I do not own B.M.F.M. or make any profit from this story. It is only for your enjoyment and mine. Thank you. Also, I apologize if I insult any cheerleaders or Rachels in the Fan Club.

Modo groans and stretches the sleep out of his muscles. He is somewhat disoriented as to where he is but his mind clears quickly. Modo sits up and looks around the ruins of the observatory. He had went there with Vikki and realizes he must have fallen asleep talking. Before, the sun was barely starting to set; now the sky is bright with stars.
Modo notices Vikki standing a few feet away. The full moon above them illuminates her white fur and shirt, making her look like she's surrounded by mist. Modo smiles and wishes he could freeze this moment. Then he notices, as Vikki's face tilts towards him, there is a sadness covering her face. Modo gets up, walks to her, and hugs her from behind. "Whatcha doing?" asks Modo before kissing Vikki's neck. Vikki smiles, places her hands over his, and answers, "Looking for Mars." Modo places his chin on Vikki's shoulder and points to a distant twinkling light. "Right there." He replaces his arm around her waist and rubs his cheek against hers. Vikki places her hand on Modo's other cheek, but; while still looking towards Mars; to herself, thinks, Sorry for all the grief I gave you, Mom.

This is SO not fair!
"Vick! You know it hurts when we yell to each other!" shouts Vinnie, through gritted teeth, to his sister. Vick paces across the garage floor of their house. "That's because your a wimp, Bro." She looks to her brother, leaning against a workbench. Vick paces to the corner where their bikes are parked. They are as identical as Vick and Vinnie used to be. Both bikes are bright red, but Vick's has 'Vixen' written in silver lightning on it. Vick places her hand on her bikes cowl. It's headlight flashes in recognition.
"Well, at least I'm not being sent to finishing school!" Vick turns and comes face to face with Vinnie's wide grin.
Number One. Finishing school is for girls; you can't go. Number Two. That's what's so unfair! I get sent away and you get to stay here. Vick starts to pace the floor again. It really wasn't fair. Vinnie would be spending the summer on a road trip with their father and she would spend it with summer classes. Vick plops down onto the floor. She lays back with her hands behind her head and lets out a disgusted sigh. Vinnie shakes his head, lifts himself from the workbench, and walks towards his sister. As he stands over her, the overhead light casts a shadow over his face. Not that Vick needed to see his face. They had been inseparable since they were born; except for the occasional summers she spent with their uncle at his ranch. Vinnie wasn't much for country life. At fifteen the mental differences are as noticeable as the physical ones between the twins.
We're as different as we are identical, that's what Mom says.
"Isn't Mom the problem?" Vinnie grins. He knows it's their mom's idea for Vick to go to the school. Both of the twins knew their mom thought it was Vinnie's influence that made Vick act the way she does. Maybe Mom's right about you. Because of you I always thought the stuff guys were supposed to do was cooler than the stuff girls were supposed to do. Vinnie's jaw drops in disbelief. Then he drops to his knees and places his hand on her forehead. Vick shakes her head. I was just kidding. Mom's never right about that. You had nothing to do with me. Vinnie laughs, grabs Vick's brown hair; which is barely long enough to grab; and shakes her head by it.
So about that school. Why don't you just get yourself kicked out, again?

"And did you?" asks Charley. She and Vikki are sitting in the kitchen. Vikki is wearing one of her Freedom Fighter uniforms because Charley had said to the guys last night that she and Vikki were planning to clean up The Last Chance and Vinnie said it would be a battle. Vikki had decided to accentuate that point, even though she knew the guys would make themselves scarce today; which they were.
Charley takes another sip of her coffee. Vikki couldn't understand the appeal of coffee. It was nowhere near as strong or as tasty as the stuff back on Mars. The hot chocolate Vikki is drinking has kinda the same taste and she doesn't need anything to help her wake up. "Yeah I did. You should've seen the look on Mom's face!"

"Vincent, wake up," calls his mother as she walks by his bedroom door and down the staircase of their new house. She is wearing a white robe, the same shade as her fur, over her nightgown and her black hair is pulled back in a braid. The base of the staircase is in their living room. A doorway joins the living room and the kitchen. The living room has off-white walls and khaki furniture and carpet. The kitchen has cream colored walls and linoleum. All counters and appliances are a beach sand color. Their mother walks into the kitchen and proceeds to start breakfast. A few moments later Vick walks into the kitchen, from a door leading to the garage, and heads for the refrigerator. She is wearing a T-shirt and jeans that show signs of being slept in. Her mother doesn't notice her. Vick goes past her mom's back calling, "Hi, Mom," opens the refrigerator door, and while grabbing a soda bottle, counts to herself, Three... two... one... cue Mom.
"Victoria! What are you doing home?" Instead of answering, Vick looks at her watch. Seconds later Vick points to the phone hanging on the wall just before it wrings. As her mom starts to answer it, Vick opens the soda and starts up the stairs. "Oh, Mom. That's probably the dean. I'm just going to see Vinnie." Her mother answers and watches her daughter in shock when the voice of the dean of Vick's boarding school greets her over the phone.
In Vinnie's room, Vick walks in without knocking and catches Vinnie in nothing but his briefs. Vinnie grabs the jeans he was reaching for at the time. Viiiick! What are you doing? Vinnie shoves his legs into the jeans. Pleeaase, Bro. We shared a womb; your skivvies ain't a big thing to me. Vinnie grumbles something under his breath while he finishes fastening his jeans. Vick holds out the soda, Want some? Vinnie walks through his cluttered room towards her. Vick can't really blame him for the mess; they had moved to a new town while she was away.
When Vinnie reaches for the soda, Vick hands it to him thinking, Bro. Watch this. I've got this down to a science. Go to the door. Vick glances at her watch while Vinnie positions himself at the door. O.K. Four... three... two... one... cue Dad. As she thinks this, their brown-furred father walks down the hall and the stairs. He will get to the bottom of the stairs just as Mom gets off the phone. They'll talk for a few. Everything happens just as Vick said. Now. Vick points in the direction of their parents and a call sounds. "Kids!" Vinnie stares at his sister in disbelief. Vick strolls past him, taking the soda and thinking to him, It's a gift.
"Victoria, Sweetheart. How could you get yourself expelled?" Their mother is pacing the floor of the living room, wringing a dishtowel in her hands. The twins are sitting side by side on the couch. Their father is standing behind the recliner; not in the direct line of fire but close enough for support. Vick can't help but think to herself, Our father, the doctor. Analyzing before acting. Their father's job was the reason they had moved over the summer.
"Easily." Vick had to admit; she liked annoying their mom. She turns to Vick quickly and opens her mouth to speak, but their dad cuts her off. "Daphne, please. She's only sixteen."
"That's just it, Graven! She's SIXTEEN! When she was seven, this behavior was cute. At twelve, it was getting dull. But she's sixteen now and that type of behavior is completely unbecoming." Vick stands up; she's decided to stick up for herself. "Unbecoming of what, Mom? A lady? An average woman? Because that's what I am. An average woman. And this behavior is totally becoming of one. Mom, I know everything they taught about etiquette, but am I really going to need it in everyday street life? No. I'm going to need to know how to hold my own." Daphne just stands there during her daughter's speech, back straight. Graven stands beside Daphne; his hands on her shoulders. He asks Vick, "What do you think we should do, Hun?"
"I think you should let me go to school here, with Vinnie. You've put me in four finishing-slash-boarding schools in the past two years. I've made myself get expelled 'cause I want to be who I am." Vick looks to her brother. Who is, for once in his life, quiet. Then back to her parents. "Me and Vin talked about this last night when I got in." Their parents are somewhat stunned that Vinnie is part of this. Vick continues. "What if I do this: I'll take the after school First Aid class they have here, I'll take... Ho... me... Ec." Vick grimaces at the thought, but can't back down now. "I'll even wear a dress to two of the four school dances they have each year. I promise one will be the prom. Now. Will you please let me stay?" Daphne and Graven's eyes water; Vick hopes from pride. "O.K. Okay." Vinnie jumps from the couch. "YES!"

