After so long, here it is! I know a lot have been asking for an update and I apologize I couldn't put it up sooner.

I do want to warn that I put 1 swear word in this chapter. Please don't be offended but I thought the word was something that the character would say.

Now for Chapter 16!

Disclaimer: yeah, you know already.

Mandy P.O.V.

A new day had dawned and I felt a lot better than I had been for the past few days. My fever was gone and Loki and I got to talk, releasing the tension. I felt refreshed even if I did have to wake up in the middle of the night thanks to that terrible thunderstorm. Regardless, I was not going to let it spoil my morning.

As I walked out of my room to start making breakfast, I passed by the living room. I heard gentle breathing from where the couch was supposed be which meant my guest was still asleep. By the way he sounded, he must have been deep in sleep.

I felt a little guilty realizing that he was probably exhausted from taking care of me while I was ill. For someone who looked down on himself so much, he was quite selfless. If he truly was a bad person, he would not have stayed and helped me.

I was about to leave and let him be when I accidentally kicked a cloth on the floor. Upon further inspection, I found out that it was his blanket that must have fallen off. As carefully and as quietly as I could, I picked it up and placed it on Loki. He did not seem to stir so I went on my way to the kitchen.

By the time I had finished cooking, he was still asleep. I opted to wait for him to wake so we could eat together. Retreating to my room, I pulled out some clay to toy with for a while.

I had spent a few minutes molding when I heard my door creek open.

"Mandy?" a familiar voice suddenly said.

"Oh, you're up. Good Morning." I greeted my house guest with a smile.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, taking a seat beside me.

I patted his hand lightly as I answered, "Yeah, thanks to you."

He pulled it away gently and sighed. "Do try to avoid getting sick again. It is quite a hassle to continuously check if you haven't fallen off the bed in your feverish state."

I was certain he was trying to make it sound like he did not care but I knew that he was just too proud to admit that he was sincerely worried. His actions in the past two days proved as much that he was concerned.

Taking what Loki said lightly, I chuckled before saying, "For the record, I only fell once and it was not from the bed."

"If you say so." He scoffed, making me giggle again.

Not wanting an unnecessary and useless argument, I said, "Fine, whatever. I'll let you win."

After a few calm seconds, I asked him, "Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Not yet. I have only just risen." He answered bluntly.

Taking his hand, I told him, "Then come on. Let's eat."

We ate without too much bickering, although he had a tendency to rub in how much displeasure I put him through dealing with the past few days.

I found it funny how he never complained when it was actually happening but I let it be. After all, I did owe him for helping me out and dealing with all the drama I put him under.

After a while, I decided to let him know what the plan for the day was.

"I need to go to town in the afternoon. Would you like to come with me?"

The sound of utensils stopped and I understood that my offer surprised him. I let a few moments pass to give him time to decide.

"I'm not entirely sure I should." He answered with honest hesitation.

A bit confused, I asked him, "Is there something wrong with going out there?"

In my mind I tried to find possible reasons.

Was he afraid to be seen or recognized? Was he hiding something? Did he hate the town?

"I am not fond of people and as you may have noticed, I am not as familiar with the way things are done here." He answered but I knew he was not telling the whole truth.

"Is that all? People there are nice." I said, secretly trying to get him to say more.

I heard him move closer as he rhetorically asked, "What would they think when they meet me? I doubt that they would take kindly to a man who was merely left injured in the middle of nowhere."

"They don't have to know that part." I told him but with a sound of defeat in my voice.

He challenged me saying, "What would you tell them if they ask?"

I bit my lip and mumbled "I think I should be asking you that."

He was right to assume that people would question his presence. After all, it was a small town where everyone knew each other. Not to mention that a stranger going around with me was definitely going to raise a few eyebrows.

A minute of silence passed before I decided to speak up again.

"If it makes things easier, we could always make up a story."

Loki immediately responded in disbelief. "You mean to lie? That seems like an odd suggestion coming from you."

I gave a sarcastic scoff and said "Did you think the townspeople would have helped me if they knew the truth about me? Mrs. Wednesday sugar-coated a lot of things."

He took a moment, possibly trying to accept my idea before speaking. "So what story would you suggest?"

I thought hard for something to use. There had to be some loose end that I could insert Loki in.

"You could be some long lost grandson of hers or something. No one knows where Mrs. Wednesday's family is anyway."

He snorted, saying, "Is that the best idea you can give?"

"Yeah, I'm not so good at this." I admitted, feeling a bit stupid.

I could tell that he was trying to think of something else as he went silent.

I waited patiently until he said. "It seems your story will have to do. I might make some alterations though."

His statement made me smile. I agreed with him saying, "Whatever you think is more believable. And before I forget, are you going to use your own name or something else?"

