Author's Note: Dear lord, technology is not my friend tonight! In attempting to make a correction on a past chapter, I subsequently deleted the chapter and threw off the entire space time continuum-as it applies to A Beautiful Wreck that is. I had to delete and re-upload the last 8 chapters to fix this mess. As a result, I am lavishing you all with my deepest apologies. To the story favorite/followers-I am so very, very sorry about the flood of e-mails you may have received about new chapter posts! Chapter 30 is the only *New* chapter today! Please continue to follow, read, review and support this story and do not judge the utter incompetence of the author! She knows not what she does (most days). :-)

"Stop fidgeting." Dean's hand covers mine on the armrest. He seems calm now, but I noticed him biting his thumbnail quite a bit since our captain announced that we'd be arriving in just under thirty minutes. That was about twenty nine minutes ago.

"I can't help it. You should've given me some warning. What kind of impression am I going to make on your mother after being in the air for five hours, looking like some scruffy college kid, not even taking the time to do my hair or anything?" My knee continues to bob up and down, as it has off and on for the past hour or so. I cross my arms over my chest and stare out the window as the lights below grow near.

He sighs and grips my chin, pulling me back to face him. "Do you honestly think my mom cares about any of that? She may head up a bunch of yuppy charity luncheons and events, but that doesn't mean she's a snob. My mom is the most down to earth woman you'll ever meet. I promise you, she's going to love you."

I gnaw on my lip until the plane touches down and the cabin breaks out in dim applause for the smooth landing. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I stand, ready to get this show on the road. Dean grabs both of our carry on bags from the overhead storage and I turn to see Jamie a few rows back and Danny across the aisle from him, slowly making their way to the front of the plane.

When we've reached the baggage claim carousels, I start practicing my greeting in my head. Do I call her Mrs. Wilkins? Shit, no, she remarried. Has Dean ever told me what his stepfather's name is? Damn it. "Dean, what's your mom's name?"

Smiling and handing me the handle for my suitcase, we begin our walk towards the arrivals area, slowly, to let Jamie and Danny catch up. "It's Kathy."

"Gee thanks, that's very helpful, but I'm not going to walk up and say 'Hey Kathy, how's it going?' Did she change her name when she married your stepdad?" I pause because we're almost in the waiting area where all of the families and friends gather, and I need to get my head together before we walk through that corridor.

"Relax. She went back to her maiden name after she and my dad split up. Nick didn't pressure her to change it once they got together, and I think she just didn't want to go through the hassle of paperwork all over again. So she goes by Annenburg now, or again I guess."

There's something vaguely familiar about that surname and I'm about to ask Dean about it when Jamie and Danny finally catch up with us.

"So are you two crazy kids ready to face the firing squad?" Danny bounces up and down on the balls of his feet with unrestrained excitement over the prospect of his brother and I in the sure-to-be awkward situation we're about to get into. It should be funny since Danny is huge, all bulky muscle. But instead of laughing, I kind of want to smack him.

I look at Dean, he looks back at me with just as much apprehension. "I am if you are."

He takes my hand and brings it to his lips, "Let's go."

Danny jogs down the corridor with his wheeled suitcase rolling behind him. Jamie is a few strides ahead of us. I hear a shouted, "Ma!" which I'm pretty sure came from Danny, followed by female laughter which must be his mom. I take a deep breath as we round the corner into the open waiting area. The first person I see is my dad. It's been so long since I've last seen him that I completely forget everything and run up to throw my arms around him.

"Hey, baby girl." His voice is muffled by my sweatshirt as he squeezes me in a tight hug and swings me around like he always does.

He sets me back on me feet and I smile up at him. "Hi, daddy."

"Oh I get a 'daddy' today. Either someone really missed me, or I'm being softened up." Dad folds his leather-clad arms across his chest and gives me the eye.

"Trust me dad, it's the latter," Jamie pipes in from next to him.

"Figured as much." His gaze shifts over my head and settles on a point before his eyebrow raises. "Guess that's the guy, huh?"

I turn to follow his gaze and see Dean and Danny with a short, dark-haired woman standing between them. I swallow hard and take my dad's hand, pulling him towards the love of my life and the woman I'm terrified to meet. "Yup, and you're going to be nice to him, aren't you daddy?"

He grumbles something that sounds like 'for now' but he and Jamie close the distance with me.

Dean and I both start talking at the same time, smile, look down, and then hesitate. Yes, awkward doesn't even cover this meeting.

"I'm Travis Maddox, Jessie and Jamie's father," Dad holds out his hand to Dean's mom, saving the day as always.

