Why thank you
I do hurry, but you're never ON to read them
Thanks, bestie, is two weeks soon enough for this to end? :/
But you were just on! Don't lie to me, Gissely! I'm emotionally unstable more than usual to have this little story ending.


Epilogue

15 Years Later

“Aimee, where do I put these pies to cool off?” Chelsea asked, taking the newly hot pie out of the oven and setting it on the counter. It was Thanksgiving. And of course, everyone was spending it at Chelsea Way’s house; considering she had the biggest place compared to everyone else. She didn’t mind at all. It was a chance for her family, including those who have spent much time around her, to be together and enjoy each other company.

“There is fine,” Aimee said, dialing a number into her phone. It rang five times before it went towards voicemail. “Can anyone get a hold of Stephen? I keep calling but it just goes to his voicemail,”

“Same with Kat, Garrett, and Leonard. You would think they’d be off the tour by now,” Judy complained, braiding her daughter’s, Stephanie, hair in the living room.

“It’s only three, I’m sure they’ll show up later,” Lexi reassured Aimee, but secretly hoping they would show up soon to help.

“I’M GOING!” a sixteen year old Nathan yelled as he walked into the kitchen, rubbing his ear. “Can I help you with anything, grandma?” he said a bit loudly, throwing a glance over his shoulder and facing Chelsea again. She took his hand away from his ear, slowly rubbing away the redness Lucy had induced. “Mom said I should help instead of lying around doing nothing,”

“I see, well, you can help me season the turkey and all. Just go wash your hands first,” Chelsea smiled, stretching her arm out towards the kitchen and getting spices from the cabinets. Placing them on the counter, she turned to Nathan and said, “You have to make sure you season it all over. If you miss a spot, it’s going to be flavorless,”

“You mean if there aren’t enough of these, this stupid chicken won’t have flavor?” Nathan asked, pointing to each small jar in front of him. He counted about ten in total. It was a no brainer as to why he never really helped on Thanksgiving before. There was just too much to do. As Chelsea instructed Nathan on what to do, Gissel, his younger sister by two years, walked in with her camera.

“Say cheese, Natey!” Gissel laughed, taking a picture of Nathan and skipping back towards the living room. Nathan didn’t mind, he was used to her taking pictures of him off guard. Usually he was prepared for them, so they didn’t come out as bad. “Saffron and Corbin are here!” Gissel shrieked. After what seem like hours, Nathan finished seasoning the turkey and saw Saffron and Corbin walk in.

“Hey,” he said to Corbin as they bumped hips, considering his hands were currently contaminated. “Oh look, little Sofa has a decent face on today,” he laughed.

“Stop calling me Sofa!” Saffron yelled; punching Nathan’s right hip. “My name is Saffron!”

“Don’t hit me or else you will feel my wrath!” He said, chasing Saffron around with his seasoned hands. With all the kids in the house, it felt like this was more of an event for them then for the entire family. The three Fanelli children, Lexi’s sons and Kat’s daughter were sitting by the fireplace, trying to console each other on why their dads and mom weren’t there with them.

“Do you think something happened to them?” Kat’s daughter, who’s also named Stephanie, asked as she laid her head on Gerard’s lap. So here’s how the children rotation for this little group works. Leonard and Judy had two daughters. Stephanie being the oldest and Alexandra being the youngest by two years. Then Stephen and Aimee had Sierra, their oldest daughter and Gerard being their youngest son. Lexi and Cyrus had Simon and Toby, fraternal twin boys, two years older than Gerard. Then Kat had her daughter, Stephanie last, same age as Gerard. "Nathan, I can see into your future!"

"Awesome! Am I going to be popular or with at least a girlfriend?" he asked, stopping in his tracks and looking at her. Stephanie shook her head and shrugged. "Worth a try," he sighed and walked away.

“Maybe they’re just stuck in traffic. I think it’s already unfair we barely see them on a regular basis, but what can you do when most your parents are musicians and a doctor?” The oldest Stephanie said, huddling her knees close to her chest and stared into the fire. “Not to mention Aunt Lexi being a model, but at least she’s around for all the holidays and birthdays!”

