• Stealing Cinderella •

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Growing up, Theo had seen first-hand the power the daughter could have over the father. Lilia had often been able to sweet talk her way out of trouble when Theo and Alan had been unable to even state their argument for their own actions. She still did it now and even tried to make it work on Theo, though that was a losing battle. He was her older brother and he knew exactly what the doe-like innocent Lilia was capable of and it would take a lot more than the puppy eyes and the sweet smile to convince him otherwise.

Issy was a different matter. It was impossible for him not to give in whenever she looked at him with wide brown eyes or when her bottom lip trembled right before she started crying. It really was a powerful magic of its own, but it only took one look for a daughter to have her father wrapped tightly around her little finger with no hope of escaping it ever again. Lilia often joked that Theo was going to have a hard time saying ‘no’ in the future, but he knew that she was probably right. Issy really was the apple of his eye and he would do anything and everything to make her happy, regardless of the cost to his own life and dreams.

He chuckled softly and then glanced across at Meg with a playful twinkle in his eyes. “Aye, but now you’ve told me aboot it you’ll be the first person I suspect.”

[/color] He teased, going along with their little joke for a bit longer. He had played a killer in one of the college productions before today and it was definitely one of his favourite roles, just for the psychological mind set he had to apply to himself to make the character more believable. His professor had been impressed with the performance and ever since had been telling him about shows off Broadway that Theo might be interested in checking out because the roles seemed ‘apt for a man of your unbridled talent’. Theo hadn’t had a chance to see any of them with his busy schedule, but planning future roles and auditions would come after his graduation when he had more time to work towards those goals of his.

“’Torture’, mmhm, sure. Remember, hen, I’m a da too.”[/color] He said, raising his eyebrows at her and taking a moment to think about how good it felt to be able to say that to her now. Sure, they still had secrets and he had issues to work through, but it was something rather incredible to him when he was able to address Meg and call himself a father. “You’ll hafta do better than that ta convince me otherwise.”[/color] He said with a crooked smile.

The car parked, he felt a little anxious about bringing Meg into his home, hoping that everything went smoothly tonight for their small and quaint date. The last thing he wanted was to bring her into one of his typical days that were more hectic than he often knew how to cope with. The flustered manner which he lived in most of the time was usually caused by Issy’s food fight at breakfast and Lilia shouting about how the water wasn’t hot enough…all while he was putting finishing touches to his assignments or re-reading lines he knew he knew already. “Nah, it’s not horrible, but it’s distinctly average, aside from a few Scottish trinkets.”[/color] He explained with a one armed shrug.

He laughed and then shoved Meg playfully. “Hey, Issy’s nae but a bairn, it’s different.”[/color] He said, pointing a finger as though warning the pretty blonde. Two seconds in his home and his accent and words were slipping to what he was used to; something that usually only happened when he was in Lilia’s presence. Her accent was a touch less refined than Theo’s, but she had lived in the city less time than he had and she wasn’t an actor.
“Pleasure’s all mine. And dinnae talk daft! It’s been a relief ta have him oot of the house.” Theo pinched his sister like siblings would do and she slapped him back, almost prompting the two into a wrestling match as though they were kids again. “Anyway, I’m off oot. Issy’s oot for the count, The.” He nodded and smiled at Lilia.
“Have fun, and dinnae think that I’m picking you up if you’re steaming.”[/color] He said, scowling at the wave of Lilia’s hand as she dismissed the thought and slipped out of the door. Once she was gone, Theo turned to Meg with a warm smile. “Can I get you a drink?”[/color] He asked, walking carefully towards the kitchen, grabbing the baby monitor and hooking it onto the waistband of his jeans habitually, just so he didn’t forget it when they moved to the living room.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meg <3
WORDS!820
OUTFIT! Darling Date!
LYRICS! Beauty And The Beast - - - Disney
NOTES! “nae but a bairn” is basically “nothing but a baby!”<3

[Margaret Rose Warren]

Meg was glad Theo had told her about Issy, and that they were together now. It felt good to be with him, to have a soothing presence in her life now. Her dad was her rock, and Nix her partner in crime for about everything, but Theo? He was now the person who could get her to calm down and think for a minute. He was a puzzle she worked so hard not to break with quick movements or words, yet wanted to solve so badly it sometimes hurt. Learning about Issy, being welcomed into his home; they were both steps in the direction of figuring him out, and of discovering where she fit into his world, and he into hers. Each day brought them both closer to each other.

She stuck her tongue out at him, sighing dramatically. "That's probably why my dad liked you. He got some freaky dad-vibe off you, so he melted at your feet," she joked with a laugh, still not knowing the depth of the conversation that had made Mr. Warren like Theo. Meg was glad the two would have something to bond over because, as of right now, Theo was going to be around for awhile. Well, at least until she solved the puzzle she'd all but promised to complete. "Oh, I'm sure I could be very convincing," Meg smirked, her voice dropping to a soft whisper as she leaned over to kiss his cheek.

