A/N: Yay, the pain is finally over! This is the last chapter of this fic. Thanks to all those who have supported me, it was much appreciated, and it was a great help when I was struggling for inspiration.

Hope you all like this one, because, like Stitch, it's a bit cute and fluffy…

Disclaimer: I don't even own my screen/pen-name, what makes you think I own the fantastic Ultimate Muscle?

Recap: Terry found out about Trixie's cheating ways, and Mars asked Kiki to run away with him. What will the repercussions be?

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Chapter 17 – Will She/Won't She?

Kiki pulled her rucksack over her shoulders, looking around her bedroom one last time. Her brow was furrowed with the weight of her concerns, but a glance at the clock reminded her she did not have long left. It was already after 11, and if she wanted to catch Mars, she would have to get to the hospital before midday, just like he had asked.

She was still wracked with doubt; she had not slept at all as she had debated her decision over and over in her mind. But, despite the hours of thought she had already devoted to her decision, she had eventually come to the conclusion that her first reaction to Mars's proposition had been the correct one. Her gut reaction had come from the heart, and her mind could see the logic in it; but there was still a small part of her that held onto the alternative option, playing it out in her mind as she tried to maintain her focus.

Kiki started towards the door, stopping as she levelled with her Kevin Mask poster. She screwed up her face as she looked up at him, still unable to justify his silence over the Mars issue in her mind. She slapped a hand onto his crotch area, and clawed her fingers into the paper, ripping it in the process. She pulled sharply, tearing him from her wall. Hardening her features in stubborn resolve, Kiki tore up the poster, and then opened out her hands, watching as the shreds of her former hero fluttered to the ground.

"Good riddance, Kevin Mask," she whispered.

Kiki took one final look around her room, and then walked boldly out the door. She was again glad that her parents were gone; they could not have timed their holiday better as far as she was concerned. This way she was free to make her decision on her own, and to carry it out without any complications.

Outside, it was another fantastically warm and bright day. Kiki smiled to herself as she watched two of the neighbourhood children chasing each other, giggling and squealing in delight. Kiki walked slowly down the garden path towards the street, remembering how Mars had tried to warn her against walking through the park in the dark. He had not accepted her excuse of the area being a nice neighbourhood, but she was sure if he could have seen it through her eyes, if he could have seen the neighbourhood as she saw it now, he would have agreed with her.

Kiki turned away from the children, walking down the street towards the park. As she neared the entrance, she could make out the top of the tallest tree in the park; the tree she was famed for climbing and hiding in when her troubles got her down. The tree she had slept in the night before last; but, she told herself firmly, she would never hide in that tree again. Hiding in that tree was something the childish, old Kiki would do. And she was the new, grown-up Kiki.

Kiki walked through the park, ignoring her tree sanctuary, heading onwards to the street the diner stood on. Despite not wanting to see anyone she knew at that particular moment, Kiki found herself watching the diner as she passed it. It was quite busy inside, but after three thorough checks of every table, Kiki could confirm that none of her close friends or any of the Muscle Leaguers were in there.

Looking into the diner did bring back some fond memories for Kiki however. For as long as she could remember, she had been going to the diner with Roxanne and Trixie, where the three girls shared their stories about boys, family, school, life and the IWF. Kiki was going to miss walking to the diner every day to meet her friends; but it was time to move on.

The KO hospital came into view as Kiki neared the end of the street, and, glancing at her watch, she saw that she had 45 minutes to spare before Mars's deadline. She took a deep breath, and crossed the road towards the hospital entrance, only to stop short as her mobile phone began to ring.

"Damn…" she muttered, delving her hands into her jacket pockets in search of her phone.

Kiki had no intentions of answering the call, as the last thing she needed right then was someone to try to talk her in or out of her decision; but when she saw the name on the caller display, she changed her mind.

"Trixie?" she answered the call.

Kiki waited for Trixie to answer her, but all she could hear was the whistle of wind passing the speaker. Kiki frowned, wondering if it had just been a mistake. She pulled the phone from her ear, frowning at it for a moment, before hanging it up. She started towards the hospital door again, but stopped again as she began to grow worried.

