Disclaimer: See Chapter One ;)
Summary: Fidget spends the afternoon with her sister.

Skeletons in the Closet
by Barbara C.

Part Six: Velvet

"This isn't a dress; it's a Band-Aid!" Fidget Wilson cried out as she held aloft a "fun" neon pink thing made out of spandex that may have been a dress or a scarf, she wasn't quite sure because there was so little material involved.

Brown suits, tweed suits, flimsy chiffon formal gowns, and Victoria's Secret outerwear. Not a lot of choices, Fidget thought. The petite red head stared at the selections of her sister Candace's walk in closet. The artificially blond "newscaster" was supposed to be the stylish one, but looking at the selection of clothing available, Fidget was beginning to think otherwise.

The reason behind the invasion of her sister's closet was the AGA. Invitations for the Acceleration Games Awards had been received yesterday and to no ones surprise, all the members of Team Xtreme had gotten theirs, Vincenzo being the one exception. Of course, Fidget intended to rectify that matter by bringing the reptile along as her date.

"At least he won't try to grope me like a real snake," she grumbled about her last human date, a real loser, which had been a blind date set up by a friend on another team. It was a well-meaning gesture on her friend's behalf, but way off the mark.

After a series of threats from Rikki, and a ten-minute talk from both Alex and Grinder, she caved in and decided she'd go stag. But fervently apologized to her beloved pet about the awfulness of him not receiving an invite and her not being able to take him.

Since her sister was born with the sense of style, why shouldn't she be able to a hook up Fidget with good dress? The blond had always dressed well, even back in school when they were both red heads. So, off to beg her sister she went, unknowing of the horrors to be found in the closet.

"What are these, Candy?" the Team Xtreme cameraman tossed a few of her findings to her twin sitting on the edge of the small bed crammed into an even smaller apartment.

"It's Candace! And be careful with those!" Candace immediately began to gather up the pieces. Holding each one aloft she named a world famous designer and a rough price that Fidget could place somewhere in the ballpark of new camera equipment. Carefully Candace put the clothing back and told her sister to wait in the bedroom.

"I need something with some oomph, pizzazz, panache, style…"

"Stop," the blond held out a hand. Her patience with little sister was beginning to wear thin.

The red head animatedly continued over her sister, "… not stupid suits. It's an awards show, not a job interview," Fidget complained. "And it's not some red carpet affair either; so, nothing formal or fancy. I just need something nice to wear. Candy, are you even listening to me?"

"Candace, Agnes. Get it right!" the elder sister corrected entering a small walk in closet. Moments later, the blond came out with two gowns in clear garment bags; one was glittering crimson, the other was a concoction of blue silk. Reading her twin's expression Candace pouted. "Don't look at me like that."

Fidget felt like fighting the choices though. "Uh-uh. No way! I already passed them up," she threw her hands up. "In fact, I pass them up again! The colors are-"

"They're all wrong for you." Candace sounded as though she was stating the obvious, while she patted her blond locks with a free hand. "The cuts look good on me though, so they should fit you fine. Try them on and we can decide what to look for at the mall later."

Fidget's head whipped around and she stared at her sister like a deer caught in a pair of headlights. "M…a…l…l…?" she dragged out the word. No, her sister did not just suggest they go clothes shopping that afternoon. She did not. She did not! She-

"Of course, where else are we going to find you something to wear? You've already refused my suggestion about dying your hair so you could actually wear my clothes, so don't gripe. Besides, I have a signed contract saying I only have to help you, not actually succeed, to reap my rewards."

"Oh, you!"

"You signed it, be glad I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, Agnes. Here, try on the blue first," she said shoving the bag at Fidget. The red head began to leave the room to go try it on when her sister spoke out in an agitated tone, "Jeez, just try it on already. Strip down and put it on. It isn't like you have something I've never seen before; right?" The briefest of hesitations came before that last word, however, as the elder sister it was her duty to at least pretend to know everything and lord what little sister didn't know over said sibling.

