Avery interlocked her hands with JD as they walked through the doors of the elevator.
"So, did you tell them you were coming?" JD asked as the doors closed and they ascended.
Avery shook her head. "Nope. I'm going to surprise them."
The elevator stopped and the doors opened slowly. Avery took a step forward, looked left and then right to see which way to go, then selected the destination and lead the way to the room.
"Alright, here goes..."
She pressed down on the doorbell button.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac paused. No one had ordered room service had they?
He opened up the door:
"Avie!" he exclaimed.
Zac looked up from his laptop, and immediately noted her hand in JDs.
Avery and JD
"Ike!"
Avery let go of JD's hand and immediately jumped into her brother's arms for a hug.
"Hey," JD said quitely, noticing Zac was eyeing him.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac gave his little sister a big hug back.
"Hey, what have you been up to? Who's your friend?"
"Hi Aves," Zac said with false cheerfulness. "Been chatting up college students again?"
He remembered the house warming party he went to at Bobby and Julie's place last month.
Avery and JD
"This is JD, I can't remember if you met him at Tay's wedding..." Avery trailed off awkwardly, but glancing at Zac, wondering if he remembered she could hear his thoughts.
"We were together back then, but then we broke up and now, well, yeah... back together."
JD looked more awkward at each passing second.
"But, JD, this is Ike, and that's Zac."
Isaac and Zac
"Hi," Isaac said, offering his hand.
"Yo," Zac said. "So, how things been?"
JD and Avery
JD shook the offered hand and smiled slightly.
"Saucesome," Avery said, nodding. "How's the tour going?"
Isaac and Zac
"Is good," Isaac replied. "Already gotten some of the weird psycho questions, and we've only been here a couple of days."
"I beat Taylor in a spinning on a chair contest," Zac said. "On TV. Popworld. Tay was silly and sat back to front. You can't get proper momentum doing it that way."
Avery and JD
"Well, Tay's never been the brains trust of the band," Avery pointed out.
JD laughed. "Nice way to talk about your brother."
"Talk to him for 2 minutes. You'll understand."
Isaac and Zac
Isaac chuckled.
"Why don't you gusy have a seat? Instead of standing in the doorway?" he suggested.
"Who do you suppose is the brains trust in the family?" Zac mused.
"Well, it's not you," Isaac said.
"What made you say that?"
"You wouldn't have so many kids at this time in your life if you were smart."
"I don't know. It does suggest I know all there is to know about getting the girls."
"About getting then pregnant, anyway."
Avery and JD
Avery and JD both moved to sit down.
"Mack," Avery answered. "Have you ever listened to him recall facts about... anything he's learning about?"
Isaac and Zac
"I try to avoid that," Zac said. "He keeps going on and on and won't shut up."
"Reminds me of someone else I know," Isaac replied.
JD and Avery
JD grinned. "Close knit family."
"Sometimes too close," Avery said, pointing to her head. "Sometimes my family have bad thoughts."
Isaac and Zac
Isaac grinned.
"Who? Us?" he said mischeviously.
"What kind of bad thoughts?" Zac asked, deliberately bringing some examples to mind.
Avery and JD
"Oh GOD, MY BRAIN!" Avery made a face and scrunched her eyes closed. "ZAC!"
JD burst out laughing.
Isaac and Zac
Zac chuckled evilly and Isaac wopped him over the head.
"Don't torture our sister in front of company," he scolded him.
"So, in private is fine?"
"Yes. But if you do it in front of her friends they might feel the need to defend her from us."
"True."
Avery and JD
"I'll never sleep without nightmares again," Avery said, rubbing her head as if it would somehow cleanse it.
JD snickered. "Suddenly glad I'm not a telepath."
"It's honestly pretty sucky," Avery told him. "You get stuff like that all the time. And then you hear what people think about you and it's not always nice."
She paused. "Although... it's handy when you can make them think anything you want them to think."
"You're evil," JD said, almost in awe.
"That, I get from Zac."
Isaac and Zac
Zac shook his hands up in the air in a gesture of triumph.
"You certainly learned from the master," Isaac grinned.
Avery and JD
"See, Ike taught me to be heroic, Tay taught me ditziness and Zac, well he taught me evilness," Avery explained. "Awesomeness I picked up by myself."
JD grinned. "No help from the brothers?"
"Maybe some from Ike."
Isaac and Zac
"Aww," Zac said mischeviously.
Isaac shrugged, but he was pleased that his sister thought him even a little bit awesome.
Avery and JD
"So, finally touring again?" Avery said, leaning back against the couch. "Finally making some money?"
"They do it so they can buy you nice things," JD joked.
