Chapter 22 ~ Picking up the Pieces

It did not take long for everyone in the shuttle to pass out from their adventure. Only Jimmy and Aja were awake as they navigated their way home mostly in silence until Aja had to ask something.

"Why did April kiss you?"

Jimmy was thrown by the question. "Oh, well technically it wasn't a kiss."

"Merde." She scoffed "I'm French, I know what kissing is."

"No, I mean, I know you do," Jimmy stuttered a little, "You see, the Gorlocks do this thing that greatly resembles a kiss, it's the Gorlocken Seal of Trust. It's meant to be a sign of trust and commitment to another warrior." Aja raised a brow, not especially convinced. "I even asked her today, it wasn't a kiss. April wouldn't dare kiss me infront of Cindy, not again."

Aja looked back to Cindy laying on her stretcher on the floor. "If I were you, I'd just be glad Miss Cinthia did not see."

"No, April wouldn't kiss me infront of Cindy again, last time that happened they got into an actual fight."

"Well Cinthia is the jealous type." Aja comment looking back to Jimmy.

Jimmy chuckled, "Tell me something I don't know."

She thought a moment then pointed out, "Well if this adventure has taught us anything, it's that we did the right thing breaking up." Jimmy looked confused by the connection. "Cinthia nearly died for you, twice. She cares more about you than I think she'll ever admit. Not to sound rude, but our relationship did not even come close to that." Jimmy was still thrown by what his ex was getting at. "I know I probably pushed you into it all before you were ready, and you probably would have been content with us just staying friends."

"I don't regret our relationship Aja." Jimmy reassured.

"So you are saying that if we had broke it off clean when you left, or never had been dating in the first place, you would not have started dating Cinthia immediately?"

"No. Actually, she made it very clear to everyone that after her break up with Nick she wasn't going to be dating anyone for a while, least of all me. But, I will admit, that I was very confused about you and her when I got back."

"So my wariness from afar was warranted?"

"No, the source of your wariness was because you hadn't stayed faithful yourself, so how could I possibly do the same with Cindy in my lab all the time..." He responded bitterly as he flipped a few switches on the dash.

"Perhaps." There was silence in the ship for a little while until Jimmy broke it with a question of his own.

"Why wasn't I enough for you?"

Aja took a minute to think about it. "I suppose my curiosity was stronger than my infatuation." she supplied.

"But how could you commit your life to an insane program like you did, but not commit yourself to a loving boyfriend?"

"Why didn't you bring this up when we broke up?" Aja asked.

"Cause we both seemed pretty sure of where things were headed," he admitted then looked straight at the brunette, "But it doesn't mean I understood why."

"Well you won't have that issue with Cinthia. She always speaks her mind and is loyal to a fault." She mocked.

"I don't consider those bad qualities," Jimmy pointed out "You're brutality honest."

"I'm curt, but Cinthia has no tact."

"And you do?" He asked surprised.

"Compared to her, I have discretion to spare." Aja refuted then redirected the conversation back on point. "Look, I wasn't trying to aggravate you, or insult Cinthia. I do actually admire her over all, and I am glad you two have found each other, you deserve her, not me." Jimmy could tell the girl was being sincere, she was rarely anything but, however on the topic of Cindy, Aja always seemed to beat around the bush. "I just wanted you to know I understand that now."

"So you had doubts after our break-up too?" He asked coyly.

"Oui, I didn't exactly love the idea you were leaving me for another girl, even if it was mutually decided upon."

"Oh," he stuttered "It didn't seem to bother you that much at the time."

"Well, I may be a genius, but I am still subject to human emotions."

Jimmy chuckled at the sentiment, then looked back to his friends, still knocked out. "I'm sorry if you coming here to follow me all seems like a mistake you'd rather not have made."

"Not at all James." She quickly summized "I've learned more about social interaction here in just a few months, than in the last five years in the program. And I know I don't have to tell you how hard that stuff is for us."

"Yeah, interpersonal interactions and relations, it's precisely why I wanted to come back and finish high school like a normal person." he concurred.

"Was that something Cinthia pushed you to do?"

"I wouldn't say push, but she did point it out that it would probably be important."

"Well, she was right."

