Robbie POV

"So have things settled down around here?" Tori joked, getting a laugh out of Andre.

Cat grudgingly smiled.

"Yeah, Sydney got her keys back 2 days early, so everything is back to normal."

"Why early?" Jade asked me, sipping on the margarita she made herself.

"She was on her best behavior, did some extra stuff around the house and didn't complain about any of it." I say, smiling to myself.

I look over everyone's shoulders, and see that the boys are still playing some game with a baseball.

The girls are still tanning.

And Austin is the only one in the pool, playing with Olivia.

The sound of her giggling makes Tori and Andre smile.

She loves Austin.

We have no idea why, but her parents certainly aren't questioning it. But Olivia is on her best behavior with Austin.

Any time he's around, she's not fussy, she's quiet and eats like a good girl.

When he's gone. She can be a pain in the butt.

Just like Sydney was.

Bossy.

Grumpy.

Queen of everything.

She's used to it being all about her at home. That's why Tori and Andre have been coming over a lot recently.

To get her used to not being the only kid around.

In general, with every one of the kids around, she's good.

She loves Corey, and is by far the most comfortable with him out of the boys.

She keeps falling asleep on her dear Aunts laps when they watch TV together, which makes Syd and Ellie fall apart.

"That's good. I'm just surprised she acted out." Beck said.

"Yeah, totally." Cat replied. "She went thru her 'rebellious' phase without a bump in the road."

"I'm telling you, it's Austin." Andre smiled.

"Really going out on a limb there." Beck rolled his eyes.

"I know, but I can still take credit for it."

"How's Corey taking Sydney leaving to do music stuff?" Tori asked me.

"Alright. She's been a lot more outgoing with him and Kevin. Kevin thinks she's being weird, but Corey doesn't mind." I reply.

Cat is giving me her stink eye from across the couch.

"You still upset?" Jade asked her.

"No, just worried."

"Corey. I get it." Tori interjected.

"Hey, what was I supposed to do?" I say defensively. "He's 8 years old! Way too young to even comprehend the facts!" I say.

"I know. You did the right thing on paper." Cat replied.

"But you don't like it." I cut off her next point.

We've already talked about this.

"So when will you tell him? And Kevin for that matter?" Beck asked.

"2 years is the plan right now. Kevin'll be 14, Corey will be 10."

"That's still young man." Andre countered.

"We're not betting on them being as laid back as Sydney. So we're planning on being proactive." I say.

"That's what you guys did last time." Jade said.

"Technically. Not really." Cat said, sipping her own margarita.

"It worked." Beck shrugged.

"Not helping!" Tori and Jade both snapped at him.

"I don't care what either of you say. He's too young. We are waiting." I say, clearly saying that the conversation is over.

Everyone either sipped their drinks, then turned and watching Olivia splash around in the pool.

Austin made a silly face, then briefly dunked them both in the water.

When they came up, Olivia was giggling, and Austin was smiling.

"They really get along well together." Cat commented.

"Yup. I think Austin has two girlfriends." Tori smiled.

"You're probably right." Beck said.

"You don't mind having Austin over here so much?" Jade turned to Cat and I.

"No, we don't really leave them alone for more than 10 minutes, and they're in the phase that they just want to be together 24/7." Cat said, waving her hand.

"Fun phase." Andre poked Tori in the ribs.

Suddenly the speakers rang out.

Doorbell.

We have it set up so that if nobody is in the house to hear it, it rings out back here so we hear it."

"I got it. Does anybody want a drink while I'm up?" I ask.

Everyone shakes their heads no, so I simply walk inside and straight to the door.

I open it.

"Uhh, hello?" I say.

It's a brunette woman in a dark gray tshirt and jeans.

Even though it's like 90 degrees out.

"Robbie! You look great! How are you?"

"How do you know my name? Who are you?" I immediately ask.

Nobody is supposed to know this is where I live.

She looked at me, dumbfounded for a moment.

"You don't recognize me?"

…

"No. Should I?"

She frowned at me. "It's me. Danielle."

WHAT?

Before I can speak, she snaps "Your ex girlfriend?"

"Oh. Yeah. Hi!" I smile, trying to hide my shock.

How is she here?!

"Can I come in? or are we going to just stand here and chat?" She glared at me.

"Sure, come in. Drink?" I ask, leading her to the back.

"Water is fine." She said, as Beck and Jade hop to their feet, and Cat turned around.

She's at the door when I open it.

"Uhm, everyone." I announce to the adults. "This is Danielle."

Everybody's jaw dropped.

Except Cat's.

"Ok. How'd you find our house?" She snapped.

"I can get basically any information I want Cat. I oversee the IRS, so I just grabbed your tax records." Danielle shrugged, as I nervously walk to the mini fridge by the cooler and get out a water for her.

