Hey Guys! So, this is a little different to all my other one shots. Instead of having a Gabriella/Troy reunion story, this is set in the future, where they are married and are celebrating Christmas time. So, when I chose the names for some of Troy's daughter's friends, I chose a friends name and a random name off of the baby names website and then I realised after I had picked them, they were a character from Hairspray and the person who plays her. Unintentional, I swear, but I didn't want to change them.
I hope you enjoy this one shot and Merry Christmas to all!!
Disclaimer: All I want for Christmas is...to own High School Musical...ah well I'll have to deal with just owning the DVD!
"Gabriella! Have you seen my shirt? I'm going to be late for work!" Troy Bolton, 37, shouted down the stairs to his wife of nineteen years; Gabriella Bolton nee Montez.
It was the last day of the school term and if he was late again, the principal would have his head; even if it was Christmas. Some people just didn't understand that being on time when living in this family was just impossible. Troy, despite what most would have thought, was not the basketball coach but instead the English teacher and home room tutor for his daughter, Natalie's class. English, like singing, had always been a secret passion of Troy's and when it came to choosing his major, he decided to be an English teacher. But at seven o'clock in the morning on the 20th December of this year; he regretted it.
"Check the laundry basket!" She yelled back up to him.
Troy walked across the landing from the banister to his bedroom and checked the clean laundry basket where his and Gabriella's freshly laundered clothes were piled high. Not even looking, he pulled one out and shouted down to his wife, "Found it! Are the kids nearly ready?"
Gabriella arrived at the top of the stairs just as Troy was doing his tie. She grabbed the tie from his hands and put it around his neck before beginning to do it up, "They're up but they are nowhere near ready for school. Well, the oldest two aren't," Gabriella quipped.
"Those damn kids," Troy muttered as Gabriella finished his tie. He kissed Gabriella and made his way to the doorway before shouting, "Jack and Natalie Bolton, get your asses into gear and get ready for school!"
"Yes Daddy!" Came Natalie's reply and a grunt came from Jack's room.
"I'll never understand what takes them so long," Troy told Gabriella.
She shook her head and was about to reply when Natalie's voice yelled, "Get the hell out of my room, dill hole!"
"Jack," Troy groaned as he marched out of his room; Gabriella on his heels and into his teenage daughter's room.
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"Don't call me a dill hole you little twerp," Jack retorted as he walked across Natalie's bedroom, looking around nosily.
"Then get the hell out," Natalie's piercing blue eyes narrowed dangerously as she spoke menacingly at her brother.
"I think not, Nat. I need to borrow some hair gel," He replied coolly before prowling through the beauty products in Megan's en suite bathroom.
"Hi! I'm a human being, what are you?" Natalie shouted sarcastically, "Get the hell out of my room Jack!" Natalie glared at her brother and pointed furiously at the exit.
"Don't get your knickers in a twist," He smirked, grabbing the hair gel, "Thanks for this; I'll see you," he waved lazily and moved from the bathroom and past an irate sixteen year old Natalie Bolton.
"Not so fast lug less; give me my stuff back," She demanded.
"Jesus Natalie, it's just a bit of hair gel. Can't you learn to share with your charming older brother?" He said sarcastically, with a fake pout.
"Why you little-" Natalie began and started furiously towards her big brother, trying to grab the item but was intercepted by her Father's arms. He held her back to prevent a murder at seven o'clock in the morning, "Daddy! Let me go!" She said furiously.
"Natalie, don't kill your brother. It's nearly Christmas," Gabriella said with a hint of amusement from beside her son.
"He deserves it," Natalie glowered, "Oh he's so infuriating,"
"That doesn't sound like me," Jack said seriously to his Mother. She nodded and Troy rolled his eyes at Gabriella.
"It's exactly like you! You annoy me to no end! You steal my stuff and urgh! God I could just murder you sometimes!" Natalie was red in the face with anger, ready to pounce again at any minute.
"Jack, what have you done now?" Troy asked with a sigh, regretting asking the question the minute the words fell out of his mouth.
