The house warming (Apartment warming?) went as well as it could have. Tai, Sora, and Kari all fought over Jared the entire time. Joe and Izzy helped Mimi set up Jared's bed and other play things while this was going on. TK spent most of the time apologizing for his brother's rude behavior, saying he has been having lots of issues lately.

"Its okay. He is on his way to being a rock star I don't mind. That's Matt for you." Mimi tried to laugh off most of what he was saying.

"On his way? He is!" TK bellowed back. Yeah, there is your devoted little brother pride. "He should have stayed longer though."

"Honestly, its okay."

"Guys! Time to give Mimi her gifts!" Sora called out, she was holding Jared in front of her and twisting to keep Tai from getting him.

"Right." Joe said as he pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"Awesome!" Kari and TK shouted in unison.

"Prodigious!" Izzy added in.

Joe went first, after retrieving a package from his car, he gave the thin box wrapped in hot pink wrapping to her.

"Do I have to tear the paper? Its such a nice color!" She gingerly took the box from his hold. It wasn't heavy, but it did weigh more than she expected it.

"I'll give you the roll of it some other time." Joe laughed.

"Okay." She slid her fingers under the paper and began to open it.

Everyone was watching with anticipation, well everyone but Tai. He was waiting for Sora to be off guard so he could get Jared back. He always did relate with kids more than he did people his own age.

"Joe you shouldn't have." Inside the wrapping paper was a thin box alright. Cause it contained a brand new pink laptop. "Its too much."

"No! I was debating getting you all the music software, but that will have to be a birthday present." Joe replied happily.

"Maybe your's should have been last, huh?" Tai, who was hovering behind the soft black leather couch, had a very sarcastic look on his face, causing everyone to burst out in laughter.

"Us next!" Kari shoved a tiny box with silver wrapping into Mimi's hands.

"I might just use all this wrapping paper and redo my walls. Its all so pretty." Mimi got the paper off and lifted the lid off the small rectangular box. Inside was a silver bracelet with a heart charm that was made of a soft pink pearl, "Its beautiful."

"Yeah, we had couldn't decide between it and the star one so we closed our eyes and told the sales person to hand us one." TK commented.

"Well I love it." Mimi took a few more seconds to admire the object before the next gift was given to her.

"I hope you enjoy these." Izzy said with a smile as he handed her a lime green bag.

Inside was a 'welcome home' card with a gift certificate to a salon along with a pack of burnable CDs and DVDs.

"Thanks Izzy. That's really sweet." She set the bag at her feet with a gracious smile.

"Tai give her my gift." Sora ordered, bouncing Jared up and down on her knee. Amazingly he gave up crying a long time ago. Mostly because, he loved the funny faces Tai was making behind Sora's back.

"You get up and give it to her. I'll hold Jared while you do."

"Nope."

"Dang it." Tai gave up the argument and went to retrieve both Sora's gift and his.

He gave her Sora's gift, which was in a tall silver bag, first. And it too, was heavier than it looked.

With a sweet smile Mimi opened the bag.

"Oh, Sora! Its so cute!" From the bag, Mimi lifted a white and pink swirled sundress.

"That's not all." Sora dodged another grab from Tai.

With a curious look, Mimi dug further. "Matching Cowboy boots!" Mimi pulled them out and admired the objects. "I haven't owned a pair since elementary school. I cant wait to wear them out."

"I knew you would love them. Tai, you're last." Sora dictated.

"I know." With a sigh Tai handed the small white bag he had over to her.

Mimi opened the bag carefully, you never knew with Tai. Inside was a white bear holding a tiny blue box. Just as carefully, she opened the tiny box.

"Aww, Tai is so adorable." She pulled a tiny silver chain with a silver heart pendant hanging off it, out of the box

"Glad you like it." He muttered bashfully. "It's a locket."

"You guys are really too much. You're gifts are all still on their way over! I feel so bad I cant give them to you tonight." Mimi tried to blink away the rush of tears she felt.

She looked around the living room at the smiles and friendly faces. These were her friends. Why on earth would she ever abandon them over anything?

"I missed you guys so much." She smiled as some tears fell, but were quickly wiped away.

"Aw!" Sora, still holding Jared, crossed the room first and engulfed Mimi in a hug with her free arm. Kari was next taking the free side. Then all the boys gathered round and hugged, leaving just enough room for Jared to not be crushed.

"We missed you too. Now that we have you back, you cant ever leave." Kari squeezed her tighter.

"I don't plan on leaving." Mimi laughed as everyone retracted back to their spots.

"Oh yeah. Here is Matt's gift. He gave it to me to give to you." Tai rummaged in his pocket and pulled a small rectangle that was wrapped in green.

What on earth could Matt have gotten her?

She had to accept it of course, so she extended out her hand and retrieved the package from Tai.

With more caution than before she tore a corner of the paper off; then stopped with a quiet gasp.

"What is it? You know Matt is the trickster and does weird stuff!" Sora tried to peer around Mimi's shoulder, but Mimi put the package down in another bag.

"Oh, its just him being him." Mimi struggled to laugh, trying to hide her heated cheeks.

"You're not going to tell us?" Tai asked with an arched brow, he'd given up almost on Jared and was draped over the back of the couch.

Mimi shook her head, flailing her hair back and forth.

"Oh well." Tai said, but Sora's eyebrow quirked.

"So, tell me all about this came to be." Mimi wanted to change the subject, so she picked Sora and Tai's relationship.

"What?" They asked in unison, Tai propping up to look at her.

"You two." She grinned.

"What?!" Sora boomed.

