High in the observation booth, Jake was stuck in indecision. He'd been keeping a careful eye on Fred, never losing sight of his leader. And then, there had been the flash, she'd thrown up her weapon.
Was that the signal? Fred hadn't said anything about a knife; he was supposed to wait until Angel was below the cage.
Jake's fists clenched. Yes, that was what he'd been ordered. But orders were for grunts, lowly soldiers. Could… could Fred be sending him a message? That he was more than just a soldier, more than that… to her?
Yes! Mike was dancing with the enemy right now, which must be part of the plan! It was a trap for Angel, and he was part of it!
Without another glance out the window, Jake raised his fist high over the button. I won't let you down, my Winifred, he vowed. A hammer of righteous authority, Jake the avenger's fist came thundering down.
Harry had to sprint for what seemed like ages-dodging around NPC's, stumbling through dark hallways-before he managed to catch up to Julie. She had fled outside to the courtyard overlooking the fields. Starlight flickered down on them as he ran up, gasping.
"This isn't anywhere near backstage," Harry noted as he drew up beside her. Julie jumped a foot as she saw him, her face going pale.
"AHHHH- I mean, oh, Harry. Fancy seeing you again. Uh, I'll see you later; I need to go, uh, check my horoscope! I forgot this morning, you see, and it's vital I know what my daily plan is, else I'll make a mess of everything, and, and…"
Harry frowned. Julie was fidgeting like a jackhammer, his vision wouldn't even focus. "Julie, what's wrong? Did I say something mean? I mean like, especially mean."
Julie's jitters eventually smoothed. "No! No, you weren't mean. In fact, you were very kind, so kind that… well, I got scared."
Harry did not compute. He drew a hand through his hair. "…Huh? I'm sorry, but you've lost me."
Julie swallowed. "I'm sorry. I'm just… not accustomed to people being so close me. I haven't had someone act so close with me, since my mom… And, I'm just not used to it, you know?"
The cool air pricked against Harry's shocked face as he shuffled his feet against the cold stone ground. "Oh… I guess I do know what you mean." Girls usually made no sense to him. It was like dancing on quicksand. But… in fact, he did know what she meant. No one wanted to become close to a druggie. He knew what loneliness felt like.
Harry smiled awkwardly at Julie's familiar figure. And I'm going to stop it, he thought. I'm going to do the Battlefront some good, even if… Even if it means that she…
"Julie," he spoke suddenly. "You told me that what you wanted more than anything else when you were alive was to get married. Right?"
Julie glared at him suspiciously. "That's right… what of it? You gunna laugh at me?"
Harry set his heels firmly against the stone. "Julie Oakland. I'd like you to know that I would marry you."
Julie's dress shifted in the breeze. She stumbled back a step, then surged forward, eyes narrowed. "Very funny. You're a regular comedian."
Squaring his shoulders, Harry the goofball met Julie's gaze. "I would. If we were both alive again, I would find you, and I would romance you, and if you'd have me, I'd marry you."
Julie blinked. "Well… well, you'd have tough luck ever finding me. I'm paralyzed, remember? I never leave my room! Assuming we're even on the same continent, which is unlikely, you'd… well you'd somehow have to randomly end up in my room to even meet me!" She set her hands on her hips. "How do you explain that?"
"Well, uh… Baseball! I have my baseball, remember?" Harry sallied. "One day, me and my friends would be playing. I'd hit a crazy pop fly, and the ball would soar out of the field, and smash right through your window.
"I'd be horrified. I'd trudge through the streets, searching for the right house. When I finally find it, I knock. Your mom answers the door, and suddenly, I'm not worried anymore. She smiles, and asks me to come inside. She says she's not angry about the window, and offers me lemonade-"
"Pink lemonade," Julie interrupted, voice small. "It was always pink."
"-and offers me pink lemonade. Then, still apologizing like the klutz I am, I go into the side room to get my ball.
"Your eyes widen as I enter; you're surprised to see someone else. Especially someone as sweaty and dusty as I am. I apologize again, now I feel like a royal jerk. I look around, but I can't find my ball. I clean up the glass, and then notice that Scooby Doo is on.
