Thank God It's Friday
Disclaimer: Same as before. The characters Jennifer Coates (JAG tie-in, I know) and Louie Cortez are mine. I also invented a part of Ivy's past here.
~ ~ ~ ~
ACME HQ, San Francisco, 1430 Local Time
28 May 2000: "Bloody jet lag." Hal groaned as he walked into the bullpen.
"You could have taken the day off, Hal." Ivy replied.
"I figured what's the bloody point, it's only one day till the weekend." Hal replied, "What about you?"
"I didn't really feel like taking a three day weekend because I know that tons of paperwork are gonna appear like magic on my desk when I come in on Monday." Ivy replied.
"You're complaining about paperwork." Hal groaned, "I've still got a bunch of after action reports to file."
"Hal, that's because you disobeyed an order from Wells, shot three terrorists, and destroyed a building." Ivy replied.
"Would you rather still be Parhouz's prisoner right now?" Hal replied.
"Hal, it's not that I don't appreciate you going in there and rescuing me. I really did. But Parhouz did escape." Ivy replied.
"I know that, Wells just spent the past two hours lecturing me about it." Hal replied.
"Actually it was the past hour and fifteen minutes." Ivy replied, laughing, a cup of coffee in her right hand. She handed one to Hal.
"You're too kind. And I'd really love to know how you tell time without needing a watch." Hal replied.
"I have my ways." Ivy replied, and thought, 'The only place I'd even think to reveal that secret to you would be in bed. Wow! Where did that come from?'
"Anyway, I didn't destroy that building, the Israelis did." Hal replied.
"That's because you had an Israeli assault force standing by just outside the building when you went in to rescue me." Ivy replied.
Hal rolled his eyes and said, "A minor technicality, counselor."
"Point made," Ivy replied, "But evidence still indicates that you are the ultimate guilty party in destroying that building."
"Wanker." Hal groaned.
~ ~ ~ ~
"OK class." Tatiana said, to the fourteen or so newly badged Junior Detectives in front of her, "Today you meet the Detective or Senior Detective that you'll be apprenticed to. You'll follow them on their cases; you'll help them out when necessary. Here are the assignments, go find them if you can."
A slim, dark haired girl of fifteen looked over the list. "I got Ivy Darren, Louie, who'd you wind up with?"
"I wound up with Harold Olden, whoever he is." Louie replied. He was a wiry Hispanic kid, a year younger than Jennifer Coates, the girl that addressed him.
"He's the British guy, he's Ivy's partner." Jen said, "Louie, where have you been all day."
"Trying to pass Forensic Psychology." Louie replied, "It's not as easy as it looks."
"That's my area of expertise, you should have asked me." Jen replied as they walked into the bullpen.
They saw Ivy and Hal straight away and Hal said, "Who are they?"
Ivy mock punched him on the arm, "Hal, those are the Junior Detectives. Remember that memo we got last week that said that we'd each be paired up with a Junior Detective."
"Hi, I'm Ivy, you must be Jen."
"Yes ma'am." Coates said, all Junior Detectives, for the first six months of training were required to call any detective senior to them sir or ma'am.
"It's Ivy, actually."
"You must be Louie." Hal said, "I didn't get a chance to look at your dossier, because I was busy."
"Blowing things up, you mean." Ivy quipped.
"For the last time Ivy, I didn't destroy that building!" Hal replied, "The Israelis did."
"He called them in to do it." Ivy replied.
"Bollocks!" Hal replied, then turning to Louie he said, "See what I have to put up with."
"So what field are you going into?" Ivy asked Jen.
"Probably Forensic Psychology, or I might go try and pursue a masters in Psychology and maybe go back into ACME." Jen Coates replied, "I really don't know yet."
"What about you Louie?" Hal asked.
"I think I might want to go into Crimenet or San Francisco SWAT." Louie replied, "So you really were a member of British Special Forces?"
"It's called the SAS (Special Air Service), actually." Hal replied, "Before that I was a member of the Royal Marines."
