Okay, so I'm just going to get right into it. But as always, thank you all so much for your kind comments and support of this fanfic. Especially recently I have gotten some particularly flattering words from a couple users saying that this is the best Nemma fic they've read and that to me is way WAY too kind but it really touched me and made my day. So… just thank you all for your kindness. :) Anyway, the moment we've all been waiting for, meeting the family. This chapter begins with Emma flying to Winnipeg to visit a few days before Christmas to meet Noah's family per his parents' request from the last chapter. Hope you all enjoy it!

(Emma's POV)

I was trying to focus on reading ahead for next semester when I heard the pilot come over on the plane's intercom, "Everyone please remain in your seats, we're starting to make our descent into Winnipeg. Again, please remain seated."

Slowly I felt my stomach clench as I scrunched my eyes and let out a sigh in an attempt to keep it together.

Agh… crap.

Okay, I'm seriously freaking out right now about meeting Noah's parents and just his family in general.

Yeah, I've met his sisters and his brother Ben (kinda), but this is NOT coming anywhere close to that. Especially since his parents specifically wanted me to come over to meet me.

Since my only other boyfriend was Jake and I never met his parents, this is my first time ever meeting a guy's parents… and I am FREAKING OUT! I even called Kitty yesterday in an attempt to help myself calm down and she was telling me not to over think it and everything was going to be fine, but it didn't help.

Ugh… easy for her to say!

I just hate situations like this with people where I have no idea how to prepare for it. This is my first time meeting Noah's parents and I have no idea what they'll think of me and I really want to make a good impression.

Sure, I'm assuming since they issued an invitation to come over for their family Christmas get together that it means they want to meet me and will probably like me… BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT?!

One of the first lessons in being a lawyer, never assume ANYTHING when it comes to people.

Educated guesses can be made about almost anything, but people in a situation like this?... No idea!

For me, everything hinges on my first impression and I can not afford to mess up when I meet his parents. I say one wrong thing and that's it!

Especially if Noah and I ever get married, I'll end up becoming the least favorite daughter-in-law, they'll constantly judge me and think I'm not good enough for their son, and I'll spend my entire married life dreading every family gathering!

After spending the rest of the plane's descent going through an existential crisis as I proceeded in contemplating my life choices, we finally landed and eventually had to get my crap together enough to grab my overnight bag out of the overhead storage.

I was only staying here for 2 days and then Noah was actually going to come with me to my parents' house back in the Toronto area for Christmas Eve and stay until New Year's since my parents also wanted to meet Noah after they found out I was invited to the Mathai's house.

But, I'm trying not to think that far ahead to avoid having an absolute and total nervous breakdown.

Finally I walked out the plane and eventually made my way through the airport and out front. It was chaotic with the holiday traveling and I thought I wasn't going to find Noah's car.

Well, luckily I caught a break and felt a sigh of relief when I saw Noah's car pull up to the curb.

We probably would have tried to say hi by the curb, but all the holiday chaos around us practically turned the situation into feeling like the race again as I threw my bag in the truck and practically dove into the passenger seat of the car as Noah took off the first chance he got to weave in and out of the never ending influx of cars at the airport, practically to the point where we hardly even acknowledged each other yet.

Eventually we got out onto the slightly less crowded highway.

We rode in silence for a few minutes until I heard Noah ask in his usual tone, "So… now that we somehow just escaped the 'outer circle of hell' and are still alive, how's it going?"

I would have probably let out a laugh at his comparison of what the airport was like, but I was caught off guard when I looked down and saw Noah holding my hand that was resting on the central console in his car.

Ugh, his hand is so warm.

That and I also couldn't deny how good this felt with him in general.

This is the first time we've seen each other and been alone in person in 3 weeks. And adding on finals being over on top of that makes it even better.

I decided to just think out loud about that last thought instead of just silently sitting there and smiling like a total weirdo… considering I feel like I do that enough around him still already.

"Good, glad my first semester is over I can tell you that much. You can definitely tell this was a 'weed out' semester by how ridiculous the curriculum was compared to the rest of the program. What about you?" I responded, just making conversation to avoid thinking about the vicious circle of crippling doubt in my head.

"Well, aside from dealing with my siblings and the insane multiplying rabbits that are my nieces and nephews all morning … fine."

I smirked and laughed as I said, "I'm guessing you're mildly exaggerating?"

Noah let out a slight scoff as he said, "Unfortunately… I wish. Ben has 3, Adam has 4, Matt has 3, John has 2, Hannah has 3, Sarah has 2 so far, and Tina just had her first. So, yeah, 18 nieces and nephews plus my parents and my siblings and their spouses… the house is basically a zoo. And even 'a zoo' is an unfair description to me considering a zoo is actually calm by comparison. There's a reason I had a lock installed on my bedroom door since Ben's kids alone are like starving raccoons looking for a dumpster to scrounge through."

I could feel my entire thought process lock up as I got out in shock, "18?"

Yeah, sure, I knew Noah had a lot of nieces and nephews, but I wasn't expecting there to be almost 20.

Noah just pursed his lips and nodded before saying, "Yup… Believe me, once we get there, you'll hardly be able to hear yourself think."

Eh, maybe that won't be a bad thing for me right now?

After all, my head is such a mess anyway right now, maybe not being able to over think all this will be a good thing… and that's coming from a total introvert.

I kept thinking until I heard Noah ask, "But, before I take you to the zoo, mind if we take a 'pit stop' on the way? This way I can show you one good thing around here before my family ruins everything for you?"

