Review Replies:

Fomalhaut: It's okay to skim, I do the same thing on some fanfics just to get to the good parts XD. And indeed, Wilt does seem to get around in fanfictiondom. Everyone has their own idea of who would be best for him. I have to say that even though I'm writing about an OC I rather favor the Wilt/Frankie pairing too.

Fattyaddy-99: Maaaaaaaaaaybe . . . (grins evilly) But if I told you what would the fun be in reading?

Ami: Hope you like this chappy then, you may just get your wish!

Kirsten: Thank you! I was worried it was getting worse to be honest. (laughs)

Chapter 20: A Little Dark . . .

After Satin gave him the basketball goal, time seemed to fly by Wilt. The two weeks worth of laying in bed shooting hoops and visiting with others had improved his mood tremendously and he was quite ready to get back to life around Foster's. After a visit from Dr. Peabody, the Foster family doctor and one of the few PhDs who still made house calls, he was deemed well enough to be up and about again but not for long amounts of time. Wilt was thankful, he could finally move back in with the others and things could get back to normal or . . . As normal as they ever were at Fosters. He would finally be free from the Infirmary and people would stop worrying about him. And he could get to the business of talking to Satin.

It was during the week following his release from bed rest that Mister Herriman chose to announce the banquet being held in his honor. It was to be on a Wednesday since that was the only day Joe, the police officer who'd helped Frankie, had time off to come. In light of this sudden knowledge the house residents began stopping by to see Wilt and chat about the great honor bestowed on him. It soon became painfully clear that if he didn't find some way to distract the gossip mongers and thrill seekers of the house he wouldn't have a chance at talking things over with Satin.

With this thought in mind, he went to see Frankie.

When he found her she was scrubbing down the windows in one of the upper hallways with a long squeegee. He paused, watching her for a moment, drawn into a trance by the slow rhythmic movements of the squeegee sliding down the glass with it's trademark squeak. She hadn't taken notice of him yet, being so absorbed in the task at hand so it gave him time to study her movements. Carefully, she would spritz the window with cleaner which would race down the glass frantically before being eliminated by the echoing squeak of her cleaning implement. "Squeegee of doom." he thought, amazed by the ridiculous notion but amused by it as well. Finally, snapping back to his senses, he decided that Frankie could use some help. He took a step towards her to help and felt his heart begin to race. He paused, placing his hand against the wall for balance, something wasn't right. It was hard to breathe, he felt overheated, like he'd just run ten miles. He felt his hand slip off the wall . . .

Someone was shaking him. He didn't know who it was and he really didn't care he just wished they'd stop, he hadn't had a proper rest in ages.

"Wilt! Ohmigosh are you okay?" Frankie said, shaking him again.

Opening his eye he looked up into her face, "Frankie? I'm sorry but what are you doing in my room?"

She stared at him in surprise, "Wilt. You're in the hallway."

Blinking, Wilt tried to sit up but she pushed him back down.

"Stay here. I don't want you to pass out on me like that again. Rest a few minutes." Frankie scolded, her eyes filled with concern, "You scared me. Look, I'm going to go get Mister Herriman, he'll know what to do-"

"I'm sorry!" Wilt exclaimed, it had finally dawned on him what had happened and he wasn't about to let one little fainting spell get him locked up in the Infirmary again, "Frankie, please, don't tell Mister Herriman. I'm okay, really! I just got a little dizzy, that's all. I was a little confused when I woke up. The doctor said this could happen."

Frankie considered his point. Dr. Peabody had mentioned the possibilities of fainting spells, it was true, and Wilt didn't look any worse for wear. Actually, he looked better than she'd ever seen him even in spite of his momentary black out. The pleading look he was giving her, however, was the deciding factor. She could tell he was fed up with being shut in, surrounded by people fawning over him all the time. It went against his very nature and she'd hate to send him back to it after barely a day of freedom.

A smile of defeat crossed her face, "Okay, bud. But you have to promise me to take it easy. If someone wants your help your tell them you're sorry but you can't, got me? And stay there for a few more minutes before you head off, I want you to rest a little."

Wilt nodded enthusiastically, "Thanks, Frankie! This really means a lot to me."

"You're welcome, Red. Now tell me," she went back to her squeegee, her back to him, "How are things with the Satin situation?"

Wilt blinked, how did she do that? She always seemed to know what was on his mind. Sometimes he wondered if everyone could see through his cheery self so easily, he hoped not, but you never knew. Maybe he didn't hide things as well as he hoped.

