A\N: Thank you so much to everybody who read or reviewed the first chapter of this story. It really means so much to both of us. I wrote this chapter and I really hope that you like this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Spoilers: None

Warnings: None

Chapter 2

The Meadowbrook Banquet hall had the license capacity of five hundred people. Even so, Mike and Connie didn't want anymore then three hundred people at Maddie's quinceanera. It was Maddie's party so they agreed to let her have final say on one hundred of the guests, the others having to be approved by Connie, Mike and Maria. So, on a Saturday afternoon when Andy was practising baseball outside and the twins were outside playing Connie, Mike, Maria and Maddie stated to plan the party. Maddie's birthday was in six weeks and by luck her birthday fell on a Saturday so that's when the party was going to be held.

"How about we make this easy and cross off every boy your age," Mike looked at the list of guess his daughter had compiled, "Or better yet any boy you're not related to." He added fearing she'd invite older boys to the party.

"Dad!" Maddie grabbed the paper back and frowned slightly, "You are aware one of the traditions is a slow dance between me and a boy right?"

"Yeah," After accepting Maria's offer for Maddie's party Mike had asked Connie questions about her party, he'd also done research of his own. He wasn't sure he liked all that was involved; especially as he had always been worried Maddie was just a little bit too much like her birth mother. He was afraid so much attention focused on her would cause her to make unwise decisions.

"Is that why there's a star next to Brenden's name?" Connie inquired, "Is he someone we should meet before the party?" Looking at the blush on Maddie's face she knew the answer was probably 'yes'. She and Mike had never had a rule about her with boys because Mike had always been reluctant to acknowledge the fact that his little girl was growing up.

"Brenden is Maddie's almost boyfriend," Andy walked into living room followed by James and Claire, "She has a crush on him. I don't like him at all! First of all he doesn't even like baseball! How can you date a guy like that?" Andy didn't understand his sister at all. Sure he was beginning to see the appeal of girls, and yes even found some to be cute. He was quite certain though he'd never date one that wasn't interested in baseball or at least sports in general, "He's an actor, he's in the school play."

"Andy," Mike looked at his son, although he was quite happy for the information he wondered where his son had gotten it from, "How do you know this?"

Andy sighed, "I know I'm going to get into trouble Dad," He admitted, "But I know this is worth it. Brenden isn't good enough for Maddie. I know because I hacked into Maddie's social media accounts a few months ago."

"You did what!" Maddie stood up and exploded she went to attach her brother but Mike stopped her, "Dad, Mom, you can't let him get away with that!"

"Andy…." Connie looked at her son wondering how he'd even do something like that in the first place. "You have a lot of explaining to do. You better start talking."

"Yeah," Andy nodded his head and began to explain how he'd found Maddie's list of passwords and used them to gain access to her accounts, "I did it because I love you Maddie," He added at the end of his rant, "That Brenden isn't good enough for you! You're way to pretty to be with him, he's a big jerk!"

"Andy," Maddie tried to keep her tempter in check, "Don't tell me who to like. Mom and Dad having access to my accounts is bad enough. I can't believe you did that. I think Mom and Dad need to start punishing you more," She frowned, she looked at her parents, "I don't do anything bad online, he's the one who hacked into my account. If you want to stop anyone from going online stop him!" She stood up, "And just so you know Andy the world doesn't revolve around baseball. You and Dad think baseball is so important but its not!" She stormed out of the room.

"Maddie!" Claire called after her older sister but the slam of her door showed even the four year old to leave her alone.

"After your baseball tournament next weekend you're grounded for a week. No friends, no TV, no video games and no going over to your cousin's Diego's house unless your father and I are both out. If you are over there you will be doing chores. You will also have more chores to do around the house. This isn't up for debate, now go up to your room," Mike told Andy, and the look in his father's eyes told Andy he shouldn't disagree.

"Hold on…" Connie called out, "Andy why did you tell us about all of this?" She asked. She knew her stepson very well. He was smart, calculated and never did or said anything unless he wanted to do something. He could have easily have kept this up without ever getting into trouble. She wanted to know why, and she didn't think it was because he was so worried about who his sister liked. There was something else going on.