"Oh, I know. Man, I remember when they first started this, after getting signed. Best birthday ever."
Isaac and Zac
Isaac and Zac chuckled.
"Yes, we are making money and getting mobbed by rabid fans again," Isaac said.
Zac grinned at his brother, remembering the Ike fans at the airport.
"Yeah, fans who take off their shirts and say 'can you sign here?' "
Isaac blushed.
Avery and JD
"Did Ike see some breasts?" Avery questioned, looking at Zac, a smile appearing on her lips.
"Poor Isaac, he looks like he feels so awkward," JD said.
Isaac and Zac
"We were in the middle of an airport at the time. In fact, we were in the queue lining up for the plane," Isaac defended.
"Yeah, you should have seen the looks they were getting," Zac snickered.
Avery and JD
Avery joined in with Zac's snickering.
"The two of you, so evil," JD said.
Isaac and Zac
"Just see if I rescue you next time you get swamped by rabid fans," Isaac muttered.
"Like some chick taking off her shirt would bother me," Zac dismissed.
"What if it were a guy coming onto you? Would you want me to rescue you then?"
"How often has that happened?"
"At least twice that I can think of."
Avery and JD
"Anyway, aside from public nudity, how's the promo been going?" Avery asked.
"Nice to be out of the States?" JD put in.
Isaac and Zac
"It's been good," Isaac replied. "And I think we always like travelling, except for the actually travelling part. But yeah. I think by the time we get home we'll be happy to be back."
"Especially as it'll be Christmas by then," Zac nodded.
Avery and JD
"Oh yeah, that's coming up..." Avery mused. "I wonder what the deal with that is going to be..."
"Same thing that happens every year?" JD asked, looking amused.
Avery playfully smacked him. "No, I just meant how to see everyone around that time."
Isaac and Zac
"Teleporters are our friends," Zac nodded. "Now if only Ike and Tay hadn't been so adamant on us taking planes and stuff during the tour..."
Isaac groaned.
"We've been through this."
Avery and JD
"Yeah, I've gotta be in Laguna, Tulsa and here..." Avery thought out loud.
"Well, Mum, Rara and I might come to Tulsa for Christmas," JD told her.
"It's easier to displace one person over three though."
Isaac and Zac
"Yeah, but if we can get everyone together in one place then you don't have to make extra trips," Zac nodded.
"This is true," Isaac said. "But then they might have family they want to visit. Can't bring everyone to dinner."
"Curses. Foiled again."
Avery and JD
"I might do Christmas Eve with the Laguna kids, Christmas Day with the family, come over Christmas night to see you guys?" Avery said, looking over at JD.
He nodded. "Sounds good to me. No Space Station?"
Avery shrugged. "Meh."
Isaac and Zac
"No close friends on the station?" Isaac asked.
"That raises a good point, actually," Zac considered. "I wonder if I should pay a visit to Sari-Lyka and Tranno-Zirran."
Avery
"We've kinda grown apart," Avery said, shrugging again. "I might go up just before New Years, but yeah, I want to be downside for most of that time, before school starts and I'm stuck up there again."
Isaac and Zac
Isaac nodded.
"School is much better if you can be stuck at home," Zac decided. "But whats even better than that is if you can have school and travel at the same time."
Avery and JD
"At first the Space Station was kinda cool, but then it just got boring. And last time I was up, my friends were talking about the new changes and how great they were and it just didn't appeal to me," Avery shrugged. "If Tanya wasn't up there, I'd probably be schooled down here again."
JD rubbed her arm. "I'm enjoying my year of freedom. Not that I'm all that free, considering Mum's interpreted my slight 'I don't know what I want to do in life' crisis as 'I want to work in the cafe every waking moment'."
Avery grinned.
Isaac and Zac
"You could come join us on the road," Zac said. "You could be one of our roadies and you could see the world. Not this tour, though. Too short and too late for those kinds of plans but yeah."
Isaac eyed Zac suspiciously.
Avery and JD
Avery's face mirrored Isaac's, and JD noticed this with a slight smile.
With no concern for privacy, and besides, sometimes Zac thought way too loudly anyway, Avery snooped a bit to see what he was getting at.
So... he wanted to see if JD was good enough for her. Interesting.
JD nodded slightly at Zac. "Maybe, I mean, I've just taken exams in hope of getting into med school, so I have to wait and see how that pans out first. But thanks."
Isaac and Zac
"Oh, med school, huh?" Zac considered.
"Cool," Isaac said. "Hope you get in."
JD and Avery
"Same," JD said, shrugging slightly.
"I second that, then you can buy me nice things with a doctor's salary," Avery joked.
