Author's Note: Sorry if this seems a little rushed. I had a hectic week and I was in a hurry to get this done by today. Hopefully, the next chapter will be better.

The song featured here is a parody of "Nobody Else But You" from A Goofy Movie.

Any and all comments are welcome.

Loki rested up on the couch in the living room. The only other person was Sharon who was watering the plants. He gave a nice soft smile with a relaxing sigh.

"Ah. A quiet morning with minimal interactions with people I can hardly tolerate. …When will it be ruined?"

"Hey, Mom!" Molly said running in.

"There it is."

"You know how Grandma Nin has always wanted to visit?"

"Did she say that?" Sharon said nervously.

"She did." Loki said. "Every time she called and asked, you either lied about still unpacking, faked interference, or threw your phone into the grill."

"Okay. So she may have dropped some hints."

"Well, good news." Molly said. "I picked up on each and every one of those hints and—get excited—I invited Grandma Nin for a visit!"

Sharon dropped her watering can in complete surprise. "You did wha…"

DING-DONG!

"That must be her." Loki said getting up from the couch. "Might as well meet her now. You sure she's okay with you living with me?"

"Don't worry, my dude. Grandma Nin is cool." Molly said as she, Loki, Scratch, and Darryl headed to the front door.

Molly answere the door and opened it for Grandma Nin to walk in. As soon as she did, Molly and Darryl bowed to her.

"Sawadee ka (kup), Grandma Nin." They both said simultaneously.

"Oh, so you bow for her, but not actual royalty?" Loki said.

Nin chuckled. "It's nice to finally meet you in person, Loki."

"YOU'RE HERE!" Scratch yelled out as he popped up to hug her very enthusiastically. "YOU AND YOUR SNACKS ARE FINALLY HERE!"

"Khanom Buang for my favorite ghost." Nin said as she pulled out a plate full of food which Scratch immediately sucked up like a vacuum.

"She's my favorite family member!" Scratch said. "Sorry, Molly, but it's time you knew."

"Nin. So good to see you." Pete said nervously approaching his mother-in-law.

"Peter, for you, I have a very special Thai fruit." Nin said. She held up a large, prickly fruit.

"What's that? A cactus pineapple?" Loki asked.

"No. It's a durian." Molly said.

"Oh. A durian, you say." Pete said carefully taking the fruit. He tried to bite it, but he couldn't.

"You have to open it first." Nin advised. "By the way, Loki, I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I used my best judgement and got you your own durian." She held up another fruit and passed it to the Trickster.

"Ah. It's what I've always wanted. Yay me." Loki said taking the durian. He passed it to Pete who took Darryl and his own durian to the kitchen.

All that was left was Sharon, who gave her own mother upset eyes. She approached her and bowed.

"Sawadee ka, Khun Mae."

"I have no present for you, Sharon." Nin said. "I spent enough money on your art degree."

"Didn't take long for that to come up." Sharon muttered.

Loki raised his eyebrow curiously. "That's odd. Is it just me, or is there something wrong between Sharon and Nin?"

"What do you mean?" Scratch asked.

Loki pointed to the staircase where Sharon and Nin were already climbing up.

"When do you have to go and sell pork?" Nin asked.

"I've explained this before, Mom. I'm a Gig-Pig. Pork is not involved… usually. Look, we were tight on money and I needed a job to pay for car repairs."

Molly shared Loki's concern. "You know what. I am starting to see it. If Mom and Grandma Nin are distant now, they might grow even further apart! Then Grandma Nin may never come visit again!"

Scratch dropped all his food upon hearing that. "Ah! And I'll never taste her Nin-credible snacks again! Molly, Loki, we have to get to the bottom of this problem! For Mom, for Grandma Nin, and most of all, for me!"

"Well, count me in." Loki said.

"Really?" Molly asked. "I thought you'd need a bit more convincing to be involved in this."

"Molly, there are issues growing within the McGee family. Who am I to not investigate something that interesting?"

"Well, can't reason with mischief." Molly shrugged.

"UGH!" Pete cried out after opening the durian and taking in the foul smell that came from its insides. "It smells like rotten eggs and burnt rubber!"

"Hey, Dad, what's going on with… OH!" Molly said coming into the room and catching the durian smell. "Sweet baby corn, what died in here?"

"Hey!" Scratch yelled out. "That's offensive… but not as offensive as that smell."

Loki gagged. "It's like the bathroom whenever Volstagg is done with it."

"It's the durian Nin brought me and Loki." Pete said. "How does she expect any living being to eat something like… WAIT, LOKI!"

Loki picked off a piece of the durian and tossed into his mouth chewing at it. He took a few bites before swallowing. "Actually, it's not that bad."

"Really?" Pete asked. "Say, do you think you could do me a solid and…"

"No, Pete. I will not eat your durian for you." Loki said. "But we will accept a story from you."

"What story?" Pete asked.

"We want to know what's going on with Mom and Grandma Nin." Molly said. "I'm sensing something keeping them apart."

