Planet: Earth

Location: Somewhere outside Chicago, Illinois

Time: 15th July 1992

Modo groaned as he came out of the rage-filled haze. He was in a field somewhere, not entirely sure how he ended up there. His head was pounding, and bits and pieces of his memory returned to him. His eyes widened.

"Oh momma… did I really say all that?" he asked no one in particular, perhaps the grazing bovines that surrounded him. He shook his head, groaning. "Momma would skin me alive if she heard that. But why did I even say that in the first place?"

He glanced down at his metal hand, clenching it into a fist.

"Doesn't matter why I said it. The point is I did. And…Vinnie and Throttle may not forgive me for it, but I'm gonna find them and make it up to them…somehow."

"Aww, well ain't that just sweet like honey." Modo frowned and turned towards the new voice, spotting the vaguely familiar figure of Evil Eye Weevil and his Pukes of Hazard. "But the problem is, mouse, you gotta stick around for my first act." He pulled out a handheld mirror, checking out his hair. "Oh yeah, it's gonna knock you out baby. Show him pukes!" Modo grit his teeth as he watched the three. Evil Eye's hostility ray would certain explain what happened to him and the bros. He revved Lil'Hoss engine and tried to flee, intent on calling his bros and warning them, when the full force of a pine tree smacked into his back. He did his best to fight off the encroaching darkness, but ultimately fell to it.

Vinnie rolled to a stop next to Lake Michigan, head pounding for some reason. He ripped his helmet off and tossed it to the ground. He couldn't explain the rage he felt in that moment. He stomped to the edge of the lake, glaring down at his reflection.

"Who do they think they are, saying those things to me? Who needs Throttle and Modo anyway? I'm the baddest mamajama in the universe. I don't—" A glint of light from his left ear made him pause in his rant. He stared at the earring, lifting a hand to toy with it gently.

"Sweetie, I love you, but you can be a bit hot-headed sometimes." Harley smiled as she pulled him down onto the couch. She made him lay his head in her lap and gently carded her fingers over his head. "Now, close your eyes, breathe and count. Slowly."

He shut his eyes, breathing slowly as he recalled the memory. His anger evaporated with each breath. Leaving only the hurt and shock of what had happened.

"Oh man. I messed up." He rushed back to grab his helmet, jumping onto Sweetheart and racing back to the city. Spotting a truck on the street below, he launched off the road and landed on it, hoping to catch a quick ride back to the Garage. "I gotta find Throttle and apologize. Modo too. Harley would kill me if she heard about the things I said."

A metal clamp suddenly grabbed onto Sweetheart's front wheel, while another grabbed onto her back.

"Well, well, well, hey mouse!" Vinnie spun to look towards the driver, shocked to see Evil Eye staring back at him. "Right now I'd say I'm doing Harley's job for her." The back of the truck was suddenly raised higher, and Vinnie looked ahead to see the overpass fast approaching. If he didn't do something fast, he and Sweetheart would be crushed. Thinking quickly, he grabbed two of his flares and flipped off the back of the truck, launching the lit flares towards the shafts of the truck. They snapped, and the truck fell to the side, saving Sweetheart from the overpass just in time.

However, Vinnie hit the road hard, rolling to a stop as the truck crashed. He grunted as he tried to stand.

"I'm…sorry…bros." he murmured, before collapsing.

Charley was getting worried. She still hadn't found any of the bros. She had checked the Scoreboard with no luck. Now she was on her way back to the Garage, the last spot she could think of. It was already past sundown. If she couldn't find them…

A fast series of beeps made her stop. Lady was behind her, emerging from an alleyway between two crumbling buildings close to the garage. She raced back to her, jumping off her bike and throwing her helmet off as she ran into the dark alleyway, following the distressed bike. In the dark corner lay Throttle, and for a moment Charley wasn't sure what was scarier, being in this dark alley, or finding Throttle like this.

"Throttle!" she cried out as she knelt next to him, shaking his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

A groan sounded from the mouse, and Charley sighed with relief as he stirred. His arms were shaking as he began to push himself up. She helped him sit up, noticing his specs had fallen off. His cheeks were tear-stained, and Charley was sure that if he still had natural eyes, they would be blood-red.

"Ugh…my head hurts…" he groaned, sounding almost hungover. "…are your ribs supposed to hurt this much after crying?" Charley let out a weak chuckle as she passed his specs back to him.

"If you cried so hard you passed out? Absolutely." She shifted to sit down next to him. Throttle followed her movement with his head. Charley smiled reassuringly and held out an arm, and the mouse collapsed against her. She leaned her cheek against his head, smoothing her fingers over his hair. She recalled how that actions had briefly calmed him after his nightmare a week prior. "Probably a dumb question, but…are you alright, Throttle?"

