiting!"
He raised the phone back to his ear. Megamind gave him a thumbs up.
"Uh…hi...um, Mr. P-p-president. This is Scott Wayne. I—I mean Wayne Scott. Huh. I have two first names. I never thought about that before."
Janeen covered her face with her hands. Megamind turned back to his best friend's cookies, shoulders quivering with mirth. It would take Wayne a little bit of an adjustment when it came to public relations.
"These are great, Minion," he said, helping himself to another.
"Thank you, Sir. I never realized how much fun baking could be. Thanks for giving me the suit."
"No thanks necessary, Minion. I'm just happy to see you happy."
Minion plated the rest of the cookies and began cleaning up the counter. "But you're not really happy."
"I'm homesick," he said honestly.
"You're the smartest person on this planet. You'll figure out to get home."
"Of course I am, but there was only one binky and now it's broken."
"And you'll figure it out," Minion said, opening the dishwasher. "I refuse your pessimism."
"Thanks, Minion," he said, gazing fondly at his friend.
"For the cookies, Sir? You're welcome."
"No, not just the cookies." He said with a warm smile. "For being my friend and always taking care of me even though you're not really my Minion."
"Of course I'm your Minion, Sir!" said the fish, looking wounded. "No matter what timeline you're from that will never change."
Megamind grew restless with each passing day. Roxanne's apartment was stifling. He appreciated her kindness of course, but this Roxanne was not his wife. He couldn't take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. He tried to avoid physical contact of any kind. Being close enough to touch was torture. He was wearing her husband's clothes for Pete's sake! His heroic leather garb had seen better days, especially since part of it had been burnt off his body. She'd rummaged through the closet and pulled out a turtleneck—Bernard had a penchant for those—and a pair of plaid PJ pants. All his khakis had been at the cleaners and the cleaners had been crushed to a pile of rubble during the fight. PJ pants were the only thing Bernard had left. The man didn't wear blue jeans, and he had feet smaller than a puppy. Megamind grimaced with every step.
They'd stashed the DeLorean in the basement parking garage with a cover over it to protect its identity. Too many people had seen the flying car. He returned to the same place after hours once everyone had turned in for the night. He'd had very little sleep since they'd returned from their epic voyage into space. So he'd make the trek down to the basement every night, sit against the opposite wall and stare at the car, hoping for some kind of inspiration.
So far, he'd struck out.
The binky made time travel possible. Without that, he was trapped here. He was part of the group and yet he still felt like an outsider. He'd always been excellent at brainstorming. Lately, however, his brain didn't seem to want to do anything other than mope. He'd been so dependent on the binky that he'd never searched for alternate methods to accomplish time travel. The binky had been his lifeline. Without that, part of him was missing. Maybe that's why he couldn't figure out how to get home. A broken binky might mean his brain was broken too.
Megamind jumped when footsteps echoed across the concrete. He looked up and saw Wayne heading his way. His twin slid down the wall next to him.
"Can't sleep?" he asked, noticing that Wayne had removed the sling.
"No, I've been sleeping like a rock actually," said Wayne. "I never used to do that. Sleep was just one of those things I didn't really think about too much."
"What did you do all night?"
"Played video games. Designed new software. Wished the Force was real so I could screw with people's minds." He stared at Megamind with a shrewdness that made the latter fidget. "You haven't slept much have you?"
"I've been..sleeping well," he lied.
"Uh huh. You really think you can lie to yourself?"
"What do you want?" he groused. "I'm fine. Please go back to bed and Janelle."
"Janeen."
"Whatever!"
Wayne's expression of irritation was so much like his own that it actually shocked him.
"You haven't figured out what to do," he correctly guessed.
"How would you know?" Megamind griped, folding his arms.
"Because you're still here."
Megamind stood abruptly. "Well, I don't see you doing any better. You promised to help remember?" He approached the car, leaning forward to place his palms on the hood. "But I guess you've been too busy talking to the President and Janice."
Wayne was so quiet he wondered if he'd snuck away, but he was still there watching Megamind with heavy eyes. He chewed on his lower lip, as though trying to make up his mind. Eventually he got to his feet as well and sat down on the hood.
"You're right. I've been distracted. I'm sorry."
Megamind wrinkled his nose. "Presidents and women will do that to a man."
Wayne laughed softly. "I definitely never expected all of this to happen. I don't really like it. Attention isn't something I ever wanted."
He sat down next to him. "Well, you've got it now."
Wayne's brow furrowed. "They think I did it singlehandedly."
"So? We're basically the same person. As far as they know, you did save the world by yourself."
"It's not true though."
"Truth schmuth. Lines blur sometimes."
