FSE

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Nodrog passed through Azule. Time on the other world was rather odd. Almost six hours had past there, to the hour that had past here. Making it only a little past ten thirty in the morning. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain that if they asked.

Kenny had left Alice a message to call him as soon as she could. So Alice called him back. "He will be down in a little bit. News travels fast, so we are going to Joe and Katie's house for an all ready planed party."

"That was easy." Jenny wrote a few things on a list and handed it to Nodrog.

"What's this for?" Nodrog asked.

"Stuff to get if we need to bring anything. Trust me." Jenny said with a smile and a wink. Alice let Kenny into the apartment. He gave them a quick little run down on what the plan was.

"Take them with you to help get stuff. I even made a list." Jenny pointed to Nodrog and Sherman.

"Sure, you guys ready?" Kenny asked and the three of them left. "I need to pick up some things for the kids. Hope you don't mind."

"All part of being a dad." Nodrog said.

"We can even take my wheels. Get more beer that way." Kenny said with a laugh.

"So who is going to watch the little ones?" Sherman asked as they got off the elevator and headed to the parking garage.

"We knew Alice would be back this weekend so the wife and I had planned on them spending time with her parents." Kenny unclipped the keys from a belt loop. "Plus after a week riding with Alice at one hundred plus miles an hour. I really want to drive myself some place."

The big quad cab truck had plenty of room for Nodrog to fit in the back. "Lets see, the mega store will have most of what we need. I happen to know a guy with a liquor store, even brews some of his own. Good stuff compared to that watered down crap Jim likes." Kenny said as he headed out of the parking garage.

"Doesn't matter to me, just so long as we get something for the ladies. A good source tells me some of the women really have a thing for wine coolers." Nodrog looked over the list.

"So does my wife, let me guess, Jenny?" Kenny asked.

"That's a give in." Sherman said with a laugh.

"I swear that girl is really a man in a woman's body." Kenny said and shook his head and laughed.

"Guess I don't follow." Sherman said.

"Most suggestions from her are good for getting you in trouble or getting clothes to fall off. All men should have a good lesbian friend like her." Kenny said.

"How many people are we talking about showing up?" Nodrog asked.

"A lot, Alice's parents, her brother. All of Joe's staff, Wes and Natasha, all of us. Several from our crew here at Evo, its going to be pretty big." Kenny pulled into the parking lot of the mega chain store.

The trio walked into the store, Kenny handed Sherman his list. "If you guys will start on that I will pick up the handful of things the kids need."

"Not a problem." Sherman rolled a cart over to Nodrog and took one himself.

"Hey, get the good stuff. I collected cash from some other people who chipped in to buy stuff." Kenny said before he headed to the other side of the store.

"Do you know what we are looking for?" Nodrog asked.

"Of course, pretty standard BBQ stuff. Looks like we are rounding up the accompaniments, and drinks." Sherman walked to the far end and the isle of all things potato chip or snack like. They had half a cart filled when Kenny caught back up to them.

"Good start, I see you have done this before." Kenny said as he surveyed what they had.

"Of course, you do learn some valuable skills from a barracks." Sherman chuckled.

"How good is your card playing?" Kenny asked. As they continued to load up.

"Little rusty, never was a pro, but I held my own." Sherman said.

"That works too. You guys are in for a treat tonight, Rick is doing the cooking." Kenny picked up a gallon of ketchup, mustard and relish. "Give that man a fire and a grill, and he becomes a god. Rick can grill vegetables and meat to absolute perfection."

"And I would rather eat the grill." Nodrog said and the three laughed.

"Next stop suds." Kenny and the other two put the last of the bags in the back of the truck. They headed out to the eastern side of the city, which was close to Joe's house.

"Hey bud what's up?" A bald man with an big beard said as they walked in.

"Need some drinks for a victory party, Rodney, this is Nodrog and Sherman." Kenny said.

"Some stout friends. Guessing you both like a darker brew. Joe all ready picked up two kegs of the stuff he and Jim like. I know what Kenny likes and I am guessing Jenny gave you a list." Rodney said.

"Another thing you guys need to know, is a good beer man." Kenny took the list from Nodrog and gave it to Rodney.

"You guys must come here a lot if he knows what everyone likes." Sherman said.

"Hell, Alice's first sanctioned win, I gave all my workers a day off and a bonus. I know all of my regulars by first name, and what they like." Rodney gave Jenny's list to one of the guys working for him. He then went behind the bar and grabbed two bottles. He gave one to Nodrog and Sherman. "On the house, its my dark mead. This is the second batch of it I have made this year."

Sherman and Nodrog both took a drink. Nodrog liked it a hell of a lot better than the stuff in a can Jim had given him. "Reminds me of some I had back in Finland... Not as much alcohol, but a better overall flavor and consistency."

"The dragon knows his brew. What about you soldier?" Rodney asked.

"I'm not as well traveled, so I can't compare it to much. Little stouter then I prefer, but it is good." Sherman said.

Rodney gave his beard a thoughtful stroke, then grabbed a different bottle. "This is one of mine and Kenny's personal favorite. A wheat and hoppy beer, I only brew this in the summer."

"Now this is I like." Sherman said after taking a drink.

"Better give me two of the wheat and a single case of the dark mead. The girl's have the wine coolers. Mix me a sample case of some of your other micro brews and I think that will cover everyone. Since the majority will only drink from the kegs." Kenny said.

"I did keep a TV tuned to the race. She is a hell of a driver. When were you in Finland, I know a few people there." Rodney asked as he filled up a sample case.

