"Mmmm... I dunno," Dale said, all expressive like. "They wouldn't tell me... I wasn't too bothered, because they showed me the suit I got to wear, because we did a muggle wedding... it was COOL! I looked like daddy," Dale puffed out his chest proudly.

"Oooooh, a party?!" Dale gasped, wide-eyed. "I can come? WOW!" he laid his head on Reese's shoulder and stifled a yawn, but then Reese set him down. "Wait, nooooooo! Pick me back up!" Dale demanded, holding his arms out.

Heath stopped outside Reese's bedroom and did a double take. Was that Dale's voice... in Reese's room? He backtracked and re-read the nameplates on the doors, before grinding his palm against his temple. "Just tired," he murmured.

Knocking on the door, Heath stepped back and stared absent-mindedly down the hall.

Reese giggled. "I haven't eve seen you dad,yet.You know,I don't even think I made a good first impression on him.Slamming the doors and everything." She bit her lower lip and looked at Dale.Maybe she wouldn't be so made at Heath and her mom now since it was her fault.She was the one that didn't read the letter. "Yeah,a party.Umm-I don't know.I got to think about it.See,there will be a lot of older people there.Who would you hang out with?" She shook her head at Dale. "Not,now." She heard a knock on the door and turned to face it. "Come in,"she said.

Dale's face was immeasurably sad. He looked as though he'd just had his final wishes in life rejected. "But REEEEEEEEEESE!" he cried, the salty tears running down his face. "I wanna come... and... I WANT UP!" he yelled, stomping his foot on the ground.

Blinking rapidly, certain that the sounds of one of Dale's tantrums was on the way, Heath pushed the door open. There was a girl in the room who appeared to be about 15 or 16 years old, and Heath's son was stood next to her looking absolutely furious. "Dale, come here," Heath said firmly, but gently, bending down and stretching his arms out. He looked up at the blonde. "Hi... you must be Reese... I'm Heath," he said, waiting for Dale to come to him.

"DADDY!!!!!" Dale exclaimed, bowling himself into has dad who was almost knocked backwards. He hugged the man around the neck as he was lifted up again, stifling another yawn.

No tears.Pllllllease,no tears. Reese couldn't do the crying thing.Especially with little kids. "No,please don't cry,Dale.I'll let you come to the party,I promise.You just have to behave yourself around the big kids," she told the little monkey boy. When the door opened, Reese turned to look at the man that walked inside her room. "Oh,hey.Umm-yeah-I am Reese.It's a pleasure to meet you Heath." She looked around her empty room, except for the bed, then looked back at Heath. "So..." she trailed off. "I'm sorry about slamming all the doors.Three to be exact."

Snivelling, Dale closed his eyes as he rested on his dad's shoulder. He was happy he could go to the party and all... but now he was just tired. Breathing in the smell of his dad's aftershave, Dale sighed. That smell always made him feel at home.

Heath chuckled before checking his watch. "I think you should have an early bedtime tonight, Dale," he said, rubbing his boy's back. "You've had a long day... I think you exhausted yourself..."

Looking back at Reese, Heath smiled awkwardly. "I have no problem with the doors in the house, though your mother might... but my car... I ask you now to be extremely careful with that car... It was my first car ever, I have never had another one... Now... that doesn't matter anymore... How about you come and help me with Dale..." Heath shifted Dale around a bit. "I just need to take his shoes off and tuck him in, really. Ryan does it for me sometimes... We need to unpack all the clothes tonight really..."

He tilted his head at Reese. "Whadya say?"

Reese raised her eyebrow as Heath babbled on about his car.She just gently nodded her head as he talked.Most of the words were going in one ear and out the other.So,Heath loved his car?Interesting.If Heath ever decided to get all mean on her for some reason,Reese knew exactly what to go for to make him be quiet.She would go total his car.Bwahaha.Heath shouldn't mess with Reese now. "Okay,okay,okay," she said as he said bout putting Dale to bed. "I'll help."

"Uhhh-what did I say?" Reese was confused now.

