Summer Love F PV AngelFyre McCubbin

Eternity. The word could now be officially quantified. The number would be 17. Seventeen days without being able to touch Simon actually felt like an eternity, and she was not lying or exaggerating when making such a pronouncement, even if the pronouncement was wisely made only in her own mind. AngelFyre was actually being generous with that figure to be sure. Eternity shrouded her like a dark cloud the moment they separated at King's Cross station 17 days ago and every infinitesimally fractional measure of time between that moment and the moment she could feel him once again had been an eternity piled onto an eternity piled onto another eternity ad infinitum. Yeah, she had it bad. Or really, maybe she had it just that good.

As terrible as this had felt, she had thought many times over the course of the days that she hoped she never got to a point where she did not miss him this badly if they had to be apart. It physically hurt to be away from Simon... it really did... and that had to mean something. She had been paying more and more attention to her parents' relationship and it did not surprise her to see that her mother was a little more bonkers when her father was gone away on business. The duration of the trip elicited the same response if his trip was one day or 20. Actually, the longer the trip, the more agitated she became. AngelFyre used to think her mother's agitation stemmed from feeling like she had to bear a greater load of household and parenting responsibilities when her father was away, and a little of that might be part of it, but she was coming to believe that was not the lion's share.

Mom was missing Dad. It was just that simple. Her mood and attitude was always lighter and happier on any day of his return. And she could see it in her father as well. Mom and Dad were to each other what she was to Hillary. Everyone would be greeted, but everyone else would have to wait until Hillary greeted her person first. Even her dog had her priorities straight, it would seem. AngelFyre had to smile at that. Love was a powerful thing, whether it be felt by man or beast. It was comforting to see that even after nearly 13 ^1/2 years of marriage, her Mom and Dad were still each other's world. That is what Simon felt like to AngelFyre.... her world. "May it ever be so," she whispered and she leaned her head on the window, watching as the landscape had become increasingly urban.

Her mom and Dad were sitting opposite her. They had felt it safe enough to allow her to travel to Colin's less than a couple of weeks ago, but they were both in tow for this dropoff. It was clearly not the matter of her traveling unaccompanied that most bothered them, but to be fair, there was just as lot more that could go wrong riding a train from Edinburgh to London than riding one from Edinburgh to Tain. Still, their main concern remained the heartthrob waiting for AngelFyre at the end of the ride. That was something she and Simon would just have to learn to live with because it was not going to change, though all three had had a couple of very enlightening and fruitful conversations since she had been back home. A lot of the hurt feelings that had been created over spring break seem to have been smoothed over, and all three were grateful for that. Simon might not be able to detect the difference yet, but AngelFyre could feel it coming. That would have to do for now. Besides, it was not the worst thing in the world to have parents who loved her and cared enough about her to make certain where and with whom she was going to be spending a week was a safe place.

""You will be happy to know, lass, that it is time to start gathering your things. We should be pulling into the station in about 2-3 minutes," and Iain McCubbin smiled at her as he leaned over his wife to look ahead a bit out the window. "Poor, Simon. He had quite an extra wait to contend with what with our delay." Then teasing AngelFyre he stated, "I hope he did not wander off and lose track of time, what with that curious mind of his."

"Nice try, Daddy, but you can go fish somewhere else. I am not taking that bait. He will be there. I know he will definitely be there, and what is more, I know you know it, too."

Iain McCubbin chuckled at his daughter's statement and reached over to take his wife's hand. "Aye, I do. I definitely do. Then remembering how AngelFyre shot off like a rocket when she met Simon on the platform for his spring visit, he decided he might as well resign himself to what was likely about to happen, and honestly, it was not a bad thing.

"Here Lass, give me your bags. This station will be more crowded than Waverley the night he arrived, and you need not abuse innocent passengers by assaulting them with lingering bruises in your haste to reach Prince Charming," and he winked at his wife. "I do not do this for true love as much as I do it to prevent litigation from the path of destruction that is about to hit Euston station."

AngelFyre looked at him and could not help but laugh. She gratefully turned her bags over to him and then gave him a kiss on the cheek. Before pulling away, she whispered in his ear, "Thank you, Daddy. I know you are actually quite fond of him, too, and that means the world to me."

Then AngelFyre stood up and smiled at both of them, stating that she was going to make her way to the doors as they were now pulling into the station. "See you in a few." And less than 30 seconds later she was out the doors and on the platform, scanning the crowd for the most handsome face in the world.

The train pulled up on the platform and Simon stood there as it seemed like far too long before the doors opened and some passengers in a hurry began to make their way out. A woman with a huge bright red purse, a couple who seemed upset with one another, a businessman..... None of these people were AngelFyre. Simon scanned the cars and he saw what he was pretty sure was her mother and father and gave them a smile and wave before quickly looking to the nearest door from there and sure enough, off sprinted his girl to his direction.

He caught her as she ran right to him, her arms around his neck and he lifted her up, bringing her full circle before placing her down. His forehead came down to her own and he just stood there close, holding her. "Oh, how I've missed you," his voice was at a whisper due to their closeness. Her father should appreciate this sort of closeness between them as it wasn't the two of them kissing and by the time he did pull back to look into her eyes and his hand grazed gently against her face, her parents had joined them. He smiled widely, knowing that kissing her now would be inappropriate but the want was there. Luckily, they'd have many chances later on.

