Lena turned again, frustrated groan escaping her lips as she tried to fall as sleep again. She was anxious, not being in her comfort zone of London or Overwatch bases getting to her.

But she was with Emily in her hometown. The same Emily that was sleeping soundly beside her, snuggled deeply into her pillow, snoring lightly. The summer moonlight hit her red hair perfectly. Their vacation had been peaceful, something Lena was thankful for. Fareeha seemed true to her word that she would only get a call if it was a "Super Emergency".

Lena sighed, turning over again before giving up on sleep for the night. Throwing on a light pullover and her long shorts, she was about to leave the room when she remembered this was not her apartment. It wasn't even Emily's apartment. She needed her accelerator to leave and explore. With a growl, she turned back to put the device on, wishing that somehow Winston could make something less...obtrusive.

The hallways of Cumloden were cool, making her shiver slightly as she walked down the hall. The fact that Emily had her own wing explained a lot of things about her girlfriend; her too-big-for-one person apartment, the sporty jeep, the persistent need to be surrounded by open nature, even in the city.

Emily enjoyed her space.

Lena slowed her steps, biting her lip at the worry that's once again setting in. She didn't know if she could give that to Emily. Or keep giving it to her. She would occupy more of Emily's space if her plan for the following evening came to fruition. She wouldn't have the space she seemed to love.

Would her gift be enough? Lena looked around her and sighed. It didn't seem like it was enough.

She shook her head, opening the doors to the gardens, taking a deep breath of fresh country air.

She had her doubts about the following night. Emily was loved by her the town, many of its residents greeting her by name when they walked through every morning. Emily had shown her where her favourite spots were, where she had her first kiss, where she had broken her arm, she she fell in the river during the middle of winter.

Emily had a childhood that Lena couldn't even fathom. She was royalty, the house, the cars (oh the cars), and the property she was on a testiment of that.

And Lena was just some ‘peasant’ girl from the city.

"Keep thinking like that and you might pop a vein, girlie," a deep voice whispered from behind her, making Lena turn. Two of Emily's brothers, Eddie and Ewan smirked at her, both of them holding bottles of beer in their hands.

"Eddie! Ewan! I didn't realize you were up too," Lena greeted, giving them a smile. Their red hair glistened in the moonlight the way Emily's did, making Lena wonder if the family had been naturally red for centuries.

"Come little one," Eddie patting the stone wall he and Ewan were sitting on. "Sit with us and tell us what's botherin' ya."

Lena smiled. She had gotten along with Emily's siblings, with Ewan especially. Eddie - Edward Junior - was down from Galloway just for the weekend for the celebration of Emily's 25th birthday. He was reserved, well mannered which Lena had chalked up to being the heir to the clan.

Eric she had met before, the chef working in London like his sister. He a goofier, scruffier version of his sister but Emily could amazingly drink him under the table. Ewan, she knew worked at a nearby Scotch yard, lived just outside of the town with his wife and sons. Ethan had just flown in back from France, his culinary training seeming to have paid off since Lena was still full from the best steak dinner he had prepared for them earlier. Each of them gave her the third degree before engulfing her in a bear hug. Emily didn’t stop them either.

"You look like you're about to burst, Lena," Ewan pointed out, offering her a beer from the cooler the brothers had at the feet of the wall. "Whatcha thinkin' of?"

"If it's inappropriate things about our sister, please spare us," Eddie clarified, making Lena laugh.

"It is your sister but not in that sense," Lena replied, taking the beer that was offered to her. "What are you two doing up?"

"Relaxing after working," Ewan explained. "Kind of a tradition when we brothers are together. Da also wanted us to make sure everything is ready for Em tomorrow."

"Means we brothers have to meet Ma's picky eyes. Everything needs to be in place just as she wants it," Eddie added. "But you already knew that. Tell us about Overwatch, Lena."

