Dance with the Devil
Summary: Set after series finale. As the girls head to New York City for a 2-year reunion trip, Jo Polniaczek-Bonner finds herself wrapped up in the gang she abruptly left upon being accept into Eastland and moving to Peekskill. While trying to keep her friends safe and out of harm's way, Jo is stretched to the limit -her marriage following suit- as she finds herself dancing with her inner demons.
.: II :.
"Where is Jo?" Tootie cried, throwing her hands up into the air. She glance at her watch in disgust, before turning and making another trip around the small table Blair and Natalie were sitting at. The two had their elbows on the table, holding their face with their hands, their eyes following Tootie's path. Well, Blair had her forearms rested on the edge of the table. "She's late! She should have been here-"
"Three minutes ago," Blair and Natalie mumbled.
"I mean, we all set up this time specifically to meet up," Tootie continued. She huffed impatiently as her route was blocked by a mother pushing a stroller in between the tables. The woman looked at her for a brief moment before quickening her steps. "Jo even picked this place! If she took the right flight out and picked the number twenty-six bus, she should have been here at-"
"3:24," Blair and Natalie responded.
Natalie leaned over and bumped Blair with her elbow, grabbing her friend's attention. "If she's not here by 3:25, Tootie may end up missing," she hissed through clenched teeth." I mean, that'd be easy here. It happens all the time." Natalie straightened up before flinching as Tootie flopped down in an empty seat. "Tootie, calm down will you?"
"But Jo is always on time," Tootie huffed. She crossed her arms over her chest before slumping a bit in her seat. Her lips pulled into a frown. "Heck, she's normally the first person to be somewhere."
"She's probably being fashionably late," Blair suggested with a shrug. She looked at her two friends before bursting into laughter. Natalie and Tootie shared a look before watching as their friend slowly composed herself. "What am I saying, it's Jo." She cleared her throat before reaching into her bag and pulled out a small device. "Why don't we just call her on her cell phone?"
"Blair," Natalie said slowly, her knee began to bounce rapidly causing the table to shake. She reached up and scratched one of her eyebrows before exhaling sharply through her nose. "The only people who have cell phones are-"
"Rich?" Blair interrupted. Tootie and Natalie shared a look. The two then grabbed a handful of napkins from the table, crumbled them up, and tossed them at Blair, lightly striking her in the face and the chest. The three erupted into gales of laughter. People at other tables turned to look at them before resuming their lunches.
Natalie glanced at her watch before jumping up from the table. Tootie grabbed Natalie's wrist in a tight grip and glared at the face of the wrist watch. She then took another glance at the man talking on his cellphone "I'm going to the bathroom," Natalie announced, yanking her arm back.
"Take Tootie with you," Blair suggested. "Judging by the look on her face, I think she's about to steal that guy's phone." She dropped her cellphone back into her purse and picked up a small compact mirror instead. Flipping on pen the lid, she
"Well what a great welcome. Just you," Jo said, rolling her eyes. She dropped her bag next to the table, watching as Blair looked up at her, snapping the compact mirror close.
"Jo," Blair all but cooed. She got up from her seat and move to wrap her friend in a hug before pausing, looking her up and. "Looking…plain as always," she finished with a half-smile. Jo smirked before embracing her friend.
"Hey B, how have you been?" she muttered into her blonde curls.
"Fantastic," Blair answered once they pulled apart. "I just got into the city this morning. Let me tell you, some at Eastland weren't happy that I took the day off." She pouted lightly. Jo regarded her with a raised eyebrow.
"Did you by any chance have some big meeting today?"
"Oh, just a few things with the Board." Jo scoffed before slowly shaking her head. "It can be rescheduled."
"Finally!" Tootie shouted. She threw herself into Jo's arms, who in turn had to grab a hold of the table so as to not fall over. Natalie peeled Tootie off of Jo before giving her friend a hug as well. "How's LA? How was your flight? Was it long?" Tootie rambled. "Do you have jet lag? Sit down." She grabbed a chair that Natalie had pulled out and forced Jo into it. Natalie glared at her as she made her way around the table to sit next to Blair. "Make yourself comfortable." Tootie plopped down into her seat and rested her chin in her hands. "So, how's Rick? How's married life?" she asked.
"Which one do you want me to answer first?" Jo chuckled.
Before Tootie could answer, Natalie leaned over and placed a hand over her mouth. "Don't give her the option. We'll be here forever." Tootie slapped Natalie's hand away. "How is everything going?"
