Chapter 4: Time Passes By
Shego and Merrick offically became an item after their fourth date and the news of them being an item ran wild through the school. It shocked most of the students in their grade, Shego was dating someone after so many years and it was the new guy. A guy none of they knew because they haven't taken the time to know him but they saw Shego was given him a chance to date her for some reason.
The second Shego and Merrick were known as an item, Duncan started to spread a rumor about what they were doing on their dates. The rumor wasn't believed by most of the people in the school because of Duncan's folly on his first rumor about the couple. When the rumor reached Mego, he had to ask Shego about it and Shego denied it while she proved how much of an idiot Mego was.
Mego met Merrick that day and Mego didn't like Merrick. They started off with a rocky start because Mego met Merrick before Shego set the record straight on the rumor. Even after Shego denied the rumor, Mego still didn't like Merrick and he told Merrick, he better not cause any harm to his sister. Merrick only nodded to what Mego said to him and Merrick told Mego, "Sheila's in good hands."
Mego shoved Merrick out of his way and continued walking. Merrick fought against his temper and watched Mego walk away from him without causing an incident between them.
Merrick, however, about lost his temper with Duncan when he asked Shego out right in front of him. Merrick kept his temper in check while Shego brushed off Duncan's advance and grabbed Merrick by the hand. Shego led Merrick away from Duncan while the creep smiled at them with his missing teeth smile. All Merrick said to him was, he would meet Duncan out on the practice field after school. Shego shook her head at the two fighting over her but she was glad Merrick would fight for her.
At least you can get jealous, a start to proving you care about me, Shego thought while she stopped at her last class for the day and let go of Merrick's hand.
"I guess I be walking home from now on," Shego said sadly while she looked at Merrick.
"Just for today but after I know how much time I got before practice, I promise I drive you home everyday," Merrick said with a smile.
"Well, ok," Shego said before she entered the room.
Shego wondered over his promise, it was his first one. She was finally going to see if he tells the truth all the time and she did the next day because Merrick was waiting for her at the front door of the school. He drove her home the rest of the week and eveyday after before he would turn around and head back to practice.
Merrick told Shego how he vented him temper on Duncan asking her out in from of him while Merrick drove her home before his second day of practice. He tackled Duncan for no reason during practice and he knocked the wind out of Duncan. Shego laughed at the thought of Duncan gasping for air but she was worried Merrick would get in trouble over fighting Duncan. She told him to be careful but Merrick brushed off the warning with a chuckle.
"The coach had a fit about me spearing Duncan and he made me stay behind after practice. Just me and the coach. He patted me on the back for knowing how to tackle. Had a great coach back home," Merrick said with a smile
Shego then realized Duncan didn't ask her out for the millionth time that day and she wondered if Merrick tackling him the day before had anything to do with it. It was a surprise to Shego though, she never looked foward to the creep asking her out but it was the first time she could remember Duncan walking by her without saying a word. She figured it had something to do with him finally realizing Shego wasn't going to go out with him but he still continued to spread any rumors he thought up for the couple.
"Well, ok. So when are we going out again," Shego said while she started to get out of the truck.
"How about this Saturday, practice got me booked for the entire week," Merrick said while he hinted he hated not going on a date during the week.
"Ok, pick me up around seven, we'll talk about what we're going to do before then," Shego said before she shut the truck door and walked in front of Merrick's truck.
Merrick watched her go out of sight and when the traffic was clear, he popped a U-turn and headed back to school.
The days worn on and the teens went out every weekend. Before they knew it, they been together for over two months. The only real change was Shego calling Merrick a new pet name. She stopped calling him Alex because she got annoyed at him calling her Shego everywhere they went except to school. Merrick refrained from calling her that in school because he wanted to keep the promise he made with Shego about not letting people know she was one of the crime fighters running around the city. Plus Shego reinforced the promise by promising to hurt Merrick if he slipped up and said her crime fighting name in school. Merrick didn't take the threat lightly because he didn't want to disappoint Shego nor did he want to feel any pain he could avoid.
Their dates became routine, they would go back to every place they been to even the put-put golf course. The teens got a laugh out of a mesh netting covering the course that wasn't there until after Merrick tried to play real golf. Merrick chalked it up as he learned the place something. Even though the teens went back to every place they been on a date to, they still had fun and enjoyed the dates. They didn't care what they did as long as they were together. Eventually, they would head out of Go City to the surrounding towns and cities to see if they could find something else to do.
