Family Matters

[RedShinigami]

Harmonia laughed as Molly "attacked" her, or rather Mollys Pikachu. Harmonia got hit with the tail whip. "Oh no, that was very effective!", she said while posing dramatically and letting herself drop next to Molly, kissing her and snuggling up to her girlfriend. And as they had settled in Molly decided that it would be good for her to spend some time with George that would give Moni in turn to get to talk with Chelsea a little, so, win-win?

George held Chelsea close and softly stroked her hair and sides. He knew by this point what Chelsea wanted and needed to calm down and be happy again. No fancy words, no silly antics. Just hugging her, spending some warmth and contact and listen. He let her finish and then looked down at her.
"I know darling, I know. But no one takes anything away from you. From what I've heard of your da' he seems to be an admirable man. And I am sure he loves you very much and just wants what's best for you. And...I can't blame him, even if my style and character are unquestionably charming, that this side of me can be a bit much. You know that best, huh?", he said and softly lifted her chin to look her in the eyes.
"But it's christmas, we are at home, let's be cheery as good as we can, darling.", he said and gave Chelsea a kiss right as Molly came in and Chelsea jumped up.
George sighed and chuckled a little as he saw his girlfriend still being so flustered about being "lovey dovey"as she called it. George listened to Molly and nodded.
"You know Moll', that's a great idea.", he said and got up.
"Get your coat, Anfield needs some exercise anyway, he put on some extra weight...", he said and pointed to the bulldog who only lifted it's head and gave out a little grunting huff not agreeing with his dad's accusations but still got up and trotted over to his owners sitting before them.
George lifted him with a little effort and put him onto his lap where he immediatly went over to his mom and licked her hands a little.
"Yes, Yes Anfield. You are good boy.", George said and stood up to get into his coat.

He met with Molly at the door and lifted his arm. "Va bene signorina, siamo pronti?" he said and left with Molly to go into the city.
Liverpool was cold, damp and not a very pretty town, tough it held its own Charme which George had to admit even if he preferred London and the south of England in particular. Tough when they arrived at Liverpools famous night market, dressed into it's best christmas colours, even George could appreciate the effort the towns council had undertook to make things feel festive.

Spoiler

They entered the crowded place and looked around at all the different shops,maybe spotting something worth of a christmas present.
Tough George knew this was more then just a nice evening with her future in law for Molly, she had something on her heart and George knew what it was.
"Don't worry , I won't make a fuss no matter how much your old man insults me.", he said with a thin smile. He didn't meant it bad but still some of the things Ed had thrown his way stung a little.
"I mean...I am the bloke who stole his little girl from him, eh?", he said as they walked on.
"Chelsea was not easy to handle as a teenager wasn't she? And he loves her very much but has problems to show it to her, huh?"

Meanwhile Harmonia had visited a neighboring store, taking milk and bread for June too. When she came back the austrian tough headed straight to the room of the older Forster sister and knocked on her door.
"Chelsea? It's Moni,may I come in?", she asked and put her arm, holding a sixpack of "Old speckled Hen" Beer and a big bag of potato chips,into the room, wiggling it around.
"I brought something for us to relax a little.", she then said with a slight chuckle.

[CaptainL]

Chelsea could hear the frantic giggling coming down the hall from Molly's room, but she wasn't going to let it bother her. She let out a sigh, sinking against George's side. She was still upset about how her family treated him, yes - but being by his side always had a way of reminding her just how much she liked being right where she was right now. That was one thing George had certainly taught her - no matter how turbulent her life might become, she always had him to find somewhere to ground herself, and convince herself that everything would turn out alright in the end.

She let out a soft sigh as she felt his fingers run through her hair, and she rolled over on her side, reaching her hands out to wrap around his sides and pull him a little closer. She nodded her head to what George had to say - and as she spoke, the hint of a smile started to grow across her lips once again. "Yeah...I guess so, yeah. He's a good man. I've never had a qualm about him. At least, not that I didn't get over and forgive him for. I just wish that he'd recognize...how much you've done for me," she added, looking up into his eyes, where her smile grew just a little wider. "But...you're right. I mean...even I'll be the first to say you can be a handful at times..." Perhaps she was even being a little bit charitable in saying that. But right now, she felt like he could perfectly well make up for any trouble he might have caused. "Yeah...yeah, that's the spirit!" When she leaned in to join him in a kiss, she let out a content sigh that breathed the tension out of her body...and it was right then that Molly stepped into the room, causing an uproar from a flustered Chelsea!

"If, uh, this is a bad time..!" Molly started to blurt out, raising her hands protectively in front of her as she took a step back. But George was already on board, and when he called Anfield over, Molly patted him on the head - as did her sister, whose expression softened a little bit when she felt him lick her hand. Somehow, she couldn't stay upset for long when her family was around - and that applied to Anfield as much as it did to George. Clearing her throat, Molly continued. "You don't have to come if you don't want to, Chelsea."

Chelsea looked over at Molly with an eyebrow raised. "O wot? You're not sayin' you're tryin' ter get rid o' me, are yous?" But Molly shook her head. "No, no! Just, I know you might appreciate some down time...and Moni wanted to talk to you, anyway."

