Title: Playing House
By: Amanda
Feedback: please send it!!
Rating: PG
Summary: Byers is over Suzanne, isn’t he? 
Disclaimer: The Lone Gunmen are property of Chris Carter, 1013
productions, and FOX.
Anderea is my property though. 
Note: Does feature my character Anderea Jupitor. 


"PLAYING HOUSE" 
Lone Gunmen Headquarters
3:10pm

The group was sitting at their various workstations, pilling together
the latest edition of The Lone Gunmen. When they worked, the guys were
oblivious to anything and everything around them. Which was also true
for the door buzzer. 

After several attempts of her own to ignore it, Anderea gave up and
went to answer it, “By all means, don’t get up. I’ll answer it.” She
shook her head as she walked over to the monitor to identify who had
interrupted them, well, her at least. 
Her eyes widened, “Ree, could you come here a moment? Now.”
Obviously irritated Langly rose from his computer and his article to
see what she wanted. 
“Is that who I think it is?” she pointed to the monitor showing an
older woman with short blond hair and dark sunglasses standing at their
door, nervously checking behind her. 
“Wholly mother of god,” his mouth dropped.

“You two going to let them in?” Byers was now joining them, along with
Frohike since they had finally noticed the visitor was still waiting to
be let in.
“Ah, Byers…..” Langly moved to cover the screen, but wasn’t quick
enough. 
“Suzanne,” all the colour drained from Byers’ face. “We can’t leave her
standing out there,” he reached for the locks, “it isn’t safe for her
to be standing out in the open like that.”
“But it’s not safe for you if she comes in here,” Anderea grabbed his
arm, pulling him along with her to another part of the warehouse. 

Langly turned to Frohike, who shrugged.
The lanky man unlocked the door to open it. Before he could he could
say anything, she had pushed her way in.
“Won’t you come in?” Langly let his sarcasm spill through as he locked
up.
“Could you have left me out there any longer?” she ignored Langly,
staring straight at Frohike.
“Sorry, Su---,” 
She cut him off, “It’s Jackie now,” she informed him, “Where’s John?”
She asked looking around. 
“I’m not sure where he got off to,” just as he finished his statement
Byers returned to the group with Anderea’s arms around him.

“Sorry. You know us, always sneaking off,” she smiled and mouthed to
Langly, ‘play along, please.’
Byers forced a smile too, leaning over to kiss her.
The hurt look never left Langly’s eyes, “Yeah, you gotta watch these
two. They go at it like rabbits,” he stamped off to his computer.
The comment made Byers’ cheeks burn with embarrassment and Anderea
disappointed at how Langly was acting. 
“He had a thing for me, but I’m all John’s,” she told Suzanne while
tightening her hold on Byers.
They all stood silently, only Langly’s muttering was heard.

“Oh, how rude of me. I’m Anderea,” she held her hand out.
“Jackie,” Suzanne shook the other woman’s hand, “So, you and John…..?”
“Oh yeah,” she smiled as did Byers.
“Um, hum,” Suzanne nodded, taken aback by the whole revelation.
“Well, I’m sure you want to talk shop with the boys,” the younger woman
let go of Byers, feeling uncomfortable about lavishing this affection
on him. 
“Actually, no,” she confessed, “I was just, um, hoping I could have a
place to stay, while I was in town.”
>From his vantage point behind, Frohike shook his head in a firm ‘no’.
“I don’t think that would be a problem,” Byers ignored the others’
disapproval, “You could have my room.”
“Oh no, I don’t want to cause any trouble,” Suzanne shook her head.
‘Way too late for that,’ both Frohike and Anderea thought.
“It’d be no problem, I’ll just sleep…..”
“In my bed,” Anderea finished her pretend lover’s sentence, causing him
to choke on his own breath at the idea. “That’s where he sleeps
anyway,” she was working on keeping up the charade, “So, is it settled?
You’ll be joining us, Jackie?”
Suzanne looked from Byers to Anderea, “I suppose so.”
“Great,” the female gunman forced a smile, “I’m dying to hear how you
fit in with my guys,” she played dumb taking Suzanne to sit.