Simon lowered his hand, bringing it to hers and he squeezed it softly. "Welcome to London, McCubbin Clan - home of Big Ben, the Queen, the busiest city airport system in the world and where daily newspapers, jigsaw puzzles, tea kettles, purple dye, tuxedos, and penicillin was invented." He learned that last one just recently at the museum. "We will now take the London Underground, the oldest rapid transit system in the world to drop off AngelFyre's belongings and then we will meet up with my Aunt Maggie. Would you like me to take any of the bags?" he offered.

He watched them as he reached into his front pocket and pulled out what looked like debit or credit and he handed one to each of them, glancing a moment down at one that had a small heart sticker on it and ensuring AngelFyre received that one. "This is your Oyster Visitor Card and it's a ready-to-use ticket for most London public transport, including the Tube, buses, the tram, DLR, Overground, and National Rail services. I've written my cell number on the back so if for some reason we get separated, give a ring. I'll instruct you where to go so we can all meet up together again. Don't panic, we Londoners are pretty great at helping out those having a bit of difficulty. Your daughter here has had my number memorized since Spring Break," he smiled over to her. He had called and texted her so much in the past seventeen days that he too had hers memorized.

Now Simon knew they could take Line 14 bus to get home but that would take a good 45 minutes where as the subway could get them there in 20. The subway it was!

They headed to the escalator that took them down and got on the Victoria line. "We'll take this to Victoria Station and then hit either the Circle line or District line to South Kensington Station," he said without even so much as checking one of the maps. When they got to the turnstiles, he showed them how to use the cards just in case they were unfamiliar, scanning it in front of the machine and waiting for it to allow you to walk through.

"Now when the train comes to a stop, its customary to wait for exiting passengers to depart before getting on but be quick, you've got very little time," he said once they were at the platform. The display indicated they only had to wait a couple minutes for the next train to arrive. Enough travel tips though, he looked to AngelFyre's parents and smiled, grateful they were allowing them this opportunity. "It's good to see the three of you again. I hope your trip went well despite being a bit prolonged."

Before the train had even come to a full stop, AngelFyre had spotted Simon on the platform and knew the moment she stepped foot off that she needed to go left. Her father was right. There were a lot more people on the platform, so short of mowing people down, there was no fast, direct path to him. Was this really still the morning rush hour? Her frustration was mounting. She would have him in her sights and then she would lose him. All these people! She felt like she was speed walking, no... not even that fast.... through Jell-O to get to him. And then, like magic..... and who was to say it was not.... the crowd parted and she had a straight shot to him.

When she leaped into his arms, she buried her face in his neck and just held onto him, completely silent. She was not crying. She was not laughing. She was recharging. His scent was the very first thing that overtook her. As marvelous as cell phones were, they could not deliver that particular slice of heaven to her. Next was the feel of his arms enveloping her. Honest to God there was no such thing as being too close to him. And finally the sound of his heartbeat. The pulse point at his neck told her everything she needed to know, even before she heard him speak. His normally slow beating heart was thrumming like crazy. That made her hold him even more tightly. As he gently set her down and brought his forehead to hers, she brought her hand up to his heart.

All she was aware of in those moments was Simon. His gaze found hers, focusing her every thought on him alone. When his hand grazed her cheek, she reached up with the hand not over his heart and pressed her palm to the back of his hand while simultaneously pressing her cheek into his palm. It could only have been a couple of seconds, but it was as if the time they had been separated had been forgotten. The pain of it anyway. Their gaze locked and this, this she knew she could do forever.

She was unaware of having dispatched the tear, but her father noticed it. Her father had observed most all of their tender reunion well before he and AngelFyre's mother had made their way to the young couple.

Simon was the first to break contact, but his hand quickly found hers as he greeted her parents, well all three of them really, with his beautiful, wide smile. For her part, AngelFyre was reeling internally from just being with him again. A smile lighted upon her heart, and she hoped upon her lips as well, as Simon very enthusiastically began to tell them some of the wonderful things London was famous for in the annals of history. They all listened quite intently because for one thing, he was so engaging and clearly proud of his birthplace, but also because Simon Kincaid could be counted on to know some very interesting factoids about any number of obscure things. Listening to him proudly rattle off some of the things invented in London, AngelFyre shot her father a quick look and shook her head inconspicuously when they were told the invention of purple dye was somehow a London claim to fame. The Phoenicians would be shocked by that, no doubt, and she smiled. She turned her full attention back to Simon, making note to bring that up with him in private. Now, they were hearing the itinerary.

This is where her fellow really shone bright. AngelFyre had traveled some in her young life, but not extensively, and rarely to London. Her parents were both, however, veterans of international travel. Clearly Simon had put in serious thought and effort into making getting around as painless as possible. And he had thought of everything, even down to his contact information on the backs of their cards. AngelFyre giggled delightedly when she noticed the heart sticker on hers and bounced on the balls of her feet in excitement that he would think to do such a thing.

She soaked up every word he was speaking because she knew this was her first, true glimpse of her London Simon. He generally had an economy with words, so if he was making a point to spell it out, she knew it was because it was something he felt she should know. She also knew it was his way subtle way of letting her parents know he was more than capable of getting their daughter safely from one place to another in the big city. The boy was nothing if not impressively prepared.

"Thank you, lad," Iain McCubbin said as he took the cards and handed one to his wife, walking beside Simon and AngelFyre as they headed to the escalator. "You put a lot of effort into this, I see, and it is very much appreciated." And just before Simon stepped onto the escalator, Iain McCubbin patted Simon's shoulder two times and ended with a quick squeeze. When Simon turned to look over to him, he would see AngelFyre's father smiling warmly at him.

