Lights Up At The Moroccan by SS (preq to TNOY)

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 10

“Ouch,” Georgie complained as thosands of rainbow-colored jellybeans rained down on her and Dillon.
“Oops,” replied Zander, standing by the door with an empty bucket. “Sorry. I thought it would be festive.”
“And it was,” Emily assured him, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning in to kiss him.
“Uh uh uh - decorum, Ms. Quartermaine,” Lucky teased, as Emily removed her lips from Zander’s to stick her tongue out at her best friend. Lucky grinned in response as he made his way through the sea of jellybeans over to the pair in the doorway. “Happy birthday, babygirl,” he smiled, kissing Georgie’s cheek and lifting her off the ground.
“Happy birthday!” Elizabeth echoed, coming over to hug Georgie as Lucky put her down.
"Happy birthday, Georgie." Zander said walking over and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Happy birthday! Hope you were surprised." Emily said hugging her.
"Ohh, I am very surprised." Georgie replied smiling. "Thank you guys so much!"
"Are you ready to party?" Dillon asked as he walked over to the jukebox and pressed a few numbers.
I’m a real wild one, wild one, wild one.”
“Woohoo!” Elizabeth teased, bumping her hip against Georgie’s. She lifted the younger girl’s hand, twirling her around.
Well I’m just outta school
Like I’m real, real cool
Gotta dance like a fool
Got the message that I gotta be a wild one
Ooh yeah, I’m a wild one.
“Iggy Pop, very nice,” Emily commented to her cousin as they all danced. “Grandfather would be proud.”
Dillon grinned, stumbling a little as Emily bumped him. “Thank you, thank you,” he replied.
“What’s Iggy Pop?” Georgie asked, wiggling her hips to the music.
Dillon rolled his eyes. “You’re hopeless, Jones,” he scolded her.
“Hey, lay off my girl,” Lucky admonished, pulling Georgie into a hug. She wrapped her arms around Lucky’s neck and pouted at Dillon.
“1960’s British heroin addicted punk rock,” Zander clarified, spinning Emily around.
“I can’t believe you don’t know Iggy,” Dillon called to Georgie, who was still tossing him injured looks from Lucky’s protective grasp.
“Meanie.”
“Awwww...” Dillon poked Georgie in the sides. “Don’t be mad, please?” He stuck his lower lip out.
Georgie laughed, relenting. “You look like a monkey,” she informed him as the song ended. A brass and percussion intro played.
Have you met Miss Jones
Someone said as we shook hands.
She was just Miss Jones to me.
Dillon pulled her away from Lucky. “Whatever you say birthday girl. Come on!” He rocked her to the music.
“Nice choice of music,” Elizabeth commented, smiling brightly at a blushing Georgie. “Very appropriate for the girl of the hour.” She laughed.
Then I said “Miss Jones,
You’re a girl who understands.
I’m a man who must be free.”
Dillon took Georgie’s hand, lifting it. “Twirl around, Miss Jones,” he instructed her. She did so, laughing.
“Hey, I get a turn too,” Zander demanded, dipping Liz. “Trade.”
Dillon nodded. “Sure thing.” He spun Georgie out, passing her to Zander, as Elizabeth was twirled into him.
“You boys are charming,” Elizabeth joked as Dillon caught her.
“Aren’t we just?” Lucky teased, as he mock-grinded with Emily, moving his hips against hers. She grabbed his butt, making his eyes pop open as Elizabeth laughed.
“Go Em!”
And all at once I lost my breath
And all at once was scared to death
And all at once, I own the earth and sky.
Dillon laughed. “Is this really appropriate groin hopping music?” He queried. Georgie giggled.
“So young, such a mouth,” Emily admonished. “Shocking!”
“Oh look who’s setting the example,” Dillon shot back as Emily pretended to grope Lucky.
“Come now Quartermaine children,” Elizabeth teased.
Lucky dipped Emily backwards and passed her into Zander’s arms.
“Hey Smith, take your pervert girlfriend,” Lucky laughed, pulling Georgie toward him with one hand and swatting Emily on the backside with the other.
“You know you love it, Spencer,” Em called, moving her hips against Zander’s as Lucky bumped hips with Georgie. Dillon spun Elizabeth in a circle.
Now I’ve met Miss Jones
And we’ll keep on meeting till we die
Miss Jones and I.
"Georgie," Lucky called out from behind the counter. "wanna make some s'mores?"
Georgie ran up to the counter, and jumped into one of the chairs. "Yeah!"
"Oohh, my favorite!" Emily said taking a seat at the counter, with Zander right beside her.
"I'll help." Elizabeth said walking behind the counter and grabbing everything they needed.
"Hey guys?" Dillon said sitting down next to Georgie.
"Yeah?" They all asked looking at him.
"I’ve never had s’mores," he admitted, “what’s the big deal with them?”
"Are you serious?" Emily asked, looking over at her cousin.
He shook his head.
"What kind of deprived childhood have you had?" Georgie asked with a shocked expression on her face.
"Growing up all over Europe in five star hotels, you don't really get to eat those kind of junk foods." Dillon explained, laughing slightly.
"Don't worry." Elizabeth said as she made the s'mores. "You'll love them!"
"They're soooo yummy!" Georgie said rubbing her stomach.
"Here, want to help me make one?" Liz asked.
"Sure!" Dillon said, getting up off the chair and walking behind the counter.
"You put the graham cracker first," she explained. "Then a piece of chocolate, a marshmallow and another graham cracker."
"Two marshmallows," Emily corrected. "One on each side of the chocolate. And you can put peanut butter on the graham crackers if you want, both sides. Then sprinkle powdered sugar on the outside."
"Yeah, we call those Nauseation S'mores," Lucky quipped.
"Emily's Famous Root Canal S'mores," Elizabeth added.
"Hey," Em protested. "I have not needed root canal ever. Thank you very much."
Zander shook his head, kissing Em's cheek. "You're a diabetic's worst nightmare," he admonished.
"I have a little bit of a sweet tooth!" she protested, to scoffs of laughter.
"Little bit, my a- something," Lucky countered. Emily pouted at him.
"I'll try one," Dillon spoke up. Emily wrapped her arms around him from behind, leaning her chin on his shoulder.
“See, my cousin loves me,” Emily said indignantly.
“I’ll try one like that too,” Georgie added. “I like peanut butter.”
“And you’ve got the same sweet tooth as Em has,” Dillon informed his friend.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “You two share one then. Otherwise two minutes in that junkmobile of Lucky’s, and you kids will be throwing up the whole way home.”
“Hey, don’t knock my car,” Lucky protested, laying out bars of chocolate.
“Sweetheart, baby,” Elizabeth walked around the counter, pressing her lips to his neck. “I love you dearly, but your car is a piece of crap.”
“Is not,” Lucky protested, relenting as Elizabeth pulled him into a deep kiss.
Emily hooted. “Woohoo, PDA!”
“Yeah, not in front of the children,” Dillon joked, covering Georgie’s eyes. She looped her arm around, covering his as well.
“And if you two are done exchanging fluids,” Zander began.
“Ewwww!” Georgie and Dillon wrinkled adolescent noses, as Liz and Lucky pulled away from each other.
“I believe we have s’mores to make,” he finished.
Emily hopped up on to a stool. “Woohoo!” she cheered.
Elizabeth laughed, shaking her head. “Em, sweetie, how much sugar have you had already today?”
“Not too much,” Emily replied.
Lucky checked his watch. “Time,” he announced. Elizabeth went into the kitchen.
"Marshmallows are done!" Liz said, carrying the tray out to the counter.
"Woohoo!" Em and Georgie yelled.
"Such children." Lucky said rolling his eyes.
"Hey! I am a child, and I'm proud of it!" Georgie said laughing.
"I'm still a child at heart, so hush." Em said sticking her tongue out at her best friend, as they all gathered around to assemble s’mores.
“OK, run this by me again.” Dillon shook his head.
“Once again, for the slow,” Georgie teased, receiving a dirty look from Dillon. “One graham cracker, one marshmallow, a half a chocolate bar, another marshmallow, top with another graham cracker, and...smush.” She mashed the concotion gleefully together.
“All right,” Dillon said, “like this?” He built a s’more, smushing it together and holding it up for approval.
“Excellent!” Emily approved, digging into the jar of peanut butter.
“Quick study,” Elizabeth commmented.
Once they all had their s’mores, Lucky held up his hand.
“All right then,” he announced, turning to Georgie. He raised his s’more. “A toast, to you, little darling-”
“Kristy McNichols and Tatum O’Neill, 1980,” Dillon announced randomly.
“Eh?” Zander peered at him.
Dillon shook his head. “Little Darlings. Nevermind.”
“Movie citation,” Georgie laughed.
“Hey!” Lucky called for attention. “Eyes up people.” They looked at him, Em saluting, as Lucky raised his s’more again. They all followed suit. “To Georgie Jones, on her thirteenth birthday.” He smiled affectionately. “Many happy returns. To Georgie.”
“To Georgie,” Zander and Dillon replied.
“Happy birthday Georgie!” Emily and Elizabeth called out as they all toasted with their s’mores. Georgie hid behind her hair.
“Thank you.”
They all bit indulgently into their s’mores. Emily groaned in ecstasy.
“So what do you think?” Lucky asked Dillon as the boy bit into his first s’more.
Dillon nodded with approval. “Orgasmic,” he replied, his mouth full.
“For the love of God, tell me he doesn’t know that means,” Emily muttered to Zander. He shrugged teasingly.
“Teenagers...”
Emily smacked him. “You keep hush.”

Em reached out her hand. “More chocolate please.”
“Oh my god,” Zander groaned. “You are going to be so sick. What is that, eight?”
Emily rolled her eyes. “Five!”
“Yeah, Em has a hollow leg,” Lucky commented. “Haven’t you ever seen her put away a whole Hawaiian pizza?”
“All right,” Em conceded. “How about we dance more? That work?” She walked over to the jukebox.
This will be
an everlasting love
“Come on chickie.” She pulled Georgie to her feet.
This will be
The one I've waited for..'
"Come on, Liz!" Dillon yelled jumping off the chair and meeting her where Georgie and Em were dancing. He took her hand and pulled her closer to him.
"Watch it, Quartermaine!" Lucky yelled, as he watched them dance.
He laughed, pushing her away and twirling her in a circle. "Sorry, just couldn't resist!" He yelled back.
Liz laughed as she and Dillon danced to the music.
'Loving you
Is some kind of wonderful
Lucky walked out on the floor and made his way to Georgie as Emily and Zander started dancing.
"Hello, little lady." Lucky said, taking Georgie's hand and spinning her in circles.
"Lucky!" Georgie yelled. "Stop spinning, I don't want to be sick." She said laughing.
Because you've shown me
Just how much you care
You've given me the thrill of a lifetime
And made me believe you've got more thrills to spare..'
"Change it up!" Dillon yelled as he made his way over to Georgie. "May I cut in?"
"Sure thing." Lucky said, giving her one last spin before handing her over to him.
This will be an everlasting love
You brought a lot of a sunshine in to my life
You filled me with happiness i never knew
You gave me more joy then i ever dreamed of.
And no one can take the place that you have.
Dillon took hold of Georgie's hand and brought her closer to him. "Hey there, Jones."
"What are you up to, Quartermaine?" She asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Not a thing." He said just before pushing her away, spinning her around in a circle, and pulling her back towards him.
"Can I dance with my best friend now?" Lucky asked Zander.
"Sure, why not." He gave Emily a quick kiss before handing her to him.
This will be, you and me, yes siree eternally
Hugging and squeezing,
Kissing and pleasing,
Together forever throughever whatever.
Zander walked toward Elizabeth. "Care to dance?"
"With you? Anytime." She said smiling.
Yeah yeah yeah you and me
So long as I'm living true love I'll be giving
To you I'll be serving cause you're so deserving
Hey, you're so deserving, you're so deserving
The music faded out, rising again in a slow tempo.
“Hey Em...” Lucky smiled, pulling her closer. She smiled back, nodding at the song.
“Heyyyy...”
Every now and then
we find a special friend
who never lets us down
Zander held out a hand to Elizabeth. “Miss Webber?”
“Mr. Smith.” She stepped into his frame.
Dillon looked at Georgie. “You wanna dance?” He asked, a little shyly.
She nodded. “Okay.”
Who understands it all
Reaches out each time we fall
You’re the best friend that I found
He held up a hand, trying to assume proper dance frame. She went into his arms, but they realized they didn’t know how to step.
I know you can’t stay
A part of you will never ever go away
Your heart will stay
“I’m sorry,” Georgie blushed. “I never really slow danced before,” she whispered.
Dillon grinned sheepishly. “Me neither.”
I’ll make a wish for you
and hope it will come true
If life would just be kind
to such a gentle mind
Georgie stepped back. “Ummm...”
If you’re losing your way
Think back on yesterday
Remember me this way
Oooh...remember me this way
Dillon reached out, taking her hand. “Um, here,” he said, “let’s do...” He wrapped her arms around her neck and placed his hands on her waist.
I don’t need eyes to see
The love you bring to me
No matter where I go
“And I think then just...” They swayed back and forth to the music.
Dancing with Zander, Elizabeth reached over to poke Emily.
“So cute,” she mouthed, looking at the kids.
Lucky smiled at his girlfriend as he twirled his best friend out. She laughed, coming back into Lucky’s body.
And I know that you’ll be there
Forever more a part of me anywhere
I’ll always care
“Those two are a lot like Lucky and Em, aren’t they?” Zander asked Liz, cocking his head toward Dillon and Georgie.
She nodded, smiling. “Yeah, doppelgangers.”
I’ll make a wish for you
And hope it will come true
“This is kinda fun,” Dillon commented as he and Georgie swayed to the music.
She smiled, nodding. “Yeah. You’re an okay dancer.”
“Yeah you too, kid,” he replied.
She leaned back, staring at him. “Who you callin’ kid? You’re only ten months older than me.”
Dillon just laughed.
If life will just be kind
To such a gentle mind
“Hey loser,” Georgie joked.
Dillon raised an eyebrow. “Yes, Miss Featherhead?”
Georgie shook her head at him. “Thank you,” she said seriously. “This turned out to be a great birthday after all.” She tightened her arms around his neck, hugging him.
Dillon hugged her back, still moving to the music. “You’re welcome.”
If you’re losing your way
Think back on yesterday
Remember me this way...ooh
Remember me this way



Preview:
"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, and oh, did I mention, I hate you?"

