~Four Weeks Later~
"Move it to the right a little more." She was standing on the last step, bossing her brother around, like she did best.
He rolled his eyes, looking down at her as he stayed up on the ladder, right outside his parents front door with a banner in hand. "I moved it a little bit to the right four times already, Lola." Crew mumbled raising a brow out of annoyance.
They had been bickering over that "welcome home" sign for ten minutes already... He just wanted it hung and she needed it to be perfect, it was annoying.
"Move it to the right." She repeated, trying not to smile.
Cursing under his breath, he turned back around to readjust it once again.
"They're here, kids." Karen was sitting on the step, having listened to their arguing for so long, it was a real sigh of relief to see her two bosses pulling down the driveway.
They'd been gone for weeks, helping Clancy get back into the routine of things. But after nearly a month, it was their daughter that suggested they head back to California. She knew that they had plenty going on in their lives, and to expect them to stay in Paris until she was completely healed seemed rather selfish, in her opinion.
They had other things and other obligations that she felt was just as important, if not more so.
"Look at that." Lindsey grinned softly, pushing open his car door to step out onto the driveway.
"We have quite the welcoming committee..." Stevie had a big smile as well, shutting the passenger side door behind her.
Lindsey trailed around the SUV, pulling open the back door to reveal Clancy, who was waiting patiently with a sweet grin. "I love it." She giggled lightly, eyes sleepy from the long flight and medications she'd been prescribed.
She'd had a difficult couple of weeks and to be back home, with her parents, felt so right at that time.
"Careful." Stevie was right behind Lindsey, one hand resting on his back as she watched him help their daughter out of the car.
She'd broken her leg in multiple places, but in the last couple of weeks, she'd been able to maneuver crutches, even with a broken wrist... she was tough- toughest girl in the world, in her parents opinion.
"I am loving that hair!" Karen mentioned, a little smile on her face as she held out a hand to offer help as well.
Clancy shook her head lightly, another faint giggle filling the air as she began to trail up the sidewalk. "Mom did it." She motioned lightly to the bangs that were hiding the fourteen stitches she'd gotten just above her right eye.
"You are one of a kind." Crew was waiting on the step, knowing full and well that she was determined to make it in the house with very little help.
"It runs in the family." Her eyes were so heavy, and her head was pounding but she was still so happy to be there, with them.
"Watch your step." Lindsey knew she didn't want much help, but the older couple had circled her by then, holding out their hands in case she lost balance.
And in the foyer, waiting for them was flowers, balloons, and three sisters- Cassidy, Lola and Vivian.
"Look at you." Lola had the weakest smile on her face as she trailed towards her little sister- the same girl that saved their world more often than not.
She had always been the light in the darkness, and that afternoon was no different. She was still bubbly and sweet, even after everything she'd been through.
It was a sigh of relief when the younger woman held out her free arm, even though it was in a cast.
"I love you so much, Clancy." Lola mumbled with tears in her eyes as she carefully wrapped her sister in her arms.
In that time, while they shared a moment, Stevie was quick to greet Vivian, who had a sweet smile and shy demeanor.
But Lindsey beat her to it, giving his youngest a warm hug before the blonde could.
"We've missed you, sweet girl." Stevie's hand fell on her husband back, gently rubbing it as she stared into Vivian's big blue eyes.
Those words caused this odd feeling to rush through her... She felt loved, like truly loved. She knew that Stevie was being honest when she said that, because she'd called her almost every day while they'd been in Paris to check in on her, which really meant a lot.
"I missed you, too." She admitted, tears filling her eyes when Stevie wrapped her in the most motherly embrace.
"You're staying for dinner, right?" Lindsey wondered, helping Clancy take a seat in the accent chair to get out of her shoes.
"You have to stay for dinner." Lola quickly added, looking up at Vivian.
"Yeah, dad has been talking about family dinner all day..." Clancy mentioned with a little laugh as she slouched down further.
Stevie giggled lightly, one hand meeting his chest as she sank into Lindsey's side. "He's excited..." she assured, watching him nod in agreement.
"Yeah, now let's order some pizza." Crew was breaking up moments like that- thankfully.
~~~
They spent the better part of the evening sitting around the long dining room table, talking and laughing about everything, like a normal family. If Stevie at one end, Lindsey at the other and six children filling in the space between.
It was perfect, even though it was complex and difficult... it was still theirs and it was still special.
But by nine, the four younger girls found themselves in the kitchen, baking cookies. Clancy could make them exactly like her mother, being that she'd spent a lot of time in the kitchen with her as a teenager. But since she was hardly able to keep herself up right, Lola, Cassidy and Vivian were in charge.
"That's a bit much." Clancy was leaning up against the island, holding herself up with her one arm.
Lola chuckled lightly, pouring herself another glass of wine as she watched Cassidy pick some of the sugar out with a spoon. "We need music." She announced, reaching out to turn up the volume on the radio that had sat on that counter for more years than she could count. "Come on, Viv." She wiggled her fingers, motioning for the eighteen year old to stand.
Clancy smiled softly, tapping one foot as she watched the younger woman push herself off the chair. "I got sunshine..." she sang along quietly, happy to see Vivian dancing with her older sister. "On a cloudy day..." she added, playfully nudging Cassidy.
"When it's cold outside," her sister- in- law sang back, a little smile dancing across her face as she continued to stir in more sugar.
They went back and forth for a moment- Vivian and Lola even joining in before the unmatched voices filled the room. "Talkin' bout my girl..." Stevie was already in her pajamas- a silk matching set with her glasses perched on her tip of her nose.
"My girl," Lindsey was right behind her, singing along which caused a loud giggle to escape all five women at once.
Stevie reached out carefully, taking Vivian's hand in hers to spin her around the kitchen, while Lindsey did the same with Lola. "All of these princesses in one one room." The older woman couldn't help but chuckle when Vivian spun back in, almost knocking them both down.
"Messy hair and all." Lindsey teased, lighting tugging on a strand of Lola's crazy curls as he swayed her back and forth.
"You're the best." Vivian told Stevie in a soft tone, almost only loud enough for the older woman to hear.
Leaning in, she wrapped her arm around her shoulders to give her a warm hug. "I love you, Vivian." She told her.
With tears in her arms, she sank into her a little more. "I love you."
