Thank you all for the reviews on the last chapter! xx

To the guest comment who left: "why is it always Jayden?" - They all go through situations, but Jayden's a teenaged girl so her feelings are different, but thanks for the comment.


-Chapter 49-

"Summer Nights Part 3"

Jayden looked at Alexis who was sitting cross-legged in one of the patio chairs, laughing as she ran a hand through her curls. She didn't know what Alexis' obsession with her hair was but she hated it. Jayden hated everything about Alexis, especially the way she was sitting on her patio like she owned it. She let out a sigh. It wasn't like she could do anything about it…

"I already know what you're thinking," Landon said, grabbing a soda from the cooler. He had a cup of ice in his other hand. "Mom made me invite her."

Jayden looked at him confusingly. "Why? And when did you start drinking soda?"

"I don't," Landon said. As an athlete, he tried to watch what he ate and drank, but since he wasn't always effective with food, he was very strict with what he drank. "Alexis wanted a soda…" He looked at Jayden's face. "I know. Mom wanted to 'meet my girlfriend,'" Landon said, quoting their mom.

"Humph," Jayden expressed. She looked in the yard to see their parents dancing to some old song, Horatio was at the grill, Alexx, Ryan, his wife Sabrina, Frank and Maxine were having a discussion on the grass, the kids were sitting on the patio with Craig and Alexis and she and Landon were on the porch. "I don't believe you."

"She does," Landon said. "Why else would she be here?" He turned around and saw Alexis walking their way. Craig was right behind her. "Here comes trouble."

"Hey," Alexis said, wrapping her arms around Landon's neck to hug him. She grabbed the cup of ice from him and plucked an ice cube from it and popped it into her mouth. She took the can of soda next. "I was wondering what happened to you."

"Yeah, I was talking to my sister," Landon said, watching as Craig hugged and kissed Jayden on the cheek. Even though he tried not to have a problem with Craig and Jayden dating, it was becoming a problem, especially seeing it in person.

"Aren't they cute?" Alexis said in a singsong voice. She wrapped her arm around Landon's waist.

Jayden rolled her eyes and turned her head just in time to see her parents coming towards them. Before she could say a word to warn Landon, they were already on the porch.

"So, she is your girlfriend?" Calleigh asked, confused. She looked at the young girl who seemed to brighten at the word girlfriend. Part of her wanted to know what her infatuation with Landon was because there was absolutely no way she would ever want to get back into a relationship with a guy who denied the relationship in the first place…even if it was Landon who did it.

Landon looked from his mom to Alexis and let out a sigh. He gave a head nod. "I guess."

Alexis smacked her lips. "Landon, you're still unsure of our relationship?"

"I don't know," Landon snapped, getting annoyed. Alexis was okay to be around when they were alone, but he didn't like the way she acted around certain people, especially his parents. He was only thirteen and Alexis acted like he had to commit to a relationship right now.

Alexis gasped, slightly taken aback.

Jayden smirked. Maybe she was going to witness the break up right now.

Calleigh looked at Landon as she didn't expect him to be so brash. Despite whatever she may have felt about Alexis, she was still a young girl with feelings. She wanted Landon to be sensitive to them and wanted to intervene before Landon said something hurtful. "Excuse us," Calleigh said to no one in particular as she pulled Landon away. Once they were a safe distance away, she started talking. "Is she your girlfriend?"

Landon shrugged his shoulders and looked away.

"Well," Calleigh said, rubbing her lips together. "Either she is or she isn't. Shoulder shrugs are basically 'I don't knows' and you know how I feel about that. If she's the one who left those hickeys on your neck and you don't know if you're in a relationship then we have problems."

Landon looked at his mom. "Mom, you know what I mean. I mean we are but we don't even go to the same school so it's not like it's something big."

"She's not in your school?" Calleigh asked, surprised. "How did you meet her?"

"She's not random either," Landon said, already knowing where the conversation was going. He tried his best to divert it. "I met her when I was still going to Jayden's school."

"Was she one of your classmates?"

"Somewhat…" Landon said. He looked up to see his mother's face. "I mean, no. I met her through the guys on my old team…but not in a way where they tried to set me up…like it was group of us…everybody hung out…" Landon let out a breath as each word that came out of his mouth felt like he was digging himself deeper in a hole.

