Ok, let's get started. Who's ready for our next adventure? ;)

Lauren: Me! ;)

Mike: Me, as long as no one ends up damaged.

Peter: I am! :)

Davy: And me.

Micky: Ditto Mike's sentiment. ;)

(We begin in the parlor room of the Montgomery House. It's a sunny, welcoming spot, with soft yellow wallpaper, white swiss-dotted curtains, big stuffed chairs and couches, and thick yellow carpets on a hardwood floor. Valerie arranges daisies in a yellow-and-white swirl-print vase. Peter comes in and gives her a kiss, putting his arms around her.)

Peter: Hi, honey. :)

Valerie: (Grins and leans into him) Hi, sweetie. (Giggles) Peter, cut that out! You know the others will be here soon! ;)

Peter: Awww! (He lets her go, still smiling) When are the others arriving?

Valerie: Should be any minute now. Mike called another "family meeting."

Peter: I guess it has to do with the end of the Club Fairview gig. (He sighs) What are we going to do now? That was a great gig!

Valerie: You couldn't play there forever, Peter, and as much as Alexandra liked you guys, she wanted to bring in new talent.

*There's a loud pounding at the door.*

Micky: *calling* Yoo hoo?! ;)

Valerie: I'll get that. (She goes to the door and comes back with Micky, Lauren, and the twins.)

Peter: Hi, guys! How are the kids? :)

Lauren: Tiring. *grins, nearly gets pulled through the door by Shelly*

Micky: I'm not tired. *Little Mick takes off into the house* Um, I'll be right back. *chases after* ;)

(Valerie and Peter chuckle.)

Peter: (Leans down at Shelly) Hi, there, young lady! How's my favorite little girl today? :)

Shelly: *grins* Good! :D

Peter: (Takes Shelly in his arms) Oooh, you're getting to be a big girl! Are you ready to see everyone?

Shelly: Yeah!

Valerie: And where did your brother run off to this time? ;)

Micky: *returns with Little Mick on his shoulders* I found him! ;)

Lauren: He just wanted Daddy to carry him around. ;)

Little Mick: *claps* Wheeee! :D

(Valerie and Peter laugh. :)) )

Peter: Daddy's fun, isn't he? ;)

Valerie: But Mommy's groovy, too. ;)

Little Mick: Daddy horsie!

Micky: *rolls his eyes* Funny, kiddo. :P ;)

Lauren: Mommy knows better than to spoil the kids the way Daddy does. :P ;)

Valerie: (Laughs) He does look a bit like a horse, doesn't he? ;)

Micky: Hey!? :P

*Lauren chuckles.*

(There's another knock on the door at that point.)

Mike: Hey, you people here?

Emma: Mike, the people behind them can hear you! :p

Peter: (Sighs) I'll get them. (He heads out and comes back with Mike and Emma. Emma has little Katie Nesmith in a stroller.)

Emma: Hi, guys. :)

Mike: Hey, gang.

Lauren: Hey, guys. :)

(Mike sits down in the big yellow chair near the fireplace. Emma gently picks up Katie and brings her over to the couch next to it.)

Emma: Say "hi" to everyone, Katie! (Makes the baby girl wave. She gurgles, her brown eyes shining.)

Micky: Close enough. ;)

Little Mick: Hi! :D

Mike: That's m'cowgirl. ;) :D

(Katie gurgles.)

Emma: She's too little to talk, but she knows you guys are there. :)

Valerie: Where's Davy?

Mike: (Rolls his eyes) At the rehearsal for this musical of his. He's gonna be late. :p

Emma: Honey, this is really important to him!

Mike: Yeah, well, he's part of this band and this group, too. Wish he'd remember that every now and then. :p

*Micky rolls his eyes.* :P ;)

Emma: (Makes a face) Um, dear, could we get to the point? (Bounces Katie on her knee)

Mike: Yeah. Well, you guys probably know why we're talkin' today. We're gonna have to start scoutin' for new gigs...or give up the band entirely.

(Peter frowns. Valerie puts an arm around his shoulders.)

Micky: *makes a face* There's gotta be something...

Mike: It's been four years, guys. Do you believe in the band enough to keep it going?

Peter: (Nearly in tears) YES! :((

Micky: Of course!

Mike: I know I like playin' with you guys. We're going to have to buckle down and find better gigs, though. It's not just four boys in a beach house anymore. We've all got families to pay for.

