"Ms. Michaels tested out of a degree in library science through the school, she's also going for a degree in fashion as well as business."

"My companion is going for a dual degree too. . .in woodworking and business. Like me, he's been getting in classes for the other degree by working with the teachers during the summers. But while he's working here. . .I've been taking my classes at the main school in New York since our employer has a branch there I can stay at."

"Is your library science just a bachelors?"

"Yes, I wanted to get into the program that would have left me with a masters but . . ." Jessy shrugs as Xander comes into the room, handing her a bottle of water and a bag.

"Thanks Xander." She twists off the top of the bottle and takes her night pills with the water.

"Congratulations on finishing your woodworking degree." Xander grins. "Why such different areas may I ask?"

"Our boss has his fingers in a lot of pies, I'm in charge of woodworking there while Jessy is in charge of the library and seamstress shop."

"Which explains the other degrees." he chuckles. "Are you going for your masters?"

"Yeah, I start next fall, that gives me time to finish this degree."

The teacher looks at her throughout the class, he'd taken over this job as a favor since the woman who normally teaches it is on maternity leave. He normally oversees the applications to the university center and he's the one who had arbritarily placed her in the other program, for no other reason that she was an older student. He hadn't done more than look at her age and now was realizing how big a mistake he had made. There had been plenty of room in the degree program and she could have tested out of her classes just as easily in that degree as the one he'd put her in. She'd even have been dealing with the same teachers. But she'd already be in the masters program instead of having to wait three more years. And the student he had placed in that other program had dropped out. Because it was hard. . .even at a first year level.

"Awww hell" More than one person moans as the lights go out.

"Everybody stay in place. Maintenance was planning on doing work on the generator. They put flashlights in . . ." the teacher's voice trails off as two flashlights, in the hands of Xander and Jessy, light up the room. He finds the flashlight maintenance had put in the room and turns it on.

"Why didn't they do it during the summer when there wasn't classes?" A student asks.

"Because that would make sense." Somebody snorts in the doorway. "As you can imagine, all classes cancelled until we can get the generator back online."

"Do you always have flashlights in your bags." One of the women ask Jessy as they walk the halls.

"Ever since the power started going out and congress is no closer to getting the power grid problem fixed than when it started."

"Amen." one of the others mutters as they make it outside. All the dusk to dawn lights are on and they shut off the flashlights, heading to the car.

"Well, they finally got off their asses and have plans on rebuilding the grid. It will take decades but it will last centuries and with tripling the population in the US." Rupert says to Joyce, Jenny, and Wesley a few days later. "They're breaking it down into smaller bites, each area working on their grid and then connecting it."

"Which makes sense." Wesley snorts. "Are the worst areas being worked on first?"

"Yes, according to the information online Miami is one of the first to be worked on. They're going to be getting in supplies the rest of the year and start the first of next year. They're going to try to keep from affecting the power grid while they work. But it might happen."

"Can't be any worse than what's going on now." Joyce snorts.

"Amen." Larry mutters as he walks past with one of the garbage can of scraps for the compost pile. Andrew and Jesse drag the other ones out behind him.

"Thank you boys, it wasn't piling up piling up but the cans were getting full." One of the cooks says when they return with the cans, rinsed out with the hose. They grab cookies cooling on the rack and the cooks chuckle as they juggle them in their hands before popping them in their mouths.

The next couple of months pass quickly and Jessy is at a fabric warehouse in Miami when one of the classes from the design classes visits. Jessy checks over the list of what she's getting with an employee as Andrew backs the truck up to the loading area, flatbeds start heading out overflowing with fabric or accessories.

"Oh lord. . ." one of the girls whispers as they see everything being packed in the back of the truck.

"Designers go through a lot of fabric." The teacher says briskly. "The larger houses have it shipped to them but some people prefer to examine the fabric themselves."

Jessy grins as she gets in the passenger seat. Andrew gives her a look. "Are we done?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"The hurricane changed course. . . again."

"Are we in the way?"

"Edge of it, we're going to get a lot of wind and rain."

"We need to pick up anything?"

"No, Rupert tripled the orders the last couple of orders since they were saying this was going to be another bad year. We're good but stores are already getting empty shelves." They drive pass a home improvement store, Jessy sighing as she sees sheets of plywood being carried out the door.

"That's what happens when you live in hurricane country." Jessy sighs. "How long until it's supposed to hit?"

"Three. . .four days."

"Mandatory evacuations?"

"Not yet, though I expect roads will be parking lots in the next couple of days as people try to get away from the storm.."

"And it will be at least a week until the stations get gas again, if they're not filling cars they're getting it for generators."