Charley is still chuckling at the thought of Vikki barging in on Vinnie in his skivvies, as she and Vikki make their way to Charley's room. They have finished cleaning the kitchen and decided to tackle the garage section last.
In Charley's room, everything is a mess; Charley's belongings are strewn around the room. Vikki starts to pick up the discarded clothing on the left side while Charley does the same on the right. Charley looks up at Vikki from the growing pile of clothes that are to be washed.
"So when do Modo and Throttle come into the picture?" Vikki is on her knees by Charley's bed. She places her elbows on the bed, and props her head with her hands.
"We met them a day later; on the first day of our sophomore year. Boy! Could I have wrung Mom's neck that morning."

The scene this morning is the same as the morning Vick came home; only this time, instead of coming from the garage to the kitchen, Vick storms from her room straight into Vinnie's. Again without knocking.
Vinnie heard his mother call him, but he knows he has a good five minutes before she got ticked. Vinnie is laying in his bed when Vick bursts in his room, slamming the door behind her, and proceeds to sift through Vinnie's clothes. Vinnie, still half asleep, asks, What's going on? Vick braces herself against Vinnie's dresser so she won't go wring their mother's neck. What's going on, dear Brother, is that in all the hustle and bustle of the move, Mom forgot to PACK MY CLOTHES! So, to compensate, she went and bought a bunch of skirts, dresses and blouses. And, to make matters worse, the majority of them are PINK! Vick slams a drawer of Vinnie's dresser and starts to walk out with jeans and a black T-shirt. Vinnie recognizes the shirt as his favorite rock group shirt. No. I wanted to wear that shirt. You don't even like Dying Loudly.
Vick looks at the shirt. She hadn't even paid attention to what she was grabbing. Vick smiles and throws the shirt at Vinnie; which lands square on his head. She grabs a plain white T-shirt and one of Vinnie's flannel work shirts. She walks out of the room, shutting the door behind her.
Vinnie crawls out of bed and goes to his dresser and proceeds to put a pair of jeans on over his briefs. Suddenly, Vick opens the door again. Vinnie yells, Does PRIVACY mean nothing to you? Vick smiles. No. Sorry, forgot the socks. Vick grabs a pair, but stops to watch her brother. He is a little on the scrawny side, but filling out fast. Vick has to admit, he will be handsome some day. It's a good thing I'm back. Who else could keep your ego in check? Vinnie looks at his sister then flexes his growing muscles. I'm a hunk and we both know it. Vick shakes her head, Too late, and walks out of the room. Vinnie sighs, I've got to get a lock for that door. Vick answers, Yeah, maybe you should.
At school, the day went by pretty uneventful. Vinnie and Vick got to their classes on time. Vick got a couple of strange looks from time to time; especially when her teachers asked what she wanted to be called and she said 'Vick'. To two of her classes, Math and Motorcycle Mechanics, this tall gray male mouse came in really late. Vick thought he looked embarrassed and really cute in that sweet, innocent way.
After school, Vick and Vinnie meet up where they parked their bikes. Vin, tell me again why Mom is making you take Home EC. too! Not only did they have History together but they have the same Home EC. class. She said I should know how to cook; that I wouldn't always have her cooking for me. They both put on their helmets while chuckling. Suddenly Vick notices that the gray mouse from Math and Bike Mech. is coming towards them with a brown mouse Vick recognizes from Science and Martian Grammar. Vick slaps Vinnie's arm and points to the two other mice. The brown mouse is wearing a bike helmet and carrying a football. "Hey. I'm Throttle. This is Modo. You guys wanna join us in a game?" Vinnie realizes they don't know Vick is a girl, but decides it's Vick's responsibility to tell them. "Sure. By the way, I'm Vinnie and this is Vick." Vick grins as does Throttle. "Great! Vick, your with me. Vin, your with Modo. First to ten wins."
During the first part of the game, Vick got three tackles from Vinnie, but she and Throttle were up by five. Vick was able to return the favors to her brother. Soon after, the game was tied, nine to nine. Vick got the ball and made a breakaway for the goal. Vinnie tried to tackle her, but she dodged it; only to be knocked down by Modo. When Vick rolled over, she ended up facing a wide-eyed and embarrassed Modo. Vick just smiled and said, "Good tackle. Your ball." She got up and shoved the ball in Modo's stomach. Modo just stood there a moment, then shook it off with a silly grin while thinking to himself that if she wanted to play football, who was he to argue.
Vick and Throttle got the ball back and scored. The second they did, Vinnie drops to his knees panting. The others followed his example. As they rest, Vick takes off her helmet and runs her fingers through her short hair that is wet with sweat. Throttle's jaw drops, then he starts laughing. "Modo! You were beat by a girl!" To which Modo replies, "You wanna make somethin' of it?" He tries to look mean but fails. Vick laughs. "Modo, I can fight my own battles. And Throttle, Modo's only problem was he had my slowpoke brother on his team." Throttle snorts. "He's your brother?" Vinnie grins. "Yeah. Actually, we're twins."
"You musta gotten the good looks of the family," remarks Throttle to Vick. Vick replies, "Yeah, and he got the big mouth."
"Oh yeah?" yells Vinnie while pouncing on his sister. Vick pulls up her legs and pushes them into his stomach. As she pushes, Vick grabs Vinnie's shoulders, so his momentum flips her on top of him. She lands pinning Vinnie down. Suddenly, the alarm on Vick's watch goes off. "Saved by the buzzer. We got to go home now or Mom's gonna fry us," explains Vick. She and Vinnie get up and start towards their bikes.
"I just realized," yells Throttle while turning to Modo, "you tackled her!"