"Molly, we do not speak of… the tensions." Pete said.

All of a sudden, the room got dark for a song along with a flash of lightning and the dishes rattling.

"Oh, no! Thor has found me!" Loki yelled in reaction to the thunder and lightning. He quickly jumped under the table.

"Oh. It's not that, Loki." Pete said. "That's just what happens whenever someone mentions… the tensions."

The same freak storm happened again and disappeared as quickly as it did appear.

"As a supernatural being," Scratch said, "I feel that's weird and not normal."

"Trust me, kids." Pete said. "Just pretend everything is normal and happy and cozy. Then pray you don't get burned in the inevitable scorched Earth brouhaha between Mom and Nin. Such is the way with… the tensions."

The storm appeared again.

"Uh… Cool, Dad." Molly said slowly walking out with Loki and Scratch. After leaving the kitchen, the three went to Molly's room.

"We gotta fix this situation because I am not losing Grandma Nin or her snacks!" Scratch said.

"And because I'm really curious about what kind of family dispute could cause a supernatural storm like that." Loki said. "I'm actually kind of envious."

"So what's the plan?" Scratch asked. "We put them through a terrifying ordeal that'll bind them for life?"

"Better yet. We use my specialty, tricks." Loki said. "First, I shapeshift into Sharon and tell Grandma Nin that I want to apologize over lunch. Then, I'll shapeshift into Grandma Nin and tell Sharon the same thing. They'll sit down, talk things out, and I get to scratch something off my bucket list."

"Here's a better idea." Molly said. "We could gently remind them that they love each other?"

"I mean, if you wanna do the least fun way to do that, then yeah, let's give it a whirl."

"Fine. But just remember, my shapeshifting plan was a one-time deal."

Throughout the day, Molly, Loki, and Scratch attempted to push Sharon and Nin to be closer together with minimal success. They tried to show them both old photos, but all the two women got was the disappointment that they exchanged toward each other. They tried lock the two of them in a closet, but they wouldn't even speak to each other. They even tried to stick them together with Scratch's ectoplasm, but it was a failure.

When everything failed, the three of them returned to the kitchen where Pete was trying to cut a deal with Darryl to eat the durian for him. After taking a strong whiff of the durian's odor, they went back to the subject.

"Um, Dad," Molly said, "Remember how you told us not to get in between Mom and Nin?"

"And predictably, we did the exact opposite?" Loki asked.

"I told you not to mess with… the tensions.

The storm boomed again.

"Okay. How does that keep happening?" Scratch asked. "What's the secret?"

"We were thinking," Molly said, "Maybe you could ask Mom about her beef with Grandma Nin?"

"I'd rather eat the durian."

"Dad, if me and Mom didn't get along, wouldn't you do everything you could to fix us?" Molly asked.

Those words got to Pete. He decided to give it a shot.

The three of them overheard Pete talk with Sharon about her mother in their bedroom. Pete tried to get an explanation, but she refused to answer. Just then, Pete had the best theory he had which Molly overheard.

"That's it, guys!" Molly said. "Grandma Nin didn't get to see her daughter get married! Oh, she must have been so hurt. We gotta throw a wedding for Mom and Grandma Nin!"

"Don't you mean Sharon and Pete?" Loki asked.

"Uh, Loki, everyone knows weddings are all about the parents."

"Your parents are parents. Whatever. Just don't make me the flower girl."

"GUYS! THERE'S A TWO-HEADED BIRD IN THE BACKYARD AND IT'S FIGHTING WITH ITSELF!" Molly yelled out for everyone in her family to hear.

Immediately, the McGee family rushed out back to find a white blanket with rose pedals that lead up to a white table and white drapes overhead decorated with pink and white flowers. She and Loki stood at the table.

"Surprise!" Molly said. "Happy Wedding Day! Also, I made up the bird thing."

"Oh. I wanted a two-headed bird fight." Darryl said.

"I'll take you to any of the other realms some time to show you." Loki said.

"Molly, who's getting married?" Sharon asked.

"You and Dad." Molly answered. "This is the wedding that Grandma Nin has always wanted for you."

"Ooh, exciting." Nin said.

"If this is what will finally make you happy, then Pete, we're getting hitched!" Sharon said latching onto Pete's arm.

"Ah. That takes me back." Pete said. He and Sharon went to the table and sat beside each other while Darryl banged on a frying pan and Molly officiated the wedding.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this Mom and this Dad with this Mong Kol as a symbol of their undying love times infinity. If there's anyone that objects, keep it to yourselves. Dad, please present the Sin Sod."

Pete stood up with a bowl full of pocket change and presented it to Nin. "I ask for your daughter's hand in marriage by presenting you with this gift."

"There are a lot of pennies in here." Nin commented.

"I only found out about this five minutes ago."

Nin turned her head toward Sharon. "Is that what you're wearing to your wedding?"

"It was a surprise wedding. And you don't have much room to talk."

"Yeah. Talk back to your mother. That'll mend things." Loki said.

