I woke up before my alarm went off. At first I thought it was my body being an asshole but a moment later, a feather light touch caressed my bare skin. I smiled without opening my eyes. The smile felt bittersweet more than happy right now.
Gareth had gotten permission to delay his move to Hawaii for a week. He'd stuck around at home while me and Jared were swept up in the funeral preparations. It had been chaos. Grams was staying in Clint's old house with our parents. It had been a mad rush to pull the furniture Clint had in storage out for them, along with making sure there was enough furniture for everyone. Instead of staying in the nursing home and travelling back and forth, Peggy had also stayed with them.
I had been helping where I could and staying out of the way when I couldn't. Dugan never married so he had very little family left alive. Everything had fallen on Peggy and Grams' to deal with. Being the last surviving Howling Commando meant an even bigger ordeal than the other member's funerals. In all, it had been an exhausting week.
"Morning." I decided to let it be known I was awake. If I was lucky, it wasn't too late and we'd be able to sneak in a quick round of sex before getting up. As tired as I was, I made sure I was stealing every moment alone with Gareth that I could. I'd never admit it to anyone, but I was really going to miss him.
"Morning," Gareth's voice was muffled as he kissed the back of my neck. "Did I wake you?"
I shook my head as I rolled over to face him. I pulled him in for a quick kiss, enjoying the moment alone with him. It didn't take long before both of our hands started to wander. Unluckily for me, my body decided to have other ideas.
"Sorry, need to pee first," I said, pulling away from Gareth. "I'll be right back."
"I'll be right behind you," Gareth said, adjusting himself. "Why do we always do this to ourselves before we get up in the morning?"
I laughed at Gareth's statement. It was becoming a habit of both of us. The sensible thing would be to get up first and then start our usual morning sex. Neither of us had any self control at the moment. Not that I was minding. It was the most sex I'd ever had with Gareth in a visit. The impending departure seemed to make us both more horny than usual.
Pulling on a robe, I quickly went to the bathroom. The apartment was silent which was slightly unusual. Clint was normally up and making breakfast by now. As I left the bathroom, Clint's door opened.
"Where's breakfast you slack ass?" I called out as a figure who was definitely not Clint came out of the door.
I stared at the slender brunette in embarrassment. My embarrassment was nothing compared to the bright red blush all over her face as she stared back at me, mouth open in horror.
"I'm sorry, I'm just leaving," she mumbled before I could say anything else. She gave me a critical look, realisation crossing her face. "I didn't realise you two were roommates."
"Oh fuck, I'm sorry." Clint came stumbling out of his room a moment later, yanking up a pair of pants over his hips. "Kari never gets out of bed until she smells coffee. I'll walk you out."
I watched in amusement as the woman gave me a sulky look before turning on her heel and started walking away without Clint. It seems I'd just upset whoever the hell this was. She obviously worked at SHIELD because she knew who I was. When they both got outside, I heard raised but muffled voices. Clint was back in the apartment in less than a minute.
"Sorry," Clint apologised again as he walked into the kitchen. "Moment of weakness. She works in Logistics."
"Your second moment of weakness this week." I may have been oblivious to a lot of things. Hearing feminine giggles coming from Clint's room late at night was not hard to miss. There had been a few of them coming and going since his house was sold. "You know, I can give you some books to help your technique out if you're that rusty."
"There is nothing wrong with my techniques, thank you very much." Clint shot me a dirty look over his shoulder. "They just don't like it when I don't give them an answer to when the next encounter will be."
This was another one of those things I wasn't going to touch with a 20 foot pole. It wasn't a surprise that Clint was going to have big issues with any kind of commitment. Even something as simple as sleeping with the same person twice. This was going to be something for Coulson to deal with.
"Well, if you make bacon pancakes, I'll forgive the whole you pretending this awesome apartment is yours," I said casually. My alarm started going off in my room. There went our window for having morning sex. "And coffee. I'm going to have a shower."
I got a grunt in response from Clint. But he flicked on the coffee maker and went to the fridge so that was good enough for me. Gareth came out of the bedroom as I went to the bathroom.
"Later," I promised him with an apologetic smile. "Once we're having that weekend away in the fancy hotel."
Gareth gave me a quick kiss as we both went into the bathroom. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Clint making gagging motions in the kitchen. It was just like every other day in this apartment when Gareth was around. At least that made me smile. Clint and Gareth enjoyed each other's company. It made Gareth hanging around so much easier when I was busy.
