Once again, welcome my loyal readers for the 16th installment of Key To Redemption! I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter, and that you enjoy this one.
Silver: *turns to Diana* Before you ask, yes you and Sif do end up fighting in this chapter. I am a woman of my word after all.
Loki: It's about time. We've been waiting for this to happen for the past few chapters.
Silver: Oh hush you. I'm not trying to make a rushed story here.
Diana: She's got a point Loki. Granted I'm excited that I'll finally be putting Sif in her place.
Silver: Yes yes, we all know. Now if you'll kindly do the disclaimer for me so I can get this story started, that would be wonderful. Oh, and thank you Wolfe's Girl, keacdragon,MichAre1a , and dljxxx for the reviews on my last chapter. And you guys have a super long chapter ahead of you in honor of Halloween, my favorite holiday!
Diana: Alright, alright. Sheesh, keep your pants on. 666Silvermoon is in no way, shape or form the owner of anything in the Marvel Universe or Norse Mythology. The only things in here she owns are me, my animals, my family, and any other future OC's or places she makes that are not in the Marvel universe. She is not making any money from writing this story; it is purely for her own amusement and to entertain others. Enjoy Chapter 16!
Chapter 16
Diana's P.O.V
I'm not easy to shock, but I do have my moments. Suffice to say, I was rather surprised when I came downstairs about a week after Thor, Tony and Clint had visited to find Loki in a staring contest with a raven at the kitchen island.
Steve was standing by the stove; Bruce was leaning against the kitchen counter enjoying a mug of tea, and Coulson was sitting at the island with Loki, but on the other side while reading the daily newspaper.
"Ok…" I said slowly as I entered my kitchen. "I was not expecting this when I came down for breakfast."
"They were like this when I came down." Bruce told me as he passed another mug of tea to me. I took a sip, and was happy to taste that it was the apple cinnamon tea I had gotten yesterday, with just a spoonful of sugar that I enjoyed adding to it.
I smiled at his thoughtfulness before taking another sip, the taste of the crisp apple and warm cinnamon and slight sweetness from the sugar coated my tongue.
"Same here." Coulson said from behind his paper. "I tried asking what was up, but all I got was a squawk from the bird."
The raven turned its beady eyes to Coulson at the word bird, and croaked in what seemed to be indignation.
A triumphant smirk appeared on Loki's face. "Ha! You lose Huginn." He said smugly, causing the raven to turn to him. He shook himself, ruffling his feathers before squawking at him.
"No no, you turned away first so you lost fair and square." Loki told the squawking raven with a shake of his head.
I tried to refrain from smiling at the scene, but I couldn't. "Uh, Loki? I hate to interrupt, but could you tell us why there's a raven puffing up his feathers on my kitchen island?"
At that both Loki and the raven turned to the rest of us. Loki almost sheepishly smiled at me. "I apologize Diana. This is Huginn, one of the All Father's ravens." Loki told us, and my eyes widened as the raven gave a bow, sweeping one wing over his chest. "He says that he has a message for us, but wouldn't let me know what it was until you came down."
"Prince Thor did say to tell both you and Lady Diana at the same time, Prince Loki." I nearly dropped my mug in shock as I heard the croaking voice coming from the raven as he opened and closed his beak in succession, almost like a pair of lips. Bruce, Steve and Coulson seemed to share my feelings.
Bruce had taken a step farther away from the kitchen island, and Coulson had put away his paper to look at Huginn.
"T-the bird talks?!" Steve asked in shock as he pressed himself back against the counter. Huginn seemed to give a croak in indignation as he flapped his wings to fly around Steve's head.
"I am a RAVEN, and my name is HUGINN mortal. I would prefer that you used it instead of calling me bird." He said grumpily before he flew towards me.
Almost on instinct I brought out my arm to let him perch on it, and I was glad that I had kept my bathrobe on to keep back the chill of the morning. The thick cotton sleeves thankfully saved me from enduring his sharp claws.
"He meant no harm Huginn; we are just not use to animals, even if they are magical ravens, talking." I told him soothingly, though I was just as surprised as the rest. "Steve was merely overcome with shock at seeing a magical creature like you."
Huginn seemed to preen with pride. "Well, I am a creature of the nine realms that is highly exalted in the Asgardian court. It is no wonder he was so surprised."
"Yes, I'm sure it was." I said with a smile, ignoring the way Loki was silently laughing behind Huginn's back. "Now, I do believe you had a message to deliver to us from Thor?"
"Yes, Prince Thor sent me here to let you know that he plans on visiting tomorrow with Lady Sif around noon your time." Huginn told us.
"Well, thank you for delivering the message Huginn." I said with an easygoing smile. "Could I tempt you into enjoying breakfast with us? You must have traveled a long way; I'm sure I'd be able to find something for you to eat."
Huginn bowed once more, almost reverently. "Truly Prince Thor was not lying when he said that you are a gracious Lady of her house. I would be most honored to join for your morning meal."
With that said, while us humans had cinnamon buns for breakfast (that Steve was kind enough to cook), I scrounged up a packet of beef stew meat for Huginn and added a handful of blueberries and a bit of corn to make his meal complete.
Suffice to say he ate it all up and heavily enjoyed it, if the multiple compliments I got from him were any indication. When Huginn was about to leave, I thanked him again for delivering Thor's message.
"It was a pleasure to deliver the message, my Lady, and it was a pleasure meeting you. Thank you once again for the meal." He told me with another bow before flying out of the open kitchen window.
"Any other surprises I should know about?" I asked Loki later as we rode down one of the trails that afternoon. Loki smiled at me from atop Angus, and I couldn't help but see the mischief in his eyes.
"More than you could see in a single lifetime, darling." He told me, causing me to laugh and spur Apollo into a light canter to keep up with Loki.
The next day I had decided to keep all my horses inside until after Thor and Sif had arrived, so none of them would be too spooked by the Bifrӧst entrance. Right after breakfast I had gone into my art room to try and finish my current painting.
Two women stood back to back, one who seemed to be made completely out of flames and the other out of grey ashes.
Eisa, the fire woman, had her head held up with her glowing white eyes pointed towards the sky. Her hands where cupped in front of her chest with a ball of fire suspended above them.
Einmyria, the ashes woman, had her head down with her black eyes on her hands, which held swirling ashes that blew up towards the sky.
