CH. 29 STINGERS

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to Humble Opinion for posting this. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Jem or any of the other characters or the rights to the show. It's just fun, and no profit is earned.

ROCKNROLLROCKNROLLROCKNROLL

Kara's growing reputation attracted the group extra attention, some favorable, some not, but none of the others begrudged her the odd comment even when it did cause embarrassment. Fortunately, something new arrived in town to draw attention away from them. A new and wildly popular group, the Stingers, hit L.A. and companies were clamoring to sign them. Starlight Music and Misfits Music were first in line.

Kara didn't actually meet the group until they arrived at the mansion to stay, having had to sit up with the twins who were miserable with colds. She was called down to greet the new arrivals, who had shown up late at night, and did her best to be cordial to them, despite the fact that she took an almost instant dislike to the one called Minx.

She pegged the European singer as vain, shallow, and mildly sadistic. After making two of the Starlight girls cry, Kara went to confront her. The drummer found Ba Nee crying over Minx' critique of her art work. "Why do you care about her opinion, Ba Nee? Some good artists have come from Europe," Kara told the crying girl, "but she isn't one of them. I've heard her play. If her expertise in painting rivals her expertise in music, I doubt she'd know Picasso from picante."

Minx huffed. "How dare you?" She took a couple of steps towards Kara as she looked her up and down with a sneer; the rhythm in the room grew faster and took on a threatening feel. Ba Nee backed out of the way. "If you know as much about music as you do about making yourself presentable, I'm guessing you play the triangle… badly."

"Actually," Kara answered, standing her ground, "I play the drums." She smiled in anticipation. "I'm really good at hitting things." Minx looked taken aback by the near threat and retreated a step. "Find some other way to amuse yourself than upsetting the girls." She turned and left the fuming rocker to think about it.

Kara found Jerrica was making her way through the mansion, looking for their troublesome visitors. She took note of Kara's expression, and guessed at the reason. "Stingers?"

"I'm developing an intense dislike for them."

"Starlight Music needs them," Jerrica pointed out. "Try to be civil."

"Can't promise it, but I'll try."

"Great," the group's manager sighed, knowing that was likely the best she could expect.

They spotted Rapture going into one of the rooms in the east wing where the twins and Mary-Anne were quietly doing their lessons, and followed, curious. They were in time to hear Mary-Anne telling the woman how beautiful the moon was. Apparently they'd been stargazing rather than studying. Rapture smiled down at her. "I like the moon, too. I'm a werewolf," she confided, her tone growing menacing, "and when the full moon rises I will-"

"Turn into a real bitch?" Kara offered as she walked into the room. Five jaws dropped and the guitarist from the Stingers spun to face her. "How will anyone know?" The blonde woman sputtered angrily, but Kara cut her off. "Find some other way to amuse yourself."

"Excuse me?"

"Go 24 hours without lying to someone and I'll consider it."

Rapture turned and left the room with as much dignity as she could muster. Kara glanced at Jerrica who shook her head.

"No complaints."

The three children were watching them, confused, and little disconcerted. "What was that about?" Mary-Anne asked.

"Just setting some boundaries," Kara told her. "Nothing you three need to worry about." She surveyed the unfinished homework. "Aren't you three supposed to be finishing that?"

They took the hint and got back to work. Kara and Jerrica left the room, Jerrica allowing a slight chuckle. "We may regret that, but I still loved it. I don't know why she thinks telling such awful lies to children is funny." She shook her head, but smiled. "The look on her face…"

Kara didn't comment. It would come back to bite her, she had no doubt, but it had been satisfying. Bullies always irritated her, whether they used fists, words, authority, or the influence money gave them. The rest of the Stingers' stay, she hoped, would be uneventful. There were other things to consider.

Kara was still lost in thought when she walked in on Rio squaring off with Riot, the Stingers' lead singer. They had apparently exchanged words, most likely about Jem, but were done speaking and were simply glaring at each other, fists clenched. She paused to watch the two for a moment before shaking her head. "Testosterone poisoning; lousy way to go." She turned and walked out of the room, her thoughts already elsewhere, leaving the two men staring after her, their argument, at least momentarily, forgotten.

"Does she do that often?" Riot asked, sounding vaguely amused.

"You have no idea," Rio chuckled. The tension gone for the moment, Rio turned and walked away. Jerrica wouldn't be happy if he wound up hurting the jerk, and Riot wasn't worth it anyway. Jem was too smart to fall for an egotistical idiot like that.

Kara left the two and their drama behind and headed for the phone. She knew where to find Jo and knew she would agree to dinner that night. The phone rang twice before her friend answered.

"Hi Jo. You free for dinner tonight?"

"Sure. You and the girls want to go to that place they like on Park?"

"Actually, it's just you and me. I want to talk to you about something."

There was a brief pause. "Ok. In that case, why don't you come to my place, and I'll make us dinner?"

"Sounds good. How about 7:00?" They made arrangements and hung up. Kara hoped she wasn't making a mistake. She still wasn't entirely sure what she was going to say. Jo knew her better than anyone; it might be that the other woman already knew what Kara wanted to talk about. Whether that was a good thing in this instance remained to be seen.

There was an afternoon practice session to get through, which the Stingers attended out of curiosity. Kara met the eyes of the two women, and to everyone's surprise, they kept any snide comments they might have had to themselves. The practice went smoothly, and Riot was favorably impressed, vocal in his praise of Jem's talent. Finishing up the set, Jem asked about everyone's plans for the evening. Kara spoke up.

"I've got plans tonight, not sure when I'll be back." Jem nodded and looked to the others.

Kimber smiled knowingly. "Going out with Jeff again?"

Before Kara could answer, Minx spoke up.

"Hot date?" the blonde asked archly. "Who's the lucky blind man?"

