Jade was overwhelmed by Lawson's family. There were so many people in the mansion; it didn't seem that big anymore. She felt a bit claustrophobic with all the bodies crammed into the dining room.

G.G had handed Jade a plate and a set ofutensils wrapped in a white cloth napkin from the end of the table beforedisappearing into the crowd. 

Lawson kept close to her, overloading his plate with all kinds of food. There was no hesitation on his part. He took a large helping of everything.

Everything looked wonderful to Jade. Several long tables had been pushed up against the four walls of the room and were overloaded with every kind of food imaginable.

Jade saw everything from hotdogs, hamburgers, barbecued chicken and ribs, five kinds of sandwiches, and three different lasagna dishes.

On another table were different leafed salads as well as potato salad, macaroni salad, fruit salad.

The third table held deserts with cookies, cupcakes, pies, and many different sliced cakes.

The last table had all kinds of drinks such as various sodas, many flavored sparkling waters, regular bottled water, and a couple of different types of beers.

"Not hungry?" Lawson asked, raising an eyebrow at her empty plate.

"I am, just not sure what to try."

"Help yourself. There's plenty to go around and there'll be more in the kitchen, so don't worry about the vultures," he nodded at a group of younger cousins, who were fighting over the last leg of barbecued chicken. The group cheered when a large man in a chef's uniform approached the table with a large steaming tray.

Jade laughed at the antics. "I'm not worried about running out. Your mom seems to have outdone herself."

Lawson chuckled. "She tends to do that. We never starved growing up, that's for sure."

"I never would have guessed," Jade said sarcastically with a pointed glance to the crystal chandelier hanging above their heads.

She decided on the lasagna and helped herself to a slice. Jade added some salad to her plate and grabbed a bottled water from the drink table, ignoring the sweet smell of the desserts at the table next to it, which teased her senses and made her mouth water. 

Lawson led her out of the room and across the hall. Pocket doors were pushed back and was open to the hallway. It appeared to be a ballroom like in a hotel.

It was a huge room with several crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling like diamonds. The lights were not turned on though as sunlight filled the room from the floor to ceiling doors, overlooking the patio and the ranch beyond it.

Jade tried to prevent her jaw from dropping, but was afraid she failed at the attempt.

The room was set up like a wedding reception with about thirty round tables and ten chairs at each table. A crystal bowl of white roses and baby's breath were on the center of each table.

"This is gorgeous!" Jade exclaimed as Lawson set his plate on one of the tables. She did the same and Lawson pulled out her chair. She smiled at his gentlemanly gesture and sat.

"Not as much as you," he whispered in her ear as he sat down in the chair beside her.

Jade blushed at his comment. "Don't be silly."

"Totally serious," he said leaning over and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Can we join you?" a pretty teenage girl of about seventeen years old asked, while pushing a wheelchair, carrying a younger version of Lawson. His right leg was propped up with a large bag of ice across his ankle and lower leg. He was Duncan, she assumed.

"Of course," Lawson smiled at them and stood back up. "Natalie, this is my sister, Meadow and her idiot twin brother, Duncan."

Duncan rolled his emerald eyes as Lawson moved a chair out of the way on the other side of Jade for his wheelchair. "Hi," he said to Jade, leaning forward to extend his hand to her. "Nice to meet you."

Meadow quickly shook Jade's hand as well and then turned back to her twin, her hands on her hips and glaring menacingly. "I agree with that assessment." She gave him a pointed look and tossed her golden locks over her shoulder. "Now, what do you want to eat since I seem to be your slave for the day?"

He shrugged, "Surprise me."

Meadow sighed dramatically and stormed out of the room.

Duncan watched her go and then gave Jade an apologetic smile. "She's pissed at me."

Lawson grunted as he sat down. "Everyone's pissed at you, get used to it."

Jade saw a quick flash of hurt in Duncan's eyes before he recovered himself. "Nothing new there." Duncan shrugged as if he didn't care. "I already am used to it."

Law's eyebrows drew together, his face was turning red, and the emeralds of his eyes seemed to glow. Jade had never seen him so upset. "I wonder why?" Lawson snapped at his brother.

"Geez, I didn't want to bother you, so don't get all up on my case..."

Lawson sighed and then rubbed his eyes. "You over-think things, Duncan, to the extent that you think you're causing problems if you bring it up, but when you avoid the problem then it becomes an even bigger problem than it would have been if you brought it up in the first place."

