Decisions (Modern Family)

Let's turn back the clock a few minutes.

[The Living Room]

As Phil shut the door behind him, leaving the family in puzzled silence, the game picked up again—though curiosity still lingered in the air.

Claire kept her gaze fixed on the door, brows furrowed. "That was weird, right? That was definitely weird."

Alex adjusted her glasses. "Oh, super weird. Dad just slammed the door in someone's face and then tried to act like the world's worst undercover agent."

Haley, however, was far more concerned with her own crisis. "Okay, but back to something actually important—was buying Virginia Avenue a mistake? I need reassurance."

Vinny smirked. "Too late to second-guess. In Monopoly, there are no refunds—only regrets."

Claire sighed. "I just hope you didn't blow all your money before the real investments come up."

Meanwhile, Manny was still mourning his financial downfall. "I can't believe I had to pay rent already. The game just started, and Vinny's already robbing me."

Vinny threw a friendly arm around Manny's shoulder. "Think of it less as rent and more as… a strategic contribution to our friendship."

Luke, who had been thoroughly entertained by a loose thread on his hoodie, finally tuned in. "Wait, what are we talking about?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Your exceptional attention span."

Luke stuck his tongue out at her just as Vinny turned to Claire. "Hey, can I grab something to eat?"

Claire, still deep in thought, mapping out her strategy for victory, barely looked up. "Yeah, sure. There are chips in the drawer near the fridge—grab me some too."

"Me three!!!" Luke's muffled voice rang out from somewhere beneath the sofa, his excitement echoing through the room.

Claire turned toward the source of the sound and groaned in exasperation. "Luke, how did you even get under there?"

"It's easy. Look, I'll show you—hnn… HNNN… uh oh."

Luke wiggled, attempting to free himself, but quickly realized he was stuck. Claire sighed, rubbing her temples, while the rest of the family burst into laughter.

Vincente got off the sofa, still chuckling, and made his way to the kitchen. As he rounded the corner of the fridge, he came to an abrupt stop.

There, stacking items onto the shelves, was an old brunette (relative to him).

Without thinking, he blurted out, "Who're you?"

The woman flinched, nearly dropping the box of cereal in her hands. She spun around, eyes wide with surprise, before quickly composing herself.

"Oh! You startled me," she said, pressing a hand to her chest. "I didn't hear you come in."

Vincente narrowed his eyes slightly. "Yeah, well… I don't remember you coming in either." He folded his arms. "Who are you?"

"Oh! Hi! I'm Vicky. I work under Mr. Dunphy—he's sort of mentoring me." Her cheerful tone shifted to confusion as she studied him. "Wait… who are you?"

"Well, I'm…" A mischievous glint passed through his eyes, smirking "Mr. Dunphy's son."

Vicki eyes widened, "No, No, I've met Mr. Dunphy's son and he is a brunette and has brown eyes and looks kinda stupid."

Vinny gasped, placing a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Wow. Rude. So rude. First of all, I'm deeply hurt. Second, I am devastated. Third, thank you for the accurate description of Luke."

Vicki doubled down on the confirmation, "See, you are not Luke, so who are you?"

"I'm Luke's little brother from another mother." Vinny's smirk was reaching his eyes as he leaned casually against the counter.

Vicki squinted at him, clearly skeptical. "Uh-huh. And I'm the Queen of England."

Vinny let out a dramatic gasp. "Your Majesty! I had no idea I was in the presence of royalty." He gave an exaggerated bow.

Vicki rolled her eyes. "Alright, smart guy, seriously—who are you?"

"Well I just told you." Vinny said unrelentingly.

"Are yo-" "Vin did you not find the chips?"

 Vicki was interrupted by Alex who entered the kitchen.

Alex paused for a second before pointing at Vicki, "Vicki what are you doing in our house? In fact, how did you get in here?"

Vicki opened her mouth to answer, but Vinny cut in first. "Oh, now this is interesting. You know her?"

Alex frowned. "Duh. She's my dad's intern. But again, why is she here?"

Vicki threw her hands up. "Okay, first of all, rude! Second, your dad umm… uhhh"

"He forgot the grocery and asked you to get it, didn't he?" Alex cutoff whatever excuses Vicki was trying to come up with.

Vicki sighed dramatically. "Okay, yes! He may have forgotten the groceries and may have sent me to get them, but that's not the point."

Vinny smirked. "Oh, I think that's exactly the point."

