But Tonight, I'm Goin' Home...

[Seraphim Donnelly-Rousseau]

"Hey, hey! No need to reveal the secret to getting into my pants," Seraphim replied quickly, reaching out to lightly slap Leigh's shoulder. "And it's not a half glass.. it's at least a couple of full ones, honestly now," she added absently, almost with a huff. She was moving to join Michael at the fridge, pulling open, and taking out the nearest thing to drink, a tropical juice box. She poked the straw through the top, before returning her attention to him.

"I suppose if I was learning, and it was an educational visit, I could be persuaded.. I expect my parents won't mind, especially since it's only you, and Leigh would be coming along.. it doesn't sound that bad to me. I think it could be arranged."

[Leigh O'Conner]

"Yay!" Leigh beamed. "That sounds too fun. Except the math part. But still, I know you two will have fun with that. I will probably end up hiding for that part, but still!"

"I'll set it up with the good doctor, then," Michael said with good humor. "And I should probably say hi to the rest of the clan. Stevie and Beth must be huge!"

[Seraphim Donnelly-Rousseau]

"Figures you'd hide from the best part of the trip, wouldn't you?" Seraphim replied, rolling her eyes at Leigh, as she took a small sip from her juice box. "I'm personally quite excited about the mathematical portion of this adventure. Especially if this good doctor is as amazing as he says he is," she added. At the mention of the rest of the clan, Sera perked again, taking another quick sip before chiming in.

"It's odd your mother hasn't made any bigger appearance yet, actually. She must be busy with them."

[Leigh O'Conner]

As if conjured, Bella promptly appeared in the kitchen doorway, holding Beth, who was looking a little cross. She held up one arm, and Michael promptly ducked into the embrace, hugging her back.

"You come home more often, young man," she directed him firmly, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "We've been worried."

"This can't be Bethie!" Michael replied towards his baby sister, who eagerly moved into her brother's arms. Not necessarily that she remembered him well, but Beth was the loving sort who liked people and he was talking to her in a manner of which she certainly approved. "She's waaay too big to be my little Bethie!"

"Wait 'til you see Stevie," Leigh grinned. "He's gonna be taller than you one day."

A shriek of giggles was sourced from the back patio, and as the group glanced into the living room, which was attached, they were greeted with the sight of Andrew O'Conner holding Stevie upside-down over his shoulder. Stevie was giggling like a madman. "Michael!" Andrew called and grinned. "You've finally made it!"

Stevie's already maniacal grin managed to widen. "MICHAEL!"

"Yeah, I made it!" Michael answered, grinning back and heading in for a hug from his father, too. "Of course, I mean." He switched his attention towards his little brother. "Oh my God!" he yelled. "Someone stole Stevie and gave us a huge copy, and none of you noticed!"

"I am not a copy!" Stevie half objected, giggling again. "I'm just getting big!"

"I'll say, Mr. Giant!" Michael answered, grabbing Stevie around the middle with his free arm. Even a squirming three-year-old and infant were relatively easy to carry. "Man, you're gonna be bigger than me! Leigh told me so but I didn't believe her!"

Leigh, meanwhile, had grabbed Seraphim's hand and moved closer towards her, happy in seeing her whole family together again. It seemed that Andrew was attempting to subject Michael to a noogie with Stevie's assistance as Bella smoothly ran in to save Bethany from being squished (not that the infant had made any objection). "They're too cute," the blonde noted of the room as a whole.

[Seraphim Donnelly-Rousseau]

Seraphim had been a little lost for words, just watching the family with an absent sort of smile on her face, and she nearly jumped when Leigh moved closer, and gripped her hand. Smiling a little wider, the brunette squeezed her girlfriend's hand in return, and gave a little nod of her head. "They're adorable," she agreed quietly, mismatched gaze still following the antics of the family in front of her.

It was one thing her family lacked, in actuality one of many things, the closeness. Not to mention the sense of humor. It was almost a fact that her family would never be caught dead in a position like this. Sometimes, when she thought about the twins going away to college, she thought that they'd never come back.