Hello guys! It's my first work about Biker Mice From Mars.

I only considered the 90s series, which is my favorite.
I'm Italian, and English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes.

I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own the BMFM, of course.

To Mars, with me ~

It was bound to happen sooner or later, fortunately.
The Plutarkian threat had finally been repelled from Earth, and Lawrence Limburger had made his way back to his dirty, stinking planet, Plutark. The hope was that he would never return.
Unfortunately, however, he wasn't the only one who had to go back to his home planet.
Now that Earth was finally safe, the Biker Mice had been recalled to Mars by General Carbine. Their task was over, and there was nothing left to hold them on the blue planet. When they told Charley, she looked down and bit her lower lip. She knew that, sooner or later, this day would come, that they wouldn't stay on Earth forever with her.
Mars was their home, where their friends, families, and girlfriends were waiting for them. Above all, there was a war to win and a planet to rebuild.
"It'll be like a holiday without you," she said, but the truth was she would miss her Martian friends. These were the ones who, for three long years, had been part of her life, becoming like family to her.
A tight knot formed in her stomach.
She had always been independent, never needing anyone until they arrived. But now, the thought of returning to that old, solitary life didn't seem appealing at all.
How would she say goodbye to Throttle? To Modo? But above all... how would she say goodbye to Vinnie forever?
It hurt, deeply, to think that she might never see him again, that the feelings filling her heart would never become a reality. She didn't know when it had started, when her flirtation with Vinnie had turned into something more. All she knew was that it had happened, and it was something she would miss terribly.
She wondered if she was crazy for feeling this way... emotions that her reason tried to dismiss. A human and a Martian? It could never work. They were two different races, from two distinct worlds. But didn't people always say that love could overcome any barrier?
Charley wasn't the only one who was sad.
Even Modo and Throttle would miss their Earth friend, the one who had taken care of them and their bikes for months that had turned into years. They didn't want to say goodbye, but they wouldn't tell her they were coming back either.
Modo had a home on Mars, a mother he was deeply attached to, and a grandson to raise and train as a Freedom Fighter.
Throttle had a girlfriend who was eagerly waiting for his return, and he looked forward to going back to the red planet to be with her.
Vinnie had taken the order to return to Mars differently. Although he was excited to come home, he couldn't help thinking that he would never see Charley, his Charley-girl, the one who had given him new hope after the loss of Harley.
The hope of bonding with someone again.

The most precious thing to Vinnie was his bike, of course, along with his brothers. With her, he had traveled everywhere: on Mars, on Earth, and in deep space. He had fought against galactic criminals, and every time she had a problem, he put her in the hands of Charlene Davidson, the best mechanic in all of Chicago. He trusted her.
From the first day they met, he hadn't given her a moment of peace. The flirtation that began as a joke had evolved, and from that missed kiss, when both were defending the Garage from Catscan's attack, something inside him had changed.
For all this time, every time he left the bike with Charley for the usual repairs and modifications, he had set up the mini monitor of his "Sweetheart" with hearts and kisses to send intermittently as a thank you to Charley.
Just fun. Another way to show her what he was thinking and to get her attention.
Because, after all, as he liked to say, a class-A macho mouse certainly didn't go unnoticed.

Thanksgiving, or something more?
That's what Charley always asked herself.
«And what are these?» she had asked Vinnie the first time she saw them.
«All for you, Sweetheart» Vincent replied with his classic Casanova smile printed on his face.
Charley rolled her eyes. Typical of him to come out with something like that.
«You know, Charley-girl, that's just his way of saying thank you. He wouldn't know how to do it any other way» Throttle chimed in, amused by the exchange.
«Our Vincent still has a lot to learn when it comes to treating and thanking a lady» added Modo.
Vincent crossed his arms over his chest, irritated and puffing out his cheeks. «I could always ask Charley-girl out on a date. I'm sure I could thank her properly,»Vinnie replied with a big grin on his face, then turned to her. «Hey, Sweetheart, wanna go out with me?»
«Keep hoping» she said, returning to work on the red bike, while Vinnie shrugged toward his brothers as if to say "At least I tried".
Time passed, and something in their relationship began to shift. Those little bright signals from Vinnie, which once amused her, began to make her smile, though she kept it hidden from him to avoid inflating his ego.
And finally, she began to wonder if those signals would eventually become real, something she could truly feel on her skin or on her lips.

