Saint Joseph School

Broadway walked through the halls, talking with a few people, laughing. He still drew a crowd but it was becoming less because of his celebrity, and more for just being himself, which he was enjoying.

As the small crowd was moving through the hallways, Jason noticed that something was causing the usual throng to part like the red sea up ahead a ways. It was the reaction of people that made him more than merely curious. People were looking back over their shoulders in disbelief, some in stunned incredulity, and more than a few snickers could be heard amidst cries of “Omigod, did you see what she was wearing??”

Jason closed his eyes, wincing. Oh no. Let me guess. He made quick apologies to the group he was with and picked up his pace, dodging around and between people until he was able to get a good look. Yep, I knew it..

Ahead of him walked a figure dressed in a pair of coveralls. Now Jason thought that coveralls were, for the most part, pretty cute on girls. It was unfortunate that there always had to be an exception to the rule.

Maybe it’s just the cut? Already he was trying to rationalize what he was seeing. Obviously they weren’t doing anything for her, reducing the normally attractive curves to the appearance and shape of a potato sack. Every third step she had to hitch up one shoulder or the other, giving a lurching quality to her normal stride. Perhaps the worst of it though was the broad vertical stripes that ran the length of the outfit, giving her a prison inmate look. In candy cane colors. “Dear lord…” Jason shook his head in mute disbelief. “Dear sweet lord. Did she dress in the dark again?”

For a moment he actually considered moving in another direction. Any other direction. This wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation. She seemed oblivious to the people parting around her, the trailing snickers and catty comments. It was the last that made his innate sense of friendship get the best of him. No way was he letting her wander around in that, not if he could help it.

“Hey, Stasi!” Jason shouted.

“Ayuh, Jase!” She looked over her shoulder and grinned, turning in place. Her friend closed the final distance between them, cutting between a couple of students with a graceful half pirouette. “Nice! Ever think about the Rockettes?”

“Nah, don’t have the legs for it.” Jason gave her a crooked grin, not sure exactly where to start. “So, ah,” he ran a hand up the back of his neck. “How’s it going there, Daisy Mae?”

“Huh?” Stasis looked confused for a moment then realized what Jase was looking at. She glanced down at the coveralls. “Oh, I get it. Very funny, you.”

“Oh yeah. Really funny. Hah hah even. Did you dress in the dark this morning?” When in doubt, blurt. Sometimes it was the only thing that worked.

“Hey?”

He indicated the outfit with a wave of one expressive hand. “You look like a regular milkmaid.” Assuming the milkmaid was color blind as well as fashion challenged. “Unfortunately there isn’t a cow to be found in Paragon City, anywhere.”

She snorted at him. “You’re jealous or something. I like ‘em, they’re pretty. Comfortable too.”

He shook his head in disbelief. He wasn’t getting through. “Well so’s a sack but you’re not supposed to wear it in public.”

“Kris said they looked cute.” Stasis crossed her arms. “Only ten bucks too!”

Jason’s shoulders slumped. “You get what you pay for?” His mouth drew into a line with the hint of a grin. “And I love Kris to death but she might not have been the person to ask in this case.” He could see it now. No way would Kris have contradicted her headstrong friend.

Stasis shrugged, causing one of the straps to slide off her shoulder again. She reached out to pull it back up. Jason’s brow arched at the errant fastening and she wrinkled her nose at him. “Well, it’s not like I have piles of clothes or anything. Kris said she’d help with shopping.” She put her hands on her hips and leaned in. The other strap took a dive, this time exposing the clean line of shoulder and ribcage down to nearly her waist. All Jason could think was, thank god she had on another top.

With a concerted effort of will Jason pulled his eyes up and pursed his lips. He reached out to tug the offending piece back up to its proper position. It perched there precariously. “Stasis, seriously. Trust me on this. You really don’t want to wear this thing out in public. Didn’t you notice people staring?”

“Psssht, like I care.” Stasis rolled her eyes. Then she gave him a sidelong look. “Staring?” she asked quietly.

Jason’s nodded helplessly. “Yeah. They were.”

Stasi chewed her lip and then blew a lock of hair out of her eyes. “Well, I like ‘em.” She shrugged uncomfortably though. “It’s not like I go shopping every week or anything. Unlike some people who have way too much time on their hands.”

