Disclaimer: I do not own GI Joe.
The Trouble with Sean
Chapter 1: Watch out!
Author's Note: This little fic is just for laughs and is not connected to the Birthday Gift story.
Scarlett glanced at the Braves game on the hotel television. They were losing by a landslide. "Bummer," she muttered, "Oh, well, at least Sean will probably be free later." It wasn't often that she found herself in the same city as her youngest brother. He traveled to report on sports events around the US, sometimes around the globe, and while he always let her know where he would be this was only the third time their schedules had actually coincided. She flipped the game off and walked next door to join the after dinner poker game Wild Bill had set up.
"Hey guys."
"You check the score?" Beach Head asked as he passed her a can of coke.
"We're losing. A lot."
Beach Head shook his head, "Figures."
She shrugged, "At least Sean won't be busy later."
Bill started dealing the cards, "You still meetin' up with your brother?"
"Yep. Provided no one minds, I'll take the car, drive over to see him and drive back later."
"You okay going alone?" Stalker asked.
She shot him a withering stare, "Do you really need to ask that?"
"Just asking in case you need a DD or something?"
"I'm not drinking. We're just going to hang out for a while. I'll be back a few hours after I leave."
They played a couple of rounds, with Scarlett making a small profit but not winning, before her phone rang, "Hey, so badly did we lose?"
Sean grumbled from the other end, "Pretty bad. It's a two game series so we'll have a chance to redeem ourselves tomorrow night. You still coming?"
"Yeah, I'll be there in just under an hour. Rodney's Bar & Grill, right?"
"That's the place. Drive safe, sis."
"Always."
Sean laughed as he hung up the phone.
"Keys?" she asked, holding out her hand.
Beach Head mumbled something that sounded like "take your gun with you" as he handed over the keys. It could have easily been "fill the gas tank before you bring it back".
She grabbed the keys and headed out.
Just as she was leaving, Roadblock called out, "Have a good time."
She found her brother outside the sports bar with his arms around a good looking blonde. "Why do they always have to be blonde?" she asked, raising her eyes heavenward.
"I take it this means you and Ashlynn are off again?"
Sean jerked back, "Huh? Shana? When'd you get here?"
"Just now. Are you going to introduce me?"
He rubbed the back of his head with his hand, "It's really not what it looks like."
The blonde sniffled a little, "He's right, Sean was just being nice. My big idiot of a boyfriend is being a Neanderthal. Sean was just offering a shoulder to cry on. I'm Mitzy by the way," she said, holding out her hand.
Scarlett warily took it and returned the woman's watery smile, "Shana."
"You must be Sean's sister. He's been so excited that you're joining us tonight. Are you really in the Army?"
"Yes, I'm really am."
"Wow. That must take a lot of strength."
"It does." More mental than physical. But she didn't add that. She didn't get to see Sean often and she didn't want to start the evening off on the wrong foot by accusing one of his 'friends' of being a bimbo.
"Well, I'm just going to make a stop by the ladies room. It's nice to meet you, Shana."
"Thanks," She waited until Mitzy was out of earshot, "Really Sean, what is it with you and blondes? Is Ashlynn going to need to bleach her hair to hold your attention?
"I told you the truth. Nothing is going on between us-I really was just offering her a friendly shoulder. Surely one of your buddies has offered the same to you."
Shana laughed out loud at the mental image of Beach Head gingerly patting her on the shoulder when she cried over breaking a nail. It would never happen, "Fine. I'll take your word for it. Why don't we just start over?"
"Deal," Sean grinned. "Hey, little sister, good to see you!" he pulled her into a bear hug that lifted her off the ground.
She laughed, hugging him back, "It's good to see you to. You need a shave!"
"I'm thinking about doing the beard thing for a while."
"You mean while Ash is out of town."
He grinned infectiously, "She'll be gone for a month. It's a small rebellion."
Shana laughed, "I think you owe me a beer."
Sean held open the door and guided her inside, "I think you're the one who owes me a beer."
"No way."
"Oh yes way. I bought the last time you drove out to meet me."