That night, they organized a simple party at the Garage to spend their last evening together, with plenty of hot dogs and lots of beer. They sat on the couch and put on a James Bond movie, one of their favorites.
«Ah... I'll miss Earth... the hot dogs, cable TV... the James Bond movies» sighed Modo, thinking about all the things Mars wouldn't have. Maybe he would ask Charley for some videotapes to take with him, as a reminder of his time on Earth.
«Hey! And me? I could be offended!» Charley replied, crossing her arms over her chest.
«Of course, after you, Charley ma'am» he quickly apologized, giving her a sweet expression. Modo was like a big, good-natured giant, with muscles and kindness to spare.
Charley smiled back at him, under the amused gazes of Throttle and Vincent. The latter was busy with his third beer, finishing it in a few gulps, crushing the can and tossing it into the trash, making a perfect basket.
«Sweetheart, remember this beautiful body, because you won't find another one like it on Earth!» Vincent said, as excited as always.
«You say so, huh?» Charley replied, shrugging nonchalantly.
«Yeah! There's no one like me! I'm strong, and I'm known all over the galaxy!»
«On that, I can agree!» Charley said with a grin. «Guys, imagine having to deal with two Vinnies. One of you is enough, and that's plenty!»
Throttle and Modo burst into laughter.
«You've got that right, Charley ma'am» Modo managed to say between fits of laughter.
«Hey, hey, it's not fair to treat me this way, Sweetheart!» Vincent protested. «Remember, I'm leaving tomorrow, you could at least be a little nicer... Or maybe...» he flashed a strange grin, one Charley knew well. «We could even spend the night together.»
«You'd love it!» Charley shot back, quickly making her way from the couch to the kitchen, doing her best to hide the obvious redness creeping up her cheeks from the three Martian guests.
«Oh, Vincent, don't make Charley-girl angry tonight» Throttle interjected in a quiet tone, having noticed the color change in Charley's face.
Throttle had witnessed the subtle shift in Charley and Vinnie's relationship over the years. He could tell they both wanted each other, it was in the way they looked at one another, the small gestures they made. For example, when they rode together, Charley would hold on to Vinnie, and he would wrap his tail around her waist, even when they were just stationary and had reached their destination. There were little things like that, things they hadn't even noticed because they were so natural, but they hadn't gone unnoticed by the attentive gaze of the Biker Mice's leader.
The problem was they had been playing this game for a long time, with neither of them summoning the courage to change the situation. But now the time had come, and they would probably never see each other again.
Charley entered the kitchen, pretending to look for something in the cupboard, maybe a sauce or something to season the hot dogs.
It wasn't the first time Vinnie had tried to hit on her in that way, making certain proposals that weren't exactly innocent, but she had always responded in kind, never letting him win.
But then, why had she felt her cheeks burn so much that she had to walk away, hoping none of them would notice? Had his words really made her think so much?
Would she really have spent the night with Vincent if he had asked her more seriously and maybe not in front of his brothers?
She took a deep breath, placing her hands on the kitchen counter. The answer was clear.
She stared at nothing for a few seconds, then turned toward the couch. Fortunately, nobody had noticed her because they were too busy eating and watching the movie. Her gaze lingered on Vincent, who had just opened another can of beer. The white mouse was right when he told her to look closely to remember him. Because yes, she wanted to remember that body, his muscles, how soft was his fur when she held on to him while they rode together. His tail, how it would hold her tight and caress her back, in a way that felt completely spontaneous and without malice.
She needed to remember his voice, his laughter, his jokes, and those red eyes she would probably never see again.
Her mind was tortured by thoughts that had been haunting her for days, thoughts that wouldn't give her peace.
She wanted Vincent, but maybe he didn't want her the same way.
Perhaps it was just a flirtation, a game, and on Mars he would find someone else to annoy with his boundless egocentrism.
It would be easy for him to replace her.
But she needed Vincent in her life, did he need her too? After all, he had his brothers, a planet to return to, and a mission to complete.
Maybe she should tell him. She should confess her feelings.
After all, what would she have to lose if she never saw him again?
«I've never seen you so thoughtful, Hotshot. What's going on in your head?» Charley approached him casually.
The party was over and to be honest they had enjoyed it, leaving behind for a few moments the awareness that they would have to say goodbye. They had sung, played, eaten, and drank.
But time had inexorably passed and the party was winding down.
Modo and Throttle were rearranging the Garage and Vincent had stepped outside for a breath of fresh air, gazing up at the sky in search of Mars.
«Of course, you, Sweetheart» Vinnie turned to her with a smile.
