A Jewel Whodunnit...
SADIE'S SCANDAL
PART ONE:  ISLAND OF DREAMS
Chapter Two: Bonny England

"Whew, what a reception!"
Sylva dropped down onto her hotel bed, a grin on her face as she stretched out on the luxurious quilt. "I never expected it to be as crazy as that - last time we were here we had to do everything on earth just to get a top twenty single!"
"Mm, but Jetta did say that your songs have been vigorously put out and promoted here since your last tour, and your album sold up a storm." Sadie told her, her tone rather distracted as she gazed out of the window down to the pavement below. "I can hardly believe all that's happened to me since you were last in England, Syl. I never dreamed..." She trailed off, and Sylva cast her a curious look.
"You dont sound happy about it." She observed.
"I am." Sadie assured her, turning with a sigh. "I'm just...getting used to it." She stifled a yawn. "Plus I'm beat and I need a fag, so I'm probably not the best company right now."
"Great." Sylva pulled a face. "First thing I'm doing tomorrow is buying you nicotine gum!"
Despite herself, Sadie laughed.
"I'm not as desperate as all that." She chided. "Ooh, but I do need to sleep off my jet lag a little. I'm not used to international flying like you. I mean, planes are a way of life in the States - but I'd never got on one till I came to see you folk, and that was out of sheer desperation. I was terrified the whole time, gripping onto my seat for dear life."
Sylva giggled at this picture.
"You weren't so bad with us." She remarked, as her companion sprawled on her bed, making herself comfortable.
"I wasn't alone and escaping a half crazed ex boyfriend." Sadie replied. She sighed. "Oh, I don't want to think of him now. So many good...no, amazing things have happened to me, I want to put him behind me. I won't let him ruin my return to England."
"That's the spirit." Sylva reached for her hairbrush, carefully brushing out her long curls of hair as she contemplated. "I know he hurt you bad, Sadie, but it's a long time ago now. He's nothing, and you're a Jewel. You made good...so forget him."
"Believe me, I'm trying." Sadie responded. "Still, either way, you're right about the buzz at the airport. It was amazing. And I never expected so many cameras and microphones shoved in my face!"
"You're the new Jewel and you're British t'boot. Stands to reason the press would be interested." Sylva pointed out. "Hey, you hungry? I have the urge for some good English cuisine while we're here, think we should knock next door and see if Copper and Nancy are up for a trip downtown?"
"Alone?" Sadie looked startled.
"Sure, we're not prisoners." Sylva told her with a grin. "And we're used to handling press if they should jump us. Just act natural and pretend you don't care. It's the only way. Besides, I like visiting the local fish and chip shop. When we were in London the first time as a band, back when there were just the four of us, Cameron and Taylor took us out for fish and chips and it was deliciously unhealthy. I don't get why you call them chips when they're clearly overweight fries, but still, it was nice to be bad."
Sadie laughed.
"Fish and chips, huh?" She asked. "Mm, I wonder if there's a chippy local to here. I must admit I don't know London very well at all."
"You don't?" Sylva looked startled. "Jetta does, I figured you would, too."
"I'm a Brummie, Syl, not a Londoner, like Jetta is." Sadie shook her head. "My dad was stationed in Birmingham, and in Kent through my childhood...then I moved back to Brum to be near my sister when...when I wanted to leave Kent." She sighed. "I didn't really go to London, except once or twice as a treat. I remember the prices being high, though. I could never afford much."
"Gee, learn something new every day." Sylva acknowledged. "Where's Brum, by the way?"
Sadie coloured.
"Birmingham." She corrected herself, pronouncing it 'Burmin'um' and foxing Sylva all the more by her local dialect. "Where I was born."
"Ohhh..." Sylva's face cleared. "Birmingham. Right. I'm with you. Geez, why do you Brits insist on spelling a place one way and then calling it something totally different? I mean, what in hell is the deal with...with...Leicester and Gloucester and...and now Birmingham into the bargain, huh? What is it, an intelligence test for tourists?"
Sadie giggled.
"No more than some of the American place names." She pointed out. "Maryland, for example. Or Tucson. Goes both ways."
"Guess so." Sylva rested her chin in her hands. "But I swear that's only because we got dodgy spelling genes from you people when you came to America as settlers in the first place!"
Sadie looked amused.
"If you say so." She replied. "You know, in some ways it feels nice to be home. I'm in a climate I can handle, for a start. And fish and chips would be a nice welcome back...so sure, I'm game."
"Ok, then I'll go bang on the door." Sylva got to her feet, crossing the room to the dividing door that connected their room with that belonging to Copper and Nancy. They would spend the first few days of their tour in this hotel, for although they were appearing in and around London it was convenient to keep them in one place, so she soon found her bandmates were making themselves as much as home as possible in the brightly lit bedroom. Both acquiesced at once to the idea of heading out for some food, and it was not long before all four girls - Sadie still complaining of jetlag - were heading into the nearest shopping district to find food.
