Like Sofia before them, Elena and Gabby were huge fans of parties. Especially ones thrown just for them as Elena carried Snow White close.

"I hope Mommy don't bring people from the village to her party," Elena muttered as Gabby knew who she was talking about.

Since they were six months old, a local boy their age had taken great pleasure in teasing them. They'd seen him around whenever Nell or Bobby Lee took them to the village for a treat or usually to get away from the castle, but luckily for only a few minutes.

Elena especially hoped so, not wanting him to find out about her autism and tease her about it, knowing that he would tease her the most for being delayed in everything since they could talk.

"Hopefully Jack doesn't come. Especially after the last time he found out something," Gabby mumbled, shuddering a little.

"Your fear of doggies?" Elena asked quietly, knowing that she didn't like to discuss it. "But he was still pretty mean when he was pretending to be a doggie," she repeated, this time using pretending, a word she never thought of herself to use.

"I know. Thanks for bringing it up. Again," Gabby muttered, shaking her head. "What's with you using pretending? Isn't that one of your 'I can't say right' words?"

"It used to be," Elena admitted, "Mommy says I'm getting better with words. She told the teacher about it, and the teacher said she was happy I'm using more words like that."

"Okay," Gabby knew that made sense. Nell read to her and Gabby every night, knowing that would help increase their vocabulary skills. They'd also listened to James reading his stories to them, where he pretended he was a spy, so they picked up that word quickly.

Gabby nodded softly in agreement, remembering not liking to be cleaned up after that incident. "If he finds out that you have at-is-him or have to wear pull ups because you forget to go potty sometimes, Elena, and makes fun of you for either, I'll fight him!" Gabby growled, holding up a little fist as proof.

"But Mommy and Daddy says we can't do that!" Elena shouted as she put Snow White down.

"I know, but if Jack makes you cry or says something mean to you, he has to answer to me!" Gabby assured her. "He can't tease you without going through me first!"

"You mean that?" Elena asked.

"I mean that," Gabby promised. "And if Mommy and Daddy get mad at me, I'll tell them that Jack was mean to you first."

"Is there something we should know about?" Nell asked, coming up to them with Bobby Lee. He had finished his guard duties a few minutes ago, and was eager to hear more about the party Nell and the girls were planning.

"No Jack!" The girls yelled, standing their ground. "No Jack! No Jack!"

"Girls, he may be coming whether you like it or not. Besides Elena, honey, Daddy and I need you to make friends. Gabby, you too," Nell explained with a smile.

"As long as you watch him like we do with Auntie Sabrina and Auntie Madeline," Gabby muttered.

"He can't go near Snow White neither!" Elena blurted out.

"Don't worry, Love Bug; we won't let Jack go near Snow White," Nell promised.

Elena sighed in relief. The thought of him messing with her beloved kitty made her sick, next to him insulting Nell behind her back.

That always made Elena upset as she felt Gabby squeeze her hand. Her sister knew that she was a mommy's girl from how much time they spent together.

Elena knew that Gabby was sometimes jealous of the extra attention she got because of her autism but knew that Nell shared attention with them both.

"We'll stick together," Gabby whispered.

"Right. Mommy says there's safety in numbers," Elena whispered back.

"Always," Gabby agreed as Snow White rubbed against her. "And Snow White is with us too."

"She'll protect us!" Elena giggled, flapping her hands before putting them down. "I be normal. Jack can't find out about my at-is-him."

"At-is-him?" they heard a severely unwanted voice behind them. "What's at-is-him?"

Jack had come with one of Miss Bianca's friends. He'd gotten bored listening to James' piano music, and wanted to do something else. He'd liked seeing Jagger and wanted to play with him, but Caroline and Miss Bianca had said no, since James was busy doing something else and couldn't watch him at the time.

"Mommy told us that someone she knows has at-is-him," Gabby invented quickly, "She didn't say who it was, but she wanted us to help them try to learn stuff."

"I saw Elena flap her hands, Gabby. Daddy doesn't like liars, and Mommy…well, your mommy doesn't like her very much. I don't know why," Jack said, rubbing his chin. "Besides, I heard Elena yelling earlier."

"So? Maybe some noises are scary to her!" Gabby yelled, seeing Elena turn white. "And maybe she doesn't remember stuff too well! Like the potty!"

"Gabby!" Elena groaned, trying to cover her dress and herself in embarrassment.

"You have at-is-him! You have at-is-him!" Jack chanted. "You're sped! Slow slow sped!"

"Stop it, Jack!" Elena shouted.

