Topic: Lucky

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-05-31 10:28 EST
It had been over six months since Homicide Detective Jason Daly had requested a transfer. Long before he and Bethany were married, before she became pregnant with twins. He had been waiting patiently while his request was considered and until a position opened up, his name creeping slowly up the waiting list until one day, the waiting was over.

The new position he'd been offered was much different from what he'd been doing, and after discussing and debating the pros and cons with his wife, he'd finally accepted. After that, there was training, and finally by late spring, he was deemed ready for duty. The next step in the process was meeting with and forming a bond with his partner. It was integral the two of them got along, not only on but off the job. And so it was that on a lovely spring day in late May, Jason was bringing his work partner home to meet his wife, who was his partner in life.

Beth was aware that she was supposed to be up and ready to meet a, by all accounts, beautiful dog today, but she was feeling the heat of the warming spring in a manner that was really making her dread the summer. She and Nat had spent a while that morning comparing their bumps, and to her dismay, she'd found that she was already bigger than her neighbor and best friend. Nat was 31 weeks along, but carrying twins at 23 weeks, Beth was overtaking her in the size stakes. Happily embracing the irony of a shirt that asked the world Does My Bump Look Big In This", she'd stretched out on the grass in the back garden, lying on her side, and was passing the time reading, waiting for the love of her life and his new best friend to make an appearance.

It was a distinctive bark that heralded their arrival home, but it wasn't the kind of bark that signaled the dog was angry or sensed danger. It was simply a friendly bark of greeting, the equivalent of a human saying hello. "Beth?" Jason called as he led the way through the house her parents had purchased as a wedding gift. Whether his partner had ever been there before or not, she was intelligent enough to know where the other human whose scent was all over the house had gone and led her partner and handler through the house to a door that led to the backyard.

"I'm out the back!" Beth called out to him, heaving herself up to sit cross legged in preparation to meet the new working member of the family. "Have a good day?"

A moment later, Jason pushed through the back door into the yard, along with his partner - a German Shepard dog with a light brown coat, black markings, a little bit of white around her mouth, and highly-intelligent golden-brown eyes. "Very good," he replied, a warm smile on his face. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

"So I see," Beth grinned. "Trading me in for a sleeker model." He'd gone through it with her last night, how she should react to his canine companion when he brought the dog home, and she was doing her best to stay calm and quiet. Sitting on the grass, however, put her at a distinct disadvantage should the animal not like her.

But that wasn't something she had to worry about, as Jason's canine companion was far too intelligent and gentle a creature not to sense the connection between her handler and the other human and know this was someone she should get to know better. Jason led the dog toward Beth, keeping a firm but easy hold on her leash. "She's not here to replace you, Beth," he replied with a chuckle, crouching down beside the dog as they got close. "Hold out your hand," he instructed Beth, before addressing his companion. "Lucky, say hello to my wife, Beth." The dog tilted her head a moment as if to digest this, before offering a paw to Bethany.

That was the strange thing about working dogs. When they were working, they could be the single most formidable thing on four legs you'd ever seen. At home, though, they were usually the gentlest animals you could possibly hope to meet. Beth smiled as she held out her hand, delighted when Lucky set her paw into her palm. "Hello, Lucky," she said, letting the German Shepard sniff her thoughtfully. "I hope you're going to like it here. It's going to get loud for a while in a few months' time."

Lucky barked once as if in reply to Beth's question. "Good girl," Jason reinforced Lucky's friendly behavior with a scritch of fur between her ears. "We've been training together for a week or so now. She's a good dog, Beth. Really smart." Lucky seemed to sense her new handler's praise and rewarded him with a lick of her tongue across his cheek. Jason laughed, "Did I mention affectionate?"

Laughing, Beth drew her hand back, more than happy to let Lucky decide for herself when she was going to investigate her partner's wife and the mystery of the bump. "Once or twice, yeah," she chuckled, enjoying seeing Jason this happy about something work related. Nothing was going to compare to his theatrical delight when he'd been accepted for the transfer, though. "So she's here to stay, huh?"

Until Jason gave her the okay, Lucky was content to watch the pair of humans converse, though her tail was swinging back and forth in barely repressed excitement. "Yeah," he replied. "We're partners on duty and off." He seemed to notice that the dog was having trouble restraining her own excitement at having a new home and family. "I think she wants to get to know you better," he said with a smile. "Do you mind?"

"No, I don't mind," Beth chuckled, giving in. She patted her leg. "Lucky' C'mon, come say hello." At this obvious sign of permission, Lucky surged forward, tail wagging like a loon, to sniff every last inch of Beth she could reach as the woman ruffled her fur affectionately. "I see what you mean," she grinned to her husband. "Think she'll be all right with the babies?"

"Why wouldn't she?" Jason queried, leaning over to release Lucky's leash, setting her free now that she and Bethany were getting acquainted. The yard was fenced in so he wasn't too worried about her running off, though he doubted she'd try. "She's the most intelligent dog I've ever known!"