And it was true, Vincent was thinking of her as he looked at the stars, searching for his planet. He thought of her because he didn't want to say goodbye. He knew he could never do it. But what could he do? Mars was his home, his destiny, his mission... And then there were his brothers too.
Ah, life… there's never a straight path.
Charley shrugged, raising her eyes to the sky. «You'll never change, will you?»
«Never.»
Charley sighed, taking a few steps toward him, crossing her arms over her chest. «Come on, what are you looking for in the sky?»
Vinnie stood there watching her, her green eyes glowing in the dim light of the Last Chance Garage. For a few seconds their gazes locked, as if they were lost in a dimension all their own.
He was the first to look down with a sigh before lifting his eyes back to the sky. «Mars...»
Charley took another step toward him, closing the distance and stood beside him, resting her head against his shoulder. She felt him stiffen for a moment, but then he seemed to calm. She smiled and looked up at the sky in search of the red planet.
«So, this is goodbye?» Charley asked in a whisper. She hoped she wouldn't be heard, but she knew well that the Martian mice could hear even the faintest sound.
The question felt stupid, but it slipped out of her mouth anyway, in a tone that was both sad and melancholy.
She couldn't say goodbye. She couldn't.
Vincent turned to her, his gaze softening when he saw a tear slip down her cheek. Those eyes that he would miss them terribly, and never find them on Mars.
«Sweetheart...» The gesture was spontaneous. Vincent raised a hand toward her face, wiping the tear away with his fingertips. «Don't cry...»
Charley savored that touch for a few seconds, but then her mind returned to the present, and she tried to defuse the tension. «Who's crying? It's just a little smoke in my eyes, you know... from roasting all those hot dogs you ate.»
Vincent was a bit stupid, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe that excuse. He pretended to, though, in order to steer the conversation toward something lighter.
«I've got a physique to maintain! And when we're on Mars, no one will cook hot dogs as well as you do...»
«Oh, really? Didn't you say you could have all the girls in the galaxy? Maybe they'll cook all the hot dogs you want,» Charley shot back raising an eyebrow, pushing back her tears as she tried to shift her focus to something else. «Oh yes, but with that overblown ego of yours, they'll all run away.»
She pointed a finger at his chest, but as her fingertip brushed against his soft fur, she hesitated. It was the first time she'd ever felt this way. She was used to holding onto him while riding together, or playfully pinching his nose and cheeks to annoy him.
But tonight everything felt different.
The imminent farewell had stirred up new emotions and instincts, emotions that every human, or Martian, experienced.
Her finger quickly turned into her whole hand, and she stood there, staring at it. She hadn't meant to touch him, but it happened anyway. She felt his warm fur and his heart beating faster, just like hers was.
Vincent glanced down at her hand, a shiver running through him.
«But you stayed... So, maybe you like me a little, huh, Sweetheart?» he said, his voice attempting to sound playful, but it lowered in pitch, betraying his true feelings.
He stroked her cheek, surprised to find his hand still there even though the tears were long gone. He didn't want to pull away from her; he couldn't. It felt as though some unseen force had drawn him closer.
Charley met his gaze and Vincent did the same. Her hand moved slowly, almost magnetically, as if she couldn't resist. It was as though she wanted to commit every detail of his body to memory, so she would never forget it. Her fingers traced the line of his muscles, moving beneath the bandoliers.
«Charley-girl...?» Vincent swallowed, his hand trailing from her cheek down to her shoulder, sketching a thin, imaginary line. Her skin was so different from his, delicate and smooth, without fur.
He looked down, his gaze moving from her eyes to her lips, which were slightly parted.
It was an invitation.
An opportunity that might never come again if he didn't act on it now.
He moved his hand to the back of her neck, feeling her pulse quicken with each touch. He lifted her head gently, his eyes never leaving hers.
Meanwhile, his tail, as if drawn by instinct, snaked toward Charley's left leg. It wrapped around her calf and lightly brushed her thigh.
He leaned in closer and Charley didn't pull away. In fact, she seemed almost hypnotized by him, her hand still resting on his chest, while the other gently touched his arm.
He would have kissed her. Vincent knew it, and Charley did, too.
Their faces were so close now, only inches apart.
«Vin, it's time to go!» Throttle's voice broke through from inside the Garage, interrupting the moment and pulling them both out of their trance, like they were waking from a shared dream.
A dream that would lead them to who knows where.
Vincent immediately stepped back, pulling his hand away and slipping both hands into his pockets. He glanced sideways, his cheeks tinged with red as embarrassment washed over him.
Charley stood still for a few seconds, staring at her hands. The warmth of his touch still lingered on her fingertips.
What had just happened?
What were they going to do now?
How far would they have gone if Throttle hadn't called Vincent?
That answer would never be known.

