Strange

Laying back on the couch herself chewing the mouth full of candy's once Chance spit most of his out. Her own eyes seemed to water now slightly as her tong acked but she refused to spit the candy out.

Just listing to Chance talk Destiny is quiet as she continues to chew turning her head a little to look at Chance on the floor she half expected him to start twitching. Finally though finished chewing Destiny sits up on the couch on her elbows looking at Chance.

"I guess you can say I kind of do have a mouth of iron."

Grinning a little she shakes her head still looking at Chance.

"I guess it really wasn't fair for you. Remember how I said I eat so many of these I made my tong bleed? Well on that side of my touch the taste buds never grew back, so if I stuff that whole side full first, its not to sour. So...I will help you wish the dishes by drying them since I am nice and all."

Once the the room was empty Misty leans back in her chair. It wasn't still now she realized how tired she really was. Moving her head a little and looking over at Carson she gives a smile hearing his request. She was never to tired for a little more snuggling with her husband.

Standing and coming over to him Misty sits in his lap sideways bringing her arm around his neck and giving a smile. It was nice to see he had friends, and when they were gone him miss them. IT really did mean they were important to him.

"Hey there...was a busy night tonight huh? Was fun though, its always nice to see everyone!"

Sitting out in the jeep with Kyle Alice doesn't mind he doesn't get out right away. There was a strange feeling hanging about her now, once she didn't really like. This was the first time in a year she would say goodnight to Kyle and drive away.

"I think a picnic lunch tomorrow just the two of us would be great. Though I have to admit I am not looking forward to going back to my empty apartment tonight."

Letting out a small sigh Alice looks over to Kyle trying to muster a smile. She didn't know why it felt so hard. It was her home, and yet, it was going to feel so empty now.

"It sure it going to be lonely. Than again spending a year non stop with you and now having to be alone again...I can see its going to take some getting use to."

Bringing her hand to Kyle's face Alice runs her finger down his cheek just mapping the path for a long moment before speaking again.

"I'm so proud of what you did today Kyle. You've grown so much!"

Tomorrow...

"You're pretty confident, aren't you?" Chance goes for another piece of candy, this time his eyes watering as he puts it in his mouth. He can feel his lips contracting into a pucker even though he fights it, and he cringes. "Your turn, smarty pants."

Going back and forth for a little while, Chance gets slower and slower. Not only was his mouth getting full, but it was starting to hurt and the sour candies were overwhelmingly so. At some point, he stands up and paces, stomping his feet as he desperately tries to keep going. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long after that before half his mouthful is swallowed and the other half winds up in the trash.

Sprawling on the floor, arms and legs spread out, he groans. Raising one hand, he shakes his finger. "I'm warning you... this goes no further than this house." He smacks his lips again and cringes. "Crap those things are sour. You must have a mouth made out of iron." Staring up at the ceiling, he quirks an eyebrow. "And I must be doing the dishes for the next week... I vote for paper plates."


Jason chuckles and gives Katie and extra squeeze before letting her stand on her own again. "Okay, good."

You're one person I will never mind being stuck with... even on the tough days.

Bending to give her a last kiss on the forehead, he pulls her back to their table so he can finish his pizza that was only half-eaten.


Going back over to Jess, Axel slips down next to her again, his arm going back around her chair once more. "Well... that was satisfying." He takes a sip from his glass, and only she might notice that it was mostly to hide his smile.

His arm slides up to rub her shoulders, his fingers finding the chain of the dogtags he'd given her so long ago now it seemed. Knowing they were that close made his insides smile too. He and Jess were still taking things oh so slowly... but they liked it that way, and both were content. Jess was filling a hole in Axel's life and it felt too good to let go.


Eventually, the gang settles down enough to at least eat their fill of pizza, joined up by Carson for a while before the dishes needed to be done. Kyle makes sure that everybody is introduced to his friends, just briefly explaining they were a band but not going into details. The new group is welcomed warmly, if it wasn't obvious already by them having already been pulled into the evening's shenanigans.

Once the hour starts getting late though, people begin filtering out, bidding their farewells for the night. Cryptic's group leaves, along with JetStream, eventually leaving Kyle's band and Carson and Misty. Completely exhausted, they all felt so good but so tired.

Kip crunches on some ice and waves to Carson. "Want help cleaning up?"

"Naw." Carson shakes his head. "I'm closed tomorrow anyway so I'll just take my time with it. Thanks, though."

Kyle gives a deep sigh and looks around the table at the others. "Well..."

"Back to Gram and Gramp's?" Erik asks.

"That's what I'm thinking." They had Alice's stuff together so she could go back to her waiting apartment tonight, and Phil had said that Kyle's room was still empty, though he wouldn't pack and go there until tomorrow. For the others, one or two guys might be able to join Kyle and Phil, but they'd find places for everyone and in the meantime, the grandparents were more than willing to house anybody who needed a bed.

Soon, Mom and Pop's was left in a strange quiet, such a contrast to only an hour before when it was filled with laughter and roughhousing.

Carson glances around from his relaxed seat at the table. "If this place has accomplished one thing... it's providing a place for good clean fun and a time for friendship." He nods and finishes off his glass of pop.

His eyes find Misty, and he grins, patting his leg for her to join him. "Come here... I feel lonely with everybody gone."


