Hanging By A Moment

Hanging By A Moment
Chapter 30: Meet The Greys

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The last few days leading up to spring break came and went all too quickly for Scott and Jean as they were set to depart for Connecticut on Saturday. Tensions were running high since neither of them knew what to expect. Such feelings were familiar to the both of them, most notably when Jean spent Thanksgiving with Scott’s family, but under the circumstances…There was much more reason to be concerned with this visit.

Jean knew her family was nothing like the Howletts. Their concept of fun was many times different than theirs and they had always been quick to judge, quick to reprimand, and quick to argue. Things between her and her family hadn’t gotten any better since the holidays because of the lingering disappointed her mother and father expressed over her decision not to come to Italy for Thanksgiving. And while she did let them know she was coming with Scott, there was only so much she could prepare for.

Historically, Jean hadn’t enjoyed much luck when it came to introducing her boyfriends to her parents. Every time she had been foolish enough to bring them over, it always turned into more of an interrogation rather than a meeting. Since most of the men she hooked up with for sexual reasons were not usually up to her parents’ rigorous standards, it had always been a major source for strain. The only exceptions to the matter were Duncan and Warren, who her parents were more approving of because of their rich background. Yet when things soured between her and Duncan, her parents just didn’t seem to get the fact that he was a jerk she didn’t want to date anymore through their heads. It was even worse with Warren since they had been extremely insistent on him being the man she stayed with. While at first, she didn’t mind this…It really led to a great deal of trouble when things between them began to fall apart because both their families pressured them to stay together, which in turn only aided in their breakup.

But this time, Jean tried not to think of past relationships, for this situation was completely different to her. This was not just some random guy she brought home…This was Scott…This was the man she had fallen in love with…And this was the man she wanted to be with. While he wasn’t rich of from a well-known family, he was kind, thoughtful, and a gentleman at heart. He was smart enough to keep up with them and strong enough not to be intimidated by them. But even though he was a soldier who had fought and nearly died in a war, Jean felt that this was probably going to be an entirely new challenge for the both of them…One that could have a potentially huge impact on their relationship.

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Saturday finally came for them and the big moment for when Scott would have his first encounter with the Greys was a mere six hour drive away. They chose to leave around noon after having eaten a hardy lunch since they would definitely need their strength for what was to come. It would be a week long stay just as Jean’s Thanksgiving visit was, but a week seemed like an eternity for Jean as the prospect of her family disapproving of Scott continued to wear hard on her nerves.

But like it or not, the visit was set to being as they both loaded up their bags in Jean’s black BMW and prepared to make their fateful departure.

“You know it’s not too late Scott…” she said, half joking and half serious, “We can still call this off. I can call my parents and tell them you caught the flu or something.”

“No…I want to do this Jean,” assured Scott as he closed the trunk of her car and made his way over to his weary girlfriend, “This is important…For your family and for us. I owe it to them and I owe it to you to let them know how much a part of my life you are now.”

“But Scott…You know they’re nothing like your family,” said Jean, once again going over the warning she had told him time and time again, “I’m not going to lie to you…There is a real chance that they may not approve of us and there’s a real chance that they may forbid me from ever seeing you.”

“But would that really change anything between us?” asked Scott in response as he pulled her into a warm embrace, “Would it make you love me any less?”

“Of course not,” she said as she sank into his arms and looked back up at him with worried eyes, “I just…I don’t want them to come between us. I don’t want my family to affect the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Scott smiled warmly at her and gently caressed her face with his hand, holding her closer in his strong arms. While he couldn’t deny that he was indeed nervous, he didn’t want to let such feelings consume him. He wanted to make a genuinely good impression for Jean’s family. He wanted to let them know just how much he cared about their daughter. And as he looked back into her beautiful emerald green eyes, he knew that this woman was definitely worth it.

“Don’t worry…” he said to her in a soft, reassuring tone, “I promise you I’ll never let that happen. I just want to let your family know who I am and how much you mean to me. And if they can’t accept that…Then that’s their problem.”

Jean finally managed to smile back at her boyfriend and lover, feeling somewhat more comforted knowing that even if her parents hated their relationship, which was entirely possible in Jean’s mind, it would not change how he felt about her. Her parents had made a lot of things difficult in her life. They had affected her friendships, her personal growth, and even her mental health. But she sure as hell would not let them affect this…She would never let them taint something she had come to treasure so much.

“You promise?” she said, her smile warming Scott’s heart as she seemed to finally ease in the comfort of his embrace.

“Marine corps honor…” he told her, affirming that he had no intention of backing down.

“Good enough for me…” she said as she drew him into a deep kiss.

The time had finally come for them to depart. In both their minds, they knew this was going to be a pivotal point in their relationship…But in addition, it was certain to be the most trying. Jean knew her family was a challenge in a league all their own. They would most likely be overbearing, arrogant, and judgmental. But she had never been in a relationship this deep before and she had never introduced a man like Scott to them before. She knew there would definitely be difficulties…But for the sake of their relationship, she was willing to work with him to make this visit mean something. And hopefully, it would aid their relationship as they continued to move forward together with every intention of ensuring that their love could overcome any challenge…Including Jean’s family.

