Close Encounters of the Fictional Kind
by: Ismira Daugene & queenoftheslayers
Chapter 45: Home Front War
Marie and Elise dropped their suitcases inside their front door and made their way to the couch to collapse back with relieved groans.
"That's it, I'm never leaving this couch again. No more air travel behind ten year olds. Or in front of twelve year olds. I can't do it. Never again."
Elise laughed at Marie and looked over to see the other girl slouched back, eyes closed. Marie had had it worse on the ride home, a child kicking her seat and another moving their seat up and down constantly, never giving Marie her space. Elise had gotten quite the nap from just after leaving Chicago until they touched down.
"Okay, no," Marie said sitting up fast, "No sleep yet, it is only like two in the afternoon. I'm going to go make tea, want me to start the coffee machine for you or do you want tea too?"
Marie looked down at Elise after she stood and Elise answered, "Coffee, please."
Marie nodded and walked to the kitchen only to stop and scream in horror, making Elise jump from the couch and rush to the kitchen doorway and stand beside Marie. "Marie, what's…" Only the words died on her tongue as she saw Sarah and Jareth in the kitchen, clothes rumpled, and both with bright red cheeks. Sarah was sitting on the counter and looking extremely embarrassed, while Jareth looked more pissed off that they were interrupted.
Elise looked between Marie and the other two, a concerned look on her face, and gently reached to Marie, "Are you okay?"
"I cook on that counter," Marie said in a quiet, but angry voice. "I eat at that counter."
Elise got in front of Marie, and softly pushed her out of the kitchen, "Why don't you go rest in your room or something and I'll talk to them, and bring you some tea."
Marie just stared forward, "The tea is contaminated. Everything is contaminated." She shifted her eyes and focus to Elise, "We have to move. Quarantine the house. Burn the house down. Kill the fae."
Sarah popped up next to Elise a moment later, "Marie, I'm sorry. I didn't hear you guys come in, and you know that Jareth and I are seeing each other again, but you didn't need to see that…"
"She should get used to it," Jareth's said, his voice coming from the kitchen, "As I am living with you. Elise was to inform you."
"Elise," Marie whinned, "tell me?"
"I was going to tell you, but things kept getting in the way. I'm so sorry. I really am." Elise started moving Marie again, "And we aren't moving or burning the house down. You are going to go rest in your room, and I am going to talk with Jareth about house rules and make you tea. Please?"
Marie allowed herself to be directed upstairs to her room and seated on her bed. Elise left the room, passing Sarah in the doorway who pointed at a large box on Marie's desk, "That arrived last week. It's pretty heavy. From a Mr. Castle and Alexis. I'll see you in a little bit, I'm going to go help with the tea. Okay? It's good to have you home."
Marie watched Sarah leave the doorway before rising and going to her desk. She picked up the switch blade she had left on her desk and twirled it for a few turns before using it to undo the tape on the box. Closing the knife, she slipped it into her pocket and opened the box. There was a letter on top from Mr. Castle, thanking her for helping Alexis and staying with her while waiting for the police. It also stated that enclosed were signed copies of his two series with Derek Storm and Nikki Heat, and when the new book came out later that year, a copy would show up for her.
Marie spent the next ten minutes rearranging her bookshelf and setting up the two series. She monkeyed around with them a bit more before snapping a photo of both the books and then the whole bookshelf on her phone and tweeting the pictures to Mr. Castle with a big thank you.
She sent the "I'm home and safe" text to Jessica, even though she was sleeping, and a "call me when you are up, I miss your voice."
She made her way to the top of the stairs as Elise stopped at the base and was about to call up to her. "I have your tea ready. Come to the kitchen?"
When Marie entered the kitchen, Sarah and Jareth were gone and Elise had set up Marie's fancy silver tea set and china tea cups on the table. Marie raised her eyebrow before laughing and sitting down. She busied herself with making a cup of tea and watched Elise do the same.
"So, I know I overreacted," Marie said over her cup of tea at Elise, "but why didn't you tell me like you were supposed too, apparently. Like, it would have been nice to know I needed to yell that we were home."
"Yeah, sorry. I really meant too, but you were in pain from your sunburn and you couldn't sleep before we left. By the time we were on the plane and traveling and all your bad luck, I didn't want to tell you something that would bother you more. Plus, the last time I talked to Sarah, he was supposed to be underground for some dignitary function for like two weeks. I think he might have sped up time to get out of it sooner."
"Freaking glitter fae. Whatever. I still think that we should burn the kitchen to the ground though. I need to remodel to get rid of the image of … that unholy sight. Jessica and I have tact. We don't make out on counters… and get caught." Marie continued and smirked at the look that Elise gave her. "Oh come on that was funny, plus we only do that at her place, and I'm the only one cooking on that counter. I guess we both eat off it sometimes though."
