Hi everyone!

There's not much I need to say for this chapter as it's pretty much just Trent/Katsume stuff and there's no trigger warnings either.

I'll just let you get to it and I'll see you at the bottom.

When the went outside, they saw La Carlita was already in the driveway with Rocky leaning against her. Other than the Garcia Brothers, only he, Adam, and Tommy had the special license to drive the hummer limo, so he would be acting as the driver today.

As they appeared, Rocky stood up straight. "So, are we ready to get this party started?"

"Yep! Start her up!" Trent said as he walked over to passenger side and opened the door. When Katsume walked up to him. Trent stopped him.

"Your lessons in chivalry start now. First lesson is that ladies are always first. Today is an informal lunch, but later when you're taking that beautiful lady out somewhere, you open the door for her and if you're driving a vehicle such as a truck or a hummer, you offer them some assistance; don't wait for them to ask."

Katsume nodded as Trent held open his hand and raised an eyebrow. It was weird, but the teenager took the offered hand and climbed into the Hummer Limo.

"Trent, I thought chivalry was dead."

"It might be for those uncultured men who are only into dating to have one-night stands. Real gentlemen will go the extra mile to make their women feel like they're something special. That's what courtesy is and today, when we go to pick up Elisa and her brothers, that's what they'll be watching for."

Katsume nodded. "Okay, chivalry lesson two is…"

Trent thought for a second. "Opening doors for your date is another custom. Again, ladies first, you hold it open for them and wait for them to enter before you walk through it yourself. Also, if you find yourself out for a walk with your date and you're next to a street, you walk next to the street and she walks on the inside."

"Really?" Katsume gave him a skeptical look. "Why does it matter if she's walking on the outside or inside?"

"In the old days, like before indoor plumbing was a thing, the household servants would empty out chamber pots and garbage out the window, so if a lady were to walk on the outside, she might get doused with toilet water and other gross things. If you really care about that special lady, you'd make sure that didn't happen to her. These days, it might be something simple as some moron driver going too fast through a deep puddle. It happens, and if you are on the outside, it'll only hit you. It's easier for you to change clothes than for her." Trent paused and looked at his charge. "You with me?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now, a few more things. When you take your special lady on a date you pay for everything and that includes a tip, which I'll teach you about tonight when we go to that restaurant. The only exception to this is if she wants to 'go Dutch'. If you're 'going Dutch,' you split the bill with your date."

Katsume nodded. "So, open up doors for the ladies, pay for the dates unless you're going to split the bill, show up in a clean car, and protect her from idiots driving on the road. Got it, anything else?"

Trent nodded soberly and leaned forward. "It's the most important thing to remember."

Katsume was listening to him with rapt attention. "Yeah?"

"No matter what, don't forget who you are. That lost orphan you were back in that hospital room is dead and gone. You're Paladin now and soon to be my son, I'll expect you to act like it from now on. When we greet her brothers and they reach out to shake your hand. You make eye contact and shake his hand firmly. Speak to him with respect but hold your ground."

Katsume nodded and then sat up straight; in that moment, Trent could see a subtle shift in his demeanor. When his adopted son looked up at him again, he could see that Katsume had taken his words to heart and had finally accepted everything he'd said.

"Thanks Trent, that means a lot to me."

"You're welcome, Son."

"Hey, guys, I hate to break up this male bonding moment, but we're here at the car wash." Rocky said with a smile on his face.

Trent nodded and then cracked a smile "Now, the fun begins, it's time to wash the hummer. Let's get to it!"

It only took about 30 minutes with the three of them working together to detail the hummer. By the time they were done, La Carlita glimmered in the sun. Katsume tossed the paper towel into the trash and turned to his mentor.

"Now what? We're going to fill up the mini bar with booze?"

Trent gave him a wry look. "Not even close, Son. Water maybe, but there's no need to tempt a recovering alcoholic."

Katsume's heart jumped in his chest when he heard Trent call him 'Son'. It wasn't the first time he'd heard it, but after all this time, it was still something that made him feel awesome. Still, he was a dude and he would not start crying like a girl right now.

