Lauren: Everyone ready to spend some time with the babies, if I can get Mick to stop HOGGING them, that is.

Emma: Looking forward to it. ;)

*Micky sticks his tongue out and goes back to making faces at the babies.* ;)

Mike: I'm sure we'll all get our turns holdin' the new little Monkees.

Peter: They're SOOOOOOOOOOOOO cute!

Davy: Careful, Mick. Your face might freeze that way.

*Micky's eyes widen.* ;)

*We open at the pad, a few days later. For once, Emma, Mike, Davy, and Peter are all at the table having breakfast at the same time.*

(Emma is happily serving chocolate chip muffins to the three young men when there's a knock on the door.)

Emma: Eat up fellows, not that you need encouragement. I'll get it.

Peter: Ooooh, chocolate chips!

Davy: Look good enough to eat!

Emma: I should hope so!

Micky: *from outside* Come on, I smell chocolate! :D

Emma: (Opens the door to find Lauren and Micky, each holding a baby in a lace-trimmed basket; Lauren carries a diaper bag) Hi, guys! You're just in time for chocolate chip muffins!

Mike: And rehearsal.

Emma: There's plenty for all, even Mick.

Micky: Alright! *grins*

Lauren: There must be a lot then.

Emma: I made triple the amount the recipe called for. (Takes Lauren's shoulder) How are you feeling, honey?

Lauren: Much better, if a little tired. I already know BOTH of the kids got Micky's set of pipes. They are LOUD! ;)

*Micky grins.*

(The whole table laughs at that.)

Peter: (Between bites of muffin) Can we see them? Are they sleeping?

Davy: 'Ow was the hospital?

Mike: How ARE the kids, anyway?

Lauren: *laughs* The hospital was fine. The kids are doing great. Yes, you can see them! They're both awake.

(Peter drops his muffin and immediately leans over the blue basket.)

Peter: Oooh, here's little Micky! (Gently touches his head) He's already got curls, just like his daddy!

Micky: *grins* Yeah, and he has blue eyes like his mom.

Lauren: Shelly got the brown eyes.

Peter: They're so pretty! :)

Mike: They givin' ya any trouble, guys...yet?

Micky: Other than actually waking ME up on the hour every hour...NAHHH! *shakes his head, grinning*

Lauren: *rolls her eyes* He hasn't slept much, can'tcha tell?

(Everyone chuckles again.)

Mike: I'm just glad you finally HAD them.

Lauren: YOU'RE glad?

Micky: She's ELATED! ;)

Peter: No more kicking in your stomach!

Lauren: Or pushing on my ribs. And I can see my feet again!

(Peter takes little Micky in his arms, rocking him gently and making faces at him.)

Micky: They love the faces.

Peter: (Softly, to the baby) Hi there, Little Micky. I'm your uncle Peter. You're so cute, yes, you are.

Mike: (Indicates the muffins) Enjoy all the stuff you want, guys. We've STILL got leftovers from the party, too!

Micky: That's why we're here! *Lauren smacks the back of his head; he shrugs, grinning*

Lauren: *picks up the baby girl* Who wants to hold Shelly?

Mike: I'll take the missus. Gotta practice, just in case...well, just in case we have our own.

Emma: (Murmurs) We'll see, honey.

Lauren: *hands Shelly to Mike carefully* That's what you say now.

Mike: (Gently takes the baby girl) Hi there, little cowgirl. I'm your uncle Mike. What do you think of this house, huh, and all these people? They must look pretty strange to you, huh? Well, you're not the only one who thinks that way.

*Lauren laughs. Micky sticks his tongue out at Mike.*

(Mike sticks his back.)

Micky: *grabs a muffin* You're already corrupting our children.

Mike: I am NOT corrupting them! This place looks weird to adults!

Peter: (Rocks little Micky gently) Don't mind them, little Mick! They always fight and fuss.

Micky: *grins* Didn't mean the house.

