A/N:

This is very much an AU story with elements from both movies and tv show. This is M rated story (this is Gomez and Morticia we're talking about after all) and please take the rating seriously. All children look away.

I hope you will have as much fun reading as I had writing it. Enjoy!

I own nothing besides the plot and any characters you do not recognize.

Chapter 1

Mortimer J. Frump never once considered himself a man prone to dramatics. Indeed, throughout all his adult life, the patriarch of the Frump household prided himself with his ability to tackle whatever life has thrown at him with an incredible amount of calm, patience and logic. His responses were seldom reactionary - he pondered, he analyzed, he weighed all pros and cons until he arrived at the best course of action and that has always been his best asset. He was extremely slow to anger. Nothing could shake his nerves. Nothing. His serene, balanced approach worked perfectly well even when his wife blessed him with two beautiful daughters who, in their own respective ways, were hell-bent on giving their poor father a coronary at regular intervals.

However, when Mr Frump woke up today on this hot, July morning and the sun was shining and the birds were chirping, he knew right there and then it was going to be a miserable day. Still, nothing could have prepared him for the utter cataclysm that has descended upon him during, what initially seemed to be, a perfectly ordinary family dinner.

And so, Mr. Frump - no longer calm and stoic - found himself seething silently as he nursed the biggest glass of brandy of his entire life, sitting alone in the parlour, staring into an empty fireplace and trying, very hard and very unsuccessfully, to calm his shattered nerves at the news his youngest daughter delivered to them almost three blasted hours ago.

Engaged.

His darling, quiet little girl announced, in her perfectly smooth, soft voice that she was engaged.

Engaged!

What the hell?!

This was certainly not how he planned this summer to go. Not at all. He was so excited that Morticia was finally home for the summer holidays from her schooling in Paris, where she's been living now for 3 years with her paternal aunt, Mabel. Mr Frump was delighted at the prospect of spending the whole summer with his offspring, whom he missed dearly while she was away. But alas!

In some bizarre reality, his brilliant, beautiful, raven-haired daughter managed to meet, fall in love and get engaged, all in a space of four hours - and at the funeral of the son of their dear family friend, Harold Addams's eldest boy, Balthazar. Who would have thought that the Addams family would ever be the reason for his current, miserable predicament?

Worse yet, there was no reasoning with his youngest daughter who seemed to have lost all common sense over the Addams boy - a boy, ha!

At 29, Gomez Addams was hardly a boy, almost ten years older than his 21 year - old child.

Mortimer growled into his brandy at the very thought. He simply could not get his greying head around it. Morticia was barely old enough to legally purchase alcohol in this country and yet, there she was - apparently getting married.

It was so uncharacteristic for Morticia to lose her head over a man. He always expected, and indeed was well prepared, such shenanigans from his older daughter, Ophelia, who fell in love with an alarming frequency, at least four times a year. Not Morticia. Not Morticia, who immersed herself in her books and studies, who was merely amused by all the attention she received from the opposite sex. She turned down every single marriage proposal over the last three years and then, suddenly, out of the blue she declares her engagement to a man she met less than 24 hours ago. It was bizarre, it was unthinkable. He could not get his head around it.

Worse yet, was the fact that his darling wife was - to his utter horror, delighted at the prospect of their daughter marrying an Addams, as was Mr Frump's sister Mabel and his oldest daughter, Ophelia.

Although initially surprised, they all practically glowed upon hearing the news. All of them seemed to have lost their goddamn minds. Mortimer Frump stormed away from the dining room shortly after hearing the news and have been sitting in the parlour, drowning in his distress ever since.

So engrossed was Mr Frump in his misery, over the prospect of the upcoming nuptials of his youngest child, that he didn't seem to notice his wife entering the parlour, followed by his younger sister Mabel, even when both of them ended up standing right in front of him. Or, well, he rather conveniently chose to ignore them.

"Look at him," his wife had the nerve to smile at him mockingly. "Pretending not to notice us. Isn't he adorable?"

