Several weeks later
"It's nice of you to visit Zara," Jazz told her daughter passing her a plate of chocolate pie.
"Yes, it is because we know how busy you are with your job at the historical society," Dave agreed, even as he kissed his daughter's cheek.
The three of them sat in the very comfortable den of the Rossi home, which was not the same house that Zara had grown up in. Immortals moved around every few decades, basically, every generation. It had been a long time since Zara was a child and so her parents and godparents had moved several times to different states in that amount of time.
"My favorite," Zara said, as she took a delicate bite of pie making yummy noises as she chewed.
When she had swallowed, she looked at her parents who were cuddled on the couch still very happy together just as they had always been for many centuries.
"Because you warned us you were coming it didn't take long at all to make it up for you," Jazz said. "There's another pie for you to take home when you leave, as I know how much you love them."
"Your mother never forgets one of her children's favorite desserts," Dave added, his tone affectionate, even as he took another bite of his piece. "Considering how many children we've had that's kind of miraculous."
"I just have a good memory that's all, particularly for that kind of thing," Jazz shrugged blushing at her mate's sincere compliment.
"And what about your favorite?" Zara teased her father causing him to smile.
"I like everything your mother makes, and it's not like I have any allergies to worry about, because immortals simply don't have them, which is very nice, because I've heard allergies can be terrible depending on what your allergies are," Dave shot back smiling at his daughter. "Of course, even back when I was mortal, I didn't have any allergies and I was grateful for that once I realized how much they could bother you during allergy season, but that might not have been true for some of our children if we were mortal.
"I had bad hay fever during the season, so I'm very grateful that I don't have it anymore," said Jazz. "I had bad, sneezing, coughing, headaches, and so forth. Having animals around only agitated it and made my allergies worse due to the animal dander. I haven't had any hay fever in centuries thanks to my mate being immortal that is and believe me I'm more than grateful. I had to find me some good allergy meds when I went into the bakery, so I wasn't sneezing or coughing over the food or touching it was germy hands. And you also know we always had animals at home when I was growing up, which didn't help my hay fever during the season."
"I never knew you had such bad hay fever when you were still mortal," Zara said.
"Of course not, its something that we've ever talked about and Jazz hasn't had those allergies in a very long time so she probably rarely if ever thinks about how bad her allergies used to be," Dave said.
"Back to the previous subject, and that is Dave will eat just about any one of my desserts, but likes the ones with chocolate the best," Jazz said, smiling, kissing her husband's cheek, changing the subject back to what it had been before they had gotten sidetracked.
"That's a love that all your children share though, and we had to get it from somewhere," Zara pointed out logically smiling, accepting the change in subject.
"True. You got it from both your father and I," Jazz agreed, "as I like chocolate too and that's not necessarily a good thing."
"Why isn't it?" Zara asked her mother. "You can't break out in pimples from eating too much sugar and it also can't affect your skin. You also can't get diabetes so why isn't it a good thing as much as you like?"
"Because I could gain 50 pounds or more if I didn't watch what I ate," Jazz explained. "Yes, what you said is true, I can't get diabetes, high blood pressure or fatty liver disease or even break out in pimples from eating too much sugar, but an immortal is not immune from gaining weight. Yes, I know I exercise, but it's not my natural inclination, never has been, as I'm usually so busy that I didn't used to take the time back when I was mortal. Now though, I have no choice in the matter, if I don't want to gain 100 pounds in the matter of a year or two. Either that or go on a strict diet to where I stop eating anything fattening nearly completely, which I don't want to have to do, as that would deny me so many simple pleasures like eating a meal with fattening pasta that kind of thing."
"More of me to love," Dave commented and Jazz kissed his cheek.
"Shhh! I'm trying to make a point," Jazz told Dave who fell silent. "The point is that I try to moderate how much of my own products I eat, so I don't have to exercise every day in order to maintain my weight, because I simply don't have time and sometimes not the energy to exercise. I watch my weight very carefully and the only time I gain is when I'm pregnant and just after I've given birth and it takes work in in order to get that weight off again."
"That you've stayed so slim with as many times as you've been pregnant is practically a miracle then," said Zara.
"No, I just exercise until I get all that baby weight I gained off me," Jazz said simply. "I don't particularly like exercising and I never have, as I just told you, but I know it's necessary. I'm just not naturally athletic much like your aunt isn't, as in that way, we are the same. However, we both know, we have to and consider it a necessary evil."