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The drive to Connecticut was long and fairly uneventful for the two lovers. Jean spent most of the drive laying out what Scott should and shouldn’t do around her parents. Such things included making dirty jokes, kissing, and especially…Sex. She made it clear to him that they shouldn’t get intimate or talk about their sex lives together because as far as her family was concerned, they hadn’t even done it yet. While Jean knew they probably suspected as much given her history, it was better that they didn’t know the full extent of their intimacy.

Also along the way, Jean laid out the plan for them to follow that she hoped would work best. When they got there, it would be around dinnertime, but it would probably be a small meal given that it was only Saturday. Then on Sunday, Jean’s sister, Sara, would arrive with her husband, Paul. And it was here where they would all have the first big dinner together. This was the most important part in Jean’s mind since it had always been the moment where her parents would show their approval, or more often than not, disapproval, of a friend or boyfriend that was unlucky enough to visit. And if they could get through this dinner on a positive note with her folks, then that would be success enough in of itself. But such a feat would require them to overcome quite a bit of obstacles and knowing Jean’s family, they wouldn’t be much help to either of them in doing so.

But for the most part, Scott was fairly confident that they could work through any challenges her family presented them. He was willing to adhere to their rules for the sake of gaining their approval which he so sorely wanted. Growing up, he never met a rich, upper class family and this was definitely going to be unknown territory for him. But the marine in him helped Scott keep his cool, for he knew he was going to need it for what was to come.

After nearly six hours on the road and with the sun beginning to set, the young couple finally reached the affluent upper class neighborhood that Jean had grown up in. It was a very well kempt, well maintained, and well secured area for people willing to pay a little extra for an extra extravagant standard of living. Immediately, Scott was taken by the sheer size of each house they passed by. His mouth literally hung open at a few of them which looked like outright mansions rather than houses. Many of the homes they passed had large driveways with three car garages, large pools in the backyard, and in some cases, tennis or racquetball courts. Such features showed just how wealthy the area was and Scott was already feeling somewhat out of place given how he has spent the majority of his life in middle to lower class settings.

“Wow…” he said as they passed by another large house that could have probably qualified as a mansion, “This is where you grew up?”

“Yeah…This is the place,” said Jean, not sounding too enthusiastic about it, “It’s a place where the only minorities you’ll see are the ones tending the yards and where everybody speaks the same judgmental language that seems to displace anything and everything that’s even remotely outside the status quo.”

“Kind of a pessimistic view, don’t you think?” said Scott with a wry grin.

“Pessimistic or not…It’s the cold hard truth,” quipped Jean in response as they passed down a few streets that brought up a few memories of her life here that had been so wrought with complications, “Where you saw basketball courts in your neighborhood…You’ll see golf courses and tennis courts here. Where you saw kids playing kickball in the street…You’ll see nothing more than the occasional police patrol and some rich fuck walking his dog. It’s a very restrictive, very gated community that frowns on the notions of free will and choice in the life you want to live.”

“Well you seemed to break free of it,” made Scott as they passed one of the many golf courses where Jean had developed an intense distaste of what she saw as a boring, elitist pastime.

“Comes with being the black sheep I guess…” shrugged Jean, showing that she had no remorse, “Right over there is my old high school…The one place where I could be myself and grow into the person I truly was at heart.”

“Nice…It’s definitely way bigger than my old high school,” said Scott, admiring the large, well kempt building that seemed many times richer and neater than the more typical school he went to.

“Well I got lucky here,” she said as they drove past it and made another turn down the next road, “Originally, my parents wanted to send me to some preppy private school instead since I had some ‘discipline’ problems in junior high. But when they realized that in order to do that, they’d have to send me away and spend a great deal of money doing so, they decided against it. And besides…I don’t think they liked the idea of me being in a place where they didn’t have any control over me.”

“I thought you said they never had much control over you to begin with?” said Scott in response, remembering all the times when Jean scoffed at the idea of her being anything like her family.

“Touchè soldier boy…” she said with a smile, glad to see their nervousness hadn’t impeded their wit, “But unfortunately, that’s not the case in the eyes of my parents. They don’t seem to grasp the fact that they never had control over me…Not since the accident with Annie that eternally fucked me up. They still try to force me to go by the standards they see fit in hopes of ‘fixing’ my behavior…”

“Jean…” said Scott, taking her hand in his as her voice became somewhat strained.

“They don’t talk to me so much as they lecture me with every move I make no matter how small or mundane,” continued Jean as she drove by the streets that held so many memories for her, “It’s as if they look for ways to criticize the person I am in hopes of ripping it apart and putting someone more acceptable in it’s place…”

“Jean…” said Scott again, trying to get her to stop, but she just wouldn’t allow herself to do so as she went on and on.

“They treat me like I’m broken…” she said, forcing herself to swallow the growing lump in her throat as she found herself stuck in a place within her head that she had long since been trying to escape, “It’s as if I’m less a daughter to them and more a liability to their precious name. It’s as if…”

“Jean!” said Scott, not letting her finish, for he could tell it was getting too hard for her, “Jean listen to me…You are not broken…You are not some lost cause…And I won’t sit here an let you call think of yourself like this because I know you. I know you’re so much more than that.”

