Wrote this whole piece in just one day :o So yeah, watch out for weird sentence structures and words :D I tried to proof read this myself but as many of you may know, it's not easy to spot your own mistakes!

Out from Under

Chapter 5

She was awestruck. This young mouse had addressed her in English! "I.. I.." she stumbled as she shook his hand in return, "I'm Marnia, but.. How come you understand and speak English but these others don't seem to.."

"Oh, I watch Earth TV at home!" he told her. Leaning towards her he winked and said in a silent voice, "I love Gill Grissom from C.S.I. Las Vegas"

She raised her eyebrows, which make her expression look comical at best. The brown coloured mouse came standing beside Rimfire and asked him something. Rimfire answered by saying her name. The other mice gather around them, curious.

"Stoker here wants to know why you were held prisoner by the Plutarkians" Rimfire suddenly asks her. 'Great!', Marnia thought at once, 'Go straight for the honey pot.' She could see that this 'Stoker' was anxiously waiting for her answer.

She sighed and rest her weight on her left leg and put her hands into her jacket pockets. "My father and I were orbiting the Earth in a space shuttle when these Plutarkians came. They shot my dad and took me as a prisoner" she told the story short in a controlled voice. Rimfire translated her story to the others.

Another question followed suit. "Ah, Stoker says that the guys saw the Plutarkian guards asking for a code of some sort? He just wants to know that if it was a code, and what kind of is it?" 'Ooooh boy..' she thought as she tried to come up with an answer.

"Uh, well, they were asking me for a code that only my father knows.. Knew.. I just acted like I knew it too, because if they had known I didn't have it, they would have killed me at once. It's a computer code of sorts.. I don't really know what it does.." she quickly lied. Again the young mouse translated.

She held her breath and waited. Stoker seemed to think for a moment, his hand resting on his chin (Marnia wondered how on Earth these mice had human like features, such as this). Then he finally spoke to Rimfire.

"Stoker says that since there isn't a way to get you back to Earth at the moment, and because Plutarkians and Sand Raiders are all over the place, you can stay here with us" the boy said. She took a mental note to later ask what these 'Sand Raiders' were, but for now she just nodded solemnly and said her thanks, which Rimfire again translated.

Stoker only nodded and left the room. The three mice had been quiet this whole time, but now that Stoker was gone, they literally attacked Rimfire and started speed talking to him. Marnia gave a small giggle at the sight. Looks like she is popular!

--

"She can have Taro's old room, tell her that. Oh, and ask her if she had anything that belongs to her at the Plutarkian base where we were at. Next time we raid the place we could get them back to her"

"Ask her if she would like to go for a ride with me!" "Vincent!!" "What?"

"First things first, we should ask her if she's hungry or thirsty. I know I am"

Rimfire hissed at them angrily and stepped outside the circle the older mice had done around him. Cheese, even Stoker had been easier to handle. He thought that uncle Modo's suggestion was best though.

Asking the girl and telling the others she, in fact, was hungry, they decided to take her to one of the Martian restaurants still up and working. The chow at Freedom Fighter HQ's kitchen wasn't so glorious..

--

Marnia literally fell to the bed. The room she had been given wasn't big and there wasn't much furniture either: a bed, a closet, a table and a chair. The window was a small, round one, but the shades were down and she didn't have the energy to get up and look outside.

She had had high suspicions as to could the Martian food be eatable, but she had been so hungry she hardly even tasted the food she wolfed it down. She didn't get any bellyaches, so she thought there were no worries. The only thing to drink seemed to be root beer, which was also good.

The company had been nice. Though she had no idea what the mice were talking most of the time, Rimfire tried to translate things for her as quickly as he could. She was glad, no, overjoyed, that the young boy knew English. She felt a lot better knowing there was someone she could turn to when she needed help with something in this strange planet.

