fluffy, AU

AU where Gray regains his memories when Carmen comes to visit him in Sydney, and the two are forced to confront one another about their Time at VILE.

2,663

What was supposed to be a week off in Sydney for Carmen had turned into a disaster. First, she slept with Gray. Her ex-best friend who broke her heart and the former VILE operative Crackle who betrayed her.

Second, in her emotional state after....doing it....she let it slip that he had once known her during the time where his memories disappeared.

After that, Carmen had to tell him the rest. When she finished, he hadn't spoken a word. He simply stood up and walked to his room before shutting the door. Hard.

Carmen had been left on the couch—half naked and deep in her feelings. God, why was she such an idiot? How could—how would their.....relationship....even function anymore?

In the days following, they made small talk around each other, always dodging the elephant in the room. But something was coming between them. And if they didn't talk about it now, it was going to tear them apart.

Sometimes, Gray would look at her with guilt and open his mouth to say something. The autopilot Carmen was functioning with would dodge the subject, pointing something—-anything out. His mouth would close and he'd sadly reply to whatever she used to change the subject.

It had been two days since she'd dropped the bomb on him. They were sitting at his favorite Cafe, grabbing two cups of coffee in the exact same spot they had come to after the Newzealand Caper.

They had been talking about something or the other—-the weather maybe—-when Gray finally killed their game of cat and mouse.

"Alright. That's enough, Carmen. Quit avoiding it. We have to talk about it."

Dread filled her stomach, clouded her mind. But she knew he was right. "Not here." She glanced warily all over the street.

Gray sighed, standing. "Alright. But promise me one thing, okay? No more running from each other. No more lying."

Carmen swallowed the years of instincts that instructed her to do those very things before replying. "Okay. I promise."

Gray signaled to the waitress that they were finished and she came to collect their cups. She was cute—flawless brown skin, thick lashes over almond brown eyes, full lips, and spirally black curls.

Carmen became increasingly annoyed at the way she was staring dreamily at Gray, shooting her a suspicious glance.

When the girl noticed Carmen, she quickly looked away with a blush and continued her routine clumsily.

"Oh—" she started as she dropped a cup. It crashed onto the ground and shattered into multiple tiny pieces.

Gray and Carmen immediately stooped down and began to help her pick the pieces up. "Are you alright there, Charlotte?" Gray said kindly.

"Oh, uh—I'm—I'm fine, Graham. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." He smiled at her reassuringly, flashing his teeth. At his expression, the girl blushed and glanced at the floor.

Carmen scooped the last few shards into Charlotte's apron covered palm. "Be careful not to cut yourself." She told her.

"I will. Thank you. Sorry again." With that, she scurried away.

Carmen followed her with her eyes as she disappeared back into the building. "She's cute." Then she turned to Gray. "On a first name basis, huh?"

Gray rolled his eyes. "Jealous? Really? After what happened on Saturday?"

"What? No! I'm not—I'm just curious."

Gray raised his eyebrow, as if to say "really?" but answered anyway. "I'm a regular at the cafe and she works there. I got to know most of the staff's names."

"Oh." Carmen glanced at the sidewalk. "That makes sense."

"She was just embarrassed that she dropped the cup, you know."

"Yeah. Because she was staring at you and got distracted."

"Well of course." Gray challenged with a smirk. "Nobody can resist this face."

Carmen roller her eyes. "You're too self aware for your own good."

"That's what you think, mate. Besides, Charlotte's just got a small crush on me. I'm sure she'll get eyes for someone else at her university.

Her expression turned to slight annoyance. "So you know that she's a student, then."

"Jeez, Carmen. Yeah. It's called making small talk."

"Right." Carmen murmured, smiling inside that they'd somewhat returned to their old dynamic. "So, back to your apartment or should we go somewhere else?"

Gray shrugged. "The beach is pretty nice."

The two strolled over to a nearby beach in an uncomfortable silence, both trying to figure out what they were going to say. Upon arriving, they moved to a less crowded area before sitting cross-crossed on the warm sand.

"So." Carmen started, keeping her eyes trained on the ocean.

"So." Gray mimicked, facing her.

Not knowing what else to say, Carmen repeated herself. "So."

Gray sighed. "Carmen, we promised no more dodging."

"Noooo. We promised no more running. And as you can see I'm still sitting next to you."

Gray huffed in response. "Alright. Fine. new rule. No dodging questions. Is it—is it really true we went to crime school? Like I didn't just dream that part?"

