AN: As promised, a slightly different party in the build up to the wedding. Thank you to queerwizard for your message, as I alluded to, a little more Millie here. She'll also be in the wedding chapter (along with Ruby and Jadu) which I'm hoping to have up at the end of December.

On that note, the wedding chapter will be the next chapter in this story. As for Christmas with the Drills, you know I'm not going to miss that. Stay tuned for a 'magical' stand alone story that will run from December 20th-24th.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy.

For the second week in a row, Constance and Imogen's date-night was taking a different form, this time a meal at Stephen's house with Tom and Amelia. And with their regular babysitters unavailable, they had called in reinforcements. Or at least that was the story.

"So it's a sleepover?" Ava was buzzing with excitement. Not alone had they spent a lovely afternoon with Ruby and Jadu that week, now both she and Zara were getting to be involved in what seemed like a really grown-up activity.

"That's right." Abby had known her plan would go down well with her sisters. "Like a sister sleepover but with our friends." She glanced around at everyone else in the room. "Fenny and Grissy may think they're in for a quiet night in…."

"And by the sounds of it, they'd be half right." Imogen knew the couple would enjoy what Abby and the other girls had planned so carefully,

Neither had needed any persuasion to 'babysit'. As much as they enjoyed their rooms at the castle, the Drill house was far more comfortable. Throw in some food, chats with Abs, games with Ava and Zara and cuddles with Fleur, it seemed like a pretty good deal.

"Here they are. "Come in." Abby opened the door while Ava hovered behind her.

"It's a wedding sleepover.", she blurted out as soon as they entered the room.

"A what?" Fenny and Grissy were laughing as they took in the sight of their bridesmaids, flower girls and one of their readers waiting for them.

"It's another party, though it's going to be a bit more sedate than last week", Gaby explained. "It was Abby's idea, this way Ava, Zara, and Fleur can be involved."

"We're going to have food, play games, watch a film and all sleep in the playroom." To make sure it was a secret, Ava had only heard about the plan a couple of hours before but she was fully onboard.

Meanwhile, her parents were watching from the doorway.

"And we are going to go out shortly and leave you to it.", Imogen told them. "I've made some pizzas, they just need to go in the oven and Maud and Gaby have plans for anything else you may need." She had already made peace with the fact that her children were probably going to end up overindulging, but it was a special occasion. She just hoped that nobody was going to be sick this week.

Constance bent down to say goodbye to Ava and Zara. "We'll be back later and remember what we talked about. If you want to sleep down here with the others you can, but if you decide you want to sleep in your own beds, that's okay as well."

"I'm sleeping here." Zara had already brought down her pillow, Simba and Nala ready for the big adventure. "It's going to be cool."

"You'll have a lovely time Sweetpea." Imogen kissed the excited girls. "Honey, you'll bring Fleur up?"

"I will.", Abby promised. "But for now she's part of the group." To prove her point, Fleur was sat on Maud's lap. "Have a good time."

"You too." Constance and Imogen waved goodbye to everyone.

"Okay, so we have a couple of big decisions to make." Maud looked around at the group. "What do we want to go with our pizza? Chinese? Indian? Thai?"

While Imogen's pizzas were delicious and most certainly going to be devoured, a party like this definitely deserved options. There was a tie between Thai and Indian with the decision being made to go for both.

"We have a long evening ahead of us.", Gaby reasoned before using her phone to place the order. "What's next?"

"Can Zara and I show Millie our rooms now?", Ava asked her big sister. "Mummy said we could when she got here but then everyone started talking."

"Course you can." Abby vividly remembered making the same request the first time Maud and Mildred came to visit and was tickled that this time she was the one being asked to give permission.

Ten minutes later Mildred was in the midst of the grand-tour. She had seen Ava's books, Zara's toys and both personalised murals.

"Did you really do these yourself?" She had known Abby was talented but this was beyond her expectations.

"I did. And look." Abby pointed to two small drawings that were above Ava's chest of drawers. "Noodle, remember I told you Millie drew these for you when you were a baby?"

Ava nodded. "I love them. Zara really liked the cat one though, so I shared that with her."

"It's at the castle.", Abby explained. "And the witch one is in Ava's room there. Do you want to see the mural I did for Fleur?