Mike: (Leans over Shelly's head and whispers) Let me tell ya somethin', little cowgirl. Your daddy can be a little weird sometimes (smiles) but nobody's gonna love you more.

Peter: (To Micky) We're gonna teach you how to run, and jump, and read, and write, and play music, and sing it, just like your uncles and your daddy and your Aunt Valerie and all the Auntie Abbies.

Lauren: Let's just try for coordination and crawling first.

Davy: (Grins) And your daddy's gonna teach you how to slide down the bannistah.

Lauren: Dave!

Emma: And make moats.

Mike: And drive Mommy crazy.

Micky: Darn right, on ALL accounts! ;)

Lauren: Oh man!

Emma: Whenever you feel outnumbered, Lauren, come over here or bring the kids over here and have a night to yourself. You know there's always at least one person at home here.

Davy: You too, Mick.

Mike: And you have about 500 people willing to watch the kids for you, including us. :)

Micky: Thanks, guys. You may be sorry you offered.

Lauren: Let's not abuse the offer, Mick. (Smiles) Thanks, Em.

Emma: (As everyone chuckles) You're welcome, Lauren.

Mike: (To Shelly) Well, little cowgirl, as much as I'd like to hold you all day and tell you how pretty you are, Daddy and your uncles have to go practice their music. It probably just sounds like noise to you, but it means the world to us...and will to you someday, too. :)

(Mike hands Shelly back to Lauren. Emma puts the last of the chocolate chip muffins away and do the dishes.)

Peter: (To Little Micky) I have to go play my music now, little Micky, but I'll be back soon. (Kisses the top of his head and places him gently back in the basket.)

*Lauren sets Shelly back in her basket and moves to the psychiatrist's couch, taking a seat herself.*

Micky: *stuffs the rest of his muffin in his mouth* I can't wait to teach 'em how to play the drums!

Mike: (Nods at Peter) We'll give the little cowpokes guitar lessons.

Peter: And piano.

Davy: Probably the first things they WILL be able to play are the tambourines and the drums.

Peter: So, any requests?

Mike: How about from the Mother...who is now REALLY a mother?

Lauren: *grins* Let's see. Hey, how about "Porpoise Song?"

Micky: Yeah! :)

Mike: (Nods) I think we could do that one.

(Mike counts it off, and the boys perform the theme from "Head" for Lauren, who watches dreamily, the new babies in the kitchen, and Emma, who eventually joins Lauren on the psychiatrist's couch.)

Emma: (As the boys finish) Bravo, boys! That's one of your better songs.

Lauren: *claps* Thanks, guys!

*Micky stands and bows theatrically.* ;)

(Davy also bows. Mike and Peter roll their eyes.)

Emma: (Laughs) Cute, boys. (Sighs) So, Mick, when are you and Lauren moving into your new home?

Micky: *grins* We just have to get the stuff moved, which won't take very long. *winks*

Lauren: He's such a tease. I've only seen the outside so far.

Peter: And when do WE get to see it? :D

Micky: Tomorrow. I'll give the ENTIRE grand tour. :D

Davy: I've seen it. It's such a nice place. You really did well with it, Mick.

Micky: Thanks, Dave. *smiles* Well, I had a lotta help.

Mike: (Puts aside Black Beauty) This might be as good a time as any to call another family meeting. :)

(The boys all put their instruments aside and sit on the bandstand. Micky joins the girls on the couch.)

Mike: Ok, first of all, it's probably already obvious that Em and I are staying here, at the Pad. This is our home. I set up a special account, and we've both been depositing bits of our paychecks each week to save to buy this place.

Emma: Your help in fixing it up once we DO buy it would be gratefully appreciated, though, all of you. It's going to take a lot of work, but we really do love this house. It's unique.

Mike: And it's obvious Babbitt doesn't care much about it, no matter how much he barks about it, or it would have been in better shape when we moved in.

Emma: I'm trying to press the Register for better stories and maybe even submit stuff to the Times, but for now, I'm staying at the Acme. It's steady money coming in.

