A/N: Here, guys. Another update for you just hours before I leave the country for a week ;) Star Crossed will be updated not long after I return. For anybody who's a Twilight fan, I've recently put up my first Twilight fan fiction which can be located through my profile ;) Please, check it out. So nervous about it -bites nails-

For those who haven't seen 17 Again, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Zachary, I love you even more!

FYI, this story? A forty-year-old Troy Bolton does not resemble Matthew Perry!

Enjoy! xx

Chapter Four: Thinking About Thinking

Troy hadn't really managed to do anything productive for the rest of his day. He put it down to Zeke and Chad's lack of sympathy and had therefore decided to go on some sort of strike - a strike he knew wouldn't have much effect, but still, he was enjoying the fact that he'd spent the rest of the day lying out on the couch after doing a quick grocery shop and picking Ayla up from kindergarten.

It was now four o'clock and the rest of his family still had not returned home. But Troy knew the basic routines of their day. Gabriella usually had some late classes and then a long drive home from UCLA, so at the latest, Troy wouldn't expect his wife home until around six. Lydia's school always ended at three-thirty, and since she often got rides home from Jayden, he wouldn't expect her back for a another ten or fifteen minutes since Jayden had to pick the twins up from school on the way home. Aislinn and Matthew always chose to walk home with Sammy Danforth and Troy knew they'd make a quick pit stop at Chad's house (he knew it was so they could take advantage of Taylor's recent cookie-baking addiction) before returning home a little after four-thirty.

This schedule memorised in his mind, Troy was really surprised when he heard a familiar car pull up on the driveway outside and moments later, the front door open to reveal Gabriella's footsteps on the laminate flooring.

"You're home early," he called out from the living room, tuning down the volume of the basketball game he was watching on TV. She was home far too early for everything to be alright, he mused, and wondered if that "evil" professor had made yet another move on her. "Everything okay?"

Gabriella emerged into the room less than a few seconds later, a wary smile on her face. "My last class are on a fieldtrip for the day with another professor. Thank god. These heels were killing me by lunchtime." To stress her point, Gabriella stumbled as she tried to balance herself as she removed the shoes from her feet.

Troy frowned with a small smirk on his lips as she hobbled over to him. "Again, why do you insist on wearing the killer heels to work?"

"It's uniform."

"To kill yourself?"

"Troy," Gabriella rolled her eyes with a smile. "I have to look presentable."

"And hot." He deliberately eyed her up and down. "If all my teachers looked as hot as you, I would have paid far more attention in school."

Gabriella ignored her husband for a few moments, a slight red tinge making its way onto her cheeks as she eyed her favourite comfy spot in the world which included his shoulder, neck and chest. "Shut up." She finally replied before snuggling up into his body - her head rested on his shoulder, her face pressed into his neck and her body lying across his chest.

There were a few moments of comfortable silence. Gabriella blissfully closed her eyes and snuggled closer - the long day taking its toll on her. Troy just wrapped his arms around her body before eyeing her bare feet and spotting the soreness on her toes.

"Come here," he breathed, reaching down to hitch her leg up and around his waist. Once it was secure, he then reached for her foot and began massaging it, causing her to whimper in delight at his actions. "I think you and I need a vacation."

"Hmm…" Gabriella gave off a dreamy smile. "Hawaii."

"Bahamas."

"Fiji…"

Troy thought for a moment. "Bed…"

"You and your one track mind," Gabriella chastised but couldn't help the smile that graced her face. "But as tempting as that does sound right now, I don't think I have the strength to move with you massaging my foot like that. Plus, the kids will be home soon. You know how they feel about PDA."

"Hey, if it wasn't for our PDA, they wouldn't be here! They should respect the PDA."

"Where's Ayla?" Gabriella felt a swift change of topic was needed.

"Playing in her room. I stopped by the store and got her pancakes -- which, incidentally, she's decided she doesn't like anymore."

The brunette laughed heartily at her youngest child's antics. That was so typical Ayla.

Silence again.

When Troy looked down at his wife again, she was fast asleep.

---

"You're grouchy."

"Mom, I'm not grouchy."

"Puh-leese! I'm your mother, I know when my baby boy is grouchy."

"Shar, babe, if Jay is grouchy, it's probably not a good idea to call him your baby boy," Zeke helpfully put in, earning himself an eye roll and an obviously grouchy growl from his eldest child.

