1/3 Instance: Parent Trap

[JackSkulls]

Timeline: Current

Christopher: Chris waited in the lobby of the resturaunt for Hope to arrive. His parents had already arrived and gotten a table without feeling the need to wait for the two of them. "Shit, shit, shit. Where is she." Hope wasn't actualy late, Chris was just in panic mode because he knew that tonight was going to be horrible.

Hope: Hope's ride was just pulling up, the driver hurrying around to let her out. She slid out gracefully, not having to adjust her black dress as she was led inside between her two agents. She smiled when she saw Chris, but that quickly turned to a look of concern. "Are you alright?"

Christopher: "Not in the least. I wish mom wouldn't have insisted on this." Chris han his fingers through his hair, messing it up. His tie already loosened so he could breath better. "You really don't want to meet my parents."

Hope: Hope stepped to him and wordlessly fixed his tie, reaching up to fix his hair next. "They can't hurt me or change how I feel about you. Relax."

Christopher: Chris sighed his tension releasing a little. "No they can't. But Dad's a well... Jerk's  the best way to put it. And mom didn't take the divorce very well. She liked Greer."

Hope: Hope searched his face, then kissed him softly. "We'll do this together." She took his arm.
Christopher: "If dad pulls out the bible I'm running for the exit...." Chris kissed her back and tried to compose himself before they set off for his parents table.

Hope: Laughing, Hope set her political smile on her face. "Relax. I deal with worse every day."

Christopher: "I don't know... Dad did disown me when he found out." Chris pulled her chair out for her when they got to the table. "Hey Mom, hey Dad." Chris gave them an awkward smile to which his father ignored.

Hope: "Mr. and Mrs. Nord," Hope gave them her smile and offered her hand to his mom first.

Mrs. Nord: Chris' mom just stared at the girl. "Chrissy you look malnurished. You should eat more. I know we gave you plenty of money to live off. You're not waisting it on College floozies are you. Tell him honey he can't run a company if he's not well fed." Chris' mom got up to give her son a hug.

Christopher: Chris gave Hope a sympathetic look but returned his mother's hug. "No mom, I'm eating fine and most of my money goes towards resources for my classes. Mom this is Hope. My girlfriend." 

Mr. Nord: Chris' dad just scoffed. Probably only cares about his money. "So is this another mutie bimbo? She looks normal enough. But look how you turned out." He sipped his wine and went back to his newspaper he'd brought with him.

Hope: There was a sting of rejection she hadn't anticipated. Challenge accepted. Hope noted which paper it was and smirked. There was a picture of her in that paper. Well if he was too dense to notice, she wasn't going to point it out. Wait, run a company? Her eyes flashed to Chris. He ran a company?

Mrs.Nord: "Chrissy why don't you just try and make up with that nice gal from before she took such good care of you." She frowned and sat down. "Honey put the paper away and talk to your son. It's been years and he needs our support after all he's been through. I mean we don't want him turning out as some miscreant like the people he associates with."

Hope: Oh challenge aborted. Hope flagged down a waiter. She needed scotch.

Mr.Nord: Chris' dad just sighed. "If I must. Boy, you need to keep this whole mutant thing less public, do you know how much trouble it causes your mother to see our name slandered in the news papers?" He rolled his eyes at the girls order. "College is one thing, but you don't need to make a fool of yourself on a daily basis. We had to get the guest house repainted because some hoodlum painted mutant lovers all over it."

Hope: Hope couldn't stop herself. She laughed out loud. "That's your biggest concern? Having to paint a guest house?"

Mr.Nord: "Well we couldn't have the neighbors or my business partners staying there like that could we now?" He stated matter of factly. "Now Chris when are you going to give up on this stupid idea of teaching and come run one of my companies. Your mother seems to think it would be a good idea and I guess I could swing the PR as a charity case."

Hope: "Why would he want to run something as a charity case when he can excel at what he's doing now?"

Christopher: Chris carefully slid his hand to her leg. "How about we just have a nice meal and you guys can get to know my girlfriend. Please? We can talk about me doing things later." Chris tried to flag the wiater down to order before anything else went wrong.

Mr.Nord: "Yes sure the mutant skank out for your money? What was your name again Greer? Helga? Oh something with an H wasn't it?"

Hope: Hope blinked at him a few time, a smirk forming. "You don't know who I am." She stated, rather than asking. Now she was amused. "Somebody as... informed and involved in the world such as yourself, I would expect you to know."

Mr.Nord: "Oh just another mutant piece of f.." Chris cut his dad off mid-sentence.

Christopher: "You're not going to talk to her that way! You're going to sit down. Eat your dinner and be polite. I put up with enough of this crap when I first told you but it's been years since then. You need to get over your supperiority complex."

Hope: Silently, Hope took his hand in her own, giving it a squeeze. He was so wonderful.

Mr.Nord: Chris dad just scoffed and ordered his food when the waiter came by and went back to his newspaper.

Mrs. Nord: "Why don't you just come home with us honey and take some time to relax. You look tired." She frowned at the tone he was using with them, but wanted to help Chris anyways.

Hope: "He was relaxed and fine until you two started in on him," Hope muttered.

Mrs. Nord: "Listen here you hussie. You're just some passing fad, we're his family. We want what's best for him. You're just some rebound skank from that last woman that broke my boys heart!"

Christopher: "We're leaving." Chris got up and grabbed his jacket. "Next time you come to visit. Call so I'll know not to be in town." Chris left the room knowing Hope could handle finding the way out.

Hope: Hope smiled softly at his parents. "Whether or not we work out is irrelevent. What you should be asking yourself is how far are you willing to push your child away in the meantime?" She stood up gracefully, smile still in place. "By the way, Mr. Nord, for someone who claims to care so much about his child, you don't act like it."