Marcy

"The hero has arrived!" Alfred yelled, emerging from the elevator.

I was surprised to see Matthew with him as well. I was suddenly aware of the fact that it was 10 o'clock and I was still in my pajamas.

"One second, Gil," I said into my headset.

"Wait, wait, wait," Alfred said, walking to the couch and looking at the screen. I was in the middle of playing Call of Duty online with Gilbert. Matthew smiled.

"Wha?" Alfred stammered, "Since when? How long has this been going on?"

"What?" I asked, a bit confused, "You mean me and Gil? We've been gaming buddies since the party."

He looked like he was going to say more, but then shook his head, "No, that's not important. Mattie's invited all three of us to stay over at his house for a couple days! So get dressed and get Dia ca-,"

"Dia's at work," I interrupted.

"Huh, I totally forgot," he scratched his head, "Ooohh, I know! Matt, you can drive Marcy up there now and I'll pick up Dia when she's done!"

"I'm game," I said. I kinda wondered how the nations lived and what their houses looked like. We both looked at Matthew.

He blushed slightly. "I mean, if you're okay without Dia…"

"Pfft," I scoffed playfully, "Dia's my best friend, but it is possible for me to exist without her constantly beside me."

"Right, sorry," Matt apologized.

I waved my hand, "Don't worry about it, I was just teasing. I- Gilbert, oh my gosh!" I burst into embarrassed laughter.

"What'd he say?" Matt asked.

I shook my head, "Nuh-uh, not repeating it. Bye, Gil." I hung up our call and closed down the Xbox. "Gimmie a second to get changed."

I walked to my room, shutting and locking the door. I dug through my winter clothes and decided on a pair of brown boots, dark jeans, the world's most comfy gray tank, a white turtleneck, and my favorite letterman jacket. I grabbed a pair of navy fingerless gloves and their matching beanie.

No, wait, I thought, I'm going to Canada. It's a 'toque.'

"Right," I said to myself, "Now for the hardest part."

I opened my scarf drawer.

I wasn't much for fashion, but come time for cold weather clothes, I had about fifty scarves for every outfit. I wasn't wearing any bright colors, so I settled on a maroon one with mixes of blues and purples here and there. Satisfied with my attire, I threw an extra set of clothes into a bag, along with other overnight necessities. I ran into Dia's room and did the same, leaving out her favorite jacket. I returned to the main room, where Alfred and Matthew had started a game waiting on me.

"You two remind me of my brothers," I chuckled.

"Holy crap, you have brothers?" Alfred asked.

It's like he expected me to not have family.

"One older brother, a younger sister and two younger brothers," I said, counting on my fingers, "My two younger brothers could never wait for anything. They'd always end up playing videogames."

"To be fair, you were in there for like, fifteen minutes," Alfred replied, "Is that how long it takes for you to do makeup?"

I burst out laughing, "No, I don't wear makeup. And I'm guessing you've never had to wait on someone who does."

Alfred shrugged, "Whatevs. Anyway, you two need to get going. We'll meet ya there!"

I threw Dia's jacket at his face. "Dia will be done at around 2ish. Let her know I packed her a bag," I said, just before realization struck. "Oh! I almost forgot!" I ran back to my room, then Dia's, and threw a small navy blue book at Alfred. He caught it effortlessly.

"We're going to a different country, duh," I said, "These are required, right Matt?"

Matthew nodded.

"Okay, cool, great," Alfred said hurriedly, "Do you have everything now?"

"I believe so," I replied with a grin.

"K, now go! Fly you fools!"

"Gandalf!" I screamed as I walked to the elevator, Matthew shaking his head and smiling behind me.

xxxxx

Diana

Living with America, you quickly learn to get used to surprises, for sanity's sake if nothing else. Getting wound up every time Alfred sprang something on you would lead to premature death, as well as encourage him to do something even more outrageous, as I was starting to discover.

However, I really did not see this one coming.

My aunt Heather was in the offices of the hospital, finalizing a big sale for a large landscape piece that would be going in the pediatric wing. I was with her, smiling pleasantly and taking mental notes of how she conducted business.

"…Thank you so much, Ms. Sterling." The secretary of the hospital's public relations shook my aunt's hand. "I'm sure the children will love the new picture!"

Yeah, I thought, right before they attack it with crayons.

Speaking of children…

I happened to glance out the small office window, and glimpsed an all-too-familiar mop of golden blond hair and a worn brown bomber jacket, wandering around aimlessly.

