Disclaimer: I don't own A.T.O.M. and never will. Unfortunately. But I do own the idea of this fic and the new characters I introduced.
A/N: Hey! Here I am again with a new chapter! Enjoy!
Huge thanks to two of my constant reviewers: Dragon-Ninjagirl and Selftitled And Loving It! Guys, I LOVE you, you're the best!!!
Hostage.
Chapter Nine.
Several more months flew by. The term started, and now Sophie was spending more and more time in the University. Lee still believed she was an assistant in administration, while Sophie was doing all her best not blow up her cover.
'Whoever said that life is no fun?' Sophie thought sarcastically marching down one of the University's corridors towards the library.
She couldn't even tell Janus about her birthday, which was in the very beginning of September, because she knew an immediate question of how old she was would follow. Not because he would want to know, but because he would ask out of habit, custom.
So Sophie kept silent. She received a call from her father and later they met in Landmark. Sophie realized as she talked to her dad that she could absolutely NOT lie to him. And so, at one moment, she broke down and spat everything out as it was: she was in love with a criminal scientist more than twice her age. The girl knew her father was a very calm, rational and cool person, but she had still expected him to... Well... Freak out or something.
"Well, the older he is, the sooner you'll get the inheritance. Just be sure to marry him."
And that was the first and almost the only thing her father had said about all of that.
Sophie was both shocked and relieved.
And now she was heading for the library to finish an assignment.
Sophie entered the grand University library and looked around. Immediately something, or rather someone, caught her eye.
Short brown hair, a thoughtful look in the book, a hand holding the head...
Krista.
Sophie marched towards her best friend with whom she had been so abruptly separated and whom she had not succeeded to contact so far.
"Guess who?" Sophie said cheerfully coming up to the desk Krista was occupying.
Slowly, Krista moved her face and eyes away from the book and to Sophie.
She stared.
A few moments later a shriek made everyone jump on their seats and look over at the two girls.
"Shh! Don't yell like this, everyone's staring!" Sophie grabbed her friend's sleeve and dragged her to the hall, mouthing apologies to everyone else.
"Sophie! You're alive!" Krista hugged her friend tightly as they were out of everyone's eyesight and earshot.
"You're about to fix that! Air, air!"
"Oh, sorry," Krista let her death grip go, allowing Sophie to breathe normally again, "I'm so happy that you're alright! Oh my God, I thought you were... Oh, goodness... What happened to you?"
"Well... It's a long story. But I have a short version," Sophie added quickly, seeing the look on her friend's face change, "But first tell me, how was your holidays?"
"Oh, it was awesome! You will NEVER believe what happened! This is simply incredible!" Krista said excitedly, as the two friends walked down the corridor.
"Then you don't know the meaning of the word 'incredible'," Sophie muttered rolling her eyes.
"What?" Krista asked, confused.
"No, nothing, go on, because my story is pretty long and a bit complicated," Sophie answered.
"Well..." Krista made a dramatic pause, preparing to break the big news, "I'm dating Steve McLaren!"
"Really?! Wow, my congratulations!" Sophie was sincerely happy for her friend: after all, Steve McLaren was the most prospective and wanted date on their faculty.
"How did it happen?" Sophie wondered, smiling brightly.
"Well, my parents and I went for vacations to Cyprus- an island in Mediterranean, you know-?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know, go on-"
"And he and HIS parents were there too! It was suck a wonderful coincidence! I was SO happy! I mean, we had such a great time, swimming, surfing having cocktails and everything... And then when we came back, he asked me to date him!" Krista finished happily.
"Awesome! This is SO great!" Sophie hugged her friend.
"Now what about you?" Krista asked still excited, "What happened to you after that incident on the roof? How did you escape those psychos? And what did you do after that?"
"Wow, slow down a bit!" Sophie rose her hands in mock defense, "Well... First off, since you started it... I'm dating too..."
"Really?!! But that's AWESOME! Who is he? Is he cute? Do I know him? Is it serious between you two?" Krista was dying from curiosity, Sophie could see. But she started with the last question.
"Pretty much serious... I sleep with him," she blurted out.
"WHAT?!!!"
"Shh, quiet!" Sophie twitched at her friend's shriek, "The whole University doesn't have to know!"
"Ok, ok, ok, what did you just say? You sleep with him?" Krista lowered her voice, but the level of her curiousity only increased.
Sophie sighed and leaned with her back against the wall.
