Yo yo yo!
At first.. I know, I know, it's getting old, but I'll keep thanking you for your reviews.
I really appreciate them after all, so I won't let any chance pass by without taking it and use it to thank you guys.
So, here it comes.
Ready?
Really?
Okay, okay…
THANK YOU SO MUCH! It means the world to me.
Well, that being said, onto the next chapter. And there is gonna be a radical turning of events (for those who read my previous stories; no worries, it's not gonna be that radical. Ya know, like that one time I blew up the whole planet Mars… hehehe…). But it will effect Kiwi and the mice, big time.
Anywayz, enough with the talking, enjoy reading this chapter, hope you guys like it. ^^
Chapter thirty nine
"Hey there, Ruby ma'am, I wanted to ask you to come home, because...", Modo started, but the red headed woman gave him no chance to finish his sentence.
"Come home? I WAS home, because I had a lunch date with three alien mice and my friend, but it turned out they let me down. And now you expect me to come home, because you ask me to? Who do you think I am, your maid?"
Modo held the phone away from his big ear to avoid he was gonna be deaf for the rest of his life. His face darkened, looking pleading at the phone as if that would help to stop the red headed woman from screaming.
"And what did I say about calling me ma'am?!", Ruby continued to rage.
Modo looked at Vinnie and Throttle, who were looking at the ceiling, trying very hard not to be here right now. Kiwi was lying on the couch, holding her leg in pain, her head resting on Vinnie's lap.
Oh momma… By the looks of things, he was on his own.
"Eh, Ruby, calm down, I can explain... ", Modo tried to intervene, but Ruby was clearly not amused by the fact they hadn't been there for lunch this afternoon.
"Explain? You just let me walk into that house, that is a fucking oven right now, for nothing! I left my work, for nothing! And you didn't even call!"
Modo frowned a little bit. How was he gonna explain this to her if she didn't let him talk?
"Ruby…"
"No, I'm gonna hang up now, I need time to cool off, I…"
"Ruby, it's about…"
"I speak to you later, when you know how to appreciate me again…"
"It's about Kiwi, she's hurt!", Modo yelled in the phone.
There was a silence. Modo let out his breath in relief. Finally, she stopped talking.
"Oh. Why didn't you say so? I'm on my way."
And she broke the connection.
Modo just stared at the phone. Could you believe this woman?
"She sure has a little temper, bro", Vinnie chuckled, looking at his mind blown gray furred bro.
"Ya think?
"That's Ruby for ya", Kiwi smiled, despite her pain. "She obviously doesn't like it to be forgotten. Geez, I wonder why…"
"Pretty lady attitude. Don't forget it was you who got herself into trouble… again…", Vinnie retorted.
Kiwi gasped.
"Oh, that's so no fair, I…", but Vinnie bend over and kissed her to shut her up.
Kiwi froze for a moment, but then kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. God, she wanted him. Ever since that moment in the woods, you know, that super hot moment, they hadn't really been… together. She wasn't sure why not, but Vinnie clearly had kept his distance. Maybe because he felt unstable, with the whole thing that had happened. Maybe he was scared he was gonna lose control and hurt her.
He broke off the kiss, biting softly in her lip in the process before he sat up straight again, his lips curled into that smile she loved so much.
Kiwi looked up at him, a dazed and happy look on her face.
"And that, ladies and gentlemice, is how you shut Kiwi up", Throttle chuckled softly.
Modo was still staring at the phone, clearly upset because Ruby was mad at him. After all, it wasn't his intention to ditch Ruby, it was because Limburger had been up to something. And because of the whole thing, he indeed forgot about her. But not because he wanted to. No, because the fight and after that, the worry about Kiwi had taken all of his attention.
Was she ever gonna forgive him? How could she forgive him, if she didn't let him explain?
Kiwi saw the look on the poor mouse his face.
"Modo, she'll come around. I know her. She barks a lot, but she doesn't bite. She will cool down and then you can explain her what happened. She'll understand. Don't beat yourself too hard."
"Ah, so that means you also understand why we forgot about you then, don't you sweetheart?", Vinnie smiled, quickly using this moment to save his own ass.
Kiwi looked back at him, her eyes fuming for a moment.
"No way! That's just not the same, ya know? You guys left me! With Limburger! And…", but Throttle stopped her by holding up his hand.
"Enough. Like I said, first you get that wound treated, after that... we'll talk. And with talk, I mean, talk. Not bickering like children", and he gave Vinnie a meaningful look.
"Hey man, no fair, I….", but when he saw Throttle's ears twitch, he quickly shut his mouth again.
Kiwi giggled when she saw the look on Vinnie's face. Like a kid who got blamed for something he didn't do.
Silence dawned on them and Throttle let out his breath, using this small moment of peace and quietness to close his eyes for a moment.
After all, these moments were very rare, so he needed to make sure to take advantage of it.
"Kiwi, I swear to god, if you don't sit still, I will drug you!", Ruby growled between clenched teeth.
If you thought the mice were difficult patients, well, try Kiwi instead. The girl was wiggling in her seat, trying to avoid the touch of Ruby's hands.
"But it hurts, Ruby! You can't just touch it like that!", Kiwi cried out.
Ruby narrowed her eyes.
"Oh really? Then how I'm supposed to clean it, stitch it and bandage it if I can't touch you?"
Kiwi fell silent.