"What did you do?" Louie asked.
"I was a sniper." Hal replied.
Wells' tall frame walked through the opening, "The day just seems to get longer on jetlag, doesn't it."
"You're not kidding. I've been doing a lot of overseas deployments with both the Royal Marines and the SAS before coming here, and I still need to get used to it." Hal replied, "And my partner here's about as fresh as a daisy."
"I've been doing this since I was sixteen." Ivy replied.
"Anyway, I came in here for two reasons. One to get a cup of coffee and some aspirin," Wells said, looking daggers at Hal and Ivy as he said that, "Two, you're all invited to the Rose and Crown pub at 1800. It's good to have you back Darren. Olden, if you pull one more stunt like that I'll have your head."
As Wells left the room Ivy said, "Thanks a lot Hal, looks like you got us into trouble."
Ivy's face was serious, but Hal could tell by her tone she was slightly amused, "Moi. Excuse me, mademoiselle, I just saved your life. Against orders or not."
"True," Ivy said, "But you still are bound to set the record for causing Wells the most headaches out of the two of us."
"Bollocks." Hal replied.
"I'll bet you." Ivy replied.
"Fine. If by the end of this year I cause Wells more headaches I owe you a few drinks." Hal replied.
"Hal, I don't drink." Ivy replied.
"Really?" Hal replied, quizzically, "Alright, how about this one. I'll bet you dinner, at a place of your choice, if I cause Wells more headaches than you."
"You're on, the score is you one, me zero." Ivy replied, entering the information into her pocket electronic organizer.
"Bollocks! That doesn't count." Hal replied.
"The hell it does." Ivy replied, as she walked out into the hall.
Hal came after her, "You can't tally a score that was made before a bet."
"I just did, Hal." Ivy replied, smiling.
"It's against the rules." Hal replied.
"What rules, I'd love a copy of them." Ivy replied.
As they walked off into the administration area, towards their offices Jen and Louie looked at each other.
"He likes her, he definitely does." Jen replied.
"Who? Hal? Nah." Louie said.
'Guys are so dense sometimes.' Jen thought, "Any idiot can see Hal likes Ivy."
"They're just good friends." Louie protested, "And how can you guess that after knowing them for about half an hour."
"I'm studying psychology, Louie, I know these things. Trust me, he likes her." Jen replied.
"So, they're good friends. I mean friends joke around like that all the time." Louie replied, "And if he likes her, why hasn't he asked her out?"
"I don't know all the answers." Jen replied, "But I'm definitely sure Ivy's at least interested in Hal."
As she spoke, Tatiana walked into the bullpen, "Well, I see you've inadvertently stumbled into the office pool."
"What pool, ma'am?" Louie asked.
"For the last time, Louie, call me Tatiana now, you're not a Student Detective anymore."
"What pool?" Jen asked.
"There's been a betting pool started up, earlier this month. It's fairly popular. It's a guess as to when Hal and Ivy will get together. Personally I think maybe six months." Tatiana said.
"I'll bet twenty bucks on two years." Louie replied.
"I'm putting ten dollars on one year." Jen replied.
Tatiana entered their bets on her organizer, "Well we've got twenty two people in the office betting now. We've even got a bet from Carmen Sandiego, she's betting within two years Hal and Ivy will be dating."
"Actually I bet he proposes to her in three years." Jen added, "Twenty- five dollars."
"Point made." Tatiana replied.
"Put me down for forty, honey." Zack said, poking his head through the bullpen door, "And that's for a year and a half."
The office's most popular betting pool just claimed three new members. The pool was now in excess of two hundred dollars that Ivy and Hal would come together at various times. Tatiana entered the time in. Keeping this a secret from Hal and Ivy was going to be a difficult task, but it had been done. Neither Hal nor Ivy knew that they had a pool as to when a romance between them would develop.
Corso walked in and said, "Well, I think I'll up the ante. Fifty dollars that they're together by the time his tour's up."
