Ok, ready to begin?

Davy: I'm ready! :)

Micky: Plane? :P

Mike: It ain't gonna be THAT bad, Mick. I'm ready.

Micky: *grumbles* Yeah, right. :P

Peter: I'm sure it'll be all right, Mick, and the kids will love it! :)

Katie: (Arms extended; running around) Me plane! Wheeeeee! :D

Mick: Love the plane! Wheeee! :D

Shelly: Let’s go fly! :)

Mike: Guess the little cowboy didn't inherit Daddy's plane problems. ;)

Mick: *grins* Nope! :D

(We open in a typical plane terminal at Heathrow Airport in London, England. It's about two weeks after the Easter-set finale of "The Ghosts of Kibbee Manor." The entire group, including all three music groups, the kids, and their wives and girlfriends, stand in line as Valerie haggles over their fare and the musicians try to duck away from anything resembling a photographer.)

Mike: (Takes Katie's hand) You stay with Mama and me, Cowgirl. This is a big place, and it's easy to get lost.

Katie: 'Kay. :)

Emma: (Sighs) I can't WAIT to get home. That trip was exhausting!

Shelly: Plane, plane!! :D

Peter: I love plane rides! Can't wait for the complimentary peanuts. ;) :D

Lauren: *chuckles, seeing the look on Micky's face* Shell-bell, maybe you shouldn't be so happy about the plane ride around your daddy. ;)

Shelly: Ohhh. Sorry, Mommy! :)

*Micky just groans.* :P

Peter: (Puts his arm around Micky) Hey, Mick, would you like to sit with me when we ride? I'm used to sitting with siblings with motion sickness. ;)

Micky: No offense, Pete, but I'm hoping to not be conscious for most of the flight. :)

Mike: (Comes over with Davy, Jack, and Nyles) The guys and I can help arrange that. You've been fussin' about this ride for at least two days...and you did it when we were leavin' California, too. :p

Katie: (Tugs on Micky's shirt) 'Kay, Unca Micky? :-/

Micky: *to Katie; shakes his head* No, sweetie. Uncle Micky doesn't like being in airplanes. *glances up at the guys surrounding him; whispers to Katie* And between you and me, kiddo, I think these guys are REALLY going to help me out with that. ;) :P

Katie: (Eyes widen) Oooohhhhhhh. (Whispers) Can I help, too? :D

Micky: Sure, honey, especially since I'm sure you'll help in a different way than the guys will. ;)

Katie: Why no like plane?

Micky: Simply put, kiddo, it's because I'm not the one doing the flying.

Katie: Me fly! (She runs around, her arms out) Wheeee! Fun! :D

Micky: Exactly! I'd like that better than getting on a plane! ;)

Katie: We fly? :D

Micky: *picks up the little girl and puts her on his shoulders* We've got a few minutes. Let’s fly! :D

Katie: Yay! (Claps happily) :D

Mike: Mick, where are you goin' with my kid?

Emma: Oh, let her go, Mike! We've still got a while before the plane takes off!

Micky: She just wanted to fly, and this is the only type that doesn't bother me.

Mike: You WILL watch her, you know.

Katie: Unca Micky fly! :D

Lauren: *nudges Mike as Micky starts running in circles* Would you prefer he just stand here and turn green on us? :P

John: She's got a point, Mike.

Katie: WHEEEEEE! FLY! FLY! :D

Mike: (Leans back and grins a little) That's m'cowgirl. ;) :D

Jack: This is definitely preferable to his whining and groaning. ;)

Nyles: Yeah, man. ;)

John: (Leans down to Little Mick) Hey, kiddo, wanna fly, too? ;)

Mick: *nods eagerly* Yeah! Let’s go flying! :D ;)

Kimberly: (Leans over Shelly) I'll take you flying, sweetie. ;)

Shelly: Yay! *claps* ;)

John: Up 'ya go, boy! (Pulls Little Mick on his back and starts running around the terminal)

Kimberly: (Takes Shelly from her mother) Ok, little lady, let's show these boys what girls can do! ;)

*Both of the twins cheer and yell happily, "flying" all over the terminal.* :D ;)

Valerie: (Joins the group) Ok, gang, you're going to have to come in for a landing. We'll be boarding soon.

John: (Sets Little Mick down on a seat) Ok, kid, end of the line. We're gonna be ridin' the real plane soon. :)

Mick: *grins* Big plane? YAY! :D

Micky: Big plane? Boooo. :P *Lauren elbows him*

Katie: (She's still on Micky's shoulders) Big plane? (Cheers) YAYYYY!!! :D (Claps)

Kimberly: Ok, Shel, this is the last stop. (She sets her down on a seat next to her brother)

Shelly: That was fun! :)

Peter: (Sits next to the twins) I can't wait to get on the plane, either. Since we're flying across the ocean, they might have a movie or music! :)

Katie: (Smiles at Micky; points at a big plane out the window) Us plane, Unca Micky?

