Welcome all
I loved reading your speculations on who you thought might be addressing Isabel.
Modo is the one who uses the word ma'am the most, but I can't see him confronting Isabel head on like that. Especially considering his current insecurities.
Throttle felt unlikely as he, like Modo, is trying to avoid Isabel but for different reasons.
And seeing as Vinnie is standing right next to her... The only one left is,-
Stoker had walked away from Charley the moment he saw Vinnie open his mouth to talk to Isabel. The former rebel leader did not want the woman to be the object of Vinnie's antics and knowing Vinnie he was bound to do everything he could to make Isabel like him. Especially since she was Charley's family and he couldn't stand the fact he'd made someone faint in a negative way. Apart from the fact Stoker could sense she was feeling uncomfortable.
"Bothering her?" Vinnie repeated feeling heavily insulted. "How am I bothering her?"
"With your head obviously." Stoker replied crossing his arms and throwing the younger mouse a look.
Isabel stared at both mice with a surprised and confused expression. What was going on?
"My head doesn't bother people. If anything it should make them feel mesmerised." Vinnie grinned and placed his hands on his sides.
"You know I think I'm just going to see how Charley's doing. Excuse me." Isabel said quietly and she stepped away in a quick pace from Stoker and Vinnie.
It was pretty obvious they were trying to be kind to her, knowing how she'd reacted the first time. But what she hadn't expected was the way they interacted with each other, like two boys fighting over a toy. Showing off who was the bigger,- mouse.
As a fair amount of bickering went on behind her, Isabel reached Charley who sat crouched in front of the fridge. The dent in the door was enormous. How had they managed to do that?
"What am I going to do with this?" The brunette groaned loudly.
Isabel leaned over her and placed her hand on the side of the fridge door. She opened and closed it. The light inside was also broken. "You want my professional opinion on it?"
Charley looked up. "It's broken?"
"Past the point of no return." Isabel nodded. She extended her hand and pulled Charley back up on her feet.
"Figured as much." The mechanic replied.
"What if we get the dent out?" Both women turned their heads at the sound of a low husky voice.
Throttle had gotten up from the couch after having watched that awkward display between Stoker and Vinnie at the door. He chuckled at the sight of Isabel excusing herself from their presence, leaving both men flabbergasted.
Throttle also took a moment to glance into the direction of Modo, who was still standing on the other side of the room next to Lil' Hoss. If anything he wouldn't have expected Modo to act this way. Sure, Throttle knew Modo was rather sensitive when it came to meeting humans because of the way he looked but he seemed even more reserved than usual. Was it because she was Charley's family?
"First of, I doubt even you could get the dent out, or Modo." Charley quickly added as Throttle was already opening his mouth to comment. "I don't know how you guys managed to destroy the second fridge within four week, but Izzy is right. This one is written off."
"It's not really a question of how it got broken, more a question of who." Throttle smirked.
"It ain't because I know who broke it." Charley's head shot in the direction of Vinnie who was still standing at the door arguing with Stoker about Lord knows what.
Throttle knew what they were talking about. He could hear them perfectly. It was Vinnie complaining to Stoker about giving him a bad reputation, with Stoker replying he had already done that himself. Vinnie muttered something along the lines of Stoker acting like a love struck puppy. Stoker didn't deny it.
"That reminds me of something." Charley snapped her fingers. "I'll be right back, I just have to see Modo for a quick second."
"He's at the back." Throttle replied pointing in the direction of where Modo was. Charley gave him a confused look, not really understanding why he was excluding himself like that. Something she was bound to ask him.
Charley walked away leaving Isabel alone with Throttle. It didn't take long for both of them to realize they were the only ones left standing in the kitchen. Throttle turned to Isabel who looked uneasy with him standing there. For a quick second he looked in the direction of Vinnie and Stoker and found them to still be standing at the door.
The tanned mouse cleared his throat. "So, did you tell Charley about last night?" That really did not come out right, almost as if he was implying something else.
Luckily for him Isabel didn't seem fazed by it. "I didn't. Frankly, I wouldn't even know how to start that conversation."
Throttle nodded. "I didn't say a thing either, but that's mainly because I didn't get the chance." He looked over Isabel's shoulder and saw that Stoker and Vinnie had ended their conversation and were now coming their way.
"Is there any chance we don't tell her?" Isabel suggested rubbing her collarbone nervously.
If it was up to Throttle he would certainly agree with her. He wanted nothing more than to be able to go back and erase the night when he came to Isabel's 'rescue' at the beach. The incident had left a mark on him and he had no desire for it. Unfortunately, there was one problem.
