Title: The Ride Over: Stop One, Pt 2
Author: Delilah (divadelilah@aol.com), Jess (rock3rbaby@cs.com), Lin (spikes_angel01@yahoo.au), Diurnal (diurnal@magma.ca), Hawk (nighthawk_xanman@yahoo.com), Shelby (tonka_toy7@hotmail.com)
Description: Series started by an invitation to Two and Tracy's party. Pretty much a round robin.
Disclaimer: In short, Spike's not ours and thanks goddess, neither is Riley. Joss/Fox/SandDollar/Mutant Enemy/UPN own them. However, we all own our respective bots and clones.
Distribution: DivaDelilah's Domain, any author sites, Nuts N Bolts and various lists. Hell, just tell us where it's going.
Feedback: Come on baby, light my fire…
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Damean saw Pierce sticking his head out of the car, and grabbed the mega phone the had brought just in case..........with his right hand on the steering wheel, and his left holding the megaphone to his mouth, he stuck his head out of the drivers side window, and shouted...

"'EY PIERCE!! I SEE YA YOU GIT!!" Damean shouted, "'OW YA DOIN' MATE! S'BEEN A WHI.........."

Jess looked up from her notebook she had just in time to yell, "DAMEAN!! CAR!!"

Damean looked back to the road infront of him, throwing the megaphone back into the car as he tried to gain control once more as he swerved to keep from hitting the car ahead of them. They came to a screeching halt. Damean looked over at Jess.

"You ok Pet??" he asked, from the glare that she gave him, it seemed she was just fine...............and very pissed. Damean quietly turned the car back on to the road, following the band wagon once more.

******************************************************************************************************************************

When they screeched to a stop at the Ellington Cafe, Deli pitched forward, caught just in time by the seat belt. She glowered at Trouble, who grinned unrepentantly. He lifted her out of the backseat easily as Di, Loki and Loth hopped out the other side.

Deli looked down at her dress ruefully. "Why is it that I don't this was made for swing dancing?"

"Cause it fits your arse too tight to flash everyone when you spin, pet," Loth replied, threading her arm through his and heading in to reserve tables as the others parked.

Deli giggled and swatted him playfully as they approached the maitre 'd stand. "We'd like a table or tables for....14," she said, counting the people on her fingers.

"Sure, doll," the smartly dressed waiter said, tossing a few menus over his arm and snapping at the lounging servers to set up the tables. "You want we should seat you near the dance floor?"

Loth groaned as Deli nodded vigorously. "Oh please. Even though I can't dance, I'd like the others to be able to."

The waiter looked at her strangely. "And why can't a daisy like yerself put on her boogie shoes?"

Deli blushed and replied, "My dress is too tight. It's not exactly made for swinging."

"Oh is that all?" he asked, surprised. "We have a full selection of rental stuff in the coat room. All the local teens come and get pictures taken and that on the weekends."

"Really?" Deli asked excitedly. "Wait till the rest of my party gets here and I'll go take a look!"

"No problem, sweetheart."
***********************************
Deli's face lit up as she flipped through the racks of 40's dresses and skirts, trying to decide what would look best to dance in. She picked up one polka dotted dress and held it up, then shook her head, discarding for one later in period. Her eyes glowed happily when she found a perfect dress: completely wrong time period, probably a bad dancing choice, but totally adorable. If only there was an air vent to stand on, she thought, giggling to herself.

Having decided, she reached behind her to get her zipper, and struggled, almost tripping over the hem of her skirt in her efforts to remove her dress. She almost gave up when she felt familiar hand lift hers from the stubborn zip and settle them at her sides. The zipper slid down slowly, and she reached for the other dress, intending to shimmy it on then slide the current dress down her legs.

"No, you'll muss your pretty hair pet," he whispered, reaching for the dress and helping her pull it on slowly. He then stooped down and let her balance herself on his shoulder as she peeled the leather down her calves and off her body.

She pulled the dress onto a hanger and hung it out of the way so no one would disturb it. Then she switched to a pair of lower, chunky heeled shoes she could swing in.