"Maybe you should drug me…", she mumbled, leaning against Vinnie.
"I can give you a local anesthetic, okay?", Ruby suggested, already searching in her magical bag.
Vinnie froze by hearing these words. Kiwi felt it and untangled herself.
"Go", she whispered, patting him on the shoulder.
Vinnie hesitated, but Kiwi pushed him away.
"Go, Vinnie, I'm in good hands, even if these hands are hurting me…", and she gave Ruby a meaningful look.
"Oh, come on…", the red headed woman sputtered, but Kiwi turned her head back to Vinnie.
"What I don't want, is seeing you having another panic attack. So, go."
Vinnie planted a kiss on her forehead and while standing up, he pointed at Throttle.
"You take my place, okay?" and he walked to the garage, to work on his beloved bike.
Throttle sat down next to Kiwi and she leaned against him while he wrapped his arms around her.
"Okay, let's do this."
One and a half hour later, the wound was clean, stitched and tickly packed with bandage and they were all sitting in the kitchen, while Ruby was making hot dogs. She had called her work to tell them she'd called it a day and that she was gonna be back tomorrow. After all the overwork she had done the past few weeks, her boss didn't complain.
Modo was awfully quiet, still somehow impressed by Ruby's anger. Poor guy.
Kiwi grabbed his hand for a moment, and he looked at her. She squeezed softly, while giving him a reassuring smile. He gave her a little smile back, before looking at Ruby's back.
"Just explain", Kiwi whispered.
Modo nodded and cleared his throat.
"Ahum, Ruby ma… Ruby. I'm really sorry that we… that I let you down for lunch. But Limburger was planning something and we needed to…"
"...do what we always do, whip some tail and save the city", Vinnie interrupted him proudly.
Kiwi punched him on the arm, giving him a warning look.
"Autsj! Hey sweetheart, what gives? I'm just telling it like is", he protested, rubbing his arm, but Kiwi ignored him.
Ruby slowly turned around to look at Modo, who was trying to find back the words after the sudden interrupt from Vinnie.
"Well, yeah, something like that. He was attacking a school, with kids… We needed to stop him and after that, well things just went on and… What I'm trying to say, is that I would never let a lady down without reason. My gray furred momma would turn around in her grave if I would. Heck, she probably would come back to kick my ass", Modo chuckled, a loving look on his face when he spoke about his mom.
Ruby's face softened.
"It's okay, Modo. I maybe overreacted a little…"
"A little?", Vinnie muttered under his breath, but quickly raised his hands in defence when he saw the look on Ruby's face. "Sorry, just pretend that I'm not here…"
"That's kinda hard when you constantly interfere with our conversation, bro... ", Modo slowly said, shaking his head. Maybe he needed to take Ruby apart, so they could talk in private about this.
"Maybe you should tell us about that one thing that happened on Mars, Modo?", Kiwi suggested, knowing this was perfect blackmail material to make Vinnie shut his damn mouth.
"NO! There's absolutely no need to bring that up! I'm not just pretty, ya know, I know when to take a hint", Vinnie pointed out, looking at Kiwi.
"Than take it and shut up", she smiled innocently at him. "You're right about the pretty part, though", she added softly, winking at him. A blush appeared on his face and he looked down, fiddling at his bandoliers.
Ruby set down the plate with hotdogs on the table.
"Ah, another thing to shut Vinnie up", Kiwi giggled. Vinnie's head jerked up, but before he could retort, Throttle decided to intervene.
"Okay, okay, enough for now. Honestly, what is wrong with you guys today? Is there a storm coming, or something? Let's eat."
After dinner, Throttle looked at Kiwi. She shrunk when she saw the stern look in his eyes, knowing it was now time for 'the talk'.
"Kiwi. I'm not sure how to put this, but what is it with that talent of yours to get into trouble all the time? I mean, these guys are dangerous. Look what happened today, and what almost happened? If we hadn't showed up, he probably would've…", the tan furred mouse trailed off.
".. raped me, you mean? Yeah, I know. I was there, remember?", Kiwi snapped at him.
Throttle lowered his glasses for a moment and looked at her with his pinkish bionic eyes. Then, he pushed it back up and sighed.
Kiwi, already feeling guilty because of her reaction, sighed too.
"I'm sorry, I don't want to talk to you like that, but you always act as if I'm doing these things on purpose. That is not the story here, and you know it. After all, it was you guys who left me behind by that school, remember? So, I took a cab home. But then, I heard on the radio about what was happening at the pits and I thought I could find you there. When I did came there, you guys just left… again. Then, I wanted to give the video to the police, but Limburger heard me and he and Karbunkle just pushed me into the pits. The Pitboss found me and well… Things got a little awkward after that. I was only trying to help…"
Throttle's face softened.
"I know, babe, and believe me, I appreciate that. But somehow, you wanting to help always gets you into trouble."
"Yeah, well, I never chose to be the damsel in distress all the time", Kiwi said without thinking.
Throttle breathed in sharply, Vinnie looked like she just had slapped him in the face and Modo looked somehow very small all of a sudden. Kiwi suddenly realized what she just said.
"No, I don't mean… God, it's not your fault, guys. I just mean…", but she couldn't find the words.
Shit, she had hurt them with saying that. She sounded like all this was because they just ran into her life, because they dragged her with them in their war, but it wasn't like that.
Shit.
