I do not own the Power Puff Girls or the Rowdy Ruff Boys.

Chapter Four: The Way Things Happen

The first thing Buttercup became conscious of the next morning was the raging headache she had. She didn't think it were possible to have a hangover being superhuman, but she was proven wrong. As she sat up, she quickly fell back down onto the bed her hands trying to hold her splitting head together. With her arms raised, the bedsheet fell, and she noticed for the first time that she was naked. Looking to the side of her, she searched for Butch and was surprised and a little worried that he wasn't beside her. What heightened her worry was that she was in an unfamiliar place. All she could tell was that she was in a fancy hotel room, that was much too bright.

She pulled the blanket up over her nudity and slowly got out of bed to look for her clothes. She didn't find them, but she did find a white silk dress and a black linen outfit. A wedding, she remembered being invited to a wedding with Butch for some couple who needed witnesses. After that she tried to think of what happened. When the memories from the night before came rushing in, she felt the blood drain from her face.

"Oh, fuck me." She moaned miserably as the door to the room suddenly burst open with Butch storming in. His face was a dark cloud that spelled murder and his body was tensed for a fight.

"Butch? What—?"

Upon hearing her voice, Butch turned to her with their duffle bags thrown over his shoulders. "Good you're up. Here." He dropped her duffle at her feet. "Wash up and get dressed quickly. I want to get out of this fucking city before I flatten it."

The hard edge to Butch's tone made Buttercup pause in reaching for her duffle bag. "Butch, about what happened last night. Did we really—."

Butch's fist found the hard granite of the in-suite kitchen, completely demolishing it in one stroke. Buttercup shouldn't have jumped at the sudden violence, but the angry vibes that were vibrating off him were worrying. "Just get dressed, so we can go."

Buttercup didn't say anything as she grabbed her own duffle bag and headed to the bathroom. Dropping the bedsheet, she looked herself over in the mirror. All she saw was more evidence of a choice made under the influence of ecstasy and who knows what else. Her neck had a number of hickeys that were Butch's signature. Also, there was her tattoo bandage. The only thing that wasn't familiar was the new piece of jewelry she was wearing. Her eyes widened and she turned to the door ready to call for Butch when she felt the room shake and heard Butch's voice thunder through the walls.

"WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?" Butch started.

Buttercup quickly threw on some clothes and stumbled out of the bathroom to see Butch standing across from a couple that was a little older than them. The guy had a cocky smirk on his face which was framed by dark curly hair with charming hazel eyes. The girl beside him had blond hair—from a bottle if her showing roots were anything to go by—pulled over one of her shoulders and what were supposed to be bedroom eyes. She was hanging onto the guy's arm wearing a small dress and stiletto heels. The guy was dressed in a shiny button down with nice trousers and leather shoes. Despite how well dressed they pretended to be, Buttercup could easily tell that they were slimy, especially the guy. The girl just looked like she'd be along for anything as long as it was fun.

"We got the room together to celebrate last night's nuptials." The guy said.

"Thanks, by the way. We couldn't have gotten married if you guys weren't there to witness." The girl said before looking up at her husband lustfully. "It made our wedding night all the sweeter."

"I'll say." The guy said as he reached down and grabbed her butt. "It was one hell of a night."

Butch's face burned red as he remembered all the things that he and Buttercup did the night before with the couple. Him touching someone that wasn't Buttercup. Buttercup being touched by someone that wasn't him. Their fragile relationship could be torn apart because of it. He thought he understood Brick and Blossom's before, but he now had a deeper understanding. The only difference between them and him and Buttercup was that he remembered. He remembered everything that happened and knew he was a willing participant under the influence of suggestive words and a few narcotics, he believed he and counterpart to be immune too. His blood boiled with righteous fury that made his fingers twitch. "IF I WERE THE SAME GUY I WAS A FEW YEARS AGO, I'D TOTALLY CRUSH YOUR SKULLS INTO DUST!"

"Oh scary. Come on, man. You've got to admit that you never had fun like that." The guy shrugged before noticing Buttercup and smiled wider. "How are you feeling this morning, Cupcake?"

