A/N: OK the big party now. I didn't want to make another huge emotional chapter really dealing with everyone's feelings again. Plus, I could easily include all that here at Bill's party with no problems!

Disclaimer: Yeah, I know in the last chapter this was blank but really, how many times to I have to reiterate on the fact that I don't own the characters of Star Fox? I also take it that I shouldn't have to repeat about my original characters either…

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Chapter 17: Game Over

The week was rough on Fox and it was now Friday, the day of Bill's party, and Fox was going with Katt. It seemed like a double date but it wasn't. He'd be going with Katt, Shane and Krystal. He wasn't quite sure if he was up to that, but maybe he'd get to talk to Krystal at least.

The four had just gotten out of school and for once it was just the four of them. No Nall, no Slippy, no Bill and no Peppy. It was just Fox, Katt, Krystal and Shane. They were at the main entrance of the school and they'd just gotten outside. Bill's party didn't start until seven and most furs and people were surprised to find out that it was actually along the entire block and not just his house.

"So who's driving?" Katt asked as they went to the student parking lot.

"I guess that would be me huh?" Fox answered as they made their way to his car. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a key and unlocked his door. "How about we go to Foxxy's first? Well, we could just go there and then to Bill's party. Then I'll drop you back off here if you got a car. Does that work?"

"Whatever works, works." Shane commented. "We got three hours to burn."

They got in Fox's car and went to Foxxy's Diner where they would get a chance to hang out and just talk. The ride was actually pretty quiet. Not even Katt said a word. The silence that filled the car was disturbing and the fact that Fox's radio didn't work made the ride rather long and boring them.

When they got there and got outside the car and walked into the diner and apparently a lot of kids and kits had the same idea in mind, but they'd manage somehow. They got a nice booth in the corner. It was satisfactory and Leo was there to serve them. They all got their drinks, Iced Tea for Krystal, Sprite for Shane, Pepsi for Fox and Mountain Dew for Katt.

It was disturbingly silent even then. Fox let's his thoughts drift off for the moment and it took Shane's voice to snap him back to reality. "Hey, you think Bill would let us get there early?"

Fox didn't really answer and he knew Shane was questioning him. "I'll be right back." He said and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Shane inquired.

"Just outside real quick. I'll be right back." Fox was up and gone from the table.

Shane looked at Katt and Krystal and while Katt gave him a nice smile, he shook his head. He got up and was after Fox in an instant leaving the girls alone. "I'm going to go and talk to him."

Krystal and Katt were by themselves at that moment and as Leo came back with their drinks they eyed each other in a nervous manner. "So…" Krystal trailed off.

Katt couldn't help but laugh. "Why are we so scared of each other right now?"

Krystal shrugged. "Because we're both with Shane AND Fox at the same time?"

"So since they're gone…I want to ask you something. What's been up with you and Shane? He says that it's nothing."

"We've been over this before. There's nothing going on between us."

Katt raised a brow. "I'll drive it out of you sooner or later; you know I will."

Krystal didn't really care anymore what Katt had to say. "What about Fox? You've been so stuck on me and Shane that you completely forgot about him."

"I didn't forget about Fox at all. He's still on my list…just Shane is higher."

Krystal blinked and began to stir her tea nervously. 'You're not getting THIS one!' She thought as she tried to come up with a response that would suit her. "So you're just kicking Fox to the curb?"

"No, not at all. I just came to a realization about Shane. I can't understand why so many would hate him. How did you ever let him go?"

That question was bound to taunt Krystal for the rest of her life. She could see Katt thinking suddenly. "What did you do with Shane?" She suddenly beamed out loud.

"Nothing happened. Nothing big, anyway."

"You have that look in your eyes. There something you want to tell me, but you don't know how to say it. I know that look Katt."

"I don't want you to get the wrong idea about it is all."

"What's there to get the wrong idea about?" Krystal retorted. She had said it time and time again and it looked like she'd have to say it one more time, "It's not like we're going out."

Katt had heard that enough times but still wouldn't tell. "Forget it already."

It annoyed Krystal when Katt did this, "So why did you bring it up!?" She said sternly.

