Disclaimer: We all know how these work, I acknowledge that J.K Rowlings, Warner Bros. and Scholastic own Harry Potter and all other characters and settings from cannon, and I get to write whatever I please and even add in characters of my own as long as I don't get any money. The no money sucks but there you go, at least I don't get lawyers knocking on my door.
Sirius' Savior
Chapter 18 Home?
Beth felt tired when she got off her flight from Guam in San Francisco. After going through customs she walked to terminal A and saw her flight to BWI didn't leave for two hours. Grimacing she waited twenty minutes half expecting a security detail to show up. When they didn't she decided she would have to razz them because they obviously were not monitoring muggle airports. Of course maybe she should keep it to herself though given that was how she gave them the slip in the first place. When the first call for her flight was made she got up and called the switchboard.
"Hello, this is the switchboard for the Magic Castle. My name is Becky how may I direct your call.
"Becky this is Beth O'Neill, Would you give my parents the information that I should arrive at BWI in about six and a half hours."
"Miss O'Neill!"
"I have to go now. Bye." Beth smirked as she hung up. She walked to her gate and handed the gate attendant her boarding pass.
Six hours later, Beth got off the plane and as she expected Rodney Pedersen was waiting along five other people whom she guessed were her new security detail. "Hello, Rodney how was your last month?" she greeted him cheerfully. "Aren't you going to introduce me to all your new friends?" Beth noticed two of the new details lips quirked up before being suppressed.
"Your parents are waiting Miss O'Neill. Did you check any luggage?" He answered his voice radiating suppressed rage.
"I have it all here thank you. I'm still waiting for introductions."
"I have had it with all of your shenanigans. You will come with us to the limo that is waiting without further delay." He growled.
"I won't get into a car with people I don't know."
One of the newcomers stepped forward before things got more out of hand. "Miss O"Neill, I'm Roy Mustang. I'm the head of your new security detail. Beside me is Riza "Hawkeye"Pierce, next is Rachel Luttrell, George Takei, and Winry Rockbell. The two others waiting with the car are Walter"Radar" O'Shaunessy and Walter Koenig. Now that everyone has been introduced may we go?"
Roy Mustang was torn between amusement and annoyance. His new assignment wasn't what everyone had led him to expect. He had taken this assignment at the request of the magical president. He wondered if perhaps this was someone using polyjuice to look like Beth O'Neill. He'd watch her closely and find reasons to delay getting her to the castle. After she was in the car, he took the pilots case to the trunk and said, "Radar delay us don't use the enhancements I want more than an hour to pass before we get to the castle."
"Okay you're the boss."
The next half hour was long for the security detail and for Beth. The new detail was astonished at the forbearance demonstrated by their charge. Rodney spent most of that time berating Beth. "What did you think you were doing ditching me and the rest of your detail. Don't you know the danger you were in? What were you thinking, a squib like you, don't you know the danger you put yourself and the rest of the wizarding public in?"and so on.
Hawkeye was just about to tell him to shut up, when Beth spoke up."Rodney, I get it, but you know what? You can take your I'm a wizard, I'm superior attitude,and shove it up your ass."
Rodney's hand whipped up wand extended ready to hex her. But Beth beat her team to the punch, she grabbed his extended hand by the wrist. She twisted hard and sent him to the floor of the car. Putting one foot on his neck she pinned him down and she used her left hand to pull his wand from his hand. "Can I trust you to hang on to this?" She extended the wand to Roy.
Reluctantly impressed, Roy said, "I've read your file and nothing indicated any sort of self defense training." As Roy reached out to take the wand he noticed a ring on her left ring finger. It was a big ring one that screamed expensive, expensive to the tune of his not inconsiderable annual salary. He wondered where she had gotten it and who had given it to her.
"It's something I learned on my vacation."
"What else did you learn on your vacation?"
Beth smiled serenely and didn't answer. She then released Rodney and resumed looking out the limos window.
When an hour and half had passed. The limo pulled up to the castle gates. After pulling up to the doors everyone got out and entered the stately castle. They were met by Andrew Bates, her father's assistant. Beth smiled cheerfully, "Hello Andrew."
"Miss O'Neill. You worried your father."
Beth frowned, "Is my father available?"
