Memories

by Jewel Harley

copyright Jewel Harley, October 1997


Note and copyrights from Jewel Harley:


This story is almost like a "before" of Leanne's BMFM 2015 sorta. Jewel Harley and all her memories n' stuff (c) me, Jewel Harley. This story could not have been possible without the help of Leanne Macleod! Thank YOU!! All other related BMFM characters(c) to wutever company made BMFM. Uhm, also, I thank Decembergirl's artist help in the picture section of this fanfic... it helps illustrate many points in this story. Uhm, and I guess that's it? Okay, enjoy!

Leanne Macleod:


The cool breeze rippled through Jewel's sandy blond hair, as it calmly brushed upon her snow white fur. She stood there upon the sandy red plane wearing her perfect-fit black jeans, black biker boots and a blue tank top which was covered by her famous worn out leather jacket. The jacket had been passed down from generation to generation, from father to son. Since she was an only child, she received the precious heirloom which she treasured dearly.
Her father had been the only person ever there for her, except for Carbine of course; her mother had died at birth and her father when she just turned sixteen. Carbine was her best friend ever since birth, they were total opposites but went together like root beer with hotdogs. If there was ever something she couldn't tell her father, which was rare, she could always tell Carbine: she knew she'd be there through thick and thin for her.
She pulled her leather jacket tightly around her, as blue tears slowly slid down her cheeks from her big blue eyes - which went well with her natural tawny-brown birthmark, which resembled the shape of a head of a Martian mouse, that completely covered her left eye. She wiped away the tears quickly, revealing the light blue fingerless glove she wore on her right hand, for obvious reasons to anyone who had been in the war.
Even though Carbine and her had been the bestest friends ever since birth, she hadn't seen her good friend ever since she was eighteen. After her father had died, the parts of family quickly moved her to the other side of Mars - her family thought that the part of Mars she already lived on was dangerous.
She wiped her eyes again and took a deep breath as she looked to her left. "Harley," she sighed as she thought of her other best friend. Harley was also a good friend, almost as good of a friend as Carbine was. She and Carbine had met Harley when they were five. One day, they were out playing they're normal mischievous adventures in the rolling sand dunes of Mars, the came upon a young brown mouse about their age with big blue eyes. Later on, after inviting her to play they had found out her name, and made another long-lasting friend.
Jewel pulled out her wallet and flipped through the miscellaneous pictures and cards she had stuffed in there. She stopped and looked at the picture with big eyes. She remembered that one year when she had turned eighteen, she was allowed to do what she wanted - and that she did. She immediately came back home to where she had lived and rejoined her friends once more. The picture had been of roughly around the time when Jewel had returned home, they were goofing off in it as usual.
Everything in her mind, was back to normal..., except they all had changed a bit. Carbine was serious about this cute tawny-brown mouse called Throttle and Harley had a major crush on this arrogant white mouse called Vinnie. Though Jewel could not succumb the beckoning call of love for long.
As soon as she saw "him", his gray hair wildly matted to his head - "helmet hair"; his big red eyes, and his sweet and sensitive personality, Jewel fell head over heels for him. Him, or as his friends called him: Modo.
Jewel's heart fluttered, and her jaw fell to the ground every time she saw him. One problem occurred, obstructing Jewel's path to Modo's heart - her shy personality. She couldn't even talk to a guy without turning bright red from head to toe, little less ask a guy out or say how much she liked him.
She remembered the fun she had when the "gang" was all out together. She especially remembered the time of the HUGE party held by some popular guy. Absolutely everyone and anyone was going, and Jewel, Carbine and Harley just couldn't miss out.
Jewel and Harley were at Thrash's house, listening to music and munchin' out.This party was the event of the year, a major blow out! Everyone was partying, except Jewel and Harley that is. They were waiting for Carbine, Throttle and his two friends Modo and Vinnie. Carbine had told them before hand that they would probably be late.Thrash was on the football team and so was Champ, Throttle's worst enemy. He'd humiliated Champ in front of the whole school, and Champ was just waiting for a chance to get back at him, and a party was the perfect setting. Jewel was sick that day, she wished she'd seen Throttle make Champ look like a fool. No one liked Champ, not even Thrash! But he didn't want to tell Champ he wasn't welcome at his party.
