Hope this actually works. It did in my head. =) This is pretty long and would probably be better as more than one chapter, but I have to get this one out now. And I seem to like long chapters. And there may be some anmalies

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9) Three Steps To Follow

--------------Three weeks later, Early August-------------

Nancy and Ned arived back home just to be greeted with hugs and kisses from Mr. Drew, Hannah, Mr. and Mrs. Nickerson, Mary, Bess, and George. After that Ned and Nancy said their goodbyes and he got into the car with his family. Hannah took her car and went off to do some grocery shopping while Carson had to go back to his office. The three girls left got into Nancy's Mustang.

"Ohmigod!" Bess said getting into the back. "We have so much to talk to you about!"

"What happened?" Nancy asked sitting in the driver seat and taking her keys from George.

"Well Dave....... Uh....." She blushed and looked to her cousin.

"Don't beat around the bush Bess!" George said.

"Well if you can think of a way to put it, then do!" Bess said crossing her arms as Nancy pulled to a red light.

"Dave tried to get in her pants!" George announced. Nancy jerked the car. The light turned green and she started to Bess's house.

"I wouldn't have put it as blunt as that, George." Bess said

"No!" Nancy said shocked. "No way!"

"Yeah." Bess Said.

"What happened?!" She asked making a turn.

"Well, He asked me to come over for a date and I said sure, and When I got there, we started kissing and making-out, I guess and next thing I know, My top three buttons of my blouse are undone and he's working on the fourth." Bess explained.

"What'd you do?" Nancy asked.

"I pushed him off, kicked him where guys do not liked to be kicked and stormed out."

"Where'd you go?"

"She decided to come to my house." George said picking up the story. "And I happen to be with Burt. So I was about to go to Dave's and give him what I thought was fair for my cousin when Burt stopped me and said that he'd take care of it. I think he might tell Ned. And can you imagine what will happen to him when he find out? What would they do to him?"

"Let's just say I'm not talking to Dave at the moment." Bess said.

"Oh Please Bess," Nancy said. "You two will make up by tonight and be making out soon enough." She pulled up to Bess's house and Bess got out. "I'll see you tomorrow Bess!" She called as her friend got out. They backed out and headed to George's house.

"I would have slauttered him if I had the chance." George mumbled

"I know George." Nancy said. "If you only had the chance."

"Exactly!" George said exasperated. Nancy laughed as she pulled into the driveway to the Fayne house. George thanked her friend for driving her home and walked inside. Nancy then drove herself home. When she got home, she took out her luggage and walked inside.

"Hey Togo." She said to the hyper dog at her ankles. "Did you miss me?"

"Rauff!" He said in responce.

"You want to help me put away my clothes?"

"Rwoof." She and her little dog went up to her room. She looked around and felt the urge to put things away and clean up. She put on her CD player and her Mix CD. She went to the "Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun" track. She started cleaning and singing along.

"The Phone Rings, In the Middle of the night. My father yells 'Whatcha gonna do with your life?' Oh Daddy Dear you know you're still Number one. But Girls just wanna have fu-un. Oh Girls justa wanna have, That's all they really waaaaant. Some Fuuuun. When the working day is done, Oh Girls, they wanna have fun." She giggled as she sang along putting away all her clothes. She paused her music and went down stairs to get something to get something to drink. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. As she walked by her father's office to go back upstairs, his home office phone rang. She made a quick detour and walked in there. She went quickly over to the phone and answered it.

"Carson Drew, attorney at Law's Home office. Nancy Drew Speaking. How may I help you?" She said with the rehearsed line her father taught her while she worked for him in high school and when his home office phone rang and she was closest or the only one there, like now.

"Hello," The Voice on the other line said. "My Name is Mrs. Carolyn Pershmin. Did you see the news about three weeks ago? The uh- Rapist in the building with the FBI?" She asked.

"Yeah." Nancy said taking a seat in her father's chair. She's not allowed to do that unless she's taking a message. "I ended up flying over there that night, Uh- Nevermind." She said remembering to keep herself out of these cases emotionally. "Can I help you with something?"

