Family Matters

[RedShinigami]

George knew what he did. From the first time he had lwid eyes on Chelsew he knew that this was the woman, as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have described it when mentioning Irene Adler. George had a lot of short adventures with a lot of beautiful women. Big, small,tall, short, big breasts, small breasts,long legs, nice behinds. But what he really wanted just never had showed itself and George was confident enough to live on his own with the occasional adventure. But when Chelsea entered both the pub and his life for the first time, everything came to a halt.
"I just love her so much...", he said and when he realized that he said that out loud right before Molly, George Fortunato, in a very rare occasion, blushed to under his hairline.
"That is...I mean...You know...", he said and fumbled. What the hell was wrong with him? For gods sake he was George Fortunato! He was suave, cool, nothing could get under his skin. But then again, when he thought about it...Chelsea could. Chelsea just could activate every kind of feeling in George and when he nodded to the shopkeeper to show him a particular amber ring he looked up into Mollys eyes. "Think she says yes?", he asked and the first time George dropped all of his defenses and really looked for affirmment from Molly. After all, she would be his sister in LAW, hell she already was like his sister so he just decided to be honest with her. When he had decided on the ring he bought it and left the store with Molly and Anfield to go home.
"Come on, I call us a cab. Damn freezing today...", he said and tried to get his coolness back while inside his heart hanmered like a drum.

Meanwhile Eddie held Chelsea close to him and nodded.
"Right, right. Of course, please, darling, you are my daughter. You, your mother and sister are the most important things to me. And Molly and you, despite every song i've written are the best thing I ever produced or ever will.", he said and smiled.
"Let's just leave all of this behind us. You and I are different now. We both grew up, you a little more then me. Hehe.", he said and kissed his daughters head.
"Now, how about we have dinner with everyone and then we both, just you and me go for a little darts game in the pub?", he offered.

~~~~~~

Christmas evening had came and every bad word uttered or any tense situation had been forgotten. George and Eddie had a talk where the older man apologized with heavy heart and George, being a gentleman, accepted and agreed to just start again and with all of the nonsense away, the two struck a cord with football, drinks and classic music. The next few days had been calm and happy and so when christmas morning arrived everyone gathered at the tree.
Harmonia of course could'nt hold back again and pointed to an avalanche of gifts stacked up almost under the ceiling that was for Molly.
"Merry Christmas, Carrot.", Harmonia said and smiled. Of course she had not forgotten the others who also got their fair share of presents.
And when basically everything was unwrapped, George cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Sorry ,sorry. Before we eat there is one more present.", he said and looked to Chelsea.

He then took a deep breath and went down on his knees before her.
Moni gasped and looked at Molly. "You knew that! Admit it!", she whispered into her ear while Eddie who sat next to Jude,grabbed her hand tighter.
"Chelsea Forster. I love you since I laid eyes on you for the first time. No matter which other woman was in my sight, I never could stop thinking about you. I stayed with you in some of the most troubling times of your life and even got me brains bashed in...", he said with a chuckle before getting serious again.
"...what I want to say is that you are the right bird for me. The woman I love, the woman I care for the most. You are my partner in the ring, in the pub and in life. So let's make this official.", he said and opened the little box in his hands which held a beautiful amber ring.
"Chelsea Forster. Do you want to marry me?"

[CaptainL]

Molly could hardly contain her excitement. She struggled to contain her excitement about a lot of things, really - but when George was speaking to the vendor about a ring, she just couldn't sit still. She leaned over his shoulder to get a close look at everything, grinning from ear to ear all the while. When Harmonia pledged to spend the rest of her life at her side, that had been the happiest moment of Molly's life. Now, her sister had her chance to experience the same thing - and with someone like George, who truly made her feel like someone who was worthy of attention and affection like no one else had. Molly could hardly sit still, thinking of how big this was for them!

George might have blushed at his confession, but Molly only nodded her head to him with a smile. "Don't worry," she said. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. It's what means you're right for her. I don't think I can think of anyone in the world who would be a better choice to do the honors..." Walking closer to his side, Molly threw her arm around his. "I think it's perfect. And if you ask me..." She giggled a little. "Yeah, I think she will." When George left the store, Molly was still hanging close at his side, giggling to herself with glee. She could hardly hold it back - she was too happy!