Calleigh crossed her arms as pieces started to come together, particularly the conversation she had at the door with Craig. He knew Landon. He was the older boy that kept Landon in trouble and now he was the boy dating her daughter and that was not going to happen. She already decided to break them up and she was going to break Landon away from his relationship too. She looked at Landon. "You're going to break up with her."

"But…"

"Uh-uh," Calleigh said. "No if's, and's or but's about it. Apparently she wants more from you than you can give her."

Landon looked at his mother's face and realized she was serious. He let out a quiet sigh. "Fine." He started walking off when he felt his mom's hand on his shoulder.

"When you break up with her, you need to do it in a respectable manner," Calleigh said.

"Yes, Ma'am," Landon said, nodding his head.

"Please don't call me 'Ma'am," Calleigh said playfully. She sighed. "You're free to go. Can you tell Jayden I need to see her?"

Landon nodded his head and walked back to the porch.

"Give it up for Peaches and Herb," Alexx said jokingly as she introduced herself and Horatio. The night was starting to creep in and the adults and children had already separated. Eric had brought out the karaoke machine and the team had created pairs for duets. So far Ryan and his wife had sang "Summer Nights" and Frank and Maxine had sang "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Alexx started on a slow rock as their music started. She looked at Horatio and bumped him to get him to rock too.

Horatio let out a dry chuckle, not believing for a second that he was doing this. He looked at the karaoke screen since his verse was first. He put the microphone to his mouth and started to sing. "I was a fool to ever leave your side…"

Everyone cheered and encouraged Horatio on.

"…Me minus you is such a lonely ride. That breakup we had has made me lonesome and sad. I realize I love you 'cause I want you bad, heey, hey…" Horatio finished.

As if she was a pro, Alexx came right in after him with her verse. "I spent the evening with the radio, regret the moment that I let you go. Our quarrel was such…a way of learning so much. I know now that I love you 'cause I need your touch, heey, hey…" Alexx finished.

"Reunited and it feels so good…" Horatio and Alexx sang together. They kept going until they got to the end of the song.

"It's going to be tough to follow that," Maxine said jokingly as she looked at Eric and Calleigh.

Even though Horatio and Alexx gave them a run for their money, Eric wasn't worried. He was mostly surprised that both had gone all out with their duet. He looked at Calleigh as she searched for their song. Once she made the selection, the music started to come on. Eric looked at their friends. If Alexx wanted an introduction… "Thanks for coming to our show tonight," Eric joked. He took his place next to Calleigh as they fist bumped. "Don't go breaking my heart…" Eric began.

"I couldn't if I tried," Calleigh sang.

"Honey, if I get restless…" Eric continued.

"Baby, you're not that kind…"

They continued until they got to the chorus.

"Oooh, nobody knows it…" Eric and Calleigh sang together.

"When I was down," Eric sang.

"I was your clown," Calleigh added.

"Ooooh, nobody knows it, nobody knows…it," they sang together.

"Right from the start," Eric said.

"I gave you my heart," Calleigh added. "Ohhh-ho...I gave you my heart."

They ended the song as they alternated different parts in the ending.

"Clearly you guys play this game too much," Ryan joked.

"Give it up for Elton and Kiki Dee," Maxine said, earning a laugh from everyone. "You know what's funny? Somehow, you guys always find a way to profess your love to each other."

"Well, I do love him," Calleigh said. When she realized what she said out loud, she was slightly embarrassed that she said that in front of everybody.

"I love you too, babe," Eric said.

"Awww," Alexx said.

While the adults were starting to mingle again, Riley, Ryan's four-year old daughter had come out and walked up to Ryan and laid her head on his chest. "I'm tired, Daddy," she said.

Once again, Alexx found herself smiling at the scene before her. Sometimes it was hard to believe how one team could become family. Even though Natalia wasn't there with them right now, she missed her too. She looked at her watch. "I guess it's getting late. It's always great to hang out with you guys."

"We'll pack up some food for you guys," Calleigh said, heading towards the house.

"I'll help," Sabrina said, following Calleigh into the house.

