s*t*a*r*s/J*A*D*E*S
“I so hate being late,” grumbles Nina as she and Amy jog through the crowd. Amy doesn’t care, late, early, it is all the same to her.
“Did you lump me into your group too?” asks Amy as she sees Emma in the crowd, waving and Emma waves back, a thoughtful look on her face as she sees who Amy is with, thinking Amy is up to something, she always is.
“Umm…, yeah?” says Nina sheepishly. “I shouldn’t have?”
“No, that’s fine,” grins Amy thinking that Jo is going to be so surprised. Jo knows that she and Nina are seeing one another but maybe, just maybe, seeing Amy with someone else might stir up old feelings. Will she explode in a jealous rage? Amy is certainly hopeful to get a glimmer of hope that Jo still cares. Being with Nina is fun and easy, and there are no commitments, and there is no love, which is great for Amy at the moment.
“Bev!” calls out Nina as she sees Bev towering over most of their group of friends.
As she calls out, Jo turns, seeing Amy and tugging the sunglasses off her face, “What the…?” begins Jo but the edge of her mind, she hears Bev rattling off a string of reasons why she hasn’t told Jo about Amy and Nina seemingly becoming a couple. “You didn’t tell me, why didn’t you tell me? You… you are so going to get punished tonight,” whispers Jo to Bev. “You need to tell me these things,” muttered Jo trying to compose herself. Now they were dating? It wasn’t just seeing Nina for lunch or an afternoon in bed, they were here, in public, together. A jealous tug that Jo didn’t think existed any longer yanks on her.
“I might enjoy that,” says Bev in an equally sexy whisper.
“Jo, Bev, are the girls here?” asks Amy in a normal, everyday conversation.
“Our girls?” She is about to say something snarky but Jo thinks about it. “They are here, why?” asks Jo feeling her temper flaring only Bev’s hand on the back of Jo’s neck seems to keep her calm. Closing her eyes to the sweet touch, swallowing and trying to smile at Amy instead it is more of a smirk.
“I was asking, Jo, calm down,” says Amy brightly, her emerald green eyes flashing with mischief. Nina gives her a look.
Jo forces a smile, mentally swearing in French and Bev giggles, “Sorry.” Amy pales, realizing that Jo can speak to Bev the same way that Jo can contact any one of them with her mind, feeling a shot of jealousy rise inside of her.
“My phone,” says Nina taking her phone from her pocket, reading the text message, looks around with a quizzical look on her face. “Alysse says to meet her next to the stage. Who is hosting this thing?”
“Sam helped put it together, but she isn’t here, we’ve been calling her,” says Bev shrugging and falling into step with Jo as Jo walks over towards the stage.
Amy grimaces, this new calm, cool, and collective Jo is different to deal with than the woman she’d once had a fist fight with in a cold raging river in their teens. “That went amazingly well,” says Amy to Nina in a low whisper.
“Were you expecting fireworks?” asks Nina knowing that Amy is interested in her just as much for the fact that it will get a rise out of Jo. Not that it bothers Nina too much, all Nina knows is she is enjoying herself.
“I was expecting more than a grunt,” admits Amy with a shrug, seeing Tegan and winking at her daughter who bounds over to her, connecting the new group with the larger group that has been waiting at the staging area.
“Mom!” yells Tegan. “I need a new phone, Spencer zapped mine.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” laments Spencer with a hot sigh. “I just used it, and bang, I told you I’d get you a new one. We can’t use them on the island anyway what is the rush?”
“”Temper, temper,” chides Sydney thinking that Tegan likes to push everyone’s buttons at times and she is rather good at it.
“The peacemaker,” sighs Rylee dramatically with a hand to her heart, tossing her head back, her silky hair falling over her shoulders.
Everyone laughs, the teens seem very at ease with one another, and it seems that everyone is accounted for. Sam and Shaun are nowhere to be seen, so Alysse has them stricken from their groups.