"Nothing," He grumbled.
"Everything! Daddy, he just violated my personal space, waltzed in here and stole my stuff. Make him give it back!"
"Jack, give the," Troy paused, looked down to his son's hand and rolled his eyes, "Hair gel back," He finished.
"I need it," He replied desperately.
"Jack for God's sake, why do you always have to steal your sister's stuff when there is plenty in the main bathroom. Give it back now and go and get the other one," Troy demanded, before rubbing his eyes; the feeling of a migraine was beginning to form.
"Why should I? That thing over there should just learn to share," Jack smirked, enjoying seeing his sister about to explode.
"I'll share my fist with your face if you don't shut up," Natalie growled.
"Shut don't go up, prices do," Jack retorted with an immature 'so there' hand movement.
Natalie grabbed her straightening iron from her vanity and pointed it furiously at her brother, "That won't be the only thing going up if you don't give me my stuff back and get the hell out of my face, Jack!" Her eyes darted down wards and she made gestures with her straightners that would burn her brother's butt for a long time if he didn't stop being annoying.
"You wouldn't dare," He tested her.
"Want to make a bet, loser?" She spat.
"No one is making any bets in this household!" Troy shouted before forcing the straightners from his daughter's grasp, "Unless it's to bet how long I am going to ground both of your asses if you don't shut the hell up, get ready for school and meet me in the car in ten minutes!"
"But Daddy-" Natalie began.
"No buts, Natalie! Ten minutes or you get the bus and for Christ's sake Jack, take that damned smirk off your face, give your sister her stuff back and get your butt into gear!" Troy left the room with a shocked Gabriella right behind him.
Jack threw the hair gel onto her bed, smirked at his red faced sister and left the room. After screaming into her pillow, she put her dark blonde curls up into a loose pony tail and gelled her loose curls into place. She put on a hint of mascara and eyeliner to accent her beautiful blue eyes, some lip gloss and a hint of green eye shadow. Natalie was tall, very beautiful and smart. As Troy always said, she's just like her Mother except for her eye and hair colour. Not to mention her own tanned looking skin. She may be like her Mother in academics but she was just like Troy for mannerisms.
After finishing her make-up she looked herself over once more in the mirror before pulling on her jacket, grabbing her book bag and flying down the stairs into the kitchen.
"Your Father has honked three times, hurry it up Natalie," Gabriella warned her daughter.
"Is the dill hole ready yet?" She asked as she grabbed her lunch money from the counter and an apple from the fruit bowl.
"He's still upstairs," Gabriella replied, "JACK! GET DOWN HERE NOW!" She screeched up the stairs.
"I'm coming Mom!" He yelled before running down the stairs and flying out the front door.
"Give him his lunch money and an apple will you, Nat? He'd forget his head if it wasn't screwed on," Gabriella requested of her eldest daughter.
"Why should I? Maybe if I don't, he'll starve and die, but I mustn't get my hopes up," She quipped sarcastically as she took the money and apple from her Mother's hands.
"Natalie, don't be mean," Gabriella scolded in her warning voice before shooing her daughter towards the door, "Now, your sister is already in the car. Tell your Dad that as soon as I've taken your little brother to the Middle school, I'm going out shopping for last minute Christmas presents and that I'll be late home. I've made sure Tay can pick up Preston when she picks up Julie, so all he needs to do is get dinner ready and make sure you and Jack don't kill each other," Gabriella chuckled.
"Yes Mom," Natalie said dutifully before rolling her eyes at her Mum and opening the front door.
Troy honked again and shouted something that couldn't be repeated, "You'd better run along before your Dad blows a gasket. I love you, have a good day," With that, Gabriella pushed her daughter out of the door.
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"Sorry Dad, Mom was flapping her gums," Natalie apologised as she climbed in the back of her Dad's Land Rover and sat next to Jack. Her younger sister, a freshman at East High School was in the front beside her Dad.
"Let's just go," He huffed.
