Aftermath and Beginnings

Rose-Grace comes home early to find Pike and the three youngest in her bedroom.

Rose-Grace: What is that?  And why are the kids half-naked?

Freddy:  We played in the mud and Daddy had to bath us.  Then the mailman brought me a dino!

Pike: The mailman brought you a dino poster and the little twins some wall art.  Auntie said you had to share, remember?

Freddy: Auntie is a dino scientist, Step-Mommy.  Did you know that?

Rose-Grace (chuckles):  Yes, and apparently she isn't going to rest until one or more of Pike's children follow in her footsteps.  

Freddy: You look like you're getting one of your headaches.  Are you all stressed out?

Rose-Grace: Very stressed out.  (To Pike)  They determined the fire was arson.  Neither Midna or Violet can settle with the insurance company.

Pike: Say no more.  We'll clear out and let you take a nap.

Rose-Grace (already crawling into bed, fully dressed):  Thank you, honey.  

Tanner:  Oh, man, that sucks.  I remember all the hassle after our fire, and that was proven to be totally not arson.  I wonder who did it.

Samara:  Fick!

Finnick: Hush, Samara, you aren't supposed to tell anyone.  (laughs)  Take her, somebody.  I'm gonna help Fred with his poster.

Fred:  Are you mad Auntie didn't send you a dino something?

Finnick: Well, she kind of did, since we all share this room.  

*****

At the elementary school, a few days later.   

Stacie:  Roxy, this is Dan and Emma.  They just moved into my neighborhood.

Roxy: I wondered why you and Anakin came in here during third grade. 

Anakin: We met them on the Sledding Hill Of Doom.  Told them you'd help them like Stacie did me.

Emma: Maybe we can all be friends.  

******

At the middle school

Kevin:  This is the social studies room. Both eighth and seventh grade use it. It's also our home room.

Hermione: Thanks for showing us around, Kevin.  

Kevin:  No problem.  When your mom mentioned...

Kevin:  Hi.  Are you new here, too? 

Ron: Yeah.  I'm Ron Weasley.

Kevin introduces himself, Hermione, and Harry.  Then he starts telling them about their classmates.

Draco:  Oh, look, more peasants.  Probably from the Welfare Arms out by the lake. 

Charmaine: The redheaded boy got on the bus there.  I don't know who the other two are.

Draco:  You ride the bus?

Taylor: Look, Sam, if that's how she's going to be, you're better off without her.

Samantha: She's just acting like that to impress Draco.  She thinks he's cute.

Alex: No boy is worth stabbing a good friend in the back for.  Especially not the way she did.  What she called you is -- 

Samantha:  She didn't say it.  He did. 

Gabriella:  That's just as bad.  She didn't defend you.

*****

  Nikki and Claudia find a moment to welcome Ginny after lunch.

Nikki:  How are you liking it here so far?  

Ginny:  I like it, but it's going to take a little getting used to.  I tried to look like I'm in a uniform, and everyone is so casual.  Did you two twin on purpose? 

Claudia: Yeah, we do that sometimes.  She's my bestie. 

Weasleys and Woes

Snow day continues for the residents of Barbieville.  Fred is sledding with Stacie and her friends when Mace shows up in the sleigh.  As children tend to do when Grandpas arrive, they flock to him.

Mace: Rosie send me out to find y'all.  Time for that family meeting to name those new pets.

Stacie: Hi, Grandpa!  These are my new friends Dan and Emma.  They just moved into the house where Mary Ann Bright used to live.

Mace: I know you, Dan.  Your daddy is my horse's doctor.  And Emma's mother is my dentist.

Dan: Yes, sir.  Emma is going to be my stepsister soon.  

Emma:  She's pretty much the whole town's dentist.  Can you give us a ride, just to our house?  (points) It's right over there.  

Stacie volunteers to sit on Silver Stream and give the rest some elbow room.  

James: Thanks for giving my kids a lift.  They've never had a sleigh ride before. 

Fred (amazed): Never?  

Mace: Pike told me you checked the horses. I haven't gotten a bill yet, though. 

James: Pike paid it.  

Mace: I keep telling him that the horses are mine.  They just stayed there when I moved out.

James: Well, that's a family matter.

Rose-Grace assembles the family while Mace puts away HIS horses.  

Tanner:  Why are Anakin and Nakoma voting on this?  Did I miss a couple of weddings or something? 