The background was a barren landscape with a rocky path leading up to an erupting volcano, and the sky was covered in clouds of ashes, changing it from a light grey to almost black. Streams of lava ran parallel Eisa and Einmyria, and the volcano blew out rock and lava and ash from its top and into the sky.
I was just finishing up Eisa's hair when I heard the tell –tale rumble of thunder foretelling Thor's arrival. I sighed and cleaned my brush before heading outside. I leaned against one of the pillars of my front porch as I watched the darkening and swirling of the clouds.
I turned as Loki came out and stood next to me, a worried frown on his face. "I do not like this, Diana. If I know Sif she will not be happy about your lack of discern to her on the Helicarrier." He told me.
I turned to him and saw that he was legitimately worried. I smiled and brought him down into a kiss. He seemed shocked for a moment before kissing back.
I could almost feel the tension in his body melt away as he continued kissing me, before I pulled back and smirked. "Don't worry handsome, I'm all healed up and if it's a fight Sif wants, than I'm sure as hell not gonna hold back. But I promise to wait till she throws the first punch." I told him just before the beam of light from the Bifrӧst struck the area near the trees. When it faded away, Thor and Sif were left in its wake.
"Brother! It is good to see you and Lady Diana again!" Thor said exuberantly as he came up the front steps and grabbed Loki into a tight hug. I winced as I heard a few of his vertebrae popping.
"Thor, too tight!" Loki gasped out. Thor released him immediately and his smile dimmed a bit as Loki rubbed his aching ribs. I subtly nudged Loki, and he sighed in irritation.
"It is…good to see you too Thor." He ground out, and Thor's smile brightened right up again.
"I am glad to hear it brother. I hope that you and Lady Diana have been well." Thor said, his eyes moving between the two of us.
"Yes, we have been well Thor. Please, come in." I told him motioning him to enter. He did so, dragging Loki at his side into the house. I stopped Sif in her tracks before she could get up my porch steps.
"I would like a word with you if you don't mind, Lady Sif." I told her before going towards my paddock. I heard her following me, before I turned and leaned back against the fence posts.
I looked her over, and saw that she had worn slightly more casual clothes this time around. Her boots and pants were the same, but she wore a tightfitting leather jerkin over her sleeveless tunic instead of the breastplate I last saw her in.
"And what would you like to talk about, Lady Diana? Have you finally seen the trickster for what he is?" She asked with a smug smile on her face.
"No actually. I wanted to put forth a truce between Loki and me and you. I'm willing to put all of this behind me if we agree to be civil to each other." I said, putting out my hand. Sif looked down on it like it was a glob of sludge.
"Keep your truce mortal, as long as you are allied with that no good snake in the grass you are no friend of mine." She said with a sneer.
My outstretched hand tensed into a fist and I brought it to my side. "You know Sif, I rather like snakes. They may be cold-blooded creatures, but they don't attack an opponent unless threatened."
"Not this snake. He attacks whenever he feels like it." She told me, causing my eyes to narrow.
"And how often have you threatened him?" I told her, a spark of anger burning in my chest. "How often has he tried to protect himself from you?"
"Loki deserved everything he got!" She yelled angrily. "He was always following us, poking his nose where it wasn't wanted and trying to get us in trouble!"
"And how often did you corner him, hm?" I asked her in disgust. "How often did you gang up on him and beat him into the ground?"
"That wretched monster deserved it! The All Father should've left him to die in that frozen wasteland!" Sif said angrily. I clenched my teeth, a growl escaping from my throat. She wanted to play dirty, fine by me.
"When was the turning point Sif? Was it when he chopped off your pretty blonde locks, or was it when you realized that Thor would never love you as much as he does Loki?" I told her spitefully, fists clenched in anger. She snapped.
With a war cry Sif leapt at me, but I was ready for her. I may not have been strong as an Asgardian, but I would not take a punch lying down.
I met her head on, adrenaline and anger giving me strength as it coursed through my veins.
I dodged whatever blow she sent towards me and kicked and punched Sif for all I was worth. I growled as my blows met their target, and I didn't hold back despite the blows jarring my bones a bit from the impact.
Her anger made her sloppy, and I took advantage by letting loose and following my instincts. I weaved around her like a snake, very grateful for keeping up with my flexibility training. I aimed for her joints and her soft spots, mostly her sides and her stomach.
I ducked down low to avoid her next wild swing before surging up and sending my elbow against her nose. She yelled in pain as she wavered back a few feet, grabbing her nose.
She looked down at her hand, and both of us were surprised to see blood coming from it and onto her hand. She looked up at me, and I saw anger re-ignite in her eyes as she leaped forward and tackled me.
I grunted as I hit the ground. I tried to dislodge her, but she pinned me with an elbow across my throat.
I bared my teeth at her, feral qualities showing through, but my eyes widened as she unsheathed a knife from her boot and held it up above me. Her eyes were so clouded with anger I don't think she had even realized that she had drawn the knife.
Fear gripped my heart as I saw the blade coming towards my face, but a shout from the porch stopped Sif in her tracks.
"SIF!" Thor roared. "Stop this!" Sif lifted her head, anger still in her eyes. I was grateful, for Thor's distraction gave me the opportunity I needed.
I moved a hand up, and putting all the power I could I made Sif stiffen atop me. My eyes almost glowed as I focused, and Sif robotically moved from pinning me to the ground to hovering on the tips of her toes with her arms stretched out, completely immobile.
I coughed to clear my throat as I scrambled away from her, one hand reaching up to rub my throat as the other kept Sif in place as Loki, Thor, and the rest of my house tenants rushed towards us.
"Diana, are you ok?" Loki asked me as he helped me stand up. I leaned back against him, glad for his comforting weight. I saw Bruce hovering to the side, ready to help if I needed his doctoring skills, with Coulson and Steve standing in front of me, I guess in case Sif tried to go attack me again.
"I'm fine." I croaked, and cleared my throat again to get rid of the croak. "Sif just disagreed with my opinion on you is all."
"What have you done to Sif?" Thor asked me, and I turned to see him staring almost helplessly at Sif, who stared back at him with remnants of anger but also fear in her eyes.
"I'm controlling her blood Thor, basically making her own body go against her. I didn't exactly need a knife between the eyes." I spat at him, before I moved my hand up and towards me. Sif floated a few inches off the ground to make her eye level before her body floated towards me.