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 11


“I don’t get it,” Georgie complained, twisting a lock of hair around her finger. “Why do we have to take a sex ed unit?”
Dillon smirked, leaning against the water fountain. “So that if you ever do actually have sex you won’t scream in horror, going ‘you wanna put what where?!’” He stuck his tongue out at her.
“Oh like you have so much experience,” she scoffed. “How much sex have you had?”
He smirked again, his eyes drifting none-too-subtly to his right hand. Following his eyes, Georgie gasped in horror.
“Ewww!” she cried, shoving him. “You’re vile!” She smacked him in the chest once more before hurrying away, a disturbed look on her face.
Dillon laughed, chasing her. “Two kinds of people in this world and the other kind are liars,” he teased.

“The most important thing to remember,” Ms. Harris intoned, “is that sexuality is a part of nature. There is nothing vile or disgusting about what happens to your bodies. Curiousity and exploration of the body is natural and normal.”
“See?” Dillon nudged Georgie. “I told you so.”
“She said doing it is normal, not telling your best friend about it,” Georgie hissed back.
“What, it’s not like I told you details,” Dillon protested. “I wasn’t like ‘hey Georgie, so I had this jar of Vaseline- mmmppphh.”
“Miss Jones, release Mr. Quartermaine, please,” Ms. Harris demanded. Georgie reluctantly took her hands off of Dillon’s mouth.
“Sorry, Ms. Harris,” she apologized. She scowled at Dillon. “You suck.”
“I’m surprised at you, Georgie,” the teacher lectured as Georgie blushed under the stares of her classmates. “You’re usually so well-behaved in class.”
“It’s my fault,” Dillon jumped in, “I goaded her.”
Ms. Harris looked at him sternly. “Thank you for taking responsibility, Mr. Quartermaine. I expect you both to pay more attention.”
They nodded humbly. “Yes ma’am.”
“Miss Jones,” the teacher said, “please describe the pathway of sperm for the the class.”
Georgie blushed. “Um, okay, um-”
“Hey, you’re gonna have to say-” Dillon’s teasing was cut off as Georgie elbowed him in the gut.
“I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, and oh, did I mention, I hate you?” she hissed as Dillon laughed.
“Mr. Quartermaine, Miss Jones, hallway,” Ms. Harris told them sternly, pointing to the door. “Five minutes.” She pointed her chalk at them as they slid off their stools. “Collect yourselves.”

Georgie walked out of the classroom with Dillon right behind her. He shut the door as she leaned up against the wall. He slowly walked toward her, leaning up against the wall. "So," he began to say, breaking the silence. "do you really hate me?"
Georgie stared across the hallway. "I don't hate you, Dillon. I just hate getting into trouble." She said, finally looking at him.
He looked at her innocently. "You're the one who was trying to cut off my air supply." He reminded her, laughing slightly.
"Yeah, well, you're gross." She said, looking him straight in the eyes. "I know we're best friends, but that does not mean that I want to know how many times you've slept with someone, or what you do with Vaseline."
Dillon started laughing at the seriousness in which Georgie was talking. "Georgie, I was just messing with you. I love to see you squirm." He said gently tickling her sides.
"I know." Georgie said rolling her eyes, and looking down at the tiled floor.
"Hey," he said, causing her to look back up at him. "I'm sorry. I promise I won't get you in trouble again. I don't want you to hate me."
"I could never hate you." She said, shaking her head.
"Come here," he said, as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. Georgie pressed her chin on his shoulder. “Friends?”
“Always,” she replied begrudgingly. “But you’re still a perv.”
“And what makes you say that?” Dillon held her at arms length, his face the picture of innocence.
Georgie rolled her eyes. “Um, telling me about your sex life?”
Dillon laughed. “Georgie,” he confided, “I don’t have a sex life.” He grinned. “Come on, you saw me at your birthday party. I can barely slow dance. What, did you think I was some kind of a ladies’ man in Europe?”
Georgie raised an eyebrow. “Actually, I never really thought you were any kind of man,” she informed him.
“Oh!” Dillon drew back dramatically. “Straight to the gut!”
Georgie laughed. “Score one for Jones!”
“Come here.” Dillon grabbed for her, tickling her ribs as Georgie squirmed.
"Ahem," Ms. Harris cleared her throat, causing them to step back. "Do you think you can exhibit proper decorum now?"
"Yes ma’am." They both replied, nodding their heads.
She stepped aside, letting them walk back into the room.
"Mr. Quartermaine, Miss Jones," Ms. Harris said, as she stood in the front of the classroom.
Dillon and Georgie both looked up.
"I expect a 1,000 word essay on the benefits of contraception, due by the beginning of next week,” she said as they reclaimed their seats. “I hope to see better behavior from the both of you."
“Yes ma’am,” they repeated.
“Benefits of contraception,” quipped a kid in the third row. “Condoms are good because they prevent bad things from happening.”
“Yeah,” added his lab partner. “Like us.” The class erupted in laughter. “Dude, Quartermaine can use the extra research to find out which ones are best to wrap it with for when he ah, bones Jones.”
“Haha, bones Jones,” the first kid laughed. “That rhymes, dude. Bones Jones.” Dillon dropped his head on to his arms as Georgie wondered whether it was possible to literally die of embarrassment.
Ms. Harris spoke loudly over the din of laughter. “That’s quite enough out of both of you. Frick and Frack will see Vice Principal Roth in detention this afternoon.”
Her announcement was met by groans from the two hecklers.
“Dude!” They protested.

"Oh god, that was horrible." Georgie said, as she and Dillon walked down the hallway.
"I'm sorry, I guess it's mainly my fault, but I know what you mean," Dillon said, shaking his head. "it was horrible."
"It's not all your fault, we were both causing trouble." She admitted.
"Does that mean you'll help me with my essay?" He asked, hopeful.
Georgie laughed slightly. "No way! You can do it yourself, I've got my own essay to worry about, thank you very much."
“Aw man,” Dillon complained. “What good is a brainiac best friend if she won’t help you with your homework?”
“I would help you,” Georgie countered, “if I didn’t have to write an extra credit essay because my big mouth best friend was gossiping to me in class.”
Dillon looked at her, agog. “Hey, men do not gossip,” he objected. “We discuss.”
“I thought we ‘discussed’ this earlier,” Georgie shot back, her hands on her hips. “You’re not a man.” She stared him down, daring him to protest. “And the opinion of your right hand doesn’t count.”
“Oh!” Dillon cried. “Who’s the big mouth now?” He shook his head. “Damn, hitting below the belt, Jones.”
Georgie buffed her fingernails nonchalantly against her sleeve. “Yeah...I rule all.”
“You wish,” Dillon informed her.
Georgie gazed at him archly. “Oh, no, I don’t wish. I just do.”
“Fine,” he conceded, bowing, “all hail Queen Georgie.”
She grinned. “Much better.”
Dillon rolled his eyes as they walked along the corridor. “Oh man,” he laughed suddenly.
“What?” Georgie narrowed her eyes at him.
“Dude, condoms are good because they prevent bad things from happening,” Dillon mimicked.
“Yeah, like us,” Georgie finished. “Idiots.”
“Hey Georgie, about what they said,” Dillon hedged. Georgie held up a hand.
“Pretend it never happened?” she suggested quickly.
Dillon nodded. “I’m game if you are.”
“Oh yeah,” she replied. “Definitely.”
Dillon glanced sidelong at her, a smile playing on his lips. Georgie looked back at him with dread.
“What?” she demanded.
“Heh heh,” he mimicked. “Bones Jones.”
“Shut up.”
“Dude, that rhymes,” Dillon heckled, walking faster.
“You suck,” Georgie called, chasing him.
“It’s like, poetry,” he yelled, starting to run. Georgie ran after him, knocking into him. “Like, awesome poetry, dude.”
“Bite me, Quartermaine,” she shot back.
Dillon wiggled his eyebrows at her, leering. “Where?”


Preview:
"It's just a movie."

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 12



"I cannot believe you're still dressing up for Halloween." Dillon said, shaking his head at Elizabeth as they stood in the foyer of the Quartermaine mansion.
"Hey, dressing up and going to Halloween parties is completely different when you're in college, wait and see." She explained to him.
"Yeah," he said, walking into the living room and taking a seat on the couch. "so what are you dressing up as." He asked.
"Em and I are going to be bobbysoxers, and Lucky and Zander are going to be greasers." She explained, taking a bag of M&Ms from the bowl on the table, and sitting on a chair.
"Oh, so original." He said, rolling his eyes.
"Says the kid that doesn't dress up." She said, ruffling his hair.
"Hey!" He yelled, moving away from her. "I just prefer to sit at home, and watch scary movies."
"So original." She said, mocking his previous statement.
He stuck his tongue out at her, and made a funny face.
"Nice Quartermaine, you look very handsome when you do that." She said, sarcastically.
"Thanks, I try." He laughed, getting up from the couch, and stealing one of her M&Ms.
"Hey! Get your own candy!" She yelled, pushing him away, and walking toward the stairs.
Dillon ran out of the living room. "Hey, where are you going?" He asked, sticking out his bottom lip as he looked up at her.

"I'm going to get ready now." She said, turning around to face him. "You don't need a babysitter, do you?" She asked, sarcastically.
"Ohh, you're going to get it Webber!" He yelled, as she started to run up the stairs laughing.
"Whoa," Em said, as she cleared the way for Liz. "Hey Dillon."
"Hey," he said, smiling at his cousin. “So, Grease is the word, eh?”
“What?” Em raised an eyebrow.
“Your costume.” Dillon indicated Emily’s poodle skirt, sweater set and saddle shoes. “You look like the one of the poodle girls from Grease.”
Em laughed. “I love that movie.”
“Most girls do,” Dillon commented. “Hey, Em, I gotta run upstairs for a second. I’ll be right back.”
She nodded. “Kay.”
Dillon rushed up the stairs as Monica came into the foyer.
“Oh my goodness,” she exclaimed. “Look at you.”
Emily turned around. “You like it?” She twirled around.
Monica looked critically. “One thing.” She untied the silk scarf that decorated her handbag, knotting it loosely around Emily’s throat. “There,” she claimed. “Perfect.”
Emily took a glance in the mirror. “I look totally retro,” she cried. “Thanks Mom!”
Monica smiled, kissing Emily’s cheek. “I’m meeting your father at the Grille. Have fun and be careful. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Em replied.
As Monica opened the door, she nearly bumped into someone.
“Oh my,” she started for a moment before smiling. “Georgie, hello.”
Georgie smiled shyly. “Hello Dr. Quartermaine. Hi Emily.”
“Hi Georgie,” Emily replied. “Dillon’s just upstairs. Come on in.”
“I’m off,” Monica announced. “Nice to see you Georgie. Goodnight girls.”
“You too,” Georgie replied. “Goodnight.”
Emily closed the door, grinning at the fidgeting girl. “What’s with you?”
“Quartermaines make me nervous,” Georgie admitted with timidity.
Emily laughed. “But Dillon is a Quartermaine. So am I.”
“Yeah, but not really,” Georgie replied. “I mean, you’re not like, grown up Quartermaines, like scary. I mean, I don’t mean that your mom is scary, I mean she’s really nice, but well, it’s just they can be kind of intimidating and-”
A tap on the shoulder cut her babbling short as she turned around.
“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!” She shrieked, coming face to face with a blood-soaked knife and a cloaked figure.
“Wuss,” the figure commented, dabbing a finger into the blood on the knife.
Georgie’s heart pounded.
“You are such a wuss,” Dillon informed her, pushing the hood of the cloak off and bringing his blood soaked finger to his mouth.
“Ew,” Em commented. “What are you eating?”
“You scared the crap out of me, Dillon!” Georgie yelled as she pounded on him.
“Ah! Relent!” He protested, as she pummelled him. “Corn syrup and red food coloring,” he added for Emily’s benefit as he tried to guard himself from Georgie’s beating.
"Georgie," he said taking hold of her hands. "Calm down, it's just a costume. I'm not going to hurt you." He tried to assure her.
"I know that, but you scared me!" She yelled at him, pouting.
"What is going on?" Liz asked, as she walked down the steps.
"Look it's the other bobbysoxer." Dillon teased.
Liz stuck her tongue out at him, and then turned her attention to Emily.
"Dillon scared the hell out of Georgie." Em explained, trying her best not to laugh.
"Remember when Lucky did the same thing to you when we were younger?" Liz asked.
"Yes!" Emily replied, almost instantly. "I was mad at him for a very long time, too."
Liz raised one of her eyebrows.
"Okay," Em said, throwing up her hands. "a very long time only lasted an hour."
Dillon laughed, as he looked at Georgie.
"Don't even think about it," she said, looking up at him. "I'm going to be mad at you all night."
Em and Liz looked at each other. "Give her one hour." They both said to Dillon.
"Hey!" Georgie tried to protest.
"You better go and finish getting ready, the guys will be here soon." Em explained to Liz.
She nodded her head, and started to walk up the stairs, but stopped when Dillon called after her.
"I'm still gonna get you!" He yelled.
"Quartmaine, you have to catch me first." She explained, running up the rest of the steps.
Em rolled her eyes and laughed. "Man, you should be flirting with girls your own age," she lectured her cousin.
Dillon shrugged. "I'm just kidding. Besides, the only girl around my age is Georgie." He elbowed her ribs lightly.
"So, she's a cutie," Emily pointed out.
Dillon shrugged again, wrinkling his nose. "Yeah, but she's... Georgie." He said this as though it were an explanation. And perhaps it was.
"He's Dillon," the girl added, her expression identical to his.
"What are we talking about?" Lucky asked, as he let himself in the open door.
“Why Dillon is apparently not going to flirt with Georgie,” Emily replied, amused at the daggers that the two kids were shooting at her.
Lucky grinned. “Well of course not,” he quipped. “That’s my job.” He sidled up to Georgie. “Hey babygirl.” He leaned down, tapping his right cheek. “Knock me a kiss.”
Georgie laughed, stretching up to drop a kiss where Lucky’s finger had touched. “Hi Lucky,” she giggled.