If they didn't, they would end up back at the field where Shego revealed her powers to Merrick. Merrick eventually got use to Shego snuggling up to him while they sat in the truck. They would hold their embrace for hours while they talked or sat in silence. Sometimes Shego had to be careful with Merrick and not hug him too hard because he be sore from the football practices. Shego liked when Merrick complained about his back hurting because of the practices, it gave her a reason to give Merrick a back massage which Merrick enjoyed.
On Friday nights, the teens would go to a fast food place after Merrick's games to celebrate the team's victories. They didn't know why they were celebrating because Merrick hadn't played a second since he been on the team. Shego would be sad for Merrick during the games while she would walk around the walking tracks the surrounded the football fields. He would sit on a bench and watch the game or walk up and down the side lines. Merrick was upbeat about not playing, he was the new guy so he knew he wouldn't play much if any. He wanted to be part of the team even if he was a bench warmer for the first year.
The first holiday, if it was called a holiday, the teens spent together was Halloween. After Merrick's football practice, the couple decided to go to the school dance that was being held that night. Oddly enough, Shego wore her green and black jumpsuit and the students were amazed at how similar she looked like the girl that was being described as one of the crime fighters running around the city. The couple laughed to themselves at how dim-witted some of the other teens were at school. If only they knew what the couple knew.
Merrick borrowed a lab coat from his dad and painted his face and hands blue. He topped off the look with a fake scar on his cheek and told everyone Shego done it. That got a laugh out of the other teens but Shego wondered if Merrick got in the mad scientist persona too well. He would laugh an evil laugh and talked about taking over the world. It annoyed Shego at first but she relaxed at Merrick acting like a fool and played along with his mad scientist personally after they danced a few times. They role played and danced the night away while they laughed and acted like fools.
One day that followed the Halloween school dance, Shego asked Merrick could she wear his jersey and Merrick let her. Shego was curious about the number Merrick picked and had to ask him about it.
"So, why did you pick out 13 for your number," Shego said while she took Merrick's jersey from him and started to put it on her.
"Well, 13 is a lucky number for both me and dad," Merrick said with a laugh when he saw at how Shego looked in his jersey.
Shego smiled at him and started acting like him, she even tried to copy his accent but she failed miserably. Both the teens laughed at the silliness and Merrick had to beg Shego for his jersey back. Merrick tried to get his hat back on one of their date but Shego said she would hurt him if he touched the hat. Merrick didn't listen to her and tried to take his hat off her head while they were coming out of the movie theater. Shego grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back then held his arm in place until Merrick promised he wouldn't try it again. He never did and Shego continued to wear it or left it in her room.
Time drew on and Shego continued to come to everyone of Merrick's game. However, Go City made it to the state playoffs and Shego doubt she be able to make it to the first playoff game because she didn't have a way to get to the game. Merrick eased her sad thoughts over not being able to make it to his game by telling Shego, she could drive his truck and follow the bus to the game. Shego took up the offer but she had one problem with the idea, she didn't know how to drive. Merrick spend every evening after his practices teaching Shego how to drive. Shego caught on quickly after they had an incident with the cops.
Merrick managed to bluff the cop by explaining Shego was learning to drive and ran the red light by accident. The cop let them off with a warning and let Merrick go back to teaching Shego how to drive. Both the teens laughed hysterically at the cop as Shego pulled the truck away from the patrol car. Shego became more careful with her driving and the Thrusday before Merrick's game, she was driving better than Merrick. She drove his truck to the game and was proud about what she done. Merrick had faith in her not wrecking his truck nor getting pulled over, she did neither and before the game started, she was walking around the track that surround the field. She knew Merrick be proud of her too.
The playoff game for Go City when bad at first but they stayed in the game. Before the last quarter was over Go City was finally leading, but barely. Merrick still hadn't played a second of football all season and Shego was depressed over it. He was hoping he at least get put in once even if it was to try and block a fieldgoal. Finally Merrick got his chance to play on the very last play of the game.
Go City's coach called a timeout and call in the whole team around him. Merrick, however, stood away from the team and looked over at the opposing team. The coach was having a fit over no one being able to stop the running back on the other team, who in the next play would score and cause Go City to lose. Merrick heard every word the coach said while he stood away from the team. Merrick then walked over to the coach and said something to him.
The coach looked at Merrick with surprise then nodded to Merrick and said, "Don't prove me wrong."
Merrick nodded to the coach then looked back at Shego standing on the other side of the fence from him. He smiled at her and sat his helmet on his head. Shego knew he was going to get to play finally and was happy for Merrick while she watched him run out onto the field with the rest of the defense. He stopped in a linebacker's position and started pointing at the other players with him. Merrick was adjusting the defense while he wasn't the defense captain and strangely the players listened to him while the opposing team started lining up across the line.
