Jaye waited in the living room for her bridal party to join her so they could go dress shopping.
Aunt Brody walked in wearing his special white rose designed dress and white cardigan, a white hat on his head and two dangling gold earrings. "Are Shana and Courtney coming?" He asked her, sitting down on the sofa, putting his two white gloves on.
"Courtney is getting my Escalade for us. Not sure where Shana is right now," Jaye answered. "I was told to stay on the couch, so I stayed like a good girl." Jaye smirked at her Aunt.
"Since when do ye listen?" Aunt Brody smiled with a sparkle in his eyes.
The door opened and Scarlett walked in hurriedly. "Sorry Allie, the training session ran longer then expected," She explained, heading straight to her bedroom. "I'll be ready in a few minutes." They heard the door shut closed behind the redhead.
Jaye shook her head. "Why is it she gets to return to duty and I'm still off for two more weeks."
" 'Cause the lassie had a cold and you had an injury!" Aunt Brody tried to make her understand.
"I hate just laying around." Jaye grumbled, never the type to sit still for very long.
"Aye Lass, Ah know," Aunt Brody patted her arm. "Ah remember when ye were a wee one and had yer Aunt Brody run around the manor, looking for ye. Ah always found ye in that room ye always loved, remember the one by the west wing?"
Jaye smiled. "Yes. I remember when I was a little girl there was always a woman in there waiting to play with me. Daddy always said there was no one there but I always saw her."
Aunt Brody chuckled, "Aye, probably the old Banshee."
They heard Scarlett's door open and the redhead come out. "Alright, all set in civvies!" she said, while checking herself in the mirror in her green cashmere long sleeve top and black dress pants.
"Alright, let's go. Courtney is probably wondering where the hell everyone is." Jaye laughed while Aunt Brody helped her stand. "You know I feel fine, Aunt Brody. I can stand and walk myself."
"Ah know lass, but yer Aunt Brody loves to fuss over ye!" He kissed her cheek, taking her arm and guided her out of the suite, as Scarlett closed the door.
They walked down to the garage, finding Cover Girl waiting for them at the car. "Finally! I thought you all stood me up!" she exclaimed, the keys to the car-- twirling around her finger.
Scarlett winked at her best friend and grabbed the keys from the ex model. "Jaye can't drive because of her medication, so I'm driving."
"Hey! Thought I was going to drive!" Cover Girl grumbled, crossing her arms.
"I don't care who drives as long as Aunt Brody doesn't," Jaye said with a laugh.
Cover Girl grabbed back the keys from Scarlett and stuck her tongue out. "Then in that case, I'll drive."
Scarlett rolled her eyes. "We're going to die." She watched Aunt Brody turn pale.
"Get in," Cover Girl said, opening the driver's side. They all got in the car. Jaye sat in the passenger seat while Scarlett and Aunt Brody sat in the back. Turning the key in the ignition, Cover Girl pressed the gas twice, then put the car in drive and sped out of the garage.
The car sped down the base, passing a few tanks and jeeps. A bunch of Greenshirts jumped away from the vehicle's path.
Beach Head was walking towards his obstacle course, absentmindedly, not seeing the speeding vehicle heading his way. Cover Girl hit the horn, several times. That got his attention- his eyes went wide and he jumped out of the way into some bushes, the car only missing him by inches. Cover Girl honked once more, and pushed the gas to the floor.
Scarlett turned to watch Beach Head, fist in the air, yelling at them. She turned to see Aunt Brody cross himself and mumble a Gaelic prayer.
"Courtney, honey, you know I love you but this is my brand new SUV. I would like to have it for a while." Jaye said, unfazed by the tank driver's driving.
"Allie, have I ever crashed a car?" Cover Girl said innocently.
Scarlett's voice piped up from the back, "Well, there was that time-" but was cut off by Cover Girl.
"Don't be a backseat driver, Shana," Cover Girl said glancing at her from the mirror.
"Two words, Courtney: my mustang." Jaye pointed out.
