A/N: Let's check up on Jenna for a bit...

...then next time we'll return to our fearless foursome back east!

The Pitney Dragons (and their special friend, Jenna) have kicked off the morning running drills. Now that they were six gals strong, they played some three on three. Tambry was with Georgina and Jackie, while Jenna was set up with Alyssa and Britt. This meant each team had two tall ones and one shorter player, so they were evenly matched. Jenna was a little hesitant with the sassy little blonde since Britt was even shorter than Tambry. But the girl hustled like a motherfucker, able to confuse her taller opponents. Plus, the vertically challenged rarely had the ball stolen from them as that rock went from the hand to the floor and back in the blink of an eye. The taller the player, the more opportunity to steal possession as there was a longer way to go.

Jenna covered Georgina, telling Britt to make the shot. She second-guessed herself for a moment, which ruined her window. Now Britt was surrounded. Alyssa waved that she was open, and the smaller girl tossed it to her teammate who made a three-point shot. Jenna cheered, catching a high five from Alyssa on the run back. After ten more minutes of playing, they collectively decided to take a break. They huddled around the cooler, grabbing water and Gatorade.

"Lookin' good out there!" Tambry told her crew. "Big difference from day one."

"Might just have a shot after all," smirked Jackie.

Jenna was sweating profusely, as the girls easily noticed.

"Poor thing!" pouted Georgina. "We workin' you too hard?"

"It's been a while," the actress admitted with a sigh.

The Dragons laughed, slapping Jenna affectionately. The kids at Hollywood Arts were cool, but she did miss the camaraderie from being on a team. That must have been why being in that play felt so familiar. Not just the cast of actors, but the crew as well. Everyone was doing their part, there was plenty of practice involved; and they all huddled up to psyche themselves up on opening night, not that different from game day. Guess that would make Alice the coach?

"So, it's true."

(That voice.)

Jenna turned and sure enough, she was locking eyes with who she expected.

"Stephanie Hill," she said, crossing her arms. "To what do I owe this dubious pleasure?"

"A little bird told me that you went crawling back to the Dragons. What's the matter? Performing arts school not doing it for you anymore?"

Jenna snorted.

"You wish! I'm just seeing how far my girl, Tambry's come along with her squad. I gotta say, they're giving me a real workout."

Green eyes glanced over at Jenna warmly. Tambry appreciated that she had her back.

"Oh, yeah," smirked Steph. "The new captain!" she said in air quotes.

Jenna growled.

"What's so funny, Steph?" asked Tambry.

"Oh, nothing..." the dark-haired amazon shrugged. "It's just that you in charge is like a hockey team making a man with no arms their captain."

The actor was having none of this.

"It's amazing your 6'3" butt always struggled to be the bigger person."

Steph rolled her eyes at Jenna.

"You have room to talk, Barker! You changed schools, too."

Jenna scoffed.

"I wanted to do something different with my life. I didn't run with my tail between my legs because I couldn't face the shame!"

(Just trying to get under her skin, Tam. Please don't take that the wrong way.)

The brunette scratched her chin.

"Oh? Shame, you say. I think I was the only one who left that team with my dignity intact. Best decision I ever made! Northridge at least values talent. They saw what I was capable of, and they offered me the position of captain on the spot!"

Steph was always envious that Coach Dickinson chose Abby over her as the team leader. She was often the instigator of fights; harmony be damned! The other girls quit, sure, but in their eyes Steph did way worse. Not only did she leave, but she also changed schools and essentially switched sides. Now she was a Viking.

And she was their captain, no less.

"Point is, Tam, they wanted me to lead! You were made captain be default. How does that feel?"

Tambry lowered her head, which infuriated Jenna.

She was about to step forward and lay into the girl when Georgina stood beside her captain.

"Listen here, Benedict Arnold! You think my captain isn't the best, then your mind is more twisted than my braids!"

Jenna chuckled.

Georgina was about midway between Jenna and Tambry in terms of height, but she might as well had been eleven feet tall the way she was staring daggers at Steph.

"That's right!" Jenna added, nodding to Georgina. "I'd spend more time worrying about the Vikings."

"The Dragons are doing just fine!" smirked Jackie.

"So, why don't you get lost!"

Steph shook her head with a grin and walked off, muttering how she had better things to do.

Jenna and the rest of the squad gathered around Tambry, who looked up at her teammates with adoration.

