A/N1: To find out who these people are and what they look like, visit my Walker Universe Background Info page.

A/N2: I am unsure of Carlos’ mother’s name. I think it Maria, and the at is what I am using, but that may be his sister’s name. If you know the correct names, please let me know and I will be happy to correct them in the story.

Alex and Trent talked amiably as they cleared the table and washed the dishes by hand. “So, you and Carlos have been living together for, what? About 5 months now? How’s that working out for ya?” Alex asked with a sly grin.

Trent glanced up, startled. “Good. It’s really better this way. The apartment above the office is perfect for Kim and there’s plenty of room for Carlos and me above the dojo. The loft is huge. There’s plenty of room for me and Carlos to spread out, so we’re not bumping into each other all the time.” He shrugged, “I wasn’t using both bedrooms anyway.”

“Uh-huh,” Alex said, raising her eyebrows. “And just how long did you think that one was gonna hold up?”

Trent froze, his heart racing at triple speed. Praying silently that she didn’t mean what he thought she meant, he almost yelped, “Wha-?”

Alex just shook her head. “Trent,” she admonished, “it’s okay. We know. You and Carlos are a couple. Lovers.” His eyes were wide in shock. “We’re actually happy for you, you goofball.” Trent stuttered at her, helplessly. “Geez,” she shook her head with a smile, “relax, already. We’re all friends here. No one is going to out you to the public. And I promise not to tell your mother.”

Trent blushed. “She already knows. Tommy, too. He walked in without knocking and saw us kissing. But Tandy and Tyler don’t know, yet.” He frowned. “How long?”

“Well, Walker may have always known. You know how he is. But I figured it out when I heard about how Carlos went out on that catwalk to save you. And you held him afterward.”

Trent grinned. “His fear of heights *is* legendary, isn’t it. But he loves me. He would probably have done it for Walker, too though.”

“Yeah, but he wouldn’t have let Walker hold him after. Hug, sure – hold, no way.”

Trent couldn’t help but laugh at that. “What about Trivette?”

“Well, Trivette isn’t as clueless as you think. He figured it out at that shelter when Carlos was wounded. I think it was the way you took care of him until the ambulance got there.” Trent just nodded thoughtfully. “As for me,” she continued, “I think I knew long before I realized I knew. I just sort of… felt it.” She shrugged. “I guess it was the way you looked at each other. Or maybe the way you never seem to notice anyone else when he’s there – and vice versa.”

“You know what the funny thing about all this is?” Trent asked. Alex looked at him expectantly. “*We* didn’t even know it back then. I didn’t figure out that he was interested until after we opened the office. I thought he just – considered me a brother.”

“But you?” she asked softly.

Trent chucked softly. “I knew. I knew how I felt about him before I left for the army. Everyone knows that I left because I didn’t want to go to Seminary. Know one, except my parents, knew why.” He shook his head sadly. “I told Thunder I couldn’t be a preacher like him. I couldn’t stand in that pulpit and preach week after week knowing that most of my congregation would consider my love for Carlos to be a sin against God. I would never be happy without him in my life and even though I knew Carlos didn’t feel the same, I couldn’t be a preacher. I would’ve felt like a hypocrite every time someone called me ‘pastor’.” He paused. “I told him I would understand if he couldn’t love me anymore.”

“What did Thunder say?” Alex’s compassion was evident.

Trent smirked. “He pulled me into one of his bear hugs and… told me I was a bullheaded idiot – and that *nothing* could *ever* change the fact that he loved me more than I could possibly know. I guess he was right. Can any child ever know how much their father loves them? Short of having kids of their own, I mean.”

“Probably not,” Alex smiled. “Your father was a very wise man.”

Trent smiled thoughtfully. “Roscoe gave me Thunder’s Bible after the funeral. At the grave. He told me Daddy was always proud of me.” A tear rolled down Trent’s face. “There was a picture of me in the Bible. In uniform. Roscoe said he *never* took that picture out of his Bible,” he smiled sadly and sighed. “I just… wish I had been able to see him one last time, you know?”

