Which reminds me....everyone ready to finish this story? :)

Peter: I'm ready! :)

(Mike coos over baby Katie. :X)

Lauren: You bet! :)

Micky: I'm ready, too!

Davy: Me, too. :)

(We begin in the Pad. The boys are all sitting around, finishing up "Take a Giant Step"....except for Mike and Emma, who are nowhere to be seen. Lauren sits on the psychiatrist's couch, watching them.)

Peter: (As he finishes) That was really groovy!

*Lauren claps & whistles.* :)

Bob: Hey, where are the new parents?

Micky: Where else? Going goo-goo over their new baby. *grins* :D

Peter: Mike says they're spending family time together. :)

Lauren: Same difference. ;)

Davy: Aftah wot they went through to keep that kid, I don't blame them.

Bert: So, Micky, the big question is...how does it feel to have a clone?

Micky: Considering the face that the clone is evil...terrible. :P

Davy: Why couldn't 'e 'ave gone back into Mick's body, like a good little double? :p

Lauren: Because he's a completely separate person from Micky. :P

Peter: You mean, he wasn't just split? :(

Micky: *shakes his head* No, not according to what Shelia told me. That's also why I'm so interested in looking at that equipment. Alex is a whole other person. There is NO merging that's gonna go on here at any time. :P

Davy: Considerin' the way Mike acted aftah 'e was split, Mick weren't split. (Frowns) Did it 'urt, Mick?

Micky: No, I didn't feel a thing. It was like some huge scanner she used that went over me & then created him.

Peter: That's weird.

Davy: Even for you, Mick. :p

Micky: Thanks, Dave. :P I STILL wanna look at that equipment.

Peter: I'm glad the clone's gone. I didn't like the way he looked at me. :p :o :(

Davy: I didn't like ANYTHING 'e did to me. :p

Lauren: One word: CREEPY! :P

Davy: I 'ope 'e's good at stitchin' 'umans. The doctah said the scah on me chest ain't goin' away. :p

Peter: You said the ones on your face and arm weren't permanent.

Davy: Thank goodness. :p

Micky: Guess he didn't do as well as he thought, huh? ;)

Davy: I'm just glad 'e didn't go...elsewhere...wit' that damn spur. :p

Micky: *smirks* I'm willing to take a guess he thought about it, though? ;) :P

Lauren: *slugs his arm* Mick! :P

(Davy blushes, gets up, and goes to the kitchen. :"> :p)

Peter: (Frowns) Huh?

Micky: *eyebrows raise* Oops. :P

Lauren: Smooth, Mick. :P

Peter: What? What's wrong?

Micky: *scratches the back of his head* Oh, man. Hey, Dave... *follows into the kitchen*

Lauren: *sighs* You'll find out if you really need to know, Peter. :P

(Emma and Mike finally come out. Baby Katie is in Emma's arms, swaddled in a soft red knitted blanket.)

Mike: Hi, guys.

Emma: (Sighs) Isn't she beautiful? :X

Lauren: *smiles* Hey! :)

Lauren: Gorgeous! :D

(The two settle on the bandstand. Mike picks up Black Beauty and absently strums her while Emma cuddles the new arrival.)

Bert: How does it feel to be parents, you two?

Emma: (Hugs Katie to her) Wonderful.

Mike: It's great. Katie's a cute little cowgirl. Yells like a real Nesmith. ;)

Emma: She got his pipes. I half expect her to cry with a Texas accent. ;)

*Lauren chuckles.* ;)

Emma: I told Mom and Aunt Kate no pink. I HATE pink. Give us a nice, sensible red or peach or neutral green.

Mike: Just glad you two are here, safe and sound.

Emma: (Nods; quietly rocks the baby in her arms) Me too, honey.

Peter: (Leans over the baby) She's too cute! She's got Emma's round cheeks and Mike's dark brown hair.

Emma: And our wavy hair.

Mike: It's startin' to curl a little, though. Gets that from her mama.

Bert: Emma, how are you holding up?

Peter: Yeah, Emma. You went through a real ordeal with Katie and Shelia and all. :(

Emma: (Sighs wearily) I'm ok. Just glad we're all here and safe.

Mike: I'm gonna show that Devil some playin' that will make her fake wig stand on end the next time she tries pullin' crap on you! X(

Emma: I'm sure we'll see her again soon, honey.

Peter: I think we drained her! :D

Mike: Nahh, we didn't play that long 'fore she headed for the hills. :p

Lauren: Yeah, we could've played longer. ;)

Peter: At least the clone's gone.