"Well, you know her best," Beth pointed out laughingly, grimacing in amusement as Lucky licked her from neck to temple and bounced away to investigate the yard. "Eww ....Okay, that's something I'm gonna work on with her," she laughed, shaking her head as she wiped her skin dry. "No faces."

Too late, Jason was already frowning. "She likes you!" he pointed out, dropping down on the grass beside his wife and echoing Lucky's kiss with one of his own, far less wet and lacking doggy breath.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-05-31 10:29 EST
"She's a dog!" Beth laughed, silenced as Jason caught her and kissed her, lying back on the grass with him to share a little human affection of her own. She could feel the babies objecting to the change in position again, grinning as Jason drew back. "Any day now, you're gonna be able to feel it when they start arranging the furniture in there."

"Shhh..." Jason started, pressing a finger against Beth's lips a moment to silence her and glancing toward the "dog" who was happily investigating her new home, at least on the outside. "I don't think she knows. You'll hurt her feelings." He settled himself beside her with a smirk and rested a hand against the growing swell at her stomach. "I can already feel them!" he informed her, leaning closer to address the twin babies growing inside his wife. "Hello in there! Are you two being good for your mother today?"

"You can?" Beth looked surprised, but then, neither of them had really made a big deal out of her pregnancy thus far. It was just happening, and there was a lot to do to get everything ready for when the twins arrived. Lucky padded over as Jason turned his attention to the roundness at Beth's waist, snuffling over the minute shifting of small limbs inside with curious confusion. "Any more thoughts on names?" Beth asked, knowing she'd dropped the ball on that one as much as he had.

Jason frowned at the mention of names. The prospect of having twins still seemed so unreal to him, though the proof was right there in front of him, as plain as day. It hadn't been all that long ago that they'd met and now they were married and expecting twins. But the question of names always stumped him. "No, I'm not very good with names. I guess Jack and Jill is out," he said as he moved his hand so that Lucky could nose around at the babies.

"Hey, quit with the frowning - oooh!" Beth laughed, jerking with surprise as Lucky shoved her cold nose right up her shirt. "Hey, easy on the goods, kid!" She grinned, ruffling Lucky's fur before she went on with what she had been saying. "I had a couple of ideas. They're not set in stone or anything."

He chuckled a little at Beth's remark, followed by Lucky's snooping around. "What ideas are those, oh lovely wife of mine?" he asked, while watching Lucky nose around inside Beth's shirt. "Lucky, easy!" he told her. "She's ticklish!"

"God, you don't want me in early labor, pooch," his wife agreed with a grin. "You should get used to us before you get used to them." She chuckled, giving Lucky a gentle shove before rolling onto her side, easing the constriction of two babies on her diaphragm. Propping her head up, she looked over at Jason. "Well, I kinda like Brody, for a boy. Don't ask me why, it just appeals. And ....well, I was thinking we should make Anna the girl's middle name, for your mom. And Evelyn goes with Anna - she could be Evy."

Lucky seemed to have taken a liking to Bethany as she settled herself right at her side rather protectively and rested her head on her paws. She'd had a busy day, after all. "Brody Daly," Jason mused over at his wife. "I kind of like the sound of that. Evelyn Anna?" he asked, letting it roll off his tongue to see how he liked it.

"I don't want us to get stuck trying to twin names with our mothers' or our fathers' names," she tried to explain, glancing down with a smile as Lucky plopped down beside her. "I love my mom, but Miranda doesn't work for a kid in this generation, and neither does Rufus. And ....well, there'll be other kids, won't they' It means more to mark your mom with these two."

"Are you sure Miranda won't mind?" Jason asked, though even he knew Beth's mother well enough to know she was tickled pink just to be having grandchildren. They could have named them Frick and Frack for all Miranda cared, and she'd still adore them. "She hasn't been doing more shopping again, has she?" Jason asked with a wince. The house was already filling up with baby paraphernalia and clothing, and they weren't even born yet.

"No, I made her promise to wait until after they're born before buying anything else," Beth chuckled softly, tucking her fingers into her hair. "I know that Miranda means wonderful, so maybe if we found a name that means the same, we could pair it with Anna. My dad won't mind being kept out of the name game; he's nervous as all hell about being a grandpa."

"Bethany," Jason started, addressing her by her complete given name, which he only did when he was trying to make a point. "Do you really think either of our moms is going to get jealous over whatever we decide to name our daughter" They're thrilled just to be having grandchildren! Besides, I thought you liked Evy."

"I do like Evy, but, you know, something else might present itself," she shrugged. "I just don't want anyone feeling left out, that's all. But I do kinda like Brody."

"If we didn't want anyone to feel left out, we'd have to give them hideously long names like Brody Daniel Rufus Desmond Humphrey Daly or something! That's horrible! We'll have other children, but if you're that worried about it, then don't use any of them. My mom won't care."

She met his gaze, quiet and serious for a moment. "I care," she said softly. "Children should have some link to who they come from. I didn't, and I felt it. So I want to at least give this girl a link to Anna, and Daniel goes with Brody, if you're okay with that."

"But those are my parents, Beth," Jason pointed out with a frown, not wanting anyone to feel left out, though there was little chance of that happening with his father, since the man had been dead for years. Lucky suddenly popped her head up, canine senses picking up something her handler and new mistress had not.

