CHRISTMAS AT THE CABIN: CHAPTER 5
Disclaimer and Rating: same as previous chapters.
A/N: Okay, this is the shopping chapter! HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!
“Well, here we are guys! Largest mall in America! King of Prussia Mall!” Lilac said brightly, as the four popped up behind a dumpster on the side of the mall. Trikk frowned and led the group out along the side of the mall, and stared up at the massive structure. Her, Slade, and Slashera had been Apparated to the mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania right after breakfast to go shopping while Lilac and Jareth did their own shopping in their own universes. It had been decided at breakfast that morning that all five would get presents for everyone, but only one thing for each person not including the Secret Santa picks. That way, everyone could get presents for each person, but for the Secret Santa pick, there would be an extra amount of presents. It had also been decided (with Jareth rather angry about the fact) that Lilac would help Trikk at William’s to get ready for the party the next day. Jareth had snarled that it wasn’t fair for Slade to be able to take the author out on a “date”, and Trikk had sighed and assured the Fae King that she would go out with him if he wanted to so badly. That had led the Fae to drop the issue . . . for the moment. Now, Trikk had two of Slade’s credit cards in her pocket along with a list of what she was going to get or planned to get inside the mall. She wore a black turtleneck, blue jeans, and black and blue sneakers. And was ready to start walking around the mall. She smiled and turned to Lilac, “Thanks. Pick us back up here at around 8:00?” Lilac smiled, nodded, and with a flash of light, disappeared. Trikk turned to Slade, frowning, “Let’s go inside and figure out where we’re going to meet for lunch.” He blinked and nodded, “Right.”
nbsp; “We could meet at the Cheesecake Factory,” Trikk decided, and turned to him, blinking, as the three stood before a massive map of the mall that they had found right inside the doors. “Alright. And call at least every hour. This is a big mall. I don’t want you getting hurt,” Slade muttered, all business. To him, this was now a mission, and when it came to missions, he was all organized and serious. She smirked, “Aye-aye, sir.” She saluted him. He raised an eyebrow, frowning, “Haha, very funny. Give me your cell phone.” She frowned and handed him it. And he whipped out what appeared to be a stick on jewel. And pressed it to the back of her Jest 2 Cell Phone. “Cute,” she muttered, gazing at the silver jewel, and turned to him, “And why did you, a mercenary, just decide to glamorize my phone?” He frowned, “It’s not just a stick on gem. It’s also a tracking chip. That way, if you don’t call me each hour, I can locate you on my PDA and come save you. That reminds me . . . if you lose your phone. . .” he leaned over, and pulled out a diamond necklace from the pocket of his jeans and slid it around her neck, clicking it into place behind her head. She frowned up at him. He smiled, “There’s a tracking chip in that as well.” “Alright, so now that you have me all bundled up in your tracking equipment . . . can I leave now?” Trikk asked, rolling her eyes. “Not just yet. Set the alarms on your phone for each hour. I don’t want to go save you when you don’t need to be saved. That would be just stupid,” the man muttered, putting his hands on his hips. She sighed, and quickly did as asked, “Alright, mom, can I leave now?” He smirked, “Sure, honey.” She smirked, and turning on her heel, marched off. Slashera frowned and turned to Slade, “Father Slade, you’re not a ‘mom’. . .” He chuckled, and turned to her, grinning, “I know, little one. Now let’s go shopping. Trikk was just playing around.” She beamed up at him, and the two turned and jogged off.
nbsp; Trikk frowned, gazing down at the slip of paper in her hands. Slade Wilson. How easy could it get? She smirked. She already knew hands down three things she was going to get the mercenary, two being funny and one being something he’d actually want. She’d also get him two other serious ones besides the required five, to make it up to him. She smiled, and pulled out a mall map brochure she’d gotten upon entering the place. Yep. She’d shop for him until noon, it being 8:00 currently, take the presents to the gift wrapping station in the mall’s east wing, and then go meet him and Slashera to eat before going to get everyone else’s presents and then go party dress shopping. She wasn’t much of one to shop for dresses, but she figured she could find a suitable dress for the occasion.
nbsp; “So, little one,” Slade murmured to Slashera, “Who are you shopping for?” She beamed up at him, and showed him the slip of paper. Trikk. How easy could you get?! Slade thought, staring at the paper. Then he smiled. “But I don’t know what to get her!” Slashera whimpered. Slade smiled at her, his eye gleaming, “Don’t worry, little Slash. I know for a fact that your Mama Trikk puts her Christmas list on her laptop computer. And that she e-mails them to some people. So all I have to do, is use my PDA. . .” he held up the device, “To just check in on your Mama’s e-mails, and then we’ll have our list!” Slashera grinned, “Can we get her more than five things?!” Slade smirked, “IF YOU WANT TO!” turning, he began to hack into Trikk’s e-mail account. He’d get her a thousand things if it could hold off getting that pompous King his presents. But he was starting to get ideas . . . he’d done some research on his PDA that morning. And had found out that Jareth was portrayed by David Bowie in the movie “Labyrinth”. So he could get him some David Bowie stuff as well as movie memorabilia. He’d get the man what he would like, alright. He smirked and walked onward.
nbsp; Four hours and four phone calls to check in later, Trikk smiled, watching as Slade and Slashera approached from the west side of the mall as she stood outside of the restaurant. “Happy shopping?” she said, smiling broadly at them. She’d found everything she was going to get Slade, and was ready to shop quickly for Slashera and Lilac and Jareth after they ate and then head over to some stores to get a dress. Slade smirked at the author. They’d at least gotten Slashera’s shopping done. His would be completed after lunch. “Of course,” he murmured, smiling at her, “You?” She winked back, “Never better. Now let’s go in! I’m starving!” he threw back his head with a laugh and the group went in.
