Miranda wasted no time, insisting she and Rufus leave Rhy'Din for New York as soon as possible. For her, it wasn't so much about Rufus finally meeting his daughter as it was about getting Bethany to safety, and though Rufus might think New York was safe, so long as Bethany was in Jason's care, Miranda wasn't so sure. She knew she had to let go of the apron strings sometime, and she was perfectly willing to do that, as soon as she was sure her daughter was safe. After the trial maybe, but not now. She gave little thought to her own safety, despite Rufus' very verbal concerns. She didn't intend for them to be here long, just long enough for Beth to meet her father and get her to Rhy'Din.

For all his concern about Miranda, Rufus was glad she had not argued when he had told her he was going to come with her to collect Bethany, and bring her and her detective to Rhy'Din. He was fairly sure he was capable enough to protect his angel. But more than that, the need to be constantly alert had kept him from lingering on the thought of what was about to happen. He was about to meet his daughter. The last time he had seen her, she had been barely a few minutes old; now she was a young woman of twenty-four, and if she was anything like her mother, he wasn't entirely sure what sort of reception he was going to get. At Miranda's side, he blew out a sharp breath as they approached the apartment building. "Are you absolutely certain this is going to go well, angel?"

Miranda sighed, stopping momentarily to turn to him and smooth a hand against the front of his shirt. "Will you stop worrying" She's been asking to meet you for years. She knows the situation. She's not going to blame you. She's going to love you. Stop worrying." She brushed a kiss against his cheek to reassure him.

"I'm an appalling father figure for anyone," he pointed out, his nerves showing themselves even as she tried to reassure him. "You've met Lei now. That bundle of repressed fury is entirely my doing. Perhaps it's wrong of me to want to force myself into Beth's life - she's been so happy with you."

"Stop it, Rufe. You're going to talk yourself out of this before you've even met her. You have to trust me on this. She's going to love you." She smiled up at him and stepped up onto her tiptoes to brush a kiss against his lips, brief but warm with affection before reaching for his hand to let him up the stairs to Bethany's apartment.

His chuckle was a little awkward as she smiled, muffled into her kiss as he leaned closer, his fingers tangling with hers, holding on a little too tightly for it to be mere a possessive touch. He needed the reassurance that Miranda had forgiven him to be able to face his daughter. "I've been talking myself out of this for almost five years," he laughed softly. "You may have to push me in through the door."

"I haven't brought you all this way for you to chicken out now, Rufus Bennett! Now, stop making excuses and let's go!" She didn't really give him much chance to procrastinate any longer as she was pulling the door open and tugging him along behind her toward the stairs to Beth's second story apartment. "Honestly, you hunt monsters for a living, but are afraid of one very human girl who is dying to meet you!" Okay, dying might have been a poor choice of words, but he knew what she meant.

"Monsters are very different from a young woman who has every right to be furious with me for not being there her entire life," Rufus pointed out as he was led inexorably upward by one very determined woman. "Monsters, I can kill and be done with. Bethany ....I'm going to have to talk to her and try not to make a mess of her the way I did with Lei."

"You are comparing apples to oranges, dear," she told him, hoping she didn't sound too condescending. She was used to being the voice of reason, but Rufus was the one man who always seemed able to wiggle his way out of her logic. "You raised Lei to be a Slayer. Beth knows nothing of that world, other than what little I've told her." Which was as little as possible. "She knows the reasons for our separation. She knows it was for her own protection." Miranda paused there, not wanting to go too far and tell him too much, remembering all the long talks she'd had with Bethany through the years, the questions, the explanations. And through it all, Miranda had never admitted how much she still loved him, purposely avoiding such questions, until they could be avoided no longer.

"Hmm." That sound was always there when Rufus either couldn't, or wouldn't, say anything further, closing his mouth to prevent fresh worries from making themselves known to Miranda. She was concerned enough without him heaping his own worries on her head as well. Whatever happened when he finally met his daughter, it would be his problem if things went badly wrong. "And you're sure you didn't need to call ahead" You said they've only been together a week - they may not be fit for company."

Miranda smiled, and there was that hint of impish mischief in her eyes she loved so well. "It's two in the afternoon. If they're still in bed, it's past time they get up." She knew it was a little bit evil of her not to give Bethany and her lover a heads up, but it was also far too tempting to catch them at something naughty in the middle of the afternoon, and she was looking forward to seeing the look on Jason's face when he met Bethany's father. She stopped when she reached the door to her daughter's apartment, a final glance at Rufus as she lifted a hand in readiness to knock on her daughter's door. "Ready?"

Pausing at the front door of her apartment, Bethany rose up onto her toes to look through the spyhole, smirking at the sight of her mother standing there, apparently alone but talking to someone. Probably flirting with Mr Cripps. "Yeah, it's her," she assured Jason, looking back at him with a smile. One hand rose to shoo him away as she undid the deadbolt and chain on her door. "Go on, before I let her in."

God, I need a cigarette, he thought as he pushed into the bathroom. He'd quit a couple of years ago, knowing it was no good for him, but every now and then at times like these when his nerves were on edge, he craved a cigarette. He disappeared into the bathroom and within a few minutes, the sound of the shower would be heard running.

Giggling to herself at the ridiculous situation - and firmly choosing not to be put out by the interruption - Bethany pulled the door open, presenting herself to her mother in nothing but her pajamas with her hair most definitely mussed. She didn't actually notice the man standing with Miranda, greeting her mom with a wide smile. "Hey, you. Your timing sucks, just so you know. Get in here!"

