Penny's POV
Brian stayed at the hospital that night and I was released in the morning. Brian had a hotel suite for us and we went there to get ready to go to Mom's. I really couldn't wash my hair with the stitches covered by a giant bandage on the back of my head. I was now really nervous about Brian meeting my family.
"Penny, it's going to be okay. It might take some time for your family to accept me, but I will not give up." He smiled and I was actually able to relax.
We both got ready pretty quick. Brian had a black long sleeve shirt on with a black crew neck t-shirt underneath. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. He was very handsome as always, but I knew why he had it on.
"You look very handsome Mr. Haner, but you don't have to cover yourself up."
"I know Penz, but I figure that they are going to be hit with 2 biggies today and I can't hide my hands, it's probably best that they don't get the rest all at once."
"Okay, as long as you understand that I am not asking you to do that. Are you ready?"
"Not sure if I am ready, but I am willing. Let's go."

Brian's POV
We pulled into Penny's Mom's driveway and suddenly I was very nervous. Penny squeezed my hand and said "It's going to be okay Bri." It had been a long time since I met a girl's family.
We walked into the house and Penny's sister came to greet us. She looked like a slightly older version of Penny.
"Brian this is Tess my sister, Tess this is Brian, my um boyfriend?"
"You don't sound too sure about that. Hi Brian, it's nice to meet you." Tess added, I could tell she was looking me up and down. I pretty much kept my hands in my pockets or behind my back.
"It's nice to meet you too."
"Where's Mom?" Penny asked.
"She's in the kitchen, of course." Tess answered.
"Want to come with me Brian?"
"Um, sure" I answered like a 14-year-old going on his first date.
I followed Penny to the kitchen, Penny's Mom was busy at the stove.
"Hi Mom"
"Hi, stir the gravy." I just stood there as Penny dutifully responded to her Mother's command.
"Hey Mom, I have someone I want you to meet."
"Oh yes, the new boyfriend." Her Mom turned around and looked at me with a questioning stare.
"Mom, this is Brian. Brian this is my Mom."
Penny's Mom just looked at me. So I said "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jenkins."
"Nice to meet you." She said flatly.
Soon Chloe and Max arrived. It was good to have someone I knew there.
"Where's Allen?" Penny asked.
"Late as usual." Tess shook her head.
As if on cue, Penny's brother and his wife walked in. "Who's Mustang is that?" Whoa this guy did not beat around the bush.
"Hello to you too, brother" Penny started to say it was hers, but switched to me at the last second. "It's mi... Brian’s"
"Your Brian's?"
"Yes, this is Brian. Brian I would like you to meet my brother, Allen."
Allen stretched his hand out, that was it. I had to shake his hand. "Good to meet you Allen." I shook his hand as fast as I could, of course eating would be impossible without showing my hands anyway, so might as well get it over with now.
"There's something on your hand, man" He asked. "What is that, tattoos?"
Penny intervened "And Brian this is Kimberly, Allen's wife. I think it's time to eat." Chloe smiled at me and Max patted me on the shoulder as we went to the dining room.
The meal was very quiet. I decided to break the ice and get this party started. "The food is delicious Mrs. Jenkins." She just nodded her head. I remembered what Penny told me: "When my Mom is really mad she won't talk." Great!
Allen spoke up finally "So Brian, is it? What's your last name?" Quiz time.
"It's Haner"
"I don't know any Haner's"
"I'm not from here, I'm from Southern California."
"Wow, how did you meet Penny?"
I looked at Penny and said "I guess it was just a stroke of luck." She bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"Okay wise guy, how old are you?"
Allen's wife said softly "Be nice, Allen."
"Something is very strange here and I want to know what it is."
Penny answered her brother's last question. "He's 34"
"Penny, didn't Jay teach you anything? Now you're going for a guy even younger?" I didn't like how he spoke to her.
Tess tried to defer the subject. "So Brian, what do you do for a living?"
"I play lead guitar in a rock band" Strike Two!
"Must be a pretty successful band to afford a car like that." Allen was skeptical.
I decided to cut to the chase, "Yes, we have been pretty successful. Three Gold Albums, Multiple World Tours and various awards."
Penny jumped in, "Plus a signature guitar and amplifier line. He's considered one of the best guitarists in the world." I wasn't sure Penny should have said all that. Blatantly bragging probably wasn't the way to go.
Tess and Kimberly looked stunned.
"No way, do you think I'm really going to believe that?" Allen was pissed. "Penny, what's with this crazy bullshit?" Now I was getting really pissed, but I kept it in for Penny's sake.
"They're telling the truth." Chloe said
Max got out his phone and showed him a video of me playing in front of an audience of more than 50,000 people. Of course in the picture, I was wearing a sleeveless shirt. Strike Three!
Allen still wasn't convinced. "What did the lead singer call you? Synyster Gates! What the hell is that?"
"It's my stage name."
"So you are in a major super successful band and your dating my sister, who is 10 years older than you?"
"Thanks Allen!" Penny said
If we're laying it all on the table might as well take it all the way. "I’m not dating your sister, I'm in love with her. Our age has nothing to do with it."
"Are you two getting married?" Tess asked.
Penny jumped in "No, we are keeping our relationship out of the public eye."
I added "For now."
Of course they jumped to the same conclusion that most people do.

