Reconciliation

Having gotten the word from Lori that both she and Lincoln agreed to participate in the sibling golf tournament, Marisa, Ewan, and Raj went back to Fairway to eagerly report the news to Coach Niblick. Satisfied that his conditions were met, Niblick arranged with the Dean to host the showdown tomorrow. Officially, he could not condone meddling in another student's private family affairs. Unofficially, he was hopeful this could work.

"Well done, you three. This could be good for them both," Niblick praised.

"We can't take all the credit. It was Darius that ultimately convinced Lori to ask Lincoln," Marisa replied. This disturbed Niblick. He was familiar with every student that came through Fairway, and he did not recall anyone called Darius ever in attendance. Not in his classes, at least.

"I'm sorry, who?" Niblick asked.

"Darius, the red-headed freshman, not much older than us, by the looks of him," Ewan recalled.

"Is there a problem, Coach?" Raj probed. Niblick was going over his student records. He had details of every student currently in attendance at Fairway. He searched and searched for the student in question, but all his efforts were in vain.

"There is; While there are a few 'Darius'es in Fairway, none of them have red hair like you described. Where did you say you met this guy?" Niblick queried.

"On school grounds. He was dressed like us, so I assumed he was a student," Marisa admitted.

"Was he wearing a lanyard?" Niblick questioned.

"Not that I remember," Ewan answered.

"Then I think we've had a security breach. I'm not quite sure how he got on campus without anyone knowing, but it is something we will have to look into. We're lucky this wasn't worse, but this cannot happen again. I will instruct our security staff to be on the lookout for anyone matching his description, and I also want any student who sees this guy again to come straight to me or to the Dean. Understood?" Niblick instructed.

"Yes, Coach Niblick," all three responded at once.

"One more thing; should we cancel the tournament?" Marisa asked. Niblick thought about this for a moment. On the one hand, if this 'Darius' was adamant on Lori and Lincoln being in attendance, then he must have some plan for them, and whatever it was, it surely couldn't be good. However, he did have capable security staff on site, should anything happen, and if he shows up again, they can detain him enough for the police to sort the mess out. He came to a decision on how he would handle this.

"No. I do not want to start a needless panic. Still, I want you three to act as overseers for this tournament. If this 'Darius' shows up again, alert either myself, the Dean, or campus security. Stay especially close to Lori and Lincoln. Their safety is your primary concern," Niblick emphasised.

"Yes, Coach," Marisa, Ewan, and Raj acknowledged.

"Additionally, I will have the watch on campus doubled and the local police will be informed of this development. We'll get to the bottom of this, I assure you," Niblick added.

"Should we tell Lori?" Ewan probed.

"If you feel it necessary, then yes, by all means. If she feels the need to withdraw for her brother's safety and her own, I won't blame her," Niblick responded.

Elsewhere, Riff, Aquarian, and Rosa were on the roof of the Casagrande building, where Riff had just finished getting Rosa up to speed on what he saw and heard. Ordinarily, kids talking to each other in the park would be cause for alarm, but with the Order after Lincoln, Riff could not afford to take chances. With Tootie using a fake name, it was clear that she had some kind of agenda, and since the Time Window showed her in conversation with War Leader, he could assume that Tootie was in cahoots with them.

"Let me see if I have this right. This 'Tootie' girl used a fake name and convinced Lincoln to attend a sibling golf tournament with Lori at Fairway, but what for?" Rosa summarised.

"We saw her talking to an Order member. We couldn't tell what it was about, but with that message to protect Lincoln, we have to assume the worst," Riff replied.

"So the Order is using kids to do their dirty work. Bad enough that they put them in mortal peril to achieve their ends," Aquarian ranted.

"Still, this presents an opportunity. If I station a few Sisters masquerading as volunteers, we might be able to take this 'War Leader' alive. He might tell us more about the Order's plans," Rosa posed.

"He could even tell us who the Supreme Warlock is. Even us Sentinels, with all our power, still haven't been able to determine their identity," Riff added.

"It'll take more than a few local witches to bring him in. No offence, Rosa, but War Leader is tough. We should be there as well," Aquarian interjected.

"Agreed. We'll go as well," Riff confirmed.

"Very well. I'll brief the Sisters tonight, and should the tournament go ahead, they'll meet you at Fairway," Rosa affirmed.