"I could've done this before, but I decided to teach you a lesson instead, Sif." I snarled in her face, making sure my eyes glowed. "Next time, keep your opinion on Loki to yourself around me, or I won't hold back."
I flicked my hand, tossing her away from me and releasing her. She landed on her back with a thump before she shakily stood up. I turned my back on her and went inside my home, Loki walking at my side with Steve, Coulson and Bruce following behind.
Loki and I could hear Sif and Thor arguing outside long after the others had gone back to their rooms, before the beam of light outside foretold the Bifrӧst being used. Thor came in soon after, his face thunderous.
"I have sent Sif home, and in the future she will not accompany me to visit for her behavior today." Thor told us, and then surprised me as he knelt on one knee in front of my position on the couch.
"Lady Diana, I am truly sorry for what transpired with Sif." Thor told me as he bowed his head. "On my honor, I had no idea that she would try something like this."
I was speechless for a moment, before I finally spoke. "Thor, it wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself for what Sif did. It was her choice, not yours."
"Yes, but I could've stopped her." Thor told me as he looked up at me, true sorrow in his eyes.
"If Sif is truly as stubborn as Loki has told me than I don't think she would've listened to you." I gently chastised him. "I don't blame you Thor, but you have my forgiveness if that is what you seek."
"Thank you Lady Diana." He said as he looked up at me with a wide smile. "I can see why Loki cares for you so much."
I blushed slightly, causing Thor to laugh as he stood and then sat next to Loki, who was next to me, on the couch with his arm around my shoulders.
"You two have my blessing, if you ever wish to marry one day." Thor boomed out, laughing again and louder as my face and Loki's turned tomato red.
"We just started courting a few weeks ago, you buffoon." Loki told Thor as he glared at his brother.
"I am just letting you know brother. Besides, you know you never had trouble finding a partner." Thor said with a grin as he elbowed Loki playfully.
I looked at him in surprise. "Oh really now?" I asked, and saw Loki swallow in what seemed to be nervousness. "And exactly how many partners have you had, Loki?" I wasn't stupid. I knew that after more than a thousand years of living that Loki would have his share of partners in the bedroom, but sue me for being curious about the exact number.
"Well, I have had three wives, as I told you before darling." He started out. "But I did have a fair share of partners before and in between each one on Asgard. Most lasted at least a month or more before I parted from them, and there were times when I would go a few years between them."
"Loki, you're avoiding the question." I said, dread slowly filling my chest.
He sighed. "I've had about a hundred partners, mostly women but with a few men as well."
"Huh, that's not as bad as I was expecting." I said, but to someone like me that was still a lot of partners. I had barely had two sexual partners, though I had had a few more boyfriends than that.
"It's certainly less than Thor has had in his lifetime." Loki said, causing Thor to sputter.
"Now you know that is not true brother!" Thor protested rather loudly. I could see an argument brewing, so I excused myself and went outside to start turning out my horses for the afternoon.
I had just closed the gate behind Cinnamon and her foals when I felt Loki's arms wrap around my waist.
"I didn't upset you, did I darling?" He asked me as he kissed right below my right ear. I could barely suppress the shiver from his actions.
"I just wasn't expecting you to have that many sexual partners." I paused, debating on if I should divulge my own sex life. "I've only ever had two lovers before."
"One was a guy I had dated in high school for about a year. He was my first, but we soon drifted apart after we realized we were too young and foolish for each other. I did have a few boyfriends after him, but I never had sex again until Thomas came into the picture, and you know how well that turned out." I told him as I turned.
He looked like he had been punched in the gut. "So you've never truly had a good lover? Nor felt the pleasures that sex could bring you?" He asked me huskily, his green eyes dark with desire.
I flushed under his gaze, and shook my head no.
I would swear he almost growled before he attacked my lips in a passion induced kiss. His tongue traced my lips, and I gave him entry into my mouth.
I moaned as his tongue entwined with my own. His taste and scent overpowered me, sending my head spinning as I moved my arms up to wrap around his neck, hands entwining in his raven locks.
He wrapped his arms around my waist, drawing me closer to his lean frame. His tongue soon dominated my own, probing every inch and crevice of my mouth. I couldn't help the small moan that escaped my throat, causing him to tighten his hold on me.
We probably would've continued kissing, if it hadn't been for a rather large interruption.
A loud car horn going off made us separate, slightly panting as we looked around for the disruption. We didn't have far to look.
"Do we need to get the hose to cool you two lovebirds off?" Tony said from the front seat of his Corvette Stingray convertible, Natasha Romanoff sitting in the passenger seat. I groaned as I turned my blushing face from Tony's smug as hell grin and hid it against Loki's neck.
"Please tell me he's just a mirage and will go away?" I pleaded, causing my breath to brush against Loki's skin. I felt his slight shiver at my actions.
He sighed and shook his head. "Unfortunately it doesn't seem he's going to." He said with a glare at Tony. The billionaire just continued grinning like mad as he and Natasha exited his car and walked towards us. She wore a tan leather jacket, a bright red blouse, tight dark wash jeans, and black ankle boots. Her hair was back to its normal short red curls.
Tony was dressed in a long sleeved Iron Maiden shirt, light blue jeans, dark sunglasses, and a pair of red and gold Nike's. I raised an eyebrow at the sneakers.
"As if you didn't broadcast you being Iron Man enough, Tony." I told him as I fought to get rid of the blush still covering my face.
"I just had to have them. How could I not, when they were so perfect for me?" Tony said with a shrug.
"I doubt your ego needs to be stroked anymore, Stark." Loki said with a slight sneer.
"Says the god that tried taking over the world." Tony shot back with a smirk. I saw Loki's eyes darken with anger and a tiny bit of shame before he turned and stormed into the house.
I glared at Tony before following after Loki, but he had already locked himself inside his room with his music blasting. I sighed, because I knew that with his music that loud he'd be in there for a while.
"The god of lies listens to Dokken?" Tony asked as he came inside, Natasha following behind him.
"He listens to a diverse music spectrum thank you very much. He likes classic and modern rock the best." I told Tony with a scowl on my face. "And I'm warning you Tony, he's been through enough without you sniping at him."
Tony brought up his hands and took a step back. "Hey hey, no need to get huffy with me fire princess. I'll play nice with Lokster, promise." He told me with an easygoing smile.
"You better, or you'll be on your arse outside of my house so fast your head will spin." I told him with a growl before walking past to the kitchen.