"It's not that funny." Vikki tries to argue on Modo's behalf but fails to hold back her own laughter. Charley is practically in hysterics. She is laughing and repeating, 'Poor Modo. Poor Modo.' Vikki nods her head as they head downstairs with a load of laundry. "You have never seen Modo so red." Charley starts to put her clothes in the washer. "Oh, I've seen him pretty red." Vikki thinks for a moment. "No. You haven't." Charley laughs. "Well, since we can now see the floor of my room, how about we go make it livable. By the way; have the guys always liked football?"
"Are you kidding? They were even in the school's Junior Varsity football team. Oh! Let me tell you about the tryouts!"

Vick climbs up some of the bleachers that are surrounding the school's football field. Vinnie had made Vick promise to watch tryouts; so there she is. Vick sets her books down and calls, Hey, Vin. I'm here. You happy? Vinnie looks to Vick and then slaps Throttle and Modo. Vinnie points to Vick and they all wave. Even though they had only met a few days ago, all four had became as close as possible. Vick still thinks Modo's cute but she was not going to make the first move. Vick smiles, waves back, and sits down to do her homework.
About thirty minutes later, a shadow falls over Vick's book. She looks up into the face of a female gray mouse with long, black hair. "Hi. You must be Vinnie's sister." Vick shuts her book. "It's that obvious, huh?"
"Yeah. My name's Carbine." Carbine sits down and holds out her hand. Vick shakes it. "Throttle's girlfriend. Yeah, he told us about you. Actually. He said he had to get going before you got ticked." They laugh and start talking about the guys. Suddenly, there is a voice from below them. "That new girl, Vick, is such a freak. She thinks she's a guy," whispers the head Varsity cheerleader, Rachel, in the kind of whisper everyone in a five mile radius can hear. Carbine glowers, "Just ignore her. Ignore all of them."
"What do you think I'm doing?" They laugh again. Rachel looks at them with a sneer on her face. "What are you laughing at?" Carbine sneers back, "Something you'd need more than five brain cells to understand." So much for ignoring them.
Rachel pulls back like she'd been slapped; then she snaps, "Why don't you just write 'FREAK' on your forehead?" Vick picks up her books and climbs down the bleachers with surprising grace. She stops a few steps from ground level. Carbine follows. Vick looks at Rachel. "Well, at least it would look better than your roots." Rachel lifts her head so she can look down her nose at them. "My hair is natural!" Vick gives her a grin of pity, walks the rest of the way down, and pats Rachel's cheek. Vick speaks to her as if Rachel were a little girl. "You just keep telling yourself that and someday you'll believe it." Vick and Carbine start walking away, leaving Rachel and the other cheerleaders standing in shock. About halfway down the length of the field Vick asks Carbine, "You think you can take on the Varsity cheer-leading squad?" without looking behind them. Carbine answers, "I can take on the Varsity football team."
"I'm talking about fighting them, not dating them." Carbine smiles. "So am I." They turn to see the cheerleaders storming towards them. Suddenly the coach blows his whistle for a break, and the guys trot over. Vinnie grins. "Hey, Sis! Thanks for bringing my fan club with ya!" He starts to flex. Vick walks over to Rachel, head down. "If you want to kill me, go ahead. You'd be taking me out of my misery." Vinnie picks up on that and puts his arm around his sister. "Vick. You aren't causing any trouble now are you? You don't want what happened to that poor girl at your other school to happen here? Do you?" Vinnie's voice is dripping with sarcasm but Rachel takes the bait. With her eyes wide, "Wha... What happened?"
"Oh its too horrible! Let's just say, by the time she's finished with her plastic surgery, her class will be celebrating their 50 yr. class reunion." Vinnie squeezes Vick's shoulders and Vick gives a 'don't tick me off' smile to Rachel. Rachel smiles as sweetly as if she were speaking to a teacher and turns to leave calling, "Come on," to the other cheerleaders. They walk off. Suddenly, Vinnie has Vick in a headlock. Say it. Say it.
Thank you. Though, I really didn't need your help. Vinnie keeps her in the headlock and starts to tickle her. Say it so they can hear you, but cut out the last part. The coaches whistle blows. "You three!" he yells to the guys. "Flirt on your own time!" yells the coach. Vinnie lets her go yelling, "Gross! Coach, she's my sister!"
"Your private life is no concern of mine. Now get your tails over here!" Throttle and Modo jog off. Vick walks by Vinnie, giving him an evil grin. In a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, she says, "I'll go check to see if Mom has called your new psychiatrist for an appointment." Vinnie turns to the others and starts making excuses while Vick picks up her books. Carbine calls to her, "Got a bike?"
"Doesn't everybody?"
"Let's go grab something to eat while we wait for these guys to finish showing off." To Throttle she yells, "We'll meet you at the Crane, but take a shower first."

Charley shakes her head as she puts her clothes in a dresser. "Impossible. The guys would never stop bragging if that had happened." Vikki grins. "Well let's see. In the beginning they rode the pine pony."
"They were benched!" Charley laughs and Vikki nods. "You've seen them play. Unsportsman-like conduct. Vinnie got permanently kicked off the team because of it." Charley laughs even harder. Vikki continues. "Modo's mom pulled him out because his grades started to drop. Throttle just left 'cause his bro.'s were gone. Of course none of them minded since their coach was making the whole team take dance classes to help with coordination."
"What kind of dance?" Charley is leaning forward in interest. "Oh, you know; tap, ballroom, ballet." Vikki grins mischievously as Charley nearly falls to the floor. Vikki jumps onto the bed. "Picture this. Ya see, I signed up just to see this. The entire JV football team in leotards! They were just lucky they didn't have to wear tutus." When Charley finally gets over that thought, Vikki continues with mock innocence, "They never did find out who gave the idea to the coach." Charley looks up at her with a smirk. Vikki looks back with mock shock. "Carbine helped so don't put all the blame on me." Vikki lays on her back, on Charley's bed, laughing. Charley lays her arms on her bed and lays her head on them. "Whatever happened to Rachel. I can't believe she let it go." Vikki rolls to her side to face Charley and props her head with her hand. "She didn't."

