Authors Note: Wow you guys! Thanks so much for the reviews, I really appreciated them, it made me want to keep writing! .. Sorry it took me so long to update. I kept trying and every time I would end up losing my story. Well, anyways I really hope you like this chapter. Thanks so much for reading it! ... and I'm very happy to see so many Jesse fans ;)

Chapter Two

All's Fair In Love and ... Pizza ?

Bradin walked home rather quickly. He wanted to ask Ava a few things. Reaching the door, he saw Nikki and a friend of hers sitting on the couch watching a movie, and Ava was alone in the kitchen, figuring that Derrick was out somewhere with Johnny. "Hey Aunt Ava." Bradin said, walking over to the counter.

"Hey Bradin." She looked up and smiled at him. She was reading a book that looked like a cookbook to him.

"Trying to decide what to have for dinner?" He laughed, noticing her anguish while flipping through the pages. Bradin knew that having dinner together every night was a new thing for the house.

She paused, with an exasperated sigh, and then smiled. "Yeah. I invited a friend of ours over for dinner, so I wanted to try and cook something, but she knows that we're not big cooks so I'll probably just order some pizza." Ava laughed, closing the cookbook happily, glad with her decision. She looked over at Bradin, and couldn't help but notice that he was in a much better mood than recently.

"Who's coming over?" Bradin asked innocently, as if he didn't know.

Ava raised her eyebrow, and then smiled, remembering she had just told him she invited a friend over. The past few weeks were still a blur to her, and everything had yet to settle down in her head. "Oh. Her name's Allison, we've known her for a while. She's a cute girl, and we keep an eye out for her, making sure she's alright. Her parents travel a lot, so that's kind of hard on her, being alone all the time. She's your age, actually, and she works at Jay's shop. Maybe you've seen her." Ava said, hoping to keep Bradin's good mood up.

Bradin nodded happily, thinking back on meeting Allison. He stopped asking questions so that Ava wouldn't notice his delight. He didn't want her to tell Jay or Johnny and have them blurt it out at Allison. He gave her a smile, and walked back to his room. This time he didn't want to go to sleep.

Nikki and Cameron finished watching several movies before Nikki went off to use the bathroom. Derrick wandered down the stairs, as Cameron took notice. "Hey lil' buddy. Awesome glove. You play?" He asked Derrick, referring to the baseball glove that enveloped Derrick's tiny hand.

"Eh. Not really. I'm not very good ... at all." Derrick said, hanging his head.

"Don't worry about that! I'll help you if you want." Cameron smiled at him, sad to see Derrick so down. He looked down at the boy's head, and smiled. He remembered when he had first started to play baseball and how frustrated he had gotten when he couldn't hit the ball.

"Would you really?" Derrick exclaimed excitedly, nearly jumping out of his skin at the offer.

"Sure thing. We can start tomorrow, alright?" Cameron knew he was there with Nikki and didn't want to blow her off. Derrick nodded his head, as Ava smiled. She knew Cameron was a good kid, but that a very generous thing to do. Derrick walked off trying to hit his fist into his glove, but kept missing due to his excitement.

With the smile still present in her tone, she spoke, "Cameron, would you like to stay for dinner? We're having pizza." Ava suggested.

"Sure, Miss Gregory. Thanks!" He said, as Nikki came back from the bathroom, seeing Derrick's face glowing and smiling happily as he walked off. Cameron turned around, and was face to face with Nikki.

"Staying for dinner?" She asked with a smile, as he nodded his head in reply.

The screen door in the back glided open as Jay and Allison entered the house. Within moments the two were with the others, "Hey Allie!" Ava and Cameron said in sync.

"Hey Cam."

Nikki, who had been eyeing the girl since she had stepped in, turned abruptly to Cameron. "How do you know her?" Nikki asked in an irritated tone. Hearing Cameron saying her name, and her replying created a spark of jealousy in Nikki. She eyed the girl, as Jay and Allison walked over to the counter to hold a conversation with Ava. Nikki saw that she was pretty, as Bradin had, but immediately jumped to the conclusion that she was another slut like Erika. Nikki sighed heavily, she wasn't a little girl and she wasn't a stupid one either. She easily caught on to Bradin's bad mood, and how he spoke about Erika, and how he jumped down Jay's throat.

"Al used to baby-sit me, forever." Cameron said, noticing a new spark in Nikki's eyes. He couldn't determine what it was but something about it told him to back off a bit.

"Come on, we still have time to watch some more TV before the pizza gets here." Nikki said, grabbing his wrist as the two sat down on the TV and once again searched for a channel to settle on.