“Yeah,” Alex nodded, blinking back her tears.

Walker and Jimmy gave each other a look. Carlos caught the look and frowned, warily.

Walker heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head playfully, a feigned look of disappointment on his face. “Carlos, it’s time you and Trent realized that you can’t hide things from me. I thought you had figured that out years ago, but apparently, I was wrong.”

“What do you mean, Walker?” Carlos took a drink of his beer and stared at the TV, managing to maintain the appearance of calm.

“I mean, Carlos, that I know about your relationship with Trent.”

Carlos’ head shot around in shock.

“We all do,” Jimmy confirmed easily.

“All who?” Carlos asked, breathless, eyes widening in fear.

“Just Trivette, Alex and me, Carlos. No need to panic,” Walker, observant as ever, said in his calmest tone. The one he used to gentle horses.

Carlos took a deep breath and a large swig of beer. He carefully placed the longneck bottle on the coffee table, his hand trembling slightly, despite himself. “And?” he asked hesitantly, face blank.

“And what?” Jimmy asked, confused. His amusement quickly faded as he picked up on the tension pouring off his friend.

“What is this? Some sort of ‘intervention’?” Carlos managed to keep his voice even. It seemed that all that undercover work was coming in handy.

Jimmy snorted. “Whatever gave you a ridiculous idea like that?” Carlos looked over at him, incredulous. “We were just sick of acting like we didn’t know about you two. Personally, I was tired of waiting for you to get around to telling us.” He shrugged, “But I guess you were never going to, huh?”

“Hadn’t planned on it, no,” Carlos said with a little smile. “I kind of figured you wouldn’t approve.”

“What makes you think it would have mattered?” Walker asked, still in that calm voice. “Did you think we would stop caring about you? Turn you away?”

“My mother did.”

There was a long moment where the only sound was the television before Walker clicked the remote, turning it off. Trent and Alex stood in the doorway, stunned. They had finished the dishes and were on their way into the living room when Carlos made that quiet pronouncement.

Trent walked slowly into the room and knelt in front of his lover.

“Carlos,” he whispered, “why didn’t you tell me?”

“There was nothing you could do to fix it,” he shrugged, dark eyes filled with pain. “You would have just gotten angry and…” he paused to get control of himself. “I didn’t want you to try to talk to her. She’d only hurt you, too.”

“Carlos–” Trent began.

“No, Trent,” Carlos said softly, caressing his cheek. “There’s nothing to be done. The only ones in my family that are still speaking to me are Carmen and Hector,” he smiled sadly.

Trent pulled Carlos into his arms and held on tight. “I know it isn’t the same, Carlos, but you still have my family. We’ll talk to Mom about telling Tyler and Tandy tonight, okay?”

Alex settled into Walker’s arms and smiled at them. “And don’t forget – You have us. We’re still your family, Carlos,” she told him, fighting tears.

Carlos pushed at Trent’s shoulders lightly until his lover pulled away. Trent moved to sit beside him on the sofa without ever letting go completely. Carlos took a deep breath and looked around the room at his friends. He smiled tenuously. “Good to know,” he nodded. Then, closing his eyes, he buried his face in Trent’s neck and held on tight.

Trent’s arms closed around Carlos and he dropped a quick kiss on his ear. “I’m really glad we have you guys,” he said.

Walker just smiled sadly and hugged Alex a little tighter. Jimmy grinned, but there was a painful sadness in his eyes. He hid the anger he felt towards his friend’s family. He could only hope that Carlos’ mother relented. “Give her time,” he suggested softly. “She’ll come around. And if not, we’ll still be here for you guys. We love you both,” he assured them. “And we’d never even consider turning our backs on you. Maybe if we talk to her?”

