3

Santa, Stick 'Em Up!

The holidays are a time of joy, frustration, and attempted robbery. ~ Loki

Loki woke up early the next morning, it was Friday, and after making everyone breakfast and sending his older children off to school, he decided to call Derek back and tell him what to do about the risqué game cover. "I want to auction off five of the covers and use the money we raise for charity," he told his CEO. "The money goes to The Autism Foundation of NYC. And there's a proviso. Whoever wins one of these has to sign a form that states they will be legally bound to never release this on any social media site due to slandering my reputation as a reputable game designer. They can show it to their friends but no pictures are allowed to be posted anywhere or else I will sue them for defamation of character, understood?"

"Gotcha, boss."

"We take down the names, addresses, cell numbers, and email of the five who win as part of the disclaimer." Loki added. "Hopefully that should work to keep this anonymous."

"Will do, Loki. When should this auction be held?"

"Tomorrow if possible."

"What do we do with the rest of the covers?"

"Shred them," Loki ordered. "I can't risk anyone getting a hold of one and using it to smear me. And have whoever came up with the design delete it from the database for the same reason."

"Okay. I'll call you when the arrangements for the auction are made. Are you all set for Christmas?"

"Mostly. I still have to shop for dinner," Loki replied. "How about you?"

"We'll go over my wife's in-laws house for Christmas Day. But we could always stop by Christmas Eve."

"All right. I'll save you some cookies and egg nog," Loki chuckled. "You already got your Christmas bonus from me."

"I'm using it to go on a cruise to the Caribbean after the holidays, so thanks. Maybe you should go on a cruise, Loki."

"Derek, a cruise with my kids would not be a good idea," Loki laughed. He could just picture the mayhem the children could cause on a boat. "But have fun on yours."

He hung up and went to tell Max and Aleta to put on their jackets as they were going to the store.

"Yay! What are we going to buy?" Aleta asked excitedly, her light up pink sneakers glowing as she jumped from place to place.

"We are going to buy what I need for dinner for Christmas," Loki answered.

"Are we allowed to pick out snacks?" Max wanted to know,

"Yes. But one each only. We have enough at home," Loki sighed. If he didn't watch them carefully, his two scamps had been known to fill a cart with snacks they "needed" to have before he ever made it to the checkout line.

"Ok. We will be good, Daddy." Aleta said and smiled.

Soon they had arrived at the store, which was packed with people. "Oh Norns! Must be a sale on something," Loki groaned as he helped the kids out of the van and then snagged a shopping cart. He put Max in the front and Aleta in the back. "Okay. Let's go."

He consulted the list on his iPhone.

The first produce item on it was asparagus, for the baked asparagus and onion au gratin casserole.

"Why are there so many people?" Max asked, looking around him.

"Must be a sale going on," Loki answered. "I forgot to check my alerts on my phone."

He wheeled the cart by the asparagus and picked up several bunches. All of the kids loved that dish.

"Daddy, what are you making?" asked Max.

"My baked asparagus au gratin." Loki replied. "Now, who can tell me what else I need?"

"I know!" Aleta cried. "An onion!"

"That's right, spark. Where's an onion?"

"There, Dad!" Max pointed to the onions next to the potatoes.

Loki put three Vidalias in the cart. "Okay." He pushed a button on his phone and those items were crossed off his list. "Now I need some potatoes."

"Do we need big potatoes or little ones?" Aleta asked.

He walked toward the produce, his mouth falling open at a display for cereal. Thor stood, his arms crossed, and several boxes were left of the cereal.

Aleta gaped. "Daddy! It's Uncle Thor cereal!"

"Oh Hel." He said, repressing laughter at the name of the cereal. Thoreos.

Max and Aleta giggled while Loki picked out the box and looked at the photo.

"Shall we get some for us and some for him?" Loki asked.

The smiling face of Thor declared that the cereal would "Keep bodies and minds strong."

"Yes!" the toddlers said at the same time.

"There is a hammer keychain in the box!" Aleta said.

Loki nearly hit himself in the forehead. "Norns help us all!" he muttered. Then he smirked, imagining Tony's expression when he saw the cereal. "Mother of God! Please tell me they didn't make one of me!"

"Daddy should have it for his keys." Aleta said.

"Well, we have two boxes, so I can give Hunter one for his keychain collection," Loki said.

"Just your helmet," Max said, pointing to the back of the box. Loki turned the box around and saw there were three key chains. There was Mjolnir, Loki's helmet and the third key chain was Thor's helmet. Loki smiled.