“At least you guys get to see either one of them most of the time. Both my parents are musicians and I stay with my great gran ten out of the twelve months of the year!” The youngest Stephanie complained, covering her face with her hoodie.

“Our parents either need different jobs, work less, tour less or might as well never be here at all,” Toby sighed, playing around with the ends of his dirty blonde hair. His blue eyes soared towards his parents, who were chatting away with his Aunt Aimee and Aunt Judy. “Do you think our parents can feel it when we really need them?”

“Maybe it’s just like that twin telepathy thing you two have! Let’s give it a go!” Sierra smiled, posing herself into a meditation stance.

“Or we can just call dad again and hope he picks up this time,” Gerard chuckled, asking Alex to reach up to the phone for him.

“I think that’s a better idea, Sierra,” Alex hid her laughter and quickly tossed the phone towards Gerard. Sierra pouted, hiding her blonde curls underneath her hood as well. Gerard dialed his dad’s number, until he got an answer.

After trying for about five times, the call went through. “Hell-,”

“Dad?” Gerard asked, with six other ears trying to eavesdrop. “Dad, can you hear me?”

“Gerard? I can- hear what you’re-,” Stephen’s voice came through, though cutting off some of his words?

“Daddy, why aren’t you here yet?!” Sierra yelled into the phone.

“Uncle Stephen, you need to get here before mom blows her lid! Same goes for Aunt Aimee, Lexi and the many guests we have here!” Alex called out, still not getting a decent respond from him.

“I think he might have a bad reception,” Simon spoke taking the phone from Alex. “Uncle Stephen, just know that if you’re not here soon with Uncle Leonard, Uncle Garrett and Aunt Kat, you’re all going to be in big trouble!”

“Give me that!” Gerard argued, taking the phone from Simon. “Dad, just get here. We would like to see you for at least this Thanksgiving..,” he voice shook, but he felt Sierra wrap her arms around him and set her chin onto his shoulder.

“I’m trying! –Broke-we’re not-making it-,” Was the last thing Stephen’s voice said before the line went dead. The cousins, including the youngest Stephanie, all looked at each other with hopeless faces. They weren’t going to see their parents this Thanksgiving.

[Meanwhile in Long Island]

The line went dead. We would like to see you for at least this Thanksgiving was the last thing Stephen heard his son say to him. “Stupid reception!” Stephen yelled, slamming his phone onto the pavement, not caring if it broke or stayed in one piece. “Weren’t you supposed to get the car inspected before we left?!” he yelled at Leonard.

“I did and they said everything was perfectly fine!” Leonard yelled back.

“Well obviously they took you for a sucker because we’re stuck out here, with little to no phone reception, in the cold, without food or a gas station nearby. Can’t we just reparo this or apparate to Chelsea’s house?” Garrett said, leaning on the car and crossing his arms.

“I’m not apparating! Stephen and Lexi have traumatized me enough with apparating!” Kat complained. “I just want to be with my baby!” she added, resting her forehead on Garrett’s arms. “This is your entire fault!” Kat pointed at Leonard.

“My fault!?”

“Yes! First you steal my daughter’s name and now you have us stranded out here forever! I HATE YOU!” With that, Kat, locked herself in the car and laid down on the back seats. Stephen sighed, knowing they would have to repair this car instead of apparating.

“Come on, we have to get this fixed somehow since Kat won’t apparate with us. Would reparo do the trick?” Stephen asked, looking at the car engine with decipher what the problem may be.

“Possibly, unless nothing’s broken and something’s just stuck in there. Then we’ll have a better chance of taking this to a mechanic,” Garrett said, tapping on the car window to get Kat’s attention.

