So yeah - I am still alive. Sorry it's been so long. I've had writers block baaaad & just been feeling pretty burnt out. The past couple of years have been rough on just about every human being on the planet. But we push through.

To make up for my long period of silence, this is actually my longest chapter for this story so far. I'm pretty pleased with myself for even managing to finish it at all, let alone write so much (I know it's not of epic length in comparison to the size of the chapters in say, Choices, but it's long for this story). There was a long period I wondered if I'd ever actually write so to be posting something, I'm relieved to say the least. It sucks when something you love to do is suddenly lost on you.

Anyway, I hope you're all doing well & sticking with me still. Here's chapter 12.


I wish you'd say/Tell me the words you long to hear/And I'll sing them loud and clear


The end of Dr Utonium's pen rested against her bottom lip as she overlooked the chart in her hands, a light sigh escaping her lips. She was finding it difficult to focus on her pneumonia patients' results she'd just received, due to the whispering and wittering coming from the nurses station.

She turned her head and cranked a brow at them; it was enough to instantly quiet them all. The redhead smirked. "What? What is it?"

"Nothing, nothing." Jenny murmured, pressing her lips together to attempt to stop herself from smiling or laughing.

"What's going on?" Blossom urged, as Fern and a couple of the other nurses failed at hiding their smirks. That familiar paranoia that they were gossiping about her returned to Blossom, and she suddenly felt about two inches tall. Her arms crossed against her chest, the chart still gripped in one hand as the nurses before her tried to feign a professional attitude once more, one picking up another chart, one sitting down at a computer and the other fiddling with something on the side.

Things had improved drastically at work since the hubbub of the trial. It was a busy, bustling hospital, in an equally as busy and bustling city, crazy stuff was always happening around there. Fortunately, she hadn't stayed the hottest topic for too long; they'd moved on to other things and she wasn't finding herself walking into rooms that suddenly fell silent as she entered anymore.

But now… Things like this had her feeling damn right paranoid. Had something happened to make her news of the week again? She'd not seen the Townsville Tribunal for today, nor had she had the chance to look at her phone at all. She had no idea if someone somewhere had posted or printed something about her.

"Guys, come on, what's -" Blossom began to press, just as Tess appeared around the corner, calling her name as she did so.

"Blossom! Have you seen who's back?!"

The nurses began to whisper again and Blossom shook her head no. "No, but I'm wondering if that's what all the talk is about..."

Wondering and hoping, she thought to herself.

"Dr Buckland. He's come back - remember him?" Tess asked, not being able to hide her smile at her friend's grimace in response to her news.

"Ergh, I wish I didn't. Back permanently?" The pink puff groaned.

"No, just a few days. Some cardiology class he's teaching the residents. He was the one who -"

Blossom hastily interrupted her. "Yes, he was."

"I thought so. It should be pretty easy to avoid him, I'd imagine. He'll be up on Cardiology more than down here." Tess tried to assure her colleague.

"Let's hope so." Blossom murmured, her rose eyes swivelling down to the chart in her hands once more.

Dr Benny Buckland was an attending physician at Townsville General Hospital when Blossom first started there as an intern. He worked there for several years, and had been a well known and somehow well loved figure there in his time.

However, he was not popular with the pink puff. Blossom had found him slightly intimidating at first, and found the way he worked with his subordinate's downright inappropriate on occasion. This hadn't been a problem for her per se, until she found herself not engaged anymore. Upon finding out she was newly single, it hadn't taken Buckland long to strike. A few months into her residency, he had made the offer to her of premature advancements in her career in exchange for sleeping with him.

Which Blossom had turned down quite firmly.

She wasn't the only staff member at the time to voice having had run-ins of a similar nature with him. And some had been quite flattered; he was traditionally good looking and sent a lot of those around him a bit gooey-eyed. Opinion on the doctor was divided 50/50, half agreeing he was a heartthrob, half adamant he was a creep.

But Buckland was clever and worded everything very smartly. Having raised the incident with the chief resident immediately, his wording had been labelled a joke and she'd been told to relax every once in a while. ' Take it as a compliment', he'd said, 'He thinks you're good enough to promote. Focus on that bit instead of turning this into something it's not' . Begrudgingly, the pink puff had let it go. She knew full well it had not been a joke, and so did Benny Buckland. Her chief resident at the time had been just as unprofessional as he was in his handling of it.

Not long after, he'd been poached by another hospital and left. And she hadn't seen him since.

With another sigh, Blossom hoped it stayed that way.


Unfortunately, and typically, it did not stay that way. Inevitably, Dr Buckland had entered the staff area just as Blossom had gone in there to grab her purse to get herself some lunch.

The moment he'd spotted her, he'd beamed, standing in the doorway so she couldn't not acknowledge him.

"Ah, Dr Utonium - I was hoping so hard you still worked here. Lo and behold, here she is - and my oh my the years have been kind to you." He grinned as she suppressed a smile. His hair was now a silver grey (she'd heard the term 'silver fox' being used by some nursing staff, which had only made her eyes roll deeply), no longer the beach blonde he used to be, but his blue eyes were still vibrant, his smile still mildly infectious - to some, she assumed.

"Stop." She told him simply, and he seemed to grin wider.

"How are you?" He asked, voice earnest.

The redhead pushed her bangs from her face in an obvious and languid manner, being sure to make her engagement ring prominent as it glittered in the light. "I'm just great, thank you, Dr Buckland." She didn't ask how he was back, even though it was impolite, in an attempt to keep the conversation short.

Dr Buckland tilted his head to the side slightly, looking her up and down for a millisecond. "You sure?" He pulled that pity face, the one people who knew, who knew what had happened to her pulled at her. The ones who were trying to indirectly reference it, without referencing it, and it annoyed her.

She felt as though he was of course referring to the trial, to Jeremy; it had made national news after all. Or was he just being an asshole in general? She couldn't tell. Blossom had been in a completely different place the last time she'd had to work with this man. A much more vulnerable place. Maybe he was just assuming that was still where she was, or who she still was, especially with all that had happened.

Well, it wasn't.

"Yes, I'm sure." She bit the words out firmly, no room for argument.

Dr Buckland clearly didn't detect that though. "You know, some men are absolutely deplorable, despicable, disgusting people."

He was referring to Jeremy.

Buckland carried on talking, despite the uncomfortable look on Blossom's face. "That whole thing, it made my stomach turn, seeing your face -"

"Benny - Dr Buckland, I'm fine, okay? It's over." She interrupted him sharply, feeling that dark cloud emerging and doing her best to fan it away.

"You sure -"

"Definitely sure, I'm great - never been better in fact. I'm engaged to the love of my life." She began to tell him confidently, enjoying watching his eyebrow arch in surprise.

"Again?" He asked and she nodded. "I'm starting to get deja vu - is this a new love of your life or the same one?"

"You know it's the same one. I have two beautiful children. I'm an attending physician here now - I'm happy. How're things going for you?"

"Well, I'm glad to hear.. Me? Oh, I'm great. I'm a Medical Director at my hospital now. Yeah. Cardiology department. You should see my pay cheque - it's quite a ways up from my attending days." He bragged in a voice that made it hard to detect he was indeed bragging.

"Well, that sounds just peachy." Blossom replied, hoping that their conversation had come to an end.

"Mmm. So, how come they've not made you a director here? Or at least head of your department or something? I mean - still just an attending physician? You're too good for that."

Blossom bristled at his words. "There's no 'just'. I'm very happy here in my position."

"They should have done more with you. Lord knows I would if you worked for me." Suddenly his expression had grown suggestive, as had his tone.

Blossom's eyebrows hit her hairline. "Excuse me?!"

"You know, I remember you being very eager. Crazy perky." He cocked his head to the side, his eyes drifting to her chest momentarily. She cranked a brow at him. "Professionally speaking, of course." He grinned now. "You were always on top. On top of your peers, finishing scut work, you know, just generally being number one doc on the block. Why don't you come work for me instead? I'm sure we could arrange something -"

Instantly, she cut him off. "I'm sure whatever you could arrange was a lovely offer, but as I said, I'm very happy here."

"Happy as just an attending?" He looked skeptical.

"I'm happy here, as an attending."

"Why don't you meet with me tonight?"

Blossom only blinked at him in response, bowled over by his ballsiness.

"We can talk business. Negotiate. I can think of a great place for you at Seamont General. We have a couple of positions open, but there's one in particular I think you'd be interested in. It's not that far, an hour, 90 minutes away. I can think of a great place for you in other places too, of course, but primarily -" The playful smirk had returned and she glared at him.

"Listen, Benny Buckland - I'm not some nervous resident you can push around anymore." Her voice was low.

"God Utonium relax, I'm kidding, of course! I'll pay you substantially more if you consider it." He'd tried to reign in his jovial tone.

"Pay me for what exactly?"

"Well, what did you have in mind? I don't normally make this kind of offer twice -"

"I am not interested." She said firmly. "Not in the slightest. As I said, I'm engaged. And I got here all by myself - I didn't sleep with anyone to get where I am, and I still don't need to."

He laughed. "Chill out Utonium, I'm messing with you. Seriously, you're wasted here. Wasted potential. I mean, how many years have you been here? It's gotta be a while by this point."

"I left briefly when I had my children." She told him and he placed his hand on her upper arm. She immediately brushed it off.

"Blossom, I'm here for the next 5 days." Dr Buckland rummaged around on the inside of his white coat, producing a card that he offered out to her. "This city knows a lot about you, huh? I'd think, someone in your standing, well - a fresh start could be just peachy. The schools are great in Seamont. And I'm sure you could find something to keep the husband-to-be entertained." He pushed his card into her hand. "Think about it."

With that he turned and left the staff area. Blossom watched him go, irritated but mostly perplexed. Because he actually didn't seem like he was accosting her for sex in exchange for a job. He actually, kinda, sort of seemed to be genuine.

What was wrong with her? It was Buckland. Of course his intentions were grimey. He was grimey. He always had been.

It wasn't worth giving a second thought.

But yet, she put his card into the front pocket of her purse, before heading off to go and get her lunch.


"What the hell is the living room covered in?"

Butch looked up from the carpet he was scrubbing to see his other half standing at the door, surveying the car crash that once was their front room.

"Olive decided to shake up a bottle of cola and douse the house with it like she'd just won the lottery." Butch muttered, glancing over at the aforementioned infant, who was sitting on the sofa in soaked clothing, an innocent smile on her face.

"Again? Olive, what is wrong with you?" Buttercup asked as she hung her bag up on the hook by the door. The child shrugged languidly as her sisters giggled beside her. "You're soaked. Come on, let's get you out of those clothes."

The green puff picked her daughter up rather regrettably, she was very sticky, and took her to the bathroom, where she peeled her wet clothes off of her and began to run her a quick bath. When she turned to the laundry basket she sighed heavily. It was overflowing immensely; as it had been for the past couple of days.

"Still not got round to doing any laundry then?" Buttercup called down.

"I've kind of had my hands full." Butch grunted in reply.

