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Audrey had no idea that time could move so very slow. It was five minutes to three in the afternoon on a bright and hot Saturday in early September, and her parents had been home for a week already. Things had been going perfectly and it seemed that the bluenette's life was even settling back into a semblance of normalcy, with exception of two things. One was Aree who was still rather disjointed about the past three months, and the second was Elzo, who had let himself into her house at nine pm on Thursday evening and come face-to-face with Jason Collins.

As expected, it had not gone fantastically. It wasn't that her father minded his baby girl having a boyfriend; she was nearly eighteen now. No, the problem was that they had been asleep for three months so this strange boy he'd never met before was coming into his house with a key at night. Thankfully, Audrey had been able to hastily explain that she'd only loaned him the key so that he might check on her from time to time, nothing had happened at all, and the key had been quickly taken back and a chance to officially meet her parents had been arranged.

Shelley had done nothing but laugh about the entire thing, and Jason's initial ire had quickly disappeared after a hasty pregnancy test that his daughter had taken with more than a little heated frustration. She didn't really blame him though; after all, her parents were married because of a situation like this! Only not quite like that - Elzo was still adamant she be eighteen first. So Audrey was watching the clock in the living room like a hawk while wearing one of her nicest sundresses, a pale teal edged at empire waist and hem with white embroidered ribbon. Absent was the presence of the bow that had been a part of almost every outfit Audrey had ever worn in her seventeen years of life; it didn't quite help the idea that she was growing up!

Thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, sending her almost jumping out of her pale skin. "I got it!" Who else would it be but Elzo? No, she definitely wanted to get there before her father, who was coming down the stairs with a humored expression on his face. Oh God, this was such a nightmare! Sometimes she thought that introducing him to Beryl might have been easier!

Having Elzo bring her roses and kisses was almost as interesting as the shiny, beautiful thing sitting in her driveway at that very moment. As a result, Audrey handed her mother the roses with a smile, and pushed past her boyfriend to goggle at the car with naked greed in her eyes. "If I didn't like you so much, I would hate you utterly. That is the most gorgeous...nngh." Amber eyes lit mischievously as she turned back, hair flying out in the summer sun. "Is there the slightest chance that you brought me that to apologize for the lack of daisies? I promise you're forgive, and I'll even put two bows in my hair. Pigtails even! That's two bows." Audrey rose up on bare tiptoes to kiss him again softly, and sighed. "I miss you. Guess it's time to pay the piper, but don't worry. Dad's really calm about it, and my mom already thinks this whole thing is hilarious. It's also her fault she was pregnant at seventeen, if that was any indication." Nonetheless, fingers laced nervously with Elzo's as she pulled him back into the house.

"Elzo, these are my parents Jason and Shelley. Mom, dad, this is Elzo Xanis...my boyfriend. He cooked for me while you guys were asleep, and made sure I didn't play video games all day. He's gonna go to Sovereign in the fall, and Vicky likes him." Audrey padded his introduction with as many complimentary things as she could, but the look on Jason's face had gone from lightly amused to stern and as closed-down as she'd ever seen it. Shelley, however, was Shelley. Bustling over in her pretty cheerleader way, the blond enveloped Elzo in a light and fragrant hug.

"We should thank you then, for taking care of Audrey while we were asleep...and for the flowers. She's a good girl, and you look like a nice boy. Doesn't he Jason?" An eyebrow raised expectantly at her husband, eyes loaded with a reminder that they weren't in Kansas any longer, and their daughter wasn't pregnant. Elzo wasn't loaded down with tattoos, didn't seem to be carrying a gun, and was dressed cleanly. Audrey was a bright kid who didn't suffer fools gladly - it was all Shelley needed.

Jason, however, wanted to make him squirm. Jason had one daughter and would only ever get one chance at making a boy squirm, if the look in his girl's eyes were any indication. She was pretty well sunk on this boy, it was evident in the way she'd lit up like Christmas when he walked in. It was very reminiscent of how Shelley had been when they were young without their worries, and warmed his daddy heart. But none of that showed as Jason simply folded his arms and grunted. "Sovereign? So you're over eighteen? Are you aware that Audrey's only seventeen? So the moment you put hands on her..." It trailed off, and as expected, his baby girl took up in Elzo's defense.

