Author's Note: Hi! This is my first time posting one of my stories, though I have been reading fanfiction on this site for a while. This story is mostly done already, so updates should be regular, and all reviews are appreciated, including constructive criticism, but please, no flames. This chapter is mostly fluff, but it starts off the story. Enjoy!
Prologue
Jules walked into the briefing room after her morning workout. She was running a little late, scratch that- a lot late; enough in fact, that Ed, Sam, Wordy, Spike, Lou, and Sarge had all beaten her there. That's strange, she thought, Jules was normally the first of all of them. As she neared the large metal shutters that acted as a door, she heard familiar music playing. Familiar enough for Jules to stop in her tracks.
Memories flooded back to her from previous times- mostly high school, when she used to sing all the time. She and her friends formed a band, and they played hundreds of covers of songs, as well as a few originals. And, she thought, full of dread, I'm sure they are still all online for anyone to come across at any given time.
Sure enough, when she walked into the briefing room, if the sudden stop of music wasn't enough to tell her, her team's faces said it all. Jules prided herself on her profiling skills, and was very good at reading people, but you did not have to be nearly as good as her to read the faces of her team at that moment. Spike looked guilty. So he must have been the one to find, and present the video(s) to the rest of them, she mused. Wordy, Ed and Greg looked impressed, and surprised, but they had nothing on Sam. He was looking at Jules like he had just seen a completely new side of her, like he didn't even recognize her anymore. Lou was the only one not staring up at her. He was looking at Spike, trying and failing to suppress a smug grin, which clearly read I told you so. Jules could only guess that he was anticipating her reaction.
"So", Jules calmly began, but no one could miss the undertone of her voice. "What have you all been up to this lovely morning?"
"Um, well, uh…. you see," Spike tried to begin, stuttering. "Last night I might've, sort of, maybe, kinda found a videoortwoofyousingingfromawhileago" he rushed.
"Spike, care to repeat yourself? I did not understand a word of that sentence past found." Jules replied in a deceivingly flat, deadpan voice.
If possible, Spike began to sweat more, becoming more and more obviously distressed until the entire team was laughing with the exception of himself and Jules. Taking pity on him, Sarge decided to finally provide an explanation.
"Seeing as you were late this morning," he paused, receiving a glare from Jules, "Spike told us he had something to show us." A pause. "And I would just like to point out that Ed, Lou, Wordy, Sam, and myself were completely unaware and blameless in all of this." Greg had felt the need to add that part on, for which the rest of the team, excluding Spike, were extremely grateful, because they all knew of Jules' temper and it looked like it was building up to a point where each man in the room would have quickly run away in a different situation.
"Last night I was bored, so I was randomly searching videos on Youtube," Spike began nervously. "I was watching people from an open mic night at one of those Cafés downtown, and I saw you." Spike was starting to regret showing the team in the first place due to the murderous glare he was receiving from Jules. He was very aware of the silent, angry aura Jules was emitting, and of the lack of back up his team was providing. "Anyways," he said, clearing his throat, "I kept digging and found a channel called JCmusicvidz, and is seemed like too much of a coincidence to overlook, especially considering how it was created in Medicine Hat, and videos were uploaded in Toronto as well…" he trailed off at the look she was giving him, and looked around at the others for support, getting nothing but looks from around the room clearly stating you're on your own.
"Let me get this straight," Jules began slowly, letting Spike relish in the calm before the storm. "You found a video of me online, one which should never have been posted, and spent who knows how long looking for more of them?" she asked, in the same cool tone which she had started with. Spike flinched, knowing she was about to let him have it. "Why?"
Spike blinked, obviously thrown off by the sudden turn in the conversation. She wasn't yelling at him? Yet, he thought. It was important to add the yet. "Why, what? He asked stupidly.
"Why did you look for more?" Jules asked in a slow tone, as if talking to a toddler who couldn't understand her, accenting her statement with one of her infamous eye rolls at his stupidity.
"Oh," replied Spike dumbly, eventually realizing he still hadn't answered her question when Ed cleared his throat and nudged him in amusement. "Well, I thought you were good," Spike said simply. "I wanted to see if you had done any covers recently, if you still sang. And I also kinda wanted to see what kind of music you were into, to see if I won the bet…" Spike trailed off again, realizing that he had just revealed his part in the ongoing bet between himself, Ed, Lou, Sam, and Wordy- the Boss refusing to partake in most bets concerning Jules, because he knew her well enough to predict the outcome if the information became known to her.
"But you're really good, Jules," said Wordy truthfully, as well as covering for Spike, whose statement was quickly agreed with by the other 5 men in the room. "Do you still play?" he asked, referring to Spike's earlier question.
Jules was taken aback by the complete honesty and interest displayed in the people before her. Using her high observatory skills, she tried to look for any crack, anything to suggest alternative opinions on her creative outlet, but she found none. "Yes, I still play. More covers now than any original songs, but now and then I get inspiration," she conceded, surprising even herself at that last admission.
Suddenly she was peppered by questions from everyone.
"Do you play live?"
"When did you start?"
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"What kind of songs do you play?"
And this, thought Jules, is why I didn't tell them in the first place, even when the topic somehow came up at The Goose.
Thankfully, Jules was saved from answering the questions as the alarm went off.
