Untold Tales of the JLI: "Home"
Part 3
"When I dream, I dream of the loneliness.
"After I watched and mourned the death of my people, I wandered the face of Mars. For months? Years? Decades? Even I'm not sure anymore how long I wandered. I'm not sure why I wandered. Perhaps in some vain hope that there might be other survivors.
"There weren't.
"In the unbearable silence of a dead world, I was alone.
"When I dream, I dream of a world gone silent."
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J'Onn J'Onzz was concerned about the current mood in the Justice League International embassy. He had meticulously planned on having this Christmas dinner for a reason. He believed his reasoning was solid. He felt planning and executing the dinner would keep his teammates minds off of thoughts that were leading to depression. Bring them closer with a common goal.
It was working, too. J'Onn could sense a lifting of the team's mood.
But, somewhere along the line, something changed. Something went wrong. While the depression was no longer as strong as it had been, it was replaced by something as bad: ANXIETY.
J'Onn had no idea where it could've come from, but, there was no doubt, it was there. And it came from multiple sources. In other words, more than one of his teammates were feeling stressed.
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Blue Beetle couldn't sleep. He sat on the edge of his bed, head in hands. He looked at the clock on his bedstand and realized it was only three hours until he had to wake up and prepare the Christmas dinner. But, he couldn't fall asleep.
Everytime he closed his eyes, his mind would start racing. And his mind was racing around one thought: he didn't want to hurt Tora's feelings.
Beetle's conversation with Booster kept replaying in his mind. Had he really been too thick to see the signals she was sending out? Had she realized what a jerk Guy really was? Was she reaching out to him?
He almost had to laugh at the irony. Yesterday, he held his tongue about what he really felt about Guy Gardner in order to spare her feelings. And here, today, he couldn't really do anything but tell her how he felt abour her, and he knew it was going to hurt her.
Tora Olafsdotter was one of Beetle's favorite people in the world. You couldn't help but like her. She was always pleasant to be around. She was a good listener if you needed to get something off your chest. She had an innate sense of wisdom and always had good advice. And she was a constant "moral compass".
She was, also, the sweetest person Beetle had every known. Like a lot of people, Beetle mistook her sweetness for niavete at first. But, he came to realize that it wasn't the same thing. Tora was quite smart and worldly. She just refused to dwell on the negatives life presented. She had an indominable spirit.
Tora was the type of woman Beetle could fall for - and fall in a hard way! But, that ship had sailed. Their relationship wasn't like that now. Beetle looked at her more as his "little sister".
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Ice, too, was having trouble sleeping. She laid in her bed staring at the ceiling. She knew she had to tell Ted how she really felt about him, but, for all the world, she didn't want to hurt him.
She loved Ted. Just not in that way.
He was funny and unorthodox. She could always count on him to make her laugh. He was the type of person who could talk about everything from advanced scientific theory to why the original "Star Trek" was infinitely better than "The Next Generation". Or he just tell you a dirty joke.
Ice smiled a bit at that thought. No one except Ted would tell her a dirty joke, not even Guy. But, Ted would always look around to make sure no one else was there before he told her the joke. It was like he was afraid of getting caught "corrupting" her. It was their "dirty little secret".
Knowing Ted Kord was like knowing an eccentric wizard. He was sharp, but, a little...well, goofy. No, that wasn't right. "Goofy" wasn't the right word. His view of the world was a little different than most. Ted was the only one to realized just how odd it was to dress up in a colorful costume and fight world-threatening menaces, but, he would always shrug it off and ask, "What else am I gonna do with my time?"
Despite what he said yesterday, Tora knew Ted was a nice guy. And that he'd find someone who would appreciate him for that. Unfortunately, that someone couldn't be her.
She knew what she had to tell him was going to hurt him. And that ate at her more than she could ever imagine.
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Beetle got up. He was feeling "cooped up" in his room and decided to go down to the kitchen. "Maybe some coffee'll help." he thought. He knew it wouldn't, but, he was going to need the caffeine to keep him going throughout the day.
