Christmas Wedding Part 11- Honeymoon And Thereafter (Finale) free porn video

In contrast to the blockbuster revelation by Julius Stoner, over at the Finn home things were much calmer for all. The twins managed to sleep in for the first time since they were a year old giving their parents time to get the last of the hidden gift from the office, the one room in the house they had no access to. As they walked downstairs they saw more gifts out, ones that said "From Santa" causing the twins to look up at their parents in shame over making him make a second trip to their house. Logan and Ella had already eaten and waited for John and Valerie to feed the twins. The two told the kids to get changed, but not into their dress and suit. When they came down John had left out two special presents for them, which they eagerly opened first. They shed tears of joy over seeing the picture frames with "Remember" and "Love you" on them. They were framed pictures, one of the two and their birth mother, Linda Brown. The other was of Linda with Logan and Ella surrounded by their cousins Daisy, Patrick, David, and David's daughter Sophia. Logan openly wept at the pictures, while Ella said it wasn't nice to do that since they were their kids now. John had to explain. "We adopted you as our son and daughter but you should always remember your mother. It's why Jaimie's parents are on the mantle alongside my parents and Miles' birth mother. She wouldn't want you to forget her nor feel bad about loving us. She may be gone but she will always live on in you two. You are her son and daughter, first and always." The twins hugged them as they calmed down, with the two finally stopping their tears as their brothers and sister entered. Jaimie complained about having to drag Rick to his house before coming there while Michael complained about not being allowed to see Courtney. Miles didn't say a word, he just handed the four younger Finns their gifts before sitting down to open his own. As expected, the twins dug into their pile while their older siblings waited for them to stop their quick and methodical ripping of the wrapping paper. The pile was large but nothing out of the ordinary for the twins. They were happy with what they got, hugging their parents and siblings before sitting down. Ella and Logan waited until they were done before digging into their own pile. They got everything that they wanted and more but nothing compared to the pictures. It was fine with their parents as they knew that their hearts wouldn't be in it after the emotionally draining moment earlier. The trio dug into their own presents with Miles complaining about them giving him football jerseys. John grinned then told him, "Look closely, that was from the team. That's something you need to put away for the future, those are your game jerseys from the bowl game and your first two games with UMass. Take a close look at that patch, it's the bowl patch. Your name is etched into the other one. They sent your pants and cleats as well, but those are in your house with Christina." Miles blushed at being corrected as he didn't look closely at the name on the wrapping paper. Michael was no better as he complained about getting a baby book and a "How to deal with a newborn" from his parents. Valerie just grinned and explained, "You two seriously think you are ready because of Cat, JD, DJ, Marcus, Nigel, Brent, Benny, Billy, Jack, Sophia, Walter, Jasmine, Louis, and Antonio? You aren't. You will never be ready. All you can do is cope. That will help you out. Trust me on that." Jaimie tried her hardest not to but finally looked at her gifts. She wasn't happy to get keys to a new minivan but it was expected and it was needed for when her daughter was born. She wasn't happy that she was now a gopher for her friends now that she could fit more of them during their outings but it also meant more time with her siblings and more importantly: with the younger kids. John and Valerie didn't have much of their own due to the kids not knowing what they wanted. John had everything he needed in the kids while Valerie never really liked to receive gifts. Ella and Logan did manage to get another charm for Valerie's necklace with their birthstones while John got a new watch with their birthstones around the casing. The kids and their parents relaxed for the next few hours as they awaited the time to get dressed. Over lunch they kept things neutral as they asked Michael about his honeymoon causing him to complain about having to make unwanted trips but happy that he would have backup. John explained, "It's just a formality, you are representing your country and carry a special gift from the queen. You didn't ask for that honor but it is something they feel they need to honor you for. Just enjoy the honor of being there." Eventually the time came to get ready to leave. Each dressed warmly then drove over to the adjacent parking garage John had arranged to be closed for the event. They walked into the Four Seasons and enjoyed a greeting from the wedding coordinator who worked with John to make everything right but still follow Michael's and Courtney's exact instructions for how things would occur. The man wasn't happy to take direction from two teenagers but John held the purse strings and would not let them get ignored in favor of some run of the mill event. It was his son's wedding, and if John had to hire someone new at the last minute he'd pay through the nose to do so just to give Courtney what she wanted. She was more than his daughter-in-law, she was like another daughter to him. The decorations and centerpieces were in place for the reception, the chairs set out, the flowers were arranged, and the musicians ready to perform. There was even a piano for Trinity Eliza to play during the interlude and signal the three minute warning for the musicians. It was perfect, just as the couple had hoped to have and even more as Trinity's performance was a special addition just for them. Guests started to arrive in droves as the various branches arrived in force. The sheer number of people in the large family caused the planner to stare in disbelief at the order amid chaos of it all. Everyone settled in and awaited the Bollingers to arrive, with Courtney being purposely delayed. The Bollingers arrived with Jake Bollinger keeping Mitch Gibson close so he and Sylvia Gibson didn't get the chance to be excluded from any pictures. It was done intentionally as Courtney needed to focus on helping Sylvia get dressed and was the perfect distraction for her. Mitch was handed a tuxedo in his size with a note from Miles that he was not to let Sylvia feel out of place there. Courtney was led to a side room while her mother and father kept her calm. Her sisters Jessie and Amy were struggling to get her into her dress while her brother Donald acted as the go-between for the bride and the rest of the guests. Walter Bollinger was handed off to his aunt Beverly for some aunt/nephew time so he wasn't disturbing the dressing and burn off some of his excess energy. The other ladies entered and started to change into their dresses causing Donald to flee the room as he saw his girlfriend handed her own dress. That caused the ladies to laugh while calming Courtney, it may be her wedding but he was still the same old Donald that she had grown to love as the man she had hoped her biological older brothers would become but never did. Sylvia took a bit of time to get into her dress as she was simply not used to dresses, having grown up on a farm and only wearing skirts out of necessity and hadn't worn a dress in years especially one so elaborate and beautiful. She wasn't the only one struggling with her dress as Hannah and Paige Smith, Sheila Bailey, and Carmen Carter had an issue with shimmying the dresses over their bulging baby bumps. The ladies were going to say something but Gabby Bollinger pointed out, "It's tougher to do things when you are having twins. You ladies are ones to laugh, you will learn soon enough what it is like to feel like a whale even in the nicest dresses and outfits." She turned to the youngest girls and helped them with their dresses, with the Stoner girls and Jordan King not wanting to ask for help but clearly needing it. Jordan was the only girl without a dress, her tuxedo's skirt gave her a fight but Gabby made quick work of it. Not one of the ladies said anything about her not wearing a dress, she actually caused some of them to ask, "Why didn't we think of that," as the suit was both stylish and made her look mature. As Courtney took her time Trinity Eliza played several songs to sooth the kids as they stared in awe at the girl playing the big piano for them as well as watching the musicians getting set up in the corner. She was better than most thought, but given her birth parents were accomplished musicians it was not hard to believe that she herself would be talented too. She was concentrating hard on her playing with not even a glance at her music sheets as the songs came to her immediately from memory. Donald came back in to check on the progress and thankfully didn't faint at the sight of the ladies all dressed in matching dresses nor did he see anything on the girls he didn't want to see. Jordan's tuxedo made him grin, it was better looking than the ones the younger boys were wearing. He couldn't help but wonder if Jordan noticed that both she and her girlfriend Kylie Pena had gotten undressed in front of each other yet and if they were aware that they had shown more skin there than they had shown before. Gabby gave him a smirk as she seemed to read his mind then glanced off to the side where he noticed the younger couples were separated making it hard to see. He walked off, telling them, "The guys are getting into place and Trinity is warming up the band. You probably should get finished right now." Jordan was handed her new wig and put it on quickly while Rebecca Lopez and Jessie brushed it and put some makeup on the younger girls. The Stoners were shocked but giddy at wearing it while Fiona Nelson flinched at wearing it. Fiona calmed down as she saw Maisie Campbell wearing it too while her girlfriend Mia Flynn offered her a loving look of approval over allowing them to put it on her so easily. The girls got in line with their escorts opposite them in the hallway, with the Jordan and Kylie, Fiona and Mia, Iris Sylvester and Sam York, Rachel Sylvester and Reyna Byrne-Toro, Stephanie Porter and Trina Phillips, and the married couples of Addison and Carmen Carter and Juanita and Zoe James joining one another as the lead couples as the rest joined their male counterparts. The girls were all smiles as the boys saw their dresses as they lined up, with Logan nearly fainting at the sight again. Courtney had finally finished putting on her dress allowing her sister to add the garter and her mother to include a small aquamarine charm to her bracelet that already had her own birthstone and Michael's. She knew what it meant, it was baby Johnny's birthstone. It was the blue part of the wedding traditions but it held another significance, Johnny's conception was what prompted their marriage that day. Gabby next handed her a set of earrings that were worn by her grandmother and herself at their weddings and was both old and new as it was new to her, followed by a single bracelet for her other wrist with the date on it. The last thing to be given was an old veil, one that had been her great-grandmother's but unused due to family disputes. Gabby's aunts never got married and never used it while she herself got married in city hall twice making it the first time in a long time it was worn. Before she could leave again, Jessie inserted a silver sixpence in her shoe and told her warmly, "I know it isn't an American tradition but it's a nice tradition for the future Lady Courtney to have honored. Yes I did ask Lady Ophelia if she had one with her, she was hoping that you would honor England and include it in the ceremony even if nobody will know. Just don't get a blister from it." Courtney fought more tears as she finally walked outside the room. Trinity started her cued song and got the band to start the traditional wedding march. Courtney's veil was draped over her face with the girls and boys all facing forward and trying to concentrate on not tripping and stumbling causing a domino effect on the others in front of them. The march started and the group entered, with all eyes firmly on them and cameras flashing as they walked down the aisle. Jordan was the head of the pack and led them inside with the entourage being followed by JD Finn and Marcus Sylvester holding the rings and Cat Finn and Sophia Peterson dropping flower petals. Jordan barely saw the eyes of the adults as she walked down the aisle with Kylie on her arm, going right for the spot she was assigned with Kylie right next to her. Valerie could barely hold herself together as she watched the ladies enter. Michael stood stoic at the altar with nobody except Judge Matthews with him. She kept taking pictures of everyone and trying hard to fight her battle with tears and losing badly, giving in as she wept over her baby being married. Courtney steeled herself as she clasped onto her father Zeke's arm. Gabby went on ahead and took over for Beverly as Walter hugged Gabby tightly, sitting in her lap in the front row. Zeke finally got the signal and started to move with a weeping Courtney crying tears of joy under her veil. The last of the ladies and guys made their way down the aisle and separated into to groups flanking the altar, sitting in their assigned seats with only the bride, groom, and Judge