As they rode the Underground to Victoria Station, AngelFyre's parents were sitting, but Simon and AngelFyre remained standing, holding onto the same metal pole, swinging into each other and laughing when bumping shoulders. He would move her curtain of hair behind her shoulder sometimes and she would run her fingers through his swoop because they both knew it would simply fall perfectly into place again anyway. With her arm hooked around the pole, and the ache to just be able to be alone with him ever rising, she turned Simon's palm up and spelled out with her left index finger 'I missed you, too' and when he smiled, she smiled too, and erased it with three fingers. Then she wrote 'I want to kiss you', and drew a ❤. When he looked at her then, she smiled softly at him and tenderly closed his fingers over the palm heart in his hand and rested her head on his shoulder.

As they were nearing their final destination for the London Underground at that moment, he gave her a kiss on the top of her head to indicate that they'd be getting off at this stop. Sure enough, it was South Kensington station. The four made their way off the subway train with ease and headed up to street level. Once they stepped out into the sunlight, Simon slipped on sunglasses but he didn't toss up a hood just yet. He'd try his best to go without additional sun protection for the sake of normalcy for her parents. No need to show him the 'weird boyfriend' side than they already knew about or remind them of it.

"My Church is the one right there," he said as he pointed to a rather old but well kept up ornate Roman Catholic Church. Obviously if it was that fancy on the outside, it probably looked as much from the inside. "That's where I spend most of my Sundays and Wednesdays and then have my Catechism class on Tuesdays and Youth Choir on Thursdays when not at school." So...every day but Mondays and Fridays, pretty much. He and Aunt Maggie were both pretty involved.

What the McCubbins might take notice of is that Kensington, in this case South Kensington or "South Ken" as it affectionately was sometimes known as was a rather affluent, posh, and sophisticated area of central London. It was also known as London's museum quarter and that might have something to do with the random bits of information that Simon had collected through his years.

South Kensington was home to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, and the Royal Albert Hall. It had Hyde Park, the Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace, shops along High Street, and the Design Museum. Located there was also the Imperial College London, the Royal College of Art's Kensington Campus, and the Royal College of Music. Still, despite all this, it retained a quiet, relaxed feel.

Simon pointed some of these out along the way as they walked the few blocks to his house or mentioning where some were if they were just out of sight. He also told the general location of his former school and the library he often visited. They finally came to a townhome with brick exterior and a mint green door. It looked well kept enough, but also wasn't picture perfect. To Simon though, it was absolutely perfect.

"I welcome you to the Kincaid Residence. I call this...Victorian eclectic in jewel tone colors," he said as he unlocked the door and then held the door open for them, inviting them all in. His Aunt Maggie had a unique sense of style but it was uniquely brilliant. They would find the foyer there that lead into the living room and the reading room (with the piano) to the left and the living room area to the right. Continuing forward would be the washroom and the kitchen. The home was probably at maximum 1/5th the side of the McCubbin Manor in Scotland but Simon wouldn't change anything about it. "My room is in the basement," he didn't know if they had any interest in seeing that, "and AngelFyre, you'll be staying in the guestroom." Once they had the super short tour of the main level he helped carry her bags upstairs. "My Aunt Maggie's room is that door, the washroom is here," he pointed to another door, "and this is yours for the next few days." Too few of days.

Simon looked to her and smiled, opening the door and placing the bag he had gently on the floor next to the bed. This room had been the guestroom for some time now. Once upon a time it had been Aunt Maggie's room but she moved into the largest of the bedrooms when his mother passed away. Long before that, Arabella and Maggie Kincaid had shared this room. Nothing of that remained though, as Aunt Maggie's interior design had touched the space now.

If they'd wish to see the rest, he'd show them the small garden of the home and his own room, where they'd find his bedroom, washroom, and his music area. It would all be pretty predicable, mostly navy blues and golds, with some other neutrals. There would be lots and lots of music, a cross on the wall, a bible on his bed stand.

When that was finished, which didn't take long, he turned to them. "So Aunt Maggie is excited to meet you both and we'll meet up with her for lunch now if you're ready. She had to get some things started at work but said she'd be off the clock when we got there." He secretly hoped that they didn't mind that Simon had come alone to pick them up at the Station. He was more than capable, he just hoped that AngelFyre's father didn't think it was some bull elephant sort of move.

When she felt his kiss on the top of her head and his body tensing and straightening up, she knew they were coming up on their stop. She looked over to her parents to alert them, but her father already had bags in hand and her mother was heading towards the door. She smiled, not at all surprised. It would not surprise her if her father had Google earthed Simon's home already, and his neighborhood. It was just who he was at his core. Like she kept telling the two, they were so much alike. Maybe that was a little bit of their problem; possibly too much alike. This was an issue she was keeping on her prayer list.

When they got above ground, AngelFyre first noticed the sunglasses came out, but no hoodie. Again, another deep smile. She squeezed his hand and gave it just the gentlest tug. As Simon turned to look at her, he was already telling them about his neighborhood, and he was smiling so happily. She winked at him and focused her attention on all that he was saying. As AngelFyre looked around, it was striking her that she was actually...finally... in his stomping grounds. Simon had lived no other place than here, other than Hogwarts, and that was a bit of a marvel to her. She remembered Edinburgh well enough, but she had lived most of her life in Stenton. She held no less love for her home than he held for his, but his roots were deeper. 'South Ken' and everything associated with it was his tap root. She loved that about the place already because it formed so much of who he was, is, and would become.

