Meeting The In-Laws
Samantha Donovan stepped outside as her husband's car pulled into the driveway at least she thought it was him there was a huge tree tied to the top of the car.
Frank wiggled his way out of the car and grinned at her. "You like it Andrew picked it out."
"You are talking about our son little boy barely a month old?"
He nodded.
"Andrew picked out a giant Christmas tree?"
"You're the one that said you wanted a terrific Christmas tree you wanted the best one on the lot for our first Christmas together with Andrew. I didn't want to put up a tree especially not a real one."
"Don't forget that you promised to decorate the outside of the house my parents are coming over to help."
He groaned and resisted the urge to slam his head against the car. "They're coming here, both of them?"
"Yes both of them now let's get that monster into the house before they get here." She reached over and started untieing it.
He started to help her till the tree came loose landing on top of him.
She covered her mouth to hide the giggle that threatened to escape as she stood over him as he lay on his back in the slush the tree dripping sap on him. She leaned down. "Having fun?"
"I hate this holiday you know how much I hate this holiday. I put up with Thanksgiving and everything else but this one is a pain in the ass."
"Frank if you're going to swear do it in a foreign language." She patted his cheek and started to step over him to get Andrew out of the car.
He grabbed her ankle and chuckled a bit when she landed next to him. "Not so much fun now is it?"
She scooped up a handful of slush and stuffed it down his shirt. "Now that was fun."
He got out from under the tree and rolled on top of her. "That wasn't very nice I'll have to get even with you for that." He brushed his lips against hers. "Maybe I'll have to give you your Christmas present early."
"We have to wait you know that." A car pulled into the driveway next to their's. "Besides my folks are here."
He sighed and rolled off of her.
Justine got out of the car a huge serving tray in her hands. "Robert I think we interrupted something, what were you two up to?"
Sam forced herself to her feet and helped him up. "Trying to get the tree in the house that's all."
"Oh I'm sure that's all you two were doing." Justine chuckled.
Robert walked around the car. "Come on Frank let's get this in the house while the women get settled inside."
Sam was amazed at how well they all were working together they got the tree in the house and started decorating it. She remembered the first family holiday they'd spent together that horrible Thanksgiving when she'd brought her fiancee home and told her parents she was getting married. It hadn't gone well at all.
Washington, DC-6 years ago
Frank adjusted his tie in the mirror he wanted to look good when he met his girlfriend's, fiancee he corrected, parents for the first time. He looked at his watch. "Come on honey we're going to miss our flight."
"How do I look?"
He turned and the sight took his breath away she was wearing a dark blue dress that just barely covered her knees her hair pulled back ever so slightly. "You look great. Do you really want to waste this on your parents? We could go over to the courthouse right now."
"I don't want to elope." She straightened the collar on his suit jacket. "I can tell them I'm engaged."
He looked down at her.
"I can." She looked at her hand. "Oh no I forgot my ring don't worry I promise I didn't lose it." She turned to go back into her bedroom.
He grabbed her left hand. "Your ring is right here where it's supposed to be right where I put it." He kissed her hand. "It's going to be okay I just know they're going to love me as much as my parents love you."
"That's another thing don't mention to my mother that I've all ready met your family she'll kill me." She bit her lip. "Frank you've got to promise me that no matter what happens that you won't back out on me."
His eyes widened in shock. "I would never do such a thing I love you no matter what and if your parents don't like me for whatever reason I'll just have to steal their daughter." He hugged her. "You're not getting away from me that easily."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it." He reached over and pulled some of her hair down to cover the small scar on her temple. "There now you look even better as if that were possible." He looked at his watch. "We'll have to hurry, of course, if we do miss our flight we could always go over to the courthouse and have the judge marry us then we could spend the holiday doing other things."
"Out to the car now."
He scooped her up in his arms before she even knew what hit her. "I need to practice carrying around the old ball and chain."
Her jaw dropped and she smacked him on the shoulder. "Don't you ever refer to me as the old ball and chain."
He put her down and opened the car door for her. "Fine you'll just be the little woman."
She waited till he got in the car to smack him again. "Then I'll just call you the little man how's that?"
He backed the car out of the parking spot. "Honey when we get married you are going to be happy to discover that not one part of me is what you'd consider little." He turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow.
She covered her mouth with her hand and blushed. "Oh my god."
"Yes I think that's what you'll be saying."
"Stop that behave yourself."
He chuckled as she turned redder still he'd never waited for anyone before and until that very moment he'd never given it much thought. With most of his girlfriends it had always ended up with the two of them in bed after a few dates but with Sam it had been so different she'd been shy and distrustful from the start and that only made him work harder to win her affection. Her mere presence had become like a drug to him he needed it all the time and he felt like he could hardly wait to start spending the rest of his life with her. "I just can't help myself when I'm around you."
"Try, you can't say things like that in front of my family."
"What's bothering you? I haven't seen you this tense in a long time not since." He shook his head not wanting to complete the thought the last time she had been this tense had been when she broke up with him thinking herself undeserving of his attention.