Jean gave his hand a firm squeeze as she took a few deep breaths. She knew she had allowed herself to lose control of her words and thoughts. Such incidents were all too common for her, but she had never let things get too out of hand when she was with Scott. Looking back at him, she felt a little better knowing that she had someone to keep her grounded. It was one of the many things about Scott that made him so different. And after having been forced to deal with it on her own for so long now, it was a definitely a pleasing feeling.

“Thank you, Scott…” she told him as she once again managed to gain control of herself as they neared her home, “I’m sorry I just…Whenever I think about my family I…”

“Hey…It’s okay,” said Scott in a soft tone, “I understand…Believe me, I understand.”

Those words helped calm her down and she managed to give him a warm, appreciative smile as they made the final turn down her street and neared the large, upper class house that she had called home for the majority of her life. As they pulled into the driveway and the hum of the engine finally stopped after a long six hour ride, the young couple knew it was now or never.

“Well…Are you sure you’re ready for this, Scott?” asked Jean, thinking it might not be too late.

“As ready as I’ll ever be…” answered Scott as he looked up at the imposing image of Jean’s large, upper class house.

“In that case…I guess it’s all up to my folks now,” she said, still not feeling very hopeful about what they may think about their relationship.

“Then we best not keep them waiting,” said Scott with a reassuring smile.

The young couple enjoyed one last deep kiss, knowing that it may be difficult for them to have another chance at one under Jean’s parents. They both stretched it, wanting to make it last for as long as possible and for Jean, she wanted to commit such sensations to memory in case something went wrong as it so often had whenever it involved her parents.

When they finally parted, the young couple stepped out of the car and began making their way up to the front door. Scott looked up with unabated awe at the sheer size of the house, for it was bigger than he had imagined. The whole house was a vast brick structure with a four car garage, a long finely kempt driveway, a lawn big enough for his old high school football team to scrimmage on, and enough rooms to get lost in. For the former orphan and street kid, it was a pretty amazing sight to finally be this close to such a grand house.

“Wow…You grew up here?” said Scott as he admired the elaborate image of the large, imposing house.

“Yep…From the cradle to high school,” said Jean, not sounding too enthused since these walls held some pretty unpleasant memories for her.

“It’s huge…” said Scott as they neared the door, “No wonder you managed to sneak out of it so many times.”

“Oh you have no idea…” said Jean with a grin as she rang the doorbell and waited nervously for her parents to show themselves.

Jean quickly checked the dress she had worn specifically for this occasion. Normally, she wouldn’t have really cared all that much about what she wore to her parents, mainly because she had stopped caring about whether or not she pissed them off, but since she was introducing her boyfriend to them, she knew she couldn’t afford that luxury if things were to go well. She wore a nice light-red dress that she had bought that didn’t accentuate her fine curves as well as some of her other clothes, but that was to keep her parents from making any comments about her dressing ‘bawdy’ as they called it.

Scott had also dressed for the occasion, wearing a pair of nice khakis and a red and black dress shirt that he and Jean had picked out together before they came. While he wasn’t used to wearing such formal clothing in a setting like this, he wanted to show Jean’s family that he was willing to respect their code of conduct…As ridged as it may be. Even though he never had to be this formal before with his other girlfriends, he was willing to work around it for Jean. He didn’t know what to expect from these people given everything Jean had told him, but like it or not…They were her parents and if he was to be a part of Jean’s life, then they would have to be a part as well.

Jean nervously held Scott’s hand as they heard footsteps in front of the door, but his firm grip helped to keep her calm. She knew she couldn’t afford to lose it this time around, but there was no telling how far her parents would push her if things didn’t go well.

Finally, the door opened and a tall, elderly man dressed in semi-formal attire with gray hair and glasses stood before them.

“Hey daddy…We’re here,” she said, managing a smile as she saw the man she had so often clashed with over the years.

“Jean…Glad you could make it this year for a change,” he said as he opened the door and let the two youths enter.

Jean, wanting to start things off on a good note, gave her father a hug as his attention quickly drew to Scott Summers as he stood there respectfully before the man whose approval he was determined to win by the end of the week.

“Daddy…” she began as they both turned their attention to Scott, “This is the boy I told you about…Scott Summers. And Scott…This is my father, John Grey.”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you sir,” said Scott with a smile as he shook the older man’s hand in a welcoming gesture.

“Likewise Mr. Summers,” said John Grey, already closely studying the young man standing before him, “Jean has told us quite a bit about you these past few months.”

“That’s good to hear, and please, call me Scott,” said the young man in a more casual tone.

John Grey raised an eyebrow to the young man’s casual demeanor. He may not have been aware of the true extent of this man’s relationship to his youngest daughter, but he had always tended to view anybody Jean brought home with a certain level of suspicion. Historically, she had brought home a mixed range of characters both male and female alike and at times, they had clashed. As problematic as things with her had been, John still tried to keep an open mind, but that was difficult given her daughter’s less than stellar track record.

“Well then…Scott,” said John, “I suppose I should give you a little tour…”

“Sounds great!” said Scott optimistically as he followed he elderly man through the vast rooms of the upper class dwelling.

