Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: Whoo. This chapter was a lot longer than I thought it would be. Enjoy!

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Opening her eyes groggily the following morning, Kate was momentarily confused by her surroundings, before she remembered where she was. Reaching out an arm for a body next to her, her brow furrowed when she found emptiness. Turning her head to look at the clock – and noting with a soft smile that the clock itself was a ship – she opened her eyes in amazement. It was 7:43am and she had just woken up. This really was one for the books.

Throwing back the sheets, she swung her legs off the bed and stretched her arms over her head as she let out a huge yawn. She was so tired. Standing up, she promptly sat down again when a wave of dizziness washed over her. Rightio, that was a little bit too fast.

The world once again at rights, she gingerly stood up and approached her bag that had been dumped in the corner yesterday by her ever-so-tidy man. As she bent down to grab her toiletries, her body rebelled against the move and her stomach flew into her mouth. Throwing open the door and dashing down the hall – thankful that she didn't see anyone – she ran into the bathroom and threw up into the toilet. It would appear that her body had granted her a reprieve from the usual 6:40am wakeup call – but the morning sickness was still ever so very much present.

Retrieving her clothes and necessities from the bedroom, she grinned as she spotted the towel folded on the end of the bed with a note in Mike's handwriting, a packet of salted nuts from the plane nearby.

She took a quick shower before making the bed and preparing to head downstairs. Checking her appearance once more, she walked down the stairs. It was a miracle that she hadn't woken up any earlier really, what with the level of noise coming from the dining room. Standing in the doorway, she looked at everyone in various stages of eating, preparing or playing and inwardly released a sigh of relief. There were no new people for her to meet – yet.

'Ah Sleeping Beauty awakens!' called Tommy as she shyly stepped into the room and all the attention fell on to her.

Mike's head looked up from where he sat with a young boy and flashed her a grin. Looking back at the little boy – who she figured had to be his godson Ethan – Justine's son – he placed a hand on his should and explained what he was doing and where he was going before he stood up and made his way over to her. 'Good morning,' he said as he leaned down and kissed her.

'Morning.' She was well used to be kissed by now, but she still wasn't accustomed to public displays of affection. Looking around furtively at Mike's family, none of them appeared to be fazed.

Sitting down for breakfast, Kate was presented with a plate of food – the first of many the day. As she sipped her orange juice, Abby took a seat next to her and spoke at a furious pace about what the plans were for the day. It would appear that Christmas Eve was a day that the Flynn clan took as an opportunity for family time apart from others. But she was advised by Abby that Christmas Day here tomorrow would be a whole other ball game.

Great.

When she sat down for dinner several hours later, she mused that she'd never been through a day that had gone so quick but slow, done nothing, but still a lot and on the all, just mosied through the time with no worries or structure. She was still wary of people and not quite sure of how to act, but as evening fell, she found herself beginning to relax.

Sitting round the table now as food was passed around, Kate noted yet another insult thrown from one Flynn sibling to another. Insults really did seem to be the way that they all showed their love for each other. The latest one had Mike and Tommy ganging up on the females of the family and trying to get out of the washing up duty that followed after dinner. 'It's women's business!' Needless to say, their odds of success were pretty much non-existent.

When a car pulled up into the driveway and a door slammed shut, the twins were on the edge of their seats as they looked at each other excitedly. Looking to their mother for permission, and with permission granted, they ran for the windows where they could see a lone figure walking up the path. Racing each other to the door, Ellie and Linds threw themselves into the arms of the new arrival. 'Daddy!'

Abby's husband entered the dining with a smile on his tired face, a twin on each hip and a greeting for all. He dropped a kiss on Abby's lips before he took a seat nearby where the twins promptly rearranged themselves in his lap and continued to talk at a mile a minute. It was a while before they breathed long enough for anyone to get in a word edgewise and Pat Flynn was the first one in. 'So how's Mr Government these days?'

'Lovely as ever,' responded Brett with a laugh as his mother-in-law reached for a plate. 'You want anything to eat?' asked Carol as Brett shook his head. 'I grabbed something on the way, so I'm fine.'

'You sure?'

'I'm sure. Thanks Carol.'

'Well in that case, boys – get to it,' ordered Carol. 'You know the drill.'

As the plates were passed down, Tommy stood up with a perilously stacked combination of plates, mugs and cutlery that wobbled dangerously in his arms as he took a step back. 'Yo Brezza. Kitchen duty calls. Let's go get you that lovely frilly apron you like shall we?'

'You know what Tommy? Wouldn't want to begrudge you of the privilege, so I'm right here thanks.'

'Brett is a guest boys – and so he doesn't need to do the dishes,' admonished Carol.

'But he's a man!' protested Mike as he hooked as many cups and mugs into his hands as he could. It was amazing how returning to the family home seemed to make all these grown up adults revert to their childhood selves.