Vincent couldn't sleep that night. His thoughts relentlessly revisited the moment with Charley, because it was better to think of her than to be angry at Throttle for breaking that magic.
What had happened between them?
He had seen it in her eyes for a moment, they had looked at him differently. He had felt a spark of desire, something he couldn't ignore.
In the air there had been a different scent, and Charley's breath had changed too.
He brought a hand to his chest, the same hand that had caressed her soft skin, and retraced the points where her hands had passed.
Her gentle touch had transported him to another world, a place beyond Earth and Mars. A place where he longed to return and explore with her.
But time was up.
The next morning he would be back on Mars, and Charley would become nothing more than a memory, one that time would inevitably erase.
No. It couldn't end like this.
He should have told her... that he loved her.
That was the feeling he had, more than just protection from Limburger's goons.
It was more than the playful game they had always shared, where he taunted her and she responded in kind.
It was much deeper than the flirting that had become their routine over the years.
But did she feel the same? Did Charley want him as much as he wanted her?
Did Charley need him like Vincent needed her?
Where would they have gone if Throttle hadn't interrupted?
He wouldn't leave for Mars without finding the answers.

Later that morning...
General Carbine arrived early, not just to fulfill her duty of bringing the Biker Mice back to Mars, but to finally reunite with her boyfriend.
«Welcome, Swee...»
The General raised her voice, and Throttle quickly adjusted his greeting.
«General Carbine.»
She smiled, jumping off the ship and making her way toward Throttle and Modo. Vincent wasn't there.
«Welcome, General» Modo said.
Carbine nodded at Modo in acknowledgment and then approached Throttle. She stood before him for a few seconds, her gaze serious, like a general would look at a soldier, but then that look softened into a warm smile.
«I missed you» she said, rising on her toes to seal the greeting with a sweet kiss.
«You too, honey» Throttle replied, lifting his hand to gently scratch her chin, the way she liked. The General closed her eyes, enjoying the moment. For an instant her duties could take a backseat. She had waited so long for this: to be reunited with Throttle and know he would finally stay on Mars, not on some other planet.
«Guys, I'm sorry to interrupt, but has anyone seen Vinnie?»
Throttle and Carbine looked around, and Modo did the same. But before they could ask anything else the sound of a bike engine made them all turn. It was Vincent.
«General Carbine, I need an hour. Then we can go to Mars» he said, his voice serious, his gaze equally intense. His brothers had rarely seen him like this.
«I can give you half an hour» she replied.
«Where are you going, Vincent?» Modo asked, though he probably already knew the answer.
«There's something else I must do» Vincent replied. He closed the visor of his helmet and sped off as fast as he could.
«Oh, Vin...» Throttle muttered. He knew exactly where his brother was headed. He had seen it in Vincent's eyes the night before when he and Modo had greeted Charley with a warm hug, while Vincent had simply climbed onto his bike saying "Don't cry, Sweetheart. You'll always be in my heart."
Vincent had laughed, and Charley had bitten her lower lip to do the same, but Throttle understood that those smiles on both sides masked all the melancholy of their impending separation.
«I haven't seen him like this in a long time… Not since the days of Harley» Modo sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.
«We'll give him the time he needs» Carbine said, taking Throttle's hand.