"Well, yes Actually. You see my Daughter was almost a victim and she went to the hospital that night along with three agents that she told me had been shot. I went to get her something to drink and I almost slipped on something. I looked down and found a business card for Mr. Drew." She said.

"I must have dropped it there." Nancy mummbled more to herself.

"You were at the hospital that night?" Mrs. Pershmin asked confused.

"Yeah."

"Would It be alright for me to ask why?" Nancy shrugged but then realized that she was on the phone.

"Uh- Sure." Nancy said regaining her composure. "My friend's dating one of the agents who was shot. So We ended up going there for him."

"Oh. So I must have gotten this card from you."

"I guess so, in a sense. " A thought crossed Nancy's mind. "May I ask you a question now?"

"Of course."

"Why'd you wait three weeks to call for a lawyer?"

"All of the mothers had to decide on a lawyer." It sounded like that was all she was going to say and Nancy decided not to press, that wsa going to be her father's Job and she's not going to impose, this time at least.

"I'll leave a note to my Father and talk to him later about it." Nancy said. "Could I please have your Name again and how we can reach you-" Mrs. Pershmin gave Nancy what she needed and they hung up. Nancy left the message right on the top of his desk. She closed the door on her way out.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Nancy was sitting criss-cross on her bed reading one of her favorite books, Blackstone Cronicles by John Saul when her father knocked on her door.

"Yeah?" She said, not looking up. Her father poked his head in.

"Hey Nance," He said. She looked. "That woman that was on the note you gave me,"

"Yeah." She said closing her book and losing her page. She's read the story so many times though, that she could just open to a page and read and know what's going on so it really didn't matter.

"Well aparently she's asked me to represent her daughter and all the other's in this case against a rapist-"

"Yeah Dad. I know. I took the call."

"But do you realize that the trial's in Virginia and I'll have to go down there,"

"Right...." Nancy said.

"I know you just came from there but, Would you like to go back? I Could get a truck or flatbed type one and put your Mustang on it so you have it there but don't have to put the miles on it."

"Uh- Sure Dad." She said. "I could even call Athena and see if we could stay there for a bit and If she wants anything brought down from her house. You know she's moving down there?"

"You said to me briefly before. We'd leave next week." He said with a wink.

"But we'll have to come back up for the weekend." She said seriously.

"I know." She got up. "I'll let you call her and iron out the fine details." He closed her door as she went over to her private line. She smiled as she dialed the number to Aunt Sara's house. It rang a couple times before some one answered.

"Hey....." She said.

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Athena and Reid were sitting on the couch watching TV.

"How's your Arm?" She asked looking at him. He looked down and touched their noses.

"It's better than it was three weeks ago." He said. She giggled slightly and they turned their attention back to the TV. Athena had conned him into watching Across Taylor, one of Nancy and her favorite shows. He leaned in and kissed the top of her head. She raised her head so her lips met his. they stayed that way for the longest time until the phone started to ring, making them jump apart.

"One second." She said getting up and he pulled his hair back. She walked over to the phone.

"Hello?" She said into the phone.

"Hey..." Nancy said on the other end. "Let me ask you something.... How much do you guys miss me?"

"Tons Nancy." Athena said with a smile. She glanced back into the living room "And I bet Spencer misses you tons too."

"Who?" He mouthed.

"Nancy." She Mouthed back. He nodded in understanding. "Anyways, why'd you ask Nan?"

"Well, it seems Dad's gonig to representing those girls in North Carolina, but the Trials in Vriginia. And since Dad's going to be representing them, as I said, he was hoping to go on a family trip, just me and him. Ned's got family stuff he has to do so.... But anyway, Dad wanted to know if it'll be alright with you for us to stay at your house again. I mean if you don't want us to-"

"Don't want you to?!" She said shocked. "I'd love for you two to stay here. When are you coming?"

"We're leaving this weekend and driving down. Dad wants to do a road trip thing and bring my Mustang. So he borrowing a truck slash flatbed type thingy. So yeah.... And do you need anything from your house?"

"Uh- Yeah. You know, clothes, girl stuff. Uh- anything you can bring from my house so I can start moving in over here. And great! So..... We'll see you then?" She asked.