"Ah...rite..." Chelsea looked off into the distance at the mention of Harmonia. As much as she might have had a rocky relationship with Finella, she didnt have anything bad to say about her sister - especially given all she had done for her in letting her use the facilities at the Eagles' Nest. If Harmonia wanted a heart to heart with her, Chelsea could certainly make arrangements. "Very well, den..."

Soon enough, George and Molly were out on the streets - and as soon as Molly saw the lights and stalls of the Christmas market, she let out a gasp. Her arm wrapped a little tighter around George's own as she pulled him off in that direction, her smile bright and her eyes atwinkle. "Oh, gosh-!! It's really here! I'm sorry, I just haven't been to one of these since I left home! Moni's telling me all about the ones in Austria, and I've really wanted to go...c'mon, let's take a look!" Molly had already hurried off, regardless of whether or not George and Anfield cared. But soon enough, she was immersed in a world of banners, wreaths, and the smells of hot chocolate and mulled wine drifting by in all directions, and she breathed in a long, deep breath of the Christmas spirit. "Ahh...this is why I love this time of year."

As they made their way around the various stalls, with Molly peering in the windows of a few nearby stores, George brought up his treatment by the Forster patriarch - and even with Molly as hyped up as ever, the thought was still enough to dampen her spirits. Even the jingling of bells in the distance didn't quite light the same spark in her after that - but that was because she knew everything George was saying all too well, and her hand squeezed his a little tighter. "Yeah...yeah, I think you're on to something," she said with a nod. "I think he's just...a little unused to the change. I mean, Chelsea never had anyone quite like you before, and it's a lot to take in all at once, especially with us having been away for so long. But she really was...uh, a bit of a problem. I don't mean to make that sound bad, now, but she was definitely getting into fights, and she got sent home from school a lot. I think he saw a little bit of himself in her, but he still didn't want her to end up in a bad place...I think he blamed himself for how she turned out, a little." She squeezed George's hand. "I want to believe that he'd understand she's in a better place with you around. I mean, she has a job, she has a family - we didn't think she'd ever have that. But there's always going to be that fear that she's going to go down the same path, if he's out of the picture..."

Molly sighed, glancing down at the ground before looking back up at George again. "I'm...sorry, George. I really don't mean to sound discouraging. You really do do a lot for her, and I think she's glad for it."

Back at the house, Chelsea lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling with her hands behind her head. She let out a sigh, allowing herself to deflate into the mattress. She knew Molly had insisted there were no hard feelings, and she believed her - her sister wouldn't lie to her. But after her own family had turned her boyfriend away, and now Molly was spending more time with him than she was, it still stung. When Chelsea heard Harmonia's knock at the door, her first response was a murmured "Mmf...come in..." - but when she sat up, and saw the beer in Harmonia's hand, a grin lit up across her face. The sorrow she'd felt a moment ago had all but been forgotten. If Harmonia had known to pick up her favorite beer, maybe this trip home would be worth it after all.

"'Ey, now you're speakin' me lingo, like!" Chelsea sat up a little straighter, patting the spot at her side to invite Harmonia to sit down beside her. "'Uv a seat, why dun ye?" Maybe this was why Molly liked her so much!

[RedShinigami]

George took in the smells, lights and overall happy cheerfulness of people around. Love it or hate it, even the biggest grinches found something for them in Christmas. He watched Molly with a delighted face and let Anfield jump and bark around her with excitement. And when he saw her he thought about how Molly was just a mirror image of his Chelsea. Tough Chelsea would hardly fall into this bursts of excitement and this was what separated them. Chelsea was much more down to ground, which already had made her intresting for George. Some had asked him why this was as it did seem odd for such an eccentric, outgoing man with boiling Italian blood inside him to take someone grounded, rather down to earth like Chelsea, a Liverpool girl, a northerner who already were looked odd upon at by the more "sophisticated" southern islanders. They gave him that she was pretty, that she was, but what was there else that drew her to him.

And for a moment George thought about it before a smile came onto his face. He listened to what Molly had to say and nodded with each sentence. He then took her arm again as they started walking down all the colorful little stalls of the big market that gave this dreary town at the coast some colour. George to didn't made a secret out of it, he wasn't big on Liverpool but he also knew that Chelseas connection to it was big and so he would even follow her here,hell he would even consider opening the pub and living here if Chelsea wished so. That was how much he loved her and was willing to sacrifice. If her father could understand this.

George gaze hardened a little and he was sure that Molly saw it. He looked over to her,blinked a few times and with a swift move of his hand pulled out a pink rose from his sleeve, putting it into Mollys hair. "I think pink suits you best.", he smiled before looking up to one of the big decorative ornaments above them.
""You are surely one those who asked themselves what I see in Chelsea. I know, I know, not in a bad way, but because we are so different. You see Moll' that's what were you are all wrong. We aren't that different, most of you just haven't seen the real Chelsea yet. Yes even you Molly,I know you know her by heart, know her softer sides and all but what Chelsea showed me, entrusted me with, showed me that I was right all along to give my heart just to her.",he said and a smile came to his face.
Chelsea, despite having developed a hard shell around her to protect herself was a very emotional girl, she loved to sing,to dance to show her feelings with her voice. She had some talent for showboating and definetly some theatrical chops. George just needed to push the right buttons and assure her that it was ok to let go and show what she really was. He even supported her in a way he never thought possible, namely becoming a wrestler himself to be as much of a support for Chelsea as possible.