Gareth and I were both good and kept our hands to ourselves in the shower. By the time we got out and dressed, Jared had arrived. He was sitting at the kitchen island, shovelling the first of the bacon pancakes in his mouth. As usual, he looked impeccable in his black suit.
"Hey." I gave Jared a quick hug. "How are you feeling?"
Jared gave a shrug and promptly shoved another forkful of food into his already full mouth. I didn't take offence to it. Jared had taken Dugan's death hard. I hadn't known a lot about their regular visits. It turned out that Dugan helped Jared really pull his shit together after Pripyat. I was gobsmacked when I found out how much of a relationship the pair actually had. Why Jared felt the need to hide it from everyone was beyond me. He was a puzzle at times.
"I like your dress." Clint gave me a quick smile, no doubt trying to keep things light hearted this morning. Neither he or Gareth were coming to the funeral. Clint was dropping us off at Arlington so neither of us had to drive. There was also a pretty good chance neither of us would be sober by the end of the day.
"Thanks." This was awkward. I slid into the chair beside Jared, Gareth beside me. "I hope it's going to be warm enough with my coat."
The weather had turned bitterly cold over the last week. There was rain predicted for today to make it even more miserable. It was kind of fitting considering the occasion. It was October now. Again the year was flying past me so quickly. Mom had already started harassing me about Thanksgiving and Christmas.
"I'd say take a flask to help but I'm sure Jared has that covered," Clint said, turning around to poke at the pancakes.
Jared snorted but didn't otherwise comment. I fought back a sigh. This was going to be a long day. Gareth looked uncomfortable next to me but his hand came down to give my thigh a squeeze. The rest of breakfast was spent in weird and uncomfortable chit chat. Jared was stony and silent and the rest of us had no idea what to say. It was a relief when it was time to get in the car and go.
Despite leaving early, the drive to Arlington was a slow crawl. Even finding a place to drop me and Jared off took a lot more time than expected. Once we got out of the car, I hooked my arm through Jared's as we started to walk.
We only made it five paces before Jared stopped dead. Though his face was a blank mask, I could feel to sadness radiating off him. Ignoring the mill of people around I, I quickly wrapped him into a hug.
"I don't know if I can do this," Jared's voice cracked as he clung onto me.
My heart broke for my ever stoic brother. He kept so much of himself hidden and when the chinks in the armour appeared, everything went to pieces quickly after that.
"You can," I reassured him. "I'm right here with you. No matter what."
Jared hugged me back hard. His breathing hitched a few times before he got it under control. When he pulled away, his face was red and blotchy, though no tears had been shed. Jared would rather chew off his own arm than to actually cry in public.
"I really don't feel like I've got this." Jared reached up and wiped his face on his jacket sleeve. It did nothing to help the blotchy red all across his face. "I feel like such an idiot."
My usual snarky comment died on my lips. I could feel how upset Jared was right now. There wasn't a lot I could say to fix any of this. All I could do is be here for him.
"You aren't an idiot." I took Jared's hand and squeezed it hard. "You lost someone who was a big part of your life and you're allowed to mourn that. Grief has no expiry date."
Not to mention it had only been a week. I knew Jared well enough he would have been doing everything humanly possible to ignore those pesky things called feelings. At least all my session with Andrew had given me useful advice in situations like this. I'd heard those last two sentences many times before while dealing with my own grief with Riley.
"I've got you," I said when Jared didn't reply. I gave his hand a gentle tug. "I always will."
This time, it was Jared who pulled me into the hug. His grip was near bruising. Despite the crushing grip, I hugged him back just as hard.
"Barton was right. I brought two flasks with me," Jared mumbled into my shoulder. "Want one?"
The last time I drunk this early in the day was our trip to Amsterdam. The entire trip was fuzzy on details but I'm sure that was the day I also got stoned for the first, and probably last, time in my life. Against my better judgement, I smiled.
"Sure. If you're giving me bourbon it better be that really expensive stuff Riley used to drink. At least that was mildly tolerable."
