Beginnings and Endings

Chapter One

5-21-2016

Stephanie, who had always prided herself on having strength beyond what anyone expected of her, was grateful for James' supportive arm around her waist as they entered NESSA's Headquarters for the first time since a bomb had exploded on the third floor, just over two weeks earlier. The building still stood, and was already being rebuilt. It wasn't safe for occupancy yet, but the two Co-Directors had special permission to visit the Director's suite, to check on something that was very important to Stephanie, and to NESSA's sense of history. Her first priority, of course, had been her people, and thankfully, they were all safe and had remained relatively unharmed. Today, Stephanie was going inside the building solely to check on her desk.

It had originally been her father's desk, when he began his tenure as Director of the OSI. It had been passed down to James' father, Steve Austin, when he took over the job, and its ownership reverted back to Stephanie's father, Oscar Goldman, when Steve told the Secretary of State where he could stick the entire OSI. Eventually, as the agency merged with the NSB and CIA to form NESSA - National Envoy and Security Specialist Associates - Stephanie's mother, Jaime, had taken over the title of Director and ownership of the desk. Stephanie, herself, had become the most powerful woman in the free world when she sat at the desk and made it her own. There were decades' worth of history in that desk, and Stephanie prayed it had remained unscathed by the falling rubble.

So much had happened in the last two weeks! Steve and Peggy Austin were still going forward with their divorce, but Peggy had dropped the infidelity charge since she'd lost a great deal of her anger and bitterness when Stephanie had rescued her after the explosion. James and Stephanie, working together in the same makeshift office, had grown much closer, now daring to actually kiss each other publicly, with the full approval and support of all four of their parents.

The bombing had not been the work of terrorists, as originally feared, but had been engineered by a disgruntled former employee who obviously knew very little about bombs. Steph and James had terminated the personnel who'd allowed this breach in security, and all safety and security measures would be stepped up once the building re-opened, to ensure no one had the opportunity to try this again.

The elevators weren't in service yet, so they hiked up the eight flights of stairs to the Director's suite, which occupied the entire top floor of the building. As they approached the office, Stephanie buried her face on James' shoulder. "You look first," she told him.

James held her a little tighter as he entered the inner office. He took a thorough look around, saw the shattered windows, the broken chairs, overturned file cabinets and...the desk. "Stephanie? Look..."

Very slowly, almost fearfully, she raised her head and opened her eyes. In the midst of destruction and chaos, the desk stood solid, upright and completely unmarred, other than some burn marks made long ago by Oscar's cigars and left intact as well-earned battle scars. "It's...ok..." she said, allowing herself to breathe again. "James, it's still ok!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Feel better now?" he asked.

"Much. One more kiss, and I think I'll be perfect."

"Glad to oblige, My Lady," James said, pulling her close.

"Ah-hm-m," was the tactful way the safety officer at the door requested their attention. "This was just for a few minutes, and you really shouldn't stay here much longer..."

"Sorry," James told him. "We're coming right now." Under his breath, he added "Party-pooper." They headed back down the stairs and out the main exit, stopping to sit on the edge of the Tranquility Fountain.

"It seems kind of spooky without water..." Stephanie noted.

"It'll be back; just like we will. Few more weeks, now that the builders are working double-time."

"We were really lucky. This could've been so much worse. If the bomb had been even one floor lower..."

"I'm the luckiest of all," James told her. "I get to do this." His arms circled Stephanie's waist and his lips met hers, softly at first, but with pressure and passion both building rapidly.

"We're both lucky," she confirmed, pausing to gaze into his eyes. A cell phone playing the 1812 Overture interrupted her reverie.

"That's yours," James said. "Mine plays Beethoven's Fifth."

"Hello-oo?" Steph answered cheerily. "Mom? What - slow down. What happened?" Her face grew porcelain-white and her eyes brimmed over with tears as she listened. "Oh no...is he -? I'll be right there; which hospital? I'm on my way." She replaced the cell phone in her pocket and as she turned to James, she was already sobbing. "It's my dad - he's had a heart attack."

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