"That's what I was coming to talk to you about. If that's okay." he said, pulling his knees up in front of him and resting his arm across them.

"Shoot." she replied, spritzing the next window.

"Well, ever since we got back from Daleton Satin's been . . . I don't know. We've been closer. She's the one who sits with me the most often, she got me that basketball hoop to entertain me, and she acts . . . Differently. I mean, it's not that she's being mean or anything it's just different. She gets flustered a lot and I don't know why." Wilt spilled out, "I want to ask her about it but every time I have a chance friends start asking me about the banquet and Daleton. I'm sorry but I'm really tired of it. I just want things to get back to normal. Is it okay that I feel that way? I mean, a lot of friends act like they'd love to have the chance to be me right now. Bloo is actually mad at me for it. It just doesn't feel right."

Frankie smiled as she replied, slowly bringing her squeegee down the window pane, "That's because you're uncomfortable in the limelight, Wilt. You don't like crowds and making people upset, that's two things that come with being the center of attention. Don't worry too much about it, it will fade eventually."

With a sigh, he placed his head in hand, "I'm sorry but I hope so. I'm really tired of all this."

"Trust me buddy, it'll fade. Until then you'll just have to make do. My suggestion is avoid them or tell them your not up to talking about it." Frankie said, matter-of-factly, "As for Satin . . . I think she's working on something in her room right now. Maybe you could catch her."

Wilt paused, thinking this over. It was earlier than he had expected to talk to her but . . .

"I think I'll try that Frankie, thanks." he rose carefully, "Is it okay for me to go now?"

A look of concern swept over her face as she turned to him, "Okay but be careful. I don't want you getting sick on us again."

He smiled and nodded, "Okay, Frankie. I'll take it easy."

She watched him go, one hand trailing along the wall just in case. With a sigh, she went back to work on the windows, wondering just how heart-broken her friend was about to become.

Wilt made his way quickly to Satin's room, taking as many back stairways and short cuts as he could to bypass any more well-wishers. He was only forced to stop once to rest for a moment in one of the numerous parlor-esque rooms that littered the house. In moments, however he was on his way again. Silently, he rehearsed what he wanted to say. "Satin, I'm sorry but I have something to tell you. I don't know how you'll feel about this but I've wanted to say it for a long time now and I need to get it off my chest. Satin, I love you. I'm sorry if that upsets you but I just needed to let you know. I know how you and Crackers and together and everything, you don't have to worry about that, I just wanted to tell you how I felt. I hope that's okay."

It was lengthy but it made the point clear, he hoped, and it wouldn't leave her feeling like he was trying to convince her to leave Crackers. With a sigh, he spotted the painting of imaginary friends playing poker that he'd once pointed out to Satin as a landmark for her hallway. He'd arrived. He counted doors until he reached hers and was surprised to find it slightly open already. Steeling his nerves, he prepared himself to do what he'd set out to do . . . Break his own heart.

It is a funny fact in life that no matter how many times we practice or envision a moment it never tends to turn out quite the way we expect. Sometimes it is less glamorous or more frightening than we would like, and other times it is sweeter than we imagined and more wonderful. And still other times the moment just sweeps us away into a chaotic venture nothing like what we expected at all, forcing us to simply hang on for the ride.

Poor Wilt was in for the ride of his life.

Tapping gently on the doorframe and pushing the door open slightly in the same moment, Wilt stepped into the room, "Satin? Can I talk to you?"

The door swung inward slowly, revealing a scene that made Wilt spin on his heel and exclaim, "Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!"

There was a moment's pause followed by Satin's voice, "What's wrong Wilt?"

Glowing in a deep blush Wilt replied, "I'm soooo sorry! I didn't realize! I mean your door was open and I just thought-"

A hand touched his arm and he jumped but didn't dare look down.

"Are you going to come in and explain or apologize to the hallway all day?" she teased.

He shuffled in awkwardly, his still eye closed.

"Wilt? Wilt? What's wrong?" he felt her hand squeeze his arm gently, "Wilt? Why do you have your eyes closed?"

Wilt opened his eye cautiously and immediately regretted it. A red hot blush spread across his cheeks as she stood before him. He felt that hot, dizzy, sick feeling wash over him again and he found himself falling to the floor once more, the last image in his mind one of a nude Satin staring at him in surprise.

Gentle hands propped up his head and rested it on a pillow, "Wilt? Wilt, are you okay?"

He opened his eye and found Satin hovering just a few inches above him, looking very concerned. He wanted to sit up but decided it would be best to remain resting on the floor, since it would cause the least alarm.

