Chapter X

Diana caught Xena’s eye and with a subtle nod they were both headed towards the monitoring room where Dinah and Lucy still sat patiently watching the computers set up in front of them.  They looked up to see who was joining them, then returned their attention back to their observation offering Xena and Diana whatever measure of privacy they could in the small enclosure.

“Problem?”  Though they were in a corner of the room so they couldn’t be overheard, their voices were whisper soft.

Diana shrugged.  “Depends on your point of view.  I just got a note from Paula.  She found... well, apparently Desdemona has two copies of her blackmail list.  One of them is a hard copy that she keeps in a safety deposit box and one of them is electronic.”

“Paula got in?”

“Paula got in.  After looking through the electronic copy, she offered to eliminate it before realizing that would give away the fact that someone was able to break through her firewall and put Desdemona’s back up.  By Paula’s accounting, it appears that everyone here except for you and Gabrielle is on her list for something.”

“You’re kidding.”  Xena’s voice was flat.  She blew out a breath.  “That would certainly explain a lot of what I’ve been hearing.”  Before she could say more Gabrielle stepped into the room and crossed over to where they stood.  She looked at them both and shook her head.

“Let me guess... Desdemona?”  Before either woman could ask, Gabrielle smirked.  “You both have the same pinched expression I’ve been seeing in my room for the last hour.”

“You too?”

“Yeah.  Apparently everyone in there has a reason to fear this woman.”  She turned and looked directly at Xena.  “How is it we missed her?  How did she stay under our radar?”

“Probably because she didn’t try to blackmail us.  And let’s face it - no one, no matter how well they know you or how much they trust you is going to willingly share the fact that they are being blackmailed... especially by someone like her.”

“What are they saying on the law enforcement side?”

Xena bit her lip.  “Lots of muttering, mostly.  They can’t believe she showed up here like this.  A lot of them are angry.  Yours?”

“Most of them are talking about me having thrown her out on her ear; they think it’s funny.  But none of them like the fact that she’s here.”

Xena turned to Diana who was watching the conversation in silence.  “What about her employees?”

“I’ve got Paula looking into it.  After our encounter with her this morning, I figured we’d need to know.  They certainly didn’t look too happy to be working for her though... especially that poor, hapless assistant.  Talk about a nightmare job.”

“All right,” Xena said, rubbing a hand over the back of her neck to relieve some of the tension she could feel settling there.  “Let’s get back out there and keep our eyes and ears open.  It could get nasty if that bitch decides to try again.”  Gabrielle and Diana nodded and they quickly separated to head back to their specific responsibilities. 

Lucy and Dinah exchanged glances and shook their heads.  “Glad I’m not the boss,” Lucy mumbled loud enough for Dinah to hear.

“Yeah... me too.”

************

“Gabrielle?” Natalia called softly from her vantage point near the door Gabrielle emerged from.  Gabrielle let her eyes scan the room when she heard her name before they landed on Natalia’s pensive form.  She nodded to show she had heard the summons and made her way slowly to stand in front of her.

“Natalia?” she returned warmly, her expression calm and comforting.  “Is there a problem?”

“Aside from Desdemona you mean?”  She held up her hand before Gabrielle could respond.  “I just wanted to ask if you thought Jellybean was safe with her being here.  No matter what she thinks she has on Olivia or me, if she’s a threat to Emma, all bets are off.  And I’d really like to be able to enjoy this trip – it’s the first we’ve taken together since becoming a family.”

Despite her worry about Desdemona, Natalia couldn’t hide the pride or happiness she felt about being a family with Olivia and Emma and that fact made Gabrielle smile.  She remembered the early days with Xena when they were first becoming a family; it made her just the least little bit nostalgic.  She placed her hand on Natalia’s arm and squeezed it in gentle reassurance.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about, Natalia.  I’m fairly confident that our earlier actions managed to focus her attention on Xena and me for the time being.  We’re a new challenge... something she hasn’t encountered in a while.  I think she’s going to be busy trying to dig up some dirt on us, thinking it will influence our thinking towards her. Regardless there is no way Xena or I would stand idly by and allow her to hurt or endanger a child.”

She felt more than heard Natalia’s sigh of relief.  “You sound very much like an irate parent.  Thank you, Gabrielle.”

“Why don’t you and your family join us for dinner this evening?” Gabrielle offered impulsively.  “After all, if you’re going to trust us with your most precious possession at some point, you’re going to want to get to know us a little better, right?”

The smile on Natalia’s face made her dimples blossom in their full glory and she nodded.  “Yes, thank you.  We’d love to.  Emma thought you were the coolest thing to come along since sliced bread, but it would make Olivia and me....”

Gabrielle held up a hand.  “Say no more - I understand perfectly.  Tonight around six?  I’ll let you know where to meet us before we break for the day.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

“So will I,” Gabrielle assured her before heading deeper into the bowels of the convention room.

************

“You know, Sam... there should be some steps the military or homeland security could take to eliminate the threat someone like Desdemona poses.”

“What do you want me to do, Janet?  Call Jack and tell him we’ve got a wet ops situation on our hands?  Because you know he’d come in and take care of it if I asked him to.”

Janet narrowed her eyes in Sam’s direction.  “I know he would, and you know that’s not what I meant.  We both know what happens to those secrets if she dies.”

Sam sighed.  “I know.  But you’re right – someone ought to be able to do something without all those secrets suddenly becoming public knowledge.  Because I’m betting if she is blackmailing the military and law enforcement to keep them from shutting her down, she is probably doing the same to her competition.  And who knows how far her reach extends – politicians, heads of corporations....  I’ve heard she even has ties to the mob in that regard.  If I could just figure out some way to put a worm in her system without her being able to detect it.”

“Even if you could,” Mac cut in as she came up behind them, “you know she has to have at least one failsafe to protect herself from something like that.  Otherwise she wouldn’t have survived as long as she has.  Now enough worrying about something we have no control over.  C’mon... I want to see what some of theses vendors are offering.  I promised Harm I’d see if there were any new law enforcement toys we might want to look into.”

“Personally or professionally?” Janet said with a grin of her own, watching Mac blush at the implication. “Besides, we came here to enjoy ourselves and make some new friends and I intend to do just that.  Just because I wish there was something we could do doesn’t mean I think we should.  Karma will pay Desdemona back in spades if we are simply patient enough to let it.”

“Atta girl.  C’mon, Sarah,” Sam said taking Janet’s hand in hers and tucking her other hand in the crook of Mac’s elbow.  “Lead the way.”

With a smile, Sarah MacKenzie headed towards the closest vendor booth.

************

A hand on Sara Sidle’s back caused her to turn, a smile crossing her face when she met Claire Washburn’s smiling countenance.  Claire motioned to the booth.  “Yours?” she asked quietly, noting the embarrassed flush that washed over Sara’s face before her eyes dropped to the floor and she nodded.  Claire put a hand under her chin and brought Sara’s eyes back up to meet her own.  “Don’t do that, Sara.  You shouldn’t be ashamed of your brilliance or your success.”

Sara nodded.  “I know... and I’m not – not really.  I’m just... this is all new,” motioning to the booth marked Coordinated Scientific Industries.  “Even my team doesn’t know about this yet.”

Claire frowned.  “Why not?  Sara,” looking over the different pieces of equipment.  “This is all good stuff; some of it is breakthrough technology if I’m understanding its purpose.”

“It’s all still in the prototype stage, Claire.  I’m not sure if it will even make it into practical application or if it will function in the field like it’s supposed to.”

“Sara,” Claire chided taking the younger woman’s face in her hands and holding her eyes steadily.  “If you designed it, it’s going to work.  I know it’s taken longer than you wanted it to, but this is your area of expertise after all.  You may have to do some tweaking or even some redesigning to make it function the way you want it to, but eventually you’ll achieve whatever purpose you had in mind.”

Before Sara could reply, Wendy came up to the booth, eyes shining as she realized what was in front of her.  “Oh... this is amazing.  I wonder....”  She looked around for the vendor representative before her eyes caught Sara’s and widened.  Sara cleared her throat, taking comfort from the hand Claire still had resting on the small of her back.

“You wonder what, Wendy?”

Wendy blinked twice before her smile widened.  “Is this yours, Sara?” waiting for the hesitant nod before giving Sara an impulsive hug.  “That’s fabulous!  Wait til I tell the others.”

“Tell the others what?” Catherine asked as she approached the small group gathered in front of the booth.  Then she looked down and let her eyes widen at the implications of the equipment displayed there.  She let her hands trail gently over the pieces.  “Oh... this is great.”  She looked between Wendy and Sara.  “Is this what I think it is?  Where’s the vendor?” caressing the gear again.  “I have some questions.”

“Such as?”

“Sara, as smart as we both know you are, I don’t think you’re going to be able to tell me about this stuff.  It looks like new technology – only the person who designed it would be able to answer my questions.”

“Exactly,” Sara replied.  “So why don’t you ask and let me see if I can answer them?  I may as well start off with my harshest critic.  If I can satisfy you, I should be able to satisfy anybody.”

“Are you saying...?”

“This is Sara’s stuff, Catherine,” Wendy cut in.  “Give her a chance.”

Catherine’s eyebrows went into her hairline, but her blue eyes twinkled.  “Why, Sara Sidle... color me impressed,” looking over the booth once more.  “Now tell me about this stuff.”  Before long a crowd had gathered and Sara Sidle was holding an impromptu class about crime scene investigative work.

************

“Excuse me, Sam?” Natalie said as she approached the young women standing together in front of the Gold Leaf Publishing booth. 

“Hey Nat!”  She turned to the woman standing beside her.  “I don’t think the two of you got introduced yesterday.  Natalie Green... Cindy Thomas.”

Cindy’s eyes sparkled; Sam knew she had wanted to meet Natalie.  She had long admired her work and was in fact one of the reasons Cindy had chosen journalism.  Before she could say a word, Natalie held up her hand. 

“Hold that thought, please.  Sam, you need to go to the lobby... NOW.”

Sam’s brows furrowed, but she set aside the book she had been thumbing through and headed towards the door.  She had known Natalie long enough to know something had to be really wrong if she was using that tone.  When she realized she was being accompanied by both Natalie and Cindy she smiled grimly and forged ahead, turning her head to ask the question as she pushed open the door.

“Nat, why I am rushing to the lobby?”  Then her arms were full of Brooke McQueen and she simply held the trembling woman in her arms for a long moment while looking around to spot what had upset her girlfriend so badly.  Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she tilted Brooke’s head up until their eyes met.  “Brooke?”

Brooke took a shuddering breath and shook her head.  “I’m all right, Sammy.  Just a little shook up.”

“What happened, Baby?”

Natalie took Cindy’s arm and pulled her back towards their conference room.  “C’mon.  We’ll leave these two to settle things and....”

“And you’ll tell me what the hell is going on?”

They turned back to look at Sam still cradling Brooke in her embrace.  “All I know is Brooke nearly plowed me over as I was coming out of the ladies’ room.  I figured whatever was wrong, she needed Sam so I came and got Sam.  Other than that...?”  Natalie shrugged.

“I hope everything’s all right, but I have to admit being glad for the opportunity to meet you.”

Natalie cocked an eyebrow and grinned.  “You can tell me about it inside,” she said, opening the door and motioning Cindy in ahead of her.  She spared a final glance at Sam and Brooke, nodding when Sam gave her a smile and wave; then she closed the door behind her leaving Sam and Brooke alone in the shared foyer.

************

Sam led them over to a tiny alcove and seated them on the bench there while never losing tactile contact with Brooke.  After a few more minutes she felt Brooke relax in her embrace and take another shuddering breath.  Brown eyes smiled down into hazel and Brooke smiled back in reflex, straightening so she met Sam’s eyes evenly.

“You ready to talk now?”

Brooke nodded.  “Yeah... sorry.  It just... it kind of freaked me out a little.  In fact....”  She stood up and looked around the large hallway, clutching Sam’s hand.  Brooke tugged gently and Sam stood up beside her.  “C’mon – I need to find Jordan.  I’ll tell you the story on the way,” answering the unspoken question so apparent in Sam’s dark eyes.  Sam nodded gamely and walked beside Brooke as they moved down the hallway in search of Jordan Cavanaugh.

Strangely enough or not, they found her in the bar at the end of the hallway  – not crying, not moving.  She sat perfectly still, barely breathing, eyes focused on the drink in front of her.  Having heard Brooke’s short description of what had happened, Sam took a seat next to Jordan while Brooke stood behind her – close enough to hear the conversation without drawing attention to herself.

“Dr. Cavanaugh?  Are you all right?”

Jordan shook her head without looking up, tears welling in her eyes and rolling silently down her cheeks.  Impatiently she wiped them away and blew out a breath, picking up her glass and scrutinizing the contents thereof.  “She liked a good single malt whiskey, you know,” she commented offhandedly, then turned to face Sam.  Jordan narrowed her eyes and scrunched up her nose in thought.  “Do I know you?”  She paused.  “Should I know you?”

Sam smiled sadly and shook her head.  “No, Doc.  You don’t know me; you shouldn’t know me unless you read the Washington Post.”

“Who the hell are you?”

“My name is Sam McPherson.”

“And why are you here, Sam McPherson?”

“Because you scared the crap out of my girlfriend, and when I heard why I thought you might need a friend.”  Sam looked down at her hands clenched tightly together and took a deep breath before looking up to meet Jordan’s eyes.  “You see I’ve been where you are,” her voice shaky.  “Except I was lucky – Brooke survived,” relaxing slightly when she felt the comforting touch on the small of her back.

Jordan noticed the action and shifted to see Brooke just behind Sam.  She lifted a shaky hand towards the familiar face, but even though Brooke made no attempt to move away from her, Jordan let it drop before making contact.  “You really do look just like her,” her voice an unsteady whisper.

“Tell us about her,” Sam encouraged.

Jordan looked between the two of them for a long moment.  “I’ll share mine if you share yours.”  Sam and Brooke exchanged silent glances and nodded.  Jordan smiled sadly, then turned to the woman that stood in the back corner of the bar, trying to ignore the tableau playing out in front of her.  Jordan motioned her over.

“Barkeep, two more glasses for my friends.”  The bartender placed the bottle of whiskey on the bar with two fresh glasses.  Jordan absently nodded her approval of the alcohol and the woman poured a generous portion into each glass.  Jordan dropped a bill onto the wooden surface and scooped up her glass, while passing the remaining two to Sam.  Then she rose from the stool and led them over to the privacy afforded by the more comfortable lounge area.

This was going to take a while.


Chapter XI

“Detective Tallulah Simmons was my friend... probably the best friend I’d ever had in the world as an adult except maybe my dad.”  She paused thoughtfully.  “She was a pretty good kisser too though we were never....” gesturing between Sam and Brooke and shook her head at their slightly disbelieving looks.  “Really,” she chuckled sadly.   “Not that I might not have welcomed it after I kissed her, but....  My ex-boyfriend Woody and she were dating and he was afraid I might have hard feelings towards them.  So I kissed them both to show them I was okay with them, you know... being a couple.”

“So what happened?” Sam prompted when the silence started to drag on uncomfortably. 

Jordan cleared her throat.  “Sorry.”  She glanced at Brooke before settling her eyes on Sam.  “Did you hear about the young black child that was shot by police officers in Boston... thirty-three times?”

Brooke squeezed the hand she held and Sam turned her attention to Brooke.  “I did.  It’s become part of the curriculum at Harvard.  But I never saw pictures.”  She swallowed hard and looked at Jordan’s downcast head.  “No wonder... I’m so sorry, Jordan.”

“You even sound like her,” Jordan commented softly.

“You wanna share?” Sam asked impatiently.  Brooke allowed her thumb to caress the back of Sam’s hand, the touch both comforting and reassuring.  She smiled briefly when she felt Sam relax.

“The incident originally let the officers off scot-free and it caused the city to rise up in riots.  Dr. Cavanaugh decided to reexamine the evidence, but the city was already in chaos.  Detective Simmons was shot.”

