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idkwhoiamanymorebutwtf · 4 years

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How Mervana shows Louie’s response to trauma.

I made a super short post basically saying “Hey I like how Mervana highlights Louie’s trauma and it’s effects on him” and people seemed interested in hearing more about it so here’s that post.

Now, it’s no secret (generally) that Louie really hates adventures. That’s obvious throughout the show, up to the most recent season. He never seems to want to go on adventures, always objecting to them or not going or changing his mind and wanting to go back half way through. The show never fails to remind us that he hates them. What’s more, the show never fails to remind us exactly why Louie hates adventures. In Glomtales he was actually happy to be missing the adventure at first, commenting “Well, at least I can skip out on another insanely dangerous adventure”. Something that only changed when he realized they were going somewhere not only safe but actually fun, something very rare. In The Golden Armory Of Cornelius Coot he rocks back and forth trying to convince himself of why the adventure was worth it, clearly extremely distressed. “Do not laugh in the face of my danger” he shouted when Dewey starting giggling. Later in that episode he basically sobbed out “I wanna go home”. In Challenge Of The Senior Woodchuck he says “I’m cold and terrified, this sure seems like an adventure to me.”

Most of the family isn’t actually affected by the constant stress and danger they’re put in. Huey, Dewey, Webby, Della, and Scrooge all find it incredibly exciting, Donald used to once upon a time and he stopped adventuring after it stopped being that. Nobody else has really gone through what Louie has. He isn’t built for adventuring. He’s been kidnapped, physically and mentally hurt, almost killed. Constantly. According to an article I read, “Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that can have lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional well-being.” and well, that absolutely fits the bill here. Below i’m going to put some symptoms of trauma that are in line with what we’ve seen from Louie throughout the show

Anger, irritability, mood swings

Anxiety and fear

Guilt, shame, self-blame

Withdrawing from others

Feeling sad or hopeless

Feeling disconnected or numb

Fatigue

Being startled easily

Edginess and agitation

Extreme alertness; always on the lookout for warnings of potential danger

Detachment from other people and emotions

Emotional numbing

Suspicion

Throughout the show there are many instances of Louie’s trauma being very obvious to anybody paying attention. However I think the episode Mervana actually showcased the effects outside of just Louie being visibly distressed over actively being in danger. Other episodes have shown his symptoms, obviously. His anxiety and fear are always on during at adventure and when they aren’t he’s shockingly, almost unusually numb to the situation. He’s almost always very fatigued (although the line between what’s fatigue and what’s just ‘laziness’ is a bit blurred), and he’s almost always a bit too hostile towards others. But Mervana showed a really direct ‘cause and effect’ type relationship with the things they’ve been through and his behavior throughout that episode.

Starting off the episode, we can see Louie seems very detached. He’s texting throughout Huey and Scrooge’s monologues. As I said earlier, when it comes to adventuring he’s always either in fight or flight mode or he’s completely detached, maybe offering occasional dull but volatile remarks here and there. Eventually Louie makes a comment about how “Now there’s two people putting us in constant danger” before sitting like this for the next minute or so

The other’s are mid conversation but he just kinda sits there blankly for a while before turning to make another remark. “Yeah, I definitely can’t wait to find a bunch of lost undersea monsters who definitely won’t have a dark secret that almost gets us killed”. And it’s important to recognize that Louie isn’t just being a pessimist here. He may not be in panic mode at the moment because he tends to emotionally detach himself until it’s time for his fight or flight responses to kick in (likely a way to cope with the constant anxiety that seems to follow him) but he’s still got a very good point because they are put in constant danger and this episode really, truly, is no different. Webby even asks “Why do you always have to assume the worst?” to which Louie pulls out his running list of the times they’ve been offered as a sacrifice. He’s almost died countless times. He’s watched his brother’s and sister almost die countless times. No, not countless, he’s counting. He’s literally keeping count of the number of traumatic experiences he’s gone through, which is at least one hundred and twenty. And that’s just the amount of sacrifices, which is to say nothing about kidnappings or non sacrifice related straight up murder attempts.

