That same evening, after a full schedule of training, meetings and paperwork, Flint decided to have a quiet evening in their suite for the night, which included, his best friend and his family, and his son with daughter-in-law. Jaye had picked up the two little girls after they had completed their lessons with their tutor, Annabelle Cole, who had been brought from England from a recommendation from her old tutor, who had taught her everything she knew to be brought up in high class society. The girls had played in the suite until Flint had returned from the office, and when he recommended the movie, only shrieks of joy could be heard throughout the hallway.
Duke had spent most of the day yelling at the two Big Birds and vowed to tar and feather them for the rest of their lives. Eggs were found everywhere throughout the day, including in his Joe Jeep. No new recruited Joe had seen their commanding officer turn bright red and scream at the top of his lungs, "WRECK!"
Scarlett had spent most of her day yelling at new irresponsible Joes and Greenshirts. It never failed to have one or two in the group, but in this case more than six of them. Beach Head had gone to Duke for Squadron D, which usually were trained by his own daughter Sammy, that they needed a few extra hand to hand combat training. So every afternoon, the redhead and the blond spent their hours with a dozen Greenshirts who needed manners, let alone training.
Colleen had spent her morning yelling at several Joes during the morning sessions, then spent her afternoon writing in her famous laptop in her husband's office, keeping him company, while he yelled at several Joe members who had put a new meaning to the word, stupidity, after a dog race using several of Mutt's dogs, while several Joes had dressed in rabbit suits and well, the outcome resulted to furry. Two Tired and Bazooka both needed stitches in their tail ends.
So, after a day filled with loud voices, none of them really had the desire to hear any more and a quiet evening in the suite, with no interruptions became tranquility.
Flint walked from the kitchen to the living room, carrying several bowls of popcorn and chips. He settled them down on the coffee table, near his daughter-in-law, making sure she would have enough.
"Dad, I think that's enough," Colleen giggled at the six bowls of popcorn and chips in front of her, along with two bags of gummy bears.
"Are you sure?" Flint asked. "Want anything else? Want some juice? Want some ice-cream? Want me to make you a sandwich? Want some ketchup?"
"Ketchup?" Colleen asked back.
The warrant officer chuckled. "When your mother-in-law was pregnant, she put ketchup on everything!"
Colleen turned green. "I think I'll pass, thank you," she declined the offer, touching her stomach, still wearing the Snoopy scrubs.
The door to the master bedroom opened and Jaye walked into the room. "Sorry, you were too busy to go shopping today, Colleen. But if you don't mind, I picked you up a couple of outfits while I was out." She handed her daughter-in-law a couple of bags.
Colleen's face brightened. "Thank you, Momma," she said, opening the bag and taking out ten long sleeve blouses and sweaters in different colors, all design labels and several pants and even a dress. "These are beautiful!"
Flint chuckled. "Well, you know what they say about Lady Jaye?"
Scarlett giggled, watching her daughter, enjoy her new wardrobe. She felt Rowan's head against her shoulder and wrapped her arm around her youngest daughter, who held her puppy in her arms.
Cayden smiled, he loved to see his wife smile.
"What do day say bout Mommy, Daddy?" Eryn asked as she cuddled with her bear.
"Yeah, Dash," Duke said with a smirk.
"Clothes are like candy to her," Flint chuckled, holding his stomach.
Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Here we go down back memory lane!" She stated recalling the time the Gamesmaster had taken hostages both Flint and Lady Jaye, along with Cobra Commander and the Baroness, and had taken them to this Candyland Island.
Jaye threw a throw pillow at her husband. "Hey, I'm not that bad!"
"Mommy eats her cwothes?" Eryn asked confused.
Cayden chuckled, his hand rested on his wife's stomach.
Duke just chuckled and shook his head.
"Yes, you are!" Flint chuckled, ducking from another pillow. "You have enough clothes to clothe this army!"
Scarlett burst out laughing. "Hey Allie, can you lend Conrad that yellow dress?"
Colleen dropped her jaw at her mother, then smiled. "Cayden can wear those high heeled red shoes."
"Cayden likes the high-heeled brown ones better. Huh sweetie?" Jaye asked her now blushing son.
"Mother!!" Cayden exclaimed.
"He used to wear them around the house when he was little," Jaye smirked.
No one saw Eryn slip off into her parent's bedroom.
"Don't forget the time, he and Jeffrey wore Colleen's dresses and your make up, Allie and ran around the farm!" Scarlett pointed out, laughing.
Colleen giggled. "And don't forget Jeff wore that tutu Aunt Fallon had sent me."
