Legendary

A few days later, Mei returned with the signed contract. Furthermore, the Greeks would chip in some money and the man power to restore the exterior of the temple as an archeological site. The interior, however, would be updated and refurbished, and Mei also had the contact information for the priesthood that was currently in authority in Athens. They had given her a wish list and promised to seek advice from their goddess. I told her about the gift from the Justice League, and we went down to Martha's office to discuss the PR. Dagny passed by while we were talking about it and offered to install a grove of olive trees; Mei immediately shot a message to her contact in the Ministry of Culture who would be liaising with us on the project. Her contact immediately called us, and we were introduced. Our contact liked the idea of the olive trees and said he'd shepherd it through the permitting process. After the phone call, Martha reached out to another person who would be handling the publicity over there in order to coordinate our efforts. We wanted our name on the project, but not as a bunch of Americans who were stampeding into such an important historical site. Mei walked back to my office with me.

"I know this is an important project for you," she said, then her back stiffened. "But I'd like to be involved too. I'd like to manage the project."

"I thought you wanted more time back here with your fiance?" I said, frowning.

She sighed and held up her left hand, missing the pretty diamond ring. "Didn't work out after all. So overseas projects aren't a problem anymore and it would be very helpful to have somebody on site. You've got a family, and I really think I'm ready for this level of responsibility."

"Looking to get more experience and move on?"

"Actually no." That surprised me. "If I went out on my own, I couldn't hope to bid for the types of projects we work on here. I'd be stuck with small projects, probably mostly residences. Callahan likes those, but I prefer the bigger projects. I love working here at Valkyrie; there are so many opportunities to improve my skills and there are all those proprietary products that Stark keeps sending over to you. I just want to make my name too." I nodded, considering this.

"Ok, then. Get the timeline worked up and on my desk, then find an apartment in Athens for yourself. Given the tragedy in Rome, we need to have outstanding security of our own, on top of what the Greeks want. That's non-negotiable. I don't want this company linked with death and destruction." Mei nodded. "You can line up a lot before going over there, like getting the order for the cultured ivory in so that the gigantic stature of Athena can be recreated and clad in the ivory like the original. Make sure everything is by the book and our process transparent." Mei nodded again, making notes, and we discussed the project in more detail. Martha reported the preliminary results of her work with the ministry, and then it was time for lunch.

I met Daniel and we grabbed hot dogs from a street vendor before hustling to the first jeweler on his list. But nothing we looked at looked quite right. We ran through several jewelers without success, and I had to shoot down his idea to get an emerald. "Not for an engagement ring, sweetie," I said. "Emeralds are soft, easily chipped and cracked, and they can break if, for example, her ring falls off into snow if she takes off her glove and brings it right into a warm room. If you want green, consider a green sapphire or diamond and save the emerald for something else." The salesman looked daggers at me and I shrugged. "After everything Damian bought me, I learned a lot," I said to him, but the guy still looked snitty. It was his commission I was shooting down, after all, but I wanted Daniel to be sure he was getting the right ring for his intended. Daniel rubbed his face, and he started to get upset as nothing we saw was right. Finally I herded him into a taxi and we went to Emma.

She usually did modern designs and a pair of beautiful garnet earrings caught my eye, but I tamped that down. We were here for Daniel. I could come back later. She listened closely to what he was looking for--in general terms, it was going to be a case of he'd know the dream ring when he saw it--and skillfully asked questions that drew out more details. She pondered a bit and went back to her safe, returning with a single platinum ring on a gray suede pad. "I did this when I was just starting back up, and it's never really fit in with everything else I was making," she said, as Daniel picked it up curiously. His eyes got big when he really looked at the design, and his mouth made a little O. I smiled, Emma smiled, and I squeezed her hand. Then he showed it to me.

"It's beautiful," I said. And it was. There was a good-sized diamond, about a third of a carat, nothing too big or flashy, set in a deco-style setting that managed to provide elegant detail without being fussy.

"I don't suppose you have her finger size," Emma said. "I could size it while you wait."

Daniel produced a piece of paper with a circle inscribed on it. "I traced the interior diameter of one of her rings a couple days ago."

"I can work with that," she said, and took it over to the work bench, where she measured, confidently sawed out a small piece of the shank, curved the ends to meet with a pair of pliers, and stared at it as her gift took the place of a torch and solder. Then she slid the ring on a mandrel and rounded it with deft taps of a mallet. She polished off the fingerprints and put it into an elegant ebony box lined with raspberry satin. Daniel couldn't pay her fast enough, and when we left, he had a look on his face that was both dazed and fiercely hopeful. "Oh, Alex, I almost forgot. Steve has some drawings for your new look, if you want to stop in downstairs," she called after me, and I smiled at her.

Of course I did; I was going to drop in since I was there anyway. I looked forward to seeing my uncle Steve almost as much as I did Bucky. "You don't have to come," I told Daniel, smiling. "You probably have plans to make."

"Actually, I've done the planning," Daniel said happily. "I want to see your new look too."

The vendeuse greeted me, we exchanged cheek kisses, and she took us back to Steve immediately. He grinned when he saw us and hopped off the high stool at his drafting table to give us hugs. "I left standing orders that you're to be brought straight back," he said when I apologized for just barging in. We chatted as the vendeuse brought in coffee and snacks, and when she'd closed the door behind her, Steve brought out a file from a locked drawer and showed me three looks. The most interesting thing about all of them was the limited use of metal armor. It all looked like tac fabric, although one version had a light knee-length version of the dresses we'd worn in Valhalla over the suit. Viking knotwork was embroidered on the suits for interest. There were three colorways: black, gray, and dark red.

"Ooh, Grandma," Daniel said.

