Sorry that it took me a little while in updating! It was my birthday the other day and life just got hectic for a few days! But, here is the next chapter and I hope you enjoy! Be sure to leave me a review! Thanks! (My plot bunnies offer thought-food!)

Shopping And Other Bad Ideas

That first night was uneventful, thank goodness. That night, everyone slept where they were supposed to and, although I could hear Raistlin upstairs in my sister's room, chanting out of a spell book half the night, everything was quiet. Jessica and Alicia, who had claimed my bed, were fighting for covers in their sleep, tugging and pulling until I thought they might rip the blankets in half. Kim, who still smelled like soup, despite having taken a shower, slept in her own nest she had made in the corner, the pets around her. Jess had brought her dog, Riley, Alicia had brought her dog, Ozwald, and I had my own dog, Brody.

The pets had not met the new visitors and we were not going to let them meet the characters, as best as we could help it. The dogs were usually running around the house, but now they were confined to various rooms, taken out a few times a day and fed together twice a day. That was the plan, at least, I contemplated in the night, furrowing my eyebrows. Sooner or later, one of them was going to let the dogs out (probably Alicia, I thought with a smile) and the dogs would either accept the visitors or not. Oz was the only one who had ever met characters from another world, becoming friends with the dwarf, Gimli, when elves had appeared in Alicia's shower.

The cat came and curled up on my stomach and I pushed her off; she was overweight and had claws. She came up to me and bit my elbow before waddling away. I sighed and rolled over. I needed to get some sleep. And now that I didn't have to worry about Kim sneaking off, I could sleep without worry.

"We need to go shopping," Alicia whispered to me as we stood in the kitchen, washing dishes after breakfast. Breakfast had consisted of the eggs and bread Alicia had found in the fridge the previous day and were long gone hardly five minutes after the four girls had cooked breakfast.

"I know, but why are we whispering?"

"Because sometimes it's fun to whisper."

"Oh," I said, a little baffled. "Okay. What did you have in mind?"

"It's your house and your money-"

"Oh, no! You are going shopping, Alish. I'm not good at it! I can't find the right things to make a meal, much less a meal for fifteen people!"

"Hey, I went shopping when the elves came and it was my house. Now, there are things here-"

"Kender, Alicia," I said, exasperated.

"Kender are here," she continued, "And it's your house. I think you do the shopping."

"Jess, Kim, can you come here a minute?" I called into the living room, where Jessica and Kibbie sat with the characters, trying to explain the concept of a radio. They came into the kitchen and stood expectantly, color guard pole in Jess's hand, like usual.

"We need to go grocery shopping and-"

"Not me!"

"Not me!"

Jess shook her head as Kim threw her hands up.

"Not me!" said Alicia, a few moments late, blinking a few times. I sighed.

"So, I'm going grocery shopping later?" I asked.

"Sooner than later, because lunch is coming up and there is no more soup," said Alicia, Kim's face turning bright red at the mention of soup.

"Fine, but don't let the dogs out," I said, grabbing my purse and keys from the table. "Keep an eye on all of them, and I'll be back with..."

"You're taking at least one of them!" exclaimed Kim, her voice shrill. "Take the dark elf! Take him! Take him away and leave him there!"

We all looked at her for a moment before Kimmie regained her dignity and the silence was broken.

"Okay, so I have to take one of them? Which one?" I asked, looking around the living room. The characters, at Kimmie's screeching, had looked up at us, and I felt myself squirming under all the pairs of eyes looking back.

"No, not just one, but two. How about two, since there are more of them than last time?"

I gave Alicia a Look and Alicia blinked.

"It only makes sense," she said, shrugging.

"Two of them. Who can come, is the question?" I said. "I can't bring the dwarf, I can't bring the kender, I-"

"Yes you can," said Jess, Alicia, and Kim at the same time, nodding their head.

"He's the worst! Can you imagine how a kender would act at a grocery store?"

"But, you can handle him! Pretend he's like a little brother!"

"He has no regular clothes!"

"Tell anyone who asks that he was just in a play or that he is dressing up or something. He could pass for a kindergarten student!"

I gave Kim a Look and Kimmie smiled. I gave up.

"Okay, the kender comes... I've gotta be crazy to allow this. Who else?"

"I believe I could be of some assistance," said the knight, standing up with a clink of armor. "If my lady needs my help, I shall escort her to wherever she needs be."

"You're going!" said Kim, making the decision for me.

"My lady?" asked Jessica, sniggering. "Haha, Chelsea, you're his lady!"

I gave Jessica a Look and Jess gave me a Look back.

"Okay, fine, get dressed in some old clothes, then. You're not going in armor. Kim, can you show him to my parent's room so he can get some clothes?"

Kim shook her head and turned red with anger. Remembering the soup fiasco, I agreed that it wasn't the best choice.

"Then take him to the laundry room. I think there are some of my father's clothes in there."

Kim and Sturm went down the steps, his armor clinking all the way.

"That's it!" I exclaimed. "No one else is going! That is way too many people as it is and I only have two of them coming with me!"

"Lady Chelsea," said Caramon, Raistlin whispering in his ear. "My brother is interested in learning more about this world and he was wondering ifhe could come with you."

"You were wondering if you could go, not me, you oaf!" snapped Raistlin.

"Oh, yeah, I was wondering if I could go, not Raist."

I sighed. Between the obnoxious kender and the jumpy knight, having Caramon along might not be the worst idea.

"Follow Sturm and get some clothes," I said, sighing. "I'll be in the car, waiting, and no one else is coming!"

"We'll take good care of everything," said Alicia, a smile on her face.

"The house had better be in one piece when I get back," I answered. "That includes no scorch marks! Don't touch anything and don't let anyone else touch anything! I'll have my cellphone on! If someone even sneezes, let me know!"

I walked out the door and to the car, wondering how stupid I was to be doing this: leaving my three friends in charge of the house. I wasn't even worried about the kender and the two warriors anymore. I was leaving everything in their hands.

I shook my head and sighed. I was really losing my mind.

Hehe.. what do you think? I'm going to have a great chapter coming up! I have so many great plans for the trip to get groceries! Thanks for reading and leave me a review, please! (Oh, I don't own any characters mentioned, or anything else mentioned that might have a trademark or copyright on it...)