What if something awful had happened to Trixie? What if Trixie was being attacked somewhere, and she had tried to call for help, only for her attackers to steal her phone off her before she got the chance to speak?

Kiki reminded herself that, given her recent behaviour, Trixie was more likely than not enjoying herself in the company of another man; but Kiki knew she would never be able to live with the guilt she would inevitably feel if she ignored Trixie's call, and something bad happened to her friend as a result of her negligence.

As she was debating what to do next, Kiki's phone buzzed to alert her that she had received a text message. Looking down, she saw that it was from Trixie.

"Thank God," she muttered, opening the message to read it. "Kiki, I need your help. At the lake. Tripped over, and can't get up. Don't think it's bad, but can you get here ASAP? I can't walk home alone."

Kiki quickly dropped her phone back into her pocket, and then ran off in the direction of the lake. It seemed very odd to her that Trixie would even be at the lake in the first place; it was not the sort of place she frequented. Kiki contemplated going back to the hospital and asking them to send an ambulance for her friend, leaving her free to go to Mars; but Trixie had said that she did not think it was serious, and so calling for an ambulance was probably over-reacting.

Kiki glanced at her watch several times as she neared the lake, quietly hoping that she would still have enough time to take Trixie home before going back to the hospital. She decided that if she ran out of time, she would just take Trixie to the hospital and leave her there. At least at the hospital she could have any wounds attended to, and the doctors would call her parents to collect her themselves.

By the time Kiki reached the lake, it was almost 11:30, and her heartbeat had increased from more than just the energy she had burned up running all the way there. She looked around herself irritably, trying to locate Trixie. The lake was, as usual, completely deserted, leaving Kiki to assume that Trixie had somehow fallen at the other side of the water, and was hidden amongst the trees.

Looking around herself, Kiki came to the reluctant conclusion that there were only two ways to reach the trees. She could either walk all the way around the edge of the vast lake, climbing up the hill that sloped around one side, then down again and through the trees, or she could just swim across the water. Although the second option was by far the least appealing to her, it would be the quickest option, and time was not on her side.

Kiki walked up to the water's edge, pausing as she remembered just how cold the water had been the night she had swum with Mars. She looked up again, squinting over at the trees. As she tried to search for any sign of her friend, Kiki retrieved her phone, dialling Trixie's number.

She waited, tapping a foot impatiently against the ground as the phone rang repeatedly in her ear.

"Kiki?" Trixie eventually answered.

"Oh my God, Trixie are you okay?" Kiki gasped, as she heard Trixie's tearful voice.

"No, Kiki!" Trixie wailed. "It's just awful! What am I going to do?"

"Just hold on!" Kiki assured her. "Stay right where you are, and don't move! I'll get there as soon as I can!"

Kiki hung up her phone and dropped it to the ground. She pulled off her rucksack and her jacket, placing them down beside her phone. She then hurriedly tore off her shoes, dropping them by the rest of her belongings.

"Hold on, Trixie," she said under her breath.

Kiki clenched her teeth together tightly, bracing herself for the cold of the water as she ran into the lake. She squeaked involuntarily at the back of her throat as the water level rose around her, soaking through her clothes and sending a series of shivers through her body.

"Trixie!" she yelled at the trees. "I'm coming!"

Kiki then took a deep breath and dove into the water, immersing herself in the chilly depths of the lake. As her head bobbed up above the water level again, she gasped in shock; but her determination kept her going.

Kiki swam all the way across the lake, stumbling out into the thick of the trees, dripping wet and shivering all over.

"Trixie?" she called, surveying the woodland for any trace of her friend.

Kiki ran to one end of the trees and then the other, shouting for Trixie as she went. But she received no reply, and she saw no trace of her friend.

"Trixie!" she yelled into the air, panic gripping her.