Isaac and Zac
"This is very true," Isaac nodded, grinning.
Zac grunted.
"So, what have you guys been up to? Other than popping into see us?" Isaac asked.
Avery and JD
The couple shared a look, sharing a secret smile.
"Just hanging out with JD's family," Avery said, shrugging. "Then I'm headed to Laguna to check in with my awesome friends, then back to the Station."
"And I'm going to Laguna with her to thank those people," JD told them, nodding. "Thank them for saving this one."
Isaac and Zac
Isaac looked away. It was ironic that he felt guilty about not lying to someone, but if he could have saved Avery the anguish of knowing that she had killed the Eye, he would have.
"And that's someone else we're going to have to meet," Zac said, oblivious. "Your Laguna friends."
Avery and JD
Avery noticed Isaac's look and regarded him carefully. If he was Zac, she'd just pry. But to pry with Isaac, you either had to ask in, in hopes he'd spill, or she'd have to break his shield. And she didn't think he'd look too kindly on that.
"They're so much fun," she said to Zac. "Although..."
"People mistake them for bad influences," JD chuckled.
Isaac and Zac
"Ahh," Zac said, nodding. "I've known a few people like that. Okay, actually I know more of the ones that people think are good influences are really aren't."
"Some of your former girlfriends, perhaps?" Isaac teased.
"Hannah was an expert at looking innocent," Zac nodded. "Faith was the one that everyone thought was a bad influence, but she wasn't."
Avery and JD
"I liked Faith," Avery said suddenly. "She saved me from... you know... death, so I kinda like her."
JD nodded. "So, the way to your heart is to save you from something. I shall remember that."
Isaac and Zac
"Does it count if we were the ones who put you in danger in the first place?" Zac asked.
Isaac snickered at him.
Avery and JD
Avery didn't feel the need to raise the point that they actually had been the reason she was in danger the first time.
JD looked at her, he was learning to read her silences.
Isaac and Zac
"Wait," Zac said, having noticed the slience and the look on his sister's face. "Hey, that wasn't my fault. I had no say in the matter."
Isaac said nothing.
"In fact, I'd say that we should blame Taylor," Zac went on when there was no response. "Because if Ike hadn't needed to rescue him... no wait..."
Zac stuck out his tongue, trying to remember the sequence of events.
"It's Tanya's fault," he declared. "If she hadn't made that collar for the Eye, Spider, whoever, then Leroy wouldn't have been able to put it on Craig, then Craig wouldn't have come after you and kidnapped Tay in the process, then the base wouldn't have been invaded, Ike wouldn't have had to make a seperate rescue mission to go after Tay and Craig wouldn't have taken it out on us for defiling his plans."
Still silence.
"I say we kick her butt."
Avery and JD
Avery managed a weak smile, if you could call the expression she made, a smile.
"You ok?" JD thought.
"Yeah," Avery replied. She hadn't ever really gone into detail about the whole thing with anyone other than Tanya. And her family knew a lot about it, but they didn't know how it felt to kill him. They didn't know that she'd almost enjoyed having the power to do it.
"So, if I'm going to be in Tulsa for Christmas, what can I expect?" JD asked, swiftly changing the subject.
"Cows," Avery answered dryly.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac and Zac looked at each other and promptly went into song:
"Cows, cows everywhere!
Cows, cows, everywhere!
Cow are all around me."
Avery and JD
"Keep in mind that if you do visit Tulsa when they're there, you might actually have to spend time with them," Avery warned.
"Is that bad? I think your brothers are funny," JD replied.
"If you want them, you can have them. I'd gladly not be a Hanson sister," she told him. "Well, I like Zoe."
Isaac and Zac
Zac nudged Isaac.
"He doesn't know us very well, does he?"
"If he hangs around, he might get to."
They chuckled evilly.
JD and Avery
"Should I be worried?" JD asked, indicating her brothers.
Avery nodded. "Yeah... did I tell you about the time where Zac - he claims it was an accident - but he punched me in the nose? There's still a blood stain on the carpet in the den."
Isaac and Zac
"It was an accident!" Zac exclaimed.
"So you say," Isaac said ominously. "Hey what about the time that you half-froze Avie's drinking water?"
Zac chuckled.
"And in the middle of winter. That was so funny. I still remember the look on your face."
Avery and JD
"You see how mean Zac is?" Avery asked, turning to JD. "I mean, nevermind that with my power I could make him kill himself or something. I'm not a power abuser."
JD nodded gravely. "Perhaps you should look into the power abusing thing. You could make him think he's... something other than himself."