Rose-Grace: They're not voting.  Did you miss the part where both Finnick and Stacie are too young to get married? 

Finnick: Dad got married at my age. (Nakoma elbows him)  

Rose-Grace: I did remove some of the names from the running.  I am the mayor and have to think about how certain names might appear.

Tanner: There go all my suggestions.

Taylor: Can we remove the human names from the running as well?  I hate when animals have people names. 

Nikki: Remember when you tried to change Max's name?  That was funny.

Finnick: One of your dogs has a people name.  Ash is the dude with the chainsaw hand in those zombie flicks.  Yeah, we know she was born in a fireplace and is the same color as ashes, but still.

Nakoma: And there's a Pokemon trainer named Ash, too.  

Rose-Grace: I'm afraid you're outvoted on the human name issue, Taylor.  Most of -- (Her phone goes off)  I better take this call.  It's the fire chief.  

*******

Several days later

Zenobia:  Welcome to Zenobia's Vlog, the only openly biased news source in Doll County.  Today I've got some good news and some bad news.  We'll start with the good, and satisfy a lot of my viewer's curiosity in the process.  Becky?

Becky:  I made a previous visit to this Vlog and mentioned being part of a hush-hush custody battle.  A lot of you out there have been asking, and now I can tell you.  (Collects her thoughts) If you've seen the news recently, you'll know that millionaire real estate mogul Ronald Weasley Sr and his wife recently died.  They left everything to their two children, and a huge extended family started fighting for guardianship.  

Ron: Of the money.  Most of them didn't care about me and Ginny.  Becky wasn't even in on it til we asked her to take us.  

Ginny: I asked her, you mean.

Ron: Fine, til Ginny asked her.  Most of the family were trying to get us to buy mansions and yachts and stuff.  

Ginny: And then ship us off to boarding school. 

Ron:  Ginny, I'm telling this!

Ginny: Then get it right.  They wanted the money, not us.  

Ron: Becky was the only one who respected what Dad wanted.  We got real used to hearing her defend him.  Everyone else thought he was nuts.

Becky: Ronald was my favorite uncle.  He believed in a modest lifestyle and giving back to the community.  The bulk of his money has been divided in half and put into trust.  I have no intention of touching it.

Ron: We start school at Barbieville Middle School on Monday.  

Zenobia:  Now we move on to the bad news.  A fire late last week took out two local businesses and left the owner of one homeless.  With me are Midna Sunburst, owner of the Sunburst Diner, and Violet Baxter, owner of American Splendor printing.

Violet: I was watching television when Raven came out of her room and said something about a dumpster fire.  I thought she was speaking metaphorically at first, but no.  The dumpster was on fire.  

Midna: The dumpsters and my grease bin are far enough away that the buildings shouldn't have caught, but they did.  Once it got inside and hit my cooking oil...  (tears up)

Violet: I had a lot of flammable chemicals, as well.  The sprinkler system simply couldn't keep up with the spread.  (To Midna) They're down there right now.  They will find out what happened.

Zenobia: Was anything salvageable?

Violet: The first floor of my building was gutted and Midna's diner burned to the ground.  We may be able to save personal items from my apartment, but we've not been able to get back in there.  Arson is suspected and right now it's basically a crime scene.

Zenobia: Is it too early to ask if you plan to rebuild?

Violet: For me?  Yes, it's too early.

Midna: I was getting ready for a renovation.  (laughs weakly) I guess it's going to be a bigger job than planned.  But, yes, I'm absolutely rebuilding.  

Zenobia: Contact me for information if you want to donate things like clothes for the Baxters.  I hope next time, I'm giving nothing but good news.  

Snow Day!

The worst of the cold snap has passed, and finally it's warm enough to enjoy the snow.  The parents are at work and Taylor stays home with the babies, but the rest of the Pikes burn off some cabin fever.

Tanner:  Watch me take this next snow drift like a pro! 

Nikki:  No, I'm not wearing my helmet!  I don't want my brains all over the place! 

Tanner: Why didn't you wear your helmet, dummy?  

Nikki: You promised to be careful.  Some of us actually use our brains and want to keep them inside our heads where they belong. 

Finnick: Tanner would be totally safe in a zombie apocalypse.  

Tanner: At least I don't look like I belong on a magic carpet instead of an ATV.  Seriously, dude, you look ridiculous. 

