"Well, we've got loads of time before we're on," Isaac said. "What say we hunt down the family and hang with them until show time?"
"Okay," Zac said cheerfully.
**********
"Oh, how cute," Natalie said. "A puppet show. And I suppose Santa will be out later for the kids?"
"Usually," Diana replied, smiling.
**********
Saku got out of the car.
"Thanks again for the lift, Faith," he said.
**********
"Where do you suppose Saku is?" Trina asked, looking around.
"Anxious to see your boyfriend?" Amber asked in amusement.
"No. Just curious."
"Whatever you have to tell yourself," Amber teased.
Trina poked her tongue out at her.
Faith, Tru and Airlia
"You're welcome."
Faith locked the car after the rest of them had gotten out and followed Saku into the venue.
"I don't think I've ever seen Dad play live," Tru mused.
"Neither," Airlia put in.
Saku, Trina, Amber, Isaac, Nikki, Zac, Corinne, Cliff and Binar
"I have," Saku grinned cheerfully.
"Saku! There you are!" Trina greeted.
"Hey, Trina," Saku replied, wrapping his arms around her in a hug.
He kissed her cheek then gestured to his companions.
"Faith, Tru and Airlia. Whom I consider all three of them family, except that Tru's the only one I actually share any DNA with," Saku grinned. "This is my girlfriend, Trina, and Amber."
Amber waved with a small smile on her face.
"Nice to meet you," said Trina.
**********
"Nikki?"
"Ike," Nikki smiled. "Hey."
"Hey. Didn't expect to see you here."
"Well, I wasn't until I found out you were playing."
"Aww, I feel so loved."
"We were just hunting down the family," Zac cut in. "Speaking of which, I think I see some over there. If you'll excuse me."
Zac left.
"He doesn't like me very much, does he?"
"I don't think it's you so much as he thinks our relationship is doomed to failure."
"That's encouraging."
**********
Corinne smoothed out the blanket and sat down.
"I come bearin' food," said Cliff, plopping down next to her and displaying his spoils. "Chips, Binar?"
"Yes, please," Binar replied.
Corinne giggled.
"I can't believe we talked him into coming."
Cliff grinned.
Faith, Tru, Airlia and Avery
"Likewise," Faith said, smiling slightly. She spotted Zac. "Oh hey, there's Zac, I think I'll go say hi."
She sketched a salute and headed in Zac's direction.
"Nice to meet you," Tru replied, while Airlia nodded silently, a small smile on her face.
"Ah, favourite nieces and nephew," Avery greeted, putting an arm over Tru's shoulder.
"Favourite Aunty," Tru teased.
Trina, Amber, Saku and Zac
Trina looked between them noting the physical age differences.
"There's something wrong about this," she mused.
Saku laughed.
"That's what happens when you have people who age faster than what's considered normal," he teased.
"Yes, well, we shant think about that too much, okay? You're what? 2? 3? I'm 17. There's a word for that."
"Cradle-robber," Amber nodded.
"Yes..." Trina said slowly, her firey eyes looking around furtively. "That's exactly the word I was thinking of."
Amber giggled.
"Hi Faith!" Zac greeted.
Avery, Tru, Airlia and Faith
"You get used to the weirdness," Avery said, shrugging. "Also, it's fun, because I have more family members around my age to party with."
She rubbed her belly absently.
"No Laguna? London?" Tru asked curiously.
Airlia looked interested.
"Laguna for New Years, and London is coming with me," Avery said, smiling. "Or at least, JD is. And then I'll be going over to England in February, for my birthday."
"Hey Spazary," Faith replied, smiling at him. "How've you been?"
Saku and Zac
"This is true," Saku nodded. "Party!"
"Oh, pretty good," Zac replied. "Right up until you decided that 'Spazary' was a good nickname for me."
Avery, Tru, Airlia and Faith
"Big New Years plans?" Avery asked the group.
"Wherever," Tru said, shrugging. "Probably LA with friends."
Airlia nodded. "If Sera sticks around."
~*~*~*~
Faith grinned.
"I thought it suited you. It's cute. Anyway, big show?"
Trina, Saku and Zac
"Party with the usual suspects," Trina replied, then poked Saku. "You coming, right?"