"I'd love to." Mildred was delighted that the gift she had made on behalf of the second year Cackle's class had been so appreciated. She still sketched in her spare time and was already thinking of some new drawings she could share with the Drill girls. "I can give them to them at the wedding.", she decided as she followed Abby to the lower floor.

While Mildred admired the flowers, blue sky and fluffy clouds, the bedroom owner was busy zooming around the carpeted floor after her sisters.

"Where's Zee?", Abby asked as she directed the baby out into the hallway once they were finished. There was a gate on the stairs so she knew it was safe.

Fleur paused for a minute before following the sound of giggles into her parents' bedroom. While Abby followed her, Millie stayed back, feeling that it wasn't right for her to enter her former teachers' bedroom without their consent. But from what she could see it was a beautiful room, bright, airy, tidy and decorated in a cozy mix of grey and caramel tones with what looked like a handmade crochet throw covering the end of the bed.

"When I'm a real grown up I'm going to have a bedroom like this.", she promised herself as the Drill girls returned.

Once they were all downstairs it was time for a key part of their sleepover plans.

"Matching PJs." Maud handed two sets to the future brides. "Let's get changed before the food arrives."

They timed it perfectly and were dressed for comfort just as the first delivery came, the second one arriving moments later.

"Wow, that's a lot of food." Ava's eyes were wide as she looked at what was laid out on the table.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll make a dent in it.", Gaby grinned before lifting Zara up so she could see what was there. "What do you fancy Zee?"

"Hmmmmm, I want pizza and chicken rice, please. What's that?" She pointed at the triangles she didn't recognise

"That's a samosa. Do you want to try a bit?" Gaby broke one in half and passed it over. "It might be very spicy."

"Nah, not for Zee." Abby laughed as her sister chewed the first half, broke into a huge grin and reached for the other half. "We love spicy food, don't we crazies?"

"It's yummy." Zara passed one over to Ava who agreed with the assessment.

It took a few minutes for everyone to assemble their plates, including Abby and Ava making a small one for Fleur, but soon they were gathered in the playroom to eat.

Mildred, never a fan of spicy food had assumed that if a three-year-old could manage a samosa so should she, and promptly descended into a coughing fit.

"Oh wow, those are spicy.", she gasped after taking a large gulp of water.

Zara, who didn't know Mildred as well as the other girls, gave her a look out of the corner of her eye. "You're very silly."

"There, that's what we've been telling you." Fenny and Grissy were in fits of laughter. "Just like her Mama."

"Mmmm hmmm.", Zara agreed. Being compared to her Mama was perfectly fine with her.

"What's next?" Grissy pushed her plate away, though there was some Pad Thai in the kitchen she had her eye on for later. The pre-wedding diet could go on hold for a night.

Ava suggested dancing but agreed with Abby that maybe it was best to wait until their food had settled.

"We'll dance in a bit Noodle, promise. I know, Millie, let's look through those pictures you brought along."

They all gathered around as the photographs from the girls' days at the Academy were passed around. The stories started to flow as they looked at images of their younger selves, remembering some of the special moments they had shared. And of course the scrapes they'd gotten into.

"Why do you have a picture of the potion lab door?", Fenny sniggered.

"Well, I spent so much time there in detention during first and second year I became attached to the place."

"What's detention?" Ava was curious.

"It's when your teacher keeps you behind because you got into trouble."

Ava was all ears now. "You got into trouble with Mama? What did you do?" Her jaw dropped when she heard the very heavily edited version of Miss Hubble's antics. "A giant fish?"

"Anyway." Maud decided to take the heat off her best friend. "Look, that picture is from the night we first met Abby. She came to the castle and we had a big party to celebrate your parents getting married."

"Oooh." Ava and Zara looked at the picture of Abby with their friends.

"I don't think I've grown much since.", Abby sighed before flipping to the next picture. "What's this one?"

Fenny thought for a moment. "Oh, that was when we broke up for the Christmas holidays. Actually, that was the day your mothers told us they were adopting you and that Ava was on the way."

"Me?" As soon as Ava took the picture a strange feeling passed through her body. There was someone in the background, someone she didn't recognise. "I don't know that girl by the wall. Who is she?"

"That's Enid.", Abby stated simply. "She left the school before you were born."

"Why?"