"When I found her, or did she find me, I don't know, she felt so...sad and vulnerable. Like a bunny lost in the woods. In a way our whole Alice stick is quite fitting as Chelsea had gotten lost in a world of her own imagination. A world where everyone except you and your parents shunned and hated her. And the only way to deal with it was to lash out. I showed her that there was a way out of it. Finella and Karl helped her too. We all took her hand and led her out and when I made her Co owner of the pub that's where she finally saw how many friends she really had if she just let it happen and well...",he said with an assuring nod.
"Now we are here. It's Christmas and I think we should not talk about such gloomy things but rather try to be a little cheerful, don't you think. So what will you get Moni this year? Isnt it quite hard to find a present for a millionaire?", he asked as they walked along.

Harmonia heared Chelsea calling her in and when she lifted the Sixpack and chips she knew she had this in the bag. The Austrian walked in and smiled at her blonde soon to be sister in law before dropping onto the bed and opening the bag of snacks while leaving the beers to Chelsea.

"Prost!", she said and lifted her bottle before taking a gulp. Harmonias eyes pooped open and she almost choked as she swallowed what tasted like some medicine mixed with pigpiss before giving Chelsea an akward smile.
"Mhh...good...", she smiled and shivered a bit. Coming from a beer country Harmonia knew what good beer was about...Old speckled hen...wasn't. But if there was a truth in things then that the taste of it didn't matter after the second or third one, you just had to survive the first bottle. So Harmonia shoved some chips into her mouth to neutralize the ratchet taste before turning back to Chelsea.
"Your parents are amazing. Oh I feel so bad for knowing that Edward Forster the famous pianist was your dad.", she said. "I mean, Molly never mentioned it but it seems that you don't make a big fuss out of it anyway. I mean your house is big and very nice but I mean, speaking from experience, with what he earns you could live like in a castle or something. But...that isn't what your family is about isnt it.", she said and took another swig. There she choked again but not just about the taste but about what she said.

"Hey, hey don't misunderstand me! I didn't mean that in a bad way! I mean that it seems that your mom and dad are very modest people? Have they grown up here too? Your father at least I think. How about your mom? Did they met in school?", she said to shift away from the little clumsiness she just had done. She did not want to sound like a upper class asshole and hoped that Chelsea would understand what she meant.

[CaptainL]

No matter how old Molly got, she never really lost that childlike spirit in her. Some might have called it cringy or annoying, but she called it being willing to enjoy herself, to have fun, to embrace the joy in life, and to not worry about what anyone thought of her. She was practically skipping her way down the market, darting eagerly between every stall and peering inside at what they had to offer. She'd missed this, she realized. As much as she loved her time in Japan, nothing they had there could really quite compare to what she had here, back at home.

Still, as happy as Molly was, she knew that there was still something bubbling under the surface. And she could tell there was something weighing on George's mind. On Chelsea's mind, and on everyone's minds. As happy as she was to be back together with her family, Molly knew that everyone had their own struggles haunting them - and putting them all together in the same room only seemed to draw those feelings out. When her thoughts lingered on all of it for too long, she couldn't help but feel just the slightest tinge of worry...but George, ever the charmer he was, had his ways of lifting her spirits, as he stopped to slip a rose out of his sleeve and into her hair.

"O-Oh..!" Molly blushed hard at the gesture, but giggled a moment later, looking back up at him. "I won't tell Chelsea, okay?" she joked. But she nodded her head to everything George said, taking a step closer. As much as she was happy to laugh at their jokes, or enjoy his tricks, she knew there was something more serious at stake. But she also knew that there was no one she would rather trust with her sister's happiness than George.

"Yeah...I think you're right," Molly said. "Believe me, I've lived with her all my life. She even came to Japan with me. I think she's been searching for some purpose in her life all this time. She's never really belonged. And as much as she likes to act all tough and above it all, it really did always weigh on her..." She slipped an arm around George's, pulling herself closer. "But that's why I'm so happy she has someone like you in her life. You really are giving her the life she's always wanted, I think. That connection, and that sense of purpose. I don't see her quite as much any more, but I know she's happier. Because someone like you...that's what she's always wanted."

Molly couldn't help but tear up a little, just thinking about it. But she stopped and wiped a tear away from her eye. "O-Oh, sorry...Christmas always makes me a little emotional," she explained. But she would be thrown back into reality a moment later when George reminded her there was something else she needed to worry about. Namely...how on earth was she going to take care of Christmas shopping for Harmonia!?