Sharpay was sitting primly at the kitchen table, helping Poppy and Ryan with their math homework. She wasn't the best candidate for the job but she loved her mother role. Poppy and Ryan barely needed the help anyhow, and when they did they'd politely ask their elder brother for his input.

"Are you grouchy because Lydia is currently with the psychopath?"

Jayden gritted his teeth. He loved his mother, he really did, but sometimes he wondered how the hell his dad had put up with her all these years - not to mention the Bolton's and the Danforth's. He had to give extra special sympathy towards his Uncle Ryan who had grown up with her, undoubtedly living the horrors of Sharpay as a toddler and teenager before she finally changed (slightly) into a mature adult.

"No," he replied flatly. "And calling him a psychopath isn't meant to be a good thing, you know. Wouldn't you be worried?"

Zeke pinched the bridge of his nose in despair. "Jay, son, please, please do not use that phrase around Troy. You didn't have to listen to him freaking out at lunch today. And Chad teasing him wasn't rectifying the issue either."

Jayden folded his arms, pondering his father's thoughts. "Troy freaking out, huh? Interesting."

"Don't even go there."

"He's every right to. And he's right on the money. Michael Stape wants stringing up with some very unpleasant parts of his anatomy; I'd like to do it but I think I'd be happy to let Troy take the reigns with this one."

"You can do it next week. Gabriella's invited us all to a barbeque they're having with Troy's parents fly over and apparently, the psychopath's going too. Meeting the parents - like I'd miss that opportunity!"

Jayden pulled a face. "Stape will be at the barbeque?"

Sharpay pouted at the look on his face. "Aww, Jay! Don't you want to see Troy kill the psycho? It would clear the way for you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't look so shocked! I'm your mother, I know everything that goes through your mind. Everything."

Zeke looked blank. "She's right. Everything."

Jayden ran his fingers through his hair, irritated. Poppy and Ryan had looked up upon hearing Lydia's name.

"Where was Lyddie today, Jay?" Poppy asked innocently. "She didn't pick us up today."

"Don't you worry, Pops," Sharpay smiled at her daughter affectionately, tickling her under the chin. "I'm sure she missed you both today, but Lydia's currently living in denial."

"What's that?"

"A river in Egypt, but you're too young to understand, baby. Now, what's your next math problem?"

Jayden shook his head in frustration before spying one of his basketballs sitting on the counter. Heading towards it, he brushed past his parents and siblings, muttering a "whatever" before heading out the back door and towards the hoop which was situated at the back of their yard. It wasn't a cool half-court like the Bolton's had but it was enough for Jayden for when he needed to think and let off steam. Usually, it was his mother who caused him to get into those moods and today was no different.

He knew she loved him and only wanted what was best for him but why did she always have to use irritation as her secret weapon?

Bouncing the ball on the freshly cut grass, Jayden made a shot and barely made the net - one of his sloppiest shots yet.

He couldn't understand what was the matter with him. He'd known Lydia Bolton practically his entire life - there wasn't a memory he had of his life that didn't include her. More than often it included them and another fiery arguments and/or fight, but he could never remember feeling hatred towards her nor resentment. She'd been that constant in his life - so much so he couldn't imagine living without her. The concept of that truly frightened him… terrified him more that it frightened him to picture life without her.

He'd never thought of her as ugly. He could remember being eleven years old and hanging with his friends at school and telling them he thought she was the only girl he knew that wasn't weird looking. He could remember them laughing at him and making a joke out of his statement, but never once did he take that back.

He made another shot. It hit the rim of the net before lazily falling in. Basketball wasn't half as fun if you weren't playing a one-on-one game against Lydia.

He sighed loudly, making his annoyance heard as he caught sight of his mom walking across the yard towards him, a small smile on her face.

"Mom, I'm practising. I'm in my zone. I need peace."

"You want your dad to help you out?"

Jayden shook his head. "Kinda like alone time every once in a while. You can take the hint if you want."

Sharpay smirked. He'd inherited her sarcastic nature and she couldn't be more proud. She'd long gotten over the fact that Jayden would never get up and perform on a stage since Poppy had shown a keen interest at her young age.

"Are you thinking things over?" She asked tentatively. "Because that's okay, if you're wondering. It's not like you and Lydia are related or anything. And as much as the thought disturbs me of you two someday getting married and me and Troy having to become in-laws, I'd only want you to be happy."

