The Long and Winding Road [Spence]

[Jemima Rennal]

Summer means road trips, visits to Disneyland and fun cooking with her mum. But more importantly, it means hanging with Spencer and making sure that she's totally refreshed for the next term. Jem took it upon herself to make sure her best friend had the best possible Summer that she could create. Which was why the car was loaded full of bags, and two pens with bunnies in - yes, Spencer now had two bunnies, at Jem's insistence.

Now she was just bouncing around waiting for her bestie to get back from the shop with their lunch. The trip to New York to see Wicked had taken weeks of planning, but the pair of them were going to the big apple! There was shopping to do! Bunnies to play with in the park with their cute little leads on, songs to sing and a very long road trip with a good deal of sleeping in the car to be done. Jem was sat cross legged in the drivers seat leaning back to feed Sega and Dita their dinner, when she noticed her bestie coming back from the store.

"Heeeey!" She shouted, waving. "Did you get everything? The doritos? The gummies? The chocolate? The sandwiches? The big bottle of water? The soda?" She paused in her twenty questions and grinned. "... This is the best summer ever."

[Spencer Ellis]

Spencer had never been on a road trip before and thus had no idea just how much work they were. It had taken a lot of planning and a lot of saving, but it was all about to pay off. She wasn't even worrying about coursework or studying when they left Hammel, nor when they had stopped at a nearby gas station to fill up on fuel and food. Spencer opted to go in to fetch the snacks while Jem pumped the gas.

It was only when she had nearly emptied a few shelves that Spencer began carrying the pounds of junk food to the car. There were several different flavors of Doritos, a case of energy drinks, two of the huge bottles of SmartWater, countless candy bars of various types, a box of chocolate coated doughnuts, pre-packaged sandwiches, and a case of Mountain Dew. They were things that Spencer would have never bought on her own due to the high fat content and crazy amounts of sugar, but with Jem's insistence it was much easier to push those pesky habits aside.

"I think I've got enough food to feed an army!" And she struggling to carry it all. When she reached the car, she sighed with relief as she set the pop down and began loading up the back seat with the food. The drinks went into the cooler they had already partially filled with ice and then Spencer made her way around to the passenger seat, climbing in and buckling up. "Alright! Ready to go, how about you?" She smiled over at Jem, obviously excited. She couldn't think of a better way to spend her time than with her best friend.

[Jemima Rennal]

"I'm set!" Jem beamed, then nodded at the back seat. "Bunnies are fed and looking excited! Dita's even twitching her nose." The blonde beamed, then reached over to tickle her bestie. "You did great." She added cheerily, before moving over to buckle back up and get ready to hit the road. "We'll take a break when we reach a park and walk the buns." She explained, pulling out of the station and reving her little mini to go off and explore the rest of the USA.

"Okay, Disney mix, Girl Power mix or Anything Goes Mix?" Jem asked brightly as they sped off down the highway, finger moving over to the radio to select a CD from the changer. She could feel bubbles of excitement all in her chest. They were going to have such a great time! There was a planned sleep stop as well, along with all the sightseeing as they passed through the various states. She did manage to reach over and help herself to a handful of gummies as they overtook a truck in the outside lane.

"Trucks give me the creeps." Jem admitted, glancing in the rear view mirror at the giant 16 wheeler. "They could crush us all up and not even notice. They'd have to use our dental records to identify us." She pouted a bit, then moved her eyes back to the road, happy to speed along. "On a cheerier note, how're you getting on with Sammy? Made a move on your sexy fireboy yet?" She beamed, teasingly making kissy faces over at her friend.

[Spencer Ellis]

Spencer tapped her finger against her lips thoughtfully for a moment before blurting out, "Girl Power, definitely." What better way to start off than with some female empowerment, amirite? While Jem took care of the music, Spence reached back for one of the oversize bottles of water, laughing as she pointed it at her friend. "I swear these things look like freaking torpedoes. Target acquired!"

Giggling, she reclined back in her seat, bobbing her head along with the music. It would be nice to get away for a while, to stop being a student and just enjoy being with Jem, doing girly things and gossiping and not worrying what other people thought of her. Bring on the parking lot dancing!

She gave the truck an apprehensive look as they passed it, grimacing as she imagined getting plowed over by it. "Ugh, they shouldn't be allowed to be that big. It's like death on 18 wheels!" Spencer shuddered, glad when Jem decided to change the subject... well, sort of. "Jem!" Her face went a vibrant shade of red and she hid it behind her hands. "Nooo! I told you, he doesn't like me like that. " That didn't mean she had given up, however, because the way she saw it, no other boys even remotely compared to Sammy.

[Jemima Rennal]

"Girl Power it is!" Jem declared, pressing the CD change button and then grooving in her seat as Spice Girls blared out of the sound system. She even punched the air a few times, before looking at the water bottle. "Ah! Save me!!" She shrieked, pretending to duck the torpedo and hide behind the steering wheel. "Spence you dork. Can you pass me a sandwich, I'm hungry already." She scowled down at her thighs. "No wonder these things are growing."

