Thanksgiving
A/N: This didn't turn out exactly as I had planned, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.
Prompt by TercesTardis: Julian and Caitlin visits either parent(s) for a Thanksgiving dinner.
"Well," Carla Tannhauser said to her daughter as she set the cooling turkey on the counter. "That should be it."
"Thanks, Mom," Caitlin said, giving her mom a small smile. She paused before turning back to her mother, "I know we haven't been on the best of terms, but I really appreciate you doing this for me."
Carla smiled, wishing she knew what the right thing to say was. "Of course, Caitlin. I can't wait to meet this boyfriend of yours and his parents."
"If it's any consolation," Caitlin began. "I haven't met his parents either."
Carla looked to her in surprise. "Why not?"
"They're from England, and they've never had the chance to visit. And…" Caitlin's voice trailed off.
"And what, sweetie?"
"His family is sort of like ours. They don't really speak to each other often," she said, immediately regretting the words as she said them.
"Oh, well," her mother said awkwardly searching for something to say. "At least we have that in common."
Caitlin winced. Thankfully, she was saved by the sound of the doorbell reverberating through the house. "I'll go get that," she said. She quickly walked down the hall and opened the door.
Caitlin opened the door to see Julian flanked by the most aristocratic people she had ever seen. The woman to his left wore a red fur scarf over a sleek red dress, and the man to his right wore a dark suit with a red tie, matching the woman's.
"Hello, Caitlin!" Julian said excitedly and pulled her into a quick hug. "It smells delicious!"
Caitlin smiled at him and opened the door the rest of the way for them to enter, and Julian placed a bottle of wine into her hand.
"Julian," she reprimanded. "I told you not to bring anything."
"Oh, well, you know, I couldn't let you and your mum handle everything," he laughed nervously.
Caitlin looked expectantly at his parents.
"Oh, um," he fidgeted with his hands a moment before turning to his parents. "Caitlin, this is my mother," he said gesturing to the woman in red.
Caitlin shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Albert."
"I wish I could say the same."
Caitlin gave her a forced smile.
"And, um, this is my father," Julian said.
Caitlin shook his hand and gave him a respectful nod. She glanced at Julian, but he was looking anywhere but her as his parents critically eyed the house.
Carla rounded the corner. "Hello! I'm Carla Tannhauser, Caitlin's mother," she said taking Mr. Albert's hand and then his wife's.
"Is this your house?" Mrs. Albert asked Carla.
"It is," Carla confirmed.
"It's hideous."
"I'm sorry?"
Julian and Caitlin quickly exchanged a panicked look before Caitlin said, "Dinner's on the table."
"Yes, let's go eat," Julian said, ushering his parents after Caitlin and her mother as they lead them down the hall to the kitchen.
Julian and his parents sat across from Caitlin and her mother.
Silence.
"Why don't we pass around the food?" Julian suggested while grabbing a bowl of mashed potatoes from the table and scooping some on his plate.
"Oh, yes," Carla said. "Where are my manners?" She picked up a casserole and passed it to Julian's father.
"You American's have such strange taste," he noted.
Julian cleared his throat. "But I'm sure it tastes delicious."
"Thank you, Julian," Carla said, earning Julian a glare from his parents.
Mr. Albert reluctantly placed some casserole on his plate and handed the plate to his wife.
"No thanks, dear. I already ate."
Julian quickly turned to his mother. "Mum, at least try a little bit."
"I said I'm not hungry, Julian. Besides, this is an American holiday. As far as I'm concerned, I see no reason to participate."
Julian looked at Caitlin and mouthed, "I'm sorry."
She gave him a reassuring smile.
"So, Ms. Snow," Mr. Albert began. "You work at S.T.A.R. Labs, correct?"
"Yes, I do."
"Isn't that the laboratory that exploded a few years back?"
"Father!" Julian said quietly. "We already talked about this."
"Julian," Caitlin said calmly. "It's okay." She turned to his father, "Yes, it is."
"That was quite the failure, wasn't it?"
"Excuse me!" Carla interjected. "My daughter is a brilliant doctor. That explosion was not her fault."
"Well," Mrs. Albert said righteously. "She hardly did anything to prevent it."
"Mother!" Julian said.
"It's true, Julian." She looked at Caitlin snidely, "You deserve better than this-this girl."
"Get out of my house!" Carla yelled, bursting out of her chair, causing it to clatter to the floor.
Mr. and Mrs. Albert smirked at each other.
"You Americans and your tempers," Mrs. Albert tutted.
Julian ran a hand over his face and looked at Caitlin.
She grimaced.
Soon the room rang with the mix of British and American voices shouting for dominance. Caitlin and Julian exchanged a look of shared pain. Julian gestured to the hallway. Caitlin nodded, and they both quietly left the room.
"Well, this is a mess," Julian stated leaning against the wall.
Caitlin settled beside him. "It's terrible," she agreed. She looked to him, and he turned to her. She started to giggle.
Julian stared at her in confusion. "What's so funny? This is a complete and utter disaster."
Caitlin's giggling intensified. She gasped for breath, "But, Julian, that's why it's so funny."
He cocked his head. "What?"
"This turned out to be much worse than we anticipated."
Julian smiled and a snort escaped him, and his hand shot up to cover his mouth.
Caitlin laughed.
Julian giggled. "Why is this funny?"
"Because it's not!" Caitlin said breathlessly.
They both laughed and paused for a breath.
Julian looked into Caitlin's shining eyes and put a hand on her face. "I love you."
She smiled and covered his hand with hers. "I love you, too."
Julian's eyes sparkled. "I have an idea."
O
Caitlin shoved another bite of a delicious Big Belly Burger into her mouth. She swallowed and looked across the table in the nearly vacant fast food restaurant.
"Julian, you are a genius," she said with happiness piercing through her eyes.
"Why, thank you, Caitlin," he said, his happiness mirroring hers. He took a sip of his milkshake. "I wonder how long it will take for them to notice we're gone."
"Knowing my mother," Caitlin said. "She won't notice for hours."
"Hours," Julian scoffed. "It will take my parents weeks!"
They both laughed.
"Thank you, Caitlin."
"For what? This was catastrophe!"
"For giving me the best Thanksgiving of my life."
"Julian, this is the only Thanksgiving of your life."
"So? That doesn't mean it's not the best."
"Julian!" she said, throwing a fry at him.
He laughed and easily dodged it. "But seriously," he said, staring at her intensely. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
She smiled and returned his gaze. "Neither do I." She paused, "Happy Thanksgiving, Julian."
He chuckled. "Happy Thanksgiving, Caitlin."