“She died in my arms,” Jordan added softly.  She met and held Brooke’s eyes.  “So to see her... you... alive and well – it threw me badly.  I’m sorry for freaking you out,” accepting the hand Brooke offered her, stroking the soft skin and absently noting the subtle differences between Brooke’s touch and Lu’s.  She chuckled softly and shook her head again.  “You wanna know the ironic thing?” looking between them.  “Apparently I remind some of the lawyers from Manhattan of a colleague that died years ago.  The difference is none of them had a come apart when they saw me.”

“Sounds like it was a little different circumstance too.”

Jordan shrugged and wiped her eyes diffidently.  “Maybe.  Doesn’t make my reaction any less embarrassing.”

“But more understandable.  I’m sorry for....”  Brooke stopped speaking when Jordan shook her head.

“All you did was walk away.  It could have been so much worse.”  She cleared her throat again and turned back to Sam.  “So what’s your story?” Sam shuddered and Jordan watched the color drain from her face before feeling Brooke’s hand slide from hers to clutch Sam’s face between her hands.

“Breathe, Sammy.  I’m right here.”  She turned back to Jordan.  “During our junior year of high school, my supposed best friend got drunk and ran me over with her Jag.  Sam watched it happened... watched me die... and brought me back to life. We spent a large part of our senior year in one form of therapy or another together.  Sam never missed a day of physical therapy with me, and we were both in counseling for the emotional damage she did.”

Jordan turned to Sam whose eyes never left Brooke’s.  “That’s amazing, Sam.  Maybe sometime when you feel a little more comfortable, you can share more of the story.  Because you obviously got a happy ending, and I’m a sucker for a happy ending.”  Her voice was still shaky, but her eyes were sincere.

Sam swallowed hard and nodded jerkily before letting her eyes leave Brooke’s to meet Jordan’s gaze.  “Yeah,” she said as she covered the hands cupping her face.  “Me too,” she agreed softly, bringing the hands she now held in her own and brushing her lips over them before putting them in her lap.  “I’m sorry about your loss.”

Jordan nodded her acceptance of the proffered condolence.  “Me too.  She was a good person... a good friend.”  She lifted her glass towards them and they released their hands to raise their own in response.  “To happy endings,” she offered.

“And new friends,” Brooke replied.  “If you’d be willing, I mean,” she added after seeing the stunned look on Jordan’s face.

Jordan blinked and nodded.  “I think I’d like that,” raising her glass to theirs before they all downed the whiskey... with three completely different reactions.  Jordan sighed in satisfaction; Brooke blinked rapidly to keep the tears from spilling onto her face; and Sam coughed, inhaling roughly against the burn it created inside her.  Jordan reached a hand up and patted her on the back until Sam raised her head and motioned she was all right.  Jordan cocked a brow at her.

“You sure?”

Sam nodded.  “Yeah... thanks.  Not much of a drinker – not after....” letting her words trail off.

“Fair enough,” Jordan agreed.  “Maybe chocolate milk next time?”

“Definitely more my speed,” Sam said with a shaky grin, her voice still hoarse from her coughing spat.  She rose from her seat and held out a hand – first to Brooke, then to Jordan, pulling them to stand beside her.  “Um, if we’re done here for now, I need to get back to my conference.”

“So do we actually,” Jordan confirmed, gesturing them out of the bar in front of her.

“Dr. Cavanaugh?  Are you going to be all right?” Brooke asked quietly, still holding onto Sam’s hand.

“If we’re going to be friends, you’re both going to have to get past the Dr. Cavanaugh thing and call me Jordan.  And yes, I’ll be all right.  It was more shock than anything – I mean, it’s not every day you run into the doppleganger of someone who you know is dead,” her tone wry.

Sam and Brooke exchanged glances before they turned and Sam stepped in front of Jordan, placing her empty hand on Jordan’s arm.  Jordan stopped and waited, trying for a look of amusement.  Sam shook her head and scowled fiercely.

“No.  Not with us.  You may want to keep your feelings private, and we certainly respect that, but please don’t make light of them... not in front of us.  It’s okay to feel them whether it was love or friendship or something else.  Please don’t be ashamed of having them.  You never know when you might need them.”

Jordan froze.  After a long, still moment, she took a deep breath.  “You’re a very wise woman, Sam McPherson.”

“Wisdom garnered from lessons learned the hard way.”

Jordan glanced at Sam and Brooke’s still clasped hands and nodded.  “Fair enough.  Thanks.”

The rest of the trip back to the convention hall was made in silence.

************

“Hey, Bailey... you all right?” Gordon asked as he and the rest of the AVID delegation gathered around the young woman currently ensconced at one of the outdoor tables overlooking Bay Lake.  They had just come from Desdemona’s room at the Grand Floridian after being thoroughly dressed down and were unconsciously seeking shelter in one another’s presence.  They all pulled up chairs and sat down in a large circle waiting for Bailey to answer.

She shrugged.  “Oh sure... it’s the third time I’ve been fired this week.  The first time she figures out she has to do something for herself, she’ll call me and I’ll be hired back again.”

“Something needs to be done about her,” Warren growled.  “She’s got no right treating you or any of the rest of us that way... especially for her screw-ups.”

Bailey smiled wanly.  “You’re sweet Warren, but as her brother you should know by now that Desi doesn’t screw-up – only those around her do.”

“Well personally, I can’t wait for her karma to come around and bite her on the ass.  I mean... it has to, right?  No one can be like this without some sort of payback.”

“I dunno, Adelia,” Melissa replied.  “There’s nothing in the karmic codebook that says we’ll get any sort of payback in this life cycle.  We may not get to see it at all.”

“Well, that just sucks,” commented Harmon, lifting a hand and motioning a server out from behind the bar. 

“Yeah, but considering the way our karma seems to be running lately, it wouldn’t be all that unexpected either,” Buster mumbled.

“Some days I just wish she’d die,” Bailey stated without a single bit of inflection in her voice.  “At least then this karmic cycle would be over with and maybe we wouldn’t get caught in her next one.”  No one said a word so surprised by the utter lack of... anything... in Bailey’s voice or tone.  Only the waiter delivering the drinks Harmon had ordered broke the tableau and Dot cleared her throat.

“Well, I know two things for certain – when she dies, I’m going to try to find a way out of her circle.  And if I figure out what I did to get into this circle to begin with, I swear I will never repeat it.”

“That sounds like a great idea, Dot,” Violet commented.  “Too bad she has to die first.”

Whatever comment was coming next was halted by the imperious ring tone that suddenly blared from Bailey’s phone.  Even though she knew who was calling simply by the ring tone, she still glanced at the screen, dropping her head on the table when her suspicions were confirmed.  She hit the speakerphone, motioning everyone to be quiet.

“Yes, Desdemona?”

“Bailey, where are you?  Is that music I hear in the background?  And ice... do I hear ice in a glass??  Are you drinking??  What’s wrong with you??  This is a workday and you have a job to do!  And I expect you to get to it immediately.”

“I don’t have a job, remember?  You fired me... again.”

“Of course I didn’t, stupid girl.  What’s wrong with you??  Now get up here this instant.  And bring Dot with you.  I seem to be having a computer issue and it needs to be straightened out immediately before we lose any more time at the conference.”

“Desdemona, even if I was still working for you and even if I could find Dot, that is still not going to get us into that conference.  Gabrielle made it quite clear this morning....”

“Oh pish posh.  I’m certain that was nothing more than a little misunderstanding on her part.  Gabrielle simply needs the right kind of persuasion.  Now... enough of your foolishness.  I expect to see you here in the next five minutes!”  Without allowing Bailey another word, DIVA hung up.  Bailey looked around at her compatriots.

“See... I told you.”

“You oughta blow her off,” Adelia snarked, leaning back in her chair and taking a large gulp of her cocktail.  Bailey just gave her a look.

“I can’t afford to do that any more than the rest of you can.  C’mon, Dot.”

Dot upended her drink, draining it dry before she rose and motioned Bailey ahead of her.  “Lead the way, my dear.  And the rest of you,” she said, narrowing her eyes and pointing, “no drinking without us.”

The rest watched them go before turning back to their drinks.  Harmon signaled the waiter to bring another round.

************

“So how are things going on your side?” Gabrielle asked as she and Xena met once more in the private room between the two conventions.  Lucy and Dinah were taking a well-deserved break and Xena and Gabrielle were appreciating the relative peace of a few minutes alone together.

“Umm,” Xena replied, swallowing the mouthful of soda she’d just taken.  “Not bad actually.  Once everyone got involved in looking at all the vendors and then moved into their seminars, they kinda settled down.  They seem to be a lot more focused on the conference and what’s going on than in Desdemona now.  I just hope it stays that way.”

Gabrielle nodded.  “Me too.  She was like a blip on the radar for a while, but it seems like most of the attendees are much more interested in what they can get out of the convention than they are in anything about her.  Now if she’ll just lay low for the remainder of our time here....”  Xena cocked an eyebrow and smirked in her direction.  Gabrielle just shook her head.  “Yeah, I don’t think so either, but it doesn’t do any harm to hope.”  She looked at her watch as Lucy and Dinah reentered the room.  “Great timing.  I need to go see how lunch is coming along.”  She stood and Dinah slid into her seat.  “See you guys back here in a while.”  With a wave Gabrielle departed.

Xena watched her go, turning to frown at Lucy when she cleared her throat loudly.  “Something wrong there, Luce?  You need another glass of water or something?”

Lucy glared.  “Noooo,” she drawled.  “But I do need you to get out of my seat.”

“Your seat?  And what if I don’t wanna?”

This time Lucy smirked.  “Then you can explain to your boss why you’re hiding out in here keeping me from doing my job instead of out there doing your job,” pointing to the opposite convention hall.

Xena glared at her for a long moment before relenting.  “I hate you, ya know.”

“That’s okay... Gabrielle likes me.”

Xena growled but headed back out to the law enforcement room.  Dinah held her laughter until she was out of sight, then giggled at Lucy who was grinning back at her.  “That was entertaining.”

“Yeah, I’ll pay for it later, but it was worth it for now.”

************

Desdemona growled in frustration.  Every bot she sent out looking for information about Gabrielle or Xena simply led straight back to her.  Dot didn’t have an explanation for it, but regardless of what computer she used the result was always the same.  There was nothing to be found out about either woman – and no way to find it even it there was any dirt to be found.  Harmon had confirmed he had been stonewalled the same way and despite his best efforts, he had no way to trace it to the source.

If she’d had more time, she might have been able to dig something up the old fashioned way, but there just wasn’t time for that – not and accomplish her goal of getting into the Women in Media conference.  Still there had to be something; she just needed to figure out how to find it.

For now though, it was lunchtime.  She picked up the phone and placed her room service order, then she sat back down at her computer.  Surely there was something she was missing.

************

And somewhere nearby, a woman carefully checked over her supplies, wanting to be certain everything was taken care of correctly the first time.  This had been a long time coming.

************

“Gabrielle?  Have you seen Helena?”

Gabrielle turned to find Barbara directly behind her and she shook her head thoughtfully.  “Not since this morning. Why?”  She was directing the staff as they removed the luncheon service.  The first half of the day was over and except for the incident with Desdemona first thing, Gabrielle considered it a success.  She had walked among the attendees as they ate, taking compliments and answering questions.  Most were satisfied with their experience thus far and the little things that were causing issues could be easily solved with just minor tweaking.  “Is everything okay?”

“I’m not sure,” watching the exodus of women heading towards the ladies’ rooms before the second half of the day’s events got underway.  “I’ve never known Helena to miss a meal, and yet I didn’t see her at lunch.”

“Maybe she ate with Dinah?  Or Xena?”

Barbara shrugged.  “Maybe, but then why not let me know?”  She pulled her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger.  “Sorry.  It’s not like she’s accountable to me... or you.  I think this whole situation with Desdemona‘s just thrown me for a loop.  I never expected....”

“I don’t think any of us did.  I know from what I heard earlier and what Xena said she heard on her side, there were a lot of folks unhappy about her unexpected appearance.”

“She just... I feel like we’re waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“And you think Helena may be the one to drop it?”

Barbara shook her head.  “No.  Not anymore – she’s matured so much, Gabrielle... so beautifully.  Sometimes she’s got a better handle on herself and her temper than I ever did at her age and considering her heritage....”

“... that’s saying a lot, Barbara.  It’s not like you were ever out of control.”

Barbara smiled wryly.  “Yes, but I never lived like she has either.  It wasn’t until she came into my life that I realized the difference between being and living.”

“It goes both ways, Red,” Helena said as she crossed the room to stand beside the two of them.  She leaned down and kissed Barbara’s lips chastely, not wanting to start an uproar.  Barbara curled one hand into Helena’s shirt and pulled her in for a second, longer kiss.  She licked her lips in satisfaction at the flash of gold she saw in Helena’s glimpse before her eyes reverted to blue once more.

“I missed you.”

“I see that.  I’m going to have to go away more often if that’s the kind of reception I’m going to get when I come back.  Did you need something?”

“Nope.  Just you,” the sentiment causing both women to blush and Gabrielle to chuckle as she turned away to give them a bit of privacy.


Chapter XII

“Gabrielle.”  The soft call of her name caused her to move away from Barbara and Helena with a bare nod, knowing from their distracted waves they were already deeply involved in discussion.  She walked towards the woman waiting to speak to her and cocked her head in a listening attitude that even Miranda Priestly couldn’t fault.  Miranda’s lips twitched though her expression didn’t change.

“Yes, Miranda?”

“I was simply wondering what was going to be done about....”  Her lips pursed in disdain and her voice dropped even lower.  “… Desdemona.”

“In what regard, Miranda?  I have already made certain she knows that she is unwelcome at this conference due to her own lack of diligence.”

“Is that all?”

“What else would you like me to do?  Until yesterday I was unaware of her existence.  And despite the fact that I have been made aware of what a truly despicable individual she seems to be, and though I am responsible for what happens here during the convention, I have very little control over much else that happens in the world.  Short of someone coming forward and publicly pressing charges against her, there really is very little I can do that I haven’t already done.”

“I see,” Miranda breathed, dissatisfaction clear in her tone.  “Very well – that’s all,” she added as she turned away.  A hand on her arm caused her to still, but a slight shake of her head kept Emily from moving to her side.  She looked at Gabrielle and raised a brow in question.

“Miranda, what would you have me do?  I’m open to suggestions, if you have any to offer.”

Miranda sighed and unexpectedly patted the warm hand still resting on her forearm.  “I wish I did, Gabrielle.  I wish I did.”  When she walked away this time Gabrielle let her go.

“Oh boy,” Gabrielle muttered before turning her attention to the women who were once more filling the room, ready to begin the next part of their day.

************

“Excuse me,” the harried looking woman inquired as she pushed her reddish hair behind her ear and hiked the strap of her bag further up her shoulder.  Amy moved away from her friends to see if she could offer assistance.

“Can I help you?”

“I hope so,” the woman replied.  “My name is Katie O’Donnell.  I was looking for Xena or Gabrielle.”

“Of course,” flipping open her cell phone and speaking into it.  A moment later Lucy appeared beside her.

“What’s up, Babe?” sliding an arm around Amy’s waist as she reached them.

“Lucy, this is Katie....”

“... O’Donnell,” Katie finished, extending a hand that Lucy accepted as a matter of course.  “I was looking for Xena or Gabrielle?  I’m one of the speakers at the Women in Law Enforcement and the Women in Media conventions.”

“Of course,” Lucy nodded.  “We’ve been expecting you.  If you’ll just come with me, please.”

Amy took Lucy’s hand in hers and together they led Katie into the private room.  “If you’ll wait right here,” Lucy indicated, “I’ll let them know you’ve arrived.”  Both Amy and Katie nodded and Lucy walked off to notify Xena and Gabrielle of their late arrival.