Having been an only child for the first half of her life, and living alone with her father for the second half, Meg didn't understand how hectic family lives could become. Sure, she knew how tight it was between her father and her when they both had a particularily busy week, but that was about it. Babies, more than two conflicting lives; those were all new things to her. Almost daily, she wondered how Theo managed it all. She had a hard enough time with her college life, yet here he was with a job, a baby, and a sister to look after. All she had to do was show up for class on time and get her assignments done.

"You were just in a house that had at least fifty pictures of me between the ages one day and twenty-one years. I'm sure I can handle your 'Scottish trinkets,'" she laughed, shrugging off her own embarrassment at the state of her living room. Meg hadn't had much of a choice in the picture frames, however, because she knew they made her father happy, especially the few that involved her mother.

Inside, Meg shook her head at him. Even after all the years, not much had changed between her father and her; he was still very much wrapped around his darling daughter's finger. "Talk to me in a couple years. You'll still be playing doting daddy," she teased, grabbing his hand and lacing her fingers through his. There was a smile on her lips from how his accent had thickened and she couldn't keep herself from pecking his lips before his sister appeared. She gave Lilia a grateful smile, lips quirking as she tried to hold in a laugh at the sibling's exchange.

Once she was out of the door, Meg followed after Theo, looking around as she did so. She didn't know what he was talking about; the place seemed perfectly homey and comfortable and wonderful to her. She shook her head, looking quizically at the device now clipped to his pants. Coming closer to him, she unclipped it again, turning it over in her hands before looking back up at him with the spark in her eye that meant her mind had begun it's typical spiral whenever Meg let her curiousity win over. "I've never lived with a baby before. I hardly babysit little ones, even. But, this thing lets you hear her right? Can we go see her?"

TAG: Prince Charming <3
LOCATION: Warren Residence!
WORDS: 695!
MUSIC: "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks
OUTFIT: SIMPLY CLASSIC!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[/size]

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

He was still trying to come to terms with what was happening. Being with Meg made him happier than he had been in a long time, but dating was an unfamiliar concept to him now and he had never dated since Issy was born, so he didn’t know if there was some different method behind it all when there was an infant involved. Theo didn’t want to mess this up for any of the girls he cared about. It was just going to take him a while to find his footing and find a way to keep everyone in his life happy.

Theo laughed, knowing that Meg was still clueless about what had happened in the living room. The few moments alone with Mr Warren would probably be revealed to her eventually, but Theo found that it seemed to be something personal between the two men who had similar tragic backstories. “Aye, because we have a silent code that we use ta communicate with others like us.”

[/color] He said sarcastically, wiggling his fingers in a ‘spooky’ gesture.
He smirked at her flirtatious words, remembering the first time he had given into his feelings for Meg before they were officially together and before she knew about Issy. The library was certainly a story that he could never tell anyone else, that was for sure. The librarian already gave him weird looks as it was. “Oh, I have a pretty good idea of just how ’convincing’ you can be, hen.”[/color] He responded in a low whisper, his eyes flicking across to meet hers.

His life was hardly ideal, but he made the best of it when he could. His insomnia, whilst a burden, did provide him with more time to work or relax of a night while the rest of his family slept. He worked hard to keep things as best as he could and he knew that with each successful chance he took, Jenny would have been proud. He had been thinking lately about what she would make of Meg too. He knew she’d laugh at him ‘dating a college kid’, but Lilia kept pulling him out of that daydream in a way she had mastered a long time ago, always reminding him that he knew what was best and he would always make the right choice. He couldn’t dwell on Jenny’s memory forever, which was partly why he had insisted on having the date here, so that he could get accustomed to having another woman in the house who didn’t share his DNA.

“Aye, but I wasn’t looking at them. I was busy charming your da.”[/color] He said, though his dark eyes had caught one or two of the childhood photographs. The only youthful pictures in his home were mainly of Issy with a few scattered ones of Jenny, Lilia and Alan from the teenage years they shared together back in Scotland. However, what he meant this time was the likes of the family crest that hung on the kitchen wall, or the sporran that was, for some reason, also hanging from a hook on the wall. They were proud of their heritage and little things in the house could tell strangers that.

He rolled his eyes playfully and reached across to tickle her sides, his fingers brushing her ribs. “Maybe, but I never said there was anything wrong with that.”[/color] He laughed. He knew he would be the overprotective father, the kind who would spoil Issy rotten and give her as much as he could offer. He probably would have done that if Jenny were still alive too. It was a father/daughter thing, he knew it just from Lilia alone and Meg just confirmed that theory.