The brunette rolled her eyes as she dunked her hand in the warm water. "I miraculously managed to find time to wash our clothes when I was at home and you were at work." She muttered to herself more than anything, deciding the temperature was fine and that there was enough water in the tub to de-sticky her daughter. "Olive, hop in."

The moment the raven haired girl plopped into the water, she swung her arm out wide, drenching her mother in seconds.

"Fuck! Olive!" She gasped, rubbing the water from her face as Olive rolled about laughing.

"See what I mean?" Butch called up.


Thirty minutes later, Olive, Ivy and Emerald were snuggled up in bed, the living room was as dry as was attainable, as was Buttercup. But the laundry pile was still a looming tower, and its presence was one the green puff couldn't ignore, so rather than sitting down to unwind for the evening, she retired to the bathroom with a basket on her hip to stick a load on.

As she sifted through, beginning to separate darks and lights, a piece of paper tumbled from a pair of pants and onto the floor, catching her eye.

She glanced at the garment in her hands: a pair of Jay's pants, then down to the piece of paper, picking it up without much hesitation. Deciding she maybe shouldn't look through his stuff, she made to take it through to her son; but the emblem on the top corner distracted her. It was Jay's school logo; Townsville High.

A letter from school. Why was it stuffed in his pocket and not handed in to her or Butch? She sighed, unfolding it to read it. What was he trying to hide?

Her jade eyes scanned the lettering as she felt someone scooting into the room beside her. Her eyes continued to read as Butch began to take a leak, only pausing to roll her eyes and close the bathroom door shut with her foot, seeing as he was now peeing.

"Whatcha reading?" He asked, peering at her.

"It's a letter from Jay's school, requesting a meeting with his parents. And it's dated like a month ago, from before he broke up for Christmas. I just found it in the laundry hamper, it fell out of his pocket. Has he mentioned this to you?" She queried.

"No." Butch said, his sentence punctuated by the sound of his zipper being done up and the toilet being flushed. "Does it say what it's for? I mean, what's he done?"

"No, just that they would like to talk to us both. So you think he's in trouble?"

"Maybe.. I don't know." Butch said, washing his hands. "Maybe we should ask him."

The moment Buttercup had called Jay down to the front room, the letter held aloft in her hand, the young teen had been immediately sheepish, even being as bold as to curse under his breath.

"I don't know what it's about, okay! I haven't done anything!" He yelped, and his mother sighed lightly.

"Jay…" She murmured until he started to speak again.

"I haven't! Seriously! I mean okay - I maybe skipped a couple of lessons but -"

"You're skipping class?!" Buttercup cried and Jay's viridian eyes flitted to his father.

"Dad knows about it!"

Butch's jaw dropped open as Buttercup's steely gaze flashed to Butch now too. The whole 'calling him Dad' thing didn't have the same shine on it when he was throwing him under the bus.

"What the fuck man?" Butch muttered.

"You knew he was skipping class?" Her hands rested on her hips, the letter still gripped in one of them.

"I knew he'd skipped one class. Once. A while back." Butch lamely defended himself.

"And you said you didn't care! You said you get what you put in with school and if I don't put a lot in I won't get a lot out of it. And that it was fine!" Jay continued.

"Butch!" Buttercup exclaimed, whacking him on the arm.

"Dude, come on!" Butch winced.

"What - he's right! Math is bullshit." Jay folded his arms across his chest pointedly.

"Jay!"

"Tell me when you needed to use trigonometry last in your day to day life - go on, tell me and I'll go to class again." The young boy challenged her; but his mother was not impressed by his logic.

"You'll go to class anyway!" She instructed firmly.

"But it's boring as fu-"

"Go to class so you don't turn into a little dumb ass!" She snapped, and he pouted. "And you -" Now she'd turned to her husband-to-be. "Don't tell him shit like that or next thing you know he'll be trying to drop out completely!"

"But babe - he has a point - I mean when did you use trig last -" Her glare had intensified, the green ruff decided it was smarter to stop talking right now. "Listen to your mama bud."

Jay's face dropped. "What?! But, but you skip too!"

"Huh?" Buttercup's face screwed up in confusion.

"You were skipping work." Jay elaborated, ratting his Dad out.

"Traitor." Butch hissed.

"If I'm going down I'm taking you with me!" Jay replied firmly.

"Oh great - what an example you're setting." Buttercup sighed, looking to the heavens.

"Come on, it was ages ago - I don't even work there anymore!"

"But still - he saw you skipping, so he thinks it's okay, and then you tell him it is!" The green puff cried, exasperated.

"He was already playing hookie! And you knew he'd spoken about doing it." Butch pointed out; they'd caught the end of conversations between Jay and his friend every once in awhile, they'd had their suspicions in the past. Buttercup hadn't thought they'd actually do it.

"I didn't know he was acting on it! Toby's a little wimp, I didn't think they'd go through with it!" Buttercup justified, eliciting an outraged look from her son at the diss to his best friend. The green puff looked down at the piece of paper once more. "Who is this teacher anyway? Miss Higgins. Is she your Math teacher?"

"No." Jay said, looking even more baffled.

"Well then, it's probably not about playing hookie." Butch said, an attempt to get back on his fiancé's good side.

"I don't know, but it doesn't matter. I'm going to call her and reschedule this meeting." Buttercup said, her words final as she disappeared into the kitchen. Jay followed her.

"Mom, come on." He whined.

"No. I'm not talking about it anymore. Now I'm going to go to Malphs to get food - because the cupboards are bare." She flashed a pointed look at Butch, who huffed. "And you're going to continue sorting this washing for me, and listen out for your sisters while your father comes with me to get groceries, because I'm fucking starving and there's no food in this house."

Jay cursed under his breath as he hovered upstairs to do as he'd been told.

"Hey, keep that up, you'll be grounded too." Buttercup called after him.


The frown etched onto Buttercup Utonium's face was deep, and very evident to those around her as she marched across Malphs Superstore, picking items up to dump into the cart Butch was pushing along behind her.

She had always had that quality, Butch noted internally. When she was mad, everyone knew it.

"The thing is Butch," She continued to rant, and he sighed lightly as she started her sentence. "I get that we're pretty relaxed parents, I do - but there has to be a line."

Butch, on the other hand, had always had the quality to never quite gauge when he should speak and when he should listen. "But why?" He questioned, brow furrowed. "Who cares if he skips school -"

She turned on him so rapidly it made the other shopper also down the cereal aisle jump. "I do!"

"Why?" Butch retorted. "You, WE used to ditch all the time!"

"That doesn't mean he can! And that's not the sort of shit you tell him!" She insisted, picking up a box of Rice Pops.

"It's hypocritical!" Butch pointed out; she shook her head in exasperation, tossing the cereal box into the cart.

"We can turn a blind eye - like I had been doing when I heard him and Toby planning to play hookie before, but that's different to flat out encouraging it!"

"I didn't encourage it!" Butch insisted; she scoffed.

"You told him you didn't care! Of course he's going to feel encouraged if you don't show him there are consequences!"

"I'm not gunna punish him for skipping class every now and then. Every kid does it. And he's a good kid!" Butch cried and she looked up momentarily with another little sigh.

"Yes he is, and he'll continue to be if he stays in school and doesn't become some jumped up little dumb ass. Skipping every now and then - it's different to skipping to the point he's getting in trouble for it. If we just act like we don't care he'll turn into some little shit face delinquent." Buttercup said, continuing to walk down the aisle and noticing after a couple of steps that Butch hadn't followed her. She stopped too and turned in his direction, noting his grumpy expression.

"What, like me?" He asked scathingly.

She blinked at him, long and slow. "You're not a delinquent."

"I was. Just say it, you don't want him to turn out like me." Butch muttered.

"Don't be so fucking ridiculous, Butch. That isn't what I'm saying and you know that." She dismissed him, grabbing the end of the cart and pulling it towards her, but he held it firm. "You just don't like being wrong so you're turning this into a 'me taking a shot at you' thing, which it isn't. We're talking about Jay, not you."

"I skipped class. I damn near didn't even graduate. I was a little thug most of my youth - scared he'll turn into me now he's getting older? Dumb-ass-Butch-Junior?" Butch continued as she tried to pull the cart along once more but he wouldn't let it budge. Mitch was always saying Jay would turn into him one day. It was like his go-to dig at the green ruff. He didn't like it.

"Stop being an idiot," She hissed, yanking the end of the cart firmly in her direction, finally relinquishing it from his iron grip. "And go and get the milk."

"I mean, I was pretty fucked up in my late teens early twenties too - you think skipping class will turn him into some kind of -"

She grit her teeth in irritation, looking up at the ceiling in a brief attempt to calm herself down a bit. "I'm not saying that and you know that. God, if I thought you were so terrible I wouldn't be marrying you would I?! Now go and get the fucking milk!" She growled. After a contemplative stare, Butch turned on his heels and headed towards the dairy aisle, muttering under his breath as he did so.

Still grumbling, the green ruff grabbed a gallon of milk off the shelf, his mutterings only cut short by a distraction. He thought someone had called his name.

Sure enough, a tall blonde woman was looking at him expectantly, a bright smile on her face. He squinted at her, trying to figure out who she was, and if she was indeed talking to him.

"Butch, oh my god," She said breathily, and suddenly he recalled who she was, his eyes widening. "I can't believe it - hi!"

"Katie," He murmured, checking his peripherals quickly as he spoke. "Wow, it must have been -"

"Like 10, 11 years or something? Damn, that makes me feel old. Time passes way too quickly - you're looking good though, Butch. Like, you barely look different!" The woman exclaimed, her tone genuine, and thankfully not flirty.

Butch smirked, shrugging. "I'm sure I've acquired some greys here and there - and definitely some extra baggage under my eyes, especially in the most recent of years."

"No, no, you look great." Katie insisted, touching his forearm gently as she spoke. "And fatherhood really suits you. Every time I see some pap photo in one of my gossip mags of you out 'Dadding' it up with your family - god it's too cute for words."

"How long does it take to grab a fucking gallon of milk -"

Butch froze at the familiar, and very pissy sounding voice of his fiancé appearing down the aisle, grocery ladened cart before her. Her words had cut off at the sight of the gorgeous woman stood talking to Butch. Slowly, said woman removed her arm and waved at Buttercup, smiling sweetly. She cranked a brow, looking from the blonde to Butch.

Blondie was super tall; taller than Buttercup but not quite as tall as Butch was. Her long blonde hair was perfectly curled and waved down her back, her blue eyes sparkling, not a wrinkle or sleep deprived panda eye in sight.

"What's - I mean, who -" Buttercup stammered, stopping when she realised she was stuttering and didn't like suddenly looking, or feeling uncomfortable or small.

Butch was overcome with guilt as he looked from Katie to his partner. "Err, I just bumped into -"

"Katie." The woman spoke, filling the gap between them and reaching forward to shake Buttercup's limp hand. "Oh my god it's so nice to meet you! You're like, one of my top ten favourite people. Oh gosh, and how nice is it to see someone was able to tame him!" She cocked her hand in Butch's direction, smiling.

Buttercup's brow slowly rose once more as she turned to look at her husband-to-be, who was grinning a little sheepishly. The green puff had already guessed by his entire demeanour that this was a previous conquest of his.