"Mom." Jayden closed his eyes in frustration, feeling his blood begin to boil once again. "She's my friend and yeah, I care about her. But that's as far as it goes, okay? I've always hated Mike Stape and I'll never waver on that. He's using Lyds and I'm just worried about her. In a friendly way."

Sharpay hid a knowing smile. "How do you know he's using her?"

"He practically dry-humps his Troy Bolton poster he's got hanging up in his gym locker," Jayden replied dryly, making another shot which hit the rim of the hoop aggressively.

Sharpay's wide eyes blinked and hope shined in her hazel orbs. "Let's hope he tries to actually dry-hump Troy at this barbeque! Think of the fun!"

Jayden had to crack a smile at the imagery. "It would make my day. Maybe Troy will kill him faster." Twirling the ball idly between his fingers, Jayden finally looked up at his mother in somewhat desperation. "She thinks he's this…god. She's so delusional. Her self-esteem is at an all time low, mom, and I never thought Lydia would ever think so low of herself. She thinks she's the lucky one but everybody knows that he's completely out of her league. He's nothing but a low-life who just wants to meet his idol. He doesn't care about her. He parades her around school like some trophy, just so he can brag to people that he's dating Troy Bolton's daughter."

"That's gotta be sucky."

"It is! It's infuriating is what it is! She just doesn't see it and I've told her over and over but you know what she's like -- stubborn as hell and everything she thinks is always right!" Sharpay smirked at Jayden's impression. "And I know it's her life and it's none of my business, but she just makes me so angry! She doesn't understand what an absolute jerk-off he is or that she deserves so much more… She won't listen to logical advice and she actually thinks he's being committed by wanting to meet her parents. The bastard has alternative motives!"

"Jay, baby, I love you but I will have to pummel you with your own basketball if you use language like that with the twins not so far away."

"Sorry," he mumbled, taking a deep breath. There was a slight pause as he pondered his next words. He didn't want to look too obvious, especially when he wasn't even sure of his own feelings and especially in front of his mother. "It's just her being all Lydia and making me as stressed out as possible. You'd think after seventeen years I'd be used to it."

Sharpay just smiled and nodded her head before slowly and silently turning on her heel and leaving her son alone with his thoughts.

---

Lydia had felt a large surge of absolute coolness when she'd got into Michael Stape's car after school and he'd given her a ride home for the first time. She'd even felt a sense of pride when her superstar boyfriend had pulled up outside her house and had practically drooled at the grand scale and beauty of it before nearly hyperventilating at each of her parents cars.

"This is just beyond awesome!" Mike had nearly tripped over his own feet as he took in the sight of Troy's black Audi. "What wouldn't I give to drive a car like this?"

"Um, I wouldn't touch it," Lydia put in apprehensively as Mike reached out to touch the bodywork. "Dad goes kinda crazy if anyone touches the Audi."

"Well, course he would! He understands and appreciates fine automobiles! Do you think he'd take me out in it sometime?"

"Uh…"

"Not right away. That would be too weird. Is this one your mom's?!" Lydia thought she'd almost lost her boyfriend to a cardiac arrest.

"Uh, yeah. But dad always picks her cars. Mom's doesn't really specialise in cars." She stopped and watched as Mike circled her mother's Audi convertible again and again, and she hoped beyond all hope that her parents didn't look out the window and see a total stranger fawning over their cars. "So… are you excited about the barbeque?"

"Yeah. Gonna be totally awesome." She was certain mike Stape's mind was elsewhere.

"My Grandpa and Grandma Lucy will be there too. They're flying up from Albuquerque so you'll get to meet them too."

"Will any of your dad's team mates be there?" Mike finally looked up from Gabriella's car hopefully.

Lydia shuffled her feet. "Not really. Mom only invited our close friends - the Danforth's and the Baylor's. They've known mom and dad since high school in Albuquerque so everybody knows each other. It's kind of a reunion thing while grandma and grandpa are here."

"Oh."

"But they're really, really cool. And you know Chad, right? He played on the team with dad."

"Chad Danforth! Oh my god, hell yes!" Mike pumped his fist in the air. "So, why the fuck have they invited Baylor's family?" He asked in disgust. "I don't remember Baylor's dad playing for the Lakers."

"Um, no. Zeke owns a few restaurants but he played in the varsity team in high school with dad and Chad, and he's really good at it."

Mike raised an eyebrow. "He ditched basketball for food?"

"Well, yeah, I guess. He's always wanted to be a chef so I guess he picked the right thing for him."