"The two of us often exercise together," Dave added.
"Which makes it more fun when we do and less like a chore," Jazz agreed. "So are you going tell us why you paid us a visit?" Jazz added getting off the subject of exercise. "I mean, Dave and I might suspect why you took the time to come all the way here to see us, but the question is, is whether or not you're going to confirm our suspicions?"
"Yes, I've met my mate," Zara confirmed, as there was no point in stalling. Zara knew that her parents would be ecstatic for her, so there was no point in not revealing why she had decided it was time for a visit.
"Looks like we were right," Dave said now grinning from ear to ear.
"It's not like it was that hard to guess considering how many times it's happened to our children, as well as the Hotchners," Jazz told Dave also smiling.
"That's true," agreed Zara. "The fact that I have finally met my mate will get Jerry off my back."
"And how come we've never heard you mention this Jerry?" Dave wanted to know.
"You don't have to worry about Jerry, as he died during the Civil War," Zara explained. "He's a ghost now and inhabits, the building where the historical society is located. He shows up and we have a conversation every few days. He doesn't really understand about immortals and mates, even though I explained to him on numerous occasions. He's always telling me it's way past time, I settle down and have a family and can't understand why I can't do that was just any man. He just doesn't understand how people would take advantage of someone like us if they knew about our immortality, much less the magic that runs in our family as well. He was a silversmith back during that era and I won't claim he wasn't intelligent, just that he never had an experience with the darker side of human nature. He never experienced how greedy and evil people can be when they want something badly."
"We understand," Jazz said, and Dave nodded.
"Yes, we do," Dave agreed. "You're the only one that got the talent to see ghosts, but who knows it might happen again at some point."
"His name was Gerold Baskin, and he was a soldier in the union army, and he never made it back home to his wife and children as he died in the first battle of Bull Run. He's actually really sweet, even if he doesn't understand the circumstances that I have to work under. He told me on numerous occasions that he can see I'm lonely, so it's past time I settle down and I never disagree because he's right. I do occasionally get frustrated with him though, but then, I can get frustrated with anybody not just a ghost who doesn't understand my circumstances. I'll happily settle down with Kip now once we reach that stage where he's told our secret. He's almost like a brother, even though he's dead and has been for a very long time. I know he thinks of me as a sister and just wants what's best for me."
"I wonder why Jerry hasn't moved on," Jazz wondered.
"I have no idea, as Jerry has never said why he didn't join his wife and children in the afterlife," Zara explained taking another bite of pie really wanting to gobble the rest down instead of eating it slowly to make it last. "Still, it's not like I mind him hanging around, as he's pleasant enough to talk to when he appears and I learn things about his era when we get into long conversations."
"So this Kip is your mate?" Dave and Zara nodded.
"His full legal name is Christopher Whitethorn, but he goes by Kip. He's been hired as an employee at the historical society several months ago. Considering the numerous requests, I have put in for extra help over the last few years it was about time that the board gave in," Zara said with exasperation in her tone.
"So you've been needing help for at least a couple of years," Jazz said and Zara nodded.
"Ever since the previous head, Janise Waverley died five years ago and I was appointed actually, but she was close to 100 when she passed away in her sleep, but had the energy of someone much younger," Zara agreed. "Celina Texas might be a small town with only a 175,000 human population, but that doesn't mean that Clarissa, Charlie and I can handle it all by ourselves. We've needed someone else for sometime.
"We could use another couple of employees, at a minimum, as there are many historical sites that we cover in Celina, Texas and ones that are old enough to be considered historical. Also, many people have put in request to have their houses or places of business listed as historical and if they meet the criteria, they go on the historical register. It's just a lot for three people to handle that's all," finished Zara.
"But now you have a fourth person to help you out, to take the pressure off, someone who also happens to be your mate," Dave said and Zara nodded.
"That's true and it's clear that Kip went into the profession for the right reasons, because he loves history, which means he's passionate about it and willing to work hard. We have become inseparable over the last few months."
"That's good considering he's your mate," Jazz said.
"Yes, it is and I'm very glad there's no rule about dating a coworker, especially since I'm the boss," Zara agreed. "You know a lot of professions forbid you from dating a coworker, especially if you're part of the same department, but luckily, that's not the case, for the historical society."