"Ya think Carbine convinced Throttle to come after all?" Harley asked Jewel.
"I don't know, Throttle can be pretty stubborn. He really doesn't want to get into a fight!" With good reason though, Throttle told them about all the fights he'd been in. If Jewel were in as many as he was she wouldn't wan't to fight either. Carbine's obviously pestered him until he agreed. Because just then Carbine, Throttle, Modo and Vinnie entered the house.
"Good evening ladies!" Vinnie greeted Harley and Jewel. They both smiled.
"Hey, Harley, hey Jewel!" Modo greeted as well. Jewel lowered her head to hide her blushing face. She'd never admit to him that she had a total crush on him - she was to shy for that. She hadn't really had a conversation with him, she was too totally shy! But he was so sweet, and kind to everyone, she absolutely adored him! She had absolutely no idea why she couldn't bring herself to at least have a normal conversation with him!
"Hey, Harley! Ya wanna get some punch?" Vinnie asked.
"Sure, Vinnie!" Harley replied, a mischievous smile on her face indicated she was about to do some serious flirting - they left.
"Sorry we're late, I practically had to drag him here! " Carbine said to Jewel as she pointed to Throttle who had his arm around her shoulders.
"You're exaggerating again, honey bunch! I'd go anywhere where there's free food!" Throttle said, smiling wildly.
"You're going to be too busy to eat!" Carbine said. She put her face right in front of his face and started to bat her long eyelashes at him playfully. She started to drag him to "Smoocher's corner", where all the couples advertised they were a couple.
"Later, Jewel!" Carbine and Throttle called out after them, they both plunked down on a black bean bag chair and prepared to kiss. Jewel looked around, and realized she was alone. "Just my luck!" She thought to herself.
Throttle and Carbine were about to kiss when Carbine noticed out of the corner of her eye that Jewel was standing by herself.
"Throttle, Jewel's all by herself!" Carbine said just before Throttle was about to lay a big wet one on her cheek.
"So's Modo." Throttle said. Modo was all by himself at the snack table.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Carbine asked. They looked at each other, mischievous grins spread all over their faces. "Matchmaker!" They both exclaimed and jumped up from the bean bag chair!
Throttle ran over to Modo.
"Hey bro, let's go outside on the patio!" He said then grabbed Modo's arm and started to drag him outside.
"Where'd Carbine go?" he asked.
"The Powder Room. It's stuffy in here I need some air." Throttle said. They got outside, Jewel and Carbine were already there.
"Hey,I thought Carbine went to the powder room?" Modo said.
"Did I say Powder Room? I meant patio!" Throttle said Modo looked at him suspiciously.
"Well we have some smoochin' ta do, you two have fun together!" Carbine said then she and Throttle ran into the house.
"I think we've been set up." Modo said shyly.
"Yeah." Jewel said shyly back.
"Well, I'm up to it. If you are that is?" Modo asked and smiled warmly.
"I guess, sure." Jewel said with a blushing smile. Jewel was positively bursting inside! She had waited for this so long!
"So what do you like to do in your spare time?" Modo asked. Jewel opened her mouth to answer. When a loud commotion came from inside the house. Tons of kids charged out of the house, they would have trampled Jewel if Modo hadn't pulled her away just in time. For a few seconds he was embarrassing her, she was in heaven!
"Modo we gotta get outta here! Thrash's parents are home and they called the police to get everyone out!"Vinnie said hand in hand with Harley. Modo and Jewel ran with the crowd got on their bikes and drove away.The evening was pretty much over then! Everyone went home.Modo and Jewel didn't finish their date. A few weeks later her dad died, she was too depressed to do anything for at least a year.Then she had been living with her relatives far away from her friends.
Jewel sighed as she slowly drifted back into reality. That had been one of the best nights of her life. One of her last too. After her Dad died the Plutarkians came! Then everyone was trying to save the planet. No one was having any fun. Her friends disappeared as if they'd never existed. She was so lonely. Hopefully she'd find answers at the Freedom Fighter base, where she was headed now. She'd been so busy protecting her community she'd never knew that they actually existed. She hoped they could help.
