********
Part 9
********
Jo and Jack's Room
5:30pm
Jo sat on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Jack was running around, trying to make some spaghetti. They had hardly said
anything to each other since that morning.
Jo was thinking about what had happened that morning. She'd quite enjoyed what had happened, but she had to be
realistic. If Tess got wind of it, she'd throw a fit. Jo was already on two admonishment notices, she didn't need more
trouble. She watched Jack stirring the pot on the stove, looking him up and down, paying particular attention to his
behind. But if she was going to get in trouble for anything, it might as well be for *that. * Realising what she was
thinking, she sat up quickly, mentally slapping herself. The effect might as well have been the real thing, as the sudden
movement sent her head into a spin. She lay back down again, in a daze.
Jack was staring intently into the spaghetti sauce, but if it was to suddenly explode in his face, it was doubtful he'd
notice. He was thinking about Jo.
He'd been so worried about her. If anything was to happen to her... he didn't know what he'd do. Was that love? He
knew he'd liked her for a long time. But now it appeared to be moving- he was head over heels. Jo seemed very
uncomfortable with it though. Why?
He dug up all his nerve, turned around, and asked, "Jo?"
Jo looked up slowly, looking pale, "Hmm?"
Her head was still spinning, and she just wanted to sleep now.
"We need to talk." He walked over to the bed, and sat down next to her.
Jo looked at him, looking pained, "Yeah, it's just..."
"No, it's not just anything. We blew this off before, now we talk."
Jo nodded. He was right. She lay, waiting for him to continue.
"What happened this morning. I'm not going to lie, it was unexpected, but still something I'd thought about for a long
time. And I liked it, a lot. I like you a lot."
Jo smiled at him, "I think I like you too. But... it's just..."
"Just what?"
"You're a cop,"
"Glad you noticed!"
Jo giggled, "No.... don't." She took a deep breath, straightened her face, and continued, "And so am I. A cop on her
second admonishment notice. One more- I'm out."
"Oh Jo," whispered Jack. The thought had never entered his head. He held her hand, and gave it a little squeeze, "Who
say's anyone has to know?"
He stood up slowly, "Look, the spags ready, let's go eat."
******
Tess's Room
6:00pm
Tess paced around the room, waiting for the arrival of her 'date' from the previous evening. It had been good to see this
friend again, they hadn't seen each other in ages. His name was Michael, Michael Phillips.
*Knock* *Knock*
Tess walked to the door, opening it to reveal Michael.
"Hello Tessy Baby!" He walked in grabbing Tess's face, and planting a firm kiss on her lips, before marching into the tiny
room.
Tess just stood still for a moment, before awaking from her daze. "Pizza okay for tonight?" she asked.
"Oh- you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble! Ha! No, seriously, not a problem. I've got some wine, want a glass?"
Tess inspected the bottle being thrust into her face- and realised quickly, it was the same terrible cheap wine that had
caused her so much grief all day. "Nah," she said, searching her head for an excuse, "early start tomorrow."
"I know- we're working together at the forum remember?"
Tess smiled weakly, "okay... ah... I spose."
******
Imperial Hotel
8:00pm
"Have you ever seen such a strange bunch in all your life!" stated Tom as the group PJ fondly referred to as the 'ferals'
entered.
"Ah- it's our mates! Orbiteen Space, and the girl with no last name!" laughed Ben.
Tom looked questioning at Ben and PJ, he had missed the days drama.
"Angela Christie and Helen Palsson. Along with a few others, they were holding a bit of a demonstration outside earlier.
S11 type people, but not quite as hardcore." PJ joked.
A feral the heelers didn't recognise walked straight over to the Chris with another man, slightly older then the other
ferals. Ben looked at him, vaguely remembering him from somewhere, but couldn't for the life of him remember why.
"So you are the one who holds a monopoly on business in this town." he yelled rudely.
Chris looked puzzled, and her Irish temper flashed up and once, "If you mean the owner of this place, yes. And as the
owner of this establishment, I'd like you to leave.
"No- the people will no longer except the way big business can dominate the industry as you do. And don't think that
the fact you are a coucillor hasn't gone unnoticed either!" the man retorted.