The host of the day, a rather handsome man with piercing blue eyes began dividing them up into teams, there are fourteen teams, Team Pink consists of, Alysse, Camilla, Jo, Bev, Helen, Rylee, Abby, who is Darci’s daughter and had yet to show up, Tegan and Joss. The Grey team, is comprised of, Rosita, Lana, Amy, Nina, Harley, Spencer, Sydney, Emma and Becca.
“Where is this Abby woman? I really hate it when people are late, or don’t show up, I mean, what is that? Where is she?” demands Alysse who seems to be on some sort of power trip. Stomping her foot as it to emphasize that someone is late and that it isn’t sitting well with her.
“With her mother, cool it, Alysse, Darci is setting up, she’s one of the medics for this thing, you know, in case you break a nail,” says Jo as Bev kisses her neck, Jo turns, capturing her lips. “Later, I swear, you are cruising for a spanking.”
“I think I am,” nods Bev elated that their so called fight had ended so easily. She understands why Jo needs that space around her, a buffer to filter out the life of work and the life of her love.
Spencer sticks her fingers in her ears and says, “Lalalalalalala, too much information!”
Rylee and Tegan make their way over to the joust, their first competition, when Abby comes bounding over to them, jumping on Rylee’s back. “Sydney’s mom is here,” says the dark skinned girl with luminous hazel eyes. Rylee dumps her on the ground, laughing and helping her back up again, looking around for Shelby.
“No way?” says Tegan turning to see her mom, Amy, giving Shelby a hug, lifting her up off the ground, making Tegan smile. “You know it’s like none of them were ever apart,” thoughtfully says the blonde girl, with the same emerald green eyes as her mother.
“Think we’ll ever be that close?” asks Rylee with a pensive grin.
“Please, aren’t we already?’ asks Abby with attitude. “So, I’m with you guys, huh? I heard them calling out names, but I was on the phone.”
“With who?” asks Tegan wiggling her eyebrows.
“Whom, it’s with whom,” corrects Rylee.
“Oh whatever,” laughs Tegan letting the question drop.
“My dad, he finally returned a phone call. Hey, Tegan, is that your mom over there snuggling up to that blonde? She’s kinna earthy looking, not really Amy’s type is she? Not like I’d know what another girls type is….” Abby snaps her mouth shut, remembering where she was. In the den of the lesbians.
“Let’s not even go there,” announces Tegan, dropping down to the grass and waiting for the other women to arrive at the station. “She drops my dad and hooks up with Jo’s current girlfriend’s ex, is that right? It’s like a flaming tongue twister, my mom is so random.”
The competition is a daylong event. The highest scoring teams move on to a final battle, a paint ball shoot out held in an arena that has been erected for just that purpose. Now, the Pink Team and the Grey Team were pitted against one another in the joust. First up, is Alysse.
“I’m gonna kick your ass, Rosita Navarro,” calls out Alysse as she jogs in place, swinging the huge colored Q-Tip around. Over swinging and almost sending herself stumbling to the ground.
“Is it a good idea for the ex lovers to be pitted against one another?” asks Amy to Nina, Nina shrugs thinking that Bev looks cute with Jo, laughing and having fun. “This could prove to be an interesting turn of events.”
“It could prove to be a blood bath,” says Rosita as she moves up the ladder. “Cuz if anyone is getting their asses kicked, it’s you, Al.”
“Oh yeah, bring it the fuck on, yeah, it’s so on, bring it…,” says Alysse practicing her swings again. Thinking, for a Q-tip, this thing is heavy.
“You are gonna get ya ass handed to you by a one legged Barrio girl!” yells Spencer through cupped hands. Rylee gives her a look from across the playing field and Spencer winks at her and shrugs, crips are allowed to make fun of other crips, it is a rule.
“Who do you think is going to win this?” Jo asks Bev as Bev stands behind her, arms wrapped around Jo easily. Jo has taken off her black jacket, still in her suit pants, perfect pressed white shirt, making Bev want to slowly peel off all her clothes.
“Rosita,” answers Bev with a chuckle, kissing Jo’s neck. “Hands down, my five bucks is on Rosita.”