Kiki looked down at her watch, her eyes widening as she saw that she had less than 20 minutes to get to the hospital. If she wanted to get to Mars before he left her life forever, she was going to have to go back to the hospital immediately; but what about Trixie? She could not just leave her friend at such a time of need.

Kiki screamed in frustration, stamping a foot against the ground.

"Why now?" she cried, turning back to the lake. "Life sucks!"

Kiki waded back into the water, swimming back across the lake as fast as she could. As she reached the last stretch of water, she waded her way out again, grabbing up her phone and dialling Trixie's number again.

"Kiki, where are you?" Trixie asked her.

"At the lake, looking for you," Kiki tightly replied through clenched teeth. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the hospital, looking for you!" Trixie plainly replied. "Why did you go to the lake?"

"Because you told me you were down here!" Kiki growled.

"No I didn't!"

"You what?"

"I never said that! Look, Kiki, you have to get down here right now, something's happened to Mars. I thought it was only fair to let you know."

"What? Oh my God, I'm on my way!"

Kiki hung up her phone and hurriedly pulled her shoes back onto her feet. She grabbed up her jacket and her bag, and ran back towards the hospital, silently praying as she ran that whatever had happened to Mars was nothing bad or serious. In her blind panic, Kiki never gave a second thought to the confusion over Trixie's whereabouts.

Kiki skidded into the hospital reception, looking around for any trace of Trixie. An elderly man hunched over a zimmer frame stuttered to a halt, staring at her in disbelief as she stood shivering on the spot, water dripping from her hair and her clothing, forming puddles at her feet.

The chime of the elevator doors opening drew Kiki's attention to their presence, and she ran straight into the open elevator, not even bothering to check which direction it was heading. She jabbed a finger onto the number 10, drumming her fingers nervously against her elbows as the doors slid shut.

Kiki wiped strands of her hair from her eyes, slowly becoming aware of the fact that those who shared the compact elevator compartment with her were standing back from her, and glaring at her as though she would be better placed in a psychiatric ward than a general hospital. Kiki smiled nervously at them, unable to stop herself from shuddering violently as her cold, wet clothes clung to her equally cold and wet body.

The elevator stopped at floor 3, and a few people got out. The others paused, eying Kiki then nodding at each other. Kiki watched on in silent mortification as they all left the elevator, shaking their heads at her.

"I was trying to save someone's life," she grumbled to herself as the doors closed on her again.

Kiki pressed all the numbers the others had chosen, deactivating their selections. She did not want to have to stop again. She just wanted to get to Mars's room without any further delays. She knew Trixie was alright, and that was all that mattered.

Kiki looked down at her watch as she reached the tenth floor. She had made it with just over five minutes to spare. Sighing with relief, and even allowing herself to smile slightly, Kiki stepped out of the elevator, walking along the corridor. Again, she counted the doors out loud as she passed them.

"One… Two… Three… Four!"

Kiki walked into Mars's room, spinning around to face his bed. Her smile vanished, and the sound of her belongings hitting the floor hard caused Trixie to turn round.

"Kiki!" Trixie greeted her, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Where's Mars?" Kiki asked, suddenly aware that she was swaying on the spot.

She wondered briefly if it was her reaction to the cold that was causing her to lose her balance, or if she was about to faint again; either way, she certainly did not feel good.

"He left, Kiki," Trixie quietly replied. "I got here just after 11, and he was gone. He didn't sign himself out, he just ran off. They think he jumped out the window, but since his smashed corpse isn't lying out there on the street, I don't think that could be right."

"He left at 11?"

"Yeah."

"But he said he wasn't going to leave until noon! Did he leave a note? Did he say where he was going?"

"No. Nothing. I didn't see him go, Kiki, no-one did. Like I said, he didn't even sign himself out. He just disappeared. Pretty much like how he just appeared at the Hercules Factory in the first place…"

Trixie slowly ran her eyes over her friend, a frown forming on her brow at what she saw.

"Is it raining outside?" she asked, glancing out the window.

"No," Kiki sighed.

"And what's that?" Trixie asked, standing up and pointing at Kiki's dropped possessions at her feet. "Is that your travel bag? Were you going somewhere?"

