The boys were a brawling mess as Jason and Drew moved between the boys and the fire pit. Jamie got in a solid punch at Danny causing Jake to join the fray, taking Danny's side against the twins.
"Don't hurt my brother," Jake said, plowing into Jamie.
Before Jason and Drew could intervene further, the boys tumbled into the tent toppling it. Cameron moved as if to intervene.
"Let Jason and Drew break it up," Kellie said, "I'm going to have you help me with something in the house. Trina, Josslyn, watch Aidan and Alyssa and have Jason and Drew bring the boys to the kitchen once they break up the fight."
"I've had about enough of…." Cameron started to say.
"One Jake launched himself into that fight," Kellie said, "Two, you're the one that worked it so Danny came here. Three, all of four of them need to get a few things out of their systems if we have any hope of getting all of them to tolerably co-exist. I know you want to protect your brother, but the tiptoe method of trying to resolve this wasn't working."
"So you're thinking that they'll make up and be friends afterwards," Cameron.
"I hope so," Kellie said, "Not that a knock down drag out fight was what I had in mind. I know all four boys know that's not okay. Which is why I need you to help me clear out Jamie and Jared's rooms of anything they would consider fun and check Jake's room with Danny for anything fun. Though we already cleaned that one out earlier."
"I take it the campout is off then?" Cameron said.
"Yeah, considering the tent's been deconstructed, " Kellie said, "Jake, Jamie, Jared, and Danny will be sleeping in their own rooms here tonight. As for you and Aidan, I have a guest room the two of you can stay in or we'll call your mom and can send you home."
"What about Jake?" Cameron asked.
"Unless your mom is adamant that he can't stay," Kellie said, "I'd like him to spend the night here still and see if we can work out whatever this is out between the boys. Being punished together might give them something in common to commiserate over."
Cameron looked torn, " I get what you're saying…but I just don't know."
"Think about it," Kellie said, "I'd like to get Jake some time with Jason by himself tomorrow since today has been all about Danny's issues. Let me know what you want to do. In the meantime, upstairs."
Cameron helped Kellie move a few things out of Jared and Jamie's room.
Kellie made a call to Liz on speaker for Cameron to hear and explained the situation to Liz. Though Liz was reluctant about letting Jake stay, she agreed with persuasion from Cam.
"It's my fault that the campout became a disaster, Mom," Cameron said, "I made Danny come thinking that I could get him stop acting like a brat around Jake. Kellie warned me the whole thing could blow up. I'll stay to make sure Jake's okay…."
"Cameron I'm not sure this is a good idea," Liz said.
"Let me make this up to Jake, Mom," Cameron said.
"And you'll keep on eye on, Aiden," Liz asked.
"Of course," Cameron said.
"I'm not thrilled with the idea of the boys staying there, but I'd like the boys and Jason to work whatever this out," Liz replied, "Jake can stay and if Cameron and Aiden want to stay, I'll leave that up to them."
Meanwhile, outside, Drew had grabbed the twins holding both of them back. Jason held Danny back while Jake moved out of the way. Jamie and Danny were both really trying to go at each other again.
"What the hell is your problem?" Danny asked, his jaw smarting from where Jamie had decked him.
"You're a jerk," Jamie yelled.
"Especially to your little brother," Jared said, ceasing to keep fight and Drew let go of him, "Case closed."
"It's none of your business," Danny said, him and Jamie still trying to lunge at each other.
"It became our business when you and Jake became our step-brothers," Jared said, "And we actually like Jake and think your attitude well sucks for lack of a better word."
Drew and Jason attempted to say some to stop the boys, but the boys ignored them.
"Let me at him," Jamie said, "I'm not done teaching the little punk a lesson."
"Little" Danny replied, "I'm taller and older than you."
"He does fight better than you," Jake said as Jared stepped between Danny and Jamie.
Jared looked Danny square in the eye, "We've had enough of your shit."
"Language," Alyssa yelled.
