A/N and DISCLAIMER: Again, NONE and I mean NONE of the characters belong to me... except maybe Roxy. Oh, and in my story, a lot of Kevin Smith's View Askew characters are involved. According to my story; Holden, Brodie, and Randal are first cousins.
And a BIG WARNING: Loki and Randal go through a big twisted personality change... so unless one does not like seeing their favorite former Angel of Death going all sweet and stuff, this is just a WARNING about what's to come...
And to Dogma's Angel... alright, don't hurt Harry... put the knife down *slowy*... I don't want you to get mobbed by a lot of Potter fanatics!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ROXY
CHAPTER TWO: The Arrival of Roxy and Benjamin Holden
To be honest, Loki wasn't looking forward to
having to spend the next few decades watching over Bethany's
daughter. As he stood to the side, unaware to everyone present in
the delivery room, during the first few minutes before her birth,
Loki just stared off aimlessly.
Most of his mind was on the mysterious whereabouts of Bartleby.
Where the hell could his friend be?
It was then that it happened it was at that moment that he
first heard her.
"Congratulations, Ms. Bethany Sloan. You have yourself a
healthy baby girl." The doctor laid a very beautiful little
creature in Bethany's arms.
Loki turned to the young child, and was suddenly washed with an
immediate sense of awe and love?
"Roxanne" Bethany smiled at her little girl.
"I want to name her Roxanne."
Loki found himself smiling at Roxanne, slowly moving a bit closer
to the squirming child. With a lot of hesitation, he reached out
to Roxanne. Lightly, he caressed her cheek and was completely
touched by her innocence.
Suddenly, Loki jumped back, startled. Roxanne had turned her gaze
off of her mother, and was looking directly at Loki, and smiled.
Loki was stunned. "You see me, don't you, Roxy?"
He softly asked, still smiling at her.
It was amazing, and yet completely terrifying to the former Angel
of Death. He wasn't used to love and yet at this
moment, he was completely taken away by this lovely girl.
"Man," He shook his head and chuckled, "If only
Bartleby could see me now. Bet the bastard would be laughing his
ass off at me" He met eyes with Roxanne, then said,
"But you know what, Roxy? Screw him I don't care"
Roxanne kept her eyes on Loki, causing him to smile even wider,
and love her even more.
Softly, "I don't care"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THREE DAYS LATER SOMEWHERE IN NEW JERSEY
Alyssa Jones was humming to the little person in her arms. She
smiled lovingly at him, "Do you know just how much you mean
to me, little one?"
"Knock, knock"
Alyssa looked up, and smiled at the face before her. "Hey,
sis."
"Aww there he is!" Trisha Jones smiled at her
sister, then turned to her new nephew. "Can I hold him,
Alyssa?"
"Sure" Alyssa held out her son to her little
sister. As she placed her son in Trisha's arms, she asked
her, "Hey, is Randal still warming up Ben's
formula?"
At the call of his name, Randal Graves appeared, closely followed
by his cousin Brodie Bruce.
"Hey Trish the Dish" Brodie snickered, causing
himself to receive looks from Alyssa, Trisha, and even from
Randal. "What?"
"Dude, not in front of the newborn." Randal hissed,
then he turned to Alyssa. "Here's the milk,
Alyssa."
Alyssa smiled kindly at Randal. At first, she was as shocked as
everyone by Randal's sudden "kindness and
sensitivity". Especially since it was mostly turned towards
Alyssa's son.
Brodie, Dante Hicks, and even Jay (especially Jay) joked it as
being the closest homosexual tendency Randal will admit up to
loving a little boy. However, Randal only classifies it as making
up for his cousin Holden McNeil's stupidity. After all, the
little boy was not only Holden's but now he's a
part of Randal's family.
"Hey Randal, aren't you supposed to be working at RST
Videos today?" Trisha asked, cradling little Benjamin Holden
Jones.
Alyssa, Brodie, and Randal gave Trisha this look as they all
replied, "Look who you're asking."
"Besides, I can't exactly stay away from this little
guy for long. Right, Benny boy?" Randal smiled at him.
"Holy shit the world is coming to an end." Brodie
smirked, "When Randal fuckin' Graves, who is ever the
damn wise ass, goes soft you know that the end is
near."