"Careful," Jimmy half joked "those are dangerous words around Cindy, she'll never let you forget it." he smiled as Aja giggled in return. Then she looked up to the front of the craft.

"What's that?" She asked pointing to a stream of crackly blue substance they were approaching.

"That would be the Van Patten radiation belt." Jimmy recited as he flipped on the ships extra shielding "Last time we came home this way is when we got our N-men powers. Not looking to fly through it this time."

"Didn't you crash land too?"

"Only a little," he muttered "Nobody was hurt."

"Just exposed to dangerous levels of radiation that would have killed them in less than a week."

"Hence the scenic route around it." He made a few more adjustment to alter the ship's course. Aja smiled at the remark and watched the lights dance outside her window as they passed by the belt.

"That what I think it is?" They heard from the back of the ship. Aja popped up and walked over to Cindy who was gazing out the windowed door to the right of where she was laying.

"Yeah, Van Patten Radiation Belt. We're almost home." Jimmy assured still navigating their passage.

Cindy chuckled "You up for a re-match?" she joshed holding up an arm. Aja looked at her confused and began to check her vitals. "Neutron ever tell you how we got our powers the first time?"

"Oui, from this very strand of radiation."

"Yes, but why we each got the power we did?"

"Oh, you two were arm wrestling." She recalled, making sense of the earlier gesture. "So James must have won, cause he's stronger than you in his angered state."

"Maybe a little, but I don't have to get angry to call on my strength." She teased, and looked back out the window, watching the lights dance. "It might be dangerous, but it's insanely beautiful."

Jimmy smiled looking behind him seeing Cindy look out the window at the blue light show. "Just like you."


After returning home Jimmy headed for the hospital then after administering Cindy to urgent care, Aja and Carl elected to stay with her while Jimmy brought the rocket back home and then the rest of the gang filed in to Libby's more conventional car to head back over to the hospital. By the time they had arrived Cindy's parents had shown up, none too pleased with the state of their only daughter. Cindy was given blood, re-bandaged, and the temporary staples and loosed stitches were re-stitched before the urgent care nurse finished by securing a new sling to her injured shoulder.

"How are you feeling Cindy?" the nurse asked as she finished adjusting the sling.

"Fine actually, a little tired, but not in any pain if I don't move."

"That's good, the prior medical care you received definitely helped you. But we'll need to keep you overnight for observation, due to how much blood loss you sustained, and so we can monitor your abdomin wound for any internal bleeding we may have missed."

"Okay, so does that mean I can go to school tomorrow?"

The nurse chuckled. "Not the sort of thing most teens are concerned about after a hospital visit."

"Well she isn't most teens." Cindy's mom, Vivian replied almost offended, "She's missed out on nearly a week of school as it is. I fear her perfect attendance record has just been squandered over a misunderstanding.

Seeing the fretting mother the nurse calmly explained. "We'll see what the doctor says in the morning, and regardless he can write a note for Cindy for any days she's missed." This effectively relieved her parents. "Would you two mind stepping out with me a moment to go over some paperwork?" the nurse asked, clearly seeing that Cindy hadn't looked away from her newest visitor since he arrived.

"Of course." Cindy's dad agreed and guided Vivian out to follow the nurse. She took the opportunity to glare at Jimmy on their way out, showing just how unhappy she was with him letting her daughter get hurt.

After the friends had the room to themselves Jimmy sat on the side of the bed and set a hand gently on Cindy's. "Well your mom definitely doesn't like me now."

"Well she thought Nick was perfect for me, and you were the town troublemaker. So she started off not liking my change in boyfriends, and this doesn't help your case." Cindy joshed gesturing to her state.

"All that time riding with Nick, you never got hurt?"

"Nothing hospital worthy," She shrugged "I'm sorry about my mom."

"Don't worry about it, she has a right to be protective. But I'd like to think I'm a bit more protective as I'm the one that came flying after you." He smiled.

"So, um... What did you tell your ma girl?" Libby asked, plopping down at the foot of her bed.

"I just said that I was in a legal battle over my invention's business deal and in the process I may have gotten a little hot headed and got into an actual physical fight with Eustace, which resulted in my current condition."

"Seems plausible to me." Jimmy concurred.

"And Aja and I were able to back up her story." Carl added.

