A Jewel Whodunnit...
SADIE'S SCANDAL
PART ONE:  ISLAND OF DREAMS
Chapter Twelve: Jetta Interferes

Five o' clock.
Sadie glanced once more at her watch, nervously stepping from foot to foot as she waited outside the door of her manager's hotel room. This was it, the moment of truth. This was where she found out her fate.
Jetta had been brief and concise on the phone. She had said with some frankness that she did not want to discuss the matter over a telephone wire, and had asked Sadie to come to her hotel room, since she was busy with paperwork and she did not want to discuss it in front of the other girls. For this reason, though she would dearly have liked moral support, Sadie had refused the offers of her friends to come along. This was something she had to do alone, and inwardly she steeled herself, hating Neal more and more by the minute. She'd show him! Somehow she'd prove to him that he couldn't hurt her any more!
"It's like Syl says. I'm too good for him." She muttered. "Man, I wish I believed that!"
At that moment the door swung open, and manager and musician met face to face. Jetta's grey eyes were grave, and she said nothing, merely ushering her charge inside, and shutting the door. Then she indicated for Sadie to take a seat, doing so herself and scooping up the offending article.
"This isn't good publicity." She said quietly. "Sadie, I want you to tell me exactly what this is all about. Is there truth in this article? Or 'ave we a legal suit on our 'ands?"
Sadie swallowed hard, feeling sick inside.
"It...it's true." She whispered.
"All of it?"
"M...mostly." Sadie faltered, then, "I mean, it's put in the nastiest possible way, but it...did happen pretty much like that."
"I see." Jetta eyed her in silence for a moment, then with a burst of anger that made her companion jump she slammed down the magazine on the table.
"For heaven's sake why didn't you tell us this before!"
"I was scared. I didn't think you'd ever sign me if you knew." Sadie lowered her gaze.
"You ain't the first star to go to prison, love, an' you ain't the first one messed up on drugs neither." Jetta told her bluntly. "I admit it ain't a pretty resume, but dammit, I believed in you an' you let me down! I thought you at least 'ad the guts to be honest with me, if not with everyone else! Didn't I fight your corner for you? Workin' class English girls an' all of that?"
"Yes." Sadie bit her lip. "I...I'm sorry. I..."
"Well, sorry don't 'elp us now this 'as 'it the press." Jetta interrupted. "And sorry won't 'elp neither when Pizzazz finds out. She don't like bein' lied to..." A rueful look crossed her face. "I warn you now."
"Will...will you want me off your books?" Sadie ventured.
"You 'ave a contract. You're damn well gonna fulfill it." Jetta retorted. "Or are you such a weakling that you can't even do that when the goin' gets tough, huh? Dammit Sadie, I thought you were a fighter!"
Sadie did not reply at first, then she sighed.
"It was all going so well." She said wistfully. "Amber said I should tell you the truth and she was right. She usually is."
"Amber?"
"Of the Teenangels."
"What has she to do with any of this?"
"Nothing, really. Only we knew each other as teenagers. That's all."
"Hm." Jetta fell silent again. Then, "One thing you can clear up for me right now...the article talks about drug use. From what you said...am I to assume that's past and not present?"
"Totally." Sadie agreed fervently. "Jetta, I was nineteen the last time I had a hit of heroin, I swear. I've never touched it since, no matter how much I've wanted to, or how stressed or depressed I've been. And I haven't been in trouble with the law since then, either. I started over. I...I wanted to put it behind me."
"That's understandable, love. Trouble is, the press won't let things like this go." Jetta told her. "And if you don't tell us about 'em,  'ow can we prepare to defend you to 'em?"
"I didn't see it like that." Sadie admitted. "I s'pose...I should have been up front from the start. I guess I assumed you'd just hate me for it because so many people have...and I'm so ashamed of it, too."
"Well, the damage is done. Now it's time to put it right." Jetta said briskly. "Tomorrow I'm schedulin' a press conference, an' you're gonna answer their questions. You're gonna tell 'em the truth, mind, in as level an' matter of fact tone as you can manage. Don't lie to 'em, because if you do an' they find out, they'll never let it go. You understand?"
Sadie swallowed hard.
"I guess so." She whispered. "Everything?"
"Whatever they want to know." Jetta agreed. "Kid, you brought it on yourself, you have to help fix it, and if you don't do your bit we can't do ours."
"I suppose you're right." Sadie sighed. "But in front of all those people - it was hard enough telling the others and you this afternoon."