It had been a little stiffer than Scott had hoped, but nevertheless, it hadn’t been disastrous either. He tried to keep in mind all the details Jean had so explicitly laid out for him concerning how to best interact with her family. This meant things like not making too many jokes, speaking out of line, or making mundane comments. Things around Jean’s home had always been very ridged and strict as opposed to the lively free atmosphere that Scott was used to with his family back home in Buffalo.

Scott tried to hide some of his awe as John showed him around some of the many rooms to the large, elaborate house. His mouth nearly hung open in awe at times when he saw certain areas like the library and the back yard, which had a large, in-ground pool and tennis court. Such reactions didn’t go unnoticed by John Grey, but he didn’t say anything just yet as he showed the young man around the house, giving him a taste of the dwelling that Jean had grown up in.

The house was big enough to get lost in and there were so many places to see. Scott felt as though he would need a map just to find the bathroom. Jean stayed close to him and made a few comments here and there about each room, but John did most of the talking. Finally, they ended the tour in the large den off to the side of the front door where they had entered and were now sitting upon the large couch adjacent to the fireplace. Scott had to admit, he had no idea Jean had grown up in such affluence. Back in Bayville, her apartment was not much bigger than his and her tastes were nowhere near as elegant or elaborate as this house would have implied. But affluence aside, this was unknown territory for Scott and he would have to do some major adjusting if he was to speak on the same level as these rich upper class people.

“You have a very nice house here, Mr. Grey,” said Scott as John sat in one of the chairs across from the couch where he and Jean were currently sitting.

“Yes it is, isn’t it?” he said proudly, not showing he had any qualms about how he felt about the status this house garnered, “My wife and I were lucky to get a place such as this in a neighborhood like this. You must understand, there are many people who aspire to live in a setting such as this.”

“And I don’t blame them,” said Scott, looking around at the size of the den alone.

“But unfortunately…It takes a lot more than money to have the opportunity to live in an area like this,” said John Grey, thinking Scott didn’t quite understand the true majesty of where he was, “A neighborhood like this in a country like this caters only to a special breed…One that wishes to live outside of society’s ills and enjoy a standard of living that is becoming increasingly rare nowadays.”

“I see…So you’re saying that just because somebody is rich doesn’t mean they can be a part of a world like this?” said Scott, finding that idea to be a little disconcerting, yet didn’t display any kind of animosity to it since this was his girlfriend’s father he was talking to.

“Exactly,” affirmed John Grey, “There are plenty of rich people out there in the world…Some of which who are born into wealth and some of which who attain their wealth.”

“And which one would you be?” asked Scott curiously.

“A little bit of both,” answered John, “You see…The Grey family has many ties back to the old nobility of England. Our family tree goes back quite extensively all the way to the Middle Ages. We have a long history and tradition of successful business, banking, and land ownership going back to the old feudal ways. The Grey family was among one of the first noble class people to come to America back during the 18th century where we continued to thrive with the keen sense of business and money management that that has served us so well for generations.”

“Wow…” said Scott, unable to hide his reaction, for he had no idea that Jean came from such a prestigious family, “That’s quite a story. You must be very proud of your heritage.”

“I am…We all are,” said John, speaking with poise and confidence, “It is a great privilege to be a part of this family…A privilege that some foolishly squander.”

That last comment immediately triggered a reaction in Jean, for she could feel her father’s eyes upon her as he said those words.

“Daddy…” said Jean in an annoyed tone, “Don’t start with this again.”

“I’m not starting anything Jean,” said John, his voice immediately growing distasteful at the disrespectful tone that she had so often used on him that he had come to find so frustrating over the years.

“You were looking right at me!” shot Jean in response, not believing that he was bringing something like this up in Scott’s presence, “You were implying…”

“Jean…” said Scott, quickly taking her hand and stopping her before things got any worse.

Jean managed to quickly calm herself, taking a few quick breaths as she tried to keep herself in check for the sake of making this visit work. She was still annoyed that her father had insinuated her like that right in front of Scott, but she swallowed such feelings for now, knowing it wasn’t worth getting worked up about.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” she said rubbing her head for the inevitable headache this was sure to cause her later.

“It’s okay…” assured Scott, “It’s not your fault…”

John Grey’s glare hardened somewhat at Scott’s words, which made the young man feel a bit uneasy about what had just happened. He didn’t know if it was because of his words or his gesture of holding his girlfriend’s hand, but it was clear that something didn’t exactly sit very will with the older man at what he had just seen.

An awkward silence followed, but luckily…It was quickly broken by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.

“John…” the voice of an elderly woman called out, “John is she here?”

Immediately looking over to the staircase near the doorway, a middle aged woman wearing a black dress bearing, short auburn hair, and the smell of expensive perfume stood before them. Her gaze quickly fell upon Jean and the young man sitting next to her on the couch as she made her way into the den. In response, Jean stood up and made her way over to her for introductions.

“Mom…” said Jean as she quickly set aside lingering feelings about the unpleasantness about what had just transpired.

“Hello Jean…I didn’t know you had already arrived,” said her mother as Jean gave her a hug, “Usually you’re late.”

That caused Jean to cast a hard scold upon her mother, for Scott was standing right behind her. But she quickly swallowed her distaste of her comment and proceeded with introducing her to Scott.