Jason’s conspiratorial grin grew slowly and that look of mischief glinted from his eyes. Stasis had seen that look before, and the quiet uh oh that came from her did so with a grin of her own.

“So, do you want to take care of that problem?” he said. The grin was near to splitting his face as the possibilities occurred.

“Heyla? What’s going on in that head of yours” She quirked an eyebrow.

“Meet me out near the gates, right after class. It has to be right then Stasi, otherwise it just won’t work. Trust me, it’ll be fun.”

Stasi blinked. “Riiiight.” She grinned across at him though. The shoulder strap decided at that moment to give up again and fall down. They both reached for it. “Okay already, alright.. You’re on.”

Stasis made her way through the crush to the main gates after last class.

She’d seriously considered conveniently forgetting to show up. In fact she’d been totally prepared for a complete memory lapse. Only the knowledge that she’d just be delaying the inevitable kept her moving in the right direction. Jase was a pain in the ass once he’d gotten her to agree to something so she might as well get it over with.

She bit unconsciously at her bottom lip though, wondering just what her friend had in mind. Fix that problem, he'd said. What problem? There was nothing wrong with what she was wearing. So it was a little big. She’d fill out.

Stasi ducked under a couple of guys zooming near the ceiling; half stepped, half hopped over an unknown patch of what might be water but might be something else. At the edge of her hearing she heard laughter, something about Farmer Christmas coming early this year; a quick glance to the side gave her a couple of giggling girls who might or might not be looking in her direction.

She blew the hair out of her eyes and kept going, pushing her shoulder against the big doors. Could there be something to what Jason had said? She caught herself reaching for a strap that had fallen off her shoulder again. No way. So this wasn’t the height of fashion, so what. That stuff didn’t bother her at all.

"Ayuh, Jase,” she muttered, her customary stride eating up the steps. “Let's see what this is all about, hey?" She hitched her shoulder to snap the overalls back in place again. And again.

Just outside the large iron gate that was the entrance to the school, Jason was leaning casually on a long, black Cadillac. He was dressed in loose clothing as normal but there was a difference this time, something she couldn’t put her finger on right away. The loose bronze jacket had sleeves rolled over a shirt that was open enough to show just a hint of sculpted chest. Matching pants of a much darker shade flowed about his legs smoothly. A pale gold thread worked its way along the edge of the shirt collar. He dipped his Revos down the bridge of his nose and smiled at her. That same smile that always seemed to spell trouble.

Posed, she thought, walking up. Like he’d just escaped from a runway somewhere. He was probably trying to tell her something.

She grinned at him unrepentant. Ayuh, but he could be a pain. She should tell him he’d left his leash somewhere.

He moved to the door with a flourish as she sauntered up, opening it for her. She stopped. "Don’t tell me, let me guess. You want me to get in that rusty deathtrap."

"Yeah. That's normally how you ride in a car." Jason grinned crookedly, leaning on the open door. A slip of gold winked at her from his throat. "I suppose we could strap you the hood if you really want. You can be the newest thing in car accessories."

"Yeah, yeah. Cute, you." She shrugged an errant strap back into position though and ducked inside.

To someone who knew these things, the interior had obviously been altered to offer more room, with a discreet division between driver and passenger. Stasi slid across the seat without noticing any of it, Jason ducking in behind her.

"Nifty, Jase! You never said anything about a limo!" Stasis patted the posh seat, admiring the slick upholstery. Why, you could practically sleep on this. She had the urge to try.

"It's not a limo, you. It’s a Caddy."

Stasis glanced around. Stereo, dvd player. A flat screen tv built into the dividing console, what had to be a small fridge tucked to the side. "Ayuh. All this and a driver? Pfft. Limo!" Stasis leaned back in the comfortable leather seat and crossed her arms. Her white grin matched his.

A short laugh came from the front where an older man in this thirties sat. Even sitting down he looked big, his head turned to look at the pair of them. Muscle corded in his throat and the easy tan of his face was hard to distrust. Pronounced laugh lines ringed his bright blue eyes. Stasi liked him immediately.

