Author's Note: Italics signify thought, emphasis or vision.
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New York, NY
Tuesday, August 14, 2001
morning
Christian and Lilianna were eating breakfast when the phone rang. Christian moved to pick it up, Lilianna watching him for any sign of trouble. It was only a matter of time before Irons realized it was them killing off his most ruthless underlings, and she doubted Irons would make his first move over the telephone, but you could never be sure with that man.
"Nottingham," Christian said into the phone.
Catherine appeared near Lilianna, looking excited. Lilianna smiled at the other woman and waited for her husband to respond to whatever it was the caller had to say.
"No, I wasn't expecting a package. Who is it from?"
The Witchblade hummed on Lilianna's finger and she gasped when Christian spoke again.
"The Dagan Corporation?"
Christian noticed Lilianna nodding vigorously and told the garage attendant to go ahead and bring it up to him. He hung up the phone and smiled at the ghost of his mother before turning to his wife.
"You want to tell me who from the Dagan Corporation would be sending us something?"
"Mara," Lilianna answered. "Dagan was her father's name, and it's the surname most of her siblings use when they need one. The Corporation was started to keep track of as much of the family as possible while making sure they were all provided for."
Christian nodded slowly. "I remember a few years ago Irons tried to buy into their company but they refused him."
Catherine jumped in, "The Centre tried to get in for him years ago, but they were rejected as well. Through research they discovered that The Dagan Corporation very rarely allows outside investors."
"It only makes sense when you think about the secrecy a family of Immortals would have to live under," Lilianna murmured.
Christian moved to the elevator. The doors slid open a few seconds later and the man inside handed Christian an envelope before the doors slid shut again, taking the parking garage security man back down to his station. Christian brought the envelope to Lilianna.
"Not that I'm not thrilled that you're here, Mom, but why are you here?" he asked as Lilianna opened the envelope.
Catherine simply smiled enigmatically. Lilianna gasped as she read the top page of the documents that had been in the package from Mara. Too overcome to speak, Lilianna waved the small stack of papers in Christian's direction. He gently took them from her and read the letter on top of the stack.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Nottingham,
Lady Mara Dagan, on behalf of Mr. Gabriel Bowman, has asked us to procure the enclosed documents. Mr. Bowman was of the opinion that though your spiritual bonding has already taken place, you may desire to be legally wed. In the event that Mr. Bowman was right, birth certificates with your real names (but a false year for Mrs. Nottingham, of course), Social Security cards and blood test results have been provided. We took the liberty of scheduling a ceremony with the Justice of the Peace at City Hall at noon today due to the unusual circumstances and time restraints you find yourselves under.
Should you choose not to keep the appointment, notify our Events Department (the VP's number can be found below) and we will cancel and make sure there is no record of the appointment. If you do attend, witnesses from the Corporation will be on hand to stand in for Lady Mara and Mr. Bowman. Our best wishes on your lives together.
Mr. Nottingham, Lady Mara informed the Corporation that you may be leaving the employ of Mr. Kenneth Irons in the near future. Should you so desire, we would be happy to move your bank accounts and other personal business to our Corporation, where Mr. Irons holds no sway. Contact us with any needs you may have.
Sincerely,
Sonya Beckett
Records Department VP
The Dagan Corporation
"I can't believe..." Christian started but was interrupted by the elevator.
Lilianna and Christian both tensed as they waited for who was in the elevator to be revealed. Susanna stepped into the loft with a small smile on her face, a duffel bag in one hand. She set the duffel bag down just inside the doors. Lilianna gasped again and moved forward to hug her sister. Susanna allowed the embrace for several seconds, staring over Lilianna's shoulder at Christian.
Moving away from Lilianna, Susanna approached Christian. "Hello, Ian."
"Susanna," Christian greeted softly, warmth in his eyes, his whole being.
The expression was mirrored in Susanna's face and body, and Lilianna suddenly realized that the blank mask her sister usually wore might not have come from mimicking Irons. Christian, too, regularly hid his emotions, and he had raised Susanna much longer than Irons had been able to.
