Disclaimer: All characters property of Hasbro/ Sony Wonder.

Before I even had my key in the door, I could already hear the ecstatic shouts and pounding footsteps. The door swung inward to reveal all my girls waiting impatiently for me.

"She's home!" Christie shouted, and the others squealed in excitement. I was surrounded by a crush of teenage girls before I could say one word. I hadn't even put my purse down yet.

"Congratulations, Jerrica!" They shouted in unison, and I laughed. "So you've heard the good news, I suppose?" I asked with a smile, trying to pry myself out of their embrace. "Sorry, sis, but I couldn't hold back." Kimber called to me from the kitchen. She and Raya emerged, wiping their hands on a dishtowel. "Besides, they've been watching VTV all day. It's all they can talk about!" Raya added.

I glanced at the TV set. Sure enough, there was LinZ Pierce, reporting the latest. All the girls were still carrying on, hugging me tight and jumping around. Much as I loved their enthusiasm, I was beginning to feel a little harried.

"Come on, guys, Jerrica just got home after a long day at the office." Shana admonished gently, prying a few of the girls away. "Yeah, let's give her a little room to breathe, huh?" Aja added. She rounded up the rest and ushered them back to the family room.

Thank you, I mouthed to her as she did so. You owe me one, She mouthed back, and I supressed the sudden childish urge to stick my tongue out at her.

"Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I'm bushed." I sighed, struggling out of my raincoat and setting my purse on the coffee table. "I'm going right up to bed." I looked Kimber in the eye and she nodded.

"Is Jem coming over tonight, Jerrica?" Terri asked, and I cringed. I had hoped none of them would take notice of that. "Well, I'm not really sure, honey." I told her, and her face fell. Kimber saw her obvious dissapointment and decided to step in. "But my friend Stormer is going to come over soon, to help me with a new song." That made them excited, especially Ashley, who beamed in anticipation. She probably hadn't seen her friend in quite some time.

Satisfied, the girls turned their attention back to TV and gossiping. Kimber and I took advantage of the opportunity and headed for the rehearsal room down the hall.

"When is she arriving?" I asked tersely. Kimber reddened and shifted her eyes.

"Around eight." She replied. "Come on, Jerrica, you like Stormer! You wouldn't have helped to fund our album and you certainly wouldn't have invited her to join the band if you didn't."

I had to admit she wasn't wrong. "I know. But there's still that element of distrust, and truthfully, I'm still unsure of this songwriting idea you have for me." I told her as we entered the room.

"Look, Jerrica, you and I both know that's crap." She said flatly as I pulled a seat up next to her keyboard. "Not all of these lyrics are mine, you know."

I reflected on that, remembering now how some lines I had improvised in the past made the others look at me knowingly. A slight sigh breezed out of my lungs.

"But like I said, I've never written a song all by myself before." I objected. "And I feel even more strangely about collaborating with Stormer on a song that's supposed to fix my problems."

Kimber frowned at me. "It's not a magic pill, Jerrica. It's not supposed to fix anything, it's just an engine for catharsis, that's all. And don't worry about Stormer. She's my friend and all, but she doesn't have to know a thing that you don't want her to."

Her expression told me she meant business and I knew better than to push the issue further. Maybe she was right. I reached for my earring and whispered the familiar phrase. "Showtime, Synergy." Kimber watched me as I changed, her face softening. Idly, her fingers danced a lilting rock melody across the keys that made me pause with interest.

"What was that?" I asked as she played the notes again. "Oh, just a little improvisation," she replied, merging the melody into a reggae rhythm. "So, tell me. What comes to your mind when you think of you and Rio?"

I sighed and drew circles in her notebook in pencil. "Here I go again." I murmured, watching the circles expand over the page. "I look into him for any insight, and he just seems to pass right by." I made a sour face and stabbed the pencil into the paper. "I just go on pretending. It's so stupid." Kimber's eyes lit up.

"No, no, that's a good start!" She assured me, playing the reggae rhythm again. "Here we go again," She crooned, and I quickly took her cue.

"...I just keep on pretending," I continued, scatting along to the beat. "Na na na na na, if only I could tell you why..."