Jewel smiled slightly as a dwindle of hope sparkled deep inside of her. Her blue eyes locked upon a grey female mouse, with flowing black hair that rippled in the wind much like Carbine's did. She grinned evilly as a mischievous plan dangled in the back of her mind, pulling at her. She tucked her head down and walks sort of suspiciously fast towards Carbine.
Carbine had changed - a lot. Not only did she show in age, but in maturity..., in her face - thought Carbine had always been a little more mature than Harley and Jewel. The scars of war tugged at her personality and looks. She stood tall outside an old crumbling building that looked as if it had taken a good beating from the war.
"This must be the Freedom Fighter base," she thought as she walked by Carbine.
"Hey you!" Carbine yelled out, to the figure hidden in her leather jacket.
Jewel turned around suddenly, with a bit of surprise. Head still tucked down and a bit in her jacket she replied with a mumbling, deep tone. "Yes?"
"Who are you? I haven't seen you before!" Carbine looked curiously onto the mysterious figure.
Jewel snickered and kept the deep mumbling tone. "Oh yes you have! Don't you remember me?" Carbine looked angrily at the figure, her patience wearing thin. "Well don'tcha 'Carborator'?" Jewel spoke in her normal voice and lifted her head up and laughed.
Carbine's jaw almost fell to the floor. "Fuel!" Carbine screamed. Carborator and Fuel had been their nicknames they called each other when they were younger - Harley didn't have one because..., well it's hard to make fun of "Harley" y'know?
The two mice giggled, then ran and hugged each other. Carbine still stood in shock, then quickly pulled on Jewel's arm. "Come on, you have to meet Harley too! She'll just die when she sees you!"
The two talked as they walked down the long corridor. "So, how's you and Throttle?" Jewel smiled slyly.
Carbine grinned. "Just fine. That's all you need to know." Carbine looked away and said, "Harley's still with Vinnie, well as much as anyone can really stand to be with him." The two giggled. Carbine looked back at Jewel. "Did you and Modo ever stay in touch?"
Jewel looked down as the memories resurfaced. "No...," she whispered.
"Oh...," Carbine fell silent, feeling bad she brought it up.
Jewel looked up, and at Carbine. "So you mean he's not with anyone?" A glimmer of hope dwindled in her eyes.
Carbine shook her head. "Nope. As far as I know he never really got serious with anyone after he met you."
Jewel blushed. "Really?"
They reached the end of the corridor, and Carbine knocked three times on the huge door, then opened it. Harley and Vinnie practically flew out of the big comfy leather chair they were sitting in previously. Carbine glared at them for making out in her office. The two mice turned a deep shade of red. Then the two mice's jaws dropped almost as large as Carbine's did.
"Jewel?" They said in unison. Harley ran and hugged her as if she was a long lost sister - which in a way was true. Harley let go and sighed.
"We have a lot of catching up to do!" Harley giggled.
"Man will Modo ever be glad to see you're back! By the way, where'd you go?" Vinnie grinned his famous charming grin.
"Long story," Jewel sighed. "But it's good to be home."
"Well, what are you sweethearts waiting for? Com'on we have to tell Modo the good news!" Vinnie laughed his high-pitched famous laugh.
Just as Jewel turned around to exit the doorway so everyone could get out as well, she turned around and found her face in a chest full of grey fur.
Jewel backed up and looked up - way up. She saw a older, much taller version of Modo, except for that his left eye was covered up by a black eye patch and his right arm was now replaced with a robotic arm.
He blushed deeply as he muttered, "Jewel?"
She nodded shyly. After all these years, she still hadn't grown many vocal chords.
"Oh, Mama! You're back!" Modo said in an ecstatic voice. He hugged her.Jewel froze, she didn't expect this kind of a reaction from him. After all, they had only been on a five minute date, way back then.She was sure he'd forgotten about her."Where were you? Everyone was worried." Modo asked
"Well, I guess now is a good a time as any to explain what happened." Jewel said. Modo led her to the sofa in Carbine's office. Everyone sat down and prepared to listen. Just then Throttle walked in.
"Carbine, I couldn't fix the kitchen sink, we're gonna have to call a plumber....hey, what's goin on?" Throttle asked when he saw
everyone gathered in Carbine's office. He saw a face he hadn't seen in years."Jewel? Is that you?" Throttle asked. Jewel nodded.
