"I'm beginning to think this was a very bad idea."

Kayo raised an eyebrow, her seldom seen grin firmly in place. "But it's so much fun to see them like this, think of the blackmail opportunities."

Selene couldn't help but laugh. "You are an evil woman, Miss Kyrano. That's why I'm forcing you to be one of my maids of honour. I'm gonna need all the help I can get."

"Yeah, I'd say I'm flattered but I know the work that's gonna be involved."

Selene opened her mouth to argue, but then shrugged, you couldn't deny the truth. "At least us girls have stayed relatively sober."

"Someone had to," Kayo sipped her rum and coke. "Thankfully Alan is too young to drink, that takes care of one potential problem at least."

Selene raised her tequila sunrise and the girls clinked glasses in a silent toast. She looked around the room at the people surrounding them and felt her heart swell with affection. She loved each and every one of them and would do anything for any of them.

John was actually relaxed for once, a couple of drinks down and chatting animatedly with Scott and Gordon, their conversation growing louder with each drink consumed.

Brains was chatting Virgil's ear off, the latter politely nodding along but giving off an aura that said he wished he were anywhere else but there at that moment. As they watched Virgil tipped his head back and drained his beer in one long gulp. Brains was leaning against MAX, the clever robot supporting his creator with one mechanical arm and Selene was pretty sure that was the only thing keeping him upright.

"How many has Brains had?" she whispered to Kayo.

"That's only his second, but he doesn't have a very high tolerance for alcohol."

"Ladies," Penelope joined them, a glass of champagne clutched in her perfectly manicured hand.

"Hi, P," Selene hugged her carefully, always conscious of messing up the lines of whatever tasteful outfit she was wearing that day, then made room for Kayo to do the same. "I'm so glad you two made it back in time."

"We nearly didn't, the King's gala overran frightfully."

"Well, you're here now, that's all that matters. You are staying the night?"

"I doubt that Parker would be able to take us home now," she glanced to where Parker was cheerfully downing an entire tankard of ale to the cheers and encouragement of Alan.

"Ah, given him the night off then?"

"It would appear so," her words were clipped but the affection in her tone said that she really didn't mind.

"Well, it is New Years Eve after all."

"And your engagement celebration I do believe."

Selene rolled her eyes. "Grandma insisted. Have you ever tried saying no to that lady?"

Penny sighed delicately. "It is indeed an impossible task."

"Like trying to get John to admit when he's wrong."

"I heard that!" he yelled over his shoulder at her, though she just smiled and blew him a kiss.

"He loves me really."

"I doubt he'd be marrying you if he didn't," Penelope laughed. "I have to admit, I never thought he'd be the first Tracy to think about getting wed."

"Yeah, surprised us all," Kayo grinned.

"Should I be insulted by this?" Selene asked mildly, sipping her drink.

"I shouldn't think so," Penelope soothed.

A sudden yell sounded from the kitchen followed by a crash.

"This is going to be a long night."

"I'd like to propose a toast, to family, old and new," Grandma Tracy nodded at Selene who smiled back, nodding her head in acknowledged of the gesture. "To many lives saved, many battles fought and won. We drink to those who couldn't not be saved, and those who gave their lives to help others. May we be blessed with continual love, laughter and health."

"CHEERS!"

Everyone sipped their drinks as Grandma switched on the holoprojector to watch the countdown to midnight.

10...9…8…7...6...5...4…3...2...1

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

"Happy New Year, Star Boy."

"Happy New Year, witchy woman."

Selene stood on her tiptoes wanting a quick kiss for luck but her spaceman had other ideas. An arm looped around her waist and she was yanked closer and dipped low in his embrace as he treated her to a kiss that wouldn't have been out of place in a movie, if not for the fact that he wobbled on the spot and almost dropped her.

She just about got her feet under her and managed to hold him up at the same time.

"John Tracy, are you drunk?"

"No!" he looked horrified at the thought.