"I don't like Brenden," Andy responded as he quickly fled the room. After doing more research on who his sister was talking to he needed a plan. He couldn't just explain it all to his parents, not without some proof or some evidence Maddie was in danger. Right now all he had was a hunch and that wasn't good enough. He alerted his parents to the problem and if they found out everything, then it would be better for everyone, if not he hoped he'd be able to figure something else out in time.

"Uncle Jack!" James and Claire ran up to there almost grandfather and attacked him with hugs. They both started talking to him at once and Connie needed to step in before they started arguing with each other.

"One at a time, Uncle Jack has all night. We're all happy to see him," Connie hugged her mentor."

Andy's first baseball tournament of the season was in San Diego. It was Thursday night and so Connie and Mike had arranged to meet him at a restaurant for dinner. After that Mike would be staying at a hotel with Andy and James for the weekend. Connie, Maddie and Clare going back to Los Angles and coming on Saturday and Sunday for the weekend games.

"Yes, and I'm very excited to hear about your baseball tournament Andy and of Maddie's party," Jack explained as the group got seated by a hostess and handed menus.

"Uncle Jack!" Claire tugged on Connie's hand, "I made you a picture," She began to lean over to look for it in Connie's purse but Connie beat her to it. Once she had it in her hands she handed it over to Jack "That's you and Mommy and Daddy beating bad people in court," She explained.

Jack laughed at the four year olds drawing, "Yes sweetheart I think it's a very good drawing. I hear you want to be a lawyer like Mommy and Daddy."

Claire nodded her head, "I'm so smart."

"Yes I think you are," Jack smiled and laughed again, "What have you been doing James?" He turned to Claire's twin and asked.

"Colours," James frowned, "They're confusing."

"He's been having a little bit of a hard time learning and recognizing colours," Mike explained, "But he's getting better. He knows his numbers and letters already, it's just colours and shapes he has a hard time with."

"And Andy's basically a hacker," Maddie informed him, "He hacked into all my social media accounts. He's not getting punished enough if you ask me…"

"Maddie," Connie warned, "Now isn't really the time. Why don't you tell Uncle Jack about your party? You have his invitation right?"

"Fine," Maddie took out the invitation from her purse and handed it over, "My quinceanera is going to be really cool."

"Well I'm honoured for the invite, I'd love to go," Jack smiled at took the card, "Now what's the idea of a quinceanera?" He wondered.

James stood in the dugout, his face pressed against the wire fence as he watched Andy pitch. It was the first game of the tournament and James was extra excited as he'd been giving his own uniform, a bating helmet that fit and he got to watch the game from the dugout.

The team had an app that allowed parents and other interested parties real time scores and events during the game. The travel league they were in provided the use of the app if the team had someone to input the data for every game. Since either Connie or Mike would be going to most games they had volunteered and Mike was quite happy about it. He loved being involved in this more technical aspect of the game. Since he needed to be in the dugout for the best view James got to come along as well.

"Yay Andy!" James cheered and jumped up and down as Andy struck out yet another batter on the other team, "Ha-ha you suck!" James yelled at the other player.

"James, that's not nice," Mike warned his on despite the boys on the bench laughing, "You need to be nice to the other team. I know it's hard to understand but that's the way it is."

James didn't want to leave the dugout so he nodded his head, "Okay Daddy," He turned his attention back to the game and watched with great interest. He simply loved baseball and ever since he was very young had been passionate about the game. As young as one year old he'd stop crying when baseball was on TV and sat through games and took everything in. It didn't hurt that neither Mike or Andy had any complaints about this and since Andy and his father were two of James' favourite people James' obsession only grew. He, much like his father and Andy loved the game and everything to do with it.

When Mike gave Andy and the other boy's pointers during the game James listned eagerly and stayed quiet. In fact he hardly stopped watching the game at all until the ninth inning when Andy was up at bat. There were two outs and the bases were loaded. Andy's team was down by one, if he could get a hit and get his teammates on third base and second base home they'd win the game. James had his hands covering his eyes as he said he was to nervous to watch, he was just peaking his eyes through as he saw his older brother get struck out and the other team win.

