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Thanks also to Lady Cougar-Trombone, Nicole0725, Share11223344, and an anonymous but still very kind reviewer for your reviews! I appreciate hearing from you guys!

Oh, and I also want to thank those who has favorited and followed this story! I wasn't expecting to get this much love for my story. It really was just to express how much I loved the show, and I'm glad to see a lot of people like it the same way I do - and maybe even more. ;) We're winding down to our last episode of the season AND the last tags, so I really just want to make known my gratitude. :)

Enjoy this chronicle, you guys!

Episode Tag to: Prank You Very Much

Chronicle 022

Chapter: Backfire

Password: *************

Date: 11.16.13

Time: 6:15 PM

One of the great things about having a good grandmother is that no matter how bad you mess up, you can be sure that you have a decent chance of being forgiven. I should know; it happened to me this week. Between skyrocketing towards our ceiling and cruising through the Interstate in a speed that's just slightly above the limit of what's allowed in a Post Office parking lot, Grandma, I'm sure, had had more than her usual share of excitement in a week.

Come to think of it, maybe not. She has taken me to her best friend's monthly card party once when I was twelve. I was conned to play Spoons with at least fourteen other players.

I've never seen that many women dive across a table for one plastic spoon.

But, unlike that time, I'm sure I had something to do with her having a horrible week, and I feel guilty. I mean, yeah. I was a little unhappy that she was coming down hard on Janelle, and I did want to have some alone time with the girl I really like—but those aren't enough reasons to excuse what I did. We're talking about the woman who smothers me to death with airtight hugs and pinches my cheeks with an iron grip whenever she sees me and who spends a lot of money to buy me things that I like, which, I'm not gonna lie, is probably another awesome thing about her.

Something in me just finds the little trick Janelle and I pulled a little unfair. (That's right. I'm including her in this.)

I really feel bad.

I guess it was showing yesterday, when Adam, Bree, Chase and I were spending some time with her after school. Because of her injuries, Mom decided that it will be best if Grandma stayed with us for the weekend. Big D looked uncomfortable. And scared. And upset, but mostly with Adam because he was the one who turned on that huge magnet. Big D tried to play off that he's excited Grandma will be here with us, but she called out his bluff as soon as he said it.

When she and Mom started delegating the workload, I told her I could take over whatever she wanted Big D to do.

"Oh, no. I'm going to need at least two runners," she said. Then, with a look towards Adam and Chase, "Or three or four."

Yep. Mom told her about the prank war between the older sibs.

She took it easy on me, Chase and Adam, though. I guess because we've been busy with school, she hadn't really gotten a chance to spend time with us, so the afternoon was more of a grandmother-grandchildren bonding time than anything else. She talked Adam, Bree and I through making a huge dinner, while she had Chase make her a light snack and do some other things for her.

Grandma didn't talk to me much, and that was bad. I really prefer her talking a lot than not talking at all. I understood why the situation was the way it was, but it didn't make me feel any better to be clued in into how my actions probably hurt her feelings.

After we ate what we had cooked, Big D and Mom strategically snuck upstairs as the five of us got ready for our late movie night. Grandma insisted that the four of us camp out in the living room with her, which would have been a good idea if her other three grandchildren didn't require capsules to be able to sleep well. I tried to give them an out by telling her that Big D would rather them sleep in their rooms, but then she suggested that we go downstairs and watch the movie there instead. Chase stopped her before she could move out of the living room and told her that Big D would probably not mind them breaking the rule for one night.

By midnight, the second movie we were watching was almost halfway to the end, and Adam, Bree and Chase were already asleep. Chase and I were assigned to sleep on the floor in our sleeping bags, while Adam and Bree took a side each on the sectional. I was finding it hard to drift off, so I busied myself with counting the threads on the carpet.

Well, at least until Grandma called me. "Come on. Help me up," she told me after I looked up.

"Where are we going?" I asked after helping her into the wheelchair.

"Library down the hallway," she said.

I looked back at the couch. "What about them?" I asked.

"What about them? They're asleep. I don't think they care right now."

I glanced at them one more time before pushing the wheelchair towards the library. To be honest, I was kinda nervous. I might be fifteen, but that doesn't mean I'm immune to accidentally opening a can of butt whoop anytime soon.

