Queen of Spades (House of Car...

A/N: Hey guys! I have a pair of REQUESTS!

1) Who would you cast for Lexi?

2) What dress should Alice wear to prom? That's sounds so GIRLY, but I am stumped on what she should wear. Who ever suggests the dress I use in hte 온라인카지노게임, I will give you a heads up on something going to happen in the 온라인카지노게임 later on, you you'll be having a spoiler :D It's a good one, trust me :D

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Alice left Malcolm's the morning of Christmas, dropped off as he was headed towards his family's massive get together. She stood watching his car drive off and realized that she had thoroughly enjoyed spending the weekend with him, but it was a terrible idea to get used to playing house with Malcolm like that. It made her feel too good to have those moments with him, as if they could have a life like that together and she needed to remember that as good as all this felt, it wasn't likely to last.

Shaking aside the depressing trend her thoughts were taking, Alice ran upstairs to grab her things. She decided to take the day alone to not worry about anything but playing with animals and listening to music. She'd given Salali a gift before the large Native woman had left for the weekend; a satchel of freshly cut, cognac infused tobacco leaves. Salali had given her a dog collar with a tag reading 'Monster' on it. He was officially Alice's dog now. Salali had set up dog bowls and a doggie bed in the apartment so Ace could bring him home with her Christmas day. So when Alice let Monster out of his cage, it was to collar him and welcome him into her family of one.

Monster had progressed amazingly well since Alice had started to socialize him, and now the puppy often refereed the other dogs. Monster was still puppy sized but he was starting to put on weight and fill out. The older and larger dogs obeyed the scarred puppy, and Monster was excellent at controlling the more rambunctious animals. She was worried he would miss the company of other animals, but he seemed to like following her around more than he did being social. Ace ended up eating pizza and ice cream for Christmas dinner with Monster snoring on the floor beside her. And when she woke up sobbing in terror, Monster came up on the bed and settled down beside her, small body some how squashing Alice between him and the wall. She chuckled at his audacity but snuggled down with him and actually drifted off to sleep again. It wasn't the most exciting of Christmas days, but that suited her just fine.

The morning of the 26th, Alice woke up with a stomache full of nerves and a head full of worries. Thankfully she'd set out an outfit the night before when her head had been calmer and more assured, because now she was pure flight of the bumblebees panic. Showering took longer than normal, her hair was super tangled and she couldn't find her deoderant stick for ten minutes, so she ended up scrambling into her set out clothes, thankful to her logical self last night for thinking ahead and setting out an outfit that was comfortable and appropriate. She'd grabbed the sweater that had prompted Malcolm to kiss her shoulder so long ago, and pulled it on over a soft, buttery yellow tank top and dark brown leggings. Then she pulled the sweater tight around her waist with a thin caramel leather belt so she wasn't entirely shapeless. Her practical winter boots and duster gave her protection as she waited with her gift for Malcolm as he finally pulled up.

The fire that danced in his eyes as he saw her in that sweater quickly made it her new favourite thing to wear when she was to see Malcolm. She hopped into the passenger seat and noticed a box in the back seat with her name on the card. "I've got something for your family. As a thank you and Christmas gift." she blurted out and he smiled in response.

"You're not going to tell me what it is, will you?" he asked, already knowing hte answer. Alice shrugged and they drove in a comfortable silence, radio filled with orchestral sounds as Mal drove them further and further away from the city.

"Is this where you take me to your cabin in hte woods, tie me up and I'm never heard from again?" Alice asked, pretending to be fearful. The look he gave her killed hte laughter and brought a blush to her face.

"If I tie you up, you'll definitely be heard." he promised with heat in his voice. Alice gave a shakey laugh, entirely certain he was telling the truth. Malcolm was pretty sure his neighbors knew when she'd spent the night last.

"Ah, onto a safer topic of conversation please?" Alice requested.

"Hmmmm, I would rather make you blush and squirm all day long." Malcolm's voice rumbled with promise. Alice laughed like that had been a joke and picked her own topic to distract them with.

"Are you nervous?" she asked, swallowing her butterflies down. Ok, maybe it wasn't a safer topic, but at least it wasn't going to make her swwon.

Malcolm chuckled softly and nodded. "It's easier to explain it this way. Shawna and I had lived together for two years and I never asked her to come meet the family. Half my relatives don't speak English and the other half isn't always aware they've switched back into Spanish. I knew she didn't like spicy food or really any food that wasn't sushi or on her diet approved menu." he shrugged. "But I'm not worried about you." he grinned at her. "I'm actually more worried that once my family gets a chance to meet you, they'll start asking where the ring is." he laughed.

