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Author's Note: School's starting. Yeah. Depressed. Mail me if you need to.

Maybe I'm Twisted, 2
by "Twisted" Rey

Chapter 8 - A Good-Luck Charm
"Don't leave me all alone." - Blink

When I pulled up to Bubbles' house, she was already standing out in front, holding her handbag, and looking miserable. I gave a short honk on the car horn and she glanced at the car, before hurrying down and getting into the passenger's.

On the way to the hospital, the oldies station our radio was tuned into played "Imitation of Life" in the background. It spoke worlds, really, and the mood that hung between Bubbles and I was bleak. We didn't speak for a while, she staring out the window, clutching her handbag, and I? I concentrated on my driving. It took my mind off things, driving. The sound of the recently-tuned engine purring like a cat in my hands, the steering wheel, the fog on the windshield. I guess it's a guy thing; I never knew many girls who delighted in driving...

Breaking the silence, she turned her head to gaze at me, golden locks still held up in pigtails tumbling. "Butch? .. Do you know why she did it?"

It was only then I noticed I was concentrating a little hard on my driving. My hands were white around the knuckles where I was holding the steering wheel with a death grip.

"..No. No, Bubbles, I don't know... she seemed... fine. She was happy all the time, until... until now," I finished lamely. Yeah, great going, Butch. She really believes you.

"Oh," Bubbles replied simply, and returned her gaze out the window. Rain was starting to fall, the perfect set for our soap opera of a life. Drizzle slicked the windshield up, and I turned on the wipers, their squeaking out of rhythm with the radio's song, "She Spreads Her Wings".

Around five minutes later, when we were nearing the hospital, Bubbles spoke up again.

"Do you have an umbrella with you?" She asked, not bothering to look at me this time.

"Yeah, in the back seat. I'll get it later," I replied, turning into the hospital's parking lot.

Most of the parking lot was full, and we resorted to a lot far from the hospital building. Putting the car into park and turning off the engine, I gave a reassuring smile to Bubbles, before unbuckling my seat belt and climbing into the backseat (with some difficulty) to retrieve the umbrella.

"I'll come around the front and open the door for you, alright?" I said, finding the umbrella half-hidden under the seat.

"Okay," she said, unbuckling her seat belt as well.

Getting the umbrella ready, I opened the side of the door. The rain was coming down in sheets, now, and I had a little trouble opening the umbrella... getting myself drenched in the process, my hair more than anything. Annoyed, I held the umbrella up, and opened the door for Bubbles, allowing her to step out. She practically clung to me as I began to walk towards the hospital, somehow managing to keep the umbrella up.

We stepped into the building gratefully, me staying near the door and the overhang outside to shake the water off the umbrella. Bubbles moved forward and had a short chat with the nurse. After a while, as I took a plastic cover for the umbrella and slicked my hair back, she came back and took me by the arm wordlessly, leading me off.

Bubbles and I took the lift to the fourth floor, and she continued to lead me down the endless hallways, finally stopping at room 4-251. As I was about to enter, she stopped me, lifting her petite hand up and knocking on the door quietly, before allowing me to enter.

It was dark in the room, and drips were everywhere. In the single bed near the large picture-window, was a small-looking form huddled under the blankets.

"Buttercup?" Bubbles whispered.

The huddle gave a weak moan and shifted, but otherwise didn't speak. We both moved forward, trying to be as quiet as we could, and settled by her bedside. Bubbles, comforting, sympathetic, and horrified, me, simply confused.

"How are you feeling?" Bubbles said, reaching to touch Buttercup's face very, very gently. The form gave another moan, green eyes opening slowly to gaze at us. A weak smile formed on her face, and she winced.

"..better, I guess..." she murmured faintly. "I lost a lot of blood, and... they have me on sedatives most of the time... no moving around for me..."

I winced. That voice... it was Buttercup's voice, and yet, it wasn't. So quiet, so resigned, so... sad. Not the Buttercup I knew... not the Buttercup I thought I knew.

"Hey," I said, my mind seeming to freeze up. Buttercup's smile widened as she gazed blearily at me. "I... missed you." Not why did you do it? Not you shouldn't have done that. Just honest, honest care.

If it's honest caring, Butch, why doesn't it feel that way?

I stayed with Bubbles, and she stayed with Buttercup, and we talked to Buttercup for almost three hours. When the sun came through the window and damn near blinded us, though, Buttercup gave a smile and told us to "get outta there, you're wasting your lives". When Bubbles tried to stay, Buttercup threatened to get up and chase us out, which of course, forced us to concede.

As I was about to follow Bubbles out, Buttercup hissed at me, bringing me back. Bubbles, of course, was curious, and peeked back in.

"Butch? Aren't you coming?"

I flashed a smile at her. "Be right there, alright?"

She smiled back, and nodded, leaving the room. I turned back to Buttercup, perching on the side of her bed.

"What is it, babe?"

She stared at up at me with wide eyes. "My clothes are in that closet. Would you get my jeans out?"

I blinked, but obliged, retrieving her now-clean pants and showing them to her.

"Look in the butt pocket. On the right side."

I stuck my hand into the pocket, searching around. My fingers gripped a small metallic object, and I pulled it out. I held it up to the light, and saw that it was a bullet.

"When we were younger? Before I went missing? You gave me that, Butch. You told me you stopped it before it hit one of your pals... it was your good luck charm. And you gave it to me. ..Remember?"

I stared at the bullet, and simply nodded dumbly. Buttercup smiled, trying not to move her body.

"It's yours now. Take it."

"But -" I started, a little indignant.

"Take it, Butch. I'm giving it to you. Now go. Bubbles is waiting for you."

Defeated, I slipped the bullet into my pocket, and turned to leave. Just as I slipped out the door, I heard her murmur behind me.

"I love you, Butch."

As I rejoined Bubbles outside, where the rain had stopped, I whispered in my mind, I love you too, Buttercup.

Rey: ph33r tha pLagu3. Yeah, baby. FEAR ME! Anyway, I want to wrap this up soon. It seems to be dragging. This is too short. Blah. Gimme a break. I got school and stuff, okay...? :p

On Starcraft and Brood War, I am PlagueDogs ... yes, I am plural. Notice how my record is 0/0... because I only watch. ^_^;