Chapter Four: Little Brother

When she tells him that her younger brother is coming into town for the weekend, Carlton just assumes that this means he won't be able to see her because she'll be busy entertaining family. Elizabeth, as it turns out, has other ideas.

"No, Carlton. What I'm trying to say is that I want you to meet him." she says..

He's got the phone to his ear, but he nearly drops it at this suggestion. There are a thousand reasons why he doesn't want to do this. Well, maybe it's just one.

He's afraid that he won't get along with this guy, and then what will Elizabeth think of him? He knows how much she depends on the support and opinion of her family. He knows that if he screws this up, it could effectively throw a wrench into the cogs of their near-perfect-as-of-right-now relationship.

"Listen, Liz, I'm pretty sure I have to work so I don't think I have time to –"

"He's coming early on Friday and he'll be here all the way til Tuesday afternoon. Can't you find sometime out of all those days to meet up with us? What about dinner on Saturday? I can make dinner for you both."

"I can't."

"You don't work on Saturday. What's going on, Carlton?"

He hesitates, then blurts it out almost against his will. "What if he doesn't like me?"

"Oh! Don't worry about that, Carlton. Nick's the brother that gets along with everyone."

"But still...let's say he hates me..."

"He won't." she assures him. "And hey, if you're really concerned, just bring a six-pack. He'll love you for life."

He's got the six-pack of beer in his left hand and he knocks on her door with his right. He probably hasn't been this nervous since his first few dates with Elizabeth.

He expects her to answer and make the introductions, but to his dismay, it's a young man that greets him instead. Carlton knows that he's in his mid-twenties and technically an adult, but the first thing he thinks is that he's just a kid. He's got a boyish face, dimples, and dark hair that falls into his eyes. He's pretty easily recognizable as Elizabeth's brother.

He grins at Lassiter as if they're old friends. "There he is, the man of the hour!" he says. His voice is resounding but jovial, and he grabs Carlton's arm and pulls him inside.

"My big sis has told me all about you." he beams. Then he eyes the six-pack. "You shouldn't have," he smirks, but he takes the pack from Lassiter's hand anyway.

"Nick, are you harassing him already?" asks Elizabeth, appearing from her kitchen.

"I would never," he says innocently, and she shakes her head.

Elizabeth smiles over at Carlton. "He didn't even properly introduce himself, did he?"

"Not really."

"Sorry about that, Carl." says Nick. "My name is Nicholas Henson, the most lovable of all the Henson children."

"The most spoiled," corrects Elizabeth.

"Well, and that." he admits. He looks over at Elizabeth. "Dinner ready yet, sis?"

"Yes, actually. It's getting cold as we speak."

"Hmm...let's get to eating then. I want to get to know Carl here."

"Carlton," Carlton corrects.

"Yes. You." he smiles. Carlton follows the pair into the small dining area just off of the kitchen. Elizabeth serves spaghetti onto plates while Carlton and Nick take seats at the small round table.

Once he's sitting, Nick seems to calm himself, his energy melting into something more mature (and manageable, in Carlton's opinion). "It really is nice to meet you," he says. "Elizabeth hasn't stopped talking about you for what, six months?"

"Seven," Carlton corrects automatically. They've been together for seven months.

"Yeah. She says you're the Head Detective for the SBPD. I always knew she'd end up with a cop, with the way our family is." He rolls his eyes just as Elizabeth sets the plates down on the table.

She scowls. "Just because you never took to shooting the way the rest of us did..."

"Did we really need a fifth wannabe assassin in the family?"

"Shut up, Nick."

Nick eyes his plate. "Sis, you still think spaghetti is a gourmet meal, don't you?"

"Nick, this is probably your first home-cooked meal since Christmas. If I were you, I'd just say thank you and be done with it."

He grins over at Carlton. "She's right," he looks over at his sister as she takes her seat. "Thanks, Liz. For both the meal and letting me stay here."

She smiles. "Anytime, Nicky."

Carlton isn't entirely sure what to make of Elizabeth's younger brother. He goes from calm and serious one moment to bouncing off the walls with sarcasm the next. However, Carlton can't find anything to really dislike about him (except maybe in some instances he reminds Carlton a bit of Spencer). Or maybe he's just willing to overlook any flaws because, well, it's Elizabeth's brother.