"No," Kiki meekly replied, hanging her head.

"Holy crap, Kiki, were you gonna run away with Mars?"

"Well…"

"Oh my God…"

Trixie slowly walked up to Kiki, reaching her hands out to her friend's shoulders.

"Kiki, what happened?" she asked softly.

"I guess I messed up," Kiki whispered. "Again. You were right all along, Trixie. I should have listened to you."

"What?" Trixie echoed. "Oh no, Kiki, I wasn't right! I was wrong! I was so very, very wrong! I never should have said those things to you! I was down right mean! You and Roxanne are my best friends, and you have both stood by me through so much! I swear I never meant to hurt your feelings, I was just confused and angry."

"I know you weren't trying to hurt my feelings," Kiki agreed, looking up at her friend. "You were very kindly trying to put me on my guard, and I ignored you. You tried to do it nicely, and I ignored you, so you did it bluntly, and still I ignored you."

"I didn't know he was DMP, Kiki. If I had known, I would have told you, I swear."

"It's okay."

"It's not okay. I've such a bitch lately. I've mistreated you, my dearest, sweetest friend, and I've just been awful to poor Terry. I think it goes without saying that I've so totally ruined all my chances with him now."

"He looked pretty mad at the diner yesterday."

"He was furious. And he really cared about me, too. I was just… Honestly Kiki, I was scared. And now I've screwed it up forever."

"I guess I could say the same thing. I was too scared, and now I've messed things up with Mars."

Trixie smiled to herself, turning away from Kiki as she tried to think of how best to word her next question.

"I know what you're thinking," Kiki said, rolling her eyes. "You're thinking I was crazy for falling for an "evil supervillain", right?"

"Not exactly," Trixie said, repressing a smirk. "I mean, the guy was totally hot!"

Kiki began to laugh at Trixie's remark, but soon found her laughter turning to sobs as tears began to run down her already wet face.

"Kiki, where the heck were you, anyway?" Trixie asked, lifting a strand of dripping wet hair from her friend's face.

"In the lake," Kiki sobbed.

"I can see that," Trixie said. "But what were you doing in the lake? There's a swimming pool much closer to your place, and it's heated!"

"I was looking for you. I got a message from you saying you were hurt!"

"You did? That's pretty weird. What time did you get it?"

"About 11:15."

"Oh. I didn't have my phone at 11:15. I lost it. I only found it again just before you phoned me to say you were on your way to see me. It was the strangest thing. I found it lying just outside this room. And I'd never been up here before then."

"That is weird. So I guess it must have been someone else who sent that message."

"You don't reckon someone did it deliberately, do you?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well, someone might have done it to stop you from getting here on time."

"Maybe. But even if I had gotten here straight away, I still would have been too late. I got here at 11:15."

"I got here just before that, and Mars was already gone."

"Then I guess the only thing that odd message achieved was to get me soaking wet!"

"Oh man, that sucks, Kiki. I'm so sorry. For everything. Can we just start over?"

"Sure."

"Let's agree to that stupid oath Roxanne made up."

"Boys on the side?"

"Exactly!"

Trixie held out a hand to Kiki, but Kiki smiled, reaching her arms around Trixie's shoulders and pulling her into a hug.

"I've missed you, Kiki," Trixie said, wrapping her arms around Kiki's waist.

"I missed you too," Kiki replied. "It sucked not having anyone to tell me how stupid I looked in that awful green dress!"

"Hey, you actually looked pretty darn cute in that thing!"

Trixie held her friend at arm's length, smiling warmly down at her.

"Really?" Kiki asked.

"Yeah!" Trixie said slowly.

"You sound surprised."

"I am! I never would have thought someone with an ass the size of yours could have gotten away with that cut, but you really pulled it off!"

"Well, it's nice to know some things haven't changed!"

Both girls laughed, hugging each other again.

"Come on, Kiki," Trixie said as they released each other. "Let's get you cleaned up before you catch pneumonia, or something."

