Las Vegas, Monday evening

[izzyalienqueen]

The summer semester was over and Isabel had a few days of down before the fall semester began. It was hard to believe she only had two more semesters until she graduated. She had a feeling the time was going to go by quickly. That thought might be why she was perusing want ads although maybe she should be considering positions in San Francisco in the future.

Last week's Project Runway was playing on the TV and job searching was on the verge of losing out to Farmville. Isabel had priorities after all.

[Open if you feel like calling or dropping by!]

Comments

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker had thoughts. Might as well share them.

*ring*

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Ah, the usefulness of personalized ringtones. "Hey! What's up? How are the inmates in the asylum?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Working on scattering to the four winds, at least for a year. I'm packing for Burning Man so I don't have to think about it." Parker squinted at the calendar. "If I came by to crash for a couple days before hand, would that overlap your classes?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"No, you're good. Classes start on the 29th," Isabel replied. "So I'll have some time to hang out before you head out to the insanity."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Perfect," Parker said, throwing her sandals in her bag, and ticking that off her list. "You're graduating this year. What do you want for a really big present?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I know, I can't believe it." It seemed like only yesterday that she'd moved into the dorms. Which were never as much fun as the Fandom dorms. For one thing there had been a severe lack of random whimsy. "I'm not sure about a present, but the ceremony is May 12. I do want you there. You can have fun intimidating Max."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Oh hell yes. I do so love intimidating your brother." Parker grinned wickedly, then huffed into the phone. "Meanwhile, several of my geniuses are going on sabbatical for a year. I am annoyed."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Why? Doesn't that mean things will be a little more peaceful for you?" Although Isabel truly believed that if things got too peaceful Parker would probably be bored to tears. "Give them a number to a good law firm before they leave though. Just to be on the safe side."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Well, point. Ben's leaving for NSA training, and I'm not sure he'll be back. Kyle needs to 'find himself' by which I think he means 'skydive off every cliff Jarod dove off, just to prove I can.' Jarod..." She sighed. "Needs a break to do his. Thing. That. You know." Independent vengeance and justice. "And Alex is ... I don't know what the hell I'm going to do about Alex. He's a loose cannon, even worse than Kyle."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Maybe he still needs to find his purpose," Isabel offered. "Jarod has his thing. And he'd better be careful doing it by the way. Maybe Alex needs to figure out what it is that he really wants to do."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I know I'm biased. Maybe you're right. I hope you're right." Parker grimaced, trying to pick out her purse to take with her. "I'll be keeping an eye on the newsfeeds for him anyway... they can all work remotely, if they want to." She was quiet a moment. "Jarod always needs to leave. And not say where he's going, even if he is being careful."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"He leaves, but he does come home. That's what important." She had to give Parker a lot of credit for being able to put up with it. Isabel was pretty sure she'd go crazy with worry after the second week. "And don't they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"They're not wrong," Parker allowed. As much as she wanted to keep Jarod within sight to make sure he was okay, the hyperactivity had her wanting to shoot him three times a day. "I just have to keep stomping on the urge to lo-jack him without telling him. It wouldn't work anyway." She shook her head. "How's Wyatt, and the rest of his family?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"No lo-jacking. But I promise, if you ever get to the point where you're really worried, you know that between Wyatt and I we'd be able to track him down." There were things to be said for magic and alien-fu after all.

"Busy. There are some demons giving them some trouble at the moment." There were always demons giving them trouble if Isabel were honest. It went with being a Halliwell. "So Wyatt and Chris are out hunting tonight. If I didn't have to work tomorrow morning I'd have tagged along."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

That did settle Parker's metaphorical feathers a bit. It was good to know that she'd have back-up if she needed it, if he ever did go really missing again.

"They have too much fun doing that," Parker said, then shook her head. "How is work plus school going? Any last-minute worries?"

Hmm. A Lotus. Would Isabel like one of those?

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

A Lotus would be fun. After she fought Wyatt for the keys.

"No worries. I've only got about twenty-six credits to go. Spread out over two semesters, that's easy." There was a reason Isabel hadn't taken summers off. "Hell, I was just sitting here looking at job listings."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Where are you thinking? Spa? I vote spa." And free weekends for your friends, never mind that Parker could *own* a spa. It was the principle of the thing.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Somehow I don't think my Meetings and Events Management degree covers aromatherapy and massage," she pointed out. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. Hell I'm a huge fan. But seriously, there's a posting for meeting services supervisor at the hotel. It's a few levels up the food chain but I think I'm qualified. I'm considering putting in for it."