A/N: I'm sorry I took a long time updating again… Your lonesome loser author is currently feeling so down lately, my heart was broken a million times over… And I'm yet to put the pieces back together… Hope you guys would understand… So, here's the seventh chapter… SHOUT OUT TO BBVANCOOL, where's the fourth chapter of Sharing the Life? I just granted your request, now how about mine? HAHAHA…

CHAPTER 7DILEMMA

"How low could you go?" Max growled after Jessie as both of them stormed into their base that early Sunday morning. Dominique and Janet followed, both careful not to meddle with the conversation, rather argument, between the former and the present captain.

"What?" Jessie turned around immediately when they reached the living room, and was now facing Max with a big frown on her face.

"Getting close to Katie Singer to get information about Lucy is one thing, but sleeping with her is just so low. You'd really do anything to get to Lucy, don't you? Even if it means sacrificing your own dignity." Max snarled at Jessie. Jessie paused for a while, and let out a deep breath. She didn't want to blow up on Max right now. It was early morning for God's sake, and she's not in the mood for an argument. Sure, Max is getting into her nerves again, but she's going to calm herself down as long as she can.

"Seduction 101: there are no limits in seduction. So drop the dignity talk, Brewer, it's part of the job. And just so you know, I didn't sleep with her." Jessie headed to her room, but Max followed.

"You didn't?" Max repeated while arching her right eyebrow, but was not believing it for a moment.

"What, are you deaf?" Jessie let out an impatient sigh.

"So that explains the clothes, huh?" Max eyed Jessie from head to foot. Jessie, remembering that she was wearing Katie's clothes, felt her face blushing for a bit. Then frowned at Max.

"I fell on the lake and wet my clothes… And damaged the gadgets." It was only that morning when Jessie realized her communicator wasn't working anymore, and also, her camera. She knew Max would give her a hard time on this, but her squad at least deserve to know what happened to her.

"You're such an idiot." Max shakes her head in disbelief. Jessie's expression became formal. They didn't notice that Dominique and Janet followed them until they reached Jessie's bedroom. They were standing by the door, while Max and Jessie were already inside.

"Take that back." Jessie said in authority.

"No." Max matched Jessie's seriousness, then crossed her arms. Dominique and Janet exchanged looks. Jessie made steps towards Max, but Max didn't flinch. They were almost a feet apart, and the other DEBS were ready to pull them away from each other just in case Jessie decides to lash on Max.

"Take that back." Jessie calmly repeated. Max paused, but didn't apologize.

"You knew better than destroying thousands of dollars worth of gadgets."

"I said I fell on the lake." Jessie was having a hard time controlling herself. "Don't worry, I'll make the report, and Ms. Petrie will surely understand."

"Oh I'm sure. And I'm sure she'll understand why you stayed overnight with the subject too." Max said sarcastically. A grin formed in Jessie's face.

"She will… Janet, check out these celphone numbers and to whom all of these beongs to. If you find a suspicious number, report to me immediately." Jessie handed a small piece of paper to Janet. Different numbers were scribbled hastily on it. Janet made steps to their direction and reached for the paper. And Max had a guess.

Jessie managed to steal the numbers stored in Katie's celphone, including the received and dialed numbers.

Shit… Max cursed.

"And when you're done, give the paper back to me." Jessie added. "So, if you'll excuse me, I need to change." Giving Max a fake smile, Max had no choice but to leave the room. When they were gone, Jessie closed the door.

At the lakehouse, Katie was currently cooking breakfast. She would have cooked earlier, but Jessie was gone when she woke up. She was a bit disappointed, but Jessie left a note saying that she was sorry she wasn't even able to say goodbye, but will try to make it up to her next time. And Katie was satisfied with that. Then there were the knocks on her door. She headed to get it.

"Tad?" Katie frowned.

"You sound disappointed." Tad said, then walked past by Katie and headed to the kitchen.

"I thought you were somebody else. You don't usually knock, and I'm surprised that you did." Katie followed him.

"Well, I don't want to intrude, just in case he's still here." Tad grinned wickedly at Katie. Katie frowned.

"Who?" She has no idea what Tad was talking about.

"Oh come on Katie. Last night's date? You didn't want me to come over." Tad reminded her. Right, she forgot to tell him it wasn't a date, and it wasn't a guy. Katie paused and decided not to answer the question. She continued cooking her breakfast, and Tad sat on a nearby chair, watching Katie.

"Why are you here?" Katie frowned.

"I'm here to have my breakfast. Homemade pancakes are the best, especially when you're the one who made it." Tad couldn't wait. He was really hungry. Katie rolls her eyes.

"You should start paying me for this." Katie jokes. Then, putting a stack of pancakes on a plate for Tad, she put it in front of him on the table, and gave him a cup of brewed coffee.

"I am, that's why we're meeting my dad at the restaurant tonight. He and my mom just arrived, and they're ready to talk about the investment you want to make." Tad smiles.

"Really? That's great." Katie said excitedly. She then sat opposite Tad, with her ownplate of pancakes and a cup of brewed coffee in front of her.

"Yup… So, how was your date?" Tad steered the conversation back to Katie's date. Katie frowned at him.

"I thought we're over that?"

"We haven't even started. Come on Katie, spill. I'm your bestfriend. You used to tell me everything about your dates. What's so special about this one?" Tad stuffed a forfkful of pancakes into his mouth, talking while munching his food. Katie had gotten used to him eating and talking at the same time.

"I didn't say it was special. And it's not a date."

"Then, why are you blushing?" Tad grins. Katie's cheeks are indeed turning bright red.

"What? I don't blush." Katie growled at him in defense, though she could really feel her face burning.

"Do you want to bet on it?"

"Tad, how many times to I have to say? It wasn't a date." Katie was starting to grow irritated on Tad. Well, he always irritates her.

"Then just tell me something."

