Topic: Forging New Bonds

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-02-03 08:20 EST
The restaurant that Miranda had ultimately chosen for dinner was a family restaurant not far from the neighborhood where Jason and Bethany had bought a home. It was casual enough that they didn't have to dress up, but a step up from fast food and diner fare with an extensive menu that featured everything from burgers to sandwiches to pasta to meat and potatoes, a little reminiscent of good old fashioned home cooking.

The problem of Lyneth's sometimes picky appetite was a problem easily overcome, as well. One empty plate arrived along with everyone else's food, and the beaming toddler got to try a bit of everyone else's dinner - more than enough to fill her up and keep her interested throughout the meal. She had, in her usual fashion, insisted on having Miranda on one side of her, and for some reason, Rhys on the other side, even going to far as to lay down the law and have Bethany opposite. And with those rules laid down, everyone else was left to rearrange themselves as they saw fit, the parents of the precocious nutbag given a meal off, for once.

Was it any surprise that Lyneth had almost immediately pegged the two people in the small group who were most likely to spoil and dote on her" Miranda was in her glory to find herself beside the little imp. Rhys just didn't yet know what he'd gotten himself into or how he'd ended up beside the little girl, but if he and Nat were going to have a daughter of their own in the near future, what better way for him to get acquainted with children" Desmond and Piper sat across from Rhys and Nat, while Jason and Bethany sat across from Miranda and Lyneth, with Rufus at the head of the table.

Of course, Lyneth was in a high chair, putting her at a distinct advantage when it came to Rhys. Which was how he ended up wearing at least one of her fries - she was practicing being a brat these days, and for once, Piper didn't have to even pretend to notice, too far away to do anything about it. Bethany, however, did notice, snickering into her glass as she sipped her water, wondering when Rhys was going to realize he had an interesting amount of mashed fried potato in his hair.

Rhys was so busy moaning over his cheeseburger, which he had declared was the best cheeseburger he'd ever eaten, he didn't notice right away, until caught Bethany snickering at him. "What?" he asked, swallowing a mouthful of his burger. "Do I have ketchup on my chin?"

"Oh, no, no," Beth chuckled. "I'm just admiring your new hair product. Very chic. Just what male fashion needs, huh, Mom?" She flashed a grin across the table to her mother as Lyneth beamed, knowing she'd been caught by the one person at the table who wasn't going to either tell her parents or tell her off.

Rhys was looking very confused, as he glanced to Miranda - whom he'd just met that day, as well as everyone at the table but Nat, Beth, and Jason.

Miranda chuckled and took a little pity on Rhys, gesturing with a hand to indicate that he had something in his hair. "You, um, have a little potato in your hair."

Rhys furrowed his brows as he pushed his fingers through his short-cropped hair to find the mashed potato.

"I can put some ice cream in it when we has dessert, too," Lyneth offered cheekily, waving a slice of garlic bread at him with a grin. "Or get the fairies to make you all pretty with flowers. I bet they could, too."

"Hold it, missy, you are not setting fairies on my new neighbors," Beth warned the little girl, remembering her own first encounter with the wee folk. "Play nice."

"I think there are better places for ice cream, don't you?" Rhys countered, not quite sure what to make of the little bundle of Lyneth. He did not yet know that she was half-Fae, though it was obvious to him that there was something unusual about her. "Fairies?" Rhys smirked. "I'm already pretty," he pointed out without even attempting modesty. "What do you know about fairies?" he asked, curiously.

"They're my friends," the tiny girl informed him simply, pausing to exert a good deal of force into getting some of her milkshake up the straw that was stuck to the bottom of her glass. Disappointed, she pouted, holding the glass out to Miranda. "My drink is broken," she informed the woman expectantly, before resuming her new conversation with Rhys. "And boys can't be pretty, 'cos they're boys! Silly man."

"Then how can fairies make me pretty if boys can't be pretty?" he argued, turning the tables on her and looking more than a little smug about it as he took another bite of his sandwich, not overly concerned about whatever food stuffs were left in his hair.

Miranda took the glass from the little girl and stirred her milkshake until it was mushy enough to work its way through the straw again. "You have to forgive our Lyneth, Rhys," she told the young man amicably. "She's a little precocious."

"They could turn you into a girl," the little girl informed Rhys, just as smug as he was, grinning around her straw as she successfully got a mouthful of the sweet treat, thanks to Miranda's intervention.

Across from her, Beth choked a little on her own food, not quite able now to banish the mental image of Rhys in a dress and heels.

Rhys nearly choked on his burger at the suggestion he be turned into a girl, even in jest.

Miranda wasn't close enough to pat his back, but was observant enough to appreciate a handsome face when she saw one. "I wouldn't by any chance be able to talk you and your lovely wife into doing a little modeling, would I?" she asked, with the sweetest smile.

"Can I do some muddling?" the ever-interested Lyneth piped up before Rhys could answer, distracted from the reply by Beth tapping on the tray of her high chair.

"Eat your dinner, Lynnie," her cousin told her. "You can ask all about muddling when you're finished."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-02-03 08:22 EST
"Of course you can do some muddling," Miranda replied with a dimpled grin. "You are my favorite muddle!" she declared, as much a child at heart as Lyneth - or even Rhys.

"Um," Rhys started in answer to Miranda's question, glancing briefly at Nat before turning back, as if to make sure she was in agreement. He didn't think it would be a very good idea to splatter their photos in public, whether it be Rhy'Din or Earth, even if he was flattered by the offer. "Thanks, but no thanks. We like to keep a low profile." Or something like that.