The meal passes well enough, with Elizabeth and Nick arguing playfully and recounting old family stories for Carlton's benefit. Carlton actually laughs when Nick tells the story of how, when he was six, the two had been playing a game where Nick was a bull and Elizabeth was a matador, and she accidentally made him ram his head into a table.

"He was never the same," sighs Elizabeth wistfully.

Nick rolls his eyes as Elizabeth clears the table.

"You guys should head over to the couch while I get us some dessert and clean up, okay?"

"Sure thing, big sis."

And the two follow her suggestion and make their way back into the living room. Nick sits on one side of the couch and Carlton sits on the other. After a long moment of silence, Nick leans in slightly. His voice is low. "Hey, Carlton? I've got to talk to you about something serious now..."

Carlton feels a knot form in his stomach. What kind of mess will this kid get him into?

Nick crosses his arms, and he furrows his eyebrows. "What are your intentions with my sister?" he asks quietly, seriously.

Carlton just blinks back at Nick as he tries to figure out if he's really being given the third degree by this kid. "Excuse me?"

"Are you really in this for the long haul? You gonna marry her?"

"I...well, not this sec – "

"Be careful what you say. You've already got a strike against you, pal."

"What?"

"You didn't offer to help her with the dishes, or set the table. I pay attention to these things," Nick warns darkly.

"I thought she would want me to be talking to you!" Lassiter snaps, suddenly feeling flustered. Because of this punk kid.

"You better not hurt her or – "

Elizabeth enters the room at that second. She takes one look at the expression on both of their faces before she scowls at her brother. "Nick, were you doing that thing again?"

"What?" he asks, wide-eyed and innocent.

"Doing that thing where you try to freak out my boyfriends? I've told you a thousand times, that's not your job. You're the little brother, the baby brother. If that's anyone's job, which I'm not saying it is, it's Alex's."

She looks over at Carlton with a sympathetic glance. "He was just messing with you, Carlton..."

"I knew that." he replies quickly.

"Apologize to him, idiot." Elizabeth says to her little brother, holding a bowl of ice cream just out of his reach. He eyes the bowl with longing, then glances back over to Carlton.

"Sorry, Carlton, it's just...Alex gets all the good brotherly roles!"

Elizabeth smiles and hands him his bowl of ice cream, then she pats him on the head as if he's a puppy who has finally obeyed.

Carlton dares to wonder for the first time whether or not this whole family is crazy.

Elizabeth sits down between them and passes Carlton a bowl of Rocky Road.

"Thank you," he mumbles.

They all watch television for awhile, and when Nick is done with his ice cream, he gets up and yawns dramatically. "Well, sis, I'm pretty tired. I'm going to bed now." he says. He looks over at Carlton and nods. "It's been really nice to meet you, Carlton."

"Nice to meet you too..."

After he deposits his bowl in the sink, Nick trudges down to Elizabeth's spare bedroom.

"Isn't it a little early for hi – "

"He's not actually going to bed. He just wanted to give us some privacy. He'll be back out after you leave. Then he'll stay up to watch late night television on my couch."

"Oh."

"So, uh, what do you think of him?" she asks awkwardly.

"I...don't know." he replies honestly. "Does he always go from serious to immature in the span of two seconds like that?"

"Yeah, ever since he was little. I'm not kidding when I say I think he may have knocked something loose when he rammed his head into that table."

Lassiter snorts, then shakes his head. "He seems like a good enough guy, though."

"He is," she agrees. "Hasn't grown up yet, but his age will catch up to him sooner or later."

"I like him." replies Carlton, as he realizes that he actually does. Mostly. As long as he doesn't have to handle him every single day of his life (he's got Spencer to produce all the immaturity he can tolerate), he thinks maybe they can get along just fine.

"I'm glad," she smiles, and kisses him. She tastes like strawberry ice cream. He wonders if he tastes like chocolate.

After they break apart, he frowns at her. "I should go."

"Probably," she admits. He grabs his jacket from off the back of the couch, and she leads him to the door. He kisses her again.

"Night, Liz." He smirks. "Have fun with Nick."

She rolls her eyes. "I'm sure I will. Goodnight, Carlton."

When she closes the door and he begins the walk back to his car, he starts to wonder about how crazy the rest of her family is.

And even though the thought is a little frightening, he still thinks it might be nice (or at least really interesting) to meet the rest of them sometime.