Theo stood with the door to the fridge open, waiting for her response. He turned when he didn’t get one and stared puzzled at her as she moved close to his side, her eyes fixed on something. It was only when she unhooked the baby monitor did he understand. What was routine for him, was all brand new to Meg. He smiled softly as she examined it and leaned against the old oak cupboards. “That it does, aye. Make sure she’s not try’na escape on me.”[/color] He paused, looking at her, amazed by how mesmerised she seemed to be by it all. Closing his eyes, he gave into her wish against his better judgement. “Alright, but just a quick look on her. It’s a miracle she’s asleep this early and we dinnae want her waking up now.”[/color] He clipped the monitor back on his jeans and took Meg’s hand, closing the door to the fridge and leading her back towards the stairs.

The upstairs of the house was quaint. A few more photos were on the pale yellow walls and all of the doors were closed over for privacy, though there was no one behind any of them aside from the one at the end of the short landing. Theo paused outside of it, carefully turning the handle so that the door didn’t make too much of a noise as he pushed it open to reveal the light purple nursery to Meg. He pressed his finger to his lips and crept into the room with her, guiding her to the white crib where Issy slept inside, starfish limbs and a pacifier hanging from her slack jaw, her slightly curly ginger hair skimming her jawline in fine strands. Theo smiled lovingly down at his daughter, so innocent and peaceful in slumber that he didn’t know quite what he had done for the fates to give him such a beautiful baby girl out of a horrific tragedy.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meg <3
WORDS! 977
OUTFIT! Darling Date!
LYRICS! Beauty And The Beast - - - Disney
NOTES! <3

[Margaret Rose Warren]

The whole world of baby-dom was a new concept to her. She knew about kids, had seen plenty back home, but not many of her friends had kids. Actually, Theo was one of the only ones. It wasn't like she would know about any of the stuff anyways, having not had to babysit kids under the age of four or having baby cousins or family members. No, Meg had lived in a strictly no-baby world for almost forever; but that was going to have to change. She was eager to learn, like she was in everything, but Theo would be in for questioning and teaching. Usually, she was a quick learner, yet this time it was something more. Meg felt like she was at a loss in his world because she didn't understand how to take care of a kid or how he balanced it all, and she wanted to understand. Maybe understanding would help piece together their puzzle of a relationship.

Though she played it off well in front of her father, Meg was by no means an "innocent little girl," as she'd hopefully proven to Theo in the library. She could mess around just as well as anyone else her age, the difference being that she chose not to climb into beds with every other guy she saw. Even with Theo, it hadn't technically been a bed; more like a dark corner in the library where things had gotten heated. She couldn't enter the library these days without smirking at the memory. "But I'm sure you'd love to find out again," she said, lips twitching in an effort to hide the laugh threatening to burst out.

Meg made a little gasping sound, dramatically covering her mouth with her hand. "So, you don't have any questions about who the mysterious dark haired lady is? That's a first," she laughed and shook her head. The "dark haired lady" was none other than her mother, but she was glad Theo hadn't asked right away about the photos. She wouldn't take the pictures down though, no matter how much it hurt to explain who the woman was. Those were some of her only memories of her mother captured in perfect frames; how could she get rid of those?

Laughing, Meg shrugged, "My blonde's showing with the stupid questions, but this is a li'l new for me." Her eyes looked around the kitchen again, catching on the high-chair and other tell-tale signs of a baby. Compared to her kitchen, it seemed more homey, more lived in. "I promise I'll be quiet," she said while a huge grin spread across her lips. She squeezed his hand as he led her out of the room, rolling her eyes jokingly at his reminder to be silent. That, she could do; she'd snuck out of the house enough time while her father was still awake. The man had ears like a hawk, which could only be gotten around with absolute silence.

Meg gazed around the nursery, eyes turning to the little baby in the crib last. She looked between the sweet girl and her father, skilled eyes picking out similarities with the hair being the main one. She couldn't help a small smirk as she took one last look at the girl who so obviously had Theo wrapped around her tiny fingers already. Nodding towards the door again, she quietly snuck back out with him. "She's beautiful. Wonder where she got her hair from," she teased.

TAG: Prince Charming <3
LOCATION: Theo's Place!
WORDS: 626!
MUSIC: "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks
OUTFIT: SIMPLY CLASSIC!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[/size]

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

It was strange having Meg asking questions that were, for him, obvious. Everyone in his life was accustomed to being around children and with the hectic lifestyle he was forced to live to support his family, it wasn’t like Theo had time to social much with the students on his course. Plus, he was the ‘old guy’ and there weren’t many who would go out of their way to accommodate him to start with. Luckily, he didn’t mind that and it wasn’t as though he had nothing to do with the time they spent at the bars or clubs; he had a baby to care for, a cinema to supervise and work to plough through. However, it was going to be funny to have to explain stuff to Meg that he had asked Jenny about when she had been pregnant. Some of the questions he had come out with when her stomach was swollen was borderline ridiculous and they had laughed so hard at many of them that Jenny had been convinced he was going to send her into premature labour.

