"You look wonderful, Alex."

Blink straightened his back and rearranged his suitcoat. "I don't know why you had to make me go today."

"Alex, look at me." Blink obeyed, turning to look at his father. "You've been here over two weeks, and I have many people who would like to meet you. You're going to have to get used to them if you're going to take over my business. And from what I've heard from you, that's what you want to do." He sighed. "Now, you don't have to come if you don't want to, but I know a few people who would like to see you."

Blink sighed in return. "Fine. I…I'll go."

- - - - - - - -

Blink had found that his father was pretty well off, what with the Shielding Eye getting business from the government and many wealthy patrons. He had a moderate house, larger than most but not a mansion, and three or four servants. He had no relations, but Red lived with him when she wasn't on a job. Tonight he had rented out the nearby hotel's ballroom for a Prodigal Son party. It's always interesting finding how wealthy his father was.

Almost all of upper Philadelphia was there, he noted as he entered the room. He looked out over the crowd as his father announced him to the group of over a hundred. But his eyes were drawn by a shimmering figure in green gown near the bottom of the grand staircase. He floated down the stairs, every eye on the former newsboy from New Yawk. A gaggle of girls giggled and whispered to each other in the opposite corner of the room, their heads turning to him every so often. He hardly noticed them. His eye was still fixed upon the one in green.

Blink came up behind her.

"…the case went over well. Yes, Mr. Harding, I would have stayed on longer, but Mr. Shields needed me to go back to another case he'd pulled me off."

He tapped her on the shoulder. The woman turned around and smiled at him. "And here he is."

"Whom, ma'am?" The older man, with a grey mustache and balding head, leaned forward to squint at the newcomer.

"Alex, this is Mr. and Mrs. Harding. They've been wonderful customers and at recommending the Shielding Eye to others. Mr. and Mrs. Harding, this is Alex, the case I was pulled off to go on yours."

Mr. Harding took his hand. "Wonderful to meet you. I've heard so much about you from Torii here – she is quite the girl to pull off capturing you!"

Blink blushed. "Uhm…yes. She is. But – it wasn't hard to…fall into her…trap when baited so…well," he finished awkwardly.

Mrs. Harding's greying head laughed and turned to Torii. "Did you hear that?"

Torii bowed her head respectfully. "Yes ma'am."

Mrs. Harding took her by the elbow and whispered not so quietly, "I do believe he has eyes for you, my dear. You better watch yourself."

Blink held his hand over his mouth while Torii finished speaking to Mrs. Harding and disengaging the older woman's grip. Torii glared at him. He composed himself and skillfully took her arm as they headed to the dance floor. "Red, I never would have guessed you were a spy."

Red ducked her head. "Agent. They call us agents, not spies."

He took her hand as the music began. "I have to say, you look lovely in green." He studied her dress, an almost electric green with an accompanying black shoulder shawl.

She grinned at him. "You clean up very well. I almost didn't recognize you."

"It's hard not to notice you."

The dimmed lights hardly concealed the blush that spread across her cheeks. Her curly hair swung gently as they danced around the floor together for three songs. The group of giggling gerties in the corner glared angrily at Red.

"You're a great dancer! You sure had me fooled at Medda's that one night."

"It isn't all that hard to step on your large feet."

Blink tried glaring at her. It didn't work.

The evening ended in a haze. Neither noticed where they were going. As it turned out, they had walked home and found themselves in the center garden.

"Ya looked gorgeous tanight." He led them to sit on a bench.

Red laughed. "I miss the New Yawk accents."

"I miss the people."

"Me too."

There was a short silence, initiated by Blink's gently holding her hand.

"Would…would you ever consider being an agent?"

"For my dad?" Over the few weeks, Kelly and Alex had come to know each other better and were on a great start to a familial future. "I…I think I'd like it. Heck, came wit' da territory in NYC."

Red adjusted her dress. "Good."

"Why?" He turned to get a better look at her, both of his hands enveloping one of hers.

She whimsically smiled. "I think Kelly has ideas, if you know what I mean."

"You mean…" He motioned between the two of them.

Red laughed. "Yeah, that's exactly what I mean."

- - - - - - - -

Kelly Shields looked down on the two from his balcony window. He shoved his fist to his mouth to keep from shrieking in delight.

There's gonna be a wedding, a wedding, a wedding, there's gonna be a wedding, and everyone will know!