A Devil with an Angel's Heart

Chapter 34, Part 1

||Kate

Despite your father telling you to go and enjoy the evening and even helping your grandmother with that spell... you couldn't quiet relax. You were pacing up and down the length of the hall. For once, the delicious scent of dinner wafting through the air didn't appeal to you. You just hoped Jack, who had become a rather loyal vassal over the years and was admittedly exceptional with a knife, would come back soon. You would have liked to solve this problem before sunrise. Holly was running out of time and you wouldn't have her die, even if it was the last thing you did! You heard your older family members whisper in the background having long picked up on your restlessness, until finally it was Maggy who came up to you.
"Dinner is ready.", she said softly.
You didn't answer right away, instead turning your gaze out the window and into the distance.
"You need to eat. It was you, who told me I would need strength if I wanted to fight and protect. You can't just always worry about others. You told me to worry about myself first. You should really listen to your own advise.", Maggy chuckled slightly as you turned your gaze back to her and met her eyes.
You looked at each other silently for a while, a swirl of emotions in your eyes.
Then you smiled and chuckled, "I guess.", then turned to go to the dining hall. After a few steps you stopped short and looked back at the girl behind you, "You've matured, Maggy.....So, will have your magic."

You entered the dining hall and sat down at your usual place. Maggy was right, you had to eat or you would go hungry when you needed your strength. Dinner was lively, filled with the usual banter, though this time you stayed out of it, which didn't go unnoticed. You ate the bare minimum, feeling various eyes on you, checking on you from time to time. It was only when you basically refused dessert that your father got up.
"That's it."

He sounded harsher than expected and you looked up meeting his eyes with a surprised gaze.
"Office. Now.", was all he said.
The way he looked at you held no space for discussion but was not scolding or mad, only soft with fatherly love.
Somewhat confused you looked around the table, your expression spelling "Did I do something?". You got up regardless and made your way to your father's office.

After you left the room your grandmother asked your father, "Vincent, what are you planning to do?"

"Taking care of my daughter.", he stated, then sighed, "She's just like her mother when it comes to situations like this one. But don't worry, I know how to handle my little Monster." Vincent shoed them a witty grin and a twinkle in his eyes that apparently ran in the family, then followed after you.

You sat in your father's office, wondering what you had done to be ordered to come here. This was almost like an principal's office where one is only summoned when in trouble. But, you couldn't think of anything that would have warranted such a reaction.

You got up from the chair in front of the desk and walked over to the window to observe the garden or rather, the stables, where Bullet was peacefully grazing in the moonlight.

You turned around as you heard the door open and your father entered his own office.
"Dad-", you didn't say anything more as he lifted his hand to stop you from speaking.
"I'm not here to scold you or anything, you did nothing wrong. Instead, I want to show you something...", he trailed off and retrieved something out of his drawer and spread it over his desk. At the first glance you knew, that something was a blueprint.

"Is that-?"

||Mr. Joestar

A scream echoed through the castle. Alarmed he jumped up. That was clearly Kate!
Jotaro, Polnareff and Avdol were standing as well. But Kate's uncle only smiled.
"So he showed her the plans. Well, that's sure to get her mind off things."
"Which plans are you talking about?", wondered Avdol.
"Plans for a new hotel here in Egypt. The blueprints arrived this morning."
"And why is this something that's going to distract Kate?"; wondered Polnareff.
"Well, that's because ever since Vincent was forced to take Kate with him to work, as no one was able to look after her that day, it has become their thing. So, that scream just now was one out of joy.", explained Kate's grandmother, smiling at the opportunity to bring out the photo album.
"Kate and Vincent share the dream of building hotels all over the world, and it seems now they want to use the opportunity and breach Egypt.", she opened the photo album and shoed them a photo of a very young Kate on her father's shoulders in front of a construction site.
"I remember Vince wasn't keen on taking his little girl to a construction site but Kate was more than happy to go. She loved it there. And...well, she was so cute and endearing that she quickly became the star of the entire team. They adored her. And they do to this very day. The construction team have signed a deal to build all of Vincent's hotels and seeing as they love Kate so much and she'll inherit the business I don't see that changing anytime soon....Anyway- it has been their shared passion ever since. And after that hotel was built, they had a golden sign made with their hand prints on them. And then going forward they made one of these golden signs for each newly built hotel. There are some guests who find that so lovable and sweet they go touring the hotels just to view these. One can see Kate grow older as her handprint becomes bigger. Especially the elderly love this. Vincent was already charismatic by himself but Kate gave him a run for his money. She was always the centre of attention at the opening parties.", she explained and proceeded to show them a few photos.
One in particular stood out. It was of Kate sitting on the shoulders of an Irish Dancer surrounded by the rest of the group as they all posed for the picture.
"She loved that.", chuckled Polnareff.
"Oh, she did! She was fifteen at the time and has been wanting to repeat that ever since.", smirked Kate's grandmother, then added after a short glance at Jotaro and throwing him a knowing wink, "Though, that might have changed...."
"I remember now, Vincent came to me many years ago because he wanted to build his first hotel in the US. Since I was a renowned realtor he figured he'd ask me for help. He even gained the Speedwagon Foundation as a supporter. Anyway, can you imagine my surprise when he showed up with a six year old girl in tow?", Joseph reminisced about the past, "Well, one thing's for sure, Kate and Suzie have always enjoyed each others company."
Joseph had also been surprised by the young girls keen business sense and already vast knowledge of the matter for her age. And even back then she acted like a cute angel when needed and like a devious little brat whenever else. To this very day, Kate behaved like the sweetest thing ever in front of Suzie but when it came to him Kate showed her true colours. Joseph had one problem, he did not know whether to be jealous of his wife because she was subject to Kate's sweet side or if he should feel honoured because Kate felt she could be more like herself before him...Then again, why should he feel honoured to have to endure this wily, fickle woman. He should probably commend his grandson for his bravery of entering a relationship with someone of Kate's nature and for handling her so well so far. There were many instances in which it became clear that the boy had absolutely no idea about women. "But let's not go there." thought Joseph.