"Good idea," Kiki sighed.

Trixie held up Kiki's jacket for her, helping her into it. Kiki smiled her gratitude, before bending down to grab up her bag and her phone.

"Okay?" Trixie asked her.

"I will be," Kiki replied with a sigh.

Trixie smiled, draping an arm across her friend's shoulders as they slowly walked out of the room together. As they walked to the elevator, neither girl noticed the person standing by the door of the room they had just left; but Dik Dik saw them, smiling to himself as he watched them leave.

"I'm sorry Kiki," he muttered. "But there was no way I could have let you leave with that monster. I only hope that one day you will understand why I had to do what I did."

---

Once Kiki had cleaned off the lake water and changed into dry clothing, Trixie took her to the local carnival, explaining that Roxanne and Kid were there, and they should really try to catch up with Roxanne.

"She was kinda pissed at Kid's match the other day," Trixie said as they neared the carnival entrance.

"Why?" Kiki asked.

"Well, she could sense stuff was going on, and she was annoyed she was being left out of it all."

"I guess so. I didn't call her after Dik Dik's match, and I said I would."

"Yeah, well we both know what I was doing in between Mars beating Dik Dik and Kid beating Mars. The question is, what were you up to, Kiki?"

"I…"

Kiki smiled to herself as she replayed the night at the lake inside her mind.

"A faraway expression fell over Kiki's face, and a girly smile appeared. Her eyes sparkled, and Trixie became furious in her desperation to know what was going on…" Trixie said, mocking Mac Metaphor's voice.

Kiki laughed, shaking her head at her friend's joke.

"I went out to look for you," she began.

"And you found me," Trixie grumbled.

"And then I went to look for Roxanne."

"And you didn't find her?"

"No, I did find her. She was with Kid, and they looked all happy, and in love."

Trixie stuck out her tongue and aimed two fingers at her throat to mimic vomiting.

"It was a bit sickening, actually," Kiki quietly agreed. "So I walked on, and I ended up at the lake. Eska – I mean, Mars was there."

"Oh really?" Trixie said, her eyes sparkling. "Do tell!"

"Well…"

"Oh my God! Kiki, you dark horse!"

"Yeah…"

"Man, I never thought you'd do anything that daring in your entire life! I'm shocked!"

"Not that it matters now…I thought it meant something."

"Men. You never know what they're thinking!"

"I thought I did with Mars. After we… Well, y'know… He… He did something really weird. It was what he did then that made me think he cared. Or maybe he just did it because he was screwed up, I dunno."

Trixie arched her eyebrows expectantly at Kiki, awaiting an explanation for her musings. When Kiki remained silent, Trixie groaned, rolling her eyes impatiently.

"Kiki?" she pressed.

"Huh?" Kiki responded, blinking up at Trixie.

"What did Mars do?" Trixie asked.

"What did Mars do when?" Kiki asked.

Trixie growled in frustration at her friend's ditzy response.

"What was it that he did that made you think he cared?" Trixie said, punctuating each word as she tried to control her patience.

"Well, I don't actually know if he did do it as such…" Kiki began, her face creasing thoughtfully. "I mean, he was totally quiet, and we were both wet from swimming in the lake, so it could have been an illusion. I probably imagined it. Yeah, I think it's probably really just me speculating-"

"Kiki, just tell me what he did already!"

"He cried."

"He did what?"

"Yeah, I think I must have imagined it, because it seems so unlikely."

"He cried after you…?"

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

Trixie nodded her head pensively, and the two walked along in silence for a few moments, as Trixie processed this information.

"So where do you think he went, anyway?" she eventually asked Kiki. "Do you think he went back to the DMP?"

"I don't think so," Kiki replied, shaking her head. "He told me he couldn't go back."

"He also told Kid he would come back to fight him someday after Kid beat him," Trixie pointed out. "And maybe he will. I'm sure we'll see Mars again one day, Kiki. Jaeger and Checkmate both got into the Muscle League, and Vance McMadd is pushing them as the top new superstars of the IWF. And he did honour the fact that Mars was a Hercules Factory graduate. I'm sure Vance would let him come back if he wanted to. He's already proved he can draw in the crowds."