Bradin walked down the stairs with a bounce in his step that he hadn't had since back in Kansas. He was coming to find out what time they would be having dinner, when he turned the corner and saw that Jay and Allison were already here. Bradin immediately headed towards them.

"Bradin! Hey." Ava greeted, "This is Allie. Our friend. Allison this is Bradin." Ava introduced, as they nodded at each other as a means of hello.

"Ava, Ava, Ava." Jay sighed heavily. "A man of my skills has already introduced the two this morning." Jay said, wrapping his arm around Ava's shoulders and laughing at her.

Ava smirked at Bradin, recalling their conversation from earlier. He had known all along who she was.

"Ah, well...Johhny and Susannah should be back here any second. I'll start setting up the plates." Ava said, walking around from behind the counter.

"Oh, Ava. I'll help you." Allison offered, as she took the plates from Ava and set them all around the table. Bradin took note of this, and it took him by surprise. Not many girls wanted to help and most fought against it when they had to help.

As if by magic, Susannah and Johnny walked in as Ava and Allison set the last place. "Pizza, Pizza. Come get your nice hot pizza." Johnny announced bursting through the door with a wide smile on his face.

Dinner seemed to be going well, while everyone was talking to one another. Jay, Allison and Bradin had been talking about the surf that day; Johnny was leaning across the table talking to Cameron and Derrick about when they would practice tomorrow; and Susannah was excitedly telling Ava about the new clothing idea she came while driving home. This left Nikki silent, able to watch everyone interact. Her eyes steadied on Allison.

Nikki glared at her, watching her laugh and talk with her brother and Jay. It angered her how she always had a smile on her face, as if anyone is that happy, Nikki thought. She watched the three of them, worrying about her brother. To Nikki, Allison looked like another 'slut' that Jay brought home. She wasn't a baby anymore, and she refused to limit her thoughts. In her opinion, Allison was either trying to get Bradin or Jay to bed with her, and by the interested look on their faces, Nikki knew Allie was doing something right. Her eyes began to sparkle in hatred at the girl whom she had only met a half an hour ago, and Nikki could no longer bare to look at her. She had thought up so many ridiculous possibilities, that she didn't even hear Cameron trying to talk to her.

There was a peaceful quiet at the table, as Derrick and Allison started to talk to one another, and Nikki noticed her showing him some of her scars from playing baseball. Derrick seemed amazed by this, and it was the last straw for Nikki. She wasn't going to see both her brothers played by this girl. Nikki was the only girl they needed.

"Who do you think you are?" Nikki growled, her beady eyes still focused on Allison. The whole table went silent, as Allison turned in curiousity. She saw Nikki giving her the death glare.

"I'm sorry." She apologized, "I don't know what you're talking about." Allison said, confused at what had caused the outburst. She hadn't done anything to her.

"You walk in here, like you're part of the family. Always smiling and willing to help." Nikki started up, infuriated that Allison didn't know what she was talking about. Dumb blonde, Nikki thought. Cameron grabbed hold of Nikki's arms, trying to calm her down, but she just pushed him off, more worked up than before.

"Nikki. Shut up." Bradin spoke through gritted teeth. Bradin squeezed his fork tightly, he knew she was about to go have one of her fits, but he didn't know why it had to be on Allie. Allison's smile began to fade, Bradin noticed as he glanced away from Nikki in fear he would say something he would regret to her.

"Well, you aren't part of this family! We have everyone we need, and it doesn't include you. And you're all over Jay. Why don't you two just go get a room and make out. And stay away from Bradin. I don't want my brother getting involved with a slut like you." Jay tensed up, he wanted to lunge at her, but realized that wasn't the best idea. His face contorted with anger.

Bradin narrowed his eyes, and glared at Nikki, but she ignored this and continued on. "Nobody wants you here..." She started.

"I do and Bradin does, and Cam likes her too, Nikki." Derrick looked up at her innocently, as he grabbed another slice of pizza from the box. He was the only one who wasn't in shock with Nikki. He didn't even seem to notice the eerie silence.

"Shut up, Derrick." She growled, but before Nikki could say another word, Ava stood up and looked at her in disbelief.

"Nikki! How dare you. Allison is just as welcome as you are in this home, and Derrick was right. You seem to be the only person who has a problem with her, and she didn't do anything to you, so I don't understand why. Go to your room, and stay there." Ava shouted, wanting to say so much more, but in the wake of her anger felt it best not to.

Nikki stormed off to her room, as Allison looked at Jay in bewilderment. She had no idea what she had done to get Nikki that upset. "Um...what did I do?" Allison asked, hesitantly, and very confused.

"You didn't do anything, Al. Don't worry about it." Johnny tried to reassure her, but the usual smile on her face didn't return.