"I didn't bring it up! You made an assumption that something happened between us and--"

"You're hiding it! If you didn't want to talk about it then you shouldn't have began to discuss. You said 'Nothing big' happened. What the hell does that mean?"

'Great, now she's mad.' Katt sighed. Krystal didn't start using that kind of language unless something was starting to get to her. Every time Katt did this was one of those times it seemed.

"Don't ignore me Katt."

"Okay fine. Nothing big happened but I got a little closer to him…and then it just sort of happened."

"What 'sort of happened?' Come on and spill already."

"I kissed him, there ya happy."

"Was that so hard?"

Katt was actually a tad bit surprised. "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" Krystal said. She was actually a little more disappointed in Shane since he didn't come out and say it.

"So how come you let him go?" Katt asked.

"Whom are we fighting over?" Krystal said without even hearing Katt's statement. It felt irrelevant to say but it had been taunting her just as it had Katt. "I thought this was all about Fox…and it certainly doesn't feel that way."

Katt had asked herself the same question but didn't say anything about it. "It doesn't feel like Fox does it?" Krystal shook her head. "Let's just forget about it. Speaking of Fox and Shane, they've been gone for a while now. What do you think is up?"

***

"You're mad at me huh?" Shane asked.

"It isn't that I'm mad or anything. I just don't feel all that comfortable with Katt and Krystal both being there."

"You make no sense to me…"

"It makes a lot of sense. I just can't describe the feeling. I thought that I felt something for Krystal…then YOU came back into her life. I don't really know about Katt anymore."

'Dammit!' Shane thought. "I haven't done anything though." Shane believed but somehow found it to be a lie.

"Bullshit." Fox snapped. "But I guess it isn't your fault so I can't really be all that mad. It's just that--"

"Your curse. Yeah you've told me about it thousands of times. Why don't you just talk to Krystal? It would be a lot better than talking to me about it. If the feeling for her is bugging you then talk to her about it."

"And what about Katt? What do I do about my feelings for her?"

"Leave Katt to me."

"Why should leave Katt to you?"

Shane smiled, "I'm Shane."

***

Fox and Shane finally returned and saw Katt a little impatient. "It's about damn time!" The boys didn't say anything they just sat down.

"Is this all we're going to do here? I want something more than just a drink." Katt insisted on food.

"Why eat when we'll be going to Bill's in a bit?" Shane asked.

"Because Bill's party doesn't start for another couple of hours." Katt replied. "Can we at least get some ice cream? Maybe not dinner but at least it's something to eat."

Leo came back just moments after she had said that. "Alright, sorry but I'm very busy right now. What you furs like?"

"You still want some ice-cream? My treat." Shane offered. Too bad Shane didn't know that Katt had already told Krystal about the kiss.

The sight of this was actually making Krystal a little upset. "You'll treat for me to right?"

"Of course." Shane smiled and looked to Fox, "Ice cream?"

"Yeah, sure."

Shane ordered the ice cream, Strawberry for Krystal as it was her favorite flavor and Shane knew. Mint Chocolate Chip for Fox and him, and lastly Cookies 'n Cream for Katt. After Leo left, Shane sat back. "So what's been going on?" He tried to sound calm. Then he noticed Fox staring out the window and so he playfully punched him.

"Come on, it's Spring Break! Let's have some fun. Free your mind for a moment and stop thinking so much. School's out for now and you're still worried about something." Shane said without revealing anything.

Fox knew what Shane was trying to do and he played along since he didn't want to tell the girls what was wrong with him at the moment. "Yeah, well the teachers always give a bunch of test on the day before break. I guess they kind of burned me out." The act was actually very convincing.

"Yeah I know it's dumb. Then when we come back we review and take another test on the same material. If they know we're going to forget over break why do they test us on it before we actually go?"

Just then Leo came back with all their ice cream and spoons. Shane took what was left of his Sprite and poured some into his ice cream as everyone else watched him. "Hey, I don't get disturbed by how you guys eat do I?"

They started to eat when Katt looked up. "So you got any plans for the spring break?" She addressed Shane.