"…I should be the one asking you that." Was his response. He moved back slowly to look at her, face filled with guilt and remorse. "Charlene, I am so sorry. I don't know what happened. One minute everything was fine and then…the bros and I…we had words. And I let that anger out on you and… I sound like I'm just giving excuses here." He sounded so defeated. Charley hated seeing him like this.

"Throttle, it's ok. I know you didn't mean any of it." She knelt next to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know you bros would never fight like that. After you left, I spotted someone. Limburger's imported a new villain called Evil Eye."

"Evil Eye Weevil?" Immediately, the mouse perked up in shock.

"You've heard of him?"

"Yeah. He had a stunt show on Mars for a while. He's also got a hostility ray." He paused after adding that, looking like he had just solved a puzzle. "Oh yeah, that would explain a whole lot." He murmured to himself. He pushed himself back onto his feet, stumbling a little as he grabbed his helmet and headed for Lady. "Head back to the Garage and hold the fort, Charlene. I gotta ride." Charley grabbed her helmet and raced after him.

"I'll go with you."

"No!" Throttle spun around and glared at her, making her freeze in her tracks. Throttle flinched and shook his head, looking ashamed. He set his helmet down on Lady before approaching her. He hesitated for a moment before pulling her into a hug. She could feel him trembling and hugged him back. "Believe me, Charley. I appreciate that." He whispered in her ear, before pulling back to look her in the eye. "But this is between me and the guys." He let her go, and headed back for his bike, putting his helmet on. Charley bit her lip and approached him.

"Throttle?" he turned to her; brow raised. "I know that something about me scares you… and I don't know what that is. But I'm letting you know that I won't push you on it. You can come and talk to me, whenever you're ready." Throttle inhaled sharply at her words, but after a few moments, he held out a hand to her. Charley reached out and gave his hand a squeeze, and Throttle nodded gratefully. After a few moments, he let go, and Charley watched him race off to save his bros.

Returning to the Scoreboard after being rescued and taking care of Limburger tower, Vinnie felt like he was going to crumple under the shame and silence that floated between them. Modo looked much the same, but Throttle? He couldn't figure out what his bros was thinking, it certainly didn't help that his bro hadn't faced them once since the tower. He shared a look with Modo as they entered the Scoreboard. He took a deep breath.

"Throttle." His bro paused when he called out, but didn't turn around. Vinnie winced at that, but continued. "I'm…really sorry. For everything. You were right, I had no right to tell Charley about your mom. That should have been your decision to make. And…what I said while under the hostility ray…it was cruel and definitely not true, at all. Charley was…she brought out the best in all of us, but you were always our leader, no questions asked." He waited for his bro to say something, but he didn't react. Modo stepped forward.

"I'm sorry too. Both of you. If my momma had heard what I said…I'm pretty sure she would have thrown me to the Saberquids. And I stand by what Vinnie said. Charley may have been the person that brought out our best, but you're the mouse that saved our buts in battle more times than I can count." Modo paused there, and Vinnie once again looked over at Throttle, who still hadn't said anything.

He glanced down at his bro's hands, which had started trembling. His shoulders began shaking next, and Vinnie heard Throttle gasp as a sob escaped him. Vinnie and Modo shared a frightened look and raced to their bro. When they faced him, Vinnie's heart twisted at the sight of his bro's face, twisted in pain and sorrow. Throttle's legs gave out and Vinnie and Modo caught him, lowering him to the ground slowly. Throttle let out anguished sobs, the kind Vinnie hadn't heard for 7 years. He felt his own tears stinging his eyes, and one glance at Modo revealed the big guy was already weeping.

"I-I-I'm so sorry..." Throttle could barely get the words out with how hard he was sobbing. "I-I didn't mean… any of what I said." Vinnie pulled his bro into a tight hug, Modo wrapping his arms around the both of them. Throttle struggled for his next words. "Some days…I can't t-take it. I see her and…it hurts. It hurts so much."

"I know… I know it hurts." Vinnie pulled away a little, in order to see his bro's face. "But, we're here for you. And we'll get through this. All of us. Together." He reassured his friend. Throttle's face crumpled again and Vinnie gathered him back in another hug. "We'll figure it out. Together."

He felt Throttle hands curl into his fur, and he prayed he was right.

Side note, I have had a crying session as bad as the one Throttle had (can't remember why though, my mind has blocked that part out) and it genuinely sucked. I figured my boy was due for such a crying session after repressing his feelings for 7 years.

Please Review!