"I suppose a different name would work best, as long as it is not too unusual." He told me, silently giving me a chance to give a suggestion.

It did not take much thought to find something good to call him. "What about 'Luke'? It's a common name and it sounds close to yours."

Loki repeated the name to himself before saying, "It does sound fitting."

Feeling quite pleased, I said, "Well now that that's settled, go and get dressed, 'Luke Wednesday.' We'll go after lunch."

Loki P.O.V.

Even as we were about to leave the house, I was still unsure about going to town. I was not in the mood to meet other Midgardians. Mandy was already confusing to deal with but she was more understanding and willing to accept things without too much question. The other mortals however might not be as kind.

The only reason I agreed was because of Mandy's persistence. Why she wanted my presence, I did not really know. I assumed that she wanted to find something else for me to do or focus on. Unfortunately, roaming around Earth was not an appealing pastime for me.

We followed the rock trail that Mandy had explained to be what she used to travel back and forth between her house and the town. Within just a few minutes, I found myself observing the entire area. Come to think of it, I had not been away from Mandy's home since my arrival. It seemed strange yet also refreshing to be outside especially in the cool weather left behind by the storm.

There was a common silence between us as we walked side by side. I had somehow grown accustomed to seeing her move around effortlessly that I felt that there was no need to watch out for her. She may have been clumsy but she was just as capable, far beyond what anyone would expect from a blind person.

Halfway through, Mandy stopped suddenly, and called me to come to where she stood.

"This is the spot." She said with a soft voice.

I raised an eyebrow and asked, "What spot?"

She bent down and patted the ground saying, "This is where I found you, remember?"

Taking a closer look, I saw scattered rocks and a shallow crater. I suddenly remembered that it was not too long ago that I was there, lying in pain and lost as to what to do next. Mandy saved me that day. If it was not for her, I would not be as well as I was now.

Not wanting to get sentimental, I said to her, "Let us keep moving."

She did not resist but instead, got up, nodded and began to walk ahead.

The trip had taken about half an hour since our pace was rather slow. Neither of us seemed to be in a rush anyway so I did not mind.

When we had arrived, I studied the town, its features and the people there. It looked a little like the one Thor was banished to. The buildings were far simpler than that of Asgard and the people looked as if they knew each other well.

I felt a hand hold on to mine and I realized that it was Mandy, gesturing me to come with her. She lead my across streets that lacked modern modes of transport which I had heard were now common among humans.

Several people had greeted Mandy as we went on. Their expressions showed surprise and curiosity when they saw me but there did not seem to look suspicious.

"So, how do you like it so far?" I heard her ask.

I evaluated the area one more time before I replied, "It is different than I am accustomed to."

She smiled at me and said, "But not in a bad way, right?"

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and she took it as an affirmation.

Passing by several stores, I saw strange wares displayed. Some were technological, others were just odd.

"If there's anything you want, just let me know." Mandy then said.

Why in the world would people buy spectacles that block their eyes, booklets of scantily dressed women and rodent shaped footwear?

"I highly doubt I would desire anything from here." I replied scoffing.

She playfully rolled her blind eyes and just kept walking.

"Hi, Mandy!" An old woman greeted from a small window.

Mandy turned to her and said, "Mrs. Gracie? Hello to you too."

She smiled and went over to an opened door beside her to join us outside.

"How are you, child?" the woman asked, smoothening Mandy's hair.

Not bothered by the one she called Mrs. Gracie, Mandy replied, "I'm good. I'm taking my friend, Luke, around town."

Finally noticing me, the woman raised her eyes to meet mine and asked. "Oh, are you new here?"

"Quite." I replied bluntly but politely.

She appeared a bit excited upon learning that I was not a local which I found rather odd. She then invited both Mandy and myself inside to sit while she entered a separate room.

I was confused as to what she was planning. I came up with ideas ranging from a simple welcome gesture to a barbaric initiation ritual.

When the woman finally returned, she brought 2 cups with a strange white substance in each of them as well as a spoon.

"I made this batch just today. This is for you." She said offering me a cup and the other to Mandy.

I looked at her, silently asking what was going on.

She explained, "It's a bit of a tradition here that we give a newcomer a free taste. You can't say you've been in town without trying it."

"The ice cream here is famous. Mrs. Gracie makes it herself." Mandy then added before scooping a bit and putting it in her mouth.

I hesitated at first, not knowing exactly what it was I was going to eat but the woman's eager eyes forced me to take it to avoid insulting her and causing a scene.

The "ice cream" was soft and cold like snow, but also a little sweet. Food like it was unheard of in Asgard and strangely, I really enjoyed it.