Flint chuckled. "I remember that day. The two of them drove both Conrad and myself crazy. I think I still have a picture of Conrad with all the lipstick kisses on his face!"
"What about the time Colleen stuck her nose in Conrad's boots and acted like she passed out," Jaye said laughing.
Cayden chuckled. They were too little to remember that.
Colleen scrunched her nose. "If I do that now, I may still pass out," she proclaimed, causing the others to laugh.
Rowan glanced at all of them, listening, while holding her puppy.
Eryn walked out wearing one of her mother's dresses, a pair of her high heels and some very bright make up.
Flint glanced toward his daughter and burst out laughing. "Looks like we have another actress folks!" He smiled at his youngest.
Scarlett looked at Eryn. "And who are you, young lady?" she asked, pretending not to know the six year old.
"I am Mommy. De most beautiful person in de world." Eryn said seriously.
Jaye looked at Flint and smiled.
Cayden chuckled.
Duke was trying really hard not to laugh.
Colleen turned to her husband. "Looks like she's going to be a good actress when she grows up!" she stated.
Flint shook his head. "I feel sorry for the man already." He ducked from another pillow. "Allie, you losing that aim of yours," he teased.
Jaye reached to the side of her chair and grabbed one of her javelins, which were against the wall.
"Oh, you're in for it now, Dash," Duke laughed.
Flint shot up from his chair, touched the sides of his cheeks with both his hands and let out a girly scream. "Not, the javelins! Anything but the javelins! I'm shaking in my G. I. Joe boots!"
Colleen leaned against her husband, laughing, while holding her stomach.
Rowan huddled closer to her mother, now getting worried. She had never seen Jaye hold one of the long poles with the sharp point in the front.
"YO JOE!!" Jaye let out a battle cry and charged after her husband.
Cayden was laughing uncontrollably.
Duke just shook his head. "I don't think the two of them will ever grow up."
"Dey like Peter Pan," Eryn said still standing regally in her mother's clothes.
Flint screamed again. "Retreat!" He jumped away from of his seat, and started running around the room.
"Run, Dad!" She's got that look in her eyes!" Colleen pointed out, while opening a bag of gummy bears.
Scarlett glanced down at her youngest daughter, stroking her red braid down her back. "It's alright Rowan, they are just playing," she whispered, feeling her daughter cuddle closer, never leaving her eyes off the chasing couple.
Flint stopped behind the couch. "Ye too slow, ye Scottish lass!" he joked, enjoying the moment.
"Get back here you beret wearing baboon!!" she called after him as she ran.
Eryn walked over to Rowan. "Grown ups are siwwy."
Rowan looked at her friend then at the running couple, clutching her puppy.
Flint jumped over the large chair, laughing and sounding like a monkey.
"Someone seems like he's having a good time," Scarlett whispered to her husband.
"Boys siwwy," Eryn said.
"We're silly, huh?" Duke asked picking up the little actress and started to tickle her.
"You are silly. Especially when you have a tarantula crawling up your shoulder and you scream like a girl," Scarlett pointed out.
The warrant officer raced to the kitchen and grabbed the kitchen hose from the sink. "Oh, Alison! Don't make me use this!" He grinned at her features.
"You wouldn't dare," Jaye said, looking down at her expensive cashmere white sweater, then glared at him.
"Hey, it's called self preservation," Duke said seriously.
"It's called being a scaredy cat," Eryn said laughing.
"She's got you there, Uncle Con." Cayden chuckled.
"Oh, I will, Allie, I will!" Flint chuckled evilly from the kitchen, looking directly at his wife's eyes. He stuck his tongue out at her face.
Colleen grabbed one of the bowls of popcorn and started eating it. Then her face changed dramatically and hacked.
Scarlett glanced at her daughter. "Colleen?"
"Bunny..." Cayden said, touching her back gently.
Jaye reached in the kitchen and grabbed a two liter bottle of Coke. "You do and I'll make you regret it."
"What matter, Colly?" Eryn asked.
Duke stood up looking at his oldest daughter.
"Butter," Colleen answered with a sour expression on her face.
Flint laughed out loud and sprayed his wife with the water. "YO JOE!"
"COBRA!!" Jaye yelled and opened the bottle of coke she was shaking as she aimed it at her husband.
Flint dived at the same instant the soda flew through the air and hit one Joe leader, covering him from head to toe with the liquid. "Duke's been hit!" he hollered.
Scarlett looked up at her husband. "You know dear, if you wanted something to drink, you should had just asked," she said in a teasing tone.
Rowan's eyes widened with surprise and then she started giggling.
