CB does not belong to me [though I wish it did], which is why I write on here instead of publishing my stories in book form.

So sit back and enjoy reading "A Holiday to Remember". NExt posting is Sunday!

Part Two – The Quarrel

The air was filled with a tenseness that not even a knife could cut. Each bear stared at the other, faces blank but eyes filled with determination. Eyes shifted, and intimidating stare downs began, but none backed off.

"Fifty tokens," Zeb said finally, pushing a heap of arcade tokens into the center of the table. "Any bets?"

Fred pushed the last remaining twenty tokens he had, Ted put a hundred, Tennessee added another fifty, and Trixie silently added two hundred from her massive pile.

"Feeling bold, lady?" Zeb questioned, glancing over at her.

"I'm always bold, Zoober," she responded.

Ted glanced at her and groaned, setting down his cards. "I fold."

Tennessee and Fred did the same, leaving the two best players to hash it out.

Zeb grinned. "Well, my dear, I'm afraid I've beaten you this time. Straight, in diamonds." He laid down his cards and prepared to gather the tokens when he saw her ears fall.

Trixie grinned after a moment, raising her ears playfully. "Don't be so fast, sugar cube. In your honor, a royal flush." She set her cards down, and the others started laughing at the startled expression on Zeb as Trixie took her winnings and dumped her large pile of arcade tokens into a bag. She'd divide them up later for her cubs.

Up front, Henry snorted and glanced over his reading glasses rims and book to look at the five sitting at the table. "You boys know better than to play poker with Trixie. She always wins." Fifty-eight-year-old Henry Taylor studied his band in amusement as they laughed at Zeb.

The years had changed everyone. Roadie's blonde hair had become gray with age. He wasn't the only one, as all but Zeb had a touch of gray to their hair and snouts at this point. Fred's hair had thinned greatly, but the rest of his fur was still as thick as ever – something the others teased him about. Ted let the gray take his hair and snout, and actually had received a surge of popularity. Trixie had grown her hair out past her shoulders, revealing that it was naturally wavy; she liked putting it in braids. Tennessee hadn't changed very much, other than some more gray to him. He was still a crybaby, but thankfully not as bad as he had been before. Zeb's fur had darkened and his tabby stripes became more prominent. He was just beginning to show little bits of silver along his nose and had one streak in his hair of silver, though he'd argue that he simply bleached and dyed a little of it.

Trixie cackled as she tied the bag and set it in her duffle bag. "You boys game for another?"

"NO!"

She laughed and shook her head. "Fine, then. We'll just sit here."

"How about we play Go Fish, then?" Fred suggested. It was his favorite game. "No betting?"

"That sounds like a plan." Trixie nodded. "Three cards each, then. Henry, you want to join us?"

"I'm actually going to call and check in with Helen. Find out what's new at home before we walk into a surprise in a few hours." Henry smiled at her.

"Going to find out if Beary and Jewel are dating yet?" Ted asked, amused as he watched Trixie shuffle the cards.

"Psh, those two are too stupid to realize they like each other," Zeb laughed. "Everyone can see that they dig each other."

"They are much too young to start dating!" Tennessee gasped, eyes widening. "They're only sixteen!"

"So? What's wrong with that?" Zeb asked. "Are you telling me you never dated as a teenager?"

"No!"

Trixie looked at her husband in surprise. "Really? I already had a boyfriend by the time I was sixteen. Oh, Tennessee!" She laughed a little at his watery eyes. "He was nothing compared to you, sweetheart. He was a big, tough guy who just wanted a pretty girl." She kissed his cheek lovingly. "Now, suck it up and deal out the cards. I need food." She stepped off her chair, paw on her pregnant belly, and went up to the front, raiding the fridge built into the bench across from Henry and behind Roadie's seat.

"Ah, the cravings strike again?" Roadie asked, glancing back in the rearview mirror. He then glanced over at Henry, who was quietly talking on his cell phone.

"Indeed. I'm so glad we had these installed. Stroke of genius, really." She smiled up at him before setting upon making a multi-layer sandwich. "Pregnancy makes you quite hungry."

"It does indeed," Roadie replied. "I wonder how big Méngméng's gotten."

