A/N: Yeah, so, in today's news, my mother is doing great. Her surgery went fantasic, they didn't even completely put her under. Radiation treatment started today, but she should be just fine. Thanks for all the love and support, and keep reading my stuff because it warms my heart.

Alec and Vert high fived and did their stupid secret handshake, just like always.

"Oh, man, what a year!" Alec said with a laugh. "Touring the country, skating and surfing, hanging with awesome bands—and righteous babes!!"

"Life has been good to us," Vert agreed. "I can't believe how quickly time flies by."

"Did I mention the babes?" Alec asked. "Seriously, Vert, I don't think you were paying attention when I said righteous babes. There were so many babes!!"

Vert laughed. "Alec, you think about chicks way too much."

"And you don't think about chicks enough. I'm starting to worry you might be gay." Vert scowled, but this was just the response Alec was looking for. "I'm just messing with you, Vert. Anyway, I know there was one girl you were thinking about. Every second of every minute—"

"Alec."

"—of every hour—"

"Shut up, Alec!"

"—of every day," he finished.

Vert scowled. Finally, he called to his brother. "Mikki, can I borrow your fangs?"

"Not if you're going to bite Alec!" the Goth twin called.

Vert swore under his breath. Alec looked him over carefully, soon after shifting his gaze to Mikki. He shook his head. "It's still so weird that there are two of you," he muttered. "Wait, why does he have fake fangs?"

"Mikki's going to meet his vampy girlfriend later. You know how weird he is about bringing dates home."

"Probably because he doesn't want us to see the puncture wounds."

Alec laughed at his own joke and immediately regretted it. Vert gaped at him, absolutely horrified, and Alec realized that while what he said had been funny, it was also true. The pair shivered.

It had taken more than a while to get used to the idea of a second son of Jack Wheeler existing, much less that he was so dramatically different than his brother. Pale of skin and dark of thought, Mikki had been born Gustav Yuri Wheeler and switched with another child in the hospital, forcing him to grow up in Madam Olga's Home for Unwanted Children under the name Mikhail Ilyich Kalishnikova. The life had been devastating, and the boy would not have made it out alive were it not for an actual suicide attempt. He ended up in a psych center, and later, a caring foster family made up of an aging Beatnik, his Flower Person wife, and an older but smaller and weaker boy named Angie.

Speaking of whom, Alec yelped as the little drummer boy's face peered down at him from a boulder. Angie was hanging upside down from the miniature cliff by his bare toes and grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Angie was always doing things like that. He just couldn't help himself; he was, after all, crazy as a loon in June. Occasionally, he would walk on his hands, commune with animals or even talk to people who were not actually there. But he never harmed a soul. Angie Halloran was weird, but he was also a firm believer in nonviolence and love of all creatures.

"We seriously need to find you a babysitter," Alec said.

"Babysitters have way too much authority in this society," Angie said, dropping down, standing up, and brushing himself off. "And authority is a power trip."

"You're weird."

"Why, yes, I am. Thank you for noticing." He grinned wildly, bouncing his eyebrows. "Now let's go party!!"

Alec gave a cry of surprise as young man grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the site of a very large bonfire. Situated a safe distance away were the various vehicles of only the closest friends of the Foundlings. It had been just over two years since "Get Lost" hit the market; it was a screaming success, as was the follow up released nine months later, "Revenge of the Foundlings." Their third studio album, "Desert Moon Apocalypse," was slated for release in two days, and the official release party was the next evening. But it had been so long since Nona, Angie and St. Jimmy got to just hang out with their friends that they decided to have their own party, under the full moon.

Metal Maniacs and Lost Boys filled their little patch of cracked desert earth, and tables covered in food and drinks formed a crescent moon near the catering truck from Pietro's Diner. Originally, they figured Vlad would take care of serving, but the solitary baker had never been much for parties. No, Vlad Girda had sent along three cut ups who commonly worked the dinner shift; three crazy Latverian dudes who loved to party and definitely put passion into their meals.

Porkchop, for one, was not complaining about the change. He ate like a starving Elvis impersonator at a Vegas all-you-can-eat buffet. He might have been a little more polite about his eating habits had he known Lexi Onoprienko, whom he had neglected to call for the past three months, was staring at him so coldly.

Alec planted his feet and pulled back, finally freeing himself from Angie's grip. "Yo, getcha cracker hands off me, you psycho!" He glared at the drummer indignantly for a moment before turning back to Vert. "Seriously, though, Vert. If you like her then just say so. What's the worse that could happen?"