I was lost in thought when I realized that Mrs. Gracie was staring at me, waiting for some sort of acknowledgement.

"This food, I like it." I said giving her the smile I used to convince anyone that I was pleased.

She seemed satisfied by my response for she then told Mandy, "I haven't lost my touch then. Yours is on the house too, dear."

Mandy's eyes grew wide as she said, "No, Mrs. Gracie, that's too much."

She reassured her saying, "Nonsense, you're not just a customer, you're a friend. Besides, it wouldn't look nice if we let Luke eat alone."

With that being said, Mandy nodded and proceeded to eat. Mrs. Gracie then left us alone to finish our ice cream.

"Do you really like it?" Mandy suddenly asked in a softer voice.

She looked curious which I found amusing. She must have been assumed that I had lied earlier.

"Actually, I find do delicious. I see why it is quite popular." I informed her, oddly not ashamed of sharing my true thoughts with her.

Mandy smirked before taking another bite.

I too continued savoring the new yet delightful treat I was given. Silently enjoying myself, I suddenly noticed that Mandy had left a bit of ice cream on her face. I found it a little cute, like a small child who had yet to learn how to eat neatly.

I wiped the cream off the corner of her mouth with my hand saying, "You may be blind but since I've never seen you make a mess before, you don't have an excuse to do so now."

She turned red as she ran two fingers over the area as well. "Thanks. That's kinda embarrassing. Sorry about that."

I honestly did not mind, but I said nothing. Instead I let the subject pass and went on to my food.

We stayed there until we had finished and then went on once again, through the town.

Eventually, we reached a small building with a sign 'Convenience Store.' There was a rather small older man inside who seemed pleasantly alerted by our presence.

"Well hello, Mandy. The usuals, I presume? Who's this?" he asked with his eyes on me.

She gave a very calm introduction. "This is Luke Wednesday. Luke, meet Brian McCain."

I gave him a short nod of acknowledgement, but he only raised an eyebrow and asked, "Wednesday? As in Mrs. Wednesday's…"

"Grandson." I finished. "Although I have not met her before." I also added, to ensure I could avoid discussing things I could not lie about.

"Really, now. Whose kid are you?" He then asked, seemingly probing me more than in a normal conversation.

I thought quickly as a liesmith could and answered, "The eldest."

Brian cocked his head in confusion. "Margaret's? But your last name is…"

"I've chosen to take my mother's surname for personal reasons." I immediately told him, not even giving the slightest hint that I was not telling the truth.

The man did not seem to be satisfied for he continued to question me. "So what brings you to town?"

"I needed some time away from home. I thought coming to my grandmother would help. I did not know she had passed away." I gave my answer and slipping in a tone of sadness in my voice.

"No one knew where your family went so we couldn't tell them." Brian explained.

I nodded as if I understood making him drop the conversation.

"I suppose we should get started, Mandy. Luke, you can take a look around while we work on the groceries. It's a little tedious if you're not used to it." Brian said, taking Mandy with him.

Mandy P.O.V.

We had walked a small distance when Brian whispered, "Is he the 'guest' you meant when you were here last?"

"Yeah, he is." I told him. I sensed that he was suspicious of Loki but I waited to hear it first.

"Is he really who he says he is?" he then asked as I expected.

I put on an innocent face as I told said, "Does he look like he isn't?"

He sounded hesitant as he spoke. "It's just that I wanna be sure that he isn't just taking advantage of you. You know we care about you."

"Brian, don't worry. He's a good man, even if he doesn't always think so." I reassured him, smirking a bit at the last part.

Unconvinced, he asked "How do you know?"

I pulled out an item from the shelf as I answered, "He's proven it to me without him knowing."

Brian sighed and finally conceded. "Alright, if you're certain."

Loki P.O.V.

I looked around while patiently waiting for Mandy and Brian to finish their work. The place was filled with food stuff and other household items that seemed necessary to humans. I found it strange that only one merchant sold such vital items but I did not put too much thought in to it. Mortals were odd creatures and it would be burdensome to analyze all that they do.

Sometime later, Brian had returned with Mandy. They carried a full basket so I went over to assist, picking it up with ease.

"You're quite a strong fellow." He commented.

I brushed it off saying, "Strength is not defined by heavy lifting."

Brian smirked in amusement. "Ah, you're one of those philosophical types."

"I prefer the term, well-read." I said as I put the basket on a counter.

He went over the items as he continued talking. "That works too. What kind of stuff do you read?"

"I'm rather fond of books on art and science but I am not limited by them." I answered, enjoying how this man was somewhat interested in my love for learning. After all, studying and reading was not an appealing past time to the male Aesir. They were more inclined to fighting and women.