Luckily, Theo was always a responsible guy and had coped remarkably well given the tragic circumstances at the time. Even now, most of the things he did were thought out and planned so that nothing could really let him down. The only time that had changed was the night in the library. He had spent so long running from Meg, fighting off his feelings for her and drowning in the guilt of finding someone else attractive that he had eventually exploded and had to give into everything he had tried to deny. Not that it had turned out to be such a bad thing in the end, mind. He smirked at her and winked silently. To open his lips and verbalise his thoughts would lead them into dangerous territory and it was and the night had barely even begun yet.

He smiled down at her with a soft gaze. He didn’t know much about her childhood or what had happened to her mom. All Theo knew was that she had died when Meg was young. He knew how not to push an issue like that; the wound never quite healed, even after years had passed by. He had caught a glimpse of the woman in the photos and it didn’t take a genius to put two and two together, but he had kept his lips shut tight. “Pretty lass like her could only be your ma.”

[/color] He said, leaning down to softly kiss her. “You look amazing, by the way.”[/color] He whispered lovingly.

He kissed the top of her head and chuckled softly into her light hair. “Don’t worry. I was the same when this all began and she was born.”[/color] He admitted. It had taken him time to find his feet and come to terms with feeding times and naps and everything else that came with being a single parent. It definitely would have been easier if he had Jenny to raise her with him, but he had managed with the help of Lilia who finally put those teenage years of babysitting to good use. She was a little tired of people thinking Issy was her own child though and the first mention of Meg had made her happy that Theo was moving on, potentially ready to introduce another woman to his daughter’s life.

Back outside the nursery, he closed the door silently and smiled at Meg’s words. “Hey, you should o’ seen me when I was her age. She’s gotten away lightly.”[/color] He said, remembering the photographs that were now safely hidden in one the photo albums downstairs on the bookshelf. He smiled softly again and tugged Meg back down the stairs. “Now, how aboot that drink?”[/color] He said, turning back to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “I can get them and put the popcorn on while you go and pick a movie out.”[/color] He suggested, ready to curl up on the couch with her now.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meg <3
WORDS! 678
OUTFIT! Darling Date!
LYRICS! Beauty And The Beast - - - Disney
NOTES! <3

[Margaret Rose Warren]

Asking questions was what Meg did, and, usually, they got her into trouble. She tended to ask before she thought it through, especially during experiments in class where she'd ask, then answer herself two seconds later. However, she wanted to figure things out and questions were her way of doing that. People may get annoyed with her or mad when she asked one too many, but it never stopped her. Her only other weapon was analyzing and observing, which got her pretty far most of the time. The questions just made up the gap.

Meg's smile was a bit forced as she looked back up at him. Talking about her mother did that too her, even if she'd been the one to bring it up. She continually told herself she had to talk; it was what normal people did. Bottling things up wasn't healthy, anyways. This wasn't easy for her to talk about though, not when she still blamed herself for it. Her window for "talking" had ended when she left Forks for New York. Here, people would only know if she told them, and that list had been short. Nix, her father, and, now, Theo. He could be added to it; she trusted him. The only problem was spilling the story to him. "Handsome and smart," she joked to brush the subject off, accepting his kiss with a tiny smile. The light tension in her shoulders melted at his words and she kissed him again. "Work that Scottish charm a little harder. You might get a prize," she whispered back, smirking teasingly up at him.

When Meg had kids, well, if she had kids, she would learn all of the skills Theo already had. Changing diapers, bottles, drying tears; she had the ability to do it if she needed to. But, really, she wasn't ready for motherhood or the like. Playing house with her boyfriend was different, of course, because she could easily pack her bag up and leave in the morning when things got complicated for her. One day though, she wouldn't be able to run. And it scared her. "So you think she'll sleep for the night? Or is that monitor thing gonna start screaming the second we leave?" she laughed quietly.

Meg went back downstairs with him, content now. She'd seen his little girl; she could associate a tiny face with the name when Theo spoke of her. When his arms went around her waist, hers found their way around his neck as she grinned up at him. "That sounds perfect," she said, pecking his lips and untangling herself from him. "Point me towards your DVDs."

TAG: Prince Charming <3
LOCATION: Theo's Place!
WORDS: 478!
MUSIC: "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks
OUTFIT: SIMPLY CLASSIC!
NOTES: Sorry it's so short >.< <3

[/size]

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

It wasn’t usual for this house to see strange company. Even Lilia didn’t bring many of her friends back here for long because of Issy and Theo. If her brother had passed out in the middle of the afternoon, she knew better than to wake him up when he did manage to sleep and Issy was already a handful when it came to her own sleeping pattern. The joys of infants meant that there was no guaranteed time for them to plan anything out around her and so it was usually a lot easier and productive to go someplace else. Even tonight, Theo had doubted if having a date night at home was a good idea. If Issy woke up then it might be cut short, or he might have to spend longer than normal trying to get her to nod back off again. He didn’t want Meg to have to sit around and wait whilst he went and played his role of dad.