Cindy nodded, "So..." she looked to the door to see if her parents were about to walk back in. "Any news from the bandits on transporting their cargo?"

"Nothing on our route home, I'll check with them later." Jimmy reassured her.

"If something went wrong you can NOT leave this planet without me." Cindy threatened, and even in her state in a hospital bed nobody wanted to cross her, least of all Jimmy.

"If something happened, we'll all make a plan in how to fix it." Jimmy smiled. The gang stayed with Cindy for a while, but eventually Libby reasoned that they should head home to keep their parents from worrying. Libby offered to drop everyone off and the friends all said their goodbyes to Cindy. Jimmy wanted desperately to stay behind, but even his parents would be worried and expect an explanation after being gone for nearly 4 days. He gently kissed her goodbye, not caring that her mother was still in the room. "I'll come by tomorrow before school, bring you if you get released."

"With what?" She asked cocking an eyebrow.

"What do you mean with what, with my hover..." Jimmy trailed off remembering what had happened to it. "You know that's gonna be quite the project for us." He smiled.

"I've had some ideas on how to improve it." She commented nonchalantly and smiled.

"Good." he winked back at her, they both then heard Libby clear her throat from the doorway. "Okay... I'll see you tomorrow." He leaned down and kissed her again and quietly reminded her "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled. "Now go before Libby has pull you out by your ear." He did as he was told and begrudgingly left the hospital room.

After a minute Vivian spoke. "You love him? That's new."

"We have been dating a while Mom."

"I know, but I don't think I ever recall you saying that to Nick."

"I didn't." Cindy said simply. Both wanting this conversation to swiftly end and show that Jimmy Neutron was eons different than Nick Dean.

"What ever happened between you two? You were so good together." He mom asked genuinely interested, something Cindy had come accustomed to Mrs. Neutron being, but never expected from her own mother, so she humored the topic at hand.

"We just wanted different things from life." Cindy supplied "I mean do you really see Nick going to an ivy league school like I want to?"

"I suppose not." She accepted, then clearly she wanted to ask something else but was hesitant.

"What Mom?"

"I just thought that Jimmy coming back..."

"No," Cindy assured curtly, then explained "Although that is everyone's first thought. Jimmy and Aja were dating when he got back, and I didn't get my feelings about him sorted out until a bit before they broke up."

"So you broke them up?!" she asked appalled, remembering the sweet brunette that she was introduced to earlier.

"In a way..." Cindy mewed, not especially proud of it. "But not intentionally, Jimmy and Aja kind of had a mutual break up too, partly over that they could both see he loved me."

"Oh..." Vivian responded.

"Yeah."

It was silent for a few minutes before Vivian spoke again. "Like mother, like daughter." she smiled as Cindy looked to her utterly confused. "I may have both intentionally and unintentionally broken up some couples in my past..."

"Mom! And you gave me crap for kind of doing this once?"

"Well you're my little girl, you're suppose to do better than me." She smiled, then started regaling Cindy with tales of her past relationships.


Jimmy arrived home and Goddard was the first to greet him. "Hey boy!" The robotic dog barked and chirped in response.

"Jimmy is that you?" He could hear his Mom ask from the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm back." He replied coolly as he made his way to her.

She hugged him as he entered the kitchen. "What took you kids so long? The other parents were so worried, some were even getting angry with me and I didn't have any answers."

"Yeah, took a bit longer than any of us expected, but were all back in one piece." Judy released him from the hug.

"Good, so you got it all sorted out then?"

"Yeah, Cindy got into a bit of a fight with Eustace, so she's at the hospital with her mom now."

"What?!" She asked shocked "What happened? Will she be okay?"

"She'll be fine Mom. They're just keeping her for observation to be on the safe side. We had Aja with, so Cindy was in good hands until we got to the ER."

"Well I guess I'm glad for that, Oh I should bring her something..." Judy went to grab a cookbook.

"I think visiting hours are about over for today."

"Well then she can have these tomorrow," She commented flipping through her well used baking cook book "Here we go, peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies." Jimmy smiled in agreement then motioned to walk out of the room. "And where do you think you're going mister?"

"Um, I was gonna shower then head down to the lab and..."

"Nope, you are gonna stay and help me make these cookies for your injured girlfriend." She commanded, then she took a moment to look over her son. "On second thought, go shower, then come do this for Cindy with me."