"Sped! Sped! Sped!" Jack shouted as he ran off to tell his aunt.

Elena started crying as she ran off with Snow White. Gabby was furious. She had told Nell she'd behave, but after what Jack had just said and done, she was determined to make everything right again.

Elena often couldn't help herself with what she did. Flapping her arms in anger, excitement or nervousness was something Gabby had gotten used to. Having anything repeated for her was normal too.

Gabby made it routine after their story and goodnight kisses from Nell or Bobby Lee that Elena had to use the potty to not have any accidents. Granted, she also had them sometimes and was told that it was nothing to be ashamed of, but it just filled Gabby with rage over Jack's words.

"You come back here!" Gabby shouted, chasing Jack. "You say you're sorry!"

"SPED! SPED! SPED! Elena's a SPED!" Jack screamed as he ran off, only to bump into his aunt, who was glaring down at him, along with Bianca, Nell, and Bobby Lee, who had come out to investigate the noise. "Auntie Caroline...Gabby, Elena, and I were just playing..."

"Don't play innocent with me," Caroline said sternly. "I saw what you were doing, and I heard what you just called Elena! You know what your father said to you about that!" She took Jack by the arm and turned to Bianca. "I apologize for Jack. I'm taking him home right now, and we're going to have another family talk."

"There's no need to apologize, Caroline," Nell assured her. "We heard and saw everything. We were going to invite Jack to a separate party, but now we see that's out of the question."

"Thank you for being so understanding," Caroline said as she led Jack away. "Let's go home, Jack. We have to talk to your parents. Again."

"And we have to check on Elena," Bobby Lee agreed as he led the way to the stable.

"I swear, he gets it from his mother. Calling Elena a disease right in front of her two years ago still fills me with rage!" Nell hissed, having Bobby Lee took her hand in his.

"Helen, I know that, and so did the kingdom when they heard you screaming that if she ever came near Elena again, you would wring her neck," Bobby Lee recalled, making it kid-friendly since Gabby was with them.

"What does that mean?" Gabby wondered, looking at her parents in surprise. "And why would Jack's mommy call Elena's at-is-him a disease?"

Nell sighed, holding back tears and fury over that word as she knelt to Gabby's level, thankful for her being innocent enough to not know what grown-ups did. "Sweetheart, Jack and his mommy think it's okay to treat people like Elena differently."

"Well, it's not!" Gabby yelled, stomping her foot in anger. "Elena's my sister! She can't help herself with how she is!"

"You're absolutely right, Gabby, and Robert, I meant every word," Nell declared as they approached the stable. She took several deep breaths before entering because she didn't want to make Elena any more upset than she already was.

They found Elena in Snow White's stall, with all the cats around her, purring. Jagger was also beside her, licking her tears away. He sat very still as Elena threw her arms around him and buried her face in his fur. Nell and Bobby Lee smiled despite their anger. James had done an incredible job of training Jagger. He was always there as an extra source of comfort for Elena whenever she needed it. When he first got Jagger for his birthday, James had been thrilled to have a dog again. However, he learned that Jagger had to be an outside dog, just as a safety precaution, but it would be until the girls were older. James had been all right with that idea, since he worked outside with the dogs anyway, and Bobby Lee had even suggested teaching Jagger to be a therapy dog. James had agreed with this idea, and they both worked with the royal dog trainers to help him learn how to be well behaved around the girls.

"Elena, Mommy, Daddy, and me are here," Gabby said, getting close to her sister before feeling herself being pushed and falling near a stack of hay. If Elena didn't want to talk to her, then Gabby understood, for it was her fault that Jack now knew of her sister's autism. "I'm sorry, Elena," Gabby tried to apologize.

"It's your fault! Now Jack will make everybody call me sped...whatever that is!" Elena shouted.

"Don't say sped, Elena; it's not nice," Nell tried to calm her down.

"I know it's my fault!" Gabby cried as Snow White rubbed against her. "Snow White knows I didn't mean it, right?"

Bobby Lee nodded, and like Nell used to, he held Snow White in front of his face. "Gabby's sorry, Mommy," he made her say. "She didn't mean to say that to mean boy Jack."

Elena was trying to pout, but that always made her smile.

Nell smiled, nudging her husband gently in the ribs. "Ever thought of doing puppetry, Bobby Lee?"

"Not in a million years!" Bobby Lee chuckled, remembering her same response from doing the 'Mrs. Napkin Head' routine that Elena often liked.

"You forgive me, Elena?" Gabby asked.