Jared rolled his eyes and continued, "Jamie and I have tried to be nice to you. All we get is ignored by you and doors slammed in our face. Our mom has tried to be nice to you and make this better for you. I'm surprised she hasn't read you the riot act yet."
"She has," Danny muttered.
"If you want to spend time with your dad," Jared said, ignoring him, "Then stop sulking and go to your visits or whatever. But whatever you do, stop being mean to Jake."
"Or what," Danny asked.
Jared moved out from the space between Danny and Jamie. Before Drew knew what happened Jared knocked his arm away from Jamie. Jamie's armed moved as if to punch Danny again. But Drew grabbed his arm and stopped it.
The boys broke out in squabbling and Jake stepped on Jared and Jamie's feet causing Jason to have to grab him as well.
"Enough," Jason yelled getting the boys attention, "The longer you keep fighting the worse the punishments going to be."
The boys resigned themselves to stopping at least for now.
"Kellie said to bring the boys into the kitchen," Trina said.
Jason and Drew took the boys into the kitchen. Noticing Danny's face was bruising, Jason grabbed an ice back from the freezer and gave it to him.
"What happened?" Jason asked as Kellie and Cameron joined them, "How'd the fight start?"
Cameron continued out into the back yard.
"Jared said a bad word," Alyssa said having tagged along, "And Jamie hit Danny."
"Alyssa, if you can't be quiet right now," Kellie said, "You need to go out in the backyard with Josslyn and Trina."
Alyssa stayed silent and watched.
"You boys were asked a question," Kellie said, "How'd you wind up in a brawl?"
"Danny started it," Jamie said, "By ignoring Jake and screwing up their time at the park."
"Then that's between Jason, Danny, and Jake," Kellie said, "Not the three of you."
"You and Jared approached me," Danny said, "You started it."
"Let's try asking this a different way," Drew said, "Who did and said what after Jamie and Jared went over to Danny?"
The boys all looked at each other and remained silent.
"I don't know what was said," Kellie said, "But I'm guessing after whatever initial words Jared and Jamie had for Danny, that Danny didn't respond how you hoped. At which point, Jared with his gift for words said something with the intention of making Danny mad and the fight broke out."
Jared slumped in his chair.
"Who made the first move?" Kellie asked.
More silence.
"I'm sorry," Jake said, "For getting into the fight and hurting Jared and Jamie."
"You were defending your brother," Jamie said, "No big deal."
"No harm done," Jared said.
"We do still want to know what happened," Jason said.
"I'm not talking without a lawyer," Danny said.
Jamie kicked Danny under the table.
"Knock it off," Kellie said as Jason grabbed an envelope from the counter.
"Should we tell them?" Jason asked. Kellie nodded as he pulled a couple of sonogram photos out of the envelope. He handed on to Kellie.
"Tell us what?" Alyssa asked.
"We found out if the baby's a boy or a girl today," Kellie said, "We have a picture of the baby."
"I want to see a picture of my baby brother," Alyssa said, moving next to Kellie.
"Actually, it's a baby sister," Kellie said, kneeling down and showing Alyssa the picture.
"No, because then I'd have to share with her," Alyssa said.
"Might be good for her," Jamie muttered.
"She'll be too little to want to share your stuff," Jake said, looking at Jason pictures, "Can I paint a picture for her nursery."
"I'm sure she'd love that," Jason said.
Jake handed the sonogram to Danny who glanced at it. He tried to pretend he didn't care.
"It doesn't look like a baby," Jamie said as he and Jared looked at the one Kellie handed them.
"It looks all fuzzy,"Jared said.
"Maybe Mommy really is just getting fat," Alyssa said.
"She's definitely having a baby," Danny said.
"Like you care," Jamie said.
This time Danny kicked back. Jason and Kellie gave all the boys a look stopping them from continuing any further.
"Is this the kind of family you want your new sister to grow up in?" Jason said, "Where her brothers either fight all the time or refusing to get along."
"And she feels like she has to pick sides," Jake said.
