News in the family (Jorge/Chase)

As Gemma glanced out the window, Chase did as well, his teal-against-black eyes flickering towards the street uncertainly. A taxi cab pulled up, a guy and a girl got out-- a guy and a girl, that kind-of looked like Gemma. Gemma confirmed what the nine-year-old knew in his gut. Chase breathed a shuddering sigh. New people. Well, not-so-new-- Gemma's real children. "Laurent" and "Valerie". From behind a pane of glass, they looked safe. The shapeshifter slid off of the chair that he'd been kneeling upon, and went over to Jorge's side.

The child was dressed decently, but not so cleanly that he'd be uncomfortable. He wore a pair of freshly-washed jeans, ironed and untorn around the hems at Chases' feet, and a blue, button-up shirt. His hair had been combed into submission, but it had already returned to its usual unruliness. And, courtesy of Gemma's adapted field, and at his mother's request, Chase stood unshifted beside the detective, in all of his glory.

The nine-year-old was understandably apprehensive. Both of Gemmas' biological children were humans, and not the kind that constantly worked alongside mutants, or nullified their powers. No, they were just... normal. And intimidating. Chase would root himself beside the detective, for now. He wouldn't move until he had to. There was a knock at the door, and the nine-year-old's stomach knotted, his gaze going to his shoes. Gemma opened the door, and Laurent stumbled in, first, constricting Gemma into hug. Chase dared to look up, tilting his head slyly to the side.

Valerie's greeting was... less expected. Chase looked at Jorge, a small smirk touching the childs' lips. Chase knew why his mommy was wearing a ring, so it felt like he was on the inside of an inside-joke.

Well, that was fast. Gemma peeled Laurent off and closed the door, giving the family some privacy before she turned to look at her grown-up children. Jorge stood next to her and gracefully handed the responsibility over. Gemma was not surprised.

>>“Love…um…maybe you should say?”

"Well." Gemma held out her hand that was, indeed, complete with a ring "I am wearing a ring because Jorge asked me to marry him. And I said yes."

Laurent and Valerie blinked, then looked at each other, then back at their mother. Valerie stepped up, looking at Jorge with narrowed eyes, before a slow grin spread out on her face, and she poked him in the chest.

"About damn time!"

>> "Well…I am wearing a ring because Jorge asked me to marry him. And I said yes."

There, the question had been answered. Jorge had been trying to steel himself up for days, ever since Gemma told him that the kids would be visiting. He sincerely did like the both of them, very much. Valerie was a tough nut to crack, though. She was exactly like her mother except she tended to be a little less trustful of him. The last time that they were here, Valerie did everything possible to bust his chops but Jorge never once wavered in front of her.

Since then, he had not seen them. He had been in the same room when Gemma spoke to them over the phone and he had even taken calls from them a couple times. But it was never more than that.

Now though, the entire dynamic of their relationship was going to change. Not only were those two going to get a new sibling, but Jorge was going to be marrying their mother. He could only wonder what kind of flack he was going to receive from Valerie for that. Laurent seemed good with him (he definitely enjoyed his cooking) but would Valerie be okay?

The smaller, young version of his fiancé straightened up, squaring herself as she stepped forward. Jorge prepared himself for everything…except what she actually did.

>> "About damn time!"

She poked at his chest and Jorge could only smirk and chuckled a little at her comment. That was Valerie, all right, always throwing a curveball.

“Sorry to keep everyone waiting?” he apologized jokingly. He then nodded to Valerie and Laurent. “It’s great to see you both again.”

He smirked as he glanced to the side and saw Chase partially hiding behind Gemma. He uttered a mental prayer to the boy since it was now time for his introduction. This…was going to be an interesting family.

Chase felt his stomach drop as Gemma nudged him farther into view, his heels digging into the carpet, causing him to step forward with a light stumble. No. No, no, no. Chase found himself wholly exposed, for a moment, and a timid glance was cast up towards Valerie and Laurent, before the nine-year-old all but adhered to Gemma's arm.

First, the girl stared at him-- and Chase buried his face into Gemma's arm, his cheeks radiating warmth. Why did she have to stare...? And, when Laurent saw that Valerie was staring, he came over, too-- he just had to survive introductions, and then he could go back to hiding somewhere. Maybe Jorge would slink off to watch something on t.v. while Gemma entertained, like Mr. Townsend used to do when Mrs. Townsend had guests over. Then Chase could sit with Jorge, and Lizzie, and avoid being stared at by his human relatives.