Oblivious to whatever had caught Lucky's attention, Beth squeezed Jason's hand. "There'll be other kids," she reminded him gently. "It'd mean the world to Anna, I think. And she deserves to have a thrill every time she picks up her grandchildren."

"Yeah, I'm sure it would," he replied, though in his opinion giving their son Jason's father's middle name was more likely to please her than giving their daughter hers. Lucky was obviously sensing something and was on her feet now, barking a warning either to her new master and mistress or to whoever it was she had caught sound and scent of. "Lucky, calm down," Jason said, rolling to his feet and sliding an arm around the dog's neck.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-05-31 10:29 EST
Sitting up, Beth peered toward the house, spotting movement of the very familiar kind inside. She smirked, calling out to their visitors. "Take it calm and easy, we've got a guard dog these days," she informed the pair approaching through the family room. "Let her meet you before you do anything."

"Before we do what?" A familiar female voice called from the kitchen.

"Just stay there!" Jason called back, recognizing that voice to be none other than his mother in law. "Speak of the devil," he mumbled under his breath. "You really need to tell your parents to call ahead," he told Beth quietly.

She snorted with laughter. "If you can make my mom call ahead, I'll give you a free pass to defile me any way you like whenever you like," she teased him softly, knowing her mother better than most. She looked up at the house to find her father leaning in the back doorway, grinning at the comfortable sight of the pair of them on the lawn together.

"Darling, if you don't want to be savaged, stay in the house," he called over his shoulder to his wife.

"I don't need a free pass to do that," Jason remarked with a smirk, just as Lucky barked again. Torn between keeping hold of the dog and helping his wife to her feet, he didn't have much choice unless he wanted to see Lucky rip his mother in law's face off. But Lucky's tail was wagging happily and she wasn't growling or baring her teeth. In fact, she looked eager to make another new acquaintance.

Miranda joined her husband at the back door, her mouth dropping open with a gasp. "You have a dog!" she proclaimed, stating the obvious.

"A very large dog," Rufus added in a drawling voice, smirking at the surprise on his own wife's face. "Wearing New York colors, I see. Congratulations, Jason." He pushed to stand up, walking slowly and deliberately down the steps and onto the grass before dropping to one knee and holding out a closed hand to Lucky. "Hello, little lady. Come and introduce yourself."

Jason sensed the excitement in Lucky, and had a feeling she sensed the trust in Rufus, so after a moment of holding her back, he let her go investigate this latest arrival to their home. She might as well get used to the two of them, since lately, they were there more often than not. Lucky didn't disappoint, padding her way straight up to Rufus and sniffing at his hand to check him out. Miranda, however, remained frozen on the porch. The only dog she had ever really tolerated was Cosmo.

"This is Lucky," Jason introduced her to Rufus, staying close just in case.

Of course, a man who had fought hand to hand with a werewolf a few years ago wasn't going to be scared of a dog, no matter how savage, and Lucky wasn't savage at all. Rufus grinned, rubbing his hand through her fur as she padded closer to investigate him before he rose, turning to Miranda. "Come here, angel," he told his wife, holding his hand out to her. "Come slowly, and sit down on the steps. You don't have to greet her, or touch her, just let her sniff you."

Behind Jason, Beth watched, genuinely interested to see if her father could get Miranda down onto the grass with a big dog.

"But....dogs don't like me, Rufus. That's why I have a cat," Miranda pointed out helpfully. Who knew the woman was afraid of anything" She'd never seemed nervous around Cosmo, but then, Cosmo was unique. Jason added his encouragement, backing away to return to Beth's side so he could help her sit up, confident Rufus could handle both dog and woman on his own. Behind him, Miranda hadn't budged. "I'll just watch from here, thanks!"

"Then you are never going to be able to be in the same house as your daughter and grandchildren," Rufus informed his wife. He loved her, but she was being a little ridiculous in this situation. With a little encouragement, he got Lucky to sit still while he looped a firm hand into her collar. "There, now she can't charge at you at all. So come here, Miranda."

"She's a police dog, Miranda," Jason interjected. "Search and rescue. She's not a guard dog. She's friendly and intelligent."

Miranda frowned at her spouse but did manage to step out onto the porch, a scathing glance tossed Jason's way. "Well, I can see that, silly!"

"C'mon, Mom, you can do it," Beth added her own voice to the litany of encouragement. "She's had her nose up my shirt, she's completely safe. I promise."

Rufus ignored them, focused on his slightly anxious wife. "That's it, love," he praised her for coming just that little bit closer. He raised his hand higher, knowing she trusted him, if not the dog. "I'm not going to let you get hurt, but I'm not going to let you hide from a lovely girl like this either. You can do this, angel."

Whether she trusted the dog or not, Miranda trusted Rufus and knew he would never hurt her. "You bring her to me," she said, settling herself down on the stairs. For some reason, she felt more at ease with Rufus bringing the dog to her than going to meet the dog.

Jason stayed where he was beside Bethany, allowing Rufus to handle getting Miranda and Lucky acquainted.