"Where do you keep it?" Lyneth interjected once again, genuine curiosity coloring her expression as she looked at Rhys for his answer. "Does it live in a hole, or a house, or a box, or a shoe, or a bed, or a attic, or a car?" There was another pause as she munched on her mouthful. "What's a po-fie, anyway?"

Miranda tried to hide a snicker behind a mouthful of salad, while Rhys contemplated Lyneth's question, trying to sort out if the little girl was teasing him or serious. He didn't know her well enough to know quite how to take her yet, but assuming she was nothing more than a kid, albeit a bright and precocious one - he decided to tease her back. "I keep it in my pocket, but it's invisible. Would you like to see it?" he asked, as he reached into his jacket that was hanging against the back of his chair and slowly opened his hand for her. There was nothing there, of course, but she didn't know that yet.

Of course, with any normal child, this would have been brilliant. Unfortunately for Rhys, Lyneth was anything but normal. She peered into his empty hand, and made a face, frowning at him in disappointment. "You're a liar," she told him sternly, although admittedly stern from the adorable little face she presented wasn't exactly intimidating. "I got real invisibubble stuffs what I can see, and you got nuffin in your hand."

He furrowed his brows again, taken a little aback by the little girl's admonition. Once again, it was Miranda who rescued him, noticing that he was a little out of his league on this one. Hunting demons, it seemed, was a far cry from conversing with a half-Fae child who was too smart for her own good.

"There's a big difference between lying and teasing, Lyneth," she pointed out helpfully. "And Rhys doesn't know about your....abilities or your invisible friends."

"Oh." There was a pause as Lyneth absorbed this, nodding as she held Miranda's gaze, and abruptly turned her face back toward Rhys. "I'm a Fae," she informed him, loudly enough that Piper, at the far end of the table, choked on her mouthful so badly she had to grope for her own glass of water as her pale face reddened.

Rhys arched a brow at the little girl's very serious and yet casual declaration of her heritage, glancing to Piper when she choked on her mouthful, though her husband beside her seemed to have things well in hand. He met Nat's gaze a moment before turning back to Lyneth, realizing she was completely serious and not teasing him at all. He had met a few Fae in his day, but none of them had been half as charming as this young one. "I'm an angel," he countered. "Or I was anyway."

His wife had never encountered Fae, and therefore had none of the preconceptions he held, shrugging with a faint smile at the cheerful little girl, glancing away to make sure Piper could breathe before continuing with her meal. An eye for an eye, a secret for a secret ....

Lyneth was duly impressed by Rhys' reply, her mouth opening in a round "oh" as she beamed at him. "What, like a real angel wiv wings an' a dress an' sandals an' everything?"

He smiled, and the smile he gave her was almost angelic. "No," he replied, remembering what Zachariel had looked like when he'd first met him, bloodied from having his wings chopped off. Lailah was a better example, though she was as invisible to Lyneth as her fairies were to him, at least, for now. "I used to have wings, I suppose, but I'm human now."

"Well, obviously," the precocious little imp rolled her eyes at him, giggling as she caught the warning look directed her way by Rufus for being very nearly rude. "'Cos you can't make a baby if you're a angel, 'cos angels don't have winkies."

"Not in the spiritual sense, no," he replied, though he wasn't sure he wanted to get into an extended discussion with a child about....Wait a minute. Did she say winkie" And how does she know how babies are made" Rhys suddenly got the feeling he was being played. There was a lot more to Lyneth than he'd originally assumed.

"Lyneth," Miranda broke in, mildly. "We don't talk about winkies at the dinner table."

"But Mr Winkie isn't the only winkie inna world, and there's four winkies under this table right now," the tiny girl objected, reducing Beth, who wasn't even supposed to be listening, to helpless giggles. "Why don't we talk about them when they're right there?"

Ever patient and more experienced at dealing with children than anyone else presently at the table, Miranda merely explained very simply, "Because it's impolite to talk about at the dinner table, especially in the company of guests." She touched her finger to Lyneth's nose. "That is why, and you, young lady, already know that."

On Rhys' other side, Natalya leaned in close to him, brushing a gentle kiss to his cheek. "I think perhaps, milaya, you have met your match in that little streak of mischief," she suggested softly, sharing her smile with her husband to try and give him a little support. She had no idea what was going on with the tiny girl, but there was obviously more there than met the eye.

Rhys had gone back to eating his cheeseburger when Nat leaned close to whisper in his ear. At least, the cheeseburger was safe and didn't try to confuse him or tease him. He found Lyneth intriguing, but didn't quite know what to make of her. "I met some Fae once. They weren't very nice, but you don't seem anything like them." He wasn't sure why he'd said it, but what was the point of lying when a small child in your presence could sniff those lies out like a hound on a blood trail?

"Well, I'm only half Fae," Lyneth offered a little belatedly. Maybe she should have pointed that out sooner. "I got a hoomun mummy and my daddy is extra special 'cos me and mummy got to choose him and he's hoomun, too, an' he's gonna be all big an' strong and punchy."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-02-03 08:23 EST
Rhys absorbed all of this quietly but with an open mind. He flicked a brief gaze at Piper and Desmond before turning back to Lyneth. He wasn't sure what the story was behind her parents, but he wasn't stupid. A half-Fae child who was somehow related to a vampire hunter of some sort, but then, they were from Rhy'Din. "People here on Earth," he started, leaning close and lowering his voice. "Humans," he added. "Most of them don't really know about things like Fae or angels."

"Cos they don't believe in magic," Lyneth agreed in a sage tone of voice. "My mummy's Erf is worst, 'cos there isn't any magic at all," she added in a horrified hush. "She had to go to Rhy'Din 'cos uverwise she would of got sick an' dieded instead of making me in her tummy."

