The explosion echoed in her ears, making them ring. She coughed as the smoke circled in around her, settling on her lungs like thick oil. Covering her mouth, her mundane hearing picked up on someone else coughing just as violently and she located the source to be not far from her. Blinking, she squinted past the soot in the air to see the blurry silhouette of her enemy, her mind almost sluggishly trying to understand why she hadn't been hit by the attack. The air began to clear and Bell's outraged expression came into view, her clenched fists shaking at her side in rage.

"Who the hell are you?" She demanded. Someone huffed in amusement.

Blossom twisted in surprise to see her childhood foe, stance relaxed with his hand still outstretched and glowing from his counterattack.

"Brick?" Blossom exclaimed.

"Get out of the way, you moron," he barked. Blossom narrowed her eyes at him but did as commanded, being in no real position to argue. She sidestepped just as Brick fired another attack. Blossom stumbled as to avoid the red beam and had to bite back her anger when she caught his arrogant smirk.

Movement behind Blossom caught her eye and she just dipped behind a wall when she saw Brick's form blocking her from another attack.

"This isn't your fight," she heard Bell snarl.

"This isn't your pencil neck to kill," Brick shot back. He glared over his shoulder at the gaping redhead, "Hurry the f-ck up and get out of here, Red." Not waiting to be told twice Blossom took off, aiming to find her sisters or to lay low till she had recovered. But Blossom didn't make it father than the end of the street. Her vision was going dark and her legs were strangely heavy, it felt like she was trudging her way through syrup and her pace was agonisingly slow.

Where on earth did Bell get the Antidote X? The supply the doctor has is under strict protection and is tracked precisely to the last drop. And who had been able to transfer the Antidote X to a smoke bomb barely the side of a coin? Blossom couldn't focus enough to try to answer the questions bubbling in her mind, not that she'd have the answers anyway, and they only resulted in giving her a headache.

By the end of the road Blossom was propped against the wall for support, her legs shaking with the effort to keep her on her feet. Noises of the fight seemed distant and Blossom could only focus of finding somewhere to crash for a while. She spotted a coffee shop she recalled a friend of hers worked at but the darkness came rushing in, claiming her for its own.

...

What a simpleton, Brick scowled down at the slumped girl at his feet. He expected this sort of behaviour from the girl's sisters, rushing off and falling flat on their asses, but not her. Maybe he overestimated her because she was his counterpart. Either way, that left him with a pretty ridiculous decision to make.

He knew Blossom had been neutralised, he could smell it coming from her pours a mile off, that loathsome substance that stripped someone like him of his powers, reducing him to a snivelling pathetic human. Even the idea of it made Brick's stomach heave with distaste. That's why he stepped in when Blossom was getting pulverised by that long haired delinquent, that and if she was gone he'd have no reason to live. His purpose was to destroy this girl and her sisters but the thought of doing it now, ending her life now and saving him the trouble of doing it the honourable way during battle, just felt wrong.

He watched the steady rhythm of her chest, her eyelashes fluttering in her sleep, the soft curve of her cheeks and the way her long hair swayed in the breeze. She'd grown into quite the woman; any man would have to agree. Her sisters would have a fit if they knew he had left Blossom on the streets, and he wouldn't hear the end of it from Butch about how he'd have let an opportunity with the 'stunning sexy Blossom' slip by.

Sighing, Brick scooped the unconscious girl into his arms and took to the sky as to not attract attention. What better way to start an epidemic than to walk around town with an unconscious superhero in a villain's arms? Brick suppressed a grin at the thought. Blossom groaned quietly, snuggling closer into Bricks chest, her hand mindlessly clutching at the fabric of his jacket. Bricks heart gave one slight shudder at the girl's actions which he profoundly ignored. He had no intention of taking her home, where he'd have his brothers firing him with questions and Butch fawning over Blossom, flirting with her in his own sleazy way. He knew another place.

...