"One other thing; should we tell Lincoln?" Aquarian asked.

"It is only fair. He and his family have been expecting another fight with the Order. Rosa, have your Sisters in Royal Woods prepared them enough?" Riff inquired.

"They all have wands and have been taught at least a few basic defensive spells, but I have to admit, enthusiasm about their gifts isn't high. Some of the Louds have contemplated finding a way to re-bind their magical talents," Rosa relayed.

"I can sympathise, but this is not the time for such a discussion. Once the Order is beaten, we can work something out. For now, they need to be able to defend themselves," Riff replied.

"Hear hear. If Lincoln needs to know there is a danger, I should be the one to tell him. It would be best if it came from me," Rosa resolved.

"Very well. We'll leave it in your hands," Riff agreed.

Meanwhile, at Fairway, Marisa, Ewan, and Raj were at Lori's dorm room. They had just finished telling her what Niblick told them; that there was no red-headed Darius in attendance at the university. Lori's demeanour changed from elation at the prospect of reconciling with Lincoln, to panicking at what this latest series of events could mean. Lori recalled what Lynn told her and the rest of her siblings about the memory shard she found at the Boiling Isles; what she had learned about who the Malefic Order were before they took their chosen names. She put two and two together, and realised that the red-haired Darius was the one known as War Leader. What wasn't obvious was what his plan was. She couldn't make sense of it. Why would the Tactician General of the Malefic Order be insistent on having this golf tournament go ahead, and have her and Lincoln be there? Regardless, she knew what had to be done.

"Thank you for telling me this. I have to call my family, if you don't mind," Lori politely dismissed her classmates. From her tone, this sounded serious, so Marisa, Ewan, and Raj left without saying a word. Lori then proceeded to call her parents on her cell phone. Rita, the Loud family matriarch, answered within seconds.

"Hey, Lori. How are you doing?" Rita inquired.

"Mum, something's come up. Could you gather the family, or whatever's left of them, into the living room please?" Lori requested. Disturbed by her tone, Rita did what Lori asked. To Lori's surprise, Lynn Jr. made an appearance. "Lynn? Mum and Dad told me you'd ran away," Lori remarked.

"Yeah. I found what I needed to find, so I came back. I'm sure Lincoln will be pleased to hear that," Lynn Jr. responded. One by one, the other sisters, with the exception of Lucy, who was still on the Boiling Isles, greeted Lori.

"That's Lori? We never got properly introduced before. My name is Vee," Leni, or someone that looked like Leni, introduced themselves. Lori was familiar with the situation regarding Leni; that she, too, took up residence in the Boiling Isles, not as a student of Hexside like Lucy, but placed in protective custody by the new governing body there, as she was the target of the Malefic Order.

"Hi, Vee. I take it my sisters gave you the rundown on how to act like Leni?" Lori assumed.

"Honestly, Lori, it's my interactions with this 'Gavin' guy I'm worried about. How am I supposed to act like I love the guy when I have a girlfriend back home?" Vee-Leni expressed.

"Vee, it's just acting. I do it all the time. If things get too serious, just say you're not ready for physical intimacy. I'm sure he'll understand," Luan advised.

"And if not, we'll reinforce the message," Luna added, shaking her fist for good measure.

"Girls, we're getting distracted. I'm sure Lori has a reason for calling us, and I don't think it's just to say hi," Rita pressed.

"Thanks, Mum. The reason I called is because….well…..the Order was on campus today," Lori revealed. This made the entire family gasp in horror.

"You OK, Lori?!" Lynn Jr. inquired.

"Tell me you smacked them a new one!" Lola demanded.

"Why there? Isn't it me, or Leni, they're after?" Vee-Leni observed.

"It was only one of them; the guy who calls himself War Leader, and there was no smackdown. All he did was convince me to ask Lincoln to attend some sibling golf tournament tomorrow. I didn't know what he was before agreeing to do it, and I got a message from Lincoln saying he's agreed, too. He also hopes that this could be a first step towards reconciliation," Lori explained.

"Well, that last bit's good news, but this whole thing stinks of a trap to me," Luna posed.

"Who cares? If this 'War Leader' is gonna be there, I say we all go and rush him! He'll never see that coming!" Lola suggested.