"Wasn't that much easier than doing it all yourself?" he asked, his eyes burning into her exposed back.

She nodded, and replied, "Thanks." She didn't trust herself to turn around, so she busied her hands with the dry cleaners plastic that had been over the dress she was now wearing.

He grinned, pulling her around until she was a hair's breadth away from him, and placed a teasing kiss on her lips. "You know we've had hardly a minute alone all day it seems."

She nodded, resting her head on his breastbone and relishing in the feel of his embrace.

"I'd like to remedy that while they're out there getting settled still," he practically purred, nipping at her neck playfully. He placed a searing kiss on her mouth and she returned it with the same fervor.

The door opened and a startled Peirce stood, gawking at the sight in front of him. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, hoping to figure out what to say. When they didn't seem to notice him after a few moments, he shrugged and left to go to the table and ponder what he'd just witnessed.

What in the HELL is going on? he wondered to himself. The waiter came to take his drink order, and he shook himself out of the trance. "Maybe you ought to just bring the keg and sit it right next to me, mate."

Loth gave him a curious look and Peirce shook his head. "Don't ask. Just...don't ask."

****************************************************************************************************************************

"Pet I'm sorry! SORRY!" Damean could be heared throught out the restaurant.

"Forget it, I don't want to hear it, don't want to hear you," Jess said walking over to the women's restroom.

Damean tried to follow in, but was stopped by a "DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT," that came from inside. He sighed and turned around, he spotted the boys at a table. "Pierce, mate, 'ow it?" He looked at Loth; he hadn't talked to him since there fight. He remained silent.

He glanced around to see who else was there.

Jess meanwhile was sitting on the counter in the bathroom trying to keep herself from going craz.........ier.

****************************************************************************************************************************'Don't "Don't look like flowers n candy is goin' to git you're hide out of this one, mate," Peirce told Damean.

"Got anythin' else up yer sleeve?"

Peirce took another drink from his beer and continued to ignore the angry glances cast from his mistress. Something was bothering him and Shelby was none too happy that he was keeping it to himself. The last thing she needed was to have Angeline redo wiring because he got his wires crossed about something.

Then there was Deli and him. No one was going to understand that one. Who was he going to tell and who was going to believe him? Peirce hit Loth on the arm and grinned. '"Bout time you two had a talk eh? Make the ladies happy. Whaddya say?"

Shelby got up from the table and scurried into the bathroom. Jess stood at the sink and looked like she was trying to gather up her thoughts. The girls embraced in a hug and smiled at each other. Shelby started rifling angrily through her new purse then.

"Peirce is upset and I've got no idea why."

"Damean almost got us killed."

"So how much kissing up are you going to make him do?" Shelby brushed her hair.

****************************************************************************************************************************

Fangy and Seth watched Fen and Charley have a heated discussion with avid interest. She said something and Charleys eyes darken a fraction and a low
growl rumbled across the room below the sound of swing music and people. The two onlookers looked at each other and Fangy shrugged their attention being
yanked back to the arguing couple by the door when Fen's voice rang out above the din.

"Fine. You do whatever makes you happy but I am going to dance." she spun on one toe and stalked away from a somewhat shocked Charley turning just before
entering the ladies room to throw one last comment over her shoulder at him.

"...and you WILL behave." With that she disappeared through the swinging door.

Charley wandered over to where Fangy and Seth sat slumping into an empty seat. Seth passed him a beer as he muttered under his breath about bloody women and Fangy laughed.

"Problems in paradise BOB?"

"Don't call me that." Charley said takig a long drink of his beer.

"Come on Charley we all knows somethings up. Spill it." Chris said from across the table where he sat with Asmara on his lap.

"She wants to dance!" he exclaimed.

"Heaven forbid she should want to do something so heinous." Seth quipped and Charley shot him a dirty look.

"I do not dance, so neither can she."

"You tried to tell her that didn't you?" Loth said.

"Yeah."

"Went over real well did it?" Fangy said trying not to laugh.

