"California, are you awake?" Tucker called through Cali and Caboose's door. "Carolina told me to wake you up." He said, knocking on the door.
"Hargh," California groaned, turning over in her blue bed, which was right next to Caboose's, separated by a dresser. "Five more minutes…"
"Five more minutes? Dude, it's two-fucking-thirty pm." Tucker exclaimed. "You slept in. Your friend York is already up, and he's met everyone on Blue Team."
"Ugh, fine." California sighed, getting up. She was wearing a blue tank top, and a pair of jean shorts, which she always kept in the storage compartment of her armor, just in case. She put on a pair of black tennis shoes that she also kept in there for emergencies. "Let's go, Gizmo."
The rat roused and shook itself, much like a dog. It looked attentively at California, then followed her off of the bed and out the door.
"Hey Tucker," California said, groggily giving Tucker a half-nod, and trudging out the door of her room. It had Caboose's name written in blue crayon, with 'California' written hastily underneath it in purple. Caboose's handwriting was sloppy and childlike, while California's writing looked a lot like the average teenage boy's writing.
"Hey, California." Tucker replied, nodding back. They began to walk down the hall to the kitchen. "You hungry?"
"Yep, thanks for asking." California said, brightening up. She straightened her back. "Do you guys have anything to eat?"
"We have beef jerky, crackers, and orange juice." Tucker replied, as they reached the kitchen.
An armorless Carolina was sitting at the dining table with York and Wash, chatting and catching up on all the lost years. York was acting all charming, looking into Carolina's eyes as they spoke, laughing occasionally. For the first time in a while, Carolina was blushing, laughing at York's antics. Wash chuckled along in the corner, feeling like a third, fourth, and fifth wheel, all at once.
"I can work with that," said a smiling California.
Thirty minutes later, California stood proudly in front of a stack of steaming pancakes, beaming hysterically. Her left eye was twitching.
"Jesus Christ, how the fuck did you do that?" Tucker asked, bewildered.
"That was… something." Carolina said from the table, to York.
"I feel like I just watched Jesus turn a barrel of water into wine," Wash said, whistling.
York smiled at his former teammates. "Well, that's Cali for ya." He chuckled. "She's quite a miracle worker… That is, when whatever she's working on doesn't spontaneously combust."
"Where's Caboose?" California asked, putting a pancake on her plate. "Does he like pancakes?"
"I think he's over at Red Base, hanging out with Donut." Tucker said. "Can I try one?"
"Sure, help yourself." California said with a grin. "I couldn't find any butter or syrup, though."
"That's fine, I just wanted to know what the fuck this tastes like." Tucker said, grabbing a plate. "Smells good, though. You'd never guess that it was meat-based." He got a fork and took a bite. "The fuck? This isn't actually that bad."
"You know what? You remind me a lot of this guy I met while I was travelling. He taught me how to speak Alien." California said. "Do you know an Elite named Junior?"
"You met my son?" Tucker said, taking another bite. "How was he? Is he okay?"
"He's your son? That's awesome!" California said. "He sure does flirt a lot, though. He makes a ton of dirty jokes. Gizmo and I liked him, though." California commented, through mouthfuls of pancake.
"That's my boy," Tucker chuckled.
"So, do you want to meet everyone when you're done with… lunch?" Wash asked, elbow on the dining table.
"Hellz yeah, that would be awesome!" California said, halfway done with her pancake. "Hold on a sec," She said, putting her plate down onto the counter. She took a pancake from the top of the stack and started hand-feeding it to Gizmo. "Time to eat up, buddy!" She exclaimed. "Om nom nom," She said, as Gizmo nibbled at the pancake.
Everyone in the room stared at her in amazement. "What?" She said. "He's like my son, of course I'm gonna treat him like this." California said, as the rat finished off his share of the pancakes. She then returned to her plate and began to eat again.
"So…" Carolina said, turning to York. "How've you been?"
"Well, I died for a few years, which sucked." York said casually. "Then I came back to life. That was okay." He chuckled. "Speaking of which, how are you alive? It's as if everyone at this table has cheated death at least once. Last I heard, Maine threw you off of a cliff."
"Don't remind me," Carolina groaned, rubbing her face with her hands.
"You know, it's been a year or two and she still hasn't told me what happened." Wash commented curiously.
"I survived. End of story." Carolina said. "I didn't die when I landed. That's all there is to it."
"Okay, okay," York said, raising his hands in defeat.
"You know," California said, putting her empty plate and her fork in the sink, "York told me that he was so heartbroken when you died that he became a career criminal. That's why he died in that break-in."