“I don’t have time to push this thing to a gas station or a mechanic! Listen, my kids hate me enough because I’m barely around. If I’m not at the hospital, I’m touring for two to three months. If I’m not touring, I’m at the hospital, mostly with late shifts that make me too tired to enjoy time with them. You guys only have the band, I don’t. I just want to spend time with my family without having to leave the next day to work or a tour,”

“Reparo!” Leonard said, pointing his wand into the car’s hood. “Try to see if the car starts, Garrett. We have some munchkins that need our attending,” he smiled, patting Stephen on his back and listening carefully if the engine would start. When Garrett tried getting it started, the engine struggled but fell silent again. For the next half an hour, the three guys tried different spells and charms that would hopefully start the car, but nothing worked.

“Hey, what’s this thing sticking out of that pipe?” Garrett asked, reaching into the hood and pulling it out. “Sweet mother of God, it’s A RAT!” he yelled, flailing his arms a bit here and there. “Somebody go check if it starts now!” he added, still having his little episode. Stephen hurried inside the car and turned on the engine. Thankfully, it turns on and sounds what an engine should sound like.

“Alright ladies, get inside! We have a two hour trip ahead of us!” he called out, watching as Leonard closed the hood and Garrett quickly sat in the back seat. Kat had fallen asleep, as always, so Garrett just placed her head on his laps and they were finally on their way towards the city. They all just hoped that the food hadn’t been served yet.

-------

As the food was slowly beginning to being served, the group of cousins sat at a separate table. There was only idle chit chat around them, seeing as they were too upset to talk about anything right now. The plates of food were set on their table, Gerard and the youngest Stephanie took their forks and played around with their food. Sierra, Alex and the oldest Stephanie pushed away their plates, not wanting the delicious food either.

“What’s wrong with them, Toby?” Lexi asked him, crouching down next to her son.

“We got through to Uncle Stephen before and he said something about them not being able to make it today. So they’re upset that their parents aren’t coming,” he explained, glancing back and forth at his cousins.

Lexi nodded, getting back up on her feet and walking over to the table where the adults were sitting. “They talked to Stephen earlier,” he said, sitting down next to Cyrus with everyone’s eyes on her.

“What did he say?” Adriana asked.

“They’re not coming,” Lex shook her head. Sighs erupted from all around the table. Aimee set down her fork and stood up. She was headed towards the door for some fresh air when the doorbell went off.

“I’ll get it,” she said, continuing her way to the door and opening it. Only she found Leonard saying hello, kissing her cheek and walking in. Next were both Garrett and Kat, doing the same thing. Stephen walked up to the door and looked up at the blonde. But the next thing she did surprised him. Her hand found itself across his face, leaving a red mark on his left cheek.

“Okay, I deserved that,” he said. But Aimee flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. It had been three months since Stephen had last seen her, his kids or anyone else at home.

“I thought you said you weren’t coming,”

“Bad reception on Long Island. I actually said I don’t know if we’re going to make it on time. Better late than never,” he smiled, walking into the house. All the green eyed monster could focus on was a certain seven year old boy with brown hair and a ten year old girl whose blonde locks were motionless at the table. “You know, if you don’t eat that, I’m going to have to take it back home for the dog,” he whispered between them.

“Dad!” the siblings said in unison, tumbling onto Stephen and making him fall onto his back.

“I can see I was greatly missed here,”

“Of course you were!” Gerard said. “Stop leaving so much!”

“Yeah, it’s not fair mommy has to do all the work!” Sierra added, softly punching Stephen’s stomach.

“Alright, I promise to work less and be home more often. Especially when a certain little someone is going to Hogwarts next year,” Sierra beamed, quickly getting of her dad and pulling Gerard towards the table to eat.

“Not to ruin the family reunion or anything, but can we eat now?! I’ve waited hours for this food and Aunt Lori’s babies are driving me crazy!” Nathan complained, glaring at the infants in the high chairs.

“You leave my babies out of this, Nathan Way!” Lori yelled, throwing her napkin at him. Everyone laughed, finally getting to their seats and eating the food that has sadly gone slightly cold.

“Sofa, pass the bread please,”

“STOP CALLING ME SOFA!”

The End.