"I'm not blaming you, Law!"

Lawson rubbed his eyes. "You over-think things to the extent that you think you're causing problems if you bring it up, but when you avoid the problem then it becomes an even bigger problem than it would have been if you brought it up in the first place!"

Several people had turned their focus upon their table as Lawson's tone had increased to an almost shout at the end, but Jade dismissed the curious stares as she turned over what he had said in her mind. It didn't make any sense at all to her. "What?"

Duncan laughed and then patted Jade on the arm. "Surprisingly, I totally understood that."

"Good." Lawson popped open his soda can. "Maybe you'll remember it next time."

A motion next to Jade's shoulder had her quickly leaning her body sideways to avoid being hit by whatever it was. A food laden plate dropped onto the table with a thud. "Better not be a next time," Meadow quipped with an almost snarl as she thrust a can of soda at Duncan. She walked around to the chair on the opposite side of Lawson, most likely to avoid sitting next to her twin brother as the chair on the other side of him was empty.

Duncan set his soda on the table. "Yes, my favorite sister," he grinned, pulling and rocking the wheelchair closer to the table awkwardly. Since his leg was upright, Meadow had positioned it so that Duncan's left side was near the table. His body was facing Jade, his upright foot being only a few inches from her chair.

Jade scooted her chair back and closer to Lawson to make more room for him. "Do you need any help?" She reached over to reposition his plate, but Duncan beat her to it and set the plate in his lap.

"Where'd you get the wheelchair?" Law interrupted before Duncan could even thank her for her offer.

Duncan took a bite out of his sandwich. "Gmpa"

"Seriously? Don't talk with your mouth full." Meadow scolded. " You eight years old?" 

Duncan made a show of swallowing. "It was grandpa's," he said as if they all should know. "And I'm hungry..." he said in a whiney voice.

"Serves you right," Meadow growled.

"Okay," Lawson put up a hand and glared at both of them. "No squabbling. We have company."

Meadow turned to Jade, excitement lighting her face. "So, where you from? Where'd you two meet? I want all the details!"

Jade smiled at her enthusiasm. "We met at a bar near my work. Lawson was bartending there." She thought Lawson would make some reaction, maybe glance at her with a warm smile in remembrance of their not so subtle attempts at flirting, but when she looked at him to revel in their good fortune he was staring at his plate, lost in thought. Jade pushed down her disappointment and looked back at Meadow, who frowned at her brother and then gave Jade a sympathetic look and an almost undetectable shrug.

Duncan popped a potato chip in his mouth and crunched it audibly. "Cool." He said with all the interest of a seventeen year old boy on the romance of an older couple. He chuckled as Meadow balled up a napkin and threw it at him. He glanced at Lawson curiously, but he took no notice, pushing his food around his plate with a fork.

Before Jade could ask Lawson what was wrong they were interrupted. "Can I sit at the cool kids' table?" G.G asked, grinning at them as she approached with a plate and drink in her hands. Lawson visibly startled and looked up, offering her a slight smile. G.G raised an eyebrow and looked around the table.

Meadow cleared her throat. "Absolutely." She kicked the chair next to her out. "Park it here, cuz."

G.G laughed and then set her things on the table and took a seat, "So, what are we talking about?" She unwrapped the napkin from around the utensils and laid the cloth across her lap.

"How the two lovebirds met," Duncan replied with a roll of the eyes.

Jade blushed at the comment, but Lawson just chuckled and put an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her close and place a kiss on top of her head. Jade warmed at the attention and pushed the worry out of her mind as his focus was now back on the conversation.

"Ooh, fabulous! I was waiting to hear that myself!"

"You missed it," Duncan seemed pleased to announce.

G.G frowned, "Why do I always miss the good stuff?"

Duncan rolled his eyes. "You're always yakking to someone. How could you miss anything?"

She gasped and put a hand dramatically to her chest. "I do not yak!" 

"Duncan, behave," Meadow scolded.

Duncan leaned towards Jade. "Thought I was," he told Jade in a mock whisper.

Jade giggled at the exchange. She felt included in the family banter even though she didn't know what they were talking about most of the time.

She didn't know what had happened to Duncan's leg, but she hoped Lawson would tell her when they were alone if it was some kind of secret. It was probably what he'd been worried about when his attention had been on his plate and not on the conversation.

