AN: Hi, this is my first BMFM fanfic. I hope you enjoy it . Please review!
Disclamer:I don't own The Biker Mice From Mars (darnit). Tala and Sparks belong to Kindra Coates who I thank for allowing their use in my story. Alex Barnam and Night Storm are my creations.
SHE'S TROUBLE
Chapter 1: Cousins Arrival
Charley finally finished work on the bike that she had been fixing for the past three days. Packing away her wrench, she gave the bikes crank-case a quick polish, washed her greasy hands, and headed to the kitchen at the back of the Last Chance Garage to have a late dinner. While she waited for the pasta to cook, she turned her attention to a letter that had come the previous day.
Dear Charley
Didn't think you would hear from me so soon did you!? I've finally finished my art degree at Uni, and have some spare time on my hands, so I thought I'd come for a visit. Maybe there might be a job for me somewhere in Chicago, and I may look for a flat somewhere near the Last Chance, if you still own it. Knowing you, Cuz, I'm pretty sure you do! I should be there by next Wednesday if nothing happens down here...I can't wait to show you my new bike! See you soon Charley!
Love from Alex oxox
Charley sighed as she mulled over the letter again. She hadn't seen her youngest cousin for years...not since a month before the mice had crash landed on earth, three years ago. She wondered if she should introduce her cousin to them.
A sudden hissing and spitting brought her attention to the pot of pasta, boiling over on the stove. She flicked off the element, spooned the pasta onto a plate and added pasta sauce. As she ate, she once again read over the letter. Wednesday was tomorrow, and Charley felt she would have a lot of explaining to do...
Wednesday dawned, and the sun found Charley frantically rushing around, doing some extremely fast spring cleaning before her cousin arrived. As it turned out, she had most of the day to clean up. Most of it was done by 4:00pm.
She had tried to get in touch with the mice yesterday, to tell them to stay away from the garage until Alex had settled in, but they hadn't been at the scoreboard, and she didn't really want to call them on the bike's radios, just in case they were busy with Limburgers goon squad. Charley didn't want to be a distraction, although she was to a certain tan coloured mouse, even when she wasn't near him. She smiled at some memories of the past few weeks.
Charley was broken from her revere by the sound of a motorcycle turning into the garage. She whirled around and stared at the machine that had just rolled through the doors, and her mouth dropped open. The bike was a deep blue and silver chrome, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11. In mint condition. The rider swung off the bike and gave it a pat. To Charley's amazement, the bike beeped contentedly.
"What..." Charley began, but was cut off by the biker, who almost bounced over and swept her up in a hug. The biker stepped back after a moment and lifted the helmet off, revealing long red-blonde hair, stormy blue eyes and a mischievous grin.
"Charley! How's it going?"
"Alexis?!"
Gone was the shy, quiet, frumpy girl Charley had known, and in her place was a shapely, pretty young woman, who exuded confidence and energy.
The young woman wrinkled her nose.
"Don't call me that Charley...I prefer Alex these days. Alexis sounds so...stuffy"
"Sorry" Charley mumbled, not used to being admonished by anyone, much less her younger cousin.
"Come in and take a load off, Alex...you look exhausted"
"Thanks Charley" Alex replied wearily, heaving a heavy looking backpack from the rear of the bike.
"I've been riding all night. If it was any other bike than Night Storm here, I would have wiped out." Alex glanced over at her bike affectionately.
"You won't believe it, Charley-girl, but this baby has AI! I don't know where she got it from, I just found her in a junk yard. She beeped at me so I went over to investigate, and here's this beautiful bike under some scrap metal. I hauled her out, and bought her cheap from the scrap yard dealer. Took her home, cleaned her up and she and I have been fast friends ever since."
Charley's eyebrows rose almost into her hairline at this. She had never heard of an Earth bike with AI before. Maybe the mice would know...speaking of which...
Three large motorbikes rode into the garage. The riders stopped short in surprise at seeing someone other than Charley inside. A smaller head appeared around the largest riders back, also staring at the newcomer.
Alex in turn stared back, struck by the sheer size of the three large riders and their bikes. The left most biker with the green bandoleers, was the smallest of them, with the exception of the kid. At least she thought he was a kid...she mentally shook herself and turned her gaze to the foremost rider, wearing a black leather vest, jeans and not much else. She quickly averted her gaze, and found herself staring at the largest of all of them, wearing what looked like chest armor. Alex's face reddened as her eyes traveled over his muscular arms and chest. She dropped her gaze, but not before she had seen his legs, the muscles clearly defined by his tight blue jeans.
Blushing furiously, she grabbed her backpack and headed for the ladder that led up to Charley's living quarters at a trot.
"I'll go set up the spare room, Charley" she managed to squeak out, before shooting up the ladder, faster than the mechanic had ever seen her move.
Charley's eyebrows shot up again at the younger woman's reaction. She looked over at the mice, all taking off their helmets, and walked up to the tan leader, her arms slipping round him for a hug, which he gladly returned.
"Who was that, Babe?" Throttle questioned.
"That was my cousin that I told you about. Alexis Barnam." Charley answered, looking over her shoulder at the ladder, as the mice climbed off their bikes. "I don't think she's overcome all of her shyness yet"
"She's really cute. Wonder if she has a boyfriend?" Vinnie mused out loud, and received a punch on the arm from Throttle.
"Ow, bro, what was that fo..." he broke off when Throttle motioned to the large, grey mouse on the other side of him. Modo was staring at the trapdoor that the ladder led up to, a light flush under his fur covered cheeks.
"Well, you don't see that every day" murmured Charley, "if I didn't know better, I'd say he likes Alex"
"Hey, big fella" Throttle shook Modo's arm, and the bigger mouse jumped like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Huh? Oh, sorry bro, I was...uh..." Modo's blushing became more apparent and Vinnie snickered.
"Just make sure you make a move before I do" he grinned.
"And what about Tala?" Charley asked, a bit acidly.
Vinnie held his hands up in an 'I surrender' pose.
"Hey Charley-girl, I was just kidding"
The smallest mouse had stuck his head out from behind Modo again, where he had been hiding, decided the coast was clear, and stood slightly off to one side, wondering what they were talking about.
"Make a move? What kind of move?" the 8 year old mouse asked.
"Don't ask 'till you're a bit older, Sparks" The auburn haired woman told him, ruffling his hair.
Sparks wrinkled his snout.
"Oh" he said depreciatingly, "one of those things"
Throttle laughed.
"Your kid catches on quick big fella" he shot over at Modo, who grinned.
"Pity Vinnie doesn't think that fast" he quipped, and was suddenly involved in a scuffle as the white mouse launched himself at him.
AN: First chapter! I hope to get in one chapter a week on Tuesdays (NZST) R&R!