"This is not good. This is bad. Bob is the closest friend I have, and now he's been kidnapped by some loser guy who's been obsessed with me for fifteen years. What do we do? What are we going to do? I have no idea what we're going to do, I have no idea who this kid is, I've never talked to him before in my life, I mean that's obvious, but-" Becky rambled, pacing the floor of the spaceship's library nervously. She was interrupted by Iza slapping her across the face. Becky was silent for a moment as her panic subsided.

"Thanks, I needed that." Becky said calmly.

"I don't get it, Becky, you told us that back on Earth you're some super powered superhero, adored by everyone- everyone but the villains, that is. Why are you acting so helpless right now?" Rael asked.

"I know, I know I am…it's just…there's so much more riding on defeating this villain than the ones I face on Earth. This time there are people waiting on my return home, and I can't go home without my best friend, but on Earth all I have to do is take down one villain and I'm done with my duties for a while. Not to mention I know the patterns and the choices the villains on Earth usually make, and its not too hard to predict their next moves. But with this guy, this Taver, I know nothing about him, I don't know what he's going to do next, I-I don't know if I can do this…" Becky explained.

"Becky, we have faith in you. Bob has faith in you. Your friends and family on Earth would have faith in you if they knew what was happening right now. The citizens of Lexicon have faith in you. No one but Taver thinks you can't do this. And you know what we're going to do now? We're going to stop with the panicky quitter talk and get a plan in action. We're going to rescue your friend, defeat Taver, and send you on your way. You'll see, everything will be alright." Iza said, placing a reassuring hand on her daughter's back.

Becky smiled to her parents. She stuck a hand in the pocket of her Wordgirl belt and mindlessly fumbled with a small strip of paper. When she realized there was paper in her pocket, she took it out and looked at it to see the note Tobey had left her when he said goodbye.

Whatever may happen during your journey through the stars, never lose touch with who you are, and especially never forget that we have faith in you; I have faith in you. So go chase your dreams.

Love,

Tobey

Becky smiled and put the note back in her pocket.

"Right, you're totally right. I can do this. We can do this." Becky said with a smile. "Let's get down to business. What's our plan?"

"Why, dear Becky, trickery and deceit is our plan. You remember the book you read about Lexicon fighting tactics, don't you?" Iza asked. Becky nodded. "Well, we're using one of the tactics out of that book. You will go to him and pretend you've given in, telling him you'll stay here on Lexicon if, and only if, he lets Bob go. Once he is safe, get him into the cage he's trapped Bob in and lock it. Then he'll be locked up, your friend will be safe, and you'll be able to return home before he can break free and trap you here again." Iza explained. Becky smiled deviously as the three got ready to execute the plan.

~…~

Taver stood by the window in his darkened, empty home. The cage behind him, in the far corner of the room, rattled as it usually did, mainly due to the prisoner's protests. Taver, however, ignored the protesting and merely observed the city around his home.

It's almost mine. This planet is almost within my reach. As are you, my darling.

As Taver admired a picture of Becky from bore she left, he heard a knock on the front door. He opened it to see Becky standing there with a flirty look in her eyes.

"Hi," She said, with a certain (fake) twinkle in her eyes. Becky swallowed the urge to barf before continuing to speak. "I've been thinking about your proposition. And I'm here to tell you that there's nothing I'd love more than to stay here and rule with you." She said as she ran her finger across his cheek, ending her sentence by poking his nose.

This is so gross. She thought.

"I knew you'd come around, my darling. After all, I am hard to resist." He said, winking flirtily at Becky. Once he turned his head, Becky gagged.

"You and I, my dear, will be so very happy together, you'll see. You'll forget about that little nuisance Earthling in no time."

"Ah ah ah, not so fast, mister. I will stay with you on ONE. CONDITION." Becky said.

"Oh- and what would that be?" Taver asked.

"Let Bob go." Becky said. Taver looked back to the cage.

"Ah yes. And if I let him go, you promise you'll stay?" Taver asked. Becky crossed her fingers behind her back.

"Oh, definitely, I promise." Becky said, smiling deviously. Taver moved in to kiss her, but Becky dodged his advance and took a step back.

"Woah there, mister, a deal's a deal. Free him first," Becky demanded, arms folded angrily. Taver chuckled and headed over to the cage Bob was in and unlocked it. As soon as the cage door opened, Bob burst out and ran into Becky's arms. Becky hugged her best friend of fifteen years as he regained his safety.

"Go, get to the spaceship, I can take it from here." Becky whispered. Bob squeaked back to her, saying there was no way he'd abandon her, that's not what best friends do. Becky smiled and stood.

As she spoke, Becky slowly stepped closer to Taver seductively.

"Oh Taver," She said. "I believe we have a deal. I, am all yours."

