Because the last chapter was so crappie, I posted this uber long one. I was recently at my cottage so I was struck with insperation. Enjoy!


I let Fang drive again, only because he had to breathe the air first. I still feel sorry for him.

A/N: This is only yet another epic battle between your favorite characters in this story; Lexie and Jack. And so continues the battle that ended in the supermarket. Only this time Lexie is not dead and she miraculously came back to life and now Jack is sad because his murder was unsuccessful, but that is to bad for him because he doesn't matter anyways. So, now they have left the market and are at the dog park where Lexie is going to attempt to get a dog to eat Jack alive. She trained the dog and now Jack has been beat up by it and he has lost all of his dignity and his self-esteem. P.s. Jack was not involved in the making of this battle so that is why he lost this one. P.P.S. Jack has not died yet just so that the battles can further continue for your reading pleasures. Ok jack is in the battle now so jack is off to catch the wild beast called the Lexie so that he can kill her and hang her head on the wall beside the deer and moose heads ahha

We drove around the lake and Ella pointed out some of the landmarks, like the bridge and the landing. When we got back to the cottage, on our side of the island, we parked our sleds in a straight horizontal line. As I stepped back, it looked so bad ass, the new sleds sparkling in the sun with the smell of burnt snowmobile oil in the air. The snow was a pure white that floated in drifts across the lake with the wind. You could see little huts sitting in the middle of the lake, just sitting there. I was going to have to ask my mom about those later. They could potentially Eraser huts…hey, you never know.

The kids were taking the supplies up the steps and on to the island. I grabbed a few bags and followed Nudge into the cottage. The cottage was warmer then when we first got here, but you could still see your breath if you breathed hard enough. There were space heaters everywhere that were glowing red with heat, and the oven was on and open. The ceiling fans were spinning slowly, pushing the rising heat back down to us. I closed the door behind me after making sure that no one was still coming up.

We all took off our mitts and started unloading everything. This means you found a cupboard, claimed it as your own and shoved all of your food that was non-perishable in it. The rest went in designated places in the fridge. There was no bickering over food in this cottage. At least not this time.

I called a top cupboard with Fang and Iggy beside mine, and shoved my marshmallows and gummy bears into the very back. Nobody knew about them, so nobody was going to find them. The rest of my food was put away and I went back into the living room. It was warmer in here and mom needed the room in the kitchen to make lunch.

Taking my coat off, I draped it over a chair, but I was too chicken to take the pants off. I could still see my breath. Fang walked silently in, despite the snow pants. He sat beside me, taking my frozen hand into mine and tried to warm it up with friction. I laughed when he became for frustrated with my non responsive hands and rubbed faster. Eventually he gave up and held both of my hands in his.

The rest of the flock trailed in, talking about what they were going to do, even though they didn't even know what we could do here. Ella came in with them with her announcers face on. That meant a loooong speech.

"Alright guys," she started as everyone was seated looking to her in interest. "There are plenty of things to do on Pirate Island, and around it during the winter. I will be my personal mission to make sure that none of you are bored for even a second. So, as you already experienced the thrill of snowmobiling, we will be going on the trails tonight for a midnight run, and then tomorrow during the day, both trips with the other families." The kids whispered in excitement. I was looking forward to the trail, but not who we had to travel with. "David and the kids cleared the ice and installed the pump so now, we have a skating rink." There was more excited whispering among the smaller ones. "You all brought your skates so that will be fun. The rink is flooded every night and then freezes, making the surface smooth again. We have the PS 2 and the Nintendo 64 up here since we need something to do inside. Tomorrow, we will bring out the toboggans and go for a run on Snake Hill. How does that sound?"

We all cheered. Even Fang smiled. There was nothing like the thrill of tipping head over heels at high speeds with nothing but a magic carpet to stop you. And with the flock, we just flew up the hill when we're done, no tiring climbing required.

"Alright, now throw on your boots and we'll all head over to the other cottages and introduce yourselves. They are really nice and great neighbors so don't eat them or anything." She gave a warning look at me and Fang. Yeah, because we always eat the neighbors. We are on high alert throughout the family.

With a groan I got up from my warm spot on the couch. After getting our boots on, we went through the back door and just walked into the cottage next door. There was a teen at the stove, oven mitts on her hands, peering into the oven. She looked over at Ella as we all came in.

"Ella!"

"Elle!"

They ran to each other to give hugs and we all just stood there. Ella pulled back and smiled.

"Alright, guys this is Elle. Her family lives in this cottage."

"I'm 14! And freaking darn proud of it!" She turned back to the stove.

She started weaving us though the mess of furniture and just junk. We took off our boots again, thankful for fuzzy socks, and followed her to a living room. There was a man that was balding in an easy chair reading a think book about war. He was skinny, but fit and had his blackberry sitting on the armrest of the chair. He looked up and smiled at us in the doorway.

"I'm Dan. The father of this cottage."

