Title: Road Trippin'
Author: Annie
Rating: PG- not even. Just being safe.
Timeline: Kind of AU. Pretend Phase One happened and everything else happened, but Francie's still.. well herself.
Summary: Not a song fic. Sort of a semi-sequel to Notification Posted
Disclaimer: I seriously own nothing. Like seriously. You wouldn't believe.
Distribution: I'd be more than honored to have this anywhere. Just drop me a note.
Feedback: I have a bunch of this story done... please tell me if I should continue. It' s just a break from the angsty-ness.
Genre: just fun
Author's note: A lil suspension of belief for their hotel. Yeah, they're staying at the Bellagio which is one of the most amazing hotels/ casinos in Vegas (see Ocean's 11). I'm not even sure if it IS a hotel as well as a casino, but just pretend it is (thanks) and that the four of them just decided to splurge. God knows, they never seem to. Also, I have to idea what Francie's restaurant is called, so I named it. One other thing: I'm posting this chapter really soon after I posted the first one. Thank you to all the people who reviewed, but I (not to sound fussy) was kinda dissappointed at the number. To the people that did review, you guys are amazing, thank you. But, with the exception of those people, it'd be really nice to have a few more people review to know that more than four people (despite how great those four people are) are reading my stuff and enjoying.. or even not enjoying it. And to anyone who wants to archive this anywhere please do. The more distribution, the better. You don't need to ask for permission, just leave a note saying where it's at. Thanks once again to everyone who reviewed and I hope you like this chapter.
****************
We had been at the hotel for about two days, when the... well 'incident' happened. Well the first one, at least. Little did I know thay by the end of those two weeks, we'd have more incidents than we'd ever thought. And out of all of them, this one, by far, was the most pleasant.
It had been the third morning, and we'd finally made it down from our rooms early enough for the amazing breakfast the Bellagio provided. The hotel itself had reinvented the concept of luxury. In fact, everything was so great that I was tempted to put an "amazing" before everything I said about it. Amazing decor-- with easy access to the casinos, Amazing food-- there were twelve restaurants in the hotel alone, Amazing rooms-- Fran and Will's room was right next to Vaughn and mine. I think this getaway had been good for them but I wouldn't have known since we hadn't seen much of each other for the past two days-- I guess they were admiring their Amazing company just like I was.
But now we were enjoying all of our company, and the four of us were just relaxing.
"Eric is going to be so jealous," Vaughn said, haughtily. He was munching on toast with his free hand, since it was one of the few things he could eat one-handed and he refused to be fed.
"Everybody's going to be so jealous," Will commented. I was just about to add my own comment, when a stranger approached our table.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your breakfast," the stranger began. Amazing breakfast, I thought silently.
"Do we know you?" Vaughn asked, politely but cautiously. I realized he was worried about someone following us, and he wasn't in any shape to protect himself either.
"Uh, no. But I know you," she said, looking at Francie. "Francine Calfo, owner of the Sunset Boulevard right?"
"Yeah. How do you know that?" she asked, suspiciously.
"I've been there. In fact, I met you a couple weeks ago," the lady replied. She looked normal enough, about late-30's, fashionably dressed.
"Oh I'm sorry, you know we have a lot of customers, and I'm really bad with faces..." Francie apologized.
"No no, I completely understand. But I loved your restaurant. And you wouldn't believe it but I've just gotten the chance to open my own. And I was wondering... if maybe you'd want to extend it. To an outlet in Vegas," she said. Francie sat open jawed.
"What?" she asked, breathlessly.
"I know I'm springing this on you. But if you could meet with me... I could show you what I have in mind, before you leave Vegas," she said. Francie nodded, and they quickly made arrangements to meet this afternoon.
"Oh my god. You guys?" Francie looked at us, questioningly after the woman had walked away. Vaughn leaned over and pinched her. "Ow! Mike!"
"Well we know you're not dreaming. I was just making sure you knew," he said, a teasing, mischevious grin on his face. Francie shook her head.
"Thanks," she said, dryly.
"Anytime," he shot back. She grinned.
"You guys! This is amazing!" she said. Will nodded.
"Yeah, baby, this is," he said, kissing her.
And it was. This vacation just seemed to be getting better and better.
**********
It turns out, as Francie told us later that night, the lady, Julia Troy, was totally perfect. She had been a stay-at-home mom but now that her kids were getting older, she didn't need to be around the house. She'd been in the restaurant business before she'd had her kids, and she was just itching to open her own. She had visited Fran's restaurant while-- coincidentally-- on a trip very much like ours to LA, and she'd loved it. She was at the Bellagio applying to be manager here, and was about to turn down the offer for her own restaurant, when she'd recognized Francie.
