A/N: The time frame for this fic would be season 9, so shortly after the series ended. D.J is away at college but Kimmy is still at home.
It was a typical Friday night for the Tanner family. The only difference was Jesse was stranded on the highway due to his motorcycle breaking down so he couldn't be back in time to work. While Danny was on his way to go help him, Becky stepped in to manage things at The Smash Club until he returned. She didn't think it would be that bad, but Kimmy Gibbler never showed up for her shift and now she was freaking out. Why did Kimmy have to pick tonight of all nights to be unreliable? Luckily for Becky, Stephanie decided to hang out with Gia and their friends there tonight so she could ask her for some help.
"Steph, I know you're hanging out with your friends right now but I'm in over my head. Kimmy was a no show so we're understaffed. Do you think you could help sweep up the place real quick? Once Jess gets back we will pay you," Becky pleaded.
"No problem Aunt Becky. That's weird about Gibbler though. She's careless about a lot of things but she has never missed a day of work," Stephanie pointed out.
Becky shrugged. "She didn't call in or anything. I hope she's okay. Thanks so much for doing this Steph."
Stephanie excused herself from her friends and went to the backroom to grab a broom. When she opened the door and turned on the light she was shocked at what she found. Kimmy was lying on the floor next to a mop bucket, moaning like she was in pain. She could smell the alcohol off of her from a distance and it wasn't pleasant.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A drunken Gibbler," Stephanie crossed her arms and looked at her disapprovingly.
"I'm not drunk anymore. I'm hungover," Kimmy moaned.
"Either way you reek! What were you thinking showing up here like this? If Uncle Jesse saw you like this he'd fire you on the spot," Stephanie grilled her.
"Look blondie I've had a rough week alright? Duane dumped me and with D.J. away at college I don't have my best friend to help get me through this. Not to mention I still have no idea what I'm going to do with my life. You guys were right about me all along. I'm a loser," Kimmy sulked.
"I can't believe I'm going to be nice to you, but I'm feeling generous. What happened with you and the 'whatever' guy?" Stephanie asked.
She probably should have went out and told Becky what was going on with Kimmy, but deep down on some level she liked Kimmy. This job was one of the few things she had going for her and Stephanie didn't want to see her lose it over one mistake. Plus even though she gained the advantage of having her own bedroom once D.J. left, she understood how much it sucked not having her around every day anymore. She missed D.J. a lot too. Kimmy chose not to go to college yet because she didn't know what to study, so she still lived next door. At least one thing was still the same.
"He didn't feel like we were communicating with each other well enough," Kimmy answered.
Stephanie tried to hold back her laughter. It wasn't at Kimmy's heartbreak, it was just that everytime she tried to have a conversation with the guy he only said 'whatever' in response. He wasn't exactly a wiz at communication himself. "Look at the bright side. Now maybe you can find a guy who knows more than one word! I know for you that might be hard, but miracles do happen sometimes."
Kimmy opened her mouth. Stephanie thought she was going to say something, but the next thing she knew Kimmy was getting sick in the mop bucket. "Ew! Gibbler, that's not a trash can! Someone is going to have to clean that up you know!"
Once Kimmy finished she wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her work shirt and caught her breath. "I feel like I've been hit by a truck."
"Serves you right for getting drunk on the day you have to work," Stephanie emphasized.
"I can't work tonight. Every few minutes I keep barfing. If I go out there I'll barf on a customer. Although some of them kind of deserve it," Kimmy said.
"Look as long as you don't do something this stupid again I won't rat you out. I'll tell them you called in sick or something. You didn't drive here like this did you?" Stephanie asked.
Kimmy shook her head. "Kathy Santoni dropped me off."
"Figures," Stephanie rolled her eyes. She has heard lots of Kathy Santoni stories from her older sister and none of them have been anything positive. "Well I'll call Steve and have him come get you. Just go out the back door so no one sees you okay? If they found out I knew you were back here and I didn't say something I'd get in trouble."
Kimmy raised her eyebrow. "Why are you being so nice to me? You planning on holding this over my head or something?"
"Believe me Gibbler, messing with you is one of the greatest joys of my lifetime. The way I see it is if D.J. saw you like this she'd help you, not kick you while you're down. I guess in some twisted way we're friends, so since D.J. isn't here I figured I'd help you this once."
Kimmy nodded. "Thanks. I know this was a stupid thing to do. I appreciate you not telling hair boy and the wife."
"Just be careful alright? I know things aren't going the way you want them to right now but getting drunk isn't going to help, it's just going to make your life worse. This job isn't exactly what everyone aspires for, but it's one of the few things you have going for you right now and you almost lost it tonight. When you aren't being rude and crude and actually make an effort you're pretty good at what you do," Stephanie advised.
"You're right. I do like this job despite the awful management," Kimmy joked. "My drinking days are over."
Stephanie turned away and left to call Steve and do what Becky asked her to do. Part of her was happy that she was helpful, but the other part of her wanting to gag for being so nice to Kimmy Gibbler of all people. She just hoped Kimmy learned a lesson from this.