"I wish it were a dream. Only if it was, it would've been a nightmare." Carmen crowned, darkness clouding in her beautiful gray blue eyes. She stretched her body across the sand, her palms moving against the granules.

"So you work against them, right? VILE, was it?"

"Yeah. VILE training Academy for thieves. Once we were sent there. No outside communication was allowed with the outside world. You were my best friend at the school. And on the team. Every student was assigned to a small squad. That squad is their future teammates and dorm mates. Together, We had to go through rigorous classes, and also study multiple languages and take our basic Maths and Science through online tutoring, which was monitored by Dr. Bellum."

"Dr. Bellum?"

"Do.....you recognize...the name?"

"Something at the back of my mind—An Indian woman? With....a shock of white hair. Goggles. A lab coat....." Carmen watched grimly as Gray began to match the name to Bellum's exact description.

"She was a member of the faculty, who were the heads of the school. They taught us everything we needed to know to....become world class thieves."

Carmen glanced away, not able to meet his chocolate brown eyes as they filled with realization. "The other members of the Faculty were Professor Maelstrom....."

"Pale, bony old dude who never stopped smiling?"

She nodded curtly. "And countess Cleo...."

"Tall, beautiful woman. Emerald green eyes, some sort of svante grade dress and satin mahogany skin."

" And Coach Brunt."

"Burly woman with green hair?"

"Yes. And—and Shadowsan. But he's on the side of good now."

Gray raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying that's your side?"

"What? Yes! I would never—I wouldn't—the whole point of me going rogue was to bring them down!"

"What about this ACME you mentioned the other night? They seem like they can handle it. Legally."

"You're the one to talk! You used to go to the place—Gray, you were willing to-to—!" Carmen realized they were screaming at each other now, drawing stares from people nearby.

"To what, Carmen? You still haven't explained why or how or much if anything!!! You promised no more dodging, no more lying, but that's all you've been doing!! How could you tell me something like that and not give me the full story?"

"I—I-" the sting of tears surprised Carmen. Two drops slipped from her eyes and slid down her cheeks. "I never cry. Why...why am I crying now?"

"Bloody....Did I? Carmen-I—I'm sorry." Regret filled his eyes, and Gray pulled Carmen close, ignoring the people around them. She breathed heavily against his chest, the steady beats of his heart calming her.

"Let's go home, alright?" She nodded against his chest and they walked away from the beach, hand in hand.

Upon arriving, they managed to make it through awkward banter over control of TV. Finally, Carmen couldn't take it anymore.

"Listen, Gray.. You were right. We've got to stop dodging this."

He shot you a guilty look. "I really am sorry for yelling at you, and for making you cry. I just wanted answers."

Carmen gave him a weak smile. "I know. I get it. And I wasn't crying because of you. I was crying because...because of the truth."

"The truth?"

"It's been weighing on me Gray. I just had no idea how to tell you."

"T—tell me what?"

"Gray......you...remember why we went our separate ways, right?"

"Uh, yeah. I passed the exam or whatever. You didn't. But that doesn't explain why I don't have my memories—or why I'm not currently stealing for them."

"When I didn't pass the exams, I hijacked you guys' first mission and when I realized you meant to kill people, everything I had ever believed in turned out to be a lie. And so I planned for over a year before deserting."

She shot Gray a look of concern, finding his fingers massaging am the sides of his temples and he stared furiously at the floor.

" A...year after I went rogue, you were assigned with the task of detaining me." Gray drew in a sharp breath, seeming to understand. "We met up at a train en route to Paris from Poiters. We...caught up...so to say. You didn't understand why I went rogue—why I became Carmen Sandiego. So I explained my motives. My reasons. I told you why we had to fight against them."

"And then?" He choked out, seeming to already guess at what happened next.

Carmen let out a shaky breath, trying to calm her boiling nerves. "And then you chose VILE. You chose them.....over freedom. Over morality. Over-over me."

"No." He denied.

"You tried to knock me out and take me prisoner or-or k-k.....but I saw it coming. I knew—I knew this wasn't my best friend anymore. VILE had changed him. And so we fought against each other. I got the upper hand. I knocked you out and left, and didn't see you again till I snuck backstage at the Opera House."

Carmen laughed darkly, though there was no humor in the sound. "I thought you were the operative they had stationed there, and that they were taunting me by sending you or something....But...You had absolutely no idea who I was. Because you got caught after our fight, the faculty wiped your memories and sent you back to Sydney."

"No." He repeated, like doing so would make it true..."I wouldn't have done that."