Alice laughed with him. "Let's wait until after I can legally drink my own wedding toast before we worry about that ok?" she joked back.

The Jeep pulled up outside a rambling ranch house that had nearly ten cars parked on the lawn outside. "Is it too late to back out and run away screaming?" Alice asked as she got out of the Jeep.

"You can run away if you want but I'll find you. Then you'd just be tired and still here." he joked back, holding her hand as they walked up to the door.

Inside smelled of hot peppers and mashed potatoes, an interesting blend of flare and comfort food. Right away Alice and Malcolm were mobbed by toddlers and about three dogs eagerly sniffing Monster on Alice's clothes. One of the 'aunties' (as Malcolm called his many female relatives) with an infant in her arms greeted them from the other side of the bouncing animals and offspring. "Malcolm, it's so good to see you. Abuela needs help in the kitchen, her knuckles are bad again. You must be Alice, it's wonderful to finally meet one of Malcolm's girlfriends. I'm Gloria, this is Ricardo, and hte two clinging to Mal's legs are the twins, Nina and Luis." the woman pulled Alice along as she walked, and dumped little Ricardo right into Ace's arms as if they'd known each other for years. Ricardo promply took his fist out of his mouth and smeared the baby goo across Alice's cheek.

"Thank you for that. But you can keep the rest. I try to limit my slobber to an ounce a day." Alice said to the infant in her arms and he just cooed at her. She smiled, realizing that it didn't matter what language she used with this little tyke, as long as she sounded happy, he was good. There were a lot of people around, and a lot of children under the age of eleven. The adults were currently too busy trying to control their christmas gift fuelled progeny to really notice the newcomer amongst them, and most of the children couldn't really care less about another boring adult.

Gloria led Alice to the kitchen where she spotted Malcolm with his dark gray jersey rolled up over his muscular forearms, kneading dough for fresh bread. The flour had dusted his shirt anyways, and she could clearly see a hand print where he had unconsciously wiped his hands on his pants. There was the sound of something dropping and spilling, then the sudden wail of little Nina crying because she'd spilled juice on her dress. As Gloria apologized for having to go change her daughter, Alice was discovered by the other adults of hte household. As she pitched in to help set up the long tables with barely enough seats for everyone, she was introduced to the cousins Vanessa, Laura, Bonita, Jose, Big Louis, Marco and Bob. The Bob through her for a whirl until he explained that Big Louis was Gloria's husband and father to little Luis, and he was Bob because Middle Louis didn't sound right. A lot of the younger children running around belonged to these cousins, and it surprised Alice to learn that Bonita and Jose weren't much older than she was. Bonita was nineteen, married and pregant with their first child.

Alice finished helping set up the tables and found Gloria again so she decided to help bring out the food. Malcolm had been dragged off by his male relatives the moment he'd finished getting food prepared in the kitchen, so she hadn't had the chance to speak to him since they arrived. With a mental shrug, Alice was getting introductions on the fly to the rest of the Vega family as she brought out food and finally got to sit down next to Malcolm once everything had been set up. He gave her a smile that told her how content he was and how comfortable with his family he felt. She'd heard some of her classmates complaining about how boring hteir big family get togethers were, or how annoying hteir relatives were and she had wanted to scream at them for not being grateful for the things they had. Here amongst Malcolm's talkative, loud and friendly family, she thought she'd feel out of place and awkward, but they absorbed her in as if she was one of them. No one asked her questions so much as they held conversations and drew out her own stories. It started with a conversation about dogs and Alice got to go on about Monster and how Salali had given her the puppy for Christmas. Which had prompted and explanation as to why Alice was living with Salali, so she gave them an edited version of how she'd moved out of her foster family's house and needed a place to stay. From what she gathered, everyone thought she was Bonita's age, nineteen, so she didn't correct them on it.

Diego, Malcolm's brother, was twenty-two and his fiancee Kasumi was twenty-three. They were sitting across from Alice and Malcolm and she spent a good deal of time talking to them about how they met and their upcoming nuptuals. They were excited and mildly terrified, apparently a long standing family tradition invovled kidnapping the bride and groom the day before the wedding and taking htem to seperate locations for activities held secret. Alice laughed with them as they both tried to outbrag the other for how wild their bachelor parties were going to be. But eventually they wanted to know how Alice and Malcolm had met, he had been frustratingly close lipped about it, saying only that it was Alice's 온라인카지노게임 to tell.

