“Crap,” Aaron called from the backseat and Adie leant forward to change the song, sighing heavily when Aaron announced, “this song is beyond shit.” Five songs later and she was getting a little peeved that he kept saying, “next one,” and when he asked Nick how he could be in love with someone who has no taste in music, she whirled round to defend herself.

“HEY!” She exclaimed.

“He does have a point sugar puff,” Nick added with a smirk, wincing when she slapped his arm.

“I’d like to see what he has on his iPOD, come on hand it over,” She said as she held out her hand and waited as Aaron routed around in his back pack, eventually finding the green coloured Nano.

“I’m telling you Adie, there is not one un-cool song on there,” he bragged as he handed it over.

“You won’t mind if I put it on shuffle then will you,” she said as she hit play.

“Shuffle away,” he said as she sat back comfortably in his seat, his face flushing red when the first strains of the song floated through the speakers, making Adie almost cry with laugher.

“Is this what I think it is?” Nick asked with a wrinkle of his brow as he looked back at Aaron through the review mirror.

“I downloaded it for Taelyn, I must have forgotten to delete it off I tunes before I re-synced my iPod” Aaron tried to defend.

“Yeah right, like we’re going to believe that!” Adie exclaimed. “Hey Nick at least we know what to get Aaron for Christmas now, I mean you don’t have to Troy doll do you?!” She asked as she turned in her seat to face him before bursting into giggles.

“Shut up!” He moaned.

“Oh sorry is it Ryan that you like?” She giggled.

“You know for someone who is taking the piss out of him for having the soundtrack on his iPod you sure seem to know a lot of the characters,” Nick pointed out making the smile drop from Adie’s face.

“YEAH! You love it to Adie!” Aaron exclaimed from the back as he leant forward between the two front seats.

“Put your fucking seat belt back on Aaron, if you go through the windshield I am not saving your ass,” Adie told him sternly.

“You’d have to don’t you take like an oath or something?” He asked.

“That’s Doctors AC, and plus you seem to forget your twenty one now, I only look after people under eighteen,” she retaliated as she watched him sit back and re-buckle his belt.

“Unless paeds is empty then you have to pull things out of perverts asses or look after rapists,” Nick piped up bitterly.

Adie turned her head to the left and studied him for a minute, he kept his face forward, concentrating on the road ahead as he let out a deep breath, his brow covered in wrinkle lines. She had no idea where that came from, one minute they had been happily joking around and the next he had thrown this huge dig at her, plunged the car into a really awkward silence, and made her feel ashamed about the job that she did.

“Two years ago Nick,” she defended.

“Seven months ago you got knocked out Adie,” he bit back.

It felt like someone had punched her in the stomach, she felt physically sick because with those harsh words she knew, that what he said about not blaming for her for Molly’s death, was untrue. Yet it wasn’t the time or the place to get into it, not with Aaron in the back seat anyway, the car had already become icy cold and there were still a hours away from hitting a snowy Jamestown. This was something that they were going to have to discuss when they got back to Nashville and Adie just hoped that she would be able to keep her emotions at bay for the next five days.

***

It had been three hours since the car had been plunged into an awkward silence and try as he might, Aaron’s commentary about every song, or his funny jokes could not rid the car of its icy tension. Nick knew he had gotten to her with his words but it was how he felt about her choice of work environment, he hated that whenever she was at work that he was constantly worried about her and already once this year his point had been proven.

What he didn’t understand was why she had withdrawn into herself after the comments had been made, she usually fought her corner, retaliated with the fact that she never felt he was safe with just one bodyguard and thousands of screaming fans, she hadn’t done that today and he wasn’t sure why.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, wincing when his neck began to ache, why was there no damn way to get comfortable when you were trying to sleep in the back of a car? He could hear Aaron and Adie talking up front but he hadn’t really been paying much attention since he and Aaron had swapped seats an hour before, yet when he focused in on their topic of conversation he was intrigued as it was about him.