Vick and Carbine are walking to Vick and Vinnie's locker with a girl named Tessi. Tessi is a white mouse with long red hair and a red blotch covering the left side of her face. She has a kind of high-pitched voice, just below irritating, and is the only other girl at school that doesn't think Vick is a freak. Tessi also has a crush on Modo and is jealous of Vick and Carbine because they can talk to him so easily. Vick just says they clicked. Vick has also developed what Carbine would call a crush on Modo if Vick happens to ever tell her about her feelings; Vick doesn't see that happening.
Vick opens her locker just as Tessi says, for the twentieth time, "Rachel won't let you get away with embarrassing her." To which Vick replies, "She can just bring it on. Anytime. Anyplace." Tessi shakes her head. "No. She won't go for you. She'll get Chip to go for Vinnie." Chip is Rachel's boyfriend and quarterback of the Varsity football team. Vick looks at Tessi, who continues. "I heard some of the cheerleaders talking. Chip and the Varsity team is gonna get him and Throttle and... Modo at 3:15 today." All three girls are worried. Carbine looks at her watch. "But it's 3:10 now." Vick and Carbine look at each other. Vick groans, "Oh Modo's mamma!" They drop their books, and run for the football field. Tessi watches them for a second, then puts all their books in Vick's locker and follows them.
At the football field, Chip has Vinnie by the front of his red T-shirt. Mod and Throttle are being held in place by some more players. "Your sister made fun of my girlfriend so I'm gonna beat your face in and my friends are going to do the same to yours." The Varsity team circle around like hungry dogs. Vinnie looks straight in Chip's face. "Leave them outta this." Chip laughs, tugs Vinnie's shirt, and pulls back his fist. "Good thing you wore red 'cause your gonna go home wearing blood." Vinnie hears Vick and repeats what she thought. "Who's? Yours or mine?" Chip flexes his fist and clenches his teeth. Suddenly, Vick vaults over the perimeter fence and runs over shouting, "Hold it. Hold it. Hold it!" The circle opens to let her through. Carbine stands in the circle, ready to start punching. Chip is so surprised that he lets go of Vinnie. Vinnie grabs hold of Vick's arm and asks, What are you doing? Vick puts up her hand to Vinnie. Chill. She walks over to Chip, who is a good 6 in. taller than her. "Let me get one thing straight. Your gonna beat up my brother and my friends because of something I said about Rachel?" She turns to the crowd. "Does anyone see the logic in that?" The crowd stands motionless. Chip speaks. "I don't hit girls." Vick turns back to Chip. "Oh. I see. I respect your chivalry, but I don't let anyone beat up anyone else but me if I did something. Call it a quirk. Now, if Vinnie, Throttle, or Modo personally has done anything to you or Rachel, that's another story. I don't have any problem with you beating them up then. But. This fight is with me." Vinnie moves to his sister. Vick. Let me handle this.
Bro, chill. I know what I'm doing. I can take care of myself. Vick looks to the still confused Chip. "So why don't we get this over with?"
"I said I don't hit girls." Vick looks around them. "Listen. I know none of your friends will breathe a word about this and I promise," she looks to Carbine and the guys, "that none of mine will either." Vinnie turns her to him. Vick, don't. Vick just pulls away from him and turns to Chip. "Oh, one other thing. Has Rachel said anything to you about her parents being out of town this weekend?"
"No. Why?" Vick shrugs. "Its just that I heard her telling Jazz about that. You know Jazz, your halfback. I didn't think anything about it 'cause I thought she's gonna have a party and I wouldn't be invited anyway. But I think she would've told you first." Chip looks to where Rachel is standing with her friends, oblivious to what is being said to Chip. Vick grins with pity. "Well it looks like your busy so we'll talk to ya later." She turns and starts walking. Come on, Vin.

"Was it true?"
Vikki pulls herself out of her memories. "Let's just say that Rachel and Jazz started dating, but Jazz was out of the games until the broken leg healed." Charley's shoulders shake with laughs. Vikki sighs. "You know? I'm getting as bad as Vinnie, bragging all the time. What about your life?"
Charley lifts her head, neither of them had moved very much Vikki had started. She stretches. "Not much to tell about my life. Besides, I've never heard these stories. Start another one."
"That part of my life wasn't that exciting; there isn't much to tell." Charley obviously doesn't believe her. Vikki holds up her hands in surrender. "O.K. I give. But we'd better finish cleaning or we're never gonna see the guys again." Charley replies sarcastically, "That would be terrible. For you!"
"You miss them too! Maybe just as much. Hmmmm?" Charley changes the subject by returning to putting her clothes in her dresser. Vikki returns to the closet saying, "Pick a subject." Charley grins. "When you admitted to Modo how you feel."
"Next subject." Charley looks disappointed. Vikki explains, "Every time you change the subject, so can I." Charley has a defeated look on her face. It changes to mischief as she says, "O.K. An embarrassing moment between you and Modo. One you haven't told Vinnie about." Vikki thinks to herself, I asked for it. "O.K. A little background first. I had an after school gymnastics class..." Charley cuts her off. "With Modo?!"
"No. With Tessi. I had dance class with Modo and that was on Saturdays." Vikki explains when she sees Charley's confused face, "His mom thought it was a good way to keep him out of trouble and since he was already signed up 'cause of football... Anyway. Back to gymnastics."

Modo walks into the school's gym, decked out with mats, balance beams, and other gymnastic equipment, with a nine-year-old Rimfire at his side. Modo glances around for Vick but doesn't see her. He cautiously taps the shoulder of a girl who is warming up. She turns to him. He doesn't recognize her but asks, "Have you seen Vick?" The girl brushes a stray hair away from her face. "Yeah. She's in the locker room, changing." Modo turns slightly red. "Could you tell her that Modo's outside and needs to talk to her?" The girl looks annoyed but agrees. They walk over to the door that leads to the locker room. Modo and Rimfire wait outside the door and soon it opens to reveal Vick, standing in the doorway in a baggy gray sweatshirt with the sleeves pushed up above her elbows. The sweatshirt reaches to mid-thigh and her bare legs emerge from the hem. Modo turns bright red and quickly turns his back to her. Then he reaches over and does the same to Rimfire. Vick snickers. "Hi Rimfire. Modo? What's up?" Modo swallows. "I... I need you to keep an eye on Rimfire for a couple of hours while I run some errands."
"But Uncle Modo!" whines Rimfire. "You promised you'd take me fishing!" Modo tries to face his nephew while trying not to gawk at Vick's slender legs. Not an easy task. He's having trouble remembering she's like one of the guys.
"Nephew, we will. I just need to do some really boring stuff and if Vick here will keep ya for a me, you'll have more fun with her, and then we can go fishing. O.K.?" Rimfire nods his head but doesn't look too happy. Vick smiles at Modo's gentile nature. Modo looks to her, focusing on her face. "And you?" Vick smiles. "Of course. Just..." A that moment, Tessi walks through the doorway from the locker room. She looks from Modo to Vick to what Vick is wearing then back to Modo. Vick interrupts. "Tess, this is Rimfire, Modo's nephew. Could you do me a favor and watch him while I go get dressed." Vick shines a joking smile at Modo. He smiles back, uncomfortably. He says good-bye to Tessi, Vick and Rimfire, and walks out of the gym, exhaling loudly. Once he's gone, Tessi hisses at Vick, "How could you just stand there flaunting yourself for him? You know how I feel!" Vick looks straight at Tessi. She had thought of how he was going to react before she came out but she couldn't resist seeing the look on his face. "I wasn't flaunting anything, and if you want him, he's all yours." Vick's heart beats faster at the thought of Modo with someone else. Stupid girlie crush. That's exactly what I need to get over it. Seeing Modo with someone else. Vick looks to Rimfire, still standing there bored, and tells Tessi, "I've gotta go and change. Besides, get in good with Rimfire, get in good with Modo." Vick walks back into the locker room leaving Tessi with Rimfire.

