Author's note:

They pay for this, all of them!

INTRO

What could be finer than the mall's annual clearance week? The day when all the stores and shops in the mall were selling unsold, but still fairly useable products items and merchandise at low prices. This way we could make room for new things to come into stock; think of it as an early boxing day.

Some of the gang was helping me clear out some of my stuff from Comic Cavern, including unsold comic-books, and merchandise, among them were things and books from our own series. Caitlin couldn't help but admire how much her Torchy the Battery Boy story was loved by all the little kids. "With these prices slashed off, I'll bet they go like hotcakes." she said.

"Yeah right, me and my Space Patrol series is going to be the talk of the stand." said Nikki.

"Think again, lady-dudes." said Jude "Supercar is what the people want."

I came downstairs carrying a box and told them to cool it. "Come on guys, it's not a contest. Remember, whatever is sold you guys get half the profits, and besides… if anything will got fast, it'll be Starfleet X-Bomber."

The others and I all exchanged funny, cheeky glares at each other. "Come on, help me load this up so I can tag it. I gotta set up soon."

Nikki crouched down very carefully, just like her doctor had instructed for her pregnancy, which was now one month in, but left a good seven to go, and it would be at least another month before Nikki's stomach would even begin to grow in size.

"How's Jonesy taking it?" Caitlin asked.

"Pretty good..." Nikki answered "He told me today he was going to try to find a new job and promise to keep it longer this time; this I am so not counting on."

The rest of us believed her, but we did feel concern. "What about when the baby is born?" I asked "You guys are going to need a lot of dough to clear that up, and just as much more to raise the kid."

Jude held his head in dismay, "Dude, my mind hurts just thinking of all the tens of thousands of dollars spent every day and Starr and I aren't the ones expecting."

Little did we all realize that Jonesy was peering round at the entrance to my store, and heard everything. This filled his stomach with so many butterflies he almost forgot how to swallow when he realized how much his baby would cost, the worst part, he didn't have the heart to tell Nikki he blew the interview and lost his job before he even had it. "Oh, man…" he groaned "I have to do something and fast."

And he left right away, still pondering over what to say or what to do, but one thing was certain, he needed money badly, and not just minimum wage style. Too bad for him he left too early, because Nikki told the rest of us "There's nothing to worry about, we've got it all covered. Besides, it's not like Jonesy's going to have to do anything stupid."

For at the moment, Jonesy was in a near panic, and so desperate to be a better husband to Nikki and a good father to his unborn child, that he said to himself "I think I just may have to do something stupid."

"Intro theme"

Author's apology:

I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that (Just like all my other fics) due to the possibility this may be Copyright infringement and might get my account banned, I can go no further with this ep, sorry.