Alex crossed her arms. "So let me get this straight. My dad messed up, made you run errands, and then told you to stock our kitchen without anyone noticing."

Vicki pointed at Alex. "See? You get it."

Vinny chuckled. "I mean, that is some solid ninja work. I almost respect it."

Alex shook her head. "You almost respect my dad's ability to avoid responsibility?"

"Almost."

Vicki sighed, leaning against the counter. "Look, I just work here—well, technically I don't work here, but you know what I mean. I just follow instructions."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "You really shouldn't. That's how you end up wearing a fake mustache and pretending to be a French waiter at my parents' anniversary dinner."

Vicki blinked in confusion. "Wait, what?! Okay, that's completely irrelevant. The real issue here is this kid—" she gestured at Vinny, "here says he is Mr.Dunphy's son and not with Mrs.Dunphy."

Alex turned to Vinny with a raised brow, then back at Vicki, who looked like she had just stumbled upon the juiciest family scandal.

The gears in her brain turned for a moment before she suddenly pulled Vinny into a hug, pressing his face against her shoulder as she rested her chin on his head. Gently, she ran a hand down the back of his head in mock comfort.

"Yes, little Vinny here was left on our doorstep with nothing but a letter two months ago," she said, her voice dripping with faux melancholy. "In fact, I was the one who opened the door and found him—shivering, alone, with only the wind as his companion."

Vicki gasped as her hands flew to her mouth.

"I could hear the distant roar of an engine as I looked down and saw him, small and fragile, clutching the letter in his tiny hands," Alex continued, dramatically placing a hand over her heart. "The rain poured, thunder rumbled… and in that moment, I knew—we had to take him in."

Vicki's eyes widened, fully invested. "Oh my gosh…" she whispered. "That's so—"

Vin started to shake with laughter in her embrace which mistook for a silent sob.

"Oh, you poor thing!" Vicki cooed, her voice thick with sympathy. "You don't have to be strong anymore."

Meanwhile, Alex buried her face in Vinny's hair, trying (and failing) to suppress her laughter.

Just then, Claire walked into the kitchen, pausing mid-step as she took in the scene—Vinny and Alex wrapped in an embrace, Vicki looking on the verge of tears. Her brows furrowed. "Okay… what is taking you guys so long? And—uh, what exactly is happening here?"

Her gaze landed on Vicky, eyes narrowing. "Wait. Who are you? How did you get in here? And why do you look like you're about to cry?"

Before Vicki could even open her mouth, Alex straightened up and casually answered, "Oh, Mom, this is Vicki from Dad's office. I was just telling her about Vin… and how he's my brother."

Claire stared at them, unimpressed. "Riiiiiiight. That's cute. Still doesn't explain anything I just asked."

Her eyes drifted to the kitchen island, where a pile of groceries sat among open shelves and half-stocked cabinets. Her expression darkened. "PHIL!"

"Oh yeah… that." Vin nodded.

Claire's head snapped toward Vicki, her gaze sharp and unrelenting. Vicky swallowed hard, already sweating bullets.

Vicki let out a nervous chuckle, holding up her hands as if to ward off Claire's impending interrogation. "Uh—Mrs. Dunphy! Hi! Lovely home you have here. So… welcoming! So… well-stocked—uh, well, that's actually why I'm here!"

Claire folded her arms and leaned on the island. "Oh, I can't wait to hear this."

Vicki let out a breathless laugh. "Okay, so, funny story—well, not that funny, more like an oopsie, but, um—Mr. Dunphy may have kind of—possibly—forgotten to pick up the groceries and may have—potentially—sent me to get them instead!" She clapped her hands together as if that explained everything.

Claire's expression didn't change. If anything, her stare intensified.

"Let me get this straight." Claire took a slow, deliberate step forward. "My husband… forgot the groceries. And instead of owning up to it, he distracted us with a game of who can financially ruin their family first and he sent his intern—" she gestured wildly at Vicki, "—to sneak into our home and silently restock our kitchen like some kind of culinary Santa Claus?"

Vicki blinked. "Well, when you say it like that—"

"Yes, when I say it like that, it sounds completely insane because it is." Claire pinched the bridge of her nose and inhaled deeply. "I swear, that man—"

"Okay, but in my defense," Vicki cut in quickly, "I was just following orders! And, to be fair, I did knock."

Claire raised an eyebrow. "Oh, did you? And who exactly let you in?"

Vicky hesitated. "Um… I—uh…"

Meanwhile, unnoticed by everyone, a small spider crawled out of a grocery bag and onto Claire's shirt.