Let me just say, though, that his suspicious nature, while completely natural due to his past traumatic experiences, and while somewhat grounded in reality because they did end up in danger during this episode, wasn’t completely accurate. Most of the Mervanan’s were genuinely good people but Louie immediately assumed they were going to hurt him and his family. He was on edge. He was immediately suspicious, even before he met them, even before he was given reason to be suspicious. The only person who read into things as deeply as he did was Beakley, who’s a secret agent. She will have been trained to be suspicious and pick up on small signs that something isn’t right, but Louie wasn’t. Louie was just on edge and suspicious of everything because those are big signs of trauma. He was right that something wrong was going on, but it wasn’t observational skills on his part as shown by the fact that he was sure they’d be put in danger before they ever met the Mervanan’s.

A few times this episode we see the flip from Louie being on edge and suspicious to him actually genuinely being put in danger. And you can see clear as day that he gets no satisfaction out of it. Everyone else is usually proud or energized. Excited to fight, smug when they win or get away. It’s not the same for Louie.

And you can see there’s a difference even between Beakley’s suspicions based on genuine observation and valid doubt when compared to Louie’s which are based in the fact that he’s a traumatized individual who’s had his brain rewired in a way that makes him suspicious to an unhealthy degree. “You have no idea weather or not they’re going to feed us to their monster king?” Beakley asked The Harp. She was suspicious because she knows how the world works and realized something was wrong (because something was wrong) but she was rational about it. They didn’t have solid evidence, she didn’t know for sure. But Louie immediately replied by saying “they definitely are” which isn’t a rational thought process when he really, truly had no evidence to believe so other than his deepseeded instinct to trust nobody.

And when Beakley admitted that she didn’t trust the Mervanan’s either there was very little smugness in the way he handled it. Louie didn’t insist as hard as he did that something was wrong and that you can’t trust anybody just to prove a point to Webby. Immediately he interrupted Beakley and Webby’s situation by jumping in with “We need to get the harp down to the Mervanan’s or we’re all going to die!” Louie was truly in panic mode throughout this episode. He wasn’t just being a pessimist trying to crush Webby’s bright optimistic hope, he was trying to protect his family. When he first set off to find the harp he said “I’m going to find the harp before we all get sacrificed”. Then when he was debating weather or not to tell Webby the truth he pointed out that “If she doesn’t (find out the truth) she’ll be fish food!”. Then when he’s trying to move the harp down to the other’s his biggest concern is “Gotta save family”. It’s not just pessimism, it’s fear and suspicion, which are very different things.

Later on we see that Louie’s ideals don’t fully match up with his behavior either. “The king turned himself into a monster, but you’re not him. You built a society based on truth, and the truth is you don’t need Mervana to be good.” before turning to Webby and telling her “Somebody once told me that you have to look for the best in people and not assume the worst” and honestly, I don’t feel like this is abnormal thinking for him. Believe it or not, Louie is the kind of person to believe in other’s positive traits. He does very often see the good in people and obviously on a level of principal alone he doesn’t think all people are bad.

However principals and logic are often overcome by the brain’s natural response to trauma. And those natural responses often aren’t as idealistic as “anyone can be good and you shouldn’t assume the worst in people”. Fear and anger and anxiety. Seeing danger everywhere. Always being on guard. They’re not something you can control. No matter how much you believe people can be good that instinctive urge to trust nobody spurred on by trauma is often much stronger. Especially when you’re not getting any professional help and have someone to protect. Even if Louie wanted to believe in people (and I think he does), his survival instincts are stronger than that. Even if he didn’t care about his own safety, he has a family who are too dumb to care about their own so he has to do that for them.

Overall a LOT of Louie’s storyline during Mervana was obviously highlighting his response to the trauma he’s had to deal with over the course of the show. And sadly I don’t think he’ll stop having these reactions anytime soon because it takes more than just knowing people can be good to deal with changes to your brain’s chemical makeup.

#ducktales #louie duck

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lettheladylead · 4 years

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a quick visit

characters/ships: goldie, scrooge, beakley, scrooge/goldie, (slight) webby/lena word count: ~3500 summary: Goldie stops by the mansion shortly after The Forbidden Fountain of the Foreverglades! ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27023359

Bentina had a bad feeling.

She often did when Scrooge took all four kids by himself and it was just adults in the mansion. Well, adults and Launchpad, who came by twice already - having forgotten that Scrooge wasn’t around.

It didn’t help that she hadn’t gotten Webbigail her own cell phone yet, so there were no updates coming from a trusted source. Scrooge didn’t know how to send a proper text and the boys just sent weird pictures and emojis so she was stuck in the dark until they returned.

