Hey guys! I'm new to this site, though I have been reading fics on here FOREVER! Anyway, this is a fic for something my friend and I are doing... A story battle! XD Basically, whichever one of us gets the most reviews on our story over a period of about a week wins! By the way, my name is Dani! R&R, cause my winning depends on it! (Just so you know, both my friend and I are on the same profile, so if you want to read hers, just go to our profile page and click on Frozen Feathers which is a Maximum Ride romance story..) Oh, and the whole "child like innocence" thing came from Volcanic Lily's Giggles. So, kudos and props to her! Enjoy! =D

Meeting the Family

I ushered Evan in through the doorway and took his coat, draping it over the chair in the living room. Upstairs, I heard a door slam and then footsteps start to echo through the hall. "Nellie, where did you put my shot gun? What happens if the Vespers bang down the door, and I'm standing here defenseless?"

I saw Evan's face pale as Fiske came trotting down the stairs, muttering about unreliable teenagers, even though Nellie was in her twenties. His face turned up in a smile when he saw Evan and me, standing shell shocked in the living room entrance.

"You must be Evan! Pleased to meet you, I'm Amy's great Uncle Fiske." He held out his hand and Evan took it, still noticeably paler than before.

"Uh, Ames! I-I didn't know that y-y-your uncle was a h-hunter." Evan stuttered, sending a panicky glance my way.

I mentally face palmed myself, and Fiske said, "Not to worry Evan. I'm quite skilled with guns and such."

Evan leaned into my ear and whispered, "And that's because…?"

"Don't worry; it's not what you think!" I muttered back, wiping my sweating hands on my jeans. My face was flushed a brilliant red color, and I could feel it burning.

"Well, kids, I've got to be off. I'll see you at dinner, Amy." Fiske said, turning and walking briskly out the door.

"I'm soooooo sorry Evan!" I squeaked, mortified.

Evan still looked pale but nodded, and followed me into the kitchen to grab a soda.

We were barely in the room for two seconds, when a tall, skinny kid dressed in a ninja suit and mask came barreling into the room, brandishing two long swords.

"AY-YA!" Dan screamed.

Evan leaped back and landed on the floor with a little yelp of shock and fright. Dan started cracking up, and pulled off the ninja mask.

"You didn't tell me that your boyfriend was such a sap, Amy!" Dan said happily.

I helped Evan to his feet who just looked confused and slightly hurt.

"Go away, dweeb!" I muttered furiously, pushing Dan out of the room.

He left with my Diet Coke, cackling evilly as he went.

"I am soooooo sorry Evan!" I told him again, feeling myself blush even more furiously.

"Its okay, Ames. Some people's families are just a bit more…. eccentric than others." Evan told me.

I smiled at him in relief. "Thanks so much. And I am really sorry! Hey, do you want to check out that new-"

I was cut short as Nellie walked in, her face pink and carrying armfuls of shopping bags.

"Hey, kiddo! Can you help put these groceries away, I-"Nellie stopped short, as she noticed Evan standing nervously next to me. She narrowed her eyes and marched over.

"Hi, Evan! I'm Amy's…big sister, Nellie. I'm so happy to finally meet you! Amy has told me so much about you!" Then she leaned in closer and snarled, "But if you break her heart, I'm going to have to kill you! Got it?"

Evan nodded, his eyes wide. "Of course, Nellie!"

This time, I really did face palm myself.

"Hey Nellie, Evan and I are going to go hang out with Sinead in the guest house. We'll see you at dinner, okay?"

Without waiting for a response, I practically pushed Evan out onto our deck-I couldn't have gotten out of there soon enough. We walked in silence over to the guesthouse; I was praying that Sinead wouldn't be quite as embarrassing as the rest of our eccentric family, I mean, she had met him before.

"Hey Sinead!" I yelled into the house. I heard some whirring sounds floating up from the steps, so I walked down into the unfinished basement with Evan right behind me.