"I just enjoy being with her, okay?" Katie slipped unconsciously, and a smile apparently forms in her face. Tad suddenly stops munching and looked dumbstruck. He stared at Katie wide-eyed for a while before Katie even noticed.

"What?" Katie frowns after noticing Tad's expression.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me."

"HER?" Tad repeated, emphasizing the pronoun.

"What?" Katie was suddenly knocked back into her senses.

"You said HER."

"I did?" Katie feigns innocence. Tad stares at her, without blinking for so long. Katie couldn't even look at him in the eyes. Then she hears him laughing.

"What the hell are you laughing about?" Katie pretends she was becoming angry, but knows her acting was going very well.

"So you took my advice, you tried it?" Tad asks in amusement.

"What advice?"

"To start dating girls. So, did she make your heart race? Who is she?" Tad mocks Katie, and he was starting to get into the girl's nerves. But Katie knows hitting him wouldn't stop him in teasing her.

"I said it wasn't a date!" Katie yells at Tad, but Tad wasn't a bit intimidated. Tad examines Katie's blushing face for a while.

"A bit defensive, aren't we?" Tad was thinking about who the possible girl was. "Who is it?" Tad wouldn't stop until she finds out who that girl was.

"Why would I tell you?"

"I'm your bestfriend. I deserve to know."

"Forget it, I'm not telling you."

"Did you kiss her?" Tad grins again. Katie rolls her eyes, grabs her plate and cup and heads to her room. Tad follows her.

"That's not up for conversation." Katie ignores him.

"Oh my God, you did1" Tad screams excitedly. "How did it feel?" Katie stops walking and turns around, throwing Tad with a look of disbelief.

"I can't believe you're asking me that."

"Why not?"

"Because it's stupid. Now leave me alone, Tad." Katie continues walking to her room and slams the door.

"I'll pick you up tonight Katie!" Tad screams behind the door, and his footsteps could be heard going back to the kitchen. Katie shakes her head. Tad is really a handful. She put her plate on the nightstand, and the cup beside it. She sits on her bed, and a smile slowly forms in hr face. Her eyes shifted to the bed, which was still unmade. She stares at the side where Jessie was sleeping just a few hours ago. She definitely had a great night…

On the other side of the city, the DEBS are worried like hell…

Janet was sitting in front of her laptop computer inside her bedroom. She had been sitting in front of it, hacking on the computer systems of all the telephone and celphone networks in Barcelona. Dominique and Max are standing on either side of her.

"Guys…" Janet called, while she fixed her eyes on her laptop, and continues working on her task.

"What?" Max answers rather impatiently. She was obviously agitated, something that doesn't happen often.

"What are we going to do if something turns up?" Janet asks worriedly. Jessie had scribbled down every number that was stored in Katie's celphone and home phone directory.

"Then, Sammler's not going to know." Max said firmly. Dominique shifted her eyes on Max.

"But what if she double checks? She does want her list back. And you know her. She's just waiting for us to do something wrong." Dominique was more worried for themselves now than Lucy and Amy. She knew those two. They would do every precautionary measure to make sure they'll be safe from the authorities. Amy is the Perfect Score after all. She knew the DEBS will probably trail after them eventually. Lucy Diamond is still a wanted criminal.

"Then we're off to Siberia." Max gruffed. She's hating her friends' negativity right now. Well, she's been feeling the same lately but had been trying her best not to show it. Who's gonna stand up for Amy and Lucy if not her? Janet frowns while her eyes were still fixed on the monitor of her laptop.

"I don't think I can live without diet coke and tissues…" Janet sighs. She had been trying to hack on the system of one of the celphone networks in Barcelona for five minutes now but she keeps on failing. Their encryption was unbelievable state-of-the-art. Not that Janet couldn't handle it, it's just taking her longer than she would have tolerated.

"We're gonna be halfway underneath Antarctica before they could even say 'wanted'. We are going to protect Amy and Lucy, no matter what the cost is." Max is becoming more and more impatient.

"I think I'd rather be incarcerated in Siberia…" Janet continues. She loves wearing cashmere sweaters and would probably survive in living on top of Mt. Everest, she has no problem with snow, but going underneath Antarctica just isn't for her. She's a bit scared of the ocean. Some sort of phobia since when she was younger. Max rolls her eyes.

"I didn't mean I literally. Gosh, you got to fix those loose screws in your head, Janet. You can be a total idiot sometimes. And no one's going to be incarcerated. Just do your thing, okay? If something comes up, then we'll figure out what to do. No need to worry now." Max said hurriedly. Janet continues hacking and after another minute, she was able to pass through the system of the current celphone network she was working on.

"I'm in." Janet informs the others. Dominique and Max stares at the screen with much interest. Janet punches in the numbers that belongs to the said networks and starts searching.

Katie isn't very interested about going out that night to eat at a restaurant with Tad. There was nothing exciting about her bestfriend at all, and the only reason why she's getting out of the house was meeting Tad's parents for the stock investments she is planning to do for Lucy. If it wasn't for that, she would have stayed home and watch tv all night, or dream about Jessie all morning…

Did I just think that again? Katie chuckles to herself. She is starting to accept that she isn't just having crazy ideas. She is interested with Jessie. Actually, she likes Jessie. More than a girl should like another girl…

Tad's Porsche pulled over in front of a very fancy restaurant in the center of the city. A valet greets them as both of them climbs out of the car. Tad hands his keys to the valet, and walks into the restaurant side by side with Katie. Katie had chose to wear a really nice, blue evening dress. Very formal. But knowing the reputation of the restaurant they were going to, she couldn't let herself wear just anything. Tad is looking respectable and handsome himself, while wearing a very expensive Armani tux. They both look as if they are going to attend the Academy Awards, but hey, can you blame rich people going to dinner? That's just their way of life. Though Katie is more like a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. After a short walk to the restaurant, Katie immediately spots Tad's parents waving enthusiastically at them. She smiles at them, and walks to their table with Tad.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Pincus." Katie smiled her very charming smile, which got Tad's old man smiling.

