Bright, colorful lights danced in the darkness and the smell of fried food hung in the air. When Brookyn did a Spring Carnival they did it big. Families, couples, groups of teenagers, and little kids were laughing and having a great time.
"So," Joe said wrapping an arm around Fina's shoulders. "What do you want do first?"
"You definitely have to have a deep fried Twinkie!" Fred said eagerly. "And after that a deep fried slice of pizza. And then we can go on all the rides."
"Fred there's more than 400 calories in a deep fried twinkie alone." Sam rolled his eyes.
"So what? It's delicious."
"And then you want to go on rides? She'll vomit."
"No that's what you do."
"Guys, guys." Joe laughed. "Calm down we have all night. Anything that catches your eye Fina?"
"I dunno." Fina shrugged wide eyed. "There's just so much here."
"Come on," Fred smiled. "I'm gonna win you a prize."
He grabbed Fina's hand and pulled her away from Joe and towards one of the game booths. Sam looked at Joe and raised an eyebrow in question. Joe looked back at him with a confused expression.
"What?" Joe asked.
"Are you okay with that?" Sam asked gesturing over towards them. "Fred running off with her when he's supposed to be dating Jodie?"
"What do you mean?" Joe asked.
They started walking towards the booth as well and Sam considered for a moment.
"Well," He said slowly. "Maybe I'm wrong but it kinda seems like Fred has a crush on Fina."
"What?" Joe looked at Sam like he was crazy. "Pfft, no way. Besides, Fred wouldn't do that to Jodie."
They reached the booth and watched as Fred shot multiple sized balls into hoops in an attempt to win one of the stuffed animals.
"I'm not saying that he would." Sam said quietly. "But he and Fina are getting awfully close."
"Please," Joe rolled his eyes. "Fred and Fina are just two friendly people. They as romantically involved as you and San-Li are."
Sam looked surprised and started to say something but then Fina glanced towards them and broke into a huge smile.
"You came after all!" She yelled and ran to someone behind them.
They turned around and saw San-Li walking towards them. She smiled and gave Fina a little wave. Fina practically leapt into her arms and they hugged like they were long lost sisters.
"Hey, you're back." Sam smiled and looked relieved. "How was Spain?"
San-Li and Fina finally reached them and they could see that San-Li had a cut on her upper lip and her forearm was bandaged. Sam's smile dropped and his eyes widened. Fred came up to them carrying a stuffed animal under his arm and looked San-Li up and down.
"Ew," He said with a small smirk. "What happened to you?"
"I'll tell you what happened to my face if you tell me what happened to yours." San-Li said returning the smirk.
"Whatever," Fred laughed and rolled his eyes. "Here Fina, I won this for you like I said I would."
He handed her a purple stuffed penguin and Fina clapped her hands like a little girl and threw her arms around Fred.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She squealed. "It's adorable."
"I thought I told you to be careful." Sam mumbled unhappily. "You could have been seriously hurt."
They were all in the food section waiting for Joe and Fred to get their food, leaving Sam, San-Li and Fina at one of the tables.
San-Li shrugged and rolled her eyes. "I told you it isn't a big deal."
"I just..." Sam blushed and looked away. "I just don't want you to get hurt okay?"
"Relax Sam," Fina smiled. "San-Li's been doing this for years now. I think it's been about-"
"That's enough, Fina." San-Li said with a hard look in her eyes. "He doesn't need to know anything."
Fina nodded bashfully and went over to where Joe and Fred were. Sam reached over and gently touched San-Li's unbandaged arm.
"I know you don't want me knowing a lot about you." He said quietly. "But I want to."
"Trust me," San-Li scoffed avoiding his eye. "No you do not."
"Yes I do." Sam insisted. "I know it sounds weird because you're kinda...well... a criminal, but I want to know more about you."
San-Li laughed mirthlessly. "If I'm such a criminal then why did you agree to enter a potentially destructive and devastating relationship with me."