"Carrying four? She's probably huge. It's going to take years to get rid of that baby fat." Trixie glanced back at Zeb. "You ruined her body!"

He looked up, startled. "Huh? Whose body?"

"Your wife's? I mean, four babes? And you've missed most of the pregnancy. At least you'll be there for the holidays to help out. Hell, I'd be surprise if she didn't pop over our break. And if she does, what are you going to do?" She brought the sandwich back to the table.

He frowned. "I... She shouldn't. She's only three and a half months along. She'll be ready by the time we finish the full tour. And if she comes before, then I'll head home. We've already discussed it. She's going to tell me the genders as a present." He grinned happily. "I know, I know, four's a lot, but we'll manage. We have so far."

"Yeah, but your oldest boy's fourteen now, isn't he? He can help out," Tennessee stated.

"Yes, he can, and he enjoys doing it. He's happy to have siblings, and both his parents with him, happily married," Zeb responded. "At least right now he has his mother with him, and isn't left completely alone to watch his younger siblings like Jewel is."

Trixie's eyes widened and she stopped mid-bite. "That's... That's different. Both of us are working hard, and Jewel knows it. She is used to this life. And she knows that we've all been saving up for a second bus so we can take our children, and spouses, with us."

"Not all of us can," Zeb muttered, thinking about his wife who still was a rescue paramedic. At least, she would be again sometime after giving birth; since she was carrying so many, she hadn't been allowed to work, but they kept her on pay. He knew she was terribly bored, and he felt horrible for not even being there for her during this time, but they needed the money a tour would bring now more than ever – especially since they had to expand their cabin now.

Tennessee frowned, glancing over at him. "We don't go on tours often, Zeb. But at least we're still popular enough to warrant tours and people buying our albums and those mp3 files."

"Yeah, but..." He shrugged. "I do feel bad about not being there for my cubs. Missing out on the twins growing up."

"Zeb..."

"No, never mind me. Just missing my girl and cubs." He shook he head and reached back, fingering his braid for a moment before gently rubbing his wedding ring. "It'll be good to be home again."

Ted nodded. "Yeah, but I'm not looking forward to it. Why did Henry have to invite his old war buddy and his daughter, Jade? I mean, I'm not against seeing Jade and my boy again, but her father scares me. At least her mother and brother are a lot nicer."

"Yeah, that's right, you two broke up." Fred glanced at his brother. "But I thought you were dating that Miley Stark or something?"

"No, that was the jerk who ruined my relationship with Jade."

"You guys fought all the time," Zeb commented. "And didn't you never set a date for the wedding?"

"Yeah, we fought, but it was mainly because of tours. At times she liked it, but in the end it wasn't worth it, apparently. She didn't trust me in that I didn't want Miley to kiss me. As for the date, what's the rush?"

"Uh, maybe that you have a kid?"

Ted's ears flattened as he thought about his son, Aiden. "Yeah, well... I'll win her back somehow." He shook his head. "Trixie, are you really going to eat all of that?"

She nodded, continuing to take big bites out of her sandwich. "I like being pregnant because I can eat whatever I want whenever I want." She grinned. "Plus, it's fun how you get to this stage."

Tennessee blushed furiously, while Zeb started laughing. "Amen to that!" the fiddler stated.

Fred snorted and Ted shook his head.

"Anyway, do you think they'll all like the gifts we've gotten them?" Zeb questioned, glancing to all the presents they had piled in the back of the bus.

"I'm sure they'll love them, Zeb. Don't worry," Trixie soothed. "Now then, are we going to start this game or not?"

.~*~.

As the bus finally parked in front of Country Bear Hall, everyone was standing near the door, ready to get out, but also surprised to find that only Méngméng and Helen were there to greet them. All the cubs were missing.

Henry was the first one out, hobbling down the steps, leaning heavily on the railing, and finally stepped into the light, this time leaning on his cane. He walked right up the three steps to the porch and into his beloved's warm embrace. "Helena," he murmured, kissing her nose.

"My Hendri," she responded, nuzzling him. She glanced at the bus, watching as everyone wandered off. "Boys, Tri... Trixie," she greeted, pleased to see her band.

In turn, they all passed by, giving her a hug. Zeb's was much shorter as he wanted to greet his wife. He kissed his wife happily and spoke to his unborn cubs.

