I had to go back and figure out the timeline of December, to make sure I lined it up with Christmas. This takes place in 2008, meaning I had to constantly go back and check the December calendar of that year.

Enjoy!

"It's the most wonderful of the year!"

The radio sang its traditional marathon of Christmas Classics. It was almost the only thing keeping Charlotte sane in the bumper to bumper traffic. Her thumb tapping the steering wheel, heat at full blast with her car packed with food and bags, and a sleeping man in her passenger seat.

Why was there a sleeping man?

Loki nodded off once the traffic started after leaving the city limits.

Why was Charlotte in traffic?

She was currently on her way, on Christmas Eve, to her family home in Lancaster.

A drive which should only be an hour and thirty minutes. But thanks to travel congestion, she had been on the same road, by the same lake, and staring at the same car for about two hours now. Her eyes catch the clock on the dash- Make that near three hours.

Once the song got to her last nerve, she reached for her cassette aux converter and popped it in. Connecting the wire to an mp3 player, loaded with her favored songs. Charlotte scrolled through, glancing at traffic but seeing they weren't moving anytime soon. She picked her Led Zeppelin collection starting with Kashmir. As the guitar and drums started playing, she turned it up, bobbing her head to the rhythm.

Her father loved Led Zeppelin, growing up in classic rock she was attuned to listening to 70s rock and dabbled herself into some 80s classics.

"Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face. And stars fill my dream." Charlotte hummed along, mouthing the lyrics to herself not wanting to jolt Loki awake. "I'm a traveler of both time and space, to be where I have been."

It seems the traffic started moving once more, less of a snail's pace and more of a shuffling grandma, but moved nonetheless. As the song got louder, it seemed to have stirred Loki, as he groaned and stretched his arms out, adjusting his seat.

He blinked, pulling the visor down as the sun reflecting the snow blinded him. "Ugh, still in traffic?"

"Oh, we will be for a while." She sighed. "Deciding to travel for Christmas Eve wasn't the best idea in mind."

Loki reached down for his bottle of water, taking a sip as his eyes adjusted. He placed it back down and rubbed his eyes and face. "You had mentioned you would like to see those Poconos this year."

"You insisted on it." She countered. "Besides, plans changed after you fell asleep."

"Oh? Turning back?" He asked, eyes finally eased to handle the sun.

Charlotte chewed her lip, her fingers skimming the wheel. "Even better- We're heading to Lancaster."

Loki tilted his head, she sounded near overly joyed- Oh wait, sarcasm. "Judging by your tone, you're not too thrilled about that."

"Well, Lancaster is where I grew up. So, we'll be…" She paused, forcing herself to say this. "Spending Christmas with my family."

Oh, her family. That included her sister and mother, right? He's already dealt with her sister, Eloise once before. From what Charlotte shared about her mother, Loki was reminded much about his father.

"But hey- If need be we can escape to a hotel and bunker down there then back to Philly." She assured, earning a chuckle from him.

"What's the worst that could happen? We endure about forty-eight hours of the holiday and return to the apartment." Loki told. "Wouldn't want to leave Mitsy alone with Jack for too long."

That made her snicker, "I gave him my dog walker's number in case he struggles to feed her." Charlotte shook her head. "No idea why she has beef with him when she loves you."

Loki grinned, withholding a comment.

"Feel free to fall back asleep," Charlotte offered. "I estimate we'll be there in maybe another hour. Traffic seems to be smoothing- Oh, that's why."

The two figured out why traffic was horrible. Seemed a car accident had occurred and state troopers were directing the traffic onto the two lanes and blocking the third. It looked nothing serious; one car having rammed into the back of another. The ford looked to be wedged under the ram truck, hence the hold up.

"As usual, people do not know how to drive." She grumbled.

"Welcome to Lancaster, Loki." Charlotte announced entering downtown. "It's prettier in Summer, I promise." She joked.

The roads were extremely wider, giving space to cars parked on the side. The trees and buildings were string up with lights, not nothing too commercially congested like Market Street was. When at a red light, Loki did a double take when a horse carriage rode by, his eyes locked onto it. In fact, a few blocks down and he noticed a few more og them as they drove through town.

"Do you live near town?" Loki asked.

"I live a few miles outside. I grew up on an open land near the Amish farms." She told.

"Amish?"