“So how did you end up participating in both conferences?” Amy asked as she leaned against the nearest table.  Katie pulled her bag off her shoulder and placed it carefully on the table.  “I only know of one or two others that might be able to do that, and I’m fairly certain they’re not attending both,” not mentioning that she was one of the two she knew of with the ability to attend both.

Katie shrugged and tucked her hair behind her ear again, wondering if it hadn’t been easier when she could just pull it into a bun.  “Dumb luck, I guess,” she answered.  “I was a sketch artist for the FBI before everything went digital, and I did some book art and scene layouts on the side.”

“Do you still sketch?” Amy inquired.  Katie smiled.

“Oh yes.  I don’t think I could ever fully give it up.  Da Vinci was my idol growing up.  He was such an amazing talent.”

“I like his work,” Amy agreed, “though of the old Masters I prefer Michelangelo.  His art was just that... art.  Da Vinci was more than just art.”  Katie nodded, unable to argue the truth of that statement.  Then Gabrielle stepped into the room from one of the side doors and Amy excused herself to rejoin her friends.  “It was nice to meet you, Katie.”

“Nice to meet you too, Amy,” Katie returned politely, then turned to greet Gabrielle like the old friend she was.  “Hey, Gabrielle!” opening up her arms for a hug.  “I’m sorry I’m late.  I overslept this morning – I was visiting with my cousin last night.  Housekeeping actually woke me up.  I forgot to charge my phone and I couldn’t remember your numbers so....”

“Katie, slow down.  It’s all right,” Gabrielle assured her.  “You haven’t missed anything but lunch, and your presentation wasn’t scheduled until after then anyway, remember?”  Katie nodded and heaved a sigh of relief.  “Good,” Gabrielle said with a smile and a pat on the arm.  “Now take a deep breath,” waiting for Katie to follow her instruction.  “Better?”

Katie released the breath slowly.  “Yes, actually... as ridiculous as it sounds.”

Gabrielle chuckled.  “Trust me... I know.”

Before Katie could question her further, Xena stepped into the room just behind Lucy.  Lucy took her seat behind one set of monitors just as Dinah came in and took her place behind the others.

“What’s all this?” Katie asked with a nervous giggle.  “Afraid someone’s going to steal the good silver?”

Xena snorted.  “You’ve been reading too much Agatha Christie,” reaching out for her own brief hug.  “No, we’re recording all the seminar sessions.  It will be part of the DVD package the attendees will receive at the end of the convention.”

“What a wonderful idea.”

“We thought so,” Xena replied drolly, pouting when Gabrielle mock-elbowed her in the belly.

“Be nice,” Gabrielle growled, but she couldn’t hide the twinkle sparkling in her eyes.

“I’ll show you nice later, Bard,” she muttered sotto voce so only Gabrielle could hear her, blue eyes dancing merrily.  Then she turned to Katie.  “C’mon, Katie.  You’re with me today, and the women should all be back from their breaks and ready to start the afternoon session.”  She turned back to Gabrielle.  “I’ll see you shortly?”

“You know where to find me, Tough Stuff,” Gabrielle said with a wink as she headed back towards her own room.  “Katie, I’ll see you later.”  With a wave she disappeared through the doorway, then Xena and Katie slipped through theirs.  Dinah and Lucy exchanged glances.

“You ever get the feeling we’ve got the best seats in the house?”

Lucy just grinned and wiggled her eyebrows.

************

On the law enforcement side of the hall, women were trickling in, heading directly for the seminar rooms their different sessions had been scheduled for.  Since they had been allowed to pick and choose their participation, they were a very mixed lot no longer separated by friendship or job skill.  Instead they were a conglomeration of law enforcement personnel brought together by common interests and desires to learn new things.  It was into this that Abbie Carmichael walked.

She entered the convention hall slowly, not wanting to disrupt anything until she realized that only a handful of women populated the main room as they meandered around the various vendors’ booths still open for their perusal.

She walked around the room as casually as possible searching for Casey, hoping her insecurities hadn’t cost her everything she’d given up hoping for.  She knew Casey would give her the chance to explain – that was simply the kind of woman Casey was.  Whether or not she would understand?  Well that was another matter entirely.

Abbie walked the perimeter of the entire room, subtly looking for any hint of a clue where Casey might be.  Finally Xena noted the lost and defeated expression she wore and approached her.  “Can I help you, Counselor?”

Abbie blew out a frustrated breath.  It wasn’t Xena’s fault she was in this predicament and she was offering to help.  Abbie wasn’t fool enough to turn away from the offer.  “I don’t suppose you could tell me which room Casey Novak is in, could you?”

Xena looked at Abbie for a long moment, recognizing the lost look in her eyes though she hadn’t seen it in her own in a long, long time.  She looked down at an electronic pad the likes of which Abbie hadn’t seen outside of science fiction television.  “Sure,” she agreed casually, running a finger down the screen.  “Come with me.”

Abbie trailed along obediently, stopping when Xena came to a halt as she motioned to a door.  “Would you like me to get her for you or...?”

Abbie shook her head.  “Is it okay for me to go in?”

Xena nodded.  “I will ask that if you need to... discuss... anything, that you please come out of the room to do so.  I don’t want the seminar disrupted.”

Abbie nodded.  “I understand.  Thank you.”

“Good luck, Ms Carmichael,” Xena offered before she walked back towards the vendor area.  Abbie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened the door and stepped into the room.

************

Casey noticed Abbie step into the room as soon as she crossed the threshold.  With each of the seminar rooms being an offshoot of the main conference room, all the doors tended to be along a side wall instead of in the back and from her vantage point, Casey had a perfect view of the doorway.

The look on Abbie’s face made her gasp, but she didn’t move, unsure if Abbie was joining the session or....  Then dark brown eyes met hers and Casey’s breath caught again.  This time, however, she excused herself from her seatmates, walking silently across the back of the room until she was standing beside Abbie.

Without a word Abbie offered Casey her hand.  Casey stared into her eyes for a long moment, then she accepted Abbie’s hand when she found what she was looking for.  Abbie offered her a small smile, and led them from the breakout room and out of the convention hall and towards the more populated area of the resort.  It was time to get some things settled.

************

“You must think I’m some sort of head case,” Abbie started without preamble, chuckling depreciatively and keeping her eyes firmly on the table she and Casey were currently ensconced at.  When Casey didn’t immediately reply, she glanced up.  Casey’s expression was one of patient listening and maybe even a willingness to understand, but beyond that....  She swallowed hard; this was more difficult than she’d expected.  Abbie shook her dark head.  “Forget it,” she said, starting to stand.  A gentle hand around her wrist halted her movement and she looked up again to see compassion reflected out of jade green eyes.

“No, Abbie.  No more running.  You owe me an explanation.”  Casey paused and took a deep breath before she hurried on.  “Are you breaking up with me?”

“What?!?  NO!!” nearly shouted in her intensity to chase that idea from Casey’s mind.  She took a look around, glad to note her outburst hadn’t attracted much attention from the passers-by.  It didn’t hurt that they had chosen a table somewhat off the beaten path.  “Why would you think that??”

Casey looked at her as if trying to discover if it was a serious question.  Finally, “You’re kidding me right?” her voice dry and droll.  “Abbie, we finally get a chance to take a semi-vacation together – meet up with some old friends and relax a little - and suddenly you don’t want to be anywhere near me.  What am I supposed to think?”

“That you’re in love with a total nut case?”

At this Casey rolled her eyes.  “Oh Abbie – I knew you were a nut case before we met.  You worked in the Manhattan DA’s office just like I did.  That takes a special kind of nut and we both know it.” 

Abbie snorted.  “Yeah, cracked.”

Casey chuckled, knowing it for the truth.  Then she sobered.  “Why’d you run, Abbie?”

Abbie shrugged.  “It’s what I’m good at.”

“The truth, Abbie.  All of it.  I think I deserve that much.”

Abbie nodded slowly.  “You deserve more than that, but it’s the least I can do.  C’mon and walk with me,” she offered, extending her hand and waiting for Casey to accept it.  Casey took it and together they headed out along the walkway around the lake.

Silence reigned for a while and Casey was glad to let it, knowing Abbie was gathering her thoughts together.  Finally, she drew a deep breath.  “I’m not bi-polar; I need you to understand that first.  I really am a stable individual.”

Casey drew them to a halt with the merest tug on their linked hands.  “Abbie, I know you’re stable; I also know something scared the shit out of you.  And I’m pretty sure it involves me and your cousin although I haven’t figured out how exactly.  I mean I never even met Lindsay until....”  She fell silent when Abbie covered her lips with the softest touch of her fingertips. 

Abbie gave her a wry grin.  “Shh,” she commanded.  “Let me tell this.”  When Casey nodded, Abbie removed her fingers and they resumed their stroll.  “Growing up, Lindsay was my best friend.  She still is in a lot of ways because first and foremost, she’s family.  And she knows things about me... lived through things with me... that no one else would.  At least until I met you.  I hadn’t actually realized that until I saw her – until I introduced you as the love of my life, and it freaked me out.”  She paused a beat and her voice lowered.  “So I ran.”

“Why?”

“Because,” Abbie confessed, her voice so low Casey had to strain to hear her, “if I sabotage myself first, then you can’t hurt me later.  Lesson hard learned.”

“I’m liable to hurt something in a minute,” Casey muttered with a scowl.  Then she tugged on Abbie’s arm.  “C’mon.  We’re going to go back to our room and you’re going to start talking from the beginning.  And then it’s my turn.”

“And then?”

“That depends on us... both of us together.”

“I sure do like the sound of that,” Abbie confessed wistfully.  Casey squeezed the hand she held and headed back towards their room.

************

“Has anybody seen Casey?” Liz asked as the lectures broke for a break and everyone congregated in the main convention room.  “She was supposed to take notes for me.”  She huffed impatiently.  “I got a call from Jack McCoy that just couldn’t wait.”

“Problems?” Melinda asked as she passed the other woman a glass of water.  Liz accepted it gratefully and gulped several swallows before shaking her head.  “Nothing I couldn’t manage, but he did make me miss the seminar I was supposed to attend.  Casey knew and said she’d grab me a copy of whatever material was available.”

“Excuse me,” a Scottish brogue broke into the conversation.  “The woman you’re looking for – tall, reddish-blonde hair, lovely figure?”  Liz’s brows went to her hairline at the description, but she nodded her head.  “She left,” Helen supplied.

“I beg your pardon?” Liz asked, then held up a hand to prevent Helen from speaking.  “Wait, I understood what you said.  When did she leave?”

“Shortly after the lecture began.  A dark haired woman came to the door and your friend got up and left with her.”

“Thanks, Ms...?”

“Stewart... Helen Stewart.”

“Liz Donnelly,” Liz returned, offering her hand, then introducing her around the New York contingent that was currently grouped together.  “Guess I’ll just have to wait until they kiss and make up before I get my notes,” she grumbled.

Helen smirked and shook her head.  “I could share mine.  It might be a while otherwise.  I’ve seen those looks before.”

Liz blew out an impatient breath, then Alex linked an arm through hers.  “C’mon, Liz.  You’ll get your notes from Casey or we’ll ask the speaker for a copy. Jack won’t have made you miss anything.”

“I hope not.  I’d hate to have to kill him for making me miss something good.”

The women around them, even Helen, chuckled at her pronouncement.  Then they headed their separate ways again as the time for the next round of seminars approached.  It was turning out to be a good day.


Chapter XIII

“Gabrielle?”  Gabrielle stopped and turned back to Annabelle who nervously tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.  She gave Annabelle a smile, hoping to put her at ease.  In some ways Annabelle and Simone reminded Gabrielle of Xena and herself lifetimes ago, though for a long time in their relationship she had not been as brash as she knew Annabelle to be in hers.  She wondered what could have possibly made the outgoing young woman so unsure of herself.

“What can I do for you, Annabelle?”

“I was wondering if you’d introduce me to Nikki Wade.  I mean....”

“I’d be happy to Annabelle, but you have to know it’s perfectly all right to introduce yourself.  That’s part of the purpose of this conference – to put women who’ve made media contributions to society in touch with one another.  Networking makes us all stronger.  I’m sure Nikki will be happy to meet you.”

“You think?”

“Annabelle, you have talent; don’t doubt that.  It gives you common ground with her and everyone else.  And your story is as interesting as Nikki’s,” seeing the slight flinch.  Gabrielle frowned.  “Are people making you uncomfortable?”

“Not really,” Annabelle confessed slowly.  “I just feel a little out of my depth here.  Everyone I’ve talked to is amazingly talented.  I feel like a rank amateur and that is... I’ve never felt that way.  I’ve always been brash and bold and gone after what I wanted without thought or hesitation.  I don’t think that would fly with a lot of the professionals I see.”

Gabrielle smiled.  “Annabelle, everyone here has been brash or bold at some point – a lot still are.  Their passion is what’s made them successful.  They just don’t need to demonstrate that part of them at the moment.  They are secure and no one here is challenging them or their place in their field of expertise.  Remember that everyone that is here is here because they want to be; they’re here to network and make new friends in the business just like you.”

“Really?”

“Trust me.  C’mon.  I’ll introduce you.  Then you’re on your own.”

Simone looked up from her conversation with Miranda Priestly and Barbara Gordon, watching Annabelle and Gabrielle move off together arm in arm chuckling.  She smiled glad Gabrielle had given her young lover the words she needed to hear.  Simone watched Nikki greet Annabelle enthusiastically before she turned her attention back to the discussion at hand, suddenly glad she’d given into Annabelle’s pleas to attend this convention.  It was turning out even better for them both than she hoped.

************

Nikki accepted Annabelle’s hand with a smile, giving Gabrielle a grateful nod even as she gestured Annabelle to sit.  Gabrielle watched them settle in, then moved around the room checking in with the various groups without interfering with the dialogues being held.  She was nodding her head thoughtfully when she entered the private room, causing both Dinah and Lucy to look at her with questioning expressions on their faces.

“Problem?” Dinah asked.

“No, and that disturbs me more than I want to admit,” Gabrielle confessed wryly.  “Because the moment things seem to be running smooth....”

“... that’s the moment all hell breaks loose,” Lucy finished for her, then shrugged when two sets of eyes turned her way.  “Experience,” she said flatly.

“Understood,” Dinah and Gabrielle answered simultaneously before all three burst into laughter.  It was to this scene that Xena walked in on.

“Should I be concerned?”  She walked up behind Gabrielle and wrapped an arm around her waist.  Gabrielle leaned into her and tilted her head back to allow their eyes to meet.

“Only if you’re leery of things running smoothly.”

Blue eyes went wide and round and Xena brought a hand up to cover Gabrielle’s lips.  “Are you trying to jinx us ?”

Gabrielle chuckled and kissed the fingers covering her mouth.  Xena smirked, knowing Gabrielle could have chosen to lick them instead.  So without further prompting she removed them and waited for Gabrielle to speak.

“Not at all; why do you think I am wary at this point?”

“Well, if it makes you feel better, I’m pretty sure we have a few personal dramas going on behind the scenes as it were.”

“Problems?” Gabrielle inquired, her voice low and serious.  Xena met her eyes frankly.

“I don’t think so.  I think some of our attendees were met with some unexpected surprises when they arrived.  So far they seem to be working them out on their own time mostly.  I’ve got a couple of attorneys that disappeared earlier, but since I haven’t gotten a call from hotel security I’m working under the theory that whatever the issue is, they’ve got it under control.”

“Fair enough.  We’ll be among the first to know if something goes haywire.”

“Something else, you mean,” Dinah commented.

“She’s right,” Lucy agreed.  “Desdemona is still out there plotting who knows what.  You know she’s gonna be a problem again at some point unless we get lucky and she chokes on a chicken bone or something.”

“As long as she’s not here, we’re not gonna worry about her.  We’ve got enough to worry about without inviting anything else.”

“Agreed,” Xena said, looking at her watch.  “We’ve only got one more session to get through today.  Then we can let everybody go to get ready for the Halloween party tonight.”