"Am I really that intimidating?" Calleigh asked. She and Eric were finally able to climb in their bed after the long day. "I mean, she didn't even want to tell me what happened and what if he did something to really hurt her?"

Eric wrapped his arms around her. "We raised them to be independent. She was handling it on her own."

Calleigh shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, but…I don't know." She exhaled deeply. "I just don't want Jayden or Landon to become those teenagers who don't talk to us. They talk to each other, they talk to their friends about things and I have no clue what's going on with them."

Eric didn't like when Calleigh second guessed herself. It mainly happened when it came to the kids. It seemed the older they got, they harder it became. Eric pulled Calleigh closer. "You're a great mother, Calleigh. As much as you and I want the kids to tell us their every problem, they aren't going to. At their age, their friends are everything to them. We just have to keep talking to them and making sure they are doing right."

Calleigh leaned into his chest. "I know you're right, I just don't want them to feel like they can't talk to us. I mean, I know how it feels to not have your parents to talk to…"

Eric kissed her on the cheek. "I wouldn't worry about that. I didn't come to my parents with every problem I had and look how I turned out."

Calleigh smiled and nudged him with her head. "I think I became that mom today," Calleigh said. "Before the party I told Landon he had to break up with his girlfriend and told Jayden she had to break up with her boyfriend. I think they're mad at me."

Eric laughed to himself. "I thought we were going to let them date?"

"I know we said we would but something isn't right about this. Eric, let's say you're eighteen with a sixteen year old girlfriend. What are your real plans with her?"

Eric clutched his jaw. Earlier in the day he approached Craig and asked him what his plans for Jayden were. Of course her boyfriend couldn't give an answer. Eric hadn't thought much into it but he knew what Calleigh was getting at though. He lost his virginity at sixteen. Even though his girlfriend at the time was his age, it was the only thing on their minds. "I'll kill him."

Calleigh raised her eyebrows.

"So in the same thoughts, let's say you're sixteen with a thirteen year old boyfriend. What are you doing?" Eric questioned.

Calleigh let out a breath of air. When she was a teenager, she was attracted to older boys, so she couldn't understand why Alexis was into Landon the way that she was. Three years wasn't a huge difference, but with teenagers, it was everything, especially considering Landon was in eighth grade and Alexis in eleventh. "She should be interested in him like that." She let out a breath of air. "It's confusing, Eric. I don't want us to regulate who they can and can't date, but if we don't…I had to talk to Jayden about sex today."

Eric nodded his head. "Well we're on the same page then. I had the same talk with Landon, reminding him not to give it up to the first girl he goes out with. Just seeing the hickeys on his neck…"

"Yeah," Calleigh said. "You know, neither of us waited long before we started having sex…" Even though she considered herself a good kid, it still happened while she was a teenager. She considered their kids good kids too but they were teenagers and already showing signs of sexual interest. Landon had hickeys on his neck and guys were looking at Jayden in a sexual way…it was too much.

"As long as we're preparing them the best way we can and as far as I can tell, we are," Eric said. "We can't keep them from dating. I think regulating who they can and can't date will make them defiant, so we just have to keep talking to them."

"I guess," Calleigh said, shrugging her shoulders.

Eric kissed her cheek, summing that part of their conversation was over. "Well, I know we spent a good part of the evening talking about the kids but…"

Calleigh looked him in his eyes and smirked.

"Remember, you said tonight," Eric said, quirking his eyebrow.

Calleigh shook her head. "I remember what I said, but let's say if I played a little game, could you control yourself?"

"Oomph," Eric expressed. "Can I know what the game is?"

Calleigh pushed Eric on his back and climbed on top of him. "You're about to find out."


For the karaoke, I tried to pick songs that matched their personalities.

Ryan and his wife: Summer Nights (Besides "Baby its Cold Outside" this is my favorite duet) but it's by Olivia Newton John/John Travolta.

Frank and Maxine: Total Eclipse of My Heart (Bonnie Tyler/Meat Loaf)

Horatio and Alexx: Reunited (Peaches and Herb)

Eric and Calleigh: Don't go Breaking My Heart (Elton John/Kiki Dee)