While the older girls looked at each other in panic, Abby knew how to handle her sister's questions. She also knew that Ava's empathy meant she sometimes picked up emotions from pictures, and even though Enid's face was impassive as she loitered in the background, Abby was pretty sure she knew what her overwhelming emotion would have been.

"She was having a hard time Noodle. She wasn't very happy at home or at school and she couldn't handle her magic very well. It's okay though, she got some help and she's happier now. Isn't she?" Abby looked to Mildred, the only one who kept in contact with Enid.

"Yes." Mildred was cursing herself for bringing that picture and opening up a potential can of worms.

"Is she a witch?"

"Not anymore." Abby shook her head. "She decided she was happier without magic so she gave up her powers."

"Okay." Ava put the picture down but it was clear something was on her mind.

"Come with me.", Abby whispered to her sister. "We'll be back in a second.", she announced to the rest of the group before taking Ava by the hand to the site of many sister talks, the stairs. She sat down and wrapped Ava in her arms in a way she knew gave comfort and reassurance. "Talk to me Noodle."

Ava was silent for a moment. As advanced as she was for her age, she was still only five and sometimes needed time to convert her feelings into words. Eventually, she spoke. "When I saw the picture, with that girl, it made me feel strange. Kind of sad and kind of scared."

The fact that Ava wasn't using Enid's name spoke volumes to Abby. Normally when she heard of someone new, Ava loved to sound their name out on her tongue, always wanting to make sure she had it right. This time it was like she didn't want to speak the name of the girl who, albeit accidentally, had nearly taken away both her and their Mama's life.

That day wasn't a memory Abby liked to dwell on. It had been horrible and she still remembered the fear, the confusion and the absolute relief that the second parent and sister she had waited so long for were still hers. And though she had made her peace with Enid, she wasn't someone who she ever wanted to encounter again.

"There's nothing to be scared of Noodle, I promise. Especially when you have me to look after you."

Ava gave a small smile before cuddling closer. "Did you know her?"

"Yes.", Abby, honest as always, elaborated a bit. "And I didn't like her. Now that I know she had problems, I do feel bad for her. But she wasn't very nice to me when I moved to the castle or Mama and Mummy really. There were other people as well who wanted to be her friend, people like Maud and Fenny and Grissy, but she was mean to them too, especially Maud."

"Is Millie still her friend?" Ava asked.

"She is and that's cool. From what Millie says, Enid is a lot different now and that's a good thing. But she's not part of our life, not anymore and I think we're all happy with that. She did come back to the village once, I think you were about Fleur's age at the time."

"Did I meet her?"

"Yes. Only for a minute. She wanted to say sorry. We met her in Cosies. Mama brought you in so she could see you and we haven't seen her since then."

Ava pondered that news for a moment. "I think I'm happy about that."

"And that's okay." , Abby whispered into Ava's dark hair. "It's like Mummy says, we should be kind to people but we don't have to spend time with anyone who doesn't make us happy. But do you know who does make me very happy?"

"Who?"

"You, silly." Abby was relieved to see Ava's face start to brighten up. "And Zee and Fleur of course."

"And Mummy and Mama?"

"Definitely" Speaking of their parents, Abby needed to check something. "Do you want me to phone them, ask them to come home?"

"No thank you." Ava shook her head. "I feel better now and I really want to stay at the party with you."

That was exactly what Abby had hoped to hear. 'Sounds good to me. And I think our dinner has gone down enough to do some dancing don't you?"

Ava nodded eagerly. "Yes please." She stood up so she could give her big sister a tighter squeeze. "Can Zara and me sleep next to you tonight?"

"Ha. Just try and sleep anywhere else. I need my crazies with me."

Before they went back into the room Ava had another question, one that illustrated how advanced her thinking was. "If you weren't my sister, would you still be my friend?"

"Do you mean if I hadn't been adopted?" At Ava's nod, Abby crouched down and kissed her forehead gently. "Absolutely, but I'm going to tell you what I told Mama and Mummy once. I think everything happened for some special reasons. Mummy went to work at Cackle's so she could meet Mama and fall in love. As soon as that happened things changed so much. They adopted me, had you and then Zara and Fleur. And other brilliant things happened, other couples got together like Granny and Grandad, Stephen and Gaby, that's all pretty great. But I promise you, no matter what, I would always, always, have been your friend."