There were three other girls lounging around the room on various surfaces. One was on the floor, staring up at the TV where she played Grand Theft Auto IV. When she heard her dad, she paused the game to introduce herself.

"I'm Marnina. Everyone calls me Neen. 21, turning 22 in April." She smiled in her scarf and toque with the slippers and snow pants to match. She turned back to the game where I heard gunfire and screams. Blinking the memories away, I saw another girl on the couch sleeping with a book about to fall out of her hands. She was still in her ski jacket. There was another girl in front of a fireplace, playing her dark blue DS.

"I'm Amanda. I'm 25, and that's Jess over there. Unbelievably, she's 24, but she acts like a two year old. " She said nodding to the girl on the couch. She picked up splinter of wood and threw at her. Jess woke up with a snort.

"A-man, I hate you."She let the book fall and turned over to fall back asleep.

"Wake up you lazy bum, you woke up at 12 today." Amanda walked over and picked up Jess' book. Weighing it in her hand, she dropped it on her face.

"Go away! I can't even sleep here without Neen and her gunfire going off making me dream of mobs and then stupid people throwing books at me. Get lost!"

"Ladies." The dad cut in and gave a pointed look at Amanda. She just sighed and sat on Jess. Jess hollered and started thrashing underneath her, a string of profanities coming through her mouth.

"Just ignore them, they are always bickering. I suppose that's what sisters do." He just shrugged. "Come on over anytime, we are usually just lying around the cottage." He smiled and went back to his book.

"Dad," Neen had paused her game again. "Forget something?" She asked, encouraging him with her eyes. He looked at her for a second, and then the light bulb went off.

"Right! What are all your names? I'll never remember, but it's still nice to have them in my head somewhere."

"I'm Max."

"Fang."

"Iggy."

"Nudge."

"Gazzy."

"Angel."

"Elle!"

Elle came around us and sat on the floor beside Neen. Her dad gave her a dry look before nodding at us.

"Like I said, come on over anytime, even if it's just to steal our games." Another smile and his head dropped back to his book.

"Um, is your oven supposed to have black smoke coming out of it?" Elle's eyes widened and she jumped up and sprinted to the kitchen.

"AHHHH!" It was a very many yell, but all the same, she grabbed the oven mitts off the counter, and pulled out a smoking cookie sheet. The smoke alarm went off and the smell of it was heavy in the air.

"Elle, how many times have I told you to put the timer on the cookies? There are very few steps to make the Pillsbury cookies. You put them on a sheet. Put in the oven. Wait, take it out. What the hell is wrong with you?" Amanda was walking in, still talking to her.

There was an excited light in my eyes when I realized that I wasn't the only person that could screw up those cookies. I looked at the blackened tray with awe, trying to compress a smile that was growing on my lips.

Elle was blushing in the corner as Amanda climbed up on the table and hung off of the drapes to get the broomstick handle high enough to hit the button on the smoke alarm. I pulled away from the group and gave her a powerful hug.

"I always knew that there was somebody else out there." I said with a smile as I pulled back.

Amanda started laughing and the rest of family joined in. Elle laughed along, still not sure of what happened.

"Alright, before the two try to cook some toast, can we move onto the next house?" Iggy asked, slightly annoyed.

I laughed again and moved to the door to get my boots on along with everyone else.

Once outside, Ella took the lead and started talking as we made our way to the next cottage.

"The sisters are pretty nice to other people, just not to each other. Amanda is the oldest, Elle the youngest. Jess is second oldest and Neen is just in the middle. Amanda and Jess are teachers, Neen's a hairstylist, and Elle is still in high school, her dreams still set on getting a truck that looks like Optimist Prime. The dad has been married twice, all of the girls with the first wife. The second wife was an evil stepmother, but instead of ordering everyone around, she slept all day and that forced them to do everything." We all nodded, not really caring, but it was nice to have a background on the people, easier to start conversations. "This next family just had 4 foster children move away, so it's really quiet in their cottage now. There are still 4 kids, and the mom and dad. Dan is brothers to the father of this clan."

I nodded again, but reached my hand back to where Fang was, knowing that he would take it. Sure enough he did, and rubbed my fingers with the chill of his long slender ones. A shiver went up my spine, and I smiled hoping that that would never stop happening, despite the fact that his hands were freezing.

Ella bust open the door to this cabin, greeting everyone that was sitting around the table for lunch.

"Hi guys! The kids we were talking about are here. Guys." She looked around behind us and I gave a little half wave.

"I'm Max, this is Fang, Nudge, Angel, Iggy and Gazzy." I introduced us this time, making sure to point them out as I said their name. They all waved back. There were six of them at the table, two of them clearly the parents, the rest older kids.

"I'm Cheryl. I'm the oldest….and of course the smartest." She smiled as the rest of her siblings bickered about that.

"John." He continued to eat his food. Ah, one of many words. I seem to know a few of those.