He was married to a heartless harpy, he had no doubt about it.

His sister was equally unsympathetic.

"Mortimer J. Frump," she regarded him sternly, putting both of her hands on her slim hips."You quit this ridiculous, petty behaviour this instant."

Mr Frump huffed into his brandy without looking up and took a big gulp of the golden brown liquid.

Mabel looked at her sister-in-law exasperatedly.

"Darling," Mrs Frump started gently, sitting on the arm of the burgundy leather armchair currently occupied by her sulking husband, placing a comforting hand on his stiff shoulder. "You have been brooding here for three straight hours, this is not at all like you. Admittedly, Morticia's engagement came as a surprise, but darling… this is…"

"A surprise, ha!" Mr Frump groused, gripping his glass of brandy so tightly his wife was sure it will shatter. "Have you all lost your minds? She barely knows the man!"

"Well, what better way to get acquainted?"Retorted Mabel obnoxiously, pouring herself a generous tumbler of her favourite whiskey.

Mrs Frump saw her husband's eyes widen in shock and he almost spat his brandy at the suggestion.

"Gomez Addams is a cad and a womanizer!" he bellowed.

"So were you, my dear brother," retorted his sister ever so calmly. "And yet, here you are - a dedicated, loving husband and a doting father."

"That's different!" he scoffed.

"How?"

Mr Frump opened his mouth with every intention of pointing out the many differences between himself and the young Addams, but annoyingly his mind refused to supply him with a single one.

"He's too old for her," he said instead, frowning as both ladies snorted inelegantly at the suggestion. Setting his brandy aside, Mr Frump crossed his arms in a childish gesture. It took all of his willpower not to stomp his foot.

"My dear, it means a lot to our daughter to have your blessing," his wife's gentle voice informed him."However, do not fool yourself into thinking that there's any way persuading her against this marriage, she's simply smitten with the boy."

"Smitten! Hester, dear, she's barely met him yesterday!" He spat.

"It's just too romantic!" His sister sighed happily as she sat, in a love seat opposite him sipping her whiskey calmly with that annoying, dreamy look on her face.

The sheer audacity of that woman!

"Either way," his wife continued taking the brandy off his hand and helping herself to a generous drink. "I have invited the Addamses for lunch tomorrow."

"You what?!"

"To make it official," his sister supplied in a matter of fact voice. "So you, dear brother, better get yourself together. Your dramatics really upset the poor child, she's beside herself in her room, probably crying her precious eyes out."

Mr Frump raised his eyebrows sceptically, yet his body language seemed to soften at her words even though he suspected she was vastly exaggerating… he had seen his precious daughter cry only a handful of times, last time was when she was 11 years-old and her pet tarantula died.

"Besides," his sister continued leaning comfortably into the love seat while twirling one of her waist-long, greying tendrils around her right, index finger. "The Addams are well known and highly respected family. Why, Mrs Addams happens to be Hester's old school friend and a brilliant witch" she smiled happily. "If anything, Morticia is going to be well-looked after...which is more than we can ever hope for our dear Ophelia, God helps her," she finished muttering more to herself than her brother who seemed to hear it anyway, judging by the way he was frowning at her. Mabel shrugged her shoulders but smiled apologetically winking at her annoyed looking brother.

The trio fell into a semi-comfortable silence. Hester smiling contemptibly at her sister-in-law over her husband's greying head. She might not have the closest relationship with her youngest daughter, but she knew her well enough to realize that when Morticia Frump put her mind into something, there was no stopping her. Naturally, she understood her husband's concerns, for the young Addams was indeed a cad and a womanizer, but if there was a woman who could ever bewitch Gomez Addams, it was Morticia Frump - of that, Hester was sure.

She smirked at her thoughts, placing a loving kiss on her troubled husband's temple.

Mr Frump looked up moodily, meeting his wife's cobalt blue eyes, a small smiled ghosted his lips as he took her hand and placed a soft kiss on her smooth wrist.