"They're these religious people that are traditionalists. They don't do electricity or anything, a community pretty much." She tried to explain. "They're pretty private and get made fun of by tourists a lot."

"Because of their different views and lifestyle?" Loki questioned.

Charlotte shrugged. "Pretty much. Tourists anywhere are the worst. I've interacted with them in town growing up. Nice people, honestly." She then thought, making a turn at a street. "But I remember once in my late teens I went to a small market where they were selling their quilts and baked goods. The girls just didn't want to talk to me."

Loki gave a funny look. "What did you do?"

She shoved him. "Don't assume I have done something!" He chuckled. "I don't know why. I just wanted to get a pie and the women just ignored me. When my dad talked to them- o! They just gushed up at him and gave him two pies. It was super weird."

"They must have been jealous." He teased.

She raised a brow, as they left the town and toward country roads. "Jealous of what?"

"Usually people treat others out of jealousy. Could be the living situation, amount of friends, or just your looks." Loki explained. "Such as that one episode of that Jump Street show you like."

"You got a point. Sometimes people are mean because they're mean." She countered.

"Speaking of mean, what answers were given to the culprits of the case?" He asked.

Charlotte sighed, resting her wrist on the gear stick. "I may as well tell you before we get to the house." She relented. "We thought they were taking the women for possible sex trafficking, but when we interviewed them, they acted like they didn't know what the girls were for."

Loki frowned at her. "What do you mean? As if they forgot?"

She nodded, "Something like that. They kept saying they had a reason for doing it, but couldn't fathom why. They're getting evaluated so we'll get a call back on the matter. If they're trying to go for the 'too crazy to stand trial' card, it's a real hit and miss to me."

Loki thought deeper to this; he was personally still bothered by the fact his magic was blocked in that container. He couldn't use it until it was opened, giving him a chance to return to his form as Sif. Good thing he fixed the girls' memory to block out that he wasn't even there. The moment he was locked inside he was unable to change his form, make a duplicate, or even summon a weapon.

"Charlotte, what exactly was keeping them contained?" She sent him a weird side eye look. "Let me rephrase; what sort of restriction was on the container? A simple lock?"

"I would say that, yeah. But chains were all around the container, like some beast was being locked away." She explained.

"And the lock?"

"It had this shine like real karrot gold and small details too. It was weird, I thought it was painted gold at first." She told. "It had some darker accents, like some decorative prop."

Loki frowned deeper and looked out the window. "The lock is in evidence, correct?"

"No, when collecting evidence, I didn't see the lock. The guys didn't have it on them like I assumed, since they unlocked it when I was snooping around. It's nowhere to be found." She glanced at him. "Is the lock important?"

He looked back at her, giving a calm smile. "Just curious. You don't often find a possible gold encrusted lock, do you?"

She shrugged. "I suppose so- Oh, here we are."

Charlotte pulled into the driveway, noting the lack of cars but a junked up Jeep by the large garage. Charlotte started taking out their luggage as Loki looked over the house. It reminded him of the one from Home Alone, large and rich with it decorated in lights and snow. Warm lights light up the inside of the house, showing life inside as a shadow passed the window. Many windows dotted the stone walls guessing the layout of possible six bedrooms or more. How rich was her family?

"Hey, if you're gonna gawk, at least get your stuff and gawk.." Charlotte called.

"Apologies." He turned and helped get his bag, almost taking her suitcase. "You've taken the drive, I'll help take the luggage."

"Nah, I got it." She tugged it back from him and shut the doors as she walked her way to the door.

Loki followed just as Charlotte rang the doorbell, heaving a breath. She turned to him, "Just give me any signal for us to leave, and we can anytime." She offered. "I counted five hotels in town we can always-"

Loki laughed, "Relax, I may have already dealt with your sister. How worse can it be with her and your mother?" he figured.

The door opened and low and behold, it was Eloise. She gave a huge gasp and pulled Charlotte into a rib cruising hug. "Sissy! You're here! You're actually here for Christmas!"

"Yeah…" She wheezed, rolling her eyes. "I'm here."

She let her go and saw Loki, smiling at him. "I see you brought the boy toy?"

Charlotte fixed her coat and coughed. "Stop with the names or I will drive the three hours back to Philly." She threatened.

"Fine, fine." Eloise waved off, before turning back to the house. "Mom! Mom guess who just got here!" She yelled walking back in.

