Chapter 22: Bribery and Bravery

"Allfather!" Sif cried as she, Kelsey, and the Warriors Three climbed upstairs to the throne room with their heads bowed and arms across their chests.

"We must speak to you urgently..." Sif trailed off when she looked up and realized in horror who was sitting on the golden throne. It wasn't the white-beard, eyepatch man, but a silver-tongued prince wielding his father's gungir. His horned helmet crowned upon his raven head, reigning supreme. Odin had a horned helmet, but nothing compared to Loki. It's extensive and curved, almost replicating the devil's horns. How could Loki bear such weight on his head?

"Loki?" Kelsey breathed, feeling her heart increase and having a hard time breathing. It was too late to go back outside now.

"My friends," Loki greeted them. Sarcasm and bitterness laced together as he spoke.

"Where's Odin?" Fandral demanded. All five went down the steps, approaching their friend. "What are you doing with his staff?"

"Father has fallen into the Odin-sleep," Loki explained on the brink of tears. "Mother fears he may never awaken again."

Odin-sleep? Kelsey questioned herself. Was it another word for coma? The others didn't seem bothered by it, as if this was normal for them.

"We would speak with her," Sif insisted.

"She has refused to leave my father's bedside," Loki explained. "You can bring your urgent matter to me," he gestured himself before rising from his throne. "Your king."

Sif and the Warriors Three's eyes widened in disbelief as they processed the news. All wanted to dismiss this as a jest, but they couldn't. Loki gazed at Kelsey, who tried to avoid eye contact - anywhere but his face. He would've been offended if she wasn't an exception. She was afraid of him as she should be.

His ears perked at the rattling metal sound, snapping his attention to the source. Volstagg was the first to kneel; then others reluctantly did the same. Loki suppressed the urge to smirk at this newfound, delicious sight. Sif cast the new king a disapproving look before she began her request in forced politeness.

"My king, we ask you to end Thor's banishment," Sif requested, "right now, for the good of Asgard."

A puff of amusement blew out from the king's nose as his thin mouth pressed shut. He stifled the urge to laugh, but his smile was involuntary and lacked compassion. Most would mistake it for sentiment if they didn't know Loki so well.

"My first command cannot undo the Allfather's last. We're on the brink of war with the Jotunheim. Our people need a sense of continuity to feel safe in these difficult times. Thor has started this mess with violence, and I shall finish it with peace. Though I can't do it alone, can I? All of us who remain must stand together..." Loki slimmed his eyes at Sif, spatting back the upcoming words with such hostility and superiority, "for the good of Asgard."

Sif scowled at Loki's response. How could he prevent these invaders from attacking the people and stealing the casket? How many lives would he risk to prove his theory right? Sif stood to protest, but Fandral and Hogun grabbed her arms to keep her from doing something stupid.

"Yes, of course," Fandral whispered with understanding.

"Good, then you shall wait for my word," Loki cast his eyes down at the warriors with such intimidation, almost daring them to speak against his command.

"If I may," Volstagg piped, "beg the indulgence..." he laughed as sweat descended his face, clearly flustered, "of your majesty to perhaps reconsider-"

"We're done," Loki cut him off sternly. His word was final. The Warriors Three were baffled and disappointed that their friend was no more. "Be grateful that you all still hold a place here in the palace, against my better judgment." The warriors bit back their tongues at that remark, refusing to say the meaningless words. "Unfortunately for Heimdall, I am afraid his second chance proved wasteful."

"What?!" Sif barked. Once again, Fandral grasped her wrist to prevent her from approaching the king. "You mean, you stripped him from his title as Gatekeeper?"

"The frost giants invaded Asgard, not once, but twice," Loki reminded her. "Believe me, Sif. This does not bring me pleasure." He ignored the scoff. "But we cannot allow personal feelings and blood relations to get in the way of what matters most. We are here for the people. Sacrifices must be made to succeed, even the most painful. Odin understood that, therefore, as his son, I must set the same example."

"You are no Son of Odin," Sif seethed, ignoring the hushes behind her. Kelsey cringed, squeezing her eyes shut, wishing to be anywhere but here. Those words were equivalent to a dagger that pierced the king's heart. The quote about sticks and stones was indeed a myth. It hurt, not to mention terrifying. What exactly did Sif mean by that? What did she know? Theories flashed before Loki's eyes. Accusations came to mind without hard evidence. That mistake must not be repeated. Loki must play this carefully as he held back his racing emotions, tightening his grip around his father's staff.

