Disclimer: I own nothing, relatives are simply of the imagination.

A/N: I know I have this bad habit of going quiet, I'm working on it. Thanks to all my readers, you people are amazing. Enjoy!

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Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth… Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth… Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…

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Stepping out onto the back porch at the Messer's was like stepping into another world. You would have no idea you were still in New York. No, the Messer's had done their little Staten Island dwelling well. The back porch was a stained hardwood, with a square wooden table and chairs with a bright red and white striped umbrella. The patio was now covered with a sheer-ish tent with a long rectangular glass table underneath it, chairs in bright yellow to match the house sat around it. And every inch was covered in pink lemonade, iced teas, dips, crudité, chips, pretzels, and to Danny's dismay all the candy they had collected at the parade. "My tootsie rolls! MA!"

"Oh Daniel, share a little will you." Maria had said as she sat the bowl of chocolaty candies on the table. Lindsay stood in the doorway with Lucy on her hip and a taco dip in her hands, as she watched Danny get batted away by his mother as he tried to swipe the tootsie rolls away from the table. "Danny grow up, and help your wife, she has your daughter, and is helping out, the least you could do is help get the appetizers out on the table."

"She's right you know." Lindsay joked as Danny took the dip away from Lindsay and in doing so also placed a tender kiss to her cheek then nuzzled his daughter's cheek.

"Uh huh, I coulda taken the baby." Danny said with a twitch of a smile as he bounced down the two steps to get to the covered patio.

"Sure ya could have, but I'm sure you coulda smelt her from down there." Lindsay said with a grimace. "I'm gonna change her, while you deal with the amazing smells of your mother's food."

"Ah, the glories of being directed by a mother." Danny said as another plate was handed to him.

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Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth… Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth… Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…

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Lindsay emerged with a fresh and giggling Lucy dressed in an adorable red and white star pattered dress and a white sun hat. Coming out onto the patio she found Danny Louie with an arm slung around Kate, Stephan, and Karen sitting under the tent, a beer in just about every hand but Karen's.

"Speak of the devils." Danny smirked when he saw his girls descending the stairs.

"Do I want to know what that refers too?" Lindsay asked with a smile as she passed Lucy to her Daddy, and grabbed a lemonade.

"Just singing your praises Babe." Danny said before taking a swig.

"Yea, sure….Should you be drinking that Dan?" Lindsay laughed then turned more serious noticing Danny was actually drinking a Fat Tire.

"OH! Danny are you pregnant too!" Karen joked.

"Yea, Kare, you hit the nail on the head." Danny laughed as he bounced his daughter on his knee. "And Linds, it's fine, read the small print yesterday, just in case ya know."

"I know." Lindsay said back, "just lookin out for ya."

"See what I mean." Danny proclaimed "perfect woman, now if she had a…."

"Anyone up for some pigs in blankets?" Maria asked as she placed a steaming plate in front of the group.

"Never mind." Danny mumbled popping one into his mouth. "ooo hot hot hot."

"Remember to chew Daniel, oh and they're hot."

"Yea, ma, thanks."

"Aw, Daniel is your mother the perfect woman." Lindsay teased his love handles.

"Damn right she is." Sal said as he took a seat next to Danny who passed baby Lucy over.

"Now what's this I hear about you being pregnant Karen?"

"Oh, I'm due in January."

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Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth… Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth… Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…

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Karen's parents Nick and Annette arrived soon after the pigs in blankets, followed by Tony and Reda not too far off of that. Reda was actually holding a cake dish.

"Ummm, Aunt Reda…" Danny started noticing the cake.

"Oh, Don't worry Danny, it's store bought."

"But in date right?" Danny asked then had to duck a flying pig in a blanket.

"Yes, it's in date, I swear sometimes Danny, you have grown up to be too much like your brother." Reda shook her head. Kate erupted into a fit of giggles.

"What's that now Aunt Reda?" Louie asked as he came back to the table with two beers (he handed one to Kate)

"Oh, Louie, You're here."

"Yup. Had to see my niece sooner or later." Louie said as he winked at the baby girl who giggled. "oh, and this is my girlfriend Kate, Kate my Aunt Reda, and….Uncle Tony's already passed out in the hammock."

"Damn straight boy, you drive 30 minutes with that twittering, you'd need a rest too." Tony grumbled "But nice to meet ya Katie darling." Tony called.