"How are things here, Helen?" Ted asked, glancing around. "Where are all the kids?"

"S-shopping," she responded. "Went to... bak... bakery and to g-git pr-presants."

"All of them?" Fred blinked in surprise. "Those three teens watching, what, five kids?"

"Well, only one is watching those kids, as the other two are most likely watching each other," Zeb snorted.

Méngméng cuffed him over the ear. "Surprisingly, they aren't dating yet, though Helen did find them together morning outside. And they are watching all the cubs. Beary has to keep a close eye on his little sister, you know."

"Right, Lyra's blind," Zeb remembered. "It's easy to forget. She acts so normal."

Henry scowled at the younger bear. "She is normal, Zeb. Just because she can't see, it does not mean she cannot be normal."

Zeb flinched under the harsh tone. "Sorry, Henry. I didn't mean no offense."

Henry raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Just don't say such things around her, all right? You know she'll take it to heart." Henry perked his ears and looked over as two cars, a '67 Impala and a blue 80s Mercedes, traveled across the bridge and parked beside the bus.

Immediately, a rush of cubs jumped out of the cars, racing towards the adults who greeted them with open arms.

Fēnglì, Jewel, and Beary hung back, watching the younger ones, and Beary glanced down, noticing that Lyra hadn't moved. He crouched down beside her. "Lyra? What's up?"

"Papa hew?" she asked, clinging to his arm. "No go bye-bye 'gin?"

Beary frowned and nuzzled her gently. "Oh, Lyra. Little Hymn, Papa's very busy, honey. He's got to make sure the band behave themselves."

"Band naughty?"

"Oh, the band is very naughty," he laughed, looking up at the other adults. "So naughty that they need a babysitter."

Lyra started giggling and climbed into her brother's arms. "Band, no! No! Bad! Be gud for Papa!"

Ted, Zeb, Fred, Tennessee, and Trixie all looked at the littlest Taylor with confusion, while Beary, Jewel, and Fēnglì couldn't stop laughing.

Beary got up and walked over to his parents. "Here we go, Lyra. You want to go to Papa?" He prepared to pass her off, but to his surprise, she clung to him instead, shaking her head. "Lyra?"

"No!" The little light ashen brown she-cub whined and whimpered, burrowing against her brother. "Papa bad, 'oo!"

"Papa bad?" Beary frowned, glancing over at Henry, noticing that his ears had flattened and his eyes filled with sorrow.

"Papa leave! He bad! Band bad! Want Beawy!"

"Lyra..." Beary sighed, wanting to correct her, but at the same time he felt the same way as her. He didn't like that Henry left on tours with the band, leaving him alone. He wanted a proper family, not one that split up so often. Had he let his own feelings spill out to her by mistake? "You need to go to Papa, honey. Papa misses you."

"No!" She shook her head. "Papa nagetpul! Beawy say so!"

"Nagetpul?" Beary's eyes widened when he realized what she meant - neglectful. "Uh-oh..." His ears flattened as he felt all eyes upon him and a deep growl came from his father. Slowly, he turned his head, looking at his parents and seeing their disappointed and upset expressions. "I, um..."

"Maybe you should go to your room," Henry stated, shaking with anger. "Now."

Beary set Lyra down and sulked away, muttering to himself. He made sure to toss his keys to Fēnglì so he could get the packages out of the back.

Lyra got upset and started trying to follow him, but instead was picked up by the scruff as she almost toppled off the porch.

Henry groaned as he handed his daughter to his wife and looked back at his son, making sure he was indeed walking home and not running off. He then glanced back at the others. "Show's over," he said crossly. He turned and started hobbling away in the opposite direction of Beary.

Jewel sighed, shaking her head, and jumped when she heard her mother's shriek.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR HAIR?!"

Jewel laughed and turned to look at her parents. "I got it cut about a week back, and just had the tips died two hours ago once I finally decided on the color I wanted. I like it. Do you like my piercings, too? I thought about getting snakebites on my lips, but Beary talked me out of it."

"You..." Trixie stared at her young daughter, shocked. "Shockingly, it suits you." She glanced at her husband and rolled her eyes when she realized he was crying. "Tennessee..."