As he walked into the kitchen, he decided not to turn on the lights. The moonlight reflecting off the snow outside the window provided enough illumination to start the coffee machine. Beetle sat down at the kitchen table and waited for coffee to brew.
While he was sitting there, his mind kept turning back to what Booster had said, "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?"
That and the little voice in the back of his mind telling him Gardner was going to hurt her and "you sat back and let it happen!"
Beetle put his elbows up on the table and rested his head in his hands.
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Ice sighed as she got up. She knew she wasn't going to get any sleep. Her mind was racing too much.
She couldn't get the images that Fire conveyed out of her head. Ted's heart breaking when he saw her with Guy. Ted, a hollow look in his eyes, sitting alone and staring at walls.
"If you want to be responsible for destroying a man, I can't stop you. The decision is yours."
Ice put on her robe and decided to walk down to the kitchen. Maybe make some coffee. Perhaps, a change of scenery would help her think.
As she approached the kitchen, she could smell coffee. Offhandedly, she thought someone forgot to turn off the coffee machine the night before. She turned the corner and snapped on the lights.
A strangled cry came from the kitchen table as Ice jumped back. Beetle was sitting there with his hands over his eyes. "Oh my God!" thought Ice as she looked at Beetle. "Was he sitting here in the dark, staring at the walls?"
"W-what are you doing down here?" Ice asked nervously.
"Apparently, waiting to get blinded." said Beetle as he rubbed his eyes and blinked several times.
What followed was a few awkward moments of silence as each realized that they would have to face their fears sooner rather than later. Neither really looking at the other.
Ted broke the silence. "I... couldn't sleep. I decided to come down and make some coffee. You?"
Tora sat down at the table opposite Ted. "Pretty much the same."
"Want some coffee?" Ted asked.
"Please." said Tora.
Ted got up, went to a cabinet, pulled out two mugs, and filled them. He returned to the table and placed one of the mugs in front of Ice.
Another uncomfortable silence ensued. Tora stared down at her coffee, stirring sugar into it. Ted sat there, chin in hand, looking at the blender on the counter. Each was doing their best to avoid doing something they found unpleasant.
Ted finally stopped staring at the blender and looked at Ice. "We need to talk." he said decisively, yet in a quiet voice. He couldn't believe how hard it was to say those words.
"Okay." said Tora quietly, not looking up from her coffee. She realized that she was filled with a sense of dread at what she had to do.
Ted bit his lower lip. If just telling her they had to talk was hard, the next part was going to one of the hardest things he'd ever have to do. "I need to tell you how I feel about you." he said suddenly.
"Don't." said Tora quietly as she realized her hands were shaking.
Ted shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I... I've been up all night trying to think of the best way to tell you this." he started. "And the only way to do it is to just say it."
Tora visibly winced and shut her eyes. The dread built up in her. Ted was going to leave her no choice but to hurt him.
Ted looked at Tora's reaction and felt a pit open in his stomach. "Does she know I'm going to turn her down?" he thought.
"I really like you, Tora." started Ted hesitantly. "I really do."
Tora's heart leaped into her throat and she closed her eyes tighter.
"But, I think of you more as a friend." continued Ted slowly.
Tora opened one eye and looked at Ted. "What?" she asked suddenly.
Ted reached accross the table and held her hand. "I know you've been..."
"Wait a second." Tora said, cutting him off. Confusion began to set in. "You think of me as a friend?"
"Yeah." said Ted sympathetically. "I know you're feeling confused..."
Tora cut him off again. "If you think of me as a friend, why are you 'pining' for me?"
Ted knit his brow at this revelation. "Okay. Now, I'm feeling confused. I'm not 'pining' for you." he explained. "You're the one sending 'signals'."
"WHAT?" asked a shocked Tora. "I most certainly am not sending 'signals'! Where would you get that idea?"
"Where'd you get the idea I was 'pining' for you?" Ted asked in reply.