The white mouse named Vincent, Vinnie to friends, had been constantly with her. She didn't mind it though. He was friendly, maybe overly so, but it was good to have a big guy like that beside her when there were lots of mice who didn't know her and maybe so her as a threat. She catch herself looking at his direction way too many times during the night. She was hoping the others didn't see it.

Couple times their eyes had made contact, but she had always managed to come up with something she wanted to ask from him, so it wouldn't look like she was swooning over him. 'Jeez, what am I thinking?' she thought to herself, 'I wasn't swooning, I'm.. I'm.. Well, I find him interesting in a non-romantic way, that's all'

Rimfire had told her the names of the three mice when they had been cruising to the tavern. The dun one was Throttle, and as she had thought, he was the unofficial leader of these three mice. Big grey one was Modo, and he was also Rimfire's uncle. All and all these new guys she had met felt wonderful. She wondered what tomorrow would bring.

Sighing in content, she drifted off to sleep..

--

"It has to be an important computer code, if it even is that. I watched her closely when she answered the question, I could see she was lying about something. Tell you the truth I don't buy this 'important computer code' stuff. She knows what it is and how it works, didn't just want to tell us" Stoker told the light brown mouse walking beside him, "It could be that Plutarkians have trained her to be a mole. A spy that will tell them what's happening here."

"So why didn't you throw her to jail then?" Mace asked, interested in what his boss was saying.

They stopped in front of the elevator and Mace pressed a button to call one down. Stoker sighed in frustration and scratched the back of his head. "I don't know.. She just seems like a sweet, innocent girl.. Then again maybe the fact that she helped my boys to escape has softened my mind" he answered.

The elevator had come down. Stepping inside Mace waited for the doors to close before addressing his boss again. "Most spies are like that boss. Seem innocent and all that. They are loyal, want to help.. But in the end of the day, when the push comes to shove, they are the first ones to leave"

Stoker eyed Mace closely, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary in the mouse's face. It was the things that Mace had said that made him feel uncomfortable.

--

Waking up to the sound of someone knocking on her room door, she woke up to another day. For a second or two she was confused as to where she was. Then she remembered the escape and coming to this place, the evening with the mice, Rimfire, Vinnie..

The knock came a second time. She rose up and walked to the door, opening it. Rimfire was standing there, looking ready to fall asleep, and Vinnie was standing beside him, all ready to go. Vinnie gave her a smile and obviously tried to remember something. "Goood.. Uh.. Mourning.." he then said. For a while she just looked at him without blinking an eye, which made him nervously switch his weight, then at Rimfire who smiled to her sheepishly. First she giggled and it ended up in a laugh. She smirked at Vinnie and bid him good mornings as well.

Finally understanding that he had been had, Vinnie punched Rimfire to the arm. "Ouch, stop that!" the boy said and scratched at the place where Vinnie had hit him. Vinnie ordered Rimfire to tell her something. "So, we just came by to ask you for breakfast. That is, if you want to come."

Although she had eaten like a horse the other night, she already found her stomach rumbling. Agreeing to come, she asked them to wait for a moment so she could wash her face and go to the toilet. Closing the door she went to the small room that was the rest room of her room. 'Thank God the toilet seat is at least easy to use' she thought when she saw it.

--

"So was this yours or Vinnie's idea to pick me up?" she asked when they were standing on the food line of the Freedom Fighter's.

The young mouse yawned, "Vin man's. He came by early and literally dragged me out of my bed and drove me here"

A warm feeling went over her and she could feel a blush creep up on her cheeks. 'Oh damn, not now!' she thought desperately. Vinnie was right behind her on the food line, and she didn't want him to see her blushing. She was quite certain he could associate his own name and her blushing together. 'Oh, this is so junior high..'

--

Days went by and Marnia learned something new every day. After a while she asked Rimfire to teach her some basic Martian words, and soon she realized she understood words or full sentences that someone said.

