You Think it's Over but it's Just Begun - (Jason/Zacky) - Version Two.

Chapter Twelve.

Hiii! Here's Chapter Twelve - hope you like it!

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Enjoy!<3

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It became obvious to me on August 25th 2015 that nothing in the family had changed as far as rallying the members was concerned. They were easily lured with the promise of beer and music, or beer and video games, or beer and barbecue food. Beer was the deal breaker more often than not, but unfortunately not something I was going to offer at whatever hour of the morning.

It was my tenth day back at home, and one that felt serene from the second I woke up. I felt comfortable with the routine I was in - roll out of bed, get ready, call and check in with Luca for the first time that day, have breakfast with my dad and take the rest of the day as it came. But with the first three steps of that routine checked off, I was on a mission, and I was determined to get it right.

"I need you to go into town for me today," I announced to my dad as I piled our empty breakfast plates into the dishwasher. "There's a place I'd like you to check out for me. I'm thinking of using it for the addictions charity work I was doing in New Zealand and I'd like a second opinion."

My dad blinked at me; this was news to him, and I noted to myself that I probably should have given him some forewarning. Couldn't do anything about that now.

"You're not gonna come with me?" He asked, perplexed. I shook my head.

"I have some work to do here. I'll give you all the information you need. The woman who owns the place will be there to meet you at noon."

"Oh," He blinked again, and then accepted it, because he was lovely. "Okay."

I hated lying to my dad, but I reassured myself with the fact that it wasn't a total pack of lies I had told, and although I was interested in the place in question, and I would, at some point, have to break from my euphoric bubble and work again, that wasn't my purpose for the day. Simply put, I needed my dad out of the way for long enough to meet with the rest of the family without his knowledge.

At eleven-thirty, my dad shouted a goodbye from the bottom of the stairs and made his way out of the house. I watched through a crack in the blinds of my bedroom window as his car pulled out of the driveway, and I allowed it to exit the street before I jumped into action. My next task was a tough one; somehow I would have to convince the guys to all show up at my house without yet revealing my good reason. Ideally, I'd have liked the wives to come, too. My restricted time limit had me relying on the hope that the guys would simply relay the information to their significant others and get the ball rolling that way.

I didn't have beer to offer them, or time to cook them food, or any other plausible reason to pop up unexpectedly and invite my uncles over without my dad present, so I came up with another white lie and ran with it; my best bet was to message them all individually, inform them that my dad was out and I needed help moving a heavy cabinet in my bedroom. I just had to hope none of them would happen to confer beforehand and smell a rat. I was excited for my true reason for inviting them, and I wanted to wait until they were in front of me before I gave it away.

My plan worked, it seemed, and I observed with undeniable amusement as each of the five guys arrived near enough around the same time and stepped out of their respective vehicles, staring amongst each other with utter confusion and clearly questioning if they had each been duped. I suppressed a laugh and cleared my throat from the front entryway.

It was as I parted my lips to invite them inside that the passenger door to Zacky's car flew open, and Gena stepped out, her ever-stony face shooting me a look that screamed "you didn't seriously think I would let him come to yours without my supervision, did you?" - I wanted desperately to react, but I told myself it was unimportant, and that her self-invited presence didn't bother me, and I plastered a smile on my face and played host.