*We open at Lauren and Micky's house. It’s early afternoon on New Year's Eve.*

Mike: (Comes in with a box of party decorations; looks around the Rainbow Room) Ok, guys. Coast is clear. Em and the girls finally got the kids outside.

Peter: Good. It's better if we do this without the children underfoot. (He carries bags of crepe paper)

Davy: Yeah, it's bad enough with Mick around.

*Davy puts down a paper bag full of potato chips.*

Micky: *Carries a punch bowl and ladle* I heard that, Dave.

Peter: Guys, don't fight! Come on, it's New Year's Eve!

Mike: Yeah. I don't need you two killin' each other before the guests arrive. Mick, help me with the party favors. Davy, you can put out the bags of confetti for midnight.

Micky: Alright, Mike.

Davy: Yessir, Chief!

Peter: I'll start the crepe paper. Where do you want it, Micky?

Micky: Drape some along the edges of the snacks tables to start.

Peter: Ok, Mick! (He does as told. Mike pulls out various party favors and noise makers.)

Mike: Here's the hats. (He pulls out a stack of paper cone hats with "Happy New Year!" written on them in glitter, fancy "tiaras" of glitter-covered cardboard with aluminum and wire tiaras, and "top hats," some made of black or blue plastic with silver ribbons, some cardboard covered with silver or gold cellophane. Mike puts one of the black top hats on his head.)

Micky: *nods* That's a good look for you, Mike.

Mike: Thanks. (Pulls out strings of metallic plastic beads.)

*Micky tries to put a cone hat on, but it doesn't look right in his curls. He makes a face as he removes it. He shrugs, picks up a tiara, and sets it in his curls.*

Mike: Going for the royal look tonight, Mick?

Micky: Yes, I am.

Mike: (He takes out a box of noise makers) Here, sort these out. I'm going to go through the rest of the beads and the sparklers.

Micky: Okay. *starts pulling noise makers from the box*

Peter: (Pulls back from the snack table) How does this look, Micky?

Micky: *grins* That looks great, Pete! How about draping some around the bandstand?

Peter: (Nods) I like that! (He heads for the bandstand)

Mike: How's the noisemakers comin'?

*Micky blows on one of them, then grins.*

Mike: Noisily. (Sighs) I don't mind if you test a few, but don't get them all crinkled before midnight. Half our guests who are semi-sober will have a fit.

Micky: I won't, I won't.

Peter: I'm so excited! I love our New Year's Eve parties.

Mike: Yeah. It's kinda fun to get together with everybody...even if we did just do a party for Davy's and my birthday.

Peter: You can never have enough parties, Michael, especially at this time of the year.

Mike: Yeah, but we have other things goin' on, too. We need to start earnin' some money for our business to pay that printer.

Davy: And we will be.

Peter: Michael, I already have three kids lined up to begin piano and guitar lessons after the holidays.

Mike: Yeah, I appreciate that, Pete.

Peter: I'm sure I can get more soon.

Mike: I may try to go around to some of the B-studios and sell my songs again. I don't think the A-listers will take them after what happened with "Head" and Columbia.

Micky: Dave and I are gonna try a two-man show.

Davy: Even though I didn't agree willingly.

Mike: (Raises his eyebrows) Just the two of you?

Peter: That should be interesting.

Micky: *shrugs* We'll do some music, some funny skits and jokes, stuff like that.

Peter: Maybe you could even do a special!

Davy: Don't give him ideas, Peter.

Mike: And Mick will direct, of course, as long as he can keep the camera steady.

Micky: I've got a tripod for it now, I'll have you know.

Mike: Like that will do anything. (Eyes widen as he pulls several aerosol cans out of the box) Ok, who included silly string with the stuff we got from Woolworth's?

*Micky grins again.*

Davy: *jerks a thumb* Him.

Mike: Well, it's your house, but you'd better keep it outside. I doubt this stuff comes off hard wood floors...and I don't know how happy the girls will be with it.

Micky: I know, I know.

Peter: Micky, help me put the crepe paper on the ceiling. Michael, why don't you and Davy work on the "Happy New Year!" banner?

Micky: Sure, Pete!

Mike: Ok, Dave, let's get the banner.

Davy: Right, mate.

Peter: (Hands Micky a roll of crepe paper) Did the twins like their new bikes?

Micky: They loved them! So much, they tried to ride them in the house.

Peter: Is that where the tire marks on the living room rug came from?

Micky: Yes.

Mike: God, if Katie tried to do that, Em would have her hide and send her to bed for the next decade...and I wouldn't be thrilled, either.

Micky: Well, we were exactly ecstatic about that, either.

Mike: I don't even want to know how hard it'll be to get those tire marks out of your rug. (He takes one side of the banner, and Davy takes the other. They both get up on step ladders and hoist the banner above the bandstand) Davy, your side's crooked!

Davy: I am standing on the same size ladder as yours, Mike.

Micky: Yeah, he can't reach any higher than that!

Mike: Micky, do you have a taller ladder?

Micky: Yeah, but I don't think Dave could handle it. *snickers*

Davy: If you think it's so funny, mate, why don't you help Mike?

Micky: Okay, I will! *goes over as Davy descends the ladder*

Davy: *motions the ladder's all Micky's* Here, Mick. Up ya go.

Micky: Thank you. *Goes up and straightens the banner.* How's this look?