Fortunately, the trip ended early, and as the family burst through the door only two days after leaving, the first thing Webbigail did was throw herself into her grandmother’s arms. “GRANNY! You won’t believe what happened in Florida!”

“Something tells me I will.”

Before Webby could open her mouth, Scrooge loudly cleared his throat. “Ahem, um...Webbigail, perhaps you should let me talk to her first. If you wouldnae mind.”

Webby considered that for a moment before doing a backflip and landing gracefully on her feet. “Okay! I’m gonna call Lena and Violet!” And then she rushed upstairs.

The boys were chatting amongst themselves, clearly interested in what Scrooge was going to say to Beakley but knowing they wouldn’t be allowed to stick around for the conversation. Louie in particular was excited to see steam come out of their housekeeper’s ears.

Beakley’s eye twitched as Scrooge grumbled a bit and motioned for her to follow him into the kitchen. Huey and Dewey decided to go find their mom or Uncle Donald, while Louie stuck with his original plan and held his head against the kitchen door to listen in.

“What kind of danger did you put my granddaughter in this time?”

Louie almost snickered.

“So listen, Twenty-Two, I need to start by pointin’ out that it could’ve been much worse! She was far away from the real danger!”

No response. Louie worried he was missing something and leaned in a little further, but it seemed Beakley was just waiting for more information.

“...Goldie was there.”

“Don’t tell me you let her anywhere near Webbigail!” was Beakley’s very quick response. Louie knew the housekeeper hated Goldie, but she didn’t hesitate for even a second.

“Ah...well. Webby spoke to Goldie just as you would’ve wanted her to,” Scrooge said with a chuckle.

“Then what happened?”

“Ehh...Goldie ‘n I drank some youth water, got a bit rambunctious in our young bodies, and left Webbigail by herself in the middle of the woods.”

Louie waited. No sound yet. Maybe Beakley just killed him quickly and quietly and got it over with?

“Is that it? She’s well equipped for a few hours by herself. Better than spending anymore time with your thieving ex-girlfriend.”

What a disappointment. Louie scoffed and got up, walking towards the back of the mansion where he saw his brothers go earlier.

Beakley looked over at the door where one of the kids had been obviously spying, and then poked a finger in Scrooge’s chest. “If Webbigail goes on adventures with you, I expect you to be responsible for her. No running off with your girlfriend, no leaving her alone. Am I understood?”

He looked sheepish, but nodded. “I’m sorry, Twenty-Two. It was...I wasnae myself.”

“Oh, you were completely yourself. Just younger and stupider.”

“Quite right.”

There was a moment of silence before Beakley couldn’t help her curiosity. “So what did she take from you this time?”

He blushed a bit and smiled - a reaction she was definitely not prepared for - and started tapping his fingers against the top of his cane. “Ah...nothin’.”

“...really now.”

Scrooge had a look on his face that Bentina barely recognized - he looked lovestruck and downright silly - and it was making her eye twitch again.

“She took Isabella’s journal, but...then she gave it back. A lot happened yesterday. We...talked.”

“Goldie O’Gilt...talked. To you.” Beakley leaned against the counter and didn’t pretend to hide her disbelief.

Scrooge picked up his cane and swung it around briefly. “Oh, she talked, alright! Let’s just say, I havenae lost my touch when it comes to women.”

Now that was the least believable thing she’d heard so far. But Beakley bit her tongue on that remark. “...did you two sleep together?”

His blush deepened and his smile formed into a smirk. Pushing his hat up an inch with his cane, Scrooge just shrugged and said, “I would never kiss and tell.”

“That’s historically untrue,” she commented with an eyeroll. “Are you going to tell me you two are on good terms now? Or something equally terrifying?”

Scrooge shrugged again. “Hard to say…”

He started to hobble out of the kitchen, considering whether or not to leave Beakley with that non-answer, but chose to turn around at the door and expand. “...she’ll be visiting the mansion soon.”

And she felt a headache coming on as he waltzed out of the kitchen, leaving her alone to decide how many traps she needed to set up and how many items she needed to hide. Not that anything she could try would stop O’Gilt, who always seemed to be one frustrating step ahead of her.

This was a terrible turn of events. Not to mention unexpected. But, Beakley surmised, this was likely a long con that Scrooge hadn’t caught onto in his lovestruck stupor. She’d have to talk to Webbigail and get more details about what happened. She’d have an easier time figuring out what Goldie’s game was.