She hesitated for a moment, trying to decide how honest she wanted to be with his family. Malcolm's hand squeezed hers under the table and she decided to go with the truth. Mostly. And tried to fervently ignore how all the adult conversations died so that they could listen in. "Actually I met Malcolm on his birthday. I ran across some hard times and ended up working as a dancer at Suede's." she admitted. A flash of understanding in Diego's eyes and sympathy in Kasumi's. The adults that understtod what that meant whispered explanations to those that didn't and she kept getting stared at, seeing disapproval, curiosity and amusement. The only reason it wasn't awkwardly quiet was the fact that the children could not give a crap about hte adult's conversation and were screaming at each other in enthusiasm. Eventually the adults drifted into their own conversations again and Alice let her mental breath out.

"That must have been... difficult." Kasumi said sympathetically. Diego's fiancee was Japanese and she physically stuck out more than even Alice did, so she understood how it felt to be bringing something strange into this family.

"Well I got out of it a while ago, and now I'm actually working with Malcolm's school to help the choreography for the Gala." she directed the conversation to safer topics, like Kasumi's work. Alice eventually noticed that the cousins were running interference for her, keeping the parents from grilling her with questions. They'd been warm and welcoming when she arrived, and very friendly, but even more inquisitive. They wanted to know everything about her now, but thankfully her earlier honesty had won her a few supporters. Even if it made some of the aunts and uncles give her disapproving frowns.

Even with her great memory, Alice found it difficult to keep the names of everyone straight. Outside of the cousins and the three children that had mobbed her at the door, Alice basically couldn't get the faces and names right. To be fair there were a dozen children, eight cousins, five aunts and uncles, Malcolm's parents and grandparents. Plus three dogs and a cat Ace had seen fleeing for its life from a little girl with a ribbon. But thankfully everyone took her calling htem the wrong name with good humour, even after a lifetime together they eventually got it wrong too.

Dessert was served with a sipping liquor for the adults, and hot cocoa for hte kids. This was around hte time that everyone started to loose their English, but Alice felt confidant enough to switch over to Spanish herself. The look of smug satisfaction in the Abuelo's eyes when he realized she spoke hteir language made her stammer and blush, a little confused at his reaction.

Alice realized that everyone assumed she was Bonita's age, around nineteen, when they kept asking her what she wanted to study in college. They figured that like a lot of broke students, she'd taken a year off to work and gather funding. With a mental shrug, she didn't correct their inference and instead explained how she loved to dance and design choreography, but was actually thinking about going into university to become a vet. Salali had already offered to show her the 'traditional' practices she used and Alice had taken to some of the lessons like she was born to care for little critters. Malcolm gave her a little surprised look at her confession, but smiled warmly as she explained how well Monster was adjusting to living in the apartment.

Malcolm's parents were trying to interrogate Alice again when the Abuela announced that she needed Alice's specific help in the kitchen. Nervously, Alice followed the tiny but fierce little Spanish woman into the messy kitchen. She feared that she was about to get a stern reprimand for her old job but the little woman just hugged Alice, tears in her eyes. "Gracias por hacer tan feliz." she whispered. (Thank you for making him so happy). Alice looked started at the grandmother but didn't know how to reply. "Ha sido tanto tiempo desde que no se veía herida por la muerte de su hermana." (It has been such a long time since he didn't look wounded by his sister's death).

"Se merece ser feliz. Él es un buen hombre." Alice finally replied. (He deserves to be happy. He is a good man).

The Abuela nodded and patted Alice's cheek. Then she turned and grabbed out a very impressive looking bottle of Zoco Pacharan Navarro. Ace had no clue what it was, but it tasted sweet and thick, and had wildberry and earthy flavours. Abuela toasted her in the kitchen and then instructed Alice to bring the bottle out to serve to the adults. When Alice saw the surprise and happiness in a few of hte cousins eyes and Malcolm's wide, surprised look, she realized there was more to this bottle of liquor than she originally anticipated. The room burst into a buzz of conversation, and two of the cousins stole Alice away to 'help' them put the littlest children to bed.

"What was that all about?" Alice asked Gloria, trying to disengage little Ricardo's fist from her lock of hair. His hands were small, but had an impressive grip.

"Abuela just told the family that you have her blessing." Gloria smiled at Alice. The implications hit Alice and she could only stand there and blink for a moment.

"Oh." she finally replied, a little stunned.

Bonita laughed at her reaction. "She basically told anyone that might have an issue with your... old job experience, that they need to take it up with her before they bother you about it."

"Oh." Alice suavely replied, still amazed. She'd been so ready for them to hate and reject her that it hadn't actually occured to Ace that Malcolm's family would gladly accept her.