"That bloody Castilian Don Juan bewitched her," he muttered unconvincingly, just for the hell of it.

Next to him, Hester snorted in amusement."Oh, my darling. If anyone has done any bewitching at all, I can assure you it was certainly not the bloody Castilian."

"Well," he sighed."I guess I have no choice, but to capitulate to my daughter's decision," he stated simply.

Nevertheless, Mr Frump allowed a gentle smirk to cross his handsome features. He could not say he was happy about any of it but was comforted by the knowledge that if Gomez bloody Addams ever hurt his precious baby, he would not live long enough to tell the tale.

His darling, raven-haired witch would make sure of that.

Eudora Addams squinted her eyes in annoyance as she brought her old, frayed and heavy potion book closer. The golden bracelets on her wrists jiggled as she slowly turned the yellowed page, muttering list of ingredients to herself. She had to admit her eyesight was not what it used to be, but she resisted the idea of getting herself a pair of spectacles for it would equal to admitting that she was, indeed, getting old. Still, for a fifty-two-year-old witch and a mother of two sons, one of whom took off to devil knows where and the other seemed to be insisting on wasting his life away gambling, whoring and drinking to the early hours of the morning, she looked bloody well marvellous, thank you very much.

Frowning in concentration, Eudora Addams picked up an eye of a green frog with her long, sharp nails and gently dropped it into a small, bubbling cauldron without taking her eyes off the book. It was one of the most diabolically complicated potions a witch could brew and it will take months to complete.

Add seven grams of powdered claws of a Romanian dragon...

Romanian dragon. She made her way to the vast wall of shelves, where various bottles with ingredients were stored. She picked a small, violet bottle and shook it gently. Another frown crossed her olive forehead when the bottle produced no sound. She bit her lips as she struggled for a few seconds with the cork until it gave up with a gentle pop and Eudora peered inside.

"Goddamn it all to hell! I was sure I had some left."

"Problem, mother?" An amused, gentle voice behind her asked.

Eudora Addams sighed at the prospect of yet another delay in brewing the potion, but gave her son a happy smile, always pleased to see her darling rascal. She was surprised to see him - at home and seemingly sober, no less. Since that disastrous debacle with Fester eight years ago, she barely saw her youngest son at home. Indeed, first he shipped off to Britain, studying law at Oxford, and nowadays he seemed to revert to constantly cruising from one seedy bar to another, gambling, drinking, womanizing, trying unsuccessfully to subdue the guilt over his brother's disappearance that was consistently consuming him. It worried her tremendously and angered her husband. Not a day passed without Salvador Addams giving Gomez a piece of his mind. This usually followed with Gomez storming out of the house and coming back at the crack of dawn, smelling of cigars, alcohol and women's perfume.

"Darling," she said softly, returning an empty, violet bottle back to the shelf. Dusting her hands off against her deep green, silk dress she made her way towards her son. She smiled and placed a soft kiss on his forehead "I didn't know you were at home."

Gomez smiled brightly taking her right hand in both of his, bent down to kiss her knuckles lightly. His mother patted his cheek affectionately but eyed him curiously.

There was something different about him, Eudora thought. The tension in his body was gone, he seemed excited and, dare she hope...happy.

"Mother, I need to speak to you urgently," he said fervently."You and father both."

She regarded him with a worried look and smiled uneasily as if sensing upcoming trouble.

"Well then," she said carefully."Let me ring for Lurch to get him, I believe he's still in the library tending to some business matter," she explained as she pulled a heavy rope dangling from the ceiling.

The Addams mansion shook at its core and not two seconds later, nearly seven feet tall butler materialized behind her.

"You rang, Mrs Addams?"

"Yes, Lurch. Would you please fetch Mr Addams for us? Gomez has some urgent matter to discuss."

"Yes, Mrs Addams," Lurch answered with a polite growl.

Once they were alone again, Eudora smiled encouragingly at her son and she turned back to her book trying to act as nonchalant as was humanly possible.