"Yup. See you then. Now I gotta go. It's dinner time and I have no clue what Hannah's making so I'ma gonna go see."

"Alright. Byee. Nancy." Athena said and hung up. She walked back into the living room.

"So what was that about?" Reid asked as she curled into him.

"Nancy's coming back next week." Athena said as he put his left arm around her and she pulled a blanket onto the both of them.

"Back?" He said confused.

"Yeah. You know that the trial for that rapist who shot you is here in Virginia and the mothers of the victims contacted Mr. Drew to be their lawyer. So he asked Nancy to come back down with him for like a family road trip thing on the way down."

"Oh. I was going to say, She better be getting airmile rewards."

"Yeah." Athena said and Yawned. "You wanna go get some sleep?" He nodded.

"Yeah." He said getting up and turning off the TV and they went upstairs.

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"So......" Carson said to his drowsy daughter next to him. It was the weekend and they were driving down to Virginia together. She rubbed her eyes, streched however she could, and looked at him.

"So what?" She asked.

"Are we going to just be seeing Athena at the house or....." He smiled and winked at her.

"I'm betting that Spencer's probably going to be there." She said.

"The agent you introduced me to on that case back in River Heights? The one who saved you on the cruise?" He asked glanceing at her and then back at the road. Traffic had subsided about an hour ago and they were close to the exit the need to get off on. everything was moving pretty fast for a friday, but then again, they were also traveling in the early afternoon, before the heavy weekend traffic set in.

"Yeah." Nancy laughed a bit. "Those two really hit it off and Athena's going to be moving down there just for him so......." Nancy said. "I won't have to do that."

"What do you mean?" Carson sked her. She swallowed hard, realizing that she had spoken out loud.

"I mean I plan on one day marrying Ned and I don't have to move far for him." The two sat in silence for a few minutes.

"So Nancy, Your birthday'scoming up," He said teasingly to his daughter. "Your 19th. Wow you're getting old." Nancy looked at her her father.

"You're 47." She said. He smiled at her. "And besides, my birthday's not until next month. This next weekend coming up is going to be all about-"

"I know." He said very somber. "I didn't forget. Did you think I did?"

"Never Daddy." She said. "Neither of us could have." They sat in silence until they got to sunset Drive. "Yay! We're almost here! Henha." Nancy laughed. Carson chuckled a bit as he pulled into the driveway. They walked up to the door and Nancy turned the knob. The door was open.

"Nancy!" Carson said. "Don't go in there!"

"Dad," She said looking at "It's fine." She walked in and noticed Athena and Reid asleep on the couch. "Revenge is sweet." She whispered.

"Nancy," Her father's tone warning her. "Don't wake them up."

"But Dad," She said with a bit of whine in her voice that made him feel like shes was about to turn 9 not 19. "They did that to me and Ned and thought it was hilarious." That was true. Athena and Reid did go up to Nancy and Ned one night after the North Carolina incident. They came up and start shaking them to the point Nancy's arms went flying and she back handed Reid in the face. All of them could only laugh in shock and Reid could only maked out a shocked "OOOWWW!" through the laughs. It was all pretty funny though.

"But don't you want to wait for Ned?" Carson said trying to get Nancy to not wake them up like that.

"Yeah." A smile crept onto her face. "But I have a better way." She went over to the door that was still open and slamed it shut, making Reid and Athena jump up.

"What the-" Reid said.

"Sorry," She said with a small smile. "Did that wake you? Didn't mean it to."

"Nancy!" Athena said getting up and hugging her friend.

"Ouf!" Nancy said as Athena lundged at her. "Didn't know you missed me that much."

"Sorry." Athena said. "Neither did I. Nancy, you get the same room you've had for the-"

"Past 13 years almost." Nancy laughed.

"And Mr. Drew can take the one right across from you." Athena said. Carson and Reid went out to get the bags. "How long will you be here?"

"As long as the trial lasts." Nancy said shrugging as they followed the men.

"And this weekend?" Athena said grabbing her forarm.

"Charlie's going to be flying us up Friday, so we'll be there for Saturday and we're coming back on Sunday." Reid grabbed her bag. She ran over and took it from his hand. "I've got this." She said. "You shouldn't have to." She took it up to her room and came back down. "I've been living here more than at home." She said.