Beaming, Heath nodded. "Good, good, come on then," he replied brightly and headed down the hallway towards Dale's room. He opened it up to reveal the petrol blue bedroom with the furniture and little bed already set up. "I had the boys' rooms ready for when we got here... But we didn't know what you would like... so..."

Trailing off, Heath began the lengthy process of getting Dale to lay down on the bed. But the little monkey was using his hands, legs, even his teeth were keeping him up. "Dale, c'mon, bedtime," Heath said gently, prising the boy's legs from around his waist. "Reese, in that bag there should be a cuddly muggle toy from a movie... Timon is its name... could you get it, and then pull Dale's shoes and socks off for me?"

He looked back at the tired clingy boy. "Come on now, Dale. You know I don't like this."

Dale, who had been doing his best to keep hold of his dad, pouted and teared up again. "But daddy, I don't wanna sleeeeeeep... I'm not even tiiiiiiiired," he yawned.

Oh the irony.

Reese followed Heath out of her bedroom,closing the door behind her,and went into Dale's room.She looked around the nicely set up room then back at Heath when he started to talk. "Oh,it's fine.I'll get my room set up later," she told him.

"Uhhhh-" Reese turned around and noticed the bag HEath was talking about.She trailed over to it and dug around throught the toys until she pulled out some weird looking animal thing. "Is this it?"she asked him.What was a Timon?She has never heard of one before.She looked down at the toy that was grasped in her hands.

Reese walked back over to Dale and Heath and sat the animal on the bed.She went over to Dale's feet and pulled off his shoes and socks.Once she was done, she sat the shoes on the floor and stuck the socks inside of them.She looked back at Dale and smiled. "Come on,Dale.You need your sleep and you know what, I'll play aeroplanes with you tomorrow if you go to bed right now and not make Heath beg you to go to sleep,"she told the little guy.

"It's good," Heath nodded, at Reese. "I can just conjure up the stuff you want in there, and do the walls and stuff," he explained, managing to reach out and grab Dale's Timon toy. "Hey Dale, lookit!" he gasped, acting all surprised. "Cheers for that, Reese."

He watched as Reese appeared to take control of the situation, and whipped his head around to watch his son's reaction.

Reaching out for the toy, Dale smiled with glee. "Timon!" he cried, jamming the foot of the meercat in his mouth. He looked around at Reese. Dale soooooo wanted to stay up, but the offer of playing aeroplanes was just too tempting. "Okayyyyy..." he sighed, wriggling under his quilt and looking up at Heath. "Kiss, daddy!"

Chuckling, Heath planted a goodnight kiss on Dale's forehead and ruffle his hair. "G'night, sprout," he grinned, heading out the door and getting ready to turn out the light when Reese left.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Reese smiled when Dale said he would go to sleep.Good little boy. "Goodnight,Dale.I'll see you in the morning," she told him. With that, she started towards the door behind Heath. She made it out into the hall and then she heard a knock on the door. "I'll get that," she said. She walked down the stairs and went to the front door. She opened it up and her mouth dropped open when she saw a familiar boy standing in front of her.

"Jake?"

Nodding, Heath shut Dale's bedroom door and headed off to find Victoria. He had a feeling she'd be in some for off mythical land... or the living room. "Thanks Reese, call me if there's any problems."

Examining the house that stood before him, Jake tilted his head a little. It was alot bigger than his old house, and THAT was BIG. Checking the piece of paper in his hand, Jake scrunched up his nose. Was this the right place?

Turning, Jake managed to catch sight of a tiny dent on some black Jag that was quite far off, before he heard the front door to the house open.

Wait, what?!

"Reese?" Jake replied, eyes widening. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?A better question is,what are YOU doing here?What are you doing at my house?" Reese questioned Jake. she crossed her arms and looked down at Jake.This was weird.No one knew that she had moved in with her mom and her new husband.NO ONE.How did Jake know this is where she lived?How did he get this address? "Jake,seriously,what are you doing here?Did you get tired of living on the streets?" So,maybe that was a little harsh.