Becky brushed past him, running her finger across his cheek flirtily as she did so. Standing in front of the open cage, her parents hiding behind her, Becky gave him a seductive look and bent her finger in a way to call him over to her. Taver smiled and crept slowly towards her. Becky wrapped her arms around his neck and drew in closer and closer to his lips, until-

Becky used her super strength to push him into the cage. As soon as he fell over in the cage, Iza shoved the door shut as Rael locked the door. Becky chuckled in victory as she stepped to the cage door. But her celebratory mood was only temporary as she watched him trying to accept his defeat. Her mood turned sour and sad. She approached the cage and gave him a sad look.

"Look at you. Look at what you've become. Is this really the kind of person you wanted to be? Is this really how you wanted to win me over?" Becky said sadly.

Taver grabbed her by the shirt of her Wordgirl costume.

"Taver, you don't love me. You love the idea that if we were together, you'd get to rule Lexicon. You may think you like me but what you really crave is power. You have no heart, you have no soul. Do you even care about me, really? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with me?" Becky said. Taver thought for a long moment.

"What does it matter how I feel? The point is that I know what I want to be, and I want to be in charge. So if that means having you as my wife, so be it." Taver explained.

"That's not how love works. Love is that warm feeling you get in your heart when that special someone is around..." Becky explained, thinking about her favorite boy genius. "It's a feeling you get when you're with that special person. When you're thinking about that person. Love is when someone can make you smile just by walking into a room. It's when you can't stop thinking about that person. But it's not when you just want that person for the power she represents. That's not a reason to say you love someone." Becky explained.

Taver was silent. He absorbed all the things Becky said.

"Do you understand? Because I really need you to let me go." Becky asked.

"Let you go? So you can go back to your precious earth and be with your stupid boyfriend?" Taver said quietly.

"Yeah, that's the idea." Becky said.

"All I ever wanted was to be somebody. I'll admit, at first, I liked you because we were really friends. But then my parents pushed it past that, pushed too far, and ended up brainwashing me. Taught me to crave power..." Taver explained.

"See? I knew it. Now, can you please let go of me so I can go home?" Becky said. Taver nodded and dropped his hands to his side, all the while head hanging low.

"See? Doesn't it make you feel better, just knowing you're doing something good for someone? Doesn't this make you want to do more good things?" Becky asked.

"No. It sucks, that's how it feels. I had my one chance at the power I've strived for for my whole life, and I'm willingly let it slip through my fingers. My parents would be ashamed of me. They'd think all their lessons they've taught me had gone to waste. Look at what a failure I am." Taver explained.

"That's not true. Heck, even if it is, you don't need to seek approval from everyone around you. You should seek approval from yourself, and not worry about anyone else's opinion. Don't let everyone else shape your life. Do you actually want to trap me here, where I'll be unhappy, or do you want to let me go where I can be happy?" Becky asked.

"Yes it is true. You think you can tell me all of this just because I'm locked in this cage? Just because you've trapped me in here doesn't mean you've won. You're far from victory," Taver said, grabbing something from his pocket. "Because I still have the remote to my Vapor Ray! And I will use it on every. Last. One of you. Unless you agree to stay with me!"

Taver chuckled evilly as he held the remote up, a deranged look in his eyes.

At that moment, Becky stood still. She looked at Taver and saw the same sad, delusional little boy she had once battled years ago. She saw a boy that thought he was in love with a girl, and would do anything evil in order to make her his, but was really living in a sad little dream world. And that version of the boy she loved today sickened her (she knew quite well, however, that that version of Tobey was definitely dead).

"WHEN WILL YOU GET IT?!" Becky burst out, yelling. "I tried being nice to you, I tried to give you a second chance. I tried to be the friend no one else has been to you. But you just threw that all away in one swift move. I will never be in love with you! Can't you take a hint? You're so pathetic! I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU! AND I NEVER. WILL. BE. If you really loved me you'd do the smart thing and LET ME GO!"

No one had expected that from Becky. Here she was, just a second ago, being gentle and kind, and now she was angry, yelling, and the exact opposite of the caring friend everyone had known since she'd gotten to Lexicon. They all stood in shock at her sudden outburst, but it didn't take Taver long to draw his attention back to the Vapor ray. Before he could press the button to vaporize everyone, Becky used her super strength and super speed to destroy the ray itself.

"You're through trying to ruin my life, Taver. Maybe someday after you've had lots of time being locked up, you'll realize that I would never have been happy here with you." Becky said as Bob played tug of war for the vapor ray remote from him and crush it.

Becky approached the cage again, this time knowing no one was in any danger anymore.

"You'll never get it, I don't even know why I'm wasting my time. You're just a pathetic, sad little boy who's living in a sad little fantasy world where he gets what he wants by forcing people to give what he wants to him. I thought I could at least start you on your way to changing. I thought I saw a spark of good in you. I guess I was wrong…" Becky said.

Taver grabbed her costume shirt again. He pulled a knife from his back pocket and held it to her neck through the cage bars.

"If I can't have you, no one can!" He said. His hand shook as he held his position. Becky swallowed nervously. She had no idea how to get out of such a delicate situation, as no one had held a knife to her before.