nbsp; After a good lunch of Shrimp Scampi for Trikk, Filet Mignon cooked Rare for Slade, and Filet Mignon cooked Medium Well for Slashera, the three leaned back in the booth they’d managed to get, smiling as Trikk sipped some coke, Slade some coffee, and Slashera some water. “That necklace really suits you. Maybe you should wear it tomorrow,” Slade murmured, taking a sip of his black coffee. Trikk blushed and tilted her head down. The necklace was indeed very elegant, and very beautiful . . . she touched it, “Thank you.” “YOU REALLY SHOULD MAMA TRIKK! I wish I could stay for the party, but I have to leave with Lilac. . .” Slashera mumbled. Trikk turned to the girl and smiled weakly, “But that only means that the two of you can have a fun night at the cabin eating sweets and watching movies and eating popcorn! And doing each other’s nails and having fun!!!!” Slashera tilted her head, and then grinned at her brain mother, “I never thought of it like that before . . . this is going to be fun!” Trikk beamed, happy to help the child maintain a joyful mood. At that moment, their waiter came back, “Okay, so the Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake?” The author smiled and lifted her hand, and the waiter smiled at her before sliding it and a glass of water before her, a big fork sticking out of the thick slice of cheesecake. “Alright. . . Tiramisu Cheesecake?” he turned to Slade and Slashera, blinking, and Slade just smirked and held his hand up. The man slid that slice and a glass of water before the mercenary. “And I’m guessing you got the Original Cheesecake little lady?” the man said with a grin, and slid the last slice and water that he had to Slashera. “Enjoy!” he turned and walked off.
nbsp; Slade grimaced as Trikk dug into the cheesecake, “How can you eat that? That is way too much chocolate.” She smirked at him, “Simple. Because it is all chocolate, I love it, and so I can eat it.” He rolled his eye, “Whatever.” He turned back to his slice and began to eat. Trikk smiled and turned to Slashera, “And how is yours, Little Slash?” Slashera looked up and grinned at the woman, “GREAT MAMA TRIKK!!!!” “So, I know you two have been shopping, but for Slashera’s pick or for yours, Slade?” she chuckled, turning back to face the man. Who frowned at her, wearing an orange muscle shirt for the day, “Haha . . .” She rolled her eyes, “Come on Slade, you’re going to have to shop for him eventually. . .” Slade sighed, and smiled weakly at her, “I know. How about I give you my size for my tuxedo and you and Slashera run along and get a dress?” She frowned and bit her lip. Then she’d have to shop for everyone else with the child. Meaning that Slashera would know if Slade was Trikk’s pick, and that the girl would also know what Trikk had gotten Slashera since the author still needed to get the child’s present, “How about. . . at around 2:00 we meet at the front of the mall again and then me and Slashera go and get a dress and your tux?” Slade smiled, “Alright. Then, I was thinking . . . it shouldn’t take you that long to get a dress, should it? Wanna catch a quick movie at the movie theater across the street? Before Lilac comes back to take us home?” Trikk smiled, “Sounds wonderful.”
nbsp; At roughly 5:30, the group of three met with each laden with wrapped presents and with Trikk holding two long zipped up clothing bags which she handed to Slade, simply remarking that since it was his friend’s party, he could carry the dress and tux and shoes. Slade only chuckled, nodded, and the three headed out to the movie theater. After watching Monsters Inc. in 3D and laughing their heads off while eating popcorn and sipping sodas, the two girls headed out of the movie theater into the brisk night air while Slade stayed back to dispose of the drink cups and popcorn tubs, having handed Trikk the clothing bags temporarily. At that moment, a man with a gun rushed up with a ski mask on and pointed the gun at Slashera, who screamed in fright as he grabbed her, his eyes on Trikk, pointing the gun at Slashera’s head as the author stared, her heart racing. Oh dear lord. . .
“DROP IT ALL!” he shouted. She nodded quickly and dropped everything, and it all slammed into the concrete. Fear filled her, but despite the fear, she fought to remain calm. She freaking out and acting stupid wouldn’t help the situation, or Slashera. And she would not allow the child to get hurt, “Let go of her. I’ll give you whatever you want.” He snarled, and didn’t let go of Slashera. Instead, he lunged forward and dove his hands into the woman’s pockets and retrieved Slade’s credit cards which the woman had forgotten to give back to the mercenary. She gritted her teeth. Shit, Slade won’t be happy with me about that. . . He smirked at the two cards and tucked them into his pocket, “Nice!” He smirked at her, as people just stared, too many of them shocked to do anything to help the woman and child. Trikk blinked, vaguely remembering the bystander effect from College Social Psychology. Oh how she wished it wasn’t present now . . . she glanced back at the movie theater doors, which had movie posters covering them, blocking one’s view of the inside of the theater and blocking those who were inside from seeing outside of the theater. Slade had no idea what was happening . . . which meant that she was on her own to get Slashera and herself out of the situation. . . Perfect. Just when you need your big strong tough testosterone filled villain the most, he’s throwing away trash like a good little boy inside . . . she gritted her teeth, and turned to the robber, as he continued to order her around by keeping the gun on Slashera, his eyes on the author, “Take off your necklace, pretty girl!”
rikk frowned, raising an eyebrow, “Hand over Slashera and you’ll get the necklace.” “MAMA TRIKK, NO! IT’S YOURS! NOT HIS! YOURS!” Slashera cried out, tears flowing down, gazing at the woman. “Hush, my little one,” Trikk muttered, eyes on the man’s own. Slashera whimpered, tears flowing down, “But. . . But Mama Trikk. . .” Trikk darted her eyes down, and she smiled calmly at the child, “Don’t worry, little one. Everything’ll be alright. I promise. Just stay quiet and don’t move, okay? I really need you to do that for me. . .” Slashera bit her lip but nodded. Trikk smiled, “That’s my sweet little girl.” She turned to the man, and frowned, “Alright, I’ll take off the necklace, so long as you hand her over. She doesn’t need to get hurt. . .” she reached slowly behind her neck to unclasp the necklace. And stared, as she felt the latch. Slade had made it so complicated that she couldn’t get it off. DAMN YOU SLADE! CAN’T YOU EVER MAKE THINGS JUST EASY FOR ME?! JUST ONE TIME?! She thought, but tried to remain calm, and just gazed at the robber, moving her hands around as if she were undoing the necklace. Praying that Slade would come out soon. Sadly, the door remained closed. He smirked, and she could see his evil smile through the mask. This could not be good “I got a better idea. That necklace had to have cost you a pretty penny sweetie. Or whoever gave it to you a pretty penny . . . why take it when I can take a nice little lady like you for ransom?” She frowned and blinked, “You’d be making a big mistake,” she muttered, “Trust me. If you take me, it will not end well for you.”
e chuckled, “I doubt that. Tell ya what. You come quietly, and I let this little girl go.” “MAMA TRIKK, NO! DON’T LET HIM TAKE YOU! PLEASE!!!” Slashera screamed. Trikk frowned at the man, then turned to the child, and smiled weakly, “Just go get your Father, little one.” She turned the man and frowned and nodded, “Okay.” She moved forward, and held out an arm, which the man grabbed with a chuckle, releasing Slashera and pushing her to the ground. In an instant, he’d rushed around the side of the building with Trikk in tow.