Kimber gave a little squeal and clapped her hands. "That's it, that's the hook! Ooh, outrageous! See, I told you this was a great idea. I can't wait until Stormer gets here."

Right on cue, the doorbell rang and we could hear Ashley clamoring to answer it. The outsider had arrived.

"Hi guys," Stormer greeted us quietly, peeking her head around the corner. I felt for her already; it was obvious how uncomfortable she was about collaborating with a former enemy. Kimber invited her in warmly and hugged her before she sat down, cradling her acoustic guitar.

"Thanks for coming, Stormer." I began, trying not to sound condescending. "It means a lot."

She smiled absently, her attention focused mostly on tuning her instrument. "Aw, it was nothing. So how much progress have you guys made?"

Kimber struck a D chord so the indigo haired girl could match her keyboard's pitch. "We've already got the hook down, and some lyrics too." Stormer looked up from her work. "You mean you don't have the lyrics written already?"

I stammered. "Well, for this number, um, we were looking for a fresh approach. That's why Kimber asked for you, you two work so well as lyricists. I'm trying my hand at writing lyrics for a change and I needed some help." My eyes met Stormer's, both of us trying to read each other. There was warmth in her demeanor, though, and sincerity. I had little reason not to trust her.

"Oh, okay." She said simply. "That's what we'll do then. Play that melody for me, would you, Kimber?"

Kimber did as she was asked, and Stormer quickly built a rudimentary rhythm around the keyboard riff. It sounded incredibly catchy, so much so that chills crept up my spine. As they worked on the music, I snatched Kimber's notebook and scribbled down whatever came to mind. Before I knew it, the two of them had created a slick, muscular song that just begged for my words.

"Do you guys always work this fast?" I asked incredulously. Kimber gave Stormer a look and they started to laugh. "Not if our last recording sessions together were any indication." Stormer chuckled. She gestured at the notebook, which was now filled. "How are those lyrics coming along?"

"See for yourself," I said, offering it to her. She scanned it all steadily, nodding in approval. "These are pretty good, Jem. Rough, but good. I think we can really make a hit out of this."

My eyes widened. I had just been forcing my thoughts to take shape. "You think so?"

"Oh, definitely." Stormer assured me, and Kimber clapped her hands again. An exuberant laugh bubbled out of me, and I was grinning like a fool in love.

"Come on, Jem, let's run through it with some of those lyrics."

Stormer

It was late at night when I finally headed for Gabor mansion, but I was in no hurry to get home. I had a pretty good idea of what the other Misfits had been up to while I'd been at Kimber's place. We'd made a lot of progress, which seemed to make Jem really happy. Not to mention seeing little Ashley again, who by now wasn't little at all anymore. The time I'd spent at Starlight mansion had left me in such a tranquil mood, and I felt reluctant to give it up to my bandmates' antics.

My wandering mind turned inexpicably to thoughts of Clash. We'd made her the victim of those antics countless times, and the last time had seemingly turned her away for good. So, being sensitive and all, I sympathized with her plight. She wasn't a bad person at all, just completely misguided. Concern got the better of me as I mulled over whether or not I should pay her a visit. I glanced at the signs in the distance; her exit was not far from here. I sighed, knowing what I had to do.

As the surroundings became more seedy, I started to wonder if I'd been better off just facing drunken Misfits at home rather than risk facing drunken criminals here. Fortunately the apartment complex was on the next street over. "Good," I whispered to myself as I drove. "The sooner I check on her, the sooner I can check out of here."

Quickly I pulled into a space right up front and hurried into the dingy building. The inside wasn't much more inviting than the outside, but at least there were no immediate threat. Someone was pounding on the drums somewhere in the building, the vibrations rattling the walls. It grew louder as I climbed the stairs to my destination. I sought out the source of the sound and realized with a start that it must be Clash.

My excitement spilled over as I rapped on her door. "Clash!" I yelled, rapping harder over the noise. I tried the doorknob; it was unlocked. Gingerly, I stepped inside and followed the music.

