A/N - Alright, so I know it's been like, months since the last update. This chapter would have been done two weeks ago. To that I say, follow shand's first (and third) rule of contracting: Never lie on your time-sheet. Otherwise, grumpy dragons have to cover the hole you leave behind because you got fired. *grump* On another related note, this was originally intended to have two more scenes, but as I went through the edit and prepared to plow ahead, it seemed better to stop where I did. Not only that, but it occurred to me that maybe 8-9k chapters are a bit ambitious (to say nothing of making everyone wait even longer). Fear not, Remnant is near! Thank you all for being so patient and coming back for more! :)

The first thing I woke up to was the smell of bacon, which was totally unfair. I really didn't want to get up – never mind the rectangular halo on Karrin's side of the bed. I rolled over, expecting to find an empty space, and was greeted by sleepy blue eyes and a tiny smile. "G'morning," I mumbled.

She didn't say anything, but she did scoot in for a kiss, after which she snuggled into my chest. I wholeheartedly agreed – even in the face of tempting aromas, but it didn't last long. "You're not worried that they're going to burn the house down?"

Karrin gave a slow shake of her head, which turned into a wide yawn. "Yang practically raised her sister on her own for a while." She didn't elaborate, but I didn't have any desire to press it. I'd heard enough about Remnant to know better than to judge. "I suppose we can't stay in bed forever, though." We could try. "What's the plan?"

I propped myself up on one elbow and dithered with the covers. "Breakfast, call Daniel to come pick up Maggie and Mouse, double-check go bags, head to the old meat packing plant."

"Surprisingly well thought-out for a change," she said in a spritely tone of voice.

"Hey now, just because other things blow my plans to hell doesn't mean I don't like to be prepared." She rolled her eyes. I might not have seen, but my bones could feel it. I paused to consider. "Are you sure about coming along, Karrin? Things could get dicey after we cross to the Nevernever."

She poked me in the ribs, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to make me wince. "I'm going, Harry. You made a bargain: Everything you've ever told me about that stuff seems pretty straightforward to me." She sat up and stretched, popping several joints with relish. "How will this traveling thing of yours work? Is there anything we'll need to know or do?"

I scrubbed my face and sat up, pushing the blanket off as I did. "Not really. I'll cover the basics before we go in, but it'll be a whole different beast compared to Arctis Tor." She grimaced, and I couldn't really blame her. She'd come to help rescue Molly, but she'd paid for it with a demotion. Karrin was good people, but it had cost her.

"We won't be stopping by to pay your boss a visit, will we?" she asked.

I scowled hard. "Stars and stones, no – a thousand buckets of no. That's the last thing we need is for her to take an interest."

"What makes you think she hasn't already?" She wasn't wrong. "Just because she's hobbled Molly doesn't mean she isn't already playing some game." It was another fair point, and something that wouldn't shock me in the least.

I shrugged. "There's not a lot we can do about it if that's the case. It might be a test, or it could just be a bit of fun for her. I don't think that's likely, given what's at stake."

"And you're sure she's not responsible for Yang showing up on the island?"

"There's no way to know for sure, but Mab tends to be pretty direct when she wants to be." My stomach growled in complaint, and a thought occurred to me. "The Dreamlands are far outside her sphere of influence. If she takes an active role, people – things are going to notice. This way, if our little venture goes completely pear-shaped, she's only out one pesky Knight."

Karrin scoffed. "That seems counterproductive, especially after all the trouble she went to get you in the first place." I completely agreed with her on a purely selfish level. Mab, however, had made it very clear that I could be replaced if it came down to it. I also didn't fail to notice the hint of resentment in Karrin's voice.

I leaned over and bumped into her shoulder. "We'll just have to make sure it doesn't come to that. Supergirl." Karrin snorted. "Come on, Mighty Mouse, let's go- ack!" Karrin clobbered me with a pillow, which laid me out flat.

When I tried to sit up, I was stopped by a tiny, but fierce weight straddling my chest. "I'll show you Mighty Mouse, you big oaf." Her face was all scrunched up, but there was a twinkle in her eye.

