The Tick Tock of the Clock

“What the….” I trailed off looking down at the bundle in my one arm resting against on my hip, tucked into my side and chest. Licking my lips I looked back up at Andy with the camera in his hand pointing it at Pete, the trolley car of bags, and Pat and Joe still sleeping. “What the fuck are you doing?” I hushed at him placing a hand on Jack’s head as he slept wrapped securely in his Rugrats blanket.

Glancing up at me Pete smiled lightly as Joe’s body sat on the bags, Pete trying a sweater around his upper body to the golden bars that would later help us push the whole cart out.

“What are you doing?” I asked with a sigh as he stepped back looking at his handy work.

“Making sure he won’t fall off when we walk out.” Slapping my forehead I sighed looking up at Andy with the camera.

“You couldn’t stop him?” I asked waving a hand at Pete. “You couldn’t try and tall him into a better idea?” I asked softly letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Andy shrugged.

“I don’t have a better idea, I think Pete’s actually being smart.” Pete froze, Pat over his shoulder.

“If I wasn’t smart, I wouldn’t be running several business, and be totally rich.” Pete huffed placing Pat on the bags with a sigh.

“You do know there are probably fragile things in those bags?” I asked lightly as Andy roared with laughter.

“I checked them.” Pete whined lightly trying to get Pat to sit upright fully so he could tie the sweater around him with out having to worry about him falling off the bags.

“Pete,” Andy sighed, Pete looked up, hands tight against Pat’s shoulders. “You may have started those many businesses, you may have run them at one point, but I bet if you let Ella have a week off, you’d be near bankrupt or loosing your marbles with in two to three days.” Andy muttered softly as I watched the two stare each other down.

“Deal.” Pete turned to me. “Not tomorrow, but the day after you have a week off.” Pete stated nodding I smiled at him nodding. “I only say not tomorrow because,” He started looking at Andy mouth open. “Because I know you’re going to ask you noses lobster.” He hissed. “Because tomorrow we end up landing, and if I give her tomorrow off we’ll all be abandoned at the airport while she takes off because it’ll be her day off.” Pete muttered as Andy looked at me. A small smile spread over my lips as I nodded at the thought and idea, it was more than true. “She’s done it to me before and I almost got kidnapped!” He gasped turning to me.

“Oh yeah, last memorial day.” Andy laughed, nodding his head as Pete nodded.

“I just noticed something.” Pete whispered pulling the hood over Pat’s face as he finished tying the poor, sleeping man to the trolley. Andy and I watched him as we waited for him to continue. He walked over to Joe pulling the black hood over his face as well, it seemed sort of like a mob killing and Pat and Joe were either killed or drugged not sleeping and among friends. Pete turned to me pointing lightly. “You always, ditch, abandon, hurt, torment, torture…” Pete trailed off lightly as he waved his hands around, walking around the trolley pacing as he thought. “Incapacitate.” He growled at me pointing an accusing finger at me. “Or, probably your favorite humiliate…” He shrugged lightly as I smiled at him, all the past memories. “Yeah you always do one of those lovely words on, around or near holidays.” Rolling my eyes I looked at Andy standing near me now, slowly he pointed at me as Pete looked down at his phone.

“He’s over exaggerating.” I whispered to the camera nodding at him with a forced smile at it.

“Liar!” Pete yelled. “Remember last Christmas?!” He gasped pointing at me. “Andy you remember right?” Turning I glared at Andy as he glanced back and forth between Pete and I.

“I…” Andy cleared his throat as his voice cracked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?” He asked more than stated watching me. Turning to Pete, I smiled at him as he glared back at me.

“Your soul needs to be cleansed. When we get back I’m taking you to an exorcist.” He hushed, my mouth dropping open as he said it. “You have a demon stuffed up your rear.” He gasped. Rolling my eyes I turned to Andy.

“He’s lost it.” I whispered. “Alright mob boy, before you can practice your Italian neck tie skills on your sleeping pals we gotta get them to Chicago… or at least the car for the first stop.” I stated getting confused looks from both Andy and Pete.

“Seriously,” Pete gasped. “How can you not remember Christmas?” He asked throwing his arms up. Rolling my eyes I grabbed one of the golden bar just behind Pat’s head and began pulling. Pete began to push. “How can you not? I know halfway through the night I was no longer conscious.”

“That was your own fault.” I shot in quickly remembering the fact that he drank way too much before hand. “You’re the one that drank too much.”

“Who fed me the booze?” Pete gasped pushing the trolley roughly into my heels. Hissing in pain I turned glaring at him.

“You fed yourself the booze. I don’t drink, nor to I like having to deal with you,” I pointed a firm finger at him as I spoke the words. “When your drunk.” I stated feeling Jack shift against my side with a whine as he clutched to my shirt tightly.

“Touché, but-” Waving a hand in his face I began repeating ‘no’ at him.

