All Grown Up
Rated 13 for a little language
Summary: It looks like everyone's all grown up now.
"ALANNA MARIE ORTON! What in the name of God's green earth makes you think you can just up and leave this house without telling me where you are going and with whom? I swear girl, you will be the death of me yet. Now, get your butt in the house and I'll be there in a minute. As for you, young man, who the HELL do you think you are, taking my girl without so much as an introduction? I should string you up for that alone, forget that it's 3 in the MORNING before you bring her home!"
"Sorry, sir. I've talked with Mrs. Orton a lot, sir, and she, um, said it would be ok if I, um, well, Lanna and I went to the midnight showing of the, um, Star Trek movie. That's why it's so late, sir. The movie just let out and -" suddenly the helpless young man found his arm in a steel grip as he was drug up the steps and into the Orton living room.
Alanna jolted up from the recliner she'd been lazing in, waiting for her ass-chewing so she could go to bed.
"Ticket stubs, now."
"Huh?"
"Romeo here said you just went to the midnight show. Ticket stubs, NOW!"
Alanna started digging in her purse, dumping out her cell phone, wallet and miscellaneous papers in search of the elusive stub.
"Lanna, I think you put it in your pocket."
Bright blue eyes narrowed for a moment, so like her father as she thought back over the night's events. Suddenly she nodded, and yanked the ticket from her front pocket.
"There, see?"
"Watch your mouth young woman. I won't have it."
"Sorry."
"Well, doesn't mean you didn't get the tickets and ditch."
I rub my hand over my chin, staring at the two. "Alanna. Bed. Now."
"Nope, junior, stay right there. You gave Baby-girl enough of a good night by the car." That in truth was what had sent me out the door like a Rottweiler with it's tail on fire. The sight of Alanna lip locking with this, this... I couldn't complete the thought in my own head.
Alanna pouted at me as she flounced her way up the stairs. "Good night, Jim," she chirped, pointedly ignoring me.
I chuckled under my breath at that. Staring down at my intended prey, I had to admit he wasn't totally a waste of skin. Terrified brown eyes set into skin now paler than Sheamus, a little shorter than me, still, but might yet grow, and I had felt the firm bicep under the varsity jacket when I helped him into the house.
"You and me are going to have a little talk about manners that may well save your life one day. You pick a girl up, especially one like my Lanna, and you turn off the damn car and walk your butt up to the front door. You damn sure greet her parents and make sure everyone knows what the plans are for the evening. You don't pull up and honk like she's some sort of streetwalker!"
"I'm sorry, sir, I, just, um, well, I had dinner reservations, cause I wanted to treat her nice, and, um, well, it was getting late, and, um, yeah..." Jim trailed off, staring at the pattern in the rug Sam had put down in the living room.
"You gonna talk to me, you look at me, BOY!" I roared, using the voice that had snapped so many rookies to attention before.
The banging of the screen door against the hinges pulled my attention from my prey. Glancing over, I saw Sam struggling with two huge suitcases.
"Hey, I'd have helped, why didn't you yell?" I hurried across the room, taking one of the bags. "And why are you here?"
"Damn flight from New York to London got cancelled. One of those damn volcanoes, like got you stuck in Europe, went off again. So, they flew us back here. So, no anniversary honeymoon again this year."
"Jim, did you and Alannah enjoy the movie?" Sam asked brightly, seeing the boy on the couch.
"So you did know about this, Sam? Thank you for letting me know. I realize I'm not here all the time but it would have been nice to know why Baby-girl isn't home till THREE IN THE MORNING!"
"No need to go all IED over it," she gently teased. "Alanna isn't your Baby-girl. She's growing up. And I'm sorry, I thought I told you she had a date tonight."
"You kind of failed to mention that she wouldn't be home till all hours." I grumbled. "And this little stain and I had a talk about how to take a lady out on a date."
"Well, I guess I won't get to kill him tonight then."
I glance up at as he strides across the living room, dropping the other suitcases by the door closing it.
Jim bolts to his feet, looking confusedly between the two of us. "Randy Orton, Alannah's father." Randy introduces himself, extending a hand to be firmly clasped by the youngest man.
I can't help but start laughing, suddenly realizing what had happened. With my hair as short as I keep it now, and similar blue eyes, I had been mistaken for the Viper by a terrified teenager.
"IT'S NOT FUNNY, UNCLE CODY!" Alanna yelled from the top of the stairs, causing me to laugh even harder.