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J'Onn J'Onzz had to grab the edge of the monitor console in order to keep his balance. In all his time on Earth, he had never had his shields so overwhelmed by a single emotion like there were a second ago. J'Onn had never felt such overwhelming... anger! It was as though a number of people went from calm to furious in less than a second.
And, oddly enough, it was coming from a source close by. Within the embassy. If J'Onn had to guess, he'd say the kitchen.
J'Onn needed to investigate.
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"My dreams haunt me each night. There are times when I awaken with no recollection of what I had dreamed. And there are other times when the dream is so vivid that I awaken in a confused state.
"But, my dreams never leave me.
"They are a constant companion to me when I shut my eyes."
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Blue Beetle's and Ice's anger had quickly dissolved into confusion and depression. Each wondered how they could've been duped by their respective best friends - in different ways. Ice wondered how Fire could have tricked her so cavalierly. Beetle wondered how Booster COULD have tricked him at all.
Beetle was an experienced "practical joker", and, as such, had developed a sense of "prank-radar" as a self-defense mechanism against those seeking "payback". Beetle's "radar" never made a peep during Booster's deception. What went wrong? "How could he have suckered me so thoroughly?" Beetle asked aloud.
"Correction." said Ice dejectedly, as she stirred her coffee listlessly. "How could they have suckered us so thoroughly?"
"I don't understand that." Beetle said, truly confused. "I can usually see one of Booster's 'con-jobs' from a mile away. But, I didn't see this one coming."
"I still don't know why Bea would do this to me." said Ice sadly.
"It's pretty obvious." said Beetle. "She hates Guy with a passion. She'd do anything to break you two up. But, why pick me?"
"She probably thought you were her best option." said Ice with a wane smile.
"In a sick way, I should feel honored... but, I hate being played!" Beetle said the last four words through gritted teeth.
"It doesn't do any good to dwell on it." said Ice, as she slowly stirred her coffee.
"We could just decide never to trust them again." said Beetle and sighed.
Just then, J'Onn J'Onzz entered the kitchen.
"Is everything alright in here?" he asked. From the mental flash he received earlier, he expected the scene to be much different than just Beetle and Ice sitting at the kitchen table.
"Everything's fine." said a downcast Beetle. "We're just having the first meeting of the 'Suckers' Club'. I'm the president." Beetle pointed at Ice. "She's the vice-president."
"I don't understand." said a confused J'Onn.
"It's kind of personal." explained Ice, never meeting J'Onn's eyes.
"A sordid tale of deception." added Beetle.
"Would you care to share this tale?" asked J'Onn. He could sense that dreaded depression coming from Beetle and Ice. And, since the anxiety he felt earlier was gone, he sensed it came from these two, also.
Beetle and Ice exchanged looks.
"Not really." said Ice, looking down into her coffee again.
"It's kind of embarassing." Beetle explained as her rubbed the back of his neck.
J'Onn nodded solemnly. "Very well." he said. "But, if either of you need to talk, I'll be in the monitor room." Before he left, J'Onn paused in the doorway for few seconds before he turned around. "However, I have to say, I never thought I'd see the day that Blue Beetle was 'suckered' and just sat around and accepted it. A sad day indeed!" As J'Onn left, he had a shadow of a smile play accross his lips.
That comment raised Beetle's hackles. "J'Onn's right!" thought Beetle. "I should be planning an incredibly brilliant practical joke to pull on Booster and Bea!"
Ice saw the look in Beetle's eye. "I want in." she said.
Beetle was mildly shocked. Neither practical jokes nor revenge were really Ice's cup of tea. "You sure?" he asked.
"Oh, yeah!" said Ice, a little maliciously. "But, it has to be nasty!"
Beetle cocked his head back. Then a slow smile spread over his face.
"That's the spirit!"
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Meanwhile, in her room, Fire was dreaming the dreams of the oblivious. She went to bed confident in her plan and slept soundly, a smile on her lips as she dreamed.
In her dream, she was walking through a neighborhood of picturesque suburban homes. As she walked through this dream neighborhood, she stepped over a redheaded hobo who was laying in the gutter. The hobo was wearing a green leather coat that had seen better days and nuzzling a bottle of "Thunderbird". Fire didn't give him a second thought as she walked on.
