Title: The Ride Over: On the Road Again, 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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They pulled up to the enormous, gaudily lined sturcture a few minutes later. The following motorcade was glancing around curiously, not having heard the exchange between Deli's and Lin's cars. Deli sat in her seat, waiting for Trouble to once again lift her out, her face alight with glee once she was free to head for the store.

Fen and Charley hopped off the bike, closely tailed by Hawk, Jess, Damaen, and Skitz, heading toward Seth to find out what was going on. Shelby and Peirce hung back until Di and Loki got out and headed toward them.

"So what's the story, morning glory?" Shelby asked, cocking her head toward the barn.

"Oh, god. It's some sort of wholesale sex toy shop. Deli went nuts when mystery Spike called and told her about it," Di said wryly, rolling her eyes as Loki chuckled.

"Mystery Spike?" Shelby squeaked, her eyes darting to Peirce. He looked at her smugly, and she looked at Di anxiously. "What do you mean?"

Di raised her brow, but answered, "She just didn't say who it who called her. I'm assuming it was one of Lin's boys. Why?"

"No reason," Peirce cut in before Shelby could spill the beans.

Di and Loki exchanged a look, shrugged and motioned for their friends to follow to where Deli was standing, stomping her foot in frustration.

"But I wanna go in!" she said said plantively, stomping her foot again. In the process of pitching her fit, she caught her heel on the dress's hem and toppled forward.

Fangy reacted most quickly, his arms shooting out to ctach her as she flailed helplessly. Her whole body's movement was restrcited by the tigh garment and he managed to grab her shoulders before she hit the ground face first. His eyes met hers as he lifted her up. "That would have been tragic," he said, his handsome face splitting into a grin.

Deli nodded shakily. "Fucking dress," she said, her face turning bright red at her public display of klutziness. She looked at Raj pointedly. "This is your fault, bub," she accused.

He grinned beatifically. "I didn't realize we'd be getting so...physical back then," he countered.

Shelby choked on the pop she'd been sipping, forcing Peirce to pound her on the back. Everyone stared at her, and she shrugged. "Went down the wrong pipe."

Di lifted her brow again suspiciously, but remained impassive.

Lin surveyed the scene critically. "So what now, oh fearless leader?"

Deli pondered for a moment, torn between her desire to visit this monstosity and the need to get moving.

Finally, Loth rolled his eyes. "Oi! There's a motel down the block. We could stay there for the night and visit the shop in the morning. S'getting late anyways."

Everyone murmured their approval for some down time, ahving worn themselves out at the cafe, and the subdued crowd piled into their cars, gunning for the motel and a block of rooms with their names on it.

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The entire way from the sex shop she was rattling on 'bout that sex shop. How she'd never really been in one and was all excited 'bout lookin' in one.

Finally we make it to this hotel Loth pointed at. Good idea he had there. Shelbs was looking kind of pekish despite her constant yammerin. Anyhow we all pulled up to this place in unison. I mean we looked like something out of a movie. One car after another. All we needed was bloody background music.

Deli made with the tripping on 'er feet again. Too much drivin' I think. Or drinking at the cafe'. One of the two. Either way I'm suggesting Loth drive in the morning. *grins* Maybe he'll be up for some drag racin'. I have no idea who registered us. Shelbs started sneezing like hell for some reason. She complained alergies, I'm not sure I believe 'er.

Jess, Damean and me made with getting snacks for the gang. Lin and 'er boys settled in one room that was connected to Deli n' 'er boys room and so on. Should have seen the motel owner's eyes when he came to open the rooms for us. He was one confused little man looking at all of us..........

'But I want to lay down. I don't feel good.' Shelby called out from the bathroom. Peirce paced in the tiny room. 'Luv I'm just going to talk to Lothario. You don't have to come along.' A tiny hand waved from behind the door, biding the bot goodbye. 'I'll be right back pet.' he told her, and off he went.

First place I went was to Jess and Damean's room. Got myself right worried bout those two kids. Him and that hot temper. *smirks* But the Do Not Disturb sign and the loud TV made me guess they were fine. Finally at Deli's room and Trouble answered the door.

"Loths' in the shower with Deli." the bot muttered, he went back to fiddling with a pack of playing cards. Peirce took off his duster and laid it on the bed and took a seat at the tiny table with Trouble.

"Been kind of hectic today." Peirce comented, picking up the few cards Trouble was dealing him.

"No more than usual for me." Trouble told him, eyeing up his cards. "Jokers wild. where is...?"

"Sleeping. She's not feeling well. Says its allergies, she's so full of it though."

