A/N: Itty bitty time jump again.


Two months ago when she went to Kathleen's birthday party, Chelsea never imagined her ninth birthday would look like this.

Last year, for her eighth birthday, Mommy took a day off work and took Chelsea and her friend Sarah to lunch and the American Girl store, and then she had cake at home with Mommy and Mark that night. She'd blown out the candles and wished for a new dad that loved her, a brother or sister, and that Mommy would have more time to spend with her. She never dreamed that just a year later she'd have four brothers and sisters, a new Grandma, the best new Daddy in the entire world, and more time with Mommy.

Everything changed so fast from the night Mommy and Daddy told her the truth about Mark and her real family. She and Mommy stopped going to therapy, but kept Wednesday nights open as girls nights to watch movies or go shopping or just be together. But now, almost every night she could do things with Mommy because she got a new job.

Well not a brand new job. She still worked in Daddy's department with Grandpa Don, Uncle Fin, and Uncle Munch. But she was the first person to try out a brand new position, an SVU resident computer crimes expert. She spent most of her time at a desk now, so she could work more regular hours and be home with Chelsea more often.

Mommy and Daddy bought a house just two blocks away from Aunt Kathy and they moved in last week. In the middle of the move, Mommy asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday, but it was an easy answer.

"I want a family party at the house like Kathleen had," Chelsea told Mommy and Daddy over pizza at the kitchen island the night they moved. "I want both of you, and my brother and sisters, and Grandma B, Grandpa Don, and Uncle Munch and Fin."

"And what are we going to do at this party?" Daddy asked.

"Well you can make hamburgers like we had for Kathleen's party," Chelsea said. "And I really like board games so maybe we can all play board games. Ooh or we could have a scavenger hunt."

Mommy and Daddy agreed. They said part of the day would have to be letting her brother and sisters pick their new bedrooms at the house. Chelsea had gotten first pick and she was going to have to share with one of her sisters. The other two girls would share and Dickie would get his own, with the last bedroom being a guest room, for now. She didn't know how they were going to pick which sister was going to share with her, but she knew who her secret pick was, and she was going to wish really hard on the candles on her chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream cake that that's who she'd get to share it with.

When the party started, Grandma B snagged Grandpa Don right away and started telling him stories, and Uncle Fin and Uncle Munch drank beer by the grill and gave Daddy a hard time. Mommy was busy getting the drinks and side dishes ready when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Chelsea yelled barreling down the hall to the front door, knowing who it was before she got there.

"Chelsea, you still have to look before you open the door, even though it's not an apartment anymore," Mommy said, following her down the hall.

"But I know who it is," Chelsea said, throwing the front door open.

"Happy Birthday!" Kathleen, Lizzie, and Dickie yelled. All four kids had presents in their hands.

Kathleen pushed her way in front of the little kids and gave Chelsea a big hug.

"Literally so cool that we're having similar birthday parties," she said. "Just think, when we get older we can have like two months worth of partying since we're so close in age."

"That would be so fun," Chelsea said.

"Maybe don't push it you two," Mommy said.

Kathleen, Lizzie, and Dickie all hugged Mommy and went down the hallway to the back door to find Daddy. They'd come to the house on move-in day for a tour but they hadn't stayed that long. But at least they knew where the backyard was.

Chelsea noticed that Maureen was acting funny. She'd been kind of weird on move-in day too. She hadn't really wanted to talk to Chelsea, and she acted like Mommy didn't exist. It made Chelsea sad. Maureen had been so nice and so cool at Kathleen's party. She was exactly the kind of big sister Chelsea had always dreamed about, who would like the same TV shows, and have fun clothes she could borrow, and they could talk about boys.

"Go ahead Maureen," Aunt Kathy said, pushing her forward. "Go in and find your Dad."

Maureen looked at Aunt Kathy and gave her an annoyed face, but walked into the house. She didn't say Happy Birthday, or anything at all, to either Mommy and Chelsea, like they weren't even there.

"Sorry about that," Aunt Kathy said. "She's been in a little bit of a mood today."

"It's okay," Mommy said. "Are you going to be home if she wants to come back down, or do you have things to do?"

"I'm going to go home," Aunt Kathy said. "Maybe clean the house or just enjoy some quiet."

Chelsea didn't like the idea of Aunt Kathy being all alone at home while they were all down here having fun.

"You could stay," Chelsea said. "And come to the party."

Aunt Kathy looked at her and gave a small smile.

"I wouldn't want to intrude on your day," she said.

"But I want you to come," Chelsea said. "It's a family party. Uncle Fin and Uncle Munch are here, but you're my only Aunt. You should come too."

Aunt Kathy looked nervous.

"We'd love it if you stayed, Kathy," Mommy said. "There's plenty of food and maybe somebody should give Don a break from Bernie's stories."

"Are you sure?" Aunt Kathy asked.