"But I'm glad you're my sister.", Ava whispered.

"Me too and you can talk to me whenever you want, but you already know that. And speaking of sisters, will we go back and see what trouble Zee and Fleur are causing?"

"Yes please." Ava ran in, looking much brighter to the relief of everyone. "Dancing time."

"Yay." Zara ran over to join her sisters. "I missed you." She gave Ava a shy kiss on the cheek, glad to see her smiling again.

"Missed you too, but, it's alright. Everything is okay."

Abby watched as the two girls hugged before immediately starting to move to the sound of "Mr Blue Sky" that someone had chosen to start the dancing with.

Fleur also got in on the action as she was picked up by her mentors and giggled along to the happy music.

"Whew." Fenny gasped after thirty minutes. "I'm pooped.

"And so's this little crazy, aren't you?" Abby reached for her youngest sister. "Let's get you a bottle and then I'll take you up to bed."

Grissy's eyes lit up. "Can I help?"

"Course you can."

While Abby fed the baby the discussion was being had as to what film to watch. It needed to be something universal which was fine with the entire group, they wanted something fun and easy to follow.

"You've never seen the Lego Movie?" Maud stared at Millie with an open mouth.

"No, should I have?"

Abby exchanged glances with her sisters. The Lego Movie was definitely mandatory viewing in their eyes. "Yes, it's brilliant. We'll take Fleur up so Gris can change her nappy.", she smirked. Her mothers were pretty skilled at avoiding nappy duty, now it was her turn. "She's almost asleep so we shouldn't be long. While I'm doing that will someone sort out some more food? I'm kind of getting hungry again."

While Maud and Mildred did that, Gaby and Fenny stayed with Ava and Zara who were getting their beds for the night ready.

"Am I the only one feeling broody right now?", Fenny whispered. She and Grissy definitely wanted a family but had agreed to wait a couple of years. As well as wanting to buy a house and focusing on their careers, they wanted to travel and experience married life before trying for children.

"No.", Gaby confirmed. "But I'm always broody when I'm with them." She and Stephen may not have been married, yet if her Auntie Amelia had anything to do with it, but as far as she was concerned, Ava, Zara, Fleur, and Abby were her nieces. "So's Stephen, he'd clone them if he could."

"Are you and Stephen thinking of trying?" Fenny didn't want to be nosey but was curious.

Gaby gave a small smile. "Not quite. We've talked about it a lot and when the time comes, we'd like to adopt."

"Really? That's amazing."

"It just feels right. Being adopted was the best thing that could ever have happened to me and I think seeing Abby and her relationship with Constance and Imogen is even more proof." Her forehead furrowed momentarily. "And honestly, I sometimes worry about my parents, my birth parents that is. They were both so messed up and it scares me that I could pass those genes onto a child."

"Oh Gab."

"It's okay, I know I'm not like them but things sometimes skip generations don't they? Anyway, both Stephen and I feel good about adoption, though if I did fall pregnant we'd be okay with that too. It's probably going to take some time and we'd need to sort out our living arrangements but that's the plan. Unless Stephen manages to convince Immy to let him keep Zara one day."

"What are you talking about?" Zara ran over to sit on Gaby's lap. Stephen may have been her special person but his girlfriend was a close second.

"We're talking about how Stephen is jealous that I get to spend tonight with you." , Gaby smiled. "But I've promised him that we'll see him tomorrow. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes please." Zara leaned in to whisper into Gaby's ear, "Can I keep him some sweeties?" Having seen the bag of goodies that had been gathered for the occasion she didn't want her uncle to miss out.

"He'd love that Zee. Will we go and pick out what he'd like?"

"And 'berry laces for Absy. And fizzy jellies for Ava?"

"Of course." Gaby gave Zara a kiss on the nose before picking her up and carrying her back into the kitchen.

Within a few minutes, Abby and Grissy were back, the snacks and leftovers were ready and it was time for the film.

"Everything is awesome.", everyone bar Mildred sang along, She was lost for a few moments but soon caught up with the jokes and songs.

"That was really good", she declared when it was over. In fact, the whole night had been great. While she had been a little nervous to spend the night at what was still, after all, HB's house, she'd had a brilliant time. And although she was secretly relieved not to be a bridesmaid, she was delighted to be involved in the wedding and the build-up and had promised herself to spend more time with her former school friends in the future.

