A/N: Only one more chapter after this...and then we move on! This sets up some of the situations for what I'm tentatively calling the "New Wave" of Littles. The stories will be shorter, more episodic and focus on each age group of "next generation" Littles. David, Mikey and Eva get first billing, just chronologically, and then TJ, Steph, Aaron, Lizzie and Connie, and then Bella, Eddie, Gordon and Kevin. Anyway, that's the plan.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 55: Establishment

"Oh Tammy," Elena whispered looking at herself in the mirror in her wedding dress. "God, it's beautiful." Tammy smiled. It was, the dress was a gorgeous ivory satin, straight and clingy, classically elegant, with a long train behind it. With her hair in it's wild natural curls Elena looked like a goddess.

"I'm glad you like it," Tammy smiled. "I've the design in my head for years, I just wasn't sure."

"No, I love it," Elena whispered and then looked at her. "How many years?"

"Something like eight," Tammy laughed. Elena looked at her. "Don't look at me like that. Back in high school you and I were supposed to live parallel lives, of course I thought about your wedding."

"Right," Elena said softly. "God, do you remember the god awful double dates?" Tammy laughed.

"They were worse for me and Fulton, trust me," she said. "At least we managed to keep our hands off of each other in public." Elena laughed.

"We were exuberant," Elena said.

"You were horny," Tammy laughed. "Besides I focused on any reason to hate you, since you know, you were Julie's arch nemesis and spent so much time corrupting my little brother." Elena laughed and looked in the mirror. "Do you miss him?"

"No," Elena said. "I used to think I did, but I don't miss Dean, I miss my relationship with Dean. I miss the intensity of it. But I don't miss him, if I did I would have gotten back together with him, I've had the opportunity."

"That's true," Tammy said.

"Second thoughts?" Elena asked. Tammy looked at her. "About Fulton."

"No, no," Tammy shook her head. "Just wondering if you feel the same way." Elena nodded. "It does bug me, that I can't even really have him in my life, you know the way you are with Jimmy, or Julie is with Steve." She nodded. "What?"

"It wasn't first love," Elena said. Tammy smiled, "for any of us. I mean I thought I was in love with Jimmy, but I was 13, what did I know. The first time I was really in love was with Dean, and I can't deal with losing that, or thinking about losing it, so being around Dean is too hard." Tammy nodded. "I've though about this a lot in case you can't tell."

"I noticed," Tammy laughed.

"Tammy," Steve walked in, "we should get going."

"OK," Tammy smiled. "Bye Ellie."

"Bye," she smiled. "And thanks again."

"Sure," Tammy nodded. "See you around."

"Mommy?" Eva walked into Cassie and Rick's room. Cassie was sitting at a vanity, playing with her hair.

"Oh hey sweetheart," Cassie smiled. "What's up?"

"I found this," she said and put a small picture on the table. Cassie laughed, it was her and Rick at her debutante ball. "Is that you?"

"Yeah," Cassie nodded. "That's me and Daddy."

"At your wedding?" She said. Cassie laughed. "It looks like a wedding, you're wearing a wedding dress."

"No, this isn't our wedding." Cassie said. "This is um," she sighed. "You know how Grandma and Grandpa live in the big house."

"And we used to," Eva nodded. Cassie smiled.

"Right," Cassie said. "So people who live in big houses like that have traditions."

"Like Christmas?" Eva asked.

"Sort of," Cassie sighed. "This is from when I was a debutante." Eva looked at her. "It's when a group of girls get all dressed up and go to a dance and um," she sighed.

"Is this making you sad?" Eva asked. Cassie looked at her.

"A little," Cassie admitted. "I'm just trying to explain it to you. It's called a debutante ball or a cotillion and the point is to present girls so that they can get married."

"But I thought it was weird that you and Daddy got married when you did?" Eva said. Cassie laughed.

"Yes, it was, is," Cassie said. "But a long time ago it was normal to get married when you were younger." Eva nodded. "So we keep some traditions from then, like cotillions."

"I see," Eva nodded. "So, because we don't live in the big house, I won't have one?"

"Not necessarily," Cassie said. "Grandpa would be happy to take care of it if you wanted one. But it's not until you're sixteen, so you don't have to decide now."

"Did Aunt Kelly and Aunt Tammy have them too?" She asked.

"Aunt Kelly did," Cassie said. "Aunt Tammy didn't want to; it's not really her style." Eva laughed.

"I can see that," she said. "Would you be disappointed if I didn't want one?"