'I'll ignore that comment this time,' said Carol as she held out the large plate that was littered with chicken bones. 'But only because you're giving me another grandchild.'

Kate choked on her water as Mike balanced the plate on the mugs. 'Looks like Kate's saved my butt once again doesn't it,' said Mike grinning at her. 'You okay?'

'Don't worry about me,' she responded waving off his concern. 'I'd be more worried about what happened if you don't get your butt into the kitchen now.'

As Mike rolled his eyes good naturedly and followed his father into the kitchen, Tommy pitched a last minute plea to Brett. 'Yeah?'

'No,' said Brett as Tommy let out a dramatic sigh and walked into the kitchen comically, each step threatening to topple over his tower of crockery. 'I can't look,' said Carol as she exchanged a look with Kate, before their attention was diverted to the left. 'Daddy poked his tongue out at Uncle Tommy!' exclaimed Ellie as Linds nodded her head in agreement. 'That's naughty.'

'You're right,' said Brett as he looked at them seriously. 'Daddy shouldn't have done that. So what's his punishment?'

'What do you say you tickle him?' said Abby from her reclined seat next to them, hands resting on her considerable girth where baby was kicking and punching.

'Abs...' groaned Brett in objection, but he couldn't stop his laughter as he was tickled to death by his girls. In his attempt to get away he stood up from the table and held them both upside down as they began to laugh. It's now that she gets her official introduction to Mike's brother-in-law. 'Brett Andrassy.'

'Kate McGregor.'

She got to know Brett a little better when they all left Mike, Tommy, Pat and the recently recruited Ethan in the kitchen soon after and made a move to the lounge room. With the twins playing a furious game of snap, Brett dropped down onto the couch next to her. 'So how far along are you?'

'Four months.'

'Hard to believe that Mikey's going to be a father after all these years.'

'You make him sound like he's ancient!' laughed Kate. 'Well, when you've known him as long as I have... You're the first girl that Mikey's ever brought home that I've met.'

She continued to talk with Brett for a little while longer before she was pulled into a conversation with Abby and Justine about babies. That conversation ended when Tommy entered the room with a shout and ran toward them with a box. 'Pictionary! Pictionary! Pictionary!' he chanted as Justine and Abby let out a whoop.

'What's going on?' asked Kate as she whispered to Brett. 'Prepare yourself. You're about to see the Flynns in all their ugly glory.'

'Over a board game?' asked Kate bemused as Mike stepped into the room. 'It's not just a board game – it's Pictionary,' he said as if it were the most obvious thing as he leant over the back of the couch between Kate and Brett. 'It's the ultimate test to reveal just who are the superior siblings.'

'Do you mean like girls against boys or something?' Abby laughed in response to her question. 'Yeah Tommy. We're the girls' team!'

Tommy placed the board game on the table as he took on a very campy demeanour. 'Charmed, darling.'

'Looking a little more like a drag queen than a lady over there,' snorted Justine as Kate looked on in confusion before Mike explained. 'It's not a gender based thing, but rather it's a battle between brains and what I guess could be classified as brawn. Me and Jussy against our lowly siblings.'

'So that would make Abby and Tommy the brains?' said Kate with a laugh as she tilted her head to look at his face. 'Oh Kate – you wound me!' said Mike as everyone laughed. Mike gave her a quick kiss before he moved around the couch and approached his siblings where the insults began.

'Prepare to meet your maker!'

'Already met him and he wished me good luck.'

'Hey that's a new one. How long did it take for you to come up with that?'

'Ha ha.'

'Be nice.'

'Do we do niceness?'

'Nope.'

After a great deal of verbal abuse that slowed down the setting up of the game considerably, the battle was finally set. Abby and Tommy were seated on the right hand side of the table, with Justine and Mike on the left. She was thankful that she wasn't required to play, and was more than happy to sit back and watch was clearly going to be an entertaining evening.

Ethan sat next to his mother with a pad of paper and a neat row of sharpened pencils, whilst Eloise and Lindsey were jumping up and down behind their mother as Mike and Tommy rolled the dice to see who would be going first. Patrick and Carol had taken up residence in the two matching chairs nearby, and Brett had momentarily left the room to unpack his car.

When Tommy rolled the five to Mike's three, Ellie and Linds let out a whoop. 'Go Mummy! Go Uncle Tommy!' The girls were the designated 'cheerleaders' for the 'Brawn Team', whilst Ethan is the sole supporter of Mike and Justine. 'Good luck,' he said solemnly as Mike thanked his nephew equally sombrely and Justine boasted to the other team that this time next year they'd have another cheerleader. Kate is bemused for a moment before she realised that they were talking about her and Mike's unborn child.

Tommy's quick to respond. 'You might be one up next year – but so will we be. Abby will be popping out number three anytime now – so we'll still be ahead. As always.'

'Thanks Tommy,' said Abby as she hit her teammate's shoulder. 'How about you try contributing a cheerleader of your own, boy?'