Matthews visible to the camera as they stood on a raised stage that doubled as the altar. The planner was brilliant, it hid that there were more ladies than guys and allowed the couple to be spotlighted instead of losing focus on the number of people in the shot. The videographer was grateful for that, it was going to be tough to get shots with so many people in them especially ones important to the couple being too numerous to feature in the shots. Zeke finally led Courtney into the room and walked her down the aisle, having to hold her up as she was slowly losing herself to the moment. He offered her quiet encouragement, whispering, "He's trying to look like he's holding it together but you know damn well the boy is falling apart. He loves you, you love him, and you two have made a beautiful baby together." She calmed down and walked slowly down the aisle to the smiles of friends and family. She was happy and her glowing expression showed just how much she loved the moment. She finally reached the end of the aisle and up the stairs to the stage where she received a kiss and small hug from Zeke with the subtle lifting causing everyone to grin at him following tradition of letting Michael fully lift it. Judge Matthews was all smiles as he proclaimed, "I joked with your father three years ago about your wedding, I can't honestly believe he was nearly dead on to the exact date. Well a week off but it's the thought that counts. You have grown a lot in six and a half years and it's a privilege to preside over the first of what I hope is many weddings to come from your family." Judge Matthews used the traditional vows for the ceremony, with the couple tearfully saying, "I do" to smiles and tears from their family. When he finally pronounced them man and wife Michael lifted the veil and kissed his new bride, causing her toes to curl while leaving her breathless and heavily flushed in her cheeks. Nobody said anything about the kiss, it was simply wonderful and gave the others a feeling of warmth and love especially Jessie who stared at her boyfriend Reed Pena with longing. Michael and Courtney looked at one another and did something out of character for them but within reason- they grabbed Jaimie and Miles then Christina Connors and Rick. They were not about to let the four get away without sharing the moment with Michael and Courtney, it wasn't in their nature to let Jaimie and Rick stew for two months or Miles and Christina dance around what they already knew to be inevitable. The siblings deserved to be married with their brother and best friends. Judge Matthews suppressed his laughter as it was something he expected especially after knowing the family for so long and seeing it happen twice already. The six were the most in love with one another and had been for longer than anyone else. Jaimie deserved her special time in the spotlight and not hide away from the cameras because she was fearful of what others may say to her. Judge Matthews went through the ceremony again and wed the two couples while their families looked on in awe and surprise. When they kissed a cheer erupted as the three most stable couples had made their mark in the family by bridging their families. Finn, Connors, Bollinger, and Samuels were joined as one with the words "I do" from Jaimie, Miles, Christina, and Rick. They were one now. The newlyweds went outside to the rooftop courtyard and a throng of press hoping to catch images of the newlywed knight and lady as well as the noble Smiths, the powerful CEO of Evans Investments, Grace Evans, and members of the board of directors of Peterson Manufacturing. The press were upset that the other two couples were with them but a word from their colleague William Kelly gave them proper context and added fuel to the story as Jaimie and Miles were names that were keyed up for inclusion into their stories as they had a lot of stories about them already. The couples posed for hundreds of pictures for various publications and even a few for the British Government who had a representative there to ensure Michael didn't say or do something that would cause a problem and embarrass the Prime Minister. It was expected and the official was quarantined away from Michael and Courtney and the others so she didn't take offense to the numerous lesbian and transgender couples leading the procession. She actually did not have a problem with it and saw not one thing to report to her bosses about and whatever they were trying to find against Michael was nonexistent and would only backfire on them if used against him. There were plenty of questions asked by the media with Jaimie and Miles not afraid to be blunt in their answers. Michael just grinned while Courtney set a few straight about Jaimie and Miles especially as it was out of line regarding Miles' being Latino vs. the rest of the family being white. Christina was hard on the reporters, telling them, "Why does his being Latino make a difference? He is their brother, it doesn't matter to anyone that he's adopted since all of us except Rick are adopted by one of our parents. He is as much their brother as our siblings are to us." Christina had a look that dared the reporters to ask a followup down that line of thought. One got bold and asked about their wealth, which Michael told them, "We have money but we are working our tails off trying to earn our degrees. Courtney's mother worked hard to earn money for her and her siblings and saved a large amount for her future; Rick and Jaimie received settlement money via lawsuits for being wronged by UMass, for a terrible blunder last summer by a drunk doctor, and being denied valid medical care by the county we used to live in; Christina inherited money from her great-aunt; Miles settled with UMass and the NCAA over their actions against him and inherited money from his birth father; I built up my own wealth from my own savings and salary from working for Evans Investments and gave to my younger siblings money my father gave to me that he had been awarded by our former county for civil rights violations and invasion of privacy. We don't have to work a day in our lives yet we still want to earn our degrees and work hard for our new families." He had a way with words and left them speechless as they were forced to go with his quote as it was simply too good to ignore. They left them alone, just taking pictures of them. It was all they needed. The family used the interviews and pictorials by the newlyweds to get rested and changed out of their dresses and tuxedos in preparation for the reception later in Winnisimmet. The little kids were going to go to a playroom set aside for them in the function hall while the rest celebrated the weddings without interruption. Tabby, Aggy, and Melinda Stoner opted to head home instead, with the girls feeling like it was too intense for them and needing to spend time with their mothers. Sydney and Piper Stoner stayed behind and joined the others as they enjoyed the fun. Sydney had to keep Arthur Evans from getting too anxious as he got used to everyone but he had managed to ingrain himself among the boys his age making Sydney's presence not necessary but welcome anyway. It was a fun time had by them as Sydney was just another girl who happened to know some of what they were talking about, even if she had been, "One of the guys" only months before. Piper stuck by Logan's side and kissed his cheek as they walked around and talked with the others. Neil Jones, Junior Kelly, and Ethan Smith were disappointed that her cousins had gone home but it was a taxing day for them and they needed some time with their mothers and brothers. Given that they had seen their families implode over the past three months it wasn't surprising and easily understood. At Beatrice Stoner's condo, the Stoners gathered together and enjoyed a quiet meal. Julius Stoner was silent ever since his cousins Stan and Oliver entered and looked unhappy. He accepted that they'd be upset at not being able to visit their fathers and grandfathers in jail but it wasn't the right time to do so especially as the six men were all in isolation. As Beatrice got dessert ready Stan and Oliver started to talk about the girls they saw earlier dressed up in skirts and blouses like it was summer. The more Julius heard the less he liked as Aggy, Tabby, and Melinda were put off by their sexist talk. He got up and told the twins, "You guys are never going to get laid let alone get a girl to get close to you. Those girls are all taken by guys who are the top of the food chain in school. You know where they were going? They went to the wedding with our sisters and cousins. Their dates are the captain of the football team and the captain of the track team." He got up and told them, "Don't talk to me about girls, I'm not interested in them. I'm gay. Deal with it." He walked off while Stan and Oliver were staring at him in shock. He locked his door and cried into his pillow, his life was now over as he knew it as Stan and Oliver would never let him live that down and make his life miserable just because they could. If they didn't do that, they would get someone who could to do it just as their fathers and grandfathers had always done. Melinda, Tabby, and Aggy asked to come in, to which he reluctantly opened the door. The trio hugged him and kissed his cheek, showing they weren't going to let him get hurt by their words. He didn't need to come out to them, he was still their cousin and big brother even if he liked boys too. The trio led him out to where the duo were and told them loudly, "He's more man than you are. Grow up. You aren't getting dates with anyone ever. We will make sure you don't." They stormed out to go to their own homes while the duo looked at Julius in shock and disbelief. Julius didn't say anything, he didn't need to say anything more. Beatrice told the boys to head home, their mother Naomi would have some words with them about their treatment of women. Beatrice texted Savannah and Justin Stoner to get their advice. Both were adamant that they let them simmer for a bit before approaching them again. If they couldn't figure out that they were acting like pigs toward women then they were never going to accept the truth. Aggy texted Piper and Sydney for their advice. Both were in shock but saw it as a blessing for Julius. He had outdone his cousins and there was nothing Stan and Oliver could do to retaliate without it exploding back against them. Piper was blunt, telling her, "They will get talked to by Aunt Naomi. Leave it alone, just help him out. He needs his little sister and mom. He's going to have a rough time in school now because of them." The four Stoners texting caught the eyes of the others who asked what was going on. Sydney told the teens, "My cousin Julius came out as being gay. He got fed up with our cousins talking bad about girls and thinking that they can get with any girls in their school. They made some lewd jokes about you girls dressing like it's summer and showing legs. Like Rebecca and Jessie would ever get with them." The two nearly gagged at hearing that while Francesca asked, "What did they do to him?" Piper told her, "They didn't do anything. All they did was get told to go home. Tabby and Melinda were more upset. You know how Melinda's brothers are, Tabby doesn't want to lose hers but she supports Julius." It was supposed to be a happy celebration but it was turning into a serious thing until everyone realized that it was the best thing possible as Julius wasn't lying to himself anymore and the boys were exposed as the chauvinist jerks that they truly were. It was tough to accept but it was a good thing. The teens all agreed that it was going to be better for everyone now that the truth was out there. The teens turned to better things and talked about the families becoming closer. All eyes turned to Reed and Jessie as they were the next closest couple among the younger teens. Both said firmly, "Not until college" which was their default answer for everything, but it was the truth. The teens started a pool for who was next to marry. Scott Nelson and Stacy Lopez were excluded as all knew that they were going to end up married in February. Rebecca joked that it was a shotgun wedding but for the couple it was just a formality as they were the closest emotionally and physically. Will Bollinger and Claire Peterson were the odds-on favorite but there was a lot of money put down for Jessica Nelson and Eric Vincent for yet another double wedding as Scott and Stacy would have a hard time not sharing their special day with their friends. It was a good bit of fun but nobody dared tell the elder teens about their little pool. Their parents were no better than them as they were doing the same, only with the winner getting nights off from their children for winning. John was excluded as he had won the pool for the next wedding involving the teens. The adults favored Jenna Connors and George Daniels marrying first and Will and Claire getting a lot of consideration for a close second place. The 14 friends shook their heads at their parents, younger siblings, and younger cousins marrying them off. Will and Claire looked at one another but there was an unspoken agreement that they would wait. George looked at Jenna who nodded, they'd hold off until they finished the school year and just move into the Connors home so her mother, Anne Connors, wasn't all alone and take things from there. Things were calm for a bit before the newlyweds arrived for the reception. Courtney struggled to enter and keep from crying while Jaimie and Christina burst into tears and hugged Anne and