"I think what Kiwi is trying to say is that she wants to fight this war with you. But because you guys always leave her out of it, she's doing things on her own, to help you anyway. But she sometimes seems to forget she's a fragile human, no super alien mouse and that she's your guys weakness…", Ruby simply explained.
Kiwi narrowed her eyes, but then slowly nodded.
"Eh yeah, I think that pretty much covers it… Except that part about being a fragile human maybe, but yeah… She's right."
"But you are a human, Kiwi, fragile or not. And no soldier", Throttle pointed out.
"Right. Let's just forget about all the things I already did to help you guys. Things you couldn't have done without me!"
Kiwi was getting angry. Really, she understood why Throttle was so worried about her getting hurt. But they also asked her for her help many times already.
"She does have a point there, bro", Vinnie finally opened his mouth. "Without her, we'd ended up as lunch for those Monster Zilla's. Or living alongside the dinosaurs right now… Just saying."
"It's not that we don't want you on the team, Kiwi ma'am. We just don't want you to get hurt", Modo added.
Kiwi took a deep breath to calm down. Getting angry wasn't getting her nowhere. I mean, she couldn't really blame them for being worried about her. They did had to save her from a few pressing situations so far.
"Look, all I want is to help, okay? Maybe you guys need to let me help you. I get it you don't bring me with you when you're riding into a battle, but there are still a lot of things I can do without getting hurt. Maybe Ruby is right, maybe you need to involve me, so I don't feel the need to do things behind your backs."
"Hey, now just wait a minute, that's not what I meant…", Ruby protested, but Vinnie cut her off.
"So, what are ya saying, sweetheart?", he asked, unusual serious now. But this was about the safety of his girl. Even he didn't made jokes about that.
"I'm saying, you big lummoxes, you need to let me fight this war with you. To make me a permanent member of the team. And if you do, I'll promise I won't go out on a warpath alone again."
The mice shared a look. Maybe she was right. She did have a point. But still…
"So that's what's so important to you, isn't it? Being a member of the team?", Throttle asked.
Kiwi nodded, seeing everything crystal clear now. This is what she always had wanted.
"Yes, it is. I never really belonged somewhere, ya know? Never really fitted in. But I now know where I belong. In your team. Not just as 'Vinnie's girl', or as the damsel in distress because I'm your weakness, but as myself. As Kiwi. You guys know what I can do. I can help you. And I'm already involved. I know you don't like that, I know you wish I wasn't, but I am. So, I better make myself useful then, right?"
There was a long silence, the mice were staring at each other.
"I dunno…", Vinnie eventually said, looking at Kiwi again.
"Maybe we should talk to Carbine about this", Throttle suggested.
"What if you get hurt?", Modo asked again.
"With all due respect, Carbine has nothing to do with this. And Modo, you guys get hurt all the time. Besides, if you finally are gonna see me as one of you, instead of keeping me away, I won't get in trouble that much anymore."
"Carbine is our General, like it or not, Kiwi. And now we've restored communication with Mars, we're back under her command", Throttle said almost toneless.
"Ugh, man, come on. We're Freedom Fighters, no army. She doesn't own us like that", Vinnie protested. "She's still on another planet. We're fighting our own fight here. My pretty lady is right, Carbine's got nothing to do with this."
"She's the General of the Freedom Fighters, Vinnie, and you know that…", but Vinnie stopped his tan furred bro.
"Stoker is our leader, not Carbine. She can sit there, give orders and do whatever she thinks is necessary, but she's not our leader. Never been and never will."
Throttle tensed, his tail started to twitch.
"Watch your big mouth, Vincent. Before you cross a line you don't wanna cross... "
But Vinnie wasn't impressed.
"What line? I'm just telling it like it is. Look, I know you guys are back together, being each others soulmates and all, whatever man, but let's not forget about the fact she locked us up and accused us for being traitors…"
"Oh come on, we all know this isn't about that. You never liked her", Throttle snorted.
"Nope, and I never will. But for once, this isn't about me. This is about you, having your head so far stuck in her…", but Modo quickly slammed a hand over Vinnie's mouth to avoid he was gonna finish that sentence.
God only knew what would happen if he did.
Throttle clenched his teeth and stared at his white furred bro. God, the kid could be so annoying sometimes.
Kiwi lay a hand on Throttle's shoulder.
"Look, I don't know what's going on between you two", referring to Vinnie and him. "...and I don't want you to think that I want to disrespect Carbine. But really, all that matters for me is your opinion. I don't care about what Carbine thinks. She doesn't mean that much to me as you do. All I want, is your permission. That you give me a place to fit in. That would mean the world to me."
Throttle gave Vinnie one more angry look before he turned his attention to Kiwi.
"So, you promise you won't go out alone and do things behind our backs?"
Kiwi nodded.
"I promise."
"And you also promise that you'll listen to us, to every command we give you, without hesitation?"
"Yes."
Throttle looked at Modo, who was still holding Vinnie. The gray furred giant nodded, to let him know he was okay with this.
Then, Throttle looked at Vinnie, who looked back almost challenging. But he also nodded.
"Fine. You're in. But there are a few terms. When your leg is healed, training starts. You need to learn how to fight, most importantly, how to defend yourself. And you need to learn how to ride a bike."
Kiwi was smiling and nodding, but when she heard these last words, she froze and the smile vanished.
"R-riding a bike?"
"Yep."
"But…"
"You said you wanted this, right?"
