Author's note: And, here I am with another installment. I seem to be doing a lot of borrowing lately. A few lines from Tomb Raider. If you've seen the movie, you should know which scene I'm referring to when you read it. And, I couldn't resist the comparison game the sisters play. The Pearl Harbor debate actually took place between me and a friend soon after the movie first came out. The others were of my own creation. I really appreciate those of you that have reviewed and gotten this far. As far as I can tell, we're just over halfway through the story. Thanks again, and enjoy!

Music Selections: 'Broken like an angel' by Dollybraid, '4Ever' by The Veronicas, 'Vermillion Part 2' by Slipknot, 'Better now' by Collective Soul, 'Maybe tomorrow' by Stereophonics.

Disclaimer:No property rights on Supernatural, the music, or Tomb Raider.

Chapter 11: The Girls Go Shopping

Shane reluctantly trailed behind Taylor as she walked down the street, Taylor reciting a list as she looked for their first destination.

"We need a manicure and a pedicure, get our hair and makeup done because I don't feel like messing with it myself, and find killer outfits that everyone – mostly ourselves – will enjoy." Ticking the list on her fingers, she then looked up and stopped. "Here we are. Our first pit stop." Taylor said matter of factly.

Shane looked up as well. It was a Nail/Tanning salon. She followed her sister into the building, regardless of how much she didn't want to do this.

As the two were led to a chair and sat down, Taylor looked over to Shane.

"Let the fun begin." Taylor said with a rueful smile.

ooooovoooo*ooouoonooo*oooeoosooo*

"So, Ben Affleck or Josh Hartnett?" Taylor asked decisively.

"Are you kidding me? Josh Hartnett, definitely." Shane replied, sending her sister an incredulous look. Well, as much as she could with a mud mask and cucumbers on her eyes.

The two sisters had long since left the nail salon and were currently at a spa of some sorts. It was the only place they could find that catered to their hair and makeup needs, and was within walking distance. Each was laying reclined with a towel wrapped around their heads. They'd been told that purification was required before the makeup and hair could be worked with. It may have cost a fortune, but it wasn't as if they were paying for it. They charged it to one of 'their' credit cards. Sam and Dean weren't the only ones to employ credit card scams. They just didn't do it as frequently.

With nothing else to do but just lay there, Taylor had decided to play the comparison game. It was a game the two frequently played to catch up on who liked whom, actor-wise. Their current discussion was Danny versus Rafe from Pearl Harbor. "Why do you say that? Ben Affleck was with her first. They totally belonged together. Besides, just look at him." Taylor said with a flourishing wave of her hand.

"If they were supposed to end up together, then they shouldn't have put Josh Hartnett's character with her. That parachute scene was so romantic. Why did they have to kill him at the end? It just wasn't fair." Shane replied, tone going from defensive to dreamy to morose all in the same answer.

"I still say they made the right choice." Taylor replied with finality. "But anyway. Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, or Christian Bale?"

"Oh, now that's a tough one." Shane said thoughtfully, her face trying to scrunch up underneath all the purifying gunk. "I'm torn between Val Kilmer and Christian Bale as the best looking Batman. Do you remember that one scene in Batman Forever when they show off his anatomically correct posterior?" Shane continued.

Taylor sighed longingly.

"I know what you mean. But I'm gonna have to go with Christian Bale. He is all kinds of hot. I mean, come on. Just look at him." Taylor replied tartly with a sharp nod, nudging the cucumber slices back into place after the motion.

"When you're right, you're right." Shane agreed with a sigh. "Ooh. I've got a new one. Caleb, Reed, Pogue, or Tyler?"

"Favorite Covenant character? Caleb. No contest." Taylor said definitively.

"I don't know, I'm gonna have to go with Tyler. There's just something about him. He may have not had the most definition, muscle wise, but I just can't explain it. Maybe it's his eyes. As for the others, personally, I think Reed gets too much attention. And Pogue... I love his hair, he's got a motorcycle, and he's ripped, but maybe too much so. I may also have a slight weakness for motorcycles... As for Caleb, he takes a very close second after Tyler. Remember those dark looks and those tight abs? What I wouldn't have done..." Shane finished, sighing at the end.

"Wow. You've thought that one out, haven't you?" Taylor said shamelessly.

Shane almost rolled her eyes, but caught herself.

"Your mind wanders when you're swamped down with school work and have a nonexistent sex life." Shane said in defense.

"Well now, it would seem that you no longer have that problem, now do you?" Taylor asked playfully. She lifted one of the cucumbers from her eyes to survey the room. "Are they trying to tenderize us? How much longer are we gonna have to just lay here? We've been in here for almost an hour. We haven't got all day." Taylor snapped impatiently.

At this, Shane lifted the cucumbers from her eyes and sat up. Unable to hold it back any longer, she rolled her eyes at her sister's attitude and tentatively bit off a chunk of the cucumber.

"Hey, Taylor. Try one of these. They're actually pretty good." Shane said as she munched on the rest of the first slice.

Taylor shook her head with a small smile appearing on her lips.

"I don't think we're supposed to eat those."Taylor said carefully, as if speaking to a toddler.

"Why not? I don't know about you, but I haven't eaten all day and I'm starving." Shane retorted to her sister's comment as she finished off the second slice.