Fire approached a lovely Victorian home that had a lovely white picket fence around it. As she opened the gate and stepped into the yard, she could hear children call her name.
"Aunt Bea! Aunt Bea!" two white haired children called as they ran up to her. She recognized them as "the twins", little Michael and little Beatriz.
"My two favorite children in the whole world!" Fire exclaimed as a greeting to them. "Are your parents around?"
"They're in the house." little Michael told her.
"They're not 'busy', are they?" Fire asked with a wink.
"Oh, Aunt Bea!" said little Beatriz reproachfully. "Mommy's right. You'll never change!"
Fire walked up to the front door of the lovely home and knocked. The door opened to reveal Ted, dressed in dress pants and a cardigan sweater over his shirt and tie. He pulled the pipe from his mouth.
"Bea!" he exclaimed and hugged her. "Come in! Come in!"
Ted lead her into the lovely traditional living room of the lovely home.
"Honey!" Ted called out. "Honey! Come see who dropped by!"
Tora, dressed in a lovely flowered frock and frilled apron, came out of the kitchen. She immediately crossed the room and hugged Fire.
"Bea!" Tora exclaimed. "It's so good to see you!" She motioned to the lovely couch. "Sit. Sit."
As Fire sat down on the lovely couch, Ted sat in very comfortable-looking armchair. Tora sat on the arm of the chair and draped an arm around Ted's shoulder.
"We have to thank you again." said Tora. "You were right to get us together."
In her room at the embassy, Fire cuddled her pillow as the smile on her face widened.
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Beetle sat at the kitchen table thinking. "I've got some things in my lab." said Beetle. "I've got this one chemical that'll turn their urine blue for a few days. And I've got another one that'll induce flatulence."
"We can't put that in the food." said a shocked Ice. "Too big of a chance someone else, us included, might ingest it."
"Amateur!" Beetle reproached her. "You don't put it in the food. You spray it on their plates. Then it mixes with the food."
"Oh." said an enlightened Ice. After a second, she said, "I don't know. Those sound so... tame."
"You're right." said Beetle, as he knit his brow in thought. "Plus, they tortured us mentally. Not physically."
"Too bad we can't do the same thing to them!" said Ice, almost wistfully.
A bell went off in Beetle's head. "Why can't we?" he asked suddenly. "With a few minor adjustments, of course."
Ice looked at Beetle and, after a second, started to smile. "You have a plan?"
Beetle smiled back. "Oh, have I got a plan!"
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Christmas morning and Guy Gardner was dreaming.
In his dream, he was dressed in a snow white tuxedo complete with tails and tophat. He was standing on an elaborate stage with spiraling staircases on either end and a large staircase in the center. He was surrounded by white-haired and green-haired showgirls. It was like something out of a 1940's musical.
A cane came flying from offstage. As he caught it, a band started in full melody and Guy broke into song.
"AAAAAAAALLLCOOOO-HOOOOL! ALCOHOL!
Lovely, lovely, lovely alcohol!
Whiskey, vodka,
And a nice wine.
Gin and tonic?
That sounds just fine!"
"That sounds just fine!" chorused J'Onn J'onzz, Booster Gold, and Blue Beetle, all dressed in tuxedoes (although Booster and Beetle still wore their masks).
Guy shuffled up one the stircases, Fred Astaire-style, still in full song.
"AAAAAAAAALLLCOOOO-HOOOOL! ALCOHOL!
Lovely, lovely, lovely alcohol!
Beer and scotch
And a little rum.
Everyday is happy hour!
Don't it sound like fun?"
"Don't it sound like fun?" crooned J'Onn, Booster, and Beetle.
As Guy reached the top of the stairs, he was met by the white-haired and green-haired showgirls. He turned to the white-haired showgirls and posed the musical question, "You don't like vermouth?"
The white-haired showgirls answered in unison, "That would be uncouth!"
