There were a few things that weren't unusual on Maple Grove, but an earthquake shortly followed by torrential rain summoned out of nowhere definitely ranked among the unexpected happenings. Rufus made it back to his own home before the rain started, but spent a few minutes on the porch watching the clouds above with interest. "There is a lot of potential there," he murmured to himself, folding down the crossbow.

The door opened behind him with a creak that announced he was no longer alone, and suddenly there was a pair of very female arms making their way around his waist, a chin resting against his shoulder - or very nearly his shoulder. "A lot of potential where?" a female voice he would recognize as belonging to his wife asked from behind him.

Unconsciously lowering that shoulder to let her rest her chin more comfortably there, Rufus glanced back at Miranda with a smile. "You're not going to like it," he warned. He did know his wife, after all.

There was no reply for a moment, as she considered his statement. She'd heard that before, more times than she cared to count. "Is it going to put you in danger?" she asked, trying to hide the trepidation from her voice. He had promised he was done with the slaying and hunting. They had lost enough years together, and they had a small child to raise now.

"Not me personally, no," he promised her, setting the crossbow to one side to twist and gather her into his arms. "I promised you I would never hunt again, and I intend to keep that promise, angel. You never said anything about training other people, though."

"Training other people?" she asked, one perfectly-plucked eyebrow arching upwards suspiciously, even as she melted into his embrace. It wasn't that she didn't trust him exactly, but she knew him too well, and she knew he had a unique set of skills few others could duplicate. "What other people" What's this about, Rufus?" Not Rufio, but Rufus - which meant she meant business.

"The Storms' eldest daughter, her boyfriend, his brother, one of your Grangers - Zachary?" He tilted his head to look down at her. "They were practising combining their abilities. They want to join the fight on Earth against the people who almost killed Olivia Storm. I didn't see any point in trying to talk them out of it."

"You didn't see any point?" she echoed, both brows arching upwards now in obvious confusion and just a touch of irritation as she tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "They're little more than children!" she pointed out, though he had to know that already.

"They are old enough to make this decision for themselves, angel," he pointed out calmly. "The same age Johnny was when he decided to use his own abilities. Without training, they will be throwing themselves into a fight they are not ready for. I can't teach them everything, but I can make sure they will not die out there."

"There's a better way to make sure they don't die out there!" Miranda pointed out, pushing away from him, but not entirely out of his embrace. She hadn't felt this way when he'd offered to train Desmond or Taylor or Kaylee, but the difference there, as far as Miranda could see it, was their age. Desmond and Taylor and Kaylee had been full-grown adults, not children barely out of puberty.

"And if I say no, what is to stop them from going to Earth on their own and interfering in the plans being laid by Captain Rogers and his team?" Rufus countered calmly, letting her put a little distance between them. "They are angry, and rightfully so, but angry people don't make good decisions. I can wear the anger out of them in a day, love."

She opened her mouth to point out how angry people were often reckless, until he said basically the same thing. "We could lock them up somewhere and not let them out until it's all over," she suggested, though she knew that would only serve to make them angrier.

Rufus raised a brow at her suggestion. "How, then, are we any better than the people who have hurt them, if we take away their right to choose?" he asked her gently. "They are not children, Miranda. Someone they care for was almost killed, and they saw the way it has affected everyone around them. I won't sanction them being a part of the mission that is coming if I do not believe they can do it safely. I will not train them if they cannot take it seriously." He offered her a faint smile. "I may have already intimidated them with a small taste of what they are proposing to do."

She frowned up at him, knowing it was pointless to argue. He had already made his mind up, and so had they, and she couldn't really fault any of them for it. If she'd been in their place, she might have done the same, but she was just a mere mortal with no talent for anything but a pad and paper and sewing machine. "Why do these things have to happen, Rufus" Why can't we all just live in peace?" she asked, knowing there was no real answer to that question.

"If we could eradicate hate, love, we would have the world we wanted," he sighed, drawing her close into his arms again. "I promise you, I will not send them quietly to their deaths. I will prevent them from going if I do not think they are ready. But they have these abilities, and they understand that just having those gifts gives them a greater responsibility to stand up against injustices. I promise they will not enjoy my training, but they will learn from it. Just as Lei did."

She leaned against his chest, the beat of his heart steady beneath her hand, listening to his words. She knew he was right, and she trusted him to do the right thing, but then he had to mention the dead Slayer who had been like a daughter to him - the dead Slayer whose child they were raising. She jerked her head up from his chest to meet his gaze again. "But Lei is ..." She broke off, knowing how much that loss still hurt him - hurt them both. Her chewed at her lower lip, as if to stop it from wobbling.

Rufus' jaw clenched, but he was still calm, still quiet. "Lei lived on borrowed time from the moment she was called," he reminded his wife gently. "She lived longer than any Slayer but one. The only reason she lived so long was because she learned from what I could teach her. But we were only putting off the inevitable goodbye for her. For these young people, their death is not already a foregone conclusion, angel."

"And if they die?" she asked. She knew he would do everything he could to help them stay alive - everything short of following them into battle - but nothing was certain. Then again, life itself was uncertain. One could die crossing the street, and these children - no, young adults - were at least brave enough to face the evil in their world and do what they could to make it a safer place. "I suppose there's no point in arguing," she said, clutching his shirt in her fists.

"A great deal of what they will face depends on the people who place them," he reminded her, just as gently as before. "I do not believe Captain Rogers would put an untried team on the frontlines. They will be frustrated, but if they learn from me, they will do as they are told and understand why things are as they are." He raised his hand, stroking her hair from her face. "It is better than letting them play with abilities they do not understand without forming any kind of cohesion."

She nodded her head, her face buried against his chest. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, exactly - anger that someone had tried to hurt Liv, worry that the young people might not survive, sadness that such evil even existed. And yet, despite all that, she knew Rufus was right and it was very possible he might be their only hope for survival. "You will make sure they are properly prepared" That they know not to do anything stupid?"