Slade frowned as Slashera burst into the movie theater, tears running down her cheeks, a red spot on one cheek from hitting the cement ground outside, “HE, HE GOT HER! HE GOT HER FATHER SLADE! HE GOT HER! HE THREATENED ME, AND THEN SHE WENT WITH HIM!” Slade stared, having been leaving the trash bins to go to the outside world as the child entered, and felt his heart stop, instantly knowing who Trikk was. Suddenly, anger flooded through the mercenary. No one hurt his author and got away with it! Growling, he glared dead ahead and rushed out the doors, “STAY HERE!” he shouted at Slashera, and rushed out into the night, whipping out his PDA, and quickly zeroing in on Trikk’s location before heading out into the night. Slashera choked out a sob, staring after her Father, and sat right there on the floor, sobbing her eyes out, head in her hands.
Trikk frowned as she was pulled into an apartment in an apartment complex right behind the movie theater. It was an old apartment on the first floor, with an old heater heating the room and a carpet littered with cigarette burns under their feet. Simply disgusting. “Sit,” the man muttered darkly, pushing her into the moth-eaten couch, having already taken her phone from her and bound her hands in some duct tape he’d had on him. He moved to the falling apart bar near the small kitchen area, and leaned over it, frowning, searching the contacts, “What’s your hubby’s name, darlin’?” he muttered. She frowned and turned to him, having been working at the duct tape on her hands, and narrowed her eyes, “I’m no one’s wife. I never said I was one.” “That girl called you ‘Mama’. Gotta have a guy to make a kid, sweetie. Besides. You told her to go get her father. I ain’t stupid,” he sneered at her. She frowned, blinking. Well, apparently, you’re quite stupid. And right now, I’m not too happy with you. This is decidedly NOT how I wanted to spend my night. I almost don’t feel bad for what you have coming for you in the near future. . . He’d taken off his mask, revealing a face littered with stubble. The man couldn’t be over 40, and had watery blue eyes and dirty blonde hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks. She frowned, the smell of animal urine filling the air of the apartment, “That doesn’t mean it takes a marriage, dumbass.”
“If you were just some dude’s whore or bitch, he wouldn’t have given you that necklace,” the man remarked, frowning at her. “Who’s to say it’s from my lover? Who’s to say I still have one? Who’s to say it’s not from my dead uncle?” “Is it?” he frowned stupidly at her. “Who’s to say I have a dead uncle?” she remarked calmly, “The thing is, there’s only two facts of truth present in our current situation. One fact is that I am highly irritated with you right now. So you won’t be getting much information out of me at all. The second fact is, that you were sloppy, stupid, and way too assuming in regards to me. You have no idea who you’ve just kidnapped and have no idea if I’m worth anything to anybody. Who’s to say that I didn’t just steal this necklace in the first place?” “You had a bunch of bags,” he objected. “Who’s to say I wasn’t carrying them for someone I worked for?”
ldquo;Then why did that girl call you ‘Mama’? Gotta have a daddy,” the man said stupidly, referring to his previous argument, since he didn’t have much of a current one. “I don’t know who her daddy’s name is,” Trikk answered calmly and truthfully, smirking at him. “YOU TELLIN’ ME YOU DON’T KNOW WHO THAT GIRL’S FATHER IS? THEN WHO DID SHE GO TO GET?!” he stared at her, then laughed, shaking his head, “Now who’s stupid?” She smiled calmly, “Oh no, you still are. You see, you’re just not paying attention. I never said I didn’t know who the girl’s father was. . .” He stared, “What’s the difference?” She smirked an evil smile at him, for once happy she could be so devious, “Oh, you’d be surprised . . .” At that moment, the door was busted in by a hard boot, and Trikk blinked, turning to the doorway calmly, smiling as the door fell in and to the floor. And in stepped Slade. His eye immediately fell on the male in the room, who stared at him, dumbfounded. Then his eye went to Trikk, and he blinked, “Are you alright?” Trikk only smiled back, relief flooding her at the sight of the man and the sound of concern in his voice. Knowing he was here to save her, “Fine. This idiot hasn’t hurt me.” He frowned, nodded, and turned to the male, “I’m sure he’ll wish he could say the same for himself. . .” Trikk frowned, as the robber pulled out a gun and fired it at Slade, perceiving him as a more immediate threat. Something in the way Slade had said that last phrase sent a chill down her spine, and fear into her heart. This may not end well. . .
The mercenary quickly dodged each bullet sent his way, snarling, and was at the man in an instant. Grabbing the man’s wrist, Slade snarled and twisted it, breaking it with a loud snap as the man gave a blood curdling scream. Slade only snarled at the man, wasting no time and forcing the man to drop the gun to have it clatter to the floor. The Russian quickly kicked the gun away with a growl, and whipping the man around, he pinned the man’s arm at an odd angle behind the man’s back and slammed him hard against the wall, growling, gripping his hair, “You little shit, you honestly thought that you could just attack my family?!” He snarled in the man’s ear, fury filling him. Trikk stared at the white haired man. Wait a second . . . Family? “I. . . I didn’t know!” the man shrieked, fear filling his voice.
ldquo;What?! Didn’t know that what you were doing was wrong, or didn’t know that I’d be coming to get her back?!” Slade snarled, glowering at the man’s head, before deciding in a split second to slam it into the man’s dirty kitchen wall. “I. . . I’m sorry I didn’t know it was wrong! Dude! I seriously wanted to just get a quick buck! I swear!” the man shrieked. “SLADE! JUST CALL 911! YOU’VE GOT HIM DETAINED!” Trikk shouted. She’d never seen Slade so furious. It frightened her to think of what the man would do to the robber. Slade jerked his head around, glowering at her, and she saw the fury swirling in his crystal blue eye. She gritted her teeth. This was definitely not good . . . “Right. And when the authorities get here, they’ll have a nice little body to find,” Slade snarled, grabbing his own PDA and tossing it over his shoulder and onto the couch cushion beside Trikk. The other man screamed even louder at that. Trikk stared, and stood up, “SLADE! YOU CAN’T KILL HIM!” He snarled at her, his face contorting more into rage, and slammed the man into the wall even harder, some chipped off paint from the top flying down on him and the male pinned to the wall, “LIKE HE WOULDN’T HAVE KILLED SLASHERA IF HE FELT LIKE IT! LIKE HE WOULDN’T HAVE KILLED YOU! DON’T FOOL YOURSELF INTO THINKING THAT THIS PIECE OF SHIT’S LIFE IS WORTH SAVING, TRIKK!”
