One Year Later (To The Day)

"It's going to be so nice to see them again." Becky smiled as she and Dave drove down the busy New York City streets. The two were returning from their Honeymoon and it had been a month since either of them had seen Balthazar or Rose.

"How long do you think it will be before Balthazar starts harassing me to begin training again?" Dave chuckled as he turned down a less crowded street.

"I'm sure he missed you just as much as you missed them." Becky assured her husband who prepared to park the car.

"Well there it is." Dave sighed as he stepped out of the car and onto the pavement.

"The place that started it all." Becky agreed as they stared at the front door together. Over the past year Rose and Balthazar had been spending whatever time wasn't occupied by sorcery, building up Balthazar's old business. What had really surprised Dave, was that it had been his sister's idea. She willingly quit her modeling job to join Balthazar behind the counter at the Arcana Cabana. "You did tell them we were coming home today didn't you?" Becky had talked to Rose just the other night, but she'd only mentioned that she and Dave would visit once they were home.

"I wanted to surprise them." Dave grinned. "Come on, it looks like they're getting ready to close."

"Hello?" Dave shouted as he stepping into the store. "I'm looking for this note. It blew into your store."

"What a coincident. Same thing happened to an old friend of mine." Balthazar smiled as he watched his friends enter the shop. "It's good to see you." Balthazar said hugging his male apprentice. "Married life suits you Becky." He complimented the blonde before pulling her into a hug of her own.

"Oh, thank you." Becky smiled.

"Balthazar? Rose's voice drifted down from their apartment upstairs. "Is that them? Are they home?" Not bothering to wait for a response, Rose came bounding down the stairs. "Becky! Dave!" Her face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning the second she spotted her brother and sister-in-law. "My god I thought you'd never come home." Rose flung her arms around Dave and Becky pulling them together for one big hug.

"We were only gone for a month." Becky laughed when she and Dave were released from their sister's grasp.

"Well it felt like much longer." Rose insisted.

"She's only saying that because she's been working so hard lately." Balthazar explained as he flipped the opened sign to closed.

"Now that's something I'd like to see." Dave chuckled. For as long as Dave could remember, Rose had put more effort into getting out of hard work than doing the actual work. Since moving in with Balthazar and quitting her job, Rose had apparently turn into a workaholic.

"David if you continue to mock me, Balthazar and I won't give you your wedding present." Rose huffed.

"Oh that reminds me!" Dave said running out to the car.

"Dave you can't carry all that by yourself!" Becky said following after him. The couple returned, their arms weighed down with bags and packages. "Now we tried to get everything you asked for..." Becky said digging through the bags. "Rose I brought you some of that French perfume you love. Oh and Dave picked these out for you." Becky said handing her a large shoe box. Rose lifted the lid to reveal a surprisingly stylish pair of Italian boots. "They're one hundred percent leather of course." Over the last month Dave and Becky had been in and out of so many countries it was surprising they'd had enough time to gather so much.

"Becky made sure we got all the spices and herbs you needed." Dave said handing two burlap sacks to Balthazar. "Oh, and while we were in China, we picked up something special for the both of you." He explain removing a long flat object wrapped in a red cloth from one of the bags.

"What is it?" Rose asked as the object was handed to Balthazar.

"Help me open it and we'll find out." Balthazar insisted. Gripping half of the object, Rose was able to help Balthazar remove the cloth.

"It's a piece of wood." Rose remarked, looking up at the newlyweds confused.

"Flip it over!" Dave said impatiently. He was anxious to see his sister and his master's reaction to their gift. Gently turning the piece of wood to its reverse side, Rose and Balthazar were about to read the inscription. Well Rose could read half of it at least.

"Veronica." She said reading the name that had been carved across the top.

"The rest is her name in Mandarin, Latin, and a Dialect of Ancient Runes." Balthazar explained pointing to each language in turn.

"Yeah, it's an ancestral tablet. We had it made in a shop that specializes in that sort of thing." Dave told the older couple. "Chinese families set up a home alter for all of their relatives who have...past on."