"You could just leave your position if it was, though I know you don't want to do that, as I know you mostly enjoy the position you have," Dave said.
"I would do it if I had to, as I can always get another position, as Kip is much more important," Zara agreed. "You're right, I do enjoy my job, though not necessarily all the paperwork that's required, even if that's mostly electronic now instead of being on actual paper. I can always get a job at a museum or somewhere similar to that if I had to give up my job at the historical society for personal reasons, as my degree is good for a lot of different professions, so I have many options."
"Your father and I can't wait to meet this Christopher Whitethorn, but we can be patient," Jazz said. "Let us know when you think it's time to tell him and we'll inform your godparents in the meantime, that you've met your mate."
"Aaron, and Shonda will be very excited for you," Dave added.
"That's true they will be," Zara said smiling, as she ate the last of her pie. "Delicious as always, Mom. I really appreciate you going out of your way for me."
"I was happy to do it, sweetheart," Jazz said. "It's too bad there isn't a bakery owned by our family in Celina. I believe the closest one is in Houston."
"Which is a nearly 5 hour drive, so it's not really practical unless I'm already in the area," Zara said. "And if I use the sky lanes the time it takes to get to Houston is shorter, but it's still nearly 3 hours so it's still not practical. With all the traffic in the sky lanes it's no wonder it takes so long to reach Houston."
"And it takes so long driving on the ground, because it's the much longer route," Dave said and Zara nodded.
"There's also still traffic on the ground with those vehicles that don't have a flying option, though the sky lanes are definitely busier so even though they're shorter it still takes considerable time to get to Houston, where the bakery is."
"You know your godparents originally met in Houston," Jazz mentioned. "It will always have a special place in their hearts because of it."
"It's one reason that we lived there centuries ago now, as Aaron and Shonda wanted to go back to see how the city had changed since they met in the late 20th century," Dave added.
"I know the story and it's so romantic," Zara said enthusiastically.
"Yes, it really is," Jazz agreed smiling. "I'll go get that second pie for you so you can take it home, as I'm sure you're anxious to get back to Kip."
"Yeah, I am," Zara agreed. "Still, I've enjoyed spending a few hours with you guys and I'll be here for the holiday, hopefully, bringing Kip with me."
"We can't wait to meet him," Dave said as he rose and kissed his daughter on the cheek. "Feel free to visit anytime. You know we're always happy to see any of our children and not just when you have important news to share but for any reason."
"If you have all your children visiting all the time you'd never have any peace and quiet again considering how many children you've had," Zara told him with a smile.
"That's true, but at least it would break up the monotony," Dave said. "Still, we do see some of our children fairly often and we're always happy to."
"That's true we are," Jazz said coming back from the kitchen with a pie well wrapped in cling wrap. "Here you go. Enjoy!"
"I will, I promise," Zara said, even as she took the pie wanting to clutch it to her chest, as if it was a priceless treasure, as she hadn't had one in a long time not since she had moved to Celina Texas.
"I'm glad your relationship with your mate is going well and hopefully, it will continue to do so," Dave said as he hugged and kissed his daughter goodbye before Jazz did the same.
"We'll see you sometime in the next few months, sweetie. You just let us know when," Jazz said.
"I will," Zara promised before she took her leave.
She carried the pie out the door and got into the cab that was just pulling up, as she went down the steps of her parents house. She hadn't seen a reason to rent a car when she was only going to be here a few hours so a cab while expensive was just fine. She had plenty of money after all, even if she didn't make much she made enough to live on and lived well within her means, but having her trust fund as a backup, plus what she had socked away over the centuries gave her financial security to where she would never need to worry about money just like none of her family who were any age had too.
~~~Kip and Zara~~~
"So I've heard you finally met your mate Miss Zara," came voice of Gerold Baskin.
Zara had felt the chill as the temperature in the room had decreased by quite a few degrees, which always meant there was about to be an appearance of a ghost. Of course, it was her favorite ghost Jerry.
"I wondered where you were Jerry, as you haven't appeared in months. I thought maybe you had finally crossed over," Zara looked up and where the ghost of Jerry Baskin had formed, which was right in front of her desk.
