"So another date with Dave?" Margo asked her daughter as she came though the living room where her mother was. There was a nice fire going in the fireplace as it was quite chilly so the room was nice and warm.

"No, I'm helping Wesley tonight," Beatrix said. "He basically needs to be in two places at once. I told Dave that I had family obligations tonight and he understood."

"What about Jeffrey?" Margo suggested.

Margo hated that her daughter was involved in the Shadow business. She had always hoped that Beatrix would not decide to help out her brother when he needed her. She had sincerely hoped that her daughter would not practice her talents in the shadows and just decide to settle down have a few children, but much like Lamont she was headstrong and unfortunately, it was a prominent Cranston trait that bred true. She was determined to help out when and where she could, though she wasn't cut out to do it full-time, just occasionally.

"I know you don't like it when I lurk in the shadows mom," Beatrix told her mother in understanding. "Dad handled the role alone for a lot of years, but now there're three of us, even if I only help out part time. I accepted long ago that Wesley can run rings around me psychically, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable."

"I never said you weren't just that I worry for you," Margo said. "You are my only daughter."

"I know you do," Beatrix agreed. "I'll never be able to do this full time especially once I have children. I knew that a long time ago. My point is that Jeff has a date tonight and I'm not about to interrupt it. I agreed to help out so Jeff can have a good date."

"You be careful then," Margo said. "I accepted a long time ago that Lamont put his life in danger on a nightly basis, but I have to admit it's harder to accept it for my only daughter. I've always known that Wesley was going to take over from Lamont someday and that Jeffrey would probably end up helping him out on a regular basis."

Margo sighed again sounding melancholy.

"I knew accepting Lamont's marriage proposal would see me waiting at home for him to let me know whether he was alive or dead. I know that all three of my children got that same stubbornness to continue his mission."

"I'll be careful mom," Beatrix promised. "It shouldn't be too dangerous I'm only following someone."

Beatrix gazed down at the fire opal ring on her finger and knew it connected to a man who was her father. A man who had been the scourge of criminals for over 30 years before his son had taken over.

Margo said no more but really wished her daughter hadn't decided use her psychic talents as a shadow.

At first her doing so hadn't been to worrisome, because Lamont had only let Beatrix help out in small ways at first. However, Beatrix was gaining confidence with every mission she undertook and now at 21 she was determined to help out in anyway she could.

"Love you, mom, I'll see when I get home," Beatrix said finally kissing her mother cheek

"Love you too sweetie," Margo said. "Be careful."

"I will be," Beatrix promised.

Margo watched her daughter go, praying she would be safe.

"I did try to talk about how of being a shadow," Lamont said coming into the living room where Margo was sitting, "but our daughter is headstrong just like the rest of the family. I was half hoping that all the hard work would discourage her. Unfortunately, it invigorated her. She's a lot like me in that way."

"I just worry about her," Margo said.

"So do I," Lamont said comfortingly. "She'll be just fine, as I trained her well or at least that's what I keep telling myself."

Margo laid her head against her husband's shoulder and hoped that Lamont was right.

~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~

One year later

"It's time I tell you some things about myself," Dave told Beatrix. "They're going to be hard to believe..."

"My family has secrets of their own Dave," Beatrix told him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "I'll need to talk to my father before I can tell you anything, as really the secret started with him."

"Okay," Dave said blinking in surprise at his girlfriend's words. "The reason I'm mentioning this now as I want to marry you. I love you more than anything so Beatrix Cranston will you marry me?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Beatrix shouted, hugging at kissing Dave passionately.

"Good," Dave said smiling wide. Dave took a ring box out of his pocket and handed it to his new fiancée

Beatrix's opened it and looked at the beautiful diamond ring.

"It's gorgeous," Beatrix said.

"To small?" Dave teased her.

"If it was any bigger it would pull my finger right off," Beatrix said. "I think it's perfect."

"Good I'm glad you like it so much," Dave said kissing his new fiancé.

"I'll talk to dad, as soon as I get home," Beatrix promised. "No matter what he says you're still invited to dinner tomorrow."

"I'll be happy to," Dave said. "I'll be there a little bit before seven."

Dinner at Cranston Manor was always at 7 o'clock. Dave had been to dinner endless times by now. At least once every few weeks, he was invited, to share dinner with the family as was Alice, Wesley's fiancée.

"Good I'll be waiting," Beatrix said smiling and gazing down at her beautiful engagement ring.

"I'll take you home," Dave said. "It's getting late. I'm sure your parents will be quite upset with me if I don't get you home soon."

"Maybe a little, but they love you nearly as much as I do," Beatrix told Dave honestly. "Still, you're right it's late. It's time for me to get home and go to bed."

Dave escorted his new fiancée to his car, held her door open for her and then climbed into the driver's seat.

"So is it because I've graduated from Barnard that you proposed?" Beatrix asked Dave.