Gemma murmured a tentative introduction as the child contemplated escape. Gemma managed to nudge him forward once again, but kept an arm draped upon the boy's shoulder. His much-older siblings stared, Chase stared at his shoes. There was some mild bantering between Val and Laurent, and Gemma. Chase almost murmured a "Nice to meet you" when Valerie interjected. He had no inclination to try speaking over or under her.

Laurent shushed his sister, and stuck his hand out towards Chase, offering a chipper "Nice to meet you" before Chase could manage to say the same sentiment first.

Chase hesitantly took the young man's hand, and shook it lightly, before carefully withdrawing it once again.

"Nice to meet you, too, Laurent," the nine-year-old replied softly, looking up just long enough to utter the sentiment. His gaze flicked towards Valerie, and he reiterated, "Nice to meet you, Valerie."

A hesitant smile touched the nine-year-olds face, brows furrowed uncertainly, before his eyes drifted to his mother, then towards her hand, which was still planted reassuringly upon his shoulder. He wasn't going to escape anywhere fast. Chase dropped his gaze again, awkwardly ending the greeting there.

Gemma nudged Chase gently, but did not let go of him. He was latched onto her arm, and she wanted to make him feel as comfortable as possible, so she let him. He shifted awkwardly looking away from the siblings, and she could understand his worries. Both kids knew what to prepare for, but this was still the first meeting in person.

>>"Nice to meet you, too, Laurent. Nice to meet you, Valerie."

"Hi Chase" Valerie smiled, shaking his little hand too "We have heard a lot about you. Mom talks about you on the phone all the time."

This was almost uncharacteristic for Valerie, to be this nice; Jorge had certainly never seen her that way. With all the sass she had, she was not one for scaring kids.

>>“Well, I think I’ll start putting everything together for lunch. Hope you all are hungry.”

Jorge looked for an exit, and Gemma smiled at him.

"Starving. You need help in the kitchen?"

"I'm out of here" Laurent announced "The further I am from the kitchen the better, for everyone." looking down at Chase, he flashed another smile "Hey Chase, you have a movie we could watch to be out of the way?..."

>> "Starving. You need help in the kitchen?"

Sorry Chase. Jorge had tried his best to let the kid escape with him but it was obvious that that would have been rude. Yes, Gemma had not seen her kids in a long time, but this was a time where they were supposed to be getting to know their new little brother. It would not have been right to have the boy hiding in the kitchen with him the entire time. They needed to get to know him, especially they were all going to be a family now.

So, Jorge nodded to Gemma with a smile.

“I could use all the help I can get,” he beamed.

He turned and headed towards the kitchen but he heard Laurent and Chase behind him.

>> "I'm out of here, the further I am from the kitchen the better, for everyone…Hey Chase, you have a movie we could watch to be out of the way?..."

>> “Yeah, Come on.”[/color]

He smiled a little at that. Gemma’s kids got it, they knew that they needed to start to get to know the boy a bit better. Not that he expected them to shun Chase or give him a hard time; they were not monsters. Despite Valerie’s attitudes towards him, the detective knew that they were both good people who shared their mother’s ability to look into the inner workings of a person. They would treat Chase well and accept him into the family just as readily.

It was Jorge that they were going to give a hard time to! He smirked at the thought as he entered his kitchen and began to gather lunch, glancing at his fiancée if she decided to follow him in or not.

Chase nodded as he received the consent of his two older siblings, popping open the DVD case. He’d become well-accustomed to working Jorge’s DVD player since the first time he’d come to the detectives house. He’d come to the point where it was nearly second-nature for him.

Chase fussed with the controls momentarily, making sure that the t.v. was set, and he popped the DVD into the player, before hitting the button that would close it. That being done, the movie catapulted into the advertisements that always came beforehand. Chase got up from his task, and crossed the room, flopping onto the couch beside Laurent.

While both older siblings made him a little anxious, he was still more comfortable around boys, generally speaking, thus the seating choice.

“My favorites are the two funny guys,” Chase murmured, “And the monkey.”