"She yelled at me." the rest of the guys started laughing and Charley took another long drink of beer.

************************************************************************

Fen stormed into the ladies room startling Jess and Shelby who were already sitting in the lounge area.

"Problems?" Shelby asked.

"Mr I'm a Musician refuses to dance which means I don't get to either."

"Can't you just dance with someone else?" Jess asked "There are a ton of people out there not to mention a number of bots and clones."

Fen just looked at her for a second and started to laugh.

"What?" Jess said looking at Shelby.

"Charley can be a bit possesive. He almost took off the Riley clones arm after he tried to touch Fen." Fen giggled.

"That was actually kind of sweet, but this is just crazy. I want to dance not go home with someone eles." She sighed and plopped down on one of the
benches. Jess and Shelby looked at each other.

"Welcome to the My Bot Is Driving Me Crazy Club." they said in unison.

****************************************************************************************************************************
Loth looked at Peirce, then at Damaen, and sighed. "Oh, for the love of... Look, mate, I'm not angry at Damaen. I like him. Most of the time," he added with a wink.

Damaen muttered something unintelligible and Peirce kicked him under the table. "I really think your ladies would like you guys to make up. That is, whenever Jess and the hellcat get back."

Loth grinned briefly but it turned into a frown quickly. "Speaking of which, I haven't seen her since we first came in. You guys know where she is?"

Damaen groused, "Maybe she's in the bloody bathroom with Jess."

Peirce sighed inwardly, thankful that Damaen had saved from either having to lie or tattle. He knew exactly where she was, and most likely what she doing.

"Your lady pissed at you again, Damaen?"

"Yeah. Almost wrecked our car cause I was waving at Peirce and not paying attention," he said, his eyes glaring daggers at Peirce, who shrugged.

Loth laughed. "She'll get over that quickly. Deli always gets over Trouble's near death experiences, right T?" he called to the other end of the table.

Trouble grinned and nodded, lifting his beer bottle at Damaen in a salute. "She gets over everything I do pretty quickly, unlike Mr Broody down there. She just needs a little...guidance sometimes."

Loth snorted and muttered something about Trouble's guidance, then downed the end of his beer. He called the waiter over, noting Deli's still empty place, and the missing bots, clones and mistresses. Where is everyone? he thought.

Suddenly, Deli came sauntering up, following the rest of the bots and clones and Chris, who'd apprantly been at the bar. She kissed Loth's cheek distractedly, and flitted to her seat at the other end of the table, staring blankly into space as she fiddled with the napkin she'd placed in her lap.

Trouble waved the waiter to there end of the table and ordered her an ice cold Grey Goose martini with two black olives, for which she patted his hand. Her eyes darted back and forth, from person to person as if she were nervous, and she continued to fiddle with her napkin.

"Deli?" Di said. "Hey, where were you? Have that much trouble locating a dress? Again?"

Deli nodded, opting not to say anything further.

The girls chose that moment to come back from the bathroom, and Shelby looked at Peirce, who was looking at everyone at the table besides her and Deli. She looked at Deli, studying her closely, and hauled Peirce to his feet.

"I need to talk to you, honey," she said sweetly, pulling him aside. "Will someone order me a margarita while I'm gone?"

She pulled her unwilling bot to small area by the phones and restrooms and proceded to grill him. "Out with it, Mister! I know you're hiding something and we're not sitting down until you at least tell me some of it!"

Shelby tapped her foot impatiently with her arms folded. Peirce's face was twisted into all sorts of emotions. He knew what was going on yet he also knew that all hell was going to break loose if he told her what he saw.

"Out with it mister. Deli's acting weird and I have a feeling you know why."

Peirce ran a nervous hand through his platimun hair and began to pace back and forth. "Don't know what you're talking about luv. She seems fine to me."

Shelby waited patiently. Soon enough she figured he'd burst and tell her. It's just how he was. Honest with her and never kept any secrets. Well, at least none she knew of.

