"Thank you Shinorah." Lucina said as she unexpectedly put her arms around Shinorah's shoulders, carefully avoiding the needles in her hand. "I hope I can be as good as a mother as you someday." She said with a small bluch before quickly returning to the mantel to continue her dusting.

"I know ye will be, dearie," Shinorah encouraged with a warm smile.

As the shouting grew louder, Adrian finished his sweeping and dusting upstairs and carried the bucket of dust down the stairs.

"I am no' 'n' tha's final!" Lori shouted after Adrian before slamming her door.

"Yeah, yeah. I 'eard ye th' first time, bu' yer lyin' through yer teeth 'n' yer goin'. Yer no' missin' a date with tha' boyo when ye seemed t' 'ave brightened since ye met 'im," Adrian called back to her before going outside to dump the dust. Coming back inside, Adrian started helping Lucina with the work downstairs. "I'm goin' t' wring 'er bloody neck."

"Adrian..." Lucina sighed as she walked over to her fiancee and put both hands on his chest. "Maybe we can change this trip to another time. You're the one that said we should make peace with Lori, right?" She asked softly, her head tilted gently to the right.

"This is makin' peace, love. She 'as t' learn that it's okay t' leave Mum alone fer awhile, tha' it won' kill 'er. Wha'll 'appen when we leave fer our 'oneymoon, love? Is she goin' t' be in this 'ouse 'til we get back? I won' stand fer it," Adrian said with a warm smile before placing a long kiss upon Lucina's lips. "Don' worry, Lori'll stop throwin' 'er fit by tomorrow."

"I thought we were trying to get her to like me." Lucina sighed with a small frown. "I think compromise is a good way of getting her to like me, right? I mean she has a point not to considering I'm marrying her big brother after being here so little but I want her to accept me, Adrian." Lucina said, admitting something she hadn't even admitted to herself. And it was true, she wanted Lori's approval because she needed it. Without Lori's approval on the marriage she knew it could create a rift between the three of them and that was the last thing Lucina wanted.

"Lucina, stop worryin' so much, 'tis very unlike ye," Adrian teased with a warm smile, "Lori'll come 'round, trus' me. By givin' 'er this freedom, we'll be givin' 'er one o' th' best gifts she can get in this life. If we don' do this now, she'll ne'er leave this 'ouse once we're gone unless Mum is with 'er, 'r until me Mum 'as passed. By then she'll 'ave lost 'er chance with Johnny, 'n' any other man who may 'ave an interest in 'er. Trus' me, love, this will be th' best thing fer 'er in th' end."

"If you say so." Lucina said, still pouting. "But you are the one who doesn't stand for me fighting with her when you know very well that she's going to blame me for this." She countered though she decided not to push the point farther. "But I suppose I will just keep holding my tongue." She said, letting a bout of bitterness in her tone before continuing the cleaning.

"Lucina...." Adrian said softly as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin upon her shoulder, "She won' blame ye. How could she? I'm th' one she's fightin' with, no' you. Don' worry, love.. Everythin' will be fine, trus' me.. Please?"

"No because everything is my fault with her." Lucina said, openly fustrated now. "I'm a horrible person for wanting to marry you, I can't clean or cook anything, and I'm absolutely dreadful because I can tell the weather. They believe some ignorant man at the newspaper but if I have a say its the end of the world. And I just keep biting my tongue because I know you don't want me to argue with her but its so irritating, Adrian. And I just keep doing it because I can't lose you. I'm trying." Lucina sighed after her small rant, leaning back into Adrian's frame in an attempt to calm herself and finding it very useful as she breathed in his usual scent.

"Then argue with 'er if ye think it'll make th' difference. Jus' don' let Mum 'ear it," Adrian said with a warm smile as he gently nuzzled her neck, "Lu, I wan' ye t' be 'appy. Yer no' a horrible person fer wantin' t' marry me, yer learnin' t' clean 'n' cook, 'n' it's a wee bit scary fer 'er, withou' knowin' yer past, tha' ye can tell th' weather so clearly withou' even lookin' a' th' sky.