"Told ya." While Zara still thought Mildred was very silly, she had definitely warmed to her.

"I was right, I knew you'd be awake." Half an hour later Imogen was sticking her head in the doorway and surveying the room. The fact that Zara was wide awake wasn't too surprising, though she was caught slightly off guard by the fact that Ava was too. Wide awake and carefully showing the girls some photographs from one of the albums they kept in the cupboard.

"Oooh, look it's baby me and Abby." She pointed to a picture from her first Christmas. "And there's Mama dressed as a fairy."

The group was in hysterics at the memory of that night, all apart from one person.

"Glad to see it still amuses you." There was a definite twinkle in Constance's eye. "We just wanted to check if you're all still planning on sleeping here?" She looked at Ava and Zara. "Would you rather go into your own beds?"

"No way.", Zara gasped, patting her pillow for emphasis. "I'm camping."

"That's my Sweetpea.", Imogen grinned. "Poppet, how about you?"

Ava didn't even have to think about it. "I'll stay here Mummy. We'll be safe."

"We know you will. Right, we'll go up to bed. And if anyone decides the floor is too uncomfortable, there are beds upstairs that you're more than welcome to use."

"It's too late for some." Maud sniggered, pointing to the guests of honour who seemed to have dropped off in the past couple of minutes.

Lightweights.", Abby scoffed.

Imogen and Constance kissed their daughters and said their goodnights to everyone before making their way upstairs.

"Sweetheart, everything alright?"

Constance tore her gaze away from where their daughters were settled for the night. Abby was on her side laughing at Zara who was half lying, half kneeling under the duvet with her backside in the air. Meanwhile, Ava was propped up on numerous pillows, looking as snug as could be. She smiled softly, adding the image to her memory banks before following her wife upstairs.

"Yes, everything is okay."

"Good." Imogen yawned. "Come on, just this once let's bring Fleur in with us."

"Just this once?" That was a lie if ever she'd heard one, not that Constance minded. Besides, why should Fleur miss out on a sleepover?

In the sitting room. it had started to quieten down, but there were still pockets of whispers including the three sisters in the corner.

"You warm enough?", Abby asked Ava and Zara who were now both snuggled underneath her large duvet.

"Yeah."

"Comfy?"

"Yeah."

"Sleepy?"

"Yeah."

"No." Zara yawned.

"Do you think Fenny and Grissy had a good time?"

Ava peeked across to where their friends were still fast asleep. "Yep. I think they had lots of fun but they need to sleep now."

"And so do we." Abby kissed the blonde and brown heads. "Love you both and remember, we're sisters but what else are we?"

"Friends.", Ava and Zara whispered back.

"That's right." Abby knew she'd need to address what had happened with her parents but that could wait until the next day. Enid was a distant memory, far removed from her and her sister's lives and thankfully, getting on with her own. They had each other, they had their parents and they were lucky enough that, despite the age differences, they had special relationships with some incredible people.

"Everything is okay.", she thought to herself before drifting off to sleep.

Meanwhile, over two hundred miles away, Enid Nightshade was sitting on her couch after a long day of filming, mindlessly flicking through her social media apps until something caught her attention.

She stared at the image, taking in the smiling faces that went with the caption on Mildred's Facebook post. "Sleepover fun. With Grissy Blackwood, Fenny Feverfew, Maud Moonshine, Gaby Blackstock and Abby Drill.

There were three other people in the picture. A smiling baby with a shock of red hair who was sat against a blonde-haired little girl with her eyes screwed up and tongue sticking out at the camera. And there, with her arms around her big sister's waist, was who had to be Ava Drill. Her dark hair was loose and appeared to be long and wavy, her skin was pale like her Mama's and her eyes were wide and full of joy as she posed for the photograph.

"She's perfect.", Enid whispered softly. She had met Ava of course, knew that she was healthy and from the little she had heard from Mildred over the years, was a happy, loving, clever little girl who was adored by her family. But this further reassurance was something special, something she hadn't even realised she needed until that moment.

"Enid? Is everything alright?"

Enid allowed her thoughts and memories of another time to float away and returned to what was her reality. "Yes." She rested her head on her girlfriend of almost five year's shoulder and hugged her close.

"Everything is okay now."