[Continuing the shback from March 21]


    Ten minutester, in an apartment building two blocks away…


    "I was worried sick!", Edward eximed and pulled Ste into a hug as soon as she entered the apartment. "How did it go?"


    "As expected.", Ste responded and leaned into Edward''s embrace.


    Edward sighed in relief and kissed Ste''s forehead. <em>''As expected''</em> means that Ste managed to find a peaceful solution and to get King to back off from pursuing their daughters.


    Since King got a whiff that Sarah''s arm is usable, he started mobilizing his troops and increased surveince on Sarah, JoAnna and Sophia and also on the movements of the army of Chaos.


    Of course, Sarah is aware of King''s movements, but she does not see him as a threat (yet).


    Owen nced at Ste and Edward who are holding each other in silence and went to the fridge. He returned with an icepack.


    "Thanks…", Ste smiled in gratitude when she epted the bundle from Owen.


    "You are hurt?", Edward frowned when he saw Ste put the icepack over her left leg, just above the knee.


    "Comes with the job.", Ste tried to sound cheerful. She ced a quick kiss on Edward''s lips. "Don''t worry, I didn''t lose my touch."


    Edward sighed in defeat. "Now what?"


    "What''s the time?", Ste asked Edward.


    "Almost noon."


    Ste lit up and urged Edward: "Let''s hurry, we can still make it to Jeff''s birthday party."


    Edward looked at the ice pack on her leg. "How about we skip this party?"


    Ste smiled bitterly. "I have one week. I don''t want to miss this party because I don''t know how many more chances I will get to see our three girls..." Ste choked, unable to finish her sentence.


    Edward frowned and craned his neck so that he can see Ste''s face better. "One week? Then what?"


    "It''s the good scenario.", Ste responded. "I return to the family and get the position of an Elder. In this way I can protect our girls."


    She wanted to say that in this way she can protect Edward as well, but she knows that if she says that, she will hurt his ego. Edward is a man who wants to keep his family safe and telling him that she is making a sacrifice in order to protect them because he is unable to do so, will rub him in the wrong way, so she kept that part to herself.


    No matter how much Ste sounds OK, Edward can guess that she is hiding something. He does not know all the details of the inner-workings of the Lebedev family, but there must be a good reason why Ste is avoiding them for thest thirty years.


    "Is it that simple?", Edward asked after some time.


    Owen responded instead of Ste: "Of course, not. As soon as she gets there, she will arrive as the new Elder. That means fighting her way up thedder. And once she secures that position, she will need to fight anyone who disputes her role. Also, as the newest Elder, most of the challenges will be directed at her. And those are only open attacks when people announce their intentions. There will be assassination attempts, and…"


    "Enough!"


    Ste''s roar made Owen flinch. He stopped talking.


    Ste took two seconds to steady her emotions and said in a soft voice: "No need to worry Edward. I can handle it."


    Edward was unable to hide how distressed he is, and it was getting worse when he looked at that icepack. That small piece of stic with frozen water inside was telling him that what Owen said are not only stories, it''s real. And it will be Ste''s everyday reality, starting one week from now. But he knows why Ste decided to return to that hell. "I''ming with you."


    "No. You should stay here and watch over our girls." She didn''t say that Edward will be safer here (in the United States) than going to the Lebedev base.


    Edward rejected her offer. "Our girls are capable, and they have capable people around them. Any help that I can offer, I can do it from anywhere. I want to take care of MY girl…"


    The more Ste tried persuading him to stay, the more stubborn Edward was to go with her. At the end, he told her that they are in this together. It''s for their daughters and he wants to do his part, no matter how small it is. Ste reluctantly agreed, happy that he cares enough toe with her. She knows that he will not be able to do much, especially because they are keeping his identity as SP3CT3R hidden, but he will be a person to keep her sane… a person who will not allow her to descend into madness. Her pir of support. Her safe harbor. Like always.


    Later that day, Ste and Edward were d to reach the party in time to join the yacht experience.


    Ste and Edward didn''t expect that JoAnna will use Jeff''s birthday party to announce her pregnancy. And with twins! Both Ste and Edward were happy that they attended that party.


    The two of them were sitting and observing their daughters, and men by their side, and all the people they call friends. It was like they are trying to soak in all the good mood surrounding them.


    After that party, Ste and Edward told Sarah, JoAnna and Sophia that since Orion Enterprise is in good hands, the two of them will be traveling for some time and they will stay in touch when it''s convenient.


    Before heading to Eastern Europe, Ste and Edward spent few days on the East Coast with Edward''s parents. Ste and Edward were saddened by visibly declining Mary''s mental health and distressed by the feeling of helplessness which consumed them.


    Ste urged Edward to stay with his parents. He can join herter, anytime. But he didn''t want to part from her.


    "We will visit Mary and James again together…", Edward told her.


    Back to present…


    Ste and Edward are watching the live feed from Jasper''s and Ellie''s wedding and current view is showing Sarah and Aiden zing over the dancefloor. Ah, they are so much in love, that it seeps through the screen.


    JoAnna and Jeff are dancing nearby as well, in considerably slower movements which is understandable because she is pregnant. With twins! The two of them are exchanging loving gazes and talking about something which makes them both smile.


    Why are Sophia and Felix dancing so slowly? Felix usually twirls Sophia and makes her bend and they do all kinds of different moves. They are dancing slower than the beat of the music. Is one of them hurt?


    Ste and Edward discussed what they see on the screen,menting on anything from decorations, food choices, gestures, facial expressions to clothes and hairstyles. They usually don''t do that (talk about random people), but this is their way of mentally traveling to that party, joining their daughters in an environment where people are happy.


    Ste and Edward were interrupted when Ste''s phone started beeping, reminding her of an uing meeting with the other Elders of the Lebedev family.


    She turned off the rm and kissed Edward on the cheek. "Watch our girls, I have a meeting."


    Edward smiled sadly and his sight followed Ste while she walked out of the room.


    He saw a glimpse of Owen who was running after Ste while telling her the agenda and thetest updates that she should know as she put her coat on. Since they arrived here, Owen is like a personal assistant to Ste, and Edward feels like a prisoner in this huge mansion surrounded with people who are loyal to Ste. Edward knows that they are there to protect him. Ah, he feels useless.


    ---


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