Shooting her sister a dirty look Fidget shucked her clothes and pulled on the blue dress. It reminded her of her of something their great-aunt might have worn to a wedding a decade or three earlier, a simple blue silk sheath dress with long sleeves. Why in the world was Candy making her try this on?

"You're bonier than I am, more athletic. More muscle…sinew, that's the word. This one isn't going to work. Try on the red," the twin commanded.

Huffing Fidget shimmied out of the blue and into the red. Jessica Rabbit with shoulder straps, that's what she felt like; except she didn't have Jessica's bosom. Not that the dress required it, exactly, but… "Uh-uh. I have to actually be scene in public. I'm not sleeping with-"

A furious glare from Candace shut Fidget up pretty quickly. "Zip it," she warned her tone turning cold. "You know," the blond placed her hands on her hips, "you can back out anytime you like. You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Fidget was obviously mulling over the idea when Candace began speaking again. "Signed and sealed, a one on one interview with Alex Mann in exchange for me helping you find a dress for this awards show thing. You signed it, I signed it, and it's binding. There's nothing in the contract stating that I actually have to find you a dress, it's just what is implied."

Fidget gawked at her dear, sweat, loving, evil, manipulative, conniving sister…twin. "That's blackmail!"

"No, it's a good contract. In my favor, I might add. Now, shut up before I stop being so giving, Agnes."

Fidget could only sit there and stew in her fury. Stupid, stupid. Never sign a contract with a relative, especially if she's your twin. Particularly if she's smarter and more cunning than you! Stupid! Stupid! Not that the younger sister would EVER admit to the statement or under normal circumstances even consider it, but this time her sister had her beat. If Fidget attempted to retaliate she wouldn't have anything to show for putting up with her sister for this long and she'd have to put up with her sister for the interview later. Well, she'd have to put up with her sister for the interview anyway. Hmm, speaking of which she wondered how she was going to break the news to Alex and Rikki. Her sister's voice cut into her thoughts. "It's too long, the chest is cut too wide and too deep and the sequins are all wrong; on you; for an awards banquet; but the overall cut is pretty good."

"Don't you have a nice pant suit or something?"

"No, now be a good girl and turn around for me." Huffing, the red head pirouetted as her sister commanded before they put the closet back in order and headed for the m-a-l-l.

Candace drove, while Fidget sat silently, and tension, well tension sat quietly between the both of them stewing.

"Agnes, you should go with a different hairsty-"

"Shut it," Fidget warned with a look that could kill, preferably Candace.

"Just take it out of the clips," Candace's words sped out, earning her another glare from her kid sister.

After several moments, Fidget huffed. "Maybe, okay?" she bit out tensely.

Candace wasn't happy, but was at least appeased by her sister's non-apparent give on the matter.

Seven stores later and hours of begging and pleading from Fidget, Candace declared they had found the perfect dress. Fidget looked unimpressed and slightly embarrassed and tried to talk her sister out of it, even threatening the other woman. But Candace wasn't having any of it, particularly from her baby sister.

Crushed, form fitting, black velvet ran from approximately mid bust to mid thigh.

Finally, the red head gave a last ditch effort to avoid buying the dress. "It'll get fuzzy!"

"Then I guess you'll just have to let me keep a hold of it until you need it again."

"Come on, Candy, a nice-"

"Signed and sealed, Agnes. Signed and sealed."

Fidget did have to admit it was a nice dress. Really nice, and it did look good on her. However, she was used to more…sporty, active, tomboyish wear. Heck, she was screwed either way. "Damn!"

I'm still working on this one, they're a little too cozy for me. Candace seems the sort to finagle a contract for something that could further her career, even from her sister. Fidget's supposed to be doing this out of desperation since they don't get along at all, and it isn't really coming across well. Leave a review if you have anything to say.

Update: Computer crashed, see last paragraph of bio. The next chapter will be out when it gets out, *hopefully* no later than the end of April.