Loki put four boxes of the cereal in the cart-two each for him and Thor.

"What if they're the same key chain?" Max asked.

"Doesn't matter," Loki said, placing the cereal boxes in the cart. They headed for the produce section when they stopped near the potatoes.

Loki let the kids help him pick out good sized firm potatoes..He placed the potatoes in the cart then checked his phone. He pushed the button as he crossed the items off the list and smiled.

"Now what do we need?" Then he got some crushed garlic. "Okay, now we need breadcrumbs, grated cheese, cheddar cheese, and one large ham and a turkey."

"Daddy, what about the cream of celery soup?" Aleta reminded him. That went in the asparagus bake.

"Thank you for reminding me, spark," Loki said and headed for the soup aisle.

Once he had the soup in the cart he went to pick up the ham, which was in large refrigerated cases in the middle of the aisle by the meat section.

He stopped short when he saw a large crowd in front of the refrigerated cases.

Suddenly the PA system announced, "Attention Shop Rite shoppers! All Christmas hams are now on sale! Only $1.99 a pound! Get yours today!"

"Oh Hel," he whispered.

"Ohh Daddy! A sale!" Aleta crowed, her eyes going wide as if she had won the NY Lotto.

"I know, spark," he said, trying to get by the case to grab a ham.

"That's mine!" one of the women shouted as she tried to grab a ham from another woman and Loki swore she was growling.

"I saw it first!" the other woman shouted.

They began pushing each other.

"Ladies, please, there are enough for everyone," the butcher said.

Suddenly a cart banged into his. "Move!" a testy old lady snapped.

"I beg your pardon?" Loki frowned.

"You heard me, sonny! Move it!"

"Hey lady! You is supposed to say please!" Aleta informed her.

"Daddy? That is not being good." Max said.

"Aleta, that wasn't nice," Loki said, though he agreed with his daughter.

"Yeah! Teach that brat some manners!" the old woman said.

Loki wanted to say something as he bit the inside of his cheeks and picked up one of the larger hams.

"Hey! I wanted that one!" she said and Loki slightly rolled his eyes.

"There's another one right there," he replied.

"Hey Grandma, you snooze you lose!" laughed a teenager watching.

"I'm not your grandma, you brat!" she shouted, shaking her cane at the teenager.

"Lucky me! I'd be moving to California!" the boy smirked. Then he sauntered away. Loki noticed he was wearing a gang logo jacket.

"Let's go find the turkey," Loki said in a soft voice and started moving the cart.

He followed the teenager as the teenager headed for some other kids and he saw they were all wearing the same jacket.

Nine Hells! He thought. Those are the Bloody Skulls!

He knew several of the gangs that hung around Manhattan because of Hunter telling him about them.

He needed to find a safe place for Aleta and Max as he looked around and saw the store's nursery.

"Listen to me," he said, looking at the toddlers. "I am going to put you two in the nursery while I find out what they're up to."

"Be careful, Daddy," Max said.

"I will, scamp," he promised. Behind him he heard the boys laughing as one said he wanted Santa to bring him a machine gun.

"I want some cash, man. So I can buy some good dope offa Larry." One hissed.

Guns and drugs, what a great present! Loki thought sarcastically.

They stopped at the door as the girl behind the counter smiled at him and sat up a little straighter.

"Hello."

"Hello," Loki said as he saw the teenagers walking away. "I need to drop these two off while I finish my shopping."

"Yeah. It's a real zoo out there today with all the sales going on."

She handed him the sign-in sheet as he wrote down his name as well as the toddlers' names then lowered them to the floor. He led them to the door as the girl opened the door and the toddlers went inside.

"Ooooo! They have Legos!" Max said as he ran to the play table.

"And A Year Without A Santa Claus!" Aleta said as she ran to sit in front of the television.

"Here's the pager in case we need you," she said and handed Loki the small pager. Nodding, he pushed the cart and tried to figure out where the teenagers went.

He saw a black leather jacket with a white skull bleeding from the eyes dart through the cosmetic and hair care aisle.

He slowly moved the cart when he saw several female gang members placing cosmetics into the pockets of their jackets.

Shoplifting too! he sighed. Damn!

"Gotta love BOGOs!" one of the girls said and they giggled.

"Yo! What are you doing!?" one of the boys shouted and the girls ran over to him. Loki followed them when he saw they were heading for the service desk and one of the boys kept looking around to see if they were being watched.