"I've never mentioned you to my parents."
"What?" He screeched the car to a halt he'd been so distracted that he'd nearly rear ended another car. "Not once?"
"No I didn't think it would get this far."
"They don't even know you're dating, do they?"
"No, I've always lived for the job I've never had something else to." She stopped herself before she could make a complete fool of herself.
"Live for." He looked at her and placed a comforting hand on her knee. "I feel the same way and I will tell you one more time nothing short of death is going to stop me from making you mine. We are getting married as soon as possible no matter what anyone says." He pulled the car into a parking spot at the airport and walked around the car to let her out grabbing their overnight bags from the backseat on the way. "Now my darling fiancee since I've got to behave myself once we land I'm going to be awful on the flight all hands and lips."
She wrapped her arm around his waist. "Well those are two of my favorite parts on you."
"For now anyways."
She rolled her eyes but said nothing as they went inside.
By the time their plane landed in Chicago the other passengers were starting to look at them with a mixture of disgust, such behavior in a public place, and envy.
He finally seperated his lips from hers. "We've landed."
"All ready?" She shook her head. "We should do that all the time fastest flight to Chicago I've ever had although." She removed the hand that had been slowly making it's way up her leg. "That I could've done without."
"Sorry." He unbuckled his seatbelt. "Got carried away."
"You're not the only one." She stood up. "Let's go my dad should be here to pick us up."
He sighed and followed her into the terminal dreading this first meeting with her father.
An older dark haired man came out of the crowd the minute he saw them. "There's my princess." He picked her up in a giant bearhug.
"Dad air I need air."
"Sorry." He released his hold on his daughter and looked at Frank. "Now who's this?"
She took a deep breath. "Dad this is Frank Donovan my fiancee."
"Your fiancee, your engaged?"
She nodded.
"Oh my god."
Frank put himself in front of her if anyone was getting yelled at for this it was him. "Sir I can explain."
"What's to explain? You're getting married that's great welcome to the family Frank."
"You're not angry at all?"
"Frank you sound disappointed you wanted to fight for your lady's hand and I'm not giving you the chance. Don't worry you still have to get through my wife." He turned to his daughter. "You do realize your looking at all three names right?"
Frank looked from father to daughter. "Three names?"
"Samantha Elizabeth Montgomery," the two of them said together.
"That is a mouthful."
"Will you look at me I haven't even introduced myself I don't want you calling me Sam's dad your whole visit. Robert Montgomery." He extended his hand.
Frank shook it. "Nice to meet you sir."
"He's polite I like you more all ready."
"Dad why don't you pull the car around front while we go get the rest of our bags."
"But we don't." It dawned on him what she was trying to do. "We'll meet you out front."
She led him to a quiet corner. "That went well but Dad's always been so easy going he's the only one that knows what I do for the government Mom on the other hand."
He leaned down and kissed her drawing it out as long as he could.
She let out a disappointed sigh when they seperated.
He looked into her eyes. "What is it?"
"Do you really want to wait?"
"Of course I do."
"That sounded like an automatic response." She took a deep breath she couldn't believe she was actually going to say this. "Let's get married right now, go in front of the judge, and then find a nice hotel to stay in where we can finally."
"Honey I want that more then anything to be with you in every way and I know I've brought up eloping on more then one occassion but it has nothing to do with sex."
"Nothing?"
"Okay a little bit of me would like nothing more then to take you right here in this airport but the rest of me wants our first time together to be special, magical. We may even pass out from the pure power of it but the real reason is that I want the whole world to know I love you."
"I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything at all." He kissed her again placing one hand on the small of her back the other coming to rest on the nape of her neck and wondered how he was going to make it through the rest of the day without this. "We should get going your dad is waiting for us."
Robert smiled as he watched his daughter come out of the airport her arm wrapped around Frank's waist and looking more alive then she had in years. He couldn't bare the thought that Justine wouldn't approve of all this but he knew his wife was stubborn when it came to their only child no one was ever good enough although he thought he saw something special in this young man and the way he looked at her. "You know young lady I don't see any extra bags."
"I forgot we didn't have any other bags."
Robert chuckled. "I'm sure you did." He watched Frank open the car door for her. "Now Frank don't go out of your way to prove your a gentleman."
"Don't worry I'm not." He got into the backseat letting her ride up front next to her dad.
Robert got in the car. "Now did he mean he wasn't a gentleman or that he wasn't going out of his way to prove he was?"
"Dad behave yourself."
Robert looked at Frank in the rearview mirror. "That's her favorite phrase 'behave yourself' even when she was a little girl."
Frank leaned forward. "What was Sam like when she was little?"
"Dad don't you dare."
"Very independent I swear her first sentence was I do it my own self she never asked for any help. She taught herself how to read wouldn't let me read to her."
"She taught herself?"
"Went to read to her one night thought she'd like that they're always encouraging you to read to your kids but when I put the book down to sit she looked me dead in the eye and told me, 'I read.' Wouldn't let me near that book and she worked at it every day she took it every where she went. That book in her lap and her teddy bear under her arm sure enough two months later she read the book to me."