"So…" she prompted." What's this urgent matter?" In case the urgent news would turn up to be an urgent headache she wanted to be prepared before her husband got here.

As if reading her thoughts, Gomez laughed heartily.

"It's nothing bad, mother," he sighed happily and gave a dramatic pause before continuing."In fact, quite the opposite -I'm getting married!"

He almost felt his mother's body stiffen at the news as she slowly straightened her posture and turned to face him. God, even her olive skin got pale.

"Married?"She swallowed." Oh, darling, please don't tell me you got some girl pregnant, your father will go ballistic."

Her son grimaced at the suggestion. He was not all that surprised by her less than enthusiastic reaction. By God, with his despicable behaviour these last few years he knew he deserved it."No, no mama, no one's pregnant," he responded calmly leaning against the kitchen table. He took a cigar from his breast pocket and put it in between his teeth. "At least not by me."

Mrs Addams relaxed visibly and breathed out in relief, her face graced with an expectant smile. She flicked her fingers and a wooden spoon proceeded to stir the bubbling mixture inside the cauldron as Mrs Addams made her way across the kitchen to stand in front of her son. She crossed her arms expectantly.

"Well then?"

Gomez inhaled the cigar smoke as he took in her tired appearance. The stress and worry of the last few years took a visible toll on her beautiful face. Her waist long, black hair had more than few tresses of grey in them. At 5'2, his mother looked thinner than he ever remembered her and incredibly fragile. Gomez felt a miserable guilt raising in his heart as he looked at his mother's kind face, her anxious, emerald green eyes, knowing he was the primary cause of her many worries. He swallowed heavily and forced himself to banish the misery from his heart.

"Mama, I have met the most wonderful creature," he said passionately grabbing his mother's arms gently and closed his eyes briefly, smiling to himself. "Most sublime being."

His mother bit her lips gently and raised an eyebrow looking him straight in the eyes, clearly amused by his words when a stern voice behind him bellowed:

"Is he drunk again?!"

Salvador Arias Addams, the charming but imposing head of the Addams family, stood at the top of the kitchen stairs, his posture commanding, left hand in his pocket and an ever-present cigar in his right.

Eudora always marvelled how alike her husband and the youngest son were, not only in looks but also in character. With the exception of his father's greying goatee beard, Gomez was a carbon copy of Salvador.

Mr Addams, dressed in an elegant, deep blue pinstripe suit, complete with a black silk shirt and cravat was over 6 feet tall and presented, much like his youngest son, a curious mixture of strikingly handsome features, self-assurance, and a devil-may-care attitude. It suited him. It suited both of them.

Mrs Addams smiled affectionately at her husband as he made his way to stand next to her and placed his strong hand on her left hip. His dark, half-lidded eyes focused on his youngest son immediately.

"He doesn't look drunk," he stated pointing his cigar at Gomez.

Gomez resisted an urge to roll his eyes."I am not drunk, father."

"He's not, dear," confirmed Mrs Addams as she looked up her husband face, placing her soft, covered with various golden rings, hand over his broad chest placatingly.

"Gomez has some interesting news."

Mr Addams snorted and placed his cigar back in his mouth.

"You don't say," he said sarcastically, but when Gomez stayed silent he added in an annoyed tone: "Well then son, what is this news?"

Gomez felt an annoyance sweep through him at his father's mocking tone and looked briefly at his mother who smiled at him encouragingly.

"I'm getting married, father."

His father arched his brows and slowly removed the cigar from his mouth.

"Married," he laughed condescendingly. "Who, in their right mind, would agree to marry you, son?" He asked and immediately felt his wife pinch him in his side. Hard. He glared at her and she pinched him again.

However, Gomez laughed heartily and his father's question.

"Oh, father. The most enchanting, breathtakingly beautiful black orchid," he said dreamily, placing his hand over his heart.

Mr Addams blinked and turned to his wife with a questionable look but all she offered was a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"Black Orchid?" Salvador repeated slowly.