Elise rolled her eyes before leaning back and stretching. "And on that note, you are nearly as bad as them. I think I'm going to go shower and do some more work."
"Yeah, yeah," Marie waved her off, "I'm going to go to the brew pub to get dinner and maybe a drink until Jessica shows up. Want me to bring you home your usual?"
"Yes please," Elise said from the doorway, nodding as she brought her cup to her lips. "Actually text me when you are thinking about ordering it to make sure I am up, ok?"
"Will do."
Shortly after Elise went upstairs, and Marie heard the water pressure change as Elise started her shower, she finished her tea and grabbed her purse to head out to the Brew Pub in town. She got there just before the dinner rush, but for being a Tuesday it was still pretty slow. She grabbed her usual spot at the end of the bar near the kitchen, ordered her drink and started reading a book on her Nook. This was a regular sight when the two were in town and had some down time.
A few times when she looked up from her book she noticed the three person Leverage Crew either in the kitchen or out in the restaurant working and watching the crowd. She nodded to Parker and Hardison when they went passed, but neither stopped to interrupt her while she was reading. As the night went on she had a nice buzz going until a water glass was put down in front of her and Elliot smiled at her.
"Really shouldn't be drinking that much on an empty stomach, even spread out like it has been. Would you like me to start your regular? Elise's too?"
"Just mine for now. Elise is at home working, though truthfully she is probably passed out in front of her computer with her kitty. We just got back today from the land of eternal sun and pain." Maire poked at her shoulder and when she lifted her finger the skin was white for a few moments before going back to the bright red that she had become.
"I'm sure I have lobster that same color in the back." Eliot said with a laugh before turning and making his way to place her order.
"Sure, make fun of the poor sunburned girl! She appreciates it, you dirty cowboy!" Marie called after him, watching his shoulders shake as he laughed.
"You should have seen him last weekend, he was a dirty cowboy." Marie jumped a little in her seat as Parker slid onto the stool besides her, looking almost like she came down from the rafters above. "He fell into a pile of manure chasing a guy. Anyway, what's wrong with you? You never come in for 5 hours and read unless something is wrong."
Marie stared at Parker, who was watching the small crowd of college boys at a table near the front of the pub. It was amazing to think that three of the leverage team that were based out of the brew pub had become what one might call friendly acquaintances, if not friends now. Parker enjoyed talking about personal safety tools with Marie, to which Elise always stated, "Weapons in both of your hands", Elliot enjoyed discussing new recipes with the girls that they tried out and and wanted to try, and Hardison always enjoyed a good whovian/nerdy conversation with the girls.
"Just some new house arrangements, rules, and stuff. And I'm waiting for Jessica to show up and head out. Oh, I got you all something from our travels." Marie bent down to pull her back up from her feet and dug around before pulling out a wooden box that looked like a pirate chest, about the size of an alarm clock, and a small monkey statue made of sea glass, and a few different bottles of dried herbs and spices for cooking. "This is for your 'gold' or whatever. There is actually a hold in the side to put your phone charger through so if you want you can put your phone in it. I thought of you and thought might like it. And this is for Hardison. I overheard once that he has a thing for monkeys."
Parker took it and looked at it, "It's perfect. A pirate chest, and it even kind of matches the real one I have. I'm going to go show this to Hardison, he's going to be so jealous; he will love his little monkey. Thank you." Parker nodded at her before hopping off the stool and making her way into the back with both the chest and the monkey.
When Elliot arrived a little while later with her food, she passed off his cooking spices and herbs and he was very appreciative, telling her that he would invite the two girls over sometime when he used them. She set about eating until Jessica showed up and joined her, ordering a Tru Blood and making fun of Marie's red complexion with Elliot. Marie had a few more drinks over the next few hours, remembered to text Elise and ordered her dinner, and actually walked out of the pub around midnight after 8 hours and many drinks.
Giggling, and stumbling every once and awhile on the walk home, Jessica would support her to be standing until finally she just said screw it and picked up her drunk girlfriend. When they finally arrived, Marie had been giggling about the combination of the speed of Jessica running and the level of drunk she was making the world spin even more that it had been. Elise and Sarah greeted them in the dining room, hunched over a white board and working on it with multiple colors.
Elise was happy for her food, and shared her fries with Sarah while Marie looked over the white board which was being updated for house chores and a spot for Jareth. Marie cackled at the board and the choes that Jareth had before grabbing a refill on her bottle of water and some ibuprofen and heading out with Jessica to go up to her room. She called out goodnight to Sarah and Elise and soon found herself snuggled into bed with Jessica and passing out, a little less sun burned then before. Thank god for magic vampires.