"...Oh, god, you're right!" Molly jumped up with a gasp, holding her hands to her temples. She was so used to being lavished with gifts from Harmonia that she'd overlooked that she would have to return the favor - but how? Her family might have been upper-class, but Harmonia was...Harmonia. Nothing she could think of could possibly measure up to what she had already! "Jewelry, maybe? Or...no, she already has a lot of that. Oh, man, I should've thought of this earlier..." But just then, something snapped in Molly's head. She knew exactly what she needed!

"Hold on!" Just then, she turned to hurry off down the street as fast as she could. "I know just the thing-!"

It was somewhat fortunate that, back at the Forster residence, Chelsea didn't notice the disgusted look that crossed Harmonia's face as she took a sip of beer. She was too engrossed in it herself, as she took a long swing before letting out a contented sigh as she settled into the bed. Something about the taste never failed to make her feel at home, right where she needed to be. And when she actually was home, that made things all the better.

She did, however, put down her glass and raise an eyebrow as Harmonia questioned them on their means. "Oi, wha'? A castle? Wha', juss because I'm English, like?! Is dat de only thin' ye nah about us!?" Then again, Chelsea realized as she took a pause, Harmonia did live in an extravagant mansion - and she worked for some people who literally did live in a castle. With that in mind, she might be able to understand it a little more.

"...Well, sort of," Chelsea continued. She lay back on her bed, crossing her legs. "My mum was going through art school when she met him. At a pub, actually. Her friends dragged her there, and she didn't really click with that whole scene. Too loud and raucous, and too much happening. But he noticed she seemed a little on edge, and he offered to take her outside for some fresh air. They got to talking, and she realized that even if he was more of the type, he didn't judge her for being out of her element. She told him she was studying art, and he wanted to see some of her work. And then he let out that he was a trained pianist, but he was afraid that none of his mates would take him seriously for it. That they'd think he was trying to be a stuck-up twit, and all that...he never really grew up with a lot of money, not until the piano thing took off. But my mum encouraged him to go forward with it. And that's brought him so much success, even though he was used to the old ways of life. So really...I think all of this started with her."

Chelsea smiled a little as she looked off into the distance. Even if she wasn't around for any of this, she could still remember it all fondly. She'd had more conversations with her mother about her failure to get a date than she would like to admit, and listened to her advice and her stories from when she was Chelsea's age. Then, though, she sighed. She didn't think that Harmonia could ever understand what her family dealt with.

"...I'm sure this is all nonsense to you, though. You probably don't know the first thing about being poor..."

[RedShinigami]

George liked Molly very much,having her as a family member was something you only could wish for. She was cheerful as she was charismatic and cute and always managed to liften up the spirits of everyone in the room. Her sister not so much, Chelsea was very down to earth, calm and tried not to make the big a fuss. In a way Chelsea was the prototype of a good englishmen so to speak. But George had found and awakened so much more in her that she had hidden away. Her talent for singing and dancinga and her more gentle, artistic side. She also had made many friends when becoming the lady of the pub, both she and George had found themselves being invited over to dinners and parties and being a vital part of their neighbourhood, which made George exceptionally proud. The only thing left was a talk with her dad. That should'nt be too hard.
"She always wanted someone like me? Hehe can you believe it,luv.", he said and was about to change subject to more important things like presents.

And yeah, Molly was in quite a pickle as she was engaged to a very wealthy women who never needed to check her bank account when buying something, which made it hard for everyone around to give her something she had'nt already.
"Hmmm listen, maybe, wha-, oi, swee'hea' wait up!", he said as Anfield barked after the swift girl whose famous speed was very well known in the squared circle.
George and Anfield took chase tough, and after a while they found the bright blond ponytail of Molly shining through as George approached her.
"Alrigh', now I am curious..."

Harmonia and Chelsea on the other hand had chosen a much more relaxing way of spending the afternoon when they sat on Chelseas bed, drinking beer. Harmonia listened carefully to what Chelsea had to say and was surprised about the whole story of Jude and Edward finding each other, as sweet as it was. She nodded a few times while drinking from her beer and when Chelsea finished, mentioning that Harmonia surely would'nt know about being poor. She choked on her beer for a secome and coughed before she looked into Chelseas eyes again.
"Believe it or not Chelsea but all the money I have, I made in the past seve years. The first 16 years of my life I spent working with Fin on out grandparents farm when we had no school. Everyone had to be a part of it, my parents, us. Everyone had to work hard to keep things running. Of course my parents both had a job and all but yeah it was'nt like we were rich or THAT well off. We came by and we always had nice toys. Then grandpa died and Finella fell in a deep hole, she always had been a wild whirlwind with some anger issues but when our grandfather died, the one who knew how to handle her outbursts, the one who showed her to play violin...a few years after grandma died and then..."

Harmonias hands began to shake, the beer in her bottle danced around.
"Then dad and papa died in the fire that destroyed our farm while I was away from home, getting into the model business. How often do I think about that maybe, just maybe if I had'nt been so selfish, I would have been there and they were still here, meeting Molly, celebrating with us, leading me the altar... and all...", she said as tears ran down her cheeks.
Tough as she reminded herself where she was she cleared her throat and took out a handkerchief to wipe the tears away.