A lady with a small basket gasped as she rounded the corner. Before she could say anything, Loki touched her lightly on the shoulder. "Don't say anything, ma'am. They could attack you. Just pretend you didn't see it. I'll deal with them."

"Are you an undercover cop?" she whispered.

"Something like that," Loki said thinking An undercover superhero.

"Well, be careful," she said and he nodded, watching her leave.

He frowned wondering what the Skulls were up to. Because they weren't in here by chance.

"Come on, man. We need some smack, I'm starting to twitch." The green haired boy said and scratched at his skin.

No, kid. You need rehab, Loki thought, all the while taking note of how many there were and what they had on them.

He noticed the leader was almost as tall as he was, but he was built like Thor and had a bleeding skull tattooed to the back of his right hand.

I take him out and the others will crumble, Loki thought.

He noted the telltale bulge of a knife in one boot. Loki shrugged. He would disarm him first. He would leave his own daggers in the InBetween. He only drew them when he meant to kill and he did not intend to end anyone's life here.

The woman behind the counter noticed the teenagers as the leader walked closer and slammed his fist on the counter.

"Hands where I can see them!" he shouted.

"What?" The woman asked, shaking.

The woman nodded, placing her hands on the counter and he tried to see over the top of the counter.

"Better yet. Stand over by the smokes."

She backed up toward the cigarettes when he smiled, but Loki frowned.

"Now kid, you don't wanna do this," began a man dressed in a Santa suit. "It's Christmas." He carried a leather satchel like a bank deposit one.

"Oh Hel," Loki sighed.

"Well looky here! It's the jolly old troll himself!" the boy hooted. "Santa, stick 'em up!"

"See what he has in that bag, Man," the boy with green hair said, scratching his arms.

"Santa, just give us the money!" snapped the leader. "We'll beat you up if you don't hand it over!"

"Yeah! Save all the toys for the little rich boys!" one of the other boys said.

"Please! This money is for charity," the man began. "To help kids like you."

"No one gives a crap about kids like us!"

"I do," Loki said as he walked closer and they turned to look at him.

"Whoa! It's Thor!" one of the boys said.

"No, you idiot! That's Loki!" one of the girls said.

"Are you giving me lip?!" he said and she cringed.

"That ain't no superhero you lame brain!" sneered the leader. "Where's his fancy ass costume?"

"I'm off the clock," Loki said.

"You'll be dead if you don't back off!" the leader said.

Loki arched an eyebrow. "Been there and done that. Now don't make threats you can't keep."

"You think you can take me?!"

"Shall we find out?" Loki queried. He jerked his thumb at the entrance. "Outside. Now."

"Mess him up, man!" the kid with green hair cheered and the other boys chanted "Fight!" over and over.

"Yeah! That watch will set us up nice!" The kid said, scratching again.

"Please! Don't do this! The money isn't worth your life!" Santa said.

"No one is going to die," Loki said, motioning with his hands toward the door.

"Is that really Loki, Tricks?" asked one teenage girl with spiked hair. "Thought he was bigger."

A blonde girl with half her head shaved nodded. "Yup. I saw him fight Kang on the Brooklyn Bridge."

"Yeah, that was me," Loki said with a bow.

"I'm Bloody Jack! And I'm gonna kick your ass back to Asgard or wherever the hell you came from, pretty boy!" sneered the leader.

"Well, that should be interesting." Loki said, raising an eyebrow. They were now on the sidewalk and the other Skulls began to form a circle about the two, chanting, "Fight! Fight!"

"I am going to enjoy this!" Bloody Jack said.

"Promises, promises," Loki drawled. Then he fell into his combat mode where he could size up and opponent instantly and figure out how to counter moves with his martial arts training.

Bloody Jack started circling him while the others chanted "Fight! Fight!" and Loki noticed he kept looking down at his boot.

"Going for your knife?" Loki asked.

"Maybe," Jack said.

"Never draw a weapon unless you know how to use it," Loki lectured, sounding like his old martial arts teacher.

"Oh, he knows how to use it!" the boy with green hair said and the other boys laughed.

Loki watched Jack as the boy swung his fist at him, telegraphing his intent as if he held up a sign. Loki grabbed the boy's wrist easily, pulling him in close. Jack gasped when Loki rammed his elbow into Jack's side and dodged out of the way.

The boy swore at him and went for the knife in his boot.