Charlotte and Loki brought their luggage in and shut the door, the warmth of the large home inviting as they removed their coats. Charlotte took Loki's remembering the coat closet to the right of the foyer. An old fashioned glass chandelier hung above them as wide long stairs stood before them. To the right was a living space and to the left a dining room. Past the stairs Loki could see a kitchen nook. It for sure was like he stepped into that movie, expecting to see the little blonde genius at the stop of the stairs.

"Hope you don't get lost." Charlotte teased.

"Trust me, I've been in bigger homes." He assured, noting the size of the palace he grew up in. "You were raised here, yes?"

Charlotte led Loki down the hall into what he correctly guessed was the kitchen, a turkey sat by the sink to be prepared as she helped herself into the cabinets and fridge.

"Yup! My grandparents first owned the house, so I grew up with them here. When my grandmother passed away, my dad inherited it and my grandfather moved to Maine." She explained. "When my parents divorced, she got the house and he had to move."

Loki nodded as she finally found some food, handing him a bowl of grapes she found. "Will he be joining us?"

Charlotte shut the door, taking the bowl to wash the grapes. "Not really. But I visit him up there every Easter." She showered them over the faucet and drained the bowl. Charlotte leaned back and took a grape, offering some to him.

He took a few by hand, just as someone joined them, someone neither of them knew. The man walked in, curly dark scraggly hair and a five o'clock shadow. He wandered in with only a brand shirt on and plaid boxers. Charlotte and Loki watched as this man who seemed to have rolled out of the garbage wandered into the kitchen.

"Hey, uh, any chips?" He asked, yawning as if he had just woken up.

Charlotte blinked at him, who was this guy? "And you are?"

The man chuckled, eyeing the two up. "Shouldn't I be asking you?"

Loki gave the man a look. "You're the intruder here, not us."

Eventually, Eloise rejoined them. "Hey, I see you meant my fiance."

Now Charlotte choked on a grape. "Fi-Fiance!?"

Eloise snuggled up against the guy who barely bat an eye at her. "His name is Bryce, isn't he amazing?"

"Amazingly rude." Charlotte then sniffed the air. "and high."

Loki looked at her. "High?"

Eloise smacked Bryce's arm, waking him from his stupor. "I told you to only smoke that in the garage."

Bryce just chuckled, "Sorry, babe. It was just too cold. I'll sober up." he then smacked her behind earning a giggle from Eloise. Charlotte put the grapes back, no longer hungry.

Bryce got himself a bag of chips and disappeared into the other room toward the basement, as Charlotte remembered. Eloise looked to her sister, the puppy eyes already in effect.

"Please don't snitch on him." She begged, Loki watched between the girls. "It was one puff!"

"Your sister is a cop, you know pot is illegal in this state- I knew I smelled something weird when I passed the stairs."

Loki thought he smelled something too, but assumed it to be the scent of the household itself.

"It's medical." Eloise excused.

Charlotte shook her head. "It's still illegal in Pennsylvania."

"He got it from Jersey."

"It's illegal there too."

"Delaware."

"Also illegal."

"New York."

"Super illegal."

"What state is it legal!?"

Charlotte hummed, tapping her chin. "Let me think, hmmm. Oh! That's right. None."

"I haven't even reached the stairs and you're already arguing!" Barked a voice from the foyer.

A woman with short red pixie hair style and a few inches taller than the girls, entered the kitchen. Dressed in a red Christmas sweater and what is assumed to be leggings with reindeer print. She was slender and skinny, if it wasn't for the age in her face Loki would assume this woman was a third sister.

Charlotte sighed, resigning her argument with her twin. "Merry Christmas, Mom."

The woman nodded at her, after a second she smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Oh, I'm so glad you changed your mind! I knew you would." Then her eyes fell on Loki, like a lion finding prey.

Once Charlotte was free, she addressed his presence. "This is Loki, sorry for inviting him without-"

"Oh, honey! He's so handsome!" Loki's brows shot up and went stiff as Charlotte's mother circled him. "So tall, slick hair, fit form." She reached back in front of him, eyeing his features. "Such pretty green eyes."

Loki cleared his throat, stepping back to regain space. "Thank you, Madam."

She gasped, patting her chest. "Foreign! How exotic."

Charlotte walked over. "Mom, he's a friend, not some mail order husband." She told. "He's also my work partner."

"Where is he from?"

