Disclaimer: I do not own Jimmy Neutron. What do you think I am, rich?

Chapter 13: One Last Chance

Girls. It seemed Jimmy would never understand them. After all, his 20-year-old self didn't even seem to have them completely figured out yet. With his intelligence quotient, he hadn't expected it to take so long. But he had definitely been dead wrong.

He sighed as he strolled down the street towards the Neutron estate. He'd seemed so close! And yet after all that, Cynthia had still asked him to leave. How much more would it take to convince her of the truth?

He understood where she was coming from, or at least he was trying to. Maybe if he went back in time and prevented himself from going to college again, then everything would be all right. She wouldn't be so paranoid and she'd believe James right off the bat if Betty still had the nerve to try anything.

Of course, if he did that, then it would take him longer to be where he was at now. Who was honestly able to say that they had earned their doctorate degree by age 18? It was an extremely admirable accomplishment. Surely Cynthia agreed with that.

Besides, if he had waited and gone to college at 18 like everyone else, or even 17 like Cindy, he wouldn't have been able to marry her so soon, either. He wouldn't have a job, or a house, or have been able to support a family. So maybe the solution wasn't as close at hand as it had seemed...

Finally he arrived at the mansion and knocked on the door. He was still pondering the problem when immediately it opened and he was face-to-face with Cindy.

Suddenly a big grin spread across his face. Cindy tilted her head and smiled back at him. She didn't really know what to expect, but his next action completely blew her away.

"Betty!"

"Betty?" Cindy repeated, disgust evident in her voice and face. Jimmy's face turned bright red as he realized his mistake. "You've got to be kidding me! I thought you were over her, you little—"

"No!" he blurted out, interrupting her tirade.

"No?" Cindy scoffed. "No, you're not over her? Why, I oughtta—"

"Cindy!" He grabbed her by the shoulders in an effort to constrain her long enough to explain.

"What?" she snapped back, raising an eyebrow in impatience.

All in one breath he told her, "It didn't work out with Cynthia, so I just realized I should go talk to Betty now and..." His voice trailed off. "Are you going to keep me outside forever, or can we go in now?"

"You always have to get off subject!" she argued. Then she shrugged her shoulders, causing his hands to fall off of them. "Yeah, I guess," she answered nonchalantly.

She stepped aside and he trailed behind her, closing the door after him, as he hesitated on what to tell her.

It did no good, for Cindy noticed the resistance and let out a sigh. "I can't believe this. Let's face it, Jimmy. You and I were never meant to be."

"Why don't you let him sit down and explain what happened?" James, now within hearing distance, suggested from the living room sofa.

Cindy complied, and when they were all comfortably seated, Jimmy began.

"When I got there, Cynthia was contemplating the possibility of getting an abortion," he told them.

The very mention of the word almost caused James to faint. "No," he muttered, his face pale and eyes widened in shock. "No! Why would she ever do something like that?"

The question was more to himself than anyone else, but Jimmy tried to answer anyway. "She doesn't want to raise the twins as a single mom. Too much stress or whatever."

"But she doesn't have to raise them as a single mom! We can raise them together, the way it's supposed to be!" he exclaimed, infuriated. "Or if she insists on having the divorce, then I can take them if she doesn't want them!"

He exhaled deeply, and his voice grew quieter. "I've dreamed for so long of what our children would be like...imagine, they might even be smarter than the two of us put together..." He chuckled softly. "Can you believe that?"

A smile grew on Jimmy's face. "You know, I never thought of it that way before," he put in, thinking of what he could achieve with that much intellect compiled.

"And we know they're both girls...what if one of them looks exactly like Cindy?" James went on, staring at her intently.

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Cindy gushed, staring right back at him.

"Hey!" Jimmy cut in, holding up both of his hands to block their gazes. "I was just about to say that!" He turned to Cindy with a smile, expecting the same response she'd given James.

She pushed his hand away, rolling her eyes in amusement. "Sure you were."

"Anyways, please tell me you did something to change her mind," James interrupted. Jimmy sighed, tired of his older self's constant interference.

"Well..." Jimmy paused. He'd rather not go into the whole kissing part with the two of them (who knew what Cindy would do to him if she found out...and he couldn't really trust James, either), but how else could he explain what had happened?

