I Just Want To Be Normal

From Angela's to the Common Room to Isabel's, Parker was slowly winding down. "Hey, you. Thanks for coming to Jarod's party last night. Did you have fun?"

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"Of course," Isabel said, looking up and grinning. "A night out with some of my favorite people, how could it not be fun?"

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"Yayyyy." Parker looked happy and satisfied, and stretched, yawning a little. "'Scuse me. Some of those costumes were awesome. But I seriously have to wonder how much Call had to drink. She *hates* Becky."

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Considering the way Jarod had been looking at Parker last night, Isabel's not surprised Parker is tired. Still, it's fun to tease. "Rough night?" she asked. "Did you get pictures? Because I might need copies to use as blackmail."

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"What?" Parker blinked at Isabel a moment, then relaxed. "Oh, you mean of... yup. Got pix." She smiled a Cheshire grin. "And it wasn't so much rough as it was... exhausting."

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"Gah! What did you think I meant?" Isabel laughed in mock horror. "That would be way to TMI for me. Still, I'm glad Jarod liked his presents. I know he liked the wrapping on one of them. He couldn't keep his eyes off it all night."

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"You tell me! Your phrasing was ambiguous, Miss Evans. Careful on that. If I were Jack Harkness, think of the innuendo potential." She smiled wickedly. "Jarod pretty much unwrapped that present as soon as we were alone. Which was lovely." She yawned. "But I got no sleep, and then I had Detention with a deluded Muppet hologram."

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Isabel snickered, "He would certainly make the most of any innuendo potential. I'm glad he's coming back tomorrow. It's been too quiet without him around." She frowned briefly at the mention of detention but brushed it off. Parker was too cheerful. "A deluded Muppet? Should I ask?"

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"Danger Shop, Closet Monster with allergies. It wanted my *shoes*," Parker said in tones of dread. "Methinks Professor Logan has heard things about me. Weird things."

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"Oh noes!" she cried in horror. "Not the shoes! You've had a bad run with shoes these last few weeks haven't you?"

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Parker nodded sadly, mournfully. "But at least I've survived Callisto's class. And no one else should want my shoes in my new workshops. Dr. Reid is sane. And Xander will get whapped if he tries it."

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"I'll be right there with the whapping," Isabel promised. "And I think Dr. Reid would rather have a blood sample then my shoes, so I should be okay there as well."

"Oh, I mentioned that road trip idea to Greg. He's offered to help drive."

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Some time later that evening, and after hitting the gym, a freshly-showered Greg appeared at Isabel's door. "I forgot it's Saturday," he said apologetically.

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Isabel smiled, "You're here now. Life is good."

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Greg walked in and flopped onto his back on the floor, staring up at her. "Hi, then. What're you up to?"

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She put the laptop aside and rested her chin on her hand, looking over the side of the bed at him. "Research mostly. For that trip I told you about. How about you?"

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"I went to the gym and played with a tennis ball," Greg told her. "And I played around with geeky things in my room earlier. What've you got so far for the trip?"

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"I wandered out in search of coffee this morning and wound up running into Zero," Isabel smiled. "She's back so I'm sure Peter has to be thrilled. The place I think we should go is on the Gauley River in West Virginia," she said, with her organizer face on. "It has a nice mix of rapids but nothing too threatening. They can't say what specific sections of the river we'll run in advance because it all depends on the water levels that day."

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"Ooh, what color is her hair? I heard it changes, and I want to recognize her," Greg said. "And West Virginia sounds fine to me, as long as I don't hear Dueling Banjos or anything while we're there."

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"Trust me, you'd know Zero when you met her. But it's pink at the moment," Isabel said. "I think we'll be safe from any banjo players. I'll tell Parker to bring her gun." She sighed, "We were talking about when we'd be able to do this. It looks like it can't happen till August."

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"That's okay," he said, lazily stretching on the floor. "August is fine for me. I like having a whole month without aaaaaaany plans."

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