"That's part of it certainly," Dave agreed. "I also felt it was time. I fell in love with you the minute I laid eyes on you, but most people don't believe in love at first sight, so I figured we could date for awhile."

Beatrix was nodding at this, because she could say the same. Sure, they hadn't known anything about each other then, but that had changed, as they been seeing each other for a year now and had dates several nights a week.

They arrived at Cranston Manor and the gates opened automatically.

The gates were huge and had a big gold C in a circle in the middle. When the gates opened the C split down the middle, so that half was on the left and the other half was on the right, as the gates parted.

"Here you go," Dave said stopping at the front steps.

Beatrix opened her door and got out the car. "Thanks I had a great time Dave."

"You're welcome, I'll see you for dinner tomorrow," Dave said. "I'm looking forward to it."

Beatrix went inside the mansion and Dave watched her before turning the car around and heading towards the gates.

~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~

"So how was your date?" Jeffrey asked his sister coming out of the kitchen, with a sandwich.

"It went great!" Beatrix said showing her brother ring Dave had given her.

"So he finally proposed," Jeffrey said looking at the spectacular diamond his sister was wearing.

"Yes, he did," Beatrix agreed with a very large smile.

"We all knew this was going to happen eventually," Jeffrey said, taking a bite of his sandwich. "I'm very happy for you sis. We all really like your fiancé. He's a good man and will look after you."

"I'm glad you do," Beatrix said kissing her brother's cheek. "I can look after myself though, dad made sure of that, but still, I understand what you mean."

Jeffrey was nodding because it was true. His sister could throw a man across the room, even if he weighed double what she did. That talent was part of the psychic ability that they all shared. It helped to use the bodies use their energy more efficiently, so that those with psychic powers could perform feats that would seem impossible to most everyone.

"Now, I'm going to go talk to dad. It's time," Beatrix said simply.

Jeffrey knew immediately what her sister was talking about. Revealing the family secret to her fiancé. Jeffrey wasn't entirely sure it was a good idea, but on the other hand Wesley had told Alice, so it was only fair to tell Dave. Besides, Jeffrey was well aware that it wasn't good to keep secrets in a marriage, but if they told the wrong person their identities it could get them all killed. There were plenty of criminals that had a price on the Shadow's head. On the other hand, they had a means of removing the memories as well if Dave should prove untrustworthy, as unlikely as that was.

If that were to happen there's no way that Beatrix could marry him, as she'd never be able to hide her powers forever. Trust was crucial in a marriage or even just a relationship, so though he was apprehensive he knew it had to be done.

Beatrix headed out to the veranda. She could hear her father's loud thoughts ringing through the house and knew exactly where he'd be on a warm night like this one. He'd be sitting on the veranda with a glass of cognac and a nice fat cigar.

"How was your date?" Lamont asked his daughter as soon as she sat down beside him.

"It went great," Beatrix said.

"But?" Lamont asked questioningly.

"But nothing," Beatrix told her father. "I just think it's time we told him our secret."

"So he proposed then," Lamont said looking at the diamond ring on his daughter's finger.

"Yes, in Central Park," Beatrix said. "We just sat on one of the benches looking out at the stars wanting to spend as much time together as we could."

"I can certainly understand that," Lamont agreed, smiling. "It probably is time. You two are going to be married and secrets in a marriage are not good, especially not something like being able to read men's minds."

"I invited him to dinner tomorrow, I thought we could tell him then," Beatrix said.

"Sounds good," Lamont said.

"Well, you sure did agree easily," Beatrix said looking at her father who was still a handsome man, even though his hair was now silver. His blue green eyes however, were still sharp with intelligence and power.

"Of course, I did. I really like Dave a lot. It's also clear he loves you and is not about to betray you. He might be disbelieving at first, but it has to be done, just like Wesley did for Alice. Telling someone outside the family that doesn't share our rather unusual talents is always hard sweetie, especially to those who don't have any psychic talent themselves," Lamont said. "Your mother is going to be ecstatic to help you plan the wedding, just like she's helping plan your brother's."

"I don't think we need to rush into that," Beatrix said. "Dave said he had something to tell me as well. It seemed as if it was a similar type of secret to the one we've always kept."

"Well, it looks like it'll be a night full of revealing secrets," Lamont said taking a puff of his cigar. "I wonder what his is?"

"We'll find out tomorrow," Beatrix said. "I don't suppose he'd mind coming over couple of hours early so we can get all the explanations and things out of the way."

"Probably a good idea," Lamont decided taking a sip of his cognac.

"I'll call him in the morning," Beatrix said. "It's now nearly 1 o'clock and time for me to go to bed."

"I'll see you in the morning sweetie," Lamont told his daughter kissing her cheek. "You have pleasant dreams."

Beatrix hugged her father tightly before heading up to her room to get ready for bed.

~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~