Valerie. Miles, Michael, and Rick kept themselves together but were hugged deeply by their fathers and Zeke. Rick's father Richard softly told him, "This is it. You aren't a child anymore. You are finally a man. My little boy has finally grown into manhood." John told Miles and Michael, "Everything has changed. You are your own men now. You don't have to listen to us or see us again. It's your life now, we just hope you keep in touch." The three couples were seated in the front facing everyone, with their parents and siblings on one side and their eight friends on the other. They enjoyed rousing speeches from John, Richard, and Zeke about the boys followed by Michael's grandparents Evelyn and Joseph Johnson. Mike Daniels spoke for Anne as he knew Christina and Courtney the longest and was Anne's closest friend, speaking about the little princesses who grew up to find kings and live fairly tale lives causing the brides to tearfully agree. They broke with tradition by not having best men and maids of honor but Thomas and Al Samuels then Jenna and Paige spoke on their siblings' behalf, getting groans and laughs at making them squirm. Michael, Jaimie, and Miles were spared the jokes and speeches as their younger siblings refused to get up in front of everyone and speak, and their first cousins refused to take on the mantle for them as it would only invite payback when they had their own weddings in the future while Hannah had wore out all of her best one-liners and jokes the night before at the rehearsal fun. There were two additional cakes brought in that were made ahead of time by the caterers as they had gotten word from the couple that they were about to include their siblings into the ceremony. Jaimie's favorite chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting was joined by a marble cake with a blue and pink fondant icing for Christina with both shown to all with the two ladies crying over their dream cakes being there. It was a smaller version of what they had imagined but coupled with the larger wedding cake it was perfect. The kids wanted the fondant cake while the teens went for the larger wedding cake allowing the adults to split between the whipped cream cake and buttercream cake. Slices were saved for the seven Stoners and a special slice of each saved for the married couples to share on their first anniversary and as a gift to the one member who nobody would dare to include in the festivities- Roland Finn. The small gesture was one that Jaimie insisted on so he could feel some remorse even if he would never admit it, coupled with a picture of his daughters and all of the nieces and nephews that he'd never get to know. The cakes were a hit and the kids loved that they were eating something blue but was really just a sweet topping that hid chocolate inside, much to their enjoyment. The only ones who didn't seem to like the cakes were the finicky toddlers who never liked anything. They did love the ice cream that was added just for them and was a huge hit with them especially the rarely pleased Marcus. Once everyone had settled down after their sugar infusion the gifts were opened. Michael and Courtney dreaded opening the two official gifts from the UK Prime Minister and the royal gift from HM Queen Elizabeth II. They had to open those first and offer official thanks to the two as it was to be expected of them and was actually a thoughtful gesture from the queen and the Prime Minister's handlers. The present from the Prime Minister was a declaration of the couple's citizenship and a proclamation from Parliament honoring their wedding and commendation as well as gratitude from the Metropolitan Police Service. He shook his head at the commendation, that could have been handed to Charles Evans to give to him directly instead of going via the Prime Minister, who ensured the wording was favorable to him making it seem like it was all his own idea. It was at least a genuine commendation, the Prime Minister wasn't exactly thrilled with Michael and even more upset that he was knighted without his consent but he had his own support in Parliament that he couldn't break or use to his advantage. The gift from the queen was more elaborate but entirely personal. It was a coat of arms from both the College of Arms and the Court of the Lord Lyon. As a knight he was entitled to the arms and as a Scot by direct paternal lineage whose ancestor was a recipient of arms he was awarded one. The arms were beautiful, featuring a pine tree with a lion's head with green, blue, and gold with eagles supporting. The English crest featured a knight in place of the lion's head but not taking away from the beauty of the design. It fit them perfectly as they accepted the Finn family heritage as well as American and English influences that were still traditionally tied to heraldry. The two looked at Jaimie, Ella, Cat, Claire, Claire's sister Daisy, Marcus, JD, Logan, Neil, Neil's sister Faith and little brother Brent and added, "They are entitled to them as well as Miles, but you might have a fight with Miles." They didn't react while Miles shot back, "No thanks, I am just fine. They are directly connected through blood, they deserve it more than me." The moment passed as they moved on to the rest of the wedding gifts. There wasn't much to give them as they had everything they could want just from their own purchases. Most of the gifts were small ones from the kids as they insisted on getting some things for the couple, everything they did get were useful items like diapers and baby clothes and other things that they'd need a lot of for little Johnny. The reception finally broke up as the little ones started to nod off. The leftovers were divided up among the various families with the kids getting cake while the Stoners got full plates of food. John sent the newlyweds to their hotel with the additional couples already having rooms booked, a change that was beneficial to the hotel since they couldn't find someone to replace a couple of last-minute cancellations. The families drove home with the Lopezes helping Justin and Savannah with the food. Rebecca had gotten them to go as she had an ulterior motive, one that would send a clear message to Stan and Oliver about trying to go after Julius for coming out to them. She was on the warpath and was not afraid to show the duo that Julius was under her protection now. Dan knew to just sit back and watch as Rebecca happily gave Naomi and Tabby their plates while also eyeing the twins and offering a grin that sent chills down their spines. Naomi wisely told her, "Don't hurt them physically, I'd hate to have to explain it to DCF." She nodded, causing the boys to try to run off. She followed them into their bedroom and told them firmly and authoritatively, "If you think you are going to get back at Julius you are fooling yourselves. One, your aunt and uncle already knows. Two, your principal and five of your teachers already know. Mr. Finn, Mr. and Mrs. Herman, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Carter were all at the wedding. Third, Mr. Bollinger knows about it as it was his niece's wedding. Fourth and most important, eight police officers, a deputy sheriff, a state trooper, three ATF agents, and a deputy US Marshal were all there and heard the news from your aunt and uncle and from your two cousins so any action against him will bring all of them on your heads. That isn't a joke either, they take protecting gay and transgender students seriously and will not hesitate to arrest you for hurting him." They were about to say something but she grinned and spouted off the names of everyone there who had a badge. The fact that her own father was one and sitting in their living room was trouble. She dared them to say something further, then added, "Word will spread among the sophomores. You made a huge mistake today, Raul Porter and Avery James were there and I know damn well you share classes with both of them for all but Spanish." The boys got just how serious the situation was. If they were going to have to explain to others in their cluster why those two were upset at them it was going to be bye-bye to any friends and girls. She let that sink in then twisted the knife by adding, "You see Jessie and I as sex objects. You have no chance of ever getting either of us. I've been with Thomas for almost five years and Jessie with Reid for three so we are not going to let two wannabes think they can steal us. You two are nowhere near man enough to handle us let alone snare us into your bunk beds. And judging by the lack of a bulge in your pants you aren't man enough for the tweens either but then Al Samuels would verbally rip you to shreds without a second thought for trying to get with any of the 8th graders. You might see her as a cheap lay because she is transgender, but that girl has a cutting wit and not afraid to humiliate people intent on harm." She left on that, letting them know that they weren't as big as they believed themselves to be both physically and socially. She was a young woman, it was only natural to check out their sizes and for her it was done to prove a point. She knew it would hit hard, exactly what they needed to have happen. She walked away, leaving with Dan. Naomi didn't say a word but knew they were made to be fools by someone who did it regularly based on the gossip she had heard about Rebecca from Justin and Savannah. She was glad to have had that happen to the boys, they deserved it. At the Finn home, John sat down in a heap while Cat jumped into his lap to give him a needed hug. He fell asleep with Cat in his lap, the two being exhausted by the excitement of the day and lacking energy to continue on. Valerie didn't dare try to separate them as it was impossible when Cat was in "daddy's girl" mode, especially when she was exhausted physically and emotionally. Up in his room, Logan received texts from Piper which caused him to smile. The two texted back and forth for two hours as they wore themselves out, with Justin letting the two work off their energy while ensuring that Piper wasn't sending pictures of things she shouldn't. Sydney and Savannah were able to barely contain him, he was acting as the dutiful dad while allowing his daughter some privacy with the friend who was becoming her boyfriend in all but name. Jaimie and Rick were exhausted as the gravity of being a married couple sank in. The two shed their clothes and made love for the first time. Despite what the others thought, Rick had forced himself to hold to his personal vow of not having sex with Jaimie until marriage despite their living together. The two went at it for hours before they fell asleep, physically exhausted. Jaimie felt some pain in her vagina from Rick's large penis, but it was also a lot of pleasure mixed in with the pain. Despite her fear, it actually felt much better than her dilator and it would only be the first of many times that he would help her dilate "naturally" as her doctor called it. Jaimie woke Rick up to fantastic oral sex which he returned on her. The two could barely keep their hands off one another but they were awoken by a phone call from Michael who told them to take a shower and be downstairs for breakfast. They just grinned and moved their sex to the shower where they spent another half hour pleasuring one another while washing. Nearby, when they arrived Miles and Christina had slowly undressed and fondled one another. The two were slower, they had waited for seven years to get to this point and were not about to rush things. Once Miles was inside of her for the first time Christina's sex drive went into overload as she started to go at it fast and furious and giving Miles multiple orgasms to her own dozen orgasms as she unleashed her pent up sexual energy on him. She looked down at her husband and felt nothing but love for him. He had completed her: mentally, emotionally, and now physically. They were madly in love and she was not going to let him get away from her even if she had to endure all of the potential roadblocks put her way, including parenthood. Michael's call caused them to break their carnal embrace and get ready for the day. They showered and enjoyed some more sex but calmed themselves once they started dressing. They still gave one another lusty eyes but they tempered it with the feeling that this was the first day of the rest of their lives. The three couples ate in peace and made their way to the airport for their flight to Washington. None of them were surprised that their bags were packed and ready to go thanks to their siblings. Jenna left a note to Christina to remember a condom or she'd end up pregnant but it was too late now, the damage was already done and if she was pregnant then she was at least impregnated on her wedding day. The couples flew first class to Washington and enjoyed a large suite in the best hotel in the city. They didn't bother with a car as they would make due with cabs and a chauffeured limo for their trip to the White House in three days. It was going to be a honeymoon to remember for all of them. Courtney felt exhausted during the plane ride and told John about it when they landed, with John all but telling her that arrangements would be made while Valerie told her "it's not uncommon to feel that way after a flight." The couples were told not to call unless it was an emergency and to enjoy the rest of the honeymoon, with Valerie smiling brightly on the other end as she was grateful for that little talk- it was needed and showed that they still needed her despite being married. The three newlyweds had a week in Washington and then New York City and planned accordingly. The