Duke grabbed a bowl of popcorn and started throwing it at Flint and Lady Jaye.
"You shouldn't frow food!!" Eryn said sternly.
"Our parents have lost it," Cayden whispered to his wife.
Colleen smiled and threw a gummy bear in his mouth. "Lost what?" she teased.
Scarlett giggled, staying out of the food fight, watching now her husband continue to throw the popcorn.
Flint grabbed his own popcorn bowl. "Let's take him down, Allie!" he said to his wife, grabbing a handful of popcorn and throwing it at his best friend.
Jaye sprayed more soda all over Duke.
"You're going to get it now woman!!" Duke vowed and started after Jaye.
Jaye shrieked. "Dash! Save me from this ruffian."
Flint shook his head. "Here you go, Conrad," he said, bowing. "She's all yours."
Scarlett, Colleen and Cayden burst out laughing from the couch.
Jaye ran up behind Flint and pored the rest of the bottle of pop on his head before taking off again laughing.
"Daddy, you all wet," Eryn said giggling.
"Conrad! She's going down!" Flint yelled, chasing his wife, Duke in tow.
Rowan stared at Jaye running towards them, then run around the coffee table. She held on to her puppy.
"Daddy you hurt my Mommy and I be mad at you!!" Eryn yelled and she meant it. She thought he was really going after her.
"Eryn..." Cayden said softly.
Flint chuckled, racing after his wife. "We are only playing, Eryn!" he called out, now grabbing Jaye and lifting her from the ground, "Gotcha!"
Jaye cried out and struggled playfully.
Flint started kissing her on the neck, making her stop struggling from his warm touch. He then let her go. "I won! Warrant Officer Faireborn wins again!" He started running comically around the apartment in a victory jog.
Scarlett shook her head. "Con, you need to change." She pointed to his soda-covered clothing.
"You can claim your prize later tonight," Jaye said with a grin to her husband. "Con you want a pair of Dash's sweats and a t-shirt?"
Duke nodded, looking down at his soaked uniform.
"Mommy, Daddy no hurt you, right?" Eryn asked, confused by everything.
"No,baby. Your Daddy would never hurt me. Right Daddy?" Jaye said.
"Course not," Flint said, smiling, then bent down and kissed his daughter on the cheek. "But between you and me, your mother has once good sucker punch," he whispered.
Colleen leaned her head against Cayden's shoulder, starting to relax.
Eryn giggled. She had makeup still all over her face and when she smiled there was bright lipstick on her teeth.
"Daddy, why don't you go clean up Eryn while I get Duke some clothing," Jaye said.
Cayden snuggled Colleen closer to him.
Rowan glanced at the couple, holding her puppy closer and snuggled close to her mother.
"Oh yes, the joyful things of parenthood. Leave the husband to do all the clean up," Flint chuckled, picking up his little daughter and heading for the bathroom. "Hey Bert! Move over, Ernie is coming!"
"Bert and Ernie are gay!!" Eryn called out.
Cayden smacked his forehead.
"ERYN!" Flint scolded, starting to wash the make up off her face. "Now how many times I told you not to say that?"
Scarlett watched Eryn sent Flint a 'Jaye look' and giggled, while her husband went to change into dry clothes.
Jaye chuckled while heading into the other bathroom and changed into some comfortable sweats and a t-shirt.
"What are you giving me that look for Colleen?" Cayden asked looking at her innocently.
"You start saying things like that to our child and I swear, I'll leave you!" Colleen stated, her tone serious.
"Colleen!" Scarlett scolded, shaking her head.
"Sorry, Mom. But lately his mouth is all full of dirty words," Colleen answered.
Cayden looked at her extremely hurt. "Excuse me." He got up and left the suite.
Colleen glanced at the door. "Maybe I shouldn't had said that." She gently touched her stomach, looking at it.
Scarlett put a hand on top of hers. "It's hormones, I know. Go talk to him."
Flint walked in, carrying a clean Eryn, who still wore her mother's dress, but without the shoes. "Where's Cayden?"
"I opened my Duke mouth," Colleen answered solemnly.
Jaye walked out of the other bathroom dressed in dry clothing. "Dash there's clothes in the bathroom for you. Where's Cayden?"
"Colly has a Dukey mowf," Eryn said.
Colleen stayed quiet, she felt Rowan move over and snuggle against her. She wrapped her arms around her little sister and hugged her close.
Scarlett looked at Jaye and Flint. "He left. I think the hormones just fired their first missiles."
"Oh," Jaye said understanding.
"Daddy, what's a Dukey mowf?" Eryn asked.
