Conversations over Coffee.

A/N; Another genealogy fic based on a reviewer's request. This time Lifeline's sister Stephanie digs up some interesting tid bits on their family tree.

Late spring in Washington DC was awash with warm weather and flowers blooming everywhere. Doctor Edwin Steen had gladly agreed to meet up with his sister Stephanie and spend the day with her, as the two settled into a table at an outdoor cafe. She was in town with her husband and two sons on vacation, and she had decided to opt out of a visit to the Air and Space museum.

"The boys were impossible to get to sleep last night," Stephanie laughed.

"I can imagine. That's a sight to see, you should have gone," her brother smiled before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Oh don't worry, I'm making up for it tomorrow at the Natural Sciences one," she said, waggling her eyebrows.

"Let me guess? You're heading straight for the Hope Diamond and then branching out from there," Edwin teased.

"It always amazes me how a coloured diamond, which by nature is a flawed diamond, is so valuable," she said. Edwin just shook his head. "Anyway, the other reason I skipped out on the boys is because I want to talk to you about something."

"Oh?"

Stephanie leaned on the table. "You know how you told me about that DNA stuff you were doing and how you'd found out that two of your teammates were related?"

"Yeah," Edwin replied, taking another sip of coffee.

"Well it got me thinking, so I did a little research into our family tree," she said. "And wow did I find some surprises!"

Edwin smirked. "I think I know what one of those surprises is. We're not even remotely German…at least not ethnically," he said and Stephanie gaped.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I had a secondary DNA test done to trace our paternal line, and it came back as Asiatic in origin. Most commonly found in the Romani population. There's also some Middle Eastern in there too," he answered.

"That's one of the surprises," Stephanie concurred. "The other one on Father's side is that we haven't been Lutheran for very long either."

"Have you talked to Father about this?" Edwin asked and Stephanie's eyes grew large.

"You should have heard the denial he had," she replied. "Let's just say that it's a subject we will never discuss in front of him…EVER!"

"Hypocritical as always," Edwin sighed. "Heaven forbid he actually be the demon spawn that's he preached against."

"Please tell me you never bought into his narrow minded thinking?" Stephanie begged of her brother.

"Oh Lord no. I never bought into anything he said…part of why we never saw eye to eye I guess." Stephanie sighed in relief. "So what did we convert from?"

"Islam."

Edwin laughed. "I guess I stamped my passport to Hell then this morning," he said and Stephanie gave him a perplexed look. "I had ham and eggs for breakfast." Stephanie laughed along with her brother.

"Somehow I doubt that Acar would have minded, seeing as he was so adamant of protecting his family, that he switched from Islam to Christianity…and picked the surname of Steen," Stephanie said as she sobered a little.

"Acar?"

"Our great-great grandfather. He was of Romani and Assyrian descent living in Armenia before migrating to Germany," Stephanie explained.

"What was the surname before it became Steen?" Edwin asked.

"'Of where ever'," she replied. "In Acar's case he was known as Acar of Tavush before becoming Aric Steen in 1879 when he moved to Dresden."

"Tavush? That's a province in north east Armenia," Edwin said. "I've been there. It's beautiful."

"Peter and I are thinking about going there with the boys when they're a little older," Stephanie said. "Living in England makes it easier at least." Edwin chuckled in agreement. Stephanie narrowed her eyes mischievously. "And if Father's side was surprising…Mom's was even more interesting," she said changing the subject.

"Celtic, Scandinavian, and Southern European." Edwin smirked. "Genetically at least."

"Oh yeah. More recently it became English as well," Stephanie said. "And rather interesting considering you and your rebel career choice."

"Oh yes?"

"Know who Horatio Nelson is?" Stephanie smirked.

"I've been to Trafalgar Square too…I think I know who he is," Edwin chuckled.

"He's also our great-great something grandfather on Mom's side."

Edwin's jaw dropped. "You're kidding?"