only wildcard for them were the two meetings with the politicians that couldn't be rescheduled nor avoided. Michael was adamant that they not be separated and if he was to attend his siblings were to attend as well, which infuriated the chiefs of staff but his demands were met. This caused issues with the President's staff as Jaimie was seen as being someone who should never be seen with the President but as it was an important photo-op it was a losing position. Chief of staff Martin Bartlett was a tough person to deal with and was holding fast to his refusal to allow his boss to be seen with Jaimie. He was overruled by the President himself, if Jaimie wasn't there then the meeting was off and Bartlett was out of the job with a lot of press scrutiny falling on him over his firing. The Brits had no problem with Michael including his brother and sister in the photo-ops as they had been warned ahead of time that any funny business would cost them their careers along with soiling their nation's image. Michael was a protected name, if he was mistreated and his sensible request not followed there would be tough questions asked that the staff would struggle to answer. The junior staff let Michael know it was alright but feared Chief of Staff Jameson Hennessy would cause trouble. The first morning in Washington they made a special visit the Arlington National Cemetery and paid respects at the various memorials then observed the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns. They made a specific stop to visit the graves of a few people Rick's grandfather Austin Woods and their great-uncles knew who had been killed in action or who retired and were given the honor of being buried there. The group were blessed to witness the laying to rest of a retired sailor and made his widow proud to have had them be there even if they had no connection to the deceased man. The six walked on in silence as they couldn't say much without spoiling the poignant moment. When they reached the Metro they finally spoke, deciding to visit Union Station and Capitol Hill after lunch. It was a short walk from the station but worth it due to the major landmarks nearby that made for great pictures for John when they returned home. The three couples walked through The National Mall and observed the various seasonal decorations along with the various people enjoying similar strolls. They couldn't help but stop every now and then to kiss, with Miles and Christina having to hold off ravishing one another as they enjoyed a kiss. The other two couples gave them knowing smiles as they had unlocked their libidos by saying, "I Do." The group went to dinner at the hotel's restaurant with the wait staff telling them their father had given them full reign over the menus and to not worry about prices. It was expected and the couples enjoyed some fine French cuisine in their private room with a gorgeous view of the nearby Mall and various landmarks that they were going to visit the next day. The night was spent with more lovemaking as Christina turned into a love machine and wore out Miles while Jaimie took things slow as she got adjusted to Rick's size again. Her slow pace only made things for him more pleasurable as her tightness was like nothing he'd ever felt before. Michael and Courtney simply enjoyed foreplay and gentle stroking of private parts, her pregnant state made it tough to enjoy penetration and giving her anal sex was out of the question as neither wanted to go that route. The next morning the guys split up with the ladies to allow them a chance to enjoy themselves in the spa before going to the nearby Smithsonian museums allowing them some, "Girl talk" while the guys rested and recovered from their nights of pleasure. The ladies talked about their new sex lives, unafraid to be prudish anymore now that it was only them and their friends wouldn't feel awkward about it. All three were happy with their husbands' sizes and Jaimie extolled Rick's virtues which caused Courtney to blush while Christina joked about her missing out on some major man meat. Jaimie turned it around and joked about Miles' large size making her never looking at guys without shaking her head at the lacking sizes. Courtney grinned at that, adding, "He's huge but Michael's really great himself." Jaimie added, "He's a good size, he knows what to do with it as well. Before you ask, I was friends with him for years before we became siblings and I saw his many times before I became a girl so I know just how big he is,.plus he did wear loose boxers at times giving an unexpected view." The sex talk was out of their systems allowing them to actually relax about each sharing the burden of carnal pleasures with their husbands. They spent two hours in the spa getting massages and enjoying the sauna and mud baths before rejoining their husbands for lunch. The guys were calmer while the ladies were relaxed and less stressed, with Christina easing up on the lust while Jaimie smiled more. They walked to the nearby museums and had a bunch of requests for pictures by the kids of the various artifacts at the Air and Space Museum. It was what they needed as they spent hours there, walking through the exhibits until closing time then enjoying a dinner at a restaurant Walter Gorman had asked them to come to for dinner with him and some old friends. Walter's wife Lillian greeted them as they entered and directed them to a VIP lounge where Walter was talking with several loud people who had no intentions or reining in their voices. The six braced for the onslaught of questions but Walter's warm hugs and kisses of the ladies quelled any questions as he was clearly marking them as his family. His only question of them was, "Enjoying this cesspool?" Miles answered for them, saying firmly, "It's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live here." That got the men laughing as it was both funny and answered the question. Walter added a happy, "It's not for everyone, thank goodness it's only a five month stint as senator for me or I'd quit right now." Rather than dwell on politics they talked about other things and enjoyed a rambunctious meal with the wives all but letting their husbands burn off their energy as they enjoyed the men being men for show. The ladies simply talked about kids and grandchildren with Lillian not taking any offense to her being unable to contribute to the discussion beyond a few sly grins to the questions asked of Jaimie. She tried to keep herself from saying much but Christina saved her the trouble by saying she was unable to have any children due to health issues and was having a child via a surrogate and her husband's semen. The meal lasted two hours as the couples endured a lot of back and forth joking and ribbing while they remained mostly silent. Michael barely said more than a few words all meal, he didn't have anything to say and didn't want to say something that would upset his great-uncle. Walter actually was ready to be there for Michael just in case but nothing was said about their lack of vocalization. The couples enjoyed an evening stroll through the area and took multiple pictures of the sights and had a lot of anxiety released before enjoying a quiet night in the lounge area of their suites They were too tired from the day to enjoy more sex, but did give one another deep hugs with the ladies falling asleep in the guys' arms. If it wasn't completely unintentional it would have made a romantic scene for them. In the morning Michael told them about their activities which was solely their visit to the UK embassy and a meeting with the ambassador. He had done research into the man and was able to assume that he was a career diplomat and not a career politician. As much as he loved his beloved great-uncles Louis Reagan and Walter as well as Governor Christian James and Attorney General Angela Victor, Michael had little regard for typical politicians and despised their two-faced antics and backstabbing nature. He couldn't say the same for the man's staff as they were not going to be the greatest especially as he had ties to Sienna Smith and her fiance Poppy Walker. Sienna's grandfather Wilson Smith had strong ties to many in the British Diplomatic Service and wasn't afraid to make certain people aware of Michael as well as Jaimie. They were ready for anything, but hoped it didn't occur. They were greeted warmly by the official staff and treated as VIPs. There was a lot of whispers but nobody dared say anything about them. It was tough but the couples endured the constant whispering. They were forced to wait for an hour for someone came to get them, with the staff coming and going but nobody daring to inform them about changes in plans. After they saw people coming in for the 10th time they got up and walked out, telling the secretary that their time had been wasted and apologized to her majesty for the staff treating two citizens invited to attend a meeting with the ambassador, a knight and his bride no less, like they weren't worth his time. It was purposely stated to make the biggest impact on her, she could not refute any of what Michael said as she knew it to be the truth. The secretary scrambled and told whomever was keeping them away that it was about to get ugly for the staff if he didn't stop his games. Jameson Hennessy barged in and told them to leave, they would not speak with the ambassador as they had no right to do so. Michael grinned, then told him firmly, "We were invited here by her majesty's government at the ambassador's request. I don't believe for a second that you speak for your boss nor anyone else on your staff. In fact, I believe that the ambassador would be quite upset if not outraged at your actions especially as he had to endure the outcome- not you." The ambassador heard Michael's complaint and walked in, grinned, then told Jameson that he was no longer welcome in the embassy and would be recalled home as he could no longer perform his duties without harming her majesty's government. Jameson said he couldn't do that, Jameson would ruin him but the ambassador calmly explained, "Please try to do that. Explain to the Foreign Office how you tried to cancel an important meeting with a person our government is trying hard to keep in our good graces as he is on the verge of becoming one of the richest self-made financial minds in the world. Explain how you went against my own orders and tried to physically remove several honored guests who will be speaking with their President about our visit tomorrow as well as their own ambassador tonight. By all means, create a fiasco for our government and see what happens to you!" The ambassador nodded to the secretary who called security to remove the now-dismissed Jameson while the senior deputy took over the duties. The ambassador closed the door to his office and told the secretary to tell the press that Michael's visit was as scheduled but Jameson Hennessy tried to cancel the meeting without consent. She took it to mean that they would take the heat and Michael exonerated. In private, the man was furious and asked what was going on. Michael explained, "He's likely under the pay of or is close friends with a Mr. Wilson Smith, the pretender to the Marquessdom of Lincoln. Mr. Smith is facing multiple criminal charges and if my sources are correct, he's going to go down for a lot of shady dealings involving criminals around the country. He is current upset that his granddaughter is in a loving and committed relationship with another woman, who is now engaged to her." This was all he needed to hear and told his secretary, "I'm making a phone call to London. Nobody is to disturb me until I give the all clear." She agreed and told the staff that the next meeting was canceled. Michael listened to the call and kept quiet but Miles kept his mind going as he thought about things that hadn't been considered yet. He wrote down something about Jameson trying to seek a new job posting, possibly as an ambassador himself in Colombia or another known drug smuggling country. Miles wrote down a hard, "Wilson and Harry Smith involved in drugs and smuggling previously." This was confirmed with the ambassador sighing and telling whomever he was speaking to, "He's going to be put on the next plane to London, have a welcoming committee to greet him. This is smelling like a cheap action movie but he is trying hard to find a good location to move their operations to. Wilson Smith's connection is also troubling, especially if he's connected to the previous operations." When the ambassador hung up the phone, he asked how Miles knew. Miles explained, "He knows the Smiths and both are known to have conducted illicit deals. He is upset at Michael being here but has no reason to be. Someone has to have told him who to look out for and why. I'm why. He picked the wrong Finn to be suspicious of, and chose the wrong one to kick out. I could have been removed easily by you but not Michael. He must have mistaken us for one another. He knew I'd spoil his operations." Michel smirked while Rick added, "Miles is a threat to him a lot more than Michael could ever be. He helped expose Harry Smith as embezzling from his family's estate while also exposing Harry's criminal activities. Our cousins actually set in motion the inquiry but it was he who found the connections. Well him and our cousins and Michael's mother-in-law." Michael now blushed while Courtney added, "Mom helped with the computer work, my aunt went through their accounts, our cousin Rachel found their hidden computer files and emails that proved there was fraud and attempts to harm our uncle and cousin. Basically it