"Hello Katie, please have a seat." Mr. Pincus motioned to the seat opposite him. The waiter pulls the chair for Katie, and she whispers a thanks after sitting down. Then, Tad occupies the seat beside hr.

"Thank you." Katie replies politely. Mr. and Mrs. Pincus smiles at each other.

"So, dad, can we order now? I'm really hungry." Tad said. Chuckling at her bestfriend's insensitivity, he hadn't even said hello to his parents, she gives him a slight poke on his side. Tad scowls at her mockingly which didn't escape his parent's eyes, and they actually found their exchange cute.

"Okay then." Mr. Pincus turns to the waiter and places his order, his wife placing the same. Tad then orders, already knowing what he wants to eat before even looking at the menu. Katie took a while before ordering. When the waiter finally got all of their orders, Mr. Pincus turns his attention back to Katie, who was looking extra beautiful tonight.

"You look great, Katie." Mr. Pincus said, Mrs. Pincus nodding in agreement. Katie slightly blushed while Tad rolled his eyes.

"Thank you. You look incredibly handsome tonight too, Mr. Pincus, and you look really beautiful, Mrs. Pincus." Katie isn't lying. Tad's parents even look younger than their real age.

"I'm glad you found the time to have dinner with us." Mrs. Pincus finally spoke. The elderly woman was very elegant even in the way she speaks. Tad definitely didn't get his manners from her.

"Mom, she has nothing to do in her life. She lounges around, and if she has time, she swims with the sharks." Tad laughs. Katie frowns at him.

"Oh, he's actually talking about himself." Katie throws back at Tad. And as usual, the Pincus's are finding them really adorable.

Back at the base of the DEBS, the three had finally fun all the numbers down in all their respective telephone and celphone networks, but nothing unusual came up. Every number checked out, belonging to real and existing persons, no one fictitious. There's no reason to suspect that Lucy and Amy are hiding in one of those numbers.

Jessie was sitting silently on the living room couch, her eyes focused on nothing in particular. She was lost in her own mixed thoughts of the last couple of days. Since she arrived in Barcelona, it seems like the life she left in Los Angeles had suddenly became a distant memory. Not that she had an actual life in LA. She was mostly work, then studies, then studies again. Jessie isn't exactly anti-social, you can't be anti-social when you're pursuing espionage as a career. She's just not much of a people person.

"Hey…" Janet's voice came from opposite her. Jessie looks up, and find the DEB smiling in front of her.

"Hey." Jessie smiles back. Janet walks over to her and hands her something. It was the piece of paper where she scribbled the numbers from Katie's celphone and phone book. Jessie reaches for it. Janet sits beside her.

"We searched every number."

"And?" Jessie asks. Janet pauses before looking at Jessie.

"Everything checked out. Complete with real address, personal information, and supporting information from the Barcelona Citizens Database. We can drop by every address to make sure Lucy and Amy are---"

"Okay." Jessie answers. She wasn't focusing on Janet anymore 'coz she let herself get carried away with her nonsense thoughts again. Janet watches her curiously. Jessie was practically drifting unconsciously away from the conversation. Jessie isn't the type who loses focus. Especially when it comes to catching Lucy Diamond.

"What?" Janet asks in disbelief.

"I said okay, I believe you." Jessie looks back at Janet with a sincere smile. Janet couldnt believe her eyes. Jessie isn't as cold as a zombie after all.

"But I thought you'd---"

"I believe you, Janet." She looks straight into Janet's eyes. Janet finally smiles back.

"Uhm... Are you hungry? Do you want to go out and get something to eat?" Janet asks her. She had been feeling hungry herself, but Max and Dominique had gone out on their own doing their own surveillance thing to find Amy and Lucy. She had been left alone to keep Jessie from suspecting anything.

"Yeah... Sure." Jessie answers and follows Janet when she gets up from the couch, and Jesie went to get her car keys.

Back at the fancy restaurant, Tad is becoming bored at his parent's constant praises on Katie. It makes him want to run away really fast.

"Dad, can you guys just talk about business now? I thought that's why we're here, and you haven't mentioned anything about since since we arrived and we've finished the main course already. Can't you see Katie's growing impatient?" Tad said huffily. Katie scowls at her bestfriend's disrespect, but his parents didn't seem to mind.

"No I'm not." Katie turns to the Pincus's. "I'm sorry about your son. He can be a real jerk sometimes."

"Oh, don't mind him, Katie. Let's just pretend that he doesn't exist." Mr. Pincus jokes. Katie chuckles. Tad rolls his eyes.

"Katie, sweetheart, we are not going to bother with the hazardous details of stock investments. Why don't you just tell us how much you want to invest then we can take it from there?" Mrs. Pincus interejected.

"Really? Wow, thanks. I appreciate that." Katie smiles politely.

"That's good then. Since you're a friend of my son, we'll do our best to expedite the processing of the documents. Welcome to the company, Katie." Mr. Pincus gets up from his seat and walks around the table just to give Katie a hug. Tad couldn't help but roll his eyes again.

"Dad, she IS my friend, and we're never gonna be more than friends." Tad pretends to be having goosebumps, which gets Katie laughing. The Pincus's merely ignores him.

"So, when do you plan to get married?" Mr. Pincus's question comes out of the blue that almost made Katie spit her drink. That would have been a disaster. Tad and Katie exchanged horrified looks, and Katie gets up from her seat.

"Excuse me for a moment, I need to go to the ladies' room." Katie fakes a smile and hurries to the restroom.

At the time, Jessie and Janet were walking the busy streets of Barcelona, trying out the different street foods available. It was the first time, since they have arrived at the beautiful city, that they were actually able to go out and explore it.

"This is so amazing." Jessie said in disbelief.

