Disclaimer: Sly Cooper and the Cooper gang are property of Sucker Punch and I am just using them to entertain the masses with a good story. I only own the characters that I have personally created and the other elements of the story I have created my self.

Chapter 17

Meeting the Parents

On Saturday, Jason and Melody meet the Cooper gang at the Sky Serpent. Murray had just unloaded the van when Melody pulled up in her sports car. She stepped out and walked over to the group. She had gotten dressed in a dark blue summer dress that reached down to her ankles. She took her sunglasses off and knocked on the door to the Sky Serpent's operations car. After a few seconds Sly opened the door and poked his head out. He noticed Melody and smiled as he said, "Glad you could make it. Where is Jason?"

As if on cue Jason pulled up in his big black truck. He quickly turned it off and walked over to where Sly and Melody. He was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and black T-shirt with big white block letters across the front spelling out, "Security". Sly waited for him to walk over before he said, "So you two, do you mind giving a few people some rides."

Jason nodded his head and said, "Sure, I'll take someone as long as it isn't that Dimitri guy, I can't figure out a thing he is saying sometimes."

Melody nodded her head and said, "The same goes for me."

Sly nodded and said, "Okay, I am riding with Murray, Bentley, Panda King, and Dimitri in the team van. That leaves Eclipse, Destiny, Carmelita and Penelope. So, who wants to take who?"

Melody replied, "How about I take the girls and Eclipse can ride with Jason."

Jason nodded his head and said, "I'll take that."

Sly nodded his head and said, "Wait here a moment. We are almost ready." Sly then went back into the train and hurried everybody up. In fifteen minutes everybody was loaded up and they were all heading to the other side of Madrid to see Mr. and Mrs. Fox, Jason, Melody, and Carmelita's parents.

During the drive the girls talked avidly about Melody and what it was like in Madrid. In the Cooper gang van Sly, Bentley, Murray, Panda King, and Dimitri talked about the latest sports statistics and who was for what teams to win what ever season was going on. In Jason's truck, Eclipse and Jason road in silence for half the trip until Jason broke the silence and said, "Eclipse, can you tell me something."

Eclipse turned and nodded his head. Jason paused a second before he said, "Does it seem Carmelita and Sly are really in love, and I mean REALLY, really in love?"

Eclipse looked forward as they drove through the busy streets. After a few seconds he said, "I am not an expert in anyway of how cupids arrow can fly, but in my opinion they are. Before I contacted Sly about the whole map to the Pure Magic Gems thing I did a little digging in Carmelita's office. It seems that since a year ago, when Sly contracted his amnesia, Carmelita began to ease up. She was usually extremely diligent with her work, now she is still pumping out the same quality work, but now she just seems happier. I think that is because she finally realized her feelings for Sly. Even now, when Sly is trying to regain his memories she is staying beside him, and I think it is for the best."

Jason nodded his head and said, "One more question. How powerful are you as a mystic."

Eclipse raised an eyebrow as he asked, "I am pretty powerful, why?"

Jason sighed as he turned around a street corner and said, "Because it will keep a force of nature to keep my father under control. Carmelita inherited the worst of our fathers temper." Eclipse gave Jason a strange look as they headed out of Madrid and into the country side. Mr. David Fox and Mrs. Martha Fox lived out of the city limits. While Carmelita, Melody, and Jason were growing up they lived in a house in the city. When the three of them moved away David decided that he and Martha should get away from the hustle and bustle of Madrid. They bought a home a little ways out of the city. Close enough that they could get to the city if they needed to, and far enough that it was very quite around their house at night.

The house was a single story, with a white paint job. It had a porch going all around it and a tree just off to one side of the property. They were on top of a hill that gave them beautiful view of the city at night. The only way up to their house was by an old dirt road, and getting the mail was a true hassle.

The group parked their cars in the front yard, and Carmelita told Sly and the others to wait outside while she, Melody, and Jason tried to convince their parents that Sly was an all right guy. Once everybody was out of sight of the front door Carmelita took a big breath and knocked on the door.

After a few second the door opened and older fox appeared in the door. It was Mrs. Martha Fox. She was dressed in a pair of loose blue jeans and a bright blue blouse. Her jet black hair had a few stray grey hairs in it, but she still had a commanding feel about her. Something that came from working in Interpol for most of her life, and still being the best criminal detective in the Spanish division of Interpol.

She quickly smiled as she said, "Why didn't you call us and tell us that all three of you were coming. I would have made dinner plans." Mrs. Fox quickly motioned them into the house and the trio sat down on a couch in the living room while Mrs. Fox got Mr. Fox. After a few minutes they heard the door between the kitchen and living room open and Mr. Fox came into the living room. He was as tall as Panda King, and just as serious. Being the head of the Madrid Interpol office he had a lot of power, and had a very black and white out look on life. He was fairly thin with some lean muscles defining his shape. He perfectly built for chasing down criminals and taking them down with a presser point attack. He noticed the three on couch and moved over to them and kissed Carmelita and Melody on the cheeks and gave Jason a bear hug. He sat down in a recliner on the opposite side of a coffee table that sat in the middle of the room.

In a few minutes Mrs. Fox came into the room asking, "So, what's the occasion. The last time you three were here at the same time with out us calling you was when Carmelita was promoted to Inspector."

Jason chuckled as he said, "Trust us that is small potatoes to the news we have for you today."

Mr. Fox crossed his arms and said, "Really, then tell us already."

Carmelita bit her lip for a second before she quickly spat out, "I am getting married."

It took a second for Mr. and Mrs. Fox to register just what Carmelita had said, but once they did Mrs. Fox squealed like a little girl as she hugged Carmelita tight. Mr. Fox just smiled as he leaned back in his chair and said, "It is about time one of you found someone to spend the rest of your life with. So, who is the lucky guy?"