Guy quickly turned to the green-haired showgirls. "You don't like port?"
The green-haired showgirls answered in unison, "You must be dumb as G'Nort!"
Guy and all the showgirls created a chain by putting their arms around each other's shoulders. They started high-stepping down the center staircase. Everyone sung in unison.
"AAAAAAALLLCOOOO-HOOOOL! ALCOHOL!
Lovely, lovely, lovely alcohol!
Champagne and schnapps,
With a little brandy."
A spotlight shone down on Guy as the stage lights dimmed. Guy sung alone.
"Any... drink... you... can... think... of...
I can... make... just daaaaaaaannnndddyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"
As thunderous applause filled the stage, Max Lord - dressed in riding pants, high boots, and a beret - came out on the stage and said, "You were terrific, Guy! Outstanding! Phenominal! You brought the house down! Now, WAKE UP! It's Christmas morning!"
Guy woke up with a start. He quickly looked around his room and, then, down at his own pajamas.
"Weird." he muttered.
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Fire bounded down the steps of the JLI embassy. She felt like a child on... well, on Christmas morning. She was dying to see if her plan had bourne any fruit yet. She had a good feeling about it! It was like her dream HAD to be a good omen.
As Fire reached the last step, she saw Booster standing in the study doorway. He looked a little down-trodden. "Oh no!" thought Fire suddenly. "Don't tell me it didn't work!"
"What's wrong?" Fire asked Booster.
Booster shook his head. "Nothing. I'm just feeling a little guilty about tricking Beetle. Maybe, I should just..."
Booster never got a chance to finish his thought. Fire had grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pushed him up against the wall. Fire stood on her tip-toes and got right into Booster's face.
"Don't you chicken out on me now, you lilly-livered pansy!" Fire growled at him. "You screw this up for me and, so help me God, you will regret it everyday of your oh-so-short life!"
Booster had been threatened by professionals - Batman, J'Onn, Oprah Winfrey - but, none put the fear of God in him like Fire just had. Booster would keep his mouth shut, and he let Fire know it.
"Good." Fire said as she let Booster's shirt go. Her mood lightened almost immediately. "Have you seen Tora and Ted yet?"
"No." answered Booster, as he readjusted the collar of his shirt. "I just got down here a minute before you did. They should be in the kitchen."
"Let's sneak a peek." said Fire as she grabbed Booster by the wrist and dragged him toward the kitchen door.
As they both stood outside the kitchen door, Fire took a deep breath and motioned for Booster to stay silent. Fire very slowly and very quietly opened the kitchen door, making sure not to make a sound, and peeked in.
Luckily, both Ice and Beetle had their backs to the door as they stood at the counter preparing something for the dinner. As Fire watched, Ice weaved her arm into Beetle's and leaned her head against his shoulder. Beetle leaned over and kissed the top of her head. Neither could see the smile that lit up Fire's face.
Fire carefully closed the door and dragged a dumbfounded Booster, who hadn't seen what happened, back out into the foyer.
Once there, Fire practically exploded with joy. "Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. YES!" Fire was so happy she could dance. "It worked! IT WORKED!" She grabbed the startled Booster by the ears and kissed him full on the lips. She pushed a startled Booster away and started dancing. "IT. WORKED!"
Booster had never seen Fire so... HAPPY! Not just happy. She was giddy. Up until that moment, he never realized just how much Fire hated the idea of Guy dating Ice.
"La-la-la-la... IT WORKED!" sung Fire.
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"Do you think it worked?" Ice asked Beetle.
Beetle was looking down at a hand-held monitor he had retrieved from his lab earlier in the morning. He tapped it into the embassy's security system and was watching Fire dance in the foyer. The monitor, also, alerted him of Fire's approach to the kitchen.
Beetle smirked. "Oh, yeah. It worked."
Ice smiled back.
"First rule?" asked Beetle suddenly.
"There is no 'Fight Club'." answered Ice, a little smirk working on her face.
Beetle shot her a look of faux-disapproval. "The first rule of pranking." Beetle clarified.