Before she could say anything else, Gabrielle looked at her own watch then scurried towards the doorway leading to her side of the convention hall.  “Gotta go.”  She caught Xena’s eye.  “Meet you back here shortly?”

Xena smiled.  “You know it.  Oh,” turning back to the room and waiting for Gabrielle to do the same.  “Remind your crew about the buses – we need to pull out of here on time if possible.”

“Got it.”

************

Desdemona growled though no one was around to hear it.  Dot and Bailey had been dismissed some time earlier, once again unable to give Desdemona the satisfactory results she’d been looking for from them.  Despite all her efforts, Dot couldn’t break through the bot code that continued to send Desdemona’s searches in circles.  Bailey had been more successful in running and fetching, but an already disgruntled Desdemona was still not content with her work and Bailey was happy when Desdemona finally released them both for the day in pure frustration.

“I do not understand why I seem to constantly be surrounded by incompetence,” Desdemona muttered to herself as she paced the length of the room and back gain.  “There has to be a way to get into that conference even if I can’t find any dirt on that Gabrielle woman.  No one is as clean as she purports herself to be.  I’ll make something up – it’ll be my word against hers.  No one will take her word over mine; my reputation is too great for her to overcome.”  She nodded to herself in satisfaction.  Now that she had a plan, she only needed to put it into action.  Desdemona picked up her phone, pressing Bailey’s number, then growling again when the phone went straight to voice mail.

“Where the hell is that stupid girl?  Doesn’t she know that being at my beck and call means twenty-four/seven?  Honestly I have to do everything myself!”

She threw her phone on the bed and seated herself on the couch, pulling the laptop to her.  Soon, Desdemona was engrossed in her work and a wicked smile crossed her face.  If this worked out the way she planned, tomorrow would be glorious.

************

“Yes... yes, Sallie.  It was wonderful.”  A beat.  “Thank you for telling me.  Seeing her again was....  I love you Sallie.”  A pause.  “I know.  I still love you.  Bye.”  Bailey cut the connection.

Violet looked at Bailey with admiration.  “You really turned it off?”

“Oh yeah.  I plan on having a good time at Halloween Horror Nights.  I don’t need a real monster interrupting my fun.  Let’s face it... nothing Universal has ever come up with is nearly as scary as Desdemona is on a daily basis.”

The women with her chuckled and nodded their agreement.  “I can’t believe you managed to get the time off,” Missy commented, watching Bailey apply make-up to make her look truly gruesome.

Bailey shrugged.  “I didn’t actually ask.  She was so furious when she sent Dot and I out of her room this afternoon, I knew better than to bother.  I figure she’s gonna be up most of the night trying to find another way into that convention.”

“What is her deal with that anyway?”

“If she could have gotten in just by registering for it on time, why didn’t she?”

“Because she figures she’s special enough to not have to follow the rules the rest of us mere mortals are compelled to,” Dot snarked, adding the last touches to her own costume.  “How are we getting to this shindig, by the way?”

“Harmon and Gordon took care of it,” Adelia replied, swishing her costume into place before checking her watch.  “We should probably go meet up with them before they decide we’re not coming.”

As a group the women rose and took a last look in the mirrors.  Then with big grins firmly in place, they headed out for a night of good, scary fun.

************

Alex and Olivia met up in the big convention hall as soon as their last session for the day was finished.  Olivia clasped Alex’s hand and they headed to the food court to pick up a bite to eat, mindful of the instructions Xena had given about the night’s activity.

“Do you suppose Casey and Abbie are still ‘talking’?” Olivia asked with a smirk.  She was fairly certain their talking hadn’t taken nearly the amount of time they’d been gone from the conference.  Alex looked over the rim of her glasses.

“I suppose that they are working out whatever it was that seemed to throw Abbie for a loop.  I also suppose I don’t want to be the one to interrupt them if they have reached the ‘kiss and make-up’ stage of their conversation.”

Olivia pulled a face.  “Me either.”  She paused.  “Do you think they are really all right?”

“I think that since we haven’t heard any emergency vehicles come screaming into the parking lot, we’ll take it as a good sign and leave them alone to work it out.”

“Is it wrong that I want them to be as happy as we are without all the bumps it took us to get here?” Olivia asked as they entered the food court and made their way over to the grill.  Alex turned and covered her cheek with her free hand.

“Not at all, Sweetheart.  But sometimes we have to go through the hard stuff to understand the preciousness of the good we have.”

“Oh for the love of God, Cabot,” Tracey Kibre whined. “Your sappiness is going to give the lot of us diabetes.  Whatever happened to the fire-eating, ball-buster I used to know?”

Alex’s hand slipped from Olivia’s face and she turned to answer Tracey before she was forestalled by Kelly Gaffney’s response.  “She fell in love, Tracey,” Kelly commented to her boss, tugging on her arm.  “Leave them alone.”

“She fell in love,” Tracey repeated in a sarcastic mutter.  “So the rest of us have to suffer?  What exactly is fair about that?” grumbling as Kelly led her away from Alex and Olivia.  Kelly shook her head in apology and Alex and Olivia smiled sympathetically before turning their attention back towards the grill just as their food was removed and passed over to them.  They accepted it with a nod and made their way to the cashier, then headed back to their room.

“Well,” Olivia commented solemnly as they entered their temporary home.  “I hope they get things settled soon.  I expect them to have some fun with us this trip.”

Alex grinned.  “I’m sure your buddy is looking forward to playing at Disney as much as you are.”  Olivia blushed and ducked her head, but she didn’t deny Alex’s words.  They sat down to eat before preparing their costumes for the evening.

************

“I was popular in high school,” Abbie started softly.  “Head cheerleader, president of the student body, captain of the debate team... that sort of thing,” she offered with a shrug.  “I was also a Dean’s list student, girlfriend of the quarterback... you get the idea,” letting her eyes meet Casey’s briefly before returning to an intricate study of her clasped hands.  “Cameron and I grew up together; our families were neighbors.  We went to the same schools, the same church, rode the same bus – we were always together.  Eventually people just expected us to be and we kind of went along with it, to the point of getting engaged after high school was over.  I was so happy – I was in love with my Prince Charming and he was in love with me and we were going to have a perfect life together.  Our parents were so excited.  I think they had been looking forward to our wedding since we’d been born so getting their blessing was a piece of cake even though we weren’t planning to get married until after college.”

“So what happened?” Casey finally asked when the silence went on too long.

“I was raped.”  It was silent for a time after that.  Casey was unsure what if anything to say and Abbie was collecting her thoughts.  Finally Abbie broke the silence.  “Cameron couldn’t stand the thought of someone else having touched me, and although he was smart enough not to blame me for it to my face, he still broke up with me almost as soon as I told him.”

“Jackass!”

Abbie snorted.  “My daddy said the same thing.”  She hesitated.  “Of course, he never knew the reason behind our break-up either.  Lindsay knew; she’s always had a way of getting the truth out of me.”  She shrugged.  “However, it completely changed my focus; I went from being an English Lit major into law.  My guidance counselor nearly had a come apart, but when I went to the head of my class and stayed there she realized I had found my path.”

“Did she know...?”

“About the rape?  No,” Abbie replied.  “After Cameron’s reaction, I didn’t tell anyone else except Lindsay. I already blamed myself and I knew Cameron did as well.  I didn’t need people I didn’t even know thinking I was some sort of slut.  It was easier just to keep it to myself.  But after that I kept myself a little apart – friendly to everyone without being close to anyone.  I made friends, but I was the one to walk away when they got too close or I started becoming too attached.”

“It sounds lonely.”

“It was, but it was also insulating – kept me from getting hurt again.  Lindsay was the only one who wouldn’t let me get away with it, but she was half a country away except when we went home for the holidays.  The rest….”  Abbie shrugged again.  “It allowed me to graduate at the top of my class and get an ADA internship in Manhattan right out of law school.”

“And then?” Casey prompted when Abbie fell silent again.

Abbie rolled her eyes.  “I’m sure you heard the rumors; I was either a frigid bitch or a fucking whore, depending on who you asked and what day of the week or time of the month it was.  I decided early on that I wouldn’t let it bother me... I couldn’t.  It would have shattered my composure.  As it was....”

Casey waited, finally raising Abbie’s chin enough so their eyes could meet.  She cocked her head in concern when dark eyes filled with tears met her worried green ones.  “Abbie?”

Abbie smiled sadly and shook her head.  “The first person to befriend me when I got to the City was a woman named Toni Ricci – another ADA.  She was the first person aside from Lindsay I felt comfortable enough around to let my guard down with.  She was amazing.  She allowed me to be what I needed to be without pushing me for answers or reasons for my behavior.  Eventually she became my best friend, and I told her about what had happened.”  Abbie sighed.  “She encouraged me to see a professional, but she didn’t force me into anything I wasn’t able to do on my own.”

“What happened?”

Tears spilled down Abbie’s cheeks, but her voice was a steady whisper when she answered.  “I let myself care for her, and she was gone in an instant... killed by mobsters.  That was the last time I opened myself up until you.”

“Even with Alex and Olivia?”

Abbie made a face.  “They were my colleagues and then my friends.  And although we’re close and I’m proud to count them among my best friends, they have never been more than that.  They never had the power to hurt me the way you could... the way you still can.”

“And that occurred to you....”

“... when I introduced you to Lindsay as the love of my life.”

“So why not come talk to me, Abbie?”

“I had to recover my balance.”  Abbie shook her head and rose from her spot beside Casey.  “I can’t explain to you how thrown I was.  I know it makes me sound like an idiot, but it’s the truth.”  She took a deep breath and stepped over to the window.  “It was like going to bed in New York in the middle of a blizzard and waking up half-naked on the French Riviera.”

Casey blinked.  “Wow – that’s quite a visual.”  Abbie shrugged again but kept her back to the room.  Casey stood up and moved to stand behind her – not quite touching but close enough for Abbie to feel her presence.  Abbie’s eyes closed and Casey let her hands drop to her sides.  “Abbie... Abbie, look at me.”  The dark head shook and Casey sighed, this time placing her hands on Abbie’s shoulders.  “Abbie,” her voice soft and pleading.

It took a moment, but finally Abbie turned in the circle of Casey’s arms, allowing her eyes to meet Casey’s.  She sucked in a startled breath, not having expected to find the love and understanding reflected back to her.

“Thank you for sharing that with me.  I can’t promise never to hurt you, but I can promise you that I will try.  Next time come talk to me first, huh?”  Abbie didn’t answer verbally.  Instead she let Casey envelop her in a fierce embrace that she returned fully.  When they parted enough to allow their eyes to meet, Casey whispered, “I love you, Abbie – I love all of you.”

This time Abbie’s response was more physical, and it wasn’t long before their making up was as well.


Chapter XIV

”I don’t wanna be Scooby Doo!” Helena pouted, crossing her arms over her chest in a fit of pique.  “He’s a dog, Dinah... a DOG.  And I am soooo not a dog person.”  She motioned to herself and let her eyes augment, revealing her obvious feline nature.

“Helena, you lost the toss fair and square,” Dinah huffed.

Helena snorted.  “Yeah – about that.  How do I know you didn’t TK it in your favor? Hmm?”

Outraged blue eyes met discontented blue.  “Are you saying I cheated?”

“Did you?”

“All right, you two... enough,” Barbara commented as she rolled into the room, her wheelchair making motorcycle sounds as it moved.  “You should have gone with Sylvester and Tweety if you wanted to be cartoon characters.  At least they would have played to type.  Now go get dressed; we don’t want to be late meeting up with everyone.”

“Barbara!” Helena whined even as Dinah moved off to do Barbara’s bidding.

Barbara reached up and wrapped a gloved fist in Helena’s shirt, pulling her down swiftly until their lips were inches apart.  Helena squawked and braced her arms on the arms of Barbara’s chair, then smiled ferally as she realized their positions allowed her to appreciate Barbara’s costume in a whole new way.  The white tank was tight – tight enough to reveal delineated abs and full cleavage that it couldn’t quite contain.  The temporary tattoos were colorful and the leather motorcycle jacket draped across her lap didn’t hide the skin-tight jeans she wore. 

“Helena?” Barbara’s voice broke through the haze Helena had fallen into and her now golden eyes met Barbara’s green ones.

“Yes?” her voice low and purring causing Barbara’s nostrils to flare in response.

“Get dressed, Scooby.  The quicker we do this party thing, the quicker we can come back her and have our own private game of trick-or-treat.”

The kiss that was Helena’s answer would have gone on longer had Dinah not screamed in frustration.  “Will the two of you stop it already?  I don’t have enough life left to get all the therapy I’m gonna need from all your projecting!”

“Deal, Kid.  If I’m gonna suffer, then so are you.”  Dinah stuck out her tongue, and Barbara laughed then patted Helena’s hip.

“Go get dressed, Hel.  It’s time to go trick-or-treating at the House of Mouse.”

************

“Careful there, Bard,” Xena wheezed as Gabrielle pulled the laces of her corset tighter.  “It’s not like I’ve worn this in a while and leather shrinks if you don’t wear it every day, you know.”

Gabrielle just gave her a knowing look and slipped the brass armor plates over Xena’s head, then motioned Xena to raise her arms so she could fasten it in place.  A knock on the door caused Gabrielle to stop what she was doing; Xena crossed to the door and opened it to admit Wonder Woman.

“Wow,” Diana breathed softly.  “I never thought I’d see the Warrior Princess in all her ancient glory.”  Blue eyes met fiery green when Gabrielle cleared her throat rather loudly.  “Sorry, my queen,” recognizing the poise and bearing even though Gabrielle still wore the robe the resort provided.  Diana   knelt and bowed her head.

“Diana,” Gabrielle sighed.  “Rise.  You know better than to stand on such formality with me.”

Diana rose smoothly with a sly smile.  “I know.  But how else would I know you painted your toes shades of a rainbow?” motioning to Gabrielle’s bare feet.  When Gabrielle’s nose crinkled up in a smile before she stuck out her tongue, Diana looked at the bed where Xena’s weapons lay in state.  “Are those...?”

“Yep,” Xena confirmed as she snapped the sheath into place on her back armor.  She slid her sword in with practiced ease and dropped the chakram onto its hook.

“Is that safe?” Diana asked even as she ran the lasso of truth through her fingers.

“As safe as yours is,” Xena replied with a significant glance towards Wonder Woman’s accouterments.  “No one but us knows it’s the real thing.”

Diana nodded.  “Fair enough.  I just don’t want to get thrown out of the party before we get in the gate.  I mean, really... Amazons who can’t even get into a party before being thrown out??  What would the sisters say?”

“What happens at Disney....”

“... stays at Disney,” Diana finished laughing.  Then she saw Xena’s eyes widen in appreciation and Diana turned to find the Amazon Queen of lore standing in front of her.  The brown leather was soft enough to be velvet except where it was inlaid with gold swirls that highlighted full breasts.  The armbands and gauntlets served to accentuate Gabrielle’s sleek muscularity and her six-pack abs were clearly defined above the matching swirls adorning the brown skirt.  Calf high brown boots held the sais she wore and the Queen’s shoulder insignia gleamed dully in the lamplight.  Gabrielle looked between two sets of blue eyes.

“What?” she asked as she grabbed her cape with her unique sigil pin and snatched up her staff.  “Are you two all right?”

Xena grinned rakishly, her eyes glowing in appreciation that even after all their years together made Gabrielle blush.  Diana just swallowed hard and nodded.  “Yeah.  It’s just a little... disconcerting... watching Amazon history come to life in front of you.  The stories don’t do you justice.”

Xena snorted.  “That’s because she never let’s herself be more than the observer in the background.  Despite whatever role she actually played.”  She and Gabrielle exchanged glares.  This was a millennia old argument between them, and it wasn’t going to be resolved this night either.

“Can I ask why?” Diana ventured.  Xena smirked; Gabrielle sighed.

“Because it’s harder to be objective when I am part of the stories.”