"Most of them don't," Rhys agreed. "But some do. The man who raised me did. He took me in and raised me, like your father is doing with you." If it wasn't for the fact that she looked and sounded like a child, he would have sworn he was conversing with a much older, much wiser being. He was a little surprised to hear what she had to tell him about her mother's Earth, but was well versed in the possibility of multiple universes. "It's a good thing she did, then. Rhy'Din is probably the safest place for her and for you."

"An' my daddy is lookin' after her an' Wufust is teachin' him how to go pow and zap, like inna comics, an' I'm gonna be all strong an' stuff when the bad daddy comes back," Lyneth informed Rhys. It might have seemed strange, how much she was trusting him with, but she'd pegged someone else who understood how important secrets were. Besides, it was easier to hear these things coming from her, than from any of the adults at the table.

It took Rhys a few minutes to put the pieces of the puzzle together, but the more Lyneth told him, the more things made sense. The "bad daddy" was obviously Fae, and he knew enough of them to know they were not to be taken lightly. From what she was telling him, it seemed to him that Desmond was in training with Rufus, probably to learn how to deal with Fae in order to protect his wife and child. That seemed logical enough, though he didn't quite understand the other part of what Lyneth was telling him about herself. He did catch the fact that she had said when, not if, as if her Fae father's return was inevitable. And then he suddenly realized what she meant. "You're learning to use magic." It was not a question.

She nodded, beaming cheerfully at him. It seemed patently absurd that this tiny little person was taking on the responsibility of keeping her family safe from the Fae who would come for her eventually, and yet, who else had the power to do it' Sucking ketchup off her fingers, Lyneth turned back to her fries, just a child again to all intents and purposes. A confusing juxtaposition of power and innocence.

He observed her quietly a moment, noting the childlike innocence, alongside the almost age-old wisdom that could be easily missed or misunderstood by anyone not well versed in magic and legend, but Rhys had not only once been an angel and a demon hunter, but was also the Champion of Avalon. He knew some of the truths behind myth and legend and knew this little girl was the real thing. He knew he shouldn't volunteer Avalon's help, but at the same time, the Lady had made him the Champion in part because of his willingness to help those in need. He leaned close, lowering his voice for her ears only, "Lyneth, if you or your family ever needs help, all you need do is ask for it."

She blinked up at him, surprised enough to let the facade of the child slip just for a moment, showing him confirmation of the wisdom in her turquoise eyes. It was just for a moment, her childlike smile retrieved before anyone else could notice it. "T'ank you, Wees."

Rhys wasn't quite sure how they'd get in touch with him or Nat if they were needed, especially if they were off in Avalon at the time, but he'd talk to Rufus about it later and sort it out. There were always ways of summoning those whose help was needed if you couldn't get in touch with them via normal channels. His mouth twitched into a slightly amused smirk as she seemed to become nothing more than an impish and mischievous child, once again. He got the feeling there was a lot more to Lyneth than met the eye. He shrugged a shoulder as if it wasn't really a big deal. "It's what I do. What we do," he corrected himself, with a glance toward Natalya, though he didn't really want to get her involved in anything dangerous.

"When you're not makin' babies." She offered him a charming grin from a mouth overflowing with food, and returned to her meal, secure in the certainty that, whether he knew it or not, Rhys Bristol was now her friend.

Rhys grinned at Lyneth's remark. "Touche," he replied. If she only knew the truth. Maybe she'd find out someday. Maybe he'd even introduce her to the Lady of Avalon someday, but that wasn't going to happen today. It was too soon to make any promises other than that to help. Though he found the little Fae-girl a little perplexing, he had taken an almost instant liking to her. How could he not when he was so much a child at heart himself" Whether Lyneth knew it or not, she had just made an ally in Rhys Bristol and a life-long friend.

Before long, dinner was finished and it was time to order dessert, but before dessert was delivered to their table, Miranda had swapped seats with Rhys. She had overheard a little of the conversation between Rhys and Lyneth, and though she was happy to pretend she didn't know what her husband did for a living, she had a feeling Rhys and Rufus had some things to talk about. Besides, she couldn't wait to chat with the only other pregnant female at the table besides her own daughter, and that was Natalya. "So, tell me, when are you due?" she asked boldly, coming straight to the point, with a warm, motherly smile.

Startled to find herself suddenly the focus of Miranda's attention, having not noticed the rearrangement of people to and from seats around Lyneth, Natalya blinked, her dark eyes wide for a moment before she chuckled softly. It was going to take a while for her to get used to being in social situations without the pressing need to get information out of people. Her hand brushed her bump, neatly concealed tonight beneath a knitted poncho. "Uh, I am due at the end of July," she offered, glancing at Beth as though asking permission to talk to the woman's mother nervously.

Miranda didn't seem to notice the young woman's nervous glance at her daughter. Bethany and Desmond had chatted with her long enough. It was her turn now. "Summer is a lovely time of year to have a baby," Miranda replied back. "You don't get cooped up in the house like you do with a winter baby. Bethany was born in May, so I had all summer to take her out before the weather changed."

Nat smiled faintly, curious enough to ask questions but a little shy of it at the same time. But Miranda was a warm woman, and surprisingly easy to talk to - it was easy to see where Beth had got it from. "I am a little scared," she admitted uncertainly. "I do not know anything about how to be a mother, much less to a daughter."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-02-03 08:24 EST
"Don't be silly, dear," Miranda reassured her, even reaching to touch her hand in a motherly way. "Women have been having children since the dawn of time. You'll be fine. It's mostly instinct, and don't read any of those silly manuals that tell you how to be a good mother. Mothering comes from here," she said, touching a hand to her heart. "I never had a son," she started, with a brief but pointed look at her daughter, "but I had plenty of nephews. In my opinion, girls are easier."