On the way from the Scoreboard to Charley's Garage, Vinnie's thoughts returned to a memory he had experienced a few months earlier, an event he occasionally thought about.

The phone at Last Chance Garage rang.
«Oh damn, I'll never get there in time» exclaimed Charley, lying under an old car she was repairing.
«I'll take it, Charley-girl. Don't worry» Throttle, who was just cleaning some dust off his bike, volunteered as he walked toward the phone. «Last Chance Garage, good morning» he said, holding the receiver to his ear.
He stood still for a few seconds, listening and nodding occasionally. Vinnie and Modo were watching him, while Charley had stopped her work for a moment to listen to the conversation.
«Yes, I'll tell her. Thank you» Throttle concluded, hanging up the phone.
«Who was that, Throttle?» Charley asked, returning to her work.
«It was Jack. He says he's here in town and would like to stop by later to say hello» explained Throttle walking back to his bike. His eyes, however, were on Vincent, whose gaze had shifted. Throttle silently hoped that his younger brother wouldn't say anything, but silencing Vinnie was about as easy as winning a war on Mars.
«Don't you think Jack's been coming around a little too often?»
Of course, Vinnie had opened his mouth. Throttle could bet his life on it. And he had opened it with one of the most innocent phrases that could ignite a war.
«Jack is an old friend of Charley's, it's normal for him to want to say hello when he's in the area» Modo chimed in after exchanging a pointed glance with Throttle.
«But so often?» Vincent continued, turning to the gray mouse. His voice was tinged with anger and nerves.
Every time Jack stopped by Last Chance Garage Vinnie felt uneasy. He had noticed how Jack's gaze lingered on Charley, how he always sought physical contact when speaking with her. Vinnie's tail began to flick nervously.
«Why? Is something wrong?» Charley asked, although, even without seeing her three friends from Mars, she could tell what was going on.
«Umm... I don't like him» Vinnie replied, crossing his arms and staring at Charley, who was still under the car. He could only see her body from below.
«And why don't you like him?» Charley continued, trying to keep her focus on the car, even though she could already sense where the conversation was headed.
«I think he's been hanging around you too much lately» Vinnie leaned against the saddle of his bike, still watching Charley, who was now emerging from under the car to continue the discussion.
«What? Are you jealous?» she asked him, her eyes narrowing as one hand rested on her hip and the other held a screwdriver, pointed at the mouse.
«Who? Moi?» he pointed to his chest. «I can have all the girls in the galaxy» he laughed, spreading his arms wide.
«You say that a lot... but you're still here, saying Jack is too close to me» Charley moved toward him menacingly with the screwdriver. «Isn't it that all these girls are just overwhelmed by your ego?»
«Hey, Sweetheart, take it easy with that thing. Someone might get hurt...» Vinnie put his hands in front of him, shielding himself from the screwdriver's point.
«The only one who'll get hurt here is you» Charley retorted.
«Hey, hey, fiery girl!» he laughed again glancing at his brothers, then turned his gaze back to Charley. «I like you! Why don't you use that passion with me... maybe tonight?» his voice dropped a few tones, and a grin spread across his face.
«Vincent!» Modo warned him. «Don't talk to a lady like that.»
«Oh, forget it, Modo. Now we know why we haven't seen these famous girls» Charley snorted, setting the screwdriver down on the worktable and crossing her arms.
«They're just not up to my level»Vinnie shrugged nonchalantly.
Charley burst out laughing. «Maybe you're not up to theirs.»
At that, Vinnie felt a bit frustrated, but instead of staying silent like he should have, his mouth kept running. «Well, Charley-girl, I don't see many guys around you, except Jack...»
«At least he's around» she snapped back, her eyes narrowing further, anger rising at the provocation. «And just so you know, Hotshot, I'm busy tonight.»
For a moment, Vincent's gaze wavered.
Already busy? But with who?
«With who?» his mouth spoke before his brain could catch up, or worse, before it could stop him from asking the question.
«Well, with Jack, of course. Whenever he comes to see me, we always go out» Charley said, a smug expression on her face. She knew full well that Vincent was jealous, even if he refused to admit it, and watching him squirm gave her some small sense of satisfaction.
Sometimes, it was nice to win one, wasn't it?
«So, it's not the first time?» Vinnie was left speechless.
«No» she said, her satisfaction growing as she heard Vincent's voice become more and more stunned. At the same time, she caught a hint of something else, maybe... anger?
Vincent's tail began flicking even faster. Charley confirmed it, he was definitely nervous.
«You can't go!»
«Who's stopping me? You?» Charley raised an eyebrow as she met his gaze.
«And all the times I asked you out?» Vincent said incredulously. «You never accepted!» Charley sighed impatiently.
This conversation had gone on long enough, and she knew exactly how it would end. Plus, she was already starting to feel a headache coming on.
«Well, ask yourself why... Grow up, Mr. Van Wham, and maybe we'll talk about it later!»
«Then have fun tonight!» Vinnie muttered, throwing his shoulders back as he stormed toward his bike.
«Vincent, apologize to Charley ma'am» Modo admonished him. He didn't like how his younger brother was acting.
Vinnie didn't respond. In a flash, he was on his bike, helmet on, and speeding away from the garage.
Charley sighed and looked down at her work.
«Forgive him, Charley-girl. He never knows when to put on the brakes» Throttle muttered, walking over to his human friend and placing a hand on her shoulder.
Charley shrugged. «It's alright» she said, but the truth was, it wasn't.
It hurt her to argue with Vincent over such silly things.
How could he not see that he was only hurting her?
«Do you need a hand with your work? We destroyed Limburger's tower yesterday, so I think we can relax for a few days» Throttle offered.
«I'd appreciate it.»