"And I bought the last time we were together, when you drove to meet me. It's your turn."
They squabbled good naturedly and settled down at one of the tables with Sean's colleagues. She knew most of them but the few she didn't know made the usual jokes and whistled when she arrived at the table.
"Can it asshole, this is my baby sister."
"She's a babe all right!"
Shana smiled wickedly, "And this babe has more black belts in more forms of martial arts than you could name when you're stone cold sober."
That got a few laughs and they hung out for a while before starting a game of pool with Mitzy and a handful of reporters. Mitzy, it seemed, was Jerry's significant other. Jerry was another sports reporter but one who gave the breed a bad name. It was no wonder Mitzy had decided Sean made better company than her boyfriend, presently sitting at the bar drinking his way through to morning.
"Hey Sean!" the idiot called, ambling up to the pool table.
Sean rolled his eyes, "Jerry, you run out of beer already?"
"Very funny, prick! You know for such an ugly mutt you sure have a hottie for a sister."
Shana shook her head, silently reminded her brother she could and would take care of Jerry should the need arise.
They ignored his rude comments and kept playing. "Hey sugar, you got to be real disappointed if you drove out here just to see that ass wipe. I can make it up to you though, what do ya say you and me head back to my room and get to know each other?" he squeezed her ass just to make sure she understood what he was offering.
"If you want to keep that hand Jerry, you'd better move it."
"Ohh, sass, I like it! You want me to move my hand, huh? How about here?" He slid his hand down her leg but before he could get it where he wanted he found his arm twisted painfully behind his back.
"I'm not interested Jerry. Why don't you get the bartender to call you a cab?"
"Bitch! Let go of my arm!"
"Sure, so long as you play nice from now on," she released his arm and sent him flying into a nearby table.
Mitzy joined everyone in laughing at how easily Shana had taken care of Jerry, "Maybe you can show me a few of those moves."
"Sure."
Jerry got up and stalked towards Mitzy, "You think you can get it on with this sucker behind my back and then laugh at me? You bitch, I'm through with you!" He reached out his hand to slap Mitzy but Sean slammed down his pool cube and caught his hand, "I think my sister asked you to leave once already. I'll see that Mitzy makes it back to the hotel."
Jerry's friends stepped in and helped him out. Another of their friends offered to take Mitzy back on to the hotel and then the airport, leaving Sean and Shana to finish their game.
They walked out, his arm slung companionably over her shoulder, "Sorry it was such a bummer of a visit."
She shrugged, "No biggie. I got to see you in person for once. It was nice."
His phone rang. "Hey, hang on a sec," he said reaching for the phone.
"I'll wait by my car."
"Ok. Hello?"
"Sean, Jerry's headed back to the bar, and he's making noise about getting even."
"He's not driving is he?"
"Yeah, he slipped by us that's why I'm calling."
"Thanks for tip. We're on our way out anyway."
The sound of wheels screeching in the parking lot captured his attention. "Shit! Shana!"
She stopped in the middle of the lot and turned back, "What?"
He didn't think, he just ran, knocking her down just as Jerry's car screeched by. He caught his breath and sat up, "Shana? Shana, wake up, sis! Are you okay?"
Her eyes fluttered for a moment before closing.
"Somebody call 911!"
Patrons scrambled out of the bar.
"Shana…Shana, can you hear me?" He leaned over her slapping her face lightly.
"Stop it, you asshole!"
He sat her up and hugged her fiercely, "I thought you'd bought it there for a sec!"
"Let go! You're hurting me!"
He immediately let go and she thumped back on the pavement.
"Oww! Shit, shit, shit!"
"What? What's wrong?"
"You broke my arm! What the hell was wrong with 'look out'?"
"I didn't have time to yell, look out!"
"Oh, but you had time to run across the parking lot and break my arm!"
After the paramedics arrived, it was determined she not only had a broken bone, but a mild concussion as well. She was loaded into the ambulance while finding new and inventive ways to curse her brother and any future offspring he may have been inclined to produce in the future. It helped to take her mind off the pain.