Frank nodded that explained a lot. "Anything else I should know about her?"
"Sorry to break this up but I'm sitting right here and that's enough talking about my childhood."
"You still have that teddy bear don't you princess?"
"Dad please."
Robert was enjoying this more then he liked and he could tell she wasn't really offended. "Because I remember a time you couldn't sleep without that bear. You know Frank if she's still got it you've got competition." He thought for a moment. "Not to get too personal with you and far be it from me to interfer in my daughter's personal life but you two aren't."
"No Dad we're waiting till after the wedding."
"Good one less thing for your mother to complain about." He pulled the car into the driveway and wasn't surprised to see his wife run out to the car. "That's my wife Justine."
Frank nodded as he got out.
"Thank goodness I thought something happened to you."
Sam got out of the car and felt Frank right behind her. "Hi Mom sorry flight was delayed."
Justine nodded. "And who's this?"
"Frank Donovan." He extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you Frank but what are you doing here?"
Sam took his hand because she knew her mother wasn't going to be polite enough to shake it. "He's here because we've been going out for awhile now."
"Really how long is awhile?"
"Almost a year." She took strength from his hand in hers. "In fact I've got some good news Frank and I are getting married."
"You're pregnant aren't you?"
The question shocked both of them but it was Frank that managed to give an answer. "No ma'am I haven't touched your daughter in that way."
"Then why in heaven's name would you want to get married Samantha you're so young?"
Sam rolled her eyes.
"Justine perhaps we should discuss this inside."
They walked into the house and sat down in the living room. "Well Samantha Elizabeth you haven't answered my question why do you want to get married now?" Justine stood up and started to pace. "You don't have to accept the first proposal that comes along."
"Justine."
"What Robert? I suppose your happy about all this our daughter brings some strange man home and announces she's getting married."
"You know she could've waited until after they were married to come here but she didn't and it's true we don't know you Frank. We will get to know him today won't we Justine?"
Sam's jaw dropped she had never heard her father speak in that tone before and she felt Frank's grip tighten on her hand.
"Fine we'll get to know him but mark my words this marriage isn't going to last." Justine stormed into the kitchen.
"Round one goes to you princess I'm going to help your mother in the kitchen."
Sam waited till after her father left the room to relax. "Well she took that better then I expected."
"She thought you were pregnant." Frank shook his head. "Granted if you were I'd marry you."
"Honey if I were pregnant and the child was yours that would be a miracle." She rested her head on his shoulder. "Maybe we should go find a hotel to stay at and then catch our flight in the morning. Your mother can help me with the wedding and your father can walk me down the aisle I didn't really want my family there anyways."
He put his arms around her. "Of course you want them there and don't worry about me I'm a big boy I can handle anything your mother dishes out." He put his hand under her chin till she was looking into his eyes. "Now I want you to stop worrying about this and show me that glorious smile of yours."
"I don't feel like smiling."
"Oh yes you do because we're going to have a big wedding lots of flowers and everything else your heart desires now smile or I'll force the joy out of you."
She shook her head. "That's sweet but."
His hands instinctively found the right spot and started to tickle. "Let me see it."
She tried not to smile or laugh. "Stop it, stop it right now." She smiled and forced back a giggle. "Okay you win enough."
He stopped her face was so close to his and he leaned in to kiss her till he heard someone clear their throat.
Justine had been watching the two of them from the kitchen doorway and had stepped in the moment he had started to lean in. "Sweetheart why don't you get Frank settled into the den?"
"I thought Frank could stay in the guest room upstairs."
Justine shivered at the thought the guest room had a connecting bathroom with her daughter's room. "Your grandmother might be coming I want the room to stay open for her. You don't mind sleeping on the pull out sofa do you Frank?" She waited for him to say those words that he did mind so her daughter would see that this man wasn't the one for her.
Frank shrugged. "I don't mind at all." He stood up. "Lead the way."
Sam stood up and attempted to carry her own bag but he pulled it out of her hand's. "Frank."
"I've got it." He followed her down the hall giving Justine a friendly smile as he walked past her.
"You really don't mind sleeping down here by yourself?"
He grinned the first night she had been released from the hospital he'd gone over to her place to keep her company and they'd fallen asleep on the couch the very next night he'd proposed. "I'd prefer to sleep with you but I don't think your mother would believe all we were doing was sleeping. It's fine." He tossed his bag on one of the chairs. "Now show me your room."
"You don't want to see my bedroom."
"Oh yes I do."
She sighed leading him upstairs and stopped at her door. "My mother hasn't touched a thing in here since I graduated from high school and moved out." She opened the door and turned on the light.
He looked around the room the walls were a light blue, there was a tie-dye bedspread on the bed, and one whole wall was taken up by a bookshelf crammed with books. No posters of any celebrities hung on the walls just one large wall hanging. "What's this?"
"It's a Celtic design my dad got it for me when he went to Ireland." She sat down on the bed. "So?"