The rest of her place seemed to reflect the building's outer appearance; barren, crumbling. A raggedy bean bag chair slumped in the corner of the room next to the boom box, which was convieniently placed next to a beautiful teal blue drum set. Sure enough, there was Clash, wearing headphones and banging away to a song only she could hear. Her eyes opened wide when she saw me. She stopped abruptly, jumping up to rip the headphones off.

"What are you doing here?" She accused, jabbing a pink fingernail in the air. "And don't you know how to knock, for Christ's sake!"

I held up my hands in surrender. "I did! It's just that, well, you were playing so great and the door was unlocked and I just..." My voice trailed off. I didn't have an explanation for barging in on her.

She snorted and tossed her sticks to the side, flouncing into what passed for her kitchen. "Tell me another one." Clash retorted, cracking open a diet soda and taking a long swig. "Look, sister, you need to leave. I don't want any more bullshit from any of you people."

Tiny butterfly wings beat against the walls of my stomach. She was so good and the Misfits could really use an infusion of fresh blood. "Clash, I had no idea you could play like that." I said quietly. "I don't think the other Misfits do, either."

She interrupted me with a harsh laugh. "Of course you don't. You thought I was a no-talent, good for nothing professional groupie, only useful for screwing with Jem and the Holograms for your amusement." Her brown eyes glared at me from under spiky purple tresses. "Well, I told you, I'm not taking it anymore, so you're wasting your time." She squinched her thumb and index finger together. "And I'm this close to calling the cops on you."

My eyes held her steely gaze. "Clash, you're good." I insisted. "You're really good, and we need your skills more than you think. Once the others hear you play, they'll agree." She raised an eyebrow disdainfully. "Yeah, right. You're yanking my chain, Stormer. You know Pizzazz will never give me a fair chance."

She held a soda can out to me, which I accepted. "Let me handle Pizzazz. All you need to do is show them what you can do and they'll be eating out of your hand." I paused to take a sip. "Trust me."

Clash eyed me warily, sizing up my sincerity. I sighed and plunked my hands on my hips. "Look, Clash, either you believe me or you don't. They're all at Pizzazz's mansion now, probably drunk out of their minds from celebrating. This is your chance. It's up to you if you want to take it."

At that, I turned and left her standing there. She was so quiet, I was unsure if I'd gotten through to her or not. I reached for the doorknob.

"Wait." Clash caught up with me, sticks in hand. I grinned. I knew she'd bite.

We ran out to my Porche, giggling, buzzing with anticipation. As the car darted backwards out of the parking space and hurtled towards the highway, Clash sat up in the bucket seat to look at me. "So what are the Misfits celebrating, anyway?" She asked.

I laughed wearily and looked out the window. The story spilled from my lips as Clash listened intently, every so often omitting a sound of excitement.

"So Eric Raymond is history." She mused. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"I know. It's weird, but according to the almighty Pizzazz, it had to be done." I replied.

We pull up to the gates of the mansion, where the attendant buzzed us in. There was a change in Clash's demeanor as I drove up to the big house. Her hand clenched those sticks like they were her only friends. Her jaw was tight with determination as she stared ahead. I laid a hand gently on her arm.

"I'm ready." She said coolly. "Let's go."

Once inside Pizzazz's home studio, it was clear that they'd been drinking for awhile. Beer bottles littered the hall, pizza boxes stacked up in haphazard piles inside. They were all talking animatedly about something, but what it was I couldn't hear for sure. I heard Clash exhale deeply behind me and knew it was now or never.

"Hey, stranger, where've you been?" Roxy slurred casually, not looking up from her own guitar. Jetta had apparently ditched her beloved sax in favor of a jet black bass guitar; she balanced it precariously on her lap while holding a brew in one hand. Her grey eyes flicked from me to Clash and back again. Pizzazz was in the corner, leaning against the padded wall. Intimidation radiated from her presence.

"What's she doing here?" Pizzazz inquired, her voice edgy with contempt. I apologized quickly and explained in a rush why I had been gone, where I had been, why I had brought our professional groupie back to the lion's den. Clash groaned.

"Quit brownnosing, Stormer." She snapped, striding over to the resident drumset and plunking down behind it. All the Misfits but me disintegrated into laughter, mocking and belittling her as they always had. This time Clash firmly stood her ground. "Just shut up and listen, you dumb bitches." She snarled, looking them all dead in the eye. The laughter slowly stopped.

