TITLE: Exile

AUTHOR: JB

FEEDBACK: Please, at

DISCLAIMER: Oh alright already! I don't own 'em.

RATING: PG-13 for some naughty words.

SUMMARY: Friendship is a process.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: A big thanks to Liz, O, Scarlett Phoenix, and Annie O for their encouragement and awesome BETA. Couldn't have done it without you ladies, you're the best! Special thanks to Al, Liz, and Becky for brainstorming with me.

Exile

"...bring not all mischief you are able to upon an enemy, for he may one day become your friend." Saadi (1184 - 1291)

Day 1

Lady Jaye sighed and tossed the remote control on the couch next to her. One hundred and fifteen channels and not a damn thing was on. She was bored out of her skull. She looked over at her roommate, who was sitting in the corner silently reading some novel.

Lady Jaye hadn't known the redhead all that long, just long enough for them to get on each other's bad side. It had all started over some silly question on Jeopardy.

Lady Jaye had been watching the game show from the beginning and answering the majority of the questions correctly, impressing her teammates in the process. Perhaps that is when she became cocky. Looking back, she should have known the answer to that one question.

Good ole Alex did his thing, "Name the Austrian born composer of 'Tarare'."

Had she listened to the entire question she would have known the answer; but instead, she blurted out, "Who is Wolfgang Amadeius Mozart?"

"Wrong," came a female voice from the back of the room.

Jaye whipped her head around to see who was challenging her prowess at the game, not to mention her knowledge of music. Her emerald green eyes collided with the icy blue ones of the red head.

"I beg your pardon?" Jaye asked sarcastically.

"I said you're wrong. The answer isn't Mozart," came the redhead's smug retort.

"Well boys, it seems we have a difference in opinions here," Clutch instigated.

Jaye chuckled, "And pray tell, what do you think the right answer is?"

"Salieri," came the abrupt reply, "Who is Antonio Salieri?"

Just then, Alex began asking the contestants for their answers. One answered Listz and was, of course, wrong. The second answered Mozart, which much to Lady Jaye's chagrin was pronounced wrong. The third contestant responded Salieri and won the day's game. Having been proven right, Scarlett rose and walked from the room.

Scarlett and Lady Jaye's relationship continued day-in and day-out like that. Each one trying to best the other until it had finally come to a head twenty-four hours ago. Some of the team members were discussing a particularly revealing outfit a celebrity wore to an awards show. The men in the group were ogling the picture for all they were worth, trying to take in as much of the celebrity's skin as they could.

"I think this would look good on you, Covegirl," Ace joked.

"That is just downright trashy, don't you think Scarlett?" Covergirl said, tossing her the magazine.

"Well, she does pull it off," was Scarlett's noncommittal reply.

"I wish she would pull it off," Clutch laughed.

"Don't tell me you would think of wearing that, Scarlett?" Covergirl made a face.

"Of course she would," Lady Jaye smirked, "Looks just like the sort of thing she would wear."

Why Jaye said it she didn't know, but she had been looking for a fight all damn day, not to mention she had just about had enough of Scarlett. She was just itching to take her down a peg or two.

Throwing the magazine at Jaye, Scarlett charged her. The ensuing catfight would remain the stuff of legend on base, as well as Hawk's punishment. After locking them in their quarters, Hawk told them to either learn to get along or kill each other, whichever came first. When Jaye had asked Hawk when he would let them out, he simply stated, "I'll let you out in one hundred sixty-eight hours." He then hit the button that sealed them in tight.

As Lady Jaye stood staring blankly at the sealed doorway, Scarlett walked passed her and said, "That's a week in case you didn't catch that, Your Highness."

This was not happening. This was really, really not happening. Scarlett's bedroom door slammed shut. Well, OK, maybe it was happening.

It had been twenty-four hours since Lady Jaye and Scarlett had been locked together in their quarters. Twenty-four hellacious hours. The sad part was that they were still no closer to getting along. They hadn't even spoken.

Lady Jaye took time to study her roomie. She was pretty. Not in a classical way, but she had potential. With the right stylist and some tips, she could be stunning. Her eyes were a lovely shade of blue, and the hair! Boy, would she love to get her hands on that hair. Some women would kill for hair the color and thickness of hers, and all she did was keep it in some damn ponytail all the time. Geez! The woman took the tomboy thing too far.

"Are you finished staring at me?" Scarlett asked without looking up from the book.

"Quite," Jaye replied. They had spoken seven whole words! Whoopee! It was going to be a really long week.

TBC