He looked at her. "It's a side of you I haven't seen and I like it."
"It's not always this neat my mother cleaned in here I'm a bit of a slob."
He set her bag down on the floor and sat beside her. "Don't care I'm not actually tidy and organized all the time either."
"Before my mother tells you you should know I don't like to cook either."
"Lucky for you I don't mind."
"You know you seem to not mind a lot of things."
He stood up as he noticed something on the desk she had in the corner and he walked over to pick up a picture. "Now who's this?"
She walked over and took the picture out of his hands pressing it to her chest. "Don't go all cave man on me it's nobody special."
"Then why are you holding it like that? I've seen that guy somewhere before."
"I hope you've seen him before it's Val Kilmer I had a bit of a crush on him in high school."
"A crush, well, I see how you are now. How disappointed are you that you ended up with me instead of Mr. Kilmer?"
She set the picture back on the desk. "Not disappointed at all." She went and shut the bedroom door locking it.
"Sam what are you doing? I thought you said to try and behave myself while we're here you know what happens when I start kissing you."
"Figured I'd give you a reward for being so good about all this."
He allowed her to lead him back over to the bed. "Your grandmother that might be coming which side is she from?"
"My father's side she and my mom don't get along at all."
"Which means like your dad she'll like me." He shook his head as they sat down on the end of the bed. "I guess I'll just have to work extra hard to please your mother." He leaned in his lips inches from hers. "Right after I'm done with you."
Justine pulled the turkey out of the oven and dropped it on the counter. "I just can't believe she would even think about doing something like this without talking to us about it."
"She's an adult she has the right to make her own decisions."
"It was bad enough when she choose that government job instead of college but then she brings that man home."
"He has a name."
"All right she brings this Frank home and expects us to be thrilled that she's marrying him. How well could she possibly know him?"
"If they've been going out for a year I think she knows him pretty well."
"That's another thing I don't buy that I've never touched your daughter in that way line."
"Justine we raised our daughter to have very old fashioned values and she wouldn't marry some man just to sleep with him. You should've seen her at the airport she was smiling actually smiling." He ran a hand through his hair. "That look of pain was completely gone from her eyes."
She focused on getting the turkey onto the platter her thoughts jumbled it had been two years since she'd seen an actual smile on her daughter's face a smile that had disappeared the moment she had met the car. "I'm going to go tell them dinner's ready."
"I'll go."
"No Robert I promise I won't say anything rude to him for the rest of the day but I still don't like this I don't like it at all."
"I think I heard them go upstairs."
She dashed upstairs to find the bedroom door locked and she went into the connecting guest room to find a sight she hadn't wanted to see her only child on her bed with a man. "Samantha Elizabeth Montgomery."
Sam sat up so fast that Frank fell to the floor. "Mom hi." She pulled down her skirt and straightened the front of her dress.
Frank starting buttoning up his shirt. "Mrs. Montgomery."
"I'd ask what you two were doing but I can guess. Dinner's ready and since your grandmother isn't coming Frank you can move your things up here."
"Mom I swear nothing happened."
"I don't want to hear it your father has pointed out to me that your a grown up I'll just let you make your own mistakes but don't expect me to pick up the pieces when he's done." She turned and stormed out the door.
"Well on the bright side I think she just gave us her blessing."
Donovan Household-Present Day
A kiss on the lips brought her back to the present and she smiled at her husband.
"Where have you been all night?"
"Right here."
"Somehow I doubt that you've had that distant look in your eyes since we got the tree in the house." He turned to admire the decorated tree it had taken a lot of effort to get it set up but he now saw it was worth it. "So share."
"Just thinking about things a lot has changed for us this past year."
"You mean your mother is actually being nice to me and she didn't even get mad about the fact that we started fooling around in the driveway." He shook his head. "If I would've known giving her a grandchild would have this kind of effect on her we would've had a baby a lot sooner."
"Ha, ha very funny."
"I thought so now since we're all alone and our son is asleep I can finally give you one of your Christmas presents."
"Frank just put it under the tree."
"Oh this gift I can't fit under the tree."
"Six weeks you promised you could hold it in for six weeks."
"My wife how quickly your mind goes into the gutter." He took her hand. "Come with me."
She followed him into the den.
"Close your eyes."
"Frank I've seen the den before." She sighed but closed her eyes anyways.
He turned on the light. "Open them."
She opened her eyes and gasped a display case took up one wall inside it were every sword she had collected over the years. "You went in the basement and got them."
"Couldn't let them sit down there I even had Cody do research on each and every one of them." He put his arms around her. "So what do you think?"
"We can't keep weapons up here not with Andrew."
"The case is locked now I want your opinion I buildt the case myself."
"You did this by yourself?"
"Okay your dad helped but mostly it was all me."
"Well then how can I not love it."
"Let's go admire the tree." They went back into the living room and he shut off the lights the only light coming from the tree. "I have a feeling everything's going to be different now."
She sighed curling up beside him on the couch. "I hope so I certainly hope so."
