A/N: Thanks to you two wonderful readers who sent in reviews! I figure two reviews is a great sign that I should post chapter two :)

Two

Walking into the women's bathroom at GD, Allison sighed, running a hand through her long brown hair. She had so much to do and felt like there was no time to do it in. And then there was the ring lodged on her finger. Moving to the sink, she made another attempt at lathering it up so it would slip off.

No such luck. She'd called Zoe's teacher and explained the situation, so Zoe was in the clear. But still, how was she going to get the darn thing off, short of a hacksaw?

Pre-occupied, she moved back to the bathroom door and opened it.

"Boo!" Jack yelled, standing right in her face. Allison screamed, stumbling backwards. Her face grew red as he doubled over in laughter.

"Carter! What are you doing?" she screamed.

He took a few steps into the bathroom, then grabbed her hand. Glancing at the ring, he snapped his fingers. "Darn! I thought scaring you might change the color or something."

"You know, these things are supposed to respond to positive emotions as well," she told him, putting her hands on her hips.

"Come on. I thought you said you missed me."

"I said I hadn't seen you around. I didn't say anything about missing you."

"Oh, but I could read it in your eyes."

Narrowing her eyes and tilting her head to the side, she tapped her fingers impatiently. "And what are my eyes saying now?"

Jack backed up slowly, putting his hands in the air. "All right, I get your drift."

Allison followed him out and began walking, Jack by her side. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Fargo called. Some crisis or something. You know Fargo, though. Someone taking his parking spot warrants a call to the police."

"And you thought you'd find him in the women's bathroom?" Allison asked with a smirk as they turned a corner.

"Well, I may have seen you going in and may have decided to try and scare you."

"I would think, as Sheriff, you'd have much more important things to do than play silly little games, Carter."

He laughed. "Slow crime day."

"Which equals harassing me?"

Jack smiled. "It was you or Stark, and you're much cuter when you're annoyed."

"Smooth, Carter." She was trying to play it cool, but felt her face heating at the compliment. If she thought he wouldn't notice, she was wrong.

"Wow, I thought the ring was supposed to turn red when you were embarrassed. But if your face is any indication--"

"Miss Blake!" a harried voice called from behind them. The turned to see Fargo hurrying down the hall.

"Slow down, Fargo. Where's the fire?" Jack asked.

"You already know about the fire?"

Jack and Allison exchanged a look. "What are you talking about?" Allison asked, a dull throb forming in her head.

"At the Ecosphere station!"

Allison rubber her eyes while Jack looked back and forth between them, confused. "Ecosphere? Like on that movie Biodome?"

"You saw that?" Fargo asked, trying not to laugh.

"Hey, I was trying to impress a girl," Jack defended.

"A girl who likes Pauly Shore?"

"Guys!" Allison snapped, holding a hand up. "Can we get back to this fire, please? Fargo, I thought the Ecosphere project was on hold due to lack of funding. Why would there be a fire? Nobody should even be out there."

"Apparently a couple of people went over for maintenance. Something about sprucing it up so, when you did inspections, you might be able to throw a little money their way."

"These people never stop," Allison sighed.

"Well, I didn't get all the details, but apparently there was a lightening storm and--"

"Lightning?" Jack cut it. "But there hasn't been a cloud in the sky all day."

Allison and Fargo both looked at Jack. Then Allison sighed. "I'd better get over there. Carter, I'll explain on the way. Fargo, would you tell Dr. Stark where I'm going? He can get started on the report without me."

"Sure thing."

As they parted ways, Jack looked down at Allison's ring finger. "Hmm, still black. But if I could guess, I would say you're feeling--"

"Carter, just go out there and get your jeep."

He frowned. "Wow. I wonder what color they have for bossy?"

In the car, Allison filled Jack in on the Ecosphere project.

"You've seen things like it on movies and TV, right?" she asked him.

"Sure. Some giant glass bubble where they create their own environment and pretty much live cut off from the rest of the world."

"Basically. Well, during the Cold War, Eureka developed it's own ecosphere. Only, it was much bigger than those little ones you see on TV."

Jack didn't like where this was going. "How much bigger?"

"When activated, it covers the whole town."

"What!? I'm living in a bubble?"

Allison laughed. "Don't be so dramatic. Do you know how much it would cost to constantly sustain an ecosphere that size?"

"Well, I didn't get the pay raise I was expecting this year, so--"

"It isn't a giant plastic bubble like what you see you TV. We have a technology that allows us to turn on and off an electric wall that essentially acts as a force field. The whole point was to protect the town during a possible war situation."

"Because where would we be without the people who made those bombs in the first place?" Jack sarcastically asked with a smirk.

Allison just glared at him. "Anyway, the project was shelved after the Cold War ended because it was costing so much. But there have been a couple of hard core fans who petition every year to get it on board again."

"And how does all this relate to lightning on a perfectly sunny day?" Jack asked as they reached the edge of town and Allison directed him to a dirt road.

"Part of the Ecosphere is controlling the weather within its confines. I'm guessing something went wrong at the control station."

"Controlling the weather? Sounds like playing God to me."

With half a smile, Allison said, "God would never set himself on fire."

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