The Thompsons.

19 Changing For The Better

"I don't think I can stay awake for twenty-six hours. We should probably do Pirates of the Caribbean and do the others another time when we can actually stay awake for over twenty-four hours." Zara said, already yawning. I nodded.

"Fair enough." I grabbed the boxes and put them back on the shelf after pulling out the four discs we were going to watch. I left Zara in charge of putting the film on as I went downstairs to make some popcorn, steal sweets and chocolate from my brothers and grab two one litre bottles of diet coke. I shoved everything into an empty cereal box and made my way back upstairs. Surprisingly, on my travels, I saw no one. They were probably in the twins room. I shrugged it off and closed my bedroom door with my foot, switching the light off with my shoulder as I went past it. Danny took the bottles and Zara took the popcorn from me. I settled into the double bed with Danny as Zara planted herself on top of the duvet and on top of us. I groaned when she kneed me in the stomach.

"Sorry love, just trying to get comfy." She wriggled more before she finally found a comfortable position.

"You done?" I asked sarcastically. She turned her head and gave me a triumphant smile and a nod. I shook my head with a sigh and smiled as I started up the film, nicking the bag of popcorn from Zara to share it with Danny.

"The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man or you can't. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that some day. And me, for example, I can let you drown, but I can't bring this ship into Tortuga all by me onesies, savvy? So, can you sail under the command of a pirate, or can you not?" I mumbled the line in the film.

"You can seriously quote the entire film?" Danny asked incredulously. I nodded and continued quoting the film in a whisper. Danny chuckled from beside me and wrapped his arm around me. I smiled and leaned my head back against him, sighing in content.

---

Ten hours, three popcorn bags, two one litre bottles of diet coke, an entire cupboard of sweets and four pirate films later we were all completely shattered. Zara had been dozing off since At Worlds End and surprisingly Danny and I were still awake watching the films, quoting them as we went. It was just gone six in the morning when the films finished and honestly, I was glad to be sleeping. As soon as the credits had rolled I turned my T.V off and threw the remote onto my beanbag across my room. I yawned and cuddled more into Danny who drifted off to sleep just as quickly as I did.

---

"LIA!" I groaned and pushed myself further into my pillow. Suddenly my pillow was yanked away from me and I heard a thud before a loud groan came from the floor next to me. I opened my eyes slightly to see that my pillow was Danny and he was now laying on the floor next to a very unimpressed looking Josh. I sighed and fell back, covering my head up with my duvet.

"Nope." I grumbled as I drifted back off to sleep.

"Get up before I get James in here."

"Get him. See if I care." I mumbled on the brink of unconsciousness. As soon as the words left my mouth my duvet was ripped from my body. I immediately curled up into a ball and hugged myself to keep me warm.

"Up. Now." Leo demanded.

"No."

"JAMES!" I finally opened my eyes.

"What is your fucking problem?" I growled at my brothers who were both standing at the side of my bed. Zara was now asleep in my beanbag and unaware of what was going on around her. Danny now sat perched on the edge of my bed, eyes closed, head drooping. I sat up slowly and pulled him back down to the bed in case he fell.

"Okay for starters, stop it." Liam ground out once he saw me pulling Danny back onto the mattress. I looked up once Danny was laying down again and glared at my brothers.

"Okay for starters, no. You want blood on your hands? Literally?" I questioned rather loudly.

"What is going on in here?" James asked from the doorway, shirtless with his black trackies hanging low on his waist. I sighed at the sight of him and threw a pillow over my face.

"Lia and Danny slept in the same bed!" Nick piped up from my swingy chair.

"So?" I asked from under my pillow. It was taken off my face by an angry looking James.

"You did what?"

"Oh come on. Like you and Charlie didn't sleep in the same bed last night." James blushed as I said that. "See you did, and I bet that's not all you did."  I grinned as I struck a nerve. He glared at me and pushed Danny out of the bed. "Oh, piss off guys." I shouted as I picked Danny up from the floor for the second time that morning and placed him back into bed. Nick left, probably to get food and Josh glared at Danny one last time before stalking out of my room. Liam shook his head and stood at the door as Leo crossed his arms over his chest and remained standing next to my bed. James was facing the other direction but it was obvious he wasn't leaving any time soon. I stared at the three boys who refused to leave before yanking my duvet back up to my chin and laying back on Danny who was half awake now after being pushed to the floor twice.

"I didn't just come here to wake you up. Well, it was partially the reason, but there were a couple of things I needed to tell you."  I nodded at James who seemed hesitant to continue. "Mum and dad left again last night. They didn't say when they would be back." I let a smile grace my lips and I nodded once again to get him to continue. He sighed before answering. "Well, I've been looking around for a while now, and I think I've found the perfect place." My eyes shot open and I bolted upright.

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"I've found a house and I'm gonna be out of here by the end of the week."

"Well..." I trailed off, not really knowing what to say. "Good for you?" I asked hesitantly. James sighed and shook his head. I thought for a moment before pulling myself out of my cocoon and walked over to James, hugging him tightly. "I'm proud of you." I whispered into his chest. He hugged me back and we both squeezed tighter at the same time before letting go. We both had big smiles on our faces and before anyone could stop me I was wrapped back into my duvet.

"Way to ruin the moment, Lia." Liam scoffed from the doorway.

"Shut up you idiot."  I laughed. "Was there anything else?" I asked turning back to James. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh yeah..." I looked at him suspiciously.

"What now?" I asked slowly.

"Charlie is moving in with me." This time both me and Danny sat bolt upright.

"What?" Danny and I both exclaimed simultaneously. James sighed and nodded as though he expected this reaction.

"My brother, as in, Charlie Samuel, has agreed to move in with you?" Danny asked completely dumbfounded.

"You convinced the poor boy to move in with you?" I asked in shock. James nodded to answer both of our questions.

"Well, you must be special. He didn't even want to move in with my parents when he was born!" Danny chuckled before laying back down, pulling me with him. I smiled up at Danny before directing it at James.

"Happy for you both." I laughed with a thumbs up. James grinned and skipped out of the room, Liam following close behind. Leo glared at us one last time before following his twin. "What an eventful morning." I giggled and stretched my arm over for my phone. "WHAT? IT'S HALF ONE IN THE AFTERNOON? How did that happen?" I exclaimed, very confused as to how time went by so quickly. Danny laughed heartily behind me and hugged my waist tighter to his body.

"Calm down, Love. We didn't go to sleep until six in the morning, remember?" I thought about that for a minute before relaxing into his touch as he kissed up my neck gently. I turned my head around and kissed him softly on the lips. He happily returned the kiss and pushed me down onto my mattress as he held himself up next to me. He broke away from the kiss and stared down at me with a look full of admiration. I returned the look and kissed his lips one last time before pushing myself up to get ready for the day. Well, what was left of it...