"Seriously, big, big props to you - what a woman to manage to lock him down. I didn't think I'd ever see the day!" Katie chuckled; she sounded impressed, whereas Buttercup was the opposite as she knew comments like that were likely a huge ego stroke for her other half.

"You know what," The blonde continued to speak. "It's actually so funny I should run into you today -" She turned her head in the opposite direction and called another woman's name. "Lily! Lily - I'm on dairy. You'll never guess who I've bumped into!"

Buttercup watched Butch's eyes widen in horror at the mention of the other woman. A few seconds later, said woman appeared from another aisle, her eyes flashing in recognition as she clocked Butch. She was a little shorter than Katie, but had a similar slim build. Her hair was dark like Buttercup's and her eyes a light blue.

"Oh my god Butch Jojo - I haven't seen you since - god, what a night." Lily grinned, before noticing Buttercup standing there too. "Oh shit. Sorry - Buttercup Utonium right? You guys are the cutest couple! We love seeing stuff about you in Tales of Townsville!"

The green puff grunted in reply, folding her arms across her chest.

Katie sensed she was not vibing with this scenario, so cleared her throat. "Well, it was nice seeing you Butch. I guess we'll see you around."

"Probably not. See you." Butch muttered. They waved him goodbye in a little too much of a sultry manner for Buttercup's liking, or maybe not, she couldn't tell; before disappearing around the corner, giggling as they did.

Buttercup sighed raggedly, sizing her husband to be up with a weathered look. He still looked very sheepish. "I don't even know where to start. In fact," she said, gripping the handles of the cart once more and making her way down the aisle. "I won't."

"Buttercup, Buttercup wait!" Butch called after her, hastily catching up with her.

"I mean, to bump into ONE of your ex conquests, or prey, or whatever the fuck you wanna call them -"

"Prey?!" Butch cried, interrupting her rant. "That makes me sound like some sort of predator!"

One brow arched at him, and he sighed, before she continued her rant. "But two! Two, Butch - at the same time! And they were friends! I mean, is there more from that circle of friends? Did you just make your way through the lot of them?"

"No! No - it was just one time, one night. A long, long time ago." He replied a little nervously, and realisation of what he was saying suddenly dawned on her. She stopped in her tracks by the chilled meat aisle, turning to look at him.

"One night? You slept with two friends in one night… You slept with them both simultaneously?!" She exclaimed. He looked around shiftily, noting a few people who had heard what she said and were staring at the two of them.

"Well… I, I was single for a long time…" He mumbled; she scoffed in response, shaking her head and marching down the aisle. He followed her. "Buttercup it was like 10, maybe even 11 years ago!"

"Wow." She said simply. "God, how did you - I mean." She stopped speaking, unable to pick a route of conversation or to find the right words to combat this with.

"What? Come on, you can't be mad at me for having some nights that were a little on the wild side when I was younger and single. We weren't together, you were with Mitch.. It was allowed, right?" He reasoned, really hoping this wasn't going to turn into a big thing.

"No, no, it's fine, of course - it's whatever… I just.. Wow." She was babbling a little; he could tell there was something she wanted to say but wasn't saying it.

"Buttercup, what?"

"I must - I must be so vanilla to you!" She cried, and Butch looked immediately baffled by her words. So much so he scoffed. Which didn't impress her.

"You think you're - you're not vanilla! You're Buttercup fucking Utonium! You got arrested just months ago for breaking a dude's face! Also, we do some pretty un-vanilla stuff in the privacy of our bedroom -"

She shushed him, feeling her cheeks heating up. "I've never done that!"

Butch paused, contemplating her for a second. "I'm trying to decide if this is your way of telling me you want to…" The green puff only offered him a blunt stare in response. "Message received."

Buttercup grabbed the cart once more and continued down the aisle. "They were just so…" Her sentence trailed off as she searched for the right words.

"So what?" Butch pressed as he followed her.

"They couldn't look more different to me."

"What?!" Butch exclaimed, dumbfounded by her thinking once more.

"They're so tall, and gorgeous, and put together."

"Fuck off Buttercup, you're fucking gorgeous." Butch replied instantly.

"Telling me to fuck off is not helping your case right now. But seriously they're like this thin!" She showed him her little finger to demonstrate.

"And what, you're fat now?!" He queried.

"I don't look like them!" She insisted. "One of my thighs is like both of theirs!"

"Because you're built differently - better. You're built better. Everything about you is better. With you, I know I'm not gunna break you. Normies, it's an actual possibility." His words were firm and like this was obvious information.

"Normies?" She asked, confused.

"Non-powered folk. Didn't you ever feel like that with Mitch?" He asked and she suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"We do not have to talk about that -" He interrupted her.

"You just had to stand in front of two women I boned simultaneously, I think I can handle talking about the one other guy you have boned for a moment."

Supposing he was right, she considered his words. "I guess I know what you mean."

"But you and I, we can completely let go. No holds barred. Which is why, out of the countless women I've had sex with, you're the very, very best." He told her, slinking his arm around her waist and pulling her against his side. She didn't push him away - yet.

"You're just saying that to get back on my good side."

"I wouldn't lie about this. I've had sex with a lot of women, too many to count." Her deeply unimpressed stare made him swallow hard. "Which I am so sorry about."

She found she couldn't not laugh at his desperate expression. She shoved him lightly.

"But, you have to remember it was because I was so screwed up and lonely and lost without you. I was just filling a Buttercup shaped void. A lot. For years."

"You poor, shallow little man." She murmured, pretend pity in her voice. He mocked a pout.

"I fell head over heels for you when I was like, 15, 16. And that hasn't changed some 20 years later. That's the main thing that's gotta matter right?"

She looked at him, into his emerald eyes, and found herself sighing lightly, knowing he was right. She nodded. "Yeah."

He planted a kiss on the top of her head as they continued to search for the items they needed, a short silence befalling them, until Buttercup broke it.

"You had a threesome with those two beautiful women.." She said, shaking her head in disbelief, as if she was still processing it.

"It wasn't that amazing.." He replied, hoping it sounded convincing. "I was just trying to distract myself from the never ending emptiness not being with you left me with." A sympathetic look graced her features as she looked at him; but it fell off her face promptly at his next comment. "And hey, guys gotta eat, right?"

She cocked a brow at him. "Well, you sure were greedy."


Bubbles gasped as she spotted the polka dot bardot dress she'd had her eyes on for weeks marked down to 40 percent off. "Oooh please have my size, please!" She gushed as she flicked through the rails, looking for a size 6. She squealed happily when she found it right at the back.

The blonde puff was definitely glad she'd opted to go out and browse at the mall now rather than staying at home.

The problem was, she hadn't wanted to go on her own. She had a bit of a thing about it lately. When she was alone, her mind tended to wander. And when her mind wandered, it seemed to make things easier for the sky above her to suddenly grey, and that thick dark cloud would appear, and she'd feel more alone than she possibly ever had, and everything would seem very dismal and hopeless.

However, if people were around her, she found it easier to keep those clouds fluffy and white, and the sun high in a bright blue sky. How could she feel so negative when her two beautiful children were with her, looking up at her like she was the most important person in the world? How could she feel alone when Boomer held her so tightly and made her feel so loved and cherished? How could she feel so empty when her sisters were with her, telling her how full her life was and how much they cared about her?

But when she was alone, it was more difficult to think rationally. When she was alone it was easier to insist the pretty white clouds in the sky were grey. It was easier to feel empty and alone and useless.

So she tried to ensure her days were spent with whoever was available. Quite often someone was around. But sometimes everyone was busy; today being one of those days. Boomer was working a closing shift, he'd been with her that morning but had then gone into work at lunch. Bonnie was at school, and Bridget was enjoying doing more days at kindergarten - though Bubbles did now wish she hadn't made that decision to increase her hours prior to the miscarriage. But her youngest was enjoying her time there with her cousin Rosalie, she couldn't begrudge her it for her own reasons, it would feel selfish.

Blossom and Buttercup were at work, and Brick was working from home or at his office while Rosalie was also at kindie. She'd asked her Dad and Kelly if they wanted to meet her at the food court, but the Professor hadn't been feeling too well and opted to stay at home, after ensuring her he was fine and just overtired.

Of her immediate family, that left Butch; she had considered asking him to meet her, but she knew he'd have the triplets in tow. Which was enough to make her realise she could handle shopping alone more than she could chasing her nieces around the mall.

So here she was; her favourite clothes store had a big sale on, and so far that was enough to keep her spirits up.

Her baby blue eyes spotted another dress she'd loved; a little frilly white number, and she'd squealed enthusiastically to herself as she immediately spotted a size 6 and grabbed it up.

A woman at the rack of clothing beside her giggled; Bubbles looked over at her, half embarrassed, half wanting to laugh at herself too. Nice clothes did get quite the reaction from her; she loved to shop.

The lady smiled in an encouraging manner then turned back to the clothes she was perusing.

Feeling her cheeks redden, the blonde puff looked back down and flicked through the dresses, imagining summer days in the garden wearing them later that year. It seemed a long way off, it being January.

She swallowed hard at the realisation that she wouldn't be blessed with a large bump that summer like she'd anticipated. Taking a deep breath, she continued on, ignoring the woman who was still staring at her as she grabbed a couple of other dresses and decided to head to the changing rooms.

Maybe a small fashion show would improve her mood.

To her chagrin, the woman grabbed a couple of items of clothing and also followed her into the changing rooms, choosing the cubicle directly opposite hers.

The blue puff tried to not think anything of it, even though her mind was racing with lots of thoughts and ideas, some likely, some very unlikely.

Maybe she was some kind of paparazzi. Maybe word had gotten out about her pregnancy, or lack of, and she wanted the 'first scoop' on it, or some sort of exclusive interview.

She could go to hell. All she wanted to do was shop for some clothes, and try to brave it alone.

She didn't need to be hounded by these vultures in the meantime. Of her and her sisters she'd always felt she'd gotten off lightest when it came to the press, but now she was wondering if those days were over. Well, she wouldn't take it lying down.

Once she'd gotten the first dress on - which looked lovely - she grabbed the curtain divide and yanked it open so hard it almost fell out of it's rings.

The woman was sitting on the small plush stool provided in the opposite cubicle; and jumped at the angered blue eyes glaring at her.

"Can I help you at all?" Bubbles snapped. The lady's mouth dropped open. Bubbles watched realisation dawn on her and suddenly she went bright red.

"Oh my god - I am so sorry! I must look like a total - I'm so sorry! Wow, you look amazing, by the way!" She gushed, and Bubbles blinked, confused. "White is so your colour, it's very you - I have gone about this all wrong!" She stuck her hand out for Bubbles to shake. "My name is Lydia. I work for Blush magazine."

Bubbles looked angry again at this admission, folding her arms across her chest. She was familiar with Blush magazine - she was actually an avid reader. Picking up the latest copy was on her to do list for the day, but maybe that was about to change. Blush was more of a lifestyle magazine: skin care, hair, fashion trends, with the occasional real life story about brave and fierce females thrown in here and there. They didn't usually follow the trashy, paparazzi mag vibe.