"Yeah. That wouldn't look good to her brothers either."

Rocky made his reappearance. "For a casual ride, Sirs, might I suggest the classy glass bottles of Coke-a-Cola and Sprite." He told them with a goofy grin. "I was planning to make a run to the store anyway."

Trent looked at his watch. "We still have an hour and a half. We should have plenty of time to get what we need at the store and to go home and shower." He grinned at Katsume. "One of the perks of being a man is that we don't need nearly as long to get ready as the women."

"This is very true." Rocky agreed. "Just don't say that around them or you'll instantly regret it."

Trent walked up to the side of the hummer and opened the door and Katsume stepped in. "I'll keep that in mind."

An hour later

The Kitchen

Trent stood with Katsume in the kitchen as he inspected the young man who would soon be his son. They'd not taken long to clean up and dress in casual clothes and that included Rocky and Adam who had volunteered to be footman for this trip.

"Do I pass inspection?" He asked.

Trent made him turn in a circle and when he'd completed one revolution, Trent smiled and nodded. "Yep, you look good, Paladin. There's just one thing you need now."

"And what's that?"

"This." Trent answered pulling out a very small bottle of cologne. "This is the last lesson for today."

"Don't bathe in it right?"

Trent grinned at him. "Yeah, in this case, less is more. You only need enough to smell good but put too much on and she'll keel over. The women here have also made it known that Axe body spray is forbidden in the manor and anyone who dares wear it, will be made to shower again to wash it off."

He showed the bottle to Katsume. "This is a much better brand and you'll only need to dab a little bit on. I've been told by more than one woman that this is a very pleasant smell and they'd date a man that wore it. It's a little bit more pricey than what you'll find at Walmart, but as I said before, less is more and this bottle will last you at least two years."

He opened the bottle and demonstrated where it should be worn and then watched as Katsume copied him. When he handed it back to Trent, his benefactor smiled in approval.

"Now, you're ready."

"It's a good thing too," Rocky said as he descended the stairs with Adam. "Cause we're about to depart."

Katsume gave them an odd look. "Is that what chauffeurs wear?"

Rocky puffed up as Adam shook his head. "It's our version of what drivers wear. La Carlita is a fancy lady, and it would be a dishonor to wear jeans and a t-shirt while driving her.

"Not to mention that my husband loves to dress up like this." Aisha said as she walked into the room. "He's not a fan of wearing ties, so when it was our turn at the altar, I gave him free rein over the suits. He chose a mandarin and I've been a fan of them ever since."

"Not to mention that he likes the 'Neo' look. Adam added with a smirk. Though if he really wanted that look. The suit would be made of pleather and not cotton."

Aisha rolled her eyes as Tanya walked in and showed her mate a velvet box.

"Hey, you found it." Adam said with a genuine smile on his face.

"Yep, I did." She said as she opened the box and pulled out a gold pin in the shape of a frog. She lovingly pinned it to his suit where the fake pocket was and when she was done, Adam stole a kiss and then grinned when she stepped away.

Aisha smiled at her own mate and handed over his wrap around sunglasses and did the same for Adam.

After giving his wife a kiss, Rocky put his sunglasses on and grinned. "Let's get this party started."

Adam chuckled and shook his head. "Come on, Neo."

With a laugh, Trent and Katsume followed them out the door. Stopping only briefly to put on their shoes, they got into the Hummer Limo and headed to Elisa's house to pick up their guests.

Elisa's house

Katsume took a deep breath and knocked on the front door. A second later, the older brother answered the door. Today he wore his casual attire and yet another t-shirt with the Navy logo on it.

"Right on time, nice to see you're so punctual." His eyes slid over Katsume and to the Fancy Hummer. "Woah, is that your ride?"

Katsume nodded. "It belongs to friends of ours, today its ours to use."

"I see. Well, let me get my sister and younger brother."

While he waited, Trent waited by the side of the Hummer with Adam and Rocky standing by to play the footman; since leaving the house, they'd both put on fingerless leather gloves. They both stood on either side of Trent with their hands folded in front of them.