"I disagree. I think that's what he wants us to do. When I was in Danville, I saw what these Malefics are capable of. They've become some sort of hideous monsters. I saw one take on superheroes, Mewman witches and Sentinels without breaking a sweat. What chance do we have against them? I'm all for sticking it to the Order, but I won't fight a losing battle with my siblings' lives at stake," Lynn Jr. insisted.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Lynn. If this 'War Leader' is as good a tactician as he claims, why would he risk exposure like that? I think it is a calculated move on his part. He probably counted on you putting two and two together and calling us, hoping we'd divide our defence of 'Leni' to come to your aid. Either we bring 'Leni' to him, or leave 'Leni' with virtually no defenders, making it easier for him to attack this house. Either way, he wins," Lisa counselled.

"You're the resident chess master, Lisa. What's your play?" Lori asked. Lisa gave her response some thought. While she didn't care for Lori referring to a potentially life-or-death situation as a chess game, her aptitude in the strategic element of said game could prove advantageous. Similar to how she predicted War Leader's reasoning behind his actions, she tried to put herself in War Leader's place. Admittedly, predicting his next move was difficult, but she may not have to. Lisa had an idea, and if it worked, War Leader would tell them his plan without them having to do anything.

"War Leader was adamant on this tournament going ahead. I say press on, but I would inform Rosa and the Sisterhood of his presence, if they don't know already. If War Leader reveals his hand before we reveal ours, we have the advantage," Lisa recommended.

"One more thing; if War Leader sprouts wings during the fight, RUN! Those Marauders they've become are tough," Lynn Jr. added. While Lisa and Lynn were in agreement, others were not so sure this would work.

"That's your plan? Walk into his trap?! Need I remind you that standing back and doing nothing almost got our brother killed?!" Luna recalled.

"I'm with Luna! A pre-emptive strike should teach him not to mess with us! Where is his location?! I've been itching to get out my leg-breaking wrench!" Lana added.

"Alright, that's enough! I've seen one of these things impale a nine-year-old girl through the back! The only reason she survived was because a Sentinel was there to heal her wounds. These guys do not know the meaning of mercy. As much as I hate waiting around, I think we should hold off until War Leader makes a mistake. Even geniuses make them from time to time. When he does, we'll strike, but no sooner," Lynn Jr. insisted.

"Guys, don't you think this discussion is missing someone? We should get Lincoln's input before deciding on what to do," Lori pressed.

"Errrrr, in case you haven't noticed, he won't talk to half of us," Luna reminded.

"No reason not to include him," Lori doubled down.

"Your sister's right. Communication is key to building, or re-building, any relationship," Rita backed Lori up. Lori then brought Lincoln in on the conversation. While Lincoln did answer, he did also tense up when he saw the rest of his siblings.

"Hey…family. Lynn, I see you came back home," Lincoln remarked.

"Yeah, safe and sound," Lynn Jr. awkwardly responded.

"That's…..good to hear. I was getting worried," Lincoln replied. He then addressed Lori. "Lori, I said I'd go to the sibling golf tournament, but I don't think I'm ready to talk to the rest of them yet," Lincoln disclosed.

"That's fine. Lincoln, there's something you need to know about that tournament," Lori braced Lincoln for the bad news.

"Is it that it's probably a trap by this 'War Leader' guy? Because if it is, Rosa already gave me the heads-up. I'm guessing you just found out yourself," Lincoln hypothesised.

"I did. Lincoln, you don't have to go. War Leader's plan, whatever it is, hinges on us being there. I don't want to put you at risk, nor would I ask you to. There will come another time where we can fix our relationship. Hopefully, that time won't involve dark sorcerers," Lori eased.

"There is another thing you should know. War Leader has an accomplice. A girl, around my age. She said her name was Kate when she first met her, only now I've learned her actual name is Tootie, and she was a friend of Timmy Turner's. The Sentinels believe she has been influenced in some way by War Leader, but they cannot be certain as to how deep their affiliation goes, nor can they ascertain her goals and motives," Lincoln explained.

"That's fine, just give us a picture, and we'll go to Great Lakes and beat the answers out of her," Lola responded.

"You do that, and War Leader will swoop into the rescue. The only hope we have of uncovering their agenda is if we engage both of them at once at a place where we'll be more prepared for them. The golf tournament is the ideal place for that," Lincoln resolved.

"What about other players?" Lynn Jr. probed.