But she had a horrible feeling that was about to change.

Lydia had noted her displeasure had returned. "Oh, don't worry! I'm not a pap! I'm the beauty editor for Blush. I've really screwed this up and made myself look like some kind of creeper - it's just you're so captivating it's unreal! And I'm a bit of a long time fan."

Bubbles, momentarily stunned, felt herself blushing now and smiled a small smile. "Umm, well, thanks I guess." She murmured. "That is the total opposite of what I was expecting. You're the beauty editor at Blush? I love Blush magazine - I get it every month."

"Really?! Oh that makes this even better! I am so sorry I came on so strong, I just, I've envisioned having 'Bubbles Jojo' work with us for so long and then I just saw you shopping and was like 'go for it! This is your chance!'" Lydia cried, and Bubbles laughed before pausing.

"Wait what - work with you?" She asked, perplexed.

"Yes! I mean - I imagine you must have modelled professionally before, right?"

"Err, well we did a few ad campaigns in our teens.. My sisters and I, I mean, but I wouldn't call that proper modelling. They were one offs, every now and then." Bubbles replied, thinking deeply.

Lydia's jaw dropped. "I find that so hard to believe! I mean, you're made for it! Would you be interested in working with me? With Blush mag?"

Her sky blue eyes widened. "For real?"

"Yes for real! You'd be perfect! I could see you in make up features, skin care, maybe some clothing or lingerie - I bet April - she's our fashion editor - she'd love to get you modelling some pieces. And your bit of celebrity you already have about you - that only works in your favour. People love you - you'd be such a hit I just know it." Lydia cried, she seemed so certain and so excited.

"Really? Me?!" Bubbles asked, not knowing what else to say.

"Of course you! Honestly, I've wanted you on board for years, but never felt like the timing was right. You had your dance career, then you had your beautiful babies, we weren't sure when to approach you. But now, running into you like this. It's kismet!" She reached into the designer bag that hung on her shoulder and presented Bubbles her card. "So what do you say?"

Without much hesitation, Bubbles took the card from her hand. "Yes! I say yes!"


Brick reread the paragraph in his email for the third time and sighed as he got halfway through it and realised he still hadn't taken in a word of it.

His deep crimson eyes swivelled around to the very reason he was struggling to concentrate: the two sisters sat at the opposite end of the table to him. The third of those sisters, his wife to be, was preparing coffee for them across the kitchen.

Blake was at school, Rosie was at kindergarten, and Blossom had the day off. It was just them at home; this was a rarity. He'd had every intention of spending the day with her, but something at work had cropped up. The red ruff had tried to palm it off onto his assistant, or the assistant manager - anyone! But it was no use, they'd needed him to sort things. He'd relented to trying to sort it from home, and quickly he hoped.

In the meantime, Blossom had heard from both her sisters; Bubbles was bored and Buttercup also had the afternoon off. Before he knew it they were both over at his house and filling up his kitchen.

He couldn't decide what he was more irritated about; his work invading his day with Blossom, or his sister in laws.

"So she followed you about like some kind of fangirl, then presented you with a seemingly genuine job offer?" Buttercup verified as Blossom placed a mug of coffee down in front of them both.

"Well, yeah!" Bubbles cried after deciding whether to reword it or not; but Buttercup had pretty much banged the nail on the head.

"Are you going to do it?" Blossom asked as she also brought Brick over a coffee and one for herself. He thanked her as she smiled at him then sat in between her sisters at the head of the table.

"I think I am." The blonde puff replied as she wrapped her hands around her warm mug. "I called her after speaking with Boomer about it and it really seems like a great opportunity. I mean, why not? What do I have to lose? And there's so much to gain! It'd be so much fun! Not only is it extra money, but it's something to keep me busy. That magazine - I love it, it's my favourite. And to have my own column in it! It's an amazing offer! They never do trashy pieces on us either."

Buttercup nodded slowly - she had to take their word for it, it wasn't a magazine she'd personally ever picked up. But if they didn't write would-be exposé's on them and they weren't covered in paparazzi pictures they automatically went up in her books.

"No, it's a much more upmarket magazine in comparison to those that love to plaster our daily goings on all over them." Blossom agreed. "It's often strewn about the nurses station at work."

"Exactly! I get it every month, it's where I got inspiration for my entire skin care routine. And so much outfit inspo has come from pages of Blush. It's like a match made in heaven! Bonnie's in 1st grade now, and Bridget's just upped her hours at kindergarten - which she is absolutely loving. It seems like a good time." The blonde puff reasoned.

Blossom nodded. "So is Rosalie, since we extended her time there too. Seems she's quite the angel in their hands so far as well."

"She's not loving it as much as I'm loving it." Brick interjected, eyes still glued to his laptop. The pink puff rolled her eyes.

"But yeah, my babies aren't so baby anymore. They'll always be my babies but - you know what I mean. Boomer is loving his work at the restaurant. Everybody's got their own stuff going on now - which is great! But it kind of leaves you feeling a little bit like… Then there's just me. And no baby on the way anymore now…" Her expression drooped at her words. Blossom reached out and stroked the side of her hand with her finger. "So, why not? Why not do something for me? Who knows what it could lead to."

"I get that. You totally deserve to do something for you." Buttercup said, and the blue puff smiled.

"Well Boomer thinks so too. He was just as excited as I was. Although I do think that had something to do with him hoping I get to do a piece on lingerie." She murmured, and her sisters smirked.

"Lingerie? I thought it was like, skin care and hair stuff in Blush?" Blossom asked, thinking she'd really got the wrong end of the stick as to why the magazine was called 'Blush'.

"They do! But it's a fashion mag too. They quite often do lingerie edits so it's not exactly pie in the sky."

"So what exactly is it you'd be doing? Will you be modelling lingerie?" The pink puff tried to clarify.

"Maybe!" Bubbles shrugged. She noted Brick had looked over, an eyebrow arched. "Probably not right away. I think initially it'll be more like a regular column on my beauty habits, and fashion favourites or something. My skin care routine, hair regime, wardrobe staples, stuff like that. But Lydia did mention a bit of modelling for the piece here and there too. Ooh - I bet they'd love some sister stuff!"

Brick's back straightened. Boomer may have been cool with the idea of his wife clad in lace in a magazine, but he was not.

Blossom and Buttercup both looked unimpressed at the idea too. But Bubbles was undeterred. "You know, like 'The Powerpuff Girls' stuff -"

"Count me out of any of that shit." Buttercup dismissed, and the blue puff looked disappointed.

"Yeah, I don't think so -" Blossom mumbled and Bubbles giggled.

"Don't let Boomer get in your head! It's not going to be underwear stuff!"

"Well, either way, I'm way too busy with work to add something like that into the mix too." Blossom muttered, an attempt to change the subject a bit. She knew an uncomfortable Brick when she saw one.

"How is work?" The blonde asked her sister, who picked up her mug and gulped down a mouthful very quickly in a bid to avoid the question; Bubbles of course spotted this.

Noting her delay in replying, Brick peeled his eyes off his screen to look at his fiancé.

The redhead batted a dismissive hand as she swallowed her drink. "It's fine."

Her answer was too brief; almost abrupt. Brick was seeing red flags. So were her sisters.

"You sure about that?" Bubbles prodded.

"Mhmm. Of course. Why?" The pink puff did her best attempt at nonchalance; it was abysmal.

"What's going on at work?" Buttercup asked. She answered with a rapid 'nothing' that Buttercup rolled her eyes at. "Actually nothing, or nothing like when Jeremy was at work, or Sasha was stalking you?"

Blossom sighed in defeat before buckling. "It really is nothing… Dr Buckland is back."

"Dr Buckland? Who's he?" The brunette responded, just as Blossom watched what looked like recollection dawn in Bubbles' eyes.

"Oh!" The blonde yelped. "Is he the lucky doctor from the medical convention that time?"

"No!" Blossom gasped, blushing and looking at Brick, who only blinked very slowly and pointedly, irritation he was trying to hide clear in his face. "No he is not that doctor, thank you. He used to work at Townsville General, he was one of my superiors when I was an intern, and a resident years ago."

"He wasn't the one who offered to promote you if you doinked him was he?" Buttercup asked way too casually. Brick had just taken a sip of his coffee and almost inhaled it.

"What?!" He choked out as Bubbles put her hand to her mouth to hide her smile.

"Thank you, Buttercup." Blossom snapped, and she shrugged.

"Well is it?" The brunette pressed.

"Seriously?!" Brick asked. "One of your superiors offered you a promotion if you slept with him? How have I never heard about this? I mean when, what - when was this?" Brick spluttered, his red eyes wide.

After gracing her sister with a look that said 'thanks for this, sis', Blossom turned to her other half with a sigh. "It was years ago."

"Were we together?" He pressed and she shook her head.

"No we were not. Like I said, it was a very long time ago."

"And what, he's back at the hospital and offering you the same thing now?" Brick urged and watched as she cocked her head to the side and exhaled slowly.

"Well no, I don't think -"

She was interrupted by the sound of the wooden chair scraping across the kitchen loudly and clattering to the floor as Brick got to his feet. "What did you say his name was? Buckland, was it?"

"Yes, Dr Benny Buckland - Brick would you sit down? Pick up the chair!" Blossom told him in a withered manner, knowing he was irate.

"Benny?" Brick muttered. "What kind of grown ass man is called Benny? I'm gunna go down there -"

"No you are not - sit down." After a moment's hesitation, Brick did as he was told. Both Buttercup and Bubbles didn't even attempt to hide their smirks. Once the redhead was happy he wasn't going to break anyone, Blossom continued to speak. "He wants me to come to dinner -"

Brick immediately shot up once more. "What the fuck - does he know you're engaged? I mean you wear your ring at work right? So it's pretty obvious - is he fucking dumb? How's he got a medical degree? Seriously who the fuck is this guy?!"

"Brick, shut the fuck up and let her talk." Buttercup snapped. After a heavy frown sent her way, Brick quieted and lowered himself onto his seat. The green puff turned to her sister. "How come he wants to take you out for dinner?"

"He does know I'm engaged," Blossom said first, her answer aimed at one of Brick's many questions. "He's a Medical Director at Seamont Hospital - it's this gorgeous new building about an hour and half away from Townsville." She added. "He said I should be higher up than 'just an attending' at Townsville General. I'm 'wasted potential', apparently." Brick scoffed at the wording. "He reckons he could find a place for me at Seamont. A 'better' role. This was all through lewd double entendres, but, I dunno, he kind of seemed sincere. Sincere for an asshole, anyway."

"So, he was offering you a job?" Bubbles tried to clarify, and Blossom nodded and shrugged simultaneously.

"He's in town for 3 more days. He told me to call him if I changed my mind, to meet up to discuss available roles with him. Higher up roles. At Seamont General."

There was a little pause. Blossom's rose eyes flitted up to meet Brick's scarlet ones. His brow was furrowed. He looked confused. She felt it too. This was why she'd not said anything. She didn't know whether to trust it let alone consider pursuing it.

"That sounds kinda great." Bubbles said simply, breaking the silence. Blossom looked over to her blonde sister.