"Indeed."

"Talk sense, boy," he demanded. "Who is she?"

Gomez grinned proudly before replying: "Mrs Frump's enchanting daughter, father," he said finally, biting his lips as if he just tasted the most divine wine and cyanide in his collection.

His parents looked startled and he saw their eyes blink in confusion and suddenly widen in alarm as they looked at each other with, what he thought, was nothing less than pure disbelief.

"Son, you're… you cannot be serious," his mother stuttered and her eyes widened in surprise. Fester disappearance must have affected him more than they suspected. Eudora's eyes shifted alarmingly from her son to her husband.

"Oh my, here's a match made in heaven," Mr Addams added ironically but furrowed his brows as he took in his son's confused look.

"What?" Gomez frowned at his parents, completely bewildered by their reaction.

"Ophelia?" His mother asked."Hester's daughter? Ophelia. Really, Gomez? Have you completely lost your mind?"

"Gods no!" Gomez laughed shaking his head."Not Ophelia."

Eudora frowned in confusion and bit one of her long nails thoughtfully….and then it dawned on her. Black Orchid… surely he doesn't mean... Hester's youngest daughter! What was her name?

Morticia!

Oh...Oh! thank heavens.

She sighed in relief and smiled at her still an utterly confused husband. She completely forgot that the girl was back in town for the summer holidays. Hector even mentioned that Frumps paid their respects yesterday and Eudora was disappointed to miss her old childhood friend whom she hadn't seen for years now.

The last time she'd seen her, Morticia she was no older than thirteen. She remembered beautiful, pale and sullen child with raven braids who spoke little and seemed to spend all days in her father's vast library reading voraciously - unconcerned, that her mother poured almost all of her attention at her older sister Ophelia, who at the age of sixteen was already causing them hell of a lot of headache, constantly getting in trouble at school, hanging around with members of society of rather questionable reputation...which is, incidentally, how Ophelia got acquainted with Gomez Addams in the first place. They both had very little regard for their reputation.

"Gomez," she prompted cautiously, wanting to hear the confirmation from his own lips.

"Her name is Morticia, mother," he answered with a blissful gleam in his eyes and his face brightened at the mere thought that this enchanting creature has agreed to marry him. He felt unworthy of such a splendid luck.

Apparently, his father shared his thoughts.

"Wait... Hold on a minute, Morticia Frump?" He asked in disbelief looking at his son and his wife for confirmation and they both nodded enthusiastically. "The daughter of Doctor Mortimer J. Frump?"

"The very same," Gomez confirmed proudly.

"And she agreed to marry you?"

Gomez nodded getting progressively annoyed at his father shocked expression.

"And her father is okay with that?"He prodded in disbelief.

At this, Gomez seemed to wince slightly. He moved his hand through his pomaded hair in a nervous gesture.

"Well...I...I haven't had a chance to ask him yet," he admitted sheepishly. "I've just met her yesterday, after all."

"Ye...yesterday?!" His father exclaimed."Where, in the devil, have you met her?"

"At Bar's funeral, of course."

He heard her mother inhale sharply.

"Oh, well isn't that in a poor taste, darling," she said appalled."After all, you're still a suspect. One simply does not get engaged at one's cousin's funeral when one's a suspect in said cousin's murder investigation. Where are your manners?"

However, to his wife's dismay, Mr Addams seemed to be delighted at the sheer audacity of his youngest son.

"You rascal," he laughed and gave his son a hearty pat on the back. "Your Castilian blood courses through your veins so gloriously," he added proudly. "Still, this simply won't do, my son. You must honour this girl properly, meet with her father and present her with an engagement ring worthy of the future Mrs Addams."

Before Gomez could agree, they heard a low growl behind them and the trio turned around to see Lurch standing in the door.

"A telephone call for Mrs Addams," he said slowly. "Mrs Hester Frump."

Gomez and Salvador looked at Eudora expectantly.