was a lot of work. Miles is the only person who could tie everything together and expose the man's true intentions just by judging his reactions. And he was right. You were going to get the fall while he went to another country to continue his criminal activities with impunity, especially if he was appointed as the ambassador." With that out of the way they walked out to press room where representatives from UK television and print media were awaiting them. The ambassador did a song and dance for them as he presented Michael and Courtney with a formal congratulations and offered Rick, Jaimie, and Miles gratitude for their previous efforts in the UK that they were also to give to their relatives who were also involved. Rick blushed at the attention while Miles remained stoic especially as their past deed of saving their future cousin's life had been so inspiring to many others afterward. Michael's being addressed as, "Sir Michael" got a few inquiries but it all brushed aside by explaining it to them especially as it was made official as he was a citizen of the UK as well as the US and as they were in the British embassy calling him by his title was perfectly fine. They were asked about their relatives which Jaimie happily told them the Smiths were enjoying time as a family up in their son's home in Massachusetts and chose to stay out of the spotlight as they enjoyed their youngest great-granddaughter and prepared for the next generation of Smiths to carry the family name. It was all they needed to know and it was the truth as the Smiths were enjoying their time with the kids and enjoying some bonding with the pregnant Hannah and Paige Smith. The interviews were a long bit of annoyance but it was benign rather than an attempt to trip them up. The reporters had their story and once it was learned that the Smiths were directly related to them via John and Paige it was left as it was as it was getting too complicated for their short attention spanned readership. The group left, thanking the ambassador for his hospitality and giving the secretary a silent nod for her loyalty and respect shown to the ambassador. Walter greeted them for lunch at the hotel, asking about the visit and giving a knowing nod at what would happen to Jameson. He was used to that kind of action by underlings especially ones with allies who could make things difficult for most but was glad that in his arrogance the man had made a big mistake in targeting the wrong Finn. He prepared them for the next day, one that would try their patience as several people would try to both hone in on their visit and try to make them into deviants or criminals for taking down powerful friends. He knew one was actually getting indicted on criminal actions but she didn't believe they would stick. She had been in office for so long that she believed that she was bulletproof and above the law, the usual problems that most lifelong politicians suffered from. The group finished and walked over to more of the Smithsonian museums, choosing the art museums instead of the science and technological museums. Walter had work to do but Lillian joined them, she wasn't in the mood for the backroom deals and backstabbing that Walter was enduring as the President tried to pass last minute legislation before he left office in three weeks. He still had to endure political fighting even though he was only keeping the seat warm for five months until a special election was held to finish out the rest of the term, it was a necessary pain that he endured for the people of the state. Lillian kept a close watch on the six and enjoyed how different they clearly were from one another. She loved that Miles was thinking, Michael glided from exhibit to exhibit getting his fill, and Jaimie was in a constant thirst for knowledge. Their spouses were their counterparts, not letting them get caught up in the art while giving their own opinions on the pieces even if they weren't fans of the works. The couples spent hours in the galleries then joined Walter at his temporary apartment. It required them to take the Metro but it great fun for Lillian who hadn't ridden public transportation in decades. It was a tight fit during the rush hour commute but she was able to endure for the sake of the couples. Walter had prepared the meal ahead of time so it was ready when they arrived. He complained that it wasn't exactly Jorge Castillo's food but it was still great. Lillian shook her head and told him to get back to the grill and let her serve up the sides while the couples sat down. The meal was long and filled with laughs as the couple saw the real people emerge from the elders. They were like their grandparents and parents, only with more of a sense of fun. Courtney enjoyed the meal as the couple reminded her of stories of her own grandparents, people she hadn't met as they had died before she was born after quick illnesses and aggressive cancers. It got late when they finished cleaning the dishes and sent the group on its way. Walter had a huge grin as he watched them enter the Metro station, with Lillian sighing happily as he was acting like the proud great-uncle that they considered him to be. They lamented not being able to have children and not even trying to adopt children of their own, they had missed out on parenthood and had no excuse for it. The night was quiet as the couples slept soundly. No sexual antics, just sleep. They had a big day ahead of them as they would be ferried to the Capitol then on to the White House to meet the person whom Walter joked was, "The most powerful person not named Finn." It got a groan from the couples but it was actually fairly true given John's growing wealth and local power and influence. They awoke early and ate a light breakfast as anything heavy would only make them feel bloated and eat into their lunch meeting with local politicians. They hated having to do the dog and pony show but it was part of keeping them away from the family. Jaimie struggled with staying home as she wasn't needed, only Michael and Courtney were actually wanted there but Rick wouldn't let her stay away. Their ride arrived, a stretch limousine that would accommodate all six of them. It was an official limo, and inside were several members of the US Secret Service and their White House handler for the day. It was just as Walter had said, only they were not expected to be talkative but would hear everything said and with the way Martin Bartlett ruled the roost he'd demand to know everything said. The drive was quick as they were part of a motorcade that included several police cars. It wasn't the first time that they had been treated to a private escort but it had a stronger impact. Last time it was due to the amount of people in their group attending lunch at Winfield House in London, but this time they were simply citizens being treated as VIPs and attending a special event at the White House. The Capitol was massive and had they not seen it several times already they would have gazed in awe at the place. It was one thing to see it on TV at inaugurations, it was another to see it in person. Not even John had been there, but it was on his list of places to visit at least once. The motorcade arrived at the VIP entrance and saw them being led inside to the House Gallery to view the special presentation about to get underway below them. They were up against the clock as there was quite a bit of work to be done before things fully closed up for the week due to the end of the term. It was a miracle that they had been able to get them there, but Walter was a powerful force of nature. They listened as their US Representative, Gerry Elbridge, spoke about Michael's actions in London. He then mentioned his family's actions years before. Finally he mentioned the family being ones that all should copy as the family strives to improve the world one good deed at a time. It was a rousing speech and with proper support Gerry got a Congressional Proclamation issued in honor of Michael's deeds as well as ones for the family members who helped save the lives of two strangers who were brought into their family. It was long overdue but it was still recognition. The group were led down to the House Chamber and shown inside, with Gerry offering personal thanks to them while the few staffers around applauded politely. It was just the start of their trek through the halls of the Capitol as they stopped for a bit to await word of a meeting with a few key people in the Speaker's office then on to the Senate wing and pictures with Walter on the floor of the Senate Chamber as he read his own speech for the record. Thankfully for them, the meeting with the Speaker was quick as he gave them their due and allowed them to leave while they endured blushes and cringes as Walter enjoyed letting them get recorded into history as his speech was recorded. They were finished in the Capitol and taken by subway to the nearby Ford Office Building where they were shown into Gerry's office for some more photos and handed the placeholders for the recognition folios they were to receive later on. It was a quick shoot so they were able to relax as the staff was kept busy trying to get the last of their work completed. They were doing a lot more work than normal but given that Gerry was a mid-level powered Representative it wasn't out of the ordinary to do a lot more work than others. They were rudely interrupted by the Representatives of the 9th Missouri and the 10th Massachusetts Congressional Districts. Michael rolled his eyes while Jaimie braced for the worst of the intruders. Both recognized the man from Missouri, he was their great-uncle - their grandparents' elder brother. Miles didn't bother with introductions, telling Gerry, "We are from Winnisimmet, know your esteemed colleague has stated that she is glad that our city is not part of her district and that all of us in the city were a terrible influence on the state. If you believe she is here for anything other than revenge you were misled by her staff. She is facing a criminal investigation by the Attorney General for her illicit connections to the now former town manager and the former town council members of Pullen Point, all of whom are in jail awaiting trial for extortion, fraud, embezzlement, criminal threats, and several other crimes. She is trying to muscle her way out of charges but I know exactly what she is facing down and none of it will go away no matter how much she tries to claim them to be false." Representative Tara Gallows, Gerry's esteemed colleague, glared at him while Michael explained, "He is part of the team investigating the former Pullen Point government on behalf of the Attorney General's Office. We know about her trying to influence the district attorney to drop the charges, she was told to stay away or she'd be indicted for interfering with a criminal investigation. She isn't here to get her picture taken with us, she is here to get us thrown out. She is going to extort you as soon as we are escorted out by security and try to use her connections to hurt your chances of getting elected Senator when you announce your candidacy in two weeks." Gerry grinned and added, "I know all about that, I happen to be good friends with a few of the folks handling the political fallout. Tara Gallows is toast. She just doesn't know it yet. She has a lot of balls trying to hone in on your being here but I suspect it's an attempt to muddy the legal waters as she has a good idea about your cousin and his colleagues' investigation. The name 'David Peterson' is starting to make the rounds as a potentially dangerous person to political futures if he starts to look into you. And by your own inference I believe he already is." Representative Gallows threatened her colleague which only caused him to smile while her phone rang. Her face turned white as he nodded, adding, "He expects it by tonight. He let you wiggle for far too long. Get out of here before those Capitol Police officers physically remove you from my office." Representative Gallows walked out in anger, vowing to get back at all of them for what they had done to her and would ensure that each of them were dead politically. She timed it badly as the media outside awaiting more photos of the group heard the threats and pressed her for information. It was a tough situation for her, she was ruined by her own words on national TV and had no recourse anymore. This was just the first of their troubles as the Honorable Representative Hiram McKinnon listened and grinned. He had everything he needed to make his mark and use them for his own advantage. He figured Michael would try to keep his parentage covered and not expose Jaimie and would accept whatever he had to offer to keep their secrets. He was wrong. The elderly Representative McKinnon asked his colleague if he knew about Michael and Jaimie and was he prepared for what happens when the truth got out. His colleague grinned then told him, "How can I not know, those two have been in the news so often thanks to their father and relatives that it is hard not to know their history. If you are referring to Michael's biological father, your nephew, then yes. I know that he's a criminal currently serving the last four years of a 10-year sentence at the federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas after he served six years in state prison for his multiple crimes against their adoptive father and other innocent people." He waited then smirked and added, "As for that young lady, by all means go after her. It'll be your career that is killed as she has a record of helping more people than you ever did in your