Chelsea, meanwhile, let out a long breath of relief as Eddie held her closer. A tear formed at the corner of her eye, but this time she didn't brush it aside or blink it away. No, this was okay. She didn't need to be afraid of her emotions any more - she was surrounded by the people who loved her, who cared about her, who would accept her. The way it always should have been. "Ah, yeah..." she muttered, nodding to her father. "Maybe I did. But I think I'm glad I did."

As soon as he brought up going to the pub, though, that was enough to rouse Chelsea back to her usual rabble-rousing self. Clapping her hands, she hopped back and thrust a fist in the air with a triumphant cheer. "Hah! Do I ever! 'ope yous dun mind losin' 'ard, dough!"

---

The next few days felt like a sigh of relief - for everyone. When Chelsea saw her father being friendly and connecting with George, it was as if a great burden had been lifted away, and she could finally breathe easy. Finally, everyone seemed to be coming together - finally, they were a family again. Chelsea, in turn, grew more open with Harmonia, and the two of them had their fair share of raucous drunken cheers long into the night, while Molly was just happy to be with her family again. But of course, the next morning was what everyone was really looking forward to.

Molly was seated on the floor, while Chelsea set on the couch with her parents, sipping from a warm mug of tea. The younger Forster sister giggled to herself as she opened the last of her presents, grinning to her fiance. "Merry Christmas, Moni!~ Thanks again, for everything..." Having someone with Harmonia's financial resources at hand...certainly helped around the holidays.

"Er...ye do kun we 'uv ter get all dat ed de plane, like. Rite?" Chelsea questioned, looking up at the towering stack of boxes before her - but June just gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Oh, I'm sure she'll find a way."

But then came George's announcement. At first, when he mentioned one other present, Chelsea turned toward him, raising a brow curiously as she leaned forward in her seat. But as soon as he got on his knee, she held her hands to her mouth in a gasp. Now, she knew what this was all about - but she hadn't seen it coming, for anything in the world. Later, she'd realized how stupid she was being - of course George, being the flamboyant showman he was, would pick such a big night to make such an announcement - but right now, there was no time for that. Now, Chelsea could only think about what was playing out before her, right here, right now.

Listening to George's words, her eyes began to water. She remembered it all - all the good times and the bad, the nights she had cried into his arms, and the nights she had cheered and celebrated. She remembered how strong he had made her feel when she needed it the most. She remembered how he had kept her going on when she didn't feel like she could, and how she had taken on a new life, bigger and better than ever, under his guidance - how, thanks to him, the future looked brighter than it ever had before. When George extended the ring, Chelsea didn't hesitate. Not even for a moment.

"Yes!! Yes, I do!" She jumped up from the couch, running right up to George and throwing her arms around him before pulling him in for a kiss. The old Chelsea would've never done that. She would've shunned those emotions, not wanting to be so soft and weak and feeble-minded. But this was a new day, and a new Chelsea - and she owed it all to George. "George," she said, "I don't think I could imagine anything better for us..."

Back on the couch, June wiped a tear from her eye before she hugged her husband tight. Molly threw her hands in the air, cheering "YES!! YES!!" But the happiest of all was Chelsea herself. The next chapter of her life was beginning, and she was ready to see it off right.

[RedShinigami]

Eddiea throat got tight when he saw George kneeling down. It was happening, right before him. Chelsea. His one and only. His little angel...
Tears came to his eyes as he listened to what George was saying and the more he listened, the more he thought about it,the deeper he sank into his seat.
"Edward Forster, you are not a Sir but a Tosser...", he mumbled to himself, to June surely would heart it and when he saw Chelseas face, looking the most beautiful she ever had, he knew. Everything was said and done. He had won a son and he knew that he could not have asked for anyone better then George Fortunato.

George, usually calm and collected, had his heart beating in his mouth as he uttered the words that were meant for Chelsea and when her face lit up, every last ounce of angryness, worries and other things dissapearing, he knew the answer before she had given it. "Oh, darling...", he said as Chelsea flew into his arms, hugging and kissing him while the others drew closer to each other, Harmonia laying an arm around Molly.
George kisses her back and then looked into her eyes. "From now on, we share everything. You and me...become a we. Hehe, sorry if that sounded corny everyone.", he said and Eddie, kissing Junes hands, stood up to his full heihgt as he walked over to the newly engaged and put them both in his arms.
"Children...you made me so happy.", he said while bursting into tears.
"Please, keep good care of each other. That's all I want. Be there for each other in good in bad times...", he said and George gasped a little at the big arms hugging him.