Valerie: I'm hoping to pull off an...idea...of mine soon that should help all of your careers, and that of the band.

Mike: How soon?

Valerie: Within the next three to six months.

Mike: Well, in the meantime, we need to find gigs. Em's on leave from the grocery store and the paper for another couple of weeks while she recovers and takes care of Katie. I got an offer to write a score for a biker movie. Z-grade, but it's better than nothing.

Peter: I should be getting my teaching certificate by spring of next year. :)

Micky: Right about now, I'm willing to build anything that'll earn money. ;)

Emma: As long as it doesn't blow things up. ;)

Micky: Okay... *makes a face* ;) :P

Valerie: I'll bet he can't promise that. ;)

Mike: Lauren will make him.

Lauren: I'll try my best. ;)

Valerie: What you guys need is the right kind of promotion.

Mike: The last time we had "promotion" beyond a placard on the front entrance of a club, we ended up getting kidnapped by some sleazy agent whose real interest was the competition. :p

Micky: *smirks* Kinda doubt we'll have to worry about that. ;)

Valerie: You just need to find the right people.

(Davy bursts in at this point. He wears a loose, ruffled white shirt, pre-"tattered" black trousers, high, shiny boots, a red sash, and a tri-corn hat. He's waving a piece of paper with a big grin on his face.)

Davy: Guys! Guys! You won't BELIEVE wot the producahs want me to do!

*Micky snorts.* ;)

Mike: Appear in a demented Errol Flynn vehicle? ;)

Davy: (Makes a face) Very funny. (Hands the paper to Micky and grins again) They've asked ME to go on the radio next week to promote the new show!

Peter: Groovy!

Emma: That's great, Davy!

Micky: *eyes widen* Wow! :D

Davy: I get to be a guest DJ for a few hours and plug the show!

Micky: *grins widely* Wouldn't happen to be able to bring on a couple co-guest DJs, would ya? ;)

Peter: Uh-oh. :o

Davy: (Raises his eyebrows) I didn't ask, Mick. I guess. They didn't say I 'ad to do it alone. Why?

Mike: (Nods) Perfect promotion for US, too. :D

Micky: Exactly! Besides, it'll be FUN! :D

Peter: We'll be able to play whatever we want! :D

Emma: I don't know if this is a good idea. Davy's supposed to be promoting the pirate musical, not the Monkees. Besides, you guys have such different tastes in music.

Mike: We'll bring our stuff, too. ;)

Micky: Yeah! Dave'll talk about the musical & we play our own songs and theirs. We'll all pick a couple songs each to highlight.

Peter: Right! :D

Davy: I'm just supposed to be promoting the show...

Micky: But they aren't telling you what music to play, are they?

Valerie: (Shrugs) You'll have to fill three or four hours, right? You can't do that with nothing but promotion for your show.

Davy: They've recorded a few songs to send to critics to promote the show. I could ask if I could play them as a preview. (Sighs) It's just a few songs, though. I WILL need more to fill the time. (Looks at the others) Ok, I'll ask them if you can join me. As long as we plug the show, they probably won't say no.

Micky: We'll plug the show to their heart's content, but the rest of the plug time will be ours! ;)

Peter: Yeah! We'll get the word out that we're looking for a new gig. :)

Mike: Maybe we could mention some of the other local bands, too.

Valerie: You could plug Daddy's grocery store and local businesses. ;)

Micky: This is gonna be GREAT! :D

Peter: We're gonna be real DJs!

Mike: We'll entertain the masses.

Lauren: Which means Mick won't have to keep broadcasting room to room in the house anymore. :P

(Everyone laughs at that, even the twins. Katie burbles, grinning.)

Davy: Well, the masses of southern California. It's just a local station.

Emma: (Cuddles Katie) She's got the snarky Nesmith grin. ;)

Mike: That's m'cowgirl. ;)

*Micky makes a face.* :P

Davy: I'm supposed to go up there for the afternoon broadcast from 2 to 6. I'll call the promotion agents and ask if you guys can join me in promoting "The Sword and the Shadow." ;)

Peter: Is that what it's called?

Lauren: Good title. :)

Davy: Yeah. It's about four young women who travel to the Carribean incognito and fall for a band of Robin Hood-like pirates.

