Friends

Chapter 1

This little story came up because I wanted to establish a relationship between Scarlett and Cat. I hope you like. I know I need more work. Oh, this takes place sometime in the next year.

Scarlett watched as Cat put Timber through some moves. She smiled as Timber stopped and stood still at her command. She sat in porch chair at the small dude ranch they had gone to for vacation. Scarlett had been to this ranch a few times and knew Cat would love it because of the trail rides. Even Timber had wondered around in the woods for a while, kind of worrying Cat, who wondered if his wild nature would come out.

"How long will he stand?" She whispered.

Cat signed as she slowly walked up to Scarlett. *As long as I want* Cat grinned. "Sorry. I'm too used to signing."

Scarlett chuckled. "It's okay. At least I can understand you. Duke and Rip are still having a hard time learning."

"Yeah, I know. It seems that Ripcord really doesn't want to learn." Cat commented. She watched Scarlett's face as she spoke. "Maybe it's a little too hard for him. ASL isn't easy if you don't have the mind set."

Scarlett nodded and smiled. "When did you learn?"

Cat motioned to Timber and called him over. "About from the time I was a baby. I have Tios that are deaf. They were around when I was born in Oklahoma. " She began to take off the work halter. "I never told you, did I?"

Scarlett shook her head. "No, in fact I really don't know much about your background except what is in your file."

Cat hesitated a little before hanging the halter on her chair. She faced Scarlett with a questioning look. "What has Snake Eyes told you? You know, about our background?"

Scarlett sat down and sighed. "I know a bit. About his ninja training in Japan. I know about him and Storm Shadow; of how they were trained together for a while and why he won't talk. He served under Hawk in Afghanistan, that's where he was recruited."

"Really? He didn't tell me that."

"Then I know more that you do?" Scarlett asked.

"I guess." Cat sat down and started brushing down Timber. "He told you he calls me 'Little Sister'?"

Scarlett nodded.

"He's called me that since I dubbed him 'Big Brother'? If he's told you that, I guess I can tell you a little bit more. He was one of the ones who took me in and trained me in Japan. There were only two girls in the clan, so we were kind of spoiled. But our Master wasn't lenient with us; he was a tough as he was with the boys."

"So after your parents died, that is where you spent those five years?" Scarlett watched as Cat slowed her brushing down and pondered her next thoughts.

"Yeah, and all I can say is it was a tough time for me, what I remember, if it wasn't for The Master, Snake Eyes and everyone else…"

"Jinx told me you and Snake were close for a while, but she can be just as secretive as all you ninjas."

Grinning, Cat nodded. "Yep and we're getting to know each other again. You know, the hard part was leaving. If I could have, I wouldn't have left, but when my family showed up, Snake Eyes said I had to go with them; they were my blood kin. It took a while to get back into a groove with my family. My Spanish was a little off and my Japanese didn't fit in at the house."

"But you connected with them okay, if you have this much of a relationship with them?" Scarlett reached over and scratched Timber's ears. "Those care packages they send are wonderful."

Cat smiled and nodded. "My family is pretty close anyway. You should be there during the summer; we have so many get-togethers and cook outs that you would think it was an everyday thing. In fact, if you want, why don't we go in a few days? You said we have a week to go on our leave, didn't you?"

Scarlett thought a moment. "Maybe, if we don't arrive late to our pickup area." She nodded. "Okay, you know where to go?"

"Like the back of my hand." Cat finished and reached into a pocket to get a tennis ball. "Man, I miss seeing this." She said as she threw a ball toward the tree line. Timber ran to retrieve it. "I love trees."

"What did you think of the trail rides?"

"Great, kind of better that just riding up and down the roads at home. I have always wanted to come to Colorado, but couldn't afford it. Does your family come up here?"

Scarlett shook her head. "No, found it on a website. I've been up here a few times for R&R." Scarlett watched as Timber stopped, ball in his mouth, to sniff around. She laughed as he brought the ball and tried to play keep away with Cat. Cat nearly fell off the chair reaching for it.

"You nut, I'm not Snake Eyes." Cat stood up and tried grabbing the ball again.

Scarlett couldn't help but laugh as Timber kept just inches out of Cat's reach.

She didn't see the man in the shadows of the barn, watching the two women. Grinning at the scene in front of him, he stayed still for a little longer then turned and disappeared into the barn.

"Cat, what did your family say about me joining you?" Scarlett asked as she lay on her bed. She was dressed in a silky nightgown and wore a pair of booties. The women were in their room after the day had passed and Scarlett looked up from her book that she was reading.

Dressed in shorts and a night top, Cat was looking at some pictures on a camera, so she put it down and gave Scarlett a look. "Didn't I tell you? There's going to be a dinner for my Tia Jessie and Tio Andre. So I don't think it will matter too much if there if an extra mouth." She leaned over to look at Timber, who lay between the beds.

"Oh?"

"I knew I forgot to tell you something. My father was the third child of ten siblings. There will be so many people and so much food that one more mouth won't matter." She smiled at Scarlett's shocked look. "So don't worry. I know I won't be the only one that brings someone to the house" She turned off the camera and climbed under the blankets. "Can we have one more ride before we go tomorrow?"

Scarlett chuckled. "Okay, if you want, we can leave after lunch. I'll ask for a few sandwiches to take with us."

"That would be great!" Cat said. "I'm going to sleep now. How's the book?"