Because she didn't want to be dragged along all the time, she asked if there was anything she could from Stoker. Since Freedom Fighter's medic team was short of mice, she soon found herself from the medic bay with Harley. Harley was a nice young female mouse who didn't care if Marnia didn't understand things right away. Harley herself didn't have the proper education either; her foremost job was mechanic.

Marnia's mother had been a nurse, so that had given her some insight to the medical side. Her mother had been in different countries while on Earth; helping in organizations that tried to save people from deadly illnesses and try to ease the patient's suffering.

Some evenings she found herself tagging along with Vinnie, Throttle, Modo, Harley and Rimfire to the one and only tavern there was. Those evenings where outlets to them all. Even though Rimfire was just a child, he too had had his share of war horrors.

Vinnie and Marnia's friendship had vastly developed. The others thought it funny that even though they hardly understood what they said to each other, they still talked in their own languages, and seemed to have no problems whatsoever in understanding each other. Of course, if they were to talk long conversations, then they needed Rimfire to translate. Sometimes they would leave the tavern hand in hand, or sometimes just lean against each other. And there was no exception to the fact that every time they went somewhere, she was riding behind Vinnie.

It was after six months of being with the cave mice that she heard of the upcoming party from Harley when they were working in med bay..

"It's going to be a big party Marnia! Why don't you come with me? I think I have something you can wear in my closet. I can do your hair, you can do mine.. It will be a perfect girl's night out!" Harley suggested to her while checking down the amount of needles they had in store.

"Eh.. I don't know Harley.. I mean, it's Freedom Fighter's party. Your party! I'm just a low life from Earth, what would I be doing there?" Marnia complained, not the least bit enthusiastic about the party. She had gone to couple school parties when she had been in high school. Needless to say after those couple ones she didn't want to go anymore. Drunken people, everybody was pushing you around, hypnotic music & lights that hurt your eyes in the long run.. Not to mention people who did drugs in those parties as well..

"It's not just for FFs! There will be army guys and others who are on our side too. Come on, please? For me? I don't want to go alone, I don't even have a guy to go with" Harley pleaded.

Marnia sighed. There was no saying 'No' to Harley.

--

The black, simple cut dress Harley had given her hugged her features snugly. Her violet hair was done up in one, thick ponytail that was on top of her head. She loved the way Harley had made her hair felt like silk.

Standing near an empty bar stool she glanced around the club. The hypnotic lights and music was there, just like in school parties, and the small dance floor was packed with mice. She had come with Harley but the minute they had sat down some buffed up and handsome looking army man had come and asked Harley to dance with him. So, now Marnia was alone, sipping her drink.

"Olan" ("Hello") a deep voice said behind her and a furry hand reached around her middle. She squeaked at the intrusion and whipped around. The male mouse was at least two heads taller than her, he had a grey & black fur and he had army clothes on.

"What's up nimcy?" ("sweetheart"), he drawled, clearly drunken but not enough to have lost the coordination of his muscles, "You here all by yourself?" His breath smelled like cat pee, but she didn't say it aloud. His grip on her waist tightened and he pulled her closer to him.

"Let me go" she said and struggled against him.

"Hey, hey, hey.. Don't worry beauty, I won't hurt you. Badly." His intentions were clearly hidden beneath his words, and she got really scared. No one would see or hear if this rhino of a man would drag her somewhere behind the curtains and rape her.

All of a sudden a white furred, muscled hand appeared like out of nowhere and hit the army guy straight to the left side of his face. Surprised, he yelped and let go of her. She felt like she was once again able to breath normally. That's when she noticed that Vinnie was also there.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, aatri?" ("arsehole") he asked in a hostile voice. He was tensed up and his hands were in tight fists.

"I was just talking to the lady here you freedom fighter jerk!" he yelled angrily, his eyes blazing with hatred.

"She clearly told you to let go of her," Vinnie hissed angrily.

The army guy looked at both Vinnie and Marnia. "Ti rupes ida?" ("You two date?") he asked while rubbing his hurting face.

