You Are My Freedom

Chapter III

Vinnie stood at the door watching Throttle stare at his reflection in the mirror. Never had he seen his life long bro this unsure of himself.

"You know she's gonna still be crazy about you. Hey, she came didn't she?"

"Yeah she came, but that doesn't mean anything. What if all she did was come to tell me she didn't wait, that she went on with her life. What if all she really loved was that crazy leather clad hero wanna be. The guy who came down from the stars and swept her off her feet."

"Well I'm sure she has a few more miles on her. She's probably not that machine crazed little grease jockey anymore either, you still love her, right."

"More that life itself. Nothing could ever change that…but"

"But nothin'. There's only one way you are gonna find out and that's to stop stallin' and get you rear over to see your wife."

Throttle looked at Vinnie smiling at how much wiser the years had made him. He looked in the mirror once more and walked out the door giving Vinnie's shoulder a squeeze for that last bit of courage he was going to need.

Throttle could hear his footsteps echoing through the seemingly mile long hall way to where his whole life waited for him. After an eternity of waiting it all came down to a few steps. He stepped in front of the door and his hand hovered over it unable to make contact. He pulled it back and clasped his hand together bring them both to his forehead as if to give thanks or pray for courage which he wasn't exactly sure but which ever he straighten up and finally knocked.

A sweet, "just a minute," came from the other side and he all but fainted hearing her voice again. Then the door opened and there she stood. Of all the visions to have ever grace his eyes none could or ever would compare to Charley's face at that moment. He was frozen in his steps and his throat had dried so badly not even a whisper could escape.

She smiled and reached out to take his hand guiding back into her life. She pulled him into her arms slowly not wanting to rush or forget every second of what was happening. Her hand brushed through that same golden tuft of silk that still fell over his shades. And after fifteen long years he finally felt the nectar of her kiss caressing his lips. Years vanished, the world stop spinning and everything in existence disappeared except for he and this most glorious creature that was being held in his arms. In his mind words that nothing on Earth had the equivalence to, poured into his heart. Martian expressions of love and emotions that could never truly be expressed in any words consumed them both.

When it all finally ended Charley leaned back and smiled with her arms still wrapped around his neck, "I guess just saying I missed you would sound sort of silly, huh?"

He smiled back and kissed her forehead, "Sometimes the simplest things say it all. I missed you too." He chuckled.

"Well before this goes any further I have something to tell you." Charley couldn't help blushing knowing what they both were now contemplating.

Throttle coughed nervously and if not for the gold fur covering his face one would notice a bit of a rosy glow on his cheeks too.

Charley squeezed him and walked back to the bedroom reaching in to take Willow's hand and bring her out. "Throttle I want you to meet our daughter."

He stood motionless for a few seconds not sure if what he'd just heard had actually connected with his brain. He looked dumbfounded at Charley and then back at the unsure teenaged girl with the golden tan colored hair and light covering of body fur, that mirrored his own.

"My daughter?"

Charley not sure of what his expression meant took a step toward him, but he back away shaking his head.

"How could you have done this, Charlene?"

"Throttle what's wrong. How could I have done what?" Charley was beyond confused. What had she done? Again she tried to touch him moving her hand closer to him, but her pushed it away with a reasonable amount of force.

"You let me go. You had my child and let me leave knowing that I might never even know she exists. How could you…. why would you…" his voice riddled with a combination of hurt, confusion, and anger.

He shook his head and looked once more at the child he felt had been taken from him. All the lost time, all the love he had missed, hurt his heart so badly all he could do was turn and rush from the room leaving both Charley and Willow in a devastated stated of shock.

To be continued…