XUB 1: Oh God what have I done. (I6DT)

[Chloe Grant]

"Whats wrong, sweetie?" Chloe asked, looking at Simon in concern "You don't need to worry about the deposit, I thought Mum would be upset, but she said she'd be glad to help us get set up in a place."

[Lucy Grant]

"She did? Oh my gosh, that's so nice!" Lucy said, grinning.

[Simon Kipling]

Simon's head was on the table now. He let out a groan.

[Lucy Grant]

"Simon? What is it?" Lucy asked, leaning closer and putting a hand on the shoulder of her brother-in-law-to-be.

[Veronica Freud]

"Oooh, right, this could take awhile couldn't it." Ronnie nodded softly.

"I... if you want to help, I will totally take it."

[Brandy North]

"It might take a while. It might not. But I'm sure you don't want Ms. Lust-Bomb watching while we work it out."

"God, you're a bitch," Brandy muttered.

[Veronica Freud]

"Girls, please? So catfighting. Especially if you get in my head."

[Chloe Grant]

"Are you feeling ok?" Chloe asked, starting to be really concerned.

[Simon Kipling]

Simon was muttering into the table.

"When I mentioned moving in... I meant it as a joke. But you got all excited and then Lucy got all excited and I was worried that if I told you there'd be eye clawing and crying and I hate it when you cry but I went to tell you but you were gone looking at places and that made it even worse and now so much time has passed and I don't not want to live with you but I don't know if I can live with you without fucking something up and...."

He lifted his head and looked at Lucy. "How do you do this without passing out?" He asked, taking a deep breath.

[Chloe Grant]

"You were joking?" Chloe said, looking stunned "But...I thought that we were.....I thought you were serious about me. That you wanted us to have our own little nest. I know I can be neurotic, but......why don't you want to live with me?" Chloe asked, her lower lip quivering.

[Lucy Grant]

"You learn to talk without blowing so much air out and take in really deep breaths on refle- WAIT, WHAT?!" Lucy looked just about as stricken as Chloe did.

[Simon Kipling]

"I never said I don't wanna live with you." Simon said firmly, trying to regain control of the situation. "And I am serious about you Chloe. But I just don't know if I can - if we can do that and not end up being terrible, terrible roommates and just ruining everything."

[Chloe Grant]

"What could go wrong?" Chloe asked "We sleep over a lot as it is."

[Lucy Grant]

"And you two are so cute together," Lucy pouted. "And living together would be so much fun..."

[Simon Kipling]

"Dishes and clothes on the floor and who will pay the cable bill and leaving the seat up and drinking all the milk and, and..." Simon sighed. "I just don't want us to end up fighting all the time. You know, like other couples do."

[Chloe Grant]

"I don't care about any of that," Chloe replied

[Simon Kipling]

"You don't care because it's not happening now."

[Chloe Grant]

"But why do you want to wait?" Chloe said "It'll be the same no matter when we move in together, so we may as well get the kinks worked out early, I think. I mean, if you don't want to, we won't, but...."

[Lucy Grant]

"Why would you want to stay living on your own?" Lucy insisted. "What's so good about living with that stuffy snobby meanie-guy?"

[Simon Kipling]

"You two make it pretty hard to try and be all mature and responsible about what a bad roommate I am." Simon sighed, realizing he really wasn't going to win.

[Chloe Grant]

"You might be, but living together as a couple is different." Chloe said "Besides, we should get the kinks worked out before we're old and set in our ways."

[Lucy Grant]

"And you make it sound like we'd be horrible meanies living with you. We aren't that bad," Lucy pouted.

[Simon Kipling]

"Wait, set in our ways? What?" Simon's eyes went wide. And then he looked at Lucy. "Wait, you're living there too?"

[Lucy Grant]

Lucy blinked, then looked at both of them. "Oh," she said, blushing and sheepishly avoiding their eyes. "You meant... just the two... just... ignore me for a bit," she mumbled, looking rather embarassed and slightly put out.

[Chloe Grant]

"Oh, of course you'll live with us. Just at first, naturally." Chloe said "Once we've finished school, Lucy is going to get her own place, if she hasn't already. It'd be weird to be in our eighties and still living with my sister."

[Simon Kipling]

"No Lucy, I just didn't know that, I, it wasn't discussed... eighties?"

[Lucy Grant]

"Well, whenever you need me to, at least. I mean, I'd make a good nanny if I'm not busy with my own stuff, too!" Lucy put in brightly.

[Chloe Grant]

"Yes, but eventually you'll meet some bloke and want to have your own babies." Chloe replied "I know that dreadful future everyone visited is worrying." she said covering Simon's hand with her own "But we'll fix everything, and die in bed of extreme old age, surrounded by fat grandchildren."

[Simon Kipling]

"Uh, Chloe?" Simon said softly, trying to speak calmly. "I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself."

[Chloe Grant]

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked.

[Simon Kipling]

"Chloe, we've only been dating for about six months. Less if you count your time as a werewolf. Isn't it a little soon to be talking about marriage and grandkids?"

[Chloe Grant]

Chloe looked slightly stunned, and then her lower lip started to tremble a little "....I.....I thought.....we get on well, and we.....we've been sleeping together and.....I assumed that one day we'd get married.....this is because of how I acted when I was a werewolf, isn't it?" tears welled up in her eyes " I know I acted dreadfully, but......can you ever forgive me?"

[Simon Kipling]

Simon's heart sank. Why was it that any time he tried to talk about something like this he always ended up feeling like a total heel?

"Hey, hey, sssh. Come on now Chloe." He said as he squeezed her hand. "You know I forgave you, just like you know I understand it wasn't your fault. I'm just saying that we need to take our time and make sure we do things right, that we're certain before taking the next step."

"Chloe, you and me, it's the first serious relationship I've ever had. This is pretty new to me and I want to be sure I don't screw it up, or get into something too soon and end up hating it. Does that make sense?"

[Chloe Grant]

"I suppose...." Chloe said, a single tear rolling down her face. "Does this mean you don't want to move in with me?"

[Simon Kipling]

Simon's tail snuck up and brushed Chloe's cheek gently, wiping the tear away.

"I think you could talk me into it pretty easily. Just so long as a kid's bedroom isn't a factor, okay?" He grinned.

[Chloe Grant]

"Thats easy." Chloe said "I don't want to have babies right away. Not for years and years, until I"m done with university. So it'd be just you and me and maybe Lucy."

[Lucy Grant]

Lucy just bounced happily. "Well of course I'll be there. I mean, it's not like Jessie's stopped being daft to go with you, so someone has to and it'll have to be me!"

[Simon Kipling]

"So, one bedroom apartment with a king sized bed?" Simon asked.

[Lucy Grant]

Lucy blinked. "Oh! I... didn't know that was part of the deal, but... well, I guess so?" she said uncertainly, glancing nervously at Chloe.

[Chloe Grant]

"No!" Chloe exclaimed "You're just taking the piss, aren't you." she added a moment later, giving Simon an amused look.