“Oooohhhh...” Georgie pressed her hands to her face, peeking through the spaces between her fingers. “What’s gonna happen?”
“Shhhh...” Dillon murmured. “Watch and see.” His eyes riveted on the screen. “God, Hitchcock was brilliant.”
“Mmmm....” Georgie whimpered as the score swelled. The music crescendoed, the water beating down on Marion-
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
“I think you screamed louder than Janet Leigh,” Dillon caught Georgie as she dove into his lap. “Relax. It’s just a movie.”
“Still scary,” she protested, burying her head in his shoulder.
“Awww....” he soothed, rubbing her back as she clung to him. “It’s okay. It’s Halloween. It’s supposed to be scary.” He stroked her hair gently. “Shhh....shhhhh......BOO!” He grabbed her sides.
“DILLON!” Georgie screamed, smacking him once again. “You suck!”
“I’m sorry, I’m really, really sorry,” he laughed, guarding himself. He was definitely going to have bruises from her pounding on him.
“You suck,” she repeated, seeming near tears. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“Hey.” Dillon ducked away from her flailing fists. “I’m sorry. Honest.” He reached out his arms. “Really.” She looked at him suspiciously. “No joke, I promise.”
“Okay.” She moved toward him hesitantly, letting him hug her. “Jerk.”
“Freak,” he replied, rubbing her back affectionately. He reached one hand over, grabbing a bowl of candy corn. “Peace offering?” He asked. “It will cause permanent damage to your pancreas, but you know, nothing says I’m sorry like causing a dear friend to have organ failure.”
“Why do I put up with you?” she demanded, pulling back.
Dillon smiled disarmingly. “Because I’m a charmer?” He suggested.
Georgie scoffed. “More like a snake.” She popped a piece of candy corn in her mouth. “God, this is disgusting,” she complained, eating another piece. Dillon watched her incredulously.
“Then why are you eating more?”
“Halloween,” Georgie replied. “You have to eat it. It’s like those nasty ass Marshmallow Peeps at Easter or disgusting candy hearts on Valentine’s Day. Certain holidays just require vile tasting sugar products.”
“See, I’ve never had those,” Dillon admitted.
Georgie raised an eyebrow, lying on her stomach. “See, deprived,” she replied. “You’ve never even seen them?”
Dillon popped a handful of M&Ms into his mouth. “The marshmallow things, yeah,” he said, chewing, “but not the hearts. Explain.”
“Close your mouth when you chew,” Georgie admonished him. “Lovely,” she commented as Dillon opened his mouth wide, showing her a mouthful of decimated candy. She rolled her eyes as he grinned widely. “Anyway, they’re these little heart shaped candies made out of sugar and...sugar. They say really cheesy messages like “Hot Stuff” and “Be Mine” on them. People give them on Valentine’s Day.” She wrinkled her nose with the words.
Dillon laughed. “Not a favorite holiday?” he queried.
Georgie propped her chin up on her hands. “It’s just a stupid popularity contest,” she complained. “All the girls who are pretty and popular get cards and flowers, and the rest of us just get reminded that we’re not special.”
Dillon nudged her with his foot. “You’re special,” he said, sounding sincere.
Georgie shook her head. “No I’m not.”
“Sure you are,” Dillon insisted, “you’re very special.” He blinked innocently at her. “You should be at the Sunnydale Home for Special Children. You’re very special.”
Georgie threw a handful of popcorn at him. “Special that!” she yelled.
"Hey!" Dillon yelled, grabbing a handful of popcorn, and tossing it at Georgie.
"Ohh, you're so going to get it, Quartermaine!" She yelled, sitting infront of him, pieces of popcorn in her hair.
Dillon jumped up from the couch. "Come and get me, Jones!" He yelled back, grabbing another handful.
Before he could even throw it, Georgie jumped onto the couch, throwing another handful of popcorn toward him.
As it hit him, he threw his handful toward her, but she ducked. "Missed me, missed me -"
Dillon raised an eyebrow.
"Uhh, never mind!" She said laughing, as she sat back down on the couch.
"No more popcorn throwing. Alice is going to kick my ass," he said, sitting down next to her.
"So you really don't like Valentine's Day?" Dillon asked, looking toward her.
"Nope, not really." Georgie said, shaking her head.
"All my life, I've always been alone for the holiday, so it doesn't have much meaning to me either." He explained to her, looking down at the floor.
After a few minutes, he spoke up again. "How about we make up our own Valentine's Day tradition?" He asked, looking at her. "Kind of like an alternative Valentine's Day."
"What would we do?" She asked.
“Ah, you know, what everyone does on Valentine’s Day,” he replied cavalierly. “Have raunchy sex to cheesy mix tapes, get you knocked up. It’ll be fun!” He pretended to swoon. “And so romantic!”
Georgie kicked him. “I feel immensely sorry for any girlfriend you’ll ever have,” she informed him. “You wouldn’t know romance if it bit you on the ass.”
Dillon gasped in horror. “Such language, Miss Jones!” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Besides, who needs girlfriends? They just stress you out. That’s why I’ve got you. None of that girly junk to deal with. And I’ll just use you for your bod when the spirit moves.” He leered.
“What bod?” Georgie muttered under her breath as she shot a death glare at Dillon. Out loud, she inquired, “are you done being a pervert yet?”
Dillon knit his brow in thought. “Just a second,” he requested. He reached over, pinching her backside.
“Dillon!” she swatted his hand, trying to suppress her laughter.
“Okay, now I’m done,” he said solemnly, sitting back, his face a picture of feigned innocence. Georgie could almost see the halo, and the horns holding it up.
“How lovely,” she scoffed. “So what was the real idea? And don’t you dare say that was it.”
Dillon raised an eyebrow. “Have you ever seen Love Story?”
Georgie shook her head. “Uh uh.”
He grinned. “OK, then.” He said no more.
Georgie shoved him. “What about it?”
“Heckling,” Dillon replied in sage tones. “Much, much heckling.” He reached over her, shoving a handful of candy corn and popcorn into his mouth, chewing.
Georgie watched him. “Gross. You are so going to barf later on,” she commented.
Dillon scoffed. “No, I’m not,” he mumbled, gulping down the mouthful. “Oh, sick,” he exclaimed as the syrupy sweetness mixed with the buttered popcorn hit the back of his throat.
“Exactly,” Georgie countered. “You’re going to be sick.” She plucked a single piece of popcorn from the bowl, nibbling delicately.
Dillon rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry, is squid girl questioning my eating habits?” he mused. “That’s ironic.”
“Your eating habits are comparable to a four year old,” Georgie countered, laughing.
“I’m sorry,” he shot back. “I’m four? Who dove wailing into my lap at Psycho?”
“It’s scary,” Georgie yelled. “And I was not wailing.” She threw a piece of candy corn at Dillon.
“It’s Hitchcock,” Dillon informed her, throwing an M&M. “And fine, dove whimpering into my lap.” He tapped her forehead. “Freak of nature.”
Georgie kicked him. “Freak of science.”
He caught her foot, a merciless grin spreading over his face.



Preview:
"Dillon, what the hell are you watching?"

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 13



“We all know that something is eternal,” Georgie read out loud. “And it ain’t houses and it ain’t names, and it ain’t earth, and it ain’t even the stars . . . everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal, and that something has to do with human beings. She paused to take a sip of her drink. “Dillon, stop!” She swatted his hand. “That’s gross.”
Dillon innocently held up the fork he’d been combing through her hair with. “What?” He complained. “It’s clean. I didn’t even put it in my mouth.”
She rolled her eyes at him, turning back to her assignment. “All the greatest people ever lived have been telling us that for five thousand years and yet you’d be surprised how people are always losing hold of it,” she continued. “There’s something way down deep that’s eternal about every human being.” She took a breath. “Explicate this quote. What does Thornton Wilder mean when he says “there is something eternal about every human being? How can eternal be defined?”
“Easy,” Dillon stated. “I am eternally bored by this.” He slumped in his chair, pouting.
“You are eternally infantile,” Georgie informed him. “Get your books out.”
Rather than obeying, Dillon reached for a knife and fork, drumming them wildly against the table top.
“Who needs school?” He yelled over the racket as some other customers started to look slightly annoyed. “I’m gonna be a rock star!” He beat the silverware against the table, demonstrating only a minute resemblance of anything that might be called rhythm. “Come on Georgie, be a rock star with me!”
“Dillon...” she tried to reach for the silverware as he headbanged, but pulled back for fear of getting accidentally stabbed. “Help!” she mouthed, looking toward Elizabeth.
Laughing, the young woman set her coffee pot on the counter, coming over. “Dillon,” she ventured, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder in an attempt to calm him.
“Joy to the world!” He sang. “All the boys and girls!” He jumped up, grabbing Elizabeth’s hands and dancing her around the diner. “Joy to the fishies in the deep blue sea, joy to you and me!” He twirled her sloppily, eliciting stares from the clientele. Georgie shot a desperate look at Elizabeth, holding up her English assignment. Elizabeth nodded through her laughter.
“You know I love the ladies,” Dillon sang. “I love to have my-”
“Dillon, Dillon, Dillon,” Elizabeth yelled, grabbing him by the shoulders. “I’ll give you a triple chocolate peanut butter sundae if you sit down with Georgie and do your homework.” She nodded enthusiastically. “Hmmm?”
Dillon relented, but wrinkled his nose. “Okay,” he agreed, walking across the floor and flopping into his seat next to Georgie. “Homework sucks.”
“Necessary evil,” she retorted, shoving the book in front of him. “Come on, get your head into Grover’s Corners.”
“Grrr....” Dillon grumbled.
Elizabeth came over, setting a huge sundae down in front of Dillon. “Bribery ice cream,” she informed him. “Homework, or I take this away.”
Dillon rolled his eyes, scooping a spoonful into his mouth. “Dictator,” he mumbled, his mouth full.
She grinned. “Call me if you need help,” she told Georgie.
The girl grinned back, one eye on her book. Elizabeth smiled, walking back to her tables.

"Mmm, this is so good!" Dillon exclaimed, taking another spoonful of the triple chocolate peanut butter ice cream. "Want some?" He asked Georgie, thrusting a spoonful of it toward her.
"No, that's alright," she said, pushing his hand away from her."you eat it."
"Oohh, come on!" He whined, putting the spoon back infront of her mouth. "Just take a bite, please?"
"Fine!" She said, finally giving in. He shoved the spoon into her mouth.
"You like." He asked.
Georgie shook her head as she swallowed the ice cream. "Very good."
"Want some more?" He asked, putting the spoon back in the bowl, and scooping out some more.
"No thank you, I'm good." She told him, going back to her homework.
"Okay, more for me!" He said, finishing the rest of the bowl.
Georgie noticed that he was done. "Want me to help you with your homework now?"
Dillon pretended to think about the question for a minute. "Nah, I'll finish it later when I get home."
"Dillon!" She said, looking at him.
"What? I said I'll do it when I get home, promise." He said smiling at her.
"Fine, whatever." She said, rolling her eyes at him, turning her attention back to her own work.
Dillon reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter. "Jukebox time," he said, leaning across the table, just before standing up, and heading over toward the jukebox.
His put his quarter in the machine and pushed a few buttons.
When I was a young boy,
Said put away those young boy ways
Now that I'm gettin' older, so much older
I love all those young boy days.
With a girl like you,
With a girl like you,
Dillon walked up to the table he and Georgie were sitting at, and looked at her.
"Oh, no," she said shaking her head.
"Come on, please," he said, making puppy dog eyes at her. "just one dance, I promise."
Georgie continued to shake her head.
"Please, Georgie. Please, please, please." He said, continuing to beg her. "Just one dance!"
She sighed, just before standing up from the table. "Just one dance, and then we're back to doing our homework."
Dillon didn't reply, he just grabbed her hand, and dragged her toward the jukebox.
Lord knows there are things we can do, baby,
Just me and you.
Come on and make it
Hurt so good.
Georgie gripped his hand tight as he pulled her toward him, then pushed her away, spinning her around in a full circle.
Come on baby, make it hurt so good.
Sometimes love don't feel like it should.
You make it hurt so good.
She laughed, as he let go of her hand, and stepped back a little bit. "Come on, Jones!" He tried to yell over the music. "I know you've got some kind of dance moves in ya!"
Don't have to be so exiting.
Just tryin' to give myself a little bit of fun, yeah.
You always look so invitin'
You ain't as green as you are young
Hey baby, its you.
Come on, girl, now, its you.
Sink your teeth right through my bones, baby.
She walked toward him, singing along with the song --
Let's see what we can do.
Come on and make it
Come on baby, make it hurt so good.
Sometimes love don't feel like it should.
You make it hurt so good.
Dillon reached out, trying to grab for her hand. She held it out to him, but quickly snatched it away before he could grab hold. He pretended to be upset, as he walked toward her. "Come on, dance with me."
"But I'm having so much fun dancing by myself." She said, as he tossed her hair, and spun around in a circle.
"That's it!" He shouted, grabbing hold of her hand, and pulling her closer to him. He began to tickle her sides.
"Dillon, stop it!" She said, trying to get away from him. "Dillon, people are watching us! Let go of me!"
Liz watched the young teens from behind the counter, and laughed at the sight of Dillon finally releasing her, and they continued to dance.
The costumers were amused also, no one was complaining.
"You're such a jerk!" Georgie said to him as they moved to the fast beating music.
"Ahh, you know you're having fun." He said to her.
"With you?" She said, raising her eyebrow. "Always."
Dillon dipped Georgie down to the ground just as the song ended. All of the costumers, plus Liz, started to clap, as he brought her back up.
"See, they love us!" He said, smiling goofily.
“I think they’re clapping because the song’s over,” Georgie countered. She grabbed his arm. “Come on...English Lit homework...”
Dillon pouted. “Noooo...no homework. No English Lit. Thornton Wilder blows me...”
Georgie punched his shoulder. “That’s lovely,” she informed him. “Come on.” She shoved him back toward the table, following him as they sat down. Dillon bounced in his chair.
“I can’t get next to you babe, I can’t get next to you,” he sang, bouncing up and down.
Elizabeth laughed, coming by the table. “Oh man, I’m sorry Georgie,” she chuckled. “I shouldn’t have given him more sugar.” She peered at Dillon. “You are on a sugar high, yes? You’re not drunk?”
“Drunk!?!” Georgie shrieked.
Dillon just bobbed his head rhythmically, laughing.
Elizabeth laughed again. “Nah, just too much sugar. Em’s had it too. Quartermaine thing. I’ll get him some water.”
“I want coffee,” Dillon argued. “Please? I like coffee.”
Elizabeth nodded. “And I want a million dollars and an all expenses paid trip to Florence.” She patted him on the head. “I’ll be back with your water.”
Dillon made faces. Georgie tapped him on the shoulder.
“George. Emily. Strawberry ice cream sodas at Mr. Morgan’s drugstore,” she commanded. “Eyes on the book.”
Dillon grumbled, picking up his fork again and combing it through her hair like he’d done earlier. She shoved his hand away, trying to suppress her laughter.
“Can it, Scuttle.”

