Hi everyone! It's been awhile but I'm going to really try and update more now that I live alone and no longer have to deal with stupid roommates. And this is a shorter chapter than normal but it's more of a transition.

Please review! Thank you in advance for reviews, they seriously make my day. I do allow anonymous reviews

DISCLAIMER TIME! I don't own the bros, sadfaces abound. Please don't sue me, I'm poor. And please don't use any of my characters (Copper, Silver, Alloy, Lani, etc) without permission.

Chapter 8

"Modo, dearest, it's been too long," Yana purred, her topaz-brown eyes narrowing coldly in contrast with her warm tone as she looked at Copper and Modo. The cream-colored female sounded sweet, but her eyes were as cold as Modo remembered. Yana looked exactly like she had six years ago, like the war had never touched her. Her pale blonde hair hung straight around her ears, framing a face that was considered Martian perfection. Her snout was short and delicately formed, her cheekbones high and her jaw straight. Her ears were rounded curves, her earrings topaz studs that brought out the light golden color of her eyes.

She was perfectly formed from the crown of her head to the tips of her tail; curved in the right places, flat in the right places, she had all the males in the bar staring at her with wonder. Vinnie looked like he had gotten a present from the heavens and Throttle had swallowed and looked away, filling his mind with thoughts of Carbine. Copper was looking from her brother, who was standing behind the bar with his teeth and fists clenched, to Modo, who looked like someone had struck him on the back of the head, and Yana, who was now smiling at Copper. Copper growled under her breath, sending a glare at Yana; she had no idea what was going on but the way Yana was smugly smiling made her want to punch something. Preferably Yana's smiling face.

"Your song was just darling, Copper dear," Yana said. "So nice to know you have other talents besides mixing drinks and hitting things." She chuckled softly and glanced at Modo. "She's such a violent girl."

Copper felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment and anger. Yana had never been this rude to her before, always skirting the line between snide and casual. And talking about her like she wasn't standing right there! "Excuse me?" she growled, grinding her teeth in agitation.

"I was so worried for you, Copper dear. I'd hoped you wouldn't have only those mediocre talents," Yana replied. Ignoring Copper, she went up to Modo, gently placing a hand on his metal arm. "Oh, Modo dearest, I'm so sorry! When I heard this had happened to you I couldn't help but worry!"

"Yeah, ya worried so much ya found yer way right back to my side," Modo growled, finally finding his voice. Gently, he pushed Yana's hand off his arm. "What d'ya want, Yana?"

"I just wanted to say hello to you, dearest," Yana said. Dropping her voice so only Modo could hear, she whispered "And to remind you of the wonderful times we had." Modo drew back, fighting the blush he could feel warming his cheeks. Yeah, those had been some wonderful times before she had decided to ditch him for someone with a prettier face.

Copper frowned at the look that passed between Modo and Yana. Her dislike for the cream-colored female was growing by the second. "I'm sorry, you two know each other?"

Yana laughed, the musical sound making every male not looking in their direction turn his head. "Oh yes, Modo and I knew each other years ago. He was such a darling boy, so strong and…virile."

Copper's vision started going red. She resisted the urge to reach over and slap Yana across her smiling face. Yes, she knew Modo had had other lovers besides her. Yes, she had had a few herself. But the fact Yana was shoving the fact they had into her face like that stung. She glanced at Modo, hoping to see some reassurance from him. He just blushed hard and couldn't look Copper in the face. Copper flinched; that almost hurt more than Yana's words. Murmuring a quick excuse, she hurried up the back stairs to her sanctuary, Modo hot on her heels.

Alloy wove his way through the crowd, a rare frown on his face. "Yana, babe, what's going on?"

"I don't know," Yana said with a pout. "We were just catching up when Copper started acting so oddly then stormed off."

Alloy sighed and pushed his hair out of his face. "I'll talk to her later, I guess." Taking Yana in his arms, he brushed a kiss on the top of her head. "How ya doing, babe?"