"She's going to know I have a cat!" Miranda called back.

"That doesn't automatically mean she's not going to like you!" Beth laughed, leaning against Jason's leg as she watched.

Rufus smiled, lowering his hand, and gave Lucky a gentle tug to bring her to her feet. The German Shepard walked with him perfectly, her manners drilled into her through her training, and paused when he moved to sit down on the steps beside his wife. "You're doing very well," he assured Miranda fondly, and patted his knee. Lucky came to him, planting herself on her backside between his feet to be praised, evidently understanding that the other woman was wary and had to be approached with care. "See? She's a lovely little lady."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-05-31 10:30 EST
"Maybe you should join the police department, Rufus!" Jason called over, noting the perfect control the man had of the dog. The man was no stranger to canines, Jason thought.

"Are you talking about me or the dog?" Miranda asked, watching Lucky warily, though she did seem to be well behaved.

"Both of you." Rufus chuckled, raising his head to nod to Jason. "Maybe you should become a Watcher, Jason," he called back, laughing, ruffling Lucky's ears. He looked at his wife. "Would you mind if she sniffs you, love" She just wants to know your scent, so she knows not to be worried when you come calling, that's all."

"No, thanks!" Jason replied, with a chuckle. "I've got my hands full here." It was no big secret that Jason loved his job and took great pride in his work, no matter whether he was a homicide detective or with the K9 Unit.

Miranda tensed a little, but nodded her head. "I know it's silly, Rufus, but....I've always been afraid of dogs," she tried to explain, even as she obediently offered her hand for Lucky's inspection.

"I know you have, angel," he assured her. "And if I thought for one moment that she would turn or snap, I wouldn't ask you to do this. But of all the dogs you will ever meet, you are safest around this one." As if to prove the point, Lucky leaned over his leg to sniff Miranda's hand, big brown eyes blinking up at the woman before she nudged at that hand, rubbing her own head under Miranda's fingers. Rufus smiled. "She likes you, Miri."

"Safer than Cosmo?" she asked, eyes wide when the dog nudged her hand and encouraged her touch. Miranda's fingers scratched lightly and tentatively at the dog's fur, the tension slowly subsided.

"Much safer than Cosmo," Rufus assured her, nodding toward Lucky's rear end as Miranda began to scratch her. "He's friendly, but the only person who can actually control him is Vicki. Lucky here - she'll obey anyone Jason trusts. Look at that tail go. That's a very good sign."

Meanwhile, Jason had his arm around Beth and was whispering to his wife, "I didn't know your mother was afraid of dogs."

Beside Jason, Beth hid her smile. "Terrified," she murmured to him cheerfully. "She wasn't exactly crazy about Andy when she first got him, but he grew on her. Dogs just frighten her, though. Maybe she got bit when she was little."

Miranda had never told anyone the reason for her fear about dogs, and she wasn't about to do share it now, not unless she had to. "She seems friendly," she agreed, letting her finger explore further, her hand visibly trembling. She didn't even really consider Cosmo a dog anymore. He was simply part of the family.

"Should we go join them or let them get better acquainted?" Jason asked his wife.

"We should probably rescue Mom," Beth admitted reluctantly. "She came to hug the bump, not get strong-armed into making friends with a dog." She chuckled, giving Jason a nudge as Lucky licked Miranda's wrist affectionately. "C'mon, get me up before I start sinking into the ground."

And this time Miranda actually giggled, like a child who'd just made friends with her first puppy. "She likes me!" she declared, beaming a smile at Rufus, in obvious awe.

Nearby, Jason chuckled at his wife remark, and slid an arm around Beth's waist to pull her to her feet beside him so they could join her parents.

"Of course she does," Rufus grinned encouragingly, relaxing his hand on Lucky's back to let the dog snuffle closer. Somehow Lucky knew exactly what to do to get Miranda on her side - no sooner did she have that freedom than she laid her head on Miranda's knee, looking up at the woman adoringly as her daughter was heaved bodily onto her feet, bump and all.

"Oh," Miranda sighed, clearly enchanted as the dog seemed to have won her over. "She's adorable. Hello, Lucky. My name is Miranda," she cooed at the dog, as she slid her fingers through her fur. Though they had come to see their daughter, for now, Lucky had her full attention.

Rufus chuckled as Lucky capitalized on her success and managed to get herself between Miranda's knees, her head rising to rest comfortably high enough to lick the woman's chin. "That is a very clever dog," he praised her, looking up as Beth and Jason joined them.

"Good girl," Jason praised Lucky, leaning in to give her a pat.

"You might give me a little praise," Miranda pouted at them both. "I'm the one who's the scaredy cat."

Jason chuckled in reply. "Remind me when we get inside and I'll fetch you a doggy biscuit."

Beth laughed, opening her arms to her mother. "Come here and hug your grandchildren, that'll make you feel better," she suggested, winking at her father as he smothered a laugh at the thought of Miranda sitting up and begging for a dog biscuit.

Miranda gave Rufus a playful smack on the arm, knowing him well enough to practically read his mind. "Don't get him started!" she warned, though it was unclear if she was warning Jason about Rufus or the other way around.

