Tabitha had her sites set on Clay the moment he walked off the stage. She couldn't believe what he had said during his award speech, how could he say such flattery towards the CEO's, after all the heartbreak they had caused him? She knew the stress of the whole project had caused Clay many a sleepless nights, and their constant meddling was sure to make him gray early, yet he was up there showering them with undeserved praises as if they were gods amongst men.
The awards came to an end, and Tabitha stood, ready to confront the shaky scientist.
“Ah, Tabitha,” Everett suddenly jumped from his chair, blocking her view of Clay. Tabitha blinked then looked at her boss and the sly smile that stained his face. “Do come with me to the buffet, I will carry your plate.” He offered his hand and Tabitha felt as if she had no choice but to take it as he practically stared her down and blocked her goal like an unmoving mountain.
Reluctantly she was dragged off to shadow the head mechanic at the hors d'oeuvre table, piling whatever he wished onto their plates. Even after they had returned to the table, she was not free to chase after Clay.
“Try this one.” Everett held an Escargot Truffle Bite toward her, but her eyes never left the other table across the room. She opened her mouth and let him pop the bite in, chewing it and swallowing without so much as a word. Everett frowned, he followed her gaze to the table of chattering scientists, his eyes narrowing when he spied Clay, his hands folded in his lap as he stared lazily at his reward resting on the table in front of him.
Everett suppressed a growl under his breath and insisted Tabitha try a little bit of everything that he had gotten from the appetizer table. However, no matter how much he offered her, or how exquisite it tasted, she simply would not let her attention wonder away from the scientist.
“Are you enjoying your evening?” Everett finally asked, giving up on distracting her with finger foods. Tabitha blinked, looking up at him for a moment as if she had broken free of a spell.
“Oh yes, very much.” She nodded, yet before she could glance back towards Clay, Everett demanded her attention again.
“What was your favorite dish they served?” He pretended to be interested as he scooted his chair back ever so slightly, just enough to block her view of the other table.
“Uh...I liked...” She tried to peek around his shoulder, but soon realized it would be nearly impossible without leaving her chair. She let out a sigh and turned towards the empty plates, as if trying to remember what she had actually eaten.
“I suppose I enjoyed it all, everything was so delicious.” She finally decided.
“Well that is good to hear.” Everett beamed, “Once we begin our project here at the main HQ, we can enjoy delectables like these more often.” He gestured out towards the buffet.
“Really? Wont this be a bit expensive?” She raised a brow curiously.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJ743rApdu
“Not for us, we'll be making a fortune with this new task. It's quite a big deal. Imagine, a Hyperion base that doubles as a space station!” Everett exclaimed, smiling to himself as he thought of the proposed H shaped headquarters.
Tabitha smiled kindly, pretending to be somewhat interested, and she would have been, if it wasn't for the scientist just a few tables away. In an attempt not to offend her boss, Tabitha stood, pretending to stretch her arms, for a split second her eyes darted over towards Clay, just to make sure he was still there, and he was. He had hid chin resting lazily in his hand, his eyes practically rolled back in his head as he, with no enthusiasm, listened to Mason chatter on.
Everett's trained eye caught her sneaking a peek across the room, and his frustration boiled over.
“Ah, where are you going? I had so hoped to discuss the project further with you.” He faked a smile and gritted his teeth.
“O-oh..” Tabitha paused, quickly forming an excuse in her head. “I just wanted to stretch my legs a bit, maybe walk around the gala for a spell? I just feel so cramped here at the table.” She fibbed, then made to leave, but Everett was on her like a bee on a flower. He hopped to her side and held out his elbow for her to grasp.
“We should walk together, I have so much I want to tell you about all the great things that await you if you agree to take this project. And my legs are a bit restless as well.” He smiled and Tabitha knew there was no shaking him.
With a sigh Tabitha looped her arm into his, allowing him to guide her around the gala. Everett chattered on and on about the amazing possibilities of the new project and how much she was sure to enjoy it. Purposefully he led her our of the main room and down the velvety draped halls, even as far as the docking bay where the commotions of the gala were nothing more than a distant hum.
Tabitha racked her brain, searching for any possible excuse to leave his side, if only for a moment. It wasn't that she despised his company, but she had to see Clay, had to get to the bottom of things.
