"Whew! The gym was crowded today." Kelley walked into the kitchen and laid her gym bag in the chair. "Hey Alan, how was your day?"

"Just fine my dear, and yours?" He smiled and looked up from the stove.

"Pretty good. I got the last box from my apartment and turned in my keys today." A lot of things had changed since Halloween night. After getting out of the hospital, Kelley was still having a lot of trouble breathing. The doctors found that she had developed Asthma, and advised her to start working out. She immediately went out and joined the gym. She had been at it for 2 weeks now and had already lost 5 pounds and was hoping to loose more before Christmas, which was quickly approaching. But that wasn't the only change; she decided to cut her long hair. It now hung just above her shoulder and was always styled perfectly. She had been a little worried about what Charlie would think, but he loved it. Quite possibly the biggest change was that Alan, Don, and Charlie had finally convinced her to move out of her apartment and in with Charlie and Alan. She insisted on having her own room so Charlie would have his own space. They had only been dating for a little over 4 months and this was a huge step. She didn't want to crowd him or Alan. So the gust room now housed Kelley and all of her things.

"That makes you officially moved in then right." Alan gave her a huge smile.

"It sure does. What are you making Alan? It smells great." She leaned over to see what was in the pot he was stirring.

"Vegetable lasagna. This the tomato sauce for it. Have a taste." He held out the wooden spoon for her to have a taste.

"MMM That's good stuff." She gave Alan a smile.

"Hey Babe, I didn't know you were home." Charlie entered the kitchen and smiled when he saw Kelley. He crossed the room and met her with a kiss.

"I just got here." She gave him a big hug. "I'm going to grab a shower. After dinner can you help me with my application?"

"Sure thing." Charlie kissed her forehead.

"Application? What application?" Alan looked at the two inquisitively. "Are you looking for a new job Ladybug?"

"No, I'll explain at dinner, but now I need a shower." Kelley pulled away from Charlie and headed for the stairs.

"What's that all about?" Alan looked at Charlie with a questioning glance.

"You'll just have to wait until dinner. It's her announcement; I'll let her tell you." He slapped his dad playfully on the arm and headed back to the living room to finish grading papers.

AFTER DINNER

Charlie, Alan, Don, and Kelley all sat around the dinner table enjoying each others company. Finally Alan couldn't hold his curiosity any longer. "Ok, Ladybug what application is Charlie helping you fill out?"

"Should I tell him now, or make him squirm just a little more?" She looked to Charlie who was sitting next to her and gave him a mischievous grin.

"What's going on? I don't live here remember." Don looked around confused.

"Nah, he's suffered enough. Tell him." Charlie put his arm around the back of her chair and gave a big smile.

"Ok" she began her explanation. "The Physics department is going through some budget problems right now, so they had to cut some people's schedules. Since I had been here the least amount of time mine was cut the worst."

"How bad?" Alan looked at her with his most serious and concerned expression.

"Instead of five days a week I now only work two." She gave Alan a smile.

"That sucks, But you're happy about this?" Don looked at her with a surprised look.

"Yep. Here's why. When the Dean called me in to tell me this, he also made me an offer. Staff at CalSci get some classes paid for but only if they attend here, well there is no way I could do that. I was a marketing major, math and science were not exactly my areas of expertise. So the Dean has some connections at USC and is trying to work with them to allow me to take classes there, but have them honor our staff policy. They have a program for university administrators; basically it would teach me how to run an administrative office on a college campus. The application Charlie is helping me with is my application to graduate school. I hopefully will start in January." She gave them all a big smile. Kelley had always wanted to go back and work on her Master's Degree she had just never had the money.

"Can you afford to do that?" Don looked concerned.

"She can now. That was one of my main selling points to get her to move in here." Charlie gave her a big smile. "Without rent, even though she only works two days a week, that will cover all her other bills. So she will go to school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and will work at CalSci on Tuesday and Thursday."

"That sounds like a plan to me" Alan raised his glass. "To our little Ladybug, and her new journey as a graduate student."

"Here Here" Don and Charlie repeated as they all clinked glasses.

LATER THAT NIGHT

"How do you think they took it Charlie?" Kelley asked as she pulled back the covers to the bed.

"Fine, why do you ask?" Charlie wondered why she would ask him that question. His dad and Don were ecstatic that Kelley was going to be able to go back to school.

"I just don't want them to think I'm taking advantage of living here. You know, I don't want them to think you're supporting me through grad school."

"I am supporting you 100" Charlie had come to her side of the bed and wrapped her from behind in a hug. He kissed her cheek.

"Charlie. You know what I mean. I don't want them to think you are supporting me financially. I have always been able to stand on my own two feet. I just don't want them to think I'm a mooch." She turned to face him but stayed in his embrace.

"You are not a mooch, and there is no way dad and Don would ever think that about you. They both love you, and they are very happy for you. Grad school will be good for you. I'm sure once you graduate you'll have a great job waiting for you at CalSci." He pulled her a little closer.

"I know I just don't want people to think…"

"Who cares what people think? Even if I was paying your way through grad school it would be no one's business but yours and mine." He kissed her nose. "Now are you sleeping in here or in your room?"

"I'll stay here through Leno then I'll go to my room." She pulled away from him and crawled into his bed.

"Why don't you just stay in here? You'll probably be asleep before Leno is over anyway." He joined her under the covers. "You don't like to snuggle with me anymore?" He poked out his bottom lip and gave her his trademark puppy dog eyes.

"Oh I love to snuggle, but you are a cover hog." She pulled the covers a little farther onto her side of the bed and gave him a big smile.

"I promise to be good." Charlie gave her a wicked smile.

"We'll see." She scooted closer to him and put her head on his chest.