lovecherishprotect-16: Yup that last chapter was pretty nice. I loved the sweet moments between Magneto and Electron too.

RimK10: Thanks. I worked really hard on it.

To be honest I'm a bit nervous about this chapter. Just a little. Hope you like it. Also, apparently someone sent me a message about finding Christ in my reviews. Weird.

All too quickly, my father's departure date came. Before he left he called me to his study.

"You're leaving?" I ask.

"Indeed I am. It won't be long only a week." I nod.

"Before I go... I need to give you this." He floated a silver briefcase to me.

I open it. "Whoa." It contained quite a bit of money, and several passports with several different identities.

"Use this in the event that you have to leave quickly."

I nod.

He continues "In addition, I've sent your phone a map of all my hideouts and a list of allies."

Wow

"That's really secret information" I say

"Better risk the information than chance you being captured by my enemies. Besides, I trust you."

I don't.

I nod again. He handed me my other phone.

Why does this thing feel more heavy now?

We leave the office together. Just before he got onto the airplane we had one final talk.

"Stay safe. And if you need me I'll be a call away." my father said

"You too father."

He gets on the vessel and flew away.

I was alone. Completely alone. This was the first time that this happened in months.

I relished the opportunity. I bought junk food from the corner store and binge watched 10 episodes of my favorite anime.

I hadn't gone to watch too much TV because of my father who also doubled as my trainer from hell. Even after training he'd say 'why aren't you studying'?' or 'do you have homework to do?' or 'go practice your chess'.

To which I'd say I'm the best player.

And he'd say 'then it's vital for you to be a good role model for your teammates as their leader.'

I loved my father but he just didn't understand the value of television. He even called anime just cartoons and said I was too old to watch them. As if Notebook of Death was just a cartoon. It's in the title!

He just couldn't get why anyone could do something if it didn't have a purpose.

But now I could lounge around to my heart's content. I took full advantage.

The week of my midterms I watched my favorite shows, played Underwatch till 3 in the morning, then went to sleep, woke up, went to the exam only to go back to relaxing at home.

Study? Ha. To me exams are code for early vacation. I knew the material and they want me to say it again? Okay then.

Marie was however busy with her own exam and between episodes I'd coach her on the material that she didn't understand.

On Friday, she called me during another gaming session.

"I passed all my classes with a C!" She yelled. I winced at the volume sent straight into my headset.

"That sucks. Well, better luck next time." I say as I blast away an enemy.

"No, I was failing. This is an improvement."

"Oh that's good. Still C's are quite low."

"We can't all be Mr. genius."

"Oh please you don't need to be a genius to understand English literature."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at 7 a.m. Go to the local airport."

"Okay."

The next day I received a call as I neared the meeting spot.

"There's no planes here. It's just an empty spot."

I smirk. "Empty for now. Look up."

There was silence on her end before she said "Holy shit!"

I piloted the helicopter to its landing pad and opened the door.

"And the correct term is landing pad". I say wearing my 1940's style pilot goggles.

She playfully punched me and got in besides me.

"This is so cool!" She said with a big smile on her face.

"You can actually fly this thing?"

"Yep. My father taught me."

"He did? How'd it go?"

"I kinda almost killed us." I nervously laugh. Then I shook my head "But I know how to pilot it now."

"It's so beautiful up here. Everything so small." She said almost pressed to the window. Leave it to Marie to completely trust my abilities without evidence.

Still, she was right. The early morning New York skyline was a sight to behold. The buildings glimmered with the light of the still rising sun. The Hudson River positively shimmered.

When we passed over The Statue of Liberty Marie became oddly quiet and sullen. I was going say something when...

"Arf Arf!" I heard from behind me.

"Watts?" I said. Marie went to the back while I continue the fly the helicopter. She soon brought back the dog in question.

"He was hiding in the storage compartment." She said.

"We takin' him back?" She seemed a little saddened by that idea.

I shook my head "Well, it looks like we have another passenger." That made her smile again.

We arrived DC in less than an hour and land at a private airport.

"That was awesome!" She flailed her arms as we walked out. Watts had brought his leash with him ( clever dog) so I walked him as we left.

I grinned at her exuberance. I had flown so often so many places that it wasn't nearly as interesting as the first time. However, her excitement made me excited.

We saw the usual sites. First, the Smithsonian. I explained to Marie anything that she didn't understand- which was quite a bit.

Meanwhile, I was trying to stop her from taking photos of everything in the museum. If I didn't stop her from doing that we would have been there forever.