Mike: Thank god. :p

Lauren: Yeah! :P

Emma: (Sighs) Another pattern I've noticed. Your guys' doubles seem to get overly fond of us ladies.

Lauren: *snorts* Let’s hope he doesn't show again. I'd prefer not finding out. :P

Peter: (Nods) When we were in the Land of Sunshine and Beauty, Mike's double liked Emma...(blushes) and I liked my double's girlfriend. Davy's double liked his double's mermaid fiancee, too.

(Mike growls and hits a sour note on Black Beauty. :p)

Emma: (Rolls her eyes) Oh, honey, DON'T start with the jealousy again! :p

Mike: Ain't jealous. That was a long time ago.

Emma: (Makes a face) Sure you aren't, Mike.

Lauren: *growls* And a certain gangster had his eyes on me. :P

Peter: (Nods at Lauren) My Purple Flower Gang double grabbed Valerie!

Mike: Bet Davy's woulda gone for Daph if she hadn't been in Seattle then. :p

Lauren: Probably. :P

Peter: (Looks at Mike) Your double didn't like Emma!

Mike: I wasn't that crazy about Em either when we first met.

Emma: (Shakes her head) Tell me about it. (Looks at Katie; coos) Do you know what your Papa Wolf did when he first met Mama? He tried to throw Mama and Aunt Lauren out!

Mike: I didn't know you two from Adam at that point!

Peter: There's an Adam involved with this?

Lauren: And you yelled at Mick for being a good samaritan. ;) :P

Emma: Our ancestors all had their soulmates, too.

Peter: I'm glad they got to go back to their soulmates. They deserved it, the poor guys! :)

Lauren: *nods* That's for sure. :)

Peter: Do you think Alex might like Lauren?

Mike: (Makes a face) My other half grabbed Em when we were...apart. :p

Emma: (Frowns and nods) Yeah.

Lauren: *shrugs* If he's gone, it won't matter.

Mike: For yours and Mick's sake, I hope he's gone.

Lauren: *sighs* Yeah.

Peter: How are the twins, Lauren? Are they talking yet? :)

Lauren: *nods* Little Mick's first word, big surprise, was "Food!" yelled at the top of his lungs. *chuckles* Shel was nicer. She said "Mama." :D Now, they won't shut up. ;)

(Mike nearly falls over laughing. Emma chuckles. Peter grins.)

Mike: (Between guffaws) Just...like...their old...man. ;) :D :))

*Lauren shrugs, still grinning.* :D

Emma: (Cuddles Katie) I wonder what her first word will be?

Mike: "Guitar." ;)

Peter: (Smiles) "Papa." :)

(Little Katie lets out a wail.)

Emma: Now, come on, Kate. We're only teasing. (She rocks the baby gently)

Lauren: She's gonna have to get used to that. ;)

Mike: I'll take her, Em. (He puts Black Beauty aside and takes the baby gently and almost delicately in his arms, like Katie will break if he even breathes on her. He very gently rubs Katie on the back, singing to her. She gradually stops crying, her large, now-brown eyes staring at the man who holds her.)

Emma: She likes Mike, even if he DOES handle her like she's a China doll.

Lauren: And you were worried, Mike. ;) :)

Mike: She's the prettiest girl in the world...(grins at Emma)...besides her mama. :x ;)

Emma: Flattery will get you to bed after I feed Katie, honey. ;)

Mike: Nice to know. ;)

Bert: So, what was your favorite part of this one?

Mike: Savin' my wife and the birth of my daughter. :D

Lauren: Mick kicking Alex's butt. :) ;)

Emma: (Sighs) Finally meeting this beautiful little person inside me. :) :x

Peter: Cheering Mike up, so Emma could have the baby. :)

Emma: Lauren, I didn't hurt your hand TOO badly, did I?

Lauren: No, I regained feeling in it. ;)

Emma: I love her to death, but GOD, it felt like she didn't want to come out! :p

Mike: Stubborn. She's a Nesmith, all right. ;)

Peter: Hey, where's Mick and Davy?

Lauren: Kitchen. Mick hit a sore spot with Dave. :P

Mike: I think it's that damn clone of Mick's who hit the sore spot. He really did somethin' to that kid.

Lauren: Well, that, and Mick couldn't keep his foot out of his mouth. :P

Emma: Davy won't talk about what happened in the cave, and he apparently remembers little about anything that occured afterwards.