"But are you sober?" she tried to keep a straight face, kissing his jaw to hide her smile as he took a moment to think about it.

"I am moderately functional."

She would have believed him if his eyes weren't currently focused on her chest instead of her face.

"I'll take that as a no."

He blinked slightly unfocused eyes at her, his happy grin infectious.

"Upon further examination it appears that I may be slightly intoxicated." He held up one hand, index finger and thumb a tiny millimeter apart. "Just a tiny bit." He peered at the gap to make sure it wasn't growing.

Selene smiled as she wrapped her arms around his middle. "That makes you drunk, my love."

He dipped his head to give her a somewhat sloppy kiss.

"I'm OK with that."

He grabbed her hand, launching into a rather uncoordinated dance.

"Dance with me, it's our engagement party."

She threw a desperate 'help me' look at Kayo, but was ignored.

"I'm marrying you why?"

Apparently she had fallen in love with an octopus, because spaceman was suddenly all hands. She escaped his clutches before it became indecent and his Grandma banned her from the house for corrupting her sweet, innocent grandson.

She'd had no problem promising said Grandma that she'd keep an eye on them all before Grandma wished her goodnight and headed to bed, declaring it too late for her.

How hard could it be to make sure that serious professionals such as they behaved for a few hours? She'd just get them some snacks and make sure they ate to soak up a bit of the alcohol, it'd be fine.

She walked into the kitchen and immediately regretted ever making such a vow. She should have stayed in the lounge, because the kitchen was so much worse.

She stopped dead at the threshold and blinked. OK, who's perfectly round butt was that sticking out of the fridge? It definitely wasn't her spaceman as she'd left him flopped on the couch chatting to Penny. It was definitely too small to be Virgil's and he was still at the piano anyway. It was possible that she shouldn't even be looking…

She cleared her throat and the butt in front of her clenched in shock as chocolate brown hair appeared over the door.

The butt's owner took a second to compose himself before a silly grin appeared and he ducked back into the fridge, grabbed a few things and popped back up.

"Do we need more wine?" he helpfully offered her a bottle.

"No, I need wine, you need to put your pants back on."

She grabbed it and twisted it open, taking a large gulp.

"But life is so freeing without them," Scott straightened to his full and not inconsiderable height, his expression one of righteousness, his chin raised in determination. The whole thing might have been more intimidating if he had been wearing the jeans he had started the night with, but at least his shirt now covered his boxers.

"Pants. On. Now."

She stared him down as his arm slowly inched sideways. Her eyes cut to the counter where a half drunk bottle of whisky stood.

"Scott, no!"

He grabbed the bottle, clutching it to his chest like it was his first born. She lunged at him, but as she had learned that boy was fast even when inebriated. He dodged her attack, dove sideways and was gone before she even registered what had happened.

"Scott! Get back here!"

"That didn't go according to plan, did it?"

She glared at Gordon, who innocently stared back, although it was ruined by the fact that he was sipping from a very fruity looking cocktail, slurping on the straw as the green drink vanished from the glass, leaving only chunks of melon behind.

"What even happened?"

Gordon shrugged. Her eyes swept the table as she took in the scattered playing cards, peanuts and poker chips.

"Were you playing strip poker?"

"He was. I'm still fully dressed."

She gave up, she totally and utterly gave up on all of them.

"I just want to know how he managed to lose to himself," Gordon mused, his voice now slightly slurred as he took the wine bottle from her hand and topped up his fruit filled glass.

In the lounge someone began to sing very loudly and out of tune.

"Damn it, why aren't you obeying the laws of physics?"

Kayo bit her lip to hold in the laughter that threatened to spill out any second, her face going red with the strain.

Brains' nose was practically touching the table top as he watched the pencil closely.

"Roll," he commanded.

Selene flicked her finger and once again the pencil rolled forwards, stopped then rolled back into its original place.

"You are a hexagon! You shouldn't be able to do that! Move!" he bellowed with excitement.