"You said it." Janet couldn't believe her own eyes. Barcelona was even prettier at night.

"I can't believe I'm only seeing all of this now. We've been here like what, a week?" Jessie continued.

"More than a week... What, you didn't know how good it feels to get away from work once in a while?" Janet jokes. Jessie just smiles but doesn't answer. "Have you always been a workaholic?"

"I'm not a workaholic."

"That's exactly what a workaholic would say." Janet said that made Jessie laugh. "It's a way for some people to cope with grief or loneliness. It's their way to fill the emptiness in their life, the void that they are..." Janet trails off upon finding Jessie staring at her.

Janet makes an immediate step back, ready to run away in case Jessie decides to kick her ass.

"What, why did you stop?" Jessie asks in disappointment. Janet was, of course, fearing for her life.

"Nothing, forget it." Janet continued walking. Jessie follows.

"Wait, finish it. You were saying something. You think I'm in pain, that I'm lonely and looking for something to fill my empty life? Is that how you guys perceive me?" Jessie asks in interest.

"Uhm..." Janet clears her throat. Jessie chuckles. She gets it now. Janet is apparently afraid of her. She stops walking, grabs Janet's right arm and pulls her to a nearby bench. They had reached the park without realizing it.

"Is that how you guys see me? That I'm in pain and lonely? Aren't we all, in one way or another?"

"Well, aside being scary, yeah, I think you're pained and lonely." Janet said slowly, as Jessie makes her sit on the bench. Jessie sits beside her and chuckles when Janet mentions the scary part.

"I didn't mean to scare you."

"None taken." Janet laughs nervously. It was nice t see this better side of Jessie.

"It's just part of the job, you know. I wasn't dreaming of getting bullied by you guys. So, I might as well be the one bullying you, right?" Jessie chuckles. "I mean, I was appointed to captain the DEBS top squad, and I was a rookie. Didn't it cross your mind that it scared the hell out of me too? You've been together for a long time, and I knew my entrance to the squad as an inexperienced captain wouldn't be pleasant because of the politics, and guess what, I was right, especially with Max. And I understand how she feels, and how you guys feel, but I need to do my job." Jessie explains. She isn't sure why she's being honest with Janet. But being able to finally talk to someone in the squad feels really good.

"Yeah, I get it. But you don't have to be so harsh." Janet jokes.

"Comes with the territory..." Jessie said. "You know, I have nothing against Amy Bradshaw, but she did break the law, so I'm sorry. But we are going to catch her." Jessie looks apologetically at Janet. Janet forces a smile, her heartbeat doubling upon hearing the 'catching Amy' part. Jessie's eyes then falls on something else at the park. It was the small flower stand not so far away from them.

Jessie felt suddenly cheery and grabs Janet's arm again, pulling her to the flower stand.

"Jessie, where are you dragging me?" Janet scurries behind Jessie. Jessie then stops excitedly in front of the flowers and her hands gets a hold of the nice bouquet of gardenias.

"What do you think?"

"Huh?" Janet frowns.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Jessie lifts the bouquet and brings it near Janet for the other to examine.

"Uh, yeah." Janet replied. Jessie then pulls some bills from her purse and hands the money to the old Spanish guy, whom Janet assumed as the owner of the stand. Jessie pulls out her celphone from her pocket and dials a number.

Back at the restaurant... Katie hadn't gotten back from the ladies' room.

"Mom, Dad, for the millionth time, Katie and I are never gonna work. Seriously, she's like my sister!" Tad said slowly to his parents, hoping that they'd finally get it. But all he keeps getting are their smiles.

"Sweetheart, maybe you need to tone down your rough manners. Katie will come around, believe me." Mrs. Pincus smiled that nauseating smile, Tad wanted to puke.

This is hopeless... Tad shakes his head. Then, a celphone rings. The Pincus's simultaneously pulled out each of their celphones, only to realize it wasn't any of theirs. Tad's head turns to the ringing phone, which was rested on top of the table in front of Katie's chair. Katie forgot to bring her cel when she made a dash to the ladies' room. Tad picks it up before his parents could stop him.

"Hello?" Tad spoke, but the line goes dead...

At the Barcelona Park, Janet notices Jessie's dumbstruck look, after the blonde suddenly hangs up her phone.

"Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Jessie turns to Janet.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Janet said.

"I called Katie and a guy answered the phone." Jessie replied. Janet looks at her, waiting for her to continue, 'coz she couldn't see anything surprising about that. Katie had dated a lot of guys, she could be on a date now.

"You called Katie?" Janet was more surprised upon finding that out.

"Yeah... Forget it. It's probably just one of her one-time dates." Jessie said without much energy, and starts walking away. Janet follows her but observes her curiously from behind.

At the restaurant...

"Hello?" Tad shakes his head. "So rude." He whispered to himself as the other person on the line hung up. He then checked out the received calls, and found the name... His eyes widens upon finding the name of the caller.

Jessie? Amazing blonde hair and stunning blue eyes Jessie? Tad's jaw drops, and grin forms on his face. Just then, Katie comes back to the table.

"Sorry I took so long." Katie apologized to everyone in the table. The elders smile, but there was something so wicked about Tad's look that didn't escape her eyes. She knew he has something up his sleeve.

"Do you like my hair?" Tad asks Katie while he stifles a laugh. Katie frowns.

Great, here we go again... Katie sighs, trying to be patient.

"It's fine, Tad." Katie answers. It's not like she give a shit about Tad's hair. He could color his hair orange and she couldn't care less.

"Do you want me to dye it blonde?" Tad grins at her. Katie looks at him suspicously.

"What?"

"I already have blue eyes, so the blonde hair would probably work, right honey?" Tad jokes, and Katie looks at him in wide-eyed horror.

"WHAT?" Katie's voice rises to a higher octave. Tad grabs her left hand and excused themselves.