Fate seemed to be on her side as he led her back through one of the halls for the gala. He was in the middle of a particularly descriptive example of how better her life would be, when there was a sudden buzz from his pocket. Everett paused, a bit surprised by the disruption. He let go of Tabitha's arm and pulled his communication device from his pocket. Tabitha watched curiously as he pressed the button, immediately putting whoever was calling him over the importance of the gala.
“Who is this?” His brows furrowed as he spoke into the device.
“Sir...we're having a bit of a problem with the plan...” Everett's brows raised as the distinct sound of a laser gun echoed through the call. “OH GOD!!” the man on the other end shrieked. Everett's face paled and he quickly turned around and darted for the docking bay. “We didn't know there would be a Clap-Trap unit here!” Was the last thing Tabitha heard before he rounded the corner and was gone.
Tabitha blinked in surprise, unsure of what exactly she had just witnessed. She shrugged, relieved to finally have a moment to herself. Quickly she raced back for the gala, holding the edge of her dress as she ran down the halls. She may not have been sure how long Everett would be gone, but she wasn't about to let this chance slip by, she had to get to Clay.
The entrancing sound of music filled the air as she drew closer to the ballroom. Her senses sprang alive, realizing the whole atmosphere of the room had changed sense she left. The room had a sweet fragrance to it as the tables were crammed with small cakes and desserts. The lights had dimmed to an enchanting glow, casting a golden hue on the dancers. The music was slow and smooth, causing practically everyone in the room to stop whatever they had been doing and find a dancing partner. Was this even the same gala?
As she took in the new sights, her eyes wondered back to the table she had been watching so carefully throughout the night, it was empty. Her heart sank and immediately she began to frantically search the room. It was Mason that she saw first, who, believe it or not, was dancing merrily with an unfortunate maiden. He laughed and chuckled in such a way that Tabitha figured he must have been tipsy. It was then she saw the embarrassed frown of Clay, who was watching Mason spin about in a sloppy manor on the dance floor. He shook his head and buried his face into his hands.
Tabitha, not wanting to waste another moment, darted around the dance floor. She knew she had to be swift, she couldn't give him the chance to run away, not again.
Clay gave a startled yelp as he was roughly yanked off his feet and pulled against his will into the swirling mass of waltzers. His heart skipped a beat in his chest when he reached to steady himself, his hand falling on a strong shoulder. Quickly he looked up, immediately caught in those emerald eyes that stared lovingly back at him.
T-tabitha!” He exclaimed before he was quickly dipped as the music paused, then, in sync with the other dancers, pulled back up again.
“You couldn't hide from me forever.” She teased, finding humor in the rosy pink that dusted Clay's cheeks. Clay's mouth was dry, he didn't know what to say, she didn't seem upset at all about the kiss. He tried not to worry, not to panic, but his heart was pounding in his ears and he could hardly hear the music for it.
“Look Clay, we need to talk.” Her smile faded and Clay had to gulp down the bubble of air that hung in his throat. He scanned her face and all it caused him was dread, this was it, she was about to crush his very being. She was bound to say something along the lines of; “I can't stand you, don't ever come near me again,” or “I can't believe you kissed me, i'm leaving to go work with Everett”. He felt his heart twist in his chest and the watery sting of tears building behind his searching eyes, all unseen by the mechanic.
“I want to know what made you say those things in your speech.” Her brows furrowed and she thought she saw his eyes water. Clay inhaled sharply, feeling a burden raise from his chest and he squinted his eyes closed, fighting back the tears. She wasn't upset, she wasn't upset, she wasn't upset, he reminded himself.
The waltzers quickened their pace and Clay found it difficult to keep up as he searched for the words to speak with Tabitha.
“W-what do you mean? What was wrong with my speech?” He tried not to stammer. Tabitha frowned again, did he really not get it? Or perhaps he was becoming like everyone else and idolizing the CEO's was now second nature to him.
“Nothing except you spent the whole time talking about how great the CEO's are.” She accused him, frowning to show her disapproval.
“Wha...” Clay's eyes widened, “I-i had to.” He exclaimed.
“You had to? Why? Who made it a law that you have to kiss up to the CEO's with every breath you take?” She grumped, guiding him further into the dance. The amount of waltzers only grew, pushing the scientist and the mechanic closer together.
“You don't understand, they are mad at me! I had to do something. Mason told me i'm walking on thin ice with them.” Clay confessed, his shoulders drooping.
“Uh! Clay you shouldn't let them push you around so much, stand up to them.” She scolded. Clay's teeth gritted, his eyes darted for a break in the dancers, hoping to pull her to a more private location to talk, but there were just too many people.