~ ~ ~ ~
Rose and Crown Pub, San Francisco, 1810 Local Time
"Hal, can you make it in time for anything?" Ivy remarked from the table where she and the others sat.
"I've been on time." Hal replied.
"You're exactly ten minutes and thirty seconds late." Ivy said, without glancing at her watch.
"That was because of traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, you can't blame that on me." Hal replied.
"Olden, just sit down." Wells quipped.
"Right Chief." Hal replied and took the only empty seat, which incidentally was next to Ivy. Hal flashed her one of his trademark grins as he took his seat.
"So Hal, do you really think that Phil Collins is the best songwriter of the 20th Century?" Armando asked.
"Of course." Hal replied, "The man is brilliant with a capital B."
Ivy rolled her eyes, "I'm partial to Savage Garden myself."
"I'd hate to have to carpool with Hal." Armando quipped, "All I'd be hearing is Phil Collins."
"What's wrong with that, Phil Collins is a brilliant artist." Hal replied.
"Definitely I'm inclined to agree with Olden. Incidentally though I do wonder what you were thinking attacking a whole building full of terrorists..." Wells replied, with a slightly devilish grin, "And that means someone's got a lot of paperwork. As does said someone's partner..."
"Hey." Ivy protested, "I resent that."
"You still have to gage Olden's mental and emotional state." Wells replied.
The group settled into friendly banter, glad to have both Ivy and Hal back alive. At around 2200 Ivy yawned and said, "Jetlag, I've got to get some rest. I'll be back Monday."
Ivy walked out to the parking lot where Hal instinctively fell into step beside her. "Hal, this isn't Israel." Ivy said.
"Just the same, I'd feel better if I walked with you on this one, Ninja Girl." Hal replied.
"You're too kind, limey." Ivy remarked.
~ ~ ~ ~
"He likes her." Jen said, "He definitely likes her."
"They're just friends, for God's sake." Louie whispered back to her.
"Then why did he follow her out into the parking lot." Jen said.
"He's British, he's being a gentleman and walking her to her car." Louie remarked.
"Guys are so dense." Jen mumbled under her breath.
"Jennifer, they don't change as they get older." Tatiana said.
"HEY!" Zack protested.
"But they do grow a lot more loveable as they grow older." Tatiana replied, kissing Zack gently on the mouth.
"I can live with that." Zack grinned.
"Ivy, what's wrong, I thought you were going home." Zack remarked when he saw Ivy and Hal walk back into the pub.
"I was, but my 'Vette won't start." Ivy said, "I just called a tow truck, but it's pretty chilly outside."
Zack noticed Ivy had Hal's gray fleece jacket draped around her shoulders. Jen, Wells, Tatiana, Armando, and Louie noticed too.
"It's fairly warm, at least for the UK." Hal said, nonchalantly.
"See! He likes her!" Jen whisperred, all the while attempting to check for lipstick stains on Hal's collar.
"He's probably just being a gentleman Jen." Louie remarked.
"Hey, I'll drive you home when the tow truck gets here." Hal said.
"Thank's Hal, I appreciate it, but you're not exactly my next door neighbor, I mean Riverside's a bit off track from your place." Ivy replied.
"I insist." Hal replied, "I'd honestly feel safer if I knew you were home safe by my hand."
"Hal that's sweet of you, it really is." Ivy replied, "But I can take care of myself."
"I know." Hal replied, "But just the same, I'd rather do you the favor of driving you home."
"Sure, I'll take you up on that." Ivy replied, smiling back at him.
Within a few moments Ivy got into Hal's SUV and he drove her back to her apartment. As they drove down the freeway, Hal noticed Ivy had fallen asleep. As they stopped in front of her apartment Hal gently opened the door, making sure Ivy wasn't leaning against the door. He undid her seatbelt and supported her neck and the area at the bend of her knees. He carried her into her apartment, opened the door with her key and removed her shoes. He then tucked her into her bed and walked out of the apartment, locking the door.
