Chapter 5: Downtown

A/n: Holy crap that finale was wonderful! I must say there was wonderful acting by Michael Vartan and Victor Garber... Can you say Emmy? Theme song: The Reason by Hoobastank

Disclaimer: JJ Abrams owns Alias and I do not. What else is new? Because if I did own it I WOULDN'T LET ABC POSTPONE SEASON 4 UNTIL JANUARY. I'm bitter, can you tell?

Eric, slow down! Francie exclaimed as they jerked around a corner. I can't see anyone's face!

I'm already driving under the speed limit. And everyone keeps passing me. A silver Honda swerved passed him, signaling a rude hand gesture out the window. Let's pull aside and walk along the sidewalk. Okay?



Weiss discovered an open parking place along the sidewalk and took advantage of its proximity. Swerving the large van into the open space, he hopped out and dropped fifty cents into the parking meter then allowed Francie to entwine her arm around his. They walked slowly down the casually busy sidewalk, much like they used to do when they were first dating. Occasionally, when they passed a store window, they would peer in to inspect for Jason, but they saw no one who looked remotely like him.

Let's go in this one, Francie pointed to the next one. It's big, and I know the kids would go here. Weiss agreed and they headed inside. They walked around and through it's interior, but saw no sign of Jason. The store was nothing more than room filled with expensive useless junk, but it was definitely cool looking junk. There were a few racks of T-shirts with corny or profane sayings, and some of their tank taps cut too low for Weiss's liking on his teenage daughter. Random knickknacks lined the pale striped walls and overflowed onto round tables and shelves in its center. Isn't it a little strange how we still call them the kids? They're twelve, fourteen, and fifteen for goodness sake! Francie asked, fingering a fake pink jersey to Hottie University.'

Weiss's eyes widened. Oh God. Tell me our Chloe is the twelve year old.

Francie shook her head.



Yup. It's hard to believe, I know. It feels like just yesterday I was screaming in the delivery room. They had once again reached the back of the store, and turned to finally leave. Where on earth is that boy?

I wish I knew. I don't have a clue! Weiss push open the door, and they walked back along the sidewalk. The bland paint job in the last store hadn't prepared him for the intensity of the bright sun, and he initially shielded his eyes as he searched his pockets for a pair of dark sunglasses. After a moment of prodding around his pockets, Francie pushed slightly in the top of his head, and his sunglasses slid into place on his nose. Ah, thanks.

Francie nodded, her eyes darting viciously from window to window, person to person. No Jason. There's another place at the end of the road down by the beach where the kids like to go, I remember. We'll try there and then we can head back.

Weiss replied in silence, and Francie turned her head to stare constantly into the store windows. He took it upon himself to stare at the people around them on the sidewalk and in the street. There weren't many teenage boys, because most of them were skateboarding in a park a few blocks behind them. Groups of teenage girls, however, seemed to swarm the sidewalks in their too small bikinis and whack Weiss's knee with their overfilled shopping bags. He was glad Chloe wasn't so rude.

Francie seemed intrigued by the windows, so he reluctantly continued their slow trek downtown. Weiss didn't truly want to be downtown; he wanted desperately to be driving home by now, laughing and joking with the kids in the back of his van. He was almost certain that Jason wasn't downtown, and his gut feeling had told him that he wasn't on the beach either. He only went searching here for Sydney's sake... She hadn't looked too well when Chloe broke the news to her.

Oh, look, Eric! A baby supplies store! Francie squealed, giving Weiss's arm a squeeze. Doesn't it just make you think of when I was pregnant!?

Weiss smiled sheepishly. Yeah... I remember quite a rocking chair fiasco.

Well the rocking chair has to match the rest of the furniture! Weiss shrugged. Francie slowed them more as she gazed excitedly through their window. Did you ever want us to have any more kids after Chloe?

She had caught him off guard. he finally answered. The first time I held Chloe... I loved her so much. She was just so perfect and I didn't want to risk screwing up on a second one.

That's sweet. Weiss shrugged. It was too true. The very first moment he held Chloe was one of the best days of his life, the other being his wedding day. The next store after the baby store, to Weiss's chagrin, was a bridal store, filled with wedding and prom dresses for Francie to ooh' and ahh.' Oh! Would you look at that one in the corner of the window over there! Don't you just love it?

Well, um, not really.

Oh, sorry, she bit her lip. I forget when I'm not around women.

Weiss rolled his eyes, resembling his daughter's doing. You'll spaz out when all the kids get married, he mumbled. The wedding planner from Hell... Three times...

Oh, no. Only two, dear, she answered casually, inspecting the wedding dresses carefully. It came to Weiss attention they had actually stopped outside the store.

Only two? Chloe, Mandy, Jason... That's three.

Francie shook her head and waved her hand at his face all while never tearing her eyes form the window. Chloe's marrying Jason. Then Mandy will marry someone with mild fame.

Had Weiss been drinking something, he would have done a spit take. Don't tell me Chloe's engaged to Jason... Or Mandy's engaged to someone with mild fame?

It's just that Sydney and I have discussed this. Chloe and Jason will get married, we're sure of it. And Mandy seems like the kind of person who would marry someone rich but for love, not the money. Of course he'd be somewhat famous and she'd be a part of the in crowd.

Eric refrained from calling his wife psychotic as she finally ripped away from the store window. He swore he could see a spot where Francie had pressed her face to the glass, and lightly smiled to himself. As they entered the last store on the block, Weiss remembered the real reason they were here: to locate Jason. They only spent a few minutes in the store – which was once again filled with meaningless objects of no worth – before they concluded that Jason was in no way downtown. He's not here Francie, he sighed, checking his watch; 10:47. We should leave.

A/n: It's weird writing Weiss as married... His personality is so... not. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, because whether you did or didn't I think you should REVIEW. And celebrate Lauren's death. Par-tay!
Whitelighter Enchantress