Ok, after typing this I think I just might pass out. You'll be introduced to three more characters in this chapter, each belong to the Tamora Pierce books but with a little change in character on my part. You better enjoy it, my hand STILL hurts and my vision is starting to get blurry from staring at the computer after typing those last two chapters. READ!

Ch.5 The Dream Team

Kel felt a prodding in her back and groaned. All she wanted to do was sleep. The prodding slowly began more violent till it was practically a slap on her back. The person stopped and Kel could hear the running of water and clinking of glasses. She ignored it till she felt something cold and wet dripping down her back.

She turned around and saw Liz holding an empty glass, and for some reason wearing sunglasses that covered half of her freckled face. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "How did you get in here?"

"I have a key," she answered while setting the glass on the nightstand and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Oh, uhm, why?"

Liz laughed, "For occasions like this. Now get up, shower, change, and then eat. I'll be in your living room, watching cartoons if you don't mind."

Kel shook her head, "I don't mind."

"Good, because I was going to anyway. Now hurry up and get squeaky clean," she snickered while leaving the room and turning on the TV.

Kel couldn't believe it, this woman watched cartoons! She knew only one other person who enjoyed this activity and shook her head, if Neal knew than he'd start going on about how he's not childish at all.

After showering, drying her hair, brushing her teeth, and washing her face, Kel pulled her hair back in a pony tail. She now wore black sweat pants and a long sleeved white shirt under her red hooded sweatshirt. She left her bedroom and entered the living room to find Liz rolling on the black leather sofa in a fit of giggles.

She looked up at Kel and turned the TV off. "Eat and we'll leave."

Kel grabbed a granola bar from her already stocked pantry, thanks to Liz, and began munching. She looked over at Liz. She wore her auburn hair in two long braids. She wore jean capris revealing slender freckled legs. Her black converse shoes were completely visible and she wore a brown over the shoulder sweater. Once again, Kel found herself wondering why she wore sunglasses.

Liz noticed her staring at her glasses and took them off, revealing large bags under her amber eyes that were practically slits now. "It's not pretty, is it? They'll look normal once I'm really awake. Come on, let's go."

Kel followed Liz and locked the door. They went down to the main lobby and walked towards a very cheery and very awake Dom, or Dan. "Dan," Liz said while slumping into a chair and her head dropping against the table, she'd fallen asleep.

Dom shook his head, and whispered in her ear. Whatever he said jerked the young woman awake, clutching at her purse. She looked around and removed her sunglasses, revealing a no longer baggy eyed woman who was wide awake. She placed her glasses in her purse and drummed her fingers on the table, as if nothing happened.

"I see you're awake now," he said while smirking.

She snorted, "I've been awake what are you talking about Dan?"

He rolled his eyes, "Well? Aren't we going to meet the others?"

She bolted up from her chair, knocking it over and almost knocking the table over. She kept walking, not looking back and speeding into a quicker pace. Kel and Dom exchanged glances. "She can be……. dramatic at times. We have to hurry or we'll never catch up." He took off running after setting the chair upright.

Kel blinked and stared at the spots, where moments ago her fellow Officers had sat in. She shook her head and dashed after both Dom and Liz.

She could see his figure some yards ahead and followed him at a steady pace. He stopped minutes later in front of a ten story red bricked building with various lights on and off. There were long wide steps that led up to the entrance and he leaned against the railing to regulate his breathing. Kel blinked. Liz sat on the concrete steps, no sign that she had been running at all. She scratched the back of her neck and flicked her eyes between the two. "Sorry, I just, well, I had the urge to run and well, I just did." She looked away embarrassed by her behavior.

Dom laughed and Kel shook her head. She had much to learn about the girl, but she knew she'd have fun the entire time. There was something about her that made everyone feel excited in her presence. It seemed that she wanted to have fun in everything she did. She did have a temper, but Kel noticed when she was yelling at Sarge that her eyes twinkled in amusement. Her temper was close to the surface, but she was always the first to laugh and found amusement in most things. Kel smiled, she liked Liz, and realized she'd finally end up having a close friend that wasn't of the opposite sex.

Liz stood and stretched causing all sorts of bones to creek and pop. She grabbed both of their arms and dragged them through the apartment complex. She turned her head while speed walking, "They're all on the same floor and their rooms are next to each others. We're meeting in Lerant's apartment." Dom smiled, Kel had a feeling this would be a reunion of old friends, she'd never felt more green. She found herself replaying scenes of her with Neal, Merric, Owen, and Cleon during their academy days. It was then she realized that she missed them more than her family. She fought back the guilt while waiting patiently in the elevator.