"Oh sure, encourage her!" Jason said and threw his hands up with mock disgust. "How are ya, Doug?"

The driver turned back to the front and looked through the rear view. "Fine, Jason, just fine. You?"

"Just great. I'm glad they sent you. Stocked everything per usual?"

"Yessir.” The man touched a single finger to his eyebrow and gave Stasi a single, slow wink. “Water, fruit juice and sodas, nothing processed, and all alcohol completely removed.” With a gentle ease Doug warmed the Caddy and moved them onto the street, his hands sure on the wheel. “Where to, specifically? The office only gave me general, but I suspect you have something in mind?" Doug's eyes shifted in the rearview to regard Stasis thoughtfully. She stuck her tongue out at him and was rewarded with crinkling of the laugh lines.

"Yeah. I figured we'd head over to see Valentina. She'll looove Stasi." Jason looked over, and she pulled her tongue back in hastily. From the look in his eye she hadn’t been fast enough. Doug shook his head amused. "By the way Stasi, this is Doug." Jason shrugged then, an odd sliding gesture. "My driver, I guess you could say. Doug, this is my friend Stasi."

"Heyla, Doug."

"Nice to meet you, Miss."

She blinked, knowing she’d missed something but not sure what. This Doug was obviously not ‘just a driver’ but neither of them seemed interested in explaining. No big deal. She could wait til later and tackle Jase about it.

Before she realized it they had left the residential area that St. Joseph’s was settled in and were soon travelling down the turnpike. Despite several requests, and then threats involving ice cubes, Jason would not divulge their destination.

"You'll find out! For the hundredth time, I'm not telling!" Jason was enjoying himself at her expense, laughing at her huff. She considered upping the ante and threatening things involving his hairstyle. The glint in his eye made her reconsider.

The car turned off on an exit headed downtown, to one of the rows of shops sporting odd names and carefully manicured fronts. Once the car hit the slower speed limits, Jason reached for a switch in the center console. With a mechanical whir the middle of the roof pulled back, opening a well hidden sun roof.

Stasis looked at Jason. He looked at her. In a rush she was standing, her head and torso out of the sunroof. Jason followed suit with a smile and the two of them stood taking in the sights. She slitted her eyes against the wind and whooped.

"C’mon, you! Where are we going?" She made as if to punch him in the shoulder.

Jason rolled his eyes. "I told you, I'm not telling. Totally." He relished the word and she growled.

"Well, then. I'll just… ask Doug!"

Jason shook his head, "Go ahead, he won't tell you either." Jason grinned at her, smug and superior. She’d show him!

He stopped laughing when she climbed out onto the roof of the car, too astonished to stop his impulsive friend. She crawled forward, body flattened on the roof against the wind. Her strong pale fingers curled around the small ledge offered by the windshield and she pulled herself forward easily. She popped her head down, and rapped on the glass, peering at the driver. Her pale eyes laughed into his as she hung upside down, sprawled precariously over the top of the car.

“Hey Doug! Where are we going again!?"

Jason ducked back inside hastily, choking back a laugh. Doug's face in the rearview mirror was blanched, his normally calm demeanour rocked by Stasi's actions.

"You’d uh, better tell her, Doug. She'll only get worse." He couldn’t resist, he just couldn’t. He almost never caught Doug with his figurative pants down. “I told you not to encourage her.”

Whatever certification Doug had to be driving Cadillacs for young stars, it had to have been good. Even with a white knuckled grip on the wheel the car never wavered in its course.

The driver looked out the windshield at the upside-down girl and cleared his throat. He pitched his voice to carry through the glass, trying to remember anything his training had mentioned about dealing with the mentally deficient.

“We’re going to Valentina DuChampes, Miss.”

The girl just cocked her head and blinked. Clearly, she hadn’t heard and she didn’t seem to be making any effort to get down from her unsteady perch either. The hair whipped across her eyes but she seemed perfectly comfortable balancing on the roof. Doug didn’t know what they taught at St. Joseph’s, but he really didn’t think this was part of the curriculum.

At least the young Jason didn’t appear to be the least inclined to crawl out and join his friend. A glance in the rearview confirmed that he didn’t seem to be willing to go and fetch her either.