A crime scene hummer is nearby and Ryan waves down the truck when he recognizes it.

"Is the house locking down?" He asks, leaning in Andrew's window.

"Yeah, once we're back we'll be in until the hurricane is over. If the storm is as bad as they say, Jessy's school will be closed."

Jessy's on the phone. "Yep, they just announced they were shut down through at least next weekend."

Rupert sighs in relief as Jessy and Andrew arrive. "They just announced the hurricane changing track after you left."

"They're already getting wood to board up windows. Ryan waved us down to make sure we were locking down the house."

Rupert nods as maintenance starts emptying the truck. "All the officers will be busy at their other jobs. With the house shut down they can turn their attention to the citizens of the area."

The cafeteria is busy making meals over the next couple of days and delivering them to all the houses and apartments. The employees who live in Miami have either evacuated or made their homes ready to ride out the storm, the others taking extra shifts before they head to their own homes.

The windows are all shuttered and even with the dome they can hear the wind picking up. Jessy turns on extra lights and gets in a number of classes to get her mind off the weather. They're already showing flooding in Miami and the storm hasn't hit yet.

A few days later Jessy opens her front door, the house seriously needs some fresh air and the weather channel says the worst of the storm has passed.

"How bad is it?" She asks Andrew who's listening to a radio as he checks on everybody.

"Not too bad. some flooding in Miami and we're expecting a few more days of rain as the storm loses strength."

"Our rainwater resevoirs?"

"Maintenance is checking them now. I think they're full."

"If they aren't, they will be if we get much more rain." Jessy says. Harmony comes up behind them and nods. "I see I'm not the only one who needed some air."

"I couldn't stand to be in my house anymore. I'm ahead on all my classes, even beyond what we'd be covering while school was closed."

Jesse comes running up to them. "Bad news, the lab Horatio and the others work at?" They nod. "Massive damage. . .it's all glass and was totaled. The city government is already pointing fingers at each other trying to parcel out the blame."

"I'm not surprised. . .people with sense complained about the design. But they were overruled by people who just had to have it. Because it was cute!" Jessy drawls as they walk into the main building. Joyce overhears them and snickers, nodding. "That's what Horatio said as he called in the news. They figure it will take at least six weeks to salvage what they can and clear the debris. Then rebuild. Meanwhile, they'll be working in a smaller lab across town until it's rebuilt.

"I'm sure some fool will blubber that they don't need to rebuild. . .can't they just use the other lab permanently? That way we have aaaaallllllll that insurance money for our pet projects."

"And the fools who were praising the lab design out their asses are now trying to back away from it. Oh no. . .they didn't like it. . .they were overruled."

Jenny snickers but nods. "Nobody believes their bullshit but they'll pretend they do. And use it as leverage to get what they want this time."

"That's petty politics, it happens everywhere." Wesley says as he comes down the hallway. "Rupert, according to all the weather statements it's out of the area completely."

"Start taking down the shutters then."

Everybody is busy the next couple of days bringing down the shutters on their homes or apartments, letting maintenance deal with the other buildings. The mail starts to be delivered and everybody grabs a handful and starts sorting. Between all of them the multiple containers of mail are soon taken care of and the recycling bin gets a lot of use as people sort through their mail. Jessy holds open her bag and Paige dumps her catalogs into it for her.

At the seamstress building she checks over all her purchases, moving a couple items.

"Any update on the school?" Xander asks as she comes out of the building. He holds an umbrella over her head.

"Still due to reopen next week."

"Did you get in as many classes as I did?"

"I could have taken my finals if I wanted." Jessy snorts.

"Yup, same here. It kept me from worrying about the weather. And. . ." Xander looks at Jessy. "Is it just me or it easy? Shouldn't it be harder the further along you go?"

"Neither of you are stupid, even if I did have to talk you into going for your degrees." Rupert says dryly. "And you do own your own businesses. There are more advanced degrees, but neither of you needed them."

The teacher sighs as he walks into the classroom. "Please tell me everybody got in extra classes while the school was shut down?"

"Or read ahead in the books. Because we can read a syllabus and see what we'll be missing. I take it some of the younger students didn't?"

"And are now wailing at having to get in more information in the classes we have left." The teacher sighs. "Did everybody get through. . .?" Nods from the students so he sets to work.

Jessy looks at the letter in the mail when she gets home. It's from the fashion school. Joyce is looking at her. "There's going to be a special expo in Vegas after Thanksgiving." She hands over the papers listing vendors and whatnot. "They're offering me a spot."

"Go, you'll be out of school then." Rupert says. Jessy nods and starts filling out the paperwork, faxing it back to the school.

