Waking Up In Vegas

Chapter Thirty

"Jenny."

The young woman turned as her employer's friend called her name- or rather called her assumed name. She barely resisted wrinkling her nose. Quinze was an asshole, in her opinion. And a rather dim one at that. If America had people like him running the government... then no wonder the economy was in a backslide.

"Yes, sir?"

"Come here for a moment, my dear."

Hiding her cringe, she followed the man into the study next to the room that Tsubarov had allowed him for his stay here. He closed the door behind them.

"Jenny, my dear. I will make this as simple as I can. Your talents are waisted here. I'm sure you'd find more... satisfaction... under my employ. I can assure you that the pay and benefits are better, as well." He accompanied the word 'satisfaction' with a supposedly sexy smirk and a leer at her. All she found it was repulsive.

"I am quite happy here with Governor Tsubarov," she replied as diplomatically as she could.

"Tsubarov doesn't appreciate things the way I do. He sets things on a pedestal. Things to him are meant to be looked at. How can I put this so you can understand? Which would be preferable? Maid to a demanding governor? Or Mistress to a gentle senator?"

She almost gagged, but she hid it well.

"Again, Senator. I am quite happy with my position here. Please... If I may leave now?"

She moved around him for the exit, but his hand shot out and gripped her wrist. She knew she'd have bruises tomorrow for them. "Please sir... unhand me."

"No. If you won't voluntarily come to my service, then I shall have to do it by force. And I assure you... screaming will do no good. And a maid's word against a senator's never flys."

He took his other hand and latched it against her thigh, riding it up and pushing her skirt up.

Damn. She had not wanted to blow her cover... but damn if she'd let this prick touch her. She'd come too damn close to this too many times in the past. She wasn't about to let this asshole change things.

She twisted her wrist away, jerking her knee up into his groin. He let out an expletive, and released her. She turned to make her way out of that room, but he pushed her, making her stumble into the table. Before she could move again, his hands were wrapped in her short black hair, jerking.

Only it didn't work quite the way he'd planned. When she twisted away... the wig came loose, pulling with it all the pins and clips and the rubber cap that kept her true identity secret. She cried out softly as the clips pulled loose a few strands of hair. As she mentally cursed, pale blond locks fell in waves, tumbling down to her waist.

"What the...."

Quinze stood staring at her, dumbfounded. The wig was clutched in his hand, and she was standing in front of him. As her hair cascaded free, she could feel the gears start to turn in his mind. He had to know who she was. If they really were after ZERO, then he'd have seen the pictures of her.

"Shit!" she exclaimed... then made a break for it. She speeded through the house she'd memorized like the back of her hand. She stopped in her room only long enough to grab up her purple netbook tablet. She grabbed a bluetooth earpiece from her dresser, shoving it in her ear as she fled, with alarms and yells behind her. Tapping in the command on the tablet without ever shortening her stride, she dialed the first person she knew.

"Papa bear, this is the phoenix! I need extraction NOW!!! Cover is blown!" she shouted as soon as the call connected.

"Baby? Oh, hell, Jezebel! We can't get there in time!"

"Set up Plan B at the airport. But I'm heading to Tennessee; Get me coordinates to get to Cool Water! Heero's heading to Quatre, I'm positive!"

"Affirmed. Get there and stay safe, baby. And for heaven's sake, child, be careful about who you tell about you! You're supposed to be dead, remember?"

"No shit, Sherlock," she growled back at him as she skidded through a side door and sprinted to her white Ford Taurus. She slid into the drivers seat, tossing the laptop in the passenger seat, turning the key and putting it in gear almost simultaneously.

"I'm sending your mama out there as soon as I can. I'd hate to think I got you back that once only to loose you again." She nodded, though he couldn't see, as she layed rubber in her haste to get out of there.

"Right, papa bear. Phoenix, out."

The cyclone didn't slow down, Quatre noticed. A good two and a half hours later, after dinner had been finished, they all sat around the livingroom. They talked and talked and talked. Ashley had pulled out a fiddle from somewhere and played a few tunes. Quatre had made a comment, and had ended up having to play a tune or two as well. Megan had started to gush about her husband, and even pulled out a few pictures from his days of playing soccer. A knee injury had forced his early retirement, but he had landed a coaching job at a university near their home. Ali demonstrated some dribbles and tricks, delighting the three children.