“S-standing up to them is what got me in trouble in the first place. I stood up to them when I took 'A' for 3 months, I stood up to them when I swapped the DNA, I stood up to them with the speech enhancer, and now they are pissed off!” Clay practically yelled. Tabitha blinked in surprise, her grip loosening from his side.
“What...swapped the DNA? You never told me about that.” Tabitha raised a brow. Clay's eyes widened, had he really just blurted that out, and to Tabitha? He could feel the color leaving his skin and he desperately just wanted to stop dancing.
“It's nothing.” Clay muttered, looking down to concentrate on his steps.
“No, if it got you in trouble than it must be something.” She prodded further.
“It's nothing! Drop it!” He hissed loudly, an angry grumble curling from his chest. Tabitha snorted, and stopped dancing all together.
“Gosh Clay, I just wanted to know why you were in trouble with the CEO's. I just wanted to know why you were up there praising them after all the terrible things they did to you and 'A'. Sorry if I care too much about you!” She barked angrily, folding her arms as the dancers whirled past them. Skirts and suits of many colors adorned the floor of the waltz, but all the color was lost to the agitated glare that shot between the scientist and the mechanic. Clay's hands clenched, he didn't want to be upset at Tabitha, but the irritation in him was growing, and why hadn't she said anything about the kiss? Didn't she care at all, did his words mean nothing to her? The CEO's, Mason, the kiss, all of it was too much, and he could feel his heart cracking.
“You...you just don't understand!” Clay exclaimed, when all at once he was knocked from behind by one of the waltzers. Clay landed with a harsh thud on the tiled floor, causing another couple to trip over him. Tabitha gasped, stepping back in surprise as the whole dance hame to a screeching halt. The music faded to a stop as more couples collided with each other. Once the wreck of dancers had finally stopped, and the room coated in an awkward hush, Tabitha found herself standing in the middle of it all, yet no one seemed to know where the disaster had started. She quickly turned toward Clay, who was just beginning to push himself off the ground, the back of his suit ripped from where he had been trodden on.
“C-clay I...” Tabitha went to reach for him, but he refused any help and stood on his own. He gave a defeated sigh, and without looking at her, turned and walked away. Tabitha's arm fell to her side and that terrible ache crushed her again, yet this time, she couldn't bring herself to chase after him. The droop of his shoulders as he limped away gave off an air of defeat and all she could do was watch as he left the ballroom and disappeared down the velvety hall.
Clay was going home early, he had decided, with or without Mason, and from the looks of it, Mason was leaving with someone else anyways. Clay had left his reward on the table, but it wasn't worth going back for, none of it was. He looked down at the docking bay, crammed with space ships, yet it seemed so empty. Here the sounds of the gala were lost through the many halls and passageways and he could finally gather his thoughts.
“She was worried...” Clay muttered under his breath, thinking back to the argument he had shared with Tabitha. She was right though, the CEO's didn't deserve his praise, and it ate him up inside that he had even said those things, yet, what choice did he have? He was desperately trying to get back in their graces, hoping he wouldn't have to go through with anymore of their nonsense.
“Ah, Clay...that was some display back there.” The scientists heart leapt from his chest and he quickly whirled around, stunned to see three of the CEO's striding up behind him.
“O-oh,” he panted, “you startled me!” He let his hand fall on his heart, searching their faces, trying to guess what it was they wanted now. Behind them stood another man he did not recognize, he was a tall lanky man with unruly brown curls that were tied behind him, much too long for Clay's liking.
“We weren't aware you had two left feet.” One of the CEO's jokes in regards to the mess during the waltz.
“Ah...I never was a brilliant dancer.” Clay blushed, rubbing the back of his head. Despite all Tabitha had said, here he was humoring them again, he cursed himself mentally.
“Were you leaving?” The oldest CEO raised a brow, spying the ship Clay had been nearing.
“Uhm, yes. I figured I would call it a night, got to get back to the lab as soon as possible.” He pretended to be enthusiastic about his work.
“Well, glad to see you are so serious about this project, we are too. That's what we wanted to talk with you about.” The third CEO began, and stood aside so the mysterious man could step forward. Clay wanted to shrink away, the project was the last thing he wanted to discuss and he desperately wanted to curl into his bedsheets and forget the gala ever happened.
