Dave

Saturday, January 18

1:42 AM

I hadn't seen Mindy for two and a half weeks, and the stress was beginning to show on the streets and on me. She was still patrolling, I thought, there was no way she would give that up, and so was I. but not together, and we were stronger together than we were on our own as evidenced by the rebounding crime rates despite my best efforts. The six o'clock news had begun questioning what had happened to us, now that we were no longer seen together. TMZ was cranking out rumor after rumor about what had happened, and throughout it all I had been missing my partner.

I had begun patrolling every night because it gave me something to do other than mope around and think about Mindy, and because it was harder to cover as much ground without her.

I was too hard on her, but whenever I thought about what had happened, I was filled with the same bewildering mix of anger hurt and self-disgust.

Because when she kissed me, I had pinned her to the bed and kissed her back. Kissed her as if she wasn't still mostly a child. Kissed her as though she was the only girl I wanted to kiss.

I should let her go. Because even though before she kissed me I had never even noticed her growing into a woman, now I couldn't get the taste and feel of her from my mind. I couldn't go back, but I had to believe that she could and if I let her go, I knew she would.

But I was out looking for more than criminals tonight.

Luckily for me, I found both; which was hardly surprising due to the loud and rather girly sounds they were making.

I paused at the mouth of the alley for a moment to enjoy the quality of Mindy's abilities. She flew through a group of seven cunts, all of which had two feet and at least a hundred pounds on her, and she barely looked winded.

The sight of her sent a wave of relief and some other emotion I had never felt before through me and I waited it out before jumping in.

She didn't need my help, but I threw myself in anyway to escape the uncomfortable feelings that watching her fight had induced in me. I figured getting knocked around a bit would do me good, and I was right.

The fight was over in seconds and Mindy and I stood over the limp bodies of the cunts and stared at each other, she was untouched but my nose was leaking blood.

The silence grew as we gazed towards each other. The tension stretched like a bowstring between us. I had so many things I wanted to say, but I had lost the ability to talk.

She hadn't. After gaping at me for a moment she scowled tried to kick blood from her shoe. "I don't need you." She muttered, and I knew she wasn't just talking about the Cunts.

"You do," I told her, because I believed she did need me to help her balance between Hit Girl and Mindy.

"Not if you leave I don't." she replied, her chin jutting out.

I had really screwed up by leaving. For her, it must seem like everyone she got close to left her. Her mother, her father, Marcus… how could I have done it too?

Never again. I resolved in my mind. I nodded my head, "You're right, I'm sorry, I was out of line. It wont happen again."

She tilted her head and stared at me as if I were something she had never quite seen before. "See that you don't." she finally replied, swaying a bit from exhaustion now that she no longer had adrenaline pumping through her system. "Lets go home." She abruptly turned and headed for the Mist Mobile.

It was the closest to an apology that I was going to get, and it should have been enough, considering whom she was, but somehow, it wasn't. I let it go, unwilling to fight with her anymore tonight.

The ride back to the safe house was quiet, the only sounds came from outside. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye and found her studiously focusing on the road, which she never did. It was as awkward for her as it was with me.

"Mindy-" I tried as we pulled into the hidden garage in the warehouse.

"Not now, Dave, not tonight." She replied wearily, tugging her wig from her head, letting her honey colored hair spill free. "Lets just sleep."

I nodded, and we were silent again as we changed from our costumes and showered. When I emerged from the hot water I felt better, happy again to have found her and hopeful that we could put all of this awkwardness behind us.

Mindy was already curled up in the bed when entered the sleeping area. I hesitated by the door. A month ago I would have climbed in with her without a thought, but now, I noticed the curl of her hair, and the shape of her lips, which I could still taste against my own, and the belief that everything could go back to normal no longer seemed feasible. Because I was seeing this child in a way that now twenty two year old should see a fifteen year old.

"Just get in, Dave." Mindy sighed, her eyes staying closed. "We are both exhausted and I promise I wont jump you again."

I'm not worried about you jumping me. I thought, but I obeyed her and padded over to the large bed. "Sleep Mindy," I urged, carefully lowering my body to the mattress so our bodies didn't touch.

She mumbled something unintelligible and snuggled down deeper into the blankets. I sighed and tried to relax, grateful for my weeks of exhaustion, which would make falling asleep much easier. Gradually my limbs grew heavy and I began to succumb to sleep wondering how sharing a bed with Mindy could feel so different, but so right as well.