AN: Sorry guys. I went on vacation for a week and then when I got back my computer got screwy. At first we thought it was a virus and then we found out my system was unstable. So we got it fixed. And then there was a question about the billing. And then was messed up. I'm am really really sorry it took so long. Probably one more chap to go!

##PAST 1992##

Richie stood anxiously on the doorstep next to Tamara. He could hear people inside speaking softly and moving around inside.

"Maybe they changed their mind?" he suggested hopefully.

Tamara smiled at him. "I highly doubt it. They're very excited to meet you."

On cue, the door opened and a nice, middle aged couple stood on the other side.

"Hi, Richie," the woman greeted warmly. "I'm Mrs. MacCaffrie. You can call me Judith." She stepped toward him and gave him a gentle hug.

"I'm Bryan," the man added, offering his hand. "We're really glad you decided to come stay with us."

"I had a choice?" Richie mumbled, noticeably ignoring the extended hand.

"We like to pretend you do," Bryan returned. "Won't you two come in?" The couple stepped aside and Bryan took Richie's bag from him.

"The boys are still in school so you'll get a little bit to adjust before the tornado hits," Judith smiled. "I made us all some lemonade." She gestured at the pitcher and glasses on the coffee table.

The living room was nothing Richie had ever seen before. Well, nothing he'd seen in person. It looked like a page out of the Pottery Barn catalogue. There were two large, overstuffed camel leather couches, with matching armchair. The coffee table was a large square, with a cushioned top, upholstered in a deep burgundy fancy looking fabric. There was an oversized fireplace across from the couches with pictures of dozens of different boys on the mantel.

Bryan put Richie's bag next to the secretary's desk and went to pour the lemonade for Judith to hand around.

"That was very thoughtful of you," Tamara said, nudging Richie.

"Yeah, thanks."

Judith smiled at him. "You're welcome."

"Sit, sit," Bryan instructed. Richie sat in the armchair, successfully closing himself off to any contact. Bryan, Judith and Tamara seemed completely unfazed by his move. "So, Richie. Tell us about yourself."

"Don't you have a file for that?"

"Well, I'd rather hear your take on it. No offence, Tamara, but those aren't always right or up to date."

"Go ahead, Richie," Tamara prompted.

Richie shrugged. "Um...I dunno."

"Well, do you play any sports?" Judith asked. "The boys are really hoping to make the teams even."

"Yeah, sure."

"What kind of food do you like?"

"Anything."

Judith smiled and leaned forward to put her hand on his knee. "I think you are going to fit right in."

"I don't know how long the others are going to let you be shy and quiet," Bryan told him. "With seven boys in the house, it gets pretty loud and crazy. I bet you'll get swept up into it before Tamara's next visit."

"Speaking of visits," Tamara started, standing up. "I have a few to make. I'll just leave you three to get acquainted. Richie, I'll be back in a week. You behave, okay?"

"I think I left something in the car!" Richie blurted, jumping to his feet.

"No, you didn't."

"I think I did."

"Richie, I'm on to you. You didn't leave anything in the car. Now, stay here."

"It never hurts to check," Judith cut in. "We'll go make sure."

Judith gestured Richie out the front door and followed him to the car. They checked the trunk, the back seat, the front seat and under the seats. There was nothing of Richie's.

"Okay, Richie, in a week," Tamara promised him. "I really think you're going to like it here."

"See ya," Richie mumbled as Judith took him gently by the arm and led him back into the large house.

"I suppose we should show you around."

Judith and Bryan took Richie around the house showing him the chore list and where to put his grocery requests. The backyard was huge, bigger than the park behind his old apartments. There was a soccer goal by the fence, a pitching net a few feet away, a basketball hoop over the garage, a tree house in the large oak tree in the back corner of the yard and a large pile of bicycles by the back door.

"Those are first come first serve. There are too many drivers and not enough cars," Bryan explained. "So those get used a lot. Just tell us where you are going and when you'll be back."

Richie nodded.

Next they went upstairs and Richie was shown the game room. There was a pingpong/fooseball table, a large pile of board games, two video game systems, and a whole bookcase full of videos for the big screen TV.

"This is all communal property. Don't let anyone tell you, you can't use something," Judith informed him.

Next door to the game room was the bathroom.

"Are you a morning or night showerer?"

