Sitting on one of the stools laid out in front of the counter-top in his kitchen Sean immediately began to eat the slice of apple pie on his plate. Sitting in front of him, in another stool was his best friend, drinking some coffee while watching the lack of good manners the young doctor only displayed when it came to apple pie.

Sean was usually a well-behaved gentleman on the table, but put an apple pie dish in front of him and the guy turned into a ravening beast.

Sighing, Owen put his mug down and addressed his friend. "That darling girl is doing our job again Sean. And this time she doesn't even know it. We really need to step up our game."

Smiling rather proudly, Sean asked between bites. "And did you expect any different from our Pookie?"

At least he doesn't speak with his mouth full anymore...

"Of course not. Actually, I believe that Mr. Lee and Mr. Taylor had an ulterior motive when they left her alone with Mr. North Taylor. The fact she already has the two newest members of our family wrapped around her little finger is unsurprising." Owen said, grabbing his mug and taking another sip from his coffee.

"I notice that you didn't correct my "our Pookie" this time Owen." Sean teased, expecting a glare and silence from his friend.

Looking back at his friend with narrowed eyes Owen Blackbourne simply answered. "There is no our "Pookie", she can be your "Pookie" if you want, but for me she will always be my darling, Miss Sang or simply Ms. Blackbourne."

His eyes widening in shock Sean dropped the fork he'd been using, making a mess on the table, much to the chagrin of his too graceful best friend.

Recovering from his shock he smiled wide, wider than he had done in a while and said. "It is good to have you back, Owen."

......

Parking the car in front of the Taylor's house, Luke, who was sitting in the front, quickly got out so that he could open the car door for Silas to come out. Sang was still curled on his lap, looking very comfortable, and he didn't wish for her to have to move.

North had already spent the whole drive back home complaining about safety and Luke thought that for someone who had been so quiet his brother sure had a lot to say, and quite loudly too.

Sneaking one arm under her knees and the other behind her back, Silas stood from the car and started walking toward the front door. The rain had stopped on their way home.

"I can walk, you know." She said.

"I know." Silas answered but made no move to put her down.

She smirked and shook her head but let him have his way.

Opening the front door Luke entered the house, with Silas carrying Sang behind him and North right behind them. The sounds of talking and male voices coming from the living room attracted their attention.

"Oy! Where is the troublemaker?"

......

Fucking hell, Trouble is back and already causing trouble. Figures that when we need her the most she would show up. And from what Luke told me through the phone she is already solving our problems, again.

When Kota had first texted us that morning with news that Sang was back I had been ecstatic. I would finally have a girl to play with and dress up. Little trouble had been the cutest thing that ever existed and by the way Luke and Kota were acting she must still be beautiful and amazing.

When Dr. Green had sent the reports of what her life had been like without them he'd almost cried.

Looking out the window of my room I could see that a storm was coming and I thought it fit with Trouble's return.

Like the winds that were blowing she was bringing change, like the rain that fell to the ground she was bringing life. The storm was chaotic, beautiful and dangerous.

Later in the day Luke called, saying that he was coming back from the mall...

He went to the fucking mall without me!

...with Sang and the guys...

With Sang! Really!

...and that I should call Victor to come and get me, so we could go over to his house, where we would all meet.

Apparently in less than a day the little troublemaker had already managed to turn our two "mutes" into talkative giants, messed up with North's precious Jeep, and oh yeah... she also got accosted by a druggie with a gun! She is fucking grounded!

I hang up the call with Luke and call Victor. "Vic! We need to go over to Luke's right now! Trouble will be there!" I tell him while separating all the things I will need to take with me. Hummm... blow-dryer, brush, my special formula...

Once Victor arrived we drove off, all the time talking and reminiscing about the time when we had first met Sang.

Arriving at the house we saw that we had gotten there first and went inside to wait. Sitting in the living room in with my leg bouncing I was a jumble of feelings, excitement, happiness and curiosity about Sang, rage at those people from that school and slightly jealous that she had met the other guys first.

When they heard the car pulling in he stopped himself from running to go and see her. Patience, Gabriel...

When they heard the sound of the front door opening and footsteps heading for where they were... far too slow footsteps in his opinion, he thought To hell with patience, I haven't seen her in forever! And stood up, hurrying into the hall.

"Oy! Where is the troublemaker?" I said in the door to the front hall. Upon seeing Sang in Silas arms he smiled. She was even more beautiful than he had imagined and even after all these years he knew that any portrait he ever made of her would never compare to her beauty. He'd also forgotten the effect her simple presence always had on him. It was like a sun had come into the room.

