Avery had come back from Laguna early to celebrate her little sister's acceptance into the ABA. She only wished she could've gone to the audition, to support her through that, but she'd kept a link line open, in case Zoe had wanted to chat.
No matter how much of a mess Avery was at the moment, she still loved her sister a lot, and wanted nothing but good things for her.
"Avery's here!" Zoe's excited voice called from inside, before the front door opened and her little sister bounded into her arms.
"Hey Zo!" Avery dropped her bag and lifted Zoe up, amazed she could still do that.
She set her down and picked up her bag, letting Zoe lead the way into the house.
"Hey Mom," Avery greeted, as she saw her Mom, stopping to give her a hug and a kiss.
"Hi sweetheart, good flight?" Diana asked, taking her bag from her daughter.
Avery nodded, straightening her brown jacket. "Long, but good." She turned to Zoe and grinned at her. "So, I hear congratulations is in order."
Zoe nodded excitedly.
Isaac and Zac
"Hi Avie!" Isaac said cheerfully, having already arrived.
"Yoo hoo!" Zac said, poking his head in the front door. "Zoe!"
Zac half-ran to his little sister, wrapped her up in his arms and gave her a huge bear hug. Isaac looked at Diana.
"He's your son," he said.
"He's your brother," she returned. "And bandmate."
"Darn."
"Congratulations!" Zac said.
Zoe and Avery
Zoe let out a squeal of delight and hugged Zac back.
"Hey Ike, Zac," Avery said, grinning at the new arrivals.
"Thank you, Zaccy!" Zoe giggled.
Isaac and Zac
"No problemo," Zac replied. "Hi Aves."
"So, when do your classes start?" Isaac asked.
Zoe and Avery
"September," Zoe said, scrunching up her nose while she thought.
"Start of the new school semester," Diana told them.
"Hey, I'll just put my bag in my room," Avery said, looking at her mother.
"Sure." Diana handed the bag over to her with a smile, and Avery flounced off.
Zoe walked over to Isaac for a hug.
Isaac
Isaac wrapped his arms around Zoe in a much gentler hug... and then lifted her up into the air.
"You're going to have to get used to this tossing stuff aren't you?" he grinned at her.
Zoe
"As long as I don't get dropped again," Zoe said, kissing Isaac's cheek. "That wasn't fun at all."
She pouted.
"I still have to bandage my ankle."
Isaac and Zac
"Aww," Isaac said sympathetically. "I'm sure it's just so that the humans don't suspect you're healed already."
"They're very ignorant creatures, these humans," Zac mused, then frowned. "Hey, Mom, what's happening with medical at the school?"
"Randy recommended a healer in the area," Diana replied. "The school has her details. Zoe'll go to her if there's a problem. Which I sincerely hope there won't be, hmm?"
Zoe and Avery
"I'll try, Mommy," Zoe said, smiling widely at her mother.
At which point, Avery walked back into the room. "Hmm, I remember when that smile used to get me out of a lot of trouble. Now I'm too old to be cute."
Diana laughed. "Not true."
Zac and Isaac
"Girls are never too old to be cute. Only too ugly," Zac replied as the voice of authority. "However, Hansons always have good looking genes, so you'll never need worry about that."
"Really?" Isaac asked. "They must have skipped you."
Avery and Zoe
Avery burst out laughing. "Oooh, nice call, Ikers."
Diana only shook her head, an amused grin on her face. "When everyone is here, Zo, how about you show them your audition dance?"
Zoe nodded proudly. "Ok!"
Jessi
Jessi walked in.
"Yo yo yo, peeps! Wassup?" she said giggling. Perhaps she had been spending too much time in LA.
Avery and Zoe
"Hi," Avery said, moving to sit down.
Zoe waved at Jess.
Isaac and Zac
"Hi Jess!" Zac said cheerfully, waving like a maniac. "How's Izzy?"
Isaac sat down next to Avery.
Jess
"Izzy's good. She's in Roswell for summer vacation," Jess said, hugging Zac. She smiled at Zoe.
"So, congrats Sissy," she said, hugging Zoe. "Are you excited?"
Zoe and Avery
Zoe nodded enthusiastically, before moving to sit with Avery. "But I'll miss home!"
Avery smiled and pulled her sister onto her lap. "I felt the same way when I left, but New York isn't as far away as Space."
Taylor
"But it'll still feel like it," came Taylor's voice from the doorway.
"Sorry I'm late, got caught up talking to Nat."
Isaac and Zac
"Aww, how sweet," Zac said, wiping away a false tear from his eye. "He was talking to his wife."
"Imagine that," Isaac said dryly and wopped Zac over the back of the head.
"Moooom! Isaac hit me!" Zac whined.