"Well, yeah, but…"
"Nobody said it was gonna be easy, Kiwi. This isn't a game. This is real life. This is war."
Kiwi let out her breath. He was right.
"Okay."
Ruby was listening to all this, not amused by the fact that Kiwi was gonna be involved in a war. Okay, technically she already was. But still...
"I dunno, Kiwi… Are you sure about this?"
Kiwi looked at the red headed woman, nodding firmly.
"Yes."
And she felt it. She was sure, alright. She had never been so sure about anything. This was her life goal. This was the reason why she was still alive, why faith had pulled her back after her attempted suicide and spit her out on this planet again.
Ruby studied her face, seeing the determination in Kiwi's eyes. Why someone could be that devoted to join a war, she would never understand. Not after the things she'd seen. But she knew Kiwi. And there was no way from stopping her. If that girl had something in her head, she was gonna do it, no matter what. Trying to stop her would only motivate her even more. The mice seemed to know that too. Maybe that's why they were gonna let her join 'the team'.
But still… It gave her a unexplained and nagging feeling of pain. Kiwi was like the daughter she never had. She cared deeply about that small but strong girl with black hair and blue eyes. And she kept asking herself; is this what her father had wanted for his daughter? That she was gonna join a intergalactic war? A rebellious resistance? She wasn't sure.
Well, that was a lie. She knew exactly that this wasn't the future he'd planned for his daughter.
"Well, as long as you know I don't think this is a good idea", she heard herself saying.
Shit. That came out wrong.
Kiwi shrunk a little, but then straightened her back again.
"To be honest, I don't care about what you think."
That did hurt Ruby. Badly. She'd taking care of this girl after losing her parents, helping her through her by far deepest hours, she'd found her after she tried to kill herself, she was always by her side, being her friend, a mother, maybe. And she was the only one who Kiwi had left. So, Kiwi let her help her. Let her be there for her. Let her be the mother she needed so badly at that point. But now, she had the mice. And Ruby felt, no matter how childish that may sound, replaced. Left out. It broke her heart, to be honest.
Modo carefully swung an arm around her shoulders in a attempt to comfort her. But Ruby was suddenly done. Done with this whole thing. Done with Martian Mice from Mars, who took away her girl. Who dragged her into their war. After everything she had done for Kiwi, she had the nerve to say straight into her face that she didn't care about her opinion.
The red headed woman pushed Modo away and jumped at her feet, tears in her fuming eyes. Kiwi looked up startled, so where Vinnie and Throttle.
"If this is what you want, fine! Go ahead, do your thing. Go fight in a war that's not even ours. But let me tell you this; I'm not just gonna sit here and watch helplessly how your head, your mind, is gonna be poisoned by sorrow and death. If you want this, you'll have to do it without me. So tell me, what is it gonna be?"
Kiwi stared at the angry woman, not sure what to say.
"That's what I thought. I'm outta here", and Ruby stormed away. They heard the front door closing with a loud bang and after that, her car speeding away with shrieking tires.
For a moment, there was only silence. Kiwi was still trying to wrap her mind around this whole thing. Modo had a thoughtful look on his face, just like Throttle.
And then there was Vinnie.
"Damn, she's hot when she's angry."
Kiwi was sitting in the yard, staring at the sun that was slowly dropping. After Vinnie's stupid timing for saying something stupid, she'd left the kitchen and now she was sitting here, trying to figure out why Ruby had been this upset.
"She lost her husband and son, ya know. Because of war."
Modo's voice.
The gray furred giant slowly sat down next to her. Kiwi looked at him with her mouth wide open.
"Say what? She had a husband and a son? What? How… She never told me…"
"She told me after drinking two bottles of wine, so no worries, it's not because I'm special", Modo smiled a little sadly, patting her arm.
Kiwi gave him a little smile back. But then, her face grew serious again.
"But what do you mean, because of war?"
Modo told her what Ruby had told him. Normally, he didn't like to share other people's stories, but he told her because it cracked is heart to see Kiwi this lost. He wanted to help her understand, because honestly...? He had no idea if they were gonna see Ruby ever again…
That broke his heart. He really was crazy about her. He maybe even loved her. But that was the reason that all he wanted for her was to be happy. Maybe this whole thing was just too much for her. Even if she was the one who told him not to live in the past, things like this always stick. Losing your husband and son because of the effects of war is not something you just forget. Sure, you give it a place. You move on. But you never forget.
Maybe being here with them, with the war they were fighting, maybe it's too confronting. And now Kiwi wanted to join them… Well, he could only imagine her pain. So, yeah, that's why he wasn't sure if she was ever gonna come back. He really hoped she was. But he would understand if she wasn't.
"I never meant to hurt her, ya know? I just… I finally know who I am and why I'm here. That maybe sounds crazy, but it was something I was asking myself for a long time. And I just don't want anybody to stop me from doing what I think that's good for me. Does this even make any sense?"
"Yeah, it does, sweetheart."
Vinnie's voice. Kiwi and Modo whirled around, looking at the white furred mouse that was standing close by, his ears a little drooped.
Modo patted Kiwi on the back.
"I'll give you guys some privacy", and he walked back inside.
Vinnie slowly walked towards her and Kiwi couldn't keep her eyes off him. He was so goddamn sexy, it was almost a crime.
Well, she could always lock him up with her and throw away the key...
