Zak Saturday ran. Sprinted, more. Sweat pouring down his back, not taking satisfaction in the knowledge of the fact that it was only a training session in his own house, due to the pouring Pacific Northwest rain. Doyle and Dad wouldn't be happy unless he gave it his all. Deciding to take the risk, he looked over his shoulder.

"Ow!"

Doyle stood over him. He had run into the very man he was supposed to be hiding from. Realizing frantically he had nothing to lose, he shot the Claw around Doyle and pulled him down. Once Doyle landed with a satisfactory 'umph' Zak retracted the Claw and ran , straight through to his safe ground, the kitchen, where Drew was pulling her latest try at brownies out of

the oven.

"Oh, good, you're done. Dr. Nimno has been trying to talk to Doc for an hour now." She said with our looking up, frowning down at the stubborn confections that refused to move from the pan. Doc and Doyle ran in. Doc rounded on Zak.

"You ran into him, Zak. Into him!" Doc started, but Doyle cleared his throat with a clear message- 'that's my job.' Doc let him take over.

"Mini-man, don't look back. Just put your head down and run like Argost's after you. In a real situation, he probably would be." He patted his nephew's shoulder and grabbed the pack of Oreo's from the pantry at the sight of his sister's brownies. Doc went to the view phone and called Dr. Nimno.

"Who is Dr. Nimno?" Zac asked his uncle with a mouthful of Oreo cream. Doyle shrugged and took another cookie.

"James. Long time no see." Doc told the middle aged, pepper haired man on the screen.

"I'll tell you in a sec. James! How's Alicia?" Drew told the two boys and then turned to the screen.

"Just fine, thank you. You'll see her soon if you hear me out." Doc nodded his consent.

"Two days ago, we were doing patrol around Weirdworld, our shift. Jake was driving around the back roads when he saw a figure emerge from the mist. A young woman, dressed in the rags of designer clothes. With the Weirdworld emblem on her wrist. She held her thumb out like a hitchhiker, and when Jake pulled over to her, and she got in, she immediately became unconscious. Jake brought her home, and we took care of her. 12 hours later, she woke up. And she told us who she was. We had already done a i.d. check, but the confirmation was nice. We asked why she was at Weirdworld. She said she didn't know why, only that she had been kidnapped on V.V. Argost's command, and had been held there for 5 months. And that he wanted information only she could give."

Doc leaned forward. "Who is it?"

James Nimno looked solemn. "Alice Mithe."

Doc bit down on the inside of his lip, his knuckles becoming white on the table. "Can I see her?"

"You need to come down here to California, she's to fragile to move right now." James motioned to the background behind him, a living room with a view of the mountains.

Doc snorted. "Yeah. Fragile. We're coming down now. Expect us around 3." James nodded, and communication was cut off.

Zak waited until everyone was on the airship and his parents had put on auto pilot. "Alice Mithe? Is this the Alice from-"

"Paris. You couldn't have been 6!" Drew remembered dreamily. "You and Alice had a handshake. You probably know Alice better as Alice Barnaby." She added to Doyle.

"Barnaby? As in the shipping empire Barnabys?" Doyle asked.

"The same. Alice was adopted with the rest of her 10 siblings. Her given name is Mithe." Doc had an arm slung over his face, and hadn't moved until now. "Her father was my best friend. I am her godfather."

"Slacking, aren't you?" Doyle sniggered, and Fisk snored pointedly from his hand from the ceiling.

"I didn't KNOW!" Doc yelled forcefully, then settled back down. "If anything has happened to her, I will go and kick Argost's sorry-"

"ANYWAY." Drew cut off her husband. "We last visited her in Paris, when Zak was 6. She was working as a fashion editor for Hautlaw." Doyle raised an eyebrow at the profession, but didn't say anything.

"She's cool, Doyle. Really! She can kick butt!" Zak bounced enthusiastically in his seat, waking Fisk.

"Opounid sifnd sodjfd od!" Fisk agreed.

"I will believe that a fashion editor can kick butt when I see it." Doyle leaned back.

"Get ready to see the light. We're here." Drew initiated landing.

"Hey! Alice, Jake, Alicia, and Olivia are in the pool out back." James greeted Doc and Doyle with a handshake and Drew with a hug. "You hungry?" he asked Zak and Fisk. When they nodded, he handed them shakes and directed them to the cabana.

"Drew!" a Latina woman hugged Drew and Doc with feeling. She swooped down and caught Zak in her grasp. "It's been to long!" She offered a white smile to Doyle.

"Zak, Doyle, Alicia and James Nimno are the leading scientists in the field of spiritualists. Their oldest, Jake, is 16," he motioned to a dark haired, pale skinned teen doing a dive, "and Olivia is 13." He waved to a black haired, olive skinned beauty in a coral bikini who sat at the edge, waving her legs in the water. "Alice, who's 20, is there." He pointed to a dark chocolate haired girl with light golden skin. The orange bikini she wore only set off her beauty even more. Her skin still held a sickly tinge from her time in captivity, but it didn't touch the toned muscle that made up her body. The young woman ran through the diving board, flipping into a cannonball. She glided to the end of the pool, where she pulled herself up. Standing up, she saw the Saturday family. A wide smile broke across her pretty features, and she speed walked over to the assembled.

"Doc! I haven't seen you in forever! How about a hug?" Alice spread her arms out, water dripping off her. The Weird World emblem stood our on her wrist, two orange W's lined by black. Her smile had suddenly turned mischeifious.

"No thanks." Doc looked stunned at the sight.

Alice hugged him anyway. "Who's afraid of a little water?" she laughed. Doc returned the hug, as did Drew when it was her turn. The two adults turned to Alicia, and Alice turned her attentions to the boys.

"Zak-man!" Alice held up her hand as if for a high five, but she and Zak did an elaborate hand shake that involved a hip bump, a slow mo punch, and sliding. Doyle applauded them, and Alice turned her attention to the mysterious stranger.

"Think you can keep up?" she raised her hand again, and Doyle and she began the hand shake that Alice and Zak had just finished. Eventually Doyle forgot the rest of the shake, and it became a sissy fight.