"We thought that maybe you could put it somewhere here, or upstairs, that way She'll know you're thinking about her." Becky said softly.

"It's beautiful, thank you." Balthazar whispered.

"I know just the place." Rose said carrying the tablet towards the stairs that led to the apartment. With Balthazar's help, she secured the tablet on a shelf that hung near the staircase. "There now every time we come to work or head home we'll be about to see it and we'll think of her. It's perfect. Thank you both so much." Rose hugged her brother and his wife again. "Well, I think it's time Balthazar and I give you our gift. We've made you wait a month for it already."

"Just a moment Rose, let me get my coat." Rose, Dave and Becky didn't bother pointing out the fact that Balthazar's favorite leather jacket was slung over the counter. They all just figured Balthazar was getting something related to the surprise

"We'll wait for you outside!" Rose hollered up the stairs before ushering her guests outside.

"What? Outside?" Dave whined. "I thought we were getting a present."

"You are." Rose promised but we have to go for a walk to get it.

"Sorry about that. No one thought it important to mention that my coat was laying on the counter." Balthazar joined the others outside. He had returned seemingly empty-handed except for one of Rose's lightweight sweatshirts. "I brought you this in case you get cold."

"Thank you, Hun." Rose said zipping up the sweatshirt that Balthazar brought her.

"So where exactly are we going?" Becky asked after the group had walked a block or two.

"We're almost there, just a few buildings more." Balthazar insisted as he and Rose led the way hand in hand.

"Here we are!" Rose declared as her and Balthazar stopped short.

"You bought us a building?" Dave asked not looking up at what the building was.

"They bought us a radio station!" Becky shrieked excitedly.

"Wha..." Dave glanced up to find a building marked 'W-M.E.R.L.I.N.' "You guys...we can't...this is too much!" He shook his head.

"Um...Yes he's right...it's too much. We can't accept this." Bucky nodded.

"What? No you have to!" Rose frowned. "It's all paid off. Balthazar went through a lot of trouble to get you guys all the right permits, even a registered channel. And you haven't even seen inside yet! At least look inside before you say no. Balthazar you have the keys." Balthazar reached inside his pants pocket for his key ring. He found the keys, but when he pulled them from his pockets a small square box fell out.

"Oh you dropped something buddy." Dave said picking up the box. Balthazar tried to quickly snatch the box from Dave, but when he did the apprentice's fingers fumbled. The box fell to the ground again, this time falling open, a diamond ring rolled out with it.

"Balthazar, what is that?" Rose asked as she watched her brother and the sorcerer scrabble for the ring.

"I suppose the surprise is ruined now." Balthazar said collecting the ring from the ground, but remaining on his knees. "Rose Stutler, would you do this old man the honor of becoming his wife?" Rose was shocked. In all the time she'd spent with Balthazar she honestly hadn't expected him to ask her so soon.

"Say yes!" Dave and Becky shouted at the same time when Rose remained silent for too long.

"Sorry, yes of course! A thousand times over, yes!" Rose walked forward and allowed Balthazar to place the ring on her hand. He did, and then swept the girl off her feet and into a romantic kiss.

"Alright, quit showing off you two." Dave groaned. To him it was like watching his parents make out.

"Right, the inside." Rose breathed flustered. Becky and Dave were overwhelmed by the interior of the radio station.

"Are these original Beatles albums?" Becky grinned as she spotted the collection of records that Balthazar and Rose had supplied her with.

"Yes." Balthazar promised. "I think one or two of them are signed."

"And there's a full basement where Dave can do experiments, practice his sorcery. And an apartment up stairs just like at the Cabana!" Rose rambled. "Please say you'll keep it! You have to!" Becky looked to Dave. He knew how much she wanted this and they both they couldn't live in the lab forever, plus it was already paid for.

"Of course we'll keep it! It's our wedding present." Dave grinned.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Becky bounced up and down with excitement.