Hanging her head out of the window, the scowl blew away as the wind tousled her hair. A few drivers glanced at her as it drove past, but she didn't particularly care. This really was awesome. "Yo, I'll tell ya what I want, what I really really want." She sang along, before making a pluh noise as a fly flew in her mouse. "Urgh, gross."

Pulling her head back in, Jem laughed and then scraped her tongue. "He'd better like you like that or else there'll be trouble." She said simply. "We'll get you two together by the time it's christmas. I swear it." She offered out her pinky as a promise, then smiled. "Because you need love and cuddles. And then we can double date 'cause I have my eye on someone." She blushed and giggled, blonde hair flopping into her face.

[Spencer Ellis]

Leaning her way between the seats, Spence rummaged through the bags of food before finally locating the packaged sandwiches and passing one over to Jem. "Oh shut up!" She rolled her eyes, poking at her friend. "They are not! And you better not be hung up on what Zac said. I mean... it's ZAC. You're super pretty! And you look way better in a swimsuit than I do."

Spencer giggled as Jem nearly ate the fly. "You know, in some countries, people willingly eat bugs. Gross!" She made a face and a fake gagging noise. "I think I'll stick to pizza."

She gave Jem's finger an apprehensive look before finally hooking hers with it. "I don't know. I mean, really I'm okay just being friends with him. At least I get to spend time with him. He's just so sweet." She gushed, biting on the inside of her lip. Fortunately, Jem decided to take that moment to spill about someone she was interested in, and Spence nearly dropped her bottle of water, leaning eagerly over the center console to get closer to her friend.

"What? Oh my god, you haven't told me yet? Spill now! Spill everything!" She was fixated on Jem's face, noting the blush within seconds. "Ooh, you're blushing so it muuust be good!" Bouncing excitedly in her seat, she waited for her best friend to indulge her curiosity.

[Jemima Rennal]

Jem gratefully tugged the plastic off of the sandwich, then rummaged in her lap to pull one out, giving it a good crunch. "I wouldn't mind normally, really I wouldn't." She said with a frown, pouting at the poke. "But Zac's not exactly got any body flaws. Except for the fact he has a shrimpy asian penis." She paused, before clapping her hand over her mouth. "Ohmigod. That's not racist is it?" She looked a little guilty, then giggled. "Shut up Spence, you're gorgeous. I only wear a swimsuit because I'm on the swimteam. Else I'd go into the water wearing a burkha."

When Spencer told her about people eating bugs, she wrinkled her nose, then shrugged. "Maybe a delicious crispy candy coated grasshopper is totally delish." Jem teased, making snapping gestures at her bestie. "I only want to eat bugs when I've accidentally gecko'd myself or something. The DNA wore out once just as I crammed a spider in my mouth." She looked a little pale then, and winced. "Threw up all my lunch, too."

Jem, however, didn't believe for one minute that Spencer was okay with just being friends with Mr. Rixon. She'd seen the doodled lovehearts and everything. "I love you Spence but you talk more crap than a dung beetle sometimes." She said fondly, reaching to eat another bit of sandwich as another 18 wheeler showed up. "Heeelp. We're gonna get squished." She added, with dramatic flailing as much as she could behind the steering wheel.

She WAS hoping the flailing would put Spencer off the scent of her crush but it was too late and she chewed on her lip, trying to swallow a grin. "Weeelll..." She began, offering the other sandwich over to her bestie with a shy smile. "He's called Nintendo. Or Ninny. But his actual name is Nico." Jem thumbed the steering wheel, trying not to blush again. "He's a duplicator and he's a bit odd but he's very handsome. He has little beauty marks on his face, it's charming, and he is Canadian like me." She swooned, putting a hand on her heart.

"He also kind of smells like tacos. In a nice way."

[Spencer Ellis]

Jem's comment about Zac and his... uhh... private parts made Spencer choke on the water she was drinking, causing her to cough until her eyes watered. "Ugghh..." She groaned when she finally got her breath back, then looked at Jem while trying very hard not to smile. "That is not nice at all! Oh my god, I can't believe you just said that! I don't want to think about his... his... down-there-area." As much as she wanted to giggle because the comment was such a low blow and probably deserved, she fought it back because she wasn't that ready to laugh at someone else's expense yet.

"I freak out when a fly lands on my food, I couldn't even imagine having a spider in my mouth!" She looked absolutely horrified at the thought, covering her face with her hands and releasing a rather high pitched "ewwwwww!"

Spencer huffed when Jem accused her of talking crap, crossing her arms over her chest. "I do not!" Her stern face and posture melted away quickly after. "It's just, I know he's out of my league or whatever that saying is. So I'm okay with it, you know?" Self-esteem issues: Spencer has them. (What teenage girl doesn't, really?) She just didn't want to get her hopes up about Sammy only to have them dashed. If she kept telling herself they would just be friends and never anything more, then she wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt.