Miranda was as nervous as Jason and Rufus, but she didn't let it show. She was like the Unsinkable Molly Brown, never letting anything get her down - or at least, that's the face she showed to most of the world. Both Bethany and Rufus knew better. As soon as the door opened, Miranda greeted her daughter with a hug and a motherly kiss on the cheek. She ignored the comment regarding her timing for the moment in order to properly greet her daughter. "Bethany, darling. Are you all right?" She very gently touched the bruise on her daughter's cheek, which was thankfully starting to fade. "I've been worried."

Wrapped up in her mom's embrace, Beth closed her eyes, hugging back with equal warmth. Their closeness was obvious in that moment, in the gentle way Miranda touched her daughter's fading injury and the softer smile she got in return for her concern. "I'm fine, Mom," Beth promised her, stepping back to invite her inside properly. "I'm very well looked after, I promise." Finally registering the man who was with Miranda, she glanced at him, curiosity lighting her eyes as she looked back at her mother. "Please tell me you didn't hire security."

As soon as Miranda was certain Beth was fine and was being invited inside, she reached behind her to search for Rufus' hand and pull him inside behind her. Introductions weren't going to happen in the hallway where nosy neighbors were known to eavesdrop. "Jason is taking good care of you then," Miranda said, implying in a motherly way without saying it outright that he better be or he'd answer to her. "No, not security, Beth. Unless you think Detective Daly is incapable of keeping you safe."

"He's more than capable, stop fussing," Beth told her mother, giving another glance to the stranger with her as she closed the door behind them. "It wasn't a big deal, despite what you and Jason keep saying. I surprised a burglar and gave him a concussion. That's all." She was uncharacteristically serious as she said this, but the constant warnings and insistence on her being in danger from both her mother and the man she loved were beginning to wear on her patience. "Who's your friend?"

Miranda knew her daughter well enough not to press her luck, and she also knew that both she and Jason had impressed upon her the necessity for her to be more careful. So long as Beth had Jason to watch over her, Miranda would try not to worry so much. Miranda frowned a little at her daughter's question, feeling suddenly awkward. How did you introduce your daughter to the man who was her father after a twenty-four year absence" She gave Rufus' hand a reassuring squeeze, more concerned for him than for Beth, who'd been asking for this for years. She made no attempt to hide the fact that she was holding his hand and wondered how long it would take before Beth figured it out for yourself. "Bethany," Miranda started, using her full name, which always signaled to a child, no matter how old or young, that their parent was about to tell them something very serious. There was no easy way of saying it, and so she just said it. "This is your father."

Bethany. God, what have I done now" The worry didn't last long, though. The next four words knocked the stubbornness right out of Beth. My father. Her eyes turned to the man she had originally thought to be a stranger, looking up into a face that would have been familiar to her if circumstances hadn't decreed it be otherwise. Her mouth hung open as she stared, her expression hungry for every detail of the face she'd been wanting to see since she was a child. "Dad?"

Rufus swallowed, meeting Bethany's stare head on despite his nervous anticipation of this moment, deeply grateful for the reassuring reality of Miranda's hand in his. He'd had pictures of his daughter through the years, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of her there in the flesh. Even mussed, under-dressed, and bruised - his jaw clenched at the sight - she was as beautiful as her mother, a perfect reflection of the woman who had raised her, despite the differences in their appearance. She seemed stunned by his appearance ....and then she spoke, a single word he'd never thought he would ever hear from her. His throat tightened, but he nodded, daring the silence to speak. "Hello, Beth."

He didn't get a chance to say anything else. Beth suddenly surged forward, thumping into his chest, throwing her arms around her father's waist with a smiling sob of relief, sniffling a few tears into his shirt. It didn't quite occur to her that this wasn't exactly the way she would have liked to have met her father; only that he was there, finally, after a lifetime without him. Startled, Rufus turned wide eyes onto Miranda for a split second before instinct took over, reluctantly releasing the mother's hand to wrap his arms around his daughter. My little girl. His lips brushed Beth's hair as he held her, not wanting to let go. "Shhh, it's all right," he heard himself murmur, wondering where this gentle tone had come from, surprised by himself. "I'm here, sweetheart."

Miranda watched the two people she loved and cared for most acknowledge the other and embrace finally after all the lost years, and a small wistful smile appeared on her face, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. For a moment, she almost felt as though she shouldn't be there, that this moment should be something privately shared between just father and daughter, but there would be time for that later. She let go of Rufus' hand, smiling through her tears to offer him a reassuring nod. Despite his worries, she knew her daughter well enough to know he had nothing to worry about. She had already loved him long before she met him. Watching the two of them together, she felt a well-spring of emotions rise up inside her, happiness mingled with grief for all the time that had been lost, for everything that could have been.

Jason hadn't become one of Precinct One's finest detectives by being stupid. He could put two and two together easily enough. You could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he scrutinized the man, waiting for an explanation from someone regarding the man's presence here. He nodded his head in acknowledgment as the man started to explain, still not quite making the connection between himself and Bethany. "I did my time in a patrol car. I'm a detective now. Homicide. Precinct One." He followed the man's gaze toward the kitchen, curiosity apparent in his eyes, still wondering what the connection was between them. Given a few more clues, he might have figured it out on his own, but before he could do that, Bethany was sliding her fingers through his and making further introductions. "Oh," Jason said for the third time, unsure if he wanted to deck the man or hug him.

Untangled from her daughter's arms, Miranda followed her daughter back, staking her claim on Rufus by wrapping a fond arm around his waist and leaning easily into him. "I'm sorry I've kept him from you for so long," she apologized for the umpteenth time to her daughter, followed by an equally apologetic glance at Jason.

