Chapter 12: Let's Dance

The next morning…Thursday: Mayor's Office, 9:34 AM

The mayor rubbed his wrist anxiously as Marlowe peered into his screen. She lowered her glasses and looked through the lens again. It weren't as if the screen had changed in the last few seconds…

"Mayor Cody, you're not even halfway through these budget line reviews," Marlowe sighed as she shook her head. "And these are due next week!"

"I know, Maisie, I know - more proactive, less reactive. But we've still got plenty o' time…"

"Mayor, if I may?" Marlowe sighed as she stepped away from his computer screen, lips pursed.

"Not if this is gonna be another lecture. I already did it for you!" Cody tried his hardest not to pout - failing miserably so. It never worked on her, anyway.

"All I'm saying is that lately, you've been a bit…" there was no other way she could put this. "Distracted."

"Wait for it…"

"…since Jessica's been back in town."

"Had a hunch you'd say that," the blond grumbled, and figured dropping defense was his best bet here. He let out a sharp sigh as he shrugged his shoulders. "Okay - ya got me. We're just…catchin' up, is all."

"At the expense of your responsibilities? Might I remind you…"

"…that everyone's lives are impacted by both my professional and personal decisions, so I should apply your advice more intentionally. Yes, I know, Miss Marlowe."

"All right, then," she folded her arms, grateful that he saved some of her breath. "You don't have to go it alone to do your job, you know - lest the media tries to hold that against you, too. If you're having trouble balancing your rekindling romance alongside your additional duties, you shouldn't be afraid to ask for help."

Cody always did feel like he had to do everything on his own. Asking for assistance was hardly his MO. Haggar always thought he knew what was best for him like he didn't make it this far…

"Romance, really?" Cody rolled his eyes with a dry laugh, unable to suppress his reddening face. "If that's what they wanna call it." So they went to the gym together - the mayor was always at the gym! As for his apartment, he only invited Jessica over for an innocent respite to get out of the unprecedented inclement weather. The strange weather was all the more reason to push his climate change initiative (snow in September simply wasn't normal). And last night, he and his longtime friends decided to blow off some steam at the bowling alley like any other citizen was entitled to. No ruckus was caused, and the group managed to maintain their privacy.

Was the mayor not allowed to have fun in his position? It almost felt like reintroducing the punishment-by-fist policy was less offensive…

Marlowe unfolded her arms, taking a second to wordlessly lower her spectacles in his direction.

"…What is it now, Miss Marlowe?"

"Mayor…even a shut-in could see what's going on between you two," she sighed before a small smile emerged. "You got her to stay in town, didn't you?"

Cody had to hide his surprise through a carefully timed sip of his water.

"Maybe I did, and maybe I didn't…is that what the tabloids are drillin' into folks' heads now?" the mayor scoffed, waving the whole situation off. He didn't understand what the big deal was.

"No tabloids involved here, thankfully," Marlowe crossed her arms again, tilting her head. "It's just that when Jessica and I met up, my understanding was that she was all set to go back to France since last weekend. We went to undergrad together, remember?"

Cody swung his legs over his desk to lean back in his chair, genuinely impressed. Marlowe truly did see all.

"Ah…that's right," he rubbed the back of his head. "But, c'mon now, Maisie - you know the papers exaggerate for their benefit. Ain't my life my own? It's not like I'm hurtin' anyone. Who cares?" It was an amusing concept, the sheer amount of power the media had over people - what did anyone know, really? He just wanted to catch a break.

"Aside from the papers, there's radio, television, social media …"

The inevitable sigh. "All right, I get it, I get it."

"Now, I'm not saying you're wrong here, but I also know you were in this very office on Saturday."

"Thanks for the cover, Alberto…" Cody grumbled to himself.

"Don't you get Mr. Alberto involved with your shenanigans!"

Dealing with his sudden popularity after saving Metro City as a young man back in the day was one thing, but dealing with it as an adult public official who was sworn into the role was on a whole different level. His work was the public. While he knew that privacy was out of the question, he simply didn't care.

However, Cody was starting to understand exactly why politics were as dangerous a world as any other…being under the microscope every waking moment while having to enact policy for the betterment of loved ones and enemies could really change people.

For better or worse? Who knew. Mike seemed to navigate it well over the last decade, all things considered…if anything, it probably made the retired wrestler slightly more of a hardass, but Cody figured that came with age. He certainly didn't want to go in that direction - he was a free spirit, damn it. The mayor refused to fall to the dark side of the reality of his position…much like his predecessor.

"All right, all right, Maisie," he sighed before sitting back up on his desk. "Don't you worry - the budget reviews will be on track. Just trust me! Know that I'm doin' nothin' but my best here."

"I do trust you, but…all I'm asking is for you to be careful, Mayor Cody," Marlowe's skeptical expression relaxed with concern. "I know you're capable, so you'll never need to prove yourself to me. Please - and I'm demanding this nicely - don't forget that I'm here to assist you."

"Thanks, Miss Marlowe," Cody sighed, shoulders slumping. He shook off the chill that bounced off the reflection of her lenses. "Guess I'm used to doin' things on my own, is all."

"Hey. I'm rooting for your happiness here," Marlowe reassured him. "Just keep in mind that this saccharine take is exactly the sort of thing that your opposition would kill to weaponize by questioning your competence and judgment. Never let 'em see you sweat. Don't let them get to you."

"All the more reason for them to mind their own damn business. I've always been careful not to mix work and pleasure." For the most part…he thought.

"Yet, somehow, despite that…it doesn't shy anyone away from fighting for joy. Love's a fairly common reason why anyone does what they do, no?" Marlowe mused with a sort of warmth that rarely surfaced between office walls. "At the very least, you could let me know what you're both wearing to tomorrow night's fundraiser."

"Good grief, Maisie…"


A few hours later, lunchtime…the path to Downtown, 12:30 PM

The mayor needed to clear his head and decided to grab a bite by his favorite street meat cart closer to downtown as a treat for surviving the week. If he walked with enough purpose, citizens would know not to stop him for too long. Marlowe always gave him something to meditate on during his walks (or his 'prowls of the territory' as she'd call them), and the sentiment mildly reminded him of his more youthful training days with Guy.

Seemed like life was chock full of lessons…if you were willing to seek them. There was always something to consider in the thousands of decisions he'd have to make weekly, so the walk was always worth it. It certainly beat staring at a screen of numbers all day.