"Oh my," she smiled, clasping her hands together, her golden bracelets jingling at the sudden motion."This is escalating quickly!" She beamed at both Addams men and practically zoomed through the kitchen to answer the telephone, giving Lurch a quick thank you in passing. Her potion entirely forgotten.

Both father and son gave each other a quick glance before following Mrs Addams to the parlour. As they arrived, she was talking excitedly on the phone, twirling the cord around her fingers. She noticed them and waved for them to come closer.

"Yes, of course, it is, Hester, my dear. We shall see you tomorrow. Goodbye, darling," she said and replaced the receiver. She turned suddenly to face both men and smiled wickedly. "Mrs Frump has just called to invite all of us for lunch tomorrow. That sweet girl already told them about the engagement," she smirked and Gomez through her eyes gleamed in hardly concealed, vicious amusement. "Mr Frump is livid."

It was raining all morning, but despite that, the air was still hot and stuffy which made the temperature in the conservatory particularly unpleasant.

Dressed in her black, silk robe Morticia Frump picked up a bowl of freshly cooked hamburgers and gently cut a small piece off with a silver fork. A long, green plant tried to snatch the meat off immediately, but Morticia pulled her hand away quickly, entirely expecting her baby's impatient behaviour.

"Now, now Cleopatra," she cooed at the plant."You know you get terrible indigestion when you rush your food."

The African Strangled bowed sheepishly and Morticia smiled at her affectionately.

"Here you go, my darling," she offered a piece of hamburger to the plant and it devoured it instantly. "Don't gulp."

"Morticia!"

Morticia rolled her eyes and turned briefly at her mother's voice, but did not reply. Her mother was unbearably frantic with preparations for upcoming lunch with the Addamses. As much as Morticia longed to see her darling fiancé again, there was only so much of her mother's excitement she was able to bear. Oh, and was she excited! The prospect of her daughter marrying into the Addams clan made her ecstatic, to say the least, her father though... not so much. Morticia didn't know what was ultimately worse, her mother's frantic behaviour or her father's brooding.

"Your mother is looking for you," her father said gently standing next to her awkwardly. They haven't spoken a word to each other since he stormed off from the dining room yesterday upon hearing the news of her engagement to Gomez Addams. It made Morticia anxious enough to decide to skip family breakfast altogether. Mr Frump inhaled deeply and looked at his daughter thoughtfully as if considering where to start.

"Papa," she started instead but he raised his palm to stop whatever she wanted to say.

"I owe you an apology, my dear," he said finally. "I shouldn't have stormed off like that, I… I overreacted...it's just," he paused briefly and looked at her sadly. "I did not expect it at all."

Morticia smiled understandingly.

"I know, Papa, neither did I," she whispered as she cut another piece of a hamburger to feed to Cleopatra."I know... it seems all too sudden, but…' she hesitated and bit her lips thoughtfully, contemplating how could she possibly explain to her father the magnitude of her feelings for Gomez? How her heart ceased beating the moment their eyes fell upon one another and then when it started beating again she felt as if it was now beating only for him? How could she describe how powerless she was over her feelings because from the moment she tasted his lips upon hers Gomez Addams became her entire life?

She set a crystal bowl and fork aside and turned to her father taking his strong hands and wrapping her long, pale fingers around his.

"Papa, you mustn't be angry with me," she said insistently."You must trust me, I have never felt so strongly about anyone. I...I can't live my life without Gomez in it, "she admitted and Mr Frump was shocked to hear such a surrender in her soft voice.

He put his hand gently on the back of her head and brought her closer to him. Morticia smiled and put her head on her father's broad chest.

"Ah, my little witch," he said placing a soft kiss on her temple."It scares me when you speak like that."

Morticia wanted to tell him that it scared her as well, the suddenness and the sheer intensity of her feelings for Gomez, but she said nothing and instead hugged her father closer.

They were interrupted by the sudden noise behind them.