"I beg your pardon?" he challenged lowly. "Would you care to repeat that, Lady Sif?" Before Sif could do that, Loki warned, "Lest we forget, I am your king. Whatever you have to say may be your last. But if you wish to join your brother's fallen rank, then by all means, speak your mind, or better yet, sleep away." Against Kelsey's will, the nightmare flashed before her eyes. Instead of seeing red, it was steel teal. They all noticed her discomfort, assuming many reasons; only one of their theories was accurate. Fandral reached out to comfort her. One touch on her shoulder made her jolt like a frightened deer, except she couldn't run away. Fandral asked if she was alright, and she dismissed his concern by forcing an assuring smile—anything to keep the light off her.

"Can we go now?" she begged in a whisper. That was all the warriors needed to retreat. The Warriors Three were the first to rise, surrounding Kelsey protectively as she rose with Fandral's assistance.

Sif cast a hateful eye at the king, whose attention remained on the mortal. Her face softened in guilt at the sight of Kelsey, putting her own personal feelings aside to accommodate the mortal. Kelsey shouldn't have tagged along. Just as the warriors and mortal were about to leave, he called her by name. Kelsey froze like a deer in headlights, torn between running or crouching into a fetal position. Her sympathetic system put her on autopilot.

"Hey, Loki," she greeted sweetly with a brief wave, extending a nervous, tight-lip smile. "How are you?" she almost kicked herself for asking a stupid question. Loki's father was in a coma. Of course, he wasn't alright. "I'm sorry. Um... I'm so sorry about your dad. I-I will be sure to add him to mine-my prayers tonight." That's the least she could do. Loki blinked, his heart beating faster, and his tensed muscles relaxed by her touching sentiment. Despite all he and his father had done, Kelsey remained sweeter than a flower's nectar. They didn't deserve her kindness. Loki didn't deserve her.

"Thank you, Kelsey," he whispered. That should've been her cue to leave, but that was wishful thinking on her part. He called her name once more, only to hesitate.

"Yes, sir," she pressed, no longer respecting Loki as a friend but as her king. She had done right, but it didn't feel right to Loki.

"Did my present not please you?"

Kelsey furrowed her brows in confusion, "Present? What present?"

"The one I left for you in your..." he stopped, shifting his attention to the warriors - they all expected him to finish. The insecure walls built around him in embarrassment. "Never mind. You shall see soon enough."

Confused, Kelsey departed with the warriors; they escorted her back to her room. She almost missed it but found a questionable roll of parchment wrapped in a green ribbon on the table. She pulled the bow apart, revealing a letter:

My dearest friend,

I do not expect you to pardon my ghastly behavior from the other night. It was cruel and unusual, even for me to understand. You did not deserve it just as much as I do not deserve your forgiveness. I broke my promise to you. Now I must do everything possible to remedy that.

Take this device. Use it well.

One more thing, happy birthday.

~ Loki

Kelsey checked the desk and gasped to find the referred object hiding underneath the scroll. Her heart nearly burst for the joy of seeing a black mobile phone with reception. How did Loki manage it? That was another dumb question. Kelsey may be naive, but she knew better than to believe this was just a birthday gift. This was a bribe to forget his outburst. As much as she appreciated it, Kelsey preferred an apology in person to determine his sincerity. Although, this wasn't Kelsey's first time receiving a peace token. She had encountered her father's temper before - most of which wasn't justified. AJ made sure of that. Their father was a businessman who wasn't afraid to barter. He believed a hug or a Nancy Drew game was equivalent to her forgiveness, depending on the fight. Mom disapproved of it. Kelsey had grown used to it, looking forward to installing the latest game on her computer. How was this any different?

For that, Kelsey sat down on the chaise and dialed her phone number. Her leg bounced rapidly as she listened to the dial tone intently, oblivious to her Chesire cat grin.

~000~000~000~

Meanwhile, Coulson was browsing Kelsey's files from her phone and computer. It violated the girl's privacy, but it was necessary. Fortunately, as he suspected, Phil found no traces of threats, high-profile secrets, or messages from a secret boyfriend or any friend. This girl wasn't sociable and would rather binge-watch movies than message old schoolmates on Facebook.