"Ohhh. Is it on your itinerary that I get to go to church with you," she asked eagerly and hopefully, gazing at it with a great deal of wonder. She had pictured Simon in his church so often and was curious to see what it was like inside. It was beautiful on the outside, but she had never really pictured the outside. Then an odd realization came upon her. She had never pictured Simon in his neighborhood in daylight. It was always dark. I mean, she knew the boy had to go outside sometime as a kid, but this time of day, for example, did not produce one imagined activity of him. She suddenly looked at him just so that she could commit that very image to memory. It was silly, probably, but it meant something to her.

When Simon started mentioning all of the museums, both AngelFyre and her mother really perked up. "Simon, this is just lovely. If I lived so close to all of those museums, my family might not ever see me again," and she laughed a little. "Well, you know you would definitely see me, at least once in a while," and AngelFyre joined her in her laughter. The two loved museums. "Well, I am envious of you, Sweetheart. You are going to have a fabulous 5 days of culture. You will have to take lots of pictures and tell me all about it."

AngelFyre looked at Simon, uncertain how, or even if, she should respond to her mother. She decided it would be wise to let them know what she and Simon had planned because if they thought she was coming back home as a tourist, and had no touristy photos or souvenirs to show for it, she definitely did not want their minds to go wandering to just exactly what the two must have been doing for 5 days. Them, with those thoughts, would not bode well for Simon and AngelFyre.

"Mom, there may be a couple of things we do or see that might be considered 'touristy', I have no idea, but honestly, the point of this trip is for me to really get to know Simon in his natural environment. I get to find out all about this place and the people that shaped who he is. Touristy can happen with my next visit. I am going to meet his friends, see his old school, visit his favorite library and hopefully meet the librarian he talks so fondly about... you know, things like that." Then she squeezed his hand and tugged gently again and whispered to him, "If I have it wrong, now would be a really good time to set the record straight, love'. He smiled and nodded. "You have it exactly right," he grinned, and he stopped and cocked his head towards a darling townhome with a light mint green door. "I welcome you to the Kincaid Residence. I call this...Victorian eclectic in jewel tone colors."

When he unlocked the door and let them in, AngelFyre hung back with Simon and let her mother and father go in first. She wanted to go in with him. She knew it must be lovely because her mother was already 'oohing' and 'ahhing'. AngelFyre glanced at her fellow briefly, smiling, and then turned to get her first look. It was just beautiful. Much smaller than her place, of course, but it did not feel small or crowded. And the colors were fabulous. Those matched fairly well the pictures she had in her head. "Oh, wow. I love the flooring." Everything was absolutely lovely, but the thing that stood out for her most was how 'homey' it all felt. Most people had a place to live, but not all of them had a home. Simon and Aunt Maggie had created a wonderful home.

She walked over to the piano, and ran her fingers over the keys, making no sound. Now she would be able to truly visualize where he would be playing when Aunt Maggie had her recently bereaved congregant members join them on Sundays after church. Her eyes met his and she put her hands over her own heart and just smiled.

"You never mentioned how beautiful Simon's home is AF." Then looking to Simon she continued, "Your Aunt Maggie has a terrific sense of style, Simon. I am very eager to meet her."

As they continued the tour of the first floor, AngelFyre replied, "I never told you, Mom, because I had never seen it until today." And at that, her mother stopped short and turned to look at her daughter, sounding somewhat incredulous. "Really? I would have imagined that as much time as you two spend on your cell phones that you would have been given the grand tour already," and she looked at them both and smiled quizzically. "We talked about it, but we both were agreed that we wanted me to see it for the first time in person, you know, to get the full effect." What she was not elaborating upon was that the full effect most definitely included seeing it with Simon. Anything else would have just been so much less and therefore unacceptable. She wanted him to see her natural reactions to all that was so much a part of him. She had that pleasure when he visited her, and she could still recall so many of those firsts. And it was not just AngelFyre being silly or sentimental here. She knew it was of importance to Simon, too. In his own way, he was just as sentimental as she was.

They went upstairs and honestly, of all the beautiful rooms in the townhome, AngelFyre loved Aunt Maggie's room most of all. The large windows, the chandelier, the gorgeous furniture and the deep green walls, it was her idea of perfection. But she knew immediately that this kind of room would never work for her dhampir. She suspected his perfect room would be completely windowless. And there would be music absolutely everywhere.

"The guest room is so pretty and the bed looks so comfortable. This will be just splendid. Thank you, love" she said as he put her bags down. "Do we have time for me to see your room before we meet Aunt Maggie? You know I am dying to see it," and her eyes, she was certain, must have held a pleading, but happily expectant sort of look. She was thrilled when he led the way down to his personal space. All three trooped down to the basement level, and there were more 'oohs' and 'ahhs'. Even her father remarked how much larger the place was than he expected it to be from the outside. AngelFyre laughed and teased her father, "Well perhaps like my enchanted satchel, Simon has enchanted the townhome to be larger on the inside." Then she stopped for a second and looked at Simon. "You know," and she whispered this part to him for obvious reasons, "...we should remember that idea. That would be a fabulous way to save money on big city real estate, especially if someone is serious about having 12 kids," and she chuckled, but she was actually serious.

