Australia

Nick's POV

I sat in the backseat; behind the passengers seat. i had flatly refused to sit in the passengers seat with Joe driving. i enjoyed living life normally. We were currently speeding along one of the back streets. i was clutching the handle of the door with one hand and had my other across the front of Frankie. He was happily laughing at the situation from the middle seat; screaming at Joe to drive faster. i didn't think that was possible. Sam meanwhile was sitting on the other side of Frankie; holding on to the head rest behind Joe.

She turned her head slightly and i caught her eye.

"Your boyfriend is crazy," I mouthed to her.

"I know," she nodded and laughed quietly.

"Joe! How many times have we gone around this same block?" Kevin asked; his hand on the dashboard and one clutching the bottom of the seat.

"About six on last count," Joe replied in a yell over the noise of the engine.

My car had only been driven like this once; this morning, by me. i wouldn't usually allow this. But given that we really had to shake the paparazzi before we got home, so it was actually safe to live there. i turned around slightly and peered through the back windscreen.

"I don't see anyone following us Joe," i told my brother.

i watched him glance at the rear view mirror and smile into it.

"You're right," Joe nodded; focusing back on the road. "We don't see them following us."

"What are you talking about?" Sam piped up. She had been silent almost this whole time.

"They are following us," Joe told us. "You see that white car stopped back there?"

i turned around again and sure enough there was a white car parked in between two trash cans on the side of the road.

"Yeah," I replied. "What about it?"

"Its been there each and every time," he told us.

"Joe," Sam reasoned. "You're paranoid."

"I'll prove its them," he said and slowed the car; pulling it to the side of the road. he left it idling.

i turned in my seat and watched the white car. the doors opened and three men stepped out; running towards the car with cameras in hand.

"Alright, alright. Joe i believe you, now go!" I yelled at him.

Joe floored it; pulling away from the curb quickly and leaving skid marks in our wake.

"Home quick before they can follow us," Sam told him; slapping the back of the headrest.

Joe pulled out onto the main road then lead through to our house; sticking to the speed limit. One thing we didn't need was a fine. Joe drove through three amber lights and turned the final corner before our house; quickly pulling into the garage and closing the door.

"Thank goodness for that," Kevin exclaimed; exhaling heavily.

"Agreed," Sam nodded; shaking her head at Joe's antics.

"You are never driving my car again," I told Joe; unbuckling my seat belt and opening the car door. i was thankful to be out of that car.

"Oh come on," Joe whined. "I wasn't that bad was i?"

"I thought it was fun," Frankie grinned and clambered out behind me.

Joe stepped out next; opening the door for Sam.

"See! Frank thought it was fun," Joe grinned and opened the boot; pulling out Sam's suitcase and her carry on bag.

"It wasn't his car you were driving," I frowned.

"Hey you two, no arguing!" Kevin wagged his finger all headmaster like. "Can't you smell mums roast?"

Kevin sniffed and smiled.

"Yes! I can!" I inhaled as well.

"Let's go," Frankie urged; grabbing Sam's arm and pulling her through the garage door into the laundry.

"Mum?" Frankie yelled through the door.

He turned the laundry door handle and we stepped through into the living room.

"Welcome home Sam!" mum exclaimed; engulfing her in a tight hug.

"Thanks Denise," I watched Sam blush and a smiled.

"Welcome back Sam," Dad came in from the kitchen and hugged her briefly.

"Thank you," Sam said in a small voice. "I really missed all of you."

"But you missed me most right?" Kevin grinned.

"Always Kevin," Sam laughed.

"Alright," Mum smiled. "Enough chit chat. It's lunch time."

Mum lead the way through to the dining area. The table was completely set like we would usually have for Christmas. The large roast turkey sat smack in the middle of the table lined with a base of roast potato and pumpkin and a bowl of crisp garden salad sat up one end. Great grandmas gravy boat was on the opposite end to the salad. The white china sat on white place mats; the usual green, red and white napkins arranged on each plate.

"This is just amazing," Sam smiled. "Thank you for doing this all for me."

"Hey, think of it this way," Joe hugged her from behind. "We get two great feeds."

I smiled at what Joe had said. He's such a goof.

"Okay you lot, sit down," Mum instructed. "Eat."

Sam's POV

Through an hour of aimless banter we ate; devouring just about everything on the dining table. It was so great to be back with the Jonas clan. The friendly faces and smiles and the familiarity of everything here really made me feel welcome again. There was a huge Welcome Home Sam sign hung above the swinging door that lead into the dining area. i glanced around at the smiling faces from my position between Kevin and Joe at the dining room table. i smiled to myself; truly happy to be back.

"What are you smiling at?" Joe asked me; leaning close.

"Everything," i replied; smiling at him softly. "I'm so happy to be back. I missed you all so much."

"I missed you," Joe smiled; draping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me gently towards him.

"I missed you too, Joe," I smiled. "Watching chats and looking at photos just isn't the same as seeing that smile in person."

Joe smiled again.

"So, tell us," Denise leaned forward on her elbows. "What did you get up to over the break? These boys haven't really told us much."

"Okay," i smiled again. "Where do i start?"