Stretched his arms out, palms up and flexed his fingers demanding to be given his Trouble. "Give her here right fucking now, you giant Greek!"

"Gabriel!" Sang exclaimed, her eyes lighting up when they fell on him, her smile aimed at him showing without a shadow of doubt that she was happy to see him. He almost sighed in relief and happiness. God, this was crazy. He'd had a crush on her when they were kids; a crush that he'd forgotten about after she disappeared, leaving only the sweet memories of a very good and short friendship. However it seemed that just having her close again was already reawakening all those long forgotten feelings. 

You are pathetic, Gabriel, this beautiful girl will never want to date you... Just look at her! Even dressed in ugly clothing and with her hair turned into a birds nest she is still gorgeous.

He snapped out of his thoughts when she started wiggling in Silas arms until he put her down. Once her foot touched the floor she flew at him and hugged him tight, her arms going around his waist as his went around hers.

Maybe being with her don't be so impossible, she'd once thought he was amazing. He could be amazing for her.

He buried his face in her neck and started mumbling about how much he had missed her, how much she was in trouble for messing with armed guys and how much she just needed to let him fix her hair... all the while he was swaying the both of them from side to side in a comforting motion.

She smelled clean, with a hint of tangerine and honey, like she didn't use any perfume, only her soap and shampoo lending her a scent. He should make something for her so she'd smell as beautifully as she looked.

Lifting his head from her neck he said loud enough for everyone to hear. "You're fucking grounded, Trouble!"

Looking up at him in confusion Sang was about to speak when Victor's voice coming from the living room cut through their reencounter. "Stop shouting at her, Gabe."

"No. God damn it, she was attacked by a fucking druggie with a gun!" I shouted at him, sliding my arm under her butt, the other behind her back I picked her up and walked into the living room, sitting in the couch with her sideways in my lap.

"What is it with you guys carrying me everywhere today?" she smirked up at me. I popped her tight and said "Shush, the men are talking here." Her eyes lit up with an unholy light. Uh oh, guess I am the one in trouble now...

She got up from my lap and went to greet Victor, who had been waiting patiently for her to acknowledge him. Hugging, they exchanged a few quiet words which I couldn't catch before moving to sit down again.

I couldn't stand it anymore; I jumped up, startling everyone, and grabbed Sang's hand. "Come on, Trouble. I need to fix your hair." Having said that I dragged her to the nearest bathroom, closing the door behind us.

......

Gabriel closes the bathroom door behind us and I look up at him nervously. He was standing very closely and even though I had missed him and knew I could trust him it had been a long time since we'd been together. 

Besides I am not used to being so close to people...

Looking at him I see another gorgeous boy, with a lean figure and beautiful two-toned hair. Gabriel's clothes were stylish and he wore them with a confidence I envied. his blue eyes were as clear and electrical as I remembered and his smile was a sight to behold. I wanted to see him smile more. 

Once the door was closed he went straight for the bag by the counter and started to go through it, clearly searching for something specific. It seemed to have an assortment of tools and products that you'd normally find in a hair salon.

"I'm going to detangle your hair first, Trouble, but we're also going to wash it and then dry it." He said. Gabriel was a man in a mission.

Seeing he'd grabbed a brush I moved to stand in front of the mirror by the sink so that I could watch what he was doing. Moving to stand behind me he began smoothing out my hair at the tips, starting with combing out the ends. Once he was done with the brush he began combing his fingers through my hair, rubbing along my scalp and really working his fingers along the base of my head in a massaging motion that relaxed me. Standing as close as he was to me I could smell a faint minty scent coming from him.

The sound of running water coming from the sink made me realize I had closed my eyes. Snapping them open I was faced with Gabriel's smiling face on the mirror. His blue eyes reflecting happiness and excitement.

"Bend over, Trouble." He commanded.

I blushed and did as he said, ducking my head under the faucet to the sink. The sweet smell of honey and cinnamon filled my nose while he lathered my hair with shampoo. "So, how do you feel now that you are back home, Trouble?"

Thinking about it I answered sincerely. "I am not sure where my home is, Gabriel. But I like being free. It is breathtaking, joyful and scary."

Feeling a single drop in my scalp I knew it hadn't come from the tap. Waiting until he finished washing the shampoo from my hair I stood up, turned around and wrapped my arms around him.

"Why are you crying, Gabriel?" I asked him, my heart squeezing in my chest.

He buried his face in my neck, his arms wrapping around me tightly, and started mumbling against my skin, his warm breath sending shivers through my spine.

"I can't hear you, Meanie." I told him, my voice low and soft.