Cover Girl blushed. "Well, that wasn't my fault." She explained, while turning the car into the highway, heading towards the city. In one movement she passed three lanes, jerking everyone in the car towards their right. "If Shipwreck hadn't parked the General's car near the Motor Pool, I wouldn't have had to turn the car, and crash into the Sky Striker."
"Does this thing have car sick bags?" Aunt Brody asked from the backseat.
"Please Courtney, slow down. I don't want Aunt Brody to hurl in my new car," Jaye pleaded.
"Too late!" Scarlett warned. "Court, pull over. Now!" The car jerked towards the side of the highway, and Aunt Brody rushed out to the grassy area. Jaye sent a glare towards Cover Girl, who pretended to look innocent and shrugged.
Several hours later, the four were in the dressing room of La Donte's, a very established wedding gown designer.
A slim bodied woman about five feet including the hair pinned on top of her head, patted her finger against her cheek. "Hmm.. " she said, her green eyes on Scarlett and Cover Girl, who were both wearing purple gowns with sleeves puffed out two inches. "What do you think Miss Hart-Bogget?"
"It's Hart-Burnett." Jaye corrected for what seemed like a the millionth time. "But I don't think I like the puffy sleeves. What do you think, Aunt Brody?"
"Lass, even yer Aunt Brody will not wear that!" He stated, looking at the two relieved Joe women who were wearing the gowns.
The woman turned towards the area where more gowns were hung. "Alright, Ladies, how about these?" The sales lady took two light blue bridesmaids gowns of the rack and showed them to the women.
"I like the color," Scarlett admitted, smiling
"It looks too Easter to me," Cover Girl said, scrunching her nose.
"Put them on, girls."
Taking the garments, the two bridesmaids headed back into the dressing room, and returned shortly after, both pink from blushing.
"Allie, please don't make us wear these," Scarlett begged to her best friend. "They ..eh.. are too revealing." She pointed out while glancing down to her chest area.
"Oh! I like those. What do you think Aunt Brody?" Jaye asked, nudging her aunt. There was a wicked grin on her face.
"Oh, yes, lass!" Aunt Brody replied, "I agree!"
Both women's jaws hung. Scarlett closed her eyes and shook her head.
"But Allie! Look at the backside!" Cover Girl pointed out, turning to showing them that most of her back was revealed.
"Oh, Duke and Beach would just love to see you two in these." Jaye said laughing.
Scarlett's eyes went wide, "That's it! It's coming off."
"I agree with Red here," Cover Girl added. "I rather wear that orange ruffled one you showed us months ago!"
"Alright, alright." Jaye said, laughing as she leaned her head against Aunt Brody's muscular arm. "I don't like those anyway. How about the red dresses. Try those on."
Both women looked at each other then at Jaye, Scarlett gulped. "Red? Allie! Red dresses with red hair? Not a good combination."
"The dresses won't be that color. I just want to see what the style looks like on you."
They both nodded. "Alright." Cover Girl agreed, while the sales rep. walked up to them and handed them the two red gowns. Several minutes later, both women returned from the dressing room wearing the red dresses.
The dresses were floor length and strapless. They had folds around the stomach area. "What do you think, Aunt Brody? I think they are very pretty. But I have to take Dash's sister into consideration as well."
"Aye, but dona they make the same dress in the other style for women who are gonna have wee ones?" Aunt Brody asked.
The sale person nodded. "We can tailor the dress to fit the young woman's needs."
"There's one problem though." Jaye told the employee. "She lives in Kansas."
"That is no problem ma'am, we only need the measurements. But if the lady can drive to Kansas City, I have an associate who can measure her there and have the information be sent here," answered the sales rep.
"I'm sure she can." Jaye smiled. "What do you guys think of the dresses?"
"I love the feel of it." Scarlett said, turning around.
"And I like the style." Cover Girl added, striking one of her modeling poses.
"Alright. I think we have the style." Jaye said. "Now, will this come in fluorescent orange?"
"WHAT!" The two women uttered at the same moment.
"Allie, you are not serious!" Scarlett said in shock.
Aunt Brody began to chuckle and winked at his niece, who loved torturing her friends.
"No. I'm not serious," Jaye said, then once she saw the relieved look on her best friends' faces, she smirked. "Camouflage."
