Stranded

[a_time_slip]

A date. 

 

She'd returned to take care of some business regarding a house that she owned, and ended up saying yes to a date with an ex.  Janie really did still love him, she even missed him.  She wanted the family that they never got to have and the all night video game sessions.  She wanted to laugh over bad comics and play overpowered pathfinder characters together.

 

She walked to his place, wearing a white dress that she remembered him liking, and waited.

 

"How long are you going to be in town?"  He asked, without saying hello.  Janie immediately noticed how his muscles seemed to ripple in his black shirt, a much more mature look than she remembered.

 

"I'm not sure, Xan-"

 

"Alexander.  I've grown up since you last saw me."  He looked her over, and nodded appreciatively. "Are you coming upstairs?"

 

"I thought...   A date?  That we would have dinner and hang out, like we used to?"

 

"I've got work in the morning.  Dinner, then we come back to my place."

 

"Dinner, and then I'll decide."  Janie frowned, not liking how he changed.  

 

He opened his car door without a word, and got in.  She barely got her door closed before he sped off, to a diner at the outskirts of town.

 

"We can't stay too long, but once you're at my place we can eat there.  Where are your bags and things?"

 

"I'm not staying with you!  I wanted a date.  One.  To see how we were.  And I think I want to go back to my hotel!"

 

"Why do you always do this, Janie?  You can't come in and out of my life!  What do you expect?"

 

"Were you waiting for me?"

 

"You were going to marry me Janie, yes, I waited.  Where are the kids?  What's been-"

 

"The kids are at home.  With Phoenix."

 

"You left them with him?  Why are you here?"

 

"I'm not with Phoenix!  He's like a brother to me.  We talk, we're best friends.  I didn't leave you for him.  I left you because you deserve better."

 

"Let me decide what I deserve."  His hands were gripping the wheel tightly "You weren't here to see what happened after you left."

 

"That's because I left."

 

"I hate when you do that!  You know what I meant Janie!  You're not dumb!"

 

"I'm leaving, Alexander.  You can call me tomorrow when you calm down.  I'll try to find something else white to wear."

 

"We're going back to my place, and we're going to talk!"

 

Janie wasn't having it, and tried to teleport out.  She couldn't, and looked at her ex-boyfriend with confusion.

 

"I can't leave."  She said, hollowly "What did you do?"

 

"You're not going anywhere until we work this out."  He said, venomously.  "You abandoned me and took my family.  I've finally got you back."

 

"No.  I'm going home and never coming back!  What's gotten into you?  You're supposed to be a nice guy!"

 

"You happened.  Think about it, Janie.  I was a nobody, with nothing to my name but a broken down car full of comics.  You took that and believed in me, enough to get me into shape.  Then you show me time and space, and we're supposed to start a family.  A family that goes off saving the universe.  Just as I think that's going to happen you leave me back where it all started.  You left me alone, with nothing but memories."

 

"...I'm sorry.  I left you with money, didn't you see my note?  I know I broke my promise, but it got dangerous."

 

"So you took the kids into danger?  With someone who might not even be their father!"

 

"The kids are safe.  And I didn't leave with him, he just happens to be there."

 

"Get out of the car."  Alexander said, pulling to the side of the road and stopping.  "You see how it is to be stranded, with nothing, and then you find me and we try this again."

 

"You're not even making sense!  I'll just bounce to your place, or home, since you're being a jerk."

 

"You can't.  Get out of my car.  Good luck getting to my apartment."

 

"FINE!  I'm not coming back!  We're not going on another date, and I'm not going up to your place. "

 

Janie opened the door and stepped out of the car.  She was just about to slam the door when she realized that she left her purse on the floor.

 

Alexander sped off before she could say anything.  He was right.  Her abilities were not working.

 

Janie Malcolm was stranded on the side of a highway, with no way to reach anyone who could help.