Disclaimer: Not mine. Owned by whomever these days. This came to me today while I was watching the Vehicle Force episode 'A Man Made Sun' while home with the flu. Something that I've always wondered about and decided to put my own spin on it. Cheers. AM September 2008.

Lucky Charm

By Angel Mouse

They had landed and exited from their craft and as Jeff came running over to them she saw a flash of something and then she saw it. Lisa's lucky charm necklace that had been in her family for generations, she had shown Cinda and her it a few days ago, saying she was going to give it to someone special.

And it was now around Jeff's neck.

Ginger couldn't help it. She was jealous, pure and simple. She'd always felt attracted to Jeff, and the flirting they did all the time gave rise to her hopes over time. But now, now this and she felt all her hopes come crashing to the ground.

Lisa obviously loved Jeff, and the feelings were apparently returned in kind. All the times she had seen them talking, laughing, watching sunsets on planets they were exploring. But at the end of the day, he'd always come back to her. Always flirted, always smiled. And until now, there'd always been hope.

So, the despair and heartbreak she was feeling she kept squashed deep in her heart while they were on the mission. Jeff getting hurt didn't help her peace of mind any either. But in the end, they succeeded in destroying the roe beast factory and had gone back in celebration to the Explorer.

Without thinking she'd gone behind the bar and began serving her friends and fellow members of the Voltron Force like she always did. Hot chocolates, coffee's, tea's, soft drinks for some others and then she took her own drink and moved off to one side, ignoring the looks of concern that some of the others threw after her.

Jeff had come in, as always, expecting to find Ginger behind the bar, ever ready with his hot chocolate and a smile. But she wasn't there tonight, she was off over in the corner, giving off stay away vibes in massive waves. He scratched at his arm absently, where it had been hit earlier during the mission.

He remembered with a smile how Ginger had dragged him out of the way and then carefully bandaged his injury. He grabbed his drink, nodding his thanks to Hutch and began to go over to where she was sitting when someone grabbed his arm.

"I think you'd better leave her alone for a minute Jeff." He looked to see Cliff looking at him. He gave him a confused look.

"Huh, what's going on Cliff? I'm just going to talk to Ginger like I always do." Cliff sighed, wondering how he'd gotten the short straw to talk to Jeff. It had been Lisa herself that had come to him and said he needed to talk to Jeff.

"Jeff, don't you think it's about time you decided what you're going to do about Lisa, and Ginger?" Jeff looked even more confused.

"Huh, what do you mean Cliff?" Cliff sighed and dragged him off to one side while Lisa approached Ginger.

"Man, you're oblivious aren't you… okay, come with me."

Lisa slid into the seat opposite Ginger with a tiny smile. She knew what was on her blonde haired friends mind, more than she knew herself. Lisa wasn't stupid, or blind. She knew that Ginger had more than friendly feelings for Jeff, and she also knew that her own for Jeff weren't what Ginger was thinking. She thought of Jeff as a brother, nothing more, and had given him the good luck charm as a present for the mission. But for the mission only, it was already back around her neck under her uniform.

"Ginger, it's not what you're thinking you know." Ginger looked at the other women, taking in her long dark hair and kind eyes. She sighed and shook her head.

"It's exactly what I'm thinking isn't it Lisa? You love Jeff; he loves you, end of story. I'll stay out of the picture." Lisa laughed softly and shook her head.

"It's not like that Ginger. I think of Jeff like he's my older brother. I don't love him like that at all, you should know that." Ginger looked at her friend.

"How can I Lisa? Two days ago you showed Cinda and I your necklace saying that it was the most important possession in your family. And then today… today, it was around Jeff's neck. What am I supposed to think huh Lisa? All the times I've seen the two of you together, all the things I've seen you do together, what else am I supposed to think, especially since the two of you seem so close all the time."

Lisa was shocked by Ginger's words; they were harsh, upset and sad. But she had kept her voice down and when Lisa thought about it a moment, she realised Ginger had a point. But she couldn't let her friend continue to be sad like she was. She reached out and took Ginger's hand in hers.

"Ginger, it's nothing like that. Jeff's my cousin."

Jeff stared at Cliff as he laid it all on the line. He then burst out laughing and shook his head at his friend. Cliff was not only a fellow team leader but also one of his best friends from the Academy. He trusted Cliff more than anything.

"This is no laughing matter Jeff. Ginger's been head over heels in love with you for a long time, and this thing with Lisa is tearing her apart. I love Ginger like a little sister, she's just a happy and beautiful person, to see her hurting like this is horrible."

Jeff just sighed and looked at his friend.

"I don't love Lisa like that. Yes, I do love her, but not in a romantic sense. Cliff, Lisa's my cousin Cliff, nothing more than that." Cliff stared at him and then suddenly burst out laughing along with Jeff as well.

"Well, that's just fine then. But I think you need to talk to Ginger sooner rather than later Jeff. She really does care for you a great deal." Jeff nodded and sighed.

"I know Cliff, I know. I'm just not sure if it'd be fair to get Ginger's hopes up if something happens to me. To either of us really. This isn't a cake walk we're in the middle of you know Cliff."

"So, I know that, she knows that. Live life for today, don't worry about tomorrow okay?" A shadow came over them and they looked up to see Lisa standing there a grin on her face.

"Go talk to her Jeff, before she busts a gut and chickens out." Jeff looked at his younger cousin and his friend and blushed.

"Am I that transparent?" Lisa laughed softly at his soft sounding words.

"No, you're just both my friends that I care about deeply." Jeff looked at her and nodded. Deciding he stood up and began to walk over to her, but was stopped by Lisa's hand on his arm. "Just don't do something that you'll both regret okay? Just be happy." Jeff smiled.

"Thanks Lisa. Cliff. Thanks for the push. And the heads up." With that he kept walking towards where Ginger was sitting and slid into the booth, smiling at her. Lisa sat down with Cliff and grinned at him.

"Now, do you think that those two will finally get their act together and admit they are both crazy about one another?" Cliff grinned at her and winked.

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see then won't we oh lover of mine." Cliff grinned and took her hand.

"That we will my love. Come on; let's go do some celebrating of our own."