"Anything!" Cover Girl pleaded, "Just not that orange color!"
"Green should be good, more traditional." Scarlett pointed out.
Jaye motioned for the sales lady to come over and she held up a piece of satin fabric in the shade of hunter green. "This is the color I picked out. What do you think?"
They both nodded. "Allie, the color is nice and so is the design." Scarlett stated.
"So, is this the choice then Miss Hart-Bennet?" The sale lady asked.
"Burnett. And yes this is my choice." Jaye said, then took a sip of the hot tea that had been placed in front of them, when they had first arrived.
"Very well. Let me get the paperwork and measurements." The sale rep, clicked her fingers and in moments, two other sales reps measured both Scarlett and Cover Girl. After settling everything in order, they had lunch at the Corner on the Green. They returned to the base, Scarlett at the wheel-- this time.
The ride home was smooth and uneventful, though Cover Girl kept saying that several turtles and other small animals kept passing them from Scarlett's speed limit.
The car pulled into the parking area of the base. They noticed Flint and Duke walking towards the SUV.
Flint opened the car door for Lady Jaye. "So. How did it go? "He asked her with a huge smile, offering his hand. "Had a nice girl's day out?"
"Yes, it was fun," Jaye answered, while taking his hand to help her out of the SUV. "We need to get your sisters to the shop they have in Kansas City though to get them fitted."
"That's not problem, Nancy can drive to Kansas City with Brenna. They say hello by the way, just got off the phone with them. Seems Nancy adopted a few more evil plastic things." He informed her, making his fiancée giggle.
Duke walked towards the driver's side of the car, just when Scarlett and Cover Girl came out. He was about to say something to the women when someone called the redhead's name.
"Scarlett!"
Everyone turned to see Alpine come rushing to them. But he stopped short when he got a glimpse of the field commander. The mountain climber gulped.
Scarlett turned to the others. "I'll be back. Excuse me." She started walking over to Alpine, who had fear in his eyes. "What's wrong?"
The mountain climber grabbed her hand, and pulled her further away from the others. From the corner of her eye, Scarlett noticed that Duke had spotted the hand holding. 'Oh great!' she thought.
Alpine glanced towards the others first and then at the redhead. "We ..we have a problem. Umm.. "
"Blast it, Alpine! Just tell me!"
"Ok, Blast may be the word for it. Clutch took Brutus and put him in the Canon."
"WHAT!" Scarlett said louder than she intended. They both glanced towards the others, and noticed all eyes were now on them.
"That's not the problem. Gung Ho dared Bazooka to climb up there and get the Bear for one hundred boxes of gum, and you know how much the big lug likes them. Well, the big lug, took my mountain gear and climbed up the Canon, crawled inside and now is... well he's stuck!"
"So why me?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.
"We need your crossbow, so we can climb up and help the lug out of there. And you know how he is scared of the dark!" He explained, his brown eyes filled with worry for his best friend and what the field commander would do if he discovered the situation.
"Alright, let's go. Pray Duke doesn't catch us, or we're going to be in boiling water. Let me run and grab my crossbow and I will meet you under the canon."
"Thank you!" Alpine squealed with joy hugging her tightly around the waist.
"Go, I'll tell Jaye to cover us." Scarlett ordered. The other Joe nodded and ran back towards the canon. She turned and sighed, catching the unhappiness on the first sergeant's features. "Great, he saw the hug," she mumbled to herself, then called out, "JAYE! Can you come here for a second?"
"Coming," Jaye said and walked over to her friend. "What did those goofballs do this time?"
"Now calm down, but somehow both Brutus and Bazooka are stuck in the canon." Scarlett explained. "I have to use the crossbow to climb up there and get them out."
"Brutus...my Brutus in the canon?" Jaye asked in an angry tone.
"Calm down. I don't want Duke to find out. He may blow his top. Distract him. I'll meet you back at the suite." Scarlett said, turning to leave.
"Alright, but if my bear is harmed, there are going to be some very sorry people around here." Jaye growled, walking back towards the others and seeing the tank jockey rushing towards her.