Isaac and Zac
"A five year old girl?" Isaac suggested mischeviously.
Zac glared at him.
"Plus, your hair is long enough, Avie could even braid it for you."
Avery
Avery grinned cheekily.
"I could make it so no one could undo it."
Isaac and Zac
"I'm sure you could," Isaac nodded, grinning at Zac.
"Yeah, well, well, well," Zac said. "Well, umm, you won't."
"Oh? What makes you think that?"
"Because you'll miss my classic Zac Hanson charm. Also, Hanson'll be short a drummer. So then, no more touring. Ha!"
JD and Avery
"Though I'm not too sure of the specifics, I'm sure Avie could probably work around that, like leave your drumming skills in there," JD said, grinning.
"Oh, I could." Avery nodded.
Isaac and Zac
Isaac cracked up laughing.
"Can you imagine him during interviews?" Isaac asked. " 'So, Zac, when you're not playing music, what do you like to do?' 'Play barbies!' Or 'So, Zac, got a girlfriend?' 'Oh yes, I have lots of girl friends. Boys are yucky. 'Specially brothers. I like Natalie - she knows the best games.' "
Zac threw Isaac a cynical look.
Avery and JD
Avery giggled. "Speaking of girls who play games with Nat, where's Tay?"
JD half snorted. "Nice. Calling your brother a girl."
"... You've seen him, right?"
Isaac and Zac
"She does raise a good point," Isaac nodded. "Athough the fact that Natalie is currently with child tends to suggest that he is indeed our brother and not our sister."
Zac looked at Isaac.
"What?"
Zac shook his head.
"Tay's in the other room, on the phone to Nat," Zac said. "It's only the middle of the afternoon over there."
Avery and JD
"Ah, young love," Avery said, smiling. "And so when are we going to have you guys married off as well?"
JD pulled a face. "Are you trying to rush them into marriage?"
"Yes. Well no. But sorta."
Zac and Isaac
"I'm already married to an Adigian," Zac said raising his hand.
"Well... I was seeing someone, but she..." Isaac sighed.
"I told you, Ike. These on/off relationships don't work," Zac replied.
"You would know."
Avery and JD
"Oh yeah, Faith," Avery said thoughtfully. "But, at least you're on speaking terms now, even though she... well... you know. I hear things."
JD nodded. "Inside your head."
Isaac and Zac
"Ooh, Avie hears voices," Zac said omniously.
"If you hear one singing 'I'm too sexy for my shirt', it's probably Zac's," Isaac nodded, then grinned. "I believe that's what you were singing in the shower earlier Zac?"
"Was not."
"So, you admit you sing in the shower?"
"That goes without saying."
Avery and JD
"It used to be the most fun when we were all homeschooled," Avery said to JD. "I was still too young at the time when Mom taught the boys, and I was just starting to learn my power... but they'd all be murmuring the answers in their heads, and I could hear it."
JD grinned.
"And," she added. "I could also hear the RIGHT answer in Mom's head."
Isaac and Zac
"And what has this taught her? If you wait long enough not only will someone provide the answer for her, but she can also say it just before they do and get the credit for it," Zac nodded.
"Sneaky," Isaac said. "Very sneaky."
Avery and JD
"Although," Avery continued. "I've never used it to cheat in school. Not purposely anyway. At the Space Station, people think answers during a test really loudly. I think they forget there is actually a telepath in the room."
JD nodded. "I suppose it's a hazard of the trade."
Isaac and Zac
"I don't know," Isaac said. "These people who think loudly. The nerve of them."
"Says the one with a telepathic shield," Zac retorted.
Avery and JD
"Dare me to break it?" Avery joked.
"You could do that?" JD asked. "Even if it's not yours?"
Avery thought for a moment. "I probably could. It would take a bit more work, but I'm sure I could do it."
Isaac and Zac
"Do it! Do it!" Zac encouraged.
"Umm, y'know, I found this most useful in umm..." Isaac coughed.
He was going to mention keeping Craig's filthly mind out of his but...
"Foiling the plans of evil telepaths everywhere," he finished lamely.
Avery and JD
"Yeah, you're lucky you had it," Avery told Ike. "Actually, it's not a bad idea for me to give all of you guys one."
"Does that include me?" JD asked.
Avery grinned. "If you want one."
Isaac and Zac
"Cool!" Zac exclaimed. "Ah ha! You won't be the only one with a shield."
He pointed at Isaac.
"I never claimed I was," Isaac replied.
"Oh yeah? Well, well, umm, shut up."
"You're weird."
"Why, thank you."
Avery and JD
Avery shrugged. "It's just a thought."
"Guess it can't hurt... unless you make it hurt," JD said, looking at her suspiciously.