"I guess," he conceded.
They didn't say anything for several minutes, each lost in his own thoughts. Wayne looked at him in that same shrewd way.
"As much as I like to brag about having psychic abilities, I can't read minds," Megamind grumbled. "Spit it out."
"I thought of a way."
"A way for what?"
"To send you home."
"You did?" Megamind had hoped they could put their ample heads together to come up with a new alternative to time travel, but he had expected to come up with the idea first. Of course.
Wayne reached into his shirt and pulled a chain over his head—a gleaming new silver chain that held…his binky. The soft glow of the unique pacifier warmed his face.
"Absolutely not!" Megamind refused.
"This has always been the answer."
"You can just forget it!"
Megamind pushed away from the hood and tried to storm off. Wayne chased after him, thrusting the binky in his face.
"This is your way home."
"I don't want it, Wayne! Get that through your thick skull!"
"Why?"
"Because I know what the binky means to you! It's the last connection we have to my—our—parents. When mine broke, part of me did too. I don't want to do that to you because it is the worst feeling I've ever had. If I take your binky, part of you will be broken too and you don't deserve that. Janeen wouldn't deserve it either and I don't even like her!"
Wayne had the gall to roll his eyes. "I'll deal with it, but you're coming apart at the seams. I've got Minion and Janeen here with me—my family. But you don't feel that way because in reality, they aren't your family. If your Minion and Roxanne were here, then you could cope." He shoved the binky forcefully into Megamind's chest. "The binky has been my crutch. I never took it off until this mess started. To tell you the truth, I don't want it anymore. It would be like I never left that basement."
Megamind clutched the binky in his hands. "Why?"
"Like I said," he shrugged, smiling. "I'd have never left that basement if it wasn't for you."
"Leaving could make the space time continuum explode," he pointed out.
"No, it won't," he said, sounding strangely confident. "There was no cosmic explosion the first time you screwed everything up and I doubt there will be now."
"But this timeline could disappear once it resets," Megamind reminded him.
Wayne hesitated. "It's a possibility, yes."
"Then I'm not going to take the chance. It wouldn't be fair."
"You can't not do something because something else may or may not happen. That would be like a scientist not testing his theories because he might burn down his lab."
"Wayne—"
"You're not the only one who's right all the time. I am too." He slapped Megamind on the shoulder. "It's a gift and a curse."
Megamind couldn't disagree with that.
"I'll miss you being here. It was kind of cool to have two of me around." Wayne started to walk away, but turned back. "I almost forgot." He shoved his hand in his pocket, pulled something out and tossed it to Megamind—the keys to the DeLorean. "The binky won't do you much good without the time machine."
Without another word, Wayne walked away with a cocky strut.
"I created a monster," Megamind mumbled.
He stared at the binky in his hands. Wayne had just made a great sacrifice. Only Megamind understood how it felt to give it up. He glanced at the car. It was very tempting to leave that second, but that wouldn't be right. He had some good-byes to make first.
Roxanne slid her feet into her heels and smoothed a few wrinkles from her skirt. Work had been crazy the past two weeks. Metro City felt like it used to—organized chaos and she loved it. They'd been under Mayhem's thumb for so long that the citizens had taken to the streets in what felt like a never-ending parade. The few henchman that had survived were in jail. She was actually interviewing one of them today. Her boss had wanted a look inside Mayhem's world. The only one willing to talk on camera was Hal Stewart. That guy just made her skin crawl. At least there would be a glass wall between them and armed guards nearby.
She reached for her purse, but dropped it on her bed when someone knocked quietly.
"Megamind?" she smiled after opening the bedroom door. "Up kind of early aren't you?" Then she saw the deep circles under his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I know you've got leave for work, but I need to talk to you first."
"Of course." She opened the door wider and he wandered in, eyes roving over the room. He stopped by a small bookshelf that held some framed pictures. Some were of her parents, but most featured herself and Bernard. Their wedding day. Vacations. A birthday party. Though Megamind's face was expressionless, his eyes were full of sorrow.
"Okay, something is wrong." she asked unable to stand the silence any longer.
"Nothing is wrong." He straightened one of the frames. "I'm leaving."
She pushed the bedroom door closed and gave him her full attention. "Leaving the apartment?"
He shook his head. "This timeline."
The gravity of that statement slammed into her chest. It took all her breath away and she slumped down on the edge of the bed. Somewhere along the way, she'd forgotten that he wasn't from here. He'd changed the past, created their world and saved it too. Now he wanted to go home. But wasn't he already? Megamind being here just made sense.
Without him…
She forced a smile on her face. "Right. I guess I forgot during all this craziness." She picked at the bedspread, rolling the material between her fingers. "I'm…really going to miss you."