Before anyone could blink, Butch had the guy by the throat and was easily lifting him off the ground. The girl that was beside him had stumbled and she let out a shriek when she noticed her partner's sudden predicament. Buttercup quickly came up to Butch's side and used her own strength to keep Butch from fully closing his hand around the idiot's neck. "Butch, set him down. it's not worth it."

The growl that escaped Butch was inhuman. He lowered the man to his feet. The man found that he couldn't stand and fell to his knees, remaining upright only by the grip on his throat still. The blazing green eyes that fell onto him bored into his soul and made him rethink for a second who he was dealing with. "You cross me again, I'll put you in a hospital. You call her Cupcake, I'll kill you."

The guy wasn't given a chance to answer before Butch violently shoved him away. His girl helped him up and the two scurried away out of the room. Butch took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face. "Are you ready to go?"

"Butch?"

"What?" he snapped at her, without turning to look at her.

Not liking his pissy mood, she grabbed his shoulder forcing him to face her. "Hey! Don't act like an ass to me just because you're upset. I'm not exactly happy about this either."

Butch had a retort on the tip of his tongue but changed his mind at the I dare you look Buttercup was giving him. Instead he set his jaw and just walked around her. "Just grab your bag so we can go. I'll be downstairs in the lobby." He didn't even wait for her to answer before he grabbed his own duffle and slammed the door hard enough to rattle the wall. Cracks spread in the frame and anything glass vibrated dangerously.

Buttercup's hands clenched into fists, pressing the smooth metal into her palm. She glanced down and stared at the should've been beautiful ring on her left hand. Two green gold rings that were connected by thin silver webbing and held a modest black diamond in the center. It was everything she could want in something so meaningful. She just wished the circumstances were different. She went back into the bathroom and washed her face and brushed her teeth—partly for the necessity of it, mostly to calm herself before joining Butch. If she didn't, she was likely to knock his head off. Once she was ready, she got her shoes on and hauled her duffle over her shoulder.

As she was leaving, she searched all her pockets for her phone. Once she located it, she noticed at least two dozen messages. Some of them were from her from her sisters, and few from her friends, and most of them the professor. Many of them were asking for an explanation about what was going on, however what else was there to say based on the pictures of her and Butch dressed in white and black and with rings adorning their left hand fingers. The pictures spoke for themselves. At least the picture of them at the wedding was the only picture sent to her family and friends. Some of the other pictures on her phone made her blush and glad none of them were sent.

She was quickly deleting the evidence of her mistake when she saw Butch standing with his arms folded across his chest. His body was taught with tension and he radiated anger. "Fucking took you long enough."

It was more a reflex than anything else, when Buttercup drew her hand back and punched him in the nose. It was hard enough to throw his head back and make his eyes sting, but not enough to make him bleed. Holding his hand to has face, he watched as Buttercup stormed away from him out of the building. After checking to make sure that he wasn't bleeding, he followed her outside. Buttercup was fiddling with her phone, the screen now cracked after having been holding it in her hand when she stuck Butch.

"Great. That's just great." She exhaled heavily before stashing it away in her duffle bag.

"I'll get you a new one." Butch said as came to stand beside her.

"Don't bother." She threw over her shoulder at him. "I'd rather not talk to anyone right now. Not even you."

"Buttercup, I—."

She didn't say anything as she took to the air and waited for him to join her. When he did, he looked around before taking off in the direction he had looked to lead then to Hawaii. Buttercup silently flew behind him, lost in her own thoughts about the previous night's events. She thought about the professor's growing concern and thought she might at least give him a call after they landed in Hawaii. Maybe then, she'd find a way to explain why she suddenly found herself married.

The rather large group of friends were sitting in the park looking over their phones trying to figure out what was going on with the green Ruff and Puff. Brick was sitting behind Blossom, allowing her to brace her back against him while looking at the picture.

"That's my dumb brother and your sister all right." Brick said as he looked at the couple. "Our dads are going to seriously lose their shit over this."

Blossom closed her phone and sighed heavily. "You guys truly are villains." She said turning to look at Brick. "Was this your big plan all along? Seduce us with your roguish charms and then ride off into the sunset with our futures in your hands?" the smile on her face indicated that she was only teasing.

Brick chuckled as he nuzzled his nose against her cheek. "Something like that. Now, if only Boomer would complete his part."