Carlos looked up and gave him a little laugh. “Don’t, okay? Just let her be.” He frowned and leaned into Trent for support. “She said I’m dead to her. I really don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget that. Even if she changed her mind and accepted it.”

There was a stunned silence.

Trent swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “I know *I* need to steer clear of her, now. I want to kill her for that,” he whispered, hugging Carlos tighter against his side.

Walker’s eyes narrowed and he frowned as he settled into what Jimmy referred to as Cherokee mode. As he absorbed the emotions in the room, his quick mind was working on coming up with some way to help his friends.

Then Jimmy spoke with forced lightness, but there was something dark and angry in his eyes. “I’ll abide by Carlos’ wishes and stay out of it, but I want ya’ll to know that I’m angry on his behalf. A part of me is dying to… Well, I never thought I’d be tempted to hit a woman who wasn’t trying to kill me, but… frankly, Carlos, for your mother? I’d make an exception.”

Carlos looked up and gave him a shocked look.

Walker’s eyes were hard. “Okay, folks,” he said evenly, “Here’s what we’re going to do. We are going to pretend that *she* died. We’ll even have a wake. Carlos, you can invite your niece and her husband if you like.”

“We can have it at the HOPE Center,” Alex said cheerily.

Carlos gasped. “Uh, Alex? She volunteers there,” he reminded her.

“Not anymore,” Alex’s eyes glittered dangerously. “I don’t want anyone who would disown her own child for falling in love anywhere near the place.” She was almost growling. “I think she’s going to find that *she’s* the one being disowned.” She paused, then continued calmly, “As far as I’m concerned, Carlos – your mother died today.”

Walker and Jimmy nodded their agreement. Trent sighed heavily against his lover’s shoulder. Carlos sniffed back his tears. “I don’t know what to say,” he admitted, softly.

Walker smiled at him. “You don’t have to say anything, Carlos. Just know you are welcome here. Always.” Carlos nodded. “Good,” Walker continued. “Who’s ready for pie?”

Walker made an amazing pecan pie and Alex’s recipe for buttermilk pie was unequaled. Everyone was reeling from the rich flavors, but that didn’t stop any of them from having a generous slice of each pie.

As they enjoyed their dessert, Jimmy raised his eyebrows at Walker, who took the hint and frowned.

“I know it’s a strange topic to discuss over pie,” he began, gaining everyone’s immediate attention, “but there is a serial killer in the Dallas area.” Carlos and Trent glanced at each other and then at Alex before returning their attention to Walker. “This one is very unusual. He doesn’t just target one type. At first, his kills seemed almost random. There *is* a pattern, but no one was able to find it until a few days ago. He seems to have started round two. We’ve had the third victim in the second sequence, now. It looks like the next victim will be a teenage boy.”

“Like Tyler,” Trent said. Walker nodded his affirmation. “Damn. I’ll tell Tommy and we’ll all keep a close eye on him.”

“Good,” Walker nodded.

“What’s the sequence?” Carlos asked, leaning forward. Walker took it as a good sign. He was focused on something besides his personal tragedy for the moment.

“He starts with a young girl about Tandy’s age, then he kills a middle aged man. Then a woman in her twenties, followed by an adolescent boy. Then…” Walker continued to inform them, quietly. He knew he could count on them to keep things confidential, but he still didn’t reveal the information law enforcement was holding back.

Everyone listened attentively and prepared themselves for the defense of their loved ones.

That afternoon at the Hyperion…

Spike watched, attentively, as Angelus drew pictures of the “sleeping” girls. “I should get you some of those colored charcoals to use, Sire,” he said wistfully.

“I don’t think so, Childe,” Angelus muttered under his breath. “I prefer to stick with shades of grey, Spike,” he continued, distractedly, knowing Spike had heard both comments. “It gives the drawing a sense of unreality that I find appealing.” Finishing the drawing of Cordelia, he set it aside and turned to pull his boy into his lap. “But, you, my boy are looking wonderfully real.” And he kissed him thoroughly. Spike melted in his arms.