The last thing he remembered, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan were singing Surrey With the Fringe on Top.
“Dillon, what the hell are you watching?” The voice boomed close to his ear.
Dillon jumped, turning to see Ned standing by him. He looked toward the screen, his eyes popping wide at the sight of-
“Oh my god,” he choked. “No, no, no. Ned, I was watching When Harry Met Sally. I fell asleep.”
“Dillon, do we need to talk?” Ned asked, sounding concerned. Almost involuntarily, Dillon’s eyes drifted back to the screen, swimming around.
“Dillon!” Ned snapped, trying to gain the attention of his adolescent brother.
Dillon was slack-jawed. “Are those natural?”
Ned just sighed.



Preview:
"Is it always like this around here?"

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 14

Georgie picked the phone up from the counter. "Hello?"
"Hi Georgie." Dillon said, smiling.
"Dillon," she said, as a smile formed across her face. "is everything alright?"
"Yeah, pretty good." He said shaking his head even though she couldn't see him. He started talking again before she could get another word in. "Hey, I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the Moroccan with me?"
"Tonight?"
"Yeah, in about an hour to be exact."
"Oh Dillon, I would love to, but I'm helping my Mom with some cooking and then we're going over to my Aunt Bobbie's for dinner. The whole family is going to be there." She explained to him.
"You really do that?" He asked.
"Do what?" She asked, not understanding what he meant.
"Cook a big dinner, and gather around the table with all of your family members. I though those kind of traditions were only in the movies." He said, playing with the cord to his phone.
"Nope, it's not only in the movies." She sighed, kinda feeling sorry for him. "Hey, this is obviously going to be your first real Thanksgiving. Why don't you try and make the best of it, okay?"
"I'll try. Thanks Georgie."
"Not a problem. Hey, how about we go see a movie tomorrow night?"
"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you then." He said getting up from his bed. "Happy Thanksgiving, Georgie."
"Happy Thanksgiving, Dillon."
He hung up the phone, venturing out into the hallway, toward the stairs.
“What do you mean the store was out of pearl onions?” He heard Edward bellow from the edge of the kitchen. “I ordered you to make a turkey with a sage and onion stuffing and by god, I expect that to be done.”
Dillon groaned. “Ugh, gross, I hate sage,” he complained loudly to no one in particular.
“No worries,” Emily laughed, coming up behind him. She leaned over the balcony. “No use fussing, Grandfather,” she shouted, “you can just get onions on your pizza!” She snickered as Edward blustered below them
Dillon turned to his cousin quizically. “Pizza?”
Em laughed, putting an arm around Dillon’s shoulders, walking him down the steps. “Every year,” she laughed, shaking her head. “Every year, Grandfather makes a huge deal about Thanksgiving, and every year, something goes wrong, the turkey gets ruined somehow, and we end up having pizza for dinner.”
Dillon shook his head. “No way man!”
“Oh it’s true,” Ned confirmed, coming in the front door. He grinned at his younger brother and cousin. “By the way, I’m taking orders now. Any requests?”
“I want to try that new baked ziti pizza,” Emily replied.
“Mmm, that sounds good,” Dillon agreed enthusiastically.
Emily grinned. “All right, how about we split?” she suggested. Dillon nodded.
Ned took a memo pad from his pocket. “One baked ziti pizza for Emily and Dillon...I’m going to go with the mushroom and black olives...” He walked toward the living room, Emily and Dillon following him. “How about the rest of you,” he asked. “Monica, pepperoni as usual?”
Monica shook her head. “You know, I think I’m going to try the 4 cheese delight,” she replied. “Live on the edge a bit.”
“Ooh, wild thing, Mom,” Emily teased. Monica shook her head ruefully.
“Grandfather,” Ned asked, “what about you?”
Edward faced Ned, his face reddening. “I told you,” he blustered. “We are not having pizza this year! Cook is making a delicious turkey and damn it, we will dine on that, or she’s fired!” Edward bellowed the last words in the direction of the kitchen.
“Extra onions,” Emily informed Ned calmly. “And get him anchovies too, for being such a curmudgeon.”
“I am nothing of the sort!” Edward protested. “Curmudgeon...”
Emily moved over to Edward, dropping a kiss on his cheek. “Of course you are, Grandfather,” she charmed him, “but you’re our curmudgeon and we all love you very much.” She fluttered her eyelashes.
“Oh...” Edward’s face softened, much to everyone’s amusement.
Next to Dillon, Ned chuckled. “Brilliant.”
The phone began to ring. "Would someone please get the phone!" Edward yelled to whichever maid was closest to him.
"Grandfather," Emily said coming up behind him. "all of the servants are helping in the kitchen."
Dillon couldn't help but laugh, only Em had that kind of effect on Grandfather.
"I'll get the phone," Monica said, walking over to the table by the living room doors. "Hello?" She said into the phone.
"Hi Mom," AJ said. "Happy Thanksgiving."
"Hi honey," she said, happily. "Happy Thanksgiving."
"Hey Em," Dillon whispered into Emily's ear. "if you don't mind I'm going to sit out on the porch and get some fresh air while everyone talks to AJ."
"Okay, that's fine. I'll come and get you when we're finished." She said to him, smiling.
"Thanks," he said, as he walked toward the front door and quietly let himself out.
"Hey Em," Monica called out, holding the phone in her hand. "come talk to you brother."
Emily nodded her head and walked toward her mother, taking the phone. "Hey, how are things in London?" She asked.
"Things are great here. Very busy at ELQ, but other then that, everything's fine."
"That's good," Em said.
"How about you? How are things between you and Zander?" He asked.
"We're great, thanks for asking."
“And school?” A.J. queried, sternly.
Emily rolled her eyes. “I hate orgo,” she grumbled. “It’s torture.”
A.J. laughed. “Eye on the prize, Dr. Quartermaine,” he said.
Emily sighed.
"Hey Em, I need to get going, but tell everyone that I didn't get a chance to talk to that I miss them and wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving for me." He told her.
"Will do. It was nice talking to you AJ, be safe. I love you." She said.
"Love you, too. Bye" He said, just before hanging up the phone.
Emily put the phone back on the receiver and looked around the foyer, everyone had gone their separate ways. She made her way to the French doors and opened them, slipping out into the cold November air.

“Penny for your thoughts.”
Dillon looked up. “Why do people say that?” he asked. “I never got that expression.”
Emily chuckled, sitting on the chaise next to him. “Cute,” she told him. "Feels good to get some fresh air after being in there all day, huh?" She asked, leaning her head up against his.
"Yeah, I just needed a break,” he admitted.
"I can understand that." She nodded her head slightly.
"We should go back inside now, right?" He asked her.
"Yeah, probably." She said, lifting her head. “But let’s stay out here for a while, eh?”
Dillon smiled, nodding. “Yeah.” He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. “Is it always like this around here?” he asked, opening them and peering at Emily. “Georgie made it sound like her family are the freakin’ Waltons when it comes to Thanksgiving.”
Emily cracked up. “Pretty much any family is compared to the Quartermaines,” she informed her cousin.
Dillon nodded, looking down at his hands. “Yeah,” he mused. “Hey it’s the first time I’ve ever had Thanksgiving in a house instead of in a hotel room.” He picked at his cuticles absently.
Emily peered at him. “Have you heard from Tracy?” she asked quietly.
Dillon shrugged. “She called a few weeks ago,” he said.
Emily nodded, not persisting. They sat in silence. Emily’s mind drifted back.
“Duck!” she said, laughing as Dillon obeyed.
He looked at her oddly. “What the hell?”
“My first Thanksgiving here,” Emily began. “I was missing my mom like crazy. Everyone was trying so hard to make me feel welcome and at home, but all I could think about was how I wanted my mother.”
“I don’t want my mom,” Dillon interrupted.
Emily waved him off. “You don’t have to act all proud,” she told him.
“I don’t,” he insisted. “You know the last holiday we spent together? Thanksgiving, when I was nine. I-”
Emily shook her head, putting an arm around Dillon. “Dillon,” she began, “I’m not trying to tell you anything about your mother, or how you feel about her not being here, okay? I’ve met Tracy, she’s very...complicated. I’m not going to presume to know anything about your relationship with her, okay? But I do know about being the new kid around here.” She tickled him lightly. “Shark tank, remember?”
Dillon nodded sheepishly. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” replied Em quietly. She went on. “Anyway, Mom and Dad - I still called them Alan and Monica then - had this...acquaintance, I guess you’d call her - Lucy Coe. She was actually married to Alan once.”
Dillon laughed. “This family is like a soap opera,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t think anything surprises me anymore.”
Emily laughed. “Oh I know. When I first moved here, I thought this house was a three ring circus.”
“And now?” Dillon queried.
Emily grinned, preening exaggeratedly. “Now I walk the tightrope with the best of ‘em,” she boasted. “And stick my head in the tiger’s mouth.”
Dillon laughed. “So what about this Lucy woman?” he lead.
Emily nodded. “Well, Lucy had a duck, a pet duck, named Sigmund-”
“As in Freud?” Dillon wanted to know.
Emily nodded. “Uh huh. Well, she came over here for...some reason, I don’t remember, and when she heard that Cook was making duck a l’orange for Thanksgiving, she had conniptions.”
“Worse than Grandfather?” Dillon asked.
Emily laughed. “Different,” she replied. “Lucy made this plea, appealing to our sense of compassion, or our sense of guilt, whatever worked.” She chuckled. “Anyway, by the time she finished, no one could even think about eating duck. Thus the mass pizza consumption.” She smiled at him. “But as bizarre as it was, it made me feel more like part of the family, if that makes sense.”
Dillon knit his brow. “So how come you think we’re going to have pizza this year? Does this lady show up every year? Did she get a pet turkey?”
Emily laughed. “No. No, we don’t see her as much as we used to,” she said, sounding the slightest bit relieved, if amused. “But somehow, every year, something happens. I actually don’t know if the Quartermaines have ever actually had anything but pizza for Thanksgiving.”
As if on cue, Edward’s voice reverberated through the doors. “What do you mean, a fuse blew in the kitchen?” They heard him bellow.
Emily looked at Dillon and they both dissolved into laughter. “Come on,” she said, yanking him up, “if we catch Ned, we can get extra cheese on our pizza.”
Dillon laughed as Emily linked her arm through his, walking back inside.

“Dinner is served,” Ned announced, balancing a stack of pizza boxes precariously in his hands. He set them on the table as varied family members headed toward the boxes ravenously.
“Wait!” Lila cried, holding up a regal hand.
They all froze in place. “Of course,” Alan said, “the song.”
Dillon raised an eyebrow. “Song?”
“Come on,” Emily said, taking his hand and leading him to the edge of the room, where the family gathered in a circle. Skye took his other hand, as Edward and Lila began to lead them all in song.
We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing
He chastens and hastens his will to make known
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing
Sing praises to his name, he forgets not his own.
As the verse ended, they all smiled, beginning to release hands, except for the elders, who stood with their eyes closed, both hands joined. Edward was standing above Lila, his hands resting on her shoulders, and it was the first time Dillon could recall seeing his grandfather demonstrate anything resembling sentiment. The two of them started to sing the verse again, as the rest of the family slipped quietly to chairs and sofas.
Claiming spots on the couch next to Skye and Ned, Emily and Dillon reached into their shared pizza box, each grabbing a slice. Em held hers up.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” she whispered, giggling as she looked at Edward and Lila, still blissfully oblivious to the fact that they were singing alone.
Dillon, Ned and Skye suppressed laughs, toasting each other with pizza.
“Happy Thanksgiving.”



Preview:
"What can I say? You inspired me."

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 15

"The problem is though," Georgie argued, "is that adventurous stories like Huck Finn almost always have male protagonists. We almost never see a book about a daring girl, unless it's like, The Scarlet Letter, where Hester Prynne is being punished for her "sins." I mean, the books that do have strong female characters, like Little Women, and even books like The Little House on the Prairie series and Caddie Woodlawn, are considered to be 'girly' and kind of pointless, and they're not taught in schools, meanwhile every student is obligated to learn Moby Dick inside out. We're calling ourselves a progressive society, and yet we're basically supporting the idea that a woman's greatest strentgth is to hike up her skirt like Claudette Colbert and show a little leg!"
“Uh, freak,” a kid in the back row muttered, receiving warning looks from both the teacher and from Dillon. “What?” He mouthed to Dillon, who rolled his eyes.
“Uh, like, who’s Claudette Colbert?” A girl asked. “Is she a Victoria’s Secret model?”
Catching Dillon’s eye, Georgie immediately clapped her hands over her mouth, not sure if she was laughing harder at the question or at Dillon’s horrified expression.
“She was a French actress from the 30s and 40s,” Dillon scoffed. “She won the best actress Oscar in 1935 for Best Actress for It Happened One Night. It was the first film ever to sweep the top five categories at the Oscars.”
“Oh my god, even bigger freak,” the girl scoffed, as the class laughed.
“Settle down!” The teacher yelled over the din.

