Dee Dee sat on the couch as she contemplated Dexter's extreme dislike for his rival. She knew they belonged together, and obviously Mandark felt the same, so how could her brother not see something as simplistic as love? Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud grumbling noise and she looked at stomach in surprise.

"My stomach's hungry. I need food if I'm going to continue thinking about this." She floated into the kitchen and grabbed a pear, biting into the juicy fruit as she continued considering Dexter's plight. She wanted her darling little brother to be happy. Didn't he want the same thing? She walked across to one of the kitchen's many drawers as she suddenly remembered she did not like the skin on fruits. Opening the knife drawer, she peered inside and an empty space greeted her turquoise eyes. The light-colored orbs drifted to the staircase that was just around the corner from the kitchen doorway. Perhaps Dexter had a knife or something like it...?

She shook her head vigorously, muttering to herself. "No, Dexter told me not to go into his room. I bet he would know if I went up there." A devil version of herself appeared on her right shoulder.

"He wouldn't know, he's gone, remember?" Dee Dee considered this as the angelic half her conscience poofed to her left side.

"Dexter trusts you," she stated in her sweet voice. "Don't advantage of the one time he left you alone in the house."

"You see? He wants you to go in there. People say not to do something so that you will do it. Understand?"

Dee Dee did understand so, despite the angel's high-pitched protests about finding a knife in the dishwasher, she padded out of the kitchen, up the stairs, and down the hall to Dexter's bedroom door.

'I'll pop in, look for a knife, pop out and that'll that. No buttons, no distractions.' She told herself. She reached for the knob, time seemingly slowing down. She twisted the small circular piece of metal, surprised when it didn't turn the entire way.

What was wrong with the door?

~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~

Dexter whistled a merry tune as he walked home from school. Mandark had left him alone the rest of the day, he had managed to avoid detention, and best of all....He smiled, touching the key in his coat pocket. He had guessed that his sister would try to get into his lab, so he had made a special doorknob spray that would automatically lock the door whenever someone other than himself tried to enter. There were still some problems however (the door remained locked even at Dexter's touch), hence the key.

"Dexter!"

The addressed redhead barely contained his sigh. Well, the loneliness was good while it lasted.

"Dexter, wait up!"

"What do you want, Mandark? Trying to follow me home?"

"Actually, I was going over to your house to see Dee Dee. I heard she was back in town." Mandark said with some snarkiness. He just hoped Dexter was playing hard to get like he had for his ex-boyfriend.

Dexter raised his eyebrows, feeling some type of negative emotion, something strangely akin to...jealousy? No, that could not possibly be it, so he settled for filing it under "Anger" even though that wasn't quite what he was feeling.

"Well, you shouldn't believe everything you hear. Besides, why would you need to talk to her?"

Mandark smirked, but he didn't answer as he took longer strides toward the redhead's house, soon leaving the shorter boy in the distance.

When he finally arrived at his destination, he rapped on the door and impatiently waited until the piece of wood swung forward. To his surprise, the blonde girl who answered the door smiled upon seeing his face.

'Does she finally realise her feelings for me?' Mandark asked himself giddily, feeling his heartbeat quicken.

'Mandark! He'll help me help Dexter to knowing he likes him!' Dee Dee was a little confused by the wording of her own thought, but she smiled wider anyway. "Would you like to come in?" She asked, stepping back to allow him room to enter. The boy nodded and cautiously stepped into the house, fully expecting Dee Dee to suddenly laugh and take back her invitation.

She didn't.

"So Mandark, what brings you to my...humble abode?" She asked, fighting to remain calm while she really wanted to squeal with excitement.

"Well, I..." Mandark swallowed, trying to gather his thoughts as he conversed with this modern goddess. 'Say something, you idiot!'

"Dex...ter," he told her with a dreamy smile on his face. Not exactly the name that he wanted to bring into their conversation, but it had to be done. He just hoped it made sense to Dee Dee. To his happy fortune, she smiled even wider then before and stood, going over the kitchen table and fluffing the orange roses that were placed lovingly at the center. Mandark had to wonder which one of the siblings had handled the flowers with such care. Though, considering the hostility levels from Dexter, the raven concluded that it was Dee Dee and his heart swelled to know she cared about his gift.