Webby was using her laptop to video call with her friends, going over the trials and tribulations of her recent trip.

“I still can’t believe Scrooge has a girlfriend,” Lena commented dryly.

Webby just laughed. “Yeah, it’s super weird. They just have...so much history together. But I thought it’d be cute! Or fun! Instead, it was just…” She couldn’t think of the right word.

Violet flicked at her hair. “Uncomfortable? Not only are they ridiculously old, but she’s betrayed him a number of times. I can’t imagine watching them interact was pleasant.”

“Exactly!” Webby waved her hands around. “And when we left the hotel they were all gushy and hand holding, but...I don’t know! Love after betrayal doesn’t really seem like a good idea.”

Violet nodded to that, but quickly noticed Lena’s awkward silence and turned towards her sister.

Webby, despite herself, also noticed Lena’s lack of response, and after replaying her sentence in her head, she immediately started to shake her head and laugh. “Ha, ha, well, I mean, you know, who knows!! It’s...I shouldn’t make assumptions! It was probably just weird because they’re so old! I don’t know the details, I should do some research! But maybe not too much research! Ha, ha, ha!”

Lena seemed comforted by that and just chuckled and shook her head. “You’re a riot, Pink.”

“I know,” Webby said with a smile, and she could tell Violet was going to comment on what just happened but was interrupted by a knock on Webby’s door.

“Webbigail, can we talk?”

“Oh, sure, Granny!” she yelled at the door. “Sorry guys, Granny wants to talk! See you later?”

The Sabrewings nodded and said their goodbyes as Webby shut the laptop in sync with Beakley climbing up the ladder.

“Scrooge tells me you were alone for quite some time,” Beakley said as she finished her climb and sat next to Webby on her bed. “How did you fare?”

“It was crazy!” Webby said enthusiastically. “I had hurt my back and mosquitos stung my eye and then suddenly I was alone with who-knows-what lurking around! But I used my quick wits and geographical knowledge to make my way back to the hotel in record time!”

Beakley responded with a few small claps. “I’m very proud of you.”

“It’s too bad I missed the fight, though!”

“Oh?” Now that made more sense. “So Scrooge and Goldie did fight, then?”

“Oh, no, I mean. Sort of, but that’s not what I’m talking about!” Webby proceeded to explain the situation with Ponce de Leon to her grandmother, not leaving out any details of what the boys and Scrooge had told her.

“Well...I supposed that explains his good mood.” Beakley put a hand against her beak in thought. “I can’t immediately tell what O’Gilt’s angle is, but I don’t trust this. If she tries to talk to you again, don’t give her any information she doesn’t already have.”

“Okay! Oh, and did you know she’s friends with Louie?” Webby added suddenly. “I mean, I guess friends might be a strong word. But they talked for a while and I was really surprised! Scrooge didn’t seem as surprised, but also...not. You know what I mean?”

Beakley let out a long hmmm in response. “...that’s interesting.”

“I was talking to Lena and Violet…” Webby tapped her fingers on her legs. “I don’t trust Goldie any farther than I could throw her, but...I don’t know, she and Scrooge seemed to be really happy together all last night and this morning.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And it’s not like you can’t have a good normal relationship even if there was once a lot of lies and betrayal!” Webby started to play with her skirt. “I’m trying to keep an open mind!”

Beakley’s face scrunched up in thought and her eyes widened in realization. “Ah...Dear, if you’re projecting onto this, I can assure you that your relationship with Lena is nothing like that of the infamous McDuck-O’Gilt rivalry.”

“Oh.”

“Goldie O’Gilt is proof that some people can never change,” Bentina said forcefully. “And no matter what she says or how she acts or even if she chooses not to steal anything one time, that’s no reason to trust her. She’s going to break Scrooge’s heart again, one way or another.”

“...oh.” Webby frowned and looked down at her knees. “You’re probably right, Granny. Maybe I just...want her to be better.”

“I understand.” Beakley stood up and brushed invisible dust off her skirt. “I do, too. But it’s safer to stay alert than to try and expect anything good from her.”

She nodded. “Uncle Scrooge invited her here.”

“He mentioned as much.”

“But she said no.”

“Really?”

Webby played with her fingers while she spoke. “She said, and I promise I wasn’t eavesdropping! But she told him that ‘meeting the family is too domestic,’ which I think is weird because she’s already met all of us so what difference does it make?”