“He’s not always been the best brother you know. For a while I really resented him, you know he left and I get he was pissed off with Mom and with Dad and that I didn’t really understand what was going on back then because I was just a kid, but just because he was pissed at them didn’t have to mean he had to stop seeing and speaking to the rest of us. He turned into a complete asshole,” Aaron told Adie.

“So when did you start looking up to him again?” Adie asked.

“When Mom and Dad were divorcing, literally if they could have they would have ripped me down the middle and both had half. He was the one the stood up for me, that was the first time he stopped talking to Mom, it wasn’t until like two years later that he talked to her again and that was only because he had everybody ragging on his ass about it. We shouldn’t have done that to him, we shouldn’t of made him call her,” Aaron admitted.

“You didn’t make him, he wouldn’t have called her if he didn’t want to.”

“There was a hell of a lot of pressure, mainly from Angel and Leslie, that was like three weeks before you came out to see us, the atmosphere in the house was awful and he knew to make it better he had to please them,” Aaron told her.

It was true, he had only called to make everyone else happy, he had felt pressured and look where it had gotten them all? She had used his money for a make over, to redecorate her new house he had found out afterwards and he had felt like the worlds biggest mug. He just hoped that this time it wouldn’t be the same story again.

“I look back at the whole time and we were seriously fucked up Adie and we showed the world how fucked up we were,” Aaron mumbled slightly.

“I don’t necessarily think that that is a bad thing Aaron. It showed people the just because you have fame and money that you life isn’t perfect, it doesn’t guarantee happiness,” Adie reminded.

“Yeah,” he laughed sarcastically, “Money sure doesn’t buy happiness.”

“Hey,” Adie said and Nick could hear the concern in her voice, she had probably even reached across to rub Aarons shoulder. “What’s going on in your head AC? Why are you telling me all of this now?”

“This is the first time we’ve seen Mom with the majority of us being together in years, I know he’s been to see her and I know they’ve talked on the phone but I also know that you can’t work through years of problems, years of anger in that time. He’s already turning into an asshole again Adie and he hasn’t even seen Mom yet and I just have a really bad feeling that this week is just going to be like an instant reply of how our lives have been,” Aaron admitted solemnly.

“How is he acting like an asshole?” Adie asked.

“He snapped at you, he’s been in a mood ever since then. This was supposed to be a fun road trip and so far all he’s done in sit in the front in silence for most of it.”

“None of that is to do with you though, it’s to do with him and me. Just because we’re together doesn’t make everything okay, so don’t take anything he says to heart because it probably going to be misdirected anger.”

“Are you okay with him talking to you like that?” Aaron asked and Nick could hear the slight anger in his voice.

“No I’m not okay with it but with you in the car it wasn’t the time or the place to get into it.”

“It’s not going to be the time or place at Grandpa’s either is it? I…I can’t remember the last time we were all together and it didn’t end in some huge fight,” He admitted softly and all Nick wanted to do was wrap his arms around his younger brother.

“I’m not going to start any arguments with him Aaron, I don’t think that would make a very good first impression on your family would it?” She asked with a small laugh.

“Probably not,” Aaron replied, even managing a small chuckle of his own before telling Adie, “I’m really happy you guys are together again Adie.”

“Me too,” She told him and Nick could hear the smile in her voice, but then she sighed, adding, “I just hope your Mom doesn’t have this pre conceived notion that I’m a bitch in her head.”

What Aaron said next almost made Nick give away that he was awake but he managed to stifle the laugh.

“That would kind of be the pot calling the kettle black though.”

“Aaron Charles Carter,” Adie scolded playfully, “Don’t talk about your Mom that way!”

“I was only joking Adie…well kinda.”

“At the end of the day she’s still your Mom, and trust me I am huge believer in second chances,” She said a small sigh escaping her lips and Nick knew that she was probably looking back at him.

“Her second chance was about a million chances ago though,” Aaron rationalised.

“You know what my Dad’s favourite saying is?” Adie asked, “What?” “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Sometimes things take a while to work out, I think sometimes you have to go through things that really test you for you to actually realise what you have and how lucky you are. I’m lucky to still have, the asshole as you so nicely put it, in my life.”

“I still haven’t had a thank you for that you know,” Aaron mentioned.

