AN: A thank you to those who helped defend my stories from the bashing of flamers. I appreciate it very much. And if said flamers are reading this, be warned that all further flaming will be ignored, so you'll only be wasting your time.

Two chapters will be posted tonight, because this one is so short. Hope you enjoy it.


Roger and Mark entered the Loft, coming back from Roger's band practice which Mark had filmed. They were going to drop off Roger's fender in the Loft, and then take Mimi and Emily to a fair that was being held in the city. However, when they stopped by to pick up Emily on the way to the Loft, they saw a note was taped to the door. Mark removed it and read it out loud.

Hey, guys,

I'm just taking Wenceslas for a walk. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about our plans to go to the fair. I'll be back soon.

-Emily

"Well, let's wait for her up in the Loft," Roger suggested. The two friends made their way upstairs. However, when they opened up the door, they both froze in shock. Mimi was sitting on the beaten couch, but she wasn't alone.

"Mark!" Mark's mother, Nancy, quickly moved forward, pulling her stunned son into a hug.

"Mo… mother?" Mark sputtered. Looking around, he saw his father, Robert, and Cindy were there as well.

"Your father wanted to call ahead and let you know we were coming," Nancy informed. "But I thought it would be best to surprise you. Oh, and Roger's here as well. I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose. You two were always inseparable, even as boys.

"We've been having a very delightful conversation with Mimi, here. She was the one who let us in. Roger, where did you ever find such a sweet girl?"

"Mom?" Mark tried to snap out of his surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to meet that girl you told me about," Nancy said. "I hope she's as nice as you made her out to be." Mark paled instantly.

"Ah… Mom, Dad, could you excuse me for a moment?" Mark quickly pulled Roger out of the Loft with Mimi following them. The three ducked into Emily's apartment downstairs, just as Emily was heading up the stairs, leading her potbellied pig, Wenceslas, on his blue harness. Seeing her friends entering her place in such a hurry made her frown in concern before looking up to the Loft.


"Oh, now what?" Mark cried in a panic. "Why'd they have to come here? What do I tell them now?"

"You actually told your mother you had a girlfriend, Mark?" Mimi asked.

"Please skip the guilt trip, Mimi," Mark begged. "It's not helping. What am I going to tell them?"

"Well, there's no avoiding it now, I guess," Roger ran a hand through his hair. "Guess we gotta come clean."

"I'm not looking forward to this," Mark groaned. "Well, better get it over with." Mark winced as he led his friends back to the Loft.

"Mom, Dad," he began as he pulled the door open. "I gotta tell you something about the girlfriend I told you I had."

"Say no more!" Robert smiled. "You were right. She is a very nice girl."

"Wha… what?" Mark looked at his father in confusion. "What do you…?"

"Mark, sweetie! Welcome home!" Mark's confusion tripled when Emily appeared and threw her arms around his neck. "Did you get any good footage, today?" Mark gaped at Emily's beaming face.

"Emily?" he blinked. Emily simply grinned and winked.