The timing between the satellite crash and Kelsey's disappearance was no coincidence. There was a connection there. Phil just had to find the link.

Coulson jumped when a phone vibrated and rang a familiar jingle, assuming it was from a Disney classic. He picked up Kelsey's phone to see an unknown ID number, but the area code was in New Mexico.

Phil quickly activated the GPS tracker and recorder before answering the call, "Hello?"

The caller didn't respond, but he could hear heavy breathing.

"Hello?"

"I'm sorry. Who's this?" a female voice demanded; her pitch was shaky.

Phil furrowed his brows, leaning his torso towards his desk, "May I ask who's calling?"

"Uh... the owner of the cellphone you're holding," she answered carefully. "Who's this?"

"Your phone?"

"Yeah... Who are you, and why do you have my phone?"

"Kelsey?" The name silenced the caller. He immediately typed on his computer to configure the girl's location. This was a first—a missing teen calling her own cell phone. "Kelsey Kincaid, is that you?" Coulson pressed softly without taking his eyes off the screen. The girl didn't respond, almost afraid to answer. "Kelsey, this is Agent Phil Coulson. I am from a special organization called S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm in charge of investigating your disappearance. Could you tell me where you are calling from?"

Silence.

"Is someone there with you? Are you in danger?"

More silence.

"Listen, I know you are scared right now, but there are a lot of people here looking for you... and missing you," he added, hoping to reel the girl into answering. "If you could just tell me where you are, I'll come and get you and bring you back home. Do you have any injuries? Are you hurt?"

The girl's breathing continued to escalate. She was indeed scared, torn about what to say.

"Kelsey?" he pressed.

"I... um... I'm not," she paused to form a proper sentence. "I'm not hurt or anything."

"Okay," Coulson nodded, not allowing himself to relax. "That's good. Where are you?"

"Um... Y-Yeah, I-I'm sorry. I just - I can't tell you that."

"Why not? Is someone holding you hostage?"

"No... N-No, sir."

"Then why can't you tell me?"

"Cause you won't believe me."

The call disconnected with three beeps. The phone screen didn't alert him that the call had failed; Kelsey simply hung up. Phil gazed at the computer to see if he got a trace. It showed a phone number, but the trace didn't appear near any cell tower in the state or anywhere outside the country. The blinking dot took place outside of Earth.

Impossible.

Then again, he worked in an agency where impossibilities happen.

"Sir?" Agent Sitwell peered from the doorway, causing Coulson to steer the screen away from prying eyes. "We've received word from our intel."

"About the satellite?" Coulson asked, abandoning his desk so Sitwell wouldn't have to approach him.

"No."

"Yesterday's incident at Culver?"

"No, about what happened in California."

Coulson pinched his brows in confusion, "California?"

"Apparently," Sitwell elaborated, handing him the report, "two days ago, a tornado occurred in Calabasas Hills without warning."

"So?" Coulson questioned the relevance.

"So instead of taking damage or casualties, witnesses reported seeing two individuals standing on the spot where the brief storm took place, wearing what looked to be medieval."

"Medieval?"

"Medieval," Sitwell repeated in confirmation. "And get this. The suspects entered the Cheesecake Factory Headquarters, asking for the restaurant's cheesecake recipe."

"Recipe?! What for?"

"According to the CEO, they said something about celebrating a girl's birthday."

That's when the pieces were slowly coming together into one improbable story. Kelsey Kincaid's birthday was around the corner. Jane Foster mentioned something about a twister when the satellite crashed. Could it be the same one?

"Are the suspects still in the area?"

"No, they disappeared by another twister - again, there's no major property damage, but it left behind a mark," Sitwell handed Coulson a picture of the engraved symbol on the parking lot - identical to the one in the desert - the night that Kelsey disappeared, and the satellite crashed.

"What are your connections with the man?" Phil flashed back to the night he interrogated Jane Foster.

Jane sighed, "You'll think I'm crazy if I told you."

"I've witnessed crazier things when I signed up for S.H.I.E.L.D., Miss Foster. Enlighten me."

He was right. Agent Coulson had witnessed crazy impossibilities in his work. No different than Captain America sleeping in a cryostasis chamber for seventy years or a mild-mannered scientist turning into a vicious monster and destroying a school. This story was another one in the books.