“Huh?”

“I was the one that gave you the pep talk, remember Vegas? A defeated Adie in a crying mess on the floor?” He reminded, “Oh whoa is me, he’ll never take me back.”

“Thank you Aaron,” Adie told him and even Nick could tell it was the least in sincere thank you ever.

Aaron scoffed, “That was so false you could at least say it like you mean it.”

“You might want to pull in and get some gas here, we’re running a bit low.”

“Yeah change the subject,” Aaron joked but he let it slide, “You want anything to eat, it’s on me?”

“Isn’t that Nick’s credit card?” Nick heard Adie ask. Stupid little punk stealing his stuff.

“I don’t even think he knows how much money he has, he’ll never even realise it’s gone.”

You want a bet? Nick thought to himself but he didn’t move from his position.

“Grab me a water please?” She asked as Aaron unclipped his seat belt and hopped out of the car.

“Sure thing,” he replied as she slammed the door shut.

The car was quiet for a moment but then Nick heard Adie unclip her belt and shuffle in her seat before she began to speak.

“So how much of that did you hear?” She asked.

He contemplated on keeping up his pretence but she knew him to well and so he opened one eye to look at her, her head cocked to the side as she looked through the gap in between the two front seats.

He sighed as he opened both eyes and let his mouth form the croaky words, “From when he called me an asshole . I’m sor-”

“It’s already forgotten,” She quickly interjected.

He studied her for a moment and when he looked into her eyes he knew that it was by no means forgotten and so he called her out on it, “You mean it’s forgotten until we get home.”

“It’s obviously something we need to talk about, it’s always been one of our biggest issues,” She reminded.

“You mean mine,” he semi huffed.

“No,” She shook her head, reiterating what she had already told him, “I mean ours. We’re in this together Nick, that’s the only way it’s going to work your issues are my issues and in return my many issues become yours two.”

“Two emotional head fucks together huh?” he asked with a roll of his eyes. They were well and truly screwed.

“I think Rebecca looks at us and thinks Cha-ching!,” She joked which made him smile. “There’s my smile,” she said as she leant out a hand a run it down his cheek.

“I love you,” he told her softly, loosing count of how many times he had already told her that day, yet it still felt good to tell her, he felt like he constantly had to remind her.

“Ah now I can do one better,” she said with a smile as she leant her forehead on his, softly whispering, “Because I fucking love you Carter. Now you better go and stop your brother maxing out your credit card.”

Nick leant his lips forward and pulled her into a quick kiss before he made his way out of the car and into the gas station. It didn’t take him long to find Aaron, the precarious stash of food and drink in his hands looking like it was about to collapse at any moment.

“We’re an hour away you punk I don’t think we need that much food,” Nick told him.”

“My treat bro,” he just shrugged not being quick enough to stop Nick grab the credit card that he held, his focus on not dropping everything he held in his arms.

Nick looked down at the card before looking back up to Aaron with a semi smirk on his face, “Seems to say Mr N Carter on this card.”

“Okay so your treat,” Aaron admitted.

Nick raised his eyebrows, “You know I could be an asshole,” he said over annunciating the last word hinting to Aaron that he head heard his and Adie’s conversation, “and make you put this all back.”

Aaron just glared at his brother before turning towards the cash register, muttering, “It’s rude to eavesdrop.”

Nick disagreed with a shake of his head as he followed Aaron, “No it’s interesting. I’m sorry that I haven’t delivered on the fun road trip I promised, I promise the journey home will be better and I’m not going to be the one to start any arguments this week okay?”

“Have you apologised to Adie?” He asked as he placed all the items at the cash register.

“Yes.”

“You mean what you said about not starting any arguments?” Aaron asked unsurely.

“Yeah,” Nick nodded his head as he lightly tapped Aaron on the shoulder with his fist, “I’ve done enough arguing these past few months.”