"Oh yeah, Daddy, Mum says to say that she's taking Preston to school and then she'll be last minute Christmas shopping until late. You'll have to cook dinner and Taylor is picking Preston up when she picks up Julie," Natalie relayed the message.
"Great, so it's take out pizza for dinner then," Jack grinned.
"Not funny jerk face, Dad can cook," Natalie snapped.
"Guys, can't you go like five minutes without arguing? For your poor old Dad?" Troy begged of them.
"Fine," They grumbled.
"Daddy, are we having pizza?" Morgan Bolton piped up.
"Yes," Troy mumbled admitting defeat as he parked in his parking space at the high school. His cooking was atrocious.
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"Hey Britt, hey Amber" Natalie greeted her best girl friends Brittany Danforth and Amber Baylor, "Where's Ben?" She asked referring to their other best friend, Benjamin Cross.
"The Library," Amber replied, rolling her brown eyes. Amber was the perfect mix of her Mother, Sharpay Evans Baylor and her Father, Zeke Baylor. She has light brown skin, light brown hair with blonde low lights added and chocolate brown eyes. She's tall like Zeke and a drama queen like Sharpay.
"This early and on the last day too?" Natalie asked incredulously, they both nodded as the grabbed their books out of their lockers, "That boy just gets weirder and weirder," Natalie commented.
"Tell me about it," Britt nodded, "Urgh, double biology after homeroom," She groaned, gently banging her head on her now closed locker. Britt, the African American girl out of the group was just as smart as her Mother, Taylor Danforth but hated school just like her Father, Chad Danforth. As the joker of the group, you could always count on Britt for a lift, especially in a triple Urgh lesson like double biology.
"Can this day get any worse?" Nat moaned.
"Twerp, give me my lunch money," Eighteen year old, senior Jack Bolton barked at his little sister, as he approached their group. Jack Troy Bolton was almost an exact replica of Troy. His hair was short and dark blonde (Think HSM1 Colour and HSM2 Length). He skin looked tanned because of the mix of his Mother and Father's skin tones but unlike all of his other siblings, his blue eyes had the smallest tints of brown in them, making them look almost green. He was very tall, almost as tall as his Dad and was Captain of the basketball team. His Father through and through.
"There's the answer to your question, Nat," Amber snickered.
She pulled it out of her pocket and handed it over, "Maybe you shouldn't forget it, dweeb,"
"Maybe you should just stuff it, loser," Jack came back pathetically.
"Ooo good comeback witless. Are you always this stupid or you making a special effort today?" Natalie mocked as her brother flipped her the bird and walked away towards his latest girlfriend. Cookie or Candy or something like that; Natalie could never keep up with her brother's baked goods or girls. Whatever, they were the same thing these days.
"He's so yummy," Amber mumbled.
"He's a moron is what he is," Natalie sniped, "I'm surprised I didn't murder him this morning,"
"Don't sweat it Nat," Britt told her as they moved towards Troy's homeroom class, "He's just doing it to wind you up. Cheer up; it's the last day before winter vacation,"
"There is that," She grinned before walking into the empty classroom with her friends. The bell rang and the class began filling up with students, but still no Ben.
Troy made his way into the classroom and called for quiet, "All right, settle down. I know that it's the last day but the quicker we get sorted, the quicker we can all get out of here," Everyone grumbled and took their seats. Troy took out the register and began roll call, "Chris Anderson,"
"Yes Sir," He replied.
"Amber Baylor," Troy called out.
"Yes Sir," She grinned up at the man she had grown up considering an Uncle.
"Natalie Bolton," Troy smiled slyly as he called out his daughter's name. He waited and waited but she didn't reply. She was too busy recalling the kiss she had received from her new boyfriend, Justin Roberts.
"So how was it?" Britt was eager to know.
"Out of this world. I mean, we've kissed before but it was always closed mouth. They were nothing compared to this kiss though. I mean it was so-"
"As interesting as my teenage daughter's tonsil sports are; could you please pay attention Natalie and answer your name in the register?" Troy barked across the classroom.
