Szardos Family - Meggan, Kurt and Amanda

[xp_daytripper]

In Berlin, a rather grumpy witch awaits a meeting with Wanda's contact.



Amanda set her bag down next to her chair and looked around the cafe with a sigh. What the fuck was she doing here? Meeting a contact, apparently, but there was no sign of anyone who looked in the least like someone she was supposed to meet - at this time of day, the cafe was nearly empty, except for a table of business types discussing some kind of project over coffee in loud voices. It looked like her contact was late, or not coming at all. Fan-bloody-tastic - she'd schlepped all the way back here for nothing when she could have spent the time following up leads on the Brotherhood's European contacts...

"~How can I help you?~" The sudden appearance of the waitress startled her and Amanda kicked herself for letting her attention stray. Dangerous thing to do, especially now. That was how you got killed. The fact she was too tired to focus any better didn't even occur to her.

"~Coffee, please,~" she replied in German. "~Lots of milk and sugar.~"

The waitress bustled away and Amanda dug in her shoulder bag for her PDA. Might as well get some work done while she was waiting...

While she was turned away and occupied looking for the PDA, there was a polite cough from the side of the table.

Irritated, Amanda glanced up. "~What?~" she snapped, and then frowned in confusion. "~Do I know you?~" The fact this might be her contact seemed to have slipped her mind.

"~I would say so~", he answered, the voice oddly familiar. "~You came here to meet me, after all.~"

Oh shite, it was her contact. Way to go, Sefton. Real smooth spywork there... "~I'm sorry, you startled me. Please, sit down. You had information to pass on?~" she began, stuttering a little in her attempt to cover up her slip. Then she paused. "~You sound familiar... have we met somewhere before?~"

Meggan was remaining out of sight up until this moment, managing to blend in with a few other people going about their business around the café. She resisted the urge to jump in and shout 'surprise,' since it might ruin Kurt's set up. A few more moments of patience were needed before she would reveal herself.

"~Oh yes, we have met.~" That was barely concealed amusement, try as he might. "~But there will be time to speak of that later.~"

Amanda sighed then, looking much tireder than she had a moment ago. Pushing limp blonde hair out of her face, she looked up at the stranger who seemed to be laughing at her. "~Look, I've had a horrible couple of months. Can we just get the job done so I can get back to what I was doing?~" It came out almost as a plea.

The amusement went out of his eyes at that, and he looked at her sadly. "~I think you need a rest, little sister. Shall we say a few days off, at least?" Out of Amanda's eyeline, hidden behind his back, his tail stretched out of range of the image inducer, flicking in Meggan's direction.

"~Little...~" The look of surprise on Amanda's face was almost comical. "Kurt? Is that you?"

Meggan overheard, and took that as her own cue to gently tap Amanda's shoulder to let her know she was there, before leaning over to wrap one arm around her. "And me, too."

"Meg?" Amanda looked from one sibling to the other and back again, before closing her eyes. "Oh Wanda, you sneaky..." She opened her eyes again, a smile appearing on her face for the first time in weeks. "So, you're my 'job', are you?"

"That we are", Kurt confirmed, turning off the little device to appear in his own skin, grinning. "Conspiracies do tend to work well with Wanda involved."

Meggan nodded and grinned. "We all wanted to surprise you—looks like it worked."

Amanda smiled back, although there was a suspicious mistiness to her eyes as she turned in her seat to hug Meggan. She buried her face in the younger girl's coat for perhaps a little longer than necessary and when she emerged, there were two small wet spots where her eyes had been. "So," she said, briskly, gesturing for the two of them to sit. "The surprise is sprung. What's the plan?"



It's time for a family reunion, although it's noticed someone is missing.



The air at the camp was filled with laughter and shouts of small children as the clan tumbled out to meet the new arrivals. Friends, relatives - they were one and the same in the group as they rushed to welcome Amanda, Kurt and Meggan back home. A figure waited patiently in the back for the crowd to finally give way before he stepped forward, arms opening wide.

"~Welcome home,~" Stefan said, eyes crinkling as he smiled.

He was nearly knocked off his feet as Amanda rushed at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. "Hi," she said, sounding muffled.

Stefan managed, barely, to keep them from ending up on the ground but he just grinned and hugged her back. The embrace was tight and he cradled the back of her head for a moment like he had done so many years ago when she was so much smaller. He looked over her head towards the other two and quirked an eyebrow at them. "~Once she lets go, I'll say hello to you, as well.~"

Meggan couldn't help but chuckle at that, as she waited for her turn. When she got her chance, she hugged Stefan with an ever so slightly milder, but nonetheless good hug. "~Missed you, ~" Meggan murmured. After a moment, she added with a kind laugh, "~We all did.~"

He got one from Kurt too, with a warm grin. "~As always when we are not at home, brother.~"

"~Which just means you should visit more,~" Stefan said, clapping Kurt on the shoulder before looping an arm over Amanda and Meggan's shoulders. "~My wife has been beside herself since we were told you were coming. If I keep you away from her, it will be hell to pay.~"

"~Married life is suiting you, brother,~" Amanda replied with a grin. Her Romany was still less fluid than her siblings' although better than it had been when she'd first discovered them. "~Are you sure you aren't getting fat?~" She poked his belly slightly.

Stefan caught her hand in his and made a face at her. "~I think I like you better when you're asleep,~" he sighed, tugging both Meggan and Amanda with him to the center of camp as Kurt followed. "~Now, let's see about fattening the two of you up.~" He sounded gleeful. "~It's someone else's turn for a change.~"

Meggan couldn't restrain her pleased laugh at that comment. "~I'm looking forward to it.~" She really was famished right now, and was eagerly looking forward to the meal. And a warm place to boot.

As they neared the center of the camp and the fire that burned there, a young dark-haired woman approached them, beaming. She embraced Meggan tightly, before standing back a little to look at her. "~You look taller,~" she said, with a smile. "~And I suppose you're hungry, yes?~"

Meggan nodded with a grin, as she herself looked. "~I probably am. I just didn't notice 'til now.~" After leaning in for another friendly embrace, and she gave a rueful grin as her stomach chose to let itself be heard with a loud growl. "~Oh, I would say that would be a yes. No question about that.~"

Mirela laughed and turned to the others. "~Welcome home,~" she said, smiling. "~Although, I do not see Wanda here. Is she coming later?~"

Amanda blinked. "~Well, she didn't say...~" She looked at Kurt. "You mean to say she's spending Christmas in some hole somewhere with Farouk?"

Kurt looked a little awkward at that. "She was quite firm that you should not be told before you guessed for yourself... but yes, she has decided to work over the holiday. Mirela, I will make sure she comes to visit just as soon as she can."

"Too bloody right she was firm about it. I wouldn't have gone if I'd known..." Amanda looked almost ready to head off and drag Wanda back by the hair. "Oh, she's so in for it when I get back to her..."

Stefan shot Kurt a rueful glance over Amanda's head. "~Well, I can see where you've managed to pick up certain habits,~" he told his sister, moving so he could slide an arm around his wife's waist. He held his other hand up innocently when Mirela speared him with a glare. "~I was only an innocent bystander, my dear, so you and Amanda can save the furious shaking of someone until you see Wanda again.~"

"~I'll bring her specially for the shaking,~" Amanda promised her sister-in-law and then her own stomach growled. "~Someone mentioned food?~"

Comments

[x-dryad.livejournal.com]

Aw. That was adorable. Yay for family.