"No, not really. Probably just going to do what I always do. Just go out places everyday."

"Well, why don't we hang out sometime?" Katt suggested and she could see Krystal's heart sink at that moment. Of course Katt didn't mean for it to hit her hard at all, but she couldn't help but ask.

"I'll think about it. You usually have to find me though. I'm never home during break; I'm usually out and about. You could probably find me at the pool or at the movies."

Krystal swallowed and then realized that Shane had just told Katt a flat out lie. Krystal knew exactly where Shane would be and he definitely wouldn't be at the pool. The movies sounded like Shane, but Krystal knew if anything Shane would probably spend a lot of time at the park. It was true he was never at home but Krystal always found him at the park during the winter break.

"Well then I'll find you." She said as she came closer to finishing her ice cream.

They all continued to eat their ice cream and Fox and Krystal didn't say much at all. Fox was either just listening or in thought. Krystal could almost never get in a word if Katt was around. If a question was directed towards her she answered. But this time Katt kept talking when she could as if she were trying to conceal something. What was more was she hiding? Or maybe it was to make sure Krystal didn't say anything?

When they all finished their ice cream and drinks they were about ready to go. "Bill's party doesn't start for a while though." Krystal reminded them. "Why not just hang around here for a while?"

"Too damn crowded." Shane said. "We should go to Peppy's Café. No one is ever there when the breaks start. You ever notice how they all seem to come here?"

They stood up and Shane looked to Fox. "You want me to drive?"

Fox gave in and gave Shane the keys and they were outside in an instant. They got inside Fox's car and were off to Peppy's Café.

***

It was clear around Peppy's Café. It was just as Shane said. When a break comes all the students tend to go to Foxxy's Diner or the movies. They walked inside and Peppy was drinking down malt. When he saw the four walk in he stopped. "I take it that it's Spring Break?" Peppy asked. They nodded. "No one ever comes in here the first day of break but it sure as hell is crowded in the summer. You must be going to Bill's too?" They all nodded again. "He invited me but I decided not to go. Probably going to go and visit James, there won't be anyone here."

They all sat down at the counter and Peppy offered a malt. "It's on the house since I don't have any customers really."

"You almost always give us free malts so what's the difference." Katt giggled. Peppy smiled.

"You guys want the usual? Chocolate malts for all?"

"Naw, we just had some ice cream." Krystal said. "I don't really want one."

"But I do!" Katt butted in. "You can never have too much to eat and drink."

"I won't even say anything about that one Katt." Peppy snickered. "But alright. You want one Shane, Fox?"

The two foxes declined the offer. "We came just to hang out. It's too crowded at Foxxy's." Shane told him. "I haven't been here for a while."

"You were just here last weekend!" Peppy told him.

"I know. I'm usually here every other day." Shane replied. "How have you been lately?" Shane asked. It amazed Fox how he could always do this. It didn't matter to Shane if you were an adult, a five-year-old kit, and human, whatever; if you existed Shane could somehow talk to you and he always felt comfortable doing it too. Shane could even talk to Krystal's dad with no problems and get along.

"It's the same. Been a slow week though. Nall didn't even come by this week and you know how often she's in here. Bill's been planning out his party so he hasn't been around here lately."

"Yeah I know. But you're not going to Bill's? You should go, I think you'd enjoy yourself there."

"Oh, Shane I'm too old. You kits wouldn't want me there." He gave Katt her malt. "I think that it would be better if I wasn't there."

"But it's on the whole block. You wouldn't have to stay the whole time. Just for a couple of hours."

"Thanks but no thanks Shane." Peppy replied.

Shane frowned. "Fine."

"Speaking of which, the party is at seven right? It starts soon. I'd be there by six at the most." Peppy looked at his watched. "It's about five now."

"We wasted a lot of time at Foxxy's then." Fox said. "We should probably go to his block soon then."

"Not yet. We'd be there too early." Shane said to Fox. "Let's just chill for now."

It worked fine for Fox.