Doug let out a trickle of breath and considered his options. Being arrested for driving down the street with a teenager welded to the roof would not look good on his driving abstract. Neither did he want to do anything drastic that might cause the girl to lose her grip and fall. What to do?

Salvation appeared on the right hand side like a blinking indicator light from God. Slowly, carefully, he turned the vehicle towards the long building with a large, bright sign. As he pulled off the main road he couldn’t help the smile. Still holding the steering wheel he lifted one finger and with a double tap point, directed Stasi’s attention up.

She lifted her head to look in the indicated direction. She took in the building. The line up of other cars. The garish sign.

Car Wash.

Four seconds later she was in the arms of safety, scrambling back into her seat with the panicked expression still visible. Jason had slumped over, laughing so hard his eyes were tearing.

Doug at least caught the glare she leveled at her friend and hid a smile. The blonde crossed her arms in an obvious attempt at petulance.

Jason hiccupped and managed to stop laughing for about two seconds. One look over at her though and he lost it again. She mimed a punch at his shoulder and he held up his hands to fend her off. “Okay! Okay, I’ll tell you!” But he couldn’t seem to form the words. The boy made a flailing gesture to the driver.

“Miss, I think laughing boy would like me to tell you again that we’re going to Valentina DuChampes.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so?” She sat back acting to all the world like she knew what they were talking about. Eyeing the mirror, she waited till Doug pulled the car out into traffic again and was paying full attention to the road. Then she reached over and slugged Jason a good one in the shoulder. “What’s Valentina the Champs?” she whispered. “If you wanted to go to the gym, we could have just stayed at school.”

“Oww!” Jason stopped laughing and rubbed his shoulder. “It’s not a gym, you. It’s a really nice… clothing store.” That was kind of like calling the Taj Mahal a really big house but he wasn’t going to tell her that.

“Ayuh?” she huffed. “There’s nothing wrong with these.” She hooked her thumbs under the straps of the coveralls.

Jason looked at her. “Sure. All we need now is a corn cob pipe, and you’ll look perfect.” He was already easing away before she started to raise another mock fist.

Stasis mumbled something and crossed her arms again, turning her back. Jase was pretty sure he caught the start of a grin on her face though.

Jason rolled his eyes and leaned towards at the discreet chauffeur. “Doug, what do you think of Stasi’s attire? Honestly?”

“I honestly don’t think I should say.” The laugh lines around the older man’s eyes crinkled. “But that should end soon enough. We’re here.” He slid the car smoothly into an open spot, killing the engine in front of a store which boasted trendy manikins with heads made up of triangles. Stasi peered around Jase, curious. It sure didn’t look like a department store.

Doug got out of the car and looked around for a moment, before walking around the side and opening the door for the two teenagers. “Everything’s clear, sir.”

“Thank you Doug, please pull the car around back. You can join us inside if you like.” Stasis blinked at the suddenly stuffy exchange, sliding across the seat as Jason got out. The two men, younger and older, stood waiting for her. It had to be some guy thing and asking would spoil the mystery.

Stasi stepped out of the Caddy and eyed the storefront with trepidation. Wedge-headed plastic people or not, the place reeked of money. Beautifully potted ivy decorated the faux pillars on either side of the glass doors, which were, of course, tinted so she couldn’t see what she was getting into. Delicate gold filigree stated the name Valentina in what could only be described as smug script. The look on Jason’s face didn’t inspire her either.

With a flourish, her tall friend offered his arm.

Huh. If he thought she was going to fall for that… she tilted her chin up aggressively, pushing down the lump of uncertainty. “Not a chance, you! I learned how to walk all by myself years ago.”

“Really? Could have fooled me.” The smirk was irrefutable and she took happy refuge in getting annoyed. Hitching up the overalls, her really nice overalls that were both comfortable and functional, she strode across the stretch of sidewalk and breezed through the doors like she owned them.

That lasted about four steps.

Okay, so it was a clothing store. That was kind of like saying it sold clothes and it obviously did that, no question. There were moulded wall shelves with mysterious things piled on them, soft things, warm things. More pie people were standing in artful clusters, modeling things that had way too much in the way of air conditioning. When she realized that one of the mannequins was actually showing a breast, she gulped and hastily averted her eyes.

