"Hi!"

"Hey!" Murrue laughed, having not expected to see them so soon, she hadn't expected to see them until around later that afternoon. She smiled broadly, the little lines that had grown on her face over the years seeming to only disappear and not grow more prominent in her delight.

"I missed you Mom!" Ava squealed, racing forward to be the first to give her mother a hug, closing her marigold eyes as they embraced tightly. The young woman bounced back immediately after she let go, looking exactly like a carbon copy of her mother. She brushed a strand of chocolate brown hair behind her ear, the rest tied up tightly in a ponytail, slim body accentuated by her tight fitting blue jeans and white tanktop.

"I missed you too sweetheart." Murrue laughed softly, once again hugging the youngest of her twins, before pulling away to examine her from top to bottom. Her pale skin had darkened a little bit by her recent tan, but otherwise she looked completely fit. "Florida's been treating you well it seems."

"It's been fun in America." Ava replied with a giggle of her own, stepping inside at her mother's invitation. The walls were coated with pictures, some ranging from as early as nearly twenty-five years ago, when her brother had first been born, her graduation from highschool, to the first picture Bryan's new daughter. She eased out fo her flip-flops, examining the newest addition to the wall with interest.

"You like that picture?" Murrue asked, leaning over her youngest's shoulder, looking at the photo with a little smile. It was the most recent they'd been able to take, it showed the family of five with the newest addition to the La Flaga's, their first granddaughter. They had lined up on the beach, grinning broadly when Uncle Kira had taken the picture for them, it had only been two months ago they'd seen each other, but it seemed like a lifetime.

"It's a great picture." Ava agreed, looking around the wall before back to the picture. She examined her brother for a long moment, though his wife hadn't been there, she was glad to see her niece, the little dark haired girl was a real spitfire. Then she turned to her elder sister, who was the exact same as her father, with her mother's personality. She snickered into her hand and teased, "And of course you caught Paige when she had her hair down... For once."

"Be nice about your sister." Murrue scolded, tapping her youngest in the nose before walking off into the kitchen, hearing Ava following obediently behind her. "It's not her fault she likes to keep it up." She tried not to smile, knowing Paige's more stern attitude wasn't the only thing that made the twins polar opposites. Ava was a free-spirit, who got into as much trouble as she could. Paige was hard-nosed and hard-working, and a very good girl. With very opposing personalities it was a mystery how they were still as close as they were.

"I will Mom." Ava pretended to whine, rolling her marigold eyes behind her mother's back. She wasn't surprised when her mother turned around and gave her a smart whack in the shoulder, as if she'd seen what she'd done. Shrugging her shoulders, she sulked, not liking the trouble she was in. "This is why I moved out, you've got eyes in the back of your head and ears in the walls."

"You moved out because we weren't letting you freeload off us at eighteen." Murrue reminded her with a devilish grin, causing Ava to pout fiercely again. "Bryan was out on his own when he turned seventeen, do you remember that?"

"Yes I do, out to see the world, so to speak." Ava grumbled, rolling her eyes again, but she was quick to dodge another affectionate swipe to her arm again. She tried not to smirk, remembering how much her brother was very well loved by the students at the academy, both then and now. "Well he met a lady who tamed him and he's settled down now with a cute little girl that I'm going to kidnap, I'm happy for him."

"You're going to kidnap little Celeste?" Murrue asked with raised eyebrows, and Ava only grinned broadly in reply. Murrue rolled her eyes, turning to the counter as she set the plates inside the cupboards. "I don't understand why you don't just find a man of your own and have one."

"Because no one attracts my interest." Ava replied primly, hopping up to sit on the edge of the counter, before she looked around with a bit of a wistful look on her face. "Though I'll be honest, the entire 'settling down' and 'domestic' thing sure does look nice..." She sighed and shook her head, before glancing around again. "Am I the only one here yet?"

"Yeah, the others aren't coming for another hour or so..." Murrue remarked, turning back to the sink to finish up the dishes. "I'm betting Paige will come exactly ten minutes before she's supposed to, probably dragging poor Roger behind her..."

