Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
The airport was filled with people greeting loved ones and seeing them off. The team included as they came to send off Darren, Mia and Bonnie. She was near tears as she held onto Erin and Reina’s hands “I’m going to miss you guys so much. Remember to write! Email me whenever you have a mission, I don’t want to miss a single thing.” Mia said between sobs.
Erin smiled “Mia, you’re only gone for six months.”
“Six long months without my team!” she cried.
Darren shook his head “And it was her idea to take a family vacation.”
“Women.” Doug sighed while rolling his eyes.
“Speaking of which, how is your divorce going?” Reina loved putting him on the spot.
“She mailed me the forms and I signed them.” Doug shrugged casually.
Darren patted his friend on the shoulder “You are so lucky.”
Mia leered her eyes dangerously at him “Maybe you want to join him?”
“I’m only kidding, sweetie. Marriage life is the best!!!” he exclaimed with exaggerated excitement and smile that could be seen from miles away.
Mia couldn’t help but smile as she turned to her girls “I have to go now.”
“Have fun.” Erin nodded “Don’t worry about us.”
She nodded while gripping onto Bonnie “Okay, I love you guys. Take care!! Remember to email me!!” she called before disappearing into the terminal.
Reina draped an arm around Erin’s shoulder “Our little baby’s all grown up.”
“Not really.” Erin wrinkled her brows while Reina’s smile emerged “Where’s Matt?”
“He’s getting the car, you know how horrible it is to get a cab at the airport so I had him drive in circles until we’re done.”
“Wow…you’re starting operation-fiance-change that soon huh?” Erin teased “He’s a great guy.”
Reina agreed with a nod “I know. Don’t worry, I won’t pick on him too much. I have to at least save him some face in front of the team.”
“Right, Jenna told me. You were chosen as Captain, the first female. Congratulations, make us girls proud.” Erin grinned proudly.
“It would have been you if you didn’t quit.” They walked out of the sliding door and waited at the curb for Matt to drive by “Won’t you reconsider?”
“No, I’m afraid not.” Erin shook her head “My decision is firm.”
Reina let out a sigh “Okay. I know it’s hell trying to change your mind, so I won’t.” She looked up in time to see Matt pulling up the car.
“Can I give you lovely ladies a ride?” he smiled, wearing dark sunglasses that made him look like a movie star.
“Mr. Tong, I believe it is illegal to look that good around me.” Reina teased as she took the front seat leaving the back for Erin.
“Hey Erin, how was Mia?” he asked while pulling the car from the curb and merging into traffic.
She rolled her eyes “A crying mess, what did you expect?” she smiled easily thinking of Mia’s dramatic exit “I’ll miss her.”
“Will you miss the team too?” he tried.
Erin shook her head “Nice try, Matt. Reina just tried that on me. I don’t want to make it harder for you guys. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’ve already got a job.”
“You do?” Reina turned to face her “What are you doing?”
“It’s a hostess job at this restaurant downtown, Phoenix Inn. It’s a stretch from the agent work but I think it’ll be good. I need a normal life anyways.” She looked out the window and caught the airplane taking off.
Matt chuckled “I don’t think our lives will ever be normal again.”
**********
After the final mission Jenna, Doug and Ryan grew closer as they found a reason to bond. They had the same enemy and killed him together. It was teamwork and it seemed to lift the heavy pain off their hearts after Chris died. They were seen spending most of their days together, eating out and playing games at the arcade. Jenna fit well with the guys, they worked the best together on missions.
The team didn’t dare to ask if they would be getting new agents for the group was getting smaller with Darren and Mia on vacation. Matt was forced to join the group on the fields. The three were walking along the beach when Jenna looked up towards the sky “You think he’s watching us right now?”
Doug and Ryan turned to each other, both weren’t sure what to say “Uh…yeah, sure he is.” Ryan nodded convincingly.
“What do you think will happen to us?” she turned to them “The team isn’t exactly the same as it use to be.”
“You talking about Erin?” Doug asked.
“Damn, you’re good!” she chuckled while taking a bite of her chocolate ice cream. It left a ring around her lips where Ryan gave her his napkin “Thanks.”
Doug shrugged “I don’t know. But I hear Devin’s pretty sure that she’ll come back.”
“You think he likes her?” Ryan asked.
The two turned to him with a bewildered look “Have you been living under a rock?” Jenna asked “You could cut the sexual tension with a knife.” She widened her eyes and pointed at him “Don’t you dare repeat that to Erin! Luke made me promise not to say those two words.”
“Okay, psycho woman.” Ryan said with sarcasm “Anyways, I don’t think Ga Jei is very interested in him. He’s not her type.”
Doug chuckled “First of all, why are you still calling her Ga Jei? Second of all, it’s not for you to choose who deems worthy of Erin’s attention. For all we know, maybe they are secretly in love and getting married next week.”
“In a chapel in the outskirts of the city where little daisies fill the floor and rice being thrown in the air…” Jenna said dreamily with a plastered smile on her face.
“Earth to Jenna!” Ryan waved a hand in front of her face “Do you want to get married that bad?”
She pressed her lips tightly together while the guys looked at her with mocking smiles “No, I just like imagining the church wedding. Hey, every girl goes through this phase, my therapist said it’s absolutely normal.”
“Your therapist is my therapist.” Ryan reminded her “I had no idea Ethan thought it would be normal for a girl to be dreaming about a wedding when she’s not even dating?” his comment made Doug stifle his laugh.
Jenna waved her cone at him “That’s not funny! I—” she stopped after realizing the ice cream had flew onto his shirt staining it “Oops…sorry.”
