Author's Note: Hey! I kinda lost track of time. I updated another fic of mine instead of this one. Sorry. And now my computer is messed up. I'm actually in my school's library posting this. Hopefully, I get my computer fixed soon, but if I don't, I'll keep updating from school for you guys. If I can, that is. Sorry for another long wait. But anyway, I've seemed to have strayed away from the Jimmy/Cindy love in the fic. A reviewer pointed it out and seemed a little upset about it. Well, I'm sorry to you, reviewer. Lol! But there's a reason why I've made Becca and Ben so close and gave Marcy a real life (lol), it's all important in some way for the actually Jimmy/Cindy thing, so don't fret. Anyway, the good stuff is fast approaching, the excitement and stuff. It'll be here soon, the actual reunion and stuff, I mean. Wee! Lol! Meanwhile, enjoy it all. And forgive all the spelling and grammar errors. I didn't get the chance to edit it. I'll have to come back later for that. Thanks!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Part 8: It's A Guilty Pleasure
"Nick?" Cindy asked again.
"It's me," he said as another flash went off.
"And you brought the press with you!" Cindy exclaimed as she rushed down the stairs.
"They just kinda followed me here," he said as he turned around and smiled for the wave of cameras.
Cindy pulled him inside and slammed the door shut as reporters tried asking her questions, while her mother peeked out the window. A flash went off in her face and she backed away, closing the blinds as she did so.
"I can't believe you brought the press!" Cindy exclaimed frantically. She had been trying her best to get away from them and she thought she had finally managed to run away from them. It had all just been too good to be true. "This si suppose to be my vacation. My secret vacation!"
"Well," Nick began, "it's no secret."
"Obviously," Mrs. Vortex said as she rolled her eyes.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Cindy asked.
"What?' Nick asked innocently. "I can't see my girl anymore?"
Cindy shook her head in clear disappointment. "I'm not your girl anymore, Nick."
Hurt shot through his eyes. "But why?"
"I explained it all to you," she said, walking away.
Nick stopped her and pulled her back to face him. "I know, but I don't understand," he said.
She slowly raised her eyes to him. "We can't communicate," she said simply.
"What do you call what we're doing right now?" he accused.
"That's not-"
"What is it really, Cindy?" he asked. His eyes became serious as his grip tightened around her arm. He stared straight into her eyes and demanded an answer.
She stared right back neither challenging him nor backing down.
"I wasn't happy with you," she finally said and she knew it was all she needed to say because that short sentence had the ability to express so much.
Nick's grip loosened until his hand completely fell away from her arm. His gaze became sad as he looked at her and for the first time in the five years they had dated, Cindy realized that Nick had in fact cared very deeply for her. Even more than she had initially thought and it was obvious from the look in his eyes that to him, their relationship over the years had actually meant something.
Guilt suddenly hovered over her as Cindy looked at him. To her their relationship had been nothing more than a lie. Something to build up their image for the crazed fans ans starving media. It was something she could use to run away from her past that was now catching up to her.
"Uh, Nick," came Mrs. Vortex's voice.
Cindy jumped at her mother's voice. She had completely forgotten about her.
"Why don't you spend the night here? I could fix up the guest room for you. It's not the Plaza, but-"
"No," Nick said quietly in a way that left no room for argument, but the sound of his voice was far from forceful. Cindy, though, had managed to argue.
Her voice was soft when she spoke. "But there are so many people out there," she said.
Nick looked up at her, obviously surprised by her words.
"They'll eat you alive once you step foot outside. And you're wrong if you think they'll leave you alone when you get in your car."
"He seemed to think about it. "Okay," he sighed. "I'll stay. But only tonight."
"Wonderful," Mrs. Vortex replied with a smile. "I'll fix up the guest room for you."
"Thanks."
At that moment Mr. Vortex had decided to step into the livingroom. He held the paper under his arm and when he looked up, he stopped.
Cindy turned around and that was when she knew she'd later regret having Nick stay with her.
"We have a visitor," Mrs. Vortex said to her husband.
"Hmm. . ." And with that, he walked away.
Cindy turned away. "It has nothing to do with you," she found herself apologizing. "He's angry with me and-"
"No problem," Nick said. "I can handle it."
Cindy smiled and she soon found herself just why she had never fallen in love with Nick instead.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Is that a black camaro?" Libby asked, peering out the window. She gasped as she saw the hordes of people swarming over Cindy's front lawn.
Jimmy, Sheen, and Carl made their way to the window. All four of them were piled on each other as they peered out, looking like elementary school kids watching a fight.