***

When Bill's party finally started, it was down the whole block. The streetlamps were decorated but tainted with violet bags that actually made the streets look a little better. Every home was open to whoever came in to them. Each home had a chaperone so 'nothing' could happen between any boys and girls. The block wasn't long and since most of the kits there went to school either with Bill or weren't quite there yet, the parents had no problem setting this all up. When they all got there it was like walking into a big carnival. Some houses had games set up while others had movies playing. It was a nice place to be after such a hard time in school for a while.

"How did he manage to pull this one off?" Katt said.

"I don't know but there certainly is a bit too much for me." Krystal said. There were fireworks and even a huge balloon castle for some of the younger kids and kits. "So much to do."

"Yeah, but let's just go to Bill's and find him. Pretty soon someone is going to go crazy and I don't want to be here when that happens." Shane insisted. "Plus I need to talk to him."

They made their way through the crowd towards Bill's house in which there were several more furs than they bargained for there. They couldn't have ALL come to see Bill.

As they made their way through the different mazes of students, adults and even a few teachers, they found Bill on the patio talking to a few furs. When Bill saw them he signaled them over and of course they wouldn't object.

"Grab something to drink and stay a while." Bill said. He looked to the furs standing next to him. One of them just happened to be Wolf O' Donnell.

Wolf looked at them and it surprised Krystal that Bill was talking to Wolf. "So how goes it?" The lupine asked.

"Oh, we're fine." Katt answered for everyone.

"That's good. I think this party is just what I needed."

"The whole Leon issue huh?" Bill asked and gave Wolf another drink. "Don't worry about it so much. Leon screwed up. You should be lucky he's gone."

"You could be right." Wolf said.

"Come on and let's go party a bit." Bill said and started to walk off. "You guys coming or not? You're welcome to hang out anywhere on the block that you want. But anything's got to be better than just sitting here all damn night."

"I'm going to stay here for now." Fox said. "You guys go on without me."

"Oh come on Fox!" Shane urged him. "It's a party! How can you come to a party and not party?"

'Now he's starting to sound like Katt…' Fox shook his head. "I'll catch up."

Fox stood up and walked over and leaned on the balcony of the patio. Krystal eyed him for a moment and then motioned over to him. "I'll get catch up in a bit."

Shane realized that this was probably just what Fox wanted at the moment and so he grabbed Katt by the paw and left. "Let's leave them for now." He whispered.

"Fox, you've been scaring me all day. You don't seem okay at all. What's wrong?" Krystal placed a paw on his shoulder.

"Does it matter?" He shook his head.

"It does to me. You shouldn't be sad. It's Spring Break, why would you be so sad? We should be living it up right now. Relaxed that we have a week free from school."

"What do you mean 'we?' I've been thinking too much I guess." There was that word again, 'thinking.'

"Well will you talk to me? We're starting to get a little worried Fox. Especially me."

Fox didn't realize what he had done but he had pulled Krystal closer. "Krystal, I've been thinking about you for the past two days and I can't stop. I don't really know you that well…but there's a feeling there that I can't deny." He rubbed along her arm. "Just a few days ago when I saw you and Katt I think I enjoyed my time with you the most."

Krystal didn't have a clue of what to say at all. She knew how he felt before this moment came she just wasn't prepared for it. How was she going to tell Fox that she didn't feel that way anymore? Especially considering what she had told him about his past. Now she was stuck on what to say. She didn't want to make him feel bad but it seemed inevitable now. Of course she COULD'VE lied and pretended to like him and end up going out with him…but that would be even more cruel then telling him no.

Fox knew a part of her felt the same way, or so he thought. "I want to love you Krystal."

"Fox…" She began to say, "…I don't know what more to say." She didn't make any movements. Instead she stayed close to him. "I…" She was trying to find the most calm and peaceful words she could say that wouldn't make him upset. She tried to be soft about it; however, the words never seem to come out that way. "I'm sorry Fox…" was all she could really say. "I can't…I don't feel that way anymore." She said this in a sincere tone and of course it didn't come out that way to Fox's ears.

"But what if you do? I know you did at one point. Not too long ago as a matter of fact."

"I know that but--"

She was interrupted when Fox put a finger to his mouth. "Feeling fades over time right? I know the feeling myself. Someday it could come back again."

