Oksana and Jax came back from their honeymoon, as planned, just in time for Peter's high school graduation.

The two families planned a joint party for Peter and Tim.

"I can't believe they are graduating," Rosa said to Lisa and Diana. "I can remember when you were all so little." She couldn't have remembered Tim, but she threw him into her group of loved ones anyway.

Diana was really happy about Tim graduating. They planned on his getting a job too, and finding a place to live. They hadn't told anyone about it.

"I wish you could have had a real graduation, Sandy," Peter said to his brother Zander.

"I'll have my college one," Zander said. Zander had not thought about missing his high school graduation. He had gotten a GED. But now that the idea was in his head, he realized that he would have his college graduation ceremony for everyone to go to. It was a thought that made him happy.

"You'll just come to my college graduation," Zander said to Peter. "We'll make it an extra big bash. You can't go to college without graduating high school, so it will include high school. And be an inspiration to you."

"I'm going to need it, Sandy. I still don't know what I want to do. I hope I can figure it out like you did."

Zander had decided to become a teacher due to encouragement he got from his mother-in-law, who was a teacher. Kathleen had looked into Zander's school records to help him get his education back on track, and get his GED. She'd found comments from one of his teachers in Russia saying he was a natural for a teacher, when he helped other students in their English as a foreign language class. It had gone from an idea to a dream to a reality.

The graduation was in the Mercy High auditorium. Zander remembered some of the other graduates, friends of Peter. There was Taryn Polk, a girl Peter had dated for a little while, Kara Delaney, who Peter was going out with now, Jeremy Marshall, who was on the baseball team with Peter and Tim; and who was going out with Kara's cousin, Branwyn Delaney, who was another graduate. Then of course there was Zander's brother-in-law, Tim Connor, who was Pete's best friend now.

Zander and Quinn were both there, each for a brother and brother-in-law, and there were Oksana and Jax, Zander and Peter's father, Sergei, and Danny and Kathleen Connor, Quinn and Tim's parents, along with Joe Quinn, who was Quinn's godfather and close to all the Connors, and Tim's and Quinn's younger brother, Brad. Diana and Lisa, servants yet family members like their aunt Rosa, who was now Oksana's butler, and had been Peter and Zander's nanny, were there too. Zander was glad Peter had everyone around for his graduation; everyone who really mattered to him was there.

Zander wondered if they would be there for his college graduation. With any luck, they all would.

"What are you thinking about?" Quinn asked him. "Your graduation, I bet."

"How'd you know?"

"We will make it a big one," she said, just smiling and taking his hand. "You've worked for it."

"I feel pretty lucky right now," Zander said. "Married to the greatest girl in the world, about to become a teacher, and I have my little brother and even my whole family with me. Even my grandparents and my uncle and cousin."

Quinn kissed him. "You are the best, and they are lucky they all have you. And I am lucky to have you, too."

They cheered as Tim got his diploma. "Now there's a miracle," kidded Quinn's father, Danny.

"Couldn't have done it without Zander to help him with his Russian," said Kathleen, Quinn's mother.

Zander smiled at her and shook his head. It was silly, but it was a nice thing to say. Kathleen never let go an opportunity to encourage Zander as a teacher. That she was a teacher herself made it all the more meaningful.

Quinn looked at Zander as Peter received his diploma. She could remember back when his whole life was one big attempt to get his little brother away from their infighting parents. She felt so happy for Zander that she could hardly talk. She just squeezed his arm. He patted her hand, understanding how she felt.

Later everyone was at the party at Oksana's house, until Peter and Tim left to drop in on some of their classmates' parties. Later they came back with Kara and even later in the evening, Kara's parents came over with her younger brother and little sisters.

"Now I go look for a good job," Tim said to Diana, sitting with her outside.

"Take a vacation first," she said, snuggling up to him.

"Hey," he said, "I wonder if we could swing going somewhere, together. For a vacation."

"We could go to Florida to visit," Diana suggested. "I'd love my folks in Miami to meet you. Maybe Lucky and Lisa would want to go, too."

"Yeah, we can get hotel rooms at opposite ends of the hotel," Tim said, grinning. "Should we drive or take a flight?"

"It'd be fun to drive," Diana said, "We can stop and see things. Though it would take a long time."

"Florida," Tim said. "Might want to save that for the winter."

"Hadn't thought of that," Diana said. "Good point. It'll be really hot in the summer."

"So are you ready to sing with me for the nurse's ball?" Tim asked, changing the subject.

"Me? I don't sing."

"Maybe I'll go in with Lucky and Lisa," he said. "Or get Quinn and Joanna again."

"That act was pretty good," Diana said. "You could go on your own, too."

"That I don't know if I'm brave enough to do," Tim said.

"What isn't he brave enough to do?" they heard Quinn say. She and Zander had walked out, hand in hand.

"Sing by himself for the nurse's ball," said Diana.

"You could do it," Quinn said.

"I'll think it over," Tim said.