Jason pulled Lucky off Miranda's lap so the woman could get to her feet and Miranda moved over to give her daughter a hug, pulling back a moment to take a good look at her.

"Oh my goodness, Bethany! You're huge!"

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-05-31 10:31 EST
"Gee, thanks, Mom," her daughter drawled back to her, rolling her eyes with a smirk. "That makes me feel so good about myself. You know Nat' She's 31 weeks and smaller than me. We checked this morning. Twice."

"Yes, but Nat is only having one baby. You are having two!" Miranda reminded her daughter, as if she'd forgotten, rubbing a hand against her daughter's belly without asking permission. She had raised her, after all. It was a mother's privilege. "How are they doing" Everything all right' Did you have another sonogram?"

Rufus grinned, pushing himself to his own feet to shake Jason's hand. His manner toward his son-in-law had warmed up considerably now they knew each other better. "You're looking good, Jason," he said. "Happier in yourself. This transfer has been a long time in coming."

Jason beamed a smile back at his father-in-law, having grown fond of the man now that they had become better acquainted. "Thanks, and yes, it has. I was afraid it might take even longer, but the chief put in a good word for me, and here we are!" He seemed more relaxed, more rested, happier. He was definitely doing something right. "How are you? What brings you two here, besides the obvious" Have you eaten yet' I was just going to suggest ordering a pizza." Big surprise. Some people were addicted to beer, some to cigarettes. For Jason, it was pizza.

"Ah, not likely," Rufus laughed, shaking his head at Jason's suggestion. He knew his son-in-law tended to order out rather than cook, and figured now was a pretty good time for a few basics. "You and I are going to rummage through your cupboards and cook. Let the girls get all their cooing out of the way without us."

Beth glanced up in surprise on hearing this, but answered her mother's questions before responding. "They're both doing fine," she promised Miranda with a smile. "I'm good. Had another sonogram yesterday, which is why you're here today, don't think I don't know it. We know the sex now, too, but I'm considering making you beg for it." She grinned at her mother. "Since when does Dad give cooking lessons?"

"Since today," Miranda replied with a smile, waving a hand to shoo the two men into the kitchen so she could have her daughter all to herself. "Go make a mess in the kitchen. I want a few minutes with my daughter."

Jason laughed again. "I can take a hint. Two hints!" He looked down at Lucky and waved her along. "Come on, girl. Looks like we're not welcome here right now." He knew when he was beat, and he wasn't about to argue. Contrary to popular belief, he could find his way around a kitchen; he just liked to use any excuse possible to order out.

With Lucky leading the way, Rufus and Jason disappeared inside at a decent pace, leaving Beth outside with Miranda. The younger woman took the opportunity to hug her mother once again, a little tighter this time, and definitely for longer. "Thanks for coming, Mom," she murmured. "I miss you, you know."

"So move to Rhy'Din," Miranda replied, hugging her daughter back, though she knew the suggestion would go unheeded. They'd been over this before more than once, and she already knew it wasn't going to happen. Beth and Jason's lives were centered in New York, while Miranda and Rufus' were in Rhy'Din. Miranda just had to keep reminding herself that they were only a short portal hop away. "I miss you, too, baby," she told her daughter with a sigh, reaching to brush Beth's hair back from her face.

"I'm kinda freaking out, Mom," Beth confessed softly, moving to sit on the steps once again as a crash from the kitchen announced that Rufus had found the pans. "I mean, I gotta stop working in five weeks and then it's just a matter of time, and the dreams really aren't helping. Is it always this scary?"

Miranda frowned, turning serious as her daughter opened up to her now that the men were out of hearing range. She sat down beside her daughter on the stairs and reached to take her hand. "What kind of dreams, baby?" she asked, in that maternal tone of voice that mothers saved for the children.

"They sound so silly out loud," Beth warned her, but didn't stop herself from sharing the one that was bothering her most. "I dreamed that I'd had the twins, but I was sort of detached from it all, you know" And I walked into our bedroom, and Jason was there, telling me he had everything under control and not to worry, and he was feeding the babies a full cooked breakfast. And I was so cranky with him, because I was breastfeeding." She frowned, looking confused. "What the hell does that mean?"

Miranda smiled, a warm reassuring smile and gave her daughter's hand a gentle squeeze. "It doesn't mean anything, darling. It's just a crazy dream. Maybe you're worried you won't be a good mother, but I can assure you that every new mother feels that way. You should have seen me when I had you." And she'd had to say goodbye to Rufus fairly shortly after their daughter had been born, which hadn't helped matters any. In fact, saying goodbye to Rufus had probably been the lowest point of Miranda's life.

"Well ....yeah." Beth sighed; Miranda hadn't said anything she hadn't told herself. And she was in a better place than her mother had been, she reminded herself, feeling bad about complaining. "Sorry, I know I shouldn't make such a big deal out of it. You did great, and I've got Jason."