Chloe's POV
Brian had run the gauntlet and taken it like a champ, but I could tell he was getting aggravated with Uncle Allen. I knew what was coming next and it could get ugly.
"Oh I get it, my sister isn't good enough to be seen with Mr. Rock star!" Uncle Allen accused.
"Oh but a minute ago, I wasn't good enough and too old to date a rock star?" Mom jumped in.
Someone had to step in before this turned into a family brawl.
"No, Uncle Allen. It wasn't Brian's idea to keep things a secret, it was Mom's. Trust me they are great together and he really cares about her."
"So you've known about all this?" Aunt Tess asked
"Yes, I have known for months. Just give him a chance, he's a good guy and he's good for Mom."
Allen seemed to calm down a bit and the tension started to subside. The beer ran out and Allen was going out to buy more. I figured Brian needed to just jump in the pool and learn how to swim.
"Uncle Allen, why don't you and Brian go?"
Brian jumped in, "Yea man, we can take the Mustang"
"Okay, but I'm driving." Allen stipulated
I heard Brian say as they walked out the door, "By the way, the Mustang is Penny's, not mine."
Brian was swimming as Bianca would say "Like a boss!"

Tess' POV
This has been an interesting Thanksgiving, leave it to Penny to blindside us with a new guy and not just any guy! I really didn't know what to think. I decided to talk to Chloe to see what is really going on, it was obvious she had known about this for a while. I was kind of surprised Penny didn't tell me.
"Chloe, can I talk to you?" She nodded "in private?"
"OH Kay" she reluctantly followed me to the other room.
"So what is really going on with your Mom and this guy?"
"It's exactly what they said is going on. Listen Tess, I know he's in a metal band and lots of tattoos but if you give him a chance he's a really great guy. He could have just about any woman he wants, but he wants Mom. You should have seen him when Mom was hurt. He grabbed the first plane from California, stayed with her all night, has made arrangements to replace the carpet in Mom's house and even have a security system installed."
"What about keeping it secret?"
"Trust me, that is 100% Mom." I did find that believable.
"You don't think he's too young for her?" I asked.
"At first I worried about that, but after getting to know him and seeing them together I don't worry anymore. He brings out the best in her and I have never seen her so happy. He is obviously very in love with her."
"If you say so, Chloe. I will try to get to know him. I do have to admit he's not too bad on the eyes." We both laughed and headed back in with everyone.
Just then Allen and Brian got back, they seemed to be getting along better. I saw my sister relax and I saw a light in her eyes that I hadn't for much too many years.
The rest of the day went very well, everyone seemed to have a good time. Our Mom was even talking to Brian eventually.

Penny's POV
Brian and I were both pretty relieved that meeting my family was done and that it went ok.
"That was a little intense at times." I said as we were on our way to the hotel.
"You mean when we were being interrogated?" He seemed a little mad.
"Well, you handled it like a pro and you weren't put in front of a firing squad, so you got that going for you."
He laughed throwing his head back with that sexy smile. "I guess I do have that going for me!"
We both laughed. Then he said something that reminded me what an extraordinary man he is. "I was starting to get mad, but they are just looking out for their little sister. I'm the same way with McKenna."
"I'm quite a bit older than McKenna."
"I guess once a little sister, always a little sister."
We were parked at the hotel. "He turned to me "Penny, look at me. I promise I will never purposely hurt you. But, you have to promise me that you aren't going to run off at the first sign of trouble. Every couple has obstacles."
"You talked to Tess, didn't you? "
"She and I may have conversed briefly and she may have given me some insight into your past relationships."
"How much insight?" I said hoping she didn't say too much.
"Just that you tend to back away from relationships when you get concerned. Don't be upset with her, I am glad that I know you even better now. Do you promise?"
"What?" I was just so relieved that she didn't get into details, I didn't know what he was asking.
"That you aren't going to shut me out at the first sign of trouble."
"I promise."
Brian insisted that I rest all weekend. I wanted to go to the house, but He said not until at least the carpet was done.