"Been a rather long time." Nodrog said and Sherman and Kenny both chuckled.

"All right gents, unless you need anything else." Rodney said.

"Think this will do us. Thanks Rodney." Kenny said and paid for the drinks.

"Anytime." Rodney said as they wheeled and carried seven cases out to the truck.

They climbed back in and headed over to Joe's house to drop all the stuff off before heading back to get everyone rounded up. Kenny pulled into a drive way fifteen or so minutes after leaving the store. "This way the drinks and other cold stuff can be put on ice for later. And you both can meet some people before the party gets going."

Joe and Wes came out to help carry things into the garage or the house. A quick round of introductions and the five of them had everything inside. "Where are your female partners in crime?" Kenny asked as they stood in the garage.

"Picking up the cake and some other errands." Wes said.

"So I got it right we are supposed to be back at four, right?" Kenny asked and checked his watch it was almost noon.

"Yeah, or anytime really. I am guessing he doesn't swim, but if anyone forgot we do have a pool." Big Joe said.

"I am rather sure no one forgets that, especial a certain little cat." Kenny said.

"Thanks for reminding me, better remind Katie, she needs to wear something that doesn't untie." Joe said and picked up his phone off the work bench.

"She isn't that bad is she?" Sherman asked with his arms crossed.

Joe and Wes just looked at him and smiled. Wes shrugged and said. "Its not bad for us, just bad for them."

"Look at the bright side Sherman, you and I will be the only ones who will remember." Nodrog said with a wicked smile.

"When you think about it that way, maybe we should pick up a pair of cameras..." Sherman said.

"You guys don't drink?" Wes asked.

"Its not that they don't drink, it's the alcohol does not affect them. I seen them both put back more than a pitcher each and not so much have even a buzz." Kenny said with a chuckle. "Trust me, drinking games with them wouldn't be much fun."

"If that is the case, I would suggest getting a camera or two." Wes said.

"We will have plenty of time later to talk, we need to head back so I can get the kids over to their grandparents house." Kenny said.

"Cool we will see you guys later." Joe said.

Kenny dropped Nodrog and Sherman off at a chain store and headed back to pick up his kids. They picked up some other things, like water balloons and a squirt gun. After all it would be the first non formal party Nodrog had been to. Also the first with no social classes or just be seen and not heard.

"I find it strange that despite our age difference the number of things you have not done and I have. Of course the world is a considerably different place now." Sherman said as they walked down to jump on a trolley.

"It is that, though the ancient Egyptians could have some outlandish parties. Vikings were good at it too, then the world kind of starting frowning on it." Nodrog said as the pair stopped on a street corner.

"Oh well at least things are better now." Sherman chuckled as a car full of women whistled at them. "Funny, that never happened when I was single."

"That would be the greatest change I have seen, women generally did not chase after what they wanted so freely, hundreds of years ago." Nodrog said as they crossed the street.

"That mostly changed in the 20th and 21stcentury. At least so my history teachers said. With the sever decline of males, that really solidified the change. Women have become more dominate, they have had too." Sherman set down the bag on a bench while they waited for the trolley.

"So I have noticed. It never was an issue for my kind." Nodrog said.

"Your kind?" Sherman asked.

"Dragons, both sexes have always been equal." Nodrog said as the small two car trolley came to a quiet stop. "If you notice how I interact with other females you would see that."

"Now that you mention it... I can see the subtlety. I wonder if that had anything to do with the two of them falling for you." Sherman plopped down on a bench.

"It might, I had tried to remain distant and respectful of their own relationship. After all they only have a short time together on this world and I did not want to interfere with it." Nodrog took the bench across from Sherman.

"And despite all that they both did. Fate can be rather funny at times." Sherman said with a chuckle.

"You have no idea..." Nodrog said with a smile. They split up once they got back to the main building. Sherman went to Cindy's room and conveniently forgot to tell her not to wear a swimsuit that could be untied easily. He had picked up some trunks to wear since as warm as it was swimming sounded good.

"So did you get everything?" Jenny asked as Nodrog walked in.

"Plus some. We all ready dropped it off at Joe's house." Nodrog said.

"Then what's in the bag?" Alice said as she came out of their bedroom.

"Some extra stuff Sherman suggested we get." Nodrog said.

"Hope their neighbors won't mind them having so many people over." Jenny licked the fork she was eating tuna with.

"I think they are used to it now. Besides I am pretty sure the old guy that lives behind them was more than happy when the six of us had to chase you after you took our tops off." Alice said.

"Oh yeah, that was spectacular. One of my greatest achievements." Jenny said a twinkle in her eyes.

"Which is why I bought a one piece swimsuit. I am not going topless at this party." Alice said and held open her unbuttoned shirt reveling the figure hugging upper part of it.

"Doesn't mean I won't try." Jenny said.

"Are you going to bring your swim trunks?" Alice asked as she buttoned up her light yellow shirt.

"No, I'll leave the pool for the rest of you." Nodrog said.

"Guess I better get ready to go myself." Jenny said and headed back to their bedroom.

"So who did you meet at Joe's this morning?" Alice asked as she ate something light. Knowing full well she was the only non carnivore of the group. She knew they would have fruit and salads, but it would mainly be junk food.

"Joe and Wes." Nodrog said.

"Okay, at least you will know a good portion of the people there. Mom and dad will be there, some of the people you have worked with." Alice said.

"I'm not too worried about it." Nodrog also decided to eat something, since the beer they bought was in bottles. Granted he could eat the other food, it just wasn't his normal diet and he didn't like cooked meat.