"Mom, Dad, we got to go. Thanks for dinner." Tad pulls her out of the restaurant before Katie could even complain. Upon reaching the lobby, the valet brought Tad's Porsche around and they climbed in. The had been driving for a few minutes, and Katie had been staring at Tad in disbelief.

"HONEY?" Katie chastised her bestfriend for calling her 'honey'. Just hearing it from Tad gives her some sort of unpleasant chill. It if wasn't for the parents, she would have already gave Tad the worst beating in his life for calling her 'honey'.

"It's amazing blonde hair and stunning blue eyes, wasn't it?" Tad grins while driving.

"What?" Katie frowns again, but a bit surprised by Tad's correct assumption.

"Your date last night, it was Jessie."

"I said it wasn't a date." Katie repeated for the thousandth time.

"Whatever you say, Katie. Can I tell you something?"

"It's not like I can stop you, so go ahead." Katie shrugs.

"I used to have a crush on you when we were in gradeschool." Tad laughs. He couldn't believe he actually had a crush on Katie back then. She wasn't even pretty back in the days.

"Really? Euww…"

"That's what I thought. Then you harbored this insatiable appetite for men, which majorly turned me off, until you realized you're actually developing this insatiable appetite for women now, which turned me back on again." He jokes. Katie hits him hard on the shoulder.

"Chill Katie, I'm driving."

"You really are disgusting, Tad."

"Thanks." Tad laughs.

"Turn left." Katie commands him.

"What?"

"Turn left. We're going somewhere." Katie smiles.

"Where?" Tad narrows his eyes on Katie.

"My sister's."

"What? It's---"

"Just do as I say, Tad, if you don't want to get hurt." Katie grins confidently. She knows Tad would give in. But Tad was a bit hesitant. It was as if he's more worried that somebody could follow them. But Katie's Katie, and he knows better not to piss her off. Not even when she looks this happy.

On their way to Lucy and Amy's, Katie still couldn't think of how Tad managed to make a correct guess as to who she was with last night…

But it wasn't a date… Katie repeated to herself. She wanted to believe that it was, but she knew it wasn't. They were just friends hanging out on a weekend together.

After another twenty minutes of driving, Katie and Tad finally reached their destination. Stopping the Porsche in front of the house, Katie immediately climbed out of the car and headed for the door. Before she could even knock, it opened, revealing the gorgeous master criminal on her ladies boxer shorts and tank top. Tad's jaw apparently drops at the sight of Katie's sister.

"Nice dress… You guys going to prom?" Lucy looks amused upon seeing her sister and the bestfriend. They were standing in her doorway, wearing a gown and a tux respectively.

"Ha-ha, get out of the way, Lucy, or you're not getting pizza." Katie gruffs at her pizza-deprived sister and walks past by her. Lucy looks delighted and snatches the box of pizza from Tad and opens it as soon as she puts it down the coffee table. She picks up a slice and hands it to her girlfriend, who was sitting on the couch in the living room watching tv, and looking very sexy in her own sleeping clothes which was less suggestive, and then, Lucy picks up a slice for herself. Tad follows the sisters to the living room, unbelieving the sigh that was in front of him.

Two hot lesbians in their super-lover costumes… How did I get so lucky? Tad's grin grows wider as he takes the seat next to Katie on the couch, opposite the DEB and the former criminal. Katie notices the mischievous look Tad was giving her sister, and was pretty sure of what thoughts were currently swirling in his head. She then gives her bestfriend a slap on the back of his head.

"What now?" Tad rubs the back of his aching head.

"Stop drooling." Katie growls at him, shaking her head.

"I wasn't---" Tad knows defending himself would be of no use, 'coz telling the truth or not, Katie wouldn't believe him. Well, he never tells the truth anyway. But it was worth a shot to save himself from the embarrassment he was getting right now.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. It's practically written on your forehead." Katie rolls her eyes, and turns her attention back to Amy and Lucy.

"Sorry, he's retarded." Katie smiles at Amy, and Amy chuckles.

"Leave the poor guy alone, Kat. Fantasizing is the only thing he could ever do with us anyway." Lucy grins, having her own fun at poking embarrassment at the only guy in the room. Finally, Katie looks at her sister, and sees that Lucy was eating like she had never eaten in months.

"You eat like an animal." Katie looks repulsed.

"I am an animal. The highest form of mammal for that matter." Lucy tried to sound smart. Katie had always been the brains. It's nice to make yourself feel like you're the bright one sometimes. Amy turns her head, on the verge of laughing.

"Lucy, you hardly look the part." Katie was referring to the 'highest form' part of Lucy's statement. She was in the mood to tick Lucy off.

"Katie, do you really want to get hurt?" Lucy says in mock threat, but doesn't stop devouring the mouth-watering pizza on her hand. Before she could even finish her first slice, she was already considering which slice to eat next.

"You don't scare me." Katie chuckles whilst shaking her head. She then leans against the couch, making herself comfy since she arrived. The clothes isn't making her feel any comfortable, but she was in a very good mood to even complain.

"So, what's with the dress code?" Amy finally changes the subject. She had been eyeing Katie beautiful dress since she arrived. She had always loved wearing one of those, makes her feel elegant. Her mind subconsciously wandered with thoughts of herself wearing the same style, only hers was white…

White? Amy chuckles to herself… She had been through lots of relationships before, but not once did she ever dream of wearing a white gown and walking the aisle to meet that special person on the other end of that red carpet. Until she met Lucy…

"Oh, we just felt like wearing it, you know, for a change." Tad jokes, then picks his own slice of pizza, not taking his eyes away from Lucy as he takes a bite.

"You guys are weird." Lucy shakes her head, trying to decide why she's letting these two stay in the house longer than they are allowed to. They shouldn't even be there now. It was against their rules. Katie was only supposed to visit on weekends, at dawn.

"Didn't I tell you he's retarded?" Katie laughs and Tad frowns at her.

