Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter two of "Not Here III: Going Around." I can't believe I got a review for chapter one. I didn't think that would happen, but I'm happy it did. I want to thank the reader who reviewed. As for other readers, don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear your ideas for this fic. Anyway, this chapter introduces Ashton, Anna, Kinwon, Tykwa, Julian, and Tracy. It has a little bit of Andros/Ashley. Stay tuned for chapter three.

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Chapter 2: Coming On Down

Ashton tightened his blue tie while standing next to the living room couch. He straightened the collar on his white dress shirt. He pulled a tiny piece of lint off his black jacket. Anna came in with a camera in her hand. He held out his arms as she stopped in front of him. She adjusted lens before running her tongue all over the inside of her mouth.

"You think I look good?" he asked.

"You look fine, honey," she said and put the camera on the coffee table. "Of course, your tie is a little too tight." She grabbed the tie and loosened it somewhat. "There you go."

"Thanks," Ashton said and placed his hands on his hips. "It's been a while since I dressed this nicely."

"You're not the only one," Anna responded and kissed his cheek. She looked down at her blue dress that extended past her knees. She focused her attention on her flat-heeled black shoes. She turned back to him with a soft chuckle. "It was Ashley's idea that I wear flats. She considers high heels to be damaging on the feet."

"She can't wear high heels, anyway. She is pregnant with twins," Ashton said, laughing to himself. "Can you believe she will be giving birth in just eight weeks? It feels like only yesterday when she and Andros revealed her pregnancy."

"Yeah. We were amazed at how much the babies had grown in the last several weeks after they showed us the most recent ultrasound pictures. I have a feeling she will have a boy and a girl," Anna suggested.

"That will even out their little family," Ashton said, smiling. "I know they won't be having any more children for a while."

"I do not blame them. Having too many children in a short amount of time is stressful on the body," Anna commented.

"It is also stressful on the parents," Ashton added while crossing his arms. He t tapped his foot three times. "Having many children in the old days was normal. Now, it is not as normal."

"So many children died during childhood back then. Parents having up to ten children and less than half making it to adulthood was not unheard of," Anna answered and snorted softly.

"Thanks to advances in medical technology, people are living longer lives," Ashton said, sighing softly.

"If only our parents were here to see our daughter graduate," Anna said, frowning a bit.

"They've made their decision to stay away," Ashton said in a blunt voice. "They can live with it."

Ashton and Anna heard chattering. They looked up to see Andros and Ashley coming down the stairs. She grabbed her camera while forming a big smile on her face. The expectant parents reached the bottom. Ashton and Anna went over to them.

"You two look great," Ashton commented while clasping his hands together.

"Thank you," Andros said and touched his cap. He moved his hand over to the tassel. "I still feel like this is a dream and that I will wake up any minute. So does Ashley."

"Nobody blames you for that," Anna responded and placed her hand on the camera's lens. "You ready for some pictures?"

Ashley laughed. "You bet, Mom."

Anna breathed deeply. "Okay. I want to do you first, darling. Why don't you go over to the window?"

Ashley complied with her mother's suggestion. She folded her hands and laid them on her stomach. Anna walked toward her, stopping a short distance from her. She pointed her camera at her daughter, who smiled. She took a picture. She adjusted the lens before doing another one. She snapped two more and moved it down.

"Okay," Anna said and moved her hand off to the side. "Now, step aside for Andros to have his pictures taken."

Ashley nodded at her mother and did what she was told. Andros came to the front of the window. He placed his hands in front of him. He formed a big smile on his face. Anna pointed the camera at him to take two pictures. She made an adjustment to the lens. She snapped two more pictures before moving it down.

"All right," Anna said, licking her lips. "Now, I want you two to stand together with your arms around each other."

"Okay," Andros replied.

Ashley giggled. "Sure."

Andros and Ashley came together. They put their arms around each other. They laid her hands on her stomach. They flashed smiles at Anna. She pointed her camera at them, taking three pictures. She did an adjustment to the lens. She took three more pictures. She noticed the ring on Ashley's finger.

"Ashley, is that what I think it is?" Anna asked with much curiosity.

"Yes, Mom," Ashley answered as she and Andros went over to her. "Andros proposed to me upstairs."

"It is beautiful!" Anna blurted out as she touched the expectant mother's hand.

"It sure is," Ashton agreed as he joined his wife's side. "It must have been expensive."

"Actually, it cost only one hundred and fifty dollars," Andros said, clasping his hands together. "Besides, it is the thought that counts."

"That it does," Anna said with a nod.

"I hope you are—" Ashley said, her voice showing a little nervousness.

"Oh, we definitely approve," Ashton interrupted gently. "You two are made for each other."

"It astounds me how some women throw a fit over their engagement rings," Ashley grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "They are more interested in showing them off than being happy they are going to be married."

"We knew some women who complained about their engagement rings," Ashton said with a scoff. "Among the complainants were the diamond being too small, the ring not being expensive enough, etc. They should be happy they even got engaged."

