Taylor and Jim worked well together. They'd figured this out shortly after meeting, butting heads and saving the colony together. It wasn't until April Fool's Day rolled around though that they realized how much potential they were wasting. With Jim's street smarts and Taylor's tactical brilliance, they could be unstoppable!
The last two years had been just so. Pranks abounded from every corner of the colony the first year, and the second, everyone couldn't wait to see what the pair would do next while still hoping not to be a target themselves. Last year Jim had to sleep on the couch for a week after AF Day, but it had been worth it to see Elisabeth's face when the sirens went off and he mournfully told her that Malcolm had accidentally blown up her lab. The Commander's prank had gone over about as well, earning him a black eye in the exact size and shape of Wash's fist.
But this year? This year was going to top them all. They were amazed with their own brilliance! No one was going to see this coming.
It was early morning on April 1st. Jim was about to set the first steps of the plan in motion by telling Elisabeth emphatically to stay out of harm's way today, knowing she would do the opposite. Oh, he was a tricky one. He was in the middle of his explanation when a red-faced and teary eyed Maddy threw herself into his wife's arms. When Elisabeth asked what was wrong she got no reply other than the presentation of a small plastic stick.
Jim was familiar with those little sticks. Elisabeth had gone through six of them when she suspected she was pregnant with Zoe (just to be sure.)
He could feel the blood rushing through his head, the 'wooshwooshwoosh' that drowned out the sounds of his wife telling him not to be hasty. Not be hasty? There was nothing hasty about him finding Reynolds and having a little chat. It was a perfectly normal response he thought as he fumbled for his gun. He grabbed the incriminating little stick and his holster as he left the house, women trailing behind and pleading with him to be reasonable.
He was making good time to the barracks when he rounded a corner and smashed into a dazed looking Taylor. They both dropped what they were holding as they reached out to steady each other. When they bent down to retrieve their fallen belongings they both had to stop and take stock of the identical plastic sticks on the ground. It took a moment to sink in before their eyes met and then immediately sought out the women in their lives.
Across the roadway they stood, all trying to maintain a straight face around their quivering lips. As Jim and Taylor stood Elisabeth composed herself enough to smile sweetly at Jim and call out. "April Fool's Day darling!" A now dry-eyed Maddy had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from busting out laughing.
Taylor pinned Wash with a hurt look, but she only shrugged, "Paybacks a bitch… sir," and added a smirk at the end.
The men took a minute to digest this, then came to a silent agreement and started slowly stalking towards the women.
Elisabeth eyed them warily before glancing at Wash. "Run?" she whispered.
"Definitely."
The three women made a break for it.