"We're here to get all dolled up and all you can think of is food." Taylor said in disbelief.

Shane just shrugged before looking to the cucumber slices in her sister's hand.

"You gonna eat those?" Shane asked.

ooaooo*ooxooooooo*ooozoooowo*ooocoooo

Totaling to three hours and two salons of torture later, Shane didn't know if she wanted to attack her sister or hug her. Sure, she didn't mind a little pampering every once in a while, but not all at one time. On the other hand, the suffering had paid off---they looked hot. Now all that was left to do was select their evening wear.

Rifling through a rack of dresses at a dress boutique, Shane wasn't really paying any attention to what she was looking at.

Turning around to show her sister a dress she had discovered, Taylor noticed that Shane wasn't any closer to finding a dress than she had twenty minutes ago when they had first come in. Sighing, she grabbed her sister's arm and dragged her to the other end of the shop.

"Come on now, Shane. It can't be that hard." At her sister's dubious look, Taylor continued. "You know what? I'll pick something out for you. Here, hold this." Taylor said decisively, handing Shane the dress and heading back down the aisle.

Shane sat down on a chair outside the dressing rooms to wait. A few minutes later, Taylor returned with a handful of dresses for them to try on.

"Here, you try on this half." Taylor said, dividing the pile in half and shoving the dresses into Shane's arms before walking into a dressing room and sliding the curtain shut behind her.

After trying on the first two dresses and finding them to look dreadful on her, Shane pulled on the third dress and turned to look at her reflection. The dress was beautiful. It was a rich, deep burgundy color, fell to just above her knees and wrapped around one shoulder like a toga with a gold clasp holding it together. She turned and looked over her shoulder to see that the dress was longer in back, falling down to mid-calf. A trim line running around the dress just below her breasts held the upper half to her chest securely. She twirled around and realized that the dress billowed out like the dress Marilyn Monroe had on with the air blowing up from beneath her.

Taylor peeked her head in to catch her sister staring at her reflection, a thoughtful look on her face. Sighing, Taylor smiled.

"I thought you might like that one. You gonna get it? I've already made my decision. Get changed and come on out." Taylor said, nodding her head in the direction of the register.

Shane emerged a few minutes later, the dress back on its hanger and dangling from her right hand. Taylor had also chosen a knee length cocktail dress, although hers was of a jade green color. Leaning against the doorway, Taylor gestured to the dress.

"Well?" Taylor asked dryly.

"I don't know." Shane said doubtfully. Even though she liked the dress, she was still wary of buying it.

Taylor noticed her sister's indecision.

"Look. You don't have to get the dress if you don't want to. I won't force you. But you can't punish yourself for something you had no control over. It's your life, it doesn't belong to anyone else. Live it up a little. Who knows? You might like wearing dresses and start fighting in them." Adding the last part to detract from the seriousness of the situation, Taylor smiled at her sister and turned to head up to the checkout counter, allowing Shane to mull it over.

ooonooo*ooosoooooo*ooovoooxoo*oooaooo

The party was due to begin at 8 PM that night, so Sam and Dean went to collect the girls at around 7. It was a half hour drive, but they wanted to leave early in case anything happened along the way.

Knocking on the door, Sam and Dean stood waiting in their dress slacks and button down shirts. A few moments later, Taylor opened the door and stepped out.

"Hello, boys" Taylor said in a sultry tone as she came out to stand beside them. "Shane will be out in just a moment."

"You look beautiful, Taylor." Sam said as he took in her attire, which consisted of a flowing green dress that was held up by spaghetti straps. It puckered in front at her breasts and sunk down to her lower back from behind. Her hair was pinned back behind her head in a French twist, fake ivy entwined throughout. A pair of strappy black heels completed the ensemble.

Dean was just enjoying the view from behind her.

"Why thank you, Sam." Taylor replied. Looking back in the direction of the room, Taylor added proudly, "Ah, there she is."

Both Sam and Dean glanced back in that direction and their jaws dropped. Sam mouthed "Oh my God." with no sound coming out. Shane was wearing the burgundy dress she had tried on earlier. Her hair was curled and piled up on top of her head and she was wearing a pair of heels similar to Taylor's but they had more of a Greek sandal wraparound look to them.

As Shane reached them, she uttered one word.

"Quiet." Shane said, drawing the word out before passing them and walking towards the car.

"How do you do it, Taylor?" Sam asked as Shane reached the car and gracefully slid inside.

Taylor grinned in response.

"A girl never reveals her secrets." Taylor replied before sauntering off after her sister.

"Well," Dean said, rubbing his hands together. "Let's do this thing." and headed for the car as well.

Sam was left gaping for a few moments before he finally shook his head and joined everyone at the car.

ooooaooooo*ooouoomooo*ooocooozoo*ooovooxooo

A/N 2: I know that it seems as if I've given Shane a phobia of dress wearing and anything remotely girly. I hope I didn't make her look too fearful of pampering. As for the spa and cucumbers, I completely and utterly made that all up. I've never been to a spa and know not what goes on within its walls. And I know it seems unlikely that they were invited to a party just for them. I just thought it would make an interesting interlude between all the fighting that takes place in the show. I mean, some people have to be thankful for their help and wish to celebrate, right? Until later…