A/n: And before you comment it's written the way she pronounces it, it's not a mistype...

Chapter 20

The Mashinda Parents

Nat sighed in annoyance as she waited for the coffee to perk. 'This is the slowest percolator in existence!' She complained leaning back to Negaduck.

'You want a better one, get it yourself!' He replied over his shoulder to her.

'I'm going shopping then.' She turned her attention back to the machine. 'Come on!'

Negaduck shook his head and returned his attention to the TV, they were standing practically back to back in front of the kitchen sink.

Gosalyn showed up with the mail and looked at the two, putting the entire bundle down on the table she took a seat and helped herself to some breakfast.

'Anything good, kid?'

'Er... A letter from some place in Miami.' Gosalyn said awkwardly.

Nat spun around as Negaduck looked to her, she walked over to the table and flicked through the letters, ripping one in particular open she glanced it over. 'He's not getting it back!' She declared moodily.

'Family?'

Nat looked to him with a glare. 'Of course.'

'Something up?'

She passed it to him and he read it. "Natalie... been too long... need to talk... Friday. Love Mum and Dad."

He looked to Nat. 'You knew they'd be coming?'

Nat rolled her eyes as she gave a nod and her attention was caught by something on the bench. 'Finally!' She commented returning to the spot she'd been standing in and pouring herself a cup of coffee from the machine, after a moment she offered the pot to Negaduck and he picked up his cup, holding it out.

'Why're they showing up?'

Nat poured the coffee into his cup as she replied. 'Cos they've been keeping an eye on me, and I haven't changed lo-cals for a while.' She put the pot back under the machine. 'They've noticed.'

Nat scowled as she watched a blue sedan pull up to the kerb.

'I was expecting something more flashy.' Negaduck admitted to her, as two people got out of the car.

'It's all quiet when going interstate, it's a family "credo" or something.' She shrugged.

He turned his attention to the two upper-class citizens, calm and collected, the man in a suit and the woman in a stylish dress.

'You must be Negaduck.' The man said in a thick Italian accent.

'Yeah.' Negaduck said calmly, giving a smile.

'I'm George and this is my wife Janet.'

'I've got to admit, I didn't expect you two to come all this way.' Negaduck said. 'St Canard isn't really your scene is it?'

'To be honest, it's not... but it is Natalie's... and it's always family first with us.'

Negaduck gave a nod, like they needed to state that, it was a given for the generic Mafia's to be family based. 'C'mon inside.' He turned and led the way into the house.

The moment he stepped inside his eyes were straight on his ward who had been sitting on the couch absently reading a book, she stood slowly and gave a friendly smile to the Mashinda parents.

There was a pause and he straightened his jacket. 'This is my daughter.' He looked to Gosalyn. 'Gosalyn, these are Nat's parents.'

'Pleased to meet you.'

He was expecting a comment akin to "Oh, how sweet" or "What a lovely little girl." not the knowing look that the parents exchanged before looking to Nat and saying. 'Now who does she remind us of.'

Nat scowled deeper and disappeared into the kitchen.

Janet smiled and followed after Nat.

'Just the two of you?' George asked conversationally.

'Oh.' Negaduck shrugged. 'There's Launchpad, but he comes and goes.'

Janet looked to Nat. 'You still don't know how to cook, Natalie?'

Nat rolled her eyes. 'That's why they invented "Take away" Mum.' She said picking up the phone.

Janet took the phone from Nat calmly.'You have to learn to cook properly one day.' Janet said as she put the phone back on the hook.

'I haven't died yet.' Nat replied. 'And come to think of it, neither has Negs.'

'I'm sure he's managed through a lot worse cooking. Single men don't do so well on the cooking front either.'

Nat rose an eyebrow. 'Mum, that's very critical, you don't know the first thing about him.'

'So... tell me about him then, dear.' Janet said opening the fridge and looking through it.

'Ah...' Nat gazed at her mother. 'How about we-'

Janet opened the freezer and took out some things. Putting them on the bench she gazed at Nat.

'I'm certain they'll be talking for hours.' Janet said calmly as she put the roast into the microwave. 'So?'

Nat sighed. 'Well...' She looked away and put the oven on to preheat. 'What can one say about Negaduck?' She looked out the window. 'Er... he's certainly... um...'

'That's all I needed to hear.' Janet said smiling.

'Huh?' Nat looked to her.

'I'm glad you've finally met someone you like.'

'Mum, Negs isn't like the others.'

'You've got certain preferences and he seems to fit all of them.'

Nat scowled at her and turned away.

'Your father seems to like him.' Janet said calmly.

'That's cos all men are obsessed with cars and things.'

'Now who's being critical?' Janet said, Gosalyn walked in and looked around. 'Is something the matter sweetie?' Janet asked coming over.

'I was just going to get some juice.' Gosalyn said calmly.

'Oh let me.' Janet took the glass and went over to the fridge. 'It's such a nice sunny day out there dear, why aren't you out playing?'

'I prefer to... stay inside and read.' Gosalyn said awkwardly as she took the glass. 'Thank you, Ma'am.'

Janet laughed and patted her on the head. 'Oh I remember when Nat was just like you.'

'Mum!' Nat complained loudly.

Janet smiled at her. 'I'll tell you what dear, why don't you call me "Grandma" instead.'

Gosalyn smiled at her. 'Okay.' She said happily. 'Thank you Grandma.' She hugged her and left.