Trikk’s mouth just hung open as she stared at Slade, speechless. The man just growled at her again before turning and growling in the man’s ear, “Я rip тела друг от друга. Конечности от конечности. Когда они вас найти, они вам придется попытаться положить зубы вместе как головоломки заключается только для того, чтобы идентифицировать вас, вы судите! (I'll rip your body apart. Limb from limb. When they find you, they'll have to try to put your teeth together like a jigsaw puzzle just to identify you, you scum! )” “I. . . I don’t know what you’re saying!” the man shrieked, fear in his voice. Slade roared again, and slammed the man into the wall again. “SLADE, STOP! NOW!” Trikk shouted. She also didn’t understand what the mercenary was saying, but she knew that when he was that far gone, when he had regressed that far into his childhood, he was capable of anything. All inhibitions he might have in regards to her were down. And right now, all he could feel was raw anger for the man who had threatened both her and Slashera. And she had heard the venom in his voice . . . the man was deadly in the worst way right now. Slade snarled, not even hearing her, and whipped the man around and wrenched his arm out of its socket, disjointing it, and the man screamed even louder. Trikk jumped at the pain-filled cry, staring at the two men.
Slade gripped the man’s throat and glared at the man with an icy cold blue eye that only promised pain and zero mercy, “Давайте начнем!( LET'S GET STARTED THEN!)” “PLEASE!” the man cried out, tears flowing. Just before Trikk rushed up, and gripping Slade’s shoulder, leaned up and screamed into the man’s ear the one thing she knew in Russian, the one thing she’d had Lilac teach her once: “СЛЕЙД! Остановить это! Для меня! (Slade! Stop this! For me!)” Slade froze, and turned his head to the side, breathing hard, panting, and gazing at her. Pausing. She gritted her teeth. Alright, at least you got his attention . . . now time to calm him down a little. Or . . . a lot. She began to lightly massage his shoulder, “I know you care about me. And I know how badly you want to hurt him.” He snarled at her, glaring at her, “That’s an understatement. I will KILL him for threatening the two of you!” She gritted her teeth, and decided to continue, leaning closer, so that her face was just an inch from his, “But please, for me. Just calm down . . . we can tie him up, lock him in, and then we can leave him for the authorities to uncover.” Slade frowned, and turned his head fully to her, breathing hard, “He’ll remember us. . . I have to kill him. . .” his hand clenched more around the man’s windpipe, and he gritted his teeth. She felt her heart stop as the man began to gasp for air as Slade slowly began to crush the man’s windpipe, and the man began to writhe. Just before he was gone, however, Lilac’s voice flew over the room, “Or maybe not.”
nbsp; Thirty minutes later, the man was hogtied and unconscious on the floor of the apartment, and using magic, all of Slade’s, Trikk’s, Slashera’s, and Lilac’s fingerprints that had been anywhere in the room or on the man had been removed. Trikk’s hands had been removed from their duct tape imprisonment and Slade had taken his credit cards back. Lilac frowned and turned to Slade, “I can use a payphone to dial 911. Then we can leave. Slashera’s just outside in the hallway with the stuff. I magically repaired anything that was broken when Trikk dropped it.” Turning, she marched back out. Leaving the author and mercenary standing there.
After minutes had passed, Slade sighed. “I’m sorry, for what I did,” Slade whispered, turning to Trikk. Who smiled up at him, “Well, you did go a little bit overboard. . .” The two began to walk out, and she turned to him suddenly, and smiled. Reaching out, she held his hand in hers. He jerked his head around and stared at her, blinking, pausing.
he smiled, “Still, it’s nice to know you cared.” He blinked, “Of course I cared. Why wouldn’t I? When Slashera ran in and told me you’d been taken, I swear my heart stopped. All I could think of was what that idiot could have been doing to you. I had to get you back. I knew that much. So I activated the tracker in your necklace and followed you.” She frowned at him, blinking, “Why did you feel so much worry and concern for me?” He stared, as if the answer was obvious, “Because we’re family.” She stared at him, “Family?” There was that term again. Only this time, he was saying it to her, not the robber.
He blinked and stopped, turning to face her, the two right inside the doorway, “Of course. Our family. You, me, Lilac, Slashera, and Jareth. It might be a dysfunctional family, but it is a family, nonetheless. And I’ll always protect my family.” She smirked, “Even Jareth?” He tensed a little, and the she thought he would say no, but then the man sighed, slumping his shoulders, gazing at her, “Yes. I will protect all of my family. Just some . . . more than others. . .”
She smirked, “Well, I suppose I should be grateful that you protect me more . . . than others.” He smirked, “Yeah, you should be.” She smiled, “Thank you, Slade. It means a lot to know that you care about all of us. Even if you care for some of us more than others.” He smiled, and nodded, gazing at her, "It’s like I said. You lot may be a dysfunctional family to have, but you are my family, nonetheless. And I shall do my best to protect all of you until my last breath.” She smiled, “Then I’m lucky I made you almost immortal, huh?” she winked. He smirked, “Yes, I suppose that is one plus side to that wonderful part of my history. Come on, let’s go home.” She grinned at him, “Yes, yes it is.” He grinned right back at her and turning, they headed to Lilac and Slashera, who were waiting patiently in the hall. As Slashera squealed with happiness and relief and ran into her brain mom’s arms, Trikk couldn’t help but smile as the girl sobbed with joy into her shoulder. Wrapping her arms around the child, the woman smiled. She had to admit, even if his ways of going about protecting her and the others might be unconventional, the fact that Slade cared so much about her and the others still touched her heart and made her smile.
A/N: sooo, some shopping and some action! Did you like it? Please comment! :D I got the information about the King of Prussia Mall on Wikipedia.