"Yeah," Jimmy answered.
"Who's camaro is it, though?" Sheen asked.
Carl gasped. "That's Nick's car!" he exclaimed.
"Nick Dean?" Jimmy, Libby, and Sheen asked as all three of them turned to him.
Carl nodded.
"How do you know?" Libby questioned.
"I think it's because it says 'Nick Dean' on his bumper," Jimmy pointed out, realizing it himself.
Libby blushed only slightly from embarrassment.
"No," Carl said. "I saw NTV's Pads."
The three of them turned to him all at once and stared at him. "You know," Carl said. They blinked. "That show where you see the inside of a celebrity's home. . .? No?"
And then there was an eruption of laughter.
Carl blushed, drawing back a little.
"I didn't know you watched that," Sheen said.
"Just when there's nothing else," Carl added quickly in self defense.
Libby placed an arm around him. "It's a guilty pleasure."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hours later, Becca and Ben were nearing the Vortex home when they spotted a few cars parked in front of the house. They stopped and stared as one man peered over the hedges of the bush on the front lawn. A camera was balanced in front of his face. He pointed the lense and a flash went off that seemed to trigger others and a then a swarm of paparazzi came at them. They were soon blinded by flashes.
"It's just some kids," someone said.
"Oh," the crowd replied as they stepped away.
Becca pulled Ben away. "What's going on?"
"I have no idea," he said.
Cautiously, they made their way tot he front door and as they did so, the people who had bombarded them before began inching their way closer.
"Excuse me," a woman called politely as Ben reached for the door knob. He turned and waited for the woman to speak. "Are you aware that this is Cindy Vortex's home?"
Ben's face expression was on of angry confusion. "Yeah," he answered.
"This is actually her parents' home," Becca replied, angry that they had labeled the house Cindy's when it was not.
Ben smiled at her. You gotta love her, he thought.
"Really?" the woman said.
"Really," Becca replied. "Why? Do you guys want an autograph? Because I doubt she'd give you one. That woman has a twig so far up her-"
"Nice meeting you," Ben said quickly, noticing a few people scribbling in their notepads. He opened the door and pulled Becca inside with him. At that exact moment people decided to try and take pictures and ask questions.
"That was NTV's news crew and some other networks," Ben informed. "There weren't looking for autographs."
Becca shrugged with a smile. "So what?"
"You're going to sound like a little snot on national t.v.," Ben said as he smiled.
"Oh, no!" Becca gasped. She exaggerated a little too much, which made her laugh.
Ben attempted to hide a smile, but he couldn't resist. He continued into the livingroom and found his sister with the guy she had left everyone for.
Cindy looked up as Ben and Becca entered the room.
Ben could feel Becca tense beside him as both Cindy and Nick stood up to greet them.
"You must be Ben," Nick said holding out his hand. "It's cool that we finally meet."
Ben didn't think it was cool at all. He nodded in response but did not offer his hand.
"Right," Nick replied, his smile becoming awkward as he pulled his hand away. He turned to Becca. "And you? Ben's little girl-"
"I," Becca began, "am none of your business."
Nick's smile faded as he nodded. He then laughed nervously. "Oh, I'm-"
"I know who you are," Ben interrupted.
"There's no need for an introduction," Becca added.
There was silence all around. Cindy was unsure of herself at the moment, Nick was unsure of the situation, and Ben and Becca were both angry.
Within Ben's eyes raged the same calm storm that Cindy had seen the day she came home. It was as if part of him were holding his second half back, attempting to keep the peace within himself, but obviously struggling.
"I need some air," Becca said, turning away.
"I'll go with you," Ben said as he followed Becca out. He was beginning to feel suffocated in his own home.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Don't tell me that wasn't about me," Nick said as soon as both Becca and Ben were gone.
"No," Cindy said. "That was about you."
She walked back to the couch and plopped down in it. "Let's not talk about that," she said as Nick sat down beside her.
"All right."
"Tell me one thing," Cindy said and Nick turned to her. "Why did you come here?" She had already asked him, but he hadn't really answered her question, though she already knew the answer she'd receive. She just needed to hear it, to confirm it.
"Our high school reunion," he said simply. "And for you too."
Cindy looked away. "Things are different around here, you know." She didn't bother to turn to him. "You're not 'Mr. Cool' anymore. Our friends think we've betrayed them and they hate us for it."
"Isn't it the same with you?" he pointed out, keeping his eyes on her.
"Maybe," she said after a while. She turned to him. "Maybe not
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The door opened and everyone turned in the direction of the sound and then came the slam.
Becca stomped into the livingroom with Ben close behind.