"Mind the base, Sitwell," Coulson gathered the evidence on his desk (the pictures and the girl's phone), then grabbed his suit jacket from the rack.

"Going somewhere, sir?" Agent Sitwell wondered.

"I'll be back," Coulson promised. He went to his car and drove up the hill, heading to town for the truth - the real truth.

~000~000~000~

"So, how did it go, son? Frigga asked sweetly, caressing her husband's hand.

"Better than expected," Loki answered dryly, returning his seat across from his mother. "My friends are not happy with me... Did I do the right thing, Mother? Not bring my brother home?"

"You did what you think was right for the realm, son," Frigga assured him. "No king can say they haven't been torn between friendship and succession. I have witnessed your father repeatedly turning down requests made by his friends."

"Did any of them hold a grudge against him?"

Instead of answering him directly, Frigga advised him, "The sea hears and understands; meanwhile, ice does not forgive."

Loki blinked at that vague statement, "So... is that a no?"

Frigga's corner lip twitched, deciding to shift the subject without changing it entirely, "Speaking of friendship... Have you spoken to Kelsey?"

"Yes." Although that wasn't all that Frigga wanted to hear, she pressed for details. Loki sighed, "She offered her condolences and promised to pray for Father's recovery."

Frigga expressed her appreciation with a smile, gripping her husband's hand, "That is kind of her. I heard legends about her God. He is supposed to be powerful - more so than Odin. Perhaps He shall deliver your father's health and your brother's return."

"Maybe," Loki whispered, though he doubted. Once again, Frigga didn't leave it right there, much to Loki's annoyance.

"Have you offered your condolences, son?"

Loki scoffed in amusement, glancing at the sleeping king, "I have. I told you-"

"Not to your father," Frigga elaborated sternly.

Loki leaned back against his chair, folding his arms, "I couldn't... not in front of them - my friends." Bitterness laced in that word, Loki wondered why he bothered calling the warriors as such. "If all goes well with that communication device I gift her, I shall regain her favor."

Frigga widened her eyes, straightening her posture, "What?" Loki lifted his gaze at Frigga's cold face, almost tempted to avert it. "Loki Odinson, what did you do?"

Loki flinched, not by her mother's tone but by her calling his adopted last name. He regained his composure and spoke slowly, "I went to Midgaurd and retrieved a device designed to contact people. Kelsey misses her family, so I figured-"

"Loki, you cannot buy forgiveness."

"That wasn't my intention at all. This isn't bribery, for I do not expect her to forgive me."

"Then what would you call that gesture? Pray tell," Frigga challenged.

"Simple. It was a..." Loki paused to choose his words carefully, "It was merely a birthday gift."

Frigga sighed sadly, gazing at her sleeping husband, "You're beginning to remind me of your father."

Loki's expression turned grim for a split second when Frigga wasn't looking, "Which one are you referring to?"

Frigga's corner mouth twitched at the ludicrous question, "I speak of Odin, of course."

"I'm nothing like him!" Loki snapped.

"Maybe not, but you and your brother have his temper and often make ruthless mistakes. Some of which were against the family."

"Such as banishing Thor and not telling me about my parentage," Loki assumed. Frigga pursed her lips and averted his gaze, not answering him immediately. Her son perked in interest, leaning from his seat. "Not just his sons. What of his wife?" he asked curiously.

"Loki."

"Did he hurt you, Mother?" his voice lowered. "Did he raise a hand to you?" The idea of Odin physically abusing Frigga would be enough to beat the sleeping king right there. Loki was tempted to begin the torture without Frigga's consent.

"No," she assured him hastily. "Your father has done nothing of the sort."

"Then what has he done wrong? Tell me," Loki pressed, his patience wore thin by the time-consuming silence. "You said there shall be no secrets in the family, remember?"

"I did," she acknowledged reluctantly.

"Then tell me."

"If I told you, my son, you would never look at your father the same again."

"I never looked at him the same when I found out the truth," Loki argued with a hostile edge to his tone. "As king of Asgard, I command you..." he trailed off to see the sorrowful, pleading look on her face, specifically the glistening eyes as if she was about to cry.

