A Mass Hysteria In The Modern World

[Martena's POV]

"Come on, Tre!" I yelled from the front door.

"Dad!" Alice and Klaus both yelled.

My children and I were standing at the door all ready to go while Tre was taking forever to get dressed upstairs. He came running down the steps in his man-sandals, swim trunks, and a white shirt.

"Okay, I'm ready," he sighed, grabbing the car keys and forcing us out the door.

"I was asking you to push yourself, not us," I laughed. My kids raced each other to the car and tried opening the doors, not realizing they were locked.

"Well, you wanted to get to the beach as soon as possible, right?" He asked with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and continued to walk with him to the car. Tre unlocked the doors and the kids quickly got in and buckled their seat belts.

[Alyssa's POV]

"I don't even know what to buy, Billie."

He bounced Jenna in his arms as we walked up and down the grocery store aisles. Abby walked slowly behind us, texting. Every now and then, she'd slowly drift to the left and almost run into someone else's cart or a shelf and I'd have to grab her shoulder.

"Just anything that a newborn needs."

"Alright, that's easy enough," I sighed, pushing the cart around the corner and into the next aisle. Billie and Abby both followed behind me.

"We still need to make sure we have enough time to get all this in the car and pick Keith up from day-care."

"Mom! Mom!" She whispered. I turned around.

"What? What?"

"I'm going over there," she pointed in some direction. "Why?"

"My friend is over there."

"Do you have your phone?" She held it up. "Is the volume up?" She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine, go. I'll call you when we're done."

She said okay and ran off to be with her friend. I started moving again and Billie came up next to me and stopped the cart.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Jenna looked over at me and then started looking around the store.

"I'm really stressed," I said in a low voice and put my hand through my hair, having one hand on the handle of the cart.

"Do you want to go home?"

"I have to get these groceries now or we'll never get them." Billie gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm fine, really."

"If you say so," he said and kissed me.

"I promise, don't worry."

"How many things do we have left on the list?"

"One and that is... cereal. Can you go get some Frosted Flakes?"

"Take Jenna," he said and went down the aisle. I held my daughter and she made the face that babies make before they cry.

"No, no, no!" I whispered, bouncing her up and down. "Please don't cry." Jenna almost started to cry and her legs and arms started to kick before I put my pinkie in her mouth. She calmed down and sucked on my finger. I sighed and placed her in the baby seat that was attached to the cart with my pinkie still in her mouth. She closed her eyes as Billie came back with three boxes of cereal.

"I like them all..."

"It's fine," I laughed. "Jenna almost started crying."

"She's a daddy's girl," he cooed and picked her up. Jenna half smiled and then went back to normal. Billie laid her in his right arm and kept bouncing her along the way. "So we're done?"

"It looks like it."

"I'll call Abby."

[Martena's POV]

"Stop splashing me!" Tre yelled, trying to protect his face. I kept on laughing, as did my kids.

"Never!"

"Please?"

"Nope," I laughed, biting my lip. Tre groaned and began swimming away. My kids started splashing each other and I swam after Tre. There were no waves at the beach we were at and it was nice.

"Babe," I whined, latching onto his back. He grabbed my legs to not let me fall out of reaction and he groaned. "Don't be mad." I played with his hair. He groaned again. "I'll repay you."

"How?" He asked, turning around and living one eyebrow.

"In sexual favors," I whispered. He smiled and kissed me.

[Mike's POV]

"Can we do something nice today?" I asked Miranda, letting Jennifer play on the floor with her toys.

"Like what?" She asked, leaning back on the couch.

"Get some... family... portraits?" I asked, sheepishly. Miranda smiled and rubbed the side of my face.

"I think that's a great idea." She kissed me. "Our walls do need some pictures."

"Yeah," I laughed. She kissed me again and picked up our daughter.

"I suppose we should get ready then," she laughed and took Jennifer into her room. I got up myself and went to take a shower.

[Billie's POV]

"Can you go get Abby?" Alyssa asked me, pulling into a check-out lane. I nodded my head and went off to find Abby.

I looked down each aisle until I got to number 18 and saw her standing with a boy. Not wanting to embarrass her, I hid around the corner and texted her. After the message sent, I heard her say goodbye and then she came walking out of the aisle and saw me standing there.

"Why are you there?" She asked, beginning to walk to where Alyssa was. Having short legs, I jogged a little to catch up with her and walked next to her as soon as I did.

"I didn't want to embarrass you in front of that boy," I said, nudging her side. She smiled. "Who is he anyways?

"He's nobody."