Jerry was a handsome young man with blonde hair cropped short and startling sky blue eyes. His features were refined with high cheekbones and a stubborn chin. Jerry was also tall and slim with clear muscles in his arms, and Zara was sure the same was true for his legs, but he since he was wearing pants, she couldn't tell. All in all Zara could see what Jerry's former wife had seen in him, and the fact that he was as gentle as a lamb also helped.
"I've been here and I watched as you and your new employee have gotten closer, much closer than you are to Clarissa and Charlie. I've heard you talking to each other and it's clear to me that you love him."
"And how come I haven't felt your presence Jerry?" Zara asked the ghost.
"I didn't try to manifest to where you could see or even feel me. I was still mostly on the other side just peeking in on you every once in awhile to see how you were doing," Jerry is explained and Zara nodded.
"I should scold you for spying you know me, Jerry, but I won't," Zara told the ghost who managed to blush despite the fact that he was dead. "I know you did it out of love for me and because you don't like to see how lonely I used to be. I know you only want what's best for me and I appreciate it. I promise the day is getting closer to where I tell Kip about my magic and immortality, but not quite yet."
"Yes, I have noticed how much happier you've been lately," Jerry admitted, as he regarded Zara with a brotherly air about him. "Once you're settled, I think it's time for me to cross over."
"And why haven't you done that before now Jerry, as you've been here for a very long time, as this is many centuries after the Civil War," Zara asked Jerry curiously
"I felt like I had some task to complete before I could move on," Jerry said simply.
"What task is that?" Zara asked curiously.
"Can't you guess Miss Zara?" Jerry asked his blue eyes twinkling merrily. "I felt like I had to stick around for you, even though you didn't appear for centuries nor was this building the historical society back then, but I've been feeling like it's time for me to move on for sometime now. I just want you to know that I'm very fond of you, even though I know it's not like I'll ever see you on the other side. Take care of yourself, Miss Zara and you let Christopher Whitethorn know that he better treat you right or I'll come back to haunt him and that's a promise."
"I'll be sorry to see you go Jerry but not sorry that you'll finally see your wife and children again. You don't have to worry about Kip treating me right as mates couldn't do anything else, because we love each other so very much," said Zara.
Zara was so involved in the conversation with Jerry she didn't hear the knock on the door or the door opening before Kip was in the room and it was clear he had heard at least part of the conversation.
"How much did you hear?" Zara asked, trying not to let the panic show on her face or be heard her in her voice.
"Quite a bit," Kip admitted regarding, Zara with an unreadable expression. "I'm assuming you've always been able to talk to ghosts."
"You actually believe I was talking to a ghost and not just talking to myself," Zara asked with a raised eyebrow concealing her nervousness as best she could.
Kip sure was awfully accepting of her ability and didn't seem the least phased by it when many people had looked at her oddly when they caught her talking to what looked like thin air. Of course, one of the attributes that made somebody the mate to an immortal or magical, for that matter was accepting of any quirks or unusual traits of the person that they were mates to and talking to what appeared like thin air would definitely be considered a weird trait.
"I do actually, as I've always believed in the supernatural and it's clear to me that you do as well," Kip offered. "I can see why you do, though, considering your ability to talk to spirits."
"That's one reason I do believe in the supernatural," Zara offered revealing nothing else.
"I heard you talking to the ghost that you called Jerry I believe and I heard what you said about mates," Kip said.
"You seem awfully accepting of the supernatural. Accepting of the fact that mates exist at all. To most people soulmates are nothing but fiction," Zara noted.
"We need to talk somewhere more private than your office," Kip said, and Zara nodded solemnly. "I know it and you're welcome to come to my apartment after work when we can talk in peace. No one will disturb us," Zara said.
"That would be best," Kip decided.
"It would," Zara agreed calmly. "We have a lot to talk about, but we don't want Clarissa and Charlie to come in at a delicate moment. I'm surprised I let you sneak up on me as I usually pay attention when footsteps come down the hallway, but I was too distracted."
"Which is how I was able to sneak up on you," Kip said finally smiling a little.
"That's how," Zara agreed smiling, relaxing at Kip's casual acceptance, which likely meant he'd known about the supernatural for years, but she would find out when they were alone after work.
The two went about the rest of their day like normal, but both had a lot on their mind and so were distracted something that the other two noticed but when asked what was going on both Kip and Zara said that it was a private matter.
~~~Kip and Zara~~~