"Great?"

"Well, yeah! I mean, if he is being sincere it's surely a positive!" The blue puff cried.

But Blossom didn't seem convinced. "He's likely not. I mean, he was pretty predatory when he worked at Townsville General. It didn't matter what he did, people loved him. And he was successful, he was a good doctor. Seemingly that hasn't changed." Her purse was hanging off the arm of the chair she sat in; she turned to it and rummaged inside, pulling out a crisp looking white business card. "I don't know. I should probably just throw this away. I mean I don't even know what sort of roles he could have available for me. It could all just be hot air."

"Yet you kept the card." Buttercup said, and Blossom cranked a brow at her. "You kept the card."

Bubbles could see where she was going with this. "Because you're maybe a little bit curious?"

Blossom looked down at it and shrugged. "I don't - no. I mean, no. It's Buckland. He's an asshole. And that's coming from me!" She said, pointing to herself. "I am saying he is an asshole. I was in such a horrible place and he totally tried to push me around when I was a resident. He knew Brick and I had broken up so he took his shot, thinking by offering an overrun, overworked resident some better hours and more pay I'd jump into his bed."

Brick frowned at her words. "Surely you don't wanna work for that?" He asked her.

Blossom instantly shook her head. "No, I don't. That Dr Buckland? No, not at all. Working with him the first time was bad enough. But, it was like 10, 11 years ago…"

"Is he hot?" Buttercup queried. Bubbles giggled and Blossom's eyes bugged. Brick's teeth grit together.

"Buttercup!" The pink puff exclaimed.

"Just curious, is all." Buttercup smirked.

"It's neither here nor there. Completely irrelevant to anything -"

"That's a yes." The green puff interrupted as Bubbles laughed some more. Brick rolled his eyes before rubbing at his temples.

"Well, there's a sure fire way you can find out if this Dr Buckland is for real." Bubbles said simply as she brought her drink to her lips. Blossom asked her how. "Well, you agree to meet with him." Brick's face fell at her words. "With Brick." The red ruff suddenly smiled.

"I like your way of thinking." Brick grinned, folding his arms across his chest. Bubbles smiled sweetly at him.

"Yeah," Buttercup agreed. "That's how you do it. If he seriously is only asking for a chance at getting between your legs he'll cow or bullshit his way through the meal; however, if he's serious he'll offer you it whether Brick's there or not."

Blossom mulled over their words before looking to her husband to be. "What do you think?"

"What do you think?" Brick bounced her question back at her; it was primarily her decision after all.

Blossom smiled as evilly as Brick had at the idea. "I think I'd love to see Benny Buckland cowering under your gaze."

Brick's smile was almost flirtatious. "Call him then."

"Oh god guys, we are still here you know." Buttercup cried, as Bubbles giggled, watching her redheaded sister's cheeks flush.


Butch sent a severe frown towards the hallway of Townsville High School, his forest eyes scanning the long line of lockers on the walls as he fisted his hands into his pockets. "You know, I don't get warm and fuzzy being back here." He complained.

Buttercup smirked as she walked beside him. "Not even if we went and hung around behind the science building?"

That comment prompted a smile from the green ruff. The science building had been their go to place to make out when they'd been skipping class. "Okay, that's likely the only place that might make me feel a little nostalgic. Especially if you made out with me."

She chuckled, sliding her hand into his pocket to clutch his hand tightly. "Look we won't be here long, okay? We'll just meet with this teacher, see what her problem is and get home. In and out."

"Okay. I fucking hate teachers." Butch murmured and she offered him a sympathetic look.

"I know. But you're not 15 anymore, right? 36, successful adult male." She reminded him and he scoffed.

"That's debatable."

"Shut up." She said dismissively, knowing the only way to attempt to get him out of one of his self deprecating moods was to flat out reject it. She knew being back in their old high school brought back feelings of inadequacy in him, something he'd always struggled with. His school years had only cemented those feelings in him further when he'd struggled with work and deadlines. As if he needed those things to make him feel more so like he wasn't good enough. "Here, this is it. Room 42." They reached the classroom the meeting with Miss Higgins was in.

Butch looked around momentarily, knowing there was a bathroom close by. "Think I've got time to take a leak?"

"If you're quick."

The moment Butch disappeared in a haze of viridian, the door to room 42 opened. Buttercup turned and was greeted by a woman about their age.

"Ms Utonium?" She asked, and Buttercup nodded, shaking her hand as she presented her with it. She had shoulder length blonde hair and a round pair of spectacles balanced on her nose, with wide hazel eyes. "Jay's Mom, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. Miss Higgins?" Buttercup replied as the woman confirmed that it was her. The green puff glanced in the direction Butch had gone. "Jay's father is here with me too, he's just using the restroom."

"Oh, not a problem. We'll leave the door open for him." She said, turning and walking inside the classroom.

"I'm sorry it's taken so long to have this meeting. Jay wasn't exactly forthcoming with the letter inviting us in to see you." Buttercup explained as Miss Higgins showed her to a chair and sat down behind her desk with a knowing smile.

"Don't worry, I totally understand. They're teenagers, we get this sort of thing all the time. It's equally my fault, I've been meaning to call and chase up on it."

"Well, I found a school letter folded up in a pair of his pants in the wash - so we got there in the end." Buttercup explained and Miss Higgins laughed.

"It's not the first time - oh! Oh my…" As she'd been speaking to Buttercup, Butch had poked his head in, and the sight of the green ruff had seemed to somewhat startle the teacher. She tried to recover quickly, but Buttercup had noticed her surprise upon seeing Butch. "Umm, hi - are you, is everything -"

"Uhh, here for the meeting? Jay Utonium?" Butch said, pointing to Buttercup, who gave Miss Higgins a confused stare, before waving Butch over. He did as she said and hovered over to the desk. Miss Higgins was staring at him like she'd just seen a ghost. A ghost that had got her all flustered, she'd gone bright red.

"Right - of course. Butch Jojo. Oh my god." Miss Higgins said, tucking her hair behind her ears and trying to recoup but not doing the best job.

"Err, yeah. That's right." Butch said as he took a seat beside Buttercup. He was trying to figure out if they knew each other, or she just plain knew his name. He wouldn't call himself a celebrity as such, but sometimes people knew who he was. She didn't seem familiar to him, maybe she'd just recalled Jay was in fact his child. It wasn't like it had been front page news till he was a lot older.

The thought irritated him. Yeah, he sure hated teachers.

"Umm, okay." Miss Higgins said, struggling to peel her eyes off Butch. "That's fine, this is fine - so, the reason I called you both in to see me today was to talk to you about your son, Jay Utonium. Who I completely didn't gauge was your son." Her comment was aimed at Butch, who just looked irritated.

"Well he is." He said firmly, and Buttercup placed her hand on his arm.

"Yes." Miss Higgins said, inhaling sharply as she was clearly trying to stop herself from freaking out. "So Jay, he's doing very well in Math. And I've been wanting to discuss this with you both and see if you were -" She cut herself off, turning to look at Butch. "I had no idea you had a kid in this school. Jay Utonium, god, of course. Why didn't I realise -" She paused, pulling her hands through her blonde hair and clearing her throat. "God, this is awkward."

Butch blinked at her, completely blank. Buttercup looked from her fiancé to the teacher. What the hell was going on?!

"It's me - Maria." Miss Higgins pressed, exasperated by his continued blank expression. Exasperation was soon replaced by aggravation. "I know it was a few years ago now but - you really don't remember me?"

"I've met you before?" Butch asked, completely oblivious to who she was, he had no clue.

She scoffed, sitting back in her seat. "Seriously?"

The penny had dropped for Buttercup and she covered her face in her hands. "Oh god, is this another one?"

The green ruff realised what she was insinuating and he immediately felt - and looked - a little shamefaced as Buttercup peered out of her hands and sighed, shaking her head at her other half.

"Maria - oh, Maria, I remember you, yeah - that time at err, at that place…" Butch said rather unconvincingly.

Maria wasn't buying it. "Where? Come on, tell me where we met?"

"Erm. A bar?" He guessed; she folded her arms across her chest.

"You said you would call me." She told him, hurt evident in her voice. "I gave you my number, you never did. And when I woke up in the morning you were gone."

"Is this appropriate? It feels like this isn't appropriate." Butch said, looking from the one unimpressed woman to the other.

"I swore if I ever saw you again I'd give you a piece of my mind. You used me!" Miss Higgins cried, and Butch's jaw dropped open.

"Oh come on! I didn't use you - it was a one night stand! And it was like, what, I dunno - 8, 9, 10 years ago, maybe even more than that!" Butch defended himself.

"Our son's teacher." Buttercup said simply, shaking her head.

"She wasn't our son's teacher back then! And we weren't even together!" Butch yelped.

"Good god, Butch." Buttercup chastised, before turning back to face Miss Higgins. "Maybe we should just put a lid on all of that, and focus on Jay?"

Miss Higgins swallowed hard. "Ms Utonium, I'm so sorry. I'm really so sorry, this isn't appropriate, this isn't -" Something in her snapped as she turned to face Butch once more. "You know what you are? You're an asshole. I was hung up on you for ages. Waiting and hoping you'd call. Like an idiot! I'd just come out of something serious and you gave me hope again - you made me feel so special!"

"Are you for real - it was years ago!" Butch spluttered.

"You're not going to apologise to me, are you?" Maria snapped.

Butch tried to speak but only babbled, baffled noises came out of him, so Buttercup spoke for him.

"Miss Higgins, I'm sorry my other half treated you like a piece of meat years ago - can we get back to Jay, or do you want to just shoot me in the head instead? Because this is fucking excruciating." She offered.

Maria Higgins' hazel eyes were trained on Butch, and narrowed, but she collected herself and turned to look at Buttercup instead. "Jay is excelling in his Math class. Or at least he was until he stopped showing up. Which has led us to believe he's not being challenged enough. I teach 10th grade Math, and I wanted to discuss bumping him up to my year for this subject."

Both Buttercup and Butch were pretty stumped. "He's not in trouble? He's doing well?" The green puff reiterated.

"He's doing brilliantly. So much so that his current teacher, who couldn't be here with me today, has suggested he move up for Math."

"Wow. We had no idea." Buttercup said, turning to look at Butch with a slightly bowled over expression. Miss Higgins scowled at Butch once more. "So, have you spoken to him about this?"

"We have tried, but he seems quite resistant to the idea. Which is why we've been wanting to speak to you both about it, to see what you thought, and to see if you could persuade him." She answered evenly.

"Okay, well, we'll talk to him." Butch said, looking to Buttercup, and nodding encouragingly. She nodded back.

"Okay." Miss Higgins said. "Well, just be sure that if he says he'll do it, he will do it."

"Yeah sure, definitely, we'll talk to him -" The green puff was interrupted by the teacher.

"Like, if you say you'll call someone, you call them. You don't just say you'll do something, then not do it, you know?" She was scowling at Butch, who had cranked an incredulous brow at her.

"Oh my god." He cried, looking up to the heavens. "You fucking hate me don't you?" He said, his question aimed at any God who may be listening.