"Kathy Annenburg, Dean and Danny's mom. It's nice to meet you Travis, Jamie," she says, shaking dad's hand and nodding to each of them. "And you Jessie. I have heard so much about you, it's great to finally meet you. And aren't you just absolutely gorgeous." I look around for a second, not sure if she actually means me in my sweatshirt and jeans, but not a second later I have my answer. Taking me by surprise, I am pulled into an embrace that nearly collapses my lungs.

"Um, thank you Ms. Annenburg." My eyes widen over her shoulder at Dean and he just grins down at me and shoves both hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heals like a little kid.

"Oh, we're putting a stop to that business right now. You'll call me Kathy, dear." She releases me from her embrace and steps back a bit, but keeps her hands on my shoulders and her eyes on mine. Not in a cold or appraising sort of way, but in a warm and friendly way which helps put me at ease a bit.

"Okay, Kathy. It's nice meeting you, too. Dean has told me so much about you as well. He talks about you and his stepdad all the time."

"I bet he does," she kisses his cheek which sets his face ablaze.

"Oh, dad, sorry. This is Dean, and his brother Danny." Your turn, I think to myself with a small smile.

Dad shakes hands and exchanges pleasantries with Danny then turns his attention to Dean and holds out his hand. When they connect, I see a shift in Dean's expression but he manages to compose himself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Maddox," Dean says, making direct eye contact with my dad; something that bigger and scarier men have failed to do. I'm impressed.

"You too, Dean. Jessie hasn't mentioned you much to me, personally," he casts a sidelong glance at me before continuing, "but her mom tells me you're quite the student athlete, and a photographer too?"

"That's right, sir. I'm a forward for the school's soccer team." He doesn't look the least bit uncomfortable making small talk with my father. What the heck? So not fair.

"Right. Congratulations on the semis. Real shame about that crap call in the championship though. Virginia shouldn't have had the chance to make that last goal."

Dean's face lights up and they go back and forth a bit about the soccer season, leaving me staring dumbfounded at my father. Since when does he watch college sports? And soccer, of all things?

"Well I'm sure you're all exhausted from the trip. Kathy, it was a pleasure and we're looking forward to having you all over Christmas day. Goodnight Danny, Dean." He shakes hands with the boys and Dean's mom one last time and places his hand on Jamie's shoulder as they walk towards the sliding doors leading to the frigid Philadelphia air.

Kathy turns to me and embraces me one last time. "Jessie, I'm so looking forward to having you join us for Christmas Eve."

"Thank you for inviting me, can I bring anything or help out at all?" Please, please give me something to do! I think to myself.

"That's so sweet of you dear. We've got dinner pretty well covered but if you'd like to bring a dessert I'm sure the boys would enjoy that." Her smile is so warm and genuine, I can't help but return it.

"Absolutely, I'd be happy to."

"We'll see you next week then." She loops her arm through Danny's and leaves Dean and I to say our goodbyes in relative privacy, as private as an airport arrivals terminal can be.

"So," his hands find mine and our fingers tangle together.

"So, that went surprisingly well, don't you think?" I raise my eyebrows in question.

"You mean after your dad almost broke every bone in my hand, yeah," he laughs. Which totally explains the face he made. I should've known dad couldn't be completely civilized. "It's kind of cool that your dad follows the team."

"Yeah, how about that." I think about all of the time spent with my dad growing up and I can't remember a single instance where he watched college sports, or soccer in general. I'm definitely going to grill him about that one later, but I don't want Dean to think anything of it so I leave it alone. "You were surprisingly calm. I've gotta give you props for that."

"Calm on the surface, shitting bricks under the water," he chuckles. "When am I going to see you next?" Our hands swing back and forth between us and Dean tilts his head to look down at me sweetly with the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Haven't even left me yet and you're already planning out the next time we see each other?" I try to seem blasé, but I can't help the grin fighting its way to the surface.

"Always," he leans forward and places a brief kiss on my lips. I quickly look around to make sure my dad isn't watching, because the last thing I want is a scene in the airport. He may be playing it cool but that was when Dean and I were three feet apart. "Don't worry, he and Jamie are already outside." He must've read my mind.

"Well, why don't I see what my mom has planned for me, because I'm sure Christmas shopping and baking and wrapping presents are all on the agenda. I'll call you tomorrow and we'll figure something out."

"Sounds good to me. Until then…" He dips his head and this time the kiss isn't nearly as brief, or innocent, as the last. I thread my arms together around his neck and stand on my toes for a better angle. His hands coast down my back and come to rest at the flare of my hips. All too soon we part and I'm breathless, already craving our next moments alone.