"What do you s'pose this tour is gonna be like?" Copper wondered as they located a fish and chip shop, heading inside to order without realising the sensation they had caused, for the accents of the three Americans soon gave them away as tourists, and their striking appearances made them easily noticeable, if not immediately recogniseable. Nancy shrugged.
"Much the same as the others." She said carelessly. "We sing a lot, play a lot, parade about a lot and that's that. Off we go home."
"Getting bored with it all, Nance?" Sylva raised an eyebrow. Nancy shook her head.
"No, I love it to death and you know I do." She retorted. "But sometimes always being on the road can be a pain. I like seeing new places and I love coming back to England but we never get to stop anywhere to draw breath and sometimes it'd be nice just to take some time out and reflect a little."
"Sounds like you're as jetlagged as I am." Sadie commented, as Copper placed their order. Nancy smiled ruefully.
"Yep, that's me." She admitted. "Long flights always make me beat. It just doesn't always hit me at once. This time it did, probably because I didn't get much sleep last night. Don't have a clue why...perhaps I've a song on the brain or something."
"Guys, are we gonna eat in or take it and walk?" Copper asked at that moment, whilst the man behind the counter prepared their meals, liberally covering everything with salt and vinegar and pushing it across the counter with a gruff
"five fifty nine, please."
"I vote we take it and walk. It's a clear day and we're getting some stares." Sylva decided.
"I only have a twenty." Copper confessed. "Anyone got any loose change?"
"Here." Sadie handed her the exact money. "We'll settle up later. I got change at the airport when I bought my coffee."
"Thanks, Sadie." Copper grinned, paying the man and scooping up the bag. "Well, then let's go find somewhere private to sit and eat. I'm surprised it's so nice out, I seem to remember that England at this time of year can be fairly miserable."
"Compared to California a heatwave here would be miserable." Sadie remarked with a smile. "But I'm glad it isn't raining. That's the one thing I don't miss about English weather...frequent downpours."
"Do you suppose we will see Cameron whilst we're here?" Sylva wondered, dipping a chip in the curry sauce and eating it. "Mm. English junk food rocks!"
Copper frowned.
"I'm more than hoping we don't see him." She confessed. "I know Topaz has her reasons for keeping Hollie secret from him and I wouldn't interfere, but I'd feel uncomfortable trying to get around the topic with him. I know when it hit the US press Topaz was worried what might be said here...if we can possibly avoid making contact, I think it's for the best."
"What is this Cameron guy like, anyhow?" Sadie looked curious. "I've spoken to him in chat once or twice with Topaz there, but I can't say I know him, not really."
"He's a sweet guy. Thinks the world of Topaz." Nancy observed. Sylva sighed.
"That's what makes it so heartbreaking." She decided dramatically. "He is just the most perfect guy for her."
"I suppose in a way it's romantic." Copper mused. "You know, that she'll sacrifice their relationship so he can achieve his dreams and all that. Sounds like something out of a weepy romance novel."
"You should know, you read enough of them." Nancy rolled her eyes. Copper laughed, shaking her head.
"No, I like the ones with the happy endings." She corrected. Nancy shrugged.
"Still nonsensical garbage." She decided firmly. "Real life doesn't work that way. As Topaz and Cameron prove. Okay, so she's not telling him for a reason, but at the end of the day she's still stuck as a single Mom and Hollie still doesn't have a Dad."
"Okay, okay, miss unromantic, that's enough!" Copper grinned. Nancy poked out her tongue. Sadie smiled.
"I'm thinking you girls are crazier on tour than you are back in Cali." She observed. Sylva nodded.
"When we're away from home we like to party!" She exclaimed. "Which means, Sadie, we'll be hitting the London clubs before we leave! And I do not mean to perform, either! London nightlife rocks!"
"So I've heard." Sadie agreed.
"When we go to Birmingham, Sadie, you have to take us round all the best spots." Copper told her. "Because we've really only been in and out of your city, to play the NEC Arena and do some appearances here and there. With the chaos of the tour we didn't get a lot of chance to explore last time. I'm hoping since we have a native with us we might stand a better chance."
"Well, I'll try." Sadie dimpled. "If I can remember everything. Seems an age away now, to be honest."
"You're not worried about meeting Neal in Birmingham, are you?" Nancy asked her, sending her companion a shrewd look. Sadie shook her head.
"No-o...not in Birmingham." She replied softly. "I don't expect to see him there at all."
"You okay, Sadie? You seem kinda down." Copper asked gently. Sadie sighed, finishing off the last of her chips and lighting a cigarette, flicking ash onto the ground.
"I'm all right. Just...memories, I guess." She said vaguely. "It's not important."
"You sure?" Sylva demanded. Sadie nodded.
"Yes." She agreed, though her blue eyes were still somewhat troubled. "I...I'll be fine."



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!