He would never be able to forget Jenny. Not even if he re-married settled down and had more children. Jenny had been his first love, his wife and had given him the most beautiful baby girl who he was certain would grow up looking just like her ma. He might move on with his life, but her death would forever haunt him and he probably wouldn’t get rid of the photographs he had of her. Issy would grow up knowing who her mother was and Theo was intending on telling her all the stories he had of Jenny that were child friendly. She’d meet her maternal grandparents and aunts and uncles and even if life got complicated, Theo would always remind her of who she was and where she came from. He owed it to Jenny and as he passed down the hall, he knew that it was only a matter of time before Meg’s eyes finally found a photograph of the other blonde woman amidst the rest of the Sterling family collection and start asking questions. He might not be able to talk about it easily, but if that happened, then he would.
Smirking, he kissed her back quickly and leaned against the staircase for a moment. “Well, some guys are lucky like that.”

[/color] He joked, feigning pride for a moment. Truthfully, Theo didn’t see himself that way at all. He almost always had dark circles under his eyes, lazy stubble on his face and occasionally the signs of malnutrition when he had skipped a few meals because of his workload.

Theo draped his arm around Meg’s shoulder and smiled down at her. He almost forgot that there was a life away from children and that there were people who didn’t know parenthood yet. It was such a part of him now that it was impossible at times for him to separate his life from the reality of New York. His dark eyes moved to the monitor on his belt and he shrugged honestly. “If she sleeps straight through I’ll be amazed, but she shouldn’t wake for a good few hours now, at least.”[/color] In theory, they had a strong chance of getting through at least one movie and some take-out before Issy would stir, but Theo knew that small children were about as predictable as the weather, so there was no chance of him putting money on what he had just told Meg.

He turned her around and pointed through the first archway of the small house. “There’re in the cabinet beneath the glass one, next ta the TV.”[/color] He said, tickling her side before moving to the kitchen, pulling two soda cans from the fridge and grabbing the take-out menus from the drawer Lilia has assigned them to. Checking through the variety in his hand, he moved through the archway system to the living room and smiled down at Meg. “Found one, hen?”[/color]
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• • •

TAGGED! Meg <3
WORDS! 687
OUTFIT! Darling Date!
LYRICS! Beauty And The Beast - - - Disney
NOTES! <3

[Margaret Rose Warren]

All of the reasons Theo had given for "not being good enough for her" were exactly why she'd fallen for him in the first place. They made him different from the cookie-cutter kids at school or in New York in general. She didn't want one of them, though. They were too boring, too predictable, too everything. Theo was fresh and a challenge; a new pair of eyes to see the world through. His exhausted face, the way she had to work to get him to smile, his occasionally sad laugh; those were the features that had drawn Meg in and held her there, refusing to give up even when he begged her to. He may have seen them as things to ward her off, but they were signs of someone who had known pain and learned how to cope with it, and she couldn't simply pass that up, not after years of dealing with guilt and loss herself.

Meg saw the photos as they made their way down the hall, but she was in no mood to process them. Tonight wasn't meant to be filled with stories of those passed away and, even if she didn't know who this woman was, she didn't care for right now. There was plenty of time to ask questions about pasts and loved ones; time that wasn't available right now. Jokes, kisses, goofing off; that was what this date was supposed to be about. It was a simple movie night, not a therapy session. Not yet, anyways.

Smirking back, she said jokingly, "Aren't I lucky for landing one of those few rare gems." Luck had nothing to do with this relationship; tears and fighting had brought it to the current point. If Meg hadn't stood there and made Theo realize he couldn't blow this off, they wouldn't be standing there, kissing and flirting. No, their romance wasn't by chance. Both of them had had to fight emotionally, inside and out, in order to have made it that far.

She fit comfortably beneath his arm and she reached up to kiss him again as he smiled down at her. Her usual grin was in place, softened by the content happiness being around Theo brought. They were good together. Rocky patches showed up, sure, but they were good for each other. "Good. I've got you all to myself for awhile then," she smiled sweetly, kissing his cheek.

Laughing, she swatted his hands away from her sides and quickly jumped away from him towards the room he'd turned her to. She walked in, bending down to look through the cabinet and running her finger over the spines of the DVD cases. Horror movies were too cliched and usually annoyed her with all the fake blood; chick-flicks would surely be torture; what did that leave? At his question, she plucked out the first movie to catch her eye, standing up and showing it to him. "This suit your fancy or are you in the mood for romance?" she teased as she drew out the word, coming up to him and batting her eyelashes like the lovesick twits in movies.

TAG: Prince Charming <3
LOCATION: Theo's Place!
WORDS: 554!
MUSIC: "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks
OUTFIT: SIMPLY CLASSIC!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[/size]

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Theo wasn’t the typical twenty six year old after everything he had been through. Back in Scotland he had friends who were experiencing fatherhood for the first time just like he was, but most of them were still in love, alive and planning weddings or futures. Theo had lost most of that when Jenny had died, but meeting Meg was giving him a second chance at most of that now and he was nervous about maybe finding love again in another beautiful blonde who was already doing a pretty good job at stealing his heart. He knew that it wasn’t going to be easy for them both and he knew that most of the bumps in the road would be caused by him and the inhibitions that he was bound to trip over when it came to moving on with his life. He was lucky that Meg had been so patient this far, but he didn’t know if she’d wait around forever for him to get his act into gear.