"What happened?" Jimmy asked as he approached her.
"Nick happened!" Becca exclaimed as she raised her hands in the air.
"Looks like he's back for the reunion," Carl commented, not sounding very excited as he had been about Cindy.
"Looks that way," Libby agreed with a sigh.
"Their reunion," Becca said angrily.
"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked, his heart pounding.
"Just what I said," Becca proceeded.
Jimmy stared at her, still not comprehending. Or maybe it had been because he didn't want to comprehend, because understanding it would mean he'd in some way some way come to terms with it and he didn't want to come to terms with it.
Becca broke him from his thoughts when she exploded with anger. "They're getting back together, Jimmy!"
Jimmy pulled away and Becca shook he head, disappointed in her brother.
"They probably never really broke up, which means you've been wasting your time trying to get with her again!" she shouted angrily.
"Becca that. . ." Ben began, but his voice trailed off.
Jimmy could feel another piece of his heart chip away and then he felt the physical pain that seemed to come shortly after the emotional.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Marcy walked back to the house alone. She had gone to see her cousin who worked for the Retroville newspaper. As she neared the Neutron residence, she could see people crawling over Cindy's house. She noticed the patches and microphones they held baring their networks. She stopped and turned around. There was phone booth close by. She turned her head toward Cindy's house again and then turned away, running down the block to the phone booth.
When she made it, she was out of breath. She reached into her pocket and pulled out 50 cents. She slide them into the phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Bri?" she asked when she heard a voice on the other end. "Brian!"
"I'm here!" came the voice again. "What is it, Marcy? Did you forget something?"
"No," she replied. "But people from you paper are scattered on someone's lawn."
"Oh, yeah," he said. "Cindy Vortex is here in Retroville. That's her place, did you forget?"
"No," Marcy said. "But Cindy isn't home anymore. I just saw her sneak out the back door."
"Really?"
"Mmmhmm."
"Was Nick with her?"
"Nick?" Marcy asked.
"Nick Dean? Her ex?"
This was news to Marcy, but she played along. "Yeah," she said. "But you better get your guys to hurry."
"Right," Brian said. "Thanks a lot I'll see you later. Bye.
With that he quickly hung up.
Marcy smiled softly to her self and as she walked back to the Neutron residence, the swarm of people who had once been crawling around on Cindy's lawn was now rushing down the street in a hurry to catch up. She smiled to herself to keep from giggling.
Cindy poked her head out and then she emerged onto the porch. Nick Dean made his way outside soon after. They looked both ways, looking for any trace of the people who had once been there and shrugged when they looked at each other.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Vortex," Marcy called. She waved and Cindy looked at her giving her a small wave before going inside. Nick Dean waved as well and flashed a smile. Marcy blushed and waved unsurely at him. He went inside and closed the door. That was when Libby came out.
"What happened?"
"They got a tip on something, I guess," Marcy said. "They don't run that fast unless it's a good story."
"I guess you would know," Libby said smiling. "Little Miss Reporter girl."
Marcy shrugged as she blushed again.
Jimmy sat down on the porch stairs.
"Well, I'm off," Libby said. "Bye, Jimmy. See ya, Marcy."
"Bye."
Sheen and Carl left shortly after, biding their own farewell's before they left. Now Marcy was left with Jimmy. He seemed upset about something and so she guessed it had been because of Cindy and Nick. She caught the sadness in his eyes as he looked up into the darkening sky. She looked up herself to the soft colors of yellow, pink, purple, and orange mixing together as the sun went down over head.
"How'd you do it?" came his voice.
She looked at him. "Huh?"
He smiled at her as he looked away from the sky. "How'd you get the reporters away?"
She blushed and looked down, placing her hands in her lap. "My cousin," she said. "He's one of the editors for the paper here. I coming back from his office, he was showing me around, and I thought of calling him and telling him that I saw Nick and Cindy sneaking out of her house. I figured that was why they had come in the first place when he told me that he heard Nick had come into town."
She turned to see Jimmy still smiling at her. Her blush grew deeper. To say that she had a crush on Jimmy Neutron would be an understatement. She knew it was much more than that. She could feel it, but she didn't think it was love either. In fact, she knew it wasn't. It was neither a crush nor love. Just something in between. Whatever it was that went in between.
"Mr. Neu-" She stopped herself remembering his words. Please, call me. . . "Jimmy," she continued. She looked at her hands in her lap. "If you're worried about Cindy Vortex and Nick Dean. . .don't be."