"Dad! Because yeah, you weren't eighteen and fooling around with mom and I totally am not standing here as proof of that!" Her free hand was on her hip, and a foot had stomped on the hardwood indignantly. Really, she was so adorable!

Even Audrey's mother's eyes widened at his last statement and the bluenette whirled to give him a rather aghast look a moment before holding out her hands in the universal stop, hold on motion. "Alrighty, now that we've started out on such a marvelously wonderful foot, dad did you want to punch him in here, or can we go into the living room so you can throw him through the front window?" Catching on quickly and recovering her composure, Shelley stepped up as well and smiled widely at her daughter. "There's also the coffee table that we brought from my mother's when we got married. That would be a great introduction wouldn't it? I'll go get the drinks, Elzo? You're alright with lemonade aren't you?" Shelley reached out to pat his arm with a slight smile, moving into the kitchen and leaving them alone.

Jason was looking rather beastly at that particular moment, face even more closed-down than it was initially, holding out an arm and letting Audrey drag on Elzo's arm and push him before her into the living room and onto the loveseat there. He was rather familiar with it, it had rained one night and they'd cuddled up there to watch the storm; it was also across from the couch where less than a week ago she'd been treating Aree. None of this was known about her parents, including Elzo's past and why exactly he was at Hillworth. When her mother returned with the drinks and everyone had sat, Audrey simply knit her fingers around a glass, sitting back and talking carefully.

"Dad, you know how guys are sometimes right? Total idiots, womanizers, overeager horn dogs?" She grinned impishly and jerked a thumb towards her boyfriend. "Elzo Xanis. I'm pretty sure he still holds the record in underwear collection?" An eyebrow raised in his direction. The pair had never directly discussed exactly what she knew about him and his exploits, but oh boy did she know. The smile softened a bit though, and there was very little mischief left in her eyes. "But that's the thing about knowing all this. I know when it stopped, and it was right after we met. Girls talk, and I haven't heard a thing in a few months. So...." Audrey trailed off, sipping at her lemonade and leaning her head lightly against the young man's shoulder for just a moment. Jason had softened as well, seeing that look again. He'd lost his baby girl, that was easy enough to see; especially considering that in less than two and a half months she would be eighteen. That was the most dangerous part.

Leaning forward, Jason looked over the pair and finally grinned in a masculine mirror of his daughter's own grin. "Kid, you're vicious." Eyes flicked over to Elzo. "Are you sure you really want to date her? She's got a mean streak a mile wide, and boy is she scrawny." Much like his daughter, the man sat back and nodded while Audrey sputtered and looked for a pillow to throw. Somehow, he was sitting on all of them. Imagine that! "I appreciate your honesty about your age, your past, and your intentions. Doesn't change what she just said, but ah..." A glance went sidelong to his wife. "I was young once." His piece said, things settled, the man of the house looked between the pair of tense youths and shook his head.

"Shelley's making her famous linguine for dinner, you're welcome to stay if you don't have a date tonight." Apparently the sense of humor ran thick in the family; Vicky had it too. Audrey leaned in again to put her moderate weight against her boyfriend, nodding. "I told mom you liked pasta. She's way better than I am!" Gold eyes were seeking, almost pleading with him to stay; there was no better way to make a good impression!

Eyes narrowed at the mention of the girl who gave Elzo free coffee at the cafe, that would have to be quietly looked into: would anyone notice if she disappeared? It would have to be carefully timed. Her boyfriend would have been shocked to hear these particular thoughts in innocent Audrey's violent little brain though it was startling to her somewhat at how natural they'd become. Or it would have been, had she considered at all that they weren't natural. "Actually, I think we need to go upstairs and discuss the whole idea of me putting up with you. In detail. And I need the name of that girl who gives you free coffee....oh and yes, the door will be wide open." Taking Elzo's hand and pausing to beam gratefully at both of her parental units, the bluenette didn't waste any time dragging him up the familiar set of stairs into her bedroom, pushing him to sit on her bed with a relieved sigh.