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On Friday, Nancy and Athena were sitting on the couch at her house, eating popcorn. Reid was at work and her father was at a hearing. They were talking about anything imagineable that they already haven't.

"What wedding song do you want?" Nancy asked.

"Ooh." Athena said swallowing popcorn. "I'd have to talk to Spencer about that."

"You guys engaged?" She asked, eyes wide.

"No. Not yet. But I want to be. I'm kinda leaning towards Have I told you Lately. It's a good song. What about you?"

"I really want Love Of A life Time." Nancy answered. The phone rang. Nancy got up. "Hello?"

"Hey Nance."Carson said on the other end. "I've got bad news. The first day of the trial has been moved to tomorrow-"

"But what about-" Nancy started confused.

"I can't." He said sounding upset.

"You've never missed this in the 15 years we've done this!" She said exsaperated.

"I know and I'm upset but I can't change the date-"

"But I might be able to." She said.

"Nancy, Don't do any-" He dissappeared for a second. "Nancy I'll have to talk to you later. Recess is over. I have to get back in there."

"Ok. Love you Dad."

"Love you too Nance." The connection went dead and she knew he'd hung up. She put the reciver down and stood there for a minute.

"What's going on Nancy?" Athena asked.

"Nothing just something I have to take care of." Nancy said. She picked up the phone again and dial.

"Uh- Yes. could I please be connected to Agent Jareau?" She waited a moment as she was connected. "Hi Agent Jareau. Do you think I could stop by and talk to you in person?"

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Reid was walking by the elevator as it opened. He looked over and noticed the redhead who walked out right away.

"Hey Nancy." He said going over to her. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey Spencer." She said giving him a hug. "I have stuff I have to deal with. Where can I find Agent Jareau's office?"

"Hi, Nancy." JJ said coming up. She extended her hand out to Nancy. Reid waved goodbye and went off to doing what he needed to.

"Agent Jareau," Nancy said shaking her hand. "Nice to see you again, considering these circumstances aren't as bad as others have been."

"And what are these circumstances?" JJ asked. "Come on, we'll talk in my office." She lead her towards her office. When they got inside, she closed the door and looked at Nancy. "So, what's going on?"

"Well," Nancy started. "There's a family emergency that's going on at home and Dad and I have to go home for it over the weekend."

"So go. I don't see the problem." JJ said.

"My dad's a lawyer," Nancy said . "And he's defending the girls, the victims, for the rapist case that was in North Carolina and The date was supposed to be Monday to start the trial but the other lawyer got it changed to this weekend and if Dad's not there, the rapist will walk." Nancy finished and looked at JJ. "I haven't talked to the judge yet, and I want to. I just wanted to see if you can get the date changed if I can't convince him."

"I see the problem." JJ said. "I can talk to the team and I bet that the form will be signed, considering three agents were shot by this guy." Nancy nodded in agreement. "Call me if you can't get it changed."

"I will." Nancy said. "Thanks Agent Jareau."

"You can call me JJ." JJ said with a small smile.

"But I though your friends only call you-"

"Is it alright if I consider you one of my friends?"

"Of course." Nancy said. She left and went to the court house.

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Nancy walked up the steps to the court house. She saw two girls on them.

"Excuse me." Nancy said. "Is Judge Carl Michael in there?"

"Yeah." A dark haired girl said. "I'm Macy, Macy Cater. My Dad's one of the two lawyers." She extended a hand to Nancy. Nancy took it and shook it.

"Nancy, Nancy Drew." Nancy said. "My Dad's the other lawyer." Macy lifter up her eyebrows.

"He usually do that stuff or-?"

"He's normally a criminal Attorny, But the mothers contacted him so...."

"Yeah. I understand." Macy said. "What are you doing anyways?"

"Going to try to get the court date changed." Nancy said. "Dad and I have a bit of a family enmergency."

"Well have fun trying." Macy said. "Judge Carl Michael is really tough to get that."

"Yeah," The other girl spoke up. She was a beach blonde. "It'll take foor-ever!" Macy rolled her eyes.