"Gosh, I'm sorry, Murph – would you have preferred Minnie Mouse?"

"Oh my God, Harry, you're such a pig. You're in for it now!" The twinkle became a wicked gleam as she proceeded to dig her fingers into my ribs. I squirmed and gasped for air between helpless barks of laughter. It was totally worth it, and two could play that game. She shrieked when I returned the favor. The great Tickle War wound down after a couple of minutes, leaving us both breathless and giggling like a couple of high schoolers.

"Hey, what's going on back there?" Yang's muffled shout came from down the hall. "There are children in this house!"

"Yeah!" Maggie cried out. "Stop being all weird and come eat! We made pancakes!"

Karrin's forehead was resting on mine, and we both snickered. "I guess they have a point." She kissed me on the nose and rolled off, feet landing with a little thump. "Be right there!" I sat up and dragged my jeans off the bedpost. In spite of the gnawing in my belly, I wasn't in any hurry to take my eyes away from the sight of Karrin as she tugged a pair of pants over her hips. She caught me looking, but didn't say a word; instead she smiled to herself and pitched a t-shirt my way.

Once we were dressed, we made our way to the kitchen, where we found Yang and Maggie sitting next to one another at the table. They were whispering conspiratorially and giggling, which stopped the second we entered. "Good morning!" they both chirped in unison. "Did you 'sleep' well?" Yang asked, holding up finger quotes to emphasize the word, which caused Maggie to break out into another fit of giggles. I guessed – hoped, really – that she was laughing at Yang's sarcasm and not the actual implication of said mockery. Mouse sat beside Maggie and whuffed when she whispered in his ear.

Karrin and I looked at one another with knowing grins. "Sure. You two enjoy the movies?" I asked as we sat down with them. There were plates heaped with eggs, sausage links, bacon, and pancakes, as promised.

"Oh man, Harry, we gotta take a copy of those. Ruby and dad will totally lose their minds!" She gave us a lopsided grin. "Come to think of it, I think a lot of people will take a shine to it."

I didn't bother suppressing a smile of my own. The thought of turning an entire world was a bit ridiculous, but awesome at the same time. Still, the moment didn't last very long. "I like where your head's at, Sparky, but we do have more important things to see to." I speared some sausage links while Karrin scooped eggs onto our plates. "We'll see what can be done if there's time."

Yang mock pouted, but nodded as we started on the seven course breakfast. After watching a tall stack of pizza being devoured in record time, no amount of food they consumed was going to surprise me. "Yeah, I guess we have to prioritize. Gotta get home before we can do anything else." To that I could only nod and mmhm around a mouthful of fluffy eggs, which had been seasoned with something that made them much tastier. "Will we have to worry about monsters on the way?"

I finished chewing and swallowed, and then glanced at Maggie, who was attempting to surreptitiously sneak bacon to Mouse. "As a general rule, one should always expect critters in the Nevernever." Mouse gobbled his treat and licked his chops, completely unabashed. "We'll be crossing into Winter territory, which isn't necessarily safer, but I don't expect any trouble. After that we'll be relying on our guide." Murphy shot me a look at the mention of Mab's turf. It wasn't a great plan, but as long as she accepted my compromise, I suspected that it might be a little safer.

"I see," Yang said. "And do you trust this guide of yours – what's her name? Ulsha- Ulshar-?" she gave up and shrugged.

"Ulsharavas, and no, but I trust her to honor the bargain. Creatures from the spirit realm are funny that way." I crossed my fingers under the table where nobody could see. "I've dealt with her before, and she seems more reasonable that most. Frankly, I'm more concerned with how things will go once we get to Remnant."

Yang's brow furrowed, and her head tilted to the side. "What do you mean?"

I gestured at my face. "You may not have noticed, but we Earthlings don't exactly look like your people. How are they going to react to us? Will they believe we're there to help, or will there be some mistrust to overcome?"

Yang relaxed back into her chair and waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, that. I wouldn't worry about it. We're used to seeing weird stuff all the time. Well, maybe not everybody all the time, but I can vouch for you; that should be good enough." I did my best not to fix her with a glare. She was being awfully flippant about the whole thing. "What?"

