A/N: I'm sorry it has taken so long for me to get this chapter up, its been hectic here trying to pack up for college. But that's no excuse. I will try to be more on top of it…no promises though.

I get home and race through my homework, its probably half wrong and then shower quickly before my dad gets home and then have Bianca blow dry it so my dad doesn't notice how hard I'm trying. We don't need him getting nervous about the seriousness of this relationship just yet. Dad gets home around five and takes his sweet time relaxing for an hour before even starting dinner, making me even more stressed out, if that's even possible. And then its time. Okay, well, almost time. Its 6:57. Please, please Patrick don't be late, I think just as the door bell rings and then I wish that he were late or just absent all together. That could work too. I open the door. No such luck. He's here, motorcycle and all. He smiles at me and invited himself in.

"Hi." He says.

"Hi"

"So, you ready for this?"

"No, are you?"

He laughs, "Yes. But before I go into the lion's den is there anything I should know? Shotgun behind the fridge? Butcher knife under the table cloth? Arsenic?"

He's trying to loosen the tension and I'm grateful. "Hmm…just the ice pick in the oven mitt."

"Thanks for the warning." And just like that all is right between us, we can get through this. We can. And then my dad comes in.

"You must be Patrick." He says extending his hand.

"Yes, Dr. Stratford, its nice to finally meet you." He replies shaking my dad's hand.

"Yes, finally. Most boyfriends would ask permission before taking out the girl but…"

"Dad!" I interrupt. "I'm the one who didn't want to tell you, not Patrick."

"Yes well, I didn't exactly insist." Says Patrick. "At least not until recently and that's my fault sir." He says addressing my father, "I just wanted to be with Kat and she was very insistent that we keep it quiet. I was too weak to deny her that."

My father considers this for a moment. "Well, I can't blame you too much. Kat is a force of nature when she wants to be."

And that's it. They actually seem to get along, well, apart from the motorcycle thing, which has my dad hyperventilating for a minute. But other than that the night goes rather smoothly. Bianca is only mildly annoying dropping hints about windows and late night visitors. It's a very good thing my dad is oblivious or else I might have to kill Bianca. But all in all it's not a total disaster. My dad only asks a couple embarrassingly personal questions and Patrick answers them with a smile. No blood is drawn and I consider it a success when I show Patrick to the door and say goodnight, no kissing as my dad is there and might not like that too much. I stand in the door till he gets on his bike and drives off. I am almost to the stairs and home free when my dad calls me into the dining room.

"Kat I would like to talk to you."

"Okay." I sit down in the chair next to him.

"Patrick seems like a decent boy, and he's seems capable of handling you which makes me respect him."

"I'm glad you like him."

"I do. Which is why I am so upset that you felt you had to lie to me about him."

I stare at my hands.

"You can always come to me Kat and I realize I'm not always the most reasonable person but I never want you to keep something like this from me again, is that understood?"

"Yes Dad."

"You're still grounded."

"Okay, that's reasonable."

"And you better not be having sex…"

"Oh god Dad! No!"

"I'm just making sure. That's one rule that will not change for the foreseeable future."

"Understood. Can I go to bed now?"

"Yes. Send Bianca in here, she needs to know the rules too. Its only a matter of time before she brings someone home now that you have."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Collateral damage."

I send Bianca into the dining room and then head upstairs where I know Patrick will be waiting for me. He is outside the window like a good boy and I let him in.

"He likes you."

"I told you I could do the parents thing."

"I know. I'm really glad he took it well I was a bit worried."

"Well, I don't want to get caught in here it might change the tone of the evening a bit. I just came to get something."

"What?"

"This." He says pulling me toward him and placing a tender kiss on my lips before sighing and pulling away and going back out the window.

It was a good night.

A/N: I know I know, its short. I promise the next chapter will be longer. Review please .