“It Happened One Night?” Dillon queried, slinging an arm around Georgie’s shoulder. “I’m impressed.”
Georgie grinned. “What can I say? You inspired me,” she teased. “It was on cable the other night at like, 2 a.m. so I got up to watch it.”
Dillon grinned back. “Aww, I’m so proud.” He sighed. “They learn so much...” He laughed as Georgie smacked him. “Come on,” he added, “your ever-increasing knowledge of the classics led to a discussion that actually made lit class quasi-interesting. Your insight served you well...”
“Oh thank you, Obi-Wan,” Georgie scoffed sarcastically. “My insight served me nothing - the whole class thinks I’m a freak.”
“Georgie, the whole class is nothing but a bunch of freaks,” Dillon reminded her. “Is Claudette Colbert a Victoria’s Secret model?” He elbowed her. “Come on. We’ve got two days until winter break and we can spend the whole time just going to the movies and hanging out. We can order pizza and you have to watch the Godfather trilogy-”
“Um, actually,” Georgie intoned as they pushed through the double doors of the school, gasping quietly as the icy air hit them, “I’m not going to be here.”
Dillon stopped walking, not caring how cold it was outside. "What do you mean you're not going to be here?"
Georgie stopped infront of him. "We're going to Paris for winter break, to visit my cousin Robin."
He didn't say anything, he just stood there, looking at all the students hurrying past them.
"Uhh, Dillon can we please keep walking," she said, snapping him back into reality. "I'm freezing." She said, pulling her coat tighter around her body.
"Yeah, lets keep walking." He said quietly.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, making their way to Kelly's.
"So, you're not going to be here for Christmas?" Dillon asked, finally speaking up.
Georgie looked over at him, shaking her head. "No," she looked back in front of her. "I won't."

“I can’t believe you’re not going to be here for Christmas,” Dillon whined as they sat down at a table. “Emily said there’s this huge party at GH every year for the pediatric ward-”
“Yes I know that one,” Georgie laughed. “I’m usually forced into an elf costume to commemorate the occassion.”
Dillon’s eyebrows shot up. “Elf costume?” He asked. “Like, with the conehead hat and the pointy shoes with bells on them?”
“And bright green tights,” Georgie filled in, grimacing.
Dillon’s eyes danced. “Oh my god, what I would pay to see that..”
“Shut up,” she admonished him.
"Hi Georgie," Lucas said, walking up to their table.
"Hey Lucas," she said, looking up at him. "You remember Dillon, right?"
"Yeah, I remember him." He said looking at the young boy sitting next to his cousin.
"So.." Georgie said, trying to think of something to say.
"So, why are you hanging out with this kid anyway?" Lucas asked, not breaking eye contact with Dillon.
"Because he's my friend, why else?" She said, obviously upset.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Dillon asked, as he stood up from his chair.
"Maybe I do," Lucas said to him, walking around the table and standing in front of him.
"Umm, Dillon," Georgie said, standing up quickly. "the movie starts in ten minutes, we should get going."
"Movie?" Lucas asked, looking at her. "Now you're going to see a movie with him?"
"Yes, and we're going to be late if we don't leave now," she said. "Come on, Dillon." She grabbed his arm, and walked towards the door, pushing it open with her free hand.
"Damn, what's up with all of the male testosterone?" Georgie yelled, once they were outside. She let go of his hand and began walking toward the park.
"What is his problem with me? I never did anything to him." Dillon yelled back, trying to catch up with her.
"I don't know, he's just trying to be protective I guess." She said still walking ahead of him.
"Georgie, I'm sorry, don't be mad." He said, trying to get her to slow down.
"I'm not," she said, as she continued to walk faster then him.
"Georgie stop!" He yelled, grabbing her arm once he caught up to her. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure." She said, nodding her head. "I just really thought you were going to punch Lucas in there."
"Punch him?" Dillon asked, letting go of her arm. "No, I just wanted to scare him."
Georgie laughed.
"Mission accomplished," he said, smiling proudly. "I made you laugh."
“Well, with a face like that, how could you not?” she teased, sticking her tongue out at Dillon.
“Hey!” He shouted as Georgie took off running. “Get back here!”
He took off after her.

“Okay, so check this out,” Dillon said suddenly, twisting sideways on the bench so he faced Georgie. “You leave for Paris when?”
“Next Tuesday,” she said. “We come back on the 4th.”
Dillon nodded. “All right,” he conceded. “So that means that we do Christmas this weekend.”
“What?” Georgie asked, amused. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
“Christmas,” Dillon repeated. “You know, reindeer, Santa, candy canes, wise men, presents, egg nog, all that.”
“Yes brainiac,” Georgie replied. “I know what Christmas is.”
Dillon swatted at her. “Ha ha,” he replied. “Okay, so you’ve seen It’s A Wonderful Life, right?” He peered at her expectantly.
“Actually,” Georgie hedged, knowing what was coming, “I haven’t.”
Dillon fell forward dramatically. “Oh my god,” he groaned. “What sort of life have you led?”
“Oh I know,” she deadpanned, “I’m deprived.”
Dillon nodded, wide-eyed, disregarding her sarcasm. Georgie giggled to herself. He shook his head, sighing.
“Okay,” he decided out loud, “that means it has to wait until next year. I’m a purist.”
“All right then,” Georgie laughed. “So no early Christmas?”
Dillon shook his head. “No no, we’re still doing that, just some things have to be...exact.” He thought for a minute. “Okay, I know. The Bells of St. Mary’s is at the Moroccan this week. Saturday? We can go the 5 o’clock.”
Georgie nodded. “Sounds great,” she said, “then we can grab dinner at Kelly’s after.”
Dillon shook his head. “No, no, not Kelly’s,” he disagreed. “It’s Christmas. Let’s go somewhere else. How about that place we went for your birthday? Bella Toscana?”
Georgie gaped. “Dillon,” she protested, “we can’t go there. It’s way too nice!”
Dillon rolled his eyes. “Well, it’s the holidays,” he informed her, “you’re supposed to do nice things. Besides,” he confided, “I hate shopping and I’m so bad at picking out gifts...”
Georgie smiled. “I have no clue what to give you,” she admitted.
Dillon grinned. “Okay,” he said. “So we agree - we’ll skip presents this year and take each other out to dinner instead.” He stuck out his hand. “Deal?”
Georgie shook his hand firmly. “Deal.” They leaned back against the bench. “So let me get this straight,” she asked. “I’m not allowed to see It’s A Wonderful Life until you say so?”
Dillon nodded. “Yes,” he answered.
Georgie nodded, considering this. They sat in silence.
“Freak,” she intoned, kicking snow sideways at him.
He kicked snow back at her, getting up a good spray. “Headcase,” he replied.
Quickly, Georgie leaned down, scooping up a handful of snow. “Nut,” she yelled, smushing the snow on to Dillon’s head. He gasped from the cold, as Georgie laughed, jumping up from the bench.
“Oh, you wench!” Dillon yelled, hurling a handful of snow at Georgie, an explosion of white spreading against her blue coat.
“You throw like a girl, Quartermaine,” Georgie shouted, sidearming a snowball at him. It missed.
Dillon laughed. “Yeah, you too, Jones,” he teased.
Georgie stood with her hands on her hips. “I am a girl,” she pointed out haughtily. She’d barely gotten the words out when Dillon beaned her in the forehead with a snowball.
“A very cold girl,” Dillon agreed, laughing at Georgie’s aghast look. “Come on,” he teased, “come get me...”
“You suck,” Georgie pouted.
Dillon stuck his tongue out. “Awww...come on, don’t be such a girl, Georgie...” his eyes twinkled. “Come on I’ll even-”
His words were cut off by Georgie’s snowball hitting him full force, square in the middle of the face.”
“Ooohhh!” She crowed, raising her arms victoriously. “You’ll even what? Come on, what? Don’t be such a girl, Dillon!” She was so busy teasing and turning around in a mini victory dance that she didn’t notice Dillon sneaking closer and closer until-
“Ahh!” she shrieked, as he grabbed her, lifting her awkwardly off the ground. Dillon laughed.
“Way to be observant, Jones - oof,” he grunted, as she slammed her weight against him, knocking them both to the ground. She straddled him, holding him down, her knees on his arms to pin them down.
“I rule all,” she said proudly.
Dillon shook his head. “Nope,” he disagreed. “No way.”
Georgie scooped up a handful of snow, holding it over him. “Say it,” she threatened, trying not to laugh. “Say ‘Georgie rules all’”
“Never!” Dillon shouted, his grin betraying him.
Georgie bounced on him. “Say it!”
Dillon shook his head vehemently. “Uh uh.” He bucked underneath Georgie, letting her know that her time to have the advantage was limited.
She grinned, her eyes traveling to his open coat. “Say it...” she warned.
“Not a chance,” he informed her smugly. In a flash, Georgie grabbed the neckline of his sweater and shoved the handful of snow down his shirt. “Ahhhh!” Dillon shrieked as the snow hit his skin. “Georgie rules all! Georgie rules all!”
Georgie grinned widely, rolling off of him and landing on her back in the snow.
“Thank you,” she said primly.



Preview:
“I can’t believe you’re subjecting me to the entire break with my family.”

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 16

“Happy birthday dear Jesus,” Georgie sang, laughing as they walked out of the movie theatre. “Happy birthday to you.”
Dillon laughed, knotting his scarf around his neck. “I cannot believe you spit out your Coke,” he laughed.
Georgie blushed. “Sorry,” she said sheepishly.
“Oh no,” Dillon teased. “Nothing I like better than to have some chick spit soda on my lap in the middle of a Christmas classic.”
Georgie punched his shoulder. “Shut up,” she pouted. “I said I was sorry.”
Dillon laughed, ruffling her hair affectionately. “I’m just giving you hell, babe,” he informed her.
Georgie crossed her eyes at him. “Come on,” she said, grabbing his arm, “it’s freezing. Let’s get a cab.”

"I love this restaurant," Georgie said quietly, as they walked into Bella Toscana.
Dillon smiled at her as they reached the hostess stand. "Reservations for two, under the name of Quartermaine."
The hostess, a male in his mid 30s, smiled at them. "Yes, Mr. Quartermaine, right this way."

They followed him to a table in the back, and sat down.
"Thank you," Georgie said, looking up at the man.
"You have wonderful taste in young ladies," he said quietly, looking at Dillon.
Dillon looked across the table at a surprised Georgie, and winked.
"She just fell from the sky, like Nicoletta Braschi." Dillon told the man, smiling widely.
The man sighed, smiling at the young couple. "I think you've found yourself a keeper." He told Georgie.
Georgie smiled, as Dillon reached across the table and took her hand in his. "I think so, too."
"I'll be back with your water shortly," he told them before turning to leave.
"So, I fell from the sky, huh?" Georgie asked Dillon, as he released her hand.
"It's from a movie," he told her. "Life Is Beautiful."
"I've never seen it before," she said, shaking her head.
"Well, we'll have to watch it sometime."
Georgie grinned, opening up her menu. “Yum,” she breathed. “Everything looks so good.”
Dillon groaned quietly. “Oh you’re not gonna get squid again, are you?”
Georgie smirked. “You should try it, Finicky,” she teased him. “Have a sense of adventure.”
“Can’t I just bungee jump?” He asked. “It’d be safer.”
Georgie rolled her eyes.

“Come on,” Georgie wheedled, pushing her fork toward Dillon. “Just try it.”
Dillon covered his mouth, pushing her hand away. “No way, man!” He protested.
“Just try it,” Georgie argued. “It’s fried calamari - it’s practically wuss-proof. Come on, you try it, and I’ll do anything you want.”
Dillon wiggled his eyebrows. “Promise?” He replied, slyly.
Georgie mimed throwing a piece of calamari at him. “Quiet, perv boy,” she admonished. She held out the fork. “Come on...”
“Fine,” Dillon relented. “But I try it and you have to watch The Exorcist with me.”
Georgie rolled her eyes as Dillon stared at her, waiting. “Fine,” she agreed.
He leaned forward, taking the piece of calamari in his mouth and chewing it. Georgie watched him expectantly. Dillon chewed, a look of disgust spreading over his face. Reaching for his napkin, he covered his mouth and spit the food out into the cloth.
“Blech,” he commented.
Georgie laughed. “Class act, Quartermaine,” she informed him. “Very couth.”
Dillon gulped his water. “Exorcist,” he reminded her. “You owe me.”
Georgie nodded. “Yes darling,” she teased.
Dillon took a bite of his bruschetta. “I can’t believe you’re subjecting me to the entire break with my family,” he groaned. “Do you have to go?”
“Oh poor baby,” Georgie deadpanned. “Don’t whine. It’s not like I’ve ever gotten to go to Paris before, not like Mr. World-Traveler that you are.”
“Yeah, but I’m gonna be stuck with the Quartermaines for, like, two whole weeks,” Dillon groused, twirling some capellini on his fork.
Georgie blew her hair off her forehead in exasperation. “So hang out with Emily and her friends. They think you’re great. Zander’s really nice, and Lucky and Liz are fantastic.”
Dillon smirked. “I think Lucky just wants to make sure I don’t try and date you.”
Georgie wrinkled her nose. “Ew, Dillon, I’m eating here.” She indicated her food.
He nodded vehemently. “Uh, yeah, me too.” They glanced at each other quickly, a mix of intrigue and disgust. “Oh so listen,” Dillon said quickly, changing the topic, “when you’re in Paris, there is the world’s greatest ice cream place on the Ile St. Louis. It’s called Berthillon. It’s the best thing you’ll ever taste.”
Georgie gazed at him angelically. “Even better than calamari?” She asked, her voice dripping with innocence.
“Ha ha,” Dillon mocked. “Seriously, it’s amazing.”
“I can’t wait,” Georgie said enthusiastically. “I can’t wait to go to Paris.” She sighed. “I don’t know if I’m looking forward to sharing a hotel room with Maxie though.” She poked at her food.
“Maxie still being a pain?” Dillon asked sympathetically.
Georgie shrugged. “She’s been a little nicer,” she said, “but she just treats me like I’m this lamebrain little kid who knows nothing.”
“Well, Georgie,” Dillon said, poker-faced, “sixteen is a completely mature age. You wouldn’t understand because you’re still a child. Maxie’s an adult. She’s all grown up.”
Georgie gazed at Dillon as he stared at her unblinkingly. Her lips twitched into a smile and she started to laugh, bringing her hands to her mouth to muffle the sound.
“Thank you,” she said gratefully. “I needed that.”
Dillon nodded. “Glad to be of service.”