"Okay Mom." With that Jimmy bound upstairs.

"Oh that poor girl, I knew Jimmy coming back was going to be nothing but trouble for her..." She snickered as she started grabbing her mixer out.


The next morning, to both Cindy and her Mom's delight, the doctor signed her release papers. With the addendum that she would attend physical therapy for her shoulder. Cindy thought the recommendation was unnecessary, but agreed to it so she could finally resume her life pre-Eustace. Vivian had stayed the night with Cindy after their bonding session and happily drove her daughter to school. Cindy made her way to the office as the first bell rang to turn in her notes and restriction notice for gym. After a few minutes of paperwork Cindy was dismissed with a hall pass to get to her first class.

She walked in during Mr. Christensen's lecture, setting down her note on his desk by the door before making her way to her seat. She passed Aja on the way and gave her a sweet smile which she returned. Still weird that the two of us are friends now... But nice. Then Cindy looked up to see Jimmy at their normal table in the back, and her smile got even wider. Cindy bumped against her boyfriend gently as she sat down, and got her notebook ready to follow along with Mr. Christensen's fast paced lecture.

The rest of the day progressed as normal, with the addition of plenty of looks from classmates on her battered state. A few even dared to ask her what happened, out of more curiosity than concern she figured. By the time lunch had rolled around Libby had heard a few variations of the story she had to share.

"I still don't like that people are just associating your injuries to dating me." Jimmy commented sourly.

"They ain't saying you beat her up, just that you started the trouble." Sheen explained.

"But I didn't, Eustace contacted her to begin with..." Jimmy defended.

"To get at you." Libby interrupted. "Hate to break it to ya, but we all might as well sign a liability waver to be your friend Jimmy." the whole table, sans Neutron, laughed at the comment.

After they had settled Cindy whispered "I don't mind the cost one bit." Jimmy smiled back at her and kissed her forehead. "Although the pain killers help." She snickered.

"Oh just eat your lunch." he pouted.

Everyone at the table took the hint and silently agreed to drop the topic for the time being and ate their lunches. As they were dismissed Libby grabbed Cindy's books before JImmy could as he had been all day. As Jimmy and Libby fought over the duty Cindy was tapped on the shoulder. She turned to see Nick standing beside her.

"Hey C, heard you got into it with rich boy?"

Cindy turned to face him. "Well that's the short story." she smirked.

"Now if you look this beat up, I'm real curious how Strechy looks."

"Strich, Eustace Strich."

"Eh, I was close." he shrugged "So do I get the real story or you gonna make me suffer with the gossip version?"

"You didn't get the story from Aja?" Cindy asked curiously.

"Thought she was on a home visit, something about a grandma in the hospital?"

"Umm, no..." Cindy looked around to see if Aja was still in the lunch room. "She kinda saved my life."

"Really? Well now I gotta hear the whole story. What are you doing after school?" Nick asked intrigued. Jimmy seemed to finally conceded to let Libby carry Cindy's belongings to the AP Lit, then he turned to see the ex's chatting and walked over.

"Nick." Jimmy greeted.

"Hey Neutron, I thought you were done causing trouble and endangering friends."

Jimmy raised a brow to Cindy, unsure if he should be offended or apologetic, "There are a couple dozen rumors going around school Jimmy."

"Yeah, and everyone knows it'd take a heck of a lot for C to end up lookin like that." Nick gestured to the sling.

"Hey, do me a favor and don't mention what I said about Aja, I want to talk to her first." Cindy pleaded.

"Sure thing C, head to the Candy Bar after school?

"That'll work." She smiled. "Just meet at your truck after gym? The hover car kinda got blowed up in the midst of all this." Nick nodded curious to hear more.

"Well, we all gotta get going to class." Jimmy interrupted.

"I suppose." Nick smirked then waved as started away then he turned around a moment. "C! Glad you're ok."

"Thanks." Cindy waved back then started walking beside Jimmy toward their next class. "What?" She asked the boy staring at her as they walked.

"What was that about?" Jimmy asked.

"Oh don't get so paranoid, he was just asking what happened." She explained "He's one of the few people in school that would even have the courage to ask me directly."

"So you have a date with your ex, and what was that thing about Aja?"

