Partners

Chapter 18 : That Night

It took only about sixty minutes driving from LAPD headquarters to Terranea Resort.  The gang drove two cars.  Clarence planned this whole trip.  He designated Fetcher and Ethan as drivers. 

In Fetcher's car, Cam was singing out loud with the radio, "I'm a Barbie girl.  In a Barbie world.  Life is plastic.  It's fantastic. You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere.  Imagination, life is your creation!" 

Reign chimed in with his best whiskey old man's voice, "Come on, Barbie, let's go party!" 

Chase, unexpectedly, was humming along with the melody.  "Family trip is indeed a fun thing." she said. 

"Family trip." Fetcher chewed on the phrase deliberately. 

Chase rolled her eyes, "Don't make me wanna go to the other car and make out with Clarence in the backseat." 

Fetcher chuckled, "You do realize that you're the only female, the minority, in this trip, right?" 

Chase squeezed his arm hard, (he yelped.  Voice still couldn't cover that horrible song in the background.) "I'm twice the man than all of you guys." 

Fetcher shook his head, laughing slightly, "Your logic is weird." 

"I don't know which is weirder." Chase opened an onion flavored Pringle, "My logic or you."  Chase sent a piece into Fetcher's mouth.  

"Me" he took the chip with his teeth, "You're the best." 

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Cam banged on the back of Fetcher's seat, "It's not a honeymoon.  Keep it in your pants!" 

"Don't whine just because your little boyfriend can't join us." 

Reign put his arm around Cam's neck and dragged him backward.   Cam fell back, giggling. 

"You've got a backup plan anyway." Fetcher murmured.  He didn't expect anyone to hear that.  

Nonetheless, the radio changed into another song.  His word were clearly heard in the blank gap. 

"I'm not a backup plan!" Reign yelled. 

"Oh, so you're sleeping with him now?" Chase asked, just for fun. 

Fetcher turned up the music, "I don't want to know." 

And that was the coincidence when Maroon 5 was singing the same words on the radio, "I don't wanna know, know, know, know.  Who's taking you home, home, home, home.  And loving you so, so, so-" 

"Oh, fuck!" Fetcher turned off the radio and pulled over his car at the roadside of S. Western Avenue.  He opened the car door, "I'm changed the car.  You can drive mine." 

Before Chase got out of the car, she cocked her head into the backseat, "You guys really...uh..." 

"Of course nothing happened between us!  For God's sake he's now my brother!" 

Reign promised, "I swear.  What I meant was I wasn't his any plan!" 

"Yeah, right." Chase grimaced, "I don't care.  You guys work that out yourselves."

*****

"Problem with your car?" Ethan had pulled over his SUV and got out of the car. 

"I'm changing the team." Fetcher announced. 

"No, he's not." Chase smiled at Ethan, "Just, give us a moment please." 

Ethan shrugged, going back into his car.  

"What is there to talk about?" Fetcher looked annoyed. 

"Look.  I shouldn't have joked like that.  They didn't do anything you'd be interested." Chase assured him.