"Moving on super, super quickly to the Sang Rot Naam!" Molly ran out to hand a conch full of water to her grandma.

Nin proceeded to pour the water gently into Sharon's hands. "Be still. And sit up straight. You're only half-blessed."

All this constructive criticism got on Sharon's final nerves. "THIS IS WHY PETE AND I ELOPED!" She knocked the conch out of her mother's hands and let it bounced around until it knocked the entire alter to the ground.

Everyone was covered with the white sheet. They struggled with trying to escape, but all they could hear was Sharon and Nin arguing.

"Mom, stop stepping on me!"

"You stop stepping on me!"

"Oh, right, because everything I do is wrong!"

Everyone finally managed to get out of the sheet, but there were still angry glares between the mom and grandmother. Nin climbed out and started walking out of the backyard.

"You know what? I'm going on. This visit was a mistake!"

"Finally! Something we can agree on!"

"Molly, the family's falling apart!" Scratch panicked. "It's all happening so fast!"

"I guess this is what happens when you mess with… the tensions." Loki said followed by a storm break. "Okay, now, it's starting to get annoying."

"THAT'S IT!" Molly yelled. She grabbed a rope and threw it right at both Sharon and Nin. She pulled them both together much to their surprise. "No one is leaving this wedding until you two hash it out! I know, deep down, you two still love each other. We threw this whole wedding so Grandma would get over the fact that you and Dad eloped."

"Eloped?" Sharon asked. "No, Molly, you've got it all wrong. Grandma Nin doesn't care about that. She's upset that I didn't finish my law degree and studied art instead."

"Ohhh." Everyone said.

"What? No, you've got it wrong, Sharon." Nin said. "I'm upset because you gave up on your art."

"Ohhh." Everyone repeated.

"Wait. You are?" Sharon asked.

"I worked hard so you could follow your dream." Nin said. "You are talented, tii rak. You always have been. So stop selling pork and get back to your art."

"Oh, Mom," Sharon smiled, "There is no pork, but I get what you're saying. And thank you."

"Now hug it out and seal the deal." Scratch said. "I'm not leaving anything to chance."

"How's about a song instead?" Sharon asked.

Sharon:

There are times during my childhood

That you've never made my life seem so easy

But no matter what we went through

I was happy that I had you

You're always my family

Nin:

Well, your choices sometimes left me at wit's end

And your pork-selling leaves me a bit queasy

"Still no pork." Sharon pointed out.

Nin:

Though you were always in hot water

I know I'll always call you daughter

You're always my family

Sharon and Nin:

You're always my family

It matters not

We've got

Each other

You're always my family

If you are with me, then I'm always free

Sharon:

So you don't always listen to everything I tell you

Nin:

And your posture isn't as perfect as could be

Sharon and Nin:

But at the end of the day

Who will always be okay

Sharon:

Well, if I may

Hear it from me

Though we're from different generations

We're a beautiful combination

And you're always my…

Sharon and Nin:

YOU'RE ALWAYS MY FAMILY

THE TWO OF US

WE'RE JUST

INSEPARABLE

LOVING UNCONDITIONALLY

Nin:

THOUGH WE COME UP SHORT

Sharon:

THOUGH THINGS COULD BE ROUGH

Sharon and Nin:

BUT TOGETHER WE'LL SORT

WITH ALL THE HARD STUFF

BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS MY FAM… I… LYYYYYYYYY

At the end of the day, Grandma Nin was all set to end her visit. She gave hugs to everyone while her taxi was parked behind her.

"Come again soon." Scratch said. "If you can't send snacks!"

"Thank you, Nin, for the durian." Pete said. "It was fantastic. I enjoyed every last bite."

"Then here." Nin said throwing another durian to Pete. "Enjoy."

Loki chuckled. "Is that your last durian in your mouth, Peter, or is it your foot?" His chuckled stopped when he was taken off-guard by Nin who hugged him. "Uh… what are you doing?"

"Thanking you."

"For what?" Loki asked breaking the hug. "I barely did anything."

"You've shown me how much you mean to this family. And I'm just glad you're part of it."

Loki was about to talk again, but he stopped himself. He looked down on the ground.

"Almost forgot. A gift for you, Sharon." Nin said as she handed Nin a rolled-up cloth. That's when the taxi drove off.

"Bye, Mom." Sharon called out when the taxi disappeared from view.

"So what did she give you, Mom?" Molly asked

Sharon unrolled the cloth and gasped seeing what was inside. There was a bundle of paintbrushes held together by tape. Sharon smiled holding them up.

"A reminder."

Loki looked at the paintbrushes before looking back at Sharon. "So now, everything's okay with you and your mother? After years of distance and being torn apart, you were able to work things out just like that?"

"Of course." Sharon said. "Just because something is torn apart, it doesn't mean it can't be mended. It just takes a bit of work."

Everyone returned to the house, but Loki stayed behind with his thoughts.

"If Sharon and Nin could make it work, could it be possible that… No. What am I thinking? The tensions between me and Odin are much bigger than the ones between those two. He knows what he did."