***

Adie sighed quietly as she listened to Nick on the phone to his Mother. They were only two blocks away according to him and for the past fifteen minutes the butterflies in her stomach had been relentless. She was so nervous about meeting his family, and even though she knew that Aaron was going to be there as well as Leslie and Mike, it didn’t put her at ease because she knew there were so many things she could say that could potentially be taken the wrong way. She had wanted this for so long, she had wanted to meet his parents, had wanted to get to know his family in the way that he knew hers, but sat there, only one block away, she was wishing she hadn’t pushed the subject.

“You okay?” Nick asked as he hung up the phone and looked to his right.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” She blurted out a bit too quickly, a dead give away that she was nervous.

“Liar. Just relax she’s going to love you,” he said reaching over so he could give her knee and reassuring squeeze.

“After all the crap I pulled on you this year? I’ve probably awoken the protective Momma bear, hell I awoke the protective Momma bear in my Mom she was routing for you so badly and she’s MY Mom.”

“It’s always been obvious that your Mom loves me more then you,” he shrugged jokingly making Adie stick her tongue out at him.

“You know what she probably does, I’ve always been more of a Daddy’s girl,” she said knowing exactly what was going through Nick’s head when he flashed her an awkward smile and became very quiet. Molly would definitely have been a Daddy’s girl, from just the way she would respond to his voice when Adie had been carrying her it was quite obvious, the thought made her happy and sad all at once if that were even possible and she knew that was definitely how Nick was feeling. She reached out for his spare hand that had been taken off her knee when her words were spoken and gave it a light reassuring squeeze, smiling when he squeezed back.

She was just about to tell him that she loved him when he slowed the car to a stop and all of a sudden the butterflies were back, the fluttering intensifying when the door the house opened and a blonde woman made her way down the porch steps.

She watched as Aaron flew out of the car and wrapped his arms around his Mom in such a tight bear hug she knew Jane was probably having a difficult time in breathing. Adie got out of the car just as Nick reached his Mom and wrapped his arms around her just as Aaron had but there was something different about the interaction with the two. Neither pulled away quickly and as Adie walked closer she could see the tears in Jane’s eyes, what was most surprising to her however, was that when Nick pulled away he wiped his sleeve over his eyes before he turned to her. She didn’t have time to contemplate anything further because before she knew two sets of pretty much identical eyes were on her.

“You must be Adie,” Jane said with a warm smile but before Adie could reply Nick cut in.

“Nah she’s just some random I picked up off the street.”

Adie looked at him before turning to Jane and rolled her eyes which made Jane laugh.

“I see you’ve learnt the best way to deal with that is to ignore it,” Jane laughed.

“If I laugh it just makes him think he is funny, and he starts cracking more jokes,” she said with her own smile just as Jane pulled her in for an unexpected hug.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Jane told her sincerely.

“It’s nice to meet you too Mrs Carter,” Adie returned, instantly knowing that had been her first mistake as she felt Jane stiffen in her arms before she pulled away. “Call me Jane,” she said with a smile but before Adie could apologise for her foe par she heard someone call her name excitedly and as she turned she was enveloped in a huge hug from whom could have only been Leslie.

“Hi Les,” Adie smiled into the embrace as she squeezed back.

“It’s so good to see you,” she squeaked excitedly.

“Excuse me,” Nick piped up, “Just your brother over here, how about sharing the love?”

“DUDE I FRIGGIN LOVE YOU!” Mike exclaimed as he wrapped his arm around Nick’s neck and in typical Nick fashion he had to take it one step further and plant a rather wet kiss on Mike’s cheek.

“Nick stop molesting Leslie’s boyfriend,” Adie told him as she pulled away from the hug.

“Boyfriend?” Leslie asked as she stuck out her left hand so that Adie could see, not only the stunning diamond engagement ring on her finger, but also the plain but elegant gold wedding band that also sat there, “I think you mean husband.”

“When did that happen? Adie asked unable to hide her shock as she pulled Leslie’s hand closer to her face to inspect the rings.

“Back in October, I can’t believe you didn’t tell her,” Leslie said as she turned to Nick.

“We kind of had a lot of other things to talk about Les, I’m sorry it slipped my mind, now can we go inside because it’s friggin cold,” He whined as he jogged back to the car to grab the bags.

