All is Well *Winter family & significant others*

Matthew stood in front of the Winter house, fidgeting like mad. His mother had had to put her hand over his to keep him from tearing a hole in his shirt. He'd just gotten this shirt today, specifically for this dinner, and he certainly didn't want to destroy it, and his mother would have been more than upset if he'd already worried a hole in it.

He brushed his hair back from his face, only to have it fall right back. He was so nervous! But he knew that as soon as he saw Willow, he would be fine, she was so calming to him. When Gareth had found out about the two of them being together, having caught them snogging in the group commons not long ago. He took a few deep breaths and raised his hand and knocked on the door, a few moments later laughing to himself when he heard a squeal from inside saying 'HE'S HERE!'.

Matthew waited another minute or two for his girlfriend to open the door. When she did, a sense of calm flowed over Matthew. His nervousness ebbed away and he went more than willingly when she pulled him into the house and started introducing her family to him, nodding to Gareth and Cambria, smiling in greeting to Sam, who was indeed pretty, but he was slightly saddened to learn that Willow's mother wouldn't be eating with them, but when he learned that they would still have a small wait, he became curious about Willow's house.

"Well, while we wait, we could sit and talk, or you could show me around?"

Matthew

Willow smiled and nodded. She loved that he was here, and now she just wanted to show him EVERYTHING!

"You can have a tour AND we can talk. How's that?"

She giggled softly, then began walking with him around to the kitchen. Their house might not have been a mansion or anything, but she was still quite proud of the house that they called home. They had moved here when she was too little to even remember it, so Willow didn't know anything different. And even though they were a family full of outspoken, passionate people...their home was still filled with love. She hoped that even if this night was filled with drama, Matthew and the others would see that the Winter family loved each other despite all of their issues. She smiled warmly at Matthew, then began to narrate as she walked.

"Just your normal kitchen, really. And then we have a formal sitting room, that no one ever really sits in. And the family room is where we fight over the telly, or maybe play a video game or two."

She led him to the hall, where her father's study was and peeked in.

"This is daddy's study, where he usually marks his papers. But it is also the room we never want to be sent when we've been behaving badly," she winked.

Next came the downstairs loo, then Max's bedroom. And she pointed out the master bedroom, though they did not go inside. Disturbing her mother when she was ill would be a very bad idea.

"I guess this just leaves the upstairs. Want to race?"

She grinned and without even a warning, ran upstairs. It didn't take long to show him everything. There were three bedrooms up here. One bedroom was for the girls to share And one was for Evan, now that Gareth had his own place to live. And the third bedroom was a guest bedroom. This was the room Willow wanted to focus on. If they had a little while before Evan and Jocelyn came, Willow and Matthew could have some 'quality time.' She closed the door behind them as she led him inside the guest bedroom.

"Kiss me, Matthew. Before they figure out we're taking too long on this blasted tour," she smiled.

Matthew paid close attention to everything that Willow was showing him. He wanted to see every part of his girlfriend's home. He thought that the house was very nice. He'd recently moved from his old home, the only one he'd ever known, when his mother had found that she was going to have a baby with the Charms Professor. Matthew loved his new home, he didn't have a room right across from Theo now, and his sisters weren't almost right next door. He still had to share a bathroom, but it was much bigger, and more room for the siblings' belongings. He no longer had to pick up Theo's towels since his older brother was living with their father in Ireland, Susan was naturally neat, as was Sarah when she was home. Max never really made a mess anywhere, and Ashton had his own bathroom, which Matthew was not suprised to see was always immaculate.

He didn't pay much attention to the upper floor of the house, though since Willow wasn't really showing him the rooms, but pulling him along through the corridor and into a room at the end. She'd closed the door behind them as they'd entered this room and Matthew found it a little strange until she told him to kiss her before they were thought to be taking too long for the house tour.

He smiled and pulled her closer to him, meeting her lips with his. Who was he to argue with his girlfriend when she said she wanted to kiss him? They'd be going down before they were missed, he was sure. Unfortunately, he didn't take into account that they'd been kissing for much more than just a few seconds when the door opened from behind them and he heard someone clearing their throat. He sprang away from Willow, much the way that he had when they'd been discovered by Gareth.

"I'm sorry!" he said, instantly starting to fidget.

Evan glared down at both the children in front of him. Really? So he was going to have to deal with TWO of them now? Was it him or did all the girls in his house hold (excluding his mother) live to piss him off? He watched Mathew carefully and looked back at Willow. He was disappointed in her, that much was certain and he could not believe that she had done something like this in their house WHILE they had company! Sure it was family, but that was not the point! Everyone had shown restraint and here these two kids were snogging...AT ELEVEN! Evan had a girl friend at that age but they hadn't even gotten to kissing...Hell, the farthest he had gotten with her had been a peck or two on the cheek and holding her hand while they walked to class...that had been before April Showers had changed so much.

He closed his eyes briefly and counted to ten about twenty times before her turned back to them both. He was going to cut them some slack, mostly because he just did not have it in him to beat the bloody Hell out of them. He was going to cut them some slack because they were eleven and because he knew that Willow would feel guilty on her own.

"I am disappointed in you both," he said coldly. "I know you know better than that Willow...I want you both downstairs because supper is ready, and if I catch anymore of this I am telling dad...are we clear?"

He didn't wait for confirmation, he had pretty much assumed they were clear. And without further prompting he went downstairs to sit with Jocelyn, holding her hand so he could calm himself down enough to get through this dinner.

Willow knew that her cheeks were flushed scarlet, and if she wasn't careful, she would start crying soon. She hated getting into trouble, and even worse than that, she hated the look Evan had given her only moments before. It made her stomach church and she felt like sicking up all over Matthew. She looked up at him guiltily, then shook her head.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed. She really wanted to help him make a good impression, and now, at least to Evan, Matthew would seem like a bad influence or something. When really, it had been Willow to suggest that they start kissing! She didn't want Matthew to be in trouble for something that was her idea. So she pulled back and looked at her boyfriend.

"I probably don't need to say this, but no more kissing tonight. I really don't want to make my brother any more angry than he already is."

She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, then she led the way downstairs, not even attempting to hold his hand or anything. Wilow was still blushing, and not able to make eye contact with anyone. But she sat right across from Evan and stared, waiting for him to look back at her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "Please don't be mad at me."