Catch Me

Carbine and Charley rode up to see Vinnie and Harley kissing. Both women were surprised to say the least. A twinge of jealousy went through Charley but she quickly threw it off. She was happy for Vinnie. He was reunited with his long lost love. He deserved a moment of happiness after everything he'd been through.

"You okay?" Carbine asked, knowing how the Earth woman felt about the tall white mouse.

"I'm good. I'm okay. This is how it should be." Charley said.

"Yeah." Carbine replied, glancing at Charley, then at the happy couple.

Throttle used to kiss her just like that before and during the war. Now with the recovery and cleanup of Mars, they rarely had time to chat. Still, she wished Throttle would sweep her off her feet just once. What didn't help was the fact that she was a general and he was a commander. Meaning she was his boss. She also had a tendency to let her job go to her head. Doing her duty first and foremost which irritated Throttle. They often got into arguments about her by-the-book persona.

"What's wrong with me? Why can't I be the woman Throttle wants? Sometimes I wish I'd never joined the military." She once told herself. But she was used to it. Used to being in charge.

Chi and Hideki went inside the dimensional portal that was inside Dr. Catorkian's lab. Everyone had come to see them off.

"Bye, Biker Mice! Thanks for helping me find Chi." Hideki said, waving.

"And thanks for helping me and Vinnie get back together!" Harley replied winking at Chi, and chuckling. She then cuddled up to Vinnie who grinned. Carbine looked down and away.

"If you're ever in Tokyo, look us up. Sayonara!" Chi said. The portal lit up and transported them back to Earth.

"I'll be in my quarters." said Carbine.

"Don't you have reports to fill out?" Throttle asked her.

"They can wait." She said, quickly.

"You okay, general?" Modo asked.

"Sure. Why shouldn't I be?!" She replied, flatly.

"Carbine, what's going on?"Throttle asked.

She wasn't asking like herself.

"It's general, remember? That's all anyone ever thinks of me as now. Nothing else."She replied, sarcastically, stomping off. Everyone stared at each other with puzzled looks.

"What's eating her?" Harley asked.

"Who knows?" Vinnie replied.

Carbine put her hands to her face. She felt the tears come. With them came a little relief.

"I know. I'll put on some music." She said, drying her tears. There on her night table was a little radio. She switched it on. A little song was playing. Its soft guitar riffs made her croon.

I guess you could say/I'm a little afraid/A little afraid/That you'll go away/I've been there before/I've seen it before/I just want to see as a person you want me/ As a person you want me/I guess you would say that I want you to stay/I want you to stay/But I'm feeling the pain of all these things in the way/And I'm thinking you're just gonna run away/And I cant catch you/And i can't catch you/

Carbine began to feel sadder. It was true. No matter what she couldn't catch Throttle. She questioned her relationship with him.

"He knows how I feel? How does he feel about me?" She wondered,"Have his feelings for me changed? Will he leave again at the first sign of trouble?"

Meanwhile Throttle watched Carbine go puzzled like everyone else. He knew something was bothering her but he didn't know what. He knew she had a fiery bad temper but this time it was something else. There was a hurt look in her eyes that didn't escape him.

Then it hit him as he thought more about it. She began acting like this after Vinnie and Harley got together. Since he's been back to Mars, he and Carbine haven't spent any time together. Everything he and his bros have done lately has been to restore Mars to the way it was before the Plutorkians and the Catatonians came. Homes and buildings had to be rebuilt. Plus they ran Freedom Fighter Headquarters.

"Carbine and I haven't even gone on a bike ride." He thought.

A plan began forming in the mind of the tan furred mouse.

Later that night, Carbine was called to the mess hall. She had already turned in for the night. All she was told it was an emergency. She quickly threw on a robe over her nightgown. The raven- haired mouse came charging in with her whip out ready to put a serious hurt on her enemies. Instead what greeted her was a tan-furred mouse in a dark blue tuxedo. In his hand was a single red rose.

"Throttle? What is all this?" She asked.

Charley walked up to her carrying a long blue dress with spaghetti straps and sequins.

"Quick put this on."

Carbine quickly changed. She looked stunning.

Throttle then walked up. There was a jukebox in the mess hall. Charley put in a coin. The song was 'Unchained Melody.'

"Have fun, you two." She chuckled, then walked out.

"May I have this dance?" He asked Carbine, who nodded.

He took her in his arms while they slow danced. Carbine then began smiling. She and Throttle were on an actual date! No Plutorkians, no orders from Martian Command to spoil it. Just the two of them.

"I just want you to know I love you and I'm never going away." Throttle told her.

"I'm glad. I don't ever want to lose you." She said, softly, "I finally caught you."

"You never lost me."