Ramblings with Ranger: So, I wanted to write something for JONAS, but I didn't have any inspiration. So, I did what I always do; I started looking through my iTunes, and viola! I found the perfect song, 'Cleaning This Gun' by Rodney Atkins. The following is the result. I do not own JONAS or the Jonas Brothers. Or Rodney Atkins.
Meeting the Father
'Twas a warm Friday night and all through the house, not a sound could be heard, not even a mouse. The car keys were hung by the door with great care, in the knowledge that Nick Lucas was a nervous wreck.
Nick halted his pacing just long enough to check his watch. 6:00 PM. He groaned before resuming his trot. Half an hour. Thirty minutes. One thousand eight hundred more seconds. Thirty minutes of utter torture.
"Hey, calm down!" Joe called, sliding down the fire pole. Nick blinked, looking up.
"What'd you say?" Nick asked. Joe rolled his eyes.
"Calm. Down. You're wearing out the rug, and you know it's Mom's favorite." Joe grabbed a soda from the refrigerator. "I know you're nervous and all, but, dude, chill." Joe gave his younger brother a pointed look. "And you're making me dizzy."
"I'm not nervous!" Nick protested. Joe rolled his eyes.
"Right. That's why you've been ready for two hours, have called Stella fifty times in those same two hours to make sure you look all right, and haven't eaten anything since breakfast. But you're not nervous at all." Joe replied. Nick flopped down in one of the recliners.
"All right, all right; your point has been dully noted. But I'm not nervous." Joe rolled his eyes again as Nick began to babble. "I mean, there's nothing to be nervous about is there? I'm just going to meet the love of my life's father for the first time. Nothing to be nervous about! It's not like Mr. Misa doesn't like me or anything; he hasn't even met me!"
"Remember what Courtney said?" Joe reminded, plopping down in the recliner opposite Nick. Nick sighed running a hand through his hair. Joe chuckled. "You might not want to do that; you'll mess up your hair." Nick froze and immediately rushed into the nearest bathroom to check his reflection in the mirror. Satisfied that he still looked fine, Nick returned to his seat.
"Yeah, I remember." Nick said. "'Dad doesn't hate you, he's just reserving his judgment.', which is pretty much a fancy way of saying that he hates my guts." Joe took a long gulp of soda.
"You should listen to your girlfriend." Joe advised. Nick sighed. "You wanna go up and talk with Kevin? He's working on a new song." Nick shook his head.
"Can't focus." Nick checked the time again. He sighed. "Seventeen more minutes." Kevin came sliding down the pole.
"Why hello there!" Kevin exclaimed happily. Nick groaned. Why is that he was always the only nervous one? "It's a great night, isn't it?" Joe laughed, standing up to throw away his now empty can of soda.
"Right, well I'm going up to watch a movie. Have fun with Courtney and Macy!" Joe called before dashing up the stairs.
"What's got you so nervous?" Kevin asked quizzically. Nick glared. "Oh. Right. Meeting Macy's dad."
"No, meeting Courtney's dad." Nick corrected. Kevin raised an eyebrow.
"Dude, Courtney and Macy are sisters; they have the same father." Kevin replied. Nick blinked.
"Oh. Right. Forgot."
"You have got to chill! Here," Kevin tossed the youngest JONAS his cell phone. "Call Courtney." Nick's eyes widened.
"No way! I'll make a complete idiot of myself!" Nick protested. Kevin shrugged.
"Suit yourself. Anyway, we should leave soon."
"We?" Nick asked. "We're taking separate cars." Kevin shrugged.
"So? We can still leave at the same time, can't we?" Kevin replied.
Kevin was taking Macy out to ice cream and then to the movies; he had all ready met Mr. Misa. Nick, however, had only recently asked Courtney out. It was all rather ironic, considering that Macy was JONAS' number one fan, yet her fraternal twin Courtney could barely pick them out of a line-up. How that happened, Nick would never know. True, Courtney liked their music, but she was, by no stretch of the imagination, the traditional fan girl. And now she was dating the youngest JONAS while her twin was dating the oldest.
"I...guess so." Nick looked like he was about to vomit. Kevin frowned.
"Feeling all right there?" Kevin asked. Nick managed a nod.