"So I can't keep up. How about a hug?" a smile presided over Doyle's face as he spread his arms. At that moment, Olivia landed a cannonball that thoroughly soaked the Saturdays. Alice openly laughed.

"You're wet enough." Alice pointed out. Doyle frowned, and when Alice turned to answer Doc's call, Doyle grabbed her around the waist and swung her around. Shrieking with laughter, the girl playfully hit the man's bicep.

"Ow!" Doyle was surprised, and he flung the girl in the pool. She landed with a splash. She took it in stride, and swam to Doc and Drew on the other side of the pool. Zak turned to Doyle.

"She's so gonna get you." Zak promised. Doyle shrugged with a 'wait-and-see' smile.

Fisk returned with burgers from the grill. Zak took his, and Doyle took a bite and watched as Alice rattled on to Doc about the cryptids in France.

"Some exotic non-native creatures, of course, some smugglers think it's funny to put animals in a totally different habitat and see if they can survive the strange area. I had the one's I found lifted out and taken home, trackers on them in case the smugglers come back. The natives are doing splendid, thriving. My partner thinks it funny to put a high-browed leaf monkey in the stuck up neighbor's balcony to watch the wealthy freak at a harmless cute creature, but I asked him to stop, and he has for the most part. I've been using the vacations and sick days I've built up to work on the problem Dijon is having with a Lua'luau." Alice updated Doc.

"Dijon, France? I've got a couple contacts there. Last time I checked in with them, they did say something about domestic disturbances that were fishy." Doyle strode into the conversation, hoping to draw Alice's attention.

Alice nodded. "The Lua'luau is noted for its fascination with home appliances, especially anything that makes light. Lamps and such. They invade the home, hoping to make off with a couple of the lights. The wives screaming about a giant scaly hamster would generally be fishy."

"And how's Hautlaw?" Drew was very up to date in the fashion world, though she preferred her jump suit.

"Fabulous. We are still deciding on some winter fashions, but I helped Calvin with some things, so he's agreed to do some of the line, which is huge, and a big shove in the face to my contenders." Alice adjusted her bikini strings.

"I simply must have the skirt that he designs." Doyle imitated a high falsetto, supposedly a fashion obsessed New York woman.

Alice sighed. "Doyle, the industry I work in involves backstabbing, inside contacts, courage, creativeness, spying, tracking, technology, and enemies. What career am I?"

"Bounty hunting?" Doyle was used to all those things, he had been efficient in having and getting all of those.

Alice turned her bright eyes into his, and for the first time, he looked straight into hers. They were a stunning blue, with knowledge and age that a girl her age shouldn't carry. They held him, in a both calming, comforting, knowing, and trapping, harsh, cold way.

"Fashion." She said softly, her eyes never leaving his, as if his were the captivating and holding ones.

Doyle turned to Zak. "Okay, so one fashion designer out there can kick butt." Alice gave a stunning smile and gave Doyle a gentle shove, enough to make him stumble back a step, and when he balanced out again, he picked her up and dangled her over the pool. "But she wasn't smart enough to realize that she shouldn't go up against dangerous me." He whispered in her ear.

"Doyle, Zak, we have trunks for you if you want them." James broke in and offered two pairs of board shorts, one with Hawaiian print and the other with a wave insignia. Doyle put down Alice and went to get his. James gave the Hawaiian to Zak, and as Doyle reached for his, a shove to the back sent him flying into the pool. When he surfaced, a pair of trunks landed on his head. He grabbed them off, to see Alice, arms crossed, with a smug smile. Zak was laughing.

"Okay. You got me." Doyle flicked his hair out of his eyes. Alice gave him a dazzling smile, and jumped in after him. Zak went in to the house to change, followed by Olivia, who wanted to shower, and Jake, who had a video game running downstairs. Alice turned to her godfather.

"James basically said 'V.V. Arogost is bad.' I could have gathered from watching the show and my five moths in the pen. Demented, he is." The girl was sitting on the steps. She shivered at the thought, and Doyle swam over to put his arm around her. "So what is the in-depth story?" She pushed his arm off.

"Start with the stealing of the Kur stones." Suggested James, checking his watch for the time, it was 5. Doc did, and told the family's tale.

"So Abby escaped, and promised to finish the job." Doc shrugged. Olivia, who had come back out, yawned.

"I hope she realizes that means going through me." Alice growled, and Doyle flinched. He had challenged her to a sparing match during a break in the story, and Alice had thoroughly beaten him, exploiting every weakness and using pressure points to take him down, and making him immobile for a couple minutes. From what he could judge, Abby and Alice would be a pretty even match. But someone would win. And he hoped it would be Alice. Then he flinched. Doc had left out the fact that he and Abbey dated, he had felt Drew's eyes on him when Doc had gotten to the part about meeting Abbey at the docks. He had to work to keep his face straight. Yes, he had flirted with Alice, but that wasn't what he felt bad about. It was the fact that she didn't flirt back. Abbey hadn't either. It would have been easy, boring, if she had, a small relief from the pain of Abbey. But she hadn't, so his interest in Alice had gone up involuntarily, and the pain from Abbey kicked up a notch every time she refused his advances.

"What did you think our story?" Drew took everyone's thoughts away from Van Rook and his apprentice.

"I think the writers of House, All My Children, Grey's Anatomy, and James Patterson couldn't have created a better story. Contrary to your thoughts, Olivia, I think that every one in the Saturday family and Doyle are heroes." Alice had been spell bound the whole story. "This is better than any TV show any day." The story had taken 2 and a half hours with narration form Doc, additions from Drew, interjections by Zak, and comments and re-telling at times by Doyle, and a break.

"We are pretty entertaining." Zak shrugged.

"Uoudshf sodofog hugaerec." Fisk danced to punctuate his point.

"I'm not sure that a reality show is what your parents had in mind, Fisk." Alice laughed. "Though it would be a hit. Top of the charts, I'm sure."

"I'm sure the public would enjoy the scenes of us bashing Argost, him being a celebrity and all." Drew and Alicia were side by side, Doc on Drew's other side.

"I don't know. Argost deserves the worst bashing that the world can dish out and more." Alice's jaw was hard set, and by the looks on the Nimno's faces, this was the first reference to her captivity she had made. Drew cleared her throat.