"We had dinner at the hotel with his parents." Katie continued, only to make Lucy stop munching her pizza, to give them a suspicious look. Katie reaches for a can of coke Tad had put down the coffee table near the box of pizza and opened one for herself. Not hearing a reply from her sister, Katie looks up, to meet Lucy's not-so-pleased look.

Okay, so Tad's a good friend, he's even good-looking, but that doesn't mean Lucy would approve if this toad stars dating her sister.

"It's just a meeting about your stock investments. God, you're so paranoid." Katie said, refuting Lucy's suspicions before she could even accuse them of anything. Tad was grins. He was so used to having people think of him and Katie as a couple, and it sounds funny everytime.

"You know, just because a guy and a girl gets inside a car together, doesn't mean they're dating." Tad shakes his head at Lucy, only to have her throw him a scowl.

"Besides, she's dating someone seriously now, and I'm too hot to be monogamous." Tad said self-assuredly. Amy had gotten used to his half-truth boastings, so she just found it funny now.

"Someone who?" Lucy's interest shot from fifty to one hundred percent. She gives Tad a who-the-hell-is-it look, but Tad merely shrugs. He would have answered right away, only if he didn't feel Katie's strong nudging on his side. One wrong answer and he's getting a bruise. Katie smiles at Lucy, before heading off to the kitchen to get some water. Lucy throws another questioning look at Tad, and he shrugs just the same, not wanting to give the information away, or Katie would kill him. Let's just say that he's more scared of the younger law student than the older master criminal. Pretty ironic.

Lucy looks at Amy, but Amy just gives her an assuring smile. Lucy gets up from the couch, and follows Katie to the kitchen. She finds her drinking a glass of water.

"Are you gonna tell me about?" Lucy said from behind Katie, at the same time, crossing her arms.

"Nope." Katie grins, then takes another sip of her water.

"Why not?" Lucy whines.

"Because there's nothing to tell." Katie answered dismissively, but the smile didn't disappear from her pretty face. She puts her glass down the sink, but instead of going back to the living room, she remained standing there, meeting Lucy's gaze.

"So, what Tad was saying is just another one of your meaningless conquests?" Lucy immediately assumed. That's very typical of her sister anyway. Yup, make the guys drool. That's what she does best.

"It wasn't meaningless… And it wasn't a date. God, how many times do I have to reiterate that to Tad? Now I'm starting to think he's really retarded. I should get him an appointment with a psychiatrist." Katie said defensively.

"So, if it wasn't meaningless, then it must be meaningful?" Lucy asked, sounding hopeful. She doesn't know much about Katie's love life. She only knows a thing or two. And she'd really love to know more, be a part of Katie's life once again.

"Could be…" Katie looks up to meet Lucy's eyes, them smiles. Lucy couldn't help but notice. Katie must have found someone really special.

"Well, are you going to tell me more or are you just gonna keep me guessing until I catch you two having sex on your couch?" Lucy jokes, which makes Katie blush deep red. She had never thought about sex (though the sexual tension between her and Jessie is undeniable) since she admitted to herself that she's actually attracted to a girl. And now that Lucy opened up that possibility, Katie feels suddenly scared and excited at the same time.

"Katie?"

"Huh?" Katie shakes her out of her daze.

"You're already having sex on your couch, aren't you?" Lucy narrows her eyes on Katie, which makes the other brunette react so defensively. Katie suddenly contorts her face into wide-eyed disbelief.

"What? No! You're such a perv, Lucy…" Katie growls at Lucy.

Should I tell her that Tad's talking about Jessie, and that Jessie is a girl? Ktaie couldn't decide.

"So, tell me about him then, What's he like? What does he do? Is he a good person? Where did you guys meet?" Lucy walks to the table's direction and pulls a chair for Katie as she torpedoed the dreamy-looking brunette with questions. Katie looks at it and contemplates if she's going to sit down and have this talk with Lucy, or just go back to the living room and save Amy the headache of being left alone with Tad. Katie decides on the former. Lucy then pulls a chair for herself, opposite Katie.

So she thinks it's a guy… Katie lets out a sigh. She never realized it would be too hard coming out to her own sister… Wait, coming out? I'm not even gay… Katie's confusion grown more and more every minute, along with thoughts of Jessie.

"I don't really know what to tell you." Katie admits. She is feeling a lot for Jessie. Some of those she couldn't even describe. Being with the blonde makes her feel things she hadn't felt before. She wasn't even aware that such feelings exist.

"You can start by telling me his name." Lucy says grinning. Katie might be the brilliant one, but she's not very good in the relationship department. The younger girl couldn't even take her former relationships seriously. That's why people often misunderstood her. But Lucy was fully aware of what Katie was looking for. Katie focuses her eyes on Lucy, debating with herself whether it's the right time to tell her sister about Jessie or not. Realizing that Katie wasn't about to tell her the name of this special 'guy', Lucy continued.

"Or, you can just tell me anything. What does he do?" Lucy followed up. Katie still didn't talk. She sat on the chair, thinking about Jessie and the way she smiles. Just thinking about the blonde makes her smile. Lucy sees the smile that formed on Katie's face, which makes her smile herself. The person that her sister met was heaven sent.

"You know, this is so weird…" Katie chuckles at herself. She never imagined herself talking to Lucy about dating. She never imagined herself talking to Lucy about anything serious at all. Well, for one, she never imagined Lucy would be dropping her life of crime and come back to her life one day. Katie leans against the back of her chair, now staring at the empty table.

"Yeah, you look weird." Lucy jokes then laughs. Katie throws her a mock look of disdain, then laughs herself eventually.

"Have you ever met someone, and felt as if you've known that person forever? You mirror each other's thoughts, you dream of the same things, and you laugh at the same jokes…" Katie says dreamily, her eyes literally twinkling as she looks up at Lucy and the light reflects the green of her eyes.