Despite that, it was fascinating to him how all those numbers were allocated directly impacted the city. If construction workers didn't receive an increase in their salary, Metro City wouldn't be rebuilt as safely as it possibly could be. That hardly scratched the surface of the domino effect of his decision-making. Everything simply affected everything.

Deciding an entire city's priorities was exhausting enough as it is…but it had always been worth it. When his constituents would come up and thank him for his service, it felt…right.

Still, Cody couldn't quite figure out just what had been nagging at him until he saw a familiar flash of pink adorning a certain someone down the end of the sidewalk. It hit him suddenly that he hadn't connected with her as he intended since his whirlwind of a week.

Time to set the record straight, he thought as he beelined toward her unsuspecting direction.

He approached her so quickly, so forcefully, Poison thought the wind nearly knocked her down.

"If you wanna keep your—uh, hi there?" She was caught off-guard, suddenly graced with his scowling, hulking figure. Shouldn't this guy have been at City Hall doing his mayor things?

"Hey," he started, unable to shield his simmering agitation. "We need to talk. What in the hell did you tell Jessica about us all those years ago before I got moved to prison?"

"Nice to see you, too!" Poison was taken aback by his left-field inquiry, clutching a canvas tote bag to her chest. Its nautical print design was hardly in-tune with her style. It rattled with what sounded like tinny metal. She was not pleased with this unsolicited intrusion and made it known with a scalding glower that rivaled his own.

He could be such a brute - he knew better than to ever take a tone with her. She sighed as he showed zero sign of backing down. Might as well begrudgingly indulge him. "Aggro, much?"

"Poison. I'm not kidding. You can't blame me for feelin' a little salty about it," Cody said through gritted teeth. He motioned toward an alley around the corner to maintain some semblance of privacy. He knew that most of his lunch break was likely going to be lost to this, but he had been compelled to sort this out, much to Poison's chagrin. His rumbling stomach only fueled his agitation. "She hated my guts for almost ten years 'cause of your lies. I have half a mind to fight you right now."

"Cool down there, killer…" she rolled her eyes, hardly intimidated by his imposing stature. She knew he was nothing but mush underneath it all. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

They both knew that fighting wasn't the only reason he broke out of prison as regularly as he did when he did. He scoffed as he looked away, letting out a deeply annoyed sigh.

"Poison…let's cut to the chase, here. I just wanna know why you'd go puttin' ideas in her head like that. You could've at least warned me considerin' how much time we spent together…"

"So I forgot …sue me," she bit her lip. She really had, but she refused to be guilted for it. It had been just one of many chess moves on her life map. She got her checkmate a long time ago, and didn't have a penchant for looking back. "I don't need to explain myself to you, of all people."

Cody sighed with what seemed like exaggerated exasperation as he ran his hand through his already in-place hair. "So you know exactly what I'm talkin' 'bout, then," he narrowed his eyes, adjusting his necktie. "You're lucky I don't hold grudges for long. That was pretty foul, Poison."

"All right, Captain Morality," she chided, wondering what hellish curse blessed her with the fortune of having to deal with two volatile blondes in a single week. "Not my fault you wanna talk about the soft stuff now. I'm not the one who kept breaking parole like an idiot. Maybe you deserved it."

Cody didn't like how much that stung.

"Whatever. Just don't think of antagonizin' Jessica like that again and we'll be alright."

Ugh.

"Huh. It always had been so fascinating to me how quick you are to come to her rescue - as if I'm some sort of threat," Poison pouted, hands on her hips as she shifted her bag behind her. She was almost disappointed in how quickly he folded, so much so that he ended up on the news. During his hard-boiled stints in prison, he swore up and down that nothing could budge his soul. So much for the long-standing lone-wolf act. "I can tell you're right back where you started - hasn't even been a week! I heard the rumors, but I guess it's true. Otherwise, you wouldn't be harassing me."

"What's it to you?"

"You're the one who came here picking a fight!" she huffed with frustration. He was impossible. She was minding her business, having a fabulous day - like hell he was going to ruin it with painful memories. "I'm far too busy right now for your mess these days, mayor. Don't you have better things to do other than try and seek retribution or whatever it is that'll make you feel better about yourself? Or is it that…you just can't decide who you wanna annoy for the rest of your life?"

"Neither. Way to assume the worst of me…" Cody rested his hands on his hips with a sigh before folding his arms. "I just wanna understand what the hell was goin' through your head then. 'Sides, last I checked…there were no strings when it came to us."

"And there goes the peoples' poster boy," she groaned, contempt settling a bit too comfortably in her frown. Weaponizing emotion somehow scarred deeper than any human soul deserved to endure. He took her far too long to overcome. No one put Poison in a corner. "In case you forgot, you're the one who kept askin' me to come back, Mr. No Strings."

"Poison," he started with a not-so-subtle undertone of derision. "Your number one rule was to not get attached. So why're ya actin' all sore like it meant something more?"

"You're such a brute!" she retorted with a knee-jerk yelp, immediately regretting letting herself feel. She didn't want to remember how she felt at the time. How merciless and delicate the psyche could be - but most of all, how dare he. "What if it did?"

For a second there, she swore she saw a hint of genuine shock behind his eyes.

"…Did it?"

Poison was kicking herself for letting the answer show on her face, albeit briefly. Surely he couldn't be serious…or that knuckleheaded. She was supposed to be the unbothered, impenetrable one.

"Who cares," she sneered as Cody's brief flash of surprise seemed to relax into relief and mild confusion. "What I loathed the most about us…was that every time we were together…we'd always be on the verge about talkin' about some deep, real shit - then you'd just get so cold, like a damn switch," she poked at his shoulder. "As if you liked being left to your thoughts. I'll give it to ya, though - almost got me thinking I was the clingy one. Surprise, surprise - I'm only human."

"You act like I didn't appreciate us." He was back. Expression was masterfully icy. He had ten years of practice, after all.

"Just like that - lights, camera, action," she scoffed at his twitch, as delightful as it was.

"C'mon…I said I was sorry."

It still hurt both ways. Why couldn't she help herself? He was insufferable, but he picked the wrong one today.

Putting one's heart on the line just made it that much easier for it to be broken. There just wasn't enough time these days to stick around and pick up the pieces. Moving on was the way to go.