"Here, sit down, you look a little pale." Gloria helped Alice sit. Bonita passed her a small cup filled with milk and Alice drank it, finding her mouth dry. "Of course that was breast milk so now you really are a part of hte family." Gloria announced only after Alice had drank.

Ace coughed as both women muffled their laughter. "She's joking, it's goats milk. If her milk ever smelled like that we'd never have fat babies." Bonita corrected.

There was a soft knock at the door and Bob stuck his head in. "Gifts are about to be opened." he whispered, not wanting to rile the children up. They'd gotten their gifts on Christmas day, but the adults had waited until today, wanting to include Malcolm's girlfriend after he explained that she'd spent most of her life an orphan.

So Alice rejoined the Vega family, still feeling overwhelmed by their emotional generosity. Malcolm pulled her down beside him on the huge couch and she cuddled in beside him, not to be cute but because there wasn't a whole lot of room to get everyone seated. "I have a gift for hte Vega family at large. I wanted to say thank you and merry Christmas." Alice smiled and presented the bag to the closes Vega whom wasn't Malcolm. It ended up being Bob who opened up the bag and pulled out a large dream catcher. It wasn't the stereotypically Native looking one though, instead of feathers and beads or customary colours, Alice had looked into Spanish culture for inspiration. She'd used red and golden yellow threads to weave the center, and a large turquoise bed was woven into it. In place of the feathers hanging from the bottom, Alice had braided strings of beads in a variety of colours, all with a different meaning. Salali had been slowly teaching Alice about Native culture and the 온라인카지노게임 beads were words of what family meant. Love, protection, loyalty, friendship, happiness. She explained all that to the room, unable to look up at anyone or she'd stumble to a halt. Malcolm's hand gripped hers comfortingly and he whispered a thank you in her ear as everyone gushed over the beautiful dream catcher.

She was grateful when the attention was taken off of her by the next gift giver. To save time and money, the Vega family had a secret santa set up, so that everyone was just getting a gift for one person. Malcolm passed Alice her gift while no one was paying attention. She handed him his in the same manner and they both tore into their gifts without nearly a score of eyes watching them. {a/n: a score is twenty}

Alice heard Malcolm suck in his breath as he opened his up but she couldn't watch his reaction because she was staring down at her gift in shock. Nestled into a little black velvet box was a silver necklace. A thin, but strong chain with a pendant on the front. It was a beautifully captured silver Spanish rose and hung under her shirt to her cleavage. "So you don't even have to take it off to dance." Malcolm whispered in her ear as she stared at it.

She turned a smile at him and kissed him, forgetting for a moment that there was his family chatting around them. "How'd you like your gift?" she asked, knowing he loved it by the twinkle in his eyes.

"It's perfect but how did you afford it?" he asked, stroking a finger possessively across the high end camera. Alice had noticed that all the pictures he had up were photos taken of his family, and most done with him as the photographer. But his current dinky digital camera ate batteries like candy and he hated not being able to snap photos whenever he wanted.

"I'm really good at budgeting." Alice replied with a shrug. He pulled the camera out and turned it on, twisting to snap a picture of Alice. She blushed at hte attention and laughed as Malcolm eagerly started to talk to his brother about taking photos at the wedding and bachelor party. She puleld hte necklace and on liked how the weight sat agaisnt her chest, solid and real.

Eventually even the adults started to wind down, the day long gone before Malcolm and Alice said their goodbyes. They'd arrived just before noon and were leaving just before midnight, happy but tired. Their car ride back to Alice's was silent but filled with the echos of his family, warm and comfortable. Of course the calm ended the moment the door to her apartment opened. Monster came bounding at them, needing to make sure Alice was alright. And hten he had to sniff them with enthusiasm because they smelled like other people and worse, other dogs.

By this stage both of them were rather dead on their feet but Alice let Malcolm collapse and relax as she took Monster out for a quick bathroom run. She'd worried about leaving him alone for so long, but Salali had told her to not worry, she'd walk him. They could hear the large Native woman snoring with gusto when Alice got back and she shushed Monster because Malcolm had slumped on the couch and passed out himself.

Ace settled her boyfriend down onto the couch and covered him with a blanket. Monster flopped down onto his bed and ignored her, sleeping where he could keep and eye on Malcolm, and Alice walked to her room, turning off all hte lights after her. She climbed into bed with a smile dancing around her lips. She had missed her father terribly the entire day, constantly reminded of the memories she would never get to have with him, but she'd also been honestly happy today too, so it helped her carry the burden of her grief.