All Of Your Flaws

Part Nine

Niamh's smile when she opened the door to Addison was something she could have happily of carried around with her for weeks after. It was the look on her face, that look of pure openness and happiness, which was so different from Addison's own constantly guarded look that threw her. She seemed so genuinely happy that Addison was there. It was such a strange experience if Addison was going to be perfectly honest. Niamh practically dragged her into the Willis's den which was already set up with a huge bowl of popcorn and a stack of DVDs. While Niamh was setting up the first film Addison looked around the room noting several framed photos that adorned the walls.

"Nice photo." Addison remarked at the framed picture of Niamh and Dylan, both of them looking about thirteen years old, having a mock light sabre battle in a garden. Addison couldn't help but smirk when he noticed that Dylan was wearing a dressing gown in order to make himself look like a Jedi. The Dylan she had seen at school certainly didn't come across as a Star Wars fan at all.

"Yeah, that was taken when we lived with our grandparents a couple of years ago. The framing of it is all wrong but Leo had just gotten a new camera and had to take a picture of us. My gran found the whole thing really amusing though, I think she has a copy of that photo hung up in somewhere in their house." Niamh said. "Back when we were little, Leo wanted to be a photographer since then though he's decided that he wants to become a lawyer, I think that's mainly for peace of mind if Dylan's ever actually breaks the law and not just toe the line."

"He does seem like the toeing of the line type." Addison remarked absentmindedly.

"Funny, he said the same about you." Niamh said. Addison could feel heat creeping up her neck and she turned to look at a framed photo so Niamh couldn't see the blush spreading across her cheeks.

"So, did the red hair just skip your mom, Dylan and Leo?" Addison asked looking at a photo of Niamh, Dylan and Leo taken on Niamh's ninth birthday by the look of the half eaten cake, most of which was smeared on Leo's face.

"Huh?" Niamh asked absentmindedly. Addison looked pointedly at Niamh's red hair which had been pulled up off her face and into a messy bun. "Oh...oh."

"Oh?" Addison asked.

"I'm amazed Dylan didn't tell you, he normally likes to take the piss about it...not maliciously or anything like that obviously, he just likes to make jokes here and there about it." Niamh said. Seeing Addison's confused face she shrugged slightly. "I'm adopted. Our mom found out she couldn't have any more children after Leo was born so they adopted me when I was five." Niamh said. Addison tried, and failed, to hide her surprise at that revelation. She never would have guessed that Niamh was adopted. She seemed so much like the other Willis' and it was clear that both Leo and Dylan adored her.

"Oh...oh.." Addison said.

"They hit the jackpot with me" Niamh added nodding down at her Doctor Who t-shirt.

"Yes because every family needs the hard-core nerd." Addison said finding himself smirking. Niamh laughed loudly and threw a handful of popcorn at Addison as she shook her head.

"Hey, I've got some pretty big competition when it comes to Dylan; he's a bigger nerd than he would care to admit." Niamh said as she finished laughing.

"Hence the light sabre fight?"

"Hence the light sabre fight; you know he always did fancy himself as Han Solo when we were younger. It used to drive Leo up the wall." Niamh said with a small chuckle.

Despite her rule about not getting close to people Addison couldn't have helped accepting Niamh's invitation to come over to her house for a night of terrible sci-fi films and popcorn. Eleanor had seemed thrilled to see Addison again, smiling broadly when she had walked into the kitchen with Niamh. She had said that it was lovely to see her again and that made Addison wonder what her own house would be like if her mother was still around.