"COME ON EVERYONE! We're going to be late!" Mary Anne called up the stairs, waiting impatiently for her husband and children, Dawn and her children, and her father and Sharon. She smoothed the skirt of her dress down, and walked over to the foyer mirror. Yes, walked! She was walking again, and had been since just after the BSC Emergency meeting, a year ago exactly. She and Logan knew it was coming, she had pins and needles in her legs for a long time but.... it seemed rather miraculous, but one day she just stood up on her own.

"Mary Anne! Mary Anne, darling!" Logan had been in the room witnessing it, and he almost burst into tears with pride. She looked at him, tears in her eyes, and knew it had happened. Her father had unashamedly burst into tears, as had Sharon and Dawn. She was now teaching part time, but she and Logan had discussed having another baby.

"Don't worry, honey, they'll all be down soon- Abby and Josh are actually in the living room watching cartoons," she heard Sharon say as she came down the stairs.

"And the star?"
"The star is trying to decide which outfit looks more alternative than the other." They both laughed, and Mary Anne could tell that Sharon was ecstatic to have both children back in her lives. Just then, Lisa (now 7) and Adam (5) raced down the stairs

"Careful you two, why don't you go wait with your cousins!" Just then, Logan and Richard Spier came down the stairs, chatting animatedly.

"And they say women take longer to get dressed!" Mary Anne joked as Logan slipped an arm around her waist.

"Well, we're allowed to have 'off days' occasionally- aren't we?" Richard protested as Sharon adjusted his tie. She patted him on the lapel

"Of course dear- just don't make a habit of it."
"I'll get the kids," Logan said, heading to the living room, looking very handsome in a black tuxedo. Just then, Dawn emerged at the top of the stairs, looking beautiful in an aquamarine dress, with spaghetti straps and matching shoes. She didn't look like a star very often any more, but she did today.

"You failed trying to be alternative," Mary Anne joked, and Dawn just smiled. When she had got back to LA, she had announced to Jake that she wanted a divorce.

"But I thought this was working out for both of us," he had looked surprised at her announcement.

"This may be your idea of a marriage- constant publicity and promotions- but it's certainly not mine. I'm leaving, and that's it." He had tried to get the media on his side but, once his indiscretions came out, sympathy was fully behind his soon to be ex wife. She moved herself and the children to San Diego, and was intent on finishing her marine biologist degree. However, she had agreed to do one last film (her 'swan song'), which garnered rave reviews, and there was talk of an Academy Award nomination the following year.... However, all she cared about now was her children, her family and friends, and saving the environment. She had a job at the San Diego Zoo, and was planning on going into marine life. However, that was all forgotten for the moment as she came down stairs to her mother, stepfather and stepsister.

"I guess this is it. I'm kind of nervous." She stood in front of Mary Anne, who agreed.

"I'm nervous too."
"Well, lets go!"

"Honestly Stace, do we have to go through this every time we go out?" Sam asked exasperatedly as his wife continued to look at herself in the mirror. She turned to him and stuck her tongue out, decidedly immature for a model. They were staying at Watson's mansion, with Sam's mother, Emily Michelle and Andrew.

"This is an important day, Sam, and I want to look my best."
"Well, you always look your best...especially now," he smiled gently down at the gentle curve of her stomach. She smiled too- they were finally having a baby! After their reunion in Stoneybrook, Stacey had been much more optimistic about the future and their life. When they got back to New York, she gave her old modeling agency a call, and they still had jobs that people wanted her to do. However, she was only doing that occasionally- she had also scored a job as a fashion designer with one of her favourite New York designers, who said she had a 'flair' for fashion. At home, she and Sam had decided to take things slow with IVF, and do it in 6 months or so. However, things changed and they never got a chance to do IVF.........

Five months ago, she had been frantic with the store and modeling- however both of her employers quite understood her diabetes, and let her set her own pace- which was full speed. She had begun to feel quite unwell during that time and, although she was sure it wasn't her diabetes, she kept an eye on her blood sugar. However, her nausea didn't seem to improve, so Sam told her to go to a doctor- in fact, he ordered her to.

"I don't want my wife to be sick!" he said mock sternly. But she was glad he told her to go to the doctor, because she had some surprising news for her.

"Congratulations Stacey, you're pregnant." For a moment, Stacey had been shocked

"How can this be? I've had trouble for the past four and a half years!"
"But you were working in a job you didn't enjoy, and you were stressed- obviously, a new job, a reunion with friends and relaxation helped you with the cause." Sam had been over the moon, and they couldn't wait to spread the news-although they waited till the three-month period. Both sets of parents were thrilled, and the entire BSC was ecstatic- they all even made the trek to see her- although Claudia couldn't because she was almost due to have her baby any day. Now, today, Stacey was on top of the world and now she was going to another event, which would set the happiness in her cup to overflow.

