A/N: Soooo I'm a busy, lazy, overly tired little bitch who hasn't written in FIVE MONTHS WHAT yeah sigh. You're probably gonna hate me for this (whoops) but we're gonna jump to November (after tour) and Thanksgiving, mmkay? Mmkay. If you've been waiting for this, I'm SO SORRY! I'm going to see what I can do to update more often iyiyiy.

Background: James and Kali live together (obvi duH) aaaaand Jackie's going to UCLA so she lives with Ken in LA hehe. However *clears throat* it is now indeed Thanksgiving and the fab four are home to visit the fam. The four of them share a house in Minnesota because I said so :P

"Baby, wake up."

"Mm mm."

"C'mon love, I've been up for two hours cleaning already. I'm bored and I miss you."

"Someone snuck into our room and gave me a paralytic last night. Legs don't work," I managed to mumble.

"We don't have to do anything today, babe. We got snowed in."

"Look at that! They work again! It's a miracle! Praise the Lord, amen," I said seriously, sitting up and putting my hands flat against eachother in prayer.

"You lazy ass little dork!"

I let out a squeak as Kendall pounced on me in bed, his legs on either side of my hips, long fingers immediately working to tickle my sides.

"Get off, fatty, I'm tiny!" I yelled in protest, pushing against his chest in a lame attempt to get my boyfriend to stop his assault.

"Fatty, huh?" he smirked at me, glancing down momentarily at where our hips met.

"Um ew! Boys have cooties."

"I may have given you some of mine last night," Kendall snickered, looking highly pleased with himself.

"You a hoe, son, you a hoe," I shook my head, giggling at the memory despite my feigned disgust.

"I'm not done tickling you, yknow. I suggest you be kind to your captor."

"Oh no," I cried in an exaggerated southern accent. "Whatever shall this little damsel in distress do with her mighty strong, agile, and devilishly handsome captor refusing to release her?"

"Smartass."

"You know it. Done yet?"

"I suppose," he sighed heavily, leaning down to bite my nose.

"Ay! Bad dog," I laughed, playfully messing up his hair.

He shrugged and climbed off me, offering me his hand to help me up. I smiled as I took it, squeezing the beautiful hands that I oh so dearly loved.

"You make me feel like a little kid again, babe," I said softly into his skin after he pulled me into a hug. "I feel so safe and comfortable and happy."

"That's all I could ever wish for, angel," Kendall responded, kissing the top of my head. "Now c'mon, let's go see what those two are up to."

I reluctantly stepped out of his warm embrace and went to the bathroom to freshen up, washing my face, brushing my teeth, and putting my hair up into a messy bun.

We headed down the spiral staircase to the kitchen where James and Kali were seated at the island counter talking. "So Jamie," I started, groping at the top shelf of the leftmost cabinet for a coffee cup, laughing as Kali came over to help me, "how are we gonna get to Mom's?"

"They're complete opposites but they look the same," I heard James say quietly to Kendall. Kali gave me a knowing smirk and I giggled, shaking my head.

"Same buns, too," Kendall commented with a snicker.

"You suck, man," I laughed, turning on the sink, wetting my hand, and throwing water at him. He ducked away from the few droplets, coming over to pick me up and squeeze me all the while yelling, "I meant your hair!"

"Aside from this idiot," Kali rolled her eyes, playfully knocking Ken upside the head, "seriously, James, what are we gonna do?"

"Wait it out, I guess," James sighed. "It's still snowing, so there's no point in cleaning the driveway yet, plus they haven't cleared the roads."

"Dammit," I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "Mom was really counting on us all being together this year."

"We'll still go," Kali assured me, rubbing my arm. "It'll just be a belated Thanksgiving."

"You're cute, yknow that?"

"Aw you are, hon," she smiled, poking my nose.

"James, Kali's mine," I informed my older brother with a decisive nod, pushing Kendall's hands off my stomach and stepping into Kali's arms.

"Take her. She kicked me in her sleep last night."

"By mistake," she shot back.

"So not by mistake!" James argued.

"You kept touching me!"

"Am I not allowed to do that?"

"It was like 3 am!"

"I was horny!"

"So?"

"I wanted to fuck!"

"Ken? Intervene?" I pleaded with my boyfriend as I stood right in between the two spitting words at eachother.

"Nope, I'm fine," my handsome blonde smiled at me, a glint of evil in his green eyes.

Fuck you, I mouthed.