"There'll be an intermission after the ninth hole. I'll lure Tootie away from the competition. One Sentinel will follow us, discreetly. That'll leave Lori, Rosa's Sisters, and the other Sentinel free to take on War Leader," Lincoln laid out his plan.

"That'll leave you fighting Tootie on your own. You sure you can handle her?" Lori queried.

"Lori, I've been fighting with our sisters for as long as I can remember. I think I can handle Tootie. Besides, I've tangled with her older sister, and Lori, so have you, if you remember," Lincoln rebutted.

"I have? When?" Lori struggled to recollect when she fought Tootie's older sister.

"At Gravity Falls. You heel-kicked her in the face and called her a female dog," Lincoln answered. Lori then thought back to that day and realised that Vicky was the person Lincoln was referring to. She sported a smirk when she thought back to that oh-so-satisfying moment. That would teach Vicky to hit on her 'Boo-boo Bear'.

"And I would happily do it again," Lori bragged.

"I also have a more personal stake in this. It must've taken a lot of courage for Lori to ask me to this tournament, given how our last interaction went. This is an open door to getting things back to the way they were before, and I won't let threats from the Order, or anyone else, slam that door shut. I'm not just fighting the Order for the sake of it. I'm fighting for us, as a family. In time, I want to learn how to let go of the pain and resentment of…that day, and get my sisters back," Lincoln gave his inspirational speech of the day, which the family was very touched by.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," Lisa mused.

"That and having Moby Dick as a reading assignment puts things into perspective," Lincoln quipped.

"Of course. Such a classic read. Did you get to the part where Captain Ahab …." Lisa began.

"Lisa! Spoilers!" Lincoln interjected.

At the Order's secret hideout, War Leader and Tootie met up to go over the final stages of their plan. However, if Tootie was being honest with herself, a small part of her doubted as to whether or not she could kill someone who had a lover and a family to go home to. Whenever this quiet voice popped into her head, she reminded herself that she had been denied these things. Timmy was gone, Vicky was in jail, and her parents were in the cuckoo hut. Why should Lincoln, the last person to see Timmy alive, have all these things that she cannot? It was this resentment that encouraged her to do what needed to be done.

"It is done. Lincoln and Lori will be participating, as will we. However, there has been a complication," War Leader briefed.

"How so?" Tootie asked.

"It would seem that Fairway has been spooked. The watch for someone bearing my disguised face has increased, and the Sisters, local witches that safeguard this realm, are aware of my presence. I have also detected Sentinel activity in Great Lakes City," War Leader summarised.

"Sentinels. You mean those super-powered angel beings you told me about?" Tootie recollected.

"Yes, them. You have been trained well, but you are no match for them, even with the restraints they place upon themselves when fighting mortals. However, most of our enemies' attention will be focused on me, and that is by design. They will pay too engaged with me to give you a second look, though I suspect they will be watchful of you. When an opportunity arises, do what you need to do quickly and get out of there as soon as possible. We won't have long before the Sentinels realise what we're doing in Fairway," War Leader instructed.

"Forgive me, War Leader, but I have to ask; was this personal engagement really worth the risk? Now they're almost on to us," Tootie inquired.

"Every strategy comes with an element of risk. The mark of a good tactician is how one mitigates and nullifies such risk. The actions we took to ensure our target is where we want him to be were overt, true, but the results generated made the risk worthwhile. As I said earlier, we have a plan for what comes next. Now, we wait for our opponent's next move," War Leader clarified.

"I guess that makes sense. I'll follow your lead," Tootie said.

"Follow my teachings, instead. Make preparations for the deed, then get some rest. You'll need it for tomorrow," War Leader instructed. With a non-verbal acknowledgement, Tootie left to prepare for when she would strike Lincoln down. At this moment, another witch approached War Leader. Another Order member who calls himself Fear Monger had questions for War Leader.

"Do you really think she can do it? Assassinating holograms is one thing. Taking someone's life for real is quite another," Fear Monger observed.

"Perhaps she can, but even if she fails, it will still fall within my plans," War Leader replied.

"Your plan relies on the Louds taking the bait, but one of them is as brilliant as you are," Fear Monger rebutted.

"I'm not counting on their smarts. I'm counting on their pride. They have a motto, remember?" War Leader corrected.