"From the very beginning," Kevin wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"Alright," i agreed. "But first, I'll get my photos albums. It'll help."

i slid myself back from the table and wandered through into the lounge room; pulling my photos albums from my carry on bag. i walked back through the kitchen door and noticed that the table had been practically cleared. They all turned and watched me make my way back to my seat. i placed the photo albums on the table and opened the first one.

"I made sure i took a lot of photos when i was away so i would have things to show you when i got back," i told the family.

i ran my finger over a photo of me and my grandparents.

"This was taken on the 24th December," I explained. "Christmas eve Church service. That's my Nana and Poppy on my mums side. Or Roger and Diane. I always go to Church service with them. Every year since I can remember."

"They look like nice people," Kevin smiled; leaning closer to take a look at the photo.

"They are," i smiled in return. "They're the best grandparents a kid could ask for."

i flipped through the pages; stopping every so often to tell the story that went with the photo.

"These are from Christmas, obviously," I turned a page and showed them the photos that my dad had taken on Christmas day.

"That's a lot of Christmas paper," Frankie pointed to the piles behind my brother an i in one of the photos.

"Yeah, it took ages to clean up," i laughed. "Mum wasn't too pleased with the mess at all."

They laughed with me and i continued to scan. I showed them photos from new years eve and new years day; stopping to explain the photos where Tash, Jeremy and i were lying in a pile on the floor.

"Who are these people?" Nick asked.

"Alright," i started; pointing to a pair of blonde girls; each with their arm around my shoulder.

"That's Nicole and Katie. They were friends from High School that Tash met up with at university. She invited them to the New years party."

"And these?" Joe dragged his finger softly over a photo of me with three guys. The smiles on our faces were huge; and we were drenched. i remembered that was just after they dumped in Tash's pool. I grinned at the memory.

"From left; Robert, Kevin and Andrew." i grinned.

"Why are you all wet?" Frankie piped up; tipping his head on the side to get a better look of the photo.

"That was taken just after they dumped me in the pool," i smiled. "Obviously; i pulled them in too."

"Nice," Kevin exclaimed holding his hand up. i slapped it in a high five and turned the page.

"This is my brother, Mark and Tash's brothers," I turned the album over to show Frankie and Nick on the other side of the table.

"What are their names?" Joe asked.

"Don't freak out though okay?" I told him.

"Why would i freak out?" he asked.

"Their names are Daniel and Craig," i smiled at him.

"Oh my gosh!" Joe exclaimed; his jaw practically hitting the table. "That is so freaking awesome. Lucky boys!"

Denise and Paul gave him a look.

"Not that i don't love Joe, but, come on, its Daniel Craig!" Joe grinned.

i raised my eyebrows at him.

"Sorry," he smiled innocently. "I'm alright."

i turned a few pages more and stopped at the photos that were taken after the food fight.

"Alright, this is Bradie, Hayley and Ashley," i explained. i leaned into the photo. "At least i think that's Ashley. She has way too much pudding in her hair."

"Who are the two kissing?" Kevin lay his finger beside two people in the background of one of the photos of Jeremy and I.

"That's Vanessa and Jasper," i smiled. "They've been a couple practically since Kindergarten."

"That's sweet," Joe smiled.

"It is," i agreed. "They fit."

I moved on to the photos from the 2nd of January.

"Ouch!" Denise exclaimed.

"Yeah,. that's my sunburn," i explained the photo of my arm beside my sidekick. The skin tone was almost identical. "I wasn't the only one though."

I turned the page and there was a photo of Jeremy smirking at the camera. He had a sunglasses tan. The family laughed at him; as did i.

"I'll be sure to tell him that you all laughed at him," i giggled and closed the book.

i slid the second towards me and opened it to the first photo. Michelle and Tash; sitting close under the shade of the tree in the park around the corner from my house. Jeremy and I had played candid that day; sneaking around and taking photos of the couples.

"Who's this girl with Tash?" Paul smiled.

"That's Michelle," i smiled at the photo. "Tash's girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" Kevin queried. "As in, a couple?"

"Yeah," i turned the page. "That's why Tash and i weren't talking for that evening when she was here. She told me and I was shocked. She got mad."

"That's cool though," Joe smiled. "That you accepted it so quickly."

"Well, she's still my Tash," i shrugged.

"She's happy with her though, right?" Nick asked me.

"Yep,' i nodded.

"That's all that matters then," Denise finished; her smile warm.

i continued flipping through the pages; stopping and pointing out the occasions. Picnics, beach days, and more sunburn photos ensued.

"That would explain why you're so brown now," Nick laughed.

"Exactly," i smiled up at him. "These ones are from my going away party, or Australia day. Usually, we just have a barbecue with the family but because i was leaving the next day, it turned into a going away party."

"I recognize that dress," Joe smiled at the red dress i was wearing in the photo.

"You should," i smiled.

i turned the pages; tears, hugs and cake filled the photos. i gained aww's and that's so cute from the family. And right at the end was a photo that someone had taken at the going away party. it was dark and it was of me; blowing a kiss to the camera.

"That's my favourite," Joe told me.

"I don't know," Kevin grinned. "I like the ones with the pudding."

We laughed at Kevin's statement and i closed the photo album.

"So," Frankie leaned forward on his elbows on the table. "Presents?"