Re: //Rated M // Don't Panic!

Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:35 am

"Yeah, didn't think so either," she replied to Robert Ashton and adding, "But I'm behind you two every step of the way. That way if Mel starts throwing curses, you guys will be first targets and I'll have a chance to run for it!" Grinning at her father as he made a face at her and then laughed with the two women still 'plotting and chatting away' in the corner. It was nice to see them hitting it off so well, well somewhat. The jury would still be out for a while on whether that was a good thing or not.

The nurse arrived to escort some of them back and with Gerard and Tiffany taking charge of one rather ecstatic, stunned, happy, giddy Ethan Fitch-Hunter, geeky librarian daddy, Emma followed the two sets of new grandparents back to say hello to her new niece.

Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:52 am

Unaware of the events outside of her room Mel nodded that she was ready to have visitors, Ashleigh nuzzled against her content for the moment. Of course nobody had known to warn her that while she had thought that it would be just Ethan, her parents, maybe Emma and Gerard her quasi-in laws had arrived and so she just stared in utter confusion at the two well dressed strangers. "Um.." this was awkward, where was Ethan? How come there was just her parents and these people here? She might well have freaked out had it not been for catching sight of Emma. "Emma? Where's Ethan? is everything okay?" she asked sitting up in worry and concern about what had happened while she'd been cooped up in her little room.

The second and more obvious question was who was the woman standing with her Mum and why was her Mum going on and on to her about how beautiful Ashleigh was and starting to go into a full blow by blow account of how she'd found out Mel was pregnant and how exciting it all was? Oh Mum hadn't called some second third removed cousin's had she? "Dad what's going on?" she tried again, forgetting that this was supposed to be a nice meet and greet situation as Ashleigh picked up on Mel's concern and started to grissle at being moved. "Shhh.. it's okay.." or maybe it wasn't as slowly it was beginning to dawn on her who the strangers where. Mel tried very hard not to let the feeling of horror show on her face, talk about awkward? The Fitch-Hunters? Ethan's parents? Ohlord what on earth where they doing here? Mel didn't even know what to say, they had of course meant to visit Ethan's parents but of course things had come up (and with all four of them having rather complex schedules it wasn't that surprising that visits had been hard to fit in).

Mel felt horrible, had Ethan mentioned they where coming and she'd just forgotten? Blushing she tried to think of what to say and eventually gave up to settle on "Um Hi.. I'm Mel" it seemed the least likely to be offensive when she wasn't quite sure if they where upset with her for well.. being a women and getting knocked up to their son without even being married or bothering to visit!.. goats that sounded so horrible! But that was her now wasn't it? Mel knew it was stupid but she couldn't help but assume that they would be judging her harshly for everything, the fact that she'd never bothered to buy any designer maternity clothes.. let alone her robot socks and unstylish hair. Then there was her parents.. Mel could tell from her Mum's shoes that they'd arrived here straight from bed. No doubt Ethan's parents would think them a bunch of uncultured country bumpkins or something.

Mon Jul 25, 2011 3:01 am

Emma waved from the back of the pack as Mel called out to her. "He's with Gerard and Tiffany as they try to get some coffee and a bit of food into him. He's a bit giddy at the moment and ..." she pointed at the two sets of grandparents.

It was then Donna spoke up. "Oh Ethan is so right! Ashleigh's just as beautiful as her mother! I mean you! Oh you are obviously Mel, but I guess you don't have a clue who we are. We flew in tonight to surprise you but I, well... You beat us to the surprise part. I'm so happy to meet you and your parents. Oh, Moria you have such a wonderful daughter......"

"Donna, you're going to scare the poor woman," Christopher spoke softly, smiling. "Hi, Mel," he greeted her. We're Christopher and Donna and you can call us that, or Ma and Pa or whatever makes you comfortable but you are so much a part of our family now. Hard to believe this is where we all end up after so many years working together, eh Robert?" he directed that last question at Mel's dad but his eyes were moist and his smile a mile wide as he took in the pair before him. The woman his son loved and the baby they brought into the world, his granddaughter.