"Honestly," Sam shrugged and looked away. "I think you're kinda interesting and exciting and you make me feel-"
"You shouldn't be with me." San-Li interrupted with a serious look on her face.
Sam looked at her in surprise. "What?"
San-Li looked at him for a long moment but then shook her head and smiled seductively. "Nothing, just make sure you don't fall in love with my hot body."
Sam blushed bright red and San-Li began laughing.
Fred grabbed their pizza slices and nachos while Joe grabbed the deep fried Twinkies and Fina carried the drinks. They went back the table and found Sam and San-Li talking quietly together.
"What's going on you two?" Fred teased sitting between them. "San-Li, you're not trying to seduce Sam again are you?"
"Why? Are you jealous?" San-Li reached for a nacho. "Did you get extra spicy jalapeno cheese?"
"Of course." Fred said with his mouth full.
"My man." San-Li punched him affectionately in the shoulder.
They were talking about movies when Joe heard a familiar French accent at a nearby table. He felt his heart speed up a little when he saw Joleena and Anna sitting together. Joe smiled.
"I'll be right back guys." He grabbed his Twinkie and went over to join them.
"Really Anna," Joleena sighed. "I do not see how you can eat such greasy food."
"Because it's good." Anna said with her mouth full.
"Yeah Joleena," Joe said sitting at their table. "Don't tell me that you've never eaten anything greasy."
Joleena glanced at him and gave him a small smile. She wasn't as frosty towards him when they first met but they still weren't exactly friends. Yet.
"Non," Joleena answered. "At least not as greasy as these...um, what do you call them?""
"Um do you mean a deep fried Twinkie?" Joe's jaw dropped. "Please don't tell me that you've never heard of a deep fried Twinkie. It's like an American food staple."
"Well thank goodness I am French." Joleena said with a small giggle.
"And a European super model." Anna piped up.
"Anna!" Joleena blushed. "I told you that I'm not a super model, I just work part time."
"Wait you're actually model?" Joe smirked. "Not that I'm surprised."
Joleena rolled her eyes and flipped her hair dismissively sending a wave of perfume in his direction. A fleeting vision of white lilacs, bubbles, and lace flashed before his eyes. Joe blinked and shook his head. Well that was weird.
"Joleena doesn't need your compliments, Joe." Anna scoffed. "She already has boyfriend."
Joe's smile faltered a little but he shrugged it off. "So Anna? I'm not trying to ask her out. I'm just trying to be friendly."
Joleena pressed her lips together to suppress a smile and glanced up at him. "Sure you were Joseph."
Joe grinned and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, I'm a friendly guy."
Joleena's face became cold again and she unwrapped his arm from around her shoulder. "This is where I stop you. Anna is right- I have a boyfriend."
"And I'm just a friend." Joe shrugged still smiling.
"I never said that."
Joleena pursed her lips and looked at her glittery silver watch. "Where is Anna? She is going to miss the haunted house attraction."
"Oh Anna? She just texted me and said that she wanted to see if Fred would win her a stuff animal." Joe shrugged and "accidentally" let his arm brush against hers. Again images of white flowers, lace, and doves flashed before his eyes. Joe pursed his lips. Was he receiving visions of the future? But why? What was triggering them?
"Is everything alright?" Joleena asked looking at him.
"Um, fine." Joe smiled. "Come on it's our turn."
The haunted house didn't seem that scary at first until the lights dimmed down and the scary noises started. Joe saw Joleena shiver and he took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders.
"Merci," She whispered with a small smile.
"No problem." He whispered back.
They walked for a while among ghosts and zombies and over and over again Joe let his arm brush against hers. Joleena shot him a smile but didn't say anything about it. Or more importantly against it. Too bad she had a boyfriend.
"I know what you did," Joleena whispered after a while.
Joe raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "Oh?"
"Anyone who looks hard enough can see how Anna practically drools when Fred is in the room." Joleena smiled. "I know you sent her away on purpose to get me alone."
"Did I now?" Joe smiled.