Jenny came back out in a pair of shorts and a loose fitting shirt like Alice had on, but her abs were bare. The red of the top under the thin white shirt was pretty revealing. Not that he or anyone else was going to mind. The three of them sat around the house, until a little later in the afternoon. When someone knocked on their door.

Nodrog got up and answered it, Jim and his wife Carrel were standing at it. They looked like an old couple going to a beach. "You three ready to go?" Jim asked.

"Yes we are." Jenny said from behind Nodrog.

"Then lets go party." Jim said excitedly. Nodrog grabbed the bag they had put everything in and locked the door behind him as the five made their way down stairs. They met Sherman and Cindy in the elevator. Kenny and his wife were waiting down stairs as was the rest of them going. The group piled into a pair of vans Jim and Katie's husband Dan would drive out to Joe's house.

Chapter

It was a rather noisy trip out to Joe and Katie's house, but taking vans was the smart thing to do for a couple of reasons. One, parking would be rather crowded and two not everyone one was going to get hammered. Of course Joe and Katie had plenty of room in their house for people to crash if the need arose. Four bedrooms and three full bathrooms in their two story house. They had a rather large front and back yard, swimming pool, a fire pit and a gas burning grill large enough to feed twice as many that were coming to celebrate with them.

Big Joe, Wes and Alice's dad Ron had pulled, carried or rolled out the half dozen coolers and two kegs. They set out all the chairs and benches they had, along with four folding tables. All in the time since the other three had dropped off the rest of the drinks and food.

Everyone had arrived at almost the same time, with a few being a little early to help set up. Alice's parents, and a few guys from the shop had shown up a good hour before the rest. Only Nodrog, Sherman and Cindy had not met everyone at least once. Jenny had just pointed them out to the rest of the group, not real formal, but it worked well enough.

Really the main connection between the two groups was Alice, and everyone knew her. Nodrog and Sherman were more than content to go mostly unnoticed. It played somewhat into their evil plans with the camera they each had in a pocket. It had appeared only three of the women had dressed appropriately to be around an intoxicated Jenny. Who as it happened was the first one stripped of her shorts and shirt in the pool.

"That didn't take long." Nodrog said and looked at his watch.

"Ten minutes if that." Ron said as he walked over to them.

"Good to see you again. How was France?" Nodrog said.

"It was nice. The weather was only bad the last two days, and my daughter kicked ass. I can't complain. I hear you two have been busy globetrotting." Ron said.

"Unfortunately for business only... Still could be worse. Do they always party this much?" Sherman asked.

Ron laughed. "They have not even gotten started yet. I hope you came hungry."

"So this is the wolf, we have heard a little about. I'm Alice's mother Lucy." Lucy said as she put an arm around Ron. Joe's wife Katie was with her.

"Pleased to meet you." Sherman said and was a bit embarrassed by the way she was checking him out.

"I'm Katie V., Joe's wife." Katie said.

"I do hope you boys won't hide in the corner all night." Lucy said and gave Ron a quick kiss on the cheek before her and Katie headed out to mingle some more.

"She is probably right, follow me and I will introduce you to some more people." Ron lead them off into the crowd of people. Most people found the dragon and the wolf to be rather interesting, or wanting to get to know the two, much better.

Ron, Kenny, and Jim managed to talk Nodrog into playing a game of horse shoes. While Wes and Sherman caused a little commotion over by the pool as the two pulled off their shirts to jump in the pool.

"You two know you're staring?" Katie V. asked as she nudged TJ.

"Says the women who about spilled her drink." Jenny said.

"Okay even you eyed the dragon when we found him." Katie said as her and Mary laughed.

"Joe and Wes are the only hunks I ever get to see, Sherman and Nodrog are much more..." Katie V. said.

"Sculpted, chiseled, really damn sexy?" Lucy said with a giggle.

"Mom!" Alice said loudly.

"Hey now don't pick on your mom. She isn't blind." Katie V. said.

"And has good taste in men, I mean your dad is rather good looking for his age." Mary said.

"To bad you girls couldn't see Ron and Jim twenty years ago." Carrel said.

Alice sank lower into the pool in embarrassment as the other women laughed and teased her. Granted she had admitted she thought about getting with both of the guys. It wasn't something you wanted to hear from your mom. Of course they did have a point as her dad took off his shirt to get in the pool. For a man who just turned fifty, he still was in good shape. He was well toned, and athletic. Maybe she shouldn't drink if she was checking out her own dad...

"Why can't we meet hot guys like that?" DJ blurted out. She quickly covered her mouth and sank as low as Alice in the pool.

The outburst had gotten most people's attention. "Maybe the twins have finally figured out not all men are skinny little boys." Joe said as he tossed a horse shoe, having taken Ron's place.

"Maybe it's a good thing the two of you still have your shirts on." Kenny said.

"Except they have six pack abs and I am packing a pony keg." Joe patted his belly as Nodrog tossed a second ringer.

"At least they wouldn't laugh at you like they will when my white old self jumps in." Jim marked the scores from Joe and Nodrog's toss. "I'm going to have to pick you for a team mate more often."

"That's cause he cheats like you do!" Carrel yelled from her spot on the edge of the pool. She was just getting her feet wet, like Jim she was a little too old to be parading around in a swimsuit. However like Lucy, she was more than happy to get a good look at the younger men. They were the oldest of the whole group, and were friends before Jim had started working with Alice.