"Hey, hey, hey. No swearing in front of Ben." Alyssa
slapped Brodie.
"Well you might as well start the kid young, Lyssa. I mean,
look whom he has for uncles?" Brodie smiled, indicating to
himself and Randal.
"Not if his aunts can help it!" Trisha hissed.
Alyssa and Randal rolled their eyes, knowing that once Trisha
snaps at Brodie, it starts off into a chain reaction of bantering
between the two. Alyssa quickly swooped her son out of Trisha's
grasp, allowing her sister to begin bitching at Brodie.
"Man, if your sister is this catty with Brodie, keep her
away from Banky." Randal commented, following Alyssa into
the living room of her small two bedroom apartment.
"Too late" Alyssa sighed, gently holding her
three days old son.
"So" Randal sat down, staring at little Ben, then
up at Alyssa. "When are you going to let Holden know about
Ben?"
Alyssa softly sighed again, then turned to look at Randal.
"After that meeting at the Con, when he showed me his new
comic Chasing Amy' seeing him brought back so
much emotions that I wanted to deny again" She looked
down at Ben, loving her son with all her heart. "We both
decided that the one night of forgotten passion we had will be
the very last time we will see each other"
"You still love him?" Randal asked, shifting a bit
uncomfortably. He was always uncomfortable when it came to the
subject of love.
"I won't deny that I do and each moment I spend
with Ben, I love his father even more but I will not go
back to him unless he's ready"
Randal nodded. He would say more, but that might result in
sending Alyssa to tears. He just wasn't good with crying
women. Instead, he regarded the little boy in her arms.
Thoughtfully, he said, "Y'know he's gonna
look like Holden one day"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MEANWHILE...
"You've got to be kiddin' me!" Remarked the
Thirteenth Apostle.
"Unfortunately for Her quirky sense of humor"
Sighed Serendipity.
"So let me get this straight" Rufus began,
"God sent Loki to be Roxanne's angel and then God
sent Bartleby to be born in human form as Alyssa Jones' son,
Benjamin Holden?!" He shook his head ruefully, "Talk
about a fuckin' twisted sense of humor."
"Hey Rufus, Serendipity!" A lanky angel made his way
towards the Thirteenth Apostle and Serendipity. His eyes were
shining with excitement, "A couple of us Watchers are
pooling together to bet against the Choirs"
"What's the bet about?" Rufus asked the lanky
Watcher.
"Which will do better in the Box Office: Not Another Teen
Movie or On the Line we've got the teen movie"
"Which teen movie?" Rufus commented, "Hell, they've
both got teenyboppers written all over them!"
"No," The Watcher shook his head, "We're
betting on Not Another Teen Movie"
"Hello, Rufus!" Serendipity smirked, "It's
kind of obvious that the Choirs would bet on On the Line
there's those two guys from that boy band"
"O-Town?"
"No, Rufus. That other Florida group"
"The one with that band member that went to rehab? Shit,
that dude's alright!" Rufus grinned.
"No, Apostle. The Muse means the guys from N Sync!"
"You mean the group that has the guy with the kid?"
"No that's the other guy! From 98 degrees." The
Watcher commented.
"No, he's right" Serendipity stepped in.
"Oh wait a minute" Realization was slowly sinking
in, "That's the group that has Britney Spears'
bitch!"
"Exactly!" Serendipity grinned.
The three heavenly beings stopped paused and then turned to
face an "unknown audience" that is us! They shrug
apologetically with a small grins.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MEANWHILE, BACK TO THE STORY TEN YEARS LATER
"Roxy? Roxanne?" He peered into the closet, trying his
best to keep from laughing as he heard the young woman's
faint giggling from within. "Roxy Marie Sloan"
His voice sang out as he reached over to switch on the closet
room light.
As the small space quickly became illuminated, his eyes rested
upon the light of his life.
Her brown eyes gazed up at him with such childhood innocence that
it completely tugged at his heart. She grinned joyously at him as
she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Loki!"
He wrapped his arms around her, carrying her and returning the
hug. "I told ya that I'd find ya!"
Roxanne Marie Sloan giggled, then placed a quick kiss on his
forehead. "Yes you did!"