~ ~ ~ ~
TBC
Disclaimer: Same as before. The characters Jennifer Coates (JAG tie-in, I know) and Louie Cortez are mine. I also invented a part of Ivy's past here.
~ ~ ~ ~
ACME HQ, San Francisco, 1430 Local Time
28 May 2000: "Bloody jet lag." Hal groaned as he walked into the bullpen.
"You could have taken the day off, Hal." Ivy replied.
"I figured what's the bloody point, it's only one day till the weekend." Hal replied, "What about you?"
"I didn't really feel like taking a three day weekend because I know that tons of paperwork are gonna appear like magic on my desk when I come in on Monday." Ivy replied.
"You're complaining about paperwork." Hal groaned, "I've still got a bunch of after action reports to file."
"Hal, that's because you disobeyed an order from Wells, shot three terrorists, and destroyed a building." Ivy replied.
"Would you rather still be Parhouz's prisoner right now?" Hal replied.
"Hal, it's not that I don't appreciate you going in there and rescuing me. I really did. But Parhouz did escape." Ivy replied.
"I know that, Wells just spent the past two hours lecturing me about it." Hal replied.
"Actually it was the past hour and fifteen minutes." Ivy replied, laughing, a cup of coffee in her right hand. She handed one to Hal.
"You're too kind. And I'd really love to know how you tell time without needing a watch." Hal replied.
"I have my ways." Ivy replied, and thought, 'The only place I'd even think to reveal that secret to you would be in bed. Wow! Where did that come from?'
"Anyway, I didn't destroy that building, the Israelis did." Hal replied.
"That's because you had an Israeli assault force standing by just outside the building when you went in to rescue me." Ivy replied.
Hal rolled his eyes and said, "A minor technicality, counselor."
"Point made," Ivy replied, "But evidence still indicates that you are the ultimate guilty party in destroying that building."
"Wanker." Hal groaned.
~ ~ ~ ~
"OK class." Tatiana said, to the fourteen or so newly badged Junior Detectives in front of her, "Today you meet the Detective or Senior Detective that you'll be apprenticed to. You'll follow them on their cases; you'll help them out when necessary. Here are the assignments, go find them if you can."
A slim, dark haired girl of fifteen looked over the list. "I got Ivy Darren, Louie, who'd you wind up with?"
"I wound up with Harold Olden, whoever he is." Louie replied. He was a wiry Hispanic kid, a year younger than Jennifer Coates, the girl that addressed him.
"He's the British guy, he's Ivy's partner." Jen said, "Louie, where have you been all day."
"Trying to pass Forensic Psychology." Louie replied, "It's not as easy as it looks."
"That's my area of expertise, you should have asked me." Jen replied as they walked into the bullpen.
They saw Ivy and Hal straight away and Hal said, "Who are they?"
Ivy mock punched him on the arm, "Hal, those are the Junior Detectives. Remember that memo we got last week that said that we'd each be paired up with a Junior Detective."
"Hi, I'm Ivy, you must be Jen."
"Yes ma'am." Coates said, all Junior Detectives, for the first six months of training were required to call any detective senior to them sir or ma'am.
"It's Ivy, actually."
"You must be Louie." Hal said, "I didn't get a chance to look at your dossier, because I was busy."
"Blowing things up, you mean." Ivy quipped.
"For the last time Ivy, I didn't destroy that building!" Hal replied, "The Israelis did."
"He called them in to do it." Ivy replied.
"Bollocks!" Hal replied, then turning to Louie he said, "See what I have to put up with."
"So what field are you going into?" Ivy asked Jen.
"Probably Forensic Psychology, or I might go try and pursue a masters in Psychology and maybe go back into ACME." Jen Coates replied, "I really don't know yet."
"What about you Louie?" Hal asked.
"I think I might want to go into Crimenet or San Francisco SWAT." Louie replied, "So you really were a member of British Special Forces?"
"It's called the SAS (Special Air Service), actually." Hal replied, "Before that I was a member of the Royal Marines."
