DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters.

Ten

"Where have you been all day, young lady?" Edward asked when Brenda walked into the den hours later.

"I went shopping with Robin. Sorry I should have left a note but it was so last minute," she said pouring a glass of water and sitting down next to Ned.

"You came home so late last night. We were starting to get worried," he continued. "I felt like there was a teenager living here again."

"Technically there is," Lulu commented walking in. "I'm moving back, until my dad gets better."

Brenda looked at Ned, confused.

"Well then I stand corrected. We have two teenagers living in the house."

Brenda rolled her eyes. "Edward, I know how overprotective you are, but I am fine. I'll keep you more apprised of my whereabouts. Ned has my number if you ever want to get a hold of me."

"Thank you. Now are you staying for dinner?" he asked her.

"Yes, I am," she said with a smile.

"Me too. I don't think Tracy will come back though," Lulu said.

"Then I'll have cook fix up a nice meal. Emily's favorites."

"She'd love that," Ned said.

Edward disappeared out of the room and Ned couldn't wait.

"You are such a liar," he said to Brenda whose mouth dropped open at the words.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"You lied right to his face. You didn't walk back into this house until this morning."

"So. Early morning, late night, same thing," Brenda said taking a drink of her water as Dillon walked in.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I have no idea, but I think it's about to get interesting," Lulu commented sitting down in the nearest chair.

"I'm not 18 anymore, Nedly, so you don't have to worry about where I've been," she said with a smile standing up and walking back over to the bar to refill her glass.

"But I'm still seeing some patterns," he said. "Sneaking out at night, sneaking back in the morning. Not telling anyone where you've been."

"I went to Jake's and had some drinks. There, happy."

"No really. Jake's closes at 2am just like every other bar in the states. Where were you from 2 until 8am this morning?"

"I don't know. Somewhere out there. Why does it matter? I came back. No scratches. Tip top shape."

"And a nasty hangover," he added with a wink.

"You're not a very good impression for your brother," she said.

"Dillon responsible. He has real goals," Ned said.

"I don't want to have this conversation," Brenda said waving her hand at him.

Lulu and Dillon smiled at them. "I'm kind of sorry we missed out on all those other times they had this conversation," Lulu said.

"There were no other times," Brenda pointed out. "Ned just has a very overprotective nature. I'm sure Dillon knows."

"Actually I think it's different with girls than it is with boys," he pointed out. Brenda frowned.

"I think this is the same excuse you used when you took that little red car of yours for a drive and found Sonny shot and didn't come home for a day. Lila was so worried. You didn't even call anyone."

"That was totally different. I didn't know who Sonny was. I didn't know what kind of trouble he would cause later. What matters is that I wasn't with Sonny last night, so why even bring his name up."

"So you were with someone?" Ned asked casually sitting back.

"You know if Lois were here she wouldn't let you interrogate me like this."

"If Lois were here she'd be joining in."

"No, because if Lois returned any of my 15 phone calls she would already know the story."

"Now we're getting somewhere. Let's here the story," Ned said.

"I'm leaving," Brenda said with a wave.

"You're not getting off that easy," he said.

"Some things are better left unsaid," she called.

Lulu and Dillon just laughed.