"That's it- OUT!" Chris called.
PJ and Ben got up and walked over. "Time to go mate," said PJ.
"You are all the same, protecting your own. But the people won't except it anymore!" And with that he picked up a glass
infront of him. The girl with pink hair, instantly realised what he was about to do, and tugged at his arm. "No- don't!"
"It's time Anne, it's time," and hurtled the glass at Chris.
Chris squeeled, as did Anne. PJ grabbed the man, before he could run off. "You are under arrest mate. My name is Senior
De... ah Acting Sergeant Hasham, and this is Senior Constable Stewart. You are under arrest for recklessly causing
injury. You have the right to remain....."
Tom ran over to Chris, you had several cuts on her face, while Ben feebly grabbed the girl. But Anne was too scared to
move. She was rooted to the ground.
******
Tess's Room
8:30pm
Tess sat on the couch with Michael, watching television. She had watched as he proceeded to get himself drunk on the
terrible cheap wine, as she pretended to be enjoying their night.
"You know what Tessy?"
"What Michael?" asked Tess nervously.
"I think I love ya. I think I wanna be with ya- right here."
"Look mate, I don't think....."
Michael leant over, practically pinning her to the arm rest. He tried to kiss her, and she kissed back, caught up in the
momment, and the cheap wine didn't help.
"Michael, you're drunk," she tried to say, put continued to kiss him back.
He didn't stop, instead he kissed her again, so firmly, that Tess sat there stunned. Then his hands started to wander,
circling her face, moving down to her neck and rubbing her back. Silently he pushed them under her shirt, and grabbed
at her breast.
This woke her up from her daze. "Get off!" she yelled, pushing him away.
"You want this Tessy, as much as I do! It's turning you one babey!"
Tess kneed him in the groin and he got up startled.
"Go! Leave! NOW!"
Michael grabbed his bottle of wine, and staggered out the door.
Tess sat down again, knees up against her chest, putting her head in her hands.
"Great Gallagher, another friendship down the gurgle. "
Part 9
********
Jo and Jack's Room
5:30pm
Jo sat on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Jack was running around, trying to make some spaghetti. They had hardly said
anything to each other since that morning.
Jo was thinking about what had happened that morning. She'd quite enjoyed what had happened, but she had to be
realistic. If Tess got wind of it, she'd throw a fit. Jo was already on two admonishment notices, she didn't need more
trouble. She watched Jack stirring the pot on the stove, looking him up and down, paying particular attention to his
behind. But if she was going to get in trouble for anything, it might as well be for *that. * Realising what she was
thinking, she sat up quickly, mentally slapping herself. The effect might as well have been the real thing, as the sudden
movement sent her head into a spin. She lay back down again, in a daze.
Jack was staring intently into the spaghetti sauce, but if it was to suddenly explode in his face, it was doubtful he'd
notice. He was thinking about Jo.
He'd been so worried about her. If anything was to happen to her... he didn't know what he'd do. Was that love? He
knew he'd liked her for a long time. But now it appeared to be moving- he was head over heels. Jo seemed very
uncomfortable with it though. Why?
He dug up all his nerve, turned around, and asked, "Jo?"
Jo looked up slowly, looking pale, "Hmm?"
Her head was still spinning, and she just wanted to sleep now.
"We need to talk." He walked over to the bed, and sat down next to her.
Jo looked at him, looking pained, "Yeah, it's just..."
"No, it's not just anything. We blew this off before, now we talk."
Jo nodded. He was right. She lay, waiting for him to continue.
"What happened this morning. I'm not going to lie, it was unexpected, but still something I'd thought about for a long
time. And I liked it, a lot. I like you a lot."
Jo smiled at him, "I think I like you too. But... it's just..."
"Just what?"
"You're a cop,"
"Glad you noticed!"
Jo giggled, "No.... don't." She took a deep breath, straightened her face, and continued, "And so am I. A cop on her
second admonishment notice. One more- I'm out."
"Oh Jo," whispered Jack. The thought had never entered his head. He held her hand, and gave it a little squeeze, "Who
say's anyone has to know?"