"Ah. Young love." Vikki gives Charley a death glare and throws one of Charley's shirts at her saying, "Funny! That's it! No more!" Vikki marches out of Charley's room. Charley gives her room a glance. It isn't spotless, but it's degrees better than before. Good enough, thinks Charley. Then she goes to find Vikki.
Charley finds Vikki in Vikki's room, picking up her clothes. A small shopping spree has given Vikki enough clothes that she really needed a closet, not just packing everything in her trunk. But Charley agreed with Vikki when she said it was a bad idea to give the guys something to show off with and end up with no closet and no bedroom wall.
Without speaking, Charley walks over to the side of the room opposite Vikki and starts to help pick up her clothes. After a few moments, Vikki sighs. "I'm not mad, but being made fun of is one of the reasons I don't tell Vinnie everything. Charley nods understandingly. "O.K. Is that why Rimfire is so good with them, I mean gymnastics?" Vikki smiles. "What can I say? He's a natural. We couldn't keep him away. The coach let him join even though we were three levels above his age group." Vikki laughs. "He liked it so much that he invited me to go fishing with him and Modo." With a sly grin, "And I did." They laugh for a while, then Charley changes the subject. "I don't mean to pry, but I gotta know."
"What?"
"From what you've told me, your parents don't seem the type to take you and Vinnie's joining the Freedom Fighters very well." Vikki takes a deep breath at that memory. "Actually, they didn't. Wanna hear?" Charley smiles. "That's why I brought it up."

Vick watches as her father carefully cuts away the left leg of her pants, which the front of it's upper part is soaked with blood. A wipeout on her bike brought her to here to her father's examination room at the Blackstone Hospital. Vick knows she's gonna get it. Might as well get this half over with while Dad's too busy to punch anything.
Not that he'd punch you, Sis. Vinnie speaks up from the waiting room. He had offered guard duty for their mother's arrival, but Vick knew he just didn't like seeing blood, especially his sister's.
Vick steadies herself. "Mom mad?" Graven just gives her an 'Aha' as he cleans the wound. The antiseptic stings badly but Vick's got other things to worry about. "You mad?"
"Sweetheart," Graven speaks but keeps his attention on Vick's leg. He inserts a syringe into her leg, filled with painkillers. "You and your brother disappeared for a week. We couldn't ask your friends where you were because they were gone too. Only your friend Modo thought enough about his mother to call her and say he was all right." Graven glances up from Vick's leg but she can't meet his eyes. She is trying not to cry. She hadn't meant to hurt her father; he'd always stuck up for her. "Hun. I wasn't angry, I was worried. More worried than I have ever been for you two. I was scared out of my mind that something had happened to you. I guess it did." Graven gently tugs on the right sleeve of Vick's khaki shirt. A Freedom Fighter insignia is sewn onto the shoulder, in plain view. Graven goes back to working on Vick's leg. Vick can't think of anything to say to him. Shortly Graven places Vick's hand and a gauze pad over the wound. Vick immediately applies the pressure her father wanted on the wound. Graven smiles. "Your going to make a great doctor someday." Vick smiles and prays what she is about to say cheers him up. "I'm working in a Freedom Fighter infirmary." Graven doesn't say anything about that. Instead, he says, "It isn't too bad, but I'll feel better with some stitches. O.K.?" Vick nods her head, forcing a smile. Graven wheels over a cart with a tray of equipment on it. Suddenly, Vick can hear Vinnie. RED ALERT! MOM'S ON HER WAY AND IS SHE TICKED! At that moment, Daphne barges in. "Graven? What happened? How is she?" She rushes over but stops when she spots the insignia on Vick's shoulder. Graven sighs and looks at Vick. "Can you hold out a little longer?" Vick nods. "Sure." Graven pats her right leg and ushers his wife out of the room. He closes the door behind them.
A few seconds later, Vick pulls the cart over to her and starts to stitch her own leg. When Graven and Daphne reenter, Vick has tied off the last of the stitches and is about to wrap them. Graven is immediately at her side. "Who did this?" Vick smiles. "I did." Daphne walks over to her. "How?"
"Mom, your a seamstress. Dad's a doctor. You made me learn how to sew. I've volunteered in this hospital for two years. I know how to do a couple of stitches." Vick is loving the look on Daphne's face. Daphne had never thought that teaching her daughter to sew would lead to this. Daphne looks to the insignia on Vick's shoulder. "Why? Why that?" Graven, who had been wrapping Vick's leg, finishes and goes to comfort his wife as best as he can. Vick suddenly realizes that this isn't one of her normal pranks. Her mother actually had a legitimate reason to fear for Vick and Vinnie's lives. Vick clears her throat. "Mom. The Plutarkians are ruining our planet. They're..." Daphne snaps, "They aren't doing anything wrong. And your Freedom Fighters are just making trouble for everyone. If you really felt you had to go into the military, why couldn't you join the Army like your friend Carbine?" Vick and the guys are still a little sore about Carbine's joining the Army; especially Throttle. "No offense to Carbine, but the army isn't doing a thing about the Plutarkians. That's why!"
"That's because there isn't anything to do about them!" Vick just shakes her head. "You haven't seen what me and Vinnie have seen. They've tried to blow the Freedom Fighters up on more than one occasion."
"Because the Freedom Fighters provoked them!" Vick is near tears at the fact her mother won't believe what she is saying. Vick says sourly, "The Army's got you brainwashed," and she slides herself off the examination table. Vinnie walks in and, without one spoken word, helps Vick out of the room. Daphne calls, "You can't leave!" Vick turns and replies, "Yes we can. We're 18 now." Daphne watches from the doorway. "Vincent, try to talk some sense into your sister." Suddenly she notices a Freedom Fighter insignia on his shoulder as well. Vinnie looks at his mother. A shadow falls over the right side of his face as he speaks, with a very uncharacteristic seriousness, "Mom, I agree with Vick. We might be wrong about the Plutarkians. I pray that we are. But I'd rather do something and be wrong than do nothing and be right."