"Um, apparently Nick didn't know she was absent with us, some story about a sick family member." She explained "Figured I'd ask her in French class."

"Why do you feel the need to inform Nick on any of this?" Jimmy asked, still concerned she glossed past the 'date' question.

"Damage control." Cindy explained calmly "Even if you don't like him much, Nick is fairly popular, and if he has the story straight he'll correct anybody who's trying to talk shit about me, or you." Jimmy looked confused, but before he could ask another question Cindy went on. "Did you hear the rumor one of your experiments went wrong and did this to me? Or worse, Carl heard one story where you beat me."

"No, I hadn't heard those..." He admitted quietly, as he noticed the hall had all but cleared out as they approached their classroom.

"I love you Jimmy, and I don't like hearing those rumors any more than you, and on any other day I'd beat the crap out of anyone spreading them. But being as that isn't much of an option in my current state, chatting with Nick seems like a good alternative."

"How the hell do you think through all that so easily?" he asked, clear there was an apology between the lines.

"Cause I'm smarter than you." Cindy smiled, then the bell rang signaling the start of class and the pair quickly stepped into the room.


After French had been dismissed Cindy and Jimmy made a point to walk to gym with Aja. "Comment va ta grand-mère?" How's your Grandma doing? Cindy asked snarkily.

"Who'd you hear that from?" Aja asked.

"Nick."

"Good, that's one of the folks that needs to believe that."

"Why's that?" Jimmy inquired.

"Cause if I ditch school for any reason my exchange program is done and I'll be sent home."

"Really?" Cindy wondered.

"Oui, so before we left I called my parents and explained everything and they called it into the school. I also let your mother know so our story's would not get miffed." Aja explained.

"Oh, smart." Cindy concurred.

"Well I am a genius."

"So, what would happen if I told Nick already..."

"Cinthia!"

"I'm sorry, but he started asking me about this," She explained gesturing to herself "And I was confused why you hadn't told him anything, then he said the thing about your grandma..."

Jimmy interrupted her rant "But, Nick agreed not to mention anything about it until Cindy talked to you."

"Yeah, Nick agreed to help with some rumor control, but in order for him to do that he's gotta know the whole story, so I'm gonna meet with him after school and get it all sorted out."

"Very well, but if I'm sent home early I'm blaming your big mouth."

"That's fair." Cindy agreed. "You wanna come along? Candy Bar at 4?"

"I cannot, I'll be staying after school to make-up a test I missed in Pre-Calc. Then I have some project for history that was due today."

"Well I'll be sure to have Nick bring something sweet home for ya."

"That would be great." Aja smiled before nodding and stepping into the girls locker room.

"Well, I'll see you after school." Cindy stated to Jimmy, who looked a bit confused. "I more or less have a pass from gym until I'm out of this sling, so I'm gonna see if I can play homework catch-up in the library."

"Suppose that makes sense." he agreed "Any chance you wanna take care of mine too?" he chuckled.

"Nope." Cindy smirked "But I will come by the lab and help you get caught up after 5 or so?"

"You don't want me to go with to meet Nick?" He asked suspiciously.

"Well you can if you want, but I figured you'd get board or cranky." Jimmy wanted to refute, but he mostly agreed with the prediction. "As much as you like to block it from memory, Nick and I were and more or less still are friends, all be it you do monopolize my time outside of school."

"You saying you miss hanging out with Nick?"

"For the most part, no." She shrugged "But I just foresee us talking about more than the deadly space adventure, and that's where you would get irritated or disinterested."

"Fine, I differ to your judgment on the matter." Jimmy gave her a quick kiss. "I'll see you later."


"Wow..." Nick gaped his mouth open at the tale he had just been told. "That little prick really tried to kill you..."

"Yeah, and if it wasn't for Aja's help he may have." Cindy affirmed before finishing of her melted bowl of ice cream.

"So if she was with you, why'd me and my folks get the grandma story?"

"That's the other thing I needed to mention." Cindy commented before loading the last spoon of ice cream in her mouth. "Apparently she can get in big trouble and sent home for any unexcused absences, so she had her parents call and inform your folks and the school on a phony family crisis."

"Oh, well that makes sense. She could have told me that."

"Well the girl has trust issues."