Ayuh. The last time she’d seen fabric with that many holes in it, it had been a bikini! From what she’d seen even Kali’s gear couldn’t compare and she’d always thought Kali was uber daring.

There were no racks of jeans and shirts to hide behind. No bored saleslady trying to chat up the stock boy. Instead there was only a huge half circle of a desk in some sort of dark cherry wood dominating the center of the floor, well lit and elegantly appointed with no less than three blonde clones. Each one of which had looked up at her intrusion like sharks scenting blood and were now eyeing her as if trying to decide if she was edible or not.

It didn’t take them two seconds to make a telepathic decision. In a choreographed move, easily as practiced as her own fighting technique, one peeled away from the pack and began to advance around the edge of the thing that might have been a desk but could equally well have been a staging platform for an urban assault.

“Can we help you?”

She actually squeaked; not her finest moment. She took a step back, preparing to turn and bolt. Instead she bumped into a warm, hard body, one that slipped an arm around her waist. The fingers that dug in slightly told her she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Actually, you can help us.” The slight stress on the last syllable was all it took. The well manicured barracuda impressions disappeared so fast that Stasis stared first at them, and then up into a smirk that had a hard edge she’d never seen before. The hand on her hip felt odd, looking up at his profile. “We’re here to see Valentina.”

“Oh yes sir, just a moment.” The clone hesitated on the turn. “Is she expecting you?” She seemed to be apologizing for even asking.

“Why don’t you go and ask her?” She watched him flash a kilowatt smile and the clone almost blushed.

Yeah, way weird. This was a Jason she’d never even known existed. Standing there she realized she’d never actually been this close to her friend before. Well, except maybe for that time hiding from those Council snipers, but that probably didn’t count. It was odd.

“Jason Berezhin! Let me take a look at you!”

Like a summoned genie, a blonde woman who could have been the godmother of the clones appeared near the back of the store. She was a fiftyish, willowy creature, with a voice that sounded like she’d been chain smoking all her life. A silk blouse in russet and gold could not quite disguise the sharp shoulders but the camel colored slacks were neatly cut to shape a body that was obviously all that money could buy, more than capable of turning heads.

Stasis eyed her approach with something less than enthusiasm but Jason’s grip didn’t give her a lot of choices.

The older woman moved directly toward Jason, ignoring everything else, ringed hands outstretched. She took his free hand in both of hers and Jason smiled, leaning so the woman could reach his face. It struck Stasis with the same feeling as seeing Doug hold open the car door, this strange mix of subservience and familiarity.

The move she made to slip away while he was distracted had to be aborted because Jase hooked a thumb into a belt loop. She considered stepping on his toes.

Valentina leaned back after the kiss, wiping a small smudge of lipstick from Jase’s cheek. “You just keep getting bigger. You have been working out, you cannot fool me.” Jason chuckled and looked down at the floor for a moment. “I can see we’ll need to be re-tailoring some of your prêt-a-porter.” She finally deigned to notice Stasis, a pretty good feat considering the girl had been in kissing distance herself a second ago. “And who is this delightful creature?” Valentina put a finger to her lips, looking the girl up and down. Stasis could almost see the dismissal and bristled.

Jason put a subtle pressure on the arm around her waist, either as warning or comfort. The panic she was feeling was probably apparent, or maybe he was just sensing her urge to hit something and was trying to minimize the maneuvering room. “Valentina DuChampes, this is Stasi.” Oddly enough, he hesitated on her name, stumbling just a little over the syllables. “Stasi, Valentina. Stasi is my very good, my very dear friend.” Now that was an odd way to say what was totally obvious. “And we have come… to shop.” Jason’s trained voice did wicked things to the last two words, much to Valentina’s delight.

“Ah! Music to my ears, boychick!” Valentina let out a laugh, her long fingers flicking in the air, obviously excluding Stasis again to focus on what was important. “What is your wish then? Daywear, travel, haute couture..?”

Stasi tried to follow the ensuing banter, she did, but much of it was way over her head, referencing what somebody she’d never heard of wore last month, something to do with an event that apparently Jason had attended. Eventually she cocked her hip and tried leaning away but the jerk just shifted his feet to accommodate. She tried blowing the hair out of her eyes very loudly but he just kept talking in that strange gossipy way. Eventually she gave up and just stood there, pretending she was a pie headed mannequin.