"Yes, yes, I remember. They look out for their own, they take care of their own, and if necessary, they avenge their own. I also know their additional clause. An attack on one is considered an attack on all. But that was during better times. Now, the family dynamic is broken," Fear Monger answered.

"Weakened, yes. Broken, most definitely not. Despite Lincoln's resentments, the family still cares for one another. Even if the rest of the family doesn't come running, at least my personal objectives will be complete," War Leader hinted. Fear Monger chuckled mockingly.

"So I was right before. This isn't about the Valkyrie Keepers, after all. This is about Tootie. You're getting soft, Darius," Fear Monger chided.

"Enough, Cody. The Supreme Warlock already knows the plan and has given his approval," War Leader dismissed. Fear Monger backed off a little.

"You're the strategist, my lord," Fear Monger mocked. War Leader cared not for Fear Monger's tone but said nothing as he walked away.

The next day, Lincoln and the gang were at morning assembly at Chavez Academy. It was that time where every student was finding their seats but the teachers hadn't taken the stage yet. Lincoln was engrossed in Moby Dick. It was not often that Lincoln was this into school reading assignments, but he meant what he said to his family yesterday. Reading this book opened his eyes to what his feelings of resentment towards his family could end up as if he didn't nip them in the bud or let them go.

"You still reading that? I thought we agreed on twelve pages a day as a maximum," Ronnie Anne joked.

"Captain Ahab is hunting a whale that was only defending itself from whale hunters. This revenge seems a bit pointless. Maybe my resentment towards my sisters is the same," Lincoln remarked.

"Last I checked, your sisters didn't take your leg off," Sid reminded.

"No, but they did lock him out of the house, feed him through a doggy door, and make him wear a mascot costume on a hot beach," Ronnie Anne recounted. When Ronnie Anne said this, everyone else recoiled in horror.

"That's what they did?!" Laird reacted.

"It's ancient history, now," Lincoln responded.

"Lincoln, it was last year," Ronnie Anne stated.

"Which makes now the right time to try and move on," Lincoln reasoned.

"I don't care if it was last year, five years, or ten years ago. If my family did that to me, I'd never forgive them," Sameer asserted.

"I'm not you, Sameer. I don't hold grudges. If I did, I wouldn't be with Ronnie Anne," Lincoln responded.

"Anyone ever tell you you're too nice for your own good?" Casey asked.

"Yeah, me. Plenty of times," Ronnie Anne said. Lincoln managed to tear himself away from Moby Dick and turn to face Ronnie Anne.

"It's why you love me," Lincoln flirted.

"Yeah, and me keeping you on your toes with my pranks is why you love me," Ronnie Anne returned the sentiment.

"I still remember the time you trapped us in your room with a bunch of mistletoe hanging from your ceiling on Christmas Eve. You know, asking me directly for a make-out session gets the same result," Lincoln teased.

"But that was more fun," Ronnie Anne rebuked.

"OK, it was. There's still time before Valenzuela shows up," Lincoln enticed. Ronnie Anne picked up what Lincoln was laying down, and she was all for it.

"Oh, you bad boy," Ronnie Anne playfully scolded, but before their lips could make contact, Principal Valenzuela's voice rang through the auditorium.

"May I have your attention, please?" Valenzuela requested. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne immediately broke apart.

"Dang it!" Lincoln and Ronnie Anne muttered together under their breath.

"First item for the day, I would like to introduce you all to the new lifeguard for the school pool, as well as assistant coach for the swim club, as well as our first non-binary member of staff. Say hello to Chad," Valenzuela then brought Chad forward. Lincoln got the heads-up from Riff that this was actually Aquarian, one of the Sentinels that would be at the golf tournament this afternoon, and that their current visage was just a disguise. They actually looked like a sea creature, but no human should ever see that. Lincoln was reminded a lot of Hugh when he saw 'Chad', a fact further reinforced by the fact that Ronnie Anne, Sid, and Nikki stared at him with hearts in their eyes going 'ba-ba-ba' like sheep with a speech impediment. Several of the female teachers were doing the same thing, even Ms. Galiano.

