The 'place' turned out to be at the head dinner table.

In Mother's quest to create a perfect welcome home party, she'd decided that having a few hours carved out for socializing and dancing weren't enough. There also needed to be a sit-down dinner before all of the other things happened. Thus, there were a multitude of tables set up to seat all of our guests, one of which was slightly elevated above the rest. Mother rushed Danny and I to this one, seating us in the two seats in the middle, though there were several chairs on either side of Danny and I.

"Dinner's getting started, and everyone else is coming in to get seated in just a moment," Mother explained to us in a rush. "I just didn't want to get the two of you to get lost in the shuffle."

Lost in my own house? That would be a first.

"Just make yourselves comfortable," Mother continued. "Everyone else will be in shortly."

Then, she flounced off, leaving Danny and I alone with one another. I absently played with the rolled silverware in front of me before folding my hands into my lap. I could hear him shifting around next to me, fidgeting just as much I was. Finally, I gathered up my nerve to look at him. Slowly, barely moving my head, I lifted my eyes to his face … Only to find that he was already gazing at me.

There was a strange pang in my stomach and I could feel my cheeks heating up.

"Hi," I said, repeating myself from earlier.

"Hi," he returned.

"So, um," I began, trying to think of something to fill the silence. "How's home been?"

"I keep forgetting I can eat," Danny explained, sounding frustrated with himself. "And, sometimes, I'll sit in the same spot for hours because I keep thinking that if I move too far, I'll hurt you."

I nodded. "Leslie and Tara have been keeping me really busy. Mother too; Dad, when he's not working. They're trying to keep me from doing things like that."

"Tuck and Jazz are around a lot," he offered a smile. "Though they start acting like a couple and then it gets kind of strange."

"They're cute," I defended them.

"She's not your sister. He's not your best friend. I mean, it's strange."

I studied him for a moment. "But you think it's a good strange."

"They're happy," Danny said. "And that's what matters. Though I'm not saying I don't give them shit for their relationship, because I do and it's so easy to make them blush."

I laughed, picturing it. I then sobered, remembering something that I'd read earlier that day. "They discovered Vlad's missing."

Danny waved it off. "They've been talking about it on the down-low for a day or two now. They don't suspect anything, and they certainly don't think it's connected with us. Well, I guess I shouldn't say that. They think our kidnapper might have done something to him since we were found on his property. But they don't suspect him of being our kidnapper and they don't suspect that I locked his half-ghost ass in a thermos, along with my clone, because, well … that's just crazy."

I raised my eyebrow at him, unsure of how to react to that. "And how do you know this?"

"Uh, Tuck and I set up police scanners when we were like, sixteen or something. And," then his voice dropped to an embarrassed mumble, so low that, even though I was sitting in close proximity, I couldn't hear him.

"Huh?" I prompted.

Danny blushed. "Mayor Sanchez still really likes me."

"Oh … Someone told me Paullina's in school now, but that she's coming back for something." I don't know why I said it. I don't know why I brought up my high school enemy; his ex-girlfriend; the girl I'd inadvertently helped him cheat on. But, the words had come out of my mouth and I had no idea how to put them back in, so I simply sat there and waited for his reaction.

Danny shrugged. "No idea. I cut all ties with her. I didn't, don't, need her in my life. She represented a side of me that isn't really me and I never want to feel any connection with the person I was when I was with her again."

"You know," I started, averting my eyes from his face because I couldn't look at him while I admitted this, "I'm really happy to hear you say that."

There was a sudden sound of footsteps, and the dining area began to flood with people. Mother had left nothing to chance, thus there were seating arrangements. Watching people stumble across the floor, looking for their seats, made me glad that I was one of the guests of honour – if only because I didn't have to do that. While the general party-goers stumbled around, the other guests at our table floated forward.

Danny and I were sitting next to each other on one long side of the table, each of which sat four people. On either side of us were our mothers. At the heads of the table sat my father and Jack. Along the other side of the table, there was Jazz, Tucker, Tara, and Leslie and Gavin.

Our friends arrived first, Tucker steering Jazz's wheelchair while Jazz carefully held the skirts to her dress up so they wouldn't get caught in the wheels. Tara had Gavin tucked under one arm and he was taking everything in with interest, occasionally pointing at things and making a "who" sound –his version of "What?"

Everyone sat, and I began introductions.

"Everyone, this is Leslie," I started. "I know her from New Orleans and that's her son, Gavin. I don't know if you remember Tara – she went to Casper. Leslie, this is Danny. That's his sister Jazz and his best friend Tucker … and they're also dating."

"Tucker and Danny are dating or Jazz and Tucker are dating?" Leslie asked.

"Oh!" Tucker said, before anyone could react. He reached across the table and took Danny's hand. "He's my honey pot."

"Ew," Danny exclaimed, curling his lip. "What have I told you about those ridiculous pet names? If you insist on calling me things like 'honey pot', you're not getting any tonight."

I hid my mouth behind my hand, trying to disguise just how much I was laughing. Across from me, Tara was laughing wildly, making no attempt to hide her amusement. I could see in Leslie's eyes that she was torn between being amused or confused, ending up with a lot of both. I glanced at Jazz, to see how she was reacting, and she was good-naturedly shaking her hand.

