CHAPTER 21

~ Day One ~

-Two Months Later-

It is nearing the end of May and the first day at Jersey Shore is about to begin. Everyone is in a different place in their lives in just a short amount of time. True to his word, Mike went to rehab and is now 69 days clean. Nicole is now entering six months into her pregnancy.

Since living together, Jenni and Nicole ditched that after the show finished filming and Jenni bought a house with Roger. When packing to leave for the Shore, Roger expressed his unhappiness with Jenni leaving again after basically just settling into their new home. It is what it is for Jenni, it's nothing new but they have a lot to work on. They're very much together, to Jenni's surprise, but both want different things at this point in time.

As for Sam and Ronnie, they're together now. No big surprise. They're always together when they are forced to be. The real test is after leaving the house. If they can stay together year-round then they may have something sustainable. This will be a telling year for the two.

Vinny has spent time to himself getting his personal development together. He feels good about who he is now and he is almost to the point where he is comfortable in his own skin. There are still some emotional issues he feels will be a challenge, as far as everything with Nicole is concerned. He is still reeling over the news about her and Jionni. He will try not to let it bother him when he gets to the Shore but only time will tell. He promises Pauly that he will not leave this time though.

Vegas was a blast but now it's back to the basics. Pauly feels like he's on top of the world as he makes his way from Providence to the Shore House in his new whip, a present to himself for becoming a top ten DJ. However, everything hasn't been as pearly white as his Navigator. Two weeks after agreeing to do a Visitation with Deena for Pauleena, he found himself in Mediation signing his rights away he felt.

He didn't bother to get a lawyer but he wished he had after leaving the legal offices. The agreement is as follows: Since Pauleena is still considered a newborn, visitation will be at Deena's Parents' home and Pauly will have to travel from wherever he is to come see the baby, but no overnights. Then once Pauleena is six months Pauly is allowed overnights at Deena's and once a month he can start taking her home for a weekend. Then of course, there are Holiday schedules such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother's and Father's Day, Pauleena's birthday, etc…

As Pauleena gets older, probably around two years old, they can renew their agreement as for what fits for her. Right now, Pauly is unhappy that he cannot take her home so that his family can see her. He has to wait until she is six months old. What really burns him, is that after the mediation the last week in March, he had to go right back to Vegas. He was really supposed to stay in Vegas to promote for The Pauly D Project, which aired on the twenty-ninth…Deena set the mediation for that Saturday. He made the premiere party but he was supposed to Spin at the Palms that Saturday. He had to cancel to show up for the mediation. He should have known then where this was headed.

After that whirlwind, he had to spend another week in Vegas and when he got back, it was supposed to be his first visitation with Pauleena under the new agreement. However, Deena went into the 'witness protection program…' wrong agreement. He called her and she wouldn't answer, he called her parents' house and got nothing. Luckily he didn't travel straight there from Vegas. So he stayed in Providence until he had to leave again.

Pauly saw Pauleena only once since the visitation had been finalized and that was at the end of April. He had nothing to say to Deena then after the stunt she pulled and he has nothing to say now. The first day, let alone the summer, should be interesting for them.

-At the House-

So Mike is the first one to arrive and he decides to make dinner for the roommates' first day in the house as an apology for all the shit he's put them through. He really is ready to wipe the slate clean now that he's clean. According to him, The Situation is back.

Deena is the next to arrive in the house. She bounces in and greets Mike. Right away, Mike notices the difference in her…appearance. Some changes have been made and for the positive.

Mike helps her with her bags outside.

"You're a little tinier since the last time I seen ya."

Deena, "Well you know, I keep tryin."

Mike, "You been doin your thing."

The whole time, Mike definitely checks her out. They decide to wait on the top deck until the others arrive.

Next in the house is drumroll, Pauly D! He comes in and yells out but nothing. He then goes outside.

"Anyone here?! Hello!"

