DISCLAIMER: Imagine Me & You and its characters are the property of Ol Parker etc. The Sarah Connor Chronicles and its characters are the propert of James Cameron and Fox. No infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

Out Shopping
By Shadower

 

"I'm really glad you decided to do this with me Rach. I know how much you love your job." Twin brown eyes looked at him as the woman beside him smiled.

"Are you sure you want to do this? Cook, that is. You did come here to find the best places to eat and party out at..."

"I know, but if we party all the time we'd have to shorten our trip and I kind of like it here, don't you?" Heck pushed the cart on as he spoke, looking at the unfamiliar brands trying to make his choice. "There must be 50 kinds of soy sauces here... Where the bloody hell is the Kikkoman? Don't these Yanks know the basics?" In response Rachel just reached for a nearby shelf and placed a bottle of soy sauce in the cart. "Oh... right... thank you dear." She smiled, and as it has for the past three months – the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Heck pretended not to notice as they moved on.


"Are all waffles Belgian?" The young boy suppressed a sigh as his "sister" looked quizzically, her head slightly tiled to the side, at boxes containing waffle mix.

"Mom?" His voice was almost pleading.

"Go find the pasta sauces, they should be a couple aisles that way." And the boy was gone before she could finish the gesture. It was with a shake of her head and a small smile that she turned to face the brunette in front of her, currently holding two boxes.

"Are all waffles Belgian?" The girl repeated.

"No, it has something to do with the kind of flour you use and the thickness of the batter. I think there are three kinds of waffles."

"But when considering the various kinds of flour and thickness..." a raised hand stopped her.

"Some variations just don't taste good. That leaves us with three." Dark brown eyes shifted quickly out and back into focus as the girl placed one box in the cart.

"Thank you for explaining." Sarah shrugged and pushed the cart on.


"Heck, you really don't have to cook."

"You don't want me to cook?" He stopped the cart mere centimeters from a boy that came rushing past the and into the aisle.

"Sorry..." He mumbled before looking at the couple apologetically. "I didn't mean to crash into you guys."

"That's ok. Say, you wouldn't happen to know where the... uh... deli is in this store, would you?"

"No, this is kinda my first time here, my mom usually comes here alone." he offered a smile "Sorry."

"That's alright."

Raising his voice a bit as he saw his mothers' cart coming out of the aisle she was in, he called "Mom! What kind of sauce do we buy again?" Causing Heck to flinch slightly and then turn, along with his wife to look at the newcomer and the teen at her side.

Rachel's eyes went wide at the sight and she gasped.

"Oval jar, yellow lid, shoulder high, on your left." Cameron leaned closer to her whispering in a quiet voice.

"The woman is afraid of you."

"What?" She whispered back just as quietly, her lips barely moving.

"Her respiration increased and became shallow and she has begun to sweat."

"Luce?" Neither Heck nor Rachel recognized the croak that escaped her mouth as the green eyed woman came closer.

"Excuse me?"

"Hi," Heck chimed in reaching out his hand "I'm Heck, and this is my wife Rachel." His response is a raised eyebrow as the woman placed her hands on her hips. "Right... well, you look like a... uh... friend of ours back in England who quite literally disappeared off the face of the earth, and I think my wife was just... well... surprised."

Green eyes shifted from the man to his wife, who had pain etched across her face.

"Did your friend die? You could write her a note if you're still hurting and can't cry." A smile tugged at the raven haired woman's lips and she let it out as a smirk.

"Cam, you really shouldn't..." The boy let the sentence die as he held up a jar for his mother's inspection. She shook her head no and he sighed.

"But you told me that..."

"There's a difference." He cut her off "I'll explain later. Maybe you could help me find that thing."

"Just go down the aisle John, it will reveal itself." She couldn't explain it, but something about the haunted look in the woman's eyes shook her to her core. The boy's shoulders slumped as he turned and headed back down the aisle looking up and down the shelves.

Sarah shook her head at his retreating figure. "He does get better, doesn't he?"

"Not at this." The woman and the girl by her side traded a look before returning their gaze to the couple in front of them.

"Is that your son?"

"Yes." The answer was guarded, if not slightly cold. Brown eyes fell to the floor before slowly looking up to the woman again, taking in the way she stood, the black hair, and the lines of worry and unrest across the face of this woman who looked so much like...

"You're... not Luce?"

"Her name is Sarah," the remaining teen answered, trying to be helpful "Sarah Baum." Rachel could feel her heart breaking again, just like in the park, all those months ago when she made Luce leave her life for good.

"Oh..." Was the only thing Rachel could think to say. "You just..."

"She looks like your friend?"

"Yes."

"You should write her a note."

"Found it!"

"I think I will." She said as the woman started walking towards her son, offering a half smile as she left. "Thank you." The girl brightened as she smiled from ear to ear before saying good bye and following the other two members of her party.

When she reached the two she still looked pleased. "I helped." She stated happily as she placed another item in the cart.


On the other side of the aisle Rachel took a deep breath before turning to her husband "Heck, we need to talk..."

The End

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