"That went really well. Really, really well. I was afraid when I saw Dad's face, but I think he actually likes you a bit. I know mama does, she likes boys like you. Next thing you know she'll be having me go across town to bring you cake and cookies and invite you to dinner four nights a week until you're all but living here too. Again." Thin arms went around Elzo's neck as she let the daydreams take control, sliding almost absent-minded into his lap. It never occurred to Audrey that she could sit on the chair, or Aree's bed, or the bed next to him, not at all. It was his lap or she stood; they needed to be close. There were still a few important questions though, it wasn't just about her parents approving of him. It was also Elzo feeling like he could be comfortable with them. Relationships were two-way streets, and while she wasn't overly fond of Marlo, he wasn't bad.

"So...did you like them? If so, do I get to meet yours next? You've always been really quiet about that." Fingers lightly tangled into the hair at the back of Elzo's neck as a curly head came to rest on his broad shoulder. The dress was fairly impractical and soon he'd have a nice glimpse down the front of the loose bit of teal cotton, the skirt riding up to show lightly tanned thighs; coming upstairs now her parents might have a fit. Of course, she didn't think a thing of it; it was so quintessentially Audrey to not notice her clothing when she was around someone that didn't comment on her looks. Or didn't comment differently, in Elzo's case. She could've worn the ugliest thing in her wardrobe and he'd call her beautiful, Elzo was silly like that.

She loved him desperately, for all of it.

Downstairs, two pairs of adult eyes looked at each other and with a smile, Shelley simply headed out of the room. "Give them at least fifteen minutes alone before you go charging in there, Jason. It'd be rude otherwise."

The kisses had melted her so that when yet again Elzo insisted that she was not going to meet his parents ever if he could help it, she was not overly disappointed as was the usual. Audrey'd turned into his lap a bit, kissing softly at his jaw with lightly open lips so that her skirt rode up a bit higher and a very large, warm hand landed right on the outside of her upper thigh. Everything froze then as that deliciously male chuckle tickled her ears and stirred messy curls before Audrey all but threw herself out of his lap with bright red cheeks. "Oh! I wasn't supposed to sit on your lap in this, I totally forgot!" The blush faded a bit as simple, girlish laughter echoed off the wooden floors. "Thanks for reminding me Elzo, you're a real champion." The dress spun out as she turned quickly, ferreting through drawers before edging a glance at the doorway.

Honey eyes glanced to the door, back at Elzo, weighed the effort it would take to go into the bathroom and do what was easy enough right here. A crouch, a shimmy, and the form-hugging, knee-length denim shorts had been pulled up and secured beneath the dress. The top was a smidge harder and was simply half-tossed on over the dress before Audrey backed up again with another giggle and a smile. "Can you pull the zipper on the back please? I don't have to look so formal now that the interrogation is over and I've made my parents think that we're both perfectly good children." It was going to expose the skin of her back, but that was nothing. After all, they'd slept together for a few weeks as innocent as can be...but he'd gotten hands on skin at least once. At least twice. Then she'd stopped counting.

"It was so hot today I didn't really want to bother with them, gets a nice breeze under the dress. Vicky took me shopping again, didn't you get pictures? She's slacking if not. But boy oh boy, you wouldn't believe what she's gotten me stuffed into today." Her head shook and unwilling to be too far away while waiting for the zipper, she perched again on Elzo's knees. "I really miss having you here." It was really quiet in contrast to the bustling clang of pots and pans from beneath, the radio clicking to life quietly. It was all the sounds of a home, but recently, she'd still been lonely. Aree helped quite a bit, even though they were strained...but she missed Elzo.

She missed her boyfriend.

Teeth sank into Audrey's bottom lip as she stalwartly stared at the doorway while Elzo's hands traveled and his mouth lightly brushed across her neck: you never quite knew when daddy was going to walk by. Relaxing wasn't easy, though it was quite easy to enjoy the attention and the affection behind the touches in lieu of passion. It seemed that things that most boys did to girls when they wanted a certain something were things that Elzo did constantly, simply because he liked demonstrating that he simply liked her. It was odd, interesting, and lovely.

The word choice about her favorite cousin, however, had a bit left to be desired. Audrey wasn't quite sure if she should ruin the moment to flick at him a bit for calling her Rosie a b***h, though it was absolutely what Victoria had been that afternoon in the store. Sending pictures of the untouchable, virgin Audrey Collins to her poor boyfriend who had a raging libido and was trying to keep things in check to remain loyal to the girl he cared about. It was a cruel torture and something female and catty inside of the teen absolutely thrilled at it. It was that which made up her mind that no, it could wait. Elzo really didn't need any more scolding that her father had given him for one day, and he'd had a point. They were bitches!