Two cards face down on the table, slid in Trouble's direction. "I need two."

Intense feminine giggles could be heard from the bathroom, causing the two bots to chuckle. Peirce looked irritatingly at his cards. "Great hand you dealt me mate."

Trouble smirked. "Oi, got shitty cards huh?" Peirce nodded the threw them down on the table and nodded, he really wasn't in the mood to play cards. Neither was Trouble, it's just that boredom had set in.

Lothario came out of the steaming bathroom just then, wearing a towel. 'That's a good look for you mate." Peirce teased. Trouble laughed and Loth just glared at them both.

"You know that's a bad idea round the ladies. I'd end up like Puck all the time."

Trouble laughed."Sure would leave you less time to brood." Loth threw a pillow in Trouble's direction.

"I'm goin' for wings. Might cheer up my lady. Anyone want to come along?"

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"Well that place is huge!" Fen said over the phone to Shelby, who sat belly down on the bed, feet waving back and forth while she flipped through Peirce's copy of Hot Rod. " I say we go in pairs." Shelby said trying to be helpful.

"Uh Shelby hun, we are usually in pairs. Lady/bot.Pair." "Oh right. Well you know what I mean." AAACHOOOOOO! Tissue,wipe,eww! "I'm sorry Fen. I think I'm coming down with something."

"Have Peirce go get you something for it." "He left to talk to Lothario. Besides I'll be fine."

Fen agreed reluctantly and bid Shelby goodnight. Bored now, Shelby called Lin. Seth answered and happily let Angeline on the phone after arguing over thong colors. *grin*

"I'm so bored! and I don't feel good Lin!"

"I think I have some Tylenol, can you make it over to get it? Or should I send one of the boys?"

"I can make it. Be right there." Shelby wrapped her black velvet robe tightly against her. Adding her boots she was sure she looked goofy. "It's only Lin and her boys. They won't care."

KNOCK,KNOCK...Seth opened the door, wearing a big smile. Shelby noted Fangy sitting in a chair and Lin rumaging through her purse for something. "I know it's here somewhere hun."

"Great look you got there luv." Fangy said.

"I'm sick. I"m allowed to look as goofy as I want to."

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Lin dumped her purse, emptying it's contents onto the bed and sighed. "Sorry Shelbs can't find my aspirin. Maybe Di has some."

The two women headed toward the door as it pen and Raj came loping in Deli behind him. "Hey what's up?" she asked noticing Shelby's watery eyes.

"Don't feel good. *sniffle* Do you have any aspirin or something?"

"Nope." Deli shrugged, "But maybe they have some at the convenience store. We can all go."

Lin readily agreed and soon the three women were headed down to the the store stopping only to allow Shelby to change out of her robe into some real clothes.

As they rounded the corner they saw Di standing outside her room talking to Loki. As they approached the bot turned Di and gave her a swat on the rear closing the door behind her.

"What's up?" Lin asked.

"Don't know. Said I was hungry and he literally pushed me out of the room to go get some food." she looked over her shoulder at the closed door. "Why don't I trust him?"

"Experience." Deli said.

"Because he's Loki." Lin said.

Shelby sneezed. "Could we just go get me something for my head?"

The four of them entered the store and found Chris standing in front of the candy display hold an armload of snickers bars.

"Planning on a sugar high?" Di asked.

"As wanted a candy bar." the women snickered.

"Poor whipped boy." Shelby murmured to Deli.

"I don't know I like being whipped." Deli's voice suddenly rose above the rest of the sounds and everyone in the store turned to look at the group standing by the candy.

"I mean.. um.." Deli stammered, "Shelby get your aspirin."

Shelby got in line with a bottle of aspirin, sudafed and throat lozenges while the others waited outside.

"You guys hungry?" Chris asked noticing that the motel had a diner.

"Famished." Lin said.

"Starved." Di said.

"Mmmm... Food." Deli said. "Why don't you guys go get a table and I'll find the others." She walked back toward the rooms bumping into Jess and Adeline on the way.

"Hey we're all going to get something to eat in the diner. I'm rounding everybody up."

"Sweet." Jess said. "Don't mind looking for the boy though Damean said they were going to be busy."

"Busy?" Deli asked.

"Bot stuff." Adeline said. "And when I called Lin's room Seth said Fangy and Raj were watching basketball." Deli nodded.

"Okay. Well I still have to track down Fen. You guys go meet everyone else." Deli started walking toward the stairs letting out a yelp when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her into the shadows.

"What the.."

"Shhh." Fen said, "They'll hear you." Deli wisely kept her mouth shut and watched in silence as Seth and Charley came down the stairs.