A/N: Okay, this is the shopping chapter! HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!
“Well, here we are guys! Largest mall in America! King of Prussia Mall!” Lilac said brightly, as the four popped up behind a dumpster on the side of the mall. Trikk frowned and led the group out along the side of the mall, and stared up at the massive structure. Her, Slade, and Slashera had been Apparated to the mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania right after breakfast to go shopping while Lilac and Jareth did their own shopping in their own universes. It had been decided at breakfast that morning that all five would get presents for everyone, but only one thing for each person not including the Secret Santa picks. That way, everyone could get presents for each person, but for the Secret Santa pick, there would be an extra amount of presents. It had also been decided (with Jareth rather angry about the fact) that Lilac would help Trikk at William’s to get ready for the party the next day. Jareth had snarled that it wasn’t fair for Slade to be able to take the author out on a “date”, and Trikk had sighed and assured the Fae King that she would go out with him if he wanted to so badly. That had led the Fae to drop the issue . . . for the moment. Now, Trikk had two of Slade’s credit cards in her pocket along with a list of what she was going to get or planned to get inside the mall. She wore a black turtleneck, blue jeans, and black and blue sneakers. And was ready to start walking around the mall. She smiled and turned to Lilac, “Thanks. Pick us back up here at around 8:00?” Lilac smiled, nodded, and with a flash of light, disappeared. Trikk turned to Slade, frowning, “Let’s go inside and figure out where we’re going to meet for lunch.” He blinked and nodded, “Right.”
nbsp; “We could meet at the Cheesecake Factory,” Trikk decided, and turned to him, blinking, as the three stood before a massive map of the mall that they had found right inside the doors. “Alright. And call at least every hour. This is a big mall. I don’t want you getting hurt,” Slade muttered, all business. To him, this was now a mission, and when it came to missions, he was all organized and serious. She smirked, “Aye-aye, sir.” She saluted him. He raised an eyebrow, frowning, “Haha, very funny. Give me your cell phone.” She frowned and handed him it. And he whipped out what appeared to be a stick on jewel. And pressed it to the back of her Jest 2 Cell Phone. “Cute,” she muttered, gazing at the silver jewel, and turned to him, “And why did you, a mercenary, just decide to glamorize my phone?” He frowned, “It’s not just a stick on gem. It’s also a tracking chip. That way, if you don’t call me each hour, I can locate you on my PDA and come save you. That reminds me . . . if you lose your phone. . .” he leaned over, and pulled out a diamond necklace from the pocket of his jeans and slid it around her neck, clicking it into place behind her head. She frowned up at him. He smiled, “There’s a tracking chip in that as well.” “Alright, so now that you have me all bundled up in your tracking equipment . . . can I leave now?” Trikk asked, rolling her eyes. “Not just yet. Set the alarms on your phone for each hour. I don’t want to go save you when you don’t need to be saved. That would be just stupid,” the man muttered, putting his hands on his hips. She sighed, and quickly did as asked, “Alright, mom, can I leave now?” He smirked, “Sure, honey.” She smirked, and turning on her heel, marched off. Slashera frowned and turned to Slade, “Father Slade, you’re not a ‘mom’. . .” He chuckled, and turned to her, grinning, “I know, little one. Now let’s go shopping. Trikk was just playing around.” She beamed up at him, and the two turned and jogged off.
nbsp; Trikk frowned, gazing down at the slip of paper in her hands. Slade Wilson. How easy could it get? She smirked. She already knew hands down three things she was going to get the mercenary, two being funny and one being something he’d actually want. She’d also get him two other serious ones besides the required five, to make it up to him. She smiled, and pulled out a mall map brochure she’d gotten upon entering the place. Yep. She’d shop for him until noon, it being 8:00 currently, take the presents to the gift wrapping station in the mall’s east wing, and then go meet him and Slashera to eat before going to get everyone else’s presents and then go party dress shopping. She wasn’t much of one to shop for dresses, but she figured she could find a suitable dress for the occasion.
nbsp; “So, little one,” Slade murmured to Slashera, “Who are you shopping for?” She beamed up at him, and showed him the slip of paper. Trikk. How easy could you get?! Slade thought, staring at the paper. Then he smiled. “But I don’t know what to get her!” Slashera whimpered. Slade smiled at her, his eye gleaming, “Don’t worry, little Slash. I know for a fact that your Mama Trikk puts her Christmas list on her laptop computer. And that she e-mails them to some people. So all I have to do, is use my PDA. . .” he held up the device, “To just check in on your Mama’s e-mails, and then we’ll have our list!” Slashera grinned, “Can we get her more than five things?!” Slade smirked, “IF YOU WANT TO!” turning, he began to hack into Trikk’s e-mail account. He’d get her a thousand things if it could hold off getting that pompous King his presents. But he was starting to get ideas . . . he’d done some research on his PDA that morning. And had found out that Jareth was portrayed by David Bowie in the movie “Labyrinth”. So he could get him some David Bowie stuff as well as movie memorabilia. He’d get the man what he would like, alright. He smirked and walked onward.
nbsp; Four hours and four phone calls to check in later, Trikk smiled, watching as Slade and Slashera approached from the west side of the mall as she stood outside of the restaurant. “Happy shopping?” she said, smiling broadly at them. She’d found everything she was going to get Slade, and was ready to shop quickly for Slashera and Lilac and Jareth after they ate and then head over to some stores to get a dress. Slade smirked at the author. They’d at least gotten Slashera’s shopping done. His would be completed after lunch. “Of course,” he murmured, smiling at her, “You?” She winked back, “Never better. Now let’s go in! I’m starving!” he threw back his head with a laugh and the group went in.
