TR 11 (+2 Malts for March Madness!)

[smoothiegarten]

Authors: Marina and Casey
Story: Taking Root
Challenge: Coconut 28 (3 little words), Milk Chocolate 23 (spontaneity) [Marina]; Blueberry Yogurt 14 (a miracle), Sea Salt 4 (current) [Casey]
Toppings/Extras: Caramel, Chopped Nuts, Smoothie [both]; Malt (Summer Challenge, Ice Cream #114 - “Oh, to be truly, completely mad like you. Not just a bit.”) [Marina]; Malt (Potluck prompt from Kelly - You are the one fixed point in a changing age) [Casey]
Word Count: 4,621
Rating: PG
Summary: [October] Carrie’s party
Notes: Enjoy the fluff! We don’t expect there to be much of it from here on :P

Dean climbed into their car, messily wrapped present clutched carefully in one hand. He belted in as Sorin started the vehicle and pulled out of their driveway towards Carrie’s house. Dean could barely sit still, both nervous and excited about the party.

“Dean, can you settle down for a moment and listen?” Sorin asked, his voice somewhere between amusement and concern.

“Sure,” he said, settling in the seat and turning to watching his dad’s profile. “What’s up?”

“I don’t want you going anywhere while you’re at the party.”

Dean instantly scowled, knowing why but hating it all the same. “Dad, we came here to escape that,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean we have. We’ve gone longer until he’s found us before,” Sorin said wearily.

Dean could see that his father was just as sick and tired of running as he was, and felt a little contrite. “I know, sorry,” he said. “I promise I won’t go anywhere outside Carrie’s house. I’m sure we won’t anyway.”

“And call me when you want to be picked up-"

“-and wait inside until you arrive,” Dean recited. These had been the house rules for as long as he could remember.

“You know I just want to keep you safe.”

“I know, Dad,” he said, barely keeping in his sigh.

Just then, they turned on to Carrie’s street and he was glad for the distraction. The lights in the house shone brightly, beckoning and he held the wrapped figurine more tightly. “Don’t worry, kiddo, she’ll like it,” Sorin said with a smile, as he pulled up to the curb.

“Hope so,” said Dean. “I know you just want to keep me safe, but I can walk myself to the door, please?”

Sorin hesitated, but he caught the unintentional exasperation on his son’s face. “Deal. But I’m sitting here until you’re inside.”

“Okay. I’ll call you,” Dean said. He hopped out of the car and bounced up towards the front door before Sorin could change his mind.

The house was small-not a surprise, since the only ones who lived there were Carrie, her mother, and the cat-but well kept and homey-looking. The wooden boards that made up the porch were old but hardy. A weathered wicker coffee table and two chairs stood a few feet away from the screen door. Beyond that, he could hear muffled chaos, and a quick glance through a partially shaded window confirmed that most of the guests were probably already there. Dean took one more glance back at the car, firmly waved his father off and then knocked on the door.

The faint sounds of activity inside burst into a sudden cacophony of rowdy play and friendly insults as an unfamiliar woman opened it. "Hello, you must be Dean," she said, pushing the screen door out as well. "I'm Eva, Carrie's mother."

It took him a second to recover from the noise and the instinct to recoil. He fixed a pleasant smile on his face instead, reminding himself that he could handle this. "Hi, um, yes, that's me."

Eva offered him her hand. "Nice to meet you. Please come right in."

"Thanks," he said, stepping past her into the brightly lit house.

The front door led the way to an L-shaped hallway that bent away to the right. On his left-the direction the noise came from-was a curved arch bookended on either side by potted plants on narrow end tables. "Living room's through there," Eva pointed, "though I'm sure you guessed that by the mosh pit noises."

"Yeah, really." He hoped that he sounded more amused than nervous. "Thanks," Dean said again as he headed in that direction.

Chase, Resh, Nicole, and an older girl he did not know sat crammed together on a couch that barely held them all, waving controllers around and gesticulating at each other occasionally. Behind them, Sidney talked eagerly with a tall boy, and Carrie and Kenz walked out of the adjoining kitchen carrying hot dog buns and condiments. Dean paused in the doorway, not sure what to say or do. His eyes fixed on Carrie, the only one who had dressed up even a fraction for the occasion. She still wore jean capris, but she had on a bright, patterned baby doll top, and wore her hair down.