"A cultured man, I see. Where'd you go to school?" he asked.

Not needing to lie, I replied, "I was privately tutored."

I continued to answer Brian's questions in an attempt to give a good impression of myself. The less suspicious I made myself appear, the less trouble I would get in to.

The conversation eventually turned more natural rather than forced. Mandy had left us a few minutes after she sensed that she was no longer needed to stand as the middle man. I found that Brian was not going to be a problem as I had originally assumed.

After a while of talking, we heard a small crash.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, bitch?" A male voice suddenly yelled.

A second person shouted, "Trying to rat us out?"

Curious and a bit concerned, Brian and I walked over to the source of the noise. What we found was not something we would have liked.

Two men were there, one being smaller than the other. The larger man held Mandy by the wrists while the other was taunting her.

Mandy looked absolutely terrified and struggled to escape his grip but the men did not care.

Masking my anger, I approached them and said, "I don't think it's polite to harass a woman, especially when she has not done anything wrong."

One turned to me saying, "Get lost! This is between us and-" His statement was cut off when he finally saw me.

I towered over the smaller man which must have intimidated him a bit. Using that to my advantage, I tried to subtly threaten him.

"I will not say this again. Release the girl and leave. There is no need for violence here."

At first, the little man seemed hesitant to back out but after a silent order from his accomplice, he instead decided to attack.

Pulling out a small knife he lunged at me yelling. "I ain't afraid of some-!"

Not even allowing him to finish, I slammed my hand into his face while disarming him of the weapon. I then pushed him down to the floor.

The larger man, seeing what I did to his partner, roughly tossed Mandy aside and tried to fight me as well.

Brian went over to Mandy and took her away from the dangerous situation.

He was much faster than the other and seemed to have more experience in battling people but that did not mean he was better than me. I managed to dodge his punches with ease until I was distracted by something grabbing me from behind. The small man was able to get back up and assist his friend.

Catching me off guard, the big one hit me in the stomach. Unfortunately for him, my body was much harder than that of mortals. He screamed in agony when he broke his fist in his foolish attempt to hurt me.

Apparently once was not enough for he tried again and fractured his other hand as well.

Knowing he was next, the smaller man released me and began to run away.

I took the knife he held earlier and with excellent accuracy threw it at him, pinning his shirt to the wall and keeping him from escaping.

Satisfied with myself I turned back to the stupid, larger man. He was in pain but tried so hard not to appear defeated. His teary eyes glared at me as he said, "What are you? Some kind monster?!"

The moment he spoke that last word, my patience snapped. I grabbed his neck and began to lift him above the ground.

He began to choke, making noises and gasping for air but I did not care. In my mind, all I could see were terrible memories.

I will have destroyed that race of monsters!

I only wanted to protect you from the truth.

When I'm king, I'll hunt the monsters down and slay them all.

"Stop it."

What is this newfound love for the Frost Giants? You could've killed them all with your bare hands.

What? Because I am the monster that parents tell their children about at night?

"Please."

You could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!

"That's enough!"

I suddenly found myself pulled back into the present. There were two thin, trembling arms wrapped around my waist. I realized it was Mandy, holding me from behind, asking me to let go of the man.

Coming to my senses, I released my grip around his neck and he fell to the ground coughing.

Just as we were settling down, the man ran out of the store yelling, "Damn freak!"

We had only then realized that his accomplice had also escaped, leaving a torn part of his clothing still pinned to the wall.

Brian cautiously approached me and asked, "You alright?"

"I am. I apologize for the mess." I said, but I was honestly not in the mood to talk.

He seemed to have noticed. He then suggested, "Maybe you two should go home. I'll take care of things here."

"Are you sure?" Mandy asked in a still shaky voice.

He put a hand on her shoulder and replied, "You've dealt with enough for one day."

Mandy nodded in agreement.

Brian then turned to me and said, "Luke, you did good. Thanks for that."

I tried to be polite while being inwardly infuriated as I too nodded but said nothing.

I then took the bags of items Mandy had bought and began to leave. She followed suit but before we had exited the store, Brian had whispered something to her.

Afterwards, we set off back to the house, feeling terrible.

End of chapter 16

Finally! This had taken forever to do! This chapter actually reached 4000 words which is A LOT which makes this the longest chapter…I think. A lot happened in this one that I could not separate it into a new chapter.

Oh and if anyone wondered why I gave the name, Luke Wednesday, here's my reason: Luke seems close to Loki and Wednesday is derived from "(W)odin's day" which really is a day dedicated to Odin so it works like Loki ODINson.

Liked it? Hate it? Confused? Got a suggestion? Please let me know. I'm open to criticism and ideas and I want to know if people are still reading this.