"Jewel's become a punk!" he wailed.

Jewel shook her head, while Zak and Riley tried to console their father, telling him not to cry, and then starting to cry as well. "I'm so glad I take after you, Mama," she laughed as she watched them.

"It's nice to have an ally," Trixie agreed, pulling her daughter in for a hug. "And you do look good."

Fēnglì went over to his father, smiling brightly. "Papa, how are you? Was the tour successful?" he questioned as he hugged him tightly.

"Very much so, my boy." Zeb kissed his forehead and smiled. "I have plenty of pictures to show you as well, and tales to tell. Are you ready to go home?"

Fēnglì nodded eagerly. "But I have to help Jewel carry in presents. Don't worry, they're already wrapped. We had a wrapping party with the kids at the Barrington home. We're taking them into the Hall, right?"

"Yep. We're all celebrating together. I'm going to take your mother home soon, all right? I believe tomorrow we're going to get the tree, and we're going to decorate it then, too. Tonight we're just going to relax." Zeb wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders, and gave her a loving kiss. "Sawyer, Nolan, you two help out your brother and he'll bring you back home, all right?"

"Okay, Papa!" they responded, hurrying over to the cars and calling to their brother to open the doors.

While they did that, the band started taking in their own gifts and locking them in the practice room – where cubs were not allowed – after Roadie had moved the bus around the side of the building.

Trixie, however, stayed with Méngméng and Helen on the porch, watching the multitude of cubs helping bring in gifts from the teenagers' cars. "How are you doing? Ready to pop yet?"

"Oh, I feel like it," Méngméng laughed. "My doctor thinks the litter might come earlier than expected since there are so many. Four is such a change for us. But I managed to make it with the twins. What's four more?"

"Sleepless nights?" Trixie started laughing. "Moving around in your belly all the time?"

"Indeed," Méngméng grinned. "You're only expecting one, right?"

"Mhm, as far as I'm aware. We're going to look at the ultrasounds at Christmas to find out the gender. Guess Tennessee and I will never have a litter."

Helen chuckled as she gently hugged her little Lyra and pet her fur. "No litter for Hendri and me. Lyra last."

"And she is a beautiful last cub," Trixie agreed while Méngméng nodded. "Curious, mischievous, and very lovable. And the fact that she was born on April Fool's Day? Do you remember Henry's expression when he got off the bus and discovered a baby in your arms?" She started laughing. "He was so confused and then so guilty when you told him that the baby was his. We were all shocked to find out it was true – we thought it was a prank meant to scare him!"

Méngméng snorted. "It was very funny. And to think, they thought I was the mastermind behind it. Me and Jade. We all tried so hard to get Henry to believe us and to come back for the birth, but alas..."

"Scent-bonded with Beary, not Hendri," Helen murmured guiltily. "Why so close."

Trixie nodded, putting a paw on her arm before tapping Lyra on the nose. "You're so cute, little one."

"Cute!" she giggled, grabbing the finger and sucking on the claw.

The golden she-bear smiled and let her play with the finger. "You taste my sandwich, hm?"

"Fud! Muffins!" She sniffed the air.

"Muffins? I don't have muffins..."

Jewel walked by, carrying many packages and bags. "We had muffins from Allison's bakery as an afternoon treat." She walked through the main doors and vanished.

"That sounds delicious. Did you enjoy them, little one?" Trixie asked.

"Ya! I p'ay?"

Helen smiled and released the little cub, watching her as she sat down on the porch floor and played with her mother's feet.

.~*~.

Beary sat on the floor, plucking a few notes on his guitar. He sighed, thinking about what had happened earlier. He knew his father was furious, disappointed, and embarrassed. He had every right to be. Beary had never meant to cause Lyra to say those things. To say that their father was neglectful, despite Beary's feelings on the subject. He knew he had screwed up big time. He'd be lucky if he was only grounded.

Yet, Lyra hadn't lied. Beary did believe his father was neglectful. Always busy and missing dinner and special school events. He'd missed countless track and field meets, and some soccer games. Hell, he'd miss almost all of last year's show choir competitions! The band, their families, and his adoptive family had made it to almost every event, but his father almost always missed them, even after promising to be there. He always came up with some excuse – something happening at the office, a meeting, or scouting for new talent. It was like he didn't even care.