Plus if Jim got to see Alice dressed in that skimpy little maid uniform, it was only fair she and Lucy could drool over the wolf with the well sculpted body. It might sound bad, but it was not like any of the guys were ugly, maybe a few past their prime, the same could be said for some of the women.

Jim and Carrel were the same age, Lucy was seven years older than Ron. She figured the youngest were the twins, since she didn't know everyone's age. Joe, Katie and all of their help have come a long way since Jim and Alice first walked in the door of their shop six years ago. While parties like this were always fun, they made her feel old, watching them grow up to be as respected and skilled as they are now.

"Anyone got a match?" Big Joe asked as he piled some logs in the fire pit.

"Who carries matches anymore?" Cindy asked as she and several of the people in the pool got out to start getting something to eat.

"More importantly, we don't need any stinking matches. We have a dragon." Jenny said excitedly.

"While he is a dragon, I think fire breathing is a little farfetched." Wes said.

"Not as much as you might think." Sherman said and glanced over at Nodrog.

"What about me?" Nodrog said as he gave Jenny's butt a quick pinch.

"OUCH! Don't do that!" Jenny yelled and rubbed where he had. "I was saying you don't need matches to light a fire."

"We are a little old to believe in magic." Rick said and a few people chuckled with him.

"Bah, magic is kids stuff compared to this." Nodrog said and with a quick inhale and a click of his jaw blew a ball of fire on the pile of wood. Which quickly grew bigger because of the lighter fluid on it. He was the only one to laugh as nearly everyone jumped back and yelled in surprise.

"Told you so." Sherman calmly and took a drink of his beer. He laughed on the inside as now that the initial shock wore off they settled back down. He was mainly amused to see how the picture would come out he took of half the crowd being scared. Even Jenny was rather surprised herself. After getting a plate full of food, he took a chair next to Nodrog as for the most part everyone was busy eating instead of talking.

"So what do you think?" Sherman asked between mouthfuls of ribs. No weenie BBQ food at this party. Even the burgers were huge and stuffed with onions and cheese.

"I could really get used to this. It's comfortable." Nodrog said. He had talked Rick out of the rarest burger on the grill. It was more for show then being hungry, he didn't want them asking too many questions.

"What's comfortable?" Big Joe asked as he sat down next to them.

"This." Nodrog gestured with his arm to take in the whole back yard. "I am glad we were invited."

"Any friend of Alice and Jim are friends of mine. I had hoped for the chance to thank you for protecting her and Jenny from that nut job of an ex boyfriend." Joe leaned back in the chair further. "I myself have never had such a close group of friends before. It because of the people here, I am successful."

"That and a lot of hard work with late nights." Katie said and gave him a kiss on the top of his head before she handed him a plate and walked off.

"And a very supportive wife. Trust me, if you find a keeper, keep her." Joe said as the three admired her backside as she walked away.

"How long have you been working on cars?" Sherman asked and snapped another photo.

"As long as I can remember. My dad was always working on stuff when I was little. I wish he could see me now." Joe said.

"Must have been real close with your dad." Sherman said and eyed his empty bottle.

"We were." Joe said.

"I would have liked to have a father like that. I'm sure he would be proud of you Joe." Sherman said.

"Thanks. You and your dad don't get along?" Joe asked.

"No, and I am not sorry to say I am happy he left us and disappeared." Sherman said, with a little anger in his voice.

"I couldn't imagine... I hope I am half the dad mine was. I tell you, becoming a dad is the scariest thing I have done." Joe said.

"I'm sure you will do fine. At least from what I have heard from Alice and Jim." Nodrog said.

"What about your parents, what were they like?" Sherman asked.

"Mine? I never met them." Nodrog said.

"So you were orphaned at birth?" Joe asked.

"No, taken before hatching." Nodrog said.

His comment caused the other two, to pause. Sherman knew he had been through lots of things, many of them unpleasant to put it mildly. He wondered which was worse, never knowing, or having a mean and hateful bastard for a dad...

"I would vote for you being a good dad. After all, look at the group you all ready take care of." Ron said as he joined them.

"Quite the handful." Joe said as Jenny chased after the twins who had shot her with water guns. "At least I have good friends to ask for help if needed."

"That you do... However if that girl doesn't do something sneaky in the next twenty minutes, I am going to owe Jim twenty bucks." Ron said and glanced down at his watch.

"Jim really does have a bad habit." Joe said.

"Not only him, if he is wrong the money goes to his wife. Lucy took the next half hour after that." Ron said.

"At least you know who to blame if your kids gamble." Nodrog said with a chuckle.

"That's no lie." Joe chuckled, because he had also picked a half hour block.

"This sitting around isn't like us. We better go cause some trouble." Ron got up with Joe and the two headed over to the larger part of the group.

"We wondered where you two had gone off to." Katie V. said and put an arm around Joe.

"Just talking with everyone." Joe said.

Eventually Sherman and Nodrog got up and did more socializing. They also took some non embarrassing pictures of people. The sky had only just begun to start growing darker.

Alice could tell the two were still a bit reserved. Sherman seemed a little more at ease then Nodrog, but that was only because he had been to this time periods parties before. She had never been much for this kind of thing either, Alice could thank Jenny for making her change in that aspect. This was pretty much all of the people she called friends and cared about.

It was rather funny how she went from being so solitary to being so afraid of being alone in such a short time. It was now worse with being in love with two people instead of just one. Alice thought she should tell her parents, but could not think of a way to explain it. It was clear her mother was getting some details from Nodrog and Natasha. Carrel also knew Russian, and Alice was afraid of what the four might be talking about. Since one was a secret love and the second was a fling in France.

