"Seriously, Jeff, you are pushing this theme to the limit." Sophie complained as she studied the racy costume she was meant to wear. "I agreed to the name change and even the new uniforms but if you think for a second that I am putting that thing in my mouth you have a whole other thing coming for ya." She stated with the accent she had worked on perfecting for months.
"Come on, Soph, you are supposed to be Annie Oakley! You think she had all her teeth?" Jeff argued with a pleading look.
"You think she would be caught dead in a pair of shorts this short?" Sophie shot back as she picked up the shorts and held them up to her hips. "Honestly I think I might get arrested for prostitution in this get up and I refuse to wear a gold tooth. You can't fire me Jeff, I'm the best gal you got working here. Either lose the tooth or loose your best waitress, bartender, and dancer when Mel calls off which is only every Friday."
"Fine, don't wear the tooth!" the portly, balding, man threw up his hands. "But I better see that hair in piglets and that hat on your head all night. No excuses, I mean it Soph, we need to sell the idea of a Wild West Saloon and we can't do that without full participation." He reprimanded.
"Whatever you want." She grumbled as she turned back to the mirror. "At least Mel hasn't bagged out on tonight yet. We're short staffed as it is and I need to get home at a decent hour tonight or I think my father really will kick me out this time. He's sick of me working here and he especially dislikes you." She shouted at the retreating figure of her boss.
She saw his small wave before closing the dressing door and changing into that ridiculous costume.
Sophie had worked at the Saloon for years and seen it go through several name changes and with every new name came another theme, each one more elaborate and over done than the previous. This one had lasted the longest; Wild West was a big hit amongst patrons. Sophie suspected it had something to do with the bouncing can-can dancers that took to the stage every night. Regardless of reason this theme brought in the customers, which brought in money, which was really all she cared about at this point. Three more months at this pace and she would finally have enough to put a down payment on a house.
"Hey Mel." She greeted with a smile as she saw the red head strut through the doors as if she owned the place.
"Hi hun, did Jeff try and force you into that dumb gold tooth? I think he just had them left over from the pirate theme we did a while back. Remember those outfits?" She cackled at the memory of lace trimmed puffy shirts and leather corsets. "Who would have thought that the patrons of this fine establishment didn't like sexy pirates?" she asked jokingly.
"I think it had less to do with the sexy pirates and more to do with everyone's inability to properly serve food with a eye patch on." Sophie quipped with bark of a laugh. "He tried to get me to wear that thing but I put my foot down on that one. Let him push it onto one of the new girls." She shrugged as she tied the last ribbon in her hair. "Did you see the crowd out there? Saturday nights are always the biggest money-makers. Well except that time we got a bunch of families in here, does this place look like a place you would take your children?" She asked with wide eyes, examining herself in the mirror.
"It's your knowledge of where it's appropriate to bring your family for dinner that will make you a fabulous mother." Mel stated with a smirk before ducking behind the privacy screen to change.
"Have you seen this body?" Sophie called, running her hands down her sides. "It's the reason I'm never going to be a mother. If you think I am going to give up this for the headaches of motherhood you are sadly mistaken."
"And that attitude is the reason your still single." Mel shouted back.
"Hey, I'm single by choice. When the right guy comes along I'll fall into his arms and swoon like the proper lady I am under all this." She retorted as she lobbed an old sock over the screen. "Where were you last night, when you were so sick you couldn't make it to work?"
"Oh you know Nate was in a mood. He still doesn't like that I work here and I brought up that I didn't like that he slept with Alice. We started fighting." She explained as if she was describing the weather.
"I'm sorry, was it awful?" Sophie asked as concern etched her face.
"Oh no, it was all over in a matter of minutes but then we had to make it up to each other and that took the rest of the night." Mel stuck her head out and smirked.
"And now I'm sorry I even asked!" Sophie exclaimed as she threw her hands up. "I have to go my shift started five minutes ago and Jeff is already in a mood."
"See you out there, I don't start for another twenty minutes with the rest of the girls." Mel called with a wave.
"Yeah, yeah, just remember to call me Annie."
"God, did he change your name too? He told me to introduce myself as Clementine."
"He thinks the western saloon needs to be better branded." Sophie rolled her eyes. "He even gave me a CD to pick up an accent."
