A few steps closer, but still separated by their insecurities and hesitation. I think meeting the family can be good for both of them, being forced to put words to what they have.
And that strange foreigness created by distance is so familiar. Sure, for me it's been with a very close friend, but I always need a few minutes when we meet in the flesh to "calibrate" our vibe (that's usually when he rolls his eyes at me...). I feel like my mind adds and subtracts from our online convos and makes up things that aren't necessarily so IRL. Hard to explain, but there is a silent conversation between bodies that you miss out on when you only hang out electronically. It's very evident when you meet someone you are close to mentally but distanced from physically.