"She could shoot me down in flames in front of everyone here and laugh in my face," he answered, a haunted look in his eyes. "I can't do it, Alec. Not tonight…I'll just wait a little longer, and then—"

"And then it'll be too late. Man, so what if she does say no? You'll never know unless you ask her! I've watched you tear yourself apart over this for two years and I'm sick of it. Cowboy up, Vert! Go talk to her!"

"A coward is incapable of exhibiting love," Angie said wisely. "It is the prerogative of the brave, because to express your feelings is risk. Without taking risks, you gain nothing."

Vert and Alec stared at him blankly. Angie, unperturbed, shrugged and smiled. "No?" he asked. "Ah, well, they can't all be gems."

"Well, how about this one, then?" Mikki asked. "A kick in the ass is still a step forward!"

Alec grinned and gave Mikki a sly look. They ganged up on the other blonde and dragged him toward the picnic table. Angie only smiled and watched the spectacle as Mikki and Alec made a show of laughing and joking to cover up Vert's protests. With a final hearty laugh, they gave Vert a good shove so that he ran into Nona.

Alec and Mikki laughed over the distressed yelps as Vert fell on top of Nona, sending them both to the ground. The blonde blushed, quietly apologizing and getting up.

"Watch it, surf rat!" she hissed, shoving him away as he tried to help her up. Nona rolled her eyes and stomped off.

Vert started to follow her, but the wicked glare she shot him made him think better of it.

Alec Wood to the rescue! "Oh, my goodness, Nona, are you okay?" he asked with phony concern. "Girl, I am so sorry. We were just playing around when we pushed Vert. We didn't mean for him to hit you like that."

"Totally accidental," Mikki chimed in, nodding. "We didn't even see you there. It's just so dark and OH MY GOD!!" His eyes bugged out of his head. "DJALI! YOU PUT THOSE KNIVES DOWN RIGHT NOW!!"

Alec stared in confusion. "He's…he's juggling…"

"Come on. We gotta stop him," Mikki said, grabbing Alec, but the larger young man shook him off.

"I'm not going anywhere near him," he said adamantly. "He's got a knife. In fact, he's got several!"

Yelling for Alec to not be a pansy, Mikki dragged him off. Angie no longer watched them; he now held a long stick and was giggling quietly to himself as he poked and prodded the bonfire.

Porkchop sidled up to Angie and sat. He greet the little drummer boy, who shrugged, smiled, and continued to poke at the fire.

Porkchop was glad to be among friends after being on the road for so long. Still, as he saw how amused Angie was by the flames, he could not help but feel he had forgotten something…

"We need marshmallows," he said suddenly, and went back to the snack table.

Vert shuffled awkwardly and cleared his throat. "Nona…I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to—"

She smiled. "Naw, it's cool, surf rat," she said. "Alec and Mikki already took the blame. What kind of woman would I be if I stayed mad after that?"

"Yeah, I guess…"

"Alec, that's enough!"

"He threw a knife at my head!!"

"Great party huh?"

Nona laughed. "Oh, yeah, totally excellent."

Vert laughed right with her. "Listen, I know you have the company party tomorrow night, but if you're not busy the day after that—"

Nona raise her eyebrow in skepticism.

"—or maybe next Friday? ...Maybe we could go somewhere, just the two of us. It might be nice…"

Vert trailed off, his heart sinking at the look of annoyance that graced Nona's features.

"Vert, you're a nice guy."

"…But?"

"You're not my type," she told him flatly. "I'm sorry, Vert, but I'm just not that into you."

Vert scowled. "Meaning you're still into Jimmy."

"Oh, don't even go there."

"Too late. I went there. I went there and I bought the t-shirt."

Nona glared. "I'm gonna ignore that because I know you're upset." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "You have to understand, I've been friends with Mikki for so long. Dating someone who looked just like him? That would be…weird. Even weirder than dating the real Mikki because you're so not what I'm used to."

"I'm not Mikki!! I'm an entirely different person, dammit!"

"I know, Vert, but there are some things about you two that are absolutely the same."

"There are even more things about us that are absolutely not the same," Vert insisted. He snapped his fingers as the realization dawned on him. "Mikki never could beat you in a race, right? I bet I could."

Nona clenched her teeth and forced a smile. "Oh. Do you now?"

"I do."

"No way.

"Way," he said with a defiant smile. "In fact, our cars are here, so why don't we settle this right now? If I win, you go out with me."

Nona stifled a laugh. "As if that'll ever happen."

"What's the matter? Afraid you'll lose?"

Her eyes burned with rage, and she shook Vert's hand, accepting the challenge.

"I'm gonna tear you a new one, surf rat."

"You're on, brown sugar."

A/N: OHHHH NO! He did NOT just cal her "Brown Sugar!" Oh, Vert has some serious pain coming to him. Teehee. Read and Review, my pretties!!