“Look,” said Vincent, trying not to aggravate Jade, “I know that our last visit didn’t go so well, but she’s apologised. She sounded like she really wants to see us, and she’s really excited about meeting the girls.”

“Do you think you can stomach one more visit?” he asked pleadingly. He wanted his family to get along, and that included his mother. He also didn’t want to deny the girls a chance to meet their grandmother.

"Correction she apologized to you! She never apologized to me, she doesnt like me and she made that perfectly clear. Vincent dear I love you but some thing I just cant deal with and your predjuced mother is one of them." Jade responded

Sapphire looked down at her food eating quickly. She watched as Emerald finished too, and she grabbed her younger sister by the arm, looking at her. As If understanding Emerald walked over to Ruby and mumbled a few words in the child's ear. The little one nodded, grabbing some apple slices before wrapping her arms around Her older sisters neck.

The three sisters tip toed off, not wanting to hear there parents fight. They sat down in the living room, Sapphire grabbing a book and beginging to read it to the little ones.

Vincent could see that hell would freeze over before he would get jade to agree to visit his mother again. “Alright honey, I understand.” He paused for a moment before asking, “Would it be ok for just me and the girls to go?”

His mother had sounded so excited about the girls, and he really wanted them to meet. However, if Jade didn’t want to then he wouldn’t. He’d understand, he’d be hurt but he’d understand.

Jade sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. She froze the tips of her fingers, rubbing her temples wearilly. "Yes its fine, but if she judges any of the girls so help me god I will freeze her Icy heart!" Jade snapped

Vincent smiled a smile that said thank you to Jade. “Don’t worry,” he assured her, “she judges our beautiful girls and we’ll leave straight away, I promise.” Taking her hand he kissed it.

“Thank you, I know how you feel about her, but she is my mother. It means a lot to me that you’ll let the kids see her.” He kissed her hand again and smiled. “Shall we go and look in on them, show them that mummy and daddy aren’t fighting?”

Jade nodded leading her husband by the hand to the living room where the girls sat, eagerilly looking at thier parents. It was easy to see they where a tad bit curious about what was going on.

"Girl's we arent fighting." Jade reasurred, petting Emerald on top of the head as she came to hug her mothers legs.

"Then why were you growling?" Sapphire asked with a arched brow. "You arent in heat again are you?"

Jade sighed, rolling her eyes. "No dear, Im not in heat again. You girls are going to meet your other grandmother."

"Oh the one that was predjudced the fact you were a mutant." Sapphire responded. "The one you said will one day change her ways?"

Jade nodded, "Yes that one."

Emerald looked up at her parents. "So..youre not fighting? Cause I no wanna pick sides." Emmy said stubbornly.

Ruby shook her head, nodding

Vincent scooped up Ruby in a big hug and shook his head at Emmy. “No, we’re not fighting. Your mom and your grandmother don’t get along, but your grandmother really wants to meet the three of you, so we’re going on a trip to see her. You three and me, does that sound fun?”

He wanted to install some enthusiasm in them, hoping that they would all like their grandmother. A little worried that they wouldn’t like the idea of travelling without Jade he just hoped that the excitement of a trip would override that.

Emerald looked up at her father at the mention of travelling without her mother. She had never really done that before and she didnt know what would happen. The little one looked over at Ruby, who seemed awfully excited for going to a new place and Sapphire had already nodded yes.

Jade noticed Emmy's hesitation and patted her on the head gently. She pulled her middle child up in her lap, tail wagging slowly.

"I will be fine Emmy." Jade reasured, hugging Emerald gently.

Emmy looked up at her mother, snuggling lightly in her grip. "Okay...if you say so."

“It’ll only be for a day or two,” said Vincent, trying to reassure Emerald, “You’ll be back before you know it. Now, do you girls know what you want to pack for the trip?”

*****

“Wave goodbye to mommy,” said Vincent as he loaded the last suitcase onto the jet. As the three girls waved enthusiasticly from their seats where he had strapped them in he went over to Jade and hugged her.

“Take care while we’re gone,” he said, kissing her cheek. He spoken to his mother and they’d agreed that they would fly out there, stay the night and the fly back the next day. They’d kept the trip short so the kids, especially Emerald, wouldn’t miss their mom too much.