"Listen, I'm sorry I said that. I just… well… I dunno... ", he stuttered, but Kiwi shook her head.
"It's okay, Vin, I know you. You just talk before you think, no problem."
"But you're upset…", Vinnie stated, now standing right in front of her.
"Yeah, because I hurt Ruby. And I'm not sure if she's ever gonna forgive me…"
Vinnie lay one finger under her chin and pushed her head up, forcing her to look into his beautiful eyes.
"You're about to witness something that doesn't happen that often, and that is me telling how things really are. Listen to this. If she just leaves you here, without any explanation, she isn't worth your company and love. You're following your heart, and she should encourage that, instead of acting this selfish. And I can tell, because lemme get one thing straight, sweetheart: the last thing I want is involving my girl into this fucking war. But I know I can't stop you. I know this is what you want. You're listening to your heart. So who am I to stop you from doing that? Same goes for Ruby. Besides, if this means I can keep you safe, well… That's the most important thing to me. Selfish indeed, but I never told anyone I wasn't."
Kiwi stared at him, her jaw almost on her knees. Vinnie rolled his eyes.
"Really, why is everybody always looking like that when I say something that is so super obvious?"
Kiwi recovered herself, grabbing his hands.
"Sorry, it's just… I never thought about it that way, because honestly, it isn't that obvious. Thanks, love. For supporting me. For accepting me. It means so much to me. And you can always be selfish if that means you're always gonna be by my side."
"Anything for you, pretty lady. You should know that by now."
"So uhm... I'm still your girl?"
"What? Of course you are, sweetheart, why you ask?"
"Well, we haven't really been together ever since… you know… Back in… the… woods…?"
Vinnie had a thoughtful frown on his face, clearly not knowing where she… oh. She saw it click. His face switched to guilt. Oh dear.
"Vinnie, I didn't say that to hurt you, I just… I don't understand why you keep your distance...", Kiwi quickly said.
"I eh… I was just so upset, ya know? I lost it. I lost control. What if…", he mumbled softly, fiddling with her shirt.
Yep. This confirmed that she knew him too well.
"Vinnie, it's okay. You're not gonna hurt me, I know it. Besides, I'm not made of glass, so stop treat me as if I'm gonna break. Also, if you do hurt me, which I highly doubt, but okay, IF you do, I can use this magical thing they call a voice to stop you."
Vinnie's lips curled into a smile for a moment because of that comment, but it soon faded away.
"I dunno, sweetheart…"
"Look, I don't wanna push you into something that doesn't feel right. Just… think about it, okay? Because I want you."
Vinnie nodded.
"Okay, I will."
Days past by. Kiwi had tried to call Ruby multiple times, but every time it went straight to voicemail. Kiwi suspected the red headed woman had blocked her number. Ugh.
And here she was, thinking Ruby was one of the grown ups.
Modo was trying to keep his head up, but he was having a hard time, they all could tell. But he kept saying it was her choice. That he wanted her to be happy. And Kiwi had to admit, she believed him. He really wanted the best for Ruby. But that didn't change the fact it was sad.
The heat was still haunting Chicago, forcing the mice to stay inside most of the time. Luckily, the aico was still working, so it wasn't really a punishment to stay inside. But when Kiwi opened the fridge, she saw she needed to do some groceries.
"Guys, we're almost outta rootbeer", she yelled while limping to the garage.
Throttle looked up from his work on his bike.
"We'll go get some, you can't drive with that leg of yours."
Kiwi wanted to protest, but Modo stopped her.
"It's no problem, Kiwi ma'am. Sure we all want to stretch our legs a little", and he patted the handlebar of his beloved Little Hos.
"Yeah, sure, great idea! Except my bike isn't going anywhere right now", Vinnie pouted, looking at his red racing bike. Since they were stuck inside, he had decided to give his bike a major overhaul. So, the whole thing was lying in parts on the ground.
"Then I guess you've no other choice than to stay here", Kiwi smiled.
But Vinnie wasn't amused.
"Ah man, what if you guys bump into Limburgers goons and have fun without me?", he whined.
"We'll tell them you said hi if we do, don't worry, Vinnie my man", Modo rumbled.
Kiwi gave Throttle her credit card and after saying goodbye, they left the garage.
Kiwi quickly closed the garage door again, to keep the heat out. She slowly turned around to the white furred mouse, who was already busy with his bike again, still softly cursing to himself.
Maybe he didn't realize they were alone, Kiwi wondered.
"Sooooo… What to do, now that we have the whole house for ourselves?", she casually asked.
"Fixing my bike that is, god dammit", Vinnie muttered under his breath.
Kiwi sighed heavily. This needed some more drastic measures. She knew she'd told him she didn't want to push him. But this was getting ridiculous. She wanted him. And when she wanted something, she always made sure she was gonna get it. She smiled wickedly and quickly left the garage.
She knew just the thing to get his attention.
Vinnie was almost done with his bike, when he heard the door open. Good, he needed to ask Kiwi where she had left the tools she always brought with her. He needed one of them and he couldn't find it anywhere.
"Sweetheart, do you know where… oh…", the white furred mouse trailed off, his eyes wide open.
The door was open, but the only thing he saw was one leg, wrapped in a lace stocking. His eyes followed the leg up, noticing the garterbelt. His mouth became dry. Slowly, Kiwi came into view, leaning casually against the doorway with one hand above her head and the other in her side. She smiled seductively at him, waving her eyelashes.
