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Alex shrugged, "don't ask me
either. I don't know a thing." Her voice was just as innocent as
Derek's had been. Kat grinned from ear to ear. She could hardly
contain herself and couldn't wait for dinner to start and finish!
"I believe you have something to say," Alex prompted Derek, making it clear that she was moving on with no plans to admit any sort of guilt. "Might have to tie you down to get a straight answer."
Derek half teased/mumbled as he sat straighter in the chair and waved them all
to come in and sit "But you have a point. I'd like to do this while most
of my reflexes remain functional."
And with that and getting curious looks from all around
and Fredrick quietly bringing in cold cuts, bread and sandwich makings as he had
been pretty sure they wouldn't had been in the mood for a big dinner, Derek
opened the box and looked at what was inside before looking up at each one of
them.
"Twelve years ago we started this House," he began "with
our team. And when we started we upheld one of the traditions of a
founding Legacy team and each had our Legacy ring, to show a kind of kindred
awareness between each other and those that were a part of the society that,
save for de initiates and a few chosen trusted affiliates, remains as it has and
should."
He looked at Kat and gave her a small smile before
continuing and taking out the first of the rings that had been placed in the
secure box after Julia's death.
"I am glad to say that there is one tradition I could not
go through with - the destruction of the rings when one of our own have fallen
in battle. Our team is once again whole and as it should be, by the mere
fact the Light has brought Julia back to us. And so in saying," he looked
at the ring closely, admiring the workmanship before looking at Julia "I present
to each of you..... our rings."
He looked up at Alex and handed her the box to pass to the
others "Could you..?"
He watched as she moved from one person to the other as he
turned to Kat and opened the smaller box he had gone up to retrieve, "Your
mother and you have become a part of our team, our family, Kat, and although you
aren't technically of age to be a member.... I want you to have
this."
He turned the box toward her so that she could see a small
gold ring with her birthstone in it.
"And Alex has a ring for your mother," he added, just in
case Kat might think Rachel was being left out for some reason "We can give it
to her tomorrow when she comes home if you'd like."
Derek waited a moment to gauge Kat's reaction and nodded
at the ring "Look inside the stone once you put it
on."
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