After the race victory the conversation usually turned to her and Jenny's engagement. Along with kids, since two of them were pregnant and several had young kids of their own. Alice didn't really know what to say on the matter, but thankfully Jenny was by her side and managed to not say a straight answer one way or the other.

Katie V. and Natasha went inside to bring out the two cakes. Both of which were made to look like Alice and Wes' cars. Alice's was chocolate and Wes' was white. Most of them wound down after the cake and they talked about the race from behind the wheel. Naturally Jenny, the twins and a few others got a little hyped from the sugar rush.

The rest waited for the food to settle before going back in the pool or playing games. Ron, managed to get Nodrog on his team for horse shoes this time around. Sherman and Kenny were playing against them. Kenny was thankful Sherman was as good at this as the dragon. It at least meant he had a chance at winning.

"Jenny!" Several girls yelled at once drawing a great deal of attention to the pool.

"Better get your cameras ready." Kenny said as a giggling Jenny ran away from four giving chase.

Those that still had tops tried to stop her, but the cat managed to dodge every attempt to slow her down. Jenny hurdled Jim who was sitting in a lounge chair and made a mad dash to the four at the horse shoe pit.

"What are you doing?" Sherman asked as that eerie blue glow came from Nodrog's eyes. He just held up a finger to his mouth, and smiled wickedly. As Jenny ran behind Nodrog, the dragon blurred for the briefest of moments.

The twins, Katie V. and Mary had stopped just behind him breathing hard.

"I think you are looking for these." Nodrog said and held out the four tops.

"So what's in your other hand?" DJ asked.

"It doesn't look like a top." Kati V. said and they started laughing as everyone realized Jenny didn't have the bottom of her suit on any more. The little bit it had taken Jenny to realize what had happened made her sudden attempt to cover up all the more funny.

Nodrog held up her bottom by one of the strings. "Missing something?" What was more of a surprise was when Alice grabbed her shorts and quickly made a run for the other side of the yard.

"Alls fair." Alice waved the cut off shorts in the air over her head.

"First time I have seen anyone get you." Lucy said and tossed a towel at Jenny. Who thanked her as she wrapped up her lower half.

Jenny at least took it in stride as she walked slowly over to Nodrog who returned her bottom without her even asking.

"You would have been safe if you hadn't ran by so close." Nodrog said with a chuckle.

"Still, I got a couple shots captured." Sherman said and held up the camera.

"Oh you didn't..." Jenny said as she tied the strings to her suit under the towel.

"And not just of you either." Sherman said with a chuckle.

"Hey that's not fair!" TJ said as the others realized the two of them had been taking pictures all night long.

The next hour was spent trying to take the camera's away from Nodrog and Sherman. Who were both considerably quicker and less drunk then the rest of them. Eventually they gave up trying to use force and instead switched to trying to be sneaky. Including getting them to drink more, none of which did any good.

Now that it was late and most of them had been drinking, some a great deal. Several had went inside to find a place to call it a night. Sherman and Nodrog had each pulled up a chair next to the fire pit. Neither of them were tired, or even feeling anything from the drinks.

The pair had put away a case plus away by themselves. Sherman managed to eat almost as much as he had drank. "Kenny was right, Rick can really cook up some good grub."

"Wasn't bad. This was a lot of fun." Nodrog drank the rest of a can of soda pop he had grabbed out of a cooler.

"Glad to hear that." Lucy said as she sat in a chair next to him. She had put her shorts and top back on, though it was still unbuttoned. "I was worried the two of you would hide all evening."

"After your husband introduced us to some more people it was easier to talk with them. A very interesting group of people..." Sherman said.

"That they are. Its nice they include us old folks in their celebrations too." Lucy said and took a drink from a water bottle.

"Maybe they were hoping Jenny would behave with you and Ron around." Nodrog said.

"That has never worked. Besides, I'm not a saint in any way myself. Alice's good behavior she got from her father." Lucy said.

"And Jenny is just a bad influence?" Sherman asked.

"Not always, the girl has a heart of gold. Go to any lengths for someone who needs help. I was just as bad when I was her age... Except it would have been you two losing shorts and not girls." Lucy said with a sly smile.

Sherman was a little embarrassed at the thought. "That is true, she really does care."

"That she does." Nodrog said, the vision of her cutting herself still vivid in his mind.

"Think I am going to call it a night. See you both in the morning." Sherman said and got up to find Cindy.

"And then there were two." Lucy leaned back in the chair gazing up to the stars.

"You either drank less or can hold your drinks better then Alice." Nodrog said and looked up at the stars with her.

"Little of both. So what are you going to do now that they are getting hitched?" Lucy asked.

"Haven't given it much thought... Actually it has never come up in conversation." Nodrog figured she was bound to find out sooner or later. "Have you ever had, strong yet equal feelings for two people before?"

"A long time ago, I might have. I am guessing you do." Lucy said and looked over at him.

"Yes." Nodrog said.

"So it could be called complicated." Lucy said.

"You would have to ask them. It doesn't feel it to me." Nodrog said.

"You're not very good at keeping secrets." Lucy said and laughed.

"Only about myself. You would have found out eventually, one of us was bound to slip up at some point." Nodrog said.

"You have a point there, I would have expected it to come from one of the other two." Lucy said.

"I would have expected you to be a little upset over it." Nodrog said.

"I think most people would be, times have changed. Really as long as Alice is happy, along with you and Jenny. Why should I be? I do wonder what you will do once they are gone." Lucy said.