Samantha Donovan stepped outside as her husband's car pulled into the driveway at least she thought it was him there was a huge tree tied to the top of the car.
Frank wiggled his way out of the car and grinned at her. "You like it Andrew picked it out."
"You are talking about our son little boy barely a month old?"
He nodded.
"Andrew picked out a giant Christmas tree?"
"You're the one that said you wanted a terrific Christmas tree you wanted the best one on the lot for our first Christmas together with Andrew. I didn't want to put up a tree especially not a real one."
"Don't forget that you promised to decorate the outside of the house my parents are coming over to help."
He groaned and resisted the urge to slam his head against the car. "They're coming here, both of them?"
"Yes both of them now let's get that monster into the house before they get here." She reached over and started untieing it.
He started to help her till the tree came loose landing on top of him.
She covered her mouth to hide the giggle that threatened to escape as she stood over him as he lay on his back in the slush the tree dripping sap on him. She leaned down. "Having fun?"
"I hate this holiday you know how much I hate this holiday. I put up with Thanksgiving and everything else but this one is a pain in the ass."
"Frank if you're going to swear do it in a foreign language." She patted his cheek and started to step over him to get Andrew out of the car.
He grabbed her ankle and chuckled a bit when she landed next to him. "Not so much fun now is it?"
She scooped up a handful of slush and stuffed it down his shirt. "Now that was fun."
He got out from under the tree and rolled on top of her. "That wasn't very nice I'll have to get even with you for that." He brushed his lips against hers. "Maybe I'll have to give you your Christmas present early."
"We have to wait you know that." A car pulled into the driveway next to their's. "Besides my folks are here."
He sighed and rolled off of her.
Justine got out of the car a huge serving tray in her hands. "Robert I think we interrupted something, what were you two up to?"
Sam forced herself to her feet and helped him up. "Trying to get the tree in the house that's all."
"Oh I'm sure that's all you two were doing." Justine chuckled.
Robert walked around the car. "Come on Frank let's get this in the house while the women get settled inside."
Sam was amazed at how well they all were working together they got the tree in the house and started decorating it. She remembered the first family holiday they'd spent together that horrible Thanksgiving when she'd brought her fiancee home and told her parents she was getting married. It hadn't gone well at all.
Washington, DC-6 years ago
Frank adjusted his tie in the mirror he wanted to look good when he met his girlfriend's, fiancee he corrected, parents for the first time. He looked at his watch. "Come on honey we're going to miss our flight."
"How do I look?"
He turned and the sight took his breath away she was wearing a dark blue dress that just barely covered her knees her hair pulled back ever so slightly. "You look great. Do you really want to waste this on your parents? We could go over to the courthouse right now."
"I don't want to elope." She straightened the collar on his suit jacket. "I can tell them I'm engaged."
He looked down at her.
"I can." She looked at her hand. "Oh no I forgot my ring don't worry I promise I didn't lose it." She turned to go back into her bedroom.
He grabbed her left hand. "Your ring is right here where it's supposed to be right where I put it." He kissed her hand. "It's going to be okay I just know they're going to love me as much as my parents love you."
"That's another thing don't mention to my mother that I've all ready met your family she'll kill me." She bit her lip. "Frank you've got to promise me that no matter what happens that you won't back out on me."
His eyes widened in shock. "I would never do such a thing I love you no matter what and if your parents don't like me for whatever reason I'll just have to steal their daughter." He hugged her. "You're not getting away from me that easily."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it." He reached over and pulled some of her hair down to cover the small scar on her temple. "There now you look even better as if that were possible." He looked at his watch. "We'll have to hurry, of course, if we do miss our flight we could always go over to the courthouse and have the judge marry us then we could spend the holiday doing other things."
"Out to the car now."
He scooped her up in his arms before she even knew what hit her. "I need to practice carrying around the old ball and chain."
Her jaw dropped and she smacked him on the shoulder. "Don't you ever refer to me as the old ball and chain."
He put her down and opened the car door for her. "Fine you'll just be the little woman."
She waited till he got in the car to smack him again. "Then I'll just call you the little man how's that?"
He backed the car out of the parking spot. "Honey when we get married you are going to be happy to discover that not one part of me is what you'd consider little." He turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow.
She covered her mouth with her hand and blushed. "Oh my god."
"Yes I think that's what you'll be saying."
"Stop that behave yourself."
He chuckled as she turned redder still he'd never waited for anyone before and until that very moment he'd never given it much thought. With most of his girlfriends it had always ended up with the two of them in bed after a few dates but with Sam it had been so different she'd been shy and distrustful from the start and that only made him work harder to win her affection. Her mere presence had become like a drug to him he needed it all the time and he felt like he could hardly wait to start spending the rest of his life with her. "I just can't help myself when I'm around you."
"Try, you can't say things like that in front of my family."
"What's bothering you? I haven't seen you this tense in a long time not since." He shook his head not wanting to complete the thought the last time she had been this tense had been when she broke up with him thinking herself undeserving of his attention.
