A Real Relationship

Half of a year without his best friends was one thing, but losing them for a whole year was something else entirely. He knew the option was there for him, but with Sam's parents being reluctant to talk about Sam's powers; it was highly unlikely they'd be ok with her being any more involved with SHIELD than she already had been. The more looming question, one that his friends had taunted him with all summer, when was he going to make things official with Sam?

It was very clear to everyone who saw them together, they weren't just friends. No matter how hard they tried to claim it, there was more to them than that. He knew how much he cared about her, but just like with Laynie before, the dread that his life as Recluse could destroy everything. 

Mick brushed his long, wet hair back, adjusting the towel on his waist. "When are you going to ask her?" Patten popped out of the locker room showers, rubbing his glasses on the towel around his waist. It had been a long afternoon of intense training with Sharon at the SHIELD's SWAMP training facility in Metairie. 

"Seriously?" Mick looked at him through the foggy mirror. "I can't. What if-"

"You can't live life on what-if Mick," Patten stated firmly. "I'll make it easy for you, either you tell her how you feel, or I will." 

"You saw how things ended with Laynie," Mick tried to plead his case, Patten not having any of it. 

"Sam isn't like Laynie, she's special like you. She can protect herself, and I believe she's well over proved it," Patten stood face to face with Mick. "You also keep complaining that your powers keep coming and going. Stress messes with your head. You keep bottling all of this up, and eventually it'll get you killed." 

"Why are you being so pushy?" Mick tried to turn from Patten, who continued to get in his face. 

"Sam's my friend too," Patten said coyly. "I just want both of you to be happy. You sacrifice everything to protect other people, heck, you even sacrifice yourselves for each other without even realizing it. The least you can do is tell her the truth. You're more than just friends, and you have been for a while." 

Mick stood there, thinking about all the time he spent with Sam. Every afternoon he spent teaching her to control her powers, every touch they shared. Every smile from her success, every disappointed tear. Every time she helped him catch a crook. Each sunset they watched. Patten was right, these feelings were different, they weren't just friends. Mick was in love with Samantha Lane. He wasn't sure how, or even when it happened. 

"What do I even say?" Mick asked, for the first time his emotions getting the better of him. A swirl of nervousness, fear, and dread crept over him. 

"Depends," Patten smirked. "How romantic do you want to be?" 

The next morning was full of emotions. Mick told his mom about his plans to ask Samantha to be his girlfriend, and how much he cared about her. She gave him her blessing as he walked out the door, embracing him affectionately. It felt as if the world had completely changed. He climbed on his motorcycle, heading straight across town for the Lane house. 

Mr. Lane met him on the porch, just like he expected. They had a brief conversation before Mick left but Mr. Lane wanted to have the conversation in person, over coffee like real men. "Good morning," Mick said as he laid his helmet on his bike seat. 

"Morning," Mr. Lane wasn't as pleasant, which was off putting. Normally he was a very polite man with an inviting personality. Today he was more fierce, protective, almost intimidating. "Take a seat." 

Mick sat down in the rocking chair next the man. He'd fought people with powers and faced off with death and never felt this intimidated. "I'd like to talk to you about your daughter," Mick felt as if he were mumbling. 

"You're a little young to be having this talk with me, aren't you boy? You're what, seventeen?" 

"In April I will be," Mick said timidly. "That's not what I, I mean, I uh." Mick couldn't even focus enough to gather his thoughts, which amused Mr. Lane. 

"Get it together boy," he teased. "You've spent the better part of a year around my little girl, and you're just now realizing she's a girl or what?" 

Mick took in a deep breath. "I'd like your permission to ask Samantha on a date," he said in a stoic fakery brave tone. 

"You don't see that much anymore," Mr. Lane said as he looked at Mick and sipped his coffee. "I'll give you permission, but you better know it comes with a steep cost. You break her heart, and you'll wish you were dead." 

"Ye-yes Sir," Mick's voice cracked as Mr. Lane laughed. How could Mick face down dangerous monsters with super powers; but asking Mr. Lane, the nicest guy ever, if he could date his daughter completely crushed him worse than any injury he'd sustained. 

"One more thing," Mr. Lane said as Mick felt like he could just crumble in the chair under the weight of his nerves. "You better protect her like your life depends on it. Because it just might." 

"I will, I promise," Mick felt his eyes widen as Mr. Lane held out his hand. Mick wasn't sure how, but he reached up and shook. One thing he was sure of, Mr. Lane was trying to crush his hand in his grip. 

"You're here early!" Sam opened the door to see the nerve wrecked Mick and her father standing there. "What's with that face? Did you wreck on your way here or something?"

"N-no!" Mick stammered. "I just uh," Mick was flustered as Mr. Lane laughed at shook his head as he walked to the door. 

"Why don't I leave you two kids alone for a minute," he teased. 

"Did he say something to scare you?" Sam was concerned as Mick took in a deep breath trying to recollect himself. "I mean, I could always ride with Patten if something came up." 

"No!" Mick blurted out. "No, please don't," Mick hung his head. He bit his lip and looked up at the ceiling, "Why is this so hard?" Mick began to pace as Sam watched him curiously. 

"What is going on? Why are you acting so weird?" Sam caught him as he turned toward her, her arms on his shoulders, her eyes locked on his. "Just say whatever it is on your mind. You know you can tell me anything." 

"Do you want to be my girlfriend?" Mick forced the words out. Time seemed to stop as Sam stared at him. She started to smile. She leaned in, kissing him. His heart fluttered wildly in his chest. She let him go, and he felt a little dizzy wearing his goofy smile. "I'm going to need an answer." 

She rolled her eyes and slapped him in the back of the head. Both of them laughed. "No, not at all you idiot. I just kiss my friends for fun." 

"I don't know what you and Pat do when I'm not around," Mick teased, which was the wrong thing to say as Sam shot a cold burst of air at him. "It was a joke!" Mick winced as Sam sneered. 

"So how do we break the news to Pat that he's a third wheel now?" Sam asked as she climbed on Mick's bike, wrapping her arms around his chest. 

"Oh I'm sure he knows already," Mick smirked. "He's been pushing this for a while now." 

"I was wondering how long it would take before you listened," Sam teased. "You're kind of dense, you know?" 

"I just move slow," Mick said as he revved the bike.