The top squad rolled to a stop into their reserved parking space at Jameson University. All Amy could think about was seeing Lucy again. She wasn't thinking at all about the fact that she was the only person to face Lucy Diamond and live. In fact, it hadn't crossed her mind since Dominique mentioned it last night. She was completely thrown by all of the attention when she walked into the main building. "Oh my god! Is it true? Did you really fight Lucy Diamond?"
It's gonna be a long day, Amy thought, fidgeting with her backpack.
"We heard you cut off a hand. Does she still have a hand?"
Well, that one is interesting. I'll have to remember to tell Lucy about that one. Why would I ever cut off someone's hand? "Yes, she still has both of her hands." Thank goodness. I still haven't seen what she can do with them yet. That thought caused a slight blush to creep up from her neck.
Amy ducked out of that conversation, running into Janet. "Everybody's talking about it." "About what?" "How you met Lucy Diamond and lived to tell about it. They're calling you a hero. When really, you're a slut. A gay slut." Janet smirked and snickered a little. Amy rolled her eyes at Janet. "Shut up. I'm not gay." Am I? "Ms. Petrie wants to see you!" Janet turned and walked away. "What? Janet!" Amy followed Janet into a nearby classroom, where she stopped short when she saw the board broadcasting her picture and Lucy's picture. Amy let her eyes linger on the grainy photo of Lucy for a few seconds before the image changed and "Diamond Engagement, Amy and Lucy Get Together" was printed on the screen. That was enough to cause Amy to hold her breath a little bit. She briefly glanced over at Janet, who also seemed a bit surprised. When the image changed again to "Amy Lives: Amy Survives the Encounter" she let go of the breath, and heard Janet do the same. Amy gave Janet a sideways glance. She must be convinced Amy would sell her out if she got caught. She shook her head. Janet had known Amy for almost four years now, and it surprised Amy that Janet would think she would ever follow through with any half hearted threats she may have made.
Amy walked over to Max and Dom, who both looked ecstatic about the fact that Ms. Petrie was coming down to meet with the Top Squad. "What's going on?" Dom was about as full of excitement as Amy had ever seen her. "Madame Petrie!" Amy looked between Dom and Max. "She's coming down!" Max was just as excited. "Here?! Why? She never comes here." Amy wanted to disappear. She wouldn't trade the time she had spent with Lucy for anything, but she could live without this attention.
Before she could sneak out of the room and find someplace to hide until this all died down, she felt a breeze against her back and heard the sound of the Debs rapid transport. With a grimace, Amy spun around only to see Mr. Phipps, Ms. Petrie, her assistant Madeline, and a photographer with a ridiculously old camera. Amy stared at the camera as Max walked over to Ms. Petrie only to be rudely brushed past by the head of the Debs. Max looked rather pissed off and hurt at the same time. Amy's eyes flicked over to Petrie as she realized she was heading in her direction. It took her a moment to realize she was awkwardly posing for pictures. She couldn't help but look quizzically at the antiquated camera. They can teleport wherever they want but they can't get a digital camera? Petrie had sat her down at a desk, and Amy almost missed the fact that Ms. Petrie still didn't know her name. I'm the only Perfect Score in Debs history, my face is plastered on every poster in this place, and I've 'fought' Lucy Diamond and lived, and still she can't remember my name? Amy wondered, and not for the first time, what she was doing here at Jameson. Ms. Petrie was talking to her though, and Amy needed to get focused. Something about other agencies being jealous and putting the Academy on the map. "Now, Alice," "Amy." "Amy. We are going to need a description of the encounter."
Amy couldn't help but raise her eyebrows and panic just a little bit. "The encounter?" "Everything that happened. No matter how small or seemingly irrelevant." "Why?" Amy was getting slightly flustered. "To develop a profile, of course! Nobody has ever been this close to Lucy Diamond before!" Amy was positive she wanted to get closer to Lucy Diamond. She quietly thanked herself for not saying that out loud. "You, for all intents and purposes, are our leading expert!" Amy thought Lucy would be quite amused by this conversation. "Oh, I don't think I'm an expert at all." She tried to get up and get away from this conversation, but Petrie put a hand on her shoulder and sat her back down. Ms. Petrie then preceded to quote Amy's thesis. Amy looked away from Ms. Petrie and caught Janet's eye. Amy rolled her eyes at Janet. Janet just gave her a "you got yourself into this" look.
Ms. Petrie sat back down in front of Amy. "Annie...Amy. You identify with Lucy Diamond. I think she sees your pathos. I think you have some...dangerous Jungian symbiosis. What's the movie? With Jodie and the little dog falls in the well and the lotion?" "Silence of the Lambs," Madeline pipes in. "You're the lamb, Amy." Amy was getting so agitated, she didn't think she could take much more of this. Amy had mostly stopped paying attention, until she heard Ms. Petrie say that she was putting her in charge of the investigation. Oh, no. This is ridiculous. Amy glanced over at Max. She looked pale and very, very angry. "You are hereby promoted to squad captain." Amy blanched and tuned out the rest of the conversation. She could only look at Max and shake her head apologetically. Everything had happened so fast.
Ms. Petrie and company transported out of the room, and Amy was left to face Max, who stormed out of the room. Dominique and Janet were as surprised as Amy was. She followed Max out of the room. "Max! I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I swear to god. I don't even want to be captain!" That was when Amy realized she hit a nerve. "That's just it! You don't even want it! Boys fall at your feet, the whole school kisses your ass and Ms. Petrie makes you squad captain. You'd be just as happy drawing in your stupid little book." Amy looked at her. "Yeah Max, I would. But every time I try to talk to you about it, you change the subject or you put me down. Just because this is what you want, doesn't mean it's what I do." Amy was yelling now. "I'm the Perfect Score. What does that even mean? I constantly try and live up to what other people think I'm supposed to be. You, this school, Bobby...I'm tired of it. I quit!"