"The same thing I have always done, carry on. I will be thankful for the time I get to spend with them. At least I will know after they pass, they will be with each other for all eternity..." Nodrog said.

"You sound a bit jealous." Lucy said.

"I am, because that will never be an option for me. It will not be the first time I have even out lived the grave of someone I have cared about." Nodrog said.

Chapter

Lucy looked down at the bottle she held in her lap. "So there is an afterlife."

"For most of you, yes there is. I couldn't tell you what it is like, since I cannot cross into it." Nodrog said.

"I think I can wait on knowing what it is like, until I go." Lucy yawned as she stretched.

"Probably for the best." Nodrog glanced over at Lucy. She had drifted off to sleep in the chair. He got up and found a dry towel to cover her with. "And then there was one."

Nodrog checked on all of the ones who had fallen asleep outside. He made sure the grill was off and turned down lights both outside and in. He dug in one of the coolers and fished out another can of pop before he sat back down in front of the fire pit. He checked his watch, a little past one thirty in the morning.

This was enjoyable, he really felt relaxed as the fire still smoldered and cracked. He chuckled as Lucy turned over with a snore, apparently that is where Alice got that from. The pair were sleeping in each others arms on one of the couches inside. The twins just crashed in a heap, about in the middle of the living room floor. With the twins being the exception everyone else had made it to a chair or bed for the night.

Nodrog was surprised to hear someone up and moving around at seven o'clock. He went inside to find Katie V. in the kitchen. "Good morning."

"Good morning hope I didn't wake you up." Katie said as she turned on the coffee pot.

"I was all ready up." Nodrog said.

"You're an early morning person too?" Katie asked.

"You could say that. Anything I can help with?" Nodrog asked.

"I don't think so. We got the food put away and cleaned up before we went to bed. Looks like someone took care of the other things." Katie said and leaned against the counter. "So how do you know Alice and Jenny?"

"We met through work." Nodrog said. He wasn't sure if either girl told everyone the whole story.

"Seems to be pretty standard, that's how I met them. Alice wanted me to paint her car." Katie said.

"What got you into cars?" Nodrog asked.

"Joe did. He wanted some air brush work done on a hood and asked the art instructor at the art college I was attending. I was taking graphic design, at the time. One of the few to use an air brush as a preferred medium instead of digital." Katie said and pulled out two cups from a cupboard. "We kinda hit it off, so I took an auto body class with him the following semester. One thing lead to another and my parents had helped us finance the first shop we opened."

Nodrog accepted the cup of coffee. "And the rest is history."

"It almost was history until six years ago a group of punk street racers started stopping by and dropping lots of money in the shop for work on their cars. The first time I met Alice and Jim, I was running the counter myself one day. The two looked a little out of place compared to the normal crowd. I thought it was a little creepy some old guy toting around a young girl like Alice." Katie looked over at the couch were Alice was sleeping.

"She wanted to beat the boys, Jim was just along to make sure she didn't get suckered into buying stuff she didn't need. Usually the people that come in don't have their own personal mechanic, but they knew what they needed and paid cash for the stuff they ordered. Joe and I had gone to a few events, to see what some of our customers were doing on and off the track. Some of them stayed street, but Alice, Wes, Mike and a few others were tired of playing and went a little more professional. That was when things turned around, they said in interviews were the got some of their parts or work done." Katie sipped at her coffee.

"I didn't know what the two of them did outside of the racing, and I really didn't know how she was paying cash for expensive parts. Joe sent me out to deliver some parts for them. Imagine my surprise when I see them both cleaned up and not dressed to fit in. When she introduced me to her dad, a well known car guy, I couldn't believe it." Katie said.

"They are an interesting pair, that is for sure." Nodrog said and drank some of his coffee.

"That they are." Katie said with a smile as she remembered a little younger Alice dressed in faded blue jeans, red sneakers, wallet chain and black ripped t-shirt. He hair in a plain pony tail and a not going to take shit from anyone attitude. A rather stark contrast to who she really was, a cute and innocent little nerd with a heavy right foot.

"Either of you been up long?" Ron said as he came up from the basement. Looked like he had all ready showered and cleaned up.

"Not very long." Nodrog said and raised his coffee cup.

"You want a cup?" Katie asked.

"Yes I do." Ron said with a smile. He glanced over to his two daughters still sleeping on the couch. "What time did they call it a night?"

"Not too long after you did." Nodrog said and handed him a cup.

"Would have figured Jenny would be up late still causing trouble. Glad that wasn't the case." Ron said and took a sip of coffee. "Thanks."

"I will take Jenny's playful sexual harassment any day over that last guy. God he was a bastard." Katie said.

"So were did my wife end up falling asleep?" Ron asked.

"Out by the fire pit, I covered her up with a dry towel around one thirty." Nodrog said as they all turned the listen to hear who was moving around up stairs.

"Do I smell coffee all ready brewed?" Natasha said as she came down stairs. She had a bathrobe tied tightly around her waist.

"Good morning." The three said as she walked over to pour a cup for herself.

"Good morning. So next year I think I will navigate for Alice, and we will have a girls vs. boys race." Natasha said.

"Except her car isn't as fast as his." Ron said.

"I might have something to say about that." Katie said with a wicked smile.

"And what might that be?" Nodrog asked.

"You'll all have to just wait and see." Katie said as Alice and Jenny began to stir awake.

"Jenny." Alice said quietly as she began to wake up.

"What?" Jenny asked still half asleep.

