Don't really have an excuse for not updating. Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Meet the Parents!

Audrey and Phil were enjoying a lazy afternoon on Audrey's couch while Lucas was off playing with some of his friends at the park. With a content sigh, Audrey snuggled further in Phil's embrace. Phil chuckled lowly as he hugged her waist tighter.

"You're practically purring, babe," Phil teased as Audrey made a content noise. He chuckled again as Audrey merely stuck her tongue out in reply. "Hmm. So when is Lucas supposed to be back?" he asked as he rubbed his thumb over Audrey's hip in slow circles.

"Not until late. He said he might grab dinner at a friend's home. So we have the entire afternoon to ourselves," Audrey replied with a flirty smile. "Care to make out like hormonal teenagers?" she asked with a giggle as she flipped herself over so that they were chest to chest.

"I was thinking something a little more sensual then the messiness of teenage making out," Phil said with a smirk. "Maybe something like this," he said before slanting his lips along Audrey's. His tongue probed gently at Audrey's lips before they opened on a content sigh. Phil left one hand on Audrey's hip while the other moved up to the back of her neck. Audrey tightened her grip on Phil's shoulders as their tongues entwined together. The dancing of tongues was interrupted by the sound of Audrey's home phone going off. "What timing," Phil grumbled lowly as Audrey reached around him to get the phone.

"Hello?...Hi mom!... Oh nothing much just enjoying a lazy afternoon…Oh Lucas is out at the park playing with friends…Wait, what do you mean visit?...How far away are you?" Audrey spoke into the phone as she cuddled into Phil. A knocking at the door drew both of their attentions. "Mom, please tell me that's not you at my door," Audrey said as she maneuvered herself off of Phil and walked towards the door.

"It is sweetie!" Audrey's mom shouted as the door opened. "Oh look at you! You look positively glowing. You aren't pregnant again are you?" Audrey's mom asked with a narrowed gaze. Audrey dropped the phone from her ear and pouted at her mother.

"No mom, I'm not pregnant. You would have been the first person to have found that out if I was. Hi daddy! Hi Andrew!" Audrey said as she hugged her parents and brother. "So what brings you guys here?" Audrey asked as she led them into the house.

"We just thought we'd stop by on our way to visit your aunt in Vermont and say hi. Sweet pea, why is there a man on your couch?" Audrey's dad asked as he arrived into the living room and spied Phil lounging casually. Phil, hearing the question, stood up and straightened out his clothes.

"Mom, Dad, Andrew, this is Phil Coulson, my boyfriend. Phil, these are my parents, Caroline and Marcus Lake, and my brother," Audrey introduced with a smile as she walked over and hugged his arm to her. "Phil and I have been together for close to 4 months now," she said with a loving smile that Phil returned. Andrew narrowed his eyes as he watched Phil meet his and Audrey's parents.

"Hi, pleasure to meet you," Phil said pleasantly to Andrew as he held out a hand for a handshake.

"Hello," Andrew said tightly. Audrey turned her attention briefly towards her brother to give him a warning look. Sighing softly, Andrew pasted on a smile that was obviously fake. Phil kept his cool though and ignored Andrew's attitude.

"So Phil, what do you do for a living?" Audrey's mom, Caroline, asked pleasantly. Her smile was wide and bright and her brown hair was an exact match to Audrey's. She wasn't that tall of a woman and fit comfortably under her husband's shoulder. Her brown eyes twinkled with mirth as she watched Phil wrap an arm around Audrey's shoulders, perfectly imitating the position that she and her husband were in.

"I'm just a paper pusher to be honest, Caroline. I work as a project manager for the government," Phil explained vaguely. A scoff from Andrew drew Phil's attention. "Problem?" Phil asked nonchalantly. Everyone watched as Andrew crossed his arms and glared at Phil.

"The government is the problem with this country right now," Andrew explained confidently. Audrey fidgeted against Phil's side at her brother's comment. "Life prefers chaos and the government is trying to put too many rules on life," Andrew continued, ignoring the warning looks he was getting from his parents. Audrey silently groaned as she buried her face into the crook between Phil's neck and shoulder. Phil rubbed a comforting hand up and down her arm soothingly.

"Life also prefers lower energy states, according to chemistry theories," Phil countered smoothly. Marcus, Audrey's dad, watched with mild amusement as his son floundered briefly at being challenged so quickly. Caroline was openly smiling and Audrey looked at Phil in awe. With a conspiring look towards her husband, Caroline motioned for Audrey to join her in the kitchen.

"Please tell me this isn't happening," Audrey whispered to her mother urgently as they entered the kitchen. Caroline just started looking for glasses while smiling. "Oh mom, this is no time to smile! Andrew is being a pain in the neck and I don't want him to scare off Phil!" Audrey pleaded with a pout.

"Oh it's happening sweetie. But you shouldn't worry. Andrew finally has the chance to be the protective older brother since you didn't date at all during your teen years. Phil is your first real boyfriend after all. And if that man is worth a damn, he won't be scared off by your liberal brother," Caroline said soothingly. "Why don't we leave the men alone for a little bit and catch up on some girl talk?" she suggested with a bright smile. Audrey's answering smile was just as bright. With glasses of lemonade, the girls chit-chatted about all the different things that happened since they last spoke.