Amy spun on her heel and stalked off, heading toward the main exit doors. She was in luck, the free campus bus had just pulled up at the stop. Amy ran to get on and sat down. Blood was pumping hard through her veins and she was breathing slightly heavy. What now? She had no idea. She pulled out her cellphone and called Lucy.
"Hey." Amy didn't really know what to say. "Um, hello? Amy?" "Sorry, hey. Um. Are you busy right now?" "Not too busy for you." Amy could almost hear the grin on Lucy's face, and Lucy's voice had the calming effect Amy needed right now. "Can you pick me up? Lemme figure out that the next stop is." "Stop?" "Eh, yeah I'm on a bus. Don't ask." Amy looked at the route and gave Lucy an address 3 blocks from the stop.
Max's jaw dropped to her chest. She couldn't even put together a reaction until Amy was already outside, and by the time she had taken two steps, Amy was on the bus and gone. She walked back to the classroom where Dom and Janet were talking. "Amy just quit." The both turned to look at her, Dom with eyebrows raised, Janet accusingly. "What did you do?" Max whipped her head to face Janet. "What did I do? I didn't do anything!" Max recalled the conversation she had with Amy, and lowered her head. "I guess I wasn't a very good friend." She shrugged. "I don't know if it would have made any difference." Dom looked around. "Where is she?" Max shrugged. "She got on the campus shuttle." Janet put a tentative arm on Max's shoulder. "I'm sure this will all settle down." Max nodded, but she wasn't so sure. Janet said, "Maybe we should head back to the house. She might be there." Dom nodded. The three of them headed to the car.
Well this is looking like it's gonna be a good day! Lucy drove the Skymobile towards the intersection Amy had given her, wondering about the impromptu call, but not minding at all. Truth is, Lucy had been wondering when she was going to get to see her again, and even though she had a blind date later that day, she really didn't care. Lucy slowed as she neared the intersection, and pulled up at the curb, not exactly knowing where Amy would be. It certainly didn't take Lucy long to find her. Amy was standing near the door of a small grocery in all her Debs glory. Lucy actually gasped and took Amy in. Black shoes, white knee highs, ridiculously impractical short plaid skirt, short sleeved white button up, a tad too short, showing glimpses of Amy's midriff when she moved her arms, cute plaid tie. Oh. My. God. I could get used to seeing her in that! Amy saw her pull up, looked around her scanning the street, and decided she wasn't being watched. She walked quickly over to the Skymobile and got in the passenger seat. Lucy could see the somewhat distressed look on Amy's face, and decided to try and lighten the mood. "You know, picking up a Catholic school girl hitchhiker has always been a fantasy of mine." Amy raised an eyebrow at Lucy and let out a shaky laugh. Lucy smiled, put the car in drive and pulled away from the curb.
Once they had driven a few blocks and Lucy determined no one was tailing them, she looked hard at Amy. She hadn't said a word since getting in the car. Lucy pulled over into an empty parking lot. She took Amy's hand. Amy looked over at Lucy gratefully and squeezed her hand. "I certainly wasn't expecting to see you in this," Lucy commented, playing with the hem of Amy's skirt. "I wasn't either. I needed to get out of there." Amy sighed shakily. Lucy tugged on her hand, and Amy looked at her. "I...I quit today. At first I thought it was funny. They wanted me to profile you." Amy smiled. "You know, seeing as how I'm the only one to ever fight you...and live." Lucy smirked. "Yeah, you ruined my streak of killing everyone I've ever met." Amy shook her head and gave Lucy a wry smile. "But Petrie made me squad captain and put me in charge of your case." Amy's smile faded. "Max was...livid. Partly because I was made captain. But mostly because she knew I didn't want it. Never wanted it. She said something about 'boys falling at my feet, the school kissing my ass, and Petrie making me captain.' At that moment, it really hit me. She was right. I don't want any of that. But she knew that before this happened. She just never listened." Amy put her head down and swallowed a lump she hadn't realized had formed.
Lucy reached out and began rubbing Amy's back. "You don't have to decide anything right now. You know you can probably go back if you want. You know Max is your friend, but she is a little psycho." Amy raised her head and smiled at that. Her stormy blue eyes locked with Lucy's soft brown eyes. "I do have one question though." Amy raised an eyebrow slightly and motioned for Lucy to continue. "Boys fall at your feet?" Amy giggled and nodded. "Oh yeah, all the time." Lucy frowned. Amy grabbed the back of Lucy's neck and pulled her into a slow, deep kiss. Amy eventually pulled back and winked at Lucy. "The Bad-Ass Master Criminal a little jealous of some boys?" Lucy responded with her trademark megawatt smile. "Not if you keep kissing me like that."
Amy grew serious and looked at Lucy. "I know you have your date tonight or whatever, but..." Lucy half smiled at Amy, and Amy saw the gears turning behind Lucy's eyes. Amy raised one eyebrow quizzically. Lucy put the car into drive and pulled out of the parking lot. "You are more than welcome to stay. And as for my date...well, just so my night isn't a total loss...why don't you come? I have this uncanny ability to get food poisoning when I have a bad date...might be very interesting to watch!"