"Well, he's the second oldest and doesn't talk much, so it's basically useless trying to fire up a conversation with him." Cheryl put in. He just punched her and ate with his other hand.

"I'm Nicole." The girl waved, about 18. "I'm not the smartest….or the quiet one, so I'm just there." She nodded and continued to poke at the food on her plate.

"And I'm Annemarie. Call me Annie for short, I don't care." She looked down again, reading a book under the table.

"So, because my family is entirely stupid with remembering their ages, I'll say them for them." Cheryl was going to continue when Nicole interjectected.

"It was only one time, and I had a lot of sun that day."

"Nicole, you insisted that you were 16 when you where really 17. It took us all night to finally convince you that you already had had your birthday.

"ONE TIME!"

"Whatever. Anyways, John is 19, I'm 21, Nicole is now 18, not 16 not 17, and Annemarie is 17. Oh, and that's mum and dad. They are….I really don't know how old they are, I would have to do come math to figure that out. " She smiled and waved at her parents.

"I'm Rita, this is my husband David." He nodded in acknowledgement, and turned back to his food. Rita rolled her eyes and smiled at us again.

"You can join us unless Val is cooking something up over there for you guys. Come over anytime, even if it is to steal the toilet paper." Ella blushed but didn't say anything, and herded us out the door again.

We came back to our cottage where the table was set and piles of food were lined down it. We all raced for the seats, while Ella and Mom merely walked over with the rest of the food. And this was only lunch.

Scooping large amounts of food onto my plate, the rest of the family dug in, and for the first few minutes all you heard was the scarping of forks against the plates.

"I really should feed you guys more often." Mom said, shaking her head in amazement to our appetites. So how did you guys like the neighbors?"

Simultaneously, 6 flock thumbs went up before holding our knives once again.

"I take it that they were good to you?" We all nodded our mouths too full to be polite and respond. At least, that's what I told myself.

"Alright, I'll wait 'till you guys are finished before I ask more questions." We all nodded again, our heads not once coming too far away from our plates. She just chuckled and ate her food at a slower pace.

Finally, when all those heavenly flavors filled my stomach to the brim, except for my dessert stomach, that was still completely empty, I leaned back and looked at my mom. She got the clue and continued her unsuccessful conversation with us from earlier.

"You guys liked the neighbors?"

I nodded again, and the Gasman piped up. "Max found a buddy to burn down the kitchen with."

I colored the tiniest bit, but nodded all the same.

"I'm guessing Elle?" I smiled and nodded. "She seems like the perfect match for me. Like, you should have seen the smoke coming out of the oven." I relived the moment in dream world.

"Yeah, and Fang found his soul mate." Iggy cackled as Fang's glare bore into his face.

"Aha, very funny Iggy. I'm sure that Neen was giving you an eyeful there." I shot back, and I took Fang's hand under the table, giving it a squeeze. He smirked the tiniest bit, but he squeezed it right back. I really hoped that we would have at least 5 minutes of alone time tonight. I was dying for it.

"Were they nice?" My mom asked, looking over the table and the empty dishes.

"Yeah, they fought amongst themselves a lot, but other than that they were polite." My mom just nodded and poked at her napkin. There was a lot of nodding going around this table.

"I can't believe that Annemarie was only 17, like she looks like my size, but you know more mature in her eyes, yet she was reading under the table, not texting. Maybe she doesn't have a phone. OH! Maybe she doesn't have friends! That would be terrible, but we could be her friends, then she wouldn't have to read during dinner. Maybe we could invite them over for dinner. Then they wouldn't be so shocked when they saw how much we eat when we eat a meal for 4 in under 3 minutes and ask for more. Then we would be discreet and eat slowly, but eat a lot at the same time. Then they will never know! Then…"

"Nudge, please for the love of all that's holy, shut it." The Gasman said, holding his head with his hand and shaking it slightly.

"Whoopsie." She whispered, and stayed quiet.

"Thank you, Nudge." My mom said. "And we are inviting them over….tomorrow. We leave the day after that so it would be no good."

We all showed our various approvals while my mom pulled out 3 cakes and enough plates to go around.

There was some bickering on what to do now after lunch. We could go on another ride like how I wanted to, or we could go skating. Skating was almost my worst nightmare. I can't skate, so I was pro-snowmobile. Angel was fixed on skating, same with Nudge.

They were both giving me an evil stare when all the sudden it turned it into the dreaded Bambi eyes. I sighed and threw my hands up in defeat. Cheering they hugged each other and dashed away to the door for their boots and coat. I heard Fang chuckle behind me, but he dodged my elbow jab just in time.


It's an odd place to end it, but there were no other intervals that were coming up, so just deal. This one was mostly introductions, but whatever, now you know everyone on the island. Watch Cloudy with A Chance Of Meatballs. It's the best movie in the world! Anyways, review. Because you can. :D

Ella