After I turned on the lights at the library, Grandma told me to pull her up next to the table. Then, she instructed me to find a deck of cards. I came back minutes later with a deck of Skip Bo cards. She said it was good enough.

While she was dividing it, I suddenly blurt out an apology. "Grandma. I'm really so—"

But she glared at me, and it was the kind of glare that tells me I don't have any permission to talk yet. So I didn't.

A few minutes into the game, she started talking. "I don't know what has gotten into you lately, Leo," she said quietly. "Pulling something like that. I don't know if it's because you're getting older and feel like you should or if it's something else, but I don't particularly like it."

I focused my eyes on the card, mainly because I couldn't look at her. What I did may have made sense before; it didn't now.

She finished putting down a set before saying, "And about that girl, let me put something into perspective." She placed her hands down, signaling me to look at her. "How many times do you text her?"

I was allowed to speak, but I still felt awkward to. "Um, almost every day," I said.

"How many times do you see her at school?"

"Almost every day."

"And how many times do you call her?"

"Two, three times a week."

She raised her eyebrows. "How many times do you call me?" she asked.

I tried to remember correctly. "Once every week," I answered.

"Every two, lately. I count," she said. "How many times do you see me?"

The guilt started building as I understood. "Once a month."

"For how many days?"

"A day."

"So do you think it's only fair that I ask my grandson for one day to spend some time with me?"

I really couldn't look up at that time. "Yes," I said. "Yes, ma'am."

As she drew from the deck in the middle, she spoke. "You're a smart boy. I know you understand that you have to find a balance in things. Family has its place, friends have their place, and special friends have theirs. Do you get my point?"

I could see that the situation had diffused a little from her expression. It was softer, which meant I have a bit more freedom to speak without being scolded for it. I nodded. "I'm really sorry, Grandma," I said. "It won't happen again."

We were staring at each other for a while before she turned her attention back to her cards, shaking her head, smirking a little. "You and your mother and those eyes," she mumbled. "Both of you sure do know how to work them."

I smiled a bit. I was forgiven. Or, at least I hope I was.

We played quietly for about ten minutes. I don't remember who was winning then. I don't think any of us were interested in knowing. We just played to play, I guess.

I was getting somewhat sleepy when Grandma said something that woke me up. "Your mother told me about everything that's happened."

I stopped. "Everything?"

"Yeah. She finally told me about your stepbrothers and your stepsister. And Donald, of course."

It was my turn, but I didn't take it. I was too distracted by what I thought she meant. "She did?" I asked.

"Yes. Boy, how many times do I have to tell you?" she asked with irritation.

"I just…I didn't think she would," I said. "Are you going to tell anyone?"

"Well, I was planning on telling your Aunt Janice, but based on your reaction I probably won't," she said. She frowned. "I don't know why you're embarrassed. I think it was adorable."

I was still nervous, but I was confused at the same time. Adorable didn't seem to fit the bill. Amazing, maybe, knowing that Adam, Bree and Chase has cool abilities, but cute? It's a little off. "I'm sorry, Grandma, but I'm not following," I said. "How is it adorable?"

"You don't think their support for you when your hamster died was nice?"

That was when I got it. "Oh…" I nodded slowly. "Well, yes. It was nice."

She narrowed her eyes. "What did you think I was talking about?" she questioned.

I laughed awkwardly. "I don't know," I said, hoping she would buy it.

There was another break in the conversation, which I was glad to have. Sometimes Grandma has a way of drawing out information from me without me knowing it, and I didn't think it would do anyone any good if I volunteered an important secret to her.

"I have something to ask you, Leo, and I hope you don't find it offensive," Grandma started. "Do you like your new family?"

"Of course," I said.

"Mmkay," she said, but I could tell from her expression that something was bothering her.

"Why?"

Grandma arranged the cards in her hands. "I'm just wondering," she said. "I've been watching you and your mother. Between her job and her husband and her new kids, I'm worried that she's not spending as much time with you. Does she give you as much attention as before?"

I thought about it. I thought about lying, but glancing up, I could see that she was very attentive to my reaction. She's known me for years. I know she knows my tell, so there was no use. "No," I said.

She sighed in disappointment. She laid down her cards and sat up.

"But, I mean…it's okay," I said in an attempt to fix the situation. "Big D doesn't spend as much time with Adam or Bree or Chase either. He tries to spend time with me, too."