"A Duke mouth.. Umm... ehh.. ugh.." Flint tried to explain. "How about you, Rowan and I go see Lady." He suggested trying to escape the explanation.
"Can I bring her home?" Eryn asked excitedly.
"Only if the training is done. You have to ask Mutt. Alright?" Flint said, placing her down. "Now go get change and grab a jacket."
"Do you have a jacket here, Rowan?" Jaye asked the other little girl.
"I'll get hers, Allie." Scarlett slowly stood up, but never leaving her eyes off her daughter.
Flint touched her shoulder, stopping her from leaving. "She can borrow one of Allie's short ones. Eryn's may too small for her."
Jaye went and grabbed a jacket for Rowan as Eryn went and changed.
Duke walked out smiling then suddenly his smile dropped. "What's going on?"
Flint cleared his throat. "Colleen opened her Duke mouth, that's all we know," he explained.
Scarlett scooted over and wrapped her arms over her daughter, holding her. "Go talk to him," she said gently.
"He won't want to talk to me, maybe never," Colleen answered.
"What did you say?" Duke asked in concern.
"I..I..." Colleen went to explain but couldn't. She stood up. "I think I'll go for a walk." She hurriedly left the suite.
Scarlett exhaled slowly. "Great. Now we got two runaways."
Jaye walked back out with the jacket. "Yeah, they take after their fathers."
"HEY!" Duke exclaimed.
"She's right!" Scarlett sighed, standing up.
Flint gently took the jacket from his wife, and helped Rowan putting it on. "Well, and you two mothers can patch the crack up. Duke, Rowan, Eryn and I are going to see some dogs!"
"I'm ready," Eryn said coming out with a green tutu on.
Flint smacked his forehead. "Eryn, go and put on a sweater and some sweatpants at least, alright?"
"But Daddy, I wanna dance wif Wady." Eryn whined.
"Okay, if you want to dance with Lady, then you wear a sweater and pants!" Flint said sternly. "Move it, Speedy!"
Rowan walked over and took her father's hand. "Will the dogs eat my puppy?"
Eryn pouted but went to put on the clothing that he asked.
"Just keep your puppy away from Wolfie and he'll be just fine," Duke told her.
Jaye walked over and sat down next to Scarlett.
"I wonder where both of them went. Infirmary and suite?" Scarlett asked, trying to place the couple.
"That's what I'm thinking," Jaye replied to her best friend.
Rowan nodded upwards toward her father. "I have to stay away from Wolfie too," she said nervously.
"Yes, stay away from Wolfie," Duke said. "But he's at the other end of the kennels from Lady."
The bedroom door opened and Eryn came back out wearing bright purple sweat pants, orange socks, tennis shoes, a florescent yellow long sleeved shirt and on top of it she wore the green tutu. "Better, Daddy?"
Flint shook his head. "Well, her dress code is like her old man's!" he chuckled, "Bye ladies!"
They left the suite and headed down the hallway, then down the stairs and outside in the brisk air, going toward the kennels while singing, "B-I-N-G-O"
When they arrived, they looked toward their right, the dark kennel area was silent and they assumed that Mutt, had taken the dogs inside for the night. They walked into the large building, listening to Mutt talk to Sky Dancer.
"Ready?" Mutt asked, near the side of the room.
"Ready," Sky Dancer answered, her dog at her side. They had ten boxes in front of them, placed in a row. She looked down at her best friend and spoke the command, "Such Rauschgift."
Apollo rushed toward the boxes and started to sniff, one after the other, until he sat in front of one and started barking.
"So ist brav!" Sky Dancer praised her dog in German, for finding the narcotics.
"Good Boy, Apollo!" Mutt said, walking over.
"What day doin, Daddy?" Eryn asked.
Duke held his daughter's hand securely.
"They are training, Speedy," Flint explained to his daughter.
Mutt nodded toward Sky Dancer. "Ready for number two?"
Sky Dancer nodded. "Ready."
"Good. Anytime."
Sky Dancer walked to the end of the large room. "Apollo, Hier!"
The Doberman immediately ran toward his trainer's side.
"She's good," Flint whispered to Duke.
"She's even better with a Striker," Duke stated.
Eryn tried to break away from her father's side, knowing that her dog was outside.
"Honey, wait until Reena finishes, then we can go," Flint said gently.
Holding her father's hand in a tight grip, Rowan watched the dog in amazement.
Mutt brought out a small tunnel and a small box, which held something. "I'm set, send him in."
Sky Dancer nodded. "Apollo, Geh rein!"
The Doberman raced at top speed to the tunnel, went inside and then emerged from the other side.
