Untold Tales of the JLI: "Home"
Part 2
"Be careful." warned Fire from the front door of the embassy.
Booster Gold lugged an eight-foot tall christmas tree up the front steps of the embassy. The tree was wrapped, but, it was still a little heavy and a lot unwieldly. The fact that the steps were a bit slick from snow and ice didn't help. Booster grunted with each and every step.
"C'mon!" Fire encouraged. "You're almost there."
"You wouldn't want to give me a hand, would you?" grunted Booster, sarcasm dripping from his voice, as he managed another step.
"I'll save my applause until you're done." responded Fire.
"I'll remember to laugh at that when I'm in traction at the hospital." groused Booster as he made it to the doorway.
Booster set the tree down in foyer and collapsed into a chair. Fire gave him a very proper, very reserved "golf clap".
"You're a riot!" complained Booster as he gave Fire a dirty look.
"Oh, stop complaining!" said Fire. "You're more than halfway done."
"Halfway?" Booster whined as he looked up at her from his seated position.
"Yeah." said Fire. She pointed toward the other room. "The tree belongs in the study, not the foyer."
Booster hung his head low and struggled out of the chair. Before Booster could pick up the tree again, the front door opened, and Guy Gardner came into the foyer craddling a large cardboard box lovingly. He kicked the door shut behind him.
"Hey, Guy." started Booster. "How about giving me a hand with this tree?"
Guy rushed past Booster and Fire. "Can't. I'm busy now." Guy added as he walked up the stairs, "But, I've always got a finger reserved for you. Want to guess which one?"
"'Bah! Humbug!' to you, too!" Booster yelled after Guy up the staircase. "Nice holiday spirit, by the way!"
Booster was thinking of more things to yell up the stairs at Guy when he became aware of Fire looking at him. "What?" he asked.
"That tree's not going to move itself." she said sternly. "Let's get to it. Chop-chop!"
Booster shook his head and lifted the tree. "You're a real slave-driver! Do you know that?"
"Don't make me break out the whip." Fire warned.
Booster muttered under his breath, "I bet you have one, too."
"What'd you say?" asked Fire hotly.
"Nothing." said Booster petulantly.
Just then, the front door opened again. Blue Beetle and Ice walked into the foyer. They were laughing over something and carrying grocery bags from their shopping trip. They stopped abruptly when they saw Booster and Fire standing there.
"Leave it to Beetle to get the fun one when I'm stuck the slave-driver." thought Booster, not-so-charitibly.
"Hey, Beetle! Old buddy! Old pal!" started Booster with his most winning smile. "Howzabout giving me a hand?"
Beetle shrugged, put down the grocery bags he was carrying, and started to clap his hand.
"With the tree! With the TREE! Gimme a hand with the tree!" yelled Booster, who had lost his sense of humor at this point. "And that joke is so old that it's not funny anymore!"
"I found it mildly amusing." said Fire with a smirk.
Beetle eyed Booster as if he was sizing something up. "I'll help you with the tree if you help us with the grocery bags." Beetle offered.
"DEAL!" said Booster quickly. He didn't care how many grocery bags there were. It beat carrying that damned tree by himself. "You grab the top. I've got the bottom." Booster knew his end was heavier, but, he hated walking backwards.
Booster lifted his end as Beetle grabbed the top of the tree, placed it under his one arm and cradled it with the other. Beetle walked forward into the study.
"Why didn't I think of that?" thought Booster as he helped carry the tree into the study.
Back in the foyer, Ice pushed the bag she was carrying into Fire's arms. "You can help carry the groceries in, too." said Ice, a look of disapproval on her face. She knew her best friend well enough to know that Fire had suckered Booster into doing all the work.
Fire sighed. She knew that, unlike Booster, Ice wouldn't let her get away with slacking off. Ice had seen all of Fire's tricks, and none of them worked on her.
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the top of the stairs, J'Onn had watched the proceedings. He shook his head and thought, "They really DO act like children sometimes." The Justice League of America had never been like this. But then, the JLA never had to live together. J'Onn smiled as the image of Green Arrow and Hawkman trying to share a bathroom suddenly popped to mind.
J'Onn shook his head and mumbled to himself, "I've been spending too much time with Beetle."
In his room, Guy did something he hadn't done since college - HE OPENED A BOOK! Not a magazine or a newspaper. A BOOK!
Guy's new book was entitled "The Complete Guide to Bartending". As Guy started paging through it, he thought that if J'Onn put him in charge of beverages, then he was going to know everthing there was to know about drinks - DAMMIT!