"No, he's speaking with the ambassador of the Wizarding Emirates at the moment."
"Of course mustn't let concern, overcome the business of being a mover and shaker after all... Gees did I just sound as bratty as I think I just did? Wait don't answer that, I think I'm more tired than I thought. New plan, I'm going to my room to sleep off my jet lag. When I wake up I would like to have a discussion with everyone who wants to complain about me or to me about my vacation. I might as well get it all over and done with at once. If you'll excuse me I'm going to bed." When she got to her room she called Sirius' cell phone.
"Black."
"Hi love, I made it."
"How were your flights?"
"Long."
"And everyone waiting for you?"
"Annoying. Tell Harry thank you for that wrist lock throw he taught me."
"You had to use it?" Sirius' voice was heavy with protective aggression.
"My old detail's head took exception to my independence. I showed him I wouldn't let him bully me anymore. I think I impressed my new detail."
"That's good, I suppose. Just don't give them a horrible time alright, they're there to keep you safe."
"Give my love to Harry, I'm hanging up now and going to bed."
"Love you, call when you wake up."
"Love you too."
Riza "Hawkeye" Pierce made sure to allow the room door to click shut the same time as the phone hit the cradle. Mustang had signaled the team to meet as soon as Beth was safely ensconced in her room. Riza had followed her to be sure she went where she was supposed to, and when she realized Beth was on the phone she took the opportunity to gain some intelligence. Five minutes later she joined the rest of the team in one of the Castle's many conference rooms.
Roy was seated at the far side of the room. Everyone else found a seat at the table. "Who wants to start?"
George took the profile they had been given three days earlier and chucked it into the fire place.
"The profile her last team did for us isn't worth the paper it's printed on. It goes on about how incompetent she is. You don't graduate at twenty two with dual master's in political science and linguistics and be incompetent. She's an empath and she's been controlled by her parents practically her whole life. "
Winry grimaced. "I have verified the castle healer basically ordered she be given a real vacation. She was starting to develop ulcers. I have also talked with her boss at the State Department. He said as useful as her skills at reading people are, he warned her before she went on vacation if her security detail created another incident she would lose her job. Officially she has two more weeks before she's due back at work."
"What kind of incidents are we talking about?"
Winry flipped through the notebook in front of her. "Mostly stuff that happens from wizarding ignorance of the muggle world."
"Well that's one problem we can spare her." Walter commented.
"Radar what have you found?"
"I've found out how she gave her detail the slip." Everyone perked up. "She apparently got a credit card from the bank where she keeps the money her real father left her. Anyway she used the card to buy a plane ticket the day she was to leave for Whistler B.C., that ticket took her to SFO airport. Where the card was used again to buy a ticket to Palau via Guam. She took nothing with her but her purse and her passport. She stayed at Palau Pacific Resort. The rest of the charges are a luggage store, some clothing shops, trips to the spa at the resort, restaurants, a couple of other shops, the aquarium; basically what you'd expect for a vacation. The sad part is her detail could have found her easily weeks ago if they had a clue about the muggle world."
Rachel spoke, "Where is Palau?"
Riza spoke up, "Someplace in the Pacific obviously. She met someone. She called whoever it is to let him/them know she got here safe. I got the number from the switchboard. Apparently her new skills are courtesy of someone called Harry. I asked Bess the house elf in charge of Beth's room, bring the case here so we can look in it before putting the contents in her room. Speak of the devil," she said as the case appeared.
They opened the case, there was: a nightshirt, two t-shirts, three short sleeve camp shirts, four pairs of shorts, a solumbra skirt, a solumbra sun hat, a solumbra big shirt, a solumbra beach cover up, two one piece swimsuits, a bikini, two pareaus. a pair of sandals, and a weeks worth of underwear. There were various small gift type items, a camera, lots of pictures some rolls if undeveloped film, a large lead crystal vase, a ziplock baggie with several dozen seashells. The last few items were puzzling there was a small box that held what looked like a Barbie doll dress but there was also a strapless bra and a petticoat for it, a box containing a tiara and twenty small hair clips, the last was a ziplock baggie with rose petals. Riza looked at the dress for a minute then she tapped that box with her wand it immediately grew. "Shrinking charm. Whoever he is, he's a wizard. He's got excellent taste but except for the pictures I don't think anything here will tell us much. Bess!"