Meanwhile back in the living room, Phil was dealing with the third-degree from Andrew while Marcus sat back and kept an eye on the little nuances that Phil gave off. So far, Marcus could hardly read anything from the stoic man. Phil remained calm, cool, and collected and answered after a few moments of contemplation. Marcus was definitely impressed with the man so far.

"You joined a nudist colony to protest against restrictions in clothing in the work place. But after being there for less than a week, you came back because, and I quote, 'some people just shouldn't be naked'. Wouldn't you say that your opinion puts a restriction upon people?" Phil asked with his signature half smile. If it was a cartoon, steam would have been pouring out of Andrew's ears. "I'm sensing that you don't really like me," Phil commented off-handily. "And that's probably because I'm dating your younger sister and that your nephew is involved as well," Phil said calmly. "So why don't I just clear up any of your worries that you have, and you as well Marcus," Phil stated while looking between the two other men in the room. Marcus lounged back on the sofa and gave Phil his full attention. Andrew huffed and sat back moodily. "I have no intentions of hurting her or Lucas. And if someone does hurt either of them, then I will do everything in my power to bring them down. I may be a paper pusher, but I am still trained," Phil said in his usual quiet confident way. "I care very much for Audrey and Lucas. They've instilled themselves into my heart and I have no intention of letting them go," Phil said sincerely. Marcus looked at Phil critically before bowing his head and smiling softly.

"All I ever wanted for my daughter was for her to find a good man to take care of her. And after Lucas was born, I definitely wanted a man to come into her life that would care for her and Lucas. And I whole heartedly believe, that you are that man, Phil," Marcus said sincerely with a gentle smile. Phil returned the smile with his own smile of gratitude. "But be warned, I am retired military, so I will not hesitate to shoot you if something happens to my baby girl and my grandson," Marcus warned in a joking way but the underlying threat was heard by all.

"I wouldn't dream of giving you a reason to shoot me," Phil said with a half-smile. Both men looked towards Andrew to see his reaction. Andrew just huffed again before getting up and leaving the room. "He still doesn't like me," Phil said with a soft sigh.

"Andrew may be older than Audrey, but he still has some growing up to do. As a boy he was always trying to defy every rule imaginable. The nudist colony was just the tip of the iceberg. One day when he was in high school, he decided to streak through the school hallways while shouting cuss words at the top of his lungs. He was suspended for two weeks," Marcus said with a heavy sigh. "As you can tell, the nudism is a popular theme with him," he said with a chuckle.

"There are worse things he could do then join a nudist colony," Phil pointed out with his own chuckle. Marcus nodded in agreement before heaving himself off the couch.

"Let's go see where our ladies have been up to," Marcus said with a chuckle. "Probably catching up about everything that's been going on," he said as both he and Phil walked into the kitchen to see Audrey and Caroline giggling while Andrew stood in the corner moodily. "Ladies," Marcus said as he walked up to both of them and gave them a kiss each. Phil walked up to Audrey and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Is the protective threatening over now?" Audrey teased while cuddling into Phil's side.

"Yes the protective threatening is over with," Marcus said sarcastically from his place next to Caroline. "And just for your information little lady, I like Phil and fully approve. Though I do wish you would have told us earlier, but we understand why you waited," Marcus commented. Audrey smiled brightly at her dad before skipping over to hug him tightly. "So how long is my grandson going to be out?" Marcus asked as he hugged his daughter close.

"He said he'll call around 4 o'clock and tell me whether or not he'll eat dinner at a friend's house," Audrey said. "So if you guys are willing to hang around for a while you guys will get to see Lucas before heading up to Vermont," Audrey said with a teasing smile. Caroline just giggled and lightly smacked her daughter's arm.

"Of course we'll stay until Lucas comes back. I wouldn't dream of leaving before seeing him," Caroline said with a bright smile. "Oh Phil, please tell me you've seen photos of Lucas when he was an infant," Caroline said to Phil.

"I have, much to Lucas's chagrin," Phil said with a chuckle.

"Oh he and Audrey looked so much alike as infants. Long and thin with a lot of hair on their small little heads," Caroline said with a sigh and a smile.

"Lucas is a male replica of my sister that's for sure," Andrew said from his corner of the kitchen. "Which is a good thing because I don't like the father one bit and I'm glad that there's nothing in Lucas that can be tied back to that man," Andrew said with a huff. Audrey and Caroline simultaneously rolled their eyes. "And you have my approval Phil. Audrey; you've got yourself a real competent man. And if he's competent in work and in handling himself, imagine what he'd be like in bed," Andrew said with a smirk. His last comment was timed perfectly as Audrey was taking a drink of lemonade. In utter shock at her brother's indiscretion, Audrey ended up spraying her lemonade all over the counter.

"Andrew Lake!" Caroline shouted in shocked anger. "You watch your tongue young man!" she shouted while helping Audrey calm her coughing. Phil just stared stoically at Andrew before diverting his attention to his blushing girlfriend. Marcus just shook his head at his oldest. Some things will never change and he knew his son would never stop being a bit crude.

Gotta love the protective big brother and daddy. Let me know what you think! And don't forget to review because reviews make sure you get what you want to read! Thanks!