Chapter 3: A trip down mammary lane.

Milhouse Van Houten was sleeping peacefully in his bed next to his darling wife, Samantha, until a loud, abrupt, knock came at his door. Getting up, and walking to the door he paused, as he smelled the air.

"Wow, I wondered if something has died?" He said aloud to himself.

Opening the door, he revealed Bart Simpson. His hair matted, eyes blood-shot, wearing his tank top, a pair of dirty jeans, and holding a bottle of Jack.

"Bart! What happened? You're a mess, get in here before anyone sees you."

Pulling Bart inside, Milhouse went to the kitchen and started up the coffee machine. He then went to a closet and grabbed an afghan blanket that his mother made for him, and draped it around Bart.

"What happened to you?" He asked as he sat down next to Bart.

"Jessica…Jessica happened to me." Bart shuddered. Bart couldn't remember a time when he had felt so awful. Well, maybe the time when he was forced to shave his aunts legs when he was ten.

Milhouse nodded. He knew all about Jessica.

Bart turned away from his friend, "I…I…slept with her last night…"

"Were you drunk?" Milhouse eyed him.

Bart nodded.

Milhouse sighed, "Well, at least you got it out of the way."

Bart turned back to Milhouse and glared at him.

" 'Got it out of the way'? What the hell, Milhouse! This isn't, exactly, something I was planning."

Milhouse sighed, "Yeah right, Bart. Listen to yourself. You had a thing for Jessica when we first met her seventeen years ago, and now she shows up, insanely hot, and you're telling me that the thought never came up in your mind?"

Bart looked away, "Maybe."

Milhouse, then, slugged him on the shoulder, "So? What are you mopping for? Go out with her."

Bart stood up, dropping the bottle that was in his lap to the ground; "First of all, I'm her employer, and second, are you insane? Don't you remember what kind of person she was when we were younger! She's that times seventeen years!"

Milhouse, sleepily, rubbed his eyes, "Yes, Bart, I know, but think of it this way, you could get a lot out of this. Besides, you could use a little entertainment after Gina." Milhouse looked at his watch, "Bart, if it's cool with you, I really need my sleep for the plant, tomorrow, your dad's really running me ragged, can we talk more about this tomorrow?"

Bart, too, rubbed his eyes, "Actually, call me at my folks' place, I think I'm gonna crash there for the rest of the day."

Milhouse nodded as he yawned and slumped back off to the bedroom.

Bart had arrived at his home around six o' clock in the morning. He found the oil can that he had used when he was younger to sneak into the house with out being heard, and applied the liquid on the hinges. Slumping up to his bedroom, he took off his tank top and pants and collapsed onto his bed, sleep quickly overtaking him.

Alex awoke the next day yawing; she looked at the clock, seeing it was ten-thirty. She got out of bed and stretched, yawning in satisfaction. Her dreams again had her feeling weird. She had absolutely no idea why her dreaming was so fixated on Bart Simpson. Her last dream had both him and her staying at a luxurious hotel in Capitol City, they had a dinner, they danced and then they slipped off to their room where…

Alex turned to the bed she was in and froze in horror.

There, wearing nothing but his boxers, was Bart.

Alex quickly rubbed her eyes to make sure she still wasn't dreaming and still saw Bart there.

Alex made a yelp when she heard him grunt and then sit up and rub his eyes.

Then, there was a knock at the door and then it opened.

"Alex, since you don't come down until later, I decided to make breakfast for you and bring it up to the…" Lisa began until she saw the both of them in the room.

To Alex's embarrassment, she realized she was still wearing her night top and was in her underwear.

Bart rubbed his eyes and then looked at the pair of them. Quickly ascertaining the situation…

"Whoa! Lis, this is not what you think!"

Breakfast at the kitchen table had never been has uncomfortable as it was now. The three not looking at each other as they ate their meals.

Soon, Maggie walked in.

"Hey, Lis, hey Alex, hey Bart. Bart!"

Maggie rushed over and shook her brother, "Where the hell have you been!"

"Easy, Mags'." Bart groaned.

"I've been looking all over town for you! I went to your apartment, but the bell man said you hadn't been in all night!" She let got of him as Bart rubbed his eyes.

"I was out." He said.

