“You see another who looks thirsty.Walking over to them, you nudge them on the back.They look at you, and you gesture toward the lake with your head.You and the other walk over there, and you are content and you are happy.You are home.”

“That night we danced, I marked you as mine and I made it stick. There wasn’t a boy or a man on that lake that didn’t know who you belonged to, and the minute there was even a whiff one of them was stepping over the line, they walked funny for a week.”

“You just noticedthe disguise that she wearsfrom day to day?Well that’s too bad.Because it’s too late,she’s gone.She slipped away.”

“I paused outside your door to see if you were awake, and you clearly were, so I came in." "You still can't just barge in." I crossed my arms over my chest."Would you like me to go back out and knock?" Loki gestured to the doors behind him. "Would that make you feel better?”

“I shot up out of my chair. “Change of plans. Finish your drink so we can go.”Jay responded flatly, “Go where exactly?”“I’m not sure but we’ll know it when we see it.”He looked at his glass and back to me. “Why bother?”I looked him the eye, seeing pain there and forcing myself not to flinch from it. “Because pity parties suck” I started walking toward the exit and over my shoulder asked “You coming?”He downed the rest of his drink and followed me out the door.”

“You begged me for clemency once," he called over the dead reaches of the Fold, over the hungry shrieks of the horrors he had made. "Is this your idea of mercy?" Another bullet hit the sand, only inches from us. Yes, I thought as the power rose up inside me, the mercy you taught me.”

“Grocery shopping," Kira's gaze raked over him. "Well, honey, one thing about it, I don't think you have to worry about buying beef while you're out. It looks like you have plenty in residence as it is.”