A/N: WEEEEEEEE I think this will be your last chapter. If not, I'm sorry. :) Like I said before, sidetracked *butterfly*
Disclaimer: *screaming at CBS reps* SCREW YOU!
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The oven timer dinged just as Elise and Zooey set the last place at the dinner table.
"TURKEY!" All four high schoolers ran into the kitchen, the two Persian cats on their heels.
"Take a chill pill and get your tails back into the dining room!" Natalie Dawness ordered. All of the kids were taller than her but they knew not to mess with the 5' 1", 27 year old, blonde security guard. They turned around and sat in their seats at the table. Hurricane and Mai Tai sat in Natalie and Sheldon's chairs, noses on the table.
"Dinner!" Natalie yelled and whoever was in the apartment practically teleported to the table. Well, all except for Sheldon and Adam who walked in carrying trays of turkey, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole and yams.
"YUM!" Haylen said as she tucked in to the table. Adam set the last of his plates on the table and then sat next to his girlfriend.
Sheldon seated himself at the head of the table with Natalie at his right and Elise on his left. Sid sat at the other end of the table, his daughter and wife positioned the same as Sheldon's. When everyone was settled Sheldon stood up.
"Before we eat, I have a few things I'd like to say." The table let out a well-mannered groan, smiles covering their faces. "Yeah yeah I know you wanna eat. Well, I slaved over it all in the kitchen and you're gonna listen to my yammering before you dig in. Got it?!"
"Yes." The table moaned.
"Good. So, before we go around the table telling what we're thankful for, I want to say this. I'm elated that we are here together as a family this year. While I'm sure we'd like to be at home in Yonkers, Staten Island, Jersey or Montana with our families, I want you to know that I'm proud to call you my family, even if I'm the only one at this table who looks like they should know the meaning of the word." A murmur shuddered through the little crowd. "Settle down." The murmurs stopped."I'm happy that we're gathered together as our own family, especially since next year we may have more at the table." He grinned at Jess, Natalie, Haylen and Stella, who looked either emotional, overjoyed, surprised or ready to kill, good naturedly of course."Alright, so I just want to start the thankful circle. I'm thankful for my family. The people I'm surrounded by mean the world to me and I want them to know that." Sheldon looked at his fiance and daughter. "You do know that right?" He asked.
"Of course we do." Natalie answered, standing up. Sheldon sat down. "I want to tell you that you guys mean the world to me too. And I'm thankful for Sheldon and my daughter. And for those I've allowed into the small world I live in. After I was raped, though the outcomes were amazing, I stopped trusting. This is the first place I've really felt myself live." She finished and sat down, nudging Adam's foot with hers.
"Oh! Um, well, I have to say I'm thankful for a lot of things, especially the position I'm in now. At the lab and in my personal life." Adam looked down at Haylen. "I'm most thankful for Haylen Becall, and how she altered my life in a way I thought no one could. My outlook on life has changed so much since I've met her and I'm amazed at myself, for allowing my heart to be given to her. I haven't lost as much as I thought." He said, taking a seat.
By now, Jess had started to tear up. Her quiet whisper of "Damn emotions" was heard as Haylen stood up.
"I'm thankful for being let into this family that you've created." She started, looking at Mac directly. "And I'm thankful for having so many people care. I haven't let many people into my life because I'm not a person who gives her heart away freely. Or her life. I'm thankful for having somewhere I belong." She finished and sat down, dabbing at her eyes.
Lindsay stood up with Lucy on her hip.
"First, I think Luce wants to say what she's thankful for." She held her daughter and had her look at the table.
"Fo Da, Ma, Gampa an aaaall my uncas an aunts." Lucy said, clapping her hands when she finished.
"Good job Lucy Lou." Lindsay said, setting her daughter in her highchair. She clasped her hands together. "Sheldon's right. While I'd usually be in Montana celebrating with my family, I'm happy to be here with my real family this year. You guys mean the most to me and I'm thankful just to have a family of my own, even if it's in it's starting stages." She smiled at Danny and Lucy and sat down.
Danny stood, smiling softly. "I'm not usually a sap but this year is different. I'm basically in a shell of family. I'm not judged by who I knew or know and who my family is associated with. Usually I'd make a joke about how I'm thankful for the food, and the football. This year I'm thankful to be alive. And I'm thankful to have my daughter and my wife. And my real family. Not the ones who judge me because I'm a cop, not a gangster." Danny finished and looked at Zooey, who stood timidly.
"Damn, now, why'd I have to go next?!" The curse earned her a glare from her father and mother but she continued. "Well, I'm thankful for finally finding somewhere I fit in. After years of trying to figure out where the hell I belonged, I knew that sticking with my athletics and my family friends, I'd be better off. And I am." She sat down and was kicked by her father as he stood up.
