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A/N: As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

Jude glanced from Lucy to Lizzy, then to Mr. and Mrs. Carrigan, trying to figure out what was said. He and Max had been outside, and all the two of them could hear was raised voices, not the words that had been spoken. Or more correctly, shouted.

"Lizzy…" Lucy choked out, staring up at her daughter who stood dejectedly in the middle of the staircase. She had heard nearly everything, which was something Lucy didn't want to happen.

"I…I didn't see her there." Mrs. Carrigan stammered. She thought--like everyone else--that the teenager had been asleep. She hadn't meant to say those things in front of her granddaughter.

Lizzy suddenly shot up the stairs, feet colliding heavily with the floor. She tried her hardest to keep in her tears, but it wasn't so easy. The second she reached the doorway of Julia's room, her body shook with quiet sobs. She went over to the bed where her bag was and pulled on her jean jacket, careful not to wake her sleeping aunt. She was sliding her feet into her sneakers as she walked out of the bedroom.

"Lizzy, sweetheart, wait." Lucy called as her daughter descended the stairs quickly and brushed past the adults.

"I'm awfully sorry…I didn't mean for you to hear our argument." Mrs. Carrigan told the teen, sympathetic. Lizzy wasn't so sure that it was genuine.

"We apologize--we can talk this over." Mr. Carrigan tried.

"Those things shouldn't have been said in the first place." The eighteen-year-old retorted, frowning at her grandparents before ambling right out the door. Lucy made an attempt to go after her, but Max grabbed her arm to pull her back.

"Let her go," he told Lucy, "She doesn't know where she's going so she can't get very far. I'll get her when she's calmed down."

Lucy nodded, wiping the tears furiously from her cheeks. Jude took her hand, rubbing circles onto the back of her palm with his thumb. His wife's attention turned back to her parents.

"I can't believe you." she scolded.

Mr. Carrigan sighed. "She's a big girl, Luce. Maybe it's time she knew how we feel."

That comment didn't go over well with Jude. They had just made his little girl run out of here in tears, and they were talking about letting her know the truth as if it was actually a good thing? They wanted to be completely honest and tell her that her grandparents thought that her parents were failures and that she ruined their chances of having successful lives? Yeah, because that was what every child wanted to hear from their own family. Jude thought sarcastically.

"I know ya don't exactly approve of our marriage or the way we live," Jude said firmly, "But don't take it out on her."

The air was warm outside, and the night was calm. Lizzy walked down the block, the breeze flowing through her dark tresses. She had no idea where she was headed; all she knew was that she needed to get out of that house, away from her grandparents. She couldn't stand how they had been treating her, looking down on her like she was worthless. And now, she had learned that her grandparents once called her a "mistake". She knew that they hadn't approved of her parents' marriage and that they had started a family so young, but this was something new. She couldn't understand how her grandparents could stoop so low and call her names when she didn't do much of anything in the first place.

Her parents were deeply in love, they got married, and had Lizzy. Yes, she was a bit unexpected, but she couldn't have been a mistake. And yes, her parents had to give her to the Harrisons, but now they were back together and all was right with the world again. Why couldn't they just deal with it? Why were Mr. and Mrs. Carrigan being so stupid?

Lizzy eventually stumbled across a small park that had a few slides and a swing set. It was nothing more than a large area of grass with a couple of trees and benches set underneath them. Lizzy decided to stop there, taking refuge on a wooden bench, her knees pulled up to her chest. She sat quietly, mind still reeling.

"Hey, squirt."

It didn't take very long for someone to find her, just like she thought. She looked up at Max who was standing before her with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans. He planted himself beside his niece, slouching slightly.

"You all right?" he asked.

Lizzy shrugged. "Not exactly."

Max wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she scooted closer to him, resting her head against his chest. They were silent for a few moments, before Lizzy felt warm, fresh tears trickling down her cheeks. Max heard her sniffling and sighed, running a soothing hand through her hair.

"Don't listen to their shit, Lizzy. They're a couple of assholes," Max advised. "Trust me, I've learned to ignore it."

"What are you talking about? They didn't seem nearly as angry about you than they were about me and my parents."

Max chuckled. "That's where you're wrong, my friend," he stated. "I was the topic of many, many arguments. I dropped out of college, remember?" Lizzy nodded. "Anyway, they're just pissed because Lucy was supposed be the Golden Child. According to their standards, her life didn't turn out the way they wanted it to."

"What about you? Did they approve of Aunt Val?"

"Yeah…" he trailed off. "I guess they're giving Luce a harder time because everything happened so quickly, ya know? With me and Val, we waited a couple years before we started a family. Although, they still complain that we should have better jobs…"

"Of course." Lizzy said flatly. "Nothing's ever good enough."

"Uh-huh," Max agreed. "Whatever. Screw them. We're happy, right? New York's awesome, our family is wicked cool, so who the hell cares?"

"I like the way you think."

Max laughed, ruffling his niece's hair. "So, you still thinking about inviting them to your graduation?"

"Nah, I actually have a better alternative…"

Around eight the next morning, the family was slowly piling into the car, getting ready to leave the Carrigans' house. Mr. and Mrs. Carrigan hadn't said much of anything to anyone since the argument last night, and everyone was trying to avoid conversation this morning. Mr. and Mrs. Carrigan were standing at the front window, watching their children and their families depart. Lucy and Valerie hated to leave on bad terms once again, but it seemed like they had no other choice so long as Mr. and Mrs. Carrigan were going to be disagreeable.