"You had to," Beth nodded her understanding, holding tightly to Jason's hand. Though she had resented never being allowed to know her father through the years, now he was here, she was having a little difficulty. What do you say to someone so close and yet so removed" She didn't dare let go of Jason's hand - him, at least, she could be absolutely certain of. "I do understand, although maybe now you'll be able to tell me just why his job's so dangerous."

Rufus chuckled lightly at this re-emergence of his daughter's stubborn streak, wrapping his own arm around Miranda's shoulders easily, glad to claim her as much as she claimed him. "That is definitely a conversation for another time," he told her gently, glancing down at Miranda. This was her show - it was up to her how they told this younger couple that a trip to Rhy'Din was going to happen within a few hours. "I apologize, Jason. I wasn't entirely sure how I should be introducing myself."

Jason was watching the other couple, noting the easy-going affection between them, despite Miranda's claims that she hadn't seen Bethany's father in over twenty years. She was clearly in love with the man, and suddenly all the pieces of the puzzle came together and the picture was clear. No wonder she'd said what had happened between them had been a mistake. She was still in love with Bethany's father. He was the reason it would have never worked out between them. Instead of jealous, Jason found himself feeling relieved, and his hand closed a little tighter on Bethany's, claiming her for himself as Miranda had claimed Rufus. "I would have figured it out sooner or later," he told the older man, who he estimated wasn't all that much older than him. Certainly not old enough to be his father - an older brother maybe.

Miranda had gone quiet as she looked between the trio of people in the room. As much as she loved Beth and Rufus, Jason was as much a part of their little family now as any of them, and though she wasn't in love with him and had never been in love with him, she was fond of him and trusted him nearly as much as she trusted Rufus or Desmond. The thought of Desmond brought her back to the other reason for their visit, and she glanced at Jason first, then Bethany. "How soon can you be packed?"

"Possibly," Rufus chuckled once again at Jason's confident reply, noting the tight grasp the man had on his daughter's hand. His own eyes hadn't been idle during the quiet moments - there was a lot of love there, he could see it, a love that seemed far older than a simple week of knowing. And being who he was, he didn't dismiss it, pleased to find a reunion more than a new match before him.

Bethany, on the other hand, was staring at her mother, her mouth hanging open once again. "Packed" What do you mean, packed?" she demanded, her gaze focused on Miranda. "And what do you mean, how soon' You can't just show up at random and expect us to drop everything!"

It didn't take long for Miranda to take charge again, as she was accustomed. The tears would come later, when they were safe. "Whatever you were doing can wait. We're going to Rhy'Din. Today. As soon as you two can get packed." She didn't bother to ask if they'd even had breakfast yet, since it was now well past even lunch time. She sighed, softening as she looked at her daughter, needing her to understand this was for her own good. "It's not safe here, Beth. Not with the trial coming up. Jason and Des need to talk and to plan. I can't bring him here, so Jason has to go there." She hoped her daughter would see reason if she put it that way, making it more about the trial than about Bethany's safety, though that was clearly her primary goal.

Beth sighed, rolling her eyes. "And you thought you'd just drop it on us, rather than calling ahead," she said, a little put out with the sudden turn to business and the by now boring - to her, at least - mention of danger. But Miranda was right; Jason needed to see Des, and that meant going to Rhy'Din. She looked up at Jason enquiringly. "I guess we're going," she said softly, though it was more of a question than anything.

Jason gave Beth's hand a reassuring squeeze, hoping to diffuse her anger, sensing her frustration but finding it unwarranted considering the circumstances. "Beth, it's all right. It will give you a chance to visit with your father," he pointed out diplomatically. "We were going to go in a few days anyway. What difference does it make?"

Miranda watched the debate going on between the two of them, interested in seeing who was going to win this little tug of war. Whatever happened, whatever was decided, Bethany was going to Rhy'Din - there were no ifs, ands or buts - if she had to ask Rufus to carry her there.

"The difference is that I'm not six any more," Beth pointed out with a frustrated sigh. Her look promised that she and Miranda would be having words about this, but she gave in, reluctantly. "Can I at least get dressed before you shove me in a sack and drag me away?"

She nodded her head against his chest, absorbing his words and trying to believe him, but so much had happened, she wasn't even sure if this was real, if he was real anymore. "I can't lose you again," she whispered in a tearful voice. "I won't lose you again." Her fingers curled into his shirt, as if by doing so she could keep him there with her forever. "Why can't I have you both?" she asked, as she lifted her head at last to meet his gaze. "Don't we deserve a little happiness?"

"Have us both?" Rufus stared down at the top of her head, and felt a little of his bewilderment fade, solidifying into impatience with her for being so silly. "Miranda, that is just ridiculous," he informed her, not exactly a master at tact. Laying his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her back until she had to meet his eyes. "I am staying with you, regardless of anything that happens in the years to come. And as for Bethany ....if you think she's about to turn her back on you, then you're an idiot. I can't explain it right now, not without thoroughly confusing you and making this even more difficult than it is already, but if you trust me at all, believe me when I say that your daughter is always going to need you. Always."

She looked up at him through a veil of tears, wanting to believe him, but feeling as far from Bethany as she possibly could, though she was only in the next room. "How can you know that' She hated me for keeping you from her, and now she hates me for bringing you back. I've tried so hard to keep her safe, Rufus. To make her happy, but it seems I can't do anything right."

