Title: Running With the Devil
Author: TWBasketcase
A/N: Once again I just wanna say that any idea/situation in this story is NOT directed at any one author on this site in particular. Once again I am not only using this as an idea for an actual fan fiction story I am also using it to help better myself as a creative writer; giving myself some ideas. So please do not take offense...please feel free to leave any remarks/compliments/flames, etc.

Chapter 5 – A Hard On For Heart Ache

Brian continued to sit in the corner – extremely pissed off – much to Brody's dismay. What surprised her though was when Brian is mad the rest of the group tends to steer clear away from him; apparently the cute blonde brainiac had quite the temper when he was angry and the others didn't really like to press him. Brody was cool with that but ever since Brian's little outburst conversation in the small bedroom had come to an abrupt halt.

She looked back to the other four members of the Breakfast Club; John had gotten his hands on a deck of cards and was currently playing a game of war with Claire while Andy and Allison sat next to each other silently watching the game go on.

"So how long are you guys here for anyways? I mean…I don't really have anywhere for you guys to sleep or extra clothes…"

Bender cocked a brow as a cigarette dangled from his lips, "Who says we are spending the night?"

Claire regarded him and nodded, "Yeah…you should have plenty of ideas by now. You can get back to your normal life and we can get back to ours."

Brody swallowed, "Sure you guys gave me a lot of ideas…but that doesn't mean that I got it all out on paper yet."

Andy and Allison simultaneously rolled their eyes – in turn made Brody beam inside because she loved them together so much – the blonde jock raked his fingers though his hair and sighed, "But if you don't get it done soon you will put a strain on everything. We have our parents around still, and school to go to…because of you we could all up in detention again."

A sly grin spread across Brody's face, "And who says I don't want you back in detention, huh? For the detention being such an important aspect of the entire story it sure hasn't been written out in fics very much…except for the occasional Mary-Sue's."

Bender cocked an eyebrow, "Who in the hell is Mary-Sue?"

Allison furrowed her brows, "It sounds like a llama's name."

Brody laughed, "Might as well be; those damn Mary-Sue's are beasts!" Claire laughed in reply and waited for Brody to continue – which she readily did, "Imagine the most beautiful, thin, strong and determined, and cocky female. Now imagine someone writes this female into YOUR storylines completely deteriorating the entire concept of your character and plot!"

Bender cocked an eyebrow, "I don't get it."

Brody sighed, "Okay most often used example…Bender is back in detention without the others because they all turned their backs on him and turned popular together; except for him because they hate him. So he sits in detention sulking and wondering what is going on with his life when this Mary-Sue walks through the door and John is in love at first sight! She's all perfect and bubbly and it turns out that her life is like ten times worse than his is and he falls at her feet admiring her strength and beauty…thus leaving him totally out of character and forgetting all important aspects of the original plot."

"This happens a lot?" John asked a little amused.

"Well I have read a couple of them; but usually once I am around the third chapter they get so retarded and ridiculous that I can't even finish. A lot of times the author realizes how dumb it is and then eventually takes it off the site."

John grinned, "I wish I met Mary-Sue all the time in real life." Claire smacked him and pouted; John in turn just grinned a cocky grin, "Hey princess don't worry…there's lots of Johnny to go around!"

Claire let out an over dramatic sigh, "You are so damn cocky!"

Bender grinned crookedly, "Isn't that what got to ya in the first place, princess?"

She smiled slyly, "You would love to think that wouldn't you Bender? That you wooed me with your witty and sly, yet arrogant sense of humor? Please!"

Bender narrowed his eyes playfully, "Fine…I'll just use it to woo Mary-Sue!"

Claire rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at him, "Mary-Sue isn't real dumb ass!"

"A man can dream though, can't he?"

Brody giggled in spite of herself at how playful and nice they were to each other; it may have been very underlying but she could sense the utmost respect that they had for each other. She couldn't even count how many times people wrote them as a constantly fighting on again off again couple. I guess the good girl bad boy relationship was an evenly balanced one as opposed to the polar opposites that are Andy and Allison.

She observed Andy and Allison thoroughly; the two after all being the source and cause of her problems within her story. The looks in their eyes as they regarded each other spoke volumes; you could see respect, admiration, confusion, excitement…maybe even love. Yet when they spoke to each other at times they seemed as if they were holding back – a little apprehensive – maybe even frustratation. She sighed dreamily and then made her way back to sit with Brian.

"Hey Brian…are you okay now?"

Brian looked up from the Game Boy he had found under Brody's bed, "Oh sure…I'm okay, I was just a little upset that's all."