"At some point I'm afraid we have to." Throttle said and he nodded to something behind her. "Because they know."
Isabel blinked and glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Vinnie and Stoker. However Vinnie halted and diverted to the left. A bit too obvious but probably for the best. Throttle could hear Isabel's heartbeat increase its pace and he wasn't sure if it was because of Vinnie or because the woman felt cornered. Stoker stopped a couple of inches from the table, leaving enough space between him and Isabel. The older mouse was no fool. Because of Isabel his senses were already heightened, making it also easier for him to read her.
"What's the verdict on the fridge?" He asked nonchalantly. Throttle shook his head.
"The ladies say it's a lost cause."
Stoker banged his fist on the table causing Isabel to jump. "Damn it, Vincent." He shouted over his shoulder.
"It was a good throw!" Vinnie replied from the couch where he now sat with his feet up.
"Throw?" Isabel repeated with a frown.
Of course Isabel and Charley were unaware of how Vinnie had exactly managed to break the fridge. The story itself was nothing special as they were all used by how Vinnie was. Yet for someone new, someone like Isabel who already wasn't Vinnie's biggest fan, the story might cause a different reaction than a simple shrug of the shoulder. Stoker looked at Throttle as he himself was asleep when Vinnie broke the fridge.
"He, uh, threw a football." Throttle said to Isabel.
She arched an eyebrow. "Threw a football?" Her eyes moved back to the fridge. "Surely, he must have fired it with a canon?"
Both mice looked at the woman with surprise in their eyes because she, quite unexpectedly. had actually made a sarcastic comment. It was Stoker who replied with a chuckle.
"If only that were true, darlin'. But he can be quite the loose cannon."
Isabel responded with a small smile and Stoker couldn't help but feel his heart jump with victory. From the corner of his eye he could see Throttle sigh deeply, whether that was because of Isabel or Vinnie's behaviour he couldn't tell. It didn't matter. Things were seemingly beginning to turn around. Before he could speak up again he noticed Isabel's attention being diverted elsewhere. He followed her gaze and spotted Charley waving her over.
"Excuse me for a moment." She said and walked past them.
Filled with curiosity, Throttle and Stoker looked around the kitchen counter to watch why Charley had called Isabel over. Charley was standing next to Modo. Was she holding his hand? Quietly they listened closely in on their conversation.
Charley pulled on Modo's hand to put him right in front of Isabel. "Izzy, remember how I told you about Modo? This is Modo."
It hadn't taken long for Isabel to notice him. The moment Charley had motioned her over she could already see him. Still, her steps did not falter even though they started to feel like lead and when she reached to two of them they felt like concrete.
In front of her stood the tallest mouse out of all of them. Isabel tilted her head back in order to get a good look at Modo's face. With her mouth slightly agape she couldn't help but stare at him. Charley had prepared her for meeting Modo, but she didn't tell her she was planning on literally throwing him in her face like that. The man only had one good eye, the other one hidden behind a black patch like a pirate captain. Her eyes travelled down towards the right. Where one would normally find a shoulder, his was definitely not there. Instead there was a prosthetic arm, which frankly looked more like a metal weapon than an actual arm. A Terminator was a good comparison.
"Modo, meet Isabel. Isabel, meet Modo." Charley said calmly and with a smile.
For a quick second Modo looked down at Charley, feeling tricked by the woman when she came over and told him she needed his help with getting the broken down fridge into the back of her truck. Of course he couldn't blame her on one hand, he was the only one Isabel hadn't met yet and that was because he was too afraid of how his physique might affect her. But so far she was still standing on both feet, eyeing him and observing him closely.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Isabel." He extended his left hand for her to shake. His real arm made of flesh, blood and fur.
Cautiously, Isabel stuck out her own left arm and grabbed hold of his hand. Her hand was cold to the touch unlike Charley's which was always warm. But Isabel's hand was softer. Probably because she didn't tinker away in a garage twenty-four seven.
"Hello, Modo." The woman replied softly. Modo's nose twitched and he caught a small whiff of the scent which was currently the cause of driving Stoker to the point of insanity. He could understand the attraction. Her honey blond hair in combination with that soft smell. But it wasn't for him. No, he wanted the smell of sandalwood with that hint of a golden red hue whenever the sun hit Charley's hair. His eye darted her way for a quick second and he could relief on her face.
Charley let out a deep breath which could have been loud enough for everyone to hear. "Great. That is one last thing for me to worry about from now on." She stepped up to Isabel, grabbed her upper arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, Izzy."