I saw Thor in my side yard playing fetch with Kida and Taboo as I made myself a sandwich for a snack. It wasn't long before I heard almost silent footsteps behind me.
"Is there something I can help you with Ms. Romanoff?" I asked her without turning as I finished my sandwich.
"Why take him in?" She quietly asked me. "Why take in the man who tried to take over Earth?"
I paused in making my sandwich, before I turned to her. I put all the conviction I had in my voice, before I spoke.
"Because he deserved a second chance."
For the rest of the day, I felt Natasha's eyes on Loki and I after he finally came out of his room after a few hours of listening to classic rock on the I-pod and speakers he frequently borrowed from me.
I felt her eyes as I gave him a reassuring kiss after he finally came out of his room.
I felt her eyes when he helped me bring in my horses for the day, frequently stealing kisses from me during it.
Dinner was a slightly tense affair, what with Thor making a mess of eating the spaghetti I made and Tony and Loki bantering back and forth while I played referee.
Needless to say I was rather glad when the majority of my houseguests convened to the living room to watch the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, while Loki and I washed the dishes. Thor didn't leave any leftovers.
"Diana, do you…blame me for what I did?" Loki asked me softly as he dried a plate. "When I tried to take over Midgard?"
I smiled warmly at him. "Of course I don't, Loki. From what you told me, you were half crazed when you tried it, and were being manipulated by not only the Tesseract but also by that mad titan."
"But why do you believe me?" He asked sadly. "No one else would if I told them."
I finished the last dish before turning to Loki, gently wrapping my arms around his waist as he turned to face me.
"I believe you because those scars you bear tell me all I need to know, along with the fact that you were half starved when I found you. What would you gain to lying to me anyways?" I asked in a cheeky smile.
He looked at me in wonder for a few moments before he smiled. "You are a strange mortal Diana, and I think I like it."
"Well I'd certainly hope so." I told him before he pressed a gentle kiss on my lips.
I felt Romanoff's eyes on us the whole time.
Third P.O.V
"Why is it every time I leave you two in a room with food you always end up tossing it at each other?" Diana sighed in irritation as she looked about her once clean kitchen.
Two dozen pumpkins, some small, some big, some squat, some elongated, and even some with warts, were all scattered about the newspaper covered floor.
Pumpkin guts and seeds were strewn on the newspaper, but were also splattered on the walls and the cupboards.
Steve, Aiden, and Loki sat in the middle of it. Steve, the poor thing, had tried getting in the middle of Loki and Aiden when they had started arguing, but had gotten covered in the bright orange guts for his troubles.
Bruce and Coulson stood on either side of Diana. Coulson had been reading one of the books in the library while Bruce had been helping Steve, Aiden and Loki carve pumpkins, but once the guts started flying he had gone out to retrieve Diana, who had been getting herbs from her greenhouse.
"He started it!" Both Aiden and Loki said at the same time, pointing a finger at each other. Diana sighed again and was about to berate them some more when she was interrupted.
"What on earth happened here?" A voice said behind them, and everyone whirled around to see Corrine Sullivan standing at the doorway to the kitchen with a two pastry boxes in her hands.
"Aw nuts." Diana sighed in exasperation as her mother looked wide eyed at Steve, Bruce and Coulson.
After explaining everything to her mother, including the fight with Hawkeye and Black Widow, the hay loft falling on her, and being captured by S.H.I.E.L.D and the deal with them, Diana watched as her mother took everything in.
To a normal person, she looked perfectly calm as she sipped at the chamomile tea, with a splash of whiskey for strength, as she sat in the living room with Diana. But due to her daughter knowing her for 27 years, she knew that she was actually rather tense, if her white knuckled grip on her mug and the way her lip twitched every few seconds were any indication.
"You mean to tell me," She started softly, but she picked up steam and her accent thickened as she grew angrier, "that all o' this happened and yoo're just now tellin' me about it?!"
"I know, I know ma. But I couldn't find a right time to tell you and then I got caught up in making sure Steve, Bruce, and Coulson settled in ok and then in decorating." Diana said placating, but that didn't prevent her mother from rapping her knuckles with her teaspoon. Her yelp could be heard from the kitchen by the guys as they cleaned up the pumpkin guts.
"That does not excuse you, Diana Winifred Sullivan! I canno' believe that you kept that from me, child!" Her mother said angrily.
Diana looked at her mother, and saw the tiny spark of fear in her eyes, fear for her only daughter going through that.
Diana sighed before taking the mug from her mother, putting it on the coffee table, and taking her mother's shaking hands into her own.
"Ma, I promise you that I'm fine. Look, my leg is all healed up too." She told her, lifting the edge of her red gypsy skirt and shucking off her brown ankle boot to show off her fully healed leg, with only the barest traces of scars.
Corrine Sullivan sighed, but relented. "Alright, you've convinced me. But next time for the love of God, please update me a bit sooner."
Diana smiled in triumph. "I will ma, I promise." She told her, before both headed to the kitchen to help clean up whatever was left, and to finish carving the rest of the pumpkins.
"Well, I'm glad you boys at least have the decency to help clean up my daughter's house." Mrs. Sullivan said as she carved a simple jack-o-lantern face into her current pumpkin, triangular eyes and nose included. Diana almost groaned as she saw her mother was about to start an argument, but she knew to hold her peace.
After all, she didn't want her mother to turn her sharp tongue onto her. So instead of interfering, Diana just quietly continued carving a creepy owl onto her current pumpkin.
Loki, who was carving Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas onto his pumpkin, also held his tongue, but he did become rather interested in how this was going to turn out.
Steve swallowed a bit nervously and paused in his carving. "Well ma'am, it wouldn't seem right if staying under your daughter's roof without helping out with maintaining the house."
"I should hope not, when you three are staying under her roof for free. Though lord knows I don't like any of you staying here at all." Mrs. Sullivan told them, giving each a cold look until even Coulson twitched in his seat a bit uncomfortably.
"I'm afraid we had orders from our director to stay here and watch over Loki, Mrs. Sullivan." Coulson told her as he finished his bat design on his pumpkin, before setting it aside to start on another one.
"Oh, aye. I remember the kinda orders your Director would give to you, Mr. Coulson. I only pray that he doesn't show his face to me any time soon, otherwise I might not be so lady like!" She told him as she threw the carved out pumpkin parts into the trash.
"I don't think Director Fury will be visiting any time soon, Mrs. Sullivan." Bruce told her calmly as he carved a cat onto his pumpkin, and the discussion ended.