"Got you, Nic!" Chase cried gleefully, beginning to smash buttons seemingly at random.

"Heck no you don't!" Nicole squawked, shaking her controller as she pounded on it.

Resh snickered. "I think Laura's got you both schooled."

The strange girl cackled triumphantly, eyes darting toward Dean briefly and then again, longer, as she began to fully notice him. "Hello," she greeted him, with a smile.

The greeting seized Carrie's attention and she turned. "Dean!" she cried, beaming. "You're here! Come on in!"

He smiled crookedly, almost automatically. "Yeah, hi," he said, stepping further into the room.

To his surprise, she gave him a hug and then began to walk him around the room to the people he did not know. "This is Kevin," she said, indicating Sidney's companion. "He's Sid's older brother. Laura, who's Chase's sister-" here she turned and gestured to the girl on the couch, "-is here for the weekend so they both came."

He greeted both of them politely, noting the similarities between both sets of siblings. "Are you in college?" he asked both curiously.

"Yeah, I go to Pepperdine," Laura called over her shoulder.

"Santa Monica," Kevin added. "And you just moved to Madison this year, right? Sid's been busy telling me all about you." He snatched his sister around the neck and gave her an easy noogie while she squealed.

Dean reddened. "Yeah, just before the school year started. Dad's a new teacher. My cousin's in college too, but on the east coast."

"Did she use to live out here?"

"No, we lived in the Midwest, but she went to college and Dad and I moved out to the West Coast. Her dad still lives back there," he said and then blinked, that being the most he had talked about his family in a long time.

Carrie seemed to notice, because she looked astonished, but Kevin merely nodded. "My family moved out here for job reasons, too. We used to live in Virginia."

"Sage is at college in Massachusetts," Dean said and then pointed at the TV screen, ready to move the attention away from himself. "Um, I think you're all losing the game."

"Nope!" Laura said brightly, with a deft combination of button mashing that sent two characters off the battlefield at once.

"Oh damn it!" Resh yelped. "Chase, you're all that's left. Get her!"

Nicole wrinkled her nose, setting her controller down on the table and stretching. "Laura's just the master."

The red-cheeked rabbit-mouse wielded by Chase put up a valiant fight, but in the end Laura's large-mouthed pink blob dispatched him as well. She threw up both arms. "Victory!"

Chase laughed and brushed sweat off his brow. He looked more animated than Dean had ever seen him. "You've totally been practicing."

"I really haven't," Laura insisted. "Anyone want to switch out?"

"I'll take yours," said Kevin, throwing a smirk in Dean and Sidney's direction as he went to claim it.

Resh instantly grinned. "I want to take on Kevin."

"You can try," Kevin retorted.

"Try and succeed," Resh said confidently. "Gonna go again, Chase?" He reached over and snagged a hot dog from the plate Kenz had. "Thanks, dear."

She calmly slapped him upside the head. "Call me dear again and I will maul you."

"Yeah," Chase agreed. He laughed at Kenz, glared at Kevin, and went back to choosing his character.

Nicole gestured at hers. "Carrie? Want to give 'em all a run for their money? Or anyone else?"

"Oh, why not," said Carrie. She accepted the controller from Nicole and hopped neatly over the back of the couch to take her place as she got up. Dean edged a bit further into the room, still a bit ill at ease.

Laura brushed her long, choppy bangs out of her face. "Do you want some help, Kenz?"

"Sure, Carrie, is there anywhere particular you want these?" Kenz asked, also favoring Dean with a smile. "Have a seat but do not get in the way of the screen or someone might get hurt."

"Just on the table where we put the rest is fine," Carrie replied. "We'll eat after this game."

"I shall do so then."

Dean edged a bit further and leaned himself against the wall. Laura followed Kenz back into the kitchen, leaving him with just Nicole and Sidney, who made intermittent chit-chat while they watched the others destroy each other on-screen. "So, Dean," Nicole said suddenly, "you should join in the next round."

"Um, what?" Dean said, surprised even to be addressed. "Oh, no, that's definitely okay!"