"Who's in charge? Where do we go if we get separated?" The questions gave her a moment's pause, and she started to get the picture. "It would be great if we got a pass on just your say-so, but my luck is never that good."

She dithered and poked her fork through the eggs on her plate. "I see your point," she said, and her tone was less confident. After a moment, she shook her head to clear whatever unpleasant thoughts were rolling around in there. "General Ironwood is – or at least he was – in charge of the security for the Vytal festival. He's the Headmaster of Atlas Academy, and he's also their military leader. He just kind of took over Vale's defense when things fell apart."

I already didn't like the sound of that, but maybe it wasn't as bad as all that. "Okay, so he's a military man. What's he like?" I was not hopeful. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for folks in uniform, but often the people in charge tended to be giant a-holes. Or maybe that was just me projecting.

Yang snorted. "He's a harda-" her eyes widened and flicked over to my very impressionable daughter. "He's a tough customer, but he's... Well, fair isn't exactly the word I would use, but he seems like a stand up guy." I nodded. "If you can't find him, the next best person would be Professor Goodwitch. Here, let me show you." She paused to pick up her scroll and fiddle with it. Also, was she freaking kidding me with these names? Ironwood? Goodwitch. Next she'd be telling me the bad guys' Queen was the Wicked Witch of the West, complete with Flying Monkeys. I managed not to snort around another bite of sausage, but only just.

Yang held out the scroll, which held a picture of a bespectacled blonde woman that just screamed 'disapproving librarian' with that slight frown and crossed arms – and was that a riding crop in one hand? "She's the Deputy Headmistress of Beacon, and the last I knew, they were coordinating things." She sighed and swiped across the screen with an index finger a few times. "If you can't find either of them, my dad might be able to help." She held it up again, and it was easy to see which parent Yang took after. I studied the man's face carefully and filed it away for later. "But he was out in the wilderness with Blake, Weiss and Qrow, so maybe not." She ran out of steam at that point.

"Alright so we have a few names and faces, but suppose we don't run into anyone who knows how to reach them." I put down my fork and wiped my mouth with a napkin. I wasn't sure what the next logical step might be.

Karrin, however, was the soul of practicality. "What about the police force in Vale? Or this General Ironwood's soldiers? Would they be able to help us get in touch?"

Yang smacked her forehead. "Of course, duh! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Sometimes the simplest solutions aren't the most obvious," Karrin replied. I smiled at her, acknowledging her point. "That doesn't mean they won't take us seriously, though. Is there anything that might get their attention?"

"But not in a bad way," I interjected.

"Hmm," Yang mused. She set her elbow on the table and put her chin into her hand to think about it.

Maggie, who had been quiet as a mouse, spoke up. "What about that Ozpin guy?" We all looked at her. "Yang was telling me about her school and…" whatever thought she was having, she looked to Yang for help finishing it.

Yang seemed doubtful at first, but then sat up slowly. "You know, that might not be such a bad idea after all." When we gave her blank stares, she explained. "During the battle at Beacon, he went missing. Like, nobody knows where he went." She paused, giving me a regretful look. "It wouldn't be the whole truth, but…"

I thought I knew where she was going with it though. "But it might pique their interest if we come along with a possible lead to find him, is that what you're getting at?" She inclined her head. As ideas went, it wasn't colossally bad. I hadn't even realized the man existed, let alone wasn't anywhere to be found, apparently. Well, if there was one thing I was good at, it was finding people. Usually. "It's an idea, anyway." I pushed my plate forward and stood up. "I guess there's no putting it off. I'll go call Danny."

Conversation returned to the amazing feats of Luke Skywalker and the Rebellion as I wandered to the front room to make the phone call. Hope – Hobbit – answered the phone, who sent little Harry off to find his big brother. After a few minutes of idle chatter with her, I coordinated Maggie's pickup along with a plan for someone from Michael's crew to come fix the kitchen windows, and someone to look after Mister – as if he needed it, but Daniel assured me that he'd take care of cat food and whatnot while we were away.

After I hung up the phone, there was a tug on the hem of my shirt. Maggie had managed to sneak up on me. "What's up, kiddo?"

