Jon's P.O.V.

"That went well." Edward grunted, frowning at me. "Why do you insist on acting like an ass?"

"Me? Acting like an ass?" I said, "you're the one who's acting like one."

"This is getting nowhere." Edward growled, standing up. "I'm leaving."

"Running away are you?" I asked lip curling. "What a typical thing of you to do."

I watched in satisfaction as Edward stiffened and turned around. It was so fun baiting him, mainly because it worked every time. Edward may be book smart, but he was awful with everything else. I loved seeing him riled up like this.

"What did you just say?" Edward said slowly turning around.

"I asked if you're running away." I said lazily, knowing that it'd infuriate him more. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

"Of course not." Edward snorted, his eye twitching. "I never back down from a challenge."

"Am I a challenge for you?" I asked standing up and tilting my head.

"In what way do you mean?"

I opened and closed my mouth in surprise. I was not expecting him to say that. It was more suggestive than anything I've heard him say before, but it could've been me reading into it to much.

"Finally speechless Jon? You run your mouth to much. It's nice to see you quiet for once."

"Bastard." I spat, glaring at Edward.

"What a creative insult." Edward said sarcastically. "I would say something in return but I don't engage in mental combat with the unarmed."

Edward met my gaze, held it and I knew exactly what this had become. The problem was that neither of us would be willing to back down easily. I however, wouldn't back give in as easily as Edward would think. I knew from the past that I was more dominate than Edward, he was just too soft. True to what I predicted, Edward slowly slid his gaze from mine and looked away.

"You guys aren't doing your stupid Male Dominance thing again are you?"

I turned my head to see Selina and Ridley walk back in. "I don't know what you mean." I said, tilting my head.

"Sure you don't." Selena said with a snort. "They always do this," she told Ridley. "You leave them alone for two minutes and they go at it."

"Jon's just cranky because he hasn't had his afternoon nap yet." Edward said, smirking.

I was 90% sure that steam was coming out of my ears now. I was frustrated and annoyed by how Edward was acting. He was first mad, than then confused and now he was teasing me. Argh!

"Why don't you go and sleep?" Edward suggested.

Only if it's with you, my mind whispered. My face flared and I quickly looked away.

"Yeah sure, whatever." I grumbled, silently cursing myself. I prided myself with being able to keep my emotions in check and here Edward was, tearing them apart piece by piece. The most infuriating part of it? He wasn't even trying to.

I stomped off, perhaps a bit more childish than necessary, leaving the others in the living room.

Entering my lab and shutting the door, I leaned against it before letting out a sigh and running a hand through my hair. Adjusting my glasses, I ambled over to one of the several tables that were strategically placed around the room. Picking up a vial of Fear Toxin, I rolled in between my fingers thinking.

I needed to further my research and figure out why Ridley didn't have any outward reaction to the Fear Toxin. There were many things that could've been wrong, a wrong measuring of chemicals in the making of it possibly, or something else. I doubted that I measured the chemicals wrong, it was the same formula that I've been using for years now. I'd need to figure out a way to subject Ridley to the Fear Toxin again. Thousands of ideas of how to do that flooded my mind, the only issue was that I knew Edward wouldn't stand for any of it.

Edward seemed unusually fascinated by Ridley and it ticked me off. He was only interested in her because of her past and the huge fuss the press made of her now and again. Once he figured her out he'd dump her and then move on to his next 'Puzzle'. But what if he doesn't? A nasty little voice spoke in the back of my mind. What if he keeps her. Falls in love with her? Then what will you do? You won't be able to touch her then, or get rid of her. Edward would never speak to you again.

"What should I do then?" I asked aloud.

Get rid of her while you still can, the voice urged. It might not be to late.

"But what if it is?" I muttered. "Selina's already taken to her, so is Edward. They'd both be on my case if I tried anything."

Say it's for your research, the voice suggested. It is after all; a perfect excuse.

"You've got a point..." I mused. "But I know Edward wouldn't approve of it."

Who cares what Edward thinks? You don't need his approval to do anything. Take her, and then gas her. Once Edward finds out, it'll be to late for him to do anything.

Of course that was true as well, but then what? He's been ok with most of my research in the past, but if it was Ridley I'd be experimenting on? Who knows what he'd do or how he'd act. It was to dangerous right now to do anything.

I scowled at my conflicting thoughts. I hated this, this second guessing. The actual rethinking of my plans(as in wondering if I should do it), actually being worried about what others would think. I knew I'd never tell anyone about my possible feelings for Edward, though I was pretty sure some suspected them.

"ARGH!" I yelled, slamming the vial of Fear Toxin on the table. The glass shattered under my fingers and I jerked my hand back swearing, "Fuck."

I'd forgotten about how fragile the vials were. I had purposely designed them to be easily breakable so I could just throw them at unsuspecting civilians. Of course those were ones filled with the gaseous form, not the liquid one.

Why had I put the Fear Toxin in the wrong container? The last time I'd filled up was... right before we'd gone out to kidnap Ridley. Edward had come in to my lab to see if I was ready to go and had distracted me by talking. Typical Edward. I could blame his not-so-sorry (and might I add amazingly good looking) ass on all of this. Grrr! I didn't need those types of thoughts going through my head again!

I jumped slightly when I heard someone knock on the door, "Jon, are you ok in there?"

Edwards voice sounded slightly muffled through the wood and my scowl deepened.

"Fine!" I yelled peevishly. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Edward asked.

"Yes!" I said, slamming my hand down on the table for emphasis.

There was a sharp pain in my hand and I realize that I did a very bad, and very stupid thing. I now could officially say that Edward would be the death of me. The door opened just as I pitched sideways and the last thing I saw was Edwards concerned face before I was enveloped in darkness.

Stupid, Idiotic Edward Nygma.