"If the suckers don't know their prank didn't work, don't let them know." said Ice, repeating what Beetle had told her word-for-word. "If they know their prank didn't work, they might be on-guard for a retaliatory prank. A clueless sucker is a golden sucker!"
"Very good." said Beetle, much as a teacher would say to a prize pupil. "The second rule?"
"Seperate the suckers as soon as possible." answered Ice automatically. "Communication between them can kill a prank."
"That's right." said Beetle. He checked the wall clock. "And J'onn should be taking care of that right now."
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Beetle and Ice had decided to take J'Onn up on his offer to talk afterall. They had explained the deception that Fire and Booster had perpertrated on them. They, also, explained their plan for revenge.
"During this season, do you really think revenge is such a good idea?" J'Onn asked.
Ice and Beetle answered in unison. "Yeah!"
"Alright." J'Onn shrugged. "I thought it my duty to ask. What do you want me to do?"
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J'Onn approached Booster in the foyer. He pointed toward the still-dancing Fire. "I've never seen anyone so filled with Christmas joy."
"Oh." said Booster. "She's filled with IT, alright."
"I need you for a mission." J'Onn said simply to Booster.
"Me? What?" he asked with a shocked expression. He hadn't expected trouble on Christmas morning.
"Cranberry sauce." explained J'Onn.
"Cranberry sauce?" Booster looked perplexed.
"Beetle and Ice forgot to buy cranberry sauce." J'Onn said. "They said that there can be no Christmas dinner without cranberry sauce. I need you to find some and acquire it." J'Onn pulled out a five dollar bill. "Beetle said to make sure it is 'the canned stuff'."
"You want me to find a store open on Christmas day?"
"You are a resourceful young man, Booster." assured J'Onn as he put the sawbuck in Booster's hand and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sure you'll have no problem."
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Guy Gardner had to admit he had a pretty sweet setup, even if he did say so himself. He had set up a mini-bar in the corner of the study, and he had an amazing variety of alcoholic beverages. And not just alcohol. He had mixers, juices, olives, limes, and lemons. Hell, he even bought salt in case anyone wanted a marguita.
Guy was set.
Guy was feeling good. Real good. Not only was he stocked in supplies, he was stocked in knowledge. He had read his bartender's guide cover to cover. Forwards and backwards. He tested himself, and when he didn't know the answer, he looked it up and wrote it down twenty times to make sure he didn't forget again. There wasn't a drink out there that he didn't know how to make. Period.
J'Onn J'onzz came over to inspect Guy's setup. Guy stood there with his chest pumped out. He knew even the Martian Manhunter himself couldn't find anything wrong with. It was perfect.
"Very nice, Guy." said J'Onn.
Guy's chest swelled just a little with pride at J'Onn's approval.
"But," continued J'Onn. "Haven't you forgotten something?"
"No way, Jose!" said Guy hotly. "I've got everything here to make any drink imaginable!"
J'Onn sighed the sigh of someone who'd have to explain something. He knew Guy worked hard at this, and the next part was not easy. "What did I put you in charge of, Guy?" asked J'Onn patiently.
"Drinks!" answered Guy quickly.
"Beverages." J'Onn corrected.
"Same thing." said Guy, not understanding where this conversation was leading.
J'Onn sighed again. "No, Guy. It is not. Aside from the small amounts of cola, ginger ale, and juices you have in the bar, there is nothing for those who wish to spend the day sober."
"Who'd want to spend the day sober?" asked Guy almost defensively.
J'Onn sighed yet again.
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Many people in the metropolitan New York area got what they wished for: a "White Christmas". Three inches had fallen overnight, adding to the accumulation from previous days, and it was still flurrying at 9:00 in the morning. It made for a beautiful scene amongst all the Christmas decorations. Unless you had to walk through it.
Walking through the snow was exactly what Booster Gold was doing in his quest for a store that was open on Christmas day.
"Cranberry sauce!" thought Booster as he pulled his parka tighter around his body. "I'm out here freezing my butt off for CRANBERRY SAUCE! I don't even like the stuff!"