This little bit of advice got a slightly incredulous chuckle from the Russian woman sitting with her. "I cannot help but be uncertain," she shrugged helplessly. "I did not know my own mother for very long, and I barely remember her. I-I have no friends who have children - well, not of my own. Rhys' friends have a son, but I am only just getting used to knowing him. I keep waking up thinking I have hurt the baby somehow."

Miranda frowned a little at the small admission from Natalya and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. She didn't want to pry, but assumed her mother had died when Natalya had still been a small child, and her heart went out to the girl, who had been deprived of a mother's love, just as Bethany had been deprived of a father - at least, until recently. She knew no one could take a mother's place, but perhaps she could, at least, be a friend. "Why would you think that?" Miranda asked curiously, wondering what had happened in Natalya's life that she'd think such a thing.

There was a pause as Nat drew together her answer, painful though it was. "Everything I am good at, I was taught by a man who only wanted someone else to have skill at his chosen profession," she said quietly. "I was taught to ignore my instincts. I do not know if I can find them again in time."

Miranda considered that a moment with a frown. Whatever the young woman had gone through, it had been traumatic enough to make her doubt her own maternal instincts, which Miranda believed existed inside very woman, whether they chose to have a child or not. All she really needed to do was get in touch with those feelings and gain a little self-confidence. It was something nearly every new mother struggled with at first, some more than others. It wasn't easy knowing that you were solely responsible for the care and well-being of another human being, especially one so innocent and helpless as a newborn child.

"Natalya," Miranda started, reaching for the girl's hand once again. "You will do just fine. Having a baby is mostly common sense. So long as you love your child, you can do no wrong. I'm not saying you won't make mistakes. You'll make plenty of them, but you learn from them. And you won't be alone." She glanced over at Rhys for a moment, who seemed deeply involved in conversation with her husband, leaving Lyneth to giggle with Bethany and Jason over her dessert. "You have a loving, devoted husband to help you. You have friends and neighbors." She sighed as she glanced to Bethany a moment before looking back at Natalya. "When I had my daughter, I was all alone."

To say Nat was surprised by this confession was an understatement. She was shocked, not quite able to believe that this vibrant mother could ever have been all alone, not when she had a family who adored her as they so obviously did. She glanced from Beth to Miranda once again, clearly confused. "Rufus ....is not Bethany's father?" she asked, trying to clarify what she had heard.

"Yes, he's Bethany's father, but..." Miranda frowned a little as she was reminded of all the years she spent alone and isolated, away from home and from the man she loved, all to protect the daughter that meant more to them both than life itself. It wasn't often she spoke of that past or of the reality that was Rufus' life and career, but maybe these were things Natalya needed to know and to hear. If Miranda could raise a daughter on her home, far from home, Natalya certainly could do it with the help of those who loved and cared for her. "Rufus is..." She trailed off a moment, as if at a loss to explain her husband's profession. "What he does for a living is dangerous, and he didn't want to bring that danger into our lives or his daughter's life, so we decided it was better if he stayed away."

"He is a Watcher, Beth told us," Nat assured the older woman, gently touching her hand. She understood that part of it, certainly. "But you have such a large family," she pointed out quietly. "Why did you choose to be alone, when there were so many who could have helped you? I do not understand, Miranda."

Miranda shrugged, unsure of the answer herself, but at the time, the family wasn't nearly as tight as it was now. Things were different then, and she had made her choice. Her life had been in New York then, not Rhy'Din. To have gone home would have been to admit defeat, and it would have meant having to answer a lot of questions she didn't want to answer. "I don't know how to answer that, Natalya. It was a different world then. I told myself I was protecting my daughter, but I think I was afraid they'd be ashamed of me."

Nat's smile softened. "I can understand that," she nodded slowly, a gentle kind of sadness touching her expression. "My sister would be horrified if she could see me now." She shook her head, dismissing that thought easily from her mind as she turned her thoughts to something else. "Is it very difficult, to birth a baby?"

Miranda's thoughts turned to Gordon a moment, remembering how happy he and Felicity had been with their triplets, and how things had so quickly changed, but all of that was in the past. Natalya's voice drew her out of her thoughts and back to the present. "Yes," she replied honestly. "It's one of the hardest things you'll ever do, but it's worth it, and over time, you forget the pain and only remember the wonder at the miracle of birth."

"If it's so difficult, why do people have more than one child?" was the immediate response to that. If Rhys could have overheard them, he would have known that Nat's thoughts had turned now to the future, to the knowledge that she was going to go through this not once, but three times.

"Because there is nothing in the world like having a child, and until you do, you won't really understand what that's like. It truly is a miracle, Natalya. There is no greater love than that of a mother for her child." There were many kinds of love - romantic love, true love, the love you felt for family and friends - but none of them was quite the same as that which a mother felt for her child.

"Even if I am a terrible mother?" And there was the crux of the insecurity. Nat was absolutely positive that Rhys would be a fantastic father, but she had no confidence in her own ability to match that level with her own parenting. "I know it must seem very strange to you, that I should be worrying about such a thing, but ....our children will be very special," she said softly. "What if I destroy their destiny because I am so awful at being a mother?"

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-02-03 08:25 EST
Miranda smiled, knowing a little secret she was about to share with Natalya that she had learned for herself over the years. "Worrying about being a bad mother proves that you will be a wonderful mother. Believe me, Natalya, so long as you love and care for your children, you will be fine. If you can take care of that one..." she said, with a nod of her head toward Rhys, who seemed like a big kid himself, "you can take of a baby."