"Okay," Elena smiled a little. She could never stay mad when Nell or Bobby Lee did that. And she really liked it because Snow White was part of the act this time.

"Well, now what do we do?" Nell asked when the girls were feeling better.

"Party?" Elena asked, tugging on Nell's dress. "Party for Mommy?"

"Hey! What about Daddy?" Bobby Lee pouted, making the girls giggle.

"Yes! Daddy comes too!" Elena smiled. "And Snow White!"

"Yay!" Snow White purred, rubbing against her.

"If she's coming, our party will have to be away from King Roland!" Nell chuckled, taking Elena by the hand.

"Mommy, why did Jack's mommy think of Elena as a disease?" Gabby wondered, silencing the stables for a moment.

Nell paused. She didn't want to say anything that would upset Elena all over again. Fortunately for her, Elena was telling Snow White and the cats in the stable about the party.

"I love parties!" Dust Fur purred. "Let's eat catnip and chase the little dots of light!"

"That's a fun game, but I think this is for Mommy's mommy," Snow White purred, remembering how James and Sofia taught Elena and Gabby how to shine little beams of light for the cats to chase.

"They still might play the game with us," Lily Heart assured her.

At the same time, Bobby Lee was trying to explain to Gabby about what Jack's mommy had said, and she was trying to tell her in a way that wouldn't upset anyone. "Well, Gab-gab, it was a few weeks after Elena was diagnosed with her autism two years ago that Jack's mommy said that awful word. To her, it probably meant no harm, but to Mommy, it meant that she was insulting your sister and who she was," he explained, taking Gabby by the hand.

"Was Mommy mad?" Gabby wondered in surprise, being too little to remember such an incident.

"That's putting it mildly, sweetie!" Bobby Lee shuddered, recalling the very colorful language Nell had used. "Except for when I teased her when we were children, I've never seen Mommy that angry! She would have gone after Jack's mommy all by herself if your uncle Roland and I hadn't held her back!"

"I remember that too. You and Roland held me back until I calmed down. It's a miracle that I didn't break loose and show her who was boss," Nell recalled, taking a deep breath.

"Not to mention have me chase after you!" Bobby Lee softly chuckled as Elena carried Snow White in her arms, looking down at the ground in shame.

"I'm sorry, Mommy..." Elena murmured.

"Oh, no, sweetheart, what happened wasn't your fault!" Nell managed to calm down. "People comment about things they don't understand. And like with Jack, I think it's safe to say that he heard other children and their parents talking about it, and that's why he says what he says."

"We love you no matter what anybody says," Bobby Lee agreed.

"I do too, Elena. Mommy and Daddy know this, but sometimes I get mad or sad that you're not like me, and they always say that it's okay for me to have those feelings," Gabby confessed, hugging her sister. "But I was mad at Jack. He made me very mad for making you cry. And I don't like when you cry."

Elena managed to smile. She knew her mommy, daddy, and Gabby were trying to protect her, and she appreciated it. She knew Jack had gotten in trouble for calling her that name before.

"Okay, I think that's enough sad feelings and feeling sorry for ourselves," Nell broke into her thoughts. "What do you say we plan our party?"

"Yeah!" Gabby cheered.

"Okay!" Elena smiled.

"Sounds good to me," Bobby Lee added.

"But what do we do for Mommy?" Gabby wondered in confusion.

"I guess what Mommy likes," Elena said before giggling. "Other than us and Daddy!"

"Mommy likes flowers," Bobby Lee looked over at Nell, who smiled. She liked seeing Elena playing in the flowers, and Gabby liked putting them in everyone's hair.

"We can finish the cookies from the tea party," Gabby added, Elena clapping her hands beside her.

"We can finish the sandwiches as well," Bobby Lee agreed.

"Nothing does say love like leftovers," Nell chuckled. "And for music, I taped a few of the songs James was playing, so that takes care of music, and we can give him a break since he was playing for the tea party."

"Speaking of which, did you see that tip jar Margaret brought out?" Bobby Lee chuckled.

"Why did they give James money to play songs?" Gabby asked.

"Don't they have piggy banks?" Elena wondered, looking confused.

"I'm sure that they do. Like I have one for you two and had one for Mommy's wedding ring," Bobby Lee said as Nell looked surprised.

"You never told me that," Nell commented.

"I bought a little keepsake box during one of the times we were in town," Bobby Lee explained. "They're in a safe place in our bedroom. I'll show you later."

"Okay," Nell nodded.

Elena and Gabby were also curious, but they wanted to do Nell's party first. Especially Elena, who kept jumping up and down before Nell took her hands.