"She said it was sign," Francie had gushed. "A sign saying that she should make a restaurant, one and I quote 'as amazing as mine'." Francie normally wide grin had just grown bigger as she talked to me.
"So you think it'll work?" I asked. Francie nodded enthusiastically.
"Definitely. For now, we're treating them like two independent restaurants that are identical in decor and menu, but once it gets running we'll talk about treating them like the beginning of a chain," she said. She was glowing, literally, because of her bright eyes and electric grin, and it was extremely contagious.
"We are definitely celebrating tonight," I said, happily.
"Yeah, as soon as the guys show up. Where are they anyway?" she said. Will and Vaughn had disappeared sometime just before Francie had got done with Julia, and now, nearly two hours later, they were still nowhere in sight.
But I barely noticed, because I was still hanging on to something Francie had said. "The guys" was what she had called Will and Vaughn. And in that moment, I had realized that was what they were. The guys, Francie and my boyfriends, our now mutual friends. I finally could tell Francie everything I had wanted to all this time, and we finally had that tight friendship I'd longed for all those years at SD-6. I was marrying Vaughn in a few months, I was going to start calling him by his first name by that time, I swear, and I had my life back. It didn't matter where Sloane, my mother or Sark were-- because I had beaten them all. I was happy, and that defied their attempts to make me miserable.
"Miss Calfo?" a bellboy appeared by the couches we were sitting on in the lobby, having coffee.
"Yes?" Francie asked, looking up.
"You've been requested to go up to your room, by a Will Tippin and a Michael Vaughn," he said, and disappeared before Francie could ask questions. Francie looked at me, questioningly as we got up and made our way to the elevators. I shrugged.
"At least we know the guys aren't in trouble," I said. Francie looked at me.
"They're not coming down to the lobby, where they know we're at. You still think they're not in trouble?" Francie said. I laughed, and shrugged.
'Vaughn can take care of himself," I said, not realizing the fallacy in my words.
"Oh yes, plaster casts that you can't really move in make ample weapons," she said. I giggled. "By the way, when are going to start calling your fiance by his first name? Michael is a very nice name, y'know." I cringed.
"You know what they say about old habits dying hard?" I asked. Francie nodded. "Well this isn't a habit. It's... I don't know. It's the way things are with me and him."
"Were with him, honey. 'Vaughn' might be all good and fine when you have a crush on him, or both of you are secretly in love with each other and can't do anything about it. But now you're together, you're getting married to this man. He's not Vaughn anymore, Syd. And maybe he doesn't say it, or even show it, but the longer he's Vaughn, the less normality you're giving your relationship. He's Michael to you, you really just got to start calling him that," she sid. I stared dumbfoundedly. When did Francie become so wise?
"Oprah and Dr. Phil look out. Francie Calfo is in," I muttered. She grinned, and we stopped outside her door as she fished for key card.
"Let's see what trouble Will has gotten in and what bone Mike has broken," she said. I laughed, and walked in. Francie gasped, as we were assaulted with two of the biggest bouqets I'd ever seen and a gift hamper.
"Oh my god," she said. She rushed over to the flowers and tore the cards off both of them and the hamper. "This one is from Will! And the hamper is from Will, too! And the other bouqet is from..." she trailed off as she pulled the card and read it.
"Who?" I asked.
"It's from Mike. 'To littering the world with Sunset Boulevards'," she read, beaming.
"Wow. Hold on let me disappear and get you something," I said. Francie laughed.
"I don't need anything from you Syd. It's just nice to have you back," she said, beaming and pulling me into a hug. It's nice to have you to, Fran. " The card says to meet them for dinner at 7."
**********
We found ourselves relaxing at the pool the next day, just Vaughn and I, despite the fact that he wasn't allowed in the water. Francie was meeting with Julia again, and Will was in his room, napping. I had dragged Vaughn down to the pool because I didn't want to come alone, but as I quickly found out, since he couldn't swim, he wasn't the least interested at being down here.
"Syd," he murmured, nuzzling my shoulder. "You don't want to go swimming. You want to come up, maybe break one of your bones for a change." I giggled.
"You're just jealous you don't get to go near a pool for awhile," I replied.
"Or I just want to get you upstairs," he said, standing up and hobbling, sexy nonetheless. He walked along the pool side, trailing his good foot in the cool water, before turning around and shooting me a smile. All of a sudden, I heard a voice from behind me that I thought was too much a coincidence to be true.
"Rita?"
"Alice?"
"Michael?"
Splash.
Vaughn, broken leg, plaster cast and bandaged wrist was in the pool. And I'm sure the expression on his face matched mine perfectly.