Angelus got a faraway look on his face as he watched Spike come back from the kiss. “Ah, m’boyo,” he said softly, “d’ya know what ya do t’me?”

Spike gave him a slow self-satisfied smile. “I certainly hope so,” he replied.

Angelus laughed and led his boy back into their suite. They walked past Fred, laid out on the sofa in the sitting area, and into the bedroom. Angelus wouldn’t let Spike get on the bed or even strip out of his hastily donned pajama pants.

“We need to talk a bit, Childe,” Angelus told him seriously.

Spike swallowed hard. Here it was. The moment he’d known would come. Angelus was going to remind him that in a few hours their new childer would rise and they would need to focus on them. He was going to tell Spike it had been fun, but he would only be one of the group from now on. Not special.

Angelus pulled Spike back into his arms and looked into his eyes. “I know the timing isn’t right. I would have liked it to be perfect for you, Will. But they’ll be rising before too long and we’ll both be distracted by the demands of fledgling childer, so now it must be.” Spike sighed unhappily and dropped his eyes. Angelus knew what Spike was thinking. The boy had self esteem issues. He took a certain wicked pleasure in the misconception, but time was a factor, so he chose not to draw it out. He released his beautiful William and drew him toward the bed, seating them both. He touched his childe’s chin and raised his face to look at him.

“William, will you consent to be my true Mate and Consort?”

Crystal blue eyes flew open. The smirk Angelus gave him was belied by the tenderness in his eyes. He leaned in to place a gentle kiss on the soft mouth still frozen in shock. Taking Spike’s face in his hands, Angelus continued the kiss; a sensual assault that soon had the smaller man shivering as desire swept through him. A soft moan caused Angelus to pull his mouth away from Spike’s, his dark eyes twinkling his pleasure.

“I’d love to be takin’ that lovely sound as a ‘yes’, m’boyo, but for this, I need the words, love.”

Spike panted softly, “You want me to be your Mate?” He paused, his mind unwilling to accept the words. “Even Dru didn’t want me for a Mate…”

Angelus nodded his head firmly. “Oh yes she did. I *forbade* it.”

“What?!”

“I forbade her to take you as Mate. I wanted you for myself, Will. And if I had let her Mate you, any chance for that would have been lost.”

“You wanted me? Even then?”

“Yes!” It was a vehement whisper. “Oh yes, my William. I’ve wanted it ever since Dru made you and brought you home.”

“You have?” he asked in disbelief.

“Always.” Angelus looked at Spike consideringly, then nodded to himself. “Even Angel wanted you for his mate, Will. Even when he loved the Slayer, he loved you.” With a sad smile, Angelus kissed Spike once more before continuing. “I know I treated you badly, my boy. Back in Sunnydale, I was so overwhelmed and disgusted by *his* incomprehensible *love* for the Slayer that I refused to acknowledge any feelings of love within myself. They made me feel… dirty,” he grimaced. Then, with a tender look, he pulled Spike into his lap and cradled him in his arms, protectively. “But I *do* love you, William. And it’s not only the love of a Sire for his Childe. What I feel – what I have always felt for you, is the love of Mates – eternal and binding. I will always be your Sire and you will always be my Childe. But I promise you this: If you accept me as your Mate, I will *never* forget that you are also a Master in your own right. I will always give you the respect you have earned. And I will never again withhold the love you inspire in my heart.”

William raised his eyes to look into the dark eyes of his Sire. “I love you, too, Angelus. I want forever. I just never dreamed *you* wanted it; wanted *me*. Don’t wait any longer, my love. Make me your Mate. I don’t want to take the chance of anything else separating us – or coming between us! Do it now!”