A winter gust caught Booster right in the face and set his teeth to chattering. "Stupid Beetle! Stupid Ice!" he thought. "If they wanted cranberry sauce so bad, why'd they forget it? Probably too busy flirting with each other!"
Booster stopped and jumped up and down as he tried to pull his parka tighter.
"DAMNED!" he exclaimed aloud. "It's COLD out here!"
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In the embassy's kitchen, Blue Beetle placed a can of cranberry sauce on the counter.
"I thought Booster was getting that." said Ice.
Beetle smiled wickedly. "He is. Apparently, we forgot to buy some when we went grocery shopping. And you just can't have Christmas dinner without cranberry sauce!"
Ice smiled. "Rule two."
Beetle nodded. "Now that sucker number one and sucker number two are seperated, it time for rule three. Do you know what to say?"
"Oh," said Ice modestly. "I think I've got it!"
A solemn look crossed Beetle's face as he put his hands on Ice's shoulders. "I want you to go out there, play with Bea's mind, confuse her, and frustrate her! Show no mercy!"
Ice gave Beetle the "thumbs up". She grabbed a tray of cookies (none of which either Beetle or Ice actually baked) and headed out to the study.
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Fire was standing near the Christmas tree, engrossed in thoughts of what presents were hers. She certainly hoped the big one in the silver/white paper was for her. In Fire's opinion, size always mattered. Especially, when you were talking about presents.
"Can't wait, can you?" Ice whispered in Fire's ear as she passed behind her.
Fire turned around to see Ice putting a tray of cookies on a table. Fire couldn't let the opportunity pass without trying to get some information. It just wasn't in her nature. She sidled beside Ice and talked quietly so that Guy, on the other side of the room near his mini-bar, couldn't hear.
"So, how long have you and Ted been working in the kitchen?" Fire started off innocently.
"Oh." said Ice, who appeared to get a little flustered. "We decided to get an early start. We have alot of things... work to do."
"Well, I certainly hope you two aren't working so hard that you can't enjoy the day." stated Fire, as she watched Ice for any indication of letting something slip.
"Bea's playing this very subtle." thought Ice. "Let's give her a little something."
"No. Ted and I are..." Ice stopped suddenly and turned around.
Fire gave a little smile. "You and Ted are...?" she prodded Ice gently. Fire could see her best friend's cheeks getting red as she nervously tried to rearrange the cookies on the tray.
"C'mon, Tora." prodded Fire. "This is me!"
Ice looked as though she were weighing her options. She turned to Fire, but, shyly refused to look her in the eye. "I... I think you may have been right... about... you know... giving Ted a chance."
Inside, Fire was screaming like an exciteable schoolgirl and doing a little dance. Outwardly, though, Fire kept her cool. "Really?" she asked almost casually.
Ice smiled a little. "Yeah. I think so. He's really a sweet guy."
Ice congratulated herself on how well the plan was going. In fact, it was going exactly as Beetle predicted it would happen: Fire would start nosing around for more information after witnessing Beetle and Ice's little "intimate moment". Fire was a natural-born busybody and couldn't help herself.
"You have a very unique advantage." Ted had told her. "You look innocent and incapable of lying. People not only want to believe you - they're COMPELLED to believe you! Use that to your advantage!" She thought that her blushing was a masterstroke. She could practically see Fire jump out of her skin when she mentioned giving Ted a chance. Bea was eating it up with a spoon!
Ice had taken Beetle's advice to heart. And, now, was the time for the payoff!
"But, I'm not the only one with... something going on. Am I?" asked Ice slyly.
Fire knit her brow with confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked.
Ice smiled. "C'mon, Bea! Booster told Ted. It's alright. I know."
"Know what?" asked Fire.
Ice tilted her head and smiled. "About you and Booster!"
Fire's heart leaped into her throat. "If that coward squeeled on me," thought Fire. "So help me, I'll..."
"You know." said Ice. "About you two being..." Her cheeks reddened and she shifted. "...INTIMATE."