Nakoma: You're just jealous you don't have a girlfriend to give your coat to. 

Tanner: My girlfriend wouldn't need my coat.

Finnick: Yeah, cause she'd already be frigid. 

Fred: Are we most to the sledding hill, Stacie?  I wanna be there NOW! 

Stacie: We're there.  Check it out.

Anakin:  Holy cow.  That is one steep slope. 

Stacie: Told ya.  This is the best hill in town, and it's all mine!  Well, you know, ours.  On our property.  Step-Mom said once she tried to take the sleigh down it and almost ran over Angus.

Anakin: Yeah, how come nobody got the sleigh out?

Stacie: You gotta be old enough to drive and the twins had to play on the ATVs.  Dad or Mom will get it out later.  Or Grandpa Mace, if he comes over.

*****

Down the block, James is supervising the least professional movers in the known universe.

James: Harry, where is your coat?

Harry: I'm fine.  I'm not a wuss like Hermione. 

Hermione: This wuss isn't going to have frostbite later.  Besides, Mom told you to wear a coat.

Harry: Yeah, but she's not my --

James: Say it and see how long you're grounded.

Emma: Dan and I will get the plants before they freeze.  What room do they go in?

Dan: Let's hurry and stick them in the living room so we can go sled with those kids over there.

Becky watches from her new apartment for the taxi that's bringing her cousins from the airport.  

Saturday In Barbieville

Rose-Grace hurries to the store after getting a call from Pike. 

Rose-Grace:  What is it?  You sounded like you were crying.  And why did you...  (looks in the big box on his desk)  Oh.  It was your allergies.  

Pike:  Garbageman found these two in the dumpster.  Batgirl cleaned them up and fed them.  

Rose-Grace:  We can't have a cat, honey.  You're allergic. 

Pike:  Didn't you make Ash and Soot a temporary home in the horse trailer at some point?   We can get them checked by a vet and go from there.

Rose-Grace:  I suppose we could use a barn cat.  If she's well.

Mariko works the early shift at the diner.

Mariko: Sorry about the wait.  Our fryers weren't quite ready when you ordered.

PJ:  No problem.  Mariko, this is my daughter Emma.  We're house hunting today. 

Mariko: I didn't know you had a daughter.  Nice to meet you, Emma. 

Emma: She has two.  Me and my sister. Do you have any sisters?

Mariko's reply is drowned out by shouting from the next table.

Clara:  You said you wouldn't give my information out!

Violet: Those kids didn't have a court order.  The police did.

Raven: Hey!  Don't be jumping on my mom! 

Clara: Mind your own business, Hoops!  

Violet: Raven, keep out of this.  (to Clara)  Can we discuss this like adults?

Mariko, recognizing Clara from the previous incident, hurries into the back.  Midna bursts out of the kitchen and confronts Clara. 

Midna:  This is the second time you're created a disturbance in my diner.  Get out and stay out.

Clara:  This is a public place, Red.  

Midna: This is a privately owned business.  I have a legal right to protect it, and to protect my customers.  

Clara: You're gonna call the cops over a little yelling?

Midna: I already have.

Back home, Finnick and Fred join the animals in checking out the new arrivals.

Finnick:  If they couldn't keep the pets for some reason, why do something so cruel?  

Rose-Grace:  You'd think taking them to a shelter would be obvious.  Your dad said the security camera got a good look at the woman who did it.  

Fred: Kin we call them Brownie and Whitey? 

Finnick (laughs): I can see it now - the black mayor in her yard yelling Whitey.  

Rose-Grace (wistfully): To be four again and have no clue about the political climate.  (to Fred)  We aren't going to worry about naming them just yet, sweetheart.  But you can be in charge of collecting suggestions.

Kin As Parents holds its first official meeting at The Overlook.

Ben: Nova's our only other official member, so we've got a 75% turnout.  Not bad for the first meeting.

Pocahontas: Growth takes time.  Anyone got any news?

Becky:  I have news!  I got custody of my cousins, a job, and a place to live.  

Ben: Wow.  You've been busy. 

Becky: Well, the home and job are connected.  I'm going to be the residential manager for those new townhouse apartments on the Beach Highway.  

Ben: What about school? 

Becky: It'll be tricky, but I can stay in school.  Might have to do some classes on line.

Ben:  Aren't those income based?  Can you get me an application?