All of the tension in Angelus’ body just bled out of him. He crushed his lips against Spike’s in a passionate, claiming kiss. When he pulled away, he looked at his boy with hope and adoration and saw the love reflected back. Stripping off their silk pants and moving them into the center of the bed, he began the ritual that would bind them eternally.

“I, Angelus, Master of Aurelius, take you, William, Childe of my Childe, Drusilla, to be my Mate and Consort. Do you so consent?”

“I, William, Childe of your Childe, do so consent.”

Angelus’ caresses grew more insistent and Spike sighed in satisfaction as he was lifted and then lowered slowly onto his sire’s erection, joining them fully.

“By this Joining, I Claim you as Mate. By this Claiming, I acknowledge you as Consort. From this moment forward, your authority in the Clan of Aurelius is second only to mine. None may gainsay you, save only myself. Do you, William, accept the rights and responsibilities accorded you as Consort to the Master of Aurelius?”

Blue eyes locked on brown.

“I, William, do hereby accept the rights and repsonsibilities of the rank of Consort to the Master of my Clan.”

Blue and brown both shifted to glowing amber. Fangs flashed as, together, they bit, marking each other as Mate.

Later that evening at the Malloy house…

Tommy Malloy turned the corner onto his street in time to see his older brother and Carlos walking up the front walk. When he walked into the house a few minutes later, Tommy saw Carlos fidgeting uneasily in the entryway. His entire bearing was off. Carlos was always upbeat and positive. He was always welcome at the Malloy house and he knew it. Yet, he looked uncertain and afraid. Pain was radiating off of him in waves.

“Hey, Carlos,” Tommy asked, concerned. “What’s wrong? You look like somebody shot your dog.”

Carlos snickered quietly. “Trent’s talking with your mom. He wants to tell the kids about us.”

“And that’s got you all worried and depressed?” Tommy asked, disbelieving. “No way, man. Mom’s cool. She’ll understand.”

“Probably. But will Tandy and Tyler?”

Tommy frowned, suddenly unsure. “Oh. Yeah. They are pretty young. And it’ll be a bit of a shock to them. But I’m sure they’ll be okay with it. Once they adjust to the idea.” He paused, staring at the floor. “Uh… Carlos?” he asked hesitantly, biting at his lower lip.

“Yeah?” Carlos responded, tilting his head toward the young man. It wasn’t like Tommy to be nervous.

Tommy took a deep breath and met Carlos’ eyes. “I need to apologize to you – and Trent – for the way I acted when I found out.”

“Why?” Carlos was genuinely confused.

Tommy’s eyes went wide with disbelief. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” he began. “I-I was rude! And I said things…” he broke off in self-disgust, dropping his gaze.

Carlos grinned, but his eyes still held a sorrow the younger man didn’t understand. “You didn’t say anything you need to apologize for, Tommy.”

Trent’s brother looked up at him. “Carlos, I don’t even remember half of what I said, but what I do remember…” he shook his head sorrowfully.

Carlos raised a hand to Tommy’s shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. “You were in shock, Tommy. You walked into the loft and found me and Trent in a major lip-lock.” He chuckled briefly. “In fact, if Tandy and Tyler react as well as you did, we’ve got nothing to worry about.” Tommy gave him a questioning look. “You said that we couldn’t be kissing because were both straight. You thought it must be practice for some undercover work or something, because we both dated girls. When Trent told you we were together you got this adorable confused look on your face and said, ‘but you’re straight.’ In fact, that phrase and the dating women thing seemed to become something of a theme for the conversation. But you didn’t say anything derogatory. Not one word, Tommy.” Carlos swallowed hard and his voice was edged with bitterness when he continued. “And you never once called us names or threatened to walk out of Trent’s life.”

Tommy went completely still as he felt a sliver of ice travel down his spine. The cold seemed to settle in his chest. He shook himself slightly and smiled at his older brother’s best friend and lover. “Thanks, Carlos. I’m glad I didn’t say anything I should be ashamed of. And I’m glad I didn’t hurt you. Why don’t you go ahead into the living room? I need to grab a soda. You want anything?”