Jade nodded, kissing him on the cheek. She looked up at the window the girls where still waving at her. She noticed emmy was waving, a sad look o the child's face.

"If anything happen's promise me you will come back straight away." Jade responded.

In the jet the girls had settled down in there seats, Ruby was happily tinkering with a little robot, Sapphire was loosly sketching tree's and flowers and Emerald was hugging her stuffed lion to her chest, nuzzling her head into its fur.

The fluffy thing was what her mother decided to make for her for her first christmas, right after that the sewing machine broke so she couldnt make anything else.

Something about this trip made little Emmy worry, she was the most preceptive of the girls and she had noticed her mother's apprehension of letting them go. She wondered why that was.

“I promise, and Dreadnaught will follow us, so I’ll be prepared,” he said, trying to waylay Jade’s fears, “like I said to the kids, we’ll be back before you know it.” Giving her a kiss goodbye Vincent went and got in the jet.

With all lights green he started the jet and rose up of the ground. “You ready girls?” he asked. Rather than wait for an answer he hit a button and the jet swooped off away from the island headed for Manhattan.

Jade went back into the house, sitting at the table with her head in her hands.

"I hope everything goes well." Jade muttered softly.

On the way there Ruby had fallen asleep in her sleep and was still asleep as her father escorted them to the front door. Sapphire had her drawing utensials tucked underneath her arm while Emmy clung onto her stuffed lion. She looked up at her father the same way Jade had the first time they had visted his mother all those years ago.

Vincent spotted the way Emerald was looking up at him. “Do you know,” he said to her, “that’s the exact same look your mother gave me when I was last here. Don’t worry honey, your grandma is really excited about meeting you, all of you.”

He knocked on the door and a few seconds later it opened. “Vincent!” came the sickly sweet voice of his mother, “You’re looking well. And these must be the girls!” she said looking at them all exitedly.

“Now don’t tell me,” she said, looking at the sleeping girls in his arms, “This must be little Ruby.” She stroked the little girl’s hair fondly before going over to Sapphire, “And you must be Sapphire. My, aren’t you big.”

She gave Sapphire a big hug before moving to Emerald. “And so you must be Emerald. Come here and give your grandmother a hug,” she said with a warm, if slightly scary smile as she extended her arms towards Emerald.

Emerald looked at her grandmother with her eyes wide. The little girl then remembered her mothers conversation with her the night before.

'Mama! I dont wanna go, I wanna stay here with you.' Emerald said stubbronly as her mother helped her pack her things.

Jade smiled softly at her daughter, ruffling her hair gently. 'Baby, I know but this is really important to your Daddy that you try to make the best of this.' Jade replied, tail wagging back and forth.

'But what if she is mean to me like she was to you. I dont want that, Im scared!' Emerald hugged her stuffed lion tightly, shaking a bit.

Jade's arm wrapped gently around Emmy's shoulders. She muttered things soothingly to her in Canine.

"When you get scared I want you to think about a wolf, do you know how you always feel bad for the wolves in the stories I tell you? I think that you may be closer to the wolf than you are to the pigs, or Red ridding hood. And do you know what Those wolves were mean but you still enjoyed them the most. A wolf, from what I have read in the books, is a brave creature even when it is standing alone. Its also a fierce fighter when it is back in a corner. So Think of the wolf when you are standing all by yourself and Im sure it will give you courage to do whats right."

Emerald took a deep breath and hugged her grandmother gently. The Little girl could fully see herself as a wolf in her mind and right now she was standing up to the scary lumberjack with an axe.

Her grandmother squeezed Emerald tightly before saying, “Well what are you all sanding in the hallway for? Come in, come in. How was the trip here, would you like anything to eat or drink?”

Vincent and the children stepped inside the apartment and Vincent ushered Emerald and Sapphire over to sit on the couch. “The trip was fine mom,” said Vincent as he sat down with Ruby on his lap. “Well, I’d like a soda please, and any of your homemade cookies if you’ve got any,” he said, stroking Ruby’s cheek.

“Well, I’ve none at the moment, but how about I bake some? What do you say girls,” she said turning to Emerald and Sapphire, “do you fancy helping your grandma bake some cookies?”