Merrick froze in his stance and stared down the running back lining up across the line from him. At the snap of the ball, Merrick took off running right at the line and broke through the offensive line. Right as the running back got the ball, Merrick was to him. Merrick drove his shoulder into the running back's chest, flipping the running back over backwards and caused him to lose the ball. Merrick staggered after he hit the running back but regained his footing while he scooped up the fumbled ball. He then took off running toward the opposite side of the field while the opposing team chased after him. They never caught him because Merrick ran into the end zone while the clock clicked to zero. He then started running down the visitor's side of the field while he head the ball up in the air.
The Go City crowd was in an uproar while Merrick ran down the sidelines and Shego was clapping along with them. She was happy over Merrick finally getting to play and proving he deserved to play. But Shego stopped clapping after an idea hit her. After today Merrick was going to get popular and that might end what's going on between them. She was now afraid Merrick would dump her for a more popular girl.
Shego stood around the field after Merrick went into the locker room and she was worried about what was going to happen next. She knew it was too good to be true and she knew the second she thought it was time to finally telling him she loved him, something terrible would happen between them. Shego let out a sad sigh and folded her arms in front of her while she continued to walk the track until Merrick came out of the locker room.
While Shego was walking by the locker room, she saw Duncan come storming out and leave in a hurry. Shego was curious about this and wondered if he and Merrick got in a fight over Merrick playing in his spot on the team. Merrick came out of the locker room a few minutes later and Shego found out what happened because Merrick told her about it while they held hands and walked to his truck.
The coach gave the team a speech and awarded Merrick the game ball. Merrick was modest about being the most valuable player of the game and he tried to give the ball back to the coach. All the coach did was shake his head and told Merrick he earned it because he alone got the team a ticket to the next game. The coach added that Merrick would get to play in Duncan's place for now on and hearing what the coach said, Duncan went in a rage and left the locker room.
The teens laughed, all the way to Merrick's truck, at how Duncan acted over the ordeal but they stopped laughing when they heard footsteps behind them. They figured it was Duncan making the footsteps and their turned around to see if it was him. But it wasn't Duncan, it was the captain of the football team. He smiled at the couple when he saw them looking at him then he stopped walking and stared at them for a second.
"Can we help you with something, Will," Merrick asked while he wondered why a senior was following them to his truck.
"Well, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to come to the party we planned to have if we won," Will said with a cheerful voice.
Merrick's face lit up with joy and he turned his look to Shego. Shego, however, wasn't smiling because the captain didn't invite her, only Merrick. Merrick read her look and wondered why she wasn't happy about going to the party then it dawned on him.
While Merrick continued to look at Shego with a smile on his face, he asked, "Is Sheila invited?"
"Sorry no, only football players and girls the seniors invited gets to come," Will said while no hint of feeling sorry about Shego not being invited.
Merrick looked at the captain for a second after his response then he turned his look back to Shego. He still was smiling as if he was happy to be invited to the party while Shego wasn't. His look, however, crushed Shego because she thought he was going to the party without her. He would get popular that night and might dump her over a even more popular girl he met at the party.
The day she was dreading was unfolding before her eyes and she became sad over it. She knew Merrick was still a teenage boy and wanted to fit in with the rest of the players on the team, especially the seniors. Shego was happy Merrick would finally fit in but she was worried sick over Merrick dumping her after they got so close in the short time they been together. She was watching a replay of the guy who dumped her in the past and she couldn't stand there much longer at take watching it happen again.
"Let me guess, this party will have alcohol as well," Merrick said happily while he turned his look to the the captain.
"Of course, we going to have fun," Will said with a smile.
Shego expected Merrick was going to drop her off where he always did and that be the end of them. He would go to the party and get wasted while he met a new girlfriend. She let go of Merrick's hand at the thought of him dumping her that night and this caused Merrick to look at her. His smile turned to a frown then he shook his head. She learned that night Merrick was full of surprises with the next words he spoke.
"You may have fun but I wouldn't. If Sheila can't come, I'm not going. Besides, I don't drink and I hate whores. Come on Sheila we got to go," Merrick said while he reached for Shego's hand to hold it again.
Shego went in a daze and felt ashame of her worried feelings. Merrick was different she knew but to show enough guts to turn down a senior and captain of the football team's invitation to party to fit in, just to be with her was she first true sign that Merrick loved her. She let Merrick take her by the hand and he led her to the passenager door of his truck. He opened the door for her and she climbed inside while Merrick starting walking around the truck. Merrick stopped at the back of the truck when Will said something to him and Merrick shook his head all the way to the driver side door.