Sidney crossed her arms. "I think we're playing Apples to Apples after dinner anyway."

"Apples to Apples?" Dean repeated slowly.

Nicole turned to stare at him. "What? Blasphemy! How do you not know Apples to Apples?" she said, very loudly.

"We will indoctrinate him, Nicole, never fear!" Carrie called from the couch, while Chase laughed evilly.

Sure enough, immediately after Eva and Carrie's grandmother appeared to dispose of their dinner plates, Carrie produced a bright red box and opened it to reveal six stacks of cards-four red, and two green. "It's simple," she explained to Dean. "The green cards are adjectives, and the reds are nouns-places, people, activities, stuff like that. Everyone gets seven red cards. The person whose turn it is draws a green card, and the rest pick one of the cards in their hand and submit it, face down, to the person with the green card. Then that person picks whichever one they think fits the green card best. It's more based on how you think the person will choose than anything else."

"Um, okay," he said.

Nicole grinned at him. "It's easy-peasy, Deany," she sang. "Just put down a few cards the first few times until you get the hang of it."

"Okay..."

After a quick glance over the rule sheet, Carrie informed them that with nine players, only four green cards were necessary for a win. By the end of the first round, Kenz and Chase both had three. "This is so not fair," Sidney complained, looking down at the bare space of table in front of her.

"Yeah, those two are trolling this game," Laura added, with a wink at her brother. Chase smirked back at her and stroked his three cards.

"Buck up, Sid, you're in good company," Resh said, waving his empty hand as well.

"Trolling?" Dean repeated dumbly.

"It means they're stomping the rest of us into the ground," Laura explained. "Some games are like that. There's a player or two who just nails it."

"Ohh, got it," Dean said, hoping he did not sound too stupid. "It means they're just doing really good."

"That is correct," Kenz said, with a smug smile.

"I do believe it is my turn," Carrie sang, in a very fake British accent. She reached for the pile of green cards and flipped one over. "Okay, the word is Irresistible. Make it good, people, don't give me crappy ones like actors I don't even know."

"Just for that..." Kevin slapped a red card down on the table and slid it over to her. "Merry Christmas."

"Wrong holiday," she said, with a laugh.

Dean stared at his cards before making a face and handing her one. "Um, I tried?" he said with a quick smile. Resh snickered, Nicole grinned and Kenz looked calm as they each handed her a card as well.

Once she had all eight cards, Carrie scooped them up, rearranged them under the table where she couldn't see, and read them off one by one. "Ghost Town, Motorcycles-pfft, okay, I know who put in that one-Bigfoot, Anne Frank, Festering Wounds-really? Really?" By this time, half the table had cracked up, Sidney hiding her giggles politely behind her hand while Chase laid his head on the table and howled without shame. "My Friends, Family Reunions, and Power Tools."

Dean could not help giggling as Resh beamed. Kenz merely shook her head. "That's good," Laura said, tossing an amused look in Kevin's direction.

"Tough one." Carrie arranged the cards in a two-by-four grid and began picking them off. "Festering Wounds...no. Just no."

"Festering wounds are always appropriate," Resh piped up.

"I don't find them irresistible, though. Also, shut up."

"Yes, ma'am, birthday girl."

Carrie also flicked away Power Tools, Bigfoot, Anne Frank, and Family Reunions. Then she studied the remaining three, clearly torn. After another moment's hesitation, she picked up My Friends. "Because I love you all," she said, only half-jokingly.

"Whee!" Sidney did a little dance in her seat and snatched the green card from Carrie.

"Guess I get to be alone at the bottom," Resh said, mock-mournfully.

"That sounds about right to me," Kenz told him serenely.

"You're so mean to him." Carrie shook her head. "Was Motorcycles yours, Resh?"

"Nope!" he said, slipping an arm around Kenz's shoulders. "And she only does it to show her affection." Kenz grinned, winking at Dean and Sidney before elbowing him hard in the side. Resh's own smile never slipped as he retaliated by tickling her.

"It was mine," Nicole volunteered, half raising her hand.

Carrie nodded in approval. "So was it Festering Wounds?"

