A/N: Modern AU
It was that time of year again. Thanksgiving. So far the day had been pretty good. No fights, arguments, or pranks had been spoken of so they assumed none had happened (yet). Then Mush explained to them his idea.
"You guys know how Jack and Kath haven't been gettin' a lot of sleep because of Josie, so I came up with an idea," Mush said, standing on the table.
"Oh is that what that smoke I was smelling came from?" Race teased, making Mush glare at him. Specs smacked Race upside the head to shut him up.
"What if we surprised Jack and Katherine with a Thanksgiving feast?" Mush suggested. The boys looked at each other, shrugging. Sounded like a good idea to them. Besides, what could go wrong? So they pooled what little money they had together and went out.
"Ok, while Specs and I go get the turkey, you guys get stuff that could go with a Thanksgiving dinner," Mush said as they all piled into the grocery store. "Crutchie and Race, you're in charge," Specs added.
Mush and Specs left the boys to find the turkey. "So. What do you eat at a Thanksgiving feast?" Romeo asked. "Anyone got a pen and paper?" Race asked. Elmer pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Race. Jojo found a pen and handed it to Race. "Should we call Swift to meet us up here?" Albert asked. "Nah, we got this," Race said as he started scribbling something down on the paper. Albert called Swift anyway and she met them at the store ten minutes later.
"So what're we looking for?" she asked as Romeo and Buttons raced by her Romeo in a cart and Buttons pushing him. They were currently in the cereal aisle and Swift had no idea why. "Thanksgiving food," Crutchie told her. "Well I don't think cereal is Thanksgiving food," she said slowly, confused.
She rewrote Race list (that consisted of cereal, pancakes, ice cream, etc.) and split them into groups. They split up and each found the food then found Specs and Mush in the meat section.
"Hey where'd Albert, Henry, and Buttons go?" Specs asked, looking through the group. Swift turned and saw those three were indeed gone. "I'll go find them," she sighed.
Suddenly there was a crash and everyone paused. "Clean up in aisle five," the intercom said. "Found them," Swift said, heading for aisle five. Which was candy aisle.
Specs and Mush bought a turkey then met up with Albert, Henry, Buttons, and Swift, who'd been kicked out of the store, and went back to the Lodge.
"Hey Mush I just realized something," Specs said, stopping him before they walked in. "What's that?" Mush asked, confused. "We don't know how to cook a turkey."
"It says stir together all the spices and stuff then rub it onto the turkey," Jojo read. Specs did as it told then said, "Now what?" "'Stuff it with a bunch of vegetables," Jojo informed. "We didn't get any vegetables," Swift said. "Then just skip that part. Um, then it says to put it in a pan and put it in the oven," Jojo explained.
Swift and Specs picked up the turkey, then moved to the pan and stuff it in the oven. "For how long?" Specs asked. Jojo didn't see the part where it said to cover it before putting it in, and said, "I don't know."
"Let's just check it later and see if it's done," Swift suggested and the boys nodded.
They went to help the other boys, who have already made some fudge and stuffing and were now working on the mashed potatoes. Specs noticed Romeo had chocolate in his hair and Mush put a finger to his lips when he started to point it out. "He hasn't noticed yet. Albert and Henry have a bet going on to see how long it'll take him," he whispered.
"Hey Race!"
Race turned after Henry called him and got hit in the nose by a cut up, unmashed piece of potato. Race sent a glare to the younger boy and grabbed a handful of the unmashed, cut up potatoes. He began pelting them at Henry and the younger boys and they retaliated. Soon it was a full blown potato fight that Specs, Mush, and Sniper soon intervened in.
"Well now we need more potatoes," Swift said, looking at potato covered floor. "We used all of them," Finch announced. Mush held back a groan. "Crutchie, Race, and Elmer, go to the store and get another bag. The rest of you, clean this up then start on something else," Mush said.
Everyone went to their separate missions. After cleaning everything up, they finished making the food. By the time that was done, Race, Crutchie, and Elmer were back and they finished the potatoes. Finally done with all the food, they turned on the football game and relaxed. For a minute or two.
"JINGLE BELL, JINGLE BELL, JINGLE BELL ROCK! JINGLE BELL SWING AND JINGLE BELLS RING!"
The boys looked around, trying to figure out who was playing the Christmas music prematurely. When they saw Romeo and Elmer, dancing along to the catchy song, the nearly tackled the boys. "Not until tomorrow!" Finch shouted at them, stealing Elmer's phone and shutting it off.
That happened a few more times, every other hour, and it ended up with Specs hiding Elmer's phone, promising not to give it back until tomorrow.
"Jack's calling!" Mush announced, then answered his phone. "Hey Cowboy, what's up?" Mush asked, moving out of the way as Buttons lunged for Mush's phone. "Hey Mush, we're running a little late. Josie had a blowout so now she needs a bath. Again. We'll be there soon though. How's everything going?" Jack asked. Mush could hear water running in the background, along with Katherine talking to Josie.
"We're doing good. Keeping the Christmas music off until tomorrow and all that," Mush explained.
"RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER. HAD A VERY SHINY NOSE. AND IF YOU EVER SAW IT. YOU WOULD EVEN SAY IT GLOWED."
"What's that?" Jack asked, confused. "It's Henry," Mush answered.
Albert tackled his best friend, resulting in the music being shut off along with a loud, "OW!"
"Um, I'll let you get back to that. Make sure no gets hurt too badly, ok?" Jack said. "I know, I know," Mush said. Jack hung up and Mush put his phone away as Specs and Race pulled Henry and Albert off of each other.
An earsplitting alarm started going off, making the boys' hands fly to their ears. "What is that?" Crutchie shouted over the noise. The boys thought before realization and horror washed over Specs. "We forgot about the turkey!"
Everyone raced to the kitchen, where smoke was coming out of the oven. Finch, Henry, and Albert, try to shut the fire alarm up while the others put out the fire. After the fire was out, Mush and Specs pulled the turkey out and saw it was black and charred.
Finch, who had been beating the fire alarm with the stick end of the broom, yelled, "Look out!" as the fire alarm shot off the ceiling.
Elmer didn't see the fire alarm coming flying towards him and didn't move in time. It hit him the the head and he fell over. "You ok, Elmer?" Race asked, pulling the younger boy up. He nodded, hand on his head. "Ok um, Race, get Elmer an ice pack for his head," Mush instructed as he threw the turkey away.
"Now what?" Albert asked.
They spent the next hour trying to figure out what to do. There was a knock on the door, making them all turn. Jack, Katherine, Davey, Les, and Rose walking in, Katherine carrying Josie. "Hey guys," Jack smiled.
"What's that smell?" Les asked, confused.
The boys and Swift looked at each other. "We kinda caught the turkey on fire," Swift explained.
"What happened to Elmer?" Katherine asked, seeing the ice pack. "He got hit with the fire alarm," Finch explained. Jack saw the fire alarm on the floor and face palmed. "What happened?" he asked slowly.
They explained what they were trying to do and Jack grew less mad as they explained their thoughtful surprise. "That was sweet of you boys. But don't try to cook a turkey again without one of us," Katherine smiled, chuckling a bit.
"We're never cooking a turkey again," Albert said. They nodded in agreement, but Jack and Davey went to the store anyway and got another turkey, cooking it right this time and not setting it on fire.
They had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner, being with friends and family. It was Josie's first Thanksgiving, and definitely one to remember.
"Why's there chocolate in my hair?"
"You owe me twenty dollars, Henry!"
A/N: Hey guys! I hope you liked this. :) Comment anything you'd like to see!