It's still Thanksgiving day. Can the PVites rediscover the Thanksgiving spirit and perhaps take a few more steps toward reclaiming the spirit of PV itself?

Time will tell...

####

It wasn't exactly one of the Thanksgiving celebrations captured on their small TV, but it looked nice enough: tables covered with plates and dinnerware, clusters of people, the tell-tale smell of cooking turkey…there were even fancy tablecloths, candlesticks, and employees clad in suits. One of said employees was currently squirming underneath the glare of the woman who looked like she'd just stepped fully dressed from the pages of Business Weekly.

A boy who was casting nervous glances at two older gentlemen talking behind him ushered them over excitedly. Reggie shrugged and led them away from the poor maitre'd.

When they reached the table, the boy nervously adjusted his glasses and pulled out a seat. They collectively winced at the subsequent loud screech on the floor.

"I guess we're family now, sort of," he said.

"My father is married to your sister, so we are stepfamily," Lily elaborated before taking the offered seat.

The boy was still looking down at her with an enthusiastic grin when Greenlee coughed rather loudly. This shook their new host from his daze and he stumbled over a table leg to offer Greenlee her own seat.

"Why thank you, Pete." Greenlee smiled innocently.

He moved back towards Lily, but stopped under the watchful eye of Reggie.

"Oh, you haven't met," Greenlee observed, popping a bite of roll into her mouth. "This is Reggie, Lily's brother," she added with another smile.

Pete stuck his hand out, and she wanted to reach out in turn and wipe the sweat from the poor kid's palm.

"Pleased to greet…I mean meet you."

Reggie divided his attention between the fidgeting boy in front of him and Lily, who was now faithfully arranging her silverware. Finally, he accepted the handshake and ended it just as quickly. "Likewise."

"And this is Yasmin," Greenlee chimed in again, motioning to her now. "Reggie's wife."

She accepted the handshake with what she hoped was a little more warmth than her overprotective husband. "It's very nice to make your acquaintance, Pete."

A somewhat bumpy if not interesting start to her first Thanksgiving, and her first day in Pine Valley, but all in all, not too bad. Obviously Reggie was just exaggerating about…

It all seemed to happen at once, as if the forces of Thanksgivings past were converging to remind certain people about the dangers of assumption.

Reggie's dad and his stepmother joined them, finally liberating the maitre'd, who could be seen slinking away in the background. Greenlee promptly greeted her stepmother by offering a well-meaning observation on the latter's wardrobe choice. A sudden cracking snap resulted in Pete's disappearance from the festivities. Lily was currently studying the floor and offered another blunt observation: "Your chair broke."

Her husband, meanwhile, had disappeared himself. When she followed her new father-in-law's surprised gaze, she knew the reason why. Currently engaged in another spirited exchange with the maitre'd was the woman who she felt she knew already, and not just from the magazine covers and glamorous interviews. She watched as Reggie threw his arms around Erica Kane.

When a grape subsequently flew into her drink, she raised an eyebrow.

When the neighboring table crashed into their own, along with the two white-haired men who had been talking just minutes before, she managed to rescue the drink.

When she looked over the two brawling figures, Greenlee had raised her own glass in a toast.

"Welcome to your first Pine Valley Thanksgiving."

Yasmin could only raise her glass in return.

####

It wasn't a postcard, but it was here. It was with the small body currently tucked behind a chair, neatly hidden from the other small body that was examining the tiny kid-sized space between the couch and the wall. Almost-matching faces, but a freckle here and wispy strand of hair there. Just enough to make them different.

It was with the tired face that somehow managed a genuine smile when a different small whirlwind toddled up, marker-stamped picture in hand. She knew that smile well. It was the unmistakable smile of a mother.

The spirit of the holiday was here.

Natalia wanted nothing more than for the lightness and happiness filling this place to reach for the boy sitting in the shadows…the boy who just might have the answers.

Brot took in the surroundings. His expression told her that he had exactly the same thoughts.

The slight tremor in her arm – almost natural by now – diminished just a bit more when a warm hand slipped into her own. She squeezed, feeling the still-stiff muscles of his arm relax. They would always be each other's favorite form of therapy.

"We'll go to Bianca's office and make sure it's okay to talk to him. And I'd like to volunteer for the dinner too, if you're okay with that. I can't think of a better group of people to spend Thanksgiving with."

"Absolutely," she said. And that was all they needed. In some ways, her still-persistent speech difficulties had taught them just how much meaning could be packed into one simple word.