When and where, hot stuff?

"I hate boys," I growled, shaking my head and ducking out of Kali's grasp. "I'll be cleaning this pig sty listening to music. Don't bother me!"

"I thought you were too lazy?" Kendall yelled after me.

"It's better than this," Kali jumped in.

"Bingo!"

KALI'S POV

"Iiiii'm gonna swiiiiing from the chandelieeeer...from the chandelieeeer..."

"So she didn't want to clean," I giggled, watching Jackie's antics, "and is now dancing around the house, singing and dusting everything in sight?"

"Now you've officially met my sister, sweetheart," James laughed, shaking his head.

"I really see the family resemblance!"

"You're so mean to me," my handsome fiancé whined, hiding his face in the crook of my neck.

"I love you," I whispered in his ear, turning to kiss his temple.

"Love you more," he mumbled into my skin, purposely tickling my neck with his stubble.

"Stop that," I giggled, catching Kendall's eye as he sat on the couch pretending to be on his phone but actually smiling at us. "He's pretty cute, babe."

"Blondie?"

"Hm."

"Eh he's alright," James teased, looking up at me with a goofy smile.

"How'd I get so lucky with you, my love?" I asked my man softly, delicately carding my hand through his soft brown hair.

"You? Are you kidding? How'd I get so lucky, babe?"

"James!"

"What, baby, what?"

"We're stuck inside today!"

"Mmhm."

"Jackie's cleaning!"

"Yep."

"WE CAN DO SOME WEDDING PLANNING!"

"Yay," James answered weakly, obediently following me to the couch. "My favorite."

"Oh c'mon, it's fun," Kendall jumped in, ribbing him gently. "I'll help."

"What has my life come to," James groaned, slumping backwards into the soft cushions lining the leather seats.

"Get out, we'll do this," Kendall huffed, slapping his best friend's knee aside and taking his spot next to me.

"Ready, buddy?" I grinned at Kendall.

"Fuck yeah, let's do this, bitches."

"Language," Jackie giggled from her corner of the living room.

"Oh yeah like you're so careful about yo-Jackie!"

"What?"

"Get off the table!"

"I'm short! I need to reach the top shelf."

"I can't watch this," Kendall sighed, covering his eyes with his hands.

James sat up and gave his best friend a funny look, quirking an eyebrow at me. "Are you her boyfriend or her father?"

"Well see," Jackie started, "while I do lack a father figure in my life, I'm blessed to have a great daddy."

"You're...you're what?"

"Cleaning. Music. Can't hear you," Jackie chirped, slipping her headphones back in and running upstairs.

"Jackie!" James roared, jumping off the couch and taking off at a run to catch her before she locked herself in her room.

"You guys really pull that kinky shit?" I asked Kendall, smirking slightly.

"Maybe," he grinned. "I know you do."

I felt my face grow hot as I turned back to the stack of notebooks I had set out on the coffee table, pulling my hair out from behind my ears to cover my red cheeks.

"So I was right," Kendall snickered, leaning back and putting his right leg over his left knee.

"You mean you didn't actually know?" I squeaked, growing more embarrassed by the second.

"Gotcha."

"I hate you!" I yelled, grabbing the pillow closest to me and hitting him over the head with it.

"Jacqueline, I can't believe you would say that to-"

"Jamie, I was just kiddi-"

"Kali, that hurts! Jesus woman-"

"Shut up, you embarrass me so mu-"

"Happy fucking Thanksgiving everyone!" Jackie hollered from the upstairs level in the house. "I love you all!"

The house fell silent as we all realized how stupid we were being, especially on today of all days. I stopped my assault on Kendall and threw the pillow across the living room, turning to him with a smile. "I love you, stupid."

"I love you too, meanie."

"James? Jackie?"

"Yeah yeah, we all love eachother again," James laughed, coming downstairs with Jackie over his shoulder.

"Everything alright?" I giggled, taking note of Jackie's disgruntled look.

"Just peachy keen," she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in a huff. "Put me down, you big lug."

"Why so sweet, baby sis?" James asked as he dropped his mini female version onto the couch next to her boyfriend before taking a seat beside her.

"Why so annoying, big bro?"

"Aren't siblings just the cutest?" Kendall smiled at me, leaning his head against mine as we watched the Maslows duke it out.

"Mmhm little rays of sunshine," I nodded my consent, blowing a kiss to the two as they glared at me. "Who wants to change into pjs and watch movies all day until we have to make food?"