Blossom knew she hadn't made it home when she aroused from her sudden slumber. She lay perfectly still, trying to piece together what she remembered last. She was on the streets struggling to walk to the coffee shop to call her sisters. That was as far as her memory went, so she must have fell unobvious soon after she had formed this vague plan. But she now felt no breeze and she was lying on some sort of material rather than the cold ground, so someone had moved her. Who or why she couldn't bring herself to venture. She was still way too venerable for her liking. She felt her strength slowly returning as her blood worked to pump out the neutralising drug she'd inhaled but her other abilities were far off from their return. A voice froze her analysis of her situation.

"I know you're awake, Red. No use pretending."

Oh no. She was having a nightmare, no doubt.

Blossom carefully pushed herself up from her sprawled position on the floor, eyeing the dark figure standing as far from her as possible in the small space. Blossom took her time surveying her surroundings, looking for every available exit. She felt the figures burning red gaze on her face and she got the feeling at he was smirking at her expense. It was obvious that she was at his mercy, though that didn't stop her from inspecting the limited appliances for usable weapons.

Blossom finally turned her eyes onto the man who had stayed silent during her inspections. "Why haven't you killed me?" she asked bluntly. She wasn't the type to beat around the bush and neither was Brick. The figure shifted, its shoulders seeming to vibrate a little as he withheld his laughter.

"Where would the fun be in killing you while you were weak?"

"Okay, then why did you save me from Bell?"

"We all make mistakes," Brick taunted.

Blossom didn't take the bait; she wanted to know the real reason why her apparent mortal enemy would save her when she was at her weakest. She waited, her cool steady gaze fixed on Brick. Brick felt no obligation to tell her a thing, especially about something he wasn't sure about himself. He grinned, "Why don't we talk about how you ended up a sitting duck for that feeble mortal."

"That is none of your business," Blossom snapped. She was embarrassed enough about what happened without Brick sneering at her.

"Imagine the towns faces if they found out that their precious hero was beaten by a common criminal. They'd be crushed," Brick continued.

Blossom glared, her amazing pink eyes lighting up like flames. Brick smirked as he stepped into the dimming light of the window. "They still have my sisters to rely on."

"Ah, but what are soldiers without a leader?"

"You underestimate them too often, though considering the amount of times they have beaten you guys you think you'd have learned that by now." Blossom enjoyed the flicker of anger in his eyes before he composed himself. "Ordinarily people live and learn. You just live."

"At least I wasn't the one about to be turned into a human barbeque."

"You know, you act like your arrogance is a virtue," Blossom fumbled to her feet.

"And you act like your prudish demeanour makes you superior to everyone else," he growled stepping closer, his hands giving off a slight red glow.

"I am not a prude!" Blossom's cheeks began to reflect Brick's palms.

"Have you ever kissed a guy?" Brick queried. He was actually interested in her answer, though he'd rather die than admit it.

"That doesn't prove anything."

"Hasn't anyone told you that it's better to let someone think you are an idiot than to open your mouth and prove it," Brick smirked at the flushed girl he was now only a few centimetres from, peering down at her.

"None's ever had to," Blossom flicked her fringe from her eyes so she could glower at her counterpart with her full frosty stare. She was known to be able to shatter a criminal's resolve by a single withering look. "Speaking of idiocy, try to be honest with me. Why did you save me today? What are you planning? To torture me? Use me to lure out my sisters?" Blossom searched his bloody eyes. "You know that will never work. You've tried everything before. Granted I wasn't under antidote X while you attempted mine and my sisters' murder." Brick watched her in amusement. These things had occurred to him but seeing Blossoms mind twirling with the possibilities of what his actions meant was rather enchanting. He noted how her eyes flickered over his face absently; her mouth pursed in concentration, her still flushed cheeks contrasting with her clear pale skin-

What the hell was he doing? Thinking of her as if he found her attractive.

"Aw, it's so cute when you try to talk about things you don't understand."