I stiffened, feeling my pleasant smile fade.

You idiot, I TOLD you not to visit me at work!

"Diana?" I heard my aunt's voice ask a bit too pleasantly. I looked at her. "Shall we go?"

"Right. Yes. Of course." I smiled stiffly, following her out into the offices lobby, then into the main lobby.

I glanced around for Alfred.

"I should inform Mr. Hendricks that the sale is finalized," my Aunt said.

I spotted Alfred. He was talking to a confused receptionist. The more he talked, the more confused she looked.

"Diana." My aunt's voice was sharp.

I jumped, looking at her.

She held out her hand. "My iPad, please?"

"Oh!" I quickly pulled the purple-cased iPad out from under my arm, handing it to her. She stopped walking and began tapping on it.

I glanced back at Alfred. He looked insistent. The receptionist was starting to look nervous.

Please don't call security.

"Hey, um, Aunt Heather?"

She spared me a glance.

"Since we're done, um, for today…"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two security guards walk up to Alfred. He turned to them and started talking earnestly.

Crap.

"I… uh, may I go?" I looked her in the eye. "There's someone I need to meet up with."

My aunt batted her hand. "Fine. Be safe."

"Yes ma'am."

Oh, thank goodness.

"DIANA!"

Oh hell.

Before I could even get one step away from my aunt, the giant golden retriever of a young man jogged up to us.

"Hey, Dia!" He came to stop. "Wow, you look snazzy!" He said, probably referring to my blouse and black slacks.

"I'm sorry," my aunt interrupted politely, "but I don't think we're been introduced."

"Oh, hi! I'm Alfred!" He took her hand and shook it a bit harder than necessary.

Aunt Heather laughed lightly, glancing at me with a suspicious look.

"Aunt Heather, this is Alfred Jones. Alfred, this is my Aunt Heather."

"Call me Ms. Sterling, please," My aunt corrected. "And how do you know Diana?"

"Oh, I live with her."

Hell, swallow me now.

"He MEANS," I interrupted before my aunt had and aneurism, "that he lives across the hall from my apartment. RIGHT?"

"Oh, yeah. Right! HAHAHA!" Alfred rubbed the back of his head, laughing loudly.

My aunt's polite smile hadn't disappeared, but I could feel the disapproval radiating off her.

"Anyway!" I grabbed Alfred's arm and did my best to drag him away. "We're going to catch a movie with Marcy, so we better get going. Love you. Bye!" I was almost running as I pulled Alfred out the front doors. And I kept going.

Once we were beside the parking garage, I finally pulled to a stop.

"What the hell was that?!" I spun around and glared at Alfred. "I told you not to visit me at work!"

"Woah, dude, calm down."

He didn't seem to grasp how close that was to going horribly wrong.

"Alfred…!" I was coiling to spring a barrage of frustration at him, but his mystified expression made me hesitate. Instead I pressed my hand over my mouth and squeezed my eyes shut until I was sure I could talk without yelling.

"Dude, you ok? You look like you're gonna throw up."

I spared a glance at Alfred, who looked genuinely worried. "I'm fine," I said calmly, doing my best to mean it. I crossed my arms. "So then. What POSSESSED you to visit me at my job when I SPECIFICALLY told you NOT TO?"

"Oh. Well, Marcy said you'd be done by 2. And I wanted to surprise you!" He grinned heroically, if it were possible.

I glared at him murderously. My voice became dangerously sweet. "Alfred. There are GOOD surprises, and then there are BAD surprises…"

"No, that wasn't the surprise!" He jumped in.

"Wonderful."

"Guess what?! We're going to Canada!"

I stared at him blankly. "We're… meeting Matthew for supper?"

"No, dude, we're going to his house for supper! In Ottawa! Although I don't really know why he lives there, I'd think he'd live in Quebec…"

"Oh, sure!" I said dryly. "Let me just grab my suitcase out of my pants pocket…"

"Marcy already packed for you!"

Of course she did.

I stared at the concrete a long moment, running through what all needed to happen in the next few days, and if I could afford to ignore them. Satisfied, I looked back up at Alfred.

"Fine, let's go to Canada."

"Hell yes!" He punched the air. "Come on, my car's just over there…" He steered me into the parking garage.

"How long is this trip going to be?"

" 'bout nine hours."

Save me.

xxxxx