Diana rubbed her nose thoughtfully and cleared her throat.  “Gabrielle, I hate to be the one to break this to you, but none of your stories are objective where Xena is concerned.  Maybe you should visit Paradise Island soon and take a reading tour of the library... your library.”

Gabrielle tuned her glare on Diana momentarily, then sighed loudly.  “We need to go before we’re late meeting the Spencer-Rivera family for dinner,” with a telling look in Xena’s direction.

“And I’ve promised to meet up with the military contingent that’s here,” Diana added as they moved towards the door.  Xena opened it and gestured the others out in front of her.

“Have you met them before?”

“I’ve talked to Col. MacKenzie a few times and I know of both Cols. Carter and Fraiser.  This will be my first opportunity to sit down and talk to them though.  I’m looking forward to it.”  She paused a moment.  “You know about them, don’t you?” she finally asked.

“Probably as much or more than you do,” Xena assured her.  “Dite keeps us in the loop about all kinds of things.”

“Which makes me wonder how she missed drawing a bead on Desdemona.”

“Probably because what she knows about all has to do with her love biz thing, and let’s face it,” Gabrielle commented wryly.  “There is nothing even vaguely associated with love as far as Desdemona is concerned.”

Both dark heads nodded their agreement and they finished the remainder of their trip to the main building in silence.  As they stepped into the air-conditioned building, Diana bobbed her head in respect before separating from Xena and Gabrielle.  They watched her meet up with her dinner companions – a dominatrix, a First Prime and an SGC team member.

“Wonder if she knows how accurate Sam and Janet’s costumes are.”

“I doubt it. She probably knows they are involved in some sort of secret military project and that they are a couple.  You know how the government works – the right hand is never aware of what the left hand is doing.  And despite the repealing of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell....”

“True enough,” Xena agreed before they headed into the restaurant.

************

“Gabrielle!” Emma called out from the table she and her mommies were already seated at.  She waved, jumping excitedly when Gabrielle waved back.  Gabrielle clasped Xena’s hand and led them through the maze of tables before reaching the booth where Olivia, Natalia and Emma sat. Emma reached out and took Gabrielle’s hand.  “Can I sit with you and Xena?” she asked brightly, eyes shining in anticipation.

Xena and Gabrielle exchanged glances, then Xena motioned Gabrielle to slide in.  She turned her back to Xena, unclasping the pin on her cape and leaving it in Xena’s capable hands so she could slide into the booth with ease.  Olivia’s and Natalia’s eyes widened at the amount of skin she revealed.

“And I thought your costume was ballsy,” Olivia muttered with a look at the French maid costume Natalia sported.  Natalia blushed fiercely from both the words and the perusal.

“Oh, I don’t know, Olivia.  I think wearing a leash on the belt of a nun’s habit instead of the traditional rosary beads is pretty much putting it right out there,” came Gabrielle’s rejoinder in a teasing tone.  “I’d be willing to bet there’s a collar under that wimple.”

Green eyes met unflinchingly – one full of knowing and mischief, the other twinkling even as a blush stained her cheeks.  Then Natalia leaned her head on Olivia’s shoulder and their eyes met in silent communication.  The red receded from Olivia’s face, leaving her with only a light pink tinge.

“I think we’re going to get along fine,” Olivia said with assurance as her eyes returned to Gabrielle’s.

“I know so,” Gabrielle agreed, nodding her head to where Xena was knelt down in front of Emma.  Her mothers turned to watch the warrior’s interaction with their precious Jellybean.

************

“So this is a real warrior’s sword?” Emma asked as she walked behind Xena, placing her hand on the hilt as she investigated every single part of her costume.

“Well,” Xena hedged, “it represents a real warrior’s sword.  It was a necessary part of a warrior’s life in ancient Greece especially if the warrior in question served as Champion to the Amazon Queen.”

“And that’s who Gabrielle is, right?”

“Right... she’s the Amazon Queen and I am her Champion.”

“Is that why you have a Frisbee?” gesturing to the chakram.

Xena briefly considered explaining the weapon that had once been her signature as much as the pinch had.  Then she smirked to herself.  There was no way in hell and damnation itself she could do that without creating far more issues than she would ever be able to solve.  She nodded in answer to Emma’s question.

“That’s why I have the Frisbee – only Queen’s Champions get those.”

Emma’s eyes sparkled.  “That’s so cool.  I wanna be a Queen’s Champion when I grow up.”

Xena smiled.  “You can be anything you wanna be, Jellybean, but I have to tell you... I think you make a really nice Esmeralda.”

“She’s my favorite; she’s not a princess and she knows that preju... preju... treating people bad ‘cause they’re different hurts.  That’s what happened to my mommies, you know,” she confided, her voice quiet enough to actually remain private between her and Xena.

“I didn’t know,” Xena replied.  “But I promise that Gabrielle and I would never treat you or your mommies with disrespect like that.

“Oh, I know,” Emma said sagely.  “You’ve got good eyes.”

Blue eyes blinked rapidly in surprise.  “I do?”

“Um hmm,” the nod firm and instantaneous.  “You and Gabrielle both do.  I can tell.”

“Well maybe we can talk about how you can tell sometime.”

“Oh sure.  It’s easy.”  Emma turned to the table.  “Mommy, I’m hungry.  Can we eat now?”

“Waiting on you, Jellybean,” Olivia responded, watching with an indulgent smile as Emma smoothly slid into the booth between Xena and Gabrielle.  Xena took her seat and they turned their attention to the menus.  Their friendship was starting out on an interesting note.

************

“Hello, Col. MacKenzie,” Diana said as the dominatrix rose to greet her.  “Interesting costume.”

“Yeah,” Sam agreed with a wicked grin.  “I can’t believe Harm agreed to you wearing it without him.”

Mac gave her a wicked grin in return.  “Who said I asked?”  She turned back to Diana.  “Diana Prince, allow me to introduce you to Colonel Doctor Samantha Carter and Colonel Doctor Janet Fraiser.  Sam is here as an Air Force representative in the interests of Homeland Security and Janet is part of the medical community participating in law enforcement.”  They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries before Diana gestured them towards the restaurant.

“I imagine we will have plenty to talk about then,” Diana assured them.  “Shall we?”

As they entered the foyer of the restaurant, they were met by a trio of superheroes headed out.  Bones and Diana looked at one another for a long moment, then Bones shook her head. 

“You’re wearing the lasso on the wrong side,” she said bluntly, motioning to her own costume.

“I don’t think so,” Diana replied coolly.  “I did a lot of research on this subject.”

“How do you research a fictional character?   The television show....”

“... is a television show and shouldn’t be taken quite so literally, Sweetie,” Angela said as she pushed her red cape off her shoulders again.  “Let’s just go so these ladies can eat, all right?”

Bones nodded but not without a final look at Diana’s costume.  Then she allowed herself to be led from the restaurant.  Cam shook her head and gave Mac the once over.  Her eyebrow quirked and her lips twitched.

“Yeah, if I had to wear latex, I shoulda gone your route.”

The tension broken, the quartet chuckled their agreement as they watched Batman follow Supergirl and Wonder Woman from the room.  Then they followed the hostess to their table.

************

“Gabrielle, are those Amazons?” Emma asked as she pointed towards the door.  Following Diana and her dinner companions were three women dressed in short leather skirts, short leather tops and calf-high leather boots.  With them were three more women who looked as though they belonged to a circus as performers – a clown, complete with red nose and big shoes, some kind of glitzy assistant and a motorcycle rider of some sort.  They were seated out of sight and Gabrielle turned her attention back to Emma.

“I’m not sure,” she confessed honestly.  “But I think they were.”

“You don’t know all the Amazons?”

Olivia and Natalia looked faintly amused at Emma’s seriousness, but Gabrielle accepted the question for what it was at face value.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly.  The Amazon Nation is very large and made up of a number of tribes located all over.  I meet with the Regents, but it’s not entirely possible for me to have met everyone.  And if they are new members, they wouldn’t have been added to the database yet.”

“You had databases in ancient Greece?”

Gabrielle didn’t even flinch but simply grinned at Emma.  “Yeah – except then we called them scrolls.”

“That sounds neat.  Maybe we should go meet the new Amazons.  They would probably love to meet the queen.”

“How about we finish dinner first, Em?” Olivia asked.  “We don’t want to be late for the Halloween Party.”  Emma nodded and turned her attention back to the food.

************

“This is nice,” Sabrina commented as she removed her nose.  Kelly set her helmet under her chair and Kris tried vainly to get the short skirt on her red dress to stop creeping up.  Emily, JJ and Garcia all slipped into their seats with only minimal pushing and pulling on their costumes and soon the waitress had taken their orders and left them alone again.

“It is,” Emily agreed as she covered Sabrina’s hand with her own.  “I’m so glad we got this opportunity to know one another again, Aunt Bre - as well as those we both call family,” indicating the others who sat at the table.

“I never would have thought,” Sabrina started, then changed her course.  “It really is incredible.  So,” she continued, taking a deep breath and willing away the quavers in her voice.  “Why Amazons?”

“Because Garcia is an enthusiast,” JJ replied with a smile.

“Well, they’re a thrilling part of history that time has pretty much forgotten about,” Garcia defended.

“I agree,” Kris affirmed.  “Wish we had thought of that,” looking down at her assistant’s costume with a frown.  “At least that wouldn’t give me nightmares.”

“Bad memories?” Emily asked.

“Rough case,” Kelly answered.  “The only thing good about it was we all came out of it intact.”

“Some days that’s the best you can hope for,” JJ said somberly.  Then the waitress appeared with their appetizers and the conversation turned to lighter discussion.


Chapter XV

“Oh wow,” Lilly commented to Sara as the CSI cum pirate joined her at the table.  “Even without being a fortune teller with a crystal ball, I see bad things happening there,” she said with a nod towards the New York contingent that was just coming in the door.  Catherine and Sofia turned simultaneously – Catherine lifting the eye patch that went with her pirate costume while Sofia shifted the dreadlocks that made up the wig of her Jack Sparrow get up.

“Uh oh,” Sofia agreed.  “No kidding.”

Every New York sports team except the Jets was represented, which in and of itself was a recipe for disaster no matter how good of friends the women were.  Even being on the same side professionally wouldn’t forgive the rivalry between their favorite teams.  Then Jordan walked in sporting a Red Sox jersey and friendly pandemonium broke loose between them.  Wendy shook her head.

“I think it’s a good thing they like each other,” watching all the backslapping going on at the far table.

“One can only hope,” Catherine commented wryly.  “Otherwise we may end up having to process evidence for all the assault charges that will be flying instead of going to this party.”

“Oh no,” Wendy complained. “Not after getting into this costume,” motioning to the outfit she wore.  “It took me an hour to get this right.”

“Speaking of... what made you decide to go as...?” gesturing to her decidedly non-pirate outfit.  “I thought the Vegas crew were all going as pirates,” Sara said, motioning around the table.

Wendy shrugged.  “I tried the pirate costume, but it wasn’t working for me.  This one just felt right.”

“Maybe you’ve got a dashing Southern rogue somewhere in your past,” Catherine observed with a grin.

“Maybe.  I may have to talk to my mother when we get home.”

“Or maybe you could just talk to your doppleganger,” Sofia nodded towards Nikki as she and Nora headed out of the restaurant.  Wendy’s eyes met Nikki’s briefly before they both looked away.

“Maybe,” she agreed, but turned her attention back to the meal in front of her.

************

“You really need to talk to her Nik,” Nora said as she shifted the full skirt of her antebellum dress out of her way again.  “How did I ever let you talk me into this?” she grumbled.  “I feel like an Azalea Trail maiden.”

Nikki leaned over and brushed a light kiss over Nora’s lips, only to find her own caught and held for a long moment.  “You look beautiful, Nora,” she said on a labored breath as they separated.  She caressed Nora’s cheek with the backs of her fingers.  “Think of this as your private debutante ball.”

Nora snorted.  “About twenty years too late.  And stop avoiding the subject,” she chided as she watched the crowd part for them and wondered if it was due to her costume or Nikki’s.

“I’m not avoiding anything, Darlin’.  I’m trying to figure out if I can use any of these voodoo things Darius let me borrow to cast a spell on her,” jangling the bits and pieces of her priestess costume.

“Nikki, just talk to her.  I’ll be right beside you no matter what.”

“Maybe I should ask Queen Victoria to step in,” she said jokingly, nodding her head in Emily’s direction as the red head stepped into the foyer of the main building ushering two teenagers dressed as teenagers ahead of her.

“Looks like the queen may have her hands full at the moment, Lover.  You might ought to take care of this one on your own.”

Nikki gave Nora a look.  “I’ll think about it, okay?”

Nora nodded.  “That’s all I can ask.”

************

Caroline and Cassidy slid into the car waiting under the portico for them and waved at Emily as they sped away into the night.  Emily turned back towards the main entrance only to stop when she realized she was not alone.  She put a hand over her heart and glared at the woman facing her.

“Andy!  Are you trying to kill me?”

“Why would I want to do that, Em?  I just wanted to talk for a minute.  I’ve hardly seen you since....”

“Andy,” Emily commanded, holding up a hand regally like the queen she currently represented.  “I know we get together for drinks once in a while in New York.  I know you do the same thing with Nigel as well.  But that doesn’t change the fact that I cannot be seen associating with you on any level here.  Miranda has already made it clear you are to be nowhere in her orbit.  Given that I am her first assistant... I’m sure you can see where this is going.”

Andy sighed.  “Maybe I should just speak to Miranda directly.”

“NO!  No, Andy.  If you value our association at all, you will stay away from Miranda.”

“But, Em... I owe her.”

“Perhaps.  But if that is so, please owe her on your time – not mine or Runway’s.  Even being Agent 99 will not save you from her wrath.”  She looked around and then continued sotto voce.  “And as Julia Child, I’m fairly certain Miranda has a plethora of knives at her disposal.”

Andy clapped a hand over her mouth.  “Miranda is dressed as Julia Child?” waiting for Emily to narrow her eyes and give a curt nod.  “Thanks, Em,” she said before she disappeared down the hallway.  Moments later Miranda strode up and looked around suspiciously.

“Did the girls get away all right?”

“Yes, Miranda.  The car will be returning for us shortly.”

“Very well, Emily.  That’s all.”

************

“Wow,” Annabelle commented quietly as she looked around at the number of costumes milling around the large space.  “I never expected....”

“Me either,” Simone agreed.  “But it’s quite interesting.  Lots of different costumes.  I wonder if anyone else’s are as accurate in their portrayal as ours are,” her voice dry and holding the merest hint of derision.  Annabelle reached up and covered Simone’s lips with her hand, smiling when she felt Simone’s lips naturally purse into a kiss that brushed over her palm.

“Simone,” Annabelle said softly.  “You are not a villain and I am certainly no damsel in distress.  I chased you, remember?  And I distinctly recall you running from me.”  She paused a beat and dropped her hand.  “Maybe I should have been the villain; you were certainly in distress for a while.”

“Only because I wanted so badly, Love, and never thought I could ever have,” Simone whispered as she cupped Annabelle’s face.

“Simone, if you don’t want to miss this party, you’re going to have to stop looking at me like that.  Otherwise I’m going to play the villain and take you back to our room to have my way with you.”

“Promise?” Simone asked with a twinkle in her eye.  For answer Annabelle grasped Simone’s hand and led them back the way they’d come.

************

“I canna believe prisoners in the States wear black and white stripes, Nikki,” Helen complained. 

“Well, Luv, it was either stripes or irons, and I thought the stripes might be easier to manage.”

“I still don’t know why I let you talk me into this,” she grumbled, motioning to her outfit, then the police uniform Nikki wore.  “Surely we coulda been more original than this.”

“Oh I dunno, Helen.  I think you make a fantastic inmate.  I’m pretty sure we could have some great fun with this scenario later,” she added with a rakish smile and waggling eyebrows.

“Keep it up, Missy.  I’m sure there’s a room to be had somewhere on property where you can be sleeping tonight.”

“Aw, Helen….”