"If anyone takes a step closer, I'll slice her throat!" Taver said, his voice shaky. Bob attempted to spring forward to free his best friend, but Iza and Rael stopped him.

"Don't move, we can't risk her getting hurt! Let her distract him, so you can sneak up and free her." Rael whispered as he held Huggy back.

"T-Taver, put me down. You don't want to do this, I can see it in your eyes." Becky said calmly as she spotted Bob creeping up behind them.

"Oh yes I do. You won't be mine, so I won't let anyone else be yours." Taver said. "I'll do it, I really will!"

Bob crept up behind Becky and jumped in front of her, pushing her backwards and wrestling the knife out of Taver's hands. Becky helped Bob, using her super strength to pull on the knife.

Once the two had it free, Becky handed it carefully to her parents, folding her arms and looking disappointedly at Taver.

"Taver, I know why you're really doing this. You don't have any feelings for me at all, you just think you do because your parents told you that you do. Look inside your heart, Taver, am I really what you want? Or am I what your parents want?" Becky paused. Taver's hands dropped to his sides. Becky could tell she was making him think.

"Look, there's something very important I learned on Earth. I learned that everybody is meant to be with somebody; and I learned who my somebody was. Sure, it wasn't easy to learn, but I figured it out, and I'm happier now because of it. I believe there is someone out there on this wonderful planet that you live on, someone who's meant to be with you; but it's not me. You have to look for her, Taver, and you should never stop looking. So just let me go, and go search for her." Becky said softly.

"How do you know you're not meant for me though?" Taver asked angrily.

"Well, I know I don't love you." Becky said simply.

"Love? What's that got to do with anything?" Taver asked.

"What's it got to do? It's got everything to do with this! If you don't love someone, then you're not meant to be with them. You shouldn't be with someone if you don't love them. Love is that special feeling you get inside when that certain someone is around, or when they hold your hand. It's the funny feeling that you get in your stomach when that person touches you, or kisses you. Love is knowing that all you want is to be with that certain person. When you love someone, you just cherish everything about them, and wouldn't ever change them. Do you feel that way about me?" Becky explained.

"No. I just want you to be mine." Taver demanded.

"Well then, it's that simple. You don't love me, and you don't want to be with me. So do yourself a favor, and stop trying to be." Becky explained. Taver was silent.

"Well...do you love your someone?" Taver asked quietly, staring down at the ground. Becky was silent in thought. She hadn't ever thought about it. She knew she liked him, a great deal. But did she love him? She never thought about it. Being honest with herself, she never thought she'd ever admit that.

"...yes." She said proudly. "a-and he cares about me so much. He misses me terribly right now, and I just want to be able to go home and see him again. But you won't let me leave." Becky explained.

"Fine, go. Go be with your love. Go follow your stupid heart. See if I care."

With that, Taver turned his back to Becky.

Iza and Rael proceeded to drag the cage he was contained in to the prison- carefully and regularly monitored by the Council themselves. Becky and Taver looked each other in the eye the entire time, Becky looking at him in disappointment.

Becky and Bob headed back to the spaceship to wait for Iza and Rael so everyone could say goodbye. Becky sat down on the doorway/bridge onto the ship and smiled as she thought of her grand return home.

"I can't wait to see everyone again," Becky said, sighing in delight. "I've missed them all so much."

Bob squeaked a response.

"Oh, it's been wonderful seeing Lexicon, I loved every second of it. I'm so glad I decided to do this. I finally know who I was before I was Becky." Becky explained.

Then, Becky's parents came back to the spaceship to say goodbye.

Becky stood to talk to them, but no one spoke. All was silent. How to say goodbye to your real parents that you had just met? How do you say goodbye to your long-lost daughter after thinking she was dead for fifteen years? There was no easy way, but they knew they had to say goodbye. Iza and Rael knew they had to let Becky go where she'd be happy.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye…" Becky choked out the words, holding back tears.

"Oh, we're going to miss you so much!" Iza cried as the three of them hugged.

"I'm going to miss you guys too. But you can come to Earth and visit me anytime. You're always welcome." Becky said as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I love you guys. I'll never forget everything you've done for me, I'm so grateful."

"We'll always be here for you. We'll visit the first chance we get, if we ever get that chance." Rael said.

They were silent again before Becky stepped onto her spaceship. Her parents watched the door close as their daughter waved goodbye. They waved back, tears welling up in their eyes.

And as she sat down by the window to look at the stars passing them by, she smiled at the thought of returning to her parents, her brother, her best friend, and the sweet blonde-haired boy she loved.

For the first time in her life, Becky felt truly complete. And she felt something she hadn't felt in a long, long time: she couldn't wait to come home and live her happy, fulfilling, complete life.

Really long chapter, I know! I finally managed to stop myself, lol :3 And I know, it ended pretty cheesily. So now only the epilogue is left! But don't worry- you're in luck! I'm going to get to work on that tomorrow. I'd have had it written tonight, but I spent too long fine tuning this chapter. Oh well! Tomorrow it'll be done. XD