In Garrett's absence Nicole turned to Llew, smiling. "The horses will know the way there an back again, right?" He nodded, turning to the servant nearest him. "If you would, have Garrett and Nicole's horses brought to the front." The servant snapped to attention, hustling out of the room with a dutiful click. When Garrett re-entered the room Nikki stood, going to him and slipping her arm through his. "Indeed I am. The horses should be out front by now." She walked with him out the main doors, to where her white mare and Garrett's bay stallion waited patiently, held by brownie grooms. "Your steeds." The one holding the mare muttered a soft 'my lady' as Nicole lept into the saddle, handing her the reins. She turned to Garrett, seeing that he was seated. "Follow close!"

With that she clicked her tongue, giving the mare a soft nudge and feeling her muscles gather, then bolt into action. The journey was quick at the pace these horses kept, barely five minutes, and they were on Nicole's doorstep. She dismounted gracefully, turning to Garrett. "Well, this is it. Now or never." She hld her hand out to him, pensive.

Resting against Garrett, Nicole took reassurance from his presence. His warmth, his scent... They were water over her frayed nerves, easing her back into confidence. "Nope. I'm good. Let's do this thing." With a touch of unwillingness to leave Garrett's arms, Nicole pulled herself away, still holding his hand, and went to the door. Taking a deep breath she knocked, giving that hand a little squeeze.

It only took a millionth of a second for the door to open, the eyes that met them frantic. It was a woman, who though obviously older, was nearly Nikki's twin. The thick dark waves were a little finer, less wild. Her eyes were a more muted green, with more browns  the mix. Her skin was fairer, though retained the red undertone that Nicole seemed to possess. Crying out she rushed forward, wrapping Nicole in her arms.

"Nicole! Don't you ever, EVER runn off like that again! Your father and I were so worried! We stayed up all night, loo-" Nicole held her hand up, smile soft. "I sent a message saying that I was okay. Let's talk about this inside." The woman nodded numbly, then her gaze fell to Nikki's hand, gripping Garrett's, then to Garrett himself. Her eyes went as wide as dinner plates, as though she were just now noticing him. Before her mother could say anything she hustled them into a tidy livingroom with Victorian-style decor, were her father was already seated on one of the two couches. Nicole steered Garrett to the other as her mother sat with her father, wringing her hands. With another deep breath, Nicole launched into the story.

"So I see faeries. Not like... Tinkerbell. But real faeries, like the kinds you both always read me stories about when I was little. I liked those stories so much because they slowly taught me what it was I was seeing. Now some of them are my friends. They're three Seelie Sidhe, and one is a night, and they're actually good, unlike a lot of sidhe. I was hanging out with them last night when we ran into Garrett, who led us to his sister, who's really Lleweloth's half-human daughter, so we all three went to Lleweloth's home, Rowan Hollow and ate. Then we were visited by the Queen, who's a total jerk. So we all kind of split up, and Garrett and I danced in the garden and maybe I sang or something and then we noticed that the others were watching us so Garrett pretended to marry me, only he wasn't really pretending, and I wasn't really pretending when I said yes, and the house knew it, and bund us with Fae magick, proving that we're, like, meant for each other, and are truly, madly, deeply in love, and we're going to get married whether you like it or not."

Nicole spoke so quickly that her mother didn't have any space to argue, no matter how hard she tried, and by the end of the story both parents were left gawking and slack jawed.

For a moment Nikki's father was silent, his steel blue eyes sharp and harsh as they took in the man who called himself his daughter's fiance. His wife looked ready to blow, and he decidedly went against her, just this once. The blue of his eyes turned as warm as the Caribbean sea, bright against his skin which was dark like Nicole's, but with more of an olive cast. He took Garrett's hand, shaking it firmly as he stood. A deep chuckle rippled through him, shocking both of the women silent.

"Oh, I don't intend to shoot you. It's a pleasure to meet you, Garrett. My name is Scott, but I guess soon enough you'll be calling me dad. I got your message last night, and it was a bit of a wake up call, to be honest." He turned to his wife, shrugging. "Anna, you're going to have to trust me on this. Our daughter is not crazy. I thought I was for years. But she really does see the Otherworld, Faerie. I used to, until I stopped believing. But then I saw a brownie on my doorstep saying that he brought word from my daughter, I started believing all over again. And I'm not stupid; I know the laws of Faerie. I had a phouka friend growing up. It's how I got into as much mischief as I did." Turning back to Nicole he smiled, eyes softening as he wrapped her in his arms.

"I love you. You have my blessing." Nikki teared up, and was about to speak when Mrs. O'Danaan stood, rage filling her eyes. "Just one da** second. I refuse to believe that all three of you honestly believe in this foolishness. And I refuse to let my daughter marry someone she's known for less than a day. I raised you better than that. And this ridiculous outfit! I bet this man payed you to lie, so that he could steal you into a life of depravity. Well, not my little girl. Not my Nikki."