The group laughed as Boomer grunted from his place with his head in Bubbles' lap, her fingers stroking his scalp through his hair. "I have done my part. My angel is wrapped around my finger."

That statement brought on another round of laughter. When he looked questioningly at his friends, it was Bubbles who answered him. "Please, you're the one wrapped around my finger." She then leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Everyone knows that."

"Hmph." Boomer snorted with a blush over his cheeks. "Screw you guys."

"All jokes aside, what are they going to do when they get back?" Mac asked from his place beside Goo.

Bubbles and Blossom shared a look before they shrugged. "I don't know." Blossom said.

The group got quiet before Boomer turned his head to look at his friends. "How much does anyone want to bet that Butch gets his ass kicked by the professor?"

"Before or after Mojo busts his balls?" Tabitha asked. "If it's before then I'm putting ten dollars down."

"Ten for after Mojo tears into him first." Jack put in. "You really think he'll let Butch walk away from this unscathed?"

Sam, Tabitha, and Robin were looking at the ring that adorned Buttercup's finger in the picture she sent. "Ten on after Mojo tears into him." Sam whistled after looking at the ring. "Have you seen that ring on her finger?"

"It's gorgeous." Robin agreed. "How much do you think it cost? I can't imagine it being cheap."

No sooner had she said that did a loud animalistic screech ring out across the park from the top of the volcano tower. Boomer sat up from Bubbles lap just as everyone turned to look up, hair standing on end. "What was that?" Mac asked.

Boomer turned to Brick with a worried look on his face. Meeting his brother's eyes, Brick exhaled and stood up from where he sat behind Blossom and stretched his arms over his head. "Come on. Let's make sure he hasn't given himself a heart attack."

"That's not funny, Brick. You know he very well could give himself a heart attack. You know he did once before." Boomer fussed as he got up from his place. He then flew up to the top of the tower, creating a huge gust of wind.

"Hey!" The girls yelled out as their clothes and hair were trussed about.

Bick expelled a short breath as he combed the stray blades of grass from his hair with his fingers. "I'll be right back."

"Brick?"

He turned at concerned note to Blossom's voice. The worry he saw swimming in her pink orbs was enough for his feigned nonchalance to crack just a bit. He then crouched before her and bracing himself on his hands, planted a quick kiss to her lips. "Don't worry. I'll be right back."

Before she could say anything, he flew up to join his brother in a place that used to be his home. Once he stepped inside, he nearly ran into Boomer who was watching Mojo pace while holding a phone to his ear.

"How could you allow such a transaction to occur? It was well over ten thousand dollars!" he screamed. "Ten thousand dollars of my money!"

"So that's how much it was." Boomer muttered, but apparently not quickly enough as Mojo whipped his head around and glared at him. When he noticed Brick standing behind him, his look darkened and he turned his back to them both.

Brick refused to let the gesture get to him.

"Freeze the account! That ingrate will not waste another dime of my money on some whore!" he then hung up the phone and spun on his sons, eyes blazing. "I don't believe this. How could I have raised such asinine sons?"

"I haven't done anything!" Boomer was immediately indignant, especially since he came up to the tower to see that Mojo was all right. Right now he wasn't sure if he preferred him to be having a heart attack over throwing his anger at him.

"You're not as guiltless as you believe Boomer. If I recall, you were the first to fall victim to their charms." Mojo sneered before turning to Brick. "And what the hell are you doing here?"

This time Brick couldn't help his cloud of black smoke. If Mojo was going to be hostile then so would he. "Making sure you haven't dropped dead. Though I doubt it'll happen soon enough."

"Brick!" Boomer turned to his brother with wide eyes. Mad as he was with their dad, he couldn't possibly want to wish him dead. Could he?

"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction." Mojo growled out.

Refusing to give his father the satisfaction, Brick rolled his eyes. "As if I could expect you to be so generous."

"Generous?" Mojo spat the word out venomously. "Generous? You expect me to be generous after you blatantly lied to me and then had everyone around me lie for your sake. Clearly you are not as smart as I believed you to be."

"And you're not so different from the father you used to have." Brick snapped back with fire licking his lips.