Speaking of children... Quatre somehow found himself used as a pillow. Zander, Megan's blond haired, blue eyes boy, had been the first to crash, snuggling up next to Quatre... since Quatre was on the most comfy loveseat. The little Zoe, with her mother's eyes and her father's hair, had decided her brother had the right idea and scrambled onto Quatre's lap to fall right asleep. Meilan ended up tucking herself against Quatre's other side. Right about now, his legs were tingling, and his left arm was most definitely asleep. He let himself drift into thoughts, but was surprised back when a flash and a click went off.

Megan was standing in front of him, laughing. Her green eyes glittered with mirth as she turned the camera around to show him the LCD screen. Quatre blinked.

"It's adorable," Trowa whispered, leaning down over the back of the loveseat, looking at the picture. "You're very good with kids."

"I didn't know. I never got to spend much time with any of my nieces or anything."

"Well. You're a natural," Meg chuckled, setting the camera aside and reaching for her son. "I think it's time for all the little ones to go to their beds."

Trowa reached for Zoe with a natural grace, easily lifting the little girl into his arms. "I'll help," he said quietly, though it was obvious that that was what he was doing.

Alejandro, Megan's husband, wandered over. He was quite tall and broad, with mocha skin, deep glittering blue eyes and curly dark brown hair that reached just past his shoulders. There were sun-bleached streaks of light brown here and there in his hair, testament to his days spent outdoors on the fields coaching.

"Ali," Wufei looked up. "Do you think... I mean, would you and Meg mind coming to visit us tomorrow? I want to have help to settle Mei into the house, and she'll be surrounded by alot of people she doesn't know very well. It would help to have a few familiar faces around." The Chinese man cast a soft glance down at his slumbering daughter.

"We'd love too," Ali smiled. "We've been with you since this started. We're not going to abandon you now that it's finished."

Wufei nodded, casting his eyes down in a show of thanks.

"She looks like you," Quatre said softly.

"Hmm?" The two asked at the same time.

"Meilan," Quatre explained. "She looks like you, Wufei. Not just the generalized features of her nationality. But she has your eyes. Her nose is even the same shape as yours, and she has the same smile, sort of."

Wufei frowned. "Lien was my cousin. Our mothers were sisters."

"Ah," Quatre nodded. "It shows." Then he smiled. "And she seems to have some of Duo's personality."

"God, I hope not," Delana groaned. "One of him is enough."

That broke the ice that Quatre' unintentionally created. Justin settled down onto the loveseat beside Quatre.

"So," The blond boy drawled. "How'd you like our family? Crazy lot, aren't we?"

Quatre smiled. "Oh, you all seemed pretty normal. Up until Duo shot milk from his nose at Ashley's raunchy joke. And when Megan started ranting in Spanish. And Trowa decided to show off those gymnastics moves."

Justin laughed heartily. "And you did seema bit 'off' when Delana kissed Ali on the lips."

Quatre blushed. "That's... that's just something normal people don't do. Kiss other people while their wives are standing right there."

Alejandro joined in the laughing. "Y'know, if Meg thought there was anything behind it, she'd be livid. As it is, Delana only does it to try to get a rise out of her."

"Meg found out a long time ago that's why I was doing it," Delana shrugged. "I'd never do anything that I thought would jeopardize their relationship. Surely you see that alot up in New York? Rubbing elbows with the models and such."

Quatre laughed. "I rub elbows with fat old men in bussiness suits."

Alejandro burst out with gusty laughter, causing Meilan to grunt in her sleep and cuddle closer to Quatre. "You fit in just fine," he told Quatre. "I think you'll be a perfect addition to our family."

Quatre blinked, shocked. So acceptance was just that easy? He looked up to see Trowa leaning over his shoulder, smiling softly. He'd obviously made it back just in time to hear Ali's statement.

"So do I," Trowa admitted, kissing Quatre's cheeck. "So do I."

Quatre tilted his head so that he could meet Trowa's kiss with his lips. Delana laughed lightly, snapping another picture with Meg's camera.

And then the doorbell rang.

To be continued....

AN: ^_^ We're finally going to get into the action. The really fun stuff. We're letting go of the sap and grabbing hold of the adventure! Oh, and if you're enjoying this story, then please, please please check out the side fics to it. 'Debates of a Passionate Heart' focuses on Duo and Wufei's past... specifically how they met. And 'Hit and Run', which has just been posted, deals with the two OC's... Megan and Alejandro... and how they met. Tori also pops up in it. Both stories can be found under my account! Thanks!

Oh... and much love to VED, as always! This story would not happen if not for you, girl! Huggles.