'What a lovely little girl.' Janet said.

Nat stood quite dazed, Grandma? Seriously? Did she think that Nat was Gosalyn's new mother? That she and Negs were actually that serious?

'Now come on Natalie dear, I might as well teach you how to cook this.'

Negaduck stood looking down at the engine of the Ferrari in thought as Nat's father inspected the messy engine, he was very attached to the car, it was the man's pride and joy by the way he was being so thorough in checking it over.

Negaduck smirked to himself, the Mashinda parents were every bit as rich and stuck up as Nat had eluded to, George was wearing a black suit and had several rings on his fingers and as Negaduck watched George adjusting cables and checking the water in the battery he had a chance to study each ring with a criminal eye, each one was clearly a family heirloom of sorts, even the wedding ring was old, having a coat of arms printed on it.

George laughed as he straightened and looked at Negaduck. 'Yes, they are worth a lot, but only an idiot would try and take them from a Mashinda.'

Negaduck rose an eyebrow. 'Are you calling me an idiot?'

'No... you haven't tried to steal them as yet.'

'Like I would try to.' Negaduck rolled his eyes. 'They wouldn't fetch much on any market.'

'Mashinda's don't go in for wearing jewels.'

Negaduck rose an eyebrow. 'I guessed that when Nat's Mum stepped out of the car.'

'It's a rough neighbourhood.' George said calmly.

'Nah, the majority of these idiots I have for Neighbours know better than to try and mess with me.'

'I'm sure that helps your daughter feel safe when you are out.'

Negaduck stepped up to him. 'She's not safe, she's a target.'

George smiled. 'You do have a lot of enemies.'

'Only an idiot even tries to go against me.'

George nodded. 'It's your town, I have no interest here beyond my daughter and...' His eyes drifted back to the motor of the car.

Negaduck smirked. 'She stole it from you, huh?'

'She didn't tell you that?' George asked.

'We haven't talked much about the past.' Negaduck shrugged. 'We're more in the now.' He gave George a suggestive look.

George shook his head and returned to the engine. 'Well... has she told you that she was exactly like your daughter when she was her age?'

Negaduck stared at him. 'No...'

'She was... not that she admits to it, she was always so polite and pleasant to everyone.' George scowled for a second as he tried to pull out the dip-stick in vain, he straightened and looked to Negaduck. 'Can you get that out for me, my arms aren't as strong as they once were.'

Negaduck reached down looking at George trying to understand what he'd just said about Nat.

'She'll grow out of it too.'

Negaduck pulled out the dip-stick and took the paper towel from George, wiping off the oil and putting the stick back in. 'You reckon?'

'Oh yes, she'll grow up in her own time.'

Negaduck pulled the stick back out and they both consulted the oil mark.

'Could use a little more.' George commented and headed into the garage.

Negaduck shook his head and stuffed the stick back into the plug.

George returned with the motor oil and Negaduck reached out and took the cover off for the oil.

'I take it someone played with matches when they were little?' George joked to Negaduck as he undid the lid on the bottle and started pouring.

'Yeah, but I grew up.' Negaduck said calmly barely feeling the heat of the cover in his hand.

George lifted the bottle up and rose an eyebrow at Negaduck. 'TNT?'

Negaduck's smirk returned. 'And more.'

George nodded. 'Good to hear.' He said smiling as he started pouring again.

The three men walked in and sat down at the table.

Nat shook her head as she glanced to her mother who was less than impressed by Launchpad and the grease on the hands of George and Negaduck, Nat put the meat down on the table and sat down as Gosalyn took her seat and Janet put the vegetables down.

Negaduck glanced to Nat with a raised eyebrow and seeing Nat's scowl he looked over the food. 'Where's the Gravy?'

Nat glared at him. 'Gravy? We were planning "blood of Negaduck".'

He turned to her. 'Ah ha...' He studied her closely for a moment and stood.

Nat stood too and they looked at each other for a long moment, Negaduck that bit taller than Nat, he suddenly took her waist and kissed her, spinning on the spot slightly, the microwave went off and Nat adjusted back to her feet as he let her go and headed to the microwave.

She smiled after him and took her seat again.

George turned to Nat, a look of seriousness on his face. 'I'd like a word, Nat.'

She rose an eyebrow. 'If it's about the-'

'No, not about the car.' He said bluntly. 'About Negaduck.'

'Oh, don't you like him.' She sneered.

George smiled. 'Oh no... I quite approve of him.'

Nat stared at him for a long moment. 'So what is it that you want to say?'

'I think it's time that you got comfortable.'

'What?'

George gave her a knowing look. 'Oh and we're taking the Ferrari.'

'And what am I going to-'

He threw her a set of keys. 'The sedan.'

'But...'

'The sedan needs less attention than the Ferrari does, it's also less heavy on the petrol.' George gave her a look. 'And before you say anything about the keys, I do have a spare set on me.'

Nat shook her head. 'No way... I'm not letting you take my car!'

'Natalie, you've upset an awful lot of people in your time, and they are all keeping an eye out for you in that car.'

Nat frowned for a moment.

'And in a city like this, the sedan is the better option.'

'I'd love to see someone try something.' Nat growled.

'I wouldn't.' George said bluntly. 'And in the end, that is the only thing that matters.'

A/n: It's a bit sketchy isn't it? Oh well...