"Charley? Ch... ar... ley? You home?" Vikki laughs as Charley realizes she wasn't paying attention. "Weird. I mean... with the shadow. Did Vinnie actually say that?" Vikki nods her head. "Yep. You know? You have the same expression on your face that Mom had. Oh! I forgot to tell you. Modo and Throttle were there too. And, when Vinnie was helping out, with Modo's help. I wasn't supposed to put much weight on my leg. Throttle gives me one of those 'Hey Babe' looks and goes," Vick deepens her voice, 'Hey Vick! Never knew you had such great legs!'"
"What did you do?!" Charley knows it should be good. Vikki shrugs as if it is no big deal. "I just hobbled over to a pay phone and asked the operator to connect me with the Milestone Boot Camp." Charley gives her a confused look. Vikki grins. "Where Carbine was training." Charley bursts out laughing and barely hears Vikki say, "It wasn't my best moment. I wasn't in much of a position to fight." Vikki smiles at a memory. Charley prods her. "And?"
"And, Modo grabs the back of Throttle's shirt before he could reach me and says to him, 'You asked for it Bro.' I started to say something but he," Vikki turns a faint pink. "Modo said, 'This time you can't fight your own battle. So I will.'" Vikki stops for a moment with a loving smile on her face. "You know? That was the first time I ever wondered if maybe, just maybe, he cared about me too." Vikki becomes lost in her own thoughts. Charley is pulling clothes out from under Vikki's cot when her fingers brush against something. Charley retrieves a small wooden box with stars, painted in gold, and a strange symbol engraved on the lid. Vikki looks to Charley, who is studying the box. "That's my jewelry box. Vinnie gave it to me when we were seven." Charley asks, "May I?" Vikki grins. "Sure. Just ask before you borrow anything."
Charley sifts through the jumble of earrings and necklace chains; some casual, some a little fancy. Then she pulls out a silver dreamcatcher earring with a silver feather hanging in front, reaching the bottom of the dreamcatcher. The dreamcatcher is about the size of a quarter. Charley suddenly realizes where she had seen its mate. "Wasn't Modo wearing one like this last night?" Vikki glances to Charley. "Yeah I gave it to him."
"Why?"
"One day, during school, we were walking to class when he noticed my earrings. He asked what they were and when I told him, he called me 'Prof. Earth'. That's one of Vinnie's favorite nicknames for me." Vikki huffs at the thought. "Just because I happen to be interested in Earth he... UH! And I have no idea why I let Modo get away with calling me that!" Charley smiles. "I bet I do." Vikki gives her a 'whatever' look and continues. "Anyway. Then he said something about nightmares, so I gave him one." Vikki smiles again. "He... he wouldn't take it without a reason so he traded for it with this." Vikki points to her right ear. In it, there is a gold stud earring with a green gem in the center. Charley chuckles. "How sweet."
"Yes. It was." Charley shakes her head and notices something else. She pulls out a gold medal on a black ribbon with red stripes. The medal has a multi-pointed star and a torch raised on it. The torch is in front of the star. "You didn't tell me you got a medal." Vikki looks confused. "I never did." She walks over to Charley and takes the medal. Vikki suddenly pales and almost faints onto the cot. Her voice shakes as she says, "This is a Memorial Illuminatis. It's... it's given to... the families of those lost in war. They... they think I'm dead." She shakes her head and forces a smile. "I mean. I knew they probably did. But being given a medal for it!" Charley tries to comfort her. "Hey think of it this way. You can shove that in all their faces when you get back to Mars!" Vikki laughs. "Good one." She gets up, places the medal back in her jewelry box, and places the box in her trunk Vikki starts folding her clean clothes and putting them in her trunk. Charley returns to pulling things out from under the cot. Presently, she pulls out a small book with a hardback, red leather cover with gold symbols on the front. The paper inside is a pale pink. Vikki notices that Charley is studying something else. Vikki turns and sees the book. She goes back to her work while casually calling, "That's my diary." Charley looks at her somewhat stunned. "Aren't you afraid I'll read it?" Vikki doesn't turn around. Her back is still facing Charley. "It's in Martian." Charley casually stands up. "Aren't you afraid I'll let Vinnie read it?" Vikki's back goes ramrod straight. She forces her voice to remain calm. "What makes you think Vinnie hasn't read it already?"
"Because if her had, he would've already known about Modo." Vikki had thought Charley had been walking towards her; but when she turns, she sees Charley has moved to the door. With more forced calmness, Vikki remarks, "Maybe I didn't write about Modo." Charley has reached the open door. "Then why keep a diary?" Charley bolts out of the room. Vikki rushes after, but Charley is able to barricade herself in a storage room. Vikki pounds her fist on the door. "Charley! Give me the book!" From the other side, "NO!" Vikki stops pounding. "I'll blast the door open!" Charley glances around the room at the bottles of motor oil, the spare parts, and the ammunition for the bikes. She laughs. "And blow up the garage with us in it?!" Vikki recalls what Charley keeps in that room. She starts banging on the door again. "Open up! Now!"
"I'll make you a deal. If you tell me what I want to know, I'll give you back your dairy." Vikki thinks for a moment. "You promise not to breathe a word about it to the guys, ever?"
"Promise." Vikki lets out a defeated sigh. "Deal." Charley opens the door and hands Vikki the book. She walks back into her room and comes out a moment later, shutting the door behind her. "Now for the garage." Charley starts, "But your room..." Vikki cuts her off. "Is fine. You wanna hear this or not?" Charley smiles and grabs two brooms. Vikki starts, "I wasn't in Stoker's team to begin with. At first I was stationed at a hidden Freedom Fighter hospital. For those who were to wounded to stay at base, for obvious safety reasons." Charley cuts in. "Your stalling."
"No. I'm adding substance." Vikki laughs. "Anyway. I stayed there for a good six months, but I was dying to get at the action."
"Sounds like Vinnie." Vikki sighs. "If you don't..." Charley holds up her hands. "O.K. O.K.! Go on." Vikki nods. "I had been bugging my captain to transfer me all that time, but when those fish faces started a full scale, no pun intended, invasion, I really laid it on thick." Vikki chuckles. "I was in his office everyday. I was really ticking him off. One day I happened to mention that I wanted to be moved to Stoker's team. I don't know why I hadn't before. But the captain snaps. He goes, 'Stoker! You wanna join Stoker's team?!' He smiled bigtime. Then he goes, 'Why didn't you say so! Of course!' Then he writes up my transfer papers right that minute and I'm gone!" Charley laughs. Vikki continues. "I found out later that, a while back, Stoker stole one of Cap.'s girlfriends from him and Cap. needed something to pay Stoke back with. I guess a somewhat hyperactive, sometimes annoying teenage girl fit the bill, huh?" Charley laughs and nods her head. Then she asks, "The guys didn't take that well did they?" Vikki chuckles. "They were caught between being glad I could join in on the fun and worried I'd get hurt." Charley sighs. "I know how that feels." Vikki grins. "Stoke put me in the infirmary when I wasn't on a mission." Charley nods and taps her head. "Modo told me."
"Oh, that. That was three weeks before... you know." Charley grins. "Maybe that helped him to see how much you mean to him?" Vikki turns slightly red. "Yeah. That's what he said." Charley's grin widens. "Tell." Vikki nods. "O.K. O.K. Well it all happened on our birthday." Charley's eyes widen. "Ouch! No wonder he took your birthday so hard!" Vikki nods. "Yeah. Well..."