Vinnie was still sitting on his knees next to his bike, staring at her with his mouth open. She was wearing some sort of corset, made of lace and black satin, pushing her breast up. Vinnie's eyes lowered. He saw a stripe naked skin of her stomach before his eyes landed on her underwear. It was also made of lace, barely covering anything. His heart started to beat faster. Over the small piece of underwear, the black garter belt, attached to the lace stockings she was wearing. He hardly noticed the bandage that was still around her right leg.
"Hey there, sexy", Kiwi purred, slowly walking closer to him. "Are you just gonna sit there, or…"
That snapped Vinnie out of his staring and he jumped at his feet. Within two steps he was standing in front of her and he wrapped his strong arms around her, lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he kissed her roughly. She kissed him back eagerly, her hands sliding into his fur on his back. A low growl escaped his mouth and while still kissing her, he walked to the desk. In one movement, he bend forward and wiped the desk empty. He lay her down on her back, still kissing her wildly. His hands found the corset and ripped it open. One hand grabbed her breast, the other hand made its way down and slid into the small piece of underwear. Kiwi breathed in against his lips when she felt his fingers. She set her nails in his back, kissing him even more rough. Then, her hand followed the lines of his abs, down to his sweatpants. That made him even more heated in return and she almost could hear the click in his head.
He lost it. But that was exactly what she wanted. She smiled to herself. If she knew he would react like this on sexy lingerie, she would've worn it earlier. He broke off the kiss, looking at her. His eyes were almost black, burning from desire. It took her breath away.
Oh dear… He really lost it…
In one movement, he ripped off her underwear and quickly pulled down his pants. Then, he grabbed her legs and pulled her closer, laying her legs over his shoulders while pushing himself inside of her. Kiwi moaned in ecstasy. Finally. Vinnie bend forward, while moving slowly, but then he grabbed her by her hair and he kissed her again. Her legs were still over his shoulder and since he was bending over, Kiwi almost felt her knees touching her ears. But because of this, he only came deeper and the feeling it gave her was completely mind blown.
Luckily, she was flexible.
He moved up the pace, and set his teeth in her earlobe. Kiwi felt the familiar pressure building up again, and she bit back in his lip because of the overwhelming feeling. His hands were still weaved in her hair, pulling on it. It did hurt a little. But it somehow only made her even more heated. She moaned his name, setting her nails in his arms that were next to her body. Right before she reached her peak, he suddenly stopped. But before she could protest, he lifted her and pushed her against the wall with her back. She wrapped her legs around his waist again and he made his way inside again, leaning with one hand against the wall to support himself, the other hand was holding Kiwi.
Kiwi looked into his eyes, his burning eyes. She saw one corner of his mouth curling into that arrogant smile before he pressed his lips on hers again. He moved faster and faster and they both tensed, both flushed by the wave of pleasure. He squeezed his eyes, softly growling her name. Kiwi held him tightly, her body was trembling from the wave. But slowly, they relaxed a little.
Vinnie pressed his forehead against hers, looking at her, breathing heavily.=
"You really should wear that more often, sweetheart", he whispered, his lips curled into a arrogant and pleased smile.
Kiwi giggled.
"Guess I should buy me a new one then, since you ripped this one apart. Never really knew you had a thing for sexy lingerie, love."
"Me neither… But I do know now…"
Suddenly, they heard a click and the garage door slowly opened, the roaring engines from two bikes filling the room. They both froze.
"Shit", Kiwi hissed and Vinnie almost had let her go.
But there wasn't enough time. He realised getting caught was gonna be unavoidable, so it would be better if he stayed where he was, his back blocking the view of Kiwi's naked body. The only thing they could see, were her feet, wrapped in lace. And her head over his shoulder. Ah well, it could be worse...
Kiwi tried to escape, but Vinnie pushed her against the wall, kissing her shortly but heated.
"Don't move, sweetheart. Unless you want them to see you naked?", he whispered in her ear, biting her earlobe.
Kiwi breathed in sharply. God, this mouse…
She looked over his shoulder, straight into the faces of Throttle and Modo, who were still sitting on their bikes, a shocked look on their faces.
"Oh, hey there!", Kiwi blurted out, a blush on her cheeks.
God, this was awkward. And yet, the looks on their faces were priceless.
Vinnie didn't look behind him, he just couldn't. Being caught by your bro's was not something he considered as cool.
"Eh… hi?", he heard Modo saying, his normally low voice a few tones higher.
He smiled against Kiwi's neck. Luckily, this wasn't only awkward for him and Kiwi.
"We eh… we're back... Obviously... Yeah... Come on, big fella, let's get these groceries to the kitchen, they don't walk over there by themselves, now do they?"
After a few scraping and cracking noises, followed by the sounds of fast walking footsteps, they were alone again.
Kiwi let out her breath, trying not to laugh. But when her gaze met Vinnie's, she started giggling. Soon, giggling became laughing and it didn't take long before she was laughing almost hysterical. But Vinnie had other plans. He was still inside her, after all. A mischievous grin appeared on his face and he slowly started moving again, making Kiwi stop laughing immediately.
"Vinnie, stop, what if they come back?", she hissed, but it didn't sound that confident as she wanted.
Vinnie smiled, grabbing her by her lower body.
"Oh, so you want me to stop then?", he winked at her, but moving up the pace instead.
Kiwi closed her eyes, grabbing his arms. She shook her head.