Tambry picked up the ball and bounced it to Alyssa, who caught it without fail.

"Ladies, let's get back to work."

The brown-haired girl smacked her own arm.

"WORK! I've got to go or I'm late!"

Jenna scrambled to get her things and turned back to Tam who waved her hand that she's good.

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," nodded Tambry.

Jenna was relieved when she was able to park right in front of the record shop. Tori's car was in it's normal spot as they took an airport shuttle to LAX. But there was enough space to park right behind the vehicle and that was good for her. Jen was already over five minutes late; she didn't need to hoof it two blocks, too.

The tall girl came through the door, making the ringing noise. She looked apologetically at Miles, who sighed.

"Sorry, sorry!" she said in a huff, shoving her bag behind the counter.

The sound of a toilet flush was followed by a sink turning on and off, ending with Billy emerging from the bathroom. He smiled at her.

"I was waiting for him more than you," Miles said, briskly walking to the lavatory and shutting the door behind him.

"Hey!" smiled Jenna. "I missed you."

He took a quick look around to make sure there were no customer looking and gave her a peck on the cheek. She held where his lips were and gasped when he gave her a single rose.

"Missed you, too."

Then a dawning expression overcame her face and those pretty eyes were vacant, haunted.

"Oh, shit!" the tall girl blurted out. "I forgot the flowers!"

When the remodeling of the record shop was nearing completion, Tori and Mia made a special shrine to For the Record founder and beloved husband/father, Sam Larson. It was Mia's idea to have a lovely vase with flowers the way you would decorate a grave marker. But they never wanted any wilting flowers under Sam's picture, so they made a point to replenish the bouquet every week. Before Mia left, she reminded Jenna about the importance of the flowers. Since she was the one to normally go to the florist and get them, Mia made Jenna promise her that she would do it in her place.

Billy took her by the shoulders and turned Jenna around to see the flowers were already taken care of.

"We're good!" he assured her. "It's fine."

She frowned.

"Thanks, babe but it was my responsibility!"

He shrugged, "You got a lot going on, so I went and got them. If you want, you can tell Mia you sent me to pick..."

Jenna teared up while gazing at Mia's father's image.

"That's not the point. I almost let her down. Let him down!" she gestured with her open hand at the man in the frame.

Her boyfriend hugged her.

"Don't beat yourself up, Jen."

Now that Jenna's dance card had been full these days, Billy made a point to have his shifts alongside hers so they could at least see each other. It sucked there wasn't much time to go out, now that Jenna had the improv group, the summer job and recently helping coach her old team. Billy appreciated spending time with her any chance he got but wished they could just be together, by themselves rather than at work, only talking between customer interactions.

That night...

"Jenna? JEN!"

Miranda came into her daughter's room and saw the girl was texting.

"What you up to?"

"Eh," she shrugged. "Just messaging with Mia. Seeing how her trip's going."

"Thing's good at the store?" Miranda asked, arms folded.

Jenna nodded.

"Well, one hour was tough when I was by myself because Miles had to run to the bank but otherwise it's cool."

Her mother nodded.

"Just make sure you get plenty of rest, okay? Tomorrow's a big day."

"Yeah, I got the next show. Hope they don't murder me for missing the last two rehearsals. First, me and the girls are practicing in the morning..."

Miranda cleared her throat.

"Jen, you can't go to the theater tomorrow. Remember, your cousin Lily is getting married."

The tall teen sat up like a shot.

"What? When?"

"Tomorrow," Miranda iterated with a raised eyebrow.

She tugged at her hair, which was free of its bun and hanging freely.

"Yeah, three months ago you got fitted for a dress because her friend couldn't make it but then she said she could, so you didn't have to be in the bridal party, but Lily still wants us to come."

The day of going out with her mom and aunts dress shopping came right back into the front of her memories. So much had happened in the ensuing months she totally forgot.

"Mom...I...do I really need to go?"

"We're all going, young lady! I will not stand up my sister's daughter like that. She would show up for your wedding!"

"Speaking of which, just how serious is that Billy guy?" came a male voice.

"DAD!"

"Look, I'm not a fan of tuxes myself but it's only one day! You'll survive."

He walked away, allowing mother and daughter to continue their conversation.

"Jenna, we need to be there. It's a very important day for Lily. Aren't you happy for her?"

She felt a guilty hairball in her belly.

