Author's note: I changed Jill's school to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh because I remembered that Sydney is going to Carnegie Mellon in this world and Drexell is four hours away in Philadelphia. No way she can just pop over to see Adrian whenever she wants if she's there. Please let me know what you think.
Happy reading!
Chapter Two
"This is the same size as the suite in the palace." Jill grumbled. "And I'm supposed to live here with you and another guardian?"
Eddie wrapped his arms around her waist. "At least we'll share a room."
"We're either going to be ridiculously, grossly romantic on the other side of this or hate each other with a passion."
"I think we'll love passionately." He said with a grin. "And we'll spend as much time apart as we can. You and Shane can go places. We have another guardian on call in the area that we can have come over whenever you need me to go away."
"Can we see Sydney and Adrian?" She asked anxiously.
"As often as they'll have us." He kissed the tip of her nose and then brushed a kiss over her lips.
"No, can we go now? I feel a little... manic."
Eddie examined her face. "I'm sorry I didn't notice."
"It's not your job." Jill protested.
"Yeah, it kind of is. Boyfriend and guardian. I'm supposed to notice those changes in you."
"Most of the time these days it's so gradual that even I don't notice until it's right on me. And I know how it feels before it gets too bad. So I'm not at my worst."
He nodded and stepped into the next room. "Shane, we're going out."
"Yes, sir." The female guardian said. This was her first assignment. She was understandably nervous.
Eddie clapped her on the shoulder. "We're taking a trip to see Adrian Ivashkov. Princess Jillian needs to see him."
She nodded. "All right." She stepped out of the apartment and looked around. "I'll bring the car around."
Jill slipped her hand into Eddie's.
"Do you like her?" He asked.
"She seems to know her stuff."
"But her personality?"
Jill shrugged. "We'll see."
"We will."
The curtain moved aside after they knocked. A small face pressed to the window and smiled, her green eyes bright with excitement. Rory opened the door and plowed into Jill. "Aunt Jill!"
"Hey, Rory." Jill laughed and lifted her up. "Where's Daddy?"
She pointed. "Studio. Syd is there." She pointed to the living room where Sydney stood.
Adrian stepped out of the side room and smiled. "Jailbait!"
Jill laughed at the old nickname and sat the little girl down. She wrapped her arms around her friend and he placed a hand on her head. She sighed into his shoulder as the creeping darkness was taken away.
"Thanks." She said as she stepped away. "Did you guys meet my new guardian?" She indicated the young woman standing just inside the door. "This is Claudia Shane. She just graduated from St. Vlad's."
Sydney held out her hand. "Welcome to the gang."
Shane looked at the offered hand a moment before she shook it. She caught sight of the lily tattooed on Sydney's cheek. "You're the former Alchemist."
Sydney grinned and looked over her shoulder to Jill and then back to the guardian. "Yes, that's me. Now I'm just a human working an architecture degree."
"And dating the hottest spirit user in the world." Adrian said, holding out his hand to her. "After the queen, of course." He added with a laugh. "This is Lorelei." He indicated his daughter.
Rory smiled up at her. "Hi. I'm going to be a guardian like you some day. And my Mommy and Papochka."
"Hathaway and Belikov." Eddie told her in hushed tones.
Shane nodded. Her face softened and she kneeled in front of the little girl. "With parents like them, I'm sure you'll be great. I bet they've already taught you a lot."
"Uncle Eddie teaches me some, too. See?" She pulled back her fist and punched the guardian in the nose before anyone knew what was happening.
"Lorelei!" Adrian scolded.
Shane stood up laughing and waved him off. "It's fine. That was a mean right hook, Lorelei. He taught you that?" She pointed a thumb at Eddie.
Rory nodded.
"And how old are you?"
She held up two fingers.
"Three, baby." Adrian pulled up her third finger. "Just turned three." He said it with a proud smile.
"Bested by a three-year-old." Shane chuckled. "You'll be a great guardian. Probably just as good as your Mommy and…"
"Papochka." Rory said happily.
"Right."
Sydney lifted the little girl up and tickled her. "No more hitting people outside of training."
"I apologize for the punch." Adrian said, embarrassed.
Shane waved him off. "It's an honor to be punched in the face by Rose Hathaway's daughter."
"I think I'm going to like her." Jill whispered to Eddie as they all took a seat in the living room. At a normal volume, she said, "We're all moved in to the apartment. You guys should come see it."