"Alice, would you like to tell us about why you were Argost's prisoner for 5 months? You don't have to if you're not ready." Drew took Alice's hand. Alice shook her head.

"I think I'll feel better if I get it out. I'll need to start from the beginning." Alice took the bottled water offered by Jake, and the group settled in to hear her story.

"My father is David Mithe, of the Mithe family. A billionaire family of business, and my grandfather deep-set in tradition, had high hopes for my father, his oldest son, for a wife. Only a pretty girl from a wealthy family would do. My father was handsome and good at business, but was the black sheep due to the fact that he had his heart set in Cryptozoology. He was a great scientist, and even my grandfather realized it would be a waste not to let him study. At 25, a Harvard grad and a certified genius, he asked his father for a trip to the Middle East as a graduation present, to allow him to study a new subject of Cryptozoology. My grandfather agreed.

One day in the 5 month trip, my father headed into a bar in Egypt, intending to work. He sat down to wait for his waiter. He turned on his laptop, and began to work, until a voice interrupted him. "May I take your order?" My father looked up, and quote, "Saw an angel in the dirty grime of a backwater bar." My mother, Sylvia Eunic, is of French-Swede decent. Blonde, blue eyed to my father's dark hair and eyes. Offers for modeling out the ass. Manners better than any politians' wife, the girl parents want for their sons. But, not rich. From a middle class family, oldest of two. My father looked her in the eye. "I'll have a beer, gyros, and an hour with you after your shift."

My mother was used to offers like this, but my father was persistent, eating only there in Egypt and staying an extra three days. She gave in, and he took her with him on the rest of his trip, and by the end, were secretly engaged. My father knew that is father wouldn't approve, and my father left Sylvia with her family when he went home to Virginia to seek permission and a blessing of marriage from his parents. When my grandfather was told from his oldest and most promising son that he was going against orders and marrying a nobody from Germany, he had a fit and disowned him. My grandmother gave my father a fee every month, with every intention of re-inheriting him later. But my father was a self-made man from several patents, and had enough to support a family. So he returned for Sylvia, and they were married in France.

They bought a cottage in the hills of Germany and continued his work. They were accepted into the community, no one knowing they lived among a billionaire who could by the whole town. My mother worked in a catering service, and sung publicly in front of crowds. My mama had a voice. My father's work was not on cryptids species. It's on ancient habitats, ancient cryptids. He is the most knowledgeable person on lemurians. He has more papers on them then Alexandria's library can hope too, and he shared all this with me, pulling me up on his lap and shoeing me charts, maps, the anatomy of lemurians. And all other ancient cryptids, such as the Spynix, Loch Ness, Anubis, Horus, and dragons. We were happy, until when I was three. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and since it was detected late, she died when I was four.

My father threw himself even more deeply into his work. But Argost caught word of his studies for Kur, and was determined to have my father's knowledge. My father caught wind of his coming, and we were able to hide the books, papers, maps, tablets, and other information before Argost and Munya arrived. They threatened my father with my life, but a message from someone harried them, and they had me taken away by his men. But, my father was taken to the forest, and I heard his scream mingled with a gunshot, and knew they had killed him, because he hadn't give them the information. I was put in an New York orphanage at six, and was adopted at seven by the Barnabys.

I was a genius, but a hothead. I took all forms of martial arts and yoga to calm myself. I graduated Harvard at 14, with a major in law and a minor at in Cryptozoology. I was offered a fashion editing spot in Paris at 15, and I took it. Five months ago, I noticed someone following me. All I could identify was that he had a Russian accent, he never showed his face. One day, leaving work, I haled a taxi, and getting in, instructed the driver to my place. Instead, he began a drive to, I didn't know it, the Weird World mansion. I opened my mouth to ask why he wasn't taking me to my desired destination, but the diver turned around, and I realized it was the follower, and he slapped a chloroform rag over my mouth. I woke up in a cell. Argost had realized I knew what my father knew, and wanted the information now more than ever. I was held captive, with torture, but I refused. He made me go to social events, so it seemed nothing was wrong. He had the Weird World emblem tattooed on my wrist. I planned escape from the moment I could think straight, but it was only the night you found me that I made good on my plan. I distracted the guards at one of the partys I was forced to attend, and sneaked through the nightmare house, thanks so some guards leading a drunk from the premises. I made it out, down to the road, where Jake pulled over."

Drew came over and put her arms around Alice. Zak tried to disguise a yawn as he came over to his uncle and friend.

"Bed." His mother said immediately. It was around 9:45, and Zak was fighting to keep his eyes open. Alice put her arm around him. Doyle laid back in the Nimno's recliner in the living room, as Drew took Zak to the guest bed where he would sleep and Alice fought Olivia over the teen's bedtime. When Alice entered the room again, she held a platter of coffee mugs with creamer and sugar. Doc took his black, Drew, two creamers, and Doyle, cream and sugar with a bit of coffee. Alice had hers like Drews'.

James cleared his throat. "Alice, do you like the Saturdays?" he asked.

"Of course. They're my family." Alice smiled at the Saturday parents.

"You're knowledgeable with cryptids, are smart, and can fight." Doc went on.

Alice shot a confused look at Doyle.

"We want you to join the team." Doyle explained.

"If you want to." Drew added.

"Of course I want to. I'd love to!" Alice was ecstatic.

"Are you doing the right thing? Inviting Alice to join when you have barely seen her?" Alicia's motherly instincts were kicking in. She rolled her coffee mug in her hands.

"Absolutely. Alice graduated law school at 14, with a minor in Cryptozology, and was offered a job as a fashion editor as a cover up for her research on cryptids. She is her father's daughter, a instinctive fighter, relying on speed and precision. I think she would make a perfect tutor for Zak."

"Teacher Alice. Has a ring." Alice smiled. "I would need to get textbooks, just a couple. Zak would be out of college for biology, so lets' do a high school chemistry. Algebra, some Language Arts books, a U.S and World History book…"Alice trailed off.

"How is Zak going to do training and play school? We work all day." Doyle grabbed the flat screen remote and started flipping the channels.