"She's frightened, she's confused, and she's just been told off in front of her soul's mate and her mother by a man she's probably been building fantasies about all her life," Rufus broke it down ruthlessly, trying to make Miranda see sense. He missed his own slip in his eagerness to make her feel better. "She doesn't hate you. What she feels for you is far removed from being hate, love. But a lot has happened, and I would make a guess that she's feeling sidelined, pushed about, by everyone. You were the one who spoke, so you were the one who got snapped at. I'm fairly sure if you were to ask Jason, he'd be able to tell you she's been snappish whenever danger is mentioned for the last few days."

Of everything Rufus was trying to tell her, Miranda latched onto one thing, one word - soul-mate. She arched her brows curiously, the tears fading, confusion coloring her eyes. "What are you talking about' Soul-mate" She's only known him a few days. She only met him by accident. He was looking for me to get a message to Des." It wasn't that Miranda didn't think they were good for each other or that it wasn't serious, but it had only been a few days, and that was when it hit her. "Oh," she whispered, gasping in surprise. She was a Rhy'Din native, after all. "You-you really think....Jason and Bethany are..."

Rufus held her gaze, watching as that realization sank in, though he would have rather had her ignore it in order to feel better about her daughter's little outburst. "It's subtle, but it's there," he told her gently. "They're too comfortable with each other, but more than that ....he looks at her as though she is the other half of his soul, as though he'd drown without her, and she does the same with him. That love feels old, Miranda, certainly far older than any of us. Which only underlines what I've been telling you," he added pointedly, though he was smiling now. "She's been linked to him since before she was born, but she still needed you to love her and to be loved by her. Nothing has changed, angel. Nothing."

She shook her head, disbelievingly. Bethany was Jason's soul-mate" But....She, Miranda, had slept with him! Oh, dear god. She thought she was going to be sick. "That-that's not possible, Rufus," she denied, her face going pale. Bethany and Jason' But she couldn't deny that she'd seen it too, the abiding love shared between them, something familiar in the way they looked at each other, as if they'd always been together, long before he'd shown up accidentally at her door. "How can that be?" she asked, full of wonder now that the initial shock had passed.

Rufus sighed softly, drawing her close again, stroking his fingers through her hair as she wondered at the shock of the moment. "Without knowing when it began, or who arranged it, I have absolutely no idea," he told her gently. "But whatever or whoever it was, that is one thing we need never worry over for her. She will never be alone, love."

She let him take her back into his embrace, drawing comfort from him yet again, calmer this time, the hurt fading a little in the wake of the wonder of how truly special their daughter was. "How can you be so sure?" she asked, tilting her chin up at him. He had never even hinted at such a connection between them, despite all the love they felt for each other. Could Bethany and Jason share such a special and unique connection' Miranda almost envied them. She would have given anything to spend just one lifetime with Rufus, and they had been granted eternity. It brought fresh tears to her eyes.

"The same way you are, angel," he murmured softly, laying his forehead against hers. His smile softened tenderly. "Do you understand what it means" Bethany was meant to be born. So we were always meant to be together. No other woman could have raised her but you. You are as important to her eternity as he is."

Her fingers curled against his shirt, as his forehead came to rest against hers. Whatever it was that had her upset, he had somehow managed to still her fears and calm her troubled heart. "No one else could have been her father, but you," she added, pointing out how important his place in her life was, as well, even if it had taken him over twenty years to get there. "I love you, Rufus." Her arms slid around his neck, her fingers sliding in and out of his hair. "I'm not letting you get away from me a second time."

"That, my darling, is definitely guaranteed," he promised her with a smile, his own arms smoothing around her waist as he played with his hair. A suddenly very impish smirk appeared on his face as he grinned down at her. "Should we make out while we're waiting, or do you think Beth might want to castrate me for embarrassing her?"

She smiled up at him, the tears almost forgotten, despite the heartache. "I think you should kiss me, that's what I think," she told him, quite honestly, but not really answering his question, but she didn't wait for him this time, rising up on her toes to touch her lips to his in a tender kiss.

And there was a grin to answer his teasing comment, her lips softer beneath his second kiss before he leaned into her, her eyes adoring as she held his gaze. "Didn't I say that a second ago?" she murmured impishly, lifting her chin to deliver a brief kiss of her own before stepping back, turning toward the door. "Okay, I can do this ..." Bag on her shoulder and one hand firmly ensconced in Jason's grasp, she pushed the door open and drew him back into the living room. "Okay, we're all set."

He snagged his own bag and slung it over a shoulder before following her from the bedroom to rejoin the other couple who was presumably waiting for them. He had tossed a jacket on over his shirt to hide the shoulder holster and handgun he was wearing beneath, just in case. He had collected his wallet and cellphone and keys and had them stuffed in various pockets, as ready to go as he was ever going to be.

Rufus and Miranda had broken apart before the younger couple reappeared, still standing close together, but distinctly separate once more. In fact, Rufus was frowning out through the window, his eyes narrowed at something he hadn't pointed out to the woman with him. He barely glanced over as Beth and Jason reappeared, a little relieved to see Bethany move straight to her mother. For himself, he waited until he had Jason's attention, and made a minute gesture for the other man to join him at the window.

Jason let go of Bethany's hand so she could make amends with her mother. Noting the gesture from Rufus, he headed that way, with only a brief glance to the women to make sure they hadn't noticed. "What is it?" he asked quietly as he joined the other man at the window.

A past master at keeping his voice low enough that only the person with him could hear his words with coherence, Rufus answered with another minute gesture toward what had caught his attention. "That brown Chevy," he murmured to Jason. "It was parked there when we arrived, with only a driver. Now it has three passengers as well, and they all seem unduly interested in this building. What do your instincts tell you?"