“If luck is what you wanna call it, hen.”

[/color] He said with a smirk and a small chuckle. He had stopped believing in luck a long time ago, but he wasn’t the sort to try and delude others with own opinion on the matter. If luck had come into play at any point during his life things would have been a lot different. No, Theo knew that everything he wanted would be something he had to work hard for and he had every intention of doing just that for the rest of his life, though running always seemed like an easy option when things were overwhelming him.

Theo smiled and kissed her again, quickly. “Fingers crossed.”[/color] he whispered against her lips before pecking them softly again and pulling away. There was no saying when Issy would wake up or when Lilia might actually return home, but hopefully they would have a bit of time before either of the other two Sterling’s managed to interrupt the night and the mood.

He put the cans down on the table along with the menus and grinned at Meg’s choice, meeting her eyes with a twinkle in his own. “I played Hamlet in the college production last semester. So I’m fine with that, but the question is can you handle me if I start quoting along the whole thing?”[/color] It was a given that he would. Any of the Shakespeare collection they had there always ended up with Theo quoting with the characters he played until Lilia launched a heavy object at him. He sat down in the corner of the couch and waved the menus at Meg. “Pop it in the player, get your bum over here and pick something to eat.”[/color] He said, patting the seat next to him and grinning across at her.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meg <3
WORDS! 510
OUTFIT! Darling Date!
LYRICS! Beauty And The Beast - - - Disney
NOTES! <3

[Margaret Rose Warren]

One day, a "bump" would be caused by Meg. She wasn't perfect; she made mistakes, too. Something would be said wrong and she'd snap after a hard day, she'd push too hard for Theo to open up to her, the anniversary of her mother's death would roll around and she'd be so out of sorts she'd fight at any chance. Eventually, it was going to be her fault instead of Theo's. She wasn't blaming him, however; not at all. He had warned her it would be hard, and she had still chosen to stay with him. She'd do it again if the time came. But, Meg didn't want him to think that everything would be his fault. They both had pasts and bad days; they'd both screw their relationship up more times than they'd be able to count. Wasn't that what made it fun, though? The arguments made them stronger, not weaker. In the long run, they'd be worth it for both people involved.

Rarely had Meg and Theo been totally alone. They were usually on campus, or in a coffee shop or cafe, or visiting each other at work. People surrounded them then, creating background noise and distractions and potential conversation sparkers. Tonight, however, they were almost all by themselves. Until Issy woke up and called for her father's attention, it would just be them. No passer-bys, no odd New Yorkers, no newspapers; just them, together. And alone. "Think she minds sharing her Dad for a night?" Meg smirked, gently pulling him back down to steal one more kiss before letting him go.

She couldn't help laughing, shaking her head and playfully bumping her hip into him as she went to put the DVD in. "As long as you promise not to die on the couch and make me give you CPR, do whatever or whoever you'd like," Meg smirked wickedly, pressing play on the machine and coming back to cuddle up to his side. She tucked her feet up next to her and got comfortable against him, her head on his shoulder as she grabbed one of the takeout menus from his hand to glance over it. "What're you in the mood for, Prince Hamlet?" she teased, tilting her chin up to kiss his cheek.

TAG: Prince Charming <3
LOCATION: Theo's Place!
WORDS: 411!
MUSIC: "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks
OUTFIT: SIMPLY CLASSIC!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

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[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Theo was more of a pessimist than Meg would like him to be. Maybe it was something he’d grow out of as their relationship continued, but right now he didn’t see it that way. He just didn’t like getting his hopes up in case he found himself at rock bottom again, this time without anyone to offer him a hand to help him back to his feet. Lilia wouldn’t live with him forever; his little sister was twenty four and would one day meet the guy who would pass all of her brother’s tests and win her heart and then she wouldn’t want to be camping about in the same house as Theo anymore. He needed to have something good going in his life by then otherwise he might end up being one of those stereotypical out of work actors who lived in the dark in a filthy robe and with more facial hair than even a caveman would care for. With Meg, he had a chance of avoiding that.

He had told Meg that a relationship with him wouldn’t be easy. It wasn’t just because of his baggage or his history, but because his daily life was more chaotic than most and it wasn’t like he got a lot of time to himself to organise romantic dates or whisk her away to some fancy restaurant. He was lucky if he got an hour or two to share lunch with her most days! Tonight, then, was a special rare moment for him and he was looking forward to at least being able to relax with Meg without needed to look at the clock every five minutes, though he was determined to get Meg home on time even if he had managed to win Mr Warren over. He wanted to prove that he could be responsible and not just have the mention of Issy and Jenny suggesting that. “She dinnae know that she’s sharing her da, but I’m sure she would nae mind for a pretty lass like you.”