Vinnie leans up against the phone booth as Vick calmly tries to talk to their mother. Stoker wasn't allowing any communications from the base to any towns so the twins went into town for the call. Daphne takes up must of the conversation. Vick nods her head saying, "Yeah... Yes... Yeah, Mom... I know it's awful... I'm sorry.... Orders are orders... I'm sorry we can't come home for our birthday." Vinnie silently laughs at his sister's squirming. Suddenly Vick smiles. "Yeah, Mom. Vinnie's right here." Vinnie silently yells 'No' and waves his arms in protest. "And he's just dying to talk to you!" Vick grabs Vinnie before he can run. Vinnie, defeated, takes the receiver. "Hi, Mom. Yeah... Yeah..." His eyes widen. She's asking me if I'm being GOOD! Vick nods her head. Me too. Vinnie says into the receiver, "I'm being as good as those fish faces will let me be... O.K. Put Dad on... Hi, Dad." Vinnie chuckles. "Yeah She's pretty upset isn't she?" He laughs. "Yeah, Dad. O.K. Give my love to Mom. Love Ya. Bye." Vinnie hands Vick the receiver. "Hi, Dad... Yeah. I'm keeping up with my studies." Graven still wants Vick to become a doctor. Vinnie thinks to her, Tell him about Modo! Vick gives Vinnie a sour look. She doesn't like thinking about it. I could have lost him as easy as I saved him, and he would never have known..., Vick thinks to herself. Suddenly Vinnie yells so their father can hear, "You should have seen it, Dad! She saved Modo's life! There was sooo much blood!" Vick grabs the left side of Vinnie's head and slams the right side into the wall of the phone booth. A thwack echoes through the booth. "Huh, Dad? The noise? That was nothing, Dad. Just Vin acting up as usual..... Just a couple of stitches.... 30.... In his head.... It's no big deal. You said it yourself once; if they don't want to get better there's nothing we can do for them." Vick looks at her watch. "Uh, Dad. We gotta go. We gotta get back. Maybe we can come by next week. Love ya. Give my love to Mom. Bye!" Vick sighs. Yack. Yack. Yack. Vinnie laughs. That's them all right. We'd better get back before Stoke decides to let you practice your bedside manner on US. They laugh and ride back to the base.
At the base, someone tells them to get to the debriefing room. The lights in the debriefing room are off. Without windows the room is pitch black. Vick shakes her head. Bro? Did you short out the generator again? Vinnie replies aloud, "I haven't been anywhere near it. And that wasn't my fault and you know it!" Vick reaches over and flips the light switch. Light floods the room at the same moment a yell of 'Surprise!' sounds from the other end of the room. Standing there is Stoker, Harley, Throttle, Modo, and a 12-year-old Rimfire. Throttle and Modo guide the twins to chairs next to a table and subject them to a very off-key rendition of Happy Birthday. An overacting Vinnie goes, "You like me! You really like me!" as Vick lightly bangs her head on the table. Of course Stoker wouldn't let us go home for our birthday! He'd planned a party! She ends the thought with another bang on the table. No one believes her act. Vinnie taps her shoulder and points to the pile of wrapped presents at the far end of the table. Vick raises an eyebrow. "Maybe I can enjoy myself;" she looks to Throttle and Modo, "if they would stop singing!" Throttle grins. "Already did, Babe." Vick grins and replies, "You know? I'd ask you to stop calling me that, but then I wouldn't have an excuse to beat your face in!" She starts to get out of her chair, but Stoker holds her back. "Wait 'till after the presents."
"Then can I hit him?" Stoker chuckles. "Be my guest." Vick looks over to Harley, who is standing by the gifts. "Hand 'em over." Harley grins and picks up two good-sized packages. She hands each of the twins one. Vinnie receives a 20 piece ratchet set and Vick gets a fully stocked med. kit. "I thought since you'd be using most of the med. kit on Vin, you could borrow his tools." The girls laugh while Vinnie holds the ratchet set close to him and shouts, "Next!" Stoker holds out two small boxes. "Now I don't want you thinking I'm getting soft." Vinnie thinks to Vick, No. Just old. Vick hides a smile. Each of them get a pair of biker gloves. Vinnie just says, 'Cool', while Vick thanks Stoker. Stoker grins, then his stone face returns. He turns to Rimfire. "O.K. now kid. Give 'em your gifts and get going. This ain't a daycare service." Throttle grins. "Then why is Vinnie here?" Everyone laughs; except Vinnie. Rimfire walks over holding something rectangular. "Since you weren't able to come and watch." He hands Vick a steel picture frame. Inside of it is a photo of Rimfire, wearing a black unitard and a big smile. He is holding a first place trophy that is half as tall as he is. Vick places the picture in her lap and hugs Rimfire, saying, "It's wonderful." Rimfire tries to pull away. Vick laughs. "To big ta hug, huh?" She grabs the boy in a headlock and rubs her knuckles on his head. "Aunt Vick! Your messin' up my hair!" Vick turns him so he is facing her and with mock anger goes, "How many times have I asked you not to call me that?"
"At least I don't listen to your mother and call Aunt Victoria!" Vick laughs. "And I thank you everyday for that!" Vinnie huffs. "I hate to break up all this mush, but?" Vick shakes her head. "Give him his present." Rimfire walks over to Vinnie. "I didn't know what you liked so." He puts his hand in his pocket and pulls out a small red lizard with big brown eyes. A green tongue flicks out every few moments. Vinnie holds it with both hands. "It is kinda cute." He smiles and puts it in his shirt's breast pocket. "Thanks, kid."
Harley walks up and hands Vick a small box and winks. Vick nods and turns to Vinnie. Bro. This one's from me. Vinnie takes it saying, "Ah! You shouldn't have." Vick looks at him. Don't make me wish I hadn't. Vinnie opens the box and pulls out a red bandanna. Vick smiles. "Maybe it'll bring you luck." Modo chuckles. "A lucky bandanna. What a concept."

Charley who had been laughing chirps up, "Your the one who gave him his lucky bandanna? No wonder he made me have it sewed back together!" Vikki looks at her confused. "Why did it need sewing?" Charley bites her lower lip. "I kinda had to use it as a sling when he broke his arm."
"EWWW! I'm surprised he even talked to you. But I would've done the same thing." Charley laughs. "Except for complaining he didn't until I got it fixed! Now, back to the party."