"No, but this… this is just wrong…", she managed to get out.
But Vinnie didn't want to hear it.
"Ah come on, you know what they say, sweetheart. Having sex while risking to get caught makes it even more fun."
The last words came out with a low voice, his eyes burning.
Kiwi shook her head with a smile and completely surrendered to him. After all, who could fight logic like that?
A few days later, the mice were sitting in the kitchen, waiting for breakfast, when Kiwi slowly walked inside. She was holding an envelope in her hand and when she looked at the mice, they noticed she had a nervous look on her face.
"What is it, Kiwi?", Throttle asked while the girl sat down at the table, staring at the envelope in her hands.
"It's from Ruby... ", she said softly.
Modo tensed. They still hadn't heard anything from the red headed woman since she had left the house that day. They had tried to call her like a thousand times, but she ignored them. It made him kinda angry, though. Why would she just walk away, without giving any explanation? Well, she gave them one. But it wasn't enough. You just don't walk in and out people's (or mice) life's like that. That's just not how these things worked.
"What's it saying, Kiwi ma'am?", he asked, noticing his voice was a little shaky.
Kiwi looked up at him, her eyes wide open.
"I dunno… I haven't read it yet. I…", her voice broke a little, but she quickly recovered herself. "I can't help myself of getting the feeling she's saying goodbye… What if…", but Vinnie snatched the letter outta her hands, ripping it open in one movement.
"Ugh, gimme that, sweetheart. Only one way to find out, right?", he said while opening the letter. A card fell out and landed on the table, but nobody paid attention to it. Kiwi did a weak attempt to grab the letter outta the white furred mouse his hands, but he pushed her away while starting to read the letter out loud.
"Dear all,
I write this letter to let you know I'm gonna go away for a while. After our last conversation, I've been doing a lot of thinking. And I now know; I don't belong here anymore.
Kiwi, I never told you about this, but I'm sure Modo has already informed you about what happened to my husband and son. Living without them in the same house, in the same town while having the same job… It's too much. It's a constant reminder of what I've lost. The reason I stayed, was you. Kiwi, you're like the daughter I never had. And I love you so much. Taking care of you after your parents died, was the best thing I've ever did. Without knowing it, you helped me with my grieve. With dealing with this immense loss. But now… Things are changed. Things are different. Why, you ask? Well, the answer to that is simple. The mice came into your life.
And it turned out that they're far more capable of helping you heal than I ever was. They gave you back the one thing you needed so badly, a family. For a while, I thought I had my own place in this little weird yet loving family. But I fooled myself. I don't belong there. And the reason for that is simple. They are soldiers. They are fighting a war. They have so much similarities with my husband, god, it's sometimes almost scary. But that isn't the biggest problem. The fact you want to join them, is.
I know what war can do to someone. War took away my husband and son. And I can't just sit around, watch and wait till this war is gonna take you away too. I just can't. Believe me, I wish I could. Because that would mean I could still be able to be a part of your life. It feels like I let you down, like I betray you. But if I'll stay, I'd betray myself. And that's unforgivable.Also, I want you to make your own choices. I want you to be a strong, independent woman, who knows what she wants and knows how to follow her heart. And I know this is what you want. Everything inside of me screams I need to stop you. But that would be selfish, right?
So, I decided to take a step back. I quit my job. I rented my house. Tomorrow, I'll fly to Aruba. I really need a long vacation.
I want you to know that I don't have hard feelings. That I still love you so much, with all my heart. That I do this, not only for myself, but also for you. You need to follow your own path now, without being held back. I know the mice will take good care of you. They love you. And I know they'll do everything to protect you.Modo…"
Vinnie stopped, looking a little hesitant.
"You really want me to read this out loud, big fella?", he asked, but Modo nodded. He didn't trust his own voice and reading it by himself, well…
Vinnie wrinkled his nose. This was so not cool. Reading out loud how a woman was about to dump your bro, well…
Throttle sighed and grabbed the letter outta Vinnie's hand.
"Come here, I'll do it", and he took a deep breath.
"Modo…
Oh Modo, I'm so sorry. I really tried. I really care about you. But I can't do this anymore. I can't go through all that again. Besides, you deserve someone who truly loves you for who you are. Who is willing to go through fire for you. And that someone isn't me. We're too different. You're a soldier. And I'm the widow of a General, who lost his life way too early. But I will never forget about you. Never.
Vinnie, take good care of my girl. I know we didn't get along very well, but I know how much you care about her and I do trust you that you'll do everything to make her happy. If you don't… well, I still know some tricks with needles you're so not gonna like… You've been warned...
Throttle, I know with me leaving, you guys are losing a doctor at the same time. I know someone who is reliable to take in my place. His name is Milo and his number is on the card that I send along with this letter. Don't hesitate to call him. I already told him he can expect a call from a friend of mine. I left out the fur and tail, no worries. That's up to you to explain. I know how important it is for you to keep your presence a secret. And maybe in the future, we can still do these test. You know, about how your brain works. I'm still interested.
This isn't a final goodbye. I'm sure we'll all meet again someday. I just don't know when. My thoughts are with you. The hardest part of ending is starting again. But Kiwi, you'll pull through. You're strong. You're just like your father. He would be so proud. Remember that.
Ruby."
There was a silence for a moment. Of course, Vinnie broke it.