"This is Cyndi." Macy said. "Sorry for not introducning her."

"It's alright." Nancy said

"The only way to do that is to go through the FBI, Which is really hard." Cyndi said.

"I know them actually." Nancy said.

"No way." Macy said. "How?"

"My friend's dating an agent and I've worked with them."

"No way. You're going to have to bring some of them by for proof." Macy said.

"Yeah," Nancy said. "Well I've got to get in." She excused her self and went inside. She gave her name, showed her badge and the officer who took it all down, went in followed by Nancy. He walked uup and gave the note to the Judge. he read it over.

"Court will take a ten minute recess." the judge said with a heavy southern accent. As everyone settled in he leaned to the microphone on his stand. "Will Detective Nancy Drew please follow me to my chambers." He said and then he got down. Nancy walked by her father and crossed her fingers behind her back so he saw it. She followed the Judge to his office. "Dective." He said. "Please take a seat." She settled herself down into a chair across from him.

"Judge Michael," She started.

"Let me ask you a question," Judge Carl Michael said. "Do you have any relation to the attorney Carson Drew out there?"

"Yes." She said calmly. "He's my father. But that's not really why I'm here."

"Then why are you here?"

"A date change. The trial was supposed to start on Monday, but it was changed to tomorrow."

"Yes." The Judge interupted. "What's the problem?"

"Well my father and I have a family emergency and have to leave tonight."

'We'll that's too bad. That guy's going to walk if your father's not there tomorrow."

"I know and that's why I need you to peacfully sign this date change slip-"

"that's not going to happen."

"Do you want me to go to the FBI's BAU?" She said seriously.

"Could you? Do you even know them?" He asked her mockingly almost.

"Yeah I do." She said. "And I'll go to them and get them to change it."

"Then you do that and not come back until you've got the date change paperwork signed alright? Now I have a court to maintain." Nancy stood up and walked, more like stalked, out. She looked at her father.

"Time for step three." She whispered to him and left. He knew exactly what she meant. Her three step plan. You start by either being weepy and teary or professional (Nancy went professional this particular time). If that didn't work go to step two, which is threaten, not physical but with something that could make someone cave. And when that didn't work you go to step three, follow through on the threat. Carson hoped Nancy knew what she was getting into.

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Nancy pulled out her phone as she walked down the steps infornt of the court house.

"Hey JJ," She said. "I'm going to need that form signed now....... Yeah... I'll meet you in the lobby."

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JJ looked at the papers in her hand. She had just gotten off the phone with Nancy and knew that Nancy needed this. She said that this was a family emergency. All she needed was Hotch's signature. She took a deep breath and walked through the bullpen to Hotch's office. She knock once and opened to his come in. She handed him the papers, which he took with his good hand.

"What's this?" He asked looking at it.

"A date change order form for the Rapist case." She said. "The case from three weeks ago." His serious expression grew dark.

"Why?" Skimming the form.

"Apperentally Nancy Drew's father has been asked to represent the girls and someone was able to get the date the trial starts to be tomororow when it was supposed to start on Monday. Nancy and her father have a family emergency and have to leave. If he's not there on tomorrow, this guy will walk." He looked at her through her eyebrows. "The one that shot you, Reid, and Morgan, Yes." She said knowing what he was thinking. He looked at her for a few more seconds and she partially thought he was going to hand it back to her and say no. But he looked back and signed the paper work. He handed it back to her and she nodded in thanks.

"JJ." He said as she stood in the doorway.

"Yes sir?" She said looking at him.

"Take Reid with you. I'd say Morgan but he's still on crutches." He smiled one of his rare smiles at her and she smiled back. She walked out and down the stairs.

"Reid." She said. "Come on." He got up and followed her.

"Where are we going?" He asked as she hit the elevator button to go down.

"The court house with Nancy." She said as the doors opened.

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Nancy, Reid and JJ went to the court house. She saw Macy and Cyndi.

"Hey Drew." Macy called. "Drew!" Nancy turned around and looked at them

"Carter." Nancy said.

"I've gotta ask, Are these the agents we talked about?"