"That's great, thank you Miss Higgins." Buttercup said loudly, getting to her feet. "We'll see ourselves out." She flashed her other half a pointed look, prompting him to also get to his feet. "I cannot believe you fucked our son's math teacher." Buttercup hissed under her breath.

"She wasn't our son's math teacher at the time!" Butch replied helplessly.

"You have the patience of a saint, Mrs Utonium." Miss Higgins said as they turned to leave.

"Oh I'm not quite Mrs yet, and if I run into another woman he has copulated with I'll be remaining Ms."

"Oh come on!" Butch cried as she pushed the door opened and stomped down the halls of Townsville High.

Their walk towards the exit of their old high school was silent so far. Butch didn't know whether to speak or not. That had been humiliating for him, so how she was feeling he could only imagine.

In a way, it annoyed him that this stuff seemed to matter. He shouldn't have to be forever apologising for his past, should he? He supposed being reminded of it wasn't much fun for Buttercup.

But he hadn't even remembered the woman - she'd been the unprofessional one!

They reached a crossroads in the corridor; to their right was the exit that led onto the car lot, the left headed out towards some other blocks. Butch turned left wordlessly. Buttercup paused when she noticed, and after a couple of seconds contemplation, she followed him.

When the green ruff noticed she was by his side once more he exhaled lightly.

"You mad at me?"

A soft sigh escaped her lips and she shook her head. "No. Not really. Higgins could have handled that MUCH better. I mean, she didn't need to bring it up at all. Clearly you gave her one unforgettable night."

"Maybe for her," Butch replied. "I honestly don't remember her at all. She could be lying for all I know."

"You think women lie about having slept with you now?"

He shrugged, his expression innocent; she couldn't help but smile.

"I don't know Butch, threesomes, our kids teacher - you were pretty fucking wild." She commented, bumping into his arm as she spoke.

"Were?" He clarified. "I still am."

"You got something you're trying to tell me?" She said, continuing to walk beside him without taking any notice of where they were.

"No, we're wild. I'm wild with you."

"We're not wild like that."

He scoffed. "We conceived the triplets in a restroom at a bar."

"You don't know they were actually conceived there!" She cried.

"What I remember of that night was pretty wild. Every day with you is wild as fuck, I wouldn't have it any other way." He told her, stepping ahead and turning so he was standing in front of her now, halting her in the process. "Also - I tried to turn each and every one of them into you in my head. It never fucking worked. I'd take what we have now over any of those wild times." His hands found her waist and he tilted her so she was up against the wall.

The movement made her suddenly take in her surroundings; they were standing behind the science building. She recognised the old sycamore tree that arched its way around the back of the block, it's branches and leaves providing the perfect shelter to hide amongst.

"When it comes down to it, they weren't wild. They were sad. I was sad, and alone. But I'm not anymore. You make me so fucking happy, Buttercup. You know that right?" He leant down, pressing his lips against hers.

When they broke away she couldn't help but smirk. "You're lucky you're so smooth, Jojo."

"No, I'm lucky I have you. Now come on, if we get caught canoodling behind here one more time Mr Thompson will probably expel us."


"Ahh yes, table for four under Dr Buckland. Dr Buckland has already arrived. Follow me, this way." The waitress said as she picked up a couple of menus and proceeded to walk purposefully through the crowded restaurant. It was a particularly fancy establishment; Blossom had never been there before, and she didn't think Brick had either. Dr Buckland had been the one to book it.

"Table for four? Has he brought a date?" Brick asked Blossom in a hushed voice as they made their way to the back of the restaurant.

She shrugged as she turned to look at him. "I have no idea. But if he has, I imagine his intentions are much cleaner than they could have been."

"Good." Brick said, seizing Buckland up as they approached their table.

He got to his feet to greet them as they arrived, shaking both their hands and introducing himself to Brick. "Dr Benny Buckland, Medical Director of Cardiology at Seamont General, nice to meet you."

Brick didn't respond verbally, his fierce scarlet eyes were doing all the talking needed. He hoped it was clear that if this man hurt his partner in any way, shape or form, he'd come down on him hard. With a swallow, his message was more than well received by Dr Buckland.

"Dr Buckland, nice to see you. This is Brick Jojo, my fiancé." Blossom introduced him for Brick, seeing as he was too busy sending a heavy gaze the senior doctors way.

"Pleasure." Buckland said as he managed to stay strong under Brick's steely, even gaze.

He had piercing blue eyes and silver grey hair; the red ruff supposed he was pretty good looking for a guy in his late 40's to early 50's. He'd not realised he was this much older than them, but he guessed the fact he was Blossom's superior when she'd been training meant he had to have some years on her.

The older doctor hadn't seemed to bat a lash at Blossom bringing Brick with her. It had been the first indication to Blossom that perhaps he was serious about this job offer. It made her stomach turn uncomfortably. The pink puff had given little consideration to this being genuine. She'd been pretty convinced this was all Buckland being, well, Buckland.

They all took a seat and the waitress offered them a minute to look through the drinks menu.

Noticing Brick eyeing the empty chair opposite Blossom, Buckland cleared his throat. "My associate, Dr Cross, is running a little late. He says he won't be long."

Dr Cross; the name didn't clear up whether it was a date or not. But the 'he' sort of did. Unless he was that way inclined, Brick had no clue. This was beginning to look more legitimate by the minute.

Blossom's brow had furrowed at the name. Dr Cross, it seemed vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn't gather why. She shrugged it off. Maybe he or she had been at Townsville General for a spell. Doctors seemed to always be coming and going.

The waitress returned and Blossom ordered a glass of red wine; Brick ordered a whisky on the rocks; Dr Buckland a white wine for himself and for the missing place at the table.

"So, correct me if I'm wrong, but you had a firm interest in neurology when you were choosing a fellowship, right?" Dr Buckland asked, and Blossom nodded as her wine was placed in front of her.

"Yes, yes I did. I had plans to do a neurology internship, but it didn't quite work out." Blossom replied, and Brick cocked a brow curiously beside her. She brushed it off with her hand dismissively. "It was out of town, it just wasn't practical at the time. So I took the transitional internal medicine one instead."

The red ruff's brow furrowed deeply at her words. He'd had no idea. "Wait, so you did an internship you didn't actually want to do?"

"No, I did want to do internal medicine. It was fine. I was happy to take internal medicine instead -"

Dr Buckland cut in. "Your heart was set on Neurology, you were mad into it, I remember that about you. I'd never seen an intern with such a keen interest in the brain."

"Whilst it's true it's always been my 'favourite' field, I wasn't in a position to leave town for 18 months." Blossom said with a small shrug.

Brick thought back to all those years ago, when she'd finished Medical school and had begun her internship. She was so busy, in and out of the hospital, practically living there - and working wholly illegal hours to keep up. It had been the beginning of the end for them. He'd always felt her priorities were skewed back then. He hadn't realised she hadn't done what she'd wanted for the sake of their relationship.

And look what he'd done in response to that. Bitched and moaned at her about how little she was around, and then eventually cheated on her. To say he felt bad was an understatement.

"You remembered that?" Blossom asked Dr Buckland. She was surprised he'd remembered her original career plans, it had been so long ago; and he must have taught so many interns and residents since then.

"I remember how you were tip-top of the class in your cohort, and super dedicated, particularly to neurology studies. And that you aced your 12 month internship and finished it in 8 months, even with a breakdown of your relationship to work around." Buckland replied.

Blossom sucked her lips in and shrugged briefly. "Yes, well…" Her words trailed off, she didn't really know what to say. When her and Brick had broken up she'd thrown herself into her work. Maybe to an unhealthy degree. Which had resulted in her finishing early - but at what cost?

Brick looked down at his menu, not knowing what to say either. He just knew he felt bad.

Buckland decided to get down to the point of the meal, whether Dr Cross was there yet or not. "Dr Utonium, we have a position available at Seamont General in our Neurology department - head of department, to be exact." He reached into his briefcase and handed her a piece of paper that outlined all the details of the position, including a much higher salary than what she was currently on. "Our current department head is leaving early April, so you have until mid March the very latest to consider the offer. Not that I feel it bears much consideration."

Brick's scarlet eyes had almost popped out of his skull as he surveyed the paper Blossom had laid out in front of them. It was the salary that his eyes had been immediately drawn to; it was more than what he made. Quite a lot more than what he made in fact, and he was pretty well paid. He opened his mouth to voice this, but decided not to. Buckland didn't need to know about his earnings.

"Oh wow, I'm a little… Floored. It's quite the offer." Blossom said breathlessly as she looked over the role.

"You completed a 2 year neurology fellowship when you started back at Townsville General, in clinical neurology - plus, I know you're like a sponge as it is and learn everything and anything when it comes to something you're passionate about. I just know you'll be what we're looking for." Buckland said as he tried not to smile at how bewildered the pink puff looked. She picked up her glass and sipped fervently, quite simply as something to do as she tried to process this. "Plus, like I said to you before, TGH is not utilizing you to the best of your potential."

"Benny, I'm so sorry I'm late."

All those sitting at the table looked over at the voice of the missing doctor who had just arrived. When his eyes met Blossom's, she recognised him instantly and choked on her wine. He froze upon seeing her too, taking a moment to piece how he knew this woman together.

Brick patted her back gently as she tried to compose herself.

Dr Cross. She knew she knew that name. It had been a long, long time ago but she knew she'd known a 'Dr Cross'. Of course, she'd only known that was his name by his name tag he'd been wearing at the seminar at the hotel. He'd introduced himself as Noah, the night he'd approached her at the hotel bar some 10 or so years ago. She recalled leaving his hotel room in tears as he slept, and drowning her sorrows in her hotel room mini bar, and cringed. She'd even left the seminar early the next day to avoid running into him.

Dr Cross was the one and only one night stand she had had after her and Brick's break up. It was a Neurology event she'd attended. They'd been seated near each other the entire weekend. He'd been making eyes at her all the while. Her sisters had encouraged her to go for it. To put herself out there again. To move on. She'd taken the plunge and wished she hadn't. Then thankfully, had never seen him again.

Except for now of course.

"Oops, go down the wrong hole?" Dr Buckland asked as Dr Cross regained composure and took a seat beside Benny. She'd seen his brown eyes flash in recognition, she knew he knew who she was as well. Clearly he'd just not remembered her name, or quite figured out who it was himself and Dr Buckland were meeting with today.

Blossom nodded, grabbing a napkin to dab at her face.

"This is Dr Noah Cross, he's the Medical Director of Neurology at Seamont." Dr Buckland introduced him, confirming Blossom's fear that it was indeed Noah Cross from the medical seminar.

Dr Cross presented his hand for Blossom to shake, then shook Brick's as he apologised for being late once again. "I ran over a little with a patient, and then underestimated the traffic getting over here." He explained, as Dr Buckland brushed it off.

"Not to worry, I was just going over the job role with Dr Utonium. I think she's trying to be coy about it but deep down is quite interested." Buckland said with a glimmer in his eye. Brick cranked a brow at his attempt to tease, but Blossom had placed her napkin down and had gotten to her feet.