She could feel his eyes on her and her cheeks burned. "I'm pretty sure that she loves you. Very much, in fact," she said. "There's just something that stopping her from admitting it to herself. Though, I feel, that part of her is wants nothing more than to admit aloud her feelings for you. That's what I think that outburst was about at her house the other night."
Marcy didn't look up, she was too afraid. There was a pause between them and then shortly after, she could feel Jimmy sliding closer to her.
"That was an interesting theory," he said. "How'd you come up with that?"
Marcy shrugged as she bit her lip, feeling patronized. She clasped her hands together in her lap, nervously awaiting Jimmy's next comment. But she didn't get one. Instead, Jimmy placed a hand over her's. She looked up at him and that was when she saw the gratitude and thanks in his eyes.
"Thank you," he said softly. "I really needed to hear that."
"N-no problem," she said as she moved closer to him without realizing she had done so, a smile on her face.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cindy watched the interaction between Jimmy and Marcy. She didn't know why exactly (or maybe she did know, but hadn't wanted to admit it) she felt the way she did watching them. Her heart seemed to sink, throbbing in pain. She placed a hand on her chest as if at any second, she'd feel the physical effects. But then she soon felt anger running through he veins.
"Is that Jimmy's girl?" came a voice beside her.
Cindy had been only momentarily startled. "Who cares," she said grudgingly as she walked away.
"She's kinda cute, if you go for the shy, honest type."
"How do you know she's shy and honest?" Cindy asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe she's disloyal and deceitful," she added under her breath, looking away.
"You can tell just by looking at her," Nick said. "She seemed to be quiet and she blushes a lot. If that's not a dead give away of being shy, I don't know what is. And most shy people are almost always honest."
"Nice theory," she said angrily.
"I know," Nick replied, self assured.
"So what's your problem with her?"
"I have no problem with her. It's Jimmy I have a problem with," she replied.
Nick nodded. A problem with Jimmy being with her, he thought to himself as he nodded, continuing to watch Jimmy and the girl on his porch. He watched them, feeling jealous. Jimmy had a girl, a girl that was obviously as into him as he was into her and apparently Cindy was just as into him as she had always been. He was a fool for coming back to Retroville in the hopes of rekindling the romance between he and Cindy.
He watched as the girl moved closer to Jimmy as she looked into his eyes. They looked as if they'd kiss. Cindy was beside him again. She scoffed and turned to walk away.
"They look pretty happy," Nick commented. "How long have they been together?"
"How am I suppose to know," Cindy answered.
"It's just a question," Nick said as he turned to her.
"Well, don't ask me anymore questions about Neutron and his stupid girl!"
"What is with you!" Nick shouted. "I mention Neutron and you become this-"
"What?" Cindy challenged.
Nick shook his head. "Forget it." He turned away to look out the window again. Jimmy was helping the girl up. He then lead her into the house and closed the door. He sighed to himself, wishing he and Cindy would someday, somehow get back together and be as happy as Jimmy was with his new love.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Jimmy awoke to find the light cascading through his window. He usually slept with the window curtains down. He sat up in bed and stretched as he yawned.
"Morning," came a soft, familiar voice.
He looked off to his left to see Becca sitting in his computer chair. She wore a sad, guilty smile as she looked at him.
"Good morning," he replied with a sunny smile.
"Don't do that," she said.
"Don't do what?" he asked.
"That!" she said. "Don't act like nothing happened." She looked down and scuffed her shoe against his carpet. "About what I said yesterday."
"Becca, listen-"
"No," she said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I-"
"Yes, you did," Jimmy said softly.
"I mean," she said. "I did, but not in the way it came out. I never wanted to hurt you when I said it. I was just so mad. I don't want you to get hurt and this whole 'pursuing-of-the -Cindy'-" Jimmy laughed softly and a smile cracked on her face. "thing is fruitless."
Her smile faded again. "I've seen you. . .through your worst and it wasn't pretty. I was. . .I was afraid. Seeing you that way when she left. I couldn't-" Tears seemed to form in her eyes as she recalled the painful memory. She sniffed. "I. . ."
"Come here," Jimmy said softly as he moved aside a bit, patting his bed. Becca stood and sat down on the bed and allowed her head to fall on her brothers shoulders as she curled herself up beside him, wrapping her arms around him. "That was tough on me and I'm sorry you had to see me that way, but it won't happen again. I promise." He kissed the top of her head as he softly patted her back.
Her tears didn't stop at his words. "How can you be so sure?" she asked without looking up at him.
"Because this time, if she leaves or gives me any kind of clue that she really doesn't love me, then. . ." He paused. "Then I'm letting her go."