Kiki nodded at Trixie's attempt to reassure her; but deep down inside, Kiki was not so sure that Mars ever would come back. He had left before the noon deadline he had given her, so obviously he had never intended to take her with him in the first place; which seemed to suggest to her that he had only made the offer to spare her feelings. It also made her believe that he would be gone for good.

"It's not fair!"

Trixie and Kiki stopped short, turning to face each other to exchange expressions of sufferance. When they turned back, they saw Kid Muscle, a short distance ahead of them, beating his fists off of a toy crane machine, hitting it so hard, the claw suspended within was swaying back and forth. A short distance from him, Roxanne was standing back, her arms folded, watching him with a look of despair.

As Kid beat at the machine, something fell into the prize drawer with a resounding clunk, causing him to scream with delight. He grabbed it out, turning to show it to Roxanne, his face alight with childish glee.

"Look, Roxanne, I did it!" he rejoiced.

"Yeah. And it only cost you like ten bucks worth of change…" she grumbled.

"But Roxanne…"

Kid held the small plastic ball up in front of his face, frowning at it curiously. He popped it open, pulling out the contents. Trixie and Kiki groaned and sweatdropped as he tossed aside the majority of the plastic novelties inside the ball, looking more and more disappointed as he sifted through each item.

"He is such a goofball," Trixie muttered to Kiki.

"Yeah, but he's got a good heart," Kiki whispered back.

"Yeah, and I guess he does totally love Roxanne."

They both nodded, watching as Kid's face suddenly lit up again, a gormless grin of delight plastering itself across his masked face. He dropped the plastic ball, holding up the one small item that seemed to please him.

"Look Roxanne, it's a pretty ring!" he said, skipping over to Roxanne.

"Kid, you're completely insane, y'know that?" Roxanne sighed.

Kid ignored her comment, lifting her left hand and slipping the ring onto her finger.

"Wow, it actually fits perfectly!" Roxanne laughed, holding up her hand to admire the gaudy plastic ornament.

"Roxanne," Kid said closing his hands around her hand.

"Yes, Kid?"

Kid held her hand in front of his face, looking down at the ring for a moment, his throat visibly moving as he gulped back his nerves.

"I was just wondering…" he began, lifting his chin to look into her eyes.

"Yes, Kid?" Roxanne asked, her smile fading as she caught the serious look in his eyes.

"Roxanne, would you marry me?" Kid asked, wincing as soon as the words had left his mouth, as though he expected an adverse reaction from his girlfriend.

"Oh… My… God!" Trixie hissed.

Trixie and Kiki watched on in silence, waiting anxiously for their friend's response. Roxanne frowned at Kid, at first looking as though she had not understood his question. But slowly her face changed, and a smile replaced her frown. She stepped towards Kid, and stretched up onto her toes, kissing him lightly on the lips.

Trixie and Kiki turned to face each other, each as shocked as the other with what they had just witnessed.

---

Next Chapter: Erm, there ain't one, folks! (Cowers under rapturous cheer as the most recently updated fic returns to being a standard UM yaoi romp). I do have a Mars POV songfic that acts as an epilogue to this story though, which I will probably post at some point as a stand-alone, one-shot.

A/N(2): When I set out to write this fic, I had 3 clear objectives in mind. To help me with my writing, I would greatly appreciate it if anyone reviewing could let me know how many of my objectives I have achieved, and how well I have achieved them.

1. To give more depth to the characters of Roxanne, Trixie and Kiki, whilst still maintaining the personalities they display in the anime show.

2. To portray Mars as something other than a sex-obsessed, shallow, arrogant arsehole, and to show that even someone as evil as he is can be touched by love.

3. To write a story with depth, that didn't sell out by having a soppy Disney ending, where everyone goes home happy and fluffy. (Although I think I may have failed miserably on this last one…)

NOW REVIEW!