“No, no, no, no.” I stated watching as he blinked startled. “You said touché, meaning you give up, and lose this argument, so no butt’s.” I muttered he opened his mouth. “No.” I growled at him. “The touché as passed, you are done.” I stated pushing open the door. “Now push you’re cart of dead bodies to the elevator.” Saluting Pete pushed the trolley passed me grumbling. “Stop whining you’re not four, if you were you’d be on my hip.” Pete shut his mouth as Andy passed me into the hall. Looking back I turned off all the lights and closed the door.

“Ella.” Snapping I pointed to the elevator. With a dramatic sigh Pete kept pushing.

“You uttered touché, you’re done, now zip it.”

“You should teach Ashlee this trick.” Andy muttered softly. Glancing at him he smiled at me. “At the Will’s party she was ready to strangle him because they got into a small argument and she couldn’t shut him up… she could use your trick.” He stated as Pete glared back at us with a frown on his pouting lips. Shrugging I looked at him and pointed as he stopped and opened his mouth. Huffing he went back to pushing.

“You could probably teach Ashlee the right way to swing a frying pan.” Pete grumbled to him self.

“I should do that shouldn’t I?” I asked him softly, he looked at me with wide eyes. “It’d save her from your stalker. They could have frying pan wars.” I grumbled to myself as Pete smiled at me snicker. “Push.” I stated laughing he pushed the cart stopping for the elevator doors.

“Do you think I could make money on women having frying pan wars?” He mused softly; I glanced at Andy staying out of it. Throwing my free hand up I groaned. “Seriously.” He gasped lightly throwing his arms up as he smiled at me.

“I know you’re serious that’s what’s the problem.” I muttered staring at him. “Tell me,” I muttered licking my lips as I held a finger up at him.

“Hold on.” Andy muttered we both looked at him a bit startled. He held up a finger and turned the camera to him. “This is the some of the scariest crap you’ll ever see them do, now… watch closely you may have to rewind to see what happens. You don’t always seem to get it the first time it happens.” He muttered before flipping the camera around. “Okay, go.” He laughed, shaking my head I looked at Pete.

“Tell me what’s wrong with that whole plan?” I asked holding a hand out to him giving him a blank stare. Huffing Pete crossed his arms pouting.

“I hate that look.” He whispered to himself. “Okay…” he stated uncrossing his arms and slamming a fist against his forehead before darting his eyes to Andy.

“Don’t ask for help.” I muttered softly watching him, “Look at me Peter.” I stated grabbing his frist and pulling it away from his face. Shifting his eyes he starred back at me.

“I really hate that look.” He mumbled to me. “Elevator!” He yelled as the door opened quickly pushing the trolley into the silver box. Rolling my eyes I stepped in after him with Andy. “Crap.” He muttered as the doors stayed open for a moment.

Clearing my throat Pete turned to me and glared at me as I just watched him with a blank, indifferent look.

“I don’t see the problem with it!” He gasped throwing his arms up as I shifted Jack higher onto my hip and pulled the blanket farther over his head. “Okay so there is the possibility of injuries… and… and… blood, loss of teeth and eyes…finger nails… that could possibly result in hospital bills… possibly funerals if anyone gets wacked in the head really hard.” He whispered placing a hand on his chin as a frown on his lips deepened. “I hate when you’re right.” He growled pulling the trolley out of the elevator. Curtsying I followed him out looking back at Andy smiling at me. Rolling my eyes I shook my head following Pete through the sea of photographers.

“This is going to go over great.” I mumbled to myself making sure Jack was well hidden under his blanket.

“What happened to Joe and Patrick? Pete! Pete! What happened to them? Can you tell me?”

“Your video on Friend of Enemies, what was that about? Pete! Pete!” Pete stopped looking at the woman.

“What does the video say?” Pushing Pete he looked at me, staring at him I sighed at him and nodded my head hearing Andy mumble something about ‘it’s happening again’

“That you’re not married and, and don’t have a kid.” The woman muttered throwing his arms up Pete walked to the back of the trolley to push.

“I don’t and I’m not.” He stated pushing the cart along towards the door following me.

“Ella! Ella!” I ignored the woman pushing past her. “Ella! Who’s Jack’s father.” I stopped looking at her with frown.

“I don’t think you need to know, you’re not apart of the people I care about, or care to ever truly know. So if you don’t mind, harass Pete and leave me and my son alone.” I growled at me before walking off still frowning as I passed the blonde woman I’d been seeing around every where. “This is your fault.” I growled at her realizing where I’d seen her from. “You people need to find real jobs and actually work.” I snapped at her as she stared at me with wide eyes. “And leave people alone that are just sitting in airports.” I hissed at her before moving on and pulling my cell phone out. Quickly I took a picture of her and saved it to my phone. It’d come in handy later.