Jade noticed Duncan rubbing his leg a few times as they ate and he had adjusted the bag of ice at least twice. The women had been making small talk as the men ignored each other and dug into their food. "Can I help with that?" she asked as Duncan moved the now sagging bag of melted ice and water again.

Duncan took a phone out of his pocket, glanced at it, and then stuck it back in his pocket. "It's been about ten minutes and that's as long as I'm supposed to have it on at a time." He picked up the dripping bag and held it out towards her. "Can you throw this in the bathroom sink or something?"

Lawson quickly got out of his chair and grabbed the bag before Jade could even open her mouth to reply. "I got it." He strode out of the room with it, leaking water on the hardwood floor in his wake.

Duncan shook his head and took another bite out of his sandwich.

"He's pissssseeeddddd..." Meadow said peering over her shoulder, watching Lawson leave.

"I know," Duncan growled.

G.G sighed. "You can't really blame him, Dunc..."

Duncan pushed his plate aside. Jade thought he wanted to throw it, but he was holding in his temper. "I never said I blamed him!" he snapped.

G.G lifted a hand. "I meant for him being mad at you for being so stupid. Again."

"Gee, thanks." Duncan popped another chip in his mouth and chewed. "You seriously wanted me to call him when he said he was working and then he was heading here? I figured I'd be fine for a couple days 'til he got here."

G.G sighed, "You could have told Felix or Cade or Cody..."she counted them off on her fingers.

"Or me!" Meadow snapped.

"Okay, okay, I get it, I get it..." Duncan grumbled.

"I'm sorry. Are you talking about your leg?" Jade asked, tired of being left out of the conversation.

"Sorry, Ja-" she cleared her throat. "Natalie," Meadow told her, tossing another glare at her twin. "His leg really started swelling up a couple days ago and he didn't tell anyone."

"But why are you saying that he should have waited for Lawson? He's not a doctor."

"No, but I have a ..."

"Duncan," G.G snapped and shook her head.

Jade frowned again, glancing at G.G and wondering what she didn't want her to know. "You have a what?"

Duncan pulled up his pant leg, revealing a black plastic box with a green flashing light strapped around his ankle. His leg was extremely pink and swollen and Jade could see both the strap and box were digging into his skin. Jade blinked as her mind started processing what the device was as the light blinked at her in time with the beating of her heart.

"I'm under house arrest," Duncan explained, gesturing needlessly at the device.

Jade nodded slowly. "Oh." Her mind was blank at what to say in response.

"I can't just cut the damn thing off," Duncan said sending a glare to his sister and cousin.  "Lawson's... well, he has connections with...the authorities, I guess. He can get them to give me a new one quicker than if I just called my parole officer. If I call him, it'll take months."

"It has taken months." Jade heard Meadow mutter in annoyance. Duncan sent her another glare. "It doesn't get that way that quick, bro. It had to have been happening for a while. You've been working out a lot the past couple of years and your body grew. That takes time."

"It wasn't that bad 'til now." Duncan replied defensively.

"Wow." Jade couldn't help but let out the word in surprise. Duncan couldn't be more than seventeen or eighteen. She wondered what he'd done to be arrested. She was glad he was under house arrest and not in a prison cell. The guy was extremely good looking and a young guy like him could be seriously hurt in jail. Not to mention what jail would do to his young mind and emotions.

"Cody's here," Lawson announced coming back to the table.

Duncan leaned back in his wheelchair and stretched. "Thank God," Duncan sighed. 

"Where's the moron?" another good looking blonde guy in a brown sheriff's uniform followed Lawson to the table, carrying a large briefcase.

Duncan put up a finger, "Right here."

"I didn't need you to identify yourself. I know who the moron in this house is," the sherrif scoffed, and then knelt down beside Duncan's wheelchair. He set the briefcase down on the floor.

"Hardy har har, cuz. Get this damn thing off of me." Duncan growled.

Cody looked up from opening the briefcase. "Now, that's no way to treat the guy who's trying to help you."

Duncan squirmed in his chair. "Cody, I swear to God!"

Cody put a hand on Duncan's arm. "It's coming off, Dunc, I promise." He said softly and Jade thought she heard a slight tremer.

Duncan nodded and wiped a hand over his face. Jade had seen the tears in his eyes though. She didn't have to see the pain in his face, his leg didn't look good at all.

