Enjoy! : )

2008

There wasn't one day that week that I awoke alone in my… our… no, my bed. Out of those seven days, I think I still had clothes on once when the sun rose to greet us. But that was probably because Hershey snapped them back on me last minute. Venus came waltzing in with breakfast for the two of us, and dragged me into the city before I even managed to finish three bites. The three of us knew that Hershey and I would be moving on after today to another town and more unsuspecting victims. We weren't quite sure where we were going next, so Venus offered suggestions when the god rejoined us for lunch.

"Well if you want to stay in Europe, there's all of Italy to consider. But Vulcan is still sulking and plotting revenge, so maybe not. Switzerland is okay. Not my top destination spot though. Too cold. Hmm… Australia? They have awesome, sexy accents, but you two just finally got figured out so awesome, sexy accents might not be the best idea. Not that it would really matter since…" Venus grinned. "Never mind."

"How about we just go back to the States?" Hershey asked me. "Away from Venus and her meddling."

"But it's my job to meddle!" she pouted. "Seriously. You have no idea how many couples who are perfect for each other deny their feelings until it's too late to act on them. It's infuriating!"

"Here we go again," Hershey murmured. Venus narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Let's take the two of you," she said.

"Let's – " I started to say, only to be cut off with a wave of the goddess' hand.

"Loki is a mischievous, arrogant dick who sleeps around more than he should, kills people in creative ways for fun, and has a cruel streak a mile wide."

"Way to make me sound charming," he told her. Venus raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow.

"And he can't keep his mouth shut," she continued. "Nicolette is a stubborn, uptight human who is way out her league, attracts trouble like a magnet, and gets hung up on silly things like morals and what's right or wrong."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," I said. "I think I'm insulted."

"Good," Venus told me before flipping her hair over her shoulder. I realized with a start that it matched Hershey's shade exactly. "But for all your shortcomings, you bring out that seed of good in Loki. He's actually kind and sweet around you, and he relents on his punishments because of you. You push him to be a better god because you don't accept anything less. You challenge him constantly in ways I haven't seen since the last century. Loki, in return, is helping you grow up. He challenges everything you stand for. He's making you loosen up, and smile, and actually laugh for once in your life. He's making you smarter too, braver." She paused for a moment to look at both of us. My face was beet red. Hershey refused to look anywhere other than straight ahead, a lazy look fixed firmly into place.

"So why are we infuriating?" I finally asked.

"Because the two of you wouldn't have even kissed if I hadn't slipped you something to lower your inhibitions a bit!" Venus told me. Hershey's and my eyes snapped to hers.

"You what?" he growled.

"You drugged me," I answered for her. "You actually drugged me! What the hell!"

"I didn't drug you really," she tried to defend. "Just loosened you up a bit! It's not like I shot you with a love potion. All the feelings were completely organic. I had no hand in them."

"Oh my God," I groaned, and buried my face in my hands. My face grew even hotter. "Oh my God. This isn't happening. Hershey's going to dump me on the side of the road. Damn it, Venus!" kept circling over and over again inside my head.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Hershey hissed.

"Because the world would end before either of you made a move! I'm the goddess of love, sue me for doing my job!" Hershey swore something in a language I didn't recognize. "Now that was uncalled for," Venus said quietly. I peeked between my fingers to see hurt radiating in her molten honey eyes.

"Then don't mess with Cola," Hershey said just as quietly. "Fix her."

"There's nothing to – "

"Fix her!" he repeated harshly. A few of the neighboring tables looked over at us.

"Fine," Venus sulked, and snapped her fingers. The warmth that had pooled in my heart for the past week evaporated into nothing, leaving a cold, empty hollow. I missed the warmth instantly. "There. All better now. Happy?"

"Thrilled," Hershey told her dryly. "See ya, Venus." He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and snapped his fingers himself. The slightly uncomfortable seat morphed into the cushioned couch that sat in our cottage. Hershey immediately removed his arms from my shoulder, and a heavy silence descended over us. I kept my face buried in my hands. It was better than looking at Hershey. I didn't want to see the look on his face. I could just imagine the disgust and shame that would grace his features. The worst part is that I knew that Venus was telling the truth. She hadn't manufactured the feelings… the affection I held for Hershey. She only forced me to act on it.

"So do you want to say it, or should I?" I asked after a small eternity. Hershey was silent for another heartbeat.

"Say what? That I – "

"That this week never happened?" I interrupted. Hershey was silent for yet another heartbeat that thudded like thunder in my ears.

"Is that what you want?" he asked. I slowly picked my head up out of my hands to look at him. What I saw made my heart sing against my brain's wishes. There was no shame. No disgust. Only very unfamiliar caution, and even more unfamiliar doubt. Neither emotion was a very good look on him.

"Isn't that what you want?" I asked in a small voice. A small smile appeared on Hershey's face as he slowly shook his head.

"No."

