Author's Note: I see you guys don't like Andy...I listen, I'm working on it. Anyway, yes, Kitty's twin little brother are named Reid and Fulton...it's dorky but I thought it was fun. I figured Dean would want to name kids after his Bash Brother.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 5: Plans and Hopes

The next month went pretty smoothly, Julian and Kitty had actually managed to be friends. They found that in addition to hockey and their disdain for their parents' honesty they had tons of stuff in common. Julian was even learning to stand Lexi, who he had initially described to Kitty as "the most annoying person alive" but Kitty considered her best friend at Eden Hall. Andy had asked Kitty to be his girlfriend after two dates, and the hockey team was going well, the Eden Hall Freshmen Ducks had a perfect record. Kitty knew that there was a big day coming up and she had a plan for it.

She was leaving her last class on the way to practice when she saw Julian. She walked up behind him.

"Hey," she shouted grabbing his shoulders.

"Shit!" He said, stopping, "Give me a heart attack, Kitty Cat!" Julian had adopted the nick name her father gave her when he had decided as a joke to answer her cell phone and then talked to Dean for an hour. The conversation had ended with, "Take care of my Kitty Cat." Ever since, Julian had used the name sporadically. Also Dean was dead set on meeting Julian and finding out if he was a "cake eater" like his father. Kitty didn't know what thay meant, but she sensed it wasn't good.

"Maybe that's the plan." She laughed. "So, what do you want to do this weekend?"

"This weekend?" He said, jokingly pretending he didn't know what she was talking about. "Why would we be doing anything special this weekend?"

"Come on, Julian," even though just about everyone else called him Banksie, she never could, she knew that's what they had all called Adam. "For our birthday! Seriously, you can't leave me to my own devices Julian Adam Banks, I'm still a new girl around here, far far away from the ones she loves!" She pretended to faint, and then found herself tripping. "You're supposed to catch me ass hole!"

"Yeah," Julian said, "well, I'm not good at that. Look, I wouldn't make any huge plans, Andy's been hinting pretty hard that the team is going to throw us a party on Friday."

"Yes but our birthday is on Saturday." Kitty pointed out.

"I have to do dinner with the family," Julian said, "Deena's going to attempt a cake, from scratch." He stopped. "You know what? A backup is sounding better by the minute. How about, after dinner and my sister's adorable but more than likely sloppy attempt at a cake you, me, and Andy head to the mall for movies, and ice cream, to make up for the cake."

"Lexi comes too," Kitty said, "No, stop, I know you can't stand her, but she's my best friend, and I'm not letting you be the third wheel anymore."

"I don't mind being the third wheel," Julian said, "but fine, if Lexi the psycho needs to come, she should come. But if she touches me inappropriately once, I bolt!"

"Hey kids," Andy came up putting his arm around Kitty's shoulder. She turned her head and kissed him. "What are we talking about?"

"Our birthday," Kitty smiled, "We're gonna do movies at the mall, K?"

"Banksie, don't you have to eat Deena's baking attempts, like every other year?" Andy said.

"This is post sister cake," Julian shrugged. "We have to show Kitty a good time. It's her first birthday away from home."

"Fine," Andy rolled his eyes. "But Friday is just for you and me OK babe?"

"Yes," Kitty smiled and kissed him again, "I know. Come on, we've got practice!" She linked arms with them Wizard of Oz style.

"So is boyfriend going crazy for the big day?" Lexi said that night as they lay in bed. Then she giggled as if she knew something.

"What do you know?" Kitty said sitting up. "Seriously Lex, I'm totally buggin over this."

"You're getting a party," Lexi said, "he needed me to get the girls together. It's at his house, it's for Julian too."

"Obviously," Kitty said, then thought for a moment, "I can't believe I'm not going to be with my family on my birthday."

"Yeah it sucks," Lexi said, dismissing it quickly, "What should I give Julian for your birthday? I want to give him something really great."

"OK, Lexi," Kitty said, trying to be diplomatic, "I'm going to be very upfront with you right now."

"Sounds good," Lexi said, sitting up.

"Julian thinks you're a psycho." Kitty said. "Maybe if you lay off a little bit, he'll get more into it."

"Fine," Lexi said, "But I'm still buying him a killer birthday present."

"Whatever," Kitty rolled her eyes, "Oh, and the four of us are going to the movies on Saturday. And you're not going to sit next to Julian, you are not going to touch him in any way, do we understand each other?"

"So you get to make out with Andy in a movie theater and I'm not allowed to even try to hold Julian's hand?" Lexi said. "That's a really raw deal."

"Yeah, yeah," Kitty mumbled. Lexi's obsession with Julian had gotten old fast. Kitty's thoughts drifted to home and her birthday. She remembered all of times when she would wake up and walk downstairs. There was always a crumb cake waiting that her mom had made. The twins, mini bashes that they were, always tackled her, and then presented her with something hockey related. Theresa and Danny always went in on a gift together, to save money. Last year, four year old Marie had made her a card. The morning party was exclusively for Julie and the kids. Dean was usually still sleeping from the night before. Then, after school, where her friends usually gave her another cake they would go to the bar, where the third cake, shared also with Luis and her three Aunts and paternal grandparents. She was going to miss the celebration. But she wasn't exactly upset about the idea of her amazing new boyfriend throwing her a party either.

"So," Heather said at dinner that night, "what do you want to eat on Saturday?"

"I don't care," Julian said, "surprise me."

"Mommy," Deena said, "So, next week I have to register for hockey."

"Sweetie," Adam said, "What if you played basketball?"

"I don't want to play basket ball!" Deena said scrunching her face. "Daddy you never watched me play, Julian says I'm really good."

"She is Dad," Julian nodded.

"Tell you what, Dee," Heather smiled, "Daddy and I will talk about it tonight, and we'll tell you tomorrow, OK?"

"Fine." Deena pouted.

"Oh Mom," Julian said, "I was thinking, Kitty's really down about being away from home for the birthday, do you think she could come for dinner?" Adam stopped eating, and looked at Heather.

"That sounds good." Heather said, she was already annoyed with Adam for his reaction to Deena wanting to play on the Ducks, she didn't really care if he was uncomfortable with the idea of Kitty being in their house.

"Great I'll call her later." Julian smiled.

Later that night when Julian and Deena were in bed, Heather sat down on the couch where Adam was reading.

"Ok, so why not?" Heather said, "what's the reasoning here?"

"Why not what Heather?" Adam said.

"Why not let Deena play hockey?" Heather said, "It's all she wants right now, and Julian's right she's really really good."

"I'd just be worried," Adam said, "she could get hurt."

"You were never worried about Julian getting hurt." Heather pointed out. "Why the sudden change?"

"It's different with Julian, he's, well, he's," Adam started,

"He's a boy?" Heather said. "Come one Adam, is that what you're saying?"

"Yes," Adam said, "actually that is what I was saying."

"Well it's bullshit," Heather said, "you of all people should know that girls make great hockey players when they're good enough. I mean, it didn't get much better, than…"

"Deena isn't Julie, Heather," he interrupted. "And playing up is different than playing goal."

"What about Connie?" Heather said, "she played for years, and very well, and she was never seriously injured. You on the other hand, I remember a certain story about your wrist?"

"It just makes me nervous Heather," he said, "That's all I'm saying."

"Don't be nervous." Heather smiled and gave him a kiss. "She'll be great. She's got her Dad in her."

Reviews Please!