Hi everyone, I just wanted to say thank you for being honest with me, I did need a kick up the backside about updating! I am now scheduling myself strictly and will try my very hardest to update biweekly (i.e. once a fortnight, not twice a week, sorry) or, if I'm feeling nice, more often. But expect, from now on, every other Monday or Saturday being my update days. Thanks for all your support! As ze French say, allons-y! (Let's go!)

Chapter 8

"So, I was thinking…" Luc began over morning pancakes, sorry, crêpes.

"Mmmh?" I made a noise to show I was listening whilst shovelling food into my mouth.

"Would you like to meet my family?" He asked tentatively. "I know you've heard a lot of bad things about them but they have really turned over a new leaf and would love to meet you I'm sure…" I cut him off with a look.

"Of course I'll meet your family. When will we go?"

"Is tomorrow too soon?"

"No, that's fine, I guess we need to arrange tickets and stuff though," I replied, not even surprised it was so soon.

"Don't worry, I've got it covered."

"What? No, I can't let you…" I balked at the thought of how expensive last-minute tickets on the Eurostar would be.

"Come on Anna, it can be your birthday treat- a trip to Paris with a local tour guide, free of charge!"

I gave him a bland look. "My birthday isn't for eight months."

"I know, it's to make up for last one. A very late birthday present?" He gave me a hopeful smile. He sighed. "Anna, if I can't buy a train ticket for you, what can I do?"

I threw my hands up in the air in surrender. "Fine, but I'm buying you several dinner dates!" I pointed at him threateningly. He raised his eyebrows questioningly and smirked.

"Does that mean you want to go on a date with me Anna?" My cheeks flushed, but I squared my shoulders and told myself to stop being embarrassed. We had kissed now and I was meeting his family tomorrow- I think that meant that I wanted to go on a date.

"Maybe," I replied coyly, willing the red from my cheeks.

My phone buzzed, alerting me to a text. It was from my Dad. Crap. Feeling my heart pick up slightly in panic, Luc looked up with a concerned expression, which turned slightly worried when he realised what it was. He read the text over my shoulder.

Got in last night. Where were you? Will you be in later or will I have to fend for myself for dinner?

I decided to tell him a half-truth.

Was at Maggie's house. I will be in, but I've got plans to go away tomorrow for a few days, maybe more. That ok?

I had to work out what I would do about sleeping with Luc in my own house tonight, but hopefully we'd be able to get past Dad. I couldn't believe a guy was going to sneak into (or I would sneak out of) my house so that we could sleep in the same bed. It was something I'd never dreamed I would do in real life- this sort of stuff only happened in three places- films, books, and my dreams. My Dad's reply cut off my inner ramblings.

Who's Maggie? That's fine, where are you off to? I'm still at work; will you be back when I get back?

Dad seemed clueless at the moment, but I would have to lie to him some more to keep the secret safe. He may be an awesome Dad generally, but he was strict when it came to boys when he was away. He would certainly disapprove of a guy I had only just met and would freak out if he knew the true nature of our relationship. Heck, anyone would freak out- I certainly did.

A friend from round the corner- she's American, staying a few weeks here. Paris- to visit sights etc. Yes Dad, your personal slave will have dinner on the table for you…

Reading over my shoulder, Luc laughed at my sarcastic message.

"I'll help you make dinner for you and then I'll run when he arrives?" He suggested.

"You want to make dinner for my Dad?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Well, I was thinking more I cook dinner for us and you can say you ate earlier and he can have the leftovers from our meal? Then that will be one of your dinner dates you owe me," he pointed out. "Besides, I'm French. I love cooking!" I rolled my eyes at his logic and shrugged.

"Is that you asking me on a date in a roundabout way?" I asked. Maybe it was a strange first date, but then our whole relationship so far had been a little… different.

"Yes. Is that you saying yes in a roundabout way?"

"It is." And with that, barely any more words were spoken.

Plans were made and tickets were bought as I made myself more and more nervous about meeting the family and keeping up the deception to my Dad, before Luc would come and take my hand. He looked into my eyes and said, with a serious face, "My family will love you. Your father will not be a problem. There's no need to be nervous." And then, I would be calmed, ready for the cycle of working myself up to begin again. That was how my morning and afternoon went. By evening, Luc was hardly letting go of my hand and I felt so stupid for needing his comfort, but he assured me over and over that that was what he wanted, needed to do- help me. That was what partners did, after all.

We were eating the amazing dinner that we, well, mainly Luc, had made, and I was talking quite fast.

"Okay, I don't mean to be stereotypical, but the French sure can cook!" I gushed (yes, gushed). Ew. What did I do that for?

"I'll take the fact you are disgusted at yourself for 'gushing' as a complement," Luc smiled, his eyes twinkling. In this light, the green stood out more than the rest of the colours that were contained in his warm hazel eyes. That was the beauty of that colour- they were brown, green and endless mixes of the two, which made them very interesting to stare at, which I was currently doing. Oops. Luc smiled too, but he seemed just as lost in my eyes as I was in his, despite mine being not nearly as interesting as his.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a car in the drive, and we both froze.

"Dad's back early," I realised, turning to Luc with panicked eyes.

"Quick, help me clear my plate," he hissed as the lights of Dad's car disappeared into the garage. I dumped his plate and all other signs of 'company' into his arms.

"Go to my room, he'll see you if you go out!" I whispered as I heard the front door slam and my Dad give his familiar "We're home!"

Luc had barely left the room when Dad came in. I quickly tried to smooth my face into a not panicked expression, but Dad still looked weirdly at me. Oh crap.