Later that night, when Modo and Throttle returned to the Scoreboard, they found Vinnie sitting in front of the television, a mountain of hot dogs beside him.
«Tomorrow you'll apologize to Charley ma'am» Modo said as he sat next to him, taking a hot dog and watching the movie.
«Me? She should apologize to me too!»
«And for what, exactly?» Throttle asked, sitting beside them and sipping his beer.
«For... For...» Vinnie stammered. The truth was Charley hadn't done anything wrong, she had only responded to his provocations. «In any case, I always ask her out, and she never takes me seriously» he changed the subject.
«Vincent...» Modo called him. «Do you know why Charley doesn't accept?»
«Let's hear it.»
Throttle's voice was so sincere that Vinnie couldn't find the words to respond. «Because Charley-girl needs a man, Vincent. Not a child.»

From that day on, Throttle's words echoed in Vincent's head. Though the tension between him and Charley remained high for a few days, their relationship slowly returned to normal, as though they had both forgotten the argument.
But Vincent never forgot.
And this time he wouldn't make the same mistake.
He wouldn't avoid reality, hoping things would just go back to normal with time, because there was no more time.
He would never leave Charley on Earth without telling her how he felt, knowing that she might go out with Jack again, or some other guy.
No, he wouldn't accept it.
«Run, Sweetheart, go as fast as you can» he whispered to his bike as he weaved through the morning traffic of Chicago.