Mike: If Mick's dream is any indication, it may be just as well.

Lauren: I don't blame him, that's for sure. :P

Bert: Hey, what's next? Any major changes to the stories or the site coming up?

Emma: We're finally going to work ON the site, for one thing, including the oft-promised glossary and profiles.

Lauren: Right!

Emma: These last two stories were really early because we've looked forward to them for a long time. The next one should be a little ahead of schedule, but not as much as these.

Mike: You really enjoy this torture stuff, don't you?

Lauren: Of course. ;)

Emma: (Winks) Don't look at me. Lauren was mostly in charge of this one. ;)

*Lauren grins.* ;)

Bob: How long were you working on THIS one?

Lauren: Half a year?

Emma: Actually, the warm-up story dates back to the early fall, when Lauren came up with the haunted house idea.

Mike: You guys have been working on this story for THAT long?

Emma: (Shakes her head) I haven't. Lauren has.

Lauren: *nods* I sure have. ;) :)

Emma: I'd say my ideas date back to later in fall 2004, when we were starting to seriously work on the third story arc. That's when I came up with my being pregnant during these story sets.

Emma: Basically, this story, like "Devil and Michael Nesmith," is a very thick stew made of many ideas we both happened to have at the same time, in this case, from mid-October 2004 to January 2005.

Peter: Wow. You've had this story ready all that time?

Lauren: Pretty close to it.

Emma: Now you know why we wanted to do these last two sets early. We would have done the "Nine Times Two" set early as well if it hadn't been for the holidays.

Bob: What's next?

Emma: (Looks over her shoulder at the kitchen) It's time for Davy's story. ;)

Lauren: Remember his pirate musical? ;)

Peter: Maybe it'll help him feel better. Whatever Shelia and Alex did REALLY upset him. :(

Mike: (Rolls his eyes) How can we forget? He LOVES bein' in that show.

Peter: He's always rehearsing his lines and singing the songs from the show. :)

Emma: We're going to have fun with the pirate musical. ;)

Mike: (Frowns) What do you mean? :p

Lauren: Lots of fun! ;)

Peter: Don't hurt Davy TOO badly. His aura is still really shaky from THIS story! :p :(

Emma: (Winks) You'll see. ;)

Mike: I hate it when she says that. :p

Peter: Uh oh. :(

Lauren: You should be used to it by now. ;)

Emma: We DID promise Davy's story would be somewhat lighter than the proceeding three sets, though, when we were working on ideas for his set.

Emma: Oh, and how do you guys feel about radio? ;)

Peter: I like listening to the station that plays folk music. Oh, and "The Green Hornet." :)

Mike: Radio's ok, if you like what's on. :p

Lauren: I have a feeling you guys will like what's on. ;)

Mike: I hope so. :p

Mike: (Hands Katie back to Emma) Here you go, darlin'. She's asleep now. :)

Emma: (Shakes her head) I don't know how you do it, honey. You take her, she goes to sleep. I take her, she screams her head off. (Makes a face) I carry her, I keep her from being taken by the Devil, I bear her, and this is the thanks I get! :p (Takes the baby from Mike; to baby Kate) Come on, honey. I'm gonna put Miss Katie into the nice bassinet downstairs that Nana and Pop Pop Jackman sent you. :) (Goes into the basement)

Mike: Oh, and as of next month, we're movin' upstairs, and the guest bedroom is gonna be the basement. I don't trust havin' a baby down there. I had to tear the carpeting out and put down rugs the last time we had a flood. :p

Lauren: Good idea. :)

Mike: (Shrugs) I don't know why I can put Kate to sleep and Em can't. Guess she likes the sound of my voice.

Peter: You're relaxed. Emma isn't, and Katie can tell. Babies know when someone's comfortable around them. :)

Lauren: *nods* I got the same thing with the twins. Mick could sing them to sleep. I wouldn't even try. ;) :P

Peter: (Proudly) I learned that in one of my classes. :D

Mike: No offense, darlin', but Em is a good singer. Katie just likes screamin' around her.

Lauren: Well, I KNOW it was my lack of good singing voice. I'll admit it. ;)

Bob: Hey, Peter, found any more ghosts in the Montgomery House? ;)

Peter: (Shakes his head) Nope! Just a lot of old-house creaky noises. :p

Mike: I TOLD everyone there weren't no ghosts! :p

Lauren: And there won't be as long as you keep Mick OUT. ;) :P

Mike: Or keep him sober. ;)

Peter: I STILL don't remember everything that happened that night. :p

Mike: Nuthin' happened, Pete. Mick got drunk, made a couple of ghosts with his Imagination Power, and made us run around like madmen. The worst that happened was Tilly kept faintin'. :p

Peter: He MADE ghosts?