Emma just grinned at it all.

Wed Jul 27, 2011 12:22 pm

"Well thanks Emma.. you'd better hope those little legs of yours can out sprint us eh?" Robert teased, it was quite clear what side of the family Mel got her height ...most certainly not that of her mother! "Take care son" Robert said casually patting Ethan on the arm before following Moria and Donna to fall into step with Christoper "Funny how life is eh?" Robert said, he'd always felt it best to stay out his daughter's life as much as possible, Moria did enough prying for the both of them. He'd played dumb on finding out that she was working with the Hunter's thinking it a odd coincidence until her name had popped up in a email and well.. the rest was history. He'd certainly never thought all those years ago that he'd be sharing grandparent duty with Christoper and Donna.

One thing about knowing people so long was that you tended to forget that not everyone had the same luxury, Robert could still remember the way Mel had been furious and not talked to him for weeks after finding out that he knew the Fitch-Hunter's and it seemed another of those moments when he just shrugged at his daughter, letting the Fitch-Hunter's explain for themselves as he just listening to Moria rant. It was a very strange thing for a man to see his only daughter with a baby in arms. "Ash.. it's a good name.. solid" Robert said with a nod, he'd seen many lives into and out of the world and never cried over them however even he had to admit to it being a emotional moment... though Moria was crying on his arm. Robert gave his daughter a wink before nodding to Christoper "Couldn't have counted on it in a million years mate". Robert had never been one to agree with Moria's obsession for a granddaughter, but he couldn't help but be tickled pink to meet his granddaughter for the first time. Knowing that there would be another generation to watch grow up, just like the first time all over again.

Wed Jul 27, 2011 1:49 pm

"Giddy?" Mel said back to Emma, the expression on her face remembering a certain Librarian panicking around the bedroom with his tshirt on the outside of his pajamas. Poor Ethan, who knew how he was going to manage the first time Ashleigh brought home a boyfriend or crashed a car? Knowing Gerard and Tiff where here she felt a bit calmer to know Gerard was here, she'd worried about him driving around the countryside at this hour. Sighing at her parents Dad was as usual less then forthcoming and she was just staring at the strangers much like Ashleigh was. "Excuse me?" she was starting to feel a bit annoyed at everyone talking around her as if she was invisible.

Thankfully for everyone's sake a explanation was soon forthcoming, Mel wasn't quite sure what to say, she wasn't used to these kinds of situations..although how anyone could get used to ending up in a hospital room being greeted by your boyfriends parents who where supposed to be in England? Mel had no idea. "Surprise us? eh.. okay" Mel mentally kicked herself knowing the house was hardly in a fit state for visitors...let alone parents! She had a bad feeling Dad had been behind the idea that it was perfectly fine to just show up at their place without letting them know first. Mind you Mel had always worked on the hope that one day she'd be able to just say NO when Marcus or Nathan or Tiff or her parents showed up at the door without notice for a visit... okay so it was a long list and she'd never really said she was against the random visits but there was only so many times Tiff could show up to rant about how wonderful Gerard was and ask a million questions about what personal taste he had for types of cheese and Marcus 'just popping by' to try and get a glance of the TARDIS that Ethan most certainly did not have.

Mel was rather speechless for the rest, she'd gone to bed expecting to spend today potting around the house before going into the office but instead here she was meeting Ethan's parents and holding a baby, her baby. It was all so surreal. Mum was crying, Emma was grinning and Dad was just looking proud, she couldn't help but tear up to know that they where all here and cared so much. "Thanks Dad" Mel mouthed before blinking and offering her free hand to Christopher "It's.. really nice to met you.. both of you" Mel laughed and sniffled at the same time, it wasn't the most polite way to greet family but after looking down at Ashleigh and reassuring herself that it would be okay she looked up at Donna "Would you like to hold her?" Mel asked, not sure what the status quo was for this kind of situation, did she wait until Ethan returned or was there some kind of correct order? Mel was just going with what her gut told her and relying on everything else to know what was what.