They might not be able to offer much in the way of assistance, A TBI case study and a cop recovering from a bullet in the back weren't exactly prime volunteer candidates, but maybe, just maybe they could relate to the center's occupants on a more fundamental level.

After dropping a sleeping little Angie off at the daycare unit for a short stay, Frankie, Randi, and her father – because they were all determined, one way or another, to spend this holiday together – joined them at the door of the main office.

All that was missing was the swivel chair as David Hayward greeted them with a smile.

He strode around the desk, and Natalia found herself checking the cop impulse to search the desk's drawers for any missing valuables…or bloody letter openers.

David scanned a file before closing it, the smile never leaving his face. "I know, you must feel like you've stumbled down the rabbit hole. David Hayward doing charitable work."

"We've heard at the hospital that you're working here now," Frankie said.

Her brother, ever the diplomat.

David's grin only spread. "I see the esteemed nurses of Pine Valley Hospital are still keeping the rumor mill churning, and with their favorite subject, too. Good to know I'm missed." The lack of a reply didn't hinder him. "As you can see, Bianca is out of the office at the moment, and she was kind – and smart – enough to turn over the reins to me."

Natalia observed her companions to see who would be the first to offer their insight about the inmates running the asylum. The inmate himself supplied the retort, with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

"How may I help you?" he finally asked, and she wondered if the word 'may ' had crossed his lips for perhaps the first time in his life.

"We'd like to volunteer," Randi said.

David nodded but didn't move. He was waiting for the rest.

Brot supplied it. "The boy that you took in from the drug lab accident…we'd like to talk with him."

The nod quickly transformed into a headshake. "Not a good idea. I've examined him, and while physically he's fine…"

"Look, I'm not going to do anything that makes him uncomfortable or scared. I know how that feels. We went through that experience together, so maybe I can help him."

"Maybe we all can," Natalia added.

David mulled it over. She was prepared for the 'no',' and subsequently prepared to arm herself with all the short but well-placed words she'd need.

"Okay," he said. "And there are a few spare aprons over there. I'm sure the nice one with the flowers will look particularly fetching on you, Hubbard."

Her father did step forward at that remark and extended his hand. To her surprise, though, the fingers weren't curled into a fist. In fact, if she didn't know better, she might even say her father's hand was prepared for a handshake.

"You're a large part of why Angela could fully experience her life again before -" He faltered, but his hand remained steady. "Thank you, Doctor."

David Hayward had likely spent a lifetime mastering every facial expression in the book, carefully picking and choosing which mask to bring forth at will. Natalia, however, saw no mask. It seemed her father had achieved the near-impossible and caught the not-so-esteemed doctor in a rare unguarded moment. The face she saw before her now reflected the shock that was likely similarly etched on each of the occupants in the room. That shock, however, was temporarily but unmistakably overpowered by something else. Some might even be crazy enough to say that Hayward was…touched.

Without a word and without breaking eye contact, the two men simply joined hands.

David broke the handshake first, clearing his throat. "I'll have to leave soon, as I have plans myself." His grin was mostly Don't look so shocked with an undercurrent of something Natalia couldn't quite identify. "I will be sure to inform the rest of the staff of your visit with Gavin, so you won't have any problems."

Before they prepared to leave, Natalia noticed her sister-in-law standing a few feet away, her eyes fixed on a desktop photograph. "Randi, is everything alright?" she asked.

Everyone's attention diverted to the other woman who looked up, startled. Truthfully, Natalia wasn't sure if the reaction resulted from being the sudden and unexpected center of attention or from whatever had so occupied Randi's focus.

"I was just…looking at this picture. It's quite beautiful, and everyone looks so -"

"Well, they ought to look good," David intruded in his usual charming manner. "Only the best for Erica Kane's, what was it, 11th or 12th wedding?"

Randi's full attention returned to the picture. "I…don't recognize everyone. Who are these two?"

Big sis was definitely going to have to brush up on her detective skills.

David simply snarked, "Those are Montgomery's two rent-a-kids, Lily and Reggie."

Randi recovered well, but Natalia's own detective skills had not totally abandoned her. She made a mental note to work on the latest family mystery later.

For now, however, David ushered them out the door, providing some ground rules for their talk with the boy.

As they collectively moved down the hall, her father turned back briefly. "And Hayward, just so you know, you're still not on my Christmas card list."

The grin never left David's face as he shook his head. "I wouldn't dream of it."