"Well?" Cindy prompted, shooting him a suspicious glance. Was he trying to hide something from them? More importantly, was he trying to hide something from her?

"Well, I thought I'd changed her mind," Jimmy went on.

"Really?" Cindy interrupted. "How? What'd you do?" She blinked innocently, sensing that was what he didn't want to say.

Jimmy's face turned bright red, and he gulped. "That's, um...that's not important," he declared, waving a hand in an attempt to dismiss the subject.

The interrogative gazes from both Cindy and James did not cease.

Jimmy laughed nervously while tugging on the collar of his shirt. "Is it just me, or do we need a serious temperature adjustment? I mean, please. Could someone open a window or turn on the air condition or something?" He chuckled again, glancing back and forth between the two sitting on either side of him.

James shook his head. How awkward. "I guess if you're that reluctant to share, then we'll let it drop."

"What?" Cindy protested. "It should be the other way around! I want to know what he's covering up!"

"Come on, Cindy," James consoled her with a grin. "He probably just professed his undying love for her or something."

Cindy smirked at the idea. "That sounds promising. So, Jimmy, what happened next?"

Jimmy rolled his eyes. Of course that wasn't what happened at all, but it was better than telling them the truth, that he'd kissed Cindy...20-year-old Cindy, in fact. "So, like I said, I thought she'd changed her mind after that."

"And?" Cindy encouraged him.

"And she really seemed like she had, but then she told me to leave..." Jimmy sighed. "I don't understand it. I seemed so close..."

"Yet so far away?" James finished. Jimmy nodded. "Yeah, tell me about it. I know exactly how you feel."

"But we have to stop her from aborting the twins!" Cindy burst out. "Come on, Jimmy, don't you have another plan?"

"That's what I was getting to," Jimmy agreed. "Libby definitely seemed to be on our side with the twin situation, so I think that'll buy us some time. I'll go talk to Betty, and bring a tape recorder with me..." Jimmy's voice trailed off as he became lost in thought.

"You mean, you'll bring a concealed tape recorder with you and try to trap her in her words?" Cindy caught on.

"And then when she admits everything, we'll take the CD to Libby's place and play it for Cynthia," James finished. "It's perfect! Why didn't I think of it sooner? Then I would've had the evidence needed when she came to dinner the other night."

"Wait a second...CD?" Cindy questioned, a look of confusion on her face.

"Oh, yes. No one uses tapes anymore. CDs are much more efficient," James explained.

"That makes sense," Jimmy concurred. "So, do you have a CD recorder, then?"

James flew Cindy and Jimmy to Betty's apartment, but only dropped Jimmy off there. He'd decided he wanted to confront her on his own.

It took Betty about five minutes after Jimmy knocked to answer the door. He'd kind of been expecting a Michael Jackson-type look, but she was actually still very attractive. OK, so it was obviousthat she'd gotten some plastic surgery (where isn't worth explaining)...and for some reason she'd dyed her beautiful dark hair bleach blonde...but she wasn't horrifically ugly. She just wasn't as pretty as the 20-year-old Cynthia Neutron.

"Oh, my gosh, you are not 11-year-old Jimmy Neutron!" Betty shrieked upon seeing him. "How long has it been? Nine years?"

Jimmy almost laughed, then realized she wasn't kidding. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Um...I guess?"

"Come on in!" she squealed. "This is so wonderful!"

Jimmy rubbed the back of his head, then quickly replied, "Sure!" For some reason, all the excitement of having a "crush" on the older girl had diminished, and he found himself trying to put on an act that way she'd spill the beans to him on what she'd done and he'd have it on CD to play for Cynthia.

He followed her inside the small living quarters, and she motioned for him to have a seat next to her on her couch. "So, Jimmy," she said sweetly, with a flip of her blonde hair, "I'm sure you've heard all about your horrible marriage to Cynthia." She made a face, then continued, "But surely you know that I've always been the one for you. Right?" she prodded, putting on a hopeful puppy-dog pout, and fluttering her eyelashes for extra effect.

Jimmy flooded with relief. She'd come straight to the topic herself, so he didn't need to waste time beating around the bush to get what he wanted out of this conversation. "Well, Betty, that's actually what I'm here about. Of course you and I know that Cindy's a horrible monster. And I admire you for getting rid of her the way you did." He bit his lip, hoping her pride would swell up and she'd start bragging about how she did it. It pained him to lie like that, but he was running out of ideas. He needed a solution to this whole mess. Quick.