"You're back! That's great! Where were you?" Throttle asked and sat down on Carbine's office chair.
"She was just about to explain." Harley said. Jewel went to speak but was cut off by Carbine.
"Throttle, call the plumber now!" Carbine said.
"I will after Jewel tells us her story."
"Our house will be flooded by then!" Carbine said.
"It will not!" Throttle said. Carbine sighed in frustration.
"You two are living together?" Jewel asked.
"Yeah, married couples usually do that." Throttle said and smiled wildly at Jewel's reaction.
"When did you get married?" Jewel asked in shock.
"A couple of months ago. After Modo, Vinnie and I got back from Earth. We spotted one of those corny theme wedding chapels and decided to get married.It was kind of spur of the moment."Throttle said.
"We're getting married too," Vinnie said holding Harley."But we're having a proper wedding, with flowers and cake and all that stuff."
"I can't believe it!" Jewel exclaimed. They all nodded.Jewel's mouth dropped to the floor.
"W... Why were you on Earth?" Jewel asked her voice shaky. She was getting her answers all right, really fast!
"Tell us your story first." Vinnie said.
"I'll try, I'm still shocked at all this!" Jewel said.She cleared her throat and started to paint a gruesome picture in their minds.
Jewel ran down the hall of the small cave. Someone was crying. She kicked away fallen objects, and dodged overturned furniture.She found the source of the crying, a little brown haired girl, no more than three years old.Jewel ran to her and scooped her up. She tried desperately to reassure her, that she was safe. But she didn't listen, all she wanted was her mummy and daddy. The little mouse couldn't understand that Sand Raiders didn't want the young, elderly or disabled as slaves. They only ate their food. They took her parents and left her alone. Jewel couldn't bare the thought of all the orphans they'd find in the ruins of the town she once called home. Now it was nothing more than a bad memory, that she'd have to keep with her the rest of her life. How she rode off with her two dozen or so companions to hold off the Plutarkians. How the Plutarkians eluded them and circled around the back. They attacked the town, captured the citizens and carted them off to be sold to the sand raiders.The Plutarkians held the resistance at bay for hours, then dropped off like flies in winter. When the resistance returned to the town they were greeted with destruction. There were masses of abandoned little ones, scarred for life from the frightening experience of seeing their parents taken away by ugly aliens.It broke Jewels heart, they had to do something!
The resistance left the abandoned children at a convent to be cared for, until their parents were rescued. Many rescue missions were attempted. Some more successful than others.The Sand Raiders were weak compared to the Plutarkians. The first few rescues were incredibly easy. Then the Plutarkians joined forces with them and the resistance was almost completely overthrown! Somehow they endured and after three long years of fighting, the slaves were set free.But the Plutarkians didn't leave, they stayed to cause more trouble. Finding a place to live in safety was impossible, families were continuously moving from place to place. Jewel and her companions went along to protect them. Fighting became an everyday routine.The routine slowly diminished. Battle's happened less and less often. Soon there weren't any more than one a week.Then one a month. Sources indicated there were only about thirty Plutarkians left on the planet. They'd all gone to other places. Leaving the Martians little to survive on.It was when Jewel heard this she decided to return to her old home. The one she'd been happy in.
"That's my story, I hope the ending I told you is the one that stays." Jewel said solemnly.
"That's awful, then again things weren't any better anywhere else." Harley said.
"At least there's not very many Plutarkians left. We'll have to watch the rebuilding process of Mars carefully, no doubt the Plutarkians are after any new resources!" Throttle said.
"Why were you on Earth?" Jewel asked, reminding them of the explanation she wanted.
"Plutarkians, Sweetheart. They tried to take Earth too. But they didn't get too far!" Vinnie said and smiled.
"Nope, they sure didn't! And if they try to get any other planets we'll be right there to stop em!" Modo said and clenched his bionic hand.
"Yeah!" they all said in unison.
"I'm starved, let's use the transporter to get some hotdogs!" Throttle said.
"Yeah!" Vinnie exclaimed"Jewel, you have got to meet Charley! She's super!"
"You're not going anywhere until you get the kitchen sink fixed!" Carbine said to Throttle.
"Aw, come on!" Throttle said."I'm really hungry!"
"You'll be really hungry for the rest of your life! I'm not cooking in a kitchen filled with water!" Carbine replied.