The returned smile from Jared wasn't quite as genuine as my own. But it was better than nothing. He pulled the flask out of his jacket and handed it over. I knew I'd regret this later but right now, seeing half a smile on Jared's face was worth the impending hangover. Without hesitation, I unscrewed the lid and took a sip. The bourbon burned all the way down and made me screw my face up in disgust. It wasn't the expensive stuff I could just tolerate but for now, it would do.
"You have no taste," Jared said with a weak laugh.
"You have no taste," I countered, pulling a disgusted face. I eyed off the larger than usual flask size Jared had brought. "I suppose after half a flask the taste is going to be the least of my worries."
That put one of Jared's trademark smirks on his face. Even if it was only there for a few moments it was better than nothing. Jared offered me his arm, which I took without complaint, and we set off through the ever growing crowd.
There were so many people here. Military uniforms were dotted amongst the sea of black. I managed to catch a glimpse of Grams but she was surrounded by far too many people. Even at a distance, I could see how uncomfortable she was. Emotions always made people's thoughts louder than usual. At a funeral, it would feel like the entire world was screaming in her head. At least that's how she described it to me once. I couldn't see Peggy anywhere. She'd taken Dugan's death exceptionally hard so I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't show until the last minute.
Jared and I managed to find a quiet corner out of the way of the crowd. We both sat back silently watching the ever growing crowd sipping on the terrible bourbon. There were so many people here we knew. Professor Xavier was here, along with a few of our old teachers. Director Fury and Hill were both here. All the heads of the departments from SHIELD were present. Mom and Dad were both in that group, doing the rounds of greetings and small talk. I saw a few familiar politicians mingling around. Both Jared and I snorted when Senator Stern came onto the scene. He'd been the one who gave Rhodey and Stark their medals after the whole incident at the Stark Expo, knowing full well how he hated Stark. The security suddenly got insanely intense as President Ellis came onto the scene.
"Kari." Jared nudged me and motioned his head towards the entrance.
Peggy was coming in, surrounded by an entourage of people. From the brief glance I caught of her, Peggy looked devastated. Grams broke away from the group she'd been standing with and was at her side within seconds. The two lifelong friends hugged, for all the world to see. At least it made me smile, even if it was sad. They both looked as devastated as each other. Peggy pulled away, wiping at her face.
"The blonde on her left who looks our age," Jared dropped his voice, pulling my attention away from Grams and Peggy. "That's her grandniece, Sharon. She works for SHIELD Secret Service."
I thought the blonde looked vaguely familiar. I was sure I'd seen her around the Triskelion. I didn't have much time to ponder on it. At Peggy's arrival, things started to get underway. The seats beside up quickly filled up with many people. A few odd glances were sent our way. I had to admit we did seem a little out of place considering the important figures all around us.
"I'll be back," Jared murmured to me, handing me his flask.
I shot him a questioning look but nodded. Things were about to start. He was leaving it pretty damn late if he decided now was the time to go to the toilet. The bugler and firing party were already in position. The colour guard was just getting themselves organised. I watched Jared walk down the aisle and disappear. Mom was sitting towards the front and even she looked back at me with a questioning look on her face. All I could do was shrug back in her direction. If Mom didn't know what Jared was doing, then no one else would.
It didn't take long for the horse drawn hearse to arrive. The dull roar of the crowd went silent near instantly at the sight of it. A lump rose in my throat at the sight of it. Though I didn't know Dugan as Jared did, he was still one of my childhood heroes. I grew up listening to the stories of the Howling Commandos and their many accomplishments during the war and after as well. I could listen to Grams all day about her stories, no matter how many times I'd heard them before.
To my surprise, Jared stepped forward with a few other men I didn't know when the back of the hearse was opened. The lump in my throat threatened to suffocate me as I saw Jared's composure slip as he took his position as one of the pallbearers. This time he didn't manage to hold it back. He wasn't the only one though. The young man behind Jared was a complete mess. I don't think there were many dry eyes in the guests either as the funeral started. Dugan was loved by a lot of people. He was going to be missed.
As soon as the coffin was in place by the graveside, Grams was up in a flash and with a speed that defied her age, she went straight to Jared and pulled him into a hug. Whoever was sitting next to Grams, most likely a distinguished guest was kicked out of their seat as Grams took Jared back with her. The rest of the funeral progressed slowly. As with most state funerals, there were so many dignitaries to speak and protocols to follow. I was fine through the firing party. It wasn't until Taps started playing that I lost control and the tears started. There were too many memories associated with hearing that. On top of Jared's devastation that I could so clearly feel, it's what broke the dam for me. I was glad I shoved as many tissues as I could in my pocket beforehand. I certainly needed them.
