Room 406, Late Afternoon, early evening

[izzyalienqueen]

Isabel's spent the afternoon in the common room kitchen handwavily cooking dinner. Now everything is carefully arranged on covered plates, ready to be reheated at the appropriate time. There's a blanket and candles set up picnic style on the floor. But for now, Isabel's playing solitare on the laptop while she waits for Greg to arrive.

When her email blinked, she smiled when she saw the message.


[Door's closed, but feel free to knock!]

Comments

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Parker, I'm sorry," Isabel said simply. "Maybe they didn't know how? I mean, you were only a little kid. And then your mom....How could your dad possibly explain that?" She blinked, surprised that she was trying to justify Mr. Parker's actions.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I don't know. But it's been seventeen years, and you'd think they'd have found *some* way, somehow, and it's just so familiar, Daddy avoiding things...." She shook her head. "He said it was a mistake not to tell me. I think that's the first time he's admitted to making one. Ever."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure it's upsetting to him as well. And it was easier to just repress and deal with it on his own then tell you and have to deal with you being upset as well" she replied. "But he knows he was wrong. At least that's a start."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker's lips quirked, then she shook her head. "Anyway. Yay, I'm not going to Rio. And the survival weekend is *over*, and Jarod's birthday is tomorrow, and Jack's alive, and you? Have candles." She surveyed the room. "Lots of them. No fear of a power shortage here."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"And again with the Yay!" Isabel cheered, just a little more enthusiastically. "I ordered my costume for the party. It got here earlier." She grinned wickedly. "Jack and I managed to exchange a few emails just before. I sent him a picture of the costume. He's...impressed. As for the candles? Random power loss is always a threat, didn't you know?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Oh, reeeeally? What are you going as?" Parker grinned. "It didn't have to be fancy, I know this is awfully short notice." She looked at the candles, and snorted. "Isabel? Are you trying to light a cathedral, or a pagan rite? This is just--" She grinned. "Greggie would swoon. If he doesn't from exhaustion, anyway."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Parker, be for real? How often do I actually get a chance to dress up as something completely different?" Isabel asked. "I was not passing up on this opportunity." She opened her laptop and hit a few buttons on her browser before showing Parker the screen. "What do you think of this?"

"Exhaustion?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker grinned. "Oooooooo. Perfect. And yeah, Greg ran afoul of Callisto. Something about a cheerleading uniform? So he was our 'prey' today during out last Wilderness Survival class."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Ahh yes, the cheerleading uniform," Isabel said, shaking her head. "That was Monday night's insanity. Peter, Greg and John decided that they wanted to poke the unhappy blonde."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Then they deserve everything they get. No offense to your non-self-preservational boyfriend." Parker shook her head. "I spent last night talking sense into Daisy, who's a lot easier to deal with than Call. Those three, I *swear*. It's nice John has other crazy boys to play with, but cleaning up after them...."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Oh totally," Isabel agreed. "As long as she returns them basically undamaged, she can dole out whatever punishment she thinks they deserve." Isabel laughed suddenly. "God, and you haven't even heard about the party crashers at the cheerleader slumber party. Johnina, Gregette and their friend Petra came to visit."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker coughed, then chortled. "Oh, God, and I missed teasing them about it? SO not fair. Petra?" She rolled her eyes. "That one's new. How long did they manage to stay before they fled in fear?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"They got threatened with manicures and makeovers before they fled," she laughed. "But they were there long enough to begin antagonizing Cal. That's where this insanity started."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Lord. She's been nuts for two months now, and they decide to flirt with disaster? Priceless." Parker shook her head, and stood up, tossing her cellphone in the air and catching it. "Have fun with your Dead Man Walking. I have some online shopping to do."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Wait one second," Isabel said. "I have an idea! And a question."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker stopped, looking intrigued. "Shoot."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"In the car Monday night, Jarod mentioned not having much experience with road trips," she said with a raised eyebrow. "I think his girlfriend and friends need to do something to fix that."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker's smile widened. "I think you are completely right. Got a destination in mind?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I was trying to think of fun stuff to do that he would enjoy," Isabel said, not quite willing to admit how much time she'd spent researching online yesterday. "Given the beach class, it's pretty clear he likes the water. Do you think he'd like to go rafting?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Danger plus the opportunity to get wet and messed up? Are you kidding? He'd love it." She bounced on her toes, smiling wickedly. "When did you have in mind?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I guess it depends on how many people are going and when they're available. I know I have a trip home in my near future. Mom said she was looking at airfare and was going to call me with a date." Isabel made a face, pretty sure Parker knew how she felt about going home. "But I know I'd like to go, and I be Greg would."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Add in another four or so people, and we could get one of those big rafts, couldn't we?" Parker looked thoughtful, then grinned again. "I like it. Let me know when the timing works. Since Jack will be back by Sunday, we can ask him along too. And whoever he's dating at that moment. Thanks for thinking of this, Isabel."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"We could," Isabel nodded. "There's a place in West Virginia, it's about a five hour drive from here, that has two trips where you raft all day and camp out on the river at night. It's roughing it, but it sounds like fun." She grinned, "Jack definitely. Which probably means Cedric if I had to put money on it. And don't thank me, I'm doing this for me to. I want to hang out and go on a non-life threatening road trip. I haven't had many of those."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Something without any potential for angst or secrets would be terrific. And something Jarod *doesn't* already know everything about. We may have to only tell him about it at the last second, so he's not an expert by the time we get there." Parker grinned. "Cool. Right. I should let you get on with your indoor party picnic rite. I'll have a fire extinguisher handy if it's needed, two floors down."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'll bring it up with Greg later, and when I see Jack. We'll figure out a date and go from there." Isabel smiled, "There will be no need for fire extinguishers, it's just a quiet dinner and a movie. I'll see you tomorrow night!"