"WHAT?" Fire was stunned. The idea itself was ridiculous. Ice stating it outloud was just ludicrous.
"To be honest," started Ice. "I'm a little hurt that you didn't tell me. Afterall, Booster had no problem telling Ted."
"Booster and I most certainly are NOT... intimate!" stated Fire definitively.
"You don't need to be ashamed of it." said Ice kindly.
"I'm not ashamed." argued Fire.
"Okay." said Ice. "There really is nothing to be ashamed of. Dating Booster isn't..."
Fire cut her off. "We are NOT DATING!"
Ice looked concerned. "Well, shouldn't you two have had at least one date before you slept with him?"
"I DIDN'T SLEEP WITH HIM!" protested Fire loudly. So loudly, in fact, that Guy looked up from his bar on the other side of the room.
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In the embassy kitchen, Beetle was watching the exchange on his little hand-held monitor. He didn't need the earpiece to hear Fire's last comment.
He smiled as he watched the exchange and thought, "Man, Tora's really good at this!" He felt a pride swelling in his chest. To think, she had all that potential in her and just needed a little guidance in letting it out.
"That's my girl!" thought Beetle and dabbed his eye with a napkin.
A little egg-timer chimed off.
"Oh, crap!" said Beetle, putting his misty moment behind him. "Time to baste the turkey."
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Fire was upset and frustrated. "Tora," she said. "Listen to me. Booster and I are in no way, shape, or form either dating or sleeping with each other!"
Ice shook her head. "I don't know why you're being so... so... secretive about this."
Fire's frustration grew. "Why was Tora being so obtuse about this?" thought Fire.
"Booster's not ashamed of your relationship." Ice argued.
"There is NO relationship!" an exasperated Fire stated. "Booster's lying!"
Ice looked confused. "Why would Booster lie to Ted, his best friend?"
"Why would I lie to YOU?" asked Fire.
Fire never realized the irony of her question, but, Ice did.
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A big smile crossed Booster's frozen face.
A Korean mini-mart stood before him. AND it was open!
Booster walked into the store, out of the cold into some blessed heat. He stood there for a second just enjoying the warmth. He could've sworn he felt some of feeling come back to his toes.
"Help you?" asked a short, middle-aged Korean man. Obviously, the owner of the store.
Booster gave him his most winning smile. "Yes, my good man." he said. "You can help me. Do you have any cranberry sauce?" Booster held his breath. Hoping - PRAYING - that this little shop would have some.
"Aisle behind you." said the grocer in a clipped tone.
Booster's eyes twinkled as he spun around and looked through the aisle. And looked. And looked. He couldn't find a can of cranberry sauce. In fact, he couldn't find any cans. Just bottles of beverages. Bottled water, sodas, juices - grapefruit juice, apple juice, cranberry...
Booster winced. He grabbed a bottle of cranberry juice and walked up to the counter.
"Do you have any cranberry SAUCE? asked Booster.
The grocer pointed at the bottle in Booster's hand.
Booster shook his head. "No. Not JUICE." He pointed out the word "juice" on the bottle. "SAUCE. Cranberry SAUCE!"
The grocer had a look of recognition. "No. No sauce. Juice."
Booster hung his head, put the bottle on the counter, and walked out the door.
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"Where is he?" an angry Fire asked as she barged into the embassy's kitchen.
"Who?" asked Beetle, who was bent over the open oven door, basting the turkey.
"Booster!" snarled Fire. She wasn't paying attention when J'Onn sent Booster out.
Beetle looked up and smiled at her. "Your paramour?"
Fire's eyes flashed dangerously as she pointed at Beetle. "Don't you start!" she warned.
"You kids!" chided Beetle. "Like a couple of lovebirds who can't keep their beaks off each other!"
Fire growled. "WHERE. IS. HE?" she repeated.
"I think he went up to his room." Beetle said as he pointed ceilingward.
Fire turned on her heels and strided out the door. But, not until after getting one more comment from Beetle.
"Now, don't you two take all day up there!"
TO BE CONTINUED...