"Oh, it was too easy," Betty giggled.

Yes. He'd started her off on the right track. Just a little more pushing, he told himself. Out loud, he said, "Oh, no, Betty. You'd have to be a genius to think up such a great plan. How'd you do it?"

"Aw, Jimmy, it was no big deal," Betty continued to giggle. "I mean, Cynthia is so gullible. Besides, she gets really sensitive when anyone gets eyes for James. I think she's always been really paranoid that he was gonna leave her. I don't know why they got married."

"So you spread the rumor that you were having an affair with him, and it chased Cindy right off?" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah, exactly. James is way too moral for it to be true, but Cindy fell for it like that." She snapped her fingers. "You'd think that after being married to him for two years she'd be able to trust him and tell fact from fiction. But nope."

"What about him coming home later? Did you hold him up at the university or something?" Jimmy wanted to know, trying to fill in all of the gaps in the story.

"Huh? No...why?"

"She mentioned something about that when I talked with her," he explained.

"Oh. It was probably just her imagination. Trying to pin stuff on him to make the rest make sense or whatever," Betty suggested.

"But didn't you try to convince James to drop her before you went around spreading the rumor?" Jimmy kept going.

"Of course!" Betty exclaimed. "But, like I told you before, he's way too moral. He views the whole marriage thing as a life commitment. Even though divorce is so quick and painless nowadays, he doesn't even consider it an option. I got really frustrated with him. He just couldn't see the light, you know? Then I decided to spread the rumor like I did. She'd divorce him, and when he finally realized he should be with me, his precious conscience wouldn't be tainted."

Yes! He'd gotten it all on CD. Now if he could find a quick way to exit, he'd get this over to James and Cindy and they'd play it for Cynthia...

"Betty, it's getting kind of late. I'd better go," he told her.

"Late?" she gasped. "But...but, you've only been here for a little while. Didn't you want to ask me out or something?"

Jimmy's eyes widened. What? She was ten years older than him! Surely she didn't mean... "You mean James, right?" he asked uncomfortably, clearing his throat.

"Oh, no, I meant you. Surely one date couldn't hurt!" she giggled.

"Um, uh...I actually...have a girlfriend right now, Betty," Jimmy quickly covered up. "But maybe some other time." He stood up and she sighed, but didn't protest anymore.

That was it. He had the proof he needed. Finally, things were starting to look up.

A/N: Because of the massive reviews (by the way, thanks SO much for that—it really keeps me going!), I'll only be commenting on the ones that actually have something to comment on. Basically, if you say more than just "it's good, keep writing," you'll get a comment at the bottom. Forgive me if I miss any. I want to be able to tell that you're actually reading from what you write in your reviews. And I'm always open to questions and criticism—just try not to be too mean, ha ha. Threats, cussing, and the like will definitely not be put up with.

This story should be ending relatively soon, if I can find time to write. Then you can all tell me whether or not the ending lives up to the title (Avril's song out of mind). I'm hoping that Cynthia doesn't seem like too much of a bad guy anymore, taking into account what happened between Jimmy and her when they were young. Yeah, she was still kind of unreasonable then, but I can't blame her completely for responding the way that she did. Anyways, try not to be too harsh...this will all probably make more sense once the prequel is out (and, yes, that's definitely going to happen...I already have the plot worked out; just need to start typing it up after this one is finished).

MysticLady3: Thank you! I know that would be the easy way out, but it's way too predictable. Anyways, glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing!

Sonomi-chan: It's fine about not reviewing the last chapter. I understand being busy, believe me. It was amazing that I was able to update so quickly last time, and hopefully there wasn't much of a wait this time, either. Maybe skipping class that one day helped a little...hee hee. I'm glad you like the story so much, and it's cool that we were on the same page with the abortion thing. Hopefully Jimmy's kiss will help, and there will be a light at the end of this tunnel.

Poisoned Moonshine474: It was wrong, no question about that. But it was just so hilarious that I couldn't help throwing it in...haha. Glad you liked it, and here's another update for you.