"Please. If you must pry me away from my husband and lock me in a cell for obstruction, then you may do so," she bravely challenged. Loki sniffled, refusing to let his mask crack. Arresting his own mother, who appointed him king in the first place, was the last thing he wanted. "Though I shall not speak a word of my sorrows, not to you or your brother, for it was my burden and mine alone to bear!" Her tone of voice finalized the debate. Frigga breathed, calming herself to address her son civilly. "It happened a long time ago - long before you and your brother came into existence. And when you two showed up in my life... For the good of Asgard and my love for all three of you," she intentionally added the sleeping king, "I made my choice and forgave him."

"You forgave him?" he breathlessly asked as if it was the most ludicrous thing he had ever heard. It couldn't have been simple. Did Odin have the decency to apologize? Did he grovel before his queen? If so, were there any witnesses present?

"It wasn't easy," Frigga admitted. "When I found out what he had done, he, too, tried to win my affection with gifts. No amount of gold or diamonds can undo his mistake. For nine months, I grew distant and relentless... I was losing myself enough not to recognize myself in the mirror... And when I saw your brother for the first time..." Frigga was in a daze, reliving the memory of her firstborn's birth. Had she looked at Loki the same way? Returning to reality, she continued, "I refused to let hatred drag me away from what matters most—my relationship with your father and my sons. Your father was sorry for what he had done to me, and he became a better man for me ever since. Therefore, I put the past behind me and live in the present."

Loki lowered his head, processing his mother's story.

"Kelsey may not be angry with you now, though that does not mean buying her gifts would make it better between the two of you. Talk to her. Be honest, be vulnerable."

"I can't do that!" Loki's stubbornness took over.

"Loki, are you still afraid of how she will react to the truth?"

"No!" he said more quickly than intended. "I am not afraid. I just do not feel comfortable showing a complete stranger my mons..." he briefly closed his mouth to correct himself, "Jotun heritage."

"She is no stranger, Loki. You and I both know she is more than that."

"I am sorry, Mother," he remained defiant. "I can't do it." The king dismissed himself, ready to leave the room.

"You said you visited Midguard?" her question ceased his tracks.

"Yes."

"You have seen your brother?"

Loki clenched his jaw at the mention of Thor's name, "Yes."

"How is he?"

"He's... He is better than expected," he answered truthfully. Thor was no longer arrogant, and didn't bother putting up a fight when Loki declined his request to come home. His days in a desert village may have done some good after all. Then again, Loki broke the fallen prince's spirit through his tragic lie. "He's settling in with Kelsey's family."

Frigga exhaled with relief, smiling again, "That is wonderful to hear."

Loki didn't speak another word as he departed his father's chambers.

Frigga sighed sadly, "Oh, Valhalla..." She closed her eyes, not bothering to wipe the tears as she squeezed her husband's hand, "The Great Mighty Yahweh, please help the Allfather... help my sons... shine a light for them all."

~000~000~000~

Detention was finally over. Garrett returned home, no doubt, receiving the belt from his mother. He didn't want to return home but probably wouldn't be comfortable at Jane's place, for she was probably still upset with him. The drive home was awkwardly silent. The troubled individuals were waiting for the wrath that didn't come. They knew better than to believe that the scientists would show them mercy. Once they all set foot in the lab, all hell broke loose.

"I still can't believe I got detention!" Darcy repeatedly cried, outraged. "I don't know why I did it! Enforcing unenrolled students to perform manual labor should be illegal! I mean, look at my hands!" Darcy held her palms up. "They're pruny! I can still smell shit!" she gagged at the horrible memory of cleaning toilets, the hammer that shattered the remaining bits of her dignity.

"Be lucky you don't have to write the same sentence 100 times each," AJ retorted.

"I rather do that than de-clog a toilet from the girls' bathroom!" Darcy withdrew a mug from the cabinet to make herself coffee. "To think that boys are supposed to be filthy! We all know about Brad's shoes - they reek!"

"You only had to write 100 times?" Thor questioned the boy. "I've written the same quote 200 times."

"Yeah, but I also had to catch up on homework," AJ clarified.