Finals Jessy is looking over the last of the paperwork for the expo as Xander finishes his test, sliding it back in her purse when he nudges her and walks his test up to the teacher.

The others smile as they see Ms. Michaels waiting for them in the hotel lobby, putting their bags aside to go up to their rooms when they're allowed to check in. Jessy's bag is already there and they talk about what they've been working on as they walk to a hotel restaurant for dinner.

Jessy looks around the penthouse, then the others. "They comped it for us since they're still cleaning rooms after a bunch of kids got drunk and stupider. They'd hoped to have everything done by now but. . ."

"Shit happens." Jessy says. The others nod. "I'm sure they're holding them or their parents feet to the fire for all the damages."

"I'm sure they are, they'd just reopened the hotel after a massive renovation."

They sign in at the expo the next morning, having walked past a block of rooms being worked on after breakfast. Jessy returns home a couple days later having shipped everything back so she wouldn't be dunned with heavy bag fees. Rupert's lips twitch as he hands over a piece of paper and she sighs but signs up for the trip to universal studios.

"We'll be back in time for you to sign up for your last semester of classes."

"Did Harmony get her thesis approved?"

"She did." Rupert smiles. "Are you working on your thesis?"

"On and off. I'm doing it on what I know so it shouldn't be any problem getting it approved."

Jessy drives past Horatio's lab and precinct when she goes into Miami, shaking her head at the debris they're still cleaning up. She sees Ryan and pulls the car over, he grins at her.

"How was Vegas?"

"Noisy. Are they still going to be getting everything cleared away by Christmas?"

"Nope, now they figure not until the middle of January. At the earliest. They're still arguing about the lab should have been up to code. . ."

"In other words it's not our fault, lets pass the blame to somebody else. In the meantime nothing gets done?" Jessy snorts. Horatio had come up behind them and sighs but nods. "Don't you usually have a truck?"

"I'm in town for a doctor's appointment. I saw your names on the list for Universal?"

"Ahhh yes, in addition to not wanting to clear out the debris the city doesn't want us working in the other lab. Surely there's enough people there to do all the work."

Jessy covers her face and moans. "Dumbassery at it's finest."

"Yes, so my entire lab is off untii the first of the year or the city gets enough complaints."

"Serves the assholes right. Anyway, I gotta go to the doctor then hit the mall. . .unfortunately." Horatio chuckles. "Joyce make good her threat to check your closet?"

"Yes, she says I need to buy more clothes than socks, underwear, and bras." A woman who'd come up behind Horatio snickers. Jessy waves and drives off.

A week later Jessy settles in a seat on the bus, firmly closing her eyes to go back to sleep. Jubilee chuckles as she settles down in the row behind her, closing her own eyes for the trip.

Horatio looks at Rupert. "What about those who . . ."

Rupert chuckles. "We offer two trips for the children who are gone in December." Horatio nods in satisfaction as Ryan settles against the window and tries to sleep. Speed is in front of him with Calleigh while Alexx and her husband are across the aisle, their kids seated in front of them. They're looking around at the bus and the others, too excited about going to universal to go to sleep.

They drag back to the House a couple days later, Horatio smiling as he takes off his sunglasses back at his home and listening to the wailing messages on his answering machines from people who either want him to return to work, don't want him to return to work, or are complaining because he was out of the city while he was off.

"Morons." Speed says in his house. "Can't have it both ways people." He continues to listen to his messages.

"No, you can't punish them when you put them on leave because you didn't think you needed two labs." The mayor snorts as he listens to the whining of people at the last city council meeting of the year.

"You mean they're allowed to be gone?" the whining person yelps.

"Yes moron, they're not slaves. You decided the lab didn't need to be rebuilt or even the land cleared, You decided the satellite lab could handle everything and when they proved it wasn't the case you're trying to blame them. It ends NOW! The lab will be rebuilt. . .this time up to hurricane standards instead of that pretty glass monstrosity the people who actually had to work there didn't like."

"But the previous lab was so boring. . .it wouldn't bring people to the area." he whines. "That's why we went with the glass."

"So that's it," Horatio says on the phone the next day. "The lab will be cleared and the lab start to be rebuilt after the first of the year. We're back to close quarters working in the other lab but they're not complaining after having to do both labs work for two weeks."

"I bet, your lab does most of the work in the city." Rupert says in his office. "Now, I heard you're having a meeting after Christmas?"

"A double meeting, both to talk about the Houses and as the heads of our respective crime labs. I'm flying out to Vegas, so is Mac. They're having a conference in Vegas. The city council is blubbering that I have to be there but the conference was scheduled before the hurricane hit."