(Set on Sept. 5th. Ben is hawthorne_jr and Helena is an NPC belonging to his mun. Both used with permission and love. All other original characters are mine.)

Her fingers ran down the front of her dress as she stood in front of the floor length mirror. She took a breath, her teeth closing over her bottom lip slightly.

"How's that?" Lani finished adjusting the train at Kala's waist and looked over her shoulder into the mirror.

Kala nodded. "I think...yeah.." She was having trouble with her words. She blinked and met Lani's eyes in the mirror. Lani's eyes were watering, which just set off Kala's. "Don't do that," Kala whispered, brushing at the tear that hit her cheek. "We already did my make-up."

"You look so beautiful," Lani sighed, wiping her own face. Her arms wrapped around her little sister's neck and she leaned in to kiss her cheek. They kept watching each other's reflection in the mirror. "Ben will faint when he sees you."

"I hope not," Kala laughed lightly. "I'd rather he be conscious for the ceremony.

Lani laughed and smoothed Kala's hair down. "He'll be grinning ear to ear and won't be able to take his eyes off of you."

"Is it okay that I'm kinda scared?"

"Of course, honey."

( .... )

(Ben = hawthorne_jr. His sister and parents are NPCs.)

Helena had her afternoon drink in hand as she made her way out to the terrace of the Hawthorne's beachfront property in Santa Barbara. This was the best weekend she'd had in a long time. Then again, this was the first weekend she'd had in a while that wasn't completely planned out by the people at rehab, and she was going to take advantage of that while she had it. Not that she planned on going back, mind you, but she had a feeling that the job was only going to move from the hands of the doctors, to the hands of her mother. She wasn't pleased with that by any means.

For right now, though, she was enjoying the sun and sunshine, and hoping that no one too distasteful interrupted her before she was ready.

Kala sat nervously in the car, her knee bouncing, as she watched out the window. Pulling up to a large house made her stomach jump around even more.

Ben reached over and grabbed her hand gently, giving it a slight squeeze. "Relax," he sighed. "You'll be fine."

She looked over at him. "Easy for you to say, you've already met my brood."

"Exactly. Which is why I know you'll be fine." He leaned over and kissed her gently. "They don't bite. I promise."

She nodded and tried to breathe. Ben gave her one last kiss on the cheek, before climbing out of the car and moving around the back to get their bags. She got out as well and blinked at the sunlight, then closed her eyes and just took a moment to breathe her surroundings in. The familiar scent of salty, warm air. Despite the situation that brought her there, she was happy to have it.

( .... )

(Ben = hawthorne_jr and used with permission and love.)

What do you see when you turn out the light?//I can't tell you, but I know it's mine. ~The Beatles

The apartment was dark when Kala got home and she didn't bother turning the lights on. Well actually it just didn't occur to her. She kicked out of her heels - stumbled out of them - as she headed down the hall towards the bedroom. Her dress was falling off her body before she even got through the door, and she went for the bed. In the shadows she could see Ben's form on his side of the bed and she smiled.

"Hi," he murmured sleepily.

"Good evening my handsome fiancee," she grinned as she toppled onto the bed.

Ben chuckled and rolled over to wrap an arm around her. "Are you drunk, sweetheart?"

"Mmmm, I think I am," she nodded. She giggled and rolled against him. "The drinks were pretty and plentiful."

( .... )

436

(As referenced with permission, Ben = hawthorne_jr, Colin = your_only_law, Nina = detbeauty_queen, Miranda = lovely_msstone, Sheldon Hawkes = blessyou_jlo, Jack = not_a_savage. All other characters are mine.)

“There's no such thing as fun for the whole family.” - Jerry Seinfeld

"-don't care! I'm not living with Mama and Papa the rest of my life, Lani," Evie was saying.

Lani sighed, rubbing her eyes. "I'm just suggesting you give it some more time."

"What can it hurt, Evie?" Bailey piped in. "You're working now and saving money-"

"Oh really? Bailey, do you want to live with Mama and Papa? No. You're living with Akelah."

"Hey!" Akelah said. "Don't put me in this. You moved out."

"Shut up!" Kala finally shouted. Lani jumped beside her and looked her over. Kala sighed. "Guys, I didn't plan this conference call so you could argue."

"And here I thought it was another intervention," Evie muttered dryly.

"Forget it, then. I'm hanging up," Kala said.

"No she's not!" Lani placed her hand over the speakerphone.

"Okay, ssh. Everyone quiet," Bailey told the others. She and Akelah were on their phone, while Evie was on the phone at their parents house. Long distance three-way calling.

"We've set the date," Kala said. "September fifth. And it's going to be in Kane'ohe. I already talked to Papa about it."

"Why on earth would you want to get married here?" Evie asked.

( .... )

978

Jackie! Jack, Jack, Jack! I've got a question for you.

(Bailey = writer_b. Takes place a few weeks ago.)