"You rarely get up before noon. Lessons in the morning, training in the afternoon. Homework, of course." Drew nodded.

"WHAT?" Zak burst forth from his hiding place behind the island in the kitchen that was connected the family room. "Homework? It's summer." He tried a final bid for freedom.

"Zak, your mother and I have been talking about it for months, even before Kur became a danger again. Your mother and I do the best we can, but you need someone who can dedicate herself to your knowledge. You've got a trainer for your skills, and now for your brain." Doc wasn't surprised his son was eavesdropping.

"We can't start until I get textbooks, which are in New York." Alice smiled at her student.

"Okay. But I'm not going to have to read the textbooks, am I?" Zak sulked over to the seat between Alice and Doyle. Then he caught sight of his mother's face and headed back to his room.

"Bed sounds great." Alice rose.

"It's just after 10:00. Do you always go to bed early?" Doyle found a rerun of Weird World and stopped the channel surfing.

"Captivity takes a lot out of a person. She'll probably go back to her normal bed time in two days." Doc's arm was around the place where Drew had been.

Alice wrinkled her nose in contempt. "Bedtime." She gave James and Alicia a hug, then went to the guest room where she had been sleeping.

"Isn't how this thing with Abbey started?" James said, and killed the buzz that was flowing through the Saturdays.

"I'm going to bed." Doyle and Drew were in unison as they rose.

"I'm going to bed?" Doc was startled as Drew pulled him up and to their room. Doyle asked for directions to his, and disappeared when he got them.

"Did I say something?" James joked to his wife. She cocked an eyebrow. "Just kidding!" he yelled after his wife.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry you have to leave this quick." Alicia and Drew hugged as James and Doc shook hands.

"No, you were aching to get me out of the place." Alice hugged Jake, making the teenaged boy blush, making his sister roll her eyes over Alice's back at him when she got her hug.

"Zak, Doyle, you've got to come back soon. Halo 4 comes out soon, and I just got 3-D for video games." Jake and the boys had bonded over Tony Hawk's Underground and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Jake had been handed his ass when Doyle, ( playing as Snake) Fisk,(playing as Marth) and Zak (playing as Pit) teamed up on him, but Jake was a good sport.

"We have to talk about Stella's fall line." Olivia chatted to Alice and Drew. "I have big hopes for the boho-sleek look."

"Of course. If we can't come in person, by vid phone." Alice promised. She gave the girl one last hug, gave the Nimno's a final smile, and followed Fisk onto the airship.

"Whoa." Alice stopped and looked around the huge cockpit. "I think I might need a tour guide." She admitted.

"I'll show you around." Doyle and Zak said in unison. Both stared at each other.

"How about the person who doesn't show me the airship does the house?" Alice quickly said.

"House." Doyle called. Zak scowled at him. Doyle smiled in response.

" Follow me. This is the cock pit. Dad's on the right, mom on the left. This is the global tracer." Zak gestured to the dome in front of the door. Fisk stood beside him and announced he would help. "If you come out here, this is the loading dock and the floor pulls out to …" the door shut to cut off his words. Drew and Doc walked on, and buckled into their co-pilot seats.

"Where's Zak, Alice and Fisk?" Drew initiated liftoff while Doc took over steering.

"Taking the grand tour." Doyle was mad that he had been out bided, but at least he got to show her the house. Then they could really talk.

"Good. If she wants a tour, then she must really take the offer seriously." Doc sounded pleased.

"She told me she wanted to go with us before we offered. Said that spiritualism was to weird for her. She didn't even know weather the Nimnos believed spiritualism or were skeptics." Drew set the auto pilot for home and rose to get a drink. "Coke, Doc?"

"I agree, I don't think James knows weather he believes. Yes, thanks, to the Coke." Doc turned off auto pilot and manually drove the airship towards the coast.

"So you and Drew are close to Alice?" Doyle took the Coke offered by his sister.

"Yes. She's like a daughter to me." Doc took his Coke and took as sip and drove one handed.

"When I first met Alice, Doc and I were engaged. We stopped by the Barnaby's to pick something up, and I met her there. Even as a 10 year old, we clicked. She was at our wedding." Drew lifted a cup of hot chocolate to her lips.

"Wait. So your husbands goddaughter, age 10, was at your wedding, but I wasn't even invited?" Doyle's voice sounded outraged. His sister and brother-in-law turned, to see his teasing grin. "Just kidding."

"And here we are, back at the cockpit." Zak's face went from happy to stunned when he saw his mother. "Mom, are you drinking hot chocolate?"

"Yeah, I am. Do you want some?" she noticed her son's weird behavior. "Is there a problem with me drinking perfectly normal hot chocolate in summer?"

"You always were a bit cold." Doyle's grin was still on his face, and Alice's palm couldn't cover her throaty laugh.

"No. Mom, do we have mini marshmallows?" Zak looked worried.

"No. Why?" Drew gestured for Zak to come closer, and when he did, she checked his temperature.

"Mom. I'm fine. I feel fine." Zak wiggled away from his mom. Drew nodded and went back to the wheel, trading steering with Doc.

"Alice, you'll stay in the guest room that Doyle's not using. We'll get your stuff soon, but Sunday, Drew and I have a meeting with Dr. Grey and Dr. Odele." Doc finished the Coke and crushed the can, throwing it into recycling. Alice looked scandalized, as if Doc had suggested killing a puppy.

"Are you insane? I'll find a place of my own. You don't need me crashing up the place. Maybe Portland's Mondrian…" Alice dragged off. Now Doc looked horrified.

"Of course you're going to live with us, get it out of your head that you won't. You have every right to be with us full time, and you're brownies are amazing." Doc sounded dreamy. "With that coffee frosting and nuts and chocolate pieces…'

"Mm-hm." Drew cleared her throat.

"You're staying." Doc said fast.

"Fine, since you insist. But I am claiming the kitchen as my territory, if I remember Drew's cooking." Alice crossed her arms and leaned against the banister.

"Alright, here we are, home sweet home." Drew landed spot on the top of her million dollar home, and Fisk and Zak raced off the ship, followed slowly by Doyle and Alice.

"Ready for your tour?" Doyle gestured to the house.