Completely oblivious, Claire reached into the bag, rummaging through its contents before pulling out a jar of salsa, a block of cheese, and a handful of spices. "Kids, grab some nachos and forks," she ordered, setting the items on the counter with a thud. "If I'm going to rip Phil a new one, I at least want to be snacking while I do it."

"You follow us." She pointed at Vicki, who was standing there awkwardly.

The kids grabbed a big bowl and excitedly followed Claire as she marched into the living room.

Meanwhile, Manny and Haley were watching Luke with identical expressions of confusion and mild concern.

Luke, on the other hand, was fully committed to whatever this was—flapping his arms, bobbing his head, and occasionally smacking it against the couch and table.

Vinny squinted. "Uh… is this some kind of avant-garde performance piece, or did he finally glitch out?"

Haley sighed. "He's trying to convince us he meant to get stuck under the couch earlier. Apparently, it was all part of 'The Great Chicken Escape.'"

Manny shook his head. "I don't even know what that means, but I do know my brain hurts."

Claire barely spared Luke a glance as she set the nachos down with a dramatic flourish. "Well, I hope he knocks some sense into himself, because we have more important matters to deal with."

As Alex and Vin helped Claire the nachos, Manny's eyes finally landed on the brunette trailing them awkwardly.

And Manny's breath immediately hitched. His heart pounded. The world around him blurred, fading into the background as if the universe itself had orchestrated this moment just for them.

A soft glow surrounded Vicki—her hair shimmering like the sun-kissed waves of a summer romance novel. Manny could practically hear the swell of violins, the gentle hum of a love song playing just for them.

Tiny animated hearts floated around her in his mind, drifting through the air like a dreamy, romantic movie scene.

'She's… she's perfect,' he thought, feeling lightheaded.

Vicki, for her part, was still awkwardly standing, shifting from foot to foot like she'd rather be anywhere else.

Vin noticed Manny's dazed expression and waved a hand in front of his face. "Uh… you okay there, buddy?"

Manny didn't respond. He was too busy staring, his eyes filled with the kind of longing usually reserved for classic poetry or telenovela protagonists.

Claire, completely oblivious to Manny's moment of destiny, thought of ways that she could lecture Phil.

Then a series of events unfolded in unison.

Manny got up from the couch and stood before Vicki who looked down at him in confusion.

Vicki blinked, shifting uncomfortably as he approached. "Uh… hi?"

Without hesitation, Manny dropped to one knee, his face full of sincerity and devotion. From his pocket, he pulled out a tiny object—the thimble from a Monopoly set—holding it up like it was the most priceless engagement ring in the world.

"Ma'am," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew… we were meant to be. Will you do me the honor of—"

"What the hell is happening?" Vicki was startled out of her mind, first her mentor (boss) asked her to fetch groceries and sneak them into his own house unnoticed, then she got caught by his secret lovechild then his wife and now there was a strange ten year old kneeling on one knee and proposing to her.

Vinny who meanwhile was helping Claire with the Nacho bowl noticed the large spider on her shirt turned petrified.

Claire noticed his stillness and asked, "Vin, you okay?"

Vinny's face had gone pale, his entire body locked in place like a statue. Slowly, he lifted a trembling finger and pointed at Claire's shirt.

"D-Don't panic," he croaked.

Claire frowned. "What? Why would I—" She followed his gaze downward and spotted the massive spider casually strolling across her shirt like it owned the place.

There was a beat of silence.

Then—

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Claire flailed wildly, desperately trying to shake off the spider. In her panic, she stumbled too close to Vinny, who—paralyzed with fear—instinctively turned to flee… only to sprint headfirst into the wall with a thud.

Claire instantly stopped flailing. "Oh my God! Vin, are you okay?"

She dropped to her knees beside him as Vinny wobbled, trying to stand—only for a sudden burst of blood to spurt from his nose.

Claire's eyes widened in panic. "Haley! First aid kit, now!"

Haley, for once sensing actual urgency, shot up from the couch and bolted upstairs. Meanwhile, Claire carefully guided Vinny toward the couch.

"Alright, sweetheart, I need you to lay down—no, no, upside down, like a… like a cloth draped over the couch," she instructed, already tilting him into position. "It'll help stop the bleeding."

Vinny groaned, his voice slightly muffled as he begrudgingly let his head dangle over the edge. "This is either the worst day or the best day of my life."