"Me neither." The grin on Hershey's face was brilliant. I couldn't help but grin in return and laugh. The god brought one hand up to cup my cheek. I leaned into his touch instinctually. "No more magic love potions," I told him, and leaned closer until our lips were a mere inch apart. I could feel Hershey's warm breath puff against me. "This is just me." His arm snaked around my waist, and pulled me in that remaining inch. His lips were surprising soft, even as the tiny layer of stubble scraped against my skin. He tasted like magic and sparkles with a hint of chocolate that may have been there because of the chocolate bar he wolfed down while we were waiting for the lunch we never got. There was no discussion. No contest. It was the best kiss of my life, and it couldn't have gone on for long enough.


Present

"So Venus actually drugged your drink?" Dean asked once the waitress had taken our order and left.

"Yep," I said, popping the p. "I never really did forgive her for that, but hey. You don't go around messing with people's drinks. Especially when you're supposed to be friends with them." Dean chuckled to himself and shook his head. I smiled ruefully. "And to answer your next question, no. I wasn't under some goddess mojo the whole time I was sleeping with Hershey."

"I wasn't going to say that. I was actually under the impression that the two of you were 'dating.'"

"Don't quote that scumbag demon at me, Dean," I told him with a small sigh. He held up his hands defensively, but looked completely unrepentant. I sighed again and leaned back in my seat. "You don't date runaway Archangels turned Pagan. They're not exactly the dating type. I was never Hershey's girlfriend. I was his partner-in-crime. Big difference."

"Yeah, whatever," Dean said as the waitress dropped off our drinks, beers for both of us. We were sitting at a restaurant a few towns over from the convention, and just managed to catch the tail end of the lunchtime rush.

"No, there is a big difference," I argued. "You and Lisa have a normal, dating relationship, fatherhood scare, and the hell that is your screwed up life notwithstanding."

"Oh yeah. We're totally normal," Den scoffed.

"More normal than most of my relationships."

"That's because Lisa is actually human."

"Good point," I conceded. "Very good point. But what can I say? I got a thing for angels."

"And Crowley." Dean hid his grin behind his glass as his took a long sip.

"Not funny," I told him.

"Come on. It was a little funny."

"Not really."

"Yeah, kinda."

"Whatever," I said, and crossed my arms over my chest. Dean grinned.

"This place has pie, right?"

"You're impossible!" I said, exasperation clear in my voice. It only made Dean's grin wider. "Yes. This place has pie."

"Awesome."


2008

After the gorgeous debacle that was Paris, Hershey did return us to America. Los Angeles, California to be exact, where I got to be an extra at a movie and Hershey killed the greedy, arrogant producer along with some other bigwigs and agents that I didn't ask much about. We spent March in Brazil and Australia, and April was filled with Caribbean beaches and the cities of England. The world was our sandbox to play in and do as we pleased. It was made all the much sweeter with the light caresses and feverish kisses, and nights that I spent far more time awake than asleep. Every day I would wake up in my Hershey's arms, and I could remind myself that this wasn't a dream.

The god was unsurprisingly affectionate in public. He always had an arm wrapped around me, or intertwined his fingers through mine, or planted quick kisses on me whenever he could. And he cuddled. A lot. Even if we were just watching that horrible, yet strangely addicting soap opera Hershey loved, he always snuggled in. I could never complain.

Then it was May, and Mother's Day loomed in front of me. I hadn't talked to Mom since Hershey dropped into my freezing apartment on Christmas Eve. I chose to ignore the phone in favor of my adventures with Hershey. But what could I possibly say? The truth? Oh yeah, because that was such a great idea. She didn't believe that Hershey was real my entire life. Even with him being right there with me… it just wasn't a good idea. I knew Hershey knew that it was bothering me. He didn't say anything, but… he knew. So really, I wasn't that surprised when I woke up the morning of Mother's Day in my hometown of Wellington, Ohio. A little upset, but not that surprised.

"I hate you," I told Hershey once he magiced us to Mom's front door.

"No you don't," he told me. I bit my lip and started at the doorbell.

"I can't ring it," I whispered. "Please, can we just go." Hershey gently took a hold of my hand.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I already took your dad from you. I'm not stealing Mom away too," he said simply. I looked at him in shock.

"Softie," I muttered, trying to hide just how much his words had touched me. Before I could think about it any further, I jammed the doorbell with my finger. We heard the bell echo through Mom's house and her footsteps as she moved to the door.

"Hello?" Mom asked as she opened the door. I gave her a shaky smile, and Mom's jaw dropped to the ground. "Nicolette?' she whispered.

"Hi Mom. Happy Mother's Day."

As always, I gotta express my love for all of you. You're all amazing, and the best people in the world for putting up with me and my inability to actually make the deadlines I place on myself. Especially for you who have been with me since Chapter 1. I started posting this 11 months ago, give or take a week. *hugs for all!*

Review? : ) They make my day! : D