Kara ignored her, and finished stowing her drum kit for the night.

"Can't be much of a catch," Rapture commented. "Not if this is the best he can do." Riot said nothing, watching everyone's reactions with interest.

"That's enough, you two," Jem snapped, losing her patience with them.

"It's alright, Jem," Kara interrupted. "Neither of them would stand a chance with a blind man, since the blind tend to focus more on personality than looks." To be sure they wouldn't miss the insult, she added as an afterthought as she headed out, "and theirs are toxic." The two women glared after her, but Kara ignored them as she left the room and the discord they created, already thinking about what she would say to Jo. She didn't bother to correct Kimber's conclusion as that would have just led to more comments from the Stingers and Kara's patience with them was paper thin as it was.

After the chaos she'd been caught up in recently, she'd been forced to think about things a 22-year-old normally didn't think about. Her thoughts weren't overly pleasant, but they were necessary.

The drive from Starlight Mansion to Long Beach was a familiar one by now, and Kara was able to devote some thought to how she would broach the subject. She had a vague idea by the time she arrived and knocked on the door.

Jo let her in and told her to sit down. Dinner wasn't quite ready yet. Taking the seat on the couch next to her, Jo broke the ice.

"I understand you've got some houseguests."

"A band that Jerrica wants to sign. They're wearing out their welcome fast." She told Jo about the Stingers and her run-ins with the two women.

"They sound like a barrel of laughs."

Kara grunted in irritation at the memory of the two. "They seem to thrive on causing discord, throwing off everyone else's rhythm. I'm not sure signing them would be a good thing. It's only a matter of time before one of Rapture's lies gets her into hot water, and Minx is going to provoke the wrong person eventually."

"They sound like people Starlight might want to stay away from."

"They'll bring in big money. That makes a lot of things tolerable, apparently." Jo found that thought a bit depressing and didn't bother answering. Instead she brought up a topic that was marginally safer.

"You and Jeff going out Friday?"

Kara nodded.

"What's he like?"

"A nice guy," Kara said after a moment's thought. "He's trying to be romantic, but… well neither one of us really seems to know what that means." Then she shrugged. "Or maybe it's me that doesn't get it. He keeps trying to do things for me that I can do for myself. And I never did get the point of giving people dead plants."

Jo couldn't help it. She laughed. "It's called chivalry, Kara. It's supposed to be a good thing, and most people consider flowers romantic."

"I guess it's me, then," Kara shrugged. "Laura and Sarah did like the box of chocolates he gave me." Jo burst out laughing again. The stove dinged a moment later, and she got up to check on dinner.

Kara got up to set the table as she usually did. It was a familiar routine and Kara let herself enjoy it.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Jo asked after the two had sat down taken a few bites of the pasta Jo had fixed. "I'm guessing it wasn't Jeff." She swallowed another laugh at Kara's reaction to the flowers and candy.

"It's about the way the last few months have gone for me and the other Holograms." She shook her head ruefully. "Trouble seems to follow the group like a tail on a dog."

"You have had a fair amount of drama lately," Jo allowed, thoughtfully helping herself to another bite before continuing. "I don't mind telling you, you've had me worried."

"I worry, too," Kara nodded. "That's why I want to ask something of you; something big."

"What is it?"

"Sarah and Laura. I…I want you to take care of them if something happens to me. I mean, take them in, as your own."

Jo's fork stopped half-way to her mouth. "Kara! A-are you… what are you talking about? Nothing's going to happen to you."

"In the past four months, I've tangled with thieves, tomb robbers, and kidnappers. I don't want to take any chances with their future. I'm going to see a lawyer about a Last Will and Testament, and I want to name you the girls' guardian."

Jo just stared for a moment, stunned. Finally, she smiled. "I'd be honored. Just make sure it isn't needed."

"Thank you. We'll work out the details with the lawyer, but I want this as solid as I can make it. Whatever provisions can be made will be made. I'm also getting a life insurance policy, naming the girls as beneficiaries and you as…trustee? I think that's the word."

Jo nodded. "Sensible. What about the Starlight Foundation, though? You're living with the group now in a mansion."

"A good second choice, but I'd prefer the girls be with family."

The simple word made Jo's cheeks warm. Hearing it said so casually, that Kara considered her family made her happier than she would have thought possible. On the heels of that thought though, came a disturbing one. "That does bring up a possible problem. What about the girls'…blood relations?"

Kara looked puzzled for a moment before it hit her. Then, she couldn't stop herself from scowling. "Not an option. The Banks have no claim on the girls just because Harland is their biological…." She broke off, not even being able to say the word. After taking a few breaths, she continued. "I don't think they'll try to get custody, but I should put something in there to block them if they do. The lawyer should know how."

"And… I hate to bring it up, but what about the other?"

"Absolutely not." There was no hesitation in the answer. "If the Banks can be blocked, so can that one. He's to have nothing to do with the girls." Jo nodded, in full agreement.

"Glad to hear it. Again, though, this will never be an issue, understood? You will be around to spoil you kids' grandkids."

Kara smiled at Jo's stern tone. "Understood."

"Good. Now, supper is getting cold." The two settled in to eat in silence for a while. Neither could think of a safe topic of conversation and didn't want to talk about preparations any more.

When Kara was ready to leave, Jo approached her and wrapped her in a hug. "Thank you," she said simply.

"Thank you," Kara answered, returning the hug. "It means a lot to me that you would agree to this."

"It means a lot that you would ask." She gave an extra squeeze before moving to release her friend. Kara wasn't so quick to let go. "You know," she said lightly. "This goes on any longer, I might take it the wrong way and kiss you."

Kara hastened to let go.

Jo sighed. "Shouldn't have warned you," she said in a mock regretful tone.