Peirce stopped pacing long enough to stare back at the gang. He noted how unhappy everyone seemed to look. "Fine, I'll tell you a little but it's between you and me ducks. I saw 'er with 'im. S'not right you know? A bloke has a right to know if 'is woman is unhappy before she goes off with another man."

Shelby stared at Peirce with her mouth hanging wide open. "You'd tell me if you were unhappy right pet?"

Shelby embraced her bot tightly, then looked into his eyes. "Another man? Deli? Peirce are you sure? Who was it?"

Peirce looked nervously around at the floor. "Hell if I know pet. We all look the same."

"Oh that's a load of shit Peirce. really honey. You all have you're own looks. Don't tell me...."

Di came bouncing up to the pair at the moment. "Hey all, foods here. Are you gonna eat?" Di noted the tension in Peirce's eyes. Something was up and she gave Shelby a smile and a wink hoping to convey the ancient code of 'meet me in the ladies room'

Peirce quickly raised his hand. "I know I am."

Shelby shook her head at Di. "Meet me later? We can talk about it. And bring Deli. Drag her if you have to. She's got some explaining to do."

Shelby thought about it a little while. Trouble and Loth had been with her and Peirce the whole time. Fangy was off with Angeline, so she thought. Seth was here with them as was Damean. The only two she couldn't place were Loki and Raj. It had to be Raj. Loki was fiercly loyal so she'd heard. Shelby headed back to the table, eyeing up Deli who was ignoring everyone, including her bot. Loth was steaming she could tell. Poor bot.

****************************************************************************************************************************

They came out of the restroom a bit after.

Jess looked at her bot who seemed rather uncomfortable. She sighed and sat next to him, she said hello to the boys that where sitting with him.

"Talk?" she said, he nodded and stood up leading him to the corner of the place, for a little privacy.

"So," Jess said.

"So." Damean said looking at the ground.

"Fine, look at the ground and dont talk," Jess said, Damean reached up and rabbed her by the wrist a bit hard. Jess looked at Damean.

"*Let*......*go*" she said, and he did, Jess walked off rubbing her wrist leaving Damean alone in the corner, that is until he got up and stormed out of the building kicking the trash cans outside as he passed them, he went and sat on the car.

She looked up, "Wha?"

"You better slow down or you'll choke."

Angeline dutifully swallowed the mouthful of food, and grinned at him, "I was hungry!"

She had been eyeing the flow of people in and out of the dressing room, and when she spotted Raj walk out,
she fluidly got to her feet, "I'm gonna go get changed ok? I tell you leather is just not made for swinging, and I wanna swing." she winked at Fangy who rolled his
eyes, but made shooing motions with his hands.

She intercepted Raj, and dragged him back into the dressing room.

He blinked at her, and she simply smiled. "Pick something for me?"

Raj grinned, "I was eyeing this little number and thought of you Angel."

Angeline watched him as he took out a flaring black skirt and top. She slipped into them, approving of his choice as the skirt flared from her upper thigh, and
swirled to her lower calf on the other leg. The top he had chosen was tight-fitting, and flowed over her body like a second skin, the strap falling off her
shoulders, baring the golden skin.

"Beautiful." he murmured appreciatively.

She caught his hand, and looked at him intently, "You still sure about this?"

Raj grinned, knowing instantly what she was talking about. "What makes you think I might change my mind?"

Angeline shrugged, smoothing the black chiffon down, "I just want to make sure you know what you're getting into."

Raj laughed, and pulled her in for a kiss, "You know you'll always be special right?"

Angeline smiled, and ran her hands up his arms. "I know." she melted into his arms, "And you're just as special, and this why I'm doing this."

Raj chuckled. "I know."

He held her for a while, just revelling in holding her.

She pulled back first, "Come on you rascal...I wanna dance."

They headed back to the table, Fangy pulling Angeline into his lap when they got there. He grinned at Raj who returned the grin.

"And the next song is a Fella's Choice...," the speakers declared.