Joleena stopped and put a hand on his chest. Joe suppressed a shudder as the images were stronger this time. This time it was a garden filled with flowers, bubbles floating in the air, and weeping willows blooming with pink flowers. He blinked and tried to focus on Joleena.
"Joseph," She said with a small smile. "You are very cute and very charming, that I have to admit."
"But..." Joe prompted leaning a little closer to her.
"But," Joleena seemed to falter a little and a light blush appeared on her cheeks. "But I am your sister's mentor. It would be unprofessional."
Joe chuckled and grabbed her shoulders. "That's the worst excuse not to date anyone I've ever heard."
"It's not an excuse," Joleena said indignantly stepping away from him. "It is the truth."
"Uh-huh." Joe rolled his eyes and laughed. "Sure."
Joleena started walking again and folded her arms across her chest. "Besides, you know nothing about me. The only thing you can say to me is that I am beautiful. Which is true, so I do not blame you for falling for me."
Joe laughed and she shot him a dirty look.
"Wow," Joe rolled his eyes. "Okay, first of all I'm trying to get to know you before I sweep you off your feet-"
"Ha!"
"-and second of all I had no idea you were shallow!"
Joleena stopped and spun around to face him. "I am not shallow!"
"You totally are," Joe laughed. "Admit it, if I was a male model or a super powerful magician you wouldn't treat me as coldly as you do now."
"That is not true." Joleena glared at him. "I would treat you just as coldly because I find you annoying."
"Uh-huh," Joe rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say Jol-mph!"
Joleena interrupted him with rough kiss. This time the image of an older version of Joleena in a long flowing wedding gown flashed before him. She was smiling but was completely surrounded by smoke and flames. Joe couldn't think of anything else though but wrapping his arms around Joleena and kissing her back. Suddenly there was a flash of light and a scream of horror. Joleena pushed him away quickly and looked surprised.
"That did not just happen." Joleena said.
"Oh that definitely happened." Joe said with a small smile.
Joleena rolled her eyes and walked away from him with an indignant huff. Once outside of the haunted house they were each handed a photo. Joe looked down and grinned. The photo clearly showed them wrapped in each others arms kissing passionately.
Joleena stared at the photo with an unreadable expression on her face. Suddenly her eyes and hand glowed purple and the photo disintegrated into purple glittery flames.
"You!" She whirled on Joe. "You will destroy that photo immédiatement !"
"Oh-ho! Was that French?" Joe laughed. "Do you slip into French when you get mad?"
"Joseph I mean it!"
"Nope." Joe grinned. "This is definitely a keeper."
"I told you! I do not like you! And I have a boyfriend!"
"Well," Joe shrugged. "Consider this a sign of things to come."
Joleena said something in French that Joe could have sworn was a curse word and tried to grab the photo from him. Joe just laughed and held it over her head since he was a good 5 inches taller than her even with her heels.
"Joleena look!"
They both turned to see Anna running towards them carrying a blue stuffed rabbit. Fina also had a second animal and had sugar on the corners on her mouth.
"Joleena," Anna said breathlessly. "Look what Fred won for me."
Joleena automatically assumed her calm and collected expression but not before shooting Joe another dirty look.
"Cute." She smiled.
"And San-Li made Sam get a tattoo." Fred laughed.
Sam blushed and showed Joe a picture of an eagle on his arm. "It's just henna."
Joe just laughed and pocketed his photograph. San-Li then started teasing about infecting Sam with her coolness and Fred patted Fina's head affectionately. Joleena tenderly smoothed Anna's slightly messy hair while listening to her story about Fred winning her a prize. She caught Joe looking her and shot him a glare before ignoring him again. Joe silently touched the photo in his pocket. The fleeting image of Joleena smiling in a wedding dress while the world burned around her flashed through his head.
Joe frowned and shook his head. He would deal with craziness later, but right now he just wanted to enjoy being with his friends.
"Come on guys," He smiled and threw an arm around Joleena and Fina's shoulders. "Let's go ride some rides."
A/N- I admit, this one kinda got away from me and turned into a Joe/Joleena oneshot before I realized what was happening