He leans in for one last peck on my nose then puts his arm around me and leads me towards the sliding doors. "I guess that'll have to do," I tease.

"Oh I'm sure it'll hold you for a bit," he teases right back and gently slaps my backside just as we round the cement wall to the dropoff parking area. My mouth drops open in a perfect O shape at his boldness with my dad just feet away.

"See you soon, baby." He opens my door and I slide into the backseat of my dad's SUV, trying to hold back a silly, girly giggle over the endearment.

"See you soon," I echo his words with a smile just as he closes the door.

I chew my bottom lip, thinking of how many sides there are to Dean, and how I'm still learning new ones all the time. I feel my cheeks heat as I think about his playful slap. That's when I realize the car hasn't started moving yet. I look up and see dad eyeing me in the rearview mirror.

"So, Dean seems like a nice enough guy." It's more of a question than a statement and I'm not sure what the appropriate response would be. I go with the truth. "Yeah, he is."

He keeps looking at me and I have to turn away and face the window to keep from babbling every single detail about Dean, which I'm sure is his intention. Dad knows if he gives me that look I'll spill all my secrets just to get his attention off of me. He makes a grumbling sound at my silence and puts the car in drive, heading onto the highway towards home.

"My babies!" Mom shouts as she runs down the porch steps and into the driveway, pulling Jamie and I into a tight embrace before we've even had the chance to close our doors.

"I thought you had to be up early for school tomorrow?" Dad asks as he hoists our bags out of the trunk.

"Oh please, like I'd miss welcoming my kids home after not seeing them for almost five months," she says over our shoulders, since she's still squeezing us tight.

"We missed you too mom, but I can't breathe." Jamie feigns an exaggerated coughing noise until she loosens her grip.

"Oh, stop it you," she playfully slaps his arm with the back of her hand. "Come on, get in the house, it's freezing out here." She wraps her arms around both of us and shuffles us onto the porch.

"Hey! Little help here!" Dad shouts from behind the car, loaded down with bags on each arm and two suitcase handles in his hands.

"All those muscles, it's about time you get to use them for something other than fiddling around in the garage." Mom casts a look over her shoulder that says I'm spending time with my kids, bags be damned, so have fun lugging them in and Do Not argue with me!

"Oh, I'll use them for something else alright…" Dad mutters loudly enough for us to hear as he slams the trunk shut with his elbow and makes his way inside behind us. I laugh and Jamie gags. "Seriously, gross dad. TMI times like fifty."

"Hey, after twenty-one years you should be used to it," Mom jokes.

Dad steps into the foyer behind us, dropping bags everywhere and saunters up to Mom, smacking her backside on his way to the kitchen. I can't help but wonder if this will be me and Dean somewhere down the road. "Yep, it hasn't changed in the past two and a half decades son, why switch things up now?"

"I suppose preserving your children's mental health isn't a good enough reason?" Jamie reaches into the fridge for a bottle of water, handing me one as well.

Leaning across the island in the middle of the kitchen, dad smiles and the skin around his eyes crinkles just a bit more than I remember from the last time I saw him. "Not even for you kid. When you're all finally out on your own, your mom and I will be all by ourselves. Gotta make sure there's still something to look forward to."

My mom slaps dad as she did with Jamie outside and shakes her head. "They're already out on their own. We're lucky we get to see them twice a year as it is. Don't rush it."

"Don't worry mom, Jamie will never be off on his own. Who would do his laundry?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Ah, so that must be what the extra duffle bag is for. I'll get started on that for you tomorrow, sweetie. Get on up to your rooms and get some rest, they're all ready for you. I'm sure it was a long day." Mom comes around the island and wraps her arms around each of us and places a kiss on our cheeks.

"It's good to have you home," she breathes deep as if having us standing in front of her is the biggest weight off of her shoulders.

Dad folds his arms around me, his chin resting on my head, and whispers goodnight.

I leave them in the kitchen and grab my bags before heading up to my bedroom, Jamie trailing behind me. "'Night sis," he says, closing himself in his room.

"Goodnight Jamie," I whisper so Jared doesn't wake up.

Suddenly feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me, I drop my bags in front of the closet and turn on the lamp on the bedside table before flopping down on the freshly laundered comforter. I look around the room and not a thing has changed since the summer. The lavender walls are still bare but for the one or two paintings mom and I picked out when we redid my room for my sixteenth birthday.