“Mom…” she said, showing that she didn’t want to start anything messy with this visit, “This is my boyfriend…Scott Summers. Scott…This is my mother, Elaine Grey.”

“Hello Mrs. Grey,” said Scott extending his hand toward her, “It a pleasure to meet you.”

Elaine hesitated briefly, studying the young man standing before her for a moment before finally accepting his hand. As always, she was very suspicious of the people Jean brought home since they weren’t always the most savory of characters. She still couldn’t get why she hung out with that Goth girl from the south or that one who she swore worshipped he devil. And in her mind, this young man was no exception.

“So you’re Scott Summers…” she said to him, looking as though she wasn’t too impressed with what she saw, “Well…At least you have your hair combed.”

“Mother…Please don’t start,” said Jean, seriously not wanting either her or her father to start making comments like that.

Elaine looked back over at her youngest daughter with a disconcerting expression, showing that she didn’t like the tone in her voice. However, John Grey wasn’t willing to let another round of bickering break out since they had just arrived. As nerve racking as every moment of tension was between them and Jean, they still wanted to give her the chance to shape up and behave as they believe she ought to as a proper Grey.

“Well now that all the introductions are now over, I say we catch up over a little dinner,” said John, breaking some of the tension that had arisen in the air, “I hope you both are hungry because we have prepared quite a few big feasts for when Sara and Paul arrive.”

“Sounds great, sir,” said Scott as the elderly couple made their way out of the den and into the dining room, “Jean and I will be over to join you after we unpack our stuff.”

“Very well…” said Elaine as she followed her husband out towards the kitchen, “I look forward to meeting you Scott…And I hope you’re comfortable in the guest room.”

“In a place like this, I’m sure I’ll be comfortable anywhere,” said Scott with a smile…Which didn’t really earn him a favorable look in return.

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Up in the guest room where Scott would be staying for the duration of the week, Scott unpacked his laid out his suitcase containing all the stuff he would need for the nerve racking visit. For a room that was seldom used, he had to admit it was pretty well kempt. Hell, it was just about as big as his old room and it was yet another testament to the overall affluence of this house.

Jean helped him get situation, although her mood had somewhat soured as a result of her parent’s actions around Scott. Even though he had clearly gone all out to be prepared for them, they still found ways to make their ever pestilent comments that had annoyed her so much over the years. She could tell they were still a bit mad at her for her actions over Thanksgiving and Christmas, but that didn’t give them a right to be assholes around Scott…Even if it seemed as though that was the only way they were able to act around anybody she bought home.

“Well THAT could have gone better,” said Jean as she sat on the guest bed with a disgruntled look on her face over her parents’ initial reactions.

“Hey, we just got here, Jean…Give it a little time,” said Scott as he set his back down and sat next to her, slowly wrapping his arm around her waist.

“I shouldn’t have to give them time to be nice to someone I bring home…” she said, feeling all the more anxious about this visit even though it had only begun, “You didn’t have to do that with your parents around me…”

“My parents are different, Jean…” reasoned Scott, still trying to be optimistic about it.

“Yeah…They’re better,” she quipped.

“Jean…Come on,” coaxed Scott, “I don’t want to be the cause of any more tension here. Your folks just don’t know me. I’m sure that if you give them a little time, they’ll warm up to the idea. I mean…It can’t be too easy for them when their daughter brings home a guy from college they’ve never met.”

Jean let out a deep sigh, wishing that were the case. But it seemed as though it didn’t matter who she brought home…Her family would always find ways to make things difficult. It was almost as if that’s what they strived for all her life and she didn’t want to deal with it with a relationship like this one. She was willing to adhere to her parents’ wishes for the sake of making this visit pleasant, but she wasn’t willing to have them interfere with her relationship with Scott and at this rate, that was exactly where they were heading.

“It’s just that…I don’t know if they’re even going to give you a chance,” said Jean as she leaned into her boyfriend’s strong arms, “I know the signs…And I’m trying to do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t happen, but…They’re just so god damn stubborn that I…”

“Hey…It’s okay, Jean,” said Scott as he gave her a small kiss on the forehead, “We just have to take it one step at a time. Meeting someone’s parents isn’t meant to be easy…We’ll work around it. I know we will. Let’s just go down there, have dinner, and break the ice a bit. What do you say?”

Scott gave her a reassuring smile, which helped to make her smile as well as she looked back up at her ever confident boyfriend. As rocky a start they had gotten off to with this visit, he still wasn’t dissuaded and wanted to stay the course of this visit even despite the skepticism and scolding of her parents. And for that, she couldn’t help but admire the man’s bravery.

“You know…Sometimes you’re too brave for you own good soldier boy,” she said to him with a playful grin.

“I know…” he told her, glad to see that he had managed to lift her spirits at least somewhat, “And I have the bullet wound to prove it.”

“I hope you have that kind of tolerance for what’s to come…Because I can’t promise you it’ll get any better or worse,” she said to him, speaking frankly and bluntly from what she knew about her family.

“Well good things don’t always come easy…” said Scott, showing no signs of backing down, “Let’s just wait and see…I’m sure we can work to make it better. So let’s start with dinner.”