"What a loser." Mike clicked his tongue. "No wonder Jayden's related to him. It obviously runs in the family."

Lydia couldn't help it, but she felt her eyes narrow dangerously at the comment. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again when she realised what she was about to say: "Jay isn't a loser."Like that would go down well. She did feel an overwhelming sadness at Mike calling Zeke Baylor a loser - he was practically family, one of her father's best friends, and always supportive and helpful to her when she needed him. To hear Mike call him loser upset her.

She bit her lip and cast her eyes downwards and Mike made another trip around both cars admirably. After a few minutes of absolute silence, he finally looked up and strolled over to her, placing his arms around her waist and leaning her back so she was standing up against his car.

Her impossibly blue eyes looked at him hesitantly.

"Something wrong, babe?" He enquired softly. "You've gone all quiet."

Lydia shrugged her shoulders. "It's nothing."

"Nothing?"

Lydia nodded dumbly. In all honesty, she had no idea how to respond to him. She felt a strong need to stick up for the Baylor's but couldn't find it within her to say the words. How would he react? Would he be angry? He knew that Jayden was a very close family friend… but then that was probably one of the reasons Mike didn't like him.

She continued to ponder in silence until Mike tipped her chin backwards and slammed his lips against hers, quashing her thoughts and making her surrender to his will. Lydia kissed back as confidently as she could manage, still hesitant and still unsure. At the back of her mind, she wondered if her parents were standing at the window watching her make-out session, and whether her father had decided to invest in a shotgun and shovel.

She hoped they weren't. This kiss was a kiss so different than any other she'd experienced before and she really didn't want her parents privy to it. Mike held her closer to him, tighter to him, his hands vastly exploring the soft skin of her back as they slid up under her shirt. His tongue duelled violently against hers and she whimpered at the unfamiliarity of it. Lydia fisted her fingers in the front of his shirt, clinging on for dear life as Mike seemed to dominate her body's reactions. It was an alien feeling to her, one she hoped she'd get used to sooner rather than later.

At the sound of a clearing throat, suddenly it wasn't her parents watching that Lydia was worried about. As Mike ripped his lips away from hers, Lydia breathlessly looked over to where the noise was coming from and found her younger brother and sister watching with disgusted looks.

Aislinn had her arms folded neatly over her chest whilst Matthew was grinning wickedly at the two, his eyebrows wiggling and his tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth in a teasing manner.

"Sis!" He exclaimed. "Who's the douche bag?"

Lydia closed her eyes in annoyance. And so it started… "Mattie, shut up," she sighed in embarrassment as her cheeks turned pink. "Do you have to be rude to people all the time?"

Matthew held his hands up in defence - a stance that was all too similar to his father's whenever he got into trouble with his wife. "I'm just asking, Lyddie, jeez!"

"Sorry," Lydia mumbled to her boyfriend, who was currently tight-lipped as Matthew shot him a thumbs up. "I swear he was adopted."

"Hmm." Mike replied, turning his body to face the two younger Bolton's. He folded his arms, matching Aislinn's posture and smiled a wide smile. "So, these guys are your siblings, huh?"

"Um, yeah. That's Mattie and that's Aislinn."

"Aislinn?" Mike smiled gently at the thirteen-year-old. "That's a strange name."

"Well, my parents are a little more creative with names than others. Not every parent gives their child boring old plain names, Mike."

"Ash!" Lydia hissed with dark eyes. "Stop it!"

"There's Ayla too," Matthew put in, pointing towards the house. "She's six and she really hates strange men." He paused mischievously as Aislinn coughed a laugh into her hand. "Not that I'm calling you strange or anything… you could be a normal douche."

"Mattie!"

"Well, he could!"

At Lydia's murderous glare, Mike stepped forward and pulled Matthew's Lakers baseball cap from his head before playfully scrubbing his floppy hair. "Don't worry, babe, it's all cool," he chuckled, briefly admiring Mattie's genuine Lakers cap. "My little cousin can be an asshole too."

"Is this really your boyfriend, Lyds? He sounds so nice." Aislinn's voice was dry as she looked Mike up and down disapprovingly. "Where's Jayden?"

Aislinn had asked purposely and Lydia knew she had done so. She was testing the waters, confirming her own initial judgements on her older sister's choice of boyfriend. Lydia would call it being a brat, Aislinn would call it being protective when dad wasn't around to do so.