"Damn, that's fancy." Said the younger brother as he walked out towards them. "I'm impressed." Katsume grinned at him. "I'm sure she is flattered by the compliment."

Finally, Elisa came out in her chair being pushed by her brother. Today she wore a light pink off-the-shoulder blouse and a jean skirt with a pair of darker pink leggings and black ballet flats. Her hair was up in a pony tail and curled at the ends and she wore the barest amount of makeup. To him, she looked like a fairy maiden. All she needed was a pair of wings and a circlet and she'd be complete.

Katsume smiled at her. "Wow, you're stunning!"

She was beaming at him. "Thanks. You look awesome too!"

"Alright Katsume, make way so we can get going!" The older brother said with a smile. As they rolled down the ramp, Katsume walked ahead of them to where Trent stood and just as he'd been shown, offered his assistance to Elisa. She grinned at him as he helped her into the cab where her brothers waited to help her the rest of the way.

"When they were all seated, Trent stuck his head in. "Did you decide where you want to go to get food?"

"Logan's Steakhouse!" Elisa said eagerly. "I haven't been there for a while."

Trent looked at the big brother questioningly and he grinned. "She loves that place, and I do owe her a trip there; I have to say that it's been a while since I had a real steak. Those rations on ship aren't going to win any awards."

Trent nodded. "Then Logan's it is."

After telling Rocky where they were going, Trent climbed in and Adam folded the wheelchair and stowed it safely. When he was done, he smiled at them. "Welcome aboard La Carlita."

When the door was shut, the inner lights came on and the guys looked at them in amazement. Trent looked at them all, "The little fridge is stocked with cokes and waters, feel free to indulge while we're on the way."

"How did you afford this party bus?" Said the oldest brother. His name was Petty 1st class Hayden Lawson and he was the most intimidating.

Trent smiled. "La Carlita belongs to friends of mine. At the manor, we collectively have a small fleet of jeeps, trucks and a couple sports cars and now an SUV. This pretty lady was given to my friends by The Garcia Brothers; they're small business owners who love to makeover rides when they're not doing car repairs. I was told that La Carlita was bought at a cheap price from a limo company that went out of business The Garcia brothers gave her a makeover. When Kyle and Autumn needed a ride to last year's Christmas Dance, they pretty much adopted this fine lady out because they didn't have room for her in their garage. We've been using them for tune-ups and my mentor Dr. Oliver trusted them enough with his beloved Stingray and that car has a lot of sentimental value."

"Anyway, when you mentioned that you had a wheelchair in-tow, I figured it was a good time to let this sweet lady out to stretch her legs."

"Yeah, we weren't expecting for the van to quit on us." The second brother added. "I went to start it up and the battery was dead. Without the battery, that lift doesn't work."

Trent nodded in understanding. "Those batteries aren't cheap either."

Hayden shook his head. "That van wasn't top of the line to begin with. The military benefits I get don't pay for vans, not if she can still walk with aides. The model we got is from at least 10 years ago and I had to do things I'm not too proud of to afford it." He paused and looked at Trent. "I promise I'm not asking for money from you, but maybe if you could give me the number, I can bargain with them."

Trent already planned in the back of his mind to help them out, but he wouldn't tell them that. He nodded. "Yeah, I've got their number. They'll give you a fair price and they're good at what they do."

They sat in the quiet for a minute or two and then the brother turned his attention to Katsume. "So, what do you do when you're not at school?"

"I like to draw, and I'm volunteering for the Paws and Claws animal shelter. My friends and I are going to be in a fashion show at the Fall Fest. It's to show off some of the adoptable animals so they have a better chance at finding their forever homes."

"In costume?" The younger brother asked. His name was Bradley and he was on the Angel Grove Football team.

"Yeah. The ladies are taking care of that right now. Never been in a fashion show, it should be fun."

This whole time he'd been speaking Elisa had been drinking in his every word. Then she cocked her head to the side. "Wait, was that you that outran the cops yesterday? You and your crew?"