"What did you do?" Louie asked.
"I was a sniper." Hal replied.
Wells' tall frame walked through the opening, "The day just seems to get longer on jetlag, doesn't it."
"You're not kidding. I've been doing a lot of overseas deployments with both the Royal Marines and the SAS before coming here, and I still need to get used to it." Hal replied, "And my partner here's about as fresh as a daisy."
"I've been doing this since I was sixteen." Ivy replied.
"Anyway, I came in here for two reasons. One to get a cup of coffee and some aspirin," Wells said, looking daggers at Hal and Ivy as he said that, "Two, you're all invited to the Rose and Crown pub at 1800. It's good to have you back Darren. Olden, if you pull one more stunt like that I'll have your head."
As Wells left the room Ivy said, "Thanks a lot Hal, looks like you got us into trouble."
Ivy's face was serious, but Hal could tell by her tone she was slightly amused, "Moi. Excuse me, mademoiselle, I just saved your life. Against orders or not."
"True," Ivy said, "But you still are bound to set the record for causing Wells the most headaches out of the two of us."
"Bollocks." Hal replied.
"I'll bet you." Ivy replied.
"Fine. If by the end of this year I cause Wells more headaches I owe you a few drinks." Hal replied.
"Hal, I don't drink." Ivy replied.
"Really?" Hal replied, quizzically, "Alright, how about this one. I'll bet you dinner, at a place of your choice, if I cause Wells more headaches than you."
"You're on, the score is you one, me zero." Ivy replied, entering the information into her pocket electronic organizer.
"Bollocks! That doesn't count." Hal replied.
"The hell it does." Ivy replied, as she walked out into the hall.
Hal came after her, "You can't tally a score that was made before a bet."
"I just did, Hal." Ivy replied, smiling.
"It's against the rules." Hal replied.
"What rules, I'd love a copy of them." Ivy replied.
As they walked off into the administration area, towards their offices Jen and Louie looked at each other.
"He likes her, he definitely does." Jen replied.
"Who? Hal? Nah." Louie said.
'Guys are so dense sometimes.' Jen thought, "Any idiot can see Hal likes Ivy."
"They're just good friends." Louie protested, "And how can you guess that after knowing them for about half an hour."
"I'm studying psychology, Louie, I know these things. Trust me, he likes her." Jen replied.
"So, they're good friends. I mean friends joke around like that all the time." Louie replied, "And if he likes her, why hasn't he asked her out?"
"I don't know all the answers." Jen replied, "But I'm definitely sure Ivy's at least interested in Hal."
As she spoke, Tatiana walked into the bullpen, "Well, I see you've inadvertently stumbled into the office pool."
"What pool, ma'am?" Louie asked.
"For the last time, Louie, call me Tatiana now, you're not a Student Detective anymore."
"What pool?" Jen asked.
"There's been a betting pool started up, earlier this month. It's fairly popular. It's a guess as to when Hal and Ivy will get together. Personally I think maybe six months." Tatiana said.
"I'll bet twenty bucks on two years." Louie replied.
"I'm putting ten dollars on one year." Jen replied.
Tatiana entered their bets on her organizer, "Well we've got twenty two people in the office betting now. We've even got a bet from Carmen Sandiego, she's betting within two years Hal and Ivy will be dating."
"Actually I bet he proposes to her in three years." Jen added, "Twenty- five dollars."
"Point made." Tatiana replied.
"Put me down for forty, honey." Zack said, poking his head through the bullpen door, "And that's for a year and a half."
The office's most popular betting pool just claimed three new members. The pool was now in excess of two hundred dollars that Ivy and Hal would come together at various times. Tatiana entered the time in. Keeping this a secret from Hal and Ivy was going to be a difficult task, but it had been done. Neither Hal nor Ivy knew that they had a pool as to when a romance between them would develop.
Corso walked in and said, "Well, I think I'll up the ante. Fifty dollars that they're together by the time his tour's up."