Sliding off the bed, the straps of the teal dress were shimmied off her shoulders where it pooled on the floor, forgotten as a pure white ribbon was tied into a bow neatly at the back of her hair. For the most part it had been abandoned as part of a child's wardrobe, but Elzo really liked the bow; mostly liked untying the bow, but it got his hands in her hair and that was all she wanted. Crawling back up onto the bed her clothing was all close to her body and allowing no glimpses inside, face up close to his as blue hair fell and filtered the afternoon sun. They'd done this several times, though usually she'd still be on his lap when it happened - there were some risks Audrey wasn't willing to take. Lightly, her lips touched his in a chaste kiss with a smile.

"No, we can't skip dinner, but it should be over long before nightfall. If you're really good, I don't see why mom and dad won't let me out." Thankfully he had never mentioned, or simply never noticed, the fact that almost everything she ever wore or cuddled up into smelled purely of fresh daisies. Thankfully for Castor and Linarite at least; Audrey never thought about it. Never cared. Pulling her hair back so that her head could rest on his shoulder, the teen sighed. "I think, actually, that I prefer you as a possessive a*****e, Elzo. I like spending most of my time with you, we have fun. We laugh, I don't have to worry about tripping and making you go crazy...or worry that you'll start crying. Girls cry a lot." She didn't. "Maybe one day we'll finally be able to take that vacation, hmm?" It sounded lovely, the beach. Alone again, with Elzo.

Jason found them like that exactly fifteen minutes on the dot after they'd gone upstairs. The pair on the bed didn't even notice his honey eyes peering around the doorframe and witnessing the couple there. Being on the bed had his heart leaping, but hands were all in good places, and lips were far apart. What father could ask for more of his nearly-legal daughter? Sighing and feeling somewhat betrayed that he'd raised his daughter right, Jason simply turned and went downstairs to annoy his wife. Maybe that could salvage the day!

The idea of a 'man-off' had a decidedly tongue-in-cheek comment blooming in Audrey's mind before it bore fruit and tumbled from her lips without a whole lot of though to the true innuendo she was spewing. "I don't know, I think my dad's manscore is a lot higher. And then you get into the ilevel on his manstick and it's like woaaaaah. It's not that you're not epic, darling Elzo, it's just that well...he's just been at this man thing a lot longer. You're just a man-noob." A pause. "But I'm not your manpet. And beware my mangle." The grin was wide as her mind wandered through the myriad of Warcraft references that she could make with a simple substitution and parallel them. Elzo loved her, so would probably find it adorable.

Everyone else usually found it strange and annoying.

Sitting up and all but bouncing off the bed to offer him a hand up, Audrey was all energy and smiles. "I've heard that the Pacific coast of Mexico is always fairly beautiful and rather deserted by resort towns. Probably could find a nice little corner there!" Not that she'd looked. Not that she didn't already have one in mind. It was firmly bookmarked, however, under 'dreams unlikely to come true' on her browser; Elzo had money but she wasn't about to take advantage of it. It was bad enough that Jada hung her with diamonds, bought her two-hundred dollar dresses that barely had enough fabric to compete with her twenty dollar sweaters, and bought her other extravagant presents that the poor Meadowview alumni was acutely conscious of the fact that she could not ever repay any of it. Birthdays were going to be a nightmare. Thankfully Elzo wasn't into huge presents, and Jada had been asleep for hers.

With Elzo's hand in hers Audrey all but bounced down the wooden stairs, hesitating a bit when five places were set at the dinner table in the kitchen. It wasn't unusual for Shelley to set an extra place at the table that nobody ever sat at, but now they had a guest. One that Audrey desperately wanted to impress and show that there was absolutely no trouble in River City. A quick look flicked from father to daughter with the clear message: 'Ignore it.' So she did. "Mom! Elzo's dying to have your spaghetti so bad that he refuses to speak to me until we eat." A cheeky smile was sent over her shoulder to the boy in question.

"Right?"