"No," Danny said quietly.
"That's what she'll grow up in," Kellie said, "If you can't figure out how to get along."
"That doesn't seem fair," Jared said.
"It doesn't," Jason said, "But it's up to you guys whether that changes."
The boys didn't respond.
"And with that," Kellie said, "It's bed time."
"Camping in the tent, yes," Jamie said.
"Which you all knocked over fighting," Kellie said, "The camp out's over. You're sleeping in your own beds tonight."
Jake, Jared, and Jamie protested.
"Next time, don't get into a fight and knock down the tent," Kellie said, "Consider this part of the consequences of your actions."
"Are we grounded?" Jared asked.
"We'll discuss it tomorrow," Kellie said as the boys groaned, "Now upstairs. Do not procrastinate."
"She means business," Jared said to Danny and Jake, noting the tone of her voice, "Whatever she says to do, just do it."
"I guess we're going home," Danny said.
"No," Kellie said, "If there is anything you need from the tent for the night, grab it now. Don't dawdle."
"Come on," Jason said, herding the boys out the door.
"I don't get a camp out either," Alyssa said.
"I'm sorry," Kellie said, "The tent was pretty throughly wrecked. We'll have make sure it will go back up and stay up before that can happen."
"Stupid boys," Alyssa huffed.
Drew had been staying off to the side spoke up, "I have an idea. What do you and your mom think about you having a sleep over with Scout and a breakfast tea party in the morning?"
"At Nana Liv's?" Alyssa asked, "Away from all the stinky boys."
Drew nodded, "Although I can't guarantee Leo doesn't stink."
"Maybe a little sister would be better," Alyssa said, "if it means less stinky boys."
"Even up the numbers a little bit," Kellie said, "I take it you'd like to have a sleep over with Scout."
"Please," Alyssa asked.
"Go get what you need for the night," Kellie said as Alyssa ran upstairs. Kellie then turned to Drew, "Do you have room for her in the car or I can have her ride with the guards."
"We have room," Drew said.
"Thank you," Kellie said.
"You have your hands full," Drew said, "Alyssa shouldn't have her evening be a total loss. What about Cam and Aidan?"
"I talked to Liz," Kellie said, "They're going to stay in the guest room. Cameron wants to keep an eye on Jake and we'd liked to see if we can make any headway with the all of the boys. I really wasn't expecting Jamie and Jared to end up getting right in the middle."
"They're protective of their family," Drew said, "They had apparently had enough of Danny's attitude with them, you, and Jake was the last straw."
Alyssa ran downstairs with a backpack, "I have everything I need."
Kellie looked and just saw a couple of Alyssa's favorite dolls and a book, "What about clothes and a toothbrush."
"Nana Liv has extra for me," Alyssa said, "I'm ready to go, Uncle Drew."
"Well, we have to help Oscar get in the car," Drew said, "Do you think you can help me do that?"
Alyssa nodded.
"Before you run off," Kellie said, "Can I have a hug good night in case I'm getting the boys settled for night when you leave."
Alyssa hugged Kellie, "Night mommy." She ran off into the back yard.
Drew, Josslyn, Oscar, Trina, and Alyssa left. Kellie set up Cameron and Aidan in media room as Aidan still insisted he wanted a sleep over on the floor. After making sure the boys were settled for the night, Jason found Kellie had fallen sleep. She was still wearing her clothes and laying on top of the covers.
Meanwhile Danny laid on his bed staring at the ceiling.
"Night," Jake said.
Danny didn't reply at first, "Why'd you take my side against Jamie and Jared?"
"You're still my brother even if you are a jerk," Jake said, "It wouldn't have been a fair fight otherwise."
"I'm bigger than them," Danny said.
"Jamie and Jared know how to fight," Danny said, "Karate and some stuff their mom taught them. You didn't stand a chance."
"Thank you, I think," Danny said, "I guess I'm sorry for screwing up your day."
"You're forgiven. Just don't do it again," Jake said, drifting off to sleep.