Cody looked at his watch and then looked at the device. Jade saw the green light that had been flashing was now off. She figured that meant that someone had turned off the tracking device remotely. Cody opened the briefcase and took out what looked to be wire cutters.

Duncan covered his face again, "Don't you dare cut my leg off or I swear to God, I'll hunt you down."

"What's with all the swearing to God?" Cody asked as he maneuvered the wire cutters between Duncan's skin and the strap. "You're going to have to go to church on Sunday and beg for his forgiveness for taking his name in vain."

Cody started cutting the strap. "I think he'll forgive me," Duncan sucked in his breath, and leaned back in the chair as he gripped the armrests."Jesus, that hurts, Cody!"

The strap and device fell to the floor and Duncan grabbed his leg and started rubbing his ankle frantically.

"Calm down," Lawson said grabbing his hands.

"It hurts!"

"I know, little brother." Lawson said, taking over the rubbing of his leg.

Duncan glanced over to the briefcase, where Cody was putting away the device and wire cutters. "Can you put the new one on the other leg? It's been almost four years on this one, we should balance me out."

Cody shut the briefcase and handed Duncan an envelope. Duncan frowned and took the envelope. "What's this?"

"Read it," Cody replied crossing his arms over his chest.

Duncan sighed and opened up the envelope. Jade watched as his eyes filled with tears. Meadow rushed over when they started falling down his cheeks. Lawson grabbed the letter from him and started reading. A smile grew larger and larger on his face the more he read.

"What?" Meadow asked.

Lawson handed her the letter and then enveloped his brother in a hug.

"He's been released," Cody announced to the now silent room. Everyone let out a cheer and several people rushed over to hug and congratulate Duncan.

Jade again felt out of place, but Lawson squeezed her shoulder and then sat down beside her. "Sorry about all this, I didn't know it was happening today."

"You knew he was going to be released?"

Lawson shrugged, "Not so soon, no. Me, my dad, and a few of my friends have been working on it, well, pretty much since he was arrested. In the past couple years, we've been trying to push even harder so he could go to M.I.T like he's always wanted."

"M.I.T, wow, he must be really smart!" Jade glanced at the young man, who was hugging their mother and a man, she assumed was their father.

"I'm afraid that's what got him into this mess," Lawson said, taking a bite of his food.

Jade took a bite of her food as well, it had gone a bit cold during all that had happened but it was still delicious. "What do you mean?"

"He hacked into the Pentagon."

Jade dropped her fork, "He did what?!"

Lawson nodded, "You heard me right. He did it to prove he could. That any good hacker could. And in fact, they didn't catch him, so he called them up and yelled at them for not catching him."

Jade put a hand over her mouth in shock, "He didn't!"

He scoffed, "The idiot did. Of course, he was arrested. But then the Pentagon, as part of his sentencing made him work for them. Believe me; no one's getting in now."

"Duncan must be really brilliant."

"It's a blessing and a curse."

Jade nodded not knowing what to say. She watched the young man finish accepting congratulations and then he dug back into his dinner.

"Are you going to apply to M.I.T now that you've been released?" Jade asked him.

Duncan wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Um, I'm already taking classes online. I may go next semester, I'm not sure yet." He took a drink of soda and then glanced at Lawson. "I may go to Harvard. I'm taking online classes with them as well."

"Go to M.I.T, Duncan, it's been your dream. Harvard's dad's dream for us."

Duncan shrugged, "Yeah, I know. But I wouldn't mind being a lawyer either. Corporate law or something. And I can always take computer science at Harvard whereas at M.I.T, I can't do both."

Lawson ran a hand through his hair. "Duncan..."

"It's my decision, Law. And, I'm not deciding anything right this second."

G.G leaned across Meadow and squeezed Duncan's arm. "No one's asking you to. You take the time you need to make the right decision for you. There's nothing wrong with continuing with the online classes as you've been doing."

Duncan shrugged, "I can only do those for so long."

"We'll figure it out," Meadow told him with a watery smile. "Even if you have to leave me."

"Aw, poor twinie," G.G gave her a sideways hug, "You got the rest of us to bug you, though."

Meadow laughed, "Too true."

Author note: Sorry for the delay in adding more chapters, my degenerated disc disease has been brutal this year and I've been in a ton of pain. I hope to get more chapters up soon!