Liz switched her weight from foot to foot, the picture of impatience. She pushed the eighth floor button over and over again, practically punching the side of the elevator. She pressed it once again and her eyes widened when the plastic eight cover fell off to the floor. She looked down at and blinked. She didn't move her head but looked at the other two out of the corner of her eye. Dom's shoulders were heaving with suppressed laughter and Kel was squeezing her hands behind her back to calm herself down. Liz blinked again and cleared her throat as the elevator doors finally swung open onto the eighth floor. "This never happened," she said out of the side of her mouth and took a wide stride out of the elevator.

Both Kel and Dom waited till she turned the corner before they erupted into fits of laughter. Dom shook his head and said between breaths," She….hasn't….changed…..one….bit…..that's…..what…..I….love……about her….You…..can….depend….on….her…..to….act like…Liz."

Kel smiled, "I guess I'll be hearing about other incidents like that sometime soon."

He grinned showing his dimples, "You can expect to hear one of those stories everyday till the mission is over and after that. There's so many of them. We better hurry before she starts yelling at us."

Kel nodded and followed the distant red down the hall. She did not want to anger Liz. She had a feeling it could get really ugly.

The two found Liz leaning against the wall beside apartment 8G, waiting for them to come. She looked up when they arrived. "He has to put clothes on, I don't know why he sleeps in the nude, and the others are watching TV, come on." She opened the door to reveal two men clad in jeans and sweatshirts on a plaid couch. One was red and the other was black.

The man in the red had raven black hair and brown eyes. His hair was messy and he had a firm chin and jaw line. Kel felt her heart flutter, why did all of the TPD Officers have to be so handsome? The next man had pale blond hair and icy blue eyes. He looked like he could have been an angel even if he was wearing black. His hair flopped into his eyes with any movement.

The man in the red sweatshirt jumped up and hugged Liz. He picked her up and twirled her around. She fought to stand up after he put her down and Kel had to grab her shoulders to keep her from falling onto the carpet.

Then the man clapped Dom on the back. "I see they plucked us all away from the Copper Isles."

Dom chuckled, "They added a few to this mess," he said while nodding towards Kel. "Officer Keladry Mindelan of Corus meet Officer Wolset Hooper of Corus as well. Kel's cover name is Kelly Young and Wolset's cover name is William Smith."

Wolset held his hand out to her and she shook it, "Welcome to the Dream Team Kel." Dom and Liz sniggered behind them. Wolset pointed to the man on the couch who rolled his eyes. "And that Kel is the worst excuse for a friend I've ever met. He's only good for comfortable silence and surprisingly food. That's Officer Joren StoneMountain of Corus as well. His cover name is Jordan Stone, that was probably the easiest for Old Wyldon to cough up."

Joren moved his eyes from Wolset to Kel and they locked eyes for a brief moment, then he looked back at Wolset. "You know, you're not that great of a friend either Wolsie."

"Oh?" Wolset arched his left brow. "And, Joren, what makes you say that?"

"You eat all of the good food," he answered and nodded at Dom and Liz to acknowledge their presence.

"Officer Keladry Mindelan, meet Officer Lerant Clyde," Wolset announced as a young man with tousled dirty blond hair came out of the bedroom.

"Welcome to the Dream Team Keladry," Lerant smiled.

"Wolset already said that, and she goes by Kel," said Dom from the doorway.

"Right, well, what now?" he asked. All eyes turned to Liz, who looked at her stopwatch. She waited for it to change to eleven o'clock exactly.

"We FEAST!" she bellowed out. "Put some shoes on, we're going to Olive Garden."

The three men rushed in the room looking for socks and shoes while Kel, Liz, and Dom waited. Liz took the keys off the kitchen counter and yelled above the clatter, "We're going to the parking lot, I have the keys, and I'll be driving!"

She led them to a black jeep hummer. She stroked the side of it fondly and jumped with excitement. "He NEVER lets me drive this baby!"

Dom leaned against the back of the car and looked over at Kel. "Once they get down here, Lerant'll have a fit and most likely cause her to fight for the keys. This'll be good."

Kel smiled and waited patiently for the other members of the Dream Team to arrive. She could hear heavy footsteps and knew they were running. She looked over at Liz who was in the driver's seat, running her hand over the leather interior fondly. She had no idea what was coming, and Kel found that she didn't either.

Ok, I finished that chapter. I'm going to write chapter six tonight and type it tomorrow after school.

redpheonix