"You don't think he's taking this a bit too far?"
"It's Jeff, he takes everything to far. But that's the reason we stay, if things weren't chaos we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves." Sophie called over her shoulder as she walked out of the "employees only" area.
She looked around the bar and rolled her eyes. None of her family supported her decision to keep working there but the way Sophie saw it just made sense. She had worked here throughout all of her time at university and it had helped pay for tuition. She had been there when they were going to have to cut back on everyone's hours because they were haemorrhaging money, she would be damned if she was going to leave now that she was making a crazy amount of money.
"Howdy hun, what am I gettin' you to drink?" She asked as she sauntered up to her first table. A group of four men looking incredibly serious looked back at her. Even though her question was directed at the whole table she had taught herself to focus on the one that looked like he would be paying the bill and sorting out the tip.
"An old fashioned for me." The blond stated without looking her.
"You got it. I just need to see some identification." She thought she saw the man roll his eyes and she was sure she saw his companions smirk. "Look I don't doubt that you are over age but it's policy." She justified with a smile and a small shrug. "I don't make the rules I just don't want to go to jail, especially for a man that hasn't told me his name." She knowingly put her chest even further in his face as she inspected the ID he handed over. "Well, Carlisle, it's good to know I won't be facing time for you. Who's next?"
"A Jack and Coke if you please." The large one called in a voice that held only a trace of an accent.
"My pleasure, you know the drill." She waited as he surrendered his ID. "Well Emmett you sound like a southern boy, bit surprising you're a local." She smiled. "And I don't recognise you."
"I'm sure you see a lot of men walk through those doors, it would be near impossible to remember all of them." He replied with a boyish smile.
"Impossible for most, not for me." Sophie tapped her head with her index finger. "Photographic memory, once I see you I'll never forget you."
"I doubt that." The copper haired one finally spoke up.
"Can't doubt it if I can prove it." Sophie argued back. "What are you having to drink, Sweet pea?"
"A cola." He responded with a furrowed brow. "How could you prove it to me?"
"C450-108-429-305." She reeled off the numbers as she looked directly at the copper haired boy.
"Should that mean something to me?" He asked with his jaw tightening slightly.
"No, but they should mean something to Carlisle. Don't they shuga?" she smirked over at the blond.
"That is my drivers licence number." Carlisle frowned as he looked down to check the numbers. "Impressive."
"Oh that's not my only trick you should see me on Fridays. I can cut a rug if you know what I mean." She gestured up to the stage. "But in the mean time I'm just little old Annie." She smiled with a small wink.
"Well, Annie, I'd like a glass of your finest whiskey straight up." The man with shaggy blond hair and a somewhat wild look in his eye spoke up as he handed over his ID with out her asking.
"Very well, Jasper. I'll be right back with your drinks. In the mean time look over the menu, we have some pretty decent specials and if you have any questions just holler. Name's Annie, and welcome to Hell on Wheels."
Sophie leaned over the bar as she waited for her drinks. She was well aware of most men's eyes trained on her ass but chose to ignore it.
"Thanks, Bill." She said as the bartender handed her a tray laden with drinks. "See those guys over there?" she jerked her head slightly in the direction of the four men she was currently serving. Bill nodded slowly. "God, their skin is like ice. I mean it's like they have been out in the snow all day which make's no sense because this is San Diego and the middle of summer, I don't think we have had a day under ninety all week."
"Let it go Soph, you watch too much TV. Nothing funny happening here, just some guys with poor circulation and no dinks. Now get off my bar."
"Fine you don't like a good mystery. No need to be rude." She remarked as she walked away.
Sophie was half way to her table when some girl rushed around the corner looking haggard and running late. She wasn't watching where she was going and crashed into Sophie causing her to drop all of the drinks onto the floor, soaking her top and coating her boots in alcohol.
"What the hell!" She exclaimed looking at the girl that cowered at Sophie's rage. Sophie slammed the tray onto the floor and clenched her hands into fists.
"I am so sorry. Here let me pay for the drinks, I am so sorry." The girl stammered.
"Name?" Sophie barked.
"What?" The brunette asked in a soft voice with doe eyes.