"Fft." Ava tried her best not to laugh, remembering the young man who had silently been watching her sister from afar for years before he got up the nerve to ask her out on a date. It was hard to believe they were married now, the family had been taking bets on when she would finally get pregnant. "Poor Roger... Yeah right, he knew what he was getting into, it's funny to watch." She glanced around again, frowning a little. "Where's Dad?"

The question was just out of her mouth when she was suddenly snatched from behind and tossed off the counter and into a warm pair of arms. She squeaked in alarm before squealing in delight and jumped happily back into her father's hug. "Daddy!" He chuckled and attempted to ruffle her tightly done up hair, and she playful ducked his advances.

"Hey there squirt!" Mu laughed, hugging her again and she laughed again before wrapping her arms around him as best she could. He released her after a moment, marvelling about just how much she resembled her mother, it was like he had gone back in time, she looked exactly like Murrue did all those years ago, maybe a fair bit slimmer and a few inches taller, but the same anyway.

"You're getting grey Daddy." Ava teased, reaching up to touch the grey streaks at his temple, touching his hair lovingly. She turned to look at her mother and added sweetly, "Just like Mom. You match." Mu snorted and easily hoisted her over his shoulder, and she cried out in alarm before the sound faded into laughter. "Alright, alright, I was lying, you look fine! No more age cracks, I'll behave today!"

Mu chuckled again and easily set her back on her feet, watching her straighten her clothes with a huff, but the brilliant grin never faded from her angelic face. Murrue rolled her eyes and Mu only chuckled harder, tugging Ava close to press a kiss to her cheek. "You better behave." He told her gravely, trying his hardest to look severe but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away. "Or else."

"You'll ground me?" Ava asked sarcastically, and she ducked to avoid a swat in the head, racing around the counter to join her mother at the sink. "Okay, behaving, I got it!" She quickly picked up a towel and began to dry the dishes Murrue was finishing washing.

"You know Ryuta's single." Mu teased, noticing the lack of jewellery on his youngest's hand, the only one who wasn't attached in any shape or form.

"Ew! He's old enough to be my uncle Dad!" Ava pulled a face, looking completely disgusted, and Murrue snorted, leaning into the sink as she laughed, while Mu looked cheerfully proud of himself. "Gross, I'd never date Ryuta! He's like family!" She paused for a second and then added with a smirk, "He basically is family by law, Aunt Rin's married to Ryuta's uncle."

"Damn legality." Mu grumbled and that only earned a mirroring bell-chime giggle from both women. He tried not to smile, knowing that would only give him away and watched the two women laugh and talk at the sink. He was always surprised by how much Murrue and Ava were alike, not only in physical appearance but also in personality. Though she was always being told she was as reckless and brave as he was, he always disagreed. 'She's reckless and brave, true... But her mother was like that a long time ago too... She's cheerful, always bubbly always kind... Still much like a teenager even though she's an adult now. She's responsible despite looking carefree... Talking and walking before we were ready for her, adventurous to a fault... And she's a damn knockout.'

A knock at the door made them all turn around, and then it swung open followed by a cheery yell, "Hey you lot! The party's here!"

"Bry's here." Ava snickered, not even looking up from the dishes as her mother raced out to greet him. She continued to fix up the rest of what had been left in the sink, pausing when she felt a strong pair of arms around her shoulders. She laughed and turned around, seeing her brother. "Hey boy!"

"Hey sis." Bryan chuckled, tugging Ava into a warm hug that she was glad to return. He pulled away, regarding her slim form with a raised eyebrow. "You're going to vanish you're so thin Ava."

"Oh shut up you grizzly." Ava told him with a snicker, elbowing him in the side as she looked him up and down. He truly was his father's son, in both physical appearance and attitude, they were the exact same man except for eye colour. Bryan grew up tall and strong, resembling his father exactly, and his attitude had matured into the exact same as well. He nearly caused his sister to vanish when he hugged her tightly. "It's not my fault you're damn huge."