"And that is exactly what you're going to do for the rest of the day," Erik stated. Before AJ could protest, the older man continued as he pulled up a chair, "You and I are going to sit down here -" he tapped the table, "-and make sure you're actually doing the work. It's not like you have anything better to do, for you are still grounded." The boy groaned in response. His eyes gazed up at Jane, whose face remained stone cold when they had left the school. She couldn't stay mad at him forever, could she? According to everyone, he's adorable. AJ wrapped his arms around his aunt's waist. The woman responded with a surprise jump and yelp.

"I'm sorry, Jane!" AJ apologized, pouting his lips. "Please don't be mad at me!"

Jane sighed, caressing his shaggy hair, "It's okay, AJ. I'm not mad at you."

Darcy exhaled, wiping her forehead with relief, "Phew! That's a relief."

"Excuse me?" Jane scowled at the guilty duo. "I said I'm not mad at AJ. You guys, however, better explain yourselves."

Darcy closed her jaw shut, refusing to make a peep. Jane was still mad, just as Darcy feared.

"Jane-" Thor tried to explain, but Jane waved her hand and shook her head.

"No, Thor. I lied. I don't want to hear you two explain. I want you to listen to me. You!" Jane pointed at Darcy, who froze like a deer in the headlights. "You're lucky that you're the only applicant for this internship. I would've kicked you out on the spot if you weren't!"

Darcy gulped, refusing to look at her boss or say a word.

Jane turned her gaze to Thor, deepening her frown, "And you... I don't want you to ever - ever - tell my godson that it's okay to fight - ever!"

"Forgive me, Jane," Thor uttered for the umpteenth time this week. "It was never my intention to get the boy in trouble. I was only teaching him how-"

"I don't care what your intentions were! You should've come to me, and I would've handled that twerp myself!"

"Which twerp?" Darcy wondered, receiving looks from Erik and Jane. She merely shrugged, "Just curious."

"Jane, it wasn't Thor's fault!" AJ jumped to the man's defense. "I begged him not to tell."

"He's a grown man, AJ. He should've known better," Jane looked at Thor's face, which held innocence and shame. His eyes glistened almost on the brink of tears, almost identical to AJ's sweet face. He was guilty about what happened. She could see that he was torn between the right thing and friendship. Jane would've called herself a hypocrite if she didn't claim to have come across that same dilemma more than once.

Most of the time, her negligence caused all sorts of problems. When Baby Kelsey played with Jane's make-up kit while she was on the phone, the aunt required cleaning supplies and a washcloth to cover up the crime scene. Another time, Jane accidentally locked AJ into her hot car and lost the keys; she had to break a window and bribe Kelsey with a Build-a-Bear for her silence. Kelsey wasn't good at secrets, for she had blabbed the truth to Wendy. Jane didn't forget her sister's and their parents' earful lectures.

"Next time," Jane's voice softened, "if there's a problem I should know about, you come to me."

"Or me," Erik added.

"Yes," Jane agreed, silently happy to have Erik as backup, "me or Erik, and we would've handled it. Do you understand?"

Thor nodded, "I do. My sincere apologies, Jane. I mean no harm to AJ, nor do I mean to betray your trust. I deeply regret my actions."

"I know... and I accept your apology."

Darcy rolled her eyes at the transaction, "Sure, she forgives Hot Stuff." Jane glared at her intern, who quickly excused herself to the fridge.

Thor cleared his throat before he spoke, "If there's anything you like me to do-"

"You've done enough, Thor," Erik interrupted with a low, hostile edge to his tone.

"In that case, may I please be excused?" Thor's eyes averted on the floor as he asked the question.

"Sure?" Jane replied, almost like a question rather than a statement. Did he mean to leave the room or the group? Her eyes narrowed as they all watched Thor pull down the ladder to climb up on the roof. He was in a hurry to leave. What could he possibly do on the roof except sightseeing?

"AJ, go grab your stuff," Erik commanded, ready to catch up on AJ's homework. The boy groaned, stomping back outside to retrieve his backpack. Jane offered to aid him by following him to the RV, ignoring Erik's suggestion to discuss important matters. She found the boy sitting on the bed, staring at the notebook in his hand. As she approached closer, it wasn't homework he was holding but a detailed drawing of a house containing five people - his family, only they were dressed in superhero costumes, except for the shorter girl wearing a grey wetsuit, possessing a shark fin on her back and dagger teeth. Jane wouldn't have guessed it was Kelsey if it wasn't for the brown ponytail AJ had drawn her. She could tell the creation was recent and incomplete. In the far right of the paper, AJ's cartoon self was holding hands with a taller figure with a familiarly long mane dressed in knight armor and a red cape flowing in the back. No, they weren't holding hands. Jane spotted the familiar hammer in between the links. She almost laughed at seeing herself wearing large round specs and a lab coat - interpreted as a mad scientist. Considering the recent events and testimony from the townsfolk, she almost believed herself to be one.