Selene's hand, hidden by the table top, twirled to the left, the pencil copying her movements as it span on the spot.

Brains blinked. "Why are you doing this to me, pencil? HOW?"

Selene hid her own smile. It was nice to see him more relaxed, less nervous and his often present stutter almost non existent after a few drinks.

The pencil stopped again and he tentatively poked it. It remained still, just an ordinary pencil again.

"Why isn't it moving?"

"Maybe you should try shouting at it again?" Penelope suggested sweetly, amusement written all over her face.

"Yes, yes I shall do that. That seems to be the logical thing to do."

He peered closely at the pencil, then let rip.

"Move!" Nothing. "I said move!"

The pencil remained still.

"Damn you, what is wrong with you? Are you turned off?"

"I know shouting at me would turn me off," Selene commented innocently, provoking a muffled snort of laughter from Kayo.

"Maybe you should try asking nicely, everything likes that," Virgil suggested, leaning over Brains' shoulder.

"Really?" Brains couldn't seem to cope with the conflicting suggestions, his mind going into melt down.

"What a pretty pencil you are," he held out his hand. "Come to Virgil."

The pencil wiggled on the spot.

"See, I know how to turn things on," this statement was accompanied by an exaggerated wink.

"Is that so?" Kayo smiled sweetly.

The pencil rolled happily towards him and he grabbed it, grinned triumphantly. "I command all art materials, no matter the size. They bend to my will." He pointed the pencil at Kayo and booped her on the nose with the rubber tip. "NEVER DOUBT ME AGAIN!"

He strolled away, taking his new pet pencil with him, offering it a sip of his drink by dunking it into his glass.

Brains sat back in his chair, looking like someone had just stolen his puppy, devastation written all over his face.

Taking pity on him, Penelope extracted a pen from her bag and placed it on the table.

"Maybe this one will work for you."

"Why is John floating in the pool?"

Selene blinked, confused. "Why is he what now?"

Alan pointed out of the window and yep, there was her love, lying on an inflatable palm-tree, watching the sky.

She looked down at her half glass of wine. "This will not be enough."

"Need a hand?"

"Gods yes!"

She downed the last of the wine in her glass and left the glass in the sink, hurrying out after the youngest.

Alan was already squatting beside the pool.

"John? You OK out there?"

The spaceman waved a vague hand in greeting at his brother.

"Babe, what are you doing?" Selene had to ask.

"Floating."

"I see that, but why?"

"Heavy."

"Heavy?" Selene looked at Alan who shrugged in response.

"Babe, you can't stay out there."

"Harshing my buzz."

Alan snorted with laughter. "Where did he even pick that up from?"

"Hey! I went to college, I'm not that much of a social leper!"

"No one said you were a leper!" Selene assured him, nudging Alan with her elbow when he howled with laughter.

"I know people! I have friends!"

"Of course you do, darling. No one said you didn't." She speared Alan with a glare but he was immune to it by now.

"Better than friends, I have the most beautiful woman in the world! I did good!" he paused for a second. "Although she's got an evil mouth." He saluted the stars with his beer.

"I'm not sure if I should be flattered or insulted right now."

"Can't argue with the truth," Alan shrugged.

"I prefer her mouth when it's wrapped around my-"

"JOHN SHUT UP!" She hid her head in her hands as Alan cracked the fuck up.

John kicked his feet happily, paddling innocently in a circle.

"Get out of the pool!"

"No! I like it here. It's too heavy out there."

"Out where?" What was he talking about?

"On land…gravity…it sucks."

She rolled her eyes. "How about we get you to bed then?"

His head turned towards her, eyes lit with interest.

"Only if you come with me. Bring that mouth too."

"I swear, if he drinks at our wedding…" she growled under her breath. "GET OUT OF THE POOL!"

"Gravity doesn't have to be the only thing that-"

"JOHN!"