"He's… not here," was Lydia's lame response. She felt Mike tense up beside her.

"You guys like Baylor?" He enquired with a raised eyebrow, trying to look neutral, at least. "Is Baylor here a lot?"

"All the time, right, Mattie?" Aislinn responded happily, nudging her brother.

"Oh yeah. I don't get why he just doesn't move in!" Matthew added, reaching back up to snatch his cap back and place it back on his head in the backwards position. "But we don't mind. He's the coolest guy in the world. Not that you're not cool or anything, Mike. It's just that Jay has a lot of coolness already in his system and he doesn't have to work hard to be cool. Like me."

"You guys had better get used to a cooler guy making his way around here soon. You know I'll be here for your barbeque next week."

"Oh yeah. That… thing." Aislinn pondered the scenario in her head, cupping her chin to demonstrate her deep thinking. "There are a few rules you should know first about the Bolton house. First, our parents don't believe in pre-martial hand holding."

"Stop being a bitch, Ash," Lydia hissed.

"Ask dad," Aislinn replied smugly. "Think he'd enjoy that disgusting display you were both doing earlier? Uh, no. Pre-martial hand holding is a no-no. Secondly, dad likes to be called Mr. Bolton."

"Or Sir," Matthew not-so-helpfully added in. "Or Chief."

"Definitely loves Chief." Aislinn grinned wickedly.

Lydia put a sympathetic hand on Mike's bicep. "Don't listen to them, Mike. Please."

"And if you look at my mother in a certain way, dad flips."

"He's got these pills to take for his temper."

"Huge temper. We have a cage in our basement that we have to keep him in when his moods get out of control."

"They're scary," Matthew shuddered from dramatic effect. "Hasn't Lyddie told you?"

"Alright! That's enough!" Lydia screeched as she stomped towards her two mischievous siblings. "Are you guys trying to ruin my life?! Go away before I pummel you both into next year!"

"Oooh! Scared!" Matthew taunted, laughing at the thunderous look on her face. "Oh, come on, Lyds! We were only teasing!"

"It's not our fault if your boyfriend's really uptight," Aislinn remarked as she and Matthew made their way to the front door of the house. "Jay is chilled."

"Jay has put up with you for years so he's used to it! If you can't say anything nice to Mike then just fuck off out the way!"

"So telling mom," Matthew shook his head in mock dismay.

"Tell her." Lydia was now officially in stubborn mode. "See if I care."

Aislinn smirked again as Lydia fell back defeated against the side of Mike's car, covering her face with her hands. Feeling phase one of her mission was now complete, she guided Matthew to join her inside the house and closed the door behind them.

Mike let out a small growl in the direction of where Aislinn and Matthew had gone and turned to look at his girlfriend. "Babe, they're just obstacles. I don't care."

"I'm sorry," Lydia mumbled into her hand quietly. "They've always been annoying and I knew they'd do something hideous when they first met you, but I didn't think they'd be that evil."

Mike closed the distance between them, resting his hands on her hips. "They're not important. They aren't the ones that matter."

Lydia raised her eyebrows in confusion. "They aren't?"

Mike shook his head. "I'm not bothered about impressing your brother and sisters, Lyd. It's their jobs to be jerks and they certainly didn't disappoint there." At his words, Lydia groaned and buried her face back in her hands. Mike grasped a tight hold of her wrists and pulled her hands away harshly. "I'm more concerned about your mom and dad. If they like me - and I think they will - we can do anything, okay? They're the ones we need to break."

"Break?"

"You know, bond with. As a couple. I didn't believe the bullshit they were spouting off about your dad - he's always seemed a pretty cool guy to me."

He would when you're watching him play…Lydia thought. She knew there was some truth to Aislinn's words - her dad would be freaking out about all this; he'd even take his time in getting to know and like Mike the way she wanted him too. She was preparing herself for the long haul, making him see that what she had with Mike was real and that they were going to stick it out and prove everybody wrong. What worried her was that her boyfriend was contemplating a sudden father-son bonding scenario with her dad only seconds after introducing himself and shaking his hand.

"He is a cool guy," she answered honestly. "The best. But I don't think you should be getting your confidence so high so soon. He's gonna be really sceptical about us."

Mike's expression changed drastically. "Why?"

"I… you know…" she struggled for words. "The whole daughter starting dating thing… it's not comfortable for any dad and he'll have to adjust to this-"

"So make him adjust to it." Mike's tone was flat, almost demanding. "Maybe he wouldn't be so uptight if you had told him about us from the start."

