Disclaimer: You'll never believe this, but I don't own anything. Who saw that one coming?

Chapter 2: Big Happy Family

I could hear the echo of voices arguing as I closed the door behind me. Since it probably wasn't any of my business, I started down the hallway with hastened steps hoping to catch the 110 to work. As I turned around the corner, however, I saw that it might be my business after all.

A stocky white man and a slightly taller black male were arguing with a nurse, demanding to see their brother, much to the annoyance the two women who were waiting beside them. I probably could have recognized the pair in the dead of night even if Camille hadn't been standing there with a tall Hispanic woman; I'd seen so many pictures of them. I didn't know why they were having so such a hard time getting to Jack when Jerry had just gone in a minute ago, so I walked towards them to see if I could help.

"Is there a problem here nurse…" I paused slightly as I quickly looked down at the woman's tag name, "Joy?" She turned her head towards me and I recognized her as the nurse who had scrutinized my ringless finger when I'd first asked to see Jack, claiming to be his fiancé.

"Actually there is," she said. "These men here claim to be your fiancé's brother."

I squirmed when Camille looked at me with raised eyebrows and Jerry's brothers turned towards me with inquiring eyes. This would require some quick explanations, but later. Not they way I had planned on meeting them… "They are his brothers, they were all adopted," I explained trying to placate the woman.

She gave me a skeptical look, but could see that she was defeated that or she realized that she was threateningly close to being bodily removed and nodded. "All right then, but make it quick, he's not supposed to have more than one visitor at a time."

"Thank you nurse Joy." When she made a move to show them the way I quickly added, "There's no need to trouble yourself. I'll take them."

She nodded and went on her way as I turned back to the others. "Don't look at me like that." I half-whispered defensively. "I had to tell them something plausible or I would have been stuck out here." They were still giving me funny looks when I caught a glimpse of the time from the clock in the waiting room. "It's just down that hall," I said pointing at a corridor, " to the right, room 365-A. I would show you, but I'm gonna be late for my bus if I do…so it was nice meeting you. Bye." And I ran before they could ask me any questions.

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The house hadn't been completely fixed up yet, the entrance was still full of holes, but the place was livable and I didn't want to impose on Jerry anymore. Besides, it seemed like the Mercer brothers were here to stay, at least for a while. I'd spoken with Angel, the marine, over the phone and he'd told me that each of them had taken up residence in their childhood bedrooms, except for Bobby, whose room I was in.

I had a hard time imagining myself in the same home I'd shared with Evelyn for two years now. Living with three grown man was going to be an educational experience if nothing else. Not to mention cramped; I doubted that the house had been built to hold up to five adults, three of whom had a tendency to play hockey inside if memory served me right. I was probably worrying over nothing, as the saying went - that which does not break us makes us stronger.

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I'd been wrong and right at the same time. It was bad; living with them was like living with pigs in a pigsty. They never cleaned up after themselves. Bear bottles, take out, clothes, were all over the place, left by their owners in the spots they stopped being useful. All the bitching in the world would not have moved them to do anything about it, so I gave up and cleaned up what I could when I was home to help Sofi.

At the same time it wasn't as bad as I'd imagined. Angel was less intimidating after I got to know him. Hell, he was whipped if anything where Sofi was concerned; it was funny to watch him struggle to be tough in front of Bobby and still please his fiancé at the same time. Unfortunately the same could not be said of Bobby, he really was as intimidating as I thought he'd be. I always felt like I was stepping on shells whenever I was around him that is until the teasing began and never stopped. My stunt at the hospital had given him enough fuel to last him a lifetime and Jack hadn't even gotten out of the hospital yet. He'd taken to heart the role of obnoxious big brother even if I wasn't technically part of the family. I found after a few weeks that the best defense against his attacks was to simply smile and stay silent. It got to him every time.

I was sitting in Jerry's living room, doing my homework when he came home that day. "Hey."

"My brothers driving you up the wall, already?" he asked with a half-smothered laugh when he saw me.

I gave him a peeved look before letting my head fall back as I answered, "Yeah, they're always arguing and beating on each other, that is when Angel and Sofi aren't busy procreating. It's never quiet in the house anymore."