"Norway, miss. Though my accent tends to think British." He answered, trying to ignore the comments on him. He held a hand out. "I'm Loki."

"Marilyn Lane, you can call me Mary." She shook his hand.

Eloise sighed, folding her arms. "So long as he doesn't prank me again."

"Pranks?" Mary asked.

Charlotte looked to her sister. "You still haven't proven those 'pranks' you claim he did then."

Mary looked to her younger daughter. "He's a guest, no need to accuse him of those pranks. Besides, it's the holidays. Let's enjoy it." She turned back. "We have a guest room you can take, Eloise can show you."

"If it's the room I think it is, I'll show him." Charlotte told, already walking toward the foyer to get their luggage.

Loki thanked Mary and followed Charlotte, carrying the suitcases as they ascended the stairs. He heard her already grumbling, he stepped beside her when they reached the landing.

"If you wish, we can always go find those hotels you spotted." He offered.

Charlotte shook her head., "We already got our stuff out of the car and it's getting dark." She looked to him. "Sorry about my Mom's comments, though. It's where Eloise gets that from."

Loki chuckled as she continued down the hall. "Don't fret over it."

Charlotte pointed out each room, giving the indication for what they were. The second floor held four bedrooms. When she was a kid, there was her parent's room, her and Eloise' room, then a guest room. The fourth bedroom was turned into a work study for her father, which was originally her grandfather's study. There was a bathroom in which she and her sister shared, then the attic where as all American homes, was filled with family junk.

Now, the four bedrooms have changed; The parents room was now Mary's alone and her sister still slept in the same room though Charlotte could smell the hint of pot and what she assumed scented essence.

"Once Eloise and I got to our teen years, we got separate rooms. She had more stuff so it was easier to move me into the guest room." Charlotte explained. "Did you ever share a room with your brother?"

Loki scoffed, "Not once, though they can be found next to one another." he told.

"Lucky." She mumbled.

Charlotte got to her old room, and found it had been turned into an exercise room much to her surprise. Well, she hadn't been here since college, why would she expect the room to be the same?

"...I thought this would've been the guest room." Charlotte said.

"This was your room, correct?" Loki asked, peeking over her head.

She nodded, stepping in for a moment. "I never came back after college. Had my stuff shipped to Philly." Charlotte pointed at the one corner where the fridge sat. "Over there was the computer desk my dad built." Then toward the far wall under the window. "There my TV sat, binging cop and mystery shows." Charlotte walked over and patted the wall next to a workout bench. "And here is where my bookshelf was, overly stuffed with my collection."

Loki leaned against the frame and smiled, listening to her prattle on. She has never shared these memories with anyone, so he soaked in every word she expelled. The carpet and walls are a different color, the rugs she went through, and the times she shifted her bed's position through her years.

Charlotte noticed Loki watching, her cheeks heated as she coughed into her fist and left the room. "Sorry, pretty geeky of me to just ramble like that."

"It's no trouble. I'm honored to have you share your memories here with me." He assured.

Charlotte smiled, but it soon fell into a thoughtful frown. "Still, my room was to be turned into a guest room when I left so… Wait." Charlotte jogged two doors down, opening to find the guest room.

Loki carried the luggage in, finding a queen bed with a dresser across and a well sized television on top, a small desk in the corner. Much like a hotel room, but more spacious than the one he occupied.

"Oh, lovely." He brought the bags in, but noticed the scowl on Charlotte's features. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"This room wasn't the original guest room." She hissed, turning to reach for the door knob.

"What room was this?"

"My dad's study." She told, slamming the door as loud as possible. Loki flinched at the slam as Charlotte found the closet and started thrifting through. "She just cleared out his work space and turned it into a guest room? It was supposed to be my room! I told her to leave this room alone!"

Loki walked over, noting how the closet was a walk in as she roughly opened drawers built into the wall. "Charlotte, breathe." He told calmly.

Charlotte snarled at him, but when he kept his look, she gave in to calm down. She did the breathing exercises he taught her, face less red and veins in her forehead fading.

"My Dad's study was very important to me, when I moved out she said she had no plans for this room and wouldn't touch it." She explained.

Loki got her to leave the closet as they sat on his bed. He moved his suitcase for room as she combed her hair back. "Was there important items?"

Charlotte nodded. "My parents divorced when I started college. Half way into my year, he moved to Chicago where I would visit him on weekends."