When Merrick got into the truck, Shego gave him happy smile and said, "You had me going there."
"I did," Merrick questioned while he cranked the truck.
"Yes, I thought you were going to the party without me," Shego said sadly then while she thought about how scared she was moments ago.
Merrick let out a sigh at Shego's statement and said, "Sorry if I misled you but I was just being nice to that guy. I actually wanted to make him look like a fool. I would have never went even if I wasn't dating you. I know how those parties are, get drunk and get crazy. Not for me. Besides he ticked me off about not inviting you, if your not wanted then I really don't want to be around them."
Shego smiled at how perfect Merrick was to her, maybe too perfect but she didn't care. She loved Merrick now and she was going to tell him she did before the night was over. While they left the parking lot, Shego got curious about what the captain said before Merrick could get in the truck.
"Mal, what did he say to you," Shego said while she smiled at the new pet name she gave Merrick.
"Oh, he said, me and you must be going to have a little party of our own for me not wanting to go to the seniors party," Merrick in a somber tone while he drove the truck onto the interstate.
"Didn't think we were," Shego said while she looked at Merrick with a concern look.
"Me neither. I thought we were going to do what we do after every game," Merrick said happily while he looked at Shego for second.
Shego giggled at Merrick's response because how little the captain knew about Merrick. She slid over, in the seat of the truck, to sit closer to Merrick. Merrick saw her moving to him and gave her a funny look. Shego smiled at him and shook her head. He smiled back and looked back at the road.
"I just want to sit beside you, Mal," Shego said while she slid over until she was sitting right beside Merrick.
Merrick chuckled at Shego wanting to snuggle up to him but all Shego did was lay her head on Merrick's shoulder. She then pulled his right hand from the steering wheel and held his hand while their hands laid on her knee. Shego ended up falling asleep while Merrick drove them back to Go City. Merrick never knew she was asleep and thought she was just being quite. He woke her up after he turned the truck off in the parking lot of the fast food place they always went to after Merrick's games. Shego snapped her head up at the sound of the truck being turned off and looked up at Merrick with a sheepish grin.
"Sorry, Mal. I doze off," Shego said while she started to rub her eyes.
"That's ok. You hungry," Merrick said while he he pulled the keys out of the ignition.
"The usual," Shego question while Merrick opened the truck door.
"The usual," Merrick said while he stepped out of the truck, only to turn and see Shego getting out of the driver side too.
Merrick laughed at Shego doing this because she was still have asleep. Shego gave him a half awake grin and woke up finally at realizing she fell asleep on Merrick's shoulder while she only knew him for a few months. She knew she must be feeling really comfortable around Merrick to do that.
Yep, I love him, Shego thought while Merrick took her by the hand and shut the truck door behind her.
They walked into the usual fast food restaurant where the workers knew them and knew what the couple ordered everytime. The worker behind the counter punched in their usual order and Merrick paid for the meals. The couple sat down at their usual booth and started enjoying their food. While they sat there, Shego spilled her guts over how she felt right after the game and during the time Merrick was invited to the party. Merrick looked in her eyes while she told him everything and he changed his looks with how she felt. Merrick finally spoke up while he tried to feed Shego one of his french fries after Shego finished telling him her tale.
"You don't have to worry about me dumping you. I'm an one woman man, matter fact you'll have to end up dumping me to get rid of me. Besides I knew what kind of girls would be at that party. Their the opposite of you and that's why I keep dating you," Merrick said while Shego kept dodging the fry.
Shego wished she just ate the fry because Merrick ended up getting ketchup all over her face. She gave him a evil smirk when he stopped speaking and bite the fry with part of Merrick's thumb along with it. Merrick yelped from the the pain and drew back his hand. He smiled the whole time and even laughed but he went wide eyed at what he saw Shego doing.
She grabbed a hand full of Merrick's fries and was about to smear them in his face. He wasn't quick enough to get away from Shego and ended with his face covered in fries and ketchup. Shego and Merrick both laughed at the mess Shego caused and Merrick started cleaning himself the best he could. After he made himself descent again, Shego's smile turned to a frown.
Merrick squinted at Shego and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I love you, Mal," Shego said while her frown turned into a smile.
"Oh," was all Merrick said in a happy tone before he went back to eating.
Well, that's romantic. 'Oh' you love me now let me stuff my face, Shego thought while she shook her head at Merrick.
