A/N: Hi guys! This is gonna be the next little project of mine. I have just started it so don't expect regular updates but I will definitely try my best to not keep you waiting too long. :) Let me know what you think!

Meet the Family

Prologue:

They had made themselves as comfortable as possible on the carpeted floor in front of the fire place that had never fulfilled its purpose a day of its life. All around them were little towers of envelopes and cards and a trail of blue ribbon that could be followed into the kitchen where Jerry, their cat, had finally got bored of his new toy. Emily Brightmore reached for another card and then held out her hand for an envelope.

"Do you think anyone will actually be able to make it?"Matthew asked instead of handing her the needed item.

"It's in summer," she shrugged, pushing herself up so she could reach another small tower that was closer to her "people will be able to take time off."

"Yes, but will they be wanting to?" he insisted.

Emily's pale blue eyes flickered across the room as she contemplated this new question. "I'd say Clara and Sean and the rest of the guys would be happy to but then I'm not sure you're referring to them."

"I never said subtlety was my strong suit," he grinned and her eyes took on a softer expression once more.

"Our parents then?"

"Yeah," he shrugged and continued writing an address onto the envelope that was resting against his thigh.

"From what I've heard about yours they'll be delighted to make the trip from Florida."

"But yours won't," he commented, silently agreeing with her once more "your father still thinks I'm your housemate."

"Well, you are…in a way…" she laughed amused "he never would've allowed mom to get such a big house for myself. Besides trust me, it's for your own good. Dad practically drove my first boyfriend away and I don't think that four years would make a difference to him."

"But you're 20 now," Matthew chuckled.

"Yes and still studying…you're a distraction and I'm his little girl."

"Your mom doesn't seem to think so…"

"Well, my mom believes in the strength and self-control of women. But that still doesn't mean she'd be thrilled about our wedding…"

"Why not?" he plucked the card and the envelope that had been sitting untouched on her lap away and finished the task for her.

"Because she detests marriages. According to dad she never believed in them in the first place and I don't see their divorce helping matters."

Matthew took the time to put the finishing touches on the envelope he had just taken and then asked: "So why do we bother with it then?"

"That's a great attitude," Emily chuckled but navigated nonetheless through the stationery around them and to the safety of his arms.

"No I mean…why don't we just elope? It'll save us all the stress and if they're so against it in anyway?"

She smiled ruefully at his hopeful expression and leaned in further until their foreheads touched. "I still can't do that to them. They might be crazy but they're my family…"

Matthew mirrored her smile and tried comforting her with a few soft kisses pressed against her lips.

"And you're sure that this is the best way of letting them know?"

"Maybe not the best but it'll buy me more time…" she nodded and for a second both of them glanced at the two most recent envelopes on the pile, one addressed to someone in Los Angeles, the other one to somebody in New York.