He sighed.

It was like a picture perfect story book.

"I bet there's two kids to each house, one boy and one girl, the dad's a doctor and the mom's a secretary."

He frowned and began walking again.

The only families he knew that weren't so perfect were his, and if you counted Zac Hanson's new dilema, then their family wasn't so great either. He guessed though, that even the cream colored house with the white car in front probably had it's problems too. Although he was too busy dealing with his own to really realize it.

Walking past the rows of houses, all alike except for color or windows, he stumbled, quickly catching himself but stopping to get his senses.

"I feel stupid."

Sighing and starting off once more, he looked up the street to see Isaac's car pull out of their drive, his sister in the passenger seat.

"Oh great. Does he never stop."

Zac picked up his pace and was soon to his front door.

Shoving it open he looked inside to find Dorin sitting and Jeremy leaving the room.

"Oh. So Zac decided to come home."

"Not like I was gone for weeks."

Dorin sarcastically chuckled.

Standing up, he walked towards his youngest brother.

"Looks like we're back to square one."

Isaac ignored her.

"Ike!"

His gaze was fixed on the road in front of him.

"You said you wanted to go to lissa's right."

"Damnit Ike! Yes! I did! But why the hell can't I go to my own house!

Isaac rolled his eyes.

"Isaac Hanson!"

He didn't even flinch.

"You pain in the ass. Tell me god damnit!"

"Mey sit back. Take it easy. Prozac is good for that I hear."

"I'm going to be calm. I'm going to be nice. But believe me Ike, I can be a bitch."

Isaac turned to her, a grin on his face.

"I know all too well Mey."

She huffed, and turned to look out the window.

"You are one gigantic pain in my ass."

The phone rang again, this time getting a response from the only person in the house.

It rang once more as Taylor made his way to it.

"I'm coming damnit! Shut the hell up I'm coming."

"Hello?"

"Hey Taylor. It's been a while."

Taylor scrunched up his face. The female voice on the other end was totally familiar, but who was it.

"Uh hey."

She laughed.

"Way to forget my name Taylor."

He smiled.

"Sorry."

"Lissa. You know, Mey's friend."

Taylor laughed sheepishly.

"Oops. Sorry. What's up?"

"Nothing. Do you know where Mercy is? She was supposed to be here like, 20 minutes ago."

"Nope, she left here about 45 minutes ago. She'll get there don't worry."

"Okay. Well, if you see her any time soon tell her she better get to my house!"

They both laughed.

"Will do."

"Later Taylor."

"Bye."

He hung up the phone.

"Nice chick."

The first thing he had done was grab a handful of Zac's long blond hair and led him to the sofa. It was assured he wasn't going to struggle. If so, you just twist a little more.

After that, Dorin had paced back and forth, going on with mindless drivel about trust, respect, all those things that people hear about when you get in deep shit, and then he stood in front of him and bitched him out for every last thing but the drugs. Now it was anything and everything.

"What the hell am I supposed to do."

Dorin was pissed. More than the time when Zac got hit. Which meant Zac was more scared now then he was then.

"I can't believe you! Not only do you fuck up you life, but your best friend's too! That was a really great thing to do."

Zac frowned.

"How do you feel now? Good? I hope so. And I hope you both had a shitload of fun too. Isaac's pissed too."

Dorin continued to pace.

"He didn't look pissed to me."

Zac spoke up, but faded off.

"Didn't look pissed? Have you EVER seen Ike pissed? Ever. He's never ever shown that he was mad. Not while I'm around him."

Zac looked down.

"I don't know what to do now."

"What about Jem?"

"Jem's over it. We've already talked. As far as he's concerned he got his reem was when he had his hospital trip."

"So why not ground me. Like they did to Han."

"Why? What's the point in grounding you if we aren't even going to be here."

Zac scowled at his brother.

"What do you mean not home? Since when? We aren't moving are we?"

"No we aren't moving. Josh has a schedule, dates, and a few promos to do."

"Screw promos."

"Screw them? They made Hanson."

"Promos didn't make them Door. They made themselves. And we aren't talking about Hanson, we're talking about us. Why can't we do it our way? Why can't we be what we want to be? I like the way I live, I have fun, and I'm not worried what other people think either. Just like the Hanson's aren't worried about what people think of them, and they aren't going down anytime soon. So why can't we do it our way? Why are you always looking to some one else to make us better?"

Zac was speaking accusingly. More like he had turned the table.

"This is not about music Zac it's about you."

"I don't give a damn! It's not a problem for me. I don't do anything stupid when I'm high. When me and Zac smoke we don't do anything but sit there and do nothing! It's not a problem!"

"It is a problem! Don't you get that! If you grow up like that your going to ruin your life! Your going to kill yourself one of these days! Don't drag yourself down. And whatever you do don't do it to your friend too."

"Obviously we don't think it's dragging us down. Otherwise we would have stopped! But we didn't. Why do you have to be so involved in my life! It's not your life."

"No Zac it is my life, because every time you get caught up in a problem, you bring it home with you! You lean on me, Mey, you lean on everyone in this house, and we have to deal with it too!"

"This is stupid!"

"No it's not! It's your life and you have to do something with it or else!"

"Or else what? I'm doing something with it! I'm doing something I want to do with it!"

"Drugs is hardly a reasonable choice."

"Who said anything about being reasonable?"

Dorin sighed. His face was hot and flushed, and his eyes flashed angry.

"We leave on Friday. You have to be ready, be too the airport, by 10 Am, otherwise we leave without you. No drugs, no Hanson, no friends. You alone. We're going to new york to get things done, and then we'll see what next."

Dorin turned on his heel and walked from the room.

"FUCK THIS FAMILY!"

Zac jumped up and raced up the steps.

The television had deposited a thick layer of dust on his shirt sleeve, and Zac had had to use an extra shirt to wipe the sofa off.

"How the hell does it get so dirty here anyway?"

He glanced up at the ceiling, noticing the white tiles that were crumbling away in places.

"Piece of shit building."

He sat down, pulling the bag that contained food off the floor.

Rummaging through as Jerry Springer's Bouncers held back some transvestite chick going after the guy her sister stole, he found a ziplock bag and pulled it out.

"Fritos, yum."

He rummaged once again and pulled out a can of pepsi.

"Well ain't this the campers hideaway."

Grabbing up the clicker he turned up the volume, then reached next to the sofa and locked the door.

Feeling comfortable and fairly safe, he relaxed, involving himself with talk show guest problems.

Taylor frowned.

"Mey! This is hardly 'everyday clothing.'"

She shrugged.

"You could have dressed better."

He threw up his arms. He'd been doing that a lot lately.

"Mey it's only dinner and a movie."

"So. You're Taylor Hanson. You could have dressed better."

She stared at him, a somewhat irritated but amused look on her face.

"Is this a joke?"

"Absolutly not."

"What are you smiling about then?"

She giggled.

"Nothing."

"Shyeah. I bet."

"Nothing at all."

"Uh huh."

She walked on, Taylor tagging behind her, making little smart alec comments as they went.