It was a matter of pride to Guy. If Booster wanted a "Shirley Temple", Guy was going to know how to make it. If Beetle wanted a "Fuzzy Navel", Guy was going to know how to make it. If Fire wanted "Sex on the Beach", Guy was going to give it to her - then make the drink of the same name.
And, if need arised that Ice wanted a "Kamikaze" - Guy crossed his fingers - Guy was going to know how to make it!
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fire and Booster Gold were decorating the study. They had finally managed to get the tree up, but, not without complication. In all their shopping, neither thought to get a tree stand. After considerable moaning from Booster, he went out to buy one. When he got back two hours later, it was decided (by Fire) that Booster would lift the tree while she position the stand underneath the trunk of the tree.
Booster grunted as he tried to get a good hold of the tree and lift it straight up, perpendicular to the floor. On hands and knees, Fire got the trunk of the tree into the stand and hesitated. With her hand on the bolts used to secure the tree to the stand, she forgot "righty tighty, lefty loosey" and was momentarily unsure which way to turn them.
In that moment of hesitation, Booster's grip on the tree slipped just a little. But, a little was enough for Booster to catch a splinter in his hand. Reflexively, Booster pulled his hand away from the tree. And it seemed that one hand wasn't enough to steady the tree as it fell over.
On top of Fire.
To say that Fire was mad was paramount to saying that a monsoon is just a spring shower.
She believed that Booster dropped the tree on her intentionally as revenge for making him do the lion's share of the work. Booster professed his innocence and showed her the splinter. Fire threatened to "deep fry" one of Booster's favorite appendages if another "accident" happened again. And then they went back to work.
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the embassy's kitchen, Ice and Blue Beetle were putting the groceries away. Ice was looking at the frozen turkey, still unsure whether an eighteen pound bird was big enough. Beetle reassured her that there were only six people to feed. That was three pounds of turkey per person. "More than enough," said Beetle. "Unless you want to eat leftovers for a week."
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guy Gardner was in his room studying his bartender's guide. He was making notes in the margin of the book, running the fingers of his free hand through his hair, a look of total concentration on his face. He bore more than a passing resemblance to a high schooler studying for final exams.
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
J'Onn J'Onzz was moving invisibly from room to room checking in on each of his teammates.
J'Onn hadn't thought that Guy would take his "responsibility" so seriously. The bartender's guide had taken him by surprise. J'Onn noted that it was indeed lucky that the book took up so much of Guy's interest. Afterall, if Guy was in his room studying, he couldn't cause trouble elsewhere.
J'Onn had almost blown his cover watching in on Booster and Fire. If Fire weren't careful, she could find her way in replacing Beetle as the "Abbott" to Booster's "Costello".
Beetle and Ice seemed to be getting along well in their endevours.
All in all, J'Onn was more than satisfied with how everything was progressing.
But, J'Onn was in another room and didn't see when Fire had her "stroke of genius"!
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fire was putting ornaments on the newly erected Christmas tree. This was something she enjoyed doing. Taking something plain and, with a little work, turning it into something beautiful was right up her alley. Her bad mood from earlier was long forgotten as she merrily hummed Christmas tunes.
Booster was relieved that Fire's mood had changed. He was very fond of his "appendage" and didn't want to take a chance on it getting "deep fried". He was holding a box of ornaments as Fire, standing on a step-ladder, was positioning them higher on the tree.
"So, what are you getting Tora?" asked Booster, trying hard not to get caught staring at Fire's now eye-level, and considerable, breasts.
"I honestly don't know yet." responded Fire as she readjusted an ornament. "She's hard to shop for. I don't want to get her a 'so-so' gift. I want to get her something that'll knock her socks off!"
"Crystal." said Booster decisively.
"Crystal?" Fire asked as she looked down at Booster.
"It's a higher end gift and has that nice appearance of ice." explained Booster. He smiled at his own cleverness.
Fire considered for a moment. "That's stupid." she finally said. "Like I'm suppose to give her crystal because her name is 'Ice' and she comes from Norway? That would be like me giving you a snowglobe with the Daily Planet building inside because you're from Metropolis. You give her crystal."
"Can't." said Booster. "I already got her a gift."
"What'd you get her?" asked Fire, more than a little curious.
"Can't tell you." said Booster with a grin. "You'll have to wait and see when she opens it."
"Well then, what's Ted getting her?" asked Fire. If anyone would know, it would be Booster.