After all the pumpkins had been carved and set outside and after the horses had been put back in the stables for the night, Diana and her mother were making a dinner of Guinness stew and soda bread. Dessert would be the caramel apple pie Corrine had brought, while the skeleton gingerbread cookies would most likely be midnight snacks.
"Sweetheart, are you truly happy with this?" Corrine asked her daughter as she stirred the stew.
Diana looked up at her mother in confusing from kneading the bread dough. "What do you mean, mum?"
"I mean are you truly happy with Loki?" Corrine asked. "I know you care about him, but he's done some pretty terrible things in his past, and you've only known him for a few months. Would you truly be happy with him if Mr. Coulson and his agency kept their eyes on you for the rest of your life?"
"Ma, how can you ask that? You know how I feel about him!" Diana told her. "I care so much for him, and you've seen some of the scars he has."
"I know that, and Loki does have my sympathy Diana. But will you truly be happy not having a normal life with him?"
"I'm never going to be able to have a normal life mum!" Diana said, moving her flour stained hands for emphasis. "How can I, who has to be careful every time I sneeze for Pete's sake, ever have a normal life? I'm a mutant mum, and that's not gonna change. I can at least try to be happy, and I'm happy with Loki."
"What about Mr. Coulson's agency? The main reason they're keeping an eye on you now is because of Loki." Her mother argued, but Diana scoffed.
"Mum, they've probably been keeping an eye on me since I was teenager. Remember when a group of them came to me when I was sixteen? They never stopped watching me, they're just doing it more openly now." Diana said as she set the bread dough into the oven.
Corrine sighed as she set the stew on simmer and covered it. "I guess you're right, but you know how I worry about you child."
Diana approached her mother and tightly hugged her from behind. "I'll be ok ma. I'm too stubborn to give up."
Corrine slightly laughed. "That's for damn sure."
Diana laughed along with her mother, and soon they joined the guys in the living room while the food cooked.
Diana sat next to Loki on the couch, bringing her bare feet up to curl underneath her as she leaned against him. Almost unconsciously he adjusted himself to accommodate her, bringing one arm up to wrap around her bare shoulders, gently rubbing his thumb along the border of her black off the shoulder top.
Corrine watched her daughter interact with Loki out of the corner of her eye as she absently talked with Bruce in one corner of the living room. Steve, Coulson and Aiden were talking in another corner, and snippets of their conversation let everyone else in on the fact that they were talking about baseball.
Bruce noticed that half of Corrine's attention was on her daughter and he slightly smiled. "Worried about her, aren't you?"
Corrine started and looked at Bruce in surprise, before deflating slightly. "Am I that easy to see through? I just don't want her taken away from me, and I don't want her hurt either."
"From what I've been noticing through the past few weeks Mrs. Sullivan, I don't think you have to worry about that." Bruce told her. "She is proud of her family heritage, and enjoys telling stories about your family get-togethers and she loves you and her brothers dearly."
"What did she tell you?" Corrine asked, a bit suspiciously.
Bruce smiled, not feeling offense. "She told us about the last family reunion you had, where her and her father tied for the horse race you had and you had to split the first place prize in two."
Corrine smiled fondly at that. "Aye, my husband got the pie that his sister and I made and Diana had gotten the horseshoe medal we've given out the past few generations. We honestly thought it'd be the other way around, what with Diana's sweet tooth, but no. My husband insisted on giving the medal to Diana, saying that she would wear it with pride."
She sighed as sadness entered her heart. "He died the year after, and our family reunion is coming up again next year. It's going to be so hard getting through it without him."
"Well, you'll always have your children, Mrs. Sullivan." Bruce said softly, causing her to softly sigh but smile as she looked at the way Loki and Diana tenderly reacted on the couch.
After dinner had been eaten, and everyone had had a slice of pie a la mode, everyone started talking about Halloween.
"So how does your family usually celebrate Halloween?" Steve asked.
Diana turned to her brother with a wide smile, and he gave a groan but smiled back.
"When we were kids we would always go trick or treating with our grandfather and our father while our mother and grandmother would stay at home and have a big Halloween themed dinner ready for us and whatever friends we had over for a sleepover." He told them. "When we started getting older, and after our grandparents died, we started going to the small carnival that our town had every Halloween. We were too young to go beforehand."
"I would always beat him and Lucas at the ring toss and the sack race." Diana interjected with a laugh. "They never forgave me for that."
"Only because you had an unfair advantage." Aiden told his sister with a grin, before turning to everyone else. "At thirteen my skinny little twig of a sister goes through puberty and gains her powers. She shoots up three inches in four months and keeps growing till she hits six foot even on her 18th birthday."
"You and Lucas both are still taller than me, and were two years older and stronger than me." Diana said over everyone's laughter.
"What do you guys do now?" Bruce asked over his laughter.
"This year I'm volunteering with the main entertainment for the end of the fair." Aiden let them know. "I'll be narrating the story of the Headless Horseman."
"What about you Diana?" Steve asked.
Diana smiled, but only Loki could see the mischief in her eyes. "Oh, you'll find out when Halloween rolls around. Let's just say, you'll be surprised."
"But speaking of Halloween, you all need costumes. And I'm sure Thor and whoever he brings as his guest with him will need one too." Diana said, diverting the conversation.
"I'm not much of a carnival kinda guy. I'll probably just stay here for the night." Bruce said with a sheepish shrug.
"Oh come on Bruce, you gotta come. Please?" She said, and everyone else, even Loki, murmured agreement with her.
"Plus, I doubt Stark would let you stay here all alone anyways. The pest invited himself to the carnival as well, and it's Masquerade themed this year too." Diana added. "So no one would know it was you guys anyways."
It took a bit more convincing, but finally everyone managed to convince Bruce to come with them.
"Great! I'll go to town tomorrow and pick up a mask for each of you, and for Thor too and his guest too." Diana told them. "Stark said he'd pick up a mask for himself and his date when he called yesterday."
Loki was just about to ask who Thor was bringing, but before he could both Aiden and Corrine got up and told them they had to go since it was getting late. By the time everyone had said goodbye Diana had already vanished upstairs (though not without giving Loki a goodnight's kiss), so Loki lost his chance.