Lauren: He wanted to find ghosts so badly, his imagination made them. :P

Peter: Oh, man!

Emma: (As she comes out of the basement) Now you guys know why we want you to keep AWAY from the liquor from now on. All of you, including you, Mr. Nesmith (yells into the kitchen) and ESPECIALLY you two!

*The two in question turn glare at Emma, then go back to their chat.* :P

Mike: Em, I'm an adult. I can handle it.

Emma: No, you can't. Need I remind you of Mick's bachelor party two years ago? :p

(Mike just makes a face. :p )

Peter: I don't remember THAT, either. :(

Lauren: You're better off. :P

Emma: My point exactly. As Lauren and I were saying a few weeks ago, amazing powers and chemical enhancement do NOT seem to mix, so stay away from them, ok?

Peter: Oh, I will!

(Mike just mutters and picks up Black Beauty again. :p )

Lauren: Well, we tried. ;) :P

Emma: I'll have a nice long talk with him AFTER we're finished here. :p

(Mike just starts strumming his guitar.)

Bob: Any plans for the upcoming months?

Lauren: Lots of plans, actually. ;)

Emma: (Nods) Right now, we've got at least general story set ideas up through the late summer.

Peter: Is THAT what you guys are doing when you're chatting together and you're not telling a story?

Emma: Yup. :D

Mike: Figures. :p

Lauren: Of course! What else would we do? ;)

Emma: (Leans back) It's nice to be at least somewhat close to thin again. ;)

Mike: (Nods, grinning) Can see your toes? ;)

Emma: Mike, I've been overweight since grade school. (Sighs) The curse of being an unpopular kid who'd rather write than run around outside. :p

Mike: You look gorgeous to me, darlin'. ;) (Kisses her)

Emma: (Grins and leans against him) You think so? :X

Mike: Always. ;)

Lauren: Awwwe! :)

Emma: Even when I get up in the morning?

Mike: Yup. ;)

Emma: Men of few words. Aren't they wonderful? ;)

(Mike rolls his eyes, but he holds her, anyway. ;) )

Lauren: Wouldn't know about THAT. :P ;)

(Everyone chuckles.)

Mike: (Smiles) Hey, why don't we do a quick romp before headin' out?

Peter: (Beams and goes to the piano) Ok! :D

Lauren: Sure!

Emma: (Nods) And, oh, for those who celebrate it, since we probably won't be starting the next set until after the holidays, Happy Easter from all of us at "Dream World."

Mike: Yeah. Hope your spring is full of life - new life, old life, created life. :)

Peter: (Calls to the kitchen) Davy, Micky, are you guys ok? We're gonna do a romp! :D

Micky: A romp? :D

Peter: Yeah, to finish the story! :D

Micky: *nods, throwing an arm around Davy* Whadaya say, Dave? :)

Davy: (Nods, a little distractedly) Sure, I'm game. :)

Lauren: *smiles* Come on, you two. :)

Emma: And to make Davy feel better, how about he gets to sing the final song of the set? :)

(Mike mutters, but Peter elbows him.)

Peter: (Loud whisper) It can't be you ALL the time, Michael!

(Mike returns to muttering. :p)

*Micky smirks.* ;)

(And we cut to the Rainbow Room, where all six perform "Do You Feel It Too," dressed in the typical (?) garb of 1970. Mike and Peter play their guitars. Emma, wearing a short skirt and simple blouse, sings and laughs at Mike's silly faces.)

(Davy and Lauren play tambourine. We get to see a few dancing moves from Davy. Peter beams and does some moves on the guitar. Everyone lines up for a kick-line; Peter accidentally kicks Mike. Mike pretends to smack Peter over the head with his guitar.)

*Micky is suddenly wearing a pair of striped pants...REALLY UGLY striped pants. He grins at Lauren. Lauren makes a disgusted face.* :P

(The romp ends with Emma making faces back at Mike and Lauren chasing Mick, trying to hide his ugly pants. We fade out on Davy dancing and fade in on the credits and "Pleasant Valley Sunday" over stills from both "productions," and a new shot of everyone, including Katie Nesmith, in the Rainbow Room and "A Raybert Production.")