####

Everyone seemed strangely unconcerned about the two old geezers currently chest-puffing in the corner of the room. That was, until one of Opal's trademark Thanksgiving hats became the first victim, sending a flurry of fruits sailing in every direction. When a wayward grape rolled to her foot, she picked it up.

Five second rule, and not bad. Kendall had a feeling it might be the only meal she'd be getting today.

But hey, at least the table was - spoke too soon. Right around the time Reggie came bounding up to their rag-tag little group, distracting her mother from her "I am Erica Kane" speech, she signaled to Zach. With the trademark Zach Slater smirk playing at the edges of his lips, he ushered the boys out. Not before her youngest managed to get a peek over his shoulder at the festivities, though.

"But I wanna stay and watch," a tiny voice could be heard proclaiming from the hallway, quickly followed by a slightly older but no less enthusiastic, "Yeah, this is better than hockey."

A little torn about which spectacle to watch herself, Kendall opted for the closest one.

"Erica, it's so awesome to finally see you."

Her mother pulled back, but kept firm hold of Reggie's hands. "And look at you!' she said, patting her former stepson's mostly shaved head. "You're taking on the Erica Kane look, I see. You look so…gentlemanly."

Reggie straightened his jacket with exaggerated aplomb. "Yeah, I'm a real live grown-up now."

"Who isn't ruining anymore fine china, I hope."

They all took in the free-for-all behind them. Caleb currently appeared to have the upper hand, and their maitre'd had found himself roped into the unfortunate role of referee. A tie was the next souvenir to land at their feet.

"Well, I don't think we'll be worrying about plates for a while," he observed before sidling up beside Kendall. "Hey, Gumby, been a while."

In the absence of a quick retort, she only said, "Get over here, you," and pulled the kid who'd been a brother to her into another Kane hug.

"Hey, I'm feeling left out."

Greenlee, with her usual impeccable timing, had sauntered into the fuzzy family moment. And in the tradition of time-honored fuzzy moments, Reggie answered his sister's request for inclusion with a vigorous head-rub.

"Hey, hey, watch the hair, squirt."

"Who are you calling squirt, shortstuff?"

"You."

"Just making sure."

Greenlee took her place beside the unusual extended family and observed the proceedings. "What do you think the odds are that she gets hit by a flying plate? Accidently, of course." She motioned to the woman who was currently trying and failing, along with her husband, to play mediator.

"Stepmommy issues, Greenlee?" Kendall cracked.

"It should've been –" Reggie stopped himself, which wasn't really necessary. Her mother was a million miles away, or at least a few feet across the room.

It was one of the rare times when the treatments actually didn't prevent her from enjoying a meal and she'd insisted on having the dinner here, in a sign of Kane empowerment. Now, although entertaining, Kendall was questioning the wiseness of that decision. Of course, wise was one word that had likely vanished from the Kane vocabulary the moment her grandmother died.

"We should be a family," Reggie finished quietly but firmly.

"We are," Kendall said, putting an arm around him.

"Speaking of family, where's Bianca? I haven't talked to her much in the past year."

Join the club. Kendall kept that particular remark to herself. "She's picking up the munchkin and the rugrat from the airport."

Reggie shook his head. "I haven't even met Gabrielle, and I haven't seen Miranda since she was a baby. She's probably just as sweet as ever, though."

"Oh, she's the spitting image."

"Of Bianca? I knew it."

Kendall and Greenlee exchanged a look and a grin before their eyes settled on Erica. "Yeah, you'll see for yourself soon enough."

"And Ryan?"

This time, the look between the two was decidedly less light.

"He had a previous engagement," Greenlee said, and left it at that.

But Reggie's mind was already elsewhere. "There's someone I want you to meet."

He had a reluctant Kane in each hand now.

The last thing Kendall remembered was getting closer to the battleground….to hesitant smiles mixed with enraged shouts of "My son!"…

And then the turkey took her out.

#

Her return to the land of the living some time later was marked by an annoying fly swatting at her head, so she swatted in kind.

"Ow!"

As her eyes focused, she was greeted with the image of Greenlee rubbing her head. "See what being a good Samaritan does for you."

Spike's infectious grin appeared behind her, and the ache in Kendall's head immediately cleared.

She finally raised up. "What happened?"

She was flanked by Greenlee on her left and a smiling Zach and Ian on her right.

"Let's just say our tables are pretty much kaput, except this one."

Gazing down the long table, her eyes widened.