"Probably," Saku replied.
"Marvellous."
**********
"Yeah, I think it's supposed to go until 10," Zac replied. "We're only doing three songs though."
Avery, Tru, Faith and Zoe
"The no drinking will be interesting," Avery mused, rubbing her belly. "Oh well. Next year!"
Tru grinned.
~*~*~*~
"Oh fair enough," Faith said, then paused. "I think I just missed you when I arrived today."
~*~*~*~
Zoe and Mackie were running around giggling.
Trina and Zac
Trina cocked an eyebrow at Avery.
"Pregnant?" she asked.
**********
"Nah, we were just finishing setting up," Zac replied. "We're not on until umm... 8:30. Theoretically speaking. These things always run late, after all."
Avery and Faith
"Yep," Avery said, her tone casual.
She'd gotten used to the judgement.
~*~*~*~
"No," Faith said, staring at Zac for a moment. "I meant when I got to the house."
Trina and Zac
"Okay, cool," Trina said cheerfully. "Now I understand the conversation. When ya due? Or are you tired of being asked that question?"
**********
"Oh sorry," Zac replied. "I have sound check on my brain."
Avery, Tru and Faith
"May, roughly," Avery said, shrugging. "Mid, I'd say."
"And I get a cousin out of the deal," Tru put in, nodding. "So that's pretty cool."
~*~*~*~
Faith laughed.
"It's ok. You're allowed to be distracted before a show. I give you permission."
Saku, Trina and Zac
"I get a cousin too," Saku nodded. "It's a nice change from half-sibs."
Trina snickered.
**********
"Why thank you oh gracious one," Zac replied, bowing deeply.
Tru, Avery and Faith
"But, the more siblings we get, the more we stand out as the best looking ones," Tru pointed out, grinning.
"Oh, so there are benefits to being in a large family," Avery played along. "Well, I mean, I'd figured. I am better looking than most of them. Oh, well, you know, Tay's very pretty though."
~*~*~*~
Faith laughed. "Come on, let's relive our youth and do something crazy fun. Like dance. Or... eat."
Saku, Trina and Zac
"He is, isn't he?" Saku mused. "Maybe we should give him a scar on the cheek or something. Rough him up a bit."
"Or... we could do his hair in braids,' Trina grinned. "Is it still long?"
"Not long enough to do that."
"Pity."
**********
"We could.... eat and dance at the same time," Zac suggested. "You know, like the do in the movies with the piece of fruit and whatever."
Zac then wondered why he suggested doing that with Faith.
Avery, Tru, Airlia and Faith
"I could use my telepathy to make him think about disfiguring his face," Avery mused.
"Pure evil," Tru said, turning to the blonde girl. "You are evil."
"Hey!" Avery protested. "I've never used it on my brothers. Ok. Maybe once or twice when I was younger and they were picking on me."
Airlia broke away from the conversation at that point to wander around, distantly staring through things as if they weren't there.
"She ok?" Avery asked.
Tru shrugged. "Not sure."
~*~*~*~
Faith grinned. "Ah, but are we co-ordinated to do that? Well, I probably am... although, you're a drummer and I guess that takes some form of co-ordination. And what's life without challenges, right? So in conclusion, let us do this thing."
She then realised that this might be a bad idea. They had a history of starting to do things that were innocently fun and then winding up in bed for several hours. Days. Weeks.
Trina, Saku, Amber and Zac
"Hey cool, telepathy," Trina said, ignorance making her oblivious to the significance of Airlia moving away. "I have pyrokinesis. And Saku magically enchanted me so I could create my own fire instead of having to use a lighter."
Saku grinned, although his eyes were on Airlia. Amber said nothing - not that she was talkative anyway - but she really hated discussions about powers.
**********
"Rightio then," Zac said. "I guess, first we need foodstuffs."
They weren't really going to go ahead with this... were they?
Tru, Avery and Faith
"Fun," Tru said, nodding. "I'm part Slayer... so, basically, I'm strong and have enhanced senses. Oh, and I can shapeshift. The bonus of being a hybrid child?"
Avery noted Amber and how uncomfortable she was feeling about the power discussion. She smiled widely and changed the subject.