"What is your name? I'm usually a bit nicer but most first meetings don't start with me smelling like the bar back's rag." She bit out.
"Sorry, my name's Isabella, I was supposed to start today. I just got done talking to Jeff and now I am running late and I wasn't watching were I was going. I'm so sorry." Isabella explained her eyes were brimming with tears.
"You're the new girl? Okay here's what you are going to do; buck up, stop apologising and go get a rag from John. We stopped using real glasses a while ago so just wipe the big puddles up. When you're done go in the back there and change into your uniform. You are going to shadow me for the next couple days and learn the way things work here." Sophie explained her eyes never softening. "And don't put that dumb tooth in your mouth, if your gonna hang with me you at least have to look good."
Isabella nodded quickly as her eyes roamed around the crowded restaurant. A loud bell rang out and the lights began to dim. Music began blaring from the stage as the dancers pranced out waving and winking suggestively at some of the patrons. Sophie saw Mel throwing flirtatious looks over at a man in the corner and rolled her eyes. She would bet fifty bucks it was Nate.
"What are you doing still standing here?" She demanded as she saw Isabella looking at the dancers. "Go!"
"Right, sorry." She apologised again earning a glare from Sophie before scampering off to find a rag.
Five minutes later Sophie had a new tray of drinks and a new shirt. She still carried a small hint of booze but figured most would be able to ignore it.
"Oi, Bell! When your ready come find me." She called as she walked over to the men. "Sorry about the wait, boys. Have you had a chance to look over the menu?" She smiled as she felt Bella come to her side. "I have not had the opportunity to introduce y'all to Bell, our newest cowgirl."
"Oh we've already met." Emmett grinned goofily.
"She didn't spill drinks on you too, did she?" Sophie saw Isabella's cheeks flame red and she gave her a slight nudge.
"Not quite." The copper haired one laughed.
"I am terribly sorry but I don't think I understand." Sophie smiled at Jasper, who had yet to say a word.
"Bell here is family." Jasper finally explained.
"Oh and you all came to support her? What great brothers! Let me guess, older, older, older, younger." Sophie pointed at Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper and Edward respectively. "And Bell falls right in the middle."
"Actually Edward is my boyfriend." Isabella finally explained. "And Carlisle is his father."
"I see." Sophie nodded. "Right, so what can I get you?"
"Four steaks, rare." Carlisle ordered handing over the menus.
"Sure thing! Bell, when you have a chance." Sophie motioned her head away from the table.
Sophie stalked away from the table and over to the kitchen. She waited for Isabella and glared at everyone that stepped too close to her. She saw Isabella sidle up and look around with doe eyes.
"So I place my orders here?" She asked innocently.
"Look here Bambi, I want to like you. Your pretty, which is good for tips, and seem sweet enough but you are actin' dumber than a sack of bricks which is bad for business." Sophie lectured to Isabella.
She was gnashing on her bottom lip and her eyes darted around looking at the cooks that were smartly avoiding all eye contact.
"I'm sorry -" she started before Sophie cut her off.
"What did I say about the apologies?"
"Right, sorry. I mean, okay it won't happen again. What exactly did I do wrong?" Isabella asked as she slapped her head against her hand.
"You're the new girl, you don't have the same privileges that some of the girls have here. Here's how it works: girls like me and Mel have been around since forever, we get to dance on the bar and bring our boyfriends in and show them off. We also get first pick on the radio. New girls like you need to leave the personal shit at the door. Am I making myself clear?"
"Yeah I got it, I won't bring Edward in. I promise I didn't know he was coming he was trying to surprise me." She justified.
"He's your distraction, once you've paid your dues and proven that you're worth your weight then you can bring family around."
"So you're banning my family from the restaurant?" She asked timidly.
"No, I'm banning you from serving them. Tonight, it is what it is, but in the future if you see your boyfriend sitting at one of your tables, you ask another girl to take it for you. And yes, this is where you place orders. This is Luis, best chef on the west cost, anything you want he can make it."
They walked over to the bar and Sophie loaded down her tray with drinks for her tables. She glanced up at the stage as the dancers filed off with promises to be back in two hours. That was when she saw Mel adopt a feral look in her eye as she looked towards the door. Sophie followed her friend's stare and her jaw dropped to the floor.