"Nope. Old Horatio had an illegitimate daughter named Horatia, and she went on to have ten kids," Stephanie grinned. "I actually tracked some other descendants down in England and met them. A lot of them are Royal Navy to this day."

"You're kidding. Lord Horatio Nelson, practically a god when it comes to naval strategy is our direct ancestor?" Edwin laughed incredulously.

"Yep, and he wasn't the only surprise. We're also descended from Robert the Bruce…the guy who was king of Scotland in the movie Braveheart." Stephanie added.

"Most of Scotland can claim him as an ancestor, but wow…"

"True," Stephanie agreed. "But fun to know none the less." She watched as her brother absorbed the information she'd given him for a few moments. "Then there's what I married into," she grinned.

"Oh Lord, who has Peter got in his family tree?" Edwin asked.

"General Robert E. Lee and George and Martha Washington among others," Stephanie replied.

"The South rises again," Edwin chuckled.

"If Father ever gets upset because Ian or David decide to join the military, I can always tell him it's in their blood," Stephanie shrugged.

"Mum!" a child's voice called out.

"Speak of the devils," Edwin chuckled as he and Stephanie turned to see Peter, Ian, and David heading towards them. Edwin reached out and four year old David flung himself into his uncle's outstretched arms.

"Mum, Uncle Ed, you should have seen it! It was brilliant, they had all these neat fighter planes and stuff," the boy enthused. Brother and sister rolled their eyes but said nothing.

"I have seen it a few times David," Edwin said as David got comfortable in his lap. "I like all the space stuff myself."

"Nah, Ian liked that lot," David dismissed.

"Better than blowing stuff up," Ian retorted to his younger brother. Ian saw that there was only one other chair and waved to his father to take it.

"Thanks Kiddo, but I've got one," Peter said as he pulled a chair up and sat down. "So what have you two been up too while were imagining what it was like to fly in space?"

"Told him about the family tree research," Stephanie replied.

"I knew there was some interesting stuff on the DNA side of things," Edwin shrugged.

"Mum, may I have a hot chocolate and scone please?" Ian piped up when he saw a waiter heading towards them.

"Me too please Mum," David added. Stephanie told them that they could and both boys thanked her.

"Can your two be anymore British?" Edwin laughed.

"My mother is partially responsible for their ability to make a mean cup of tea," Peter chuckled.

"Nana said that it's a vital skill to have," David told Edwin.

"I agree with your Nana," Edwin said. The waiter brought the hot chocolates and scones for the boys and a cup of coffee for Peter. He did a double take at the boy's thick British accents when they thanked him before leaving. "So what else are you guys planning on seeing while you're here?" Edwin asked as he helped David slice his scone in half.

"We were thinking about hitting Mt Vernon and having a look around," Peter said. "Then there are the other branches of the Smithsonian."

Ian made a small noise and everyone looked at him. "Good man, but a traitor to the crown," the seven year old declared about the first president of the United States.

"He's also an ancestor of yours Buddy," Peter chuckled.

"I know," Ian replied. "But so is Lord Nelson." Edwin was leaning back in his chair laughing and Ian frowned. "It's true Uncle."

"I know it is Ian," Edwin said. "I have a couple of S.A.S. teammates who whole heartedly agree with you. I've just never heard a little kid say it before that's all."

"You're in the S.A.S.?" David asked looking up at his uncle.

"Nope, but a couple of my teammates are. I'm in a force made up of different military from all over the world," Edwin replied.

"That's neat," David grinned.

The family finished up at the café and strolled around the city for the rest of the day, before Doctor Edwin Steen bid them farewell and returned to base. General Hawk saw the amused look on the doctor's face and asked him how his day had been.

"I've just earned a load of credit with Big Ben and Skymate for starters," Lifeline said and told Hawk about what his sister had discovered about his family.

"You're in the wrong branch of service then Son," Hawk chuckled. Lifeline just laughed.

FIN.