“I’m good for now,” Carlos said. He nodded toward the kitchen. “Trent and your mom are in there talking.”

“So?” Tommy grinned. “It’s not like I don’t know, huh?”

Carlos chuckled as Tommy grabbed him and gave him a quick hug. He was gone before Carlos could process it. ‘At least Trent’s family accepts us,’ he thought. But the thought he didn’t allow himself to acknowledge was still there: ‘At least someone still loves me.’

Tommy was almost growling when he entered the kitchen. His mother and older brother were facing each other across the kitchen table. Grabbing Trent by the shoulder, he pinned him with a look. Whispering harshly, he asked, “Who hurt Carlos?”

Trent seemed to collapse in on himself. His inability to erase his lover’s pain, or even fight back against those who caused it, was weighing heavily.

“What do you mean, Tommy?” their mother demanded. “Trent? What does he mean?”

Trent took a deep breath. He reached up to his shoulder to pat his little brother’s hand. “I was getting to that, Mom.” He paused, then, shaking his head sadly, he spoke quietly. “When he told her about us… his mother told him he was dead to her. Most of his so-called family,” he sneered, “has followed her lead. Only Carmen and Hector are standing by him… by us.”

“After everything Carlos did for them? For Hector?” Tommy growled quietly, sinking into the chair beside Trent. “*They’d better!* Hector would be dead if it weren’t for Carlos!”

“Maybe if I talk to her–” Katie began.

“You think *talking* will help, Mom?” Tommy demanded angrily. “She told him he was *dead*. You really think he can just forget that? That’s the sort of thing that’ll haunt someone for the rest of their life. You think he’ll ever be able to look her in the face again without hearing her say those words in his head? No way, Mom! This isn’t something he can just get over. Even if he does find some way to forgive her, he’ll never be able to forget. She doesn’t *deserve* to be forgiven!”

Katie’s face was bleak as she absorbed Tommy’s words. Her thoughts were whirling with broken images of the past and memories of the loving mother Maria Sandoval had once been. She couldn’t wrap her mind around the idea that this woman who had been her neighbor and friend for so many years could inflict that kind of pain on her own child for *any* reason. Trent’s soft voice drew her gently back to the present.

Trent smiled softly at his brother’s defense of his love. “No, she doesn’t. But does anyone ever really *deserve* forgiveness?” Trent’s eyes were filled with love as he smiled at his brother. “Thunder used to say, ‘We don’t forgive others because they deserve it. We forgive them because they *need* it.’ I don’t care if Carlos never sees that *woman*,” he sneered the word, “again. But I *do* want him to be able to forgive her. Holding onto it will only hurt *Carlos* more. I can’t allow that. He won’t ever forget, but he needs to forgive her. For *his* sake.”

Katie smiled sadly at her sons. “Trent’s right, Tommy. Refusing to forgive will always hurt you more than it hurts them. Holding onto it will only make Carlos bitter. I don’t want that for *any* of my children,” she said, pointedly.

Tommy looked at her in shock and Trent blushed. “You’re right, Mom,” Trent acknowledged, “but it’s a lot harder to forgive someone for hurting Carlos than it is for hurting me. I really have to stay away from her, you know,” Trent confessed softly, looking at the table. “The thought of snapping her neck is just too tempting right now.”

“Oh, Trent,” Katie, crooned, taking his hand. “How can I help you with this one?”

“Well,” Trent said slowly, “Walker, Alex and Trivette are just about as angry as I am. And Walker came up with a plan.”

“Good. What are we going to?” Tommy asked, looking at Trent expectantly.

Trent’s smile turned cruel as he explained Walker’s plan for a “wake”.

“Good,” Tommy smiled, eyes hard. “It’s the least that she deserves.”

Katie nodded slowly. Maybe this would be just what her boys needed to be able to put it behind them.