"Whoa, Love Bug! Hold on before you explode!" Nell chuckled, seeing Elena look at her in confusion.

"Explode?" Elena asked.

"We don't want you to miss the party if you explode...Boom goes Elena!" Bobby Lee tossed her up as he misquoted James.

Elena giggled as she flew up in the air and Bobby Lee caught her. "Party! Party!"

"Okay, party animals, let's get this show on the road!" Nell grinned.

"Shows on a road?" Elena wondered, looking up at Bobby Lee for help.

"It's just an expression, sweetheart," Bobby Lee explained with a smile, patting her head. "Now, does anyone that isn't a grownup, and knows where the potty is, need to go?"

Elena and Gabby looked at each other, and back to their mommy and daddy as Nell whispered in Bobby Lee's ear that it was a yes.

"Well, I know you two can't work under pressure, so let's take care of that first," Bobby Lee said as they went back to the castle.

After the girls took care of business, they went back to the stable. Bobby Lee carried plates of food, Nell had flowers in her arms, and Elena and Gabby had the cassette of James' music and a radio.

"I think we're all set," Nell smiled. "But I saw that you brought extra plates, cups, and silverware."

"That's true," Bobby Lee nodded. "Just in case someone comes along and wants to join us, they can."

"That's nice, Daddy!" Gabby giggled, hugging him as Elena joined him.

"Strange that you're being a gentleman in front of the girls. Shame you've missed three years of doing it when we were kids!" Nell chuckled, giving her husband a mock hurt expression.

"Better late than never?" Bobby Lee smiled innocently.

"Yeah, sure it is," Nell shoved one of the cookies into his mouth. "Here; do something with that!"

Bobby Lee mumbled something around the cookie. He chewed, swallowed, smiled, and said, "I said, you love me!"

"We all love Daddy!" Elena hugged him.

"And we love Mommy too!" Gabby giggled, hugging Nell close.

"If that isn't love of a little family, I don't know what is!" Roland chuckled as Gabby ran to him.

"Uncle Roland!" Gabby laughed, looking up at him with a smile.

"Will you be okay? Snow White and the kitties are here," Elena pointed at the cats, who were playing in the straw.

"I'll be all right as long as I stay near the door," Roland assured her. "Just so long as they don't come near me, I'll be fine."

"Roland, we apologize if we disturb you with our party," Bobby Lee muttered, almost calling him King Roland.

"Robert, son, you won't disturb me from my work!" Roland chuckled, patting his head.

"You want to join us?" Elena asked.

"Don't mind if I do!" Roland smiled, taking a cookie and sitting a good distance away from the cats. "It's good to take a break now and then."

"I think Bobby Lee agrees with you, Roland. Especially when it comes to the girls!" Nell smiled, kissing Elena and Gabby. "They won't be this little for very long."

"What do you mean, Mommy?" Gabby asked, shooing Snow White away from Roland.

"I want you to be my little girls forever," Nell smiled. "But I know you'll grow up in the blink of an eye."

"I felt the same way about James and Amber," Roland smiled. "I wanted them to be little forever. But I know that's just wishful thinking. However, I'm very proud of the people they're becoming."

"Oh, yes; Amber has quite the eye for fashion. She loves helping the girls pick their outfits for special occasions," Nell grinned, remembering the last time Amber helped them pick out their outfits for a ball. Elena and Gabby had gotten so many compliments from people that Nell, Bobby Lee, and Amber were bursting with pride. "She also loves painting with them."

"And James has come a long way since he got Jagger. Not to mention all the times he's helped us with the girls," Bobby Lee added, recalling the first time all the dogs jumped on James. He'd pushed the girls out of the way, but that was to protect them as the dogs surrounded him. He had come up to see James under a huge pile of dogs, laughing as they licked him, and smiling as Elena and Gabby giggled as they watched everything from the sidelines.

"Don't forget Sofia," Roland added. "She's still the kind, helpful person she's always been since the first time I met her."

"Our children make us proud," Nell smiled.

"To our children!" Roland smiled, raising his teacup in a toast.

"To our children!" Nell and Bobby Lee agreed as they clinked cups.

"Snow White no! Bad kitty!" Elena scolded, picking her up before placing her down with the other cats. "I know you want to play with me, but King is here and he's, um…al-her-get to you!"

"Allergic, sweetheart!" Nell corrected, giggling. "Trying to be a mommy, aren't you, Elena?"

"I'm sorry, King," Elena said as she came back.

"It wasn't too bad," Roland assured her, stopping the sneeze that was coming. "She just wants to play with us."