"Yes ma'am."
"You may take everything but the pictures and undeveloped film up to Beth's room You should probably clean the clothes first though."
"Yes ma'am."
"So where do we go from here?" Roy asked.
"If Rodney's attitude today is indicative of the way her last detail treated her. In her shoes I would ditch them too, especially since they've created problems for her with her job." George spoke up.
Rachel spoke next. "She has apparently taken an interest in her own defense, I could help her develop her skills further."
Winry spoke next. "She is a squib no two ways about it, but being a squib doesn't invalidate her as a person anymore than being muggleborn does us. No offense to you halfbloods, Roy, Walter, Hawkeye, George."
"None taken." they all assured her.
"That's why I put this team together. The President approached me because he knew I was half-blood. I think he overheard one to many of the last detail's rants about 'who did that squib think she was anyway disappearing like that.' I know that the powers that be in the service have shuffled all of you into dead end positions despite you being the best of the best in your fields of expertise. All of you have always looked at people for who they were rather than... other reasons. I think if we work together and get Beth to work with us that it will be good for all of us. Let's get through these pictures then we'll talk with her once she's up."
They went through the photos most were scenery shots, two people other than Beth occurred with regularity. One shot held a boy holding two sai, another had him holding eskrima sticks. Rachel said, "I would wager that that is Harry, Hawkeye didn't you say Beth said Thank Harry."
"But he's just a kid." Walter said.
"Young age does not necessarily indicate a lack of ability." Rachel countered.
Roy looked around at everyone. "Anything thing else to add? Let's get those last few pictures developed and then normal shift operations until we talk with Miss O'Neill.'
Beth slept for seventeen hours. Upon waking she got out of bed pulled on a robe and looked at her clock it was five in the morning. She noticed her pilots case had been unpacked. "Bess" she called.
The house elf popped into the room. " Miss Beth is calling?"
"Thank you for unpacking my case. Are Dad and Mother up yet?"
"Not yet miss, Miss Riza sent your pictures up."
"Figures." Beth snorted. Of course the security detail had poked through everything before she got the chance to unpack for herself. Of course traveling for nearly two days straight and spending very little of that time asleep would account for her need to pass out in bed when she got here. She wondered about her new security detail, would they be as magic bigoted as her last, if so she was so out of here. She loved her parents but the conclusion she had drawn during her month of vacation was it was time for her to cut the strings that they used to control her. "Tell the kitchen elves to make lots for breakfast I expect lots of people."
There was a soft knock on her bedroom door. "Yes?" The door opened and one of the women of her new security team stuck her head in.
"I heard your voice so I thought I would check on you."
"Come on in...Rachel right?"
"I'm surprised you remember you looked so tired."
"I was but you don't get far in the political world if you don't develop a memory for names and faces. I would like to meet with all of you, the detail I mean so we can get to know one another and so we can set some expectations. It would be great if it could happen after breakfast."
"That can be arranged, I'll let Roy know."
"Great could you do something for me. I was going to ask Bess, but you interrupted. Could you shrink the bed and move it to the side I want to do some exercises."
"Of course." Rachel pulled out her wand and did as asked. "What exercises if you don't mind my asking?"
"A couple of really basic silat katas that will warm me up for yoga."
"Do you mind if I watch?"
"I suppose not." Beth answered before focusing and starting the exercises.
Rachel sent a note to Roy while watching Beth perform the basic katas. The form was slightly different than the disciplines she was the most familiar with but certainly would serve as a base for self defense. She was impressed with the flexibility Beth showed when she moved on to yoga. When Beth finished she put the bed back without being asked and stepped out to allow Beth privacy to clean up and get dressed.
Twenty minutes later Beth walked into the breakfast room as expected it was packed with people: security details, including her full new team, various advisors and assistants. Her mother was quietly sipping her coffee while her father paced the room. "Morning Mother, Dad."
"Beth! What do you mean by running off like that? You could have gotten hurt or attacked or..."
"OR any number of horrible fates I'm sure Daddy. But I'm fine. In fact I'm the best I've ever been."she calmly dished up some scrambled eggs and toast.