The tension between everyone was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Suzanne was giving an evil eye to Anderea as Langly continued to sulk. 
“Maybe Melvin could show you around,” the younger woman broke the
uneasy silence, “You know, the basics up stairs.” She gave her uncle a
pleading smile.
“Sure thing,” Frohike lead the other woman up the stairs. 
“Yeah, she probably wants to be alone with her Johnny boy,” Langly
snarled, crossing his arms across his chest. 
“Jesus Langly,” Byers scolded the younger man, “You’re being extremely
immature.”
“Oh jeez, sorry. I should be happy you’re playing kissy face with my
girlfriend,” he glared at the other, “God knows you are.”

Before there was anything further, Anderea interrupted. 
“Guys, please,” she wanted their voices lowered, “This is just to help
John.”
Langly huffed.
“You can’t think it’s anything more,” she put her hands on his arms,
staring up into his eyes, “I could never love John like I love you.”
A smile crept across Langly’s face and a small frown on Byers’.
She looked over and caught it, “Nothing personal ment by that.”
He simply nodded, letting the two get back to each other.
Langly had put his arms around Anderea, ‘It’s only for one night?” 
“Yeah,” she kissed him lightly, “Promise to play nice now?”
“Yes,” he nodded, pulling her into a hug, “As long as you remember it’s
just playing house,” he was looking right a Byers.
“Langly,” she playfully smacked him as they pulled out of the embrace
just as Suzanne an Frohike came back down.

Anderea clung to Byers, planting a soft kiss on his lips which he
returned. 
“Did we interrupt?” Suzanne’s tone was snide.
“Oh,” she giggled nervously, “We were just…..talking about dinner.”
“Isn’t that hard to do with your mouths occupied?” it was clear there
was no love lost between the two women. 
“He always keeps my mouth occupied,” Anderea hissed back.
Byers’ face turned a bright red as the two women almost started
sharpening their claws. 
Frohike laughed, thinking a cat fight would be fun entertainment.
Wondering which would win.

“What about that food,” Langly stopped the female glare off. Clearly
not liking Anderea defending her ‘sexual relationship’ with Byers. The
whole idea made him sick with jealousy. 
“Right,” Anderea softened, “Wanna help me dear?”
Langly wanted to follow, but stopped remembering it was Byers’ role
today. Tomorrow it would be back to normal. He would be going with her.
Sneaking in kissing and embraces while the others weren’t watching. 


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


“John, I had no idea you could cook,” Suzanne wiped her mouth after
finishing the final bite of the tense and silent dinner.
“I bet there’s a lot you don’t know about John,” Anderea commented,
taking a sip of her screwdriver. They all agreed on needing the
alcohol. It had become apparent that Anderea had a general distaste the
other woman. 
“I suppose there is,” she finished her drink, “Like you for instance.
I’d never take you as his type.”
Anderea’s eyes blared, “And what’s wrong with my *type*?”
Byers placed his hand on her thigh to keep her from lunging across the
table.
“Oh nothing,” her tone implied otherwise. 

“I’ll help you clear the table,” Langly stood, pulling Anderea up with
him. Trying to avoid the looming fight.
“Thanks Ree,” she smiled through gritted teeth, taking two plates up
the stairs. 

Langly staked the remaining dishes and couldn’t help saying what he
thought, “She’s a really amazing girl. And *John* is really lucky to
have her.” He followed her up the stairs. 



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




The rest of the evening went the same as dinner. Quiet, awkward and
accompanied by alcohol. Also the women continued to switch their own
brand of insults between each other. 
“Well ladies, it’s been an interesting night,” Frohike rose from the
table, “I’m gonna turn in.” 
“Sounds like a good plan for everyone,” Langly faked a yawn. Hoping
this night could be over sooner.
“Seems to be the only thing left to do,” Suzanne agreed. 