Nick gave her a sideways look, "Why would you say that? She's so chill."

"Sure on that open relationship whatever stuff," Cindy granted quietly "But she doesn't seem to trust that people will inherently do the right thing. She didn't trust Jimmy and me hanging out even when you and I were still dating."

"Wait, how often were you two hanging out?" Nick asked almost hurt by the apparently new information.

"Nick you knew I had access to the Lab when he was gone."

"Yeah, but you pretty much stopped going down there after he came back cause you didn't have to check on stuff anymore."

"Well, yeah, I didn't have to check on stuff anymore but I still went down there after he got back."

"This is news to me..." Nick commented.

"I never lied to you about that Nick, but not like it mattered being as we broke up not too long after Jimmy got back."

"And you swear he wasn't the reason for that?"

"Yes! Dam I feel like a freakin broken record... Nick why are you asking about all this now?"

"I don't know, I guess since our anniversary is coming up, and I've been thinking if we should have broken up. Just thinking how much better the year could have been with you in it more."

Cindy was flabbergasted "You... you wanted me to run away with you all summer, which would have inevitably involved me missing school for something I could not see helping me or pursuing it vocationally past high school."

"If you recall you did put some serious thought into it before you decided not to come and then just decided it was over between us."

"You agreed with me!" Cindy nearly yelled catching the attention of the restaurant.

"Didn't mean I wanted it to happen!" he refuted, then glared at anyone still looking on to their conversation. "I loved you C, and I knew it long before I said it."

"You just said that to get in my pants."

"Well that is the next physical step we were going towards, but that's not the only reason I said it." Cindy stayed quiet, not believing she was having this conversation with her ex. "The intent of the invitation last summer was I so we could spend more time together, and then you'd finally see just how much you loved me."

Cindy didn't quite know what to say in response, so she laid some money on the bar and stepped off the stool. "I should get going..."

Nick nodded as he stood up to follow her. "I'll take you home."

"No, I can walk."

"I insist... please."

"Fine." Cindy conceded and hurried out to his truck. The ride was silent, Nick seemingly understood Cindy's discomfort with the prior conversation and didn't push the topic further. But Cindy couldn't help but wonder... How in the world is he bringing all this up now? I thought our whole break-up went smooth and now he's pulling this... In what world would he think I would leave Neutron for him? He really meant he loved me? It wasn't a ploy... I don't exactly want to have this conversation, but when the hell else are we gonna have the chance to, without anyone else around to blow things out of proportion... The truck pulled to a stop, the change in motion jarred her out of her thoughts enough to look up and see they were parked in front of her house. Nick put the vehicle in park and looked like he was about to speak but Cindy stopped him. "Do..." She started, mostly afraid to ask. "Do you still love me? Is that what this is about?"

Nick smiled a moment, seemingly happy to continue the conversation, and shut off the engine before replying. "Well, I don't think my feelings have changed. And I mean rodeo and Aja are great distractions, but she's not you C."

"I'm dating Neutron Nick." She explained pointing to her neighbors house.

"I know, I should have brought this up sooner, I've been thinking about this since that day you came by in the hover-car..." he admitted as he rested a hand on her shoulder. "And a lot of days since." Cindy jerked her shoulder away, wincing a little from the subsequent motion to her injury; he looked hurt by the action, but understood. "I really was hoping you'd come to see me that day, but then you said how you and Neutron finally hooked up and I knew I lost you."

"If you were feeling all this why the hell didn't you say something that day?"

"Would it have made a difference?" Cindy was about to refute but Nick continued "You didn't want to get back together at the party... you said you were over me, so I tried to let it be. Then you couldn't hang out with Neutron anymore and started talking to me again, and well maybe then would have been the best time to say all this."

"Why the hell are you being all true confessions to me? You were never this sentimental or elaborate when we were dating?"

"I don't know, I guess I'm just feeling a little truthsome right now." He confessed, then Cindy grabbed her bag by her feet, but before she could go for the door Nick added, "I was right you know..."

"About what?" she was almost afraid to ask.

"I was smart to snatch you up before high school started. I just wish I could of held on tighter."

"Nick..." Cindy started then took a moment to think. This all seems like I should I have given him a chance... But I'm in love with Jimmy, more than I ever felt when I was with Nick... Nick and I just didn't click in the end, and god damnit, everything feels right with Jimmy... "... I didn't love you." She finally admitted.