"Morning."

"Okay, that gives you ten minutes to get ready for bed at night and twenty minutes in the morning. It's first come first serve and we trust you to keep your own time," Bryan told him. "Sound fair?"

Richie shrugged.

Judith and Bryan exchanged a look. Richie was going to be as difficult as they had expected. But all the boys they got were difficult. That was their specialty. They had helped 15 boys over the years. They weren't going to let Richie be any different.

"Let's show you your room."

Richie was taken down the hall and showed into a decent sized room. The walls were covered in posters of cars, sports teams and girls in bikinis. There were three twin beds crammed up against one of the walls. All with camouflage comforters and green pillows.

"This one is yours," Judith sat on the middle bed. "You'll be sharing a room with Jake and Collin. Jake is 16; Collin is 20."

Richie nodded.

"Moo-oom!" a few boys yelled from down stairs. "Dad! We're home!"

"I'll take care of the army," Bryan volunteered. "You talk to Richie."

"Make sure they save something for Richie!" Judith called after him. "I'm sure he's hungry, too."

Richie heaved a great sigh and stood awkwardly by the dresser.

"Well, how are you feeling, Richie?"

Richie shrugged and stared at Cindy Crawford across the room.

"I know this place is a bit imposing and then you add all the people and it can get pretty overwhelming. But, everyone here is really nice. And I really do think that you'll like it here."

"Whatever."

"Ah, dismissal. Richie, I think we need to have a little chat. Come here and sit down." She patted the bed beside her. "I don't bite," she added at Richie's hesitation. Careful to look uninterested, Richie took a seat. "Are you okay?"

"I guess."

"You don't sound very okay."

"What are you? A shrink or something?"

"I do have my masters in child psychology," Judith admitted.

"Great, I'm officially a head case."

"No, you're not. You just need a positive life experience to show you the world isn't only made up of what you've been given."

Richie looked away and examined a push pin hole in the wall above his new bed.

"You look like you want some alone time." Judith got up and put her hand on his shoulder. Richie sucked in a deep breath. "I'll tell the boys to leave you alone until dinner. Sound good?"

Richie grunted.

"Good. Dinner will be ready in about two hours."

##PRESENT 1994##

"So, Rich, you get your closure?" Duncan asked over desert. Dinner had been quite and mostly small talk. But Duncan was sick of stalling. He wanted to see how it all worked out.

"You just want to hear me say you were right," Richie mumbled around a mouthful of cheesecake.

"Was I?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"How's that?"

Richie speared a strawberry. "I haven't decided how this all worked out."

"What's left to decide?"

"Lots of stuff. The whole thing was so weird. I still haven't digested it all yet. It doesn't feel like it really happened."

"Well," Duncan took a sip of his coffee. "I suppose the only thing that really matters is that all the damage he did has been fixed and is unnoticeable."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Richie asked, putting his fork down.

"Whoa, I didn't mean to offend you," Duncan apologized. "I just meant that it's in the past."

"Do you really have to talk about me like that?"

"Like what?"

Richie shook his head. "Nothing, I'm fine. Just... what were you saying?"

"I didn't mean to make you mad."

"Don't worry about it."

"Rich..."

"Seriously, I'm cool. I don't know set me off. Just, continue."

"I don't even remember what I was saying."

He smirked. "That makes two of us. So, wadaya wanna do tonight?"

Duncan eyed Richie for a minute. "Are you sure you're not mad at me?"

"Yes."

He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I don't know. Do you want to rent a movie? Get some popcorn?"

"Not really."

"Do you want to take a walk?"

"Naw."

"Go to a movie?"

"No."

"Hit a club."

"I don't think so."

Duncan sighed and shook his head. "Do you want to hide in your room and be antisocial?"

"No, I wanna do something."

"Then you suggest something."

"I don't know what I wanna do."

"Well, when you decide, tell me."

Richie shook his head and went back to the remainder of his cheesecake. "Whatever."

. . . . . .

Duncan pulled the gate of the lift closed. "Great idea, Rich."

"What?"

"Wasn't renting a movie the first thing I suggested?"

"It didn't sound like a good idea then."

"Of course not."

"Don't pull that diva crap on me, MacLeod."

"Diva?"

"You're getting all huffy and prissy. Stop it!" Richie laughed.