First Nikki sighed. Then she grinned. And then she started laughing hysterically. "So you'd rather believe that your daughter is a spineless wimp than believe that there's a world that you can't see? You're right. You did raise me better. You raised me to wait for true love, and I did. I'm better than you. We're going to get married and you can come or not, doesn't make a difference to me." Scott turned to his daughter, then his wife, and back again. "I'm with Nicole, Anna. This boy is good. I can feel it. You know I'm fgood with people." At this his wife snorted, eyes disdainful. "I know you think that you can read people or whatever. I also know that it's bull." Nicole looked to Garrett, panic beginning to show through her eyes.

Pulling her father up behind her, Nicole turned to Garrett with a wry grin. "By 'that', do you mean the 'family arguments' or the hysteric laughter that tends to follow?" From his position riding back, Mr. O'Danaan piped up cheerily. "Because for both the answer is yes. My wife is a very logical person, and I'm an artist, which is the farthest thing from logical. So we tend to disagree on a lot of things. We usually only agree on less important things, like what shows to watch, what music we like, favorite actors, and what to make for dinner. Everything else is debateable. We never fight in front of Nikki. Alas, that's the effect of falling in love with someone for the romance of their flowery language and dazzling creativity, the way Anna did with me. The novelty wears off rather quickly, I'm afraid."

Nikki nodded in agreement, shrugging. "It's true. And, being most like my dad personality-wise, my mother and I have similar disputes. I have a very complicated family. We love each other, but sometimes that love is better observed at a distance."

Nicole blushed at the kiss, then sighed wistfully as her true love rode off into the morning light. Behind her, having dismounted, Mr. O'Danaan laughed. "You must really love him. You've never let a boy kiss you in front of your parents before. And it isn't his looks, because you've dated cuter." With a shocked laugh Nikki punched his shoulder. "Dad! You're just awful. Well, come on in!" Grabbing his hand she ran inside, going straight to the dining hall, where she suspected the others would still be lounging so early in the day.

Llew and Eri looked up, astonishment reading clear on their faces as they took in the sight of Nicole's father in their hall. Llew stood, going to his new guest, seeing the happiness bubbling over Nikki's features. "I'm guessing that he gave his blessing." With a giggle Nikki nodded, gesturing from one male to the other. "Dad, this is Lleweloth. Lleweloth, this is my father." Her father held out his hand, shaking Llew's and Eri's a she arrived, smiling warmly. "Indeed I did. Garrett seems like a fine young man. I just wanted to thank you both for keeping such good care of my daughter. The name's Scott, by the way." Llew's own smile strengthened considerably. "I can assure you that he is, Scott. And your daughter has been a good friend to us." Eri nodded, grinining wide. "Indeed. Life certainly would have been duller."

Scott shook her hand, smiling. "It seems to be a lucky time for engagements. Congratulations to both of you." He then grinned at Melody, bowing. "It's a pleasure to make your aquaintance, Miss Melody. You must be be the young lady who brought these happy couples together. Your family seems to be ever-expanding." Nodding to Faile, he allowed Nicole to lead him over to the table, pouring him a glass of juice. "It's wonderful to meet all of you. Had it not been for you all, I never would have refound my connection to Nicole. It appears to be genetic, the Sight. By the way, this is a lovely home. Miss Faile, you must feel very proud to be its soon-so-be mistress."

He grinned, watching Lleweloth's slight blush at Faile's comment. "I'm just a simple artist. I married young, and to a woman who was a great deal more logical than myself. There is not much else to my meager existence. The Sight sparked my imagination from an early age, which led to my career choice. I have always loved to draw, and believe that Nicole got much of that from me. I gave up my belief in Faerie for love of Nicole's mother, convincing myself that I was crazy, and these were just just hallucinations, imaginary friends. Other than that, I have no great story to tell." Quietly Scott took his daughter's hands, offering her a soft smile.

  Melody chose that moment to climb up into Scott's lap. "Did you fall in love in farie?" she asked in her typical, childish way.

  "Melody!" Faile exclaimed. "You musn't ask things like that. It is not polite!"

With a chuckle Scott held onto Mel, and Nicole's eyes lit up. Her father had needed that; a little girl to be around. He was an only child as well, and his wife's family lived s far away. He needed to feel like Uncle Scotty again. Still, she saw the little shado of sadness that fell briefly across his eyes, and he nodded. "It's alright, Miss Faile. And I did. She was a lady of the Court. Unfortunately she wasn't as kind or sweet as Miss Faile or Miss Eirian. I was in high school, and my heart was open with that love that takes everything it can. She led me to believe she loved me. I had to declare my love publicly. Then she would give me a quest I would have to fulfill to become her consort. She told me it was the only way she would ever accept me. So I declared myself in full view of an entire court during a celebration, and she laughed, saying that to win her love I must find her a red rose from the deepest cave and return it to her unharmed. I was laughed out of the party as a joke."