After a moment of silence Vinnie answered him, "Si'z mi" ("She's mine")

Marnia knew what the words meant and gasped at realization. The army guy just nodded and backed off. He had probably tried to fight against a Freedom Fighter before, and decided to back down before he got himself hurt for real.

Marina and Vinnie didn't care about him anymore though, nor did they see him leave. Vinnie wasn't looking at Marina, but she stared at him, stunned by his words. As if sensing she was upset he wished he could take those words back. He didn't know for sure if she wanted a relationship with him. Hell, why would she because to her he was an alien from another planet. Frustrated for the first time in his life at his boldness he cursed himself, but took his chance and turned to look at her.

Like he had suspected, she was upset. Her eyes were wide and her mouth had opened just a little because of the shock. She stood frozen to the spot and after a while of staring dropped her head and gaze down. It was too much for him. Turning around he started pushing his way through the dancing crowd to get outside and away from the situation.

--

Marnia didn't know what had just happened. She was just about to make her first move, her heart thumping in her chest and the sound of blood rushing through her veins in her ears. But he had left before she had the change to say anything. For the second time in just couple minutes, she was stunned.

"Go after him"

She turned her head to the right to see the speaker. It was Throttle. "Wha.. What just..?" She couldn't understand.

"Look, if you really like him, go after him" he advised.

That was all she needed. As if the ice had broken around her, she spun to action and started pushing her way through the crowd just like Vinnie had done. She was breathing heavily once she had gone through and she ran outside as fast as she could in a dress and high heels.

Just as she got to the parking lot she heard the familiar sound of Vinnie's bike motor roar to life. "Vinnie!!" she yelled, but he had already put his helmet on and was racing to the exit and straight into the night.

Watching him speeding away as fast as she could she felt something inside her broke to pieces. 'Damn, why did I just stood there like an idiot? I should've done something right away!' she mentally whipped herself. It was good that she did, because the anger towards herself soon turned into a plan. Just like Throttle had said, go after him.

Problem was that Marnia didn't have a bike like the others did. She had always hitched a ride from someone. Usually Vinnie. Just thinking about him made her soul ache. If she blew this..

A gold coloured bike with a white figure painted on the casing was right next to her, with two helmets on top. 'Well, this is an emergency', she thought as she took Harley's bike.

--

Marnia had been here before. Parking Harley's bike beside Vinnie's she killed the engine and took off her helmet. Vinnie's bike greeted her by beeping.

"Hey Sweetheart, good to see you too" Marnia said to the AI. She got off the bike and left the helmet with the bike, she wouldn't need it in the garden.

This was the place where the cave mice had put the seeds what they gathered from the Martian nature. Trees, grass, flowers.. All were here. Along with a small pond Vinnie had shown it to her last time they had been here with the others. It had been a beautiful and happy day. Marnia wasn't sure yet how this day would end up being.

Going straight for the pond she found the lone figure she was searching for. He was sitting on the grass near the pond, looking something in his hand.

"Vinnie?" she hesitantly asked. The mouse in question flinched when he heard her voice and put whatever he had had in his hand back to his pocket.

"Marnia please, I.. I just need some time alone, okay?" He sounded so wounded it hurt her.

"Vinnie, about what you said back at the club, I want you to know that.."

He stood up and faced her. "Look, I said it because I wanted that guy to leave you alone, and I'm pretty sure he'll never harass you again. It was nothing more. Nothing more.." his voice nearly disappeared towards the end and he turned to look over the pond once again.

She gathered the remains of her courage and stepped close to him, letting her hand go rest on his shoulder. "What if I want it to be more?" she asked silently.

Marnia could feel him tense up. Then he slowly turned himself to look at her. Their eyes met and there were no questions anymore. She looked at him with love and devotion, and that tiny spark that always lit in her eyes when she was laughing, was there again. There was nothing more beautiful in the universe to him than this woman.

