Life's Second Chance

The Talk

"And that's what happened. I would've told you sooner had things.. Not gotten so heated up.." Ray's defensive voice dropped an octave.

Throttle paused, allowing the new information to sink in. "You shouldn't have come back." His tones were angry, yet his posture painted defiance and disbelief.

"I had to set things right and-" the human's words were shattered when the Martian slammed both fists atop the metallic tabletop with his voice raised as he shot up from his seat. He hated the fact that he couldn't control anything, and she was still going to play along with her stupid idea.

Eyes closed in fury as his whole body trembled with rage. Throttle stood up with a hostile accent. "So you came back for a trial thinking that all the pain you caused will just go away!?" He snapped. The confusion welling up inside didn't serve his purpose. "And how will you be standing trial tomorrow, if the Pacer is going to go off tonight!?" he spat. "Did he take the Pacer out? Or are you just going to take off and leave again!?"

There he said it. The thing that had been taunting him for all this time.. The reason to why he was so angry. She had left, without even telling them she was alive and well. He really wouldn't have cared if he found out a year later-if that's what it took to fully recover. Instead, she left him in the dark believing she was dead.

Ray's brows arched high in surprise at his outburst. She really wasn't expecting this situation to arise. "Throttle I-" before she could get another word in, the bulky other closed the distance between them, and grabbed her collar aggressively and pinned her to the wall. She felt frightened for once.

"Damn it Ray!" The Martian cursed in complete outrage. When the girl dropped her gaze to the floor he shouted and released his hold, punching the space beside her face.

Ray gasped and turned to the left, where tiny pieces of debris crumbled underneath his force-before turning to face him fearfully.

Throttle glared daggers through his visors, he was this close to losing it. All her riddles, and indirectness- he was sick of it. Why couldn't she just be straight with him for a change!? Why couldn't she just spell it out for him simply. His mind was about to explode.

Startled beyond belief, Ray knew she could never overpower him through strength alone- yet here she stood at the mercy of this stranger. This person who stood in front of her-he was not the Throttle she had come to know all those years ago. She now knew what it felt like to be his enemy. There was no love in his eyes, no care nor warmth or compassion.

He scared her.

This was not how she'd imagined their last conversation to be like. She really didn't expect him to act like this- and it confused her greatly. Ray knew she made a mistake, but wasn't this overkill? The girl did the next best thing. Her fearful arms wrapped around his side as she attempted to hug him. She recoiled soon after under his flinching shadow, and backed into the wall again. She had hurt him.. With all these secrets..

She really hated her life.. She always ended up hurting the wrong people.

He would never understand the pain and fear of having someone rob you of your mind and most deepest darkest secrets. You're treasured moments unveiled like the mist at dawn, revealing the faces of the ones you hold closest to your heart.

Big Brother had managed to obtain all of that and more through the one she loved the most all those years ago..Kai..the person who left. The same Kai who came back asking for forgiveness..

Yet here she stood in front of the person who held her heart now- only to have him recoil under her touch. As Throttle walked away and sat atop the corner of the oblong table, her eyes softened. She had never seen his once proud shoulders hunch so low.

Fists clenched at her sides, clasping the sides of her khaki cargo pants. Ray didn't want to send him off like this. All she wanted to do was just hug him one more time- and then she could go in peace-but she knew this wouldn't happen.

"I'm sorry alright? I'm sorry I messed up."

Ray's light booted steps seemed to play a sad slow rhythm as she walked up to the slumped figure and sat atop the edge of the table as well, facing the opposite direction. Her voice carried a soulful tune as she slowly leaned back against his spine, a hand resting atop the tabletop for support. To her relief he did not flinch this time. "I'm sorry.." her grip on her pant-leg tightened as guilt welled up inside her chest.

"This is how I'm making it up to you and everyone. I'm taking responsibility for my bad decisions. I came here to finish what I started," she explained with a trailing voice.

Throttle took a deep breath and leaned his back against her as well and looked to the ceiling soulfully as he took off his visors.

"What do you want me to do?"

Exhaling slow and deep, Ray pulled out three shining shells that she hid inside her shirt and just stared at the glistening silver objects silently.

"Ray.." Throttle placed a hand on hers reassuringly and looked over his shoulder.

Feeling the warmth heating her hand, the human girl looked over her shoulder tearfully as she closed her free fist.

Kind red eyes drew in the silent confession of the girl, she really hadn't changed. This time around, it felt different though. A confidence that didn't exist, seemed to well from the inside and he managed to part his jaws to speak. Before he could reveal his most innermost thoughts, the girl placed something in his hand and walked off. Apparently she had caught a sound he hadn't.

-Footsteps..-

"Bullets?" He stared at the three shining metal shells. "Ray you can't expect me to do this-"

Before he could finish, the door opened and in came the stumbling doppelgänger May, followed by a very authoritative voice in the background. He then closed his fist and folded his arm behind his back.

"Times up."