“Oh, okay,” Georgie laughed as she and Dillon dug their forks into a huge piece of tiramisu. “So I’m like, five years old and I’m sitting in Kelly’s with my mother eating peach pie, and getting it all over my face, might I add, when the door bursts open and Lucky stumbles in. He’s got a cast on his arm, he’s dragging one leg and there’s blood dripping down his cheek. I thought Bobbie was going to have a heart attack right there in the middle of the diner. So Lucky falls down on the floor, moaning and Bobbie is screaming for someone to call an ambulance, right?”
Dillon nodded, taking another bite of dessert. “Uh huh.”
Georgie took another bite as well, putting her hand over her mouth to keep the food inside as she tried not to laugh. “Okay,” she continued, swallowing, “so Lucky is lying on the ground, and people are flipping out. Then Luke, who was helping Bobbie out spots something outside and busts through the door.” She paused dramatically.
“And...” Dillon encouraged.
Georgie laughed. “So three seconds later, Luke comes back in carrying Emily over his shoulder, and Lucky, who’d been supposedly half-dead on the ground, starts cracking up.”
Dillon laughed, nodding knowingly. “Papier-mache and corn syrup?” he queried.
Georgie nodded, laughing. “Oh man, I thought Bobbie was going to kill both of them,” she giggled, her eyes tearing up. “I never saw two kids run so fast.”
Dillon laughed. “Oh man, that’s classic! So Emily was a troublemaker...” he said, amused, “and the Quartermaines all think she was such a saintly little child.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I could use this to my advantage.”
“Actually,” Georgie corrected, “Em was usually pretty good, but Lucky was just...”
“A bad influence?” Dillon joked.
Georgie looked at him. “Yeah,” she replied. “You know, kind of like you.”
Dillon shoved a forkful of tiramisu to Georgie’s lips. “Eat it, Jones,” he growled.
She swallowed down the mouthful, grinning. “Yum.”

“So, wait, am I going to get to see you before you leave?” Dillon asked as they walked toward Georgie’s house.
She hesitated. “Um, actually, I don’t think so,” she replied. “I’ve got a big family thing tomorrow and then Monday we’re packing and doing last minute shopping stuff.”
Dillon sighed. “Damn,” he complained. “You really have to go?”
Georgie rolled her eyes. “You’ll survive, you big baby,” she told him.
“Oh and what if I don’t?” Dillon demanded. “Then you’ll feel all kinds of bad and-” Georgie clapped a hand over his mouth.
“Dillon,” she said. “Shut up.”
He nodded. She released him as he reached for her, exhaling loudly in exasperation. “Come here, freakshow.” He pulled her into a bear hug.
“Hey loser,” she grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing tight.
“You know,” Dillon admitted, his voice slightly muffled against her shoulder, “I actually might miss you, Jones.”
Georgie laughed. “Yeah, you too,” she agreed. “Maybe.”
Dillon scoffed. “Oh you know you will.” He tickled her a little, laughing as she squirmed.
Georgie rolled her eyes. “Yeah well...” She reached up, rubbing his back. “So...merry, happy, seasons greetings, all that?”
Dillon nodded. “Merry happy all that,” he agreed.
“All right,” Georgie said. “I better go.” They gave each other one last tight squeeze and then drew back, grinning. “Night.” She ran lightly up the front steps.
Dillon turned to go down the driveway, then turned back. “Hey Georgie,” he called.
She turned from the half-open door. “What?”
Dillon grinned, raising an eyebrow. “See you next year!”

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 17


To: CinemaVerite
From: StrawberryFields

Dear Dillon,

Yesterday we went to the Ile St. Louis and to that ice cream place you told me about, Berthillon. I’m never leaving Paris, ever! I’m going to stay here for the rest of my life and eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’m going to get disgustingly fat and probably die of clogged arteries, but it will be well worth it. That stuff is AMAZING! I officially worship you for telling me about it, but don’t let that go to your big head. :-P
I’m having an amazing time here. It’s gorgeous (duh, you know that), and seeing Robin again is great. I’m even getting along with Maxie, at least, we’re being civil. Oh, you’ll be proud of me - guess what I got for Christmas? A big, fat gift certificate to Amazon, to buy all the movies I can squeeze out of $100. You’ll have to help me pick some out. How about you? Did the Quartermaines give you a sterling silver icepick or some other fun toy? Haha. Hope you’re having a fun break. Love to Emily, Lucky, Liz and Zander, please.
Don’t let this go to your thick head either, but I actually kinda miss you. But if you mention it, I’ll deny it! Happy New Year!
Hugs,
Georgie

Dillon laughed, moving his mouse toward the reply button-
“Dillon! Get a move on!” He threw his head back, groaning out loud. Sitting in his room, emailing Georgie and watching American Graffiti and Rebel Without A Cause seemed like a much more appealing way to spend New Years than going to some snooty ball at the PC Grille. He tugged loathesomely at his tie, grabbed his jacket, and yanked open his door, eyes rolling.
“Remind me again why I have to go to this thing?” He groused, galumphing down the steps.
“Can’t you walk down the stairs like a gentleman?” Edward replied snarkily. Dillon arched an eyebrow.
“That’s not an answer,” he shot back. The patriarch was not amused.
“Now see here young man-”
Ned held up a hand, cutting Edward off. “Because,” he explained to his brother, “just because it’s New Years, that’s no reason to harbor any disallusionment about the year to come.” He grinned.
Dillon sighed. “So the inmates continue to run the asylum,” he filled in.
Ned nodded. “See, you got it.”
Dillon rolled his eyes. “Great...”
“Oh come on,” Emily called, coming down the steps. She came up behind Ned and Dillon, putting her arms around their shoulders, and smiling disarmingly at her cousins, “chin up. It’s New Years!”
Dillon raised an eyebrow. “You’re legal to drink,” he reminded her. Emily cracked up, leaning into him as Ned tried to suppress his laughter, trying to be something of an exemplary older brother.
“You look breathtaking, Emily,” he said, admiring her.
Dillon nodded. Emily did look beautiful in a strapless indigo satin dress. “Uh, yeah,” he agreed. “You look great.”
Emily smiled. “Thank you,” she replied. “You both look marvelous.”
“Doesn’t the deviant know how to arrive on time to pick up a young lady?” Edward blustered.
Monica rolled her eyes, fluffing her hair. “Put a sock in it, Edward,” she commanded.
Emily smiled charmingly. “I asked Zander to meet me there, Grandfather,” she informed him. “I wanted to ride with the family.”
“God knows why,” Dillon mumbled, exasperated from boredom and Quartermaine overdose, “get a temporary reprieve.”
“Reginald!” bellowed Edward, “Where in tarnation is the -” A honking sound from outside cut him off mid-sentence.
“-Damn limo?” Emily shouted, eliciting laughter from the family. Edward went out the door, followed by Alan and Monica. Dillon looked anxiously toward the steps.
“Come on...” Emily grabbed his elbow, linking her arm through his and dragging him toward the door. “It won’t hurt, I promise.”
Dillon stared at her as they hit the night air. “Famous last words.”

The Quartermaines walked into The Grille, Emily still linking her arm with Dillon’s.
"Remind me again," Dillon leaned toward Emily, whispering in her ear. "why am I here?"
Emily covered her mouth to suppress the laughter that was trying to escape. "Because you can’t get enough of ostentatious Quartermaine-sponsored events, remember?”
He rolled his eyes and laughed a little bit.
"Em!" Elizabeth yelled happily, running over to her best friend, Lucky right behind her.
"Hey Liz," Emily said, quickly letting go of Dillon's arm and hugging her.
"Hi Dillon," Liz said, hugging him.
"Hey Liz," he said smiling at her.
"Lucky," Em said, wrapping her arms around him. "you look very handsome."
"Why thank you," he said, holding her out at arms length and looking at her. "you're not too bad yourself." He said, laughing.
Dillon stepped back a little and watched as the friends talked to each other.
A few minutes later, Zander walked up to him.
"Hi beautiful," he said, coming up behind Emily, wrapping his arms around her waist.
She quickly turned around in his arms and looked up at him. "Hey you," she said, smiling brightly. She leaned forward, softly kissing his lips.
"Hi Liz," Zander said, looking around at everyone.
"Hey," Lucky and Elizabeth both said at the same time.
Emily noticed Dillon standing back against the wall watching everyone out on the dance floor.
"Aww," she said, looking at Liz. "Dillon," she said, walking toward him and grabbing his hand. "come over here with us." She told him, pulling him over toward everyone.
"Hey Dillon," Zander said.
"Hi," Dillon said, scratching the back of his neck.
"Hey Lucky," Bobbie said, walking up behind her nephew.
"Hi Aunt Bobbie," he said, standing up and hugging her.
"Hi everyone," she said, looking around the table and smiling happily.
"Hi Bobbie," they all said at the same time.
"Would you mind dancing with me?" She asked, looking up at Lucky.
"I'd love to," he said, taking her hand in his and leading her out to the dance floor.
Mmm I bet you're wonderin' how i knew
Bout' your plans to make me blue
With some other guy ya knew before
Emily stood up from the table, walking over toward Dillon and grabbing his hand. "Come on," she said, pulling him out of his chair.
"Oh Em, I really don't feel like dancing." He whined, as she dragged him out onto the dance floor.
"Too bad," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.
Zander and Elizabeth walked onto the floor and stood beside them.
"Come on, Dillon," Zander said, walking backwards, taking Liz with him. "dance with your cousin."
Between the two of us guys you know I loved you more
It took me by surprise I must say
When I found out yesterday
Dillon took hold of his cousin's hand, twirling her around in a circle.
"Woohoo!" Liz called, looking their way. "Go Dillon!"
Em laughed, as he pulled her close to his body, then pushed her away and spun her around in a circle again.
Don't you know I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine
Oh, I'm just about to lose my mind
Honey, honey, I heard it through the grapevine
not much longer would you be mine baby.
"Switch!" Zander yelled. "Thanks for the dance," he said, handing Elizabeth off to Dillon.
"Hey you," Em said, as she wrapped her arms around Zander's neck and kissing his lips.
Ohh I know a man ain't supposed to cry
But these tears I can't hold inside
Losin' you would end my life ya see
'Cause you mean that much to me
Dillon lifted his hand, twirling Elizabeth underneath his arm. She moved her hips in time to the music.
You could have told me yourself
That you loved someone else
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine
And I'm just about to lose my mind
The bandleader’s voice dropped to a bass range as he sang the refrain.
Honey, honey, I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine baby.
Emily shook her hips seductively as she danced, making Zander swallow the urge to groan.
“You’re terrible,” he whispered in her ear. She grinned slyly.
Yeah, people say believe half of what you see
Son, and none of what you hear.
But I can't help but be confused
If it is true, please tell me dear
“You’ve got some great moves, Aunt Bobbie,” Lucky admired as Bobbie spun with a flourish.
“Well, thank you,” she replied, taking his proffered hands once again. They twisted a bit, just being silly.
Do you plan to let me go
For the other guy you loved before?
Don't you know I heard it through the grapevine
Elizabeth faced Dillon, rocking back and forth to the music. They bobbed their heads, mouthing along with the words.
Not much longer would you be mine
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine
Oh, I'm just about to lose my mind
Honey, honey, I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine baby.

"So, Dillon," Bobbie said, taking a sip from her wine glass. "have you heard from Georgie lately?"
"Yeah," he said, twirling his fork around in his plate of spaghetti. "I actually got an email from her this morning."
"Really?" Emily said. "How is she liking Paris?"
"Oh, she said it's so beautiful and she's really enjoying herself." He told them, taking a drink of his water.
"When are they supposed to be coming back?" Elizabeth asked, joining the conversation.
"January 4," he said, looking down at his plate.
"Hey buddy," Zander said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "what's the matter?"
Dillon looked up at the older man and shook his head. "I'm just tired, that's all."
Emily gave him a sympathetic look. "Do you miss her?"
"Miss who?" He asked, looking up.
"Georgie," Lucky said.
"Yeah, I do." He said quietly, looking back down at his plate.
"How was your trip to Brooklyn?" Bobbie asked, trying to change the subject.
"It was really nice," he said smiling.
"What do you think of your niece?" Emily asked.
"She's a handful, pretty funny, too." He admitted.

Dillon kneeled down in front of his niece. "Hi there," he said smiling.
"Brooke Lynn," Ned said, kneeling beside his brother. "This is your Uncle Dillon."
"Hi Uncle Dillon," the brown haired eight year old said, quickly giving him a hug.
"You know," she said, once she pulled away. "you don't look like an uncle to me."
"Oh yeah," he asked. "why's that?"
"My other uncle as a long beard and a big fat belly." She explained to him.
"I think you're a little too young for a beer gut," Ned said, leaning toward his brother.
"Yeah, and I probably won't have to shave until I'm in my twenties either." He said, looking at him.
Brooke Lynn just looked at them with a confused look on her face. "Why don't you have a beard?" She asked him, touching his chin with her little fingers.
"Because I'm not old enough yet." He explained to her.
"Ohh," she said, removing her hand from his face.

"Oh my goodness," Em said laughing. "I remember wanting to shave my legs when I was little!"
"Me, too!" Elizabeth said excitedly. "I remember one time when I was like ten or something, I went into the bathroom in my bathing suit and put shaving cream all over my legs, something like an inch thick. And I was so amused by it, I just kept spraying the stuff everywhere. I thought my mother was going to shoot me dead when she found me.
“Oh god,” Em said, still laughing. “That’s classic. When I first started, I always wanted the pink razors with the daisies and the-
"-Ahh, no more girly talk!" Dillon said, holding up his hand.
“Oh you think that’s bad,” Emily tormented him, “just wait until you get to listen to all your girl friends talk about bras and the time of the month.”
“Don’t most of the girls in your class already get their-” Elizabeth started.
“Oh, mercy please,” Dillon begged, “I’m eating!”
The ladies laughed at his plea and at Lucky and Zander cringing right along with Dillon.
“They never get over it, do they?” Emily teased. “Hey, what’s that word, comes at the end of a sentence...”
“So Aunt Bobbie,” Lucky interrupted loudly, “when does Lucas get home from his ski trip?”
Dillon and Zander shot Lucky grateful looks. Dillon didn’t even bother being annoyed at the sound of Lucas’ name.
“Day after tomorrow,” Bobbie said. “Fortunately his friends took a couple of the two dozen fruitcakes off of my hands.”
“Question,” Dillon said, sitting up. “Does anyone actually eat fruitcake or is it just something that you can use to bludgeon your enemies to death with?”
They all laughed.
“I always thought you might be able to mash it down and use the paste to patch a tire,” Ned quipped.
“The second coming of the pyramids,” Emily joked.
“Ooh, that’s true,” Lucky agreed. “Or like an igloo. You could probably get good insulation!”
“Won’t they go bad though,” Elizabeth asked, wrinkling her brow.
Lucky shook his head. “No way, those things are like cockroaches. They never die.”

