Taco screamed, and I jerked my head to see Pickle punched her in the back of the head!

He looked like he was about to throw another punch, but before the blow landed I covered Taco and he hit me instead.

He got me good in the face, but he was yelling at Taco now. Everyone had turned to look.

"You don't deserve her! You don't deserve anyone!"

I glared at him. "Why are you doing this?!"

He returned my stare levelly. "She betrayed me! What if she's using you?! I'm trying to help you!"

Taco stayed quiet, although I could tell by how she was shaking she was crying. I pulled her close and hugged her, then got up. I rounded the bench, glared at Pickle again, then punched him in the stomach. When I spoke, it was quiet. "She's changing. Do not ever say that she's using me again. Got it?"

Fury rose in his eyes, but he backed off and nodded. I glared. "I'm taking you to OJ. He'll know what to do with you from then on."

I went over to Taco, but she wasn't there. I started to panic. "Taco? Taco?!" I looked around frantically, then saw in the distance an invisi-bow running to the woods. I called Test Tube over and told her to take Pickle to OJ. Then I ran toward the direction Taco went.

As I ran, rage boiled inside my chest at that disgusting rat Pickle. I finally had something good, and here he comes, ruining it! Anger swelled in my heart, but I continued to call Taco's name.

I fell quiet when I heard soft crying in the place we first met. I creeped closer and turned up my gain to hear her. She was talking.

"Why did you ever think they'd forgive you? Was Mic lying? I trusted her... should I ever have kissed her? It felt so good, but what if it was all a lie?..."

Tears welled in my eyes, and I couldn't stay hidden anymore. I burst through the bracken and cannoned into her, hugging her tightly.

"Mic?" she gasped.

"Don't ever say anything like that. I care about you a lot. That wasn't planned. Please forgive me."

She stayed silent for a moment, but then wrapped her arms around me and cried into my shoulder. "It wasn't your fault. I forgive you."

Sighing, I sat on a stump and comforted her. Shifting to where she could sit in my lap, I let her clamber onto me. We just sat there for a while. When she finally broke away from me, her eyes were stained with tears. I used my sleeve to wipe them away. "You okay now?" I asked her, ready to hug her again if not.

"I- I think so. But can we stay here for a minute? I like it here."

"Take all the time you need love. I'm right here."

She smiled at me and rested against my chest.

About an hour later it was starting to turn dusk. "Want to go back yet?" I asked.

"If you want to go back you don't have to wait for me. I'll be out here. Plus, I have keys now, so I can just enter the apartment when I'm ready."

I pulled her closer. "I'm not letting you leave me again. You really scared me today, Taco."

"Sorry, my love. I just needed to get away for a bit. Pickle really still hates me, after all this time... not completely unexpected, though."

Moonlight shone above us, the beams of the pure white light separated by the branches. All was peaceful, and I was determined to make it last. Holding her close, I kissed her on the forehead and suddenly had a pure burst of energy.

I lifted Taco up and twirled around with her. She was laughing now! Good!

"Mic! Haha! Let me down, you!-"

"You're just so pretty! How could I ever let you down?"

Taco went a beet red and covered her face with her hands. "Don't say that, you're gonna make me blush!"

"Like you aren't already?"

"Shush!"

"Nah," I said, letting her down.

She laughed and pulled me down to her height. "I love you."

"Same to-" But I couldn't finish because she kissed me.

It was wonderful, as always. But we were rudely interrupted by an audible gasp. It was Pickle.

Oh, great.

(A/N: THIS ONE'S SHORTER BUT I'M HAVING ONE OF MY FRIENDS HELP ME LOL-