Diana just rolled her eyes. Zac grinned.
Jessi
Jessi turned towards Zoe.
"Zozo, if you get lonely or scared, you just call my mobile," Jessi said. "I was scared in January when I went off to school, but now I love it." Jessi turned to Taylor.
"Hey, Tay. Long time no talk," Jessi said.
Avery and Zoe
"And I'm just a thought away," Avery reminded her.
Zoe grinned broadly.
Taylor
"Jess," Taylor nodded in recognition, "how've you been?"
He folded his arms and leant against the doorway.
Jess
"I'm doing pretty well, actually," Jess said to Taylor. "Going to school, dating an awesome guy, working for his production company. How are you?"
Taylor
Taylor shrugged.
"All's well with the world," he smiled lopsidedly.
Avery and Zoe
"Evidently so," Avery said, leaning back against her chair.
Zoe moved over to Taylor to be hugged.
Taylor
Taylor leaned down to hug his sister, picking her up a little before deciding she was too heavy.
Avery and Zoe
"So," Avery said, tying her hair back. "What else is shaking?"
Zoe climbed up on the chair next to her.
Jessica
"Well, the earth is still moving," Jessi grinned, "We're all still alive, so, life must be pretty good right now," she declared. She looked over at Zac and Ike.
"What's new in your worlds?" she asked.
Isaac and Zac
"Umm," Zac said. "B'Elanna and Tom turned two last week."
"Wow," said Isaac. "Has it really been two years?"
"Yep."
Jessi
Jessi leaned over an poked Ike on the arm.
"So, what's new in your life, old man?" She teased.
Isaac and Zac
"I've been seeing someone. Her name's Nikki."
"She helped us out pulling a prank on Tad, and they fell is love," Zac mocked.
"Shush."
"So sweet. They had a bit of a break up, but now they're back together again."
"She thought her work was interfering. It's cool now."
Avery and Zoe
"I still haven't met this mystery girl," Avery said, turning to Isaac. "And I'm quite anxious too."
Zoe stretched her legs out in front of her. "Avie?"
"Mmhmm?"
"What happened to your nose?" Zoe asked innocently.
Avery hid her grin. "Minor nasal bone shift, courtesy of my friend's sister. She fixed the big bump."
Isaac and Zac
"Hey, you did too," Zac said, finally noticing her nose.
"Looks good," Isaac added. "And Nikki's not really mysterious. She's just busy."
"How is an underwear model busy?"
Jessica
"She's an underwear model?" Jessi asked, laughing. "Wow, Ike. Am I going to get to meet her any time soon?"
Isaac and Zac
"Probably not," Isaac replied. "What with us going on tour. I'll invite her over for our Christmas party though, when we get back."
"We just have to tell our single male friends not to drool," Zac nodded.
Isaac looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"What? Hey I can admit she's hot. She is hot. And she gets paid to be hot. She does a very good job of it. You do think Nikki's hot, right? Because if you don't, I am going to have to start being worried about your sexuality."
Isaac patted Zac on the head.
"Fear not, little brother."
"I don't, scrawny brother."
Avery
"Heck yeah I'd love to be an underwear model! Think of the pretty lingerie," Avery said dreamily.
"And think of the boys!"
Jessica
"I think I'll stick to designing clothes, not modelling them," Jessi said. "Izzy and I designed all the costumes for Frankie's movie, which is supposed to be out over Christmas, but doesn't actually have a title yet."
Avery
"I'm going to get into modelling," Avery decided. "Now that I'm no longer the ugly one with the big nose, I think this is a valid career path."
She nodded thoughtfully.
Jessica
"Dude, you were never the ugly one, nor did you have a big nose," Jessi felt the need to point out. "I always thought it was kind of cute. But, nonetheless, you do look great."
Isaac and Zac
"I can always ask Nikki about it, if you want," Isaac asked Avery.
"I agree," Zac nodded. "You were never ugly. It's like an unwritten law: Hansons can never be ugly."
"Really?" asked Isaac. "So you must be up for, what? 20 years?"
Avery and Zoe
"I was gross," Avery said simply, then turned back to Zoe. "So, favourite sister, should I get your autograph now, or will you still have time for me when you're a famous dancer?"
Zoe giggled.
Isaac
"Oh, Ike, honey? Can you help me in the kitchen with something?" Diana asked.
"Sure," Isaac replied, and followed her out.
They returned a minute later with a camera and a big, chocolate cake with the words "Congratulations Zoe!" written on it in coloured icing.
Jessica
"I'm really happy for you, Zoe," Jess said, leaning to kiss her little sister on the forehead.
Zoe
"Thank you!" Zoe beamed.
She danced around slightly.