Mike: Better.

Davy: At least I tried, Mick.

Peter: That's right, Davy. Come help me with the crepe paper. You can hang it on the windows.

Davy: Thank you, Peter.

Peter: You're welcome. We all have different abilities. It's just a matter of playing to your strengths.

(Mike snorts as he helps Micky with the banner.)

Peter: (Rolls his eyes) Mike, you and Micky hit your heads on low doorways, and you can't fit in small places. Your legs always hang over anything short.

Mike: Yeah, yeah, I know.

Micky: Alright, we get the point.

Mike: I think there might be another banner we can put over the Rainbow Room entrance.

Peter: So, Micky and Davy, I guess this means you two are going to continue performing and touring.

Mike: Not me! I'm givin' that stuff up.

Micky: You bet we are!

Peter: I may tour again someday...but certainly not now.

Mike: I don't know how you two can do it. I guess I'm not much of a travelin' man.

Davy: I must need my head examined.

Micky: You love working with me, Dave, and you know it.

Davy: Yeah, I do.

Mike: Yeah, I got to give you guys credit. You do work very well together.

Peter: I've always thought you two were a great team.

Davy: Even if he drives me crazy.

Micky: You can't beat a couple of personalities like ours...especially mine.

Davy: And he's so humble.

Mike: Yeah, and a couple of egos like yours.

Peter: I'm sure you'll be fine. When are you going out, this summer?

Micky: Yeah. We're gonna get a local start, then head out in the summer.

Mike: How long will you be gone?

Micky: It'll be a couple of weeks at a time through the summer, so we will have a chance to be around here, too.

Mike: Good. I have the feelin' we're gonna need all the help we can get. We're really gonna have to step up trainin' after the holidays. After all, there's other nasty people around in addition to the Devils now.

Peter: The demons you and Micky mentioned Christmas night.

Micky: Right.

Mike: There's gotta be somethin' we can do about those guys. Mick, Em, Lauren, and I know where they live.

Peter: I don't think there's really much we can do unless they strike all of us first.

Micky: Though it'd be preferably if they didn't.

Davy: Obviously.

Mike: Mick and I have almost gotten killed three times when we were around those two. We really need to be more prepared. Their powers are different than hours. They rely more on potions and powders, especially Stella. Stella probably doesn't have any real powers of her own beyond her chemical ability.

Micky: Which is plenty enough to cause trouble.

Mike: (As he and Mick hang the second banner) We need to work on combating the potions and powders better, not to mention Alex's drugs.

Micky: I wonder if I'd be able to come up with my own type of potion to block theirs...

Mike: That would be great, Mick.

Peter: The rest of us aren't chemical geniuses, but we might be able to help.

Micky: It's just a matter of figuring out a concoction that'll work against anything they can think of. It won't be easy, but I can sure try.

Peter: We'll all try.

Mike: Yeah. We'll have to talk to the girls, too. They might be able to help.

Peter: (Frowns) And protect Valerie. She's vulnerable while she's pregnant.

Mike: Yeah. I don't know how these guys will react to pregnant women. We know how the devils have picked on all of the girls when they were pregnant. We're probably lucky to have the kids at all.

Davy: Ain't that the bloody truth.

Peter: We'll have to talk to the girls about that. They'll probably be able to help guard Valerie.

Mike: And we need to talk to the kids. I've noticed Katie and Little Mick have been at each other's throats again. Those two are real competitive.

Peter: They're both upsetting poor Jordan, who's had enough trouble lately.

Micky: *shakes his head* I had a feeling that Mick had picked up more of my personality. Little runt's too headstrong and stubborn for his own good.

Davy: Just like his dad.

Micky: *half smirk* I knew you'd jump on that one, Dave.

Mike: And Katie's picked up both Em's and mine. Not a good combination, and not a good combination with Mick, either.

Micky: *grins* Especially since we tend to butt heads at times.

Mike: No kiddin'. I just hope it doesn't lead to real head buttin'. Katie has no problems with physical fightin', somethin' we're tryin' to break her out of. She won't start a physical fight, but when she gets really pissed off...

Micky: She won't be afraid to swing a fist.

Mike: And hard.

Peter: Violence never solves anything.

Mike: I know that, and you know that. Tell KATIE that when she's mad.

Peter: We really need to have a long chat with the kids about resolving their differences. Poor Jordan tries, but they don't listen to him.

Mike: We'll talk to them later this week, after we get past New Year's. Got the other side of the banner, Mick?

Micky: Got it!

Peter: (Looks around) We should be ready soon. The girls will be coming back with the kids, and we'll get dinner together for them before they head off to bed.

Mike: I hope.

Peter: We'll know if they make noise.

Davy: Yeah.

Mike: As long as they don't try to wake us up early again. Considering what the party was like last year, they'll be lucky if they get breakfast for dinner.

Peter: (Ears perk up) And speaking of the kids, I do believe I hear the sound of little voices.

Mike: Yeah. Means it's time to get dinner together.

Peter: (He jumps down from the bandstand) I think that's the last of the crepe paper.

Mike: Yeah, the banner's as good as it's gonna get. Shall we meet the kiddies and ladies at the door?

Peter: Sounds good to me. Guys?

Micky: Fine with me.

Davy: Me too.

Mike: Ok, let's go. (He and the guys head out as we fade out on the festively decorated room and the "Happy New Year!" banner.)