"Fine! We'll meet you at Charley's later." Throttle said to everyone.
"I'm going now!" Carbine said.
"That's not fair!" Throttle practically whined.
"Tough!" Carbine said then ran out of her office behind everyone else. Out in the corridor Modo walked alongside Jewel.
"Jewel." He said shyly.
"Yes?" She responded.
"We never really finished our date all those years ago. I was just wonderin' y'know, if you wanted we could go on another tomorrow." He said, his cheeks were blushing nervously as he smiled at her.
"I'd love to go on a date with you Modo!" Jewel said quietly but enthusiastic.
"Great!" Modo said and smiled.
"Well, it's about time!" Carbine, Vinnie and Harley all said together. Modo put his arm around Jewel, Jewel put her arm around him and they both smiled happily.
As they walked down the long hall, the voices faded into the background. Jewel's mind had never really recovered from losing her dad, and every once in a while she would remember little clips on when she was young.
Jewel ran into the house playfully, giggling. Davidson looked up from the book he was reading, his red eyes twinkled when they saw Jewel.
"Whatcha up to honeybun?" Davidson smiled at Jewel.
"Nuttin' Daddy-O, just runnin' awound." Jewel grinned a toothless grin.
Davidson outspread his arms, and Jewel ran and jumped into them, giggling.
She closed her eyes and smiled. A tear slowly ran down her cheek as the lovingly painful memories resurfaced.
She knelt by her father's bed. Eighteen years old now, mature enough to understand his time had come - but still she did not want to part with him.
Her father whispered, "I have something for you, Jewel...." A deathly cough surfaced from her father's chest. He pointed with an unsteady hand towards a closet in his room.
Jewel stood up, exchanging glances between her father and the closet.
"It..., *cough* was given to me by my father, *cough*..., and his father before that..., *cough* and so on..., *hacking cough* I hope that one day you will do the *cough*..., same." Her father fell silent, eyes on Jewel.
Jewel pulled out an old beaten up leather jacket that had obviously passed down throughout the generations. On the back were inbroidered signatures of all who wore them. She saw "Davidson Harley," her father's name..., and even her great, great grandfather, Slash, a famous biker in his time. Her jaw dropped, as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Thanks Daddy-O!" The jacket was a precious gift that Jewel would treasure dearly throughout the years, as did her dad.
Jewel froze. "Dad?" She whirled around to see her father lying on the bed with a smile of happiness danced across his face. He laid the lifeless, cold, but happy. Jewel screamed as tears streamed down her cheeks. She threw herself on top her father's body and continued to cry.
Modo looked at Jewel with a concerned look. "You okay?"
Jewel looked up, wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. She looked around and found she was obviously in the transporter room with everyone staring with concerned faces.
"Whoa, I thought you were going to crumble the building with that scream! Wutta doozie, sweetheart." Vinnie half smiled.
Jewel blushed deeply. She didn't know she had screamed out loud, or said anything at all.
"Just a bad memory, that's all." Jewel said softly.
"We all have those." Modo said and put his arm around her. She felt safe with him. She looked into his eyes, he reminded her of her father, warm and loving. No wonder she was attracted to him.
"Jewel, Modo? Are you guys just gonna stand there makin' goo-goo eyes at each other or are ya gonna get in the transporter?" Vinnie asked impatiently. Modo and Jewel broke out of the trance they were in and got in the machine.
"Next stop, the Last Chance garage!" Vinnie exclaimed. He pressed the buttons on the control panel. It was as if they were in an elevator. Only there was no feelings of displacement. They just opened the door and they were in a whole new world.They all stepped out. Jewel looked around, the garage looked like any Martian garage. How could Earth be so similar to Mars?
"Hey, Charley girl, you home?" Vinnie bellowed.
"Yeah, I'll be down in a minute." A female voice came from above. Jewel kept looking around, Harley and Vinnie went and sat on a couch. Carbine began to examine a motorcycle that was parked in the corner.Modo started to look at some photo's on the wall. Charley came down the stairs. Jewel felt her eyes widen. So this is what a human looked like.
"Hey all!" Charley said as she walked towards them.
"Hey Charley girl!" Vinnie said. Everyone resumed what they were doing. Charley looked at Jewel and smiled, then put her hands on her hips.