"Oh really, now?" Carolina said, eyebrow raised.
"Cali, what did I tell you about staying cool and not mentioning that to her?" York laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.
"You never said that, you thought she was dead." California shrugged. "You also told me that she was your girlfriend."
"…What?" Carolina and Wash said at the same time, Carolina with a slightly murderous look in her eye, mostly from the initial surprise.
"Haha…" York coughed. "I never said we were official, and I never actually asked her out… Ahem. If that helps."
"Why didn't you ask her out, anyway?" Wash asked. "Everyone knew that you liked her. That's why most of the guys in the program avoided her. She was off limits."
"But I thought that that was because they were scared shitles-" California began, only for York to get up, rush over to her, and put his hand over her mouth.
"Hey Cali, why don't you go over with Tucker to Red Base and introduce yourself? Bring the pancakes." He laughed nervously, shoving the plate of pancakes into her hands.
"Mhm," California said, muffled. York walked back to the table as California and Tucker walked out the door holding the pancakes, with Gizmo on their heels.
"Sorry about that," York chuckled, trying too hard to come off as casual. "Sometimes, she doesn't know when to shut up."
"That's fine, I know that I can come off as… cold and distant, at times, especially in the past." Carolina sighed. "But, I'm getting better, bit by bit." She paused. "Why didn't you ask me out, York? You had a lot of chances to."
"Let's just say that I was one of the guys that was scared shitless." York replied, giving her a wry smile.
"You idiot," She laughed, smacking him upside the head. He flew out of his chair, spun around a little, and fell flat on his ass. "Oops, sorry. Sometimes I forget to hold back." She said sarcastically.
"Ouch…" York groaned. "I was about to say that it was a good kind of 'scared shitless.'"
"In what way?" Carolina asked, daring him to continue.
"You were so attractive that you terrified me," York said, raising his hands in front of his face in defense, afraid that she would kick his one good eye out.
"Oh. I can deal with that," She said, lowering her fist. She cocked her head. "I thought you told me that there was nothing in the world that scared you?"
"I'll admit that that's not true." York admitted. "Every time I even talked to you, I was afraid of screwing up somehow and losing you completely."
"It's true, at one point he started planning out his conversations with you before he talked to you." Wash said, legs crossed under the table. He was chewing on a banana.
"Dude, not cool," York said, giving him a pained look.
"Wow." Carolina said. "Just… wow."
"I was in love, don't judge me." York sighed. "Wait, no I meant-"
"I love you too." Carolina said simply.
"…What?" York said, blinking, taken off-guard.
"I love you." Carolina repeated.
"I think… yeah, I'm going to go finish this banana at Red Base. You know, uh, to give you two, uh, privacy." Wash said awkwardly, slowly getting up and backing out of the room. "So, uh, yeah. I'm gonna go now." He said, disappearing through the doorway.
"Carolina, are you for real?" York asked, stupefied.
"Yes, yes I am." She said. "Why, are you not happy about that?"
"Er- it's just that, whenever I imagine this situation in my head, this isn't what happens." York said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"So… what does happen?" Carolina said, curious.
"You typically beat the living shit out of me, then throw me out of the ship's airlock." York chuckled.
"You do know that that would never happen, right? Unless you did something really stupid." Carolina smirked, arms crossed. "I already hurt you once, and I'm not inclined to let that happen again." She said, putting a hand on York's shoulder. "Why do you think I kept that stupid lighter with me for all those years?" She said smiling, getting up. She sat on York's lap.
"Uh… exactly what are you doing?" York said, genuinely confused.
"This," She said, leaning closer. She grabbed him by the hair and smashed her lips onto his.
"Mhmmm?" York grunted in surprise.
I think we can all see where this is going. Pancakes, anyone?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey Luca! I appreciate the reviews. California already has a dad, which is York! Also, she's a thirty-year-old in the body of an eighteen-year-old with the mind of a fifteen-year-old, so she doesn't need one, lol. She's a big girl now. (Although she's based on me from the fourth grade)
As for the rest of you guys- Don't worry, I won't stop writing this just because I don't get enough followers or reviews or whatever. I like this story, and I like my readers, who I realize don't actually have accounts so there isn't really a way of knowing unless they leave a review.
Remember: One review = one doughnut for Donut! He's really hungry, guys. If you don't review, you will be forced to partake in his "daily wine and cheese hour" for all eternity! MUAHAHAHAHA
Announcement: I am officially pairing Caboose with California, as you can see, because he called her a "pretty lady" :D More pairings to come !