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I know nothing about the Russian Revolution or its military. I wanted Gru to be something of a Green Beret, but Russian, which I think translates to the Vympel. I wiki'd it and seems it would be a great basis for his criminal career.

Gru's family names are taken from the actual Gru family tree. I think I got his relatives titles right, I can only recognize his parents. The way it's set up makes it easy to lose track of who is who to whom.

After the trial, Tess was lulled into a false sense of security, this one, she thought was genuine. She contacted one of her former coworkers to find out the status of Felonious' case. The new criminologist seemed daunted by the just the first case assigned and was working on it at a glacial pace. Daniels hadn't reassigned it yet, so Felonious' case was basically floating in a limbo. She asked her friend to call her if the case was ever reassigned. Weeks later, there was no call and Tess suddenly felt the permanence of her relationship with Felonious.

Knowing that if things continued the way they were with Felonious, she knew that there was a distinct possibility that she could end up marrying that man (a thought that induced high pitched squealing and wedding dress ideas). Tess wouldn't have her wedding day as the first time her parents met her husband. Felonious and her family had to meet. Now.

Tess' family was close knit and had family dinners nearly every Sunday. She thought it was as good of a time as any to drop 'your daughter/sister/sister-in-law/aunt is dating a guy on the same list as Saddam Hussein was bomb. She just couldn't bring a Wanted criminal to dinner without some explanation.

"How are you and Mr. Gru?" Percy asked innocently during the 'explanation' dinner.

Everyone looked at Tess. Well, that got things rolling.

Tess felt her stomach flip knowing this was the moment.

"Do you all know who Felonious Gru is?" She asked, looking down at her plate, wishing she was with Felonious and the girls (who were probably having dinner themselves) and god she could still feel his kiss from earlier on her lips. That was not what she needed.

Silence filled the room like an invisible, noxious gas. Tess could feel their eyes on her.

"Of course we do. Who doesn't know who he is?" Her brother, Colin, said, disgust lacing his voice.

"What does he have to do with this?" Her mother, Olivia asked.

Tess said nothing. She knew they had just put two and two together, but she couldn't find her voice. With anyone else who denied her and Felonious' relationship, she would tell them to take a flying leap, that she was happy, but these people where her family. She needed it to be okay with them.

"Tess?" Her sister-in-law, Lizzie asked after Tess went several moments without speaking.

"I'm dating Felonious Gru." She said suddenly, looking up.

The silence in the room intensified. If Tess didn't know any better, judging about how quiet it was in the dining room, she would have thought she were the only person on earth.

Her mother looked as though she were on the verge of tears. She was probably thinking of all the ways her daughter could be killed by such a man.

Her father, Mark, looked mystified. Why would his perfect little girl fall for such a horrible man?

Colin looked angry. If anyone, even Felonious Gru, laid a finger on his sister, he'd slaughter him.

Lizzie's eyes were as round as saucers. Was this really happening? Tess had a better head on her shoulders than that!

And poor Percy, he was looking back and forth at everyone trying to figure out what was wrong. He liked Mr. Gru!

"This is not happening." He mother said in shock, shaking her head and holding her head in her hands.

"You're damn right this isn't happening, Liv. I don't care if you're 36 or if you're some FBI big shot, but I can still forbid you to see him, Tess. And I do." He father said angrily, pointing at her. Tess felt like she was being stabbed with every one of her father's quick points. She felt even worse when he brought up her former job. She had disappointed her family and it made her sick.

Tess fell back on her FBI training of staying calm under pressure. She was not going to let them see how their beliefs affected her.

"I am safe and I am happy with Felonious." Tess said resolutely.

"That's probably what all of Drew Peterson's wives thought!" Colin exclaimed.

"Who would copulate with that man?" Lizzie asked.

"I WOULD!" Tess exclaimed, defensively, without thinking.

The most awkward of silences fell over the table. Thankfully her father broke it, "What does he want anyway?" He was referring to why Felonious was criminal.

"Power." Lizzie answered.