Jason studied the view a moment, eying the brown Chevy in question, which was too far away for him to get a good look at the four shapes who occupied the vehicle. It didn't take a rocket scientist - or a homicide detective, for that matter - to figure out where Rufus' train of thought was going. "Damn it," Jason muttered under his breath. "Time to go and not out the front door," he added quietly, for Rufus' ears alone, so he didn't frighten the women.

There was no argument from the older man, though Rufus wasn't too happy with the sudden need for subterfuge. He'd be even less happy if his family were put in unnecessary danger, however, prepared to trust Jason with their safety for the time being. "I assume you have a car somewhere nearby," he murmured thoughtfully, glancing over at Miranda and their daughter. "I don't want to have to tell Beth she needs to use her bracelet unless we have no other choice."

"Her bracelet?" Jason echoed quietly. He'd noticed that she wore a bracelet - several, in fact, but he'd assumed they were only worn for decoration and nothing more. "My car's parked in back. If we sneak out the back, we might be able to get away without them noticing." It was a long shot, but they didn't have much choice.

The bracelet had been a gift from Humphrey Granger, but Miranda had filled Rufus in on its purpose. "Good luck explaining that to the girls," he muttered, frowning one last time at the suspicious car before turning toward the room. "The beads on that bracelet - crush one, and it opens a less-than-discreet portal straight to the Granger family home on Rhy'Din. I'd rather not let these bastards know that there's anything out of the mundane going on here."

Jason arched a brow, having no choice but to take the man at his word, as crazy as his story sounded. "Okay, why can't we open one here?" he asked, in that same hushed tone of voice. He figured there must be some reason why the man hadn't suggested doing just that, but hell if Jason knew what it was.

"Portals aren't a precise art," Rufus explained as simply as he could manage. "Basically put, it would devastate my daughter's apartment and leave a rip that anyone could use right into this room. I doubt you want a back door into random space/time leading into Bethany's personal space."

"That's not very comforting," Jason remarked, liking the idea of portals less and less. "Beth said something about there being portals all over the city, so where's the closest?" he asked, assuming the man knew his way around New York, as well as the portal locations.

Unfortunately, that assumption was way off the mark. Rufus shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest idea," he confessed with a slightly bitter chuckle. "You'd have to ask Miranda." His eyes strayed back to the women, watching as Beth wrapped her mother up in a warm hug, kissing her cheek, and his expression softened, deeply touched by how close mother and daughter were.

Jason followed the man's gaze, relieved that mother and daughter seemed to have made up, though he was a little worried what, if anything, Miranda might have told Rufus about him. He hoped she hadn't mentioned their little one-night tryst. It was part of the past now, after all, and no longer important. "We're going to have to make this quick," he warned Rufus, unsure how they were going to do that without the women catching on.

The older man smirked faintly, following the detective's thoughts a little too easily. "A word of advice in dealing with Granger women," he offered with a nod. "Lies will get you nowhere. The truth might get you an argument, but you can convince them to save it for later."

"Then why are we whispering?" Jason pointed out. It seemed a little pointless to keep the women in the dark if they were going to tell them anyway, unless Rufus was hoping to avoid panic. Jason glanced back at the window again, his gut clenching in fear at what he saw there. "Sh*t, time to go!" Just outside the window, three very serious-looking men were climbing out of the car and crossing the street toward Beth's apartment building. Jason didn't waste another moment in herding the trio toward the door. "Come on, we gotta go! Now!"

"Lei, who's - whoa!" Caught by the arm, Beth didn't have an opportunity to query any further as Jason pulled her after her parents. She fell into step as quickly as she could, allowing herself a moment to marvel at the turn of speed her mother was managing as Rufus pulled her along by one hand. Turning the corner involved a little creative pushing and pulling to avoid losing Rufus into the busy traffic on the road as he simultaneously tried to put his phone back in his pocket, push Miranda ahead of him, and skid out of the way of a young mother with an over-laden pushchair.

Miranda knew precisely who Lei was, but there was no time to explain. She secretly hoped they wouldn't have need of the Slayer, but understood why Rufus had called her and agreed with his decision without saying so. She was doing her best to keep up with Rufus, but she wasn't really wearing the proper footwear, nor was she accustomed to anything more brisk than a quick walk on the treadmill. She only got about halfway down the street before her sandal caught on the pavement, and her ankle twisted painfully.

By this time, there was not only one pursuer but several hot on their heels and catching up quickly, too quickly for comfort. Miranda cried out as her ankle twisted and she landed on the pavement on one knee, Beth and Jason very nearly crashing into her as she came to a complete stop. "What are they going to do' Shoot us in broad daylight?" Miranda asked incredulously up at the other three, her face pale with terror.

"Mom!" Panic blossomed in Bethany's voice belatedly as her mother fell, skidding to a halt before she ran Miranda over, letting out a soft grunt when Jason barreled into her back.

"Oh, for -" Rufus barely hesitated as Miranda went down, hauled to a halt by the sudden lack of movement from the woman he was dragging along by one hand. He pivoted wildly, sparing no thought for her discomfort as his glance took in the accelerating pursuers, not even pausing to bother with an apology as he bent to heave her up onto his shoulder. Not the most dignified way of being moved about, but there wasn't any time for dignity. "I would rather no one got shot - which bloody way am I going?"

Miranda squealed as Rufus hauled her over his shoulder, but made no argument. She was glad she'd at least worn pants instead of a skirt, though she really didn't have time to think about that right at the moment.

"Straight ahead!" Jason pointed a finger toward an alleyway that was now close enough to be seen, a short distance up the street.