"I don't know." said Booster with a shrug. "He's even more secretive than I am. But, whatever he got her, I'll bet she loves it!"
"What makes you say that?" Fire inquired.
"Ted gives GREAT gifts." said Booster. "I think he's one of those weird people that actually believes 'it's better to give than receive'." Booster shook his head. He just couldn't understand that kind of thinking.
Fire nodded. "Yeah. Tora's the same way. What's with those people?" Like Booster, she, too, couldn't understand how a person could think that way.
Booster shrugged. "I have no idea!"
Fire thought for a second. Booster could see her brow beginning to knit. "Uh-oh!" thought Booster. "Here we go!"
"I wonder what that deviant Gardner got her." said Fire, looking more than a little upset.
Booster knew it was coming. Fire always got THAT LOOK when she thought of Gardner. It was a mixture of anger, confusion, and revulsion. "Big Sister" was about to go off about Gardner.
Fire, for the life of her, could not figure out what Ice saw in Gardner. Fire knew Gardner's type: arrogant, macho a$$holes who thought that they were God's gift to mankind. To Fire, Gardner was the lowest of the low. Pond scum had more to offer society than Guy Gardner ever could in Fire's opinion. Fire didn't think Guy wasn't good enough for Ice - she KNEW Guy wasn't good enough for Ice!
"Why? Why can't Ice find someone better than Gardner?" thought Fire. "Why can't she find -?"
Booster just stood there looking at her. He could practically read her thoughts by the expressions on her face. He had heard her tirades about Guy often enough to know exactly what she was thinking.
Then, the unexpected happened. Fire's expression soften to one of disbelief. "Ohmygod." she whispered. "Oh. My. God!"
Booster was concerned. He'd never seen one of Fire's tirades end like this, and he was SCARED!
Fire's expression changed once again. She looked like she just had an epiphany. "I'm a genius." she said aloud. "Don't ever doubt that I'm a bonafied, dyed-in-the-wool GENIUS!"
"Are you okay?" asked Booster, more than a little concerned.
Fire looked down at Booster from atop the step-ladder. It was as if it took her a moment to register that Booster was there. She had a wild, dangerous look in her eye. It didn't help matters that a nearby Christmas light was reflecting off of Fire's eyes, giving an even more ominous glow to them.
"What do you think of Tora?" she asked Booster suddenly. "Describe her."
"Fire - Bea - I think maybe you should come down..." Booster started. He was really starting to worry now.
"Describe her!" Fire ordered emphatically.
Booster was scared. He wasn't afraid to admit it. Fire was manic. He thought he'd better try to humor her. "Well...she's sweet...and kind...and nice..."
"Is she the nicest person you've ever met?" Fire asked, her eye catching a glint of light off an ornament.
"Well, yeah..." replied Booster, licking his suddenly dry lips.
"Do you want to see her get hurt?" Fire asked menacingly.
"No! Of course not." replied Booster nervously.
"What kind of man does she deserve?" asked Fire quickly.
"What?" asked Booster, confused.
Fire, on the step-ladder, loomed over Booster. "Does she deserve a man like Gardner? A deviant, stupid jackass like Gardner? Someone you know is going to hurt her eventually? WELL? DOES SHE?"
"Oh, God! She's lost it!" thought Booster. "No." said Booster aloud, trying to humor her.
Fire leaned in close to Booster. "What kind of man does she deserve?" Fire asked again.
"I dunno!" said Booster as he took a step back. "A...a...a nice guy?"
Fire's eyes opened wider and seemed to light up. "Do you know a 'nice guy'?" she asked quietly.
"Oh, man! She is totally off her rocker!" thought Booster, taking another step back.
Fire smiled broadly as her eyes lit up.
"This year," Fire said grandly. "We are going to give Ted EXACTLY what he wants for Christmas - A GIRLFRIEND! And that girlfriend is going to be TORA!"
"Are you INSANE?" asked Booster Gold.
Fire cocked her head back. What kind of question was that? "No. Why do you ask?"
"Why do I ask? Why do I ask? Have you been listening to yourself?" asked Booster in an agitated manner. "You make it sound like you're gonna tie a bow around Tora and say 'Here you go, Ted! She's all yours! Take good care of 'er!'."
"Well, of course I'm not going to do that." said Fire calmly. "We have to convince them that they're attracted to each other first."
Booster was dumbstruck. Fire truly didn't realize just how crazy she sounded. Booster raised his hands and started mouthing words that never came out. Finally, he managed to say, "You are insane!"