Tess held her elbows on the table and held head between her thumbs and index fingers, the rest splayed out flat. "You know how his rise to power will turn out, if he ever gets around to it?" she asked irately. "He'll claim power and after a few weeks, he'll get bored and sell it off to the highest bidder. In truth, he's far too preoccupied with his daughters to pose much of a threat."

"Daughters? Ho, ho someone did copulate with him. Looks like you're getting someone's sloppy seconds." Colin jabbed, leaning back in his chair with a smug look on his face.

"He adopted them this past summer." Tess corrected. "You know what disgusts me the most about your disapproval? It's not that you don't trust me or are doing this to me; it's that you're doing this to the man that saved your daughter's life. Twice. Without a single thought for his own life."

Another stunned and contemplative fell over the table. "I want to meet him." Her father said.

"I do too." Colin said.

"I want to make sure he treats you right. Then I'll decide if you're really safe with him or not." Her father added.

Tess sighed, "OK. I'll bring him to the next dinner."

She did just that. Tess had never seen Felonious so nervous before. For a while the dinner was mostly silent and awkward and very hostile towards Felonious (who thankfully took it in stride). The tension broke when Tess suddenly felt lightheaded due to a touch of anemia. Her family saw how concerned Felonious was for her and how quickly he took care of her. After Tess was brought back from anemia-land, the family took no time in candidly asking Felonious questions to discern if he was genuine. With dinner concluded, they deemed Felonious as acceptable for Tess, but her father made it clear that he was always watching.

Before Tess and Felonious left, he shook hand with her brother and father.

Tears in his eyes, he shook Felonious' hand. "Take care of her."

"It's my every intention. She'll be treated like a queen." Felonious answered.

With that hurdle out of their way, Tess and Felonious were able to grow as a real couple. Not every one of their conversations was dominated by the outcome of the trial. They were able to learn about each other.

"I was born in Yekaterinburg, Russia. My father moved my mother and me to Bucharest, Romania when I was Agnes age. Two years later we moved to Budapest, Hungary. My father's expertise was theft. Or it would have been if he didn't nearly get caught after each one, which is why we moved a lot. After he died, my mother and I moved here. When I turned 18, I moved back to Russia and joined the military. I was part of the Vympel. I was honorably discharged when I was thirty. I came back to America shortly after." Felonious explained.

"Are all of your family criminals?" Tess asked.

"For the most part, yes. We all have niches, my father liked to steal. My grandmother Madeline could forge anything she wanted. William was a master of disguise and would impersonate anyone he wanted to get information."

"What happened to Edith's parents?"

"Edith was born out of wedlock to an absent father and cocaine-addled mother. She gave up her rights soon after Edith was born."

"Was she clean when she was pregnant with Edith?" Tess asked worriedly.

"I hope so, but I don't know. I see her birth mother every day as I drive them to dance class. On the same street, same clothes, ravaged by time, addiction and a life hard lived."

"Edith doesn't recognize her, right?"

"No."

The topic cast an ill mood over the couple, but Felonious changed it, "Tess Olivia Sutterfield, what is your story?" He asked, grinning, threading her fingers through his.

"Not as interesting," She admitted, smiling. "I was born in the city and studied Criminology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. My job with the FBI has taken me all over the country. You'd think that job would only show the darkest side of humanity, but it doesn't. I've seen so many families, some who haven't talked in years, come back together and face a tragedy and get through it. Together. It was awe inspiring. I liked knowing I was helping and making a difference."

Several days after the dinner, Tess was offered a job on the state level. It was essentially her same job, but instead of the entire country being in her jurisdiction, it was only the state. Tess still had the same career responsibilities and same types of cases. She liked it, but it wasn't her old job. It paid less, but it was also less stress and travel. Tess got lucky with Felonious' case, since he lived in the same city as her office, otherwise she and Michael Fisher would have had to travel to him.