"It...it's just all caught up with me." Nick managed. "I'll be fine. Eventually." Kevin laughed.
"Really, Nick, Mr. Misa is really nice. He won't hurt you. Much." Kevin replied. Nick groaned.
"Aw, thanks, Kevin. Real encouraging."
"I do try." Kevin replied lightly. "Well, come on. Time to go meet Daddy." Nick groaned as Kevin literally pulled him from the recliner. "You are safe to drive, right?"
XOXOXOXOX
Nick wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead with the back of his sleeve as he stood on the Misa's front door step. He took a deep breath and raised his finger to the doorbell. His finger hovered over the vertical rectangle, not yet ready to press the button. Nick inhaled and exhaled, finally working up enough courage to ring the doorbell. A woman who appeared to be an older version of Courtney opened the door after a minute.
"Oh! You must be Courtney's Nick!" Mrs. Misa greeted warmly, glancing over Nick. Nick swallowed hard.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm Nick Lucas. I...um...I came to meet you and Mr. Misa before Courtney and I's date." Nick replied respectfully. Mrs. Misa smiled, her dark blue eyes sparkling.
"Come in, come in, dear! Make yourself at home while I go get George. And, please, call me Mary." Mary said, showing Nick into the family room before vanishing into the adjoining hallway decorated with pictures of Courtney and Macy. Nick stood nervously in the middle of the room, hands clasped behind his back.
Nick's head snapped up when he heard heavy footfalls in the hallway Mary had disappeared down. He found himself staring at a tall, middle aged gentleman that bared a striking resemblance to Macy. Nick opened his mouth to speak, but Mr. Misa spoke first.
"Sit down, Lucas." George Misa ordered quietly. Nick was only too happy to comply.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Misa." Nick began politely. "Courtney's told me a lot about you." Mr. Misa grunted.
"Tell me about yourself. How well do you do in school? Do you have a criminal record? Do you have any children? Have you ever been a a rehab of any sort? Do you have any STD's?" Nick blinked.
I'm still in High School! Nick thought to himself. He took a deep breath.
"Well, sir, I'm a straight A student, I enjoy math and the sciences. Um...no, I don't have a criminal record, I have never been to rehab, and never plan on ever needing to enter one, and have never slept with anyone, so I am not a father and have no STD's. I don't plan on becoming a father until after marriage, sir." Nick answered truthful. Mr. Misa studied Nick for a moment.
"So you like my daughter Courtney?" Though it was phrased as a question, Nick knew it was more of a statement. He shook his head.
"No, sir. I love her." Nick corrected softly. Mr. Misa seemed taken aback at Nick's honest answer. "I would never do anything that would hurt her and I will do everything in my power to make her happy." Nick took another deep breath. "I love her, sir."
"I see." Mr. Misa began walking around the room; neither men spoke. "Both our girls are very special to us, Mary and I that is. They're our world. But Courtney, though she looks like her mama, is very much like me; she's her daddy's little girl."
Mr. Misa turned to face Nick. "Courtney deserves respect. That's what she'll get." Mr. Misa took a step forward, looking Nick right in the eyes. "I hear one peep from Courtney that you're doing wrong by her and you'll wish you were never born. It would be a shame, too, because Courtney's crazy about you." Nick gave a shaky smile; he had no doubt that George Misa was speaking lightly.
"Understood, sir." Nick assured. Mr. Misa gazed at Nick for a moment before calling for Courtney to come downstairs.
"One minute, Dad. Omph! Macy! Where'd my shoes go? Hey! Give 'em back!" Nick blinked as scuffling sounds drifted downstairs. Mr. Misa shook his head sadly. "Mom! Thank you!" Macy had apparently returned Courtney's shoes back as the scuffling noises ceased.
Nick heard Kevin knocking on the front door and being let in. He heard Macy bound down the stairs. But the only thing he heard next was a single pair of feet slowly and carefully descending the carpeted steps. Nick rushed out into the hall and stood at the bottom of the stairwell, looking up at Courtney. His breath caught.
Courtney was a vision in pink. She was wearing a modest light pink dress with cap sleeves that stopped just below her knees. Her small feet were encased in matching pink high heels. Nick couldn't stop staring. "Hi, Nick." Courtney greeted with a nervous laugh. Nick blinked, breaking out of his stupor.
