Thanks for the reviews guys! I loved the suggestions. I wish so much I could do like 3 versions of this story! Maybe I'll do another party fic in my other AU to play things out differently. Thanks to thesameguest as always and here is the next chapter...

"Shhhh!" Brandon slapped his arm. "What are you yelling about? The room's empty!"

Jesus danced in swinging his head around violently. "I...guess it was my reflection." He pointed bashfully to the mirror.

"OK, I've had enough of this!" Callie replied angrily. "I didn't want this stupid party in the first place and I told you to shut it down! I'm risking everything covering for you idiots so I'm not gonna let you get caught now! Go to bed!"

"Hey I didn't start this party either..." Brandon complained.

"Just relax Callie, honestly. It'll be fine." Callie mimicked Brandon's earlier words, mockingly. "Don't try and pretend you weren't up for this! Not that it matters, we're all screwed."

"Callie..." Jesus added, the anger in his face provoking the guilt.

"Just go to bed!" She shot back through a whisper, storming out. "I'll text you in the morning when it's safe to meet me at the car."

The two boys were left bumbling to the empty room.

"Let's just do what she says." Brandon shrugged, the guilt hitting him too.

"Brandon..." Jesus began. "I'm really hungry..." he whimpered as the two of them left to head to bed.


"Good morn-" Stef began before seeing Callie had already risen. She looked around confused and poked her head in the bathroom, only to find it empty. She moved on to Jude's room, still fast asleep. The worst of the sickness had definitely taken place at Connor's leaving them with a relatively peaceful night.

She cleared her throat loudly and moved over to Brandon's room, the door tightly closed. She listened intently, waiting a few moments before swinging the door open.

She raked her neck out to give it the once over. Not entirely convinced, she stepped forward.

"Mom?" Callie came from behind, grabbing her attention away.

"He's at Aiden's remember." she smiled, swaying edgily as Stef turned back.

"Right, of course." Stef shook her head. "I dunno where my head's at. You're up early."

"Yeah, I was actually going to surprise you...I was gonna go collect the others so we could spend the day together with you...now you're home now anyway."

"I see." Stef folded her arms. "Interesting you're assuming you still have driving privileges." Callie's mouth dropped open slightly, completely forgetting she herself may be in trouble. Stef let her suffer a moment before talking again.

"You do. I'm just reminding you that we haven't actually discussed things properly yet."

"But, I do...?"

"Yes. I think we'll let you off with a warning seeing as you helped out with your brother. But don't lie to us like that, Callie."

"Of course..." she replied, now guilt creeping in. Stupid siblings and their stupid party. She couldn't narc on them, not even to keep herself out of trouble - but it didn't stop her from hating it. Stef closed Brandon's door behind as they made their way down stairs.

"Jeeez that was close!" Mariana dipped her head round the edge of the alcove as they heard the footsteps quieten. Brandon and Jesus rolled out from their hiding place under and behind the bed.

"We need to get dressed and meet Callie outside." Jesus mumbled rubbing his head. The action plan was taking some effort to instigate along with the heaviness of the night before.

"I can't believe we're having to sneak out of our own house!" Brandon wheezed. "Why did I agree to this stupid party?"

"Hey, you weren't complaining when you had a beer in your hand." Jesus grumbled back, a text from Callie giving them the all clear for keeping the Moms busy downstairs. The three of them quietly gathered their things and put their plan into action, managing to make it out and meet Callie with the car down the road.

"So, what? Now we just drive around the block until we've been out long enough to pretend you've picked us up?" Mariana asked, plugging in her seatbelt.

"It depends how fast we are at finding and buying glasses." she replied, speeding off towards town.


As the kids filed back into the house after their scavenger hunt, Lena was straightening the cushions on the sofa.

"Hey kids! How was your night?" she gave them a toothy grin as they exchanged nervous looks, Jesus gripping tight to the glassware purchased as if she could see through the rucksack it was concealed in.

"Good!" Brandon smiled as the others nodded.

"How was Aiden's Mom? You know it's been so long since we've caught up with her. We should have his parents round for dinner at some point." she suggested, busying herself with the cushions on the sofa.

Brandon exchanged a look with Callie before gulping down his nerves.

"Yeah...I think they're uhm, going away. What with the school holidays coming up soon."

"No time before?" she replied as Jesus nervously rubbed his hair, Mariana herself twitching. If any of their alibis were broken it would mean certain discovery.

"They were talking a lot about how much they had to do before. Probably best to not bother them for a while."

Lena stood straight, her brow creasing and locking him in a gaze. She held it for a painstaking few moments before breaking into a smile. "OK. Maybe we'll arrange something in a few weeks.

The chests in the room collectively sighed down, releasing their nervousness as Lena turned back to her tidying.

"Morning kids!" Stef piped up behind them, loaded with bags.

The four faces turned to her confused, noting her choice in clothing.

"Mom...why are you in your uniform?" Jesus asked, eyeing her up and down.

"I had some business down at the station to attend to. You know, catch up on things. Plus I may need it for later. Never know what I may need to investigate."

The kids barely had time to process before she tossed one of the bags to Brandon.