"I have." Lucy returns a smile, with Amy in her mind. Katie was looking at her, but she knows her sister isn't really seeing her. Katie has that faraway look, like she's seeing someone else. Katie chuckles at her silliness again. Why did she even have to ask? Lucy's life is all about Amy now.

"I was beginning to believe that maybe, Tad was right… Romantic movies are exaggerated, and love is overrated. That all you have to do is run to make your heart race… Then this person comes along, and allows me to believe in something again…"

"Are you happy?" It was all that matter to Lucy: Katie's happiness.

"Have you seen someone smile, and that alone made very sad feeling in your heart disappear? You don't have to use words to make a connection because somehow, even before, you're already connected. Like God made a blueprint of your life and the star have connived to bring you two together at the same place, at the same time. And when you look at that person's eyes, you can see that person's soul… And then you'd feel that magical feeling in your heart you've never felt before…" Katie unconsciously used 'that person' instead of just 'her'. Either way, she knows she'd only be referring to one certain blonde.

"So, you are happy…" Lucy was glad to realize that. Katie didn't even have to answer her question. Her long, mushy litany about souls and stars said it all already. She was amused, 'coz Katie never looked so in love before.

In love? Katie didn't say she was in love, and Lucy's sister only met this person so recently. She couldn't be in love. Katie's not the type who falls in love too soon… In fact, she's not the type who falls in love at all. Katie had always been the one who falls in love with the thought of falling in love. Well, she used to. Right now, she was looking otherwise. Anyhow, Lucy was happy for her.

"Life had never felt so great, Lucy." Katie finally looks at Lucy, and sees her. No more faraway look. She wasn't expecting Lucy to understand her. She just wants to let someone know, and that someone might as well be her sister.

"Finally taking someone seriously?" Lucy jokes, half-meaning what she just said. Katie playfully kicks Lucy in the shins under the table that made the older brunette wince in pain.

"Aww! You're such a brat!"

"It's complicated…" Katie continued. The smile didn't totally disappear from Katie's face, but it did change. It changed from dreamy to worried.

"Oh no, don't tell me he's married." Lucy narrows her eyes on Katie again. Katie breaks out into laughter.

"No." Katie answers in amusement. Lucy ponders for a moment, and her eyes widens.

"Please don't tell me he's an eighty year-old business mogul." Lucy frowns and throws a threatening look on Katie. If Katie answers in the affirmative, she was ready to tie and gag her sister and keep her hostage for the rest of her life, or at least until that dirty old business mogul dies.

"What? Lucy, I was asked who would I prefer between Leonardo DiCaprio and Russel Crowe, and I dissed them both, what makes you think I'd prefer someone way older than them?" (FYI: Mischa Barton really dissed the idea of dating both Leo and Russel, she thinks Leo is too old, and Russel isn't that good-looking) Katie shakes her head in disbelief that Lucy would even dare think that.

"Okay… So, he's not married, and he's not old… What makes it so complicated?" Lucy was running different possible complications in her head, but she just couldn't put her hand on one.

The fact that she's a girl… Katie wants to say it out loud, but couldn't get herself to. She couldn't understand herself. Why was she so afraid to tell he sister about Jessie, when she knows that of all people, Lucy would probably be the only one who might understand her best. Okay, so Tad knows, and he understands, but he puts too much malice on the idea of her being with another girl, and it makes her feel like he was only accepting it not because he understands, but because he thought it was hot.

"Is he gay?" Lucy said it out of the blue, which makes Katie choke without even drinking anything. She has to clear her throat first before looking back at an expectant Lucy.

I don't know, am I? Katie sighs.

"I can't talk about this now." Katie gets up from her chair and heads back to the living room. But before she could reach the kitchen door, Lucy gets up from her own chair.

"Okay… But when you need someone to talk to, I'll be here. You know that, right?' Lucy said hopefully. Katie smiles. She knows Lucy was trying to be the best sister she could ever be, and she's making up for the lost time that they should have spent together.

"I know… Thanks, Lucy." Katie turns around to walk back to the living room, but decides to turn around and face Lucy again.

"But right now, I really don't know where we stand. I mean, me and… You know." Katie still refrained from speaking Jessie's name. She just isn't ready to let Lucy know.

"You did say it was complicated." Lucy smiles at Katie.

"It is… But I'll try to uncomplicate it… Come on, my bestfriend is probably bugging Amy to death by now. Let's go save her." Katie chuckles.

"Good idea." Lucy follows her sister back to the living room.

When Lucy and Katie got back at the living room, Katie was right. Tad was really bugging Amy. If it wasn't for Self-Control 101, one of Amy's most important subjects during her freshman year at the DEBS Academy, she would have already broke Tad's nose into three places, and that would have completely distorted his insanely good-looking face. Well, Amy's temper is normally controlled, but Tad wouldn't stop bugging her with his proposals of taping her and Lucy during their most intimate moments.

It was after two hours of senseless talking and occasional beating of Tad when Katie finally decided to call it a night and go home. She wants to stay, but knew it wasn't a good idea since tomorrow was training day. She was going to meet her swimming coach for a once a week exercise. It was basically just hours of doing lapses, and racing with the other members of the swim team. The work out is keeping her fit, since she eats lots.

Exhausted but happy, Katie went for a bubble bath right after getting back home. She wants to get rid of every thought in her mind, you know, just to relax. Just to find some sort of peace which she normally does when she's alone. It used to work before, but now, one thing remains… Or rather one person…

Images of Jessie keeps flooding her mind. And it wouldn't stop. It was like having a silent movie playing in her own head. Not that it bothers her. Just thinking about that girl from the City of Angels makes her feel like she's literally in heaven…

Oh God, who would have thought Katie Singer could be so corny? Katie laughs at herself. So, she couldn't get rid of the thoughts of Jessie, she might as well indulge in it, right? Then Katie remembers the kiss…

It was the kind of kiss you can never compare with anything else. She wasn't sure if it was because Jessie was a good kisser, because Katie had her own fair share of good kissers before, but none felt as intense. The kiss with Jessie was different: softer, electric, unforgettable. It sent shockwaves of pleasure through Katie's entire being, waking her desires…

After another twenty minutes of showering and drying herself up, Katie finally decides to go to bed. When she got into her sleeping clothes and climbed to bed, she turned her lamp off. But she couldn't sleep. So she reached for her celphone, deciding whether or not to call Jessie.