"Wow." was all Nick could say. Courtney blushed.
"Too formal?" Courtney asked, worried. Nick shook his head vehemently.
"No! Not at all! It just that...that you look so...so... so beautiful." Nick stammered. Courtney beamed. She leaned forward gave Nick a quick peck on the cheek.
"Thank you! I figured that if I had to go on a date with you that I might as well look nice." Courtney said with a impish grin. She glanced up at her father and then at Nick. "Well....I see you two have met." Courtney replied, noticing her father. Nick nodded.
"We had a pleasant chat." Nick said. Courtney raised an eyebrow.
"No threats then?" Nick didn't know how to respond. Luckily, he was spared answering by Mr. Misa.
"Of course not! I was just warning him." Mr. Misa objected. Courtney sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Of course." Mr. Misa smiled at his daughters reaction.
"Well, I see Kevin and Macy have all ready taken off." Mr. Misa began, looking at Nick. "Isn't time you two left, Nick?" Nick straightened, slightly taken aback that Courtney's father had addressed him by his given name.
"Yes, sir!" Nick replied, grinning. He extended his hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Misa." Mr. Misa shook his head, taking Nick's hand.
"Call me George." George requested. Nick nodded. He turned to Courtney.
"Are you ready, my lady?" Nick asked. Courtney's cheeks flushed slightly, nodding. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed George on the cheek.
"We'll be back later, Daddy. Bye, Mom!" Courtney said. She took Nick's proffered arm as he began to lead her out the door. "Oh and, Dad, the shotgun stays in the closet." Courtney called over her shoulder. Nick paled. Shotgun?
~~Twenty Years Later~~
That had been the first of many dates for Nick and Courtney. As they expected, the paparazzi had managed to get a few candid photos of the two of them at the restaurant that night, and that caused a media heyday, but that was nothing compared to the field day they had when it was announced that Kevin and Nick Lucas were having a double wedding with Macy and Courtney Misa shortly after graduating high school. The paparazzi didn't cool down for a good year. They were promptly re-hyped when Joe married his high school crush – who he had only asked out at Courtney and Macy's scheming.
"You are going to be nice, right?" Courtney Lucas asked, giving her husband a quick kiss. Nick raised an eyebrow, slipping his arms around her waist.
"Don't worry, don't worry. I won't hurt him." Nick assured. "Much." Courtney laid a hand on his chest, giving him 'the look'.
"Nick...." Courtney began in her 'Mommy voice'. "Remember when you first met Dad?" Nick sighed dramatically.
"Well, yes, but where's the fun in being nice? Besides, if Jenny and Mark turn out to be the next us? I mean, other than the part about being rich, talented and extremely handsome." Nick replied. Courtney tried her hardest not to laugh and to glare, but she just couldn't. She laughed.
"Oh, be nice! Mark's a nice boy!"
"Exactly! He's a boy! I know what teenage boys are like!" Nick exclaimed. Courtney sighed.
"Give him a chance, Nick. Don't you trust your daughters judgment? Besides, both Stella and Macy approve. And I've talked with him on the phone, and he was very polite." Courtney gently argued. Nick leaned down and kissed the top of her nose.
"Do you know how hard it is to argue with you?" Nick asked, grinning despite himself. Courtney grinned impishly.
"I know!" Courtney said happily.
"Mom! He's here!" Courtney gave Nick a quick kiss before gently pulling from his arms.
"Who's here, Holly?" Courtney asked of her second and last daughter, aged thirteen.
"Mark! Ew, that is so cliché!" Holly exclaimed, peering out the window. "Red roses. Dad, whenever I start dating..."
"Which will be after you're married." Nick continued. Holly rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue.
"Uh huh. Anyway, when I start dating, I don't want red roses. I prefer pink roses." Holly finished.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Nick replied dryly. Holly rolled her eyes again.
"Don't hurt him, Dad. Mark's a nice guy. Despite the fact that he brought red roses." Holly said before bounding back up stairs.
The door bell rang. Nick pursed his lips when he heard Courtney open the door. Time to be the rich, talented, handsome and extremely overprotective father.