Maggie sat at the table and grabbed her brother's arm, "What happened! Why Jessica!"

Bart could tell she knew what had happened between him and Jessica and he gave her "I'll-tell-you-later-don't-say-anything-right-now!" look.

Lisa looked at Bart, with a raised eyebrow. "What about Jessica?"

Bart closed and rubbed his eyes, "She called me last night, we went out and had a few drinks together."

Lisa leaned on the table, putting herself closer to Bart, "And?"

Bart shook his head, "Nothing after that. I put her into a cab and went around town."

Lisa sat back sighing, "I'm happy that was the extent of it."

Bart looked away, he really hated when he had to lie to his sisters, especially Lisa.

The rest of the day went as usual, Marge was ecstatic that all three of her children were home and begged Bart to have dinner. Bart caved, and the Simpson family, plus Alex, sat down later that evening at the table. Alex was still feeling uncomfortable with what happened in the morning to even look at Bart, let alone talk with him which the family was doing at the table. Everyone was talking with each other, well except for Maggie who was glaring at Bart from across the table.

"Maggie? What's wrong? You haven't touched your pasta." Marge asked as Maggie was constantly stirring her dish but not touching it.

"It's great, I love it." She said without looking at her mother, but continued to stare at Bart.

Lisa put a hand on her sister's, "Mags' what's wrong?"

Bart, who was eating quickly, glanced up from his plate.

Maggie noisily sighed out loud and slammed her fork against the plate.

"Bart, why? Of all the people, why her!"

"C'mon Maggie, they had some drinks that's it." Said Lisa.

Maggie closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, "No, that's not it."

Alex coughed and then looked at Lisa, "Can you excuse me, Lis?"

Lisa nodded and then turned back to her sister, "What else happed?"

Alex went upstairs to the room just as she heard the shouting from Lisa rise up against her brother. She hated when Lisa and Bart fought with each other.

Twenty minutes passed and then there was a knock at the door. Alex had been reading a book to take away the tension that was downstairs.

"Come in." She replied.

Bart walked inside the room with the most glumist face she had ever seen.

"Sorry you had to hear that, Alex"

Bart sat down next to her on the bed and put his head between his legs and groaned.

"Did you sleep with her?" She asked sitting next to him and putting her book away.

Bart nodded. "I was depressed and drunk. Not the best of combinations."

Alex nodded.

"The worst part is that she's talking about it all over town and I have to see her at work tomorrow." Bart got up and started pacing.

Alex shrugged, "You could call in sick."

Bart laughed, "It's funny. I've always tried to find ways to avoid school and yet at work I've refused to call in sick."

Alex laughed too, she remembered the things Lisa and her found in Bart's room. 'Lil Bastard fake sickness' kits, forged doctor notes, fake hospital bills, and many more. Bart was the king when it came to brain scheming his way out of school. Now, he was having difficulty getting out of Jessica Lovejoy's hold.

Bart got up and stretched and picked up his things, "Well, like it or not, I'm going to have to talk with Jessica, tomorrow."

Before Alex could say anything, Bart left the room.

Hearing the taxi pull away, Alex stared out the window.

Why, on earth, are you attracted to him, Alex Lenore Whitney? She asked herself.

Is it so easy to forget what he did to you that has been stuck with you for all these years?

Alex's mind raced back to five years ago…

Springfield Isotope High School was alive and thriving. It was becoming impossible for Lisa, Alex, Janey, and Alison to find a parking place.

Alex laughed as Lisa gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Stupid Bart, why did he have to make such a big deal and invite everyone from town, for this?" She fumed.

Ten minutes later the four of them were inside and boy was it packed; not to mention nuts. People were either smashing some things or chasing other people.

"Wow! This is so awesome!" Exclaimed Janey.

The four of them split off and started dancing away to Spinal Tap's hard edged sounds.

Alex was slamming away until someone pushed her out of the way at full force.

"Get out of my way, Fashion Queen!" Gina fumed as she was charging away from the crowd.

Alex starred daggers at the girl. She was about to retort when Alison grabbed her arm.

"It's not worth it Alex. It's best to stay away all the same. Martin told me that Bart and her had a fight. She was accusing him of getting drunk and "handling" Sherri, Bart told her to beat it. I think they're on a break or breaking up. I'm not sure which one."