Author: Annie
Rating: PG- not even. Just being safe.
Timeline: Kind of AU. Pretend Phase One happened and everything else happened, but Francie's still.. well herself.
Summary: Not a song fic. Sort of a semi-sequel to Notification Posted
Disclaimer: I seriously own nothing. Like seriously. You wouldn't believe.
Distribution: I'd be more than honored to have this anywhere. Just drop me a note.
Feedback: I have a bunch of this story done... please tell me if I should continue. It' s just a break from the angsty-ness.
Genre: just fun
Author's note: A lil suspension of belief for their hotel. Yeah, they're staying at the Bellagio which is one of the most amazing hotels/ casinos in Vegas (see Ocean's 11). I'm not even sure if it IS a hotel as well as a casino, but just pretend it is (thanks) and that the four of them just decided to splurge. God knows, they never seem to. Also, I have to idea what Francie's restaurant is called, so I named it. One other thing: I'm posting this chapter really soon after I posted the first one. Thank you to all the people who reviewed, but I (not to sound fussy) was kinda dissappointed at the number. To the people that did review, you guys are amazing, thank you. But, with the exception of those people, it'd be really nice to have a few more people review to know that more than four people (despite how great those four people are) are reading my stuff and enjoying.. or even not enjoying it. And to anyone who wants to archive this anywhere please do. The more distribution, the better. You don't need to ask for permission, just leave a note saying where it's at. Thanks once again to everyone who reviewed and I hope you like this chapter.
****************
We had been at the hotel for about two days, when the... well 'incident' happened. Well the first one, at least. Little did I know thay by the end of those two weeks, we'd have more incidents than we'd ever thought. And out of all of them, this one, by far, was the most pleasant.
It had been the third morning, and we'd finally made it down from our rooms early enough for the amazing breakfast the Bellagio provided. The hotel itself had reinvented the concept of luxury. In fact, everything was so great that I was tempted to put an "amazing" before everything I said about it. Amazing decor-- with easy access to the casinos, Amazing food-- there were twelve restaurants in the hotel alone, Amazing rooms-- Fran and Will's room was right next to Vaughn and mine. I think this getaway had been good for them but I wouldn't have known since we hadn't seen much of each other for the past two days-- I guess they were admiring their Amazing company just like I was.
But now we were enjoying all of our company, and the four of us were just relaxing.
"Eric is going to be so jealous," Vaughn said, haughtily. He was munching on toast with his free hand, since it was one of the few things he could eat one-handed and he refused to be fed.
"Everybody's going to be so jealous," Will commented. I was just about to add my own comment, when a stranger approached our table.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your breakfast," the stranger began. Amazing breakfast, I thought silently.
"Do we know you?" Vaughn asked, politely but cautiously. I realized he was worried about someone following us, and he wasn't in any shape to protect himself either.
"Uh, no. But I know you," she said, looking at Francie. "Francine Calfo, owner of the Sunset Boulevard right?"
"Yeah. How do you know that?" she asked, suspiciously.
"I've been there. In fact, I met you a couple weeks ago," the lady replied. She looked normal enough, about late-30's, fashionably dressed.
"Oh I'm sorry, you know we have a lot of customers, and I'm really bad with faces..." Francie apologized.
"No no, I completely understand. But I loved your restaurant. And you wouldn't believe it but I've just gotten the chance to open my own. And I was wondering... if maybe you'd want to extend it. To an outlet in Vegas," she said. Francie sat open jawed.
"What?" she asked, breathlessly.
"I know I'm springing this on you. But if you could meet with me... I could show you what I have in mind, before you leave Vegas," she said. Francie nodded, and they quickly made arrangements to meet this afternoon.
"Oh my god. You guys?" Francie looked at us, questioningly after the woman had walked away. Vaughn leaned over and pinched her. "Ow! Mike!"
"Well we know you're not dreaming. I was just making sure you knew," he said, a teasing, mischevious grin on his face. Francie shook her head.
"Thanks," she said, dryly.
"Anytime," he shot back. She grinned.
"You guys! This is amazing!" she said. Will nodded.
"Yeah, baby, this is," he said, kissing her.
And it was. This vacation just seemed to be getting better and better.
**********
It turns out, as Francie told us later that night, the lady, Julia Troy, was totally perfect. She had been a stay-at-home mom but now that her kids were getting older, she didn't need to be around the house. She'd been in the restaurant business before she'd had her kids, and she was just itching to open her own. She had visited Fran's restaurant while-- coincidentally-- on a trip very much like ours to LA, and she'd loved it. She was at the Bellagio applying to be manager here, and was about to turn down the offer for her own restaurant, when she'd recognized Francie.