"Would you get your hand out from under my swimsuit and between my legs." Alice said softly.

Jenny woke up a little more. "What if I don't want to?" Jenny asked and rubbed Alice.

"Oh... don't do that here. Besides it looks like other people are up and awake." Alice said and blushed from being touched.

Jenny gave one last little tease before pulling her hand back. "Um, I hope we were quiet about it."

"Quiet about what?" Alice asked.

"My fingers are really sticky..." Jenny said really quietly.

Alice sat up. "Your fingers aren't the only sticky things." Alice was really glad they had been sleeping on and under their two really big towels. She had to adjust the lower part of her suit and wipe off before she got up and went to the bathroom with the bag her and Jenny had brought.

Jenny sat up and wiped her hand off under the towel and checked her own lower half. Sometime during the night she had come untied again. It was pretty clear she had, cum some time during the night. She gave a sleepy wave to the group standing in the kitchen. And waited for Alice to get cleaned up so she could clean up next.

Alice came back out shortly in her shorts and button up shirt, with regular under garments under them. Jenny quickly got up and ran into the bathroom before anyone else could beat her to it.

Alice about turned fire engine red as she realized the two had quiet the evening romp on the couch. Thankfully all that was needed was to fold up the towels and the evidence was gone. She walked into the kitchen and accepted the cup of coffee Katie handed her. "Thanks and good morning."

"Sleep well?" Nodrog asked with a quick wink.

"Like a rock. Oh, I think I drank and ate too much." Alice said as she let out a belch.

"I think we all did. That cake was so decadent." Natasha said.

"Aside from coffee you all are on your own for breakfast." Katie said as now more people started getting around.

"I think we can manage that." Sherman said as he and Cindy came up the stairs.

"I have to say, you and your husband know how to have a party. I am so full I won't need to eat until Tuesday." Cindy said.

Lucy came inside and gave Nodrog a quick kiss on the cheek and headed downstairs to get changed. It had confused Alice and Ron a great deal.

"I covered her up when she fell asleep last night. Since I was the last one still up, I covered everyone outside with something. Before turning everything off." Nodrog said and finished the last of his coffee.

"I am so glad the kids are with their grandparents all weekend." Kenny said and reached for the coffee pot.

Jim and Carrel waited their turn for coffee. Both of them seemed to have little lingering effects from the late night. "Amateurs, all most all of them."

"Well at least two of them seem to be doing good." Carrel said with a laugh.

"Fair enough." Jim said and picked up the sheet several of them had made wagers on about Jenny.

"Who's N?" Wes asked as he looked over Jim's shoulder.

Nodrog coughed and held out his hand. "That would be me."

Jenny came out and looked over Jim's shoulder. "I should be mad at you making bets over my misbehaving."

"It is always in good fun, you know we all love you." Jim said and gave her a hug.

"I know." Jenny said with a smile.

After everyone was up they helped clean up the back yard from the mess they had made and Carrel rounded up all the cash people had wagered. It only took an hour since everyone helped.

"All right, dragon you won this time. But next time you won't be so lucky." Carrel said as she handed over two hundred and sixty bucks.

"I wouldn't bet on it." Nodrog said with a fang baring grin, and reached up to hand half of it to Jenny. Who was sitting on his shoulders.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Jenny said with a giggle.

"Any time." Nodrog and Jenny laughed as everyone stood in shock.

"Wait a minute, Jenny didn't know about it..." Jim said.

"I didn't know about it until, he told me you big meanies were betting on me. So I decided to play along and he just happened to be a willing partner in crime." Jenny said a bit cocky from her safe vantage point. "Serves you right."

Their attention was drawn away from Jenny by the click the camera Sherman held in his hand. "And lets not forget about these." Sherman said with a toothy grin.

"You ready to go?" Nodrog asked.

Jenny dropped down wrapped her legs around his waist and held on tight. "Lets go!"

"Catch." Sherman said and Nodrog snatched the camera out of the air.

"What are you three up to?" Little Joe asked.

"Just proving we can misbehave too." Sherman said.

"Catch us if you can." Nodrog spread his wings and jumped up into the air before they could even try. Jenny squealing in delight as the two took to the air.

"The three of you are in big trouble." Carrel said.

"Just wait until you see the pictures." Sherman said and glanced up to try and spot the pair.

"This is so fucking awesome!" Jenny yelled as they glided over the suburbs.

"Just one of the perks about having wings." Of course it took a little magic seeing how heavy the two of them were, but that was considerably easier now by himself.

"You know Alice will want to have a turn." Jenny said. Flying in a plane or chopper was cool, this was simply incredible.

"I doubt she will be the only one." Nodrog said and took them higher.

"So what are you going to spend your half of the bet on?" Jenny asked.

"I haven't even thought about it yet. Might use it to take the two of you out. After all we haven't had a chance to congratulate Alice by ourselves." Nodrog said.

"I all ready bought a little something for that." Jenny said.

"That doesn't surprise me." Nodrog said as they made a long circle around the building they lived in.

"Didn't figure it would, but you will be surprised once you see it." Jenny whispered in his ear. She felt something in his shirt pocket vibrate. "I think your phone is ringing."

Nodrog unzipped the pocket it was in and glanced at the caller ID. "It will have to wait till we land."

"That's a good idea, if it's illegal to talk on your phone and drive, it might be the same for flying." Jenny said as they made a tighter loop and landed on part of the roof.

Jenny let them into the building with her key card and Nodrog returned the phone call he had gotten. Alice sent Jenny a text saying they were just getting on the bypass and would be home shortly.