"I'm okay." he shook his head to clear the last of the darkness from his mind, "I just fainted, that's all."

Satin knelt beside him, naked except for her fur, her hands deftly checking his head for injuries, "Are you sure? You hit the floor pretty hard."

Wilt smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way, "I'm okay, really. I just need to rest a few minutes. The doctor said this might happen. I'm sorry I . . . Um . . ."

He realized now that she was still unclothed and closed his eye, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to walk in on you, I just came to talk."

Satin stared at him for a moment, "Walk in on me? I'm sorry, but Wilt what are you talking about?"

Wilt kept his eye squeezed shut, "You were changing weren't you?"

Satin blinked and looked down at herself in sudden realization, "Ohhhhh . . . You thought-" she burst into laughter, "No, no, no. Wilt, it's okay! Open your eyes."

Wilt opened his eye slowly, what did she mean?

"It's okay." she was still chuckling, "Just because I wear clothes doesn't mean I'm embarrassed about people seeing me without them on! I'm an imaginary friend after all and besides, Natalie was a clothing designer. I was changing clothes all the time in that house!"

Wilt let out a little sigh of relief, "I'm sorry, I just thought . . ."

She laughed, "I assure you, if I were embarrassed by it you would know it."

Wilt smiled slightly, still trying to adjust to the sight of her without clothing. It just seemed awkward, like a puzzle with missing pieces. He could now see that she was, indeed, coated with thin fur all over. He could also see that having a humanoid structure was all she shared with female humans. She was less endowed than a Skipper doll. It was what he had expected since few children imagine friends with adult traits.

Reaching a hand down to him, she helped him to his feet, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Wilt blushed and took a seat on the bed as she gestured to it, "I'll be okay, I just need to rest a moment."

Satin went about her business of choosing clothes from her dresser, "So, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Well . . . Um . . ." Wilt began . . . Brilliantly.

Satin swept a dress out of the drawer and held it up in front of herself, looking down, "Yes?"

Wilt paused, took a deep breath, and dived, "I wanted to tell you something."

"What?" she asked, turning to him as she pulled the dress up and began fiddling with the fasteners.

"It's just that we've been friends for quite awhile now and I've been meaning to tell you something and I just think it needs to be said. Oh, let me help you with that." he carefully began to button her dress up for her. He was close enough to smell the soft scent she wore, it was a heavy flowery smell that reminded him distinctly of winter. He allowed himself a small smile and a moment to ponder what things might be like if Crackers were not in the picture.

"Thank you." she replied, blushing slightly, "Well?"

Wilt blinked, slightly disturbed at having been drawn from his daydream, "Well what?"

"Well, what is it that you need to say?" she turned to him, looking up with those green eyes of hers, her hands absently playing with a strand of blonde hair.

The air was suddenly heavy and hard to breathe. Wilt shivered a little in spite of the massive blush on his face. How was he going to say this? All the words he'd stored up over the past few weeks dissolved down to their base element, the one thing that had kept him devoted to this idea for so long . . .

"I . . ." he swallowed the lump that started to form in his throat and confessed, "I'm sorry Satin but . . . I love you."

She stilled, a look of . . . He wasn't sure what, crossed her face. Lips parted in shock, she stared up at him blankly. The emotions battled inside his heart, was this good? Was this how someone reacted to being told they were loved? He didn't know. All he knew was that he'd done what he'd come to do. He'd admitted it, he could walk away. He couldn't stand it in here anymore anyway. He never should have said anything in the first place . . .

"I'm sorry. I know you and Crackers are a couple and all but I had to tell you. I hope that's okay. I'm sorry." with that said, he turned and fled the room.

Satin stood open-mouthed for five seconds before running out the door after him. In that five seconds her mind leapt to several immediate conclusions.

The first was that Wilt had told her that he loved her. She hadn't given him the idea, he'd apparently developed the feeling on his own. Knowing that, she felt freed, like she was allowed to love him now. And love she did, with all her heart.

Her second thought was that Wilt also believed she and Crackers were dating or at least very fond of one another which, now that she thought of it, was understandable with how close they were. Though where he'd heard such a rumor was beyond her. He didn't often jump to conclusions without undue reason.

The third was that Wilt had just run out of the room after saying these things and if she didn't explain how she felt now it could develop into a full scale upset.

The last was that a crash had just sounded at the end of the hall and that Wilt had fainted in her room only seconds before.

Before the thought had finished forming she was out the door.