"Unfortunately, some people will never be happy, no matter what you do. They just want to complain about everything," Andros said, emitting an irritated scoff. He crossed his arms. "They do everything in their power to make others miserable."

"That is not a good way to live," Anna said, seriousness lining her voice.

"You know what they say," Ashton commented while making an adjustment to his tie. "Misery loves company."

"All the troublemakers we know are full of misery. I think they would make perfect companions for each other," Ashley said, giving a sharp nod.

Anna was about to say something else when the doorbell rang. She approached the coffee table to put her camera there. She rubbed her neck with both hands before taking a deep breath. She went over to it and looked through the peephole. She saw Kinwon, Tykwa, thirty-eight-year-old Julian, and thirty-nine-year-old Tracy standing before it.

Julian rubbed his nose. As a Caucasian, he was rather short for a man. He was lean, but he had a little muscle. He had no hair on his head whatsoever. His bald spot appeared as if it could reflect light. His eyes were brown and contained bags underneath them. His face happened to be full of freckles. Some connected to each other.

Tracy tapped her foot three times. She was Caucasian and was slightly taller than her husband was. Her blue eyes had scars at their corner. Her long brown hair was straight and turned curly at the ends. It was up in a ponytail. Her forehead had a scar that went straight across it. She and the others smiled as Anna unlocked the door and opened it.

"It is great you are all finally here," Anna said happily.

"We would have gotten here sooner if Kinwon hadn't had trouble getting his tie on. Julian spent several minutes helping him with it," Tracy responded.

Julian snickered. "It was a 'chore' if you ask me."

"I am never going to get used to wearing a suit like this," Kinwon said while touching his red tie.

"I won't with wearing a dress either," Tykwa added as she touched the nearly floor length skirt of her green dress.

Anna held up her hands. "I understand, but it is custom to dress very nicely for a graduation on Earth."

"No one wants someone dressed like a slob around," Ashton said, coming to her side.

"Anyway, why don't you all come in?" Anna suggested.

Kinwon nodded in agreement. "That is a good idea."

Ashton and Anna stepped aside, allowing Julian, Tracy, Kinwon, and Tykwa to come in. Kinwon and Tykwa saw Andros and Ashley standing next to the TV. They went over to them, smiles forming on their faces.

"Andros, Ashley, you both look amazing," Tykwa complimented.

"Thank you, Tykwa," Ashley said, laughing. "You and Kinwon look amazing too."

Kinwon chuckled as he touched the gray jacket of his suit. "Thank you. Your world has very nice clothes."

"When I first came here, I scoffed at the idea of wearing ordinary clothes. I had to in order to blend in," Andros said, sighing warmly as he remembered his first day on Earth. "It took some getting used to."

"Look at you now. You are an Earthling in every way," Tykwa commented as she held up her hand.

"That I am," Andros agreed.

Tykwa glanced at Ashley's hand. "Ashley, is that—"

"Yes!" Ashley answered excitedly, showing off her ring. "Andros and I are engaged to be married!"

"That is wonderful," Kinwon said, laughing in delight. "We are thrilled for you."

Andros nodded at him. "Thank you."

Tykwa waved her arms toward herself. Andros and Ashley moved to her, sniffles coming from them. They hugged in a somewhat tight way. They let go of each other. They turned to Kinwon, who gave them slightly tighter hugs. They released their hold on each other. Julian and Tracy went over to the expectant parents.

"We are very happy for you two," Julian commented.

"Thank you, Mr. Morgan," Andros replied with a nod.

"It makes me wonder how your friends will react," Tracy whispered with much curiosity.

"We are not worried about that until we see them," Ashley said and cleared her throat. "We are focused on getting to the ceremony."

"It won't be for another few hours, but at least we are more than ready," Tracy said and chuckled to herself.

"Don't you hate it when people wait until the last minute to get ready for an important event?" Andros grumbled in annoyance.

"We hate it a lot," Tracy hissed in some anger. "They expect everyone to wait until they are done when it is time to go. If you ask me, they should be made to stay behind."

"What you described applies as much on KO-35 as it does on Earth," Tykwa said, rubbing her chin.

"Yeah," Ashley said and laid her hands on her stomach. She felt the babies move and gasped softly. "Feel my stomach, guys."

Ashley removed her hands, allowing Kinwon, Tykwa, Julian, and Tracy to place theirs on her stomach. The quartet gasped in delight at the twins moving against them. They got louder at their kicking.

"Those were dropkicks!" Tracy blurted out amazingly as she and her friends took their hands away.

"I know," Ashley said, chuckling sweetly.

"You are just glowing, Ashley. Motherhood suits you," Kinwon said with a smile.

"Thank you," Ashley responded and sniffled. "How about we go into the kitchen for some drinks?"

Everyone voiced his or her agreement. The entire group headed into the kitchen. Two robins flew by the window.