***

Adie spat out the remnants of toothpaste in her mouth and rinsed the brush out under the cold water before replacing the brush back in her mouth to rinse any remnants off, turning to the door as there was a knock.

“Adie? Are you decent? It’s Leslie.” Adie walked to the door and unlocked it opening it just enough for Leslie to squeeze through.

“Sorry but I know that as soon as you come out Aaron will jump in and he’ll be in here for hours,” she laughed as she pulled out some make up remover from her toiletry bag.

“No worries,” Adie mumbled as she spat out the rinsing water from her mouth before wiping her face on a towel. “Can I steal some moisturiser? I think I left half my stuff in Nepal in the rush to get back.”

“Sure, here you go,” Leslie replied as she handed her the bottle. “How is your Dad anyway?”

“Yeah he’s doing good, they let him home four days ago, he’s on bed rest for now but he’s getting there, can’t wait to get back in the garage and fix up the car,” she told her with a roll of her eyes and she squirted some moisturiser onto her hand and then proceeded to rub it into her face.

“He’s still fixing that old thing up? Hasn’t he been doing that since you and Nick started dating?” Leslie asked with a chuckle as she placed some toothpaste on her brush.

“Leslie he started fixing it up when he retired, which was like a year before Nick and I got together. He keeps telling my Mom it’s a work in progress.”

“I bet she loves that,” Leslie commented on through a mouthful of toothpaste. “She actually doesn’t care because it keeps him out of the house most of the day,” Adie laughed.

“So when you and Nick have retired are you going to banish him to the studio?” Leslie asked with a laugh.

“Yeah, hopefully by that stage I’ll be partially deaf though because he sure likes to thrash the drums.”

“Dude you should have seen the manky blister he had on his hand from where he had been playing so much the last time I saw him. I swear I made put on a band aid before I would let him give me away,” She said with a grin.

“He gave you away?” Adie as slightly shocked at Leslie’s revelation. She nodded,

“He was great Adie. Mike and I barely have two cents to rub together at the moment, we were going to wait a couple of years but we were down in Nashville and out of the blue he pulled me aside and kind of had on of those brotherly sisterly heart to hearts. He asked me if I was completely sure if marrying him was what I wanted and I told him I’d marry Mike tomorrow if I could and in true Nick style he turned around and told me I don’t know about tomorrow but I’m sure we could do it before you leave.”

Adie smiled as she leant against the counter and let Leslie continue.

“It wasn’t a huge wedding, but I didn’t want a huge wedding. Literally there was Mike and Me, Nick, Angel, Aaron, and Beej and Mike’s Brother and Sister. There was only one person I missed that day.”

“Your Mom?” Adie asked knowingly but was slightly surprised when Leslie shook her head no.

“You were the person I missed,” She told Adie softly.

It took Adie a second to swallow the lump in her throat before she answered, “Liar.”

“I already see you as my sister, I’ve seen you as my sister since we did the show and I know one day you really will be,” Leslie told her quietly making Adie scoff slightly. “He’ll ask you Adie, I am one hundred percent sure that at some point, he will ask you and we all know that you are going to say yes.”

“What makes you so sure Les?” Adie asked out of cursioty as she bit her bottom lip.

 “Because I know that you were the only person on his mind the day I got married, you were all he was thinking about. You’ve just got to be patient I guess,” she shrugged.

Adie was just about to answer when there was a bang at the door and Aaron yelling through, “Seriosuly Adie what the hell are you doing in there?!”

Adie chuckled as she gathered her things into her toiletry bag and then opened the door to Aaron.

“Dude seriously what were you doing in there?” He asked, exacerbated.

“Brushing my teeth Nosey. You’re still going to have to wait though,” she told as he went to push past her to gain access.

“Why?” he asked.

“Cause I’m in here bitch!” Leslie called from inside the bathroom.

“You’re such a traitor Adrianna!” He sneered jokingly.

“And you are a spoilt brat Aaron Charles!” She joked back before walking past him and down the hall to the guest room where she and Nick were staying.

“You just wait, there is a huge snowball out there with your name on it!”

