"La de dee, la de dum," Leslie sang ignoring her sister. "La de dee, la de dum dum..."

"NICK!" Lenore cried. "Make her give it back!"

Nick glanced up from his comic book, and eyed his little sisters warily.

"Leslie, give it back," he began. "Lenore, stop whining."

"No," Leslie stated stubbornly. "I don't have to."

"Mine!" Angel chirped, grabbing the doll from Leslie.

"Hey!" Leslie yelped. "That's mine!"

"Here Nore," Angel said, passing it to her older sister. "Yours."

"Thanks Angel," Lenore smiled.

"Traitor," Leslie muttered.

"Les, leave them alone," Nick told her. "Unless, of course, you want Dad to get mad again."

"But..."

"Leslie, don't bother," B.J. piped up. "You know who Dad loves more, so why even bother trying to get him to side with you?"

"Beej, Mom and Dad love us all the same and you know it."

"Whatever Nick," B.J. riposted. "It's not like you'd notice anything different, seeing as you're hardly ever here."

"Look, I want to enjoy my time home, and not have to hear you guys argue the whole time," Nick returned. "Now, leave the younger three alone and stop talking nosense."

"OW!" Lenore suddenly screeched. "OW!"

"It's my doll!" Leslie yelled, still yanking her sister's hair. "It's mine!"

"No it not!" Angel shouted, attacking Leslie. "It Nore's!"

"Hey!" B.J. cried. "Get off her!"

She then began to yank Angel off Leslie.

"OWIE!" Angel shrieked.

"DAD!" Nick called. "DAD!"

"What's going on in here?" Bob Carter demanded angrily.

"NICK!" Aaron squeaked, running to his big brother for protection.

"Girls, that'll be quite enough!" Bob roared, as he yanked them apart two at a time.

No sooner did he break then up, than did they go at one another again.

"I said, ENOUGH!" He bellowed, grabbing each in turn and spanking them. "Rooms! NOW!"

They all quickly scampered out of the living room, and up to their bedrooms in tears.

A few minutes later, shouting could be heard from upstairs. Bob angrily ascented the stairs and burst into Lenore and Leslie's room. He spanked them both again, then spoke through clenched teeth.

"Lenore, Nick's room. Leslie, stay here. I'll talk to you both later about your behaviour."

Lenore darted past him and into Nick's room. She was in there a half hour, before the door suddenly opened and Nick walked in.

"What are you doing in here?" He asked once he'd spotted her.

"Daddy told me to stay here," she answered.

"So, it was you and Leslie arguing earlier."

She nodded. "Mommy home yet?"

"She'll be home soon," he replied as he sat on his bed.

He patted his lap. "Come here you."

She climbed into his lap and cuddled into him as best she could.

"Daddy still mad?"

"I don't think so. He's helping Aaron build a truck outta blocks."

"Can I leave?"

"I dunno," he shrugged. "Dad didn't say. He just told me to check on you guys. I checked here last 'cause I didn't think anyone was in here. Dad didn't tell me he'd sent you to my room."

"I here lots."

"You are? Why?"

"Leslie and B.J.," she said simply. "They pick on me, then get me in trouble. I sent here so Leslie can still go to our room to get things."

"Ah, I see."

"Nick?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do me and Leslie have to share a room?"

"I dunno. You'll have to ask Mom 'bout that one."

Bob entered the room then. "Lenore, we need to talk."

"Yes Daddy," she answered softly.

"Nick..."

"Dad! It's my room!" Nick protested.

"Nickolas..."

Nick sighed frustratedly. "Fine."

He placed Lenore on the bed, then left his room to go find Aaron.

"Lenore, you need to learn to get along with your sisters," Bob told her. "I'm sick of you fighting with them all the time."

"Leslie started it!"

"That's not what the other girls told me," he stated. "Also, I don't care who started it. I want for you four to get along before the barbecue Saturday, or you won't be going."

"But what if not all of us are bad?"

"Whoever's good may go," he rejoined. "Whoever's bad will remain in their rooms for the entire day. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Daddy."

"Now, go downstairs and play," he said. "And no more shinanigans or else there'll be lots of trouble, understood?"

"Yes Daddy."

She scurried downstairs, and ran around like crazy trying to find Nick.

"Nick!" She called. "Nick!"

She finally found him in the basement with the others.

"We found him first!" Leslie informed her bluntly. "First come, first serve."

Lenore pouted, but sat on the couch to watch T.V. while her siblings played with Nick.

"It's not fair," she thought. "I love him more."