Thank you to everyone who reviewed for Chapter One. Especially to Amber Johnston, for assessing the characters and the humor. I'll be sure to do better with Amy and PJ when they return to the story. Anyway, I hope that you like Chapter two and when you finish, let me know what you think. Enjoy!:

Chapter 2

Teddy, Gabe and Charlie sat in the back seat of a taxi headed towards Times Square as the rain began to fall.

"That's not good," said Gabe as he looked out the window. "Do we have our umbrellas? The thing that would make this family vacation more enjoyable would be wandering in the rain."

"I don't know if we have the umbrellas," Teddy replied. "But Gabe, could you at least make an effort to enjoy the trip."

Before her brother could respond, the taxi driver told them that they were almost there and to have the money ready.

Teddy looked at the fare. It was fifty dollars. She sighed and dug into her purse, looking for her wallet. It wasn't there.

Teddy began to panic internally. She feared that someone had stolen it. But as Teddy did a mental replay of the last eighteen hours, she realized that she had left the wallet on her dresser by accident.

Well, that was very smart of me, Teddy thought.

She elbowed her brother. "Hey, Gabe, do you think you would be able to pay the taxi fare?" Teddy asked.

"No," said Gabe. "PJ has my wallet."

"What? Why does he have it?"

Gabe sighed. "Back at the airport, PJ wanted to buy some stupid t-shirt from a vendor that doesn't accept debit or credit cards, so he asked me if I had any cash. I handed him my wallet and naturally, he forgets to give it back," explained Gabe.

Teddy rolled her eyes and leaned forward to speak to the taxi driver.

"Hi, uh, instead of cash, do you accept items in exchange?" asked Teddy "Like Gabe's watch. It's pretty nice!"

"Hey, why mine?" Gabe said.

"Because I'm not the one who just gave my wallet away," answered Teddy.

"Says the girl who leaves hers at home," Gabe fired back.

The taxi suddenly pulled over and screeched to a halt.

Teddy sat back in her seat. "This can't be good."

The taxi driver glared back at the three kids. "Get out of my car!" he seethed.

As the Duncan children unbuckled their seatbelts, Charlie said, "You're mean!"

Teddy, Gabe, and Charlie piled out of the car and stood under an awning the taxi was next to.

The driver reached back, slammed the doors shut, and sped off.

"No!" said Teddy. "He has our bags!"

The door holder to the apartment noticed the three Duncans. "It seems that every time that a taxi driver doesn't get paid, the riders are thrown out here," he said. "Well, it's not like it happens too often."

Gabe noticed that the door holder had a noticeable New York accent.

"Well, now we have no food, clothes, or money and are stuck out in the rain until our father contacts us," said Teddy.

"Oh, I think that I can help you all out there," the door holder said. "My name is Tony, by the way." He held out a hand to shake.

Teddy took it and shook it. "I'm Teddy Duncan and these are my siblings, Gabe and Charlie."

Tony squatted down to Charlie's height. "Why you're quite the cutie," he said.

"Thank you," replied Charlie. "You too."

"Aww, thanks," said Tony as he stood up. "She must have noticed my epaulets."

"Your what?" asked Gabe.

Tony patted his shoulder. "These are my epaulets. Your little sis has a fine taste in clothing"

"Right," said Gabe sarcastically.

"Anyway, follow me," said Tony. He walked into the apartment.

"Where are we going?" asked Teddy as she, Gabe, and Charlie followed the door holder.

When Tony got to the elevator, he pressed a button. "I'm taking you all to a place to stay until the rain stops," he said as the waited for the elevator. "Maybe even longer. In have a feeling that you'll get along with the Rosses."

The elevator doors opened and the four of them stepped in. After the doors closed, Tony pressed a button and the elevator began to ascend

"This is a very nice place" observed Gabe. "I know that you probably work here, but do you live here too?"

"I wish," Tony replied. "But my girlfriend does."

"And I'm guessing you're taking us to your girlfriend's place," said Teddy. "Are you sure she won't mind?"

"Well, the butler probably will, but I'm sure that Jessie will let you stay once she knows your situation," Tony answered. "She knows what it feels like to be tossed out of a taxi."

Teddy was about to respond, but the elevator doors opened into a large penthouse suite.

Well, there's Chapter 2. Feel free to let me know what you think by reviewing. I'll hopefully have Chapter 3 up soon.

~Jameer14