“Just bring it on!” She told him as she opened the door with a chuckle making Nick look up to her from the book that he was reading.

“What was that all about?” He asked in reference to Aaron calling after her, his gaze following her as she routed around in her bag for something.

“I kinda let Leslie queue jump for the bathroom,” she shrugged with a little laugh.

“Definitely watch out for the snow balls, especially from him, punk forgets that when he takes huge chunks he gets the ground underneath with stones in. This scar right here,” he said pointing to one just off his left eyebrow, “Idiot threw a snowball with about a million bits of rock in it, fucking bleed for ages.”

“Aww poor baby, don’t worry as long as your Grandpa has some needle and thread I can sew you back together if it happens again,” she said as she climbed into bed next to him.

“I think I’ll take my chances at the local ER thanks,” He deadpanned.

“Hey I stitched you up good last time, you can barely see the scar,” She defended.

“Yeah but I can’t really remember any of that,” He said as he moved his arm to wrap around her when she snuggled into his chest.

“Hmmm I wonder why that was?” She asked jokingly, moving quickly when her cell phone beeped signalling she had a message.

Adie was slightly disappointed when it was from her Mom checking that they had all made it to Jamestown safely, she had been hoping that it might be from Rachel, she obviously hadn’t hidden the disappointment well if Nick’s next question was anything to go by.

“Not Rache huh?”

“No,” she replied dejectedly.

“Give her time Babe. If Alex and me have learnt anything it’s that you Jones girls can’t be rushed into anything,” He said with a laugh when she threw him a look.

“Whatever,” she semi huffed, as she made herself comfortable with her head on his chest once more.

“I’m just telling the truth,” He laughed as he trailed his hand up and down her shoulder whilst bringing the book into his eye line again with the other hand.

Adie placed a kiss to his bare chest before closing her eyes and mumbling, “Rachel not a Jones anyway, she’s a Mclean. Speaking of which, why didn’t you tell me Leslie and Mike got married?”

The curiosity had been getting the better of her ever since she had learnt of the nuptials but what with Nick’s incessant whining that he was cold and wanted to get the bags in, followed by meeting his Grandpa and Step Grandmother, she hadn’t had the chance to ask.

Forgot I guess,” He said softly, so softly that she knew he was know back to reading his book. It was a lame excuse, how could he have just forgotten something like that? Something that had played a major role in? Yet for some reason she decided to let it go, she knew that in time he would eventually open up to her about it and for some reason his reluctance to talk about it gave her hope that what Leslie had said was actually true.

“What are you reading?” She asked.

“Power of positive thinking,” He reeled off quickly, his hand still absent mindedly drawing patters over her shoulder.

“Haven’t you already read that?” She asked as she entangled one of her legs with his.

“That was a different one, he’s written more the one book you know.”

“I was just asking,” She said as she closed her eyes and tried to drift off to sleep.

The light and page turning, however made it difficult to shut off and after ten minutes she sat up slowly and smiled at him.

“Just let me finish this page,” he said without even looking up from the book.

“Thanks Baby. Love ya,” she said as she snuggled back down on to him.

“Ditto,” he yawned as he placed the book on the side and turned out the light plunging the room into darkness.

***

Adie woke the next morning to someone calling her name and lightly shaking her, that person however was not Nick and when she sat up and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings she was slightly confused.

“That face is far too serious in the morning,” Leslie laughed.

“Sorry I’ve done so much travelling this past couple of weeks it takes me a while to figure out where I am,” She yawned.

“Well if you need some help, you’re in New York and it’s friggin freezing and breakfast is ready.”

“Where’s your brother?” Adie asked trying to rub the sleepiness from her eyes.

“Ass face or Shit head?” Leslie joked.

Adie smiled as she asked, “Whose who?”

“It changes on a daily basis. Nick’s gone to pick up Angel and Colin from the airport, they should be back soon though. Mom’s made pancakes, they’re warm and waiting,” Leslie said as she pulled Adie by both hands so that she was off the bed.

“Time is it?” Adie asked through another yawn. “Almost ten,” Leslie replied.