Lena told them some of the non-classified stuff, sidestepping some questions divulging some secrets. “Wait so Genji, the half-cyborg assassin in your ranks,” Eddie said, taking a sip out of his beer. “He sleeps with a stuffed animal.”

“Most of us do actually,” Lena admitted, thinking of her stuffed corgi on Emily’s bed right now. “Angela has this old tattered robot called Baymax. Genji has this giant dragon he calls Shen but the biggest one is from our newer recruits. She has like...4 bird plushies that her girlfriend has to contest with.”

“Enough stalling, Lena. What’s bothering you?” Eddie asked. Ewan waited for her response as well, Lena sighing in defeat.

“I’m not sure if my gift for Emily tomorrow will be enough,” Lena said, wiping the condensation off the bottle she had in her hands. “It wasn’t my first choice but it...it’s screamed ‘Emily’, you know?”

Eddie chuckled, jumping off the wall. “Pretty certain Em is going to love the ring you picked out.”

“From what Ma said, Eddie is right,” Ewan said, lifting his beer towards his brother. Ewan laughed at Lena’s dumbstruck expression, Eddie patting her on the shoulder. “Look. When Ma is excited, she tells us. Since she can't tell Emily, she drove to my wife, and pretty much talked her ear off.”

“Ewan told the rest of us,” Eddie explained. “My husband is going to freak out, by the way. Just a heads up.”

“Oh shit he will!” Lena raised an eyebrow, remembering that William was set to come down tomorrow with Jacob, their son. Ewan continued to laugh at the revelation. “He and Ma are going to freak out and start planning, you realize this right?”

“I do,” Eddie said with a shrug. Lena turned to him in confusion, suddenly realising Giles’ hyphenated name. “He’s a party planner. One of the best in England, really.”

“Wait...William Barks? That one?” Lena asked. Eddie’s smile was telling. “Jesus, Eddie. I can't afford William Barks! He did the wedding of the Queen of the Netherlands!”

Eddie just patted her shoulder. “If you’re joining the family, he’ll do it for free.”

Ewan stepped down from the wall, finishing off his beer. “The gift you got Emily is fine,” he reaffirmed. “As long as Em is happy, we’re happy. We are worried about her and you, especially with Overwatch coming back, but Emily has never been happier than when she talks about you.”

“We’re pretty sure that if you propose to her with a scarf for her million and a half scarves she has already, she would still say yes,” Eddie suggested, making Lena laugh.

“You guys really think that?”

“Em loves you. We can tell you love her too,” Eddie replied, Ewan nodding in agreement. “So, Welcome, unofficially til you ask her but, Welcome to Clan Stewart.”

Lena smiled, both brothers patting her on the shoulder as the walked passed her. “By the way, the hill just behind the church. There’s a staircase there that leads to the top of the hill. That was Emily’s favourite spot when we were kids.” Ewan said, giving her a last wave before slipping back into the house.

Lena stood by the wall, thinking of what the brothers had just told her. Emily was her everything. She couldn’t imagine the last couple of months without her. She had become her anchor, especially when she felt herself slipping back to the darkness. She looked over at the pond, the moonlight reflecting off of it, just listening to her surroundings.

She loved Emily. Emily loved her back. Lena smiled at that, finishing off her beer before slipping back inside. After a quick stop in the kitchen, she quietly went back to the room, Emily still sound asleep where she left her. Taking off her accelerator to put it back on its charger, she moved behind Emily to pull her close, Emily snuggling up to her with a immediately as sleep took her this time.

Emily yawned, feeling a quick peck and a giggle on her cheek before the sound of Lena’s blink filled the room, the door closing right after. Emily laughed to herself, opening one eye to see roses on the bedside table. For the prettiest flower of the bunch - L the card read, Emily groaning. Fareeha must have given Lena that suggestion.

She opened her other eye, the room not bathed in sunlight that she was expecting. The curtains were still drawn, but the sunlight was bright behind it. Emily rubbed her eyes, stretching and yawning as she sat up. Grabbing her glasses, her eyes focused on the string that lead out the door.

