A songbird's sweet melody awakens Susan from her dream-filled sleep. She opens her window, welcoming in the bright morning sunlight.

How glorious this Earth is, how wondrous to be living on it! Her own melody plays in her heart as she gazes across the open pastures stretching behind the house. That's why we chose this place to raise Tara in, because here everything is so green and fresh, and alive, basking in sunlight. I don't want her to ever feel alone. Susan's own lonely soul vowed to never let that happen. She looks down at the still slumbering child, feeling the responsibility weigh heavily upon her.

I can teach her many things, but to raise her in the loving atmosphere she deserves, I don't know if I can do that. I've frozen my heart long ago. And yet…Susan smiles, caressing Tara's pale cheek.

Am I really incapable of love? Engrossed in these thoughts, humming to herself, she readies herself for a new day. She then heads for the kitchen to start breakfast when she sees Alex tumble out of her room, looking tired, disheveled and more than a little bit upset, still in her sleepwear.

"Good morning, Alex." Susan says pleasantly. "Didn't you sleep well?"

"Not a wink." Her dark eyed housemate mumbles.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Susan says sympathetically.

"Didn't you hear it?!" Alex asks in disbelief.

"Hear what?" Susan asks, confused.

"That man sounds like a train! I don't know how you managed to sleep through it!"

Susan smiles. "Oh, Alex, it couldn't be that bad."

"It was pretty bad," Michelle comes out of her room just then, also in her frilly lace nightgown.

"See?" Alex aims at Susan, who shrugs. Suddenly the snoring starts again, echoing through the halls loud and clear.

Alex spins on her barefoot heel towards the living room.

"Alex?" Susan whispers, chasing her down the hall, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to wake it up." She states decidedly.

"Amara, you can't!" Michelle's high pitched whisper shrieks.

"And why not?" Alex asks almost haughtily.

"Because — because — he's a guest!" Michelle's proper upbringing demands.

"An unwanted one!" She whispers back, her eyes flaring.

"Alex," Susan's calm voice intercedes, "really you shouldn't…oh my," she stops short.

"Oh, my, indeed! It appears a tornado hit this place!" Michelle observes. Pillows and sheets and clothes were strewn everywhere, a shirt hanging over the lamp, a pair of pants tossed on the floor. And there, lazily sprawled across the couch, was the person responsible for the disaster area, a lean muscular young man uncovered by neither sheet nor blanket, wearing neither shirt nor pants.

Susan gasps at both uncovered man and discovered mess. Turning away, she quickly retreats to the kitchen. Michelle blushes a deep red, though the little French girl inside of her could not turn away from peeking.

And as for Alex, Alex smiles wickedly and purposefully strides up to the sleeping figure, who, as she moves closer and gets a look at his face, actually looked very sweet and peaceful, and amazingly quiet. But that would not deter her. Leaning down, close to his ears, she takes a deep breath and shouts: "WAKE UP!" as loudly as her lungs could muster. And that was loud indeed.

Unbelievably fast, Sayer Starr jerks awake, instantly trying to jump up. His gangly legs become tangled, sending him plunging face first to the floor, but not without taking Alex down with him. So there they lie once again, his "only-wearing-boxer-shorts" body pressed against hers being the only differentiation from an instant replay of last night's little escapade.

Sayer shakes off the shock of his rude wake up call and looks down smirking at the disgruntled woman trapped beneath him.

"You just can't get enough of me, can you?"

Alex sighs, pushing him away hard, jumping to her feet uneasily, the scent of his rich cologne making her feel dizzy.

It must be that stupid cologne, why else would I feel so dizzy inside? Her heart pounds in her head.

The commotion awakens the rest of the household. Terry and Robin quickly come racing into the living room, Terry in his undershirt, Robin in a borrowed oversized nightshirt, expecting danger. When they catch a glimpse of Sayer and Alex together on the floor and the state of disaster the room is in, with sheets and pillows and clothes strewn everywhere, Robin snickers.

"So what were you two up to last night?" He chuckles, leadingly insinuating.

"Argh!" Alex grunts. "He is not spending another night in this living room!" she shouts, pointing a finger at Sayer.

"Now, Amara dear, be reasonable," Michelle says, attempting to calm down the earthshaking storm.

"Reasonable? Look at this mess!" She explodes, pointing her long arms about the unkempt room.

Terry begins collecting Sayer's discarded clothes and apologetically says, "I'm terribly sorry. We can move him to the room I'm staying in. He won't be any more trouble, I promise."

"Yeah, right." Alex grumbles looking down at the miscreant, who was still on the floor, lounging lazily again the couch, his arms folded across his bare chest as he casually yawns.

"Yes, that's a good idea, we have a spare bed in the attic you can use," Michelle remembers. "If you'll help us get it down."

"Of course," Terry smiles. "Just show me where."

"Follow me." Michelle says with a wave of her hand. Terry obediently follows, giving Sayer that raised eyebrows look that he always reprimands him with whenever he gets in trouble.

Which was quite often.

Sayer shrugs with a smile in response and Terry can't help but smile back, shaking his head at his brother's irresponsibility.

"You go get some clothes on." Alex points at Sayer. He stands up, picking up the pile of folded clothes on the coffee table that Michelle brought last night. Moving close to her, he smiles coyly. "You got it…Ally."

"What did you call me?!" Amaralexis Sokova's deep voice echoes through the house, all the way into the attic, making Michelle chuckle.

"Oh, Amara, he does give you trouble, doesn't he?" Michelle...