Now that Miranda had a clear view of what was behind them, she let out another squeal as she saw two of the men pull handguns from their jackets. She was just about to shout a warning when there was a loud popping sound signaling that someone had taken a shot, and the pedestrians on the street scattered to run for cover.

Beth let out a yell of her own as she heard the unmistakeable report of a gun, instinctively ducking even as she ran, too frightened now to even look back. "Jason!" If she'd had a moment, she would have been impressed by how quickly Rufus lengthened his stride toward the alley Jason indicated, not to mention how firm a grip he had on her mother. Shocked by how quickly the day had deteriorated, she fell into step behind her father, already fumbling with the bracelet on her wrist the closer they got to the alley ahead of them.

At the sound of the gunshot, Jason wasted no time in pulling out his own handgun, though he was far more reluctant than their pursuers to risk an innocent bystander getting hurt in the crossfire. He heard Bethany call him, and he gave her a light shove to keep going. "Right behind you!" he shouted as he followed the trio, putting himself between them and the men taking potshots. Two more pops were heard, one bullet screaming past his head, a little too close for comfort. "Keep your head down!" he shouted to Bethany, worried about the precarious position Miranda was in, hanging off Rufus' back.

Biting her lips to keep herself from squealing each time a gun went off, that stray bullet terrifying her as it swept between her head and Jason's, Beth lurched into the alleyway behind Rufus, her shaking hands fumbling wildly with her bracelet. She'd never had to use it before, deeply uncertain as to what was about to happen as she pinched one of the beads free, crushing it between thumb and forefinger. She didn't have to wait long to find out.

With a sound that was more of an implosion than an explosion, the alleyway erupted with hot swirling winds and flickering light, purple and blue and silver, pulsing like a barrier, obscuring the far end of the alleyway. The wind wrapped around them, urging them toward the portal that had opened, yet the only person who moved that way was Rufus, still carrying Miranda over his shoulder. He looked back at the younger pair, at least one of whom was staring in gobsmacked disbelief. "Move your arse, for God's sake!"

"Bethany!" Miranda shouted from atop Rufus' shoulder, an outstretched hand reaching for her daughter who was staring at the portal in disbelief, her voice nearly lost amidst the eruption from the portal, and the sound of gunfire being exchanged, bystanders screaming in panic, and sirens blaring in the distance. The portal stood ready, but it wouldn't be there for long, and the last of their number had yet to join them in the alley.

The sound of her mother shouting her name brought Beth back to the immediacy of the situation, though she genuinely had no idea what to make of the suddenly violent wind and pulsing light that blocked the alleyway ahead of her. The fact that Rufus was calmly advancing into that light did nothing for her calm, but if he could do it, so could she. She looked around for Jason, and fear spiked into her heart. "Jason?" Raising her voice above the howl of the wind and the screams from the street beyond, she turned back, daring to look out from the alleyway. "Jason, come on!"

"Bethany!" Miranda shouted again, nearly in a panic to make sure her daughter got to safety. "Rufus, put me down and get Beth!" she shouted, believing herself fully capable of hobbling through the portal on her own two feet, now that it was open, but refusing to leave her daughter behind. Jason came around the corner finally, just as Bethany peeked her head out, nearly running into her. He had taken one of their pursuers down, as was evidenced by the body that was sprawled on the ground not far from the alley, but there were three more still in pursuit, and two of three were still firing shots. Jason was shouting something into his cellphone as he came around the corner, gun in one hand, phone in the other, his overnight bag lost somewhere in the chaos.

It seemed Miranda had only just arrived, spilled out of the portal and dropped onto the floor of what could only be the cellar beneath Maple Grove. Humphrey had shown it to her at least once and explained the purpose behind it, but she'd never in her wildest dreams think she'd ever wind up here. She'd had just enough time to scramble against a wall out of the way of the others she knew - or at least, hoped - were about to follow. Pale and shaking, she watched as the trio tumbled out of the portal behind her, breaking into a sob of relief.

Disoriented by the shuddering trip through the portal, Beth went down onto her own knees as she fell through, her hand still firmly ensconced in Jason's grip. But out of the portal, she felt the blood that dripped from his shoulder to pool between their palms, and despite the shock of what she'd seen and felt, her training kicked in. She pulled Jason out of the way as Rufus lurched to his feet, breathless and worried as her eyes found her mother's sobbing gaze. But Rufus was already moving, shouting at Miranda to get Jason and Beth away from the portal as he lurched over to the door, swearing at the complex locking system as the dimensional rip flickered once again.

Shell-shocked from the trip through the portal and all the confusing sights and sounds that had accosted him, not to mention the blazing pain exploding across his back and shoulder, Jason collapsed on the floor, the room swirling dizzily in his head, like a merry-go-round. "Beth?" he called groggily. Somehow, somewhere, he'd lost his gun and was worried they were still being followed, even here. Miranda scurried forward on all fours to help Beth tug Jason away from the portal, shouting at her daughter to ask what had happened.

Miranda and Beth had about thirty seconds to haul Jason out of the way before the three thugs who'd been in hot pursuit stumbled through the portal after them, disoriented for a moment, but each bearing firearms.

Even with Miranda's help, it was a struggle to get Jason out of the way before three very unwelcome visitors came crashing through the portal after them. The only saving grace was that they were so disoriented, deeply unused to the pushing and pulling of the Nexus winds, unable to focus straightaway on the task at hand. As the portal snapped closed behind them, Beth wrapped her arms protectively around Jason, ignoring the seep of his blood into her shirt as she huddled with her mother against the wall, crying out in fright even as she cradled the man she loved.