Dillon sat, mindlessly eating from a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries, looking out on to the dance floor. Emily swayed gently in Lucky’s arms, moving back and forth to the music.
When you're weary, feelin' small
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all.
I'm on your side, Oh, when times get rough
He lifted his arm, and she turned under it, meeting his eyes with a smile as they came to face each other once again.
And friends just can't be found.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
Zander made his way on to the middle of the floor, tapping Lucky on the shoulder. Lucky smiled, bending his head to gallantly kiss Emily’s hand. She giggled and floated to Zander, their lips brushing softly as they began to dance.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
Lucky turned, his eyes moving to Elizabeth, who stood by the edge of the floor, talking to Audrey. He made his way toward them, his hand extended. Dillon saw Lucky address Audrey and saw Elizabeth excuse herself to allow Lucky to lead her out on to the floor.
When you're down and out, when you're on the street
When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you.
I'll take your part, Oh when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Dillon bit into another strawberry, watching his friends dance in their respective couples. Would he, he wondered, find himself in a position to dance with someone so closely?
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
For a moment, his mind flashed to Georgie. If she were here, Dillon knew, they could dance together, sure, and keep one another company. That was the great thing about the two of them. When she was around, he realized, he was never alone. And that was something very new to him.
Sail on children, sail on by
Your time has come to shine, all their dreams are on their way
See how they shine, Oh when you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Still, Dillon mused, watching Emily dance with Zander and Lucky dance with Elizabeth, as much as he adored Georgie and their friendship, he wondered if he’d find someone to dance with in a way that the couples on the floor were dancing, intimately, he guessed was the best way to describe it.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will ease your mind
And, he wondered, the thought making him feel oddly troubled. If he were to find someone like this, what would it mean for his friendship with Georgie? He couldn’t give that up. Dillon reached for his water glass, taking a sip, assuaging his suddenly dry throat.
Like a bridge over troubled waters,
I will ease your mind.
I'll ease your mind.

“Thirty seconds until midnight!” the bandleader called into the microphone. “Everyone find that special someone for that special New Years kiss!”
Dillon sighed, watching couples make their way toward each other.
“Hey, Dillon,” Emily spoke up, “don’t worry, Liz and I will give you kisses at midnight.”
He barely had time to roll his eyes in grateful amusement when Elizabeth added, “Sure, since Georgie’s not here.”
He did a double take, staring at the young woman in dumbfounded shock.
“Dillon, what’s wrong?” Lucky asked, as Dillon gaped at Elizabeth.
The boy shook his head vehemently. “Georgie and I don’t...kiss!” he gasped, his voice a strange mixture of shocked and appalled.
Maybe a little too shocked and appalled, Em noted privately, hiding an amused smile behind her hand.
“Ten!” The countdown began. “Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Happy New Year!”
Dillon was still so busy being appalled by Elizabeth’s seeming implication that he barely registered her and Emily pressing chaste and adoring kisses to his cheeks before turning to the arms and lips of their respective lovers. The strains of Auld Lang Syne began to play.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind.
“Liz and I will give you kisses at midnight,” the voices repeated in his head. “Sure, since Georgie’s not here-”
Dillon clapped his palm exasperatedly over his eyes. “Good god,” he muttered.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne.


Preview:
"Hey Georgie, your mom just called."

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 18


WHACK.
“What the hell?” Dillon exploded, as a snowball hit him square in the back of the head. He moved his hand ice, brushing the ice from his hair as he turned around.
Georgie smirked. “Hey loser.”
Dillon shook his head, fighting a grin. “Aww, you suck!” He informed her. He laughed.
They moved toward each other, grinning. Georgie reached out, circling her arms around Dillon’s neck. He grabbed her about the waist, hugging her tightly.
“Heyyy...” she smiled. Dillon lifted her off the ground.
“Hey,” he replied. “Good to see you.”
Georgie squeezed him tight, her feet dangling. “What, you missed me?” she teased.
Dillon laughed. “Sure thing,” he said. “Who else can I do this to?” With that he dug his fingers into her sides, tickling her mercilessly, still holding her off of the ground.
“Dillon!” Georgie squealed, flailing her legs, “stop! Put me down! Dillon, please, I’m begging you!”
But it was to no avail. “Begging, huh?” Dillon quipped. With a smirk and a malicious laugh, he wiggled his finger in the spot on her rib cage that he knew was her Achilles heel. She shrieked, thrashing about.
“Ow!” Dillon yelled, as Georgie landed an involuntary kick square on his knee. He dropped her to the ground, bending to nurse his injured joint. “Oh man, you suck...” he groaned in pain.
Georgie stuck out her tongue belligerently. “You suck too,” she informed him. “I blame you for that.” Dillon winced. Georgie did too. “Are you okay?” She asked, her concern overtaking her attitude.
He nodded, rubbing his knee. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” he assured her. “I can take a little pain.”
Georgie snorted. “How macho of you.”
Dillon rolled his eyes, grabbing her to bounce a messy kiss off her cheek. “Seriously,” he admitted. “Missed you.”
Georgie laughed, leaning up to smack a kiss on Dillon’s cheek as well. “Missed you too,” she confessed, giggling. They smiled warmly at each other for a moment. “Okay,” Georgie interjected, shaking her head, “no more mushy crap.”
“Deal,” Dillon agreed, high-fiving her. They laughed.
"Alright," Georgie said once she stopped laughing. "the movies about to start so we should probably get inside." She started walking toward the entrance, but stopped when Dillon grabbed hold of her arm. "What's wrong?" She asked, turning to look at him.
He pulled her aside, letting an older couple enter the theater. "Nothing," he replied, letting go of her arm. "I just think maybe we should skip the movie."
A shocked expression crossed over Georgie's face as she immediately brought her hand to his forehead.
"What are you doing?" He asked, taking hold of her hand that was still placed on his forehead.
"Dillon Quartermaine wants to skip a movie, I was just making sure you didn't have a fever." She said with all seriousness in her voice.
"Ha!" He said, tickling her sides as she swatted him away. "I don't have a fever, I've just been at this movie theater all week because I've been so bored."
"Aww, poor baby!" She said, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Please," he said, giving her his famous puppy dog face. "can't we just do something else for the day?"
"Fine!" She said, holding up her hands. "You win, we'll do something else!"
"Yes!" Dillon shouted, smiling brightly.
“Park?” Georgie suggested.
Dillon nodded. “Sounds good.”

"You know," Dillon started to say as he and Georgie walked through the park. "You are never, ever allowed to leave me again!"
Georgie looked over at him, a big smile spreading across her face. "Oh really," Dillon shook his head. "why's that?"
"One, because I missed you," he said, smiling back at her. "and two, because I was forced to spend all of my free time with the Quartermaines."
Georgie couldn't help but laugh at his last comment. "Okay, I won't leave you ever again," she told him, stopping at the edge of the frozen pond. "at least I'll try not to."
"That's good enough." He said, still smiling.
"Hey," Georgie shouted, causing him to jump. "the ponds frozen!" She said, pushing her snow boot onto the ice.
"Jones, it's freezing outside, of course the ponds going to be frozen." He said, looking at her as if she had lost her mind while away in Paris.
"Duh!" She said, rolling her eyes at him. "Let's go skating!"
"What?"
"You heard me." Georgie said, grabbing his hand. "Come on!"
"No way, you don't know if that pond is fully frozen, you could fall through." He reminded her.
"Oh come on, Quartermaine," she said, still pulling his arm. "we'll be fine."
"I don't know, Georgie." He said, pulling his hand out of her grasp.
"You know, you could win a gold medal in the Wuss Olympics." She said, stepping out onto the pond.
He rolled his eyes, ignoring her last comment. "Georgie, I'm serious. Be careful!"
"Dillon, I'm fine." She told him. "See," she said, twirling around in a circle. "Oww!" She yelled, dropping to the ground.
"Georgie, what's wrong?" He asked, panic rising in his voice as he stepped onto the frozen pond, slowly making his way toward her. Georgie quickly stood up, laughing. "Nothing's wrong, I just wanted you to come out here with me."
"I cannot believe you!" He shouted. "I thought something was seriously wrong."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you." She said genuinely meaning what she had said. He didn't say anything so she wrapped her arms around his neck, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'm really sorry, Dillon."
"It's okay," he said, nodding his head. He quickly returned the hug, and they let go of each other.
"Now, let's talk about your ice skating skills." Georgie said, laughing slightly.
"I know, I know!" Dillon said laughing. "I can't ice skate!"
"Well, them I'm just going to have to teach you, now aren't I?" She said, putting her hands on her hips.
"I guess so," he said shrugging his shoulders.
"Come on," she said, grabbing his hand again, 'skating' across the pond.
"Georgie, I'm going to fall on my ass!" He yelled, sliding across the ice.
"Oh, stop being such a baby!" She yelled back at him. "You don't even have the burden of balancing on skates, so you have no excuse for being so pathetic. Besides, if you do end up falling it won't hurt too bad."
"That's easy for you to say, you actually know how to skate, therefore you will not fall!"
He said, turning around to face her. As he turned, his foot slipped out from under him and he fell down. "Ouch, you're a jinx."
Georgie knelt down infront of him. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he said rubbing his knee. "that's the second time I've fallen down today. I think I should've just stayed in bed, it would've been safer."
"But then you wouldn't have been able to see me," she said sticking out her bottom lip.
Dillon laughed, trying to stand up. "Well, that's why I decided to get up, I had to see you." Georgie blushed a little bit, and helped him up to his feet.
"Let's go get some hot chocolate from Kelly's," she said, grabbing his hand and helping him slide across the pond. "I'm freezing!"
Dillon pouted. “I want ice cream,” he complained.
Georgie gaped at him. “Ice cream?!” She asked, her voice filled with incredulity. “It’s, like, 2 degrees out!”
“So?” Dillon shrugged.
Georgie shook her head. “Did your mother smoke when she was pregnant or something?”
Dillon shrugged. “Probably,” he responded, in all seriousness. “She’s not the most maternal person.”
“Dillon, I was kidding,” Georgie cried as they walked out of the park and down the street, their hands in their pockets.
He raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t.”
Georgie turned her head so that he couldn’t see the sad look on her face at the utter pragmatism with which he discussed his mother’s shortcomings. She didn’t understand how someone could be so accepting of the matter. They walked in silence for a few blocks. Georgie snuck a peek at Dillon. His head was down, guarding against the wind. Digging into her purse, she extracted a worn postcard.
“Here,” she said, handing it to him. “There was this vendor on the Left Bank selling all these old Parisian postcards and I saw this one...”
“Jules and Jim,” Dillon exclaimed, taking the card. “That’s the scene where they all race. Thanks!”
“Sure thing,” Georgie grinned.
Dillon winked at her. “You know we have to watch this now, right?” He asked, purposely bumping into her.
Georgie groaned softly. “Aren’t French films all snotty and pretentious,” she asked.
Dillon fixed his gaze on her as they rounded the corner, coming in sight of Kelly’s. “This from the girl who thinks that ice cream in winter is innappropriate,” he reprimanded. “Who’s pretentious now?”
She shook his head at him. “You still want ice cream?”
Dillon flashed a grin. “Oh hells yeah!” They made their way into the courtyard.
“Crack baby,” Georgie muttered, sticking her tongue out at him.
“Nah,” Dillon replied as he reached for the door. “No crack. Maybe cocaine. It was very ‘chi chi’ in the 80s.”
“Lord Almighty,” lamented Georgie as she walked inside.
“Georgie!” Elizabeth called, coming around the counter. “How are you?” She made her way to Georgie, reaching to give her a warm hug. “How was Paris?”
“Oh it was beautiful!” Georgie gushed as Elizabeth flashed a grin at Dillon. He smiled back. “I loved going to all the museums and the food was so good, and ooh...I just loved how there were all the lights at night. It was so cool!”
“I think she enjoyed it,” Dillon quipped. Georgie swatted at him affectionately.
“So what can I get for you?” Elizabeth asked.
“Well, I want a hot chocolate,” Georgie began, “and Whackjob Quartermaine here wants ice cream, despite the polar weather.”
Dillon rolled his eyes. “Ice cream is good!” He protested.
Georgie rolled her eyes. Elizabeth laughed. “How about we make maple sugar snow?”
“What’s maple sugar snow?” Georgie asked, perching on one of the stools.
Elizabeth looked at her aghast. “OK,” she said, “I would accept Dillon not knowing, but you’re from upstate New York! No excuse.”
“Yeah!” Dillon echoed. “No excuse. What do you have to say for yourself, Miss Jones?”
She tilted her head. “Uhhh...my best friend is an alien?”
“Cute,” Dillon scoffed.
Georgie tossed her head. “Oh I know I am,” she preened.
“In your dreams,” Dillon retorted.
“And yours,” Georgie countered. She flipped her hair. “You know I’m hot.”
Dillon looked at her, his face painted with fake concern. “You got a fever?” he asked in sympathetic tones.
Elizabeth watched them, biting her lip in amusement. “Here,” she laughed, reaching over the counter and handing them two paper cups. “Go outside and get fresh snow.” With a shake of her head, she walked back into the kitchen to consult with the cook.
Georgie and Dillon made their way to the door, stepping back outside. He bumped her with his hip.
“Boom,” he announced.
Georgie bumped him back. “Boom,” she retorted. They grinned at each other. Dillon swiped the cup from her hand and headed to the edge of the courtyard, kneeling to scoop up some untouched snow. Grinning, Georgie snuck up behind him. Kneeling down, she placed her lips on his neck, blowing hard.
“Zurbert!” She yelled, jumping up and racing away before Dillon could grab her.
He stood up, not giving chase. Instead, he stuck his finger deep into his mouth, sucking on it for a moment, and drawing it out slowly. Then he moved toward her, digit extended, the snow-filled cups safe in his other hand.
“No!” Georgie screamed, knowing his intentions. Laughing, he rushed at her, but she ran inside before he could catch her. Racing across the diner, Georgie ducked behind Elizabeth, using the young woman as a shield, as Dillon entered.
“What’s going on?” Elizabeth laughed.
Dillon raised an eyebrow. “Georgie zuberted me so I was trying to wet willy her,” he explained, as though it were the most practical thing in the world.
Elizabeth nodded. “Yes of course,” she said, accepting the answer. She leaned to whisper to Dillon. “But don’t do that. Customers.”
He nodded and held up his hands to Georgie. “Peace.”
She nodded back. “Peace.”
“Come on,” Elizabeth nudged them toward the counter as she went into kitchen. A moment later she came out with a small pot filled with boiling maple syrup. The sweet smell permeated the room.
“Mmmmm...” Georgie moaned appreciatively, breathing it in.
“Okay,” Elizabeth said. She took a spoon, dipping it into the maple syrup and drizzling it over the cups of snow. “Mix.”
Dillon and Georgie stirred the concoction, blending it together into a slushy ecru mass. They looked up at Elizabeth anticipatorily.
“Go ahead,” she approved. “Taste.”
They dipped their spoons into the cups, taking bites of the maple snow.
Dillon closed his eyes in ecstasy. “Yummmm...” he said, digging in for a bigger bite.
Georgie savored the taste. “Orgasmic,” she moaned.
“Ah!” Elizabeth cried. “None of that! You’re too young to be talking that way!”
“Yes Georgiana,” Dillon added, giving her an appalled look. “Just what is coming out of your sweet little virgin mouth?”
Georgie rolled her eyes, digging into her cup and pulling up a huge spoonful. “Eat it, Quartermaine,” she retorted, shoving the spoon into his mouth.
“Gladly,” he mumbled around the mouthful of metal, snow and maple. Elizabeth shook her head at them.
The phone rang.
Elizabeth reached for it. “Hello?” She smiled. “Oh, hi. Yeah, she is - what?” A concerned look crossed her face. “Yeah, yeah of course. Okay. Uh-huh. All right, bye.” She hung up the phone, making her way back to Dillon and Georgie.
“Georgie,” she said softly. The kids both looked up, their grins fading at Elizabeth’s expression. “That was your dad on the phone,” she informed Georgie gently. “He needs you home right away.”

