Trust me...

[noteasytobepink]

Who: Clarice and some kids! And maaaaybe the sheriff's department.
When: Some time after the first year of being stuck on Bill's world, just after she joins the sheriff's department after her florist job.
What: Being a deputy does NOT mean that she can't lie about things a little!

"Hey, you gonna be alright out there rookie?" The snickering was definitely something she could do without. "Those streets get tough about this time of day!"

She glanced up mildly at the rest of the desks around her before leaning down to tighten the straps on her boots. They were tight and double knotted, good. Same for the slow check of her belt and gear, then the brush of fingers up her buttons as she straightened. All in order, picture perfect, and even better everyone's gaze was shying away from hers as she looked around. Better. It was always easier to make the 'senior' people in any business uncomfortable than to try to start shit. Better they avoid ogling the sheriff's girlfriend than have her toss one or two out a window.

No matter how tiresome their joking got. "I believe I can handle myself," she noted mildly as she checked the end of her braided hair. Yes, still secure. All was well with the world. And Jamie was even blushing. Wasn't that cute? "Stay out of trouble oldsters, I won't be here to save you." Okay, maybe a little tail tweaking? A tiny bit.

Yeah, they were totally going to steal her desk chair or something. Or throw pencils at her. Or any number of non-lethal things that tended to make her giggle. Giggling was easy in Wheelsy. She made it out the door while the rest of the crew were arguing over who was actually 'old'. Rather than dwell on the minor victory she glanced up at swore. Almost out of time! "Nice one Clarice..." she muttered, stretching out into a run.

She'd make it.

Barely.

The school bell was ringing as she hopped the last fence across from the bus lot, and she barely beat the munchkins to the cross walk.

She'd laughed when Bill told her it was a necessary job. Really. Cross walks were kinda self explanatory and everyone in town knew where the crosswalk was. They wouldn't mow down kids on purpose, right? This world just...wasn't like that. "Alright, line 'em up kiddos!" she darted across the street to make sure they sorted into lines (lines were easier to handle, right?).

...did they even KNOW what lines were?! "NOT SO FAST!" She snapped, snagging one kid by his hood as he tried to dart across. "Police lady says she WILL dangle you if you try to ditch her!" JUST SAYING!

"BILLY STOP PUSHING!"

"I'M NOT YOU'RE JUST A SLOWPOKE!"

"YOU'RE GONNA GET ARRESTED!"

"Hey, hey Clarice?" She looked down, bemused as one of the youngest stopped in the center of the street to tug on her arm. "Hey, my brother says you're not really pink! No people are really pink!"

...right. "We're in the road," she pointed out. "Tell me that again when we're on the sidewalk okay?" Anything to keep them moving? Besides, that had been...unintentionally stinging. Real people COULD BE PINK. Or Blue. Or Green. Or any other color. Mutants were people too after all, no matter what various realities claimed!

Sidewalk, blessed sidewalk.

"So why are you pink?!"

Right. She sighed and sank down on her heels so that she could be on eye level with the kindergartner. "Well, can you keep a secret?"

"Yes!"

That was good. "I'm only a cop during the day," she admitted.

"So what are you at night?"

"A fairy princess. I'm hiding from an evil king who took away my castle so it's important you don't tell anyone okay?"

"Not even my brother?"

"Not even him. The evil king has spies everywhere and you don't him to hear you telling your brother right?"

The little girl dug her sneaker at the sidewalk for a moment then nodded firmly, "I don't want that. Can you do magic tricks?"

"Only at night." Vampire fairy princess? Sure.

"Do you have wings?!"

"...no. I was hurt and lost my wings. That's why Sheriff Pardy had to take me to the hospital."

"Ohhhhhhh...did it hurt? Did you get a shot?"

"Yes and yes, but it's okay, I'm still alive and that's what matters right?"

"If I'm really good can you show me some magic? I can stay up until eight on Fridays and Saturdays!"

"We'll see kiddo. I may need to do other things to keep everyone safe okay? But we'll see." She spotted the munchkin's mom coming up the walk and grinned, "remember, it's a secret."

"Okay!" And off she went.

Well then. She was betting it was only going to be a few hours before the sheriff's office got calls about corrupting the children or something but it had been fun! Show her some magic tricks indeed...all the tricks she knew weren't good for kids in a world like this one.

It was barely past school letting out so she decided to hang around and escort EVERYONE who wanted to cross the street. Why not after all? It was a SERIOUS job and such.

Wheelsy. Had to love it huh?

Comments

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Not in my kitchen," he declared, quite liking the mental image.

"I'm always cute," he added as his second declaration of the day and he followed that with a smirk.

[noteasytobepink]

"Then why would you think I'd wear clothing under the apron?" she teased easily. "And ye,s you are, but you take it up a notch when you try to be a lech."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Is that an endorsement for me t'keep it up, or would you get tired of it an' kung fu me after awhile?" he asked with a laugh.

[noteasytobepink]

"I prefer to treasure the rare moments," she admitted. "You'd end up forcing it after a while and that's no fun for anyone."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Good, because I think I'd just end up embarrasin' myself after awhile." He'd run out of things to say! And sound like a jerk, besides.

Since they came to an agreement on the apron issue, though, he was quite happy to slide over his drink and give her the first taste when it arrived.

[noteasytobepink]

"And I might end up having to let women smack you or something and that's a bad precedent," she admitted easily.

