Jon closed the bathroom door behind himself. He'd changed clothes and cleaned up a little. He'd managed to remove the remains of the make up he'd still been wearing.
As he crossed the hall he was sure he could hear giggling coming from Zoe's room. He ignored it and returned to his counterpart's bedroom. He found Karyn standing in front of the night stand.
"What are you up to?" He asked suspiciously.
"Taking your advice. I used a wish to lock the stone in the night stand. Only me and my Jon can open that drawer now." She pointed to the drawer Jon usually kept his cash in. "I had been thinking of doing something similar in the mall before I got distracted by you and your friends."
"I hope you worded the wish well." Jon warned her. He was a little concerned she might not have been specific enough. He reached over and tried to open the drawer. It was stuck, he couldn't move it at all. He stood back. Karyn grabbed the handle and opened and closed it easily.
"I'm not an idiot Jon." She said a little angrily.
"I know, I know. I just like to be careful where the stone is concerned."
Just then the house phone started ringing. It continued to ring.
"Do you think you should answer that?" Karyn asked.
"It's not my house." He said. He could hear a bedroom door being opened. Goth Zoe stuck her head in the door of the bedroom briefly. She was still in her nightie.
"Even though I'm sick, I suppose 'I' better fucking answer that then." She said before heading downstairs grumbling about Jon being lazier than her own brother. The ringing stopped. Jon could hear her talking. "Jon!" Goth Zoe screamed. "It's another Karyn on the phone."
Jon rushed down the stairs. Goth Zoe looked thoroughly disgusted as she handed him the handset. She thudded slowly back up the stairs. Jon thought that some things never change, no matter where he was.
"Hi Karyn." He said.
"Don't 'Hi Karyn' me. What the hell is going on?" DTH Karyn asked.
"Didn't Jon tell you? This dimension's Athena ran off with Zoe. I had to chase after her." Jon explained.
"Don't you mean 'we'? He told me you ran off with Karyn."
"I needed cab fare. I thought it would be a bit rude to abandon her at the mall."
"Couldn't you walk?" Karyn asked.
"It's miles. We had to wait for a bus, so Karyn decided on a cab."
"Oh, Karyn decided, did she?" Jon thought she was sounding a little upset.
"Are you jealous or something?" He asked.
"Never mind that." Karyn told him, dismissing his concerns. "Why are you a guy again?"
"Zoe, this world's Zoe was about to call the cops because of all the strangers and duplicates. I needed to prove I was Jon."
"Okay fair enough. What are you still doing there?" She asked.
"I took the opportunity to change into regular clothes."
"Oh I see. If I'd known you'd be hanging out, I could have popped home and got changed myself." She said sarcastically.
"My girl clothes were all ripped. I didn't have much choice." Karyn didn't respond. "On the plus side, I think the Zoes are bonding."
"Oh fantastic. What a wonderful breakthrough in your sister's journey of self discovery." The sarcasm was still present.
"What is wrong with you Karyn? There's no hurry." He pulled out the DTH and looked at it. "The DTH still isn't charged yet."
"What is wrong is, my phone doesn't work and I've spent ages trying to track down the last remaining pay phone in the mall. I'm using the last of the money I have trying to figure out what you are up to." Jon realised he'd messed up yet again.
"You're right, I'm sorry. We'll have to go soon anyway. It won't be long before my, Jon's mom is back with Mikey. I really don't want to explain the DTH to someone else today."
Ten minutes later the cab to take Jon, Zoe and Karyn back to the mini-mall was sitting on the street outside the Madison house. Zoe had changed into one of Goth Zoe's black dresses. The two of them were now hugging at the front door.
"You look pretty good in that dress." Goth Zoe said as Zoe stepped backwards on to the drive.
"You would say that." Zoe said. She looked down. "I think it does suit me. I'll maybe get more clothes like this." Goth Zoe smiled. Jon rolled his eyes as he watched another Zoe converted to the dark side. "I'll draw the line at dying my hair though. I like this colour." She said as she held out a strand. "You sure you'll be okay?" Goth Zoe nodded.
Athena was standing behind Goth Zoe. "Don't worry I'll look after her." Athena said. Zoe looked at her suspiciously, even though she was hopeful this Athena wouldn't follow the path of her own.
The impatient cab driver honked his horn and the three of them waved goodbye as they headed back to the mini-mall.