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Down in the semi-fancy dining room across the hall from the den, a nicely prepared meal awaited them as the young couple sat down with the Greys. The meal consisted of a nicely grilled steak, mashed potatoes, and corn…All done courtesy of a paid cook. As they all sat down to eat, Scott was a bit uncomfortable at first with the overly formal setting. He was just so used to the unique, savory meals that his foster mother prepared and the lively conversations that usually accompanied them. However, for some reason, the Greys didn’t have much to say as they ate their food through long stretches of uncomfortable silence.

The food wasn’t bad…But it wasn’t great either and it didn’t have the unique tastes and experimental excitement that Ororo’s food had. In fact, it was downright bland because it looked as though everything had been followed word for word in a cookbook without any such room for added spice or feel. It may have not been the cooking he was used to, but Scott made no complaints about it as he kept with the rules Jean had told him about keeping elbows off the table, keeping a napkin on his lap, and not crossing or folding his legs. It was definitely a stiffer routine than he was used to, but then again this was an entirely new world that he had never experienced before. This was an upper class meal at an upper class home…And if he was going to convince the upper class parents of his lower middle class worth to date their daughter, then he would have to adhere to their world and their rules.

At times, however, Scott felt as though his obedience too those rules were trivial at best because of all the strange looks Jean’s parents were giving him. It was almost as if they were studying him or trying to discern some kind of unpleasant vibe off of him that they couldn’t quite put their finger on. It made him all the more uncomfortable, but he didn’t say anything or change his demeanor, for he wanted to let Jean’s parents go about whatever means they wanted in studying his worth for their daughter…Even if it seemed a bit excessive in his opinion.

“So Scott…Tell us a little about yourself,” said John Grey, finally breaking some of the awkward silence, “Jean tells me you’re a student at the Xavier Academy.”

“Yes, I am,” he said in response, “It’s a great school and I’m very glad I got a chance to go there.”

“Yes, it is a fine school,” said John in agreement, “Professor Xavier is a great man and the standards he sets for his students are quite high.”

“I know. That’s why I consider myself so lucky to be there,” said Scott, keeping his tone casual, “I originally thought about going to Empire State University, but the Xavier Academy is just so much more balanced and has such a better overall environment.”

“Indeed…I find that true in comparison to most city life,” said Elaine, “But was Empire State the only other college you applied to? The standards of that school are hardly comparable to the Xavier Academy.”

“No, I actually applied to at least half a dozen other places,” said Scott, “But in the end the Xavier Academy was just the best fit for me. And I’m glad I chose to go there…Otherwise I never would have met Jean.”

This earned him a warm smile from Jean and a slightly suspicious look from her parents who fell silent once again, quickly causing the smile on both Scott and Jean’s face to wane as they tried focusing back on their food. It wasn’t clear to Scott why they seemed so anxious every time he gave Jean a look of love and affection. He wasn’t sure if it was because they didn’t trust him yet or if it was just something they frowned upon in general. Either way, Scott made a note to keep things like that low key…Even though he wished he didn’t have to.

“So…What are you studying, Scott?” asked John, changing the subject before things got too tense.

“Well…” said Scott, taking a moment since his plans were a bit more complicated in comparison to most others, “At the moment, I’m studying engineering with a minor in math. I also take EWC classes on the side.”

“EWC?” asked Elaine, not familiar with such a term.

“Yeah…Emergency work certification,” explained Scott, “It’s a program in the Academy that helps certify people to do emergency work like fire fighting, ER duties, and search and rescue. I’m taking them because I hope to become a firefighter after I graduate and a degree in Engineering can only help my chances because it’ll also allow me to do mechanical work on things like fire engines or new equipment.”

John and Elaine took a moment to process that. It wasn’t exactly what they were hoping for in terms of the kind of job they’d want someone involved with their daughter to have. As family tradition dictated, pretty much any and all Greys stuck with the tradition of marrying or becoming a part of the vast family business whether it be through banking, law, or any such way to help add to the Grey name.

Looking back at each other, John and Elaine didn’t really seem too enthusiastic about what they had heard. A firefighter didn’t sound like the kind of job that would do much for the family name…Which Jean never seemed to care about in the first place. Such a reaction didn’t go unnoticed by Jean, who tried to keep another awkward silence from setting in by interjecting.

“And I think it’s a great goal to shoot for,” said Jean, drawing her parents’ attention away from exchanging disapproving looks, “Firefighters are real heroes in this world…Something most people are hard pressed to find nowadays.”

“Well…I’m not exactly out to become a hero,” said Scott, blushing slightly at Jean’s choice of words, “It’s just something I’ve given a lot of thought to over the years and I think it’s a job that suits me in every regard.”

“And you’re learning this through the Academy?” said Elaine, her tone giving off mixed messages to both Scott and Jean.

“Yes, I am,” affirmed Scott, trying to keep with a more optimistic tone despite some of the glances he was getting from Jean’s parents, “The Academy has a great EWC program that works right alongside the NYFD. Along with my two year engineering classes, I should be certified in no time.”

His words didn’t seem to placate the Greys all that much as the looks on their faces remained stoic concerning what they had just heard. Scott had hoped that they would approve of pursuing an honorable field in saving lives and doing something to safeguard innocent people from danger. Business and money were their tradition…Duty and service was his family’s tradition. But from the looks of it, the Greys didn’t seem to accept that.