"A trick with needles? Now that's just mean…", he mumbled, shaking his head in annoyance.
But then his gaze landed on Kiwi. Who was staring at the table, her eyes filled with tears. Her hands clamping the edge of the tables with so much strength, her knuckles were white.
"Ah man, sweetheart, come here…", he sighed and he pulled her in a tight hug.
She wrapped her arms around him and started crying.
"How can she just leave me? I mean… God…", she sobbed against his fur, making wet spots with her tears.
Vinnie rubbed her back, resting his chin on her head. He had no idea what to say. What could he say? That he was relieved that that woman was gone? That he couldn't care less if she never returned? No, that would only make things worse. So, he just held her tightly, letting her cry. He knew how much Ruby meant for Kiwi. He could understand why was she was upset. But if you'd ask him, Ruby had made the right choice. For Kiwi.
"You okay, big fella?", Throttle asked, looking concerned at his gray furred bro. But to his surprise, the big guy slowly nodded.
"I eh… Yeah, I am, I guess… Sure, I'll miss her. But I just want her to be happy. And I gotta admit, that temper of hers… well, I'm not sure she's the right for me…"
Vinnie chuckled, he just couldn't help it. He knew for sure that Ruby wasn't the right for him. She was way too feisty for his loving big bro. Not that he couldn't handle feisty, but this girl was just too much. He needed someone who appreciated his soft side, next to the badass soldier. And Ruby needed someone who wasn't afraid to stand up against her. After all, Modo was almost brainwashed by his momma about how to treat a lady. He would never get real angry at a woman. It would never work.
"Hey there, stranger", Carbine winked at him when the connection was made.
It was late in the afternoon. Kiwi had been almost inconsolable after Ruby's letter that came in this morning, so, Modo had suggested to take her on a ride. Vinnie had agreed, of course, but Throttle had a appointment to call with Carbine, so he'd stayed behind.
"Hey beautiful", he said lovingly, smiling at her. "How are things going over there?"
Carbine's face darkened.
"Not good. Water is rare and the few plants we have left, are dying. And that affects the wildlife that is left. In other words, Mars is dying, Throttle…"
Carbine stared down for a moment, but then looked up with a determined look on her face.
"But no way we're gonna give up. We'll keep fighting and one day, we'll win. And then, we will restore Mars", and she slammed her fist on the table, making the camera fall down. Throttle chuckled while looking how she put it back, softly cursing to herself.
"Anyway, how are things on Earth?"
This time it was Throttle's face that darkened.
"A lot is happening. Our doctor left us. Kiwi wants to join the team, Modo…", but Carbine interrupted him.
"Kiwi wants to join the team?", she hissed, her ears twitching.
"Eh, yeah... ", Throttle slowly said, not sure why Carbine would react like this.
"And what did you say?"
"Well, that she could join, but that she needs training and… Why are you even asking this, Carbine?"
"Well, lemme see who's in charge here… Oh, that would be me. You can't just add someone to your team without consulting me… lieutenant general..."
"Oh Carbine, come on. You can skip the formalities. We're not in the army. She asked for a spot in the team, and we said yes. One; because it means a lot to her. Two; this is the only way to keep her outta trouble. Besides, it's not like she's gonna be a soldier who's gonna go out and fight. She's a computer wiz, Carbine. Look what she did! Without her, we weren't talking right now…"
"But we are talking. And I'm telling you, I don't want a girl who doesn't know how to stay outta trouble under my command. It's not gonna happen. And she's a human, no mouse!"
"Well, it already happened. And she has already proven several times that she's a good gain for the team, human or not. Also, she saved our life multiple times. So I'm not sure I completely understand why you're so against it. If you want to use your rank, fine. I can do the same, because on Earth, I'm the one with the highest rank. And I made the call. It's done, Carbine. Don't get your tail in a knot because of this, it's not worth it…"
But Carbine jumped at her feet, leaned forward and looked at him with fuming eyes.
"I'm coming to Earth and I will fix this, that is a promise!"
"Carbine, wait, you're..."
But she broke the connection. Throttle stared at the black screen for a moment.
"Well… that escalated quickly..."
Oh my, pissed off woman alert! What will happen when Carbine lands on Earth? Can the mice, and with that I mean Throttle, convince her that Kiwi is a special human girl, and not like everyone else? That without her, they would've died right after they crashed on Earth? And why is Carbine so upset about this? Jealousy? Or does she feels passed by Throttle, because she's the General? Hmmm…
So, I can imagine some of you are sad about Ruby leaving. But it just didn't made any sense that she was gonna stick around, watching how Kiwi gets more and more involved into this war. Also, I kept having a really hard time to write about her and Modo. They just don't fit. Modo needs someone who's softer than Ruby. And don't you worry you guys, I already know exactly how to make that happen. That's all I'm gonna say. For now. You'll find out soon enough. And like Ruby said, this isn't final goodbye. But the poor girl needs a break.
I also was thinking about why Kiwi always gets herself into trouble. Thinking back at the series, Charley got into trouble because the mice didn't listen to her, most of the time that is. So, she went by herself on a mission. I just thought, if they are gonna acknowledge her place in the team, Kiwi don't feel the need to do things on her own. And she also is so desperate to belong somewhere. So, there ya go. The perfect solution. And a little training in how to defend herself will only do her some good.
Soooo, thanks for reading my story, feel free to review, very much appreciated. :)
Later guys, till next time!