"Mom, which mask do you think would be better for Bruce?" Diana asked her mother the next day, holding up two half masks. One was a dark shade of blue with gold detailing around the eyes, and the other was half solid green and half white and purple checkerboard. The two sections were separated by two gold fleur de Lis cutouts.
"Hmm." Corrine thought for a moment, before pointing at the green, purple, and white one. "That one dear."
"I was thinking that too." Diana said with a smile before putting away the blue mask and putting the other in her basket.
So far she had picked out a mask for everyone but her and Loki.
Aiden's mask is a red and white jester half mask with gold bells.
Steve got a dark blue half mask with a black ribbon border and white designs around the eye holes.
Thor's mask is a red half mask with silver wings done in glitter at the corner of the eyes and a silver ribbon border.
His guest's is an elegant white and gold half mask, with pure gold roses along the brow. Diana was glad that Thor had confided in her who he was bringing for Halloween, otherwise she would've never have been able to figure out what mask to get. She only hoped his guest liked their mask.
Coulson's was a simple black half mask with silver paint lining the eyes.
Her mother had picked out a pale blue number with glittery white snowflakes around the eyes and over the brow.
Diana sighed as she continued looking through the masks. So far, none of them had seemed right for her or for Loki. They were all either too simple or just not right.
"Having trouble finding a mask Diana?" Her mother asked, setting a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I am." Diana said with a nod. "All of these masks are too simple or just not right for mine and Loki's costumes."
"Well, what are you two going as?" Corrine asked as she looked through a few more masks.
Diana softly giggled as she thought of Loki's costume. "Well, I kind of gave Loki free reign to order his costume online and he ended up getting a Harry Potter character costume."
"Which character is he going as?" Her mother asked, but Diana didn't answer, for she had just spotted the perfect mask for Loki.
"Mom, this is perfect!" She said excitedly, holding up the leather dragon eye mask. The scales along the nose and between the eyes were a dark emerald green, but as they moved towards the temples they morphed to a bright gold. Two black horns curled and curved back a few inches before tapering to points.
The mask seemed to be made to stop along the cheekbones and along the middle of the bridge of the nose, and should extend up to cover Loki's full forehead.
"And look at the one next to it!" Diana said pointing, still gently holding the dragon mask in her hands.
Her mother picked up the mask that had been next to the dragon one on the shelf, and gently caressed her fingers along the points of it.
"I think," Corrine said with a sly smile, "that if you pair this with your dress, you'd be able to knock your god of mischief dead."
The two women giggled as they went up to the cashier paid for the masks. Diana was glad she had snagged the credit card that S.H.I.E.L.D had given her, because each mask cost a rather pretty penny.
Loki sighed as he finished buttoning up the over jacket of his costume and smoothed down a wrinkle in the sleeve. He was nervous, as he had never been off of Diana's property since he was dropped down to Earth back near the end of the summer.
He sighed again, and looked in the mirror. The knee length jacket was tight to his body; the white undershirt was fully covered by it with only a bit of white showing at the end of his sleeves, and his black slacks were creased to perfection and slightly folded over his shiny black shoes. He couldn't believe that he had actually dressed up as Severus Snape for Halloween.
He let out another sigh before combing out his straightened hair so that it framed his face perfectly. After that was done, he turned and put his over robe on and set his dragon mask on over his eyes.
Loki really was flattered by Diana thinking that this mask fit him perfectly. He thought that because he had dressed up as Snape she would get him a bat or a raven mask, but instead she had gotten him this one.
"I got it because it represented YOU, not Severus Snape. I wanted to see you shining through your costume, both the strength and the elegance that I see in you." She had told him when he had asked. He had ended up kissing her hard enough to make both his and her toes curl.
He was still nervous, but he steeled his nerves as he holstered his wand at his hip and turned to exit his room, closing his door tightly behind him.
He met up with both Bruce and Coulson in the kitchen, both dressed up surprisingly.
Bruce was dressed as a mad scientist, with a long white lab coat and black rubber gloves. His mask would have stuck out like a sore thumb on him if it wasn't for the radioactive green glow in the dark paint splattered on his coat. Even his hair stuck up and back like he had stuck his finger in a light socket.
Coulson was comically dressed as a Victorian vampire, with an open black jacket that reached his knees, showing off his bright red waistcoat and the chest of his white ruffled shirt. A black and silver ascot wrapped around his throat. Like Loki, he also wore black trousers and shiny black shoes, though instead of a wand he held a simple cane in his hands. He even had a line of fake blood going down his face from the corner of his mouth.
Loki wondered exactly how many weapons he had stashed on him, and if his cane held a sword in it.
His thoughts turned as Steve came down the stairs and entered the kitchen, adjusting the bright red tie at his throat. He wore a pinstriped black suit with the tie and a white handkerchief in the breast pocket. On his head was a black fedora with a blue band and on his feet were black and white wingtips.
"Well, I must admit Captain Rogers, you do clean up very well." Loki said with a slight smirk, causing Steve to lightly blush under his mask.
"I do hope you are not trying to embarrass Steve, Loki." A silky voice said behind Steve, and he moved aside to reveal Diana standing behind him, and all of Loki's thoughts fled from his mind.
Diana was a vision while wearing an ankle length dark red dress with an ombre fading to a burnt orange somewhere around mid-calf level. A sweetheart neckline with off the shoulder straps showed off both a bit of modest cleavage and the unblemished skin of her shoulders.
Fingerless opera gloves in lovely shade of dark gold stopped to a point above her middle finger, with a little strap around it. See-through orange fairy wings peeked out from her back, with veins done in gold glitter and edges lined in black.
Gold beaded sandals peeked out on her feet from the bottom of her dress as she almost seemed to float into the kitchen. Her red curls had been moderately tamed into a very stylish updo, though a few curled down to frame her masked face.
And what a mask it is! Loki thought finally as he beheld the creation gracing Diana's face.
The entire mask was shaped to imitate shiny autumn leaves, with the red and gold and orange paint on them gleaming as they caught the fading sunlight coming in through the windows. A number of the leaves were arranged along her brow almost like a crown, and had a light dusting of green glitter along them, and a lone green jewel on the very middle leaf.
Diana lightly blushed at the stunned and heated look Loki sent her way as she entered her kitchen and she nervously moved a curl of hair behind her ear.
"Well, what do you guys think?" She asked to fill the sudden silence. She did a small twirl to show off her full outfit, before facing the guys again, though her eyes were trained on Loki.