Nat shrank a couple of inches into her seat and went bright red, "Sorry Daddy," She replied meekly.
"Okay, let's try again shall we?" She nodded, "Natalie Bolton," He repeated.
"Yes Sir," She whispered up at him.
"Benjamin Cross," Troy called out, getting on with the job he was paid to do, "Ben?" He called out again. He didn't have long to wait though, Ben came tumbling through the door, looking red and flustered, "Ahh, nice of you to join us, Mr Cross," The class snickered.
"Sorry Sir. I was in the Library and I lost track of time," He apologised lamely.
"Fascinating," Troy drawled sarcastically, "Take your seat Mr Cross," Ben nodded and took his seat in front of Natalie. Troy finished the register without much more interruption and soon, the bell rang for first period. (A/N: I'm not American so I don't know how long Home Room is. In our schools, it's called registration and it lasts long enough to take the register and make notices)
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"Dad, what on earth are we waiting for?" Nat groaned as she sat in her Dad's office after school.
"Your brother and sister," He replied shortly.
"What are they doing?" She asked as she played with the dead ends in her hair, bored to tears.
"Jack has basketball practice and Morgan's at Gymnastics," Troy replied blankly as he marked some mid terms.
"What about Preston? Nobody's going to be home when Taylor drops him off," She pointed out.
"He's going to stay at Taylor's until we get back," Troy replied impatiently, "Jesus, Natalie, what's with all of the questions?"
"I'm soooooo bored Daddy! What's taking them so long?"
"If you're so bored, maybe we can talk about you and Justin Roberts?" Troy looked over at Nat and saw that she had gone bright red.
"Why do you want to know?" She asked quickly.
"More questions," Troy grumbled, "I just wanted to know how serious it is," He replied.
"Not very," She replied suspiciously.
"Oh?" He asked, looking at her with that look in his eyes that told her she was in trouble, "So why was it so important for you to interrupt me this morning?"
"I'm sorry Daddy," She replied meekly, not answering his question.
"You know my home room rules, Natty;" He told her firmly, "Social life is for outside the classroom,"
She nodded, "I would have told her but Jack was bugging me again," She whined.
"And you couldn't wait ten minutes to tell her on the way to your next class?" He asked exasperatedly.
"I didn't think of that, Daddy," She looked down, "I'm sorry,"
"I know you are," He nodded, "But you're still grounded tonight,"
"What?! But Daddy! Justin was supposed to be taking me out tonight and all I did was interrupt the stupid register!" She got to her feet and began her tirade against her Dad.
Troy held up his hand to silence her, "Don't bother Natalie, I'm not interested. Besides, you aren't grounded because of home room. You and Jack are grounded tonight, for that stupid tiff you had this morning," Her mouth formed a silent 'o', "And well, you are just going to have to cancel your date,"
"Oh Daaaaaaaad!" She moaned.
"Don't test me Natalie," He warned.
"Fine," She huffed.
"Hey Dad," Jack greeted as he entered the room with Morgan.
"Hi Daddy," She smiled.
"Shall we get going then?" Troy asked as he packed away his things, "By the way Jack, I hope you don't have any plans for tonight," He added.
"Yes, I do. Jessica and I are supposed to be going to this party at Kyle's," He replied as they made their way out of the room and towards the car.
"I don't think so," Nat sang at him.
"Well I do," Jack retorted, "It's the senior Christmas party and if I miss it, my social status is done for,"
"Too bad," Nat answered back, "You're grounded,"
"Am not!" He protested.
"Are too!" Nat cried.
"Am-" He began but was cut off by Troy when they reached Troy's car.
"Yes you are, Jack. No party for you tonight," Troy said firmly.
"Dad, you've got to be kidding me. I haven't even done anything wrong!" Jack yelled.
"Don't raise your voice to me, Jack Troy Bolton!" Troy growled at his son, "Both you and Natalie are grounded tonight because of your immature behaviour this morning," Jack opened his mouth to protest, "End of discussion!" Troy said forcefully.