It was a family tradition, mostly from her mother’s side, that they would follow the red string around to find their presents on their birthday. Emily squealed, putting on her pajama bottoms and hooded sweater before following the string.

Jacqueline, their ever trusty maid, stood outside her door, giving Emily a warm smile as she ran past, Emily backtracking to the woman when she noticed the string led up to her. Jacqueline gave Emily the envelope, signed by all of the household staff, and Emily smiled. “Happy birthday, Em.”

“Thank you.”

“Your Lena is quite a character,” Emily laughing at the remark. “She seemed taller in the telecasts.”

Emily thanked her again, Jacqueline going out to the gardens as she continued down the hall. Along the way she found the string leading up to the jacket she had wanted, courtesy of Eddie and his family, a paid vacation to the Bahamas from her parents and a case of Scotch, her favourite kind, from Ewan and his family.

She entered the kitchen only to be greeted with confetti and streamers. “Happy Birthday!” a chorus of voices greeted, Emily noticing most of her family was there, save Ewan and his family.

“Awww thank you!” Emily replied, Lena beside her immediately to guide her to the table. “These all look wonderful!”

“Eat up love, there’s more if you want,” Lena advised, giving Emily a quick peck on the cheek before blinking across the room to help Eric with the rest of the waffles.

“She insisted on helping us,” Ethan said with a smile, setting down the chocolate sauce beside his sister. “I have to admit, setting the table and decorating went by so much faster with her help.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Lena said, taking her seat beside Emily. “Pass the fruits, would you?”

Ewan and his family came in, the greyhounds jumping Lena immediately. “Oh god more,” Lena exclaimed, already on the floor of the kitchen with the dogs. Betsey and Jamie, Rose’s German Shepards, joined Ororo and Logan and Lena couldn’t be happier.

“Is she going to be okay?” Ewan asked, Lena gasping for air as she continued to laugh and play with the dogs.

“She’s fine. She loves pups. Especially hounds,” Emily advised, Ewan shrugging as he lifted Catherine to her high chair.

Breakfast was full of laughter, Edward Sr joking with his sons about when they were younger. How Emily managed to beat all of her brothers and the rest of the village children when it came to the mock Highland Games they held in the village, much to her delight as she was crowned ‘queen’ of the lowlands.

Lena managed to extract herself from the puppy pile, taking her seat again only for Jacob, Eddie and William’s son, squeeze himself between Lena and his aunt. Emily gave the boy a quick peck on his brown locks, Jacob frowning at the kiss.

“What is that?” Jacob asked, pointing to Lena’s chest.

“It’s a Coronal Accelerator,” Lena explained. “Do you like superheroes?” she asked, getting a nod from the boy. “Do you know Iron Man?” Jacob nodded again. “Well, think of it like Iron Man’s Arc Reactor.”

Jacob’s eyes lit up at the revelation. “Can you shoot bad guys from your chest?” he asked, Lena laughing at the question.

“Unfortunately I can't, but I’ll ask my friend to see if he can help me with that.” Jacob nodded, asking more and more questions about Lena and what she did. Lena answered all of them as best as she can, only to get more questions from the young boy. Emily smiled at the sight.

Lena was good with kids, she realized. Emily didn’t really know much about Lena’s family, only having met Lena’s mother recently. From what she knew, she was a single mom, raising Lena by herself. The rest of her family, Lena just shrugged off, giving her the excuse that Overwatch and its agents were her family.

“Alright, alright, you lot,” Edward Sr started to say, all eyes turning to the Patriarch. “Celebration starts at 4 at the village square. You’re free to do what you want til then. Don’t be late.”

“We won’t.” Everyone replied, Lena taking Emily’s hand from underneath the table to pull it up for a kiss.

“Thanks for helping with breakfast,” Emily said, kissing Lena on the cheek.

“Anytime, love.”