"Gray...." she murmured, placing a hand on his shoulder. Immediately, he shook it off.

"If....if what you say is true...then I.... I don't deserve this-to be here. I don't deserve to be anywhere near you, Carmen."

"No! Don't say that! You are a chance to start over! To—"

"How can—How can I when I know what I've done? What kind of person I am? I'll spend the rest of my life questioning my existence. I'll never be able to start over."

Guilt crept into Carmen. Why, why, why had she even told him? "I'm sorry, I—"

"Your sorry? I-I'm the one who should be sorry!" He stood up, his fingernails taking across his face. "What have I done?"

"Gray..."

"No, Carmen! You should go! You can't be around me."

"What the hell do you mean? I'm not going to just leave you!"

He glanced up, catching Carmen's gaze. His eyes burned with meaning and certainty. "You should. I deserve it-and I'm a danger to you. What if they—what if they hacked my mind? What if I—what if I hurt you?"

"You wouldn't." Carmen was on the verge of tears yet again.

"I already have!!!!" He screamed, collapsing onto the couch. "I-I-I......"

Gray tried to fight his emotions but no avail. Tears formed and flowed from his eyes as he tore apart the couch cushions and punched the frames. It took only a minute for him to completely destroy the thing.

"Gray. Gray! Look at me, goddammit!" Carmen fell into her knees before him, cupping his face within the palms of her hands. At some point she had begun to cry too. Gray quit resisting and sagged into her, his face buried into her chest.

"It's okay. It's okay. I forgive you, alright? Did you hear me? I forgive you."

Her statement seemed to calm him down as he relaxed into her embrace, shaking quietly. The stuffing of the couch cushions and broken wooden frames were strewn all around them on the floor, the aftermath of Gray's emotions.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness. I don't deserve you." His voice was heavy with reckoning and sadness.

"Well you've still got me no matter what." She murmured. "And I've still got you."

They stayed like that, wrapped in each other's arms for comfort, surrounded by the mess of a ruined couch.

Eventually, he broke their comfortable silence. "Thank you."

Carmen didn't respond, not sure how to.

"Your codename was crackle." She said, finally.

Gray pulled away from her, the cool air meeting the liquidy area where his tears had been. "What?

Carmen ran her fingers through Gray's curls a small smile tugging on her lips. "Every operative had a codename. Since you specialized in electric grids and lighting, yours was Crackle."

"Jeez, How'd I come up with that one?" Gray murmured back, his head now resting on Carmen's lap.

A bitter laugh escaped Carmen's lips. "We were sitting in detention one day, trying to think of codenames. You just stood up, and were Like "I got it. Get ready. For Graham. Crackle."

"I did not say that." Gray returned her smile, something sheepish in his expression.

Carmen nodded. "You definitely did. And might I mention that you had a slogan?"

"I feel like it's going to be dumb."

"It was....wait for it.....Lights out, baby!" Carmen did jazz hands for theatrical effect.

"Are you serious! Was I really that ridiculous??"

Both shared a laugh, the first real one they'd had since the truth had first slipped.

"It only made you all the more endearing." Carmen pinched his cheek, throwing him a smirk.

"So-Uh, what was your codename, Carmen?"

Instantly her smile vanished. Carmen glanced away, fidgeting with the sleeve of her shirt. "My codename? Oh. It was Blacksheep."

"Blacksheep." Gray whispered, drawing the word out as if he was tasting it. "Blacksheep?" He turned to peer at Carmen. "Blacksheep! I-I remember! I remember!"

"What?" Carmen scrambles up.

"Well, it's just bits and pieces for now but it's coming back to me! Blacksheep, I—"

"Carmen." She whispered. "I don't—I don't want to be called by that anymore."

"Oh. Of course, I'm sorry." He peered at her apologetically.

"Please tell me you aren't going to go back to them." She whispered, dread touching her face.

"Never. I would never. Not after what I can see now." He took a tentative step forward, clasping her hands in his own larger ones. "You have to understand, Carmen. I wasn't myself. I was brainwashed. I thought VILE was the only family I had. I let them come between everything that mattered to me."

"But now you're here. Now I have a clear picture of what I want. And I want us to be on the same side this time." He said, mentioning the conversation they had on the train. "If you'll have me."

Carmen smiled. "Always."

Gray returned her grin and held her close. "Hang on tight?"

She leaned into his chest, breathing in his calming scent as a promise was woven on her lips.

"And I won't ever let go."