"This is all your fault you know."

Space turned around and stared at her. Rumor was something to be stared at, certainly. For one thing she hadn't bothered changing out of her wedding dress. There hadn't been enough time for that. Everything had been sort of a split second decision. For some odd reason she found that she was still holding the bouquet too.

It hadn't been easy to do what she'd done. First things first she'd nearly tripped over her dress and veil multiple times. The first time had been when she'd climbed out the window and the second time was when she got into the taxi. During her crime fighter days she'd had amazing balance. The high heels had thrown it off though. So she'd developed a sort of sashaying walk while draping her veil over her arm and pulling her skirt off the ground.

So she did make a sight to be seen. It wasn't something that you saw on the street every day, a woman in full bridal attire getting into a taxi alone or speed walking down the sidewalk. So, in chronological order, she had been stared at by a newspaper vendor, some people on the street, a taxi driver, and finally when she came to the gates of the Hargreeves mansion, Pogo.

Pogo had looked like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on him when he saw her. He took in the dress, veil, shoes, and bouquet with something bordering disbelief. Rumor was pretty sure that she saw him pinch himself. Finally he'd said;

"You're supposed to be getting married."

"Changed my mind," she said.

He'd looked at her for another minute before saying;

"Excuse me?"

"I decided that I didn't want to marry Patrick," she said, getting frustrated, "Now, do you know where Luther is?"

"Luther?" Pogo asked, taken back, "What's he got to do with-?"

"Pogo," she interrupted, "I'll tell you all about the whole thing later. But there are much, much bigger things going on here right now. I just need to know where he is."

Still looking as though he believed he was in The Twilight Zone Pogo replied;

"He's on the roof, checking weather signals for the launch. He's going to be leaving soon you know. But you left Patrick? It might be none of my business…but why? You seemed like you really wanted to-"

"It's kind of complicated," Rumor said hurriedly, "Like I said, I'll tell you all about it later."

The look on Pogo's face clearly said that he wanted to hear about it now. Instead Rumor had turned around and headed up to the roof. So that's where she was now, trying to figure out just what she wanted to say. Space examined her as he very slowly put his equipment down.

"Weren't you supposed to be getting married?" he asked lamely.

"That's the first thing that you say to me?" she said, raising an eyebrow and sitting down on the ledge of the roof. It had been a long trip and her feet were sore, "I think that it's sort obvious that I didn't."

He faltered and looked everywhere but at her.

"Why not?"

She looked at him incredulously.

"I changed my mind."

Rumor waited for him to say something. He never had been good at situations like this though. That was one thing that she definitely remembered about him. So it would have to be her to start talking. She looked around for inspiration. Finally her eyes rested on the bouquet. Rumor turned it over in her hands for a minute before speaking.

"It's…it's sort of…it's sort of like this," she said, "Do... you see these flowers?"

Space looked at her like he was lost.

"Roses for eternal love, lilies for sweetness, and baby's breath for children," said Rumor from memory, "They're a traditional bridal bouquet. It's for good luck and all that. Before the wedding, after I finished getting ready…I was thinking about them and how…and how they really didn't fit my wedding. Then I started thinking…about what you said."

There was still confusion in his eyes but he looked intently at her. Swallowing hard Rumor continued.

"Roses. You love me, Patrick doesn't," she said, "and to be perfectly honest I really don't love Patrick. So I don't have love. I can't…I can't have lilies for sweetness without roses for love. They…sweetness and love…they generally go together…if you know what I mean. So I can't get those with Patrick."

"I can't give you a normal relationship," he said sadly, "I can't give you normal love or normal happiness."

"I'm not finished," she said sharply, "then there's baby's breath. If the parents don't love each other then they probably won't love their kids properly."

"If we did have children," said Space, even sadder, "Then they wouldn't look or be normal. Look at me Allison! I said it once and I'll say it again. I can't give you what you want in life-!"

"Will you just shut up!?" she snapped.

He looked taken back and Rumor couldn't blame him. Last night she had basically told him to get lost. Now she was trying to ask him to stay. What's more was that she was doing so in a rather artless and crude fashion. Rumor wanted it to be better. Her painted lips searched for words but they seemed to find nothing worth saying. Once more she looked at the bouquet for inspiration.

"I…I think you can give me what I want in life," replied Rumor slowly, "I think that you just don't know it."

There was a short pause.

"…I honestly don't think I can," he said slowly, "You want something normal and real and all I can give you is something the world can raise its eyebrows at. I…I'm sorry. But that really is all that I can give you."

Her high heels clicked on the roof as she walked up to him, once more swallowing hard and wishing she had planned this out better. Yet, she hadn't. She'd just have to do the best that she could with what she had. Admittedly that wasn't much. However, that was all she could give.

"I don't care about living a normal life anymore," she whispered, "If the world wants to raise its eyebrows then let it raise the damned things. There are things that I want more than a normal life. If you loved me and I didn't love you back then it wouldn't have made much of a difference, but that's not the case. I do love you back. If we love each other, then making a life together will be sweet."

He opened his mouth but Rumor put one white-gloved finger over his lips. Softly she raised her other hand so that she could cup his face in them.

"As for kids," murmured Rumor softly, "Our kids might not be one hundred percent normal. Yet, wouldn't it be better to be odd with two loving parents then normal with two that hated each other? Luther, I want you. I want you and any life that you can give me because it's you that's giving it. That's all I want."

Space looked like there were a few tears in his eyes. His lips moved inarticulately before saying;

"If that's what you want," he said, "If that's what you want then I'll try my damndest to give it to you."

Hesitantly he leaned his head a little closer to her hers. Space was very tall after all. Very slowly he wrapped his arms around her. His hands alone were so big that they completely enveloped her. His hands and arms together made it so that she was perhaps a little buried in them. Rumor was fine with that.

Pushing up on her toes she tried to reach his lips. Again she realized that he was far too tall. He smiled a little when he saw this and leaned down further. Finally she managed to make contact. She kissed him hard, trying to convey everything that he she had been feeling for the past few hours. He made an odd sort of noise, but kissed back. The bouquet slipped from her hands, but in a different sense she kept it with her. Roses, lilies, baby's breath.