Issue 1 Downtime

Cal had only stayed at the bar long enough to get a couple drinks into him after the EM pulses that he'd taken had worn off and he'd regained control of his body. Excusing himself, he'd made his way to the door, and now started slowly down the road on a slightly longer route back to school.

Tink (still Tink'd up) slipped her arm through Cal's and ran her hand affectionately along his.

"You scared me Calvin Strong."

"You mean the little bastard who tossed us around like we were nothing scared you," Cal said, irritated, although not making any effort to pull away from her.

"No, he pissed me off and the next time I see him.. well anyways, I was scared Cal." Tink smiled.

"Scared by you because for a moment there.."

"...I got to do my drooling vegetable routine again," Cal finished for her.

"Quit feeling so fucking sorry for yourself, Calvin Strong. Pull your head out of your ass and accept the fact that there is always going to be a bigger, badder motherfucker somewhere." Tink said pissily dropping Cal's arm and turning to face him.

"If this is going to be a pity party then you need a new girlfriend because this one isn't going to put up with your bullshit and stroke your ego to make you feel all manly and shit again."

"Thanks. I'll remember that," Cal said as he kept walking.

"Make sure you do because I can't keep telling you. I don't give a damn about your ego or whether or not you are the fastest and strongest or fully human or whatever." Tink grabbed his arm, trying to pull him to a stop.

"Cal. If I lose you I don't know what I am going to do. Every time you go out on a mission where I can't see you or be there, I am going to wonder if you are going to come home to me again and that doesn't mean I think less of you... "

Cal didn't make any move to try to get away from her. When she grabbed his arm, he stopped and turned around to face her. "Look... I know that I can get slapped around. It happens. I deal with it. Everyone gets beaten down sometimes. Now... letting everyone watch what happens without all the little gizmos that let me pretend to be normal?" He shook his head. "Yeah, I'm just little bit completely humiliated right now. Tends to affect my mood. Sorry."

"Cal," Tink wrapped her arms around Cal's waist and held him tightly burying her face in his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I was just so scared and you don't normally, you are always so strong... seeing you hurt like that and I couldn't do anything to help... I thought I would die there alongside you and the only thing I could think about was what if I don't?"

Cal sighed and seemed to loosen a little as he wrapped his real arm around her waist. "I'm sorry, babe," he sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't want to scare you like that. I don't want you to have to worry or stress or hurt or anything like that." He shook his head. "I just... don't want you seeing me like that. I mean... getting smacked down, I can deal with that. You get a running shot at that. Sitting it out because you're a cripple... yeah, that... you deserve better than that."

"So do you." Tink hugged him tightly feeling the tingle that preceded her shrinking.

"Kiss me before I have to go, Cal?"

Cal didn't need to be asked twice. He kissed here hungrily, closing his eyes so he wouldn't have to think about the flickering vision his eyes were giving him.

There were so many things that she didn't have an answer for and Tink didn't like not having all of the answers. Her kiss reflected her hunger and need, feeling bereft that she couldn't comfort him because what he said was simply the truth she put everything she had into that kiss.

Cal was even managing to smile a little by the time Tink shrunk back down to her little pixie self. "You coming back with me? Not trying to spoil the night or anything, you can stick around here if you want."

Tink nodded.

"Definitely with you."

At that, Cal did smile. "Thanks, babe," he said. "Just give me a half hour to get everything up and running again, and I won't be so much of a drag."

"A cab?" Tink asked with a smile.

"A cab it is," Cal said, smirking. "Then up to my room for a bit, then whatever you want. Lady's prerogative tonight."

"Excellent. As it should be." She winked at him.

"Man, did you see the way I walloped that guy? He broke two of my ribs! I could feel it! That was intense." Tink chuckled.

"Okay, seriously, clapping heals you? Seriously? Does the British mutation fairy have a sense of humor that didn't get delivered to the American one?"

"Every single thing that Tink in the story has.. I got. I don't know the hows or whys of it, I probably never will but yes clapping heals me." Tink wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Maybe your great-great-great- oh I don't know how many greats because I have no freaking idea how long ago that story was written- grandmother had the same deal going on and that was the basis for the character," Cal suggested, running his finger affectionately down the little pixie's back.

Tink grinned and pulled her knees up to her chin, curling up on Cal's shoulder.

"It comes in handy sometimes. Did you see what happened?"

"Ah, no... my eyes weren't working yet. I heard it, though... I think this is the sort of thing you need to tell people beforehand so they aren't sitting there like "is she fucking with me?" when you're telling them to save your life." He frowned for a minute. "Okay, I do need to ask, does saying that you don't believe in fairies hurt you? I want to make sure I haven't been playing with your life threatening to do that."

"Do you think we can get the survelliance footage. I got crushed under a flying table, seriously, it would be tres hot to watch."

"Maybe. I just hope I don't show up too well in it. Oh, and I hope I get to take another shot at that prick. I won't feel bad hitting him from behind, I've decided."

"You can't! I just drilled him about doing exactly that.."

"Oh come on, that guy gave me a mag pulse that shorted me out when I couldn't even move. I think he's got it coming."

"So telling you that he totally wanted me.. that wouldn't be a good thing?" Tink teased.

Hearing it didn't seem to please Cal... he took it in stride, though. "Even a jerk like him has to have tood taste sometime, I guess," he muttered.

Approaching a taxi stand Tink didn't get a chance to reply as they jumped in and headed back to the school.