Sure, they had spent the previous summer before the current tour together – for the most part – fixing up an old '67 Impala that Beary currently drove, but Henry still missed a lot of it, leaving a lot to him, Roadie, Big Al, and sometimes Dex. Hell, Henry had even bought the wrong sized pedals for it – human sized, which sometimes got stuck as they were in a bear-sized vehicle. But it hard to find parts for the vehicle, so Beary stuck it out. Sadly, whenever Beary brought up the sticking, Henry either ignored him entirely, or would say he'd fix it and then forget.

In fact, the gas pedal had gotten stuck earlier that day, which was why he'd been ticketed for speeding. What was he going to do about that? If his father found out, it'd be bad. Then again, Beary had tried telling him about the pedals before... Beary knew he should have had Roadie or Big Al find the right ones.

But, alas, he was stuck. And, with his father so angry at him, he doubted the new bear-sized pedals would be ordered anytime soon. Heck, he probably wouldn't be driving for much longer, either, once his father got ahold of him.

Just the thought of being grounded put him on edge. He didn't want to stay home all day, every day! And what if he said he couldn't be around the others? Around Jewel or Lyra? What if he sent him away?

Add this probably grounding to the fact that Jewel was going to back to her cabin with her parents for the next few weeks, and Beary was ready to panic. What if he had another nightmare? What if he had to make sure she was all right? That his nightmare was just that? A dream? He supposed he could do what he used to – call or text her. That is, unless his phone was taken away.

Grumbling, he set his guitar back in the case and took out his hearing aid, setting it on the dresser by his fish tank and bamboo plant. He then settled himself down on his beanbag chair, picked up his cat, and watched his fish swimming around.

Tabitha purred and snuggled up to him, settling on his lap happily. She enjoyed his gentle petting, quite content.

Beary sat in silence for a few minutes before his good ear flicked back towards the door. "Go away."

"Beary, it's me. Let me in."

He grumbled and got up, holding Tabitha in one arm, and went over to the door, unlocking it. "Hey, Jewel. Let me put the hearing aid back in." He passed her the cat and went back to his dresser and fiddled around with the device, sticking it back into his ear. Now fully able to hear, he sat back down on the bean bag chair and gestured for her to grab the second one.

She did and sat next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. She passed Tabitha back to him, rested her head on his shoulder, watching his fish as she petted the cat in his lap.

"I screwed up big time," Beary mumbled.

"Not going to deny that, because you really did. Henry looked like he was going to kill you."

"I don't blame him for that. I was horrified that Lyra said what she had. I never meant for any of them to find out how I was feeling."

"You're justified in your feelings, though, Beary," Jewel reasoned. "You grew up a different way, in a family that strived to be together for the evening meal. Your adoptive parents worked 9-5 jobs." She laughed a bit. "Well, your Dad did. Your Mom was more very early morning, and then supervising her employees."

"Yeah... She works hard at her bakery, and Dad's been promoted at his business." He smiled a bit, thinking about it. "Dex is at the university with Roxi, they're living together in their own apartment... Kristina's halfway through kindergarten... Everyone's doing great. Mama's getting a bit better at speaking, but she still has her troubles. She can walk fine, too, and do math and other educational things really well, but she still suffers from that crash. Lyra's blind, but full of life, and Papa..." His smile turned into a frown as he pulled Tabitha closer, but she didn't like the tightness of the embrace and hissed and jumped out of his arms.

Jewel laughed a little before seizing the opportunity and taking the kitty's place on Beary's lap. "You look like you need a hug, so you go ahead and hug me, Beary."

He blushed heavily, but didn't deny her, wrapping his arms around her and falling quiet. He sat there, holding her in his lap and just taking comfort in her presence. Something about her always calmed him down and reassured him that everything was all right. Perhaps that was why whenever he had a nightmare he'd go and see her?

As they watched the fish swimming around in the tank, a purring Beary found himself unconsciously giving Jewel a few licks.