"I also only had one, and you're having two." Miranda made no mention of her own ordeal when Bethany had been born. She had simply done what she'd had to do to keep her daughter safe. There had never been any question she was going to raise her herself, with or without help, but it hadn't been easy. "Don't be sorry. It's perfectly natural to be worried and scared, but trust me, Bethany....You're going to be just fine. You're going to be a wonderful mother." She touched her daughter's cheek, a soft loving smile on her face.

"I hope so." Beth sighed softly, resting her head on her mother's shoulder. She wasn't usually a worrier, but then, she'd never come up against anything like this so far. "I guess I'm just feeling kind of overwhelmed by everything, you know" I'm only 23 weeks, and people look totally horrified when I tell them that. Everyone thinks I must be due any day. That, and I get moronic questions. And the touching! Seriously, is personal space a myth when you're pregnant?"

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-05-31 10:31 EST
"Do you want me to buy you a t-shirt that says, 'Do Not Touch'," Miranda asked with a smirk, adding, having noticed her daughter's shirt. "And yes, your bump looks big, but I'd be worried if it wasn't big. You're having twins, Bethany! There are two babies growing inside there."

"Didn't you say Vicki had one with You can touch the bump if I can punch your face on it?" Beth asked innocently, raising her head to look into her mother's eyes. She could feel herself beginning to smile again, the weight rising from her shoulders for just having told Miranda what was bothering her. "A boy and a girl, you know."

Miranda laughed. "Yes, would you like me to ask if you can borrow it?" Her face brightened, her smile widening at Beth's news. "Oh, Bethy! That's wonderful!" She wouldn't have cared what combination of babies was growing inside her daughter, but it was exciting news nonetheless. "Instant family!" she exclaimed with a giggle. "I'm very proud of you, sweetheart, and you know your father and I will help in whatever way we can."

Beth laughed at her mother's excited response to learning she was going to have a boy and a girl to dote on in just a few short months. "Thank you, it means a lot to hear that," she assured Miranda, glancing toward the door. "Look, uh ....you know we're kinda stingy with money, right' I need you to help me work out how to pitch using my allowance from Humphrey on a monthly basis to Jason. Eight weeks isn't enough maternity leave, and as things stand, I can't take the unpaid leave or we'll be eating cold beans for months. So I was ....Well, I think I'm gonna quit nursing for a while. I just don't know how to tell Jason."

Miranda looked a little surprised by her daughter's confession, a small worried frown on her face. "Don't be ridiculous, Beth. You know money isn't a problem. Your father and I aren't going to let you live on cold beans. I'm a Granger, for God's sake, and so are you. I understand how you and Jason want to try and do things on your own, and I appreciate that. Really, I do, but you don't have to." She sighed, gentling her voice so that she could actually answer her daughter's question. "You just tell him, Beth. Jason is a good man. He'll understand and support whatever decision you make. Besides, you don't want your children being raised by a stranger in a daycare center, do you?"

"That's the point," Beth agreed. "I don't want to have to hand my kids over to someone else just to go to work, and if I'm working, and Jason's working ....when am I ever gonna see him' I mean, I know he got the transfer so that we can spend more time together, but right now I get so tired after a day at work, I'm asleep by eight. I feel like I'm letting him down, and I don't want to do that. Besides, if I'm gonna be a mom, I wanna be the best mom I can be, like you."

There was that frown again, a slightly sad look in her eyes. "I wasn't the best mom, Bethany, but I did that best I could. I was lucky enough to have a supportive family and a job that allowed me to work out of my apartment. When I think about those days..." She sighed. It was rare that she reminisced about Bethany's childhood except to praise her or remember some sweet, tender moment. "Give Jason a little credit, Beth. He isn't going to think you are letting him down. Why do you feel like you have to do it all when you don't' Let us help you. Let him help you."

"Because I feel like he gave up a lot to be with me in the first place," Beth admitted quietly. "I feel like the only reason he asked for a transfer out of homicide is because of me; the only reason we've been doing anything is because I forgot my pill once and got pregnant too soon. I know we have a lot of history, but I don't think things have moved this fast before. I feel like I'm closing doors that should still be open for him, and I don't want it to be like that."

Miranda smiled and patted her daughter's hand. "Let me tell you a little something about Jason Daly that you may not know," she started. She had never really discussed her past with him before, except to assure her daughter that it was over, but perhaps some things needed to be said. "I've know Jason a few years now, and I think I know him pretty well. Do you know why it never worked out between us?"

Curling both her hands around her mother's one, Beth turned her eyes up toward Miranda's, worried and a little confused. Neither Miranda nor Jason volunteered any information about their brief fling ordinarily. "You don't have to tell me, Mom. I know I'm worrying for no good reason." But the curiosity was there in her eyes as she watched her mother.

"You should know. You deserve to know," she added, knowing it was likely that Jason wouldn't tell her, even if she asked. "It's very simple. Jason wanted something I couldn't give him, and that something was a family." It was a simple explanation, perhaps too simple, but one that made perfect sense. Miranda wasn't interested in starting a family with a man she didn't love, a man she had only had a brief fling with out of mutual attraction and loneliness. She already had a daughter with a man she had never stopped loving. Jason, on the other hand, was years younger than Miranda and was longing for a wife and a family - a dream he wouldn't fulfill until he met Bethany.