life. She has donated millions of her own money to needy causes and paid for college educations of dozens of students. She is also a highly regarded student who will be a top notch psychiatrist when she finishes her training. So by all means, try to take her down a peg. It'll just be you who ends up surprised at the outcome." Representative McKinnon was left without a comeback. Gerry just grinned and told his colleague, "The Speaker knows about them, it's why there was a presence here today. He just spoke with them and gave them their copies of their proclamations. As for trying to use the President, well he's currently waiting for them at the White House. The President is set to give them a special commendation and also give Michael there a little bit of spotlight for his hard work helping others." Representative McKinnon got up to leave, threatening Gerry again but Jaimie countered, "You cast me out of the family when you refused to lift a finger to help me after mom and dad were killed. You and the others could have helped me but none of you did. You purposely kept Uncle Mick and his wife away from me because you knew they'd try to help me. I was left to rot in foster care because of what I am inside. Michael never asked to be born and he sure as hell never asked for his sperm donor father to criminally hurt dozens of innocent people just so he could be the big district attorney in that cesspool of Hadley County. We don't care if you try to ruin us, you aren't even the first to do it this month let alone this year! You aren't even the most powerful, we have had others try it and fail. We are used to it and we are ready for whatever you have to throw at us. Do your worst." Michael held his tongue but Rick shot back, "They aren't your constituents so what are you really doing here? You are just here to try to hurt a colleague and bully your way around just to show that you are still the big dog in the House. You aren't, it's why your party lost control of the House and why you were never considered for the Speakership when the last Speaker resigned. You really are pathetic. You act like they don't exist and ignore them for years until it's convenient to you to go after them- for your personal gain. They want nothing to do with you and they sure as heck don't want to be seen with you." Rick's defense of Jaimie was caught on camera as the elderly McKinnon tried and failed to quell his anger. He shouted at Jaimie, "I'll ruin you! I won't let some freak destroy my life! You and the son of a cheap tramp will get what is coming to you! Keep an eye open, you'll get what you deserve. Watch!" Miles heard enough and told the man, "You do realize that your outburst was just overheard by two dozen reporters, cameramen, and broadcasters across the country? Surely you felt your shoulder being tapped by your assistants? Surely you could hear them telling you to stop. You just threatened them in front of dozens of witnesses, the relatives of over a dozen local, state, and federal law enforcement officials who have no problem filing criminal complaints against you for threatening their relatives and ensuring that you face justice for your crimes should anything happen to us because of your threats." Representative McKinnon tried to make it work to his advantage but the reporters refused to let him get away with the actions as he had openly threatened Jamie, Michael, and Gerry. He was going to have a lot of people trying to get him out of office with many more trying to prosecute him. He had killed his career, all by himself with his own arrogant words. The group left with their escorts keeping the media away. It was a token gesture as they had said everything they needed to already. Their lives were public knowledge and the wrinkle that a longtime politician had purposely kept the then recently orphaned Jaimie from family was a hot story for them. They were driven quickly to the White House for their meeting with the President. The staff were not in a good mood as the firestorm that was brewing because of the six had hit them hard. Representative McKinnon was one of the President's oldest allies and was someone who held sway over legislation that could make or break a President. The incoming President was not from his party but she wasn't in the mood for fighting over the legacy of a marked man but may be open to listening to what they had to say if McKinnnon's fingers were yanked from the legislation. The six were treated well but they were clearly not wanted there by any of the senior staffers. When Walter and Lillian arrived they had to hear the complaints of Martin Bartlett as well as the senior political advisers, with Bartlett complaining about them making the simple last day of the year into a frenzy. Walter just ignored them, they were really upset that the incoming President had taken full advantage of the situation and made it her duty to ensure that both representatives were expelled and that the outgoing President's attempts to pass unwanted legislation stalled. The meeting with the staff to prepare the six was tense as Walter was ensuring that the six were given fair treatment instead of being ignored and marginalized and run out of the building. He knew that the President was actually not concerned about the fallout and the two representatives were well past their need to move on to better jobs elsewhere. McKinnon should have run and lost a vacant Senate seat in his home state years before while Gallows should have quit and taken a cushy job at a local college like several others had. The arrival of the First Lady got the meeting to close as she told Bartlett to keep quiet and if he was not going to he would kiss any future political jobs goodbye. For a man who had eyes on a key cabinet position it was tantamount to being told he was losing everything. Few actually believed that he was going to last in the positions he sought anyway, he had no real skills beyond connections and only had his job at the White House due to being friends with the President. The President was shown inside and greeted the six as well as Walter with affection. Walter introduced them as family and explained their familial relationship which the President nodded at hearing. Having known Walter for years it was like him to see them that way especially the Finn children. Michael was singled out and called "Sir Michael" on purpose, while Jaimie was called, "Mrs. Samuels" for the first time. The six endured photos for the White House website then received several special gifts from the first family. It was standard certificates of appreciation but personalized for all of them. Christina was the only one not to receive something but it was fine with her as she didn't have much to do with the bravery the others had shown. She was happy to be a normal person, someone who helped behind the scenes and cared a lot about others. She was empathetic, the others were more outgoing. With the pictures out of the way they were able to speak freely with the President as the staffers and media left the Oval Office. Michael was asked what the whole McKinnon situation was about, he had only head third-hand information from people who weren't there and wanted the truth. He looked at Jaimie who nodded, knowing it best to tell the full story than leave out pertinent information. Michael sighed but it was Jaimie who explained, "He's our great-uncle, his sister and brother was our grandmother and grandfather. His grandmother's side of the family drifted away from the rest when she married his grandfather and his birth father abandoned his mother when she was pregnant with him. He knew all of this, he enabled the man to run off and set him up with a job in Chicago before he returned to our hometown to run for DA. He wanted to use his father's being a criminal against him hoping it would soil Representative Elbridge's good name but didn't expect my husband to tell him off." Michael then added, "She's transgender and an orphan. He kept the rest of our family from helping her after her parents died and she was recovering in the hospital. He purposely kept my uncle and aunt away. They are an ATF agent and a doctor and would have helped Jaimie had they known that she was in need of help even if it meant adopting her as their own." Jaimie added, "I would have ruined his chances at winning a Senate seat. I guess I'm the cause of it after all since he never ran for higher office. He kept everyone away from me when my parents died and kept me from getting needed psychological help. He knew the doctor who was treating me and kept on telling him that I was a freak who needed to man up and there was nothing wrong with me mentally. He was wrong, I had severe PTSD from the accident that was only cleared when my new father sought help for me. The doctor listened and until dad came along to get me help himself I was stuck in foster care without family in a mental hell." Miles saved Jaimie from breaking down by adding, "Dad standing up for Jaimie started in motion events that led to the town and county becoming bankrupt and then causing a lot of people to get exposed as liars and criminals. Dozens of people ended up in prison and the town dissolved, one he represents. It happened to the town and county twice. He didn't bother to run for the Senate because he was so close to many of those who were either arrested, fired, or put in prison for their actions- with his own nephew being the one who led the investigation into the town and forcing through the needed changes. His career is ruined because of our family's unintentionally causing their crimes to become exposed." The President pondered what was being told and had his staff starting to look into what happened. It wasn't hard to find the stories online and the names "Jones," "Finn," "Johnson," and "Sylvester" were in each of them. None of the stories painted them badly, those who were were convicted of their crimes or who supported those who were convicted, like Representative McKinnon. The President saw the truth and grinned. McKinnon was toast and without any political clout once the truth gets exposed. He wasn't fooling around anymore, McKinnon crossed the line years ago in trying to keep Jaimie from her family. The President may have been heavily conservative, but family was a strong link with him and anyone who would willingly harm family was done with him. Their time was up and they were led out. Martin Bartlett was concerned by the President's expression but it was one of deep thought. When he finally asked what was bothering him, the President grinned and told him, "McKinnon is done. Sever all ties to him and start to groom a potential new candidate. He won't make it a day, he will have to resign by tonight if he hasn't drafted his letter already. The staff sent word to McKinnon's staff that he President was seeking his immediate resignation. This led to a frantic call from McKinnon to Bartlett who refused to speak to the President about it. When McKinnon started to rant about Jaimie he was cut off with the staff walking out in disgust. The three couples were given a tour of the White House while things cooled down. They knew they were being isolated from the public and the media but it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see things that they wouldn't normally get as members of the public. The tour lasted two hours and they were finally driven away, with the motorcade taking them directly to their hotel. Walter greeted them, bringing news that the 3rd of January would see the esteemed Representative from Massachusetts, Tara Gallows, being expelled for conduct against another Representative. It was further seen that McKinnon was going to be forced out for doing the same thing as well but he was not going to escape his fate as he crossed the line and actively threatened them and their Representative. It wasn't over yet but McKinnon was going to be placed under arrest for trying to hire people to attack them, which failed due to his staff informing the Capitol Police and getting a surveillance warrant against him and hearing his attempts to hire some local muscle to attack the six especially Jaimie. This was bad news but it was expected. The man was an egomaniac and had seen his entire life crash down around him. He had nothing left to lose except his freedom and he had ensured that came to be. The evening was spent packing and enjoying a gentle stroll as well as taking more pictures. They were bundled up so nobody recognized them and even if they did it wasn't the Washington way to confront someone in public. It was an intimate evening, one that each enjoyed immensely. The next three days were quiet as they rode the train north thanks to John changing their tickets to save them the hassle of flying. Courtney was glad that they had done that as they could enjoy the scenery and walk around. It also helped that they had first class seating on the Acela train so the seats were comfortable despite a nearly three hour trip. The highlight was the New Year's Eve celebration down below. The ladies were glued to the crowds while the guys were enjoying the fun on the TV while going back and forth. They each shared kisses with their spouses then retired to their respective suites to enjoy some intimate relations. January 2nd saw the six returning home via train, with another Acela first class sea for them. It was again appreciated by Courtney who didn't like airplanes much since baby Johnny started to kick. She was happy to be having the baby but it was one thing she couldn't help but dislike. When they returned home, the family greeted them to open arms and a lot of