Lena marvelled at the decorations, the townsfolk smiling and laughing as carnival music played around them. It seemed Ewan and Ethan were right: It was a huge celebration. She had been told about the Carnival but she wasn’t expecting the full Ferris Wheel and the booths.

“I can’t believe all of this,” Lena told Emily, Emily just smiling at her. “They really do love you and your family.”

“First girl in 4 generations,” Emily said pulling her towards one of the booths. It was a chance game, Lena being given a pole to fish out as many magnetic fish as she could for a prize. Lena sighed, taking the meager amount of tickets she was handed with a pout, Emily just smiling as she was handed the fishing pole. “Watch and learn, city girl.”

Lena’s frown deepened when Emily was handed twice the amount of tickets she had won, Emily trading immediately for a plush corgi for Lena. “Okay, Miss Perfect.”

“I’m not perfect.”

“You are to me,” Lena replied, pulling Emily in for a kiss.

A loud groan came from behind them, Lena opening her eye to see a grinning Eddie, William and Ethan. “In the middle of the street? Really?” Ethan joked, getting a shove from his sister.

“Way to ruin the moment,” Emily chided, William pulling Ethan back from retaliating.

“Dad want’s us back in Cumloden soon,” Eddie hinted. “We’re gonna go find the rest of them. Dad and Ma wants to have a Disney movie marathon again.”

“Oh my god, yes!” Lena exclaimed, already preparing for the songs. She caught Eddie gesturing towards the church, getting the hint. “We’ll help look. Em, come this way.” Emily stuck her tongue out at her brothers and brother-in-law before following Lena. “I think I saw Ewan come this way a while back.”

“Would be like him. He’s probably up there, snogging Risa,” Emily kidded, following Lena up the stairs.”

Lena gulped, the weight of the ring suddenly becoming heavier and heavier as they went up. She loves you. And you love her. She repeated Eddie’s words to her from the previous night.

“Gods, I do still love this view,” Emily said once they got up the stairs. Lena smiled the view of the whole village was stunning up here. She easily knew why it was Emily’s favourite spot. She gripped the ring box tightly, Emily smiling at her before turning around to look at the view again. “Best view right?”

“Yeah…” Lena replied taking a deep breath. “Emily Elizabeth Rose Stewart,” Lena started, Emily turning around with wide eyes. “When we met a year ago, I didn’t think that I would be here, with you now. But I am. That night, you saved me. You literally saved me.”

“Lena…”

“You’ve brought so much light into my life. You’ve kept me from falling, literally and figuratively,” Lena continued, not looking up. She knew if she did, she wouldn’t be able to finish this. “You’ve become such a huge part of my life, I can't imagine it without you. I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life. I want to get dogs and cats and whatever weird pet you want, as long as you’re there with me.”

“I want to be that couple everyone looks at and thinks ‘I want that.’ I want to be the annoying couple who gives each other eskimo kisses when it's cold and walks down the street with their hands in each other’s back pockets. I want to make Angela and Fareeha have competition on who can make the rest of the team more nauseous on their sappiness.” Emily laughed at that, wiping the tear that was threatening to fall. Lena got down on one knee, taking a box out of her jacket. “I know it isn’t much but it’s all I can afford right now.”

The ring was intricate. Small, blue sapphires lines the middle of the black band, a pair of small blue diamonds flanked it on each side. Emily gasped, looking at the ring in awe. It was the ring she had pointed out to Lena jokingly months ago. “Will you marry me?”

Tears fell from both of them, Emily nodding as Lena stood up. “I need to hear it, love,” Lena said as tears blurred her vision.

“Yes! Oh god Lena, yes,” Emily replied, Lena slipping the ring on her left hand. They heard a series of claps, the rest of the family standing by the tree line. “Guys…”

“Lena asked us,” Edward Sr answered, Rose wiping the tears from her own face. He pulled both of them into a hug. “Welcome to the family, Lena.”