Fire stepped down from the step-ladder, and placed her hands up. "No. Wait. Give me a chance to explain this to you."
"Oh, this should be good." said Booster.
Fire took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Okay." Fire started. "Let's start at the beginning."
Booster nodded.
Fire took another deep breath. "You've been in the League longer than either Tora or myself, so, you tell me, what do you think of Guy?"
Booster couldn't believe he was playing along with this, but, he shrugged and said, "I think he's a Class-A jerk."
"Okay." said Fire, clearly calmed down from her previous manic moments. "Now, what are the odds of Guy doing something to really hurt Tora?"
Booster started shaking his head. "I'm not arguing that Tora and Guy dating is a good thing." explained Booster. " I DON'T think Tora dating Guy is a good idea in anyway, shape, or form. In fact, I honestly can't think of one redeeming characteristic that Guy has. But, Tora is an adult. She can make her own choices."
"Okay. Okay." said Fire, clearly not prepared to give up. "But, sometimes people can't see what's bad for them! That's what friends are for!" explained Fire desperately.
Booster started to say something, but, Fire cut him off.
"I know that sounds wrong." said Fire, trying to make Booster understand. "But, c'mon, if Beetle were dating..." Fire thought of a name as heinous as Gardner's. "...Lizzy Borden..."
"Who?" asked Booster.
Fire thought of another infamous woman. "If Beetle were dating Catherine Di Medici..."
Booster still looked lost.
Fire was getting frustrated. "If Beetle were dating Glenn Close from 'Fatal Attraction'..." THAT rang a bell in Booster's head. "...Wouldn't you try to intervene?"
Booster mulled it over in his mind. "Okay." he said hesitantly. "You have a point. But, what makes you think that you can just make Tora forget about Guy and start thinking about Ted?"
Fire was undettered. "I know Tora likes Ted. She considers him a friend."
"You're clutching at straws." said Booster. "I like Ted, too. That doesn't mean I want to date him!"
"Most experts say that the best relationships start as friendships." countered Fire. "Besides, I can handle Tora. All I need you to do is work on Ted."
Booster could not believe he was hearing this. "What?"
"Does Ted like Tora?" asked Fire.
"Well, yeah." said Booster, still not believing the course of this conversation. "Everyone likes Tora. She's a very likeable person."
"Well, all you have to do is convince Ted that Tora's interested in him." stated Fire
"You're insane!" stated Booster.
"Stop saying that!" said Fire. "Think of this as a 'win-win' situation."
Booster was truly stupified. "How?" was all he could ask.
"If we can pull this off..." Fire started.
"WE?" asked Booster.
"Yes. WE." stated Fire. "If we can pull this off, I win by not having to worry about what Guy's planning to do with Tora next..." Fire visibly shivered at the thought. "...AND you win by not having to hear Ted whine about his lovelife or lack thereof!"
Booster was thinking about this. What Fire was suggesting wasn't horrible at all. Truth be told, Booster could picture Ted and Tora together as a couple. Tora was the kind of girl that could be really good for Ted. And she was cute, too! Really cute! Better than Beetle had any right to expect, as a matter of fact.
Booster was starting to weaken, and he knew it! "You're really trying to sell me on this." said Booster.
"Are you buying?" asked Fire hopefully.
Booster shook his head. Even he couldn't believe the next words out of his mouth. "God help me. I am."
Fire's eyes lit up, and she smiled. She knew she wasn't alone in this plan of hers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the embassy kitchen, Ice sneezed suddenly.
"Bless you." said Beetle from under the counter as he placed another can on the shelf.
"Thank you." said Ice as she opened her eyes wide. "Whew! That came out of nowhere."
Beetle popped his head up from under the counter. "That means you're coming into money." Beetle thought about that for a second. "No, that's wrong. Itchy palms mean you're coming into money. A sudden sneeze means someone's talking about you. Or is that burning ears?"
"I don't know." said Ice.
Beetle waved it off. "It doesn't matter. Just superstitions."
Beetle stood up and looked around the kitchen. "Okay. The turkey's in the sink thawing out for tomorrow. We know where everything else we need for tomorrow is. Am I forgetting anything?"
Ice looked around the kitchen. "Not that I can think of. We're going to have to get up early tomorrow morning. Better get your Christmas shopping done early."
Beetle smiled. "Already done. I don't need J'Onn telling me that we exchange presents. You?"
Ice smiled back. "I finished my Christmas shopping last week."
"Is Santa going to be good to me this year?" asked Beetle hopefully.