tears. Jaimie kissed Rick's brother Thomas and hugged his sister Al, with both being happy to call her, "Sister". Michael endured the watchful eyes of Amy and Jessie Bollinger while their brother Donald told him, "They have been a pain since you left, they missed you too much but can't tell you lest they look like little kids again." Michael hugged both girls who cried into his shoulder. He was their big brother, even if he was only their brother-in-law. They couldn't help but love him like one, especially as he gave them a nephew. Miles and Christina tried to slip away but her sisters Paige and Jenna wouldn't let them. Both insisted that they go to the Connors home with Jenna giving them a pleading look. She sat them down and through tear filled eyes asked, "Can you help George and I plan our wedding? We are moving here and are going to keep mom company." Both said a resounding, "Yes!" which caused Jenna to weep while Paige smiled brightly. She then told them, "She's been acting weird all week, she waited until you came back to ask you. We knew that they were going to announce their marriage but it was tough to do it without you." The Connors ladies hugged while Miles backed away to give them some space. He only made it as far as the living room where Jenna's fiance George and Paige's husband/Miles' cousin Bryan waited. The two didn't say anything, they knew what was going on and let the ladies plan things to call themselves. Things got back to normal for the Finns as they dealt with trials and fallout from the past six months. It took a heavy toll on the kids especially the Stoners, Nelsons, Campbells, and Kings. The Stoners had it worse as the three sisters-in-law endured countless criticism from their extended families for adapting to life without their husbands and fathers' connections, and leaving them to rot in jail. It wasn't a big deal to the families themselves, and as time wore on those who complained were shown to be people who were jealous that the families had things so good thanks to being so close to so many. The once reclusive and private families had now gotten out in the community more and with both the Stoners and Kings branching out into new activities as their children became entrenched in the city things were never the same for the city. The new families were ones that were lauded for being what a family should be, especially as the kids were some of the best students in their classes and were among some of most police, well-behaved, and mature children in the city. The three Kings were changing their school by being themselves and through them, the rest of their class and school changed. Alice Porter was happy to see the kids thrive and enjoyed the constant looks of shock and wonder that parents gave to their children as their classmates started to act as mature people through interaction with the Kings. Jordan got a lot of attention from parents as she broke the mold regarding young lesbians as she was nothing like people expected as her, "Butch" phase quickly faded from memories and the young lady blossomed in front of their eyes with each passing day. The Stoners started to split among themselves as they got closer to the older girls of the family. They were different than the others as they enjoyed a variety of activities ranging from dance classes to youth sports. The fact that their boyfriends were involved in youth sports, particularly little league, got the girls great pleasure as they competed against them, and usually won, making the boys jealous. After the wedding, he Campbells saw their son Angus growing into a man as he was introduced then fell in love with a lovely young woman who had fallen for him as well thanks to Reed Pena. The two were set up on a blind date with Reed and Jessie as their minders/confidants. It was love at first sight for them as Angus was strapping and had a big heart as he showed his sensitive side immediately as he saw her shivering in the theater offered his coat to her instead of trying offering his body heat so he could, "Cop a feel" of her breasts. The two dated multiple times before he invited her to his senior prom while she did the same to him at her senior prom. Her parents were happy that he was charming and from a good family even if they were unknown to most of the city, but with it known that they were considered to be part of the Finn Family it made up for that unfamiliarity. He never tried to move beyond a goodbye kiss whenever the two were together and when asked about it he said he refused to do something that would upset her parents which only served to make her parents like him all the more. The two had sex after her prom and she ended up pregnant. Angus manned up and asked her to marry him, which she tearfully agreed to. Their families weren't pleased but they were both over 18 and had shown that they were mature enough to handle being married. She delayed the start of college due to the baby while Angus worked hard. He earned good money as an apprentice electrician but still lived with her parents in their home. She had no siblings so she would often spend her time at the Campbell home when her parents were at work, growing closer to them as time went on as they helped her endure the ups and downs of pregnancy. Angus' sister Maisie had in her new sister-in-law a role model for how to be a good sister, with her sister-in-law reveling in the role of sister to Maisie. Maisie ended up becoming like a second daughter to her in- laws' family with the couple more than happy to have her call them, "Aunt" and, "Uncle." They were closer to her than her actual aunt an uncle, who cut off all ties to the Campbells when Maisie started her transition two years before. Maisie experienced great personal growth as her first true friendships and her budding love life began to intertwine. She had multiple friends with Jordan King and Fiona Nelson being her best friends, but they immediately started to become a close second to her romance with Jacob King. It was tough to keep herself together whenever she saw Jacob and if not for Fiona she may have lost herself in her lust. Jacob and Maisie were a close pair. Once school started in the new year the two made a huge splash as the, "Disfigured tranny boy," as most of the boys in their grade called Maisie, kissed deeply as the two parted to head to their classes causing a commotion as the girls in their grade were both disgusted by the boys' reactions and shocked that Jacob would choose Maisie over any of them. When they were seen almost cuddling at lunch it was clear that they were not a fake couple as most suspected, they were actually borderline lovebirds like their friends. Jacob's kissing of Maisie after school was a big scandal among the kids as their parents thought it was sweet especially as he had shown himself to be a perfect gentleman towards Maisie. Jordan and their brother Joshua were in a fit of giggles as the couple kissed, with Maisie's toes curling over the kiss. She was left gasping for air while the trip were driven home by a smirking Karen Smith. Joshua was someone who needed a lot of guidance when it came to women, especially those who were close to him. He and Nichole Smith danced around one another but it took prompting from Ethan Smith for the couple to finally kiss and start to grow closer. She was in tears as they kissed the first time on their own, it was what she always hoped her first kiss would be like while Joshua was left speechless as he was unsure what to do next as he had fulfilled his desire to kiss a beautiful girl on the lips. Karen just smiled at the couple's reactions, not daring to say anything lest her own first kiss get brought up by Joshua's mother Yvette. It was just too sweet of a sight to say anything anyway, the couple were in a stupor as she walked Nichole to her car to return home. Joshua needed his brother's help to walk back inside, while Jordan just grinned widely at him being so immature yet mature about the kiss. Ivan and Yvette King struggled with parenthood once the euphoria of having two sons and a daughter wore off. The couple had a lot of trouble budgeting their time among what the kids were doing after school then with medical appointments. They relied heavily on the Campbells and Smiths for help but eventually reached a balance as the boys started to grow closer to Steven Pierce and Dante Kelly. The boys would often go with their friends while Jordan went with Maisie or Fiona allowing the Kings a centralized location to pick them up. In the Spring they got serous about their moving to the same neighborhood so the kids would be able to go over their friends' house without having to ask first and would be able to go home simply by walking down the street. The other parents were happy that they were starting to see that their neighborhood was too far off even if it was in the same city, with them being in the densely populated South Side rather than Grist Hill or Twatville like the other members of the family lived. The Kings found a house in early April, it just happened to be next to the Campbells. The former owner had passed away and her grandchildren had opted for a quick sale to split the money evenly. The Kings had enough in their savings to put a down payment but John Finn stepped in to pay off the mortgage and give the kids what they needed most without their parents worrying about money. In all honesty, he explained that it was for the kids' sake as they would be around kids their own age and who were used to kids who went through similar circumstances. Maisie was in tears when she was told the news, with Jacob being told that he was going to have their trust that he would not break the rules and try to sneak out with Maisie. The two blushed as the image sank in, causing their parents to all agree that it was never going to happen now that they knew that their parents knew it was possible. Stan and Oliver Stoner found themselves in hot water at school as the new year started as the girls of their school looked at them with disgust. Rebecca Lopez was trying her hardest not to laugh while her friends let out big fits of cheers as Stan and Oliver failed miserably to try to entice their classmates. Rebecca gave them a knowing, "I told you so" look which only served to upset them further. The twins tried each period to get girls to pay attention to them. None of them would even look at them let alone offer listen to them. Their uncle Justin gave them a smirk while John told them to knock it off, they were about to cross the line into harassment if they kept up their constant badgering of the ladies. The day ended with Harper Carter sending them to the principal's office as she heard them threaten one of the loner girls. She knew why that girl was often alone, she was pregnant and her parents were not in the mood to deal with their daughter's unwanted pregnancy. The poor girl fought tears as the boys tried to entice her, when she was about to break Harper intervened and offered her comfort and acceptance. Stan and Oliver failed miserably to explain their actions and were suspended for two weeks. When they returned they tied to go after the girl again, only to see her secret and make fun of her by calling her all sorts of lewd names. The poor girl broke down in tears and was comforted by Harper while John forced the twins to walk down to the principal's office in shame and accept another suspension. Stan and Oliver still didn't learn and went after the girl a third time, this time earning an expulsion as it was now beyond bullying and was now criminal harassment. Naomi Stoner sighed and sent the boys packing, shipping them off to their maternal great-grandfather's home in Maine until they turned 18. They would either work or they would be out on the streets. The duo still didn't learn their lesson and were homeless once they turned 18. They traveled the country for years doing odd jobs and earning a meager living and eventually met up with two women at a restaurant in Boston who were more than happy to enjoy nights of fun with the two mysterious men. They stayed with the ladies for a year but ran off when they found out that their new ladies had become pregnant with their children. The ladies were devastated when they realized what happened and supported one another until they gave birth but had to go their separate ways. The babies were left in the care of their grandmother who felt that it was best if they were raised by their aunt Tabby and her husband. They would never know the men who had fathered them, but would know love and support as the Stoners and Joneses and all of their extended family would ensure that they had plenty of each. The young girl whom the twins had tormented chose to do the ultimate thing for her child: give her up for adoption. She specifically chose Deborah and Patrick Peterson to be her daughter's parents, begging Deborah to be her daughter's new mother as she could never give her the life she deserved. She was in no condition to support a child on her own and was going to have to move to Seattle to live with her grandparents after the baby was born as she couldn't stay with her embarrassed parents. Harper acted as an intermediary for the couple and the girl. She knew the girl best and was happy to be the surrogate mother to her while she endured the issues her pregnancy brought. The couple were at a loss for words as Harper was adamant that she was the right choice for the baby's parents, with the couple unable to refuse such a noble gesture from a girl who needed their help. The baby was born in late June and within a week her mother left, leaving only an emergency