"Yes, that's how it is. But it's something more important... I love him, Krista," Sophie admitted quietly, but seeing the distrustful look her friend had given her, she quickly went on, "No, Krista, I love him, I really do, and I know what I'm talking about."
There was a long pause, during which Krista seemed to be taking in what Sophie had just said.
"Alright, well... That's great, isn't it? I mean, you found someone you care about and everything..." Krista had finally started realizing what Sophie was meaning. "But, hey, wait, wait, wait! Who IS he anyway?"
Sophie leaned her head against the wall and chuckled. She suddenly imagined Krista's reaction, different versions of it.
"Well..." she said slowly looking at Krista, still smiling, "It's Janus Lee."
The bomb was dropped.
At first Krista didn't even move, she just froze. Then she burst out laughing. Clutching her stomach, she stepped away from her friend, giggling all the way. Sophie watched her friend's reaction with amusement.
"Wh-who ever said you d-don't have a sence of humor... " Krista finally managed to speak through tears and laughter, "...Sh-should be k-killed!"
The girl continued to laugh, while Sophie simply smiled. But now it was not a smile of happiness or amusement, but just a simple facial gesture.
"I'm not joking," she finally said.
Krista, still giggling, looked up at her friend. Suddenly she stopped laughing, as she saw that the other girl, although smiling, was dead serious.
Krista froze again.
"You're kidding, right?" Krista asked, finally getting serious.
Sophie shook her head and continued to stare at her friend.
"Wait, you're NOT kidding," Krista stared at her friend for a few moments, completely serious now.
"To the café. Now," Krista marched down the hall dragging Sophie with her.
A few minutes later the two were sitting in the café near Landmark City University waiting for their coffee. Sophie told Krista of everything that had happened that summer.
"...and so now I have to play a very dangerous game of studying in the University and not exposing my little secret to Janus," Sophie finished her story, as Krista twitched once again when Sophie called Lee 'Janus'.
"And as far as I understand, you're doing a great job," Krista winked at her friend. "But when are you planning to tell him, anyway?"
At that, Sophie stared outside the window. Indeed, when was she planning to tell him?
"I- I don't know, Kris," Sophie said sowly, "I mean... I'm so afraid it'll ruin everything. He thinks I'm twenty something and he still tried to persuade me in the beginning that he's too old for me... I mean, what will he say when he knows I'm even underage?"
Krista chuckled darkly.
"Yeah, well... That's one big problem you have there, girl," she said.
Sophie sighed.
"Tell me about it," she complained, "And the worst thing is, the further it goes, the more I keep thinking about it. I just don't know what to do."
"Does he love you?" Krista asked suddenly.
The question caught Sophie off guard. Her eyes widened for a moment. Then she stared at the table.
"I... Well, yes, I mean I think so, although he never told me about it... But then again... Janus is not the kind of a person who would admit his feelings openly just like that," Sophie said unsurely.
Sophie stared at her hands. How could she be so stupid? Who ever told her that he loved her?
No, he couldn't love her. Not for real. It was just passion and lust. That's it. There was nothing more to their relationship. Well, at least on HIS account.
But SHE loved him, damn it!
'You stupid little girl,' her inner voice reproached her, 'You thought you were in charge of the game, but in the end YOU are the looser.'
Sophie felt her eyes burning.
"I'm sorry, Krista, I have to go," she said standing up abruptly. But as she was starting to walk away, Krista caught her arm. Sophie turned around and looked at her friend.
"Look, from what you've told me, Janus Lee does not seem to be the kind of a person who would go out to park with a girl- at the risk of being caught and put to jail, may I add,- and buy her an expensive jewel she saw and liked just because of a one night stand," Krista said. Then she smiled reassuringly, "Come on, I'm sure he has some feelings for you. Cheer up! After all, you have a point: it'll take him time to admit it!"
Sophie looked at her friend for several moments, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. And then she smiled weakly.
"Thank you, Krista," she said, her voice trembling a little. And then she left.
Krista watched her go until she could no longer see her.
'I hope you're going to be fine,' Krista thought with concern. Then she turned to look outside the window and noticed a newspaper lying beside her on the table. The first page featured another of Lee's and his Mu-Team's attacks on the city. The photo of Lee himself was on the cover.
'You'd better not hurt her, Mr .Janus Lee. Or else, I swear I find you and, no matter how many clones with amazing abilities you create, I'll seriously beat the crap out of you!' Krista thought angrily, looking at the photo of the man in question.