'Ok, let's go over it again.'

Her sisters sighed, Blossom could really be pedantic at time. They stood in a triangle looking down on Townsville. The last two days had been rough, they couldn't leave the house without being endlessly harassed by the press.

Buttercup yawned, they had been over it a couple of times already.

'Next time they attack, you trade yourself for the hostage or hostages. Me and Bubbles are supposed to put up a fight, act shocked at your act of martyrdom...not like that's gonna be hard. she muttered under her breath.'

'Then what?'

'We tell the professor your plan after you've left and wait for the serum. When you return we corner them and stick them with it.'

'If I don't return?' Blossom inquired.

'Check our phones and social media daily for any messages.' Bubbles continues.

'If they don't attack and he looks for me privately?' she mentally checked that one off the list.

'You'll leave without a fuss, leaving the tracking device on the table so we know that you've gone with him.'

'What if Butch looks for you first?'

Buttercup had finally told them about her meetings with the green ruff. She would sometimes get a text from unknown numbers naming her a location and an hour. She would go there and fight him until they were both bruised and broken.

'You never asked us to join.' Blossom had chastised her.

'It's just fighting, ok? Fighting, we're supposed to be fighting them. It doesn't compare to fucking him behind our backs, does it?' she had snapped.

'You fought him for fun...' Bubbles intervened.

Buttercup had seemed more exasperated by the minute.

'Fighting IS NOT fucking, why are you riding my back about this?' she had said, gesturing theatrically in the air.

'What if Butch looks for you first, Buttercup? Blossom asked again, snapping her fingers in front of her face to attract her attention.

'I go and fight him as usual. Would be suspicious if I didn't.' she replied, bouncing back from her thoughts.

She seemed pleased with their answers.

'This better work.'

In the last two days she had been so plagued with images of Alex's body, she couldn't sleep at all. Each time she closed her eyes the snapping of his bones rang in her ears, making sure she couldn't rest.

When she wasn't haunted by the massacre, Brick's memory mocked her. How exquisite his touch had felt and how dearly she had to pay for it.

'Aren't you scared, Blossom? Bubbles asked timidly.

'What kind of question is that?' she replied with a dark smile. 'You know I am.'

They were seething with anxiety when at the three day mark the phone finally rang.

Blossom hugged her sisters tightly before leaving,not knowing what the encounter had in store for them. This time their counterparts had chosen a very crowded area downtown.

When they got there, Brick was propped on a tall building nearby, their brothers next to him. Strangely, no hostages were taken, The police, paramedic and press was standing at a close distance, anticipating another fatality.

As they got closer, Blossom thought he looked more haggard than usual, a shadow of stubble on his face. As he noticed their approach, they flew closer to meet then halfway.

She expected some sort of speech, but Brick just dashed and slammed her into the closest building. His brothers followed suit, each one going after their counterpart.

Butch and Buttercup had started their usual bludeogening, green stripes almost forming a vortex in their pursuit.

Boomer had whisked Bubbles away, holding her tightly as he flew above Townsville.

Brick had seemed keen to cause as much damage as possible, steering Blossom to crash in whatever building he could.

'This city needs revamping, don't you think?' he chuckled sardonically.

'Brick, stop.'

'When have I ever?' he replied, landing an uppercut in her gut that sent her flying in the city hall's western wall.

'LISTEN TO ME FOR A MINUTE!'

His fist was raised for another blow, and he stopped just before it hit her, a quizzical look on his face.

'I'll go with you. Now. Just ...leave Townsville alone.'

She got a closer look at him: the bags under his eyes were almost as pronounced as hers after three days of insomnia, he seemed on edge. She had never seen him so drawn, the stubble didn't suit him.

He narrowed his eyes, but his fist loosened:

'I think you're missing the point. You shouldn't be caring about it anymore.'

'Why does it matter? I'll go with you. I'll be your partner.' she pleaded, her voice almost exasperated.

'Please, let this work.'

'It's a matter of principle.' he hissed, but his fist had dropped by now.

'I'll stay with you, I want to stay with you. Is the why that important?'

Blossom noticed a mischievous glimmer in his eye as he was processing what she said.

'I suppose it doesn't, Red, I suppose it doesn't.' Brick said pensively, grabbed her closer and prepared to fly away with her by his side.

As they left, he picked his green brother by the t-shirt mid-air and barked at him:

'We're leaving the city, tell Boomer.'

'But I was having fuuuuunn! Why the hell are we leaving? Butch frowned, disentangling himself from his brother's grip.

'She's coming with us.' he motioned towards the pink puff on his arm.

'AHAHHAHA! YOU DID IT, motherfucker! You mad man, you actually did it!'

He got closer to them, staring at Blossom:

'Hey, gorgeous.' his tone sweetened. 'Since you'll be riding with us, we might as well get friendly.' he winked at her.

'Whoa, apparently green girl's following us. What do I do, Brick?' he took notice, taking a peek behind his shoulder.

'I don't care. I'm sure you can lose her. '

'Gotcha.'

Blossom looked back and could see a huge shield of electricity forming in front of her eyes. Before she could say anything, she saw her sister slamming into it, bouncing off it like a wounded bird.

'BUTTERCUP!' she cried, but Brick didn't stop.

'It's fine, she'll heal. We always heal.' he said softly, sporting a knowing smile.

'Taken care of.' Butch caught up and gave them finger guns. He noticed the mortified look on the pink puff's face.

'Impressed with the shield? Green was the first time, too.'

Blossom swallowed nervously and bit her lip to avoid saying anything.

'Did you tell Boomer we're leaving?'

'No, but he's probably already fucked off somewhere remote to watch the view or something gay like that, that sissy fuck.'

'Text him.'

'Alright, alright.'

They flew together in silence for what seemed like forever, when Blossom dared to open her mouth.

'I'm here willingly, you know. You can let me go now.'

'Sorry, force of habit.'

'Brick smirked and loosened his grip.

'Actually, stop. We're far enough now.'

She gave him a questioning look as he extended a hand towards her.

'Phone, tracking device, whatever you've got.'

'Oh, okay.' she searched her pockets and handed them over. Brick breathed fire over her devices and then let them freefall.

He got closer and Blossom twitched in retreat, Brick raising an eyebrow in suspicion. He then touched her calves, checking for any devices under her trousers. He went up feeling her back pockets, following the curves of her body.

'Can I double-check after you're done? You might have missed a few spots.' Butch teased, looking her up and down.

His hands were now over her breasts, and Brick briefly looked her in the eye, checking for a reaction. He seemed satisfied to notice her flustered look, then finished with the control of her arms.

'All good.' he stated, resuming the flight.

Blossom peeked at his profile as they were flying, something bothering her in the half smile that adorned his face.

There was something disturbing in the ease with which he had accepted her offer, she expected him to be more suspicious, angrier. And now his enigmatic smile managed to unnerve her more.

'Where are we going? Blossom asked nervously. Butch scoffed, giving her an amused glance.

'Well, where do you want to go?' Brick inquired, his eerie smile unchanged.