"How do you even know that? We were together over 2 years, we knew everything about each other. I know..."

"That's not enough Nick!" Cindy nearly yelled, then took a moment to calm herself. "You and I just didn't spark. And I know you hate being the one to hear this, but Jimmy and I do. We have something that is eons different than what you and I had, and I'm done feeling sorry for that. I love Jimmy."

Nick looked broken by the unexpected confession, then after taking a moment to compose himself he shrugged. "Well we still have a more than a year of high school left. And if I know Neutron he's bound to screw something up. And when he does I'll be here for you C."

Cindy rolled her eye and opened her door. "I'm done with this conversation." She stepped out and shut the door behind her, but before she could walk away she heard Nick through the open window.

"I had a nice time catchin' up C. I really have missed you." He said honestly before starting the truck and driving off.


"Was wondering when you'd turn up?" Jimmy asked, hearing the lab doors open he saved what he was working on on the computer before seeing his girlfriend staring at the invention lockers. After not getting a response from her, he walked over to where she was. He gently placed a hand in the small of her back, but she didn't even turn to look at him. "You okay?"

"Not especially..." she managed, then Jimmy looked at the locker she was so intent on. Eustace said Eddie made some sort of neutralizer to this, I wonder if an anti-love potion is possible...

"Why you got Love Potion 976-J on your mind?" He asked warily.

"Eustace said something..."

"When?" he asked confused.

"During the second attack..." she drifted, clearly deep in thought about something. "Do you remember what set you off each time?"

"It's all hazy, but did Eustace... did he...?" Jimmy faded not wanting to say it out loud.

"During the second assault, he kissed me in order to set you off." Cindy clarified

"More than once?"

"Yes," She admitted "He had me pinned and kissing me both silenced me and enraged you."

"And an enraged out of control hulk Jimmy was a better option to him than normal Jimmy." he clarified.

"Leveled the playing field. Anyway, when I was on their ship I may have let something slip about what the love potion you used on BG and Junkman was derived from."

"Pheromones, but why does that matter?"

"Cause Eddie whipped up some anti-love-potion potion, and Eustace said he used it on you the first time he set you off." She was still intently staring at the locker. Jimmy placed his other hand across on her left side and gently turned her to face him. "Do you remember that? He was hoping by making you fall out of love with me so I couldn't pull you out, or you would finish me off for them..."

"Cindy, all that pheromone stuff was neutralized years ago for us."

"But Eddie said something about that not working..." Cindy looked worried, a look Jimmy had rarely seen on his friend in over a decade. "... And I just admitted I loved you, and if your feelings fade cause of that concoction..."

Jimmy silenced her with a kiss, hoping it would ease her worries on the subject and calm her nerves. After a moment he pulled away. "I love you Cindy, and what we have is so much more than a pheromone induced psychosis." he assured her grabbing her left hand and squeezing it.

"But they were able to snap Beautiful and Junkman out of it to get them in the fight."

"We don't know that, all we know is they were able to talk them into joining after it started." Jimmy pointed out. "And besides, I would assume if they were still together after 5 years their relationship had progressed past the pheromones anyway."

"I suppose..." she conceded "So you promise me that that" she gestured to the love potion, " is not the only reason we're together."

"Positive." he smiled before closing the space between them to kiss her. The pair became engrossed in each other and slowly made their way over to the couch, Jimmy was constantly wary of Cindy's injuries, but they couldn't help their kisses from becoming more fevered. After a little while Cindy pulled away from her boyfriend. "Did I hurt you?" he asked concerned between heavy breathing.

"No, not really," She explained, "Just, I think between the heavy breathing and all, my throat cut is getting annoyed."

"I'm sorry," he touched the side of her neck gingerly.

"It's fine Neutron." She insisted touching his hand.

He tapped his forehead against hers, "You know the last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt you." Cindy chortled in response, Jimmy pulled away a little offended by her reaction. "What was that for? I was being serious."

"Just something Nick said." She leaded "He seems to think you're bound to screw this up."

Jimmy pulled his hand away. "He has the balls to say that when he neglected you so much you lost interest?"

"He's just saying that cause of your track record in messing things up and endangering the town."