I can't leave without first telling you how I feel, Charley-girl.
I've waited too long.
I can't go back to Mars with this regret.
And if you want me, and you will, I'll take you with me.
Wait for me, I'm coming.
I may not be perfect, and I've opened my mouth a thousand times when I should have kept it shut, but I need you to know these feelings.
I may have provoked you a thousand times, and made you angry just as many, but now I'm serious.
And I'm coming for you.

Charley had kept the garage closed that day; she needed a day off.
She had used the excuse "I have too much work behind" but in truth, her mood was so down that she didn't want anyone underfoot.
She had hardly slept that night, and now she was already working on an old car she had to deliver tomorrow.
Silence reigned around her, an empty silence.
There was no noise of their bikes, no voice of Vinnie teasing her or making her lose patience, no husky voice of Throttle trying to keep him in check, and no calm voice of Modo that always gave her peace.
She had been thinking about Vincent all night, even the thought of getting out of bed and going up to knock on his door.
But then, what would she say?
And what would Throttle and Modo think of her?
She shook her head, driving away the thoughts and returned to working on the engine until her ears picked up a familiar noise, very familiar.
«No, it's impossible...» she muttered under her breath as the sound of a bike grew closer. She checked the clock, they must have left for Mars by now.
It was probably the sound of another bike, someone passing by. Though, she would recognize the sound of that engine among a thousand others. Still, she told herself it couldn't be him; it was only her mind playing tricks on her.
A hope that would never come true.
The noise stopped just outside the garage, and several seconds passed. Then, someone tried the door handle, but it was locked.
Charley grabbed a wrench. If it was some criminal, they had chosen the wrong day to visit her.
Seconds ticked by, and then someone knocked on the door.
«We're closed today» Charley called out, her voice carrying.
«Closed, also, for your favorite mouse?»
Charley dropped the wrench in her hand, unable to believe it. It was Vincent.
«Vin... Vinnie?» she frowned, approaching the door.
«You're insightful already in the morning, Charley-girl» he teased, his voice mocking her as usual, as though it was just another day in their lives.
«What are you doing here? I thought...» Charley hurried to open the door. «That you had gone» she opened the door and found him standing in front of her, this wasn't a hallucination.
«You didn't think you could get rid of me so easily» Vincent said, walking into the garage and locking the door behind him. He didn't want to be disturbed by anyone.
«But the others? And Carbine?» Charley stepped back. Though Vincent's tone was playful, his look was different. There was a strange light in his eyes, perhaps the same light she had seen in him the night before, when they both had lost their way at that desired moment.
Or maybe she was just imagining things, maybe she was just dreaming and the next day hadn't come yet.
«They're waiting for me.»
«But then...» Charley kept watching him, her eyes wary as his tail flicked nervously. «What are you doing here?»
«I told you, you can't get rid of me so easily.»
He stepped closer to her.
They both felt it. The air in the room had changed. Their breaths had become shallow, their movements slower.
«What does it mean?»
«It means that...» Vincent approached, but the words faltered in his throat. Where had his bravado gone? Why, when there was something serious to say, did he stop?
How could he prove something to Charley, to be liked by her, if he kept acting like an idiot, always ready to fight and hurt her? Because yes, he knew well that he had crossed the line too many times and maybe even disappointed her.
This time, it wasn't supposed to be like that. He had to do his part.
Time was short, and he had to make the most of it.
It was his tail that spoke for him. It slowly coiled around Charley's waist, pulling her closer to him.
«Vinnie?»
Charley lost her breath. Vincent had pulled her close, maybe too fast, and she lost her balance, crashing against him. Her hands touched his chest again.
Once more, she felt the warmth of his body, the softness of his fur, and the beating of his heart against her, like he was fighting one of Limburger's goons.
She steadied herself and looked up at him, but didn't take her hands off his chest.
«Yes, Charley-girl?»
Vincent lost himself in Charley's green eyes for a few seconds.
He wanted to move closer, but her unintentional loss of balance had given him an unexpected surprise. Feeling her hands on his chest sent chills through him that he couldn't ignore.