It's true, but it also kind of isn't.

Grandma smiled. "Look, baby. It's alright," she said. "I won't yell at your mother or your stepfather if she doesn't. Or he doesn't. And I already figured that they don't. There are three of them, and there's only one of you. I may be old, but my math is still good."

I laughed a little.

She smiled wider. "Now, don't get me wrong," she said. "I'm not putting your family down. I was just worried about how you would feel and how you would be treated. I love your siblings. They're my grandchildren, too, but you still have a special place. I want to make sure you don't feel like you're not loved."

I thought about what she said, and it seemed to wake me up more. At one point, I was concerned that Big D and Mom might be listening and they might be disappointed by what they were hearing. But, if they were awake, I'm sure Big D would have rushed down the stairs in whatever animal print pajamas he's wearing just to tell Grandma what he really thinks of me being here with them, and Mom would have been crying at what was being implied.

And if they were awake, Adam, Bree and Chase would probably say how annoying I am, but they still think of me as a good brother.

I knew I had to say something for them. "I don't," I said. "I mean, you know. Feel like that, like they don't care. Because they do, very much. And I know."

Grandma smiled at me. "Then I'm glad," she said sincerely.

Soon after, she ran out of cards. She crossed her arms, leaning back with a small grin.

I grinned back. "You won," I said.

She laughed, shuffling the deck again before distributing it. "Mm-hmm," she said. "But—don't worry. I'm about to teach you a trick that will have you win all kinds of card games. This is just between the two of us. Okay?"

I nodded and then waited for her to finish.

Someone in the living room coughed then mumbled something. Even if everything was already quiet, with the movie probably done playing, I couldn't really piece together what was said. All I knew was that it was Chase, and he nearly had me running out because he sounded like someone else I'd never want to be in our house in that time of night.

Just the thought of something happening scares me.

"What scares you?" Grandma asked.

Unconscious slip of the tongue. I shrugged. "Something bad happening to them," I answered anyways. "I just don't like the idea that I can do something about it but I can't at the same time."

Grandma looked up at me. "Are you saying that you're scared that you may have to give up something for them one day?" she asked tactfully.

"No," I said, staring at the cards on my hand. "I'm scared that there are five of them, and I only have one to give."

I know Grandma may not have liked what I was not saying, but it was the truth.

She smirked. "You really remind me of your father," she said.

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes. For once."

I nodded. Then, I laughed. "Was he really that bad?"

Grandma made a face. She started telling me stories about him, especially when he and Mom first started dating. Now I understand why she doesn't like Janelle that much, but I didn't say that. She also taught me the trick and a few other things. By our fourth game, it was five thirty in the morning, and Mom was already up. She told us it was time to go to bed. We were both sleepy, so we did what she said. Grandma argued a little bit, of course, but she relented soon enough.

By the time we got up, it was already afternoon. Grandma decided to take all four of us to the mall to go shopping. I was very excited about that.

Then, when I opened the closet to grab something before we leave, paint in all three primary color splattered right on my face.

And on my favorite shoes.

They think Mom's was good when she got them back? Oh, they're in for something they won't be able to handle. I have three binders for things like these, and I think it calls for one from the Star Wars level.

Big D decided to take us all to a nice expensive restaurant twenty minutes across town tonight at around fifteen 'til eight. I asked him if it's possible to move the reservation at half past eight. He asked me why. I told him Adam, Bree and Chase would need time to get ready again.

He asked me what I meant.

I told him he'll find out at eight.

Actually, in three…two…

Signed,

Leo Francis Dooley

End of Chapter Backfire

Re-Enter Password: *************

Date: 11.16.13

Time: 8:00 PM

In Prank You Very Much, to what state did Leo accidentally send Rose to? Answers are celebrated, reviews are loved!

This week's recommendation is Weesta's "Fallout". If you love you some Chase whump and stories involving Douglas and his plans, this is for you. I've only skimmed through it mostly because I haven't had time to sit down, but I can tell you that the quality is great. The plot is very intriguing. It's worth checking out. :)

I also would like to mention that I'm going to run a Lab Rats Challenge/Contest. If you are interested, please send me a PM, and I'll send you the specifics. The deadline and the prizes will be mentioned there, too. ;)

I hope to hear from you guys soon!