"Bonding or Bondage?" [Chapter 1]
Disclaimer: This may be a little odd, but to each his own right? I don't own any of these characters...so don't think I do alright? ((And thanks to JordanGirl for this title!))
This takes place in Joshua Tree National Monument; I'll have pictures online after I develop them alright? Mainly from Nigel's POV, but it may switch around a bit.
~~Nigel~~
I'll have to admit. When I first heard Dr. Macy's idea for a "staff retreat" out to California, I was a little skeptical. I mean, come on, camping...and Jordan in the same sentence? Let alone our dear Buggles. I didn't think it was possible. But, it was, and we settled amongst ourselves. I was bringing the fire supplies, Peter was bringing the tent, Bug was bringing the First Aid stuff, Lily was dealing with the meals...and Jordan...our little barmaid was bringing the refreshments. We had a bloody hell of a time getting it all on the plane and through that dammed security. After we were on the plane, the argument of the hour was over the window seat. (I actually think Peter and Bug were fighting over Lily, but that's my opinion.) Thank God we left on time. Jordan was about to murder them.
The plane ride to the Ontario Airport in California was actually pretty nice. I sat next to Jordan, while Bug, Peter and Lily were a few rows ahead of us. I don't know how she did it, but Jordan managed to fall asleep for almost the entire flight. She woke up about 20 minutes before we landed. We managed to rent a van, load up the gear, and head out to Joshua Tree in a reasonable amount of time. Damn near amazing with all the stuff that Peter brought with him. We got to the campsite after about an hour. Lily went absolutely nuts as soon as we parked. She muttered something about "Indian spiritual centers" and took off to explore. Bug went chasing after this trail of fire ants that were parading along the edge of the road. Which left Peter, Jordan and I to set up camp. I have to admit though, the area was nice. Huge boulders surrounded all sides of the valley, and no noise except the wind and the crunch of sand under our feet.
Peter for once was actually the organized one. He got Jordan to help him set up the tent and the stove. They didn't seem to need any help, so I set off on the fire building. I was almost dark, so I figured it would be nice. (Plus, a bitchin' bonfire raises your chances of getting drunk by a tenfold.) That reminded me....
"Jordan dear, where'd you hide the booze?"
She glanced up from the stove. "In the blue cooler."
"What did we bring to share?"
"'Couple twelve packs of imports and some vodka...why?"
"Just seeing if I need to run into town to buy some more. You think this'll last us the night Love?"
She eyed the cooler. "I dunno..." she replied sarcastically "...it's gonna be a close one."
After a few failed attempts, I had a fire going. By then, Bug had given up on finding the fire ant nest, Lily was calmed down a bit, and Jordan had begun the quest for the marshmallows.
"Lily...where did you put the marshmallows?"
"They're in the box with the bread and the chips." Lily was sitting on the ground next to the fire, drawing designs in the sand with a stick. Bug was in the tent putting on warmer clothes. Peter decided he'd had enough of Jordan wandering aimlessly through the food box, so he got up to help her.
"Looks like you need some help there missy..."
"It's about damn time you showed up." She paused. "And did you call me missy?"
I heard the tent unzip, and out walked Bug, wearing what appeared to be every item of clothing he had brought.
"Buggles...is there anything you aren't wearing left?" I had to nearly gag myself to keep from laughing at him.
"What?! It's cold out here. This is colder than Boston when Hell freezes over."
"Then come sit on my lap near the fire. You know I'll keep you warm Buggles..."
Jordan poked her head out of the food box, which she was STILL rummaging through. "You look ridiculous Bug." She turned around to see a grinning Peter dangling the marshmallow bag in her face.
"Right next to the bread." He smiled mockingly at her.
"Why you little...gimme those!" She snatched the bag out of his hand. "Now...where are the..."
"Right here Love. Don't even ask." I waved a few sharpened sticks at her. "Roast away...and never return."
She raised an eyebrow at me. "And what does that mean?"
"Oh...nothing..." I grinned at her, and was soon greeted by a flying marshmallow aimed at my head.
We sat around the fire for a long time, just laughing and talking. I noticed that Jordan was eyeing my perfectly golden brown marshmallow, so when it was done I pulled it off the stick and pretended like I was going to eat it. Then I paused.
"Lean over here Jordan."
"Why Nige...." She leaned.
"Open your mouth."
She did, keeping one eye cautiously opened at me while I attempted to feed her the marshmallow without getting bitten.
"Don't you dare bite my hand Cavanaugh..."
She shook her head, unable to speak since her mouth was full.
We stared at each other for a few minutes, then I glanced across the fire at Bug and Lily. Lily was almost asleep on Bug's shoulder, he was watching the moths flying above the fire, and Peter was crafting the biggest s'more known to mankind. We all sat in silence, and all we could hear was the occasional crackling of the coals.
"Nigel...I think Lily's asleep." Bug glanced at me then down to Lily on his shoulder.
"Then carry her into the tent mate...or wake her up."
He gently woke her up, then walked her into the tent.
"I think I'm gonna go to bed now too...it is getting pretty late."
"Night Lily...night Buggles..."
"Goodnight you two. Be good." Jordan had given up on the marshmallow and was now poking at the coals with a stick.
Peter was quietly packing the s'more supplies back into the food box, then he wandered over to the tent and went in. "I'm gonna turn in now too...see you all in the morning."
"Goodnight Peter."
"Night Mate. Don't let the bed Buggle bite."
"I heard that Nige." Bug's muffled voice came through the tent.
I laughed slightly, then turned my attention back to Jordan.
"So...whatcha wanna talk about now...that we're alone..."
((Sorry to leave you hanging, but 'tis time for bed. Next Chapter probably by Thursday. See you then and Please Review This!! And buy the CJ CD....its very good.))