"Dad, you suck," Jack muttered.
"Shut up, Jack and get in the car," Troy told his son harshly.
Jack glared at his Dad and got in the back, as far away as he could. Morgan sat next to her brother and Natalie got in the front seat, "Don't whine Jack, I was supposed to be going out with Justin but I'm grounded too so you'll just have to deal,"
"Go jump off a cliff, Natalie," Jack spat at his sister.
"Why don't you, and see if you can find your brains at the bottom of it!" She yelled. Troy sighed as he pulled out of the car park. His children would never learn and he was getting tired of telling them.
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"Hey Troy," Gabriella greeted her husband as she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, "Pizza again?" Gabriella groaned as she noticed the slices that had been left for her dinner.
"Deal with it, Gabs. I can't cook," Troy laughed as he finished the dishes.
"Where are the Kids?" She asked.
"Preston is outside playing basketball, Morgan is upstairs starting her Winter break homework and Nat and Jack are sulking in their rooms," He replied.
"Why?" She wondered as her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"I grounded them because of their behaviour this morning and they both had plans," He shrugged.
"You grounded them just for that, Troy?" Gabriella asked exasperatedly.
"Just for that?" He asked in disbelief, "Gabs, if we don't act now, they might actually kill each other one of these days! And even after this morning's little tumble they started again in the car and I've had it up to here with them," He put his hand up to his temple.
"They're teenagers, Troy. They argue, it's what they do," Gabriella told him.
"I know but why should we listen to it? Besides, they aren't respecting us and it's only for one night. If they finally realise that they won't get what they want by arguing they won't lose date nights and parties," Troy explained wisely.
"I suppose you're right, it is only one night after all. They'll just have to deal," Troy nodded smugly.
"GET LOST YOU MORON!" Troy and Gabriella groaned as they heard the unmistakeable voice of their teenage daughter.
"Will they ever stop?" Troy whined as he and Gabriella headed up the stairs.
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"I know Justin, I hate it too but I can't help that my brother is a loser and got us both grounded," She giggled as she heard his reply, "Shut up," She laughed, twirling her hair around her finger, "No way, get out of here," She said flirtatiously into her cell phone, "Oh I'll miss you too, baby," She nodded although he couldn't see her, "You are so sweet, Justin, no I'll miss you more, no-no I'll miss you more,"
"Miss what? Your ugly face?" Jack smirked from the doorway.
"I have to go, Justin. Some trash needs taking out," She snapped her cell phone shut and yelled at her brother, "GET LOST YOU MORON!"
"Make me," He snapped.
"Get out or else," She growled.
He laughed her off, "Or what? You'll have your little snookums come and beat me up? Don't make me laugh,"
"Get.Out.Now," She gritted her teeth, "Or I'll castrate you,"
"I'm so scared," He mocked her.
"DADDY!" She yelled.
"Oh you're going to tell on me now?" He laughed at her, "How pathetic," He finished just before both of their parents came into the room.
"What's going on in here?" Gabriella asked, exasperated.
"He's listening to my phone calls and making fun of me," Natalie accused.
"Natalie, you shouldn't be using your cell phone when you are grounded," Gabriella told her firmly before taking her cell phone away.
"I know, but I only called Justin to cancel our date," She whined.
"Fine," Gabriella nodded, "Now, Jack, why are you winding your sister up?"
"Because I'm bored," He smirked.
"Take that smirk off of your face, Jack," Troy warned him.
"God, this sucks! Dad, why are we even grounded? We're always like this!" Jack protested.
"Because I said so and I'm the parent so what I say goes," Troy answered.
"Daddy, let me castrate him," Natalie pleaded.
"No castration! No arguments and NO MORE YELLING!" Troy shouted at his children.
"You're yelling," Jack muttered.