"Sorry, uh its just the time of year,you know. But enough about such gloomy things...", she said and a grin appeared on her face while she scooted a little closer.
"George, huh? He seems to have something very special about him for you to pick him of all people. But I can see it. He makes you laugh, he is intelligent and he kisses the floor you walk on. But...between us two girls...he is just hot is'nt he?", she chuckled as she emptied her beer and went for another one. "Come on, I want to know everything~", the Blonde chuckled amused and leaned back into the pillows.

[CaptainL]

This would be Molly's first time Christmas shopping for Harmonia - and with that, she realized, she would need to determine what it is Harmonia would actually need. She already had all the luxuries Molly could imagine at her disposal, and if she needed anything else, it would be no issue for her to call it in whatever she wanted. Maybe it would be better to make her something - but in all the excitement of the trip, Molly hadn't even thought of that until now, and now it was surely too late. She needed to think of something she could get on short notice that she knew Harmonia would enjoy. What did Harmonia like? Wait...that was it!

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Molly was off, rushing through the streets and swerving this way and that. It had been a long time since she was last back in Liverpool, and she could only hope that her memories of the layout would still hold true. But at last, she saw it, and when she did, her eyes twinkled with eager glee. A souvenir shop right at the edge of the market! It was the sort of place that catered to tourists, with no shortage of tacky Beatles knick-knacks and novelty mugs. But there was something else here that Molly knew she would find.

And when George caught up with her, he would catch Molly just in time to see her turn around from a shelf, with the box for a Lego model of Big Ben in her hands. She hadn't forgotten about Harmonia's hobbies - and this would be something to remember their trip by! Still, even when she met George with a grin on her face, she teetered a little bit against the weight of the box in her arms. "Uh...you might need to carry this one."

Across town, it was now Chelsea's turn to hear Harmonia's story. And when the Austrian announced that she had spent most of her life growing up on a farm, she flat-out didn't believe it. She jumped up in her seat, almost dropping the bottle in her hand. The mere thought of Harmonia working on a farm seemed to fly against everything Chelsea understood about her! She had a big, fancy mansion; she lavished Molly with gifts - it seemed absurd to think she had ever gone without money. Chelsea already knew, from the moment she set eyes on Harmonia's house, that she was the sort of stuck-up rich brat she couldn't stand, who never had any concerns that went beyond breaking a nail and who didn't even know how it felt to have real problems in life. But...that wasn't Harmonia at all. And the more Chelsea thought about it, the more it all made sense. The vapid, rich bimbo she thought Harmonia was wouldn't have put herself through all this commitment, or strived this hard to lift herself to the heights she had in the pursuit to become a true Superstar. That was all determination and hard work talking. And Harmonia's upbringing had prepared her for that. She had always wanted more - and she wasn't afraid to work for it. Hearing it all made Chelsea's expression soften. Now, she thought, she really could understand who Harmonia was.

In fact, when Harmonia began to tear up, Chelsea didn't even waste a second before she leaned in closer, placing a hand reassuringly over Harmonia's own. "It...isn't your fault," she said. "You didn't know. You couldn't have known these things. Believe me, we all...have regrets." She looked down with a sigh; she was surely no stranger to that statement. "I'm sure it would've been nice to meet them, too. But...it won't do us any good to focus on the regrets. You've got family here, too. And it isn't too late for you."

When Harmonia changed the subject - choosing instead to focus on George - Chelsea stopped. A deep blush crossed her face. Was she really hearing this? Was Harmonia asking questions about what it was they got up to behind closed doors? Surely, she knew, that was strictly private! "I'm sorry!? WOT did ye se-!?" she blurted out...but then, she stopped, clasping a hand to her mouth as she realized her outburst. She had just admitted the two of them were family, after all - so why was she so afraid of sharing? When Chelsea looked back at Harmonia, she slowly began to lower her hand - and there, a sly smile crossed her face. She crawled back a little bit to get closer to Harmonia. "Oh, well...that's part of it, alright. For everything they say about him, he's got a reputation for a reason. He knows how to treat a lady, all right..."

Chelsea giggled to herself - right now, she and Harmonia were like two teenage girls at a sleepover. And, she realized, that was what she had been yearning for all this time.

"..Juss dun go gettin' any ideas, gorriz?"

[RedShinigami]

Georfe and Anfield rushed behind Molly. The Bulldog having gotten a shine to the sister of his mommy as both looked and smelled similar. When they found her he ran up to his "aunt" and jumped at her legs, whimpering.
"Hey, hey thats enough, boy. Sit.", George said as he panted a bit from the unexpected sporting session. He maybe was an althlete now too but that did'nt mean that he could keep up with the swiftness of a Molly Forster, known to some as the red and black flash in old WFPW days.
George then saw what she had gotten and chuckled.
"Molly...you and Moni are one of a kind...", he said and took the Lego set under his arm as they approached the counter.
"Well its getting late. Lets have a punch and go home, huh?", he said with a smile as the manager asked Molly if she wanted if giftwrapped.
"Hmmm...that reminds me. I have much stuff for Chelsea but...I don't know. It seems that the big one is missing..."
Then something came to him.
"Molly...you will get me to your finest jewelry, now!"