"Prissy?"

"Yes."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. You're being prissy."

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are!" Richie argued with a smile. "You're mad because I shot down your idea and then later on decided to go with it. It's still your idea, just recycled."

Duncan tried to scowl and look angry, but he couldn't help but grin. "You just wanted to feel in charge."

"Great Dr. MacLeod makes a not so rare appearance."

"Now who's being a diva?"

The lift stopped. "What? I've already had my turn living with a shrink. And at least she had a degree." Richie lifted the gate and led the way into the loft. "You just like to think you do."

"Trust me. I've been around you to have earned a doctorate in Richie psychology."

"You really think I'm that easy to figure out?"

"No, I think you're that complicated to figure out."

"What?"

"Just make the popcorn; I'll set up the movie."

Rolling his eyes, Richie went into the kitchen and put the tub of popcorn in the microwave. "You want butter?" he called into the living room.

"Just make it how you like it," Duncan answered as the phone rang. "Can you get that?"

"Yup." Richie picked up the receiver. "Yeee-llow."

"Richie, is that you?" a voice on the other line asked.

"Yeah, who's this?" Richie asked. Duncan glanced over from the couch.

"This is Judith MacCaffrie."

"Oh! Geeze, hey, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, Richie. Bryan and I just heard on the news about Mr. Cooper. How are you doing?"

Richie smiled and rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. I actually saw him today."

'Who is it?' Duncan mouthed from the couch.

'Judith,' Richie mouthed back. "Really, it wasn't all that bad. We talked."

"And?" Judith prompted.

"And then I left."

"Do you need to talk?"

Richie laughed. "No. I'm fine. Besides Mac kinda has the monopoly on that anyway."

"Do you still live with him?"

"Not for much longer. I'm looking for my own place."

"What happened to the antique store? I called and the man there gave me this number."

"We, uh, sold it. Mac has a dojo now. I'm kinda like a manager."

"That sounds like a good job. Do you like it?"

"Yeah, I do. It's not a life's ambition or anything. But it's perfect for now."

"Have you thought about going to college any more?"

"You know, I already got that lecture this week. And the answer is still no."

"Okay, fair enough. You won't get a lecture from me. How is everything else going? Do you have a girlfriend?"

Richie chuckled. "Nothing steady. How's everything with you guys? Got any new head cases?"

"You know very well we don't think any of our boys are head cases."

"I was and you know it."

##PAST 1992##

"Well?" Judith asked, coming out of the bathroom and toweling off her hair.

"Collin is working on his astronomy paper and the last of the boys are in bed," Bryan told her.

"How's Richie doing?"

"He's in bed. Still really quiet. But I think that talk with the boys is working. They're all being really nice to him. They tried to get him in on a ping pong tournament. They tried to get him to talk about his favorite teams. They tried to get him to play that race game on the Atari. They tried to get him to do anything."

"And he sat in the corner all night, didn't he?"

"Close, the window seat in the game room."

Bryan took off his robe and got into bed. "He's going to be a tough case to crack."

"We just need him to open up to one person here." Judith crawled in next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

"Preferably you."

"Or Collin."

"That's why you had Peter change rooms. So Richie would be with Collin. Very clever."

"I just thought that putting Richie with Collin would be a good idea. Similar situations. And Collin gets along with anyone. If anyone gets Richie to open up, it will be him."

They snuggled down under the blankets and were drifting off to sleep where there was a soft knock on the door.

"Maybe Richie wants to talk," Judith sat up. "Come in."

"Hey, guys." Collin pushed the door open. "Um, I don't mean to alarm you, but isn't Richie supposed to sleep in my room?"

"He's in there," Bryan said. "I said good night to him and Jake. They went to bed at eleven."

"He's not in there."

"I was just in there." Bryan got out of bed and put his robe on. "Are you sure he isn't in the bathroom?"

"I checked."

"Then where could he be?"

"Maybe you just missed him," Judith suggested hopefully putting on her robe as well.

The three of them trooped down the hall to check. Richie's bed was empty.

"Bryan, where could he have gone?" Judith asked.

"What's going on?" Jake asked sleepily.

"I'll wake the other boys up," Collin said. "We can cover more ground."

"Don't worry, Judith," Bryan said, putting his arms around Judith. "We'll find him. He couldn't have gotten far."