Disclaimer: I don't own The MBS

Chapter 7 (Reynie's POV)

The stars were out and shining brightly when I caught sight of Sticky sitting on his parent's house porch. He swung on the loveseat absentmindedly pushing off with his feet. It reminded me of years ago right after I'd returned to Stonetown after my apprenticeship abroad. We'd sat there together while I silently mulled over my own likelihood of acquiring a broken heart. It seemed so long ago and even harder to believe that I was about the relive the scene on the very evening of my own wedding anniversary.

If anything I wanted to give that hope in the impossible to Sticky. To comfort him with the lessons my own life had taught me, but I was afraid it was Constance that needed that hope right now. If any hearts were to be broken I feared it would be Sticky breaking them. A friend hurting a friend… It was a torture worse than anything we'd endured at the hands of evil. Because even though Kate would hated to hurt me, what would have happened if she hadn't returned my feelings…?

When I took my first few steps onto the porch I thought I should have said something to announce my presence, but I felt the lump in my throat stopping me. So instead I simply walked over and gently sat down next to him. Now the scene was perfectly set to mirror all those years ago. Those years ago when he'd sincerely asked me why Constance treated him the way she did. That night I'd decided that the timing wasn't right, that her secret needed more time before being revealed. I didn't feel like it was my place to decide, but it had been forced on me so I did what I thought was best. But now… Now that secret seemed already revealed without my intervention.

"Sticky…?" I finally said finding my voice.

His head slowly turned to gaze at me and I could see in his eyes that the full weight of that secret, her secret, was bearing down on him.

"Reynie…" He mumbled in a low weary tone.

"Kate went to talk to her, to make sure she's alright." I said simply, knowing that his first worry would be for Constance.

His face lifted slightly as he nodded. "I'm glad…"

But it ended there and both our voices trailed off into the stillness of the night. My eyes drifted up to Constance's bedroom window that was burning into the distance. It had been about a week after we became engaged when Kate finally told me exactly how it had happened. How Constance had told her about my feelings. I remembered the guilty look Kate gave me when she apologized for needing time to sort everything out. I didn't want to admit that the uncertain wait had been agonizing because I knew it was Kate's right to need time. I knew this was mostly the same. So staring up at that window I felt my heart ache with empathy for everything I knew Constance was feeling now. But how had he found out? They hadn't said anything during the dance... Had they?

"What happened...exactly?" I asked cautiously hoping Sticky wouldn't think I was prying.

He rubbed a hand over his smooth scalp before heaving a heavy sigh. "She…" He tightened his lips and narrowed his eyes before collecting himself and speaking freely. "She tried to read my thoughts, but her emotions pushed through to me instead of just mine to her…" He straightened his glasses nervously. "Or at least that's what I think happened anyway."

"I see." I said gently before giving the swing another slow push off with my feet.

"I…" Seeing his face flushing slightly I looked away, I was hoping it would make what he had to say at least a little easier. "I think she has feelings for me Reynie…"

I balled my first and rested my chin on it as I kept staring out at those stars. I wasn't sure what my next word should have been. Was it too soon to simply ask if he felt the same? Was it even my place…? Closing my eyes I felt a frown spread across my face as all the old buried fears I'd felt about Kate returning my feelings resurfaced.

"I just can't believe it." Sticky said, his voice almost sounding a little panicked. "After all the years of figuring we were hardly friends!"

I snapped open my eyes and turned to him as a worry flared in my chest. "You didn't think you were friends?"

He frowned. "You know what I mean Reynie, I care about her, but I never thought I was anyone she did more than tolerate."

I felt my shoulders slump a little, at least relieved that he did at least feel friendship toward her. But what shocked me the most was when a slight smile formed at my lips. "She's always cared about you."

It seemed so obvious to me, and probably to everyone else, but it was just like Sticky to be the last to notice it. Maybe that was why I smiled because I knew them both so well.

He plucked his glasses frown his face and started embracing the old habit of cleaning them as a source of comfort. "Well that's news to me." He said with a tone that mingled with frustration and anger. "Did she ever consider just telling me? I mean maybe instead of going out of her way to try and make me think she hated me?"

I wasn't sure what to say to that. I wasn't sure myself why Constance acted the way she did toward Sticky, but I guessed it had something to do with fear. So I opened my mouth as those guesses turned into a string of thoughts that like puzzle pieces started to fit together.

"Only she could completely answer that but... But she was just a kid when we all first met. So much younger than the rest of us that it might have really been the hardest on her. I think she...I think she got used to things how they were between you two. I think when her feelings changed she was probably too afraid to change her action with them."

Sticky's face softened a little as the anger melted somewhat. "Why is she afraid of me?"

I focused on his eyes as I spoke from so much experience. "Because she didn't want to be hurt. Whether or not you would have wanted to, you could have hurt her very badly."

"By not feeling the same…?" He asked slowly as he looked down.

Following his line of sight I nodded even though he wasn't looking at me. "Yes…"

Every second that the silence lingered I thought about Constance sitting somewhere feeling everything I had once. I closed my eyes wishing the emotions weren't still so real. So real for me even after all these years. Truthfully loving Kate in secret had become so much a part of me that it still felt unbelievable sometimes... Unbelievable when I saw Amy look up at me with her mother's eyes. And...and most of all it was unbelievable because so much of our daughter looked just like...well me.

"I don't want to hurt her Reynie." He said suddenly breaking me from my thoughts. "But I don't know what to feel. I…" He held his forehead with the heel of his hand. "I've just never thought about her that way before…"

I wanted to tell him that neither had Kate about me, but I didn't want to pressure him. If he could care that way about Constance he'd need time and his own space to find it. "It's not just about hurting her," I said gently. "It's about what's best for you too, Constance cares about your feelings unselfishly also you know."

He nodded. "Right I know, I… I just need time to think, to figure this out…"

I could see the glint in his eyes that was the same look he gave to a game of chess. I smiled again. I smiled because I knew that soon he'd realize this mystery had little to do with intellect. And everything to do with things that reason held little sway over. Reason could guide you, and it certainly should, but there would come a point where something far more wondrous would have to intercede.

Standing I took a few steps away from Sticky before I looked back at him. "Regardless, we're still together." I looked down as my mind trailed back much farther in time. It was a memory of a strong willed little girl with blue eyes that reflected nothing but stubborn confidence.

"We are the Mysterious Benedict Society after all…"

I watched as Sticky stared at me and yet far past me. Past me as a weak smile slowly rose to his face.

I thought he remembered too...

Sorry for the slightly late update, I was sick this last week. Anyway hope everyone enjoyed, stick around for the next chapter! :)