'Me?' scoffed Tommy. 'I think not. I'm more than happy with my carefree single life.'

'Will we be commencing the game anytime soon?' interrupted Ethan.

What followed was three hours of immense concentration, insults that got meaner as the time progressed and tempers that flared with each drawing.

Ellie and Linds had quickly grown bored with watching the game, and had returned to playing with their dolls. When Lindsey began to cry over Eloise taking her doll and came to her father inconsolable, Brett scooped her up into his lap, but the little girl couldn't be placated and Brett stood up as he excused himself. 'I think it's bedtime for these two.' Ellie objected to her father's call for bedtime, but changed her mind swiftly when she saw the look on her mother's face.

Ellie raced over to kiss her grandmother sitting in the chair knitting, before she raced over to the matching chair nearby and startled her dozing grandfather awake with her goodnight. Brett followed with Lindsey in his arms, before they turned to the table and the Flynn siblings looked up from their game long enough to kiss the twins good night.

Kate was the last in line for the farewells as Ellie raced over to her next and scrambled into her lap for an enthusiastic hug and kiss. 'Nigh night Aunty Kate.' Her surprise at being called an 'aunty' was surpassed moments later when Ellie patted her stomach, just like she had done to her mother's moments earlier. 'Nigh night baby.'

'Sorry,' apologised Brett as he pulled Ellie back. 'It's a family tradition.'

'It's okay,' she said softly as the trio left the room to check on Santa's cookies and milk before heading upstairs. She couldn't help the smile on her face, and her eyes met Mike's for a moment before his attention was called back to his game by his sister. 'Hey Captain Flynn. All Play!'

Ethan followed them to bed not long after when he arose from the table and carefully picked up his paper and pencils. 'I wish you all a good night's sleep.' His good night's were very different to that of his cousins as he pecked his mother on the cheek, and nodded his head in the direction of everyone else before he left the room.

Pat fell asleep in his chair once again, and it was Kate and Carol who sat with a cup of tea as they watched the game of Pictionary nearing its end. It all came down to the last All Play and with Mike and Tommy drawing, the tensions were high.

And it was all over within seconds of the timer beginning when Abby yelled out 'boat!' and Tommy punched the air. 'Victory!'

'It's a boat Jussy! A boat!' lamented Mike as Tommy stood up from his chair and did a dance on the spot. 'We beat you!' crowed Tommy. Kate grinned as Mike became defensive. 'You didn't beat us per se. When you look at the running tally...'

'Uh uh bro,' said Abby. 'We beat you fair and square – any more beaten and you'd be a pulp.'

'Piss off,' said Justine as she began to clean up the game.

'Ah ah,' said Tommy, waving his finger in her face. 'Language.'

'Children, settle down,' said Carol demurely from their end of the table.

'He started it,' said all four of them at the same time as Carol rolled her eyes at her grown children. 'How old are you?'

It was just before 11pm, and with Pictionary out of sight and of mind, all the adults – including the now wide awake 'I was just resting my eyes' Pat – had their drink of choice as they sat about comfortably in the lounge room. Kate sat next to Mike who pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her head as Tommy sipped his rum and coke and let out a sigh from his position on the floor. 'That was a good night.'

'That it was,' agreed Justine. 'We haven't played Pictionary in a while.'

'I don't think I've ever played Pictionary,' ventured Kate as everyone turned to her. 'I was more of the Monopoly type of person.' Everyone's eyes flew off Kate and onto Justine as the oldest Flynn child raised her hand. 'We do not do Monopoly. Ever.'

'Jussy has a serious problem with the game,' whispered Mike into her ear. 'I never win it! Ever!' protested Justine. 'Oh you poor ickle wickle Jussy,' taunted Tommy.

'Remind me why I keep you around?' threw back Justine.

'Because you love me!' said Tommy with what was presumably a winning smile.

'I must have missed that memo,' said Justine deceptively sweetly in return as Tommy sighed dramatically. 'Oh sis you wound me.'

'Live with it.'

'Oh look at the treatment I receive,' said Tommy looking to Kate for sympathy. 'Nobody loves me in this family. I'm a reject.'

'Can't imagine why!' snorted Brett softly as Abby laughed alongside him and Tommy crawled forward on his knees to Kate with a dopey look.

'Oi Tommy,' yelled Mike, flicking his foot in his younger brother's direction when he came close enough. 'Hands off my girl.'

'Well you haven't married her yet, so she's free game,' said Tommy as a deathly silence fell over the room. You could have heard a pin drop.

Kate looked around awkwardly – looking at anything that wasn't Mike – as she stood up, said 'good night' and made her exit from the room as quickly as possible. Mike sent a glare at Tommy before he too followed and Justine reached forward and hit her brother on the back of the head. Rubbing his head in pain, the youngest Flynn looked to his father for support. 'Daaad!'

'I don't think so son. That's wasn't the smartest move to make.'