"Where did you hear about that?" Katsume asked looking like a deer in the headlights.

Elisa ducked her head. "Um, it's all over Myspace. Someone saw you guys in that jeep and the cops were chasing you."

Katsume nodded. "We didn't outrun them; they caught up to us at the animal Emergency room. We were rushing a wounded dog to the first vet office we saw. She was bleeding out on the backseat and it was me in the back trying to stop the bleeding. Once we knew she was stabilized, we faced the music and were let off with a warning after showing the cops our video evidence."

"Gunshot wound?" Bradley asked.

"Yeah, we witnessed it with our own eyes. The dog was shot at point blank range and the moment the bad guys left, we got her out of there."

"You're hard core." Bradley commented.

Katsume shrugged. "It's a group effort, I'm just glad she'll live."

A minute later, the door opened, and Adam opened the door with a grin. "We're here." He pulled the chair out and set it out for her.

Inside the Restaurant

They were all seated at the restaurant with Katsume and Elisa sitting together at the end. Trent sat next to the brothers and were having a discussion of their own.

"You're not what I was expecting." Hayden said as he munched on the bucket of peanuts.

"How so?" Trent asked.

"I've noticed that a lot of parents and guardians in this city are a little more uptight and proper. You're not any of those things…"

Trent shook his head. "Nah, that's more my dad than me. As long as Katsume stays out of trouble than we're cool. I'm more about giving him an even playing field to start out on and whatever he needs to make it to adulthood. I don't really see myself as a parent."

"I feel the same way." Hayden agreed. "I'm not really parent material either. I joined the military in hopes of providing for my siblings, not that this guy really needs me." He amended looking at Bradley who was taking everything in. "It's Elisa that needs the help. She's got some medical issues and I had to go the unorthodox path just to get the medical equipment she needs."

Trent raised a brow at that. "Dancing or Centerfold?"

Hayden shook his head. "Neither. I did some modeling for a local business and somewhere out in the world, my image is floating around on the cover of some trashy romance novel. It wasn't as bad as it would have been had I become a stripper. The money was good and just enough to get the van and a brand new wheelchair. As it turns out, joining the Navy was a much better alternative and they both have medical insurance as my dependents."

Trent looked at him. "I have no idea what to say to that."

"Neither did anyone else. I guess seeing the son of such a normal couple oiled up and half naked really shattered their reality."

"Yeah, especially when Natalie Stenson found that picture of you in the bookstore." Bradley said with a laugh. "She never looked at you in the same way again."

"And that was when we were shunned by them and every other parent in the neighborhood." Hayden added in good humor. "It was worth it because that last stent as a model was enough to get what she needs. Mission accomplished."

As he said that, the waitress approached them to take their orders.

They ate in companionable silence and when they were full and satisfied, Hayden spoke up again. "So, what do you think of all this."

Trent nodded. "I'm not so different than you. Not really. The last year of my college career was spent cosplaying as part of a charity group. Their specialty was Sailor Moon and whenever needed, I donned the tuxedo and became Tuxedo Kaman. Or in the English version, Tuxedo Mask."

"Seriously?" Asked Branden.

Trent grinned at him. "Yep, I played my part to the hilt and for one little girl, it brightened her day. She was fighting some kind of cancer, and when I walked in with Sailor Moon on my arm, her face lit right up."

Hayden gave him a look of approval and in that moment, Trent could see that his plan had succeeded. When the check came, Trent gave katsume a brief lesson on calculating the tip and then paid the check.

Nothing was said as they left Logan's and piled back into the van. Once again, Katsume was careful to not forget his manners and this time, the brothers allowed him to help her into the van, but still kept an eye on him.

As they arrived back at the Lawson's house, Hayden gave Katsume one last look. "I can tell you are both good people and I can go back to my ship knowing that she'll be safe with you." He guestered to Elisa. "That's my baby sister you're with, I'll expect you to be this good to her even when we're not around."

"On my honor." Katsume replied before smiling at Elisa.