"I think," Loki said, taking her hand to place a kiss on her knuckles, "that it is safe to say that you are incredibly beautiful tonight, my darling."
"What he said." Steve piped up, causing all of them to let out a small laugh.
Loki smiled widely, and Diana almost shivered at the heat and blatant want that she saw in his eyes before they all turned as the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Diana said as she went to answer it, and was almost immediately assaulted in a tight hug.
"Anni!" Andromeda Becker, otherwise known as Andi and Diana's best friend, squealed in delight. "I missed you so much girl!"
Diana laughed as much as she could through a mouthful of feathers from Andi's feather boa, before spitting them out and hugging her best friend back. "I missed you too Andi, it's been way too long."
The two women finally separated, and Diana gave a small giggle as she saw the outfit her best friend was wearing.
"I know right?" Andi enthused as she struck a pose in her black knee length flapper dress, sensible heels, and white and black feather boa with a long string of pearls falling down her body. "Don't I look fabulous?" She seemed to have filled out a bit from the last time Diana had seen her.
She certainly wasn't gonna complain, because she knew that Andi had had a host of health body issues for most of her adult life.
"Don't you always?" Diana asked with a wink, before inviting her inside and introducing her to everyone. Needless to say, Andi got all a twitter from the fact that Diana had been living with two super heroes, a secret agent, and an ex-villain for the better part of almost a month (though longer for Loki, causing Diana to explain everything to her best friend.)
"And all of this went on since the last time I saw you? Sheesh girl, you just have to stay busy don't you?" Andi said good-naturedly as they waited for the last two members of their band before they headed to town.
Luckily they didn't have to wait long as a rumble of thunder and a flash of light outside heralded their arrival.
Loki frowned in confusion, for that hadn't been the Bifrӧst in use. Instead it seemed like one of the many paths between the worlds had been used. Loki pondered who Thor could have accompanied him, but all thoughts faded from him as Diana opened the door to admit the arrivals.
In the open doorway stood Thor with his mother Frigga at his arm, looking as radiant as ever in a white and gold gown with her blonde hair done up and away from her face. Thor was looking dashing in a simple outfit of black pants, a red tunic with leather straps around his wrists, and his hair pulled back with a dark blue cape around his shoulders
"Oh my youngest son, I have missed you so." Frigga said before walking forward and wrapping Loki in a warm hug. For once in his life he was speechless, with two sides of him warring against each other on whether to hug the woman who had raised him or push her away.
In the end, his heart won and he wrapped his own arms around the woman who he called mother, the one woman who had always stood by his side on Asgard, and hugged her with all his might.
"I missed you too, m-mother…"He softly murmured against her neck, causing her to tighten her embrace before stepping back, showing off a breathtaking smile.
"Look at you; it seems that Midgard is healing you after all." She said happily before turning, not releasing her gentle hold on his arm. He was grateful for it, for he feared that without it he would've have fallen to the floor.
After all the introductions were done and Thor and Frigga had been given their masks, they all loaded up into Andi's 2012 Malibu and into Diana's truck, they drove into town where they parked and then convened at the carnival. They quickly met with Corrine, who was dressed in a sky blue Grecian styled dress, with her hair down to curl to her shoulders.
Frigga looked around the carnival, smiling as she saw the children in all manner of costumes running around happily going from entertainment to entertainment. The carnival games may have been simple, but they seemed fun and the winners got either a ribbon or a stuffed animal.
Every manner of carnival food from candied and caramel covered apples to funnel cakes, to whole turkey legs and cotton candy were sold in small but clean concession stands throughout the way. Corrine was rather proud to show off her own concession stand, selling all manner of Halloween styled treats from gingerbread skeleton cookies to cupcakes with bats, mummy faces, and witch's hats on them.
It was near the rented Ferris wheel that they met up with Tony, his date Pepper, and Clint and Natasha.
Diana raised an eyebrow at Tony's devil costume, complete with a red and gold mask that seemed to be made from the same metal as his Iron Man suit. Pepper was dressed in a short white dress, with angel wings and a halo over her strawberry blonde ponytail. A pure white lace mask framed her twinkling blue eyes.
"Don't pay any attention to him, he just likes getting attention." Pepper told Andi and Diana in a stage whisper, causing all three to giggle as Tony and Steve talked.
Loki seemed caught in a staring contest between Clint and Natasha, who had dressed as Neo and Trinity from the Matrix movies. They grudgingly nodded to each other, making a silent truce for the night.
Loki and Frigga soon separated themselves slightly from the others as they went to get food before the main event of the night.
"I am glad I got to see you tonight, my son." Frigga told him as they sat down on an empty bench.
"I am as well mother. Is it only tonight that I have with you?" Loki asked her, and she nodded in regret.
"Odin only allowed me this night to come and see you. I do wish I had more time though, darling." Frigga said sadly, before trying to cheer up. "Now tell me, how is Lady Diana? Heimdall tells us some things, but even he cannot see everything all the time."
Loki lightly blushed under his mask, but he gave a small smile to his mother.
"I cannot even begin to explain how she is. She is kind, but knows when to be firm. She is so compassionate mother, and incredibly artistic. She always tries to put me first, and she is just so open and warm." He told her with a smile that she could see held love in its depths. "And she does have a temper, but she knows when to set it aside and be patient. And she is so strong mother; you would love her if you spent some more time with her."
"What about you my son? Do you love Lady Diana?" Frigga asked with a warm smile. Loki stopped what he was going to say next, and his eyes found Diana in the crowd.
She was laughing at what her friend Andi had said and was holding a candy apple in one hand and a caramel apple in the other. The carnival lights made her eyes shine and her smile seem all the brighter as she talked to her friend.
"I think that I am heading that way, mother." Loki said at least, and his mother smiled happily before the rest of the group convened around them with various foods.
Diana handed the candy apple to Loki, and together they enjoyed their apples. Though every now and again they would steal a bite from the others apple, much to the amusement of most of the group they were with and the slight surprise of the spies.
Thor couldn't stop grinning as he saw Loki interact with Diana, and even his brother's lighthearted insults made him laugh rather than angry.
Tony kept making motions like he was throwing up, but an elbow to the ribs from Pepper and a harder one from Diana made him stop. Though he did pout until Pepper whispered something in his ear, and then he grinned like the cat that ate the canary.
Loki idly wondered if Lady Pepper had told Tony something sexual, but he stopped that image before it came to fruition.
