A strange, light haired man gazed into the window of a house, and then went around to stand by the front door, holding his finger over the doorbell but not pressing it, still uncertain if he wanted to do this. Wearing simple black jeans, knee-high biker boots and a thin, tight, dark blue t-shirt despite the pouring rain outside. It didn't seem to affect him though - as soon as it hit him it simply disappeared, turning into steam. His finger still hovered over the doorbell button, but the door opened and a kind looking woman gazed at him, a sparkle in her blue eyes that said she had just been laughing. He smiled, and she smiled back, pleased that he had come. "I knew you would come. Juliet was right - you are a good man. I trust you've been around?" His green eyes sparkled with tears at the mention of his late wife, but he nodded, ignoring them. "I'll always be around." She led him into the living room and sat down on a sofa, beckoning him to join her. "She's doing so well, John! She just started walking! And she said her first word! Can you believe it? She's growing up so fast-" The man interrupted her excited talk with a wave of his hand. "I know, Jan. She's my daughter after all. I keep a watch out for her. That’s not why I'm here." The woman frowned. "Do...you want her back? I mean - she looks so much like her mother..." Once again the man cut her off rudely - "No, Jan. I think she'll do better here with you than with me. I'm sure Juliet would want it this way - since she doesn't seem to have taken after her father and gotten powers. Juliet would have wanted her to have a normal life..." He said, trailing off again. Her death was just so new...He closed his eyes and straightened his shoulders. It had to be done, for her own sake. "No, I'm here because I have some people who are after me - the other powers - and they want me in any way they can get me - dead or alive. So I...arranged for her protection. I won't be here forever Jan, an-" This time the woman cut him off with an angry voice, knowing all too well were this was going and not liking it. "WHAT KIND OF PROTECTION?!?!?!?!" she yelled furiously, waking the baby. The man looked shame faced, and Jan went to go get the beautiful little girl she had adopted. When she got back the man immediately snatched the baby out of her arms, hugging her lovingly and holding her gently. The woman didn't complain - she was used to this. The baby had him wrapped around her finger. It was no wonder - with chubby cheeks, emerald eyes, soft bleach blond hair and a face shape that promised beauty, she easily gained people's love. Perhaps that was her power...no, it wasn't. She didn't have any, just like her mom. The man sighed; looking up from his daughter's smiling face at his sister-in-law, gaining him an angry look."I...just want her to be safe, Jan. You know that. Besides, mine and Juliet's arranged marriage worked out. Why can't hers?" Jan sighed - he didn't seem to get it. "Not everyone is as lucky as you were. Remember in the old history books, how every highly born woman had to be married off to gain some tie? Most of them didn't get as lucky as you did, not nearly. What if he beats her? Or hates her? Or what if they don't like each other at all? She's barely a year old, John - and already you're marrying her off. That's not the way most father's act, you know. NORMAL father's fight to the death to keep their daughters from getting married." "Yes, Jan I know...But I gave her an out. She just won't know it until her wedding day. That was the way the contract worked-" He stopped, realizing his slip. "YOU ALREADY SIGNED A BETROTHAL CONTRACT!!!!!????!" Jan whispered angrily, wanting so bad to hit him with a frying pan, but unable to because he was holding the baby, who was now asleep, oblivious to their conversation. He looked down guiltily, ashamed. "I'm sorry Jan...I just had to. Don't you even want to know who the lucky boy is?" Jan sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Who?" He smiled - this meant she was coming around. "To the McKinnon’s boy. He's only a year older than her..." The woman looked up. "I sense a 'but' in there somewhere...?" she said with an underlying warning note in her voice. He braced himself, ready for the worst."BUT - he has powers -don't get me wrong, they're great powers - he's a fire-thrower, like me, and he has all the regular powers, you know, hearing, eye sight, smell...and he is a bright boy. His powers are still coming, but so far just those. And he'll be handsome too - black hair and blue eyes." She sighed. "When?" The man smiled. He had won. "We'll tell them on their junior year. They get married senior year." "Fine. But I won't tell her."