"Well, this is where we find out 'ow tough Sadie Monahue really is." Jetta told her grimly. "Listen, though. I will give you one tip. If they ask you why you 'adn't told 'em this before, you 'ave to look 'em in the eye and say 'you never asked'. The more cocksure you are, the more you'll throw 'em off guard. Jus' be careful, an' honest, an' you'll be okay. Who knows, maybe it'll turn out to be positive after all, if you can come across as a role model for kids in that kind of trouble who don't believe they can be anythin' better. Perhaps that's the angle we need to take on this."
"I don't deserve to be a role model for anyone or anything." Sadie said softly, her eyes wet with tears. "Jetta, I'm so sorry for letting you down. I feel so bad..."
"It's done now." Jetta said firmly. "Like I said, we can only mend it."
"I know." Sadie sighed. "Have you ever felt, though, like you were out of your depth? Like you'd stepped into a world you totally didn't deserve to be in at all? Have you ever felt tempted to...well...keep things a secret, and try and match up to that world?"
Jetta eyed Sadie thoughtfully for a moment, then she nodded.
"Yes." She admitted. "I 'ave. But you ain't to repeat this to anyone, you 'ear me?" She spread her hands. "You know you an' I both come from the same world, essentially. Not much money, an' problematic family backgrounds. The two don't go good together. When I joined the Misfits, a rumour began that I were some relation of royalty, after I made some joke in a club. I was too proud to deny it, and it spiralled out of control. In the end..." She frowned. "It weren't pretty. Taught me then that you mayn't like it but you are what you are an' you jus' 'ave to learn to use that to the best ability you can."
"Well, if one day I can be like you, it'll be no bad thing in my opinion." Sadie said shyly. "You've done exactly what I want to do - put past problems aside and moved on, settled with a family and a good job and people like and respect you. That's what I want." She sighed, not noticing the embarrassed look cross Jetta's face at her words. "But I've blown it now, haven't I? Noone is going to respect me now."
"Not if you don't respect yourself." Jetta told her, regaining some control of her composure. "My 'usband bullied me into believin' that an' damn 'im 'e were right - though don't tell 'im I said so. Can't expect the world to like you if you can't stand your own company."
"I know." Sadie looked rueful. "Alyssa and the counsellors at rehab said the same. Hell, I said it to people I was helping at the drug centre. It's harder to take your own advice than dish it out sometimes."
"Maybe." Jetta nodded. "But you 'ave to sometimes."
"Yeah." Sadie looked pensive.
"Listen, Sadie. Things 'appen in life that you can't control, like this." Jetta indicated the article. "Hell, look at me. I'm married with two kids - think I asked for that? Sometimes you wind up in situations you can't explain no matter what. But there are things in life you can control, an' those things you sometimes 'ave to take into your own 'ands. Like you made the decision to get 'elp an' counsellin' for your drug problems, now you 'ave to get your nerves in 'and and deal with this. Bury the past once an' for all an' be a true blue Jewel. You won't lose fans by admittin' you're only 'uman. You'll only lose 'em if you lie to 'em."
"I'll do my best tomorrow." Sadie promised. "It won't be easy but you're right, I did cause this and I should fix it...if for nothing else but to repair any damage done to the others' good reputation."
"Good girl." Jetta looked approving. "Then that's all I 'ave to say. Don't let me down again, huh?"
"I promise." Sadie said solemnly. "Believe me, I'm not going to back away any more. I'm going to face things head on and deal with them and get them out of my life before they control everything I do and ruin things for me again. And I won't let you down. Not ever."
"Right. Then shoo." Jetta smiled wryly, indicating the door. "I 'ave work to do. Tell the rest about the conference, okay?"
"I will do." Sadie got to her feet. She hesitated, then hugged her manager impulsively, taking her completely off guard.
"Thank you for giving me another chance." She whispered. Then she was gone, leaving Jetta staring after her, completely nonplussed. With a bewildered shrug she settled herself back to her paperwork.
"Strange things, adolescent musicians." She decided. "Ah well. Let's 'ope the message sank in right. She 'as too much musical potential to let this ruin, but dammit, she could've given us fair warning." She pursed her lips. "Well, we'll see what the morrow brings. An' then 'opefully that'll be an end to it."