Pizzazz exchanged looks with Roxy, then Jetta before turning her attention to me. "I don't suppose you had anything to do with this, did you, Stormer?" She cooed in a withering tone. I gave her my most innocent smile. Roxy and Jetta shrugged at her helplessly.

"Okay. Fine." Pizzazz relented, rolling her eyes skyward. "After all, what harm could it possibly do?" Her emphasis on the word possibly was meant to be scathing, but neither Clash nor I were going to budge and she knew it. I waited.

Her eyes closed, Clash began a steady rhythm that built up to an elaborate pummeling. The beat steadied, little flourishes of sound bashed out whenever her hands flailed at the cymbals. Roxy and Jetta looked at each other, eyebrows raised in surprise. On impulse, Jetta noodled out a loose melody that she'd been playing with earlier. Roxy immediately took her lead and tuned her guitar down to D, then joined in with a deep groove. The music rollicked along in a wonderfully dirty way, and I picked up my own guitar, trying to keep up with them.

All the while Pizzazz looked on with a cool exterior. Her head nodded slightly in time to the beat, her heel tapping out the rhythm. Clash grinned at me from behind the tower of cymbals and bashed them again. Then to our utter surprise, Pizzazz actually stepped up to the mike and began singing. Her voice dipped into it's low register, sounding sinister and completely badass. I wasn't sure, but it sounded like the words to the song she'd been working on with Riot. My heart leaped as the new creation began to take shape.

We played on and on into the night with Clash behind the wheel, slowly whittling our old sound down into something sounding grungy and fresh, dirty and raw. Pizzazz's voice was a marvel, shifting from low growls to the familiar sneer to a raspy scream, sometimes all in the same line. Whatever we were doing here tonight, most of us could feel it was something big.

Finally as morning twilight broke through, Pizzazz smirked coolly. She looked at Jetta. "I think you're our new bass player." Her eyes then focused on me. "And you, use your guitar from now on." Then a condescending, but respectful look to Clash. "Okay, I give. You've finally proved yourself worthy of being a Misfit." She sighed begrudgingly. "You wanna be our drummer, or what?"

Jetta, Roxy and I all stood with mouths agape, expecting Clash to go berserk. She merely nodded in answer, mopping the sweat from her brow in a nonchalant fashion. Her arms folded over her chest smugly as she leaned back on the stool.

"Now you know why they call me Clash." She retorted coolly.

Jem

"..If only I could tell you why.."

Rio's staring at me again with those piercing violet eyes from behind the glass. They express affection, but I just wish that he'd stop. This session is proving difficult enough as it is. I hate this damned song, it's so personal that I feel naked singing it in front of him. Why did I let Kimber talk me into writing this again?

I catch Aja's eye as she picks out her solo effortlessly. She grins at me, working her fingers along the fret like the pro she is. Nervously I fake a smile back at her and try to lose myself in the performance. The music swirls and builds behind my voice. With my eyes closed, I sing the lyrics as if they're just another frothy love song, praying for this to be the last take.

Another painful verse, then the chorus another couple of times, and the song is blessedly over. I heard the other girls laugh and make conversational sounds of approval. Rio's voice buzzes over the intercom.

"That was amazing, ladies! You definitely have another big hit on your hands with this one." He raved, his tan face glowing. "I think that's a wrap. You nailed it."

Everyone cheered but me and put their instruments down. I felt the brush of air as bodies passed me heading for the door. My eyes were still squinched shut, my knuckles turning white from gripping the microphone.

"Jem?" Raya's concerned voice cut through the fog in my brain. I slowly let my guard down and opened my eyes. Shana and Aja paused as well. Kimber, Rio, and the studio techs all peered at me from behind the panel, and I began to feel like a caged animal.

"Are you all right?" Shana asked, and I nodded fervently. "Sure. I'm fine." I lied, my stomach knots tightening in retaliation. They shrugged and left the room with me following close at their heels.

Kimber was engaged in a heated debate with Aja over a proposed sax solo. Something about Stormer getting Jetta to do it, good for publicity, but I barely noticed. Rio was standing inches away from me, his eyes burning intently. I swallowed hard, trying to slow my racing heart.