Forever later Jason looked finally looked down with that crooked grin, still directing his words at the fashionista. “She’s the best friend I’ve got, Val. Take good care of her.”

“As if I would do anything else.” Valentina scoffed. “Especially for a friend of yours. Come, let us look at you then.” The woman took Stasi’s hand then, pulling her inexorably away. The woman’s fingers felt odd, paper thin, like the young student could crush them without even trying. “Belinda, the blue room, please.” Stasi cast a mute, panicked look over her shoulder but all she got back was a discrete thumbs-up which didn’t help in the slightest. She crossed her eyes at the clones as they went by in the way of minor retaliation, including the one speaking quickly into a telephone.

Valentina walked them to the back, through an unmarked door that led to a surprisingly well appointed antechamber. A nearly ceiling height dressing screen in an oriental pattern blocked off a fairly large section at the end of the room, with several mirrors in a semicircle nearby reflecting them all. To Stasi’s surprise Doug was already there, along with several bottles that had to be from the Caddy arranged on a low table.

More ominously two people walked into the room just behind them, worrisome people with yellow tape measures.

“Don’t look like that, Miss,” Doug chided. “Ms. DuChampes will take good care of you.”

“Ms.? Oh, you terrible man, you wound me and after all we said to each other. I shall stick pins in your next suit jacket, see if I don’t. Now come here and greet me properly.”

Doug grinned, not seeming to take offense. He walked over and exchanged cheek kisses with Val, who still didn’t let go of Stasi’s hand. Obviously the kissing thing was a communal event around here. She gritted her teeth and tried not to feel uncomfortable about it.

“Now, let us see what we have to work with.” Valentina turned Stasi to the mirrors and put those sharp hands on her shoulders. “Good bones, I can see. Tall as well. That will help with the hanging.”

Hanging? She had a sudden vision of a swinging rope.

Then the door opened behind them and through the left handed reflection, she watched Jason walk in.

Gold. Bronze and clean skin, an easy stride. She watched him cross behind her, reach to shake his driver’s hand although they’d just parted minutes ago. He said something but she didn’t catch what. For a moment she wasn’t even sure she recognized him. Did he really look like that? In the mirror, he was a stranger. His white smile flashed again and she found herself blinking as his doppelganger eyes met hers.

Then Valentina snapped her fingers and the two assistants came forward. The next few minutes were lost in a lot of arguing.

She hadn’t known she had that many dimensions. One number had usually covered it all but while one measured, the other took notes and it was like being surrounded by very loud bees.

“Hey!” She squirmed but it didn’t much help. “Lay off! That totally tickles!”

From the couch, Jase laughed. It was reassuring. Just Jase, being a pain. “Trust me, everything tickles. Deal with it.”

“Funny, you. Let see you… hey!” She tried to bat away bee number one. “I said, lay off!”

“I think that’s enough for the moment. Merle, I think we will start with Ambraisi’s collection, let us begin with the sheers. Jordan, please ask Elena to help.” In her element, the designer shooed Stasi around the privacy screen. After a few furious whispers that Doug and Jason affected not to hear, the candy striped coveralls appeared along the top edge. They looked kind of forlorn, away from the girl that gave them such lopsided life.

Then the clothes started to appear. In discreet armfuls, things disappeared behind the screen, sometimes only for bare seconds before making hasty reappearances at velocity.

Jase leaning back, grinning. Stasi was getting louder but he could hear it in her voice. She was enjoying the hell out of herself. From the sound of it, so was Valentina.

“No! Forget it, I am totally not wearing that!”

“And why not, you silly thing! It is the height of today, the color alone…!”

“I don’t care! It’s ugly! I’ll look stupid!”

Stasi charged around the corner, the color high in her face. She brandished the offending… thing, whatever it was. It was sort of a peachy color but that’s all that Jase really could tell. A shirt maybe? A feather of fringe dangled down.

“Jase! Tell her I don’t have to wear this!”

She wasn’t wearing much. Under the overalls she had apparently worn a pair of cotton shorts, the tee shirt and not much else. Socks. She still had socks on.