Harmonia wiped her tears away. It still hurt but it was like a scar, it was there but it faded. Harmonia had learned.to acceppt what could'nt be changed and lived a better life with it. Tough, when she heard Chelsea, THE Chelsea suddenly becoming a comforter, telling her not to blame herself, all of Harmonias bad thoughts went away. She theen smiled and even managed to ask Chelsea one or two more..intimate questions as the beer started to flow. Harmonia grinned.

"Oh, I can imagine. A handsome..."big" guy like him.", she said with a giggle and as Eddie approached Chelseas room he could swear that it was Molly sitting there. Never had he seen his oldest daughter so carefree and happy. He waved to Jude to come to him and as both peeked he turned away from the door, leaning against the wall and took a deep breath. He tried to not let himself go but wjen he saw his wives face the tears only came faster. He took Jude, walked away from the door and then dropped into the arms of his wife, sobbing, letting things out he had buried for a long time. "Li...listen...how she laughs. Hoe...this people are good for her. I...I am so glad Jude...I...", he said while his head was buried into her shoulder. Tough then his stomach dropped.

"...and then look at me. I am the fookin biggest arse running around Liverpool. I will apologize to the lad when they are home and..."
He took his wives head into his hands and bowed forward, kissinf her forehead.
"And I will finally bury all this shite that was between me and Chels.", he said and with a confident smile and went to the door of his oldest daughter. He cleared his throat and knocked at it before sticking in his head.

"Sorry to interrupt you ladies but Jude would die to see some of the dresses you brought for you and Molly.", he said and Harmonia, surprised at first suddenly knew what this was all.about and nodded.
"Well, then better not letting my future in law wait, huuuh...Dad?", she grinned as Eddie was at loss for words.
"Uhm uh, mh, yes...", he said while a shade of red appeared on his nose and when Moni had left he entered Chelseas room.
"You girls had fun?", he said, standing there akwardly and looking at the big Liverpool Flag over Chelseas bed.
"Hey...remember when we got this one?", he said and pointed to the bed.
"May I?", he asked.

[CaptainL]

Molly giggled to herself as Anfield ran up to greet her - not to mention George, who panted for breath as he lagged close behind. Maybe she had gotten a little carried away, she thought to herself, but she couldn't help it when she was this excited! It was the perfect plan. Molly knew about Harmonia's Lego hobby - some might call it an addiction - and getting a model of her homeland's most iconic landmark seemed like the perfect way to commemorate their trip. It was a testament to how close they had become that Molly knew just what her fiance would want most - something that George would recognize.

"Oh, you should see the collection she has back home!" Molly chuckled, nodding her head. "Something tells me she's going to want to keep this one in a place of honor..." She nodded her head to the cashier, and when the wrapped box was passed back to her, Molly placed it in her bag - and immediately staggered a bit to try and balance its size. Finished with her tasks, she nodded to George when he brought up heading home...that was, until he said that he needed something else for Chelsea. That made Molly gasp. That simply wouldn't do!

At George's request, Molly stood at attention and brought her hand up to her head for a salute. "Yes, sir! You've got it!" A grin came to her face at the thought. The tensions in Chelsea since she'd come home hadn't been lost on her. But the thought of George getting her some nice jewelry seemed like just the thing that would lift her spirits. Molly knew what she needed to do, now - she owed it to her sister!

Taking an arm around George's, she led him back out onto the street. Though, she couldn't help but be a little bit curious. "Sooooo..." she mused aloud, "what else are you gonna get her? I won't tell!"

Eventually, the two would come to a rather fancy, upscale jewelry store. "How'll this do? I used to do a lot of shopping here," Molly noted. Despite Chelsea and Eddie's rougher ways, the Forsters were still a well-off family at the end of the day - and Molly didn't even bat an eye at the idea of doing last-minute Christmas shopping at such a boutique.

Back at the house, Chelsea scooted closer to Harmonia's side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as she let out a hearty laugh. Any worries she might've had were gone - what was she doing worrying that much, anyway? It was Christmas, and she was here, surrounded by family and friends. No, just family - because Harmonia was family. She had shown that enough.

Just outside the door, June took her husband in her arms, pulling herself closer. For as big and tough as Eddie might have seemed, she knew his emotional side, too - and how he wasn't afraid to let it out around the people he knew he could count on. Chelsea really was her father's daughter. "Don't worry," she said softly, patting him on the back. "You still have time. And I think she'll really appreciate it. They both will." She took a step back from him and smiled, putting this in his hands.

That was when Chelsea heard the knock at the door - and at once, she jumped up. Wrapped up in her conversation, she didn't even notice anyone at the door - and immediately, a panic shot through her mind. How much of this did her parents hear? She didn't want anyone thinking she had gone soft, even if it was her own family - perhaps it was out of instinct, but she still couldn't let down her guard! "Ah, erm-! Come in..." Even still, Chelsea still had an awkward blush on her face as her parents entered the room...one that only deepened when Eddie brought up dresses.