WAYAMY27NARF: Something tells Jimmy and me that you're right. That's why he tried to keep it a secret in this chapter. But, who knows? Maybe it will help and he'll have the guts to tell her about it. Hopefully then she won't get quite as angry. ;)

Vampire of Romance: We all hope she doesn't. If she does, there probably won't be any sequel (although I'll still put out a prequel, no question to that). I'm glad you liked the chapter.

Stay-Away: Looks like I did good. :) I'm happy that you're happy, and thank you very much.

LadyFM: Yes, that part was extremely funny, and also kind of creepy. XD I'm glad you liked it, and hope you will continue to like it.

Lady Lola Laflaunda: I'm glad you found it funny; so did I. I was trying to throw some humor into what otherwise might be a very depressing story. Hopefully Jimmy's kiss actually accomplished something, though.

starrlightstarbrite: Oh, that stinks. Same with my friend Tiffany. Otherwise we would've been able to go to Florida at the same time...gr... As for the pro-life thing, thanks for understanding. My religion (Christianity) totally goes against the pro-abortion view as well, but I want people to know that it's not the only reason I'm pro-life. After all, some don't respect the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God. Glad you liked the kiss scene. It was very weird, no doubt about that, but I thought it was kind of cute in some way, too. Jimmy just couldn't resist. XD

acosta perez jose ramiro: Yes, hopefully he did. That would be wonderful, wouldn't it? I'm glad that we're on the same side with this issue, and I'm glad you liked the chapter.

Aaliyah93: Ah, it's always nice to hear from such an enthusiastic reviewer. :) You're welcome, and I'm glad the story helped brighten your day a little. I can't believe you think I sound like an adult...that really is a huge compliment for me. Thanks.

general shadow wolfsbane: No problem. Yes, I'm 14 (turning 15 in August), so we're not too far apart in age. I'm glad I could do you a favor and read your story, after you've been so kind in reading and reviewing mine. I'm so happy to hear that you and your brothers are against abortion. I have other reasons for being against it (such as being a Christian), but the biggest one is definitely the fact that I survived one myself. After all, if I hadn't, then I wouldn't be around to write this story for you to enjoy, now would I? ;) Glad you liked the chapter.

Spuffyshipper: Ha ha, I love reading Jimmy fanfics when I'm bored. I don't usually get the chance to anymore, though. Anyways, I'm glad you liked the story, and try to understand what Cynthia's going through right now...she might be making some bad choices, but it's simply because she's so hurt deep down inside. (Of course, that doesn't excuse her behavior, but it does help us understand her situation more).

THeFaCeiNTHeMaSK: That's wonderful to hear, and I agree with you wholeheartedly. What I don't get is how the supreme court doesn't seem to think that it's killing at all...just "removing unwanted tissue" or whatever. But, anyways, I figured that all of us want to see the twins grow up. It would be a tragedy if they never got the chance to.

JimmyandCindyforever: Thank you! I'm glad that you're enjoying it. Poor Cindy, she's so stressed out right now. Hopefully everything will get straightened up soon.

KittyKiChi: XD Thanks so much. I just loved that review. Glad you liked it. :)

xtigerlily23x: I'm not trying to make it politically. Honestly, no one wants the twins to die, and it's not like I said abortion should be outlawed or anything like that. I just want everyone to know where I stand on the issue in general. Glad you liked it besides that, and you're welcome for the shout out. It would be cute if the younger ones got together, and I am trying to draw them closer through this whole experience. Hopefully my plan works. Thanks for the review, Lily, and I love your name. :)

FredandGeorgetwinsoftheC.O.C.A.: I'm glad you're hooked, and I hope you liked this update as well. I know Cynthia's being drastic...what will it take to get through her head? But the kiss might've helped more than Jimmy realizes. I think Cynthia just needs some time to think it over.

MidnightSuburbia: Ha ha. Yes, it is nice to know. Let's just hope that Cynthia can fully realize it. :)

Latinvortex: Awesome! I can't believe you started reading it. That makes me so happy, and I'm glad you like it so much. I'll try to get the next update out soon. :)

rohe2geth4evr: Aw, come on now, don't be quite so hard on the poor girl. I'm hoping my prequel will help clear things up a little so everyone will be able to understand her point of view a bit better. Yes, Jimmy does have the power to change it, but he has every right to go to college and I'm not completely sure that Cindy was correct in being so selfish in not wanting him to leave. It's kind of confusing to tell exactly who's side I'm on, isn't it? XD