She had been fighting that urge since they parted that morning. It was hard, stopping yourself form doing something you want to do so bad. It's just that she didn't want Jessie to think that she's expecting too much from her. They still haven't discussed the kiss and what it was about.

Meanwhile, at the DEBS base… Jessie and Janet had been talking like good old friends since they got back from their walk at the park. Max and Dominique were surprised seeing the two together, looking like they were actually having a good time with each other.

"But she's not really like that, you know." Jessie debates with Janet while both of them sit on the living room couch, without realizing that Max and Dominique were actually spying on them on the other side of the wall. Well, what can I say, they are spies after all. Jessie isn't sure how or when she and Janet started talking about Katie, but she didn't really mind talking about the very beautiful brunette. She couldn't even get rid of the thoughts of her since she left the lakehouse that morning.

"Yeah right. If rich playgirl isn't so indifferent, she would be in a relationship by now." Janet snorts.

"Just because she's not in a relationship, doesn't mean she's indifferent." Jessie defends Katie.

"How do you explain the hate account in myspace?" Janet narrows her eyes on Jessie. Jessie laughs.

"Let me see… Hmm… Desperate and bitter first dates… Or, envious college girls? Take your pick." Jessie replies in amusement.

"Why are you defending her?" Janet crosses her arms. Jessie looks up at her the smiles. She isn't sure exactly why. But she knows people misunderstood Katie. They are expecting her to date and fall in love, but you just can't force what's not meant to be. You can't.

"Why are you persecuting her? I thought you like her. You're the first one who opposed to the idea of me seducing her."

Katie had been dialing Jessie's number and hanging up a couple of times before it could even ring. She was feeling a desperate longing to hear Jessie's voice, but she wasn't doing very good in trying to control it. Letting out a deep breath, she dialed Jessie's number again. Katie couldn't keep the beating of her heart down. She had never felt so nervous in her life.

"I'm not saying that she's a bad person. It's just that generally, pretty girls are---" Janet was cut off when she hears the loud ringing of a celphone. Jessie then jumps into her feet and reaches for the celphone in the pocket of her jacket. A smile forms in her face upon seeing who it was.

"Excuse me." Jessie storms out of the living room to her bedroom, leaving an open-mouthed Janet behind.

"Let's go spy on her." Max's voice echoes in Janet's right ear that almost made her jump. She didn't realize that the other DEBS had been listening to their conversation.

"How long have you been there?" Janet tried to keep her voice down.

"Since you guys came." Dominique answered for Max. Then Max motions to the direction of Jessie's bedroom. They tiptoed to that direction.

At Jessie's room…

"Hi." Jessie sits on the edge of her bed, smiling like an idiot. The DEBS stops on the door of the room, listening hard on the conversation that was going on in the other side of the door. They could barely hear anything from Jessie, so Dominique makes a quick run to her room and grabs her sonar gadget to help them hear Jessie's voice more clearly.

"Hey…" Katie replies, smiling goofily herself on the other line.

"So, what's up?" Jessie tried not to sound too excited about hearing Katie's voice. She was holding her celphone on her left hand and her right hand was playing with the sheets of her bed.

"Oh, nothing much… Just an interesting night with Tad's parents…" Katie chuckles upon remembering what happened at the hotel. The elders just wouldn't give up the idea of her and Tad. It was really funny.

"Tad and his parents?" The smile on Jessie's face creased. Again, she was beginning to hate Tad. Why was Katie spending the night with Tad and his parents anyway? As if feeling the change in Jessie's facial expression, Katie suddenly back pedals.

"We were just talking about their last business trip… I mean, they are practically by second parents, you know, since my real parents are… You know…" Katie refrains from saying 'dead'. She just doesn't like talking about them, it's too depressing. She didn't mention the real reason why she met with them, since the investments that she was going to make was supposed to be a secret. Katie isn't sure why she felt the need to explain.

"Right, sorry." Jessie's smile comes back to her face. Then she remembers something.

"So, it must be Tad." Jessie continued.

"What?" Katie's brows furrows in the dark. She was currently lying down her bed.

"I tried calling you, but a guy answered, so I hung up." Jessie chuckles at herself. She couldn't believe she chickened out just because a guy answered the phone. Not to mention, it was only Tad.

"He got your call, and he didn't tell me? I'm so gonna kick his ass tomorrow." Katie finally realizes how Tad figured out that it was Jessie she was with last night. She hears Jessie laughing on the other line. God, she loves the way she laughs…

"So, why did you call me?" Katie continued.

"No reason… Just that I saw a bouquet of gardenias at the park and I remembered you." Jessie said sincerely. She saw the same flowers at Katie's dining table the other day and she actually loved it.

"Really?" Katie said, sounding giddy.

"Yeah…"

"So, how's your day?"

Outside the door, Max rolls her eyes, getting bored at the conversation Jessie was having with their subject. They know it was Katie on the other line. Janet listens in interest, while Dominique stayed just to fish out some information from Jessie, that they eventually didn't get.

The two just basically talked about nonsense. And the other DEBS wasn't too sure about Jessie's intentions anymore. She was acting like a highschool girl talking to her crush over the phone, not exactly what they expected to hear. They expected flirting and insinuating, not serious and sometimes plain girlfriend-girlfriend talk. Janet was beginning to suspect something else…

This wasn't taught in Seduction 101.