****************************************************************************************************************************

Deli watched the flow of girls heading to the lavatory. Draining the last of her martini, she decided more alcohol was definately in order. Peirce had been staring at her all night and for awhile it had seemd like Shelby was too. What's going on? she thought.

She called the waiter over and asked for the bar menu. Perusing it quickly, she selected a bottle of 12 yr scotch and asked for the bottle with one tumbler. He looked at her in surprise and her eyes narrowed, making him hop to.

Trouble and Loth came over to sit with her, and she basked in theri attention for a bit, drinking and talking, though her eyes constantly tracked the goings on around her. Then Lin came over and asked Loth to come dance and Deli shooed him to go dance with her.

Trouble leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Luv, your hair's bit a mussed isn't it?"

She nodded. "Changing was kinda hard."

He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Took awhile."

"Mmm...," she replied, opening the bottle and pouring a generous amount into her glass.

"Any reason why you're intending to get royally snookered right now?"

She looked at him, and her face fell for a second. "Do I drive you guys crazy? You know, with all the guests in and out, and friends... and what not?"

Trouble smiled at her. "No. Loth might make a fuss but it's cause he has to, pet. He knows who you love most of all. And even though it's me, he gets over it."

She giggled and took a hefty sip of her scotch. "Really? Cause you could tell me..."

He took her hands and looked into her eyes. "Baby, Loth and I love you to bits. And part of it is because you let us be ourselves, and we let you be yourself. Jealousy isn't necessary if you trust the other person. And if this is about you taking a light year to get dressed, well, let's just say I'm not stupid. I see what's up lately."

Deli blushed bright pink and he kissed her softly. She snuggled into his embrace, and Loth came up, snorting when he saw them cuddling. His derisive face turned into a smile when he saw Deli grin at him. "Wanna dance, luv?" he asked.

********************************************

Trouble sat the table watching Loth and Deli dance. He looked briefly at the bottle, missing about five fingers of scotch, and her completely untouched plate and sighed. Between the two of them, they barely got a meal a day coaxed into her anymore. She constantly refused to eat, saying she wasn't hungry. Grumbling something about her nosy mother, he turned his attention to Fangy, who was grinning at him.

"What?"

"How come Loth didn't listen to the women speech half as well as you?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Probably cause Seth was filling his head with clone versus bot bullcrap," Trouble replied, understanding immediately what Fangy was referring to.

Fangy nodded sagely. "Sounds about right."

"And it helps that I'm devastatingly handsome,too."

Fangy snorted and took a sip of his drink. "So what had Deli in such a snit at dinner? I've never seen her starting down booze like that. Least, not good booze."

Trouble shrugged. "She's a very complex woman sometimes. I have no idea what motivates her at times," he confessed.

"Tis the mystery of the woman," Fangy concurred. He watched Deli and Loth on the dance floor and grinned. "So wanna go check out what Loki was up to?"

Trouble nodded. "Curious to see what he was doing with white paint."

They walked around the restaurant, peeking in to see Raj picking a dress for Lin, and then Fen, Jess, and Shelby exiting the bathroom. When they got to the parking lot, Fangy nearly doubled over laughing.

Trouble's jaw dropped. "She'll bloody kill him. Look at this."

Fangy eyed the convertible, covered in white shoe polish designs from stem to stern and couldn't help but chuckle some more. "Agreed, mate. She's gonna tan his hide until next Tuesday if Di lets her get ahold of him." He walked closer to the car, and noticed a small envelope with pictures in. It had Deli's name on it, and he handed it to Trouble.

"Where'd this come from?" he asked puzzedly.

"From your seat," Fangy replied. "Think we should peek or simply give it to Deli?"

Trouble pondered for a moment, his curiosity warring with his knowledge of Deli's wrath. "I don't know. I'm going to keep it for now and decide later."

"Whipped," Fangy muttered, as they headed back inside to the table.

"Don't I know it," Trouble sighed.

***************************************

"I thought you'd never ask," she said, smiling broadly and heading for the floor with him.

"The next song's a Fella's Choice, though. I'm afraid I'll have to fight for you."

"Do you mind it?" she asked suddenly.