Loki placed the sweet ten year old down, and gave her a kind kiss
on her forehead.
"Roxanne!"
Loki and Roxy met eyes, and knew immediately what to do. Roxanne
dashed over to her desk, while Loki quietly moved to the side
just as Roxanne's mother, Bethany Sloan, entered her
daughter's room.
"Roxy?"
Bethany gazed over at her little girl, who was busy at her desk
writing. She smiled at her, "Hey there, baby"
Roxanne looked up, and sent her mother a loving smile. "Hey
mommy!"
"What are you doing, sweetheart?" She stood behind
Roxanne, gave her a kiss on the cheek, then reached over for a
brush and began combing Roxanne's long brown hair.
"Just drawing" Roxanne briefly gazed up, looking
intently outside at something or so her mother believed.
"What do you see, honey?" Beth asked, having caught her
daughter's actions.
Roxanne flustered, "Oh a bird, mommy I, uh, saw
a bird" Again, her daughter looked up at the window,
then turned her gaze back down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Loki felt a tinge of guilt run through him as he
regarded both mother and daughter. He knew that Roxy wasn't
really looking outside she was looking at him through the
window's reflection.
For ten years now, he's been by Roxanne's side. Wasn't
that a part of the job description? To be there for little Roxy?
Plus, he could not help but be by her side 24/7. Loki hasn't
felt this needed since well, since God first assigned him
as the Angel of Death. The only difference here was that he was
not ending a life he was taking care and loving one. He was
taking care and loving Roxanne.
He was extremely stunned that God allowed him to be seen by Roxy.
Loki always thought that guardian angels were supposed to just
watch, and not become a part of their charge's life. Yet
here he was, becoming a big part of Roxanne's life!
Honestly, Loki had no complaints. As long as he was with her, he
was one happy angel. However, he also knew that his presence was
causing Roxanne to keep a secret from her mother. He didn't
want Roxy to lie, but how would Beth react to him being there for
their Roxanne? The same Loki that she once remembered for wanting
to kill people and almost causing the end of all things!
That was another thing that he was afraid of. What if Beth were
to one day tell Roxanne all about him and Bartleby? How would
Roxanne react? He couldn't bear the thought of his Roxy
hating him.
"Mommy?
Loki returned his attention to Roxy. He regarded her with quiet
kindness.
"Yes, sweetie?" Beth replied, completely unaware of
Loki's presence.
"Do you believe in guardian angels?"
Loki's eyes widened. His heart began to race as he began
panicking and praying that Roxy won't reveal him to Beth.
Beth fell silent, thinking about how to respond.
Loki just stood in his place, knowing that if he began to pace,
Roxy would know that something was wrong.
"Well, sweetie" Beth began, "Yes. I believe
in guardian angels." She smiled at Roxanne. "Why do you
ask, honey?"
"Because" Roxy grinned innocently, causing Loki's
heart to lurch. He knew what his little one's going to say
next.
"Because I have a guardian angel!"
"You do?" Beth looked down at Roxanne.
"Yes." She said quite simply. "His name's—"
RRRIIINNNGGG!!!
Loki gazed up, breathing a big sigh of relief, and uttering a
grateful "Thank You." As he glanced up, he heard the
faint voice of the Metatron "You're welcome"
Beth glanced out in the hall, then turned to her daughter.
"I'm sorry, sweetie. Mommy's gonna have to answer
that, okay?"
"Alright, mom." Roxanne replied, then turned her head
to smile up at Loki, though Beth perceived that the smile was
meant for her.
Once Beth left the room, Loki quickly knelt down and faced
Roxanne. "Roxy," He began.
"Yes, Loki?" Her eyes shined at him, full of youth and
innocence.
"Honey, I know you want to tell your mommy about me"
He placed one hand on her knee, and he took her small hand with
his other hand. "But not now, okay?"
"Why not?"
"Because" He tried to find the right words,
without having to lie to her. "Honey, your mommy just can't
know, alright? Not yet later on"
"Loki? Are you okay?" She asked, gently placing a hand
on his forehead.
He smiled brightly at her, "I'm okay, sweetie."
"But you look pale."
How could Loki explain to her that the reason why he was pale was
because he was afraid that she might tell Beth about him?
"I'm just tired, Rox."