She couldn't have offered any better advice than that. Nat's expression relaxed as she followed the nod of Miranda's head to where their husbands were in animated conversation. "He takes care of me," she pointed out, but it seemed that her anxiety had been soothed, at least for now. "Thank you. I know it is not exactly done for a stranger to solicit advice."

"Don't be silly, dear. You're not a stranger. You're one of the family now," Miranda assured her, patting her hand one last time. Whether Natalya knew it or not, she'd just been adopted by the Granger clan via Miranda, just as Liv and Johnny had and anyone else whom Miranda became fond of or deemed worthy.

Further down the table, on the other side of the giggling Lyneth, Rufus and Rhys had fallen into an interestingly professional conversation. It was easier for them to talk, strangely, than it was for others at their first meeting; they had plenty to talk about. "Well, strictly speaking, I'm not supposed to be very hands on at all," Rufus was saying mildly. "But she was thirteen when she was called. I didn't think it fair that she should have to face vampires all alone at that age."

"I don't really understand how they are....chosen," Rhys inquired, choosing to substitute the word chosen for called. Being called implied that the hunter had a choice in what they did, which he knew was not always the case. He had hunted vampires on occasion and they had been the cause of Dylan's death, but demons had always been his particular specialty.

Rufus leaned forward, frowning as he attempted to explain the sacred line of Slayers. "It ....is a result of magic, a very great magic, that was performed long before there was any recorded history," he said thoughtfully. "A girl was chosen from her tribe and imbued with the strength and agility she would need to protect her people against the vampires that stalked them. The spell was done in such a way as to pass on that strength and agility, that preternatural ability, to another girl when the first died, and so on. In the moment one Slayer dies, another girl becomes a Slayer, and the Council of Watchers has to locate her and assign her a Watcher before she, too, is killed."

"So, she has no knowledge who she really is until the Council finds her, or is she prepared from the time of her birth?" Rhys asked further, hoping to wrap his head around it better. The Gates of Hell might be closed, but there were still plenty of nasty things roaming the night, and he had always had a particular grudge against vampires.

"She has no idea, unfortunately," Rufus sighed. It was one of the idiosyncrasies of the spellwork that he despised. "Neither do the Council. If we knew who was going to be tapped next, we would be able to prepare her in advance. But in every generation there are hundreds of potential Slayers born. It is impossible to find the right one until the power is given to her, and then it is a race against time. She's usually in a demon-heavy area, and they're drawn to the power of a Slayer, whatever form their demonic side takes."

"Are we talking Earth or Rhy'Din because things are different here now," Rhys continued, purposely keeping his voice low. These were not things you wanted to share with the general populace or sometimes, even your closest friends and family. There were just some things people were better off not knowing, and this was one of them. He waited for Rufus' response to see just how much the man knew about what had transpired over the last few years, and perhaps more importantly, what the Council of Watchers knew.

"This is on Earth, this Earth in particular," the older man explained. "I do not know how it works on other Earths. I was sent to Rhy'Din because we got wind of problems arising there, along with my Slayer. She's survived a long time, and she has issues with the Council. For the time being, the Council is keeping a guard on vampire activity, but when Lei dies, another girl will be called and I daresay she will remain here for the duration of her ....service."

"Here, on Earth' Not Rhy'Din" Why's that?" he inquired, knowing it was difficult to hunt vampires in a place where they were nearly as commonplace as humans. So long as they didn't hunt innocents, he was willing to let them be, but that didn't mean he had to like them.

"Because Rhy'Din has its own methods of dealing with the supernatural, as I am sure you are aware," Rufus said with a hefty sigh. "Here on Earth, the truth isn't widely known. The human population is in more danger, purely because of that fact."

"One Slayer to hunt all those vampires" No wonder there are so many of them." But then, he'd been one of a kind, too, in a way, with more than his share of responsibility upon his shoulders. "You realize things have changed here," Rhys remarked again, since Rufus had not taken the bait the first time. Rhys still didn't know how much Rufus knew about what had taken place on Earth over the last few years or about his own part in those events. Vampires were not really his forte, though he wasn't opposed to hunting them. He had, however, mentioned demons, and Rhys wondered if the Council knew what the situation was where they were concerned.

"I did assume that something had happened," the Watcher mused, fishing for what that something might have been. He glanced to the other end of the table, where Rhys' wife was laughing over something that had been said to her. "It isn't every day a hunter settles down and starts a family. From what I understand, your people tend to try and put everyone off doing what you do."

Rhys followed the other man's glance toward Natalya and frowned, realizing what he was getting at. It was true he'd been something of a loner for a long time, but meeting Natalya had changed everything. "I tried it that way. It didn't work. She's not a hunter. She's a thief." Rhys wasn't telling Rufus anything he couldn't or wouldn't find out on his own anyway. After all, Nat had already told Beth and Jason as much, if not more. Rhys considered a moment before deciding to go ahead and tell Rufus what he didn't seem to know. Watcher, Slayer, Hunter, Thief, they all had the same goals, after all - to keep humanity safe. "We closed the Gates of Hell," he started. "Which solved the main problem, but created a few others." The main problem being that of Abaddon.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-02-03 08:26 EST
"Evidently a very special kind of thief," Rufus murmured, but his attention was immediately caught by what he was then told. "Bloody hell ....How the hell did you manage that?" he asked, leaning forward, fascinated, interested, and yes, even more impressed by this modest announcement of one of the greatest blows landed against the dark side in centuries.