nbsp; After a good lunch of Shrimp Scampi for Trikk, Filet Mignon cooked Rare for Slade, and Filet Mignon cooked Medium Well for Slashera, the three leaned back in the booth they’d managed to get, smiling as Trikk sipped some coke, Slade some coffee, and Slashera some water. “That necklace really suits you. Maybe you should wear it tomorrow,” Slade murmured, taking a sip of his black coffee. Trikk blushed and tilted her head down. The necklace was indeed very elegant, and very beautiful . . . she touched it, “Thank you.” “YOU REALLY SHOULD MAMA TRIKK! I wish I could stay for the party, but I have to leave with Lilac. . .” Slashera mumbled. Trikk turned to the girl and smiled weakly, “But that only means that the two of you can have a fun night at the cabin eating sweets and watching movies and eating popcorn! And doing each other’s nails and having fun!!!!” Slashera tilted her head, and then grinned at her brain mother, “I never thought of it like that before . . . this is going to be fun!” Trikk beamed, happy to help the child maintain a joyful mood. At that moment, their waiter came back, “Okay, so the Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake?” The author smiled and lifted her hand, and the waiter smiled at her before sliding it and a glass of water before her, a big fork sticking out of the thick slice of cheesecake. “Alright. . . Tiramisu Cheesecake?” he turned to Slade and Slashera, blinking, and Slade just smirked and held his hand up. The man slid that slice and a glass of water before the mercenary. “And I’m guessing you got the Original Cheesecake little lady?” the man said with a grin, and slid the last slice and water that he had to Slashera. “Enjoy!” he turned and walked off.
nbsp; Slade grimaced as Trikk dug into the cheesecake, “How can you eat that? That is way too much chocolate.” She smirked at him, “Simple. Because it is all chocolate, I love it, and so I can eat it.” He rolled his eye, “Whatever.” He turned back to his slice and began to eat. Trikk smiled and turned to Slashera, “And how is yours, Little Slash?” Slashera looked up and grinned at the woman, “GREAT MAMA TRIKK!!!!” “So, I know you two have been shopping, but for Slashera’s pick or for yours, Slade?” she chuckled, turning back to face the man. Who frowned at her, wearing an orange muscle shirt for the day, “Haha . . .” She rolled her eyes, “Come on Slade, you’re going to have to shop for him eventually. . .” Slade sighed, and smiled weakly at her, “I know. How about I give you my size for my tuxedo and you and Slashera run along and get a dress?” She frowned and bit her lip. Then she’d have to shop for everyone else with the child. Meaning that Slashera would know if Slade was Trikk’s pick, and that the girl would also know what Trikk had gotten Slashera since the author still needed to get the child’s present, “How about. . . at around 2:00 we meet at the front of the mall again and then me and Slashera go and get a dress and your tux?” Slade smiled, “Alright. Then, I was thinking . . . it shouldn’t take you that long to get a dress, should it? Wanna catch a quick movie at the movie theater across the street? Before Lilac comes back to take us home?” Trikk smiled, “Sounds wonderful.”
nbsp; At roughly 5:30, the group of three met with each laden with wrapped presents and with Trikk holding two long zipped up clothing bags which she handed to Slade, simply remarking that since it was his friend’s party, he could carry the dress and tux and shoes. Slade only chuckled, nodded, and the three headed out to the movie theater. After watching Monsters Inc. in 3D and laughing their heads off while eating popcorn and sipping sodas, the two girls headed out of the movie theater into the brisk night air while Slade stayed back to dispose of the drink cups and popcorn tubs, having handed Trikk the clothing bags temporarily. At that moment, a man with a gun rushed up with a ski mask on and pointed the gun at Slashera, who screamed in fright as he grabbed her, his eyes on Trikk, pointing the gun at Slashera’s head as the author stared, her heart racing. Oh dear lord. . .
“DROP IT ALL!” he shouted. She nodded quickly and dropped everything, and it all slammed into the concrete. Fear filled her, but despite the fear, she fought to remain calm. She freaking out and acting stupid wouldn’t help the situation, or Slashera. And she would not allow the child to get hurt, “Let go of her. I’ll give you whatever you want.” He snarled, and didn’t let go of Slashera. Instead, he lunged forward and dove his hands into the woman’s pockets and retrieved Slade’s credit cards which the woman had forgotten to give back to the mercenary. She gritted her teeth. Shit, Slade won’t be happy with me about that. . . He smirked at the two cards and tucked them into his pocket, “Nice!” He smirked at her, as people just stared, too many of them shocked to do anything to help the woman and child. Trikk blinked, vaguely remembering the bystander effect from College Social Psychology. Oh how she wished it wasn’t present now . . . she glanced back at the movie theater doors, which had movie posters covering them, blocking one’s view of the inside of the theater and blocking those who were inside from seeing outside of the theater. Slade had no idea what was happening . . . which meant that she was on her own to get Slashera and herself out of the situation. . . Perfect. Just when you need your big strong tough testosterone filled villain the most, he’s throwing away trash like a good little boy inside . . . she gritted her teeth, and turned to the robber, as he continued to order her around by keeping the gun on Slashera, his eyes on the author, “Take off your necklace, pretty girl!”
rikk frowned, raising an eyebrow, “Hand over Slashera and you’ll get the necklace.” “MAMA TRIKK, NO! IT’S YOURS! NOT HIS! YOURS!” Slashera cried out, tears flowing down, gazing at the woman. “Hush, my little one,” Trikk muttered, eyes on the man’s own. Slashera whimpered, tears flowing down, “But. . . But Mama Trikk. . .” Trikk darted her eyes down, and she smiled calmly at the child, “Don’t worry, little one. Everything’ll be alright. I promise. Just stay quiet and don’t move, okay? I really need you to do that for me. . .” Slashera bit her lip but nodded. Trikk smiled, “That’s my sweet little girl.” She turned to the man, and frowned, “Alright, I’ll take off the necklace, so long as you hand her over. She doesn’t need to get hurt. . .” she reached slowly behind her neck to unclasp the necklace. And stared, as she felt the latch. Slade had made it so complicated that she couldn’t get it off. DAMN YOU SLADE! CAN’T YOU EVER MAKE THINGS JUST EASY FOR ME?! JUST ONE TIME?! She thought, but tried to remain calm, and just gazed at the robber, moving her hands around as if she were undoing the necklace. Praying that Slade would come out soon. Sadly, the door remained closed. He smirked, and she could see his evil smile through the mask. This could not be good “I got a better idea. That necklace had to have cost you a pretty penny sweetie. Or whoever gave it to you a pretty penny . . . why take it when I can take a nice little lady like you for ransom?” She frowned and blinked, “You’d be making a big mistake,” she muttered, “Trust me. If you take me, it will not end well for you.”
e chuckled, “I doubt that. Tell ya what. You come quietly, and I let this little girl go.” “MAMA TRIKK, NO! DON’T LET HIM TAKE YOU! PLEASE!!!” Slashera screamed. Trikk frowned at the man, then turned to the child, and smiled weakly, “Just go get your Father, little one.” She turned the man and frowned and nodded, “Okay.” She moved forward, and held out an arm, which the man grabbed with a chuckle, releasing Slashera and pushing her to the ground. In an instant, he’d rushed around the side of the building with Trikk in tow.