"Lets go," she smiled adoringly at her husband, and they walked out of the bedroom, hand in hand.

"Come on Zac, we're supposed to be there in half an hour!" Jessi yelled exasperatedly from the living room, to her fiancé, who was getting ready in the bathroom.

"Jess, the wedding won't start without you...hang on, wait a sec...."

"Zac!" Jessi began laughing, then sat down next to Mallory on her parent's couch. "Honestly, that man can be so trying at times!"
"But you love it, don't you?"

"Yes...and him, so much," she sighed deeply. Sometimes, she couldn't believe that everything had gone so well for her in the past 12 months.........

After the reunion, she and Mallory had some serious catching up to do, and some fences to mend.

"We've got to get you healed," Jessi said to Mal when they went to Boston to pick up Mal's things. For the time being, she was moving in with Jessi in New York, where there were no bad influences. Already, although they hadn't spoken to each other in 17 years, their friendship and bond had picked up from where they left off.

"I so want to get better, and I want to get a job as well," Mal was serious about turning her life around.

Once they got to New York, Jessi broke up with Quint once and for all, although it wasn't easy to get rid of him- he tried to insinuate that Mal had come onto him- but Jessi had shut her heart to him, and he was gone from her life forever. Mal went into rehabilitation for drugs and alcohol, and gave up smoking- although there were some inevitably rough times as she was slowly weaned off the drugs, at the end of the course, she was feeling much better and ready to begin her life again. She had gotten a job at a publishing company, and she was in the middle of writing her story about drugs and alcohol- with Jessi, the BSC, her parents and her employers behind her every step of the way.

"I'm so glad Mary Anne called that meeting- I'd be still in the mess I was in if it happened," she said to Jessi one day when they went for a walk in Central Park. She had dyed her hair back to its normal colour, but had kept the contacts- everyone seemed to like them. She was also talking about finding an apartment, as she felt that she had overstayed her welcome, but Jessi insisted she stay on.

"After all, there's no one else to fill the place." Since breaking up with Quint, she had been very lonely, and it was taking a long time to get over him-although, Mallory said wisely, they had lived together for 4 years. She entered college in the fall, majoring in English, but she was also planning to study choreography, so she could still help with planning dances. She also wanted to keep teaching, but she retired from ballet as a dancer- she wanted more to her life than dancing.

One day in her English class, she was intrigued to see a young black guy staring at her throughout class. She thought nothing of it, but when he did it in their philosophy class, she stopped to talk to him after class.

"Why are you staring at me?"
"You were a dancer, weren't you?"

"Yes- is that why you were staring at me?"
"Yes, I love the way dancers move- I had wanted to be a dancer, but I didn't have the ambition or talent to go ahead with it." Jessi smiled- it had been a long time since she had talked to a guy who was so interested in dancing. "By the way, my name is Zac."
"Jessi." They smiled at each other

"Would you like to have lunch in the canteen with me, Jessi?" She hesitated for a second
"Yes, I would." It was a bold move, but there was something about Zac that intrigued her, and she liked him a lot- too much, she thought nervously. However, he was serious, intelligent and had a marvelous sense of humor, and she was beginning to feel something that she hadn't felt before- not even Quint. They dated for six months, and she took him home to meet her parents, and they adored him.

"Let's hope you won't let this one get away," Becca said slyly after dinner. Jessi had no intention of letting him go, and when he proposed 2 months after that, she didn't hesitate at all- this is what she wanted, and Zac was whom she wanted.

"Well, I'm ready now!" She looked up and laughed- he looked so good in a casual jacket and pants, with a white shirt.

"It took you that long to work out what you were wearing that!"

"Hey, guys need to take time to do that...enough cheek woman," he slapped her side playfully. "Right Mal?"

"Don't get me started- guys...." Both Jessi and Mal were laughing too hard to answer properly.
"Okay, we all know that guys are jerks who take 4 hours in the bathroom...well, let's get the road on the show- and hopefully, Jess, you'll get some ideas for our wedding," he teased her as they left the room. "Ow, what did I do?"

"Let's see, have we got everything.... baby wipes, toys, bottles in case she gets hungry, nappies, a blanket...." Claudia went through the baby bag again to make sure she had everything. Although she never forgot anything when she was babysitting other children, she had found herself in several sticky situations since she gave birth 4 months ago.

"Relax Claud, we're only going to be gone a couple of hours. How much does a baby need?" Alan cruised into the room, baby Mimi comfortably ensconced in his arms.

"You obviously haven't been out in the day with Mimi, have you?" She kissed the baby's soft downy hair, then her husband's cheek. "You've always got to be prepared with a baby."

"Still speaking like a babysitter?" he teased as he set the baby down in her car seat. "Wouldn't your parents be proud?"
"Yes they would.............."

