Tim Fortune—Glad you like the idea!

Ellina HOPE-- I'm glad I've piqued your fancy. Sorry it wasn't longer, I try to make my updates about 4 word pages long. But thank you for the reminder about the detail. That's one of the areas I'm trying to work on. And don't worry, it's really hard to offend or bother me.

This isn't going to be a Joe/Polly. I like Joe, I like Polly, I don't like them together. So they're just going to tolerate each other. Sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything yet. Maybe someday.

The car ride to Joe's apartment was quiet. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts, wondering what was going to happen next. Violet was still twisting the ribbon around her fingers; Joe assumed it was a nervous habit of sorts.

He glanced at his cousin out of the corner of his eye, and took in her outfit. While it was a beautiful dress, it wouldn't do to dirty it by wearing it to the hangar day after day. He made a mental note to call Polly. As much as he didn't like the woman, he tolerated her, and knew that he'd need her help. She'd probably jump at the chance to help this poor little… girl.

"Do you know who Count Olaf is?" Said poor little... girl asked suddenly.

Joe was surprised at the topic, but hid it. "Yes… I'm not sure how he's related to the family and I've met him, but I do know of him."

"And… you know what he looks like, right?" Joe could hear the distress in her voice, and when he looked at her, he saw it in her eyes.

"Yes." He assured her. "I know what he looks like."

"He wears disguises sometimes." She mumbled softly, as if she thought he wouldn't believe her.

Joe gave her a small, encouraging smile as they slowed to turn a corner. "I'm not that dense, contrary to what my men seem to think." That got him a small laugh from her. Good, it was good to hear her laugh. "Besides," He returned his attention back to the road, "if I for some reason have a lapse in sanity, just tell me. I trust you."

He saw Violet give him a real smile. "The others never listened to us." She said, by way of an explanation.

"They never listen to the important people." He knew exactly what she meant. Some of the police force looked at his work as more of vigilante justice. Nonetheless, Joe was trying to cheer her up. It was hard for him to see her so sad. But his comments seemed to be improving her mood. "Now…" He paused to think. "Mr. Poe said you were something of an inventor?"

Violet gave a small nod. "Nothing big and important," she said in her soft voice. "Just things that make life a little easier."

Joe chuckled as he thought of Dex. "Trust me. When it comes to making life easier, it's the little inventions that mean the most."

Violet smiled a little at that, but she could feel that he had meant to go somewhere with that particular conversation topic. "Why do you ask?"

This time, an amused grin spread across Joe's face, one so contagious that Violet found herself grinning too. "I have a friend, Dex. He's also an inventor, and I have a feeling that you two will get along splendidly."

Once they made it to the apartment, Joe tried to help Violet unpack, until she finally kicked him out of her room, saying there were just some girl cousin things that boy cousins should not see.

Amused, Joe made his way to the living room to make a few phone calls. He didn't even question the sibling-like closeness that had sprung up between the two of them. Perhaps it was something they both needed.

The first call went to Polly. As much as he didn't want to speak to her, Violet really needed another female in her life, for moral support or something.

"Hello? Polly Perkins speaking." Joe gritted his teeth at the honey sweet voice on the other end of the phone.

"Polly, It's Joe." He managed to ground out.

"Well, well, well, you're the last person I expected to hear from." Her tone was condescending, and Joe could almost see the smirk on her face. He tried to restrain his disdain as he curled his hands into fists.

"Yes, well… I have a cousin who's just moved in with me, and she needs new clothes and all that. I thought it'd be better for her to shop with someone who understood fashion. Besides, I'd like her to have more contact with women. God knows she's going to be starved of it at the base." He tried to keep his voice calm and neutral.

"Oh?" Joe sighed softly in relief. Polly was interested. That meant it wouldn't be too hard for him to talk her into helping. "But…" Polly hesitated. "Why has she gone and moved in with you?"

This time Joe sighed with annoyance. He really didn't want to tell Polly about Violet's parents. It'd just end up in the newspaper. "Always the reporter aren't you?" Joe allowed his contempt to show through. His anger was not lost on Polly but she reacted with a sugary bundle of lies.