Slade frowned as Slashera burst into the movie theater, tears running down her cheeks, a red spot on one cheek from hitting the cement ground outside, “HE, HE GOT HER! HE GOT HER FATHER SLADE! HE GOT HER! HE THREATENED ME, AND THEN SHE WENT WITH HIM!” Slade stared, having been leaving the trash bins to go to the outside world as the child entered, and felt his heart stop, instantly knowing who Trikk was. Suddenly, anger flooded through the mercenary. No one hurt his author and got away with it! Growling, he glared dead ahead and rushed out the doors, “STAY HERE!” he shouted at Slashera, and rushed out into the night, whipping out his PDA, and quickly zeroing in on Trikk’s location before heading out into the night. Slashera choked out a sob, staring after her Father, and sat right there on the floor, sobbing her eyes out, head in her hands.
Trikk frowned as she was pulled into an apartment in an apartment complex right behind the movie theater. It was an old apartment on the first floor, with an old heater heating the room and a carpet littered with cigarette burns under their feet. Simply disgusting. “Sit,” the man muttered darkly, pushing her into the moth-eaten couch, having already taken her phone from her and bound her hands in some duct tape he’d had on him. He moved to the falling apart bar near the small kitchen area, and leaned over it, frowning, searching the contacts, “What’s your hubby’s name, darlin’?” he muttered. She frowned and turned to him, having been working at the duct tape on her hands, and narrowed her eyes, “I’m no one’s wife. I never said I was one.” “That girl called you ‘Mama’. Gotta have a guy to make a kid, sweetie. Besides. You told her to go get her father. I ain’t stupid,” he sneered at her. She frowned, blinking. Well, apparently, you’re quite stupid. And right now, I’m not too happy with you. This is decidedly NOT how I wanted to spend my night. I almost don’t feel bad for what you have coming for you in the near future. . . He’d taken off his mask, revealing a face littered with stubble. The man couldn’t be over 40, and had watery blue eyes and dirty blonde hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks. She frowned, the smell of animal urine filling the air of the apartment, “That doesn’t mean it takes a marriage, dumbass.”
“If you were just some dude’s whore or bitch, he wouldn’t have given you that necklace,” the man remarked, frowning at her. “Who’s to say it’s from my lover? Who’s to say I still have one? Who’s to say it’s not from my dead uncle?” “Is it?” he frowned stupidly at her. “Who’s to say I have a dead uncle?” she remarked calmly, “The thing is, there’s only two facts of truth present in our current situation. One fact is that I am highly irritated with you right now. So you won’t be getting much information out of me at all. The second fact is, that you were sloppy, stupid, and way too assuming in regards to me. You have no idea who you’ve just kidnapped and have no idea if I’m worth anything to anybody. Who’s to say that I didn’t just steal this necklace in the first place?” “You had a bunch of bags,” he objected. “Who’s to say I wasn’t carrying them for someone I worked for?”
ldquo;Then why did that girl call you ‘Mama’? Gotta have a daddy,” the man said stupidly, referring to his previous argument, since he didn’t have much of a current one. “I don’t know who her daddy’s name is,” Trikk answered calmly and truthfully, smirking at him. “YOU TELLIN’ ME YOU DON’T KNOW WHO THAT GIRL’S FATHER IS? THEN WHO DID SHE GO TO GET?!” he stared at her, then laughed, shaking his head, “Now who’s stupid?” She smiled calmly, “Oh no, you still are. You see, you’re just not paying attention. I never said I didn’t know who the girl’s father was. . .” He stared, “What’s the difference?” She smirked an evil smile at him, for once happy she could be so devious, “Oh, you’d be surprised . . .” At that moment, the door was busted in by a hard boot, and Trikk blinked, turning to the doorway calmly, smiling as the door fell in and to the floor. And in stepped Slade. His eye immediately fell on the male in the room, who stared at him, dumbfounded. Then his eye went to Trikk, and he blinked, “Are you alright?” Trikk only smiled back, relief flooding her at the sight of the man and the sound of concern in his voice. Knowing he was here to save her, “Fine. This idiot hasn’t hurt me.” He frowned, nodded, and turned to the male, “I’m sure he’ll wish he could say the same for himself. . .” Trikk frowned, as the robber pulled out a gun and fired it at Slade, perceiving him as a more immediate threat. Something in the way Slade had said that last phrase sent a chill down her spine, and fear into her heart. This may not end well. . .
The mercenary quickly dodged each bullet sent his way, snarling, and was at the man in an instant. Grabbing the man’s wrist, Slade snarled and twisted it, breaking it with a loud snap as the man gave a blood curdling scream. Slade only snarled at the man, wasting no time and forcing the man to drop the gun to have it clatter to the floor. The Russian quickly kicked the gun away with a growl, and whipping the man around, he pinned the man’s arm at an odd angle behind the man’s back and slammed him hard against the wall, growling, gripping his hair, “You little shit, you honestly thought that you could just attack my family?!” He snarled in the man’s ear, fury filling him. Trikk stared at the white haired man. Wait a second . . . Family? “I. . . I didn’t know!” the man shrieked, fear filling his voice.
ldquo;What?! Didn’t know that what you were doing was wrong, or didn’t know that I’d be coming to get her back?!” Slade snarled, glowering at the man’s head, before deciding in a split second to slam it into the man’s dirty kitchen wall. “I. . . I’m sorry I didn’t know it was wrong! Dude! I seriously wanted to just get a quick buck! I swear!” the man shrieked. “SLADE! JUST CALL 911! YOU’VE GOT HIM DETAINED!” Trikk shouted. She’d never seen Slade so furious. It frightened her to think of what the man would do to the robber. Slade jerked his head around, glowering at her, and she saw the fury swirling in his crystal blue eye. She gritted her teeth. This was definitely not good . . . “Right. And when the authorities get here, they’ll have a nice little body to find,” Slade snarled, grabbing his own PDA and tossing it over his shoulder and onto the couch cushion beside Trikk. The other man screamed even louder at that. Trikk stared, and stood up, “SLADE! YOU CAN’T KILL HIM!” He snarled at her, his face contorting more into rage, and slammed the man into the wall even harder, some chipped off paint from the top flying down on him and the male pinned to the wall, “LIKE HE WOULDN’T HAVE KILLED SLASHERA IF HE FELT LIKE IT! LIKE HE WOULDN’T HAVE KILLED YOU! DON’T FOOL YOURSELF INTO THINKING THAT THIS PIECE OF SHIT’S LIFE IS WORTH SAVING, TRIKK!”