Beakley wondered why Scrooge seemed so sure that Goldie would be coming over despite her rejection. This was already starting not to bode well. “I need to speak to Scrooge again. Why don’t you go find the boys?”

“Okay!” Webby shouted and did a front flip off her bed, launching down the ladder and heading towards the pool.

Beakley grumbled and followed after, determined to figure out why Scrooge had lied or what was going on. She needed to be prepared if Goldie O’Gilt was coming to visit, and prepared for Scrooge’s inevitably whiny heartbreak. You’d think he’d be used to it after so many years.

She found him in his room, staring at the inside of some ancient-looking box. As soon as he noticed her, he slammed the box shut and tossed it back into the locked desk drawer he came from. Curious as that made her, Beakley didn’t have the energy to comment.

“Goldie said she wasn’t interested in coming here.”

Scrooge flushed and shrugged. “I mean...technically, yes, but you had to see the look in her eyes, Bentina! I know she’s coming.”

“I think you’re likely misinterpreting.”

“I know for a fact she wants to see Della, at least,” Scrooge said with his two pointer fingers up in front of him. “We talked about her for a while and she hasn’t seen her since her return, so…”

“I stand by what I said.”

Scrooge stood up and stretched his limbs. “I understand your negativity, Twenty-Two, but I feel good about this! I feel like -”

Both parties stopped talking and turned to look at the window, which was slowly being opened from the outside. Scrooge smiled brightly and Beakley’s frown deepened.

“Hey, Hun, how about we……..oh.” Goldie hadn’t noticed Beakley at first, and wrinkled her nose as soon as they made eye contact. “Great.”

Before the man of the house could let his lady inside, Beakley stormed to the window and grabbed it. “How about you use the front door like a proper guest!?” She slammed the window shut and Goldie didn’t move for a moment, then smacked the closed window before disappearing again. Beakley made her way to the foyer in angry anticipation.

Scrooge didn’t even know how to react to that and quickly rushed to the window to see what was happening. Goldie had gone back down to the lawn and she looked up to shoot him a quick wink before continuing towards the door. He almost didn’t believe what he was seeing, but hurried after his housekeeper anyway.

The doorbell ringing was a surprise to everyone, and Scrooge was double surprised to see all four kids running towards the front door even after they saw Beakley reach for the handle. Maybe they liked Goldie more than she did. That wouldn’t be saying much at all.

The door opened and Goldie groaned loudly. “Is this what it’s like to wait for someone to let you into a building? It’s awful. Scroogey, don’t make me do that again.”

Beakley rolled her eyes and moved to the side so Goldie could enter, and Scrooge just smiled at her instead of moving to give her a proper hello. She put a hand on her hip and looked at the small army of ducks who’d come to greet her for whatever reason.

“I thought you said you weren’t coming!” Webby said suddenly.

“Yes, well…” Goldie rolled her hand around by her head, trying to think of what to say. “Here I am anyway.”

“Here you are,” Beakley said harshly as she shut the door. “And what’s your plan for this visit, O’Gilt?”

Goldie gave the housekeeper a sultry look. “Oh, Bentina, always so suspicious of me. Scrooge asked me to stop by on my way back to D…”

Everyone leaned forward slightly, looking very interested in the next thing she was going to say. Goldie took note of that.

“...doing my own thing.”

The resounding disappointment was palpable. Clearly no one knew where she currently hung her hat, and Goldie preferred it that way.

“So he did. Apparently you’re here to ‘meet the family,’ but of course,” Beakley walked past Goldie and stood next to her granddaughter. “You already know everyone here.”

Scrooge raised an eyebrow, not sure if he should interrupt or let this play out. Goldie didn’t seem put off at all.

“Are you testing me?” Goldie asked with a smirk. “Of course I know you, Bentina. Or would you rather I call you Twenty-Two?”

Everyone looked up at Beakley, who scowled. “Bentina is fine.”

Goldie took a look at all four kids, who were currently lined up in front of her. Their...names? She knew their names. But that didn’t really matter and she didn’t want them to get too attached.

“Well, obviously I know Sharpie,” she said, motioning to Louie, who just shrugged in response.

Next came the red one. “...based on your clipboard, I’m gonna assume you’re the Smartie.”

“Not technically my name, but observant nonetheless!” Huey tapped his hat with his pencil.

“And you…” She looked at the blue one, who seemed overly excited at her presence and was pumping his knees up and down. “Well I’m not about to call you Toughie when you look like this.”