Boomer felt the air seep out of the room as the tension rose between them. Brick stood with his chin slightly raised in challenge, while Mojo's hands clenched tightly into a fist and his eyes bled red with his injured pride. It was through the use of Boomer's superspeed that he caught Mojo before he could lay his hands on Brick. The chimp struggled as he swung his long arms out and tried to kick Brick from his place in his youngest son's grasp.

"You ingrate! I've devoted my life to you and your brothers, and this is the thanks I get! How easily you forget those who have done all for you!" Mojo screeched.

"Ingrate?" Brick shouted back indignantly. "You've got some fucking nerve to saying that after how much of a pain in ass you've been this past year! You're calling me the ingrate? You and H.I.M have controlled damn near everything we've done since we were created."

Boomer turned to look as his brother over his shoulder. "Dude, are trying to send him into an early grave?"

"He can break his arm in the tire swing for all I care." Brick said as he turned to leave the tower. "I just came to make sure you didn't freak if happened to have had another heart attack."

"I don't need your false concern." Mojo yelled at Brick. He then started pushing himself away from Boomer's grasp. "Let me down. I don't need to be held in check like some rabid animal."

"Could've fooled me." Brick murmured. "I'm going back to join the others."

Boomer nodded as he set Mojo down and held him back. Once the door closed behind him, he turned to Mojo and sighed heavily. "Why do you have to be like this?"

"Like what?"

"Bitter." Boomer asked. "Don't you care about Brick more than you hate the girls?"

Mojo turned his glare onto his youngest son. "Must you continue to be the stupid one, Boomer?" He turned, missing the hurt look that come over his son's face.

"Hey," Boomer called after him. "Don't call me stupid! Not when I'm the only one standing here and who care whether you live or die."

"Last standing son you may be, but as I'll remind you. "You were the first to fall from grace."

"It wasn't something I could help." Boomer tried to explain.

Mojo sat on the couch and rubbed his hands over his eyes. "Boomer, I don't wish to speak of this anymore. Butch's latest stunt has risen my blood pressure to insufferable levels."

Boomer looked about to speak, but chose not to. Mojo's mood would only get worse if he stayed and tried to reason with him. He hated being stuck in the middle of this fighting between his brothers and Mojo. He loved his family, but he loved Bubbles too. How was he supposed to choose? How were his brothers? Why did he have to?

Going back outside, he looked down and using his super vision, saw his friends having fun as they joked and played around. Bubbles, however was only half smiling as she seemed to huddle in on herself. Suddenly she looked up and her face brightened. Her smile chased away all the bad feelings that were beginning to swirl in him—a balm against his heart. Feeling elated and feeling a tad silly, Boomer jumped from the door of the tower and using his flight powers gently landed before Bubbles. Her smile was just as brilliant up close as it was from a distance.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

Boomer nodded and reached his hand out to her. When she took it, he pulled her up and pressed her against him. His arms wrapping around her in a self-soothing gesture.

When Bubbles wrapped her arms around him, the girls started making cooing sounds. "Aww, they're so cute." Sam gushed teasingly.

Sure enough, the blush that appeared on both their faces only heightened the laughter and teases thrown their way. While they were laughing and joking the group almost missed the arrival of two more. Deedee and Dexter were just taking a walk through the park when the elder saw her friends. She immediately ran to meet up with them. Dexter followed after with his arms folded as with the intent of ignoring everyone—especially Blossom and Brick. He was still smarting them stealing his thunder at graduation with the announcement of their baby being a boy. He was valedictorian. That had to count more than them having some bastard child.

He watched as his sister went around hugging all her friends, and they chatted about all that they did for the summer. When they began talking about school, he paid closer attention waiting for the moment he could gloat. Not all of them were going to school right off the bat. Mac and Goo were planning on going to work first to save up money before going to school. Tabitha was going to move in with Josh and Alex while she went to school. Sam was going to community before going to trade school for culinary arts. Bubbles was going to school for veterinary sciences. Brick was going to study architecture, and Blossom was going to study education.

"You're going to school in your condition?" Dexter asked skeptically with a raised brow from behind his tinted glasses.

Brick's skin heated with his aggravation, while the rest of the group quieted and stared between the three red heads. "I had to hold back in school, but not anymore dweeb."

"Dexter, don't be an ass." Deedee reproached him.

Her brother raised his shoulders innocently. "I was just asking a valid question. College isn't for those who can't handle the pressure. Being pregnant would be an added pressure."