"I'm perfect," she purred, eyeing the way Alloy's chest looked in his tight white shirt. While he lacked Modo's size, Alloy was just as defined as the older mouse. With a sigh, she nestled against Alloy, seemingly oblivious to the jealous looks the other males were shooting at Alloy.

"Aww man," Vinnie whined, turning away and leaning his elbows against the bar and propping his chin in his hands. "There is a severe lack of available babes in this bar."

"What happened to Kas?" Throttle asked dryly, taking a sip of his drink.

"She knows the score, bro," Vinnie said with a smirk. "She's aware of what a stud I am."

"Vincent, you got a problem," Throttle said. "What you're doing ain't right, leading all these females on."

"It ain't for you to judge what I do," Vinnie replied sharply. "You ain't my mom or my pop. Just leave it alone, man."

Throttle shrugged. "Whatever, bro. Your life."

"Yeah…my life." Vinnie sighed and stared at the surface of the bar. How remarkable that it was the same reddish-brown shade as a certain mechanic's hair…Vinnie buried the thought as quickly as it came up. Thinking about her hurt too much. There were other babes to fry, so to speak. And it was very unlikely he would ever see Charlie again. Travel to Earth was prohibited due to a lack of space craft and they couldn't leave her a communicator: if anyone found alien technology on Charlie she may get into serious trouble with Earth government. Vinnie didn't want that to happen. Best to keep his silence and move on with his life as surely as she was moving on with hers now that the mice were gone.

"Copper darlin', wait a second!" Modo said, reaching out to grab her wrist as she got to the top of the stairs.

"I'm fine," Copper hissed. "Go back to the bar, I'll be back in a second."

Modo frowned and tightened his grip on her wrist, gently tugging her arm to make her look in his direction. She had an angry flush across her cheeks visible even through her red fur. Dark circles under her eyes made her look worn and tired. She trembled from holding back her hurt, her fists clenched by her sides. Modo sighed and pulled her to him, gently nuzzling her ear. "She doesn't mean anything to me, darlin'. She left me long before we even met."

"I know," she muttered against his chest. "She just…frustrates me so much. She's such an evil bitch around everyone but Alloy and he's being all kinds of stupid about her."

"I know what that's like," Modo said. "She twists males around her fingers and we're all too dense to catch on until the last minute."

"That's because y'all think with your lower head first, upper head second," Copper smiled and playfully kissed Modo's collarbone. She wasn't wearing any shoes with heel so it was the only part of him she could reach.

Modo flushed and pressed his face into her hair, taking a deep breath as he nuzzled her ear. "That ain't completely true. I think with my heart, too."

"Yes you do. You're my big, fluffy heart-behemoth, aren't you?" Copper smirked and tilted her head up to nuzzle his chin. Modo blushed harder and gently tweaked her hair. She sighed happily and tucked herself firmer against his warmth, her tail finding Modo's and twisting around it. They held each other in comfortable silence for long minutes, the only distraction the bass of the music coming from the lower floor.

Modo felt Copper fade away, her body going lax as she started to fall asleep. "Long day, darlin'?"

"Yeah…" she murmured. "Silver woke me up at the crack of dawn by singing a song YOU taught her." She glared tiredly up at Modo. "'Do your ears hang low'? What the fuck kind of song is that?"

"It's a popular children's song on Earth," Modo replied. "I thought it was cute."

"It is, just not when the sun hasn't even come up yet." Modo chuckled and gently kissed Copper.

"I'm sorry, darlin'."

"You didn't know she would do that," Copper murmured. "Nothing to be sorry for…" her words were soft and whispery; she was almost asleep on her feet. Modo looked around and saw a bed through the open door to the other room. He picked her up, cradling her against his chest. She was so light in his arms-it was almost easy to forget she could probably whip the tail of almost anyone she came up against. She stirred slightly at the change in position and looked up at him with her beautiful brown eyes. "Modo?"

"Hush, darlin'," he said. "Jus' gonna get you to bed before ya pass out."