Brian's POV
Thanksgiving was out of the way. Friday, I had to get back to work on getting the house set. I also took Penny to get her purse at the police station. I was getting pretty good at being incognito and of course no one expected me to be there.
I found out the Son of a Bitch's arraignment was later that day. I took Penny to the hotel and got her to take a nap. I told her I was going to go check on the house and grab some other things she wanted.
I sat in the back of the courtroom. I had on an Ohio State University baseball hat and sweatshirt. It was pretty easy to just blend in that way. I tried to sit away from anyone, but at the last minute a girl rushed in and sat next to me. They brought the asshole in and he looked right at me, then I realized the girl was mouthing "I love you" to him.
"Is that your boyfriend?" I asked.
She gave me a dirty look. "Yea, not sure why it's any of your business"
"The woman he nearly killed is my girlfriend."
She started to get up. I was next to the aisle and I put my leg up to block her from getting out. "Please stay, so we can chat."
She was very uncomfortable. "The guitar he hit her with was mine." I said.
"Yea so?"
"Well, that makes me want to kill him even more. That guitar had very special significance to us. If my girlfriend has to go through a trial, it will not be good for lover boy."
"Are you threatening my boyfriend?" She was pissed, but I also heard fear.
"Nope, it's a promise."
"Who the fuck, do you think you are?"
"I am someone who can fuck up your life in more ways than one. If you're smart, you'll get him to plead guilty."
She did not say anything else. The Mother Fucker's case was sent over to Grand Jury for indictment. I got up to leave and followed behind her all the way out to the parking lot. Just to make her nervous, I walked by her as she was getting in her car. "Think about what I said."
I hoped I had made my point.

Penny's POV
The house was ready a week later and we checked out of the hotel on Saturday. I walked in and it felt very weird. Brian showed me the security system. There were sensors in the glass of the windows that go off if the glass is broken. There were cameras at the front and back door so I could see who was there without even looking out. Bianca did a great job picking out the carpet in the family room. I was really surprised when I saw that there was a new guitar on the stand in the living room. The original was being kept as evidence until the asshole was convicted.
Brian read my mind, as usual. "I don't want the old one here. I have plans for it when we get it back."
I hugged him and we kissed. We hadn't made love since I got out of the hospital.
"Make love to me Brian."
He kissed me, picked me up and carried me to the bedroom. He laid me gently on the bed. It was the most sensual and loving sex of my life. Afterward, we were laying there in bed holding each other.
Brian seemed to be deep in thought. "What ya thinking about?"
"I could have lost you, we could have never made love again, laughed together again or danced again." He suddenly sat up in the bed and said "I Love You. Penny, I promise you I will never let anyone hurt you again."
"I Love You, Brian. I don't know how I would have made it through all of this without you." I wasn't sure what to say. "You know; it wasn't your fault. It was such a random thing, it's a pretty good neighborhood and there haven't been other break ins recently. There was no way to know it was going to happen and you can't be here 24/7. You came as soon as you found out, you were there when I woke up. You saved me."
He smiled and kissed me on the forehead. I decided it was time to change the subject.
"So what's our Christmas plan?"
We talked about Christmas and decided since Chloe was spending it with Max's family that I would spend it in California. On Sunday night after one of my exclusive concerts, we were laying together in front of the fireplace and Brian asked, "Do you decorate for Christmas?"
"I usually do a little, but I am notorious for waiting until the last minute."
"I think this year you should decorate early, so you have the proper Christmas spirit when you come out to California. It's a little different in California than Ohio."
I didn't expect that "Really? You don't seem like a Ho Ho Ho, holly in my heart, kind of guy."
"Well, we have a lot celebrate this year and you bring out the best in me!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me up "Where are the decorations? We need to get to work!"
"Can we put on clothes first?"
He laughed and winked at me.

Brian's POV
Something about Penny made me care about things I never cared too much about before. I wanted to do and experience things with her, even the simplest things. I talked her into putting up Christmas decorations. We had the best time, we were like a "normal" couple and I liked that.
By the time we were done, we were "tangled up in tinsel" so to speak on the floor in the family room.
"I've got admit, that was the best time I have ever had putting up Christmas decorations. Maybe we should take them back down and put them up again." She said out of breath.
"Only if we stay naked..."
"You are crazy, Junior"
"Crazy about you, Penelope."

Notes