"Yeah." Nancy said. "Now I have to take care of this." She walked in, followed by JJ and Reid. "Other lawyer's daughter." She said, knowing they were confused. She went over the officer that took her infomation about an hour before and gave to him again. Reid and JJ did the same. They followed him into the court room. The other lawyer was just finishing up his shpeel as the officer gave Judge Carl Michael the information and moved. The judge leaned into the Microphone.

"Ten minute reccess." He said. "Will Detective Drew, Agents Jareau and Dr. Reid follow me." He left and JJ, Reid and Nancy followed. Nancy avoided eye contact with her father and he did the same for her. When they got in there, JJ gave Nancy the papers. She slammed them on his desk.

"Court date change order form." She said. "Signed by the head of the BAU. Any problems, talk to these to agents who work for the BAU and this one," She pointed to Reid. "Had been shot by this guy." He eyed all three of them. When he got to Nancy, his eyes bore into her but her expression remained unwavered. She would not let this judge intimdate her. When she showed no signs of giving in, his eyes went into the papers. He sat there and read it, word for word. He was probably trying to find something to imcrimidate this. JJ smiled to herself as she realized what he was doing. Hotch had writtin it himself and she had read it many times herself and filled it out. There were no loopholes, at all. Well the ones that were there only Reid could honestly find. He looked up.

"You win Detective Drew." He said getting up. "The date is changed back to Monday." He walked out and the three followed with Nancy in back. She gave her father a small low-five so no one could see.

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Reid came to Athena's house late that night. He was determined to go through and finish the four files that had been on his desk when he got back from the court house before he went home. It had taken him longer than he expected it to. He saw Athena sitting on the couch, reading. He looked over her shoulder.

"Whatcha reading?" He asked rubbing her shoulders. She smiled.

"In The Dark Of The Night by John Saul. Nancy recommended it to me." She said taking the flap of the jacket and putting it in between the page she was reading and the other as a bookmark. She closed it as Reid went around and sat next to her.

"What's it about?" He asked. She snuggled into him.

"Three boys who find all this stuff collected from murderers." She said. "It's actually very good." They sat like that for a few minutes.

"Nancy and he father left?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said.

"JJ told me it was some type of family emergency."

"Yeah." She said string off. "A family emergency. You could say that."

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Dawn was just breaking over quiet River Heights. Carson's Chevrolet pulled to a stop in front of the River Heights Cemetery. As Nancy and her father got out, they were met by Ned's Pontiac. He turned off the engine and got out. He walked over to Nancy and gave her a hug. The three of them walked in. They walked towards the center and stoped at one plot. Nancy looked over at her father and saw a few tears leak out of his eyes. She reached her out and traced the words on the headstone with her fingers. She ran her hand over the name and broke down. She fell to her knees on the soft earth and wrapped her arms around the headstone in hug form.

"Oh Mom." She said through her tears. "Happy birthday. I miss you so much." She felt two hand go on her shoulders, one on each, and she felt comfort. She knew the hand on her left shoulder belonged to her father. She heard him sniffle. And the one on her right shoulder was Ned's. She didn't want to leave or let go. This was the closest she had to the whole family being together again.

"We all miss her sweetheart." Carson said and she nodded. She didn't dare open her eyes because she knew that they would burn at the moment. "You need a minute?" She shook her head and sniffled. She stood up and whiped her eyes. She was finally able to open them.

"No." She said taking a breath. "I think I left something in the car. I'm going to go get it and give you a minute."

"I'll come with you." Ned said. He started to walk away. Nancy stared at the Name on the stone, "Clara Drew". He turned around. "Nan? You coming?"

"Uh- yeah." She said turning around. She walked past with Ned's hand on her back and she rested her head on his shoulder. Carson watched them for a bit then looked back down at the plot.

"Hey Honey." He said with a hand on top of the headstone.

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I hope you all liked it....... It took me a while to write and make perfect-ish........ Oh and Yes, the family emergency was her mother's birthday and she and her father wanted to visit her mother. I know that's not really like Nancy but it was a good idea and i think it worked out nicely. I hope you liked it! =] Please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts, also to make it better. I tried to make it as accurate as possible so yeah............... Stay tuned! =)