“Do I detect trouble in paradise, Watson?” Ash asked as she and Scribbs walked up, tapping her lips with Holmes’ trademark Meerschaum pipe.  Scribbs shrugged, struggling to maintain the monocle she’d insisted be part of her costume.

“Couldn’t tell ya, Luv,” she replied cheekily, smiling when Ash rolled her eyes.

“Do try to stay in character, Scribbs.”

“Yeah,” Nikki agreed, cutting off any whine Scribbs might have made.  “You’re cute, Emma, and Watson suits you.”  She leaned in a little closer.  “Personally I always felt Watson actually solved the crimes – he just gave Holmes the credit to preserve his anonymity.”

“Hey!” Ash complained.  Helen just glared.

“Careful there, Nikki.  You’re already on my list for this costuming idea and I donna have green eyes for nothin’ ya know.”

Nikki zipped her lips and moved back to stand beside Helen, wrapping an arm around her thin waist.  Scribbs just grinned widely.  “Could be worse, I guess,” Scribbs commented.  “We could be dressed like them,” pointing out the Three Stooges that just entered the rapidly filling foyer area.

************

“Are you sure this is necessary?” Ziva asked as she and her compatriots meandered into the main building.  “Why do we need to be ‘stooges’?”

“We don’t need to be,” Abby replied practically.  “We’re doing it because it’s fun, Larry.”

“My name is not Larry, Abby.  My name is....”

“I know who you are, Ziva.  But tonight you are Larry.  Just like I’m Moe and Kate....”

“... is Curly.  Be thankful, Ziva,” Kate said as she worried her bald headpiece onto her hair a little more securely.  “You could have to wear this,” cutting her eyes at Abby.

“Oh, c’mon, guys.  This could be a lot of fun.”

“Fun,” Ziva repeated dryly.  “Aren’t we here to learn as well as network with other law enforcement personnel?”

“Sure,” Abby concurred brightly.  “But why shouldn’t we have some fun too?”

“Maybe if we’d come dressed like they did,” Kate said wryly, motioning towards the quartet dressed as the Beatles.

************

“This was a great idea, Blair!” Tootie exclaimed to the woman who looked suspiciously like Paul McCartney.  “I always wanted to meet Ringo Starr and now I get to be him even if it’s just for a Halloween party,” sticking the drumsticks she carried into her pocket.

Blair smiled.  “I’m glad you approve, Tootie.  Some of us aren’t quite as enthusiastic,” cutting her brown eyes at Jo.

“Well, Princess, you’re not the one wearing glasses, are you?  Besides... the Beatles?”

“Oh c’mon, Jo,” Natalie cum George said with a smile.  “Everybody likes the Beatles.  It could have been a lot worse; we could have been the Monkees.”

“It could have been even worse than that, Joey,” Blair added with a twinkling smile.  “And face it, you look sexy in wire rims.”

“You think so?”

“Um hmm.”

“All right, you two.  You’re giving me hives over here,” Tootie teased.

“Yeah... what she said,” Natalie agreed.  “Besides, I figure it’s just a matter of time before the fights start breaking out among some of our friends,” gesturing towards the sports clad New Yorkers currently exiting the restaurant.  “I mean with all those teams and a Red Sox besides, it’s just waiting to happen.”

“Maybe,” Blair commented noncommittally.  “But where are the rest?”

“Of the teams?” Jo asked, wrapping her arms around Blair from behind.  “Honey, that’s all the majors.”  She frowned.  “All but one.  Wonder who’s representing the Jets?”

“No, silly.  Where are the rest of our friends?  I haven’t seen Alex, Olivia, Abbie or Casey.  For that matter I haven’t seen Abbie’s cousin and her friends either... not that I can see much in this melee.”

“We’ll find them.  In fact....” Jo motioned to the far door.  “Isn’t that Lindsay and her friends?”

Blair squinted and Jo handed Blair the glasses she was wearing.  Blair snorted and pushed the glasses back towards Jo.  “You’re funny, Joey.  Really.  Are you talking about the Marx Brothers?”

“Yeah – isn’t that them?”

“Let’s go find out.”

************

“This was a great idea, Jill... I mean, Groucho.” Lindsay enthused.  Jill snorted and Cindy just glared at her.  Claire chuckled.

“You just like it because being Zeppo means you can do whatever you want, Linds.  It’s not like anyone knows anything much about him other than that he was an agent,” Claire scoffed.

“Oh be honest, Chico,” Jill chided Claire with a wicked twinkle in her eyes and an elbow poke to the ribs.  “Linds just likes it because she’s not Harpo – Cindy is,” laughing when Cindy leveled a glare at her.  “C’mon Cindy – you’re the one who made the bet.  You quitting already?”

Cindy glared again but said nothing as she shook her head.

“All right, then,” Jill agreed, then turned so the Marx brothers could welcome the Beatles as they approached.

************

“Hey, Lindsay,” Jo spoke after the initial greetings were complete.  “Have you heard from Abbie or Olivia?  They were going to meet us here, but with all the women in costume milling about, I’m not sure we’ll be able to find one another before it’s time to get on the bus,” checking the time once more.

“Not since we parted ways earlier this afternoon.”

Jo nodded, having expected the answer.  “Thanks, Lindsay.”  She hesitated, then continued.  “Can I ask how you managed to get the reporter in your little club here to be the silent Marx brother?  Seems like cruel and unusual punishment, Inspector.”

Lindsay laughed, drawing the attention of both groups of women.  “I had nothing to do with it, Detective.  This is a bet between Jill and Cindy.  Claire and I are just along for the ride.”

Jo shook her head.  “I hope it works out for you, Lindsay.”

“Me too,” the Inspector agreed in a whisper.  “The doghouse is a cold, lonely place to be.”

At that moment, Blair came up on Jo’s side and wrapped an arm around her waist.  Cindy did the same to Lindsay, laying her head in the crook of Lindsay’s neck.

“The buses are here,” Blair said, pointing out the glass doors. 

“Guess we should go then,” Jo said.  She looked at her watch again.  “Hopefully Olivia and crew will be here shortly.”

“Maybe we should try calling them.”

“We can try, but you know how iffy signal has been here for everyone.  Let’s get on the bus and I’ll try from there.  Maybe we can ask Xena and Gabrielle to keep an eye out for them too.”  With a nod, the two groups headed out the doors, the rest of the women following slowly behind them.  It was time to go have some Halloween fun at the Magic Kingdom.


Chapter XVI

Elizabeth Donnelly stopped short as she approached the bus area where Gabrielle and Xena currently stood checking people in.  She gave Gabrielle the once-over and raised her eyebrows.  “Amazon?”

“Amazon Queen actually,” Gabrielle answered with a grin.  “And my Champion, of course.”

“I should have thought of that,” Liz complained good-naturedly.  “I doubt that leather itches nearly as much as this grass skirt and coconut shells.”

“Probably not,” Gabrielle agreed.  “But at least you managed not to be part of the sports phenomenon that seems to have engulfed the New York DA’s office.

“I refused,” Liz stated flatly.  “I have seen what sports fever does to otherwise reasonable, intelligent human beings.”

“’Civilized’ war,” Xena commented dryly. 

“Exactly,” Liz nodded.  “Only when you get a bunch of New York lawyers involved...”

Xena held up a hand.  “Say no more.”

“Hey!” Tracey broke in, Ranger jersey draping her lithe figure.  “We’re the good guys here, remember?”

“Yeah,” Kelly said.  “Prosecuting the offenders,” straightening her Giants jersey.

“Some of us, anyway,” Knicks clad Serena added with a smirk.

Melinda shook her head.  “Will all of you just get on the bus before my husband and kids decide they need to bring their Mets supporting selves with us tonight?  Bad enough the Red Sox are already here,” bumping shoulders with Jordan.

“Yankee cooties!” Jordan replied, scrunching up her face.  Melinda just laughed and slapped her on the back before boarding the bus behind the rest.

“Wonder what happened to the Jets representative?” Gabrielle asked as the last of the Manhattan contingent climbed aboard.  Xena shrugged.

“Dunno.  I’ve still got several who haven’t checked in, including Lucy and Amy.  If they’re not here soon, they’re gonna miss the bus... literally.”  At that moment, five toga clad women rushed through the waiting area only to come to a standing halt in front of Xena and Gabrielle, breathing heavily and unable to speak.  Xena winced when Gabrielle grabbed her arm tightly, but the expression on the bard’s face made Xena forget about her arm and focus on Gabrielle.

“Gabrielle?”

Gabrielle loosened her grasp and cleared her throat.  “Sorry... unexpected memory,” she replied softly.

Xena held her eyes for a long moment before being assured by what she saw in Gabrielle’s eyes.  Satisfied by what she found, Xena nodded and turned back to the women who were currently looking at the two of them with more than a trace of curiosity.  When Xena took in their costumes, she blanched, understanding perfectly Gabrielle’s initial reaction.

“Xena?”  Lucy stepped closer, but stopped short of touching either of them.  “Is everything all right?  You both look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Xena nodded.  “We’re fine.  Caesar, right?” motioning to Lucy’s bloodstained costume.

“Yeah... and the Senate that executed me, including my best friend Brutus,” looking towards her armor wearing first lieutenant.  “Beware the Ides, ya know.”

“I know.  Clever effect with the knives.”

“Thanks – that’s all Amy’s work.  It was a bitch but well worth the effort I think.”

“I think so too,” Gabrielle said as she moved up to stand beside Xena.  “Nice work, Amy!”

“Thanks, Gabrielle.”  She turned to her former teammates.  “C’mon guys – let’s get on the bus so we can get this show on the road.”

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Max complained.

“Oh c’mon, Max,” Janet said enthusiastically.  “It’ll be fun,” tugging on Scud’s hand.  He held his helmet under his arm and kept his mouth shut, having long since learned when to speak when these women were together.  Silence was usually better for him that way.

“Maybe if you are five,” Dominique snarked, though Amy saw the twinkle in her eyes.  She rolled her own in response and waved them ahead of her.  “Let’s go... chop, chop.”

Lucy chuckled at all the posturing, watching them mount the stairs one by one.  She turned to look back at Xena and Gabrielle.  “You sure you two are all right?  I know today was a little stressful, but I thought things went well all things considered.”

“They did, Lucy and we’re fine.  Just ready to go have some fun at the Magic Kingdom.”

“So let’s go,” she replied, motioning them ahead of her.

“Wait!  Wait!  Are we too late?”

Xena jerked her head towards the bus and Lucy got on board.  Then Xena and Gabrielle turned towards the latecomers joining them at almost a full out run.

************

“So we’re all right now?” Abbie asked Casey as she rose naked from the bed.  Casey held her eyes carefully, her smile genuine but conservative.

“I think we will be as long as you talk to me, Abbie.  You can’t just leave me out of things and expect everything to be all right.”

Abbie sighed and dropped her head, her hair hiding her face.  “I know – I’m sorry.”

Casey sat up and took Abbie’s hands in hers.  “Don’t be sorry, Abbie,” Casey said, ducking her head to meet deep brown eyes with bright green ones.  She smiled gently.  “Just improve.”

Abbie smiled.  “I’m trying.”

“I know,” Casey said, leaning up capture Abbie’s lips for a long moment.  When she pulled back, they were both breathing heavily.  “Now as much fun as making up with you is, I think we owe it to ourselves and our friends to let them know we’re going to be okay.  Besides, I’m dying to see you as a Longhorn cheerleader.  So move it along there, Missy.  We’ve got to take showers and before you say it – no we cannot shower together.  We’d never make it.”

Abbie grinned rakishly, then pulled away slowly to strut across the room to the bathroom.  “Your loss,” she proclaimed before she disappeared around the corner.  Casey flopped face down on the bed and groaned aloud.

“She’s going be the death of me but what a way to go.”

************

Now they were racing towards the buses knowing they were in for a boatload of teasing from their friends... especially if they were waiting specifically for Abbie and Casey to arrive.  They reached Xena and Gabrielle and bent over to catch their breath.  Gabrielle smiled, her eyes twinkling when they met Xena’s.

“Well we found our missing Jet,” indicating Casey’s jersey.  “I think your friends were about ready to put out an APB for you two.”

“Sorry... we....” Abbie stopped when Gabrielle held up her hand. 

“It’s all right.  But since you’re the last to join us, if you’ll just get on board, we’ll be on our way.”

Abbie took Casey’s hand and they stepped into the buses to the accompanying hooting and hollering of their friends.  They blushed and found their seats.  Lindsay came up beside Casey and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“One day you’re gonna have to share your secret.  No one else has been able to get into that cheerleading outfit since she graduated from UT.”

Casey turned Lindsay’s head until her lips met Lindsay’s ear.  “I never kiss and tell,” she stated.  Lindsay just howled in laughter and made her way back to her own seat.  Then the buses pulled out, headed for the Magic Kingdom.

************

“Did you hear from Alex and Olivia?” Gabrielle asked Xena as they took their seats.

“Yeah – apparently they’re the victims of a fashion emergency.”  Gabrielle’s eyebrow spiked and she grinned.  Xena returned the look and chuckled.  “I had the same thought, but I’m not asking.  They’re all adults – we don’t have to be responsible for them.”

“Always a bonus for us.”

“Yep.   Anyway they should be joining us shortly.”

“Good.  We’ve got pictures of everyone else,” holding up her digital camera.  “It’s going to make for a fabulous memory book when we’re done.  What about Sam and Brooke?”

”Sam told me they’d meet us there.  Seems she has a surprise for Brooke.”

“You think...?”

“Yeah... I do.”

************

“You know what they’re all thinking,” Olivia said as Alex re-laced the corset she wore.

“Yes, and just so we’re clear, Detective, I have absolutely no problem with making them all correct in their assumptions,” leaning forward and brushing a kiss over the juncture of Olivia’s neck and shoulder.

“Don’t tempt me, Counselor.  If the lacing hadn’t broken on this thing to start with, we’d have had time to indulge on all sorts of interesting scenarios,” she added, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Well, if it had only happened once, we might have had time for indulgence.  But having to replace the laces twice was a little over the top even for us,” Alex supplied with a smirk.  “Are you sure the eye isn’t cutting you now?” referring to the object that had not only cut two sets of laces, but also managed to drawn blood from otherwise smooth skin.

“Yeah, it’s all good,” shivering a little when Alex trailed her lips over her backbone.  Olivia cleared her throat.  “All done?” with only a slight squeak.

“Sure ‘nuff, ma’am,” Alex replied with an almost courtly bow, a slight drawl peeking out of her normally precise diction.  Olivia chuckled. 

“You’ve been talking to Abbie,” she teased.

“Maybe she offered me a little coaching,” Alex allowed, stomping her feet to settle her jeans around her boots before placing the Stetson on her head.  She snatched up the badge she’d acquired just for her costume and pinned it on. Then Olivia cleared her throat shyly.  Alex turned and her eyes widened.

“You like?” Liv asked, preening slightly under Alex’s admiring gaze.

“Very much,” letting her eyes trace up Olivia’s old west madam’s costume.  “Something to be said for a corset.”

“Other than they are an invention of the devil?”

“Yea for the devil,” Alex muttered then swept Olivia into her arms, kissing her hard and fast before taking a step back and offering her arm.  Olivia blinked rapidly.

“You sure a respectable officer of the law wants to be seen in the company of the town madam, Sheriff?”

“It would be my privilege, Miss Olivia.”

“In that case,” Olivia said as she gathered her purse and took Alex’s arm, “maybe you should call for our horse and buggy so we can get to this shindig before it’s over.”

Alex’s brows went to her hairline.  “Shindig, Liv?”

Olivia shrugged.  “When in Rome....”

“All righty then, Little Lady,” Alex drawled, whipping her cell phone out of her pocket and making a quick call.  “Let’s get to this shindig so we can have us a little fun.”

Olivia’s eyes bugged from her head and Alex chuckled at her reaction.  Olivia smirked and shook her head, then tugged on Alex’s arm, leading them out of the room and towards the pickup area.  Their night was starting out on a high note.