"Wha's dis? Wha' dresses, like? You're not gon'ter drag me into Molly's malarkey-!" she blurted out - a statement that would only cause June to laugh. "Oh, Chelsea, it's just this once, and she isn't even going to sing any theme songs in Japanese this time!" She beckoned for Harmonia to follow her, leaving Chelsea alone with her father.

As soon as Harmonia had left the room, Chelsea fell back on her bed, biting the inside of her cheek as she folded her arms behind her head and stared up at the ceiling. The way he had acted toward George began to creep back into her thoughts, and she let out a huff. Even still, when he brought up the flag, her eyes lingered on it. She couldn't help but think back on all the fond memories she'd had with her father - who had always encouraged her, no matter how much she struggled. "Ah...yeah..." That was enough for a few beams of light to break through the dark clouds - if only by a little.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Molly turned her head to look back in Eddie's direction. "...What is it?"

[RedShinigami]

George laughed as Molly, energetic as always saluted before him. Even if she was young woman now, fighting matches against people of all ages, deep inside her she would always be a child and George hoped that this would never change. He followed Molly with Anfield in tow to just the place he needed. It was that kind of shop that had thr two Exes, Exclusive and Expensive,written all over them. When George saw a guy with broad shoulders and a suit before the entrance, he knew that this was the right place to go. The big guy smiled a little as he saw Molly and stepped away. "Uhm uh...Miss Forster, uh could I get an autograph for my nephew? He is a big fan of you and the Superstars. We are all, in fact. And not just the Superstars. We are very proud of you and your sister, here.", he said and George smirked. Wanting it or not,the Forster sisters,especially Molly, had entered the limelight and being a liverpool local it was clear that they had many fans in town. He entered through the door and looked around. In this shop alone was more money then a middleclass family had budget in a year. But George was well off enough, not like Harmonia or the Forsters, but his business ventures and pubs had provided him with a small fortune that he could cozily live off. He came closer and talked to the shopowner who nodded and got to the back.
When Molly entered, George turned to her.
"Say, I mean, its Chelsea, I don't know if she cares about it that much but...does she have like a favourite jem?", he said as the man came back with a set of rings that glittered in all kinds of colours. When Molly saw them, George knew what went through her head and he nodded.
"Yes...yes exactly what you think right now.", he said with a wink.

Harmonia left the room and Eddie sat next to Chelsea.
"You must have been three or four...", he began while looking at the flag.
"I just started taking you to the games, as you were finwlly old enough to understand what happened around you. Took some time to get your mom to allow it, you know how heated some of the matches can get, especially against Manchester. Well anyway, we walked by the Fan Shop and you suddenly stopped and pointed at the flag. You really wanted it. You begged me to buy it for you. And of course, if my girl wanted a Liverpool flag, she would get one. Now we went to the counter as the last flag just got sold, a man had bought it just before us and I asked you if you wanted something else and that I get you a flag later. And then...it happened. Suddenly you grabbed for the mans flag, gave him one of the meanest looks I have ever seen and said "Piss off ye tosser, this is mine!"", he said and started to laugh.
"And...and after I apologized to him, he was nice enough to give you the flag and thats how it ended up here.", he said and wiped a tear of laughter away.

Then a little silence came over them.
"What I wanted to say is, Chels. Back then, on this day, I really started to know you, know that you are my girl whom I can share all the things I love with. And then you got into beatings in schools, you had no friends and we did'nt know how to handle it. I did'nt know how to properly handle it. And it only got worse when you got older. When your career as a singer got destroyed, I should habe been there for you, but I was too weak for it. You see, talking big emotions and all was nothing I had growing up. When something was the matter, as a man, I just had to pull through, be strong, have no weak points. And when you needed me I stood before a wall. You might think your mother and I then concentrated on Molly and yes in a sense we did. But not because I loved her more but because I just could'nt go through to you. And this was wrong, it was not ok. I am your father and I should have been there for you, I brought you into this world and I owed it to you, to take care of you. And then you went to Japan...and now you are back and I see you with someone who seemed to had broken through your shield and my heart broke. So no Chelsea, I don't hate him. I don't think you made a bad choice. You made your choice. And when I see you smiling at him, a smile I last saw when you were a child...", he said and fought with the tears.
"All...all I want is...to forgive me. Forgive me, I never meant to hurt you. I am sorry. I...am..."

He looked away, he could'nt bare to have his daughter see him crying. But he also thought about Judes words. If he did'nt open up then he would lose her. And this was more unbearable then anything and so he turned around and pulled Chelsea into his arms.
"I am sorry you felt unloved...let down. You are'nt Chelsea you are'nt. I am your father. Please never think again that me or your mother ever took you in second place. You are...my little girl. You always be my little girl...", he sobbed as he held Chelsea to his chest.

[CaptainL]

The Forster family was comfortably well-off. They didn't flaunt it much, and they looked positively modest when compared to the likes of Harmonia Edelstein, but for as much as Chelsea lived like a lower-class lout who drank beer and got in fights, coming from an artistic family meant they weren't wanting for cash. To Molly, what looked like a good place to shop for romantic gifts would look like an unattainable luxury for George. But if Molly paid any heed to that, it wasn't slowing her down, and she was hurrying to the doors nonetheless!