"Excuse me, just a moment. I umm, just need to use the ladies room. Order something for me, nothing too big." She murmured to Brick, the waitress had just arrived to take their food orders. All three men watched her disappear into the restroom, before turning to their menus.


Blossom leant against the sink in the ladies room and took a deep breath in, glancing up slowly and taking in her reflection. She was wearing a v neck black dress that fit her quite snugly, hugging her curves gently; her hair swept up in a delicate but simple updo. As she stared in the mirror she suddenly saw her younger self, looking at her reflection in the hotel mirror, eyes red and scrubbed, a bag of potato chips sitting in her lap, beside the hotel phone; one of her sisters on the line, presumably.

She felt silly. What had happened didn't matter. Dr Cross was there because he was the Neurology director. And if she were to take this job, he'd be who she answered to. He'd be her boss, essentially.

It shouldn't matter, right? Everything that happened shouldn't have made a difference. It was a one night stand. The only one she'd ever had in her life. He had seemed a nice guy. Surely he wouldn't hold it against her? He partook in it too! He can't have even remembered her very well. Dr Buckland would have in the very least mentioned her name to him when he recommended her for the job, and that alone hadn't been enough to jog his memory.

He had recognised her upon seeing her though.

But it shouldn't have mattered. It didn't matter - she was being silly. They were professional people, doctors even. They could be professional about this. Her phone went off in her purse; Brick, messaging her to see if she was okay.

She stood tall, pushed her bangs from her face and walked back out into the dining area.


"Well, I can't thank you both enough for thinking of me for the position, and offering it to me. It really does seem like a brilliant opportunity." Blossom said as they finished settling their share of the meal. She'd gotten through it without even one hiccup. Dr Buckland was as genuine as they come and had been on his best behaviour; and Dr Cross had remained apropos too. If you were unaware of their past, which both Brick and Dr Buckland currently were, you wouldn't have known it had happened. Blossom was grateful for that.

It was so long ago, and so insignificant in the grand scheme, it didn't need to be mentioned.

Though she would tell Brick, in the interest of keeping everything on the table.

"It is a brilliant opportunity. So, can I expect you to hand in your resignation at Townsville General in March?" Dr Buckland grinned, as Dr Cross chuckled.

"I think you're a little hasty there, Dr Buckland. I'm sure Dr Utonium and Mr Jojo would like to discuss it further privately before giving us an answer. It's a big step up and a big change, there's a lot to consider." Dr Cross said, and Blossom nodded, looking to Brick.

"Yes, you're right. But I promise I'll be in touch with an answer. Long before March, too." The pink puff assured them.

"Mid March the latest. Because if it's a no from you we'll have to start looking for a different suitable candidate. Which will suck, because we want you. But you're a smart cookie." Dr Buckland said confidently.

"Good night Dr Buckland." Blossom said, getting to her feet. "Dr Cross." Her voice came out sharper as she said his name. He nodded to her, before watching Brick and Blossom leave.

The moment the two redheads got outside, Blossom turned in Brick's direction with a worried look on her face. "What do you think?"

"Well, what do you think? I mean, what's your gut reaction?"

"I don't know - the job role itself? It sounds like a dream! I mean, I could totally do it, I know I could. I'd love it, and I'd be good at it too." Blossom said confidently, and he smirked at her, knowing she was probably dead right. "The thought of getting to run my own department - you know how much I like being in charge."

He smirked at her. "Sure I do. So, you wanna do it?" He asked, and watched hesitation alter her expression.

"I think so. Is the distance an issue?" She questioned and he shrugged.

"It's 90 minutes by car, right? That takes seconds flying."

"I guess so. So, no one else would have to move anything.. It would just be me moving jobs." She pondered aloud. "The salary - how great will that be? It's almost double what I earn now. I could clear my med school debt so much quicker."

"It's more than what I earn now!" He replied and she grinned. "So Bloss, do you want to go for it?"

"Move hospitals? Change roles? Run an entire department..?! I think so. It's a no brainer, surely? And neurology has always fascinated me." Her rose eyes were sparkling, she was beginning to feel so glad they'd gone. She'd walked in feeling very skeptical and left feeling pretty hopeful.

Brick was finding her joy infectious; until she mentioned her love of neurology. "Why didn't you take it as your specialty?"

Her brow knotted at the question. "Because, like I said, it wasn't practical at the time. Things were getting tense between us anyway. Leaving town would have only made things worse."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked as they slowly walked towards their car; the closest car lot was a couple of blocks away.

She shrugged. "You know why I didn't tell you... At that point we were arguing every five minutes about my job. Bringing up that internship, it would have been... explosive. I was offered a place on a neurology internship, but it was 18 months long, and in a hospital down south, on the other side of the country. Hours away, I'd have had to have moved for the entirety of it. You'd just been promoted, I didn't want to make you move and I didn't want to have to choose between you and my career, or make you make that decision. So, I just didn't do it."

"But you did choose. You chose me. You didn't do it and stayed in Townsville." He said bluntly, guilt clear in his voice.

She blinked. "I suppose I did."

There was a short silence as they walked side by side. Blossom linked her hand through his. "Well, Townsville General introduced a clinical neurology residency course, and I did that when I got the opportunity. It wasn't quite as in-depth as the original internship. That internship was with this highly renowned specialist in the field, too.. He actually died last year, sadly."

He didn't respond to her chatter, and when she glanced up at him, she could see he was frowning deeply.

"Brick, it was years ago, it doesn't matter. I still got my medical license and have worked as a doctor in an area I enjoy for the years I've been at Townsville General, it's really not a big deal."

Brick nodded slowly in reply, deep in thought. She didn't do what she wanted to do because of him. For those first few years of her medical career he'd basically begged her to choose him over that hospital for once - when she had done all along. And then he went and cheated on her with Carla.

She squeezed his hand, and he turned to look down at her. "I just feel bad you changed your plans for me, and then look at what I went on to do to you."

She frowned, knowing exactly what he was referring to. But she shook her head.

"We can't think of it like that. What's done is done. It's in the past now. We've moved on." She said firmly, before swallowing. "But, in the interest of being one hundred percent transparent, there is one other thing I should mention. You know that Dr Cross? The head of neurology at Seamont? I have met him before."

"I wondered if you knew him, due to the whole, choking on your red wine when he arrived. I wasn't sure if that was just because of how good looking he was." Brick replied dryly, causing Blossom some alarm. "Are all male doctors attractive? Is it like a rule?"

"No, no - well, yes, some can be but, but no -" She stopped babbling, giving herself a second to recompute. "Remember when we discussed 'magic numbers' with each other? And you learned about the guy at a medical seminar years ago? The one night stand?"

Wide crimson eyes turned to her rapidly. "That was him?!"

"I'm afraid so." She murmured a little nervously.

Brick's entire demeanour changed; he was immediately uncomfortable. "Let me get this straight - that handsome dude was the guy you had a one night stand with?!"

"Yes."

She can see he isn't happy about this news, and it begins to irk her a bit. "Brick - it was years ago! It doesn't have to be a problem."

He made a little scoffing noise in response to her comment and she frowned at him. "It was one night - and it didn't mean anything, to either of us! You and me, we were split up! And you were having one night stands of your own during that time, may I remind you. Several more than I ever had!" His face dropped at her words and she flashed him a knowing look. "Your maid, and Princess! If I can be okay with that -"

Suddenly he was able to speak. "He'd be your boss, wouldn't he? You think Dr Dreamy-Eyes isn't going to be all inappropriate with you? And Buckland, propositioning you for sex for a job years ago, suddenly he's all nicey nice wanting to hire you? This is so ridiculous - surely it's obvious why he wants to hire you?! And with the hotel sex guy sitting beside him it's abundantly clear."

Blossom's mouth fell open in hurt. "You think they are both only interested in me for that? Not because maybe I'm smart, and successful, and good at my job?"

"I wasn't, I wasn't saying that -" She cut him off.

"No, I think you made it perfectly clear what you were saying. Come on Brick! Cross didn't even know it was me they were thinking of hiring. I could tell by his face he was as surprised to see me as I was him, so clearly he didn't even remember my name, that's how brief our night was. And Buckland would have buckled and not offered me a damn thing with you there if he wasn't serious. The guy is as brazen as they come, he'd have likely blagged a way of leaving and bailed if he seriously was just after sex." She cried, as Brick looked at her darkly. They'd just arrived at their car.

"And you," Blossom continued. "The man who is supposed to love me, you look at them and you look at me and you think they're only after one thing from me." There was hurt in her voice.

"Blossom you know I don't fucking think like that, I'm saying they do! If you take this job, it'll be at the back of my mind that you slept with your boss years ago every fucking time there's some function or do we have to go to or something." He groaned; she cocked her head to the side and sighed, reaching out to open the car door. "As if having to deal with that with my own brother wasn't enough."

She froze at his words. He may as well have struck her the comment stung so much. Slowly she turned around to face him. "Are you serious right now?"

"Well, Buckland being all, 'Ooh sleep with me and I'll give you a raise', and then your would-be boss being some one night stand, and then the whole fucking Butch saga, it's too much!" Brick exclaimed.

She stared at him for a moment, eyes fiery. "I can't believe you. I can't believe you'd use my past against me like this. I mean, I don't kick up a fuss about Princess -"

"You just mentioned her!" Brick pointed out. Blossom continued speaking.

"Or, or Carla. Carla was your assistant, Brick. She was sweet on you for years and I kept telling you that, I knew it. Hell, I think even you knew it but you kept her working for you, even though she was so inappropriate all the time!" The pink puff barked. Brick looked to the heavens.

"Oh come on, I was supposed to fire her because she was a bit of a flirt? You get that I couldn't just do that -"

"You were supposed to not sleep with her after one little fight, but you did." Blossom snapped, and Brick was stopped abruptly by the comment. It hit him like a slap around the face.

He stared at her and she stared at him. Her eyes were wild, angered, upset. He deflated beneath them. "It's been like 10 years, Blossom." He told her softly, as if he didn't have the energy to have this argument with her. "We've had two children. We own a house together, we're engaged, again. Am I supposed to apologise every day for that with Carla?"

"You know what Brick, it has been 10 years, hasn't it? 10 years since that happened. And like 7 years since Butch happened. And yes, we have two children. And we own a house together, and we're engaged. Am I supposed to apologise every day for that with Butch, too?" She replied evenly, awaiting a response for him. When one didn't come, she carried on talking. "I have swallowed the fact that you cheated on me. That I walked in to find you on top of her in our home, on our sofa, after one fight, while we were still together, engaged, even."

He swallowed hard, looking down then forcing himself to look at her once more. "I'm not trying to say what happened between Butch and I was okay. It wasn't, it shouldn't have happened. And I know it hurts you. And I know it hurts Buttercup. And I'm sorry about that - I'll always be sorry about that -"

"I'll always be sorry about Carla!"

She raised her hand, indicating for him to let her speak. "But we weren't together, because you cheated on me. Butch was single. So was I. I know it wasn't right. But I have swallowed how much you hurt me, because I love you. I think you need to remember that when you decide to use Butch against me."

"Blossom, I wasn't -"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." She barked, before opening the car door and getting inside, slamming it shut hard behind her.