It was no surprise that Peggy was handed the flag from the coffin. Even though I was so far away, I could clearly see her hands shaking as she accepted it. At least it meant things were coming to an end. I dried my face off the rest I could, knowing I'd be a blotchy mess no matter what. As soon as the service was over, I went straight to Jared. To my surprise, Fury was the one who beat me there. I didn't miss the discrete handover of a handkerchief from Fury to Jared. I hung back to give them both some space while they had a hushed conversation. Jared was nodding at whatever Fury was saying, blowing his nose.
"Kari," Grams' voice echoed in my head, taking my attention away from Jared and Fury.
I tilted my head in her direction. She was currently engaged in a conversation with some big time brass. Since she'd spoken to me telepathically, I knew something was up. She rarely did that unless she needed to keep something private.
"I need you to do something for me," Grams' voice continued in my mind. "When I tell you to, can you grab me and we go invisible? I need to get away discreetly."
I nodded in confirmation. There was no point in asking why. It was most likely that Grams just needed to sneak off for a few minutes of peace and quiet. Or she needed a drink. I'm sure me and Jared both having flasks wouldn't have gone unnoticed.
"Now."
The sudden and very abrupt command surprised me. I looked over to Grams and she was walking away from the people she was talking to. No one was paying me the slightest bit of attention. I was able to go invisible without a soul noticing and went straight to Grams. I took her arm and we were both invisible.
"Where to?" I asked, keeping my voice low. We were still surrounded by people and we had to weave around them to go unnoticed.
"Down near the McClellan Gate," Grams said softly, squeezing my arm gently. "Kari, whatever happens next, I'm swearing you to secrecy. Do not tell a soul about what I'm about to do."
"Sure." Now I was intrigued. I knew better than to ask questions though. Grams had more secrets than anyone I knew.
Our walk there was silent. The weather was taking a turn for the worst making us both huddle down in our coats. A fine misty rain had started. It wasn't enough to drench us. Just enough to make it colder and miserable. As we cleared away from the huge crowd, I went visible again. Grams patted my arm as we were visible but otherwise kept her thoughts to herself. As we neared where Grams had told me to go, I could see two people standing off to the side. One was an older man, stopped and leaning on a cane, though his face was hidden by his hat. The woman next to him didn't look much older than me with blonde hair. She looked so damn familiar. What was it today with blonde women whose faces I couldn't put a name to. I nearly couldn't contain my curiosity any longer when Grams called out across the empty space.
"Erik."
The man and woman both looked over at us. As the man's face came into view I suddenly knew why I was just sworn to secrecy. The woman's face suddenly clicked in my mind too.
That was Erik Fucking Lehnsherr. Magneto. One of the most powerful mutants in the world. He was also one of the most wanted criminals in the world. Standing next to him had to be Raven Darkholme in her human and not blue form. Mystique was an enigma. One who I admired growing up.
I was so fired if anyone got wind of this. No wonder Grams had sworn me to secrecy. This is something I'd take to my grave.
"Hazel." Erik moved forward stiffly, balancing on his cane. "Thank you for meeting me. I'm so sorry."
I was completely flabbergasted when Erik and Grams embraced like old friends. I was frozen in place as I watched the scene in front of me. When Erik and Grams pulled away, Raven moved in to hug her as well.
"Does Charles know you're here?" Grams sounded choked up as she stepped back. "Sorry, where are my manners. This is my granddaughter, Kari. Kari, this is Erik and Raven."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Erik's rich voice was still tinged with a hint of an accent. He held out his hand to me, much to my surprise. "Thank you for sneaking Hazel away and my apologies for potentially putting you in an awkward position."
"The pleasure is mine," I managed to untie my tongue and take his hand in greeting. This was not how I ever expected to meet a person who was classified as a supervillain in his younger days. He seemed like a sweet old grandfather. "I'm happy I get to be the naughty child for once."
I cringed at the last few words falling out of my mouth. Thankfully, the three people around me laughed politely. Raven gave me a smile in greeting but made no other move to come forward. It suited me perfectly fine. I would have made an idiot of myself being a fangirl at a very inappropriate moment.