Alex withdrew her stance and continued dancing with her friends. Only up until Malcome, Milhouse, and Martin dragged away Lisa, Janey, and Alison to the dance floor. At this time, with the huge amounts of people crowding the room, Alex felt her once in a while claustrophobia kick in and she quickly made for the opened fire exit for some fresh air.

Going outside, she heard a familiar voice.

"Gee, Lisa's brother, it's funny you're drinking because my Dad says only stupid teens drink, when I tell him you'll all get in trouble."

Ralph Wiggum.

Ralph was standing there, five foot eight, wearing baggy pants, a "Can't touch this" McHammer T-shirt, and spiked hair, looking at three teens in a dark alley.

As Alex had expected, Bart was there in his leather jacket, standing next to him were Richard and Nelson.

"Don't have a temper tantrum, cry baby, your dad got kicked off the force for obstructing evidence, he can't do anything." Said Nelson.

Chief Wiggum got kicked of the force when, during a trial, he was caught admitting he was tapping over police footage of the late Hans Moleman getting run over by Willy's tractor, only to replace it with E! True Hollywood stories. Ralph, with his fierce sense of denial has refused to believe that his dad no longer works for the police force.

"Ha ha, you're funny Nelly Munch, see you guys later."

He then went back inside.

Nelson made a mock hurting gesture as the door closed and the boys continued passing around their bottle, which was in a brown paper bag.

Alex made a small cough, as the cold air hit her.

The three looked up at her.

First there was silence. Then…

"Haw haw! Look, men. It's Fashion Queen!"

Richard was too busy relieving himself next to the alley, Bart merely said, "Hey Alex, What up?"

Alex didn't hear him, she had turned away and back inside when she heard Nelson call her what she hated most in this stupid school.

The party was winding down and everyone was clearing out. The Principal warned that a riot control wagon would be called if ANYONE were still there later than eleven o' clock.

Alex hung backstage while waiting for Lisa to stop kissing Malcolm and say goodbye already.

Suddenly, a hand came through the curtains and grabbed her arm.

She shrieked, and in came Bart Simpson, with his jacket slung over his shoulder.

"Need a lift?"

Alex shook her head, "I'm riding with your sister, besides, I don't want to ride with anyone whose been drinking."

Bart laughed, "I only had one, maybe two drinks. I'm really a light weight and don't want to face mom's wrath when I get home."

Alex studied him for a second, "Alison told me that Martin told her that Gina was pissed at you for getting drunk."

Bart shook his head, "I only told her that I was drunk so she would go away. She's been a royal pain in the ass lately, being controlling." Bart sighed, "Sometimes I'm not sure what to make of us…Sometimes…"

He then took Alex's hand into his and smiled into her eyes.

"Sometimes, I wonder what life could've been if I had been dating a normal, healthy, girl…like you."

Alex's mouth fell open and she looked away.

What was he saying? Did he…Did he really like her?

Then, without warning, He kissed her.

Her eyes darted back to him. She noticed his eyes were closed. Bart withdrew and took her other hand into his.

"You're an amazing person, Alex. I wish I could've seen that before. I bet I'm just saying this to myself, but, I wanted you to know."

Bart then went back through the curtain.

Alex stood there and placed two trembling fingers to her lips. She closed her eyes, took a deep intake of breath, and then rushed through the curtains and said aloud:

"Bart! Wait! I really like you!"

Milhouse, Nelson, Richard, Sherri, and Terri were on the floor laughing. Alex looked beyond them and saw Bart and Gina walking out the exit holding hands.

Tears came to her instantly and she turned around and went past Lisa and Malcolm and ran for the exit to the car. She had been crying in that car until Lisa had came back.

Alex, still looking outside the Simpson's window as the sun was going down, remembered when she disclosed that info on to Lisa.

Lisa.

Lisa had helped her through High School and through that moment better than anyone else in her life could have. For that she was eternally grateful. Standing there in solace, she told herself that these dreams of her and Bart were a flight back to that particular moment, where she was trapped. Bart Simpson was and always will be Bart Simpson, at least to her.

As she dismissed herself from the window one last, lingering thought got into her mind.

Unless something proves otherwise.