"Positive," Mommy said. "Please come in."

So she did.

"C'mon, I'll show you where the party is," Chelsea said, taking Aunt Kathy's hand and leading her down the hall to the den and out the back door. Daddy looked surprised to see them.

"I asked Aunt Kathy to stay," Chelsea explained. "It's a family party."

"You're right," Daddy said. "She should have been invited in the first place."

"Right," Chelsea said.

"Chelsea, come play," Kathleen yelled from the swingset.

They didn't have to ask her twice. Chelsea ran over and they played Coney Island where they pretended each part of the swingset was a different ride from the amusement park. Maureen didn't really want to play at first, but she joined in a little before Daddy called everybody to eat. After lunch, Daddy asked if everyone wanted to go pick out their rooms.

"Daddy, can we have cake first?" Chelsea asked. She had to make her wish before everybody picked out their rooms.

"I think we can," he said, and Mommy went inside to get it. She came out with the number 9 candle lit and an extra single candle. Grandma Bernie called it "one to grow on" and said it was important.

Chelsea really liked having her whole family here to sing with her. Mommy and Daddy stood right behind her, and she realized Aunt Kathy was taking pictures. When everyone reached the end of the song, she closed her eyes and thought about her wish really hard, then blew out the candles in one breath. Everybody cheered, and Mommy and Daddy cut and served the cake.

When the kids finished, Daddy asked them again if they wanted to go pick bedrooms and everybody did. He followed them all upstairs.

"Now remember," Daddy said. "Dickie gets his own room because he's the only boy. You girls have to share two to a room."

"Chelsea, which room is yours?" Lizzie asked.

"Here," Chelsea said, pushing open the door.

Her bed was on one side with room for another bed for whoever was going to share with her. Most of her stuff was put away, like her clothes in half the closet and her bookshelf, of course. But some of her boxes were still scattered around her side of the room.

"Who gets to share with Chelsea, Daddy?" Kathleen asked.

"You guys have to figure that out," Daddy said.

"I call it!" Lizzie yelled.

"You can't just call it," Kathleen yelled back.

They started arguing over who got to share with Chelsea, but Maureen left the room. Chelsea heard her talking to Dickie, who'd picked the room across the hall as his own. Chelsea went over and sat on her bed. She knew who she wanted to share with, but she didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings.

Daddy came over and sat on the bed with her.

"Whatcha thinking, Peanut?" he asked.

"I don't want to have to pick who shares a room with me," Chelsea said. "I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings."

"Well, that's nice of you," Daddy said. "But you should have some say in who's in the room with you."

"I love all my sisters," Chelsea said. "Any of them would be a great roommate."

But secretly, Chelsea hoped the person she really wanted to share a room with spoke up.

Eventually Maureen came back into the room, and Daddy went to stand with her. They turned their backs to everyone else and were whispering. When they turned back around, Maureen came and stood between Lizzie and Kathleen, who were still arguing.

"I have a solution," Maureen said. "And Dad agrees. Since you two can't stop bickering, I'm sharing a room with Chelsea."

"That's not fair," Lizzie said.

"Yeah, you didn't even want to at first," Kathleen said. "You went and looked at other rooms."

"Well, I want to now," Maureen said. "And you two better go pick one of the other rooms."

"C'mon Katie, Lizzie Bean," Daddy said. "Let's let these two roommates get used to each other."

They left, but Maureen didn't say anything. She just kind of stood in the middle of the room, staring at what would be her side.

"Are you sure you want to share with me?" Chelsea asked. "I know you've been kind of mad at me since we moved."

Maureen turned around to look at Chelsea.

"I'm not mad at you," Maureen said.

"You didn't really want to play with us today," Chelsea said. "And you haven't talked to me at all since Kathleen's party. I understand if you don't really want to share a room with me. Or be my sister."

Chelsea really wanted Maureen to tell her that wasn't true, but it's what it felt like. Ever since they found out they were brother and sisters, Dickie and the other two girls had been extra nice to her and really excited, but Maureen backed off and hadn't spent time with Chelsea.

"It's not that," Maureen said. "It's just really hard for me to have Dad move out and move in with you and your Mom."

"I'm sorry," Chelsea said.

"It's not your fault," Maureen said, coming to sit on the bed with Chelsea. "I'm just not being very grown up about it. I miss Dad living at home with us. I'm sad that he and Mom are divorced."

"Maybe he can move back in with you guys," Chelsea said, even though that wasn't really what she wanted. She loved living in this house with Mommy and Daddy. She was excited to start at her new school where she and Kathleen would be in the same class. Everything had been so great for them lately, but she hadn't realized maybe things weren't as great for Maureen.

"No, I think he's happy here with you guys," Maureen said.

"But if it makes you sad, I want him to go back to your house," Chelsea said.

"Aren't you happy?" Maureen asked.