"This indignant charade of yours simply reminds me that I dodged a bullet, is all," she sighed wistfully. "You only come to life when you fight, anyway. You're wasting your time behind that desk. I'll bet my bottom dollar you're ambushin' me now 'cause you miss the reminders of what it's like to really be alive."

"I'm not puttin' up a front, Poison," he grumbled. Could have fooled her. She crossed her arms, drumming her fingers with annoyance against her smooth, bare skin. The cold never bothered her anyway. The bag she was holding swung and rattled with the movement. Cody sighed as his irritation crawled down his spine. "Why are you doin' this to me? I thought we were good."

Fool me twice…

They were referring to a particularly defenseless time in both of their lives, during the latter half of his incarceration. They both might have been a bit vulnerable, experiencing heightened, unchallenged libidos when everything around them had been steadily falling apart with less and less to lose. The days flew by…and finding comfort in each other had been effortless once he (finally) let his guard down.

The convenience and coincidence of being in the right place at the right time when yet another disappointment made a tally on their respective lives…just happened to happen more than a couple of times.

Poison always got what she wanted, after all…except in the rare moments where she didn't know what she wanted. Somehow, he managed to cross her wires in a way that made her want to lose control - and she could not let that be.

No way anyone who made you feel like that could be good for you, even if the sentiment of relinquishing control - if only for a little bit - had been both liberating and life-changing.

Before she could figure it out, she never saw him again - until he caught her almost a year later, suddenly exonerated and deciding to run for mayor of all things.

That wasn't…part of the plan.

"I'll give you this much - you're good at pretending you actually give a damn," the pink-tressed vixen tutted. "Maybe I was wrong. Politics suits you." Watching him squirm had always been worth it, especially after the stunts he pulled. He hated giving her the satisfaction.

"…Wouldn't be here if I didn't, actually."

The way his serious blues peered into hers…he was obstinate and refused to break. Poison let out the most audible exhale in a feeble attempt to expel her disdain - her throat tightened regardless. It still felt like pulling teeth with this one, unfortunately…

It never should have been this much work.

"I just thought…you were such a sad sack. Choosing to remain in prison over having love was just…so weird to me."

"You know that's not how it was."

"Then how was it, big shot?" she snapped, surprised at the sensation that welled up in her throat. "That you were willing to stay until you rot? Willing to give up happiness, the one thing anyone could ever want - for what? To become some kinda martyr? You couldn't be further from a saint. I honestly couldn't blame Jessica for a second there."

She plucked yet another nerve.

"I love the rush of fighting and even though that scared her, she still trusted me," Cody said heatedly, amid his own revelation. "Realizin' that years of everythin' we'd built up…all to be knocked down under the very pressure we fought against hurt like hell. I'll always fight…and I made a choice for the both of us I was willing to live with if it meant she'd be free to live on her own terms. She'd already been through enough yet still taught me how to love while she was at it - she just…trusted me until she didn't."

Poison hadn't realized she was gripping her bag's handles until she let her fist relax. Trust hadn't been something that could ever go back to its purest form with her. Once it was broken…it became like a crumpled piece of paper, where no matter how hard you tried to flatten the creases to attempt to return it to its former, pristine glory…all the reminders of the damage would still be there.

"I shoulda started chargin' you for these therapy sessions a long time ago," Poison quipped. "You sure like to confide in someone you consider…untrustworthy."

"I was just answerin' your damn question," he looked away, clicking his teeth. "What's with you twistin' my words?"

"I'm just sayin'," she shrugged nonchalantly, knowing her feigned apathy would get on his nerves. They could never seem to talk about each other without her coming up every single time. "You weren't always this mean, you know. I get it, okay? You were willing to die for her, for goodness' sake. Don't understand why you bothered with me in the first place when you knew damn well you couldn't live without her - it's not like you don't do what you want, anyway."

"Pot, meet kettle…"

"But…you always did love love her like that, huh?" the beauty sighed with resignation. Cody's hardened gaze relaxed at the drop of a hat, eyes lowered.

"I'll…I'll love her forever."

"Such a softie," Poison drawled with a pained smile before bopping him on the forehead with her knuckle a lot less gently than she could have. "And a knucklehead. We understood that tomorrow's not promised and forever was a fantasy. You're the one who kissed me on the mouth. I wasn't gonna keep punishing myself just because you had abandonment issues."

"Heat of the moment," he strained, rubbing between his eyebrows.

"Tomato, potato. So she knows?"

"We're honest with one another."

"So sweet."

The intensity of their glares seemed to have dropped the temperature around them.

"Just…play nice with Jessica. If not for her, for me. We're figurin' it all out. No one deserves to carry any of this crap. I could easily bring up all the heinous shit you've done - but I don't now, do I?" Cody declared coldly, somewhat realizing his irony.

"You are funny," Poison retorted bitterly. How thoughtful of the walking contradiction. It weren't as if she wanted Jessica to be kidnapped in the first place. It was just…how things worked back then.

He and Roxy were the only two people alive that knew why she left LA.

It was also a large part of why she never wanted to work for anyone but herself. Her ambition didn't need to be thwarted by anyone, especially not an oblivious, self-serving man.

It was okay. What they had…hadn't been sustainable with him being in and out all the time. It had been his loss and her gain after all.

"…I also know how you protected Jessica durin' everythin' that went down all those years ago. She told me what really happened back there," he said as he raised a brow, eyes drawn to her oddly clunky bag. Before he could ask about it, the sound of a mewling cry closed in from the distance and a stray kitten headed straight for Poison, rubbing itself affectionately around her ankles. "You're not nearly as mean as you pretend to be."

"Doesn't matter," she blushed at his smirk, scooping up the purring kitten into her free arm. Stupid universe, always in his favor. "Sometimes shit's so 'heinous' it's unforgivable."

"She'll get over it."

"So you can have your cake and eat it, too?"

"Twistin' my words as usual, I see…"

"Spare me - this just reminds me exactly why we wouldn't have worked out, you sour patch kid," she said with a wry smile. "The only relationship between us will be your future career in the HWA. Just don't back down on your word. You owe me - perhaps, you can get one over on ol' Mike there who I'm sure is chompin' at the bit for his glory days."