Vinnie ties the bandanna around his neck, a big smile spreads across his face. Throttle walks over to Vick. He hands her a small package saying, "This is from Carbine. She's sorry she couldn't be here." Vick smiles. Vinnie looks hurt and whines, "Hey! What about me?!" Throttle shrugs and Vick thinks to Vinnie, Maybe if you were nicer to her... "Me?! Nice to Carbine?! HA! For! Get! It!" Vick shakes her head and opens the box. Inside is a pair of black sunglasses with red lenses and a silver silhouette of a motorcycle on each ear piece. As Vick puts them on Vinnie says, "Cool! Can I borrow those?" Vick turns to him. "I just got them!" Vinnie starts to speak but Vick cuts him off. "No!" Light chuckling and giggling is heard. Throttle walks up again, still chuckling, and carrying a much larger box. "This one's from me, Vinnie, and Modo." Vick quickly opens the box to reveal a black leather jacket with a red Biker Mice insignia across the back. Vick suddenly leans over and hugs Vinnie's neck. Thank you! Then, being careful to set Rimfire's picture down carefully, she stands and hugs Throttle. "Thank you!"
She looks around. "Where's Modo?" It hurt her that he didn't watch her open his present.
"Fhe fwent..." Rimfire finishes chewing what's in his mouth. "He went outside." He points to the door. Vick starts to walk to the door, then stops. "Is that your Grandmama's kelim cake?" Rimfire just nods because he had just put a large bite in his mouth. Vick laughs. "That's my favorite. Save me a piece." Rimfire tears off a bite from his piece and holds it out to her. She laughs but takes it. "Mmmm! Save me a BIG piece!" She walks out of the door.
Modo is standing with his back to the door. Vick walks out unnoticed. "Who should I thank for the cake? You or your mama?" Modo turns surprised. "Umm... Mama just sent it with Rimfire. She knows it's your favorite." He adds quickly, "And Vinnie's." Vick can tell something is bothering Modo. "I... um... just came to say thank you for the jacket." Modo studies her for a minute. "It looks good on you." Modo turns so he isn't facing her. He doesn't know why but he can't. Vick decides to change the subject. "So... What did you get Vinnie?"
"I helped Rimfire catch that lizard."
"Oh." Vick studies his tense back for a moment. Suddenly, Modo turns to her. He holds out his hand. "This is for you." Vick takes it without thinking. She stops when she recognizes the purple bandanna that was around Modo's head when he came into the infirmary. "Modo, I can't ..."
"Open it." Again, Vick acts without thought. Inside is a gold necklace with the most beautiful pendant Vick has ever seen. It is a gold crescent moon with two interlocking hearts engraved on it and a silver star attached to the inner curve. Vick can't stop a smile from spreading on her face. She shakes her head. "Modo. Really. I can't accept this. The jacket is more than enough." She looks up and notices that Modo has moved closer. All she had to do was reach out a few more centimeters and she would be touching his chest. Her fingers burn to do just that. Modo takes a deep breath. "The jacket was from the three of us. The necklace is from just me." Vick looks into Modo's face. "You didn't have to..." Modo stops her by placing his finger on her lips. He pulls them back as if he had been shocked. That's how it felt to him. "Yes I did. When I saw it, I saw you." Vick doesn't know what to say. "It... It's beautiful."
"You make it look like cheap iron." Vick stares up at Modo's face. He smiles shyly. "I've wanted to say that to you ever since you took off your helmet on the football field four years ago. You're beautiful and... I love you." Vick's mind frantically tries to understand what has just happened. Kiss him!
I can't! she replies to herself. Kiss him!
He's too tall.
Then give him a reason to bend over! Vick smiles as she figures out how. She punches an unsuspecting Modo's stomach. His eyes widen in shock, and he immediately bowls over. The second Modo's head is in position, Vick presses her lips to his. As soon as he realizes what's happening, he wraps his arms around her waist. Vick slips her arms around Modo's neck as their kiss deepens. When they are finally able to pull away, Modo asks, in a breathless whisper, "What was that for?" Vick answers, equally as breathless, "The punch was for waiting four years, through all the dances and parties we got stuck together at, to make the first move." She smiles. "And the kiss was for finally making the first move. I love you too." Modo stands motionless for a few moments. Vick studies the necklace, embarrassed by what she just said. She notices a hinge and catch on the star. It opens to reveal a picture of Modo. Vick looks up into Modo's face to find he has been watching her. She hugs him tightly. "It's wonderful. Thank you." She places the necklace around her neck. Then, noticing she still held Modo's bandanna, tries to hand it back to him. He holds up his hands. "No. You keep it. Call it a victory flag. You did save my life." He holds the sides of her face in his hands. "Seeing your face and knowing that if I hadn't have woken up, you would never have known how I feel made me realize how much I care about you." Vick puts the bandanna in her pants back pocket, and hugs him again. "I felt the same way when I saw you lying there. But when you woke up, I couldn't say a word." Modo kisses the top of her head. "It's all right now." Suddenly, an alarm sounds. Vick and Modo jerk away from each other like kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Modo laughs. "Looks like the fish faces are giving you a present too."
"Yeah. A couple of Plutarkian tails to whip." They start to go inside when Vick stops Modo. "Would you mind not telling Vinnie or anyone until I find the right time?" Modo laughs again. "Wanting to give him a heart attack?"
"No. That's for Mom. I'll wait until he's about to fire the deciding shot in a firing contest." They both laugh. As they walk towards the door, Vick slides the pendant underneath her shirt.

"And that's the end." Vikki looks around the clean garage. "of everything."
"What did you mean, 'through all the dances and parties'?" Vikki sighs. "When neither me nor Modo had a date for a dance or big 'got-to-go' party, Carbine and Throttle put it upon themselves to set us up. After a while we both just agreed that if neither of us had a date, we'd go together." Charley chuckles. "A real 'When Harry Met Sally' deal, huh?" Vikki nods. Charley remembers something else. "So that's Modo's blood on your bandanna. Vikki nods again. "Couldn't bring myself to try and wash it out. Well, since you made me bare my soul, I get dibs on the shower." Charley mocks a whine. "But with your fur, by the time you get out, all the hot water will be gone." Vikki disappears into her room and reappears moments later holding a change of clothes. "You remember that next time." She heads for the shower. Charley looks at the clock on the wall. It reads 1:00 p.m.
At 1:30 p.m. Vikki walks back into the garage wearing black biker pants, black boots and a red sleeveless silk blouse. Her ever-present necklace is around her neck and her damp hair is pulled back in a loose ponytail by the bandanna. Charley lets out a low whistle. "Why so dressed up?"
"After making this garage presentable, I thought, 'Why not myself?'" Charley laughs. "Good idea." She leaves. Later she returns; clean, and wearing black pants, black boots and a spaghetti-strapped, sky-blue blouse that, from Vikki's perspective, is satin. Vikki starts to make a remark but stops and closes her eyes. "Yes, Vinnie. It's safe. We're finished." She looks to Charley. "We've got company for lunch." Charley's stomach growls. "Why don't we eat first?" Vikki smiles and they head for the kitchen.
The girls finish just as the sound of bikes can be heard. Soon the Biker Mice walk in covered head-to-toe with mud. They leave tracks of mud behind them. Charley stands up, shocked at the mess. Vinnie whistles. Vikki asks, with forced calmness, "Mudball?" Vinnie laughs as Throttle pushes him into the counter, causing him to cover it with mud. "Yeah. We would have invited you but you were busy." As the guys make their way to the table, the girls go into the garage. The sight that greets them is one of the bikes covered in mud, muddy tracks on the floor, and mud splatters on the walls. Vikki and Charley look at each other.
"Throttle! Modo! VINNIE!"
"The guys walk into the garage. Charley hands Throttle a spray bottle and a sponge. Vikki hands Modo a mop and bucket. Vinnie gets a bucket and sponge. The guys watch openmouthed as the girls get their jackets and Vikki gets her helmet.
"Hey, Vikki how about we go see 'Titanic' then do some shopping?" asks Charley as they climb into the truck. "Sounds good to me." Vinnie whines, telepathically, Vikki? Vikki looks at Charley. They both turn to the guys, and say, "Your turn." Charley drives the truck out of the garage.