“Well you know Scott…” said John, trying to keep things pleasant and working hard to restrain himself from making any comments, “The Xavier Academy has many other highly acclaimed programs that you should try and take advantage of while you’re there. The business, economics, and accounting programs there are among the best in the country. I mean, you said it yourself…You enjoy math.”

“Well I did think about that when I enrolled,” said Scott in response, “But in the end, I knew what I wanted to do with my life and I wanted to dedicate myself to pursuing that goal using all the resources a place as prestigious as the Xavier Academy could offer.”

“And running into burning buildings and dragging out charred bodies is your goal in life?” said Elaine, sounding as though she didn’t think to highly of such a choice.

“Mom!” shot Jean, standing up from her seat as she eyed her mother for making a comment like that which seemed to under mind what she saw as a truly honorable goal, “Just because his goal doesn’t involve money doesn’t make it any less honorable!”

“Jean…Sit down,” her mother commanded sternly, not really taking her words too seriously.

“No! Not until you give Scott a decent apology for…”

“Jean…” said Scott, cutting her off and taking her arm before she could finish, “Calm down…It’s okay.”

“Scott! How can it be okay when…” but once again, she wasn’t able to finish.

“Don’t worry about it…I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it,” he told her.

Jean managed to calm herself as Scott kept a firm hold on her as she finally sat down again, but not before shooting her mother a strong scold for her words. Upon seeing this growing tension build, Scott felt that maybe they should call it a night before things got too out of control.

“Thanks for the nice dinner…” he said as he took his plate and got up from his seat, “Want me to help clean up?”

Thinking that might not have been a good idea since their interaction at dinner had gone, Jean quickly stepped in before either of her parents could answer.

“It’s okay Scott, just leave it,” said Jean as she took his hand and led him out of the room, “Besides, I want to show you a few things upstairs in my old room that you didn’t get a chance to see earlier.”

“Well, okay. Thanks again for the dinner Mr. and Mrs. Grey,” said Scott, who had hoped to stick around for a more private conversation with Jean’s parents to discuss his feelings for their daughter…But then again, given how rocky things had gone so far, perhaps it would be better to discuss that later as they grew more comfortable with his presence…At least, that’s what he hoped.

Once the young couple was gone, both John and Elaine looked back at each other with a pessimistic expression, not seeming too impressed with the newest man Jean had brought home. The disapproving look upon Elaine’s face that had come out of Jean’s earlier actions remained strong and seemed to grow all the more disapproving even after the two youths were out of sight.

Turning to her husband, Elaine just shook her head, thinking that this boy was definitely not a boy of their tastes and values.

“Well what do you think, John?” she asked, already making her opinion clear through her tone.

John Grey took a moment to consider what had just happened and found himself rubbing the temples of his head as he found himself doing so often whenever something concerned Jean.

“I don’t know,” he told her in all honesty, “He’s not like some of the certified trash she’s brought home in the past…”

“But he’s clearly not of our world,” she stipulated.

“I know…” said John, “But let’s at least try to keep this from becoming too great a scene…Especially for when Sara and Paul arrive. Maybe Jean will come to her senses at some point, but we can’t merely force it…Lord knows what that’s done over the years.”

“And most unfortunately so…” said Elaine, wishing she didn’t have to go through such troubles with her daughter, “I just hope she sets her own selfishness aside for once and thinks more about her family. We’ve given her everything…Why does she insist on squandering such blessings by acting like a selfish brat?”

“It’s always been difficult with her, dear…” said John Grey with a sigh, “I wish we could work around it…But she never seems to allow us. Let’s just hope things get better before week’s end…Otherwise it’s only going to get worse between us and we can’t have that with this family.”

“Then we sure as hell won’t,” affirmed Elaine Grey, “Because if Jean doesn’t shape up…Then we may have to take more drastic action.”

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Upstairs in the bedroom where Jean had spent over 18 years of her life, she once again found herself dealing with a splitting headache after the display her parents had just put on for Scott. It seemed as though they had completely ignored Scott’s clear efforts to gain their acceptance. He had been polite, charming, and adhered to all their nitpicking rules…Yet they still looked at him as if he was somehow beneath them when in her eyes, it was the other way around.

Jean knew her parents always seemed to have a knack for causing her a great deal of stress, but she had hoped that they would at least have tried to give Scott a chance…And they weren’t even doing that. She felt embarrassed, mortified, and downright angry at the way her parents went about Scott…But then again, that was the story of her life when it came to her and the family she had long since drifted away from.

“Scott…I’m really sorry about what happened down there,” began Jean as she sat upon her bed with a look of frustration upon her face.

“Hey, no need to be sorry Jean,” said Scott as he sat next to her on her bed and let her rest her tired head against his shoulders, “I know it was a bit rocky, but…”

“Oh come on Scott!” exclaimed Jean, “They were out of line and you know it! I mean…The practically pissed on your dream for crying out loud…They made it sound as though aspiring to help people and save lives was pointless.”