Mike: Same here. I'm (blushes)...I've been contactin' the studios. Thought I could do scores and songs for minor movies, B stuff, but it would be a start.

Emma: You have?

Mike: (Nods) Yeah. I haven't really gotten my stuff out there since I moved to California, and now it will be, even if the movies ain't all that great.

Micky: That's groovy, Mike! :)

Mike: (Sighs) But for now, I'm stayin' with Mr. Cardelli at the garage.

Peter: (Hugs his friend) That's great, Mike! Now EVERYONE will hear your music!

Emma: How about the rest of you?

Micky: I'm still gonna apprentice with Tony. He really loved the ideas I had for the house.

Davy: I'm not surprised. You did nice work there, Mick.

Micky: Aw... *waves it off*

Lauren: Nice fellow, too. *grins*

Micky: Waitaminute, babe, how...

Lauren: He dropped by the hospital. Seems a certain someone blabbed our entire story to him and he said he had to stop in and say hi. ;)

(Everyone chuckles.)

*Micky blushes.* :">

Mike: It's gonna come out eventually, Laur. :)

Emma: I'm surprised no one's asked to do a story on you yet. Two babies, born during a storm in a ramshackle beach pad surrounded by a motley assortment of neighbors and friends...

Lauren: *grins, puts a hand to the side of her head* Don't remind me!

Micky: Not to mention her husband doing the delivery WITHOUT passing out.

Lauren: Well, if I recall correctly, you weren't completely coherent at first.

Mike: Not really.

Micky: I came out of it.

Davy: 'E ain't useta playin' doctah, Lauren.

Peter: Yeah, this isn't "Dr. Welby!"

Lauren: *puts an arm around Micky* Coherent or adrenalin, it doesn't matter, Mick. Thanks for doing that for me. *kisses his cheek*

Emma: Yeah, Mick. We ALL owe you one.

Micky: *grins* No problem, babe. Just next time, can we do this in a hospital?

Davy: None of US had the slightest idea of wot we were doin'.

Micky: And I did?

Mike: You got the kiddies out, didn't ya?

Micky: Well, yeah. I just figured Lauren'd get embarrassed with someone else down there... *gets slugged by Lauren*

Lauren: MICK!

Davy: 'E's got a point.

Emma: Hey, Mick, you can elbow her back now!

Micky: *grins* I'll save it for later.

Mike: Any other announcements?

Peter: I...I'm thinking about going back to school.

Mike: Yeah, you mentioned that to me.

Emma: That's great, Peter!

Lauren: Alright, Peter!

Micky: *grins* Groovy, Big Pete!

Peter: Just to a local college. I want to get my teaching certificate...and try to concentrate on THAT this time. I want to REALLY be able to teach music, not just help Mr. Bennett, though I'll keep doing that, too.

Peter: I just hope I'll work out there. I didn't get along too well in either of the colleges I tried.

Mike: Maybe what you need is a smaller college with smaller classes, buddy. It might help.

Emma: You ARE smart, Peter. You've proved that many, many times. You just need people who understand that you show it differently.

Micky: Actually, I didn't quite tell you guys the whole deal about my apprenticeship.

Mike: Yeah, Mick?

(Davy smirks but says nothing.)

Micky: Back near the end of July I went over to Cal Poly's College of Architecture and Environmental Design. That's where I ran into Tony, who teaches there. Well, when he saw those blue prints he asked to use them for their Senior Seminar classes and that I could get into the class, too. So, technically, I dropped back in. Even though I did the Seminar already, there's a couple classes in between what I took a couple years ago, along with the Seminar, that I need to finish for my degree.

Lauren: Alright, Mick! :D

Mike: That's GREAT, Mick!

Peter: (Hugs him) AWESOME!

Davy: Good work, Mick. You'll do great, I'm sure.

Emma: We'll all be at your graduation!

Micky: *grins* You'll be my cheering section. *light shrug* It's fun work. I can't wait to be licensed.