It wasn't until later that the entire crowd convened near a stage in the middle of the carnival, and Loki looked around.
"Has anyone seen Diana? She was just here." He asked everyone, but the group shook their heads as a whole.
"I'm sure she will be back soon, my son. But for now why don't we try to enjoy whatever festivities are left?" Frigga asked him. "I have never heard tell of this 'Headless Horseman' in the story Diana's brother is telling about."
Loki was still a bit unsure, but he soon also listened started to listen to the tale that Aiden was telling. He had to admit, Aiden may not like him much but he was a very good story teller, getting interactive with his hand motions and moving around the stage.
"And soon after departing the party held by the Van Tassels and heavy-hearted, Ichabod Crane rides home through the woods between the home of the Van Tassel's and the town of Sleepy Hollow." Aiden told, slightly crouching on the stage, having the audience enraptured to his tale. "However, his peaceful and melancholy filled ride soon ended as he passed a tulip tree, and encountered a rider cloaked all in black."
Natasha heard a sound and turned, trying to look past members of the enthralled crowd to find out where it came from. Clint turned with her, his eyes also scanning the crowd before they both turned back to the stage.
"Unsettled by his fellow traveler's eerie size and silence, Ichabod is horrified to discover that his companion's head is not on his shoulders, but…on his saddle!" Aiden said with a wide flourish, causing several children to scream in delight.
"Ichabod rode for his life to the old covered bridge, desperate to evade the Hessian and his ghoulish intentions, but he was horrified to see the rider follow him across the bridge. The horseman rears his horse, brings back his arm, and…throws his severed head right at Ichabod's terrified face!" Aiden yells, throwing a spray of confetti to the first few rows of people. They screamed, but soon started laughing in delight.
The rest of the crowd followed, laughing along and applauding. Aiden ended the story with the customary, "And Ichabod Crane, was never seen again." He bowed to the crowd, and they soon applauded harder as the story ended.
"A very charming story, don't you think brother?" Thor said, slapping Loki on the back with a laugh as the crowd started dispersing. Loki let out a pained grunt as Thor's slap jarred his entire body.
"You buffoon, watch your strength. I'm not as durable as I-"Loki started, but his next words were drowned out as the carnival lights went out as one, and people screamed in fright and surprise.
Loki looked around, his hand instantly trying to go for his mother's so she would not be trampled in the ensuing darkness. He couldn't help but wonder once again where Diana had gone too, and his heart gave a pang.
He heard a few people telling the crowd to remain calm, before the lights finally came back on. Everyone cheered, and Loki gave a sigh of relief.
"Everything's ok folks, just some electrical problems I'm sure." Aiden said from up on the stage with an easygoing smile. It soon drops as he, and the rest of the crowd hears hoof beats.
Loki turns his head, looking for speakers that would be making the sound, but besides the ones on the stage he sees none. Soon the hoof beats grow louder, and a distant neigh follows them.
Loki keeps turning, but his head snaps around as he hears a woman's scream. He turns towards it, and he can't help the gasp escaping his mouth or the way he tightens his grip on his mother's hand.
There, slightly cloaked in the shadows of the stage and the trees behind it, stood a cloaked figure on a horse as black as midnight. The figure was broad shouldered and tall atop his horse, who snorted and stamped his hoof into the ground. Loki could swear that he could feel the vibrations of it from where he stood.
The figure was large, and it was dressed in all black just as dark as the horse he rode, but the most terrifying thing about the rider was that his head was missing from his shoulders.
Loki gasped, and a few people screamed as the rider suddenly made his horse rear, causing the animal to give out a high pitched neigh that almost resembled a whistle as his hooves struck out into the air.
The crowd backed up, some people even turning to run but the rider seemed to want none of that. He spurred on his horse into a gallop; riding it along the edges of the crowd and making the runners turn to seek shelter within its depths.
Loki caught a glimpse of a sack dangling from the rider's saddle as he rode by, and soon the rider finished corralling the crowd back into a tightknit group before turning his horse back to the stage and riding towards it.
Loki watched with bated breath as the ride took the sack from his saddle and with a flash of light it lit on fire! People in the crowd screamed as the rider took it in his gloved hand and tossed it at Aiden, and then turned and rode back into the darkness, the only thing remaining of his presence being the flaming sack that sat at Aiden's feet and a high pitched cackle echoing around the crowd, and sending chills up Loki's spine.
Loki looked around at their group, seeing pale faces on all but his mother and Thor. Thor actually looked amused, and his mother seemed to have a knowing twinkle in her eye. He was opening his mouth to ask what had amused them so, but before he could he heard gasps from all around and soon turned towards the stage again.
The headless rider had returned, but he seemed more relaxed as he dismounted his horse and strode up the stage in powerful and heavy steps. The rider and Aiden stared at each other for the length of a heartbeat, before Aiden smiled and strode forward to embrace the rider with a laugh.
Loki was surprised to see the rider embrace back before the two of them turned to the crowd and both bowed. With a heavy thud the cloak the rider had been using slid from his head and onto the floor, and as the rider straightened and disentangled from the cloak Loki saw why.
Two bags of flour had been stuffed into the shoulders of the cloak, and beneath the length of black cloth stood Diana with a wide grin on her face. She had changed from her dress earlier in the evening into a pair of black riding breeches, a black shirt and vest and black riding boots. Both her mask and wings were also missing, and her hair had been all swept back into a simple bun.
"Everyone, I'd like to congratulate my sister Diana on being a fantastic Headless Horseman on Apollo, giving everyone a good dose of both fear and excitement for Halloween!" Aiden loudly announced, grabbing Diana's wrist and bringing it up into the air like a conquering hero, and the crowd of town's folk gave in and cheered even louder and their amazing performance. Loki couldn't help but joining in.
It was only later that they finally met up again with Diana as she sheepishly moved up next to Loki with Apollo's reins clenched in her hand. "Well, what did you think?"
Loki didn't verbally answer her; he simply gave her a wide smile before pulling her into a very public and affectionate kiss. Diana smiled into the kiss as he lifted her off her feet and kissed him back for all she was worth, ignoring the way Tony started gagging until Pepper also kissed him to shut him up, and not noticing the way Frigga and Thor shared a happy look between each other.
And that is the end of my Halloween chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it, and that everyone's Halloween, or Samhain, is filled with tricks and treats and all sorts of good stuff! Without further ado, please review! Till next time my loyal readers!