"Sounds good to me," James and Jackie responded at the same time. They gave eachother a look before laughing, and Jackie quickly leaned over to kiss her older brother on the cheek.

"We all saw you smile," Kendall teased James as Jackie took his hand and started playing with his bracelets.

"No, you didn't," my fiancé rolled his eyes, throwing me a quick grin.

I got up and took his hand, pulling him upstairs behind me. "We'll be back in a bit," I yelled over my shoulder, laughing as James playfully smacked my butt. "No, babe, not that."

"Worth a shot, right?" James teased, his beautiful smile never leaving his face.

"I suppose," I stuck my tongue out at him.

I let out a little yelp at the top of the stairs when James picked me up and held me tight, whispering something inaudible as he stroked my hair. Pulling back slightly from his embrace, I put my hands on his arms and gently squeezed his strong, well defined muscles.

"What was that, babe?"

"I love you. I love you more than anything," he repeated in my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. "You're the greatest gift God could ever send me, and I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Jamie..." I trailed off, clinging to him. "I can't explain how grateful I am that you love me for who I am, and I certainly can't put into words just how much I adore you."

"I know how you feel, angel," James responded softly, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear, his right hand resting on my hip. "We don't need words to express it."

"You're perfect," I squealed, throwing my arms around his neck and holding onto him tightly.

"No, my angel. We're perfect together."

KENDALL'S POV

"Whatcha doin?" I questioned my girlfriend in a sing-song voice, poking the prominent dimple adorning her right cheek as her tongue poked out the tiniest bit. "That's your concentrating face."

"Reading something," she mumbled back in response, eyebrows knit together. "Shush."

"Oh c'mon, you can share," I insisted, brushing her long brown hair out of her face so I could see her better.

"Just an email, cutie," Jackie answered, reaching over and ruffling my hair.

"Am I your pet dog?"

"Hm. Good doggie."

"Cute. Real cute."

"Thanks, man. I know," she grinned at me proudly.

I rolled my eyes and lovingly tweaked her nose- receiving an angry yelp in response- before heading upstairs. Sighing at the state of our messy room, I did something I rarely ever did.

And I mean rarely.

I started tidying up. Shocking, I know. Realizing the sheets hadn't been changed in a few weeks, I stripped the bed of its coverings and piled them near the door, confused as my foot hit something beneath the bed frame when I turned back to it. I knelt down and pulled it out, debating whether or not to open it. It wasn't something of mine, so it must be Jackie's and she might get pissed if I opened it but...we didn't keep secrets. My curiosity piqued, I studied the lock on the box and turned slowly to Jackie's nightstand.

Her necklace.

I should've asked her, but the questions running through my mind were endless. What could she be hiding from me, and why would she need to? I opened the box, eyes widening as I rifled through the papers delicately tucked inside.

My voice caught in my throat quite a few times before I mustered up the courage to call her. "Jackie? Can you come up here for a moment?"

JACKIE'S POV

I read the email over and over and over again. He was alive, healthy, successful, happy.

I had found him. After so long, I had found him.

After compiling the various responses to searches for my father, I had set out contacting different companies, former addresses, friends- anyone, really. I just wanted to find him. A long journey and months later, I received the email I had just skimmed over, heart leaping with joy as my father's secretary confirmed that, yes, I had the right guy.

I read through it once more to make sure I wasn't imagining things. This was insane.

Your story was so touching, Jacqueline. The amount of effort you went through to find your father- it's absolutely incredible! I'll keep it quiet for now, as you requested, but he'll grow curious soon. After all, this is a company email and he has the ability to see who sends in inquiries.

I wish you the best of luck on reconnecting. Please tell me how everything goes!

Marilyn went on to give me his personal contact information, and I read over this once more, a smile spreading across my face as I spoke his name out loud.

"Michael A. Maslow," I said softly, incredulous.

How do I explain the emotions coursing through my body at the prospect of having finally found the man responsible for my life? It's really impossible, let me tell you. A part of me was elated, eager to call him at this very moment and insist we meet, sit down, and talk about the past twenty-one and some years. The other half dreaded finally hearing his voice or seeing him in person. Up until now, my father had been this foreign man, someone I was constantly wondering about and longing for. Now here he was, a name, address, and phone number on paper. A living, breathing man. My father.

"Jackie? Can you come up here for a moment?"