"We might." Adrian squeezed her around the shoulders. "I'm so happy you're closer."
Rory climbed onto Eddie's lap. "Uncle Eddie, can you teach me the upper cut?"
Eddie chuckled. "We'll see about that one. Papochka may want to teach you a few of those things."
"Not supposed to."
Eddie smoothed a hand over her hair. "Why?"
"Papochka and Mommy says no punches yet." Her eyes were wide.
Eddie made a silly face at her. "Papochka and Mommy need to loosen up."
Rory giggled and rested her head on Eddie's chest.
"Have you found a feeder?" Adrian asked.
"Yeah." Jill said. "It was one of our first stops. We thought about getting one in the apartment, but it would look too suspicious."
"It would."
"Are you guys hungry?" Sydney asked.
"I could eat." Eddie said.
"Of course you could. Jill? Claudia?"
Jill smiled, "Not really. But thank you."
Shane looked nervous and nodded. "Thank you, Miss Sage."
"Call me Sydney, please. Rory, you hungry?"
"Starving, Syd." Rory said dramatically.
"You can't be starving. You've been eating since I walked in the door. Probably even before that." She pulled the girl into her arms and kissed her cheek noisily. "Want to help me cook?"
"No, I want to be with Daddy." She kissed Sydney and then climbed down. "But I love you lots and lots."
"And I love you lots and lots." Sydney ruffled her hair.
Eddie stood. "I'll help."
"Thanks." The two walked off together.
Shane stood. "It's nice talking to you all, I need to patrol."
"Don't hurry off." Adrian pleaded. "We have wards in place. It's not been a large threat."
"I know, sir, but I don't like being complacent." She left the house.
Jill rested her head on Adrian's shoulder. "I'm going to be here a lot. Is that okay?"
"I'm always here, Jailbait. Come whenever you want."
"Can Shane come over?"
"By herself?" He gave her a puzzled look.
"So Eddie and I can have alone time." She looked at the little girl playing nearby. She locked eyes with her friend. "Please? We haven't ever really had any time without people closing in. Even on dates we have guardians all over the place. They've found a way to ward the apartment and if Sydney would be so kind as to perform the extra protection spell, we would all sleep better."
"You should talk to her about it. As for Shane coming here? As long as she's comfortable, I think it would be completely fine."
"Aunt Jill, will you play with me?" Rory asked sweetly.
"Sure thing, kiddo." Jill dropped to the floor beside the little girl.
"You, too, Daddy. You're Theresa." She held up a doll for him.
Adrian laughed and sat down with them.
"Are you going to be okay?" Sydney asked as she peeled a potato.
"Yeah, I'll be okay." Eddie said. He was tasked with cutting up the potatoes Sydney peeled.
She gave him a no-nonsense look. "Going to classes to learn fashion design? Really?"
He chuckled and shrugged. "I'll be keeping an eye on her all the time. Much better than at Palm Springs where I had to rely on everyone else."
"And Shane?"
"She's definitely competent. I graduated from St. Vlad's. So did Rose. It's a good school."
"You guys also had Dimitri to put you through your paces that last year."
"Not all of it."
"True." Sydney gave him a sympathetic look. "But it's all good now. And we all have that little one out there." She pointed her thumb toward the living room. "She reminds me a lot of Dimitri sometimes."
"Me too." He chuckled. "And there's a lot of Adrian in her. First of all, those eyes. And she has the smirk down."
"And the charm. She can make me do just about anything with a smile and a 'Pretty please, Syd?'" She laughed.
Eddie laughed along with her. "She's a piece of work." He paused and looked a bit wistful. "Jill and I would have some pretty babies."
"You would. And talented. Fast. Fiercely dedicated." She gave him a supportive smile. "But wait for a few years, huh?"
He nodded. "Of course. As long as Lissa doesn't fight it. She's still not too keen on us."
"I'm sure she'll come around."
"I hope so." He smiled fondly toward the trio playing in the living room floor. "But we've got each other for now."
"You've got each other forever. That girl's not letting you go."
He shook his head as he watched her. Sydney then watched as Eddie put down his utensils, walked into the living room and kneeled beside Jill. He then placed his finger under her chin and lifted her face up until he could see her eyes. The corner of her mouth tilted up just before he gave her a kiss. Then he stood and returned to the kitchen to help Sydney finish cooking.