"If we could get a few moments alone, please, Kari?" Grams asked politely. "The less you know about this conversation, the better."
"Of course." What else could I say to that? There's no way I could refuse Grams. She was right about the less I knew, the better. Plausible deniability was a wonderful thing.
Grams linked her arm through Erik's and the three of them walked away, talking too quietly for me to hear. There was nothing I could do but stare at their retreating backs. As I looked around the landscape, I knew this area. Marks and Riley were both buried not too far from here. Grams would know exactly where to find me when she was done. Taking a swig of bourbon for courage, I turned and started walking.
Marks grave came up first. It still looked brand new. A white beacon standing out amongst the greying stones around it. My heart was heavy as I stared at the name on the gravestone. Marks first name was Andrew. When he became friends with Andy, people started calling him by his last name because the two of them were always together and they had to distinguish which Andrew was being spoken about. It was a funny little story. One Andy had told through his tears during the funeral. All this time had passed and I still wasn't used to seeing Andy alone. The pair of them had been attached at the hip.
"You'll appreciate this more than me," I said, pouring a good amount of bourbon over the grass of the grave. "I never understood all of you boys and your bourbon. It must be a STRIKE Team Bravo requirement."
I took another swig for good measure, wincing at how horrible it still tasted. I'd probably need to drink the entire contents of the very large flask to make it ever taste acceptable. At least it gave me the remaining bit of courage I needed to walk 90 yards to my left. There is was. Riley's grave.
Most of the time these days I was doing really well about Riley. I could crack a joke about him or smile instead of cry at those memories. Seeing his name on the gravestone brought a far too familiar ache in my chest. The hole in my heart that I'd learned to ignore but it hadn't healed.
"I'm pretty sure this bourbon is shit enough that even you'd turn your nose up at it," I said shakily as I pulled the flask out of my jacket. I poured a good amount over the green grass, feeling my throat close up. "Though I'd give anything for you to come up and give me a lecture on how bourbon isn't that bad. Hopefully, then I could laugh at your face when you realise this one is really bad."
I was babbling but I didn't care. No one else was around to hear or see it. This is something I had really put off for far too long. As much as my heart ached to see the grave, this was one of the very few things I had left of a physical reminder of Riley. There were days where I still thought that part of my life was a pleasant dream. Riley had been gone longer than he'd actually been in my life. In a few more months, it would be two years since he'd died. As much as it hurt to miss him, I wouldn't trade those ten months we had together for anything. I'd rather have had him in my life for a short amount of time than not at all. It had taken a long time for me to actually come to terms with that.
Taking another long drink of bourbon helped push down the lump in my throat. The next long swig helped chase away the threatening tears. Standing here by myself in front of Riley's grave made me miss him so fucking much. No matter how much I tried to deny it, the grief was still as raw as ever. It was only time that had allowed me to keep control of it, nothing else. A few more sips of bourbon only served to make me feel numb to it.
I stood there, just staring at the grave until Grams came up beside me. She looked as red faced as I did when I had a good solid cry. I wordlessly handed her the nearly empty flask of bourbon. She said nothing as she drained the contents in one long drink. She handed the flask back to me and wiped her face on the sleeve on her coat. It was an action that reminded me of something I did. While most people said Jared and I were spitting images of Dad. Mom would say I looked more like Grams when she was my age.
"Out of all the things I have seen and done in my life, I have so very few regrets," Grams' voice came out choked up with emotion. "One of them is that man walking away right now."
"How do you know him?" I couldn't contain the question any longer. I needed something to focus on now besides Riley. Besides, I would die of curiosity if I didn't find out the story behind this.
"Again, this secret goes to your grave." Grams looked over at me. Instead of the stern looking I was expecting, she looked more pleading than anything else.
I nodded, suddenly wishing I had some more of the terrible bourbon to get me through this. At least no one else in our family could read minds. It wasn't just me who would be in huge trouble for what I just witnessed. Grams would also be in more trouble than she could get herself out of.
"About a week before Bucky fell off the train." Grams had to stop and swallow hard. She cleared her throat before continuing. "An off book mission came up. One that Phillips said absolutely not to the boys going. All it took was…"
Grams trailed off with a short pained laugh. Before I could ask what was wrong, she kept going.
"All of my secrets are coming out today," Grams murmured, looking over at me sadly. "I suppose this makes more sense if I tell you this one. Bucky and I were lovers."