"You have a home, Trouble. You will always have a home with me. Us." He told me, making my heart leap in hope that I didn't dare to feed.

Putting his hands on my hips, Gabriel took a step back and looked me in the eyes, his face completely serious, his cheeks still wet from the tears he'd cried for me. He raised one of his hands to my face, his fingers rubbing along my cheek, and said. "You have no reason to be afraid, Sang. Now that we've found you we are never letting you go. You are not alone anymore."

Looking into his electric blue eyes, time stilled and in that moment I felt myself starting to fall.

......

Driving over to an old friend house, Owen Blackbourne was taken by a sense of urgency.

Maybe it was too soon for him to be visiting the Andersons, but he knew that with Sang it paid to be prepared. The girl worked so fast it almost made him dizzy.

He could tell by meeting her that morning and by Mr. Taylor's phone call that she was wreaking havoc among his team. Both in a good and a bad way. They were all falling fast for her and Owen could see it blowing in their faces with the same speed.

His team had thought in the past about acquiring a bird for their family. Not because they'd had a girl in sight that they'd all been interested, but because it seemed like a good idea for them. They all knew the Anderson family and how happy they were together.

Most academy families had a tendency to drift apart when the members got married. They would have their children, become busy with their spouses and have no time to spend with their old family.

He and the boys didn't want that. They had been through a lot together and wanted to remain so. But the only way that could happen is if they had a girl between them. A girl they all could love and that would love them in return. A girl they would share, care, and protect. Only a girl could cement their bond and keep they close as a family. Maybe only one certain girl could.

They had two more brothers to consider now, thought. And as much as they both seemed interested in Sang, would they be agreeable with sharing her?

Owen didn't know, but he was going to talk with Henry to see what he could do for damage control.

Maybe he was being a little hasty in his search for assistance, they hadn't had a family meeting yet to decide if they would adopt Sang, but he had a feeling that he needed to be prepared.

Well... it's not like I am planning on asking her to marry me... I just want to check if this could work...

He had to admit thought that if he ever decided to ask her in marriage he would have to work fast. With her, if a guy didn't work fast enough he would run the risk of being the one being asked in marriage instead. Sang wasn't the kind of girl to wait for others to do the honors after all. He didn't have anything against women who made their marriage proposal in place of the men. But he liked to follow tradition on certain things.

Owen could well imagine her, on bent knee, asking the one she loved in marriage.

The fact that the person she was asking in marriage on his mind looked a lot like him, he chose to ignore for the moment.

Hummm, if Sean could read my more recent thoughts he'd have a field day, no doubt.

......

After my declaration Trouble had gone all shy on me, blushing, averting her eyes and even stuttering out a "Thank you, Gabriel" in that soft and sexy voice of hers. I loved when she said my name. She'd never shortened it to "Gabe"; she always used the full "Gabriel", as if her tongue was savoring every damn word.

Once I was done with drying and styling her hair I ushered her back to the living room before the other guys came after me. I knew they wouldn't let me keep her to myself for long. We'd all missed her in different way over the years. Even Nathan and Luke, who had only exchanged a few words with her in the past, sometimes caught themselves mentioning a little blonde firecracker. She'd caused an impression in our group and we were all curious and interested in spending more time with her. Silas and North were obviously no better.

For a moment I wondered what would happen with our family, especially now that we had added two new members and Sang was back.

Deciding not to worry about it now I walked into the living room ahead of Trouble. Stepping to the side once I had everyone's attention I let them see the beauty hiding behind me.

The look on the faces of my brothers priceless. Victor seemed dazed; his mouth slightly ajar, Luke had looked her up and down intensely and gone off to la-la-land. Silas was smirking while checking her out and North was silently watching her, his eyes intense, speechless once again. This time involuntarily.

......

Sang baby was a sexy little thing and she didn't even know it. Her dark clothes hugged her body beautifully, showing all her curves. Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders, showing different shades of blond and even a little red. Her green eyes were shy, her face a little flushed.

She had no reason to be shy before them. She was stunning and should stand tall and proud. She needed someone to show her how amazing she was. And he wasn't only talking about her appearance, she was smart, strong and courageous. He wouldn't say that she was fearless because she'd clearly been very afraid of that fucker this morning, but she never let her fear stop her.

Maybe I could show her how amazing she was? Could this make up for all the mistakes I have made, for being a drunk like my father... Could I be better than him for her?

Looking over at my oldest friend I see he is watching her too, an admiring look in his eyes. But there is a spark of respect and caring there too, that weren't present with any other girl he'd dated before. He'd met her just this afternoon and North could already see the changes on him.