And then they got to his space. This time she went in before her parents, bringing him with her. She looked up at the fabulous shelving. Very practical way to carve out more space. He must have gotten the idea from the library he spent so much time in as a child. "Oh, love.... it is pretty much as I imagined it would be. It is just so you. I did not anticipate you having your own piano though. Fabulous! And I love that you love vinyl records. Gee, I knew you said you had a collection, but you really have a collection! I cannot wait to look through them at some point." Then she looked over to her father. "Tell the truth, Daddy. Your fingers are itching to go through them, am I right?"

Oh, you know they are. Looks like a very nice setup you have down here, Simon. Is it soundproofed?" As her father and mother were looking at the piano and vinyls, AngelFyre peeked in at his actual bedroom. She had him pretty well pegged. It was windowless. It was dark and much more urban casual than his Aunt Maggie's style. But everything important she thought would be there was. His Bible. A Cross. And his scent. She could have picked this room out out of a million, blindfolded. Turning back towards him and leaning against the door jamb, she just smiled at him. "This little space is exactly how I pictured it. That makes me very happy."

"Okay. Off to meet the famous Aunt Maggie. I hope she is going to like me because I already love her."

Grateful that the McCubbins seemed to get the general vibe of the place, they were led back upstairs and to that front door where once again he held it as they all exited and he was able to lock up. He smiled, glad most of all that she seemed to like it - his off little soundproofed bedroom and all.

They began down the street, the opposite way of where they came. "Once, a man named Nelson Crawford opened up a bookshop here in South Kensington," he began to tell them the little history behind Aunt Maggie's bookstore/bakery. "He had come from an industrial family and acquired a bit of money though some betting - perhaps not the most noble of methods but he could have done worse with his earnings, right?" he looked over to her parents and smiled. "Years later he met a girl who loved to bake named Ruth and after they were married, his gift to her was carving out a space within the shop to be her bakery. The two had quite a successful business built up through the years and hired on my book-loving Aunt Maggie. She also had a fondness for sweets," and Simon paused to give a dramatic look like she was absolutely mental for thinking so but then smiled because he knew he was the one who was off there, not his aunt, and continued. "She eventually learned the baking aspect to it all and was the main baker in no time. Nelson passed away at quite the old age and Aunt Maggie helped Ms. Ruth tend the shop and when she couldn't do it anymore she entrusted her with the business. She sold it to Aunt Maggie for the price of a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar." It had to be one of the cheapest business sales in history! "And she's owned Crawford Bookshop and Bakery ever since. Sometimes we joke and call it Books and Cooks and sometimes we call it Reads and Feeds."

"Hi, Simon!" a girl said as they passed, waving enthusiastically with a bright smile. She looked about his age (or well, the age he should look). "Olivia!" he said, pausing a moment to digress just slightly from his group to give her a quick hug. "Olivia Dalton, this is my girlfriend AngelFyre McCubbin and her parents. McCubbin Family, this is my friend Olivia." Olivia smiled to them and then she couldn't help but let out a giggle. "Lovely to meet you," she gave a little curtsy and looked to Simon with a mischievous look. He watched her a little warily. She was up to something. Olivia took a step back. "I'll let you be on your way. Enjoy your day! AngelFyre, I'd love to meet up with you sometime on this trip and......," she looked to the girl, "....Simon talks about you nonstop!" and with that she giggled again and quickly began to skip back down the street to continue on her way.

While it may be true and while she probably already could gather such, as well as perhaps her parents, it still made Simon's cheeks turn a shade of pink and he glanced down the way he normally did when embarrassed. Did she really have to say that last part?

"Alright, okay. Well," Simon said, trying to get himself back on track here. He cleared his throat. "Currently, and for the past two years, Crawfords has gained and maintained a five star rating. For those of you who do enjoy sugar laced confectioneries, I recommending trying something. Apparently the choices are delicious."

They crossed the street when it was time to cross and it all came second nature to the boy and perhaps the well-traveled adults with them. It was apparent he knew his way around the City as well as totally comfortable with how it worked. He held onto AngelFyre's hand as they walked, swinging it when they had longer strides of distance and gently placing pressure when it was time to stop or something to nonverbally cue her in. He walked on the side of the street, because that too was the gentlemanly thing to do. Never a need to place the lady in potential danger, should there ever be any - but even the congestion and traffic in South Kensington was relatively peaceful. It truly was a gem in the wonderful metropolis that was London.

"Yo, KINCAID!" he heard over to the right just as they reached across the crosswalk and he glanced over to see another friend of his. Honestly, whether it was through muggle school, music related things, the library's youth group, or church, Simon knew most of the kids of South Kensington. He was a social butterfly and not just at Hogwarts but had been so all of his life. This was another good friend of his, Henry. The redheaded boy made his way over to where they were in a jog and once he got to Simon the two began to engage in a rather long and elaborate handshake - starting with a basic handshake and them moving to some handclaps, high, low, to the side, a fist bump, a snap, a couple claps, a slap, something that resembled rock, paper, scissors, swishes, a sword fight, and even some twists and turns of their full body. Neither one missed a single step in the elaborate routine. "Sup, Henry? This is the girlfriend, AngelFyre McCubbin and her parents. McCubbins, this is my friend Henry Stewart." He made introductions as he had done not long before with Olivia.

