As soon as the door was closed, Gabriel and his wife faced off. Gabriel remained steely for a moment, before softening and moving forward to take her hand, “Come on Reagan don’t be so angry-“

“How dare you!” she pulled away from him, her eyes flashing dangerous “How dare you call me nonsensical in front of our daughter!”

“Lord help me –“ Gabriel said directing his eyes towards the roof, pleading for strength, he continued in a voice demonstrably lighter than his wife’s, “Reagan, she obviously didn’t want to talk about it-“

“You’re always doing that!” Reagan snapped, “Always coddling her, and spoiling her. You’re always making me out to be the bad guy, whenever you want to play the ‘friend’.” She spun around angrily and moved away from him, “You’re her father, act like it!”

“Calm down Reagan,” Gabriel warned, “As far as I’m concerned the role the a father is to protect his children-“

Reagan guffawed incredulously, “You think River needs protecting from her own mother!?”

“That’s not what I said!”

“That’s obviously what you’re thinking!”

Gabriel turned away from his wife, and poured himself a drink. He paused looking at his glass, and then at the bottle holding his whisky, and decided to make it a double. This certainly seemed like one of those occasions where he would need it.

Reagan sighed heavily, and leaning against one of the tables close by, as she collected herself.

“I want her to go to that Academy Gabriel.” Came the strong, quiet voice, over her shoulder.

“Reagan…”

“What?” She spun around.

“You know exactly what…” Gabriel warned his wife pointedly, he sat down, “I would like her to go as well Reagan. The Academy sounds like it has the most exciting programme and I think it would be good for her, to be in a place for young people as gifted as she is. But River doesn’t seem like she really wants to be there.”

“She’s fourteen! She doesn’t know what she wants!”

“She’s not a child Reagan, you can’t treat her like one,” Gabriel sighed shaking his head, “Ultima