Getting back to Gram and Gramp's, the gang heads inside the house, trying hard to be quiet as all the lights were out, signaling the older couple was in bed. Outside in the jeep though, Kyle doesn't go in right away. Instead, he leans back in the dark quiet and takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I feel... dead."

He grins and turns his head to Alice. "I'm gonna sleep like a log. But tomorrow... I was wondering if..." He shrugs. "If you and I could take a little trip and go have a picnic for lunch? Just you and me? The others will be alright for a few hours on their own. There's a little place on the lake I want to take you. If... if you want to."

No one

"Ohhh....dishes for a week huh?"

Destiny thinks on that one as she pops a few more of her own candy's into her mouth her face totally puckering as the sour takes over though it doesn't last long as she adjusts to the taste.

"I think I can handle that seeing as I am going to win."

The smile on Destiny's face grows even more as her eyes sparkle with life...she was having fun again, the laughs were chasing away the dark shadows. She needed this and was happy for it.

Smiling back at Kyle Alice leans her for head against his. Her own breath was on the heavy sigh from all the struggling and laughing she was doing.

"I think thats a work out I could get use to. Though if I lose my voice from laughing to much you might be a little happy."

Giving a large grin Alice kiss the tip of Kyle's nose only joking around him him as she draped her arms over his shoulder. It felt good to be home, to be with the bands and to see the look in Kyle's eye that had been gone for so long.

Being taking by Con's strong arms Katie laughs more as she puts her arms around his neck and give him a big kiss on the cheek.

"Your my hero Big Brother!!!"

Giggling and batting her eyes Katie leans her head on his bawd shoulder. Turning her head a little to look back at Jason she grins and just laughs. It was always so much fun to get a rise out of everyone and get them involved in the fun.

About to say something else Katie doesn't even have time as once again she goes from Con's arms back to Jason's and Con started moving around like a lunatic. Just blinking and watching him for a long moment her face void of almost all emotions she finally realizes what happened and the grin forms.

"Hey...its been a while."

Receiving Jason's kiss Katie's arms slip around him as she returns the moment. Hearing the from Mike she just holds the kiss before not being able to help a laugh making her break the kiss but her head still rested against Jason's as she whispers.

"No one could steal me away, your stuck with me."

Hotshot vs. Tank

Chance grins and shakes his head, following suit with popping a couple more candies into his mouth and cringing as if someone had just hit him upside the head. Once he can open his eyes again, he tries not to laugh. There wasn't much he could think of for the winner.

"Loser has to clean the dishes for a week," he concludes. Clearing his throat, he tucks the candies into his cheek, motioning Destiny to continue.


Kyle laughs and doesn't let Alice go, continuing his little march around the room. He does heed her warning though as a sheepish grin escapes, even though from her angle, she couldn't see it. Shifting his hands around to a more "suitable" position, he finally stops and cranes his neck to see back behind him where Alice's head was still hanging. "Oh alright... I guess I can let you down."

Pulling her back down in front of him so they were face to face, his hands were around her waist, his eyes twinkling with energy-pumped humor. Breathing heavily from his own antics, another laugh escapes. "With you fighting to get down, that's quite a workout. We should do this more often."


Hearing Karla's belch, Joel and Kip both come to a screeching halt and stare at her. Kip's eyes are wide until finally a smile comes and he offers a high-five. "Yeah!"

Joel laughs and immediately guzzles another several mouthfuls of pop.


Most of the noise around Con is hard for him to distinguish, but his good ear does pick up the sound of Katie's teasing calls for help. Leaning back in his chair, he tries to see what was going on. Throwing Jamie a grin, he stands up. "Be right back."

Coming up behind Jason, he puts a finger to his lips for Katie not to tell him. Though Jason is moving around a lot, Con manages to get a hold of Katie and slip her right off of Jason's shoulder. His own laughter joins in with the others as he easily holds Katie. "Hey there, little sister, looks like you need some help."

Jason whirls around and sets his hands on his hips, though he can't even pretend to be mad - it was way too funny. "Tell me you did not just steal my girl."

Rocky cups his hands over his mouth, mimicking a loudspeaker. "And tonight, ladies and gentlemen, Hotshot and Tank go head to head in a match of all matches!"

Having moved so smoothly behind the tables, no one seemed to have notice Axel had gotten up and was now standing behind Con. Peeking around the big man at Jason, he winks. Moving back into position, he reveals a handful of ice. And without hesitating, the ice is deposited down the back of Con's shirt.

Con's eyes go wide as the cold hits his back and he lets out something close to a wail, though later, Jason would describe it as the sound of a dying water buffalo. Doing his own little spin around to try and get the ice out of his shirt, Con's armful of Katie moves with him. Jason takes advantage of Con's precarious position, before anyone knew what was happening, Katie had been tossed back into Jason's arms.

Holding onto her tightly, Jason was grinning ear to ear. "Long time no see." Leaning in, he presses his lips to hers, not waiting for permission.

"Wooee!" Mike calls. "I think Hotshot just won, Con!"

Con is still fighting with the ice and manages to get all the pieces out of his shirt, but by that time, Jason is too far gone to even try going after. Laughter sparkles in his eyes as he watches two of his best friends. This was a good night... a fun night... a much-needed getaway from the daily grind.