The three of them made their way towards the kitchen. Throttle and Stoker quickly scurried away the moment they began their walk. Charley stopped in the middle of the room, between the kitchen and living room area. She turned into the direction of Vinnie and pointed her finger at him "You!" And Vinnie practically leaped off the couch.
"Yes, sweetheart?" He said coyly.
"You are coming along with me and Modo to get a new fridge. Because you're the reason we need to spend money. Again!" Charley threw her hands up in the air out of frustration. She was not in a good mood, one of the worst. All of them could sense it, even Isabel and she wasn't even Martian. This was a side of Charley none of them liked to see. It was also a rare sight to see her this agitated. Then again the last couple of days had been rather stressful.
Isabel, however, was used to this side of her. Charley had been the same with Sam. He was older than her by a few years but she was the one with the pants on in the Davidson family. The one who took care of everyone, the one who scolded those that needed it and also the one who listened the most. Charley was one in a million and Isabel loved being part of her family. As far as she still was family now that Sam had passed away.
"Izzy, if it's alright with you, I'll only be gone for a short while to get a new fridge." Charley looked at her sister-in-law with a pleading look. Of course, she would understand if Isabel would say no. However, she was hoping it wouldn't come to that. "I know we had a lunch date, but maybe afterwards,-?"
Isabel shook her head, causing Charley to stop. The mechanic looked at her friend, was she saying no? All eyes were on her, human and Martian alike. Isabel felt rather put on the spot, but if she were to say no she'd be quite the witch after everything that Charley had done since she came back to Chicago.
"It's fine, Charley." She said. "I can always run if I want to. We'll have lunch when you get back." Isabel mentally kicked herself. The part about running was something she shouldn't have said.
But Charley gave her the biggest smile possible. She wrapped arms around Isabel and hugged her tight. "Thank you." A quick peck was placed on Isabel's cheek and Charley motioned for Vinnie and Modo to accompany her.
Everyone moved aside out of the kitchen as Throttle unplugged the fridge and Modo lifted it from the ground. All that Isabel could do was stare at the tall grey mouse with eyes as wide as saucers as he carried the appliance with ease out of the room.
Vinnie and Charley followed after him but halted at the door. Vinnie was the first to turn around and say something. "Have fun, guys! We'll be back before you know it."
Charley smacked him on the back of his head. which Vinnie rubbed soon after. "We'll be quick." She added but this was mostly directed at Isabel, who nodded in return.
"You sure you're okay with leaving her alone with Stoker and also Throttle?" Vinnie asked her as they descended down the steps.
Charley frowned at him. "Of course I'm a bit worried regarding Stoker, but Isabel can handle herself. She knows how to fend of a man,- or mouse. But just in case, that's why Throttle is there. He'll keep Stoker in check."
Vinnie watched as Charley walked in front him, swaying her hips from left to right, realizing she had no idea about what occurred last night.
::::::...::::::
Not that last night was of any influence on Throttle's current state. The fact that without even asking him if he wanted to be here, he now was here with both Stoker and Isabel. A place he'd rather no be. Not because of Stoker or the fact he knew the exact reason why he was put there by Charley, for some sort of form of babysitting. No, he didn't want to be there because he could smell her. That vanilla scent with a hint of whiskey. He didn't care for the latter and it wasn't a strong scent, just a tiny linger in the background, but it was there nonetheless. It hadn't been there last night, which could only mean she'd went on a drinking rampage after he'd left her. He felt slightly insulted, even though he wasn't a hundred percent sure if it was because of him. But it sure felt that way.
Currently Isabel was walking around the room, taking in their living space. There wasn't a lot to see. There was a bunk bed in the corner which they never used as it was rather small and frankly uncomfortable. The door to the bedroom where all three mice slept was closed, which was for the best as it was a mess in there. A large part of the room was dedicated to their bikes, plus a corner with tools and a workbench where Charley sometimes tinkered away on new weapons for their rides. Then there was the kitchen, where Stoker and Throttle were currently sitting at the table hidden behind a pile of leftover food which came from the fridge. And last but not least there was the couch and two sofa chairs accompanied by a coffee table and a television.
It didn't take long for Isabel to make finish her round, however she did not return to the two guys. She halted next to the workbench and checked out Charley's tools. Stoker leaned over to Throttle, his eyes stayed focused on Isabel. "So, what do we do now?"
Throttle didn't look his way. "Wait?" He replied.
"While we wait, I mean." Stoker nodded his head into the direction of the workbench. "Isn't this the perfect opportunity to tell her more about who we are and more about Mars?"