"There's armor, it's just concealed by the suits," Steve said, and showed me an exploded diagram where shaped plates protected my shoulders, upper back, spine, upper arms, forearms, the backs of the gloves, chest, hips, quads, knees, and shins. Tight boots in the same color as the suits stopped just below the knee and there was a heavy cloak for each look. "The cape is also a type of tac fabric and weighted at the bottom so that you can use that as a weapon as well. The plates aren't metal, it's a new polymer that Stark's come up with. He suggested that you use them as they're thinner and lighter than metal but just as strong. They will need to be replaced more frequently, though. There's a stocking mask to obscure your features if you don't want to wear a visor with your helmet all the time. And there are slits on the back of the uniform for your wings to come out."

"Wow," I said, impressed. "That looks fantastic. And so different from anything all you heroes are wearing." Steve beamed, and we started to talk about color, ending up with charcoal gray as the main color accented with here and there with the dark red and the tonal embroidery had hints of silver.

"I'll have this made up at Avenger tech," Steve said. "You'll need to go over to Tony's lab to have the scan done for the protective plating, but nobody at the production facility will know who Valkyrie is, just that I know her. If you get the scan done in the next couple of days, you'll have the first suit to try at the end of next week. If you like it, we can make a couple others."

"That's fast," I said. "I'll talk to Tony and see how fast he can fit me in." Steve nodded, then turned and pulled out a new folder.

"I've also got some designs for you for everyday wear from my latest collection," he said, and spread out some beautiful looks, lots of fine, flowing fabric.

"I'm sorry I missed your show," I said, touching the fabric samples.

"I'd have gone to Themyscira too," Steve said, brushing it aside, and I made some decisions, culling my choices to just the ones I adored the absolute most. I smiled ruefully at the couturier.

"Since I've pledged a huge chunk of money for the restoration of the Parthenon, I don't have as much to spend on clothes this year. And no, I don't want a discount. You already do too much for me," I said as he opened his mouth. The suits were going to cost a lot.

"Kid, every time you're photographed wearing my work, it's free publicity for me," Steve said.

"I heard you just topped the list of the city's best dressed women in the Style section of the Times out next Sunday, and you were named one of the five most accomplished women in the Northeast while you were visiting Diana's home," Daniel said unexpectedly. "Everybody knows that Steve's your preferred designer."

"And you are, Uncle Steve," I said, "but I don't want a handout."

"Ok," Steve said, nodding. "Let me know if you change your mind." And we talked about other things, setting up a playdate for our kids, and we left after that. Daniel dropped me off at the lab; even if Tony couldn't fit me in today I could still drop in on my husband. But Tony paused long enough to take the scans, which were done in a range of motion so that the articulated pieces over joints like my shoulders would fit right, then I sat on my husband's lap and fed him cookies as I related the afternoon's adventures.

"I hope we get some good news from Daniel soon," Damian said, snuggling me close and taking another bite of the cookie I held.

Then Ann and Tony appeared in the door and announced that they were going to have another baby. Ann was switching to data analysis for the duration, wanting to avoid any effects of chemical inhalation or absorption, and after enthusiastic congratulations and hugs all around, I prepared to depart. Damian got hung up on a call and blew me a kiss as I left his office. Tony walked me to the door, telling me how the material for the armor had some flexibility , which was interesting. "I wanted to ask if you guys really liked the baby things I knitted last time or if you were just being polite," I said as we reached the door. "You can be honest, I won't be offended." Tony rolled his eyes.

"Of course we liked them," he said impatiently. "It's not often these days that people have ability, inclination, and time to make things by hand and we appreciate it. I thought the kid was going to end up like Linus with that blanket." I grinned at him and his smile softened. "And I'm grateful that you still think enough of me to go to the trouble, Tiger." And it was my turn to roll my eyes. As I went through the door, he told me to wait a second and gave me a chip. "That's my thoughts on providing free scans for historical architectural treasures," he told me. "Finances, all of it. That disaster in Rome destroyed so much, and you know the terrorists aren't going to stop." I nodded, and told him I'd check it out that evening.

Since the afternoon was effectively shot, although more productive than I'd imagined it would be, I stopped in at Miles' ballet class. It was the first time I'd been to the class, and Alfred patted my shoulder as we watched the kids. Miles was so absorbed that he didn't see me, and you could see him soaking up his teacher's instructions and corrections like a sponge. After the class was over, Miles regretfully trudged over to the parents' section of the studio, but his face lit up when he saw us. "Mommy!" he exclaimed, and hustled over. I knelt for his hug and kissed his cheek, and his teacher came over to meet me, saying that he was a great student with a lot of promise. Miles and Alfred both beamed, and we had a cheerful ride home. Iris had a riding lesson at the same time, so we stopped at the stables to collect her, and the siblings traded stories, each convinced that the other's activity was less interesting. My folks were coming over with all my siblings for dinner, and they were going to take my younger kids home for a couple of days. After the dinner, my parents departed with the kids and J stuck around for awhile so we could catch up. I didn't get to see my brother much.

It was a couple of weeks wait before Daniel and Diana announced their engagement at a family dinner. Daniel's ring looked wonderful on Diana's hand, and the two of them were glowing with happiness. Alan brought in Champagne with the dessert to celebrate, and Iris raced over to look at the ring. "A horse would be more useful," she told them, "but it's pretty." I facepalmed and Damian looked heavenward.

"A horse would be useful, but I couldn't take it everywhere," Diana agreed. "And it wouldn't be all sparkly." Even Iris had to agree to that.

Bruce was teleconferenced in; the second surgery to replace the last of his organs was scheduled in two days, and he and Selina congratulated the happy couple too. Mark sidled up to Damian and me as his son and Diana chatted with Bruce and Selina. "So, what went into those binders you got when you were married? Daniel has no idea how to plan a wedding." We burst out laughing.