There was a screech of metal from the doorway, and finally the barrier came open, admitting one small, rather fragile looking young woman. She barely even glanced at Rufus as the older man relaxed suddenly. "Try not to kill them, they're human," was all he said, before Shen Lei launched herself at the thugs who were staggering back to their feet.

The one closest Lei didn't stand a chance, too disoriented and too close to the little Slayer to have much time to react before she took him out, but the other two were a different story. Despite their confusion, their instincts kicked in and one of them raised his gun to take a shot at the girl who had just stormed inside, while the other rushed her in hopes of knocking her down.

As hard as they might try, humans without any kind of modification didn't stand much of a chance against a young woman who had been born for combat against the things that went bump in the night, much less a Slayer who had spent ten years on the front-line of that fight. As Rufus dived to the floor to avoid the shot that went off, her foot came up in a sharp kick to the hand of the man aiming his weapon, losing precious moments that enabled his companion to get in close. Borne backward under that rush, Lei jabbed her opponent hard in the stomach, her heel catching his kneecap with a sickening crunch.

One man's hand was broken, the gun dropping from his hand to skid across the floor, while the other man crumpled to the floor, groaning in pain. Meanwhile, the one who'd been disoriented was making a run for the doorway, not knowing where he was or where he was going but knowing he was outnumbered and fearing for his life.

Miranda had her arms around Beth to protect her from as much as she could, her eyes wide and fearful as she watched Lei and their attackers, her gaze wandering to Rufus, clearly terrified. She was a fashion designer, not a vampire hunter. The most dangerous thing she did on a regular basis was navigate city traffic.

Somewhere above their heads, the muffled sound of a dog could be heard barking, along with people shouting orders, and footsteps stomping across the floor.

With one down and one on the run in the direction of the heavily guarded Granger holdings, Lei turned her slightly smug attention onto the man whose hand she had broken. She took her time in approaching, fully aware that she could be quite intimidating when someone had had a dose of what she was capable of, offering a sweet smile to him. Her fingers flexed as she formed a fist. "You sure I can't kill him?" she asked, her voice mildly disappointed.

Rufus rolled his eyes, rising up onto his knees. "Unconscious will be fine, Lei," he told her sternly. "You're a Slayer, not a murderer."

Smirking in amusement at her Watcher's weary resignation, Lei sighed exaggerated and bunched her fist tighter. "You're no fun, Rufus," she informed him, and almost absentmindedly delivered a roundhouse punch that knocked her second opponent to the floor with barely a grunt. Beyond the door came a shout as the third of their attackers ran straight into the burliest of the GrangerGuild security team. No one was going anywhere.

As the chaos of the last few minutes settled into stunned silence, Beth blinked in shock, turning her open-mouthed stare toward Miranda. "What ...?"

As she took the t-shirt from Jon's hand, Bethany's own hands moved automatically, wadding the material into a thick pad with practiced ease as she heaved to try and keep Jason sat upright, pressing the makeshift pad against the back of his shoulder. But Jon's reassuring smile and carefully offered advice made her smile a little herself, trying not to laugh. "Thank you," she nodded to the actor. "I'll be happier when he's in a hospital, though."

Miranda had succumbed to quiet crying, nearly in a state of shock herself, her ankle throbbing painfully, terrified that her daughter might lose the man she so loved.

Cosmo barked and bounded out of the room, to follow after the New Person aka Lei. Jon might have answered Lei's question if he wasn't so busy focusing on helping the young woman whose name he didn't yet know. He recognized the bracelet on her wrist, however, and made an educated guess. "You're a Granger," he said, matter-of-factly. Jon helped her sit the man upright and held him there so she could apply pressure to the wound. "I'm Jon," he introduced himself finally, not bothering to offer his last name, as he thought it went without saying. "What happened?"

As Rufus enfolded Miranda into his arms, murmuring soothing nonsense to try and calm her down, Beth somehow managed to put her panic to one side in the face of the calmness her cousin showed, becoming the nurse once again as she tended to Jason, now propped up between them. She even managed a second, faint smile for Jon as he introduced himself. "I'm Bethany," she introduced herself in return, one hand holding the the wadded t-shirt hard against Jason's wound while the other wrapped itself about his wrist to make certain of his pulse. "We, uh, we got attacked on our way to the portal. It's probably got something to do with the Nicoletti case Jason's working on - this is Jason, by the way. He saved us."

Jon had never heard of any Bethany Granger, nor had he seen her photograph in the family albums, but it wasn't all that strange that a long lost Granger popped up unexpectedly. His own brother had done that very thing, not too long ago. She did not deny that she was a Granger, and so he had to assume as much, though he had not yet made the connection between her and Miranda.

The mention of the Nicoletti case caught his attention, and though he didn't know much about it, he knew his brother was working on the case and that Elena De Luca was somehow involved. He also knew that his brother had nearly lost his life because of it. "My brother is working on that," he said, leaving it at that, not wanting to get her any more upset than she already was. If this Jason was working on the case, too, then it stood to reason he knew Desmond. He noticed how she seemed to know what she was doing and reached over to hold the cloth in place while she checked the wounded man's pulse. "It's okay. I learned a little First Aid from Lei," he told her reassuringly.

Reassured still by the calm way he took over holding onto the cloth, Beth sighed softly, the sound far too shaken for her own peace of mind. "You're not bad at it," she complimented her cousin, glancing to where Rufus and Miranda were standing. It really wasn't her place to drop that particular bombshell. And besides, she thought to herself, now is not the time. "Your brother's working on it' Does that mean your brother is Des?" She jumped suddenly as Lei came barging back into the basement room, dropping an armful of clean towels into Jon's lap.

