Declassified

Declassified Part 84 Warm Welcome

      "This is totally wrong. My rights are being violated."

      "You're not entitled to the front seat." Thalia said, turning around so she could smile at Alex.

      "There's a front seat hierarchy." Dan insisted, giving Thalia a playful wink. "It goes Andy, Max, Thalia, you."

      "I don't see how Thalia outranks me." Alex grumbled, but Thalia could tell he wasn't upset. "She's younger than I am and smaller. Besides, your name's not even on the list so why are you in the front?"

      "I'm driving." Dan pointed out. "It's my car."

      "Yeah, but you usually drive even when it's Andy's car." Thalia pointed out.

      "He never gets to drive my car." Alex said pointedly.

      "I'm the best driver." Dan explained, signaling to make a left hand turn.

      "No, you're just the worst backseat driver." Alex interjected. "He's a nightmare, Thal. Constantly telling you to switch lanes, to go a different route, to use your turn signal. He drove everyone so crazy we just gave up and let him drive."

      "I'll let you drive tonight." Dan said, smirking into the rear view mirror. "That way I don't have to worry about getting a cab after the bar."

      "So generous." Alex grumbled.

      "At least you get to sit behind Thal and not Andy."

      Thalia had to laugh. "Yeah. There's probably a lot more leg room."

      "That's a definite plus." Alex conceded. "And it's much better to sit on a plane with Thalia than with Andy."

      Thalia couldn't help but laugh, picturing her friend's extremely broad shoulders. "I don't even think I'd want to sit next to Andy on a plane."

      "Ooh, I'm gonna tell him you said that." Dan teased, giving her a devilish smile.

      "I always got stuck sitting with Andy when we flew to Russia as kids." Alex told her. "I love him, but that was a nightmare, even when he was a teen."

      Thalia shook her head, smiling.

      "When we travel together you're going to be the one sitting with him." Dan said, glancing at her as he pulled into his parents' driveway. "Smallest person sits with Andy. That's the rule."

      "No, wait." Thalia protested, laughing as the car stopped. "I think the hierarchy still applies, so you and Andy should be sitting together."

      "I think we should all just sit with our girlfriends or wives." Alex insisted, opening Thalia's door for her. "I just want to sit with you, Thalie." He insisted, kissing her as she got out of the car.

      "You wouldn't be saying that if she was Andy's size."

      Thalia shook her head, laughing. "It's not like we're going on a trip together any time soon." She pointed out. "First we have to get through today."

      Thalia smoothed her dress and then grabbed Alex's hand, feeling butterflies in her stomach.

      "They're going to be thrilled you're back, Thal." Alex reassured her.

      "We didn't tell anyone that Thalia was going to Russia." Dan told them. "We didn't want to get their hopes up in case Thal came to her senses." He teased.

       Thalia pushed her hair back as she followed the brothers into the Petrovs' house, smiling at the familiar comfort of it. The same warm interior, the same childhood pictures of the boys, the same the same comfortable furniture. Even the sounds were the same, laughter and chatter from the living room and kitchen.