“Uh. Okay?”

“Good answer! I am not wearing this!” She was gone again, back around the screen, leaving Jase blinking.

“Good answer indeed, Jason.” That was Doug. “You handled that well.”

He could only nod.

Eventually the estrogen levels stabilized and the ejections slowed and then stopped altogether. Jase had never really been on this side before. What was taking so long? He wanted Stasi to come back, wearing something nice and he could compliment her and she’d laugh or get mad, whichever and then he could look all knowledgeable and…

Well, and something. He hadn’t figured the rest out but it would go really well. Stasi deserved to be treated so much better than she was. He knew how sad she’d been. And better than almost anybody, he knew what she did on her patrols and what she didn’t tell, he could imagine. She needed this. Listening to her argue over the color of a shirt was nearly enough to make him sing.

Finally Valentina walked out from behind the screen, clapping her hands. Her expression could only be described as a cat in cream.

“May I present?”

Valentina moved to the side and for about three seconds nothing more happened.

“Come, do not be shy. Come and show your friend. You look wonderful.”

“Jase?”

“Yeah, Stasi?”

“If you laugh, I’ll whump you. Just so’s you know.”

“Got it.” He exchanged a look with Doug. “No laughing.”

“Alright.”

He could almost envision the shoulders squaring. He definitely heard the intake of breath.

She was wearing a pair of denim jeans, a blue so soft as to be near white, hugging her slim legs from hip to knee and flaring at the bottom to accommodate her boots. An intricate geometric pattern played hide and seek across the tight fabric, shimmering silver. A band of deeper blue wound around her neck, down, a widening spiral that left her shoulders bare but covered her torso in skimming curves. Her midriff was bare, exposing pale muscle and fluttering breath. Matching blue winked at her ears, a cold snake of silver hugged one forearm.

Not so much, no. Simple. Beautiful. Not a single fringe to be seen.

So why were her eyes so scared?

Jason stared at Stasi as she fidgeted, shifting from one foot to the other. Jason got the distinct impression she'd be tugging at the clothing if not for fear of incurring the wrath of Valentina, who stood nearby, like the proud creator of some new masterpiece.

Stasi's eye widened a bit more, waiting for some sort of...something from Jason, Doug, anybody. She felt ready to bolt. Leap away in a blue blur. She probably would have, if she hadn't seen the blank, deer-in-the-headlights look on Jase's face. Did she really look that silly?

Doug came to the teens' collective rescue by discreetly nudging Jason from his spot behind the pop star. The slight tap broke Jason from his momentary stupor. Stasi was relieved by the smile that brightened the room

"Stasi, that looks great." Jason stood, and moved a bit closer. She had a moment then as he exchanged an enthusiastic smile with Doug to look at him again. The ease with which Jason moved, although with a curious amount of enthusiasm, made her smile.

"Come, come, dearling, let them see." Valentina clucked at Stasi, and made a circular motion with her finger. Stasi looked confused for a moment and Valentina let out a bemused chuckle. "Spin, girl, let them see the rest."

Stasi look at Jason, the fear in her eyes still evident, but receding under the glimmer of amusement that started to shine through.

Jason grinned and shrugged off-handedly. "Either that, or we all walk around you, but that's considered bad form." His smirk elicited the threat of a punch from Stasi.

Valentina barked a laugh, and chased Jason back to the couch. "You, sit!" Jason laughed again, and sat back down, hands held up in surrender, as the matriarch of the domain ordered. Valentina turned back to Stasi. "One slow turn, Dearling." Valentina smiled and brough her steepled fingertips to her mouth, fixing Stasi with a friendly, matronly look. "For me, Dearling? Induldge an old lady?"

Stasi smiled, fairly certain the turn was not for Valentina at all. She turned slowly, the back of the shirt covering the full length of her back, tapered from the baring midrift to faux tails, that ended just below her waistline. As she completed the turn, her gaze fell past Valentina, who was obviously pleased with herself, to Jason.

Jase watched as Stasi turned, glad that for a short while, at least, she seemed happy. Gone were the barely held back tears, or questions about things that were happening, that he couldn't answer. Here was simply a girl having fun, being fussed over. He felt glad that he could help. Give back the gift she'd given him. To just let her be normal for a while. No extraordinary abilities, no fame, just...a kid.