He reached out to touch her back, slowly wrapping her in a hug and holding her tightly.
Charley rested her head against his chest.
She wanted to savor that physical contact, his warmth, his hands. Because Vinnie should have already left for Mars, and another opportunity like this might never come again.
«Tell me why you're here, Vincent...» she paused, lowering her voice to a whisper. «I beg you...»
«You still don't understand, Sweetheart?»
Vincent unwound the hug and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently moving her back so he could look at her face. He cupped her chin, lifting her head to lock eyes with hers, but Charley turned her gaze to the side, biting her lip.
Those red eyes, so deep that they seemed to read her mind, overwhelmed her.
«Look at me, Charlene.»
Her eyes widened. He hadn't called her Sweetheart or Charley-girl; he had used her full name, something that never happened.
All her defenses collapsed, and she had no choice but to look at him again, locking her green eyes with his red ones.
They got lost in each other's gaze.
The world could have collapsed around them, but in their bubble, they wouldn't even notice.
«Do you want to come with me? To Mars?»
Charley couldn't believe her ears. Did she hear him right?
Vincent had seriously asked her to leave with him? To Mars?
If it was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
«Are you serious?»
«When have I ever not been serious with you, Sweetheart?»
Charley smiled as she heard him call her that again. Vincent's tone was back to normal, as always ready to joke with her, flirt with her.
More tears rolled down Charley's face.
«Why are you crying, Charley-girl?» Vincent asked, tilting his head in confusion, almost frightened he'd said something wrong.
Charley smiled, looked down, and then rested her head back on his chest.
«Because you don't know how much I hoped you would ask me something like this...»
Vincent caught his breath. Did he understand correctly?
He hugged her again, stroking her back and then her hair, burying his chin in her auburn hair.
«I always thought you didn't see me like that... That you didn't want me like...»
«Like you want me?» Charley finished for him.
«Yeah...»
«Hey!» Charley pulled back slightly to raise her face and look at him. «Weren't you saying that all the women of the galaxy fall at your feet? Where's your super male alpha ego now?»
Vincent was caught off guard for once. For the first time in his life he found himself unable to answer.
«What? Did the cat eat your tongue?»
Vincent sneezed at the mention of them.
«You're bad, Charley-girl. You know I'm allergic to cats... Even just hearing them.»
Charley laughed. «I'll come with you, to Mars.»
«Do you really want that?» Vincent had to be sure. It wasn't just about changing cities, countries, or continents, she would be changing planets. This could mean never coming back to Earth.
«Don't make me regret my choice.»
«Never.»
«How much time do we have?»
Vincent thought about it for a few seconds. «I think fifteen minutes, time to grab your things.»
«My things take two minutes. Now I thought of something else...» Charley whispered, trailing her tongue over her lips as her fingers traced the line of Vincent's muscles, sending a series of chills through him.
«To what, Sweetheart?»
Vincent lowered his voice, whispering in her ear as he caressed her back with one hand and the base of her neck with the other, tilting her head slightly.
«Let me see how you conquer all the women of the galaxy...»
Charley's voice was low, full of desire, her hands gripping his bandoliers, pulling him toward her.
Vincent didn't need to be asked twice.
With his lips close to her ear, he kissed her earlobe first, then trailed down her neck, finally reaching Charley's lips, dispelling the tension that had hung between them for months.
Their hands roamed freely, touching, caressing, memorizing every detail.
They only had time for one kiss, but they both knew the rest would come later, on the red planet.
What mattered now was that Vincent finally understood that Charley wanted him, just as he wanted her.
And that Charley knew Vincent needed her, just as she needed him.

«Half an hour has passed» General Carbine announced as the roar of a bike approached.
«Oh, look who's here with our Vincent» Throttle said with a smile.
«Looks like Charley-ma'am has decided to join us.»
Vincent arrived quickly, stopping just a few feet from them.
«Hello guys» Charley greeted, still a little flushed.
«General Carbine, is there room for the lady?» Vincent asked enthusiastically, wrapping an arm around Charley.
«With great pleasure.»