Bryan chortled, used to his sister's playful banter, she just loved to tease everybody, it was the way she was. He hugged her again, kissing her on the cheek before drawing away to watch her again, "Florida alright?"

"Everybody needs to stop asking me how Florida is." Ava rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, but she shrugged to answer his question. "How's Alaska been treating you? I bet the long nights away from your ladies really tick you off."

"Yeah... Not as much as it ticks Evelyn off, but you know how it is." Bryan replied with an idle shrug, using his wife's full name affectionately. "It gets hard being away from the folks for too long... I'm thinking about switching around."

"Well good for you, Mom would love it if you moved back into ORB." Ava told him cheerfully, inserted her arm into his as they began to walk back into the family room where the rest of the group was. Evelyn was sitting on the couch holding her little girl in her lap, laughing and cooing to the dark-haired girl. Her baby was a carbon copy of her, except with her father's brilliant emerald eyes. Her face lit up when she saw Ava and the two embraced carefully before sitting next to each other to talk happily.

"Well Evie looks happy, you've done well Bry." Mu snorted, tousling his son's golden blond hair roughly while watching the women talk and fuss over the baby. "Planning on getting her pregnant again to add on?"

"Dad." Bryan grumbled, rolling his eyes skyward before noticing how his wife looked so animated, laughing and joking around with his mother and sister. He smiled weakly and finally sighed contentedly and replied, "If she wants another one, I'd be happy to make it that way. Whatever she wants I'll give it to her."

"Good boy." Mu chuckled, affectionately tousling his hair again.

The door sounded again, and this time a woman's voice called, "anybody home?"

"And the boss is home!" Ava quipped, and Evelyn burst out laughing at the joke, and Murrue smiled broadly as she hopped to her feet to meet her middle child.

"Mom!" Paige cried out in delight, running froward to embrace her mother, laughing when she pulled away. She tucked a long lock of golden blond hair behind her ear, azure eyes twinkling in amazement at her mother's delight. "Hi!"

"Hey." Murrue hugged her again, before neatly stepping back as Mu took over and wrapped her up in a large bear hug. Laughing at Paige's subtle eyeroll when she was released, she let the two talk quickly before she followed her parents into the living room.

As soon as she entered the large living room, Ava and Bryan converged on her and both hugged the svelte blond tightly, and the siblings burst out laughing at a secret joke when they hugged. The three sat back down on their respective couches or chairs, and immediately began talking and laughing again.

"Alright, alright, one at a time!" Murrue called them to order, trying not to laugh when they all looked up expectantly at her. "Okay, we all have our news, we go one at a time. Youngest first this time!"

"Oh alright." Ava rolled her eyes again and waved her hands when everyone turned to look at her. She pursed her lips for a few moments, looking thoughtful as she wracked her mind for news. "Okay, here we go." She said abruptly after a long moment or two, sitting up straighter in her chair, which she was perched on like a cat. "So Florida has been great, everybody knows I was there doing research for my little project of mine for Morgenroete... Anyway, so now that the job's nearly done, I'll be coming home in three months or so to stay in ORB. I've rented an apartment, and secured a job with Ryuta, so looks like I'm here to stay this time."

A huge burst of chaos met her news, and Ava was swarmed immediately by her family who were eager to congratulate her. Ava laughed and half-heartedly fought them off but ended up hugging everyone and laughing as they pat her on the bach or on the head.

After the chaos settled, Paige was next, idly twirling her wedding rings around her finger before everyone turned to look at her. She grinned sweetly and then said cheerfully, "Well I'm still in ORB with Roger and after a few weeks of talking about it, we've decided we're going to move further into the city, closer to the school where I'm currently teaching/being head of at. And I've got an announcement to make on our behalf, because Roger's working... I've just found out I'm going to have a baby of my own."

If chaos had broken out, it was as if a nuclear bomb had gone off with all the noise that met Paige's ears, and the woman was mobbed by the family and she only laughed as she became the centre of attention. She was blushing a fair bit, waving off her brother who was still hugging her and the jokes Ava was quipping at a high speed.