"Oh no, baby," Cassie laughed, "you could never disappoint me," she hugged her.

"What were you doing before?" Eva asked. Cassie looked at her. "Before I came in."

"Oh, I was just being silly," Cassie laughed. "Trying something new with my hair." Bella started fussing from the playpen. "It's time for Bella's bottle."

"I'll do it," Eva said, picking up her baby sister. "I'm sorry I haven't been helping more."

"That's OK angel," Cassie smiled. "Thank you," Eva nodded and carried Bella downstairs. TJ was sitting watching TV and itched his face.

"Why are you doing that?" He said seeing his big sister take a bottle out of the fridge.

"I'm helping," Eva said. "When Bella was sick Mommy got really sad, when she gets sad like that we help." TJ looked at her.

"Who's we?" He asked. "And Mommy's never been sad like that before."

"Sure she was," Eva said, "when you were a baby and Daddy was at lawyer school. And we is me and Grandpa and Grandma, and sometimes Uncle Tommy and Diane."

"Oh," he said, he scratched his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm all itchy," he said. She looked at him. "See?" He lifted his shirt and she saw the red spots.

"Don't do that!" She said. "You have to stay away from Bella." She walked upstairs. "Mommy, I think TJ's sick, he's itchy and he has spots."

"Oh God," Cassie sighed and put her head down on the table. "Keep Bella up here alright?"

"Alright," Eva said and sat down on the bed with the baby as Cassie ran downstairs. "No itchies for Bella," Eva giggled and tickled the baby who giggled too. "You're not so bad, you're better than Eddie, that's for sure, even if he is my godbrother. Baby sister totally beats godbrother."

Julie wandered downstairs stretching. She laughed seeing breakfast already on the table.

"You guys spoil me," she shook her head.

"This isn't for you," Mikey said. She looked at him. "It's for Steve and Tammy." She laughed and hugged him. "Happy Birthday Cat."

"Thanks little bro," she said. "Where's Jimmy?"

"He had to go to the hospital early," Stephanie said. "But since Aunt Jaime's here, it was OK to let you sleep."

"What?" Julie said.

"Surprise!" Jaime said walking out. Julie smiled and hugged her. "Oh God, baby, happy birthday."

"Thanks Mom," Julie whispered.

"So," Jaime said. "When are we going to the restaurant?"

"Aunt Jaime," Stephanie said. "Where's Uncle Josh?" Jaime smiled and Julie looked at her.

"Uncle Josh is coming later," Jaime explained. "He had to stay in LA last night, he and Casey had to meet with people about the premiere of the movie."

"Do we get to go to California for the movie?" Mikey asked.

"That's up to Julie I think," Jaime said cracking an egg for an omelet.

"Can we?" Stephanie asked.

"I think that Tell Me About The Girl is a little bit too grown up for you guys," Julie said. "But, I think we can all still go to California when Jimmy and I go out, and maybe we can go to Disneyland or the beach." She winked at Jaime.

"Cool," the kids said at the same time.

David walked in from school and dropped his backpack. Patrick was sitting in the living room and David handed him a piece of paper.

"What's this?" Patrick said.

"It's a permission slip," he said. Patrick looked at him. "I need you to sign it so I can join the hockey team."

"Oh," Patrick said. "Right yeah," David nodded as he signed it. "Sorry, I guess I'm still not good at that part."

"It's OK," David shrugged, "it's just there's a game on Saturday so…"

"Sure," Patrick said. "Do you want me to go?"

"It's not really your thing," David mumbled, "I get that, so if you don't want to." Patrick looked at him.

"Kid, if you want me there, I want to be there," he said. David smiled. "Did Mom and Kevin go to your games?"

"When they could," he nodded. "If they couldn't then Tanya or Fulton or Dean would."

"Then I'll be there," Patrick said.

"Cool, thanks," David nodded. "Sorry I was late coming home."

"You were," Patrick started, "I mean, yeah, that was bad, don't do that again."

"I was practicing," David explained, "I probably will every Wednesday."

"For hockey," Patrick nodded. "Right."

"No, uh," David said. "We don't have a piano yet, and the one at school is really good, way better than the one at Mom's house."

"You're still playing?" Patrick said. "Dude, I stopped giving you lessons a year ago!"

"I know," David shrugged, "but I like it, and I'm good at it, so I want to keep playing." Patrick smiled and put his arm around him.

"So you did get something besides the blond hair from me, huh?" He smiled.

Please review and let me know what you think of the idea for the "new wave" series.