You could have knocked me over with a feather. All I could do was stare at Grams with my mouth hanging open in surprise. I'd heard whispers about it. But those were also the same whispers that said her and Peggy slept with every Howling Commando and a lot of other unsavoury things. It was easy to ignore. I didn't have time to dwell on the new piece of information though. Grams kept speaking.
"So, in an opportune moment when Bucky's mind was otherwise occupied, it wasn't hard to persuade him to talk to Steve about the mission." Grams huffed out another small laugh. "Of course, Steve couldn't resist. They snuck off and when they came back, they had an angry and frightened teenage boy with them. The so called weapon of mass destruction was a mutant who could manipulate any metallic substance on the planet. When they broke into his room, Erik threw his hands up and bent Steve shield."
"I bet that would have been a surprise to them," I said with a smile. Very few people back then were aware of Grams power. Enhanced people were still a secret and it was unheard of for them to show powers to anyone but those they trusted.
"Bucky said Steve nearly shit his star spangled pants," Grams laugh sounded more genuine this time. The good humour fell off her face near instantly though. "In that short week when Erik came back, I tried to help him. For the first time since Erik's mother was killed, he thought he had someone he could trust. Then Bucky fell off the train, Steve took the plane down. It was chaos. Erik thought I'd abandoned him. He was long gone by the time I got back to him. I didn't see him again until just before the Cuban missile crisis."
History wasn't very good at telling the bad guys side of the story. I had no real idea of Erik's early life but from the small bit of information from Grams, I imagined it hadn't been an easy life.
"I'm not excusing him for the terrible things he has done," Grams said softly. "But Erik has known more pain and suffering than most people would in a lifetime. I was the only person who stood up for him when he was tried for shooting JFK, knowing full well John was a mutant and Erik was trying to help. Ever since then, we've become friends. Even though I want to slap him at times."
My head was starting to reel from all of the information Grams was throwing at me. I knew Erik had been implicated in the shooting of JFK. I didn't realise JFK was Enhanced as well. That was another secret I'd be taking to my grave. Even in modern times, no one liked anyone who was a bit different holding any type of power.
"That must have been an interesting contrast while working in SHIELD." I didn't know what else to say. Although Erik had been off most people's radars for a long time, I'm sure SHIELD would still love to throw him in the Fridge.
"Fortunately, I know how to keep a secret," Grams said quietly. She looked over Riley's grave with a sad sigh. "Sometimes, I wish I didn't have to. Even though he's a pain in the ass and was constantly getting himself into trouble. Erik is a good friend. We've helped each out over the years. Even though he's faded from anything public, he still invaluable for the information he can find out from people."
That I didn't doubt. There was so much more to this that I knew I'd never find out. I couldn't begin to imagine what other secrets Grams had hidden away. Her 45 years in SHIELD would have seen more things that the average person could even imagine.
"These ones are safe with me." I could safely say that. Grams had just trusted me with something huge. I reached over and took her hand, squeezing it in support. "I think I need something more to drink though."
What else was there for me to say? This was the biggest secret I'd carry for the rest of my life. I was honoured Grams trusted me alone in that. At least this had been a distraction from Riley. I'd been doing so well with everything to do with him since my little breakdown. I didn't need to fall back into old habits. As much as it hurt seeing his grave, I was glad to have the courage to finally do it.
"I do too." Grams squeezed my hand back. "Today has been shit."
Her honest statement made me smile. With one last look at Riley's grave and a silent farewell, Grams and I slowly made our way back to the funeral. Today had been a rollercoaster and the rest of my weekend wasn't going to be much better.
Authors Note
I FINALLY got this one out. I'm sorry everyone. I've had some things in real life pulling my attention elsewhere. I also ended up in hospital for a week at the start of December having my gallbladder out. Two surgeries so close together really hasn't been fun recovery wise.
But the hype train has well and truly gone into motion for Marvel again. I purchased my tickets for Captain Marvel and all of a sudden my brain will not stop with everything for this story. I know last year had been spotty update wise, but this year I have plans for an update a month worst case scenario. We are so close to Steve being found and the Avengers, I seriously can't wait.
Thank you for your patience everyone. You are the best readers an author could hope for. I got teary when the reviews hit the 800. Something I really never dreamed of.
Until next time, with some lighter fun!