"So, I feel like we can make this party a whole lot more fun by causing trouble. Not too much, because Mom and I are finally on speaking terms again. But enough trouble to amuse ourselves."
~*~*~*~
Faith followed Zac over to the food, wondering if this was really happening.
~*~*~*~
"Oh," Avery said, looking over at her brother and her ex-sister in law. "I think Zac and Faith are going to take two steps forward three steps back."
"Hmmm?" Tru asked, curious.
"Mom looks like she can sense it too." The blonde grinned cheekily. "Ah Zac, always thinking with the wrong head."
Amber, Saku and Zac
Amber was greatly relieved at the change of subject. Not knowing what your specialty power was a prime source of embarrassment.
Saku chuckled.
"Lemme see... should we intervene? Or start planning the baby shower?" he waggled his eyebrows at Tru.
**********
"Hmm... so many possibilities..." Zac mused, looking at the options. "Not."
Avery, Tru and Faith
"I always liked your Mom, Tru, but she and Zac were the weirdest couple," Avery said.
Tru laughed. "I guess so."
~*~*~*~
Faith peered over his shoulder.
"Hmmm. Well..."
Saku and Zac
"I think Zac and anyone is the weirdest couple," Saku grinned. "Even with Mama."
**********
"Eh," Zac grunted, suddenly seeing a way out of this predicament. "Let's not bother. There's clearly no food worthy of dancing with. Seriously. Dancing with a hotdog? I don't think so."
Tru and Faith
"Yeah, he should live alone," Tru laughed.
~*~*~*~
Faith nodded.
"Alright, we need a new mischievious plan then, I think."
Saku, Trina and Zac
Saku chuckled.
"Yeah, I don't think he's going to though," Trina pointed out. "What with you, and wait... Dee Dee, Brock, Elektra and Heaven... right?"
"Yes," Saku nodded. "I bet you can't remember the rest of them."
"Psh, I don't have to."
**********
"Yes! What great mischeif and mayhem we shall cause!" Zac declared.
Tru and Faith
"I don't live there though," Tru pointed out. "I think the longest I've ever stayed would be... a few months?"
She looked to Saku for confirmation.
~*~*~*~
Faith laughed.
"Right... let us proceed!"
Saku, Trina and Zac
"Sounds about right," Saku replied. "Ahh, those were the days. Picking on the dogs next door just isn't the same."
Trina snickered.
**********
"Yes, let's," Zac agreed. "Umm... just as soon as we figured out what mischeif we're going to get up to."
Tru and Faith
"Those dogs are still alive?" Tru grinned.
~*~*~*~
"Hmmm."
Faith pondered along with him.
Saku and Zac
"Surprisingly, yes," Saku replied. "Or maybe not so surprisingly, as Dad extracted a promise not to do anything fatal."
He grinned broadly.
**********
"Let's go on the jumping castle!" Zac declared. "I don't care if they say we're too big for it!"
Tru and Faith
Tru snickered.
"We should leave them a Christmas 'present' tonight."
~*~*~*~
Faith laughed.
"Let's go!"
Saku, Trina, Amber and Zac
Saku chuckled evilly.
"Aww, what did the poor dogs ever do to you?" Trina asked.
"Exist. Be dogs," Saku eyed her. "You wouldn't be asking that question if you were a cat."
"Perhaps not. But I do object to cruelty to animals."
"Eh, we never do anything to them that won't wash off," Saku grinned broadly.
"Why does that alarm me even more?"
"Because even though you've only known me a few months you know me really, really well?"
"That may have something to do with it."
Amber giggled.
**********
Zac bounded over to the jumping castle and got into the line.
"Aren't you two a little old for this?" asked the conductor with raised eyebrows.
Tru, Avery and Faith
"We don't hurt them... although, I think there was that one time when we made the yard really muddy..." Tru mused.
Avery laughed. "You two are as bad as one another."
"Well, there was also that time Lia and Saku pretended they were having sex and totally freaked Dad out," Tru put in. "I stayed out of that one."
"You what?"
~*~*~*~
"We're 12," Faith said, with a perfectly straight face.
Saku, Trina and Zac
Saku chuckled.