"Standing by the window, I watch for a bit. I love Scooby Do, and we start to talk as we watch Shaggy make a sandwich the size of a baseball bat. I, I get really into the conversation, because you're really fun to talk to. I start to laugh.. You, me and your mom just hang out and talk for a while-your mom had this wicked sense of humor, which must be where you got yours from. Eventually, you spot my ball, lying under the dresser. I pick it up, and drop in my pocket.
"After a while, I drag myself out the door. But not before I promise to come back tomorrow, with Ferris Beuler's Day off, because you haven't seen it, and it's really good, and I'm sure you'd love it, and I want to watch it with you.
Harry punched Julie's shoulder lightly. "So, I'd come back the next day, and the day after that. You would joke that I've finally found a friend who can't run away. But, I'm actually just happy I've found someone who really gets me.
"My whole life, I never knew anyone I could really connect to. Someone I could love. No stupid paralysis would matter. I don't care that you couldn't walk, couldn't stand, couldn't have kids. I could help out your mom, run errands, do laundry, feed you, whatever needed to be done. And eventually, I'll realize that I simply couldn't see myself without you. And I'd ask to marry you.
Julie gazed back at him. "You… you're serious?"
Harry nodded firmly. "Yes. Julie, you're the one I'd want to spend my life with."
They stood together at the foot of the night sky. For once, no taunt came from Julie, no punch, no insults, no words. She stood at his side. Harry realized she was shivering.
"Hey, you're cold," Harry pointed out awkwardly. He turned to her. "May I have one more dance, Mrs. Rock star?"
A laugh burst from Julie. Turning, she clung to Harry like an anchor. They began to spin to a beat only their ears could hear.
"Harry… please help me to understand," Julie whispered. "Why do you do this for me? Why are you giving me so much, without getting anything back? Why would you care?"
"For the same reason your mother took care of you all those years. She loved you, you know."
Julie leaned close to him, he could feel her cheek brush his neck.
" All my life, I've searched for worth. Your mom and I, we don't need any reward, because knowing you is all we need. Loving you, Is what gives my life worth."
The night wind picked up, sweeping across the courtyard. Leaves tumbled past, as the dark shapes of trees shifted and swayed.
Harry continued the dance for several more steps. Then, he brought his empty arms back to his sides. His entire body began to shake.
For a minute, Harry stood alone. But soon, all the rest of his strength was gone, and he collapsed to his knees.
Over the roar of the crowd, a crack echoed. Emily straightened up, her luminous eyes snapping to the ceiling. A rain of dust trickled down from above, onto the oblivious crowd.
"The cage is about to fall," Emily spoke, eyes flashing. "And there are people beneath it. They will be harmed." And then, before Mike could react, she was gone.
People blinked past him as he ran after her. Up ahead, he could see his friends dancing: Richie, TK, and Emmanuel all laughing, bouncing off each other. Over their heads, he saw the first gleam of plummeting metal.
Emily appeared out of nowhere. Her form flew forward, and the stunned threesome were sent spinning away. The steel cage fell towards her like a gawping maw, clamping down…
No, damn it! Why was she faster than him! He couldn't let this happen, if Fred caught Emily, imprisoned her… he wouldn't allow it. But, he didn't have time-
Emily turned toward him as he stumbled forward. She cried out in surprise as his reaching hands pushed her away, and the metal teeth crashed down.
SHCLIZE
For several moments, the dance rolled on. But quickly, a tremor of shock stole through the room, as more and more noticed what had occurred. The music blinked off.
Unsteadily, TK, Richie, and Emmanuel got to their feet. Beside them, Emily sat up.
TK walked forward, and gingerly tapped Mike's motionless figure. TK eyed the steel beam that ran through Mike's chest. "Hello, hello. We're at a place called Vertigo," he whistled.
"What's going on?" an NPC shouted. "Why is there a metal box on the dance floor?"
"And... is that dude in it, or out of it? I really can't tell," another added.
Hannah sprang up on the beverage table, sending the punch glasses flying. Her blades flashed into the open, pointed directly at Emily. "What have you done to him?" she hissed, her low voice carrying like a bomb detonation.
The speakers creaked. "Everyone, you may calm down," a strong voice echoed. On stage, Fred smiled into the microphone. "Everything's under control."
Fred set the Tormentor down beside her, and grinned out at them. At long last, we have control.