They went through the photos most were scenery shots, two people other than Beth occurred with regularity. One shot held a boy holding two sai, another had him holding eskrima sticks. Rachel said, "I would wager that that is Harry, Hawkeye didn't you say Beth said Thank Harry."
"But he's just a kid." Walter said.
"Young age does not necessarily indicate a lack of ability." Rachel countered.
Roy looked around at everyone. "Anything thing else to add? Let's get those last few pictures developed and then normal shift operations until we talk with Miss O'Neill.'
Beth slept for seventeen hours. Upon waking she got out of bed pulled on a robe and looked at her clock it was five in the morning. She noticed her pilots case had been unpacked. "Bess" she called.
The house elf popped into the room. " Miss Beth is calling?"
"Thank you for unpacking my case. Are Dad and Mother up yet?"
"Not yet miss, Miss Riza sent your pictures up."
"Figures." Beth snorted. Of course the security detail had poked through everything before she got the chance to unpack for herself. Of course traveling for nearly two days straight and spending very little of that time asleep would account for her need to pass out in bed when she got here. She wondered about her new security detail, would they be as magic bigoted as her last, if so she was so out of here. She loved her parents but the conclusion she had drawn during her month of vacation was it was time for her to cut the strings that they used to control her. "Tell the kitchen elves to make lots for breakfast I expect lots of people."
There was a soft knock on her bedroom door. "Yes?" The door opened and one of the women of her new security team stuck her head in.
"I heard your voice so I thought I would check on you."
"Come on in...Rachel right?"
"I'm surprised you remember you looked so tired."
"I was but you don't get far in the political world if you don't develop a memory for names and faces. I would like to meet with all of you, the detail I mean so we can get to know one another and so we can set some expectations. It would be great if it could happen after breakfast."
"That can be arranged, I'll let Roy know."
"Great could you do something for me. I was going to ask Bess, but you interrupted. Could you shrink the bed and move it to the side I want to do some exercises."
"Of course." Rachel pulled out her wand and did as asked. "What exercises if you don't mind my asking?"
"A couple of really basic silat katas that will warm me up for yoga."
"Do you mind if I watch?"
"I suppose not." Beth answered before focusing and starting the exercises.
Rachel sent a note to Roy while watching Beth perform the basic katas. The form was slightly different than the disciplines she was the most familiar with but certainly would serve as a base for self defense. She was impressed with the flexibility Beth showed when she moved on to yoga. When Beth finished she put the bed back without being asked and stepped out to allow Beth privacy to clean up and get dressed.
Twenty minutes later Beth walked into the breakfast room as expected it was packed with people: security details, including her full new team, various advisors and assistants. Her mother was quietly sipping her coffee while her father paced the room. "Morning Mother, Dad."
"Beth! What do you mean by running off like that? You could have gotten hurt or attacked or..."
"OR any number of horrible fates I'm sure Daddy. But I'm fine. In fact I'm the best I've ever been."she calmly dished up some scrambled eggs and toast.
Roderick Stevens found himself stymied. His step daughter had never been calm when he raised his voice to her, not that he'd needed to do it often raising her. He and Maryanne had been married for twenty-eight years and their blended family had been wonderful. They had both been widowed at a young age with young children to care for. His three boys by his first marriage had been joined by four more boys with Maryanne.
But Beth held a special place in his heart, she was his daughter. He had been disappointed that Beth's magical ability with empathy had been deemed insufficient to warrant magic schooling but it had proven a blessing to create political ties to his non magical counter part. Of course it helped that her birth father had been a well connected muggle and even now her Grandfather O'Neill gave him information that helped him with his dealings in both worlds.
"So where did you disappear to young lady? I didn't appreciate you disappearing like that and you put Andrew through a bunch of work for nothing!"
Beth inhaled deeply. She looked at her father's assistant, "I'm sorry you went through work for nothing Andrew. However, since it was my vacation I would have liked to be consulted."
"I...I just assumed that you would want to go to Whistler as that's what your family has always done when taking a winter trip."
"Yes... haven't they." Beth's sardonic tone was heard.
"I told Andrew to arrange so you could go skiing Beth."
"Daddy, has it ever occurred to you and Mother that I might like things that you don't or that I might actually hate things you love, like skiing. Or I am just expected to be the pretty doll that you haul out as the requisite daughter of the family. I spent a fair amount of time this last month figuring out who I really am and what I want in life. As an empath it has always been easiest for me just to go along with what you and Mother wanted; be that dating Morgan Holson or Peter Benchcombe, or working for the state department, or having a security detail that puts me down for being a squib."
"I got ordered to go on vacation because I was developing an ulcer. I did some research while Andrew planned. One of the major causes of ulcers is stress. Before I left I wondered what did I have to be stressed about after all I live a life of sheltered luxury but when I was handed an itinerary for a vacation it occurred to me. An itinerary for each day for a vacation! Does anyone beside me see something wrong with this picture. I was stressed because I had no choices and no respect. So I left. I went to the beach. I had no schedule, no one putting me down and I got to, amazingly, make my own choices, and it was the most wonderful time I've had in my life!"
Her parents winced when Beth mentioned the two wizards. Both had been introduced to Beth as respectable potential mates. Both had proved to be accomplished manipulators who had only been after Beth for her political connections. They had courted and wooed Beth and had even gotten engaged to her before Beth found out their true purposes.
Morgan had been overheard insulting Beth's squib status and Peter had been caught in bed with another witch. They winced again about her statements about being looked down on as a squib, because they had been guilty of doing that themselves. But they felt really ashamed when she pointed out the lack of respect and choice.
Maryanne Stevens felt even worse than her husband. How had she failed her daughter this badly? "So you went to the beach? What did you do?"
"Well I walked on the beach lots." Beth paused, as it occurred to her she could get a little bit of revenge on her overprotective parents. "I met a wonderful man." Come on bite little fishy, she thought.
"A man what does he do?" Her father asked.
Gotcha! "He's in between jobs at the moment." She said fighting a smirk. The expression on both her parents faces screamed that they were thinking 'Oh no a beach bum influencing our precious daughter.'
"He taught me how to sail and snorkel it was so relaxing and the nights..." Beth smirked as her mother went white and her father went puce.
Beth's security detail fought back snickers. Their charge was certainly getting a little revenge. She had just implied the man she met was a beach bum. But the ring on her finger implied that even if she met him on a beach and he was between jobs the man was loaded.
"Anyway, he was there with his adopted son and all of us had a good time. Oh look at the time...I'm sure you were about to have a meeting since Mathilda, Eleanor, Calvin and Hershel are all here. I'm going to be meeting with my new detail. I'll see you this evening. It is this evening we're supposed to go eat at the White House isn't it? My dates are a little fuzzy traveling forty eight hours and crossing the dateline and all.. It was nice to see you all."
Roy and the rest of her detail made it to the same conference room they had used last night bringing Beth with them before finally succumbing to the laughter they'd been fighting. "Remind me never to get on your bad side Miss O'Neill." Roy said. "Just for our own information who is your mysterious fiance?"
"Sirius Black."
.....
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