On the deck, Mike gets up but Deena stays seated. She recognizes that voice anywhere. Pauly gets to the deck and he and Mike slap and hug. Pauly can tell the difference in the way Mike looks and interacts and they immediately bond. That alone makes him hopeful of the summer.

He then looks over at Deena and offers a hello. She does the same but that is it. They then go inside and Mike and Pauly talk in the kitchen while Deena does her own thing.

She is happy when Sammi and Ronnie walk in next. Deena jumps right away and they meet each other in the front room and hug. Sammi and Deena have become even closer over the months and it really started while Jenni and Nicole lived together. Sammi knows more about Deena than anyone else at this point so she is not shocked to see her new makeover.

Vinny is next to enter the house. He has a new fuller haircut and is wearing his glasses. Pauly is stoked to see him. Right away, it is like the first day. They talk while Sam and Deena talk.

Sam (referring to the food), "What's all this?"

Deena, "I don't know, I came in and Mike was cooking so…"

Sam rolls her eyes and responds.

"I guess… but I still don't trust him."

Deena, "Now you sound like Nicole."

Just as Deena says that she hears.

"The pregnant bitch is here!"

Everyone goes into the front room to greet Jenni and Nicole who have come to the house together. Now with everyone there, the girls can now split off from the guys.

The girls all fawn over Nicole and Deena is the first to comment knowing all too well where Nicole is at right now.

Deena, "Look at you! (Frowning a little) My God, you still look great. I wish I looked as fabulous at six months."

Nicole, "You did Dee'."

Deena, "Oh hell no, I was battling the bulge big time the whole damn pregnancy really."

Nicole, "Well, look at you now! The pics you sent did no justice. You're makin me look bad."

Deena shakes her head smiling and they all feel Nicole's belly and continue to talk, while Jenni investigates this meal.

After a minute, the guys and girls decide on sleeping arrangements. According to Ron, it took six summers to finally get a room alone with Sam, but for everyone it is now how it should have always been. Sam is downstairs with Ron; Jenni, Nicole, and Deena are sharing a room, and MVP is taking effect upstairs in the bigger bedroom where Mike was stuck with Ron and Sam last year.

Now everyone is settled and pair off and what not, to different parts of the house. Nicole and Deena go upstairs to the deck to relax away from the others for a minute before dinner is done.

Nicole, "Can you believe we're back here again."

Deena, "It's like a time machine just zapped us all back here."

Nicole nods.

"I think it's so weird this time because of all the shit that has happened to us all."

Deena, "We're not young and silly anymore. We each have shit we actually care about now."

Nicole, "It's gonna be so different for me now."

Deena nods this time and Nicole continues.

"I mean, I can't drink Ron-Ron juice or go out on the porch and smoke a cigarette. What the hell can I do?"

Deena, "Me either. I can't smoke or drink right now. Remember, I'm still nursing."

Nicole, "That's riiight."

Deena, "Yeah…(laughing a little) and shit, you've only just begun really. I haven't had a lick at anything since the beginning of my damn pregnancy when I found out."

Nicole, "You should just quit then. It'll be easy now."

Deena "No offense but as soon as 'Leena hits six months, I'm weaning her off the tits. She's getting the bottle honey."

Nicole laughs.

Deena, "I'm having a last day in the house toast to myself at the end of this summer for making it so long without a drink."

Nicole, "I guess we're just going to be the duds in the house this year…well, I can't say that. You can still party."

Deena, "…but not many people can be Moms like we are. Be proud of this because it's going to be like nothing you have ever experienced or could ever describe…but it's an awesome feeling."

Nicole, "Well you represent for both of us Dee. Show 'em what a MILF is all about!"

Deena laughs, "I plan on it. Don't you worry."

Nicole and Deena touch their cups of juice together in a toast to this summer at the Jersey Shore.

A/N: More to do on Monday! What better way to kick off the week, than with the first-day kick off in the Jersey House! I actually posted a day earlier than planned but I couldn't resist :-) .N-e-wayz, what are some of your thoughts on what is about to go down in the House?