"Oh, Abby. That's crap. I was your age before."

"Hey, there's mom!" She said, laughing and went up to help her put groceries on the belt. I sighed and smiled, then continued to help my wife and daughter.

[Randi's POV]

Mike and I sat on the white tarp that was laid out for us and we chose to have a red backdrop put behind us so it'd match our house. Jennifer then stood between us and put her hands out to rest on Mike and I's knees so that she could keep her balance. We both held her back just in case. As the photographer focused the camera, we smiled and made sure our baby was looking a the lens. The flash went off and then Jennifer scrunched her face and almost started to cry.

"No, no, no!" I whispered, gathering her into a hug. I slightly bounced her and she calmed down. The photographer snapped another picture and I looked up, along with mike, and smiled.

[Alyssa's POV]

After we picked up Keith from his day-care, we went home and all put the groceries away. Keith insisted on helping, so I gave him the really small stuff. Abby carried Jenna in the house with one arm and had a bag in the other hand.

"Are you sure he can handle that?" Billie asked, closing the trunk. Him and I walked up to the front door and put the groceries on the kitchen table. Abby and Keith were already putting stuff in the cupboards.

"He's fine," I smiled, kissing Billie's face.

"Ew," Abby said, looking away.

"Sorry," I laughed. "It won't happen again." I smiled and looked at Billie. He just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Liar," he mouthed to me. I glared at him and mouthed at him to shut up. He made a circle with his hand and put it up to his open mouth and moved his hand back and forth, making a 'dirty gesture'. I went wide-eyed and put my lips together, running at him. He began cracking up and I tackled him to the ground.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" I heard Keith yell and stand next to us, jumping up and down. I sat on top of Billie and our arms were flailing back and forth, trying to block one another but trying to attack one another at the same time. Abby picked up Jenna and took her to her room upstairs. I grabbed Keith and had him stand on Billie's stomach in front of me. Billie stopped the flailing and grabbed Keith, lifting him up in the air and making him laugh.

"Are you a daddy's boy?" Billie cooed with a big smile. I smiled too and got off of him, continuing to put groceries away.

[Tre's POV]

As my family and I sat on our towels, we ate the lunch that I had packed for us the night before. The four of us all chugged down a coke can and then reached for a bottle of water. Being all the beach all day was a killer. The kids then hurried up and finished eating, going back out to the water.

"Don't go too far!" I yelled. Alice gave us a thumbs up and so did Klaus.

"They're so grown up..." Martena whispered, leaning on me. I put my arm around her.

"I know they are," I whispered back. "But it's been great, raising them and stuff." She nodded her head. "You know I wouldn't take it back for anything."

"Neither would I," she said. I kissed her head then took a bite of my sandwich.

[Mike's POV]

The pictures were done for all three of us and now we were getting some of just Jennifer. She was now capable of standing on her own and we had put her in a purple and white dress with a big, purple boa around her body. She smiled as she touched and felt all the feathers and laughed when it tickled her nose.

"Now!" I whispered to the cameraman and he snapped the picture, being sure to capture that moment of Jennifer laughing. "Perfect." I smiled. "Babe, come check this out."

Randi jogged over to us and we showed her the picture that was just taken of Jennifer.

"I love it," she smiled. "That one's going in our room."

"Across from the bed, above the dresser."

"Not too high though," she said with a pointed finger. I kissed the tip of her finger and grabbed her hand, putting my fingers between hers.

[Billie's POV]

After dinner, I went upstairs for bed and saw Alyssa already laying down. She was cuddled in her blanket and watching T.V.

"Hey," I whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Hey," she whispered back, smiling.

I changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed. She rolled over and cuddled into my chest as soon as I laid down. I felt her arm go around my waist and I put my arm around her too.

"You okay, babe?" I asked, kissing her head.

"Of course." She kissed me. "Why wouldn't I be?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"I was just asking." She kissed me again and started to climb on top of me. I smiled and pulled away. "Really?"

"Possibly," she laughed. I pulled her face down and kissed her again, being the first one to start it. I pulled away again and slowly rolled her over, holding one of her legs around me. She kissed my neck and messed with the bottom of my shirt.

"This is too much at once," I laughed with a long breath. She smiling as if to laugh and then pulled my shirt up and over my head.

"It's been months. You're right, it's too long."

"The longer the better," I winked and she rolled her eyes.

"I don't know how to take that. There's three different ways." I had to stop and started laughing uncontrollably. "Oh my God, Billie. That's not what I meant."