“Let’s get this started!” yells Alysse and the ref below them gives the rules, first to go down is the loser. Simple as that, it is a one fall competition.
Alysse watches as Rosita steadies herself on the oblong dais that holds them, the sides well padded, one is bright red, the other a bright blue. Ro gives a grimace, thinking it is very much like American Gladiator fair. Alysse sees her looks down, then the ref gives the command to start and Alysse swings wildly. Rosita ducks, the tip of the joust whizzing over her head. Alysse’s monstrous momentum spins her around, she trips on the padded edging, and goes tumbling to the mat.
“Team Grey, one point!” calls the ref.
“CHEATER!” yells Alysse at Rosita, who jumps down, landing on her ass on the padded ground. Going to Alysse, kissing her quickly, and Alysse laughs, taking the loss with a grain of salt.
Next up is Lana and Camilla, with Camilla narrowly knocking Lana off her pedestal. Bev and Nina are next. Bev making a quick disposal of Nina onto the padded ground, neither taking the competition all too seriously.
Harley then climbs up the stairs, and Helen stands across from her, a wicked grin passes over Harley’s face. “Hey Helen, wanna bet who wins?” calls out the younger Hefler in a teasing voice.
“Oh I’m well aware of the fact that you are my superior when it comes to any sort of physical activity, that is, outside of the bedroom,” teases Helen in a snotty tone.
“Don’t take that, Harley, knock the crap out of her!” calls Nina making Emma and Lana, who are standing next to Nina, give her a look of amusement.
“Are we crushing on Harley?” asks Lana innocently nudging Nina with her shoulder. Lana keeps casting glances at Camilla, who looks rather sexy in her shorts and tank top.
Nina turns and looks at Lana, snorting, “No, but that is a low blow, Helen isn’t THAT good in bed.” Nina had briefly dated Helen.
“We’ll see how low Harley can go,” laughs Emma as the ref gives the green light to swing away.
Helen swings weakly, and Harley just blocks the tip of the over sized Q-tip, laughing at Helen, which only angers her. For the next five minutes, Helen pummels Harley with mediocre jabs and swings. Finally, Harley swings at her, first a round of quick body snaps, and then, to add insult to the following injury, Harley taps Helen on the head like a child and pushes her off the dais with one easy motion.
“Showoff,” yells Helen from below and Harley grins, moving back to join her team after executing a near perfect summersault off the podium.
Rylee and Spencer are next, with Spencer seemingly opening up and having fun. Rylee swings good naturedly at her, and Spencer turns, bending over and mooning Rylee, who takes advantage and knocks Spencer forward and off the pedestal.
Abby and Sydney battle for a long while, everyone cheering for each of them, until Abby finally gets the upper hand and sends Sydney tumbling to the mats.
Tegan is quickly out matched by Emma, and then Joss follows that up by sending Becca crashing to the mats with one swing of the joust.
“Merde,” mutters Jo. “Who’s the wise ass that left me with Amy?” asks Jo as she watches the competition dwindle.
“I wasn’t gonna swat my mom around,” offers Tegan as Jo grabs the joust from Joss.
“Just kick her ass, would you?” says Alysse who is still nursing a bruised ego from her instant fall to the ground. Then going up to Jo, whispering softly to her, “Are you doing to like, you know, just… push her off?”
“I’m going to do what everyone else did, Alysse,” says Jo her blue eyes steely.
“Like you did with that beam?” asks Alysse feeling safe in the relatively crowded venue.
Narrowing her eyes, she looks at Bev for a second, and then back to Alysse, “Didn’t I tell you that it never happened?”
“Yeah, but…. That whatever it is would come in handy right about now, don’t you think?” whispers Alysse her dark eyes darting to meet Jo’s.
“I think I’ll stick to the muscles of my arms, and Alysse…,” says Jo and Alysse looks at her innocently. “Never. Mention. It. Again,” threatens Jo.
“She’s going to kill me,” laments Amy to Nina who is helping her put on the knee pads.
“She is not,” soothes Nina, she looks up at the gorgeous woman who is starting to sweat about this fighting her ex lover thing.