"Being pregnant isn't an incapacitating disease, dumb ass." Tabitha snapped at him from her place between Robin and Sam.

"Not to mention she came second in our class." Sam retorted.

A mocking snicker was snorted through Dexter's nose, before he through his head back and laughed openly. "As if being second means anything."

Robin then stood up stepped up to Dexter with her hands on her hips. "You know, you didn't even earn the first spot."

"What are you talking about? Of course, I earned it." Dexter said, before he caught sight of Brick laughing behind Blossom. She smacked him in the chest when he couldn't contain himself.

"Yeah right." Brick laughed. "You got it on a technicality. If Blossom and I hadn't missed those days because we were recuperating, your ass would have been third."

"That's not true." Dexter suddenly feeling his wind being taken out of his sails.

"Guys," Blossom struggled to stand until Brick helped her up and she walked over to Dexter. She placed a hand on her belly and looked down at Dexter. "Dexter, you were valedictorian. You have nothing else to prove to anyone. Just take it as it is."

"In other words, stop being an ass." Brick said as he came to stand behind Blossom. "Also, know the next time you talk about her pregnancy like it's some scourge I'm going to kick your ass."

"Brick." Blossom said as she looked over his shoulder. "Cool it." She then placed a kiss on his cheek filled with her ice powers that chilled the fire still simmering from his brief interaction with Mojo.

Dexter's teeth ground in his cheek as he watched the girl he used to like kiss his nemesis. "Yeah, well-yeah." He then turned away from her and went to stand off to the side, waiting for his sister to be done.

"We're all going out for Mediterranean. Did you two want to come with? Granted your baby brother behaves himself." Tabitha asked eyeing Dexter critically.

Dexter rolled his eyes and shook his head. "No thanks. I don't need your pity. I'm going home. I have work to do."

"I thought classes didn't started for another two weeks?" Sam asked.

"No, but I've like to have a head start." Dexter said, before he sauntered off. "Good students look over the syllabus and are prepared the first day."

It was an obvious dig that was subtly directed at Blossom and Brick. The Rowdy Ruff leader made to move when Blossom simply shook her head. Her stomach then rumbled and a flash of heat from the body flooded her body. "Can we go now? We're starting to get hungry."

Brick nodded before he led everyone to their cars outside of the park grounds. About an hour later everyone was laughing and talking in a booth with table full of gyro, chicken shawarma, and falafel. Those paired with their significant others were sitting close and picking off each other's plates, especially Blossom. She was eating enough to rival the boys. As soon as she cleaned her plate, she was reaching for the next available item to consume. After making a fourth wrap of gyro with the spicy peppers and taking a large bite, she noticed that everyone was staring at her.

"What?" she asked while licking the stray hummus from her fingers.

"Are you eating for two or two hundred, Blossom?" Tabitha laughed. "You haven't stopped eating since the food was put down."

Blossom shrugged while taking another bite of her wrap. "The little guy's hungry." Her simple answer was lighthearted enough to get the others laughing again.

"Better hope that fridge is fully stocked then. Wouldn't want her eat you out of hunger, huh, Brick?" Tabitha teased.

At that same moment, Bubbles choked on her Lebanese tea. It wound up coming up her nose, making her nostrils burn. Luckily, she turned her head away from the table. Unfortunately, the direction she turned in made her trajectory Boomer's lap. The blue Rowdy Ruff boy stood abruptly, hoping to get out the way, but the damage was already done. The crotch of his pants was a mess, while Bubbles coughed and fanned her nose face red.

"Sor—sorry!" she choked out, before standing and practically blurring to the bathroom. Boomer's dark look was a silent dare for anyone to say anything while he was standing there, before he too left and made for the bathroom.

It took Brick less than a second to figure out what happened the other night. No wonder Bubbles screamed out NO! Boomer and Bubbles were simple romantics, so anything that wasn't straight forward sex wasn't on their radar. At least, he thought it wasn't on Boomer's radar. It obviously wasn't on Bubbles'.

Everyone was quiet before Tabitha let a small giggle escape. She honestly couldn't help it and it just made everyone else laugh. Thankfully, they had no idea as to what caused Bubbles to turn her nose into a soda fountain. Still, Brick hoped everyone quelled their laughter before Boomer got back. He wouldn't get that they weren't necessarily laughing at him.