"What's going on?" Cover Girl whispered, while the covert ops. agent explained the situation on the way back to the garage towards the three confused looking men.
Duke, Flint and Aunt Brody looked at them questioningly. "Scarlett has a climbing date with Alpine." Jaye explained to them with a smirk on her face.
Flint's jaw dropped. "Wh,,wh..at!"
"Close your mouth Flint, some flies may decide to enter the hanger." Cover Girl smirked.
Duke's color changed, watching Scarlett head towards the training room and leave it, crossbow in hand.
The counterintelligence agent, ran towards the canon, finding several Joes underneath it. But once they saw her unhappy face, they all scattered, all but Alpine and Gung Ho.
"Ready?" Scarlett asked the other two men, who slowly nodded.
Taking a step towards the canon, she marked a spot and shot an arrow, which flew straight up and hit the wall of the Pit. "Gung Ho, hold the rope. Alpine, follow me," she ordered.
Settling her crossbow over her shoulder and grabbing the rope, she started climbing up the building, Alpine following her lead. It took them several minutes to climb up the side and edge their way over the canon. Scarlett slowly kneeled and peaked inside. "Bazooka?" she called in the hole, "It's Red, you alright?"
A small voice answered. "Red! Yeah.. fine, only stuck.. and scared."
Shaking her head, she got to her knees, "Alpine, hold my waist. I'm going to see where he's stuck." As Alpine's hands held her, she leaned over the edge of the canon, and found Bazooka with Brutus wedged in the middle. "Zook, can you throw the rope that you have with you?"
"Yeah, think so." Bazooka answered, his whole body trembling with fear.
"Good, now throw it to me."
"Ok." Bazooka still held on to Brutus, he threw the rope towards the opening. She missed, he then tried again and on the third time she caught it.
"Alright, Bazooka, on three, both Alpine and I are going to pull you." Scarlett told him gently.
He nodded, holding the bear close with one of his hands.
Grabbing hold of the rope, both Joes stationed themselves to pull the overweight Joe out. "1..2..3.. pull!" Scarlett commanded. Together, they pulled on the rope and slowly the trapped Joe climbed out of the canon.
Alpine went to grab Bazooka, so that he didn't topple over and steadily walked him over to the rope.
Scarlett slowly followed them, keeping her balance, watching Bazooka take hold of the first rope and slowly climb down the side of the building, then Alpine followed. Seeing both on the ground safe, she breathed a sigh of relief. She took hold of the rope and began to descend, glad that she and the others were not uncovered by the first sergeant. But her wishful thinking was cut off when a angry voice filled the air.
"And just what in the bloody blue blazes is going on here?!?" Duke's voice boomed.
Jaye glanced upwards and gave her maid of honor an apologetic look
Scarlett cringed, "Oh, just lovely." She stopped climbing down and looked directly into the angry features of the first sergeant, and watched her three friends start to tremble from pure fear of what their commanding officer would do.
"This is your date?" Duke asked angrily, glaring at the redhead.
Her jaw dropped. "Excuse me?" she looked at him confused, slowly inching her way down the rest of the building.
Duke was about to say something when he heard Jaye yell.
"Bazooka, give me back my bear!!!"
Bazooka, frightened from Jaye's scream, threw the bear to Gung Ho, who looked like he was holding an active Cobra bomb. He looked from Bazooka to Jaye and then dashed out of there as fast as then his Cajun legs could carry him.
Alpine and Bazooka shared the same look and followed Gung Ho, just as Jaye dashed after them yelling in Gaelic.
Duke watched the cowards run, when he heard Scarlett's heels click on the pavement from behind. He turned watching her try to slip away.
"Where do you think you are going?!" Duke ordered.
Scarlett continued to walk away, hoping he would not follow. But she was wrong, because he had already started to follow, his face redder than her hair.
"Aunt Brody? Is Allie supposed to be running?" Cover Girl asked while they watched Jaye chasing the scared Cajun.
"ALISON!!! Ye get back here!" Aunt Brody screamed, going after his niece with his high heels on.
Cover Girl and Flint exchanged looks and began to run after the group.
Several Joes watched the pursuits, wondering who was going to be dead first.