"You'd better. There's two ways of doing things; the navy way and the usual way. Guess what way I'll use to deal with you if I find out you were less than honorable towards her?"

"I hear you loud and clear." Katsume said looking him with respect. "You have my word that she'll be treated with utmost respect."

"Ok, that's good enough for me."

When Adam walked up and opened the door for them, Hayden got out with Brandon behind him. "You've got two minutes to say goodnight." Then he walked up to the ramp and into the house, leaving the door open.

Trent took his cue and stepped out of the van standing next to Adam who was unfolding the wheelchair.

Katsume took a deep breath and smiled at Elisa. "So, will you go with me to the Fall Fest? I know I'll be busy for an hour with the fashion show, but afterwards we could grab a funnel cake and spend the rest of the day together?"

I can't wait!" She said with a grin. "I'm excited to see what costumes you guys come up with!"

The Trailer

A couple hours later

Rook and Paladin sat in the trailer with a big sketch book on the table. Rook had arrived back at the manor about an hour after Paladin and now they sat pouring over one of the artist's big sketch pads as he drew up a basic drawing of the wheelchair that they were planning to create for Mason, the disabled Rottweiler at the shelter.

Currently on the sketch pad, a basic schematic in light pencil had taken shape on the page and they sat around discussing ideas for what parts they would need and where they could find them.

"I think we could find the wheels at a thrift store, take them off an old mountain bike or something like that. We would have to find a welder to construct the frame though."

Rook nodded as he looked up something on his laptop. Okay, so rotties are commonly about 22 to 25 inches tall and pack on about 110 and 132 pounds in weight. The wheelchair would probably need pretty heavy duty wheels."

"That sounds about the right weight of a normal teenager so the tires from a mountain bike would work. We would also need to find something durable for the harness and it would need to be something that doesn't irritate the belly seeing as how dogs don't wear clothes like we do."

"So we go with something soft." Rook replied. "Most dog crates are lined with those sheepskin blankets. We could find that kind of thing at any given pet store."

Katsume wrote that down and looked up as the door opened and the rest of the Miscreants trooped in; they all looked worn out.

"Hey guys, how did the shopping go?" Rook asked.

The girls showed them two big shopping bags. "We found at least two or three different outfits for everyone. Wyvern replied. I forgot to ask what you guy's sizes are so don't take any of the tags off till you know for sure that it fits and that you can work with it.

We kept all the receipts so we can take back anything that doesn't fit. We got really lucky that its so close to Halloween; the shops were well stocked."

Pyre walked over to the mini fridge and pulled out a few sodas. He handed them out and then looked down at the sketch pad.

"Those are the schematics for the chair?"

"Yeah, I went to the shelter and spent some time playing with the Rottie. I studied the way he moved, and his temperament and I talked with Bonnie to get some ideas. We were just discussing ideas for where we could get the parts we need for his chair."

The girls had put the bags down and now they all sat around the table looking at the drawing. "Hey, I bet we could ask the Garcia brothers for help and I bet they would have some spare parts laying around we could buy from them." Pyre said with a grin.

Cold Stone nodded. "We've got some work ahead of us, but first I need a nap."

Pyre nodded. "Words spoken by a man who has never taken Kayla to the mall. She's just full of energy." He paused and looked at Paladin. "Hey, how did lunch go?"

Paladin couldn't keep the smile off his face. "It went well and I have permission to date Elisa. I invited her to hang out after we get done with the fashion show."

"Sounds good." Pyre said approvingly. "We've got two weeks till the show, so there's no reason why we can't be ready by then."

"Yep, but first, I need a nap." Cold Stone reiterated as he headed to the bunks.

"Wuss!" Pyre shot back at him.

Cold Stone said something rude under his breath but it didn't register as he retreated to the bunk with his mate following him.

"So, let me show you what we found for you guys at the mall." Wyvern said as she pulled out the right bag.

Paladin looked at her with interest as she pulled out the first piece.

So there we go. Everything went fine and I'm most likely going to be doing a time jump to the time of the Fall Fest.

I'll see you all then!