“You don’t know her like I do, she’s going to have fun kicking my ass,” groans Amy. “I did a lot of things that would piss off a normal person, and Jo, well, she isn’t normal.”
“She’s not pissed about anything,” says Rosita off handedly. “She only says nice stuff about you, chica.”
“Really? That’s good, she might have mercy,” says Amy.
“Naw, but she’s still gonna whoop ya butt,” laughs Rosita as she stands, waving for Amy to get her ass up the ladder.
Jo is on her platform, crouching down on her hunches, hands at ease, watching Amy with very interested eyes. “Ready, Freddy?” asks Jo in a deep voice.
Amy swallows, “Yeah, bring it on, Wheaton.”
The ref calls green, and Amy swings wildly, Jo deflects the blow, “Ah, can’t you do better than that, Senator Larkin?” says the FBI Agent with so much sarcasm that Amy fumes. Not only isn’t she a Senator anymore, she called her by Dylan’s last name. Three more blows, everyone on each of their teams are cheering madly, since this is the tie breaking point. “Ah, poor Amy can’t hit,” laughs Jo as Amy is yet again blocked by the woman she’d loved since they’d first met.
“Shut up, Wheaton,” yells Amy, her eyes clouding over, and the electricity in the air doubles now hitting harder and with much more accuracy.
“Mom, NO!” bellows Tegan as Jo ducks, but Amy is faster, catching Jo on the reverse of her swing, slamming Jo full in the face. It sends Jo twisting in the air hard, blood exploding from Jo’s nose as she lands with a grunt on the mats below. Amy realizes, with a sick jolt, that Jo is human, she’d forgotten. Jo could be hurt, hell, Jo was dying.
“Jo!” screams Bev, rushing to Jo’s side, darting to her lover. “Alysse, call the medical team!”
Emma is there in a heartbeat, feeling for a pulse, she looks at Amy who is in a stunned silence on her dais, everyone gathers around the fallen woman who is unconscious. “She’s ok, Bev,” says Emma softly.
Spencer narrows her eyes, Rylee at her side, “I’m going to rev up and let loose on that woman,” threatens the young girl. Rylee put a hand on Spencer’s chest, holding her back from letting loose something that Spencer isn’t really able to control just yet, at least not in anger.
“Don’t you dare,” sputters Jo as she sits up reaching up and touching her nose, which feels broken. Jo feels a hand on her shoulder, seeing Darci there. Pain, fresh, stomach churning pain. This wasn’t something she ever missed.
“What hit you, the Hulk?” asks Darci instantly healing the broken nose with a simple touch, but not bothering to remove the bruising or slow the bleeding much. It would look suspicious. Kneeling next to Jo, giving Amy a hot look that makes her look away from Darci.
“Yeah, green eyed monster up there,” grunts Jo as Darci applies the ice pack. Abby hands her some gauze, the ref is calling the point to the Pink Team, which makes Alysse jump up and down in joy.
Amy finally jumps down. She feels like an idiot forgetting that Jo is human and closing in on a date with death. Bev stomps over to Amy, a flat hand on Amy’s chest, pushing her back hard, “What the fuck was that?”
“I didn’t think I hit her that hard,” says Amy weakly not even having put a fourth of her power into the slap. Emma rushes over, Shelby, who’d been at the sidelines, moves over to them also.
“She’s human for Christ sakes, what were you doing swatting her like that?” asks Shelby as they encircles Amy.
“I forgot, okay?” asks Amy looks back and forth to Emma and Shelby. “I wasn’t doing it on purpose, I just didn’t think. I was pissed.”
“No more vampy Jo, so ease up on her, got me? Or you and I are going to tango, and I don’t need any telekinetic whip to beat your ass red and leave you enough red welts for Nina to notice,” threatens Bev, shoving Amy hard then turning and walking back to Jo, who is standing up now, waving off the help. Shelby agrees to substitute for Jo who is out of the day’s events and the two teams move on to other events, competing against other teams to via for the final two slots of the day.