Further up were, in short order, her mother, Reggie, a girl she didn't know (she hoped to hell she didn't have a semi-bout of amnesia, which caught like a cold in this town), Jack, Nina, Lily, and Pete. Then there was Caleb with one of Opal's orange napkins – and the orange-haired woman herself – dabbing at his lip. Oh, but their merry little group did not end there. Heading the other end of the table was the guy she once tried to murder along with the man she'd been on trial for murdering. They were joined, of course, by the woman who'd once tried to shoot her and her mother's worst enemy. To top it off, Adam Chandler had a piece of raw steak over his eye.

Greenlee leaned over and whispered, "They agreed to let us stay - in the spirit of the holiday - on one condition. Well, two: somebody's gotta pay for this mess, after all. But at least we didn't start it this time."

Well, she had to hand it to Miss Brightside.

Despite everything, Kendall's rumbling stomach was her biggest concern right now, so when the waiters arrived armed with a nice big covered dish, her taste buds practically called out for the turkey. Luckily, they were beginning on her side of the table. She rubbed her hands together in anticipation and smiled at the waiter as he served her a nice, fat…leg of fried chicken.

She looked over to her husband. Surely he could put some of his ever-famous men on it.

He only shrugged. "The turkey met an unfortunate end after bouncing off your head, dear."

Her mouth was still open when he took her hand and their son's hand, linking a chain that continued around the table: Jack was joined to both her mother and his wife…Lily had touched fingertips with Reggie and Pete Cortlandt…Opal faithfully grasped her son's other hand along with that of trouble-maker #1, Caleb who – and she didn't think her mouth could open any wider – was ever-so-lightly but unmistakably brushing the hand of trouble-maker #2, Adam Chandler….and so it continued until Greenlee leaned over again and whispered, "Time to make good on that condition."

The now-composed maitre'd stood at the table's forefront, hands folded, and she prepared herself for massive chaos, or at least the declaration that they were all banned from the PV Inn for life now. When their singing waiter warbled out the first note, she almost laughed. When one by one, the rest of their table joined in, she almost reached for the non-existent earplugs.

Instead, she simply threw her hands up, offered a What the Hell, and joined in just in time for the chorus of Kumbaya.

####

He tore open the bag like a kid on Christmas eve. After unwrapping the tinfoil, he looked up with scowl. "A turkey sandwich? Really, bro? You couldn't even swing for a piece of pumpkin pie?"

David tossed his own paper bag onto the table. "Hey, the holiday's all about bringing families together, right?" He smirked at his brother. "We've got that part set, so sit." He waved at the melting hunk of wax adorning the table's middle. "Look, I even provided candlelight."

Leo, despite his protests, was already digging into the offending sandwich, finishing off half the meal in two bites.

David shook his head and sat down. "Manners, dear brother. And what about giving thanks?"

This brought out a guffaw followed by a sputtering cough. Leo wiped his mouth, still chuckling. "I'm sorry, but is David Hayward actually suggesting that we pray?" He settled back. "Wow, I really have been away too long."

David folded his arms. "Are you done yet?"

Leo held his hands up before promptly folding them. "OK, I'm sorry." He cleared his throat and closed his eyes. "Good God, let's eat." He cocked one eye open. "How was that?"

Try as he might to keep the stern look going, David couldn't quite manage. "Oh, just perfect," he said before picking up his own Thanksgiving meal.

"While we're on the subject of family, she…uh….she hasn't come back on the radar yet."

The sandwich was so close to his lips that he could practically taste the stale bread already. He dropped it with a sigh. "You know, Dixie Martin once asked me the identity of my latest mystery patient . I told her that she, that everybody would be better off not knowing. I think that everybody includes you and me. To this day, I don't know why I did it."

Leo had seemingly lost his own voracious appetite. "She's family," he said. "Believe me, I know how powerful a motivator that can be."

"Yeah, I guess you do." David tried to find the right words. It was the honest moments he was never good at. Perhaps that was why he had so few of them. "I never regretted finding you, not for a minute."

Leo smiled faintly, but it was enough. A couple of cons with communication issues, who knew?

"I've got to keep looking," he said. "Until we get this thing under control, no one's safe."

The way his brother lingered on that no one et off a warning bell. "Any particular 'no one' in mind, Leo? I thought we agreed that your little reunion in that room would be the last."

Leo scratched his head. Also not a good sign. For a former con, his brother had a surprising number of 'tells.' "She still think that was a dream?"

"A drug-induced illusion," he clarified. "And I thought you wanted it to stay that way."

Now he couldn't even look David in the eye. The mostly-eaten sandwich was somehow the most fascinating object in the room now. "I did," he muttered. "I do. As long as she's happy with him, and as long as she's safe. But when I saw her at the memorial -"

"What?!"