The tanned mouse leaned back and followed Stoker's gaze. "She's right there, coach. Go ahead." He noticed Stoker began to fidget with his hands, a sight he'd never seen before. Even with Harley he never acted in such a nervous manner. But perhaps because those were different times and because she was Martian, like them. Honestly he was unsure how much good it would do to tell Isabel about Mars, would it really make her feel more at ease knowing they were fighters? Killers even in some manner of speaking.
"You're right. I should. Yes, I should." Stoker stood up from his seat but didn't move an inch after that. Throttle looked up at him.
"You need a kick in the caboose?"
With a yelp Throttle landed on the floor as Stoker had used his tail to yank the chair away from underneath him. Throttle landed on his ass and angrily looked up only to find Stoker already running off towards Isabel, who'd obviously heard the ruckus. She threw him a puzzled look and Throttle quickly averted his eyes before making his way back up again.
Stoker was nearing Isabel, filled with courage and ready to talk to her, without having to worry about any interruptions from others. But the closer the older mouse got to her the more he felt his boldness slipping away. Sure his idea of talking about Mars and how their lives were there was a good plan to begin with, but was it really a conversation starter? Wasn't it his point to convince Isabel that they were good folk, with good intentions and that those were just a few reasons why Charley liked them so much? Frankly he was beginning to doubt if talking about Mars would make Isabel think otherwise about them. He had to think of something else.
And quick for he was already standing in front of Isabel. He glanced down at her, waiting for her to turn around so he could look into her blue eyes. He took a deep breath. Too deep and he felt his fur tingle from the sweet sensation that was the woman in front of him.
"Are you alright?"
Stoker reopened his eyes and saw Isabel looking up at him. What was he thinking? He wasn't ready. No wait, he was. He'd talked to her before and it hadn't been awkward. Difficult, yes. But not awkward. She'd even laughed. Stoker cursed himself. He was being ridiculous.
"Yes, I am." He said out loud, a bit too loud. "Sorry. I,- uh,- I wanted to say,- thank you." Yes, that was good. Thank her. Thank her for sticking around instead of running away.
"Thank me? Whatever for?" Isabel asked and she raised an eyebrow. A shiver went up Stoker's spine. Her accent was something else, it sounded almost like singing.
"You know. Being here." He waved his arm. "It means a lot to Charley." Not just Charley.
"I know. I mean, thank you for saying that." She smiled softly.
Okay, he thanked her. Now what was he going to talk about? Oh, right. Mars. No, not Mars. Something else, ask her something. Stoker cleared his throat, but paused when he saw Isabel glanced at something past him. He turned his head to see what she was looking at. It wasn't Throttle, he was on the other side of the room. No, she was looking at something big and it was covered beneath multiple sheets.
Hidden beneath those sheets was the spacecraft Stoker had crash landed with. That was something he could show her. It would be something she'd never seen before and it would be a perfect way to tell her more about himself. "Want to know what's hidden underneath there?"
But he didn't wait for an answer. "Here, I'll show you."
Stoker walked ahead and quickly glanced over his shoulder to see if Isabel was following him, which she was. They stopped in front of the object where Stoker grabbed part of a sheet and moved it aside to see where the entrance was. Once he found it he appeared from behind the sheet again and motioned for Isabel to come inside. But she didn't budge.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
Isabel tilted her head sideways. "What is it?"
A grin formed on Stoker's face. "It's a spaceship."
Isabel eyed him with disbelief. "A spaceship?"
"We're from Mars, darlin'. Our bikes don't fly." He stepped back inside of the spacecraft and waited, hoped, for Isabel to come inside.
Eventually, the curtain moved and Stoker casually leaned against the dashboard watching Isabel step inside. Her eyes were wide as saucers and he couldn't help but smirk at the sight. It was normal for him, most spacecrafts had the same type of interior so he wasn't easily impressed. But for her, a human, this must be quite the experience.
Isabel couldn't believe what she was seeing. Sure, she wondered what was covered beneath the collection of sheets when she passed it a few minutes ago, but she figured it were probably boxes of material for their bikes anything other than an actual spacecraft.
"This is how I got to Earth and how I smashed my ride." Stoker added and he stepped away from the console. "Here, take a look." He motioned for Isabel to step next to him.
She slowly made her way over to him, all the while looking from left to right. The craft wasn't huge, but still big enough to hold about five people. She figured this because she counted five seats. She stopped in front of the console, a couple of feet next to Stoker. The amount of buttons and switches made her dizzy. How would you be able to control something like this?
"What do you think?" He asked and he tilted his head sideways.
"I,- I'm not sure." She replied. "It's something else."
Stoker furrowed his brow. "Is that a good thing?"