The redhead's eyes looked to AngelFyre and they remained fixated there. "Dude, she IS as pretty as the pictures!" Simon lowered his head again. Why couldn't they had come across Gabe or Oliver or someone with a little more sense of manners than Henry? He liked Henry and hopefully it came off as a compliment to the girlfriend and her parents because Henry was a nice kid, he just didn't always have ettiquette down. Henry shook his head and Simon remembered when Henry first saw a picture of AngelFyre from his phone and he had stated that Simon got ALL the pretty girls.

"We'll talk soon, Henry! We're headed to meet up with Aunt Maggie to get lunch." Henry smiled and then gave a nod to the others as if saying silently it was nice to meet them and then just gave a wave. "Tell Aunt Mags good day for me! I saw her just yesterday to pick up a cake for me mum's Birthday. Got myself a Cinnamon bun, too. Food for the gods, innit
Henry then dashed off. Simon just hoped they would get Aunt Maggie's store soon. He didn't want any of his guests to grow hungry at his expense. Luckily, there were no more run-ins for the rest of the trip. Finally they arrived. The outside was a classic British shop, with that same dark sort of teal color that played out so often in the Kincaid Residence. What spruced it up though and gave it a more elegant feel was the amount of flowers adorning the outside entrance. Above the door spelled out CRAWFORD'S in large golden letters.

He led them inside, which resembled both a classic sort of pub setting with its darker rich hues inside and that of a cozy living room setting with rich seating. There were wooden tables in the back, some for larger groups but mostly ones for smaller groups. There was a long case of glass that displayed all the treats for the day that ran along the length of the space and then over for the cashier part of it. Some additional shelving and cases held other items and there was more than a little inventory and range to choose from. On the opposite end, the walls were lined with high book cases with book after book after book. A table here and there had a catchy display where more books rested but grouped by a theme of some sort or another.

"Welcome to Crawfords!" a young woman greeted them at the sound of the bell as they entered. She had been placing cupcakes on the middle shelf, all done up perfectly frosted, and fruit embellishments - not too unlike the ones Simon had done for the Valentine's Day Tea. It was one of her best sellers, after all. She glanced up with a bright smile that only got brighter when she saw them. "Oh, I've been looking ever so forward to meeting you!" she said as she bounded up and began to hurry over where they were but paused in midstep to turn, wash her hands quickly, and then join them. She'd have a lot of energy, but in the bright happy peppy kind.

"Are you the hugging type? I'm the hugging type," she said and quickly pulled AngelFyre into a hug. She then introduced herself to AngelFyre's parents as Maggie Kincaid. She had been Maggie her entire life and probably would always be so - unless maybe the formality on her wedding day if she should ever be graced with one and then maybe it would be Margaret. Maybe.

Her kindness would show in her words, her tone, her mannerisms, and even in her eyes. Simon listened as she talked a little about how nice it was getting to know them over the phone and she was looking forward to lunch and having AngelFyre for her visit. She gave them a quick tour of the bakery and stated that they would stop by after lunch for dessert. Lunch would just be two doors down at one of her favorite cafes. "See you soon, Elizabeth!" she called out to one of her coworkers as she undid her apron and tossed it into a laundry bin and retrieved her purse from a cabinet somewhere under where the cash register was.

The cafe would have some guest but for the most part was now at a lull from it being an off hour due to the late train. This would play out in their favor, as side chatter from other tables would be low and the five could have a chance to have a nice lunch and talk.

As they set out to meet Aunt Maggie, AngelFyre sort of zoned out while Simon was telling her folks the story behind Crawford's. It was not because she had heard it before or because she was bored or did not care. Quite the contrary. It was a fascinating story to her, especially the purchase price part. That always made her heart smile. No, she zoned out because she was both elated and terrified about meeting Aunt Maggie, and that is where her focus lay.

Aunt Maggie was everything to Simon that her father was to her. Things had started out so rocky between her father and Simon, and while she knew those initial missteps were in the process of being mended, it would take time, and each would have to be willing to let their guard down and trust the other. She knew it would happen... it had already begun to happen before Simon left in the spring..., but AngelFyre was well aware she only had this one chance to make a good first impression or be destined to slog through the muck and mire as Simon and her father were now having to do.

She smiled at him as he swung their hands while walking. His playfulness just delighted her to her core, and it occurred to her for about the millionth time that neither he nor her father actually 'had' to slog through anything, except for their mutual love of her. And that right there was why getting off on the right foot with Aunt Maggie was so important to her. Yes, she was in awe of Aunt Maggie, but it really all came down to her love of Simon. As did almost every single thing she thought or did.

What did penetrate her thought bubble was a girl's voice calling out to Simon. He stopped and quickly released AngelFyre's hand to give her a hug. He then introduced her to the girl as his girlfriend and then her parents, and then they all learned the girl's full name was Olivia Dalton. Olivia had a bright sweetness to her voice. It rather tinkled like bells to AngelFyre's ears. And the girl curtsied. How perfectly delightful. Smiling herself, AngelFyre looked to Olivia and beamed, "It is very nice to meet you, too, Olivia. I have heard wonderful things about you." And then the girl smiled rather playfully at Simon and said the words that that made AngelFyre's heart sing, both her parents chuckle, and her poor, sweet Simon blush with embarrassment. "Oh, thank you, indeed. I hope we can, too. I think that might be very... illuminating. Bye, Olivia."