I recognized pain and concern in Kendall's voice immediately, and my heart raced with anxiety. Fearing the worst, I ran upstairs, stopping short in the doorway when I caught sight of my boyfriend, sitting on our bed, my little secret spread out before him, confusion in his eyes as he looked up at me.

"You...You found it," I said softly, scared of my own voice.

"I didn't mean to. I mean, I didn't look for it, but I found it and I was curious- How could you keep this from me, Jackie?"

I felt my heart shatter, all traces of happiness gone from my mind as I looked into his eyes, so full of pain and doubt.

"Ken, honey, I promise I didn't intend to keep quiet about it for this long-"

"Yet you did." His voice was dark when he cut me off, and I found myself taking a step back, unnerved by his tone.

"Please just let me explain," I implored, frowning when he shook his head.

"I really don't understand how you kept this a secret for so long. Have you even told your brother?"

"I...I haven't," I sighed. "But I will, I promise! I found him, Kendall. I found my father."

"I'm happy for you, Jackie, I am. You know I'll support you through everything that comes our way but- Can I even say that? 'Our way'? I know it's not formally written in vows or anything, but there's a certain level of trust that needs to be upheld between two people in a relationship, don't you agree? I mean, that is something you said to me when we started dating. I thought I knew you better," Kendall trailed off, voice catching in his throat.

I sat down on the bed across from him and took his hand in mine, feeling my chest constrict with pain as he pulled his back. Instead, I folded my hands in my lap and sighed, trying to control the wave of overwhelming emotions crashing over me.

"I didn't want to disappoint you," I whispered.

"What?"

"I just...I wasn't sure if I would find him," I continued. "And I didn't want to get everyone's hopes up and have people help when there was no guarantee I would even succeed. That would just be a massive disappointment and I didn't want you all to go through that."

"So you thought it would be better to keep it from us all?"

"I don't know what I was thinking, Kendall!" I cried out, exasperated. "I was just tired of all of us hurting!"

"That's why you have us, dammit," he shot back, clearly frustrated with my decision. "That's what a family's for. If you don't trust us with something huge like this, how are we supposed to be open with eachother? You know everything about my life- my hopes, dreams, interests, deepest fears, everything. I just can't believe-"

"Kendall, please," I stopped him, leaning forward and placing my hand on his cheek. "Look, I never lied about it. I was careful with what I said. Yeah, okay, I should've told you, but I promise I didn't lie. Trust me when I say that I love you more than anything and nothing like this will ever happen again. If it does, we're in it together, okay? It's not that I didn't trust you, Ken, really, I was just scared."

"Sweetheart..." He sighed and shook his head, beckoning me forward. I sat in his lap and peppered his face with kisses, smiling as he chuckled softly and kissed me back. "Don't do it again."

"I won't." I shook my head fervently and intertwined our fingers, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand. "I promise."

"Good. Now, tell me what you know."

"So you...you found Dad," James breathed out, hands covering his mouth as he processed everything I just blurted out to him and Kali.

"I found Dad," I responded excitedly, taking his hands in mine and forcing him to look at me. I sat on the coffee table in front of him as he sat on the edge of the couch, staring at me like I was a stranger who had broken into his house.

"And you didn't tell anyone. Not a soul."

"No one knew about me finding him," I spoke carefully, noting the way Kali's head shot up and trying not to react to her sudden movement. "I didn't tell anyone about writing back and forth with his company or how I finally got in contact with his secretary. No one knew except me."

"I'm still confused," Kali cut in. "Didn't he visit for your birthday, James?"

"He never came home," James sighed. "Dad was always really careful about not seeing Jackie because it made him so sad and...I don't know, he was stupid about it. I haven't seen or heard from him in years, though. He kinda went off the grid."

"But I found him," I grinned. "Mom never told me his name or gave me a number or anything, either. I think a part of her wanted him to stay away."

"She didn't want it to control your whole life," James explained. "I'm really impressed, munchkin," my big brother smiled at me, kissing my forehead affectionately. "Have you told Mom?"

I shook my head no, then explained how I just received the email today. "Plus I'd rather tell her in person," I finished.

"Good thinking," Kali consented. "That's a lot to handle."

"Tell me about it," James and I intoned at the same time, grinning at eachother once more.

"Do you think we'll be able to make it over tonight?" I asked my brother, eager to talk to our mom as soon as possible.

"Well it stopped snowing," Kendall reported after checking outside the window. "Let's hope they make it to our street before it's too late- and get the power back," he groaned as the lights went out.

