Millie opened her eyes to an unfamiliar sound, someone coughing, or pretending to cough awkwardly from the doorway. Once she was able to focus she realised it was her dad, "hey dad, everything ok?" she asked sleepily. When he didn't reply she examined his face more closely, trying to sit up in the process she realised that there was someone underneath her, ohhh...crap... she thought, realising that her dad looked pretty unimpressed with the sight before him. Mentally checking that she was indeed fully clothed before she spoke, she said "what?" in response to the look she, or rather Finn, was getting.
"Time to get up, the police want to take your statement after breakfast" he stated, not unkindly, but annoyed at finding his daughter sleeping with Finn.
"Oh, ok...I'll be out in a few minutes" she said quietly. She realised that her dad wasn't budging from his position at the door, so she grabbed her clothes and made her way to the bathroom to get washed and changed. After 10 minutes or so she emerged and went to get her glasses from the bedside table, as she did so she narrowed her eyes and watched Finn sleeping. "Ok, ready for another delicious hospital breakfast" she said, pretending to stick her finger down her throat and gag and making her dad chuckle. As they left the room Millie said, "oh, I forgot something, be right back..." She walked back into the room, right up to the bed and quietly said "don't think I don't know that you were awake the whole bloody time," Finn's body shaking with suppressed laughter, "you can't avoid him forever, just saying" she concluded, the shaking immediately stopping.
"Well, if I'm going to be destroyed by your dad then I may as well do this!" he said, grabbing her and pulling her into a kiss.
"Hu-hum!"
"Oh fu...dge" said Finn carefully, causing Millie to burst out laughing.
"Fudge?" she said through her giggles.
"Oh, hey Millie, so glad you're up, come on everyone, breakfast!" said Millie's mum, dragging her still scowling husband from the room.
"Man, I love your mum" said Finn, "safe for another..."
"10 minutes, she literally bought you 10 more minutes of life...it was nice knowing you" Millie deadpanned, amused at what was happening, and leaving behind a worried Finn as she went to meet her family.
Crap, I always thought her dad liked me...I need to talk to someone about this pronto...and who the fuck says pronto!? Jeez, I'm losing it right now...Finn grabbed his phone and dialled the one person he hoped would give good advice.
"Hey bro, how are you feeling?"
"Not too bad, thanks, when are you guys back again?
"Couple of days, is that ok? Is anything wrong?"
"No, I just need some advice, like immediate emergency advice"
"Whoa, ok, what's going on?"
"Ummm, this is really awkward, but I need girl advice...not like that though..."
"You're gonna have to be more specific then"
"Ok, don't lose your shit, me and Millie..."
"Hah! Knew it...dad owes me 50 bucks"
"What the fuck, Nick! Jeez, anyways, her dad is kind of giving me the evil stare every time he sees us together."
"Yeah, and?"
"Well, what do I do? I thought he liked me..."
"Dude, he did like you, until he realised that you're now fucki..."
"Yeah! Ok! I get it...but what can I do?"
"Nothing, dumbass, no-one will ever be good enough for a dad's little girl, just accept it and don't let it get in the way...you're clearly head over heels for her, as long as she likes you, what does it matter?"
"I guess so...listen, I'd better go, I can't pretend to be asleep any longer and need to show my face, despite it being so unpopular right now, thanks Nick."
"No problem, and Finn?"
"Yeah?"
"Nice one, she is one hot..."
Finn hung up, not wanting to get his brother's views on how hot his girlfriend was, but grateful for his advice. After attempting to tame his unruly hair he made his way from Millie's room to where everyone was gathered for breakfast.
"Morning Finn" said Millie's mom brightly, come join us. The only space left was next to Millie, but he groaned internally as he realised he'd be sat opposite her dad, who was already glaring at him.
Oh god...you know what, fuck it! "Hey Mrs Brown, Mr Brown" he said, with his best cheesy grin. "Really great to see you again" he added, glancing at Mr Brown surreptitiously and seeing his scowl developing nicely. He felt Millie dig him in the ribs and saw her trying to suppress a smirk.
Detective Dent came in a few minutes later, "Millie? Time to go" he said, her mood immediately dropping to everyone's concern.
Finn grabbed her hand and gave her a loving smile, "come on, the sooner we start, the sooner it'll be done, right?"
"Hang on, you're not going with her" stated Mr Brown, halting Finn.
"Um, don't you think that's her decision? She asked me" replied Finn, starting to get annoyed by the situation.
"No, her mother or I will go" he carried on.
Finn's hands tightened into fists, opening his mouth to reply Millie beat him to it "for fucks sake, I'm going to give a statement to the police about a man that tried to fucking kill me and you're arguing about this shit!" Finn and Mr Brown looked at each other awkwardly. "Sadie, can you come with me please?" asked Millie, not willing to listen to this macho bullshit any longer, she knew it wasn't really Finn's fault but she needed to get this statement out of the way as soon as possible.
"Um, yeah" agreed Sadie, looking apologetically at Finn.
*~~~~~~~~~~*
Sitting in the makeshift interview room, opposite Dent with a recording device between them, Millie felt her mouth go dry "can...can I have some water?" she asked nervously. The detective called and got a bottle of water which she gratefully accepted, quenching her thirst but also giving her something to fiddle with. Sadie gave her a reassuring side hug as Dent started to ask question after question, some of which she could answer with ease, others she could only shrug at in answer. She spent over a couple of hours in that room, giving a blow by blow account of what happened, answering additional questions along the way.
The whole time she was in there Finn, Millie's family, and friends waited in the family room, he and Mr Brown exchanging awkward glares from time to time. That morning everyone found out exactly where Millie got her directness from when Mrs Brown stood up and said "right, you two, we're leaving for an hour, by the time we, or Millie, comes back you'll have sorted things out," and with that she herded everyone but Finn and her husband from the room.
They sat in excruciating silence for a few minutes, until Finn said "man, I can see where Millie gets her attitude from...maybe I might rethink things between us..." and he waited. Finally glancing at Mr Brown, expecting him to look furious, he was amazed instead to see him desperately trying to suppress his laughter. Locking eyes, he gave in and started laughing loudly, making his way over to sit next to Finn he slapped him on the back, probably harder than the gesture really required, but Finn was more than relieved to receive it.
"Look, Finn, I'm sorry, you're a good lad, but Millie...you know..." said Mr Brown.
Finn nodded, "I know...but I love her, you can't stop that, I've loved her for years, I'd do anything for her...you know that Mr Brown" he assured him.
"I know" he replied quietly, "listen, I never said thank you, for saving her life...Charlie told me what you did...I can't ever repay you or even thank you enough" he said emotionally.
"You don't have to, I did it for selfish reasons" said Finn, Mr Brown giving him a confused look in response, "I can't live without her" he stated plainly.
Mr Brown looked at him in shock at first, but then gave him a genuine smile, "call me Robert" he said.
*~~~~~~~~~~*