"That's a nice picture, AJ," she complimented, cueing the boy to close the book.

"I'm getting my homework out - I swear," AJ began, rummaging inside his backpack for the folder.

Jane hushed him, kneeling beside him and touching his wrist comfortingly, "I know. I know." She watched him open the folder, and it was no surprise to find the answers blank, except for the name and wrong date. She sighed at that, shaking her head, "AJ..."

"I'm sorry, Jane," he repeated with an attitude than genuine, growing tired of apologizing. "I tried to finish it! But it was too hard, and Kelsey couldn't help me because... you know."

"But why didn't you come to me?" Jane asked, sounding offended that he didn't consider her as another option.

"Because you were too busy with the important stuff - finding my sister is most important - obliviously," AJ's head lowered. "I didn't want to burden you with my problems." Burden? What a peculiar choice of vocabulary coming from an eight-year-old.

"Okay..." the aunt drawled. "You're right about one thing. Finding your sister is important, but guess what? You are important, too, and if you have a problem, you should come to me, and I will help you."

"But what about-"

"Never mind that. You are my godson. You and your sister are equally my responsibility," Jane sighed, staring straight ahead in deep thought.

"Are you mad?" AJ wondered.

"What?" Jane shook her head, assuring him by rubbing his back, "No. No, like I said, I'm not mad... just disappointed."

"That's even worse!"

"No, that's not what I meant. This isn't directed towards you."

"Is it about Thor?" the boy tossed his book to the side and kneeled on the floor, interlacing his fingers pleadingly, "Please, don't kick him out! Please! He was trying to help! I'm the one-"

"No, no, no," Jane lifted the boy back on the bed, sitting beside him, "you don't get it. This isn't about you or Thor. The truth is... I'm mad at myself," Jane gestured herself, confusing the boy even more.

"I thought you weren't mad?"

"Well, not mad at you. This isn't your fault; it's mine."

"How?" he questioned, squinting his eyes.

"I admit I haven't been a good godmother this summer." AJ opened his mouth to make excuses for her, claiming she was busy with work - she had a job. No matter how hard he tried to spin this, it didn't excuse her negligence. "I forgot your sister's birthday. I didn't see the signs that you were being bullied or failing summer school. I dragged you, kids, to places we never should've been, and I am very sorry about that. If we haven't gone out to the desert... if I let your sister stay here..." Jane lowered her head, feeling the familiar burn in her eyes, about to cry. "It should've been me in that cloud, not Kelsey."

"Don't say that! Jane, please, this isn't your fault!" The aunt wanted to believe that, but she couldn't. "It was an accident!" Once again, the child was comforting the supposed godparent when it was supposed to be the other way around. "Kelsey knows that!"

"Your sister hates me."

"No, she doesn't! She doesn't hate anybody, not really. She gets mad at me a lot, but she gets over it - always! Even when she got mad at me for squirting salt water on her face, she still helped me with homework. Kelsey didn't have to. I know she didn't want to, but she does try to help." His lips twitched at another memory, "Like that time she taught me how to swim without floaties - we were playing Jaws in the pool. She was Jaws, and I was the guy with the gun. She cheats, you know."

"How did she cheat?"

"She flips over my float over every time - she's strong!" Jane stifled the laugh as he pouted. "And she can hold her breath underwater longer than anybody I know! If she entered the Olympics, she'll win the gold - no problem!"

"What else?" Jane asked, intrigued.

"Um... She used to tell me bedtime stories - almost every night - and sometimes, she stuck around until I fell asleep to make sure the boogeyman wasn't playing hide 'n seek in my room. But I know he doesn't exist anymore!"

"You miss her a lot, don't you?"

"No!" The boy protested, but they both knew the truth. "It's just that mornings are boring now."

Jane snorted in amusement at that blunt response, rubbing the boy's back, "Of course it is." Without saying it out loud, she almost missed the morning fights initiated by the troubled boy who craved entertainment 24/7. Looking at her nephew, Jane knew that he was contemplating something.