Alice gulped. "Was it always this big?"

"This is the elevator down, Professor will put your stat's in so it'll accept you." Doyle joined into the already crowed elevator and pushed down.

"This is the center. All tech communications, top of the line in every tech. Through every door is the same circular hallway, the open doors lead off to the extensions, the closed to different rooms. This is the main door, we'll head out here." Doyle got off the elevator and showed Alice the dark, metal room, then through the door. "The door directly across is the kitchen, as demanded."

"Requested, more like." Alice strode into the bright room. The wall facing out was glass windows, with dining table in front. Right beside and along the inward wall was the kitchen, top of the line like everything else. The theme was red, black, and chrome, everything shining in its place. She turned back to Doyle. "Where to next?"

"Next to the kitchen on the right is the formal dining room," Doyle only opened the door quickly to reveal a room not unlike the kitchen, except minus the kitchen and the addition of the fine china cabinets. The table was long and elegant, with a white Egyptian linen table cloth. He closed the door. "And next to that is the family room." This room was bright like the rest, with a couch, a large flat screen with video game systems, surround sound, and a kitchenette in the back with a door to the porch surrounding the perimeter of the inner part of the house. Alice nodded approvingly, then turned to go the the next room. "Again to the right is Drew's plant room where Zak plays his games and we sometimes have training." Doyle flipped on the artificial lights and revealed the exotic plants within. He shut them off and moved to the next room. "Bathroom," he gestured to the next door. "Library." He tapped on the next door. They had made a complete circle, and so Doyle headed down the connecting tunnel to the North Extension. At the end of the tunnel, a cul-du-sak of three rooms. Two were plain, but the first on the left had signs and magazine pages torn out and taped to the door. The only one Alice was able to make out in the mess was the one on top reading 'Zak's Room, Stay Out- that means you Fisk- unless you knock.' Doyle knocked, and the door slid open to reveal a very clean room for and eleven year old boy, with blown up pictures of skateboarders and snowboarders, and a large dog bed for Komodo and bar across the ceiling for Fisk. Zak was on his bed, playing a DSi with Fisk cheering him on in his race of Mario Kart. Komodo was in the dog bed, sleeping.

"Come on, come on! Oh, hi, Alice Doyle." Zak looked up long enough for the announcer to announce 'First place: Zak Sat!' "Yes!" he turned back to the game. Komodo yawned. Doyle put is arm around Alice and led her to the room to the right.

"This is the door to the garden, Drew says they get most light here, I don't know." Doyle opened this door and revealed a patio covered in plants and flowers, a neat path winding through with occasional benches. Alice walked to the nearest one and read the plaque next to it.

"In loving memory of Doyle O'Connoley. A brother and annoyance." Alice read aloud. She turned back to the brother and annoyance. "You weren't that annoying, were you to deserve such a stab?" Doyle chuckled at the vauge memories he had preserved with care over the years.

"Are you kidding? I was terrible to Drew, but she put up with it stoically. She hit me, and I stopped for five minutes." Doyle smiled at Alice. "And you were the goody-two-shoes sister?"

"No." Alice sat on the bench and Doyle joined her. "I was the brave one."

Doyle laughed. "You're in the Barnabys, renound for bungee jumping. You have to give me more than that."

Alice fiddled with her fingers, then turned to Doyle. "You promise not to tell? I had to sign a confidentiality agreement, one I'm breaking." Doyle nodded and promised. "If I tell of my childhood, then you tell me yours." He agreed. She took a breath.

"I was the sixth oldest, but probably my parents' favorite oldest. Beacause," she paused, her voice cold. "My family is as bad as they say. Katie, the oldest, became a hopeless drunken partier when she turned 17. Most kids learn about the facts of life from parents or a book. My sister just left her door open and damned a curious 8 year old. She quit school, just partied and drank. Didn't try to hide it. My sister has lost a good bit of the inheritance covering her ass from paparazzi. Last I heard, my parents were still trying to convince her to go to rehab, and she was threatening emancipation. Witch is funny, because she is 29. Jesse, the next oldest at 27, is the boy I'm closest to, an artist, and he with drew from the family for about a year for his art. Amanda, at 25 is a lawyer who cut communications with us when she went to college, going back to her given name, and denies any relation to us. Damon is a soccer player for Barcelona, I think I was the last person to see him, he stopped by when he played. He has a wife and a child in Spain, a newborn. She'd be 7 months now. He was on the wrong side for a while, admitted to me that he has tried bong. But he pulled through. Bennie is the one I'm closest to, she's only a year older at 21. She was the sane one in my life besides Jesse, she is my rock and advisor. She's still in college at UVA for literature. Me next, then Thomas, 17, graduated this year. I missed it." Her voice had turned caring, reluctant at the last two described. It remained this way. "Kennedy, or Ken, is 14, he's the trouble maker. Stink bombs at VIP dinners, for Dad's present last year he gave him a wrapped box of nothing. Said opening it's the best part." Doyle laughed, and Alice smiled. "Jane is 8, she's our angel. Never a toe out of place, blonde, blue eyed. And Lilah is 6, and is our shy one. Like Linus, from Peanuts? When she speaks, it hits you that she's a darn smart girl. But most of my life at home, 5 years, I was the youngest in a family worse than the Hills, Laguna Beach, Baywatch, and any reality tv show they could ever cook up." Alice looked up at Doyle, who was staring thoughtfully at the plaque next to the bench. "Doyle, I've held up my part of the bargain. It's you turn." She prompted.

"Later." Doyle stood and took her hand, pulling her up.

"What! No, you-" Alice protested, but Doyle shook his head.