Claire barely had a moment to breathe before a loud THUD echoed from the staircase.

"OW! WHAT THE HELL?!" Haley's voice rang out, followed by a groan.

Everyone turned just in time to see her sprawled out on the stairs, completely motionless.

Claire pushed herself up from Vinny's side, ready to rush to Haley—

Then she caught sight of it.

The spider.

On her shoulder.

For a split second, her brain short-circuited. Then—

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

In one fluid motion, Claire ripped off her shirt and flung it across the room like it had personally wronged her. She then proceeded to stomp on it with the rage of a woman who had just experienced her worst nightmare in real time.

Now for Alex and Luke.

Alex was trying to open the jar of salsa with a fork in her hand.

Alex gritted her teeth, gripping the salsa jar tightly as she tried to twist the lid open. With a frustrated grunt, she gave it another go, but it wouldn't budge.

Luke swaggered over, smirking as he plucked the jar from her hands. "Step aside, nerd. Let a real pro handle this."

Alex crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Oh, please."

Luke flexed dramatically, then grabbed the jar and attempted to twist it open. His confident grin faltered as the lid refused to budge. He tried again—nothing. His face reddened as he strained.

"Yeah, any second now…" he muttered.

Alex smirked. "You got this, pro."

Glaring, Luke muttered, "Shut up," before both siblings grabbed onto the jar at the same time. They yanked, twisted, and finally—

POP!

The lid flew off, but so did the salsa—everywhere.

A huge glob splattered all over the floor, Alex's face, and most impressively, Luke. He stood there, drenched, blinking in shock.

Alex wiped salsa from her cheek and deadpanned, "Great job, pro."

Luke scowled and bolted. "Nope, not dealing with this."

His escape plan failed instantly—he stepped on the slick puddle of salsa, slipped, and went flying before landing with a thud on the floor.

She stood there with a fork in her hand looking like she just murdered Luke.

This was the moment that Phil Dunphy chose to enter the house.

"Hey! Hey! Guys, look who just solved a cri—"

Vinny tilted his head to better see Phil and with a bloody smile he asked, "Hey, Phil, What took you so long?"

Phil froze in the doorway, his enthusiastic grin faltering as he took in the absolute chaos in front of him.

His eyes darted around the room—Claire shirtless, stomping on what looked like a very dead spider; Vinny sitting on the couch mor like draped, blood dripping from his nose like a horror movie extra; Haley sprawled unconscious on the stairs; Luke lying motionless in a puddle of salsa; and Alex standing over him, fork in hand, looking like she had just committed culinary homicide.

Phil's face paled.

"...Oh my God."

Alex, still holding the fork, slowly turned to him. "Dad. It's not what it looks like."

Phil swallowed. "It looks like you just took out your brother over a plate of nachos."

Vinny, still grinning through his bloody nose, chimed in, "To be fair, we don't know if he's dead yet."

Phil let out a strangled noise and immediately rushed over to Luke, shaking him. "Buddy? Buddy, say something!"

Luke groaned weakly, his eyes fluttering open. "I told you guys I'd die a hero…"

Phil let out a sigh of relief—then turned back to the rest of his family, pointing wildly. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?!"

Just then the universe decided that it was a great time for Jay and Gloria to enter the house.

"Hey, guys why is the door op-"

Jay's voice trailed off as he and Gloria stepped inside, taking in the absolute war zone that was the Dunphy household.

Jay blinked. "…What in the hell did we just walk into?"

Gloria gasped, clutching her chest. "Dios mío! Is that blood?!"

Vinny raised a hand. "Mostly mine."

Gloria looked at Luke. "And that?!"

Alex, still holding the fork, sighed. "Mostly salsa."

Jay rubbed his temples. "You guys were alone for, what? Three hours? How does this even happen?"

"DAD, FOCUS," Claire snapped. "Haley's unconscious, Vinny's bleeding, Luke might have a concussion, and—" She paused, suddenly realizing something. "Wait. Where's Vicki?"

Everyone turned toward the only person who had been left out of the madness—Vicki, still standing frozen near the couch, looking like she had just lived through three horror movies at once, Manny still hovering around her like a bumblebee to a flower.

She blinked. "…I wanna go home."

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Suggest me an FMC. I am thinking of changing her.

Criteria:-

-Should be in age group of Mc; younger or older by 2 to 3 years also works.

-Can be easily integrated.

-Real or character also works.

Or

Should Billie remain the FMC.

Comment a lot.

Thank you for reading!!!