Oooo, first taste! And damn but they mixed heavy! Niiiiice. "I think it'll put hair on your chest or something else appropriately manly!"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Alright, I'll keep it minimal, then," he chuckled.

Taking back his drink he tried it out for himself.

"Mmm, don't feel so bad 'bout missin' out on that tequila now."

[noteasytobepink]

"Contained lechery makes life interesting! Unconstrained lechery makes your lady kill you." Simple rules right?

Right!

"And I promise to rein myself in in kind." Totally.

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Definitely don't want that. I promise to behave."

Not that he minded if she didn't. Even when she made him blush.

Sipping on his drink, he grinned across the table at her.

"So, how's deputyin' treatin' you?" He loved having her at the station, but knew crossing guard duty might not be what she was looking for.

[noteasytobepink]

"Awww, why would you promise that?" she teased easily. Behaving was no fun, she was just requesting some self control some times in the lechery department!

Hmmm. "I'm not sure the rest of the gang appreciates me giving them shit back when they rag on me," they always ended up flushing or looking away in shock when she didn't take it laying down! "And the Forestry service wants you to sign something that says you'll still release me for man hunts when necessary."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

He laughed, and shook his head. "Alright, I'll stick to reinin' it in instead of straight up bein' good."

He worked on his drink while he listened to her, frowning slightly. "They're just breakin' you in. Keep it up, once they know they can't mess with you you'll be part of the family."

He hoped.

"Just wave it in front of me at the station." Best way to get him to sign anything.

[noteasytobepink]

"That my man," she agreed, flicking a straw wrapper across the table at him.

"Hmmm, oh, I know, I don't back down worth a damn anyway, no reason to start now!" And they'd deal...or get chased around into running, one or the other! Possibly both!

"It's on your desk so I wouldn't lose it."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Good. I like that about you." He nodded.They would deal, or he'd step in. And he was totally going to let her chase them into running.

"My desk is the worst place t'put anything." It was a blackhole for paperwork.

[noteasytobepink]

"One of many traits I hope," she chuckled. "Hate to think I'm only attractive for my tendency to not take beta position." Mr. Creed had taught her better than that but she at least was known for other things! HONEST!

"It'll be alright, I know where I put it!"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Oh, y'know there's all sorts of things I like about you," he drawled with a warm smile. She'd won him over with everything, even the stuff he still thought was crazy or weird.

"But it ain't your signature that needs t'be on it." And his wouldn't get there with it lost in the mire. "Just remember about it, 'cause you know I'll forget."

[noteasytobepink]

"Oh good!" she laughed. "Hate to think you were just putting up with me out of kindness..." she teased and snagged another sip of his drink before the plates arrived.

"I'll fish it out when we get back, promise, and then I'll hand deliver it to the ranger service alright? Seems like a good last hour of shift!"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

The sizzling fajitas made him grin, and he pulled his elbows back from the table so that the skillets could be set down.

"I put up with a lot of people, but you're not one of 'em," he informed her. It didn't count as 'putting up with' when you were damn happy to have a person around.

"That sounds like a plan. I like it."

[noteasytobepink]

""Well, you're an elected official babe," she chuckled, happily leaning back as well as the space on their table disappeared. "That means everyone knows your name and where to find you." It helped that he was a town hero too, it made him approachable!

Even by crazies.

"I'll do that then!"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"I won that on my good looks an' charm," he informed her smugly. Polishing off his drink, he signalled their waiter for another one before he got down to the business of loading up a tortilla with meat.

"Good, an' with that settled we don't have to talk about work anymore." There was food to be had!

[noteasytobepink]

"And your tenacity," she teased. "By sticking to your guns, pulling through, being a hero, and then coming back to Wheelsy? Yeah, I don't anyone can compete with your elected spot for at least a few more years. Hard to neat down a town favorite in elections." And he probably wouldn't have to lift a finger over things like making vote for me buttons and posters!

"Hmmm, what would you rather talk about babe?" she teased. "I just started at your place, work's kinda on my mind."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Yeah, I think I can milk it for another election or two," he replied, leaning back in mock 'at ease'-ness. In truth, though, it was good to have that kind of confidence in him. As much as he was uncomfortable being called a 'hero', being appreciated by his town enough that they kept him around was a great feeling.

"I dunno. I guess if you wanna talk work we can talk work. Some people just don't always like to, that's all." Bill didn't mind talking about the Job, he rather liked it, so he was happy to keep on about it.

"Just, not the paperwork stuff."

[noteasytobepink]

"Resting on your laurels babe? Then what, you end up saving town again just to beat out the competition?" she chuckled, leaning back so she could set her feet in his lap properly. "And as a good girlfriend I'll help..."

"Dunno, don't have much to talk about yet. I think I made Frank swallow his tongue earlier but that's normal." She chuckled and snapped into a bit of grilled pepper.

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Then I go back to relyin' on my good looks an' charm." Duh, Clarice. Talk about a fool proof plan, right?

"What'd you do to him today?" he asked, fumbling with a tortilla. He didn't eat a lot of Mexican food, okay!

[noteasytobepink]

"And I play jealous girlfriend, right right..." she laughed.

"I just checked my uniform after his comment, that's all. Slowly." best to tell him the teasing she'd done? Sort of. "And the uniform pants are cut well enough for running, there's that at least?"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Long as you don't stick no one, that's fine," he laughed.

"So you were just flirtin' with him," Bill said, giving her a Look.