Disclaimer in chapter 1.
I really have to work on those gaps! Thanks to all who reviewed!
Episode 2
As Time Goes By
Chapter 4
The room remained quiet for a few more minutes before someone else spoke.
"I guess the first step we have to take is figure out accommodations for these girls, and make sure none of this leaks to the press." Spoke the admiral.
"That's affirmative how do you think the press would react to this?" Snorted the major. Everybody shared concerned glasses the twins shifted nervously.
"They can stay with me. I have several spare rooms, if that would make it easier on you too." The Admiral offered to the Rabb's.
"Will you make us your famous triple chocolate chip cookies?" Natalie genuinely asked, realizing how seeing the admiral made them recall the weekends they spent at his home.
"How'd you know about my cookies?" Demanded the admiral, the girls only gave a shy smile in response, the admiral was then able to put it together.
"We need everyone who has dealt with the lieutenants to sign a document to affirm they wont leak anything to the press." Added Harm.
"Lawyers." Someone in the room had muttered.
Four hours later the agreement was drawn up and signed, the girls were assured their aircraft was locked down and securely hidden. The other officers had gone over their plans while the twins were checking on the aircraft, and once they were done they were shoved in the admiral's vehicle and they left the base. The Rabb's followed in their car behind them, along with Major Montego. Lucy looked down both her and Natalie were still dressed in their flight fatigues, designed specifically for pilots in combat zones.
"Grandpa … err Admiral, sir…our clothes…they're a little out of place." Lucy commented. The Admiral glanced in his mirror at the way the girls were dressed, and sighed.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt for you girls to shop for a few necessities." The admiral noticed the girl's eye's sparkle at the mention of shopping, it was a luxury the girls had not experienced in a long time. They also wanted a bath a long, hot bubble bath, maybe even a nice manicure or pedicure, and a hot meal from a restaurant, simple luxuries that they missed so much. When they pulled up to the house they saw Coates, the girls gasped at the site of her, she looked so healthy and young, she was leaning up against her car. She stood at attention when she saw the admiral pull up. The girls jumped out of the truck, and walked up to Coates.
"She looks good." Natalie whispered to Lucy.
"Everybody does." Commented Lucy, but she to was glad to see Jennifer in such good condition as well.
Jennifer Coates gave a puzzled expression at the sight of the two lieutenants. She was not familiar with their uniforms, and yet they looked vaguely familiar to her.
"I brought the paper work you requested sir." She extended the manila envelope towards the admiral, still trying to make sense of who these girls were, and why the admiral requested the paperwork that he did.
"Good. Come in and join us." The admiral ordered right then the Rabb's pulled up.
A few minutes later everyone was sitting in the admiral's living room, sitting on the couches in absolute silence. Coates eyes shifted curiously between the major, the Rabb's, the admiral, and the two mysterious, identical lieutenants.
"Do you two have any clue how to get back?" Asked Commander Rabb.
"We don't even know how we got here to begin, last thing we remember we were evading…" Natalie began, Lucy nudged her.
"Evading who?" Inquired Major Montego.
"We can't say." Lucy finished, it looked like the major was going to inquire deeper into it, when the admiral interrupted.
"The girls suggested that they get a new wardrobe, and do some shopping."
"Absolutely not sir!" Snapped the major, inappropriately. "That'd be a matter of national security."
"What could possibly be a matter of national security?" Demanded the admiral.
"Who knows what they could do sir." The major added.
"Besides shopping for out of date fashion, and necessities." Natalie added, the first time she had directly addressed the intelligence officer.
"I could take them shopping." Offered P.O. Coates eager to finally make some sense of what was going on, and use her expertise. Everyone excluding the twins whipped around in surprise to see Coates still here.
"Can she take us?" The twins asked Colonel Rabb, like two children asking their mom to let them go on a ride. Mac was taken back by the way the lieutenants addressed her, but she had to remember in their mine she was their mom.
"I…I don't see any problem…" She looked around to see if there was any more objections. The girls were about to leave, but were stopped by Montego.
"Hold on." He stood up so he could commend the attention of the room. "We need to set some rules first." The admiral nodded in agreement.
"I'll have to agree with the major."
"One: NO mention of where you can from anything about the future, or anything along those lines." The twins looked annoyed, IF anyone would believe them, they wouldn't want to tell them about the future without sounding insane, at this moment they were curious over there own insanity. "Just get some clothing and basics, don't bring any your attention to yourself, just go shop and come back quickly." The women all exchanged glances.
"They are women major, they won't return from shopping, quickly." Corrected the admiral. After several more minutes of discussion, the rules were settle and the twins left with Coates to get some well over due shopping done, Coates would use her credit card and the Rabb's would reimburse her.
"It's been awhile since we got to spend Daddy's money." Lucy joked.
"It's been awhile since we've shopped, period." Added Natalie. Remembering that for the past three years they've been in the war zone or a POW camp. Coates looked back sympathetically at the girls, she wasn't sure what the y had been through, and she knew they couldn't talk about it even if they wanted to. By judging their faces they've been through hell and somehow still have their sanity intact she wondered if she could ever do that.
Natalie sat in the back seat, Lucy in the front with Jen, she studied her carefully she looked so good, it had been a long time since she had seen a healthy, happy Coates. Before the war she was trapped in an abusive relationship, the man nearly beat her to death before Mac, her friends, and the authorities could talk her into pressing charges. She then became active in the navy again, she was MIA for four months, and only recently returned with no explanation to her disappearance. Lucy couldn't warn her though, as bad as she wanted to. In the mean time, she and Natalie were going to enjoy shopping with Jen again.
Sorry it took so long to update! Please review I love reader's feedback.