Then we saw the White House. I was content to look from the side however she insisted on standing on a opening in the fence while looking at the building through another hole. Gusts of wind threatened to yank off her scarf.

"Wow, it looks just like it does on TV." She said.

"Of course it does. That's the whole purpose of a camera." After saying this, I dodged a punch to the shoulder.

"Whatever. It's just so cool. I know you don't get it. You travel all the time but with me... It's like a dream."

"Really?" I say

"Yeah. I see beautiful places and travel with a smart guy and his fun sidekick."

"So me and Watts."

"Well, you're more the sidekick."

"Hey!"

"He totally has you wrapped around his paw. You make food for him. My spoiled baby." She picked up the dog and cuddled with him.

I rolled my eyes "Screw you."

"Is that an invitation?"

I growled frustrated that she'd managed to outwit me.

Then a plan came to me.

"I wouldn't be opposed to that." I said with the sly grin that I often found on my father.

She blushes "Shut up."

I stuck my tongue out at her then laughed. "If my father could see me now. Acting so childish, taking a girl that I've known for two months for a ride in his helicopter."

"You didn't tell him… you bad boy."

"You're a horrible influence."

"Yep. I'm so proud." She pretended to wipe a tear from her eye.

Then she said "That buildin' is so white."

"And?"

"I want to throw a big piece of mud on it!"

I laugh "Like touching a wet paint sign?"

"No it- it just looks too perfect to be real. It doesn't feel real."

I smiled as a plot came to me. After a moment of intense concentration a tree landed in and broke a window in the building."

We laughed "That was so reckless." she said

"But fun. Besides it was an old tree. Plus, the White House is a bit more green now."

In the future, I looked into the news report of that day and found that they had blamed the wind. The groundskeeper was actually going to cut the tree down for safety reasons anyway.

*What's it like? Being his kid." She asked as we walked through the now snow-covered streets. The wind had gotten even worse blowing snow in our faces.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just tell me."

"Ok it's hard because he's strict and no matter what I do I'm always in the shadow. I don't get to talk much about that."

"Cause you've got a really comfy life on the outside."

"Yeah. People can't really relate... still, it's worth it. He cares about me and will do anything to protect me. And that's what matters."

She begins to tear up "I'm just askin' bout that because because I don't have anything like that anymore." She sniffled.

"Um- well maybe you do. Um not- er I'm not your dad but uh I." She silenced me with a hug.

"I get it. Thanks."

"Good that you did that. I'm not good at comforting people."

"That's okay I'm not very good at math."

"That's no excuse for mediocrity Marie. It's not that you can't learn. You just don't want to."

"When will I ever need it?"

"Come on you get to learn the secrets of the universe! Math, physics, chemistry for free. Some would die for that chance. Some already have. Is that not a cool thing to you?"

"Nah. Although, my art classes are dope."

I shook my head and laughed.

We headed to Lincoln Memorial and sat on its steps to rest from all the walking.

A few passing tourists said that it was cute that I was with my girlfriend.

"She's not my girlfriend" I said

"Really huh? And that's not your coat on her?" some man in a jacket said.

"Yes really. I'm keeping her warm. She's like a sister to me. I can't possibly ever see her that light."

Anytime we had ever hinted of anything more it was just a joke. A silly joke. Sure, Marie was cute and certainly fit the criteria for an attractive girl but I couldn't see her as anything but a friend.

What's a ridiculous notion. I thought

I shook my head and turned back to see my best friend crying.

"You- you don't even like me a little?"

She likes me? What!

Okay Electron she's crying. Let her down gently.

"No."

Unfortunately, after months of me being myself my silver tongue had left me. My ability to know just what to say to please people had been weakened after months of me not having to worry about the consequences of saying the wrong thing.

I was just me.

She only cried more. Then everyone looked as if I were the worst type of scum. Some even thought I'd slapped her. Even Watts seemed to look at me with a face that said 'you just fucked -up' before going to cuddle Marie.

Marie eventually stopped crying and said "Its alright. You said you weren't looking for romance from the beginning. It's not fair to make you feel bad."

I stayed silent. My mouth had just gotten me into trouble.

"You're the best friend I've ever had. I don't want to lose that even if especially since you don't feel the same way."

I dare to speak "Can it work? A friendship when you share feelings for me?"

"If I were dating every boy I've had a crush on I would have dated half my school."

That is so like her to fall in love so easily. So naturally. Even if the results often led to nothing but pain.

I envied that about her. Just a little bit.

We leave and grabbed a few sodas at a restaurant "To a friendship that will last forever." She raises her glass

"To forever friendship" I raise my glass. We clink to our glasses and drink.