"There you are!" Her sister huffed as she stopped at the entrance to the conservatory, her daisies bouncing on her head vivaciously."Why are you not getting ready?" She asked and without waiting for an answer and paying no mind to her father she grabbed Morticia's hand and dragged her out of the conservatory."Mama is going crazy, she's so frenzied and enthusiastic it's making Mabel nauseous."

Forty-nine minutes later, Morticia was bathed and seated at her dressing table, in front of a cracked, marred mirror, her makeup already in place, she was patiently waiting for Ophelia to finish curling the ends of her black, silky hair.

Ophelia caught her sister's look in the mirror and smiled affectionately.

"I'm almost done," she placated for even though her sister made no obvious sign of impatience, Ophelia noticed a slight stiffness in her posture and could not miss the way Morticia unknowingly played with her long, red vermilion nails. "You look lovely, Tish."

Morticia smiled appreciatively.

"Thank you, Ophelia."

The two sisters were always the polar opposite, but thankfully it never affected the way they loved and looked after each other. Ophelia - a whirlwind of energy, always enthusiastic and friendly… Almost too friendly, if her reputation was anything to go by, she looked very much like their beautiful mother, with an angelic face and long, blond tresses and the most captivating cobalt blue eyes. She was bold, but sweet and caring as well, and all too well aware of the enchanting effect she had on people, particularly men. Ophelia loved men and loved their attention and she felt unapologetic about the reputation it gave her, even though most rumours about her promiscuity were vastly exaggerated. Nevertheless, her cavalier attitude towards her own reputation never failed to give their poor parents near coronary.

Morticia on the other hand, was mostly quiet, keeping to herself, immersed in a fascinating world of books and witchcraft. She was very scholastically inclined, diligent in her studies and it has paid off as she was already regarded as one of the most talented witches of her generation, due to start her master degree in the Dark Arts at the French Institute of Magic this Fall. Just as her older sister, she had a talent for languages, already speaking fluent French, Latin and Russian. Morticia was also fascinated by history and literature, the more gruesome the better.

Although she wasn't as open in her relationships as Ophelia, Morticia didn't consider herself to be a prude. She enjoyed parties and company of gorgeous men, they all adored her and would do practically anything to have the ebony-haired enchantress in their bed, but Morticia didn't do half measures.

Sex, as appealing as it was, was not enough for her. She wanted something deeper - love and passion and eternal commitment. Hence her relationships, although a pleasant pastime, were usually short-lived. That, however, did not stop various male specimens from pursuing her affections, in a usual way men enjoyed perusing something they thought of to be an enticing challenge and there was no denying that winning Morticia's affections was indeed a challenge.

Ophelia often laughed at her hopeless romanticism, but Morticia couldn't help it. She was, admittedly, a hopelessly romantic witch. Yet, she knew in the bottom of her heart that Gomez Addams was an embodiment of everything she ever dreamed of and more.

"Here, all done,"Ophelia smiled gently as she expertly finished curling her sister's hair. "I'm sure Mr Addams will appreciate" she winked.

Morticia felt a slight blush creeping up her neck at the mention of her fiancé. She struggled to deal with all those unfamiliar emotions the handsome Castilian has awakened in her. She still felt her lips tingling at the memory of the hot kisses they shared in the graveyard. She swallowed heavily and chose to focus on her appearance instead, for even reminiscing the kiss made her feel hot all over and her hands shake. Willing herself to look in the mirror she turned her head left and right examining her sister's work.

"It's perfect, Ophelia, thank you" she smiled at her sister, who in turn smirked knowingly.

"I can't believe you're getting married,"Ophelia said affectionately slipping her arms around Morticia's neck, her face next to hers."And to one of the biggest womanizers, this town has seen."

Morticia almost winced at her words as she looked at their reflection in the mirror.

"Is he really so...you know?"

"Oh hell yes," her sister confirmed immediately."I have never seen him with one girl longer than two weeks."

"Great," Morticia commented sarcastically.