He stood up slowly, "Look, the spags ready, let's go eat."
******
Tess's Room
6:00pm
Tess paced around the room, waiting for the arrival of her 'date' from the previous evening. It had been good to see this
friend again, they hadn't seen each other in ages. His name was Michael, Michael Phillips.
*Knock* *Knock*
Tess walked to the door, opening it to reveal Michael.
"Hello Tessy Baby!" He walked in grabbing Tess's face, and planting a firm kiss on her lips, before marching into the tiny
room.
Tess just stood still for a moment, before awaking from her daze. "Pizza okay for tonight?" she asked.
"Oh- you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble! Ha! No, seriously, not a problem. I've got some wine, want a glass?"
Tess inspected the bottle being thrust into her face- and realised quickly, it was the same terrible cheap wine that had
caused her so much grief all day. "Nah," she said, searching her head for an excuse, "early start tomorrow."
"I know- we're working together at the forum remember?"
Tess smiled weakly, "okay... ah... I spose."
******
Imperial Hotel
8:00pm
"Have you ever seen such a strange bunch in all your life!" stated Tom as the group PJ fondly referred to as the 'ferals'
entered.
"Ah- it's our mates! Orbiteen Space, and the girl with no last name!" laughed Ben.
Tom looked questioning at Ben and PJ, he had missed the days drama.
"Angela Christie and Helen Palsson. Along with a few others, they were holding a bit of a demonstration outside earlier.
S11 type people, but not quite as hardcore." PJ joked.
A feral the heelers didn't recognise walked straight over to the Chris with another man, slightly older then the other
ferals. Ben looked at him, vaguely remembering him from somewhere, but couldn't for the life of him remember why.
"So you are the one who holds a monopoly on business in this town." he yelled rudely.
Chris looked puzzled, and her Irish temper flashed up and once, "If you mean the owner of this place, yes. And as the
owner of this establishment, I'd like you to leave.
"No- the people will no longer except the way big business can dominate the industry as you do. And don't think that
the fact you are a coucillor hasn't gone unnoticed either!" the man retorted.
"That's it- OUT!" Chris called.
PJ and Ben got up and walked over. "Time to go mate," said PJ.
"You are all the same, protecting your own. But the people won't except it anymore!" And with that he picked up a glass
infront of him. The girl with pink hair, instantly realised what he was about to do, and tugged at his arm. "No- don't!"
"It's time Anne, it's time," and hurtled the glass at Chris.
Chris squeeled, as did Anne. PJ grabbed the man, before he could run off. "You are under arrest mate. My name is Senior
De... ah Acting Sergeant Hasham, and this is Senior Constable Stewart. You are under arrest for recklessly causing
injury. You have the right to remain....."
Tom ran over to Chris, you had several cuts on her face, while Ben feebly grabbed the girl. But Anne was too scared to
move. She was rooted to the ground.
******
Tess's Room
8:30pm
Tess sat on the couch with Michael, watching television. She had watched as he proceeded to get himself drunk on the
terrible cheap wine, as she pretended to be enjoying their night.
"You know what Tessy?"
"What Michael?" asked Tess nervously.
"I think I love ya. I think I wanna be with ya- right here."
"Look mate, I don't think....."
Michael leant over, practically pinning her to the arm rest. He tried to kiss her, and she kissed back, caught up in the
momment, and the cheap wine didn't help.
"Michael, you're drunk," she tried to say, put continued to kiss him back.
He didn't stop, instead he kissed her again, so firmly, that Tess sat there stunned. Then his hands started to wander,
circling her face, moving down to her neck and rubbing her back. Silently he pushed them under her shirt, and grabbed
at her breast.
This woke her up from her daze. "Get off!" she yelled, pushing him away.
"You want this Tessy, as much as I do! It's turning you one babey!"
Tess kneed him in the groin and he got up startled.
"Go! Leave! NOW!"
Michael grabbed his bottle of wine, and staggered out the door.
Tess sat down again, knees up against her chest, putting her head in her hands.
"Great Gallagher, another friendship down the gurgle. "