"You couldn't wait?" he asked, nodding to my half-empty plate. I relaxed. Thank goodness he hadn't noticed my agitation. I tried to reply in a normal voice.

"Yeah, I was really hungry and, well, not to big up my cooking skills or anything, but it was too good to wait," I grinned, trying to diffuse any leftover anxiety with my joke. Dad harrumphed.

"Don't get too cocky about your cooking skills, young la… ooh that does smell good," he interrupted himself when he smelled the coq-au-vin that had been prepared by "me". I could always distract Dad with food.

When I had finally got rid of Dad, who had gone to bed, I breathed a silent sigh of relief- I had been on edge all evening, hoping nothing would make him suspicious. Obviously, me being on edge would make him suspicious but I was counting on his inattentive nature to not notice that. It seemed I had succeeded. But now I had to deal with Luc who was, at this very moment, hiding in my room. But when I found him, lying on my bed on his back, reading one of my awesome books, I kind of forgot that he was hiding and burst into laughter at his face. He was reading the very hungry caterpillar, a keepsake which I just couldn't throw away from my childhood. Of all the books he could've picked up… but I was kinda enjoying watching him read a kids book; it was cute.

"The French version is way better," he informed me with a perfectly straight face. That brought round another round of giggling which I was sure would wake Dad up, and I clapped my hand over my mouth to stop the laugh, listening anxiously, but luckily dad was an extremely heavy sleeper so I heard nothing. Mentally scolding myself for forgetting to be quiet, I sat on the bed next to him, wondering whether we would go to his or mine, since sleeping apart was not an option. It would be much easier to sleep apart and stop the need for sneaking but I didn't really want to see Marcus again.

It seemed Luc was prepared as he had brought night stuff with him in case he ended up at mine instead of at his. Further, there would be no trouble from Dad in the morning as he is the world's oldest teenager. I mean, I'm not exactly a morning person, but he always, and I mean ALWAYS, gets up later than me. So I was feeling relatively safe from discovery as, once again, I fell asleep in my Significant's arms.

"Are you ready for this?" Luc asked me quietly, over the sound of the train. We were sitting, not touching in two seats on the Eurostar, bound for Paris. The way he pronounced the word 'family' was endearing, how he extended the 'ee' sound at the end, but I recognised it as nervousness. Discreetly, although there weren't that many people in our carriage, I brushed my fingers over his hand to calm him down. He sighed and smiled at me wordlessly, but that was his thanks. Like I said, I wasn't particularly talkative and neither was he. And it seemed he dealt with nervousness in much the same way as I did- by being quiet.

Are you?

I replied silently, knowing he was a lot less comfortable than me at seeing his extended family. He merely nodded, but I knew he was lying. So I took his hand firmly in mine and resolved to let it go. It wasn't like he had no right to be nervous. The fact that we were the first imprinted couple in the Renou clan meant that Luc's whole family would be there- the first time that had happened in a long time. And they would all be focussing on us. Now I was nervous, sure anyone would be when they meet their boyfriend's family in its entirety, not to mention they were all French. I thanked my lucky stars again that I had chosen that language to do a degree in.

Woah, hang on a second. I just called him my boyfriend.

Anna, I realise I've done this all in the wrong order, what with you meeting the family before we're even going out officially and we haven't even been on a proper date yet, but I suppose our relationship isn't exactly the most conventional...

It seemed that he rambled when he was nervous- I guessed he alternated between that and silence. I waited with bated breath.

Do you want to be my girlfriend?

Still the gentleman- he was giving me a choice. But it was no decision for me. Not because the decision had been taken away from me, but because it was a no-brainer. Of course I would be his girlfriend. I just nodded.

He held my hand tightly in his all the rest of the journey to Paris, where we hired a car to drive to Luc's family home. I gathered from his mind that he had refused to allow his family to meet us at the station, partially for my benefit, but also for his- he had to have some freedom from his family.

I was amazed at the houses that we were passing- this was definitely the wealthy district of Paris. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised, considering the size of Luc's uncle's house, but I was still staring wide-eyed at the gates alone, which had the clan tattoo incorporated in the intricate designs.

We pulled up outside the house and Luc stopped the engine. I felt vaguely dizzy from nerves and I saw he looked paler than normal. Wordlessly and simultaneously, we reached for the other and our hands clasped together. Our mutual need for comfort was satisfied as our skin met and I was very glad I had my own stress ball which worked very well. He brushed a few stray strands of hair from my face.

My family will love you.

I was nervous at meeting them, sure, but what I was more nervous about was keeping Luc happy. He had been hurt beyond what I could imagine and I needed to comfort him and to shelter him from any kind of harm, even unintentionally from his own family. And it had nothing to do with the imprint telling me to take care of him. Seeing my thoughts, Luc looked at me with wonder and amazement in his eyes.

"How did I deserve you?" He murmured, shaking his head. What was he talking about?! I was the one who didn't deserve him! I leaned forward so that our faces were centimetres apart and gave a small smile.

"Snap." I whispered. He started to close the small distance between us, but before our lips met, his eyes flickered over my shoulder and he pulled back with an exasperated expression. Looking over my shoulder, I saw a lot of people looking out of the window and the front door was open with even more standing on the porch. I felt my cheeks redden at the audience- I'd rather not have Luc's whole family witness our private moment, and Luc had obviously sensed that.

I took a few deep breaths, willing the blush to go away, before reluctantly letting go of Luc's hands, grabbing my shoulder bag and getting out of the car. Here we go.

Please keep commenting, it really gives me motivation to write more and thanjs for all the support.

I hate to do self-promotion but please, if you're a fan of Divergent, check out my fic, called Opposed, and comment (it's feeling a little lonely!).

Until next time! :)