A.N just to let you all know, I'm back at school tomorrow so the updates might not be as regular.. but I WILL TRY. (Also Rachel is not Rachel mason do not panic, she is my own character).

10. Meet the Bostons.

Tom was leaning against the sink with a cup of tea watching Nikki slave over a pan on the hob. She looked so frustrated, cooking was something she had never been any good at, where as every other aspect of life she could turn her hand to.

'Why doesn't this look like the picture!' she shouted.

tom laughed he did find it amusing that there was something she couldn't do, 'Nik, it looks fine'.

'What if they say no? to us getting married I mean' she turned to him she was clearly nervous, her outfit told him that, she was wearing a knee length blue dress, with those nude coloured tights that tom didn't really understand the point of because they were just the same colour as her legs anyway, it was an outfit that Nikki would never wear of her own accord, it was obviously something she thought her mother would approve of.

'What? Why would they?'.

'No, I mean just suppose the do say no' she persisted.

'well, I'd whisk you off to.. I dunno.. Australia and marry you anyway, its just tradition isn't it, asking your parents. We're getting married, with or without their permission'.

Her face softened at his reply 'you, Mr Clarkson, are a big softie'

She returned to her pan of whatever it was, tom left the kitchen, he thought that after seeing her outfit, he had better get changed.

'Tom wait' he stopped him, 'is ready to cook salmon cheating?' she asked opening the fridge where there were 5 pieces of fish ready marinated in boxes from Tesco.

'nah, they wont tell the difference' tom reassured her, having been told that this woman had to come on this particular Saturday because she was judging cakes for the women's institute next Saturday, he was pretty sure that in fact she would notice, but he wasn't going to tell Nikki that.

At 11.30 (prompt) the doorbell rang and Nikki's eyes filled with terror. Tom held his hand up to halt her,

'I'll get it love'

'Tom, why are you wearing a tie? Wait, never mind'

He pulled back the door and saw an aloof looking woman, her brunette hair, like Nikki's, was pushed back off her face and she was wearing a pearl necklace and a beige coloured cardigan over a pastel pink knee length dress. She arched an eyebrow at Tom and pursed her lips, her eyes were almost piercing as she looked down her nose at him, in fairness, she was quite tall, not unlike his fiancé.

He looked around Nikki's mother and saw a dumpy little man, Nikki's father; he had a comb over and was wearing a tank top…

'Hi, come in' he said, 'I'm Tom Clarkson, finally meet you can I get you-' he was cut off by Nikki's mother thrusting her jacket at him

'Heather Boston' she said sharply 'and a cup of tea would be lovely, I'm absolutely parched, you know it's a long journey, you do live so far away, it is rather inconvenient'.

'Right, tea' nodded Tom, trying to find somewhere to hang Heather's jacket, eventually the hung it on the stairs banister before greeting her father.

'Hello, I'm peter' he said quietly although his handshake was quite vigorous 'Lovely to meet you' he spotted Nikki in the kitchen.

'hello darling' he waved through to her.

'Dad, hi!' she beamed at her father and left her cooking to come and hug him.

She then popped her head around the living room door; Tom decided to leave Nikki with her parents whilst he made some tea.

'Mum, how are you?'

'I'm fine dear' she said, not really looking at Nikki, instead she was flicking through Tom's copy of 'The Kite Runner' that he had left on the table, 'just slightly parched after the ride down, has that man of yours gone to make tea'

'Yeah I think he's-'

'Good, don't mumble dear'

Nikki sighed; she would rather barbeque with Christine Mulgrew any day.

The five of them sat around the table (josh had smelled food which had coaxed him out of his room). Heather had pushed her food around her plate and occasionally took a dainty mouthful, this made Tom seethe inside, but he stayed quiet.

'You know, Nikki's sister, Rachel, is a lawyer. We're ever so proud, she's just been given a position in one of the top firms in London' Nikki rolled her eyes. Here we go, she thought.

'shall I take your plates? Mum, are you done?' Nikki asked, noticing the amount of food still left on her mother's plate.

'yes dear, the fish was slightly dry', Tom bit his tongue and carried on listening to heather talk about how Rachel was going to the Maldives for a fortnight.

Nikki was slamming the plates into the dishwasher when tom came through carrying empty glasses. He noticed her eyes were puffy.

'Nik? You ok?' he asked tenderly, putting the glasses to one side so he had a spare hand to rub her face.

'yeah, fine, can we just tell them, get this over with' her voice was thick. Tom could tell she'd been crying.

'yeah lets, and love, the fish was great, don't listen to her'

'No its not that, well it is, but bloody Rachel, she's so flaming perfect!'

'mmm, I love you' she succumbed to his words as he grabbed her waist (carefully given her condition) and kissed her on the lips.

When Tom and Nikki were sat back at the table they exchanged glances, it was Tom who spoke first, 'so I was wondering, we were wondering, I mean I just wanted to ask for your permission to marry Nikki'. His voice was shy and tentative, which made Nikki smile.

'Good Lord! We thought no one would ever ask, she's not a conventional beauty! We even began to thing she was you know, on the other team, it didn't help when she joined the army'

'Mrs Boston, I'm in love with your daughter and I don't think you should speak about her that way'. Heather looked at Tom in complete shock.

'Tom, its fine' Nikki interjected.

Her sentence was stopped by peter, 'I thought you were going to shay she was pregnant' he chortled.

For the second time Tom and Nikki exchanged glances, this time unsure of how to carry on. Josh sniggered which caused Heather to immediately grasp what was going on. She took a seep breath in and pursed her lips again, she looked almost 'professor mcgonagall-esque' which made Nikki cringe, she wanted to vomit but she caught Tom's eye and he nodded at her which seemed to make everything better.

'Mum I-'

'How long Nicola?' tom had never heard anyone use her first name.

'About eighteen weeks, I-'she didn't know hoe to finish the sentence, she was defeated.

Heather nodded her face looked as though she had just eaten something horribly sour, like a slice of lemon. Which was made worse when Peter decided to join the conversation that he unintentionally started,

'Well I think its fantastic news, congratulations'

'Peter! Do not undermine me!' heather hissed.

'No, heather, I think you're being unreasonable, its lovely that they're happy and that they're adding to what is already a strong family', Peter gestured at Josh, acknowledging that Tom already had a child, 'that's all we ever wanted for her Heather, she's happy, she's healthy and at least she's not getting shot at anymore'. Tom could suddenly see where Nikki got her bravery from, he already saw that her stubbornness came from her mother.

Heather sighed, she knew her husband was right, she had just expected more of Nikki, her eldest daughter. 'Congratulations dear' she said quietly.

Nikki sniffed, her father's speech had touched her, she hadn't expected it 'Thank you' she replied. And that was that.

P.s You may see more of Nikki's parents in this fic (you may even meet the illusive Rachel) however it is more likely to be in the sequel that I have just dreamt up whilst writing this chapter..