“Why did you let me sleep in so late?” Adie semi snapped but before Leslie could answer she continued. “I made a bad enough impression last night.”

“How did you make a bad impression?” Leslie asked.

“Ohh I don’t know maybe by calling her Mrs Carter,” Adie cringed, grabbing Nick’s hoodie of the chair in the corner of the room when she felt the cool air hit her arms.

“That’s like two marriages ago,” Leslie laughed.

“Yeah and I know that, that's like boyfriends Mom Trivia 101 and I failed big time. She’s already got enough ammunition to hate me with the stuff I did to Nick this year anyway.”

“Oh stop it, if she hated you you’d know about it. C’mon don’t waste her pancakes,” Leslie said as she pulled Adie out of the room by her hand and led her down the stairs.

The kitchen was full of activity by the time they made it down the stairs and at first Adie was embarrassed about making an appearance in her Pyjamas, Nick’s hoodie hanging almost at her knees, her hair un-brushed but once she made it in she soon realised she would have been overdressed if she had decided to get changed. Everyone else seemed to be slumming it in their night attire as well and it seemed to be the topic of conversation.

She slipped into the kitchen practically unnoticed or so she thought until Doug pointed to her and told Aaron, “See that’s how you dress here. Now stop whining your cold, you wouldn’t be if you bought some appropriate clothing with you.”

“You’re such a traitor again Adie,” Aaron joked, “You’re from Nashville, you’re not supposed to know what to wear here.”

“Morning Adie,” Jane smiled as she passed her a plate of pancakes, when Adie had taken a seat next to Mike at the table.

“Morning and thanks,” She smiled back before she addressed Aaron, “You seem to forget I lived in England for four years, it gets cold there too you know.”

“You lived in England?” Greg, Jane’s new husband, asked.

Adie nodded as she had just taken a bite of her pancake. Swallowing it as quickly as she could she filled him in, “I did my nurse training over there, lived in London for four years, three years of training and one year of working. Came back because my Dad had a heart attack.”

“Was he okay?” Greg asked.

“Yeah fine, so fine he had another one two weeks ago, he likes to keep us on our toes,” She semi laughed as she looked down at her plate, the guilt of her actions about how she handled the situation bubbling to the surface. Instead of her being there to support him through a difficult time in his life, she had again made it all about her, Jane talking snapped her from her thoughts.

“Nick said he’s doing okay though.”

“Yeah. Yeah he is, he’s home probably driving my Mom made with trying to do stuff he shouldn’t,” she smiled. “I should give him a call later.”

The conversation steered on to learning more about her, the banter flowing freely as Aaron tried his best at adding in stories that were semi embarrassing but Adie didn’t care because the more the conversation flowed the more comfortable she became with the family. It was quite clear where Nick and Aaron got their sense of humour from, Doug was a fire cracker, his witty one liners making Adie almost cry with laughter and remind her so much of the blonde that she knew so well.

Another trait Nick had obviously inherited from his grandfather showing through only moments later when Jane sat down, a noise resembling that of a whoopee cushion coming from her direction, making everyone laugh.

“Oh very funny Dad,” she said rolling her eyes, when Doug waved the remote control at her, but she did see the funny side, a small laugh escaping her lips.

“Thanks Aaron, a whoopee cushion for the digital age is much better then the old ones, no one sees it coming,” Doug laughed.

“I suppose your used to all this,” Jane asked knowingly looking in Adie’s direction.

“Oh yeah,” She nodded. “It’s worse when he’s around Brian.”

“Did he crap in a sock again?” Aaron asked through laughter, making Jane grimace.

“I think I would loose all respect for him if he did it again at his age,” Adie laughed.

The light small talk and fun banter was quickly snatched away, when an icy voice spoke from the doorway all eyes quickly snapped in that direction, the room becoming eerily quiet. Her eyes were dark and small, her words chosen carefully and spoken low and bitterly and instantly Adie knew she was about to see her second Carter blow out, she only prayed it wouldn’t get as out of hand as it had when Aaron had tried to leave San Francisco.

“Doesn’t seem like you have any respect for him anyway. What the hell is she doing here Nick?” Angel spat.