"Then you should get some rest." She told him matter of
factly.
Loki chuckled, "Yes. Maybe I should."
"I'll see you tonight then." Roxanne smiled,
"You go back to heaven to sleep and I'll see you
later."
Loki laughed, "Okay, boss!" He got up, and was about to
leave when Roxanne called him back down again.
"Loki! Wait!"
Loki turned around, then knelt back to her level. "Yes,
Roxy?"
Roxanne leaned forward, and gave Loki a quick light kiss on the
lips. With such childlike wonder, "I love you, Loki."
His eyes were wide, stunned by her proclamation and the innocent
kiss she gave him. Loki smiled softly at her, "I love ya
too, kiddo."
Roxy returned the smile, then turned back to her drawing.
Loki watched her for a few seconds, then turned to leave. As he
returned back to heaven, he couldn't help but wonder why and
how far his growing affections for little Roxanne will take him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MEANWHILE NEW JERSEY QUICK STOP
CONVIENCE STORE
"Ben!"
Benjamin Holden Jones spun around, broom in hand as he regarded
the tall adult before him. He gulped, "Uh hi!"
"What did I tell you, Ben?" Randal stepped up to him,
snatching the broom from Ben's small hands.
"But, it was an accident, uncle Randy! Honest!" He held
up his hands in defense.
"So what?" Randal turned towards the back room of the
convenience store. "Hey, Dante! Get your ass out here!"
He glanced at his nephew, and winked at him. Back to Dante, he
called out, "I just saw some punk spill a jar of jellybeans
all over the floor! I would've stopped him, but the kid just
booked it out as soon as he saw me."
"Aw shit!" Dante cried, making his way to the aisle
that Randal and Ben were at. He glanced at the mess and sighed.
To Randal and Ben, "Well, did you see what the brat look
like?"
Randal shrugged, "Beats me! Some Harry Potter look-a-like or
something"
Randal moved Ben and himself to the side, allowing Dante to grab
the broom and clean up the "punk's mess."
"Next time, Ben," Randal whispered to Ben, out of Dante's
hearing proximity, "If you make a shit load of mess like
this, don't bother cleaning it up yourself. That's why
we got Dante over there. Hell, he works here. Got that?"
"Got it!" Ben laughed softly.
"Shit I'm not even suppose to be here today"
Randal and Ben heard Dante curse as he was sweeping up.
"You'd think that we'd be tired of you saying that
by now." Randal quipped, causing himself to earn a glare
from Dante.
"Uncle Randal? What time did mommy say that uncle Brodie
will pick me up?"
"Well" Randal checked the wall clock,
"According to your mother two hours from now." He
glanced down at Ben, "Unfortunately, we're talking
about Brodie Bruce, so he'll be around exactly seven hours
from now."
"Well, what about uncle Banky?"
"Well" Randal squirmed uncomfortably, gazing
briefly at Dante. Dante met eyes with him, also questioning how
Randal will explain Banky's recent closet case scenario.
"Well, Banky's busy today"
"Doing what?"
"Ah, well"
"Hey, Ben! Think you can do ol' uncle Dante a
favor?" Dante interrupted, approaching the two. He walked to
the cash register, fishing out a couple of loose change. "Go
out, and get a couple of newspapers for the stand, okay? You
remember how I taught you?"
Ben nodded, taking the change from Dante's hand, and dashed
towards the door. Just as he was about to leave, Randal spoke up
with caution.
"Hey, Ben! If Jay approaches you, just tell that stoner to
Fuck off.' Got that?"
Ben gave his uncle a thumbs-up, grinning and headed out the door.
As soon as Ben was out of sight, Randal shot Dante a grateful
smile. He slapped his pal on the back, "Hey, thanks
man!"
"No prob, Randal."
"Shit" He cursed, adjusting his backwards cap.
"How can I explain to the kid about that closet case bastard
when I'm as confused about it as he is?!"
"Maybe" Dante began, "Maybe it's a
subject that he should talk to his mother about seeing as
she used to be lovingly referred to as Finger Cuffs.'
Y'know?"
Randal sighed again, and crossed his arms. "And fuck up his
whole naïve view on life at the tender age of ten? Shit, that
never even happened to me until I was twelve!"