"No way! She is psycho! I cant handle her. We fought every other day." Tai's arms gave out and he slid forward over the couch; then onto the floor.

"You weren't exactly Mr. Perfection. We couldn't go out for him going to soccer." Sora added in with a sour expression.

The other four guests burst out in laughter at the scene.

"You've been gone far too long." TK laughed out.

"Yeah." Kari agreed, holding onto TK's arm for support.

"Plus she is greedy, take Jared for example. Wont share." Tai had finally managed to regain some composure.

"I will too! Kari, TK, Joe, or Izzy would you like to hold Jared?" Sora offered the surrounding group.

"Yeah!" Kari jumped up first.

"I wanted to play with him." Tai whined.

"Hey," Mimi was trying to suppress her laughter as she petted Tai's freshly tasseled hair, "He is here for the rest of his life, don't worry. He'll need someone to teach him soccer."

With some though Tai answered, "Okay. We start as soon as he can walk."

"So long as you don't hurt him." Mimi leaned back into her recliner.

"I would never!"

"I know."

After another hour of laughing, reminiscing, and passing Jared around it was time for everyone to leave. Well, it was Jared's bed time and it was getting late.

"Thank you guys. I cant wait to hang out again." She bid everyone goodbye with a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

Finally, she could bathe Jared and put him to bed. With a happy attitude she did so, singing happy tunes the entire time.

"Night my Prince." She kissed his sleeping face and lowered him into his crib.

Now she can shower! With eagerness she hurried to the bathroom. After starting the water, she began to remove her clothes. She felt so dirty. Just as she fought her shirt off there was a knock on the door.

"Come on!" She growled and pulled her shirt back on.

She took quick steps into the living room and too the door.

"Who is it?" She yelled.

"Your neighbor." A man's voice called.

"Who?" Why would a neighbor come by this late?

"Matt. Now open the door." She sounded wore out.

After a quick mental argument with herself, she opened the door.

"Welcome home." He walked straight into the living room.

"Can I help you?" She asked, trying to not let the fact her heart was skipping beats show.

"Nah. I've had enough of your help." He was still covered in sweat.

"Then leave and what was with the…..I wouldn't even call it a gift?!" Mimi growled, she just wanted to shove him right back out the door and slam it in his face.

"Oh. Well, I figured you could use them since you're a one-night person." He shrugged and fell onto the couch.

"I'm not a-" She squeezed her first. "Get out. You're rude and not welcome here." She tried to say it with a firm voice.

"And to think I blew off my girlfriend to come and see you." His voice was just as perfect as ever.

"I don't care. You just want to come and annoy me." She countered.

"Is your shower running?" Opps. She'd forgotten about that.

"Awesome. That's just what I need." He lifted from the couch.

"What? No go to your girlfriend's and take a shower!" Mimi followed him as he went through the house.

"I wont be long." He beat her to the door and locked it.

"Matt! Matt get out here now!" She tried to be as quiet as possible…Jared wouldn't go back to sleep if she woke him up.

He didn't respond, "Darn him!"

Frustrated, she marched into the living room and sat on the couch to wait. Where did he get the idea he could just barge into her apartment, get in her shower, and….annoy her? At least she was considering the idea of peace, now she wont even let that thought creep into her mind.

Might as well give him back his stupid present as well. In a huff, she retrieved the small box from the bag she had stowed it in; then returned to her place on the couch.

He'd always been difficult, but as a teenager she thought it was cute trait. Now it was just bothersome to think about.

"That felt amazing. Your dad set you up with a nice place." His voice spooked her out of her mental rant.

"Admire it some other time with more people here." She snapped in response turning to look at him.

She wasn't expecting him to be in only those worn jeans, his naked chest still wet and a white towel resting on his head, from where he had been drying his hair.

"Nothing you haven't seen before." He continued with his hair.

"Why are you such butt-face about that? Its like you're a scorned teenager. Dear Lord." She ripped her eyes away from him and focused on the painting behind his head.

"Butt-face?" He chuckled at her, "Note: I was a teenager who was scorned and left. In case you didn't get the hint, it was kind of a big deal." He stood next to the easy chair, located about four steps from Mimi. At this poin the noticed what was in her hands. "You hoping to use those?"

Snap, "No! Get out!"

"Still as demanding as ever." He sighed.

Just before Mimi could hurl the box at him, there was a knock at the door.

"Now who?" She was getting somewhat overwhelmed.

"Who is it?" she called from her side of the door.

"Tai. I left my jacket." Tai's voice called out.

Before a second passed, Mimi swung the door open and let Tai in.

"Matt?"

"Hey Tai. Showed up just in time-"

"To see Matt, leave." Mimi broke in.

Matt and Mimi stared each other down for a few long hard seconds.

"Yeah. Later." He went back to the bathroom to retrieve his shirt, then stood in the door way. "Keep the gift, you might just need em."

"As if!" She threw the box at him as hard as she could, managing to hit him in the shoulder. "Grow up." With a good push, he was out the door with it slammed in his face.

"Did I miss something?" Tai was standing by the couch, shrugging his jacket up on his shoulders.

"No. Matt being Matt. Could you do me a favor and watch Jared while I take a quick shower? I know I shouldn't ask-"

"Of course! You don't even need to ask! Where is he?"

"In my bedroom at the end of the hall. Thank you so much, Tai." Mimi bowed then scurried to the bathroom to make a second attempt at a bath.

YAY FOR UPDATING!! Please let me know what you think! If you didn't figure out what he gave her, just ask me. LOL

RAWR