Hearing about Jem's new interest was far more entertaining than screaming in terror thanks to large trucks, and she squealed just a little when Jem talked about the boy. "Awww, he sounds cute! You'll totally have to introduce me! How did you meet him?" She giggled about the taco smell, shaking her head and then reaching to recline her seat just a little bit. "Was it love at first siiiiighhttt~?"

[Jemima Rennal]

"Oh god don't choke." Jem grinned, then added. "You certainly wouldn't on Zac's dick." With a triumphant smile, she continued to drive along, feeling the sun on her face and humming along to the tune. "It's difficult not to think about it when you're in the pool and he's practically thrusting it in your eye socket." Stupid LaDouche and his inability to respect personal boundaries. Or anything really. Call her thighs fat again and she'll tear his face off and wear it as a halloween mask.

She shook her head sympathetically when Spencer admitted flies on the food weren't good. "I just have to avoid anything that bites. Insects are really interesting but I wish they weren't so... in your space."

Jem indicated to turn off down down to another part of the highway, and went quiet for a moment, concentrating. "Mm?" She replied, unable to reply till they were safely on the main highway to New York. "He is SO not out of your league. If anything you're out of his." She grumbled, bonking Spencer lightly over the head with the empty sandwich pack. She wished her bestie would have a little more self confidence, she was so so pretty. "I totally promise he will fall in love with you like... like Simba and Nala. Only with less crazy evil uncle."

"I met him when two of his duplicates decided to hide in the student lounge." Jem laughed, shrugging her shoulders. She paused to finish her sandwich, then licked her fingers clean. "It wasn't love at first sight but it was definitely interest at first sight. I want to study his power for more meta-research." She beamed, seeing no problem in using her new crush to further her career. It was totally normal, right?

[Spencer Ellis]

"Jemima!" Spencer gasped, for once using her best friend's full name. "Gross! Stop talking about it!" She whined, wrinkling her face all up in a look of disgust. "And the next time he tries to... thrust... it in your eye, just punch him in it! Oh god that sounds so wrong." Spencer shook her head rapidly. "Okay, okay, from this point on, no more talking about Zac!" Because she had a feeling her friend would keep taking stabs at the mimic if she could. (Believe me, it's not because she's trying to protect Zac in any way, shape, or form. She just doesn't want to hear about his boyparts and how he chooses to use them.)

Squeaking, Spence put her arms up to protect herself from the bonking, though she laughed afterwards. "I don't know. He's got that weird friend, the one who always dresses in black? He's a bit like Scar." Only Jem and Spence could compare things to the Lion King like it's totally normal. It makes them so special.. or something like that. "But I don't think he'll run Sam out." She pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail, then rolled down the window, smiling as the wind blew into her face.

"You're not planning on doing experiments on him, are you?" Spence looked at Jem out of the corner of her eye, giggling. "I'm not so sure that's part of a healthy relationship. Uh... not that I would know or anything. Romance novels aren't exactly true to life." Yes, those were Spencer's only sources of information when it came to romantic relationships. And no, she's not ashamed to admit it. (Okay, maybe she is, but shhhh.)

As they passed a car with a dog hanging its head out the window, she "Awww'ed" then turned to look at the bunnies in their little travel cages. "Hi little cuties, are you guys as excited as us?" Looking back to Jem, "I wish I had a cool power, like animal control. Then I could actually talk to the buns!"

[Jemima Rennal]

"Alright, no more tiny shrimpy wang talk." Jem said with a grin, leaning back in her seat and watching the cars on the road. "So, do you wanna stop in a few hours for a stretch?" She asked, leaning over to look at the sat nav. "The buns'll need a walk and so will we, I'm getting a twitchy foot." She laughed, shrugging her shoulders a little. Driving was great and fun but she totally needed a break every now and then.

"You mean dumbass Vincent?" Jem asked with a laugh. "He's too thick to be a threat to anyone but himself, I managed to get him to agree to an experiment and I got him to jump onto railings. Spiked railings. I didn't even have to pay him." She snorted and shook her head, likewise enjoying the wind rattling through the old Mini. "He's more like Ed the Hyena. But I did get some fascinating results about the healing speed of cell regeneration." She nodded. She'd paid Vincent $50 for his time anyway - she couldn't use people like a certain Mimic we all know.

She looked a little guilty when Spencer asked her question. "Um... only a few, but nothing super dramatic, just things involving changing a duplicate and seeing if it changes the original. But I'm sure Nico will be fine with that." She waved her hand and grinned. "You should see the Mary Sue's on FF, Spence. They're really scary and they make romance novels look realistic." Jem laughed softly, resting her head back. "But yeah, just a few little innocuous experiments he'll probably be fine with."

There was a shifty face after that, but thankfully Spencer was looking at the cute dog. "Your power is AWESOME Spence." The girl grumbled, giving a little wave to the happy dog as they drove past. "But I would kinda love to know what our bunnies are thinking." She paused. "Are they okay back there?" She didn't want their precious quartet of bunnies to be upset.