The rest of the year passed by quietly for everyone, but New Year's would never be the same for Tess. Felonious' neighborhood had organized a block party to celebrate. Margo and Edith had made it to midnight, but Agnes didn't make it past ten and was put to bed with Marlena downstairs as Tess, Felonious and the older girls enjoyed the festivities outside. Felonious even wrapped the rest of his scarf around Tess' neck to keep her warm from the cold. He didn't care how ridiculous he may have looked sharing a scarf with her, he just wanted Tess to stay as close to his side as possible, with his arm around her waist.

Felonious drew Tess closer as the countdown approached one, both intending on kissing the other at midnight. Tess could feel Felonious' heart pounding against his chest as she counted with his neighbors and she had no idea why.

"ONE! HAPPY NEW YEARS!" Everyone shouted and was quickly silenced in Tess' mind. In that moment, it was just her and Felonious and their loving kiss.

They pulled away but stayed close, his arm around her waist and hand on her cheek, "I love you Tess."

Tess nearly swooned. It was simply…perfect. "I love you too, Felonious." she replied, smiling probably the biggest and most genuine smile of her life and moved closer into his embrace.

They just stood there for several moments, holding each other, happy to have finally found someone they loved so deeply, as everyone partied around them. They would have stayed like that forever but Edith ran by with a sparkler and both learned very quickly that fire (or sparks) and Edith did not mix.

Later that night, Felonious saw the older girls to bed as Tess saw Marlena off.

"What time is it, dear?" Marlena asked.

Looking at her phone, Tess replied, "1:45."

"Ah! The night, she is young!" Marlena said mischievously, giving Tess the distinct impression the elder woman had no intentions of going home any time soon. Tess grinned and shook her head as Marlena walked to her car and obnoxiously loud modern music poured from its speakers as she drove off. Age was merely a number to Marlena Gru.

Tess walked upstairs to girls' bedroom, intending to wish them good night as well. She stepped into the room but was unnoticed by the room's occupants.

Felonious sat on the floor, facing the girls in their beds. Agnes was awake again. Felonious was reading them a story. It was a short story, no more than a few sentences, but it was nonetheless heartwarming as the scene unfolding before her eyes.

"One big unicorn, strong and free, thought he was happy as he can be. Then three little kittens came around and turned his whole life upside down." Felonious read. He must have had the story memorized because his eyes never left the eyes of his daughters.

"They made him laugh," Felonious inserted a laugh.

"they made him cry." He made a small, weeping sound.

"He should have never said goodbye," Tess feel how heavy that mere sentence was just by the slight pause and tone of his voice.

"and now he knows, he could never part with the three little kittens that changed his heart."

Tess felt tears of joy flood her eyes. She had never seen so beautiful or touching in her life. Felonious Gru truly lived for his daughters. Even the way they were positioned said it. Felonious, on the floor, looking small compared to the girls high up in their beds. He was insignificant compared to them.

Tess stepped out of the room as Felonious kissed them all goodnight. He emerged from their room, closing the door behind him. Tess smiled as she took the book from his hand and discovered it was handmade and written by Felonious himself. Not just any book could hold so much meaning.

"You're a perfect, father, Felonious Gru." She said, looking him in the eyes.

"Only because they are the perfect daughters." He said, smiling. "Come on, let's go downstairs."

It started out as them cuddling on the couch, watching some nameless tv movie, but Felonious noticed her hand on his thigh and the entire mood changed. Soon, it progressed to the point they resembled a pair of horny teenagers, making out on the couch and eagerly groping the other. Felonious, without warning, lifted Tess into his arms, bridal style and carried her upstairs to his bedroom. He wasn't about to make love to Tess on the couch as though she was a one night stand. No, she deserved his bed and to be properly worshiped. Tess wasn't virgin and neither was Felonious, but sex never felt as pleasurable or as right as it with them together.

That night, they slept satisfied and happy in each other's arms. For that little while, everything was perfect in their world.

Author's note: I don't know if I should be proud of myself or worried that I knew the words of One Big Unicorn up until the 'He should have never said goodbye' part. But yeah they had sex folks. I had any faith in my abilities, this chapter would have been smut, but hey, I'm as romantic as Katniss Everdeen, so, sorry I'm not sorry haha. I for one, think this fandom needs more smut!