The Slayer was snickering to herself. "There's some old guy at the top of the stairs trying to get me thrown out," she informed the room at large with a certain amount of amusement, bending to heave one of the unconscious thugs over her shoulders.

"Yeah, well....Technically, half brother. We have the same..." Jon trailed off as Lei re-appeared with an armful of towels and looking far too amused for her own good at the situation. "That's Humphrey. Just tell him who you are and he'll leave you alone." Jon glanced at Miranda who was sobbing quietly and nodding her head while the man whose name he didn't know held her in his arms and seemed to be whispering reassuringly. If they had all come through the portal together, it stood to reason Miranda had something to do with it. He was just about to ask when Cosmo came bounding back into the room and over to check on his master. "This is Cosmo," he told Bethany. "He thinks he's a male version of Lassie."

"Why would I do that?" Lei grinned at Jon, that exhilarated grin he remembered from his own week-long hunt with her almost two years before brightening her face. This was a lot more interesting than she'd thought it would be. With one thug over her shoulders and the other dragged along by his foot, she left the room again, evidently liaising with Granger security whether Humphrey liked it or not.

Beth watched her a little warily, not entirely sure what to make of a tiny woman who knew her father and could beat up two men three times her size without even breaking a sweat. Distracted by the eager arrival of a Collie who had a ridiculous amount of affection to hand out to anyone around him, she blinked, gently pushing the dog aside as she switched the cloth against Jason's wound. "Hello, Cosmo." Her gaze flickered to Jon, catching his glance toward Miranda, and a second quiet sigh shook her breath. "I'm your cousin," she offered uncertainly. "Which, I guess you already knew. Uh ....Miranda's my mom."

Jon rolled his eyes at Lei's reply, noticing Beth's wary glance her way. "Don't worry about Lei. Her bite is worse than her bark," he said purposely reversing the saying. "She's a worthy ally to have on your side." If anyone knew that for a fact, it was him, but he didn't mention the vampire hunt or how he had become acquainted with the little Slayer. "Your mom?" Jon echoed, glancing over at Miranda again with a slightly confused expression on his face. It made perfect sense and yet, it didn't, but he wasn't going to pry about it now. "Welcome to Maple Grove, Beth. I wish you could have had a more pleasant arrival." He pulled his blood-soaked shirt away from the seeping wound as Bethany replaced it with a clean towel. The wounded man propped against the wall groaned as he started to come around, just as a team of EMTs finally arrived to take over for Beth and Jon.

Relieved of the pressure to explain herself by the arrival of the EMTs, Beth turned her attention to handing over her lover, the trip of medical terms and self-assured confidence off her tongue declaring her profession to the cousin who had learned first aid from a Slayer. The EMTs worked quickly to stabilize Jason and transfer him to a stretcher, raising no objection when Bethany moved with them, refusing to leave his side. Bloodied and more than a little disheveled herself, there was no way in hell she was going to leave Jason until he was conscious once again. Until I know he's not leaving me behind again.

Jon wrangled Cosmo so the dog stayed out of the way of the EMTs, staying as close to Beth as he could without risking getting in the way, mostly for moral support. He would have offered his cousin a reassuring hug but they were both wearing Jason's blood, and he needed to clean up before Vicki saw him and had a heart attack. "He's going to be fine, Bethany. Don't worry," he told her reassuringly, noticing how worried she looked and and her insistence to go along that seemed more personal than professional. She was obviously in love with the man, whoever he was and however he was connected to Desmond.

Though her smile had faltered and disappeared as Jason was seen to, the gratitude in Beth's eyes as she met Jon's gaze was deep and genuine. "Thank you," she nodded, rising to her feet to wait impatiently as one of the EMTs turned his attention onto Miranda at Rufus' suggestion.

Though the EMTs seemed to have things well in hand, Jon remained in the basement, in case he was needed, letting Humphrey handle things upstairs. Once Jason and Bethany were gone, he thought he should probably check on Miranda, though she seemed in good hands. Once he was assured she, too, was going to be all right, he quietly excused himself so he could clean up before Vicki saw him and freaked out. Cosmo, on the other hand, had other ideas, poking his nose at Rufus' hand as if to say, "Hey, hello. Who are you?"

Cornered by an affectionate dog, Rufus had taken the opportunity to calm down, crouching near where Miranda was having her ankle strapped up. "Hello, fella," he greeted the Collie like an old friend, half-an-eye on his lover to be sure she was well-looked after even as he scratched and rubbed at the dog's fur. "Busy afternoon for you, hmm?"

Cosmo woofed quietly as if in response, his tail wagging a mile a minute. While all this might have been exciting for him and maybe even for Lei, most of the humans around him seemed to prefer quiet. Cosmo, at least, looked like he was enjoying the attention, a little oblivious to all the danger that had surrounded him.

Rufus snorted with laughter, reassured by the dog's enthusiasm for the afternoon's activities. As he raised his head to meet Miranda's gaze, his mouth opening with a question, a roar of sound made itself known from beyond the door. "Miranda Myrtle Granger, what the hell is going on down there?" Rufus blinked, raising his brows as he sought not to smirk at the explosion. It sounded as though Old Man Granger had finally run out of patience.

Miranda just about jumped out of her skin at the shouted summons from Old Man Granger, turning to Rufus with a startled look on her face. It seemed it was time to do some explaining. She just hoped Humphrey would give her a chance to explain before jumping to conclusions. She reached for Rufus' hand. They were in this together now, for better or for worse.

((Well, that was fun! Uber thanks to Miranda, Jason, Jon, and Cosmo!))