Trikk’s mouth just hung open as she stared at Slade, speechless. The man just growled at her again before turning and growling in the man’s ear, “Я rip тела друг от друга. Конечности от конечности. Когда они вас найти, они вам придется попытаться положить зубы вместе как головоломки заключается только для того, чтобы идентифицировать вас, вы судите! (I'll rip your body apart. Limb from limb. When they find you, they'll have to try to put your teeth together like a jigsaw puzzle just to identify you, you scum! )” “I. . . I don’t know what you’re saying!” the man shrieked, fear in his voice. Slade roared again, and slammed the man into the wall again. “SLADE, STOP! NOW!” Trikk shouted. She also didn’t understand what the mercenary was saying, but she knew that when he was that far gone, when he had regressed that far into his childhood, he was capable of anything. All inhibitions he might have in regards to her were down. And right now, all he could feel was raw anger for the man who had threatened both her and Slashera. And she had heard the venom in his voice . . . the man was deadly in the worst way right now. Slade snarled, not even hearing her, and whipped the man around and wrenched his arm out of its socket, disjointing it, and the man screamed even louder. Trikk jumped at the pain-filled cry, staring at the two men.
Slade gripped the man’s throat and glared at the man with an icy cold blue eye that only promised pain and zero mercy, “Давайте начнем!( LET'S GET STARTED THEN!)” “PLEASE!” the man cried out, tears flowing. Just before Trikk rushed up, and gripping Slade’s shoulder, leaned up and screamed into the man’s ear the one thing she knew in Russian, the one thing she’d had Lilac teach her once: “СЛЕЙД! Остановить это! Для меня! (Slade! Stop this! For me!)” Slade froze, and turned his head to the side, breathing hard, panting, and gazing at her. Pausing. She gritted her teeth. Alright, at least you got his attention . . . now time to calm him down a little. Or . . . a lot. She began to lightly massage his shoulder, “I know you care about me. And I know how badly you want to hurt him.” He snarled at her, glaring at her, “That’s an understatement. I will KILL him for threatening the two of you!” She gritted her teeth, and decided to continue, leaning closer, so that her face was just an inch from his, “But please, for me. Just calm down . . . we can tie him up, lock him in, and then we can leave him for the authorities to uncover.” Slade frowned, and turned his head fully to her, breathing hard, “He’ll remember us. . . I have to kill him. . .” his hand clenched more around the man’s windpipe, and he gritted his teeth. She felt her heart stop as the man began to gasp for air as Slade slowly began to crush the man’s windpipe, and the man began to writhe. Just before he was gone, however, Lilac’s voice flew over the room, “Or maybe not.”
nbsp; Thirty minutes later, the man was hogtied and unconscious on the floor of the apartment, and using magic, all of Slade’s, Trikk’s, Slashera’s, and Lilac’s fingerprints that had been anywhere in the room or on the man had been removed. Trikk’s hands had been removed from their duct tape imprisonment and Slade had taken his credit cards back. Lilac frowned and turned to Slade, “I can use a payphone to dial 911. Then we can leave. Slashera’s just outside in the hallway with the stuff. I magically repaired anything that was broken when Trikk dropped it.” Turning, she marched back out. Leaving the author and mercenary standing there.
After minutes had passed, Slade sighed. “I’m sorry, for what I did,” Slade whispered, turning to Trikk. Who smiled up at him, “Well, you did go a little bit overboard. . .” The two began to walk out, and she turned to him suddenly, and smiled. Reaching out, she held his hand in hers. He jerked his head around and stared at her, blinking, pausing.
he smiled, “Still, it’s nice to know you cared.” He blinked, “Of course I cared. Why wouldn’t I? When Slashera ran in and told me you’d been taken, I swear my heart stopped. All I could think of was what that idiot could have been doing to you. I had to get you back. I knew that much. So I activated the tracker in your necklace and followed you.” She frowned at him, blinking, “Why did you feel so much worry and concern for me?” He stared, as if the answer was obvious, “Because we’re family.” She stared at him, “Family?” There was that term again. Only this time, he was saying it to her, not the robber.
He blinked and stopped, turning to face her, the two right inside the doorway, “Of course. Our family. You, me, Lilac, Slashera, and Jareth. It might be a dysfunctional family, but it is a family, nonetheless. And I’ll always protect my family.” She smirked, “Even Jareth?” He tensed a little, and the she thought he would say no, but then the man sighed, slumping his shoulders, gazing at her, “Yes. I will protect all of my family. Just some . . . more than others. . .”
She smirked, “Well, I suppose I should be grateful that you protect me more . . . than others.” He smirked, “Yeah, you should be.” She smiled, “Thank you, Slade. It means a lot to know that you care about all of us. Even if you care for some of us more than others.” He smiled, and nodded, gazing at her, "It’s like I said. You lot may be a dysfunctional family to have, but you are my family, nonetheless. And I shall do my best to protect all of you until my last breath.” She smiled, “Then I’m lucky I made you almost immortal, huh?” she winked. He smirked, “Yes, I suppose that is one plus side to that wonderful part of my history. Come on, let’s go home.” She grinned at him, “Yes, yes it is.” He grinned right back at her and turning, they headed to Lilac and Slashera, who were waiting patiently in the hall. As Slashera squealed with happiness and relief and ran into her brain mom’s arms, Trikk couldn’t help but smile as the girl sobbed with joy into her shoulder. Wrapping her arms around the child, the woman smiled. She had to admit, even if his ways of going about protecting her and the others might be unconventional, the fact that Slade cared so much about her and the others still touched her heart and made her smile.
A/N: sooo, some shopping and some action! Did you like it? Please comment! :D I got the information about the King of Prussia Mall on Wikipedia.