************

“Bout time you two joined the rest of us,” Jo snarked as Alex and Olivia passed through the turnstiles.  The rest of the women from both conferences were milling in front of the Mickey Mouse floral portrait beneath the Main Street train station, and they cheered while Alex and Olivia blushed. 

“C’mon, you two,” Casey said, motioning them over.  “Gabrielle wants a group photo before we go in, and we’re waiting on you.”

“Not just them,” Xena said as she heard the slight sound of approaching horses’ hooves and singing.  She hoped this worked out.  She’d made quite a few phone calls to lay the groundwork for Sam once she’d asked for help.  She motioned to Gabrielle who in turn looked at the myriad of women waiting mostly patiently for her instructions.

“If you could all line up on the bleachers, we’re awaiting the arrival of one more couple.  Then I can get a couple pictures and you’ll be free to go enjoy the Halloween party.”  The women cheered even as they arranged themselves on the bleachers that had been set up specifically for them. Some knelt or sat across the front and others climbed atop the stone wall, kneeling and standing until they were all positioned within the lines Gabrielle had set.

By that point they all heard the sound of singing, and they automatically quieted to listen, turning their heads to find the source of the music.  Then a horse drawn carriage stepped through the passage beneath the train station and a number of women covered their mouths in surprise as they realized what was happening.

The driver could have been part of the coach for all the notice that was taken of him.  Instead everyone’s focus was on the couple dressed as Aladdin and Jasmine as they rolled to a stop in front of the large group.  But what was surprising was to find that Sam dressed as Jasmine, was singing to Brooke who was currently sporting a blush that could be seen despite her tan.

When Brook grasped the fact that their ride had stopped moving, she looked around, understanding immediately that she and Sam were the center of attention.  She rose from the carriage and pushed the steps down, alighting first, then offering her hand to Sam who continued to sing to her as though completely unaware of their audience.

She started to lead them towards the group before being jerked to a halt.  She turned sharply, ready to say something to Sam when she saw Sam kneeling before her.  She covered her mouth as comprehension of what was really going on hit her between the eyes even as the odd thought flitted through her mind that she hoped Sam wasn’t kneeling directly on the asphalt.

“Sam?” her whispered voice so quiet Sam saw more than heard her name fall from Brooke’s lips.  She ended her song, the silence stunning in its completeness.  Then she smiled at Brooke in what she hoped was a reassuring way though the tears in her eyes were making it hard to tell. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision, noting the matching tears in Brooke’s eyes.

“Tears, Princess?  I haven’t said anything yet,” she teased, trying to lighten the tension in the air.  Brooke tried to glare, but the smile on her face and the tears in her eyes made it a less than effective gesture.  Instead she stuck out her tongue and Sam laughed aloud.

“We’ve been a long time getting to this place in our lives.  I imagine some here don’t think so – I mean we are kinda the kids in this group of successful women.  But you know and I know what we’ve been through just to get here.”  Brooke nodded and Sam swallowed before she continued.  “And with that being the case, in front of all these witnesses I wanted to ask you to make this permanent... with me, I mean.”  She pulled a ring from her top and held it up for Brooke’s inspection.

Brooke shook her head and extended her hand.  Sam frowned, a little confused.  Brooke leaned down slightly.  “I don’t want to look at it, Sammy.  I want to wear it.”

Sam’s face was suddenly wreathed in smiles and she slipped the ring onto Brooke’s ring finger, then felt her own hand being tugged on.  “Does this mean yes?” laughing when Brooke rolled her eyes and nodded emphatically.  She allowed Brooke to pull her to her feet and turned to the crowd watching them with bated breath.  “She said yes!"

The crowd erupted in cheers with a few exceptions and Sam took Brooke into her arms to seal the deal.  The kiss was long and sweet and there were whoops and catcalls going on long before they finished.  When they came up for air, Gabrielle teased them just a little bit.

“Um, before I have to send you two back to the hotel to finish your engagement celebration privately, would you like to join the rest of us over here for a couple of pictures?  I think everyone else is ready to go trick or treating and start their scavenger hunt.”

Sam and Brook blushed, but made their way to stand with the group.  Gabrielle handed her camera to the Disney photographer who stood waiting patiently, then she and Xena joined their friends.  Then Mickey and Donald came over to lead them to Main Street; it was time to party.


Chapter XVII

Their closest friends had been the last to leave the front entrance area after admiring the ring Sam had given to Brooke and offering their congratulations.  Now they stood alone debating their options.

“No one is going to care if we go back to our room now, Brooke.  We did just get engaged after all.  They probably expect us to,” Sam added with a grin.

“I know, Sammy.  But you really wanted to come to the Halloween party and to take part in the poker run scavenger hunt Xena and Gabrielle set up for us all to participate in.  Our teammates are waiting for us, and I don’t mind.  It looks like a lot of fun... all of it.  Besides, we have all the rest of our lives to celebrate together.  We should enjoy this opportunity while we’re here.  We can continue our private celebration when we get back to our room.”

“Promise?”

“Guaranteed, Sweetheart.  Appreciate every minute of every day, remember?”

Sam just pulled Brooke’s head down until their lips met for a long time.  When she released her, she took Brooke’s hand in hers and together they walked towards the shops on Main Street.

************

“Barbara?  How did you manage motorcycle sounds on your wheelchair?” Emma asked as they slowly made their way up Main Street collecting candy and looking for their clue giver as they went.

Barbara smiled awkwardly, not exactly sure how she’d managed to wind up close to the only child associated with either convention.  Then she remembered Helena’s advice to her earlier.  Just treat her like she’s a mini-me, Red.  You’ll be fine.  She hoped dearly that Helena was right, but decided that either way she could make an effort.

“Well, I drew out the designs and built the prototype, then Scud installed it for me this afternoon.”

“Prototype?”

“Jellybean, are you bothering Barbara?” Olivia asked indulgently.

“Oh no, Mommy.  She’s telling me about the sounds her wheelchair can make.  She built a pro... a proto....”  Emma looked at Barbara for help.

“A prototype... a working model,” Barbara responded.

“Well, I like it,” Emma approved.  “I think it sounds cool.”

Barbara leaned forward, stage whispering to Emma loud enough that the rest could hear her.  “Me too,” she confessed with a grin.

One of the storytellers caught Emma’s eye and she wandered over to hear his tale.  Olivia and Natalia excused themselves to follow her and Barbara and Helena watched them go before they continued their slow track down the street.

“That was really nice of you, Red, especially teaming up with them and all.  I know you’re not really comfortable with kids her age.”

“While it’s true I prefer my wards to be a little older and more mature, Emma seems to be quite grown-up for her age.  Besides, I just remembered your advice and treated her like a mini-you.”

Helena smiled, looking insufferably pleased with herself for a long moment before she realized what Barbara had actually said.  “Hey!” she objected, trying to hold a pout and a glare simultaneously.  Barbara chuckled and shook her head, watching as Dinah approached them with what appeared to be their first clue.

“That Emma’s a pretty smart kid – her storyteller Stan was our clue giver.” Dinah laughed.  “I don’t think the rest have caught on yet though.”  She opened the envelope in her hand, then scrunched her brow in an annoyed frown at the printed words as Emma and her mommies rejoined them.

“Well?” Helena asked impatiently.  “What’s it say?”

Long ago, poor manatees
Were mistaken for these maidens of the Seas;
The song of this Maiden who lured with her voice -
Find her hideaway to make your choice.

“I think I know what it means,“ Barbara said, looking at Emma and smiling when she nodded her agreement when they headed towards Fantasyland.  “Have you got our card, Emma?”

“Yes,” holding up an eight of hearts.

Barbara nodded in satisfaction.  “Good girl.  C’mon.”  It was time to do some riding, card collecting and clue finding.

************

“Are we certain this is where we need to be?” Ziva asked her teammates as she looked around the insanity known as Fantasyland.  Abbie and Kate exchanged glances and Emily, JJ and Garcia just grinned.  Having worked with NCIS on occasion, they weren’t surprised by Ziva’s skepticism.  Sabrina, Kelly and Kris just accepted the question at face value.

“According to the clue we got on Main Street,” Kris answered.  “Now we just have to find the clue giver here, and we can get our next card and move on to the next land.

“At least we don’t have to go into ‘Small World’.” Emily commented dryly, eliciting laughter and groans from the rest of her teammates.

“I think Xena knows what a hazard that would wind up being with as many law enforcement women as are attending her conference.  That’s just asking for an incident.”

Sabrina nodded emphatically though it didn’t stop her eyes from twinkling with good humor.  A hand on her arm caused her to look at Kelly and she raised an eyebrow in question. 

“How about there?” motioning towards Ariel’s Grotto.

The large group walked briskly to the back of Fantasyland, finding the Disney cast member they needed with relative ease.  They collected their playing card and clue and moved to a table to open the envelope, but not before hearing the cast member radio their chosen card, the two of clubs, to another cast member.

“What was that all about?”

“I think each employee we have to talk to has their own deck so as cards get drawn from one deck by the different teams, they have to be pulled from the rest of the decks to keep the equivalent of fifty-two cards.”  A beat.  “Read the clue, Bre.”

6-2-6 everyone knows -
In time, saves nine, the saying goes;
But a Mouse in outer space? Who'd have thunk
There was money to be made in selling space junk?

“So what does it mean?”

“I think it means we need to go here,” Kate said, pointing to a spot on the map she held.  “I think we’re supposed to go to Star Traders.”

“It means we’re going to Tomorrowland,” Abby confirmed with enthusiasm. 

************

The NY ADA team, as they had taken to calling themselves despite the presence of Liz Donnelly, Melinda Warner and Serena Southerlyn, had just succeeded in finding their second clue and next playing card in the Star Traders in Tomorrowland.

“What does it say, Tracey?” they clambered as she struggled to open the envelope.

Diamonds, rubies and Pearls of Black
Sail the waters... don't turn your back;
La Casa Del Tesora is your stop;
No map is needed, X marks the spot.

“So what does that mean?” Kelly inquired.

“And can we ride Space Mountain while we’re here?” Serena asked plaintively.

“NO!  No riding til we win this poker run.  We only have three hours to do the scavenger hunt.  Once we’re done with that, we can do whatever we want with the time we have left.  But if we want to win, we’ve got to focus,” Casey stated firmly.

“You know, I wonder what the prize is,” Melinda wondered aloud.

“I think there must be more than one,” Liz contributed thoughtfully.  “With all the participants, I can’t imagine there isn’t enough for everyone on a team.”

“That’s all well and wonderful, ladies, but it’s not getting us any closer to a solution.  Do we really want to let anyone else beat us?” Tracey posed to the rest.

“Good point!” Abbie replied.  “I for one will never hear the end of it if either Olivia’s or Lindsay’s team does better than we do.”

“Reason enough for me,” Casey assured Abbie with a smile.  “And I think I’ve figured this out,” looking at the rest expectantly.  “We need to go to Adventureland.”

************

“I’m not quite sure why I decided to attend this event,” Miranda grumbled aloud though mostly to herself.  “Of all the ridiculous, childish....”

“Excuse me?  Are you Miranda Priestly?” a woman dressed as the Queen of Hearts asked the woman dressed as Julia Child.  “I’m Blake Marler.  We’ve spoken several times,” she added as she offered her hand.  Miranda accepted the hand firmly as she acknowledged her identity as well as Blake’s.  Sensing the other woman’s discomfort, Blake continued speaking.

“I was wondering – I’m not really dressed for riding very much,” indicating her costume, “and since neither of us seem to be interested in playing the scavenger hunt that’s going on, I thought perhaps you might like to join me for a cup of hot chocolate,” gesturing to the nearby kiosk.  Cold blue eyes gazed thoughtfully at her.  “Or maybe coffee if you prefer?”  Blake smiled when a spark of warmth flitter through ice at the mention of coffee.

“That would be acceptable,” Miranda agreed.  “Emily,” calling to a redheaded woman Blake hadn’t even noticed despite her Queen Victoria costume.  “You’re dismissed for the moment. Go,” Miranda waggled her hand in the general direction of the park away from her.  “Have some fun or something.  Just return to me when I call for you.  That’s all.”

“Yes, Miranda.  Thank you, Miranda,” Emily replied before moving into the darkness and out of sight.  Miranda nodded and then turned to Blake.

“Shall we?”

“We shall.”

************

Emily was just out of sight of Miranda when Andy stepped into her path. She clutched her chest dramatically and took a step back to keep from plowing into the other woman.  “Andy?!?  What the hell??  Are you following me?”  She narrowed her eyes.  “You better not be stalking me, Andy... or Miranda either one.  I’ll sic Serena on you.”

Andrea, who had been holding up a hand to slow Emily’s diatribe, didn’t know whether to look affronted or amused at Emily’s outburst.  “Emily, take a deep breath before you hurt yourself.  I’m not stalking anyone.  I just bought a piece of fudge at the confectionary shop,” holding up the box, “and saw Miranda wave you off.  I thought you might want to hang out together until she calls you back,” Andy finished with a shrug.

Emily looked at her suspiciously for a long moment before nodding her head briskly.  “Very well.  You just ensure that your fudge,” curling her lip derisively as she said it, “stays far away from me.  I cannot afford to get the slightest smidge of anything on this dress.  Nigel will have a come apart.”

Andy rolled her eyes.  “Nigel will be fine, Em, as will your dress.  I promise to keep my fudge well away from you.”

“Very well,” Emily repeated with a hint of satisfaction in her tone.  “Let’s go before Miranda changes her mind.”  Without further ado they moved deeper into the Magic Kingdom.

************

“You know, Ash, this wasn’t really what I had in mind for you when I sent you to Berkeley as a journalism major,” Doris said plaintively to her daughter currently dressed as a cast member at the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.

Ashlee rolled her eyes at her almost unrecognizable mom who was decked out as the hobo clown Emmett Kelly.  While it made a much better disguise than her fedora ever had, Ashlee could see why Doris had never gone for a casual look.  She was much too flamboyant and dynamic and outgoing for casual; hence the reason the hobo costume was so effective in hiding her.

“Mom,” she whined.  “I told you – I’m just doing this to help out during the Halloween parties.  Besides, this is kinda fun... I like it.”

Doris just rolled her eyes and shook her head.  “I thought I had raised you better than to be a pirate.”

This time Ashlee just snorted in laughter.  “This from a politician??”

“Watch it, Little Girl,” Doris threatened, eyes twinkling in delight.  “I am still your mother.”

“Yes... yes you are.  And you should be happy I’m doing so well here.  Mom, I didn’t quit school; I’m here as an intern working in the PR department of a major corporation – of Disney!  I’m meeting people and making contacts and getting some practical experience outside of Springfield where I have to prove my merit to the people I work for and with.”

Doris cupped Ashlee’s face gently.  “I am happy for you, Ash, and so very proud of you.  You’ve done so well for yourself in spite of me and I’m glad about that.  But it also makes me a little sad.  I feel like I’m still missing so much of your life.”

Ashlee held her mother’s gaze for a long moment.  “Let me make a phone call, then maybe we can spend the evening together.”

Doris nodded, her smile bright even though her eyes were filled with tears.  Whatever else, she had been right to come here to see for herself how her daughter was doing.  She only wished it hadn’t been such a last minute trip for her; then maybe they could have made some plans together.  After a moment, Ashlee closed her phone and turned back to her mother. 

“It’s all arranged.  My boss Di will be here in a few minutes to relieve me.  She wants to meet you.”

Doris cocked an eyebrow.  “She does?  Why?”

Ashlee chuckled knowingly, but gave a shrug.  “Maybe she just wants to meet the woman who raised such an incredibly bright kid.”

“Uh huh,” Doris agreed skeptically, but settled in to wait and see for herself.

************

The women from Las Vegas and the women from San Francisco along with Lilly Rush, had decided to join forces to defeat their numerous east coast counterparts.  Now they stood crammed into a large half-circle in the middle of Adventureland trying to figure out where they had to go from the Pirates of the Caribbean shop that the ride exited into.