Rhys shrugged, as if it was nothing. The story was too long and too complicated to go into here, and though his gut told him he could trust Rufus, he wasn't so sure about the Council. Organizations such as the Council always seemed to have their own secret agenda, and Rhys wasn't overly fond of secrets, even of his own. "Long story," he said, assuming Rufus would see the wisdom in not sharing such a story here. "The problem is now they have no place to go." In other words, if you exorcised one, their ass wasn't kicked back to Hell, but the Lady had already solved that little problem for them. Now it was just a matter of tracking them all down - a job Rhys found too big for just one hunter.

"And killing the demon means killing the host," Rufus finished off that thought with a nod, rubbing his forehead for a moment. He understood why Rhys was being careful with his information - he would have done the same in his place. "I should pass that on to the Council," he muttered reluctantly. "Whether they'll believe me or not is another story altogether. We're not exactly on speaking terms at the moment."

Rhys nodded, silently confirming what Rufus had said. "We're working on a solution, but in the meantime, that's the situation. At least, we shouldn't have to worry about Armageddon anytime soon." Rhys didn't bother to explain how close they'd come to that before Abaddon had been killed. A few rogue demons were nothing compared to Hell's Triad. "What's the problem with the Council?" he inquired, reaching for his cup of coffee before it got cold. There was nothing he enjoyed more than a good discussion with a like-minded soul.

Rufus' jaw clenched. "They wanted to put Shen Lei through a particularly barbaric rite of passage," he explained. "And they wanted me to help them do it. I refused, I told Lei, they got more than a little angry, and sent us to Rhy'Din at the first opportunity. I haven't had contact with them since, though I am aware that they watch us constantly."

"Why would they do that?" Rhys asked, intrigued himself. He had heard of the Council of Watchers, but he'd never had any contact with them. Whether they were aware of him and Natalya probably went without saying, but he had a feeling Avalon was something they knew nothing about and he planned on keeping it that way.

"Probably simply because Lei is the Slayer at this point in time," Rufus shrugged. "It can't be to monitor us, since they've made no overtures and we haven't contacted them. You could say that we're freelance now."

"To test her maybe," Rhys reasoned. It made sense anyway. He snorted derisively at the other man's declaration. "Or they want you to think you're freelance. If she's the only Slayer, you can bet your ass they're watching." It made no sense to him really. One Slayer to kill all those vampires, and yet, he'd been in similar circumstances. One angel sent to stop the Apocalypse and defeat the demons of Hell. "What's the deal with Shirley Temple?" Rhys asked, with a nod of his head toward Lyneth.

The change in subject was a relief to the older man, who looked past Rhys' shoulder to where Lyneth was crumbling a small piece of Bethany's brownie into her ice-cream with intense concentration. He smiled, surprisingly affectionate for a moment, returning his gaze to the hunter beside him. "It is a little complex," he warned. "But, essentially, she is the product of what I think is a breeding program initiated by a specific group of Fae. They make no secret of the circumstances of Lyneth's birth, if you would like to know the details."

Rhys' gaze never wavered from Rufus, noting the affection that briefly showed itself on his face. Well, who couldn't fall in love with an adorable, charming little thing like that' Even Rhys had felt a tug of affection for the little girl, half-Fae or not. Of course, he had a soft spot for children in general, but few other than those closest to him knew that. He sipped his coffee while Rufus explained. He glanced briefly over at Piper, who was chatting amicably with Nat, unaware she was the topic of discussion in a round-about way. "Was she a willing participant?" he asked quietly, turning back.

"It wasn't rape," Rufus said, careful to keep his voice down so that only Rhys could hear him. "But from what I understand, she was emotionally vulnerable, a little the worse for drink, and knowing the Fae, he preyed on her mind to find out what would lure her. To make matters worse, the Earth she was born on has no magic at all. The pregnancy would have killed her if she hadn't come to Rhy'Din."

"Jesus," Rhys muttered under his breath. Rufus' story didn't make him any fonder of Fae than he already was, though he'd met very few of their kind. It wasn't so much that he hated Fae as mistrusted anyone who wielded their power in such a way as to put innocent people in harm's way. People like Piper and even Lyneth. He knew they weren't inherently evil, like demons, but that didn't make him distrust them any less. "Selfish bastards," he heard himself saying with a clench jaw.

"Yes, that's about right," Rufus agreed with a nod. "The problem they face at the moment is the fact that the Fae who chose Piper will be coming for Lyneth at some point. When they are at their most vulnerable, he will try to make her choose between her human family and becoming a full Fae. And he will cheat."

"Of course he will," Rhys remarked in agreement. Fae, demons, vampires, lycans....in the end, they were all the same. They all had their own little personal agendas, and humans were just a means to an end. And that was where he came in. "They'll threaten her family's lives and force her to choose." It wasn't all that hard to figure out, really. It seemed rather obvious to him.

"Hence, I am training Desmond to fight and kill," the older man sighed. "He has to be able to protect Piper so that Lyneth can do what needs to be done. Something tells me that little girl already knows what she will have to do. It all comes down to how loved she feels, how human they can make her believe she is."

Rhys took this information in stride, as it made perfect sense. He saw Desmond in a slightly new light as he learned the man was taking the proper steps to protect his family. He glanced to Lyneth again, seeing her as both child and Fae. It was so obvious to his eyes that she was loved, adored really by all those around her. "Will they let her make a choice of her own free will or take her by force?" he asked, as his gaze lingered a moment on Lyneth.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-02-03 08:26 EST
"She has to make the choice," Rufus told him quietly. "And if they can kill her parents, what choice is there?" He met Rhys' gaze head on. "Desmond might well hate me by the time I'm done with him, but he will be able to defend his wife against whatever is thrown at them."