"No sweat - 'cause no strings, remember?" he tilted his head, that ridiculous grin of his finally breaking free of the confines of his frown. It was impossible for her to try to be so menacing while being so cute at the same time. "Qué será, será. Let bygones be bygones…"

"Whatever. You've always been a bit too needy for my tastes, anyway," she smirked, grateful her old feelings were fleeting as fast as they stung. It was much easier with kitten in hand. "Don't get any ideas if shit goes left, ya hear?"

"Come on…don't do me like that…" he scoffed as he rubbed the side of his head before looking right into her eyes. "Seriously though - I really do appreciate you. More than you know."

"Hah - coulda fooled me," she dismissed, knowing that from him, that was an impossibly high form of praise. It still made her feel far more fuzzy than she would ever dare to admit.

"Sorry I hadn't told ya sooner than now."

"Just…do me a favor and don't go sabotaging that big ol' heart of yours again. You're no good to anyone that way."

"I'll keep that in mind, Poison."

She turned away, leaving him with just the flash of a smile - just wanted to hear him say her name one more time. She lowered herself to gently let the kitten down onto the ground. It was free to roam along with her toward her destination. Poison had places to go and things to see. She might've been a delicate peach deep down - but sadism always had its perks.


The next evening…Friday, 6:45 PM: Haggar Household

The night of the gala was finally here.

Jessica touched up the last bit of her makeup in the mirror. Cody always used to tell her that she didn't need it. The sentiment was charming, but she wanted it anyway. It made her feel good, and she was a grown woman - she could do whatever she wanted.

The fact that she was paying extra attention to detail made her wonder who she was trying to impress. It certainly hadn't been for him, but deep down…she knew otherwise. There was no need for the extra effort as once upon a time, according to Cody, her existence in his life was a miracle in itself.

I don't know where I'd be without ya, Jessica, he'd once told her. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me.

She exhaled slowly, deeply as she studied her reflection. Had she also been the worst for leaving when she did? She knew how to look like she could hold it together, but inside she was falling apart. She was thinking of her mother, wishing she were here right now, wondering what sort of guidance she would give her chaotic soul. Should she listen to her head or her heart?

Her head…spent so much time building her career, networking, launching her business, reading her opponents, building her empire. Her head was invested in a lot of tangible capital.

But her heart…her heart yearned for what used to be, and what she was certain had resurfaced, and only seemed to come alive when she was with him…

What would you have done, mom? What do I do? I sure as hell don't need him.

Yet, she wanted him in every sense of his being.

She was excited, yet frightened about what tonight could bring - they'd be together in the general public, inevitable questions about the nature of their relationship already under everyone's scrutiny - the world, the press, the attendees, her clients, her own father…

Why did she always have to answer questions? Couldn't she just be?

"Heaven help me."

Cody was picking her up in a few, and she couldn't seem to suppress her anticipation. Jessica was truly enjoying the massive size of her father's bathroom (it had to be to fit a guy like him, after all) before she heard an engine approaching and stopping suddenly.

She laid down her sundries and skipped out to the living room in an attempt to shake off her nerves. She poked her head out her father's front window curtains and saw that a familiar vehicle was already parked right out front.

He's here already?! she thought as she shut the curtain in a haste. Had she been in her own head for so long that she hadn't even noticed the time? Such a juvenile move. She glanced nervously at the clock and realized - he was just…early. Even though she caught a mere glimpse, the view she caught seared its way into her memory almost immediately.

He was just…standing there leaning against his car, arms crossed, and hair slicked back, in his crisp tux - a white jacket over a white button-down dress shirt, black bowtie, pants, dress shoes, and a precisely crimson red boutonnière. He (or Marlowe) remembered exactly which shade of red to accent - good picking. Damn him.

It wasn't too long before the "I'm here" text reached her phone. She wrapped up in the bathroom and slipped into her dress.

She knew it was time to go - because all she wanted was to be with him.


"I'm so sorry if you were waiting long, but you're early," Jessica panted as she ran out to her father's driveway - less due to tardiness and more because of her unbridled excitement. She fluffed the last of her wavy loose bun on the way out - smoothly so, without evening needing a mirror to secure that last tuck.

"Well, you know what they say…to be on time is late," he said with a grin that widened as she approached him.

Her sparkling, lightly strapped red bodycon dress flickered in the moonlight as its slit accentuated her long legs - the light, gold jewelry that adorned her was effortless, but glittering just enough to create her own light in the dark of the evening with its shimmering simplicity. She swung her white, oversized teddy coat over her bare shoulders, pocketbook in hand.

She was as stunning as she'd always been, dressed in all her splendor. If Cody hadn't known any better, he would have thought he died right then and there.

"Sorry I had you waiting either way…it's freezing out here!"

"Worth the wait," he insisted through an involuntary smile as he presented a welcoming elbow toward her. "Ready to do this?"

She latched on with a sort of joy that emanated from deep down, quickly forgetting that the rest of the world existed. "Ready as I'll ever be. C'est parti."


Traffic on the way to the ballroom…

"Hmm…don't think drivin' was a good idea on my part," Cody frowned, somewhat annoyed that he had to split the majority of his attention to the unyielding city traffic that threatened to slow to a halt. She noticed his hands gripping the steering wheel as he spoke. "Can't seem to keep my eyes off ya."

Jessica was immediately thrown back to their earlier months of dating. Practically every word that left his mouth had been some form of a compliment, and it was positively overwhelming.

However, it dawned on her that she may have been having a hard time because it almost felt as if…she didn't deserve any of it. She was feeling so much regret at the time lost between them, she wasn't sure that she could forgive herself.

She couldn't understand how he'd done so so easily.

"Well, you'd better keep 'em on the road, buster!" she grinned, attempting to shake off the doubt that plagued her core. "We'll get there soon enough."

"I don't even wanna go anymore," he complained with a wry chuckle. "I just wanna be with you."

The simple statement instantly made her feel lighter than a feather.

"But - the polar bears, Cody."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. They're important, too…"

The congestion ahead was picking up. A sea of red brake lights accumulated before them, and the inevitable slowdown made its way onto the city roads. Cody immediately turned to smile at her once the standstill was in effect. "Finally. Traffic."

He was unbearable.

"Good grief, Cody!" she laughed, a sound he missed more than he ever realized. Were they even dating yet? She couldn't make heads or tails of it all. "Let's just make sure to go straight in once we're all parked because I'm not tryin' to be a popsicle once we get back out there!"