This was the part Jason, Melody, and Carmelita were worried about. After staying silent for a few minutes Mrs. Fox asked, "Well, are you going to tell us, or will we have to guess?"

Carmelita bit her tongue before she said, "I am marrying…sly cooper."

Mr. Fox leaned forward in his chair as he asked, "Didn't quite hear you Carmelita. Who did you say you were marrying?"

Carmelita finally got up the nerve and said in a slow steady voice, "Sly Cooper, I am going to marry Sly Cooper, and he is right outside with the rest of the Cooper gang."

To say the least Mr. and Mrs. Fox's reactions were as different as night and day. Once the name had escaped Carmelita's lips Mrs. Fox had sit down in a rocking chair trying to process what she had just been told while Mr. Fox's reaction was no where near as calm. He exploded like a volcano and grabbed his shock pistol of the wall and ran outside where he saw the whole Cooper gang standing beside the van talking. Sly was the first to notice Mr. Fox standing at the houses front door, and that was only after he had fired a shock pistol blast.

Sly yelled to scatter and the shock blast the side of the team van. Mr. Fox quickly put Sly back in his sights, but before he could fire Eclipse had pulled out his sword and cut the pistol in half. He then quickly sheathed the sword as he dodged a punch Mr. Fox had thrown at him. Eclipse continued to dodge Mr. Fox's punches as Sly slipped into the house to try and help Carmelita, Jason, and Melody convince Mrs. Fox it was a good idea. While Sly, Carmelita, Jason, and Melody talked over the whole story with Mrs. Fox Eclipse did his best to distract Mr. Fox. That was proving harder then he thought it would be.

Despite his size, Mr. Fox was fast, and Eclipse was having trouble staying ahead of him. Finally getting tired of playing fox and mouse Eclipse split into Lunar and Solar and did his best to subdue Mr. Fox. It was good in theory, but Mr. Fox was also built like a brick wall, and no matter what Solar and Lunar did they couldn't get him down. Finally Mr. Fox caught Lunar by the scruff of his shirt and threw him at Solar. Lunar ran into Solar like a ton of bricks and they continued to fly toward the side of the team van. While they were flying across the yard they rejoined into Eclipse and hit the van hard. Destiny ran over to Eclipse to make sure he was alright while Mr. Fox turned his attention to Panda King and Murray. The Panda King readied himself as he said, "You are strong Mr. Fox, but you shall not best the might of Panda King."

Mr. Fox ran up and they locked hands into a fight of pure strength while they tried to overpower the other. Panda King was about to beat Mr. Fox when he smiled as he said, "You may be the great Panda King, but I have to take people like you down on a daily bases, and I can do it now." With that Mr. Fox quickly too the upper hand in the battle of strength and grabbed Panda King by one arm. He then threw him over his shoulder, making Panda King land hard on the ground.

Murray was next, but he soon met the same fate as the Panda King. Bentley and Penelope quickly raised their hands in defeat, knowing that they didn't stand a chance against Mr. Fox. He was smiling with pride when he remembered he had yet to capture the ring leader, Sly Cooper. He began to look around the yard until he heard the front door open and Mrs. Fox came walking out. Behind her was Carmelita, Jason, Melody, and Sly. Mr. Fox quickly tried to get around his family to get at Sly Cooper, but Mrs. Fox put herself squarely between him and Sly as she said, "David, this is enough."

Mr. Fox looked in horror as he said, "Martha, you are protecting this criminal."

Mrs. Fox nodded her head as she said, "Yes, I am protecting this criminal. What does it matter what he does for a living if he makes our daughter happy?"

Mr. Fox face went red as he yelled, "What difference does it make, it makes all the difference."

Mrs. Fox eyed him a second before she said. "Really, if it makes all the difference then why did you ever marry me, or do you so easily forget that I was once on the wrong side of the law."

Mr. Fox opened his mouth to rebuttal, but nothing came out. He finally dropped his shoulders as Sly's jaw hung low as he asked, "Mrs. Fox, you used to be a thief like me."

Mrs. Fox shook her head as she said, "No Sly. If anything I was worse then you. I used to work with the biggest crime lord in Madrid…as his top sniper."

Sly fell silent, after a few tense moments Mrs. Fox broke the silence as she said, "but that isn't important now. We aren't talking about my past mistakes. We are talking about Carmelita's future."

Mr. Fox sighed as he said, "I think I owe some of you an apology."

Panda King groaned as he finally got up and said, "Consider yourself forgiven. I know what it is like when you wish to protect your children from what you believe isn't good for them."

Eclipse shook his head and said, "Yeah, I had a guess you would react like this, but you are a much better fighter then I thought you were."

Mr. Fox smiled as he said, "You better believe it. Now, let's all go inside the house and talk about this wedding. I am willing to give you one chance Cooper, you blow it and the offer will not represent itself."

The Foxes and the Cooper gang spent the remainder of the day talking over everything that had happened, and it all went pretty well except for one thing. During the conversation they got to talking about Sly's old heist and Eclipse realized that they had their chance to unlock the last of Sly's memories. Eclipse used the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. He was able to unlock Sly's memories, but when he delved into Sly's open mind he took Carmelita, Mr. and Mrs. Fox with him. Mr. and Mrs. Fox got to see for themselves just what Sly was like. While Eclipse searched for the keys to the memory door Mr. and Mrs. Fox used some of the memories stored in the 3rd level to see what Sly was like.

After their excursion into Sly's mind, they had to agree. He did love Carmelita, and from what they saw she loved him. They also saw that he was as he said. He was a thief, not a criminal, but a master thief who came from a long line of thieves. The Cooper gang returned to the Sky Serpent late that night, but not before Mr. and Mrs. Fox gave Carmelita their blessings and permission for the wedding.