“You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.” - Desmond Tutu

Kala was back at her and Lani's apartment for the week. Bailey was in town and Lani was overworked with a case, and Kala needed to be there for her sister.

She picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder, then grabbed Bailey by the hand. Bailey gave her a look from where she sat on the couch. "Kala.."

"We are going shopping. Do not turn down shopping, because then I'll think you're possessed."

( .... )

336

(picture prompt)

Kala and Ben barely moved from bed for the first day of the new year, and the first day of everything being different for them. She didn't want to be away from him for a second.

But it was late in the evening, Ben was asleep, and she was hungry. So she pulled herself from bed, and slipped her robe on, then padded into the kitchen. She grabbed some leftovers from the fridge and hoisted herself onto the counter to eat. Kala really want to call someone with her news. Frankly, she wanted to call Lani, but she knew it was late. She also knew it wasn't so late back in Hawaii. She really didn't know if Ben had a certain idea of how to spill the news to people, but in that moment it didn't matter. She wanted to talk to Mama.

Kala picked up the landline phone and dialed her family's number then waited as it rang. She closed her eyes with a smile when she heard that familiar voice answer the call. "Aloha?"

"Hi, Mama," she said quietly.

( .... )

511

(co-written with hawthorne_jr)

Still feels like our first night together//Feels like the first kiss, it's gettin' better baby//No one can better this///Still holdin' on, you're still the one//First time our eyes met, same feelin' I get//Only feels much stronger, wanna love ya longer//You still turn the fire on///So if you're feelin lonely don't//You're the only one I ever want//I only wanna make it good//So if I love ya a little more than I should//Please forgive me, I know not what I do///I can't stop lovin' you ~Bryan Adams

Ben stretched lightly as he woke up, before rolling over to look at Kala for a minute. He'd been thinking for a long time about trying to find the right moment to ask. He didn't want it to be cliche, or overdone. He wanted it to be perfect. But it was a new year, new start, and he wanted to do it with her.

He pushed himself up, pulling away from her gently, before heading into the kitchen and getting ready to start breakfast. He didn't know how long she'd sleep, but he wanted to do this a certain way, and cooking gave him a chance to get what he wanted to say in order. He made his way into the kitchen and started to pull food out of the fridge and getting ready to cook.

She was tired, warm, and completely happy where she was. Kala rolled over at his absence and cuddled up to his pillow before drifting back to sleep.

About fifteen minutes later, Ben made his way back into the room with a tray of food. He placed it down on the table next to the bed for a moment, before reaching over and kissing her shoulder lightly. "Morning."

( .... )

1306

(By request of hawthorne_jr, he's used with permission. And might I add, asking for fluff with them is a bit redundant. It's always fluffy.)

"You are the sunshine of my life//That's why I'll always stay around//You are the apple of my eye//Forever you'll stay in my heart ~Stevie Wonder

She pulled him off the plane and down the walkway by his hand, a grin on her lips. Before they could get to the security gate she stopped and turned to him. She couldn't help but beam up at him. He smiled slightly.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." She reached up to smooth his hair down and adjust his tie. "You don't have to wear a tie, honey, they don't care."

( .... )

539

(meta)

Oh no. Think we might all sink with the ship.

Kala and I are taking a break. I'll still be around and you may see random OOC comments here and there. I may attempt to write, but there are no promises. I'm not sure how long the break will be. Could be a week, could be longer. I'm sorry if I'm leaving any big tags open. For the more conversational ones (i.e. SWS) I'll try and finish those out today. Thanks.

~Me

me: he loves me

bailey: ?

me: ben

bailey: did he say it?

me: yes. i think i did first. accidentally.

bailey: accidentally?

me: it slipped out

bailey: :) i'm happy for you, sweetie

me: i'm happy. so so happy.

bailey: i'm glad

Because yes. My sister needs to meet a good guy.

See how cute she is? Not that I need a date.

"I am what I am
And what I am needs no excuses.
I deal my own deck
Sometimes the ace, sometimes the deuces.
There's one life, and there's no return and no deposit;
One life, so it's time to open up your closet.
Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say,
"Hey world, I am what I am!"
~John Barrowman

"Good morning, Kala," Stephen leaned back in his chair with a smile at her. She smiled back and fell into the chair across from him.

"Morning."

"I've got something for you," he said.

"Ooh! What?" She perked up and he laughed, then pulled a magazine out. He flipped it open and set it down in front of her, open to one certain page. She stared at it.

"Do you know what this is?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Looks like my jeans ad."

"It's not," he shook his head and pulled out a clipboard. He moved it in front of her and she glanced at the apparent paperwork. "It's the end of your contract."

( .... )

637

She was bouncing. She was standing still and bouncing. She was ecstatic. She could hardly move. She turned to Ben and just grinned at him, then jumped up and landed in his lap. "I love my State! I love it love it love it!!"