As Olivia skipped down the street, AngelFyre giggled and took her handsome fellow's chin between her thumb and index finger and shook it gently, trying to lift it but he resisted a bit. She was having none of it and bent her head down moving it left and right, tracking his avoidance movements, her voice thick with glee. "So, you talk about me "nonstop", eh? Another meeting with Olivia definitely needs to be worked into our itinerary, I would say." And from behind them she could hear her mother and father doing their best not to chuckle more than they already had.

"You might as well get used to this sort of thing now, lad," Iain McCubbin offered. "There is almost nothing that will stop people of the female persuasion from clucking together about their men," and then he just outright laughed. Annene McCubbin jabbed her husband in the ribcage with her elbow, but that just made him laugh harder, which then made her mother laugh, too. AngelFyre took the opportunity to wrap her arms around him and whisper, "If it is true, I think it is awfully sweet," and she kissed his cheek.

As the teasing waned and the blush finally left his cheeks, Simon valiantly struggled to get back on track. It charmed AngelFyre so because it reminded her so much of their first time at the piano when his hand accidentally touched hers and then their gaze first locked. They would have stayed like that for who knows how long if one of the portrait people had not cleared his throat, breaking the spell they had fallen under. Simon was quite flustered back then and tripped a bit finding his balance coming out of that. As he had quickly done then, he just as quickly now found himself and started them back on their way while finishing his story about Crawford's for her parents. He proudly relayed that it was now, and had been for the last couple of years, a 5 star establishment. She looked at him as he told that part because he always beamed with pride in his Aunt Maggie for that astonishing accomplishment.

The tables would quickly turn on AngelFyre and she found herself to be the one blushing when they crossed paths with Simon's friend, Henry Stewart. It was a sight to behold watching the two boys go through the most elaborate handshake in the history of handshakes. "Do they just keep going until one misses, falls asleep, dies of starvation?" her father asked with the deep appreciation and admiration AngelFyre knew so well in her father's voice. "Bravo, chaps. Splendidly done!" enthused her mother when it finally came to an end.

As Simon graciously introduced her and her parents to Henry Stewart, and vice versa, it was hard not notice that Henry was staring, and staring hard, at her. She shuffled a little nervously between one foot and the other, and she finally looked to Simon, raising her hand to her nose as if asking him if she had something on her face. Just then Henry popped out with the words that made her blush and made Simon's head go down for the second time in less than 5 minutes. That had to be a record. Now knowing why the redheaded boy had been staring, AngelFyre smiled brightly and laughed most bemusedly at him and nodded her sincere appreciation to him, while squeezing Simon's hand tightly. As Simon diplomatically cut short any further discussions with Henry by mentioning they were off to have lunch with Aunt Maggie, the merry little Clan McCubbin, of which Simon had long been an honorary member as far as AngelFyre was concerned, trooped the last bit of the journey in no time to the famous Crawford's. It was impressive from the outside, and it smelled fantastic as well. It must be quite heady on the inside.

The bell over the door alerted the proprietess to an arrival. An angel just got their wings, she thought and smiled. AngelFyre had of course seen pictures of Aunt Maggie, but she was so much lovelier than her photos. She was warm and energetic and oh, so welcoming. Every worry AngelFyre had been holding melted away in a flash and by the time Aunt Maggie had rinsed her hands and was asking if she was a hugger, AngelFyre had already started to move to her with quick steps, her arms open wide, too. "You have no idea how wonderful it is to meet you, Aunt Maggie," and she hugged her a little more tightly and just a little longer than normal, but not uncomfortably so. Then realizing what she had just said, she looked up at her, her own cheeks red with embarrassment, and apologized for taking liberties by calling her 'Aunt Maggie'. "It is how I think of you and how I refer to you when Simon and I speak of you. It tripped off my tongue before my brain could stop it. I am so sorry." Then looking over her shoulder towards her parents, she stated, "I promise you my parents raised me to know better and to be more polite."

Then she stepped out of Aunt Maggie's embrace and listened as the in person introductions took place between the adults. AngelFyre watched her parents closely here, and could tell immediately they both liked Simon's Aunt very much. The smiles on both of their faces were not their forced smiles. It was all genuine. That was a huge relief.

She caught Simon's eye a few seconds after he had been watching her parents with his aunt. He smiled and reached out for her. She smiled back at him and moved over to his side, twining her fingers with his. "I can already tell I am going to love her on her own merits and not just because she raised you. She is exactly how you described her. Simply wonderful!"

"She's one of the best people I know," he said in a low voice, not really needing his aunt to hear that directly although he was pretty sure he could bet any galleons he owned that she already knew that. He probably had mentioned that a time or two before to AngelFyre and smiled at her in apology for the repetition.

Once at the cafe, they were seated at a table near the window that looked out one of the prettiest areas of South Kensington. This place and Crawfords certainly benefited by being located on one of the best kept areas of the town despite the decades that passed.

"I'll give you all a moment to look over the menu and then I'll go order for all of us." He wasn't sure how it was in Scotland at a restaurant or cafe, but there in London, many of the small cafes like this ran in a pub-like fashion, where one would order their own food and drinks at the counter as opposed to a waiter or waitress coming around to the tables. Simon knew his order here, and he knew Aunt Maggie's order here so it wouldn't be too much to memorize theirs.