It took a moment for that to sink in, for the full implications to make themselves known to Bethany as she considered it. "So ....he was ready to make all these changes, years before I met him?" she asked softly, still a little concerned that she had somehow cornered him into it.

"Yes, I think so. He's wanted a family for a long time, Beth. He just had to find the right woman." It wasn't that Jason had cornered Beth into it either. He would have waited as long as she wanted him to, confident that one day they'd have the family he craved. Miranda perked an ear for moment, as if to make sure the men weren't eavesdropping. "He was devastated when his father died. I'm sorry to say I never met the man, but from what Desmond tells me, he was enough of a father for both of them. To be honest, I've never seen Jason as happy as he is when he's with you. You're good for him, Beth, and he adores you."

Beth's smile was more than a little rueful as she absorbed this, too. "I'm worrying over nothing, aren't I?" she said mildly, rolling her eyes at her own silliness. "I'm sorry, Mom. I guess I'm just having more trouble adjusting to all the changes than I thought I would. I don't enjoy my job as much as I used to - I'd rather be home with Jason. That's why I want to quit working, really. It's got nothing to do with not enough leave or anything like that. I just want to be with him, all the time."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-05-31 10:32 EST
"Beth, as a Granger, you have an allowance you never make use of. If Humphrey knew you were struggling, he'd storm through the portal himself and shake some sense into you. It's very noble to want to live on Jason's paycheck, but you don't have to. I'm not saying live extravagantly, but what?s the point in struggling if you don't have to' I've worked hard to make a good life for you, and I've done very well for myself, too. I don't need Humphrey's money to support myself. You're my daughter. If you can't benefit from everything your father and I have worked for, then what?s the point?" she asked, searching her daughter's eyes and wondering where this stubborn pride came from. From Rufus' side, no doubt.

"But you're the one who taught me that I have to stand on my own two feet!" Beth protested laughingly, shaking her head once again. "It's not just that, though. It's gotta be difficult for Jase, knowing that he's married into a family that could buy Brooklyn and consider the payout chump change. I don't want him to feel like he doesn't contribute to looking after his own family. I was really only going to use what would have been my salary out of my allowance, nothing more than that. Does that make any sense?"

"Yes, of course it makes sense, but I don't think a man like Jason works wholly for a paycheck, Beth. He works because he loves his job and because he loves to help people. He comes from a long line of policemen. It's in his blood. It's all he's ever known. The man would be miserable if he wasn't working. He's a lot like your father in that way. It's an alpha male thing, I think. The need to provide, but also to make a difference in the world. If they decided to take away his pay tomorrow, he'd probably work for free." Miranda tried to explain that it wasn't so much about the money, as it was about having a purpose in life. Though for Jason, that was only partly true. It was partly about the money, having struggled to make ends meet for so long. It was partly about security, plain and simple.

"I just don't want to make him feel as though he's somehow surplus to requirements," Beth told her quietly. She sighed, dropping her head onto Miranda's shoulder once again, rubbing her hand over her prominent belly. "I'm over-thinking it, aren't I" I should just talk to him."

"Yes and yes," Miranda replied, covering Beth's hand with her own. "Think of it this way. You do whatever you like, whatever you feel you need to do, and if you ever run into problems or need help, know that you have a safety net, and that safety net will never ask for anything in return."

That made sense. It helped to have talked out her worries with her mother before approaching Jason with them, knowing that if he had heard half of what she had just said, he would have broken his back trying to make it all better when all she needed was for someone to hear her. Beth smiled, lifting her head to wrap her arms around Miranda, kissing her cheek affectionately. "Thanks, Mom. You're the best."

Miranda smiled and shrugged as she wrapped her daughter in a hug. "I know. Now, shall we go see what the boys are doing in the kitchen before we have to call the Fire Department?" she offered with a smirk and a gleam of mischief in her soft brown eyes.

"Now that sounds like a plan," Beth agreed with a grin, her sunny disposition restored after a short talk with her mother. "Although it seems a shame to interrupt the alpha male bonding. Why doesn't Dad approve of take out?"

That was a simple enough question to answer. "Your father was deprived of family for too long. He misses it and everything about it, including lengthy family debates and discussions around the dinner table. He had a family once, you know. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't spawned." She teased with a wry smirk.

"I thought he hatched," Beth drawled back, but she was laughing now. "So why doesn't he talk about his family' Surely they know about me by now. And what about you? Wouldn't any of them have come to the wedding if I'd known to invite them?"

"No one's left, Beth," Miranda replied sadly. "I'm not really sure what happened to his parents, but he only had a sister and she died years ago. All he has left is a nephew, and he's something of a recluse."

"Oh God." Beth looked horrified with herself for even asking, glancing guiltily toward the house for a moment. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even think. Have-have you met his nephew" I mean, is he a Watcher like Dad, or what?"

"No, he's not a Watcher. He's..." She had to think a minute, knowing he had something to do with the medical profession. "I think he's a paramedic or something. You really should meet him, I suppose. He is your cousin, after all." Not that Beth had any lack of family, but she only had the one cousin on her father's side of the family. "His name is Taylor. He seems like a sweet boy. A bit on the quiet side."