She fixed me with a serious look. "I think I have a good reason, Dad. For learning magic."

I knelt down so our eyes were level. Okay, so I had to crouch a little too. "Let's hear it, kiddo." I wasn't expecting a dissertation or anything, but I needed – hoped, really – to hear a good, honest reason.

"You use magic to help people. Yang uses her powers to help people, too." I smiled encouragingly. "Maybe I can learn how to help people like you guys." It was sweet, and a little flattering, and dammit if there wasn't just the tiniest bit of a lump forming in my throat. She was so like her mother.

"And you came up with this all on your own, did you?"

She had the sense to be a little bashful at that point. "Kinda."

"Yang?" She nodded mutely. "Well, I suppose it was bound to come up, especially during a Star Wars marathon." She shrugged, and wasn't it just adorable? "Alright, that's good enough for me. I can't teach you much of anything right now-"

"Because you hafta help Yang get home!" she piped, thrusting a tiny fist in the air, which she sort of let drop after a second or two.

"That's right. Are you sure though?" I held up a finger and cocked my head to the side when she started to answer. "It's not all fun and games, Maggie. Learning magic is hard work. Headaches, nosebleeds, and a few other not-so-fun things can happen." A little frown appeared on her face, but I knew that look. "I'm totally serious. The first time I called fire, my head hurt the whole rest of the day."

"Oh," she said. "Did you get a lot of nosebleeds, too?"

I shook my head. "It happens, but they go away after a while."

"Well that doesn't sound too bad. Mister Carpenter always says you know you did a good job if you're a little sore after."

"He's a smart man." I grinned and brushed a finger across her nose. "Alright, I'll tell you what. We'll talk about it some more when I get back. I'll think about the best way to start you off while we're gone - that sound fair to you?"

She responded by flinging herself into my chest and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Uh-huh. Thank you, daddy!" And wouldn't you know it, that lump was right back where it was a minute ago.

Stupid lumps.

Totally worth it, though.

I might not feel that way in a year or two, but I chose to be optimistic. And her training would be nothing like mine had been at first. I'd made the same promise to myself for Molly. Apart from forcing her to unlearn some very bad habits, I felt like it had been one that I'd kept, in spite of how things had turned out for her.

After a good minute of me being squeezed, I patted her on the back and pulled her by the shoulders a little bit. "Alright, why don't you go get changed out of your jammies and we'll start getting stuff together." She skipped off to do just that, brushing past Karrin with a playful giggle. "How long have you been standing there?" I asked as I stood back up.

She walked up to me and wrapped an arm around my waist. "Long enough," she said. The look on her face was a happy one. "Are you sure it's such a good idea? Teaching her? Your world – our world isn't exactly the safest place to be in, sometimes."

I shrugged. "Maybe so, but I know what I don't want, which is for her to go elsewhere." Just look what had happened to Molly. Add to that the fact that my faerie godmother had developed an interest… "Besides, she's young – much younger than I was when I started to learn. It might not stick, or she might not be able to do much," though that last remark came out with enough doubt that Murphy just shook her head.

"Something tells me that neither of those things is likely. She's your munchkin, after all."

Yang came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands with a dish towel. "So she told you, then?"

"With a little help from her new friend, it seems." I said it with an arched eyebrow, but I wasn't all that disappointed. Sometimes talking things through with others was the only way to figure things out.

Yang tossed the towel over her shoulder and splayed her hands out with a shrug. "I actually tried to talk her out of it." I cocked my head to the side and frowned a little. "I mean, I don't know much about learning how to be a wizard – nothing at all, really – but it can't be all that different from training aura, right?" She pulled her long locks of hair over her shoulder and combed her fingers through it. "Maggie's a smart kid, and sneaky, too. She was full of questions after that – she figured it out on her own, really." She held her palms out. "If I overstepped…" she let it hang there.

I waved a hand and let her off the hook she wasn't even really dangling from. "Nah – like I told Maggie, I'm sure it was bound to come up during a movie about space wizards." I really couldn't think of anything else to say on the subject. I had no illusions that she would have shown an interest at some point. "We should probably see about getting ready." Karrin gave me a little squeeze and moved off to the bedroom, dragging the towel from Yang's shoulder as she went.