There was a flash of metal as Jack lunged at Loki with the knife in his fist.

Loki glided away like oil on water and his hand flashed out, chopping Jack's wrist.

Jack screamed as the knife fell to the ground and Loki promptly kicked Jack's legs out from under him.

"You broke my wrist, man!"

"Not broken. Sprained. I warned you."

Jack got back up as he held his wrist against his chest and the others cheered his name.

"Ready to give up?" Loki asked.

In answer the boy gave him the finger.

Sighing, Loki returned to his fighting stance and held out his right hand, wiggling two fingers at him.

Growling, Jack charged at Loki then ran right through him and crashed into the boy with green hair.

"Over here," Loki said and Jack turned to see him standing behind him.

"How'd he do that?!" Spikey Hair asked.

"Whoa!" the girls said at the same time and Jack glared at them.

"Magic!" Loki said as Jack ran at him and Loki slammed his fist into Jack's stomach. He knew he had to be careful with how hard he hit Jack as he watched Jack fall to his knees. Jack vomited as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and slowly stood up.

"Had enough now?" Loki demanded.

"I am going to kill you!" Jack shouted when the sounds of sirens filled the air and Loki folded his arms over his chest.

"No! Not the cops!" the boy with green hair shouted.

"Leg it!" one of the girls said. They started to run when Loki waved his hand and they became frozen to the spot.

Loki cast a spell to take himself and the teenagers out of time, enough so he could impart the message he needed without any interference from New York's finest. He wasn't surprised the police had been called, but he was surprised they had responded so quickly. He felt the shimmer of the magic take effect, then he said calmly, "You aren't going anywhere just yet. Are you ready to listen to me?" He used the same soft authoritative tone he did when scolding his children, and as always it made the teenagers pay attention.

"You ain't got nothing to say I wanna hear!" Jack said belligerently.

"I'd wait and see what I have to say first," Loki replied. He looked at the other Skulls. "Why were you robbing a grocery store and a Salvation Army Santa?"

"We needed the money," a skinny boy replied.

"For what? Guns and drugs?" Loki queried.

"No. Only Crash and Tito do smack." the other answered. "Gideon and I wanted money to give our mom and dad so they could buy presents for our kid brothers and sisters."

"Your parents know you run with the Skulls?" Loki frowned.

"Aww hell no! They think it's just a club after school," the skinny boy replied. "My dad would kill me if he knew what we was really doin'. Only he works sixteen hour shifts over at Port Authority so he ain't home much."

Loki could tell the boy was not lying.

He eyed the girls who had been shoplifting the cosmetics. "You two will put back whatever you took. Stealing isn't going to get you anywhere but in juvie."

"Why do you care anyhow?" Tricks asked.

"Because I've seen where this leads and trust me, you don't want to go there," Loki answered. "You have choices now that you may not later on if you continue down this path." His gaze swung over to Crash, the green haired boy.

"I'm sick!" The boy said, shivering with withdrawls.

"Yes, because the stuff you're taking is poison. You're going to kill yourself if you don't stop," Loki said bluntly. "Fifteen is too young to end up a statistic." His eyes met those of the desperate boy and he used every ounce of persuasion he possessed in his next words. "I want you to go and get help. There is a free clinic at this address." He stuck a piece of paper in the boy's pocket. "They won't ask any personal questions, but the docs there will help you. This is what I mean about choices. The drugs don't free, they trap. Choose to free yourself from them. You belong in school, not dead in some alley. Understand?"

The boy blinked, and Loki could tell he had reached the impressionable boy. "I . . . okay. I'll do it. You sure they won't charge me anything?"

"Yes. It's free." Loki assured him.

"I feel sick now man."

"I will send you there now," Loki decided, fearing the boy would not make it on his own. He concentrated and gestured and the boy vanished.

"Where'd he go?"

"To Fourth Street Clinic," Loki answered, giving them the address. "You can visit him in a day or two if the docs say so."

Loki gazed at Jack, who glared at him unrepentantly.

"You ain't fooling me with your fancy talk," the boy snapped. "I got nobody and I ain't goin' back to Four Square." He named one of the larger orphanage/reform centers in the city.

"Then might I suggest an alternative?" Loki said. "Go to Second Chance instead."

Jack paled. "That's even worse! That scumbag Grimes is there."

"Not any longer. He's in jail and it's under new management." Loki replied. "You will be able to get three meals a day there and they will give you clothes."

