"Jaxon?"
I turned around at the mention of my name and came face to face with Pepper Potts. I had met the petite red-head earlier, and her calmness seemed a perfect contrast to Tony's wildness.
"Hey, Pepper what did you need?" I asked, bouncing Aine on my hip. I left Caoimhe upstairs with Loki and Thor to grab glass of water from the kitchen.
"Natasha and I were planning on running to the mall to buy a few things for Christmas. Would you be interested in coming along?"
I was taken aback, was it really almost Christmas? What was today's date? The third of December. Man, time has just flown by since I met Loki. The girls were almost two months old.
"Jaxon?"
I snapped out of my thoughts and smiled at the confused looking woman in front of me.
"Sorry, I got lost in my head. I would love to go with you."
"That's fine. We're going to be leaving tomorrow morning around ten or something. See you then?"
I nodded.
"I'm assuming you want to get this little one to bed." she stated, reaching out a finger to run it down Aine's cheek. The little girl cooed and leaned into the touch. "So cute."
I smiled, "Thank you."
Pepper pulled away with a small grin, "Goodnight."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Pepper asked me to go shopping with her and Natasha."
Loki paused in the act of brushing his teeth, "What did you say?" he spoke around his toothbrush. We had already settled both the girls in for the night and Thor was in his room, probably eating pop tarts.
"I said yes, of course."
He glared in the mirror, "You're not going."
I glared right back, "Excuse me?"
"I'm not taking the chance that you'll be attacked again. Sigyn is still out there."
"Loki, it's not like I'll be completely helpless. Isn't Natasha like some kind of master assassin chick?"
He had finished brushing his teeth and was now turned towards me, "Yes, but she has no protection against magic, which just happens to be Sigyn's weapon of choice."
"We're going to be shopping, in broad daylight, in public. What could she possibly do?"
"You think the fact that you're around people will change anything?" he advanced closer to me, "Sigyn doesn't care. Humans mean nothing to her, noting but simple nuisances to be disposed of."
I grabbed his hands, "I'm sure Tony is going to have guards following Pepper, I'll be safe."
He shook his head, "Not good enough, I do not want to be worrying about you all day."
I sighed, even though this overprotective behavior might be a turn off for most people and definitely annoying, I could understand where he was coming from. I had had too many close calls with Sigyn already. "What would help you not to worry?"
"I'll go with you."
"No." there was no way, how in the world was I supposed to surprise him with a gift if he tagged along?
He scowled,"Then I guess we're back to square one, you not going."
My brows furrowed as I tried to think of a way for him to watch me without him actually seeing me. I smiled slightly as an idea came to mind, "Loki, can you communicate with Hiemdall down here?"