Isaac and Zac
"Naw, Avie wouldn't do a thing like that," Zac said, then paused. "Would you?"
Isaac chuckled.
Avery and JD
"Not unless you were mean to me," Avery said, after thinking for a moment.
"Isn't it like... unethical though?" JD questioned.
"Probably."
Isaac and Zac
"But that's not fair," Zac wailed in mock-distress. "I'm your brother! I'm supposed to be mean to you! It's like an unwritten law."
"So melodramatic," Isaac mused.
Avery and JD
"And then by that same unwritten law, I'm allowed to be mean to you," Avery pointed out. "Being that we're siblings and all."
JD grinned. "She has a point."
Isaac and Zac
"Yes," Isaac agreed. "Yes she does."
Zac opened his mouth to respond, then closed it, then opened it again. And closed it.
"You look like a fish," Isaac observed.
"Yeah, well, you look like a horse. And also," Zac went on looking at Avery, "just because I'm mean to you sometimes doesn't mean I try to hurt you. So there."
Avery
No, that was true, but over the years, she had heard hurtful thoughts from everyone, things they probably never meant, but for a second had thought. And that was truly enough to damage a psyche, when you thought about it properly...
Avery gave Zac a smile.
Smiling seemed to do the trick for everything.
Isaac and Zac
"Ah ha!" Zac said. "You have no response to that! Mwahaha! Zac wins again."
Isaac patted Zac on the head.
"Don't do that!"
"Why not?"'
"Because I hate it."
A twinkle appeared in Isaac's eye.
Avery and JD
"But Zac, you're so special," Avery said, with a perfectly straight face.
JD looked amused.
Isaac and Zac
"Yes," Isaac grinned. "He's very 'special'."
Zac looked at all of them with a dark expression, which abruptly lit up.
"Yes, yes I am. Just like everyone else."
Avery and JD
Avery looked at JD and then burst out laughing.
"Yes. You are."
Isaac
Isaac shot Avery a curious look for her burst of laughter.
"Private joke?" he asked.
Avery and JD
"Well," Avery began, shooting JD a cheeky glance.
"No, don't! It'll ruin everyone's perception of me being clever," JD protested.
"I told JD he was special and he tried to turn it around like Zac did, except he said 'Yeah, I am special, just like no one else!'."
Isaac and Zac
Isaac chuckled.
"Ah ha!" Zac grinned. "I have succeeded where others have not."
Avery and JD
"In lamenosity," Avery said, nodding her head. "Which is a step below lameness, which is where JD is."
"Gee, anyone would think you hated me," JD joked.
Isaac and Zac
"I'm hurt," Zac said. "You think I'm lame."
"Actually, I believe she said that JD is lame. You're worse. You're enormously lame," Isaac nodded.
"That statement was enormously lame."
"I was just making sure you understood me."
Avery and JD
"Well," Avery said, glancing at JD. "We should probably go."
JD looked down at his watch. "Oh yeah, I told Mum we wouldn't be late."
Isaac and Zac
"Aww," Zac said. "And we were just getting to know one another."
"Dork," Isaac called Zac, then stood up to give Avery a hug. "It's been great catching up."
Avery and JD
Avery and JD both stood, and Avery went to Ike for the hug.
JD reached his hand out to shake Zac's.
Isaac and Zac
"Take care of yourself," said Isaac to Avery before pulling away from the hug. "Drop in anytime."
Zac shook JD's hand.
"'Twas good to meet you. Also, if you hurt Aves, I'll kill you."
"That's a great way to say good bye to someone," Isaac rolled his eyes.
"What? Hey no one hurts my little sister and gets away with it. I'm just letting JD know that Avie just needs to point the finger and whammo! He's gone."
Isaac shook his head and held out his own hand to JD.
Avery and JD
"Have fun on tour," Avery said to her brothers, reaching over to hug Zac. "I'm only a thought away. Well... not for you, Ike. Although... if you really projected, I could possibly hear it. We'll have to test that theory out."
JD held his hands up in mock defence, then lowered them to shake Ike's offered one. "Hey, not planning to hurt her. But if I do, I will deserve the beating."
Isaac and Zac
"I'll hold you to that," Zac said omniously.
Isaac gave JD's hand a frim shake, then turned to Avery.
"Sounds like an interesting idea. We'll definitely need to try it sometime."
Avery and JD
Avery and JD had made their way over to the door.
"See ya guys," Avery said, waving before turning and opening the door.
"Nice to meet you," JD put in.
And then they were gone.
Yes, I know, this doesn't actually happen for two more years, but whatever. Details, details.