A/N: Sorry about the wait. Hopefully I can get the next chapter up quicker. Reviews are welcomed, I would really like to hear what you think of my story.
Chapter 3: Showers and Shopping
Jessica sat in one of the chairs surrounding the table in the living room, typing on her laptop smirking as she listened to the commotion up stairs. Having only one bathroom in an entire house filled to the brim with girls is never a good sign. Jessica was so glad she woke up early enough to be the first to take a shower. A startled screech pierced the air followed by the sound of yelling.
"What are you doing? Get out!" the voice of the person who screeched yelled.
"You've been hoggin' the shower for almost thirty minutes now!"
"I'll be out in a second. Now shut the door!" Jessica looked up at the ceiling as it rattled from the sheer force of the bathroom door slamming shut.
"There are other people in this house that need to use the bathroom!" the second voice exclaimed. The statement was followed by a chorus of agreements from the girls waiting for the bathroom.
A few minutes passed with almost no more bathroom out brakes. Jessica sat at the table typing on her laptop when Faith came in. Not bothering to look up from her task at hand, Jessica waited for Faith to vent. All Faith was doing was angrily muttering and Jessica had a sneaking suspension about what.
"No shower yet."
"I can't believe this! How do people expect us to fight and win an apocalyptic battle with only one bathroom. At least in prison you get a shower although it's with a mess of female types, but at least it's shower. This is just insane!" Faith ranted. Jessica just nodded along only paying half attention until she got an idea.
"Hey. Why don't you grab your shower supplies and we'll sneak into a motel room. You can have your shower. Plus I need to go by that weapon store we passed last night." Jessica offered. Before Faith could answer Dawn and Jackie raced in the room pleading to take them with her.
"Shower a no go, too?" Jessica asked.
"It'll take a couple hours before everyone's finished." Dawn explained crossing her arms over her sky blue pajama tank top. The bottoms were a darker blue decorated with stars and moons.
"A couple hours! You've got to be joking! I'm a only child! I've never had to share anything, especially a bathroom." Jackie complained running a hand through her sandy blonde hair, which looked like she was somehow electrocuted. She was decked out in purple boy shorts and a white tank top. Jessica glanced at Faith, who shrugged not really caring about anything other than getting a shower. Looking back at Dawn and Jackie's pitiful faces Jessica caved.
"Go get whatever you need. Meet us in my car." Jessica answered. Not prepared for the two girl's squeal she winced. Grabbing a piece of blank paper Jessica proceeded to write a note explaining to whoever that they would be gone for a few hours. Right as Jessica put her laptop back in the duffel bag the two teenage girls sprinted out of the house.
"Let's go, Jay." Faith called from the front door. Jessica smiled grabbing her duffel bag and headed out to the car. Putting the bag in the trunk before getting into the driver's seat.
"Can't wait to have a shower. Hot water cascading down my body..." Jackie said sighing in bliss, closing her eyes and leaning back against the seat. Dawn pulled a face, Faith smirked and Jessica quirked an eyebrow looking at Jackie through the rearview mirror.
"Oh, it'll be a slice of heaven." Jackie finished.
"Very... What's the word I'm searching for?" Dawn asked.
"Pornographic." Faith suggested.
Jessica smirked shooting Faith a look and adding, "I think Faith means vivid."
"I think I'll go with vivid. Even though Faith's works, too." Dawn replied. Jackie protested, but couldn't keep the smile off her face.
"So, where's the nearest motel?" Jessica questioned.
Looking around, Dawn answered, "There's one about two blocks down to the right."
Hurrying to the motel, which looked practically run down and abandoned. Parking the car the girls quickly got out of the car bringing their bags with them. Looking around before heading to a room door.
"I know this may be a stupid question, but how are we going to get in? And what about the manager?" Jackie asked glancing around, slightly nervous. Jessica knelt down and quickly picked the lock. Faith walked into the room and Jessica went on to the next empty room. Soon Jessica was laying on the hood of her car smoking waiting for Dawn, Jackie and Faith to finish their showers. Glancing at her watch Jessica realized that it's only been ten minutes. Brushing some stray locks of her wavy black hair out of her face as she wondered how long it would take until someone at 1630 Revello Drive to realized they were gone.