I stand and cross the room. The shelf on the wall in between my two windows still holds a handful or two of trophies and ribbons from various debate competitions, intramural sports, and a spelling bee or two. Not even a hint of dust though, I notice as I run my finger over one of the name plates. Mom's been busy in here, I muse.

My cherrywood dresser that matches the sleigh bed is clean on top with the exception of my small jewelry box. Lifting the lid, a little ballerina spins in a circle as a song plays quietly. Inside are just a few items: a silver Big Sis pendant from when Jared was born, my high school class ring, and a pair of white gold earrings with diamond studs that my dad gave me as a graduation present. Closing the lid I look around the room again. I imagine my room is much different than someone like Kelsey's might be. There are no pictures hanging on the walls or the cork board above my desk with smiling girls or old boyfriends. No memories from high school to reminisce over. I guess that's what you get for being a lonely hermit and shutting out the world. All because of one asshole. Until now that is. Dean helped me change all that. I heave a tired but happy sigh and turn to find Mom leaning against the doorjamb.

"Penny for your thoughts, sweetie?" She asks as she makes her way into the room and lifts my suitcase onto the bed.

"Just tired, that's all." I move to help her pull out the clothes and pack them into the closet and dresser.

"Clean or dirty?" She gestures to the sweaters and jeans piled high. "Clean, of course. Only Jamie takes advantage of you in the form of laundry duty," I tell her as I fold a pair of legging over a hanger and place it back in the closet.

"Leave him be, he knows I enjoy it. Just like I enjoy helping you unpack." She lays my camisoles in a drawer and turns back to the suitcase, pulling out the rest of the clothes.

"You mean just like you enjoy pretending to want to help me unpack so that you can actually weasel out information about how my life is going?" I sit next to the suitcase and fold my arms across my chest, looking up at her knowingly.

"So you figured that one out, did you?" She closes my closet door then leans against it, mirroring my folded arms.

"After three years of going away to school and coming back for the holidays and summer, yeah I caught on pretty quickly."

"Well," she tosses the now-empty suitcase to the floor and sits next to me, "since I don't have to pretend anymore, how about we get to the good stuff?" Sighing again, I fall onto my back on the mattress. Mom does the same beside me. "How serious are we about this boy?"

We both turn our heads toward each other at the same time and a laugh bursts from each of our chests. "That serious huh?"

"I'm in love with him, mom. Like really, seriously, no-joke in love with him." I look back at the ceiling as I let the confession settle in the room. Mom and I have always had the kind of relationship where I tell her the things I could never say to dad. Things he'd overreact about, or just wouldn't understand. There were only two times in my life that I felt I couldn't tell her what was going on; the night with Will, and when I got kicked off the team at UCLA. Both things would devastate her and I just can't put her through that kind of drama for no reason.

"I know, honey," she says, taking my hand in hers. I look over again and she's smiling a two hundred watt smile at me. "How could you possibly know? You haven't even seen us together yet. I haven't even talked about him with you in person until now." I prop myself up on my elbows, looking at her with confusion etched all over my face.

"You want to know how I know, huh?" She sits up and pulls me with her. "Come here." She tugs my hand so that I'm standing and I follow her over to the waist-high mirror above my dresser. She places both hands on my shoulders and pushes me so that I'm standing in front of her, with her peering over my shoulder.

"Do you see that face?" She raises her eyebrows at my reflection in the mirror.

"Um, yeah. Several times a day actually," I say, still confused.

"Okay smart ass. Well, that face right there is the same one I saw in the mirror every day after I finally realized I was in love with your dad. The twinkle in the eyes, rosy cheeks from constantly blushing over your totally inappropriate thoughts, not being able to wipe the smile off your face, even when you want to be pissed or annoyed. Yup. You've got it bad." She tugs at my hair playfully and tilts her head at me quizzically in the mirror.

"What? What is it?" I ask a little too quickly.

"Oh nothing. I'm just looking forward to seeing your dad put this boy through the wringer. If he survives that, he'll have my seal of approval. That's for sure." She laughs and turns for the door.

"But dad already met him, everything went really well actually. Dad even boned up on his soccer talk. It was really nice."

"Oh sweetie, that was just the first meeting. When your dad gets him alone with your uncles, that's when the real fun begins. You didn't think he was getting off that easy did you?" She tosses one last smile over her shoulder and begins closing the door behind her. "Get some sleep, we're hitting the mall as soon as I'm done with classes tomorrow."

I've got a sinking feeling in my stomach so I just give her a half smile, more like a grimace, and say goodnight. Poor Dean. He has no idea what he's in for.