~ ~ ~ ~
Rose and Crown Pub, San Francisco, 1810 Local Time
"Hal, can you make it in time for anything?" Ivy remarked from the table where she and the others sat.
"I've been on time." Hal replied.
"You're exactly ten minutes and thirty seconds late." Ivy said, without glancing at her watch.
"That was because of traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, you can't blame that on me." Hal replied.
"Olden, just sit down." Wells quipped.
"Right Chief." Hal replied and took the only empty seat, which incidentally was next to Ivy. Hal flashed her one of his trademark grins as he took his seat.
"So Hal, do you really think that Phil Collins is the best songwriter of the 20th Century?" Armando asked.
"Of course." Hal replied, "The man is brilliant with a capital B."
Ivy rolled her eyes, "I'm partial to Savage Garden myself."
"I'd hate to have to carpool with Hal." Armando quipped, "All I'd be hearing is Phil Collins."
"What's wrong with that, Phil Collins is a brilliant artist." Hal replied.
"Definitely I'm inclined to agree with Olden. Incidentally though I do wonder what you were thinking attacking a whole building full of terrorists..." Wells replied, with a slightly devilish grin, "And that means someone's got a lot of paperwork. As does said someone's partner..."
"Hey." Ivy protested, "I resent that."
"You still have to gage Olden's mental and emotional state." Wells replied.
The group settled into friendly banter, glad to have both Ivy and Hal back alive. At around 2200 Ivy yawned and said, "Jetlag, I've got to get some rest. I'll be back Monday."
Ivy walked out to the parking lot where Hal instinctively fell into step beside her. "Hal, this isn't Israel." Ivy said.
"Just the same, I'd feel better if I walked with you on this one, Ninja Girl." Hal replied.
"You're too kind, limey." Ivy remarked.
~ ~ ~ ~
"He likes her." Jen said, "He definitely likes her."
"They're just friends, for God's sake." Louie whispered back to her.
"Then why did he follow her out into the parking lot." Jen said.
"He's British, he's being a gentleman and walking her to her car." Louie remarked.
"Guys are so dense." Jen mumbled under her breath.
"Jennifer, they don't change as they get older." Tatiana said.
"HEY!" Zack protested.
"But they do grow a lot more loveable as they grow older." Tatiana replied, kissing Zack gently on the mouth.
"I can live with that." Zack grinned.
"Ivy, what's wrong, I thought you were going home." Zack remarked when he saw Ivy and Hal walk back into the pub.
"I was, but my 'Vette won't start." Ivy said, "I just called a tow truck, but it's pretty chilly outside."
Zack noticed Ivy had Hal's gray fleece jacket draped around her shoulders. Jen, Wells, Tatiana, Armando, and Louie noticed too.
"It's fairly warm, at least for the UK." Hal said, nonchalantly.
"See! He likes her!" Jen whisperred, all the while attempting to check for lipstick stains on Hal's collar.
"He's probably just being a gentleman Jen." Louie remarked.
"Hey, I'll drive you home when the tow truck gets here." Hal said.
"Thank's Hal, I appreciate it, but you're not exactly my next door neighbor, I mean Riverside's a bit off track from your place." Ivy replied.
"I insist." Hal replied, "I'd honestly feel safer if I knew you were home safe by my hand."
"Hal that's sweet of you, it really is." Ivy replied, "But I can take care of myself."
"I know." Hal replied, "But just the same, I'd rather do you the favor of driving you home."
"Sure, I'll take you up on that." Ivy replied, smiling back at him.
Within a few moments Ivy got into Hal's SUV and he drove her back to her apartment. As they drove down the freeway, Hal noticed Ivy had fallen asleep. As they stopped in front of her apartment Hal gently opened the door, making sure Ivy wasn't leaning against the door. He undid her seatbelt and supported her neck and the area at the bend of her knees. He carried her into her apartment, opened the door with her key and removed her shoes. He then tucked her into her bed and walked out of the apartment, locking the door.
~ ~ ~ ~
TBC