Aleisa looped her arm through Peter's as they strolled down the streets of the city having recently arrived by train since school was on a break for a week. She decided this would be a good time for Peter to meet her father since that had yet to happen. She had written multiple letters containing information about him back home, trying to ensure that her father was well aware of her feelings for the boy. After much persuasion she finally got him to agree to stay home and let the two come to him for the evening. The couple had taken an earlier train home than usual so they decided to walk to whole way to her home instead of taking a cab. In all honesty it had been Peter who made the suggestion, wanting to take the extra time to calm his nerves. As they walked the raven haired girl lifted her head from his shoulder and gazed up at him. Peter was staring straight ahead, biting the inside of his lip nervously.

"What's wrong?" she asked, picking up on his mood. Peter jerked a little when he heard her voice and looked down at her as if noticing she was there the whole time. Aleisa chuckled at him.

"Peter, what has you so distracted?" she asked him, rubbing her thumb instinctively up and down his arm. Peter laughed sheepishly, glancing down at his feet for a moment.

"Just a bit nervous I suppose." He admitted with a wry grin. She stopped them and tugged him off to the edge of the sidewalk so they wouldn't be run over by the other pedestrians.

"Why?" she asked him, shocked that he would be acting this way. He raised his eyebrows in shock.

"Why? This is notoriously one of the most terrifying days of a man's life. The meeting with the father of his sweetheart is nothing to be scoffed at." He told her adamantly.

"You must be joking." She looked up at him waiting for him to crack a teasing smile, but it never happened. He was dead serious. With a comforting smile she grabbed his hands.

"Peter, there is nothing to be nervous about. My father will love you and he's only heard good things about you I promise." She assured, trying to calm his worries. Peter bit his lip apprehensively.

"But what if he doesn't? Then there goes any chance I have of being with you, and I very much intend to keep you." He told her, smiling impishly at the end. Aleisa tilted her head and sent him a thoughtful gaze at his confession. She lifted up on her toes and kissed him firmly on the lips, feeling Peter smile in the midst of it.

"Well I intend to keep you too." She told him truthfully. After everything they'd been through, there was no way she was letting him get away so easily.

"And I know my father, he tries to be scary and protective but in all honestly he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. For him, if I'm happy then he's happy." She told him honestly. Sure he would try to threaten Peter as that was natural but she could never see him even coming close to fulfilling it. Peter sighed.

"Yes that's all fine in theory but it's still nerve wracking at the actual meeting." He told her, pulling her along with him as they continued their walk.

"That I don't get. I mean we've been married before." She told him in a whisper. Peter grinned down at her.

"True but your father wasn't there. This is still a first for me." He reminded teasingly. Aleisa nodded, pursing her lip.

"Touché." She agreed.

"Besides, how would you feel when I introduce you to my mother?" he continued, glancing at her knowingly. Aleisa let out a dramatic sigh as she knew he was right.

"Ok I admit I would be terrified. Mothers are very protective of their sons. And I would be afraid that she would deem me unfit for you." She admitted reluctantly. Peter chuckled at her theatrics and pulled her closer to his side lovingly.

"See, now you understand how I feel. And no matter what anyone says, you will always be out of my league and could never be unfit for me." He told her, fondness shining in his eyes. She smiled up at him thankfully and returned her head back to its previous position on his shoulder.

...

After another half hour or so of walking the two finally reached her house. She could see that the lights were on in the kitchen and living room, obviously because her father had been cooking and pacing the floor while he waited. Aleisa smirked to herself, knowing that the thought of her being with a boy would unnerve him as it was a new experience. But she was 17 now, surely he would have expected it to happen sooner rather than later. As they got closer to the steps Peter hesitated again. Aleisa stood up on the step above him and shot him a comforting smile. He smiled up at her and sighed heavily before following her up the stairs. Deciding to surprise him, Aleisa slowly opened the door and peeked her head in. Clanging could be heard from the kitchen so she swiftly opened the door and pulled Peter in after her. She indicated for him to stay there before dashing off into the kitchen, Peter watching her go with a fond smile. She tilted her head around the corner to look into the room to see that he was frowning over the pot of whatever he was making.

"Hey stranger." She called, getting his attention. Immediately his head whipped up and his face broke out into a huge smile.

"Aleisa!" he shouted happily and rushed over to wrap her up in a bear hug. She smiled as he swung her around, both of them laughing happily.

"What took you so long to get here?" he asked, holding her by the shoulders. She bit her lip.

"We had to stop somewhere for a moment." she told him. His dark eyes hardened.

"What does that mean?" he asked apprehensively. Her jaw dropped in shock and she reached up to smack him on the arm.

"Dad!" she scolded. Her father tried to duck out of the way as she swung at him again.

"I'm just checking." He assured her, with a chuckle. Aleisa rolled her eyes at him.

"Peter isn't like that." She told him seriously. Her father stared down at her, smiling slightly at the look in her eyes when she talked about her 'new' beau. Without properly meeting this boy it was more than obvious that she loved him. This was going to be tough.

"Speaking of the boy?..." he trailed of pointedly. Aleisa glared at him.

"His name is Peter and he's waiting in the living room so be nice." She insisted, already dragging her father behind her. The older man sighed and let his only child lead him into the room where the stranger awaited. Hearing footsteps Peter glanced up to see Aleisa and a dark haired man walking towards him. He immediately stood up and held his hand out politely as the two reached him.

"Peter I assume." Her father greeted, shaking the teen's hand. He observed in Peter's stance and immediately took a liking to the boy. Not that he wasn't still going to check to make sure he was good enough for his daughter.

"That I am. It's good to finally meet you Mr. Thompson." Peter politely answered, making sure to maintain strong eye contact. He was amazed at how nervous he was feeling on the inside. He had faced down many rulers and even fought in battles in his time yet this was one of the most terrifying moments of his life. Aleisa stood silently between the two of them, her eyes glancing between the two as they seemed to be analyzing one another. With another beat of silence her father clapped his hands together with a sigh.

"Well I'm assuming you kids are hungry, so why don't we head into the dining room and get dinner started yea?" he suggested, already walking into the kitchen.

"Do you need any help?" Aleisa asked.

"Sure." He agreed, calling to them from the other room. Peter smiled down at her and led the way into the room, glad that for now her father didn't hate him like he had feared. This put him one step closer to his goal.