"My boyfriend's in love with my brother," she sighed. "I guess it's off to Jerry Springer for us."

"Jerry, Jerry, Jerry," Tara chanted, picking up Gavin's fist to pump along with her words.

"My baby's not a prop," Leslie mentioned.

Tara rolled her eyes and picked up Gavin, turning him so that he was facing her. "Aww, do you feel like a prop, baby? I think he feels like an actor. He's a little celebrity in his world."

Leslie raised her eyebrows at Tara, and then looked at Gavin. "Do you feel like a celebrity, Gav?"

Gavin smacked his lips, and then flung his arm out, pressing it against Tucker's cheek. "Who?" Gavin asked.

"Tucker," Tuck told him.

Gavin wiggled in Tara's arms, turning himself so he was looking at Tucker. Then he repeated, "Who?"

"Tucker."

Gavin squirmed again.

"I, uh, think he wants you to hold him," Tara admitted to Tucker.

"Aww," Tucker shrugged. "I guess I'll take him … If that's okay with you, Leslie?"

Leslie threw up her hands in mock distress. "Just under a year old and I already can't control him. What am I going to do for the next decade and a half?"

"Pray," Tara recommended bluntly as she handed Gavin over to Tucker.

As Tara and Leslie began to bicker in low voices, I couldn't help but watch Tucker and Gavin. I had never seen Tucker around children, though he didn't really strike me as the paternal type. He surprised me with his easy handling of Gavin. The baby seemed especially entranced with Tucker's skin colour; he kept pressing his tiny hands against Tucker's before trying to pick up Tucker's flesh.

"Tuck's the baby whisperer," Danny murmured, so low that only I could hear him.

"I can see that," I responded.

"He originally asked to be the 'babe whisperer' but something went terribly wrong."

I giggled.

"Jazz, honey," Maddie said as she and Jack approached the table, "I'm so glad you're here."

Jazz looked up at her mother, confused. "Uh … where else was I supposed to be?"

"Nowhere," Jack told her, "Your mother thought you were hiding in the crowd somewhere, lost to us."

"I wasn't worried," Maddie shook her head. "I just … didn't know where you'd gone."

"Just here," Jazz answered brightly.

"Uh-huh," Maddie said, but said no more, as she became distracted by Gavin. "And who's this little fellow?"

I did another round of introductions – Mother and Dad coming to their seats just as I was finishing them.

"Well," Mother announced to our table, "It's time to eat!"

And in came the servers, their arms lined with plates and other dishes. I was always impressed with the fact that servers could balance so many dishes on their arms. I knew without a doubt that I could never do such a thing. I always reminded myself to respect those who did what I could not.

My mouth watered as my pasta dish was set in front of me. Though I was tempted to dig in as soon as I saw it, I managed to restrain myself. I knew that, after everything was served, the host (in this case, Mother) would make a quick speech, and then the consumption of the food would commence. It wasn't easy to resist the temptation, however, and I stole a sun-dried tomato off the top of my pasta and popped it in my mouth.

Delicious.

"Tucker, if you could pass Gavin down the table, I'll put him in his highchair," Leslie said.

"Sure," though, when Tucker went to hand Gavin back to Tara, and then down to Leslie, Gavin screeched, curling his pudgy fist around the sleeve of Tucker's suit jacket. "Uh, if you could explain the idea to your baby, that would be great."

Leslie stood up from her chair, walking to where Tucker was. She leaned down to pick up Gavin and he wailed as soon as her hands began to lift him. "Come on, honey, it's time for dinner. You've got to let Tucker enjoy his food and you have to sit in your high chair while you eat."

"Go on. We'll play later," Tucker explained to Gavin, pushing him up toward Leslie. As if Gavin understood, he went with Leslie without further complaint.

"That was cute," Jazz commented.

Immediately following her words, Jack and Maddie both chorused, "No ideas, young lady."

"Parents!" Jazz gasped, scandalized.

"We're too young to be grandparents," Maddie told her firmly.

Down the table, Leslie snorted. "That's exactly what my parents said the day I found out about Gavin."

"Not helping!" I exclaimed.

"Well," Jack joked, "That certainly settled my nerves."

"Nerves don't need settling," Jazz assured him, her cheeks bright red from the topic. "Let's talk about something else."

"It's time for my speech," Mother said, adhering to Jazz's request.

Mother stood up and delicately clinked her glass, catching the attention of the room. Most of the people in the room were aware of the routine (speech then dinner) so the room had already been rather quiet, everyone's growling stomachs waiting on Mother's words.

"Welcome everyone! My husband and I, as well as Maddie and Jack Fenton, are so glad you could be with us tonight. After many months of false hopes and heartaches, we are pleased to announce that our children – Samantha and Daniel – have made it home to us, safe and sound. We are here to celebrate the reunification of our separate families, but are glad that we can enjoy the feeling together."

There was a polite applause.

"And now, dinner! I hope everyone enjoys it."

I would be hard-pressed not to enjoy it. Not only was the food delicious, but I was surrounded by people that I cared about deeply. My heart and soul were content as I chewed pasta and listened to the conversations flying around me. I felt no compulsion to speak; I was happy to sit there and let the river of voices flow around me – the voices of my friends and family.

It was absolutely wonderful.

I don't own anything recognizable. Thanks to my betas: Forever Sky.

~TLL~