"That bitch has a lot of nerve to show up here!" She exclaimed as she saw what Mel must have seen.
Alice had just flounced into the bar like she owned it and was smiling over at them.
"God, who does she think she is? I mean really you don't fuck my best friends fiancé and just come trotting around like a damn show horse!" Sophie grumbled. "Watch out Bambi, shit's gonna hit the fan!" Sophie looked back at Mel and saw her getting back up on the stage and grabbing the microphone that had been left there.
"Hey, Bitch!" Mel called from the stage with her blonde wig shaking violently. "Just what do you think you are doing here? This here is my house and for the love of God I want you out!" She screamed into the crowd with her eyes fixed on the waif of a girl.
The customers were shocked into silence. Some looked as if they were about to cheer the blonde on while others looked annoyed with the display.
"I have to stop this, she is going to hurt herself if she is up there for any longer by herself." Sophie whispered as she slammed her tray on the bar.
"I don't understand. Alice did this? But she's with -" Isabella tried to explain before she was cut off.
"You know this bitch?" Sophie screamed. "Stop her, Get her out of here!" She ordered before storming away. "C'mon, Clem! It's time for you to go home. Nate, give me a hand here." Sophie called as she looked around for Nate but he was gone. "Damn boy I knew he was trouble." She mumbled under her breath as Mel continued fighting against her grasp.
As Sophie fought to keep Mel from lunging off the stage at Alice, she saw a glint of silver peak out from under Mel's skirts. She thought nothing of it until she saw Mel's hand fly down to grab at it.
"GUN!" Sophie bellowed causing the patrons to start rushing for the exit. "Mel! Stop, what are you thinking? He's not worth it!" She cried even as she saw her friend pull the trigger.
With the loudest noise she could have ever imagined her head whipped around. She had missed her target; Alice was standing next to Isabella, who was laying on the ground bleeding.
"What have you done?" Sophie cried as Mel moved to fire again. "Mel! NO, stop!" She yelled this time lodging herself between Mel and her target.
Sophie did not expect her friend to fire with her in the way, but her actions came too late. By the time she blocked Mel's view she already had her finger on the trigger.
Pain radiated throughout Sophie's chest. Breathing became agony as a fire ripped through her. Her vision was becoming hazy and the screams sounded distant, as if earmuffs blocked her hearing.
"Mommy." She whimpered as she felt cold hands wrap around her head. A blond head swam before Sophie's vision. "Help me. I'm dying." She whispered. "I don't want to die, I don't want to die." She repeated again and again. "I'm not ready yet. I have so much left to do, please!" She was begging and somewhere in the back of her mind she was ashamed of her actions.
She heard the blond bark out orders with an authoritative voice.
"Get Edward out of here!" She heard over the roar of people still fleeing towards the exit.
Sophie thought she heard words like 'Bella' and 'coma' as sirens began blaring. She could not grasp at reality any longer. The enticing warmth of the darkness became too much and forced her eyes shut.
She was warm as she opened her eyes. It was as if a beam of sunlight had parted the clouds just for her. She could not hold back the contented sigh that left her lips as she looked around. It appeared to be a meadow of some sort, she could see mountains in the background peeked with snow. Wildflowers grew in unimaginable numbers in vibrant colours, ranging from lavender to crimson and past that to colours Sophie did not have a name for.
"Is this heaven?" she mused aloud assuming that if this was really heaven some angel should arrive and inform her of her fate.
"How could this be heaven? Heaven is where you have all that you love! I could never be happy here!" The woman beside her exclaimed, her long chestnut locks dropping in front of her face.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. What's your name? I'm – well I can't rightly seem to remember. How curious." Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall her own name. She didn't feel the panic she thought she should have felt for not remembering her own name.
"I can't remember! All I know is that I feel as if I am being pulled apart in a million different directions." She declared with a sob.
Sophie was beginning to become annoyed with the woman next to her. It wasn't as if she was going through this scary ordeal by herself! She could at least pretend to hold it together.
"Okay, so what do you want to be called? You kind of look like an Addison to me. I always thought that would be a splendid name for a child." Sophie rambled as she tried to get the girl to stop weeping.
"How do you know what you thought would be a good name for a child but don't know your own name?" the girl exclaimed as she looked up at her.