"I'll tell you I promise. Later. Now, we still have the east and west wings to show." He pulled her out of the garden, back into the house that looked slightly dark. "This is the music room, Zak had a guitar and sound board in there. And recording studio." Doyle didn't open the door, instead lead her down the two hallways to the east wing. "This is Doc and Drew's wing. Their room in the middle," he gestured to a tan door, "the meditation room on the right," this time a maroon red door, "and mini gym." He pointed with his left hand to the light steel door on the right. Alice realized Doyle hadn't let go of her hand, and she tried to remove her hand from his. Doyle's grip was strong, and she could have pulled away if she tugged harder, but Doyle didn't seem keen to let go, so she left her hand in his. Alice explored the gym quickly, then returned ot Doyle, who once again took her hand. This time, she did remove it from his grasp, and Doyle made no move to retrieve it, though she did catch him looking at her while see tested the weights in the gym. And when she was looking at every other part of the house. He lead her to the last wing of the house, the west wing, the guest part of the house. "The room on the right is mine," Doyle pointed to the door covered in signs like Zaks', except his all said 'Doyle' or 'Blackwell' in a different font. "the middle is the game room." He opened the door to reveal a room with a tan, dark red, and wood themed room with 3 game cabinets, three tv's, three couches, and game consoles.

"Someone's OCD." Alice ran her fingers over the couch. She turned back to Doyle with a smile. "How's your Mario Kart?" She tossed Doyle a wheel, and powered up the Wii. "Ready?" She counted down with the video game, and she and Doyle took off.

15 races later, Doyle was losing overall. "9 out of 16?" he offered. Alice just laughed and broke connection with the controls and the Wii.

"You were the one pressuring me on. I should probably see my room before dinner." She quit the game and rose from the couch, leaving an imprint where she had furiously fought against Doyle.

"How'd you get so good at video games?" Doyle put down the Wii wheel and followed her out of the room.

"Having two older brothers go through the same stage you and Zak are in makes for a lot of practice." Alice walked in front of her room and sighed. 'Here goes." Doyle opened the door.

The room was Japanese inspired, with a picture of Tokyo traffic at night, the crispness of it all, and the Frank Lloyd Wright furniture. It was done almost all in white and red, with a little black and chrome. Alice gasped, not expecting anything like this. She walked to the bathroom, opening the door to a bronze gold room, charming and comfy in a modern way. Doc and Drew walked in as Alice sat down on the bed, testing the mattress.

"Do you like it?" Doc asked watching the girl's eyes sweep the room again, delight on her features.

"I like it." She sounded pleased, as she noticed the tv across from the bed, with the stereo there.

"Then we'll get your stuff Wednesday. I'm sorry we couldn't do it earlier, but Doc and I have that meeting today, tomorrow we are going to tackle the Sasquach problem up near Mount Rainier, and Tuesdays are Zak's full training days. So we can go to New York Wednesday-" Drew sat next to Alice.

Alice shook her head. "My stuff is in Paris. Is it okay if we go there, not home?" there was a slight plea in her voice.

"Of course! I just assumed that your parents moved you stuff-" Drew looked stunned.

"My adoptive parents haven't visited me in a year total, before I was kidnapped." Alice leaned on Drew's shoulder. "I'm not ready to face them." She whispered. Drew nodded, and helped Alice up.

"And you won't yet. But now, I think I hear an Allegwi. No, wait, that's just Doyle's stomach." Drew smirked at her brother, more, his stomach, the butt of many jokes since joining the Saturdays.

"Har-de-har-har." Doyle rolled his eyes and followed Doc out of the room.

"I call cook." Alice's eyes brightened as soon as she walked out the door, bipolar in her switch.

Doc shook his head no. "You were this close to tears not a minute ago, but you're happy to make us dinner? No, it's my day, and I think I'll make Thai stir-fry." Alice insisted, but Doc refused to move.

"Fine. I'll let you off with a warning today. At least, put me in the cook rotation. Wait, one sec, Drew?" She called behind her. She and Doc had sped ahead of the siblings.

"Mm-hm?" Drew was paying attention to both Doyle, (who was telling Drew about Alice's reactions on the tour at Drew's command) and the conversation ahead of her.

"If we could make a stop in New York, I need to pick up Zak's school books. I can arrange something with my old middle school." Alice tapped her chin. "It's in Westchester, I hope you don't mind?"

"No, we can make the stop. Can you do the arranging with the school? What school is this?"

"It's actually the brother school of my school, I went to an all-girls. But all of my brothers go there, my dad went, and we have some pull with the board." The group entered the kitchen, to see Zak frantically change the channel to the nightly news.

"Hey, Mom, Dad, what's up?" Zak nervously pushed a hand through his hair, and Fisk offered a wave. Doc raised an eyebrow at the television. Zak smiled weakly and pressed 'Last' on the remote, showing that he had been watching Weirdworld. Doc walked over to his soon and whispered in his ear.

"Alice seeing the place she was held could trigger some bad reactions, don't watch it when she's-" he was cut off by Alice swinging herself over the couch and landing on the seat next to Zak in front of the kitchen TV.

"Weirdworld? Ah, I've been wondering how my old friend Munya is doing." Alice watched the bodyguard/chauffer unlock the cage of a spotted chimaera for Argost to train, like a ringmaster and a lion. She sniggered. "I don't know how anyone can stand being anywhere near 25 meters next to him, he reeks. I don't think he's had a bath since the Spanish Inquisition." She laughed her throaty laugh.

"Munya, if you please, you're distracting my toy!" Argost rasped as if on cue. Everyone in the kitchen stared at the TV as the creepy pale/purple man put the chimaera back in the cage. Doc grunted his disgust by the wok on the stove and Drew went back to chopping veggies.

"Zak, Doyle, set the table so Alice can see how we do it." Drew instructs the two, who moan and groan, but get up and set the table as fast as possible but as to pass inspection. Alice shakes her head and laughs, tuning back to the cable.

"Ooh, The Mummy is on tonight!" Alice high-fived Zak. "One of my favorites."

"One and two are pretty good, but the third sucked. Evie wasn't the same actress, and Brendan Frasier needs to let go of the franchise. I'll watch it with you." Doyle observed, crunching on a siren-red bell pepper he stole from his sister's pile of chopped veggies. He had gotten bopped on the head hard with a wooden spoon that had threatened to break in retaliation.

"Can I watch it? Please, Dad? Doyle and Alice are staying up!" Zak tried puppy eyes, that had made the most hardened marketers crack, but Solomon Saturday wasn't a food marketer, and he was used to pleas and begs from his only human son.

"No, Zak, it starts at 10, and you know fully well that only a week ago you were excited for you bedtime of 9:45." Doc turned back to the pan and stirred the stir-fry.