Each person was tucked into their room as Byers settled into Anderea’s.
“How are you dealing with tonight?” she asked her roommate as he
created a bed for himself on the floor.
“Pretty well,” he sighed, lying down on the hard floor. 
“You still love her,” it wasn’t a question.
He purposely avoided the comment, “Sorry about all the problems with
Langly this has created."
Anderea laughed a little, “It’s nothing. Ree’s just really,” she
searched for the right word, “Ree.” Her smile could be heard in her
voice. 
“Well, either way, thank you for this,” he seemed embarrassed. 
“It’s no problem John. Playing your girlfriend isn’t all that bad.” 

A few moments later there was a knock on the bedroom door. They both
sat up, ripped from almost falling into sleep. 
Byers reached the door first, “Langly? What are you doing here?”
The other man pushed his way into the room, “We’re switching rooms,” he
replied in a matter-of-fact way. 
Byers shut the door, “What?”
“Unless you’d rather sleep on the floor, while I’m here,” he stared at
the other man, “Just go to my room and make sure you’re up before
Su---Jackie.” He pushed the other man out of the room, “Now leave me
alone with my girl.”
Byers nodded, still sleepy, and slipped out into the hall. Creeping
down to Langly’s room. While Langly crawled into bed with Anderea.

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


Suzanne awoke early, in a hope to get out of there as soon as possible.
She knocked on Anderea’s door, to say goodbye to John and get let out
of the ‘fortress.’ 
“John?” she slowly opened the door, “John,” her voice a little louder.
She let her gaze drift over to the bed where she caught two blondes
napping.
“John,” her voice was loud enough to wake everyone: the cuddling couple
in front of her and both Frohike and Byers from down the hall.
“Someone want to tell me what’s going on?”

Frohike shook his head as he walked to the kitchen to put the coffee
on. After all it was 6:00 am. 
“Well,” Suzanne was very impatient, tapping her foot on the floor.
“We’re gonna get dressed first,” Langly looked down at the sheet he and
Anderea were wrapped in, “and we’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

Byers and Suzanne sat at the small card table that doubled as a kitchen
one with coffee while Frohike stood at the counter, guarding the pot. 
“Coffee?” he handed a cup to Anderea, who was dressed in on of Langly’s
tee shirts.
“Thank you,” she kissed his cheek and took a seat at the Inquisition
with Langly next to her, him in boxers and another tee shirt.
“So,” Suzanne was taking full power, “You’re not with John? OR are you
some bed hopping ---.”
“You’d better not finish that sentence,” Frohike warned from his spot,
“You’ve called my niece enough already,” he was in full grumpy mode. 
“Anderea is a very sweet girl,” Byers also moved to defend.
“I bet that’s why you were kissing her so often,” the older woman
seemed almost hurt, but still snippy.
“I was protecting him from you,” Anderea glared at her. The caffeine
hitting her veins. 
“John,” suddenly Suzanne softened, turning almost fragile.

Byers just stared into his coffee.
“What do you mean protect him from me?” Suzanne turned back to Anderea.
She didn’t feel comfortable explaining what he had told her in
confidence, “You’ve hurt him. And he wanted to prove you couldn’t do it
again.”
Suzanne looked over to the man in question.
“Why did you come here?” Byers’ voice was just above a broken whisper. 
Now Suzanne appeared embarrassed, “I wanted to…..to see you John. To
tell you I was all right, everything’s fine. And thinking about you. I
think about you all the time.” She slowly opened up as if no one else
in the room was there other than Byers and herself. 
Byers looked up, his eyes glimmering in hope, “Really?”
She slowly nodded, “Yes. John…..I….” she choked on her words, tears
forming in her eyes.
Byers moved in to hold her.

Anderea stood silently not even noticed by the two. She pulled Frohike
and Langly out of the kitchen with her, leaving Byers and Suzanne to
finally sort everything out. 



The End