"What that everyone wants my girl? No. Do I like sharing... well, it's easier because I trust in you and how much you love me. Is that what you were wanting to hear?" he said teasingly.

She gave him a brilliant grin and replied, "Yes, it was. Thank you."

His answer was to pull her in for a deep kiss, dipping her over his arm.

The music stopped and the catcalls started as people noted what was going on.

"And the next song is a Fella's Choice...," the speakers declared.

****************************************************************************************************************************

Shelby rushed over to a plainly irritated Jess. "Talking didn't work huh?' Jess shook her head and stared daggers towards the parking lot where Damean had stormed off to. Shelby wrapped her arm over Jess's shoulder.

"He just infuriates me!" Jess told her. "I don't know what to do with him anymore."

Shelby glanced over at the mass of spikes and grinned.What a great way to travel...

"Peirce could to talk to him. Maybe he has some issues he's not comfortable telling anyone about. Maybe it's bot stuff. At least that's always what Peirce says when he's upset. He thinks I don't understand."

Peirce suddenly appeared at the ladies side, rubbing his hands together as if to keep warm. "What's say you ladies and me, get us some dresses together and go dancin?" Peirce flashed a devilish smile. "Cause you know he's gonna be crazy if you dance with me n not 'im. Manybe he'll calm down and ask you for a dance Luv. Then you can kiss and make up."

Shelby gave Jess a big grin. "Dresses! Let's go change. Peirce may have a point there." Shelby dragged Jess to the dresses with Peirce close behind.

****************************************************************************************************************************

Jess let herself be pulled off, but when they entered the dressing room, she stood off to the side, "I dont do dressess, but you go ahead, I'll wait here for you." Jess turned and stepped out waiting by the door.

Damean was still where he had been, on the car. Sitting and occasionally hitting things, and kicking a trash can when a police officer came up.

"You," the cop called.

Damean looked at him, "What!" he snapped.

The cop seemed to not like his tone. "You need to stop vandalizing or leave," he told Damean.

Damean laughed, "Yeah, whatever, you git."

"That's it, your under arrest," the cop told him stepping closer, "put your hands behind your head!" Damean looked at him and began to get mad. He stepped closer to the cop with a devilish angry look on his face...

****************************************************************************************************************************

Adeline was driving...no, speeding her way to the party. She knew she was probably late. Jess had told her that they had stopped at some cafe along the way.

She looked over to Skitz, "Are you looking out for that cafe Jess told us?"

"Look at the road! Look at the road!" Skitz yelled, holding on to his seat.

She looked front again, "The road's gonna be there, " she said. "but if we miss the cafe, that bucket's gonna be on your head this time." she pointed to the bucket in the backseat.

"But that's for Jess." Skitz whined. Adeline shot him a look, "That is if we find her." she replied.

They drove along in silence for a while before Skitz pointed out of the window. "Over there. That's the cafe." he said. "I think." he added softly. Adeline swerved off the road and into the little road leading there. She looked out, "Is that Damean? Or one of the others? Can never tell them apart." she mumbled to herself as Skitz and her got out. She saw the cop and Damean and decided that something was up and quickly hurried over.

****************************************************************************************************************************

Just as Shelby donned a black and white polka dot dress, Peirce grabbed her arm and pointed.

"We've got trouble," he said, tilting his head towards the parking lot. Both ladies looked in shock as the cop continued unsuccessfully talking to the upset bot. Shelby grabbed the dress Seth had picked up for her and ran hurridly to the table. She called back to Jess and Peirce, "We need Fangy. He can talk to the cop."

Fangy was seated at the booth with Angeline in his lap. Seth was beside her glancing at Asmara when he thought Chris was not looking and Trouble had his mouth full of cheeseburger. Di and Loki were out on the dance floor with Lothario and Deli, while Raj sat beside Trouble.

"Fangy, it's Damean. Outside. Cop," She told him breathlessly.

Immediatly Fangy got up, gently sitting Angeline down beside him. "Be right back pet."

TBC..................

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