Blossom concerned for her sister, tapped Brick's arm so he could let her out of the booth. It took some time with her belly, but she scooted out and made her way to the restrooms. However, she stopped partly in the walk away when she heard low whispers between the youngest of the Ruffs and Puffs.

"Did you say anything to them?"

"What?"

"Did you say anything about what happened yesterday?" Boomer asked tensely.

"No, I wouldn't—."

"Then why would Tabitha say that?" He snapped at her. "Specifically 'eat you out'?"

Blossom was about to step in when heard Bubbles speak in a heated tone. "I don't know, but don't get upset with me."

"The only way she could've known was if you said something." Boomer insisted.

"What makes you so sure that her comment had anything to do with us? Besides she was talking to Blossom, so it really had nothing to do with us." Boomer countered.

"You just blew iced tea out your nose because of what she said." Her stubborn and embarrassed boyfriend pointed out with a huff.

It was quiet and Blossom was tempted to pick around the corner when she heard her sister start speaking again. "I was caught off guard. That's all."

"Right." His tone hinted that he didn't fully believe her.

Bubbles huffed and Blossom could just imagine her turning red in the face as she tried to quell her temper. "Is that to mean you don't talk to your brothers about what we do?"

"Not everything." He admitted after a bit of hesitation.

"But you tell them enough, don't you?" Bubbles urged.

"They're my brothers." He tried to defend.

"How is that different from if I I'd told Tabitha?" she challenged. "Which I didn't do?"

It was quiet for a spell, and Blossom chose that moment to make her presence known. She put a small smile on her face and walked up to Bubbles. Placing her hand on her arm, she ran it over her in a soothing motion. "Are you okay?"

Bubbles spared Boomer a quick look before nodding her head. "Yeah. Have room for dessert?"

"I think I can make room." She laughed. "See you guys back at the table then." She started to turn toward the lobby when she stopped and immediately headed for the bathroom. "I don't think I've ever had to pee so much." She muttered as she dashed past the couple.

Boomer glanced at Blossom as he disappeared into the bathroom before turning back to Bubbles. The redness in her face was receding slowly, but the tenseness remained. The awkward silence stretched between them and it made Boomer feel like a rightful ass. Not even two hours ago, he was reveling in the solace that Bubbles was to him. Now he was picking a fight just because he was embarrassed about his failed sexual encounter. One that wouldn't have happened had he had the condom Butch had stolen from him. If there was someone to be pissed at it was his jerk of a brother.

"Bubbles—."

"Let's just go join the others." She cut him off and walked past him without touching him.

He wanted to call out to her, but that would just draw more attention to the little tiff they just had. He didn't want anyone to be privy to it more than they had to be. Therefore, he took a deep breath and while he couldn't manage a smile did manage to not frown. When he walked out, everyone stared at him briefly before turning back to the plate of baklava that brought to them. It was a large portion that everyone picked off much like the plates earlier.

Brick watched his brother brood for a second, noticing that his and Bubbles' mood had taken a dip that was only perceivable to him. It didn't seem to distract anyone else, so he left it be. Also, it was his brother's problem to deal with. If Boomer wanted to talk about it, he would.

A week later the professor was standing in the middle of the sparsely furnished but still homey apartment that his eldest daughter and her boyfriend just moved into. His power suit was unzipped letting him cool off, as the day's heat and the work had made him hot. He only wore the suit to made carrying the boxes easier. He didn't want to admit just yet that he wasn't as young as he used to be.

"It's looking good, kids. Do you like it?" he asked Blossom who was sitting on the red sofa with her feet propped up on the black ottoman.

"Yeah, Brick really picked out a really nice place." Blossom said as she looked around and then shook her head. "You know he haggled the managed and got this place for only a thousand dollars?"

The professor came to sit on the sofa beside Blossom. "That sounds like him." He laughed.

The two became silent and took a moment to relax. It felt almost surreal that they were in this place at that moment in time. He was helping his daughter move into her first place before she started college. He couldn't have been prouder.

Suddenly Blossom sighed and placed a hand over her protruding belly. The sight of this made a bit of a shadow fall over the professor's face. "Are you okay?"