"Hey, you shut up!" Jake yelled. "I came here to look for my dad, Heath, yeah? I don't need you giving me this. Now, why are you in my house?"

Stepping back, Jake went to sit on the trunk he'd pulled here, along with Lolcat in his basket and Rabbit, his crup, safely secured in a cage. "Get my dad," he spat, feeling equally as cruel as he felt Reese had jus been with her last statement.

"Don't tell me to shut up?!" Reese told Jake."I'm older than you and that gives you no-" She was cut short by what Jake said next.My dad, Heath.Oh,noooo.HECK NO!This was a joke.Heath couldn't be Jake's dad.If Heath was Jake's dad then that would mean-her and Jake were related now.She was doomed.

Reese stumbled out of the house and closed the door behind her,so Heath couldn't hear them.She quickly turned around to face Jake.She didn't know what to say.She was speechless. "Heath-is-your-d-d-dad?"she managaed to say. She leaned against the door and shook her head. "That's not possible.It's CAN'T be possible.That would mean-that you and me were-Oh,nooooo."

"Your age makes you in no way superior," Jake spoke over Reese, stopping when she did. What the heck was wrong with this girl?! "What the heck is wrong with you?!" he asked, incredulous.

Sitting on his trunk, Jake gazed up at Reese. "Yeah, that's my dad's name... Heath Upstead... and I'm his son... Jake Upstead..." Jake nodded. "Now answer my question. What. Are. You. Doing. In. My. House?!" he demanded.

"Jake..." Reese trailed off. "I live here with my mom and Heath.They got married during spring while we were at school." She slid down onto the ground and crossed her feet.She still couldn't believe that her and Jake were RELATED.For goodness sakes.Just a little while ago she hated Jake?Then,she started to like him.Nooooow,they were related.How much creepier can this get? "Jakers-we're brother and sister now."

"So... you're..." Jake mused for a moment, gazing up at the sky. "That's not so bad," he stated lightly, examining the large front garden. "So... can I come in then? I haven't slept in so long... I need to lie down... see my dad."

Swallowing a lump in his throat, then standing up and appearing like finding out this kind of thing was his everyday business, Jake went and knocked on the door, before pushing it open. "Dad?!" he called through the house, hearing his voice echo around.

Good sweet jigsaw pieces!

Heath stopped in his tracks as a young male voice rang through the house. Too old for Dale, too young for Ryan. Nobody else lived round here that would call him that... And that voice... was around the age of... "Jakers?" Heath called out, amazed.

"No,it's not.I'm just-shocked,"Reese told Jake. "I can't believe I didn't make the connection between you're last name to Heath's." I'm Dale Upstead.That's when she should have realized the connection.Right when Dale introduced himself as an Upstead. She was an idiot.

"Yeah-come on in-Heath will be excited to see you," Reese said.She pushed herself off the ground and pushed Jake inside the house when he opened the door.Jake didn't need to stand in the door way all night. "I think we have someone for you to meet,Heath,"she called out.

Victoria heard a young voice and stopped what she was doing.It couldn't be?She walked out of the kitchen and into the hall where she saw Reese and a little boy she didn't now.This boy looked around 11 or 12.The same age that Heath described his own son that he hasn't seen.She just stood and looked at Reese and Jake.Heath was going to be so excited to finally see his son.

Ryan,who was casing down Cam so he could bring him outside,stopped running after the little dog when he heard a boy's voice.Dale?No,that kid's voice sounded older than Dale's voice.Ryan left the dog alone and walked into the hall where everyone has seemed to be at.

"Oi, don't let me leave my stuff out there," Jake mumbled, annoyed at being pused forwards. He gazed around him, feeling overwhelmed by the large house but not necessarily showing it on his face. Two more people entered the hall, But Jake wasn't necessarily bothered about them. He heard his name be called out, and froze in shock.

Heath stopped, staring at the boy. There was no denying he was the product of his and Brooke's gene cocktail... he was just... the spit of Brooke had been when she was younger, and he definately inherited the height problems Heath once had to face. Poor kid.