Merrick noticed Shego looked disappointed and stopped eating while he asked softly, "What's wrong now?"
"I said I love you but you didn't say you love me," Shego said while she folded her arms in front of her.
"Sorry, I thought you knew that without me having to say it. Didn't know it was that important to you," Merrick said with a frown after seeing Shego started to look mad.
"Well, I had a hunch that you did, tonight prove that but I want to hear you say it," Shego said while her anger relaxed.
Merrick smiled at Shego and said, "1...4...3."
Shego was confused over hearing Merrick saying numbers and she showed she was confused by the look that was on her face. She then got mad at Merrick for the silly game he was playing. She knew he loved her but she wanted to hear him say it, she told him and he acted like it wasn't a big deal. It was a big deal to her, she always wanted a guy who loved her say he did and she actually dreamed how it would be to hear those three little words.
"What does that mean," Shego said sadly while she felt depressed over Merrick acting like he didn't want to say the three little words.
Merrick chuckled at Shego's question and said, "Sheila, your a bright girl, it's not hard to figure out."
"All you said was numbers. What does numbers have to do with you saying you love me. I want to hear you say 'I love you'," Shego said while she was getting tired of the game Merrick was playing.
"Ok, tell you what. If you figure what the numbers mean, I say what you want me to say everyday I see you. I'll even scream it out in front of everyone in school," Merrick said with a smile while he went back to eating.
"Fine," Shego said sadly while she hoped the day would have went better.
The day went well for her though, she knew Merrick loved her now and he was willing to not be popular just to be with her but she longed for him to say he did at least once. She felt sad the rest of the time they sat in the fast food place and she didn't talk much while Merrick drove her home. She was thinking over the number riddle and she was going to figure it out just to see Merrick scream he loved her in front of all the students at school.
Shego gave Merrick a goodbye kiss and felt bad about being so upset over Merrick not saying what she wanted to hear. She apology about how she acted and Merrick told her he understood and he promise to do what he said he would do if she figured out the number riddle.
By the next day of school, Shego had figured out the riddle and Merrick kept his promise while he got nervous about saying something in front of the crowd of students that were standing out in the quad during break. Merrick walked out on the grass that was in middle of the quad so everyone could see him and he screamed at the top of his lungs that he loved Sheila Gossett while he pointed at Shego. All the other students stopped talking and looked at Merrick then alot of them clapped for Merrick while Shego blushed at what Merrick just did.
When Merrick got back to Shego, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hug him as hard as she could. She didn't realize she was choking Merrick until she heard him gasping for air. She then released her grip on Merrick's neck and looked him in the eyes. He smiled at her and she started telling him how happy she was to hear him say he loved her. Course, she didn't expect him to say it in such a romantic way by letting everyone know he loved her. She was truly happy for the rest of the day until Merrick called her that night and told her he wouldn't be on the football team anymore.
Merrick had a great day at school after he screamed out he loved Shego but football practice was another story. The seniors on the team were told by Will that Merrick had a party planned of his own with his girlfriend. All the seniors asked Merrick how the party go and finally Merrick answered them after they bugged him about it.
"Well, we got fast food, had a food fight, and I took Sheila home afterwards," Merrick said while he waited his turn to hit the blocks.
The seniors didn't believe that was all that happened and keep asking Merrick questions that Merrick kept denying actually happened. Finally the seniors believed him and laughed at him for the party he had. They called Merrick all kinds of names and said he should had went to their party to been a real man. Merrick finally had enough of them and looked at all of them with hatred before he took his helmet off and slammed it on the field. He then stormed off the field, changed clothes, and went home. Merrick later called the coach before he called Shego and told him, not to expect him to show up for practice again.
The coach keep asking Merrick what was the matter and all Merrick told him was, "I sat out the entire season. When I get to play for once, you got another playoff game. You make me a starter just because of that but wouldn't let me play all year. No coach I more important things to do."
Merrick played only ten seconds of football for Go City High and never played again because he never returned to the team. Go City lost its next game and most of the seniors on the team thought they lost because the one player always at the games wasn't there. Merrick didn't even go to the next game to watch, he had important things to do which was taking Shego out on dates. Dates which happened any day of the week now that Merrick didn't have football practice to go to, which Shego was glad of after she got over Merrick quitting the team for her.
Author's note: It's obivous who Merrick was dressed up like for Halloween. But in the time frame of this story Dr. Drakken was unknown and I'm just proving a missing link to why Shego stayed with Drakken for so long. Imagination at work.