Cody was already at a point where he couldn't take his mind off her - much less his eyes. He knew he was in deep. There had been no point in fighting it. "That's no problem. I just need you to know…if it seems like we're gettin' more attention than usual, it's 'cause you're drop-dead gorgeous tonight. Not that that's different from any other time…"

"Yeah…well, you clean up pretty good yourself, handsome," Jessica conceded.

She figured she'd much rather let him feel his feelings than not.


Friday, 8:15 PM: The Grand Ballroom

"Have I told you how incredible you are?"

"Hmm…maybe about once or twice since you picked me up," she smiled with ease, flattered by his ceaseless flirting. Jessica should have anticipated he wouldn't take it easy tonight, yet she still felt so guarded - as if one wrong move would break their fragile state again.

She reminded herself that she was attending a gala for the greater good - and they were indeed, on somewhat of a date. But he didn't have to be so brazen about it… "Relax, Cody. We just got here."

"Well, I just think it bears repeatin'," he whispered off to the side.

It took Jessica everything in her not to burst out laughing in a room of highbrow, money-laden stiffs, so much so a snort absolutely escaped her.

"Cody," she hissed into his lapel, a goofy grin facing her. "You. Are. Awful."

The music finally started.

"Shall we?" he stepped back and held out his hand - and she took it. Such a simple, chaste action and they only wanted more of it, no matter the chatter.

"Absolutely."


One speech and two sleep-inducing songs later…

"I thought for sure you hated my guts all these years," he whispered as they continued to move in time to the saxophone-heavy, piano-laced tune. His voice resonated as she lay on his chest.

"Right back at you, mister," she whispered back. "You were colder than ice."

They put one foot in front of the other. The music was leisurely, steady, unassuming jazz meant to be pleasant to the ears. She could tell he didn't dance like this often, so they took it as languid as the world was around them, no matter her racing mind.

If it were any slower and any other evening, Cody would have already started nodding off…but tonight, he wouldn't dare. He was captivated by the woman he had the fortune of holding in his arms.

"I had to be," he said even quieter, but his voice wavered in her ear. The time, agony and torment that weighed on his words sunk her stomach. She swore he was a bit of a masochist…perhaps, unintentionally so.

"Cody…you really didn't…"

They swayed with each other, moving to the unassuming pace of the music as they wallowed in the last of their feelings. Almost ten years of frustration, sadness, misunderstanding, pain, and disappointment sat between them. It hurt them both so bad, yet here they were, trying to save the polar bears' habitats by dancing together in a gaudy ballroom.

Cody couldn't understand it, but simply being near Jessica eased out an almost alarming level of sentimentality that he worked so hard to stash far, far away. The effort in trying to suppress the sensation only exacerbated it.

"At least…I don't have nightmares like I used to," he confessed. "Think I got 'em outta my system."

"There ya go," she smiled against him before lifting her head to look at his face. "I'm so happy to hear that. That must be relieving, huh?"

"Yup. And I can't wait to drag you outta here," he said in a lower voice as they continued to move in time with the boring, dull music. The closer they stayed together, the less and less interesting the gala became. She resumed resting her head back on the shoulder that had always been reserved for her.

"Well…my consulting firm already did make a sizable donation to the polar bears, you know."

"Oh, so that was you."

"They're just so cute."

"But the optics, Jess."

"Let 'em talk," she grinned.

"You already know," he smirked.

"Yeah, I do," she looked up as she returned a smile - and each time she did, it felt like pure joy reverberated within him. "I mean - you could argue that we've done our due diligence here."

"That's true…"

"…so whaddaya say we sneak outta here?"

"Say less," he beamed.

The two of them exchanged juvenile snickers as they timed and made their way out through alternate exits, avoiding the public. Cody knew how to take his leaves, especially considering how hard he was to miss due to his huge stature.

He could never stand staying at those sorts of parties for too long to begin with - showing face had often been plenty enough. Between the small talk, uptight guests, keeping up the persona…

There were some nights where he'd have lines of mostly elderly ladies who vied for a chance just to have a spot on the dance floor with the unattached, charming, young mayor (some of whom would request he grow out a mustache like his predecessor)…it was exhausting.

Cody knew that he wasn't going to be mayor forever - all terms had to come to an end eventually. The idea got him thinking about what his life would look like once his time in office concluded. He'd been tallying the parts of his job he liked and didn't like…and outside the philanthropic opportunities he didn't mind supporting, the only other benefit to these sorts of events was the free food.

Tonight, however, was probably going to be either the best or worst night that happened to him in a long time. No matter where his thoughts lay, all roads always seemed to lead to Jessica. Godspeed to the polar bears.

"I'm glad we made it out," Jessica whooped as they reunited outside. "Can't wait to take off these heels. It was so stuffy in there! Clearly operationalized with a century-old playbook…"

"I know! If I heard one more piano key, I was gonna lose it," Cody chuckled bitterly.

"So," she breathed, the chilly air getting into her coat. "What's next then?"

"Look," he pointed up at the sky, and Jessica caught herself for just a second hoping he wouldn't do something as inane as flick her nose…as he used to. They weren't kids anymore, after all.

"What's up? Oh…"

The stars in the sky were brighter than she'd ever recalled them on this side of the world, in her own hometown. It felt magical because none of it seemed at all possible way back when.

"Nice, huh? Thanks to some of our 'clear-the-air' initiatives, you can actually make out some constellations nowadays," he paused for a brief second. "Every single time I had the chance to look out there…especially when I'd have a breather out of the cell, I'd always remember how much you wanted to chart them. So if you want…we can try to make 'em out - at my place."

"…Little on the nose there, huh?" Jessica replied coolly, despite feeling somewhat lightheaded. She hadn't imagined that he thought of her as much as she did him, all this time. "Your place, huh? No dinner, or…?"

"Sure, sure, we can do all that, but, uh…nice sentiment, ain't it?" he swallowed, pushing boldly. He was looking at her like that again.

"Cody…"

It was cold out there - he took her hands. If he repressed his feelings any more than he had, he was certain he was going to implode. He was remembering the first time he'd kissed her, in the snow-filled baseball field, back in their high school days. He was as reckless and impulsive as he'd always been…but it turned out for the best. He hadn't been alone in his feelings, and he only knew when he told her.

