DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own the plot.

"Could you repeat that Casey? He wants to come home?" Nora requested. He's getting out? Nicky's getting out? she thought to herself.

"What happened?" Lizzie wondered.

"Uh, he and Dad had a fight; he wants to come live with us. Says he can't stand it there anymore," Casey stated. Nora looked to George, who nodded his consent.

"That's fine, honey," Nora told her. Casey squealed in excitement.

"Uh, wait. We don't have any room, and he's not sharing mine," Derek interjected.

"I don't mind sharing. Heck, I already share with Casey. It'll be no big deal," Lizzie assured.

"That sounds crowded," Marti noted.

"Just a little. But hey, if it means we get Nicky back…I'm all for it," Lizzie stated.

"When can we expect him?" George questioned. Derek, Edwin, and Marti turned to their father in confused shock. Why was he acting so calm?

"Uh, shouldn't somebody call their father?" Derek wondered.

"So, when does he say he's coming?" Lizzie questioned, ignoring the older boy.

"Two weeks," Casey answered. The girls squealed in excitement and their stepbrothers rolled their eyes. Women. Nora watched her daughters with a small smile. They looked so happy. Casey especially. She had been so lost without her twin. Two weeks later, Nora, Lizzie, Derek, and Casey went to the prison that Nick had been sent to while George watched Edwin and Marti. Instead of Nick rooming with Casey and Lizzie as had been suggested, Lizzie was moving from their room into Edwin's, something that both kids were perfectly comfortable with. At home, George enlisted Marti and Edwin in helping him make sure the house was relatively clean. In the car, Derek stared at the window, ignoring the others. Suddenly, he noticed a sign as they whizzed by it.

"Prison? We're going to a prison?" he asked in surprise.

"Yeah, Nicky got into a little bit of trouble," Casey responded. "He didn't want me catchin' any flack, so he concocted the story of him stayin' with Dad," she continued. Derek stared in surprise at the casual use of the English language coming from his stepsister. Minutes later, they were finally there. Outside, Casey could hardly stand still. After all this time, she was finally getting to be with her twin again.

"Look. There he is," Lizzie said. The MacDonald clan turned around to stare in the direction the younger girl had pointed in.

"Casey!"

"Nick!" The two ran towards each other and wrapped the other in a tight hug.

"Oh, Nick. I missed you."

"Missed you too, GT." Then, Casey helped Nick carry his stuff to the car.

"We bought you some stuff---new clothes and things. I hope that was all right."

"That sounds great, Mom." Several minutes later, they were back.

"We're home!" Casey called as she and the rest of her family walked in. George, Edwin, and Marti turned to stare at them.

"Nick, it's good to meet you," George said.

"Thank you, Sir," Nick responded as they firmly shook hands.

"This is Edwin and Marti, and that's Derek," George introduced.

"Hey, nice to meet you," Nick said, bending down so that he was eye-level with Marti.

"What's that?" the girl wondered, pointing to his right arm. The boy looked down to see some of a tattoo sticking out.

"Sorry. Thought I covered that all the way," he apologized, pulling his shirtsleeve down further. Then, "Where am I being placed?"

"With me," Casey responded.

"Cool," Nick grinned. Then, "I really appreciate this, Mom. Thank you."

"It's not a problem, Nick. I told you that when you got out, you had a home with us, and I mean it," Nora responded. Nick nodded. This is gonna work. I'm gonna make it work, he thought to himself.

"So, you got a new tat, huh? What's this one of?" Casey questioned.

"I'll show you later," Nick said.

"You better," Casey insisted.

"You were safe, weren't you?" Nora queried.

"Yes, Mom. We were safe," Nick promised. Went better than I thought it would, he thought to himself.

"Come on. Let's get you settled in," Casey said. He followed her upstairs and down the hall. Casey walked into the room.

"Sorry about the girlie-ness. I took a lot of my stuff down, but you know me," she apologized.

"It's fine. I can always chuck it out the window," he stated teasingly.

"You little creep," she accused playfully. They laughed. "So then, the tat?" she prompted. With a laugh, the boy rolled up his right shirtsleeve to reveal on his shoulder a silver dagger with the initials GT and ET on the hilt.

"Cool," she stated.

"Yeah, I thought you'd like that," he commented. Then, they began to unpack the rest of his stuff.