"He's just kicking a little to hard." She looked up to the professor's face and noticed the heavy stare he was giving her. "Do you want to feel him?"

The professor looked up into the open and excited face of his daughter and relented into pressing his hand against her belly. His grandson's hand or foot pressed firmly against his hand, and the feeling of it lifted the shadow on the professor's mind. The conception of this child was dark and twisted, and he went to great lengths to not think about it. However, he wouldn't berate this infant for something that he had no choice in. He didn't ask to be here. He didn't ask to be conceived in the way that he was. He was just here. The professor couldn't speak for any other parent, but he chose to believe that he made the right choice in allowing Blossom and Brick to choose what they wanted to do about the child. If they'd decided to abort the child and pretend that the incident never happened, he would have supported them just as he is now. Mojo still would've been told about it since his child was affected by the lies and secrecy, he had no doubt about that. However, he couldn't say how Brick and Blossom's relationship would be if they chose that other route.

"Professor?"

He didn't realize how deep in thought he was until Blossom pulled him out. He pulled his hand away and ran it over his face. "Sorry, I'm—I'm just amazed by you."

"Amazed?"

"Yes, amazed?"

"Why?"

The professor gave her a bittersweet smile. "You've more or less taken everything that has happened in stride." He started, not wanting to dredge up painful memories.

Blossom reached over and grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. She knew exactly what he was referring and appreciated him not explicitly saying it. "I know it's not ideal, but I'd like to think we're doing fine."

"Fine. Fine is good." He said simply to fill the empty space. He then glanced back at her belly. "Thought of a name?"

"Yes." She smiled with a conspiratorial wink in her eye.

The professor waited in anticipation for her to reveal it, only to have her laugh and shake her head. "I don't get to know my grandson's name?"

"Nope." She giggled. "You have to wait like everyone else. It's something special."

The professor frowned playfully before blowing out a breath of air. "Can I at least know his initials?"

Blossom pursed her lips before breaking into a smile. "Okay, I guess that should be fine. B. C. M. J."

"B? C? M? J?" he repeated. "How long—?"

"No, M!" Brick shouted as he came into the room with the toolkit clenched in his hand. "I'm not having it!"

Blossom released an icy breath that made the professor shiver. He looked between the two of them with a furrowed brow. "What's going on?"

"Brick doesn't like my choice of middle name." Blossom glowered at her boyfriend's back.

"It's not that I don't like it, it's just the namesake doesn't deserve it." Brick said as she stashed the toolkit under the sink in the kitchen.

Blossom ground her teeth as she turned her eyes to the floor. "If you'd tell me what he said—"

"No!" Brick shouted. "It'll only upset you and send you into a heat flash."

"I don't need you to protect me from a few harsh words Brick!" she shouted back at him when he raised his voice.

"Hey, enough!" the professor jumped in.

Blossom turned to look back at the professor before dropping her eyes to the ground again. Brick huffed a cloud of smoke, and then waved it away before Blossom could yell at him about that as well.

Looking between the two of them, he waited for a further explanation about why the baby's middle name was a cause for conflict. "Is anyone going to explain?"

"There's nothing to explain." Brick said brusquely. "I don't want the middle name she's chosen."

"Why?" She huffed exasperated with fighting with him about it. "What did he say that was so bad that you had to change your mind?"

Brick glanced at the professor meaningfully before looking away. "I'm not going to say it. You'll just worry yourself about something it already took me weeks to convince you otherwise."

A gasp broke through Blossom's lips and her body started to freeze. The cold radiated from her, chilling the professor and making him shiver. Her hand went to her belly and she rubbed it anxiously. "Blossom?" He placed his hand over hers as her face clouded over and she bit her lip hard.

Brick looked over and quickly moved to the sofa. He shifted her so that he was cradling her from behind and using his fire to chase the chill away. "Hey, he's all right. You know he's all right."

Blossom nodded trying to reassure herself that what Brick said was true as she leaned into his comforting touch. "Yeah. He's going to be fine."

"He is fine." Brick insisted. "You're keeping him safe and healthy." Brick promised while pressing a soft kiss to her hair.

The professor watched the two as they soothed each other. He reached for Blossom's hand, having let go with Brick sat behind her, and gave it a squeeze. "I can run a few tests if that will assure you. I'll detect any abnormality much sooner than your regular doctor."