Disclaimer: This may be a little odd, but to each his own right? I don't own any of these characters...so don't think I do alright? ((And thanks to JordanGirl for this title!))
This takes place in Joshua Tree National Monument; I'll have pictures online after I develop them alright? Mainly from Nigel's POV, but it may switch around a bit.
~~Nigel~~
I'll have to admit. When I first heard Dr. Macy's idea for a "staff retreat" out to California, I was a little skeptical. I mean, come on, camping...and Jordan in the same sentence? Let alone our dear Buggles. I didn't think it was possible. But, it was, and we settled amongst ourselves. I was bringing the fire supplies, Peter was bringing the tent, Bug was bringing the First Aid stuff, Lily was dealing with the meals...and Jordan...our little barmaid was bringing the refreshments. We had a bloody hell of a time getting it all on the plane and through that dammed security. After we were on the plane, the argument of the hour was over the window seat. (I actually think Peter and Bug were fighting over Lily, but that's my opinion.) Thank God we left on time. Jordan was about to murder them.
The plane ride to the Ontario Airport in California was actually pretty nice. I sat next to Jordan, while Bug, Peter and Lily were a few rows ahead of us. I don't know how she did it, but Jordan managed to fall asleep for almost the entire flight. She woke up about 20 minutes before we landed. We managed to rent a van, load up the gear, and head out to Joshua Tree in a reasonable amount of time. Damn near amazing with all the stuff that Peter brought with him. We got to the campsite after about an hour. Lily went absolutely nuts as soon as we parked. She muttered something about "Indian spiritual centers" and took off to explore. Bug went chasing after this trail of fire ants that were parading along the edge of the road. Which left Peter, Jordan and I to set up camp. I have to admit though, the area was nice. Huge boulders surrounded all sides of the valley, and no noise except the wind and the crunch of sand under our feet.
Peter for once was actually the organized one. He got Jordan to help him set up the tent and the stove. They didn't seem to need any help, so I set off on the fire building. I was almost dark, so I figured it would be nice. (Plus, a bitchin' bonfire raises your chances of getting drunk by a tenfold.) That reminded me....
"Jordan dear, where'd you hide the booze?"
She glanced up from the stove. "In the blue cooler."
"What did we bring to share?"
"'Couple twelve packs of imports and some vodka...why?"
"Just seeing if I need to run into town to buy some more. You think this'll last us the night Love?"
She eyed the cooler. "I dunno..." she replied sarcastically "...it's gonna be a close one."
After a few failed attempts, I had a fire going. By then, Bug had given up on finding the fire ant nest, Lily was calmed down a bit, and Jordan had begun the quest for the marshmallows.
"Lily...where did you put the marshmallows?"
"They're in the box with the bread and the chips." Lily was sitting on the ground next to the fire, drawing designs in the sand with a stick. Bug was in the tent putting on warmer clothes. Peter decided he'd had enough of Jordan wandering aimlessly through the food box, so he got up to help her.
"Looks like you need some help there missy..."
"It's about damn time you showed up." She paused. "And did you call me missy?"
I heard the tent unzip, and out walked Bug, wearing what appeared to be every item of clothing he had brought.
"Buggles...is there anything you aren't wearing left?" I had to nearly gag myself to keep from laughing at him.
"What?! It's cold out here. This is colder than Boston when Hell freezes over."
"Then come sit on my lap near the fire. You know I'll keep you warm Buggles..."
Jordan poked her head out of the food box, which she was STILL rummaging through. "You look ridiculous Bug." She turned around to see a grinning Peter dangling the marshmallow bag in her face.
"Right next to the bread." He smiled mockingly at her.
"Why you little...gimme those!" She snatched the bag out of his hand. "Now...where are the..."
"Right here Love. Don't even ask." I waved a few sharpened sticks at her. "Roast away...and never return."
She raised an eyebrow at me. "And what does that mean?"
"Oh...nothing..." I grinned at her, and was soon greeted by a flying marshmallow aimed at my head.
We sat around the fire for a long time, just laughing and talking. I noticed that Jordan was eyeing my perfectly golden brown marshmallow, so when it was done I pulled it off the stick and pretended like I was going to eat it. Then I paused.
"Lean over here Jordan."
"Why Nige...." She leaned.
"Open your mouth."
She did, keeping one eye cautiously opened at me while I attempted to feed her the marshmallow without getting bitten.
"Don't you dare bite my hand Cavanaugh..."
She shook her head, unable to speak since her mouth was full.
We stared at each other for a few minutes, then I glanced across the fire at Bug and Lily. Lily was almost asleep on Bug's shoulder, he was watching the moths flying above the fire, and Peter was crafting the biggest s'more known to mankind. We all sat in silence, and all we could hear was the occasional crackling of the coals.
"Nigel...I think Lily's asleep." Bug glanced at me then down to Lily on his shoulder.
"Then carry her into the tent mate...or wake her up."
He gently woke her up, then walked her into the tent.
"I think I'm gonna go to bed now too...it is getting pretty late."
"Night Lily...night Buggles..."
"Goodnight you two. Be good." Jordan had given up on the marshmallow and was now poking at the coals with a stick.
Peter was quietly packing the s'more supplies back into the food box, then he wandered over to the tent and went in. "I'm gonna turn in now too...see you all in the morning."
"Goodnight Peter."
"Night Mate. Don't let the bed Buggle bite."
"I heard that Nige." Bug's muffled voice came through the tent.
I laughed slightly, then turned my attention back to Jordan.
"So...whatcha wanna talk about now...that we're alone..."
((Sorry to leave you hanging, but 'tis time for bed. Next Chapter probably by Thursday. See you then and Please Review This!! And buy the CJ CD....its very good.))