"Who was that?" Jenny asked as she set down the few things she had on the counter.

"Sherman's brother, Winston. He was wanting to know if I could come down to the club and do a little audition for the rest of the band." Nodrog said.

"Did he give a time?" Jenny said and glanced at her watch before striping naked.

"Any time this afternoon." Nodrog eyed her lustfully. That bald little pussy always looked tasty.

"Down boy, I am just going to shower. Alice and I got a little worked up last night." Jenny said with a sly little smile.

"I know, don't worry you two were not the only pair." Nodrog said.

As Jenny showered Nodrog went to his bathroom and washed up as well. He was getting dressed when he heard Alice enter the apartment. He picked up a shirt and walked out to the living room. Jenny had on pants but only the towel draped around her neck covered up her top.

"This is a pleasant way to be greeted, both of you topless." Alice said with a smile.

"Well after all of the activities, I was a little hot, sweaty and sticky." Jenny said and sat down on the couch.

"You're not the only one, sweaty and sticky." Alice proceeded to strip naked as she headed to their room. "I need a shower too." Both Jenny and Nodrog stared at her lovely backside as she disappeared into the bed room.

"Well, we need to go and buy food since we are all back home. I will wait for Alice if you want to go down to the club. Maybe meet up a little later for a late lunch, if any of us are hungry by then." Jenny said.

"Works for me." Nodrog ate one of his metal bars. "Then later a little more of a private party."

"A very private party indeed." Jenny purred as he kissed her neck before pulling on his shirt and heading out the door. Jenny got up and went to their room to finish getting dressed and sat on the edge of the bed to wait for Alice.

"You should have seen their faces when the two of you split like that." Alice said as she came out with not even a towel on.

"And you are really going to have to do that. It was incredible." Jenny said.

"I can think of something I would like to do..." Alice said.

"It will have to wait. He took off for a band audition. Sherman's brother called on the flight over here." Jenny said.

"That's cool, so what are we going to do?" Alice asked.

"Well as boring as it is, we need to get food. I thought we could catch up with him later today and get a late lunch if either of us are hungry by then." Jenny said.

Nodrog got off the trolley and headed downtown. It was still a little odd for him to be out like this. No one really paid much attention to him as he double checked the address on the phone Jenny and Alice had finally found he could use. He smiled as the phone indicated he was heading the right way.

"Hey Cid." Nodrog said as he walked up to the bouncer.

"I was told to keep an eye out for you. They are all inside." Cid pointed inside. The door had been propped open. Nodrog stepped inside and found Winston and Brian sitting at the bar, while three other guys sat at a table nearby.

"Glad you could make it down on short notice." Winston said.

"Had all ready planed on being out of the house today any way." Nodrog shook his hand.

"Cool. Let me introduce you to everyone." Winston said. "This is Nodrog, a friend of my brothers."

"That's the guy I was telling you guys about. He was playing with old man Charley in the music store." A fox anthro said.

"Well at least we know he isn't crazy." Brian said. And they all shared a laugh.

"Brian you all ready know, the actual fox is Steven, he plays bass. Freddy, is the rat and plays trumpet. Oxford, is well he's the ox and plays drums..." Winston said.

"Yeah my parents weren't real good with names." Ox said in a rather deep voice.

"Well give him some music and let me and Ox hear him play something. Since you guys have all ready heard him." Freddy said.

"Hope you don't mind him borrowing you stool Ox." Brain said as they all got up and headed over to the stage.

"Why, he isn't as big as me." Ox said and crossed his arms.

"It's not the size, it's the weight. I'm just under nine hundred and twenty pounds." Nodrog said with a laugh.

"What are you, made of metal or something?" Steven asked.

Brian handed Nodrog some music. "Metal. Flesh, blood and bone." Nodrog said and glanced up from the sheet music.

"Damn that's heavy." Ox said and scratched his chin.

Nodrog looked up at Winston who was standing on the stage. "Don't ask." Winston said with a smile.

"I won't" Nodrog said and shook his head. The first song was the one he played for Winston and Brian the day they all had come down. The second was another of their own works, a little more mellow then the first.

As Nodrog finished the first song and started the second one Steven nudged Freddy. "Now do you believe me?"

"Gota say, I am impressed." Freddy said.

"I guessing if he is a friend of Sherman's, he is outa town a bunch?" Steven asked.

"Yeah. We were hoping to get him to switch gigs." Brian said as Nodrog got to his favorite part of the song.

"So what's he doing right now?" Ox asked.

"Same thing I do." Sherman said as he Cindy, Jenny and Alice walked up to the table they were sitting at.

"Hey Sherman long time." Steven said and shook his hand. Freddy and Ox did the same.

"Well, catch you boys later." Cindy said and gave Sherman a quick kiss before the three of them took off.

Sherman flipped a chair around and sat down. "How have you guys been?"

"Apparently not as good as you..." Steven said.

"Hanging in the best we can." Freddy said and glanced at the door as the girls left.

"Mom told me the news, I knew all of you are close." Sherman said.

"That we were. Your buddy is a damn good player." Steven said.

"So fair the only thing I have found he isn't good at is swimming." Sherman said with a chuckle.

"So who are your lady friends?" Freddy asked.

"Don't get your hopes up, ones mine and the other two wouldn't be interested." Sherman said.

"How can you be so sure?" Freddy asked as Nodrog finished playing.

"Cause you're not a girl." Sherman said and laughed at Freddy and Steven's expressions.