He cupped her chin in his hand, pushing her face up. Roxanne hated crying. She fought tears anytime they showed up to embarrass her, but she didn't care if he saw them. He smoothed them away with his thumb.
"With Mayhem gone, life will start over for a lot of people. Everything will go back to normal, I promise."
But he was part of that normal now! Her heart protested with such a violent ferocity she feared she'd break down and throw herself at him, beg him to stay. It felt like he'd just gotten here and now he was leaving? Leaving her?
"Is…" She cleared her throat. "Is it safe? Will it work I mean?"
"Yes, it should work."
Her heart lifted with a slim hope. "Should? It might not?"
He nodded. "Time travel can be tricky."
"What happens if it doesn't?"
He started to say something, but then seemed to change his mind. He smiled, but it wasn't genuine.
"Then Bernard will have to get used to me sleeping on the couch."
Roxanne laughed, relieving some of the tension. "I don't think he'd like that too much."
"Then he can sleep on the couch and I'll move in here," he said with a roguish wiggle of his eyebrows.
They shared another laugh before the heaviness returned. The only sound in the room was a ticking clock. "When will you go?" she asked, looking down at her hands.
He reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. "I'll be gone before you get home."
No…
She almost collapsed. Every ounce of her strength was put to the test. Swallowing hard, she forced her best reporter face to take over. "Thank you for everything. I can never repay you for what you did."
"You don't have to. Just live your life and be happy while doing it."
Didn't he understand? He made her happy…so did Bernard. It was terrible. This feeling of loving two very different men was ripping her heart down the middle. During all of this, she'd fallen in love Megamind. What had she expected to happen? That he would just share her life with Bernard? That wasn't fair to him or to any of them.
Part of her screamed to heck with everyone else! She wanted Megamind. With her!
The reporter looked at him again. Unfazed. "Please be careful."
"I will. I promise."
He stared hard into her eyes. The knowing in that green gaze was overpowering. He saw through her shield. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him. If she begged him stay, then he would. Could she live with a decision of that magnitude? Was she that kind of person?
…no, she wasn't. And neither was he.
"I really will miss you," she whispered, unable to stop herself.
He swallowed and closed his eyes. "I know. I'll miss you too. I love you, Roxanne." He pressed a kiss to her temple. "No matter where I end up, that will never change."
Cold air made her shiver. The bedroom door flung open. Just like that, he was gone. She hurried back over to the door and shut it. The tears she'd worked so hard to keep from falling, poured from her soul.
He was gone and he wasn't coming back.
Megamind found his best friend in the kitchen, his new favorite room. He watched the fish for a while as he bounced around the kitchen, pulling out eggs and bacon from the fridge. It was nice to see him this way, in his element, and above all, happy.
Minion saw Megamind standing there in the middle of the living room watching him. "Good morning, Sir!"
"Good morning, Minion," he said as Minion scrambled the eggs. "I hope you're hungry because I'm making pancakes too. Can you believe Ms. Ritchi skips breakfast? She says she never has time for it, but I told her that as long as we're under the same roof she's not going to starve herself."
Megamind would have stayed for breakfast, but he couldn't bear sharing the meal with Roxanne and he didn't think she could either. She still hadn't left the bedroom. He took a seat at the counter.
"Minion, I'm leaving in a few minutes."
The little fish stilled at Megamind's tone. "Oh…of course." The smile on his face was forced. "I told you that you'd figure it out, didn't I?" His little jaw quivered. "I expected you to leave, but not so soon."
Megamind grimly placed the binky on the counter. "He gave me this."
Minion's astonished expression made him feel guilty. "Oh my…"
"I—I can't take it," Megamind said. "I'll think of something else."
The stern glare from the fish was unexpected. "Yes, you will take it. He had a very good reason for giving it to you. Sir doesn't need it anymore." He placed a hand over where his heart would be.
"It's too big of a sacrifice."
"Yes, it is and it's the best solution available," he said, sticking a finger in Megamind's face. "Don't you dare give it back." Minion reached over the countertop and pulled him into a hug. He squeezed Megamind so hard, he swore he heard a rib crack. "I'll miss you, Sir."
"Nonsense," he said brusquely to cover the emotion rolling in his gut. "You've got Wayne—though nothing can be quite as good as the original."
Minion set him down, fingers clinking as his metal hands fidgeted. "I'm proud of you both. I believe your parents would be too."
Megamind cleared his throat. "You must take extra special care of Wayne. He needs you just like I do."
He nodded solemnly. "You have my word."
He clapped his friend on the shoulder. "You are without a doubt, the most fantastic fish there ever was."