Alan vanished, coming back with the pool cleaning net. He stretched out the long pole and tried to hook the base of the palm-tree with it.

"No!" John kicked at the net, his float wobbling dangerously.

"Stop that, you're gonna drown!"

Alan poked at the inflatable again, trying to push it towards the side.

"Get off! Piss off, scrote!"

"Scrote?"

"Sorry, he learnt that from me."

"What the hell does it even mean?"

"You don't wanna know."

"I do!"

"Let's just say it's a less polite way of calling someone a little shit."

"Hey!" Alan smacked at John, who caught the wet net straight to the face.

"That wasn't very nice," Selene attempted to tell him off as John spluttered indignantly, but she could barely work up the energy. "We really have to get him out of there."

Alan sighed. "Urghh, you're right. You owe me for this." He pulled up his t-shirt.

"You know you're my favourite, right?"

"I better be," Alan grumbled as he tugged at his shoes.

"I'll get him!"

In a blur of motion a very naked Gordon pushed his way past them and ran at the pool.

"Shit!"

"My eyes!" Alan wailed as Gordon sailed through the air, landing star fished on a screaming John. The sudden weight of a cannonballing squid was too much for the palm-tree, which folded in on itself with a deflated huff of air, depositing both men into the water.

"Huh, you didn't tell me it was a full moon tonight," Kayo commented, appearing by Selene's side.

"AND STAY THE FUCK OUT YOU CREEPY LITTLE DICKHEAD!"

They all jumped as Scott's yell shook the house. Something hurtled over their heads, landing with a small splash in the pool.

Alan bent over to look.

"The Lord yeeteth…"

Selene stared at the small Elf that was no longer on a shelf, but instead floating facedown in the pool.

"And the Lord Yoinketh away," she finished. "What did he do to piss off Scott?"

Kayo sipped her beer. "Scott is convinced he's in league with my uncle."

All three nodded sagely, as if that explained everything.

"He said its been looking at him funny for days."

"Think we should stop those two?" Alan asked.

John was trying to hold Gordon under water but the little fish was far too strong a swimmer for that, even when he was half a bottle of tequila down and was fighting back, hitting his brother in the face with a plastic palm leaf.

"You're the one marrying him," Kayo pushed Selene forward. "He's your problem now."

"I'm seriously regretting that decision!"

"How drunk were you last night?" Kayo asked, pouring Gordon a large mug of coffee.

"Well, I still have my pants on, so not that drunk." Gordon took a grateful gulp, laying his head back down on the kitchen table.

"Those aren't your pants," a very rumpled, squinty eyed Scott walked in, although at least he was wearing pyjama bottoms even if he was shirtless.

Gordon lifted his head to look down at the overly long, too tight jeans that covered his lower half. "OK then."

Scott pulled out a chair and collapsed into it, holding out his hand for a cup. Selene took pity on him and handed him one before placing a plate of toast on the table. Nothing too heavy for potentially delicate stomachs.

Scott sipped carefully, making a face at the food, pushing it as far away as possible without it ending up on the floor.

Alan sloped in next and after giving Selene his best puppy eyes, received a very English bacon, sausage and egg sandwich for his breakfast. Being the little bugger that he was, he didn't take it away with him, but sat right next to Gordon, so close that the aquanaut couldn't help but inhale the aroma.

Gordon shoved his chair back and raced from the room, hand over his mouth, stumbling over the pants legs that covered his feet. Alan grinned evilly.

"You're such a little shit," Selene dropped an affectionate kiss on the top of his head.

"How's John?" he asked around a mouthful of food.

"Wishing he'd drowned."

Alan snorted out a laugh. "I'm sorry, but it was hilariously funny to watch the water rise up and just dump them both out on the side. Gordon trying to karate kick it and falling back in was just a sweet bonus."

"Yes, but dragging him out by his ankle wasn't easy. At least John had the sense to just lie there and not move until I went back for him with a robe. I just wished he'd waited to get out of his wet clothes."