Blossom blinked in surprise, her mind momentarily interrupted. Brick when ridged as he realised his mistake. Blossom felt a plan forming in her mind. Brick watched the change in Blossoms eyes, saw them soften to an almost affectionate expression. That worried him more than he'd admit. A small smile stretched on her lips and she inched closer to the frozen man. "You think I'm cute?" She purred. She placed a hand on the solid chest before her, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart and the heat emitting from his body. Her other hand had snaked its way to be playing with the long strands of his hair beneath his cap.

Her body was now inches from Bricks, her curves inviting him to press against, to caress, to-

What was she planning? Brick was unnerved by the sudden change in Blossom, but more so by his reaction to her touch. He felt himself leaning forward so their bodies brushed. "You can be quite charming when you want to be, Cherokee," she muttered, rubbing his shoulder with the hand that wasn't occupied with his silky red hair that rivalled her own. Eyes half lidded, Blossom raised herself onto her tiptoes to be somewhat equal to Brick's height, and she felt his muscles relaxing into her. Brick watched, enthralled, as Blossom leaned in to leave a feather light kiss on his hammering artery in his neck. Brick swallowed thickly, responding to the seduction despite himself. He felt himself growing and there was no doubt that Blossom could feel the hardness between their bodies and she used it to her advantage. The little minx.

"You can be quite bewitching yourself, Red," Brick moaned quietly in her ear. "Too bad the best part of you is still running down your old man's leg."
Blossom made a noise, shoving away from the infuriating man, "You're disgusting."

"And you're not as innocent as you have people believe," he grinned at her reddening face.

"Neanderthal."

"Jailbait."

Blossom shook her head at his absurdity. They were more or less the same age. "You've been hanging out with Boomer too much, Brick."

"You've taken on your sisters' reckless streak, Red."

Blossom looked out at the sinking sun and gave Brick a sickeningly sweet smile, "While this was a lovely evening Brick, I have to get home before my sisters worry." She strutted to the door and had it halfway open before an arm passed by her head at blurring speed to slam it shut again. Blossom spun on her heel and glared up at her expressionless counterpart. "Brick, let me out."

"But the night's only young," Brick quoted. He flashed a dazzling smile, silently laughing at the ridiculousness of today's music industry and their cheesy liners within their music.

"Then higher a hooker to be your entertainment for the night. I'm sure that's the only way a woman would stay around you any longer than she has to," Blossom spat. She was exhausted and in no mood for this.

Brick's lips quirked upwards but his eyes hardened, giving off a dangerous glint warning her to mind what she says in her vulnerable state. "Says the girl who was all over me only a moment ago."

"A moment of insanity."

"Oh really?"

"I can assure you it won't happen again."

"Funny, but you should know that no woman can resist me if I go after them."

"Ironic that you've been chasing me for years and received no reaction from my end."

His eyes sparkled with something Blossom felt the need to shrink away from. Brick leaned forward to be towering the redhead, trapping her against the door, as he contemplated his idea. Brick suddenly dipped his head, capturing the surprised gasping lips of his counterpart. He kissed her hard and sensually, shoving her up against the door with a thud. Blossom tried to fight, but without her powers she was defenceless and only a fly batting against his armour.

She relaxed into the stimulating kiss. She was responding, her lust rising to match his, and soon she was moaning ever so softly. Brick moved to be gently kissing her neck, where he found to be a very responsive spot to be, and along her jaw. He reached her ear and breathed into it with enough carnal hunger laced in to make Blossom shudder, "Challenge accepted."

Just as suddenly as it started, Brick pulled away leaving an out of breath Blossom to lean against the door shivering in the aftermath. He grinned furiously. He leaned over to open the door for her, the dangerous gleam in his eyes returning with full vigour. Blossom hurriedly slipped out into the hallway.

"Goodnight, Red." She refused to give Brick the satisfaction of seeing her all flustered so, ignoring her blazing cheeks, she nodded over her shoulder.

"Goodnight, Brick."

Blossom couldn't recall how she got home but she can truthfully say she's never been so grateful to fall into bed and sleep without any dreams.

I decided to draw two parts of this chapter so, if you'd like, check it out on DA :3 My name is RBKNinja on there or go to my profile and the link to my page is there ^^