"I don't care! I'm allowed to!" Troy yelled, "If you can't get along, stay out of each other's way,"
"For God's sake, it's nearly Christmas, you guys and I won't allow you to ruin it for everyone else with your pathetic arguing. Why can't you just get along?" Gabriella cried in frustration at both of her children.
"I'm sorry," Jack apologised.
"But you aren't! You can't be or you wouldn't keep defying us!" Troy snapped at his son, "Now, things are going to change around here. I want you to go downstairs, sit in the living room and talk until you find something you can agree upon and if I hear one raised voice I'm going to ground both of you for the rest of your lives and I mean it!" Troy finished his tirade and marched them both downstairs, where he and Gabriella left them to their own devices hoping for the best.
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"This sucks," Jack commented after twenty minutes of silence.
"Finally something we agree on," Natalie drawled.
"Why do we even have to do this? We've never got on! What's so different about now?" Jack whined.
"I'm guessing it's because they are sick of it," Nat replied sarcastically.
"Why do you have to be so sarcastic?" He asked annoyed.
"Why do you have to be so annoying?" She retorted.
"Why do you always answer a question with a question?" He snapped.
"Why do you?" She countered.
"You know what? This isn't working! We will never get along," Jack pointed out, "We don't have anything in common,"
"That's not true," Natalie shook her head, "We have something in common,"
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"How long until the shouting starts do you reckon?" Gabriella asked Troy from their bedroom.
"Five minutes tops," He replied with a sigh.
"This isn't going to work is it?" She wondered, dejected.
"Not a chance," Troy agreed, "But it was worth a try," He smiled awkwardly.
"Well, if they can't get along then we'll just have to keep them out of each other's way," Gabriella suggested.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Troy crossed his fingers in hope.
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Christmas Day
"Tay, Chad" Gabriella smiled as she greeted her friends at the door on Christmas day. After dinner, everyone was arriving at Troy and Gabriella's house for drinks and more presents.
"How are things?" Taylor asked.
"Well everything's gone pretty smooth actually but Troy and I are just waiting for a blow up," She said honestly.
"What do you mean, Gab?" Chad asked.
"It's just Jack and Natalie. They've been arguing a lot lately and Troy and I just snapped and put them together in a room to try and work through their differences. So far, there have been no arguments and Troy and I are just waiting for the other shoe to drop I guess," Gabriella shrugged.
"Maybe you should just hope for the best instead of the worst," Taylor said.
"Yeah, maybe," She shrugged it off, "Well, Sharpay, Zeke, Ryan, Martha, Jason and Kelsi are all in the living room. Come on through," Gabriella lead the way.
"Where are your kids guys?" Troy asked Taylor and Chad when they reached the living room.
"Amber and Julie all went round back. They heard your kids round there," Chad replied.
Troy looked up at Gabriella and they both recognised that they were most likely arguing so they both excused themselves and walked through to the kitchen and looked out of the back door, "I don't believe it," Troy gasped.
"Me either," Gabriella agreed.
Both of them made their way outside and watched.
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"Wow! Nat, that's a great jump shot. Who taught you that?" Jack asked, amazed as he came out of the backdoor after watching Natalie playing basketball with Preston, Morgan and Amber Baylor.
"Dad, who else?" She shrugged.
"I thought you hated basketball," He said thoughtfully.
"I used to hate it, but Daddy showed me how to play and I have to say, I'm pretty darn good," She smirked.
"Yeah, you really are," He smiled at his sister.
"Whoa! Hold the phone, Bolton. Did you just compliment me twice?"Natalie asked, astonished.
"Yeah, so what?" He shrugged as he threw a ball into the hoop.
"I didn't think that you hated me," She admitted honestly.
Jack looked over at her and his facial expression softened. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, "I've never hated you, Nat. I just like annoying you. It's my role as the big brother," She smiled up at him, "I never meant to upset you, I just liked it when we fought because we were bonding. As strange as it seems, I love you little sister and I'm sorry," Amber had tears in her eyes as she and the younger Bolton's watched on.