"Getting to a good part. Good night."

"'Night." Cat rolled over and snuggled into the bed.

"Cat?"

"Yes?" Cat looked over her shoulder at Scarlett.

"I just wanted to apologize for what happened between you and Breaker."

Cat smiled. "What happened or not happen, is not your fault. Besides, it gives me more time on my training." She thought for a moment. "Do you know that medic? You know the one who seems to say: Target! with his orange uniform?"

Scarlett nodded.

"I think he's cute."

Scarlett stared at her. "He's a pacifist!"

Shocked, Cat stared at her. After a while, she shrugged. "I still think he's cute." With that she pulled the blankets up and snuggled down.

Scarlett kept reading for another hour before she finally turned off the light and pulled the sheet up around her. She listened and heard Cat's soft breathing, proving that she had fallen asleep some time ago. Soon she herself drifted off.

Scarlett's eyes opened. 'What had awakened her?' She heard some movement and tried to pin point it. It was coming from the door. She was facing Cat's bed, but could scarcely make out the other woman's form. She nearly yelped as a form came up from the space between the beds. Timber. She could only just hear the growl that started to rumble in his chest; that was when she saw Cat reach out and touch Timber's back, quieting the animal before he got louder. She saw Cat slowly move over to Timber's head; obviously giving the animal a command. The bed didn't even creak.

Timber slowly creeped towards the door and waited.

Cat moved over to Scarlett's bed and spoke.

"Get ready. Timber is going to jump whoever is going to open the door." Cat whispered so low; Scarlett could just make out the words. "He'll hold him."

Scarlett nodded and slowly moved the blankets off and got off the bed. She winced as the springs gave a small noise. Cat had moved across the room and near the door so quietly, it was as if she was floating. Scarlett silently grumbled that Cat's training was coming along too well. Wanting to be able to see when he struck, Scarlett was reaching for the light when Timber snorted.

"Timber?" Cat's voice sounded alarmed.

Scarlett could see, even in the dim light that the large lobo stumbled backward from the door.

Timber snorted again before falling to the floor.

"No." Cat said as she kneeled down next to her lobo.

"Cat, don't…" But Scarlett saw it was too late as Cat also collapsed. Though she couldn't smell anything, Scarlett put a shirt over her face, hoping that would work. She realized it was too late when room started spinning. She reached out and grabbed a small device off the night stand before she collapsed as well.

The door opened and two men with masks on, entered to assess the room.

"I told you the gas would work fast." Said the muffled voice of the taller one.

The slightly shorter one dressed in white stepped over the still forms near the door and walked in. He looked from one woman to the other. "You better be glad it did." Storm Shadow said as he pointed to the lobo. "He would have torn you apart before you stepped a foot in."

"It's a deal, then? I get the lobo and you get the women to take to the Commander?" The taller one said. "Unless, you could do with just one. I mean, the red head is the 'Joe', right?"

Storm Shadow glared at the man. "Be glad I'm letting you have the animal." Was all he said to him before motioning to men that stood outside the room. He pointed to the women "Take then to the barn." And walked out followed by his men.

The tall man looked Timber over and pushed the still form with his foot. "You are going to make me some money."

Breaker chewed his gum as he scanned the computer website again. Finding the right components for the computers was a job and required that he go through channels for the specific ones he wanted. It was boring but he had good companionship as he looked over at a specific yeoman. He grinned at her as she smiled back.

Ripcord walked briskly in and Breaker groaned.

"Have you heard anything? Where are they going now?" Ripcord asked as he got closer to Breaker's station.

"Listen, you can't keep coming in every few hours asking if Scarlett and Cat are coming back yet. It is their R&R."

"Aw, come on, buddy. I mean, if it was your girl out there, wouldn't you miss her?"

Breaker thought for a moment, then sighed. "Okay, I'll call her phone…just to see how they…" Just then an alarm went off. "Oh,my…" Breaker's fingers flew over the buttons. "It's Scarlett's link alarm. She would only turn it on if something was wrong." They watched as some blips came up on the image of Colorado. Two stationary and one moving. Cat and Scarlett's phones, that they had taken with them, had locator chips in them. Breaker was the few that could call up the code to bring them up.

"Which one is that one?" Ripcord pointed to the moving one.

"That is Timber's." Breaker said. He was kind of glad that Cat had a locator chip put into Timber's collar. "Scarlett's and Cat's are stationary at the ranch." They stared at the moving one. "Timber's traveling at about sixty miles an hour."

"He can't travel at that speed? Who would he be going with?" Hawk said as he and Snake Eyes came up.

Breaker looked over at Snake Eyes.

The ninja's visor was moving as the blip moved away. *He wouldn't leave Cat and go with someone else like that.* He signed.

Hawk also kept an eye on the screen, moving from one blip to the others.

"Sir, Scarlett and Cat haven't shown any sign of moving. If Timber was taken, one of them would have probably called by now."

"Call Duke and Heavy Duty, tell them to get ready to board a Howler. Now, Breaker!" When he saw that Breaker hesitated. He turned to Snake Eyes and nodded as the ninja saluted as he hurried away. Hawk turned back to the screen and wondered about his two Joes.

It had been Scarlett's idea for the place for their R&R, she had been there before. She had needed a vacation and wanted to take Cat with her. He had been hoping that with Timber at their side, they would be okay.