contact but telling the couple to only use it if it was a life and death situation. The couple had little trouble with the adoption as they only had to present evidence to Judge Martha Perez that the mother was in full agreement and the father wanted nothing to do with the baby and the girl's parents were unwilling to be the baby's grandparents. She simply had them wait a week then reappear, granting the adoption. She took to Deborah quickly, trying hard to suckle from her breasts causing Deborah to cry as the little girl drank from her lactating breasts. The little act was something Deborah had dreamed about doing but never believed possible, with Patrick kissing her cheek as their new daughter fed. It was a touching scene, made all the more touching as their new daughter fought to get at her other breast. Little Dorothy Lilly Peterson was officially adopted two full weeks after she was born and with her on her mother's breast drinking while Judge Perez shook her head with pride at the little display. It wasn't intentional yet it was perfect as she claimed Deborah as her mother without ever realizing it. It took all of her might to say something but Judge Perez simply told the couple, "No need for words, you have shown that you are Dorothy's parents in full. Enjoy your bundle of joy, she's beautiful." For Julius Stoner, things were not so easy. He was a marked man when he returned to school as even though the school was tolerant of people with differences they still didn't have to accept them. He faced constant bullying and harassment from classmates and others who wanted to get some points with the, "Cool" crowd even if those people were only, "Cool" in their own minds. Julius found some support from the girls of his cluster who saw a troubled boy who needed help and who was always a good person to them. They were a bit upset that he was "off the market" for them but he was still a good person to be around. They took him under their wing and were able to raise his spirit while keeping girls and some boys who were out of line with him at bay. He found a kindred spirit in another gay boy who came out to harsher circumstances. His family tossed him out forcing him to live in a shelter while finishing school. Naomi felt for the boy and was able to get custody of him so he at least had a place to stay and someone to care for him. The two were extremely close and after a month shared a loving kiss. Seeing her son kissing a boy was a shock to Naomi but he was a good person who had own over her son's heart. She knew this meant that she could not take the boy a her own son, but she hoped they stayed together as a couple so that one day he may become her son-in-law. The couple did indeed marry, with Naomi loving that he had called her, "Mom" ever since the two made their coupling public. There were a lot of people who had snide remarks and angry comments about the two but most of them were critical of anyone who had found someone to love. The couple were rarely apart and in school it was eventually accepted that they were together and wasn't a big stunt by them. The couple graduated college with one going into anthropology while the other sociology making for a unique couple as their cousins joked. They would adopt several young kids who only saw them as their fathers and not two gay men. Their sons were just like every other boy making anyone who said any kind of snide comment look like fools as the boys ran circles around their kids in sports. Ezra Heath IV was put on trial later on in the year and it became the biggest trial in state history, even bigger than the trials of the Duane Todwell or the people implicated by Roland Finn. The evidence was damning, there was no way he could escape the charges without bribing the jury in Suffolk County and given that he was miles away from his base of support, there was little he chance of any help coming his way. His ego and swagger were seen as a load of hot air as the jury and judge weren't intimidated by him in any way while the public got to see the real man on display and few liking what they saw. The trial was a slam dunk for the prosecution, with Willie and Kennedy Pena never breaking stride nor wavering in their testimony while the other arresting officers supported the duo's claims. Ezra had no way of countering them and with the judge refusing to allow Ezra's lawyer to even think of going after Kennedy's gender change he had nothing to use against her. He had no defense of his own, the officers were too hard to refute and his hired thugs turned on him to save themselves from being charged with worse offenses than assault and witness intimidation. Ezra was convicted then sentenced to what amounted to the rest of his life in prison as the judge gave him 20 years combined in prison for his charges. His legacy was ruined by the conviction, with his resignation going down as one of the turning points in the history of the state with multiple politicians being brought down in the aftermath. The whole of the Pioneer Valley and most of the small towns adjacent to it saw their local politicians resigning, retiring, or going out of their way to prove that they were not connected to Ezra Heath IV and his dirty money thus breathing new life into the state. Austin Woods moved into the Samuels home at his granddaughter's insistence. When he moved in, she was happier and seemed to find a new lease on life as she mellowed out quite a bit and became less crabby with her brothers and her friends. When asked about that, Al tearfully told Alison, "He's my grandfather, I never had one before. I don't want to lose him because he doesn't feel welcomed by us. Dad has never been happier and I don't want dad to get upset because I can't stop being a bitch." Al kept close to Austin and was happy that he would often be around to help her with schoolwork and help her with relationship woes. She never noticed that she was giving Austin what he had always wanted in life: a loving family. Austin always made time for her and listened to her even if he was busy, keeping her in check at times while ensuring that she enjoyed herself outside of school and friends. Austin and his son Richard grew to be close as Richard accepted him as his real father. They got along well and at times it was clear to all that they shared a lot of similar features that could only be Austin's genetics at work. Richard was not afraid to show off Austin to his friends and colleagues especially as he was someone who deserved to be touted as a real man vs. some of their "father in name only" dads. When Austin's father-in-law died in prison, Richard sued the estate on behalf of his mother and Austin. Austin refused to take a penny, it belonged to Richard as the next-of-kin to the late Ezra Heath through his mother. Austin was adamant, he didn't want anything from the man who took his wife and son from him and who threatened to harm his family just to keep his criminal acts from being exposed. The estate fought in court and all of the dirty laundry was aired that Ezra Heath tried to hide. He had a hand in a lot of investments, totally well over $500 million despite his claims to being a humble farmer from rural Massachusetts. His legacy was a lie, one carefully built up over time and hidden behind a lot of bluster and threats against anyone who tried to investigate the truth. The probate judge asked for and received confirmation that Richard was Ezra's grandson and declared his estate to be Richard's as he was his legitimate heir and his will was made out after he was convicted on all counts of his crimes in court in relation to the cover-up of the death of Richard's mother/Ezra's daughter. His executor tried to protest but as it was proven that he was going to receive a generous payment from the estate his actions were dubious and not in the estate's interests and if he continued the judge would order him removed as executor with embezzlement charges brought against him. Richard was vastly wealthy, especially as he sold off all of the family land and made a sizable $600 million overall from the final sale of assets. He put all of the money away, telling his sons and daughter that it would go to them but not for a long time. It was their rightful inheritance as well, he didn't want a penny of it and as the descendants of the Heaths it was their legacy to received. He tried to give Austin a home of his own but Austin was content to live with the Samuels so long as they wanted him there. It was a token gesture as Richard didn't want Austin to feel obligated to stay with the family. Austin didn't see it that way, he was being given love that he sorely needed and was by his son's side which was something no father could grow tired of. Austin kept busy by working on his memoirs, something Sean, Louis, and Walter insisted that he do. It was a tale that would make even the most hardened solider cry at as it was a lot of emotion and feelings that he had kept hidden for decades. Richard could barely contain himself as he read the passage about his mother and Austin's feelings, but was happy to know that he held out hope that she was still alive. Austin's book was a bestseller, with the Army having to frequently tell reporters that it was the full truth and they were happy to hear that someone was willing to showcase an unreported part of history. He was a guest at multiple Army functions as he promoted the book, with many old soldiers who had met him coming out to shake his hand. There were a few that he told to, "Fuck off" then told about their involvement in one of the worst events in Fort Devens history: that of the men's concerted effort to force Brent Finn out of the Army. Austin's tour took a toll on him and when he returned home he wasn't the same. He started to fall ill and after two months he passed away in his sleep. Al had the unfortunate luck of finding him, screaming as she found his lifeless body in his bedroom with a smile on his face clutching a picture of the family. Al would recover. She vowed to name her eldest son after Austin. She loved the man more than anyone would know and through him she found her own inner strength to be the woman she really was. Richard would donate a large amount of money to various charities and funded major upgrades at several hospitals that he insisted would be named in honor of his mother and father. The, "Wilma and Austin Woods Pavilion" was his biggest donation, done at the hospital that had employed him for years but he ensured other hospitals that had helped the family over the years received proper upgrades to their ERs and pediatric wards. It was Austin's legacy, one that Sean, Louis, and Walter were proud to tell Richard that Austin would be proud of. The planning for the next weddings took all Spring and Summer. Jenna and George were wed on the 4th of July in a small ceremony that their friends enjoyed viewing online. Eric Vincent served as the best man while Claire Peterson was the maid of honor, with the two being forced to accept the roles by their friends as they had been the closest to the couple for years. Eric wasn't long in walking down the aisle with Jessica Nelson. The couple wed in early August and saw the full family enjoying a wedding on Kensington Beach as they simply didn't bother with any of the formalities beyond having Judge Matthews perform the ceremony. It drew a big crowd, with the whole event ending up on the news as the couple ran into the water after the ceremony while Judge Matthews grinned widely and the crowd cheered. The last couple to wed were Will Bollinger and Claire Peterson. Their wedding was over the Labor Day weekend and took place on a ship in Boston Harbor just before the end of summer fireworks show. It was perfect timing as Judge Matthews had the right signals and milked it just enough to have the couple kissing during the start of the show giving the two the perfect images for their wedding album. The only ones who didn't enjoy the ceremony were the eight newborns and infants. Johnny Finn, Wyatt and Deborah Bailey, Dorothy Peterson, Sylvia Samuels, and BJ, Harry, Ophelia, and Lillian Smith cried until the start of the ceremony then cried after, giving their parents a rough evening but showing they were part of the family even if they were acting like brats. They took after their parents, with the Smiths getting their just desserts in the eyes of their grandmother and great-uncle. The whole harbor cruise ended on a happy note as Stacy Nelson went into labor and gave birth an hour after the boat docked. Quentin Daniel Nelson was born with the family eagerly awaiting at home for the call from the couple. He was heard screaming in the background as he was being examined, with Scott barely able to string together two words but happy for his wife and son. The family grew over that long year, but it wasn't the end of it growing. Even when the family wasn't trying to grow, it grew. People who were simply friends to the family and trying to live their own lives were forced to become part of it through circumstances beyond their control. The family was a constant source of pain for those who sought to exude their bigotry and opinions on others, with no occupation left untouched by the family's impact on their hometown and state. Over the years, the name "Finn" came to symbolize righteousness, honor, fortitude, and justice and was a name that you dared not go against unless you wanted to lose badly. Those who dared found that they were overpowered, over-matched, outnumbered, and outflanked by sheer numbers of people ready, wiling, and able to help out those in need and stand by those they love. The End.