"Is that legal?" Jade asked, as everyone sat down.

"It is as long as word doesn't get out."

Cat scowled, but kept her mouth shut.

"Sorry I didn't call. Wanted it to be a surprise." She smiled.

"I…no problem." Tori smiled.

…

"Sorry, I have no clue what to say." Beck said, looking sheepish.

It is a shock.

"No problem. Is Sydney home? She's the one that wanted to see me if I recall correctly." She stared me down.

"Yeah, she's tanning. Who are you?" Austin asked, suddenly out of the pool and holding Olivia.

Danielle turned, and her eyes went wide.

Yeah.

Almost 6 foot. Muscular. 6 pack.

Everything a girl wants in a guy.

It's like Sydney ordered him online.

Even got the good personality and everything.

The real deal.

"I…uhhhm…I'm Danielle. Robbie's—"

"Ex girlfriend. I know who you are." Austin cut her off, actually not looking pleased.

He handed Olivia, who is wrapped in a towel to Andre.

"I'm Austin, Sydney's boyfriend." He smiled, then sitting across from me and next to her.

"Oh. I heard online that she had a boyfriend. Didn't know you were a model though."

"I'm not. Baseball player. I thought you were busy doing Treasury Secretary stuff." He said to her.

"I was, but the president ordered me to take some personal time. So I came home, and am seeing family, with a short field trip here." Danielle said, then sipping her water.

She never kicked that nervous habit.

Funny how Austin intimidates her.

One look around to the others, and they are all surprised at how Austin is acting.

Cat is still glaring at her.

"The president huh? What is he like?" Tori asked.

"Task oriented. You have to be, otherwise the 22 hour days would consume you. Plus you have to love meetings and briefings."

"Sounds bad." Beck said.

"I think the job is too much for any one man. Maybe back in the 1800's one man could do it, but nowadays it's too big. I've been advocating that the vice president takes over certain aspect of the job, so the president can breathe. But apparently you need a constitutional amendment for that." She frowned.

"Mom, who's this?"

Everyone spun around to Sydney, who was holding her book in her hands and looking at Danielle.

"This is Danielle. Who you and your father were supposed to meet last week. But didn't." Cat growled at Danielle.

"Oh. Hi!"

Danielle simply popped up and hugged her.

"Hi! You're all grown up. Wow." She smiled, then sat down.

Sydney gave her an odd look, then sat next to Austin.

"Uhh…yeah. I guess. Aren't you supposed to be busy?" She asked.

"Prez ordered her to relax. She's with family, with a detour here." Austin summed everything up succinctly.

Danielle nodded. "So you guys are dating? Congratulations."

"Thanks." Sydney said shyly.

"I hear that you're recording music like your mom. How's that coming?"

Behind them, Jade made an outraged noise.

Cat hissed into my ear "How the fuck does she know this?"

I shrug defensively.

"Yeah. Uhm, it's ok. Nothing too big yet. Just trying to find my voice." Sydney said

"Wonderful. I'll keep an eye out for when something comes out." Daniele smiled.

Austin smiled at Sydney, who blushed lightly and smiled back.

"So, real quick Sydney. I wanted to ask what you know about…your father and I." Danielle began.

Oh boy.

"Uhm…everything. I think. Right?" She appealed to me.

Danielle turned to me. "How much?"

"I gave her all the main plot points." I tell her.

"So you didn't say that we slept together." Danielle bit at me.

Austin immediately looked shocked, and Sydney went bright red.

"I didn't think that level of detail was necessary Danielle. That's between you and me as far as I'm concerned." I say to her.

I really appreciate her letting everyone else HEAR THAT!

"Well I thought that they might need to know. Seeing how they are teenagers, and teenagers have hormones." Danielle replied.

I have to grab Cat's wrist to prevent her from pouncing on her.

"We've already discussed that. No need to parent." I say coolly.

Back. OFF.

She's already annoyed me in the 10 minutes she's been here.

"Just covering my bases."

"Speaking of bases, let me cover one of mine. Did you really want dad to leave me?" Sydney asked.

"First off, he's not your dad. And yes, that was my opinion at the time." Danielle smiled.

"He is my dad. I don't care what you say. He was there, and you weren't. So there. Can you stop piling on him?" Sydney said, eyes blazing.

Whoa Syd.

"Go Sydney!" Jade cheered.

Danielle turned and stared at Jade.

"Why so hostile? Just saying." Jade smiled at her.

"Well, Robbie dumped me right before I flew to Europe. So there." Danielle said.

"No, you and I were fighting for weeks leading up to that. It was mutual." I say quickly.

"Can you stop twisting things?" Cat backed me up.