At least his brother had the good sense to look shamed. "It was just for a minute, okay? I…I wanted to pay my respects to your daughter, my niece, even if I never knew her. I never got the chance with Babe or with…with my namesake."

This revelation brought David an unexpected jolt of pain, but it also validated why he could never stay angry with his brother for long. "That's…I understand and thank you."

Leo only nodded, and the two fell into a short silence, each perhaps temporarily lost in their losses.

"It was a beautiful memorial," Leo finally said.

It was David's turn to look away. "I'm sure it was. I just…I've been to more memorials in my life than weddings or christenings. I couldn't do it again." He rubbed his temples, trying to force the focus back. "You were saying, about Greenlee?"

"Don't get mad…" he began. Never a promising opening. "I think she saw me."

Before David could forget all about his uncharacteristically forgiving nature today, Leo rushed on. "But I don't think she recognized me. I was able to get out of there before she caught up. And I also may have dropped a handkerchief, but don't freak out about that either. I came back later. I had to get it back because she gave it to me as a sign of how we'd be together in Paris one day and living the high life. And I'm babbling I know but the short of it is that it was still there on the table so she must not have seen it or recognized me."

His brother had to pause for a breath then, but he still was very much the little boy waiting to be scolded for dropping the vase.

David only sighed again and slouched back in his chair. "It's okay. I, better than anyone, understand the pull she has."

"And we're going to have to have a long discussion about that one day." This time, there was nothing little boy in the tone. "She just looked sad, David." The tone softened considerably and lost its sarcastic edge. It was a tone he knew his brother reserved only for a select few.

"Well, it was a memorial, Leo. Sad is to be expected."

"Lost," Leo corrected then, without hesitation. "I just—"

"Don't finish that thought," David said, rising from the seat before this could progress any further. "But do finish your dinner. I've got another stop to make."

Leo watched curiously as he picked up a third paper bag.

"Didn't know we were having another guest."

David secured the bag underneath his coat. "We're not. We're the guests this time."

####

Jesse and Brot had spent at least a half-hour alternating between every tactic imaginable, all to no avail. Frankie and Randi had long since assumed serving duties. The boy obviously did recognize Brot, which was promising since both her father and fiancé hoped the boy could likewise remember the identity of the man who'd taken the injured individuals to the hospital after the explosion. Brot's memory of the details immediately preceding the accident was virtually non-existent, but the boy seemed to be another story. More than a few times, Brot appeared to be reaching him, but he would always inevitably withdraw back into his silence. They still didn't even know if he was the child of one of the men killed in the explosion. If that was the case, it would certainly explain his hesitance.

Natalia had an idea. When she caught Brot's attention, she silently gestured to the serving table. His brows creased, then raised almost as quickly. He gave his own slight imperceptible nod. The wordless exchange was enough, as it usually proved to be.

She walked to the table with only slight difficulty. The next step, however, would be a greater challenge. Concentrating on the serving spoon, she placed her palm on the handle and quietly recited the mantra the therapy had ingrained in her.

When she saw a pair of smaller hands appear from the corner of her eye, she looked down and smiled. The boy gazed up at her with unabashed curiosity.

"When it gets too hark….hard, a pair of helping hands always makes it better. Can you help me?"

Small fingers grasped the ladle, and together they served their first Thanksgiving meal. For the next hour, they would serve many more, minus questions, pressure, and obligations.

The Hubbard family Thanksgiving mission was reborn in the form of one smiling little boy.

####

David scanned the dark surroundings before they entered the facility.

Leo whistled. "Back into Frankenstein's lab. This brings back memories."

"It's the third door on the left,' David said, ushering his brother along.

"Another patient?" Leo asked.

David took a moment before responding. "I'd like to think of her as a friend. And don't laugh this time," he added.

Leo shook his head. "Saving someone's life has a way of endearing you to someone…along with your winning personality, I'm sure." He hesitated. "As long as you're not-"

"Imprisoning her?" David finished what his brother couldn't or wouldn't. "No, brother. She's another you. Here by request."

They opened the door and entered. David put a finger to his lips. "She's still sleeping. Her fever finally broke last night, but it knocked her out for a while."

Leo moved closer, standing over the sleeping form. "I—she's from the memorial…the pictures." His widened eyes illuminated the dark room. "Bro, what have you done?"

"Simple." David put the bag away and joined his brother at the bedside of Angie Hubbard. "I saved her life."