"Thanks Jack and for what it's worth, I don't hate you either and I'm sorry too. But please, no more fighting, I'm sick of upsetting Mom and Daddy," Natalie said before pulling away from the hug.
"Deal," He grinned, holding out his hand for her to shake. She nodded and shook his hand, "Now, how about we play a little ball?" He suggested happily.
"Jack, there are five of us, it'll be uneven," Natalie pointed out.
"Hold on," He ran inside the house and came out a minute later with Ben Cross in tow, "Now there are six. Let's play a little three on three,"
"Better make it four on four, Bolton," Came Britt's voice from the side gate. She and her little sister, Julie was standing there, "Teams?" She asked.
"Me, Nat, Morgan and Preston versus Ben, Amber, Britt and Julie. Bolton's versus everybody else," Jack suggested with a grin.
"It's on Bolton," Ben smirked before taking the ball from Jack and beginning the game.
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"Yes!" Natalie shouted as she hi-fived her brother, "And that is game, suckers," She taunted the other four.
"Don't go and cry now; it's respectable to loose to us Bolton's," Jack laughed, "By the way sis, nice three pointer at the end there. I couldn't have done it better myself," Jack hugged her shoulders.
"Well, I do have some mad skills, bro," She grinned, "As do you,"
"Alright, once you two have finished kissing each other's butts, you'll realise that the rest of us are going inside because it is bloody freezing out here!" Amber yelled over at Jack and Natalie before heading into the house, past Troy and Gabriella who had huge smiles on their face, "Hey Uncle Troy, Aunt Gabi," She greeted as she passed them.
"Did you see that jump shot that I made at the start of the game, Nat? It was wicked," Jack said as he steered his sister towards the door by her shoulders.
"I saw it, it was pretty great," Natalie agreed, "Oh hey Mom, hey Dad," She waved at them.
"Hey Mom! Hey Dad!" Jack greeted them.
"What's going on out here?" Troy asked in disbelief.
"Dad, if you don't know what basketball is then I have no idea how the hell you became captain in high school," Nat joked.
"Not the basketball, Nat," Troy shook his head, "I meant between you two. How come there's no arguing and you are actually getting along?"
"Oh, well, when you sent us to talk to each other the other day we realised that we both have something major in common," Jack started.
"It was that we both loved you guys and If we carried on arguing it would upset you and neither of us wanted that and I guess we've found common ground in basketball," Natalie finished.
"Finally, you realised that!" Gabriella sighed in relief.
"Yeah, well we also realised that we are brother and sister and even though we annoy the hell out of each other sometimes, we love each other and we should get on," Natalie added.
"So, no more arguments?" Troy asked hopefully, "Never?"
"Come on, Dad. Never say never," Jack grinned, "We got to have an argument once in a while, just for fun," He laughed.
"But we promise we won't try to kill each other anymore," Natalie pointed out.
"Yeah, it's our Christmas present to you guys," Jack smirked before pulling Natalie away and into the house.
"Hey! We want a real present you know!" Troy shouted after them.
"Oh give it up Troy. This is by far the best present they've ever given us," Gabriella smiled sweetly up at her husband.
"Ahh, yes, the gift of peace is an extraordinary gift," Troy joked.
"No, you dolt," Gabriella smacked him playfully, "Their respect,"
"Huh?" He asked confused.
"By doing this for us, they've shown us their respect for us and each other," She explained.
"Yeah I guess," Troy shrugged, "I'd still prefer that barbeque that they promised me."
"Aww, poor Troy," Gabriella pouted playfully, "Would you settle for a kiss off of your old wife?"
"You'll never be old, Gab," Troy laughed, "And yes I would," He leant down and kissed her softly, "Merry Christmas, Gabriella. I love you,"
"I love you too Troy," Gabriella hugged him, "Merry Christmas,"
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Okay, so this was a bit different but I hope you all liked it! I'll be updating Rocky Reunions and Take a Chance on Thursday or Friday I think because i'm at my Mom's for Xmas.
Please review and Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to all!!!
Stacey xxxxx