Isabel nodded and the older mouse smiled again. "Would you like to go on a ride once it's fixed?"
"You mean fly?" She swiftly flung her head around. "To outer space?"
"Where else, babe?"
Babe? These Martians really tended to use endearments a lot. He'd called her, ma'am, darlin' and babe. She'd heard the other mice use multiple nicknames for Charley. Was that just the way they were?
"Didn't you say you crashed this ship here?" Isabel arched an eyebrow and Stoker rubbed the back of his neck out of embarrassment.
"Minor crash. It doesn't happen that often." That did not come out right. He could tell from the look Isabel was currently giving him. She was not convinced. Stoker quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, this is actually a new Martian ship but it hadn't been properly tested yet. So I volunteered and decided to take it all the way to Earth and show it to the guys." As he talked Stoker sat down in the captain's seat. "Best flight I'd ever made to Earth. Smooth, fast, no hiccups. But then I came into the Earth's atmosphere and the whole thing went off like one of those trees you humans decorate with colourful lights."
"A Christmas tree?"
Stoker shrugged. "I don't know about that, but it scared the heck out of me when I walked into Charley's house and tripped over a wire and fell into it."
Isabel pressed her lips in a tight line to stifle a giggle. Stoker leaned forward and placed his hand on the console. "I still don't know why that happened. But it caused me to lose control up until the last minute. Luckily, it didn't mess with the coordinates or the brakes but the landing wasn't as pleasant as usual."
"Sounds like you were indeed lucky. Maybe it has something to do with the Earth's gravity?" Isabel suggested as she pointed at the seat behind her. "Mind if I,-?"
"Oh, please." Stoker eagerly turned in her direction and smiled as Isabel sat down in the chair. He hadn't missed what she said though and but nonetheless repeated it. "Earth's gravity?"
It wasn't exactly a question, more of a wondering if the Earth's gravity could have been the thing messing with the controls. It wasn't impossible, Earth's gravity was different than Mars. By it was rather minor. No, it had to be something else. Stoker rubbed his chin. "Maybe."
"This is a newer type of air craft you said? Maybe if you compare this model with the previous one, you could find something?"
Stoker couldn't believe his ears. Was Isabel helping him to figure out the problem? For a moment he could only stare at her as she looked back at him. She was probably looking at him like that awaiting an answer, but he took the moment to take her in a bit longer. The way she sat in the chair, straight but leaning forward towards him, one of her arms resting on armrest and her mouth slightly agape. Her blue eyes darting back and forth from left to right. If he didn't look away soon he was going to drown in those ocean eyes.
He cleared his throat. "I thought you'd never seen a space craft before?"
Isabel blinked and moved back a bit. "I haven't. Not a real one. But they show programs on television about outer space and shuttles. I figured it isn't that much different from how your spaceships are build?"
Honestly, Stoker would beg to differ. Compared to Mars, Earth was quite behind when it came to building actual spacecrafts which is why it was such a hassle to find replacement parts the last time he'd crash landed here. But he wasn't going to tell Isabel that. Her suggestion on comparing this new craft with the old one wasn't a bad idea. In fact it was a good plan, one that he hadn't thought of yet.
"Let's be honest, I don't really know what I'm talking about. Perhaps those programs on television is just a bunch of hocus pocus." Isabel shook her head an stood up from her seat.
The moment he saw her move, Stoker jolted out of his chair and he blocked her way. "No. Your idea is a good one. One I will definitely carry out."
There it was again, he was so close now that he could practically touch her scent. Stoker's tail moved nervously and he wrapped it around the bottom of his seat to keep it from doing something which could ruin his image forever. Isabel looked up at him. "Thank you." She paused for a second. "Stoker."
"Stoke!"
That wasn't Isabel's voice. She'd said his name though, which meant she probably wasn't as scared as she'd previously been. But none of it matter now. Stoker couldn't help but glare at Throttle who was standing in the entrance of the spaceship.
"What?" He shouted back and he sensed Isabel was beginning to feel uncomfortable the moment he raised his voice. He reluctantly stepped aside and let the woman pass him. He watched as she was stopped by Throttle who asked her if she was okay. The nerve of him. What did he think Stoker was doing to her?
When Throttle let Isabel out of the ship and she was out of earshot, Stoker marched his way up to his former protegee. He wasn't going to make a scene, but he was going to make it clear to Throttle he did not appreciate the way the tanned mouse was behaving. But before he had the chance to say something, Throttle beat him to the punch.
"We need to talk."
Well, I hope you enjoyed that :)
Next chapter a bit more focus on Charley, Modo and Vinnie.
Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter.
Have a great day!