Jewel was surprised by this, of course, but she did not push him away; instead, she took comfort in his gentleness, and a purr rose from her throat as she leaned against him. Maybe, just maybe, he'd kiss her, too? Finally ask her out? A small giggle left her as his tongue went over her snout, and he rested his chin upon her head, rocking back and forth upon the beanbag chair.

At that moment, she decided that she didn't care if he kissed her; she just wanted those precious seconds to last forever.

"Jewel, out."

Beary sighed and glanced back to see his father in the doorway, glowering something fierce. He sighed and turned his head back to Jewel. "You need to go," he murmured softly, helping her get up.

Jewel gently squeezed his paw and nodded. "It'll be okay," she responded, leaving. "Don't be too hard on him, Henry. He didn't mean it."

"This is between me and him, Jewel. Stay out of it. Go home to your parents where you belong," Henry growled, earning a growl from Beary in response. Jewel quietly left.

"You didn't need to be a dick about it," Beary started, facing his father as Henry shut the door.

"And if you two aren't dating, you shouldn't be holding each other like that," Henry responded, not at all amused. "It was fine when you were little, but now all you do is send mixed signals, boy. You're not a child anymore, but almost an adult. And as such, you're going to start being held responsible for your actions. No more playing around like you've been doing. It's time for you to grow up and be ready to take on the world, lest it destroys you."

Beary couldn't believe this. Was he serious? "You're talking to me about being responsible? You're the one who needs to look in a mirror! The past five years, I've been more responsible than you've given me credit for! Who takes care of Mama when you're not home? Who keeps the house clean when she can't move? Helps her practice speaking? Who helped care for her during her pregnancy with Lyra?! Not you!"

"Don't you dare bring that up!"

"What, don't I dare remind you of how you failed? How you didn't believe Mama when she told you she was pregnant? When she gave birth? How you refused to come home? Do you know how often Mama cried, scared that you wouldn't come back at all? Do you know how scared that made me? How angry she would get? I'm shocked she didn't miscarry her in the chaos! Maybe that's why Lyra was born blind, because Mama was so stressed out!"

"That is enough! You know nothing!"

"No, you know nothing! You weren't there for her, but I was. I stayed by her side, and I was in than delivery room, where you should have been. I made that scent bond with Lyra when it should have been you! I took care of her until you came back, when Mama didn't feel like she could ever be a good mother again. Where she wanted to abandon her because you weren't there. You have no frickin' idea what she's been through, and she won't tell you it herself because she doesn't want you to worry."

Henry's eyes narrowed and he took a step forward. "Stop lying. Helen wouldn't do that! She would have told me if she was panicking that bad."

"She didn't want you to worry. Hell, do you even realize that she's been this way for years? Afraid you won't come back from those tours? That'd you find someone more beautiful and better than her?"

"Beary, that is enough! I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but I've had enough of it. I don't know where you're getting these ideas, if it's from TV, computer, books, or just being a stubborn teenager, but I'm done with it."

"Because you can't handle it! You could never handle being a father! You missed Trista's birth, and barely came to visit when you were stationed in Colorado. You missed Jacob growing up with her because you were taking the band on tour and didn't want to take two kids along! Hell, the whole reason I vanished and Mama was left in a coma was because you were too lazy to get off your ass and take care of me!"

Feeling his rage build to the point of exploding, Henry swung his cane. "I said that's enough!" He took a few deep breaths, trying to collect himself and clear his mind, knowing he'd lost control of himself, and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he lowered his cane. He hadn't meant to swing, and he prayed he hadn't hit him by mistake. He was tired, frustrated, and angry – a lethal combination. He was reeling inside, afraid to open his eyes for fear of what he might find. Had he hit him? Was Beary scared of him?

"Beary, I..." He opened his eyes and blinked, noting the look of horror on Beary's face. He followed his gaze and realized with dread he'd broken the fish tank, and Beary's goldfish was flopping on the floor. Before Henry could move to pick it up in an attempt to save it, Tabitha shot out from underneath the bed, nabbed it with her teeth, and took off running to enjoy her meal.

"Beary..." Henry's ears flattened against his head as Beary walked through the broken glass, water, and pebbles that flowed down the dresser and covered his floor, grabbed his spare set of car keys, and took off, leaving the father to fall to his knees and cry.

Please review, as I want to know what you all think! Thanks for reading! See ya next time!