"But it isn't here now." Krystal said.

Fox lowered his paw until his paw was wrapped around her waist and he pulled her closer. Krystal didn't really feel comfortable like this, but she gave into the satisfaction of Fox. Perhaps she felt sorry for him. Fox was still looking at her and before either of them knew it, they were lip locked in a kiss. Neither of them had any clue what was happening but the kiss lasted longer than the one that Shane and Katt had. When the kiss was broken, Krystal gave him a hug. "I'm sorry I had to be like all the others." Krystal closed her eyes and sighed. It was apparent that the kiss meant nothing to her.

***

But it did to Shane as he saw the two in each other's arms he got the wrong message. 'I knew it was some sort of trick.' He said to himself and Katt pulled him away from the scene. It didn't make Shane that upset, seeing as how he had done the same thing to Katt. What made him lose a bit of his moment was that he was entangled in Katt's arms.

Shane couldn't bear to see it so he went with Katt. He noticed that there was a bit of slow music playing and Katt wanted to dance. When they stopped and set their drinks down and started to slow dance, Katt rested her head on his shoulder and they danced. It was then that Shane realized he was in the situation he had been trying to avoid this whole time. He wanted to be with Krystal here and now. Not Katt. Katt was whom he didn't want.

Shane pulled himself away from her and looked at her eyes. "Katt…" He said in the same way he did the day they kissed before.

"What is it?" She asked. Then it hit her. 'He must be upset because of the whole Krystal/Fox thing.'

"I don't know what you were thinking that day." Shane assumed that Katt knew what he was talking about, and she did. "I don't know what you were feeling either," he continued. "but I didn't feel the same way. I didn't feel anything that day. I'm sorry Katt, but there isn't going to be anything between us." Shane concluded and started to walk away.

Then Katt stopped him. "Then why did you do it?" She wanted to know.

Shane turned to face her once more. "I didn't do anything actually. That was all entirely you." He turned and continued to walk. He knew that he had to get outside quickly before Katt would start a scene.

"Wait!" She called to him. "Shane don't go yet. I love you." She slipped out and immediately covered her mouth. This called the attention of some furs and Shane felt himself growing red.

What was worse? The very moment that Katt said that, Krystal had come walking into the room and saw Shane standing there with a red muzzle rather than his white and Katt standing a short distance away with her mouth covered. She heard the words and it made her heart sink. 'Don't say the words back…please don't say the words back!'

Shane looked to see Krystal and then turned her attention back to Katt. "I should be going now."

As Shane began to leave he felt Katt grabbed him again. "Why won't you let me be?"

"Because I know you feel something for me too!" Katt shouted and the furs continued to watch.

Shane saw Krystal and knew the truth. The sight of Krystal made him state the truth to Katt loud and clear. "I don't love you Katt. I don't even like you in that way. You're a good friend but my heart lies somewhere else. It isn't with you."

Katt didn't say anything. For the first time EVER, SHE was hurt. "But why?"

"Just because feeling is first…doesn't mean it's true." He said and walked out. Katt felt embarrassed at the show that they just gave and she knew that she made a scene.

Krystal watched Shane leave and then a paw on her shoulder. She turned around and there was Fox standing there. "You should go after him don't you think?"

Krystal nodded, "You should stay here with Katt, she looks a little down." It was the first time Krystal had seen Katt hurt. It was the first time Katt had been crushed…and defeated. Krystal didn't waste anytime before she went rushing after Shane.

Fox on the other hand, went over to Katt and kneeled down next to her. "Come on, I'll take you home." He offered.

Katt let a tear stream down her face and she nodded. "Give me a moment." She stood up and walked into the Bill's bathroom. She shut the door behind her and let out a scream. At that moment everyone decided that whatever just happened didn't involve them and so they went back to dancing.

All the while, Fox stood there eyeing the door to the bathroom. Katt had been crushed…and so had he. Two peas in a pod if you asked him. "Game Over."

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A/N: Not one of my better chapters. I know, I could've gone into more on Bill's party but I wanted the main focus to be on the characters in this chapter. Only three more chapters to go! Please R+R!