[/color] He said with a charming smile, kissing Meg’s forehead softly.

Theo let out a warm laugh and then raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting with a wicked spark as he kept them fixed on his girlfriend. “I can think of better things for those lips of yours ta do be doing than CPR.”[/color] He reached out to pull her closer as she reached the couch, his lips meeting hers in a short but loving kiss. When she was around, he just couldn’t get enough and at least there was no one around to offend with the likes of PDA. Once she was settled next to him he draped his arm over her shoulders, his fingers dancing in small circles over her arm as she studied the menus. “I could go with an Indian. Or a Chinese. Or a pizza.”[/color] It had been a while since he had ordered take out and obviously, the Scottish man was spoilt for choice.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meg <3
WORDS! 534
OUTFIT! Darling Date!
LYRICS! Beauty And The Beast - - - Disney
NOTES! <3

[Margaret Rose Warren]

Someday, Meg hoped Theo would be able to see life as a glass half-full. She didn't mind that he wasn't that way now; it just gave her more resolve to hopefully help him see the light one day. If it took her years and he hadn't thrown her off, she'd still work to get him to smile and laugh for her. Whenever they were together, that was her goal. He had to smile at least once before she'd say goodbye, though she'd never actually told him about the "rule." It was more of a personal goal, and, so far, it was being achieved most every time they saw each other.

Meg didn't mind that their time together was often short or on a strict limit. They still got to see each other, and wasn't that the point? Besides, they occasionally got nights like the current one where they were really alone, and that was enough for her. So what if they were far and few between? They had been fine without spending every waking moment together and, really, she didn't want to. Even if they were dating, she had a life away from being Theo's happy-upbeat girlfriend. She had friends, her father, a job, school work; she had a world where she wasn't all hugs and kisses. But, she wanted to be able to come back to Theo between their busy lives and be that head over heels girl who couldn't get enough of him. Those were some of her favorite times of the day, and most definitely the memorable ones.

She couldn't help the dark lust in her eyes as she met his gaze, her lips slipping into a suggestive smile. "Really now? Care to share a few?" she said, kissing him back while keeping herself under control. Meg wouldn't push him into anything he wasn't ready for. She would let him decide the pace of this, let him choose when they sped up or slowed down. Her job was just to keep them moving forward. She snuggled closer to him as his arm draped over her shoulders. Laughing, she said, "We can't order all three." Meg pulled the pizza one out, setting the others in her lap. "Pizza alright? I've been craving some all day."

TAG: Prince Charming <3
LOCATION: Theo's Place!
WORDS: 411!
MUSIC: "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks
OUTFIT: SIMPLY CLASSIC!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

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[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Getting used to being with Meg was easier than Theo thought it would be. He thought that to date again would be awkward and that he’d struggle at every turn, but at least with Meg she was easy to be around and most of the time he felt comfortable around her. It was becoming easier now that she knew about Issy and once he had the confidence to tell her about Jenny he had a feeling it would be even easier to relax and let everything go when she was near. It was what he wanted, but he knew that he had to take baby steps in all of this, not just for himself and Meg, but for Issy too. She was still too young to understand that she was missing a mom in her life, but he always considered her when it came to this relationship. If he was to ever settle down one day again or even if this thing with Meg lasted, he wanted his daughter to be happy and comfortable with it, because Theo had every intention of telling Issy all about Jenny; he owed it to her memory, at least.

Maybe it wasn’t the greatest idea getting involved in a relationship at this point in his life. He was a senior, the same as Meg and they both had futures to plan for and jobs to try and find once their degrees were in their hands. There was no promising where their paths might lead or even if they’d be on the same one, but Theo knew that he couldn’t keep running forever, especially not from someone as persistent as Meg. He had tried to push her away already and look how that had turned out; she stalked him to one of his classes and practically cornered him at the first chance she got!

He didn’t miss the lust in her eyes and his stomach tied itself in anxious knots. Confidently though, he pulled her closer, pressing his lips against hers and tangling his fingers in her hair. The kiss was passionate and Theo had to force himself to pull away before he pressed her against the back of the sofa and the movie lay forgotten. “Don’t tempt me, hen.”