Jo briefly glanced down at the ring on her finger. It glittered lightly underneath the sunlight, flickering every few seconds. She moved it slightly with her thumb before offering up a smile. "Great. Things don't feel too different. It's like coming home to you guys, but…my husband instead."
"Plus you get to have sex," Natalie added.
"Natalie!" Blair and Tootie shouted.
"What?" she asked. "It's not like you weren't thinking it." Natalie then sent a smile to Jo across the table. "Don't tell me that's not true."
Before Jo could answer, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She frowned and looked up, ready to berate the person impeding on her person space but found herself swallowing hard instead.
"Hey JP," a girl said gently. Her light brown eyes were narrowed,
"…Hey," Jo said quietly. She got up out of her chair and faced the girl. She held her arms out, going to move in for a hug, but stopped herself at the last minute. Instead, Jo grabbed the girls hand and shook it firmly. "How…how have you been?"
"Good." The girl tucked a long piece of brown hair behind her ear with her empty hand. With her other hand, she gradually tightened her grip on Jo's, tensing her muscles. "Not as good as you, from what I hear," she said firmly, before turning and smiling brightly at everyone. "And look, the rumors are true."
"I'm really not worth talking about," Jo said. She tried to pull her hand back, but the girl tightened her grip even more. Jo forced herself not to wince. She took in a deep breath before sending the girl a harsh glare. The girl chuckled softly before finally releasing her hand.
"Of course you are," the girl insisted.
"No, she really isn't," Blair interjected. Jo groaned before rolling her eyes. "I mean, sure she found someone who actually wanted to put a ring on her finger, and sure she has a decent career as a police officer. But, if you take all that away, she's just like the rest of us." Blair smiled. "Well, almost."
"Blair, knock it off," Jo insisted through gritted teeth.
"Why don't you introduce us to your friend?" Natalie asked, slowly looking back and forth at the two of them.
Tootie smiled brightly and gave a small wave. "I'm Toot-"
"These are my friends," Jo said quickly. She licked her lips before putting on a half-smile. Placing her hand on the girl's shoulder, she gave it a gentle shake. "We're actually a little busy right now." Narrowing her eyes a little bit, she tightened her grip on her shoulder. "I'll catch you later," she said under her breath.
"I know you will," the girl answered just as quietly. She then flashed a bright smile and gave a small wave to everyone else at the table. "Nice…somewhat meeting all of you," she said with a laugh. "My name is Brittany by the way." She then turned towards Jo and quirked an eyebrow. "See you later, JP."
"Bye," Jo muttered before dropping back into her seat. She let loose a deep sigh before reaching up and rubbing her temples.
"JP?" Blair repeated, wrinkling her nose. "I don't think I've ever heard you call yourself that. Of course, why would you?"
"It was a nickname I tried out," she said, clearing her throat. Jo sat up in her seat crossing one leg over the other. She picked up a menu from the table, skimming it. "…before Jo." A second later she dropped the menu back onto the table before clapping her hands together. "Hey, why don't we go and grab that ice cream now?"
"But, we can get ice cream here," Natalie pointed out.
"You picked this place, remember?" Tootie said.
"I know." Jo tapped her hands against the arm rests. She glanced over her shoulder, licking her lips. "The things is….I just remembered a better place, closer to my home." With that, she got up from her seat and picked up her bag. Tossing it over her shoulder, she motioned for her friends to join her. "Come on."
"What's bothering her?" Natalie turned to Blair.
"I don't know," Blair answered with a shrug. "But don't worry about its Jo. What isn't bothering her?" She, Natalie, and Tootie all got up from their seats and started to follow Jo out of the café area and down the street. The three were jostled among the crowded streets as they raced to keep up with their friend. Blair scooted on the balls of her feet so she wouldn't scuff up the bottoms of her shoes.
"Hang on, you guys," Tootie called out. She slowed to a stop and moved to the side of the street before bending down and re-tying her shoelace. She glanced up briefly, trying to keep her friends in her line of sight. After a moment, she looked up once more, glancing at the back of a woman. Her long, wavy brown hair flowed down her back and over a grey fur coat.
The fur coat was tattered, with many spots threadbare. The coat looked two to three sizes too small. It barely covered the back of the woman's dress, which was fairly short to begin with. Tootie slowly got to her feet, squinting, trying to get a closer look at the woman.
"Tootie!" Natalie shouted, reappearing next to her. "Hurry up! You know how Jo gets." She grabbed her friend by the arm and pulled her up to her feet. "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing…" Tootie muttered, shaking her head. "I thought I saw someone I knew."