"Do tell," Trina said dryly.
"Oh well, y'know, we'd eye each other off in front of him and hold hands and say suggestive stuff," Saku grinned. "You should have seen the look on his face. And then to top everything off, when he finally talks to me about it, I twist things around and made it look like he just had a dirty mind and was imagining things. It was awesome."
**********
Zac nodded solomnly. The conducter rolled his eyes.
"Just don't squish any of the smaller kids, okay?"
Tru, Avery and Faith
"Yeah, back when Lia was behaving like a real person," Tru said offhandedly.
"I did notice the silence," Avery commented.
"It's hard not to. But whatever."
~*~*~*~
Faith gave the man an indignant look.
"Are you calling us fat?"
Trina, Amber, Saku and Zac
"Oh, I thought she was just quiet, like Amber here," Trina said, grinning at her.
Amber poked her tongue out at her. Trina chuckled.
"She's had a rough time of it recently. It put it mildly."
"What happened?"
Saku hesitated.
"I think that out of respect for Lia, I should leave it alone."
Trina nodded.
"Fair enough," she conceeded. "I shall curb my curiousity."
**********
The conducter looked at Faith cynically.
"No," he said finally. "But you are awlfully well-proportioned for twelve-year-olds."
Tru, Avery and Faith
"Well," Tru said, changing the subject again. "Food!"
Avery nodded and rubbed her belly. "Yes please!"
~*~*~*~
Faith nodded and looked at Zac.
"We get that a lot, don't we?"
Saku, Trina and Zac
"Hot dogs!" Saku declared.
"I thought you didn't like dogs," Trina teased.
"Hot dogs are the best kind of dogs. Also, I wouldn't eat them if they were called hot cats."
"Point taken."
**********
"Frequently," Zac agreed.
The conducter shook his head and opened the gate to let them in.
"Yay!" Zac cried and ran for the castle.
Tru, Avery and Faith
"I think I'll get something else," Tru said, following Avery.
"Agreed. Hot dogs take like... 4 months to digest or something. And I'm off processed meats," Avery replied, heading for the food.
~*~*~*~
Faith grinned and followed him up, kicking her shoes off on the way.
Isaac, Nikki, Natalie and Zac
Sometime later:
"Hmm," Isaac said glancing at his watch. "I'm afraid I have to go."
"Oh?" Nikki pouted. "But the night isn't even over yet."
"Yeah, I know that. But Tay and Zac and I are due on stage soon, so yeah. Best get ready."
"You're performing tonight? Cool."
"I thought so."
**********
"Wish your Daddy good luck, Ezra," Natalie said, holding him out to Taylor.
She grinned at him.
**********
"Hey Zac," Isaac called. "Time to go."
"It is?" Zac questioned then glanced at him own watch. "Huh, so it is."
He turned to Faith.
"Gotta go. The music calleth."
Faith
Faith nodded.
"Go, do your thing."
Isaac and Zac
After the general last minute back stage mayhem, and the fact that, as predicted, the show was running late, the Hansons somehow finally made it onsite.
"Merry Christmas!" Zac yelled to everyone.
He grinned at his brothers as he made for his drums, and thus the music began.
Snows falling down as you step out of your car
Presents in your arms and you've traveled far
Some one opens the door with a smile on there face
And you know you've come to the right place
Family nestled by the fire
Christmas hopes to inspire
Love ones by your side
You know you'll kiss your babies good night
At Christmas, Christmas,
No matter who your are
Where your from
This is where you belong
At Christmas
Memories 'round the Christmas tree
Are the sweetest ones that remain with me
It's a comfort deep inside
Though you can't stop the race of time
To know that Christmas will always be
Family nestled by the fire
Christmas hopes will be inspired
Love ones by your side
You know you'll kiss your baby good night
At Christmas, Christmas,
No matter who your are
Where your from
This is where you belong
At Christmas
Now this is what Christmas means to me
Being together with your family
And the wise men who fallowed that star
To where our baby Jesus lie
Family nestled all around
Baby Jesus asleep so sound
His star shined so bright
On the very first holy night
At Christmas, Christmas,
No matter who your are
Where your from
This is where you belong
At Christmas