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Seth looked back at Fangy and Raj as he slipped out the door of the hotel room chuckling to himself as their arguing was cut off by the door closing
behind him. Charley was lounging against the column across from the room next door smoking a cigarette when he turned around.

"Get the old SOC and Raj occupied?" Seth nodded.

"Two clones, one remote, AWOL mistress. You do the math."

Charley chuckled and the two bots started down the walkway to the stairs. In the parking lot Damean was leaning against Jess' car talking to Skitz and Peirce while Loth and Trouble were solitiously helping Asmara into the Trans Am. Loki sat on the hood od Lin's car playing with the lens cap on his camera.

When Peirce saw Charley and Seth coming he elbowed Damean and they all started getting in the two cars.

"You two know where we're headed?" he asked before climing into the Trans Am.

"You just follow us mate." Charley said with a wink and the bots were off in a cloud of dust.

From the shadows Fen and Deli watched as Peirce skidded out onto the main road trying to keep up with Damean.

"Should we be concerned?" Deli asked. Fen sighed.

"With Charley in charge of the group? Could go either way. Good thing I brought bail money they were headed toward the road house we saw when we got off the freeway."

"How do you know?" Deli asked. Fen raised an eyebrow.

"Charley."

The two women turned and started back toward the motel diner where the others were waiting stopping short when they saw a man slouched against Fen's motorcycle his distinctive shock of blone hair visible even in the shadows.

"Bit of bot trouble pet?" the Spikealike asked.

"Nothing I can't handle." Fen said grinning as she recoginized the voice and stepped closer to embrace the unknown. Deli just watched until the two of them moved out into the light and she saw who it was.

"What are you doing here, Dab?"

"Party preparations at my house. Two's big deal, not much for me to do. Tracy thought I could use a day out of the house so I hitched a ride out here to join you lot."

Fen grinned and Dab swung her up in his arms making her laugh as they entered the diner. Chris, Lin, Jess, Di and Shelby turned as one toward the door as they entered.

"Hey Dab." Di said as the three of them slid into the booth. "What are you doing here?" Dab began his tale again and Lin leaned toward Fen whispering.

"Everything ok? You and Deli were right behind me."

"Hmm, yeah. The boys and Asmara went joy riding."

"They'll be back by dawn unless they get arrested." Deli added with a smirk.

"What?!?" Lin said drawing the attention of the others. "You just let them leave."

"Seth promised he'd keep an eye on them like a good *uncle*" Fen said settling against Dab.

"Just as long as it's just his eyes." Chris muttered.

"This sounds like a bad idea." Jess said.

"Don't worry." Deli said soothingly. "Fen assures me she brought bail money."

Deli looked at Fen and they burst into giggles. Dab looked at them in amusement, his eyes sparkling.

"D-Did you ss-see Lin's ff-fface?" Deli sputtered, a few stray droplets rolling down her face as she continued laughing heartily.

Fen nodded, taking a sip of her coke, and choking as Chris finally caught up to what she'd said. His face went white, then pink, then bright red.

"But Asmara is way too gentle for jail!"

Deli only smirked again, reaching into her purse and dumping a small plastic grocery bag on the table. "These would be the assorted items Asmara has pickpocketed or lifted since you joined us," she said, her lips twitching. "Loth brought it back with him when he went to invite As to join them."

Chris blushed furiously. "I've been trying to break her of that," he muttered.

Lin snickered, picking up her spare bot tools. "You're doing a bang up job of it, too."

Shelby blew her nose loudly, and everyone jumped. "So who's left here just the clones?"

Fen nodded. "Well, and Dab here. Fangy and Raj are watching TV in Lin's room, last we over heard."

Di looked from person to person, noting that they kind of looked forlorn without their counterparts. "Wanna play cards? We could go to my room and get our poker on. Hell, Lin could even bring her boys."

Everyone but Fen and Deli assented. Fen shot Dab a wry glance as she explained she wanted to go exploring, and Deli plead an awful headache, saying she was going to go get in the whirlpool while everyone else in the the hotel was asleep.

"Do you have a suit in that spare duffelcase of yours?" Di asked teasingly.

"Nope. Which is why I'm going alone while everyone's asleep," Deli replied bemusedly. "I can let the waves work out my headache, and no one will see my bum."

The girls giggled, and everyone paid up, planning to head to a liquor store and grab a few drink compnents before playing.

Fen and Dab strolled off into the night holding hands, and Deli trudged back to her room to get into the ugly hotel robe. The whirlpool was looking better every second....

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