"Can you two boys come to the kitchen please." The two lads looked to each other, their palms increasingly sweaty. Why just those two? They had been the two who had eaten the brownies...but she couldn't know that. But she'd just been to the station. What if they officers who came knew? What if they could -

"Boys!" Stef cut off their thoughts. "Today would be nice - I need some muscle to help with these bags."

The pulsing in their heart stopped but they were still lost for words. Jesus twitched his fingers around his bag strap taking another from his Mom.

"Right." Brandon agreed, both of them heading out the way as the girls moved more slowly. As the boys disappeared with Stef, the girls were stopped by Lena's voice.

"Does the place seem neater to you?" she asked crossing her arms and examining the sofa.

"You know usually when I arrange it there are some signs of life but I haven't even vacuumed yet and it seems pretty spotless." Callie and Mariana exchanged glances again, delaying their move up the stairs to try and think of an appropriate comment.

"Wait a minute..." she continued turning to them.

"Callie..." she said gravely as her daughters' hearts began to pound.

"Did you clean up last night to make up for things?" her tone shifted to one of appreciation as both girls burst out a nervous giggle.

"You got me." She replied, flashing a hand across her nose.

"That was very sweet of you." Lena caressed her arm.

As Mariana watched and tried to let the relief flow, she noticed something else that was odd about the scene.

"Uhm Mom..." she began.

"Why are you tidying up the living room?"

Lena turned to her with a smile.

"We're hosting the neighbours association meeting." Stef chimed to the boys who had gathered their thoughts enough to ask a similar question - especially with the selection of foods being placed out onto the table that had been the contents of the bags.

"You...since when?" Brandon asked, unable to hide the fear in his voice. They seemed to have dodged the bullet of Stef having been at the station, but now it provoked an even shadier memory of the fact the police had come based on a neighbour's complaint.

"Well we were obviously meant to be missing it today and had postpone our turn to host because of it, but I called Maggie and told her we were back so thought we may as well get it out of the way!" she continued to unpack and opened the cabinet door, Jesus' eyes widening.

"Hey…" she paused pulling one of the few of the ordinary glasses that hadn't been smashed to reveal the posher ones behind. Jesus almost dropped the bag holding the replacements in his hands as she clearly counted the glasses in her head.

Brandon opened his mouth to prepare an excuse before Stef started talking again.

"We're gonna need more than this. I'll make sure to get the extra box out." She placed the glass back in the cabinet and closed the door, once again the relief setting in for the kids.

"We'll get them." Brandon immediately chirped, seeing the perfect opportunity.

She squeezed his arm with a word of thanks before glazing a hand on Jesus' cheek.

"You look tired sweets, you and Jordan end up playing games late?" Jesus had barely recovered from the glass ordeal to mumble out a response. "Wait..." She stopped as she examined a small bruise on the side of his face - clearly from his altercation with Javi. Luckily the two of them had barely connected in their drunken state, but he wasn't completely unscathed.

"Where did you get that bruise from?" She asked sternly. Brandon gulped down trying himself to think of an excuse.

"Jordan's a really bad loser…" was all he got out once he had found his voice. "He uhm...threw the controller at me...just jokingly, but he hit me by mistake."

Stef shook her head with a sigh. "You boys need to watch it...I should really call his mother."

"No!" Jesus snapped back, a little too eager as Stef's eyes bulged.

"It was an accident, Mom...please, don't embarrass me." He pleaded as Brandon looked between them. Stef mulled it over with a wince, inspecting it one more time.

"OK...not this time...but it better not happen again." She ordered, pinching his chin.

"Look I'm going to go check on Mama and the girls. Could you boys finish unpacking for me? The guests will be arriving and I need to get changed. Thanks loves." She kissed Brandon's head and waltzed out the room.

"Uhm…yeah." Brandon agreed as they watched her go, quickly whipping out the new glasses from the bag. They said a silent prayer in thanks that they had been generic enough to be easily found as they piled out the others, merging the two types together in the perfect cover.

"Well that's one less thing to worry about." Brandon sighed, placing his head on the table as Jesus slammed a crate next to it.

"Uhm, Brandon…" He commented, drawing his brother's gaze from his forearms. Both exchanged a look as they examined their Mom's choice of beverage.

The exact same beers they had purchased the night before – different from her usual.

"Are you getting the feeling that…"

"They know?" Jesus finished off Brandon's sentence, the whispered panic batting between them.

"Kids!" Stef bundled in, both boys snapping their heads to her.

"The neighbours are arriving! Quick, food through to the dining room…let's go." She grabbed a tray and carried it through, indicating with her head for them to follow.

Just so you know, that won't necessarily be the last scene set on party night. Let's just say there may be some memories from certain characters as they're forced to review the way things happened. But for now, what do we reckon? Do Stef and Lena know the details or are the kids just paranoid? If they don't, how long before they find out? Now the neighbours are coming - will someone have seen something...or will the kids crack before they are outed? Keep the comments coming and thanks for reading and all the reviews!

Next Chapter Preview: The kids speculate how much is known and panic as developing events may reveal more.