“Isn’t that MY shirt?” Doug looked at it more closely.
Ryan nodded with a goofy grin “Yeah, your clothes are too young for your age. You should be wearing pin stripe shirts and flowered print short sleeves.”
“Are you calling me old?” Doug threw his cone to the ground and pointed at Ryan threateningly.
“Hey, no littering!!” a beach patrol officer pointed at them.
Jenna widened her eyes “Crap, run!!!” together the three raced towards the parking lot while the cop watched them in confusion. All he wanted them to do was pick up the trash and dispense it in the trashcan.
***********
Erin waited in her car outside Luke’s studio while she listened to his show. Smiling as she listened how eloquently he declined a caller who wanted to meet him on a blind date. When her cell rang, she answered without looking at the name “Hello?” She couldn’t hear any sound, only heavy breathing on the other side “You psycho, what the hell do you want?!” she blurted angrily.
She was about to hang up when Chuck’s voice crack “Erin…”
“Uncle Chuck!” her stomach dropped “What happened? Why are you out of breath?”
“Eve…she…” he stammered.
“Oh no. What happened to her?” Erin began to panic.
“She…she agreed to marry me…” he finally finished.
Erin let out a long sigh of relief “If I was fifty…I’d be gone. Are you hyperventilating?” she asked when he continued to breath hard “And what’s that sound in the background?”
“I’m at the gym. Eve said I had to fit into my tux, I’ve got 15 pounds to lose in three months.” He said between gulps of air. She couldn’t help but laugh, “You don’t think I can do it?”
“No, it’s not that…I just can’t imagine you in a tux.” She lied.
“Well, I’m gonna look great. Anyways, I have to go now, I can’t do chew gum and walk at the same time. Bye.” He hung up leaving her grinning to herself.
She was startled when Luke came to her car window and knocked on it “Jesus! Don’t do that!” she clutched her heart while flaring her nose at him.
“Sorry.” He smiled “I saw you smiling to yourself and thought I’d tell you those people are looking at you.” He pointed to a group in the car, plastered to the rear window.
“Nevermind that. Come on.” She waved him into the car.
“Where are we going?” he buckled his seatbelt while waving to the group of people still gawking at them.
“I think they’re your fans.” Erin smiled “We’re going to see your brother. It’s his four year anniversary today.”
“Four years already?” he widened his eyes in shock.
Erin rolled her eyes “Don’t be so dramatic, you only knew a couple of months ago.”
“Sorry, its this drama class I’ve been taking.” He laughed at himself.
“Spreading your wings and flying now? What’s with the change?” she made a sharp turn causing him to hang on for dear life.
“I want to do something different.” He concluded.
“Did some girl mistaken you for a star again?” Erin teased. He often boasted about women that ask him for his autograph but when he said he wasn’t a star, they didn’t care and some even said he would be one if the chance came up.
“Yes!” he nodded “How did you know?” eyes widening.
She frowned at him strangely “Stop that. You’re scaring me with those eyes.”
“Sorry.” He relaxed his face until they got out of the car in the memorial park “Wow!”
Erin jumped from his excitement “Luke.”
“I’m sorry. That was the last time, I promise.” He tried hard to stifle his laugh.
The two walked up the long flight of stairs until the reached the correct gravestone. Her smile faded when she saw a figure standing in front of Brad's grave. Luke turned to her with a questioning brow while she nodded for them to walk over “What are you doing here?” she asked calmly while placing the white roses on his grave.
Devin turned to her, with sunglasses on, he looked mysterious as ever “Hi. I didn’t expect you two here.”
“I’m Luke, we were never properly introduced.” Luke brought out a friendly hand as the guys shook it out.
“Devin, it’s great to meet you. Jenna talks about you nonstop.” He smiled but his attention quickly turned to Erin, who still refused to look at him “Still mad?”
“No, I’m not that petty.” She answered grimly.
He nodded “Any way you will change your mind about the team? Last chance.”
It sounded more like a warning to her, but she remained cool, refusing to lose her temper again “No, thank you.”
Devin smiled “Suit yourself. Good bye, I’ll be seeing you around.”
Luke nodded politely while he watched him leave “See what I mean?” Erin snapped her head at him and he quickly quieted “I didn’t say it.”
“But you thought it.” She narrowed her eyes but when returning to Brad, she softened “Hi Brad. It’s us again. Here to visit you. Things are good for me. I left the team, but on good terms.” Luke snickered at her last sentence making her glare at him “Anyways, I’m trying a different job. Hopefully it’ll work out. Wish me luck.” She bowed three times and turned to Luke “Your turn.”
Luke sighed as he nodded “Hi Bro, it’s me again. How are you doing? Better than us, I know. Erin’s a great girl, she’s a good roommate. Although sometimes she can be a little tough with the messy room I keep. But anyways, I’m learning more about you each day with the stories that Erin tells me. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her.” He bowed three times and turned to her “Okay.”
Erin smiled with a shaking head as she walked towards the stairs “It’s cute.”
“What is?” he asked nosily.
“How you talk to him. I think you guys would have been really close.” She sighed while looking up at the sky.
“Life isn’t about ‘what ifs’. It’s about moving on…” Luke began his famous phrase.
She sighed with eyes rolling upwards “Here we go again.” She nodded vaguely while he continued to lecture her like an older brother. She had memorized the words after the third time he said it. Erin had to smile though, even without Brad by her side, Luke gave her a sense of closure. Seeing his face eased all the pain in her heart. Although time could heal all pain, she still felt the stir in her heart when she thought about Brad. She often wondered if she would ever find a guy that would make her forget him.