"I sure hope they don't run them out of the city like my sisters and father did Hugh," Lincoln mused to himself. The rest of the morning announcements were uneventful, as was the remainder of the school day. Lincoln had told Ronnie Anne that he was going to Fairway to participate in the sibling golf tournament and hopefully patch things up with Lori. While Ronnie Anne had her reservations, ultimately, she wished Lincoln well. A small part of her was hoping that Lincoln's stay in Great Lakes didn't have to end. He could very easily complete his education here, then she and Lincoln could get a place of their own and chart their future together. But she also had to realise that she couldn't keep Lincoln away from his sisters forever. Knowing Lincoln, sooner or later, the bridges that had been broken would be mended with time. That was something she had to accept. Still, that didn't mean she couldn't tell Lincoln how she felt about the situation. Ronnie Anne was confident that, between the two of them, they could work something out. Lincoln could always pop back and forth between Great Lakes and Royal Woods using his powers, after all, even if he didn't like using them. With renewed determination, Ronnie Anne got on her skateboard, but before she could set off for Fairway, Sid grabbed her by the arm.

"I know that look. It's the same one you wore before we went dimension-hopping to go get Lincoln back. It's also the one you wore when you told me you loved Lincoln for the first time," Sid recalled.

"He's only here in Great Lakes for as long as he resents his sisters. As soon as the bond has been fixed, he'll go back," Ronnie Anne replied.

"Ronnie Anne, holding on to such emotions isn't healthy. I sympathise with your desire to keep Lincoln close, but I won't let you drive the wedge between him and his family further just so you can keep playing house with him," Sid reprimanded.

"Sid, that's not what I have in mind. I do want to see him get along with his sisters, but I also want to be as close to him as I can. Having him here has been the best time of my life. I'm not ready to give it up yet," Ronnie Anne vented.

"That's not your call to make. Ultimately, it's up to Lincoln. For what it's worth, I'll help you plead your case, whatever it is, but I won't help tear a family apart, nor will I be any part of keeping Lincoln here against his will," Sid asserted. Ronnie Anne smiled at her bestie's support, and also took her other words to heart. Ronnie Anne scolded herself internally for being so selfish. Of course it should be Lincoln's decision as to whether he goes back or not

"You're right, Sid. What was I thinking?" Ronnie Anne responded.

"You were in love. It makes people do crazy things. Good thing I'm around to be your conscious," Sid joked.

"Should I tell Jiminy Cricket you're after his job?" Ronnie Anne teasingly asked.

"No way. I would look terrible in that top hat and suit," Sid remarked. The two of them set off with all speed to Fairway University, as did Lincoln and Lori. War Leader and Tootie, disguised as Darius and Kate respectively, had already arrived, but were spotted by a watching Marisa Ewan, and Raj. Marisa then spoke into her walkie-talkie.

"I have eyes on the intruder. He has a girl with him, about twelve years old. Should we move to engage?" Marisa probed.

"No. Let them play until the intermission. I don't want to risk the safety of the girl he's with. That'll give the police time to move in discreetly. In the meantime, see to the volunteers," Niblick instructed.

"Yes, Coach," Marisa acknowledged, then terminated the call. She then turned to 'Rich' and 'Chad', who were Riff and Aquarian in disguise. "I see here you are on the refreshments committee, Rich," Marisa noted, reading from her clipboard.

"That's me. I take it I'll be on the course with bottled water in hand," Riff affirmed.

"That would be ideal, thank you. As for Chad, I have you down to inspect the water hazards, owing to your experience as a school lifeguard," Marisa said.

"I only started today. I am all about water safety. I'll make sure no-one falls in, and retrieve any golf balls that make the plunge," Aquarian volunteered.

"Excellent. We do get that a lot here. Tournament starts in a half hour. Places, people. Rich, I already have your colleagues at the bottled water table waiting for you at hole one. Chad, first water hazard's not until hole three, but you're free to watch the game," Marisa explained. Before long, everyone had arrived at the first hole, eager to get started. Lincoln and Lori greeted each other with a simple hand-wave. War Leader and Tootie exchanged only mild greetings, and Ronnie Anne and Sid were going over her pitch to Lincoln to stay here even after the rift within his family had been resolved. In this golf game, everything was to play for.

Author's note: I really struggled with this one. I was trying to figure out what to add, what to change, and what to take out. The story structure proved to be a mess as well. My thought process needs work. I think I have it now, but I don't make promises I can't be certain I can keep. If that wasn't bad enough, I'm already thinking about Christmas fics. Halloween hasn't even passed yet. Why is my brain going this far ahead? The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. All properties belong to their respective owners. Enjoy.