He laughed outright this time, "What did you think it was gonna be like? My brothers, man, they never grew up. Just be thankful they aren't rebellious teenagers anymore."

I wasn't sure where the difference lied between Bobby and a rebellious teenager and Angel and a horny teenager. At least Angel had an excuse… Maybe I was being too harsh, maybe I'd gotten too used to having the house almost to myself while I lived with Evelyn, or maybe I was being a brat. "Whatever you say Jerry. Anyways, I gotta go back," I said standing up. "Thanks for letting me use your house."

"You can come anytime, Amelia and Daniella love you. It's never been so quiet around here before."

I was putting my coat on when I remembered Jack. "Same here. How's Jack anyways?"

"He's getting better. He's actually going to come home tomorrow," Jerry answered with a shrug.

"I guess I should do some cleaning before he comes home or he might trip of on a hockey puck or bear bottle and end going back to the hospital," I muttered more to myself than anyone in particular. "Bye Jerry."

"See you later, Brier. Remind those assholes that they have to come over for Christmas."

I was already out the door when I answered, "Okay." And quickly started down the street towards the Mercer household. When I had my cellphone out I dialed from memory my Isolde's number and waited for her to answer.

She answered on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, babe. It's me. I just wanted to know if you wanted to come over tomorrow and help me cook dinner."

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I got off early from work to make dinner since Jack was getting out of the hospital and would probably appreciate some solid food. I used to be a sickly kid who got sent to the hospital a few times a year; I knew what I was talking about. The food there could make healthy people become sick.

Bobby had a field day when I announced my intentions the previous day, he'd been ribbing me ever since. I should have just told the hospital people that I was his sister. I couldn't see an end to the teasing anywhere in the near future.

Sighing I tried to concentrate on the task at hand and on Isolde's chatter.

"You haven't heard a thing I've said, right?"

She'd known me too long, "Yeah, sorry. So what were you saying?"

"I said 'I think I'm pregnant.'"

My eyes widened and I turned to look at her, "What? You've been married for two, how can you be sure?" I asked, then added when she gave me an 'are you kidding look,' "I meant weren't you using protection before?"

"Yeah, but you know those things are only like 80 effective right?" she said turning around to lean against the counter as she played with cookie dough.

I had a hard time believing she could be pregnant. "Did you test yourself yet?"

"No, and I was wondering if you'd come with me to the clinic when I get tested. I want to be sure before I tell Rick anything."

I nodded numbly, still baffled by the news. Isolde and I hadn't been as close since I'd left the foster home for good. We'd even stopped speaking for a while and I later learned that she'd started using drugs during that time. It wasn't until recently that I managed to find her only to find out that she was engaged to a mechanic and that all of our plans had fallen through. I still wasn't sure what had happened to change her and I dared not ask her about it.

We were working silently when the front door opened rather brusquely. "Is dinner done yet?"

I rolled my eyes as Bobby's voice boomed through the house, "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…" I muttered under my breath making Isolde laugh before yelling back, "Keep your pants on, I'll be ready in a minute."

"Holy Abercrombie catalog…" I heard Isolde breathe out appreciatively.

"What?" She couldn't have been talking about Bobby, don't get me wrong the man was fine in a dangerous sort of way, but he was no Abercrombie god. Curious, I peered into the living room and felt my jaw drop; he certainly looked much better than he had in that hospital room. "Wow."

"You never told me you were living with Adonis," my friend said still staring.

"That because I didn't know I was," I replied trying to tear my eyes away before any of the guys saw me staring.

Too late, he'd seen me staring and called out, "So you're my fiancé."

Isolde turned her gaze to me while the men burst out laughing. If it hadn't been for the fact that he'd just come out of the hospital I would have gone over and done some major damage to his pretty face. He was just like his brothers. Grreeeeat!

God grant me the patience to deal with those upon whom you have deemed it necessary to bestow immaturity, was my recurring thought during dinner.

A/N: hehe Sorry, no romance yet. I don't like to make characters instantly get together, I like drawing things out a little. This chapter was a little shorter because I've been working on different things anyway, hope you enjoyed it. Review!

P.S. If I make the characters too OOC (out of character) then tell me I seem to have a problem with that and the speech lingo.