"Bring!" the command came. The dog grabbed the white bag from inside the box and returned it to the trainer, who patted the dog in praise.
Mutt spotted Duke and nodded, indicating the dog almost was ready for searching. "That's enough for the day, Sky Dancer."
"Daddy, did she say her puppy was gay?" Eryn asked innocently.
Flint cleared his throat. "Umm, no, sweetie. She was talking another language to her doggy. It sounded like the bad word but it wasn't."
Sky Dancer bent down and picked up the leash, and hooked it on Apollo's collar. She spotted the foresome and headed over. "Evening." She then smiled at Eryn. "I gave Lady a bath today, she smells pretty."
"Did she get you all wet?" Eryn asked.
The door opened and they all turned to see Jeffrey enter the building, Wolfie by his side, and judging from the dog's wet paws, they had been to the river.
"Yes, she did. She gave me a bath too!" Sky Dancer smiled, patting her dog.
Rowan glanced around her shoulder, noticed the wolf dog and sent out a blood chilling scream, then hid behind her father, shaking with fear.
"Rowan, what's wrong?" Duke asked his terrified daughter.
Eryn looked at her best friend funny.
"What's wrong with Rosey?" Jeffrey asked in concern.
"Get him away!" Rowan screamed, pointing at Wolfie, her whole body trembling.
Sky Dancer kneeled down to the child's eye level. "Rowan, it's alright. Wolfie is a good dog."
"No! No!" Rowan said, burying her face in her father's jacket.
"Rosey, Wolfie won't hurt you," Jeffrey said softly.
Eryn squealed and went for Wolfie.
Rowan glanced at her friend and screamed, her scream echoing in the training room. "He's going to eat you!!"
Sky Dancer glanced at Jeffrey in shock.
Eryn screamed in terror and ran back toward her father.
Wolfie thought she was playing and went to play with her.
Rowan started screaming and tears filled her eyes. "Don't let him eat her!"
Sky Dancer stood up. "Jeff, make him stop." Watching the dog chase the petite girl.
Flint picked up his daughter. "It's alright."
"Wolfie!" Jeffrey commanded to the dog who turned and looked at him as he gave the hand sign for the dog to come back to him. He then looked at his sister. "Why do you think Wolfie was going to eat Eryn?"
Duke knelt down to his daughter and held her.
Rowan continued to cry, her body trembling. "Shipwreck said Wolfie eats little girls. He said he ate three of them already."
"He said what?" Duke asked in shock. Another row of punishments raced through his head.
"No he hasn't, and he doesn't eat little girls Rosey Posey. But he might just start eating sailors," Jeffrey said.
"Shipwreck said Wolfie ate the other three girls that lived here. That's why he is in the kennel," Rowan explained in a small voice.
"I'm going to put Wreck in the dog house!" Flint growled, putting down his daughter.
Sky Dancer looked down at the girl. "Jeff's right. Wolfie won't harm you. I promise."
Rowan buried her face in Duke's neck.
Eryn walked over behind the large dog and hugged him, laying against his back.
"See, Rosey," Jeffrey said.
Rowan looked at her best friend, but didn't look convinced.
Sky Dancer looked toward her boyfriend then back at the seven-year-old. "How about you help Jeff and me put the dogs in for the night?"
Flint walked over to his daughter. "Come on, you are going to miss seeing Lady."
Eryn ran to her father. "See Wady now."
"Yes, let go!" Flint took her by the hand and led her outside at other end of the kennels.
Sky Dancer followed the warrant officer outside leading her dog toward the dog run next to the Faireborn pet.
"Come on, Sweetness," Duke said to his daughter and led her outside.
Eryn jumped up and down outside the door to the kennel, waiting for the door to open.
Flint chuckled at his daughter. "Alright, go see your doggy." He opened the kennel's door allowing his daughter to run inside.
Sky Dancer smiled, putting her dog inside his dog run, and watched the two Doberman's play with one another. She checked the water before closing the gate. She then glanced around not spotting the young Hauser.
With a sigh, she realized that Jeffery had stayed back ,not wanting to scare his sister further.
Eryn ran inside the kennel run and lay down on her favorite animal and hugged her. She then started doing a little dance for her before noticing something behind the dog. She went over and pulled up the dogs big tail and squealed. "Daddy, Wady waid an egg!!"
"She did what?" Flint asked if he heard not right.
"She waid an egg," Eryn said picking up the egg. "Can doggies way eggs?"
Everyone glanced at the warrant officer for an answer.
"I'll have your mother answer that question," Flint said in a cunning smile.