"Jakers..." Heath whispered again, stepping closer to the boy and holding his arms out.

Sniffling, Jake stared up at the man. This was the bloke he'd seen in the mirror at school... with the little kid. "Daddy," he whispered, running up and flinging his arms around Heath's neck and embracing him into a hug. When Heath lifted him off the ground, Jake wrapped his legs around him too, in a way not unlike Dale had done. "I missed you."

"Okay," Reese muttered.She turned back around and picked up Jake's things and brought them inside the house before she closed the door. "Happy now." She picked his stuff back up and dragged them into the living room. Once she set his stuff down, she went back into the hall to see Heath and Jake hugging.Awwww.How cute.

They stayed embracing for what felt like the longest time, Heath rubbing Jake's back with a million questions running through his head. Soon, Heath realised his oldest son was asleep on his shoulder. Marginally frustrated that he couldn't talk to the boy, Heath resigned himself to the fact that his questions could wait until tomorrow, and headed upstairs to set up the last remaining bedroom.

OOC: We are now fast-forwarding a few days into the family routine, in order to get this party started as it were ;)

No,no,NO!-Reese woke up with a jerk and looked around the room.Oh,thank goodness.It was just a dream.She really needed to get over this detention thing that happened while she was in school.Kazimeriz was still haunting her dreams.She shuddered at the thought of him.

After stretching her arms and yawning once or twice,Reese got out of her bed and shuffled over to her dresser.She frowned when she saw her reflection in the mirror.Her hair look HORRIBLE.Gaaaaaaaah.She quickly picked up her hairbrush and ran it through her hair a few times until he hair look better than it was before.When she was done,she sat the brush down and back up a few steps to examine her whole body.She was wearing green polka dotted pajama pants and a green shirt. She kept asking herself if she should change into some clothes, but decided against it. She wanted some food right now.

Reese turned around and headed towards her bedroom door before she stopped to slip on some bunny slippers.Once she was ready to go downstairs, she opened the door and went out.She closed the door behind her and walked down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Stretching his arms out behind him, Heath breathed in the smell of the eggs he had just cooked for Jake. The boy had stubbornly refused to eat any of the food Heath or Victoria had offered, unless it was sweets. And Heath was dead set against giving Jake anymore sugar for a good ten years. Especially after that last incident.

Shudder.

"C'mon Jake, eat it," Heath muttered, crossing his arms and staring at the boy. "Are you sick? Why won't you eat it?"

Pouting, Jake turned away from the table, sitting sideways in his chair. He wasn't used to this total change of routine and he hated not being control of anything. Swinging his legs back and forth, Jake shook his head. Only one thing had managed to break this little hunger strike; the perils of sugar. Meh, it had been fun.

Looking up as Reese entered the kitchen, Jake only kept his gaze up for a moment before looking around and pushing the plate away. "Don't eat eggs."

Reese walked over to the fridge and pulled the door open.She pulled out a carton of orange juice and then closed the door.She turned around to face Heath and Jake.It's only been about three days and she was already tird of Jake.He was so-picky.The only thing he ate was sugar and the only thing he drank was stuff that had about 50 grams of sugar in it.This boy needed help.

Reese walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a clean glass.Then,she headed over to the table Heath and Jake were at. "Come on,Jaaaaaake.Eat the darn eggs,"she told him. She sat the carton and glass on the table and then she sat down in the seat next to Jake. "Eggs are good for you." Unlike sugar.

Kicking at the leg of his chair, Jake shook his head. "I'm not eatin' 'em," he stated stubbornly. Bleh, the smell of eggs made him want to hurl. Instead of eating he just said "Make me," and pressed his lips together.

Facepalming, Heath looked up at Reese. "Hey Reese," he smiled wearily. Looked like his early rise start with Jake had taken too long before he got it working, but Heath doubted it was going to work anyway. "I don't suppose there's any point in trying to persuade him, the stubborn little child," Heath grinned, ruffling Jake's hair. "Soooooo, any plans for the next few days?" Heath asked Reese.