"That depends on whether you own a coal-burning stove or not." said Ice teasingly.
"Aw, c'mon!" protested Beetle, looking crestfallen. "I've been a good boy this year."
"Really?" asked Ice. "Who dropped the water balloon on Power Girl's chest a few months back?"
"I was aiming at Ralph!" argued Beetle. He cocked his head back suddenly. "And how'd you find out about that?"
"I called Santa." teased Ice. "He knows who's been naughty or nice."
"More likely that Booster let his lips flap again. That boy cannot keep a secret!" complained Beetle.
"That, too." said Ice smiling.
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Alright." said Booster to Fire. "How am I suppose to convince Ted that Tora's interested in him?"
Fire smiled. This was where she showed her true genius. "Do you remember what I told you about Ted earlier today?"
"That he can't read women?" asked Booster.
"Exactly." smiled Fire. "Now, if he can't read the signals a woman is sending his way, he doesn't know that Tora ISN'T sending those signals. All you have to do is convince him that she IS."
Booster couldn't help but be impressed. "My God, you are devious!"
Fire shrugged. "But, I'm devious in a good cause."
"How are you going to handle Tora?" asked Booster.
"Don't worry about that." said Fire confidently. "I can handle Tora."
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Later in the evening, Fire had convinced Ice to go Christmas shopping with her. They found themselves in an overcrowded department store on Christmas Eve. Fire told Ice that she need another opinion on her purchases. But, in reality, it was to get Ice alone and work her plan on her.
"Did you and Beetle have fun grocery shopping today?" asked Fire non-chalantly as she looked through some shirts.
"For the most part." said Ice as she looked at the shirt Fire pulled out.
Fire held the shirt up. It was black with a funky geometric design on it. "What do you think about this for Booster?"
Ice's eyebrows went up as she tried to be diplomatic. "It's certainly...unique."
Fire shrugged and put the shirt back. She knew her friend well enough to know that "unique" was Ice's way of saying she wouldn't buy it.
"You and Ted seemed to be enjoying yourselves when you got back to the embassy today." Fire said, letting an implication hang in the air for Ice to see.
Ice shrugged. "Ted's a funny guy. He can be fun to hang around with."
"Yeah, he can be." Fire agreed. "He's a sweetheart, too." Fire mentally noted to herself to play this one cool. "Don't overplay your hand too soon!" she thought.
"Yes, he is." said Ice as she looked through the shirt rack.
"It's a shame that..." Fire started and suddenly broke off. "No. Nevermind." she said quickly and turned away from Ice.
Ice knit her brow. A sudden look of concern came over her face. She felt Fire was trying to hide something from her. "What?" asked Ice.
"I can't say." stated Fire. Ice couldn't see the shadow of a smile cross Fire's face. "I think of got her!" thought Fire.
Ice turned her friend around. "Is it Ted? Is there something wrong with Ted?" Ice asked.
Fire looked down to avoid Ice's eyes. She just couldn't look her friend in the eye. Ice could see there was sadness on Fire's face, and it upset Ice.
"I...I really can't say." said Fire hesitantly.
Having been raised in Brazil, a predominantly Catholic country, Fire learned at a young age that GUILT could be a powerful weapon to have in one's arsenal. Fire never thought she'd ever use that weapon on her best friend, but, times were tough, and extreme measures were called for.
Ice grabbed her friend by her shoulders. "If something's wrong with Ted, you have to tell me!" said Ice. Genuine concern for her friends was one the traits that endeared Ice to most people. It was the trait Fire was going to exploit.
"Oh, Tora. If you could just...just see the pain..." started Fire sadly.
"Ted's in pain?" asked Ice quietly.
Fire's lip quivered. "Ted wouldn't let you see, but...when you turn away...or when you're outta the room..." Fire said. "That hollow pained look..." Fire shook her head.
Ice heart was wrenching at the thought that Beetle was hurting so badly and never let on to her. "What is it?" Ice asked.
Fire looked at Ice with such sadness. "Oh, Tora." she said. "Can't you see how much Ted loves you and how much it's tearing him up inside?"
Ice was stunned.
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle were having a few beers in the embassy study. Beetle looked around and had to admit that Booster and Fire did a great job of decorating the place. It practically screamed "CHRISTMAS" at you. But, in a very traditional, non-gaudy kind of way. The large Christmas tree by the fireplace was something right out of a Christmas card.
Booster was nervous. He wasn't as devious or cunning... or ballsy... as Fire. He still didn't know how he was going to convince Beetle that Ice was attracted to him. He was racking his brain for a way to start the conversation.