Mike: As soon as you are, we'll hire you to help with the repairs to the Pad.

Micky: I can help before that, you just can't pay me.

Emma: We really can't afford any additions and this place is already a good size...but we want to fix the moat, and the roof took a pretty good beating in the storm and was already not pretty.

Davy: Yeah, we got lucky. Some people on Beachwood got really badly flooded out. All we got was roof damage and some leaking.

Lauren: That's ALL you got?

Mike: Well, you guys got two newborns.

Micky: I'm sure no one else in the neighborhood had THAT happen.

Mike: How 'bout you, Lauren? Going back to work?

Lauren: Yeah, for now.

Micky: For now?

Emma: For now? (Raises her eyebrows)

Lauren: I had a nice chat with Tony when he stopped in. Seems they don't get too many women who can actually swing a hammer. *winks* I'm gonna start with some summer classes. Maybe I can swing one of the classes you'll be in in the fall, Mick.

Micky: Wha... *grins* Babe, that's great! :D

Emma: (Beams) AWESOME, Lauren! (Gives her a big hug) And I'm glad I can REALLY hug you again! :D

Lauren: Me too! I've missed getting crushed by hugs!

Davy: Guess that leaves me. I've talked to the owner of the Sunlight Stables in the San Fernando Valley. I'm gonna see if I can work there at least paht-time and keep lookin' for actin' jobs in movies and local stage productions. I might even get anothah shot at Broadway. (Sighs) Daphne and I 'ave talked. We're gonna find a place eventually, but for now, she's 'appy living wit' the Abbies and Ambah. They've got a decent place in Culvah City, and she does love bein' wit' the band.

Micky: Alright, Dave! Just don't forget about us when you're a big star. ;)

Davy: You know I won't, Mike.

Micky: Micky! *grins*

*Lauren falls over laughing.* ;)

Davy: And don't staht the marriage deal again. Let me get to know Daphne bettah first.

Mike: Everyone does things at their own speed, Dave.

Peter: I've dated Valerie for almost three years now, and we're happy. She's talking about getting her own place, away from her dad.

Micky: That's groovy, Pete. Where's she thinking about?

Peter: She says she'd like to move closer to Malibu Beach so we can be together more often. She's looking for nice houses in this area. :)

Lauren: That's great.

Mike: That's cool. There's a lot of nice old places in this town that need to be remodled, and some groovy old mansions like the Velma Le Blanque place in LA and Beverly Hills, too.

(That's when the wail of two voices, one after the other, are heard from the kitchen.)

Emma: The babies are VERY awake.

Davy: And they want attention, just like their da.

Lauren: Oh, goodness. *heads for the kitchen*

Micky: Ha ha, Dave. *whaps Davy's head as he goes by, headed for the kitchen*

Emma: (Joins them) So, what do they need? (Pulls out a pan) Do they need a bottle, a burping, a changing, or just to be held? :)

Peter: And can any of us help?

Lauren: Well, they were fed before we left...

Micky: *makes a face* Which means it's probably the changing. :P

Mike: You know where the bathroom is. We can set up a table or somethin' you can use for the kiddies when you're here.

Lauren: Thanks. It'd be a lot easier. :)

Micky: Yeah, I'm sure you guys don't want us usin' this table.

(Mike and Davy pull a small table into the downstairs bathroom.)

Emma: Not if changin' those guys is anything like changin' my brother was!

Micky: Then you don't want us to use this one.

Lauren: Needless to say, Mick changes Little Micky. *grins*

*Micky makes another face.* :P

Peter: (Laughs) Of course.

Micky: I'll say one thing. He has great aim. *picks up little Micky & carries him & the diaper bag into the bathroom*

Lauren: Good thing I had Mick's camera. *follows after Micky*

(Everyone falls over laughing.)

Emma: Naturally, Mama gets the little miss.

Lauren: Of course! SHE doesn't make a mess! *goes in the bathroom* ;)