"I don't know! How come you feel as if your being drawn and quartered?" Sophie demanded with a small tilt of her head.
The girl shut her mouth at that one and looked down at her feet.
"I'm nineteen years old." She finally mumbled. "But I don't know how I know that."
"I think I am twenty three and I think my mother is dead." Sophie said the words she had been thinking since she woke up.
"I'm sorry." The girl whispered.
"I don't think I ever knew her. I don't think a girl that knew her mother could do what I do, at least not in any real way. How could she look at her mother when she comes home? How could her mother look at her?" Her voice wavered but she did not cry.
"What do you think you did?" Addison finally asked with as slight hitch in her voice.
"What 'we' did. I mean look at how we are dressed. There aren't many professions where this is suitable attire. I don't even want to say it." Sophie looked down at her boots. "Effing western themed hooters." She muttered to herself.
"We weren't – that – I mean." Addison exclaimed. "We couldn't have been! I mean look I have a wedding ring on, I wouldn't have -" She stumbled over her words.
"How do you know what you would have done? I just named you five minutes ago! Honestly Bells you make this hard!" She yelled without thinking about it.
"What did you just call me?"
"Bells, I called you Bells -" Sophie roared back without thinking about why she was asking.
"That isn't the name you gave me." Bells reasoned with a small smile.
"Oh." Sophie mumbled. "I must have remembered your name." She offered a guilty smile and a shrug of her shoulders.
"It's fine. I think we are remembering, our past that is." She explained.
"I remember a lot of pain," Sophie admitted. "Right here, it was like I was on fire, only worse because I wasn't so there was no way to make it stop." She pressed into her left shoulder with two fingers exactly where she remembered the burn. Even now in the utopia she had found herself in the pain was still there. She winced slightly. "It's like a perfect circle. You know, I think," she paused, not wanting to sound dramatic. "I think I was shot."
"So was I, right here." Bells lifted up the side of her shirt to expose a perfectly round circle.
"Why aren't we bleeding? I mean, that looks weeks old but that doesn't make any sense! We should be in the hospital!"
"Maybe we are past saving. But that doesn't make sense either because I wouldn't be here. Edward would have changed me. I mean we agreed that I would go to University before I changed but he had to change me if I was about to die."
Sophie was lost in Bells' ramblings.
"What are you changing into, a pumpkin?" She asked with a snort.
"Don't be silly! I was going to be like them I was going to be a vampire." She explained as if that were the most logical explanation in the world.
Sophie raised her eyebrows so high they almost disappeared into her hairline.
"Maybe we are both nuts and we are in some medication induced hallucination." She reasoned. "Vampire's don't exist. Besides I met Edward he didn't have even a trace of a Transylvanian accent, and really what vampire worth a damn doesn't have an accent?"
"The real kind." Bella answered with an eye-roll. "Do you remember what happened to us now?" She asked as a side thought.
"I think so. I think I remember my friend trying to kill yours, I think I jumped in front of the gun."
"Why?" Bells asked sounding shocked.
"Mel is a sweet person. She might have hated Alice but she would have hated herself more if she killed her. I thought I could stop her, I didn't intend on getting killed for a two timing whore." She responded without thought, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Do you remember your name? I know mine, I'm Isabella Marie Swan, and I don't think I am dead yet."
"I am Sophie Martinez, I am Chippewa, and I know I am alive." She responded as she held her head up high.
"You are Native American?" Bells questioned. "I had a friend that was Native American. You don't look like he did."
"Well a few years ago some Spaniard knocked on my Nana's tipi and raped her and then kept her as property." She snapped. "Did you really think we all looked alike?"
"No." Bella responded bitterly before folding in on herself. "When do you suppose we will get back to reality?"
"Let me consult the spirits, should we hold a powwow while were at it?"
"It was just a question! There is no reason to yell at me." Bells retorted showing that she actually did have some sort of a backbone.
"Fine, I don't know. We might never go back."
"Where would we go?" She asked sounding worried.
"Well we might stay here for forever, like in limbo or something. Or we could dream up some other location but never really wake up." Sophie thought for a minute.
"I think I should like to dream up someplace new. Maybe I could go back and see Edward when he was a human."