Preview:
“I’m sorry. I have to leave tonight.”

[JRK Archiver]

Ch 19

Georgie played with her scarf, her fingers nervously twisting the fringe as Elizabeth turned the silver Toyota on to the street where Georgie lived. Pulling up in front of the house, she shifted the car into park, turning to look at the nervous girl next to her.
“It’ll be okay, Georgie,” she said softly.
Georgie turned wide, nervous eyes on Elizabeth. “What if it’s not?” she asked, trying to keep the panic from rising in her voice.
Elizabeth smiled gently. “If you need anything,” she replied. “You call me or Lucky, okay?” Georgie nodded, shrugging shyly. “Or Dillon, too,” Elizabeth added.
At the mention of her closest friend, Georgie smiled. “I know,” she whispered. She hesitated a moment before reaching for the car door. “Thanks Elizabeth.” She opened the door.
Elizabeth squeezed Georgie’s hand. “Good luck honey,” she replied.
Georgie bit her lip. “Thanks.” She slid out of the vehicle, closing the door behind her and hurrying up the driveway.

“The service here is terrible,” a woman seated near the window groused loudly. “Where is the waitress?” She wore an expensive garbadine suit with a fox collar, and Dillon, seated at the counter, wondered why she had chosen to patronize Kelly’s. He slid off his stool, approaching her.
“Um, she’ll be right back,” he ventured. “She had to deal with a family emergency.”
The woman raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “She left?”
Dillon wanted to recoil at the sound of the woman’s voice, but he stood his ground.
“She’ll be right back, ma’am,” he replied, thanking every available higher source that the other customers were behaving themselves for the moment. “She had to give someone a ride home.”
“I thought you said she had a family emergency,” the woman accused.
Dillon smiled disarmingly. “She did,” he informed her. “Just not her family. A friend of hers who was here had a family emergency and Elizabeth - that’s the name of the waitress - took her home.”
“And the patrons of this establishment are just supposed to wait?” The woman asked in passive aggressive tones as the bell over the door rang.
“What can I get for you?”
Dillon turned around. Emily winked at him quickly, and then flashed a charming smile to the disgruntled lady.
“Are you the waitress?” She asked. “It was very unprofessional of you to leave like-”
“I don’t work here,” Emily said calmly. “But I used to and I know the owner. I’m sure if your waitress left, she had an excellent reason. In the meantime, why don’t I help you?” She leaned to whisper in Dillon’s ear. “Grab the coffee pot and start pouring. I’ll take care of Cruella here.”
Dillon nodded, going to the counter to take the coffee pot. As he passed her again, Emily reached out to stop him.
“Where did Elizabeth go?”

“Mom?” Georgie pushed open the door. “Dad?” She headed into the front hallway.
“In here baby,” Felicia called. She sounded strange and Georgie’s mouth felt dry. She headed into the living room.
“Mom?” Georgie’s lip trembled. Felicia was wringing her hands nervously. Maxie was on the couch, crying, and Mac was next to her, looking oddly stoic as he rubbed her back comfortingly. Georgie rushed to her mother. “What happened?”
Felicia hugged her youngest daughter tightly, leading Georgie to the sofa. She sat on the coffee table, facing them, holding Georgie’s hands. “I got a call from Texas,” Felicia explained. “Grandma Maria had a stroke.”

"Elizabeth," Emily said, standing up from the stool she was sitting on at the counter.
"Is Georgie all right?" Dillon asked, standing up straight behind the counter.
"She seemed really nervous when I dropped her off, but I still don't know what's wrong." She told them both, taking her scarf off from around her neck and hanging it up on the coat rack behind the counter, along with her jacket. "I told her that if she needed anything at all to call me, Lucky," she looked at Dillon. "or you."
"Of course," Dillon said, taking a deep breath. "I hope everything's all right." He said, looking down at the counter top.
Elizabeth and Emily shared sympathetic looks, both wishing there was something they could do.
"Well, I better get going. I'm supposed to be meeting Zander back at home." Emily said, slipping into her jacket and putting her hat on her head. "I put the money for these," she pointed to her coffee's. "in the register."
"Thank you," Elizabeth said, reaching out to give her best friend a hug.
"Call me once you find out anything, alright?" She asked, pulling away.
"I will," Liz nodded her head.
"Hey Dillon," Emily called out, getting his attention back. "I'll tell Ned about Georgie, and let him know that you're here with Elizabeth, alright?"
"Thanks, Em." He said, looking at his cousin.
"Come here," she said, holding out her arms. He walked out from behind the counter and hugged her. "everything's going to be alright."
"Yeah," he said, pulling away from her and sitting on one of the stools.
"I'll talk to you both later." She said, picking up her tray of coffee and heading for the door.
"Hey you," Elizabeth said, looking at Dillon.
He looked up at her.
"Thanks for covering for me," she said, smiling at the younger boy.
"No problem," he said, smiling slightly.

"Is she all right now?" Georgie asked, panic rising in her voice.
"For now, but she needs someone with her that she knows. Not just some nurse." Felicia tried to explain.
Maxie looked at her mother, not quite knowing what she meant. "What are you trying to say?"
"I need to go take care of her for awhile." Felicia said, looking in-between her two daughters.
"How long?" Georgie asked, starting to cry.
"I'm not sure yet, sweetie." She told her, rubbing her back, trying to calm her.
"Your Grandma Maria needs your mother right now," Mac said, trying to explain things a little better.
"So you're just going to leave us?" Maxie interrupted, standing up.
“I’m sorry,” Felicia sighed. “I have to leave tonight.” Maxie gazed at her, betrayed.
"Maxie, please don't be mad," Mac said, looking up at her from his spot on the couch.
"How can I not be mad?" She asked, looking right at Felicia.
"Honey, I really am sorry." Felicia said, standing up, leaving Georgie on the couch. By now, the tears were freely flowing down her cheeks. She didn't know what to think, let alone what to say.
Maxie didn't say anything, she just shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. She turned and run up the stairs, a few minutes later her bedroom door slammed shut.
Felicia and Mac looked at each other, both searching for the right words to say. Both wanting to comfort the crying and confused little girl who was sitting on the couch staring at her hands.
"Sweetheart," Mac said, moving onto the couch next to her. He wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.
"I'm not mad," she told them, her voice low. "I'm not."
Felicia sat back down next to her, pulling both of them into a tight hug. "I'm sorry. I really am."
Georgie pulled away from both of them, wanting to say something. She stood up from the couch, looking down at both of her parents. "Please don't be sorry. I'm trying to understand, I really am," she said, shaking her head. "it's just really hard."
"Oh honey, that's completely understandable," Felicia told her.
"Okay," Georgie said, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "I'm going to go up to my room now." She said, turning to leave.
She quickly walked up the stairs, into her bedroom, shutting the door. She ran the few steps to her bed and collapsed, finally allowing herself to cry again.
After a few minutes, she looked over at her phone. She thought back to what Elizabeth had told her earlier, “If you need anything, you call me or Lucky, okay? Or Dillon, too." She reached over and grabbed her phone off of her night-stand, quickly dialing a number.

Elizabeth reached for the ringing phone. “Hello?” She sat up straight. “Hey honey. Yeah, yeah, he’s still here. Hold on.” She handed Dillon the phone. “For you.”
He took the receiver, mouthing thanks. “Hello?” He listened for a moment, and gulped, nodding. “Yeah,” he said. “No no, I’ll be right there.” He nodded. “Okay. Ten minutes.”
Dillon slid off the stool as he handed Elizabeth the receiver. “I gotta go,” he said quickly.
“Dillon, is everything okay?” She called as he moved toward the door.
“I’m not sure,” he called back over his shoulder.
Elizabeth watched him go, sighing.

Georgie hugged her pillow to her chest, trying to wrap her mind around everything. She dropped her head to her knees; the attempts to sort everything out were giving her a headache.
“Georgie!” A rapping came at her window. “Georgie!”
She put the pillow aside, moving toward the window. “Dillon,” she exclaimed, opening it, “you don’t use the door?”
He looked at her face, at the smile that was obviously plastered on, at her dull eyes that just an hour ago, had been bright with laughter.
“Come on,” he said, holding out his hand. “Let’s go.”
Georgie sighed, hesitating a moment. Sneaking out was wrong, she knew. Her parents would worry, maybe even Maxie too. But in that moment, she needed nothing more than to get the hell out of there. She grabbed her coat.
“Okay.” She grasped Dillon’s hand and he helped her climb through the window, and into the maple tree outside. He watched, impressed, as she manuevered through the branches, dropping quietly to the ground. He hopped down after her, following her through the shadows of the yard and on to the street.
“You okay?” Dillon asked, breaking the silence.
Georgie looked at him, shrugging. “I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “I really, really don’t.” She shuffled her feet. “Dillon, if, if I tell you something, do you promise not to laugh at me?”
He nodded. “Of course.”
“It’s just,” Georgie stared at the ground. “It sounds so stupid, I know, but I feel like my mom is never going to come home.”
“Georgie,” he said quietly, “she’s just going to take care of your great grandmother. She’s not leaving you. Not like that. Not like-” he hesitated a moment - “not like my mom.”
She looked sideways at him. “I told you it was stupid.”
Dillon shook his head. “No,” he countered, “it’s not.”
They walked on. Georgie, her mittens forgotten, shoved her hands into her coat pockets to keep them warm. As they rounded the corner by the docks, Dillon reached into Georgie’s pocket, taking her hand and weaving his fingers through hers.
He shrugged one shoulder as she looked at him. “Forgot mine too,” he offered in explanation.
Georgie smiled briefly, and looked away. They walked on in silence, their hands intertwined inside her coat pocket. Georgie felt her chest tighening, and a funny feeling in the roof of her mouth. Her lip trembled. She struggled against it, but the ragged sob tore free from her throat.
“Oh god, Georgie...” Dillon quickly pulled her into a hug. They rocked back and forth slightly, standing in the middle of the sidewalk as Georgie whimpered against his shoulder. “Shhhh...” he soothed, rubbing the back of her head. “It’s okay. It’ll be okay.”
Georgie coughed, holding on to Dillon for dear life as he murmured the sweet but futile words. Her cheeks heated up, despite the cold.
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I’m sorry, I’m just...I don’t know, I’m sad.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he insisted in whisper. “It’s okay, you’ll be okay.”
“Thank you,” she whispered back, her shoulders still trembling. She lifted her head from Dillon’s shoulder and stood up straight, her hands still on his arms, his still on her back.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered again. “I don’t mean to be such a baby.”
“You’re not,” he insisted. “I told you, don’t be sorry.”
Georgie’s eyes welled once again. “Don’t be so sweet,” she admonished him. “You’ll make me cry more.” True to her word, the tears spilled over, sliding down her cheeks. Without thinking, Dillon reached his hand up, wiping the tears from her cheeks before they froze.
A light snow began to fall suddenly. Dillon tilted his head upwards, sticking out his tongue and catching snowflakes on the end of it. Georgie laughed slightly, tilting her head up and sticking her tongue out too.

“Two please,” Dillon said, pulling money out of his pocket and handing it to the woman seated in the box office at the Moroccan.
“I thought you were sick of watching this movie,” Georgie protested.
Dillon raised an eyebrow. “I don’t give a damn,” he informed her. He retrieved the tickets and grabbed Georgie’s hand, leading her into their sanctuary. “You want gummy bears?” He asked her, as they walked further into the lobby, the heat already warming up their cold bodies.
Grateful, Georgie laughed a little bit. "Sure," she said, finally smiling again.
"Okay," Dillon nudged her with his shoulder. "I get the green ones."

Preview:
"So how about it, huh? You wanna be my Valentine?"
"Ah, I guess, if I don't get a better offer."