"He couldn't bring his belongings?" Loki asked.

"More like he didn't have room for it. He's not in a big home, a small one floor apartment." Charlotte stood and like the last room, explained where things were.

"He had this big wooden desk under the window where he worked on his cases. Photos of his family around it. Hung on the walls were certificates and awards he had one. Even a photo with President Bill Clinton for his 'War on Drugs' effort." She explained a small giggle at the end.

Loki didn't know who that was, but she mentioned something called a D.A.R.E. program with that same 'war'. But he did know the president was leader of the country, so the photo was pretty important.

"I never got a chance to get this stuff, as I moved to Philly right after college." Charlotte's features knotted, growing angry again. "If she trashed them…"

Loki reached up to rub her shoulder. "Breathe." He warned, and she did breathe. "You mentioned having an attic to keep stuff, maybe she packed them there." He offered.

"If not there, then the basement." She added.

A knock off rhythm came upon the door, the bad tuned knocking kept going on. Apparently the person wasn't going to leave them be ignored. Charlotte stood and opened the door, finding Bryce there. He looked a little less high, though hard to tell with his droopy eyes and stupid grin.

"Hey, sorry about being toked up. I wasn't expecting Ellie's sis to be here." He chuckled.

Charlotte huffed, folding her arms. "And I wasn't expecting to get contact high."

"You're not going to rattle on me, are ya? I already got busted with it in my car the other week." He looked down with puppy dog eyes, ugh. Eloise must have taught him that.

She glanced at Loki then sighed when he shrugged. "To be honest, I'm off duty and out of my jurisdiction. I don't handle drugs or vice, so for now, you're in the clear." She then pointed at him. "Just don't smoke around me, I don't handle contact high often."

Bryce gave a thumbs up. "Roger, officer."

Bryce left and Charlotte turned to the room, raising a brow when she realized the room.. "Hm."

"What?" Loki asked. He looked around, then noticed the bed. "Oh, indeed."

Charlotte rubbed her forehead. "I'll just take the couch downstairs. It's comfy either way." She told.

Loki frowned this time. "You should have the bed. It's not fair to you to be stuck there."

Charlotte chuckled at his chivalry. "Honestly, it's no big deal. Mom tends to go to bed early so it's not like I won't get any sleep. I can sleep anywhere."

She reached for her bag and walked to the door. "Get yourself comfortable, I'll see if there are any spare sheets for me."

"Mom!" Charlotte called as she wandered into the kitchen, finding her cooking dinner. She could smell the steaming vegetables and frying meat in the pan. "Where are the spare sheets?"

"What's wrong with the ones you have?" She asked, frowning.

"Nothing, I just need a blanket and pillow for the couch." Her mother gave a funny look. "There's only one bed and I let him take it."

Mary tutted at her daughter, covering the frying meat with a lid. "Letting the man take the bed. I thought you would've fought for that."

Charlotte raised a brow. "I insisted he take it. He's a guest and should be given better accommodations."

"You are a woman, you should demand for better than a man deserves." Charlotte rolled her eyes at her mother's conservative ways. "Speaking of men, would he be able to do a small favor?"

"What's that?"

Mary took some spices from the cabinet to add to the meat. "Would he be a doll and get the extra chairs from the basement? We really didn't expect to have a guest, let alone you come. So we need more chairs for dinner."

"I'll get them." Charlotte told, but earned a smack on the arm from her spatula. "Ow! What the hell?"

Her mother raised the utensil and waved it in her face. "It's a man's job to do it, so have him. Besides, they're buried under your father's junk, so you can't do it."

Charlotte perked up, "That reminds me; why did you move the rooms around?" she asked.

"Oh, the guest room and such? Well, your old room seemed better fitting for my exercise room." Mary told.

"But Dad's office."

Mary shrugged, returning to her cooking. "I don't see the meaning of that room, the man has been gone since you started college. You're more than welcome to take them." She offered.

"Yeah, I will." Charlotte told, leaving to fetch Loki.

"Not even an ounce of your magic was usable?" Frigga asked her son, as he pondered pacing the room he occupied.

When she was called upon over a distressing matter, she made no hesitation to expel her magic to see her son. Her figure, though an illusion, stood by as Loki circled the room. Wanting to ease her son's worry over recent events he had informed her.

