For notes and disclaimer, please see part one.

Here's a couple things you might need to know or maybe you just forgot: Ellie spends most of her Thanksgiving at the ER, but there's still a big, wonderful family meal when she gets home, thanks to Casey's plan.

Falling to the Dark Side

Ellie looked up from the schematics rolled out on the coffee table, suddenly in a panic. "How are we on time?" It was such a delicate operation. Time was of the absolute essence.

Sarah checked her watch. "Not quite three AM. We're still good."

Alex pointed at what she thought might be a short cut. "What if I run through jewelry on my way to home appliances?"

Ellie shook her head.

"Jewelry bottlenecks," Sarah said knowingly. "Safest bet is a jog through linens."

"You guys do this often?" asked Alex, glancing back and forth between the older women.

"Third year running," Ellie said with a smile. "And the student has become the teacher," she added, proud of Sarah.

Morgan padded blindly into the living room, to the kitchen. He winced against the lights. "What are you ladies doing up?" He stopped. "Geez, what are you three planning?" he said, looking at the papers strewn from one end of the room to the other. "Some kinda bank heist?"

"Not exactly," Alex said.

Morgan paused, taking in the comfortable but form-fitting clothing, the running shoes, the jackets and shoulder bags. "Oh, no. No, no, no. You're them, aren't you? Black Friday shoppers?"

"It is the single greatest shopping day of the season," Ellie pointed out.

"It's the single craziest shopping day of the season. If I didn't have to go, I wouldn't. Trust me, running a real fake Buy More isn't all it's cracked up to be on days like this. Obligatory days. Columbus Day sales. Labor Day sales. Memorial Day sales... And Black Friday. They made up a holiday just to have a sale. That is so not fair."

Before any of the ladies could rebut, there was a knock at the door.

"You expecting more crazy people?" Morgan asked as he crossed to the front door, opening it. He blinked when he came face to face with a feline. "Downy?"

Downy meowed.

Casey grunted. "Seems Downy knew there was a hen party in here," he said as the calico jumped from his arms and crossed to Ellie, Sarah and Alex. "Wouldn't let me sleep."

Morgan, who was in his Darth Vader pajamas, looked hopefully at Casey, already dressed in blue jeans and a black polo. "Since you're up, I have a wonderful, amazing, stupendous idea."

"No," Casey said quickly.

"But... But, you haven't even heard it yet. And did I mention it was stupendous?"

"You want me to work today at the Buy More," said the Marine matter-of-factly.

Morgan nodded hopefully.

"That's not a stupendous idea. It's a stupid idea."

Morgan deflated.

"There is an alternative to that plan," Ellie said, glancing up at Casey.

"And what's that?"

All three ladies exchanged looks. Downy even meowed again.

"You could come with us," suggested Sarah.

Morgan immediately shook his head. "Black Friday is not a place for the faint of heart or..." Casey wasn't exactly weak by any means. "Or... or men. Men of any kind. Men who will be relegated to purse-holding status or purchase toting. That's... that's not dignified for a soldier, is it?" Morgan asked, punching Casey very lightly in the arm. "No way. No, sir." Morgan could tell, however, that he was fighting a losing battle.

Alex blinked her big blue eyes at her dad.

"For... For a spy, no."

Ellie's expression was filled with hope.

"For... for a trained killer!"

But, it was too late. "Sure."

"Maaaan," sighed Morgan, dejectedly heading into the kitchen. "You've done it now, big guy. You've fallen to the Dark Side."

Alex offered a tiny cheer. "Score! Buy More employee discount!"

"But, the merchandise is already priced so low-low-low..." Morgan winced when he saw Alex pout. "Yeah, okay."

While Alex and Sarah sorted the purchases on the living room table (with help from Downy, sniffing at everything) and Ellie whipped up breakfast, Casey poked around in the freezer, finding a frozen bag of peas and resting it on his shoulder. He'd had to check some would-be guardian of the last of the blenders out of the way. It had ended in an all-out brawl in the furniture section, complete with a kitchen stool broken over his back.

"How are you feeling?" Ellie asked, glancing worriedly at Casey as he leaned against the counter, watching her scramble eggs.

"I'm fine. I'm just... alarmed. How often do you do this?"

"Once a year. Every year," she answered.

"Those people are insane. They're worse than most terrorists."

"Are you kidding?" Alex asked from the living room. "That was the most fun I think I've ever had shopping!"

"Definitely my daughter," Casey muttered.

"It's usually not that bad," Ellie said, dipping thick slices of bread in her egg mixture, before frying up french toast.

"Next year," Casey began.

Ellie glanced up at him.

"Next year, you're not going without me. Next year, I'm bringing my tranq gun."

Ellie smiled broadly. Morgan had been right that morning. She had lured him to the Dark Side.

Stay tuned...