"But, I--"

"Nothing. But fucking nothing, Lyd. I was so fucking offended when I found out you hadn't told them about us, but I gave you that chance to make up for it and you're still acting like he knows fuck all."

"Mike--"

"You need to tell him what a great thing we've got going on here. He needs to know so when it comes to this barbeque, he's gonna realise that I'm the best fucking thing to come into your life. I could be the son he never had - except your brother, of course."

Lydia gulped. "That, uh… may not be the best thing to say to him, you know? He had another son… I had another brother. He was older than me… my mom was pregnant a year or so before I was born and my brother died in the womb. It's kinda a sensitive subject and we don't talk about it much but when we do… it's kinda sad, you know? So saying that you could be the son he never had would upset him."

Mike breathed a sigh. "Whatever. I'll be the other-other son then. And I won't mention it - I'll just act it. Look, this barbeque can be absolutely amazing or it could be a total fucking disaster. Which would you rather it be?"

"Amazing, of course, but--"

"So to make it amazing, you have to start doing some damage control. Fuck knows what your brother and sister are saying about me in there… more to the point, what fucking Baylor has been telling them about me. You need to get in control of this, Lyds, because honestly, if you're going to keep on lying about this--"

"I'm not! I swear!" Lydia grasped a hold of his shirt tightly, desperation seeping through her as though he was going to leave any second. "I'll take care of it, I swear I will."

Mike softened his mood as he took hold of her jawline and tilted her head up slightly. "That's better." He smiled. "You look like you actually care about me there."

"I do." Lydia's bottom lip trembled and she wondered how she ever managed to fuck everything up already. Almost. "I do care and I'm sorry about before. And about not telling them. And--"

"Apologise by sorting," he smiled again, pecking her lips chastely. "I've got to head off, babe. Places to go, people to see."

Lydia bit her lip as he abruptly stepped away from her and casually walked around to the drivers side of his car. "Will you call me later?"

"If I remember." He winked at her and she smiled gently. "You'll be too busy sorting out this mess, right?"

"Right…"

Mike winked again and got into the car. "Say hi to the parents for me, babe." His music blasted out of the stereo, the car started up and suddenly he slammed on the accelerator, speeding away from her without a backward glance.

---

"Dad…" Aislinn poked her father's cheek as he lay fast asleep on the couch with her mother snuggled up beside him. "Dad, come on…"

"Earthquake!" Matthew declared, raising his arms in the air.

Gabriella stirred and buried her face further into Troy's neck to drown out the sounds that were trying to rouse her from her comfortable nap. Troy's eyelids fluttered and an irritated groan escaped his lips.

"That's not going to work," Aislinn rolled her eyes at Matthew dramatically. "You know they both slept right through the last major quake. The house could have collapsed and they wouldn't have known."

"Worth a shot." Matthew shrugged. "How about… FIRE!"

Troy groaned again and lifted the blanket he'd draped over Gabriella earlier up over their heads.

"See?" Aislinn gestured towards her now covered parents. "We could be getting barbequed here and they wouldn't even care."

"Child abuse."

"Definitely. I'm going to write a strongly-worded letter to the president about the lack of child support."

Matthew itched closer to where Aislinn was seated beside Troy and Gabriella's heads on the couch. Pulling the blanker back down to reveal their sleeping faces, Matthew poked his index finger on Troy's forehead again and again. "Dad, you promised me a quick game after school. It's now after school. Quick game time."

Nothing.

"I'll pitch first if you like."

"Mom, you said we could discuss getting a dog after school. It's after school. Discussing dog time."

As Matthew continued to poke Troy's forehead, Troy's hand drifted upwards and batted his sons hand away as though it was a fly buzzing irritably around his head. Matthew chuckled at the response and then moved to the bottom of the couch where their feet were tangled comfortably.

"I could tickle him…"

Aislinn's eyes widened. "No way! You know what happened the last time!"

"He wasn't that angry…"

"He threatened adoption."

"He didn't mean it…"

"Mattie! No!"

As little brothers often do when advised not to do something, they do it anyway, and Matthew smirked as he trailed his fingers up and down the length of Troy's foot, causing it to jiggle and kick up in the air before the grunts of his father came to life and Matthew deceased his actions before he really got into trouble.