Minion blushed. "Thank you, Sir."
After one final hug with his best friend, he opened the front door and came face to face with Janeen. She turned sideways, nose wrinkled, to avoid touching him and stepped inside carrying a newspaper. When she turned around she gave Megamind a dirty look.
He bowed formally. "The face that sunk a thousand ships…alas, Jane! I take my leave of you."
"Janeen," she corrected while skimming the front-page headlines. "Yeah, I just talked to Wayne. It won't be the same without Megamouth around here."
He could have laughed, but didn't dare. "Take you all night to come up with that one?"
"No. I've been saving it for a momentous occasion."
"Aaaawww!" He grinned. "You're going to miss me. Admit it."
"Your ego is showing, Megamoron. You might want to be careful with that when someone comes along with a higher IQ."
"And that won't be you. Better luck next time, sweetheart."
He shut the door to her open mouth and headed towards the elevators. Barely a breath had passed and Janeen came running out of the apartment. The elevator opened, but he let it shut because she stared at him intently.
"Please tell me you're not expecting a good-bye kiss because I've already thrown up once today."
The redhead didn't fire a comeback. "Wayne told me that he gave you the binky."
With somber eyes, he turned back to the mirrored elevator doors, which distorted his impressive cranium. "He did."
She shook her head and stormed up to him, sticking a finger in his chest. "I hope you realize what kind of sacrifice he made in doing that."
He expected her anger and welcomed it. Anger was easier than tears. "I do and I'm the only one who does, which is why you must take care of him. He's not like me. I've been taking care of myself for a long time. Wayne isn't ready for all of this, but if you're there, it will be easier for him to cope."
Her mouth dropped to her chin.
"What? Were you expecting an insult?" he asked, amused.
"Honestly. Yes. You're rude, pigheaded and—"
"Flattery won't get you that kiss you've been dreaming of."
Her lips pursed. "—egomaniacal, pompous, selfish …"
He gasped with pretend shock. "How dare you! I'm self-centered, not selfish."
Janeen wasn't so bad. She protected Wayne with the fury of a mama bear defending her cub. Plus, she'd come close to giving her life to keep the binky safe. More than once.
"Thank you," he said suddenly.
She visibly jumped. "For what?"
"Everything you did and nearly died doing. You might be the most annoying creature I've ever encountered, but I'm grateful." He held out his hand. She took it without a word, apparently in shock. He pressed the button for the elevator again. As the doors slid open, he crossed the threshold with a smirk.
"You're checking me out and you know it."
Janeen's lips trembled with mirth. "That's just gross."
"Good-bye, Janeen." He said as the doors closed.
He heard the faint reply as the elevator descended towards the basement. Good-bye, Megamind.
Despite everything the DeLorean had been through in the past week, the engine turned over like new. Megamind removed the binky from the chain and plugged it into the car. He typed the dates onto the keyboard, which he checked and then double checked. After reading the dates about three more times, he pushed aside the OCD to keep checking. He was just nervous. Part of him was scared that it wouldn't work.
If it didn't and he was stuck here…
Then he would kidnap Roxanne and take her on a permanent vacation. Okay maybe he was a little selfish.
The last image he had of Roxanne kept eating away at his heart. Every tear that fell from her beautiful blue eyes was a knife piercing his chest. This mess was his fault. She would get through it in the end because not only was she the smartest person he knew, she was also the strongest. That was a small comfort. Hopefully, Bernard would heed his advice and love her with all his might.
First things first. He had to go back to the moment he arrived on Earth and make sure Metroman's overweight space pod knocked his little one into the prison yard. Next, he would return to the moment he left the Evil Lair. If everything went according to plan, then that is exactly what should happen.
'Should' was the magic word.
If everything worked out the way he hoped, the car would reappear in the same spot in the parking garage. He planned to wait for visual confirmation of his space pod's arrival at the prison. After that, he'd travel to the future one last time. Once he was buckled in he pressed the button to initiate the launch sequence.
Lightning arced all around the car. The binky glowed like a moon, filling the car with its ghostly light.
Movement outside the window caught his attention. Wayne stood several feet back, alone and watching as the car began to dematerialize. He raised a hand and waved goodbye. Megamind raised his own, giving his twin a final nod of thanks.
As the waves of energy dancing around the car grew with intensity, Wayne and the parking garage vanished.
A/N: OMG. I made myself cry. That was hard to write. I had originally planned to kill off Bernard, paving the way for Wayne and Roxanne to end up together, but he grew on me and I just couldn't do it. Then Janeen appeared out of nowhere. So the entire plot changed. Funny how that happens! We're in the home stretch. Just one more chapter and then the epilogue.