Alice leaned to Zak. "If it makes you feel better, my bed time at 11 was 9." Zak brightened at this, but remained sulky until dinner.

"Come and get it!" Drew practically sang as she placed the stir-fry, rice, dumplings, and spring rolls on the table. Doc sat at the head, with Zak on his right, and Alice on his right. Doyle, acting casual, had sat next to Alice, taking Drew's preferred seat, so she sat next to her son, not in the least put out. The dishes were passed to the right, and everyone dug in.

"This is amazing, Doc, where'd you get the recipe?" Alice dug in with gusto.

"The dumplings from Taiwan, the rice is Japanese, the stir-fry is Thai. My friends sent me the rice and dumpling recipie, but we got the stir-fry in Thailand." Doc swallowed before answering.

"We stayed at Dr. Kolbe's house. He had a Thai woman friend who cooked for him who taught Dad." Zak spoke with his mouthful, making the sentences garble together, barely making sense.

"Omfasha kokaskill Cumberland timaz." Alice smiled behind her cup of water.

"Wha? Why are you talking like that?" Zak's eyebrows were mussed in confusion as he tried to understand his teacher.

"I thought you wanted to." Alice was barely hiding giggles, and Doyle started laughing, getting the joke.

"No I don't want to." Zak spoke with his mouth empty, and it echoed with confusion. Drew was trying to keep a straight face, Doc was as confused as his son.

"Oh, now I understand." Alice nodded sympathetically. "When you aren't gobbling with your mouthful." Zak's eyes widened in understanding. He scowled at Doyle, who was howling with laughter, and poked his rice.

"Oh, Young Frankenstein." Doc nodded, remembering. "Drew, was that the one we watched-"

"Yeah, when I had contractions with Zak. We never got to that part." Drew smiled at her men, Zak and Doc. "One of Dad's favorites, it's one of mine…" she dragged off, smiling at memories no one else could see.

"Dad showed it to me the day I turned 13. Literally the moment the last guest went home around 10, he popped it in and we watched it, just me and him. Is something bothering you, Inspector?" Alice smiled at Doyle, who was doing imitations of the Inspector moving his prosthetic arm, slapping in every direction.

"We vill go back to my 'ouse for a little sponge cake unt some vine unt- sh-crap!" Doyle quoted the movie, doing a convincing German accent, changing the line at the last moment to make it Zak-appropriate.

"Nice save." Doc's eyes sparkled, saying he noticed the change. "Is everyone done?" noticing that everyone hadn't touched their plates in a while, but Alice and Doyle immediately turned from their conversation and back to their food. Doc let out a breath, and observed the table. His beautiful, hot, smart wife chatting to Alice, his handsome son swirling his stir-fry around his chopsticks and listening to Doyle's latest story about the finding of an Augurey and it's release onto the moor. Doyle's story's checked in more recently, and Doc began to feel a fondness for his annoying, frustrating, yet smart and a good teacher of a little brother. And Alice, his beautiful, strong goddaughter. She was like her father in so many ways, her stubbornness, her love of learning and teaching, and her fighting style. But, she was like her mother. Doc had been one of the 3 people that were friends with David that had met Sylvia. She was gorgeous, no one could deny that, but she had a steel core that most people would write out because of her looks. Just like her mother, Alice had a determination, drive and endurance that athletes would kill to have. Komodo brushed against Doc, letting out a hiss of contentment. "Zak, let Komodo eat his own dinner, don't give him yours." He instructed his son, but he kept thinking. Fiskerton was a valuable member of the family, and Doc had grown to see him as his own. And Zon had lately allowed Doc to pet her while he was in a thinking mood. He was, there was no other way to put it, content. Happy with his life. Tomorrow held a challenge, and tonight held his family and wife. He was inexplicitly happy.

"Doc, you look constipated. You okay?" Doyle's eyes glittered with mute mirth.

"Fine." Doc snapped out of his thoughtful stupor. "Alice, will you help me clear the table? Doyle, may you please wash, and Zak, will you load?"

A chorus of 'sures' and 'uh-huhs' agreed, and Drew blew Doc a kiss. He smirked, then turned to put the wok pan in Doyle's hands, that took it under the running water. Once clean to a degree, Doyle gave it to Zak who put it into the dishwasher.

Drew, being excused from kitchen duty, went to the tv and turned to the news. "Argost!" she squeaked. Everyone turned to the reporter, who continued the story.

"V. V. Argost's party is an A-list only invite," the correspondent was dressed to impress, standing in front of the nightmare factory.

"Who will be attending?" the newscaster gave a brilliant smile at the camera, as if it could tell that everyone in the Saturday household was spellbound to the tv.

"Madonna and Guy just pulled up, Brad and Angie, Kaitlin Burke and her latest boy." The correspondent returned the smile.

"What about Alice Barnaby? She's been at all of Argost's parties lately. Is she attending?" the newscaster's smile became more mischeifious.

"No, surprisingly, Alice is not here tonight, and when asked that same question, the host said, quote "Alice will be returning soon. She is visiting family tonight and couldn't attend. Stir-fry night, you know, can't miss. Unquote." the newscaster chuckled as he unknowingly delivered a punch to the gut of Alice Barnaby. A thud brought the Saturdays out of their horror.

Alice had dropped Doc's dish. "I shouldn't be here." Her voice was filled with despair and the echo of giving up.

"NO. You are staying. I will chain you to the house, but you are not leaving." Doc looked down furiously at Alice. Doyle chuckled.

"You think it's funny?" Doc rounded on Doyle. "I'm not kidding! I've been out of your life for five years-"

"You have a child to raise, one who can save the world! I'm not putting you or Zak in danger!" Alice's voice rose to meet Doc's tone. "Haute will take me back the moment I walk back in the door, Dr. Bartholomew will gladly have me back on the team, don't be an idiot-"

"Now you're calling me an idiot! Look at the pot calling the kettle black!" Doc's eye twitched. Alice's jaw was set, him staring down and she stared up. Doyle sighed.

"What, Doyle." Alice and Doc spoke in unison.