"Of course I am, mom!"

"Then it's settled!" she sighed with a clap of the hands. "Better turn in soon. We want to leave by eight."

Miranda closed the door, leaving a slack jawed Jenna to collapse onto her pillow.

(Aw, shit!)

Jenna texted Tambry that she had a family obligation tomorrow and they would have to practice without her. A terrible feeling invaded her stomach. She quickly checked her phone calendar and she wasn't on the schedule to work tomorrow. She let out a puff of relief as she starred upward. Jenna was confident that worked out purely through dumb luck.

A ding came back to her phone from Tambry that it was all good and they would see her whenever. She smiled but still felt bad. Her mind wandered at just how chaotic her life had gotten this summer, more so than during the school year! Something had to give.

The next day, the Parker clan showed up at the VFW Hall for the wedding.

The bride and groom were hesitant about having their big day in a church, the ceremony ordained by a priest. Lily and her fiancee, Rich weren't very religious but they didn't want to be mean about it. Rich's father was able to rent out the VFW for the occasion and it proved to be a beautiful and well-equipped venue. The rows of guests were arranged with the aisle down the middle leading up the bridesmaids and groomsmen. In the center was Lily's childhood minister who wasn't a stuffy man like some of his ilk. Just to his side was Rich, standing in his rented tux. His and the boys standing were wearing peach lilies on their lapels, complimenting the peach dresses the ladies were wearing.

Jenna was low key grateful that she wasn't stuck wearing that color. She didn't mind dressing up for a special occasion but she's rather a hunter green number. That was more her flavor. And she had to chuckle the idea of them wearing lilies. That had to be her Aunt Geraldine trying to be cute. That was where her daughter got her namesake anyway.

Everyone stood when the music swelled up, revealing a smiling Lily in her flowing white gown. Jen had to admit she looked gorgeous but her natural glow, this boundless enthusiasm made her a bride. She was escorted by her dad, Jenna's Uncle Jason. The normally stoic man was doing his best holding himself together as his only daughter went down the aisle with him. He nodded to Rich when he took his seat, the groom taking a very deep breath.

Jen sat while she listened to the vows being said and the minister going through the whole thing before the big moment.

"...for as long you both shall live?" he finished asking Rich.

"I do," the red-haired young man nodded.

"And do you, Lilly, taking Richard to be your lawfully wedded husband for better or for worse, in richness and in poorness, and forsaking all others to only keep yourself for him, for as long as you both shall live?"

Her breath hitched as her smile refused to yield.

"Yes. Yes, I do!"

And with that, they were pronounced man and wife and kissed before their family and closest friends.

Over an hour later, once everyone had dinner and the newlyweds had their first dance, Lily was mingling with each table. She eventually made her way to their table where Jenna was seated alone. Her parents were talking and taking pictures with some other relatives across the dining hall.

"Congratulations!" Jenna told her as she hugged the blushing bride. "How does it feel?"

Lily exhaled like she was holding back all of the oxygen in the room.

"Scary but exciting..." she licked her lips. "Wonder if astronauts feel this way."

The former athlete chuckled, her cousin still one of a kind. They continued to talk about minor things until Lily was called back for some more pictures. She nodded and told Jenna that she was happy that she came. The teen felt bad that she almost missed this. Her mother was right; she did want her there, even if she wasn't part of the bridal party.

She watched Lily join back up with Rich, the classical high school sweethearts, who wisely took things slow and waited until college to tie the knot. Jen didn't think much about marriage or anything like that. But looking back to when when her older cousin used to play with her, she was a wild child for sure. One time she "somehow" set the carpet in the den on fire. That was forever ago! Now seeing her looking like she has her shit together, Jenna was impressed by how much she has matured. But seeing her childlike smile throughout the wedding proved a spark of her mischievous nature survived. Hopefully in healthy doses. She once overheard her uncle saying something to her father to effect of, "Just because you grow up doesn't mean you have to grow up, you know?"

Jenna pondered those words while watching her cousin hold onto her husband. She wondered if that would be her down the line with Billy. Would they last that long? Could they last that long? It was all a mystery, that's the thing about the future. She knew for sure she wasn't mature enough for that kind of a leap. Not yet. Looking at a girl of her stature, the idea of a growth spurt sounds laughable. While Jenna wasn't quite aware of it, she was on the verge of one but on the inside.