"I'm sorry," I said and kissed her again, trying to stay calm. "I'm sorry." This time I said it in a whisper. I propped myself up and she pulled her shirt off.

"Just so we don't have to change positions again," she said and threw her shirt to the side and slowly put her arms up and over my neck again. I laid back down on top of her.

[Martena's POV]

"Kids, go get changed then give me your wet clothes," I said, taking wet towels out of the car and threw them in a dryer. Tre came out of the bathroom in his pajamas and threw his wet clothes in the dryer as I grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"Today was fun," Tre said as he came up to me and put his hands on my waist. I took a drink of my water and sat it on the counter, then putting my arms around Tre's neck. "I had fun."

"So did I," I said. I patted his shoulders and I pushed myself out of his hold. "I'm going to go check on the kids then go to bed."

Tre shrugged and went upstairs behind me, going to our bedroom as I went to Alice's. I knocked on the door and she opened it.

"What?" She asked, half asleep.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" She nodded her head. "I was just making sure you're in bed."

I hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, mom."

"Night, sweetie."

Alice closed the door and then I went to check up on Klaus. I opened the door and saw him sitting on the bed.

"Mom?" He asked. I closed the door behind me and sat on the bed in front of him.

"Yes, baby?"

"I feel weird."

"Like what?"

"I don't know," he whined.

"You're going to be thirteen, honey. It's normal."

"I don't like it."

"Go to sleep," I said, kissing my son's head. "You'll feel better in the morning."

"Okay," he smiled, laying down. I tucked him in and turned out the lights. "I love you."

"I love you too," I whispered before closing the door and going into Tre and I's bedroom.

"Everything okay?" Tre asked, putting a book down.

"You read?"

Tre shrugged. "It's something I started to do on tour."

"Yeah, everything's okay. Klaus said he just felt a little weird."

"He's just getting older," Tre said with a small laugh. "Remember Alice was the same way?"

"I remember." I put a new pair of clothes on. "Hey, do you think Alyssa's still up?"

"It's only 10:30, I don't doubt it."

"Alright. I'm going over there. I don't know when I'll be back."

"Do you want to call her first?"

"No, she's probably up."

"Have fun walking in on something," Tre sighed with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah," I sighed, going downstairs and walking out the door. I noticed that it was a bit chilly and I ran back inside for my jacket.

[Alyssa's POV]

Billie kissed me once more before lifting himself and laying down next to me. I sighed and stared at the ceiling.

"Shit," he breathed. "Amazing."

I laughed and agreed with him.

"Aren't you glad I didn't stop you?"

He turned to face me, propping his head up with his hand underneath his head and his elbow on the pillow. The blankets fell, exposing his chest. I traced the tattoos and smiled at him. He looked down at me and smiled back. Billie grabbed loose strands of hair that were in my face and pushed them back. He then wiped my eyes, fixing the smeared eyeliner.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. I smiled and opened my mouth to say something. There was a knock on the front door and we both looked towards the doorway, then groaning. "I can get it."

"No, it's fine. I'll get it," I said, giving him a kiss and standing up, keeping the blanket around me. "Don't you be looking."

"Like it matters," he laughed.

"Whatever." I grabbed a pair of my underwear and put Billie's green boxers over top, then putting a bra on and a loose fitting tee. I fixed my hair as much as I could as I went down the steps. The knocking continued and I looked out the peephole and saw that it was Martena. I sighed and opened the door. "You arrived just in time."

"For what?" She asked, throwing herself on the couch.

"How do I look right now?" I asked, showing my appearance off to her. I grabbed my messy hair and held part of it up. She made a gross face.

"Ew, sex is gross." I rolled my eyes. "Should I leave?"

"No, you came just after he did," I laughed.

"Okay, that was the most disgusting joke you've ever made," I said, trying not to laugh. "But it was good. Kudos, kudos."

I did a bow and switched my arms to either side of me as I did the second bow. "Thank you, thank you."

Martena laughed at me and took her shoes and jacket off, making herself comfortable on the couch.

"I'm going to get Billie, I'll be right back," I said and went upstairs. I found Billie still awake and staring at the ceiling. "Are you okay, babe?" I climbed onto the bed and sat myself on top of him and played with his hair. His eyes flickered to mine and he gave me a smile.

"I'm perfect," he said before bringing me down for a kiss. "Who was it?"

"It's Martena, she's downstairs."

"Why is she here so late?" I shrugged my shoulders. "You want me to come down there, don't you?"

"Well..." I said with a smile and bit my bottom lip.

Billie sighed and his hands landed on my hips. "Alright, I'll be there in a minute."