Rhys' gaze drifted to Desmond then at the end of the table, beside Piper, an easy-going smile on his face that seemed to belie the strength and determination hidden behind that gaze. "He'd make a good hunter," Rhys observed casually. "If he wasn't married." He turned back to Rufus before anyone noticed he was watching them. He almost wished he could help in some way, but wasn't really sure how, though he felt this meeting had happened for a reason. He didn't really believe in luck or coincidence. Everything in life happened for a reason, but sorting out the reason was the real challenge.

"He would, but I think he would be a better Watcher, or something in that category," Rufus said mildly. "Research and reference, with a little fighting or hunting thrown in. Something he could do while keeping an eye on his family."

Rhys nodded, realizing Desmond was more like Adam than himself. While Adam was more than capable of hunting and fighting, it was research and investigation that was more his forte. "What about your son-in-law?" Rhys asked, lowering his voice further as Jason and Bethany were close by. "He's not involved in all that, is he?" He assumed Jason and Bethany were just as they seemed and claimed, but he wanted to be sure.

Rufus chuckled at the thought of that, especially given how vehement Jason had been only today on the subject of keeping Bethany safe. "No, not actively involved," he assured Rhys. "He is aware, but not of much. He wants to be more aware, to be taught how he can protect his family from the things that go bump." Kind eyes met Rhys' gaze once again. "I suggested that he should ask you for help with that."

Rhys arched a brow, a little surprised at the man's suggestion, wondering how he came to earn his trust so quickly. Hunters tended to be a suspicious bunch, though he had taken to Jason and Bethany pretty quickly. His gut instinct had told him they were nothing more than they seemed, and that instinct was rarely wrong these days. "What should I be teaching him to protect them from' Are we talking vampires or just monsters in general?"

"Monsters in general," Rufus nodded swiftly, taking a sip from his own cup of coffee as though he had only just remembered it was there. "I can't be of much help in that regard - you have more practical experience to draw upon, and I've seen how you have warded your house. Very discreet, by the way. No one would notice it if they didn't know what they were looking at."

"I can't take the credit there. That was all Nat," Rhys explained, leaving it at that, though he believed that without Nat, he'd be nothing. There was no question in his mind that he'd more than likely be dead by now. Without Nat, there was a good chance that Abaddon would have won, and the world would be a very different place. "She's going to ward their house, the same as ours." He frowned a little, internally debating whether or not their new neighbors were going to be safe living next door. "We debated whether or not to move here. Whether it would be safe. I thought it might be easier to hide in plain sight, but I didn't think about how it might affect those around us."

"I'd say you got lucky moving in next to Beth and Jason," Rufus said, unwittingly reassuring the other man as they talked. "They are aware that not everything is as it seems, and I have to admit, I have not met a more capable couple. Aside from yourself and your wife, of course. Jason is more than capable of protecting my daughter, and she's more than capable of making sure he doesn't die doing it. You got lucky, Rhys. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

Now that luck had been mentioned - and more than once - Rhys felt the need to comment on it. After all, one of his closest friends had turned out to be one of the Fates, though he hadn't known it at the time. "I don't believe in luck, Rufus. Too much has happened for me to believe in luck. You can call it whatever you want - fate, destiny, God - but it's not luck."

Rufus met his gaze head-on, his expression calm but serious. "I am the sole guide and guardian to a young woman who has been fighting vampires since she was thirteen years old," he said quietly. "She had no choice in the matter, and she has no future. Most Slayers are dead before they reach eighteen years old. I would rather say it was luck that called her from the hundreds of other potentials out there ....than have to admit that her only destiny is to die."

Rhys often wondered if, somewhere out there, Fate wasn't still spinning the thread of his life on her spindle, watching him from afar. "Some choices are made before you're ever born, whether you're aware of it or not," Rhys pointed out, as was the case with himself, though he couldn't speak for the Slayer. "Everything happens for a reason." Even death, though Rhys did not say that.

"Oh, I'm well aware of that," Rufus nodded. "But at a human level, I see no point in giving someone a gift they are expected to die making use of." He shook his head, forcing a faint smile. "This is a little heavy for at the dinner table, isn't it?"

Rhys could have pointed out how he was supposed to have died, to have almost been the sacrificial lamb, in a way. He remembered a nightmare he'd had many years ago as a boy, where he'd been just that. At the time it had terrified him so much that he'd done something stupid and almost gotten himself killed. It had been a warning of some kind, but at the time, he hadn't understood how to interpret it. He stifled a shudder at the memory of that dream, which had someone been triggered by their discussion. "I don't know a lot about Slayers, but I do know that some of us were chosen for a reason."

He nodded his head toward the others in the group, all of whom were innocents, as far as Rhys was concerned, including Lyneth. "They're the reason," he said, meaning not only those at the table, but all of humanity, all those who knew nothing of the darker side of life. "All you can do is make the most of the time you have and hope it's longer than you think." He shook himself out of his deeper, darker thoughts as Rufus tried to lighten the mood. "Sorry. I got a little carried away there."

"Every man has his own thoughts on what it is that rules his life," Rufus shrugged gently. "For myself, I am torn. I look at Miranda and Beth, and I feel blessed. Then I look at Lei, and I know that she's on borrowed time. There's no blessing in that. I would rather flip a coin for luck, than damage my own confidence with a strong belief in destiny. But that doesn't mean I disagree with anyone who doesn't share my view." He took a last sip of his coffee, signaling for the bill as a waiter went by. "Now then ....what would you like to bet me that I don't even get my wallet out before my darling wife comes and steals that bill right out of my hand?"

