Andy nodded.  {{Been shot with it once.  Don't feel like letting him shoot you with it, or being shot again.}}  He didn't make any more moves, but Vic could FEEL his gaze on his grandpa.

  His Mom laid her hand on his arm, and she asked her father "Just what happened the last time you saw Andravian?"

Victoria stood next to Andy and Mrs. Black.

"Please answer the question..and put the gun down."

  His grandfather said "The last time I saw Andravian, he was leaving for school.  The monster that came knocking on my back door was no child of yours, it was a damn Demon from Hell, and I shot the ugly bastard to send him back to hell!!"

  Vic could see the hand that his grandfather couldn't see curling into a fist, the talons lengthening from merely 'long and black' to six inch knives of razor sharpness.

  His mother gasped, and said "You WHAT??!!"

"Excuse me Mr. Black...I am Andy's fiancee," Victoria said gently but sternly. "We are not here to fight with you sir...."

She gestured with her hand, trying to create a bubble of pure arcane force around the shotgun.

"All right...now that the firearm is out of the way...I would ask you to be a bit more cordial to your grandson. Please..."

  Andy shook his head, and told Vic "He's not going to listen to you.  I know better."  He wrapped his arm around Vic's waist, lifting her effortlessly up, even as he picked up his Mom too.  He said "We'll go where we're all welcome to continue this chat.  Mom, close your eyes.  Vic, here we go."  His wings snapped out to cover their field of vision,  bringing an alarmed yell from his grandfather, just before they all reappeared in the apartment Zeke had sort of ceded to him.  He sat both Vic and his Mom on their feet again, then cracked his neck.

  His mother said softly "I'm sorry.  My father always resented Andy, because he was a reminder I married a man they didn't approve of, and he ended up dead before he ever got to see his son."

Victoria was surprised by their sudden teleport, but knew it was necessary since the elder Mr. Black was not going to listen to reason.

"I'm sorry too, Mrs. Black...I shouldn't have reacted like that. I was trying to get him to see how futile his argument was...but I guess old habits die hard. But...I am grateful that Andy and I have your blessing.." she said, looking down at the ring Andy had provided for her.

  Andy shifted back to fully human, although this time he was barefoot and wore only his pants.  Padding into the kitchen, he brought back a pitcher of iced tea and three glasses, pouring them all drinks.  "A better way to put it, Mom, would be to say that grandfather has hated me since the day he found out Dad was dead.  Because I was the only thing barring him from picking a 'suitable' man and trying to browbeat you into marrying that man."

  His mother sighed, and said "I really DO need to get my own place.  But I don't have the skills to get a decent job and make enough to support myself, much less two or three people."

Victoria tried to ponder something as well, but their money situation wasn't the best either.

"There's got to be something we can do, Andy.."

  Andy opened his mouth to make a suggestion, when Adri walked into the room and dropped a large bag on the coffee table.  "That will get you started.  Buy a place, Vic.  You know it's the best thing.  Just don't make it like my house, okay?  One living house that eats burglars is bad enough."  She smiled, and then walked out of the room and vanished.

"Adri, I--" Victoria exclaimed. But before she knew it, her extraordinary mentor was gone. Just like that.

She then went to the bag and opened it carefully, wondering what was inside.

  The sack was full of Aztec and Mayan gold coins.  FULL of them.

"Dios mio....there must be a FORTUNE here.." Victoria exclaimed, looking shocked at the sheer amount of coin that was there.

  Andy blinked, and said "Looks like money trouble is over.  Well, Vic, you heard her.  Care to buy a place with enough room for at least three?  As I think Mom should get away from Grandpa as soon as she can."

"We can afford a pretty nice place, Andy. We'll need a place with three rooms...maybe a study for all of my arcane excursions...do you know of any places here, Andy?"

  Andy shook his head, and then said "No, but I imagine Ozzy's grandpa would know.  And he'd like to know that you're moving in."

Victoria nodded.

"Well..looks like we will need to talk to Mr. Gysbourne then."

  Andy nodded, and asked "Want to go pester him now, or later?"

"No better time than the present..let's go see him.."

  Andy asked "Shall we all three go?  And if so, got a spot to hide those coins, love?"

"Yes..all three of us can go. And as for the coins.."

She gestured, and a magical hole appeared, of which Vic then lifted the bag and stored it into the hole.

Smiling, she asked "Ready?"

  Andy offered each of  them an arm.  Smiling.

Victoria accepted Andy's offered arm, smiling back at him.

  Andy picked them both up, then stepped out onto the balcony, shifting out his wings, and took them aloft.  He could fly this one, since it wasn't a screaming emergency.  And listen to his lady AND his mother gasp in amazement.

No matter how many times they flew together, Vic still gasped in amazement as they were aloft and flying towards their destination.

  Andy's delighted rumble was clear as he flew them.  Vic KNEW he loved that reaction to flying.

-------------->> Gysbourne Manor