"I'm not."

"Yes you are." Sydney and Austin monotoned together, then smiled.

Danielle turned to face Syd again.

"Are you always so rebellious?"

Sydney quietly laughed.

"This is rebellious?"

Cat smiled. "It's not!"

"Yeah it is. And you're acting like your mother." Danielle frowned at her.

"You say it like it's a bad thing." Austin observed.

"It is." Danielle scoffed at him. "I guess nothing really has changed."

"Except 16 years, everybody growing up and being successful, yeah. I guess you're right." I roll my eyes.

Danielle popped to her feet.

"Yeah. Says the failure who let a baby chain him to a superstar."

I pop up as well.

"Failure? You're still stuck on the fact that my comedy tour isn't anything aren't you?" I say.

"Yeah. Because it's not."

Sydney suddenly got to her feet. "You're out of your mind. He's hilarious. You have no idea what you're talking about."

"You are aware of how much he hurt his so called career for you aren't you?"

Austin suddenly got to his feet as well.

"Yeah, we are. We all are. And it worked out for everyone involved."

"Are you sure?" She asked him.

"Danielle?" I ask calmly. "Can you look out past the pool for me?"

She turned and looked where the boys are running around.

"The blonde haired one and the black shirt. Those are my two boys. It worked out."

"Are they like you?" She asked me.

"Not right now, no."

"Good." She said snarkily.

"HEY!" Cat and Tori yelped.

Sydney turned to me. "How did you date her?"

"I don't know." Danielle smiled at me.

"Ok. I think you should go. It was nice seeing you." I say.

"Oh no Robbie Shapiro. Not yet. We're not—"

"Yeah we are." Sydney said, arms crossed.

"Quiet Sydney, you don't—"

"NO! GO!" Ellie popped up from nowhere, and started pushing her out.

Austin grabbed the back door, and Ellie kept pushing.

Sydney and I followed all the way to the front.

"I'm locking this. If you try to get in, I'm calling the cops." I say, as Ellie let her go and hopped back inside.

"I had a good time." Sydney smiled.

Danielle rolled her eyes. "Have fun keeping that one down Robbie."

"Bye." I slam the door in her face, then lock it.

Then we all walk back outside.

"I'm sorry about that." I apologize, shutting the door.

"Apology accepted." Cat smiled, then hugged me.

I hug her back.

I think I'm on her good side.

Finally.

"I wonder why she was so hostile?" Sydney asked.

"She doesn't like me. She never really did. I guess she never let it go." Her mom said.

"That's sad." Austin frowned.

"I'm gonna keep reading." Ellie said.

Before she walked away, I sneak a hug.

"Thanks Ellie."

She smiled at me, then walked back to her chair.

"So now what?" Andre asked.

"Well, I have 2 hours before the Marlins waste their first pick on me. And I have to ignore a ton of controversy." He sighed.

"That's tonight?" Cat asked.

Austin nodded.

"Why are you staying?" Andre asked.

"Family, school, Sydney, not being ready yet, not wanting to go pro. Whole bunch of stuff."

"You know, if it's just Sydney that's ok. We'll understand." Cat grinned at him.

Austin suddenly went red, and Sydney giggled.

"Yeah, I wouldn't miss school much." He admits, causing everyone to laugh.

"You have a date with a pool." Sydney smiled at him.

"I do?"

Sydney smiled. "Yup."

"Did Olivia set it up?"

"Nope." Sydney replied, at the edge of the pool.

Then she pushed him in.

I barely hear him laugh, then the splash.

Everyone laughed.

Except Ellie, who got covered with water.

"HEY!"

She quickly got up and went over to Sydney. "Him, not me."

"Eh, you're an item." She shrugged, then pushed Sydney in.

Sydney let out a scream, just as Austin surfaced.

He turned right into Sydney elbow, and both of them went down.

"OOH!" We all say.

That looked bad.

"I'm sorry! Are you ok?" Sydney yelped, holding Austin's face.

"Yeah, she's coming in though." He smiled at Ellie.

Who screamed and ran.

Austin took two massive steps, then jumped out of the water.

He did it again!

"Did he just do that?" Jade asked in disbelief.

Austin easily chased her down.

"NOO!" Ellie screamed and kicked.

"Bye bye!" Austin tossed her into the pool.

SPLASH!

I looked back to Austin, to see him helping Sydney out.

Then suddenly his back buckled and he tumbled in, head over heels.

Revealing Corey, Kevin and Matt.

"Yeah!" They all cheered.

Everybody burst into laughter, and every Sydney smiled as she heaved Austin up, Ellie on his back and looking mad.

"Okay. You guys are next." Austin smiled.

"Run!" Kevin yelped, as the other two scattered.