Bethany Daly

Date: 2014-02-03 08:28 EST
"I'm not saying the ending is pre-destined. It's all about the journey," Rhys continued, not arguing Rufus' point. Perhaps even agreeing, but seeing it from a slightly different perspective. "No one lives forever. Not humans anyway, but if you believe in the immortality of the soul, then this is just one part of an endless journey." As for Rhys, this was his first part - his first life as a human, but that was probably a discussion for another time. He smiled when Rufus changed the subject once again, and he glanced toward Miranda who seemed preoccupied with Lyneth at the moment and unaware that Rufus had signaled for the bill. Still, he knew better than to underestimate a woman's powers of observation, no matter which woman that might be. "I have a feeling I'd lose that bet."

Rufus laughed aloud at the wise decision made beside him, taking the bill from the waiter and setting it onto the table as he fished in his pocket for his wallet. "You're wiser than you look," he complimented Rhys cheerfully. "And to your other point ....I believe in the immortality of the soul. All I have to do is look at Beth and Jason to know that one is fact."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult," Rhys replied with a smirk. And just as Rufus had predicted, Miranda made her way over to pluck the check from her husband's hand before he could dig in his wallet for cash. "I'll take that," she declared with a cheeky wink at Rhys, as if she knew what they'd been discussing all along. Rhys chuckled, but knew when it was time to excuse himself, and he moved to his feet. "I'd like to talk with you further sometime, Rufus. Maybe there's a way I can help."

Laughing at Miranda's quick fingers, Rufus nodded to Rhys. "Beth and Jason can always get hold of me," he assured the other man. "It's been a pleasure, Rhys. Let's do this properly sometime."

"You know where I live. You're always welcome to drop by." Without saying it outright, he had just given Rufus permission to call on him and Nat anytime, whether he needed his help or not. Rhys sensed there were few who understood the supernatural world as well as Rufus, and he was eager to swap stories and gain insight. And with that said, he excused himself again and wandered back over to reclaim his seat beside Nat, coffee cup in hand.

Catching Miranda around the waist, Rufus pulled his wife down onto his lap, heedless of the public place they were in. "Well then, Mrs. Granger-Bennett," he mused into her ear, warm breath tickling her neck, "what do you think of our daughter's new friends?"

Miranda giggled like a schoolgirl when she found herself in her husband's lap, though the bill was still in her hand. It would take more than that to bribe it away from her. "I think you and Rhys spend too much time talking shop when you both should be relaxing," she replied with a smile, touching an affectionate kiss to his lips.

"Ah, so you disapprove of my plan to bring cigars and brandy with me next time?" he laughed, nipping at her neck once again. "I could turn his house into a gentleman's club and bore him stupid discussing philosophy, what do you think?"

"I think his wife might have something to say about that. Don't make me take her on a shopping spree," she warned, though there was no malice in her warning, as evidenced by the sparkle in her warm brown eyes.

"Somehow I have a feeling that you will have a willing accomplice in getting Bethany to do girly things with Natalya around," Rufus chuckled, extracting his wallet from his pocket - and having a fun little feel of her behind at the same time - and setting it on the table. "You know, if I were to just hold onto you, I could pay that bill while you sit here pouting because you can't reach your bag."

"Hush, you. Maybe if you're lucky, I'll let you pay the bill just this once and take it out in trade when we get home," she countered with a playful waggle of her perfectly-shaped eyebrows. She leaned in close to wind her arm around his neck, her fingers moving in and out of his hair. "What do you say we go home, Grandpa, and let the children get settled?"

"Mmm, lucky me," he laughed, letting the waiter take the check back again with a handful of bills to cover the cost and tip. "Whenever you are ready, angel."

"I am more than ready, darling," she replied with a touch of lips to his before moving to her feet, as playful and adoring as the day they'd met. "It's time for the old people to go home, children," she announced to the small group. "We have a little celebrating of our own to do," she added with a smirk.

"Yes, she feels she must ride me before my hips give out entirely," Rufus added with a grin, laughing aloud at Beth's slightly nauseated expression.

"Gee, thanks for the mental image, Dad," their daughter groaned, but smiled, too, rising to her own feet to embrace her parents one by one. "Thanks for coming out today. We really appreciate it. And remember," she added to Miranda, "only Humphrey. No one else."

Rufus got a little playful slap on the arm for that remark, despite Miranda's laughter. "No need to make an announcement regarding our love life, dear," she chided her husband, with an emphasis on the dear. Miranda turned to her one and only daughter and returned her embrace, but not before gesturing like she was buttoning her lips and mumbling something incoherent in response with her mouth closed.

"Mummy, you never said that Wufust and M'anda hadded a love life," a small voice piped up, causing a fresh round of laughter as Beth squeezed her mother and slipped back to her seat with a smile.

"Shh, you," Piper told her own daughter indulgently. "You don't have to comment on everything."

Jason came up behind Beth before she could find her seat and offered Rufus a shake of his hand and a hug for Miranda. She kissed his cheek fondly, before wiping the lipstick imprint from his face with a finger, her eyes smiling affectionately. "Be happy, Jason. Everything's going to be fine."

"Just don't attempt to show anyone your ultrasound pictures before madam here has had a chance to coo over them first," Rufus advised with a chuckle, clasping his son-in-law's hand firmly. "Have a good evening, everyone," he added, one hand at Miranda's back to steer her away before they caused a traffic jam in the restaurant.

"As for you..." Miranda started with a fresh twinkle in her eyes for that little imp of a girl. She disentangled herself from Jason and Rufus to give Lyneth a hug and a kiss on her cheek, as well. "You be good for your Mummy, and maybe she'll let you stay overnight sometime soon."

And with that said, she let Rufus lead her away from the group of family and new friends to enjoy a celebration of their own in private.

((Nine characters! Count 'em - NINE! Fun, though. :grin: Thanks as always to my partner in crime!))