“You can call me…” Dewey pulled out his phone and pressed a button, playing a short track of loud electronic music. “TURBOOOO!!!” he shouted as he dabbed dramatically and the music ended.

Goldie just stared. “...ah, you’re just a mini-Della, aren’t you?”

Dewey spun around and snapped some finger guns at her. “Compliment received and appreciated! That’s how we Dew it!”

“Right. So. Sharpie, Smartie, Mini-Della.” She pointed to each of them as she spoke. “And lastly we’ve got Old Lady Vanderquack.”

Webby looked up at her grandma and gave a sheepish smile to Beakley’s irritated expression.

“I suppose I can’t very well call you that when the real old lady is right there,” Goldie said with a smirk. “I’ll just call you Pink.”

That elicited a small gasp from the little duck. “You can’t call me that! That’s what Lena calls me!”

“Oh? She’s got a claim on that name?” Goldie crouched down and leaned her arms on her knees (which were feeling much better than the day before, thank God). “Well I’m sure your Uncle has told you that I’m quite the claim jumper.”

Scrooge chuckled at that while Webby just squinted and tapped on her beak. “I guess, in a way, you kind of remind me of Lena.”

“Since I don’t know who that is, I’m going to assume that’s a compliment.”

“It is!” Webby clapped her hands together excitedly. “She’s my-”

“Webbigail,” Beakley interrupted. “Remember what I said about limiting the information you give to thieves?”

“Oh, right!” Webby stood tall and did a motion of zippering her mouth shut.

Goldie smirked and stood back up. “The less I know the better, I suppose.” She looked around the room. “Well I don’t see Donald or Della, but as far as I know, that covers everyone who lives here, right?”

Beakley rolled her eyes, but couldn’t say anything before Dewey jumped up. “Oh! I bet Mom would be super excited to see you! I’ll go grab her!” He rushed off to the pool.

“What, no fun nicknames for them, too?” Louie said sarcastically. “How boring.”

Goldie crossed her arms. “That’s not something anyone’s ever called me before.”

“First time for everything.”

Huey glanced between Louie and Goldie, sensing an unexpected tension that he didn’t know anything about. Clearly he’d be grilling Louie about it later.

Scrooge sighed and felt a familiar warmth in his chest. All he wanted was for Goldie to be a part of his family, and for the first time...it felt like it might happen. Despite Beakley’s objections, of course. He shuffled over and grabbed one of Goldie’s hands.

“Are you staying long?” he asked hopefully, but trying not to sound too desperate.

She glanced at him and sighed. “No, I don’t think so.” She pulled her hand away from his and placed it against his cheek instead. “Meet the family, you said. Not have dinner with the family or move in with you, right?” She gave him a few little pats.

Scrooge smiled even though he would’ve loved for her to stay longer. “Right. Whatever you’re comfortable with, Dear.”

The little domestic nickname made her heart flutter, and Goldie had to look away from him to avoid blushing. Fortunately, it was at that moment that Dewey was dragging the twins into the foyer behind him.

“What’s so impor-....oh!” Della paused as she looked up, Donald stepping up next to her a moment later.

They both looked at each other and then back at their guest. “Hi Aunt Goldie,” they said in unison.

“Donnie. Fly Girl,” Goldie responded, giving them each a curt nod. “Glad to see you’re both in one piece.”

Della elbowed Donald in the chest. “How come you didn’t tell me this was still a thing?”

He coughed and put a hand over his injured sternum. “I didn’t think you cared?”

“I dunno, I’m kind of mixed on it,” Della said with a shrug. “But I like to stay updated!”

They bickered for a minute and Goldie felt a bit awkward - she didn’t know Donald or Della very well and could barely understand a single thing Donald said. She assumed everyone else could understand him perfectly and didn’t want to be the odd one out, so she opted to look back at Scrooge again.

He was staring at her. This whole visit he’d just been staring at her. She did what he asked! She stopped by! She spoke to his whole family! Why did he still look like he wanted something?

Finally he looked away from her, seeing that most of the rest of the family was talking to Della about adventures they knew about involving Goldie. He looked back at her and smiled.

“...Scroogey, just ask me what you want to ask me.” She swiped a hand through her ponytail and sighed. “I’ll die of old age if I’m stuck waiting for you to spit it out.”

He took a deep breath and reached out to grab both of her hands this time.

“I want you...to meet my parents.”