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A/N – Another chapter! I'll have to let you know, not every chapter is going to have a monster . . .or putties. This is an all around fan fic . . . with a good amount of fluff, lol . . . this may be the longest chapter yet

Read and Review as Always!

Enjoy!!

PS – if you want to know what Ryla's dress looks like, here's a picture, only, this one is red, not

www . metrofashion . net / uima / imshortdresses4 . jpg

I had to spread out the url, cuz otherwise it wouldn't show

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Chapter 17

Tommy and Kimberly transported to Billy's lab to find Billy seemingly intent at his computer, and Ryla sitting on the counter at the other end, playing with her nails. Tommy looked from one to the other, "Awfully quiet in here."

Ryla looked up and managed a small chuckle, but Billy just seemed to have an awkward glaze over his features. Kim moved over to Ryla, and whispered, "What's going on?"

She jerked her head up and shook her head, grinning, "Nothing. Nope, nothing."

Kim shook her head herself, "Ya, what. Ever."

Tommy just laughed and walked over to Billy, "So Billy. You tell her yet?"

"Tell her what?" He shot his head up, just as Ryla did, and looked to Tommy.

Tommy cocked an eyebrow at Billy, "About living with you?"

Billy released a breath, "Oh yes, of course. We've also had her registered in the system. And I've just finished sending her past marks to Stone Canyon," He picked up the envelope, "We need only send this to AngelGrove High in the mail, and we are done."

Tommy plucked the envelope out of Billy's hands, "Well let's get that done then."

Kim nodded, "Ya, we were on our way to the mall anyways. You guys should join us! Aisha, Adam and Rocky are meeting us there."

Billy shook his head, "Oh, I don't think so, I'm not that much a 'mall' person."

"And I have no money." Ryla shrugged and smiled at Kim.

Kim shook her head, "No problem! Aisha and I already agreed. You need clothes, I mean; you can't wear the same thing everyday, no matter how stylish. I still have some money left over from my last Gymnastics meet."

"And I'm chipping in too. I have the prize money from my last Martial Arts tournament." Tommy grinned and tossed an envelope of his own at her, filled with bills and change.

Ryla smiled but shook her head, "Oh I can't do that."

"You're not. We all agreed. Rocky's chipping in, so's Aisha-" Kim began.

"And Adam's gonna pay me back to money he borrowed so he could put some in too." Tommy laughed and nodded.

Kim picked up the envelope, "Come on, I'll hold this until you get a purse."

Ryla nodded. Tommy then turned to Billy, "Are you sure you don't want to go?"

Billy looked from Kim to Tommy, and then to Ryla. She smiled slightly at him. Tommy grinned and leaned in, "Come on, women trying on clothes . . . maybe bikini's . . ."

Billy's eyes widened, and he looked up at Tommy. Tommy laughed and Clapped Billy on the back, "He's coming."

"Well . . . let's go then!" Kim grabbed Ryla by the wrist and pulled her off of the counter.

Billy stood as well, with some prodding by Tommy. Kim grinned, "We'll have to transport, Tommy's car is . . . well, could blow up soon, and Rocky should already be at the Mall."

"Fine by me." Ryla nodded and brought her communicator up.

Billy nodded as well, "Affirmative."

Tommy and Kim smiled to one another before they all disappear in their respective colors.

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They appeared just behind the mall. Kim grabbed Ryla by the wrist, "Come on! The mall closes in 6 hours!"

Ryla looked back at Billy and Tommy with a slight scared look, and mouthed 'help me'. Tommy laughed and pushed Billy, "Come on. We'd better keep Kim from Brainwashing Ryla."

Billy nodded, and they jogged behind the two women.

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Aisha leaned up against the wall at the Food Court, "Why do we agree to meet them here like this? They're always late."

"We're gullible?" Adam shrugged and grinned, leaning back in his chair.

Rocky grinned, "They've hypnotized us to do their bidding?"

"Or you're just good friends." The two of them turned back to see Tommy standing there with Ryla, Kim, and Billy.

Aisha shrugged, before grinning, "Ya I guess."

Kim laughed wrapped an arm around her friend, "Alright then, let's get shopping!"

Aisha nodded, "Heard that girl!"

Rocky mimed pulling at his collar, "Watch out for rampaging females!"

Kim softly hit him on the arm, and then grabbed Ryla by the wrist once more, "Alright, our mission for the day is to clothe this woman. Are we up to it?"

Aisha grinned and nodded, "You know it!"

"As long as I don't have to dress her myself." Rocky laughed and avoided and swing made by Kim.

"Ha ha Rocky, very funny. Come on!" Kim hauled Ryla away from Aisha grinning at her side.

The men followed quickly behind until they skidded to halt in front of a store with women in their . . . intimates. Adam shook his head, "Uh uh, no way are we going in there."

"Fine. But you have to carry the bags." Kim called back them as the disappeared between the racks.

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A few hours, and several heavy bags later, Billy was sitting down in one of the chairs in front of the dressing rooms along side Tommy, with Adam and Rocky leaning against the sides on the floor. Adam shook his head, "I swear, Kim would win gold if shopping were in the Olympics."

"Oh I concur." Billy nodded and slid back in his seat.

Tommy grinned, "And I have to deal with this all the time. Just be thankful this is the last store."

They all looked up when Kim and Aisha came out from behind the dressing room, "All right boys. This is the last outfit. Hope you all like it."

Though she was speaking to all of the guys, her gaze stayed on Billy. Before he could voice his wonder about her stare, both girls turned and Aisha called to Ryla, "Come on out girl!"

Slowly, Ryla pulled open the door and emerged. She was wearing a royal violet dress that fell just above her knees, and had wedges of material that hung lower like petals. Thin straps touched her shoulders and a pair of light golden sandals adorned her feet. She had a shimmering golden bracelet and a golden chain with a deep quartz gem. She held her hand together and smiled nervously, "I . . . well, how do I look?"

Kim grinned and gave her a thumbs-up, "Morphinominal!"

Tommy nodded, "It looks nice on you."

"Ya girl, you got the bod for it." Aish nudged her a bit with her hip and laughed.

Ryla shook her head, "I'm not really a dresses kind of girl."

"Well you should start. You'll be swarming with guy if you wear that." Rocky laughed.

Adam agreed, "Purple really is your color."

Tommy jabbed Billy lightly, which made him jerk in his seat. He looked down at his feet a bit. Tommy nodded to Adam and Rocky, "Come on guys. We're gonna carry the bags out to Rocky's jeep. Be back in a bit."

They grabbed the bags and left the dressing area.

"Ya, and we're gonna go pay for that, and see if you can wear it out." Kim grabbed Aisha and pulled her to the front of the store.

Billy looked up and saw that they had left himself and Ryla alone. Ryla took a few steps closer to Billy, "Billy. What do you think?"

He looked up at her. She nodded, "Ya, I'm too tall for these kinds of dresses, and I don't really think it's very flattering. I don't really-"

"I think you look lovely." Billy took her hand and smiled slightly.

Ryla turned her head and blushed a bit, "T-thank you Billy," she turned back, "Really?"

Billy nodded. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Aisha called out to Ryla, "Ok Ryla! It's all paid for."

She pulled her hand slowly from Billy and waved to Aisha, "I'll be right there," she moved over to the dressing room, "I might look good in this dress . . . but that doesn't mean I'm all that comfortable wearing it out yet."