After all, hadn't it been Mike who always challenged him; "it's now or never"?

"Jess - I've gotta hand it to ya…you sure know how to play your cards."

"Whaddaya mean?" she wasn't sure that she was ready for this - surely he hadn't been talking about poker. The awareness of the nerves she tried to ignore were intensified tenfold in that moment. "Hit me."

"I've done a whole lot of thinkin' these last couple years," he started. "And even more since I've been on the outside. So, I guess what I'm tryin' ta say is…I can't even remember the last day you didn't cross my mind, Jessica. Life's way too short for all this."

"Cody," Jessica swallowed as her body tightened. "This being…?"

He was remembering…what it was like to feel freely. He refused to deliberately relinquish his freedom again.

"The cat and mouse…Jess, it's killin' me here," Cody took in a deep breath that hardly satisfied his yearning. "I can't stop thinkin' 'bout you. About us. All the stuff I haven't been able to tell ya…it's really catchin' up to me right now," he sighed before steeling himself for an answer that could make or break him. "Just…tell me. Is it too late for us? Are we too far gone?"

He wanted to do this now? Outside? In the cold?

Jessica started shaking. It was a fair question. She'd been asking herself the same thing since she left his prison cell and landed in France all those years ago. His steely blue eyes pierced into her wide ones, searching desperately for some sort of response. Her voice was suddenly lost.

It was torture - for the both of them.

"Jessica - I ask 'cause I miss you. A lot. And I gotta be real honest here - I'd be lyin'…if I said I ever got over you."

She froze. When her full name came out…he couldn't be more serious.

"Cody," she breathed, feeling faint. Her thumping heart already knew…but to hear him say his feelings outright still lit her up in a way she hadn't experienced since she was so much younger, and so much less hardened. "I think I need a sec."

"Take all the time you need," he closed those blues of his briefly before opening them again. "Just know…you're not obligated to my feelings. I've just been springin' stuff on ya, after all…tryin' this whole self-restraint thing, but, heh, you think I'd be used to it havin' been under lock and key for so long," he chuckled weakly before his lips curved into a pathetic smile.

Jessica swore she forgot how to breathe for a second. How did he do this to her? He was impulsive and belligerent. He was stubborn and relentless. He drove her crazy. But he always knew how to feel his feelings and she had fallen for him despite all the years he willingly secluded himself, taking her soul down with him.

How could she trust he wouldn't make another decision with the same weight as he did before?

"It's just that…after everything went down, and I thought we were committed to each other more than ever…I hated feeling so helpless, like I was failing you every time you threw yourself into danger for everyone's sake…and I fought like hell for you when you first got arrested - I knew you didn't belong there - but it felt like that didn't matter at all. And that's what really hurt," Jessica blurted as she pulled away and turned from him. "It felt like I was asking a lot of you when it hadn't been all that complicated to me…"

"You didn't fail me," he sighed. "C'mon, Jess. That was never your responsibility to begin with—you were never askin' for too much, really. I'm just…I'm finally startin' to see what's really important in the grand scheme o'things, y'know? And, well…you're important to me."

Damn it, Cody.

"I don't want to rely on you ever again, puttin' all that pressure on ya, though…" she said with a sudden sort of softness, teary eyes looking straight at him. "I figured out so much on my own. The hell am I supposed to do now? "

He suddenly realized that she sounded as resistant as he did in the last decade. No wonder she, Haggar and Guy had been so frustrated with him. In an instant, he didn't feel quite as prepared for this as he thought he was…

"We can figure it out together," Cody responded easily, optimism lightening his voice and masking his dread. "That's how it all works…don't it?"

The guard that he'd fortified since he was far too young to have to deal with the harsh reality of the world had been dropped. Vulnerability made him feel so exposed, so open and unprepared - and he hated not feeling prepared.

Being prepared was exactly how he survived long enough to protect his little brother from the incessant bullying and violence in their entire youth. Being prepared was what got him, Guy and Haggar through that awful night to rescue Jessica from the clutches of the leader of the most dangerous gang that once ruled Metro City. Being prepared made him survive the physical and mental reality of being repeatedly imprisoned over the course of a decade. Being prepared got him elected to become mayor of his hometown.

But when his guard was down…he was wide open.

"I'm not…we're not the same people we were before," Jessica cried. "I'd just gotten used to being alone. I got…I got so strong alone…"

She was so, so tired of crying.

"Alone…" He never expected the word he relied on over the years to boomerang as it had.

"I just can't stand that you felt like you belonged in prison instead of with me," her voice strained as she failed to resist her tears. "Even…the idea of you turning to Poison didn't hold a candle to the thought, as much as that got to me. I believed in us so hard, so when that wasn't enough for you to want to stay by my side so we could weather the storm together…it broke me. Selfish, right? It felt like…like I couldn't love like that again. I had to get an annulment, Cody."

"A what?!" His eyes widened as he cursed himself for his unprecedented insensitivity. "You…you were married? "

"I was, for all of two months," she laughed bitterly, wiping away a tear. Given his slacked jaw, it struck her that he may have been the only adult alive on the planet who had no idea. "I guess you might've missed my whirlwind of a 'romance' all over the news a couple of years ago, huh? Good thing you didn't witness that disaster…I couldn't…I just couldn't ever feel the way I used to when I was with you." She pulled away to grip her wrists. "Everything I'd been so certain of suddenly made no sense. It was…torture."

"I'm sorry…" he didn't know whether he felt guilty, relieved or quite a bit of both. It struck him that there might have been a lot more than just time between them. It had barely been a week, after all. He thought he had been doing all of the right things by taking it "slow," but there still seemed to be just so much they hadn't known about each other to this minute.

Perhaps he wasn't as great a person as folks insisted he was…but hell if he wasn't determined to destroy the narrative that looped in his head. "If you wanna…tell me how you're feelin' right now, maybe we can…figure it out?"

Jessica didn't have to search her soul too deeply there.

"I'm…I'm scared that we've changed…and that you're maybe just into the memory of me, of us. I'm scared that your instinct will tell you to shut me out again should the world not go your way…I'm worried that my beginning journey as a fighter'll be too boring for ya…and I'm terrified that I'll doubt you again. I thought I knew what love could do, but it blew up in my face more than once. I could barely handle it then and…I just don't know…if I can go through that again," she couldn't bear to look at him.