"What do I gotta do for it?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"Go to school. And stay there," Loki answered. "Whatever you were won't be held against you."

"Don't do it, Jack." One of the girls said. "These rich guys lie all the time."

"I'm not." Loki said evenly. "With an education you can do anything. Without one you will be stuck where you are now. But it's up to you. I will make you a deal. Try it for a week. No strings. You don't like it, you can walk away. You lose nothing. Or are you too afraid?" Loki challenged.

Jack bristled. "I'm not afraid of anything, Mr. Norse God!"

"Then we have a deal?" Loki asked.

Jack nodded. "A week. Then I can leave?"

"If you want." Loki was betting the kid wouldn't once he found out that things weren't so bad at Second Chance.

"Okay. But I still run the Skulls."

"Fine. But no more robbing anyone. Or else I'll let the cops have you." Loki warned.

"And Crash will be ok?" one of the girls asked. Loki wondered if she was Crash's girlfriend and he gave her a smile.

"Yes, he'll be fine."

"What-what are you going to do to us?" one of the smaller boys whined.

"Nothing. I don't hurt children." He pulled out his wallet. "Take this. Go and have a Merry Christmas. If you need a meal or a bed, go to Grace Street Mission on the corner of Fifty-first and Grace." He gave all of the children two hundred dollars.

"Why do you care?" Jack demanded staring at the money Loki put in his pocket.

"Because everyone deserves a second chance." Loki replied.

He cancelled the freeze spell and brought them back from the time halt spell. "Go back and buy what you stole," he told the girls.

"Yes, sir," the girls said and returned to the store. The others scattered as sirens wailed closer.

One boy glanced back and called over his shoulder, "Thanks, Loki."

"Behave. Or next time I won't be so nice," Loki warned, and watched them all leave.

A brush of air overhead made him look up as Loki saw Iron Man floating overhead and Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow were sitting on hover cycles.

"Hey, Jarvis got a nine one one call about a robbery and that you were involved," Tony said, gliding down to the ground.

"And you thought the store was being robbed by Ultron?!" Loki teased and Tony snorted a laugh, rolling his eyes.

"No, but you know how these things can get messy," Steve said after landing the hover cycle.

"Just tell me you didn't call..."

A roar of thunder made Loki put his face in his hands and Thor landed with a loud thud.

"You really gotta work on that landing, brother," Loki groaned. "You nearly put a hole in the sidewalk."

"Is everything alright, brother?!" Thor asked.

"Yes, everything's fine."

"Daddy!" Max shouted as he and Aleta ran out of the store and headed for him.

"What are you two doing out here? I left you in the nursery," Loki asked, kneeling down.

"We were, but the lady left the door open after someone told her the Avengers were here!" Aleta said and smiled at Tony. "Hi, Uncle Tony."

"Hey, kid," Tony said.

"Daddy, did you get those bad people who scared Santa?" Max asked.

"What bad people?" Steve asked.

"I took care of it, imp," Loki answered. "Those kids won't be doing that anymore."

"Come on, Reindeer Games, what happened?" Tony asked. Sighing, Loki picked the kids up as they headed for the store and he explained. "Glad you were able to get them to listen."

"I hope they do listen," Loki said with a sigh.

"Daddy, did you get everything on the list?" Aleta said.

"The list?! Hel, I forgot!"

Loki looked toward the service desk when he saw the cart was now parked next to it and the woman behind the desk smiled at him.

"Thought you'd still be needing this," she said as he approached and laughed softly.

"Thank you," Loki said.

"Thank you," she said and he nodded.

"Want some help finishing up?" Thor asked, now dressed in a red hoodie, jeans and carrying Mjolnir disguised as a cane.

"Sure," Loki said and divided the list.

"Dad, you said we can get one snack," Max reminded him.

"Let's pick one out," Loki said.

Max pointed to a display of Goldfish. "Look! Superhero Goldfish!"

"I want those, too!" Aleta said.

Loki placed two bags into the cart when Max noticed the toy car display and one of the cars had horns like Loki's helmet.

"Daddy! Look! That car's got horns!" Max said.

Loki took the package off the hook as he looked at the car and his picture was right above the car.

"I thought you had this one, Imp," Loki said.

"I did, but Nate accidentally ran over it with his wheelchair. The horns got squashed."

"I'll fix it when we get home."

"Daddy, maybe we can get some things for the toy drive box. I saw it by the door," Aleta said.

"That is a great idea, spark," he said and they helped him pick out some toys.