Lizzy approached Julia, taking a small envelope out of her pocket. "Julia, I'd like you and Henry to come to my graduation, if you could," she requested. "Mr. and Mrs. Harrison will pay for your flight there and back, and you won't have to worry about a hotel…"

"We would love to come, Lizzy," Julia answered brightly as the teenager handed her the envelope containing two tickets. "Thank you."

"No problem."

Julia embraced the eighteen-year-old tightly. "I can't wait," she gushed. "We'll make some plans for the summer, then, okay? And you'll have to introduce me to that boyfriend of yours."

"Yeah," Lizzy said. "Love you, Julia. Tell Henry I can't wait to meet him."

"You got it, hon," Julia replied. "Love you, too."

Lizzy was the last one to hop in the car, once again stuck in between her two cousins. It was going to be another long ride home…

When Lucy, Jude, and Lizzy finally sauntered into the apartment, it was about late afternoon. They all tossed their bags carelessly onto the floor of the living room and collapsed onto the couch. The trip had been exhausting, both in a physical and emotional sense. Overall, it felt good to be back in the comforts of their own home, surrounded by people they loved and were loved by.

"Sorry I dragged you guys there," Lizzy said suddenly, moving to sit on Lucy's lap when Lucy was already sitting on Jude's lap. "I should've listened to you. I knew you weren't happy about it to begin with."

"You have absolutely nothing to apologize for," Lucy reassured her daughter, wrapping her arms around her torso. "I just wish you didn't hear any of what was said. I know it hurt you."

"It's partially my fault for eavesdropping."

"But still, you were right. They shouldn't have even said those things in the first place. They're just stuck in their old ways, Lizzy. They won't accept our life for what it is."

Jude reached over to place a comforting hand on Lizzy's shoulder. "If it makes ya feel any better, me mum adores you."

Lizzy laughed. "Actually, it does," she admitted. It was nice to know that one out of three of her grandparents loved her and her parents unconditionally. "I just wish I could remember her."

"We could give her a call if you'd like." Jude suggested. This made Lizzy's eyes light up.

"Now?"

"I don't see why not."

Lucy and Lizzy got off Jude's lap and he ambled over to the phone in the kitchen. Kneeling on the couch cushions, Lizzy leaned over the side of the couch to watch her father as he dialed the long distance to number to his childhood home in Liverpool. He called there periodically to keep his mother posted on what was going on the States. He had told her about Lizzy's return to New York and that they were going to take custody of her again, which Martha was especially pleased to hear about.

Obviously, Lizzy could only hear her father's end of the conversation, and it proved to be a bit puzzling after awhile.

"'ello, Mum, How are ya? We're fine; things are good. Lizzy's visiting in New York right now. Yeah, she's only got a few weeks left of school…"

There was a longer pause, in which Martha relayed a bit of information to her son. The expression on Jude's face changed from happiness to shock.

"…we've been thinking about it, yeah," Jude continued. Lizzy wondered what they were discussing now. "This summer? Mum, it's quite a bit of money…you don't have to…I understand that, but…all right, I'll go get 'er."

Jude held the phone out. "Lizzy, yer grandmother wants to speak with you."

Lizzy practically leapt off the couch and scrambled over to retrieve the phone. She took a breath and held it to her ear, grinning. "Hello?"

"Lizzy," Martha Feeny said from the other end, thousands of miles away in Liverpool. "It's so good to hear your voice, darling. I've missed you so much…can ya believe the last time I saw you, you were two?" There was something about her grandmother's warm, gentle, Liverpudlian accent that made Lizzy feel at ease.

"Your father told me everything. I heard you're movin' back to New York after you graduate. And you're studying to be an art teacher, is that right?"

"Yes." Lizzy smiled.

"That's wonderful."

"Thank you," the teenager replied. "I wish you could be there for my graduation."

"Oh, I know, sweetheart," she answered. "I was just talkin' to your father about that, as a matter of fact. I've been saving up for awhile, hoping that someday you'd get the chance…how would ya like to come to Liverpool with your parents during the summer?"

Lizzy wasn't sure at first if she had heard her grandmother correctly. Then, the words sunk in. She was immediately excited. "Really? You mean it?"

"Of course I do," Martha chuckled. "It'll be a graduation present. What do you say? Would you like to come?"

"Definitely." Lizzy beamed.

"Great," Martha replied. "And, do me favor: tell your father not to worry about the expenses."

"Okay." Lizzy smiled at Jude, who was sitting on the couch with Lucy again.

"Make sure to call me after graduation and tell me all about it, all right?"

"Yes," the teen answered, continuing to grin from ear to ear. "Thank you so much."

"You earned it, darling. I'll be expecting a call from you, then. I love you, Lizzy."

"Love you, too, grandma."

Lizzy hung up the phone and made her way back to the couch, doing some kind of dance of joy. Lucy giggled. "What did she say, Lizzy?"

"She invited us to Liverpool sometime during the summer. She said it was my graduation present from her." The eighteen-year-old informed her mother cheerfully. Lucy glanced at Jude, who still seemed kind of shocked to hear about his mother's plans. They didn't have much money--in fact, Jude still sent some money to his mother whenever she needed it--so how she had been able to save up for this trip for them was a mystery to him.

Lizzy couldn't wait to tell Paul…