Road Trip – Chapter 3
Hey everyone! Thank you so much for your reviews! Once again, I was floored by the response. I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated. This is why I don't usually write chapter stories! Plus, I read the Threads transcript and wasn't sure what to do, whether to incorporate it or not. So anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks so much for reading.
Oh, there was some question as to what Agent Barrett did with his car in the last chapter. I meant to write that in, but then I got writing the chapter a bit differently, and it didn't fit. We're going on the assumption that it was a rental car that was returned to the rental company. Sorry for any confusion! I'm a little ADD sometimes when it comes to my writing, so I tend to skip over the little details. I'll try and slow myself down in this chapter!
You also may have wondered why I put Barrett in there. I think Agent Barrett should be in many, many fanfictions ;D He's so good-looking, and although I would never want to see him with Sam, I still think he deserves some more airtime on the show. I wonder what else he's been in…
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
It was day two of their trip. After spending the night in a hotel, everyone felt better after a good night's sleep. Well, after the pillow fight, pizza, two hours of a Gilligan's Island marathon, doing each other's hair, and watching a cheesy sci-fi movie from the fifties that is. Which is why it was Malcolm's turn to drive the SUV that morning.
"You know, ladies, I'm a little surprised at you," Malcolm spoke as they wound their way through the small streets of the little town on their way back to the highway. "I didn't realize such highly respected military women could be such party animals."
Three pairs of bleary eyes glared at him in the rearview mirror. Cassie, sitting up front and seeming to have fared better than the rest, was the one to answer him.
"Yeah well, we would have kept going all night if some idiot hadn't called securi… It was you!"
Now four pairs of disbelieving eyes were turned on him.
"I don't believe it!"
"What were you thinking?"
"That could have gone on my permanent record!"
"It was four in the morning!" he protested. "I needed sleep."
"Pull over," Sam demanded.
"Huh? Guys, look I'm sorry. Please, don't kick me out. I'll make it up to you."
"Barrett, we're not kicking you out. We want to go to that flea market over there."
"Oh. I knew that."
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
It was a small flea market, tucked away in this unassuming town. The crowd was small, but the stuff was great. It had everything they needed for the beach. Malcolm camped out at a coffee and pastry booth while the girls let loose.
"Major Carter, you've got to see these sundresses," Jennifer dragged her away from the handbags.
They were beautiful. All different styles, colours, and sizes.
"I can't believe the low price," Sam said while flipping through the first rack. She quickly picked out her favorites and paid the young girl managing the booth, then she went to find Janet.
She found her and Cassie picking out sandals.
"Sam, don't you just love these ones with the flowers on them?" Cassie showed her a pair of flip-flops with a daisy on each one.
"Those are great, Cass. Do you think they have any in my size? All I've got are the shoes I left the house with."
"Yeah, come on. I'll show you. Let's get Jen a pair too."
Janet went to join Jennifer at the sundresses.
An hour later, after they'd gotten all they needed for a full week of rest and relaxation, they discovered a changing room and decided that two days in pajamas was enough.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Malcolm was working on his second cup of coffee when their voices reached his ears. He turned in his stool to greet them with a wise crack about women and shopping on his lips. But all thoughts deserted him when he saw them.
They were sundressed, sunglassed, sandaled, and single. Ready to take on the world.
"I'm with them," he boasted to the truck driver beside him. The truck driver clapped him on the shoulder and whistled as the women drew near pleasantly aware of the attention they were drawing.
They joined Malcolm for coffee and donuts then got directions to the local Wal-Mart for groceries and toiletries. Dragging Haley away from her shamelessly flirtatious conversation with the cute coffee booth guy proved difficult, but they succeeded. Malcolm muttered something about military women letting their hair out of its knot, but none of them heard as they grilled Jen for details.
"Did you get his number?"
"Could you believe his eyes!"
"I can't believe you told him you were a fashion designer from New York."
"I can't believe he believed me. That was so much fun!"
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
It was 5 o'clock in the evening when they reached the beach house. It was small, but it had this rustic, natural beauty about it that made it blend right in with its surroundings. It was right on the shoreline. The sand looked warm and inviting as the sun began to set over the water. They quickly unpacked their bags and put away the food so they could spend the evening outside.
"Sam, this place is fantastic," Janet joined her friend in the kitchen. I can't believe you haven't come here before."
"I know. My brother gave me the key a few years ago. I just never made the time." She stacked some Pringles cans in a cupboard, then took one and opened it, offering some to her friend first. "Do you think we should call the guys?"
"Do you want to?"
"Not really, but I don't want them worried about us either."
"I think they'll be fine. Daniel knows he can reach you on your cell."
"Yeah."
"You miss them?"
"Yeah… But I still want to take this time away. I'll wait and leave a message on Daniel's home phone tomorrow when I know he'll be at work."
"Guys, where are you?" Cassie called from the back door. "Come on, Malcolm lit a campfire, and he took out his guitar!"
Janet grabbed a bag of marshmallows and a twelve-can box of Coca-Cola and started for the door.
"Sam, you coming?" she turned back to her friend.
"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute."
She leaned against the counter and fiddled with her cell phone. Should she do it?
She dialed the number quickly before she could change her mind.
"Hey – ""Hey, Jack, it's me, I…"
"…leave a message."
She shut the phone off before the beep. She didn't want to have this conversation with his answering machine.
What had she been thinking? She shouldn't talk to him right now. Not until she'd had time to think things through.
But she just really wanted him here right now.
"Get a grip, Sam," she muttered to herself. Then she grabbed another can of Pringles and went to join the others, kicking her sandals off at the door.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Yeah! I can sleep without a guilty conscience. Another chapter posted. Probably another two chapters will wrap this up. Plus, in writing this, I've been given inspiration for another story! This is great. Thanks so much for reading! Love ya!