"I havn't done that once since I've been back!"

"I know that." She refuted not needing to be convinced. "Nick was just being an ass."

"Why? What else did he say?" Cindy was hesitant to reply, and stared back at the lockers. He's gonna flip shit if I tell him Nick's still in love with me... but maybe that'll get him to work on some kind of anti-love potion that'll actually work... "Cindy?!"

She looked back to him, "He said he's still in love with me." She blurted before she could come up with a more congenial way to tell him.

"What?!" Cindy went on to explain their whole conversation as she remembered it, careful not to leave any detail out and no secret for her to get in trouble with later. By the end of it Jimmy wasn't fuming as Cindy expected him to be.

"You're not mad?" Cindy asked cautiously.

"Well I can't exactly be mad at you for something he said truthfully..." He explained too sheepishly. Cindy looked at him quizzically. Why the hell isn't he more upset...? Then it clicked.

"What did you do!?" She scolded.

"Why do you assume I did something?!"

Cindy stood up from the couch and went to cross her arms but remembered the sling and threw her good arm on her hip. "Cause you're you, and you're not nearly as upset about all this as you should be!"

"You think I was going to get all jealous and crazed and invent something to make him not be in love with you?"

"Well... Yeah..." She affirmed. "So... What did you do?"

"I may have distributed an experimental truth serum near him during gym..."

"Why the hell did you have that on you? When did you even work on that? What good did you think that was going to do? Why can you ever just think things through for more than a nano-second?"

"I've been working on it for the chem final, and I just didn't want him to feed you any bullshit."

"No, you were just hoping he'd be an ass and I wouldn't want to hang out with him again."

"Well..." he tried to come up with another excuse but had none, cause that was the exact intent of his little experiment. "Yes... That was the ideal outcome."

Cindy took a breath and stepped toward him. "Jimmy, you can not be doing things like this, that's how we wind up in trouble."

"It's not like I thought he still loved you and would go all true confessions."

"But you know that's precisely why you need to approve all inventions through me!" she explained now standing in front of where he was still seated on the couch. "Cause you suck at thinking things through..."

"Like you would have known he would of said any of that?"

"No, I wouldn't of wanted to know anything Nick was holding back, so I would have ixnayed the entire experiment." She elaborated then put a hand on his face. "Now a truth serum on you on the other hand..." she smiled.

"That would just be boring." He stood up nearly pressed against her "Cause I've never kept anything from you." he grinned, "Not in our relationship, friendship, or rivalry for that matter."

"You didn't let me know when you started liking me." Cindy pointed out.

"I did, you were just too dense to figure out I was pretending." Cindy scoffed a moment before he held her in a kiss.

After their lips parted Cindy huffed. "How the hell do you do that?"

"Do what?" he smiled still holding her.

"I was mad at you a minute ago..."

He pecked her lips "I must distract you." Cindy smiled and kissed him, her lips were somehow soft yet firmly pressed into his. It doesn't matter who says they love you... I know what we have is stronger than anyone could hope to tear apart... Jimmy reassured himself. After what seemed like not long enough Jimmy pulled away from the kiss. "We should get to our make-up work, and I don't wanna stress your throat wound again."

Cindy rolled her eyes, "How considerate." she half joked. "But I'm nearly caught up and didn't even bring my stuff."

"So you can do all mine?"

"You had over an hour after school, how are you not almost done genius?"

"Well I may have been drafting new hover-car designs..." he nodded to his computer behind her.

"Ooo!" She perked up and spun around to head to the giant screen. I love that she's so excited about that... "So I was thinking, we could upgrade the seating a bit, and I could show you how I expanded the intake manifold." She plopped on the computer chair and started looking through the CAD program he had pulled up. "And when we have a finished product we can make some adjustment to the trailer, like I was thinking about utilizing that for expanded seating." Cindy looked behind her to see Jimmy still standing by the couch. "You gonna just stand there or ya gonna help me with this?" She asked with her signature Cindy sass.

Jimmy smiled and started walking over "Sure thing Vortex."


The End ... kind of ...

I had a longer story written, but am having some major writer's block/lack of time to finish it. So I found a good pause point and finally posted the darn thing. I'm hoping to post a sequel, but we'll see when that happens...