Maggie would stick with the British classic, Fish and Chips. She would want malt vinegar with it as well. Simon would get the Roast Dinner, even with it being lunch, because it would have both meat and some potatoes. He could do without the Yorkshire pudding. He listened as Maggie explained some of the items on the menu to the guests, and his eyes just watched AngelFyre as she scanned over the menu. She was so beautiful. It took him a moment to realize when Aunt Maggie was trying to get his attention to state her and their other two guests' preferences. He smiled to her and passed a forgiving look over to AngelFyre's parents for his lack of concentration and rudeness.

With decisions made, he placed in their orders and came back with the drinks for everyone - water for him.

"So tell me, what's your first impression of London Town?" he asked her as the guardians talked amongst themselves. He hoped that she saw its charm, as he wanted her to love it.

The café was charming, and the only good thing about their train being an hour and a half late this morning was that they practically had the place to themselves now. Simon chose the table they all sat at, and she knew, God love him, he was working overtime in his calm, cool, and collected manner to have things be as perfect as possible, less for her benefit, she suspected, though that was part of it, but mostly for her parents. He had something to prove to them, to her father most especially, and AngelFyre wished she could say he truly did not, but they both knew everything was being scrutinized right now. AngelFyre hated... truly hated... that for him, but he was stepping up to meet every challenge magnificently.

The table he had chosen was near a window with a wonderful view. AngelFyre reached for his hand under the table as the adults were looking at the menu, and as he looked to her, she just took a few seconds to mouth 'thank you for everything you do' and she squeezed his hand, smiling at him, before very reluctantly turning her gaze from Simon to the menu.

When she looked over the menu, it was a combination of the familiar and the unfamiliar. Most things she recognized, like the renowned British Fish and Chips or Shepherd's Pie. She knew Simon would be getting something with beef and potatoes. That was a given. There looked to be some interesting choices, but AngelFyre had two goals here, if possible. She was a vegetarian, for one thing, and she wanted to try something she had never had before that would be very British. As Aunt Maggie leaned over and asked if she was finding anything to her liking, AngelFyre explained her two goals. Aunt Maggie's voice vibrated with excitement as she pointed out to AngelFyre a particularly interesting menu item.

As soon as AngelFyre saw the name and read the description, she squealed a little in absolute delight. "Bubble and Squeak! Oh, you just know I have to try that. What a fantastic name," and she giggled some more while repeating Bubble and Squeak softly to herself because it was just so much fun to say. She noticed it came with chopped beef, but Aunt Maggie assured her Simon could ask them to leave it out when he placed their order.

She looked up from the menu and thanked Aunt Maggie for her help, grinning from ear to ear. She was such a warm personality... it radiated off of her in waves just as it did Simon. And she smelled of confectioner's sugar and honey and warm butter. Everything about Aunt Maggie was friendly and welcoming and AngelFyre knew she was going to be simply crazy about her before she left London.... heck, maybe even before the day was through.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she became aware that Aunt Maggie was trying to get Simon's attention. When she turned to him, her heart grew three sizes when she caught a brief sight of his soft, concentrated gaze upon her. AngelFyre had no idea how often, or if ever, he had looked upon her like that, but a lifetime of reveling in such looks would be... bliss.

When Simon himself snapped to reality, his eyes quickly darted to Aunt Maggie and he blushed yet again his endearing, apologetic look to her parents. When he left the table to go place their orders, AngelFyre's mother turned to Aunt Maggie, placing her hand over Maggie's and patting it a couple of times. "Simon is a wonderful boy. We are, all of us, very fond of him. Well, two of us are extremely fond of him," and she turned her gaze to Iain McCubbin who smiled at Maggie and nodded in an easygoing agreement with his wife's statement, "and one of us is head over heels, to the moon and back again, crazy about him," she finished with a sparkly laugh. Iain McCubbin grabbed the discussion thread baton his wife passed onto him and followed up with, "Yes, and just how head over heels will become very evident to you very quickly. It is impossible to miss." He was smiling and leaning back in his chair, trying to be as nonchalant as possible.

"As I have already stated my concerns to you and to both of them, I have to admit that Simon has far exceeded my expectations in respecting our concerns and boundaries. It is hard not to be impressed with the young man," and his gaze first moved to Simon at the counter placing the order and then to AngelFyre, "and the way he takes care of our daughter. It was quite unexpected to me from one so young."

AngelFyre sat there, happily stunned. Her father had all but given his stamp of approval on Simon, but AngelFyre wished it had been said and done in front of Simon. Still, Aunt Maggie had heard it, and maybe that was her father just being very sly. Perhaps it would register more with Simon hearing what her father thought about him coming to him from his Aunt Maggie, the adult he respected and loved more than any other. Imparting such thoughts to Aunt Maggie was validating who Simon was and negating "most" everything about Simon that had concerned her father months earlier. The teenage hormonal years would always concern him, no matter who the boy was, AngelFyre knew that, but her father recognized in Simon the depth AngelFyre had long insisted was there. There was victory on the battlefield and Simon did not yet even know it. AngelFyre just looked to her mother and then to her father, her eyes smiling and glistening.

It was then that Simon returned with all of their drinks. As the adults sipped and talked, she pondered his question. Turning her gaze to the cafe's interior and then upon the lovely view out the window, blinking back her happy tears, she leaned over to him and took both of his hands in hers. "My first, second, third, and quite probably lasting impression of your London Town, mo chridhe, (my heart) is that I absolutely love it," and she laughed. "How could I not? I mean, it gave me you and Bubble and Squeak," and she laughed some more while squeezing his hands, her eyes absolutely shining.