I saw her sitting in the corner, surrounded by piles of scrap metal and blueprint designs. Her face was hidden by a welder's mask, and she was holding a torch in her gloved hand. Sinead appeared to be welding two pieces of metal together.

"HEY SINEAD!" I yelled, throwing a nail over to her, hitting her on the head.

She ripped off the mask and turned the torch off. "DAN CAHILL! What have I told you about interrupting me when I'm- Oh, Amy, it's just you. And…Evan!"

Evan let out a strangled breath and said, "Hi, Sinead. Nice to see you again."

Sinead led Evan and I upstairs and into the kitchen. "Evan, assuming from your shocked expression, something tells me that you've met our family already." She said, amused.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Evan asked, a smile on his face. We sat down around the table, and Evan slid his hand into mine. I started to blush, and Sinead smiled.

"So, how long are you going to be here?" Sinead asked, sipping at a cup of expresso coffee.

"Well, until dinner." Evan said, staring at Sinead incredulously. "So, you drink coffee?" he asked.

Sinead brushed this question off and started to giggle lightly. "Oh, you haven't lived until you've had dinner with the Cahills. It's quite an experience."

I groaned and said, "Evan, I'm going to apologize for anything and everything my family may do tonight at dinner. Which, now that I think about it, is only in about 20 minutes. Do you guys want to head back?"

Evan and Sinead nodded and we left the guesthouse, taking our time walking through the large estate.

"So, on a scale of one to ten, how embarrassing has this been for you?" Sinead whispered, while Evan walked a little further ahead.

"Eleven." I answered.

We walked into the house, just as Nellie called, "Okay, everyone, time for dinner!"

Fiske must've come in a little while ago, because he came bounding down the stairs with Dan, chuckling at a joke Dan had just told.

We sat down around the dinner table, with Fiske and Nellie at the heads, Sinead and Dan on one side, and Evan and I on the other. Nellie walked out, carrying a bowl of mashed potatoes, some steak, and some green beans.

Dinner started out like a normal dinner, until Dan decided to talk back to Nellie.

"You did not just speak to me like that!" Nellie retorted.

I groaned. Please, not another food fight.

"Oh, yeah? What are you gonna do about it?" Dan taunted.

Nellie launched a spoonful of mashed potatoes in Dan's face.

"Score one for Nellie!" Sinead cheered next to Dan.

"Shut up, Starling!" Dan told her, throwing a piece of steak into her hair.

"DANIEL!" Sinead shouted.

'Oh, God no!" I whispered, sinking down in my seat. Evan just watched, a slightly bemused expression on his face.

"Take that!" Sinead yelled, flinging a green bean at Dan's face. He ducked, and it landed in Fiske's instead.

My great uncle took it with utter calm and said, "Next time, Sinead, watch your aim!" With that, he took a large spoonful of mashed potatoes and flung it in Sinead and Dan's face.

"Score!" Nellie cheered from her seat, resulting in a face full of food, courtesy of Dan and Sinead.

I sunk lower in my seat, until only the tip of my head was visible. Then, I slid out of my seat, grabbed Evan and I's plates, and marched with him to our patio table.

We ate in peace there, until we finished. "That meal was delicious." Evan commented.

"And totally embarrassing!" I told him, pushing my green beans around with my fork.

A little while later, Evan was getting ready to leave. I led him outside to our driveway.

"Tonight was great." Evan whispered, pulling me into a hug. When he let go, a shadow of doubt crossed his face, before he leaned over and gave me a light kiss on the lips.

The moment would have been perfect, until Dan burst out yelling, "GET A ROOM! Ugh, I think I'm scarred for life!" He went on yelling about losing his "childlike innocence" and what not.

When he left, I glanced sheepishly at Evan, who just gave me a silly grin.

"Brothers!" He laughed, getting into his car. "See you around, Ames!"

"See you, Evan." I whispered as he pulled out of the driveway.