Ophelia smiled understandingly and gave her sister comforting hug.

"He likes beautiful women and good fun," she said before adding softly."But he never proposed to any girl before. And he's a good guy, Tish."

"But do you think father is right? Is it al too fast?"

Ophelia shrugged noncommittally and disentangled her arms from her sister before straightening up. She looked thoughtfully at Morticia's reflection in the mirror.

"Do you?"She asked.

Morticia stayed silent for a long while, marvelling over the question before replying in soft, but confident tone."I want to spend the rest of my life with him, Ophelia."

"Then you have your answer."

Morticia smiled gratefully and turned away from the dressing mirror making her way to her walk-in wardrobe, where a long dress of black silk and deep burgundy lace was already prepared. Morticia took off her robe and slipped into the soft, expensive material. She then came to stand in front of the full-length mirror to examine the final look and smiled to herself, pleased with the effect.

Her sister came up behind her and gently zipped up her dress.

"God damn it, Tish...you will give Mr Addams a heart attack" she commented cheerfully. "You make my little, tender heart swell with pride," she added smirking, before giving her sister's a quick kiss on her pale cheek and disappearing back into the room.

Morticia bit her lower lip, smiling at Ophelia's comment, her eyes shining with amusement. There was no denying, though, that she looked simply irresistible.

Gomez Addams shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling an embarrassing urge to squirm under the vicious look Mr Frump was currently gracing him with - to apparent, utter delight of his own father who sat next to Mr Frump with barely concealed amusement at his son's discomfort.

Both men enjoyed their drinks and a light conversation of the old acquaintances but Mr Frump's watchful gaze barely left Gomez.

His mother, on the other hand, chatted happily with Frump women completely oblivious, or as Gomez rightly suspected, entirely unconcerned by the animosity Mr Frump was projecting towards his soon-to-be son-in-law.

"My dear," a very slim, middle-aged woman with long, grey hair and a kind face turned to him. Mabel, he remembered Mr Frump introducing her as his younger sister. "Are you not well? You are awfully quiet."

Gomez flashed her his most charming smile before replying:"Not at all, madam," he didn't know what demon possessed him but he eyed Mortimer Frump briefly before adding. "I'm simply anxious to see my enchanting fiancée."

If look could kill, Gomez Addams was sure he would already be a dead man...twice.

Mr Frump summoned the most vicious expression in his repertoire, glaring at the young man with all his might. What. A. Cad.

Mabel, however, beamed at his words, delighted.

"Oh, Hester, isn't he a darling!" She exclaimed to her sister-in-law and then without waiting for an answer took Gomez's hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "Please, you must call me Aunt Mabel, we will be soon a family after all."

Mr Frump gave out an outraged gasp, almost spilling his drink.

Gomez grinned.

"Morticia!" He heard Hester exclaim happily."There you are, my dear."

Gomez felt his heartbeat stop and then restart again furiously as he turned and was faced with his beautiful enchantress. He sprung to his feet and she beamed at him, clearly delighted to see him.

His stomach fluttered uncontrollably.

"Cara Mia," he grinned at her and took her pale hand in both of his, placing a firm kiss to the soft skin at the back of her hand. "You look breathtakingly beautiful."

"Thank you, Mon Cher," she said softly, looking at him adoringly and squeezed his hands tighter.

He could not explain it, but there was something in the way she said it that has simply set his blood on fire. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, he growled deep in his throat and his lips captured Morticia's slim hand and proceeded to set up a trail of hot kisses along her irresistible, lace-clad arm.

Suddenly, his head went forward in a sharp motion and excruciating pain spread at the back of his head.

"What the hell, son?!" Mr Frump hissed behind him after delivering Gomez Addams the biggest head slap of his entire life.

Gomez turned toward him, without releasing his fiancée's hand, an utter confusion attached to his face. He blinked furiously looking Morticia's father straight in the eye.

"Damn…" was all his passion infused brain allowed him to utter.

A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! R&R are always welcome!