Alternate Timeline

"How bout a movie?" James asked. "I mean.....if that works for you, especially since I'd rather not get on your parents bad side. Staying out late with the boyfriend they haven't met yet?"

"It's my choice and besides I normally stay out late when I have concerts." She explained. "They might not like it but it is my choice at the end of the day."

"Well, end of the night really," James said with a small smile. They began to walk, with him asking "So.....what movie?"

Lauren honestly had no idea what was out. "I admit I've been too busy of late to notice what was out."

"Ah, well......there's a few films out. Sci-fi films, drama or fantasy. Romance films though uh.....I'm gonna be upfront: I don't like romance films that much."

"You don't? Dang and there I was going to make you watch all those girly romantic films." Lauren teased him, she didn't mind romantic comedies she disagreed with the common belief that a girl needed someone else to make her life happy.
One could not find happiness with another if they cannot find it within themselves.

"Oh good, already saw enough when I was living with my sister," James said. He didn't quite flash back, it wasn't as dramatic as before. It actually seemed better to talk about her, to help get over her death. "Anyway.....what do you wanna see?"

She smiled at him. "You pick and I'll pay this time." Lauren meant it, they had eaten pizza and he had paid, now it was only fair that she paid for the cinema.

"Okay then.....well, nearest theater is a few blocks away, so hopefully when we get there there'll still be something good," James said. Leading the way, he noted how the streets were getting....quieter, less people. It was starting to get late after all. "So.....no big major questions about my powers thing?" he asked.

Technically they are not powers, simply technological enhancements and tools which I provide.

Same thing Gestalt.

"No... Not really your powers are your own." Lauren smiled at him, holding his hand with her own. "Some days I wish I could get rid of my own powers James... It is difficult enough to be a teenager without my abilities."

"On top of being a pop star," he added. "Can't get rid of mine. Aside from being awesome.....the nanites are keeping me alive." He sucked in a ragged breath, and said quietly "People can tell I'm missing an arm and a leg. What they don't know is that I also lost my right eye, severe damage to my heart and lungs, and some nervous system damage. They're keeping me alive, so not like I can tell them to leave. Plus they're bonded to me now, so we're kinda....one thing now."

"Wow..." Lauren replied uncertain as to what she could or should say, after all her boyfriend just admitted that he was basically being kept alive by his powers.

"Yeah, wow," James said rather gloomily. "But I make the most of it. If we're stuck together, might as well enjoy the ride right?"

"That kinda sounds like we might be shackled together the way you said that." She suddenly pushed James into an alley, putting her hand over his mouth. "Shhh." A few moments later a shifty looking man with a camera walk past. "Bloody press." Lauren muttered, finally removing her hand from James' mouth.

James' heart raced, the sudden move by her into the alley sending off the wrong signals....which were corrected by the sight of the shifty photographer. Her hand on his face though had felt....warm. Soft. He liked it a little. "So hey I like being in a dark alley with a pretty girl as much as the next guy but....." he said, a small grin on his face.

Lauren looked at him. "Ewe... No, gross because that would go down well with the press." She wasn't annoyed with him though it sounded like it. She hated the press because well people wanted to know what roughly famous people did and all about their private lives.
Lauren disliked people wanting to know what she did in private, the differences of opinion caused great conflict.

"Right, yeah the press," James said. He looked away, wondering when she'd move to let him walk out. "They never give you space, do they?"

"No one does... I'm not really free." She sighed, moving so he could. "Sorry James but you've got dragged into my cell." She didn't meet his gaze, looking at her feet.

"Hey," he said gently, his hand resting on her shoulder. He wanted to try lifting her gaze up from the chin....but that seemed too forward. "If I'm stuck in a cage with you, then it's not all bad, is it?" he asked.

"I guess not." She rushed forward and hugged him, burying her head into his arm, the real one by chance. "I just want our thing to by our thing not something the entire world knows about."

The hug was surprising, especially when he realized she was a strong girl. Practically tackled back against the wall, he gasped and said "Our thing? Is that what we're calling it?"

"Well what would you call it?" She mumbled through his shoulder.

"Our......relationship?" he suggested. Hugging her back, his nose lightly touched her hair as he whispered "Though guess it doesn't matter what we call it."

"That will work for me." Lauren replied. "Our relationship." She lifted her head up and smiled at him sweetly.

Smiling back, James....found himself unsure of what to do next. "So.....to the movie then?" he asked at last.

"Sure." Came the reply, for a heart beat it looked like she would kiss him, but she didn't. Lauren pulled back and held his hand.

Walking with her, they continued to the theaters, though he kept an eye out for any more journalists.....which was hard to do. When they got there, there were only three still playing. "So uh....Space Commandos (sci-fi/action), It Happened Again (romance comedy), or Parasites (horror)?"

"Choices... Choices..." Lauren muttered having not seen any of the trailers for these particular films. "How about Parasites?" She suggested.

"Uhm.....does it have to be Parasites?" he asked, a bit nervous. James didn't quite have a taste for scary flicks.

She nudged him in the arm with her elbow. "Okay how about Space Commandos?" She wondered if that suggestion suited him better.

"That works," James said in a relieved tone. They went to the booth and said "Two for Space Commandos," he said.

Lauren paid this time, handing over the required cash and receiving the two tickets. "One for you." She said as she handed it to him.

"Thanks," James sad, and his wallet felt relieved. They went inside, and with luck nothing would ruin the moment.

But of course, something was going to happen.

They made it to their seats fine, of course none of them could have predicted what would happen next.

It wasn't even a crime related thing. The Chemist hadn't set it up, Legion played no part in it. At the end of the day, it was an accident. Across the street and one block down, there was a gas line explosion in one of the apartment buildings. It blew apart one of the exterior walls, and set fire to several floors. Just as they got comfortable in their seats, Gestalt alerted James.

James, there's been an explosion nearby. Gas line, apartment building.

Yeah I figured since we just felt the shockwave, James said to the machine, shaken slightly in his seat.

"What was that?" Lauren inquired looking at James, because unlike him she did not have some robot in his head to let him know what was what.
It would be a bit creepy as they would never technically be alone as James' robots were there always as they happened to be a vital part of him.

"Gas line explosion," James whispered to her. "Apartment on fire.....I should go," he said, standing up.

"Come back with your shield or upon it." Lauren whispered to him, before leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. "For luck."

The kiss surprised him, his cheek going red enough to illuminate the dimly lit theater before he left without a word. Instead of the front, he ran out the emergency exit, getting into the alley and changing, nanites pouring over him to make the suit before he moved to the rooftop. The fire was easy to see, the smoke rising high and lit with an angry yellow glow. He made his way for it even as the scream of fire engines and ambulances was heard in the night.