"I am," Chelsea said. "My old Dad was mean to me and Mommy. He yelled a lot and said mean things to us. Sometimes I would go to bed and cry, but I didn't want to tell Mommy because I knew she was already upset. But living here with Mommy and Daddy. We laugh a lot and Mommy smiles so much. And I don't have to cry when I go to sleep anymore."

Maureen looked like she was going to cry now.

"Our Dad is the best," Maureen said. "And I'm sorry that your last Dad wasn't. I just miss him when he's here."

"I'm sorry you have to share him with me," Chelsea said. "It's not fair to you guys."

"It is fair," Maureen said. "I got to have him for almost 12 years at home and you didn't. It's your turn now. And just think, since we'll be sharing a room, when I'm here and he comes in to tuck us in, we can hog him from everybody else and make him stay in here the longest."

"That would be fun," Chelsea said.

Both girls were quiet for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry I made you feel like I didn't want to be your sister," Maureen said. "I really like you and Olivia. I was just mad and sad because I don't like when things change."

"Can I tell you a secret?" Chelsea asked.

"Sure," Maureen said.

"My birthday wish was that you would want to share a room with me," Chelsea said.

"Why?" Maureen asked. "You and Kathleen are like twins joined at the hip."

"Because I've always really wanted a big sister," Chelsea said. "And after Kathleen's party I really wanted you to be my big sister but I didn't think that could ever be true. But it is. And I want to be able to do and share all the things you and Kathleen do in your room at Aunt Kathy's house."

Maureen smiled.

"Kathleen falls asleep really fast and she snores," Maureen said. "I'd much rather stay up and talk about people from school, especially boys."

"Me too!" Chelsea said.

"And sometimes, I like to read with a flashlight after lights out," Maureen said. "But Kathleen rats me out if she wakes up and sees my light."

"I read after lights out too!" Chelsea said, getting more excited that they were going to be roommates.

"So maybe we should go get Dad and talk him into getting me a bed so we can have our first official sleepover?" Maureen asked.

"Dad's here," Daddy said, walking into the room. "So we're all good in here, with the room situation? Kathleen and Lizzie took the one right on the other side of the wall and the one at the end of the hall is going to be the guest room."

"Until it has to become a nursery," Maureen said with a smirk.

"What?" Daddy said.

"C'mon Dad," Maureen said. "I know you and Olivia are going to have another baby someday. You guys make kind of cool kids, I'm sure you'd want another."

"You'd be okay with that?" Daddy asked. "Both of you?"

"Yes," both girls said at the same time and then laughed.

"Just maybe marry Olivia first this time?" Maureen said.

"You'd be okay with that, Mo?" Daddy asked.

"Yeah, I think I would," she said. "As long as I get to be in the wedding and be here all the time when the baby is born."

"You got a deal," Daddy said. "Now, let's get downstairs. Everybody is ready for board games and the birthday girl gets to pick."

"Game of Life!" Chelsea said, jumping off the bed, with Maureen right behind her, and Daddy bringing up the back.

The entire family was in the living room. Grandma and Aunt Kathy were talking on the loveseat. Uncle Fin and Uncle John were in the recliners, arguing, and Grandpa Don was standing behind them shaking his head. Lizzie, Dickie, and Kathleen were sitting around the coffee table and Maureen joined them. Mommy was sitting on the couch by herself, so Chelsea decided to join her.

"So who's your new roommate, baby," Mommy asked.

"Maureen," Chelsea said. "Just like I wanted."

Daddy came and sat next to Chelsea and Mommy gave him a strange look.

"Mo decided it all on her own," he said.

"Well, that's good," Mommy said.

"What game are we playing?" Kathleen asked. "I'll set it up and read everybody the rules."

"Game of Life," Chelsea said. "My favorite."

"Mine too," Kathleen said, pulling out the box.

Chelsea wanted to get down on the floor with her brothers and sisters, but she wanted a few more minutes of Mommy and Daddy time. She snuggled up into Mommy's side and she felt Daddy put his arm around both of them on the back of the couch. She looked around and saw everybody she loved, except Grandma Serena, in one room. Then she saw the picture Mommy must have put up on the mantle this morning because it wasn't there yesterday. It was a picture she hadn't seen before. Mommy looked pretty young and she was sitting on a couch with a baby in her lap and Grandma Serena was standing next to her.

"Mommy, where'd that picture come from?" Chelsea asked, pointing up to the mantle.

"I found a box of Grandma's things in the move," Mommy said. "That's a picture of you, me and her the day you came home from the hospital. I'd never seen it before. I thought it would look nice up there."

"I think so too," Daddy said.

"I love it," Chelsea said.

Everybody she loved was in the room, either in person or in a picture. Yes, this was definitely her best birthday ever. And Chelsea couldn't wait to have many more just like it in the future.


A/N: Just one more with another little time jump. Thank you all for your continued reviews. Let's bring our little fam home, shall we?