"No, that was mine." Kevin crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Cause you asked for it."

"Gross." She wrinkled her nose.

"I put in, um, oh yeah, Anne Frank," Resh said, reaching over to poke his card. Dean watched all this with ever increasing amusement and, to his surprise, ease.

Carrie laughed. "Oooookay." She glanced at Dean. "This yours?" she asked, pointing to Power Tools.

He shrugged, half-smiling. "My hand was pretty poor, sorry."

"Eh, you can't help that half the time. I think it evens out the 'personal connection' aspect of the game." She grinned and then turned to tap Resh on the shoulder. "Your turn, sir."

Resh drew the word "Delicious" and accepted "Sitting on Santa's Lap" as its match without even looking at the other cards. "That's bogus," Laura laughed, as Kenz claimed the winning card.

"My girlfriend knows me well," he said cheerfully. "Don't be a sore loser, Laura." Dean snickered as Kenz sent him a look that promised revenge for that later.

"Well played, Kenz," Chase said, with reverence and a little disgust.

Kevin began to collect the red cards. "Are we playing again?"

"Or, you can have cake," Eva said, peering at them through the kitchen entryway.

"Cake!" Nicole and Resh cheered at the same time and even Dean perked up at the word.

Kenz smiled and patted Chase on the shoulder. "Maybe you will win next time, Chase."

"It's not that, just...ew." Chase shuddered at the memory of the combo that had won her the game.

"Ohh," she said, with dawning comprehension. Dean laughed for real, then. "It is just a matter of momentarily forcing yourself to think like Resh."

"Well in that case, maybe I should have given him this," Chase said, holding up a red card that read "My Bedroom."

"Speaking from experience, you should have."

"Ew, Kenz! Way too much information," Nicole groaned, making a disgusted face and plugging her fingers in her ears. "Cake now, please??"

Laura shrieked with laughter. "Chasie! I didn't know you had it in you."

Chase dropped the card like it had burned him. "Yeah, never again. Definitely cake time now."

The living room lights went out, and in the gloom a large cake bearing sixteen softly glowing candles appeared. "Happy Birthday to you," Eva began to sing.

Everyone joined in and Eva set the cake down in front of Carrie as they finished. "Betcha can't blow 'em all out at once," Resh said.

"You underestimate my power," Carrie intoned, in her best James Earl Jones impression. She leaned over the cake and released a steady stream of air that eventually wiped out all sixteen little flames.

"Heck yes!" Nicole said, holding up a hand for a high five. "Way to go." Carrie returned it.

"The Dark Side must be pretty powerful," Kevin drawled.

"How dare you." Chase leaned forward to give the older boy his best sneer. "Carrie's a Jedi, not a Sith."

"Not if she's impersonating Vader," Dean pointed out, surprising himself by speaking up. Carrie just laughed and laughed as Eva retrieved the cake and passed a slice to everyone with Caroline's help.

"Cake," Nicole said happily, digging in. "Mm, good choice, Care."

"Chocolate is the ultimate awesomeness," Chase agreed.

"So true," Dean said, savoring each bite.

While they worked on it, Eva brought over a pile of presents from the coffee table and set them next to Carrie. "Whenever you're ready, honey," she said.

Carrie beamed at her and rushed through the last third of her cake. As she wiped her mouth off with a napkin, she reached for the top package with her free hand. It was flat and narrow, wrapped in gold paper with an unassuming white bow on top. Inside lay a gift card box. She squealed when she opened it. "Grandma! This is awesome!"

"Your grandfather had most of the say in that," said Caroline, though she looked pleased. "He says you can use it for their online store, or save it for when you visit us in November."

Carrie let out another delighted squee and hopped up to give her grandmother a tight hug. The other kids watched with smiles and curiosity. "Sorry," said Carrie, after a minute. "This is a gift certificate to my favorite art supply store out in Austin where my grandparents live."

The crowd made appropriate sounds of appreciation while Resh tilted his head. "Do they sell a lot of Crayola?" he asked with faked innocence.

"I wouldn't know," Carrie said, with dignity, as she reached for another package. The rest of them ignored him.