They settled again, and this time Bryan sat with Evelyn, winding his arm around her small waist as he began to speak. "Well after awhile... We've decided Alaska hasn't worked out for us as much as we'd like to think it was going to... Evie?"

Evie smiled sheepishly, a faint blush staining her cheeks as she continued shyly, dark eyes twinkling, "We've decided that we're going to move back into ORB, Miss Lacus said that we could take their old cabin now that she and Kira have moved into their 'mansion' so to speak. So we'll be living in ORB in about three or four weeks."

The little family was mobbed, it seemed like good news was shooting out all around and everybody was completely content with this situation.

The news continued to fly around, nothing but good things coming out in the conversations, everybody's happiness easy to see. The daylight went too fast, and soon Paige had to go first, wishing everybody well and promising she'd see them all as soon as possible. Bryan and his wife left next, their little celeste tired from the outing and with a quick promise to be back quickly, they were gone as well.

Ava however hung around to help with the cleanup, which was already done by the time Paige had had to go. She had her bag with her, planning to stay a night or two before she would catch her flight back to Florida. Mu got a call from Kira and left to help out his friend, leaving the two brunettes alone for the beginnings of twilight.

"Something on your mind?" Murrue asked, looking over at Ava who was perched on her seat, staring out the window lost in thought. She looked over in polite surprise when she heard her mother's voice, and Murrue patiently repeated her question.

Ava shrugged, looking unsure as she turned her gaze back to her mother before sliding properly into the chair. She finally said tiredly, running a hand through her hair, "Florida... It's been really nice... A lot like home, always sunny, always by the beach... But y'know, while I was there... It just didn't feel like home."

"You didn't like it as much as you let on." Murrue finished for her daughter, eyebrows raising a tiny bit, looking certain that was what her youngest meant.

"Paige's settled down... Bryan, Bryan, mom, settled down... And it's just me now." Ava mumbled weakly, running another hand through her now undone hair, marigold eyes troubled. "The odd one out is me."

"Don't worry about that, things will come to you in your own time you can't stress yourself out just because you haven't found the right guy or the right job." Murrue told her wisely, patting the cushion beside her in invitation. Ava hesitantly got up and moved beside her, and Murrue wound her arm around her youngest to tug her closer. "I wasn't sure I'd ever be settled. Living life as a soldier made stability pretty out of reach for me. But then I met your father."

Ava raised her eyebrows, not expecting this sort of story. "Then you got hitched had Bryan and us, and now you're happy."

"It's not that simple." Murrue scolded her, gently poking Ava in the nose for punishment for interrupting. "It really isn't that simple at all."

"You never made it sound complicated." Ava pointed out with a little smirk, and Murrue pursed her lips at that, knowing she was right and Ava grinned in triumph. "C'mon Mom, you never made it sound complicated, it all looked pretty simple from where I'm standing y'know."

"Well if that's the case, make yourself comfortable. Cause I have a story for you." Murrue told her in a matter of fact tone, settling down into her couch as she thought of a way to begin. "There's a big story here that you'll need to listen to."

"Uh huh." Ava settled down into a more comfy position, resting her head on her mother's shoulder, watching her intently. She had always been a fan of fairytales, of any sort of story really and she knew her mother knew that. "Okay then Mom. Shoot."

"You don't know what you're in for." Murrue laughed with the warning, settling down and looking up at the ceiling. "Alright..." She took a deep breath and began her story, and for a moment... She was back in time twenty years ago, holding her little girl in her arms as she told her favourite fairytale as she was setting her down to bed. And with a smile... She was content.

AN

XD That so could have gone better but nyah, hahaha, I got it done and I'm perversely proud of myself And no one make a comment about Evie, it was the only name I had in my head for the moment. And yes she's happy XD Rights to the OCs (because I can) are mine, lol. And yeah, i recycle names, so what? Heheh. Lmao, so I'm done this one, (finally) and there will be more stories to follow as always. Thanks for reading, see you around soon! And a big special thanks to my sisses, couldn't have done it without you!

Sky