Maggie came skipping back, all dressed, and she plowed into Yang, who laughed and brusher her bangs out of her eyes. "Go on, we'll keep each other entertained while you get ready," she said, hoisting Maggie up onto her hip. She whispered something into Yang's ear which elicited another chuckle as they headed back into the living room.

Most of the things I needed were in the duffel bag, so there wasn't much for me to do but double-check it. I lamented not having any potions made up for the fiftieth time as I pawed through the contents. It held a few changes of clothing, my blasting rod, a couple of bags of things like chalk, wax, and other odds and ends that might come in handy for spells. I pulled out the notebook I'd decided to bring with me and debated with myself one last time. There were things in it that I might need, but there were other things that could raise uncomfortable questions if someone from Remnant got their hands on it.

I shook my head as I leafed through it and decided to err on the side of caution. I shoved it underneath the jeans and shirts and stood up. Murphy came back in toting a bag and her flak vest. She took one look at my own beat up old bag and frowned. "How far do we have to go? Days? A week?" I looked down at it and realized what she meant. There wasn't a shoulder strap, and I was going to need both hands free.

"I thought so," she said wryly. "Hang on." She set down her own fancy looking rucksack and hung the equally schmancy vest over it. She pointed me to the kitchen, and I went. Once there, I started pulling things out and fussed with refolding the clothes. She reappeared with a pair of empty backpacks a minute later, but I wasn't expecting the wide, tooled leather belt she held in her other hand. It had a couple of pouches, but more noticeable was the holster that the belt was wrapped around.

Karrin set the bag on the table next to my things and faced me, holding it loosely in both hands. "I was saving this for your birthday, but it seems better to give it to you now." She held it out to me, and I accepted it. The leather was well worn, but gleamed like she'd taken care of it for a long time.

"Murph, this is… Wow." I looked down at her, and she smiled up at me. "Your first non-uni belt?"

She snorted and laughed, shaking her head. "As if that dinky thing would even fit halfway around your waist." Her face grew solemn, but there was still a hint of a smile as she put her hand over mine. "This belonged to my dad." There was that lump again.

"Murph, I couldn't possibly-" I began as I tried to hold it back out to her.

She placed a finger over my lips. "You can and you will; no buts." She patted me on the cheek and pushed it back toward me. "Go on: It should fit, but try it out anyway."

I leaned down and kissed her, which caused her to squeak and laugh a little bit. I pulled back and leaned my forehead against hers. "Thank you. I'm honored." I kissed her again, which lasted longer the second time and left us both a tad out of breath.

Her cheeks were flushed. "I'd like to think he'd be proud to have you wear it. Now you try it on while I see about getting this hot mess packed properly."

While she started rolling up clothes and stuffing the backpack, I unwound the wide band of leather and wrapped it around my waist. I threaded it into the buckle and cinched it. Once I had it comfortably snug, I adjusted the holster, which was set on the left in reverse for a right hand cross-body draw. My big revolver would fit, even with the extended barrel. It was good quality work; far better than just shoving it into the pocket of my duster. Sure, I had a holster, but I seldom used it.

The only way to know for sure, of course, was to get the pistol out. Karrin didn't like handling firearms in front of Maggie, and neither did I for that matter. I'd had the guns-are-dangerous talk with her, but there wasn't any reason to bring them out while she was around. There would be plenty of time after Daniel picked her up.

Karrin held up my AC/DC t-shirt and poked a finger through a small rip in the sleeve. "At least you have a sewing kit this time," she mused as she folded and rolled it into a tube.

"Sacrilege of the highest order!" I mock yelled. "No self-respecting fan doesn't have at least a rip or two." I flipped devil's horns and started pulling Tupperware containers of travel foods out of the fridge. I knew there were a few ice packs in the freezer, but left them there for the time being.