"Really?" Dante regarded his friend. "Huh I
think I was nine"
"Nine? Why am I not surprised?"
"Fuck you." Dante glared at Randal.
Randal was about to comment back when Ben entered the scene.
"Hey Ben."
"Uncle Randal" Ben walked over to the newsstand,
placed down the stacks he brought back, "Jay told me to tell
you" He handed the change back to Dante, then with
precise memory, he repeated Jay's words, "That he's
sorry that he forgot to give you and Dante your one year
anniversary present. That he just didn't know what to get
two fags who already had everything they've always
wanted."
Randal stalked behind the counter, picking up the phone.
Steaming, "Those fucks just never learn, do they?"
"What're you gonna do, Randal? You know that
restraining order only goes as far as a hundred feet."
Randal held up a finger, indicating for him to hold on for a
moment. To the phone, "Oh, yes. Hello, this is Randal Graves
again from Quick Stop Yeah, that's right, Jay and
Silent Bob yeah, they're still out there selling drugs
and this time they tried harassing my ten year old nephew"
Ben glanced up at Dante, who only gave him a helpless shrug.
Randal glanced at Ben, then, "Okay, sir. Just hold on a
second while I get him."
To Ben, "Hey Ben, tell this officer about Jay talking to
you, okay?"
Ben nodded, then took the phone from Randal. "Hello? Yes, he's
my uncle Benjamin Holden Jones I'm ten years old
he was outside my uncle's video store uh huh
yes, sir okay!" Ben turned to Randal, handing him back
the phone, smiling. "Here ya go, uncle Randal!"
"Thanks, Ben." Randal grinned proudly at Ben.
"Now, go grab some chips and two cans of root beer. I still
need to talk to the officer, okay?"
Ben nodded enthusiastically, then rushed to the back of the store
to gather the items.
When Ben was out of hearing range again, Dante loudly grumbled,
"Nice one, Randal. Making your own nephew a part of your
evil revenge upon Jay Buds."
Randal glared at Dante and flipped his friend off before
returning to the phone call.
"Uh yes, I'm still here, sir uh huh okay!
Yes, sir no, thank you, sir!"
"Fuckin' ass kisser what the fuck happened to the
guy who adored insubordination?" Dante hissed.
Randal reached over, then tossed a can of Pringles potato chips
at Dante.
Dante jumped back, becoming pissed at Randal. "What the fuck—?"
Holding a hand over the phone receiver, "Go pull that can
out of some moron's fist! Can't you see that I'm
on the phone?!"
Dante was about to retort when young Benjamin raced up to Dante,
"Dante? You've got some customers"
Dante turned towards the counter and sighed. He patted Ben on the
head, "Thanks, kid." And left the kid with his uncle.
Once Randal hung up the phone, he turned to his nephew.
"Hey, kiddo, you got the bag of chips and the root
beer?"
Ben nodded, "Uh huh! It's on the counter, why?"
"Well," Randal squatted down to Ben's eyes level,
"In just a few minutes, we're gonna go outside and
watch a live police beat down. I figured we could use some snacks
while we're watching. You ready? They're gonna arrive
any moment."
"Cool!" Ben grinned, then high fived his uncle.
"Okay!" Randal returned the grin, then turned to Dante,
who was just finishing up ringing the last customer. "Hey,
Hicks, you coming with us? It's better than Best of
Both Worlds.' Huh? In or out?"
Dante shook his head, "Nah, gonna watch the store Who
knows what shit could go down if I close this fuckin' place
up."
Randal glared at Dante, "Hey!" Covering Ben's ears
with his hands, "Keep the profanity away from the kid!"
"You're bringing him outside to watch the cops arrest
Jay Phat' Buds, the king of profanity!" Dante
pointed out, just as Randal and Ben were near the door.
"Oh." Randal realized, then shrugged. "Oh well
kid's got to learn some day I mean, hell, look who he
has for an uncle!" He grinned.
As Randal and Ben left the Quick Stop, just as the police sirens
approached the scene, Dante shook his head. "Holy shit
looks like angelic status is out of the question."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MEANWHILE...
"Holy shit is right!" Rufus quipped, turning to
Serendipity, who was slowly shaking her head.
"Tell me about it" She replied.