She worked her way through a box of clothes from Eva, another gift card from Kevin, and two Miyazaki movies from the Mitchells before she picked up Dean's clumsily wrapped gift. As she unwrapped it, she glanced up at him, both excited and perplexed. He swallowed hard, shifting nervously and hoped his homemade gift would not look silly among all the awesome things she had received so far. Even his wrapping job made him cringe, but with just him and his father, he had not had much occasion to practice.

Carrie removed the single layer of tissue paper underneath the rest and gasped quietly. "Oh my God, Dean," she whispered.

The rest of them craned their necks to see. "What is it?" asked Sidney.

"It's an emu," said Carrie. "That's my favorite animal in the world."

"I asked Chase," Dean said, by way of explanation. "I, uh, hope you don't mind."

"What's an emu?" Resh said, his view being blocked by his younger sister.

"It's an Australian bird," Eva said. "Flightless. It sort of looks like a cross between a goose and a flamingo."

"Er, I meant, I can't see the present! What is it?" Resh said then shot Eva a grin, "but thanks."

"That's beautiful, Dean," said Laura, exchanging a significant glance with Kevin.

Carrie reached over and gave him a one-armed hug. "Thank you so much. I love it."

Dean felt his face go red. "I, um...You're welcome," he said quietly.

Carrie held up the carved bird for everyone to see, and it earned another round of appreciative ooh's. Even Resh's eyes went wide. "Damn, kid, you've got some skill. Did you do that all yourself?"

Dean shrugged, feeling incredibly self-conscious. "Just like to carve s'all."

"His dad taught him," Chase informed the others.

"Pretty awesome," Nicole said and flashed a grin in Dean's direction. "Seems you found the way straight to Carrie's heart," she said teasingly.

His face flushed further red and he attempted to stammer out a response, trying to insist that that was not at all the point. Carrie looked a little astonished, but covered it with a grin and laid the emu aside to finish off the pile of presents.

After that, they played a second round of Apples to Apples and then dragged out Dance Dance Revolution, taking turns dueling each other as people began to filter out. To Dean's surprise, Chase and Laura were the first to leave. "Happy birthday, Carrie," Laura called, as they made their way to the door. "Are we going to see you tomorrow?"

"Hope so," Carrie replied. "Thanks for coming! Love you guys!"

Dean, who had been steering clear of both Carrie and DDR, now slipped over to her once the Mitchells were out the door. "My dad's gonna pick me up, but I need to call him first. Can I use your phone?"

She smiled. "Sure, there's one in the kitchen."

"Thanks," he said and headed there.

It did not take long to get ahold of Sorin, but his dad reported that he would not be able to pick Dean up for at least twenty minutes, maybe longer. He was all the way across town having a drink with Mr. Darcy, the chemistry teacher, and it would take time to settle the tab and get out. "Will that be a problem?" Sorin asked in concern.

"No, of course not, Dad. Take your time," Dean said firmly. He hung up and returned to the others in the living room, arriving just in time to see Kevin carry Sidney out on piggyback. Carrie laughed as she waved them off.

Within a few minutes, Resh finished handily schooling his sister in DDR and the pair, along with Kenz, also said their goodbyes. Dean felt a bit uncomfortable, knowing there was still at least ten minutes until his dad would show up. "Do you want to try it before I pack this up, Dean?" Carrie asked him, once they had gone.

He eyed it. "The chances of me being terrible are very, very high, so I think I'm gonna pass."

She chuckled. "Okay. It's not everyone's thing." She turned off the Wii and began to fold up the mats.

He heard Kenz's car pull out of the driveway and had to smile. "You've got a...very interesting group of friends. You know that, right?"

"Trust me, I'm reminded every day," she said. "I met Chase when I was eleven and it only got weirder from there. But awesome, too."

"It's nice how well they all get along despite the different ages."

She pursed her lips, as if she were measuring her words to be sure she did not say anything she was not supposed to. "Well...we kind of dragged the siblings in. Cause Chase is the reason we hang with Laura and Kenz is the reason we have Resh and Nicole, and so on. Kevin has another sister and Laura and Chase have a cousin and we're friendly with them, too, but they're not close enough or around as much."