Wordlessly, Brick got into the driver's seat, and they drove home in silence.


By the time they'd pulled up on their driveway, they were still sitting in icy silence.

Blossom wasn't going to break it. She was too angry. Furious, in fact. She couldn't believe he'd have the gall to treat her like that, to make her feel like he had done. Ultimately, she was hurt that he thought of her like that. After everything they'd been through, everything they shared together, he still couldn't let it go. It felt as though they were destined to be plagued by it, no matter how okay things seemed, it was still just there.

She didn't know what to do, if he was going to bring it up and smack her around the face with it out of the blue, what was she supposed to do? She didn't know.

So silence was an easier option right now. It was certainly easier then arguing.

And Brick? He was mostly annoyed because down in his gut he knew she was right. And that just ticked him off more because he didn't want her to be right. Because half of him felt he was making a valid point. Half of him felt like he wasn't being unreasonable at all to feel how he felt.

He had to deal with the knowledge that his brother had slept with his soon to be wife every time he was around him; it had taken a lot to get to the point he was at now where he could have a healthy relationship with them both.

But sometimes…

And then to think of her at work with this Dr Cross… He just didn't like it.

The sound of his phone ringing in his pocket stirred him from his thoughts. Blossom looked at him briefly as he muttered that it was work calling.

Silently, she got out of the car and went inside the house.

Brick answered his phone; it was his assistant. Their newest client had taken issue with the wording on a contract. They wanted to speak to Brick or they wouldn't sign it till their next meeting.

With a sigh, Brick got out of the car and listened as Rory explained the problem more in depth. The red ruff tried to take in what he was saying; but he was too busy glancing through the living room window. There was a slight gap in the curtains; Brick could see Blossom inside talking to Buttercup.

They'd asked her to sit the kids while they went out for this meal. Both were in bed; Buttercup had jumped at the chance of watching TV in peace for a couple of hours; she'd happily agreed to watch them for the evening.

But now, he could only guess that Blossom was filling her in on what had happened.

Great, two pissed off Powerpuff's was just what he needed.

You'd think Buttercup, of all people, would understand my point, Brick thought to himself as Rory awaited a response down the line. She was marrying Butch, after all. She was surely the only person on the planet who understood how he felt?

She was also Blossom's sister, so therefore more inclined to just side with her, he assumed.

"Brick? What should I tell him?"

Coming back to the phone conversation, Brick turned away from the house and inhaled slowly. "To be honest with you Rory I've got my own problems at home right now. And its 9pm. Tell him I'll call him in the morning."

"I tried to tell him that - wait!"

Brick hung up, turning back towards the house when he heard the front door opening. It was Buttercup; she was alone.

The green puff folded her arms across her chest as she looked Brick up and down. "She told me you guys are all mad."

It took Brick about two seconds to decide whether to discuss it with her or not. He broke pretty quickly. With a deflated sigh he ran his hands through his shaggy hair. "Surely I'm not being that unreasonable here? I mean, she slept with who would be her new boss! Surely you can see why -"

"Brick, Brick, dude - you gotta let it go." Buttercup said simply, eliciting a stumped look from the red ruff.

"What?"

"As someone who is engaged to a man who has slept with presumably half the of-age female population, you gotta let it go." She clarified; Brick cranked a brow. "Blossom has slept with 3 men, Brick - I'm not prepared to include Jeremy so we're sticking with 3. That's really not a lot! This Dr Cross guy, Butch, and you. And not that she has to or should ever have to justify this, they all have explanations. Maybe some you're - we're, " She paused, pointing to herself and then to him. "Not ever going to understand, but, sleeping with all three of those men in her lifetime, she did nothing wrong taking those actions. And that is coming from me, okay?"

Brick looked a little dumbfounded. "You seriously think that?"

"Yes." She said firmly, looking as though she only struggled with that answer a little bit. "She doesn't have to justify her actions at all. But if she did: this Dr Cross dude - she'd not long broken up her engagement, turns out she found her fiancé wedged between some other lady."

He glared at her, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Dr Cross was showing some interest, she was single, and her sisters were encouraging her to get back out there. So she did; she wasn't ready, she left before he woke up, it didn't go anywhere. She never slept with another guy past that - until Butch slunk along."

Brick's dark look only got darker. Buttercup's expression softened. "I get that it bugs you. It bugs me, too. Trust me, it gets to me. It always will. I'll never know how - I couldn't be with you or Boomer like that, if circumstances were different. No offence, I mean, you're both good looking guys and all, I just, I couldn't. It's too weird. However, their circumstances were different. All of ours were back then. It was unfair of you to bring Butch up in that moment of time."

"Do you not get my point? You of all people should know how I feel." Brick said, still not quite prepared to back down and admit fault.

"I do get your point. And I do know how you feel. Like I said, it bugs me, it probably always will. But it's not like, at the forefront of my mind most of the time. A lot of the time I forget it ever happened. A lot of the time it seems impossible that it did happen, because that man fucking loves the bones of me, and I do him." She cried, and Brick sighed lightly, looking down at the ground, beginning to feel more guilty than he already did.

"I get what you're saying, because for the most part it's the same for me." He muttered. "I've moved past it. I have. Just sometimes, sometimes I look at her, and I look at him and I'm like, oh yeah, that happened. And that's shitty enough to deal with from time to time - to know she's at work, and her boss has - I don't know, I don't know. I don't like it." Brick tried to explain.

"I totally get it. I do know how you feel. Just the other week, Butch and I ran into not one, but two women he'd fooled around with, simultaneously, in Malphs." Buttercup said, and Brick groaned, rubbing at his face.

"God." He moaned, and Buttercup nodded slowly.

"Mhmm. And then to make matters worse, a couple of days later we went into Jay's school for a parent teacher meeting, and he'd diddled the 10th grade math teacher."

"Seriously?"

"Yup. Couldn't make this shit up, huh? And yeah, I do feel uncomfortable, and just, I dunno, weird. But, we weren't together, he was free to do whatever, or whoever he wanted to back then. That was then, and this is now. Now, he's with me. And we're a family, we have four children, and we love each other. And he's committed to me. And at the end of the day, he comes home to me. He loves me. I know what it's like to be around someone knowing, you know? Because Blossom is my sister. I get that feeling. Cos I feel it too. So, whilst I totally get where you're coming from, if you love Blossom, if you trust her, and she wants to do this, you shouldn't make it a problem." The brunette told him as gently as she could.

"I'm not making it a problem -" Brick said until she cut him off.

She was tired of being gentle now. "Brick."

He huffed in response.

"You're making it a problem. So go and fucking fix it. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." He replied huffily. "And thanks, I guess." He mumbled as she disappeared into the night's sky.

"You're welcome!" The green streak in the air replied.


Tess leaned her head against her fist as she looked from the computer in front of her over to her colleague, her expression a little downtrodden. "Well, you obviously have to take the job offer."

"Do you think?" Blossom replied, and Tess flashed her a look of exasperation.

"Of course you do. Don't get me wrong, I'll miss you incredibly - and I kind of hate Buckland even more now for poaching you - but it's like a dream job for you. Surely it's a no brainer?"

Blossom sighed heavily. "Try telling Brick that."

Tess smiled mirthlessly. "He's just feeling threatened by the hot doctors you'd be working for/with."

Blossom cranked a brow. "Brick doesn't feel threatened by anything. He's way too self assured for that."

Tess didn't look convinced. "Even the most confident of people have their insecurities. He kind of showed his yesterday by mentioning his brother... He's obviously scared he might lose you."

Blossom hadn't thought of it that way. It kind of seemed ridiculous in her head. Brick, Brick Jojo, the epitome of assertive, confident composure, feeling insecure about her working with someone she'd had a one night stand with? She was inclined to not buy it.

But maybe Tess was right. Maybe Butch had given him a complex. Maybe she wasn't being as understanding about this as she could have been. Or was he just being an ass?

They still hadn't spoken since the meal the night prior. She'd almost caved a couple of times, and apologised for putting him in this position that clearly made him feel uncomfortable. But she'd stopped herself.

What did she really have to apologise for? That she hadn't already done so?

It had seemed like he had almost extended an olive branch a couple of times too, but he hadn't. There was no way she was going to break first. He had caused this, bringing up Butch to her like he had, and almost using it against her.

The issue was, they were both as stubborn as a mule, so who knew how long the silent treatment would continue on for.

"You should take the job. He'll come around. Let him sulk it out a little longer. When you get your first pay cheque in I'm sure he'll change his tune." Tess commented, and Blossom huffed.

"I shouldn't have to let him 'sulk it out', he's a 36 year old man." She complained, and Tess giggled.

"Oh, I hear you. God knows when the male species actually grows up." Her friend replied, and Blossom smirked dryly.

Fern, one of the nurses, came bounding over to them at the nurses' station, distracting them both from their chatter. She thrust a piece of paper into Tess' hand, looking at Blossom nervously as she did so.

"Dr Cole," The nurse said hurriedly, indicating Tess. "We've just had a code blue call from the ER. They are swamped down there so they're sending him straight up to us. ETA 3 mins, so you better prep for him."

The moment Fern had said 'code blue' Blossom had gotten to her feet and jumped into action, as Tess' eyes scanned the form quickly. She too got to her feet, both doctors going into high alert. Code blue meant that this patient was in cardiac or respiratory arrest. So they would need to work quickly to save his life.

Tess began to read aloud from the form as Blossom was putting on a plastic gown and grabbing some gloves. Ethan, a fellow attending physician on their ward, had also appeared and was too robing up. "Male, 72. Suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage. Patient has been complaining of headaches for awhile now, became suddenly disorientated today, and complained of blurred vision, sudden ataxia, stiff neck and vomiting. He went into cardiac arrest en route in the ambulance."

"Sure sounds like a subarachnoid haemorrhage. We better move." Blossom replied as she did up the back of Ethan's gown.

"Side room 4 is prepped and ready." Fern cried as she bustled past in a rush.

"Got it, Ethan, make sure Nurse Ryans and Nurse Mendez are about too -" Blossom began to bark out an order but Tess interrupted her, grabbing her by the arm gently as she walked by.

"Erm Blossom, maybe you should sit this one out." She told her delicately.

"What? Why? No, I'm good, I can -" Blossom answered dismissively, but Tess spoke again, this time her voice was firmer, and a little wobbly.

"Blossom, no. Call your sisters, or, maybe just go get some hot tea, or both. You should, you should leave the floor, now. We got this."

Blossom stared at her for a moment, hoping very hard that there wasn't a specific reason she didn't want her to help with this patient. "Tess, what? What are you -" She reached forward, trying to look at the form. Tess pulled it forward so it was out of her sight.

"Blossom, please. Call your sisters. Call Brick."

The pink puff frowned irritably and laid the paper flat so she could read it.

The reason for Tess' demands were suddenly crystal clear the moment Blossom eyed the form. She felt her blood run cold; all the air sucked out of her lungs as though she'd been punched in the stomach, as her rose eyes scanned the patient's name over and over, hoping they would change into someone else's name. But it didn't. It remained the same: John Utonium.


r&r (: