I'm not sure why it worked out like this, but this chapter is another filler. The next one will be actiony-er (?). Would you like to see most of the action happen in the town, or in the foresty area around the cabin? I'm still not too sure where this is going, lol. I'm hopeless. Anyway, hope you enjoy, and please review.

Chapter Three.

Jill leaned back against her chair, holding her stomach as she moaned.
"I think I ate too much."
Lindsay glanced at the blonde's half-finished meal hungrily. "Does that mean you aren't going to eat the rest?"
Jill looked at Lindsay in mock horror. "Where the hell do you put it, Boxer?"
Lindsay shrugged as she pulled the plate towards her.
"I think it's a Texan thing." Claire chuckled. She scratched Martha's head, who lay curled up at her feet.
Cindy chose that moment to join them at the small outdoor table and chairs on the patio, carrying another bottle of wine.
"That bar has everything. We're not going to be sober enough to paint the cabin at all this weekend." Cindy said as she topped up their wine glasses, then took her seat next to Jill.
Jill patted the red head's knee in thanks as she took a sip of her freshly poured wine. "Despite my ranting earlier, I think it's going to be really nice. Just the four of us hanging out for our girl's birthday. It's so gorgeous here, it kind of makes you forget all the crap that goes on in our lives." Jill finished the sentence by tilting her head back to look at the clear night sky, dotted with wispy clouds.
"I agree. Nothing beats the outdoors." Lindsay sighed.
Cindy wrinkled her nose. "I still think L.A would have been better..." She teased. Claire rolled her eyes. "But I guess it is kind of nice to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for awhile."
Claire nodded, just enjoying listening to her three best friend's lazy chatter. They spent the rest of the night talking, laughing, drinking and playing cards. Cindy didn't know how to play Texas Hold 'em so Jill taught her. Much to Lindsay's annoyance, as once the red head got the hang of it, she won every game. Half way through her winning streak (they were playing for pretzels) Cindy loudly and drunkenly declared that next year they should go to Las Vegas so she could 'clean up'.
It had been one of the best nights of her life, Jill decided as she went to sleep that night. She was in such a good mood that she didn't mind Cindy's drunken rambling, though that could have been since she was quite drunk herself, as was Lindsay and even Claire. It was nice to see them all loosening up a bit, usually it was just the blonde who got a little tipsy, being the lightweight of the group.
Jill rolled over to face Cindy. Her eyes were half closed, yet she struggled to stay awake, talking about anything and everything.
"Jill?" The reporter mumbled.
"Yeah munchkin?" Jill sighed, stroking a strand of red hair that framed her friend's flushed face. She thought to herself how beautiful she looked, and why she had never noticed that before.
"Thanks for letting me join the club."
"It's not a club." Jill smiled. "It's a family." Cindy's mouth stretched into a tired grin at that and they both fell into a deep sleep, excitement and anticipation coursing through them for the morning.

Bang. Crash. Smack. Bang.
Lindsay rolled over, nearly falling out of the single bed, as bright sunlight irritated her closed eyes. She groaned as sleep deserted her completely and a headache replaced it. Sitting up slowly so as not to make herself dizzy, she rubbed her tired eyes.
"Claire, what's happening?" Lindsay mumbled, where she was and last night's events coming back to her. When she got no answer Lindsay looked across to the other bed, suprised to find it empty and unmade. She glanced at her watch, which she had forgotten to take off the night before in her haste to sleep.
What in the world was she doing up at 7 o'clock in the morning with a hangover?
"Claire?" Lindsay called grumpily, swinging her legs out of bed. She stumbled wearily towards the direction of the bangs and crashes.
"Claire! What's going..." Lindsay halted mid sentence at the sight that greeted her in the bright kitchen. "...on."
Cindy looked up, looking way too chipper for a woman who was supposed to be hungover, holding a frying pan, her wavy red hair pulled up into a messy ponytail, a yellow apron wrapped around her waist. she had what looked like flour smudged across her heat flushed cheeks.
"I made pancakes!" She said cheerily, pulling out another plate for Lindsay and pouring her a glass of orange juice. Lindsay noticed orange skins sitting on the bench next to a juicer. What time had she gotten up?
The brunette accepted the glass and plate in shock, then went and joined an equally bleary eyed Claire and Jill at a stool at the breakfast bar. Cindy continued banging and crashing around the kitchen to the sound of bacon sizzling in the pan.
"We just discovered Cindy's a morning person." Jill said, her voice muffled from where her head was in her arms on the counter. Claire just pushed a bottle of aspirin towards the brunette, who accepted it gratefully. Even Martha looked exhausted as she ate her food tiredly at Claire's feet.
"Did you sleep at all?" Lindsay asked, swallowing a couple of aspirin with the juice.
"I always get up this early after I've been drinking." Cindy shrugged her soulders, piling some crispy bacon onto her friends' plates. Lindsay's anger dissapeared as she tucked into her greasy breakfast.
"Yes, but do we have to suffer with you?" Jill asked as she resurfaced. Her annoyance dimmed somewhat aswell at seeing her plate. She picked up a piece of bacon with her fingers and nibbled on it.
Claire chuckled to herself at seeing how easily her girl's were won over with food, although she too had felt her irritation at being woken so early vanish at seeing the fresh juice Cindy had made.
The toaster popped, and Cindy grabbed her Pop Tarts and put them on a plate. She stood on the other side of the counter to eat them, jiggling from foot to foot.
"You're a funny girl." Jill said fondly, taking the container of aspirin off Lindsay.
Cindy grinned. "So what are we doing today?" She asked excitedly. "Want to go for a walk?"
Jill groaned. "You can go for a walk. I'm going back to bed for a couple of hours." She stood up, taking her plates and glass to the sink. "Wake me before lunch."
Lindsay nodded as she too took her dishes to the sink. "Yeah, me too. Thanks for breakfast."
Claire had to laugh at the look Cindy gave to Lindsay and Jill's retreating backs. The red head turned to Claire hopefully.
"Sure, honey. Just let me change my shoes."
Cindy nodded. "I'll meet you out front. Come on, Martha. Want to go for a walk?"
Martha's ears perked up at the word 'walk' and she jumped up, her tail wagging.
Cindy laughed as she went outside, Martha following at her heels. Stepping out into the early morning sunshine, Cindy couldn't help but feel happy. Despite what she said about L.A, she really did love the simple joy just being in the outdoors can bring. It reminded her of her father, and how he would take her and her brother camping when they were little.
"Ready?" Came the warm voice from behind her. Cindy turned to face Claire.
"Ready."