Roderick Stevens found himself stymied. His step daughter had never been calm when he raised his voice to her, not that he'd needed to do it often raising her. He and Maryanne had been married for twenty-eight years and their blended family had been wonderful. They had both been widowed at a young age with young children to care for. His three boys by his first marriage had been joined by four more boys with Maryanne. But Beth held a special place in his heart, she was his daughter. He had been disappointed that Beth's magical ability with empathy had been deemed insufficient to warrant magic schooling but it had proven a blessing to create political ties to his non magical counter part. Of course it helped that her birth father had been a well connected muggle and even now her Grandfather O'Neill gave him information that helped him with his dealings in both worlds. "So where did you disappear to young lady? I didn't appreciate you disappearing like that and you put Andrew through a bunch of work for nothing!"
Beth inhaled deeply. She looked at her father's assistant, "I'm sorry you went through work for nothing Andrew. However, since it was my vacation I would have liked to be consulted."
"I...I just assumed that you would want to go to Whistler as that's what your family has always done when taking a winter trip."
"Yes... haven't they." Beth's sardonic tone was heard.
"I told Andrew to arrange so you could go skiing Beth."
"Daddy, has it ever occurred to you and Mother that I might like things that you don't or that I might actually hate things you love, like skiing. Or I am just expected to be the pretty doll that you haul out as the requisite daughter of the family. I spent a fair amount of time this last month figuring out who I really am and what I want in life. As an empath it has always been easiest for me just to go along with what you and Mother wanted; be that dating Morgan Holson or Peter Benchcombe, or working for the state department, or having a security detail that puts me down for being a squib. I got ordered to go on vacation because I was developing an ulcer. I did some research while Andrew planned. One of the major causes of ulcers is stress. Before I left I wondered what did I have to be stressed about after all I live a life of sheltered luxury but when I was handed an itinerary for a vacation it occurred to me. An itinerary for each day for a vacation! Does anyone beside me see something wrong with this picture. I was stressed because I had no choices and no respect. So I left. I went to the beach. I had no schedule, no one putting me down and I got to, amazingly, make my own choices, and it was the most wonderful time I've had in my life!"
Her parents winced when Beth mentioned the two wizards. Both had been introduced to Beth as respectable potential mates. Both had proved to be accomplished manipulators who had only been after Beth for her political connections. They had courted and wooed Beth and had even gotten engaged to her before Beth found out their true purposes. Morgan had been overheard insulting Beth's squib status and Peter had been caught in bed with another witch. They winced again about her statements about being looked down on as a squib, because they had been guilty of doing that themselves. But they felt really ashamed when she pointed out the lack of respect and choice.
Maryanne Stevens felt even worse than her husband. How had she failed her daughter this badly? "So you went to the beach? What did you do?"
"Well I walked on the beach lots." Beth paused, as it occurred to her she could get a little bit of revenge on her overprotective parents. "I met a wonderful man." Come on bite little fishy, she thought.
"A man what does he do?" Her father asked.
Gotcha! "He's in between jobs at the moment." She said fighting a smirk. The expression on both her parents faces screamed that they were thinking 'Oh no a beach bum influencing our precious daughter.'
"He taught me how to sail and snorkel it was so relaxing and the nights..." Beth smirked as her mother went white and her father went puce.
Beth's security detail fought back snickers. Their charge was certainly getting a little revenge. She had just implied the man she met was a beach bum. But the ring on her finger implied that even if she met him on a beach and he was between jobs the man was loaded.
"Anyway, he was there with his adopted son and all of us had a good time. Oh look at the time...I'm sure you were about to have a meeting since Mathilda, Eleanor, Calvin and Hershel are all here. I'm going to be meeting with my new detail. I'll see you this evening. It is this evening we're supposed to go eat at the White House isn't it? My dates are a little fuzzy traveling forty eight hours and crossing the dateline and all.. It was nice to see you all."
Roy and the rest of her detail made it to the same conference room they had used last night bringing Beth with them before finally succumbing to the laughter they'd been fighting. "Remind me never to get on your bad side Miss O'Neill." Roy said. "Just for our own information who is your mysterious fiance?"
"Sirius Black."
A/N: If I get six good reviews(more than I like it next chapter) I'll post the next... I've got it done.