"Oh dear god, Hell has frozen over what (she counted Danny and Lindsay, than Louie) one, two, three, three times in a year, I shoulda tried baking it mighta been edible the way things in this family keep going."

"Hey, why did we get counted twice!?" Danny asked in a mock irritated voice.

"You Mr. Messer, got counter twice because fro you hell has frozen over twice this year, well, I could almost count you thrice."

"What, why? Explain yourself Aunt Reda."

"Oh and the cop come out." Reda said holding her hands up and almost losing the cake. "One you bring home a girl, and a country girl none the less."

"Hey." Lindsay's head poked up from where she sat playing with Lucy and Sal.

"It's a good thing doll. Don't worry….Two, you marry the perfect girl."

"Thank you." Lindsay smiled as she got up and sat on Danny's lap, he let out an audible 'umph' to which she swatted him, with a 'I lost most the baby weight'

"And three you had a daughter. It has been a quite awhile since a girl was born to your side of the family."

"Yea, I know, surprised the hell outta me."

"He had all boy names lined up." Lindsay laughed, "I had been warned by coworkers of some of them."

"Let me guess some family names?" Sal asked.

"How'd you know." Danny asked

"Dan, kiddo, you take a look at our family tree it's somewhat out there. I blame your Ma's side of the family." Sal said looking up from his granddaughter who had been occupying his attention

"Watch it Pops, your family hasn't showed up yet." Danny said as he saw Nick let out a hiccup.

"Yea, that'll be fun." Sal said with a glance over to Tony, "at least he goes into a comatose. Every time he comes over. The others I don't know."

"Wait, we have new people to meet this time?" Lindsay asked

"Yea, 3 more of my brothers are gonna show." Sal said,

"And I think my 2 other brothers may show up too."

"Good lord." Lindsay said.

"Yea, and here you thought it was gonna be a nice quiet weekend." Danny laughed.

"I'm with Lindsay on this one.." Kate trailed off.

"Eh, you two stick with me, and we won't have to worry bout them." Karen said throwing an arm around Lindsay and Kate.

"Warned ya at Christmas Linds, pairing with Karen could be dangerous."

"I don't see anything dangerous yet."

"No, but when you see the way the boys treat Kare, it'll be another story, she's one of the boys."

"I can be one of the boys." Lindsay said defiantly

"Me too." Said Kate, Kate looked anything but, she was too put together.

"Oh, I'm sure." Danny laughed.

"Sure what Danno." Came a deep voice, it did however have a flash of amusement.

"Ey, Uncle Vinny, the girls here say they can be one of the boys." Danny said waving at Kate and Lindsay.

"OOOO, fresh meat." Vinny said taking into account the women.

"Kare Bare, who are your friends." He asked

"My friends, try the Messer boy's friends." Karen winked.

"Messer Boys? Louie and Danny have steady ta-tas?"

"Danny's got one and a half." Karen joked with a wink to Lindsay who had just grabbed a fussy Lucy and tried to calm her.

"No shit. Well, never thought I'd see the day. Danny Boy, congrats, and introductions."

"Sorry, Uncle Vinny this is my wife Lindsay, and our daughter Lucy." Lindsay gave a quiet 'hi' as the little girl stopped her whimpering slightly. "and then Louie's girlfriend Kate."

"Nice to meet ya."

"So, you girls think you can play with the boys?? I'm guessing a baseball game is in order then." Uncle Vinny said slapping Louie on the back as he came back onto the patio.

"Did someone say something 'bout baseball?" Came another unknown voice. Looking up there was a new group of about 7 people.

"Yea, Danny's wife, and Louie's girlfriend think they can play with the New Yorkers."

"And what gives it away that we're not New Yorkers?" Lindsay asked, handing Lucy back to her Grandpa.

"Accents, girls, and the fact that every girl in New York has rejected these two."

"Ouch." Danny said finishing off his beer. "Maybe just no girl in New York was good enough."

"and what about Karen here."

"She's a cousin Uncle Vin, this ain't Montana."

"HEY!"

"Sorry, joking." Danny said rubbing his side where Lindsay once again tweaked his love handles.

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Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth… Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth… Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Happy Fourth…Okay, its passed the fourth but it is a holiday tale!