"I'll get the blankets," Kali offered.

"I'll get the candles and flashlights," Kendall laughed.

"I'm gonna find Fox," James muttered as he jumped up.

"And I'm gonna sit here and pray for a Christmas miracle on Thanksgiving."

Three voices rang out in the darkness, laughter echoing through the house. "Amen."

"...so I'm clearly magical," I concluded triumphantly as the four of us trudged up the snowy sidewalk to mine and James' childhood home, all bundled up in sweaters, heavy coats, hats, scarves, and gloves.

"Fucking Minnesota," Kali growled, stomping on the welcome mat to get snow off her boots.

"Aw my little Florida babe," James cooed, delicately patting her head.

Kali shot him a withering glare and my brother immediately retracted his hand with a yelp. Satisfied with her power, my future sister in law giggled and kissed her fiancé's cheek before ringing the doorbell.

"I love that girl," I snickered as Kendall and I caught up to them. I had lagged behind a bit to grab yesterday's mail so Mom wouldn't have to come out into the cold later.

"Because she's just like you," my boyfriend retorted, giving me a gentle shove inside the house.

Mom stifled us each with huge bear hugs and smacked kisses onto our foreheads, smoothing out our hair and rubbing our cold faces, muttering all the while about "her poor babies" and how we were "such good kids for coming all the way to see little old Mom".

"We wouldn't miss this for the world, Ma," James assured her with a grin, receiving an extra hair ruffle and kiss. He sulked while Kali and I laughed at the look on his face.

"But you're just so cute, my wittle pumpy-umpy-umpkin," Kali teased, winking at me as I shed my winter gear and placed it in the closet, cackling all the while.

"She hasn't called me that since I was like seven," James shot back frowning. "Shut up, Kal."

I poked my head out the door of the closet and grinned. "More like twelve."

"Fuck off, kid!"

"Oh lighten up," I smirked, smacking his shoulder. "C'mon."

The four of us joined Mom and the rest of the Schmidts in the kitchen as they surveyed the food in the pantry and fridge, attempting to scrape together a proper Thanksgiving meal. I squealed internally-ahem, mostly internally, I should say- as my boyfriend stepped up to his mother and hugged her from behind. He towered over her, and god, I found it adorable.

Mama Schmidt made a big fuss over him of course, Ken being the baby of the family, and his older brothers stood by with their father, talking to and grinning at eachother, no doubt making fun of him.

"I'm sure she did it to you two, too, assholes," Kendall growled, shoving his brothers out of his way and returning to my arms.

"Nah, we got off pretty easy," Kevin grinned.

"Hey Kev?"

"Yeah, Jackie?"

"That's because she loves him most."

I left, triumphant, the three of them fighting over who the favorite son truly was.

"Boys are so entertaining," Kali whispered in my ear as she handed me a glass of wine. I nodded and laughed, taking a sip and raising my eyebrows. "Good, right?"

"Mmhm," I intoned, lifting the glass to my lips once more. "What'd I miss?"

"No time to make anything. We're ordering Chinese."

God, I love my family.

As everyone filed out of the kitchen to sit near the fire and talk, James and I hung back to talk to our mother. He gave me a reassuring nod and I cleared my throat softly to get her attention. She turned to me and pushed her hair out of her face and for some reason, it just struck me that my mother was such a beautiful person. Suddenly overcome with emotion and adoration for the strong woman who had raised me on her own, I told her just that and couldn't help smiling as she pulled me into a tight hug, saying how blessed she felt to be our mom and watch us grow up.

Feeling relaxed and ready to open up to her, I growled in annoyance when the doorbell rang, cutting me off just as I was about to begin.

"I'll get it," James immediately offered, leaving the two of us to talk.

I busied myself with washing wine glasses as I talked, reluctant to look at her facial expressions and gauge her reaction to my secret.

"I wish you'd told me about this, Jacqueline," she sighed from behind me.

"I know, Mom, I'm sorry," I repeated, drying my hands on the towel hanging from the oven handle. "I was just so nervous and scared about what would happen."

"I can imagine," Mom smiled sympathetically.

"I'm just so happy I found him," I smiled back, and, for the first time in months, feeling true relief.

"Baby girl..." She covered her mouth and nodded for me to turn. Following her gaze, I spun around quickly, the sound of shattering glass echoing throughout the house mere seconds later. "Looks like he found us first."

And there before me, twenty-one years later, stood my father.