He nodded. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he had secrets, as well, and did not care if she had some that she was not willing to share, but decided that was a bad idea. That meant opening himself up to have a conversation he was unsure he could ever have with anyone. "It's still cool."

"Yeah. It's...it's nice to have so many friends that are like my family. Laura and Chase especially."

Dean smiled a bit. "Makes sense to me," he said.

Carrie glanced up at him for just a moment, and returned it as she lowered her eyes again. Her fingers fumbled a little as she stuffed the mats back in their box. "Sorry if Nic embarrassed you, she and Resh really don't have filters so they just say things-well, mostly it's Nic who says things and Resh who does things, but still."

"Oh. Um. A little, but that's okay. I'd sort of gotten that impression about the two of them," Dean said slowly, scuffing his foot.

"Yeah, sometimes it's hilarious and sometimes you just want them to shut up."

"I...didn't mean the emu carving that way," he said, trying not to stumble over his words.

Her shoulders stiffened. "You didn't need to explain. I really like it. You're really good at carving."

Dean bit his lip, fairly sure he had just said something wrong. "Thanks," he mumbled, just to say something.

"Welcome." Carrie shut the box and tucked into the crevice between the bookshelf and the wall. "I should go find my cat, she doesn't like crowds so she hasn't had her dinner yet." Without waiting for a response, she made to move past him into the hall.

Before he even thought through his actions, Dean reached out to stop her. Carrie glanced back at him as his hand closed around her elbow. "Carrie," he started, not even sure what he wanted to say, let alone how to say it.

"Yes?"

"What if Nicole was...on the right track, just not in the right way?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow in an attempt at skepticism, but it was either half-hearted or hindered by uncertainty. "What do you mean?"

Dean let go of her elbow and took a deep breath before spitting it out. "I like you," he said bluntly.

Carrie blinked twice. A smile slowly began to form on her face. "Really?"

He nodded, not quite ready to be reassured by the smile yet. "Yes." Then he gave her a sheepish smile. "Pretty much since you welcomed me my first day."

She beamed at him. "I like you, too," she said. "A lot."

Dean felt his heart surge. "Really? I mean, yes? I..." he trailed off and settled on beaming back.

She burst into giggles. "Yeah, really."

He blushed. "That's...good. I mean, I'm glad." He paused, not caring he was grinning stupidly. "So, um, now what?"

"Hell if I know. I've never..." She shrugged, looking uncharacteristically shy.

"Me neither," he said cheerfully, "guess we get to figure it out together then." Then he hesitated. "Assuming you want to, of course."

She snorted. "Right, because I definitely would have admitted that I liked you if I didn't want to."

Dean wrinkled his nose. "I don't know. Stranger things have happened."

"You’re strange," Carrie said, without malice.

"I know," he said easily. "I accept it with my head held high."

"Good." She tugged on a stray curl. "Um, well, I told Laura I'd probably see them tomorrow but that's probably going to be after dinner so...we could hang out before then. If you can."

Dean brightened. "Probably! I'll have to ask Dad, but it shouldn't be a problem."

"Okay! That'd be good."

"Awesome!" He grinned at her just as they heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." Carrie trotted off to the front door and Dean heard her greet his father. He trailed after when he heard his dad's voice.

"Hello, Carrie. Happy birthday," Sorin said congenially.

"Thanks! Hey, Dean-oh, you're here." Carrie grinned broadly. "I'll see you tomorrow hopefully."

"Hope so!" Dean said. "Hi, Dad!"

"Hey, kiddo."

She held the door open for him, utterly unable to stop looking at him or smiling. "And thanks again for the emu, it's really...really beautiful."

Dean shook his head at her comment, but could not stop grinning at her, either. "No problem. I like carving. I'm just glad you liked it!"

"Of course I did! I couldn't not."

"Well, you could have found it cheesy or something, I guess." He ignored, for the moment, the way his father’s eyebrows shot up at that exchange.

"No, it's amazing." She leaned against the door.

"I...I guess I'd better get going," he said reluctantly, after a short pause. "I'll call you about timing tomorrow?"

She nodded. "Okay. Good night!"

"Night! Thanks for having me!" He finally tore himself away, but waved enthusiastically as he bounded down the steps after his father.