"But she ignores you, Jimmy and she-"
"I know," he said as he stroked his sister's hair. "But at the beach she wasn't as. . .distant."
Becca looked up at him, noticing her brother's longing reflecting like a mirror image in his eyes. She looked away and buried her face in his chest, trying to hide herself. She felt guilty more so now than she had before. He was really still in love with Cindy and Becca had practically ripped his heart out when she angrily shouted at him about Cindy and Nick. She could've easily been wrong about it. Though secretly, she hoped she hadn't been. She hoped with everything she could that Cindy and Nick were back together or still together, whatever, so that Jimmy could finally move on and she felt guiltier still for feeling that way. This brought more tears to her eyes.
Jimmy gently wiped them away as he pulled her way to look at her. He smiled sadly at her and that when Becca knew that he would never truly be happy unless Cindy loved him back and that had scared her most because if Cindy didn't love him, than Jimmy would never be happy again.
Tears rolled down Becca's cheeks again, sliding off her chin and into Jimmy's lap. With his thumbs he wiped the remaining tears away, but only more surfaced.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mrs. Neutron had been grateful when she woke up that morning to find that the reporters hadn't come back. The day was a beautiful one and this was the last day of Becca's spring vacation. She and Ben would be going back the following day. She was relieved in a way. Now she'd be able to spend some quiet time alone in the house. She knew her husband would be working til late afternoon and Jimmy would be working in his lab and Marcy would most likely be there with him to take notes for her paper. She walked out onto the porch. Becca played with Goddard on the front lawn. Jimmy and Marcy watched enjoying th innocence that lay before them.
Across the street, Ben emerged from the confines of his home and rushed over, joining Becca and Goddard at play, while Cindy and Nick took their time.
Her mother sighed, sensing something. She hadn't liked the fact that Cindy had come back. It had given Jimmy hope in renewing their no so forgotten relationship. The pain he had gone through had been so horrific that even Becca had cried every night for five months as Jimmy had. She had somehow tapped into Jimmy's emotions and had felt every ounce of pain that Jimmy had. She had felt it all so much so that when Jimmy had fallen into a deep depression, so had Becca. That had been why Jimmy's pain had been so horrific and scaring because Becca had felt it as well and Mrs. Neutron had to watch as both her children fell through the cracks of the broke relationship.
Nick approached them, his fine black hair swaying in the soft breeze with an extra bounce that could put Becca's lovely brown hair to shame.
"Neutron," he called with a smile on his face. "How's it going?"
Mrs. Neutron hated how he acted as if nothing happened. As if they were old buddies and he had never stole away Jimmy's girlfriend in high school.
"Ben, maybe you should go-" Cindy began.
"He's welcome to stay," Mrs. Neutron interrupted. You on the other hand, she thought. She was about to speak again, but it was Becca who beat her to it.
"I don't mean to be rude," Becca began, "but go away!"
"You've got quite a bark on you," Nick said.
"My bite is far worse than my bark," Becca growled.
"Is that a threat?" Nick asked, surprised.
"You bet it is," Becca said in a mock happy tone.
Nick smiled and then patted Becca's head. "I like this little Neutron," he commented.
Becca moved her head and made the first move to bite his hand, but she heard Jimmy behind her. All he had to do was say her name and she backed down. With a sigh she sat herself down beside Goddard and looked away as she draped an arm over the mechanical dog. Ben sat beside her shortly after and playfully patted her head.
" 'Atta, girl," he said teasingly. A devilish grin spread across his lips.
Becca turned and narrowed her eyes at him. A growl forming in her throat and Ben's smile became wide and innocent.
"Can I help you with something?" Jimmy asked.
"Just wanted to say 'hi'," Nick replied.
"Hi," Jimmy said. "Was that it?"
"There's no need to be angry, Neutron," Nick said. "What happened four-"
"Five," Becca corrected.
"Five years ago," Nick went on, "is all water under the bridge."
Jimmy nodded, seeming to actually take this into consideration.
"Let's just go, Nick," Cindy said as she tugged on his sleeve. She was finding harder and harder not to look at Jimmy and she didn't want to look at him for fear that she'd feel something she wasn't suppose to. "Come on." She pulled Nick away trying not to turn around to look, but she couldn't help herself.
"See ya around, Neutron," Nick called as Cindy pulled him away.
That was when Cindy herself turned to see Jimmy standing there, watching them as they went off. The feelings in his eyes looked like the same ones she had felt herself only the day before when she saw Jimmy with Marcy on the porch. She turned away and cursed herself for looking. Now she knew she had a problem.