"Not a single sliver. It wasn't until the doors opened I gained my magic back." He explained, he paused and combed his hair back, fixing a few strands. "No mortal should have that power."

Frigga nodded, hands folded in front of her. "You are right, unless they've gained the access to our relics…" She paused, Loki noticed her look.

"Mother?"

She sighed, turning to him. "It may be a slim chance."

"Slim chance of what?" Loki asked, brows knotted.

She sighed, relenting to his curiosity. "Many years ago, Asgardians had become too attached to Midgard, wishing to stay with the humans. Some for love, others for adventure, and more for… other reasons." Frigga explained, her son listening intently.

"When some of these Asgardians left, they had taken gifted relics with them. No concerns had come to your father to pursue, so he allowed them to go." She held a finger up. "Under one rule; to never enter Asgard again."

Loki leaned on the bed room, frowning at his mother. "Could the reason for my depleted magic be that a mortal had a relic?"

"Or an Asgardian." She countered. "Asgardians live much longer than humans. We live at the length of thousands of years. Humans, 100 if they are lucky." Frigga explained. "The only way for an Asgardian to lose a relic, is to grant it to another."

"Possibly a human." Loki concluded, earning a nod from his mother. "What relic could restrain magic?"

A knock on the door jolted Loki, tense enough as it is. His mother glanced before smiling at her son. "I will leave you to your friend. Enjoy the Midgardian holiday, I will look into the matter."

"Yes, Mother."

Frigga faded in a flash of yellow and left him alone. Loki sighed and walked to the door, opening to find Charlotte. "Hey, I know you're relaxing, but mind helping with something?"

Loki smiled and stepped out. "I never mind helping you."

He followed her down the stairs toward a door he had passed a few times.

"Mom needs more chairs for the dining table, they're in the basement." She explained, leading him down narrow stairs that lacked carpeting and proper wood work.

As they reached the cement floor, Charlotte hit a light switch letting the basement light up.. Boxes or crates shoved into corners and walls gave them room to move around. Despite how extravagant the rest of the house looked, the basement was unfinished. Walls not painted, wires exposed, a large freezer in one corner, humming throughout the room.

"What's this room used for?" He asked, following her to a corner of clutter.

"Storage, like the attic when too lazy to climb the steps." She told, moving boxes with grunts and groans. "My parents couldn't decide what to do with the space."

Loki stepped over, making a heavy box of papers to alleviate the "Did it have any other purpose before?"

"Purpose?" She chuckled. "I mean, not really. Just stuff we didn't need like holiday decorations or- Here we go. Extra chairs."

The clutter was moved enough to find the chairs Mary requested. Loki picked one chair with his hand, then the other both as if they weighed barely a pound. He brought them upstairs while Charlotte kept poking around for her father's things. She came across photos, folders of closed cases, and other knickknacks he held about his office. Charlotte emptied box of her sister's stuff and started filling it with her father's things.

"I'll send this to him when Christmas calms down." She told herself.

Pausing at the sight of something she had never seen, a small metal box- much like a fireproof lock box. She didn't remember seeing it before, tilting it around she did see her father's name on it. It belonged to him, she shook it to confirm it held something. It clinked and clunked, she guessed papers but maybe jewelry? He never wore anything but his wedding ring, and it didn't sound like that.

Her curiosity was getting the better of her, though the lock requiring a key paused her efforts to investigate further. The steps creaked as Loki returned, she put the metal thing down in box burying it under the folders.

"Anything else to be brought up?" He asked, seeing her file through some things.

Charlotte turned, shaking her head. "I got this." She told, heaving the big cardboard box in her arms. "I'll need to ship these to my dad when we get back."

Loki let her go up, walking behind her as she took her time. He pushed her back, giving her support to not fall backwards and kill them on the stairs. At the landing, she put them down, grunting as she winced from the pain carrying it.

Loki gave a look as he picked it up, showing zero effort. Charlotte gave him a look, rubbing her lower back. "Show off."

He shrugged with a chuckle. "Shall I load this into the car?"

Charlotte stretched her back and sighed. "Yeah, I left the keys on the hook by the door. Just slide it behind the seats."

She shut the basement door, letting Loki handle the rest as she reached the kitchen. Charlotte fished for a bag of peas and pressed them against her back, earning a look from her mother.

"Did you hurt yourself?" She asked.

Charlotte waved her off. "Just overdoing it. Found Dad's stuff and brought it up."