He let his fingers tangle up in her hair that was framing her face. The silky soft strands felt heaven to him. Cupping her cheek with one hand and placing his other arm around her waist, he leaned down to capture her lips in a hot kiss.

They were both hesitant at first, but the feeling of their joined bodies, the heat between them and the urge they felt to know each other's bodies soon made the kiss heated. Their tongues danced a dance of their own as their hands explored their bodies through the fabric of their clothes.

She moaned low in her throat as his tongue surged into her mouth and his hand lifted her by her buttocks up and against him. She thought she was going to faint, it felt so heavenly to be held by him, and wherever he touched it left a tingling sensation to her skin.

She draped her arms around his neck and pushed her head away from the kiss, gasping for air. "I think I need some time to breathe" she said with a lovely smile. In his eyes, her face seemed to glow faintly. He rubbed her cheek with one of his fingers.

He leaned down again, but only rained kisses on her cheeks, nose and forehead. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his show of affection for her. After a while he stopped and leaned to let their foreheads touch. She leaned up and touched his face gently with her nose, then back to let their foreheads touch again.

Marnia felt safe and warm in his embrace. He had his arms around her in a protecting way, which was good since in her haste, she had forgot her jacket at the club. And Martian night air could be very, very cold.

Her hands in return were inside his jacket, making slow strokes up and down his back. They stood there in silence for a while, just enjoying the closeness of one another.

"What were you looking at when I came here?" she asked silently finally breaching the silence between them.

He lifted his head back but still hold tightly to her. A myriad of emotions went over his face that moment. "I.." he started but stopped, "I think I better show you." He let go of her and got his wallet out of his pocket. She was disappointed that their contact was broken, but also interested in what he was about to show her.

Flipping the wallet open she saw he had photos inside. Vinnie gave the wallet to her, and she looked at the first photo inside. It was Vinnie with Throttle and Modo when they had been just young kids. It was quite dark so she had to squint her eyes to see clearly.

"Here, let me help you with that" Vinnie suddenly said and stepped out from in front of her, and stepped behind her, placing his arms around her again but giving her space to use her hands to flip through the photos.

The light the two moons shone down made her see the photos clearly. She smiled at the boy's goofy smiles in the first photo. "Aw.. You guys look so sweet" she cooed.

Vinnie smirked "Yeah, but we were all little devils though."

She chuckled and flipped to the next photo. It was Vinnie's baby photo and she had to laugh at his appearance.

"What !?" Vinnie sounded offended, "Mice are born with no fur, there is nothing funny in it"

"Oh, I'm sorry babe." She reached up and gave him a kiss to the lips. It made him smile and he gave her a kiss back.

The third photo was of Vinnie's, she presumed it was his, family. Strict looking male mouse, smiling female mouse and four mice children were in the photo. "I didn't know you had any sisters Vinnie" Marnia sounded shocked.

She felt Vinnie tremble slightly. "I.. I had sisters. They are all dead, killed by the Plutarkians," he said in a somber voice.

She turned to face him completely. His eyes told her of grief and sadness. Placing one hand on his cheek she rose to her tiptoes and reached to kiss him. In that moment there was nothing else in the universe they were thinking about. It was just individuals who were aliens in one another's country, but deeply in love despite that fact.

"Mi lara" ("My love") she whispered to him when the kiss ended. They both had tears in their eyes and he reached to gather her to his arms and just held her tight against him.

When he loosened his grip she managed to see that there was still one empty place for a photo. Closing the wallet she gave it back to him. "So which of these photos you were looking at?" she asked when he had tucked the wallet away.

He looked down at her. "The empty one. I thought that.. That I wouldn't get this one photo there which I have wanted for so long"

She gave him a puzzled look.

"Photo of us"

All Martian words are from CODENAME: BIKER MICE FROM MARS, PROJECT: MARTIAN DICTIONARY website, and some I just made up (:

I won't update this story for a while (that's why I did this long chapter for you (;), I have school work & reading to do. Please R&R!