"I've never mentioned you to my parents."
"What?" He screeched the car to a halt he'd been so distracted that he'd nearly rear ended another car. "Not once?"
"No I didn't think it would get this far."
"They don't even know you're dating, do they?"
"No, I've always lived for the job I've never had something else to." She stopped herself before she could make a complete fool of herself.
"Live for." He looked at her and placed a comforting hand on her knee. "I feel the same way and I will tell you one more time nothing short of death is going to stop me from making you mine. We are getting married as soon as possible no matter what anyone says." He pulled the car into a parking spot at the airport and walked around the car to let her out grabbing their overnight bags from the backseat on the way. "Now my darling fiancee since I've got to behave myself once we land I'm going to be awful on the flight all hands and lips."
She wrapped her arm around his waist. "Well those are two of my favorite parts on you."
"For now anyways."
She rolled her eyes but said nothing as they went inside.
By the time their plane landed in Chicago the other passengers were starting to look at them with a mixture of disgust, such behavior in a public place, and envy.
He finally seperated his lips from hers. "We've landed."
"All ready?" She shook her head. "We should do that all the time fastest flight to Chicago I've ever had although." She removed the hand that had been slowly making it's way up her leg. "That I could've done without."
"Sorry." He unbuckled his seatbelt. "Got carried away."
"You're not the only one." She stood up. "Let's go my dad should be here to pick us up."
He sighed and followed her into the terminal dreading this first meeting with her father.
An older dark haired man came out of the crowd the minute he saw them. "There's my princess." He picked her up in a giant bearhug.
"Dad air I need air."
"Sorry." He released his hold on his daughter and looked at Frank. "Now who's this?"
She took a deep breath. "Dad this is Frank Donovan my fiancee."
"Your fiancee, your engaged?"
She nodded.
"Oh my god."
Frank put himself in front of her if anyone was getting yelled at for this it was him. "Sir I can explain."
"What's to explain? You're getting married that's great welcome to the family Frank."
"You're not angry at all?"
"Frank you sound disappointed you wanted to fight for your lady's hand and I'm not giving you the chance. Don't worry you still have to get through my wife." He turned to his daughter. "You do realize your looking at all three names right?"
Frank looked from father to daughter. "Three names?"
"Samantha Elizabeth Montgomery," the two of them said together.
"That is a mouthful."
"Will you look at me I haven't even introduced myself I don't want you calling me Sam's dad your whole visit. Robert Montgomery." He extended his hand.
Frank shook it. "Nice to meet you sir."
"He's polite I like you more all ready."
"Dad why don't you pull the car around front while we go get the rest of our bags."
"But we don't." It dawned on him what she was trying to do. "We'll meet you out front."
She led him to a quiet corner. "That went well but Dad's always been so easy going he's the only one that knows what I do for the government Mom on the other hand."
He leaned down and kissed her drawing it out as long as he could.
She let out a disappointed sigh when they seperated.
He looked into her eyes. "What is it?"
"Do you really want to wait?"
"Of course I do."
"That sounded like an automatic response." She took a deep breath she couldn't believe she was actually going to say this. "Let's get married right now, go in front of the judge, and then find a nice hotel to stay in where we can finally."
"Honey I want that more then anything to be with you in every way and I know I've brought up eloping on more then one occassion but it has nothing to do with sex."
"Nothing?"
"Okay a little bit of me would like nothing more then to take you right here in this airport but the rest of me wants our first time together to be special, magical. We may even pass out from the pure power of it but the real reason is that I want the whole world to know I love you."
"I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything at all." He kissed her again placing one hand on the small of her back the other coming to rest on the nape of her neck and wondered how he was going to make it through the rest of the day without this. "We should get going your dad is waiting for us."
Robert smiled as he watched his daughter come out of the airport her arm wrapped around Frank's waist and looking more alive then she had in years. He couldn't bare the thought that Justine wouldn't approve of all this but he knew his wife was stubborn when it came to their only child no one was ever good enough although he thought he saw something special in this young man and the way he looked at her. "You know young lady I don't see any extra bags."
"I forgot we didn't have any other bags."
Robert chuckled. "I'm sure you did." He watched Frank open the car door for her. "Now Frank don't go out of your way to prove your a gentleman."
"Don't worry I'm not." He got into the backseat letting her ride up front next to her dad.
Robert got in the car. "Now did he mean he wasn't a gentleman or that he wasn't going out of his way to prove he was?"
"Dad behave yourself."
Robert looked at Frank in the rearview mirror. "That's her favorite phrase 'behave yourself' even when she was a little girl."
Frank leaned forward. "What was Sam like when she was little?"
"Dad don't you dare."
"Very independent I swear her first sentence was I do it my own self she never asked for any help. She taught herself how to read wouldn't let me read to her."
"She taught herself?"
"Went to read to her one night thought she'd like that they're always encouraging you to read to your kids but when I put the book down to sit she looked me dead in the eye and told me, 'I read.' Wouldn't let me near that book and she worked at it every day she took it every where she went. That book in her lap and her teddy bear under her arm sure enough two months later she read the book to me."