When Jessica heard a door close she sat up, looked over her shoulder and spotted Faith walking out of the motel room carrying her travel bag. "How was your shower?" Jessica asked smiling.
"Great." Faith answered taking a seat on the hood next to Jessica. Glancing around, Faith lit up a cigarette and asked, "Where's the brats?"
"Still in the rooms." Jessica replied propping a leg up. Her black chunky heeled boot rested on the hood, while she rested her elbow on her dark denim clad knee. The two slayers sat in a comfortable silence waiting for the teenagers. It didn't take, but five minutes until Dawn and Jackie were walking out of there rooms talking animatedly. The slayers slid into the car along with the teens.
"I have a question." Jackie stated. At Jessica's nod, Jackie continued, "Where's the manager? Or what happened to him?"
"Sleeping." Jessica stated simply. Remembering back to the ordeal after breaking into the three rooms. She didn't kill the manage just knocked him out. Not that big of a deal.
It wasn't long until the car was parked in front of the weaponry store. Cutting off the engine and pocketing the keys in her leather jacket. Turning around in the driver's seat, Jessica regarded the two teens for a moment before speaking, "Faith and I are goin' to pick up a few things. Now you guys can go hang out, shop or whatever, but I want you both back here in exactly one hour. Got it?"
"Alright. Bye." Dawn replied as she and Jackie hopped out of the car. "Thanks for getting me out of the house."
"No problem." Jessica answered. The slayers watched the teenagers cross the road for a moment before getting out of the car. Faith smiled as she walked into the store. Jessica shook her head at Faith's antics, which could almost be described as giddiness, but nothing Faith ever did would be even remotely considered as giddy. Guns, bows, arrows and other assorted weaponry alined the walls. Jessica went straight for the bows and arrows section. Glancing around the corner at Faith, who was admiring the knife collection. No big surprise.
Running the tip of Jessica's black painted fingernail over the many selections of arrows. Sighing angrily, Jessica turned from the bows and arrows. This was not what she was looking for or even wanted for that matter. Joining Faith in the knife section Jessica picked up several combat knives, inspecting them thoroughly.
"You gonna get one for the wannabes?" Faith questioned trailing a finger across the metal blade.
"Yeah. One for each of them." Jessica answered. Twirling one around in her hand testing it out. A slight, almost unnoticeable, frown appeared on her face, Faith catching the frown on her friend's face asked what was wrong.
"These wouldn't exactly be my first choice, but they'll do. Just need to modify them. Maybe personalize 'em." Jessica answered. After a few minutes of figuring out how many potentials there were Faith and Jessica dumped the final sale on the checkout counter. Hearing the total amount Faith's eyes went slightly wide as Jessica pulled out her wallet grumbling about unfair prices and idiotic cashiers.
"Here you go. Have a nice day." the cashier said happily not even trying to hide his smug smile as he handed back the credit card and receipt. Sending a small, but effective death glare at the cashier before taking the purchases and leaving.
"Can you believe that!" Faith exclaimed as they left the weaponry store. Not letting Jessica reply, Faith finished, "What a rip-off."
Placing the bags in the trunk Jessica checked her watch, they still had forty-five minutes until Dawn and Jackie showed up. Glancing around at all the people wondering if anyone knew about the upcoming apocalyptic war. Although humans had that uncanny and slightly annoying ability to dismiss things they couldn't explain. At first it was okay, but after awhile it was just plain annoying. Spotting a magic shop in the corner hidden in the shadows of the other stores.
"Come on." Jessica said walking towards the magic shop, not waiting to see if Faith was following. Opening the door a bell sounded, incense was burning making the room overwhelming. Faith and Jessica covered their mouths trying so hard not to start coughing.
"Whoa, you'd think the owner wouldn't want their customers to die. What the hell is that?" Faith rasped trying to get use to the shop.
A soft, misty voice suddenly called out from the shadows. "Rosemary for protection and allspice for luck, money and healing. Welcome to my magic shop. How may I help you?"