"Isn't anyone going to introduce me to the new face here?" Charley asked impatiently.
"Oh yeah, sorry you two!" Vinnie apologized."Charley this is Jewel, Jewel meet Charley." Charley held out her hand to shake
Jewel's.Jewel took it and shook.
"Pleased to meet you." Charley said.
"The pleasure is all mine." Jewel said quietly and blushed a bit.
"So, how come I've never met this charming young lady before?" Charley asked.
"Jewel has been away, it's an interesting Martian war story if you'd like to hear it." Carbine said. Jewel felt her stomach sink, she
didn't think she'd be able to tell it again.
"I'm starved can we get some dogs first." Modo said and put his arm around Jewel. "We forgot to see if our long lost friend was hungry." Jewel blushed again.
"Why am I not surprised. Anyone want to come with me to the store?" Charley asked.
"I'll go" Vinnie said.
"Me too!" Harley said.
"Can I drive?" Carbine asked.
"Ok, what about Jewel and Modo?"Charley asked.
"They're gonna stay here, no room in your truck. Besides someone has to be here when Throttle comes."Vinnie said and started to leave.
"Um ... Ok." Charley said. "What's Throttle doin anyway?"
"Something he should have done last week!" Carbine said. The sound of Carbine's complaints of her husbands priorities died as the
four of them left.
"So what do ya wanna do?" Modo asked. Jewel shrugged. She hadn't had fun in so long she didn't think she could
think of a way to have it.
"I know, we can watch a James Bomb movie, they're really cool!" Modo said.
"Okay" Jewel said, she sat on the couch as Modo put the tape in the V.C.R. Jewel remembered the last movie she'd seen. She was sixteen and she was at a Martian theater with Harley, Carbine and Throttle. The James Bomb movie reminded her of the movie she'd seen that night, a cool action flick.
"This movie is cool, huh?" Throttle said to the girls.
"Yeah, cool." Carbine said annoyed. She didn't exactly want to watch the movie.
" See, isn't this better than that silly romance one you wanted to see?" Throttle asked Carbine.
"No."
"I thought you liked these kind of movies,I thought you were losin' it when you said you wanted to go see..."
"There was a reason I wanted to go see it!" Carbine said angrily and a tad loud. A wave of shush's could be heard in the theater.
Jewel and Harley looked at each other and giggled. Throttle thought for a minute then said. "I'm not gonna pay fifteen bucks so we can kiss, if ya wanted to smooch we could've went to the park or somethin' less expensive."
"Kissing at the movies is fun." Carbine said.
"How would you know?" Throttle asked. A smile passed on Carbine's face.
" You'll just get jealous if I tell ya." She said and winked at Jewel and Harley.
"I would not!" Throttle said. "I'm a better kisser than any of those guys!" Jewel and Harley giggled, Carbine had gone out with another guy, but they definitely didn't make out at the theater.
" Prove it!" Carbine said.
"Fine!" Throttle grabbed Carbine and kissed her. They kissed for a real long time.
"I'm gonna have to ask you to leave if you continue to do that." An usher said. Harley and Jewel could hardly contain their laughter. Everyone in the theater was looking at them.
"Ok, um sorry, we'll stop now." Throttle said. He and Carbine were scarlet red.
" You two are bad!" Harley said. Jewel just giggled. Throttle and Carbine started to giggle too. Then they they all started to laugh, then five minutes later they were kicked out for being too loud. But they didn't care because it was so much fun.
"What are you smilin about?" Modo asked.
" I was just thinking of a good time I had once." Jewel said.
" Glad to hear it, fun memories are better than bad ones." Modo said.
"I'd like to make some more good memories to make up for all the bad ones." Jewel said smiling. "When do you think we can go on that date?" She asked, without blushing too!
"Anytime you want darlin' " Modo said.
"How's about right now?" Jewel asked.
"Sounds good to me!" Modo said and hugged Jewel. She hugged him back. Life was starting to get a whole lot better!
As she hugged Modo, her mind rippled through the memories she had buried far down beneath her soul. The wind blew through her hair as she hugged her best friends for the last time before the war. A tear trickled down her cheek as she backed away. Carbine stood motionless, almost like her soul had been killed and all that remained was a lifeless shell. Harley wept, sitting on the red sand - all three felt as if their lives were just ripped apart at the seams. Little did they know that this was only the first stitch that had started to come undone - more was to come.