***************************************************

It was dark.
Sleepily Copper turned over in bed, blinking at the display on her clock radio as she ascertained the time. Half one...she'd barely been in bed an hour. Once Sadie had returned from Jetta's room, they had discussed the way to tackle the press conference in some detail, and had agreed uniformly not to let the press find out the scandal had been as big a shock to the rest of them as it had to the nation as a whole. They had resolved to take an early night, for it would not do to be bleary and unprepared when such an important engagement loomed, and with their busy schedule they had been quick to fall asleep.
"So what woke me?" Copper wondered, sitting up in bed and frowning. "I heard something, but what? It sounded like a door - I wonder if one of the others is up."
Reaching for her dressing gown, she got out of bed quietly, sliding her slippers onto her feet and padding to the door, opening it softly so as not to disturb anyone in the rooms next door from their slumbers.
At first she could see noone, though the light was clearly on in the suite's main sitting area, and with a frown Copper headed to turn it off, stopping dead as she heard a gasp and turning to meet Sadie's startled gaze.
"You scared the life out of me!" The English girl exclaimed.
"Likewise." Copper looked rueful. "Couldn't sleep?"
"Mmm..." Sadie nodded. "Kinda."
Copper grinned.
"Want coffee or something? While I'm up I fancy a drink." She suggested. Sadie nodded again.
"Please. That'd be great." She shivered involuntarily. "It's cold out."
"Out?" Copper looked surprised, registering for the first time that her companion was not only still dressed, but had her boots on.
"I went for a walk." Sadie blushed. "I needed to settle some things alone, you know, clear my head and get some closure."
"You'll be tired tomorrow."
"Well, I wasn't going to go to sleep." Sadie shrugged. "I'm too wound up." She took her wrap off her shoulders, hanging it up on the hook and as she did so Copper let out an exclamation.
"You're bleeding!"
"Huh?" Sadie looked startled, then she frowned. "Oh it's nothing, Copper. Really, just a scratch."
"Let me see." Copper set down the coffee pot, but Sadie shook her head.
"No, Copper, please don't fuss. I'm fine, it's just a little cut."
"It's not a little cut if you're bleeding all over the place." Copper scolded. Sadie sighed.
"All right,all right." she said finally, holding out her arm with some reluctance. "But it's no big deal."
Copper came to join her friend, examining the arm gently.
"Did you get scratched by a cat or something?" She demanded. Sadie shook her head, her cheeks turning pink as she did so.
"Like I said, it's not important." She murmured. Something in her tone alerted Copper's suspicions and she eyed her friend sharply.
"Who did this to you?" She asked softly.
"Copper..."
"Sadie, your arms are all bruised and you're bleeding like anything. They're not cat claws, they look like human nails digging in...did someone attack you while you were out?"
"I..."
"Did you go to see Neal?"
"Copper, please leave it. I went, I cleared my head, I settled things and I came back. It's over with now...please let it go." Sadie said wearily. "I'll go clean up my arm and put some cream on it, it'll be fine by the morning and I'll wear long sleeves so noone sees. It's not a big deal."
Copper sighed.
"Well, if you're sure." She said finally, returning to the coffee pot. "I'll trust you. But Sadie, don't go there again."
"There is nothing to go back for. It's over." Sadie shrugged.. "It didn't take me long to realise that, anyway. I'm not the same as I was when I left and it was dumb even to go. I did what I had to do and I've put it behind me now." She smiled slightly. "Tomorrow Sadie Monahue fixes things properly and forgets her old life for good."
"Amen to that." Copper smiled. "And I think the coffee's done. Grab a mug or two, will you? Maybe we can toast your bright future as a Jewel!"


Chapter One: Nerves
Chapter Two: Bonny England
Chapter Three: A Bitter Shock
Chapter Four:  England's Jewel
Chapter Five: Top Of The Pops
Chapter Six: Sylva's Lie
Chapter Seven: Alyssa
Chapter Eight: Maidstone
Chapter Nine: Copper's Discovery
Chapter Ten: Amber Steps In
Chapter Eleven: Revelations
Chapter Twelve: Jetta Interferes
Chapter Thirteen: A Shock For Jewel

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE
Copper, Nancy, Sylva, Anna, Blade, Raesha, Sirena, Topaz, Aaron, Sophie, Justin, Elliot, Rosita, Luis and any other characters in this fiction which do not appear in the animated Jem series are copyrighted to me (E.A Woolley) as of January 2002 <unless otherwise specified> and are not to be reproduced without permission ANYWHERE. Jetta, Pizzazz, Stormer, Roxy, Raya and all other original Jem characters are the copyright of Hasbro Inc, Sunbow, Christy Marx and the other writers of the Jem series. The future world of Pizzazz, Raya, Jetta, Roxy, Stormer, Clash, Synergy, the fate of Jem and her memorial are all copyrighted to me. The future world of Kimber and Shana is copyrighted jointly to myself and Gemma Dawn.
The concept of 'Jewel' is entirely my own, and any apparent link with any fictional or actual person or persons of this name is entirely coincidental. Equally the characters in this fiction are not based on any real life individual.
The concept behind the future world of Danse, Aja and Craig, the idea behind Jerrica's futureworld and the split of the Holograms is copyrighted to Gemma Dawn, whose Teenangel Outsiders fiction is directly twinned with Just a Dream. The character Sammi and any of the other Teenangel Outsider characters mentioned in this fiction are entirely copyright to Gemma Dawn and appear here only with her permission.
Pay her page a visit!