Jessica's immediate impression was of a walking cliché. The owner moved into the light from behind a bookcase. She was very thin, wearing small black glass giving her an intellectual air about her. Draped in a shimmering silver shawl with beads hanging off it, innumerable chords and amulets hung around her tanned neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings. Faith couldn't suppress a tiny snicker at the image of the owner, who pretended not to hear it. Jessica smiled trying to be somewhat polite, unlike Faith, who was still trying to cover up her snickers with fake sounding coughs.
"Hi, umm..." taking a glance at the name tag, Jessica finished. "Mary. We're just looking."
"Okay, just find me if you need me or have any questions." said Mary in her mistiest voice. Then she walked away, well more like floated. Faith tilted her head causing wisps of brown hair to fall in her face, opening her mouth to say something, most likely insulting, but Jessica held up her hand efficiently stopping Faith.
"Don't even start." Jessica muttered walking away. Faith smirked, but didn't say anything as Jessica disappeared down an isle looking at all the books and items that the shelves held. Statues of Gods and Goddesses, assortment of jars containing bizarre things, and other things of that nature were lining the shelves.
"What exactly are we doing here?" Faith questioned picking up a shrunken head and examining with little interest.
"Getting some supplies to fix the knives." Jessica murmured grabbing a bottle of holy water. "Help me find a cross, preferably pure silver or something close to it, bottle of myrrh oil, a lot of strips of leather to re-wrap the knives, two sun stones, an orange candle, and a yellow one."
Quickly finding the required items with the help of the owner, the two slayers were soon back at Jessica's car. After placing the bags in the trunk with the others, Jessica checked her watch making sure they had some time left.
"Let's grab a drink." Faith suggested motioning to the coffee shop across the street. Not seeing any harm in the idea Faith and Jessica crossed the street and took a seat at one of the tables. Ordering a Dr. Pepper and a Coke the two slayers relaxed looking around at the people in a bit of paranoia.
Faith watched her friend drink Dr. Pepper before asking a question out of the blue. "What do you think about Buffy?"
Cool grey eyes locked onto Faith's. Shrugging her shoulders, Jessica set down her drink before responding, "I don't know. Bit uptight. She seems kind of lost in the leadership role, but that might just be because of the swarm of potentials. I can't really describe Buffy because I've only known her for about a day and only talked to her a couple of times, which all ended kind of badly."
"I agree with you on the uptight thing. And I've seen her train the potentials a couple of times and she seems to do more talking and explainin' than actual fightin'."
"Really? That's really not helping them." Jessica stated, slightly astonished at Buffy's training methods. Suddenly an idea popped into her head causing a smile to form on her milky white face.
"What?" Faith questioned spotting Jessica's smile. The third slayer ignored the question pulling out her cell phone from her jacket pocket. Dialing a number, Jessica waited for a couple of rings before the person on the other line picked up.
"Hello?" a familiar voice answered.
"Jackie, where are you and Dawn?" a pause on the other line followed by whispering.
"Some clothing store in the mall. Why?"
"Can you pick up a couple sets of those rubber bracelets. Red and blue. Make sure there's enough of them for each of the potentials." Jessica explained stirring her soda with a straw.
"Both colors for each or one color for each person?"
"Just one color for each potential. Half of the potentials will be on the red team, others on blue. Okay?" Jessica stated. Faith leaned back in her chair trying to figure out why the potentials would need bracelets.
"Got it, but why do you need this?" Jackie asked.
"You'll find out later. Meet you guys at the car in a few, okay?"
"Alright. Bye." Jackie replied right before Jessica hung up.
Faith watched her friend while taking a sip of her Coke, confusion shining clearly in her eyes. Deciding to ask what was on her mind, "What was that about?"
After taking a sip of he drink, Jessica answered, "We're going to give the potentials some real training."
Knowing they had sometime to spare before Dawn and Jackie had to be back, so Jessica went into detail about what she had in mind for training. Faith added her own ideas and soon enough they had a plan. A knock at the glass window broke the two slayers out of their conversation. Jackie and Dawn stood outside the coffee shop window holding up two bags, waving.
"I guess it's time to head back." Jessica said as she made her way out of the coffee shop followed by Faith.
"Yeah. Now it's time to face the wrath of Commander Buffy." Faith added sarcastically. Jessica winced as she thought about the repercussions of their little vacation away from the safe house. Jessica couldn't stop the thoughts on what was going to happen when they got back to the Summers' residence.