"Man," Booster started after taking a swig of beer. "Ice is hot for you!"
Beetle almost choked on his beer. Between coughs he managed to say, "What?"
"C'mon, dude!" said Booster, as he barrelled on. "Tell me you can't read the signals she's sending your way."
"Get away from me!" said Beetle disbelievingly.
"No, Ted. I'm serious." said Booster taking another swig of beer. "She's sending all the signals."
"Yeah? What signals?" asked Beetle, still not believing Booster.
"That was a really good question." conceeded Booster mentally. Too bad he didn't have a really good answer prepared. "When in doubt, lie!" thought Booster.
"The way she looks at you when she laughs at your lame-ass jokes." started Booster. "The way she smiles and looks down away from your eyes. The way she tilts her head to the side when she looks at you. The way she puts her hands behind her back when she's not sure what to do with them. The way she shifts uncomfortably when you look at her too long."
Booster had listed every little quirk that Ice had ever displayed in the hopes that Beetle recognized something - ANYTHING! - as Ice sending him signals. Booster looked over at Beetle. He was sitting there thinking about it. "Oh my God!" thought Booster. "I think he's actually buying it!"
"No." Beetle said finally as he shook his head. "She still dating Guy. I don't think Ice would would be intentionally sending signals out If she's still dating Guy."
In his time of greatest need, inspiration struck Booster like a lightening bolt. "Unless Tora is confused." said Booster coolly.
"What?" said Beetle.
Booster took another swig of beer. "I think she's confused." said Booster. "Tora fell for Guy when he was... well, 'Mr. Nice Guy'. I think she's starting to realize that wasn't the real Guy. I think she's after a real 'Mr. Nice Guy'."
Booster had inadvertantly hit a tact that worked. Beetle started thinking about it. Tora had called him a "nice guy" earlier in the day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What?" asked Ice, still in shock.
"Ted loves you and it's tearing him up inside!" repeated Fire on the verge of tears. "He sees you with Guy and... and... it's obvious to everyone it's killing him."
All those talent scouts back in Brazil who told Fire that she wasn't talented enough to act on their television novellas should have seen this performance! Fire was hitting every mark. It was time to bring this performance home.
"Booster tells me Ted sits in his room all alone. Just staring at the walls." Fire stated. "It's..." Fire choked on the word. "It's really sad."
Fire could tell her story was working on Ice. Ice bit her lower lip and had a concerned look on her face. Fire felt a pang in her heart. "Is that my conscience?" thought Fire. "Not now! I'm close! And this is for her own good!"
"I never knew Ted felt that way about me. But..." Ice asked, "But what can I do about that? Should I talk to Ted and tell him I don't feel that way about him?"
"NO!" said Fire quickly. Fire regained her composure. "No. You can't do that. You might..." She let the thought hang in the air.
"I might what?" asked Ice, worry etched on her face.
"You might push him right over the edge!" said Fire quietly. "I think he might be that far gone."
"Really?" Ice asked, shocked that Beetle might be that far gone.
"You might just be too adorable." said Fire sadly as she shook her head. "Okay. That one might have been pushing it." she thought as she shifted her eyes around.
"Well, what should I do?" asked Ice, truly confused and seeking advice from her more worldly best friend.
Fire looked down. "I think you should give Ted a chance."
"But... but... but..." Ice started. "I don't feel that way about Ted! And what about Guy?"
Fire pulled out her greatest weapon. "If you want to be responsible for destroying a man, I can't stop you. The decision is yours."
--------------------------------------------------------------------OOO-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Don't you like Tora?" Booster asked. He was on his third beer now and really starting to get into this whole "deception for a good cause" thing.
"Everybody likes Tora." responded Beetle. "But... I don't know if I feel..." Beetle thought of the best way to put it. "...Romantic toward her."
Booster looked over at Beetle and cocked his head back. "Are you insane?" Booster blinked as he realized he was saying that a lot today. "She's a major cutie! Better than you deserve, that's for sure!"
"I know that." conceeded Beetle. "But, I think of her more as a friend."
"Don't you know the best relationships start as friendships?" Booster parroted what he heard Fire say earlier. "You know, I think you should be a man about this!"
"What do mean?" asked Beetle defensively.
"If you can't do it for yourself, then do it for her! Do you want her stuck with Gardner her whole life because you were too much of a wuss to do anything when she was reaching out to you?"
TO BE CONTINUED...