After the list was completed, Loki led the cart to the register and saw Tony, Steve, Natasha, Clint and Thor standing in line.

"Did you get everything?" Loki asked.

"Yep," Tony said and Loki checked the carts.

"Where's Uncle Bruce?" Max asked.

"Yes, where is he?" Loki asked.

"He was in the middle of an experiment," Tony said and Loki nodded.

"Said something about making the perfect eggnog recipe," Clint said with a shrug.

"By the Nine," Loki sighed. The last time Bruce made eggnog, they were hungover for nearly a week.

"Excuse me," made Loki look to his right when he saw three teenage girls standing there and he tilted his head to one side.

"May I help you?" Loki asked.

"Yeah. See, that's my mom," one of the girls said as she pointed to the lady behind the service desk. "If you hadn't stopped those jerks..."

"Yes," he said with a nod.

"Well, could we have a picture?" the other girl said. With a shrug, Loki stood in between the girls as the first girl used her phone to take a photo then thanked him.

"That was nice, Daddy," Aleta said.

"Whoa! It's Captain America!" a man in the next line said and Steve smiled.

"Can we have a photo?!" his friend asked.

"Sure," Steve said and walked over to them.

"Mommy, look! It's Iron Man!" shouted a little boy. He dragged his mother over by Tony. "Can I have a picture too?"

"Sure, kid." Tony posed with the child and his mom snapped a picture.

Some more girls came up giggling and asked Loki to take their picture with Thor.

Loki gazed heavenward and thought, Norns save us from bubbleheaded hormonal teenagers! Then he took two pictures with their phone.

"Daddy. Why don't they want pictures with you?" Max asked.

"I had some girls take pictures with me," Loki told him.

He felt something grab his boot and looked down to see a pint-sized little girl hugging his leg. "Hello there!"

"Larissa! Oh Lord there you are!" her mother cried, running over. "Oh, I'm so sorry. sir! She's normally not like this with strange-oh my word! You're-you're-"

"It's Loki, Mommy!" Larissa cried.

"Yes, honey, I see that." Her mother said, smiling. "She thinks you are the greatest thing since peanut butter and jelly. She makes me put on the news clips of you so she can watch them over and over on my tablet. I hope you don't mind her taking a picture with you?"

"Not at all." He knelt and put his arm around the child, and they smiled for the camera.

"Okay, Larissa. Now you have to say goodbye to Loki. We need to get home before Daddy does."

The little girl looked woebegone. "Awww, but I wanna play wif Loki!"

"Larissa . . ." her mother sighed in exasperation.

"Tell you what," Loki said, recalling the Loki car he had purchased. "You take this and play with it. It's my car." He gave the little girl the car.

Larissa's face lit up as if he had just given her a million dollars. "Mommy! My own Loki car!" She hugged the toy to her as if it were something precious.

"Thank you! You just made her Christmas," her mother grinned. Then she stood on tiptoe and kissed Loki's cheek. Blushing, she took her daughter's hand. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" Loki said, and Tony whistled. "Must be your day, Reindeer Games. None of the rest of us rated a kiss."

"All the ladies wanna rip Daddy's clothes off," Aleta informed her uncles loudly.

People's heads turned.

"Thanks, spark!" Loki groaned.

The other Avengers laughed.

After the photo op session was over, the Avengers helped Loki put everything in the van.

"What time do you want us over for dinner on Christmas?" Tony asked. He, Natasha, Bruce, Thor, Aunt May, Peter and Loki's family would all be eating over at the Laufeyson residence. Clint would be spending Christmas day with his own family.

"Six thirty," Loki answered.

"We'll be there," Iron Man said.

"Loki, when are we eating Yule Eve?" Thor asked.

"We're ordering from Antonio's," Loki said. "So around six."

"Oh good! Will you get that Italian smothered steak again?" the Thunder God asked.

"Yes, I'll make sure they give me an extra large one," Loki chuckled. That was one of their specialties and Thor loved it. "Plus an extra loaf of their garlic bread."

"I will bring pastries from Ferrara's" Thor promised.

"Not too many, Thor. We're doing a new tradition this year, I'll explain when you get there," Loki said.

Then he bid the Avengers goodbye and drove back home. No sooner had he texted Sam to get the kids out and help bring in the groceries, then he received a text from Hunter.

Dad, we have a situation! Odin chased Mischief up the Christmas tree and it fell down!

Oh, Nine Hells!