"Hi, dad!" He grinned as Troy's eyes fluttered open, a confused expression furrowing his forehead. "Welcome back! Good sleep?"

"What…" Troy started before getting cut off with a yawn. Gabriella was shifting slightly, her sleep finally broken as she slowly but surely returned to consciousness. "I fell asleep?"

"Lazy bones," Aislinn chastised. "Both of you. I do have a schedule to keep. I need adequate time to nag you both for a dog before I do my homework and I've already wasted fifteen minutes trying to wake you up and get rid of the jerk outside."

Gabriella rubbed her eyes as the light blinded her. "Troy, what--?"

"Kids are home," he responded straight away, glaring at his son who was sitting there with an innocent expression on his face. "Mattie's first in line for a butt kicking contest."

"It was Ash's idea."

"Was not!"

Gabriella sat up, running her fingers through her matted hair. She hadn't realised just how tired she was until she'd come home and snuggled up to her husband. "What's going on?"

Aislinn sighed heavily. "I need to start nagging you both about the dog issue. We need one. A family home just isn't a home without a dog and you promised we'd talk about this later. Now is later."

"Ash," Gabriella smiled thinly. "Could you please just let me get myself sorted before we start this? I hadn't even discussed this idea with your father yet and by the look on his face, he doesn't look all too thrilled with the idea."

"Not entirely, no." Troy huffed.

Aislinn stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "Mattie and I just spent an unspeakable amount of time trying to get rid of the jerk-off out there that Lydia has decided she's seeing and this is the thanks we get? Jayden was right - he is a snake."

"Who?" Troy blinked, his eyes darting straight to the window. "What?!"

"Uptight Mike," Mattie grinned. "He hates me and Ash."

Gabriella's face fell. "Oh no. What did you both do?"

"Nothing too bad," Aislinn replied. "We were nice as pie to the moron. But that's what he is - thought you'd like to know. And as Mattie and I have already drawn up an accurate conclusion about the… what did you call him, Matt?"

"Douche bag."

"Ah, yeah. Douche bag. Since he's now an official douche bag as stated by Ash and Mattie law, we really don't need him at this barbeque, do we?"

Gabriella's face hardened. "Aislinn Bolton, for your sake, I really hope you're lying to me right now."

The front door opened and slammed shut and it was only seconds before Lydia entered the room, a hard glare on her features when she looked at her brother and sister. "Hey," she directed to her parents. Gabriella looked at her daughter sympathetically whilst Troy's face was blank. He still wasn't sure how to deal with the issue.

"Hey, sweetie," Gabriella smiled. "Did you not want to invite Mike in?"

Lydia narrowed her eyes at Aislinn and Matthew. "No. I'm scared of what these two cretins will say to him next."

"They won't." Gabriella's voice was firm and authoritive as she glared at her two younger children. "They're going to apologise to you and they're going to treat Mike with respect from now on. Aren't you both?"

"Sorry." Matthew mumbled as Troy discreetly nudged him with his foot to obey.

"Yeah, me too." Aislinn returned half-heartedly.

Lydia's expression didn't soften. "Your apologies mean squat to me. Thanks for almost ruining my relationship! Don't you think I have enough to deal with through this? Don't you think I'm nervous enough about this barbeque? Well, you've made it ten times worse… and for Mike too! If you can't be nice to him then I suggest you keep your stupid immature thoughts to yourselves!"

Lydia didn't give anyone a chance to respond. She briefly locked eyes with her father before turning on her heel and making her way out if the room and stomping up the stairs towards her bedroom. As soon as they heard her bedroom door slam shut behind her, Gabriella turned her soft eyes to Troy.

"Troy," she sighed. "I think it's time you had a talk with her."

Troy gulped. "A talk?"

"You know what I mean. I know it's hard for you but just think how all this is faring on her. You need to show an interest, make her see that you're rooting for her happiness and whatever and whoever that entails so that she's not beating herself up about this barbeque." Gabriella soothing rubbed his back as she spoke, encouraging him to set aside all his doubts and be there for his daughter.

Troy took in a deep breath and nodded numbly. "Yeah, okay, I'll go." He slowly entangled himself from his wife and stood up, obviously contemplating what he was going to say upon entering Lydia's bedroom.

As he left and Gabriella's heart practically melted, she allowed her posture to harden as she gazed over at Aislinn and Matthew. "As for you two," she narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Hell is going to seem like a holiday camp after the punishments I got in store for you both…"