"What was it with all my brothers stripping off last night? Were they trying to scar me for life?"

"I only half stripped," Scott pointed out between sips. "I would have put my pants back on eventually if Gordon hadn't stolen them."

"I didn't strip," Virgil added, sauntering into the kitchen looking way too bright and breezy for someone that had drunk as much as he had. He took the coffee pot over to the table and poured himself a cup.

"No, you didn't, so that's at least one positive point you've collected, " Kayo grinned.

Virgil didn't like that look on her face and mentally rewound the night as he sipped his coffee. Sure, there were a few hazy moments and some minor time lapses, but nothing stood out to him.

"I regret nothing," he said with total confidence.

"Because you don't remember what you're supposed to regret."

Selene was holding in a laugh while Alan and Scott looked at Virgil, as confused as he was.

"I didn't do anything embarrassing…did I?" His statement trailed off into a question.

"Not embarrassing, no."

The girls continued to look at him, waiting for the penny to drop.

"I…"

They waited some more.

"I got nothing," he slumped, defeated.

Selene's phone beeped and she clicked to display the message.

"OK, yeah I gotta go help John get dressed, behave while I'm gone, all of you. I'll check on the squid on the way."

Gordon was moaning from the bathroom but when she knocked on the door and asked if he was OK it opened a crack and his upturned thumb poked out before the door slammed shut. Making a mental note to go back if he wasn't out in half an hour, she went to wrestle her man into some clothes.

It was a lot harder than she had anticipated. Her normally graceful spaceman was a stumbling, groaning, headachy mess. He stayed lying down while she yanked a soft pair of sweats onto his legs, which honestly was a bit backwards to how they normally did things.

She grabbed his hands and hauled him up into a sitting position to pull a t-shirt over his head and then popped her sunglasses on his face before dragging him upright and steadying him as he stumbled his way to the kitchen.

"Are my eyes playing tricks on me?" John paused as they made their slow way through the lounge, dodging around MAX who was making a vague attempt at tidying up.

She shook her head. "Unfortunately not, love. Just ignore them."

She pulled out a chair for him and he melted into it with a groan.

"Food?"

He tenderly rubbed his stomach and shook his head, just managing not to gag at the thought of eating anything.

"Coffee?"

This time he nodded.

She took the empty pot from Virgil and put it back in the machine, reloading it and setting it to brew, then snagged a full pot from the second machine.

Immediately four cups shot out to meet her and she dutifully filled them.

"I knew I was marrying you for a reason."

"Sure, this is why. What woman doesn't want that kind of romance in her life?"

Scott sniggered.

Virgil groaned softly, admitting defeat.

"I give up! What did I do last night?"

Selene shot Kayo a look. "You didn't tell him?"

"Was waiting for you."

Selene grinned. "Legend, babe, legend."

Kayo held out her wrist, displaying her comm and pushed a button. A hologram of the lounge appeared, it was a little messy, glasses strewn here and there, bowls of snacks on every surface and some dropped on the floor, but otherwise it seemed normal enough.

"I don't see a prob-"

Kayo zoomed in, focusing on the portrait wall. There, under each frame, was a little scribbled caricature drawing. None of them flattering to the person pictured above apart from Virgil's who was drawn as a shirtless, muscle bound, godlike depiction of Hercules.

Scott's had an overly large mouth, slanted eyebrows and was shaking a fist.

Gordon's had a mermaid tail and tentacles for arms and appeared to be sunbathing on a rock.

Alan's was sitting astride a baby rocket and being chased by a ghost.

John was depicted floating upside down in a bubble, upside down because his head was too large to stay upright and was dragging on the ground. A scary looking Halloween witch was nearly, clearly yelling at him.

Kayo's was the ultimate girly girl, pink frilly dress, pigtails, the works.

Virgil groaned, dropping his head into his hands.

"I'm so sorry."

"Oh you're gonna be when Grandma wakes up."