“This is Braden,” the CEO continued, gesturing toward the man, “We have decided to add him to your project. However, due to some recent events, we decided it would be wise for him to aid you in...managing the project. Don't think of it as a demotion, think of it as having someone to share in your burden of decision making. You both have control over the project and we expect you two to work together to make this thing really take off.” The CEO explained.
Clay couldn't believe what he was hearing, a shared project? He wanted to scream, to smash something, to strangle the CEO's, but instead he found himself reaching out to shake Bradens hand.
“N-nice to be working with you.” He stammered. Tabitha was right, he had to be losing it, or perhaps they had just broken him.
“I look forward to starting on the project with you early tomorrow.” Braden chuckled, his voice was rough like gravel running through a metal vent and Clay winced at the sound of it.
After that the CEO's turned to leave, taking Braden with them, and Clay was finally able to escape the nightmare of the gala.
The pilot of his spacecraft didn't seem to care that he was one passenger short, and quickly took Clay back to the Hyperion base he knew and loved. The smallness of his bace brought him comfort and for a brief moment he was able to relax. The familiar hallways and quiet atmosphere calmed his nerves as he lazily trudged back to his lab. He couldn't help but smile as he thought of 'A' waiting patiently for him by the lab door, or Clap-Trap who was bound to ask him tons of questions only to go on and on and forget what he had even asked in the first place.
As he neared his lab doors, he began to notice a strange red smear staining the hall floors.
“Ugh, I feel sorry for whoever caused that.” He snorted, eyeing the crimson streak. However, his breath hitched in his throat as he turned towards his lab. The trail of blood started from his door, some of it even splattered onto the wall.
Panicked, he darted to the key pad and punched in the code, quickly letting himself inside. He had thought his night couldn't get any worse, but he had been so terribly wrong. His lab was a complete mess of broken glass, strewn papers and blood stains. The light over head flickered and threatened to go out for good. His bedroom door was hanging from its hinges, and there was a massive hole in the sheetrock of the kitchen.
“A!” Clay suddenly shouted, realizing how deathly quiet the lab was. Frantically he darted for the bedroom, his heart sinking when he found it empty as well. Something terrible had happened, and he hadn't been here to protect 'A'.
“A! Clap-Trap!!” He yelled again as he darted back towards the kitchen. He strained his ears and this time he heard something. There was a rustling in one of the kitchen cabinets.
Without thinking, Clay rushed over and practically yanked the cabinet door off the wall. Crammed inside was a terrified 'A', hugging tightly to a purple Clap-Trap unit.
“A! Clap-Trap!” Clay fell to his knees, relief washing over him. “Are you okay? What...what happened in here.” He began to pull them out of their cosy hiding place. As soon as he was free, 'A' darted into the scientists lap, hugging him close as he fought off tears.
“Master Clay, I have never been more relieved to see you in all my time of existence!” The purple robot practically cried, throwing his arms up dramatically.
“Well...what happened!?” Clay asked again, rubbing small encouraging circles on A's back.
“We were attacked by a bunch of masked workers!” Clap-Trap exclaimed. “But I pulled out my trusty ray gun and scared them off!”
“What! Why would anyone break into my lab?” Clay's brows furrowed together, baffled by the whole incident. He couldn't even imagine who would have it out for him, what enemies did he have?
“Oh darling, cheer up, try some dessert.” Everett scooted a piece of cake towards Tabitha, but she refused to even look at it.
“I didn't mean to leave you for so long. Please forgive me.” He patted her back but still earned no response from her. Everett frowned, oblivious to all that had transpired during his absence.
Tabitha rolled her head over on the table, avoiding Everett's gaze. Clay's plaque was tucked in her arms securily. The music had started back shortly after Clay left and everyone continued on as if nothing ever happened. However, Tabitha couldn't forget the look on his face when he had left her...again. She tightened her grip around his reward, her thoughts full of regret.
“I shouldn't have asked him so many questions about the CEO's.” She thought, wishing she could take it all back. She had been so sure of herself, so eager to get to the bottom of things, that she had practically plowed the poor scientist over.
“I didn't get the chance to ask him about the...” Her thoughts rushed back to the blurred images, the infirmary and Clay. He was seated beside her, holding her hand, reaching to touch her hair, her neck...
Tabitha's heart skipped a beat and she felt a warmth rise in her. His eyes were so close, she could feel his breath and then...
“The...kiss.” She practically whispered, Clay had kissed her.
Authors note: Well...in my head this was much longer, guess not XD hah! Sadness ensues, there is no end to it.
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