"I'm sorry if I upset you…I never meant to."

He shrugged and gave her a sweet grin, "its okay, that's why we are here right? To make sure you look at all possibilities for your story to get it going again? Maybe you seeing that I wasn't utilized enough will fix that. You did say I was popular…didn't you?"

Brody hesitated with a smile, "Yeah that is the strange part though…everyone always complains and protests when you aren't in a story enough yet they never write you in. I find that the stories that do have you in them are very interesting and often complex."

Brian shifted his weight in the small corner of the bedroom where he sat cross legged, "Yeah well all five of us in one story can be very complex…five different personalities, five different families, wants, needs, likes, and dislikes. With five main characters you get to see the different sides of everyone…the only downfall being if you focus on that many characters it may be somewhat difficult to keep up with your plot."

Brody furrowed her eyebrows, "Makes sense…if seeing all five of you as your individual selves instead of Claire & John counting as one person, and Andy & Ally as one person. Taking a look at all five of you separately is what makes the story complex…but how do you figure it could make going along with my plot hard?"

Brian shrugged easily, "Well you are focusing on so much character development and obviously every character is going to have their own story lines…you have to keep everything tied together."

Brody nodded, "I see…now that I think about it I have read quite a few stories that have that problem. I get so intrigued by what they are doing with the characters that I don't really remember the plotline all the time. I guess I could even say I have that problem myself…" She rubbed her fingers on her chin and bit her lower lip; writing is surely a lot more complex and difficult than she initially made it out to be. When she thought about it she realized as a good writer you have to focus on plot, setting, point of view, character development, suspense, foreshadowing and theme. It really is a lot to take in let alone concentrate on when she actually writes. She looked at Brian gloomily who in turned gave her a reassuring smile, "Don't be too hard on yourself you know."

She nodded, "I know…but it's not just me who does it. I remember when I first wrote for this fandom and there wasn't much lively hood to it. Any review I got I got for the sake of just writing. There wasn't much going on so readers were just happy that I updated. Now that it's so packed with new stories and readers that people are getting nit picky. It's just a matter of time before someone rips me apart."

Brian frowned and paused; he piped up as if an idea just occurred to him, "Why do you write fan fiction?"

Brody paused, "Well because I loved the initial movie so much…I love all of you guys as characters; the movie just left so much open for interpretation that I just couldn't help myself."

Brian nodded, "Well then remember this; the movie left it open for interpretation…the fan's interpretation. So that makes YOU as the writer in charge of that interpretation. It doesn't have to necessarily have to go any certain way to be realistic; because no one knows for sure how Claire or Andy, or hell even John would have acted on Monday. So unless a character is acting out of character there is no such thing as unrealistic in our world. It could have happened any different way."

Brody regarded him skeptically; going as far as slumping her shoulders and frowning so Brian continued, "The movie is like fan fiction in a sense…it was just the writer's take on what happened; so technically you are just picking up where he left off. But like I said earlier: with five main characters it is very hard to pinpoint exactly how they would act or think in any given situation. You can't do that in only an hour and a half of film…that is what is so great about fan fiction…you have all the time in the world to decide what you want to happen and how it goes about happening. And on top of that you are in control of the characters.
If you started writing fan fiction because you just loved the movie that much then you should just have fun writing it. People can nit pick all they want but a lot of times they just wanna see you get better. You aren't a professional writer so don't let little things bother you. If you do it for fun then actually do it for fun…it doesn't matter how many reviews you get or how many hits…the important thing is you have fun writing it.
You are always gonna be your hardest critic no matter what…so even if someone gets nit picky it probably doesn't even compare to the negative thoughts you have about your own story."

Brody nodded, "You're right…your right about everything in fact. But that still doesn't help me get all my ideas out."

Brian nodded, "It will all come in time."

Brody nodded, "You know out of the five of you I find you to be the easiest one to talk to…you kinda have this great sense of problem solving," Brian grinned at the compliment and replied, "So…does that give me a more concrete appearance in your story then?

She grinned, "You bet! The more I talk to you in fact the less I see you as the geeky tag along…you would play a great mediator role you know."

Brian rolled his eyes, "You have no idea how often I have to play mediator to those four! They fight and bicker and banter…sometimes I swear it gives them a hard on." Brody laughed at loud which in turn left the said four staring at her curiously. Brian and Brody made eye contact and looked back at the confused group and just laughed together loudly.

"What a bunch of weirdoes," Allison exclaimed.

Bender nodded his head, "Amen."

TBC