Scott slowly slid his arm around her waist in an effort to calm her down. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly, as if doing so would keep her from erupting in a rage. She was glad that Scott hadn’t taken her parents’ words too harshly because she knew that they were wrong to have said such things about what he wanted to do with his life. It wasn’t as if he aspired to deal drugs, start a punk band, or join a hippie commune…Yet still, they practically scoffed at what she always saw to be a truly noble goal that so few people out there ever aspired to even to try. He wanted to save lives for crying out loud…Was not on proof enough that he was a decent man?

“Jean…It’s going to be okay,” said Scott softly as he lovingly stroked her hair, “We still have six days to change their minds…”

“But Scott…” she said, her voice now straining under her frustration, “They’re not even trying to give you a chance. They wouldn’t listen to you, they wouldn’t listen to me…They always do this. They always act like such assholes! Hell, you should be madder at them than me!”

Scott hugged his girlfriend even tighter as she once again let her aggravation get the better of her. He gave her a minute to calm down as he thought about what had just transpired with his first dinner with the Greys. Granted it didn’t go nearly as well as he had hoped and some of the things they had said were indeed hurtful, but he was determined to show them that he was worthy of their daughter’s love. He didn’t care what he had to endure as long as he could show them that.

“I know Jean…I know,” he told her, speaking the truth as he looked back at her with his deep blue eyes, “What they said did make me mad on some levels…But mad or not, they’re still your family.”

“That doesn’t give them an excuse to tear you apart!” said Jean in response.

“No…It doesn’t,” said Scott in agreement, “But you said it yourself…This isn’t going to be easy. It’s going to take a little effort and flexibility on both our parts. Now this was just the first night…And yes, it didn’t go as well as I would have hoped. But that doesn’t mean we should give up trying.”

Jean knew that bringing Scott into her complicated world would be difficult…But she had no idea it would be this nerve racking for her. It was as if her family was making an extra effort to make this week more miserable for her. Just one day had passed and already they were causing her a headache. Were they trying to drive her crazy? Were they trying to destroy her chances of being happy with the man of her dreams?

“Tomorrow’s another day, Jean…” said Scott as he gave her a warm, reassuring smile, “Let’s give your family time to sleep on the idea of you and me being together…Let’s take each challenge as it comes. Just like the battlefield, there’s only so much you can prepare for and things could change in the blink of an eye.”

“Treating this like a battlefield already, soldier boy?” said Jean coyly in response.

“Well…The stakes are pretty high and there are a million obstacles to overcome,” said Scott in response with a light chuckle, “Sounds a hell of a lot like Iraq when I think about it.”

“And which place would you rather be…Here or Iraq?” she asked, feeling somewhat better as a result of Scott’s humorous twist on a rough situation.

“Hmm…That’s a tough one,” he said in a joking tone, earning him a playful swat from his girlfriend, although she could whole-heartedly understand, “Tell you what, I’ll sleep on it.”

“Yeah…I should probably do that too,” said Jean, checking her clock radio, “Besides, I think we’ll both need our rest…Because tomorrow, you meet my sister and her husband.”

“Sounds like another challenge,” said Scott, judging from the tone of her voice that they weren’t much easier than her parents, “But if you’re up to it…So am I.”

“Guess we’ll have to wait and see…” said Jean, once again feeling somewhat hopeful that things could turn around for them with this visit if they continued to work at it.

With a warm smile full of hope, Scott drew Jean into a deep kiss…Showing her that the rocky start with her family hadn’t done anything to change his feelings for her. She quickly sunk into his kiss and relished in the simple feeling of closeness that had so often brought her comfort when the going got tough for her. His strong arms maintained a firm grip around her waist while she found herself gently running her hands down the soft skin of his face. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, savoring the sweet taste even though she knew that was causing things to heat up a bit, but she didn’t care…After a night like this, she needed something like this to keep her balanced for the long week ahead.

Knowing full well that they couldn’t continue like they would have so truly wanted to, Scott and Jean reluctantly parted and smiled back at each other, helping to give one another the strength they would need to make it through another day here at the Grey family household.

“I love you…Don’t ever think anything will change that,” Scott told her as he held her in his arms for a minute longer.

“I know…I love you too, Scott,” said Jean in response, her emotional tone speaking volumes about how much it meant to her during this tough challenge that lay before them, “I just hope my parents will see that…”

“Don’t worry…They will…We’ll make sure of it,” said Scott as he planted one last kiss upon her forehead before getting up off her bed and making his way over to the door, “Goodnight Jean…Sleep tight.”

“Goodnight Scott…I’ll see you in the morning.”

And with that, they retired to their beds with feelings of both hope and anxiety, for they were both certain that they would need all the rest they could get to face what was in store for them in the seemingly monumental challenge of spending a week with the Greys.

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AN: And so it begins! So what do you think? Not exactly as smooth as it was with the Howletts was it? Well trust me, this is only the beginning! The next chapter is sure to bring even greater challenges with the arrival of Jean’s sister and the big Sunday dinner that is sure to put Scott on the spot! Will he and Jean survive? Stay tuned to find out! So what do you think? Want to see how this whole family issue ends? Please let me know! Send me your reviews via email at slickboy444@aol.com or post them on the fanfiction website! I don’t care which one you do as long as you REVIEW! Thanks a bunch for reading everybody and I wish you all the best!