There isn't any action in this chapter, just thought I'd warn you. Hope you don't get too depressed.

I woke up, my head throbbed, my feet and groin hurt. I touched my face and found tear tracks on my cheeks. The covers fell from my shoulders as I sat up, dazed. Somehow I had managed to take off both of my jackets and my mask but the rest of the costume clung to me.

I led back down and stared at the ceiling. Last night felt like a dream in fact the last few weeks seemed like a dream.

Chris…

Tears stung my eyes once again as the blur, that was the night before, started to clear. I placed my duvet over my head as I started to sob.

Why did Dave have to tell me? Why couldn't he let me be ignorant and happy?

You would have found out soon enough.

I would have had some more time with Chris, it would have meant the world.

I heard a soft knocking on my door and I said "Come in." Without removing my covers.

"Hey." It was Todd, "I was wondering. Do you wanna come to the comic book store? You've been cooped up here for too long." He sat on the edge of my bed.

"Is dad here?" I replied slightly muffled and in between my gasps for air.

"Um, no. He's at work. He'll be back soon though." He told me.

I sighed and pulled the covers down slightly letting him see my face. Todd gasped. "What the fuck happened to you?"

I wondered what he was on about and then I touched my eye. "Oh, I went for a jog this morning. I wasn't looking where I was going and went into a large branch." It worried me how easily I could lie to him.

"Have you been crying?"

I had composed myself but his question started me off again. "Shit, what's wrong?" He wasn't used to me crying, in fact he wasn't used to tears in general. He patted my shoulder.

I couldn't reply, "Is it Chris?" He asked.

I nodded, "Did he dump you?" I shook my head.

"Is he dead?" He asked worried, I half laughed.

"No." I managed to reply.

"What is it then?"

I looked away from him. "I'll come with you Todd, but please don't talk about him, ok?"

Todd nodded and left the room, "I'm leaving in an hour." He yelled from the stairs.

I peeled off my costume. There were bruises on my stomach, ass and fanny. I managed to shower. The night before was still blurry, it was like my brain was trying to protect me from something.

I stuck on clothes that seemed clean and I put my costume in the wash, I wouldn't need it until later on. I proceeded to put on some foundation to make the black eye less noticeable, it didn't work very well but it made me feel less paranoid.

I wolfed down a bowl of cereal while staring at the telly. "Lets go." I murmured through my full mouth.

Todd nodded uncertainly.

I took a back pack and stuck make-up remover, a toothbrush and toothpaste in it. I got the feeling I was going to be sick so I thought I'd go prepared.

We entered the shop in silence, the walk to the shop had been as quiet. I noticed "Datie" and Marty. I raised my eyebrow at Todd, "They split up." He whispered nodding at Marty. He actually looked pretty pleased about it, Todd not Marty.

Dave smiled at me sympathetically. There was a part of me that really wanted to punch him. I turned to the comics and sighed. I flicked through and found one superhero called "Cinnamon." She was a kind of bad ass cowgirl.

"Hey." I recognised Dave's soft voice. "How you holding up?"

I just looked at him. "So what's the story with the eye then?"

"I went jogging and went into a branch." I told him in a monotone voice.

He sighed, "Well, you're holding up better than I expected." I raised my eyebrows and he carried on, "I mean I wouldn't leave the house for days after my first DB."

DB? Doesn't that mean… Oh my god. The memory came flooding back. The cold unforgiving eyes, the pop as his head detached itself from his spine.

The acid in my stomach rose and I knew I was gonna vomit. I ran to the toilets just in time. I puked in the bowl and locked myself in the cubicle. What have I done?

"Penny?" I heard Katie's voice over my loud sobs.

Leave me alone. I groaned in my head.

"Penny, open the door." Katie said after testing the cubicle door.

I vomited again. The world was crashing down around me and I didn't know how to stop it.

"I'm not leaving." Katie said stubbornly.

I put my head in my hands and let the tears flow. "Penny? You ok in there?" Katie now sounded worried.

I let out another sob at the same time as saying "No."

I opened the door but kept my back to Katie. She sighed when she saw me. "Dave told me what happened. I'm sorry it's all so… shit."

I let out another sob. There was also a part of me that later would grow angry at Dave for telling Katie about my secret identity.

"Both Chris and this." She said, I could tell she wasn't sure what to say to me. I puked again.

"He's really worried about you, Dave is. That's why he sent me in." I got the feeling she wasn't talking to me anymore.

"I've never seen him so upset that someone is hurting. Neither will he go back to being Kick Ass for just anyone." There was a sadness and anger in her voice.

Get some perspective, Katie. I've murdered someone and you're talking about Dave being worried about me? I didn't have the energy or courage to say it out loud.

Bloody hell, I suddenly realised, I've become my mother. I let out a loud everlasting sob with another bout of vomiting in between gasps.

I heard the bathroom door open and Todd closely followed by Dave come in. "Penny?" My big brothers voice just caused me more upset. He walked into the cubicle and held me. "Have you been sick?" He asked quietly. I wanted to stop crying and stop pretending, to tell him everything but it was out of the question. "Penny, are you pregnant?"

I couldn't help it, I laughed, in the midst of all this sadness and hysteria my brother's innocence and naivety made me laugh, made me see past all of it and made me love him just a little bit more.