Frank nodded that explained a lot. "Anything else I should know about her?"
"Sorry to break this up but I'm sitting right here and that's enough talking about my childhood."
"You still have that teddy bear don't you princess?"
"Dad please."
Robert was enjoying this more then he liked and he could tell she wasn't really offended. "Because I remember a time you couldn't sleep without that bear. You know Frank if she's still got it you've got competition." He thought for a moment. "Not to get too personal with you and far be it from me to interfer in my daughter's personal life but you two aren't."
"No Dad we're waiting till after the wedding."
"Good one less thing for your mother to complain about." He pulled the car into the driveway and wasn't surprised to see his wife run out to the car. "That's my wife Justine."
Frank nodded as he got out.
"Thank goodness I thought something happened to you."
Sam got out of the car and felt Frank right behind her. "Hi Mom sorry flight was delayed."
Justine nodded. "And who's this?"
"Frank Donovan." He extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you Frank but what are you doing here?"
Sam took his hand because she knew her mother wasn't going to be polite enough to shake it. "He's here because we've been going out for awhile now."
"Really how long is awhile?"
"Almost a year." She took strength from his hand in hers. "In fact I've got some good news Frank and I are getting married."
"You're pregnant aren't you?"
The question shocked both of them but it was Frank that managed to give an answer. "No ma'am I haven't touched your daughter in that way."
"Then why in heaven's name would you want to get married Samantha you're so young?"
Sam rolled her eyes.
"Justine perhaps we should discuss this inside."
They walked into the house and sat down in the living room. "Well Samantha Elizabeth you haven't answered my question why do you want to get married now?" Justine stood up and started to pace. "You don't have to accept the first proposal that comes along."
"Justine."
"What Robert? I suppose your happy about all this our daughter brings some strange man home and announces she's getting married."
"You know she could've waited until after they were married to come here but she didn't and it's true we don't know you Frank. We will get to know him today won't we Justine?"
Sam's jaw dropped she had never heard her father speak in that tone before and she felt Frank's grip tighten on her hand.
"Fine we'll get to know him but mark my words this marriage isn't going to last." Justine stormed into the kitchen.
"Round one goes to you princess I'm going to help your mother in the kitchen."
Sam waited till after her father left the room to relax. "Well she took that better then I expected."
"She thought you were pregnant." Frank shook his head. "Granted if you were I'd marry you."
"Honey if I were pregnant and the child was yours that would be a miracle." She rested her head on his shoulder. "Maybe we should go find a hotel to stay at and then catch our flight in the morning. Your mother can help me with the wedding and your father can walk me down the aisle I didn't really want my family there anyways."
He put his arms around her. "Of course you want them there and don't worry about me I'm a big boy I can handle anything your mother dishes out." He put his hand under her chin till she was looking into his eyes. "Now I want you to stop worrying about this and show me that glorious smile of yours."
"I don't feel like smiling."
"Oh yes you do because we're going to have a big wedding lots of flowers and everything else your heart desires now smile or I'll force the joy out of you."
She shook her head. "That's sweet but."
His hands instinctively found the right spot and started to tickle. "Let me see it."
She tried not to smile or laugh. "Stop it, stop it right now." She smiled and forced back a giggle. "Okay you win enough."
He stopped her face was so close to his and he leaned in to kiss her till he heard someone clear their throat.
Justine had been watching the two of them from the kitchen doorway and had stepped in the moment he had started to lean in. "Sweetheart why don't you get Frank settled into the den?"
"I thought Frank could stay in the guest room upstairs."
Justine shivered at the thought the guest room had a connecting bathroom with her daughter's room. "Your grandmother might be coming I want the room to stay open for her. You don't mind sleeping on the pull out sofa do you Frank?" She waited for him to say those words that he did mind so her daughter would see that this man wasn't the one for her.
Frank shrugged. "I don't mind at all." He stood up. "Lead the way."
Sam stood up and attempted to carry her own bag but he pulled it out of her hand's. "Frank."
"I've got it." He followed her down the hall giving Justine a friendly smile as he walked past her.
"You really don't mind sleeping down here by yourself?"
He grinned the first night she had been released from the hospital he'd gone over to her place to keep her company and they'd fallen asleep on the couch the very next night he'd proposed. "I'd prefer to sleep with you but I don't think your mother would believe all we were doing was sleeping. It's fine." He tossed his bag on one of the chairs. "Now show me your room."
"You don't want to see my bedroom."
"Oh yes I do."
She sighed leading him upstairs and stopped at her door. "My mother hasn't touched a thing in here since I graduated from high school and moved out." She opened the door and turned on the light.
He looked around the room the walls were a light blue, there was a tie-dye bedspread on the bed, and one whole wall was taken up by a bookshelf crammed with books. No posters of any celebrities hung on the walls just one large wall hanging. "What's this?"
"It's a Celtic design my dad got it for me when he went to Ireland." She sat down on the bed. "So?"