After she talked out her feelings with the BSC, she decided to fly to Florida and talk to her parents face to face. Luckily, Janine was there too, so she didn't have to go through her emotions again in Washington.

"First things first, I'm having a baby in February, and I hope you're happy for me." What surprised her was that her mother burst into tears, and then came over for a hug

"Of course we're happy for you- we've always been proud of your success. Why did you just say 'I hope you're happy for me?"

"Because I've always felt that you preferred Janine over me- she was the one that could always spell, and was going to college at fifteen. You made me feel like an outsider, and I always resented that."
"Claudia, we love you and Janine equally- we're proud of both of you in different ways, and we always will be. Janine has been the smart one, and admittedly, we did give you hard encouragement when you fell behind- but its was for your own good. Look at you now- look how successful you are with your art, and you're happily married and having a baby." Her father spoke up, then Janine also piped up
"You never knew how hard my life was- I had a nervous breakdown when I was seventeen, because I was pushing myself too hard. I was jealous of you, you were so artistic, and you had Mimi's undivided attention while she was alive- I felt that everyone was pushing me to be smart and dependable."
"Janine and your father and I love you so very much Claud, don't ever forget that, and we will be waiting outside the delivery room when you have our grandchild." True to form they were, and they were all so excited about the baby- Janine was dreaming of the day when she would say 'Aunt Janine'. It seemed as if the baby had healed rifts in the family that had been festering for a long time- and the baby seemed to suit the name of her beloved great-grandmother.

"Okay, Kishi, stop daydreaming and let's get out of here!" Alan awoke her from her reverie, and she laughed at him.

"Grey, thank you very much Mr Grey!"

Kristy looked at herself in the mirror- she couldn't believe she was actually going to do this- she was actually going to get married! Actually, Cameron had decided to 'make an honest woman out of you' when he proposed 6 months ago. That was the major reason, that and the fact she was 7 months pregnant with their second child.

"Isn't it about time you stopped flouting conventionality, and settle down as a happily married mother of two?" Cameron had asked just after she had announced she was pregnant.

"No, I'm happy being single, thank you very much."

"Well I'm not. I knew I wanted to be married to you the first time I met you, and I've now decided that our marriage will be completely different to my parents or your parents' marriages. Besides, Tamsin and our second child need a bit of respectability.... Kristin Amanda Thomas Brewer, will you marry me?"
"Yes." She didn't hesitate at all- Cameron was right- she knew that she wanted to be married to him, and it was time to settle down and stop being such a tomboy. So now, 6 months later, she was getting married- and she was extremely pregnant. Her mother, followed by Nannie and one of her two bridesmaids, Karen, came into the room. Emily Michelle, now 19, was the other bridesmaid.

"Oh, Kristy you look so beautiful!" Both her mother and grandmother began to cry when they saw her, and the two younger women just rolled their eyes. Karen was studying Drama, as she planned, and she was also going 'steady' with Linnie Papadakis, Hannie's older brother.

"Without the tears, you do look beautiful Kristy- about time you and Cameron got married!" She disappeared out of the room, as did Nannie, after hugging her granddaughter. Mother and daughter stood staring at each other, and then her mother took her hand.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this day, Kristy. I always hoped you'd get married, and I'm so happy for you and Cameron. He really is the man for you."

"Thanks Mom," and they hugged. There was a discreet knock on the door, and then Sam came in when bidden. He was giving the bride away- and he looked stunned at the way she looked.

"Wow, you look marvelous. Nothing like the tomboy we all knew and loved," he teased, and then offered his arm as Kristy mock scowled at him. "Shall we?"

She was getting married at the mansion- it was the one place she wanted to marry at- and, as they walked slowly down the stairs, she noticed the caterers had done a good job with the flowers and decorations.

"Are you nervous?" Sam asked as they approached the door to the garden.

"Were you nervous when you married Stacey?"
"Absolutely terrified," he grinned.

"Well, I'm not. This is the right thing for me to do- I love Cameron."
"Good for you." The doors opened, and they stepped out into the garden- everyone was there, waiting for them. Tamsin, who had walked down the aisle before, beamed and waved from the altar. She could see the BSC members and their various families as she walked down the aisle, and they were all wearing the same smile of happiness. Then she turned to Cameron, who was looking seriously awed near the priest. She smiled at him as Sam handed her arm to his, and he smiled back at her- this was it. She could barely remember the ceremony, except when she said her clear "I do"- and she heard some of the congregation giggle- she couldn't imagine who they could be......... Finally, the priest smiled at them

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Cameron lifted her veil, and looked deep into her eyes.

"Hello Mrs Lewis."
"Hello Mr Lewis." Then, he bent down and kissed her, amidst everyone clapping. As they turned to their friends, all the members of the BSC were standing up in their seats. "What's this for?"

"Ready girls?" Mary Anne grinned at the others, then they yelled

"ABOUT TIME!"