"No!" James shook his head, "That was a ball!" He yelled angrily.

"James, James," Mike picked up his son to calm him down, "That's enough," He told him sternly.'

While all of the boys on the team were upset they lost no one was more upset then Andy. He felt like he had let everyone down, like he should have been able to get that hit. He knew now if they wanted to win the tournament they'd need to beat the best teams in the tournament, and if they lost one more game they were eliminated. He barely ate anything at dinner and wouldn't talk to his father. That was when Mike had an idea. He quickly got out his cell phone and began to text Peter Stone. Twenty minutes later Peter's face appeared on Mike's laptop in a video call.

"Hey Andy!"

Andy's head popped up from where he was playing with James and he spun around, almost tripping over the checker game pieces, "Mr. Stone!" He rushed over to the lap top and grinned, "Hi." Andy loved his Dad's friend and when he had found out he used to play in the MLB he'd loved him even more. He asked him questions every chance he got.

"I heard you had a rough game today. You know I pitched pretty badly the first game of the World Series when we won. I was so nervous but by the time the last game came around I was more confident and did much better. You know the Cubs won the World Series that year."

"Yeah Dad kind of likes the Cubs because he's your best friend," Andy nodded his head, "I wish I could have seen you play. Dad did but he didn't even know you then. I wish he did."

"We've seen clips online of Mr. Stone playing," Mike reminded Andy, "Now, do you understand what he's saying? Baseball is a team sport and it's nervous when all the pressure is on you. Loosing today wasn't your fault and you can prove you can come back and win tomorrow."

"Maybe," Andy sighed and shook his head, "I should have known not to swing at that pitch."

"Well I know its not there with you but this might help," Peter showed him a baseball, "This is the baseball that won the World Series. I keep it on my desk and use it as good luck. The next time we see each other I'll let you hold it, but you need to promise to do your best tomorrow. I know you can play your best game."

"Oh that's so cool!" Andy looked at the ball, "Thank you so much Mr. Stone. When can I see it?"

"Maybe at Christmas," Peter laughed, "I think Anna and I want to get away from the cold. We might com down to Los Angles to visit."

"I miss Benji!" James piped up.

"Yeah, he misses all of you too," Peter spoke of his two-year-old son. He was named after his father, who Peter had a complicated relationship with all of his life. But moving back to New York meant trying to get to know his father. However he died of a heart attack just a few months after he arrived in the city. Soon after Anna had found out she was pregnant and when they found out it was a boy the name kind of stuck with them. For now he was called 'Benji' instead of 'Ben', which Peter's father went by his entire life. "And you need to meet Charlotte," He then spoke of his three week old daughter.

"She's adorable," Mike, mentioned, "She really looks like you and Anna."

"Can you come to L.A. for a baseball this summer?" Andy asked changing the subject back.

"I wish I could but I'm in the middle of a pretty big case," Peter explained, "The police are just starting the investigation plus I have lots of other work to do. I'm so sorry buddy. Maybe I shouldn't have told you about the baseball now you're going to ant to come and see it."

"I can wait," Andy smiled, "Thanks for talking to me. Dad, can James and I go to Josh's room now?" He asked. His best friend on the team Josh was having a party in his room and Andy no felt like going.

"Of course, just clean up your game first," Mike explained, "Tell Josh's dad I have about half an hours worth of work to do. Then I'll be back to get you for bedtime. If James gets to tired you bring him back here aright."

"Okay," Andy nodded and began to pack up the game with his younger brother's help. He then put the game away and took his brother's hand as they walked out of the hotel room.

The rest of the weekend turned out great; Andy played some of the best baseball he ever had which helped his team win the entire tournament. It also got scouts from some other programs to take notice of Andy and his pitching capabilities. Andy's talent was finally beginning to breakout and Mike and Connie couldn't have been prouder of their son.

TBC

A\N: Please review and let me know what you thought of the chapter.