"I was hoping you would say that, but he's not here right now. You'll have to come back later."

"Actually I came to see you." Dee Dee's eyes narrowed in suspicion, so Mandark quickly elaborated.

"I came because of Dexter, but I came to see you. You see, your brother won't talk to me unless it's condescending or with hatred," Dee Dee nodded knowingly, "so I was wondering if you'd help me out."

The blonde girl waved her hand at the table, gesturing for him to sit while she thought.

"Well...Dexter likes chocolate, especially 100 Grand." (1) Mandark almost wrote that down, but Dee Dee's next sentence stopped him cold. "But he hasn't even looked at a single bar since he broke with...whatever his name was. He gave Dexter a chocolate bar every day." She finished. Her nose crinkled in disdain. "I didn't like him very much."

Mandark could tell, but Dee Dee went on, barely allowing him time to ready his pen again.

"Ooh, he really likes getting creative gifts. And you know, for a scientist, he really loves getting poems and stuff like that. Comic books, love letters, anything he can read that's still from the heart."

Her fingers never left her lips. "Oh, oh, he loves getting inventions or equipment to make his own inventions." She smiled with near motherly affection. "That's the little scientist coming out in him!"

Mandark had not realised how high-pitched Dee Dee's voice could get, but the more excited she became, the more the nearly sonic sound tried to pierce through his eardrums. He surprised himself by thinking her voice sounded a little annoying. He could only think those thoughts about Dexter, right?

The girl kept plowing through. "And it may seem like he hates you right now, but-don't tell him I told you-he's scared."

"Scared?"

Dee Dee got impatient. "Yes, scared. He got his heart ripped out, stepped on, tossed in the blender, and then left on the ground for to pick up the pieces himself. He really liked that guy."

Mandark considered his own plan to do something similar to the short genius and almost smirked in Dee Dee's presence, only managing to catch himself at the last possible second. He couldn't wait for the plan to succeed!

The front door opening preventing any further advice Dee Dee could have given him. Dexter entered the kitchen and glanced at Mandark before returning to his coat buttons. "Get out of my house," he said conversationally. Mandark silently seethed at how casually Dexter turned him out. He tried to convince himself it was because of the smaller's constant attitude and the way the plan would fail if he kept going at this rate.

His spirit soon revived as Dee Dee came to his rescue.

"Dexter, please," she scolded cheerfully. "Mandark's just visiting his favorite scientist!"

"Is he now? Too bad I wasn't here while he was 'visiting' me, eh?" Dexter asked in the same pleasant tone he had used earlier. He finished unbuttoning his coat and looked back up at Mandark in confusion. "Why are you still here?"

Dee Dee gasped. "Dexter!"

Dexter turned his expression on his sister. "What?"

"That's no way to treat a guest!" She smiled at the raven neither McPherson sibling were good friends with. "I'm sorry, Mandark."

"No, it's fine, I was just leaving." Mandark shrugged as he gathered his school bags.

"Good riddance. Don't let the door hit you on the way out!"

"No Mandark, don't go, I-"

The click! of the front door cut off her plea. She turned glaring eyes at her brother to find the expression mirrored on his features.

"How could you invite him into our house, Dee Dee? I've told you before not to talk to strangers!"

"He's not a stranger, Dexter!"

"He's as good as! How well do you really know him?"

"...We've known him for years and he likes you! The least you can do is be civil to him."

"And allow him to trample over me? I wouldn't dare to think of giving him the chance!"

Dee Dee's eyes welled as she realised just how much denial her brother was in. She burst into tears and ran up to her old room. Dexter sighed and watched her leave, wondering what could possibly come out of the McPhersons being nice to Mandark. And why did Dee Dee get so worked up over his love life?

The boy decided that sometimes, even a genius couldn't understand the complex inner workings of girls, much less his sister.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

A/N: The next few chapters will contain the real wooing and the ultimate answer Dexter gives! I can't wait!

By the way, (1) I wasn't sure what candy they eat in Dexter's Laboratory and I wasn't in the mood to research it, so I just picked something I kinda liked and thought Dexter might also enjoy. Sorry if I offended anyone with my laziness! O_O"

Ciao for now! XD

~theflawintheplan