In fact, Molly was all the more excited to find that the man at the door recognized her - and considered himself a fan, at that! She let out a gasp, holding her hands to her mouth. Even when her tag team run with Harmonia had seen her reach greater highs than ever before and shown her luxury like she'd never imagined, she still never quite got used to being a bona fide celebrity now - and to run into a fan on the street seemed almost unbelievable, no matter how many times it had happened! "Oh-!! George! Did you hear that!? He's a fan-!" she burst out, only to stop and clear her throat a moment later when she realized that this might have been a bit more...conspicuous than the guard might've hoped. "Uh...sorry about that. What I mean is, I'd be happy to." Molly took out a pen from her bag to sign her autograph - and it wasn't lost on her either that he mentioned being a fan of Chelsea as well. At that, Molly nodded her head, just a little bit, and her smile grew a little wider at the corners.

"She wasn't able to come with today, but...I'll let her know." Chelsea had, for some time, been the less popular of the Forster sisters, thanks to her less personable attitude. But even if Chelsea never let on about it, Molly knew how much that weighed on her - and how much she struggled in her sister's shadow. She'd seen the glum look on her face when Molly was greeted with peals of applause, and she'd heard her sobbing to herself at her desk late into the night over a couple of beers. Chelsea would never open up about it; she thought Molly wouldn't know. But she did. Molly always wished that she could do something to help her, but she wasn't quite sure how. Now that she was a part of Mad Tea Party, things were starting to look up for Chelsea, and Molly was sure George was doing a lot for her. But she was sure she'd be happy to know there were people out there who cared.

...Not to mention George himself. "Sorry about that..." Molly muttered as she stepped back into the store, after George. When he mentioned looking for a ring, Molly began to move over in that direction, not even thinking at first about what she was doing - but then, the implications clicked, and she stopped right in her tracks, her eyes growing wide with excitement. "Oh. Oh. My. GOD!!" Molly was so happy for her sister, she couldn't help herself from letting out a gleeful squeal! It had meant the world to her when Harmonia proposed to her, after all - and she could only imagine how hard it would hit Chelsea.

Unable to contain herself, Molly spun around and pulled George into a tight embrace. "That's so sweet of you! She's going to love it, I just know it!~" she cheered - only to a moment later stop and clear her throat when she realized how such a gesture was surely drawing attention. "...Again. Sorry. I won't tell anyone...it's going to be hard, though," she said with a giggle. "Well, Chelsea doesn't wear a lot of jewelry, but knowing what she wears, I think ruby would look good on her! Or, no, wait, how about amber? Look over here, aren't these pretty?" She stopped in front of a case where some amber-inset rings were being displayed, eagerly beckoning George over for a closer look.

Back at the Forster house, Chelsea had scooted a little bit closer against her father. She wouldn't ordinarily do this. Not to anyone - not even to her own father, when she was sure he was just going to reject her like everyone else had. But Harmonia had made her feel safe, and she made her feel understood - just enough so that Chelsea felt willing to let her guard down, just a little, and let her emotions shine through. That had made her a little bit more recepetive. And at least she and Eddie were alone, now, and she wouldn't need to worry about what anyone thought. She didn't have to worry about being the tough, ruthless brawler Chelsea Forster any more - she could just be her father's daughter. And when he shared the story of how they'd come home with the flag, Chelsea could remember it clear as day - and she burst out into raucous laughter just as her father had. "Ah...that was when you knew, wasn't it?" she chuckled to herself, and the arm she had wrapped around his side squeezed a little tighter.

But then the topic shifted, and things grew a little more grave. And so too did the light drop from Chelsea's eyes, and her face grew stoic. She'd been through some rough times, and it never got any easier even after all these years. In fact, hearing her father bring them up, she grimaced; the hairs rose on the back of her neck like she was on guard. This meant he was blaming her, she told herself - that it was her fault she hadn't had the success she'd so strived for. But...it wasn't that. In fact, when Eddie brought up that he didn't want to say anything because he needed to be strong...that was when it hit Chelsea. They really were the same, deep down. She really was her father's daughter.

"...Dad..." she scooted closer to him as she turned to meet his gaze, her eyes brimming with tears. He'd been there for her all this time - he was just afraid to say anything. Just as afraid as she was. It wasn't that he was upset with George. He was upset with himself, for taking this long.

But then, Chelsea threw her arms around her father's sides. She had to stretch in order to reach all the way around him, but she was going to try anyway - and she hugged him as tightly as she could, burying her face into his chest. Her tears began to dampen his shirt, ever so slightly. She didn't want to let go.

"No, Dad, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let it get this bad, but...but...I was afraid of being weak, too. So that's why I never bothered to reach out. I didn't want anyone to think I couldn't handle these things on my own...but I should've realized you were right there to help me this whole time..." She sniffled, squeezing him tighter. "...but...I do forgive you, Dad. We were just...too up our own arses to say anything. I see it now. But now, we've said it...we can make up for all this lost time." She turned her head up to look back up at him through the tears shimmering in her eyes. "...right?"