"But I gotta work," she protested, struggling a little in his grip. "The night's not over yet, Alloy-"

"Can handle things on his own," Modo said, carrying her into what looked like a spare bedroom. The furniture was sparse but the bed looked almost new. He gently laid her on top of the blankets then bent over to take off her shoes. She tried protesting again but he silenced her by rubbing the arch of her foot. Foot rubs had always been a surefire way to get Copper to relax. She sighed happily and lay back against the pillows, her eyes closing again. Modo grinned and pulled off her other shoe, setting them both on the side of the bed. He made to move off the bed but Copper grabbed onto his pants. "Don't go."

"I'll be right back," he said. "I'm just gonna tell Alloy yer too tired to finish the night."

"Will you come back?" She had such a hopeful expression Modo couldn't say no.

"Yeah, I'll be back in a few minutes." He brushed a kiss to her forehead before going back down the stairs into the main bar area. Alloy was back behind the bar and Yana had taken the seat Vinnie had been in. Vinnie was nowhere to be seen but Throttle had moved down to the opposite end of the bar and was sipping on a glass of some green liquid. Trying his hardest not to look at Yana (who was fixing Alloy with a look Modo recognized as nothing good), Modo took a seat next to his bro. "Hey Throttle. What happened to Vincent?"

"Went outside to check on the bikes," Throttle said, taking another sip of his drink. Modo took a curious sniff; it was juice from the keva plant. "Your old flame got him all hot under the collar."

"She ain't anything to me," Modo growled. "I wouldn't care if I never saw her again."

Throttle regarded his bro over his field specs, arching an eyebrow in disbelief. "I think that's the meanest thing I've ever heard you say about a lady."

"She ain't no lady." Throttle laughed at that, drawing Alloy and Yana's attention to them. Alloy said something to Yana and came over to the bros, asking them if there was anything else they needed.

"Just wanted to let you know Copper's about to pass out, she didn't get any sleep last night," Modo said. "You can handle the rest of the night on your own, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Alloy bit his lower lip and cast a glance in Yana's direction. "Look, I don't know what happened earlier," he said quietly, "But I'm sure it'll work itself out. Yana's really a nice girl, for some reason she just grates Copper the wrong way."

Modo frowned, leaning back from the bar. "Alloy, you have no idea what that female is actually like. Now it ain't my business to tell ya who to keep company with, but she's nothing like she makes herself out to be." He got up from the bar, ignoring Alloy's perplexed expression. "Throttle, you and Vinnie can head off without me. I'm staying here for the night."

"Ok," Throttle said. "Send us a line when you're heading back."

"Sure thing. Night Alloy." Without even glancing at Yana or any of the other patrons, he went back up the stairs, locking the door behind him, effectively closing off the sounds of the bar from the upstairs.

Copper was curled up on her side under the blankets with her hands tucked under the pillow. Her lips were slightly parted, her breathing soft and even. Modo smiled at the childlike image she made. Quietly, he took off his chest piece and boots, putting them both on the chair in the corner. Lifting up the blankets, he crawled into bed next to Copper, curving his large form around hers from behind. She stirred slightly in her sleep, fitting herself more tightly against him. He sighed softly and slung an arm over her. He held her tight, content with just feeling her breathe. He had missed this so much when he was stuck on Earth. Now he was back and wanted to absorb every second, every feeling as he held her against his body, her hand and tail twined around his, the way her hair felt against his cheek. This was heaven. This was his home, right here next to his female.

He must have drifted off because the next thing he knew Copper was nuzzling the base of his throat. She had turned to face him, her leg now slung over his hip and holding him tight against her. Half asleep, he groaned and bent his head to kiss her. Her tongue reached out to meet his, her arms twisting around his neck. He kissed her fiercely, rubbing his growing hardness against the heat between her legs. Copper moaned and traced the muscles of Modo's back, her nails combing through his fur and making Modo tingle. He buried his fingers in her hair, tilting her head to get the best angle to kiss her. This was a perfect way to wake up, he mused as his tongue brushed against her buckteeth. His brain was slowly coming out of sleep and realizing what was happening. He hesitated, drawing back slightly. Copper followed, keeping close to him.