"Lu, listen t' me. Yer no' goin' to lose me if ye figh' with Lori, I assure ye. I jus' don' like seein' ye so upset. If ye think one big blow up, 'r even a good few, will 'elp y'all get yer bearin' on each other 'n' will get ye t' likin' each other, then ye best start fightin' with 'er," Adrian teased as he placed light kisses upon her neck and held her close.

"I don't understand you." Lucina said softly. Normally Adrian told her not to pick fights with Lori and to just let it go but his tolerance made her turn on her heel to wind both arms around his neck. "But I'm willing to spend the rest of my lifetime trying to." She added quietly before placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

"'n' I'll be doin' the same with you, me love," Adrian murmured against her lips between kisses, "I love ye, Lu." After a bit of kissing, Adrian tapped Lucina's bottom with a teasing grin, "Now stop distractin' me 'n' get back t' work 're we'll never get t' leave!"

"You distracted me." Lucina countered before giving his lips another kiss and turning to attempt to finish dusting the house.

"Mmm, perhaps, bu' it's so much easier t' blame you," Adrian teased with a wink before sneaking one last kiss before returning to his work.

It wasn't long before the entire house was cleaned spotless. Slumping into the kitchen chair, Adrian groaned as he forced himself to move a bit in order to get comfortable. "Well... Remind me never t' suggest th' brillian' idea t' clean th' entire 'ouse ourselves in one go."

"Mmm but we got it done." Lucina reminded him as she shined the last spot of the counter before walking over to Adrian, taking both hands in her's. "And now we have the whole weekend not having to worry about leaving Shinorah in a dirty house." She said with a small smile.

Adrian smiled as he pulled her gently onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waste, "Very true." Placing a sweet kiss upon her lips, Adrian rested his forehead upon her arm, "If only we didn' 'ave t' wait 'til tomorrow. But, alas, we 'ave t' get Lori t' go on 'er date 'fore we can go."

"I'm not sure how much help I'll be there." Lucina said as she linked fingers with Adrian. "I'm afraid she isn't very keen on my advice." She reminded him with a small smile, placing a kiss on top of Adrian's head. "Which is a shame because that leaves you and I've lived enough to know boys are horrendous at giving boy advice." She teased.

Adrian laughed as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, his tone teasing as he spoke, "Yes, bu' ye gave advice 'fore she was finished explainin' her situation, explainin' wha' she wanted, wha' she was thinking. This time, ye should let 'er talk until she's done, 'n' then give advice."

"Would she even listen to me?" Lucina asked, feeling it was impossible. "Lori always has such a temper around me. I'm sure she hates me." She sighed, her cheek resting on Adrian's hair.

"Give 'er a chance, love," Adrian encouraged as he held her close, "I think she'll come around. She's upstairs in her room, why don' ye go see if ye can talk t' 'er?"

Lucina sighed as she stood from Adrian's lap and let go of Adrian's hand. "If you insist but I'm not going to make promises about this working." She said before turning and walking up the stairs to Lori's room. Too nervous to speak, Lucina simply knocked on the door lightly.

"Good luck," Adrian whispered softly before getting up and making a pot of tea.

"Who is it?" Lori called miserably as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Its Lucina." Lucina answered softly, cursing herself from knowing that Lori wouldn't be likely willing to open the door for her. "I just wanted to talk." She added, hoping that Lori would soften up a bit.

"Th' door's open," Lori said miserably as she buried her face into her pillow once more, not wanting Lucina to see her tear-stained face and get satisfaction from it. After all, that was the reason she was here, wasn't it? To witness her misery and torment her further?

Lucina breathed a sigh of relief as she cracked open the door and slipped inside. She saw Lori laying in the bed and noted a rocking chair in the corner in which she decided to sit. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright." Lucina said softly as she wrung her hands nervously on her lap.