"This is exactly what Drew and I did when I first moved in. You two are gonna be like a coupla territorial house cats for about a week. Doc, this is your best friend's daughter. You miss him, and his daughter is gonna be like him here. You are mad about his death, and here he his, disobeying you. You're mad." Doc's gaze stayed fixed, but it softened. "Alice, Doc is like your father. Your dad's been dead for 14 years, and now you've got your parental figure telling you what to do, and you don't like it. You don't want to listen." Doyle's smug smile widened as Alice stepped forward and hugged her godfather.

"Are you a psychiatrist? Doyle, that was really good!" Zak took a plate from Doyle and loaded it.

"After Alexandria's library, I've started reading more. Psychiatry for Dummies." Doyle shrugged and turned back to the sink smile intact. "Though, normally, psychiatrists don't work for free."

"Thank you, Doyle." Alice cooed, sending a smile his direction. Doyle smiled back, then turned to Drew.

"Turn off that news channel, find the weather." Drew scowled and did as told.

"It's nice that you're tacking precautions about training Zak, making sure that the weather's nice." Doc approved.

"Uh, sure, we'll go with that." Doyle avoided Doc's eyes.

"You think the weathergirl's hot." Alice sighed. When Doyle gave her the stink eye, she smiled. "I have two older brothers, remember? We watched the weather every night without fail."

"With Jesse and Damon, I don't doubt it." Drew's eyes sparkled as they met Doc's with laughter. "Remember when, at our wedding-"

"Drew, we swore never to speak of that again." Doc's met Drew's with matched enthusiasm.

"I know, I know. Doyle, if you're done, can we spar? You haven't got your daily beat down." Drew flipped the channels aimlessly.

"Hey, we're tied, and if I remember, I've beaten you all this week." Doyle turned and shook a finger at his sister.

"There is a reason for that, but you don't want me to elaborate. So, seeing as you're done, Alice, would you like to watch as my brother gets his butt handed to him?" Drew found an episode of 'Real Housewives of Texas' and stopped her flipping in time to see a woman flip a table. Drew quickly changed the channel.

"Yeah, I'd love to, but what about Doc and Zak? And where's Zon at? I haven't seen her the whole time I've been here." Alice reached down to pet Komodo, then withdrew her hand when Komodo snapped at it.

"Sunday night is Father-son feel-good bonding time, so Drew and I usually spar. We can add you to the rotation." Doyle petted Komodo, the lizard hissing in lazy happiness. Doyle smirked at Alice, who flipped him the bird when no one was looking.

"Zon's nervous around strangers, she'll come out when she's good and ready to meet you." Drew stood up, gave her son a hug and her husband a kiss as they left the kitchen. "Ready? Let's go." Drew left the kitchen to head to the underground, while Doyle and Alice began a game of 'Flip the other off when Drew isn't looking and try not to get caught, and look interested in whatever Drew's saying when she turns around." Doyle was winning, finding interesting ways to show Alice up.

"Drew, Doyle didn't show me underground. Can you give me this tour?" Alice quickly tried to cover up her loss, but Doyle's smug smirk stayed planted on his face.

"Of course. There is one main hallway. The first on your right is the lab. Next, the all-around room. We get calls here, mostly other Secret Scientists or my son and brother calling to say a lake attacked them." Drew rolled her eyes at her brother.

"Hey, how was I supposed to know the lake would attack us-" Doyle began to get defensive, but Drew cut him off.

"Next is the door to the airship and other planes hanger." Drew turned back down, this time on the left side. "This is the gym." Drew opened the door, revealing a gym floor, as well as a punching bag, mats, kendo weapons, treadmills, and ellipticals.

"Ready?" Drew took a fighting stance. Alice noticed a couch in view of everything a took a seat. Doyle smiled, then took a pose.

"Break." Doyle rubbed his sore shoulder 45 minutes later. He and Drew were still tied, and Drew was declaring a sudden death round.

"Ready." Doyle's shoulder made a crack, and Alice flinched. Doyle didn't even blink.

"GO!" Drew shot for Doyle's legs, and Doyle jumped, catching his sister under the armpits, swinging her around, flinging her away, Drew sticking her leg out, and landing perfectly, lunging again. Doyle held her in a half nealson on the mats. Alice, deciding Drew could use a leg up, shot Doyle the bird, with Drew not seeing. Doyle's shock gave Drew the upper hand, and she kicked him in the shins, making him fall over. He shot up, grabbing her shoulder. Drew gabbed his hand and flipped him up and over. He landed on his feet lunging fast and furious. Drew simply stepped out of the way, sending Doyle face first into the mats. He slowly flipped face up, groaning. A shadow passed over him, and he opened his eyes. Alice stood over him, a hand to help him up extended. He saw Drew through the window to the gym, getting water. He grabbed it, then pulled her down, pinning her under him.

"I can't believe you fell for that!" He laughed to her face. Alice slowly smirked.

"And I can't believe you gave me this window." And she kneed him. Doyle rolled over, faking deep pain.

"My… balls…" he rolled around.

"Are not in your stomach, stop the theatrics." Alice giggled. "You look like a horse taking a dust bath."

"How would you know?" Doyle asked.

"Um… uh… your face!" Alice widened her eyes, trying to look threatening, but breaking down and giggling. Doyle raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, so I didn't have a good comeback to that. But 'your face' is a good one." Alice half smiled.

"So is 'your mom'." Doyle offered.

"'Your mom had bad science.'" Alice quoted. Doyle stared at her.

"What? Don't you insult my mama!" Doyle pinned her again, her laughter infectious, his mouth turning upward into a smile.

"Well, Doyle, she's my mama too, and I remember she enjoyed a good 'yo mama' joke." Drew tugged on his shoulder and handed him a water. Doyle stood up, and kept his boot on Alice's abs, pinning her down. At least until she grabbed Doyle's boot and pulled him down, using him momentum to pull herself up.

"Thanks." She took a water bottle from Drew and walked with her out of the gym.

"Doyle, I'm turning off the lights in five seconds, and when I do that, the gym locks the other doors. Five, four…" Drew began a countdown and Doyle sprinted to the women in the doorframe. "one." Drew finished with Doyle leaned over the in hall way, breathing deeply.