"Uhm, uh yeah Mr. Forster...Da' I mean.", he said with a smirk and Eddie looked back at him.
"Don't push your luck, Fortunato...", he said with a grin and gave Chelsea a kiss on the head.

Then Harmonia and Mollys turn to gratulate had come. Harmonia hugged Chelsea tight. "Oooh, I am so happy for you! Getting such an handsome, well mannered man, eh?", she said with a grin and hugged her "sister in law to be" again. "I wish you all the luck and happines in the world Chelsea. Really, you of all people deserve it.", she said.
"Think I will write to Fin fast then, huh?", she said with a smirk and looked at George whom she hugged too.
"Be good to her. She does'nt look like it but she is more fragile then she seems.", Harmonia said and gave George a kiss on the cheek.
George did the same and smiled.
"Don't worry Sis...I will.", he said and then Eddie came back into the room with a tablet of shots.

"Alright everyone. This is to all of you and us. And to our very first christmas together as a family! May there be so much more in the future! And hopefully we grew some more soon...", he said with a laugh and smile as everyone cheered, tough George coughed into his drink as he heard the innuendo. This was truly the best Christmas George and Harmonia had ever celebrated and the future looked clearer and more beautiful then ever!

[CaptainL]

It was funny to think about. This had all started because of one match - one impromptu Capture the Flag match between the Forster and Edelstein sisters. A match that no one thought much of at the time, and that no one expected would become much of anything. But it became so much more. Molly had met the woman who would become her beloved fiance on that night, who she loved more than anything else in the world, and who would be right by her side at every moment to see her transcend her boundaries and become someone truly worthy of the name Superstar. Chelsea had thought she had made a mortal enemy in Finella - but, in preparing for what would be the biggest match of her life, she had only been drawn closer into the arms of George Fortunato, and it all would culminate here and now, with one final present. Chelsea had gone off thinking that Molly had been the lucky one again, and that she would always be left behind. But really, they had both found a family on that night - they just didn't realize it until now.

Now, Chelsea had no reason to be afraid of being weak. She had no reason to stifle her tears any more - she let them flow freely as she threw her arms tightly around George. For once, at long last, she had found someone who truly cared for her - for the person she was, and not just the image she'd hyped herself up to be. Someone who loved her, and appreciated her, and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. She wasn't usually the type to get all sentimental like this, and yet, when George listed off everything, Chelsea nodded her head to every word, and her tears dampened his shoulder all the same. Around him, she could.

Molly leaned closer against Harmonia, and June against Eddie. For as rocky as this vacation might have started, it had ended with everyone coming together - because they were a family, all of them, in the end. Chelsea nodded to her father's words. "Don't worry," she said, "he will be. I know. He always has before." Just saying those words made the tears well up all the more in her eyes - remembering everything George had done for her, and everything that had earned him her trust. It might have felt a bit odd to hear George call her father dad - but it was a reminder of how far they had come. A reminder that, yes, they were family now, and nothing was going to take that from her.

Molly threw her arms around Chelsea too, giving her a tight hug. "I'm so, so happy for you, Chelsea!!" she cheered. "When this happened with Moni and I, I could only hope you might find someone some day who made you just as happy as she makes me...and I couldn't think of anyone better!" Getting a little eager, she squeezed Chelsea's ribs tighter, causing the elder Forster to wince and cough a little. "Er...not so 'ard, Moll..."

"Sorry, sorry..." But as soon as she let go of Chelsea, she turned around and gripped George just as tight. "Congratulations!! I'm happy for you, too! Take it from me..." She continued in a whisper. "Chelsea doesn't let a lot of people see her like this. So if she let you see it...you're a special person to her. Remember that."

Chelsea looked left and right. Everyone in the room right now, she realized, was family. Her mother, her sister, her future sister-in-law, and of course...her fiance. She wasn't alone any more. She had so many more people in her life than she ever thought she would have. Her eyes wandered over to the gifts that George and Molly and her parents had gotten her, and she smiled thinking of them. But really, she couldn't think of a better Christmas present than all the wonderful people she had in her life, and the night she got to spend with them.

...Well, except maybe for a good drink, of course! When Eddie came back into the room, Chelsea pumped her fist in the air with a cheer. She pushed her way to the front of the line, lifting her glass in the air. "I'm gon'ter drink all o' yous under de table before de nite's up, ye got dat!?" she roared before downing her shot in one gulp. It was only then that it truly hit her what her father had said.

"...Wait, wha'!?"