"Are you still trying to convince me that Edward's a vampire?"
"Yes, him and all the other men at that table, and Alice and a few others." She nodded.
"You need a trip to the loony bin, Swan." Sophie laughed as she leaned back into the long grass.
"I'm not crazy, Edward is over 100 years old! And Jasper and Carlisle are both older."
"Right, whatever helps you sleep at night." Sophie rolled her eyes. "I on the other hand think it would be very fun to kick it with the Rolling Stones back before the first farewell tour." She stretched her arms out over her head. "Actually a musical tour throughout the ages seems about heaven to me."
"Don't you have anyone you love?" Bella sounded like she was breaking apart a little.
"Um," Sophie scrunched her face up. "At one point we had a house cat that I was pretty fond of but he ran off a few months ago. I'll miss my Dad, but he has more family so I don't need to worry about him. No, no, love for Sophie. No one I can't live without."
"But that's so sad!" Bella finally dissolved into tears yet again.
"It was a personal choice! Never had a serious boyfriend, kept my friends at arms length." She shrugged. "I was happy."
"Does that mean you never?" Bella gestured at her hips.
"Had sex?" Sophie snorted. "I'm a virgin not a twelve year old. I was just waiting for the right guy."
"Aren't you afraid it's going to hurt? That there will be all this blood?" Bella's lower lip quivered before she bit it.
"Who has been filling your head with horror stories? Unless your boyfriend, or fiancé, or whatever, is Godzilla and really doesn't give a crap about you it shouldn't be traumatic."
"How would you know?"
"Because I've talked about it with my friends and I'm pre-med. Bet you never guessed there was a brain under all this beauty." Bella looked unconvinced but she said nothing. "I'm going to start walking." Sophie stood up and brushed the grass off her shorts. "That direction looks like a good one." She pointed off to the south. "Are you coming?"
Bella sniffled for a minute before nodding her head.
"Good. Let's see if we can find Led Zeppelin." She laughed at her own joke and was kind of disappointed when Bella didn't answer.
They didn't talk on their walk. Bella was almost holding herself together with her arms and crying softly. By the end of the second hour Sophie had enough.
"Stop it! You aren't dead yet! You start acting like you are and what's the point of even trying? You fight this, you get stronger, you wake up and you find your loved ones and you live. Or you die. Those are your options." Her voice had become as venomous as a snake but she couldn't find the will to stop it. Someone had to snap her out of the funk she had created.
They walked for yet another hour, seemingly uphill, and had yet to come across anyone. The sun, that had previously seemed welcoming and friendly, now beat down on Sophie's neck and made her want to scream. Her feet hurt and she was slowly beginning to think that it wasn't heaven but hell that they had found themselves in.
"I give up!" She suddenly roared and stomped her foot, looking up to the sky. "DO you hear me God? I give, you win, what sins could I have committed to make you this angry with me? Is it because I worked on the Sabbath? I'm sorry! I used your name in vain more than you liked? I'm sorry!" She was yelling at the top of her lungs and suddenly realised how thirsty she was.
It was as if the tickle in the back of her throat became an out right itch, before it became unbearable. Within a matter of minutes she was on her knees, her fists pounding at the ground.
"I'm thirsty! And my feet hurt! And I've been walking for hours with no one but you! And you keep crying!" Sophie was almost in tears herself but didn't have the water to waste. "You love him! I get that, but come on! Aren't you tired of crying? I'll get you back to him, I promise, but first I need you to help me find water!" She was promising a thing she could never guarantee but her need for water overrode common logic.
She flopped onto her back and vaguely felt the ground shaking as she closed her eyes. Sophie closed her eyes and did something she never thought she would do. She prayed, she prayed for water, for answers, for a way to shut the crying girl up, but mostly she prayed that she would wake up and the fire in the back of her throat would go away. Sophie could still hear Bella's crying next to her.
"Help! Help!" She heard Bella cry.
'Finally, she managed to stop crying and start helping' She thought vaguely as she heard Bella get up and run over to something or someone. It was only a few seconds later before Sophie heard the scream.
AN: Hi all, so I'm trying this one out. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet so it might be dead in the water after a few more chapters. Let me know what you are thinking. Reviews are more than encouraged!