Tommy walked into the living room, soda in hand. He handed a second one to Carlos. “Sorry,” he murmured just loud enough for everyone to hear him. “I didn’t get a chance to ‘spike’ it,” he grinned. “Mom was watching.”

Katie slapped him lightly across the butt as she walked past to join Carlos on the sofa. “You may be a man, now, Tommy Malloy, but I am still your mother. And I can still turn you over my knee,” she grinned back. “Trent, come on over here and sit down beside Carlos,” she directed easily, patting Carlos on the knee. Trent grinned and followed her instructions. He squeezed in on Carlos’ other side and draped his arm around his lover’s shoulder.

Tommy sat down beside Katie, still grinning. Pretending to wince, he said, “Gee, Mom, you still pack a whollop!” Katie giggled at that.

“Hey, Tandy,” Trent said softly, “would you turn off the TV? We need to have a family chat.”

“Sure,” the thirteen year old said easily. “Perfect timing,” she grinned. “The movie just went off. So… What’s up?” Her eyes narrowed in light-hearted suspicion. “Does this have anything to do with Carlos? He’s been *way* too quiet tonight.”

Carlos’ eyes went wide and Tandy continued to grin. Tyler decided to weigh in. “She’s right you know. It’s unnatural, how quiet he’s been.” He turned to Carlos, who had gone pale at the word ‘unnatural’. “Look how pale he is,” Tyler’s tone went instantly from teasing to worried. “Carlos, are you okay? Are you sick? S-Should I call 911?”

“No,” Carlos assured him. “I’m not sick.”

Trent wrapped his other arm around Carlos, pulling him close. Carlos resisted for a moment, but, at Trent’s murmured assurance, he relaxed and let himself be held.

Trent looked up at Tandy and Tyler. “Carlos is just really nervous,” he said softly. When they nodded, he continued. “You know that Carlos and I are living in the loft above the dojo. What you don’t know is that we’re in love. With each other.” Trent paused to let that sink in.

“You mean you’re gay and you’re a couple?” Tyler asked slowly.

Trent nodded, “Yes, we’re a couple. But we’re actually bisexual, not gay. I mean, we both find women attractive, but, since we’ve made a commitment to each other, and we won’t be dating women anymore,” he flashed a grin at Carlos, “I guess you could say we’re gay. I don’t think gender is really the issue, though. We love each other. That’s what *really* matters.”

Tyler’s raised his eyebrows briefly in acknowledgment and shrugged. “Okay. Weird, but okay. I wouldn’t’ve guessed.”

“You’re really okay with this, Ty?” Carlos asked hesitantly.

Tyler shrugged. “Sure. I mean, I’ve always thought of you as another older brother anyway. This just sort of makes it official, right? I mean, you’re, like, my brother-in-law now, right? Only without the legal part?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Carlos gave him a quick little smile. “Tandy?” Tandy’s eyes were wide and her mouth was hanging open. “Tandy?” Carlos asked again, worried.

She broke into a wide grin. “This is *so* cool! How long have you been together? When did you know you were in love? How did you tell each other?” Trent and Carlos looked at each other and grinned at her babbling stream of questions. Tandy noticed. “Are you gonna kiss each other now? ’Cause, if you are,” she nodded vigorously, encouraging them, “I wanna watch!”

“Tandy Malloy!” Katie scolded harshly. “You should be ashamed of yourself. Apologize at once.”

Tandy blushed and looked at the floor. “Sorry.” She looked up at them, “I’m just really happy for you, y’know?”

“It’s okay, Tandy,” Carlos smiled happily. Trent just grinned at her.

“Good. Now that that’s settled,” Katie Malloy said, with a gleam in her eyes, “are you two going to kiss each other or not?”

Tandy shrieked with laughter, Tyler rolled his eyes and Tommy grinned and groaned something about being scarred for life, as Trent pulled Carlos into a long, tender kiss.