Jewel pulled on the straps of her knapsack tightly as she turn away, tears started to roll down her cheeks. She would miss her friends dearly, though she would try to visit whenever she could - she knew that would be rare..., her relatives didn't like this half of Mars, and traveling from on half to another took more than a couple days, it took weeks.
She sighed as she started to walk towards the dusty red plains, as a tear sparkled on her cheek.
"You okay?" Modo's voice broke Jewel's thoughts as she dried her eyes.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, just that the war, and what happened before and after it, it's all just so painful." Jewel sighed.
Modo wrapped his big burly arm around Jewel's shoulder and hugged her close to his chest. "Momma always said, 'The sky is at it's darkest before the dawn,'" Modo muttered.
Jewel smiled warmly. One thing she loved about Modo, the thing that made him so unique was his "Momma" quotes.
Jewel looked up into Modo's big red eyes just as the gang busted through the door.
"Oh, looks like we've interrupted something." Harley grinned evilly at Carbine. Jewel jumped, and almost fell of the couch. Carbine grinned just as evilly back at Harley. "Maybe we should give them some time alone?" She looked over at Vinnie, he snickered.
Jewel scrambled to get up, half on and half off the couch. Her face grew hot and a deep shade of scarlet as did Modo's.
"That's okay, we were just watchin' a movie." Modo explained.
"That's your problem, you're not supposed to watch the movie you're supposed ta....." Vinnie began.
"Leave tham be, Vincent." Throttle said as he walked out of the room with the transporter in it." Not everyone rushes into everything head on, like you." Throttle smiled at Jewel and Modo.
"Did you fix the sink?" Carbine asked,she was helping Charley put groceries away.
"Sort of." Throttle said quietly, not quiet enough though.
"What do you mean 'sort of?' Either you did or you didn't!" Carbine said angrily.
"Well, I stopped the leak." Throttle replied.
"Then you fixed it." Carbine said.
"No, now the water won't turn on." Throttle said."Anywhere in the house." He added under his breath.
"WHAT?!" Carbine exclaimed.
"Whoa momma!" Modo said.
"Here we go!" Harley added, everyone got up to go in the kitchen.
"Throttle, You get back home and fix it right now! We can't go without water! Were you just going to leave it like that? What
were you thinking?!" Carbine started screaming.
"Look, It's not MY fault,ok? I'm not a plumber!" Throttle said very calmly, unlike his wife he didn't scream in an argument.
"If you would get a real job, then maybe we could afford one!" Carbine screamed back.
"I can hear you Carbine, you don't have to scream! You know we can afford a plumber, you just refuse to accept help from anyone!"
"I can too!"
"Can not!"
"Can too!"
"Can not!"
"How long will they argue?" Jewel asked in the kitchen.
"I'd say about another twenty minutes, they're a guest in this house so they won't want to be rude." Harley said.
"I give em an hour, Carbine is royally peeved, and she doesn't give a hooping funt where she is!" Vinnie said.
"Do you think you and Harley will argue like that?" Charley asked.
"No way doll!" Vinnie exclaimed. "No one could argue like that!" They listened to the argument.
"Can too times infinity!" Carbine said.
"Can not times infinity plus one!" Throttle retorted.
"You can't do that!" Carbine said angrily.
"Sure I can, I just did! So there, phthhhh!" Throttle razzed Carbine.
"OH YEAH, WELL PTHHHHHH!" Carbine screamed and razzed him back. They both started to giggle, then laugh then roar. They fell on the couch and started to kiss.
"That's classic!" Modo said.
"More like childish!" Vinnie said.
"This coming from the guy who has a lucky bandanna!" Modo said. Everyone giggled.
"Shut up! It was lucky!" Vinnie said.
"Oh please!" Charley said. They started an argument of their own. Jewel sighed happily, this was just like old times again. Everything was perfect now, she hoped it would last. She had a collection of problems from the war. Wounds, intense emotional scars that she'd never be completely rid of. She knew deep down that things would get better now. Her friends would support her. Modo would support her. A long lost dream had finally came true!

This story was brought to you by Leanne Macleod and Jewel Harley.