Micky: *forces a smile for the little girl* Yeah, *mutters* unfortunately. :P

Katie: (Pats Micky's curly head) Ok, Unca Micky. Ok.

Micky: Thank you, sweetie. :)

(Micky sets Katie down next to the twins and joins the adults, who argue over who sits where and who gets which tickets and what they can carry onboard. Katie turns to the twins, grinning.)

Katie: "Isn't it exciting, guys? I can't wait to get on board! I love planes! :D"

Shelly: "Me, either! This is gonna be so much fun! :)"

Mick: "I wonder if I can get away with running up and down the aisle, like I did last time? ;)"

Katie: "I don't think so. Papa n' Mama n' Auntie Lauren weren't too happy when you did that! Neither were the ladies who give us drinks n' peanuts! :p"

Mick: "Well, it did make Daddy laugh before he fell asleep. :P"

Katie: "Unca Micky says he doesn't like planes very much. I wonder why?"

Mick: "I heard Mommy tell someone why, but I didn't really understand what she said. :P"

Katie: "Someday, I'm gonna learn how to fly a plane, like Papa does! I'll be a real pilot, like the ones in the front of the plane! (Sighs) I wish Papa was flying the plane, but he says he couldn't find a plane big enough for everyone and our stuff that he could fly."

Shelly: "Too bad. That'd be fun!"

Katie: "I've been in planes when Papa's flown before! I've even sat next to him in the cockpit, like a real co-pilot! Papa's flown us to Nana Cheryl and Pop-Pop Bill's before, and to Texas to see Auntie Kate."

(Katie toddles over to the big window, where we - and they - have a splendid view of the planes coming and going. The twins join her.)

Katie: "Just think, guys, we're going to be on one of those planes soon! :D"

Mick: "Lookit that! :D"

Shelly: "I can't wait!" :)

Katie: "I wonder what it would be like to fly one of those planes, or to be one of the ladies who serve all the drinks and peanuts and get everyone to sit down?"

Shelly: "I don't know, but I bet both would be fun!"

Emma: Katie! (She, Lauren, and Daphne run - as well as the pregnant Daphne can - over to the kids) What have I told you about not staying with the grown-ups in a big place?

Katie: (Sighs) That a no-no. :p

Mick: *pouts* We're sorry. :(

Shelly: Sorry, Mommy. :(

Lauren: *grins at Micky's pout* Okay. Just don't do it again, alright? :)

Katie: 'Kay! :)

Shelly: Okay, Mommy!

Mick: Never again! *shakes his head* :)

Daphne: *grins* That's good to hear, kiddos.

Katie: Lookit! (Points as the boys are surrounded by people - mostly girls - who ask for autographs) Hi, Papa! :D

Emma: (Hurries quickly past the busy boys) Um, Papa will join us later, Katie. He's a bit busy right now.

(Mike waves quickly to Katie and Emma before he, the Abbies, and the Martians return to the autographs.)

Lauren: *sighs* Well, it's better than listening to them argue. ;)

Katie: (To the twins as they head for the line boarding the plane) "That's been happening a lot lately. There's always people around Papa and the uncles. I wonder what they want?"

Mick: "They ask them to put their names on pictures. Then after, they giggle loudly and chatter about how they just got an au...ato...um, squiggly name on a picture." ;)

Katie: "That sounds silly. Why would you want a squiggly name on a picture?"

Mick: *shrugs* I don't know, but they do." *points at the crowd*

Katie: "Mama says Papa and the uncles are very popular now. That's why they tour so much. (Sighs) I'm glad they aren't going to tour for a while after we get home, though. Seeing new places is fun, but I miss Papa."

Shelly: "We miss Daddy and uncles a lot when they leave, too." :P

Katie: "I wish they didn't have to tour so much! Auntie Valerie says they'll be home for a while after this, shooting a new special in LA and making a new album. (Smiles as the line moves) I DO like Papa's albums, though. Papa and uncles make the best music!"

Mick: "Great music! We dance all around the house while listening to it!" :D

Katie: "I listen to Papa's music when Mama and I clean the house. Papa says Mama should hire someone to do it, since we got the house all fixed up, but Mama says she would rather do it herself, because someone else wouldn't do it right. ;)"

Emma: (As the line starts to move into the tunnel) Ok, kids, here we go! We're boarding the plane! :)

Katie: YAAAAYYY!!!! :D

Emma: Well, there's one person who's excited. ;)

*The twins cheer.* :D

Lauren: There's two more. ;)