"Modo," Copper groaned against his lips, "Please don't stop."

"Darlin', I don't wanna rush you," he said.

"Dammit Modo, we've waited five years. I don't think we can get less rushed than that." She smiled and kissed him again, softer this time. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too," he whispered. "I just…"

"Shh…" she whispered, putting a finger against his lips. She grinned and shifted so she was on top of her. Reaching behind her, she undid the snap of her breast band, leaving her exposed to Modo's now eager eyes. "Stop talking."

"Oh mama…"

Hours later, Modo sat with his back against the headboard in his boxers, Copper between his legs with a plate on her lap. Copper was wearing only her panties and her charcoal halter-top. She had gone down to the bar after recovering from their lovemaking in search of some sustenance. She had found keva juice behind the bar and some dried fruit in her bag. Modo had provided some nuts he kept in the bag on his bike in case of an emergency. Altogether, it was a sweet and simple snack. Copper grinned and held a piece of dried fruit to Modo's lips. He smiled back and took the fruit in his mouth, 'accidentally' licking the tips of her fingers with his tongue. Copper shivered in response, remembering how his tongue had felt against another place on her body. Modo smirked and nuzzled his female's ear. "I missed this."

"What, the sex or me feeding you?" she asked with a smile.

"Both. I always did like your cooking." He frowned slightly and asked "But I didn't hurt ya, did I?"

Copper shook her head and got onto her knees to give him a kiss, the tip of her tail wrapping around his and rubbing in a soothing manner. "I wanted you, it didn't matter that I haven't had any in five years." She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. Modo smiled and kissed her again, unable to get enough now that he had tasted her again. Copper laughed and playfully rubbed her nose against his. She was ecstatic about the way things were turning out in her life. Her lover was back (and better than ever, in her modest opinion), her family was healthy and happy, her business was earning more money than it ever had when her father had owned it, and the planet was no longer under attack.

What could go wrong?

Yana growled and threw her bag across the room, getting little satisfaction from the smacking noise the shirt made against the wall. Modo had not been on her mind for years but he had had the audacity to forget about her. He had the nerve to find another female, and not even an attractive female at that. He had belonged to her once, so by rights he should have pined for her for the rest of his life. She was Yana Glassgreen, the most beautiful, the most charming, the best female on the planet. No one had ever moved on from her before. They might have had meaningless flings but they always hoped she would come back to them. But now Modo Maverick, who was gorgeous in a muscular and rugged way but still one of the less attractive males she had ever been with, had completely moved on. He had hardly looked at her, even when he was talking to Alloy about her.

Yana bit back a scream, her frustration mounting. This had never happened to her and she had no idea how to react. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed back her hair and unlocked the case where she kept her deep space communicator. She had work to do; she and her employer were scheduled to talk. Right on schedule, the screen flickered to life, the shape as always half-hidden in the shadows. The figure was huge, with shoulders broader than Modo's and arms as thick as Yana's waist. His voice was gravely and deep, and his eyes were a glowing gold in the shadows. "Miss Glassgreen."

"Mister C. How goes your end of the plan?"

"Proceeding as intended. And you? Are you keeping your end of the bargain?"

"I am finding it more difficult to get into Resistance headquarters than expected. Now that the Plutarkians have left, only essential personnel are allowed near the Regenerator at any time for security. I may have an in with the male I'm seeing now; he is close to Stoker and may help me meet him."

"Excellent. Keep up with this male, keep him close."

"I may have hit one small snag. The sister of the male is striving against me, as is her lover." Yana flushed prettily, the tips of her ears turning a faint pink. "Her lover and I were once intimate. Both of them may upset my plans."

"Under no circumstance are you allowed to let that happen," Mister C growled. "It is imperative we have a way to get to the Regenerator. If you are not up to the task, we shall have to find another spy and you will see no money from us."

"That will not be necessary," Yana purred, her lips pulling up into a sadistic smile. "I will take care of both of them before you reach Mars."