She felt so weak. The daughter of a world warrior, a formidable being herself, and her Achilles' heel was always downed by what she understood to be love. Cody's brow relaxed to that of empathy.

"Jessica Haggar, the bravest person I know, is scared…of trusting me." He couldn't blame her—he'd known the feeling all too well.

"We've been through some huge stuff together, y'know?" her voice was quivering, and she finally met his eyes again. "But I don't want to be bonded through pain, Cody. I don't want us to be toxic. It's not like you're never going to get into another fight where I won't have to worry if you'll make it or not…"

"Got this far, didn't I? Survived almost ten years of prison and your dad," he pointed out, pushing fallen, blonde locks behind her ear with one hand. "We survived Metro City for crissakes."

"You've always been so tough," Jessica inhaled as she adjusted his collar. "But sometimes I think you forget you're human just like the rest of us…you always felt so responsible for everyone else's safety but your own. Because you're not afraid to die and you care about people so much - I'm scared of being happy because losing that…hurts so, so bad. I am terrified of you up and dyin' on me. And I…I can't…I refuse to imagine livin' in a world without you."

A woman after his own heart. Oh, how he understood. Why couldn't he get that through to her?

Cody knit his brow as he took a second to think about her words. This certainly was the longest time they hadn't been together since they'd known each other. He'd often been described as anything but human…he hit like a truck, moved like a train, and destroyed like a wrecking ball.

Yet…all Jessica ever wanted was for him to be okay.

They'd always wanted the same thing for each other.

"I can make it so that you don't have to worry about all that like you used to," he started, smiling weakly. "I just…gotta figure it out along the way, I think. A good problem to have, ain't it…?"

He had so much confidence in his ability and their union, he seemed to truly think they were invulnerable. His hubris was charming…and frightening.

"I tried so much to hate you for being human…but how could I? I really thought I understood what you were going through, yet…turns out we were miserable for the last ten years, Cody," her voice broke. "All for what?"

"I get it…" Cody sighed. "Don't know how I convinced myself to go through this mess alone—but I've had my fill. And I'm ready to change that. We're far from regular folks, y'know? I mean - look at ya…you blow me away every time I see ya and now? After all this time…I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of you."

"Proud?" Jessica asked with a tilt of her head - a partial inquiry and a partial acknowledgement. That had been so much nicer to hear than she expected.

"You know it. You're amazing, Jess. Maybe we really just…ought to live like no one else can," he said, his face softening as he took her hands into his again. This was a proposition he'd made before. "You're smart, courageous, breathtaking…you've always been so goddamn confident. And that's hardly all I adore about ya. You of all people know how to assess risk and take their chances. Ain't we worth another shot?"

For a miserable split second, all of his haunting insecurities and fears reflected in his defenseless blue eyes as he awaited her answer. Jessica, who'd been stuck in her own trepidation, recognized that he was just as overwhelmed with emotion as she was, considering his reckless way of showing it. This wasn't the first time her heart broke for him.

He hadn't considered himself religious, but he was praying right then.

"C…c'mon, Jess. Don't leave a guy hangin'…"

She reached up with one hand to stroke her fingertips along the side of his face, empathy washing over her features that any other person would have mistaken for pity.

"It's just that the more I fall…the harder it gets to fight it."

"So then…don't fight it. Just lemme catch ya. We could…we should just fuckin' go for it."

"You make it sound so easy…"

Cody never wanted her to doubt him again. He figured he gave her plenty of reason then, but he was determined to work his ass off this round. He understood now what it really meant to protect someone - in body, mind, and spirit.

"Well…when we first started out…everything sorta felt like an impossible dream, y'know? Kinda like me being mayor now," he squeezed her hands as he spoke. "But…the second I realized it was as real as it gets, you had me on lock. You make me wanna be the best at anything I do and it drives me wild in such a mind-bendin' way."

"Might wanna get that checked out, huh?" Jessica looked off to the side with a dry laugh - she was almost afraid to keep her gaze on his face for a minute longer…because of how dangerously tempting he was.

He drew in a deep breath as he enveloped one of her petite hands in one of his big strong ones, resting their union atop his chest. Before she even had the chance to meet his pleading eyes again, she could feel his sincerity palpitating wildly, racing underneath her palm.

"So I might've taken that a little too far back then, but…I know you know that all this ain't so left-field 'cause…you've always had my heart, Jess," he laughed a little. "You feel it too, don't ya? I'm just takin' age-old advice here. 'Cause a long time ago, a certain someone told me it could be that easy…"

This guy.

"N…no fair…gettin' all soft on me…" Jessica whimpered as she considered herself folded. Resistance was indeed futile. "Can't really hide anythin' right there, can ya?" she sobbed, he nodded.

She couldn't take it anymore. Her tears came out all on their own as she pressed against him, deciding - what the hell. Life was too short.

"Jessica…at least trust me when I say - I'm still in love with you," Cody professed, the words slipping out of him without restraint. He would have been surprised, but her making it far too easy for him hadn't made it any less true—and the sudden relief—had been well worth it. "I love you so much - I can't help it," he doubled down as he held her, voice heavy with a lifetime's worth of fondness. "And if that alone puts you in any kind of danger, I'll do everythin' in my power to protect—"

He'd been cut off with her lips, soft as they were, they still rocked him to his very core, just as the first time he'd experienced them. So much for instinct, intuition, or whatever it was. She pulled back and she knew with the sort of certainty she hadn't felt since then—that it really could be that simple. She realized she was just as willing to die for him as he always had been - and that was no longer one of her few fears.

"Shh - enough with the 'protect' talk…just kiss me."

Cody leaned into Jessica as their lips met with a sweet, ignited sort of fervor. A thrill beyond their memories lit up after being dormant for so long. The reality of the blustering night wind quickly reminded him that he was indeed not dreaming as he pressed against her, holding onto her desperately, wanting her to know exactly how she made him feel. She was grateful for his hold because she was sure her knees would have given way otherwise.

A vow was made at that moment - no more impossible promises. They simply wanted to do their best for one another, just as they'd said before.

He hadn't even been driven by any sort of lust right until then - but he had missed her entire soul, truly, and if there was any way he could make her feel the last ten, twenty, or infinity years of this, he would.