After the death of his mother Silas had been falling into an endless depression. The fact that it was his own brother who killed her and he saved Theo's life when he'd attempted suicide didn't help him feel any better.

Theo was poison for that family and North had tried to convince the Korba's to get rid of him. But stubborn greeks insisted that Ms. Korba wouldn't want it. She'd wish for the family to always stay together. Greeks were big on family.

A few hours on Sang's presence had, however, brought the greek boy back to life. He seemed lighter, a little happier, making his stupid jokes with a sincere smile on his face instead of a forced one.

He needed her. Sang was good for his friend. Could North take her from him? They needed to talk.

......

Back on Sunnyvale Court, Nathan Griffin made his way through his front lawn and entered his empty house. The place a clean and organized, just the way he'd left it before going away on his last mission.

It was a habit he'd gotten from his mother, keeping the house spotless and organized. She'd had to do it so she wouldn't be beaten by his father and Nathan had always helped her.

Walking through the empty living room, the sounds of his footsteps resonating in the room made him feel lonely. He didn't like his house so empty. He'd been living practically by himself for years now but he'd never gotten used to it. Maybe because his brothers spent a lot of time here sometimes and seeing the house so quiet after it had been filled with the noise and presence of his family always seemed to emphasize how hollow it felt without them around.

Sighing at his morose thought Nathan dropped his bag in his bed and moved to the nightstand where he'd left his cellphone.

His mission had been the sort where he needed to stay incommunicable so he could accomplish it.

Checking his phone he saw that he had a few voicemail's from his family. Walking into his kitchen he opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. Seeing that the first message was from Kota he hit play while he opened his bottle and put it to his mouth, drinking greedily. He was parched.

"Nate, you don't know who I met yesterday at night..." said the strangely excited voice of his best friend. Kota wasn't the sort to do one-night stands after all.

"...Sang Sorenson." He choked on his water, the liquid going down the wrong way. Coughing he dropped his phone on the table and bent over the sink, trying to get the water out of his lungs. For an expert swimmer like him to drown on a bottle of water it was more than a little embarrassing.

Sang was back? Running back to his phone he replayed the message, not believing what he was hearing.

Once he was done listening to Kota's message he went on to next one, this time from Mr. Blackbourne telling him about Sang's return. The next was from Dr. Green about a report having been sent to his e-mail. The last one was from Luke, talking a mile a minute about how she had gotten both North and Silas to talk with them all and how she'd single-handedly defeated an armed crime boss in the middle of a crowded mall using only a hairpin and her hands. The last part seemed ludicrous, Luke was no doubt messing with him again.

Going over to his laptop he opened his mail and started reading the report Dr. Green had told him about. He couldn't believe his eyes. Their little friend had been a remarkable as a child, but to think she'd caused a nationwide scandal was incredible. Did she defeat a crime boss in the middle of the mall?

His loneliness temporarily forgotten he could only think that he needed to go over to Luke's. Where was Kota and his car when he needed it?

......

In that moment Kota was sitting in Dr. Roberts office with such a stern expression on his face that he was making the older gentleman sweat.

He was becoming more and more like Owen every day, the good doctor thought.

"Owen was traveling in a mission." He said, as way of an excuse.

"I was in the city, and Dr. Green was in this very hospital." The young man answered, unforgiving.

"She looked exhausted. I didn't want her to feel overwhelmed." He added.

"We aren't stupid. We would have been gentle with her." He barked back at me.

Sighing tiredly Dr. Phillip Roberts ran his fingers through his short, white hair and admitted. "It had been a very long week here in the hospital. I wasn't thinking straight, so I just took her to my house where we could both rest." Pausing for a moment he added. "It was interesting having someone underfoot again. I guess I was starting to feel lonely in that big house."

Hearing this, Kota's face softened. He understood the older man feelings. He'd lost his wife recently, and his children and grandchildren didn't live close by. Having Sang around must have been like a breath of fresh air. He couldn't fault him for keeping her for a couple of days.

Standing from his chair, the young man shook hands with the older man and went back to his house.

Phillip, thinking about Sang, the boys and his wife, couldn't help but remember another bird that had flown by his life.

He had loved his wife deeply and been very happy with her, but she'd not been the love of his life. No. the love of his life had been his best friend's girlfriend. The one Phillip hadn't been able to accept sharing. The one he ended losing.

Sharing wasn't for everyone, but he hopped these boys could manage it.

AN: Hello people!! The photo above is of my version of Nathan. Sexy huh? *waggles eyebrows* 

I hope you all like this chapter and I am sorry it took so long, again. Anyway, did I already mention that I love your comments? They make me squeal and want to write more ;)