"Is it okay for you to play with her?" Elena asked.

"Of course it is," Roland smiled, locating the toy he and James had made for Snow White. "Just because I can't be around cats doesn't mean I can't play with her."

"How?" Gabby asked.

"I can stand away from her and launch her feather toy...like this!" Roland drew back the long stick and cast the feather, just like he used to when he and his own father went fishing. Everyone watched as Snow White watched the feather land, then as Roland slowly drew the feather along the ground, she pounced on it.

Bobby Lee smiled as he stroked Snow White. "Oops...she's too little. We have to throw her back!"

"Daddy!" Elena giggled.

"Robert Lee Johnson, she's not a fish!" Nell chuckled, stroking Snow White gently, hearing relaxed purring.

"Amber and I thought we heard voices in here," Sofia said, feeling Snow White rub against her.

"Can I come in too?" James asked. He'd finished playing the piano, and decided to check on everyone. He'd heard about what happened with Jack, and wanted to see if the girls were all right.

"Of course! The more the merrier!" Nell smiled, quoting Miranda.

"Did I hear my catchphrase?" Miranda smiled as she and Bianca entered.

"Of course! Everyone's welcome!" Bobby Lee grinned.

"Good thing you brought those extra things, Robert," Nell said, playfully messing with Bobby Lee's hair like she used to do when they were kids. "Otherwise we would have to leave."

"Sit! Snow White, sit!" Elena shouted, only to get a lick in return. "It's okay. We'll try later."

"Elena Lydia, I don't think that kitties can be trained as well as dogs," Bianca said, watching the little scene with a smile as she grabbed a cookie.

"It's okay; Snow White's still smart!" Gabby smiled, Elena nodding beside her.

"Of course she is. She just does things her own way," Bianca agreed.

"Like me!" Elena cheered.

"Definitely like you, Elena!" Sofia giggled, petting Snow White before turning to the little girl. "You know what? I have a friend with your name. In fact, I helped your mommy pick it out!"

"You did?" Elena and Gabby asked with a gasp. "How?!"

"You know Sofia's friend in Avalor?" Nell asked. "Her name was Elena too."

"I'm named after a princess?" Elena gasped.

"That's right," Bobby Lee smiled. "You and Gabby are our little princesses."

"Speaking of princesses, Helen Genevieve, I can spot sleepy children when I see them," Bianca said, pointing to Elena and Gabby, who rubbed their eyes.

"No sleepy!" Gabby pouted, letting out a yawn.

"Me neither!" Elena protested, but a yawn betrayed her.

"Oh, you're not sleepy, are you? You did have a pretty exciting day," Nell smiled as she and Bobby Lee gathered them up.

"I could stay up forever and ever!" Gabby insisted, trying not to fall asleep when she heard James start humming a song as he rubbed her back.

"Good idea, James!" Bobby Lee smiled as he carried Gabby toward the castle.

"Thank you, Mom's ear for music," James smiled as he followed with Elena.

"You are good with music," Roland smiled as he and the others went with them. "You always have been."

"Sing a kitty song?" Elena murmured as she fell asleep.

"You got it, Elena," James smiled as he started singing one of her favorite songs.

Snow White began to follow the group outside before one of the older cats gently grabbed her tail.

"Sleep with Mommy!" Snow White purred, trying to leave again. "Clover knows a shortcut! I'll be out of Mommy's room before her mommy come in!"

"That's nice, Snow White, but remember that King Roland can't be around cats," Lily Heart reminded her. "You got lucky once today, but Jagger was there to get you. You know he can't go in the castle if you do make it in, and you don't want to get your human mommy in trouble, do you?"

"Of course not!" Snow White gasped. "I don't want to hurt anyone or get her in trouble!"

"Good idea, kid," Clover agreed. "I know I shouldn't have shown you that short cut, but I was excited about all that free food I got at the tea party."

"We understand, Clover," Brook purred, knowing that Clover sometimes thought with his stomach. "But we have to think of the consequences of our actions too."

"You can see Elena any time you want when she's awake, but you have to stay here," Golden Flower added.

"Okay," Snow White agreed. She cuddled up next to Robin Wing, purring herself to sleep as she listened to her tell a story.

The End

Notes

Thanks to theblindwriter95 for working with me on this story.

Jack is a character in theblindwriter95's stories, and is used with permission, and his use of the word "sped" was seen in chapter 11 of their story Sibling Team.

James' spy stories are referenced in my stories The Enchancian Canine Caper and The Missing Memory Mystery.