“This makes no sense,” Claire grumbled, passing the clue to Jill who lost it to Lindsay when she snatched it out of her hands.

“Do you mind?” she fussed as she grabbed it back.  “I was looking at that!”

“Inspector here,” Lindsay muttered loud enough for the group to hear.  “I do puzzles like this every day for a living, ya know.”

“So does Sofia and Lilly and I don’t see them seizing this clue like it was evidence or something.  And Lilly even has a crystal ball we could consult.”

“But not a cousin from Texas she just has to do better than or never hear the end of it,” whining.

“All right you two... enough,” Catherine broke in before the argument could escalate.  “We’re supposed to be on the same side here.”  Both women met her glare before having the decency to look abashed and mumble their apologies to each other and the group. 

“Claire, why don’t you read it aloud?” Sara asked before the silence grew too awkward.

With five to choose from, who do you seek?
Blonde or brunette, with whom do you speak?
As princesses go, she's one of the best -
Choose the correct one; go on, be our guest.

“Great – that means what exactly?”

They started mumbling among themselves, except for Cindy, who couldn’t speak.  She started gesticulate wildly, trying to garner some attention.  Instead they all remained focused on the clue in Claire’s hand, hoping it would yield more information than she had offered.

Cindy moved around the CSI’ers, not knowing any of them well enough to force their attention.  Instead she tugged on Lindsay’s arm, to find her hand caught and held as Lindsay pulled her tighter into her body and returned her attention to the clue at hand.  Frustrated Cindy jerked her hand free from Lindsay’s and stole the clue from Claire.

All eyes turned to her with varying degrees of menace in them, and she returned their baleful glances with fire, hands firmly planted on her hips.  Finally Jill caught a clue.

“She knows the answer,” waiting for Cindy to nod emphatically.  “Why didn’t you just blow the damn horn??”  Cindy glared at Jill until the other woman looked away.

“So tell us,” Wendy demanded impatiently.

“She can’t,” Lindsay said without even the hint of a smile in her voice.  “Harpo Marx never spoke, and she and Jill have a bet on.”

Catherine rolled her eyes.  “I’m surrounded by five-years-olds,” she mumbled under her breath, though Claire was close enough to hear her and chuckled in sympathetic agreement.  “Cindy,” Catherine said aloud, “why don’t you lead us to our next destination?”

With a look of fierce pride and determination, Cindy nodded, and soon they were following her to Toon Town Fair.

Wendy put a hand on Sofia’s arm and the blonde detective paused expectantly.  “I’ll catch up in a few,” nodding her head in Nora’s direction.  “I need to take care of something first.”

Sofia nodded.  “All right.  Call me when you’re done and I’ll let you know where we are.”

“Thanks, Sofia.  If I can’t reach you, I’ll wait on Main Street.  You have to come out that way to leave.”

“Good luck,” Sofia offered, then followed her friends across the park.  Wendy turned and headed towards Nora Delaney, hoping she could get a few answers.


Chapter XVIII

Nora’s mumbled language under her breath would have caused the delicate Southern flower she was currently portraying to blush six shades of red in fifteen seconds when she realized Wendy was approaching her.  As it was, Wendy managed almost three full shades herself even with her darker skin tone.  Nora looked around for Nikki fruitlessly once more before Wendy stopped in front of her.

“Can I help you...?” leaving it an open question as she glanced up into the face of a woman who practically mirrored her lover.

“Wendy... Simms.”  She motioned to the stone bench Nora was sitting on.  “May I, Miss...?”

“Delaney... Nora Delaney.”  Nora sighed silently and wondered what karma god she had offended.  “Please,” she offered politely.  She waited a few moments for Wendy to say something, and when nothing was forthcoming she prompted, “Was there something I could do for you, Miss Simms?”

“Tell me about your partner.”

“Um – no.”

“Excuse me?”

“Miss Simms, if you want to know about my... my partner, then you’re going to have to talk to her directly.  I told her that I would be by her side if the two of you decided to confront one another, but I damn sure am not gonna be some sort of conduit between you!  Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal, Ms Delaney. I’m sorry to have troubled you,” Wendy added with a hint of bitterness as she rose.  A hand on her arm made her pause and she looked down into Nora’s green eyes.

“Miss Simms... Wendy.  It’s not that I don’t think you’re entitled to know about one another given the circumstances.  Personally I think you both deserve some answers to the questions seeing one another has obviously raised for you both.  However, it’s not my place to answer them, and I will not betray her trust like that.  If you really want to know her, you’re going to have to speak to her.”

Wendy held Nora’s gaze for a long moment before nodding her agreement.  “You’re right.”  She paused.  “Will the two of you join me for breakfast tomorrow?  I know it won’t give us much time before the convention starts, but we have to start somewhere.”

Nora nodded.  “We’ll be there.”

“Thank you, Ms Delaney,” clasping the hand briefly and lifting it to her lips in true dashing rogue fashion   “I’ll look forward to it.”

She disappeared without another word and Nora held up her hand before Nikki could speak as she stepped out from behind the tree she’d been hidden by.  “Notta,” she said softly.  “Not one word, Nikki.”

Nikki leaned over and brushed a kiss over Nora’s cheek.  “Thank you, Nora,” she whispered softly.  She put an arm around Nora and smiled gently when the blonde head came to rest against her shoulder.  Then they sat back to watch the world pass them by for just a little while.

************

“Isn’t there a law against princess stalking?  There should be a law against princess stalking!”

Jo wrapped Blair up in a hug from behind before the irritation could grow into a full-blown rant.  “Chill, Princess – no one’s stalking anyone... especially not you.”

“Or you either,” Sam whispered to Brooke.  Brooke just leaned over and kissed Sam softly.

“All right you two – break it up... break it up,” Olivia protested.  “You’re making the rest of us look bad.”

“Jealous, Detective?” Sam asked boldly with a twinkle sparkling in her brown eyes as they met her match.  Before she could reply, Alex walked away from Belle holding up an envelope and their next card in a sign of success.

“Nope.  I already got my girl.”

“You fooling around on me, Madam Olivia?” Alex asked, peering intently over the rim of her glasses.  Olivia shook her head.

“Not at all, Sheriff; I’m a one woman woman.”

“Good thing,” Alex commented.  “I’d hate to have to run you in.”

“All right, all of you – enough!” Jo roared.  “Before I need insulin!”

The group snickered at her and she shrugged.  Tootie nodded towards the still sealed envelope.  “What’s it say?”

Alex popped the seal and read the clue aloud.

Ride down the Mountain at a screaming dash,
Brave the briars that end in a Splash;
Then enter the Briar Patch just like ol’ Br’er...
Tar baby’s gone - c’mon, take the dare.

“Say,” Natalie spoke up for the first time in a while.  “Isn’t Splash Mountain based on The Song of the South?” waiting for the heads around her to nod slowly.  “And isn’t that about Uncle Remus and the Br’er characters?”  More nodding as Natalie opened her map.  “Then I think we need to head to Frontierland.”

************

“You’re kidding me, right?” Max asked as she looked around the Br’er Rabbit store.  “Who comes up with this stuff?” slamming a Br’er Rabbit plush figure back onto the shelf and crossing her arms over her chest in a fit of impatience.

“C’mon, Max.  Chill a little.  It’s supposed to be fun,” Janet offered even as she cuddled deeper into Scud’s embrace.  Lucy smirked, rolling her eyes in his direction before she turned to greet Amy as she returned with Dominique, envelope in one hand and playing card in the other.

“Problem?” Amy asked Lucy quietly.

“The usual,” she said as Dominique got the envelope open.  “Does Max even know how to relax and have fun?” grumbling as she buried her nose in Amy’s neck.

“C’mon, Lucy... cut her a little slack.  She’s trying.”  Amy kissed the top of the dark head, smiling when she felt lips brush a kiss over the crease of her neck.  She turned her attention back to her former D.E.B.S. teammates.  “So what’s the verdict, guys?”

“Not far for a change, I think,” Dominique mock grumbled though Amy could see the enjoyment she was getting out of the scavenger hunt.  She read the clue aloud.

For your next clue you need to know
Where lies the object from Pass and Stow;
Search for the Tree and find the Lights,
Thirteen in all – that shine in the night.

“I think you’re right,” Max agreed grudgingly.  “Liberty Square?”

“That was my thought as well,” Dominique confirmed. 

“All right then, troops – let’s move out.”  The D.E.B.S. fell into line automatically.  Lucy and Scud exchanged glances, then twined their finger with those of their respective girlfriends before heading out of Frontierland towards Liberty Square.

************

“This has been just lovely, Diana,” Ash commented as they exited the Hall of Presidents.  “Thank you for inviting us to trail along with you.”

“We were glad to have you join us,” Diana assured them as Janet, Sam and Mac nodded their agreement.  “It’s been a lot of fun.”

“Shall we see what our last clue says?” Helen asked as she opened the envelope.

“Well, I think it’s safe to say we should be headed back towards Main Street,” Nikki said.  “We’ve got all our cards, such as they are,” fanning them out in her hands and indicating the pair of Aces she held.    “So we should be going to wherever they have us meeting to finish this thing.”

“She’s right,” Janet agreed as she accepted the clue from Helen.  “Listen to this.”

Take your cards and take your clues,
You played the game and paid your dues;
You seek a memento from an old Red Sox
Find a ball signed by a cunning old Foxx.

“I think that takes us back to the hot dog stand on the corner, doesn’t it?” Mac asked. 

“Not quite,” Sam replied.  “This is some sort of memorabilia so we should probably look for that.  That should be where Xena and Gabrielle are.”

“Either way, we should be moving back towards Main Street,” Diana said.  “We can figure out the details as we go.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Scribbs said as she started towards the bridge leading back to Main Street.  “Besides, I dunno about the rest of you lot, but a Coke would certainly hit the spot right about now.”

“So we’ll go turn in our cards and then what?” Ash asked.

“Then I vote we go have a bit o’ fun, riding the things we missed durin’ our hunt,” Helen offered.

“I can get behind that plan,” Mac commented with a grin.  “How ‘bout you guys?”

The rest nodded agreeably, then they stepped onto Main Street and headed to Casey’s Corner. It was time to finish the game.

************

Xena looked at her watch.  “They should start showing up here soon – it’s getting close to the three hour mark.  Do you want me to meet them downstairs?”

Gabrielle shook her head.  “I’ll go.  I want some lemonade,” seeing blue eyes light up.  “I’ll send one up with the first two players.”

Xena leaned over and kissed Gabrielle passionately for a long moment.  “Thanks, Love.”

Gabrielle winked as she moved away from the window and headed for the conference room exit.  “Thank me later.”  Then she stepped out and closed the door behind her, leaving Xena to continue her vigil of Main Street from the second level window.

************

“If I didn’t know any better, Diamond, I’d say you rigged this,” Max grumbled good-naturedly.  She had finally relaxed and was enjoying herself though she didn’t think it would do to let anyone else know how much fun she was actually having.  She looked down at the cards in her hand.  “I mean really – how else did we end up with a diamond flush?”

“Considering that Lucy only pulled the last card – the Queen of Diamonds, naturally – I’d say it was mostly luck,” Amy commented.  “Besides, why are you griping anyway?  That’s a pretty decent hand.”  Then her voice dropped to a bare whisper.  “It is a good hand, right?”

Lucy smiled and hugged her.  “It’s a great hand.  The fact that it is diamonds is just a bonus in my book.”

Dominique smirked.  “I am just glad the hunt is over,” nodding to a young man across the street.  “I’ll see you all later,” and disappeared before the rest could say another word.

“All righty then,” Janet said brightly.  “Maybe we should find the memorabilia in question?”

“Actually,” Scud spoke for the first time, “I found Gabrielle,” leading them over to where Gabrielle was waiting patiently sipping on her lemonade.

“Oh, hi guys!  You’re the first ones here.  Okay, I need two of you to go upstairs to the conference room – one with the cards and one with the clues.  The rest of you can either hang around down here and wait for the results or go ahead back into the park to do whatever you like with the rest of your night.  Your choice.”

The players looked at one another, then Max sighed.  “Lucy and I’ll go upstairs.  You guys just....”  She waved her hand around vaguely, then pinned Amy with a sharp look.  “Just don’t wander off.”

“I’ll go with Lucy,” Scud volunteered.  “It’ll give you three a little bonding time.”

Max glared at him a long moment.  “Fair enough,” she nodded her capitulation.  “We’ll be right over there,” motioning to the bleacher area behind the hot dog stand.

Lucy kissed Amy quickly.  “Back in a few, Babe.  Then we can go trick or treating.”

Amy grinned, and Lucy and Scud headed upstairs with Xena’s lemonade in hand.

************

The ADA team was the next to arrive jubilant and excited.  Gabrielle smiled at their enthusiasm, then gave them the same instructions she had given to the D.E.B.S. team.  Tracy and Liz headed upstairs while the rest went to claim a couple of tables outside Casey’s Corner.

“This was fun,” Casey commented to Abbie as they took a seat watching the action along Main Street. 

“Doesn’t hurt that we’re going to win as well,” tapping the side of her Coke cup against Casey’s and smiling when the red head dipped down to tuck under her chin.

“True, but even if we hadn’t won it would have been fun.  We’re here... together; we’ve had a good time with friends; there’s more yet to come – it’s all good.  And as a bonus we’ve got the rest of the night to go trick or treating.”

Abbie laughed, the genuine sound bringing a smile to Casey’s lips and tears to her eyes.  “Who knew you were secretly a five-year-old posing as an ADA lawyer?”

Before Casey could comment, Emma’s excited voice broke into their conversation as she passed them.  “This has been so much fun, Mommy.  Can we get an ice cream cone now?”

“How about we go turn in our cards first, Jellybean?  Then we can go trick or treating or maybe ride a few rides.  What do you think, Mama?” Olivia asked with a look at Natalia, smiling when she got a dimpled grin in return.

“I’m not your mama, but that sounds like a good idea, Emma,” Gabrielle commented as they reached her.  “You don’t want to miss out on the chance to win the game, do you?” smiling when the little girl shook her head emphatically.  “But we only need two of you to go upstairs to show Xena your clues and cards.  Small conference room,” she added for the benefit of the others.

“Can Barbara and I do that, Mommy?”

Barbara’s eyes widened comically in an almost perfect mirror image of Olivia’s expression.  Their eyes met for a moment before both gave a subtle nod and Olivia knelt down to Emma’s level.  “It’s okay with me, Bean.  Make sure it’s okay with Barbara first though, all right?”

“Oh Mommy – of course it’s okay with Barbara.  She’s my friend.  Right, Barbara?” turning bright, happy eyes to the woman in the wheelchair.

Without missing a beat Barbara nodded.  “Right, Emma.”

Emma looked back at her mother.  “So it’s okay, Mommy?”

Olivia smiled tremulously.  “Absolutely, Sweetie.  Your mama and I’ll wait down here with Helena and Dinah.”

“Maybe we can find some Pop Tarts or something,” Helena muttered.  “I’m starving.”

“There’s a bakery across the street,” Natalia pointed out.  “Maybe we can grab some cookies or something to tide us over until we can get something a little more substantial.”

“Bet they won’t be as good as yours,” Olivia grumbled, nudging Natalia and smiling.

“Probably not,” Natalia agreed in a surprising show of immodesty.  “But they’ll do for now and we can bring some back for Barbara and Emma.”

“Sounds like we have a plan,” Dinah commented.  “Good luck, you guys,” waving at Emma and Barbara before linking her elbow with Helena’s and leading the tiny group across the street to the bakery.  Gabrielle led Barbara and Emma to a different door than she’d ushered the others to.

“Ooh, can I push the buttons?” Emma asked.  Barbara nodded and exchanged understanding smiles with Gabrielle.  She rolled onto the elevator and the doors slid shut.  Then Gabrielle stepped back into the shop and went back to greeting the rest of the teams as they came in.

Part 3