I snorted out a laugh before saying, "Sure."

We kept driving until Noah pulled off this 2 lane road onto this gravel one-lane side road. We kept going in and I was wondering where we were going until I saw a sign.

Forest Preserve?

We kept going until we pulled into this gravel parking lot area with benches and picnic tables surrounding the perimeter.

I was about to ask a question when it was almost like Noah was reading my mind as he started, "When my family is driving me crazy to the point my headset can't even block them out and I needed to go somewhere quiet to let myself think, the forest preserve around here is the perfect place. Once I could drive, I'd come out her and sit my car and read or take a nap since hardly anyone ever comes here… unless it's teenagers looking for a place to hook up in their cars and then I draw my line and leave. But mostly… this place is always my usual hangout spot when the house is too crazy. Especially in late Fall and Winter when no one's around."

I just kind of took that in as I really looked around.

The snow covering the trees, the silence… honestly, I would totally go here to study or relax and let myself think if I needed some solitude.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt him squeeze my hand a little bit as he continued, "And not to seem hypocritical, but I was also thinking since we probably won't be alone for any amount of money later… we could have some privacy."

My stomach had that familiar warm rush going through it, knowing what he was getting at completely, as I was trying to resist going on my first impulse.

Noah was right.

Between a crowded house at his place and being at my parents house with Kitty being around after that.

Yeah, having 'privacy' doesn't sound like it's going to be in the cards for us in the near future. Besides after the past couple weeks of not seeing or being able to talk to Noah that much because of final exams and studying… I wanted to take advantage.

Although I was still trying to contain myself as we kept looking at each other right now, I couldn't stop myself as I leaned over and kissed him without hesitation.

And both of us were in that frame of mind right now since both of us were trying to mutually pull each other into the back seat to get more room as I secured my arms around his neck.

Again, we're still trying to really 'take it slow' and not let these long breaks of not seeing each other have anything to do with it… but; yet again, a make out session in Noah's car doesn't break that clause as far as I'm concerned in a technical sense.

40 minutes later

After our break, we finally got back on the road and took about 10 more minutes to get to Noah's family's house.

And right away… I could see what Noah meant from the outside alone.

His family's house actually looked really nice, very spacious, and very well kept. But the surrounding area was covered in various parked cars and I could see silhouettes of multiple people moving behind the shades on the windows.

I heard the car shut off as Noah asked, "Well, last call to take a deep breath, because we're about to be suffocated by the mass of humanity that is my family once we walk through the door."

As much as I wanted to tell him 'this wasn't helping'... I knew both of us were secretly nervous about this whole thing and I wasn't about to admit any weakness anyway.

Despite feeling like I wanted to crap out an engine block and throw myself out a window, I'm here and there's no turning back.

You can do this Emma, get your shit together.

Just walk in, smile, say hi, and be polite.

I got this.

We both made our way into the house and right as we crossed the threshold into the lively conversation and laughter almost immediately died down.

It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop as I turned my head and immediately saw this sea of people in the next room that looked like a living room.

It was practically like a complete diagram of how people age since I could see everyone from infants to nearly elderly, which I immediately recognized as Noah's parents.

Even though, looking around the room, I immediately recognized all three of Noah's sisters and many of Noah's brothers (who nearly all looked just like Mr. Mathai with the exception of the differences in facial hair).

Otherwise they were all these big, hulking, and athletic looking guys.

There was only one I couldn't find that didn't seem to be…

"Emma, you're here! Merry Christmas! We're so happy you could make it and finally meet my baby's first girlfriend!" I heard and immediately felt myself get pulled into a warm yet suffocating and sudden hug… and a bunch of immature sniggering and stifled laughs coming from the other in the room, mostly from Noah's brothers if I were to guess.

Noah was just looking at me wide eyed with a look of livid embarrassment, irritation, and horror.

Right as I was released, I saw who had just hugged me and immediately recognized her. Noah's mom. Despite being a woman around the age of 60, she surprisingly seemed very youthful… and very full of energy.

Well.. now I know where his sisters got their personalities from.

Noah was still just looking at me in tense, horrified, and almost apologetic shock… and also looked like he either wanted to die or dive out a window right now.

Everyone was just silently staring at us until the front door opened up again behind us as we heard a slightly deep yet also ecstatic tone start, "HEY! What's up, fam?! Guess who just got engaged?!"

I looked behind me and saw someone I completely recognized and someone I didn't know at all.

Even though his hair was cut shorter and styled into a faux hawk, short goatee on just his chin, and his black stud earrings now replaced with a very small set of gauges, it was Noah's brother Luke who was currently holding hands with some other woman who looked to be around his age and of a very similar style to him.

We all just kept standing there and staring at each other.

Well, this keeps getting more and more awkward, but… I guess it could be worse, right? At least his mom seems to like me so far.

And that's part one of Emma meeting Noah's family! I decided to divide it up just to not make an overwhelmingly long chapter. Plus I had to go see my parents to help them with something at their house so I wanted to at least whip up something with the time I have. I hope you all enjoyed everything from Emma's freak out and her usual overthinking tendencies, Noah having a life crisis moment, and also the introduction of Noah's overly affectionate and slightly overbearing mother Elizabeth and also a brief look at Noah's brother Luke {you'll find out more about him and how's he more than what he seems later. ;)} Stay tuned for more next time! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and constructive feedback is appreciated as always.

Take care and stay classy!

Dexter1995