[/color] He replied huskily, his lips still brushing against hers. He let out a warm laugh and shrugged his shoulders as though it was no big deal. “It’s been a while since I ordered take out.”[/color] He explained with a small smile. “Aye, that’s grand. What toppings do you want?”[/color] He leaned backwards to pick up the phone from the stand, flipping it in his hand as he awaited her answer, the DVD menu waiting for someone to press play, but there was no sense in doing that before he had ordered otherwise he’d have to lower the volume down and then try to get it right again and Theo had a pet peeve about that sort of thing.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meg <3
WORDS! 538
OUTFIT! Darling Date!
LYRICS! Beauty And The Beast - - - Disney
NOTES! <3

[Margaret Rose Warren]

There was no chance of Meg sitting around and doing nothing after graduation. She was already looking into job possibilities, getting to know some of the people who could potentially be her co-workers or bosses. Moving wasn't a problem because she knew her father would basically follow after her and work where he could; he didn't mind as long as she did well. Her eyes had looked all over the country, leaning towards higher-up government positions then going back to smaller police stations. She couldn't decide what she wanted yet, but she knew that, whatever it was, she would try her hardest to do well at it. She had to in order to make sure what happened with her mother's case never repeated itself in another young girl's life. Going back to Forks had been an option for a long time. Originally, she'd planned on that and she still thought about it from time to time. It'd be nice to be home again, to see her old friends and be in her hometown. If she did that, though, she'd be off the radar almost entirely; no more New York friends or, now, romances.

However, Meg couldn't spend her life waiting for Theo to recover from whatever it was that had shaken him up so badly. She would gladly help for as long as she could and, if she didn't have her own life to live, would stay with him until he wasn't so out of it all. The world didn't work like that, though, and she couldn't stay behind for him forever. When graduation came, if they were still together then, they could discuss what would happen to their relationship. She could try for a job in New York or somewhere close; they were always looking for a younger crowd in the labs. But, at the end of the day, Meg had to do what was right for her. And, if it wasn't staying with Theo, she would have to find a way to make sure he was okay before she left to chase her own demons and dreams.

The passion in their kiss startled her at first. This had only happened once before in the library, though she was sure that wasn't what tonight was meant to be about. But, if he kept kissing her like that, Meg doubted she'd be able to control her racing pulse or the longing in her chest for long. As it was, her lips moved eagerly with his, her body twisting to get closer to him. She had to force herself to breathe normally when he pulled away, and she laughed softly, "If tempting gets me more of that, I just might keep it up." Meg gently pecked his lips again before settling herself under his arm, willing her body to stop yearning for things she was almost positive wouldn't be happening tonight. "I promise that'll change the longer you're with me. I can't survive on only my dad's cooking. It's officially your job to come with when I sneak out for midnight snacks," she teased, smiling back up and him and shrugging. "I'm good with anything. This veggie pizza sounds terrific, but, I'm not picky," she said, glancing over the menu and tucking some of her now-messy hair behind her ear.

TAG: Prince Charming <3
LOCATION: Theo's Place!
WORDS: 591!
MUSIC: "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks
OUTFIT: SIMPLY CLASSIC!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

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[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Theo didn’t have the luxury of enjoying time after graduation. He needed to have a job lined up quicker rather than later to support the family. It was going to be slow at first, but at least he had his job at the Tribeca which would always be more secure than the acting roles he would audition for. It was a competitive business, but Theo was ready for that. His passion and his needs were already rooted in his home life and his desire to act was not unknown. He had taken a few of the leads in the university productions already and his professors always mentioned during meetings that he had more than enough talent to make it on the stage if it was what he dreamt of having. If Theo could make an honest living doing what he loved the most then he would be a very happy man and probably an even better father to Issy too!

Following his heart was something he had done throughout his life and things wouldn’t be any different now. He wanted Issy to grow up with that same belief and it was the advice he would give to anyone who asked him. It wouldn’t matter if they were an actor or a dancer or from any other profession or walk of life. It was a sentiment he believed in fully and one that far too many people were giving up on in this modern age. Too much logic killed the idea of risks and chances. If Meg hadn’t chased him when she did then Theo might have turned into one of the people he had grown to pity; the kind who didn’t give life a chance or succumb to the impulses that they so desired. Meeting her had reminded him of his old mantra, bringing back a glimmer of the man who hid behind a stony mask. Slowly, the mask was falling away and Theo was becoming the person he had been before Jenny had died.

Theo pulled Meg closer, his arms tightening around her waist. Kissing her was intoxicating and it almost bought out a more animalistic side to him. In the heat of the moment, he remembered the library and the first time he had given into the strong feelings which he harboured for Meg. When they parted, he was breathless, his eyes dark and his lips tingling from their kiss. He groaned, pecking her lips again before forcing himself to pull away from her entirely. “You do, and I won’t be able to stop.”

[/color] |He warned her. It was not what he had planned for the night at all, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to push her away altogether if it came to that either. He let out a warm laugh and rubbed the light stubble of his jawline. “Haha, I’m sure I can be of some help there.”[/color] He said, still chuckling from her words. His eyes flicked over the menu and he nodded in silent agreement before spinning the phone and dialling the number with ease. “Hey, can I place an order for delivery? The Vegetarian Special, please.”[/color] He waited for a moment and then reeled off his address and number to the man on the other end. He hung up and placed the device back on the hook. “We’ve got forty five minutes to occupy.”[/color] He said, trying to hide the desire in his eyes.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meg <3
WORDS! 609
OUTFIT! Darling Date!
LYRICS! Beauty And The Beast - - - Disney
NOTES! <3