"Oops." Sid said, smirking at his daughter who was glaring at him. "I'm thankful that I've lived this far, especially after that spill I took after my divorce." Alice sent a good natured glare toward her husband. "I'm also thankful that all three of my daughters have grown so much. They've turned into beautiful women." He smiled a genuine smile at Zooey whose hardened glare became a sappy smile.
Alice stood up. "I'll get this over with. I'm thankful to have been able to watch my step-daughters grow up and to be able to live with who I do and not've killed him yet." She smirked at her husband. "I'm thankful for the people I've been surrounded by and who I've grown to know and love." She sat down looking at Jess.
Jess slowly got up, tears falling over her cheeks and down her face.
"I'm am so hormonal." She muttered before looking at the table. "I'm thankful mainly for being here and not being with Aiden." Don looked up at her, surprised. "When I was lying on that table in May, dying, I thought I saw a lot of things. And I almost left. And I'm thankful for this family I get to start and I hope and pray everyday that I'll be here to watch my child grow to be a parent, if not a grandparent. I don't want to end up like my grandmother, who died on the operating table after a c-section. My dad means the world to me but so does my boyfriend and my family here. I love all of you." She said that last part as her lip quivered. She sat down and looked at the older woman next to her, who smiled softly and took her hand as Don stood.
"I um, I don't know how to top my girlfriend's speech. I just want to say I'm thankful that Jess and Danno are alive and well and that Lucy is here with us and I'm about to be a father. While what Doc said is true, I'd be in Yonkers, listening to my sister drone about her stint in AA and how much it's helped her and my brother talking about his life a law student. I don't belong there. I belong here. With you guys." Don finished and took Jess' hand in his own. "I love you. With my whole heart." He whispered, kissing her hand.
Sarah Harlem stood and surveyed the table. "I barely no anyone here and I was accepted quickly. I'm thankful that I have somewhere to be this Thanksgiving, instead of showing up cold and starving on my drunk ass father's doorstep like I've done since I entered high school. I'm also thankful that my sister hasn't bailed on me and that I have someone, outside of this little niche, that says he loves me without the influence of alcohol. I may only be 15, but I have 3 years until I'm my own person. My boyfriend Michael called me earlier and told me to meet him in Central Park tomorrow. I think he'll have a promise ring. I want to marry him when I turn 18. He's my life now." She sat abruptly and looked at her sister.
Carmen stood. "My sister is right. We barely know anyone here and we were accepted almost immediately. I am overjoyed that I have somewhere to be this Thanksgiving. Somewhere I'm accepted and loved. I'm also happy to say that I have been asked to write for the New York Times when I get out of high school. I'm so happy to have a life and I will be graduating early this year." She sat down.
Stella stood up and looked around. "I didn't think this Thanksgiving would be much different than my others. I usually spend it in an orphange or a soup kitchen helping others. Now, I'm being helped. Thank you. All of you. I'm thankful for just being somewhere I feel welcomed and loved. It's like I'm at the lab. I know every face here and can tell you everything about them. Now I know how much I mean to you, I don't know if my words can express what I feel." Stella finished and sat down, staring at Mac.
"Okay, okay. I'm thankful that I'm not eating takeout watching an old movie or a football game. I'm thankful I'm not mourning Claire for once. I'm thankful and proud to say that, from now on, I'm living with Stella Bonasera and that beach ball I told you about, the last thing of Claire's, is deflated and has been buried next Ground Zero. It only seemed fit." Mac said.
Elise hopped up. "And I'm last. I'm thankful for everything everyone said and more. I'm thankful I'll have a father, and that I'll be surrounded by people I love forever. I'm thankful for my smarts too." She smirked at her father. "If I didn't have 'em, we wouldn't be here." She sat down and looked at her dad, smirking.
"Okay, let's get to carving!" Sheldon said. "Sid, would you like to do the honors?"
"I most certainly would." Sid took the carving knife from Sheldon and stood and cut into the turkey.
The night was filled with ooh's, aah's, the occassional gurgle of laughter from Lucy and most of all, filled with family and friends.
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A/N: I'm a flippin' sap. I know. GET OVER IT! I hope you liked it, so review, flame policy stands, and let me know what you thought. I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving!!
Kisses and Family, Friends and Laughter
~Sarah~
Oh, P.S. I'm thankful for everyone of who've been supportive of me throughout the year that I've been on. I LOVE YOU GUYS! Especially you Cassie and Tessa! And Anna!! I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS!!