"Girls, would you mind taking that conversation outside?" Rio asked in a nonchalant tone, his eyes never leaving mine. They said sure, probably thinking nothing of it. I felt that dizzy sensation again.

Suddenly we were alone and he was leaning into me. Casual sexiness seemed to radiate from him, melting me inside. "That's better. I've missed you," He whispered in my ear. "I've missed being alone with you." Before I could protest, he was kissing me intensely, tasting me. My legs turned to jelly as he pushed me up against the console, pressing his body to mine.

"Rio," I breathed between embraces, "we can't do this." My skirt rode up dangerously high as his hands skimmed my thighs. "Someone's going to see us." I squeaked.

His laughter was sweet, tinged with lust. "Let them see." He began kissing my neck, further melting away whatever resolve I had left in me. My hands entangled themselves in his indigo hair. He felt so good, so right. "Rio.." I gasped as his body rubbed against mine, "this is wrong. You're with Jerrica." But I am Jerrica, and oh, boy, I want this. I really do.

The mention of my real name stopped his caresses short. Those violet eyes flashed with emotion, maybe realization, as he looked into me. "Well, I'm with you right now." Rio intoned, sounding slighly annoyed. My blonde businesswoman side immediately raised her hackles.

"What does that even mean?" I demanded. "You've been with Jerrica for years, Rio, and I know you love her." I sat up and tried to straighten my clothing. "So why have you been doing this with me?"

His brow furrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about, Jem. You and I love each other. In fact, it's been like that for a while now, last time I checked." My heart stopped at his use of the L word. Did he really love Jem? Or does he only love Jem because it's really me?

I sighed heavily and slid out from under Rio's embrace. "I thought you loved Jerrica. You loved Jerrica long before you even met me. Frankly, I really feel like I'm just here to tide you over." Rio's jaw tightened in anger and I instinctively drew back.

"How can you say that to me after all we've been through?" He seethed, running a hand through his hair.

I could ask you a very similar question, my mind retorted, not without a trace of bitterness.

I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. "Rio, you and I both know this has been going on for far too long. Do you think this is usual? That you can still be loyal to one woman while romancing another whenever it's convienient!" My voice rose as I began pacing back and forth in front of him. Rio had slumped into the shoddy couch in the corner, looking tired and forlorn.

"Look, let's just drop it, okay?" He asked wearily. "I really don't want to fight with you, Jem."

My lips pursed in frustration. We did need Rio to coordinate our VTV affairs, and I couldn't afford to drive him away right now. I drew myself up and looked down on him.

"Fine. We'll talk about it later, okay?"

Rio rubbed his forehead, trying in vain to release some stress. "I meant let's drop this whole thing. You're right, I'm with Jerrica. I don't know what I was thinking." There was a pregnant pause as he stared into space, searching for the right words. His eyes flicked towards me again.

"Can I ask you something?" Rio asked in a tone of voice far that was far too casual, I thought, given the situation. I nodded, and he sighed. "Do you think it's possible that Jerrica could be hiding something from me? Like she's maybe testing my loyalty or something?"

Breath stalled in my lungs as my brain tried to come up with an answer, any answer. I stammered and wrung my hands, at a complete loss for words. How could I possibly begin to tell him about that one?

"Never mind," Rio sighed, clearly dejected. "It's nothing I can talk about with you." He hoisted himself up off the couch and headed for the door while I helplessly sat and watched. Just before he pushed the glass door open to exit the studio, Rio turned to me one last time.

"Do me a favor and tell Jerrica I'll call her with the details of the awards. Sands is faxing all his team members the logistics tonight." He said. Numbly I nodded my head yes, relief flooding me when he finally left. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to burst into tears. My friends all came rushing in as soon as Rio was gone, and I thought that I just might.

Shana and Aja sat on either side of me, hugging me while Kimber and Raya offered words of encouragement and affection. The flood of tears in my eyes overflowed.

"What can we do?" Asked Kimber. I held back a sob and wiped my face. "Take me home, please." I replied, noticing I was shaking from head to toe. "I just want to go home."