He looked at her. "It's a side of you I haven't seen and I like it."
"It's not always this neat my mother cleaned in here I'm a bit of a slob."
He set her bag down on the floor and sat beside her. "Don't care I'm not actually tidy and organized all the time either."
"Before my mother tells you you should know I don't like to cook either."
"Lucky for you I don't mind."
"You know you seem to not mind a lot of things."
He stood up as he noticed something on the desk she had in the corner and he walked over to pick up a picture. "Now who's this?"
She walked over and took the picture out of his hands pressing it to her chest. "Don't go all cave man on me it's nobody special."
"Then why are you holding it like that? I've seen that guy somewhere before."
"I hope you've seen him before it's Val Kilmer I had a bit of a crush on him in high school."
"A crush, well, I see how you are now. How disappointed are you that you ended up with me instead of Mr. Kilmer?"
She set the picture back on the desk. "Not disappointed at all." She went and shut the bedroom door locking it.
"Sam what are you doing? I thought you said to try and behave myself while we're here you know what happens when I start kissing you."
"Figured I'd give you a reward for being so good about all this."
He allowed her to lead him back over to the bed. "Your grandmother that might be coming which side is she from?"
"My father's side she and my mom don't get along at all."
"Which means like your dad she'll like me." He shook his head as they sat down on the end of the bed. "I guess I'll just have to work extra hard to please your mother." He leaned in his lips inches from hers. "Right after I'm done with you."
Justine pulled the turkey out of the oven and dropped it on the counter. "I just can't believe she would even think about doing something like this without talking to us about it."
"She's an adult she has the right to make her own decisions."
"It was bad enough when she choose that government job instead of college but then she brings that man home."
"He has a name."
"All right she brings this Frank home and expects us to be thrilled that she's marrying him. How well could she possibly know him?"
"If they've been going out for a year I think she knows him pretty well."
"That's another thing I don't buy that I've never touched your daughter in that way line."
"Justine we raised our daughter to have very old fashioned values and she wouldn't marry some man just to sleep with him. You should've seen her at the airport she was smiling actually smiling." He ran a hand through his hair. "That look of pain was completely gone from her eyes."
She focused on getting the turkey onto the platter her thoughts jumbled it had been two years since she'd seen an actual smile on her daughter's face a smile that had disappeared the moment she had met the car. "I'm going to go tell them dinner's ready."
"I'll go."
"No Robert I promise I won't say anything rude to him for the rest of the day but I still don't like this I don't like it at all."
"I think I heard them go upstairs."
She dashed upstairs to find the bedroom door locked and she went into the connecting guest room to find a sight she hadn't wanted to see her only child on her bed with a man. "Samantha Elizabeth Montgomery."
Sam sat up so fast that Frank fell to the floor. "Mom hi." She pulled down her skirt and straightened the front of her dress.
Frank starting buttoning up his shirt. "Mrs. Montgomery."
"I'd ask what you two were doing but I can guess. Dinner's ready and since your grandmother isn't coming Frank you can move your things up here."
"Mom I swear nothing happened."
"I don't want to hear it your father has pointed out to me that your a grown up I'll just let you make your own mistakes but don't expect me to pick up the pieces when he's done." She turned and stormed out the door.
"Well on the bright side I think she just gave us her blessing."
Donovan Household-Present Day
A kiss on the lips brought her back to the present and she smiled at her husband.
"Where have you been all night?"
"Right here."
"Somehow I doubt that you've had that distant look in your eyes since we got the tree in the house." He turned to admire the decorated tree it had taken a lot of effort to get it set up but he now saw it was worth it. "So share."
"Just thinking about things a lot has changed for us this past year."
"You mean your mother is actually being nice to me and she didn't even get mad about the fact that we started fooling around in the driveway." He shook his head. "If I would've known giving her a grandchild would have this kind of effect on her we would've had a baby a lot sooner."
"Ha, ha very funny."
"I thought so now since we're all alone and our son is asleep I can finally give you one of your Christmas presents."
"Frank just put it under the tree."
"Oh this gift I can't fit under the tree."
"Six weeks you promised you could hold it in for six weeks."
"My wife how quickly your mind goes into the gutter." He took her hand. "Come with me."
She followed him into the den.
"Close your eyes."
"Frank I've seen the den before." She sighed but closed her eyes anyways.
He turned on the light. "Open them."
She opened her eyes and gasped a display case took up one wall inside it were every sword she had collected over the years. "You went in the basement and got them."
"Couldn't let them sit down there I even had Cody do research on each and every one of them." He put his arms around her. "So what do you think?"
"We can't keep weapons up here not with Andrew."
"The case is locked now I want your opinion I buildt the case myself."
"You did this by yourself?"
"Okay your dad helped but mostly it was all me."
"Well then how can I not love it."
"Let's go admire the tree." They went back into the living room and he shut off the lights the only light coming from the tree. "I have a feeling everything's going to be different now."
She sighed curling up beside him on the couch. "I hope so I certainly hope so."