We spent the rest of the time waiting for Daniel by taking care of household tasks that wouldn't be seen to for a while. Yang and Maggie kept one another entertained with some variant of go-fish while Karrin and I stowed dishes, folded and hung laundry, and did a little bit of cleaning. The doorbell rang way faster than I thought it would have, and Maggie tugged Yang out front to meet her 'big brother Danny'. I got there just as she excitedly tugged the door open.

"Hi Daniel!" she pipped.

He looked down at her with a grin. "Hey there, shorty! You all set to…" He trailed off as he caught sight of Yang. "Hello," his voice cracked just a little. I hid a smirk behind my hand and leaned against the kitchen doorway. I hadn't talked with Daniel much, but I was reasonably sure he wasn't seeing anyone. Well, except that he was seeing Yang for the first time. Poor kid.

"Hey there Danny, nice t'meet ya." She was laying the charm on thick. I couldn't see her face, but I was willing to bet that she was all but batting her eyelashes at him. She stuck out her hand, and he absently took it. "So you're Maggie's big bubba, huh?"

"Huh?" The look on his face was priceless, and I was absolutely, totally not enjoying every moment of this. Michael's second eldest was always so serious and confident, and to see him like this was rarer than the bluest of blue moons. Nope, I was not amused at all, not one little bit. My sarcastic inner monologue went entirely unnoticed and unappreciated.

Maggie, not nearly as innocent as I would have guessed, looked up at Yang and hid her face with one hand. "I think he likes you," she 'whispered'.

Yang tilted her head and murmured from the corner of her mouth without taking her eyes off of him. "You really think so? Maybe he's just slow."

Of course, that snapped him out of it enough that he blushed and started to stammer out a response. I snickered, which completely broke the spell. "Et tu, Harry?" He frowned at me, but his heart wasn't really in it. "I thought we were friends, man. Help a guy out here, would you?"

"And miss the chance to see you act your age for a change? Not a chance." His expression changed to something a little stormier, but it was marred by his shade turning a hair redder.

"You are a terrible, terrible man, Harry Dresden," Murphy called from the kitchen. She joined us in the hallway and smacked me on the arm. "Cut him some slack."

"Thank the Lord, someone with a speck of decency," Daniel said.

"I'm sure it's not every day he gets totally bamboozled by a girl," she said.

Daniel hung his head, but looked at Yang from beneath his eyebrows. "I'm surrounded by traitors. I don't suppose a beautiful girl like you can rescue me, can you?"

"Keep up that flattery, Danny. I'll get you a shovel." He actually laughed at that, and it was something I rarely heard. It finally occurred to me that maybe Yang was just a tad young for him. I wasn't sure how it worked in Remnant, but something told me that her father would react about the same as any earthly parent of a seventeen year old girl flirting with a grown man.

I cleared my throat, which earned me a bit of the stink eye from said teenager. "Oh come on, this is too good to give up, Harry." I shrugged and mimed tapping a watch. "Fine. But if I ever come back here," she said as she rounded back on our newest visitor, "you and I have to hang out." She wagged her finger at him, but there was definitely a playful tone to go with it.

"Deal," he said, sticking out his fist, which Yang bumped. "You mentioned something about some windows, Harry?" he asked. I waved him toward the kitchen as I grabbed the check I'd written earlier. Karrin had tried to protest, but since it was my client, it was my damage. She didn't put up much of an argument after that. I showed him the windows, and fished out a tape measure to get dimensions for Michael, which he jotted down.

Karrin came in with the spare key for the house, which she handed to him. "Do you think you or your dad could be here while the work gets done? I'm sure his workers are good people, but…"

Daniel nodded and pocketed the key. "I understand. I'll be sure to make time to come and lend a hand, Karrin." She gave a satisfied grunt. "Recuperation must be going really well," he noted with a glance at her formerly bum knee.

"You could say that," she replied. "It's kind of a long story."

"From six months to a year down to zero, and going out of town on some sort of mission? I can't wait to hear it." He cast a glance at the various bags of gear. "Mom said a week or two?"

"Maybe," I answered. "It's hard to say for sure." I shrugged. "Time works differently where we're going."

Daniel shook his head at that. "I'll take your word for it." He turned and moved back to the front hall. "Let's go, munchkin!" he called out.