"I'm just asking, Joe." Polly's voice had gotten sweeter, and she was trying to sound innocent.

Joe rolled his eyes and went for the blunt approach. "Her parents were killed in a fire. I'm the last family she has left."

"Oh." This time, she sounded more regretful. "I'm sorry."

"Just… don't mention it to her," Joe ordered. "And don't you dare put her name in the paper!" His temper flared up, more than aware of the damage that one story printed by Polly Perkins could do. "If you do…" He let the threat hang.

"Oh, Joe!" Polly was exasperated. "I'm not that cold hearted."

Joe rolled his eyes, but was silently proud of ruffling her feathers. "I'll believe that when I see it."

"Hey!"

Joe had to smirk; now it was she who was mad at him. "Look, just come over on Saturday. Now, I have to make another phone call." He smiled at her attempts to speak, and quickly, albeit gleefully hung up.

The next call was an easier one to make, but Joe still felt a bit nervous. Mr. Poe had called him, then Violet had come in the next week, which was spent preparing the spare room and cleaning the apartment. He hadn't really had a chance to tell anyone at the base about his cousin. Then again, sometimes he just forgot to tell the guys at the base anything, and so they had no clue what was going on, or why. It really only bothered the newbies, anyway. So a heads up, even a late one, should pacify them a bit.

The phone rang three times before Dex answered. "Dex Dearborn."

Joe couldn't help but smile when he heard his friend's voice. "It's Joe."

"Hey Cap'n!" Joe could hear the smile in Dex's voice, an answer to his own happiness. Any negativity left behind by Polly was erased by Dex's bubble gum attitude.

"Dex…" Joe hesitated, not quite sure where to go with the conversation. "I… I thought I'd give you guys a heads up."

"Oh?" Dex sounded a bit sarcastic, but there was an under-lying hint of amusement. "About what?"

"Well… see… I'm the new guardian of a cousin." He heard Dex crack his gum, as the man thought about how to reply to that.

His answer was slow and careful. "Okay… how'd that happen?"

Joe's smile returned. That was why he loved Dex. The man handled everything thrown at him with a deceiving innocence. "Her parents were killed."

"Ah." That was said softly. Dex knew what it was like to lose parents, having lost his when he was younger. Joe opened his mouth, trying to find something soothing to say when Dex cleared his throat. "When's she coming?" His regular voice was back, masking the memories and feelings that had been dredged up.

Joe rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Actually… she's here now."

He winced away from the phone at Dex's yell of surprise. "Jeez Joe!" Dex sounded absolutely annoyed with his commander. "Thanks for the warning!"

"At least I remembered to tell you." Joe said slightly plaintively.

That got a chuckle out of Dex. "Yeah, I guess I have to give you that. So are you bringing her by later?"

Joe glanced back to the bedroom; he could see Violet moving around through the view offered by the slightly cracked door. "No. She's unpacking, and I want to give her time to settle in. I'll bring her in tomorrow, though."

"So we've got time to hide all the secret classified stuff." Joe could hear the teasing in Dex's voice.

"Exactly. See, I can be courteous." He could almost see Dex rolling his eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me." The coughing that came from the other end of the line proved he had guessed correctly, and he had also accidentally made Dex swallow his gum. "Sorry about that. Oh!" He sat up straighter as he remembered something. "And Dex?"

There was only a hint of curiosity in his genius friend's voice. "Yeah Joe?"

"Don't hide everything away. Violet's quite the inventor, I'm told. She'd probably enjoy looking at some of the gadgets you've come up with."

"Whatever you say Joe." Dex sounded bored, but Joe could hear the concealed glee. Dex loved talking to other inventors, or would-be inventors. Joe had been right, Violet and Dex would get along splendidly.

Suddenly a loud thump came from the bedroom Violet was in. Joe leaned forward and tried to get a better view of what was happening in his cousin's room.

"Dex, I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya Cap."

Joe hung up the phone, and made his way to Violet's room, wondering what all the commotion was.