Her daughter frowned thoughtfully as she considered that. "I think I should leave that decision to him," she said quietly. "If he's quiet like Dad, and keeps himself to himself a lot, then I don't want to force him into making friends with me. Just ....Well, you could pass on the news that he's welcome to visit us anytime, and give him my number, couldn't you?"

Miranda smiled and patted her daughter's hand once again. "I'll do that. I'm sure he'd like to meet you. From what I understand, your father took him in after his mother died. Rufus doesn't talk about him much, but I think they're pretty close." But then, Rufus rarely talked about his family or his private life much at all, except to Miranda. "I'm sorry I didn't mention him before, but to be honest, I only met him recently myself!"

"So what do you think of him?" Beth asked, knowing her mother well enough to know there was an opinion lurking in there just waiting to be released into the wild and shared. An opinion that she might not have shared with Rufus.

Miranda considered that quietly a moment before offering an opinion. "I think he's been through something that neither he nor Rufus want to talk about. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's just something about him. You can tell when someone's been traumatized by something, Bethany. It changes them, makes them cautious. It either destroys you or makes you stronger." She frowned a little, realizing she and Rufus were probably stronger for what they'd been through, but it could just as easily have gone the other way.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-05-31 10:33 EST
Beth nodded slowly, filing this away for future reference, to be used if and when she ever met her mysterious paternal cousin. "So ....you didn't ever meet Dad's sister, or his parents?" she asked softly, wondering what had happened to make her father so very alone in the world.

"His parents were already gone before I met him. I met his sister a few times though. Lovely girl. He adored her. I think it broke his heart when she died," Miranda explained further, saddened by her husband's loss, which only made her love him all the more.

Beth frowned, saddened to hear such a sad story from her father's mysterious past. But at the same time, it was a relief to be able to connect some of the dots - why he was so devoted to his Slayer, for example. He knew Lei was going to die soon, it was inevitable, but he refused to linger on that thought, trying to get the girl to enjoy life a little as well as her work. A thought occurred to her. "What was her name?" she asked Miranda curiously, wanting to know just a little more about her deceased aunt.

"Her name was Eve," Miranda replied, remembering the dark-haired but somewhat frail beauty that had been her husband's only living relative all those years ago. She felt a pang of regret, wondering what would have happened if she and Rufus had stayed together. Things might have been very different. She might have been able to help both the boy and the man deal with the loss of a loved one, but the past was one thing that couldn't be changed, no matter how much you regretted it.

Very slowly, Beth's frown became first a smile, and then a grin. She threw her arms around her mother's neck, squeezing fondly, and planted a loud kiss on Miranda's cheek. "You're awesome, you know that' You totally just made up my mind about something."

Though she certainly didn't mind the kiss and the hug, Miranda looked a little confused, having no idea what she'd just helped with, other than fill in a few blanks in her mysterious husband's past. "Um, ok, if you say so!"

"Trust me, you'll get it in a few months' time," Beth promised her, planting another kiss on the other side for the hell of it. And then yelping in surprise when an unexpected tongue licked her cheek - Lucky had apparently grown bored of the men inside and come looking to see what the girls were up to. Beth chuckled, twisting to ruffle the dog's fur. "Are they really that boring in there, cutie?"

Lucky replied with a playful wag of her tail and an affectionate lick of Miranda's cheek who echoed her daughter's yelp, followed by a girlish giggle. "Should we go see what they're up to?" she asked her daughter with an impish grin. She wasn't quite sure what it was she'd helped Beth decide, but she was glad to have been of some help.

"Why not?" Beth grinned back at her mother cheerfully. "You're gonna have to help me up. Once I'm planted, it takes a forklift to get me on my feet these days, and I'm only just over halfway there!"

"I don't have a forklift handy, but I'll see what I can do!" Miranda exclaimed, sliding an arm around her daughter's waist to help her to her feet, while Lucky barked encouragement.

Giggling, Beth did get onto her own two feet eventually, tucking her arm around her mother's waist as they turned to walk inside and find out what culinary masterpiece was being whipped up by the men in their lives. "So ..." she said, as they headed over the porch, escorted by Lucky as though they were royalty, "....you have gossip, I have ears. Spill, Wonder Woman."

Miranda chuckled at her daughter's remark. "Oh! Where's my magic lasso?" she quipped, wondering what it would take to get Rufus into a Superman costume for Halloween. If she was Wonder Woman, it would figure that he'd be Superman, right' But Beth was right about one thing - if anyone had the bead on the goings on within the Granger Family and in Rhy'Din in general, it was Miranda, and so she began, starting with Jon and Vicki and their newborn son, and going all the way through the family.

There was a lot to tell and a lot to hear, and for the first time in a long time, the two couples managed to sit down to a meal together that wasn't crashed by neighbors or interrupted by work calls. It looked as though life was on track for the Dalys, and with the arrival of the twins looming ever closer, that could only be a good thing. One might almost call it ....Lucky.

((One day, every single Granger is going to have at least a dog, if not babies too! Many thanks to my awesome partner!))