"What is it, AJ?" she asked.

AJ formed a confused face, shrugging his shoulders, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, is there anything you want to talk to me about? Anything at all?"

The boy met her gaze in consideration before he dismissed her worries with another shrug, setting his eyes back on the notebook, "I'm okay."

Jane sighed, "C'mon, AJ. After everything that's happened this year, nobody in your position can say that."

"Well, I'm not nobody," her nephew lightly argued. "I'm good. Really."

The aunt tried another tactic, "That's good." This time, her words caught the boy off guard.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You are pulling yourself together better than I can. When we lost..." she paused to keep her emotions together before saying his name, "Papaw, I was a wreck, and I was in my twenties."

"You were?"

"Yeah. I mean, I tried to put on a brave face. I blurred out the pity and tossed out the sympathy cards. I denied your mom's phone calls - I ignored my mom's phone calls and refused to attend her second wedding six months later." Noticing the hostile edge to her tone, Jane quickly steered the conversation back on course, "The only thing that mattered to me... was to keep Dad alive, and the only way I knew how was to keep myself busy by finishing what he started. We planned to create our own Northern Lights at home, just for us to see."

"Did you?" he wondered.

Jane paused, feeling the burning lump in her throat that made her eyes tear up. "No," she croaked, clearing her throat to speak properly. "No, instead... I... I reached too high... and I got lost... I couldn't find my way back down."

"But you're here," AJ acknowledged the obvious.

"Yeah," Jane agreed. "Physically, I was, but emotionally, I wasn't. I've been missing out a lot like birthday parties, Christmases, tee ball games."

"Trust me, you didn't miss much. Tee ball sucks!" AJ declared, didn't want to admit his embarrassing struggle to connect the ball.

"Still... I missed it all. I missed you - your sister and..." she paused, almost reluctant to finish her statement without her voice cracking, "And I missed your mom... so much." She breathed heavily, unsuccessfully fighting back the tears, "Your mom would kill me if I told you this, but... your mom and I... when our Dad died - your Papaw died... we grew apart."

"Is that why you stopped visiting me?"

"I didn't want to deal with the drama, so we stopped talking. And then she was gone and..." Jane gasped for breath, averting her glistening eyes at the ceiling, stubbornly wiping the tears, "Once again, I couldn't say what I wanted to say. I didn't get to tell her I'm sorry - that I-I love her... and miss her. She gave me a chance with you guys, and I blew it! And now I feel so... helpless... so..." Jane shook her head, "What am I doing? I shouldn't be saying this to you. You're a kid, and I'm..." Then she broke, her upper half hunched on her lap, sobbing on her sleeves. She was oblivious to the small hand running up and down her back. "I'm so sorry."

"Jane, don't cry," he comforted her, sounding just as broken as she was. "You're not helpless. You're strong and brave like Momma."

"No, I'm not," she admitted, lifting slightly to wipe her eyes. "Trust me. I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You didn't want to burden us with your problems, so you tried to be tough." He looked down, oblivious to his aunt's suspicious gaze, no longer crying. One teardrop trickled down her cheek, which she didn't bother to wipe away. "That's what we all need to do, right?" he pressed. "Be brave like Momma?"

"Did Kelsey tell you that?" Jane concluded.

His silence said it all.

"AJ, look at me," Jane kneeled in front of him, grasping the cap of his shoulders to face him properly, "Let me make this perfectly clear. Being brave doesn't mean you have to put on the stupid happy face all the time and pretend that everything is okay. I admit I, too, thought it was the right thing, but I was wrong. Your sister is wrong to tell you that, and I'm gonna talk to her about it when she gets back. The most courageous thing to do - the only way to get better, is to admit you're not, and we go through the motions together as a family."

"But... wouldn't that take a toll?"

"Never," Jane promised. "This week has been crazy, but if we all stick together and be a team, we can conquer anything."

"Really?"

"Really." Before the aunt knew it, AJ leaped off the bed and hugged her tightly around her neck, almost choking her, refusing to let go.

"This isn't fair!" he muffled against her shoulder.

"I know," she agreed, kissing his head and rocking him back and forth. This time, the boy didn't object to the affection. "I know."