FicWad

A/N: Wow, CoTT fans review fast. I'm surprised. Well here's

chapter two. I hope nobody seems too out of character in this

story, but I'm sure if they do, you guys and gals will let me

know, won't ya? ;) Oh and can somebody tell me living

arrangements in the brownstone, if they know? Like do they all

have their own rooms or share or what? Thanks and enjoy!



Chapter Two: Arrivals and A Barbecue


Jay sighed in content as he got off the plane in New

Olympia. It was good to be back, soon to be amongst friends once

more. Making his way slowly through the crowds towards the

luggage area, he heard someone calling his name. He turned to

see Herry, Archie and Neil waving excitedly through the crowds.

He patiently waited for them to catch up to him.

"Guys! What are you doing here?" Jay asked happily.

"Theresa told us you were flying in, and we were in the

area so we thought we'd pick you up and get home before the

girls do," Herry explained. Jay grabbed his bags and they turned

to leave.

"They're coming together?" he asked as they pushed

through the people.

"Yup. Theresa's driving down so she picked up Atlanta,"

Archie said. "They should be here in a couple of hours."

"Just enough time for me to make myself gorgeous again,"

added Neil, his ever present mirror out for self-inspection. Jay

shook his head. The more things change....But he had to admit he

was excited to be reunited with everyone again. The summer had

seemed to last forever to him. Trying to readjust to normal life

had not gone as smoothly as he would have liked, as he found

himself even more serious now in most things he did, and a

little paranoid, catching movements in the shadows around him.

His old friends had teased him about going to "space camp",

asking if he'd been abducted by aliens, and if that was why he

was acting so weird. Jay shook his head again as they drove

through the city.

He figured he had simply outgrown those friends. After

all, it wasn't as though they could ever understand what he had

been trough. Not like his Olympian comrades could. He sighed and

silently vowed to make this year the best ever, for all of them.

To start with, maybe they could get a barbecue going for when

the girls arrived. They would probably be tired and hungry, and

appreciate the gesture.

"Hey guys, what do you say we get a barbecue going for

when the girls get home?" he suggested. It was readily accepted

with shouts of 'Alright!' and 'Rib time!'. He laughed at his

friends, acting like they hadn't eaten for days. And he couldn't

help but have a knot of excitement tighten in his stomach at the

thought of seeing Theresa again. Of course he wanted to see

Atlanta too, but...there was just something special about

Theresa. Aside from the obvious of course. He had missed their

light hearted bantering over the summer, had missed her gentle

teasings. He had just plain missed her.

A quick pit stop later, and they were all unpacking

their things at the brownstone. Odie had arrived only an hour

earlier, his techie stuff already set up, scooter resting in the

back yard. Pulling their small barbecue out of the storage

shed, dinner was soon cooking. An hour passed with rambunctious

tales of summer adventures and grilling meat. Archie and Herry

had gotten into a heated discussion over the finer points of

wrestling, leaving Jay on his own with the grill. He turned to

ask Odie how he wanted his steak done when the squealing of

braking tires was heard. They all stopped, glancing at each

other. Feminine laughter drifted to them from the front.

"The girls!" shouted Herry, triggering a stampede of

young males out the gate and around to the front. Theresa

laughed at the sight of them jostling each other, making Jay's

stomach do flips. Herry reached them first, grabbing both of

them off the ground in a massive bear hug. Atlanta gave a choked

laugh.

"Hey Herry. Good to see you too," she gasped. He laughed

and put them gently back on the ground. Theresa twirled around

and spotted her first victim.

"Jay!!" she cried happily, throwing her arms about his

neck. Caught off guard, he stumbled back, his arms going about

her waist. He laughed nervously, sure his face was pitch red.

Soft curls brushed his cheek and he could smell her floral

shampoo. He could hear Archie snickering and shot him a glare.

"H-hey Theresa. Good to see you again," he said, giving

her a little squeeze. She returned the gesture and released him,

a light flush covering her face. "Have a good summer?"

"It was alright I guess. You?" she asked, a smile on her

face.
"Same," Jay shrugged. Theresa grinned and turned to find

her next victim. Hugs were exchanged all around, or in the case

of Archie and Atlanta, a friendly punch on the arm. Theresa

sighed in exasperation. Something needed to be done about that.

"So, you all rested up Herry?" she smirked up at the

strong boy.


"Yeah, why?" he asked, confused.

"Great, you can help Atlanta carry all of her stuff in,"

she laughed. Atlanta snorted in disbelief.

"Excuse me? All my stuff? I'm not the one with the fifty

piece matching floral luggage set, now am I?" she smirked.

"Well that sure isn't my longbow sticking out of the

backseat," Theresa laughed. Atlanta hmphed and gave her giggling

friend a push toward the trunk. Theresa stuck out her tongue and

began unloading the car. With the help of Herry and Archie they

eventually got everything up to their rooms. Jay returned to the

grill and finished up dinner, putting everything on the picnic

table they had somehow acquired. The girls soon joined them

after changing into fresh clothes.

"Wow guys, I'm impressed," Atlanta told them, sitting

next to Archie. Theresa sat next to her, across from Jay.

"Yeah, me too. Who knew you guys could be so sweet,"

smirked Theresa.

"Yeah," Atlanta agreed, nudging Archie with her elbow.

He flushed and squirmed in his seat.

"Well it was Jay's idea, really," he stammered. "He

thought you girls would be hungry after driving all day."

"Did he now?" Theresa asked, smiling across at her

blushing leader who refused to meet her gaze. "And here I

thought I was the one with foresight."

Comfortable laughter and more teasing ensued as the

group settled into dinner and began to tighten their bonds of

friendship once again.