"Heyla, Jase?" Jase snapped out of his momentary reverie, and smiled that genuine kilowatt smile.

"You look great!" He chuckled, "That outfit totally fits you to a 't'." Stasi smiled, this time the fear receeding, as the smile touched her eyes as well. Jason smiled excitedly, and turned to Valentina. "Hey, what about an Ambraisi, like the one Shawna Cusier wore to the Choice Awards?" He looked at Stasi smiling. "She's not built nearly as well as Stasi, and it looked good on her. I'm betting Stasi looks better."

Valentina smiles and looked sharply to the two assistants who'd melted nearly seemlessly into the walls. "Jordan, bring me the Forest, the Jade, hmmm..." She studied Stasi for a moment, thoughtfully, "and the charcoal. Yes, those will do splendidly." She moved towards Stasi, with a shooing gesture, chasing her back to the dressing screen. "Off with that, dearling, it's time to have some fun."

Stasi's eyes widened. They wanted her out of her new clothes? But she liked them. Not that she'd ever let Jase know. Well, maybe. She was going to kill him if this was just some kind of weird joke. Valentina's hand on her elbow guided her away, and Stasi cast a panicked look back at Jase, who sat there with a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin. He nodded at her, and with a roll of her eyes, she disappeared again.

After another cacophony of complaints, measurements, a few slaps after ticklish laughter, and a brief silence, interrupted by murmured sounds of satisfaction, Valentina emerged again. With a wind at Jason, she stated "Oh, boychick, you have a good eye. Take a look." Valentina mad a come hither motion to Stasi, behind the screen.

"Valentina, I can't. This...this is too much." Stasi's protest wafted over, and around the dressing screen. "I'm not coming out there." Jason could picture the arms crossed and chin raised.

Valentina looked sharply behind the screen. "Nonsense, Dearling. It's just enough, and every girl deserves to be beautiful. Please, Stasi, you wouldn't hurt my feelings now would you?" She clapped lightly, "Come come, let's not keep the audience waiting." The fact that Valentina used her name for the first time, surprised her, and the woman had fussed over her, and despite herself, and her protestations, Stasi had to admit, to herself, anyway, that she enjoyed it, maybe...a little.

Jason leaned forward, unconsciously, waiting for Stasi to emerge. The casual wear had been beautiful. He could only imagine what the dress would render.

Stasi stepped out from the partition, moving with faun like caution. The soft, green fabric spilled from the high neckline, cut again to leave bare shoulders. Fabric draped, hugging her waist, and dropping into a tight skirt, scalloped in front, to just above her knees, and trailing behind her like a jade green waterfall of silky fabric. Jade green strappy heels lifted her elegantly. Stasi spun with a shy smile as Valentina made the twirling motion again. The dress spilled down and back, sides daring, pooling at the back of her waistline, leaving the expanse of her trim back, bare. As she moved, the front of the dress parted, showing tantilizing amounts of leg, that disappeared as she stopped, enclosed once again in the safety of the dress, leaving the viewer wondering if he'd really seen that much leg at all. The blue earrings were gone. In their place, were matching dangles of emerald teardrops, suspended in silver. Stasi finished the slow spin, unconsciously biting one corner of her lip.

Jason knew the dress would look great, but this? Jason's mouth parted a bit as he stared. This was stunning. Valentina politely cleared her throat, and Jason blinked. Stasi could almost swear his face looked flushed.

He looked at Stasi with a bright smile. "Oh, wow, Stasi." he said quietly.

Stasi smiled with a quick, nervous glance at Valentina, then back to Jason. "Wow? Wow is good, right Jase?"

Jason's grin set Stasi back at eas, and the laugh that followed indicated everything was right. "Yeah, Stasi, wow is good." The smile remained, and grew infectious for everyone in the room. "Change back into the jeans outfit, and we'll go grab something to eat."

Stasi started to protest. It couldn't be that late, could it? The protest lasted only long enough for her to notice her stomach growling at the prospect of food. Looking at the window, she noticed the waning afternoon. It couldn't have taken this long to find clothes, could it?