Peter: That sounds romantic! :X

Davy: The young women are abducted by a band of nasty pirates who want to steal a treasure belonging to one of the young women's father. (Smirks) The third male lead is a formah actah who joined the group for kicks. He don't get the girl, but he does get to sing two of the show's best songs. (Launches into one of his songs, a patter number about a girl and her dainty lace petticoat that she's no longer wearing. ;) )

Mike: Hey, Davy, spare the delicate ears of the children and innocents. (Grins and indicates Peter, who's face is turning red under the mustache he's been growing.)

Emma: (Grins at Katie, who watches Davy, facinated) I'm more worried about the innocents than the children.

Peter: (Gets even redder) Oh man....

Micky: *still snapping his fingers* I thought it was catchy!

*Lauren smacks the back of Micky's head.* ;)

Mike: (Chuckles) Not bad. Lyrics were sorta dated, but the melody's nice.

Davy: I think the show might 'ave a chance at Broadway! :)

Emma: Cool!

Mike: (Frowns) Broadway?

Micky: *sees Mike's frown* And that'd be including you, Dave?

Davy: Yes... (he frowns, too)

Peter: You wouldn't really leave, would you, Davy? :(

Davy: Well, I...if the show is going east...

Mike: Dave, you're part of the group.

Davy: Mike, I know. I love playing with you guys. You're my closest friends. But...

Micky: Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Davy: Yeah. We don't know if the show's goin' to Broadway yet, and we'd 'ave to tour first, anyway.

Mike: (Sighs) We'll come back to this later. For now, Davy, why don't you call the promotion agency and see if they don't mind having four guest DJs instead of one? ;)

Davy: (Grins, relieved that he's been let off the hook) Sure!

Valerie: You can use the phone in the kitchen.

(Davy nods excitedly and heads off.)

Peter: I can't WAIT to be on the radio!

Emma: We'll make sure to listen to your broadcast. ;)

Lauren: Definitely. ;)

Mike: This a great opportunity. It'll let people know we're out there and we're lookin' for better gigs.

Micky: And a chance to have some fun, too. ;)

Peter: We'll have to decide what songs to play! :D

Mike: Somethin' from each of us.

Micky: Naturally. ;)

Emma: Just don't fight about the music, ok, guys?

Mike: When have we ever fought about our music?

Micky: Mike, Mike, Mike... ;)

Peter: The time we all had that nightmare. (Gulps) :(

Emma: I, for one, would prefer not to have that nightmare again, and I'm sure none of you do, either.

Mike: That won't happen. We know what we're doin'.

Emma: Have any of you actually been on the radio before?

Micky: Not a REAL radio...

Peter: I accidentally sat on someone's portable radio in Grenwich Villiage once.

Valerie: Peter, I don't think that's what she meant. ;)

Mike: Micky's done promotion before. ;)

Micky: *grins* Yeah, well... ;)

Peter: That's right! You guys fooled that director into thinking Davy was the star they were looking for to finish his movie after Frankie Catalina left! :)

Mike: Boy, was THAT a mistake. :p

Micky: Big mistake... :P

Mike: Went to Davy's head. We had to drag him bodily out of the picture before his ego swallowed California whole. :p

Peter: Davy didn't act very nice after we helped him get that part! :(

Micky: Tying him up in the net was fun, though. ;)

Mike: He never was all that great at volleyball. ;)

Valerie: Thank goodness they've pretty much stopped making those silly "beach party" movies. :p

(Davy comes back in with a smile on his face.)

Davy: I 'ad to do some pretty good talkin', but I got them to let us all go on. As long as we give at least a half-hour for promoting "The Sword and the Shadow," we can play whatever music we wish the rest of the time. The staff of the radio station will be in the next studio if anythin' goes wrong.

*Micky whoops happily.* :D

Peter: Yeah! Thanks, Davy! (Practically lifts the small Englishman off his feet)

Davy: (Puffs) Um, you're welcome, Petah, but could you put me down?

Mike: Yeah, he ain't used to the air up there. ;)

(Davy glares at Mike. Peter chuckles and sets Davy on the floor.)

Peter: We've got to tell EVERYONE about this!

Davy: They'll be promoting our appearance on the radio station and in local newspapers. :)

Micky: Don't they want us to cut a promo for it? ;)

Davy: We'll go in for that tomorrow. :)

Micky: All right! :D

Peter: (Jumps up and down) This is so exciting! We're going to be real disc jockeys!

Mike: And we'll get the word around about us needin' a new gig without havin' to use some sleazy agent. ;)

Micky: Again. :P ;)

Davy: (Shakes his head) The show is promoted by a big national theatrical company. It has an impeccable reputation and has been around for at least fifty yeahs.