"No, Toddie." I snuggled into his chest, tears still streaming down my cheeks, he smelt like our house.

"Wow you haven't called me that in a while." He smiled and squeezed me. I was still sniffling and he didn't ask me why, I was thankful for it.

When I got the energy to sit up on my own I realised my running foundation had got all over his shoulder and chest. "Don't worry, I'll make up some bullshit." He laughed.

I hadn't noticed Katie had gone. Dave was still stood staring at me sympathetically. I hadn't realised 'till that moment that my rucksack was still on my back. I pulled out my makeup remover, I wiped my face revealing the true colour of my bruised eye and I pulled out the toothbrush and toothpaste.

A woman walked in to the loos and stared at me, Dave and Todd, the later two left with sheepish looks on their faces.

"Is everything alright?" The woman asked me worriedly.

I nodded, "Yeah, don't worry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, that's my brother and his friend, I've been sick and they were checking up on me." I didn't know why I felt I had to explain to her but I wondered whether she would phone the cops.

She was probably right to think that something horrible had gone down. I had a black eye, it was obvious I'd been crying, I was brushing my teeth, there was foundation on Todd's chest and both boys had been stood at the cubicle door looking suspicious.

I left the bathroom after putting my toothbrush back in my bag. I returned to the comics after noticing that Katie was gone. Dave stood near me. "Shouldn't you go find Katie? She seemed pretty annoyed when she was talking to me."

"She'll be fine."

"Fine if you want her to be your ex." There was silence. "You do?"

"No, I-I don't know. I mean she's always on my case about you-know-who and she doesn't understand that you need protecting."

"I can handle myself."

Before Dave could reply the door to the store opened and he looked up in disgust at the person who entered. I didn't need to turn around, I could smell Chris's deodorant that made both my heart leap and more recently my stomach churn.

"Hey baby." He said quietly behind me. Dave moved away to sit down with Todd who was staring at Chris not sure whether or not to hate him yet.

I took a deep breath and turned to look at him, "Hey." Chris let out a gasp.

"What the fuck happened to you this time?"

"Jogging… branch… no big deal." I managed to mumble. He was so gorgeous and I wanted to throw him to the floor and do him right in front of all these people.

"Well," He moved some hairs from in front of my eyes, "it does make your eyes look even more stunning." He laughed nervously, it was obvious he had no idea what to say to me. Whatever he was trying to do it was working, I was like putty in his hands.

He moved in closer to kiss me but I finally remembered who he was. "No, Chris, please. We have to talk." I stepped back before he could kiss me and I couldn't go through with the break up.

"Oh, ok." I knew, he knew what that meant. I pulled him out of the store away from staring eyes and familiar faces.

"I'm so sorry Chris, but we have to end this." I said it almost as soon as we were out of the door hoping it would be like taking off a plaster.

"We do?" He replied quietly.

"I'm so sorry I just don't have feelings for you. I think of you as a friend." Utter shit but it seemed the easiest option.

"You don't have feelings for me?" He more stated than asked. I nodded, a lump was in my throat.

He moved forward and before I could react I was in the middle of the most passionate and amazing kiss I had ever had. His lips and mine moved in sync and our tongues touched which sent a shiver of excitement down my spine. I faintly heard someone shout "Get a room!" From across the road but I didn't care. My hands were in his hair and I wanted to take in every part of him before we departed.

He stopped the kiss, "That was not the kiss of someone who has no feelings for me." He looked victorious but I wouldn't back down.

"I'm sorry I just can't do it." I removed my hands from his hair and started to walk away tears, stinging my eyes.

"Stop, please, Penny." He held my arm looking desperate. "Tell me the truth."

"Chris, I-I love you but I know who and what you are. I can't love someone as corrupt as you. It breaks my heart to leave you but I must." I turned from him tears streaming down my face. "I love you." I whispered again as I walked away.

I heard the store door open and footsteps running after me. "Penny!" I heard Todd cry out.

I don't really remember how I got home but I remember my dad's face as I entered the house.

I wanted my mum to sit by me and say she knew exactly how I felt but it was too late for me to even call her. I remembered my mum's voice and her favourite saying whenever something bad happened; "Penny, dear, 'life's a bitch and then you die.'" However much it annoyed me I knew it was the truth.

Chris:

I sat on my bed for hours replaying our break up. I turned off my phone, locked myself in my room and let the tears flow. I didn't normally cry but she was different to anyone else I'd ever known. Her eye's would haunt me for the rest of my life, I just knew it. Those beautiful green/blue sparkling eyes that had so much untapped passion in them.

Get a grip man, you're Red Mist, the toughest villain around! She said she knew who I was, what I was. Did that bitch tell her? Or Kick Ass, maybe even Hit Girl. I am going to murder them. It had to be The Purple Erection Penny trusts her. That fucking bitch will pay for making me loose the best thing that happened to me. I will get you back, Penny.

I sat alone in my room, these angry thoughts parading around my brain knowing it was either The Purple Eradicator or me this time.

I know there wasn't any action but I'm hoping there'll be lots next chapter. Thanks for reading, I hope I didn't make you too depressed and tell me what you think. Love you all. xxx