Blossom glanced over her shoulder at Brick who nodded. She turned back to her dad and nodded her head quickly. "Yeah, I'd like that." She sighed with relief.

The professor smiled and leaned over to press a kiss to Blossom's forehead. "Come by the house tomorrow, and I'll take some blood and start running tests."

"Okay."

Standing up he stretched his tired body and made to leave. His last sight of his daughter was of her being securely wrapped in the arms of the father of her child. It was a touching sight, despite being so young. Eighteen years old—or thirteen, if one chose to be technical—and already so far beyond their years due to experience and the trials they went through. He hoped that the worst was over for them.

As he made his way home, he thought about his other daughters. Bubbles was starting school so she could be a veterinarian. He smiled as he thought about how she hid animals in the house, and that same week released all the animals from the zoo. Her gift for talking to animals would be most useful to her. When he thought of Buttercup, the lovable rebel, he couldn't help but shake his head. He hadn't heard from her in a week, but knew from her sisters that she was on her way to Hawaii with Butch. It was through a very irate phone call from Mojo that he learned they stopped in Las Vegas and spent—or lost—ten thousand dollars. Mojo of course put all the blame on Buttercup, but the professor was slightly more sure that it was Butch's own fault. It was no secret that Butch was the more reckless out of the boys. The very fact set the professor's teeth on edge, more so when his almost as reckless daughter was with him. He could only hope that whatever trouble they got themselves into wasn't long lasting.

When he pulled up to his house, he sat in his car a moment, before pulling out his phone and dialing Buttercup's number. He stared at her chosen picture, her when she was sixteen and had just gotten her braces off, before putting the phone to his ear. He heard the ringing of the call, but after a while it went to voicemail. He'd been trying to call her all week and her growing silence only proved to irritate and worry him. When given the cue to leave a message, he didn't hesitate to berate her.

"Buttercup Utonium. You are to call me immediately. I've reached my limit of patience with not knowing where you are or what you're doing. Power Puff girl and legal adult you may be, but you are still my daughter." He sighed. "Please call me sweetheart, so I at least know that you're safe." With that, he hung up and vacated the car to enter his home.

He was greeted to a resounding silence that came with being an empty nester. Blossom was having her own family with Brick and would be attending college. Bubbles would be going to school as well, and had moved into her dorm only a few days prior. Buttercup was God knows where—hopefully Hawaii as he was told. For the first time ever he was in an empty home. From living with his parents until college where he had a roommate to becoming an unexpectant father of a chimp then to three little girls. His life was always filled with the people he loved, and he wasn't sure what to do with himself.

The professor's train of thought brought him to Mojo and it made him wonder if this was how he felt whenever he was alone. Pity was an easy thing to feel for Mojo, but empathy? Empathy took a shared experience or understanding. What the professor understood in that moment was that he was not the kindest to Mojo in his times of emotional need.

Walking past the photos of him and the girls, he pushed them aside to see the ones he had of a different chimp. A pink skinned toddler who caused more than his fair share of mischief, but was still loveable. He'd be lying if he said he didn't still care about Mojo. However, he knew that he could have cared more for him. It wouldn't change the past, but the future would have a brighter disposition than it did now.

Settling his photo of Mojo back on the banister, he walked to his lab and striped off the power suit. "You never used to think so much about things like this, John." He said to himself. "Maybe a hot shower and cold beer will clear my head, before I make any decisions about anything."

That in mind, he proceeded to achieve those two things, hoping the answers would fall into place about what to do about his peculiar family.

Hello my lovelies. Sorry for the long wait for the next chapter, but that happens when your working 10-12 hours and day and all you want to do is eat, shower, and sleep the minute you get home. I tried to cram writing in every snippet of free time I had. Now back to the story.

Was the trouble Butch and Buttercup got into enough trouble or was it too much? I bet you all weren't expecting that when I mentioned rings and bells a while ago. ;) I thought it would be a bit of fun to have to keep you guys on your toes about what I was going to write next. Unlike Coming of Age, I did have this planned from the get go. I know a lot of you were expecting this little number for the blues, but I have something else in store for them. Let's just say absence does make the heart grow fonder.

Until Next Time