Her mother rolled her eyes, plattering the food for dinner. "Why didn't you just have Loki do it? He brought those chairs up like he was Hercules."

Charlotte moved her back to find the spot, possibly a muscle she pulled. "I got it upstairs fine. Besides, he's taking them to the car for me."

Her mother tutted, Charlotte grew irritated whenever she tutted . "One day, you might find a man willing to do everything for you. Then when he sees how annoyingly independent you are, you'll be left high and dry."

"Wow, what words of wisdom." Charlotte retorted as she took a few platters for the dining room. She took a bowl of mashed potatoes and a serving of cranberry sauce. "Funny enough, Mom, not really looking for a Mr. Anything right now."

She placed them on the table, putting them in a certain way then took the ones from her daughter. "You will, someday."

"What if, not ever?" She offered, leaning on one of the spare chairs Loki brought up.

Mary tutted, Charlotte's nails scratched the wooden chair. "I know you want to be a big time detective. But once you see how lonely it'll be, you'll be finding the man for you."

"To take care of me, tend to me, and all that?"

Her mother nodded, tilting the plates and utensils on the table to look perfect. "No need to be a smart mouth. It's Christmas." She clapped her hands, content with her work. "Now, go fetch everyone. Dinner's ready!"

Charlotte sighed and left the dining room. She bumped into Loki, who just got back in from the cold and informed him at dinner. Then found her sister watching a movie in the living room and told the same.

"Bryce is in our room." Eloise told, passing her.

When she walked by the stairs, Charlotte sighed. "Guess that means fetch Dope Boy."

Eloise's room was across from the master bedroom. The scent of pot was obvious. Charlotte nearly covered her nose to knock on the door. "Hey, dinner's ready." She called.

When no response came, "Come on." She groaned, taking the door knob and twisting it, letting herself inside. The clump of a sleeping form in the bed, the stench of the stuff strong making her hold her nose.

"Up and at 'em, Boy. Dinner is on the table." She told, though he still didn't move.

Charlotte stepped over the clothing all over the floor and toward the bed, reaching for his shoulder. "Hey, I said it's dinner time. Get your ass up and-"

Be it an accident or assault, all Charlotte knew was she felt knuckles hit her jaw sending her to the floor. Her head near hit the desk in the corner, leaning against it. Bryce emerged from the blankets, looking around and found her on the floor.

"Sorry, did you trip over the clothing?" He asked in a daze.

Was he serious?

"No!" Charlotte barked, her hand against her cheek. She really hoped it wouldn't swell or bruise, that as a strong swing.

"How'd you get down there?" He asked, moving from the bed. His hair askew from the pillow and sweater twisted up.

"You hit me!"

"...Me?" He pointed at himself, as if someone else was being accused.

Charlotte got to her feet and glared at him. "No the wall- Yes you! You swung your fist and knocked me down!"

Bryce got up from the bed, fixing his sweater and hair "Crap, I'm sorry. I got this reflex, y'know? If I sleep really deeply and someone touches me, I just react."

"Yeah, right." She grumbled, winced as her jew was growing sore. "Just get down to dinner." She spat at him, leaving the room and rushing to the bathroom.

She checked herself in the mirror, finding no bruise or redness. Moving her jaw, she winced feeling it did hurt opening it so much. "Better not have frick'n cracked my jaw." She groaned, moving it about to test the limits.

Seeing as it wasn't that bad, she sighed and left the bathroom to join the family for dinner. Her mother sat at the end, while her sister and Bryce at one end, and Loki with a spare seat beside him on the other. Charlotte took the spot, sitting down just as her mother folded her hands to say grace.

Loki was a bit confused, watching Eloise and Bryce lower their heads and do the same as Mary started giving thanks. He noticed Charlotte didn't join, her hand rubbing her cheek for a bit before the prayer was over.

"Now, let's eat." Mary announced, letting the family dig into their meals.

LadyAmazon- Glad that little trick worked! I felt there were a lot of loopholes to him and sif, sif and him. So I threw that in at the last second!

Fun Fact: Pennsylvania made medical pot legal in 2016, New Jersey in 2010, Delaware in 2011, and New York in 2014. New York is the only state in that list to legalize recreational use of pot by 2021.

Since this is late 2008 currently in the story, no state has legalized recreational use of pot. Colorado and Washington were the first to legalize recreational pot in 2012.