With one last tiny smile in Christian's direction, Susanna turned back to her sister, "While I was on my job, the Blade told me you were in danger. I was already on my way back when the Witchblade let me know you were getting married today. Is... is Mother going to be there?"
Lilianna's decision and answer were instantaneous, "No, she refuses to tell my father about me. I'd only want her there if they both were. We'd like it if you would come. You could be my maid of honor."
Susanna smiled a bit bigger than before, "I was hoping you'd ask."
Lilianna smiled and Christian turned toward his mother.
"Is that why you're here, Mom?"
"I wanted to see my baby boy get married," Catherine confirmed, lifting one hand before dropping it back down to her side.
"At least someone's parent can be there," Susanna said lightly.
Catherine smiled softly at the blonde girl. Lilianna was frowning thoughtfully.
"Could you ask the PTB for Jonathan to be there as well?"
Christian stiffened. It was the first time they had really discussed his father out loud.
But Catherine was frowning sadly, "I already asked, THEY said it was impossible."
Susanna twitched. "Um, that's because he isn't dead."
"What?" all three of the others asked.
"He didn't die in the car crash, he was kept in the Centre for twenty years before he escaped. They told him Catherine had died in childbirth and that the baby had died as well."
"Where is he now?" Christian choked out.
"I don't know," Susanna shrugged. "We were never able to find him. Not even a clue. It was like once he left the Centre, he disappeared."
Lilianna wrapped her arms around Christian and sent a pale Catherine a comforting look.
"I just... thought... because I was a Guardian. I thought they wouldn't let me... see him." Catherine stuttered.
"When all of this is done, we'll find him. We'll get everyone together again, and we'll destroy that place," Lilianna said with quiet conviction.
Susanna's face was unreadable again, but she added, "I'll help however I can."
Bast sat atop the refrigerator, watching the humans and their ghostly companion. Her fur stood on end as she looked at Susanna, but for the sake of her keepers, she stayed silent and hid her animosity.
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Hours later, Lilianna and Christian were reciting the traditional wedding vows, minus the word 'obey', in front of the city of New York's Justice of the Peace. The man and woman from the Dagan Corporation stayed through the ceremony, first so there would be enough witnesses, and secondly to sign the marriage certificate since legally Susanna couldn't.
Lilianna and Christian wore the clothes they had worn to the dinner with Irons. Susanna wore a linen pants suit that made her look slightly older, especially with her hair up in a sleek French twist. Catherine, of course, was still in the pale blue dress that matched her eyes so well. When the ceremony was over, Catherine blew Christian and Lilianna a kiss and disappeared, happy tears in her eyes. The new Mr. and Mrs. Nottingham thanked the witnesses from the Dagan Corporation and promised to contact the company if there was anything they needed.
After they left City Hall, Susanna treated her sister and her brother-in-law to a late lunch in a small, out of the way restaurant that never the less had wonderful food. While they ate, they decided that the best plan was for Susanna to come back and see Christian the day after Lilianna was supposed to go back to her own time. If that still happened, Christian and Susanna would use the Eye of Kronos to move forward in time to where Lilianna was. From there, they would try to get back to this time so they could reunite their families.
Susanna left them in front of the restaurant. She had already risked a lot by spending as much time as she had with them.
Lilianna and Christian drove home, changed into jeans and sweat shirts, and walked to the park. They found a bench to sit on where they could watch children playing, their arms wrapped around each other. Each of them wondered what their children would be like and how they would grow up.
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Vorschlag Building
New York, NY
Tuesday, August 14, 2001
afternoon
Two hours after Lilianna Elizabeth McCartey and Christian Jonathan Nottingham had tied the knot, a contact Kenneth Irons had in City Hall called to report the nuptials. Irons thanked the woman and hung up the phone. He pulled his pocket watch out and stared at it for a few minutes, leaning back in his chair.
Sighing, he tucked the watch back into its pocket and pressed a button on his desk console that would summon the Lieutenant. When the other man came in, Irons stood and approached him. The Lieutenant wasn't as deferential as Nottingham; he had been his own man too long to be easily trained in that direction without cutting down on his inherent ruthlessness.
Light blue eyes met murky hazel and Irons said simply, "Tomorrow."
Malicious glee lit the eyes of the younger man.