"Aye, Sarge!" Maggie shouted back, which was immediately followed by a muffled comment from Yang. Karrin went back to finish up the last of the packing and shooed me out. I came into the hallway to find Yang kneeling next to Maggie, whose eyes were downcast.

"I know it stinks, but I've got a little sister and friends to get back to and help." Maggie looked down at her shoes, but nodded just a little. "Here." She reached up and untied the orange scarf that she wore. As she wrapped it loosely around Maggie's neck, she said, "So you'll have something to remember our time together, eh?"

My little girl's face brightened up as she stared down at it, and she flung her arms around Yang. "You take care of my daddy, okay?"

Say what you would about Yang, she leaned into that embrace no less than she would have for her own sister, I suspect. "I promise, Mags, I'll do my very best." Daniel rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile. He'd probably seen his fair share of 'girly' behavior. Mouse had apparently started to feel left out. His solution to this problem was simple: He shoved his massive head up underneath Yang's arm.

Both girls laughed and snuggled him into a group hug, which only encouraged him to give them slobbery kisses, which in turn elicited alternating giggles and protest from the pair. After a minute or so, the ruckus dwindled down into petting and scritchies, which was probably Mouse's master plan all along. And there he was, one of the best and most dangerous creatures I'd ever met, acting like a complete dope. It was adorable, and it reinforced my original assessment of Yang.

"I hope you can come back and visit, Yang." Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I kind of hoped so, too. Maggie was well-adjusted for having lived with Michael and his brood of children, but I'd never seen her take to someone so quickly.

Yang gave her the best response she could muster. "I won't make any promises, Mags, but I'll definitely try to, okay?" Maggie grinned, and Yang picked up her bag and held it out. "And hey, who knows? You mind your lessons with Harry and maybe you can come visit me and my sis."

Maggie took her pink and white Hello Kitty bag and looked at me. I wasn't about to spoil the mood, so I said, "Stranger things have happened." I held out my hand, and she came over and took hold. "Come on; let's go get you all buckled in." We all filed out the front door and made our way over to Daniel's pickup truck.

I knelt down and turned Maggie to face me. "I'll be back soon, alright?"

The look she gave me was serious. "You better. Go kick some monster butt and then come home."

I couldn't help but grin. "That's my girl. C'mere." I pulled her into a hug and held her tight. "I love you, kiddo."

"I love you too, Daddy," she whispered back as she squeezed my neck. I have no idea how long we stayed like that. No matter how many times we'd done it, I never seemed to notice.

When we finally separated, I looked at the scarf Yang had given her and gave it a little tug. It clashed with her blue dress, but who was I to question kids' fashion? "So I think I should warn you, this might disappear." Her little face scrunched up in shock, and she clutched it. "It might not, but if it does, I'll bring a real one back, okay?"

Her expression grew confused. "Is it some kind of weird magic?"

"Something like that, but I'm not sure yet. I guess you'll find out in a day or two." I stood up and opened the truck door. "Alright, in with you, Short Round." She clambered up into the seat and I helped her with the seatbelt. Daniel had a final few quiet words with Yang and Karrin, and Mouse nosed at my hand. I obliged him with a few head rubs and thumped him on the shoulder a couple of times for good measure. "See you soon, pal. Keep an eye on her, yeah?" He whuffed at me and hopped up onto the floorboard, then moved past Maggie and managed to contort his way onto the seat beside her.

Daniel got in and gave me a wave as he put on his own seat belt. "Good Hunting, Harry. Stay safe."

I tipped him a salute. "Aye, Sarge. Drive safe." He returned the salute and started the engine. I leaned into the cab and gave Maggie a peck on the cheek. "Love you. Be good."

"You too! Come home soon." She leaned back into the seat and threw an arm around Mouse. I shut the door and stepped back as Daniel backed out of the driveway. Karrin and Yang both came to stand beside me, and we all waved back at Maggie as they pulled away.

After the truck disappeared around the corner, I stretched my arms overhead and relished the sensation of joints popping and muscles stretching. After a few moments of pleasant burn, I relaxed and turned to the two blondes. "Alright, let's get this show on the road."