He took her breath away like a thief in the night. They pulled away slowly, breathing shallow, foreheads touching in a reverie.

"Well, whaddaya know…I've been dyin' to do that all night," he whispered as he cleared the tears from her face with the thumb of his free hand. "All week, really…" a helpless grin formed, as it did.

He had to be honest - she did quite literally ask for it, and it was liberating. Jessica's trust was fragile enough as it was, and he had no idea how to support it, but he was going to figure it out, damn it. Didn't both Maisie and Mike say something of the sort - that he had an "incredible" capacity to learn?

"I can't believe your feelings hadn't changed after all this time…" she was stunned, eyelashes fluttering as she looked away. It all certainly felt like a dream. She truly understood what he meant just a minute ago as this feeling had always been so real to her - so much so that she spent far too much energy trying to lock it all away. "This all just feels so dangerous. I'm still so scared. I hate that because…I've never been this scared of anything else."

"I'll admit - I might be a little freaked out with ya, Jess," he reassured her. "We didn't do each other justice before. Call it a hunch, but I just…I have a good feelin' about us. I can't stand that we couldn't get us right the first time around. So whaddaya say? I'm willin' to try again…if you are."

Trying again…that would be a decision that came with a lot of change in her somewhat stable life.

"I am willing," Jessica replied more confidently this time - he could still feel her hands shaking. "But…we're not kids anymore, Cody. I have to re-examine my judgment…had you all wrong the whole time…I've got a whole life in Paris right now, you're runnin' an entire city…am I supposed to drop everything on a whim?" Her heart seemed to agree before she continued in the smallest voice. "I don't want us to get lost in the fantasy of it all…"

The brawler swallowed. They both were in precarious positions…

"I'll quit right now. I'll come with you," he said - almost seriously. He couldn't suppress his stupid, stupid grin - the one that got her every time. "I can do whatever I want…y'know…'cause I'm the mayor."

"Cody Thomas Taylor Travers," she laughed through her tears, steadied by his resolve. "Don't you dare. You know that's not how it works. That's not how any of this works…"

"Ugh, really? Not the full name…" his shoulders slumped as he groaned into the clear, night sky. She shook her head as her laughs replaced her sobs. He still loved it when she said his name.

"You asked for it…"

"I know, I know…you sure know how to put things in perspective though," he sighed before holding onto her tighter than before. "Too bad you're stuck with some impulsive, facetious, knucklehead. You're the light of my life and I'll be damned if I let it get snuffed out again. I just know that I wanna try out this…whole…'life' thing with you, Jessica. We'll figure it out, whatever it takes. Public, private…I don't care. As long as we're together."

Together…together sounded nice.

"Cody," she cried as they embraced. "Oh, Cody…"

The coldest night on earth couldn't dare douse their pilot light - turned out it had always been there.


~18+ excerpt will be housed on Ao3~


Back to Cody's apartment…again…and after no more than a few, decades' worth of sweet nothings later…

The both of them finally separated and lay spread out on his insignificant mattress - panting, sweaty messes.

Holy shit, they thought, one and the same. That was one way to go stargazing…

Thankfully, the window had been waiting for them.

"Hi," Jessica gasped as she turned to caress his face with both hands, unable to hold back her smile. Her body hadn't known pleasure of this caliber in so long, and she was fragile, blissed out.

"Hey there, good-lookin'," Cody beamed, with no limit on his pride, rolling onto his side to meet her again.

"That was incredible," she laughed, unable to truly verbalize what just happened in her world - their world. Her daze insisted that there wasn't a phrase in any language that could possibly do their experience justice.

"Hot damn it was…didn't realize how much I missed makin' ya sound like that," he smirked, strands of blond hair falling between his eyes. She raked his locks over to the side, her fingers lingering just a little longer on the face she missed so much. "Music to my ears."

"Relentless," she panted, tremors starting to ebb. "I'm so embarrassed…I can hardly catch my breath! I'm way fitter than this, I swear…"

"I mean - can't blame ya. It's been a while for us. Sure am glad to know I haven't lost my touch, though," he grinned deviously through his own panting. "But you…you're somethin' else. I didn't even know you could—"

"Shhh," she pressed a finger to his lip. He kissed it back. "Just…enjoy the moment."

"And to think this is only the beginning," Cody smiled lazily as another idea came to mind. "Got me sweatin' so bad, I need a damn shower. Care to join me?"

"As long as you've got enough room for two," Jessica teased as she smiled back and cuddled up against him.

"I'm sure I've got just enough," he drawled, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. He nuzzled into her neck, grinning in her ear. "While we're in there…you wanna 'nother go at it?"

He is insatiable! her mind screamed, yet she wasn't surprised - even though her legs were still liquefied. If tonight was the last night of her life, she was certain she would die happy.

"Give it to me, ya big shot."


Yet another release later...

To say their reunion was surreal was a disservice. Felt good to be so close to someone…but they were wiped. They took the time to dry each other off and he lent her a t-shirt for the night. As complicated as they knew the morning after could be - it didn't quite register as they concluded their descent back into reality.

A reality…that wasn't half bad these days.

They'd cross tomorrow's (today's) bridge when they got to it - if they didn't start cuddling already, they were sure they would soon disintegrate into stardust - couldn't be the worst way to go.

"Hey, Jess?"

"Yeah, Cody?"

"I think you're the only person on this planet who can take me right off of it," he exhaled sharply as he grinned against her hair - she couldn't help but laugh. "I mean - 'cause you make me feel so good, it's out of this world. Yech. That sounded way better in my head."

"I know what you're sayin'," she laughed, nestling into him as she did. "You make me feel the same."

They both craned their heads when the loud subway tracks rattled…as they did. Jessica turned back to lean on his shoulder, the call of a sound slumber easing into her reach.

"I hadn't told you…I forgive you. I mean…not just 'cause of the sex, but…just everything."

He held her close, and a familiar, but comforting ache surfaced in his soul as sleep overcame him. He couldn't have been happier.

"Cherry on top. I'm just glad you're takin' another chance bein' here with me at all," he pulled her in to kiss her forehead. "Wanna do right by you…I'll do my damndest…"

For the first time in a long time, they drifted off to sleep with an ease neither of them had truly known for what seemed like an eternity - this time, with a sort of peace that rivaled serenity itself.

The subway tracks were hardly a nuisance then.