"She said it was sign," Francie had gushed. "A sign saying that she should make a restaurant, one and I quote 'as amazing as mine'." Francie normally wide grin had just grown bigger as she talked to me.
"So you think it'll work?" I asked. Francie nodded enthusiastically.
"Definitely. For now, we're treating them like two independent restaurants that are identical in decor and menu, but once it gets running we'll talk about treating them like the beginning of a chain," she said. She was glowing, literally, because of her bright eyes and electric grin, and it was extremely contagious.
"We are definitely celebrating tonight," I said, happily.
"Yeah, as soon as the guys show up. Where are they anyway?" she said. Will and Vaughn had disappeared sometime just before Francie had got done with Julia, and now, nearly two hours later, they were still nowhere in sight.
But I barely noticed, because I was still hanging on to something Francie had said. "The guys" was what she had called Will and Vaughn. And in that moment, I had realized that was what they were. The guys, Francie and my boyfriends, our now mutual friends. I finally could tell Francie everything I had wanted to all this time, and we finally had that tight friendship I'd longed for all those years at SD-6. I was marrying Vaughn in a few months, I was going to start calling him by his first name by that time, I swear, and I had my life back. It didn't matter where Sloane, my mother or Sark were-- because I had beaten them all. I was happy, and that defied their attempts to make me miserable.
"Miss Calfo?" a bellboy appeared by the couches we were sitting on in the lobby, having coffee.
"Yes?" Francie asked, looking up.
"You've been requested to go up to your room, by a Will Tippin and a Michael Vaughn," he said, and disappeared before Francie could ask questions. Francie looked at me, questioningly as we got up and made our way to the elevators. I shrugged.
"At least we know the guys aren't in trouble," I said. Francie looked at me.
"They're not coming down to the lobby, where they know we're at. You still think they're not in trouble?" Francie said. I laughed, and shrugged.
'Vaughn can take care of himself," I said, not realizing the fallacy in my words.
"Oh yes, plaster casts that you can't really move in make ample weapons," she said. I giggled. "By the way, when are going to start calling your fiance by his first name? Michael is a very nice name, y'know." I cringed.
"You know what they say about old habits dying hard?" I asked. Francie nodded. "Well this isn't a habit. It's... I don't know. It's the way things are with me and him."
"Were with him, honey. 'Vaughn' might be all good and fine when you have a crush on him, or both of you are secretly in love with each other and can't do anything about it. But now you're together, you're getting married to this man. He's not Vaughn anymore, Syd. And maybe he doesn't say it, or even show it, but the longer he's Vaughn, the less normality you're giving your relationship. He's Michael to you, you really just got to start calling him that," she sid. I stared dumbfoundedly. When did Francie become so wise?
"Oprah and Dr. Phil look out. Francie Calfo is in," I muttered. She grinned, and we stopped outside her door as she fished for key card.
"Let's see what trouble Will has gotten in and what bone Mike has broken," she said. I laughed, and walked in. Francie gasped, as we were assaulted with two of the biggest bouqets I'd ever seen and a gift hamper.
"Oh my god," she said. She rushed over to the flowers and tore the cards off both of them and the hamper. "This one is from Will! And the hamper is from Will, too! And the other bouqet is from..." she trailed off as she pulled the card and read it.
"Who?" I asked.
"It's from Mike. 'To littering the world with Sunset Boulevards'," she read, beaming.
"Wow. Hold on let me disappear and get you something," I said. Francie laughed.
"I don't need anything from you Syd. It's just nice to have you back," she said, beaming and pulling me into a hug. It's nice to have you to, Fran. " The card says to meet them for dinner at 7."
**********
We found ourselves relaxing at the pool the next day, just Vaughn and I, despite the fact that he wasn't allowed in the water. Francie was meeting with Julia again, and Will was in his room, napping. I had dragged Vaughn down to the pool because I didn't want to come alone, but as I quickly found out, since he couldn't swim, he wasn't the least interested at being down here.
"Syd," he murmured, nuzzling my shoulder. "You don't want to go swimming. You want to come up, maybe break one of your bones for a change." I giggled.
"You're just jealous you don't get to go near a pool for awhile," I replied.
"Or I just want to get you upstairs," he said, standing up and hobbling, sexy nonetheless. He walked along the pool side, trailing his good foot in the cool water, before turning around and shooting me a smile. All of a sudden, I heard a voice from behind me that I thought was too much a coincidence to be true.
"Rita?"
"Alice?"
"Michael?"
Splash.
Vaughn, broken leg, plaster cast and bandaged wrist was in the pool. And I'm sure the expression on his face matched mine perfectly.