Peter: We'll tell the whole neighborhood!

Mike: Yeah. Let all our friends know.

Valerie: I'll tell my father. He'd probably love to have you guys plug Cartwright Groceries. :)

Micky: I'll just tell everyone I come across. ;)

Lauren: So what else is new, Mick? ;)

Davy: The studio is in 'Ollywood, neah the old lot for Mammoth Studios. It was theih studio-controlled radio station until they shut down in 1959.

Mike: I wonder if Frankie Catalina ever made his mystery there? ;)

Micky: He might still be there, if he tried to. ;)

Emma: It's a shame that place shut down. I've seen some of their movies on late-night TV. Their films go back to the early silent era! They were one of the first studios to settle in Hollywood when almost all of the independant producers moved to California to escape high taxes and film monopolies in the east.

Mike: Mick likes some of their old comedies. ;)

Micky: Some? ;)

Davy: We'll be appearing on the KMMS aftahnoon show that's normally hosted by Scotty Huff.

Mike: I know that guy. He talks more than Micky does, but he does good interviews.

Peter: I wish he'd play more blues music.

*Micky quirks an eyebrow.* ;) :P

Peter: Oh, wow! We're going to be on the air with a real local celebrity!

Davy: (Shakes his head) He'll just introduce us, then split.

Mike: Just as well. Probably won't be enough room in that studio for him and us.

Emma: (Mutters) And your egos. :p

(Rocks Katie, who's drifting off to sleep)

Micky: Think they'd mind if we did a little contest, too? ;)

Davy: They didn't say anythin' 'bout no contests...

Mike: Mick, this had better not cause any trouble.

Micky: We could try to stump the audience with a little wock & woll wewind! *blushes & bursts out laughing* :D ;)

*Lauren hides her face, laughing.* ;)

Mike: Trivia couldn't hurt. ;)

Davy: Just don't use that voice. ;)

Micky: What!? :P

Peter: I thought it was cute! (Grins) Micky, I'll be your first interview! :D

Lauren: Or at least learn how to SAY it. ;)

Micky: *shrugs* Thanks, Pete, and for that, you can be my first interview! ;)

(Peter whoops with delight and hugs Valerie. :D )

Emma: (Shakes her head, smiling) What do you think about that, Miss Katie? Your daddy is going to be a real disc jockey! (Katie responds with a gurgle; she's asleep)

Valerie: (As Peter sets her down, she turns to the twins, who sit between their parents on the couch) How about you two? How'd you like to hear Daddy and all the big Monkees on the radio? :)

Little Mick: *jumps up & down* Disc wockey! Disc wockey! :D

*Shelly claps, grinning.*

Mike: I'm assumin' that means you kids wanna hear us on the radio. ;)

Emma: You've got a very enthusiastic audience. ;)

Shelly: Yeah! :D

Lauren: And an audience with the same problem speaking as one of the disc jockeys. ;)

*Micky sticks his tongue out.*

Valerie: Careful on the couch, Little Mick! It's very soft.

(Everyone chuckles again. ;) :)) )

*Micky grabs the still jumping Little Mick in a bear hug.* :)

Lauren: *grins as Shelly climbs in her lap and closes her eyes* Ha ha, Mick. :P ;)

Davy: It's settled, then. We'll appear on KMMS a week from tomorrah. :)

Peter: We'll have to get together this week and pick music to play! :)

Mike: And don't forget, we've still gotta rehearse for our last gig next week, too.

Micky: *whoops and holds a laughing Little Mick over his head* I can't wait! ;)

Mike: Sure beats the hell outta gettin' kidnapped. ;)

Emma: We've done that enough, anyway. :p

Lauren: Too much. :P

Peter: Will we have to dress up?

Davy: (Shakes his head) Come as you are. No one will see us but the staff.

Micky: All right! Carpenter shorts and a tank top! ;)

Lauren: And tennis shoes, no socks. ;) :P

Mike: Don't scare the staff away, Mick. We're gonna need their technical expertise. ;)

(Emma leans over and smacks the snickering Mike in the head.)

*Micky snorts, then sticks his tongue out at Mike.* :P

Mike: It's settled, then. We'll come back here to discuss which of our songs that we have demo recordings of we should play on the air in a couple of days.

Davy: Meetin' adjourned, guvnah? I've got to be back to me musical.

Mike: (Makes a face, but nods) Meeting adjourned.